cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reconciling molecular systematics and traditional taxonomy in a species-rich clade of sea stars ( Leptasterias subgenus Hexasterias )

Recent or incomplete speciation events can often lead to conflicting patterns of genetic and morphological variation, due to a combination of hybridization, incomplete lineage sorting and limited morphological divergence among genetically distinct species. This situation complicates the reconciliation of molecular systematic results with morphology-based taxonomy. For example, six-rayed sea stars of the genus Leptasterias have been the subject of considerable taxonomic controversy. Prior molecular studies established that Leptasterias subgenus Hexasterias consists of several genetically discrete clades, but extensive morphological variability has prevented the application of formal taxonomic nomenclature to these groups. In the present study, molecular and morphological approaches were combined to reconcile, where possible, the traditional taxonomy of Fisher (1930: US Nat Mus Bull 76:1–356) with recent molecular systematic results. Partial mitochondrial DNA control region sequences were collected from 29 Fisher-identified museum specimens representing seven nominal species of Leptasterias subgenus Hexasterias, to establish the relationship between traditional taxa and molecular lineages. Additional DNA sequences were obtained from 52 recently collected individuals representing the L.aleutica (Fisher, 1930)/L.camtschatica (Brandt, 1835) complex; these sea stars were collected on Kanaga Island, Alaska, in August 1997. Morphological data were collected for 227 museum specimens collected before 1930, and 309 specimens collected between 1988 and 1998 from locations in the eastern North Pacific. The analyses indicate that three nominal species within the Camtschatica section of subgenus Hexasterias, L.alaskensis (Verrill, 1914), L.hexactis (Stimpson, 1862), and L.leptodoma (Fisher, 1930), correspond to separate major clades of a molecular phylogeny, permitting the re-description of these taxa using molecular characters. Extensive sharing of mitochondrial DNA sequences by L.aleutica and L.camtschatica suggests recent genetic divergence of these two species and possible incomplete lineage sorting or frequent hybridization. The lack of diagnostic molecular differences between these two nominal species means that they are currently identifiable only by morphological criteria. Determining the status of three other nominal species, L.aequalis (Stimpson, 1862), L.asteira (Fisher, 1930) and L.pusilla (Fisher, 1930) will require additional molecular and morphological data.
Annals On Call - Firearm Violence: A Call to Action.

In this episode of Annals On Call, Dr. Centor discusses the public health crisis that firearm-related injury and death have become in the United States with Dr. Robert McLean, the 2019 to 2020 Pres...
Conceptual Model of Biofilm Antibiotic Tolerance That Integrates Phenomena of Diffusion, Metabolism, Gene Expression, and Physiology.

Transcriptomic, metabolomic, physiological, and computational modeling approaches were integrated to gain insight into the mechanisms of antibiotic tolerance in an in vitro biofilm system. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms were grown in drip-flow reactors on a medium composed to mimic the exudate from a chronic wound. After four days, the biofilm was 114 μm thick with 9.45 log10 cfu cm-2. These biofilms exhibited tolerance, relative to exponential-phase planktonic cells, to subsequent treatment with ciprofloxacin. The biofilm specific growth rate was estimated via elemental balances to be approximately 0.37 h-1 and with a reaction-diffusion model to be 0.32 h-1 or one-third of the planktonic maximum specific growth rate. Global analysis of gene expression indicated decreased transcription of ribosomal genes and other anabolic functions in biofilms compared to exponential-phase planktonic cells and revealed the induction of multiple stress responses in biofilm cells including those associated with growth arrest, zinc limitation, hypoxia, and acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing. Metabolic pathways for phenazine biosynthesis and denitrification were transcriptionally activated in biofilms. A customized reaction-diffusion model predicted that steep oxygen concentration gradients form when these biofilms are thicker than about 40 μm. Mutant strains that were deficient in Psl polysaccharide synthesis, stringent response, stationary phase response, and membrane stress response exhibited increased ciprofloxacin susceptibility when cultured in biofilms. These results support a sequence of phenomena leading to biofilm antibiotic tolerance involving oxygen limitation, electron acceptor starvation and growth arrest, induction of associated stress responses, and differentiation into protected cell states. IMPORTANCE Bacteria in biofilms are protected from killing by antibiotics and this reduced susceptibility contributes to the persistence of infections such as those in the cystic fibrosis lung and chronic wounds. A generalized conceptual model of biofilm antimicrobial tolerance with these mechanistic steps is proposed: 1) establishment of concentration gradients in metabolic substrates and products; 2) active biological responses to these changes in the local chemical microenvironment; 3) entry of biofilm cells into a spectrum of states involving alternative metabolisms, stress responses, slow growth, cessation of growth, or dormancy (all prior to antibiotic treatment); 4) adaptive responses to antibiotic exposure; and 5) reduced susceptibility of microbial cells to antimicrobial challenges in some of the physiological states accessed through these changes.
Larval Response to Parental Low pH Exposure in the Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas

As negative effects of ocean acidification are experienced by coastal ecosystems, there is a growing trend to investigate the effect ocean acidification has on multiple generations. Parental exposure to ocean acidification has been shown to induce larval carryover effects, but whether acute exposure to a stressor as an adult can influence the larval generation long after the stress has been removed has yet to be tested. To assess how a temporary exposure to experimental ocean acidification affects the ecologically and commercially relevant Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, adult oysters were exposed to either low pH (7.31 ± 0.02) or ambient pH (7.82 ± 0.02) conditions for 7 wk. Oysters were then held for 8 wk in ambient conditions, and subsequently reproductively conditioned for 4 wk at ambient pH. After conditioning, the oysters were strip-spawned to create four families based on maternal and paternal ocean acidification exposure. The number of D-hinge larvae was counted 18 h postfertilization. A sex-specific brood stock response was observed, where female exposure to low pH conditions resulted in fewer D-hinge larvae. This study demonstrates that the effects of ocean acidification can last beyond the time from when the environmental perturbation is experienced. Broadening the understanding of environmental memory will be valuable when considering organismal ability to persist in the face of environmental change.
White matter hyperintensities and CSF Alzheimer disease biomarkers in preclinical Alzheimer disease.

Objective Recent studies suggest that white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on MRI, which primarily reflect small vessel cerebrovascular disease, may play a role in the evolution of Alzheimer disease (AD). In a longitudinal study, we investigated whether WMH promote the progression of AD pathology, or alter the association between AD pathology and risk of progression from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods Two sets of analyses were conducted. The relationship between whole brain WMH load, based on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI, obtained in initially cognitively normal participants (n = 274) and time to onset of symptoms of MCI (n = 60) was examined using Cox regression models. In a subset of the participants with both MRI and CSF data (n = 204), the interaction of WMH load and CSF AD biomarkers was also evaluated. Results Baseline WMH load interacted with CSF total tau (t-tau) with respect to symptom onset, but not with CSF β-amyloid 1–42 or phosphorylated tau (p-tau) 181. WMH volume was associated with time to symptom onset of MCI among individuals with low t-tau (hazard ratio [HR] 1.35, confidence interval [CI] 1.06–1.73, p = 0.013), but not those with high t-tau (HR 0.86, CI 0.56–1.32, p = 0.47). The rate of change in the CSF biomarkers over time was not associated with the rate of change in WMH volumes. Conclusion These results suggest that WMH primarily affect the risk of progression when CSF measures of neurodegeneration or neuronal injury (as reflected by t-tau) are low. However, CSF biomarkers of amyloid and p-tau and WMH appear to have largely independent and nonsynergistic effects on the risk of progression to MCI.
New isospin-breaking “USD” Hamiltonians for the sd shell

Two new USD-type Hamiltonians, USDC and USDI, have been developed that directly incorporate Coulomb and other isospin-breaking interactions. Starting from ab initio interactions, linear combinations of two-body matrix elements were constrained by experimental energy levels in sd-shell nuclei. With this method, binding energies and excitation energies of proton-rich nuclei in the shell can be added to the data set used in the fit. USDC is based on the same renormalized $G$ matrix used in the derivation of previous USD-type Hamiltonians, while USDI is derived from in-medium similarity renormalization group (IMSRG) interactions. Both contain an analytic Coulomb interaction with Miller-Spencer short-range correlations and an effective isotensor interaction. Also presented are modifications to these interactions, USDCm and USDIm, that have had the Coulomb interaction constrained to better reproduce the experimental $b$ coefficients of the isobaric mass multiplet equation. These Hamiltonians are used to provide new predictions for the proton-dripline and to examine isospin-level mixing and other properties of $sd$-shell nuclei. An empirical expression for the Thomas-Ehrman shift in loosely bound and unbound proton-rich states is presented, and several such states are examined.
Understanding variation in women's sexual attitudes and behavior across sexual orientations: Evaluating three hypotheses

Abstract Although evolutionary logic has provided abundant insight into how differential biological costs, mating opportunities, and exposures to psychosocial stressors shape functional variation in mating behavior among heterosexual men and women, it is less clear how such factors influence behavior among those who do not identify as heterosexual. Here, we evaluate three evolutionarily-informed hypotheses proposed to explain variation in women's sexual attitudes and behavior across sexual orientations. A sample of 328 women (111 heterosexual, 75 lesbian, and 142 bisexual; ages 18–36) completed questionnaires assessing their current sexual permissiveness, past sexual behavior, and past alcohol use. Lesbian and bisexual women reported more risky sexual (and non-sexual) attitudes/intentions and behaviors than did heterosexual women. The observed differences were best explained by increased psychosocial stress experienced by sexual minority (versus heterosexual) women.
Nitrogen Fertilizer, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, and Soil Nematodes Affect Lignin Quality and Quantity in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Plant lignin content and composition, which limit cell wall digestibility and efficiency of cellulose conversion to bioethanol, can be influenced by belowground biotic and abiotic factors. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a leading lignocellulosic biofuel crop and forms strong belowground associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), is susceptible to belowground plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN), and when grown in monoculture generally requires nitrogen (N) fertilization. The main objectives of the study were to investigate the effects of N fertilizer and belowground organisms on lignin content and composition of switchgrass. Leaf, stem, and root tissues were evaluated separately to test whether these factors had varying belowground (local) or aboveground (systemic) effects on plants. These factors were manipulated in a field study in 2017 using biocide applications to reduce soil fungi and nematodes. Combined biocide application reduced p-hydroxyphenyl (H) unit abundance in the leaves by 14% and increased the syringyl:guaiacyl (S:G) ratio in stems by 2%. Application of fungicide alone increased stem syringyl (S) unit by 12.4% as compared with control plots, and 11.1% as compared with nematicide plots. Overall, fertilizer increased total stem lignin by 3%, stem S unit by 6.7%, and stem S:G ratio by 10%, whereas it reduced the amount of H-unit in the roots by 11%. While the effects of N fertilizer were more pronounced in this study, changes to soil organisms had similar magnitudes of effect for some measures of lignin, indicating that these belowground interactions may be important for growers to consider in the future.
Evolutionary optimization for resilience-based planning for power distribution networks

Abstract Acute impacts of past extreme climatic events on power distribution networks (PDNs) have highlighted the significance of resilience in PDNs. However, maintaining and enhancing the resilience of PDNs over an extended horizon is challenging and requires long-term planning. This chapter presents a decision-making framework for resilience enhancement of PDNs that undergo gradual deterioration and face the risk of exposure to multiple stochastic hurricane events over a decision horizon. The proposed framework integrates modeling of climatic stressors, performance of physical components of PDNs, and probabilistic resilience quantification to form a nonlinear constrained optimization problem with binary decision variables for replacement of deteriorating assets. The objective of the optimization problem is to maximize life-cycle resilience by determining the optimal sequence of preventive maintenance actions. The major complexity of this optimization problem arises from the large number of combinations of possible maintenance actions over an extended decision horizon as well as the existing constraints. To overcome these challenges, this study introduces the BICDE algorithm, which is developed via the integration of a binary differential evolutionary (BDE) algorithm with the improved (μ+λ)-constrained differential evolution (ICDE). The BICDE has the capability of the ICDE to solve constrained optimization problems and features of the BDE algorithm to handle nonlinear, nondifferentiable, and multimodal objective functions with binary decision variables. The presented framework is applied to a large-scale aging PDN. The BICDE-based strategy is compared to the strength-based strategy set by National Electric Safety Code (NESC) that is commonly used in practice. The results indicate that the optimal strategy based on the proposed framework leads to a significant cumulative improvement of 23.1% in the expected resilience of the PDN over a planning horizon of 100 years.
Student Response Systems in the Family Law Classroom

This pedagogy article provides advice for Family Law professors about using student response systems. Although the included problem sets are specific to Family Law, the advice about using student response systems is applicable to all law professors. This article includes practical advice for any law professor who teaches Gen Z students, has a HyFlex course, or needs to engage in formative assessment.
Effects of Alcohol and Other Drugs on Human Aggression

Author Note Preparation of this chapter was supported in part by grant R01-AA-020578 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism awarded to both authors.The notion of a linkage between alcohol and other drugs to acts of aggression is hardly a recent phenomenon, and is even evident in historical records of ancient Greece in the fourth and fifth centuries BC (Nencini, 1997). In the mid-nineteenth century, adherents to the temperance movement in the United States advanced the argument that if alcohol makes people do and feel things differently than they would normally, then alcohol could clearly be viewed as a cause of criminal behavior (Crichtlow, 1986). This notion of alcohol and other drugs destroying self-control and promoting deviance quickly infiltrated society’s attitudes about the typical causes of aggression and violent crime and, despite the many and varied shifts in attitudes toward alcohol and substance use over time, continues to persist. Frequent news reports of murders, robberies, and other violent crimes that appear to involve substance use provide ongoing reinforcement of the notion that alcohol and substance use and violent crime are associated.
Perception and outcomes after implementation of problem-based learning in predoctoral pediatric dentistry clinical education.

PURPOSE Problem-based learning (PBL) has been a useful addition to health-based curricula by supporting learning with contributory discussion, research, and critical analysis of evidence in a peer-supported learning format. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of PBL on pediatric dentistry clinical education. METHODS First-time pass-rates in clinical and objective structured clinical examinations were measured in student cohorts receiving pediatric curricular formats with (PBL+) or without a PBL (PBL-) experience. Student perceived learning outcomes were measured through a voluntary survey. The numbers of each competency attempt were compared between the study groups (PBL+ or PBL-) using Wilcoxon Rank-Sum tests or Fisher's exact tests. Mantel-Hanzel ordinal chi-square tested for differences in rates of agreement on survey responses from students in the PBL+ or PBL- groups. Significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS There was a significant improvement in the first-time pass-rates in five of seven competencies in the PBL+ group. A significantly higher proportion of students in the PBL+ group perceived that their predoctoral pediatric dentistry rotation improved their diagnostic skills compared to the students in the PBL- group (p 0.05) between the perceptions on satisfaction of clinical or non-clinical staff support, perceived self-improvement in radiographic or clinical skills or overall benefits of the predoctoral pediatric dentistry rotation. CONCLUSION The addition of a PBL component to a traditional curricular format in a pediatric dentistry clinical rotation had a positive impact on learning in a predoctoral dental program.
Pinning beauty: standards promoted and behaviors encouraged within pinterest’s healthy makeup content

This qualitative study builds upon previous quantitative new media studies using Bandura’s social cognitive theory of mass communication (SCT) to understand health and beauty content on Pinterest. ...
Stressed Out About Plasmodium falciparum Gametocytogenesis

Blocking malaria transmission is critical to malaria control programs, but remains a major challenge especially in endemic regions with high levels of asymptomatic infections. New strategies targeting the transmissible sexual stages of the parasite, called gametocytes, are needed. This review focuses on P. falciparum gametocytogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Highlighting advances made elucidating genes required for gametocyte production and identifying key questions that remain unanswered such as the factors and regulatory mechanisms that contribute to gametocyte induction, and the mechanism of sequestration. Tools available to begin to address these issues are also described to facilitate advances in our understanding of this important stage of the life cycle.
Exploring the Influence of Light and Cognitive Load on Pupil Diameter in Driving Simulator Studies

Pupil diameter can be used as a physiological measure of cognitive load in driving simulator studies. However, pupil size depends on both cognitive load and lighting conditions. In order to accurately estimate cognitive load these two effects must be separated. In this study the authors introduce illumination only, cognitive only and combined tasks. Based on these they decouple the two effects on pupil diameter and they design a predictor of the pupil’s reaction to light which can be used to estimate changes in pupil diameter that are due to cognitive load.
Real-time architecture for high resolution volume visualization

This paper describes a high-performance special-purpose system, the Cube-3 machine, for displaying and manipulating high-resolution volumetric datasets in real-time. Cube-3 will allow scientists, engineers, and biomedical researchers to interactively visualize and investigate their static high-resolution sampled, simulated, or computed volumetric dataset. Furthermore, once acquisition devices or mechanisms are capable of acquiring a complete high-resolution dynamic dataset in real-time, Cube-3, tightly coupled with them, will be capable of delivering real-time 4D (spatial-temporal) volume visualization, a task currently not possible with present technologies.
A Comparison of Global Optimization Methods for the Design of a High-speed Civil Transport

The conceptual design of aircraft often entails a large number of nonlinear constraints that result in a nonconvex feasible design space and multiple local optima. The design of the high-speed civil transport (HSCT) is used as an example of a highly complex conceptual design with 26 design variables and 68 constraints. This paper compares three global optimization techniques on the HSCT problem and two test problems containing thousands of local optima and noise: multistart local optimizations using either sequential quadratic programming (SQP) as implemented in the design optimization tools (DOT) program or Snyman's dynamic search method, and a modified form of Jones' DIRECT global optimization algorithm. SQP is a local optimizer, while Snyman's algorithm is capable of moving through shallow local minima. The modified DIRECT algorithm is a global search method based on Lipschitzian optimization that locates small promising regions of design space and then uses a local optimizer to converge to the optimum. DOT and the dynamic search algorithms proved to be superior for finding a single optimum masked by noise of trigonometric form. The modified DIRECT algorithm was found to be better for locating the global optimum of functions with many widely separated true local optima.
Do Peers Contribute to the Achievement Gap between Vietnamese‐American and Mexican‐American Adolescents?

Documented associations between academic and social functioning have been inconsistent. These discrepancies may reflect the moderating role of sociocultural context. In this study, we examined ethnicity and gender as moderators of this relation. We collected peer nominations, GPA from school records, and self-report questionnaires for 519 Vietnamese-American and Mexican-American middle school students (mean age = 12.7 years). Using general linear modeling, we found that academic and social functioning were more strongly and positively linked for Vietnamese-Americans relative to Mexican-Americans, and for girls relative to boys. We also examined group differences in achievement values, and found that Vietnamese-Americans were more likely to admire and be friends with high-achieving peers. The results suggest that peers provide one context in which ethnic and gender differences in achievement values emerge, and interventions aimed at reducing the achievement gap may benefit from incorporating a focus on peers.
Zygote and “Clonote” — The Ethical Use of Embryonic Stem Cells

The concern that shadows the free use of human stem cells derives from disquiet over their origins. Dr. Paul R. McHugh on the stem-cell debate.
Adaptive Characterization and Modeling of Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices for Hybrid Electric Vehicle Applications

The control and adaptive characterization of batteries or supercapacitors, which are central to the construction of electrochemical energy storage devices operating in hybrid electric vehicles, require that the state estimator forming the basis of the control system be informed by the underlying electrochemistry. In this chapter, we overview tools and methods useful for the integration of batteries and supercapacitors into HEV systems, with a focus on the construction of state estimators. The approach discussed may be viewed as combining electroanalytical procedures with formal controls methods.
Implementation of a Bayesian self-organizing neural network

Presents the implementation of a self-organizing neural network, that extracts invariant features in the input images. The prior probability distribution of the invariant feature is assumed to be known, and is modeled using a Markov random field. The network learns to extract the desired invariant feature by producing output patterns whose probability distribution is as close to the prior probability distribution as possible. In the author's simulations, an input image is an object surface corrupted by (1) noise, and (2) a distracting feature. As a result, the shapes of the objects can not be accurately represented by the input intensities. The network learns to recover the surface shape, which is the invariant feature that the author wishes to extract. Experimental results of the network learning are presented and analyzed. >
A Theory of International Terrorism: Understanding Islamic Militancy

Preface, Introduction, Part I Phenomenology of Terrorism, Chapter 1 Aggrieved Populations, Chapter 2 Supportive Entities, Chapter 3 Suppressive Entities, Part II Ontology of Terrorism, Chapter 4 Value Imperialism, Chapter 5 Phenomenology of Jihad, Chapter 6 The Essentialist Terrorist, Chapter 7 War on Terror, Part III Peaceful Solutions, Chapter 8 Negotiated Solutions, Chapter 9 Free State Solutions, Bibliography, Index.
An evaluation of CMAQ NO2 using observed chemistry‐meteorology correlations

We evaluate nitrogen dioxide (NO2) simulations from a widely used air quality model, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, using ground- and satellite-based observations. In addition to direct comparison of modeled and measured variables, we compare the response of NO2 to meteorological conditions and the ability of the model to capture these sensitivities over the continental U.S. during winter and summer periods of 2007. This is the first study to evaluate relationships between NO2 and meteorological variables using satellite data, the first to apply these relationships for model validation, and the first to characterize variability in sensitivities over a wide geographic and temporal scope. We find boundary layer height, wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity to be the most important variables in determining near-surface NO2 variability. Consistent with earlier studies on NO2-meteorology relationships, we find that, in general, NO2 responds negatively to planetary boundary height, negatively to wind speed, and negatively to insolation. Unlike previous studies, we find a slight positive association between precipitation and NO2, and we find a consistently positive average association between temperature and NO2. CMAQ agreed with relationships observed in ground-based data from the EPA Air Quality System and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument over most regions. However, we find that the southwest U.S. is a problem area for CMAQ, where modeled NO2 responses to insolation, boundary layer height, and other variables are at odds with the observations.
Effects of lithium wall-coatings on impurity ions in the lithium tokamak experiment (LTX)

By reducing neutral recycling and providing a low-Z plasma-facing surface, lithium wall coatings have led to major performance improvements in TFTR1, CDX-U2, and NSTX3. The effects of lithium coatings on plasma performance are being studied in the Lithium Tokamak Experiment (LTX), a modest size (R=0.4 m, a=0.26 m) spherical tokamak. In LTX, lithium coatings can be applied to close-fitting stainless steel surfaces surrounding ∼90% of the plasma. The surfaces can be heated to ∼300°C, allowing plasma operations with partly or fully liquid lithium surfaces.
Compliance Control: Managed Vulnerability Surface in Social-Technological Systems via Signaling Games

The agents of an organization, in fulfillment of their tasks, generate a cyber-physical-human trace, which is amenable to formal analysis with modal logic to verify safety and liveness properties. Trusted but non-trustworthy agents within an organization may attempt to conceal their true intentions, develop deceptive strategies, and exploit the organization--a scenario modeled here as a basic compliance signaling game. The challenge for the organization, only partially informed of its own true state, is in measuring and estimating its own safety and liveness properties as accurately as possible--the subject of this paper. To improve measurements, we suggest counter strategies where the organization presents honey objectives on a closely monitored attack surface to elicit exploitive actions and to estimate its own safety properties, an activity required for an adaptive response aiming to manage an organization's vulnerability and safety surfaces. We expand the basic game to a system of social-technological agents and tailor the encounter structure of evolutionary games to one that best fits a typical organization.Focusing on these double-sided signaling games (compliance and measure) within a system of social-technological agents, we outline a simple gradient ascent-based control mechanism and report on its ability to select and stabilize desirable equilibria despite the typical non-stationarity and chaos within evolutionary game systems. We clarify the design of our feedback-driven control system by using behavioral sensing, estimation and numerical optimization, and actuation with micro-incentives.
Linguistic Contact Zones in the College Writing Classroom: An Examination of Ethnolinguistic Identity and Language Attitudes

In this examination of Mexican-American bilingual college writers, it is argued that implicit language ideologies, common misconceptions about bidialectalism/bilingualism, and the classroom attitud...
CdS quantum dot materials by the sol-gel method

Colored-oxide glass filters containing CdS quantum dots were found to exhibit third-order optical nonlinearity in 1983. However, the dot sizes were somewhat large and the size distributions were wide. The sol-gel method proved to be a better alternative for CdS quantum dot materials. This paper describes the advantages of the sol-gel method, and how it has been exploited to prepare two types of CdS quantum dot materials. These are fully dense sodium borosilicate glasses and organically-modified silicates, Ormosils. Both materials give high values of third-order nonlinearity and excellent optical transparency.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The effect of trapped argon on the minimum temperature for impulse stimulated “explosive” crystallization of DC sputter-deposited amorphous germanium films

Abstract The effect of variations in the deposition conditions on the minimum temperature required for impulse stimulated “explosive” crystallization (ISC) of dc sputter-deposited amorphous germanium films is reported. The results indicate that the amount of argon trapped in the film has a significant effect on the conditions required for the propagation of ISC through the amorphous matrix. Increasing the argon content reduced the minimum temperature required for ISC propagation.
FIR filters with sigma-delta modulation encoding

Two methods are presented for building FIR (finite impulse response) digital filters where either the impulse response or the input signal is encoded using sigma-delta modulation. For each method, both single-loop and two-stage sigma-delta modulation are used for encoding. These systems are operated at a sampling rate higher than the Nyquist rate of the signal, and their performance depends on the oversampling ratio. Except in the decoding circuit, these filters require no multiplication and hence can be built using simple hardware. An analysis of the systems is provided and examples for filters realized using these approaches are given. >
The lie algebra and the lie group governing configuration interaction in the doubly excited states of helium-like atoms: Compact or noncompact?

The Lie algebra, and the group governing configuration interaction in many of these quasi-bound states are a compact form of D2, and the compact O(4), respectively. An isomorphic time-dependent algebra and group governs their ionization.
Fuzzy-Clustering Approach to Quantify Uncertainties of Freeway Detector Observations

Information is a key component of today's surface transportation systems. Yet the quality of information is often determined by the quality of raw data from which it is extracted. A plethora of data is currently being compiled in real time from hundreds of miles of freeway sections nationwide. A large proportion of the data is collected via inductive loop detectors and is vital to the successful implementation of transportation data warehouses and decision support systems. Little effort has been made to establish procedures that quantify the amount of uncertainties in the traffic observations and enhance data screening algorithms. This study presents an approach derived from a fuzzy-clustering concept to measure the level of uncertainties associated with dual loop detector observations. The developed algorithm does not rely on a specific mathematical model and avoids estimating the effective vehicle length because of the limitations explained here. Based on a divide-and-conquer approach, the algorithm clusters the input space of the three traffic parameters (speed, occupancy, and volume) into regions of highly concentrated observations. The level of uncertainty in each observation can then be measured with one parameter that is derived from the membership grade and a decaying function of the normalized Euclidean distance. The parameter can thus be used for data screening as well as detector maintenance and recalibration purposes. A data screening algorithm was developed to identify erroneous observations in four sequential stages. The results obtained from screening 50,000 observations indicate that most of the noise cluttering the input space was significantly reduced by setting the uncertainty measure to 0.9.
One-carbon metabolism and breast cancer: an epidemiological perspective

One-carbon metabolism is a network of biological reactions that plays critical role in DNA methylation and DNA synthesis, and in turn, facilitates the cross-talk between genetic and epigenetic processes. Genetic polymorphisms and supplies of cofactors (e.g. folate, vitamins B) involved in this pathway have been shown to influence cancer risk and even survival. In this review, we summarized the epidemiological evidence for one-carbon metabolism, from both genetics and lifestyle aspects, in relation to breast cancer risk. We also discussed this pathway in relation to breast cancer survival and the modulation of one-carbon polymorphism in chemotherapy. Emerging evidence on modulation of DNA methylation by one-carbon metabolism suggests that disruption of epigenome might have been the underlying mechanism. More results are expected and will be translated to guidance to the general population for disease prevention as well as to clinicians for treatment and management of the disease.
Lyapunov density for coupled systems

We prove a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of Lyapunov density for a system of coupled autonomous ordinary differential equations. In particular, we characterize the kinds of couplings that preserve almost everywhere uniform stability of the origin provided the isolated systems have an almost everywhere uniformly stable equilibrium point at the origin.
Studies On uro'gen III synthase with modified bilanes

Abstract Four new hydroxymethylbilane analogs have been prepared and their activities as substrates/inhibitors of Uroporphyrinogen III synthase investigated.
Emergency health services in Bulgaria.

Abstract The emergency care system in Bulgaria is evolving as a hybrid of the former “Soviet-style” health service and western-style emergency medicine. Bulgaria like other “Eastern bloc” Communist nations has undergone a sweeping socioeconomic transformation during the past 10 years. These changes have had profound consequences including the development of emergency services and the recognition of emergency medicine as a specialty in Bulgaria. (Am J Emerg Med 2002;20:122-125. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.)
Pressor Therapy in Critically III Patients

Summary Vasopressors are agents that increase systemic vascular resistance by increasing vasoconstriction. Therapy with intravenous vasopressors may be required in critically ill patients when efforts to optimize cardiac output and blood pressure with intravascular fluid therapy fail. Increasing systemic vascular resistance can promote a favorable perfusion pressure gradient to vital organs in critically ill patients with severe, unresponsive vasodilation. Improperly administered, vasopressors may impede cardiac output and reduce oxygen transport to vital tissue sites. The understanding of systemic and regional effects of vasopressors is currently evolving. Recent literature of the commonly used agents is reviewed. Individual drugs, drug combinations, and potential new therapies are discussed. (Vet. Emerg. & Crit. Care, 10:19–33, 2000)
Multiaxial and non-proportional loading responses, anisotropy and modeling of Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy over wide ranges of strain rates and temperatures

Abstract Results from a series of multiaxial loading experiments on the Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy are presented. Different loading conditions are applied in order to get the comprehensive response of the alloy. The strain rates are varied from the quasi-static to dynamic regimes and the corresponding material responses are obtained. The specimen is deformed to large strains in order to study the material behavior under finite deformation at various strain rates. Torsional Kolsky bar is used to achieve shear strain rates up to 1000 s −1 . Experiments are performed under non-proportional loading conditions as well as dynamic torsion followed by dynamic compression at various temperatures. The non-proportional loading experiments comprise of an initial uniaxial loading to a certain level of strain followed by biaxial loading, using a channel-type die at various rates of loadings. All the non-proportional experiments are carried out at room temperature. Experiments are also performed to investigate the anisotropic behavior of the alloy. An orthotropic yield criterion [proposed by Cazacu, O., Plunkett, B., Barlat, F., 2005. Orthotropic yield criterion for hexagonal closed packed metals. International Journal of Plasticity 22, 1171–1194.] for anisotropic hexagonal closed packed materials with strength differential is used to generate the yield surface. Based on the definition of the effective stress of this yield criterion, the observed material response for the different loading conditions under large deformation is modeled using the Khan–Huang–Liang (KHL) equation assuming isotropic hardening. The model constants used in the present study, were pre-determined from the extensive uniaxial experiments presented in the earlier paper [Khan, A.S., Suh, Y.S., Kazmi R., 2004. Quasi-static and dynamic loading responses and constitutive modeling of titanium alloys. International Journal of Plasticity 20, 2233–2248]. The model predictions are found to be extremely close to the observed material response.
Architectural Insights into a Ciliary Partition

Ciliary compartmentalization plays pivotal roles in ciliogenesis and in various signaling pathways. Here we describe a structure at the ciliary base that appears to have all the features required for compartmentalization and which we thus call the "ciliary partitioning system" (CPS). This complex consists of the terminal plate, which serves as a cytosolic "ciliary pore complex" (CPC), and a membrane region well suited to serve as a diffusion barrier. The CPC is a plate-shaped structure containing nine pores through which the microtubule doublets of the basal body pass. Each pore expands from the doublet B-tubule into an opening well suited for the passage of intraflagellar transport particles. The membrane diffusion barrier encompasses an extended region of detergent-resistant periciliary membrane (ciliary pocket) and a ring complex that connects the CPC to the membrane. Proteomics analysis shows involvement of the ciliary pocket in vesicle trafficking, suggesting that this region plays an active role in membrane transport. The CPC and the ring together form a complete partition defining the ciliary boundary.
Commercial Law - Single Shareholder Company

In 1966, when this topic was on the agenda of the VIIth Congress in Stockholm, the American reporter, the late Dean Miguel de Capriles, still could point to approximately 24 state statutes, at that time half the total, that retained a vestigial form of the maxim, "three is a collective." The comment to Section 2.01, the relevant provision of the Model Business Corporation Act, an unofficial document of the American Bar Association that is an influential source of state statutes, describes the evolution:
Mitigation of Single-and Multiple-Cycle-Duration SETs using Double-Mode-Redundancy (DMR) in Time

TMR-in-hardware is a traditional architectural solution to radiation hardening. Simple in concept, TMR-in-hardware incurs at least 3times power and area penalties over the unhardened singlet computation. In this paper we focus upon compute-intensive pipelined computations and present an efficient alternative - dual mode redundancy (DMR). DMR-in-time utilizes dual computation threads to detect an error. To correct an error DMR-in-time utilizes relatively small input and output queues for rolling back the computation to a known correct state. DMR-in-time incurs only a 2times decrease in throughput, requires no downtime for error correction, and has power requirements only marginally greater than the unhardened singlet computation
Effect of Fluctuations in the Superconducting Order Parameter on the Tunneling Density of States

Fluctuations in the superconducting order parameter above the transition temperature result in structure in the tunneling density of states. From the shape of this structure a value is derived for the decay rate of the fluctuations.
The planar workspace of the Merlin manipulator

The authors examine the process of planar workspace development for a manipulator with revolute joints. The method is based on the computation of the direct kinematic equations for the planar representation of the robot. This method is used to determine graphically the workspace of the industrial-type six-degree-of-freedom Merlin 6500 manipulator. The workspace for any manipulator with all revolute joints can be determined using this method. >
A theory of anharmonic lattice statics for analysis of defective crystals

This paper develops a theory of anharmonic lattice statics for the analysis of defective complex lattices. This theory differs from the classical treatments of defects in lattice statics in that it does not rely on harmonic and homogenous force constants. Instead, it starts with an interatomic potential, possibly with infinite range as appropriate for situations with electrostatics, and calculates the equilibrium states of defects. In particular, the present theory accounts for the differences in the force constants near defects and in the bulk. The present formulation reduces the analysis of defective crystals to the solution of a system of nonlinear difference equations with appropriate boundary conditions. A harmonic problem is obtained by linearizing the nonlinear equations, and a method for obtaining analytical solutions is described in situations where one can exploit symmetry. It is then extended to the anharmonic problem using modified Newton–Raphson iteration. The method is demonstrated for model problems motivated by domain walls in ferroelectric materials.
Hollow fiber optic waveguide gas sensor for simultaneous monitoring of multiple gas species

In this paper, we present the experimental results of a research investigation for a hollow waveguide based fiber optic sensing device for simultaneous multiple gas detection. Gas molecules that exhibit characteristic vibrational absorption lines in the near-IR region that correspond to the transmission window for silica optical fiber have been detected by this device. An experimental setup was constructed, a fiber optic sensing device was designed and demonstrated which can monitor multiple gases simultaneously. The experimental results clearly demonstrate the characteristic absorptions in the optical spectra corresponding to the narrow molecular absorption lines of the gases tested that included acetylene and carbon monoxide.
Comparative Eco-Toxicities of Nano-ZnO Particles under Aquatic and Aerosol Exposure Modes

The antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated under aquatic and aerosol exposure modes. ZnO NPs in aquatic media aggregated to micrometer-sized particles and did not interact with microorganisms effectively. Hence, the inhibition of microbial growth by nano-ZnO NPs (e.g., Mycobacterium smegmatis and Cyanothece 51142) in aquatic media was mainly attributable to dissolved zinc species. Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and Escherichia coli were able to produce large amounts of extracellular polymeric substances, and their growth was not inhibited by ZnO NPs in aquatic media, even at high concentrations (>40 mg/L). On the other hand, when ZnO NPs were electrosprayed onto an E. coli biofilm so that NPs could be directly deposited onto the cell surface, the aerosol exposure dramatically reduced cellular viability. For example, an electrospray of ZnO NPs (20 nm) reduced the total number of viable E.coli cells by 57% compared to the control case, in which we electrosprayed only the buffer solution. However, electrospraying large-sized ZnO particles (480 nm) or nonsoluble TiO(2) NPs (20 nm) caused much less lethality to E. coli cells. The above observation implies that the aerosol method of exposing ZnO NPs to biological systems appears to have a much higher antimicrobial activity, and thus may lead to practical applications of employing a novel antimicrobial agent for airborne disease control.
Skin hook cautery.

Skin hook cautery is a useful technique in these surgical cases with special hemostatic problems. I have employed and taught this technique for 14 years, but have never seen it mentioned in any surgical publication. Many other surgeons, no doubt, are already using this method, making the skin hook an even more useful instrument. It is not recommended for routine use because extra time and machine-setting are not warranted to achieve good hemostasis in most patients.
Collaborative publication by university librarians: an exploratory study

A survey of librarians at Penn State revealed a high degree of scholarly collaboration leading to multiple-authored journal articles. The intellectual element of collaboration is an important benefit of working with a co-author. There is evidence of a link between collaboration and the production of a higher quality publication.