Theoretical determination of the nonlinear optical properties of inorganic polymers

Third order hyperpolarizabilities were calculated using the Huckel Hamiltonian and third order perturbation theory for a series of phosphonitrilic compounds, (X{sub 2}P-N){sub n}, as a function of bond length alternation, ligand substitution and backbone conformation. Phosphonitrilic compounds show hyperpolarizabilities comparable to those reported for organic species, and are modulated by ligand group electronegativity. In contrast to organic polyenes, the difference in {pi} orbital energy between phosphorus and nitrogen is critical to determining the onset of saturation and the magnitude of the hyperpolarizability. Conformation effects are smaller than those seen in polyenes. 15 refs., 5 figs

Dominant Control of Reservoir-Flow Behavior in Carbonate Reservoirs as Determined from Outcrop Studies

The investigation of carbonate-ramp deposits of the upper San Andres Formation that crop out along the Algerita Escarpment, New Mexico, is a research element of ongoing geologic and petrophysical studies conducted at the Bureau of Economic Geology's Reservoir Characterization Research Laboratory (RCRL). The primary goal of the investigation is to develop an integrated strategy involving geological, petrophysical, geostatistical, and reservoir-simulation studies that can be used to better predict flow characteristics in analogous subsurface reservoirs. Geologic investigations and detailed measurements of petrophysical parameters on continuous outcrop were used to determine not only the vertical distribution of the data but also their lateral distribution, which is typically lacking in subsurface studies. To characterize the complex heterogeneity associated with depositional and diagenetic processes at the interwell scale, detailed permeability data were collected within the overall geologic framework from the outcrop at Lawyer Canyon, Algerita Escarpment, New Mexico (fig. 1). Geologic mapping showed a series of upward-shallowing parasequences (10 to 40 ft thick and several thousand feet long). Parasequence boundaries are typically marked by tight mudstone/wackestone beds that display variable degrees of lateral continuity ranging from several hundred feet to more than 2,500 ft and are potentially important as flow barriers (fig. 2). Within these parasequences, distinct variability of facies and petrophysical characteristics is present at scales well below those of interwell spacing typical for their subsurface counterparts (660 to 1,330 ft). Pore types and permeability-porosity relationships can also be specific to individual parasequences.Bureau of Economic Geolog

A biophysical model of prokaryotic diversity in geothermal hot springs

Recent field investigations of photosynthetic bacteria living in geothermal hot spring environments have revealed surprisingly complex ecosystems, with an unexpected level of genetic diversity. One case of particular interest involves the distribution along hot spring thermal gradients of genetically distinct bacterial strains that differ in their preferred temperatures for reproduction and photosynthesis. In such systems, a single variable, temperature, defines the relevant environmental variation. In spite of this, each region along the thermal gradient exhibits multiple strains of photosynthetic bacteria adapted to several distinct thermal optima, rather than the expected single thermal strain adapted to the local environmental temperature. Here we analyze microbiology data from several ecological studies to show that the thermal distribution field data exhibit several universal features independent of location and specific bacterial strain. These include the distribution of optimal temperatures of different thermal strains and the functional dependence of the net population density on temperature. Further, we present a simple population dynamics model of these systems that is highly constrained by biophysical data and by physical features of the environment. This model can explain in detail the observed diversity of different strains of the photosynthetic bacteria. It also reproduces the observed thermal population distributions, as well as certain features of population dynamics observed in laboratory studies of the same organisms

Reduced tillage, but not organic matter input, increased nematode diversity and food web stability in European long‐term field experiments

Soil nematode communities and food web indices can inform about the complexity, nutrient flows and decomposition pathways of soil food webs, reflecting soil quality. Relative abundance of nematode feeding and life‐history groups are used for calculating food web indices, i.e., maturity index (MI), enrichment index (EI), structure index (SI) and channel index (CI). Molecular methods to study nematode communities potentially offer advantages compared to traditional methods in terms of resolution, throughput, cost and time. In spite of such advantages, molecular data have not often been adopted so far to assess the effects of soil management on nematode communities and to calculate these food web indices. Here, we used high‐throughput amplicon sequencing to investigate the effects of tillage (conventional vs. reduced) and organic matter addition (low vs. high) on nematode communities and food web indices in 10 European long‐term field experiments and we assessed the relationship between nematode communities and soil parameters. We found that nematode communities were more strongly affected by tillage than by organic matter addition. Compared to conventional tillage, reduced tillage increased nematode diversity (23% higher Shannon diversity index), nematode community stability (12% higher MI), structure (24% higher SI), and the fungal decomposition channel (59% higher CI), and also the number of herbivorous nematodes (70% higher). Total and labile organic carbon, available K and microbial parameters explained nematode community structure. Our findings show that nematode communities are sensitive indicators of soil quality and that molecular profiling of nematode communities has the potential to reveal the effects of soil management on soil quality

Laser treatment in diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness in developed countries due to macular edema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). For both complications laser treatment may offer proven therapy: the Diabetic Retinopathy Study demonstrated that panretinal scatter photocoagulation reduces the risk of severe visual loss by >= 50% in eyes with high-risk characteristics. Pan-retinal scatter coagulation may also be beneficial in other PDR and severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) under certain conditions. For clinically significant macular edema the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study could show that immediate focal laser photocoagulation reduces the risk of moderate visual loss by at least 50%. When and how to perform laser treatment is described in detail, offering a proven treatment for many problems associated with diabetic retinopathy based on a high evidence level. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

Loss of redundant gene expression after polyploidization in plants

Based on chromosomal location data of genes encoding 28 biochemical systems in allohexaploid wheat,Triticum aestivum L. (genomes AABBDD), it is concluded that the proportions of systems controlled by triplicate, duplicate, and single loci are 57%, 25%, and 18% respectively

Dielectric and absorbate effects on the optical properties of phosphazenes

The optical response of polyphosphazenes can be directly related to the {pi} (out-of-plane) and {pi}{prime} (in-plane) bonding interactions intrinsic to the electronic structure of these materials. Altering this structure either by hydrogen bonding or absorbate effects, affects both the linear and nonlinear optical susceptibilities. In this paper, we have performed electronic structure calculations on the cyclic molecules, P{sub 3}N{sub 3}(NHCH{sub 3}){sub 6}, P{sub 3}N{sub 3}(SCH{sub 3}){sub 6}, P{sub 3}N{sub 3}(OCH{sub 3}){sub 6} and P{sub 4}N{sub 4}(NHCH{sub 3}){sub 8} as model systems for the polymer. Charge distribution arguments are discussed to explain the influence of a polarizing electric field on the {pi} bonding systems, and are used to suggest methods to enhance their nonlinearities

Use of MMG signals for the control of powered orthotic devices: Development of a rectus femoris measurement protocol

Copyright © 2009 Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society (RESNA). This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published in Assistive Technology, 21(1), 1 - 12, 2009, copyright Taylor & Francis, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10400430902945678.A test protocol is defined for the purpose of measuring rectus femoris mechanomyographic (MMG) signals. The protocol is specified in terms of the following: measurement equipment, signal processing requirements, human postural requirements, test rig, sensor placement, sensor dermal fixation, and test procedure. Preliminary tests of the statistical nature of rectus femoris MMG signals were performed, and Gaussianity was evaluated by means of a two-sided Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. For all 100 MMG data sets obtained from the testing of two volunteers, the null hypothesis of Gaussianity was rejected at the 1%, 5%, and 10% significance levels. Most skewness values were found to be greater than 0.0, while all kurtosis values were found to be greater than 3.0. A statistical convergence analysis also performed on the same 100 MMG data sets suggested that 25 MMG acquisitions should prove sufficient to statistically characterize rectus femoris MMG. This conclusion is supported by the qualitative characteristics of the mean rectus femoris MMG power spectral densities obtained using 25 averages