cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative bone histology in 84 normal American subjects. Micromorphometric analysis and evaluation of variance in iliac bone.

Quantitative bone histology was done in undecalcified sections of iliac crest bone specimens obtained from 84 normal American individuals. Samples were obtained within 12 h after death in a vertical and horizontal manner from both the right and left iliac crests. In addition to the determination of normal values of micromorphometric parameters of bone in these healthy American subjects, the following studies were carried out: (a) comparison of variance of micromorphometric parameters of bone obtained from the right versus left iliac bone (40 pairs), (b) comparison of micromorphometric parameters of bone obtained in a vertical versus horizontal manner (12 pairs), (c) evaluation of variance with increasing distance from the compact zone in bone samples obtained in a vertical manner (44 pairs), (d) analysis of variation between bone samples obtained more anteriorly versus posteriorly along the iliac crest (N=40), (e) comparison of differences in micromorphometric parameters obtained from age-matched men versus premenopausal women (N=12), and (f) plotting of histograms for assessment of distribution of micromorphometric parameters. The results show that histomorphometric data of bone cannot be easily compared when different techniques are employed for obtaining bone samples. Sampling variations are kept smaller when bone specimens are obtained in a vertical manner. Anterior/posterior variation does not cause major sampling error. If ranges of variation are taken into account, quantitative bone histology is a valuable tool for assessment of bone structure and bone cells.
Do male crickets strategically adjust the number and viability of their sperm under sperm competition

Sperm competition theory predicts that males should strategically adjust sperm ejaculate expenditure according to the number of competing ejaculates, because sperm production is costly. That is, males should provide females with larger or higher-quality ejaculates when one rival male is present, but decrease ejaculate size or quality as the number of rivals exceeds one. We tested this hypothesis in the laboratory by subjecting male domestic crickets (Acheta domesticus) to increased sperm competition risk (one rival male) or intensity (two rival males) and then measuring total sperm number and viability (proportion of living sperm) of the ejaculate. In addition, we tested whether male ejaculate expenditure covaried with their own or their mate's phenotypic quality. Contrary to theoretical predictions, males did not prudently adjust the number of sperm they transferred to mates based on either sperm competition risk or intensity. We also found that smaller males had higher proportions of living sperm in their ejaculate relative to larger males, suggesting that male A. domesticus can adjust their ejaculate quality based on their perceived reproductive prospects.
Solution of the Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensions

The impact of computational fluid dynamics on the design of fluid dynamics devices is discussed. An efficient numerical procedure for solving the Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensions is discussed and flow simulations made on an inexpensive desk top work station are presented.
A comparison of the scavenging of phosphorus and arsenic from seawater by hydrothermal iron oxyhydroxides in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Abstract Studies of hydrothermal plumes on the Juan de Fuca Ridge and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge indicate that newly-formed Fe oxyhydroxides, formed as a consequence of hydrothermal venting, readily scavenge P and As from seawater in proportion to the dissolved concentrations of these elements. The Fe content of the suspended matter decreases from ∼40% near the vents to
Correction of iron deficiency in tomatoes grown hydroponically in sewage water

Abstract Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cultivar Beefsteak) were grown satisfactorily in secondary effluent sewage water from a residential area in Southern California as the nutrient solution but with Fe supplied additionally. Foliar Fe spray was partially satisfactory while soluable Fe chelate and insoluble Fe‐Fe oxide applied to roots were completely satisfactory.
Measuring the Dimensions of Different Objects

In this set of activities, we measured the dimensions of different objects using ImageJ and a CCD camera. We first used the CCD camera to take pictures of different objects' images. We then used ImageJ to measure the lengths of the pattern. After this step, we could calculate the dimensions of the objects. In this lab, we measured the diameter of a pinhole, slit width and slit separation of double and multiple slits, the width of a single slit and the width and length of a rectangular strip. We also verified that the fine details in the image are determined by the overall shape of the object and the overall shape of the image is determined by the fine details in the object. We suggest that it would improve the accuracy of the lab if the intensity of each point of the image can be recorded and compared.
Parameters in the use of pXRF for archaeological site prospection: a case study at the Reaume Fort Site, Central Minnesota

Abstract Field portable/hand-held x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyzers have been characterized as potentially useful for archaeological site prospection, but little has been published on the parameters of their use in this manner. The purpose of this study is to explore whether the variability of surface geochemistry as characterized with a pXRF analyzer corresponds with subsurface archaeological features at a site subsequently excavated, and what conditions influence the success of this endeavor, including feature depths, soil moisture, and sample processing. A 520 m 2 within-site area was systematically surveyed on a 2 m interval, within which several types of archaeological features were excavated (chimney bases, wall trenches, and a bonebed of faunal waste), taking readings in situ and collecting samples for ex situ testing (undried, dried but not powdered, and dried/powdered). The four different tests of each grid location, analyzed through univariate and multivariate tests, showed that the pXRF surface data does correspond with some types of subsurface features when those features are very shallow (within 5 cm of surface level) and are associated with clayey fills. Further, the data from the subsurface samples provides excellent distinction of feature fills from other sediments, regardless of sample preparation. In situ surface survey with pXRF analyzers may however be adequate for sites with a thorough baseline geochemical database.
Collagens of the mollusca. Separation by exclusion and hydrophobic interaction chromatography

Abstract 1. 1. Collagens from three species of Mollusca (Loligo peali, Octopus bimaculoides and Cryptochiton stelleri) were extracted and characterized according to (a) molecular size using an Ultrogel ACA 22 column, and (b) their degree of hydrophobicity using a phenyl sepharose column. 2. 2.The collagen of C. stelleri isolated from the visceral area had a different biochemical property from the mantle girdle which was in direct contact with the ocean. 3. 3. The visceral area was protected from the environment by the eight plates which is typical of this species. 4. 4. The L. peali collagen cluted as a single homogenous hydrophilic peak. 5. 5. The O. bimaculoides collagen was also hydrophilic but exhibited great diversity within this region. 6. 6. The differences seen biochemically between the collagen sheltered from the environment may help explain the function of various collagens.
Mallard and northern bobwhite exposure to compound 1080: Acute toxicity and food avoidance behavior

Abstract Standard 8-day toxicity experiments were conducted with mallards ( Anas platyrhynchos L .) and northern bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus L .) exposed to a range of dietary sodium monofluoroacetate (Compound 1080) concentrations. Food LC50 estimates for mallards and northern bobwhite were 527 and 385 ppm, respectively. Food avoidance tests in which birds were given free choice between equal amounts of clean and contaminated food indicated that mallards and northern bobwhite avoided consumption of 1080-treated food at levels equal to or greater than 236 ppm and 95 ppm, respectively. Although water LC50 estimates for both species were approximately an order of magnitude less than those estimated from the food LC50 experiments, these differences could largely be attributed to the fact than, on a w/w basis, both species utilize from 5 to 10 times as much water as food. Water avoidance tests showed that mallards avoided consumption of 1080-contaminated water at concentrations between 13 and 24 ppm. Bobwhite avoided consumption of 1080-contaminated water at concentrations greater than 9 ppm.
Rapid intensification, eyewall contraction, and breakdown of Hurricane Charley (2004) near landfall

[1] The rapid intensification and decay in Hurricane Charley (2004) was sampled by the WSR-88Ds in Key West and Tampa. Charley's axisymmetric wind fields, vertical vorticity, perturbation pressure, and reflectivity were derived from the ground-based velocity track display (GBVTD) technique. Charley's rapid intensification was accompanied by a contracting eyewall. The central pressure dropped ∼33 hPa in three hours. The vortex was unstable (possessed a ring vorticity profile) during the eyewall contraction while the vortex became stable (monopole vorticity profile) after Charley reached its peak intensity. Charley's eyewall broke down during the decaying stage after the land fall. This study demonstrates the powerful combination of the GBVTD technique and coastal WSR-88D data in monitoring landfalling tropical cyclones.
Automatic field emission tip conditioning system for the subangstrom resolution STEM

An automatic computer-controlled system has been completed for conditioning cold field- emission tips in a new high resolution sextupole-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). Using this system, a tip may be conditioned optimally and subsequently operated under careful control, extending its lifetime.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
NFPA's Hydrogen Technologies Code Project

This article discusses the development of National Fire Protection Association 2 (NFPA), a comprehensive hydrogen safety code. It analyses the contents of this document with particular attention focused on new requirements for setting hydrogen storage systems. These new requirements use computational fluid dynamic modeling and risk assessment procedures to develop requirements that are based on both technical analyses and defined risk criteria. The intent is to develop requirements based on procedures that can be replicated based on the information provided in the code document. This code will require documentation of the modeling inputs and risk criteria and analyses in the supporting information. This article also includes a description of the codes and standards that address hydrogen technologies in general.
A Compact Fully Integrated High-Efficiency 5GHz Stacked Class-E PA in 65nm CMOS Based on Transformer-Based Charging Acceleration

Device stacking enables CMOS power amplifiers (PAs) to increase the maximum achievable output voltage swing by sharing the voltage stress across multiple stacked devices, leading to higher output power and efficiency. A key requirement in stacked class-E power amplifiers is the creation of class-Elike voltage swings at the intermediary nodes. In this paper, we propose a transformer-based charging acceleration technique for stacked class-E PAs. Specifically, in a 2- stacked class-E PA, a shunt inductor is connected at the intermediary node and is magnetically coupled to the choke inductor. When compared with the conventional approach of using an uncoupled shunt inductor, the transformer-based charging acceleration approach significantly reduces the sizes of both inductors and also eliminates the extra area of the shunt inductor through vertical stacking of the windings. Because of the reduced inductor sizes, the associated loss is also reduced leading to an improvement in efficiency of approximately 7% for the 5GHz prototype described here. The differential 5GHz class-E prototype is fabricated in a standard 65nm low-power (LP) CMOS process (IBM 10LPe), and achieves a drain efficiency of 42% and an output power of 19.7dBm while consuming only 0.31mm^2 of chip area.
A Laboratory Evaluation of the Astigmatid Mite Hemisarcoptes cooremani Thomas (Acari: Hemisarcoptidae) as a Potential Biological Control Agent for an Armored Scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) (Homoptera: Diaspididae)

Abstract The host stage and species utilized by a parasitic mite, Hemisarcoptes cooremani Thomas (Acari: Hemisarcoptidae), was studied to evaluate the mite's potential as an augmentative biological control agent against California red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) (Diaspididae: Homoptera). We compared how readily the mite established on five oleander scale, Aspidiotus nerii (Bouche), stages and eight red scale stages using no-choice experiments in which mites were offered a single scale stage and species. We also offered the mite a choice between two stages of the same species, a choice between oleander and red scale in the same stage, and a choice between oleander and red scale in the same two stages. We found that few mites established on scales younger than second molt, but they readily established on the older oleander scale stages. They accepted gravid and parturient female red scale less readily than they did the same oleander scale stages. We suspect that the heavily scleratized body of California red scale attached to the cover in these stages prevented the mite from gaining access to the scale body on which to feed. Our results suggest that red scale is a poor-quality host for the mite. Consequently, this predator/parasitoid is unlikely to be an effective augmentative biological control agent against A. aurantii in California's San Joaquin Valley. The younger stages provide insufficient resources for the mite to develop and reproduce and the older stages are too difficult to feed on.
The utility of clinical and laboratory data for predicting intraabdominal injury among children.

Background: The initial assessment of the child with blunt injury should lead ideally to a low rate of missed intraabdominal injury (IAI) while avoiding unnecessary imaging among children without IAI. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of clinical and laboratory data for predicting the risk for IAI. Methods: Among 351 children evaluated for possible blunt abdominal trauma, 23 variables potentially associated with IAI were determined retrospectively. Logistic regression and recursive partitioning were used to identify variables and develop predictive models. Results: Logistic regression identified four positive predictors (abdominal tenderness, abrasion, ecchymoses, and alanine aminotransferase) and two negative predictors (injury caused by a motor vehicle crash and hematocrit) for IAI. The recursive partitioning model predicted the absence of IAI with a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI confidence interval, 86-100%) and a specificity of 87% (95% CI confidence interval, 81-91%) using abdominal examination and aspartate aminotransferase as discriminating variables. Conclusions: Physical examination combined with selected laboratory studies can be used to predict the risk of IAI accurately among children who sustain blunt trauma. Application of these findings may be useful in reducing costs and improving the accuracy of diagnosing IAI among children.
The Impact of Commissions on Home Sales in Greater Boston

Buying or selling a residential property is one of the most important financial decisions for a large majority of households in the United States. In 2007, 68 percent of households owned their own home, more than a third of national wealth was held in residential real estate, and there were 6.4 million sales of existing homes according to estimates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Surveys indicate that an overwhelming majority of homes are sold with the aid of a licensed real estate agent or broker. According to a report issued in 1983 in the wake of the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation of the real estate brokerage industry, brokers accounted for the sale of 81 percent of single family homes. The National Association of Realtors (NAR), the largest professional organization of real estate agents in the United States that represents more than half of all licensed agents, estimates that nationally almost 80 percent of residential real estate transactions involve a Realtor. For owners selling their homes this way, real estate agents usually bear a large fraction of the costs of marketing a home: advertising the home, conducting open houses, taking potential buyers on visits to the home, and negotiating offers. Households interested in buying a home often solicit the help of an agent to make appointments to visit properties and arrange financing. In exchange for their efforts, agents are usually compensated with a fixed percentage commission of the sales price, split between the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent (National Association of Realtors 2007, Chang-Tai Hsieh and Enrico Moretti 2003). If the agents are working for
Fourier Optics on Graphene

Using numerical simulations, here, we demonstrate that a single sheet of graphene with properly designed inhomogeneous, nonuniform conductivity distributions can act as a convex lens for focusing and collimating the transverse-magnetic (TM) surface plasmon polariton (SPP) surface waves propagating along the graphene. Consequently, we show that the graphene can act as a platform for obtaining spatial Fourier transform of infrared (IR) SPP signals. This may lead to rebirth of the field of Fourier optics on a 1-atom-thick structure.
Desire, death, and plot: The subversive play of Orlando

(1995). Desire, death, and plot: The subversive play of Orlando. Women's Studies: Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 483-496.
Gender differences in the predictors of juvenile delinquency: assessing the generality-specificity debate

At the heart of the gender-specificity debate is the argument that gender-neutral theories cannot adequately explain female delinquency. Instead, it has been asserted that theories should incorpora...
NASA technology assessment using real options valuation

We examine the use of real options valuation in the context of prioritizing advanced technologies for NASA funding. Further, we offer a set of computational procedures that quantifies the option value of each technology. Other researchers have applied a real options framework to private sector investments. In the case of NASA investments in advanced technologies, the underlying products, which must be used to justify the investments, are space-related scientific results and discoveries from completed missions to be shared worldwide. As in the private sector, uncertainty plays a significant role in the motivation to use real options in NASA. Uncertainty in NASA technology investments can be classified as development risk and programmatic risk (whether missions using the technology will actually fly). The latter might be called the technology “market risk.” We carried out the approach on a number of planetary exploration technologies. We illustrate the detailed calculations using one of them—lightweight propellant tank technology. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 7: 1–12, 2004
Neutron phase calculation using transit times

Abstract A method for calculating phase shifts in neutron interferometry which utilizes the transit time of the wavefunction is described. This method is used to determine the phase shift for neutrons interacting with moving matter and for neutrons traversing a rotating interferometer. In both these cases there has been some question about the correct use of transit times in the phase calculation.
Species measurements in a nitrogen-diluted, ethylene air diffusion flame using direct sampling mass spectrometry and tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy

Abstract Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy combined with extractive sampling is used to quantify fuel and acetylene concentrations in a 32% ethylene-diluted, nitrogen diffusion flame. Additional major species concentrations are determined using quartz microprobe, direct-sampling mass spectrometry. Quantification of these mass spectra used a multilinear regression technique anchored by computed nitrogen concentration profiles in a simulation from Yale University. Because of the overlap in mass spectra features for ethylene, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide, both optical and mass spectrometric techniques are required to determine the suite of major species in this flame system. Good agreement is observed between these experimental measurements and numerical simulation of this flame system. Probe clogging in these sooting flames remains a challenge for all probe techniques and additional, non-intrusive optical diagnostics must be applied to characterize flame regions with substantial soot formation.
Implementation of the ACR Dose Index Registry at a Large Academic Institution: Early Experience

A rising conciousness within both the medical community and in the public has been created by the current levels of radiation exposure from increased use of computed tomography. The concern has prompted the need for more data collection and analysis of hospital and imaging center exam doses. This has spurred the American College of Radiology (ACR) to develop the Dose Index Registry (DIR), which will allow participating insitutions to compare the radiation dose from their CT exams to aggregate national CT dose data based on exam type and body part. We outline the steps involved in the process of enrolling in the DIR, the technical requirements, the challenges we encountered, and our solutions to those challenges. A sample of the quaterly report released by the ACR is presented and discussed. Enrolling in the ACR dose registry is a team effort with participation from IT, a site physicist, and a site radiologist. Participation in this registry is a great starting point to initiate a QA process for monitoring CT dose if none has been established at an institution. The ACR has developed an excellent platform for gathering, analyzing, and reporting CT dose data. Even so, each insititutions will have its own unique issues in joining the project.
Accounting for forest carbon pool dynamics in product carbon footprints: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract Modification and loss of forests due to natural and anthropogenic disturbance contribute an estimated 20% of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide. Although forest carbon pool modeling rarely suggests a ‘carbon neutral’ flux profile, the life cycle assessment community and associated product carbon footprint protocols have struggled to account for the GHG emissions associated with forestry, specifically, and land use generally. Principally, this is due to underdeveloped linkages between life cycle inventory (LCI) modeling for wood and forest carbon modeling for a full range of forest types and harvest practices, as well as a lack of transparency in globalized forest supply chains. In this paper, through a comparative study of U.S. and Chinese coated freesheet paper, we develop the initial foundations for a methodology that rescales IPCC methods from the national to the product level, with reference to the approaches in three international product carbon footprint protocols. Due to differences in geographic origin of the wood fiber, the results for two scenarios are highly divergent. This suggests that both wood LCI models and the protocols need further development to capture the range of spatial and temporal dimensions for supply chains (and the associated land use change and modification) for specific product systems. The paper concludes by outlining opportunities to measure and reduce uncertainty in accounting for net emissions of biogenic carbon from forestland, where timber is harvested for consumer products.
Organic-carbon budget of the Black Sea

Abstract Based on new measurements and published results the organic-carbon budget of the Black Sea has been assessed assuming a steady state for the last 2000 years. The outstanding features of the budget are: (1) between 80 and 95% of the organic-carbon input near the surface is recycled in the top 200 m. (2) No more than 4% of the input is permanently fixed in the sediment in spite of the absence of oxygen below about 200 m. (3) At least four-fifths of the organic matter entering the anoxic waters are oxidized or rendered soluble. (4) An upper limit to truly primary production through chemosynthesis is 15 g C m −2 yr −1 , or about 15% of the amount of photosynthetic production.
Conformational stability and structural parameters of 3-fluoropropene and some substituted derivatives

Abstract From variable temperature studies of the vibrational spectra of gaseous and/or liquid 3-fluoropropene and some substituted derivatives, the conformational enthalpy differences have been determined. Substitution of an electronegative group at the 2-position enhances the stability of the cis conformer whereas methyl substitution enhances the stability of the gauche conformer. The stability and structural parameters of 3-fluoropropene have been obtained from ab initio calculations employing the MP2/6-31G* basis set. Complete r0 structural parameters have been obtained for both conformers from a combination of restricted CH distances from the ab initio values and previously reported rotational constants from eight isotopomers.
Resource-advantage theory and the wealth of nations: Developing the socio-economic research tradition

Abstract Why aren't all market-based economies wealthy? Many scholars believe that nonwealthy, market-based economies lack certain productivity-enhancing societal institutions, particularly those that promote trust. This article proposes that a new theory—the resource-advantage theory of competition—has the requisites of a socio-economic theory of competition and, consequently, can contribute to explaining why all market-based economies are not wealthy and why institutions that promote trust can be productivity-enhancing. Therefore, resource-advantage theory and its foundational propositions contribute to developing a socio-economic research tradition.
Development and Diagnostic of a Localized Microwave/rf Plasma for Shock Wave Propagation Study

The current research effort extends the previous shock wave propagation measurements into localized microwave/rf plasmas with a greater ionization fraction compared to glow discharges. The electrodeless microwave configuration is suited for the high altitude supersonic flight application of plasmas. The research has a strong high-speed aerodynamics component. The decrease in shock strength in plasma presents a means of aerodynamic drag reduction, and thus improving supersonic flight characteristics by modifying the gas fluid through which the flight occurs. If an electronically conducting medium could be introduced upstream of a vehicle's bow shock wave, this will have a potential for improved high speed flight.
The Impact of Turbulence on High Accuracy Time-Frequency Transfer across Free Space

Atmospheric optical path-length variations are measured across a 2-km optical link through a frequency comb-based system with femtosecond-level precision. Without mitigation, the turbulent piston effect will severely restrict time-frequency transfer from optical clocks.
Absorption and quasiguided mode analysis of organic solar cells with photonic crystal photoactive layers

We analyze optical absorption enhancements and quasiguided mode properties of organic solar cells with highly ordered nanostructured photoactive layers comprised of the bulk heterojunction blend, poly-3-hexylthiophene/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) and a low index of refraction conducting material (LICM). This photonic crystal geometry is capable of enhancing spectral absorption by approximately 17% in part due to the excitation of quasiguided modes near the band edge of P3HT:PCBM. A nanostructure thickness between 200 nm and 300 nm is determined to be optimal, while the LICM must have an index of refraction approximately 0.3 lower than P3HT:PCBM to produce absorption enhancements. Quasiguided modes that differ in lifetime by an order of magnitude are also identified and yield absorption that is concentrated in the P3HT:PCBM flash layer.
Interpretation of the mouse electroretinogram.

The mouse electroretinogram (ERG) consists of a complex set of signals or “waves” generated by multiple types of retinal cell. The origins of these waves are reviewed briefly for the C57BL/6J mouse. The differences in the properties of these waves are described for 34 strains of mice and 11 F1 hybrid mice, as is the way that inter-strain genetic polymorphisms can be exploited in order to help pin-point the genes responsible for ERG differences. There are certain technical difficulties, some subtle, that can arise in recording the ERG and these are classified and illustrated in order to facilitate their diagnosis. Forward genetic screens are described, along with abnormal mice that have been generated in a large screen. Several means are suggested for determining if a mouse having an abnormal ERG is a mutant.
Morphology of polyurethane–isocyanurate elastomers

The dynamic viscoelastic properties and thermal transition behavior of reaction injection molding (RIM) and cast polyurethane—isocyanurate elastomers have been studied as a function of various segments (soft and hard urethane, and hard isocyanurate) content. RIM and cast elastomers were prepared at different concentrations of soft and hard urethane, and hard isocyanurate segments. RIM elastomers with the higher isocyanate index (lower hard urethane and greater isocyanurate segment content) displayed an unchanged Tg (glass transition temperature of soft segment) and increasing Tgh (glass transition temperature of hard segment) related to the hard urethane and isocyanurate segments. This is due to the phase separation between the soft and the hard segments. Cast elastomers synthesized from the higher amount of 1,4-butanediol (greater hard urethane and less hard isocyanurate segment content) showed an increasing Tgs, decreasing Tgh of hard urethane segments, and an unchanged Tgh of isocyanurate segments. This is related to the phase mixing between the soft and the hard urethane segments and the phase separation of hard isocyanurate and hard urethane segments.
Statistical and dynamical assessment of vegetation feedbacks on climate over the boreal forest

Vegetation feedbacks over Asiatic Russia are assessed through a combined statistical and dynamical approach in a fully coupled atmosphere–ocean–land model, FOAM-LPJ. The dynamical assessment is comprised of initial value ensemble experiments in which the forest cover fraction is initially reduced over Asiatic Russia, replaced by grass cover, and then the climatic response is determined. The statistical feedback approach, adopted from previous studies of ocean–atmosphere interactions, is applied to compute the feedback of forest cover on subsequent temperature and precipitation in the control simulation. Both methodologies indicate a year-round positive feedback on temperature and precipitation, strongest in spring and moderately substantial in summer. Reduced boreal forest cover enhances the surface albedo, leading to an extended snow season, lower air temperatures, increased atmospheric stability, and enhanced low cloud cover. Changes in the hydrological cycle include diminished transpiration and moisture recycling, supporting a reduction in precipitation. The close agreement in sign and magnitude between the statistical and dynamical feedback assessments testifies to the reliability of the statistical approach. An additional statistical analysis of monthly vegetation feedbacks over Asiatic Russia reveals a robust positive feedback on air temperature of similar quantitative strength in two coupled models, FOAM-LPJ and CAM3–CLM3, and the observational record.
Getting Causes from Powers, by Stephen Mumford and Rani Lill Anjum

In this book, Mumford and Anjum advance a theory of causation based on a metaphysics of powers. The book is for the most part lucidly written, and contains some interesting contributions: in particular on the (lack of) necessary connection between cause and effect and on the perceivability of the causal relation. I do, however, have reservations about some of the book’s central theses: in particular, that cause and effect are simultaneous, and that causes can fruitfully be represented as vectors.
Estimation-theoretic approach to the deconvolution of atmospherically degraded images with wavefront sensor measurements

ABSTRACT Deconvolution from wavefront sensing (or self-referenced speckle holography) has previously beenproposed as a post-detection processing technique for correcting turbulence-induced wavefront phase-errors in incoherent imaging systems. In this paper, a new methodology is considered for processingthe image and wavefront-sensor data in which the method of maximum-likelihood estimation is usedto simultaneously estimate the object intensity and phase errors directly from the detected imagesand wavefront-sensor data. This technique is demonstrated to work well in a situation for which thewavefront sensor's lenslet diameters are such that their images are not simply spots of light translatedaccording to the local slope of the phase errors, but are instead an array of small, interfering speckle l)atterfls. 1 INTRODUCTION The Potential light-gathering and resolving powers of a telescope become greater as the size of itsaperture increases. However, if the telescope is used to view objects through a randomly inhomoge-neous medium such as the Earth's turbulent atmosphere, the resolving power of the telescope can beseverely reduced. For example, a telescope with an aperture whose diameter is 6 m can have its re-solving power degraded by a factor of 30 when used to form long-exposure images through moderateturbulence. This loss of resolution is a result of time-varying phase errors that corrupt the incomingoptical field. Without some form of correction, these turbulence-induced phase errors can severelyliniit the resolving power of any telescope, but with correction, the resolving power can be restored.Over the past twenty-five years, a variety of imaging techniques has been proposed to overcomethe effects of atmospheric turbulence. All of these techniques rely on the fac.t that short exposure
Analysis of laser Doppler measurements of blood flow in statistically irregular media

A simple mathematical model is analyzed to investigate how the `non-classical' migration of photons within a multiply scattering medium might affect the characteristics of signals obtained in laser Doppler blood flowmetry measurements.
Extracting storm-centric characteristics from raw rainfall data for storm analysis and mining

Most rainfall data is stored in formats that are not easy to analyze and mine. In these formats, the amount of data is enormous. In this paper, we propose techniques to summarize the raw rainfall data into a model that facilitates storm analysis and mining, and reduces the data size. The result is to convert raw rainfall data into meaningful storm-centric data, which is then stored in a relational database for easy analysis and mining. The size of the storm data is less than 1% of the size of the raw data. We can determine the spatio-temporal characteristics of a storm, such as how big a storm is, how many sites are covered, and what is its overall depth (precipitation) and duration. We present formal definitions for the storm-related concepts that are needed in our data conversion. Then we describe storm identification algorithms based on these concepts. Our storm identification algorithms analyze precipitation values of adjacent sites within the period of time that covers the whole storm and combines them together to identify the overall storm characteristics.
Complete surgical repair of aortic atresia with a normal left ventricle

Aortic atresia with a normal left ventricle and normal mitral valve is an uncommon congenital lesion. We present two such cases and describe two different approaches of achieving biventricular surgical repair.
Measures of adherence to epilepsy treatment: Review of present practices and recommendations for future directions

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders worldwide, and the majority of people with epilepsy who live in developed countries manage their condition with antiseizure medication. Surprisingly, therefore, the literature on epilepsy does not document a comprehensive investigation of patient adherence to medication treatment. This paper reviews existing literature on direct and indirect measures of adherence. Based on this review, areas in need for further research have been identified, including improvement of self-report instruments, consideration of cultural factors, attention to patient literacy or numeracy levels, and inclusion of patient-guided measures. While no single method of determining adherence has proved effective, combining direct and indirect measures in a patient-guided, culturally competent atmosphere may increase adherence to treatment, improving health outcomes for this population.
A new contribution to spin‐forbidden rare earth optical transition intensities: Gd3+ and Eu3+

Quantitative calculations show that numerous spin‐forbidden linear optical transitions observed in trivalent rare earth ions acquire a major fraction of their intensity from hitherto neglected contributions involving spin–orbit linkages within excited configurations. Motivated by the importance of analogous linkages previously demonstrated in two‐photon absorption, we derive a general expression applicable for all lN→lN transitions which can be incorporated into a revised Judd–Ofelt analysis of observed intensities. Presenting this revised analysis of observed linear absorption intensities for Gd3+ and Eu3+, we show that the new contribution is often comparable to standard contributions. With substantial modification of previously fitted phenomenological parameters, an improved fit to observed intensities is achieved, suggesting that reanalysis of linear intensity data for all trivalent rare earths is warranted.
Can Image-Based Virtual Reality Help Teach Anatomy?

Abstract Objective: To assess the utilization of a novel virtual reality robotic surgical simulator (RoSS) in surgical anatomy training and pattern recognition. Study Design: Ten surgical trainees (medical students and residents) were recruited to participate in a study that evaluated the efficacy of a robotic simulator in anatomy training. The subjects were divided into two groups of five individuals each. Each participant received a syllabus consisting of line diagrams and color pictures of the human anatomy. All participants were later tested on identifying the same five anatomical landmarks from photographs from actual laparoscopic procedures. Group I studied the syllabus and took the test. Group II similarly studied the syllabus, but were trained on the RoSS system using cognitive skill sets and then took the same test. Group II were asked to complete a posttest survey. Results: Mean time to complete the test was 142.8 seconds for group I and 118.4 seconds for group II. Mean number of errors committe...
The two sides to affirmative action

F o r t y t w o a unanimous Supreme Court threw out the "separate years ago, but equal' doctrine that had stood since Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. The Warren court ruled that it was unconstitutional to separate the Negro public school children from others on the sole basis of skin color. The ruling continued a legal and policy trend that committed the United States to equal protection in the application of law. It was an important step, but neither Brown v. Board of Education nor indeed any single court ruling can wipe out racial segregation. That calls for a wider campaign to enforce the law, to expand its reach to areas other than public education, to get people of good will behind the Court's declaration of equality, and to get the government to expand the desegregation mandate. All of this is required if we are to break the back of segregation. Two understandings have accompanied the campaign for race neutrality in the observance of law. The first is that the positive use of governmental power is oftentimes necessary--is strategic and pivotal to success. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments alone or together did not guarantee blacks their civil rights. To implement that guarantee, the machinery of the federal government had to be pressed into action. New laws gave the Justice Department and other federal agencies the tools that the 1968 report of the Kerner Commission on Civil Disorders said were indicated to overcome the dual, separate and unequal society. Forty-two years later, however, the guarantee of equal protection is elusive. We still have a largely segregated society: dark urban ghettos surrounded by more privileged whiter suburbs, and now black suburbs, too. The second understanding entailed seeking and galvanizing public support for the moral imperatives behind civil rights laws and policy. Again, the Kerner Commission called for bold, sustained, and coordinated governmental and voluntary efforts to open up to blacks major avenues of the American mainstream---commerce, housing, jobs, schools---as a way of closing the gap between them and whites. The 1964 Civil Rights Act established race-neutral principles and obliged federally financed institutions to stop discriminating on pain of loss of funding. The Justice Department joined with civil rights organizations to challenge segregated institutions. Early court decisions struck down unvalidated job tests; executive orders and EEOC guidelines embraced goals and timetables as the measure of affirmative action. In higher education, the rise of affirmative acdon caused scrutiny of hiring decisions, admissions, and tenure patterns with the objective of speeding up
Optimization of Ultrasound Parameters of Myocardial Cavitation Microlesions for Therapeutic Application

Intermittent high intensity ultrasound scanning with contrast microbubbles can induce scattered cavitation microlesions in the myocardium, which may be of value for tissue reduction therapy. Anesthetized rats were treated in a heated water bath with 1.5 MHz focused ultrasound pulses, guided by an 8 MHz imaging transducer. The relative efficacy with 2 or 4 MPa pulses, 1:4 or 1:8 trigger intervals and 5 or 10 cycle pulses was explored in six groups. Electrocardiogram premature complexes (PCs) induced by the triggered pulse bursts were counted, and Evans blue stained cardiomyocyte scores (SCSs) were obtained. The increase from 2 to 4 MPa produced significant increases in PCs and SCSs and eliminated an anticipated decline in the rate of PC induction with time, which might hinder therapeutic efficacy. Increased intervals and pulse durations did not yield significant increases in the effects. The results suggest that cavitation microlesion production can be refined and potentially lead to a clinically robust therapeutic method.
Fixation of S35 in the skin of patients with progressive systemic sclerosis

A preliminary study of the fate of radioactive sulfur (Na2S35O4) given intravenously to patients with progressive systemic sclerosis has revealed an appreciably greater radioactivity in the involved skin. The evidence presented suggests an abnormal rate of uptake of sulfur in the sclerotic skin even in the absence of progression. Un studio preliminari del destino de sulfure radioactive (Na2S35O4), administrate intravenosemente a patientes con progressive sclerosis systemic ha revelate un appreciabilemente plus forte radio-activitate in le pelle afficite. Le observationes reportate suggere que pelle sclerotic, mesmo in le absentia de progression del processo, accepta un proportion anormal del sulfure.
The Clean Energy Dilemma in Asia: Is There a Way Out?

A prominent American geographer and specialist on energy and environmental policies in developing countries assesses the challenge to sustainable development posed by Asia's rapid economic growth and the concurrent need to reduce the environmental impacts of energy production and use. A particular focus is on China and India, as rapidly growing energy consumers and greenhouse gas emitters, and on Russia as a potentially important supplier of natural gas and liquid alternatives to coal use. The author suggests some elements of a strategy to resolve the dilemma of reducing global environmental impacts without penalizing Asia's economic development, although a significant energy transition over the next several decades appears quite difficult.
Vibrational modes and frequencies of 2-pyrrolidinones and their deutero-isotopomers

MNDO-based calculations have been used to predict the fundamental vibrational frequencies of 2-pyrrolidinone, N-methyl 2-pyrrolidinone, and one deutero-isotopomer of each of the two compounds. A good over-all fit between observed and calculated frequencies was obtained. Comparisons of the MNDO results were made with previously published normal coordinate analyses of the same compounds. A critical and important result is that MNDO correctly calculates the in-plane NH deformational mode of 2-pyrrolidinone not to mix with either the amide bond or carbonyl bond stretches.
Mean square rates of convergence in the continuous time simulated annealing algorithm on Rd

To locate a global minimum value of a function V: R^d -> R one may employ the continuous time simulated annealing algorithm dX"t = [email protected]? V(X"t) dt + @s"tdW"t; t >=0, [email protected]?X"[email protected]?^2 " "[email protected]"t = 0 and @s"t >= @/c'log tfor t sufficiently large. If @s"t = @/clog(t + 2)and V is a function with global minimum at @q @e R^d and any number of local minima then under suitable conditions there exists a positive constant c such that [email protected][email protected]/log t(X"t - @q)@?^2 >= c, for all t sufficiently large.