cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Configuration of 13 B ( g . s . )

We use recent results of \ensuremath{\beta}-delayed neutron emission from ${}^{14}\mathrm{Be}$ to estimate the configuration of the ground state of ${}^{13}\mathrm{B}.$ We also discuss consequences for ${}^{14}\mathrm{Be}$ and ${}^{14}\mathrm{B}.$
Silicon Photonic Deserialization for Energy Efficient Links

We develop a novel optical deserialization system in silicon photonics to reduce electrical deserialization power consumption and improve receiver sensitivity. Results demonstrate a path to increasing receiver sensitivity by 2.5 dB with improved modulators.
Microstructure and micro-texture evolution of additively manufactured β-Ti alloys

Abstract This study focuses on the microstructural evolution in additively manufactured (AM) β titanium alloys due to solid-state phase transformations occurring during the reheating of previously deposited layers, directly influencing the uniformity of microstructure across the entire build. During the AM of titanium alloys of a wide variety of compositions, including α + β alloys such as Ti-6Al-4 V, and β alloys, when the laser or electron beam hits the sample, the grains in the previously deposited topmost layers either re-melt or transform into the β phase. Subsequently, during the cooling cycle, depending on the alloy composition, second-phase precipitation may occur within these layers via solid-state precipitation. The present study compares two binary β -Ti alloys, Ti-12Mo and Ti-20 V, that have been processed using laser engineered net shaping (LENS™), a directed energy deposition technique for AM. Compared to Ti-V, which exhibited grains of only the β phase in the as-built condition, the less β stabilized Ti-Mo had extensive second-phase α precipitation within the build. The location within the LENS™ build played a pivotal role in determining the size scale, area fraction, and morphology of the α precipitates. These changes have been attributed to the different thermal cycles experienced during the deposition process. Irrespective of the alloy composition, columnar grains were observed in the depositions with a strong [001]β texture along the build direction. In the Ti-12Mo alloy, wherein second phase α precipitation takes place, there was no significant α texturing, with all twelve variants forming.
Partial Surface Oxidation of Manganese Oxides as an Effective Treatment To Improve Their Activity in Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Enhancing the electrocatalytic activity of low-cost transition-metal oxides for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a crucial challenge for extensive application of fuel cells. A promising approach demonstrated previously is the formation of catalysts with mixed valent metal active sites. Because catalysis happens primarily on the surface of the catalyst, we hypothesize that creating such active sites only on the surface will be an effective strategy for improving the catalytic activities. Here, we present a partial oxidation approach that grows δ-MnO2 nanoflakes on the surface of octahedron Mn3O4 nanocrystals for increasing their ORR activity. The δ-MnO2/Mn3O4 nanocomposite exhibits significantly improved ORR activity with a half-wave potential of 0.75 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, which is ∼110 and ∼90 mV lower than those of the Mn3O4 nanocrystal and δ-MnO2 nanoflakes in their pure forms, respectively. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals that the δ-MnO2/Mn3O4 nanocomposite posses...
Debiased Inference on Treatment Effect in a High-Dimensional Model

This article concerns the potential bias in statistical inference on treatment effects when a large number of covariates are present in a linear or partially linear model. While the estimation bias...
Biosurfactant production maintains viability in anoxic conditions by depolarizing the membrane in Bacillus subtilis

The presence or absence of oxygen in the environment is a strong effector of cellular metabolism and physiology. Like many eukaryotes and some bacteria, Bacillus subtilis is an obligate aerobe that primarily utilizes oxygen during respiration to generate ATP. Despite the importance of oxygen for B. subtilis survival, we know little about how oxygen is consumed during growth and how populations respond to shifts in oxygen availability. Here, we find that when oxygen was depleted from stationary phase cultures ~90% of B. subtilis 3610 cells died and lysed due to autolysin activity; the remaining cells maintained colony-forming ability. Interestingly, the domesticated 168 strain maintained a higher optical density than 3610 during oxygen depletion due to the formation of cell-wall-less protoplasts, but the remaining, rod-shaped cells were >100-fold less viable than 3610. We discovered that the higher viability in 3610 was due to its ability to produce the antibacterial compound surfactin, as surfactin addition rescued 168 viability and also increased yield in aerobic growth. We further demonstrate that surfactin strongly depolarizes the B. subtilis membrane, and that other known membrane-potential disruptors restore viability to 168. These findings highlight the importance of surfactin for survival during oxygen-depleted conditions and demonstrate that antimicrobials normally considered harmful can instead benefit cells in stressful conditions when the terminal electron acceptor in respiration is limiting.
Association of Hospital Altitude and Postoperative Infectious Complications After Major Operations.

Introduction: The relationship between altitude during treatment and common postoperative infections remains to be established. Based on the inverse relationship between oxygen partial pressure and...
The impact of patient preferences and costs on the appropriateness of spinal manipulation and mobilization for chronic low back pain and chronic neck pain.

Although the delivery of appropriate healthcare is an important goal, the definition of what constitutes appropriate care is not always agreed upon. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method is one of the most well-known and used approaches to define care appropriateness from the clinical perspective—i.e., that the expected effectiveness of a treatment exceeds its expected risks. However, patient preferences (the patient perspective) and costs (the healthcare system perspective) are also important determinants of appropriateness and should be considered. We examined the impact of including information on patient preferences and cost on expert panel ratings of clinical appropriateness for spinal mobilization and manipulation for chronic low back pain and chronic neck pain. The majority of panelists thought patient preferences were important to consider in determining appropriateness and that their inclusion could change ratings, and half thought the same about cost. However, few actually changed their appropriateness ratings based on the information presented on patient preferences regarding the use of these therapies and their costs. This could be because the panel received information on average patient preferences for spinal mobilization and manipulation whereas some panelists commented that appropriateness should be determined based on the preferences of individual patients. Also, because these therapies are not expensive, their ratings may not be cost sensitive. The panelists also generally agreed that preferences and costs would only impact their ratings if the therapies were considered clinically appropriate. This study found that the information presented on patient preferences and costs for spinal mobilization and manipulation had little impact on the rated appropriateness of these therapies for chronic low back pain and chronic neck pain. Although it was generally agreed that patient preferences and costs were important to the appropriateness of M/M for CLBP and CNP, it seems that what would be most important were the preferences of the individual patient, not patients in general, and large cost differentials.
Is Effective Teacher Evaluation Sustainable? Evidence from DCPS

Ten years ago, many policy makers viewed the reform of teacher evaluation as a highly promising mechanism to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Recently, that enthusiasm has dim...
Nephrology Consultative Approach and Risk Stratification Prior to Revascularization in Chronic Kidney Disease

Proper patient preparation prior to cardiac catheterization and revascularization can help assure favorable post procedural outcomes, especially in high-risk individuals. Patients with chronic kidney disease have an increased risk for complications after cardiac catheterization, percutaneous coronary interventions, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The nephrologist primarily managing the patient is best situated to help optimize risk factors prior to the planned procedure. Areas of potential management will depend on the stage of chronic kidney disease, complications specifically related to chronic kidney disease, and, if with end-stage kidney disease, the type of renal replacement modality utilized by the patient. Issues related to post cardiac catheterization outcomes that need to be particularly optimized in patients with chronic kidney disease include blood pressure, proteinuria/hypoalbuminemia, edema/volume status, electrolyte homeostasis, and anemia. Collaboration with the interventional cardiology team will be important to assure appropriate management is implemented in a timely manner before cardiac catheterization and revascularization.
Mutual Fund Liquidity Transformation and Reverse Flight to Liquidity

We identify fixed-income mutual funds as an important contributor to the unusually high selling pressure in liquid asset markets during the Covid-19 crisis. We show that mutual fund liquidity transformation led to pronounced investor outflows. In meeting redemptions, funds followed a pecking order by first selling their liquid assets, including Treasuries and high-quality corporate bonds, which generated the most concentrated selling pressure in these markets. The Fed's announced purchase of illiquid securities effectively stabilized mutual fund liquidity transformation and alleviated the selling pressure in liquid asset markets.
The Colombian Adoption House: A Case Study

In this explanatory case study, the researcher examined how adult Colombian adoptees, whose adoptions may have been facilitated under corrupt or suspicious circumstances, sought to learn factual in...
Unexpectedly large remanent polarization of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 metal–ferroelectric–metal capacitor fabricated without breaking vacuum

We introduce an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technique referred to here as Sequential, No-Atmosphere Processing (SNAP) to fabricate ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 capacitors in Metal–Ferroelectric–Metal (MFM) structures. SNAP involves the ALD of each layer sequentially while maintaining the sample under vacuum process conditions without ambient exposure during the entire sequential deposition processes. We first use plasma enhanced ALD to fabricate 002-textured TiN films and study the degree of texture and quality of the film by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), and transmission electron microscopy. Building upon the textured TiN film, we fabricate MFM capacitors with 10-nm-thick Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 via SNAP deposition and observe an unexpectedly large remanent polarization (2Pr = 54.2 μC/cm2). We report that annealing at T <800 °C and at T = 800 °C results in different ferroelectric behaviors and phases determined by grazing incidence XRD patterns. We infer that the nonpolar tetragonal phase is dominant in films treated at T <800 °C, whereas the polar orthorhombic phase is dominant in films treated at T = 800 °C. Using ToF-SIMS and x-ray spectroscopy depth profiling on MFM capacitors, we observe an increase in the concentration of defects in the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 layer after annealing. We believe that the absence of the native passive layer between Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 and TiN layers made via SNAP deposition is responsible for the unexpectedly large remanent polarization. In addition, we associate the 002-textured TiN as potentially playing a role in realizing the unexpectedly large remanent polarization.
Measures of Bone Mineral Carbonate Content and Mineral Maturity/Crystallinity for FT-IR and Raman Spectroscopic Imaging Differentially Relate to Physical-Chemical Properties of Carbonate-Substituted Hydroxyapatite.

Bone mineral carbonate content assessed by vibrational spectroscopy relates to fracture incidence, and mineral maturity/ crystallinity (MMC) relates to tissue age. As FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy become more widely used to characterize the chemical composition of bone in pre-clinical and translational studies, their bone mineral outcomes require improved validation to inform interpretation of spectroscopic data. In this study, our objectives were (1) to relate Raman and FT-IR carbonate:phosphate ratios calculated through direct integration of peaks to gold-standard analytical measures of carbonate content and underlying subband ratios; (2) to relate Raman and FT-IR MMC measures to gold-standard analytical measures of crystal size in chemical standards and native bone powders. Raman and FT-IR direct integration carbonate:phosphate ratios increased with carbonate content (Raman: p < 0.01, R2 = 0.87; FT-IR: p < 0.01, R2 = 0.96) and Raman was more sensitive to carbonate content than the FT-IR (Raman slope + 95% vs FT-IR slope, p < 0.01). MMC increased with crystal size for both Raman and FT-IR (Raman: p < 0.01, R2 = 0.76; FT-IR p < 0.01, R2 = 0.73) and FT-IR was more sensitive to crystal size than Raman (c-axis length: slope FT-IR MMC + 111% vs Raman MMC, p < 0.01). Additionally, FT-IR but not Raman spectroscopy detected differences in the relationship between MMC and crystal size of carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) vs poorly crystalline hydroxyapatites (HA) (slope CHA + 87% vs HA, p < 0.01). Combined, these results contribute to the ability of future studies to elucidate the relationships between carbonate content and fracture and provide insight to the strengths and limitations of FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy of native bone mineral.
Weak phase γ from color-allowed B-->DK rates

The ratios of partial rates for charged $B$ decays to the recently observed ${D}^{0}K$ mode and to the two ${D}_{\mathrm{CP}}K$ final states $(CP=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{})$ are shown to constrain the weak phase $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\equiv}\mathrm{Arg}{(V}_{\mathrm{ub}}^{*}).$ The smaller color-suppressed rate, providing further information about the phase, can be determined from these rates alone. Present estimates suggest that, while the first constraints can already be obtained in a high luminosity ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ $B$ factory, measuring the color-suppressed rate would require dedicated hadronic $B$ production experiments.
Service utilization and HIV outcomes among transgender women receiving Ryan White Part A services in New York City.

BACKGROUND Prior research has found evidence of gender disparities in U.S. HIV healthcare access and outcomes. In order to assess potential disparities in our client population, we compared demographics, service needs, service utilization, and HIV care continuum outcomes between transgender women, cisgender women, and cisgender men receiving New York City (NYC) Ryan White Part A (RWPA) services. METHODS The analysis included HIV-positive clients with an intake assessment between January 2016 and December 2017 in an NYC RWPA services program. We examined four service need areas: food and nutrition, harm reduction, mental health, and housing. Among clients with the documented need, we ascertained whether they received RWPA services targeting that need. To compare HIV outcomes between groups, we applied five metrics: engagement in care, consistent engagement in care, antiretroviral therapy (ART) use, point-in-time viral suppression, and durable viral suppression. RESULTS All four service needs were more prevalent among transgender women (N = 455) than among cisgender clients. Except in the area of food and nutrition services, timely (12-month) receipt of RWPA services to meet a specific assessed need was not significantly more or less common in any one of the three client groups examined. Compared to cisgender women and cisgender men, a lower proportion of transgender women were durably virally suppressed (39% versus 52% or 50%, respectively, p-value < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Compared with cisgender women and cisgender men, transgender women more often presented with basic (food/housing) and behavioral-health service needs. In all three groups (with no consistent between-group differences), assessed needs were not typically met with the directly corresponding RWPA service category. Targeting those needs with RWPA outreach and services may support the National HIV/AIDS Strategy 2020 goal of reducing health disparities, and specifically the objective of increasing (to ≥90%) the percentage of transgender women in HIV medical care who are virally suppressed.
Testosterone and Prostate Effects

There is a common notion based on historic data that testosterone therapy (TTH) has negative effects on the prostate. More recent data, however, refutes this notion. This conflict is due in part to the saturation model, which suggests that at lower testosterone (T) levels, increasing T levels can have downstream effects. Above this threshold, the androgen receptors are maximally stimulated and, thus, further increases in T do not have further effects on the prostate. This explains why at low T levels TTH may increase prostate-specific antigen (PSA) l or prostate volume, but this is not seen in men with T levels above the saturation point. With regard to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), the data suggests that there is not an increase in symptoms with initiation of TTH based on either subjective report or objective measures. The topic of prostate cancer (PCA) development is of particular interest given the fact that androgen deprivation can be used to treat PCA. The current data demonstrates no increase in PCA risk in men on TTH. Conversely, patients with testosterone deficiency (TD) may have more aggressive PCA. All potential TTH candidates need to be thoroughly counseled on the effects of TTH on prostate events.
Predictors of preterm birth and low birth weight: A person-centered approach.

Objective Profound disparities exist among Black and White families who experience adverse infant health outcomes, yet much is unclear regarding factors that predict disparate outcomes. In order to address this gap, this study applied a person-centered, intersectional analysis to determine ways that women's typological risk profiles inform risk for preterm birth and low birth weight. Materials and methods In order to examine the role that social determinants play in predicting risk, this study implemented a latent class mixture modeling analysis of data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). Data were extracted from Pennsylvania and Illinois PRAMS surveys from 2012 to 2015 (n = 4336). Results Results of the study indicate three distinct risk types among women in the sample: low-, moderate- and high-risk. Three latent classes were identified: (1) low risk for PTB/LBW (44%); (2) moderate risk (19%); and (3) high risk (36%). Compared to class one, the likelihood of experiencing PTB were significantly higher for class three (x2PTB = 9.54, p < .001; x2LBW = 35.51, p < .001). The likelihood of experiencing LBW were significantly higher for class three, compared to class two (x2PTB = 9.21, p < .05; x2LBW = 21.17, p < .001).Within the three risk groups, racial disparities are particularly notable, with 76% of the sample's African American mothers falling into the "high-risk" category. Conclusion Public and perinatal health researchers, organizations, and funders are increasingly recognizing the need to identify methods that will best support health-promoting interventions that have the potential to close the racial disparity in PTB and LBW. Although racial disparities have long been noted, the findings from this study's analysis help to better understand how determinants of health intersect to create an overarching risk profile, which can be used to inform health interventions and services that may reduce the current Black-White gap in infant health outcomes.
T cells discriminate between groups C1 and C2 HLA-C

Dimorphic residues at positions 77 and 80 delineate HLA-C allotypes into two groups, C1 and C2, which associate with disease through interactions with C1 and C2-specific natural killer cell receptors. How the C1/C2 dimorphism affects T cell recognition is unknown. Using HLA-C allotypes that differ only by the C1/C2-defining residues, we found that KRAS-G12D neoantigen specific T cell receptors (TCR) discriminated groups C1 and C2 HLA-C, due to effects on peptide presentation and TCR affinity. Structural and functional experiments combined with immunopeptidomics analysis revealed that C1-HLA-C favors smaller amino acids at the peptide C-terminus minus-1 position (p{Omega}-1), and that larger p{Omega}-1 residues diminished TCR recognition of C1-HLA-C. After controlling for peptide presentation, TCRs exhibited weaker affinities for C2-HLA-C despite conserved TCR contacts. Thus, the C1/C2 dimorphism impacts peptide presentation and HLA-C restricted T cell responses, with implications in multiple disease contexts including adoptive T cell therapy targeting KRAS-G12D-induced cancers.
Models for Non-intrusive Estimation of Wireless Link Bandwidth

Dynamics of link bandwidth of a wireless link, which changes frequently and abruptly due to the dynamic channel sharing, fading, and mobility, is of interest to adaptive network applications and communication protocols. This paper presents a novel approach to estimate wireless link bandwidth based on radio signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Unlike traditional methods that send probe packets, our method is non-intrusive to the wireless network since in IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks, SNR information is provided by the physical layer for the MAC- and upper layers’ functionality. Theoretical analysis and experimental observation indicate a nonlinear relationship between SNR and the wireless bandwidth. Based on this, nonlinear models using neural network and Bayesian inference methods are proposed and evaluated on data collected in 802.11b wireless networks. The effectiveness of our method under various environments and scenarios has been studied.
The Thermal Conductivity of the Rocks in the Bureau of Mines Standard Rock Suite

The thermal conductivities of eight rocks in the Bureau of Mines Standard Rock Suite were measured in air over the range 373 to 533 K. The rocks and their average thermal conductivities at 373 K before thermal cycling were (1) Sioux quartzite, 5.5 W/(m·K); (2) St. Cloud gray granodiorite, 2.7 W/(m·K); (3) Dresser basalt, 3.0 W/(m·K); (4) Barre granite, 2.5 W/(m·K); (5) Holston limestone, 2.5 W/(m·K); (6) Westerly granite, 2.3 W/(m·K); (7) Berea sandstone, 2.2 W/(m·K); and (8) Salem limestone, 1.7 W/(m·K). The thermal conductivity at a given temperature decreased by as much as 9% after initial heating to maximum temperature (533 K), but additional heating cycles had no further effect. Variations due to orientation (anisotropy) were within the precision of measurements (±5%). The thermal conductivities were linear with the reciprocal of the temperature and were within 14% of published data by other methods.
Rings and Promises

My mother had an engagement ring, but neither of my grandmothers did, although both my grandfathers were wealthy enough to afford them. Before 1930, diamond rings were certainly available. The South African diamond mines were discovered in 1880, and they soon replaced the rapidly disappearing supply of diamonds from India and Brazil (McCarthy). In fact, the first reported diamond engagement ring was given by the Emperor Maximilian to Mary of Burgundy in 1377 (Kunz: 234-35). Diamonds were associated in this country with engagement beginning in the 1840s, although they were at first given to men as well as women (Rothman: 161). However, before the Depression, diamond rings were not considered a requisite for betrothal by most Americans. (Kunz: 230; Rothman: 161). What then made women rather suddenly demand diamonds on the occasion of their engagement, so that by 1945 the "typical" bride wore "a brilliant diamond engagement ring and a wedding ring to match in design?" (McCar-
2-methoxyestradiol Prevents LNCaP Tumor Development in Nude Mice: Potential Role of G2/M Regulatory Proteins

Nontoxic naturally occurring metabolite of estrogen namely 2-methoxyestradial (2ME2) found in serum and urine has been shown to be antitumorigenic in various tumor models including the prostate. A recent study conducted in breast cancer cells showed growth stimulatory effect of 2ME2 when used at low concentrations (10-750 nM). Studies from our laboratory has demonstrated prostate tumor preventive ability of 50 mg/kg 2-ME2. In this study we show that concentrations of 2-ME2 as low as 1 µM is sufficient to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in androgen responsive LNCaP cells. In addition oral administration of doses lower than 50 mg/kg prevented prostate tumor development in LNCaP xenograft model. The observed tumor growth inhibition was associated with induction of apoptosis, increased expression of Wee1 kinase and p34cdc2. In addition administration of 25 mg/kg 2-ME2 prevented tumor development significantly that is associated with reduction in serum PSA levels.
Testosterone and Thromboxane Of Muscles, Mice, and Men

The age-dependent increase in death from cardiovascular disease is less pronounced in premenopausal women than in men, but this divergence of risk narrows after middle age.1 This results from a relative increase in the death rate in women after the menopause.2 It has been suggested that the immediate postmyocardial infarction death rate is higher in postmenopausal women than in men.3 4 5 6 However, standardization of the data for age and major risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia, accounts for most, but not all, of this difference. Such multivariate adjustment also suggests that mortality at 3 years among hospital survivors of an infarction actually is lower in women than in men.7 8 The reasons why in-hospital mortality may still be slightly higher in women than men remain open to question and have recently been reviewed.8 Reasons include the delay in seeking medical care for women with coronary symptoms,9 10 11 12 a higher prevalence of silent or unrecognized infarctions in women than in men,13 psychosocial disparities,14 15 and the tendency of women to experience more complications after a myocardial infarction than do men. Complications include cardiogenic shock,16 17 18 19 congestive heart failure,20 21 and cardiac rupture.22 Although it is tempting to attribute the changing incidence of cardiovascular events in women to alterations in sex steroid production at the time of the menopause, it remains to be established that such a causal link exists. If it does, the mechanism is obscure. Complex alterations in both male and female sex hormones occur in women at the time of the menopause. Serum estradiol levels tend to reduce by 50% from ≈50 to 60 pg/mL in the fourth decade and remain depressed thereafter; estrone levels decline similarly at the time …
Imaging of the Wolf-Rayet galaxy He 2-10

We present B, V, and emission-line CCD images of the Wolf-Rayet galaxy He 2-10. The broad band images reveal the galaxy to consist of two starburst regions at the center of an elliptical stellar envelope about 10 times their size, with a major axis diameter of approximately 3.8 kpc. Previous imaging detected only the starburst regions, leading to the erroneous description of the object as an interacting pair. Morphologically, He 2-10 resembles the majority of blue compact dwarf galaxies (BCDGs), some of which also show Wolf-Rayet features in their spectra. The lack of nearby neighbors to He 2-10 suggests that its star formation is proceeding stochastically, rather than as the result of interaction, and its morphological similarity to other BCDGs suggests that all such galaxies may pass through a Wolf-Rayet phase. The similarity of the outer regions of He 2-10 and other BCDGs to normal dwarf ellipticals also supports models in which the former evolve into the latter.
Reactions Induced in Ni 58 with 0-24 MeV Deuterons: Statistical Model Analysis

Excitation functions for ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{58}(d, \ensuremath{\alpha})$, ($d, \ensuremath{\alpha}p$), ($d, \ensuremath{\alpha}n$), ($d, 2pn$), ($d, 2np$), and ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{60}(d, 2\ensuremath{\alpha})$ reactions have been measured radiochemically for deuteron energies up to 24 MeV. The decrease in the ($d, \ensuremath{\alpha}$) excitation curve above the threshold of competing reactions such as ($d, \ensuremath{\alpha}p$) and ($d, \ensuremath{\alpha}n$) is consistent with the qualitative behavior of compound-nucleus reactions. The experimental results have been compared with statistical-model calculations that assume nuclear level densities of the form $\ensuremath{\rho}(E)\ensuremath{\propto}(2J+1){E}^{\ensuremath{-}2}\mathrm{exp}[2{(\mathrm{aE})}^{\frac{1}{2}}]$, where the excitation energy $E$ was corrected for pairing. The value of the parameter $a$ was set equal to the experimental value determined by Brady and Sherr (from alpha-particle energy spectra produced by bombarding ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{58}$ with 15.6- and 19.4-MeV protons). Cross sections were calculated for all permutations of $n$, $p$, $d$, $t$, ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$, and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ emission for two successive evaporations, followed by a calculation of a third evaporation of a neutron, proton, or alpha particle where it was energetically possible. In these calculations the inverse cross sections of particles with energy $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{inv}}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})$, were assumed to be of the following forms: for neutrons, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{inv}}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})={\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}(\frac{1+{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{n}}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}})$; for charged particles, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{inv}}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})={\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2}(1\ensuremath{-}\frac{{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{c}}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}})$ when $\ensuremath{\epsilon}g{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{c}$, and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{inv}}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})=0$ when $\ensuremath{\epsilon}l{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{c}$. The parameters ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}$, ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{n}$, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2}$, and ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{c}$ were chosen so that values of ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{inv}}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})$ would approximate optical-model calculations of the capture cross sections. Two sets of compound-nucleus excitation functions were calculated. In the first set the alpha-particle and the proton inverse cross sections, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{inv}}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})$, were chosen to correspond to optical-model reaction cross sections calculated with parameters deduced from experimental elastic scattering. In the second set of compound-nucleus excitation function calculations the inverse cross sections, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{inv}}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})$, were chosen to correspond to nuclear radii 10% smaller than those used in the first set of calculations. The experimental excitation functions nearly all fall between the two sets of calculated functions.
Spark plasma sintered tantalum carbide: Effect of pressure and nano-boron carbide addition on microstructure and mechanical properties

Abstract TaC and TaC–1 wt.% B4C powders were consolidated using spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1850 °C and varying pressure of 100, 255 and 363 MPa. The effect of pressure on the densification and grain size is evaluated. The role of nano-sized B4C as sintering aid and grain growth inhibitor is studied by means of XRD, SEM and high resolution TEM. Fully dense TaC samples were produced at a pressure of 255 MPa and higher at 1850 °C. The increasing pressure also resulted in an increase in TaC grain size. Addition of B4C leads to an increase in the density of 100 MPa sample from 89% to 97%. B4C nano-powder resists grain growth even at high pressure of 363 MPa. The formation of TaB2/Carbon at TaC grain boundaries helps in pinning the grain boundary and inhibiting grain growth. The effect of B4C addition on hardness and elastic modulus measured by nanoindentation and the indentation fracture toughness has been studied. Relative fracture toughness increased by up to 93% on B4C addition.
Hemostatic Therapy for the Treatment of Intracranial Hemorrhage

Intracranial hemorrhage results in poor neurologic outcomes and high mortality. Current management is limited to supportive care. In addition to the initial bleeding event, rebleeding and hematoma expansion have been identified as major risk factors for poor outcomes in these patients. The antifibrinolytic agents tranexamic acid, aminocaproic acid, and recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) have been studied with the hopes of achieving early hemostasis and improving outcomes. Available data suggest that tranexamic acid and aminocaproic acid are more harmful than beneficial for this indication; therefore, they have no role in the treatment of intracranial bleeding. Alternatively, rFVIIa, has shown promising results in the management of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. Clinicians should be aware of the available evidence regarding the use of these hemostatic agents in the management of intracranial hemorrhage, including traumatic brain injury, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
On the role of the hostage in ultimatum bargaining games

Abstract This paper examines behavior in a three-player ultimatum game. The payoff to the non-decision-making player (the “hostage”) is separate from the bargaining pie and varies. We find that while responders may behave altruistically towards the hostage, they are more likely to reject a given offer if it leaves them with a more inequitable payoff relative to the hostage. Offers appear to be unaffected by the presence of a hostage. Though not a direct test of the Fehr and Schmidt [Fehr, E., Schmidt, K.M., 1999. A theory of fairness, competition, and cooperation. Quarterly Journal of Economics 114 (3), 817–868] and Bolton and Ockenfels [Bolton, G., Ockenfels, A., 2000. ERC: a theory of equity, reciprocity, and competition. American Economic Review 90, 166–193] models, our results are qualitatively consistent with their predictions.
Effect of minimizing preoperative fasting on perioperative blood glucose homeostasis in children

Summary Two hundred healthy, unpremedicated children, ages 1–10 years, scheduled for elective outpatient surgery were studied in order to examine the effect of minimizing preoperative fasting on perioperative blood glucose concentrations in paediatric patients. None of the patients ingested solids after midnight. On the day of surgery, the children were assigned to one of two groups. Group A children (n= 113) were not allowed any liquids for at least 6 h prior to surgery (NPO). Children in Group B (n= 87) ingested 10 ml·kg−1 of apple juice 2–4 h prior to the induction of anaesthesia. All patients received lactated Ringer's solution intraoperatively, unless BG at induction was 0.4 ml/kg. All patients in both groups had gastric pH < 2.5. This study shows that gastric fluid volume and pH following a 2–4 h fast are not different from the values measured in children who were subjected to a traditional fasting period of 6 h or longer. Moreover, apple juice consumed 2–4 h prior to surgery neither buffers gastric pH nor does it modify intraoperative glucose homeostasis in children.
Inhibition of growth of a prolactin and growth hormone-secreting pituitary tumor in rats by D-tryptophan-6-analog of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone

Abstract The effect of long-term administration of analogs of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) and somatostatin on the growth of the growth hormone (GH)- and prolactin (PRL)-secreting rat pituitary GH3 tumor was investigated. Daily administration of [D-Trp6]LH-RH (50 micrograms/day), early after inoculation of the GH3 tumor, inhibited tumor growth by more than 90% as compared to controls. Similarly, in two experiments, a single once-a-month injection of long-acting [D-Trp6]LH-RH microcapsules (in a dose calculated to release about 25 micrograms/day for 30 days) inhibited the growth of GH3 pituitary tumor by more than 50% 6 or 13 wk after transplantation, when the tumors were fully developed. Serum GH and PRL levels also were reduced markedly by treatment with [D-Trp6]LH-RH. On the other hand, the administration of an antagonistic analog of LH-RH, N-Ac-[D-Phe(4Cl)1,2, D-Trp3, D-Arg6, D-Ala10]LH-RH, did not significantly reduce the growth of this tumor, and the treatment with two different analogs of somatostatin, cyclo(Pro-Phe-D-Trp-Lys-Thr-Phe) and D-Phe-Cys-Phe-D-Trp-Lys-Thr-Cys-Thr NH2, appeared to enhance it. These results are in agreement with previous findings of growth inhibition of 7315a pituitary tumors with different hormone-secreting characteristics by agonistic analogs of LH-RH. The collective data from experimental work with rat pituitary tumor models support the contention that the use of [D-Trp6]LH-RH might be considered for the treatment of some patients with pituitary tumors who failed to respond to conventional therapy.
The enthalpimetric determination of inhibition constants for the competitive inhibition of serum cholinesterase by morphine,quinine and procaine.

A method is described for the enthalpimetric determination of inhibition constants based on a previously reported procedure for the determination ofKm, using the integrated Michaelis-Menten equation. The inhibition of the cholinesterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of butyryl-choline by morphine, quinine and procaine is chosen as a model. The results compare favourably with Lineweaver-Burk data.
70-kHz vocalizations by male mice do not inhibit aggression in lactating mice

Two experiments investigated the relationship between adult male 70-kHz vocalizations and aggression by lactating female mice (Mus domesticus). Intact, vocalizing males, surgically devocalized males, and naturally nonvocalizing males were used to assess the effects of high frequency vocalizations on maternal aggression. The emission of high frequency vocalizations promoted aggressive behavior by the females. In both experiments, lactating females attacked the vocalizing males more rapidly and showed a higher incidence of aggressive behaviors toward these males than they did to the nonvocalizing male. We suggest that these vocalizations are only one of many situational cues that the female uses to determine her final behavioral response.
Distribution of lipofuscin in the squirrel monkey Saimiri sciurea.

The body-wide distribution of a pigment present in many organs of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciurea) is described. The pigment, which was identified by histochemical techniques as lipofuscin, occurred intracellularly in some organs, and extracellularly in others.
An Overlapping Schwarz Method for Spectral Element Solution of the Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations

Efficient solution of the Navier?Stokes equations in complex domains is dependent upon the availability of fast solvers for sparse linear systems. For unsteady incompressible flows, the pressure operator is the leading contributor to stiffness, as the characteristic propagation speed is infinite. In the context of operator splitting formulations, it is the pressure solve which is the most computationally challenging, despite its elliptic origins. We examine several preconditioners for the consistent L2Poisson operator arising in the PN? PN?2spectral element formulation of the incompressible Navier?Stokes equations. We develop a finite element-based additive Schwarz preconditioner using overlapping subdomains plus a coarse grid projection operator which is applied directly to the pressure on the interior Gauss points. For large two-dimensional problems this approach can yield as much as a fivefold reduction in simulation time over previously employed methods based upon deflation.
Slow light in semiconductor heterostructures

This paper presents an overview of slow light in semiconductor heterostructures. The focus of this paper is to provide a unified framework to summarize and compare various physical mechanisms of slow light proposed and demonstrated in the past few years. We expand and generalize the discussions on fundamental limitation of slow light and the delay–bandwidth product trade-off to include gain systems and other mechanisms such as injection locking. We derive the maximum fractional delay and compare the differences between material dispersion and waveguide dispersion based devices. The delay–bandwidth product is proportional to the square root of the device length for a material dispersion based device but has a linear relationship for a waveguide dispersion based device. Possible scenarios to overcome the delay–bandwidth product limitation are discussed. The prospects of slow light in various applications are also investigated. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
Linoleic acid-induced endothelial activation: role of calcium and peroxynitrite signaling.

Hypertriglyceridemia, an important risk factor of atherosclerosis, is associated with increased circulating free fatty acids. Research to date indicates that linoleic acid (LA), the major fatty acid in the American diet, may be atherogenic by activating vascular endothelial cells. However, the exact signaling mechanisms involved in LA-mediated proinflammatory events in endothelial cells still remain unclear. We previously reported increased superoxide formation after LA exposure in endothelial cells. The objective of the present investigation is to determine the role of calcium and peroxynitrite in mediating the proinflammatory effect of LA in vascular endothelial cells. LA exposure increased intracellular calcium, nitric oxide, and tetrahydrodiopterin levels as well as the expression of E-selectin. Inhibiting calcium signaling using 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid and heparin decreased the expression of E-selectin. Also, LA-mediated nuclear factor kappa B activation and E-selectin gene expression were suppressed by Mn (III) tetrakis (1-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphyrin pentachloride (a superoxide scavenger), NG-monomethyl- l -arginine (an endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrinato iron (III) chloride (a peroxynitrite scavenger). LA exposure resulted in increased nitrotyrosine levels, as observed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Our data suggest that the proinflammatory effects of LA can be mediated through calcium and peroxynitrite signaling.
Endogenous digitalis: pathophysiologic roles and therapeutic applications

Endogenous digitalis-like factors, also called cardiotonic steroids, have been thought for nearly half a century to have important roles in health and disease. The endogenous cardiotonic steroids ouabain and marinobufagenin have been identified in humans, and an effector mechanism has been delineated by which these hormones signal through the sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase. These findings have increased interest in this field substantially. Although cardiotonic steroids were first considered important in the regulation of renal sodium transport and arterial pressure, subsequent work has implicated these hormones in the control of cell growth, apoptosis and fibrosis, among other processes. This Review focuses on the role of endogenous cardiotonic steroids in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension, congestive heart failure, end-stage renal disease and pre-eclampsia. We also discuss potential therapeutic strategies that have emerged as a result of the increased understanding of the regulation and actions of cardiotonic steroids.
Population ecology of Leptinotarsa undecimlineata Stål (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): population dynamics, mortality factors, and potential natural enemies for biological control of the Colorado potato beetle

Abstract A 1.5-year study on the population ecology of Leptinotarsa undecimlineata Stal was conducted in Honduras, a country that forms part of the aboriginal home of Leptinotarsa beetles. Life tables were constructed using populations of L. undecimlineata found on one of its native hosts, Solanum lanceolatum Cav. (Solanales: Solanaceae). L. undecimlineata has two distinct generations per year, the largest one coinciding with the rainy season lasting from August to November. The highest mortality was found in the egg stage and was caused by predators. The most common predators observed were Lebia sp. (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Cycloneda sanguinea L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Perillus confluens (Herrich–Schaeffer) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). The pupal stage also had significant mortality, which was caused by a complex of parasitoids belonging to the genus Myiopharus (Diptera: Tachinidae). This study has shown that there is a significant influence of natural enemies, particularly predators, on L. undecimlineata population dynamics. New species of natural enemies were identified and could potentially become part of a biological control strategy for control of Colorado potato beetle, L. decemlineata (Say).
Fulminant Hepatic Failure Secondary to Erlotinib

Erlotinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of non–small-cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. We report a case of a patient with stage IV non–small-cell lung cancer who died of fulminant hepatic failure as a result of treatment with erlotinib.
The Contested Meaning of Public Service in American Television

Public service and public interest are familiar phrases to those who follow U.S. broadcasting policy, yet clear and useful definitions of these terms have proven elusive over time. In the early 1900s, America s educational broadcasters built their definition of service on the foundation of comprehensive, pluralistic programming. .
Derivation of the equations of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics using the principle of minimum Fisher information

The many-particle time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation is derived using the principle of minimum Fisher information. This application of information theory leads to a physically well motivated derivation of the Schr\"odinger equation, which distinguishes between subjective and objective elements of the theory.