cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WWMOD? What would metal oxides do?: Redefining their applicability in today’s energy technologies

Abstract What would metal oxides do?: To answer this question, we will have to focus on the nature of the metal–oxygen bond as it can vary between being ionic, highly covalent, or metallic. The distinctive variety of electronic, optical, and magnetic properties (i.e., accessible electronic transitions, high dielectric constants, wide bandgaps, tunable electrical and thermal conductivities) often encountered in metal oxides are clearly due to the unique nature of their outer d-electrons. Given all conceivable metal oxide combinations, we may find that it is possible to yield structures with unique metallic (i.e., ReO3, RuO2, LaNiO3), semiconducting (i.e., ZnO, TiO2), and insulating (i.e., BaTiO3, Al2O3, SiO2) properties. Strongly correlated metal oxides may also undergo metal-to-insulator phase transitions (i.e., V2O3, VO2, La1−xSrxVO3) which allow us to further tune their electronic properties. Strongly correlated metal oxides may also demonstrate charge density wave (i.e., K0.3MoO3), defect ordering (i.e., Ca2Mn2O5, Ca2Fe2O5), ferromagnetism (i.e., Fe3O4, CrO2, La0.5Sr0.5MnO3), and antiferromagnetism (i.e., NiO, LaCrO3) properties. Given their versatile optical and electronic activity, metal oxides have been extensively investigated as key components in optics, electrochemistry, photocatalysis, plasmonics, and photovoltaics. Understanding the structural, morphological, and optoelectronic properties of either naturally occurring or synthetically fabricated metal oxides provides a pathway for the development of novel metal oxides with properties that can be tuned to fulfill the efficiency demands of a particular application. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the synthesis, characterization tools, and applications of metal oxide nanostructures and their thin films. We will also discuss the synthesis, characterization, and applications of metal oxide heterostructures. We have wittingly narrowed the scope of this review to only include the use of metal oxides for energy conversion applications. Finally, we will provide our fair assessment on the outlook, challenges, and opportunities we foresee in metal oxides research and applications.
Quantifying critical thinking: Development and validation of the physics lab inventory of critical thinking

The physics lab inventory of critical thinking is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring student critical thinking in the context of physics experimentation.
Attempting to Exit the Human Perspective: A Priori Experimentation in Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason

I consider a problem for Kant’s transcendental idealism if one construes it as a claim that human beings know from a particular, specifically human perspective. Namely, ordinarily when we speak of someone seeing from a perspective, we understand other people to have other perspectives, and think that people can change their perspectives by moving away from them, to a different one. So one may recognize that one’s own perspective is a perspective by comparing to others, by seeing a former perspective from a new vantage point. But Kant denies such plurality and variability for the perspective he identifies; it is the human perspective as such. Thus, one may worry that Kant’s view is incoherent: Kant claims that we can know only from one perspective, yet, in order to recognize that perspective, he himself must stand “outside” of it. I consider a potential Kantian response to this charge, in the form of an interpretation of the Dialectic section of the first Critique. When one attempts to know things that lie beyond the human perspective — to exit it — one falls into contradictions and empty thinking. These failed attempts to exit the human perspective constitute its horizon, a limit recognizable without one needing truly (but impossibly) to occupy a different perspective. Such failed attempts, I argue, are some of the confirming results of the a priori experimentation Kant proposes in the Preface to the Critique: his hypothesis of transcendental idealism is shown to identify the dividing line between successful and failed, productive and contradictory attempts at human knowledge.
Intravascular Imaging for Peripheral Vascular Disease and Endovascular Intervention

Intravascular imaging has been increasingly incorporated into endovascular practice. The goal of this review is to explore the contemporary technologies used to perform intravascular imaging as well as the evidence supporting their use in the diagnostic assessment and treatment of peripheral vascular disease. Although intravascular imaging has been more extensively studied in the coronary vasculature, there is a growing body of literature studying its use in other vascular territories. There are unique advantages and disadvantages for the two most commonly employed imaging modalities—intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Either may enhance the diagnostic capabilities of conventional angiography depending upon the clinical situation. IVUS and OCT guidance for angioplasty and stent sizing in peripheral interventions has been shown to be safe, feasible and in many instances, effective. Studies suggest that clinically relevant outcomes such as vessel primary patency and long-term patency may be improved by utilizing these imaging technologies. While still employed as adjunctive modalities to angiography and peripheral intervention, IVUS or OCT may provide a potential pathway towards improving short- and long-term outcomes for a variety of vascular disease entities. At this time, further research is still warranted to better define the optimal role for these devices in non-coronary vascular beds.
THE USE OF INTRACARDIAC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY DURING ATRIAL FIBRILLATION ABLATION AND ITS IMPACT ON OUTCOMES: A 14-YEAR ANALYSIS (2001-2014)

Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation offers real time information to guide transseptal access, monitoring the lesion and recognition of pericardial bleed. We describe the trends in the use of ICE and its impact on in-hospital outcomes and complications.
Cognitive readiness to parent, stability and change in postpartum parenting stress and social-emotional problems in early childhood: A second order growth curve model

Abstract Parenting stress (PS) is prospectively associated with children’s lowered socio-emotional functioning; however, little is known about the antecedents and consequences of changes in postpartum parenting stress and its relationship to problematic behaviors in early childhood. This research examined the longitudinal relationships between multiple measures of cognitive readiness to parent, parenting stress (initial level and growth) and child social-emotional competence at age 3. It was hypothesized that lack of cognitive readiness to parent would predict initial level and growth in PS and that initial level and change in parenting stress would, in turn, would be related to poor social-emotional development. Cognitive readiness to parent was assessed at baseline shortly after childbirth; parenting stress, conceptualized as difficult child, parent-child dysfunction and parental distress, was assessed at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months postpartum (i.e. when children were 6 months, 1, 2 and 3 years of age) using the Parenting Stress Index (PSI-SF; Abidin, 1995); children’s socio-emotional functioning was assessed with behavioral rating scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-II) (BSID-II; Bayley, 1993) which was administered by professionals at age 3. Using a second order growth curve, or curve-of-factors model, the study’s hypotheses were tested with data from the Predicting and Preventing Neglect in Teen Mothers Study (2001–2007), a longitudinal study of 682 first-time mothers. Results from the latent growth curve analyses demonstrated that parenting stress predicted child socio-emotional problems. Specifically, mothers who began parenthood with high stress levels had children with lower levels of pro-social functioning (i.e. more behavior problems). Two measures of cognitive readiness to parent were associated with lower levels of postpartum PS at baseline but social support moderated the relationship between readiness to parent and parenting stress. Implications for interventions aimed at identifying families with children at risk for emotional and developmental problems and/or new parents who demonstrate changes in parenting stress during the postpartum period are discussed in context.
Proceedings of the 6th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Location-Based Social Networks

These proceedings contain the papers selected for presentation at the sixth edition of the ACM SIGSPATIAL Workshop on Location-Based Social Networks (LBSN 2013) which is being held in conjunction with the ACM SIGSPATIAL GIS conference in 2013. Social networks have been prevalent on the Internet and become a hot research topic attracting many professionals from a variety of fields. The advances in location-acquisition and mobile communication technologies empower people to use location data with existing online social networks. The dimension of location helps bridge the gap between the physical world and online social networking services. Furthermore, people in an existing social network can expand their social structure with the new interdependency derived from their locations. As location is one of the most important components of user context, extensive knowledge about an individual's interests, behaviors, and relationships with others can be learned from locations. These kinds of location-embedded and location-driven social structures are known as location-based social networks. The objective of this workshop is to provide professionals, researchers, and technologists with a single forum where they can discuss and share the state-of-the-art of LBSN development and applications, present their ideas and contributions, and set future directions in emerging innovative research for location based social networks. This year program is composed of two tracks of predominantly "social" and "spatial" views on LBSNs.
Feasibility of a yoga intervention to decrease pain in older women: a randomized controlled pilot study

A significant proportion of older women suffer from chronic pain, which can decrease quality of life. The objective of this pilot randomized study was to evaluate the feasibility of a flow-restorative yoga intervention designed to decrease pain and related outcomes among women aged 60 or older. Flow-restorative yoga classes were held twice weekly for 1 hour and led by a certified yoga instructor. Participants randomized to the intervention group attended the yoga classes for 12 weeks and received supplemental materials for at-home practice. Those randomized to the control group were asked to maintain their normal daily routine. Feasibility was evaluated using recruitment and retention rates, class and home practice adherence rates, and participant satisfaction surveys. Outcome measures (self-reported pain, inflammatory markers, functional fitness, quality of life, resilience, and self-reported physical activity) were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to examine changes in outcome measures within treatment groups. Thirty-eight participants were recruited and randomized. Participants were primarily white, college-educated, and higher functioning, despite experiencing various forms of chronic pain. Attendance and retention rates were high (91 and 97%, respectively) and the majority of participants were satisfied with the yoga program (89%) and would recommend it to others (87%). Intervention participants also experienced reductions in pain interference and improvements in energy and social functioning. This pilot study provides essential data to inform a full scale randomized trial of flow-restorative yoga for older women with chronic pain. Future studies should emphasize strategies to recruit a more diverse study population, particularly older women at higher risk of disability and functional decline. Clinicaltrials.gov , NCT03790098 . Registered 31 December 2018 – Retrospectively registered
Distracted mobile device use among street-crossing college student pedestrians: an observational approach

To estimate the incidence of mobile device use among street-crossing pedestrians and explore differences by sex and intersection type at a large public South-eastern university in the United States...
Loneliness and social isolation: determinants of cardiovascular outcomes: Implications in COVID-19 era.

One in three Americans report experiencing loneliness in everyday life, a number that has grown exponentially over the last few decades. As we respond to the SARS-COV2 pandemic with quarantine and social distancing, social isolation and feelings of loneliness are increasing among people of all ages. This presents as an opportune time to recognize the public health impact of these important psychosocial determinants. Loneliness and social isolation are associated with higher incidence of CVD, higher healthcare utilization and worse outcomes even after controlling for conventional risk factors of CVD. In this review, we discuss loneliness and social isolation as determinants of cardiovascular outcomes, the pathophysiology of this association, and its implications in clinical practice. We discuss some of the shortcomings in assessment of loneliness and social isolation while identifying most commonly used rating scales for the same. Finally, we suggest modifications to interventions for loneliness and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Molecular testing as a tool to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our tools in fighting the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were initially limited. The first step was identifying who was infected by the virus. New molecular testing was quickly create...
Can the impact of canopy trees on soil and understory be altered using litter additions

Trees can have large effects on soil nutrients in ways that alter succession, particularly in the case of nitrogen-(N)-fixing trees. In Hawai'i, forest restoration relies heavily on use of a native N-fixing tree, Acacia koa (koa), but this species increases soil-available N and likely facilitates competitive dominance of exotic pasture grasses. In contrast, Metrosideros polymorpha ('ōhi'a), the dominant native tree in Hawai'i, is less often planted because it is slow growing; yet it is typically associated with lower soil N and grass biomass, and greater native understory recruitment. We experimentally tested whether it is possible to reverse high soil N under koa by adding 'ōhi'a litter, using additions of koa litter or no litter as controls, over 2.5 yr. We then quantified natural litterfall and decomposition rates of 'ōhi'a and koa litter to place litter additions in perspective. Finally, we quantified whether litter additions altered grass biomass and if this had effects on native outplants. Adding 'ōhi'a litter increased soil carbon, but increased rather than decreased inorganic soil N pools. Contrary to expectations, koa litter decomposed more slowly than 'ōhi'a, although it released more N per unit of litter. We saw no reduction in grass biomass due to 'ōhi'a litter addition, and no change in native outplanted understory survival or growth. We conclude that the high N soil conditions under koa are difficult to reverse. However, we also found that outplanted native woody species were able to decrease exotic grass biomass over time, regardless of the litter environment, making this a better strategy for lowering exotic species impacts.
Introduction to Clinical Nutrition

Introduction - fundamentals of nutrition. Part 1 Essential and nonessential nutrients: digestion of macronutrients - carbohydrates, lipids and proteins requirements for energy, carbohydrates, fat and protein role of essential fatty acids eicosanoids inorganic elements - essential macromineral, essential trace minerals and ultra trace minerals vitamins - general fat soluble vitamins - A, D, E, K water soluble vitamins 1 - thiamin-B1, riboflavin-B2, niacin, pantothenic acid and biotin water soluble vitamins 2 - folic acid, vitamin-B12, pyridoxine and vitamin C-ascorbic acid vitamin-like substances. Part 2 Nutrition in the normal life cycle: nutrition during pregnancy and lactation foetal development and nutrition during infancy, childhood and adolescence nutrition and ageing. Part 3 Nutritional conditions asssociated with health: nutritional assessment obesity and eating disorders cholesterol and hyperlipidemia osteoporosis nutritional aspects of diabetes nutritional aspects of genetic disease. Part 4 Topics of general interest (special topics of practical importance): dietary fibre antioxidants and health toxicants occurring naturally in foods and additives vegetarianism and other popular nutritional practices nutritional aspects of biotransformation nutraceuticals.
A DFT using number theoretic logarithms

A method for performing complex arithmetic, called the Galois enhanced quadratic residue number system (GEQRNS), is presented. It is shown how a class of complex arithmetic logic units (ALUs) can be realized using a few well-chosen moduli and a fast multiplier-free complex multiplication unit. The elimination of hardware (and often temporal) consuming multiply units will be achieved by interfacing the quadratic RNS with the classic concept of a Galois field. It is shown that the merger of these two procedures will facilitate the design of the desired 32-bit-class complex multiplier having an execution delay of a few tens of nanoseconds. To demonstrate the potential of the ALU, the design of a prime-factor DFT (discrete Fourier transform) having a real-time bandwidth in excess of 10/sup 6/ transforms/s is presented. >
How much training data for facial action unit detection

By systematically varying the number of subjects and the number of frames per subject, we explored the influence of training set size on appearance and shape-based approaches to facial action unit (AU) detection. Digital video and expert coding of spontaneous facial activity from 80 subjects (over 350,000 frames) were used to train and test support vector machine classifiers. Appearance features were shape-normalized SIFT descriptors and shape features were 66 facial landmarks. Ten-fold cross-validation was used in all evaluations. Number of subjects and number of frames per subject differentially affected appearance and shape-based classifiers. For appearance features, which are high-dimensional, increasing the number of training subjects from 8 to 64 incrementally improved performance, regardless of the number of frames taken from each subject (ranging from 450 through 3600). In contrast, for shape features, increases in the number of training subjects and frames were associated with mixed results. In summary, maximal performance was attained using appearance features from large numbers of subjects with as few as 450 frames per subject. These findings suggest that variation in the number of subjects rather than number of frames per subject yields most efficient performance.
Analyzing Alternative Concepts for the Defense of NATO

The objective of this paper is to provide a perspective on several aspects of the analysis of alternative defense concepts for NATO. Rather than treating the subject in a broad and general way, the paper uses three specific concepts for the conventional defense of the Central Region as examples. No overall conclusions about their merits are drawn.
The Direct Effects of Trade Liberalization on Foreign Direct Investment: A Partial Equilibrium Analysis

We develop a partial-equilibrium model for analyzing the effect of trade barriers and their removal on the level of foreign direct investment. These changes operate through three channels. Lowering barriers to the firms' exports and to their imports of intermediate goods tends to stimulate FDI, while lowering barriers to imports of competing goods tends to discourage FDI. We simulate tariff elimination between the United States and the United Kingdom for eleven manufacturing sectors, and then add a tariff between the United Kingdom and the continental EU at the EU's MFN rate. The results highlight the importance of trade in intermediate goods in assessing trade-FDI linkages.
Combining formal verification with observed system execution behavior to tune system parameters

Resource limited DRE (Distributed Real-time Embedded) systems can benefit greatly from dynamic adaptation of system parameters. We propose a novel approach that employs iterative tuning using light-weight, on-the-fly formal verification with feedback for dynamic adaptation. One objective of this approach is to enable system designers to analyze designs in order to study design tradeoffs across multiple layers (for example, application, middleware, operating system) and predict the possible property violations as the system evolves dynamically over time. Specifically, an executable formal specification is developed for each layer of the distributed system under consideration. The formal specification is then analyzed using statistical model checking and statistical quantitative analysis, to determine the impact of various resource management policies for achieving desired end-to-end timing/QoS properties. Finally, integration of formal analysis with dynamic behavior from system execution will result in a feedback loop that enables model refinement and further optimization of policies and parameters. We demonstrate the applicability of this approach to the adaptive provisioning of resource-limited distributed real-time systems using a multi-mode multimedia case study.
HLA typing used with cultured amniotic and chorionic villus cells for early prenatal diagnosis or parentage testing without one parent's availability

Like fetal fibroblasts and amniotic fluid cells, cultured chorionic villus cells can also be HLA typed with selected typing sera after preincubation with gamma interferon to promote better antigen expression. A modified procedure now in use would also allow any of these cell types to be tested for the presence or absence of all known HLA A,B,C, and DR antigens with standard preplated typing trays. This procedure was used to confirm that an on-going pregnancy had resulted from the successful in vitro fertilization and implantation of an anonymous donor's ovum and could also be of major use in rape or artificial insemination cases when the identity of the possible father(s) is not known.
Effect of adsorption on the radiation sensitivity of trypsin

Abstract Many of the properties of trypsin molecules are changed when they are adsorbed at an air-quartz or air-glass interface. For example, contrary to some radiobiological postulates, the radiation sensitivity of trypsin at these air-solid interfaces is either the same as or less than that for trypsin in solution. Also, at 228 nm the absorbance of trypsin films is 1.7 that in solution, suggesting that adsorption either causes preferential orientation of some of the transition dipoles relative to the interface or else causes conformation changes. Further, the extent of the change in inactivation yield apparently depends upon the polarization of the light relative to the interface. Thus, presumably excitation of certain electronic transitions is more effective in initiating enzymic inactivation than is excitation of others. Similar to ultraviolet effects in solution, the inactivation yields for the trypsin films measured by an assay employing hemoglobin in 5 m urea are 2.5 times as large as those utilizing only buffer and BAEE substrate. By contrast, the temperature coefficients for inactivation of adsorbed trypsin are different than those observed in solution for a comparable temperature range. The quantum yield for trypsin on the slides was not changed by rather large alterations in the relative humidity nor by flushing the samples with N2 or air during irradiation.
Qenching of fullerene triplets by stable nitroxide radicals

Abstract The quenching behaviour of the triplets of C 60 and C 70 towards various nitroxide radicals has been investigated by the flash-photolysis technique. The quenching rate constants lie between 1.9 × 10 9 and 3.7 × 10 9 M −1 s −1 . Possible quenching mechanisms are discussed.
Traveling wave solutions for a competitive reaction-diffusion system and their asymptotics

Abstract For a competitive PDE system, we study the existence, uniqueness, and asymptotic behaviors of the traveling wave solutions connecting a monoculture equilibrium to a co-existence equilibrium. We use the method of upper–lower solutions to prove the existence of traveling wave solutions, and investigate the asymptotic behavior of the traveling waves in relation to various interacting parameters of the system. By comparing with the upper solution, we obtain asymptotic description of the solution for large x or t in relation to the interacting parameters, and show the uniqueness of traveling wave solutions connecting the two equilibria with such asymptotic rates. Numerical results are also presented to illustrate the theoretical results.
Binding of Transition-Metal Ions to Curved π Surfaces: Corannulene and Coronene†

Calculations and comparisons were made for a set of seven metal cations binding to corannulene and coronene, namely, the three alkalis Li+, Na+, and K+ and the four transition-metal ions Ti+, Cr+, Ni+, and Cu+ (combined with literature results for Li+/corannulene). In the case of corannulene, the most favorable binding site for Ti+ and Ni+ is η6 over the six-membered ring on the convex face, whereas for Li+, Na+, K+, and Cr+, the five-membered η5 ring site on the convex face is about equally good. Cu+ slightly prefers binding at η2 edge sites rather than ring-centered sites on corannulene, but edge locations for several other ions were not found to be favored, in contrast to results reported for C60. For the alkalis, binding to the convex (outside) face is slightly favored relative to binding to the concave face, whereas for the transition metals, a much larger preference for outside binding is found, particularly for the η5 sites. An approximate point-charge model calculation is used to separate the elec...
A potential role for prolactin in zinc homeostasis

Zinc is an important trace metal co-factor for many metallo-enzymes and may have a critical role in the stabilization and function of biomembranes. Zinc-depleted animals increase their fractional absorption of zinc to restore zinc homeostasis. This increase in fractional absorption is not currently known to be hormonally-mediated. Recently, zinc has been shown to suppress the output of prolactin from dispersed pituitary cells in vitro at physiologic concentrations. Clinical states associated with a tendency to zinc deficiency are also associated with a tendency to hyperprolactinemia. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that prolactin regulates the uptake and distribution of zinc and that zinc suppresses prolactin in closure of a negative feedback regulatory loop.
Activation and role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in extinction of ethanol-induced associative learning in mice

Although the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been shown to be integrally involved in extinction of a number of associative behaviors, its role in extinction of alcohol (ethanol)-induced associative learning has received little attention. Previous reports have provided evidence supporting a role for the mPFC in acquisition and extinction of amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats, however, it remains unknown if this region is necessary for extinction of ethanol (EtOH)-induced associative learning in mice. Using immunohistochemical analysis of phosphorylated and unphosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), the current set of experiments first showed that the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subregions of the mPFC exhibited dynamic responses in phosphorylation of CREB to a Pavlovian-conditioned, EtOH-paired cue. Interestingly, CREB phosphorylation within these regions was sensitive to manipulations of the EtOH-cue contingency—that is, the cue-induced increase of pCREB in both the PL and IL was absent following extinction. In order to confirm a functional role of the mPFC in regulating the extinction process, we then showed that electrolytic lesions of the mPFC following acquisition blocked subsequent extinction of EtOH-CPP. Together, these experiments indicate a role for the PL and IL subregions of the mPFC in processing changes of the EtOH-cue contingency, as well as in regulating extinction of EtOH-induced associative learning in mice.
Alteration of Irradiated Shuttle Vector Processing by Exposure of Human Lymphoblast Host Cells to Single or Split γ-ray Doses

The repair of damaged DNA by mammalian cells exposed to single or split doses of radiation was probed with shuttle vector pZ189. Human lymphoblast hosts who received a single 120 cGy dose 2 h before transfection with 2500 cGy-damaged pZ189 yielded a two-fold higher frequency of progeny plasmids with mutations in their supF-tRNA target genes than did unirradiated host cells. Delaying transfection for 12 h, however, reduced the mutation frequency by half versus unirradiated controls. Plasmid survival was also affected by the time between host cell irradiation and transfection. Splitting doses of 50-500 cGy into two equal fractions separated by 4 h lowered mutation frequency and increased plasmid survival compared with equivalent acute doses; increasing the interval between dose fractions to 8 h, however, lowered plasmid survival compared with acute doses. Sequence analyses of the target gene in mutant plasmids revealed increased multiple-base substitution mutations among progenies recovered from irradiated hosts, indicating enhanced excision repair. These findings support modulation of mammalian cell DNA repair by ionizing radiation, disclose the transient nature of the effect of radiation on DNA repair, and demonstrate a quantitative difference in the effectiveness of single and split doses.
The dynamic expansion and contraction of the Jovian plasma sheet

Observations suggesting the sequential expansion and compression of the Jovian plasma sheet are reported. Plasma flow in the vicinity of Jupiter was monitored by the four modulated-grid Faraday cups on board each of the Voyager spacecraft at times of closest Jupiter approach. Sensor measurements reveal the flow of magnetospheric plasma to be directed away from the equatorial current sheet near local noon and to be directed towards the sheet in the dusk to midnight sector. The observed flow patterns are interpreted in terms of short-time-scale perturbations of magnetic flux tubes due to the compression of the dayside magnetosphere by the solar wind. It is noted that such a dynamic motion is quite different from what would be expected of slower, quasi-static equilibrium plasma sheet expansion and contraction.
Investigation of high-current effects on the current gain of AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs/GaAs abrupt heterojunction bipolar transistors

Abstract High-collector-current effects, such as base pushout and base-collector space-charge-region thickness modulation, on the common-emitter d.c. current gain of Al x Ga 1−x As/GaAs/GaAs abrupt heterojunction bipolar transistors is examined by including these effects in a recently developed thermionic-diffusion-field model. Current-gain falloff is predicted by the present model for transistors operating at high current densities (or at saturation mode), and comparison of the present model and measured data for an Al 0.25 Ga 0.75 As/GaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor for digital and A/D applications is included.
An Impact Excitation System for Repeatable, High-Bandwidth Modal Testing of Miniature Structures

Recent advances in various micro-manufacturing techniques have enabled utilization of miniature devices in numerous applications. However, testing, modeling, and predicting performance of these structures still poses various challenges. Experimental modal analysis techniques have been widely used to obtain the dynamic characteristics of structures; however, having very high natural frequencies, small vibration amplitudes, and high compliance, miniature structures require additional care during modal testing. Although recent developments in sensor technology enabled to obtain accurate high frequency vibration measurements during modal testing of miniature structures, excitation of miniature structures without any damage and within high frequency range in a reproducible manner is still being investigated. This paper presents design, development, and performance evaluation of a custom-made impact excitation system that enables repeatable, high bandwidth, single-hit impacts, and controllable impact force for modal testing of miniature structures. The system is equipped with a miniature force sensor attached to a custom designed flexure and an automated release mechanism driven by an electromagnet. The excitation bandwidth and the impact force exerted to the test structure can be controlled through control parameters: initial displacement given to the flexure and gap between the impact tip and the test surface.
The Method εξ υποεσεως at Meno 86e1-87d8

Scholars ubiquitously refer to the method eξ υποeσeως, introduced at Meno 86e1-87d8, as a method of hypothesis. In contrast, this paper argues that the method eξ υποeσeως in Meno is not a hypothetical method. On the contrary, in the Meno passage, υποeσις means “postulate”, that is, cognitively secure proposition. Furthermore, the method eξ υποeσeως is derived from the method of geometrical analysis. More precisely, it is derived from the use of geometrical analysis to achieve reduction, that is, reduction of a less tractable problem to a more tractable problem. As such, the method eξ υποeσeως does not by itself serve to solve problems.
Knowledge management: An application to wildfire prevention planning

Residential encroachment into wildland areas places an additional burden on fire management activities. Prevention programs, fuel management efforts, and suppression strategies, previously employed in wildland areas, require modification for protection of increased values at risk in this interface area. Knowledge-based computer systems are being investigated as knowledge management tools for the organization, synthesis, and application of information pertinent to fire science utilization. Many such systems contain expertise which has been captured from human experts and symbolically encoded for automatic manipulation by computer. Two systems, fire characteristics prediction and initial-attack force dispatch, have been developed elsewhere using this approach. This paper describes a third project, which is currently being developed for wildfire prevention planning. Initial efforts in elicitation of knowledge from experts have produced several benefits prior to system implementation. Results to date in fire management are encouraging, and provide support for the future potential of these methods for the management of knowledge gained from fire research.
Pretransplant Management of the Cirrhotic Patient

Cirrhosis is the twelfth commonest cause of death in the United States, with more than 27,000 deaths and more than 421,000 hospitalizations annually. Currently, there are more than 17,000 patients awaiting liver transplantation in the United States across the 11 United Network for Organ Sharing regions. Approximately 10% of such patients will die awaiting transplantation.
Spatial Characterization Of Semiconductors Using 'Laser Beam Induced Current (LBIC)'

An optical analog of Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) technique called laser beam induced current (LBIC) has been developed and utilized to obtain maps of electrically active defects in semiconductor materials. We have demonstrated the use of LBIC for spatial evaluation of LPE HgCdTe and for characterizing HgCdTe p-n junction detector arrays, in a non-destructive way without making any electrical contacts to individual detector elements.
Studies of the resistance and susceptibility to viral superinfection of adenovirus 12 hamster tumor cells.

A continuous cell line (HTAd12) has been established from an adenovirus type 12-induced hamster tumor. The characteristics of the cultured cells,in vitro andin vivo, are those of a virus-transformed cell with specific heritable properties under the control of host-integrated viral genome in the absence of detectable infectious virus. The patterns of response exhibited by the HTAd12 line on exposure to both homotypic and unrelated viruses have been categorized. Four distinct strains of type 12 adenovirus consistently initiated a marked cytotoxic effect on the cultured cells but not on unrelated hamster cell lines of normal origin or SV40 transformation. There was a correlation of the pattern of response elicited by heterotypic adenoviruses with their oncogenic potential and their hemagglutination subgroups. The resistance and susceptibility of virustransformed cells to viral superinfection may be another cellular trait governed by host-incorporated viral genetic material.
The collection and preliminary analysis of a spontaneous speech database

As part of our effort in developing a spoken language system for interactive problem solving, we recently collected a sizeable amount of speech data. This database is composed of spontaneous sentences which were collected during a simulated human/machine dialogue. Since a computer log of the spoken dialogue was maintained, we were able to ask the subjects to provide read versions of the sentences as well. This paper documents the data collection process, and provides some preliminary analyses of the collected data.
A repository of knowledge about handling exceptions in multi-agent systems

A critical challenge to creating effective agent- based systems is allowing them to operate effectively in environments where failures (' exceptions') can occur. An important barrier to achieving this has been the lack of systematized dissemination of exception handling techniques. This paper describes a semi- formal Web- accessible repository, built as an augmentation of the MIT Process Handbook, that is designed to enable learning about, adding to, and exploiting multiagent system exception handling expertise.
Understanding and controlling detrimental bioreactor biofilms

Abstract Unintentional biofilm formation within a bioreactor can have serious detrimental effects on bioreactor performance. These range from the obvious (reduced heat-transfer efficiency, increased frictional resistances, and fouling of internal diagnostic probes) to the more subtle (atypical econiches, species- or strain-specific adhesion, and inaccurate estimates of culture stoichiometric and kinetic parameters.) Detection and control of unwanted biofilm formation in bioreactors are also considered.
The Effect of Retrieval on Post-task Enjoyment of Studying

Although active retrieval is an extremely effective study method, students continue to use less effective methods (Karpicke, Journal of Experimental Psychology General, 138(4), 469–486, 2009; Hartwig and Dunlosky, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 19(1), 126–134, 2012). There are likely many underlying reasons for using less effective methods, but one possibility could be that active retrieval is simply not as enjoyable as other methods. In the present study, following a learning task, undergraduates rated active retrieval as less enjoyable than re-reading. Performance on the initial retrieval task, preexisting rating of enjoyment of the content, and performance incentives moderated the students’ ratings of the study techniques.
USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS), 5.0☆

Abstract The Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) is used to code and analyze dietary intakes for the What We Eat In America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (WWEIA, NHANES). To create FNDDS 5.0 for WWEIA, NHANES 2009-2010, data for over 7,200 foods were updated to incorporate changes in the marketplace and information reported by survey participants. The updates include nearly 100 new foods and extensive changes to food descriptions, portions, weights, and recipes. The USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24 is the basis for the 65 nutrient values for each FNDDS food. FNDDS 5.0 is available at http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/fsrg.
Product Experience Is Seductive

Product experience seduces consumers into believing that they learn more than is actually so. There are several reasons for this. First, experience is more engaging than most attempts at education, both more vivid and intentional, and consequently more memorable. Second, experience is viewed as nonpartisan, devoid of the didacticism of formal education and the self-serving interests of advertisers. Third, much of experience is ambiguous, but not recognized as such. Experience supports a pseudodiagnosticity that draws the consumer in as a willing partner in the seduction. Finally, the endogeneity of tastes allows consumers to accommodate to chosen alternatives and results in infrequent regrets about being seduced.
Neurons or glia? Can SHP2 know it all?

Normal development of the nervous system relies on the spatially and temporally well-controlled differentiation of neurons and glia. Here, we discuss the intra- and extracellular molecular mechanisms that underlie the sequential genesis of neurons and glia, emphasizing recent studies describing the role of a signaling molecule, the tyrosine phosphatase SHP2, in normal brain development. Activation of SHP2 simultaneously enhances downstream activation of the MEK-ERK pathway, which subsequently promotes neurogenesis, while inhibiting the JAK-STAT pathway, which is critical for astroglial differentiation. Mutations in SHP2 that increase its tyrosine phosphatase activity cause a mental retardation–related disorder, Noonan syndrome. An imbalance in neurogenesis versus gliogenesis due to SHP2 mutations may contribute to Noonan syndrome.
Creatinine measurements often yield false estimates of progression in chronic renal failure

Creatinine measurements often yield false estimates of progression in chronic renal failure. In 9 of 22 observation periods (lasting an average of 15 months) in 17 patients with moderate to severe chronic renal failure (GFR 4 to 23 ml/min), rates of progression as estimated from the linear regression on time of 24-hour creatinine clearance (b 1 ) differed significantly from rates of progression as estimated from the regression on time of urinary clearance of 99m Tc-DTPA (b 2 ), during all or part of the period of observation, b 1 exceeded b 2 in four cases and was less than b2 in the other five. Thus there were gradual changes in the fractional tubular secretion of creatinine in individual patients, in both directions. Owing to these changes, measurements of creatinine clearance gave erroneous impressions of the rate or existence of progression during all or a portion of the period of observation in nearly half of these patients. In the 22 studies as a group, using the entire periods of observation, bi indicated significantly more rapid progression (by 0.18 ±0.06 ml/min/month, P
Target-thickness dependence of radiative electron capture in heavy-ion collisions

We show how the target-thickness dependence of heavy-ion -induced x-ray production cross sections can be used to normalize the measured K REC (radiative electron capture) intensity to the fraction of incident ions with K vacancies. Experimental REC cross sections for Cl ions on Cu targets are in good agreement with the free-electron theory of Bethe and Salpeter if it is asumed that all of the M- and N-shell electron in Cu contribute to the REC process.
The Ice Cream Stories: A Study in Normal and Psychotic Narrations.

An adaptation of the Pear Stories study originally undertaken by Chafe and his collaborators (1980) was presented to 22 psychotic patients with discharge diagnoses of schizophrenia and mania, and 25 normal controls. The psychotic and normal populations showed definable differences in encoding strategies. Psychotic narratives evinced defects in narration ranging from serious neologizing, disruptions in syntax, and narrative technique. Normals and psychotics showed some mutually exclusive dysfluencies. The strategies of normals caused them to misperceive certain events. It could not be unambiguously determined whether the psychotics had actually misperceived or whether they had only misencoded. This study does not support theories which claim that psychotics have intact linguistic abilities. It does support theories claiming faulty filtering mechanisms, vulnerability to distraction, and attentional deficits, all of which seem to be referring to the same phenomena.
Long-term results of successful vitrectomy with silicone oil for advanced proliferative vitreoretinopathy

We have analyzed the six-month, one-year, and two-year follow-up examinations in 47 patients who had silicone oil injection in combination with revision of vitrectomy for intractable retinal detachment and advanced proliferative vitreoretinopathy. A visual acuity of 5/200 or better was attained in 22 eyes at six months (47%), 17 eyes at one year (36%), and 14 eyes at two years (30%). Of eyes that were completely attached posterior to the buckle at six months, 77% remained attached at two years. In those eyes that were attached at six months, corneal decompensation was the most frequent cause of a loss of vision between six months and two years. Silicone oil was removed in 22 eyes (47%).
Spin-cast planarization of liquid-crystal-on-silicon microdisplays.

A simplified method for planarizing liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) backplanes is presented. The method relies on the planarizing capability of spin-cast benzocyclobutene (BCB) polymeric resin. BCB planarization shows a sixfold reduction in step height on the surface of a typical LCOS backplane. Contact with the underlying pixel circuitry is made by dry etching through openings in the BCB layer. Reflective metal (87% reflectivity) is deposited over the planarized surface and patterned to form high-aperture-ratio pixel mirrors (84%). An average resistance of 0.75 Ω per via was achieved with 3.6-µm-diameter vias in 2-µm-thick BCB. The method and the results of this LCOS backplane planarization and postprocessing are described.
Effect of the nearest-neighbor Coulomb interaction on d-wave Cooper pairing on a square lattice.

The Cooper pairing on a square lattice in the extended Hubbard model that includes the nearest-neighbor Coulomb interaction is studied in the random-phase approximation. It is found that in both the antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic regimes, the d-wave attractive interaction can be drastically reduced with the introduction of a small nearest-neighbor interaction (V/U10%). The reduction becomes stronger in both regimes as we move away from the phase transition and is the strongest in the antiferromagnetic regime.