cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resonant processes in a frozen gas

We present a theory of resonant processes in a frozen gas of atoms interacting via dipole-dipole potentials that vary as ${r}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$, where r is the interatomic separation. We supply an exact result for a single atom in a given state interacting resonantly with a random gas of atoms in a different state. The time development of the transition process is calculated both on and off resonance, and the linewidth with respect to detuning is obtained as a function of time t. We introduce a random spin Hamiltonian to model a dense system of resonators, and show how it reduces to the previous model in the limit of a sparse system. We derive approximate equations for the average effective spin, and we use them to model the behavior seen in the experiments of Anderson, Veale, and Gallagher [Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 249 (1998)] and Lowell and co-workers [Ph.D. dissertation, University of Virginia, 1998, and (unpublished)]. The approach to equilibrium is found to be proportional to $\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}\sqrt{{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{eq}}t})$, where the constant ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{eq}}$ is explicitly related to the system's parameters.
THE INFLUENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS ON CONGRESS

In this paper we approach, from a different angle than previous research, the question of whether gains in descriptive representation for African Americans result in losses in substantive representation. By looking at how the presence of African Americans has changed Congress over time, we assess the long-term impact of electing more African Americans to Congress on substantive representation. Specifically, we content analyze House floor debates on civil rights legislation, from 1957 to 1991, and find that Black members have influenced how White members talk about civil rights.
EXAMINING THE GENETIC UNDERPINNINGS TO MOFFITT'S DEVELOPMENTAL TAXONOMY: A BEHAVIORAL GENETIC ANALYSIS*

In recent years, criminological research has observed an increase in studies examining different offending trajectories. Much of this research has been guided by Moffitt's (1993) developmental taxonomy of life-course persistent offenders, adolescence-limited offenders, and abstainers. Moffitt (1993) argued that the etiologies of these different pathways could be traced to several biosocial factors, including perhaps genetic factors. To date, research has failed to address this possibility directly. The current study addressed this gap in the literature by examining the extent to which genetic factors explain variance in different offending patterns. Analysis of sibling pairs (N = 2,284; ages spanned between 11 and 27 years) drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) revealed that genetic factors contributed significantly to being classified in each of the different offending patterns. Specifically, genetic factors explained between 56 and 70 percent of the variance in being classified as a life-course persistent offender across different coding strategies, 35 percent of the variance in being classified as an adolescence-limited offender, and 56 percent of the variance in being classified as an abstainer. We discuss the importance of integrating genetics into future studies examining offending trajectories.
Predation-associated modulation of movement-based signals by a Bahamian lizard

Communication often is a major component of social interactions. Signaling individuals are faced with the challenge of capturing the attention of intended receivers while limiting eavesdropping by potential predators. We conducted an experiment in nature to evaluate the hypothesis that prey species can modulate the physical properties of movement-based displays in response to the presence of predators. We found that male brown anoles dramatically decreased the amplitude of their head-bob displays in the presence of a predatory lizard, resulting in less conspicuous signals. Although less conspicuous signals may be safer for the signaling individuals, they also reduce the distance from which potential mates or competitors can detect them, which might affect the territory size and reproductive success of signaling males.
Scalable Parallel Execution of an Event-Based Radio Signal Propagation Model for Cluttered 3D Terrains

Estimation of radio signal strength is essential in many applications, including the design of military radio communications and industrial wireless installations. While classical approaches such as finite difference methods are well-known, new event-based models of radio signal propagation have been recently shown to deliver such estimates faster (via serial execution) when compared to other methods. For scenarios with large or richly-featured geographical volumes, however, parallel processing is required to meet the memory and computation time demands. Here, we present a scalable and efficient parallel execution of a recently-developed event-based radio signal propagation model. We demonstrate its scalability to thousands of processors, with parallel speedups over 1000x. The speed and scale achieved by our parallel execution allow for larger scenarios and faster execution than has ever been reported before.
Preliminary Results From a Phase II Trial of Conformal Radiation Therapy and Evaluation of Radiation-Related CNS Effects for Pediatric Patients With Localized Ependymoma

Purpose We conducted a phase II trial of conformal radiation therapy (CRT) for localized childhood ependymoma to determine whether the irradiated volume could be reduced to decrease CNS-related side effects without diminishing the rate of disease control. Patients and methods Between July 1997 and January 2003, 88 pediatric patients (median age, 2.85 +/- 4.5 years) received CRT in which doses (59.4 Gy to 73 patients or 54.0 Gy after gross-total resection to 15 patients younger than 18 months) were administered to the gross tumor volume and a margin of 10 mm. Patients were categorized according to extent of resection (underwent gross total resection, n = 74; near-total resection, n = 6; subtotal resection, n = 8), prior chemotherapy (n = 16), tumor grade (anaplastic, n = 35), and tumor location (infratentorial, n = 68). An age-appropriate neurocognitive battery was administered before and serially after CRT. Results The median length of follow-up was 38.2 months (+/- 16.4 months); the 3-year progression-free survival estimate was 74.7% +/- 5.7%. Local failure occurred in eight patients, distant failure in eight patients, and both in four patients. The cumulative incidence of local failure as a component of failure at 3 years was 14.8% +/- 4.0%. Mean scores on all neurocognitive outcomes were stable and within normal limits, with more than half the cohort tested at or beyond 24 months. Conclusion Limited-volume irradiation achieves high rates of disease control in pediatric patients with ependymoma and results in stable neurocognitive outcomes.
Anaerobic Fermentation of Woody Biomass Pretreated with Supercritical Ammonia

The degradability of ground hardwood by thermophilic anaerobic bacteria (Clostridium thermocellum with or without Thermoanaerobacter strain B6A) was greatly enhanced by pretreatment of the substrate with supercritical ammonia. Relative to C. thermocellum monocultures, cocultures of C. thermocellum and Thermoanaerobacter strain B6A degraded 1.5-fold more pretreated soft maple but produced 2- 5-fold more fermentation end products because Thermoanaerobacter sp. removed reducing sugars produced by C. thermocellum during the fermentation. Dry weight losses were not totally accounted for in end products, due to formation of partially degraded material (<0.4 ..mu..m diameter wood particles) during the fermentation. One pretreated hardwood, Southern red oak, was fermented poorly because it released soluble inhibitors at the 60/sup 0/C incubation temperature. Considerable (6- to 11-fold) increases in substrate degradability were also noted for supercritical ammonia-pretreated wood materials fermented in an in vitro rumen digestibility assay. Degradation of pretreated softwoods by either thermophilic or mesophilic fermentation was not measurable under the conditions tested.
Stress Concentration Factors for Bonded Lap Joints

This paper is concerned with the stress analysis by the finite element method of a bonded, single, lap joint. Since the adhesive layer is of primary importance, the stresses occurring in it are presented. A modified version of the well-known Wilson stress analysis program is used for the case of plane stress. The total length beyond the lap is considered long compared to the lap length. Stress concentrations as functions of dimensionless, geometric and material parameters are presented. For a given load (7, the important maximum shearing stress concentration, rmax/(7, and tearing stress concentration <rmax/(T, are plotted as functions of l/t and rj/t for different values of E/EA, where I is the lap length, 77 is the adhesive thickness, t is the thickness of the material being bonded, and E and EA are the moduli of elasticity for the adherend and the adhesive, respectively.
Delay-constrained high throughput protocol for multi-path transmission over wireless multimedia sensor networks

Real-time multimedia transport has stringent QoS requirements, such as bandwidth, delay, jitter, and loss ratio. Wireless sensor networks are useful for streaming multimedia data in infrastructure-free and hazardous environments. However, these networks are composed of nodes with constrained bandwidth and energy. In QoS routing for wired networks, multipath routing is widely used. Some existing ad hoc routing algorithms also provide multipath routing. Directed diffusion has been commonly used for wireless sensor networks because of its energy efficiency and scalability. However, the basic protocol only routes packets through a single path, which barely meets the throughput requirement of multimedia data. Instead, we propose a multipath algorithm based on directed diffusion that reinforces multiple routes with high link quality and low latency. We use the NS-2 simulation tool with video trace generated by multiple description coding (MDC) to evaluate the performance. The results show that our algorithm gives better throughput and delay performance than standard directed diffusion.
Genetic and physiological evidence for the role of gibberellic acid in the germination of dormant Avena fatua seeds.

germinating soon after they fall to the soil (Naylor, 1983; Cavers et al., 1992). The combination of dormancy and Genetic and physiological data indicate that gibberellic seed longevity allows viable wild oat seeds to infest acid does not have a primary role in the regulation of agricultural soils for several years (Naylor, 1983). Better seed dormancy in wild oat (Avena fatua L.). The gibberel- understanding of seed dormancy may enhance integrated lic acid sensitivity threshold of dormant caryopses weed management strategies, allow the development of imbibed for 7 d was 1 mM. Intact dormant seeds were predictive seed germination models, and provide insights after-ripened for 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks at into developmental arrest in plants. 40°C and imbibed in H 2 0, 100 nM or 1 mM gibberellic A dormant wild oat seed fails to germinate under acid. The length of the after-ripening interval was conditions which normally favour germination, but afterinversely related to the mean base gibberellic acid con- ripening in warm and dry conditions releases the seed centration (the concentration resulting in 50% germina- from dormancy. Germination of dormant wild oats can tion). Thus, after-ripening, not gibberellic acid, is the be stimulated by treatment with exogenous gibberellic principal factor that regulates the release of seed dorm- acid (GA) (Adkins et al., 1986). Thus, GA may play a ancy in wild oat. F 2 caryopses (dormant◊non-dormant) role in releasing dormancy. However, there is no generally classified by germination response to progressively accepted hypothesis to explain the role of after-ripening higher gibberellic acid concentrations, were pooled or GA in the breaking of seed dormancy (Simpson, 1990). according to their gibberellic acid requirement: low, Our hypothesis is that after-ripening regulates genes or medium and high. Germination responses of the F 3 pro- gene products that control the germination response of geny from the low, medium, and high gibberellic acid dormant wild oat seeds and the activities of these factors requirement pools were regressed on to the F 2 parent are largely independent of GA. The overall objective was values, and a heritability for germination response to to characterize the role of GA in the dormancy of wild gibberellic acid, h2=0.24, was calculated. Random amp- oat seed. Specific objectives were to (1) establish the lified polymorphic DNA analysis of DNA samples from mean GA base concentrations for dormant and partially F 2 pools requiring low and high gibberellic acid concen- after-ripened caryopses, (2) determine if there is genetic trations were screened with 200 decamer primers and evidence for the role of GA in releasing dormancy, and no polymorphisms were found. The findings of this (3) screen for polymorphic DNA markers between F
On the Orbits of Hyperhypersimple Sets

This paper contributes to the question of under which conditions recursively enumerable sets with isomorphic lattices of recursively enumerable-supersets are automorphic in the lattice of all recursively enumerable sets. We show that hyperhypersimple sets (i.e. sets where the recursively enumerable supersets form a Boolean algebra) are automorphic if there is a Z-definable isomorphism between their lattices of supersets. Lerman, Shore and Soare have shown that this is not true if one replaces Z3 by Z2. ?
Uninterrupted translation through putative 12-nucleotide coding gap in sequence of carA: business as usual.

Previous work of others reported an untranslated stretch of 12 nucleotides in the 59 coding sequence of carA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, N-terminal protein sequencing of carA-lacZ translational fusions shows that these 12 nucleotides are normally translated in a continuous triplet manner, both in P. aeruginosa and in Escherichia coli.
FOAMING PROPERTIES OF PROTEINS: EVALUATION OF A COLUMN AERATION APPARATUS USING OVALBUMIN

A specially designed small-scale foaming apparatus was used to determine dynamic and static foaming properties of proteins. Foam was produced by sparging nitrogen at a known rate through a dilute protein solution. The temperature of the protein solution and protein foam was maintained by a water-jacketed column. Ovalbumin was used as the reference protein. Foaming properties (foaming capacity, foam strength, and stability) were improved when the protein concentration was increased (0.01–0.1%); when sodium chloride was added to the protein solution and when the temperature was decreased from 40 to 2°C. Foaming properties were optimum at pH 3.8–4.0, slightly below the isolelectric point of ovalbumin, and at a gas flow of 20 ml/min. The apparatus permits many of the variables affecting foaming properties of proteins, i.e. pH, temperature, ions, carbohydrates and surfactants to be controlled while quantitatively determining foaming properties of small quantities of protein.
Reproducibility and dependence on diffusion weighting of line scan diffusion in the lumbar intervertebral discs

Purpose To investigate the dependence of line scan diffusion imaging (LSDI) in the lumbar vertebral discs on diffusion weighting, fat suppression (FS), and postprocessing noise correction. Materials and Methods Eleven normal volunteers were scanned using 4 b-value and 12 b-value LSDI protocols, with and without FS. Three repeated four b-value scans were performed for evaluation of the reproducibility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values calculated with mono- and biexponential decay models. Two-point ADC analysis for 12 b-value scans was performed with and without noise correction to evaluate the ADC dependence on diffusion weighting. Correlations between different ADC calculation and acquisition methods were evaluated. Results Monoexponential ADC measures had a coefficient of variation (CV) under 3%, while use of a constrained biexponential increased the CV to 6% to 9%. Strong dependence on b-value was seen from chemically shifted marrow fat signal and noise. These systematic variations in ADC were eliminated using noise correction and FS. ADC values from 4 and 12 b-value FS scans correlated strongly (R2 = 0.91), while biexponentially derived ADC values correlated moderately well with the FS ADC (R2 = 0.51). Conclusion LSDI gives reproducible ADC measurements in the lumbar discs, largely independent of b-value and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) when used with noise correction and FS. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:482–488. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Effects of Age on the Rate of Learning a Second Language

The present study evaluates the role of age on the rate of acquiring English as a second language in an immersion setting. Subjects were children with native languages typologically very different from English. The children arrived in the United States between the ages of 7 and 12 years and were tested on their knowledge of English grammatical morphology and syntax at different lengths of stay in the United States, ranging from 6 months to 3 years. Subjects' performance was predicted by the length of their stay in the United States and by gender, with females outperforming males. Age of arrival played no role in predicting subjects' rate of acquisition. Performance was very similar between two age groups examined (7–9– and 10–12-year-old arrivals) throughout the 3 years measured. The present results suggest that, on certain aspects of grammar, different-aged children acquire a second language during the first 3 years of acquisition at similar rates when their native language is very different in typology from the target language.
Metabolism of sex hormones in the aortic wall

The metabolism of labeled sex hormones was examined in human, canine, and rat aortas. Isolated arterial tissue converted estrone to estradiol, estradiol to estrone, and es- trone sulfate to estrone and estradiol. The arterial wall also ap- peared to metabolize testosterone to androstenedione and an un- identified, relatively nonpolar derivative. Both estrogens and testosterone appeared to enter the arterial wall rapidly. No competition in arterial uptake between the two hormones was apparent. No specific arterial binding of es- tradiol could be demonstrated. The concentration of e~tradiol-~H in the canine aorta ex- ceeded that in the plasma 1-6 hr after estradiol-aH administra- tion. The uptake and disappearance of e~tradiol-~H in the aorta generally resembled the patterns observed in body tissues other than the adrenal gland and uterus. The uptake of e~tradiol-~H was greatest in the adrenal gland while its retention was maxi- mum in the uterus.
Building a New “World Fashion”: Islamic Dress in the Twenty-first Century

AbstractThis article critiques the concepts of “ethnic dress” and “world fashion” along with the common perception that there is only one world fashion system dominated by the West. A new framework—based on microcultures, cultures, and macrocultures—can allow us to recognize non-Western fashion systems that have a global reach. For example, Asian, African, and Islamic dress appeal to consumers in multiple nations and should not simply be considered “ethnic dress.” This article then goes on to analyze similarities between Islamic fashion websites as an example of a non-Western world fashion system. These sites, geared primarily toward Muslim women living outside of the Islamic world (in areas such as Canada and the United States), give consumers several advantages over going to the local mall: the styles and names of garments are similar if not identical to what Muslims wear in countries like Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan; the clothing is always modest; and the businesses offer a shopping experience in tune wi...
Metastatic tumors to the sphenoid sinus

Patients with cranial nerve palsies and roentgenographic evidence of sphenoid sinus destruction present diagnostic problems. Although the presence of local primary neoplasms may be considered first, metastatic disease from distant sites also should be considered. We report on eight patients with metastatic tumors to the sphenoid sinus seen at the Mayo Clinic from 1950 through 1976. Primary sites of the lesions included the breast, thyroid gland, lung, kidney, and prostate (two patients). Metastatic myeloma was seen in two patients. Symptoms resulted from involvement of the structures adjacent to the sphenoid sinus and in all patients included diplopia or decreased visual acuity. In four patients, these ocular symptoms were the first sign of disease, after which a complete general examination disclosed the occult primary sites.
Multicenter study of optical low-coherence interferometry and partial-coherence interferometry optical biometers with patients from the United States and China

Purpose To evaluate the agreement between the measurements provided by a new optical biometer, the Aladdin, based on optical low-coherence interferometry (OLCI), and those provided by the most commonly used optical biometer (IOLMaster 500), based on partial-coherence interferometry (PCI). Setting Multicenter clinical trial. Design Prospective evaluation of diagnostic test. Methods In this study, 2 samples of adult patients were enrolled, 1 in the United States and the other in China. The U.S. group included a sample of consecutive patients scheduled for cataract surgery. The China group included a sample of healthy subjects with no cataracts. In both cases, only 1 eye of each patient was analyzed. Axial length (AL), corneal power (in diopters [D]) (K), anterior chamber depth (ACD) (corneal epithelium to lens), and corneal astigmatism were measured. All values were analyzed using a paired t test, the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient ( r ), and Bland–Altman plots. Results In the U.S. and China groups, the OLCI mean AL values did not show a statistically significant difference from PCI values and showed excellent agreement and correlation. On the contrary, OLCI measured a lower mean K (−0.14 D) and a deeper ACD measurements (U.S. +0.16 mm and China +0.05 mm). These differences were statistically significant ( P Conclusions Agreement between OLCI and PCI was good. However, the small but statistically significant differences in K and ACD measurements make constant optimization necessary when calculating the intraocular lens power using theoretical formulas. Financial Disclosure Dr. Hoffer licenses the registered trademark name Hoffer to Carl Zeiss-Meditec (PCI), Haag-Streit (Lenstar), Movu (Argos), Oculus (Pentacam, AXL), Nidek (AL-Scan), Tomey (OA-2000), Topcon EU Visia Imaging (Aladdin), Ziemer (Galilei G6), and all A-scan biometer manufacturers. Dr. Shammas licenses his formulas to Carl Zeiss-Meditec (PCI), Haag-Streit (Lenstar), Nidek (AL-Scan), and Topcon EU (Visia Imaging) (Aladdin). None of the other authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Application of single-stage Orbitrap mass spectrometry and differential analysis software to nontargeted analysis of contaminants in dog food: detection, identification, and quantification of glycoalkaloids.

The objective of this study was to perform a preliminary investigation of the nontargeted search and quantitative capabilities of a single-stage Exactive High-Resolution Mass Spectrometer (HRMS). To do this, the instrument and its associated software performed a non-targeted search for deleterious substances in a dog food sample suspected of causing gastrointestinal problems in dogs. A single-stage Orbitrap/high-performance liquid chromatography method and differential expression analysis software (Sieve) was used to detect and identify, and subsequently quantify, nontargeted compounds occurring only in the suspect dog food sample. When combined with an online database (ChemSpider), a preliminary identification of one of the nontargeted compounds was determined to be potato glycoalkaloids. The diagnostic product ion ratios and quantitative data accuracy generated by the single-stage Orbitrap MS were shown to be similar to results obtained using a triple quadrupole LC-MS/MS. Additionally, the ability of th...
Facet Recognition and Molecular Ordering of Ionic Liquids on Metal Surfaces

Ionic liquids are widely used as solvents and reaction media due to low volatility, stability up to high temperature, and large dipole moment. Emergent applications also aim at the anisotropic growth of metal nanostructures in ionic liquids through facet-selective interactions although the governing mechanisms remain poorly understood. We employed a combination of quantum mechanical and classical simulations to analyze the structure and energetics of the self-assembly of ionic liquids on metal surfaces from single ion pairs to multilayers, using the example of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate ([EMIM][ES]) on the crystallographic {111}, {100}, and {110} facets of gold. Adsorption is controlled by the interplay of soft epitaxy, ionic interactions, induced charges, and steric effects related to the geometry of the cation and anion. These factors lead to characteristic molecular patterns on individual surfaces. Binding energies are similar irrespective of surface coverage and only slightly increase f...
A Novel Chemically Modified Curcumin “Normalizes” Wound-Healing in Rats with Experimentally Induced Type I Diabetes: Initial Studies

Introduction. Impaired wound-healing in diabetics can lead to life-threatening complications, such as limb amputation, associated in part with excessive matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) mediated degradation of collagen and other matrix constituents. In the current study, a novel triketonic chemically modified curcumin, CMC2.24, was tested for efficacy in healing of standardized skin wounds in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Initially, CMC2.24 was daily applied topically at 1% or 3% concentrations or administered systemically (oral intubation; 30 mg/kg); controls received vehicle treatment only. Over 7 days, the diabetics exhibited impaired wound closure, assessed by gross and histologic measurements, compared to the nondiabetic controls. All drug treatments significantly improved wound closure with efficacy ratings as follows: 1% 2.24 > systemic 2.24 > 3% 2.24 with no effect on the severe hyperglycemia. In subsequent experiments, 1% CMC2.24 “normalized” wound-healing in the diabetics, whereas 1% curcumin was no more effective than 0.25% CMC2.24, and the latter remained 34% worse than normal. MMP-8 was increased 10-fold in the diabetic wounds and topically applied 1% (but not 0.25%) CMC2.24 significantly reduced this excessive collagenase-2; MMP-13/collagenase-3 did not show significant changes. Additional studies indicated efficacy of 1% CMC2.24 over more prolonged periods of time up to 30 days.
U.S. food system working conditions as an issue of food safety: Key stakeholder perspectives for setting the policy agenda

Food workers’ health and hygiene are common pathways to foodborne disease outbreaks. Improving food system jobs is important to food safety because working conditions impact workers’ health, hygiene, and safe food handling. Stakeholders from key industries have advanced working conditions as an issue of public safety in the United States. Yet, for the food industry, stakeholder engagement with this topic is seemingly limited. To understand this lack of action, we interviewed key informants from organizations recognized for their agenda-setting role on food-worker issues. Findings suggest that participants recognize the work standards/food safety connection, yet perceived barriers limit adoption of a food safety frame, including more pressing priorities (e.g., occupational safety); poor fit with organizational strategies and mission; and questionable utility, including potential negative consequences. Using these findings, we consider how public health advocates may connect food working conditions to food ...
Design, control and simulation of a fuel-cell-fed power conversion system for electric vehicles

This paper proposes a DC-AC conversion system adapted to an electric vehicle with fuel cell. This conversion chain consists of a fuel cell, a unidirectional converter, an isolated bidirectional converter, an inverter, and a second voltage source. Matlab-Simulink is used in order to verify the theoretical results.
Spreadable Spectacle in Digital Culture: Civic Expression, Fake News, and the Role of Media Literacies in “Post-Fact” Society:

This article explores the phenomenon of spectacle in the lead up and immediate aftermath of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Through the spread of misinformation, the appropriation of cultural ...
All pay auctions and group size: Grading on a curve and other applications

We model contests with a fixed proportion of prizes, such as a grading curve, as all-pay auctions where higher effort weakly increases the likelihood of a prize. We find theoretical predictions for the heterogeneous effect auction size has on effort from high- and low-types. We test our predictions in a laboratory experiment that compares behavior in two-bidder, one-prize auctions with behavior in 20-bidder, 10-prize auctions. We find a statistically significant 11.8% increase in aggregate bidding when moving from the small to large auction. The impact is heterogeneous: as the auction size increases, low-types decrease effort but high-types increase effort. Additionally, the larger auction provides a stronger rank-correlation between effort and ability, awarding more prizes to the higher-skilled and improving the efficiency of prize allocation.
Tin-tellurium-phosphide: Investigation of composition dependent band structure and its experimental realization

Abstract The experimental discernment of TCIs (topological crystalline insulators) and other Dirac materials in recent times, has opened a new platform for their applications in spin-electronics and quantum computing. A very promising material in thermoelectric and photovoltaic applications, namely SnTe, has been increasingly investigated by band engineering, however, there is not sufficient verification of any band-crossing characteristics or evolution of Weyl nodes yet. In this present study, we investigate a novel class of possible substitutional solid solutions of Sn, Te, and P of varying compositions by density functional theory, where specific crystal symmetry elements may allow the existence of robust topological states. With fine tuning of chemical composition, one can also locate the existence of Dirac-like nodes at certain points of the Brillouin zone from preliminary first-principle calculations. Apart from simulations, synthesis and structural examinations of Sn-Te-P, were also conducted. The structural analysis of a representative member of this system was also carried out with the help of the simulated XRD patterns, to indicate the existence of a new phase during synthesis in a condensed system combustion.
The Hypothalamic Regulation of Metabolic Adaptations to Exercise

Our modern lifestyle is characterised by easy access to nutrient dense foods combined with limited physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle is one of several factors that have contributed to the global obesity epidemic and it also predisposes to chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Although many studies have focused on the benefits of exercise in peripheral tissues, the contributions of the central nervous system to these exercise-induced metabolic adaptations are relatively unknown. The present review highlights the role of the ventromedial hypothalamus in regulating the metabolic response to exercise.
Social Work Professionalism During and After Apartheid in South Africa

Professionalism is an ideal defined as the norms or values that orient the work of an occupation. In practice, research derived from country settings in the Global North shows how the ideal of professionalism competes with market and bureaucratic priorities. Less is known about how professionalism is nurtured or subjugated to market and bureaucratic institutions in postcolonial contexts in the Global South. This paper takes up the study of factors that promote or constrain professionalism in one postcolonial setting by contrasting South African social worker professionalism during and after apartheid. In the wake of calls for international research that is historically-grounded and sensitive to local context, data drawn from archival research and ethnographic fieldwork finds that social workers are prevented from asserting their professional values as a unified profession due to enduring race divisions in the profession. Another legacy of apartheid is the profession9s dependency on the state for funding social worker salaries, which constrains social workers ability to assert professional values independent of the state9s agenda. Finally, the organizational context employing social workers creates uneven opportunities for social workers to assert their professional values through policy advocacy.
Person-centered examination of salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase responses to psychosocial stress: Links to preadolescent behavioral functioning and coping

Abstract This study adopted a person-centered approach to identify preadolescent salivary cortisol (sC) and alpha-amylase (sAA) co-activation response patterns and examine links to behavioral functioning and coping. Children ( N = 151, 51.7% male) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and one of two randomly-assigned, post-TSST coping conditions: distraction or avoidance. Multi-trajectory modeling yielded four child subgroups. Child internalizing and externalizing positively predicted High sC–High sAA relative to Low sC–Low sAA and Low sC–High sAA relative to High sC–Low sAA subgroup membership, respectively. Low sC–Low sAA children demonstrated more efficient sC recovery when primed with distraction and more protracted sC recovery when primed with avoidance. For High sC–High sAA, internalizing children, the opposite was true. Findings illustrate adjustment-linked variability in preadolescent sC–sAA co-activation response patterns that further articulates for whom effortful coping works to effectively manage stressor-induced neuroendocrine activation.
Germline BRCA1/2, PALB2, and ATM mutations in 3,030 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Survival analysis of carriers and noncarriers.

280Background: Patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) can have mutations in breast cancer associated genes (BRCA1/2) and other homologous recombination (HR) pathway genes. The therapeutic s...
PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY WITH ANTERIOR CHAMBER VERSUS GORE-TEX SUTURED POSTERIOR CHAMBER INTRAOCULAR LENS PLACEMENT: Long-Term Outcomes.

PURPOSE To compare clinical outcomes of combined pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with anterior chamber intraocular lens (ACIOL) placement versus scleral fixation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL) using Gore-Tex suture. METHODS Retrospective, interventional case series of eyes undergoing combined PPV and IOL placement for retained lens material, aphakia, or dislocated IOL. Eyes with history of amblyopia, corneal opacity, retinal, or optic nerve disease were excluded. Outcome measures were change in visual acuity and occurrence of postoperative complications with minimum follow-up of 1 year. RESULTS Sixty-three eyes of 60 patients were identified. Thirty-three eyes underwent combined PPV and ACIOL placement and 30 eyes underwent combined PPV and scleral fixation of a PCIOL using Gore-Tex suture. Mean follow-up was 502 ± 165 days (median 450, range 365-1,095 days). In the ACIOL group, mean visual acuity improved from 20/914 preoperatively to 20/50 postoperatively (P < 0.001). In the scleral-fixated PCIOL group, mean visual acuity improved from 20/677 preoperatively to 20/46 postoperatively (P < 0.001). No difference in visual acuity was noted between groups at 1-year (P = 0.91) or final follow-up (P = 0.62). Regarding postoperative complications, eyes undergoing ACIOL placement had a significantly higher rate of transient corneal edema (30.3 vs. 6.7%, P = 0.02) compared with eyes undergoing scleral fixation of a PCIOL. CONCLUSION Combined PPV with ACIOL placement or scleral fixation of a PCIOL with Gore-Tex suture were well tolerated. The techniques resulted in similar visual outcomes at minimum follow-up of 1 year.
Programmed death-1 inhibition in renal cell carcinoma: clinical insights and future directions.

Abstract The treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has evolved markedly over the past decade, broaden- ing beyond immune-based strategies (eg, interleukin-2 and interferon-α) to include targeted agents (eg, sunitinib [Sutent, Pfizer] and sorafenib [Nexavar, Bayer]). Recently, there has been a renewed interest in immune-based strategies, with clinical trials underway to assess vaccines and other immunomodulatory agents. Of particular interest are agents that inhibit the interaction between the programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor and its ligand (PD-L1) at the T-cell/antigen-presenting cell interface. This interaction produces T-cell anergy and therefore stifles the antitumor immune response. Monoclonal antibodies to PD-1 (eg, nivolumab, lambrolizumab, and pidilizumab) and PD-L1 (MPDL3280A and BMS-936559) are in various stages of clinical development. The clinical trajectory of these agents is discussed herein, with specific attention to the potential placement of PD-1/ PD-L1 inhibition in the crowded therapeutic landscape of mRCC.
Detection of Microbial sulfate-reduction associated with buried stainless steel coupons

The objective of this study was to demonstrate applicability of an innovative radioactive isotope method for imaging microbial activity in geological materials to a comprehensive study of metal corrosion. The method was tested on a sample of stainless steel coupons that had been buried as part of a corrosion study initiated by the National Institute of Standards and Testing or NIST (known as National Bureau of Standards prior to 1988) in 1970. The images showed evidence of microbial activity that could be mapped on a millimeter scale to coupon surfaces. A second more conventional isotope tracer method was also used to provide a quantitative measure of the same type of microbial activity in soil proximal to the buried coupons. Together the techniques offer a method for evaluating low metabolic levels of activity that have the potential for significant cumulative corrosion effects. The methods are powerful tools for evaluation of potential for microbial induced corrosion to buried steel components used on pipelines, in the power and communications infrastructure, and in nuclear waste repository containers.
Nonrandom distribution of iron in circulating human transferrin.

By combining the urea gel electrophoresis technique of Makey and Seal with Western immunoblotting, a method has been developed for analyzing the distribution of iron between the two sites of circulating human transferrin. The new method avoids exposure of samples to a nonphysiologic pH that may promote removal or redistribution of iron from the protein; this facilitates examination of multiple samples at one time. Analysis of 21 freshly drawn specimens from normal human subjects confirms previous reports that iron is not randomly distributed in the specific sites of transferrin. Rather, there is a considerable range in the ratio of occupancies of N-terminal and C- terminal sites (N:C ratio), from 0.31 to 6.87 in the present study, with the N-terminal site predominantly occupied in most subjects. The N:C ratio correlates modestly with serum iron concentration (r = .54). Possible flaws in studies indicating a random occupancy of the specific sites of circulating transferrin may lie in the low pH to which samples may be exposed during procedures based on isoelectric focusing or in drawing inferences from data considering only total monoferric transferrin rather than the two distinguishable monoferric species.
New methods for the demonstration of lysosomal hydrolases by the formation of osmium blacks.

Methods are described for the direct cytochemical demonstration of the enzymes nonspecific esterase and acid phosphatase based on synthetic substrates which initially deposit Hatchett's brown (cupric ferrocyanide, Cu2Fe(CN)6·7 H2O) at their subcellular sites. The small amounts of Hatchett's brown deposited as a result of the enzyme's activity may be intensified by bridging to osmium through thiocarbohydrazide. Alternatively, even greater amplification of the sites of activity may be attained by utilizing the Hatchett's brown as a catalyst to effect the oxidative coupling of 3,3′-diaminobenzidine resulting in the formation of an osmiophilic indamine-type polymer.
An Alternative to the Peripheral Canal

The present mode of water transfer through the Sacramento—San Joaquin Delta is not adequate to meet both future export requirements and maintain desired water quality. A 42-mile long Peripheral Canal that would convey project water around the estuary is favored by state agencies and water contractors but opposed by Northern California water interests who prefer an open water transfer alternative. Water quality control effectiveness was evaluated by means of mathematical models for the present system, the Peripheral Canal, and the alternative. Results of simulations indicated that both the Peripheral Canal and the alternative can control salinity intrusion in the western Delta. The Peripheral Canal was shown to maintain net seaward flow in most channels, while the alternative, because of its through-Delta nature, caused upstream flow in channels leading to export pumps. The alternative was shown to be more effective in maintaining water quality in the central and southern Delta. It was found to be capable of assuring water quality at the export location adequate for intended uses.
Deflections of the vertical from full-tensor and single-instrument gravity gradiometry

Gravity gradiometry on a moving platform, whether ground or airborne, has the potential to offer an efficient and accurate determination of the deflection of the vertical by simple line integration. A significant error in this process is a trend error that results from the integration of systematic gradient errors. Using an airborne full-tensor gradiometry data set of regularly spaced and intersecting tracks over a 10 km square region and the USDOV2012 vertical deflection model to calibrate these long wavelength errors, it is shown that the gradient-derived deflections agree with the USDOV2012 model at the level of 0.6–0.9 arcsec. Moreover, it is shown by graphical inspection that these differences represent high-frequency signal rather than error. Another data processing technique is examined using only (simulated) single-gradiometer instrument data, i.e., the local differential curvature components, $$(\varGamma _{{ yy}} - \varGamma _{{ xx}})/2$$ and $$\varGamma _{{ xy}}$$ , of the gravity field. While in theory these data can yield deflection components using two parallel data tracks, the results in the tested case are unsatisfactory due to implicit additional cross-track integration errors that accumulate systematically. The analysis thus demonstrates the importance of using the individual horizontal gradient components, $$\varGamma _{{ xx}}$$ , $$\varGamma _{{ yy}}$$ , to derive the deflection of the vertical.
Deep learning approaches in electron microscopy imaging for mitochondria segmentation

Deep neural networks provide outstanding classification and detection accuracy in biomedical imaging applications. We present a study for mitochondria segmentation in electron microscopy (EM) images. Mitochondria play a significant role in cell cycle by generating the needed energy, and show quantifiable morphological differences with diseases such as cancer, metabolic disorders, and neurodegeneration. EM imaging allows researchers to observe the morphological changes in cells as part of disease process at a high resolution. Manual segmentation of mitochondria in large sequences of EM images is time consuming and prone to subjective delineation. Thus, manual segmentation may not provide the high accuracy needed for accurate quantification of morphological changes. We show that a convolutional neural network provides accurate mitochondria segmentation in CA1 hippocampus area of brain that is imaged by a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIBSEM). We compare our results with other studies which report results on the same data set and with other deep neural network approaches, and provide quantitative comparison.
Model-based inference on average causal effect in observational clustered data

We study causal inference using the framework of potential outcomes in clustered data settings where observational units are clustered in naturally occurring groups (e.g. patients within hospitals). To incorporate the correlated nature of the data, we employ mixed-effects models and a sandwich estimator to make inferences on the average causal effect (ACE). Our methods apply the concept of potential outcomes from the Rubin Causal Model (Holland in J Am Stat Assoc 81(396):945–960, 1986), and extend Schafer and Kang’s methods of estimating the variance of the ACE (Schafer and Kang in Psychol Methods 13(4):279–313, 2008). Particularly, we develop two model-based approaches to estimate the ACE and its variance under a dual-modeling strategy which adjusts for the confounding effect through inverse probability weighting. These two approaches use linear mixed-effects models for the estimation of potential outcomes, but differ in how clustering is handled in the treatment assignment model. We present a summary of our comprehensive simulation study assessing the repetitive sampling properties of the two approaches in a pseudo-random simulation environment. Finally, we report our findings from an application to study the ACE of inadequate prenatal care on birth weight among low-income women in New York State.
New geochemical evidence for the origin of North America's largest dune field, the Nebraska Sand Hills, central Great Plains, USA

Abstract The Nebraska Sand Hills region is the largest dune field in North America and has diverse aeolian landforms. It has been active during both the late Pleistocene and late Holocene. Despite decades of study, the source of sediment for this large sand sea is still controversial. Here we report new trace element compositions of aeolian sand that are compared to four hypothesized sediment sources, Tertiary rocks of the Arikaree Group and Ogallala Group, unconsolidated sands of Pliocene age, and Platte River system sands. All four potential sources have a mineralogy that is similar to the Nebraska Sand Hills. K/Rb, K/Ba, Sc-Th-La, Eu/Eu*, LaN/YbN, As/Sb, and Fe/Sc values show, however, that Pliocene sediments and sands from the Platte River system are not likely sources. The Arikaree Group could be a minor contributor, but sands from the Ogallala Group appear to have the best compositional fit to the Nebraska Sand Hills. Although past studies have proposed the Ogallala Group as an important sand source, the hypothesis has been questioned, because the unit is well cemented by calcrete in its upper part. However, examination of the landscape upwind of the Nebraska Sand Hills shows that the Ogallala Group, where it occurs at the land surface, is highly dissected in much of this region, which makes sand-sized particles available for aeolian entrainment whenever drought conditions diminish a protective vegetation cover.
Holmes, Pragmatism and Nature

Holmes, Pragmatism and Nature, is a long and circuitous history with pragmatism. It begins first with something of the person, his influences, leading to the wider trajectory of American pragmatism.