cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coordinate transformations realizable with multiple holographic optical elements

Holographic optical elements that perform one-to-one coordinate transformations can be designed by using the stationary phase approximation. All coordinate transformations that are sufficiently differentiable can be decomposed into two transformations in series and therefore performed by using two holographic elements. Although the method presented here for designing the two required holographic elements is not explicit for the general case, a useful necessary condition for the decomposition is given. A simple explicit solution is given for an example for which the necessary equations for the first of the two serial transformations are separable.
Glass and Quartz Microscintillators for CMOS Compatible Multi-Species Radiation Detection

This paper reports small scale radiation detectors sensitive to alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron radiation using glass and quartz doped with 10B nanoparticles utilizing CMOS fabrication techniques. Two microscintillators have been fabricated and tested; one relies on sintered glass frit doped with boron nanoparticles; the other relies on diffused boron. Radiation impinging the scintillation matrix produces varying optical pulses which are differentiated by on-chip pulse height spectroscopy. The quartz substrates are more transparent to the wavelength of the created optical pulses, resulting in higher count rates when compared to glass.
Argon gas-puff radius optimization for Saturn operating in the long-pulse mode

Argon gas puff experiments using the long pulse mode of Saturn (230-ns rise time) have promise to increase the coupled energy and simplify operations because the voltage is reduced in vacuum and the forward-going energy is higher for the same Marx charge. The issue addressed in this work is to determine if the 12-cm-diameter triple nozzle used in Saturn long-pulse-mode experiments to date1 provides maximum K-shell yield, or if a different-radius nozzle provides additional radiation. Long-pulse implosions are modeled by starting with measured density distributions from the existing 12-cm-diameter nozzle2, and then varying the outer radius in an implosion-energy-conserving self-similar manner to predict the gas-puff diameter that results in the maximum K-shell yield. The snowplow-implosions and multi-zone radiation transport3 models used in the analysis are benchmarked against detailed measurements from the 12-cm-diameter experiments. These calculations indicate that the maximum K-shell emission is produced with very nearly the existing nozzle radius.
The Relationship between Time to Complete a Test and Test Performance

One hundred eighty-three students enrolled in an undergraduate psychology statistics course completed three tests comprised of different amounts of closed book and open book test items. For these tests, students also recorded their test completion time, for extra credit. We then combined course-based student data with preexisting demographic variables. We found that test completion time was sometimes negatively correlated with test performance, but not consistently so. Student age was positively correlated with test completion time, and prior term grade point average (GPA) and prior cumulative GPA were both positively correlated with test performance. We discuss these results by exploring possible reasons for the inconsistent relationship between test completion time and test performance, and the advice we might give to students regarding these matters.
CMOS Ultrasound Transceiver Chip for High-Resolution Ultrasonic Imaging Systems

The proposed CMOS ultrasound transceiver chip will enable the development of portable high resolution, high-frequency ultrasonic imaging systems. The transceiver chip is designed for close-coupled MEMS transducer arrays which operate with a 3.3-V power supply. In addition, a transmit digital beamforming system architecture is supported in this work. A prototype chip containing 16 receive and transmit channels with preamplifiers, time-gain compensation amplifiers, a multiplexed analog-to-digital converter with 3 kB of on-chip SRAM, and 50-MHz resolution time delayed excitation pulse generators has been fabricated. By utilizing a shared A/D converter architecture, the number of A/D converter and SRAM is cut down to one, unlike typical digital beamforming systems which need 16 A/D converters for 16 receive channels. The chip was fabricated in a 0.35-mum standard CMOS process. The chip size is 10 mm2, and its average power consumption in receive mode is approximately 270 mW with a 3.3-V power supply. The transceiver chip specifications and designs are described, as well as measured results of each transceiver component and initial pulse-echo experimental results are presented.
Successful Treatment of Florid Cutaneous Warts with Intravenous Cidofovir in an 11-Year-Old Girl

Cutaneous warts, commonly seen in children and the immunosuppressed are socially distressing and are often resistant to traditional treatments. Here, we report an 11-year-old girl with bilateral florid verrucous lesions on her hands, feet and chin, which were refractory to a number of standard treatments including cryotherapy, cantharidin preparations, topical salicylic acid, surgical debulking techniques, oral Cimetidine, and topical and intralesional Cidofovir. As the disfiguring lesions had a marked adverse effect on her quality of life, a trial of IV Cidofovir was instituted. We administered five cycles of IV Cidofovir with a 1-week interval between the first and second treatment, followed by 2-week intervals thereafter. This regime was well tolerated and we report dramatic resolution of the lesions with persistent clearance 6 months after completion of the fifth infusion. Resolution of recalcitrant warts with IV Cidofovir has been reported in a limited number of cases. Our experience supports its efficacy in this setting, and to the best of our knowledge this is the first report of successful treatment of cutaneous warts with IV Cidofovir in a pediatric case.
RF circuit synthesis using particle swarm optimization

A parasitic-aware design methodology based on particle swarm optimization is presented. It is shown that parasitic-aware design using the particle swarm rather than using the simulated annealing heuristic gives better performance. The proposed parasitic-aware design methodology is advantageous due to its inherent efficiency to synthesize RF circuits with parasitic-laden passive components, and it regains the performance of RF circuits with ideal components.
On-chip microdialysis system with flow-through glucose sensing capabilities.

Background:Microdialysis is a sampling technique based on controlling the mass transfer rate of different-sized molecules across a semipermeable membrane. Because the dialysis process has minimal effects on the surrounding fluid, it is viewed as a tool for continuous monitoring of human metabolites. In diabetes treatment, microdialysis probes have been used as sampling systems coupled to a glucose biosensor but may struggle to obtain high recoveries of analytes, as the sampling housing, probes, and glucose sensors are fabricated as separate pieces and then assembled, resulting in a large dead volume, which limits sensing frequency. An in situ combination of a miniaturized microdialysis probe with an integrated glucose sensor could help solve some of these problems.Method:The system was fabricated by bonding a 6-μm-thick polycarbonate track-etch membrane with 100-nm-diameter pores onto microfluidic channels with the electrochemical glucose sensing electrodes patterned within the microchannels.Results:In vi...
Relation between triangular- and Witten-SU(2)-anomaly cancellation for gauge groups.

We show by group-theoretic means that the absence of the Witten SU(2) (global) anomaly for gauge groups is guaranteed by the (perturbative) triangular anomaly-free condition as long as the SU(2) gauge group is embedded in a larger simple gauge group $G$ with the property ${\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{4}(G)=0$ (${\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{4}$ is the four-dimensional homotopy group). The inverse is not true. The same method could be used to relate perturbative and global anomaly cancellation in more than four dimensions.
Evaluating Juries by Comparison to Judges: A Benchmark for Judging?

Proposals to substitute judicial decisionmaking for that of the jury or to make other jury reforms have been put forth without a clear understanding of the similarities and differences in how juries and judges decide legal cases. Compared to the extensive study of the decisionmaking of jurors and juries, there has been relatively little examination of trial judges' decisionmaking, and even fewer studies have directly compared the decisionmaking of juries and judges. While there are reasonable arguments for why judges and juries might differ in how they make legal decisions, these arguments are, in the absence of more research, speculative at best. This Article examines what the limited, but growing, body of empirical research has revealed about the similarities and differences in juror and judicial decisionmaking. It describes the range of methods available for comparing jurors and judges - studies of judge-jury agreement, comparisons of jury and bench trials, and simulation experiments - and reviews the existing research of each type. The Article concludes by discussing the normative difficulties in focusing on the comparison of juries to judges, the relative advantages and disadvantages of judicial and jury decisionmaking, and how future research might be structured in order to develop a more useful picture of how these two types of decisionmakers compare.
Prenatal and Perinatal Determinants of Lung Health and Disease in Early Life: A National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop Report

Human lung growth and development begins with preconception exposures and continues through conception and childhood into early adulthood. Numerous environmental exposures (both positive and negative) can affect lung health and disease throughout life. Infant lung health correlates with adult lung function, but significant knowledge gaps exist regarding the influence of preconception, perinatal, and postnatal exposures on general lung health throughout life. On October 1 and 2, 2015, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened a group of extramural investigators to develop their recommendations for the direction(s) for future research in prenatal and perinatal determinants of lung health and disease in early life and to identify opportunities for scientific advancement. They identified that future investigations will need not only to examine abnormal lung development, but also to use developing technology and resources to better define normal and/or enhanced lung health. Birth cohort studies offer key opportunities to capture the important influence of preconception and obstetric risk factors on lung health, development, and disease. These studies should include well-characterized obstetrical data and comprehensive plans for prospective follow-up. The importance of continued basic science, translational, and animal studies for providing mechanisms to explain causality using new methods cannot be overemphasized. Multidisciplinary approaches involving obstetricians, neonatologists, pediatric and adult pulmonologists, and basic scientists should be encouraged to design and conduct comprehensive and impactful research on the early stages of normal and abnormal human lung growth that influence adult outcome.
Correlation between Oxygen Consumption and Erythropoiesis in Hypophysectomized Rats Treated with Various Doses of Thyroxin.

SummaryHypophysectomized rats were treated with 0.01, 0.05 or 0.10 mg of thyroxin daily. Oxygen consumption in the 3 groups of animals was 100, 124 and 107% of normal; total erythrocyte volumes/100 g body weight were 83, 121 and 107% of normal. Hypophysectomized controls exhibited oxygen consumption 67% of normal with total erythrocyte volume/100 g body weight, 79% of normal. These data support the oxygen need theory of post-hypophysectomy anemia.
Amino acid substitution and modification resulting from Escherichia coli expression of recombinant Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein II

The histidine-rich protein II (HRP II) from Plasmodium falciparum is an unusual protein composed of 40% alanine, 36% histidine, and 11% aspartate residues. Expression of HRP II in Escherichia coli results in the isolation of a heterogeneous protein. Mass spectrometry reveals a reduction in mass by multiples of 9 Da from the expected molecular mass that can be attributed to the substitution of glutamine for some histidine residues in the sequence. The extent of the glutamine for histidine substitution can be reduced by slowing the expression rate. Mass spectral analysis of HRP II also revealed alpha-amino methylation of the N-terminal alanine residue of HRP II.
Alliance networks and trade: The effect of indirect political alliances on bilateral trade flows

How does the network of international political alliances influence trade flows? Previous work suggests that alliances matter in predicting trade outcomes because governments align trade policies with national security interests and firms take political relations between states into account when assessing risk. However, work to date investigates only the relationship between direct political alliances and trade, which ignores the complexity of international alliance structures. In this article, I argue that states and firms not only consider direct political relationships when shaping international trade, but also focus crucially on indirect alliance relationships. I find that higher levels of trade result when states have more shared alliances and when they are in the same alliance community. Once these indirect relationships are accounted for, the apparent association of dyadic alliances with trade is drastically reduced. Joint membership in an alliance community predicts an increase in trade that is mo...
Security Research on Maintenance Operation of 10 kV and 110 kV Mixed-Voltage Transmission Lines on the Same Tower

Mixed 10 kV and 110 kV transmission lines on the same tower can save land resources effectively and make full use of the line corridor. When the 10 kV distribution line is for maintenance, induced voltage and current will occur on the examining line duo to electrostatic and electromagnetic coupling, which may cause harm to the maintenance workers. Furthermore, the synthesis electric field from the mixed transmission lines may also adversely affect the live workers. The ATP-EMTP is used in this paper to calculate the induced voltage and current during maintenance of the 10 kV lines. Both the ANSYS and electric field measurement are used to study the spatial electric field distribution of the mixed lines and the body surface electric field distribution of workers, based on which the security protection method is proposed for maintenance of the mixed 10 kV and 110 kV transmission lines.
Surveillance on Notifiable Infectious Disease in Dayi County in 2011

Objective To analyze the epidemic status of notifiable disease in Dayi county for efficiently prevent and control the disease. Methods The epidemic data of the legal infectious disease of the Dayi in 2011 were analyzed with descriptive epidemiological methods. Results Totally 16 kinds of class B and C infectious diseases with 1394 cases were reported,the incidence rate was 268. 79 /10 5,and the mortality rate was 0. 65/10 5. Parotitis,hand-foot-mouth disease,pulmonary tuberculosis,syphilis and hepatitis C were the top 5 infectious diseases in terms of incidence. Conclusion The prevent and control focal should be on the top five diseases and strengthened measures should taken towards vulnerable population,such as infants,students,peasants,etc.
The evaluation on incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases in Chaoyang District of Beijing

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of vaccine-preventable diseases in Chaoyang District of Beijing to provide scientific evidence for making strategies for their prevention and control.Methods Descriptive epidemiology method was used to analyze the incidence data of vaccine-preventable diseases in Chaoyang District during 2005 to 2006.Results In general,incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases presented the following characteristics in the District,more cases of measles,rubella and mumps,low-level-incidence of whooping cough and epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis,and few even no cases of diphtheria,neonate tetanus and Japanese encephalitis B reported for more than ten years.Conclusions Focus of prevention and control for communicable diseases in Chaoyang District should be put on the strengthening of vaccine immunization coverage for vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles,rubella and mumps.
Increase of hepatic L-phenylalanine: pyruvate aminotransferase by glucagon in rats. Possible role of adenosine cyclic 3',5'-monophosphate as a mediator.

Glucagon caused an approximately 4-fold increase in hepatic L-phenylalanine: pyruvate aminotransferase activity in rats 24 hr after subcutaneous injection: Tetraiodo, mononitro, and monodeamido derivatives of glucagon also increased enzyme activity, the tetraiodoglucagon being more active than glucagon itself. Theophylline, an inhibitor of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, enhanced the action of glucagon in increasing phenylalanine aminotransferase. Higher doses of theophylline and of epinephrine, which, like glucagon, can stimulate adenyl cyclase, also increased the activity of this enzyme in both intact and adrenalectomized rats. N6, O2-Dibutyryl cyclic AMP likewise increased the enzyme, and theophylline greatly potentiated its action. The results are consistent with a role for cyclic AMP as a mediator in the elevation of hepatic phenylalanine aminotransferase. This enzyme was shown to be distinct from alanine aminotransferase, in that the former enzyme could be elevated by glucagon or dibutyryl cyclic AMP or particularly inactivated by freezing, independently of alanine aminotransferase, whereas alanine aminotransferase could be elevated by deprivation of food or inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate independently of phenylalanine aminotransferase. Liver extracts catalyzed the transamination of phenylalanine with either pyruvate or 2-oxoglutarate as the amino acceptor, but only the phenylanine:pyruvate transamination was increased by prior 24-hr treatment with glucagon. Phenylalanine aminotransferase activity in heart and kidney was as high as in the liver; brain had lower activity. Glucagon did not affect the enzyme in tissues other than the liver.
Distributions and Their Applications to Partial Differential Equations

The theory of distributions has its origins in the problems of mathematical physics. The theory has developed far beyond the immediate applications and has become an independent discipline after having been rigorously formulated in mathematical terms. The solution of the differential equations of the form P(D)y(x) = Δ(t) is called a fundamental solution. The fundamental solution determines the solution of the general nonhomogeneous equation. This chapter discusses the problem in partial differential equations, namely, the problem of finding the fundamental solution. A distribution E satisfying the equation LE = Δ is called a fundamental solution of the partial differential operator L . The Fourier integral is invariant under a parallel translation of the path of integration; this can be easily verified for analytic functions by Cauchy's theorem. The chapter discusses the hypoelliptic operators, and they include the elliptic and ordinary differential operators. The study of hypoelliptic operators is an important part of the modern theory of differential equations.
Structures of the Streptococcus sanguinis SrpA Binding Region with Human Sialoglycans Suggest Features of the Physiological Ligand

Streptococcus sanguinis is a leading cause of bacterial infective endocarditis, a life-threatening infection of heart valves. S. sanguinis binds to human platelets with high avidity, and this adherence is likely to enhance virulence. Previous studies suggest that a serine-rich repeat adhesin termed SrpA mediates the binding of S. sanguinis to human platelets via its interaction with sialoglycans on the receptor GPIbα. However, in vitro binding assays with SrpA and defined sialoglycans failed to identify specific high-affinity ligands. To improve our understanding of the interaction between SrpA and human platelets, we determined cocrystal structures of the SrpA sialoglycan binding region (SrpABR) with five low-affinity ligands: three sialylated trisaccharides (sialyl-T antigen, 3′-sialyllactose, and 3′-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine), a sialylated tetrasaccharide (sialyl-LewisX), and a sialyl galactose disaccharide component common to these sialoglyans. We then combined structural analysis with mutagenesis to...
Bi-enhanced N incorporation in GaAsNBi alloys

We have examined the influence of bismuth (Bi) and nitrogen (N) fluxes on N and Bi incorporation during molecular-beam epitaxy of GaAs1-x-yNxBiy alloys. The incorporation of Bi is found to be independent of N flux, while the total N incorporation and the fraction of N atoms occupying non-substitutional lattice sites increase with increasing Bi flux. A comparison of channeling nuclear reaction analysis along the [100], [110], and [111] directions with Monte Carlo-Molecular Dynamics simulations indicates that the non-substitutional N primarily incorporate as (N-As)As interstitial complexes. We discuss the influence of Bi adatoms on the formation of arsenic-terminated [110]-oriented step-edges and the resulting enhancement in total N incorporation via the formation of additional (N-As)As.
American Families and American Law

This chapter presents an overview of American family law. Obviously, there are many laws that affect family life, ranging from the laws governing inheritance and the intergenerational transfer of property to the laws of taxation and zoning. In addition, there are some aspects of family law that are of profound importance but that are really part of the criminal law, including laws dealing with the national problem of domestic violence and abuse, which affects both women and children. Through most of this century, however, family law has come to mean the civil laws governing the foundation and dissolution of family and kinship relationships and the legally imposed rights and duties that govern these relationships. These are the laws of marriage, divorce, custody, visitation, child support, paternity, and adoption. These areas of law are the focus of this chapter, although from time to time issues from other areas of the law necessarily enter the discussion.
Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Plastic Surgeons: A Systematic Review.

Background To date, no review has been conducted on the growing body of literature describing various work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), ergonomic hazards, and potential interventions relevant to plastic surgeons. This systematic review sought to (1) define the scope of coverage of this important issue in the peer-reviewed literature; (2) critically assess the evidence; and (3) provide recommendations for future directions. Methods We conducted a literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed from the inception of each database until 2016. All articles reporting on work-related MSDs or ergonomics among plastic surgeons were reviewed, summarized, and assessed for trends. Results Sixteen articles met our inclusion criteria including five expert opinions, four cross-sectional studies and case reports/series, one review, and six experimental studies. Four articles presented evidence on disease burden. The most commonly described work-related MSD was cervical spine disease, for which one study reported a career prevalence of 24.7% (point prevalence in the general population: 0.1–0.4%); three studies reported 64 cases of surgeon work-related MSD resulting in surgical intervention, decreased productivity, or involuntary early retirement. Eight studies described interventions, most of which aimed to improve the ergonomics of microsurgery. Conclusion This review found low-level evidence of plastic surgeons' vulnerability to a work-related MSD at times severe enough to end careers. Further investigation is needed to clearly define this important problem in plastic surgery. Specifically, future directions should include more methodologically rigorous epidemiologic studies evaluating disease burden.
Robot-Assisted Ventral Inverted YV-Plasty for Recurrent Bladder Neck Stenosis

After surgical treatment of benign and malignant diseases of the prostate, bladder neck contracture, also known as vesicourethral stenosis, is a well-known and well-described complication after radical prostatectomy (RRP), pelvic radiation or transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). The correct term, according to the International Consultation on Urological Diseases (ICUD) 2014 (Latini et al., Urology 83:S1–S7, 2014), is “bladder neck stenosis” (BNS) when the prostate is in situ or “vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis” (VUAS) after radical/total prostatectomy. Therefore we use the term bladder neck stenosis according the ICUD definition.
Basic Random Processes

So far we have studied the probabilistic description of a finite number of random variables. This is useful for random phenomena that have definite beginning and end times. Many physical phenomena, however, are more appropriately modeled as ongoing in time. Such is the case for the annual summer rainfall in Rhode Island as shown in Figure 1.1 and repeated for convenience in Figure 16.1.
An examination of the relations between human attachment, pet attachment, depression, and anxiety

The roles of pets in families and their positive impact on mood have been reported by some studies (Becker, 1999; Garrity, Stallones, Marx, & Johnson, 1989). Additionally, some research has found that the more attached humans are to their pets, the more they feel emotionally supported (Stammbach & Turner, 1999) and the greater the decrease in depressive symptoms (Garrity et al., 1989). In the United States approximately 57.9% of all households own a pet. Thus, more homes have a pet than do not (American Veterinary Medical Association, 1992). Given the size of the American pet population, many people have exposure to pets' potentially positive impact on mood. This study had multiple purposes as it sought to examine pet attachment and demographic variables, explore the pet attachment-human attachment connection, investigate human attachment as it related to anxiety and depression, and to investigate the relation of pet attachment to anxiety and depression. The findings from this study indicate that pet attachment is significantly different based upon the type of pet, role of the pet, amount of money participants paid for the pet, where the pet is housed, sex of the owner, and income of the owner. This study also found that attachment anxiety was significantly different based on participants' marital status, and attachment avoidance was significantly different based upon income. The findings also indicate that the constructs of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, anxiety, and depression do positively correlate with one another in most cases. Additionally, results indicate that in this study the pet attachment construct is not significantly correlated with attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, anxiety, or depression.
Are island‐like systems biologically similar to islands? A review of the evidence

Islands are geographically defined as land masses completely surrounded by water, and island systems have been used as models for many biogeographic, ecological, and evolutionary theories ever since Darwin's pioneering efforts. However, their biological definition is complex. Over the past few decades these theories have been applied to many study systems that only share some geographic features with island systems. These features include spatial fragmentation, limited area, spatial and temporal isolation from adjacent parts of the system, and low connectivity between different parts within the system, to mention just a few. These systems vary in their form, the matrix that surrounds them, the factors defining their borders, the extent of insularity they impose on the different taxa, and their geological similarity to different types of actual islands. Here, I seek to understand whether such island‐like systems (ILS) function biologically as true islands. In the first part, I describe the wide diversity of ILS suggested in the literature and the variation in the features that define their insularity. In the second part, I review the extent to which the main theories of island biology are applicable to these systems: species–area and species–isolation relationships, community composition, evolutionary radiations, and the extent of endemism and genetic diversity. In the third and final part, I suggest a new conceptual framework within which to classify and study the biology of ILS, as well as practical future research directions. I conclude that the term ‘biological island’ is a multi‐faceted concept, loosely related to its geographical definition. As ILS are often less isolated than true islands, and their biological patterns are only partly similar to those of true islands (and even this is true only for some ILS) the use of the term ‘island’ to describe any isolated habitat is therefore inappropriate.
Printed 3-Dimensional Computed Tomography Scanned Ankle Fractures as an Educational Instrument

Abstract The evaluation of and treatment protocols for ankle fractures represents an important aspect of the education of podiatric medical students. The objective of this investigation was to examine the feasibility of and student satisfaction with using 3-dimensional (3D) printed bone models representative of the Lauge-Hansen classification. The computed tomography scans of subjects with actual rotational ankle fractures representative of the Lauge-Hansen classification were identified and extracted into a format compatible with a 3D printer. The models were approximately 20 cm in height and made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic in ivory color. These were subsequently implemented into the curriculum of a traumatology course with third year podiatric medical students in the form of a hands-on workshop. Students expressed high levels of satisfaction with the use of these models, and most recommended their continued implementation within the curriculum. The results of this investigation indicate that 3D technology within podiatric medical education is feasible with high levels of student satisfaction.
Towards a Behavior Analysis of Remote-Sensed Vessels

This paper analyzes the potentialities to classify vessels detected through optical and synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite-borne platforms and estimate their motion. For classification, the discriminative power of a set of geometric features extracted from segmented remote-sensed images is evaluated by clustering data derived from a set of accurate footprints belonging to either tanker or cargo ships. The same procedure is repeated on a few dozens of real, remote-sensed optical images. Concerning velocity estimation, which in this context is based on the detection and analysis of the wake pattern generated by the ship motion, a discussion concerning the accuracy of the wake detection task is presented. In particular, since wake patterns are usually hard to detect, a method is proposed to enhance the wake signal-to-noise ratio, based on a dedicated pre-filtering stage. Results returned by the proposed method are compared with those obtained adopting a standard literature approach, eventually observing that the introduction of the pre-filtering stage improves the wake detection accuracy. A maritime surveillance system based on a pipeline of the modules described here represents a useful tool to support the authorities in charge of monitoring maritime traffic with safety, security and law enforcement purposes.
Effects of intrabilayer coupling on the magnetic properties of YBa2Cu3O6.

A two-layer Heisenberg antiferromagnet is studied as a model of the bilayer cuprate YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6}. Quantum Monte Carlo results are presented for the temperature dependence of the spin correlation length, the static structure factor, the magnetic susceptibility, and the {sup 63}Cu NMR spin-echo decay rate 1/{ital T}{sub 2{ital G}}. As expected, when the ratio {ital J}{sub 2}/{ital J}{sub 1} of the intrabilayer and in-plane coupling strengths is small, increasing {ital J}{sub 2} pushes the system deeper inside the renormalized classical regime. Even for {ital J}{sub 2}/{ital J}{sub 1} as small as 0.1 the correlations are considerably enhanced at temperatures as high as {ital T}/{ital J}{sub 1}{approx_equal}0.4{endash}0.5. This has a significant effect on 1/{ital T}{sub 2{ital G}}, and it is suggested that measurements of this quantity at high temperatures can reveal the strength of the intrabilayer coupling in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6}. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Ecology of the Western Queen Butterfly Danaus gilippus thersippus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts.

The purpose of this study was to assess the ecological knowledge surrounding the western queen butterfly, Danaus gilippus thersippus (H. Bates). Specifically, our objectives were to synthesize existing data and knowledge on the ecology of the queen and use results of this assessment to inform the direction of future research on this understudied species. We identified six core areas for assessment: distribution, the biodiversity of plant resources, western queen and their host plant phenology, chemical ecology, and four key life history traits. We mapped the distribution of D. g. thersippus from museum specimen records, citizen science (e.g., iNaturalist) and image sharing app-based observations, along with other observational data enumerating all current known plant resources and long-range movements. We assembled 14 larval food plants, six pyrrolizidine alkaloids plants and six nectar plants distributed in the western Mojave and Sonoran Desert regions of the United States and Baja California. We report on its phenology and its long-range movement. Butterfly species have declined across the western US, and western monarch populations have declined by 97%. Danaus g. thersippus has received little research attention compared with its famous congener D. plexippus L. Danaus g. thersippus’ desert distribution may be at its temperature limits for the species distribution and for its rare host plant Asclepias nyctaginifolia.
Eosinophilic esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal neoplasms in the pediatric patient: a narrative review

There are several esophageal disorders that can occur in the pediatric population. Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an eosinophil predominant inflammatory disease of the esophagus that was first characterized in the early 1900's. EoE is the most common pediatric esophageal inflammatory condition after gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Longstanding GERD is a known risk factor for the development of Barrett's esophagus (BE) in both children and adults. BE is associated with the development of dysplasia and, if left undiagnosed, may progress to the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). EAC and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) comprise the majority of childhood esophageal malignant neoplasms. The prevalence of EoE continues to rise within the pediatric population. On the other hand, both BE and esophageal neoplasms remain extremely rare in children. The relationship between a chronic inflammatory condition like EoE to BE and/or esophageal neoplasms remains unclear. The current research of these disease entities is prioritized to further understanding the disease pathogenesis and disease progression, exploring new diagnostic modalities, and developing novel treatments or less invasive therapeutic options. The focus of the following narrative review is to provide a summary of the current clinical practices, future research and their implications on these various esophageal disorders.
On-the-Job Search and Labor Market Real location

This paper studies amplification of productivity shocks in labor markets through on-thejob-search. There is incomplete information about the quality of the employee-firm match which provides persistence in employment relationships and the rationale for on-the-job search. Amplification arises because productivity changes not only affect firms’ probability of contacting unemployed workers but also of contacting already employed workers. Since higher productivity raises the value of all matches, even low quality matches become productive enough to survive in expansions. Therefore the measure of workers in low quality matches is greater when productivity is high, implying a higher probability of switching to another match. In other words, firms are more likely to meet employed workers in expansions and those they meet are more likely to accept firm’s job offer because they are more likely to be employed in a low quality match. This introduces strongly procyclical labor market reallocation through procyclical job-to-job transitions. Simulations with a productivity process that is consistent with average labor productivity in the U.S. show that standard deviations for unemployment, vacancies and market tightness (vacancy-unemployment ratio) match the U.S. data. The model also reconciles the presence of endogenous separation with the negative correlation of unemployment and vacancies over business cycle frequencies (i.e. it is consistent with the Beveridge curve).
label-free multimodal nonlinear imaging of the treatment response in pancreatic tumor patient-derived xenografts in mice

For investigating the potential for personalized treatment of pancreatic cancer, two- and three-photon autofluorescence and second and third harmonic generation images were simultaneously generated from in vivo pancreatic tumor patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mice. Two different treatment regimens were administered to PDX mice for 5 weeks and compared. Control mice were treated only with saline. Mice were classified into three groups according to their response to the treatment: responsive, resistant, and control. Optical redox ratios were calculated from tumor regions which showed differences between the responsive group compared to the resistant and control groups.
European Integration Theory and Brexit – A Fairytale no Longer?

The current European crisis has a dual nature, both ontological and epistemological: we are facing a crisis over the future of the European Union, severely deepened by the realization of the crisis in our understanding of Europe’s integration process. The uniqueness of this moment in time lies rather with the latter than with the former. It is a result of our flawed understanding of European integration theory. which has too long been left anchored in classic typologies and doctrines of international law and politics, and has finally rendered the evolving integration process unintelligible through its lenses.
How Early Stressful Life Experiences Combine With Adolescents' Conjoint Health Risk Trajectories to Influence Cardiometabolic Disease Risk in Young Adulthood

Research has primarily focused on additive (unique) associations between early stressful life experiences (specifically, socioeconomic adversity and maltreatment) and young adults’ cardiometabolic disease risk without considering multiplicative (synergistic) influences. Furthermore, research has not fully considered the varying patterns of health risk trajectories (e.g., substance use, obesogenic-related behaviors, depressive symptoms) across adolescence and the transition to young adulthood that may link earlier stressful experiences and later cardiometabolic disease risk. This study examined heterogeneity in conjoint health risk trajectories from adolescence to the transition to young adulthood and their additive and multiplicative (synergistic) influences with early stressful life experiences on cardiometabolic disease risk in young adulthood using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 9,421; 55.6% female) over a period of 13 years. Four distinct conjoint health risk trajectories were identified considering trajectories of substance use behaviors, obesogenic-related behaviors, and depressive symptoms: (a) overall high-risk, (b) behavioral risks, (c) psycho-obesogenic risks, and (d) overall low-risk. Socioeconomic adversity and maltreatment were additively and multiplicatively associated with cardiometabolic disease risk in young adulthood. Individuals with overall high-risk conjoint trajectories averaged higher cardiometabolic disease risk in young adulthood when they were exposed to early socioeconomic adversity. Implications for personalized interventions for individuals who have experienced multiple forms of health risks are discussed.
The influence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern on national case fatality rates

Abstract Background During 2021 several new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus appeared with both increased levels of transmissibility and virulence with respect to the original wild variant. The Delta (B.1.617.2) variation, first seen in India, dominates COVID-19 infections in several large countries including the United States and India. Most recently, the Lambda variant of interest with increased resistance to vaccines has spread through much of South America. Objective This research explores the degree to which new variants of concern 1) generate spikes and waves of fluctuations in the daily case fatality rates (CFR) across countries in several regions in the face of increasing levels of vaccination of national populations and 2) may increase the vulnerability of persons with certain comorbidities. Methods This study uses new, openly available, epidemiological statistics reported to the relevant national and international authorities for countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Daily CFRs and correlations of fatal COVID-19 infections with potential cofactors are computed for the first half of 2021 that has been dominated by the wide spread of several “variants of concern” as denoted by the World Health Organization. Results The analysis yields a new quantitative measure of the temporal dynamics of mortality due to SARS-CoV-2 infections in the form of variations of a proxy case fatality rate compared on a country to-country basis in the same region. It also finds minimal variation of correlation between the cofactors based on WHO data and on the average apparent case fatality rate.
The 1994 Gun-Free Schools Act: Its Effects 25 Years Later and How to Undo Them

The prevalence of harsh discipline policies and practices in schools negatively affects students’ abilities to academically and socially thrive (Brown, 2007; P. Noguera, 1995; Skiba et al., 2011). ...
Ultrasonic imaging-A novel way to investigate corrosion status in post-tensioned concrete members

The problem of durability in reinforced concrete structures in most prevalent in chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel. Traditional corrosion monitoringg techniques such as half-cell potential and corrosion rate measurements often fail when used in this type of structure and standard nondestructive testing methods such as impact-echo have also encountered problems. This study introduces a new method called C-scan imaging to evaluate grouted post-tensioned tendons. Preliminary investigations on lab specimens show promise for the technique.
Older age, female sex, and increased IL-6 decrease the organ yield from cadaveric donors

A variety of factors are believed to impact the number of organs explanted for transplantation in cadaveric organ donors, including age, stability of the patient and existing co-morbidities. Brain-death-induced systemic inflammation could also adversely affect the number of organs explanted for transplantation. Hence, in this observational study we sought to examine the various factors including the inflammatory response that occur in cadaveric organ donors and to determine their relative impact on organ explantation.
Going from analog to digital - Radiated emissions performance of a nuclear plant control system from 10 kHz to 6 GHz

Nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the United States have been upgrading their instrumentation and control (I&C) equipment from analog to digital systems over the past 10 to 15 years. Upgrades have been occurring on the plant floor for I&C systems including generator controls, turbine supervisory controls, and chiller controls as well as for plant control systems in control rooms. Because of the increased focus by utilities and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on safety and efforts to eliminate plant electromagnetic interference (EMI) events, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is still a growing concern. Because of the heightened concern regarding EMI and the growing use of GHz-speed digital equipment and wireless devices in nuclear plants and the critical nature of EMI-related plant events with increasing digital upgrades, utilities are taking proactive steps in characterizing critical EMC environments and engaging in practices to enhance plant EMC. One important step is to determine changes in radiated emissions levels in control rooms where more digital upgrades are planned. The migration from analog to digital equipment in control rooms and other plant areas warrants the need to investigate the emissions characteristics of changing electromagnetic environments (EMEs). These changing environments are being characterized through Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) research by conducting point-of-installation (POI) emissions measurements before analog systems are removed, and then again after digital systems are installed and operational. This paper presents the first-of-its-kind analysis of a complete set of radiated emissions measurement data from 10 kHz to 6 GHz as part of a plant control system upgrade inside a control room to replace an analog control system (ACS) with a digital control system (DCS) for one operating unit of a nuclear plant in the United States.
Reflections after Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations

Every philosophy is like a man speaking a language which he has learned imperfectly. One has to determine just what it is that he wishes to say before one is in a position to decide whether he is right or wrong. In the following pages some lessons are drawn from Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations which it must be clear he himself would not have approved.1 It is too late for there to be any danger of subverting his influence. Each of his two books has already given rise to schools; logical positivism has come out of the first and linguistic analysis out of the second. It may be that Wittgenstein himself was not a member of either school. We could at least entertain the hypothesis that Philosophical Investigations is an outcome of the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and not opposed to it. In his second book he has shown a way of getting at the proposals advanced in the first, where ‘getting at’ means literally ‘getting out of’. Philosophical Investigations continues the proposition next before the last in the Tractatus.