cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ion Beam Etching of Compound Semiconductors

Many optical and electronic devices fabricated of compound semiconductor materials have very exacting and demanding horizontal and vertical patterning requirements. Etched-facet diode lasers require extremely smooth vertical or precisely tilted facets. Blazed optical gratings use tenth-micrometer ridges etched at an angle. Ridge optical waveguide devices, such as modulators and switches, must be etched to a precise width and depth with a minimum of etch-induced damage. These, and many other, applications require a degree of control of the etch rate and etch profile not readily available with conventional reactive ion etching or many “downstream” techniques. Ion beam etch technology was developed as a means to provide additional control of the etch process by decoupling the ion current from the ion incident energy (plasma self-bias) and pressure. This chapter reviews the foundational technology of the two principal ion beam etch methods, reactive-ion-beam etching (RIBE) and chemically assisted ion-beam etching (CAIBE), and their application to etching of compound semiconductors.
Optimizing electromechanical coupling in piezocomposites using polymers with negative Poisson's ratio

The invention of methods to make new materials with an engineered microstructure that yields a negative Poisson ratio opens a new avenue to optimize the performance of piezoelectric-rod/polymer-matrix composites. Such negative Poisson's ratio materials can be used as the passive phase in the composite to redirect the external stress acting on the piezocomposite so that the resulting stress bearing on the piezoceramic rods produces a maximal piezoelectric response. To project the properties of such a piezocomposite, a simple physical model that assumes constant strain along the rods and constant stress in the perpendicular plane is used. Interesting opportunities to improve the performance of devices made from 1-3 piezocomposites are seen in results calculated for the thickness-mode electromechanical coupling constant relevant to pulse-echo ultrasonic applications and for the hydrostatic electromechanical coupling constant relevant to passive hydrophones. >
Cryogenic metal mesh bandpass filters for submillimeter astronomy.

The design and performance of a tunable double-half-wave bandpass filter centered at 286 microns (Delta lambda/lambda = 0.16) and operating at cryogenic temperatures (for astronomy applications) are presented. The operating principle is explained, and the fabrication of the device, which comprises two identical mutually coupled Fabry-Perot filters with electroformed Ni-mesh reflectors and is tuned by means of variable spacers, is described. A drawing of the design and graphs of computed and measured performance are provided. Significantly improved bandpass characteristics are obtained relative to the single Fabry-Perot filter.
A study of the deoxyribonucleases and deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase of Escherichia coli K12S after infection with the bacteriopahge T4r

Abstract T4r infection of Escherichia coli K12S leads to a 4-fold rise in both DNAase and DNA polymerase (deoxynucleoside triphosphate: DNA deoxynucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.7) activities after 10 min. Part of the increase in nuclease activity seems to be due to the formation of an exonuclease chromatographically associated with DNA polymerase. The new exonuclease associated with λ phage formation in K12S is not seen after T4r infection of K12S. A large part of the DNA polymerase activity in normal or T4r-infected cells is attached to ribosomes when extracts are prepared in the presence of 0.01 M Mg2+. In normal cells the polymerase activity is released from the ribosomes in the absence of Mg2+. In contrast, in T4r-infected cells, ribosomal particles prepared in the absence of Mg2+ still contain significant amounts of DNA polymerase activity.
Perceived health-related self-efficacy associated with BMI in adults in a population-based survey.

Background: The concept of ability to control personal behaviour in various environmental temptations is called self-efficacy. The high prevalence of obesity and overweight in Finland is the reason for studying the determinants of weight. The aim of the present study was to clarify the associations between body mass index and health-related self-efficacy (HSE), including food patterns, health behaviour and education. Methods: A random sample of adults was invited to the cross-sectional FINRISK 2002 Study in six regions in Finland. Participants (n=7784) gave information on education, health behaviour, HSE and food consumption. Height and weight were measured in a health examination. The response rate was 60% for men and 71% for women. Six food patterns were identified by principal component analysis on the basis of food consumption. The scores from seven-item HSE was calculated and categorized into tertiles for the analysis. The associations of BMI with self-efficacy and exploratory variables were tested u...
The effect of post-exsanguination infusion on the composition, exudation, color and post-mortem metabolic changes in lamb.

Abstract Twenty-four lamb carcasses were assigned to three treatment groups: (1) control (Ctr), (2) infused with 10% (vol/wt) of a tenderizing blend (NCa), and (3) NCa plus 0·015 m CaCl 2 (WCa). Results indicated that the infused carcass solution was retained in the following order: shoulder > lion > leg. Infusion had no effect ( P > 0·05) on drip and cooking losses in refrigerated samples. Samples frozen and then thawed from infused carcasses had greater thaw drip ( P P NCa > Ctr. Frozen storage preserved the red color but lowered the lightness and yellowness of ovine muscles; the opposite effect was observed following refrigerated storage. Infused samples were lighter and yellower than control in both fresh and frozen samples ( P P P postmortem (pm) compared with Ctr. The rate of glycolysis was higher in infraspinatus (IS) than in longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle ( LTL or longissimus ). In both IS and LTL , glycolysis was completed within the first 6 h postmortem in NCa, whereas in Ctr and WCa, it took 12–24 h for glycolysis to be completed. The rate of glycolysis was in the order: NCa > WCa > Ctr.
Can Bronchoscopic Airway Anatomy Be an Indicator of Autism

Bronchoscopic evaluations revealed that some children have double branching of bronchi (designated "doublets") in the lower lungs airways, rather than normal, single branching. Retrospective analyses revealed only one commonality in them: all subjects with doublets also had autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). That is, 49 subjects exhibited the presence of initial normal anatomy in upper airway followed by doublets in the lower airway. In contrast, the normal branching pattern was noted in all the remaining 410 subjects who did not have a diagnosis of autism/ASD. We propose that the presence of doublets might be an objective, reliable, and valid biologic marker of autism/ASD.
A 47-Year-Old Returning Traveler With Shock

A 47-year-old man with no significant past medical history, originally from Indonesia, was brought to the ED of an urban US medical center after being found collapsed on the sidewalk in respiratory distress and with an altered sensorium. Upon arrival to the ED, he was tachypneic, with increased work of breathing and an oxygen saturation of 88% on 100% nonrebreather mask, so he was immediately intubated. Following intubation, he became profoundly hypotensive, requiring aggressive crystalloid resuscitation and vasopressor support. Broad-spectrum antimicrobials were administered, including ceftriaxone, vancomycin, levofloxacin, and oseltamivir. Further history elicited subsequently from family members revealed that the patient had returned from a 2-week vacation in Indonesia 6 days prior to presentation. According to relatives, he appeared to be in his usual state of health upon his return and was not seen by anyone thereafter, but in the interim he reportedly had an episode of epistaxis, and text messages received from him became progressively more bizarre.
Reactions to eye contact initiated by physically attractive and unattractive men and women

The effects of the attractiveness and the sex of an initiator of eye contact were studied by presenting 93 subjects with same-sex pairs of relatively attractive and relatively unattractive confederates. During a three-minute period one of the confederates gazed continuously at the subject while the other looked away. Five 2 x 2 x 2 ANOVA's were computed for the number of reciprocated eye gazes and subjects' written ratings of the confederates. Contrary to previous research, results indicated that the unattractive person became more liked when not gazing. It was also found that the only situation in which gazing increased liking was when an attractive male confederate gazed at a female subject. The findings are discussed in terms of traditional sex-role norms.
Astigmatid mites (Acari: Sarcoptiformes) of forensic interest

This paper reviews the occurrence of mites of the infraorder Astigmata in situations involving the legal system, particularly in the area of medicocriminal entomology. Species in the families Acaridae, Lardoglyphidae and Histiostomatidae are encountered in stored food products and in vertebrate carrion, including human remains. Some of these species are incidentals, whereas others are obligate necrophages. Phoretic associations between these mites and insects allows for rapid dispersal and colonization of such patchy resources.
An Intel 3000 cross assembler

This note describes MCR3000, a cross-assembler and simulator for the Intel series 3000 microcomputer chip set. The MCR3000 System is written for, and runs under, the IBM System 360 OS/MVT. It consists of an assembler facility for writing and generating microcode and an execution simulator for testing and running micro programs. When one uses both the assembler and simulator, it is necessary to specify the bit slice desired. This value can range from 2 (which represents a single 3001 CPE chip) to 32, the length of an IBM full word. There is no limit to the size of the microprogram memory and powerful extensions to the addressing schemes of the 3002 MCU chip are provided.
The hyh mutation uncovers roles for alpha Snap in apical protein localization and control of neural cell fate.

Corrigendum: The hyh mutation uncovers roles for αSnap in apical protein localization and control of neural cell fate
The reaction of reduced pyridine nucleotides with acid.

Abstract Reduced pyridine nucleotides and related compounds react with acid to yield a primary product that absorbs at 290 mμ. Evidence is presented that suggests that this product is formed by opening the heterocyclic ring yielding an aldehyde. Under strong acid conditions (pH 1), the 290-mμ chromophore is cleaved from the nucleotide giving adenosinediphosphate ribose and a pyridine derivative. The acid product is discussed and related to a postulated mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation at the pyridine nucleotide level.
Response to Comments on “Bateman in Nature: Predation on Offspring Reduces the Potential for Sexual Selection”

Commenters objected to the way that we counted matings and offspring to calculate Bateman slopes and disagreed with our contention that predation on offspring can decrease the potential for sexual selection. We clarify what may have been misunderstandings to argue that our methods, analyses, and conclusions are correct.
The role of fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor in the proliferative response of the corneal and lens epithelium

Bovine corneal epithelial and lens epithelial cell culture have been developed to study the factors controlling corneal epithelial and lens epithelial cell proliferation. The ultrastructure of bovine corneal and lens epithelial cells grown in vitro was typical of that reported for corneal epithelial cells and lens epithelial cells in vivo. The outstanding structural features of these cells were the various forms of microfilament associations; microtubules were also present, but they were much less numerous and not often associated with each other. Microfilaments did exist in numerous closely-packed filaments. In many instances the microfilaments appear to be associated with junctional complexes (desmosomes) present between adjacent cells. When the mitogenic effect of EGF and FGF was compared on cultures of corneal epithelial cells and lens epithelial cells, FGF increased the labelling index of quiescent cultures of corneal and lens epithelium to a degree comparable to that of serum while EGF had no effect. When the effect of EGF and FGF was compared on the rate of proliferation of sparse cell culture, FGF induced an increase in cell number with corneal epithelial cell culture at 1 ng/ml and its effect was optimal at 10 ng/ml. With lens epithelial cell culture FGF had an effect at concentrations as low as 10−2 ng/ml and the response leveled off at 100 ng/ml. EGF did not have any effect on the proliferation of corneal or lens epithelial cells from 10−3 to 103 ng/ml although specific EGF binding sites were detected with corneal and lens epithelial cells. The lack of mitogenic effect of EGF on corneal epithelial cell culture stands in contrast to its marked hyperplastic effect (shared by FGF) on epithelium of cornea maintained in organ culture. In contrast to that of FGF, a typical EGF response of the corneal epithelium occurred with combined corneal epithelium and mesenchyme (stroma), but not with epithelium alone. The mitogenic response of a given tissue, such as the cornea, to EGF will then not only depend on the presence of the mitogenic agent or on the sensitivity of the tissue to a mitogenic stimulus at a given time, but will also depend on the topological relationship between tissues from different embryonic origin within the same organ.
Double-valued representations of the four-dimensional cubic lattice rotation group☆

Abstract The double-valued representations of the rotation symmetry group of the four-dimensional cubic lattice are described. Their connections with double-valued representations of the three-dimensional cubic lattice rotation group and of the continuous O(3) and O(4) groups are given in detail.
The crosslinking of epoxy resins at interfaces. I. Germanium, germanium dioxide, and silane‐treated germanium

The chemical changes that accompany the crosslinking of an epoxy resin by an anhydride curing agent were followed by internal reflection spectroscopy (IRS). The crosslinking process was carried out on the surface of a germanium IRS element and the effects of various surface treatments of the germanium (humid aging, oxidation, and silane coating) on the reaction kinetics were examined. The reaction kinetics in the first 3000–4000 A of the resin adjacent to dry, freshly polished germanium were similar to the reaction kinetics in the bulk of the resin. However, humid aging or oxidation of the germanium surface produced a local acceleration in the rate of anhydride consumption and reduced the yield of ester products. The aminosilane coating accelerated the consumption of anhydride, decreased the yield of ester, and resulted in the formation of amide groups in the interfacial region.
Web accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities

This pilot study investigated individuals with developmental cognitive disabilities (DCD) navigating W3C accessibility-compliant Web sites and the impact of four cognitive determinants: situation awareness, spatial awareness, task-set switching, and anticipated system response. Participants were placed into one of two search conditions and were asked to complete information-finding tasks. The usability evaluation demonstrated that the majority of users with DCD were able to access the Web but they were unable to successfully use the W3C accessibility-compliant Web sites/. The use of navigation aids was examined, different Web navigation problems were identified as well as user satisfaction and perceived usability. It is clear from this study that current Web accessibility guidelines do not sufficiently address the needs of people with cognitive disabilities. Additional research is needed to understand how cognitive disabilities affect using Web-based media.
Utilization of health services in physician offices and outpatient clinics by adolescents and young women in the United States: implications for improving access to reproductive health services.

Abstract Purpose We examined utilization patterns of adolescents and young women as they seek general and reproductive health services in physician offices and hospital outpatient clinics. Methods We analyzed physician office visits in the 2003–2006 National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys, and hospital outpatient clinic visits in the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys, to examine utilization patterns of females aged 9–26 years by 2-year age intervals and other characteristics such as physician specialty or clinic type. Results The number of visits to primary care physician offices increased with age, from 4.9 million for ages 9–10 years to 9.0 million for ages 25–26 years. The proportion of visits made to obstetrician-gynecologists and family practitioners increased with age, and by ages 15–16 years fewer than half of all visits to primary care providers were made to pediatricians. The proportion of visits to family practitioners increased from 25% at ages 9–10 years to 30% at ages 25–26 years. By ages 17–18 years, a larger proportion of visits were made to obstetrician-gynecologists (33% of 7.0 million visits) and to family practitioners (34%) than to pediatricians (23%). The proportion of visits for reproductive health services peaked at 53% of 7.5 million physician visits at ages 20–21 years. Similar utilization patterns were observed for the 11.0 million hospital outpatient visits to primary care providers. Conclusions Because adolescents and young women most commonly utilize healthcare services provided by obstetrician-gynecologists and family practitioners, these specialties should be priority targets for interventions to improve the quality and availability of reproductive health services.
Primary cilia are highly oriented with respect to collagen direction and long axis of extensor tendon

Skeletal tissues adapt to their mechanical environments by modulating gene expression, cell metabolism, and extracellular matrix (ECM) architecture; however, the mechanosensory mechanisms for these processes are incompletely understood. Primary cilia have emerged as critical components of the cellular mechanosensory apparatus and have been hypothesized to participate in establishment of cellular and ECM orientation, but their function in skeletal tissues is just beginning to be examined. Here we focused on tendon, a tissue with an oriented matrix that is ideal for analysis of spatial relationships between primary cilia and the ECM. The objective of this study was to characterize the incidence and orientation of tenocyte primary cilia in their native ECM. Primary cilia, nuclei, and collagen were analyzed three-dimensionally in immunofluorescently labeled rat extensor tendon using multiphoton microscopy and semiautomated morphometry. Primary cilia were observed in 64% of tenocytes. The cilia were highly oriented with respect to the ECM: cilia were aligned parallel to the collagen fibers and the long axis of the tendon. This study represents the first quantification of the in situ incidence and orientation of primary cilia in tendon.
Monitoring and control of biological activity in Permasep® seawater RO plants

Abstract For seawater RO plants, biological activity is dependent on site-specific factors such as temperature, organic and inorganic nutrients, pollution and surface water runoff. These site-specific factors are discussed along with the effect of biofouling (accumulation of slime and biomass) on RO performance, proper monitoring techniques for biological activity, pretreatment of source water to control biological fouling, cleaning to remove slime and biomass and procedures for proper storage of RO plants during shutdown to prevent biofouling. Microbiological analyses are used to measure the biological activity. Although numerous microbiological techniques are available for the analysis of water and wastewater, it is critical that the appropriate ones be used for seawater. Clearly, direct microscopy is the best method to measure the biological activity. Routine monitoring of the biological activity must be performed to determine the efficacy of the pretreatment system and to give early indications of any biofouling in the B-10 permeators. Based on the data obtained from routine monitoring, value judgements can be made with respect to operational changes needed in the pretreatment and the need to disinfect and clean the B-10 permeators. The biological activity in Permasep® B-10 seawater permeators can be controlled by using proper precautions, the proper pretreatment of the source water and adherence to proper operating procedures. Control of the biological activity in Permasep® B-10 seawater RO plants will significantly enhance long-term successful performance of the permeators.
Background Noise in Nonlinear Oscillators

For a general black box model of a resistive one terminal-pair nonlinear oscillator, it is shown that the noise output from noise bands around the oscillatory frequency is composed of an additive noise of the shape of the oscillator resonant circuit and a very small FM broadening of the oscillator line. A noise generator across the oscillator terminals will produce the same amount of additive noise in the load as if the nonlinearity were absent, but the upper and lower sidebands are fully correlated, not independent as in the linear case. The noise bandwidth of the additive noise can be determined by the passive elements and the change in oscillator output power with changing load conductance at the operating load conductance. When the load conductance is adjusted for maximum oscillator output power, the noise bandwidth is the same as if the value of load conductance gave maximum power from a linear circuit.
Transitions in shallow convection - An explanation for lateral cell expansion

The generalized, seven-coefficient model presented for two-dimensional Rayleigh-Benard convection successfully simulates one way in which lateral cell expansion can occur as the value of the imposed vertical temperature difference is changed. The triad of interacting wavenumbers is varied as the vertical heating rate is varied and only the energetically active components are retained, so that transitional behavior within two-dimensional convective flow can be both simulated and physically interpreted as the representation of the cell expansion process via successive secondary branching. It is found that while a two-dimensional cell broadening mechanism is likely to operate for small Prandtl number values, a three-dimensional mechanism is expected at values greater than about 0.7.
Epidemiology and quantitative risk assessment: a bridge from science to policy.

Quantitative risk assessment provides formalized scientific input to regulatory agencies that set occupational and environmental standards for potentially toxic exposures. Current practice relies heavily on statistical extrapolation from high-dose animal studies. Human data obviate the need for interspecies extrapolation and reduce the range of high-to-low dose extrapolation. This paper proposes a framework for classifying individual epidemiologic studies as to their adequacy for use in dose-response extrapolation. The framework considers five criteria: (1) a stable positive association with an adverse health outcome; (2) high overall study quality; (3) no substantial confounding; (4) quantitative exposure assessment for individuals; (5) evidence of a dose-response relationship. With these criteria, studies can be categorized as (1) suitable to serve as a basis for extrapolation; (2) inadequate to be the basis for direct extrapolation but appropriate to use for evaluating the plausibility of animal-derive...
Identifying, Indexing, and Ranking Chemical Formulae and Chemical Names in Digital Documents

End-users utilize chemical search engines to search for chemical formulae and chemical names. Chemical search engines identify and index chemical formulae and chemical names appearing in text documents to support efficient search and retrieval in the future. Identifying chemical formulae and chemical names in text automatically has been a hard problem that has met with varying degrees of success in the past. We propose algorithms for chemical formula and chemical name tagging using Conditional Random Fields (CRFs) and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) that achieve higher accuracy than existing (published) methods. After chemical entities have been identified in text documents, they must be indexed. In order to support user-provided search queries that require a partial match between the chemical name segment used as a keyword or a partial chemical formula, all possible (or a significant number of) subformulae of formulae that appear in any document and all possible subterms (e.g., “methyl”) of chemical names (e.g., “methylethyl ketone”) must be indexed. Indexing all possible subformulae and subterms results in an exponential increase in the storage and memory requirements as well as the time taken to process the indices. We propose techniques to prune the indices significantly without reducing the quality of the returned results significantly. Finally, we propose multiple query semantics to allow users to pose different types of partial search queries for chemical entities. We demonstrate empirically that our search engines improve the relevance of the returned results for search queries involving chemical entities.
Removable partial denture abutment tooth movement as affected by inclination of residual ridges and type of loading

Abstract A laboratory study was performed to observe the effect of the sagittal inclination of the residual ridge, the bilateral-unilateral loading, and the load-nonloadside movement on the movement of abutment teeth. Results indicated that the angulation of the residual ridge in a sagittal plane alters the direction and magnitude of abutment tooth movement; that an abutment tooth showed greater movement as the nonload-side abutment when compared with its movement when it was the load-side abutment; and that bilateral loading of a removable partial denture is more favorable than unilateral loading in respect to abutment tooth movement.
High prevalence of cardiac autonomic dysfunction and T-wave alternans in dialysis patients

Background Chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients have an elevated risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), particularly in the 24 hours before the first HD of the week. Temporal changes in cardiac autonomic dysfunction, as characterized by abnormalities in heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT), along with T-wave alternans (TWA), may contribute to this dispersion of risk. Objective This study sought to determine the prevalence of abnormal HRV, HRT, and TWA in HD patients and to compare their temporal distribution among periods of variable SCD risk. Methods HRV, HRT, and TWA were analyzed from 72-hour Holter monitors in HD patients, and results were compared among the 24-hour high-risk period before the first dialysis session of the week, the 24-hour intermediate-risk period beginning with the weeks' first dialysis, and the low-risk period the day after the first dialysis. Positive cut points were standard deviation of all normal R-R intervals ≤70 ms for HRV, onset ≥0% and/or slope ≤2.5 ms/R-R for HRT, and ≥53 μV for TWA. Results Of 41 enrollees, 28 (46% male, age 55 ± 12, ejection fraction 57% ± 11%) had sufficient data for analysis. Abnormalities were prevalent with 82%, 75%, and 96% of patients reaching threshold for HRV, HRT, and TWA in at least one 24-hour period, respectively. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of abnormal measures among dialytic intervals nor in the intraindividual distribution of abnormal measures ( P >.05 for all). Conclusion Abnormal HRV, HRT, and TWA are prevalent in HD patients and may indicate heightened SCD risk. No significant correlation was observed among these measures and recognized periods of variable risk.
β -Endorphin/ β -lipotropin release and gonadotropin secretion after acute exercise in physically conditioned males

β-endorphin (β-EP) andβ-lipotropin (β-LPH) concentrations were measured in the basal state and after acute exercise for 15 min or until exhaustion in 6 physically conditioned male volunteers. Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone and prolactin were also measured in the basal state. In addition, the concentrations of the gonadotropins (LH and FSH) were determined after exercise and the gonadotropin response to gonadotropin releasing hormone was assessed before and after exercise. The data show that acute exercise stimulates the release of bothβ-EP andβ-LPH which return to base-line levels within 60 min after exercise. This is in contrast to our previously described results in physically unconditioned male volunteers in whom onlyβ-LPH release was noted after exercise. Serum LH concentrations declined after exercise reaching nadir values between 60 to 150 min after exercise. As we previously reported in physically unconditioned male volunteers, serum FSH concentrations did not change with exercise and the gonadotropin response to LRH stimulation was uninfluenced by exercise. Serum testosterone and prolactin concentration were within the normal range for healthy adult males. We speculate that the difference inβ-EP release with exercise in physically conditioned and unconditioned males represents a difference in processing of the opioid precursor molecule (pro-opiomelanocortin, POMC) in the two groups.
In search of enduring information effects: Evidence from a ten-week panel experiment

The extent to which the electorate uses issue information to update their candidate evaluations over the course of political campaigns has often raised questions about citizen competence. Using a ten-week panel experiment designed to capture the low-information context of most congressional races this study contributes to our understanding of when and by what processes issue information produces enduring effects. Findings reveal that when voters need to assess an ideologically moderate candidate, they rely less on partisan cues but instead of storing issue information in long-term memory – either via a memory-based or on-line process – considerations in short-term memory remained one of the most powerful predictors of candidate evaluation, particularly when new issue information deviated from partisan norms.
Resonances in 12C + 13C at Ec.m. = 9.4 and 10.3 MeV observed in the total fusion cross section

Abstract The 12 C + 13 C total fusion cross section has been measured from E c.m. = 8.8 to 10.9 MeV to search for evidence of two resonances previously reported at 9.4 and 10.3 MeV on the basis of elastic scattering data. Enhancements of about 6 % are observed in the total fusion cross section at E c.m. = 9.35 + 0.05 and 10.21±0.05 MeV. If the previously assigned resonance parameters are correct, the observed resonant contribution to the fusion cross section at 10.3 MeV is too large to be consistent with the non-resonant absorption of ∼ 80 % predicted from available optical-model parameters. It is concluded that these two resonances in 12 C+ 13 C are comparable to the strongest resonances observed in 12 C + 12 C and 12 C + 16 O. The apparent weakness of 12 C+ 13 C resonances in measured reaction cross sections is expected on the basis of simple angular momentum considerations.
The P‐300 event‐related potential in experimental nitrous oxide exposure

Without the availability of objective measures of central neurologic dysfunction, neuroepidemiologic investigations of individuals exposed to psychoactive drugs and potential environmental and occupational neurotoxins are extraordinarily difficult, particularly when the central nervous system manifestations are subtle, diffuse, and limited to cognitive deficits. In an attempt to assess and quantitate psychomotor dysfunction, P-300 event-related potentials, Symbol Digit Test, Continuous Performance Test, and Finger Tapping Test were obtained from six subjects sequentially exposed to nitrous oxide at 0%, 10%, 20%, and 40%. With increasing concentration of N2O, there was prolongation of P-300 latency and worsening of Continuous Performance Test and Symbol Digit Test performance; P-300 amplitude and Finger Tapping Test performance were decreased by exposure to N2O. This study demonstrates a dose-dependent reduction in P-300 amplitude and prolongation of P-300 latency in subjects in whom psychomotor impairment was induced by the acute administration of N2O.
Localization of two-dimensional electron gas in LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 heterostructures

We report strong localization of two-dimensional electron gas in LaAlO${}_{3}$/SrTiO${}_{3}$ epitaxial thin-film heterostructures grown on (LaAlO${}_{3}$)${}_{0.3}$-(Sr${}_{2}$AlTaO${}_{3}$)${}_{0.7}$ substrates by using pulsed laser deposition with in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction. Using longitudinal and transverse magnetotransport measurements, we have determined that disorder at the interface influences the conduction behavior, and that increasing the carrier concentration by growing at lower oxygen partial pressure changes the conduction from strongly localized at low carrier concentration to metallic at higher carrier concentration, with indications of weak localization. We interpret this behavior in terms of a changing occupation of Ti 3$d$ bands near the interface, each with a different spatial extent and susceptibility to localization by disorder, and differences in carrier confinement due to misfit strain and point defects.
Application of the method of caustics to the centre-cracked diametral compression test specimen

Normalized Mode I stress intensity factors,N1(a/R), for symmetrical radial cracks in diametral compression test specimens were experimentally evaluated using disc specimens of polymethyl methacrylate and the method of caustics. The method of caustics was first employed with precracked three-point bend specimens to assess the optical constant for the test material. This material property and the diameters of the caustics as a function of the applied load at different relative crack lengths (a/R) yielded the non-dimensional stress intensity factors using equations presented by Theocaris. These experimental values agreed closely with the theoretical solutions reported in the literature. Disc specimens of a polycrystalline alumina were also tested in diametral compression at temperatures up to 1000° C and the measured fracture toughness values were compared to those measured with chevron-notched bend specimens. It is shown that the centre-cracked diametral compression specimens give very reproducible fracture toughness measurements, and the specimen and the test technique can be usefully employed to assess the fracture toughness of structural ceramics at both ambient and elevated temperatures.
A fundamental avian wing-stroke provides a new perspective on the evolution of flight

The evolution of avian flight remains one of biology's major controversies, with a long history of functional interpretations of fossil forms given as evidence for either an arboreal or cursorial origin of flight. Despite repeated emphasis on the 'wing-stroke' as a necessary avenue of investigation for addressing the evolution of flight, no empirical data exist on wing-stroke dynamics in an experimental evolutionary context. Here we present the first comparison of wing-stroke kinematics of the primary locomotor modes (descending flight and incline flap-running) that lead to level-flapping flight in juvenile ground birds throughout development. We offer results that are contrary both to popular perception and inferences from other studies. Starting shortly after hatching and continuing through adulthood, ground birds use a wing-stroke confined to a narrow range of less than 20 degrees , when referenced to gravity, that directs aerodynamic forces about 40 degrees above horizontal, permitting a 180 degrees range in the direction of travel. Based on our results, we put forth an ontogenetic-transitional wing hypothesis that posits that the incremental adaptive stages leading to the evolution of avian flight correspond behaviourally and morphologically to transitional stages observed in ontogenetic forms.
Pulmonary and peritoneal inflammatory findings in transgastric NOTES compared with laparoscopy: pooled analysis from randomized porcine survival studies

Background Laparoscopy, which is a minimally invasive surgery, is associated with decreased peritoneal adhesions and inflammatory response compared with laparotomy. Objective To evaluate whether natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) leads to an attenuated peritoneal response compared with laparoscopy. Design Pooled histologic analysis from 2 randomized porcine trials. Setting Laboratory. Intervention Histologic analysis of swine undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy, diagnostic NOTES peritoneoscopy, NOTES with transgastric mesh placement, or diagnostic endoscopy (no gastrotomy) followed by laparoscopic mesh placement. Main Outcome Measurements The presence and grade of inflammation in necropsy specimens of lung, liver, and spleen as reviewed by a blinded veterinary pathologist. Results Four NOTES mesh animals exhibited mesh infections at necropsy. Tissue from 48 swine were available for analysis. Pulmonary inflammation, liver fibrosis, and spleen capsulitis were the primary findings. No difference was seen in the incidence of each finding among groups. The severity of the pulmonary inflammation in the laparoscopy group was significantly higher than in the NOTES groups. The NOTES mesh group exhibited significantly more severe liver fibrosis and spleen capsulitis. There was no difference between clinical behavior, serum white blood cell count, or peritoneal white blood cell count among groups in either study. Intra-abdominal pressures during NOTES were lower than during laparoscopy. Limitations Pooled analysis of 2 separate studies. Conclusion More severe pulmonary inflammation was found in animals undergoing longer laparoscopic procedures with higher intra-abdominal pressures. Intraperitoneal inflammation was most significant with transgastric mesh placement, likely caused by infections.
Use of Focus-Group Needs Assessment for Planning Paraprofessional Staff Development in Iowa's Education Settings.

The Iowa Learning Resource Network conducted a needs assessment project to address issues pertaining to the staff development and utilization of paraprofessional services, including speech-language paraprofessionals. A preliminary step in the project was the formation of focus groups consisting of professionals and paraprofessionals serving in a variety of assignments throughout the state. Through these groups, project coordinators conducted a needs assessment to identify important issues in the staff development and use of paraprofessional personnel. Focus group discussions revealed several issues that require systemic change efforts at the state, regional, and local levels. This article describes how the focus group assessment approach can be used to gather important information for designing job-relevant personnel development programs.
Molecular dynamics simulations of a glycoprotein: the lectin from Erythrina corallodendron

Abstract The structure of the lectin from Erythrina corallodendron (EcorL) has recently been solved crystallographically, with the oligosaccharide portion of this glycoprotein unusually well resolved. In general, the structure and dynamics of the oligosaccharides in glycoproteins are poorly understood. The crystal structure of EcorL provides an opportunity to probe the conformational properties of the oligosaccharide using computer modeling. Two 300 ps molecular dynamics simulations are reported of the oligosaccharide in solution isolated from the protein and bound to the protein and surrounded by water. The motions of the oligosaccharide are similar both free in solution and bonded to the protein. However, different parts of the glycosidic linkage conformational space have been explored by key component disaccharides in the two environments. The disaccharide of the “core” region shows greater flexibility in the isolated oligosaccharide than in the same region in the bound oligosaccharide. Because of the short length of these simulations, it could not be determined whether these differences are due to random chance or are a true reflection of the influence of the protein on the conformation of the oligosaccharide.
Authoritarian Attitudes toward Women, and their Correlates

(1959). Authoritarian Attitudes toward Women, and their Correlates. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 113-123.
Minitrack: Digital Divide

Digital divide plays an important role in last years? discourse in theory and practice as well. Starting in the 90?s by focusing on infrastructures divides between the ?have? and ?have-not? and continuing in the following years to other dimensions of the divide such as skills, usage, governmental and communal support and more. This mini-track tries to step out of the traditional look at the digital divide, from an infrastructure point of view, and enable a platform to discuss other perspectives of it ? Socio-demographic factors, social and governmental support, conceptualization of the concept digital divide, usage patterns and more.
Approximate loop transfer recovery method for designing fixed-order compensators

An approach is outlined for designing fixed-order dynamic compensators for multivariable time-invariant linear systems, based on minimizing a linear quadratic performance index. The formulation is done in an output feedback setting that exploits an observer canonical form to represent the compensator dynamics. The formulation also precludes the use of direct feedback of the plant output. The main contribution lies in defining a method for penalizing the states of the plant and of the compensator, and for choosing the distribution on initial conditions so that the loop transfer matrix approximates that of a full-state feedback design. When linear quadratic regulator theory is used to do the full-state feedback design, the approach can result in good gain and phase margin characteristics. Two examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the approach. The first treats the problem of pointing a flexible structure, and the second is a helicopter flight control problem using a tenth-order model for the fuselage and rotor dynamics. Both of the examples considered in this paper are for nonsquare plants.
Patient and provider characteristics associated with colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer screening among Asian Americans

Background: Routinely recommended screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers can significantly reduce mortality from these types of cancer, yet screening is underutilized among Asians. Surveys rely on self-report and often are underpowered for analysis by Asian ethnicities. Electronic health records (EHR) include validated (as opposed to recall-based) rates of cancer screening. In this article, we seek to better understand cancer screening patterns in a population of insured Asian Americans. Methods: We calculated rates of compliance with cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer screening among Asians from an EHR population and compared them with non-Hispanic whites. We performed multivariable modeling to evaluate potential predictors (at the provider- and patient-level) of screening completion among Asian patients. Results: Aggregation of Asian subgroups masked heterogeneity in screening rates. Asian Indians and native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders had the lowest rates of screening in our sample, well below that of non-Hispanic whites. In multivariable analyses, screening completion was negatively associated with patient–physician language discordance for mammography [OR, 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.71–0.92] and colorectal cancer screening (OR, 0.79; CI, 0.72–0.87) and positively associated with patient–provider gender concordance for mammography (OR, 1.16; CI, 1.00–1.34) and cervical cancer screening (OR, 1.66; CI, 1.51–1.82). In addition, patient enrollment in online health services increased mammography (OR, 1.32; CI, 1.20–1.46) and cervical cancer screening (OR, 1.31; CI, 1.24–1.37). Conclusions: Language- and gender-concordant primary care providers and culturally tailored online health resources may help improve preventive cancer screening in Asian patient populations. Impact: This study demonstrates how the use of EHR data can inform investigations of primary prevention practices within the healthcare delivery setting. See all the articles in this [ CEBP Focus ][1] section, “Cancer in Asian and Pacific Islander Populations.” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(11); 2208–17. ©2014 AACR . [1]: http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/23/11.toc#CEBPFocus
Fast Universal Decoder for Block Error Correcting Codes using Parallel Comparison

In this work, a fast decoder for Block Error Correcting Codes is introduced. It is based on comparing the received code word, with possible errors, to all codewords without errors in parallel. The Hamming distances between the received code word and all the correct code words are computed in parallel, and then each Hamming distance is compared to all the correctable values it can attain simultaneously. The code word with the smallest Hamming distance is chosen to be the correct code word. Any match for such a value blocks the output of all higher values. The result is a very fast circuit and method for decoding with propagation delay independent of the number of code words. Next to each code word, the data word that it encodes is stored and therefore either the corrected code word or the corresponding data word can be outputted. This parallel design allows for high throughput and short latency, rendering it particularly suited for applications such as error correcting RAM and communication channels. The decoder is programmable for any block error correcting code within its hardware capacity. Additionally, it works equally well for linear as well as nonlinear block error correcting codes and therefore represents a universal decoder.
Do Higher Grades Lead to Favorable Student Evaluations

The relationship between expected grades and student evaluations of teaching (SET) has been controversial. The authors take another look at the controversy by employing class-specific observations and controlling for time-invariant instructor and course differences with a fixed-effects model. The authors' empirical results indicate that if an instructor of a particular course has some classes in which students expect higher grades, a more favorable average SET is obtained in these classes. Moreover, they find that it is the gap between expected grade and cumulative grade point average of incoming students that is the relevant explanatory variable, not expected grade as employed in the previous literature.
Path parameters consensus based formation control for multiple mobile robots

This paper addresses the problem of designing distributed feedback laws to fore the outputs of mobile robots to follow geometric paths while holding a desired formation pattern. The solution to formation problem, unfolds in two basic parts. Firstly, a path following control law based on Lyapunov and backstepping is designed out to drive each robot to its desired path regardless of the temporal speed profile adopted. Secondly the path parameters of each assigned path are adjusted so as to synchronize their positions along the path, thus achieving coordination, while making the formation as a whole travel at a given speed. The control strategy proposed only need robots communicate the information of path parameter with each other and the information flow is small and satisfies with a practical standpoint. A formation of multiple robots simulation platform is constructed and the simulation results illustrate the performance of the derived controller.