cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gaussian Modes in High Loss Laser Resonators

Matrix techniques are applied to the mode analysis of laser resonators having spherical mirrors and Gaussian profiles of the mirror reflectivity. These same analytical methods provide a useful approximation to the mode and loss characteristics of conventional resonators having an abrupt discontinuity of the reflectivity. Mode selection in apertured waveguides and resonators is also discussed.
Football bars: urban sub-Saharan Africa's trans-local ‘stadiums’

The sub-Saharan African television landscape has significantly changed since the 1990s under the influence of technological, economic and political factors. Transnational television broadcasting blossomed in Africa and paved the way for the import of overseas football content. Live broadcasting of football flourished due to deregulation and political factors, allowing European football games to become accessible to fans across sub-Saharan Africa. Trans-local ‘stadiums’, football bars, specialised football video theatres and households with cable or satellite subscriptions mediate these processes of trans-localisation. This article argues that football transnational television broadcasting is generating a new form of fandom in sub-Saharan Africa. For many young football fans, transnational football broadcasting is becoming the main or almost only experience of live football. The discussion in this article analyses the emergence and shaping of the trans-local ‘stadiums’, and their attendees.
Gamma ray polarimeters with GeLi detectors

Abstract A planar GeLi detector is used in three different configurations as polarimeter. A thin planar detector by itself is found to be sensitive to linearly polarized gamma rays. A single planar detector partially sliced into three dependent regions may be as a polarimeter in two different ways. In all three cases the good resolution of GeLi detector is fully utilized.
T Cell Metabolism: MicroRNAs Cap PTEN to Feed the Expanding Crowd

Cell proliferation during T cell development and effector responses require the resetting of metabolic activity to fit energy and anabolic needs. Henao-Mejia et al., (2013) show a critical role for a specific microRNA family in this process.
Trisomy 18 mosaicism in two siblings.

Two siblings are presented displaying low Girth weight, marked microcephaly, severe mental and growth retardation, and convulsive disorder. Leukocyte and fibroblast cultures showed two cell lines, 46/47,+18, The extra E group chromosome in 30 to 40% of the cells was identified as No. 18 by Q-banding and G-banding techniques.
Oestrogen signalling in white adipose progenitor cells inhibits differentiation into brown adipose and smooth muscle cells

Oestrogen, often via oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) signalling, regulates metabolic physiology, highlighted by post-menopausal temperature dysregulation (hot flashes), glucose intolerance, increased appetite and reduced metabolic rate. Here we show that ERα signalling has a role in adipose lineage specification in mice. ERα regulates adipose progenitor identity and potency, promoting white adipogenic lineage commitment. White adipose progenitors lacking ERα reprogramme and enter into smooth muscle and brown adipogenic fates. Mechanistic studies highlight a TGFβ programme involved in progenitor reprogramming downstream of ERα signalling. The observed reprogramming has profound metabolic outcomes; both female and male adipose-lineage ERα-mutant mice are lean, have improved glucose sensitivity and are resistant to weight gain on a high-fat diet. Further, they are hypermetabolic, hyperphagic and hyperthermic, all consistent with a brown phenotype. Together, these findings indicate that ERα cell autonomously regulates adipose lineage commitment, brown fat and smooth muscle cell formation, and systemic metabolism, in a manner relevant to prevalent metabolic diseases.
Challenging the use of Intralipid as a scattering standard in tissue simulating phantoms measured by non-diffuse reflectance spectroscopy: the critical influence of scattering phase function

This study shows the influence that the scattering phase function of Intralipid has on reflectance spectra. Significant spectral remission changes result from simply changing the reflectance probe geometries utilized in tissue spectroscopy research.
Chemical mediation of bone resorption induced by tooth movement in the rat.

Abstract Tissue extracts from sites of bone resorption induced by the pressure of tooth movement were assessed for their potential to stimulate bone resorption in vitro . Release of pre-incorporated 45 Ca from cultured fetal bones showed that these extracts increased bone resorption. Peak stimulation occurred at 7 days. The bone resorptive agent was heat-stable, non-dialysable and increased osteoclast numbers in cultured bones.
Market and Democracy—Obliquely

Editor's Note: Charles E. Lindblom of Yale University was designated the 10th Annual John Gaus Distinguished Lecturer at the Association's 1995 Annual Meeting in Chicago. Lindblom joined the company of previous winners: Herbert Kaufman [1986], C. Dwight Waldo [1987], James W. Fesler [1988], Aaron Wildavsky [1989], Frederick C. Mosher [1990], Norton E. Long [1991], Martha Derthick [1992], Francis E. Rourke [1993], and James Q. Wilson [1994]. The Gaus Award honors Lind-
Geologic, fluid inclusion, and isotopic studies of the Findlay Arch District, northwestern Ohio

The Findlay Arch district is a cluster of noneconomic, carbonate-hosted mineral occurrences centered in northwestern Ohio. The principal host rocks are vuggy dolostones that range in age from Middle Silurian to Middle Devonian. Reef complexes, beds of nodular gypsum, collapse breccias, and fracture zones provided important stratigraphic and structural ore controls. The main-stage phases are brown, yellow, and purple fluorite, sphalerite, and galena. The sphalerite/galena ratios are 100 or higher. Early dolomite, pyrite-marcasite, and celestite I are premain-stage phases, whereas saddle dolomite, vug-filling calcite, celestite II, barite, and strontianite are postmain-stage phases.T h and T m measurements of fluid inclusions in fluorite and sphalerite indicate that these minerals were precipitated from a warm Na-Ca-Cl brine, likely derived from the northern Appalachian basin. The flow path is inferred from westward-diminishing salinity values that are documented in successive generations of inclusions. The dominant thermal trend was aregional temperature plateau that peaked at about 110 degrees C. Thermal and salinity data imply that the flow system developed during the Alleghenian orogeny when the burial depth of host rocks was at a maximum and when the brine was diluted isothermally as it migrated westward across the arch. Coexisting inclusions of oil and brine indicate that these fluids moved through the district together.Similar sulfur isotope compositions (-0.9 to +4.8 and -3.4 to +0.6ppm) in sphalerite and galena show that these sulfides are genetically related. These data generally agree with sulfur compositions of late Paleozoic seawater sulfate, which is consistent with an Alleghenian age for the Findlay arch sulfur source. Lead isotope compositions of galena (Haden, 1977) fall in the field of the Appalachian ores and diagenetic galena, indicating further that nonradiogenic Paleozoic sedimentary rocks to the east were the likely source of lead.Minerals in vugs lack a radiogenic component of strontium. Nevertheless, a basinal brine is required for the fluorite-sphalerite mineralization, because a rock capable of providing the salinity of the fluid inclusions was absent in the district. The strontium isotope composition of this brine apparently was reset, acquiring the signature of Salina gypsum of Upper Silurian age. A local source of strontium and sulfur is indicated for celestite I, because its S and Sr isotope compositions are nearly identical to those of the Salina anhydrite.Brown calcite in veins associated with the Bowling Green fault zone contains strontium that is slightly radiogenic relative to vug-filling calcite. This, along with the prehydrocarbon age of the brown calcite, indicates that these early veins and the fiuorite-sphalerite mineralization are not coeval.
An analytical model for negative bias temperature instability

Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) in PMOS transistors has become a significant reliability concern in present day digital circuit design. With continued scaling, the effect of NBTI has rapidly grown in prominence, forcing designers to resort to a pessimistic design style using guard-banding. Since NBTI is strongly dependent on the time for which the PMOS device is stressed, different gates in a combinational circuit experience varying extents of delay degradation. This has necessitated a mechanism of quantizing the gate-delay degradation, to pave the way for improved design strategies. Our work addresses this issue by providing a procedure for determining the amount of delay degradation of a circuit due to NBTI. An analytical model for NBTI is derived using the framework of the reaction-diffusion model, and a mathematical proof for the widely observed phenomenon of frequency independence is provided. Simulations on ISCAS benchmarks under a 70nm technology show that NBTI causes a delay degradation of about 8% in combinational logic based circuits after 10 years (ap 3 times 108s)
Spatial distribution of sodium dimers generated by a laser microprobe

Abstract Spatial mapping of sodium dimers and sodium atoms produced in a laser-generated plume is reported. The distributions support a sputtering mechanism for atom production.
Pain medicine fellows need explicit training in engaging patients in patient-centered pain management.

The majority of pain medicine physicians complete residency in anesthesiology, during which they learn to safely care for patients rendered unconscious or insensible to pain and stress during surgical, obstetric, and other medical procedures. During pain medicine fellowships, trainees learn to examine, diagnose, and treat these challenging patients. Most training is on learning the administration of regional nerve blocks, other injection interventions, and the pharmacological management of acute and chronic pain in both outpatient and inpatient settings [1]. In addition to these somatic interventions, the ACGME requires fellows to 1) perform several complete mental status examinations (both supervised and unsupervised) and 2) “understand the principles and techniques of the psychosocial therapies, with special attention to supportive and cognitive behavioral therapies, sufficient to explain to a patient and make a referral when indicated”[1]. Given the need for a strong working alliance between patients living with chronic conditions and their physicians, more training is needed to effectively engage patients with chronic pain in a patient-centered model of chronic care. The article by Matthias and colleagues [2] describes the experiences of military veterans participating in a multicomponent intervention for chronic musculoskeletal pain. Their article identifies the interventions deemed of value by chronic pain patients. The 12 telephone-based sessions, delivered by a nurse clinician, included training in 1) analgesic management; 2) pain self-management instruction; and …
Bovine jugular vein as a shaped alternative patch material for aortic augmentation in the Norwood procedure.

mechanical prosthesis is not removed in its entirety because the valve housing is left in situ, and the leaflets are simply unhinged. We have found this not to be an issue with thrombus formation in this and in 2 additional cases performed at our institution because the smooth surface of the housing and the high flow within the left ventricular outflow tract are most likely protective against recurrent thrombosis after removal of the leaflets. The technique reported is reliable, easily reproducible, and offers reduced crossclamp time, potential for bleeding, and coronary malperfusion to this challenging group of reoperative patients. References 1. Gott VL, Cameron DE, Alejo DE, Greene PS, Shake JG, Capparelli DJ, et al. Aortic root replacement in 271 patients: a 24-year experience. Ann Thorac Surg. 2002;73:438-43. 2. Hahn C, Tam SKC, Vlahakes GJ, Hilgenberg AD, Akins CW, Buckley MJ. Repeat aortic root replacement. Ann Thorac Surg. 1998;66:88-91. 3. Valley MP, Huges CF, Bannon PG, Hendel PN, French BG, Bayfield MS. Composite graft replacement of the aortic root after previous cardiac surgery: a 20-year experience. Ann Thorac Surg. 2000;70:851-5. 4. Harada H, Ito T, Mawatari T, Abe T. Replacement of a thrombosed valve after the Bentall procedure. Ann Thorac Surg. 2002;73:965-7. 5. Geha AS, Massad MG, Snow NJ. Replacement of degenerated mitral and aortic bioprosthesis without explantation. Ann Thorac Surg. 2001; 72:1509-14.
TH-E-220-08: Flattening Filter Removal for Improved Megavoltage Imaging of Fiducial Markers

Purpose: Removal of the LINAC flattening filter enables a high rate of dose deposition with reduced treatment time. When used for megavoltage imaging, an unflat beam has reduced primary beam scatter resulting in sharper images. In fluoroscopic imaging mode, a higher photon count per image frame yields higher contrast‐to‐noise ratio. We investigated the effects of an unflat beam on the image quality of megavoltage portal and fluoroscopic images. The impact of flattening filter removal on imaging of moving fiducial markers also was investigated. Methods: 6MV projection images were acquired in fluoroscopic and portal modes using an electronic flat‐panel imager. Portal images also were acquired using XV film. The effects of the flattening filter on the pre‐sampling MTF, relative MTF and contrast‐to‐noise ratio were quantified using the QC3 phantom and tungsten wire. The ability of observers to visualize fiducial markers using flat versus unflat beams also was studied. Results: The unflat beam had improved contrast resolution, up to 40% increase in MTF contrast at the highest frequency measured (0.75 line pairs per mm). The contrast‐to‐noise ratio was increased as expected from the increased photon flux. The visualization of fiducial markers was markedly better using the unflat beam enabling visualization of thin gold fiducial markers, the thinnest of which was not visible using the unflat beam. Conclusions: The removal of the flattening filter from a clinical LINAC leads to quantifiable improvements in the image quality of megavoltage projection images. These gains enable observers to more easily visualize thin fiducial markers and track their motion on fluoroscopic images.
Critical appraisal training increases understanding and confidence and enhances the use of evidence in diverse categories of learners.

Background Training in evidence-based medicine is most commonly offered to physicians, medical students and health-care decision-makers. Setting and participants We partnered with community organizations to recruit participants and develop trainings for consumers, non-physician health-care providers and journalists in California. Intervention We conducted half-day and one-day workshops in critical appraisal of health evidence. Workshops consisted of didactic presentations, small-group practice sessions and class discussions. Outcome measures We measured knowledge and confidence immediately before and after the workshops and at follow-up 6 months later. We also asked participants to describe their use of health evidence before the workshops and at follow-up. Results At baseline, 41% of the consumers, 45% of the providers and 57% of the journalists correctly answered questions about health evidence. Scores increased by about 20% (P < 0.05) in all groups at the end of the workshops and remained significantly over baseline at follow-up. At baseline, 26% of the participants were confident in their understanding of critical appraisal concepts, significantly increasing to 54% after the workshops and sustained (53%) at follow-up. During discussions, participants’ comments often focused on funding and the potential effects of financial conflicts of interest on study findings. Participants did not use evidence more frequently at follow-up but said that they applied workshop skills in evaluating research, communicating with others and making decisions about health care. Conclusion It is possible to successfully conduct critical appraisal workshops to aid health-related decision making for groups who have previously not had access to this kind of training.
Diminishing the impact of the partial volume effect in cardiac SPECT perfusion imaging

The partial volume effect (PVE) significantly restricts the absolute quantification of regional myocardial uptake and thereby limits the accuracy of absolute measurement of blood flow and coronary flow reserve by SPECT. The template-projection-reconstruction method has been previously developed for PVE compensation. This method assumes the availability of coregistered high-spatial resolution anatomical information as is now becoming available with commercial dual-modality imaging systems such as SPECT/CTs. The objective of this investigation was to determine the extent to which the impact of the PVE on cardiac perfusion SPECT imaging can be diminished if coregistered high-spatial resolution anatomical information is available. For this investigation the authors introduced an additional parameter into the template-projection-reconstruction compensation equation called the voxel filling fraction (F). This parameter specifies the extent to which structure edge voxels in the emission reconstruction are filled by the structure in question as determined by the higher spatial-resolution imaging modality and the fractional presence of the structure at different states of physiological motion as in combining phases of cardiac motion. During correction the removal of spillover to the cardiac region from the surrounding structures is performed first by using reconstructed templates of neighboring structures (liver, blood pool, lungs) to calculate spillover fractions. This is followed by determining recovery coefficients for all voxels within the heart wall from the reconstruction of the template projections of the left and right ventricles (LV and RV). The emission data are subsequently divided by these recovery coefficients taking into account the filling fraction F. The mathematical cardiac torso phantom was used for investigation correction of PVE for a normal LV distribution, a defect in the inferior wall, and a defect in the anterior wall. PVE correction resulted in a dramatic visual reduction in the impact of extracardiac activity, improved the uniformity of the normally perfused heart wall, and enhanced defect visibility without undue noise amplification. No significant artifacts were seen with PVE correction in the presence of mild (one voxel) misregistration. A statistically significant improvement in the accuracy of the count levels within the normal heart wall was also noted. However, residual spillover of counts from within the myocardium creates a bias in regions of decreased wall counts (perfusion defects/abnormal wall motion) when the anatomical imaging modality does not allow definition of templates for defects present in the heart during emission imaging.
Abstract PL01-02: Early life environmental exposures, sentinel reproductive events and cancer risk in women

A woman9s age at menarche and her age at menopause are the alpha and omega of her reproductive years. The timing of these milestones is critical for a woman9s health trajectory over her lifespan, as they are indicators of ovarian function and aging. Both early and late timing of either event are associated with risk for adverse health, in particular risk for hormonal cancers in women, quality of life and lifespan. Thus, the search for a relationship between age at menarche and menopause has consequences for chronic disease prevention and implications for public health. Trends in ages at menarche and menopause worldwide and in sub-populations will be presented, however challenges exist in constructing trends. Among 36 studies that examine the association between the two sentinel events, 10 reported a significant direct association, and two reported an inverse association, while the remaining 26 had null results. Over the life course, exposures to environmental and hormonal factors during the prenatal, postnatal and adolescent periods have the potential to initiate, promote, and/or alter mammary and ovarian changes that may affect both age at menarche and natural menopause. This presentation will focus on epidemiological research from several longitudinal prospective cohort studies of multiple factors including hormonal and environmental exposures, socioeconomic status and stress that are hypothesized to influence the tempo of growth including body size and height, development, menarche, menopause and the aging process in women. Citation Format: Michele Robin Forman. Early life environmental exposures, sentinel reproductive events, and cancer risk in women. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2012 Oct 16-19; Anaheim, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Prev Res 2012;5(11 Suppl):Abstract nr PL01-02.
Superficial Temporal Artery Pseudoaneurysm After Face Lift

Various complications of rhytidectomy have been well described. Although there have been reports of traumatic pseudoaneurysm formation after cosmetic surgery, none has concerned rhytidectomy. We report the first known case of a superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm that ostensibly developed 3 months after a face lift. Pseudoaneurysm is an infrequent occurrence in the facial region, and the inclusion of this lesion in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue lesions is important if hemorrhage is to be avoided.
Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version (HHIE-S) for Use with Spanish-Speaking Mexican Americans

OBJECTIVE: To cross-culturally adapt the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version (HHIE-S) for use with older Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Two different samples were used. First, a convenience sample of 100 older community-dwelling Mexican American men and women in San Antonio, Texas, was used to test technical equivalence of the Spanish and English language versions of the HHIE-S. Second, a neighborhood-based sample of older Mexican Americans was used to establish conceptual (n = 433) and criterion equivalence (n = 381) of the two HHIE-S language versions. METHODS: Independent forward and back translations were done to create a Spanish language version of the HHIE-S. In the convenience sample, subjects were administered the English and Spanish HHIE-S in random order on separate days. In the neighborhood sample, the HHIE-S was given on one occasion in the language of the subject's preference. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression scale to see if the two language versions of the HHIE-S were similarly associated with depression (conceptual equivalence). Hearing impairment was assessed using the Welch-Allyn AudioscopeTM to see if the two language versions were similarly associated with an audiometric measure for hearing loss (criterion equivalence). RESULTS: In the convenience sample, the overall mean (SD) Spanish and English HHIE-S scores were 6.2 (8.7) and 6.2 (9.3), respectively (P = 1.00). Total scores of the English and Spanish versions were highly correlated (r = .89), and regression analysis indicated that the two language versions gave nearly identical results. In the neighborhood-based sample, men had higher HHIE-S scores than women (OR 2.0, 95% CI = 1.3–3.5). Having depressive symptoms (OR 3.2, 95% CI = 1.9–5.5) or hearing impairment (OR 6.1, 95% CI = 3.5–10.5) was associated with higher HHIE-S scores. After adjustment for gender, depressive symptoms, and/or hearing impairment, the language of interview was not associated with HHIE-S score. CONCLUSION: We have developed and tested a Spanish translation of the HHIE-S that yields equivalent results to those obtained with the English version in bilingual Mexican Americans. The Spanish HHIE-S presented here is suitable for clinical use and research studies involving older Mexican Americans.
Sex differences in muscarinic receptor binding after chronic ethanol administration in the rat

Male and female rats were administered ethanol (5% v/v) in a liquid diet for 18 weeks. Pair-fed control animals were fed the same diet except that dextrose was substituted isocalorically for ethanol. Normal controls received a commercial laboratory chow for the same duration. Results showed that, in females, chronic ingestion of an ethanol liquid diet significantly increased the number of muscarinic receptor binding sites compared to both control groups. In contrast, for males, there was no significant difference in the mean number of binding sites among the treatment groups. Furthermore, the mean maximum number of binding sites for males and females varied across brain areas. Males had a significantly greater number of receptor binding sites than females in the striatum, while females had a greater number in the cortex. It was suggested that the geuder differences observed in the present study could be mediated by hormonal effects on central muscarinic functioning.
Helix capping in the GCN4 leucine zipper.

Abstract Capping interactions associated with specific sequences at or near the ends of α-helices are important determinants of the stability of protein secondary and tertiary structure. We investigate here the role of the helix-capping motif Ser-X-X-Glu, a sequence that occurs frequently at the N termini of α helices in proteins, on the conformation and stability of the GCN4 leucine zipper. The 1.8 A resolution crystal structure of the capped molecule reveals distinct conformations, packing geometries and hydrogen-bonding networks at the amino terminus of the two helices in the leucine zipper dimer. The free energy of helix stabilization associated with the hydrogen-bonding and hydrophobic interactions in this capping structure is −1.2 kcal/mol, evaluated from thermal unfolding experiments. A single cap thus contributes appreciably to stabilizing the terminated helix and thereby the native state. These results suggest that helix capping plays a further role in protein folding, providing a sensitive connector linking α-helix formation to the developing tertiary structure of a protein.
Expert Education-using knowledge engineering to teach science

It is shown how knowledge engineering's pedagogical potential was exploited by engaging junior-high-school students in an expert system project at Trinity College. Serving as knowledge engineers, the students developed an expert system for identifying tree species. Project evaluation indicates that students mastered target knowledge. Also, they enjoyed taking a somewhat different approach to this standard junior-high-school subject. The success of the experiment supports the view that knowledge engineering should be considered as an innovative approach for teaching scientific subjects and improving independent learning skills. >
ORGAN AND INTRACELLULAR LOCATION OF THE METHIONINE METHYL GROUP SYNTHESIZING SYSTEM OF THE RAT.

SummaryThe data indicate that the de novo methionine methyl group synthesizing system resides to a large extent in the liver of the rat. Within the liver cells more than 75% of the synthesizing ability was shown to be in the supernatant fraction when the particulate fractions were well washed to remove any adhering cell sap.
Fungal content and activities in standing-decaying leaf blades of plants of the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems research area

Change in salinity, including expansion or contraction of salt- and freshwater marshes, due to altered river outflow may influence a variety of ecosystem processes, and the literature to date suggests that fungal activity in standing-decaying blades of macrophytes may be lower in freshwater marshes than in saltmarshes. I measured living-fungal mass (as ergosterol), rate of CO2 evolution, and rate of fungal membrane synthesis (acetate incorporation into ergosterol) for standing-decaying blades from a series of macrophytes, including saltmarsh cordgrass in both saline and fresher-water sites. Three terrestrial plants with prominent standing-decaying leaf blades were included for com- parison. Species involved were: Spartina alterniflora, S. cynosuroides, Zizaniopsis miliacea, Typha angustifolia, Sabal palmetto, Uniola paniculata, and Panicum amarum. Although there was no differ- ence in fungal content of S. alterniflora blades from saltier and fresher sites, there was a significant trend downwards (from > 500 to <250 µg ergosterol g -1 system organic mass) in mean content of living-fungal mass moving from saltmarsh-adapted toward freshwater-adapted plants, and 2 of 3 ter- restrial plants were also low (ca. 100 µg g -1 ). The activity measurements (CO2, acetate incorporation) revealed an opposite pattern: blades from fresher-water plants had higher activities per unit living- fungal mass (range of about 4-fold for mean rate of acetate incorporation per unit ergosterol), and lower CO2 release per unit fungal membrane synthesis, than did more saline-adapted plants. It is pro- posed that this is perhaps largely a consequence of the microstructure (lignification, cuticular hydrophobicity) of the blades of the fresher-water plants (and 2 of the terrestrial plants) limiting dura- tion of fungal activity. Upon thorough wetting, such as eventually occurs when blades move to the marsh-sediment surface, fungi within the fresher-water blades would be permitted to grow quickly, which would explain reported increases in ergosterol content of fallen blades.
Effective symmetry of a lattice of molecules adsorbed on a substrate lattice

Abstract A procedure for determining the group describing the symmetry of the system adsorbate-plus-substrate, is presented for systems in which both the adsorbate and substrate have two-dimensional lattices. Site group operations for the combined adsorbate-plus-substrate lattice are shown to be those operations which may be simultaneously applied to both adsorbate and substrate lattices. In the low barrier to rotation limit for adsorbed molecules, a new combined lattice is required to describe the system adsorbate-plus-substrate. The symmetry operations of the factor group appropriate for adsorbed molecules experiencing low barriers to rotation can be derived from the point group of the free molecule, the site group in the high barrier to rotation limit, and the factor group of the combined lattice in the high barrier to rotation limit. Examples are given to illustrate the procedures.
Do regulatory policies on auditing affect executive pay

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact on pay-performance sensitivity of a commitment by regulatory bodies to monitor the auditing of managers’ financial reporting. Executive incentive pay is often analysed in isolation of the regulatory environment of auditing and financial reporting; this omission implies an assumption of no significant relation between the two. In this paper, we show that the effects of an imposed mandatory audit of the auditor could reach the incentive pay of executives in the firms being audited. We construct a model to depict two distinct regulatory environments: a pre-commitment economy in which the regulator checks auditors on a random basis; and a post-commitment economy in which the regulator commits to the inspection of auditors’ work. The model predicts that a more rigorous audit environment leads to more reliable auditing and reporting, and to an increase in pay-performance sensitivity for executives. Consequently, the corresponding managerial effort under higher pay-performance sensitivity will also increase. The study provides insight into some positive aspect of the changes resulting from the passage of Sarbanes-Oxley.
CF2 Represses Actin 88F Gene Expression and Maintains Filament Balance during Indirect Flight Muscle Development in Drosophila

The zinc finger protein CF2 is a characterized activator of muscle structural genes in the body wall muscles of the Drosophila larva. To investigate the function of CF2 in the indirect flight muscle (IFM), we examined the phenotypes of flies bearing five homozygous viable mutations. The gross structure of the IFM was not affected, but the stronger hypomorphic alleles caused an increase of up to 1.5X in the diameter of the myofibrils. This size increase did not cause any disruption of the hexameric arrangement of thick and thin filaments. RT-PCR analysis revealed an increase in the transcription of several structural genes. Ectopic overexpression of CF2 in the developing IFM disrupts muscle formation. While our results indicate a role for CF2 as a direct negative regulator of the thin filament protein gene Actin 88F (Act88F), effects on levels of transcripts of myosin heavy chain (mhc) appear to be indirect. This role is in direct contrast to that described in the larval muscles, where CF2 activates structural gene expression. The variation in myofibril phenotypes of CF2 mutants suggest the CF2 may have separate functions in fine-tuning expression of structural genes to insure proper filament stoichiometry, and monitoring and/or controlling the final myofibril size.
Coherent excitation of the optic phonon in Si: Transiently stimulated Raman scattering with a finite-lifetime electronic excitation

Using $28\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{fs}$, $800\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{nm}$ laser pulses we have coherently excited and subsequently probed, with time-dependent reflectivity, the Si zone-center optic phonon. The phonon-induced reflectivity change $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}R∕R$ is well described by the response of an underdamped oscillator: $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}R∕R\ensuremath{\propto}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}t∕{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{ph})\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\mathrm{cos}(2\ensuremath{\pi}t∕{T}_{ph}+\ensuremath{\phi})$. The measured phase $\ensuremath{\phi}$ indicates that transiently stimulated Raman scattering (TSRS) is responsible for the coherent-phonon generation: our results are in good agreement with a recent theory of TSRS for opaque materials [T. E. Stevens et al., Phys. Rev. B 65, 144304 (2002)] when we extend the theory to include the finite lifetime of the excited charge density that couples to the oscillation. We also discuss previous experimental results on Te, Bi, Sb, Si, and Ge in light of this extended theory. Additionally, our measured period ${T}_{ph}$ and decay time ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{ph}$ of the Si coherent oscillation are consistent with carrier-density-dependent Raman-scattering measurements.
Kinetics of mass transfer among silicates and aqueous solutions

Abstract Theoretical and empirical considerations suggest that the kinetics of mass transfer among aluminosilicates and aqueous solutions can be described by a simple parabolic rate law, which is consistent with diffusional mass transfer and applicable to incongruent as well as congruent reactions. The rate limiting step at both low and high temperatures consists of diffusion of material from the reactant mineral through a surface layer (or layers) of intermediate reaction products out into the bulk solution, which means that precipitation of the reaction products can be described by reversible chemical reactions and equilibrium thermodynamics. The sequential appearance of these products is manifested by changes in the parabolic rate constant, which ranges from 10−10 to > 10−8 moles (cm2 of surface area)−1 day −1 2 for the incongruent hydrolysis of feldspar at 25°, 100°, 150° and 200°C, depending on the reaction and temperature. Extrapolation to higher temperatures yields rate constants of the order of 10−5.5 moles (cm2 of surface area)−1 day −1 2 at 700°C. The activation energy for the reaction of feldspar with an aqueous phase to produce boehmite and/or kaolinite is ~8700 cal. mole−1. Phase equilibria, mass transfer and reaction paths predicted from theoretical equations and thermodynamic data are nearly identical to those observed experimentally. The thermodynamic calculations afford detailed interpretation of the results of experimental kinetic studies, evaluation of complicated chemical reactions in multicomponent systems and prediction of mass transfer in geochemical processes in terms of space/time coordinates.
One-dimensional semiconductor in a polar solvent: Solvation and low-frequency dynamics of an excess charge carrier

Abstract Due to solvation, excess charge carriers on 1d semiconductor nanostructures immersed in polar solvents undergo self-localization into polaronic states. Using a simplified theoretical model for small-diameter structures, we study low-frequency dynamical properties of resulting 1d adiabatic polarons. The combined microscopic dynamics of the electronic charge density and the solvent leads to macroscopic Langevin dynamics of a polaron and to the appearance of local dielectric relaxation modes. Polaron mobility is evaluated as a function of system parameters. Numerical estimates indicate that the solvated carriers can have mobilities orders of magnitude lower than the intrinsic values.
Probabilistic approach to fractal-based texture discrimination

This paper studies the distribution of power law signatures for various texture types within a grayscale texture quilt. The fractal based features are extracted for the quilt using the covering method. Three features for the power law regression line are extracted. They are slope, y- intercept, and an F test statistic. The underlying distributions of these features are modeled using a nonparametric probability density estimation technique known as adaptive mixtures. These distribution models are then used to distinguish between the sixteen textures in the quilt.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
WOW: what the world of (data) warehousing can learn from the World of Warcraft

Although originally designed to accelerate pixel monsters, graphics Processing Units (GPUs) have been used for some time as accelerators for selected data base operations. However, to the best of our knowledge, no one has yet reported building a complete system that allows executing complex analytics queries, much less an entire data warehouse benchmark at realistic scale. In this demo, we showcase such a complete system prototype running on a high-end GPU paired with an IBM storage system that achieves >90% hardware efficiency. Our solution delivers sustainable high throughput for business analytics queries in a realistic scenario, i.e., the Star Schema Benchmark at scale factor 1,000. Attendees can interact with our system through a graphical user interface on a tablet PC. They will be able to experience first hand how queries that require processing more than six billion rows, or 100 GB of data, are answered in less than 20 seconds. The user interface allows submitting queries, live performance monitoring of the current query all the way down to the operator level, and viewing the result once the query completes.
Comparison of chelating agents immobilized on glass with chelex 100 for removal and preconcentration of trace copper(II)

Abstract Three types of chelating agents immobilized on glass were compared with Chelex 100 for removing and preconcentrating trace Cu2+ from laboratory-prepared solutions. Columns of immobilized N-propylethylenediamine (diamine), its bis(dithiocarbamate) (DTC) and immobilized 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) quantitatively remove Cu2+ (10–200 μg l. ) from buffered solutions at pH 6.00. Addition of isolated natural organic matter at concentrations typical of organic-rich fresh waters (25–100 μg l. ) complexed Cu2+ and hindered the performance of Chelex and the immobilized chelating agents. In the presence of organic matter the DTC performed very well, removing about 98% of the Cu2+. However, the Cu2+ removed could not be readily recovered from the column. Chelex gave the poorest results, removing only 62 and 75% of Cu2+ at the two levels tested. The other immobilized reagents gave results that were strongly dependent on their contact time with the solution. Longer columns and slower flow-rates tended to improve results. Overall, the immobilized 8-HQ is probably the most suitable of the materials tested for preconcentration work. A batch titration of 8-HQ with Cu2+ monitored by ion-selective electrode indicated a conditional stability constant of 6.2 × 107, which is larger than the corresponding value for the complex with non-immobilized 8-hydroxyquinoline, measured under the same conditions.
The effect of Mg precipitation on the mechanical properties of 5xxx aluminum alloys

Abstract Industrially produced continuous cast (CC) aluminum alloys AA5182 and AA5052 were heat-treated at a low temperature of 182 °C for different times (30 and 100 h). Samples from the hot band (hot band in continuous cast process is produced through hot rolling of the materials at relatively high temperatures, usually from 490 to 310 °C) and the heat-treated materials were prepared for microstructure examination, chemical composition analysis, electrical resistivity testing and tensile testing. Particle structures of CC5182 alloy show precipitation along the grain boundaries after this low temperature heat-treatment. The particles were identified by SEM analysis to be Mg precipitates (Mg 2 Al 3 ). Due to the Mg precipitation, electrical resistivity, elongation and ultimate tensile strength decreased. As the interaction between Mg solute atoms in solid solution and mobile dislocations decreases due to precipitation, the magnitude of the stress drop in the serrations decreases and the critical strain for the onset of serrated yielding increases in CC5182 alloy. These phenomena do not occur in CC5052 alloy since precipitation either does not occur or is much weaker in this alloy. An inverse serrated yielding behavior, which is characterized by an increase in the critical strain for the onset of serrated yielding with a decrease in strain rate, occurs in CC5182 alloy but not in CC5052 alloy. This inverse behavior is believed to be related to precipitation during tensile deformation in CC5182 alloy.
Elephant Tracks: generating program traces with object death records

We introduce Elephant Tracks (ET), a dynamic program analysis tool for producing traces of garbage collection events, including object allocations, object deaths, and pointer updates. Like prior work, our tracing tool is based on the Merlin algorithm Hertz et al. [2002], but offers several substantial new capabilities. First, it is much more precise than previous tools: it measures time in terms of method entries and exits, allowing it to place events precisely in the context of the program structure. Furthermore, we exploit this notion of time to actually reduce the amount of work required to compute precise object death times. Second, it is implemented using a combination of JVM Tool Interface (JVMTI) Microsystems [2004] callbacks and bytecode rewriting, and works with any standard JVM. Finally, it properly handles Java Reference objects, including weak references, finalization, and multithreaded programs.
Endovascular strategies for treatment of embolizing thoracoabdominal aortic lesions

Objective Aortic sources of peripheral and visceral embolization remain challenging to treat. The safety of stent graft coverage continues to be debated. This study reports the outcomes of stent coverage of these complex lesions. Methods Hospital records were retrospectively reviewed for patients undergoing aortic stenting between 2006 and 2013 for visceral and peripheral embolic disease. Renal function, method of coverage, and mortality after stent grafting were reviewed. Results Twenty-five cases of embolizing aortic lesions treated with an endovascular approach were identified. The mean age was 65 ± 13 years (range, 45-87 years), and 64% were female. Sixteen (64%) patients presented with peripheral embolic events, six with concomitant renal embolization. Five patients presented with abdominal or flank pain, and two were discovered incidentally. Three patients had undergone an endovascular procedure for other indications within the preceding 6 months of presentation. Nineteen patients had existing chronic kidney disease (stage II or higher), but only three had stage IV disease. Of the eight patients tested, four had a diagnosed hypercoagulable state. Eight of the patients had lesions identified in multiple aortic segments, and aortic aneurysm disease was present in 24%. Coverage of both abdominal and thoracic sources occurred in eight patients, whereas 17 had only one segment covered. Minimal intraluminal catheter and wire manipulation was paired with the use of intravascular ultrasound in an effort to reduce embolization and contrast use. Intravascular ultrasound was used in the majority of cases and transesophageal echo in 28% of patients. Two patients with stage IV kidney disease became dialysis-dependent within 3 months of the procedure. No other patients had an increase in their postoperative or predischarge serum creatinine levels. No embolic events were precipitated during the procedure, nor were there any recurrent embolic events detected on follow-up. The 1-year mortality rate was 25%. Conclusions Endovascular coverage of atheroembolic sources in the aorta is feasible and is safe and effective in properly selected patients. It does not appear to worsen renal function when performed with the use of specific technical strategies.
Thinkers and feelers: Emotion and giving.

Voluntary organizations, such as religious congregations, ask their members to contribute money as a part of membership and rely on these contributions for their survival. Yet often only a small cadre of members provides the majority of the contributions. Past research on congregational giving focuses on cognitive rational processes, generally neglecting the role of emotion. Extending Collins’ (2004) interaction ritual theory, I predict that individuals who experience positive emotions during religious services will be more likely to give a higher proportion of their income to their congregation than those who do not. Moreover, I argue that this effect will be amplified in congregational contexts characterized by high aggregate levels of positive emotion, strictness, dense congregational networks, and expressive rituals. Using data from the 2001 U.S. Congregational Life Survey and multilevel modeling, I find support for several of these hypotheses. The findings suggest that both cognitive and emotional processes underlie congregational giving.