cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical package for modeling optical limiters

A numerical software package for (2 plus 1)-dimensional simulation of optical limiters has been developed. The purpose of this effort is to provide the sensor protection community with a means to develop, understand, and optimize optical limiters. A graphics interface has been implemented to guide the user in both running the program and interpreting the results. Scientific visualization tools have been integrated with the package to facilitate a physical understanding of the numerical results. We have used it successfully to perform (2 plus 1)-dimensional nonlinear propagation of a focused optical beam with arbitrary intensity profile, such as Gaussian or tophat profile, in a f/5 system. The package can handle various nonlinear mechanisms, including intensity dependent refraction and absorption. Non-local nonlinearities such as thermal effects may be included as a modular subprogram. Temporal effects may also be included by simulating the integrated spatio-temporal evolution of the light and material properties, although this approach is memory- intensive and often requires the use of a super-computer.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Using mobile monitoring to characterize roadway and aircraft contributions to ultrafine particle concentrations near a mid-sized airport

Abstract Ultrafine particles (UFP) have complex spatial and temporal patterns that can be difficult to characterize, especially in areas with multiple source types. In this study, we utilized mobile monitoring and statistical modeling techniques to determine the contributions of both roadways and aircraft to spatial and temporal patterns of UFP in the communities surrounding an airport. A mobile monitoring campaign was conducted in five residential areas surrounding T.F. Green International Airport (Warwick, RI, USA) for one week in both spring and summer of 2008. Monitoring equipment and geographical positioning system (GPS) instruments were carried following scripted walking routes created to provide broad spatial coverage while recognizing the complexities of simultaneous spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Autoregressive integrated moving average models (ARIMA) were used to predict UFP concentrations as a function of distance from roadway, landing and take-off (LTO) activity, and meteorology. We found that distance to the nearest Class 2 roadway (highways and connector roads) was inversely associated with UFP concentrations in all neighborhoods. Departures and arrivals on a major runway had a significant influence on UFP concentrations in a neighborhood proximate to the end of the runway, with a limited influence elsewhere. Spatial patterns of regression model residuals indicate that spatial heterogeneity was partially explained by traffic and LTO terms, but with evidence that other factors may be contributing to elevated UFP close to the airport grounds. Regression model estimates indicate that mean traffic contributions exceed mean LTO contributions, but LTO activity can dominate the contribution during some minutes. Our combination of monitoring and statistical modeling techniques demonstrated contributions from major surrounding runways and LTO activity to UFP concentrations near a mid-sized airport, providing a methodology for source attribution within a community with multiple distinct sources.
Resource-efficient and reliable long term wireless monitoring of the photoplethysmographic signal

Wearable photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensors are extensively used for remote monitoring of blood oxygen level and flow rate in numerous pervasive healthcare applications with diverse quality of service requirements. These sensors operate under severe resource constraints and communicate over an adverse wireless channel with human body-induced path loss and mobility-caused fading. In this paper, we take a generative model-based data collection approach towards achieving energy-efficient and reliable PPG monitoring. We develop two models that can generate synthetic PPG signals given a set of input parameters. These generative models are then used to design and implement a resource-efficient, reliable data reporting method for wireless PPG sensors. We investigate the performance of our method under realistic wireless channel error models and provide methods to improve accuracy at a marginal energy cost. We implement the proposed technique using existing sensor platforms and evaluate its performance on two datasets: the MIMIC database and data collected using commercial wearable sensors. Results for wearable sensor-based data show bandwidth and communication energy savings of 300:1, while maintaining a diagnostic accuracy above 94%.
Carboxyl tail prevents yeast K(+) channel closure: proposal of an integrated model of TOK1 gating.

Abstract TOK1 encodes the channel responsible for the prominent outward K + current of the yeast plasma membrane. It can dwell in several impermeable states, including a rapidly transiting, K + -electromotive-force-dependent "R" ( r ectifying) state, a voltage-independent "IB" ( i nter b urst) state, and a set of [K + ] ext and voltage-dependent "C" ( c losed) states. Whereas evidence suggests that the C states result from the constriction of an inner gate at the cytosolic end of the pore, R is most likely an intrinsic gating property of the K + filter. Here, we present evidence that Tok1's carboxyl-tail domain also plays an intimate role in channel gating by dynamically preventing inner-gate closures. We present an integrated model of TOK1 gating in which the filter gate, inner gate, and carboxyl tail interact to produce the various phenomenological states. Both wild-type and tailless behaviors can be replicated using Monte Carlo computer simulations based on this model.
A Beam Profile Monitor for the NSLS VUV Ring Employing Linear Photodiode Arrays

Among the most important parameters of a storage accelerator are the position and size of the particle beam. In an electron machine, these parameters can be derived from measurements of the emitted synchrotron radiation. We discuss a system which monitors the two-dimensional profile of the synchrotron light in the NSLS VUV ring using commercially available high-resolution linear photosensitive diode arrays. The optical system has been designed to match the size of the image space to the dimensions of the diode sensor area. The scanning rate is automatically adjusted to hold the peaks of the profiles constant over a wide range of beam intensity variations. Video signals from the diode sensors can be readily interfaced to a computer for beam diagnostic purposes. Optics and factors determining the overall resolution of the system are discussed. Preliminary results of beam observations are presented.
Anxiety does not predict response to duloxetine in major depression: results of a pooled analysis of individual patient data from 11 placebo-controlled trials

Background: Uncontrolled antidepressant trials suggest that anxious patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are less responsive to antidepressant treatment than less anxious patients. The objective of this study is to determine whether specific antidepressant effects, estimated by drug-placebo differences, are reduced in anxious depression during treatment of MDD with duloxetine. Methods: This is a retrospective secondary pooled analysis of all placebo-controlled trials of duloxetine at therapeutic doses conducted by the sponsor in outpatients with nonpsychotic unipolar MDD, using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD). Anxious depression was defined by ≥7 on the anxiety/somatization factor of the HAMD. Response was defined as ≥50% improvement from baseline to endpoint on the HAMD. Remission was defined as an endpoint HAMD≤7. Analyses were performed in the intent-to-treat sample with at least one post-treatment rating. Results: Eleven trials included 2,841 patients of whom 1,326 were classified as anxious and 1,515 as nonanxious. Change on the HAMD was greater with duloxetine than placebo in both anxious (9.91 versus 7.55, P<.001) and nonanxious (6.65 versus 5.23, P<.001) patients. Level of anxiety had no effect on the drug–placebo differences. Response and remission rates were significantly greater in duloxetine than placebo-treated patients and drug–placebo differences were unaffected by anxious status. Use of HAMD items psychic and somatic anxiety to define anxious subgroups had similar outcomes. Conclusions: Duloxetine was more effective than placebo in achieving response and remission in both anxious and nonanxious patients. Anxious status did not affect the magnitude of the drug effect. Depression and Anxiety, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On Trade Wind Cumulus Cold Pools

AbstractShallow precipitating cumuli within the easterly trades were investigated using shipboard measurements, scanning radar data, and visible satellite imagery from 2 weeks in January 2005 of the Rain in Cumulus over the Ocean (RICO) experiment. Shipboard rainfall rates of up to 2 mm h−1 were recorded almost daily, if only for 10–30 min typically, almost always from clouds within mesoscale arcs. The precipitating cumuli, capable of reaching above 4 km, cooled surface air by 1–2 K, in all cases lowered surface specific humidities by up to 1.5 g kg−1, reduced surface equivalent potential temperatures by up to 6 K, and were often associated with short-lived increases in wind speed. Upper-level downdrafts were inferred to explain double-lobed moisture and temperature sounding profiles, as well as multiple inversions in wind profiler data. In two cases investigated further, the precipitating convection propagated faster westward than the mean surface wind by about 2–3 m s−1, consistent with a density curren...
SUPPRESSION OF ANTIPROLIFERATIVE EFFECTS OF TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR BY TRANSFECTION OF CELLS WITH HUMAN PLATELET-DERIVED GROWTH FACTOR B/C-SIS GENE

Abstract The growth of cells is determined by the balance between growth-stimulatory and growth-inhibitory signals. In the present study, we demonstrate that the transfection of NIH 3T3 cells with a platelet-derived growth factor ( PDGF-B/c-sis ) gene induces resistance to the anticellular effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Human tumor cell lines that express elevated levels of c-sis (e.g. epidermoid carcinoma, A-431) are also TNF resistant, whereas those that express no significant levels of this gene (e.g. breast adenocarcinoma, MCF-7) are TNF sensitive. Transfection of cells with the c-sis gene leads to down-modulation of TNF receptors and also a decrease in intracellular glutathione levels. Thus, our results demonstrate that over-expression of PDGF-B/c-sis by certain tumor cells can lead to their protection from the anticellular effects of TNF.
COMPUTATIONAL METHODS FOR INVERSE DEFORMATIONS IN QUASI-INCOMPRESSIBLE FINITE ELASTICITY

This paper presents a formulation for incorporating quasi-incompressibility in inverse design problems for finite elastostatics where deformed configurations and Cauchy tractions are known. In the recent paper of Govindjee and Mihalic [1996, Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engng., 136, 47–57.] a method for solving this class of inverse problems was presented for compressible materials; here we extend this work to the important case of nearly incompressible materials. A displacement-pressure mixed formulation is combined with a penalty method to enforce the quasi-incompressible constraint without locking. Numerical examples are presented and compared to known solutions; further examples present practical applications of this research to active problems in elastomeric component design. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A study of application-level recovery methods for transient network faults

With the increasing number of components in HPC systems, transient faults will become commonplace. Today, network transient faults, such as lost or corrupted network packets, are addressed by middleware libraries at the cost of high memory usage and packet retransmissions. These costs, however, can be eliminated using application-level fault tolerance. In this paper, we propose recovery methods for transient network faults at the application level. These methods reconstruct missing or corrupted data via interpolation. We derive a realistic fault model using network fault rates from a production HPC cluster and use it to demonstrate the effectiveness of our reconstruction methods in an FFT kernel. We found that the normalized root-mean-square error for FFT computations can be as low as 0.1% and, thus, demonstrates that network faults can be handled at the application level with low perturbation in applications that have smoothness in their computed data.
Characterizing knee-bounce in bipedal robotic walking: a zeno behavior approach

This paper studies the walking behavior of kneed bipedal robots with knee-lock and knee-bounce, formally demonstrating that if knee-locking results in stable bipedal walking, then small amounts of knee-bounce still will result in a walking gait for the robot. To achieve this result, hybrid system models of bipeds are considered wherein knee-bounce corresponds to Zeno behavior. Using results on Zeno stability, we propose a notion of generalized completion that allows solutions to be carried beyond the Zeno point, i.e., carried beyond knee-bounce. We assume that the completed hybrid system has a periodic orbit when the impacts are perfectly plastic - a plastic periodic orbit, or walking gait with knee-lock. The main result of this paper is that when the assumption of perfectly plastic impacts is relaxed, if the plastic periodic orbit is stable and the Zeno point is Zeno stable, then there exists a periodic orbit in the case of non-plastic impacts, i.e., a Zeno periodic orbit corresponding to walking with knee-bounce. This formal result is applied to a specific example of a bipedal robot with knees.
3HE NMR : A POWERFUL NEW TOOL FOR FOLLOWING FULLERENE CHEMISTRY

The fullerenes react readily with a variety of reagents. Following their reactions with NMR spectroscopy has not been easy. If several products are formed or, as is common, bis-adducts are produced, assigning the carbon peaks is difficult or impossible. Continuing our studies of endohedral fullerene compounds of noble gases, we have recently used high pressure and heating to introduce [sup 3]He into C[sub 60] and C[sub 70], increasing incorporation levels to around 0.15%. We have used this material to obtain the first [sup 3]He NMR spectra of helium compounds. Each helium-labeled fullerene gives a single sharp peak. The large chemical shifts (C[sub 60], [minus]6.3 ppm; C[sub 70], [minus]28.8 ppm from dissolved [sup 3]He as reference) show that there are substantial aromatic ring currents modifying the magnetic field experienced by the helium nucleus in the center of the fullerenes. We expected that altering the [pi]-bonding structure of the fullerene through reaction would produce substantial shifts in the [sup 3]He peak. We have now verified this expectation. We have subjected a [sup 3]He-labeled fullerene mixture (about 70% C[sub 60], 30% C[sub 70]) to the reaction conditions recently reported by Maggini, Scorrano, and Prato for the azomethine ylide addition to fullerenes to formmore » N-methylpyrrolidines. It is striking that addition to just one of the 30 double bonds of [sup 3]He C[sub 60]produced a 3 ppm shift of the helium upfield. At this point, even qualitative rationalization of the direction of these shifts would be speculative. It is interesting that the adducts of C[sub 70] shift downfield. 6 refs., 2 figs.« less
Microstructural modifications and properties of Sn-Ag-Cu solder joints induced by alloying

Slow cooling (1–3°C/sec) of Sn-Ag-Cu and Sn-Ag-Cu-X (X = Fe, Co) solder-joint specimens, made by hand soldering, simulated reflow in a surface-mount assembly to achieve similar as-solidified joint microstructures for realistic shear-strength testing, using Sn-3.5Ag (wt.%) as a baseline. Consistent with predictions from a recent Sn-Ag-Cu ternary phase-diagram study, either Sn dendrites, Ag3Sn primary phase, or Cu6Sn5 primary phase were formed during solidification of joint samples made from the selected near-eutectic Sn-Ag-Cu alloys. Minor substitution of Co for Cu in Sn-3.7Ag-0.9Cu refined the joint-matrix microstructure by an apparent catalysis effect on the Cu6Sn5 phase, whereas Fe substitution promoted extreme refinement of the Sn-dendritic phase. Ambient-temperature shear strength was reduced by Sn dendrites in the joint microstructure, especially coarse dendrites in solute poor Sn-Ag-Cu, e.g., Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu, while Sn-3.7Ag-0.9Cu with Co and Fe additions have increased shear strength. At elevated (150°C) temperature, no significant difference exists between the maximum shear-strength values of all of the alloys studied.
Short and midterm results with minimally invasive endovascular repair of acute and chronic thoracic aortic pathology

Objectives Endovascular management of both acute and chronic thoracic aortic pathology has emerged as an alternative to open surgery. We reviewed our single center experience with endovascular devices for the treatment of thoracic aortic pathology. Methods Between April 2000 and October 2007, 116 thoracic aortic stent grafts were placed to treat a variety of acute or chronic thoracic aortic lesions. Thirty-five percent of the cases were performed emergently. Sixty-five percent of the patients were male; the average age was 63.9 years (range 20-93 years). Indications for treatment were chronic degenerative aneurysms (n = 70), traumatic aortic disruption (n = 20), complicated dissection, intramural hematoma, or penetrating aortic ulcer (n = 14), pseudoaneurysm (n = 10), and Diverticulum of Kommerell (n = 2). Arch vessel revascularization (n = 32) or mesenteric debranching (n = 7) was performed in select cases. Devices used were industry-approved thoracic aortic devices (n = 80), aortic cuff extenders (n = 19), or custom made by the surgeon (n = 17). Results The 30-day death, stroke and paraplegia/paresis rates were 5.2%, 8.6%, and 2.6%, respectively. Arterial access complications requiring immediate operative repair occurred at a rate of 11.2% (n = 13). The endoleak rate requiring repeat intervention was 6.9% (n = 8). The delayed graft infection rate was 5.2% (n = 6), with four of these cases resulting in death. The mean follow-up is 15 months (range 1-78 months). Computed tomography angiograms were performed at 1, 6, and 12 months following the index procedure, and yearly thereafter. Conclusions Endovascular therapy for acute and chronic thoracic aortic pathology is a viable alternative to open surgery with comparable operative morbidity and mortality. Midterm results suggest that endografts are durable, but require more secondary interventions and imaging surveillance than open reconstruction.
AN INTERVIEW WITH S. BHASKARA

1Dr. S. Bhaskara holds an M.A., an M.Ed, and a Ph.D. degree, and is a Reader in Education at R.V. Teachers College in Jayanagar, Bangalore in India. He lectures world wide on creativity and the enhancement of creative potential.
Viscous flow over a nonlinearly stretching sheet

An analysis is carried out to study the flow and heat transfer characteristics in a viscous fluid over a nonlinearly stretching sheet. The equations of conservation of momentum, mass, and energy, which govern the flow and heat transfer, are partially decoupled using a similarity transformation which is different from that of the linearly stretching sheet problem. (However, the results for the linearly stretching sheet problem can be obtained as a special case.) The basic nonlinear differential equation for the velocity field f and the differential equation with variable coefficient for the temperature field @q are solved numerically by using a fourth-order Runge-Kutta integration scheme. The numerical results thus obtained for the flow and heat transfer characteristics are presented by a table and graphs. Furthermore, it is shown that the heat flow is always from the stretching sheet to the fluid.
Mutation of the β-amyloid precursor protein in familial Alzheimer's disease increases β-protein production

PROGRESSIVE cerebral deposition of the 39–43-amino-acid amy-loid β-protein (Aβ) is an invariant feature of Alzheimer's disease which precedes symptoms of dementia by years or decades. The only specific molecular defects that cause Alzheimer's disease which have been identified so far are missense mutations in the gene encoding the β-amyloid precursor protein (β3-APP) in certain families with an autosomal dominant form of the disease (familial Alzheimer's disease, or FAD)1–5. These mutations are located within or immediately flanking the Aβ region of β-APP, but the mechanism by which they cause the pathological phenotype of early and accelerated Aβ deposition is unknown. Here we report that cultured cells which express a β-APP complementary DNA bearing a double mutation (Lys to Asn at residue 595 plus Met to Leu at position 596) found in a Swedish FAD family5 produce ∼6–8-fold more Aβ than cells expressing normal β-APP. The Met 596 to Leu mutation is principally responsible for the increase. These data establish a direct link between a FAD genotype and the clinicopathological phenotype. Further, they confirm the relev-ance of the continuous Aβ production by cultured cells6–8 for elucidating the fundamental mechanism of Alzheimer's disease.
Reproductive response of Acartia tonsa to variations in food ration and quality

Abstract The reproductive rate of Acartia tonsa on varying concentrations of six phytoplankton species was assayed in laboratory experiments. Some species supported higher reproductive rates than others, indicating that phytoplankton biomass in terms of volume, carbon, or nitrogen was not a good predictor of reproductive rate in A. tonsa . Estimates of reproductive rate derived from measures of phytoplankton biomass ingestion were only marginally better predictors of reproductive rate. Variations in the nutritional adequacy of phytoplankton species are hypothesized to explain these results.
Analysis of non-isothermal heterogeneous autocatalytic reactions

This paper presents a general model for autocatalytic heterogeneous reactions in non-isothermal particles. We consider both quadratic and cubic autocatalysis and determine the effects of particle geometry, relative reaction rates, bulk fluid-phase composition, dimensionless temperature differences, and Arrhenius numbers on the catalyst effectiveness factor. In general, diffusion limitations within the heterogeneous phase can lead to effectiveness factors much greater than unity for both exothermic and endothermic autocatalytic reactions. Furthermore, multiple steady states can exist for exothermic reactions in a quadratic autocatalytic system, or for any reaction with a cubic autocatalytic system.
Symmetric sideband correlations and the random phase screen approximation

It is shown that the validity of the random phase screen approximation in coherent wave scattering from random media can be determined from the correlation between symmetric sidebands in the scattered field. Analysis of doublet correlations in microwave reflectometer data taken on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor confirms the validity of the model and allows for the numerical back propagation of measurements without the use of imaging optics.
SU-E-T-95: Delivery Time Estimator

Purpose: The development and testing of a tool for the inclusion of delivery time as a parameter in plan optimization. Methods: We developed an algorithm that estimates the time required for the machine and personnel movements required to deliver a treatment plan on a linear accelerator. We included dose rate, leaf motion, collimator motion, gantry motion, and couch motions (including time to enter the room to rotate the couch safely). Vault-specific parameters to account for time to enter and perform couch angle adjustments were also included. This algorithm works for static, step and shoot IMRT, and VMAT beams photon beams and for fixed electron beams. This was implemented as a script in our treatment planning system. We validated the estimator against actual recorded delivery time from our R and V system as well as recorded times from our IMRT QA delivery. Results: Data was collected (Figure 1) for 12 treatment plans by examining the R and V beam start times, and by manually timing the QA treatment for a reference, but the QA measurements were only significant to the nearest minute. The average difference between the estimated and R and V times was 15%, and 11% when excluding the majormore » outliers. Outliers arose due to respiratory aides and gating techniques which could not be accounted for in the estimator. Conclusion: Non-mechanical factors such as the time a therapist needs to walk in and out of the room to adjust the couch needed to be fine-tuned and cycled back into the algorithm to improve the estimate. The algorithm has been demonstrated to provide reasonable and useful estimates for delivery time. This estimate has provided a useful additional input for clinical decision-making when comparing several potential radiation treatment options.« less
Is there evidence that phonophoresis is more effective than ultrasound in treating pain associated with lateral epicondylitis

The purpose of “Evidence in Practice” is to illustrate how evidence is gathered and used to guide clinical decision making. This article is not a case report. The examination, evaluation, and intervention sections are purposely abbreviated. A48-year-old woman was referred to our clinic with pain in the lateral epicondyle region of her right elbow. She is right-hand dominant. This pain started about 1 year ago, and the pain gradually increased throughout the past summer. During the warmer months she rides a motorcycle almost every day. The right hand is responsible for controlling the throttle of her motorcycle, and the wrist extensor muscles must contract to maintain active wrist extension for long periods of time. The right hand also controls the front brake lever, which is squeezed to apply the brake. This action also requires that the wrist extensor muscles contract to stabilize the wrist as the finger flexor muscles contract to squeeze the lever. The patient, therefore, uses her right wrist extensors continuously when riding a motorcycle, and these muscles might be overused during frequent or lengthy rides. For our patient, the duration of a ride depends upon her destination, with trips ranging from 30 minutes to 10 hours a day. During the winter months, the pain subsided. With the weather getting warmer, she resumed riding and was aware of a sudden increase in pain in the posterolateral region of her right elbow. Applying the brake increased her pain immediately. She also noticed increased pain when picking up a coffee mug or carrying groceries in plastic bags. She has tried to manage her pain conservatively with oral nonprescription analgesics and ice massage, but her pain has worsened considerably over the past 2 weeks. She was referred to our clinic after consulting with a physician for possible treatment. Examination revealed pain …
Topside equatorial zonal ion velocities measured by C/NOFS during rising solar activity

Abstract. The Ion Velocity Meter (IVM), a part of the Coupled Ion Neutral Dynamic Investigation (CINDI) instrument package on the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecast System (C/NOFS) spacecraft, has made over 5 yr of in situ measurements of plasma temperatures, composition, densities, and velocities in the 400–850 km altitude range of the equatorial ionosphere. These measured ion velocities are then transformed into a coordinate system with components parallel and perpendicular to the geomagnetic field allowing us to examine the zonal (horizontal and perpendicular to the geomagnetic field) component of plasma motion over the 2009–2012 interval. The general pattern of local time variation of the equatorial zonal ion velocity is well established as westward during the day and eastward during the night, with the larger nighttime velocities leading to a net ionospheric superrotation. Since the C/NOFS launch in April 2008, F10.7 cm radio fluxes have gradually increased from around 70 sfu to levels in the 130–150 sfu range. The comprehensive coverage of C/NOFS over the low-latitude ionosphere allows us to examine variations of the topside zonal ion velocity over a wide level of solar activity as well as the dependence of the zonal velocity on apex altitude (magnetic latitude), longitude, and solar local time. It was found that the zonal ion drifts show longitude dependence with the largest net eastward values in the American sector. The pre-midnight zonal drifts show definite solar activity (F10.7) dependence. The daytime drifts have a lower dependence on F10.7. The apex altitude (magnetic latitude) variations indicate a more westerly flow at higher altitudes. There is often a net topside subrotation at low F10.7 levels, perhaps indicative of a suppressed F region dynamo due to low field line-integrated conductivity and a low F region altitude at solar minimum.
A Miniaturized Planar Space-filling Curve Antenna with Wideband Monopole-like Radiation Characteristics

In this paper, the characteristics of utilizing planar metallic paths in the form of Peano and Hilbert space-filling curves (SFC) are investigated to provide top-loading properties to electrically short monopole antenna elements. Because the higher order SFC curve paths are resonant at frequencies for which the area that encloses the curve can be considered as electrically small, these curves may offer resonant loading characteristics in compact, low-profile and potentially conformal antenna designs, with monopole-like radiation patterns
Simple transferable intermolecular potential for the molecular simulation of water over wide ranges of state conditions

We discuss new developments in our polarizable water model consisting of smeared charges and a self-consistent point dipole polarizability, and compare the structural and polarization results at ambient and a supercritical conditions with those obtained previously with the corresponding simple point charges counterpart. We discuss the outcome of this comparison and make contact with the structural data from neutron scattering with isotopic substitution.
High-frequency noise measurements on MOSFETs with channel-lengths in sub-100 nm regime

High-Frequency signal and noise measurements on 40 nm, 80 nm, and 110 nm, gate-length MOS transistors are performed. On-wafer measurements of S-parameters up to 18 GHz yield an accurate small-signal RF device model with g 2 in excess of 1000 mS/mm. Noise contributions due to gate resistance, substrate resistance, source and drain resistances, substrate current and induced-gate noise are found to be small in comparison with total observed noise. The noise parameter γ is bias dependent and increases as channel-length decreases. The observed values are well above the ideal value of 2/3 consistent with previously published results.
Isoscapes: Spatial Pattern in Isotopic Biogeochemistry

Isotope ratios of actively cycled elements vary as a function of the biogeochemical processes in which they participate and the conditions under which those processes occur. The resultant spatiotemporal distribution of isotopes in environmental materials can be predicted using models of isotopefractionating processes and data describing environmental conditions across space and time, and it has been termed an isoscape, or isotopic landscape. Analysis of isoscapes and comparison of isoscape predictions with observational data have been used to test biogeochemical models, calculate aerially integrated biogeochemical fluxes based on isotope mass balance, and determine spatial connectivity in biogeochemical, ecological, and anthropological systems. Isoscape models of varying quality are available for stable H, C, N, and O isotopes in a range of Earth surface systems, but significant opportunities exist to refine our understanding of biogeochemical cycles and our ability to predict isoscapes through the development of more mechanistic and more comprehensive isoscape models.
The histaminergic innervation of the lateral geniculate complex in the cat

The histaminergic innervation of the thalamic dorsal and ventral lateral geniculate nuclei and the perigeniculate nucleus of the cat was examined immunohistochemically by means of an antibody to histamine. We find histamine-immunoreactive neurons in the cat brain are concentrated in the ventrolateral portion of the posterior hypothalamus, confirming a previous report. However, this cell group also spreads into medial, dorsal, and extreme lateral regions of the posterior hypothalamus and extends as far rostral as the optic chiasm. Histamine-labeled fibers cover all regions of the lateral geniculate complex, but the density of labeling varies. The ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN) is most densely labeled, the A laminae of the dorsal lateral geniculate are sparsely labeled, and the geniculate C laminae and the perigeniculate nucleus show intermediate amounts of label. Thus, histaminergic fibers demonstrate a predilection for zones innervated by the W-cell system. Labeled fibers exhibit few branchings and numerous en passant swellings, lending a beaded appearance. The vLGN showed more instances of fibers with larger-sized swellings (up to 2 microns). Following injections of biotinylated tracers into the hypothalamus, we find labeled fibers throughout the lateral geniculate complex. The anterogradely labeled fibers resemble the histaminergic fibers in morphology, distribution, and relative bouton size. Thus, the hypothalamus appears to be the source of the histaminergic fibers in the lateral geniculate complex. Histamine-labeled fibers in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) exhibit uncommon ultrastructural morphology. Many extremely large, round, or elliptical vesicles fill the fiber swellings. Swellings are directly apposed to a variety of other dendritic and axonal profiles, but thus far no convincing synaptic contacts have been seen. The distribution and appearance of these histaminergic fibers resembles those reported for serotonergic fibers. Our results support the idea that histamine works nonsynaptically as a neuromodulator in the lateral geniculate complex, affecting the level of visual arousal.
Weather affects diet composition of rusty blackbirds wintering in suburban landscapes

The rusty blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is a species of conservation concern throughout its range and the cause of the species' population decline is unknown. We studied diet composition of rusty blackbirds with stable isotope mixing models in suburban landscapes in the southeastern United States. We captured blackbirds in Georgia and South Carolina from 2009 to 2012, and estimated proportions of earthworm, other animals, pecan, and acorn incorporated into individual diets. On the Piedmont Plateau, terrestrial and aquatic earthworms constituted the largest proportion incorporated into the diet (39% ± 2.9; mean ± SD by site and year) and animals other than earthworms (mostly larval invertebrates Odonata and Diptera) constituted 27% ± 12.9. In contrast, on the Coastal Plain, which featured milder winters than the Piedmont, earthworms constituted a lower proportion (19% ± 1.2) of incorporated food items and animals other than earthworms comprised 62% ± 3.3% of the diet. Increased incorporation of earthworms in the diet was related to increased upcoming precipitation and daily maximum temperature. Rusty blackbirds incorporated more tree mast into their diet on the Piedmont Plateau than the Coastal Plain. Increased incorporation of tree mast was related to advancing cold temperature. Mast, including crushed pecans (Carya illinoenensis) and pre-opened small-seeded red oak (Quercus spp.) acorns, is a high-lipid dietary component of blackbirds wintering in colder climates, and is incorporated prior to extreme cold weather. Therefore, planting mast trees, especially lipid-rich pecan, could be used to augment resources in known rusty blackbird wintering hotspots. Maintaining shallowly flooded wetlands with a fluctuating water regime and residential lawns with abundant red oak (Quercus spp.) leaf litter would promote acorn and invertebrate resources including earthworms. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
Abdominal aorta as an alternative access route for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

A variety of access routes have been employed for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We report a TAVR case using the abdominal aorta as the direct access route when other approaches are not feasible. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12550 (J Card Surg 2015;30:510–512)
A study of plated through-hole reliability of formaldehyde-based electroless copper depositions

With the growth of electroless depositions, the need to understand the formaldehyde-based electroless plating process in multi-layer board (MLB) applications is becoming increasingly important. The purpose of this work is to understand the conditions that insure reliable, crack-free electroless copper in plated through-holes (PTHs). This is accomplished by correlating multiple processing and plating variables to PTH cracking in actual MLBs. A design of experiment (DOE) and statistical analysis was employed to understand the most important processing and plating conditions on PTH cracking. It was found that cracking is not only affected by plating thickness and PTH diameter, but also by plating bath variables such as formaldehyde (HCHO) concentration. These results indicate that a strict adherence to plating bath concentrations had the largest effect on insuring crack-free PTHs. In addition, the microstructure of the electroless copper foils in this experiment was analyzed and correlated to cracking. It was found that the copper from the PTHs with more cracking had voids in the microstructure, believed to originate from hydrogen evolution, increased dimpling and less plastic deformation in the region of the fracture surface from elevated temperature (250/spl deg/C) tensile testing.
Calculation of inductive electric fields in pulsed coaxial devices using electric vector potentials

In many high-voltage pulsed power systems the electric fields are predominantly inductive rather than electrostatic. That is, in the usual expression for generalized electric field, E = -/spl nabla//spl Phi/-/spl part/A//spl part/t, /spl Phi/ is the scalar potential that gives rise to the electrostatic field, and A is the magnetic vector potential, from which the inductive field is derived. In problems where there are regions without charge separation or steady state currents flowing, the electrostatic component does not exist, and the usual technique of solving the scalar Laplace's equation for the potential is inappropriate for determining the electric fields. Calculation of the magnetic vector potential is plagued by choice of gauge condition and specification of correct boundary conditions. Especially for coaxial (axisymmetric) systems typical of many pulsed power components and systems, where the current flow is in the r, z plane, there are two components of the vector potential that must be solved-each with its own boundary conditions. Specification of all the correct boundary conditions is nontrivial. In this paper, we present a convenient technique for the calculation of inductive electric fields in coaxial systems. The technique is based on the introduction of a vector electric potential that is derived from Poisson's equation, in combination with Faraday's Law and the E, D constitutive relation. In coaxial geometry, the electric vector potential is only azimuthal and, therefore, quasi-scalar. It is conveniently calculated with any two-dimensional Poisson equation solver, and the resultant inductive field distribution easily calculated. We have used the technique in several pulsed power system designs with success. Specific examples of the application of the technique are given.
Successfully Crossing the Cultural Border between High School and College: Promoting a Sense of Belonging in a Freshman Seminar Course

Traditional undergraduate students from the United States often find the transition from high school to college difficult. Challenges include inadequate preparation, a loss of interest, adjusting to poor instruction, discouragement due to low grades, financial difficulties, family problems, and cultural issues which impact the students' sense of belonging. The focus of this paper is to describe how a Freshman Seminar course for computing majors was implemented to positively impact all incoming freshmen and to promote this sense of belonging, which is the central objective of the course. Results of our assessment showed increases in positive student interactions with faculty and students, and an increase in the sense of belonging. The paper describes the Freshman Seminar course, reports findings drawn from the quantitative and qualitative data, and outlines further initiatives to be made in the course to help students successfully cross the cultural border between high school and college.
Financing Complexity and Sophistication in Nascent Ventures

Although scholars have considered the financing challenges facing small businesses for some time, little work has focused on financing issues at the venture's nascent stage. In this study, we investigate the sources of funding sought by nascent entrepreneurs and the relationship between the complexity of these funding sources, business plan formalization, and expectations of future firm growth. Using data from the Entrepreneurship Research Consortium/Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics, we find that nascent entrepreneurs, even those associated with high-growth ventures, favor simple rather than complex sources of funding at the nascent stage. Funding complexity and business plan formalization are also found related to expectation of firm growth. An additional contribution is the development of a funding complexity continuum scale, which should be useful in future studies of nascent as well as later stage entrepreneurial finance and firm growth.
Exact finite-range analysis of /sup 12/C(/sup 3/He,n) /sup 14/O reaction

The (/sup 3/He,n) reaction on /sup 12/C has been used to study the low lying states of /sup 14/O in the energy range 12 MeV < E < 24 MeV. The experimental angular distributions have been analyzed by the exact finite range as well as zero range distorted-wave Born-approximation theory. Spectroscopic amplitudes were obtained from the shell model calculations of True on the mass 14 systems. It is found that the exact finite-range distorted-wave Born approximation theory gives reasonable to good fits to the experimental angular distributions as well to relative strengths. However, the normalization factor is too small by about 20.
Classification tree analysis: a statistical tool to investigate risk factor interactions with an example for colon cancer (United States).

Objective: Classification tree analysis is a potentially powerful tool for investigating multilevel interactions. Within the context of colon cancer etiology it may help identify disease pathways and evaluate important interactions of risk factors. Methods: We apply classification tree analysis as a statistical method to investigate interactions of risk factors for colon cancer. We use data collected from a population-based case–control study of newly diagnosed cases of colon cancer (N = 4403 cases and controls). Results: Our results indicate that, as expected, there are many factors that influence colon cancer risk, and that they interact on many levels. We find that the most important factor is the utilization of aspirin and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), with those taking this medication having lower risk. Family history appears as a level two modifying factor when NSAID are not used, whereas Western diet is the second factor when NSAID are taken. The final tree has six levels, contains several modifying factors and correctly classifies case or control status for 60.8% (95% CI 59.4–62.2) of all individuals. Conclusions: Our results suggest that risk factors work together to determine disease risk. By accounting for interactions between risk factors we become better able to dissect disease pathways and determine those risk factors that increase susceptibility to disease. Our results highlight the importance of designing studies so that interactions can be addressed.
Magnetostriction generators

As the latest of a series of articles reviewing the various known and tried methods of producing electric power, this article presents a survey of fundamental magnetostriction phenomena and their application to the conversion of mechanical to electric energy, or conversely.
Family practice residents' maternity leave experiences and benefits

BACKGROUND A growing number of residents are having babies during residency training. While many businesses are working to improve maternity conditions and benefits for their employees, residency programs are often not prepared to accommodate pregnant residents. This study was conducted to examine the maternity leave experiences of women who delivered infants during their family practice residency training. METHODS Program directors from each of the 394 family practice residency programs listed in the 1993 Directory of Family Practice Residency Programs were asked to distribute surveys to female residents who gave birth during their residency training and had returned to work by the time of the study. RESULTS Of 199 known eligible residents, 171 (86%) completed surveys; these women represented 127 programs located in 36 states and Puerto Rico. Only 56.8% of women were aware of their program having a written maternity leave policy. The average length of maternity leave was 8 weeks; 76% had leaves of 10 weeks or less. For many, the maternity leave was derived from more than one source, including vacation, sick time, or a mother-child elective. Nearly all (88.3%) the women breast-fed, and the mean duration of breast-feeding was more than 19 weeks. In general, participants believed that having a baby during residency was somewhat difficult. Problems frequently encountered by women after their return to work included sleep deprivation and tiredness, difficulty arranging for child care, guilt about child care, and breast-feeding. Factors that detracted most from the childbirth experience were too little sleep, problems arranging for child care, and lack of support from the partner, residency faculty, and other residents. CONCLUSIONS Having a baby during residency is somewhat difficult for the average female resident. Factors that may ease this difficulty include getting adequate sleep and receiving support from one's partner, faculty, and other residents.
Alkane Binding Implicated in Reactions of (tBu3SiN═)3WHK and Alkyl Halides

The reduction of alkyl, benzyl, allyl, and propargyl halides by [(tBu3SiN═)3WH]K (2-H-M) was assayed via analysis of the product distributions. For unhindered sp3 substrates (MeX, EtX, BnX, CH2═CHC...
Numerical Simulation of Axisymmetric Jet Screech Tones Using a General Purpose Finite-Volume CFD Code

The problem of axisymmetric mode jet screech tone radiated by an imperfectly expanded low supersonic cold jet is studied computationally using the general purpose CFD code ANSYS FLUENT, version 12. The pressure-based coupled solver formulation with the second-order weighted central-upwind spatial discretization and second-order implicit time marching scheme is applied to obtain a quasi-periodic transient solution. The numerical model reproduces the physics of the jet screech tone feedback loop generation mechanism driven by interaction of large scale turbulent structures with jet shock cells. The acoustic near-field is resolved to accurately propagate screech tone waves to microphone monitors defined on and above the nozzle lip. Calculated time-averaged jet profiles, screech tone frequencies and sound pressure levels are compared with experimental data, and favorable near-field agreement is found.