Correction: African American mitochondrial DNAs often match mtDNAs found in multiple African ethnic groups

After the publication of this work [1], we became aware that AFDIL data set used to construct our database of sub-Saharan mtDNA sequences had been mislabelled, and in fact, did not contain Sierra Leone mtDNA sequences. We have obtained the correct Sierra Leone data set from AFDIL, reconstructed the database using the new file, and reanalyzed all of the data. The size of our database was reduced from 3725 to 3717 since the new Sierra Leone data set contained 109 sequences instead of 117 in themislabelled data set. The swapping of data sets resulted in a cascade of minor corrections to Tables 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (see below). We also corrected an error in the entry for BAM013 in Table 7. However, the only major change was that there were a number of matches of African-American sequences to sequences in the mislabelled data set. Thus, the number of African-American matches to single ethnic groups dropped from a total of 16 to 9 (Table 3) representing just 5% of the African American sequences that we compared to the database

Gain and Loss in Quantum Cascade Lasers

We report gain calculations for a quantum cascade laser using a fully self-consistent quantum mechanical approach based on the theory of nonequilibrium Green functions. Both the absolute value of the gain as well as the spectral position at threshold are in excellent agreement with experimental findings for T=77 K. The gain strongly decreases with temperature.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures directly include

Thermal properties of a solid through q-deformed algebra

We address the study of the thermodynamics of a crystalline solid by applying q-deformed algebras. We based part of our study by considering both Einstein and Debye models. We have mainly explored the q-deformed thermal and electric conductivities as a function of the Debye specific heat. The results led to the interpretation of the q-deformation acting as a factor of disorder or impurity modifying the characteristics of a crystalline structure as, for example, in the case of semiconductors.Comment: 8 pages, twocolumn, 12 figures, Latex, version to appear in Physica

Bundles of fibers useful for moving liquids at high fluxes and acquisition/distribution structures that use the bundles

The ability to transport body liquids in consumer products such as diapers, incontinents and feminine napkins is a key factor in their performance. This invention is designed to provide specific high fluxes (volume of liquid/(time*mass of polymer) of aqueous liquids in designated directions using bundles of new specially designed fibers. The key factors for the bundles are a high specific adhesion for the liquid of interest, a high specific volume of the bundle itself, and alignment of the fibers within the bundle. The invention includes novel liquid acquisition/distribution systems and absorbent products that include a liquid acquisition/distribution system which may incorporate the novel bundles of fibers

Electrodynamic Metanuclei

A relativistic system of electrically charged fermions and oppositely charged massive scalars with no self-interactions, is argued to have a long-lived collective state with a net charge. The charge is residing near the surface of the spherically-symmetric state, while the interior consists of the condensed scalars, that are neutralized by the fermions. The metastability is achieved by competition of the negative pressure of the scalar condensate, against the positive pressure, mainly due to the fermions. We consider such metanuclei made of helium-4 nuclei and electrons, below nuclear but above atomic densities. Typical metanuclei represent charged balls of the atomic size, colossal mass, electric charge and excess energy. Unlike an ordinary nucleus, the charge of a metanucleus scales proportionately to its radius. The quantum mechanical decay through tunneling, and vacuum instability via pair-creation, are both suppressed for large values of the electric charge. Similar states could also be composed of other charged (pseudo)scalars, such as the pions, scalar supersymmetric partners, or in general, spin-0 states of new physics.Comment: 1+9 pages; v2: 2 refs with comments added; v3: discussions and refs added, typos correcte

Phase transition and hybrid star in a SU(2) chiral sigma model

We use a modified SU(2) chiral sigma model to study nuclear matter at high density using mean field approach. We also study the phase transition of nuclear matter to quark matter in the interior of highly dense neutron stars. Stable solutions of Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations representing hybrid stars are obtained with a maximum mass of 1.69 $M_{\odot}$, radii around 9.3 kms and a quark matter core constituting nearly 55-85 % of the star radii.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, accepted for Mod. Phys. Letts.

How Forming a Cooperative Network Improved Services and Outcomes for Farmers

The Beginning Farmer Resource Network of Maine (BFRN) is a model for maximizing resources and improving farmer services through increased statewide communication and collaboration among a diverse group of agricultural service providers. Formed in 2012, BFRN is a cooperative network with shared leadership and no financial overhead. In a 2018 survey regarding BFRN\u27s impacts, 92% of members (22 of 24 responding members) said they were more effective and efficient. The survey results also indicated that over 800 farmers had made positive changes as a result of members\u27 participation in BFRN. BFRN\u27s continuing high level of activity is a testament to the value this network model offers to participating organizations, agencies, and institutions

Counseling students’ attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine integration in counseling practice

This study explored counseling students’ attitudes toward beliefs and personal experience with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) integration in counseling practices. A total of 113 clinical mental health counseling students completed a demographic questionnaire, the CAM use, and the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Beliefs Inventory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, nonparametric Chi-Square testing, Mann–Whitney U test, and logistic regression analysis to determine the prevalence of CAM use, CAM beliefs, and predictive factors of CAM integration. The results indicated differences in ethnicity, gender, and age for CAM use, CAM beliefs, and predictors of attitudes toward CAM integration. Recommendations for counseling practice and education regarding CAM use and community-based health promotion were discussed

Stability analysis of polarized domains

Polarized ferrofluids, lipid monolayers and magnetic bubbles form domains with deformable boundaries. Stability analysis of these domains depends on a family of nontrivial integrals. We present a closed form evaluation of these integrals as a combination of Legendre functions. This result allows exact and explicit formulae for stability thresholds and growth rates of individual modes. We also evaluate asymptotic behavior in several interesting limits.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, Late

Existence of positive representations for complex weights

The necessity of computing integrals with complex weights over manifolds with a large number of dimensions, e.g., in some field theoretical settings, poses a problem for the use of Monte Carlo techniques. Here it is shown that very general complex weight functions P(x) on R^d can be represented by real and positive weights p(z) on C^d, in the sense that for any observable f, _P = _p, f(z) being the analytical extension of f(x). The construction is extended to arbitrary compact Lie groups.Comment: 9 pages, no figures. To appear in J.Phys.