cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The cavitation and fracture characteristics of a superplastic AlCuLiZr alloy

Abstract An AlCuLiZr alloy processed to recrystallize statically exhibits superplastic characteristics at a testing temperature of 723 K, with an optimum elongation to failure of 560% at a strain rate of 3 × 10 −4 s −1 . Under optimum conditions the alloy exhibits diffuse necking, whereas at strain rates higher and lower than the optimum value there is an increasing tendency for sharp necking. It is shown that the optimum superplastic elongation is obtained by a suitable combination of the strain rate sensitivity and the strain-hardening coefficient. The alloy exhibits considerable cavitation under all experimental conditions, with cavitation being restricted to regions near the fracture tip in specimens which failed with a sharp neck, and cavitation being more uniformly distributed in specimens with a diffuse neck. Cavities are nucleated during superplastic deformation at coarse AlFeCu particles, and cavity growth occurs predominantly by a power-law mechanism. It is shown that surface diffusion at elevated temperatures may lead to the observation of rounded cavities, even when cavity growth has occurred by a power-law growth mechanism.
Loyalty and the usurper: recognizances, the council and allegiance under Henry VII*

The modern assessment of Henry VII's use of bonds and recognizances to control the behaviour of his subjects is based upon incomplete evidence. This article focuses on new material from The National Archives of the U.K. to begin an analysis of the early Tudor deployment of bonds to address disloyalty and conspiracy. Memoranda of bonds agreed in chancery indicate that Henry VII quickly adopted such tools of enforcement to confront the backlash against his own usurpation in 1485. The success of these measures in keeping King Henry on the throne during his deepest crises helps to explain their more familiar use as instruments of policy after 1500.
Mortality after presentation with stent thrombosis is associated with time from index percutaneous coronary intervention: a report from the VA CART program.

Background The risk of mortality for patients presenting to the cardiac catheterization laboratory with stent thrombosis (ST) may differ as a function of the timing from initial stent implantation. We hypothesized that the 30-day mortality would differ for angiographically defined early ST (EST), late ST (LST), and very late ST (VLST). Methods All patients undergoing angiography for diagnosis and treatment of ST were identified by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Clinical Assessment, Reporting, and Tracking (CART) Program from 2006 to 2012. Stent thrombosis occurring ≤30 days after stent implantation were defined as EST; 31 to 365 days as LST; and >365 days as VLST. Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard regression modeling were used to describe unadjusted and adjusted differences in mortality between groups. Results A total of 656 patients were diagnosed with angiographic definite ST with known timing. This cohort consisted of 129 (20%), 138 (21%), and 389 (59%) patients with EST, LST, and VLST, respectively. Over three fourths (76%) of VLST cases occurred >2 years after stent implantation. Stent thrombosis timing was significantly associated with 30-day mortality risk in unadjusted ( P P = .04) analyses. Unadjusted mortality risk was 3% in VLST, 6% in LST, and 13% in EST. After multivariable adjustment, patients with LST had nonsignificantly lower 30-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR] for LST, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.2-1.2), whereas VLST had significantly lower 30-day mortality (HR for VLST, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.18-0.82) when compared with patients with EST. Conclusions Thirty-day mortality after an angiographic definite ST presentation is associated with time from index percutaneous coronary intervention to ST. This relationship potentially reflects the differing mechanisms of ST that are postulated to predominate at different timeframes.
Probing human skin as an information-rich biological interface using MEMS-based informatics

This paper describes our investigation of the dynamic, information rich, mOlecular structure of the ultimate smart interface — human skin - by coupling advances in biological, Microsystems, and information technology. The outer layer of human skin, the stratum comeum, is a biologically complex thin film that has unique molecular mechanisms that allow it to function simultaneously as a structural and as a perceptual interface. It is continuously "sampled" by the brain in terms of visual, tactile, and olfactory cues. It interfaces the organism with its environment and has unique micro/nano architecture from an engineering standpoint; e.g., it simultaneously retains and uses water to plasticize the membrane for flexibility. This paper focuses on the development of a sampling interface and MEMS components for a freestanding, multifunctional, multimode, microfluidics-based sensor system for real time physiological monitoring. This research will enable us to gain an insight into the functioning of the human at a fundamental level (from cellular to population) that has not been possible before.
SIBLING RESEMBLANCE IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY: FINDINGS FROM THE NATIONAL YOUTH SURVEY

Analyses based on individual- and family-level self-report data indicate that (1) delinquency incidents are disproportionately concentrated among households with adolescents, (2) families do not specialize in delinquency by producing certain types of offenders, and (3) adolescent levels of delinquency are predicted equally as well by the offending of an older sibling. the offending of a younger sibling, or by the average level of offending among all other adolescents in the household. Three sets of family characteristics (socioeconomic status, composition, and functioning) are used in multivariate analyses to examine the association among sibling delinquency levels. while sibling composition and family functioning are significant predictors of adolescent delinquency, only family functioning accounts for a small proportion of sibling resemblance in offending. These analyses add to the growing body of research that suggests that sibling similarity in delinquency requires additional consideration in theoretical and empirical investigations of juvenile offending.
Release of endogenous danger signals from HIFU-treated tumor cells and their stimulatory effects on APCs.

The effects of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) on the release of endogenous danger signals from tumor cells and subsequent activation of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) were evaluated in vitro. MC-38 mouse tumor cells were treated using a 1.1 MHz HIFU transducer under two different protocols (P− = 6.7 MPa, 30% duty cycle, 5 s vs. P− = 10.7 MPa, 3% duty cycle, 30 s) to produce either thermal necrosis or mechanical lysis of the tumor cells. Here, we report that HIFU treatment can cause the release of endogenous danger signals (ATP and hsp60) and exposure of dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages to the supernatants of HIFU-treated tumor cells leads to an increased expression of co-stimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86) with enhanced secretion of IL-12 by the DCs and elevated secretion of TNF-α by the macrophages. The potency in APC activation produced by mechanical lysis is much stronger than thermal necrosis of the tumor cells. These findings suggest that optimization of treatment strategy may help to enhance HIFU-elicited anti-tumor immunity.
Thoughts About Conceptual Models and Measurement Validity

This essay focuses on measurement validity, with an emphasis on the connections among the conceptual, theoretical, and empirical components of nursing research and nursing practice. Although attention typically is given to the connection between the concepts of a middle-range theory and the research instruments or practice tools that are used to measure those concepts, more attention needs to be given to the congruence between conceptual model concepts and research instruments or practice tools.
Doubling the output power of dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystal lasers

Usually when optically pumped, dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystals (CLC) generate circularly polarized laser light from both directions of the lasing cell along the cholesteric helical axis. In reality, only the laser light from one direction can be utilized. In this paper, we demonstrate a simple method for doubling the laser output of a dye-doped CLC laser. The extracted laser output is nearly doubled. In experiment, we use a 6-ns, frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser to pump the CLC lasing sample at ~20 degree incident angle. A reflector: a metal mirror or a cholesteric liquid crystal reflector is placed on the backside of the CLC sample. The reflector is in proximity contact with the CLC sample and the laser action occurs only in one direction. For the metal mirror reflector, the two orthogonal circularly polarized beams are mixed by incoherent superposition. While for the cholesteric liquid crystal reflector (same handedness as the lasing cell and highly reflective of the laser light), the enhanced laser output could also be achieved due to further stimulated amplification but the output is dominated by a single polarization state. For both cases the laser output is associated with a loss of coherence. Hence a nearly unpolarized CLC laser or a partially coherent CLC laser with nearly doubled output intensity is obtained.
2-D Precursors and Interdiffusion in CdSe/ZnSe Self-Assembled Quantum Dots

This paper discusses structural and optical data taken on a series of MBE grown samples where n monolayers of CdSe (0.5< n < 2.6) was deposited on (and subsequently capped by) ZnSe. The cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images observed on samples with lowest CdSe coverages reveal the co-existence of 2D ZnCdSe platelets and 3D islands, showing clearly that the platelets act as precursors for the formation of the 3D islands. The STEM data also present direct graphic evidence that interdiffusion plays an important role in the dynamics of CdSe quantum dot formation. The macro- and micro-photoluminescence results fully confirm the STEM data. For coverages below 1.5 monolayers, photoluminescence data show only the emission characteristic of 2D platelets, while for coverages between 1.5 and 1.9 monolayers simultaneous emissions from 2D and 3D islands are observed. The sample obtained by depositing the highest (2.6 monolayer) CdSe coverage shows only the emission characteristic of 3D islands.
Overlapping T cell antigenic sites on a synthetic peptide fragment from herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D, the degenerate MHC restriction elicited, and functional evidence for antigen-Ia interaction.

Analysis of the B10.A T cell response to synthetic peptides representing the NH2-terminal 23 amino acids from the HSV glycoprotein D sequence revealed two antigenic determinants for T cells: one localized between residues 1-16 and the other between residues 8-23. The 1-16 site, which is helical, was recognized in the context of the Ia molecule, whereas the 8-23 site, which is nonhelical, was recognized in the context of the I-E molecule. The I-E-restricted response was found to be highly MHC degenerate in that T cell hybridomas specific for the 8-23 peptide responded to antigen on APCs derived from B10.A, B10.A(5R), and B10.A(9R) mice and showed differences in antigenic fine specificity with APCs of different haplotypes. These data support the idea of antigen-Ia interaction.
Natural computation and non-Turing models of computation

We propose certain non-Turing models of computation, but our intent is not to advocate models that surpass the power of Turing machines (TMs), but to defend the need for models with orthogonal notions of power. We review the nature of models and argue that they are relative to a domain of application and are ill-suited to use outside that domain. Hence we review the presuppositions and context of the TM model and show that it is unsuited to natural computation (computation occurring in or inspired by nature). Therefore we must consider an expanded definition of computation that includes alternative (especially analog) models as well as the TM. Finally we present an alternative model, of continuous computation, more suited to natural computation. We conclude with remarks on the expressivity of formal mathematics.
TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY AND R&D IN THE PRODUCTION FUNCTION

A production function is used to estimate total factor productivity and the contribution of R&D to growth. The impact of R&D is found to be higher than in most prior studies, for two reasons. First, the R&D stock is larger, due to the use of a longer time series with base values starting in 1921, and the assumption of no technical depreciation of knowledge. Second, the elasticity of R&D increases over time. In accounting for post-WWII growth, the results for 1948–1980 are consistent with earlier findings. Technical advance accelerated dramatically in the 1960s, but collapsed in the mid-1970s. Starting in the early 1980s, however, the production function suggests a new interpretation. There was a stronger rebound in total factor productivity, lasting roughly through 2000. Thereafter, total factor productivity decelerated sharply in 2001–2007. The contribution of R&D to growth has varied over time. The largest effect occurred in 1948–1960. The impact of R&D fell off in the 1970s, and picked up to a smaller but still significant effect starting in the 1980s. Despite the larger stock and the increasing elasticity, R&D is found to have contributed on average less than half of total factor productivity.
THP-1 monocytic leukemia cells express Fas ligand constitutively and kill Fas-positive Jurkat cells

Normal human monocytes express Fas and are susceptible to Fas ligand (FasL)-induced apoptosis. Because the myeloid leukemia cell lines HL-60 and THP-1 can be differentiated into functional monocytes and macrophages, we studied their expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) to determine whether there were differentiation-associated changes in these proteins. THP-1, HL-60 and HCW-2, both before and after treatment with PMA, expressed high levels of Fas ligand (FasL), but did not express Fas. The FasL expressed by THP-1 cells was functional as measured by their ability to kill Jurkat T-cells by apoptosis. The THP-1 Fas gene appears to be silent, because bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced Fas expression in fully differentiated THP-1 cells. Our results suggest that FasL expression by leukemia cells may account in part for the pathophysiology of myeloid leukemia, and that PMA-differentiated THP-1 cells, while possessing many of the functional properties of normal macrophages, are abnormal with respect to a major apoptotic pathway.
Review of the literature on Sondhauss thermoacoustic phenomena

Abstract The phenomena of acoustical pressure oscillations generated in a gas by a steady heat source may be separated into two distinct types: (i) Sondhauss oscillations which occur in a pipe having one end closed and one open; (ii) Rijke oscillations which occur in a pipe having both ends open. In this paper the available literature on Sondhauss oscillations is listed and reviewed briefly. The extensive literature on oscillatory combustion occurring in rocker propulsion systems is not reviewed. Whenever possible, the analytical methods, experimental work, and results are described and interrelated. Eighteen references are reviewed.
Aftercare on Narcotic Antagonists: Prospects and Problems

This study examines the problems and prospects of aftercare of the multiple treatment failure opiate addict who is being treated with narcotic antagonists (primarily naltrexone). At the time of this paper, 21 patients had been admitted to the Drug Addiction Research Project at McLean Hospital, with a retention rate of 42%. “Completers,” “noncompleters,” and “dropouts” could not be differentiated on the basis of demographic or psychiatric variables, thus making it impossible to define the population most suited for antagonist treatment. The degree of carry-over into the first month in the community, for those who successfully completed the inpatient segment of the program, disappeared over time.The nonreinforcing (lack of euphoric effect) properties of the antagonists and the resultant high level of motivation necessary for the continuation of its use by the patient make this form of treatment suitable for only a small percentage of the “hard core” addict population.
Rationale, Design, and Methodology of the Women’s Genome Health Study: A Genome-Wide Association Study of More Than 25 000 Initially Healthy American Women

The primary aim of the Women's Genome Health Study (WGHS) is to create a comprehensive, fully searchable genome-wide database of >360 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms among at least 25 000 initially healthy American women participating in the ongoing NIH-funded Women's Health Study (WHS). These women have already been followed over a 12-year period for major incident health events including but not limited to myocardial infarction, stroke, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, venous-thromboembolism, cognitive decline, and common visual disorders such as age- related macular degeneration and cataracts. Investigations within the WGHS will seek to identify relevant patterns of genetic polymorphism that predict future disease states in otherwise healthy American women, and to evaluate patterns of genetic polymorphism that relate to multiple intermediate phenotypes including blood-based determinants of disease that were measured at baseline for each study participant. By linking genome-wide data to the existing epidemiologic databank of the parent WHS, which includes comprehensive dietary, behavioral, and traditional exposure data on each participant since cohort inception in 1992, the WGHS will also allow exploration of gene-environment and gene-gene interactions as they relate to incident disease states. Thus, with continued follow-up of the WHS, the WGHS provides a unique scientific resource-a full-cohort, prospective, genome-wide association study among initially healthy American women.
High-affinity binding of progesterone, testosterone and cortisol in normal and androgen-treated guinea pigs during various reproductive stages: relationship to masculinization.

Sera from normal and androgen-treated female guinea pigs were obtained during the estrous cycle, pregnancy and puerperium. They were analyzed for binding affinity toward progesterone, testosterone and cortisol by multiple equilibrium dialysis using radiolabeled steroids. Cortisol levels were also determined. A marked increase in binding activity for all 3 steroids, especially progesterone and testosterone, was found during pregnancy; the cortisol concentration rose concomitantly. By the end of the puerperium all parameters measured had returned toward estrous cycle levels. Testosterone treatment of the cycling females greatly lowered the cortisol-binding activity of the serum as well as the peripheral cortisol values, and resulted in a slight decrease of the binding activity for testosterone. Sera from pregnant guinea pigs receiving testosterone had lower peripheral cortisol levels than the pregnant controls; the binding activity toward progesterone and testosterone was generally greater than in the untre...
Multimodality imaging of Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative dementias.

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease, result in cognitive decline and dementia and are a leading cause of mortality in the growing elderly population. These progressive diseases typically have an insidious onset, with overlapping clinical features early in the disease course that make diagnosis challenging. The neurodegenerative diseases are associated with characteristic, although not completely understood, changes in the brain: abnormal protein deposition, synaptic dysfunction, neuronal injury, and neuronal death. Neuroimaging biomarkers—principally regional atrophy on structural MR imaging, patterns of hypometabolism on 18F-FDG PET, and detection of cerebral amyloid plaque on amyloid PET—are able to evaluate the patterns of these abnormalities in the brain to improve early diagnosis and help predict the disease course. These techniques have unique strengths and synergies in multimodality evaluation of the patient with cognitive decline or dementia. This review discusses the key imaging biomarkers from MR imaging, 18F-FDG PET, and amyloid PET; the imaging features of the most common neurodegenerative dementias; the role of various neuroimaging studies in differential diagnosis and prognosis; and some promising imaging techniques under development.
Neoadjuvant treatment of Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans of pancreas with Imatinib: case report and systematic review of literature

Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP) is a rare skin tumor, characterized by frequent local recurrence but is seldom metastatic. It is histologically characterized by storiform arrangement of spindle cells. Cytogenetically, most tumors are characterized by translocation 17:22 leading to overexpression of tyrosine kinase PDGFB which can be targeted with tyrosine kinase inhibitor, Imatinib. We describe the first case of unresectable pancreatic metastases from DFSP treated with neoadjuvant Imatinib and subsequently R0 metastectomy. Additionally, a comprehensive systematic review of DFSP pancreatic metastases and the current published data on the use of Imatinib in DFSP is summarized.
Characterizing the S/N transition of VAMAS HTS samples

As a part of a VAMAS program, the S/N transition of short sample HTS conductors were studied for a range of fields and temperatures. This paper discusses the characterization of typical and damaged samples at 4.2 K and 0 T. Attention is given to the calculation of n-values and the first derivative of the V-I curves. Also, the measurement setup is explained in some detail. >
Biopharmaceutics of Drugs Administered in Lipid-Containing Dosage Forms I: GI Absorption of Griseofulvin from an Oil-in-Water Emulsion in the Rat

The GI absorption characteristics of micronized griseofulvin from an oil-in-water emulsion dosage form, an oil suspension, and an aqueous suspension were assessed in the rat. Although there was a slight delay in the time of occurrence of the peak plasma concentration of griseofulvin following its oral administration in the emulsion, this dosage form produced a mean peak plasma antibiotic level 1.5 and 2.3 times higher than the oil and aqueous suspensions, respectively. In addition, the emulsion dosage form significantly increased the time over which plasma concentrations of drug were maintained above 1 mcg./ml. All six rats dosed with the emulsion attained this 1-mcg./ml. plasma level or greater (mean duration of 7.5 hr.), while only two out of six rats dosed with the aqueous suspension (duration of 3.7 and 4.0 hr., respectively) and four out of six rats dosed with the oil suspension (mean duration of four rats of 3.9 hr.) ever achieved this plasma concentration. Based on area under the plasma concentration versus time curve measurements, it was established that the bioavailability of micronized griseofulvin can be increased 2.5-fold, as compared to an aqueous suspension, by orally administering this relatively water-insoluble antibiotic in an oil-in-water emulsion dosage form.
On the Regulation of Broadcast Indecency to Protect Children

The regulation of broadcast indecency hinges upon the assumption that indecent material is harmful to children, yet relevant empirical research provides no reasonable evidence to suggest harmful effects result from exposure to such content.
Diapause Response to Photoperiod in an Arizona Population of Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Abstract The western tarnished plant bug (Lygus hesperus Knight) is an important crop pest in the western United States that overwinters in an adult diapause. However, knowledge of L. hesperus diapause is incomplete. Eggs from field-collected adults were reared under photoperiods of 10:14, 11:13, 12:12, and 13:11 (L:D) h at 26.7 ± 1°C, and the diapause response for each gender was modeled by a logistic function. Incidence of a recently reported “glass bead” fat body type also was examined. Validation studies using the same methods were subsequently conducted using photoperiods of 10.5:13.5, 11.5:12.5, and 12.5:11.5 (L:D) h. No effects of bug gender, photoperiod, or diapause status on occurrence of the novel fat type were detected. Estimates of diapause in validation studies were within confidence intervals for initial predictions, but systematic deviations from initial predictions prompted refitting of the models to include validation data. Refitted functions estimated critical photoperiods of 11h44min fo...
Female sex hormones, perinatal, and peripubertal androgenization on hepatocyte insulin dynamics in rats

The effects of female sex hormones on insulin binding and receptor-mediated insulin degradation were investigated in hepatocytes from ovariectomized rats. The influences of perinatal and peripubertal androgenization on these events were examined. Estradiol treatment increased insulin binding and receptor-mediated insulin degradation by increasing cell surface insulin receptor number. Progesterone also increased both binding and degradation, but the increase in degradation exceeded the increase in binding. Perinatal exposure to testosterone blunted the estradiol-induced increase in insulin binding and decreased degradation, whereas the progesterone-mediated increases were completely suppressed. Peripubertal testosterone decreased binding, with a much greater reduction in insulin degradation. Perinatal androgenization did not influence the peripubertal testosterone effects. Thus peripubertal female sex hormones exert regulatory influences on both hepatic cell surface insulin receptor number and postreceptor events mediating insulin degradation. These events are modulated by perinatal and peripubertal exposure to androgens. Abnormalities in sex hormone levels and/or hepatic androgenization could therefore contribute to altered insulin metabolism and hyperinsulinemia in some hyperandrogenized women with abdominal obesity and increased androgenic activity.
Contact Toxicity of Insecticides to Adults of the Coffee Bean Weevil (Coleoptera: Anthribidae)

The contact toxicity of 27 insecticides was evaluated against adults of Araecerus fasciculatus (De Geer). The 10 most promising insecticides (LD50 range, 5.6–58.7 μg/g) in decreasing order of toxicity were azinphosmethyl > bendiocarb = fenvalerate = permethrin > phosmet = SD 35651 [2 H-1, 3 thiazine, tetrahydro-2-(nitromethylene)] = carbosulfan > phenthoate = oxamyl = methidathion. Methomyl (two preparations), chlorpyrifos, fluvalinate, aldrin, and isofenphos were intermediate in toxicity (LD50 range, 60–200 μg/g).Coffee bean weevil adults were tolerant to acephate, amitraz, butocarboxime, carbophenothion, diazinon, endosulfan, ethion, kinoprene, malathion, phosalone, sulprofos, and trichlorfon.
The interventional radiologist role in treating liver metastases for colorectal cancer.

Overview:Interventional radiologists (IRs) have an expanding role in the treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer. Increasing data on the ability to treat liver metastases with locoregi...
Medicare and Amyloid PET Imaging: The Battle Over Evidence

ABSTRACTWe examine a recent dispute regarding the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) refusal to unconditionally pay for amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for Medicare beneficiaries being assessed for Alzheimer’s disease. CMS will only pay for amyloid PET imaging when patients are enrolled in clinical trials that meet certain criteria. The dispute reflects CMS’s willingness in certain circumstances to require effectiveness evidence that differs from the Food and Drug Administration’s standard for pre-market approval of a medical intervention and reveals how stakeholders with differing perspectives about evidentiary standards have played a role in attempting to shape the Medicare program’s coverage policies.
Neurobiology of Supersensitive D1 and D2-Dopamine Receptors after 6-Hydroxydopamine Lesions

Administration of L-DOPA to rats treated as neonates or as adults with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA; Breese and Traylor, 1970; Smith et al., 1973) results in enhanced behavioral responses (Breese, 1975). However, behavioral responses to L-DOPA differ depending on the age at which dopaminergic fibers are destroyed (Breese et al., 1984). For example, following L-DOPA, rats lesioned with 6-OHDA as neonates show self-biting and self-mutilation behavior, but rats treated as adults do not (Breese et al., 1984). In initial experiments, Breese et al. (1984) observed that cis flupentixol was more potent than haloperidol in antagonizing self-biting induced by L-DOPA in neonatally lesioned rats, suggesting that D1-dopamine (DA) receptors were involved in the behavioral supersensitivity observed in rats whose DA-containing neurons were destroyed during development (Breese et al., 1984). The availability of agonists and antagonists with specificity for D1-and D2-DA receptors and animal models by which to study D1-and D2-DA receptor responses allowed us to test this hypothesis as well as to evaluate further the neurobiology of these receptor subtypes (Breese et al., 1985ab, 1986, 1987).
On the use of plasma metasurfaces as tunable THz wave reflectors

A plasma metasurface that works as a tunable THz wave reflector was designed, generated, and experimentally characterized. Theoretical calculations based on the Lewin effective medium model were used to determine the required plasma properties and corresponding reflection bands1. The laser-induced breakdown plasma was generated by focusing the light from a 750 mJ/p Q-switched Nd:YAG laser through a multi-lens array. A gated CCD camera coupled to a high-resolution spectrometer was used to obtain chord-averaged broadening data for the cross section of a single plasma element, and the data was Abel inverted to derive the radial plasma density distribution. The resulting values were used in 3D finite-difference time-domain simulations, which confirmed the metasurface's function as a THz wave reflector.
Pre-mining trace element and radiation exposure to biota from a breccia pipe uranium mine in the Grand Canyon (Arizona, USA) watershed.

The risks to wildlife and humans from uranium (U) mining in the Grand Canyon watershed are largely unknown. In addition to U, other co-occurring ore constituents contribute to risks to biological receptors depending on their toxicological profiles. This study characterizes the pre-mining concentrations of total arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), thallium (Tl), U, and zinc (Zn); radiation levels; and histopathology in biota (vegetation, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, and mammals) at the Canyon Mine. Gross alpha levels were below the reporting limit (4 pCi/g) in all samples, and gross beta levels were indicative of background in vegetation (<10–17 pCi/g) and rodents (<10–43.5 pCi/g). Concentrations of U, Tl, Pb, Ni, Cu, and As in vegetation downwind from the mine were likely the result of aeolian transport. Chemical concentrations in rodents and terrestrial invertebrates indicate that surface disturbance during mine construction has not resulted in statistically significant spatial differences in fauna concentrations adjacent to the mine. Chemical concentrations in egg contents and nestlings of non-aquatic birds were less than method quantification limits or did not exceed toxicity thresholds. Bioaccumulation of As, Pb, Se, Tl, and U was evident in Western spadefoot (Spea multiplicata) tadpoles from the mine containment pond; concentrations of As (28.9–31.4 μg/g) and Se (5.81–7.20 μg/g) exceeded toxicity values and were significantly greater than in tadpoles from a nearby water source. Continued evaluation of As and Se in biota inhabiting and forging in the mine containment pond is warranted as mining progresses.
The Effects of Play-Based Intervention on Vocabulary Acquisition by Preschoolers at Risk for Reading and Language Delays:

Closing the vocabulary gap for young children at risk for reading and language delays due to low socioeconomic status may have far reaching effects, as the relationship between early vocabulary knowledge and later academic achievement has been well-established. Vocabulary instruction for young children at risk for reading and language delays during classroom play is understudied, but appears to be a useful context for such interventions. A multiple probe design across behaviors replicated across participants was conducted to evaluate the effects of Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) techniques embedded in play sessions on target vocabulary word acquisition for preschool participants. Participants acquired target word sets in an average of 14 sessions, which, in addition to a book with target vocabulary, included interventionist’s use of the words in conversation and prompts to use target words in play routines. Implications for vocabulary instruction during play and future research are included.
A New Genus And Species Of Pleidae (Hemiptera) From Venezuela, With Notes On The Genera Of Pleidae

A new genus and species of Pleidae, Heteroplea stictosoma is described from Venezuela. The new genus Heteroplea differs from other genera in having a distinct callus on the occiput and an ovipositor without spines, as well has having a variable medial sternal carina. The genus resembles Plea in having three tarsomeres on each leg but appears closer to Neoplea in many other characters. This species was collected from a hydropetric habitat, which is different than other pleid species normally inhabit. With the addition of this new genus, an updated key to the genera of Pleidae is provided.
Competition and conflict between communicative norms: Is it reasonable to be polite?

When engaging with each other, discussants navigate a complex set of communicative norms that aim at very different goals. Within argumentation theory naturally the most studied set of norms are those aiming at reasonableness, of which I take the pragma-dialectical rule set to be a representative example. They are however far from the only norms that guide communicative behavior. This paper offers an analysis of the areas of intersection and potential conflict of reasonableness (as understood by pragma-dialectics) with other communicative norms in general and rules of politeness (as presented by Geoffrey Leech) in particular.
Evaluation of governing heat and mass transfer resistance in membrane-based energy recovery ventilators with internal support structures

Energy recovery ventilators are an effective way to reduce energy consumption in buildings while satisfying ventilation standards. As membrane technology and manufacturing methods improve, membrane...
THINKERS, LIES, AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Seana Shiffrin's Speech Matters is a remarkably rich, original, and insightful work, casting new and sometimes surprising light on a wide range of issues in law and morality.
Future Trends of Designing Learning in the Global Context

It is clear that educational technologies are being introduced at an increasing rate. It is also clear that many of today’s students have grown up with digital technologies. What are the implications for the design of effective learning environments and instructional systems give such changes? Many have predicted that radical changes in learning designs are required, although there is insufficient evidence to support the claims of effectiveness of many of the proposed changes. This chapter recognizes changes introduced by new technologies and new learners. However, recalling lessons that have been learned or should have been learned from previous educational technology integration efforts are vital in making sustained, systematic, and systemic improvements in learning and instruction.
Habitat use, activity patterns and human interactions with jaguars Panthera onca in southern Belize

Parts of southern Belize are designated as a corridor for the jaguar Panthera onca but the Maya region remains understudied. We therefore studied jaguar habitat use, activity patterns, and interactions with people in Blue Creek, a Maya village in a human-dominated tropical landscape in southern Belize. We used camera traps to detect jaguar presence, and interviews to assess local people's attitudes to and perceptions of jaguars. We recorded 28 independent photographic events during 1,200 camera-trap nights (i.e. a relative abundance index of 2.3 jaguars per 100 trap days). Seven individual jaguars were identified. Jaguars preferred lowland broad-leaf tropical forest and were detected more often during daylight, in contrast to findings from previous studies. Attitudes towards jaguars were largely positive: 88% of respondents (n = 48) did not fear jaguars living around the village, and 81% understood the positive effect that jaguars have on the ecosystem. Although 92% of respondents reported seeing a jaguar within the previous 2 years, attacks on livestock in the village were rare, with only two occurrences in the previous 3 years. Ecotourism has grown rapidly in Belize in recent years, and Blue Creek is home to several natural tourist attractions and an eco-lodge that brings tourists, school groups, and researchers to the village. Ecotourism has provided an economic incentive for village investment in conservation, and 94% of respondents stated that preservation of wildlife, including jaguars, was beneficial to their well-being.
Interacting Effects of Leaf Water Potential and Biomass on Vegetation Optical Depth

Remotely sensed microwave observations of vegetation optical depth (VOD) have been widely used for examining vegetation responses to climate. Nevertheless, the relative impacts of phenological changes in leaf biomass and water stress on VOD have not been explicitly disentangled. In particular, determining whether leaf water potential (ψL) affects VOD may allow these data sets as a constraint for plant hydraulic models. Here we test the sensitivity of VOD to variations in ψL and present a conceptual framework that relates VOD to ψL and total biomass including leaves, whose dynamics are measured through leaf area index, and woody components. We used measurements of ψL from three sites across the US—a mixed deciduous forests in Indiana and Missouri and a pinon-juniper woodland in New Mexico—to validate the conceptual model. The temporal dynamics of X-band VOD were similar to those of the VOD signal estimated from the new conceptual model with observed ψL (R2 = 0.6–0.8). At the global scale, accounting for a combination of biomass and estimated ψL (based on satellite surface soil moisture data) increased correlations with VOD by ~ 15% and 30% compared to biomass and water potential, respectively. In wetter regions with denser and taller canopy heights, VOD has a higher correlation with leaf area index than with water stress and vice versa in drier regions. Our results demonstrate that variations in both phenology and ψL must be considered to accurately interpret the dynamics of VOD observations for ecological applications.
The potential of emerging therapeutics for epithelioid sarcoma

Introduction: Epithelioid sarcoma (ES) is a rare malignancy of mesenchymal origin that accounts for <1% of soft tissue sarcomas. Research in ES has been limited by its rarity, and there are no stan...
Hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet: 'The Role and Impact of Nationwide Injunctions by District Courts'

This statement addresses the national injunction. It begins with definition. It then surveys six problems caused by the national injunction: forum-shopping, conflicting injunctions, worse decision making, the inconsistency with a district judge's lack of authority to make precedent, the end run around class action requirements, and a lack of constitutional authority under Article III. The statement concludes by discussing possible solutions, including brief analysis of statutory language and breadth. This statement was prepared for a hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, on November 30, 2017.
Unraveling the Chemical Nature of the 3D "hollow" Hybrid Halide Perovskites

The newly introduced class of 3D halide perovskites, termed “hollow” perovskites, has been recently demonstrated as light absorbing semiconductor materials for fabricating lead-free perovskite solar cells with enhanced efficiency and superior stability. Hollow perovskites derive from three-dimensional (3D) AMX3 perovskites (A = methylammonium (MA), formamidinium (FA); M = Sn, Pb; X = Cl, Br, I), where small molecules such as ethylenediammonium cations (en) can be incorporated as the dication without altering the structure dimensionality. We present in this work the inherent structural properties of the hollow perovskites and expand this class of materials to the Pb-based analogues. Through a combination of physical and spectroscopic methods (XRD, gas pycnometry, 1H NMR, TGA, SEM/EDX), we have assigned the general formula (A)1–x(en)x(M)1–0.7x(X)3–0.4x to the hollow perovskites. The incorporation of en in the 3D perovskite structure leads to massive M and X vacancies in the 3D [MX3] framework, thus the term...
The Chiasmatic Cistern and Environs

As the surgeon dissects medially from the pterional exposure, he or she encounters a confluence of cisterns in the center of which is the chiasmatic cistern. The computed tomography (CT) scans with cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) contrast enhancement show the chiasmatic cistern and adjacent cisterns (Figs. 7.1 and 7.2). The carotid cisterns are lateral, the cistern of the lamina terminalis is behind and above, and the olfactory cisterns pass anterior to the chiasmatic cistern. The olfactory cistern lies between the gyrus rectus and medial orbital gyrus. In the midline between the frontal lobes is the pericallosal cistern and interhemispheric fissure (cistern).
Numerical Solutions of ODEs: Examples Using Mathematica

The techniques of Chapter 5, in particular, the Runge-Kutta method, are useful in solving differential equations that do not yield to analytic solutions, and aside from a handful of exceptions, those are precisely the type of DEs one encounters in practice. These methods have been used by programmers for decades and are still used in numerically intensive problems.
Everything That Can Be Measured Will Be Measured

If the first phase of architecture’s engagement with digital technologies focused on form (roughly the early 1990s to the early 2000s) and the second phase focused on fabrication, (roughly the earl...
Parallel Wavelet-based Bayesian Compressive Sensing based on Gibbs Sampling

Bayesian compressive sensing (BCS) helps address ill-posed signal recovery problems using the Bayesian estimation framework. Gibbs sampling is a technique used in Bayesian estimation that iteratively draws samples from conditional posterior distributions. However, Gibbs sampling is inherently sequential and existing parallel implementations focus on reducing the communication between computing units at the cost of increase in recovery error. In this work, we propose a two-stage parallel coefficient update scheme for wavelet-based Bayesian compressive sensing, where the first stage approximates the real distributions of the wavelet coefficients and the second stage computes the final estimate of the coefficients. While in the first stage the parallel computing units share information with each other, in the second stage, the parallel units work independently. We propose a new coefficient update scheme that updates coefficients in both stages based on data generated a few rounds ago. Such a scheme helps in relaxing the timing constraints for communication in the first stage and computations in the second stage. We design the corresponding parallel architecture and synthesize it in 7 nm technology node. We show that in a system with 8 computing units, our method helps reduce the execution time by 17.4× compared to a sequential implementation without any increase in the signal recovery error.
CRYSTAL FORMATION IN CULTURES OF FUNGI. II. APPEARANCE OF CRYSTALS IN WHITE LIGHT.

The present study offers the picture of crystal formation in cultures of dermatophytes photographed in white light. Isometric and anisometric crystal forms are profusely depicted. ‘Pranks’ and ‘mimics’ of crystal forms are pointed out. Photomicrographic data are given.
Canadian Court Rules Physical Education Teacher Negligent

The court found that the physical education teacher fell below the standard of care by allowing a seventh-grade student to play field hockey in physical education class although the student lacked ...
Using the Society for Vascular Surgery Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection classification to identify patients most likely to benefit from revascularization

Abstract Background The Society of Vascular Surgery Wound Ischemia foot Infection (WIfI) classification system for chronic limb-threatening ischemia was intended to predict 1-year major lower extremity amputation (LEA) risk and to identify which patients benefit most from revascularization. We aimed to identify which WIfI presentations benefited most from revascularization to explore whether a cluster analysis could identify a more data-driven WIfI score, and to quantify which component of the WIfI score was most strongly associated with 1-year LEA after revascularization. Methods Composite multi-institutional nested cohort data from centers who previously validated WIfI were reviewed retrospectively. We collected each patient's WIfI component grades and whether LEA was performed. To examine the benefit of revascularization, the predicted LEA rates were subtracted from observed LEA rates. We used k-means cluster analysis to model predicted vs observed LEA rates after revascularization. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to quantify which WIfI score component(s) best predicted LEA. Results Data from 10 centers, accumulated between 2005 and 2015 were collated (2878 limbs at risk; 314 LEAs performed). The subset of patients who underwent revascularization comprised the study base (1654 limbs; 169 LEAs). Of 64 potential WIfI grade combinations, 15 were never reported and were excluded from the analysis. By original WIfI stages, the observed LEA rate after revascularization was: stage 1, 10.8% (14/130); stage 2, 4.9% (5/103); stage 3, 5.1% (25/487); and stage 4, 13.4% (125/934). Based on the difference between predicted and observed LEA risk for those who underwent revascularization, the WIfI scores were placed into quartiles from greatest to no benefit of revascularization. Cluster analysis identified four clusters with the following 1-year LEA rates: cluster 1, 4.4% (46/1038); cluster 2, 14.8% (66/447); cluster 3, 28.1% (36/128); and cluster 4, 51.2% (21/41). The between sum of squares/total sum of squares was 93.9%. Multiple linear regression revealed the wound grade most strongly predicted LEA (F-value, 17.25; P Conclusions WIfI can identify which patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia are most likely to benefit from revascularization and may provide improved prognostication, risk stratification, and equitable outcome assessments. After revascularization, wound severity is most strongly associated with LEA risk. Ischemic and infectious grades confer additive, but not synergistic, risk. Future cluster analyses comparing specific WIfI presentations treated with and without revascularization will be required to further refine WIfI.