cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Periodic and quasiperiodic nonquarterwave multilayer coating for 90° reflection phase retardance at 45° angle of incidence

Abstract All possible solutions for a periodic stack oflO ZnS-ThF,, bilayers on a Ag substrate that produce 90 reflection phase shiftat 45° angle ofincidence and 3.39-junwavelength are detennined. The angular and wavelength sensitivity ofseveral ofthese designsis considered. To increase the reflectance, reduce the diattenuation, and improve the sensitivity ofthe 20-layer reflection quarter-wave retarder(QWR), we also consider quasiperiodic stacks. These designs are Obtained by iteration starting from an initial high-reflectance 10 -bilayer, non-QWR, periodic structure and adjusting the thicknesses ofthe two films ofthe topmost bilayer to realize the desired90°retardance. Again muffiple solutions are Obtained for each initial design and their angular and wavelength sensitivity are analyzeiIt is found that the best sensitivity corresponds to the lowest and nearly equal optical thicknesses of the two films of the topmostbilayer. Perfonnance comparable to that reported in the literature, obtained for more complicated stacks in which the thicknesses ofall 20 films are different, are reported.1. INTRODUCTIONRetarders, sometimes called phase shifters, are optical elements that change the state of polarization of light by introducing adifferential phase shift between orthogonal components ofthe incident electric field. The quarter-wave retarder (QWR) is a specialphase shifter that iniroduces a 90 phase difference for incident orthogonal linear polarization states. As a result, for incident linearlypolarized light of the appropriate azimuth the output light is circularly polarized. The QWR is also used to analyze ellipticallypolarized light by converting it back to linearly polarized light.A phase retarder by external reflection is a mirror-type reflector that introduces a relative phase difference between the orthogonalcomponents ofthe incident light that are polarized parallel (p) and perpendicular (s) to the plane ofincidence. The simplest kind of
Kerma factor evaluation and its application in nuclear heating experiment analysis

Abstract The accuracy of calculating ‘kerma factor’, which is the response function for nuclear heating is very important in many applications, particularly fusion systems. A computer code, called MAZE, has been developed primarily for evaluating neutron and gamma kerma factors based on an improved modeling and a capability to analayze basic data and evaluate consistency in preserving energy. Kinematics equations and energy conservation considerations are modeled in the code. The code has features that allow comparison and analysis among different methods of calculating the kerma factor and it provides users with data information needed to make user-oriented selections from two to three, often different, results. A kerma factor library, called MAZE-LIB, has been generated with MAZE for most of the materials of interest in fusion based on the most recent and accurate data available, FENDL library, which is the nuclear data library selected by ITER. The kerma factor library provided in this work is the result of an extensive analysis of nuclear data and careful selection from among often different results from the different calculational methods. It was shown that some data inconsistency problems in preserving the energy still exist in the FENDL library. Some problems with the widely used computer code NJOY were exposed during the process of the kerma factor evaluation, which is crucial at this stage of fusion research, since NJOY is the primary nuclear data processing code selected by ITER. Comparison with nuclear heating experimental data, derived from very recent integral experiments with 14 MeV neutrons and the analysis of the uncertainty in prediction have been carried out using the newly developed kerma factors. Comparative analysis shows that the new kerma factors generated in this work results in better agreement with the experiments than those obtained from previous work. The calculated-to-experimental values (C/Es) obtained in this work indicate an overestimation of the gamma production in the basic nuclear data library for certain elements. The integral and differential heating profiles along with knowledge of the contributing partial kerma factors, which are generated in this work, could in principle, provide input for sensitivity analysis and be used to improved the basic nuclear data and kerma factor evaluations.
Noise in the ICU

Editor's note: This is part of an ongoing series of columns from nurses at the University of Washington that will examine in depth the research related to critical care practices.
Determining whether metals nucleate homogeneously on graphite: A case study with copper

We observe that Cu clusters grow on surface terraces of graphite as a result of physical vapor deposition in ultrahigh vacuum. We show that the observation is incompatible with a variety of models incorporating homogeneous nucleation and calculations of atomic-scale energetics. An alternative explanation, ion-mediated heterogeneous nucleation, is proposed and validated, both with theory and experiment. This serves as a case study in identifying when and whether the simple, common observation of metal clusters on carbon-rich surfaces can be interpreted in terms of homogeneous nucleation. We describe a general approach for making system-specific and laboratory-specific predictions.
Democracy and Diversionary Military Intervention: Reassessing Regime Type and the Diversionary Hypothesis

This article concentrates on two limitations in the literature on diversionary force. First is the common assumption that major powers are the only actors capable of diversion. Second is the narrow conceptualization of regime type prevalent in the literature. Instead of dichotomizing regimes, we distinguish mature democracies and autocracies from consolidating variants of these regimes. We draw hypotheses from the institutional approach and test them with time series cross-section negative binomial first-order autoregressive process estimates of 140 countries from 1950 to 1996. We find that not all democracies and not all autocracies divert. Mature democracies, consolidating autocracies, and transitional polities are the only regime types prone to this type of force. Our results suggest that the diversionary literature would benefit from more discriminating operationalizations of regime type and by looking beyond major powers to the actions of less powerful states.
SU-E-T-284: Revisiting Reference Dosimetry for the Model S700 Axxent 50 KVp Electronic Brachytherapy Source

Purpose: The model S700 Axxent electronic brachytherapy source by Xoft was characterized in 2006 by Rivard et al. The source design was modified in 2006 to include a plastic centering insert at the source tip to more accurately position the anode. The objectives of the current study were to establish an accurate Monte Carlo source model for simulation purposes, to dosimetrically characterize the new source and obtain its TG-43 brachytherapy dosimetry parameters, and to determine dose differences between the source with and without the centering insert. Methods: Design information from dissected sources and vendor-supplied CAD drawings were used to devise the source model for radiation transport simulations of dose distributions in a water phantom. Collision kerma was estimated as a function of radial distance, r, and polar angle, θ, for determination of reference TG-43 dosimetry parameters. Simulations were run for 1010 histories, resulting in statistical uncertainties on the transverse plane of 0.03% at r=1 cm and 0.08% at r=10 cm. Results: The dose rate distribution the transverse plane did not change beyond 2% between the 2006 model and the current study. While differences exceeding 15% were observed near the source distal tip, these diminished to within 2% for r>1.5 cm. Differences exceeding a factor of two were observed near θ=150° and in contact with the source, but diminished to within 20% at r=10 cm. Conclusions: Changes in source design influenced the overall dose rate and distribution by more than 2% over a third of the available solid angle external from the source. For clinical applications using balloons or applicators with tissue located within 5 cm from the source, dose differences exceeding 2% were observed only for θ>110°. This study carefully examined the current source geometry and presents a modern reference TG-43 dosimetry dataset for the model S700 source.
Zero-crossing angle in the np analyzing power at medium energies and its relation to charge symmetry

The angle at which the analyzing power for free np scattering becomes zero, the zero-crossing angle theta/sub 0/, has been measured simultaneously for the np and np scattering processes at 425, 565, and 665 MeV incident neutron energies. A rather strong energy dependence of the zero-crossing angle is found. Knowledge of this energy dependence is important in designing an experiment which tests for charge symmetry breaking forces by comparing high precision measurements of theta/sub 0/(np) and theta/sub 0/(np).
Effect of intact endothelium against platelet-induced coronary artery spasm in isolated rabbit hearts☆

Effects of collagen-activated washed rabbit platelets on coronary arteries with and without intact endothelium were studied in a supported rabbit heart preparation using a perfluorocarbon (FC-43) as perfusate. The vascular diameter of obtuse marginal coronary arteries was determined by means of gated color arteriography (injection of patent blue dye). Endothelial denudation of the obtuse marginal artery was accomplished by scraping the lumen with a roughened plastic tubing. Injection of washed platelets (10 ml with about 500,000 platelets/microliters) not treated with collagen failed to constrict coronary arteries either with intact or denuded endothelium. In contrast, injection of platelet suspension immediately after activation with collagen caused vasoconstriction of denuded obtuse marginal coronary arteries in 10 of 14 cases. In 6 preparations occlusion was complete, lasting up to 16 minutes. In arteries with intact endothelium, no coronary vasoconstriction occurred. In hearts with coronary artery spasm, total coronary vascular resistance increased significantly. This study furnishes additional evidence that endothelial lesions are a contributory factor for large coronary artery spasm and that endothelial cells possess a protective function against vasoconstrictor substances released from aggregating platelets.
Transforming the democratic/capitalist revolution

In announcing one of the many worldwide conferences convoked in 1991 to mark the centenary of Pope Leo XIII's social encyclical Rerum Novarum, a brochure from St. Edmund's College in Cambridge, England spoke of "Four Revolutions": the industrial revolution, the liberal-capitalist revolution, the socialist revolution, and a yet-to-be-seen "Christian transformation of society." The same brochure contained the following description of the present situation:
A COMPARISON OF TWO PROCEDURES FOR PROGRAMMING THE DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT OF OTHER BEHAVIORS

The relative effectiveness of two methods of programming DRO schedules of reinforcement was examined in two experiments. In these two methods, reinforcement is delivered if inappropriate responding is not occurring (a) at the end of an interval (momentary DRO), or (b) throughout the entire interval (whole-interval DRO). In Experiment 1, the effects of these schedules on disruptive responding of three retarded students were assessed in a multiple-baseline design. For two students, the momentary schedule occurred first and was ineffective, whereas the whole interval that followed was effective; for the third student, the whole-interval schedule occurred first and was effective, and reduced responding was maintained under the momentary schedule. In Experiment 2, baseline and the two DRO schedules were each presented in random order each day to one student in an alternating treatments design. The momentary DRO schedule reduced responding, but the whole-interval schedule was more effective.
Transcription Independent Insulation at TFIIIC-Dependent Insulators

Chromatin insulators separate active from repressed chromatin domains. In yeast the RNA pol III transcription machinery bound to tRNA genes function with histone acetylases and chromatin remodelers to restrict the spread of heterochromatin. Our results collectively demonstrate that binding of TFIIIC is necessary for insulation but binding of TFIIIB along with TFIIIC likely improves the probability of complex formation at an insulator. Insulation by this transcription factor occurs in the absence of RNA polymerase III or polymerase II but requires specific histone acetylases and chromatin remodelers. This analysis identifies a minimal set of factors required for insulation.
Mixed-mode survey of female veterinarians yields high response rate

In a recent study of female veterinarians, a subgroup of health professionals growing rapidly in number, the authors employed a mixed-mode survey design in targeting the cohort of women graduating from all US veterinary colleges during the 11-year period 1970-80 (n = 2,997). The questionnaire elicited information on a variety of health and occupational factors and required 35 minutes on average to complete. In the first stage, a modified version of Dillman's Total Design Method for mailed, self-administered questionnaires was employed, yielding a response rate of 82.9%. In the second stage, a telephone interview of all mail non-respondents was attempted, yielding a response rate here of only 30.1%, but iricreasing the overall response rate among those contacted to 90.2%. Non-respondents differed little from mail (early) or telephone (late) respondents with respect to year of graduation and geographic region of veterinary college attendance. Gentle probing of telephone non-respondents suggested the personal nature of some questions and the amount of time required to answer all questions were the main reasons they chose not to participate. It therefore appears that conventional survey techniques may be successfully employed in health studies of health professionals, particularly if issues of great concern to the target population are addressed.
Insurance status is a potent predictor of outcomes in both blunt and penetrating trauma.

BACKGROUND: Patients with penetrating injuries are known to have worse outcomes than those with blunt trauma. We hypothesize that within each injury mechanism there should be no outcome difference between insured and uninsured patients. METHODS: The National Trauma Data Bank version 7 was analyzed. Patients aged 65 years and older and burn patients were excluded. The insurance status was categorized as insured (private, government/military, or Medicaid) and uninsured. Multivariate analysis adjusted for insurance status, mechanism of injury, age, race, sex, injury severity score, shock, head injury, extremity injury, teaching hospital status, and year. RESULTS: A total of 1,203,243 patients were analyzed, with a mortality rate of 3.7%. The death rate was significantly higher in penetrating trauma patients versus blunt trauma patients (7.9% vs 3.0%; P Language: en
Performance of an Electrostatic Precipitator with Superhydrophobic Surface when Collecting Airborne Bacteria

Modern bioaerosol sampling and analysis techniques that enable rapid detection of low bioagent concentrations in various environments are needed to help us understand the causal relationship between adverse health effects and bioaerosol exposures and also to enable the timely biohazard detection in case of intentional release. We have developed a novel bioaerosol sampler, an electrostatic precipitator with superhydrophobic surface (EPSS), where a combination of electrostatic collection mechanism with superhydrophobic collection surface allows for efficient particle collection, removal, and concentration in water droplets as small as 5 μ L. The sampler's performance at different sampling flow rates and sampling times was tested with two common bacteria: Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis. The collection efficiency was determined using the traditional method of microscopic counting as well as the whole-cell quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay (QPCR). The tests indicated that th...
Key directions and a roadmap for electrical design for manufacturability

Semiconductor product value increasingly depends on "equivalent scaling" achieved by design and design-for-manufacturability (DFM) techniques. This talk addresses trends and a roadmap for "equivalent scaling" innovation at the design-manufacturing interface. The first part will discuss precepts of electrical DFM. What are dominant aspects of manufacturing variability and design requirements? Can designs match process, or must process inevitably adapt to designs? In what sense can concepts of "virtual manufacturing" or "statistical optimization" succeed in the design flow? How should design technology balance analyses that preserve value, versus optimizations that extend value? How should we balance preventions (correct by construction), versus early interventions, versus cures (construct by correction), versus "do no harm" opportunism? Or, tools that can model and predict well, versus tools that can make upstream assumptions come true? The second part will give a roadmap for electrical DFM technologies, motivated by emerging challenges (stress/strain engineering, mask errors, double-patterning lithography, etc.) and highlighting needs for les 45 nm nodes.
Battery-aware static scheduling for distributed real-time embedded systems

This paper addresses battery-aware static scheduling in battery-powered distributed real-time embedded systems. As suggested by previous work, reducing the discharge current level and shaping its distribution are essential for extending the battery lifespan. We propose two battery-aware static scheduling schemes. The first one optimizes the discharge power profile in order to maximize the utilization of the battery capacity. The second one targets distributed systems composed of voltage-scalable processing elements (PEs). It performs variable-voltage scheduling via efficient slack time re-allocation, which helps reduce the average discharge power consumption as well as flatten the discharge power profile. Both schemes guarantee the hard real-time constraints and precedence relationships in the real-time distributed embedded system specification. Based on previous work, we develop a battery lifespan evaluation metric which is aware of the shape of the discharge power profile. Our experimental results show that the battery lifespan can be increased by up to 29% by optimizing the discharge power file alone. Our variable-voltage scheme increases the battery lifespan by up to 76% over the non-voltage-scalable scheme and by up to 56% over the variable-voltage scheme without slack-time re-allocation.
Characterization of Virulence Factor Regulation by SrrAB, a Two-Component System in Staphylococcus aureus

Workers in our laboratory have previously identified the staphylococcal respiratory response AB (SrrAB), a Staphylococcus aureus two-component system that acts in the global regulation of virulence factors. This system down-regulates production of agr RNAIII, protein A, and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1), particularly under low-oxygen conditions. In this study we investigated the localization and membrane orientation of SrrA and SrrB, transcription of the srrAB operon, the DNA-binding properties of SrrA, and the effect of SrrAB expression on S. aureus virulence. We found that SrrA is localized to the S. aureus cytoplasm, while SrrB is localized to the membrane and is properly oriented to function as a histidine kinase. srrAB has one transcriptional start site which results in either an srrA transcript or a full-length srrAB transcript; srrB must be cotranscribed with srrA. Gel shift assays of the agr P2, agr P3, protein A (spa), TSST-1 (tst), and srr promoters revealed SrrA binding at each of these promoters. Analysis of SrrAB-overexpressing strains by using the rabbit model of bacterial endocarditis demonstrated that overexpression of SrrAB decreased the virulence of the organisms compared to the virulence of isogenic strains that do not overexpress SrrAB. We concluded that SrrAB is properly localized and oriented to function as a two-component system. Overexpression of SrrAB, which represses agr RNAIII, TSST-1, and protein A in vitro, decreases virulence in the rabbit endocarditis model. Repression of these virulence factors is likely due to a direct interaction between SrrA and the agr, tst, and spa promoters.
The Topology of the Real Numbers

The topology of a mathematical space is its structure or the characteristics it exhibits. In calculus we were introduced to a few topological ideas and we will need a few more in our study of dynamics.
AN ON-FARM SWINE WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN HAWAII

Abstract A prototype of a swine waste treatment system for a 20–25 sows operation was investigated for its potential of odor control, byproduct utilization and treated wastewater reuse. The high solid portion of the swine waste ranging from 4% to 8% TS was treated and stabilized by the anaerobic process with an HRT (hydraulic retention time) of 32 days. The diluted liquid portion from raw and anaerobically digested swine wastewater was effectively treated by the aeration and sedimentation units with the HRT of 3 and 4 days, respectively. The overall removal efficiency of 89–95·4% for TCOD, 82·3–88·5% for TKN and 81·2% for T-P was achieved. The treated effluent was reused for irrigation of pasture without any negative impact of odor problems. Also, it meets the requirements of the wastewater reuse criteria, R-3, issued by the State of Hawaii, Department of Health. The economic analysis was conducted by calculating the NPW (net present worth). It was found that the capital cost is the major cost for the proposed treatment system. The reuse of biogas as energy and sludge as fertilizer are the key factors as to whether or not it will turn the treatment system into a profit. More than 830 pigs (or approximately 80 sows) are required to achieve the break-even point for the application of the swine waste treatment system. Thus, a profit could be made with the application of this treatment system to more than 830 pigs if the comprehensive utilization of methane gas and stabilized sludge could be realized.
Platelet abnormalities in diabetes mellitus

Patients with diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of thrombosis and accelerated atherogenesis. Increased platelet adhesion and aggregation are noted in vitro. This paper reviews known platelet abnormalities found in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and examines the pathophysiology associated with these abnormalities. Four general platelet regions or functional units can be involved in aberrant chemistry, structure and/or function. These include (1) the membrane, (2) granules, (3) intermediary metabolism, and (4) other factors and/or platelet responses to various substances. In regard to the abnormalities of the membrane, there is an increased binding of fibrinogen in diabetic rats and increased membrane rigidity. There are increases in glycoprotein Ib and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa. Related to granule function, increased levels of plasma serotonin, histamine and beta thromboglobulin are found. Alterations of intermediary metabolism involving the prostaglandin pathways, arachidonic acid, Vitamin E, and lipids have been reported. Other factors which are not well characterized include abnormalities of stem cell response to growth factors and thrombopoiesis, as noted indirectly through alterations of platelet volumes. It is proposed that these platelet abnormalities result in increased thrombosis and/or an acceleration of the atherosclerotic process in at least some patients with diabetes mellitus.
Monitoring the main crops status of Beijing area with multi-source remotely sensed information

With the urbanizing development of Beijing, the planting area and spatial distribution structure of Beijing suburb crops are changing constantly. Because the TM (Thematic Mapper) images of Beijing area during 2003 summer suffered from weather conditions, such as cloud or haze, it is difficult to obtain the satisfying classification with only one kind of remote sensing data. To get the first data of the exact area and spatial distribution of Beijing crops, a perfect classification strategy is designed in This work. The images of 2003's TM/ETM+ (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus) in comparative better weather conditions, MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) standard products in 2003 and DEM (Digital Elevation Model) at 30 m spatial resolution of Beijing area are adopted. The classification system for main crops in Beijing is constructed which includes winter wheat, maize, soybean, clover, garden, orchard, etc. Based on the phenological features of the main crops, the different crops extracting plan is constructed respectively. The orchard and vegetable in greenhouse planting information are from the supervised classification with maximum likelihood methods. By means of the decision tree classification function of the ENVI (The Environment for Visualizing Images) software, the winter wheat and clover planting information are extracted by the logic operation algorithm among the 4 NDVI data from the TM/ETM+ images adopted in This work while the spring maize and soybean are extracted with the logic algorithm with MODIS NDVI. The results indicated that this classification strategy can not only improve the classification precision, but also decrease the post classification work.
Critical exponents in metastable decay via quantum activation.

We consider decay of metastable states of forced vibrations of a quantum oscillator close to the bifurcation points where the states disappear. Decay occurs via quantum activation over a quasienergy barrier, a mechanism that differs from both tunneling and thermal activation. The decay probability $W$ scales with the distance $\ensuremath{\eta}$ to the bifurcation point as $\ensuremath{\mid}\mathrm{ln}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}W\ensuremath{\mid}\ensuremath{\propto}{\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{\xi}}$. The exponent $\ensuremath{\xi}$ is found for a resonantly driven oscillator and an oscillator modulated at nearly twice its eigenfrequency.
Effects of maropitant, acepromazine, and electroacupuncture on vomiting associated with administration of morphine in dogs

Objective—To evaluate effects of maropitant, acepromazine, and electroacupuncture on morphine-related signs of nausea and vomiting in dogs and assess sedative effects of the treatments. Design—Randomized controlled clinical trial. Animals—222 dogs. Procedures—Dogs received 1 of 6 treatments: injection of saline (0.9% NaCl) solution, maropitant citrate, or acepromazine maleate or electroacupuncture treatment at 1 acupoint, 5 acupoints, or a sham acupoint. Morphine was administered after 20 minutes of electroacupuncture treatment or 20 minutes after injectable treatment. Vomiting and retching events and signs of nausea and sedation were recorded. Results—Incidence of vomiting and retching was significantly lower in the maropitant (14/37 [37.8%]) group than in the saline solution (28/37 [75.7%]) and sham-acupoint electroacupuncture (32/37 [86.5%]) groups. The number of vomiting and retching events in the maropitant (21), acepromazine (38), 1-acupoint (35), and 5-acupoint (34) groups was significantly lower t...
Optical transmission of narrowband millimeter-wave signals

We describe experimentally and theoretically three techniques used to transmit narrowband millimeter-wave (MM-wave) analog signals over optical fiber: 1) narrowband MM-wave optical transmitters based on resonant modulation of monolithic semiconductor lasers, 2) feedforward optical modulation, and 3) a passively mode-locked laser operating in an optoelectronic phase-locked loop. The resonant modulation response at the cavity round-trip frequency is fully characterized for multiple-contact lasers under various bias conditions. Issues such as modulation efficiency, passband bandwidth, noise, and intermodulation distortion are addressed. A system implementation of resonant modulation is presented in which two simultaneous 2.5-Mb/s BPSK channels centered at a subcarrier frequency of 41 GHz is transmitted over 400 m of single-mode fiber. Simple microstrip matching circuits are fabricated at 41 GHz to couple the MM-wave signals into the laser. Resonant modulation of single-contact lasers is also reported. Next, implementation of a tunable MM-wave (30-300 GHz) optical transmitter based on feedforward optical modulation is presented, and the fundamental performance of this technique investigated in terms of noise and dynamic range. Feedforward modulation is used to transmit 300-Mb/s data at 39 GHz over 2.2 km of single-mode fiber. Finally, a passively mode-locked monolithic semiconductor laser operating in an optoelectronic phase-locked loop is implemented as a narrowband MM-wave optical transmitter at 46 GHz. The phase-locked loop bandwidth, MM-wave tracking capability, and fundamental limit to the stability of the MM-wave subcarrier is established. The relative merits of the three techniques are discussed and compared. The MM-wave subcarrier transmission results presented here represent the highest reported to date. >
Parameter estimation of a fractional Brownian motion in a white noise using wavelets

To discriminate the fractal parameter of a fractional Brownian motion (fBm) embedded in a white noise is equivalent to discriminating the composite singularity formed by superimposing a peak singularity upon a Dirac singularity. We use the autocorrelation of the wavelet transform coefficients to characterize the composite singularity, by formalizing this problem as a nonlinear optimization problem. We modify the internal penalty function method to efficiently estimate the parameters of the fBm in the white noise. >
A high power density 26 V GaAs pHEMT technology

This report presents a GaAs pHEMT technology optimized for 26 V drain bias. At this bias, a 2.14 GHz gate width scaling study demonstrates output power densities of 1.8-2.1 W/mm of output power at 1 dB gain compression (P/sub 1dB/) for device sizes ranging from 14.4 mm down to 3.6 mm respectively. Power added efficiency (PAE) remains nearly constant at 59-61% for these device sizes. Devices with 14.4 mm gate widths produced a Pias of 26 W (1.8 W/mm) with an associated power-added efficiency (PAE) of 61%. Thermal imaging shows a thermal resistance of approximately 4.2/spl deg/C/W at a 36/spl deg/C case temperature for 14.4 mm (26 W) devices. A high temperature step stress reliability study shows a median time to failure (MTTF) of 1.6/spl times/10/sup 7/ hours for a 150/spl deg/C channel temperature with a thermal activation energy of 1.8 eV. These results represent the best combination of power density, PAE, and reliability reported for any GaAs-based FET technology.
Discussion of Does the Market Value Financial Expertise on Audit Committees of Boards of Directors

CorporateAmericaanditsshareholderscontinuetosortoutthecostsandbeneﬁts of the requirements imposed on public companies by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and related recent New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) andNASDAQ exchange corporate governance initiatives. These initiatives wereimplemented to address concerns relating to corporate governance andaudit quality in response to instances of massive fraud and audit failure atseveral high-proﬁle companies. Researchers have probed various aspects ofthe provisions of SOX from announcement effects of the events leading upto the passage of SOX to analyses of actions resulting from SOX to evaluateexpected and real costs and beneﬁts of the provisions of SOX.
Competition between carboxylic and phenolic groups for the preferred sites at the periphery of graphene – A DFT study

Abstract The energetics of placing carboxyl and phenolic groups at the periphery of a graphene sheet are studied using density functional theory (B3LYP) with a 6-31G∗ basis set, augmented with diffuse functions on oxygen atoms. Individually both COOH and OH have the same preference for the corner sites, but in presence of COOH the smaller OH group opts for its second preference, the zigzag sites, leaving corner sites to the larger group. H-bonding acts to keep the two groups adjacent to one another, suggesting an interaction energy between the two groups of about 7.0 kcal/mol. However, π-conjugation between these groups with the carbon network plays a decisive role in the stability as well. Vibrational analyses reveal strong features that are characteristic of each site, which may help in the assignment of experimental spectra.
Cardiac β‐adrenoceptor binding characteristics with age following adrenal demedullation

1. The role of adrenal medullary catecholamines in the regulation of cardiac function becomes more important when adrenergic neural influences in the heart are decreased. Since adrenergic nervous input to the heart decreases with age, it would be expected that catecholamine influence on cardiac neuroeffector junction would increase. 2. Fischer-344 rats of 6-, 12- and 24-months were adrenal demedullated or sham-operated and the animals were killed at the end of two weeks. beta-Adrenoceptors were studied in the membrane preparations from the ventricles of rat hearts. [125I]-iodopindolol was used as the radioligand. The density of beta-receptors (Bmax), dissociation constant (KD) and the ratio of cardiac beta-adrenoceptor subtypes were studied. The relative percentages of beta-receptor subtypes were determined by use of ICI 89,406 (beta 1-selective antagonist) and ICI 118,551 (beta 2-selective antagonist). 3. In 24-month-old animals which were adrenal demedullated, hydrocortisone replacement was employed for one week; the animals were killed one week later. 4. The data indicate that there was a diminution of the Bmax following adrenal demedullation at all ages but that the ratios of beta 1: beta 2-adrenoceptors remain the same as in the controls (67:33). The effect of adrenal medullary catecholamines on cardiac beta-receptor binding characteristics did not seem to be influenced by age.
Simple partial volume transceive coils for in vivo1H MR studies at high magnetic fields

The development of simple radiofrequency (RF) coils for magnetic resonance (MR) of the human brain is still of high interest in the engineering of systems for which phased arrays are not yet available. Particularly, high-field MR studies will benefit from configurations with simple coils that are easy to build and require only a few RF parts for operation (e.g., quadrature hybrids). In this article we describe selected simple transmit/receive (transceive) partial volume coil assemblies for human brain studies at high magnetic fields of 3, 4, and 7 T (130, 170, and 300 MHz). To characterize coil performance, the experimental results of MRI of phantoms, anatomical MRI, and single-voxel MRS of healthy human volunteers are presented. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part B (Magn Reson Engineering) 31B: 71–85, 2007.
Disclosure of amyloid status is not a barrier to recruitment in preclinical Alzheimer's disease clinical trials

Preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials may require participants to learn if they meet biomarker enrollment criteria. To examine whether this requirement will impact trial recruitment, we presented 132 older community volunteers who self-reported normal cognition with 1 of 2 hypothetical informed consent forms (ICFs) describing an AD prevention clinical trial. Both ICFs described amyloid Positron Emission Tomography scans. One ICF stated that scan results would not be shared with the participants (blinded enrollment); the other stated that only persons with elevated amyloid would be eligible (transparent enrollment). Participants rated their likelihood of enrollment and completed an interview with a research assistant. We found no difference between the groups in willingness to participate. Study risks and the requirement of a study partner were reported as the most important factors in the decision whether to enroll. The requirement of biomarker disclosure may not slow recruitment to preclinical AD trials.
The Metaphysics of the Tractatus

The most striking feature of the metaphysics of the Tractatus is a kind of dualism. The world is one irreducible reality and its substance is another sort of thing altogether. The world is the totality of facts, not of things, and serves as the metaphysical grounding for truth. The substance of the world is composed of objects, not facts, and serves as the metaphysical grounding for meaning. The metaphysical dichotomy has a direct consequence with respect to human expression, or what we can picture to ourselves: Facts can be explicitly expressed or stated, and therefore the world can be described. Objects, on the other hand, cannot be expressed or said but can only be shown, and therefore the substance of the world cannot be described. The “correct method in philosophy” (6.53) therefore also reflects the dualism: It consists not only of the very famous silence with respect to the substance and limits of the world (7), but also of saying what can be said, namely factual propositions which describe the world. There is also a direct consequence with respect to ethics: Happiness consists in being in harmony with the world, which is a difficult challenge for each of us because of the stubbornness of facts. Happiness could not possibly consist of simply being in harmony with the substance of the world, however; since the substance of this world is the same as the substance of any possible world, the substance of the world conforms as well to our wishes and fantasies as it does to facts, and there is no more ethical challenge to conforming to the substance of the world than there is to being satisfied with fantasies.
Preliminary typology of couplehood for community-dwelling wives: "I" versus "we".

A qualitative analysis of women whose husbands reside in nursing homes was conducted to understand the concept of couplehood. Couplehood is defined here as the extent to which one person perceives herself as married to another person (feeling like an “I” or like part of a “We”). An “I”—“We” continuum was presented to each woman, and noticeable patterns emerged. Some women identified themselves as perceiving no couplehood with their institutionalized husbands (“Unmarried Marrieds”). A second group of women perceived a high degree of couplehood (“‘Til Death Do Us Parts”), while a third group perceived low couplehood (“Husbandless Wives”). Differences seem to exist in terms of the degree to which couplehood is perceived (no, low, high). Implications of such a typology are offered for researchers, clinicians, and community-dwelling wives.
Reaction of Zein with Methylenediphenyl Diisocyanate in the Melt State: Thermal, Mechanical, and Physical Properties

Corn protein (zein) was melt-processed with methylenediphenyl 4,4′-diisocyanate (MDI) using triethylamine (TEA) as a catalyst to facilitate the reaction of the isocyanate groups with the nucleophilic moieties present on zein. The product of the reaction was examined using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to monitor changes in molecular weight. Techniques used to evaluate property changes after reaction included FTIR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and evaluation of mechanical properties. Our findings demonstrated that zein reacts with MDI in the melt state generating higher molecular weight compounds that after compression molding have improved physical properties and solvent resistance.
Laser Induced Fusion In Deuterium Clusters Irradiated By Softly Focused, Petawatt Pulses

We present the results of the first target shots on the Texas Petawatt Laser. Petawatt pulses are softly focused into a deuterium cluster gas plume to produce a large volume plasma and high neutron yield.
Effect of Light Regime Upon Time of Oviposition in Turkey Hens

Abstract INTRODUCTION An early report by Albright and Thom-son (1933) indicated that there was an effect of light on seasonal egg production in turkeys. Other authors have shown a definite effect of light restriction in the pre-laying period upon subsequent egg production (Marr et al., 1956; Harper and Parker, 1957; Wilson et al., 1962; Wolford et al., 1964a). Although the pattern of oviposition in turkey hens has been studied by several investigators (Woodard et al., 1963; Stockton and Asmundson, 1950; Kosin and Abplanalp, 1951; Wolford et al., 1964b), little information exists on the regulation of oviposition time by means of artificial light. Controlled oviposition time has been demonstrated in other avian species (Warren and Scott, 1936; Arrington et al., 1962). The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether oviposition time could be controlled in turkeys so as to artificially inseminate hens early in the morning with the absence of a . . .
Combined Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging to Noninvasively Assess Burn Injury and Selectively Monitor a Regenerative Tissue-Engineered Construct

Current biomedical imaging tools have limitations in accurate assessment of the severity of open and deep burn wounds involving excess bleeding and severe tissue damage. Furthermore, sophisticated imaging techniques are needed for advanced therapeutic approaches such as noninvasive monitoring of stem cells seeded and applied in a biomedical 3D scaffold to enhance wound repair. This work introduces a novel application of combined ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging to assess both burn injury and skin tissue regeneration. Tissue structural damage and bleeding throughout the epidermis and dermis till the subcutaneous skin layer were imaged noninvasively by US/PA imaging. Gold nanoparticle-labeled adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) within a PEGylated fibrin 3D gel were implanted in a rat model of cutaneous burn injury. ASCs were successfully tracked till 2 weeks and were distinguished from host tissue components (e.g., epidermis, fat, and blood vessels) through spectroscopic PA imaging. The structure and function of blood vessels (vessel density and perfusion) in the wound bed undergoing skin tissue regeneration were monitored both qualitatively and semi-quantitatively by the developed imaging approach. Imaging-based analysis demonstrated ASC localization in the top layer of skin and a higher density of regenerating blood vessels in the treated groups. This was corroborated with histological analysis showing localization of fluorescently labeled ASCs and smooth muscle alpha actin-positive blood vessels. Overall, the US/PA imaging-based strategy coupled with gold nanoparticles has a great potential for stem cell therapies and tissue engineering due to its noninvasiveness, safety, selectivity, and ability to provide long-term monitoring.
Simultaneous determination of organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticide residues in vegetables by capillary gas chromatography

Objective:To establish the capillary gas chromatographic method for determination of dicofol,cyhalothrin,beta-cyfluthrin,cypermethrin and deltamethrin in vegetables.Methods: The pesticides were extracted from vegetables with acetonitrile,then salted out with sodium chloride,cleanned up with Si/Mg column,dried-up under nitrogen and dissolved in n-hexane for analysis.The sample was separated with DB-1701 capillary column and detected with ECD detector,then quantified by external standard method.Results: The average recoveries of the method were 80.0%～110.1% with RSDs of 1.3%～4.6%.The minimum detection limits were 0.12 μg/kg～2.6 μg/kg.Conclusion: This method is accurate,sensitive,reliable and it can be applied for analysis of lots of vegetable samples.
Structural language, pragmatic communication, behavior, and social competence in children adopted internationally: A pilot study

The objectives of this study were to examine the association of structural language and pragmatic communication with behavior problems and social competence in girls adopted internationally. Participants included girls between 6-12 years of age who were internationally adopted from China (n = 32) and Eastern-Europe (n = 25) and a control group of never-adopted girls (n = 25). Children completed the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. Parents completed the Child Communication Checklist- second edition, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Home and Community Social Behavior Scales. Compared to the controls, parents in the Eastern European group reported more problems with social competence, externalizing behaviors, structural language, and pragmatic communication. The Chinese group evidenced more internalizing problems. Using generalized linear regression, interaction terms were examined to determine if the associations of pragmatic communication and structural language with behavior problems and social competence varied across groups. Controlling for general intellectual functioning, poorer pragmatic communication was associated with more externalizing problems and poorer social competence. In the Chinese group, poorer pragmatic communication was associated with more internalizing problems. Post-adoption weaknesses in pragmatic communication are associated with behavior problems and social competence. Internationally adopted children may benefit from interventions that target pragmatic communication.
Antenatal assessment of pulmonary maturation.

This article reviews the many methods commonly proposed to assess the maturity of the fetus and discusses a method that directly measures the developmental composition of surfactant phospholipids in amniotic fluid.
Linking High Risk Postpartum Women with a Technology Enabled Health Coaching Program to Reduce Diabetes Risk and Improve Wellbeing: Program Description, Case Studies, and Recommendations for Community Health Coaching Programs

Background. Low-income minority women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (pGDM) or high BMIs have increased risk for chronic illnesses postpartum. Although the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) provides an evidence-based model for reducing diabetes risk, few community-based interventions have adapted this program for pGDM women. Methods. STAR MAMA is an ongoing randomized control trial (RCT) evaluating a hybrid HIT/Health Coaching DPP-based 20-week postpartum program for diabetes prevention compared with education from written materials at baseline. Eligibility includes women 18-39 years old, ≥32 weeks pregnant, and GDM or BMI > 25. Clinic- and community-based recruitment in San Francisco and Sonoma Counties targets 180 women. Sociodemographic and health coaching data from a preliminary sample are presented. Results. Most of the 86 women included to date (88%) have GDM, 80% were identified as Hispanic/Latina, 78% have migrant status, and most are Spanish-speaking. Women receiving the intervention indicate high engagement, with 86% answering 1+ calls. Health coaching callbacks last an average of 9 minutes with range of topics discussed. Case studies presented convey a range of emotional, instrumental, and health literacy-related supports offered by health coaches. Discussion. The DPP-adapted HIT/health coaching model highlights the possibility and challenge of delivering DPP content to postpartum women in community settings. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02240420.
Wire Bond Challenges of Stacked Dice Devices

The integration of stacked dice into convention packaging formats provides a promising capability in reducing the cost, weight and size of the package while increasing the overall functionality of the system. It has been well accepted as enabling approach for smaller handheld devices such as cellular phones and digital camera. Among the various process steps in the packaging of these devices, wire bonding forms one of the critical processes. It applies a combination of mechanical force, ultrasonic power, and thermal energy to thin and, often, unsupported silicon die. This paper outlines the use of finite element in the design and development of a viable wire bonding approach for the interconnection of stacked dice in packages. We also show how improvements in the wire bonder are made to meet the needs of stacked die packaging.