Influence of snow on wind erosion processes in the chinook belt of southern Alberta

Non-Peer Reviewe

Study of pinning at 3D-2D phase transition in vortex matter of strongly anisotropic high-temperature superconductors of BiPbSrCaCuO system

Sharp increase of pinning force was observed at the 3D-2D phase transition in strongly anisotropic high temperature superconductors of the BiPbSrCaCuO system.Comment: 5 page

Effects of Zilpaterol Hydrochloride Supplementation on Growth Performance,Carcass Characteristics and Production Economics of SteersDiffering in Breed Composition

The β–adrenergic agonist zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) affects skeletal muscle growth, but little is known if this response is influenced by differences in genetic background of cattle. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of ZH on growth, carcass characteristics and production economic responses of Angus-sired (ANG) and SimAngus-sired (SIMANG) steers. Pens within each block × breed composition were randomly assigned to either ZH (8.3 ppm of DM; fed for the final 20 d before slaughter) or control (CON; 0 ppm ZH). Steers were ultrasounded before ZH inclusion and following withdrawal to determine the influence of ZH on change in ribeye area (REA), fat thickness and percent intramuscular fat (IMF). Carcass and feedlot performance data were collected and used to determine breed composition and ZH effects on economic responses. The interaction of breed composition × ZH had no influence on measured responses. Breed composition did not influence change in ultrasound measurements during the ZH feeding period or feedlot performance. Carcasses from SIMANG steers had larger REA and improved YG, while ANG steers had increased marbling scores. SimAngus-sired steers produced a greater percentage of YG 2 and a lower percentage of YG 3 carcasses than ANG steers. A greater proportion of ANG carcasses were classified as upper 2/3 Choice while a greater proportion of SIMANG carcasses were included in the lower 1/3 Choice designation. Carcass value per cwt was greater for ANG compared to SIMANG carcasses while other economic responses were similar. Feeding ZH improved ADG, YG, and REA and resulted in increased YG 2 carcasses. Total carcass value was greater for ZH compared to CON. While CON had increased IMF during ZH feeding, this did not manifest into differences in QG. Breed composition influenced carcass grid premiums, but not overall carcass value. Feeding ZH improved carcass value by increasing HCW. Responses among breed composition were as expected for ANG vs SIMANG cattle types. The resultant economic effect was that grid premiums for higher-grading ANG cattle were offset by larger HCW for SIMANG, leading to similar overall carcass values. Finally, the influence of ZH on growth and carcass traits was as expected with increased carcass value being realized through heavier HCW

Investigation of stimulated dynamics in strongly anisotropic high-temperature superconductors system Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O

It is used the mechanical method of Abrikosov vortex stimulated dynamics investigation in superconductors. With its help it was studied relaxation phenomena in vortex matter of high-temperature superconductors. It established that pulsed magnetic fields change the course of relaxation processes taking place in vortex matter. The study of the influence of magnetic pulses differing by their durations and amplitudes on vortex system of strongly anisotropic high-temperature superconductors system Bi1.7Pb0.3Sr2Ca2Cu3O10-d showed the presence of threshold phenomena. The small duration pulses do not change the course of relaxation processes taking place in vortex matter. When the duration of pulses exceeds some critical value (threshold), then their influence change the course of relaxation process which is revealed by stepwise change of relaxing mechanical moment.. These investigation showed that the time for formatting of Abrikosov vortex lattice in Bi1.7Pb0.3Sr2Ca2Cu3O10-d is of the order of 150 us which on the order of value exceeds the time necessary for formation of a single vortex observed in isotropic high-temperature superconductor HoBa2Cu3O7-d and on two orders exceeds the creation time of a single vortex observed in classical type II superconductors.Comment: 6 pages, 0 figure

Perceptions and experiences with eating disorder treatment in the first year of COVID-19: A longitudinal qualitative analysis

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic created significant challenges in accessing and receiving treatment for individuals with eating disorders (EDs). The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of and experiences with ED treatment during the first year of the pandemic among individuals with past and self-reported EDs in the United States. Methods: Online surveys were administered to adults (N = 510) with a past or current self-reported ED at 13 timepoints between April 2020 and May 2021. Using longitudinal qualitative analysis, 5651 free-text responses were examined to capture experiences with ED treatment and generate inferences of change over time. Results: We categorized results into four sequential, temporal quarters and identified patterns that explained participants' perceptions of facilitators, barriers, and experiences with ED treatment over time: Quarter 1. Treatment Disruption and Reorienting Recovery; Quarter 2. Accumulating COVID-19 Stress and Virtual Treatment Woes; Quarter 3. A Continuation of Inadequate Care; and Quarter 4. Ongoing Adaptation and Adjustment to Uncertainty. Participant experiences were marked by numerous barriers to accessing care, challenges adjusting to virtual treatment, unmet treatment needs, and beginning acceptance of telehealth. Discussion: Our findings present a timeline to help evaluate challenges related to navigating the switch to virtual care which created significant disruption to ED recovery. Participants spent much of the first year trying to adjust to unemployment, loss of insurance, and lack of access to in-person treatment. Future research should identify additional strategies to improve the receipt and experience of care for EDs. Public Significance: Our findings suggest that individuals with eating disorders were significantly challenged by accumulating COVID-19 stress, worsening symptomatology, and limited access to effective treatment during the first year of the pandemic. This knowledge can guide clinicians, treatment centers, and policy makers in addressing the behavioral health needs of individuals impacted by disordered eating amidst emergent public health crises

Investigation of stimulated dynamics of vortex-matter in high-temperature superconductors

A simple mechanical method for the investigation of Abrikosov vortex lattice stimulated dynamics in superconductors has been used. By this method we studied the action of pulsed magnetic fields on the vortex lattice and established the resulting change of the course of relaxation processes in the vortex matter in high-temperature superconductors. This method can be used for investigation of phase transitions in vortex matter both high-temperature and exotic superconductors.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Atenolol versus losartan in children and young adults with Marfan's syndrome

BACKGROUND : Aortic-root dissection is the leading cause of death in Marfan's syndrome. Studies suggest that with regard to slowing aortic-root enlargement, losartan may be more effective than beta-blockers, the current standard therapy in most centers. METHODS : We conducted a randomized trial comparing losartan with atenolol in children and young adults with Marfan's syndrome. The primary outcome was the rate of aortic-root enlargement, expressed as the change in the maximum aortic-root-diameter z score indexed to body-surface area (hereafter, aortic-root z score) over a 3-year period. Secondary outcomes included the rate of change in the absolute diameter of the aortic root; the rate of change in aortic regurgitation; the time to aortic dissection, aortic-root surgery, or death; somatic growth; and the incidence of adverse events. RESULTS : From January 2007 through February 2011, a total of 21 clinical centers enrolled 608 participants, 6 months to 25 years of age (mean [+/- SD] age, 11.5 +/- 6.5 years in the atenolol group and 11.0 +/- 6.2 years in the losartan group), who had an aorticroot z score greater than 3.0. The baseline-adjusted rate of change (+/- SE) in the aortic-root z score did not differ significantly between the atenolol group and the losartan group (-0.139 +/- 0.013 and -0.107 +/- 0.013 standard-deviation units per year, respectively; P = 0.08). Both slopes were significantly less than zero, indicating a decrease in the degree of aortic-root dilatation relative to body-surface area with either treatment. The 3-year rates of aortic-root surgery, aortic dissection, death, and a composite of these events did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS : Among children and young adults with Marfan's syndrome who were randomly assigned to losartan or atenolol, we found no significant difference in the rate of aorticroot dilatation between the two treatment groups over a 3-year period

Spin-Charge Separation in the t−Jt-J Model: Magnetic and Transport Anomalies

A real spin-charge separation scheme is found based on a saddle-point state of the $t-J$ model. In the one-dimensional (1D) case, such a saddle-point reproduces the correct asymptotic correlations at the strong-coupling fixed-point of the model. In the two-dimensional (2D) case, the transverse gauge field confining spinon and holon is shown to be gapped at {\em finite doping} so that a spin-charge deconfinement is obtained for its first time in 2D. The gap in the gauge fluctuation disappears at half-filling limit, where a long-range antiferromagnetic order is recovered at zero temperature and spinons become confined. The most interesting features of spin dynamics and transport are exhibited at finite doping where exotic {\em residual} couplings between spin and charge degrees of freedom lead to systematic anomalies with regard to a Fermi-liquid system. In spin dynamics, a commensurate antiferromagnetic fluctuation with a small, doping-dependent energy scale is found, which is characterized in momentum space by a Gaussian peak at ($\pi/a$, $\pi/a$) with a doping-dependent width ($\propto \sqrt{\delta}$, $\delta$ is the doping concentration). This commensurate magnetic fluctuation contributes a non-Korringa behavior for the NMR spin-lattice relaxation rate. There also exits a characteristic temperature scale below which a pseudogap behavior appears in the spin dynamics. Furthermore, an incommensurate magnetic fluctuation is also obtained at a {\em finite} energy regime. In transport, a strong short-range phase interference leads to an effective holon Lagrangian which can give rise to a series of interesting phenomena including linear-$T$ resistivity and $T^2$ Hall-angle. We discuss the striking similarities of these theoretical features with those found in the high-$T_c$ cuprates and give aComment: 70 pages, RevTex, hard copies of 7 figures available upon request; minor revisions in the text and references have been made; To be published in July 1 issue of Phys. Rev. B52, (1995

Conceptual design of mechanisms based on computational synthesis and simulation of kinematic building blocks

Although many ingenious mechanisms have been designed, the fundamental task of conceptualizing these devices is, to a great extent, still an art. While sophisticated computational tools for dynamic analysis of mechanisms exist, hardly any computational methods exist for generalized synthesis. To develop a computational model for synthesis, a formal foundation for mechanisms design must be laid by rationalizing the process of mechanical synthesis. Rationalization in synthesis implies that complex mechanical motions can be described in terms of primitives or building blocks. In this paper, we present a matrix methodology that forms the basis for a computable approach to design synthesis. In this methodology, the continuous design space of a mechanisms domain is discretized into functional subspaces, and each subspace is represented uniquely by a conceptual building block. The matrix scheme serves as a formal means to (a) represent and reason with the building blocks at different levels of abstraction, (b) generate alternate conceptual design configurations, and (c) facilitate rapid simulation of design concepts by connecting a series of building blocks.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45878/1/163_2005_Article_BF01580146.pd

Signaling via a CD27-TRAF2-SHP-1 axis during naive T cell activation promotes memory-associated gene regulatory networks.

The interaction of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family member CD27 on naive CD8 <sup>+</sup> T (Tn) cells with homotrimeric CD70 on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) is necessary for T cell memory fate determination. Here, we examined CD27 signaling during Tn cell activation and differentiation. In conjunction with T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation, ligation of CD27 by a synthetic trimeric CD70 ligand triggered CD27 internalization and degradation, suggesting active regulation of this signaling axis. Internalized CD27 recruited the signaling adaptor TRAF2 and the phosphatase SHP-1, thereby modulating TCR and CD28 signals. CD27-mediated modulation of TCR signals promoted transcription factor circuits that induced memory rather than effector associated gene programs, which are induced by CD28 costimulation. CD27-costimulated chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells exhibited improved tumor control compared with CD28-costimulated CAR-T cells. Thus, CD27 signaling during Tn cell activation promotes memory properties with relevance to T cell immunotherapy