cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrafast-Laser Stabilization with Application to Pulse Amplification by Use of Passive Optical Cavities

Stabilization and control of the femtosecond laser is becoming increasingly important as novel applications utilizing the femtosecond comb are developed that require greater levels of precision. Improved stability is beneficial for both” “frequency domain” applications, where the relative quadratic phase between comb components, or “chirp”, is unimportant (e.g. optical frequency metrology), as well as “time domain” applications where the pulse shape and/or duration is vital, such as in nonlinear optical interactions [1]. For both types of applications, minimizing jitter in the pulse train and noise in the carrier-envelope (CE) phase is often critical to achieve the desired level of precision. The stabilization of mode-locked femtosecond lasers has played a key role in recent advances in optical frequency measurement [2, 3], carrier-envelope phase stabilization [4,5], all-optical atomic clocks [6, 7] and coherent pulse synthesis [8]. Proper stabilization of ultrafast lasers can allow efficient coupling and temporary storage of ultrashort light pulses inside high finesse cavities [9]. This enables exciting possibilities for advancing external enhancement-cavity based techniques for short pulses, such as nonlinear frequency conversion [10], intracavity spectroscopy [11], and coherent pulse “amplification” [12,13] to name a few. A highly stable cavity may even itself serve as a frequency and phase reference for the pulse train [14]. This provides strong motivation to further improve tools for ultrafast laser control. Here we describe efforts in both active stabilization of ultrafast lasers and in storing these pulses in high finesse passive cavities. Results are given for pulse amplification when the single intracavity pulse is switched out with a Brag cell acting as a cavity dumper.
SEMI-QUANTUM CHAOS

We consider a system in which a classical oscillator is interacting with a purely quantum mechanical oscillator, described by the Lagrangian L = 1 u x 2 + 1 u A 2 − 1 (m 2 + e 2 A 2 )x 2 , where A is a classical variable and x is a quantum operator. With h x(t)i = 0, the relevant variable for the quantum oscillator is h x(t)x(t)i = G(t). The classical Hamiltonian dynamics governing the variables A(t), �A(t), G(t)
Meteorological controls on the diurnal variability of carbon monoxide mixing ratio at a mountaintop monitoring site in the Appalachian Mountains

The variability of trace gases such as carbon monoxide (CO) at surface monitoring stations is affected by meteorological forcings that are particularly complicated over mountainous terrain. A detailed understanding of the impact of meteorological forcings on trace gas variability is challenging, but is vital to distinguish trace gas measurements affected by local pollutant sources from measurements representative of background mixing ratios. In the present study, we investigate the meteorological and CO characteristics at Pinnacles (38.61 N, 78.35 W, 1017 m above mean sea level), a mountaintop monitoring site in northwestern Virginia, USA, in the Appalachian Mountains, from 2009 to 2012, and focus on understanding the dominant meteorological forcings affecting the CO variability on diurnal timescales. The annual mean diurnal CO cycle shows a minimum in the morning between 0700 and 0900 LST and a maximum in the late afternoon between 1600 and 2000 LST, with a mean (median) daily CO amplitude of 39.2±23.7 ppb (33.2 ppb). CO amplitudes show large day-to-day variability. The largest CO amplitudes, in which CO mixing ratios can change >100 ppb in <3 h, occur in the presence of synoptic disturbances. Under fair weather conditions, local- to regional-scale transport processes are found to be more important drivers of the diurnal CO variability. On fair weather days with northwesterly winds, boundary layer dilution causes a daytime CO decrease, resembling the variability observed atop tall towers in flat terrain. Fair weather days with a wind shift from the northwest to the south are characterised by an afternoon CO increase and resemble the variability observed at mountaintops influenced by the vertical transport of polluted air from adjacent valleys. Keywords: mountaintop monitoring, carbon monoxide, air quality, planetary boundary layer, vertical mixing, horizontal wind shift (Published: 8 May 2015) http://www.tellusb.net/index.php/tellusb/article/view/25659
Galactic-Scale Civilization

There is a remarkably consistent pattern of evolution in the Universe, in which physical evolution leads to chemical evolution, followed by biological evolution, social evolution, and cultural evolution. In this process, matter becomes organized in increasingly complex ways, and more able to make use of free energy in the environment. In view of this evolution of dissipative structures, of which cells, humans, and mankind are examples, it seems unlikely that technological civilization is an aberration in the Universe, but rather an inevitable step in the process. Whether mankind is the first occurrence of this evolutionary stage is not known, but the assertion that this is so is unjustified. The subsequent level of organization is or will be a galactic civilization.
El ciudadano. La producción de una verdad pública.

RESUMEN En este articulo se pretende esbozar un nuevo perfil de los ciudadanos, teniendo en cuenta los diferentes modos de organizacion de los hombres en la sociedad, de sus acciones y politicas de proyecciones. Tiene en cuenta tambien la cuestion de la libertad, comunmente, esta vinculada a las transformaciones sociales que cubierta la ciudad y de otros entornos, asi como la variedad de condiciones en las que vive la poblacion. Por lo tanto, las historias de las ciudades y de los paises esta en plena armonia con el dificil proceso de produccion de los ciudadanos. Palabras clave: ciudadano, los modos de organizacion social, la libertad. RESUMO Esse artigo tem como objetivo tracar um novo perfil do cidadao, levando em conta os diferentes modos de organizacao dos homens em sociedade, suas acoes e projecoes politicas. Leva-se em conta, tambem, a questao da liberdade que, comumente, e ligada as transformacoes sociais que abrangem tanto a cidade quanto outros ambientes, assim como a variedade de condicoes em que a populacao vive. Portanto, as historias das cidades e dos paises encontra-se em plena sintonia com o dificil processo de produzir cidadaos. Palavras-chave: cidadao; modos de organizacao social; liberdade;.
Parental Family Income and the Socioeconomic Attainment of Children

Abstract Like others before us using different data, we find significant effects of parental family income on the completed schooling and wage rates of adult children using intergenerational data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. We explore various hypotheses regarding these effects, finding substantial support for the economic hypothesis that income, regardless of its source, is invested by parents in their children; mixed support for the hypothesis that fathers serve as role models for their sons; and no support for the welfare dependency hypothesis. Rather than serving as positive role models, working mothers appear to have significantly less successful sons.
Avoidance may be bad for the heart: a comparison of dyadic initiator tendency in cardiac rehabilitation patients and matched controls.

The psychophysiologic model of marital distress proposes that demand/withdraw dyadic communication activates cardiovascular reactivity in the withdrawing partner, which eventually leads to cardiac illness. Thirty-one patients (23 men and 8 women) in a cardiac rehabilitation program were matched to community controls. Participants completed the Initiator Style Questionnaire, a measure of a person's tendency to initiate relationship problem discussions. As hypothesized, cardiac rehabilitation patients (M = 42.53, 95% CI 37.6–47.5) reported being less likely to initiate relationship problem discussions than did community controls (M = 60.79, 95% CI 54.7–66.8). Consistent with the model, cardiac patients rated themselves as less initiating (M = 39.12, 95% CI 32.96–45.28) than they rated their partners (M = 45.94, 95% CI 38.98–52.90); in contrast, matched controls rated themselves as more initiating (M = 63.04, 95% CI 57.36–68.70) than they rated their partners (M = 58.54, 95% CI 42.98–67.78). Further analysis...
Conservation tillage in dryland agriculture impacts watershed hydrology

Summary Dryland (non-irrigated) crop production in semi-arid regions requires sufficient water storage in the soil profile to ensure adequate plant available water, particularly in areas where the majority of annual precipitation occurs during the non-growing season. Producers can increase soil water storage through the adoption of best management practices (BMPs) for tillage and crop residue management. The objective of this study was to assess our hypothesis that watershed-wide adoption of no-till (NT) farming would decrease winter water losses and increase early growing season plant available water as compared with conventional tillage (CT) methods. We analyzed water storage potential under assumed full-scale adoption of NT and CT cropping practices in the Palouse region of eastern Washington State by applying the Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM) with modifications to represent the physical changes to infiltration, evaporation, and runoff that result from tillage management. DHSVM yielded a Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency (NSE) for streamflow of 0.69 for the watershed-scale simulations over the Palouse River basin, which falls within the NSE ranges reported for DHSVM (0.57–0.91). Surface temperature predictions resulted in an NSE of 0.60, and the model was able to predict the soil state (frozen or unfrozen) 81% of the time. Simulated soil moisture was approximately 50% greater under widespread adoption of CT versus NT management during the majority of the winter months. Predicted volumetric soil moisture content for April 1, 2005 was 29% and 34% under CT and NT management, respectively. This difference in winter and spring soil moisture was caused primarily by decreased evaporation under NT, with minimal effects resulting from changes in infiltration. Two simple crop yield estimation methods indicated that increased spring soil moisture under NT management may result in a 21–26% wheat yield increase. We concluded that NT has the potential to increase soil water storage of winter precipitation in the root-zone, which may lead to higher wheat yields in the Palouse region. Furthermore, DHSVM was found to be suitable for investigating some watershed-scale agricultural management opportunities and has the potential to address additional questions pertaining to sustainable farming.
Bone-marrow-derived cells and cancer--an opportunity for improved therapy.

Therapy that effectively shrinks tumor bulk is often unable to completely eliminate disease. One theory is that chemotherapeutic agents target rapidly growing cells, but can leave a pool of slowly proliferating, quiescent cells (stem cells) unharmed. These cells can then divide and reestablish the tumor once therapy ceases. This Viewpoint presents evidence that gastric cancer stem cells could originate from bone marrow.
Using a high-powered strobe light to increase the catch of Antarctic krill

Adult euphausiids are difficult to capture with the nets typically used by oceanographers due in part to avoidance of the net. A cruise of the Southern Ocean GLOBEC program (NBP0103) in April/May 2001 permitted an evaluation of the efficacy of a high-powered strobe light (150 W) mounted on a 1-m2 multiple opening/closing net and environmental sampling system (MOCNESS) in reducing net avoidance. Three horizontal tows were made in Laubeuf Fjord, Marguerite Bay (western Antarctic Peninsula, 67.89°S; 68.30 W) on 28–29 May in an area that had a high abundance of adult krill (mostly Euphausia superba, Dana and a few E. crystallorophias, Holt and Tattersall). Each tow consisted of a series of paired down and up casts through a set depth interval (e.g. 50–90 m), with each successive net (335 µm mesh) sampling both a down and up cast. The strobe light was either “on” or “off” while each net was open, and when on, the light flashed at 4-s intervals. During a tow, four of the eight nets sampled with the strobe flashing and four sampled with the strobe off, in a random sequence. Total zooplankton displacement volume was significantly higher (P<0.05), on average by a factor of ~1.5, when the strobe light was on. The increased biovolume was due to the enhanced catch (factor of ~2) of adult krill (15–60 mm length). There was no enhanced catch of smaller krill (5–15 mm length: a mixture of E. superba, E. crystallorophias, and Thysanoessa macrura, GO Sars). In addition, the average length of the large krill fraction was not changed substantially with the strobe light on. These results suggest that krill avoidance of nets can be overcome by intense strobe lighting.
Bioactive neolignans from the leaves of Magnolia virginiana

Abstract A novel biphenyl ether, 4,4′-diallyl-2,3′-dihydroxybiphenyl ether, 3,5′-diallyl-2′-hydroxy-4-methoxy-biphenyl and 5,5′-diallyl-2,2′-dihydroxybiphenyl (magnolol) were isolated from the leaves of Magnolia virginiana and characterized by spectral and chemical means. All three compounds and their methoxy analogues were very toxic to brine shrimp and mosquito larvae and showed strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activities.
Structural characterization of CD6: Properties of two distinct epitopes involved in T cell activation

Abstract Studies from our laboratory have shown that anti-T12, a mAb which recognizes CD6, is a macrophage-dependent mitogen for human T cells and can augment T cell autoreactivity in vitro. To obtain additional information regarding the potential biological role of CD6 we sought to further characterize its biochemical properties. The CD6 molecule on 125I-surface-labeled T cells and by Western blot analysis was a monomer of mol. wt 130,000 under reducing conditions and mol. wt 117,000 under non-reducing conditions, suggesting the presence of intrachain disulfide bonds. The polypeptide contains a protease sensitive site. In activated T cells, the protein was serine phosphorylated. Analysis of biosynthetically labeled CD6 in the presence of tunicamycin revealed a reduction in mol. wt from 130,000 to 100,000, indicating that the polypeptide is extensively N-glycosylated. The mAb, anti-2H1, had been shown to activate T cells in combination with PMA or the anti-T113 mAb but, unlike anti-T12, not in the presence of macrophages alone. The present studies demonstrate by sequential immunoprecipitation that these two mAbs recognize the same polypeptide. However, Western blot analysis and indirect immunofluorescence cross-blocking studies demonstrate that the two mAbs recognize different determinants on CD6. Anti-T12 recognizes an epitope that is present only under non-reducing/non-denaturing conditions, while anti-2Hl recognizes an epitope that is also preserved under reducing/denaturing conditions. A direct comparison of activation properties of the mAbs confirmed that anti-T12 was optimally mitogenic in the presence of macrophages but not PMA, while, conversely, anti-2Hl was optimally mitogenic in combination with PMA but not macrophages, suggesting that the differences in epitope specificity may account for the distinct activation properties of each mAb. Taken together, the structural and functional data strongly suggest that the CD6 membrane glycoprotein may function as a physiologically important receptor structure on human T lymphocytes.
Characteristics of the delta inverter with vector pulse width modulation

Operating characteristics of a three-phase, voltage-controlled delta inverter with vector pulse width modulation are described. In certain applications, the delta inverter, which is based on three semiconductor power switches and three freewheeling diodes only, may represent an attractive alternative to the traditional bridge configuration. However, in general, the performance of the delta inverter is inferior to that of the bridge inverter. Therefore, the employed control strategy should make the best of the limited capabilities of the inverter. The popular vector pulse width modulation strategy for bridge inverters has been adapted to the delta inverter with positive results. Analysis, simulations and laboratory experiments are presented.
Doubly charged cluster ions [(NaCl)m(Na)2]2+: magic numbers, dissociation, and structure

Doubly charged sodium chloride cluster ions [(NaCl)m(Na)2]2+ with m = 11–62, were produced by electrospray ionization and examined by tandem mass spectrometry in a quadrupole ion trap. Variations in the ion intensity with cluster size indicate the existence of magic numbers at m = 11, 12, 17, 20, 21, 26, 30, 34, 36, 44, 54, and 61. The magic number clusters were studied by collision-induced dissociation (CID). The largest clusters (m > 35) fragment mainly by neutral losses. Cluster ions containing 19–35 NaCl molecules are prone to fission with charge separation to form a singly charged magic number cluster ion (a regular crystallite comprised of a × b × c ions, where a, b, and c are small odd integers) along with other lower abundance singly charged clusters. Small doubly charged clusters (m < 19) could not be isolated for study by tandem mass spectrometry unless an unusually large isolation window (10–30 mass/charge units) was used. Structures of three types are proposed to account for the dissociation behavior of the magic number clusters: (1) combination blocks, where a block is a singly charged magic number cluster a × b × c, including the special case of a perfect sheet (a × b × 1), (2) merged blocks, and (3) regular crystallites with single-point defects (a × b × c − 1, where a, b, and c are small odd integers). Electrospray ionization (ESI) proves to be a good way to generate salt clusters in the gas phase and ion trap tandem mass spectrometry is well suited to their characterization.
Ranking and Selection of IFR Populations Based on Means

Abstract Consider k(k ≥ 2) increasing failure rate (IFR) populations which differ only in their scale parameters. A multiple decision approach is taken to the problem of ranking and selection of these populations with respect to the means. The procedures are based on the wellknown statistic of Epstein and Sobel [4]. It is shown that the probability of correction selection using these procedures is greater than or equal to the corresponding probability of correct selection for exponential populations. Hence, exact but somewhat conservative solutions are obtained.
Etiquette for engineers: Tips for getting a great letter of recommendation

As you approach your final year of under . graduate studies and start the process of applying to graduate schools, you "will realize that you need at least three letters of recommen dation to complete your application. Admissions committees take these letters very seriously, but there is a reasonable chance that you will not think about them until the application comes up. This article describes the ins and outs of how to get letters that will improve your chances of gaining admission to a great graduate
Online Sparsifying Transform Learning—Part II: Convergence Analysis

Sparsity-based techniques have been widely popular in signal processing applications such as compression, denoising, and compressed sensing. Recently, the learning of sparsifying transforms for data has received interest. The advantage of the transform model is that it enables cheap and exact computations. In Part I of this work, efficient methods for online learning of square sparsifying transforms were introduced and investigated (by numerical experiments). The online schemes process signals sequentially, and can be especially useful when dealing with big data, and for real-time, or limited latency signal processing applications. In this paper, we prove that although the associated optimization problems are non-convex, the online transform learning algorithms are guaranteed to converge to the set of stationary points of the learning problem. The guarantee relies on a few simple assumptions. In practice, the algorithms work well, as demonstrated by examples of applications to representing and denoising signals.
Barrett's Esophagus Surveillance: When, How Often, Does It Work?

Barrett's esophagus is a well-known risk factor for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Current practice guidelines recommend endoscopic surveillance of patients with Barrett's esophagus in an attempt to detect cancer at an early and potentially curable stage. This review addresses the rationale behind surveillance and criteria for inclusion of patients in surveillance programs as well as the appropriate technique and intervals that should be used. This work addresses other key topics in Barrett's esophagus surveillance, including the efficacy of surveillance programs, physician compliance with surveillance guidelines, cost-effectiveness of surveillance programs, and areas for future research.
The Value of an Employment-Based Green Card

The need for and role of highly skilled immigrant workers in the U.S. economy is fiercely debated. Proponents and opponents agree that temporary foreign workers are paid a lower wage than are natives. This lower wage partly originates from the restricted mobility of workers while on a temporary visa. In this article, we estimate the wage gain to employment-based immigrants from acquiring permanent U.S. residency. We use data from the New Immigrant Survey (2003) and implement a difference-in-difference propensity score matching estimator. We find that for employer-sponsored immigrants, the acquisition of a green card leads to an annual wage gain of about $11,860.
Factor Intensities and Locational Linkages of Rural Consumption Patterns in Sierra Leone

An understanding of consumer behavior is important for the analysis of the effects of changes in income distribution on the development process. Factor intensities and locational linkages of consumption patterns at different income levels are estimated for rural households in Sierra Leone. Results lend support to the hypothesis that low income households consume goods and services requiring less capital and foreign exchange and more labor than do higher income households. At all income levels households allocate more than 75% of consumption expenditures to goods produced in rural areas. Rural consumption linkages with urban sectors, then, are not well developed.
Nonocclusive bowel necrosis occurring in critically ill trauma patients receiving enteral nutrition manifests no reliable clinical signs for early detection.

Abstract Background: Nonocclusive bowel necrosis (NOBN) has been associated with early enteral nutrition (EN). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of this complication in our trauma intensive care unit population and to define a typical patient profile vulnerable to NOBN. Methods: Thirteen cases of NOBN were identified among 4,311 patients (0.3%) over a 64-month period ending October 1998. Their charts were analyzed for a variety of clinical data, including prospective EN tolerance data in 4. Results: Twelve (92%) patients were enterally fed prior to diagnosis for 10 ± 8 days (range 3 to 21). Tachycardia (n = 12, 92%); fever/hypothermia, (n = 12, 92%), and an abnormal white blood cell count (n = 11, 85%) were consistently present. Abdominal distention was common but tended to be a late sign (n = 12). Seven (56%) survived. In 4 patients with tolerance data, 3 reached the goal rate of feeds prior to diagnosis. Two became distended at >12 hours from diagnosis. Gastric tonometry demonstrated a decreased NgpHi ( Conclusions: NOBN developed in 0.3% of our trauma patients. Onset occurs in the second week in high-acuity patients who have had a period of EN tolerance. Clinical findings resemble bacterial sepsis with tachycardia, fever, and leukocytosis. Gastrointestinal specific signs are not consistent or occur late. Thus, we could not identify an early, useful clinical indicator. Gastric carbon dioxide tonometry may detect a vulnerable subgroup of patients.
ELASTIC SCATTERING OF NITROGEN BY NITROGEN

The differential cross section for the elastic scattering of nitrogen from nitrogen was measured for incident nitrogen laboratory energies of 15.0, 17.7, 19.2, and 21.7 Mev and laboratory angles from 15\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 55\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The scattering occurred in nitrogen gas and the particles were detected with a nuclear emulsion placed in a one-slit camera. At 15 Mev, the scattering is entirely due to the Coulomb potential. The interference term in the Mott scattering cross section of two identical particles can be seen as a rise in the cross section near 45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, illustrating the fact that nitrogen is a Bose-Einstein particle. The angular resolution is not sufficient to enable the precise measurement of the spin. At the higher energies the cross section drops below the Mott cross section at angles greater than 30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, due to the nuclear absorption of the particles as the apsidal distance approaches the sum of the two nuclear radii. At an energy of 21.7 Mev and an angle of 45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, the cross section is $\frac{1}{5}$ of the Mott cross section. A calculation which uses the strong absorption model of Blair, fits the differential cross section at 21.7 Mev quite well. In order to fit the data, the contributions from values of $l$ up to 6 must be subtracted from the Coulomb cross section; this indicates that the nuclear radius of nitrogen is 4.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. From this calculation the total nuclear absorption cross section for 21.7-Mev nitrogen on nitrogen is inferred to be 3.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}25}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$.
Developmental effects of a municipal wastewater effluent on two generations of the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas.

Abstract Municipal wastewater effluents have been shown to contain a variety of anthropogenic compounds, many of which are known to display estrogenic properties. While multiple laboratory studies have shown the effects of such compounds on an individual basis at elevated concentrations, little research has attempted to characterize the effects of exposure to environmentally relevant mixtures of estrogenic compounds. The current study examined the effects of long-term exposure to graded concentrations (0, 50, 100%) of wastewater effluent on the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas . The F1 generation was cultured in control water to test for transgenerational effects from parental exposure to wastewater effluent. Total estrogenic activity in the wastewater was determined to be approximately 1.7 ng/L 17β-estradiol equivalents. Survival, growth, and reproduction in the parent generation were not affected by exposure to the wastewater treatments. An increase in the gonadosomatic index and a reduction in the expression of secondary sex characteristics in male fathead minnows exposed to 100% wastewater in the parent generation were observed. Conversely, the expression of secondary sex characteristics was greater in males from the F1 generation of wastewater-exposed parents. Additionally, a positive relationship between parental exposure to wastewater and the onset of reproductive activity in the F1 generation was observed. Results of this study suggest that exposure to wastewater effluent did not pose a significant threat to the successful growth, development, and reproduction of the fathead minnow. Early onset of reproductive activity observed in the F1 generation of wastewater-exposed parents in subsequent generations should be studied further.
The Global Financial Crisis and the Efficient Market Hypothesis: What Have We Learned?

The sharp economic downturn and turmoil in the financial markets, commonly referred to as the “global financial crisis,” has spawned an impressive outpouring of blame. The efficient market hypothesis (EMH)—the idea that competitive financial markets exploit all available information when setting security prices—has been singled out for particular attention. Like all successful theories, the EMH has major limitations, even as it continues to provide the foundation for not only past accomplishment, but future advances in the field of finance. Despite the theory's undoubted limitations, the claim that it is responsible for the current worldwide crisis seems wildly exaggerated. This essay shows the misreading of the theory and logical inconsistencies involved in popular arguments that EMH played a significant role in (1) the formation of the real estate and stock market bubbles, (2) investment practitioners' miscalculation of risks, and (3) the failure of regulators to recognize the bubbles and avert the crisis. At the same time, the author argues that the collapse of Lehman Brothers and other large financial institutions, far from resulting from excessive faith in efficient markets, reflects a failure to heed the lessons of efficient markets. In the author's words, “To me, Lehman's demise conclusively demonstrates that, in a competitive capital market, if you take massive risky positions financed with extraordinary leverage, you are bound to lose big one day—no matter how large and venerable you are.” Finally, behavioral finance, widely considered as challenging and even supplanting efficient markets theory, is viewed in this article as complementing if not reinforcing efficient markets theory. As the author says, “it takes a theory to beat a theory.” Behavioralism, for all its important contributions to finance literature, is described as not a theory but rather “a collection of ideas and results”— one that depends for its existence on the theory of efficient markets.
Vacuum-ultraviolet photoionization studies of the microhydration of DNA bases (guanine, cytosine, adenine, and thymine).

In this work, we report on a photoionization study of the microhydration of the four DNA bases. Gas-phase clusters of water with DNA bases [guanine (G), cytosine (C), adenine (A), and thymine (T)] are generated via thermal vaporization of the bases and expansion of the resultant vapor in a continuous supersonic jet expansion of water seeded in Ar. The resulting clusters are investigated by single-photon ionization with tunable vacuum-ultraviolet synchrotron radiation and mass analyzed using reflectron mass spectrometry. Photoionization efficiency (PIE) curves are recorded for the DNA bases and the following water (W) clusters: G, GWn (n = 1−3); C, CWn (n = 1−3); A, AWn (n = 1,2); and T, TWn (n = 1−3). Appearance energies (AE) are derived from the onset of these PIE curves (all energies in eV): G (8.1 ± 0.1), GW (8.0 ± 0.1), GW2 (8.0 ± 0.1), and GW3 (8.0); C (8.65 ± 0.05), CW (8.45 ± 0.05), CW2 (8.4 ± 0.1), and CW3 (8.3 ± 0.1); A (8.30 ± 0.05), AW (8.20 ± 0.05), and AW2 (8.1 ± 0.1); T (8.90 ± 0.05); and ...
Structure and Properties of Natural Cellulose Fibers Obtained from Sorghum Leaves and Stems

For the first time, sorghum leaves and stems have been used to produce natural cellulose fibers with properties suitable for composite, textile, and other high-value fibrous applications. The leaf and stems fibers produced are multicellular and have similar cellulose contents. The breaking tenacity and elongation of the fibers are similar to that of natural cellulose fibers such as kenaf and cornstalk fibers. However, the sorghum fibers have a modulus of about 113 g/denier (15 GPa) similar to the modulus of cornstalk fibers but higher than that of cotton and cornhusk fibers. At least 7 million tons of natural cellulose fibers can be produced by using the sorghum stems and leaves available as byproducts every year. Using the sorghum byproducts as a source for cellulose fibers will help to add value to the sorghum crops and also make the fiber industry more sustainable.
Building the future biotechnology workforce: A University of Houston model

The field of biotechnology has become more quantitative and interdisciplinary as research in biotechnology continues to grow at a tremendous rate with broader and complex applications in medicine, agriculture, the environment and nanobiotechnology. The tremendous research in recombinant DNA technology has profoundly transformed the way biologists design, perform and analyze experiments. As biological concepts and models become more quantitative, biological research will be increasingly dependent on concepts and methods drawn from other scientific disciplines. Therefore, in order to prepare our undergraduate life science students to be future research scientists, we need to transform undergraduate education. This will require life science majors to develop and reinforce connections between biology and other scientific disciplines so that interdisciplinary thinking and work becomes second nature. With the integration of new technologies in biological research, biology will continue to become more interdisciplinary and will present a challenge for higher institutions that are training future biologists. This paper describes the development of a new undergraduate interdisciplinary research-based biotechnology degree programme offered by University of Houston College of Technology that addresses issues and challenges in biotechnology education.
Transduction of TAT Fusion Proteins into the Human and Bovine Trabecular Meshwork

Normal human TM cell cultures, human tissues inorgan cultures, and bovine eyes in perfusion organ cultureswere incubated or perfused for various lengths of time withTAT- and hemagglutinin (HA)-tagged fusion proteins, TAT-HA- -galactosidase (TAT-HA- -gal), TAT-HA-myocilin, and TAT-HA-myocilin-EGFP. Transduction of TAT-HA- -gal was detected byX-gal staining. Transduction of myocilin or myocilin-EGFP wasevaluated by immunostaining or ﬂuorescence. -Gal and EGFPproteins were used as the negative control.
On Risk and Rationality

It is widely held that the influence of risk on rational decisions is not entirely explained by the shape of an agent’s utility curve. Buchak (Erkenntnis, 2013, Risk and rationality, Oxford University Press, Oxford, in press) presents an axiomatic decision theory, risk-weighted expected utility theory (REU), in which decision weights are the agent’s subjective probabilities modified by his risk-function r. REU is briefly described, and the global applicability of r is discussed. Rabin’s (Econometrica 68:1281–1292, 2000) calibration theorem strongly suggests that plausible levels of risk aversion cannot be fully explained by concave utility functions; this provides motivation for REU and other theories. But applied to the synchronic preferences of an individual agent, Rabin’s result is not as problematic as it may first appear. Theories that treat outcomes as gains and losses (e.g. prospect theory and cumulative prospect theory) account for risk sensitivity in a way not available to REU. Reference points that mark the difference between gains and losses are subject to framing, many instances of which cannot be regarded as rational. However, rational decision theory may recognize the difference between gains and losses, without endorsing all ways of fixing the point of reference. In any event, REU is a very interesting theory.
The Gap in Current Disparities Research A Lesson From the Community

Once again this year, along with ≥300 outcomes and health services researchers, I attended the American Heart Association’s Quality of Care and Outcomes Research conference during the first week of June in Baltimore. I started coming to this unique conference nearly a decade ago. With some of the world’s leading authorities on quality and appropriateness of care, healthcare disparities, and research methods, this conference has been a critical venue for my academic and personal development because its intimate size has facilitated the development of several mentorship relationships for me. Starting in 2012, some of us have stayed on after the conclusion of the conference to do community service for an afternoon in the host city before returning to our home towns. We typically work in a food bank or serve a meal at a shelter, and this experience has been one of my favorite parts of the conference, as a core group of us have gotten to know one another better outside of the traditional academic environment. This year, we deliberately planned a more thought-provoking experience by spending time talking with the founders of the organizations we visited. A diverse group of 14 of us, ranging from an editor-in chief of a Circulation journal, a Dean of Nursing, various academic faculty, and 3 trainees devoted 4 hours at 2 local community organizations. As a group, we had collectively published ≥1000 articles, with several of them focused on socioeconomic and racial disparities in care. We began at the Bea Gaddy Center in East Baltimore, on the periphery of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Bea Gaddy was an iconic figure in her day, rallying diverse resources to feed and clothe the hungry. Called the Mother Teresa of Baltimore by the local Baltimore Sun newspaper, her center still feeds a mind-numbing 50 000 people …
40Ar/39Ar dating of the Bandelier Tuff and San Diego Canyon ignimbrites, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico: Temporal constraints on magmatic evolution

Abstract The Jemez Mountains volcanic field (JMVF), located in north-central New Mexico, has been a site of basaltic to rhyolitic volcanism since the mid-Miocene with major caldera forming eruptions occurring in the Pleistocene. Eruption of the upper Bandelier Tuff (UBT) is associated with collapse of the Valles Caldera, whereas eruption of the lower Bandelier Tuff (LBT) resulted in formation of the Toledo Caldera. These events were previously dated by K-Ar at 1.12 ± 0.03 Ma and 1.45 ± 0.06 Ma, respectively. Pre-Bandelier explosive eruptions produced the San Diego Canyon (SDC) ignimbrites. SDC ignimbrite “B” has been dated at 2.84 ± 0.07 Ma, whereas SDC ignimbrite “A”, which underlies “B”, has been dated at 3.64 ± 1.64 Ma. Both of these dates are based on single K-Ar analyses. 40Ar/39Ar dating of single sanidine crystals from these units indicates revision of the previously reported dates. Isochron analysis of 26 crystals from the UBT gives a common trapped 40Ar/36Ar component of 304.5, indicating the presence of excess 40Ar in this unit, and defines an age of 1.14 ± 0.02 Ma. Isochron analysis of 26 crystals from the LBT indicates an atmospheric trapped component and an age of 1.51 ± 0.03 Ma. An age of 1.78 ± 0.04 Ma, based on the weighted mean of 5 individual analyses, is indicated for SDC ignimbrite “B”, whereas 3 analyses from SDC ignimbrite “A” give a weighted mean age of 1.78 ± 0.07 Ma. Evidence for xenocrystic contamination in the SDC ignimbrites comes from analyses of a correlative air-fall pumice unit in the Puye Formation alluvial fan giving ages of 1.75 ± 0.08 and 3.50 ± 0.09 Ma. The presence of xenocrysts in bulk separates used for the original K-Ar analyses could account for the significantly older ages reported. Geochemical data indicate that SDC ignimbrites are early eruptions from the magma chamber which evolved to produce the LBT, as compositions of SDC ignimbrite “B” are virtually identical to least evolved LBT samples. Differentiation during the 270-ka interval between eruption of SDC ignimbrite “B” and the LBT produced an array of high-silica rhyolite compositions which were erupted to form the LBT. Mixed pumices associated with eruption of the LBT indicated an influx of more mafic magma into the system which produced shifts in some incompatible trace-element ratios. Lavas and tephras of the Cerro Toledo Rhyolite record the geochemical evolution of the Bandelier magma system during the 370-ka interval between eruption of the LBT and the UBT. The combined geochronologic and geochemical data place the establishment and evolution of the Bandelier silicic magma system within a precise temporal framework, beginning with eruption of the SDC ignimbrites at 1.78 Ma, and define a periodicity of 270–370 ka to ash-flow eruptions in the JMVF. These intervals are comparable to those in other multicyclic caldera complexes and are a measure of the timescales over which substantial fractionation of large silicic magma bodies occur.
Laser instabilities and the influence of the nonlinear semiconductor gain medium

A comprehensive microscopic theory is reviewed which allows us to compute gain and refractive index properties of semiconductor heterostructures with varying degrees of strain and quantum confinement. The theory is applied to a model unstable resonator semiconductor laser. It is shown that the specific properties of the gain medium strongly influence the lateral mode stability.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Cyber-Physical Marketplace: A Framework for Large-Scale Horizontal Integration in Distributed Cyber-Physical Systems

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) represent the technical foundation to solve some of the most important societal and environmental problems. Traditionally, CPS have been considered tightly integrated solutions that are aimed at specific application domains. More recently, a broader view of distributed cyber-physical systems (DCPS) has emerged, where interacting components are more loosely coupled and real-time constraints and safety concerns are less dominating. To develop a common infrastructure for a large-scale DCPS, it is critical to develop a framework that allows for horizontal integration of CPS components. In this paper, we discuss the vision, requirements, and design of such a framework. We present several specific technical challenges that need to be addressed in this context as well as potential solution approaches. We also provide examples to illustrate how our framework can lead to innovative new uses that can have meaningful impact on practical problems.
Femoral artery ligation stimulates capillary growth and limits training-induced increases in oxidative capacity in rats.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the interaction of arterial insufficiency and exercise training on soleus and plantaris muscle capillarity and oxidative capacity in adult rats.Methods: Arterial insufficiency was created by ligation (LIG) of the right femoral artery, and exercise training (TR) was performed on a rodent treadmill. The left hindlimb served as a normally (NORM) perfused control. Capillary:fiber ratio, number of capillary contacts per fiber, and citrate synthase activity (CS) were evaluated in the plantaris (Plant) and soleus (Sol) muscles.Results: In sedentary rats, CS was similar between LIG and NORM (Plant: 24.4 vs. 24.3 μmol · min−1 · g−1; Sol: 16.6 vs. 16.9 μmol · min−1 · g−1), but capillaries per fiber and capillary contacts per fiber were significantly elevated in the plantaris muscle of LIG (2.46 vs. 2.10 caps/fiber, 5.78 vs. 5.03 capillary contacts). CS was elevated in both limbs of TR but was lower in LIG than in NORM (Plant: 28.5 vs. 32.4 μmol · min−1; · g−1; Sol:...
Two sides of the same coin: Establishing controls for SALW and major conventional weapons

Since the end of the Cold War there has been a growing tendency within the arms control community to treat major conventional weapons and small arms and light weapons as separate fields of action. This essay challenges the utility of this differentiation and argues instead that effective arms control requires that the full range of conventional weapons be addressed when policy proposals are formulated.
Does posterior sagittal anorectoplasty in patients with high imperforate anus provide superior fecal continence

Abstract The posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) has become the primary surgical procedure for patients with high imperforate anus. Very few careful long-term follow-up studies have established the superiority of the PSARP procedure over other surgical repair techniques. The authors' goal was to evaluate the operation and to identify the factors associated with improved continence. The medical records, operative reports, and radiographs of 53 patients (46 male, 7 female) who underwent PSARP for high imperforate anus at Children's Hospital and Medical Center (CHMC) between 1982 and 1990 were reviewed retrospectively. Subjective follow-up data were collected by telephone questionnaire, assessing habits indicative of stool continence, and a "fecal continence score" (FCS) was calculated for each patient. A prospective, 7-day diary assessing similar patterns of fecal continence was completed by each patient's family. The mean age of the patients studied was 8.0 years, and the mean follow-up period was 6.8 years. The telephone questionnaire was completed for 48 patients (94%). Toilet training for bowel continence was successful in 20 patients (42%) and occasionally successful in another 20 patients (42%), but 8 patients (16%) had no awareness of impending stool. Forty-five (94%) were physically active, but 16 (33%) reported social problems related to offending odor. The mean fecal continence score for all patients was 3.0 ± 1.4 (5 = excellent, completely continent), which was nearly identical to published scores for the other types of surgical repair. The FCS did not improve with age. The parents' responses to the telephone questionnaire matched the results obtained from the prospectively collected continence diary data. The authors' results for PSARP in patients with high imperforate anus do not differ substantially from those achieved by other repair techniques. Previously cited prognostic factors such as fistula anatomy and sacral anomalies did not appear to alter the functional results in the authors' series. Aggressive postoperative bowel management should be anticipated in all patients who have high imperforate anus and may benefit those who otherwise would achieve less satisfactory continence.
Feasibility of observations of stratospheric trace gases using the Hubble Space Telescope

The stellar occultation method has been successfully used in the past from orbiting observatories to measure concentrations of certain trace gases in the Earth's mesosphere. The greatly improved spectroscopic capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have prompted recent suggestions for its use to measure stratospheric C10. We examine this possibility along with that for other species relevant to the chemistry of the ozone layer. We conclude that stratospheric (as opposed to mesospheric) observations with HST are not practical, in part because of its orbital and pointing characteristics, but primarily because the high opacity of stratospheric ozone over most of the band-pass of the HST's most suitable spectrometer will obscure observation of other trace species, such as C10, having mixing ratios <10−3 that of ozone.
Numerical computations of fluid flow and heat transfer in a Gas-stirred liquid bath

The flow and temperature fields due to bottom air injection in a cylindrical vessel containing water were numerically analyzed. The Eulerian approach was used for the formulation of both the continuous and the dispersed phases. The computational domain was extended beyond the undisturbed height of the liquid in the bath to accommodate practical gas injection systems. Turbulence in the liquid phase was modeled using a two-equationk- e model. Interphase friction and heat transfer coefficients were calculated by using correlations available in the literature. The general-purpose computer program PHOENICS was employed to predict the velocity, vol-ume fraction, and the temperature fields of each phase. Turbulent dispersion of the phases was modeled by introducing a “dispersion Prandtl number.” The predicted flow fields were com-pared with experimental measurements available in the literature. The results are of interest in the design and operation of a wide variety of material processing operations.
The (t, p) and (t, α) reactions on 48Ca and 50Ti☆

Abstract Ground-state masses and low-lying excited states are reported for 50 Ca, 52 Ti, 47 K and 49 Sc, as observed in the reaction of 7.5 MeV tritons with 48 Ca and 50 Ti.