cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution and geochronology of Oregon Plateau (U.S.A.) flood basalt volcanism: The Steens Basalt revisited

The timing and petrogenesis of mid-Miocene flood basalt volcanism in the northwest United States has been extensively addressed, yet the chemical characteristics and temporal details of the Steens Basalt, exposed on the Oregon Plateau, are poorly defined. Steens Basalt volcanism has generally been accepted to have occurred at ∼16.6 Ma, coeval and/or just prior to the onset of Columbia River Basalt Group volcanism to the north. New major and trace element analyses and nine 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages ranging from 15.51±0.28 to 16.58±0.18 Ma were obtained on Oregon Plateau flood basalt lava flows from stratigraphic sections in close proximity to Steens Mountain. Additionally, new 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages were obtained on the uppermost and thirty-first lava flow down from the top of the ∼1 km section of Steens Basalt exposed at Steens Mountain and yield eruption ages of 16.59±0.10 and 16.55± 0.10 Ma, respectively. Field relations between these basalt sections suggest that multiple eruptive centers were present in the vicinity of Steens Mountain. The chemical and chronologic data presented in this study illustrate that flood basalts with the “Steens Basalt” chemical signature erupted across the southern Oregon Plateau over a much greater timespan than what is typically quoted for the Steens Mountain type section. These data suggest that the main volume of Steens Basalt volcanism erupted over at least an ∼1 m.y. duration from eruptive loci in the vicinity of Steens Mountain, while likely much less voluminous volcanism and lithospheric input of mafic magma appears to have occurred for N2 Ma across the Oregon Plateau. These new geochemical and geochronological constraints verify a common temporal link between Steens, Malheur Gorge-region, and Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) volcanism. This direct temporal link requires that petrogenetic and tectonic models of mid-Miocene northwestern U.S. flood basalt volcanism recognize that the northern (Columbia Plateau) and southern (Oregon Plateau) portions of this mid-Miocene basalt province were erupting simultaneously during portions of the regional event. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Relationships between growth and sporulation of aquatic hyphomycetes on decomposing leaf litter.

The dynamics of changes in microbial biomass (ATP concentrations), respiration rates and sporulation rates of aquatic hyphomycetes associated with tulip poplar leaf disks in two streams with different water chemistry were compared with the activities of a dominant fungal species from each stream growing on sterilized leaf disks in the laboratory. Aquatic hyphomycetes sporulated at maximum rates after 15–19 d in both stream and laboratory studies. Sporulation occurred during periods of increasing biomass and respiration indicating a close relationship between growth and sporulation in these fungi. Leaf disks decomposing in the hardwater stream supported greater biomass, activity and number of species than those decomposing in the softwaer stream. Fungi colonizing leaf disks in the laboratory exhibited higher ATP concentrations and sporulation rates than the communities from either stream. These differences appear to be related to water chemistry, particularly N and P concentrations. Organic matter budgets calculated for the two species grown in the laboratory indicated that growth yield coefficients were 0·15–0·23 g g −1 and net production efficiencies ranged from 24 to 46 %. A significant portion of fungal production was converted into conidia by both fungi.
Role responsibility and values

When a collective is blamed, the responsibility does not escape individuals. Spheres of influence are designed to determine the scale of blame; namely, by proximity and ability to influence a different result. Agents in the respective role types will be responsible upon our examining their extent of influence. Although you may be inclined to say that the responsibility lies with those who have access to policy-making, this doesn't allow for the deviants we expect at appropriate times. Here we are compelled to seek a new moral outlook that maintains our perception of ourself: “what is not worthy of me must not be confused with special requirements of my ‘station and its duties’.”
Hydroxyurea treatment decreases glomerular hyperfiltration in children with sickle cell anemia

Glomerular hyperfiltration and microalbuminuria/proteinuria are early manifestations of sickle nephropathy. The effects of hydroxyurea therapy on these renal manifestations of sickle cell anemia (SCA) are not well defined. Our objective was to investigate the effects of hydroxyurea on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measured by (99m)Tc-DTPA clearance, and on microalbuminuria/proteinuria in children with SCA. Hydroxyurea study of long-term effects (HUSTLE) is a prospective study (NCT00305175) with the goal of describing the long-term cellular, molecular, and clinical effects of hydroxyurea therapy in SCA. Glomerular filtration rate, urine microalbumin, and serum cystatin C were measured before initiating hydroxyurea therapy and then repeated after 3 years. Baseline and Year 3 values for HUSTLE subjects were compared using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. Associations between continuous variables were evaluated using Spearman correlation coefficient. Twenty-three children with SCA (median age 7.5 years, range, 2.5-14.0 years) received hydroxyurea at maximum tolerated dose (MTD, 24.4 ± 4.5 mg/kg/day, range, 15.3-30.6 mg/kg/day). After 3 years of treatment, GFR measured by (99m)Tc-DTPA decreased significantly from 167 ± 46 mL/min/1.73 m² to 145 ± 27 mL/min/1.73 m² (P = 0.016). This decrease in GFR was significantly associated with increase in fetal hemoglobin (P = 0.042) and decrease in lactate dehydrogenase levels (P = 0.035). Urine microalbumin and cystatin C levels did not change significantly. Hydroxyurea at MTD is associated with a decrease in hyperfiltration in young children with SCA.
Comparison of Ensemble-MOS Methods Using GFS Reforecasts

Abstract Three recently proposed and promising methods for postprocessing ensemble forecasts based on their historical error characteristics (i.e., ensemble-model output statistics methods) are compared using a multidecadal reforecast dataset. Logistic regressions and nonhomogeneous Gaussian regressions are generally preferred for daily temperature, and for medium-range (6–10 and 8–14 day) temperature and precipitation forecasts. However, the better sharpness of medium-range ensemble-dressing forecasts sometimes yields the best Brier scores even though their calibration is somewhat worse. Using the long (15 or 25 yr) training samples that are available with these reforecasts improves the accuracy and skill of these probabilistic forecasts to levels that are approximately equivalent to gains of 1 day of lead time, relative to using short (1 or 2 yr) training samples.
Detection of On-Road Vehicles Emanating GPS Interference

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is widely used in critical infrastructures but is vulnerable to radio frequency (RF) interference. A common source of interference are commercial drivers that use GPS jammers to circumvent vehicle tracking systems. Existing mechanisms to detect and identify such interference emitting vehicles on roadways require a large number of specialized detectors or a manual observation process. In this paper, we design a practical, automated system to facilitate enforcement actions. Our system combines information from roadside monitoring points at key locations along the roadway as well as mobile detectors (e.g., smartphones and other mobile GPS systems). Rather than attempting precise localization at a given time, the system exploits the inherent variation in driving speeds and the resulting diverging trajectories of vehicles to uniquely identify the interfering vehicle. Through our experiments on a local highway with a vehicle transmitting interference in the 900MHz ISM band, we found that the vehicle identification rate of our mechanism is 65% for a single-point setup and 100% for a two-point setup. We performed 200 hours of passive monitoring of GPS L1 band on roadways and found two episodes of real interference. We also demonstrate that our mobile detector-based crowdsourced smartphone profiles are sufficiently consistent in time and space to enable reliable interference detection.
Characterization of fast-decaying PET radiotracers solely through LC-MS/MS of constituent radioactive and carrier isotopologues.

Background The characterization of fast-decaying radiotracers that are labeled with carbon-11 (t1/2 = 20.38 min), including critical measurement of specific radioactivity (activity per mole at a specific time) before release for use in positron-emission tomography (PET), has relied heavily on chromatographic plus radiometric measurements, each of which may be vulnerable to significant errors. Thus, we aimed to develop a mass-specific detection method using sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for identifying 11C-labeled tracers and for verifying their specific radioactivities.
Spectrin isoforms in the mammalian retina

Spectrin is a major component of the mammalian neuronal cytoskeleton. In the CNS, three isoforms of brain spectrin are known to exist: a cellular and dendritic isoform, (240/235E), related to neurons and glia; a cellular and axonal isoform, (240/235), related to neurons; and an isoform specific for astrocytes, (240/235A). In the present study, brain spectrins (240/235E) and (240/235) were localized within the mouse retina and optic nerve. Immunoblot analyses of proteins isolated from mouse retinas utilizing polyclonal antibodies to either brain spectrin (240/235) or brain spectrin (240/235E) revealed that these spectrins are present in the retina and that the two isoforms are the same molecular weights as those found in the brain. Immunocytochemical studies revealed that spectrin (240/235E) was localized in cell bodies of the inner nuclear, outer nuclear, and ganglion cell layers, and processes arborizing within the inner and outer plexiform layers. Spectrin (240/235) was distributed diffusely within the retina, lightly staining neurons in both the inner nuclear and outer nuclear layers, and the ganglion cell layer. In contrast to the situation found in the brain, spectrin (240/235) was but one of the axonal forms in the retina. We found that spectrin (240/235E) was also present in the axon-rich fiber layer and in the optic nerve and was often associated with fibrous elements. Spectrin (240/235) was also detected in the nerve fiber layer and optic nerve, but this isoform was not localized to fibers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Fast folding of a prototypic polypeptide: the immunoglobulin binding domain of streptococcal protein G.

The folding of the small (56 residues) highly stable B1 immunoglobulin binding domain (GB1) of streptococcal protein G has been investigated by quenched-flow deuterium-hydrogen exchange. This system represents a paradigm for the study of protein folding because it exhibits no complicating features superimposed upon the intrinsic properties of the polypeptide chain. Collapse to a semicompact state exhibiting partial order, reflected in protection factors for ND-NH exchange up to 10-fold higher than that expected for a random coil, occurs within the dead time (≤1 ms) of the quenched flow apparatus. This is followed by the formation of the fully native state, as monitored by the fractional proton occupancy of 26 backbone amide groups spread throughout the protein, in a single rapid concerted step with a half-life of 5.2 ms at 5 °C.
Imaging of Traumatic Brain Injury

Imaging plays an important role in the management of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Computed tomography (CT) is the first-line imaging technique allowing rapid detection of primary structural brain lesions that require surgical intervention. CT also detects various deleterious secondary insults allowing early medical and surgical management. Serial imaging is critical to identifying secondary injuries. MR imaging is indicated in patients with acute TBI when CT fails to explain neurologic findings. However, MR imaging is superior in patients with subacute and chronic TBI and also predicts neurocognitive outcome.
Cross-Modal Reorganization of Horizontal Connectivity in Auditory Cortex without Altering Thalamocortical Projections

The development of the different, highly specialized regions of the mammalian cerebral cortex depends in part on neural activity, either intrinsic spontaneous activity or externally driven sensory activity. To determine whether patterned sensory activity instructs the development of intrinsic cortical circuitry, we have experimentally altered the modality of sensory inputs to cerebral cortex. Neonatal diversion of retinal axons to the auditory thalamus (cross-modal rewiring) results in a primary auditory cortex (AI) that resembles visual cortex in its response properties and topography (Roe et al., 1990, 1992). To test the hypothesis that the visual response properties are created by a visually driven reorganization of auditory cortical circuitry, we investigated the effect of early visual experience on the development of intrinsic, horizontal connections within AI. Horizontal connections are likely to play an important role in the construction of visual response properties in AI as they do in visual cortex. Here we show that early visual inputs to auditory thalamus can reorganize horizontal connections in AI, causing both an increase in their extent and a change in pattern, so that projections are not restricted to the isofrequency axis, but extend in a more isotropic pattern around the injection site. Thus, changing afferent modality, without altering the source of the thalamocortical axons, can profoundly alter cortical circuitry. Similar changes may underlie cortical compensatory processes in deaf or blind humans and may also have played a role in the parcellation of neocortex during mammalian evolution.
Steroid withdrawal in pancreas transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND Numerous studies of steroid withdrawal have been carried out in kidney and liver transplant recipients, but only a few in pancreas transplant recipients. Yet, pancreas transplant recipients could have significant long-term benefits from steroid withdrawal. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis to determine the feasibility of steroid withdrawal in pancreas transplant recipients. RESULTS Of 360 recipients who underwent a pancreas transplant between January 1, 1994 and June 30, 1998, 14 attempted steroid withdrawal (12 simultaneous pancreas-kidney [SPK]; 2 pancreas transplant alone [PTA]). Reasons for steroid withdrawal were bone fractures (n = 3), psychiatric disorders (n = 2), severe acne (n = 1), recurrent infections (n = 4), and problems with hypercholesterolemia or hypertension (n = 4). All 14 were maintained on tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) immunosuppression, except for 1 who was on tacrolimus and azathioprine (AZA). Of the 14 recipients, 11 had no episodes of acute rejection before steroid withdrawal. The remaining 3 had one or more acute rejection episodes. Of the 14 recipients, 10 (72%) currently remain off steroids (mean follow-up 18 months, range 5-51 months). However, 4 recipients have resumed steroids: 2 after an acute rejection episode (at 2 and 21 months post-withdrawal) and 2 because of leukopenia (WBC < 3000) and an inability to tolerate full-dose MMF. Steroid withdrawal was unsuccessful in both PTA recipients and in 2 of the 12 SPK recipients. All 14 recipients currently have a functioning pancreas graft. However, 1 of the SPK recipients, in whom steroid withdrawal failed, has developed chronic kidney rejection and is now back on hemodialysis awaiting a retransplant. CONCLUSION Steroid withdrawal is possible in up to 70% of pancreas transplant recipients. Further studies are necessary to define ideal candidates for steroid withdrawal. Based on the results of this analysis, we have launched a prospective, randomized trial of steroid withdrawal in pancreas transplant recipients.
Traffic Management of Special Events in Small Communities

Planned special events (PSE), such as sporting events and concerts, produce nonrecurring congestion as attendees simultaneously attempt to exit the event and overload the local transportation network. These types of events can have a significant impact on traffic operations, particularly in small urban and rural environments, where limited infrastructure is available to access and egress the PSE venue. The research presented here applied a variety of traffic management strategies to manage congestion resulting from football games at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, in fall 2007. These strategies included the provision of real-time travel information, road closures, traffic signal retiming, and real-time traffic monitoring. Results indicated that these strategies could be successfully applied in a rural community to manage the congestion arising from PSEs. For example, results indicated that signal retiming and manual traffic control strategies allowed for improvements in traffic flow on approaches that served game traffic.
Computational Imaging Platforms for Next Generation User Experience

Advances in sensors, optics and camera modules for the mobile phone segment have made imaging pervasive. The next generation of imagers will be driven by the need for novel ways to use and experience this visual information.
Effects of a one-year high-intensity versus low-intensity resistance training program on bone mineral density in older women.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 12-month resistance training program, of two different intensities, on bone mineral density (BMD) in healthy, older women. Twenty-six Caucasian women (aged 65-79 years) completed the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: high-intensity (HI; n = 8), low-intensity (LI; n = 7), and control (CON; n = 11). The active groups performed 10 exercises, 3 days/week under supervision. Exercise intensity was maintained at 80% of one-repetition maximum (1-RM) for the HI groups, and at 40% 1-RM for the LI group. The volume of work was maintained constant between the two groups by assigning the LI group twice as many repetitions for each exercise. Maximal muscular strength and BMD of the lumbar spine and total hip were measured at baseline and at 12 months. Strength was evaluated using the 1-RM method, and BMD was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Exercise session attendance was similar for the two groups (81.0% HI; 76.8% LI). Muscular strength improved in the exercisers compared with the CON group (p 0.05). These findings suggest that high-intensity and low-intensity resistance training regimens effectively increase muscular strength, but not lumbar spine or total hip BMD, in healthy, older women.
Informing Public Health Policy and Practice: The Strategic Management of Research Processes and Organizations

Better health depends on how well federal public health organizations perform both scientifically and organizationally. The performance challenges of public health science organizations are not carbon copies of those facing public service organizations. This article examines how one federal science agency in the public health field has instituted a performance orientation over a dozen years, offering a detailed illustration of how the in-principle advantages of the “managing for performance” approach can be realized in practice. In taking science more seriously as a basis for public policy, the new administration should not lose sight of lessons it can learn from its predecessors about managing science organizations for performance.
Beach Profile Equilibrium and Patterns of Wave Decay and Energy Dissipation Across the Surf Zone Elucidated in a Large-Scale Laboratory Experiment

Abstract The widely accepted assumption that the equilibrium beach profile in the surf zone corresponds with uniform wave-energy dissipation per unit volume is directly examined in six cases from the large-scale SUPERTANK laboratory experiment. Under irregular waves, the pattern of wave-energy dissipation across a large portion of the surf zone became relatively uniform as the beach profile evolved toward equilibrium. Rates of wave-energy dissipation across a near-equilibrium profile calculated from wave decay in the surf zone support the prediction derived by Dean (1977). Substantially different equilibrium beach-profile shapes and wave-energy dissipation rates and patterns were generated for regular waves as compared to irregular waves of similar statistical significant wave height and spectral peak period. Large deviation of wave-energy dissipation from the equilibrium rate occurred at areas on the beach profile with active net cross-shore sediment transport and substantial sedimentation and erosion. T...
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS ON THE LANDSCAPE-SCALE BIOGEOGRAPHY OF STREAM BACTERIAL COMMUNITIES

We determined the biogeographical distributions of stream bacteria and the biogeochemical factors that best explained heterogeneity for 23 locations within the Hubbard Brook watershed, a 3000-ha forested watershed in New Hampshire, USA. Our goal was to assess the factor, or set of factors, responsible for generating the biogeographical patterns exhibited by microorganisms at the landscape scale. We used DNA fingerprinting to characterize bacteria inhabiting fine benthic organic matter (FBOM) because of their important influence on stream nutrient dynamics. Across the watershed, streams of similar pH had similar FBOM bacterial communities. Streamwater pH was the single variable most strongly correlated with the relative distance between communities (Spearman's q ¼ 0.66, P , 0.001) although there were other contributing factors, including the quality of the fine benthic organic matter and the amount of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in the stream water (P , 0.05 for each). There was no evidence of an effect of geographic distance on bacterial community composition, suggesting that dispersal limitation has little influence on the observed biogeographical patterns in streams across this landscape. Cloning and sequencing of small-subunit rRNA genes confirmed the DNA fingerprinting results and revealed strong shifts among bacterial groups along the pH gradient. With an increase in streamwater pH, the abundance of acidobacteria in the FBOM bacterial community decreased (from 71% to 38%), and the abundance of proteobacteria increased (from 11% to 47%). Together these results suggest that microorganisms, like ''macro''-organisms, do exhibit biogeographical patterns at the landscape scale and that these patterns may be predictable based on biogeochemical factors.
Two-Pump Parametric Optical Delays

Continuously tunable optical delay lines based on parametric process in optical fibers are described theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. Performance limits are outlined and compared to alternative approaches capable of continually adjustable delay management. The current record of 105 ns tunable optical delay at 10 Gb/s is presented, with a delay-bandwidth product of 1055.
On quasi-duo rings

Bass [1] proved that if R is a left perfect ring, then R contains no infinite sets of orthogonal idempotents and every nonzero left R-module has a maximal submodule, and asked if this property characterizes left perfect rings ([1], Remark (ii), p. 470). The fact that this is true for commutative rings was proved by Hamsher [12], and that this is not true in general was demonstrated by examples of Cozzens [7] and Koifman [14]. Hamsher's result for commutative rings has been extended to some noncommutative rings. Call a ring left duo if every left ideal is two-sided; Chandran [5] proved that Bass’ conjecture is true for left duo rings. Call a ring R weakly left duo if for every r e R, there exists a natural number n(r) (depending on r) such that the principal left ideal Rrn(r) is two-sided. Recently, Xue [21] proved that Bass’ conjecture is still true for weakly left duo rings.
Data›Driven Processing in Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks are poised to enable continuous data collection on unprecedented scales, in terms of area location and size, and frequency. This is a great boon to elds such as ecological modeling. We are collaborating with researchers to build sophisticated temporal and spatial models of forest growth, utilizing a variety of measurements. There exists a crucial challenge in supporting this activity: network nodes have limited battery life, and radio communication is the dominant energy consumer. The straightforward solution of instructing all nodes to report their measurements as they are taken to a base station will quickly consume the network’s energy. On the other hand, the solution of building models for node behavior and substituting these in place of the actual measurements is in conict with the end goal of constructing models. To address this dilemma, we propose data-driven processing, the goal of which is to provide continuous data without continuous reporting, but with checks against the actual data. Our primary strategy for this is suppression, which uses in-network monitoring to limit the amount of communication to the base station. Suppression employs models for optimization of data collection, but not at the risk of correctness. We discuss techniques for designing data-driven collection, such as building suppression schemes and incorporating models into them. We then present and address some of the major challenges to making this approach practical, such as handling failure and avoiding the need to co-design the network application and communication layers.
Additive noise of combined amplifiers

Analytical predictions of additive noise in combined amplifiers and their experimental verification are presented. The analysis addresses both random and deterministic noise processes, and in each case the signal-to-noise ratio of combined amplifiers is compared to that of an individual amplifier inside the combiner. The signal-to-noise ratio of combined amplifiers improves for uncorrelated random noise, but remains unchanged for all other types, including noise figure. >
Strength Testing Archaeological Ceramics: New Approaches and Applications

A modified biaxial flexure format is developed for testing the strength of archaeological ceramics. Laboratory experiments demonstrate the reliability of this approach. Two archaeological examples are presented, using pottery from the site of Tikal in Guatemala, and several sites in the northern Southwest region of the United States.
Information Disclosure When There is Fundamental Disagreement

This paper develops a theory of information disclosure with disagreement, and then examines its implications for financial and non-financial firms. I build a model in which managers of firms are voluntarily communicating objective and subjective information, and prior beliefs about the strategy to maximize project value are rational but heterogeneous, creating the possibility of fundamental disagreement. Four main sets of results are derived. First, not all firms disclose (subjective) information about strategy that can potentially increase disagreement with investors. This lack of disclosure occurs even though there are no exogenous communication costs, and “proprietary signaling costs” are precluded because information is being communicated only to the financial market and not to the firm’s product-market competitors. Second, more valuable firms voluntarily disclose less information in equilibrium. Third, information disclosure has real consequences because it interacts with project values, investor relations and corporate governance. Thus, this paper provides an economic rationale for higher-quality firms to withhold more strategic information, and this has pervasive consequences. Fourth, banks, facing greater withdrawal risk than non-financial firms, optimally disclose less strategic information than non-financial firms. Regulations that compel banks to increase information disclosure have the unintended consequence of making banks more fragile. Hence, the analysis exposes a potential tension between information transparency and greater fragility in banking. Improvements in corporate governance will lead banks to voluntarily disclose less strategic information, become less fragile, keep less on-balance-sheet liquidity, and make longer-maturing loans.
Accuracy of sonographically guided and palpation guided scaphotrapeziotrapezoid joint injections.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the accuracies of sonographically guided and palpation guided scaphotrapeziotrapezoid (STT) joint injections in a cadaveric model. Methods A clinician with 6 years of experience performing sonographically guided procedures injected 1.0 mL of a diluted latex solution into the STT joints of 20 unembalmed cadaveric wrist specimens using a palmar approach. At a minimum of 24 hours after injection, an experienced clinician specializing in hand care completed palpation guided injections in the same specimens using a dorsal approach and 1 mL of a different-colored latex. A fellowship-trained hand surgeon blinded to the injection technique then dissected each specimen to assess injection accuracy. Injections were graded as accurate if the colored latex was found in the STT joint, whereas inaccurate injections resulted in no latex being found in the joint. Results All sonographically guided injections were accurate (100%; 95% confidence interval, 81%-100%), whereas only 80% of palpation guided injections were accurate (95% confidence interval, 61%-99%). Sonographically guided injections were significantly more accurate than palpation guided injections, as determined by the ability to deliver latex into the joint (P Conclusions Sonographic guidance can be used to inject the STT joint with a high degree of accuracy and is more accurate than palpation guidance within the limits of this study design. Clinicians should consider using sonographic guidance to perform STT joint injections when precise intra-articular placement is desired. Further clinical investigation examining the role of sonographically guided STT joint injections in the treatment of patients with radial wrist pain syndromes is warranted.
An Analytic Vortex Initialization Technique for Idealized Tropical Cyclone Studies in AGCMs

Abstract The paper discusses the design of idealized tropical cyclone experiments in atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs). The evolution of an initially weak, warm-core vortex is investigated over a 10-day period with varying initial conditions that include variations of the maximum wind speed and radius of maximum wind. The initialization of the vortex is built upon prescribed 3D moisture, pressure, temperature, and velocity fields that are embedded into tropical environmental conditions. The initial fields are in exact hydrostatic and gradient-wind balance in an axisymmetric form. The formulation is then generalized to provide analytic initial conditions for an approximately balanced vortex in AGCMs with height-based vertical coordinates. An extension for global models with pressure-based vertical coordinates is presented. The analytic initialization technique can easily be implemented on any AGCM computational grid. The characteristics of the idealized tropical cyclone experiments are illustr...
A multi-parametric particle-pairing algorithm for particle tracking in single and multiphase flows

Multiphase flows (MPFs) offer a rich area of fundamental study with many practical applications. Examples of such flows range from the ingestion of foreign particulates in gas turbines to transport of particles within the human body. Experimental investigation of MPFs, however, is challenging, and requires techniques that simultaneously resolve both the carrier and discrete phases present in the flowfield. This paper presents a new multi-parametric particle-pairing algorithm for particle tracking velocimetry (MP3-PTV) in MPFs. MP3-PTV improves upon previous particle tracking algorithms by employing a novel variable pair-matching algorithm which utilizes displacement preconditioning in combination with estimated particle size and intensity to more effectively and accurately match particle pairs between successive images. To improve the method’s efficiency, a new particle identification and segmentation routine was also developed. Validation of the new method was initially performed on two artificial data sets: a traditional single-phase flow published by the Visualization Society of Japan (VSJ) and an in-house generated MPF data set having a bi-modal distribution of particles diameters. Metrics of the measurement yield, reliability and overall tracking efficiency were used for method comparison. On the VSJ data set, the newly presented segmentation routine delivered a twofold improvement in identifying particles when compared to other published methods. For the simulated MPF data set, measurement efficiency of the carrier phases improved from 9% to 41% for MP3-PTV as compared to a traditional hybrid PTV. When employed on experimental data of a gas‐solid flow, the MP3-PTV effectively identified the two particle populations and reported a vector efficiency and velocity measurement error comparable to measurements for the single-phase flow images. Simultaneous measurement of the dispersed particle and the carrier flowfield velocities allowed for the calculation of instantaneous particle slip velocities, illustrating the algorithm’s strength to robustly and accurately resolve polydispersed MPFs.
Sleep Quality and Health-Related Quality of Life in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disorder resulting in irreversible scarring of the lung parenchyma. Although fatigue is a prominent symptom for patients with IPF, little is known about sleep quality in patients with IPF. Methods In this cross-sectional study of 41 patients with IPF from a prospectively designed cohort, we ascertained sleep quality by means of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and the Epworth sleepiness scale. Health status, baseline demographics, and physiologic parameters were also assessed. Results Patients with IPF reported extremely poor sleep quality and high frequency of daytime sleepiness, which differs significantly from normal control populations. Further, poor sleep quality was not associated with body mass index, age, gender, or lung function. This population also demonstrated extremely poor health status in a number of domains, including physical function and vitality. Poor sleep quality (by the global PSQI) was significantly associated with decreased quality of life (QOL) in several domains, including role of physical function ( r = − 0.58, p = 0.001), vitality ( r = − 0.43, p = 0.015), and role of emotions ( r = − 0.40, p = 0.023). Conclusions Poor sleep quality is extremely common in patients with IPF and is not predicted by variables traditionally associated with sleep-disordered breathing. Further, poor sleep quality is associated with poor QOL. These findings suggest that systematic evaluation of the cause of poor sleep quality in IPF is merited.
A Simple Forward Algorithm to Solve General Dynamic Lot Sizing Models with n Periods in 0n log n or 0n Time

This paper is concerned with the general dynamic lot size model, or generalized Wagner-Whitin model. Let n denote the number of periods into which the planning horizon is divided. We describe a simple forward algorithm which solves the general model in 0n log n time and 0n space, as opposed to the well-known shortest path algorithm advocated over the last 30 years with 0n2 time. A linear, i.e., 0n-time and space algorithm is obtained for two important special cases: a models without speculative motives for carrying stock, i.e., where in each interval of time the per unit order cost increases by less than the cost of carrying a unit in stock; b models with nondecreasing setup costs. We also derive conditions for the existence of monotone optimal policies and relate these to known planning horizon and other results from the literature.
Utility of the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool for Detecting Client Change

Occupational therapists are increasingly being asked to engage in occupation-focused practice that goes beyond a focus on impairment. The Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool (MOHOST) is an occupation-focused assessment that determines the extent to which client factors and environmental factors facilitate or restrict an individual's participation in daily life. The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the MOHOST as a valid outcomes assessment. A retrospective design was used to gather admission and discharge MOHOST ratings from an inpatient rehabilitation unit from over a 20-month period. A Many Faceted Rasch Model was used to analyze MOHOST admission and discharge data. The five therapists were fairly consistent in their scoring of the MOHOST, and four of five therapists used the MOHOST in a valid manner. There was significant increase in MOHOST measures from admission to discharge. The study findings indicate that, with minimal training, occupational therapists can use the MOHOST in ...
Free and Open Source Software and the Mystery of Software Patent Licenses Under the GPL

Despite that the first FOSS licenses were drafted nearly three decades ago, there exists still great confusion even among the experienced technology lawyers and IT professionals as to what are the actual (implied patent) license grants - if any - conferred under the most common FOSS licenses, such as the GPLv2, the BSD license and the MIT license. This article discusses the topic in the light of recent FOSS case litigated in California.
Effects of withdrawal from chronic nicotine on emotional and cognitive behaviors in adult and adolescent mice

s / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 156 (2015) e102–e182 e165 Novel psychoactive substance use in the European Union Scott P. Novak1, Anders Hakansson2, Jens Reimer5, Jose Martinez-Raga4, Jennifer Lorvick3 1 Behavioral Epidemiology, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States 2 Division of Psychiatry, U of Lund, Lund, Sweden 3 RTI International, RTI, San Francisco, CA, United States 4 Teaching Unit of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, U of Valencia, Valencia, Spain 5 Centre for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research, Hamburg Medical, Hamburg, Germany Aims: Novel psychoactive substances (e.g., bath salts, Krokodil, synthetic marijuana) are synthetic, semi-synthetic or natural compounds, often advertised and sold as ‘legal’ alternatives to illicit drugs. The current study is among the first population-based studies in the EU to identify their prevalence and characteristics. Methods:General population surveys,modeled after theUnited States’ National Survey of Drug Use and Health, were conducted by RTI International in seven European countries (29 metropolitan strata, sample n=22,057) in 2014. Self-report (in English or native language) surveys among persons aged 12 or older were collected andweighted to achieve country-specific representative estimates. Results: The lifetime estimates for NPS ranged from 0.7% (Denmark) to 2.2% (Great Britain), with a mean of 1.8% and a population estimate of 5.5 million. An estimated 500,000 (0.5%) persons reported past-yearNPS. Controlling for country, latent classmodels indicated six classes of past-year illicit drug use, with NPS present in a homogenous class characterized by males (AOR=2.5, p< .001), whites at higher risk relative to black/African descent (AOR=1.6, p< .05), and Asian (AOR=3.3, p< .001). Youth (ages 18–24) were at higher risk for NPS relative to those ages 12–17 (AOR=1.5, p< .001) and 35+ (AOR=1.6, p< .001). Mood/anxiety disorders conferred higher risk of NPS compared to those with no disorder (AOR=2.5, p< .001), or subthreshold symptom levels (AOR=1.6, p< .001). NPS users also reported a greater use of social media. Conclusions: With the increasing erosion of geographic boundaries and increased increased communication, studies are desperately needed to identify the international landscape of drug use.Additionalwavesareplanned to identify trends in transmission patterns between countries and population sub-groups. Financial support: Shire, NIH, RTI International, the European Drug Union. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.07.448 Effects of withdrawal from chronic nicotine on emotional and cognitive behaviors in adult and adolescent mice Paul A. Nucero2, Erica Holliday1, Munir G. Kutlu1, Thomas Gould1, Ellen Unterwald3 1 Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States 2 Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Ambler, PA, United States 3 Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA,
Balloting: Speeding Up the Voting Process

Long wait times at the voting polls has grown to be one of the biggest issues in the United States (U.S.) voting process. To address this issue, Balloting is presented as part of a solution to speed up the voting process. The Balloting process gives the voter an opportunity to electronically mark a ballot at his/her convenience, print the completed ballot in the form of a Quick Response (QR) code, and on Election Day, the voting machine is used to scan the voter’s QR code, which brings up the voter’s prior completed ballot for review and modification before officially casting the ballot. A preliminary study was conducted to measure the efficiency of Balloting compared to other methods of voting. As hypothesized, the study revealed that Balloting significantly reduced voting time, which consequently reduces long wait times at the voting polls.
Piezoelectric Nanogenerators for Mechanical Energy Harvesting

Piezoelectric ZnO nanowires (NWs) have recently been demonstrated as a promising concept to harvest micro- and nano-scale mechanical energy from the surroundings. It is named nanogenerator. The operation principle relies on the bending of NWs by an external disturbance which creates piezoelectric potential along the deformed surfaces. The piezoelectric potential was predicted to be hundreds of milivolts per NW and the optimal power output per NW could reach a few nanowatts when it is under resonant oscillation. The first nanogenerator prototype was fabricated with vertically aligned ZnO NW arrays that were placed beneath a zigzag-shaped metal electrode with a small gap. In this design, all the NWs can be actuated simultaneously and continuously by ultrasonic waves, leading to the production of a continuous DC current. A textile fiber based nanogenerator has been developed for harvesting low-frequency vibration/friction energies. A piezoelectric thin film based nanogenerator was demonstrated to convert low...
Potential of Ripe Pawpaw Fruit Extract as an Insecticide and Feeding Deterrent for Striped Cucumber Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on Squash

Laboratory experiments were performed to study the effects of pawpaw, Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal, fruit extract on mortality and feeding deterrence of striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittatum (F.). Recently, fruit tissues of pawpaw were found to contain phenolic and antioxidant compounds, as well as annonaceous acetogenin compounds having insecticidal activity. Ripe pawpaw fruit pulp from a range of pawpaw varieties was extracted with 100% ethyl alcohol to obtain acetogenin compounds. Pulp extracts of 0, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 50,000 ppm were then used to assess feeding deterrence and mortality of beetles. Buttercup squash leaf disks 3.5 cm in diameter were treated individually with each concentration and placed on water moistened filter paper in plastic Petri dishes (9 cm diam). Five striped cucumber beetles were placed on each leaf disk. All Petri dishes were then placed in an environmental growth chamber at 27°C and a 16:8 h light:dark photoperiod. Feeding activity was recorded 1, 4 and 24 h afte...
Liver Health Promotion Effect Among College Students in Meishan

Objective To understand the awareness of the college students to hepatitis before and after the liver health promotion,and to evaluate the effect of health promotion on liver so to provide a reliable basis for further programs.Methods In Meishan city,college students were surveyed with hepatitis prevention knowledge questionnaire before and after the health promotion,including basic knowledge on hepatitis,mode of transmission,preventive measures and attitudes towards hepatitis B carriers.Results Through health promotion,the rate of the awareness on hepatitis basic knowledge and its transmission route elevated from 17.78%to 77.22%,and awareness rate of hepatitis prevention measures elevated from 23.34%to 47.77%,both with statistical difference(P 0.01).The rate of correct understanding on hepatitis B carriers also increased from 3.89%to51.67%.The proportion with approaches to acquire relevant knowledge through doctors,teachers,radio and television publicity single propaganda paintings,books and friends' families was significantly increased after the promotion(P 0.01);the proportion of hoping to get hepatitis knowledge from the these approaches sig-nificandy was increased(P 0.01),and up to 95%wished to inoculate hepatitis B vaccine.Conclusion Liver health promotion is an effective way to prevent hepatitis among college students.
Wide-area measurement system development at the distribution level: An FNET/GridEye example

Electric power grid wide-area monitoring system (WAMS) have been extended from the transmission to distribution level. As the first WAMS deployed at the distribution level, the frequency monitoring network FNET/GridEye uses GPS-time-synchronized monitors called frequency disturbance recorders (FDRs) to capture dynamic grid behaviors. In this paper, the latest developments of monitor design and the state-of-the-art data analytics applications of FNET/GridEye are introduced. Its innovations and uniqueness are also discussed. Thanks to its low cost, easy installation and multi-functionalities, FNET/GridEye works as a cost-effective situational awareness tool for power grid operators and pioneers the development of WAMS in electric power grids.
Radio-frequency flexible and stretchable electronics: The need, challenges and opportunities

Successful integration of ultrathin flexible or stretchable systems with new applications, such as medical devices and biodegradable electronics, have intrigued many researchers and industries around the globe to seek materials and processes to create high-performance, non-invasive and cost-effective electronics to match those of state-of-the-art devices. Nevertheless, the crucial concept of transmitting data or power wirelessly for such unconventional devices has been difficult to realize due to limitations of radio-frequency (RF) electronics in individual components that form a wireless circuitry, such as antenna, transmission line, active devices, passive devices etc. To overcome such challenges, these components must be developed in a step-by-step manner, as each component faces a number of different challenges in ultrathin formats. Here, we report on materials and design considerations for fabricating flexible and stretchable electronics systems that operate in the microwave level. High-speed flexible active devices, including cost effective Si-based strained MOSFETs, GaAs-based HBTs and GaN-based HEMTs, performing at multi-gigahertz frequencies are presented. Furthermore, flexible or stretchable passive devices, including capacitors, inductors and transmission lines that are vital parts of a microwave circuitry are also demonstrated. We also present unique applications using the presented flexible or stretchable RF components, including wearable RF electronics and biodegradable RF electronics, which were impossible to achieve using conventional rigid, wafer-based technology. Further opportunities like implantable systems exist utilizing such ultrathin RF components, which are discussed in this report as well.
Hybrid Adaptive Regulation for Continuous Time Systems

Abstract An Indirect Aaptive System which regulates continous time linear plants is presented. The general structure is hybrid in the sense that the identification and gam adjustement loop is implemented on a discrete time basis while the control loop operates in continous time.