cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution of Mantle Up-welling Determined from Plate Motions: A Case for Large-scale Bénard Convection

— The number and geometric distribution of putative mantle up-welling centers and the associated convection cell boundaries are determined from the lithospheric plate motions as given by the 14 Euler poles of the observational NUVEL model. For an assumed distribution of up-welling centers (called “cell-cores”) the corresponding cell boundaries are constructed by a Voronoi division of the spherical surface; the resulting polygons are called “Benard cells.” By assuming the flow-kinematics within a cell, the viscous coupling between the flow and the plates is estimated, and the Euler poles for the plates are computed under the assumption of zero-net-torque. The positions of the cell-cores are optimized for the HS2-NUVEL1 Euler poles by a method of successive approximation (“subplex”); convergence to one of many local minima occurred typically after ∼20,000 iterations. Cell-cores associated with the fourteen HS2-NUVEL1 Euler poles converge to a relatively small number of locations (8 to 10, depending on interpretation), irrespective of the number of convection cells submitted for optimized distribution (from 6 to 50). These locations are correlated with low seismic propagation velocities in tomography, uniformly occur within hotspot provinces, and may specifically be associated with the Hawaiian, Iceland, Reunion/Kerguelen (Indian Ocean), Easter Island, Melanesia/Society Islands (South Pacific), Azores/Cape Verde/Canary Islands, Tristan da Cunha (South Atlantic), Balleny Islands, and possibly Yellowstone hotspots. It is shown that arbitrary Euler poles cannot occur in association with mantle Benard convection, irrespective of the number and the distribution of convection cells. Nevertheless, eight of the observational Euler poles – including the five that are accurately determined in HS2-NUVEL1 (Australia, Cocos, Juan de Fuca, Pacific, and Philippine) – are “Benard-valid” (i.e., can be explained by our Benard model). Five of the remaining six observational poles must be relocated within their error-ellipses to become Benard-valid; the Eurasia pole alone appears to be in error by ∼115°, and may actually lie near 40°N, 154°E. The collective results strongly suggest Benard-like mantle convection cells, and that basal shear tractions are the primary factor in determining the directions of the plate motions as given by the Euler poles. The magnitudes of the computed Euler vectors show, however, that basal shear cannot be the exclusive driving force of plate tectonics, and suggest force contributions (of comparable magnitude for perhaps half of the plates) from the lithosphere itself, specifically subducting slab-pull and (continental) collision drag, which are provisionally evaluated. The relationship of the putative mantle Benard polygons to dynamic chaos and turbulent flow is discussed.
Ketamine-xylazine anesthesia causes hyperopic refractive shift in mice.

Abstract Mice have increasingly been used as a model for studies of myopia. The key to successful use of mice for myopia research is the ability to obtain accurate measurements of refractive status of their eyes. In order to obtain accurate measurements of refractive errors in mice, the refraction needs to be performed along the optical axis of the eye. This represents a particular challenge, because mice are very difficult to immobilize. Recently, ketamine–xylazine anesthesia has been used to immobilize mice before measuring refractive errors, in combination with tropicamide ophthalmic solution to induce mydriasis. Although these drugs have increasingly been used while refracting mice, their effects on the refractive state of the mouse eye have not yet been investigated. Therefore, we have analyzed the effects of tropicamide eye drops and ketamine–xylazine anesthesia on refraction in P40 C57BL/6J mice. We have also explored two alternative methods to immobilize mice, i.e. the use of a restraining platform and pentobarbital anesthesia. We found that tropicamide caused a very small, but statistically significant, hyperopic shift in refraction. Pentobarbital did not have any substantial effect on refractive status, whereas ketamine–xylazine caused a large and highly significant hyperopic shift in refraction. We also found that the use of a restraining platform represents good alternative for immobilization of mice prior to refraction. Thus, our data suggest that ketamine–xylazine anesthesia should be avoided in studies of refractive development in mice and underscore the importance of providing appropriate experimental conditions when measuring refractive errors in mice.
Development of a Prototype for Transfer of Drawing Annotations Into the ASME Y14.41 Standard

The ASME Y14.41-2003 standard for Digital Product Definition Data Practices provides for representation of design data as an entirely digital package. One central requirement of the standard is storage of all design content, especially annotations, directly in the 3D model. Companies maintaining a library of models and drawings in their chosen CAD system will benefit from being able to quickly and reliably transfer drawing annotations into 3D models. This paper describes the design and development of a prototype conversion tool that will be capable of automatically converting existing drawing annotations into ASME Y14.41-2003 compliant 3D model annotations. The paper covers the mathematical formulation used for transfer of annotations from the drawing to the 3D model and the abstract software development model for the base classes and conversion algorithm. The paper presents examples for how the conversion tool was implemented within a commercial CAD system.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
A Fast Modular Semi-Lagrangian Method for Moving Interfaces

A fast modular numerical method for solving general moving interface problems is presented. It simplifies code development by providing a black-box solver which moves a given interface one step with given normal velocity. The method combines an efficiently redistanced level set approach, a problem-independent velocity extension, and a second-order semi-Lagrangian time stepping scheme which reduces numerical error by exact evaluation of the signed distance function. Adaptive quadtree meshes are used to concentrate computational effort on the interface, so the method moves an N-element interface in O(N log N) work per time step. Efficiency is increased by taking large time steps even for parabolic curvature flows. Numerical results show that the method computes accurate viscosity solutions to a wide variety of difficult geometric moving interface problems involving merging, anisotropy, faceting, nonlocality, and curvature.
Probing trapped ion energies via ion-molecule reaction kinetics: Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

The kinetic energy-dependent Ar++ N2 ion-molecule reaction has been used as a chemical “thermometer” to determine the kinetic energy of ions produced by electron ionization and trapped by using a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer. The rate constant for this reaction obtained on the FTICR mass spectrometer was compared to previous work, which allowed a kinetic energy estimate to be made. In addition, the effects of varying parameters such as trapping voltage and pressure on ion kinetic energy were investigated. No evidence of the differing reactivity of higher energy electronic states of Ar+, such as 2P1/2, was observed and the results of a model of this system are presented that support this observation. Pressure studies revealed that with an average of as few as 13 ion-molecule collisions, Ar+ ions are collisionally relaxed to an extent unaffected by additional collisions. Based on recent variable temperature selected ion flow drift tube measurements, FTICR ion energies are estimated to be slightly above thermal.
Efficient schemes to evaluate transaction performance in distributed database systems

We chose two important performance measures: the average number of nodes accessed and the average number of data items accessed per node by a transaction in a distributed database system. We derive analytical expressions to evalute these metrics. For general applicability, we consider partially replicated distributed database systems. Our first set of analytic results are closed-form expressions for these two measures. These are based on some fairly restrictive simplifying assumptions. When these assumptions are relaxed, no closed-form expressions exist for these averages. Hence, we develop an efficient algorithm to compute these averages
A Qualitative Metasynthesis of How Early Educators in International Contexts Address Cultural Matters That Contrast with Developmentally Appropriate Practices.

Research Findings: The National Association for the Education of Young Children's guidelines for developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) have been imported and researched by others across the globe. A central issue that has arisen for these international early childhood educators is whether these best practices are sensitive to the sociocultural contexts in which they work. To shed further light on this issue, a qualitative metasynthesis was conducted that examined findings from published peer-reviewed studies of DAP in international early childhood contexts that investigated how early educators conceptualized and/or engaged in practices with young children. It then looked at whether these understandings and/or practices culturally contrasted with DAP. In brief, matters involving culture that contrasted with the framework of DAP arose frequently for the early educators in the data set. Yet researchers rarely offered suggestions for early educators to attend to these issues. Practice or Policy: It seem...
Longitudinal analysis of multiple indicators of health decline among spousal caregivers.

The hazards for experiencing major health events were studied longitudinally among 150 spousal caregivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and 46 married control participants. Based on longitudinal assessments from one to six years, the hazards of reaching any of three health events (extended physical illness or disability > 1 month, unhealthy medical rating from a nurse interview, or hospitalization) were not significantly different in a group comparison of caregivers to controls (Cox proportional hazards assumption, p > .05). However, there was a trend [X2(1, N = 107) = 3.13, p = .08] for caregivers to have a greater hazard for serious illness. Among caregivers only, a greater hazard for reaching at least one of these health events was associated with providing more activities of daily living (ADL) assistance [X2(1, N = 125) = 3.83, p = .05] but not with problem behaviors of the AD patient (p > .05). These results suggest that providing extensive ADL assistance may have health implications for spousal AD caregivers, while caregiving, per se, does not. Furthermore, these physical health impacts of caregiving may be best characterized using multidimensional assessments. Contrary to our guiding hypothesis, caregivers encountering more problem behaviors of their AD spouse were less likely to be hospitalized, X2(1, N = 145) = 5.88, p = .02. This finding may reflect a reluctance by caregivers to schedule necessary medical care when their spouses are most problematic, and this may have further long-term health implications for caregivers.
Needle identification in high-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy using ultrasound imaging modality

It was observed that the needle tip identification in high-dose-rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy is challenging due to various uncertainties. The errors in identifying the correct needle position and angulations could compromise patient treatment outcomes. In this article, we propose a method for the needle identification using real-time ultrasound images obtained during the treatment procedure. The developed algorithm is capable to detect both the needle tip in a predefined coordinate system and the needle deflection angle for each frame of the incoming real-time ultrasound video streams.
Comment on the article Vertical discretizations for compressible Euler equation atmospheric models giving optimal representation of normal modes by Thuburn and Woollings

The accuracy of the numerical representation of atmospheric wave motion as a function of the vertical discretization was analyzed in a recent study. The schemes which provided the most accuracy were not well suited for satisfying conservation properties. In this comment, the analysis is extended to include alternative forms of the vertical momentum equation that use the Exner function, instead of pressure, in the pressure gradient term. It is found that these forms lead to more accurate representations of the normal mode frequencies for the schemes having good conservation properties.
A new method for reliable fenestration in extracardiac conduit Fontan operations

A fenestrated extracardiac conduit Fontan operation was performed with a new method in 5 patients by means of a pericardial tube anastomosed end to end with the inferior inlet of the right atrium.
EMLA Cream for Pain Reduction in Diagnostic Allergy Skin Testing: Effect on Wheal and Flare Responses

Background The use of a topical anesthetic cream containing prilocaine and lidocaine (EMLA) has been considered to reduce the pain of diagnostic allergy skin testing, but the effects of the cream on interpretation of skin tests is unclear. Objective To determine the effects of the cream for pain reduction using prick and ID skin tests and for possible alteration of wheal and flare responses to allergen, saline, and histamine. Methods In a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled design, 20 adult volunteers with a history of positive allergen tests had EMLA and placebo cream placed according to the manufacturer's recommendations on the volar aspect of the arms. Paired skin tests were placed and subjects rated the tests on a pain scale from 0 to 5 and average wheal and flare diameters were determined. Results Mean pain scores (± SEM) were significantly reduced from 2.5 ± 0.7 to 1.1 ± 0.6 for prick tests (n = 20, P P .001). The wheal sizes for allergen prick tests, allergen ID tests, and histamine ID tests were identical in comparing placebo to EMLA-treated skin. Flare responses were reduced on the actively treated skin, on average, as follows: allergen skin tests, 52% ( P P .001). In nine tests there was complete suppression of the flare response, all on the EMLA-treated skin. Conclusions EMLA significantly reduced the pain associated with diagnostic allergy skin testing and with no effect on the size of the wheal responses. It reduces the flare response, in some cases inhibits it completely, which must be taken into consideration in interpreting results.
Treatment of compulsive cybersex behavior.

Compulsive cybersex has become a significant problem for many individuals who have fallen prey to the accessibility, affordability, and anonymity of online sexual behaviors. Some patients develop problems with compulsive cybersex due to predisposition or accidental conditioning experiences. Other compulsive users of cybersex present with underlying trauma, depression, or addiction. Three case studies highlight obsession, compulsion, and consequence in the pathogenesis of compulsive cybersex. Comprehensive treatment of compulsive cybersex would include the following components: relapse prevention, intimacy enhancement, lovemap reconstruction, dissociative states therapy, arousal reconditioning, and coping skills training. Thanks to recent treatment advances in several fields, help is available for those caught in the dark side of the net.
Hyperfine splitting of partially ionized Li donors in ZnO nanocrystals

Using a real-space ab initio pseudopotential method, we examine the electronic properties of Li interstitial donors in ZnO nanocrystals. We find significant charge redistribution of the donor electron around the Li interstitial atom in ZnO nanocrystal. As a result, the recipe of Van de Walle and Blochl frequently used to calculate hyperfine splitting using pseudopotentials is no longer applicable. We generalized their recipe to situations where the off-site contributions of the donor charge density cannot be neglected. Our calculated hyperfine splittings agree well with recent experimental measurements and exhibit a strong size dependence.
Some norms for the dogmatism scale.

Norms for the Dogmatism scale are reported for 37 samples of various populations. Women scored consistently lower than men, and the difference seems due to a few items. Wide variations in the means reported indicate that the Dogmatism scale is probably highly sensitive to subcultural differences, in turn indicating that local norms for large samples should be obtained before using the Dogmatism scale as an independent variable.
Improving inventory management in the retail store: The effectiveness of RFID tagging across product categories

While there is a growing body of evidence that Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagging can be effective in improving inventory management in the retail store, retailers have little guidance on best practices for implementation. One important unresolved issue is whether tagging is equally effective across different product categories, and if there is a way to predict which categories are better candidates for deployment. We conduct a field experiment comparing the improvement in inventory record accuracy before and after implementing RFID-enabled adjustments to the inventory management system. We find evidence that the effectiveness of RFID tagging is not homogenous for all products. Reductions in the percentage of stockouts ranged from 21% to 36%, depending on category. Categories that are most likely to see a decrease in stockouts, thanks to RFID, have a greater turnover, greater sales volume, greater product variety, lower item cost, and greater inventory density. We draw inferences for retail supply chains which are considering how best to allocate their resources in the most effective manner.
The Morphology and Size Distribution of Atmospheric Particles Deposited on Foliage and Inert Surfaces

Particles deposited on leaves and inert surfaces during dry periods were examined with scanning electron microscopy to determine their morphologies and size distributions. Deposited particles were classified into two general types: spherical fly ash particles released during the burning of fossil fuels, and nonspherical particles (primarily soil material) consisting of both organic and mineral matter. Size distribution data indicated that deposited particle mass was dominated by particles larger than 10 microns in diameter, despite the fact that nearly 40 percent of the over 3800 particles analyzed were less than 2 microns in diameter. Our observations lend support to the hypothesis that a small fraction of the airborne particle population is responsible for an unproportionally large fraction of the dry-deposited particle mass and that particle sedimentation may be an important dry deposition process.
Localization of extracellular superoxide dismutase in adult mouse brain

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is one of three mammalian SOD isozymes. Although there is knowledge of the functional role of EC-SOD in arteries, little is known about the function of EC-SOD in other tissues, including the brain. As a first step toward improving our understanding of EC-SOD in the brain, we studied the localization of EC-SOD in the central nervous system of the adult mouse using immunohistochemistry. We detected EC-SOD staining in a subpopulation of neurons throughout the brain as well as in tanycytes in the mediobasal hypothalamus. Particularly prominent EC-SOD staining was observed in neurons of the hilar region of the hippocampus, the lateral habenular nucleus of the thalamus, and the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus. Substantial numbers of neurons were distributed throughout the striatum and cortex; the morphology and distribution of these cells was similar to neurons previously shown to contain the neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase. In contrast to other regions with prominent EC-SOD immunoreactivity, EC-SOD localization in tanycytes occurred in a region lacking a blood-brain barrier. The high levels of EC-SOD present in discrete populations of cells in these regions suggest that EC-SOD plays an important, specialized role in the physiology and/or pathology in the brain.
Diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Its Behavioral, Neurological, and Genetic Roots.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common developmental disorder often associated with other developmental disorders including speech, language, and reading disorders. Here, we review the principal features of ADHD and current diagnostic standards for the disorder. We outlinetheADHDsubtypes,whicharebaseduponthedimensionsofinattentionandhyperactivity. These serve as the phenotype for ADHD. Current nomenclature implies a deficit in the cognitive construct of attention, and this has taken researchers on an extended inquiry into several potential endophenotypes underlying ADHD, in particular executive function and its subcomponents. We review this literature and then delve into the neurobiology of ADHD. This research suggests that the corticostriatal system is a strong candidate system in the etiology of ADHD, in part because of the dopaminergic system, which is known to play a role in the disorder. We present this system as an important contributor to the comorbidity of ADHD with other developmental disorders, especially language disorder. Key words: ADHD, basal ganglia, dopamine, etiology, genetics
Effect of growth hormone on bone: Bone mineral density, trabecular bone volume, and alkaline phosphatase improve or are restored in the dwarf rat treated with growth hormone

Studies were performed to determine whether serum total alkaline phosphatase (SAP), an index of bone formation; body weight; total body bone mineral density (BMD), measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; and tibial trabecular bone volume (TBV), measured by histomorphometry, are reduced in 2-week-old female sexually immature Lewis dwarf (dw/dw) rats (DW-CT, n = 9) with isolated growth hormone (GH) deficiency and, if so, whether recombinant human GH (rhGH), 200 μg/day subcutaneously for 4 weeks (DW-GH, n = 7), restores them. Studies were also performed to determine if 30% dietary restriction in 2-week-old female Lewis rats (LW-DR, n = 11) alters SAP, body weight, total BMD, or TBV compared with pair-fed controls (LW-CT, n = 7) given an ad libitum diet. Mean SAP (91 ± 5 versus 109 ± 5 U/l), body weight (102 ± 11 versus 140 ± 10 g), total BMD (88.5 ± 03 versus 101.4 ± 2.0 mg/cm2), and TBV (19.0 ± 1.0 versus 27.0 ± 1.4%) were significantly lower in DW-CT than in LW-CT animals, p < 0.05. In DW-GH, rhGH significantly increased mean SAP (130 ± 7 U/l), body weight (133 ± 10 g), total BMD (92.7 ± 13), and TBV (24.0 ± 1.9) compared with DW-CT animals. Compared with LW-CT rats, mean body weight and TBV were not different, but mean SAP was significantly higher (p < 0.01) and mean total BMD was significantly lower (p < 0.003) in DW-GH rats. In LW-DR compared with LW-CT animals, dietary restriction significantly reduced mean body weight (p < 0.05) but did not alter mean SAP, total BMD, or TBV. Thus, body weight, SAP, total BMD, and TBV were lower in DW-CT than in LW-CT rats. In the dose administered, SAP is markedly increased and reductions in body weight, total BMD, and TBV are completely or partially restored by treatment with rhGH in young female rats caused by isolated GH deficiency. Dietary restriction in young female rats with intact secretion of GH prevents weight gain but does not alter SAP, total BMD, or TBV compared with animals fed ad libitum.
Single‐polymer composites based on slowly crystallizing polymers

An approach of using slowly crystallizing polymers to form single-polymer composites (SPCs) was investigated. The method was demonstrated using poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as a model system, with which two distinct physical forms, namely, amorphous PET films and highly crystalline PET fibers can be readily obtained. Because of the large difference between the rubbery softening temperature of the amorphous phase and the melting temperature of the crystalline phase, the new process is characterized by its wide process window and enhanced manufacturability. The heating temperature and holding time were found to play a profound role in influencing the properties of the SPC. Excellent fiber–matrix interfacial adhesion was obtained at heating temperature 180°C and holding time 10 s. The results also indicated that the heating rate plays a significant role in affecting the fusion and adhesion of the composite. With reduced heating rates, the fusion and adhesion properties are rapidly deteriorated. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 46: 1223–1230, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers
Multiscale Signal Processing with Discrete Hermite Functions

Discrete Hermite functions (DHf) provide a new way of analyzing digital signals. As opposed to cumbersome computational methods that can only construct orthogonal discrete Hermite functions effectively for a small number of indices, there is a new method of computing DHf that is fast and efficient. Signal processing techniques that have been applied using the continuous Hermite functions (CHf) can now be adapted to the digital case, using this orthonormal set of DHf that share many of the properties of the continuous CHf. For some time, a multiscale version of the CHf has been available for analysis and has been applied to different kinds of signals and shown to be related to receptive fields of neurons. In this chapter, we explore the application of the digital DHf in multiscale analysis, showing analogies to the multiscale analysis provided by the CHf.
Video analysis for browsing and printing

More and more home videos have been generated with the ever growing popularity of digital cameras and camcorders. In many cases of home video, a photo, whether capturing a moment or a scene within the video, provides a complementary representation to the video. In this paper, a complete solution of video to photo is presented. The intent of the user is first derived by analyzing video motions. Then, photos are produced accordingly from the video. They can be keyframes at video highlights, panorama of the scene, or high-resolution frames. Methods and results of camera motion mining, intelligent keyframe extraction, video frame stitching and super-resolution enhancement are described.
The use of the analysis of variance to assess the influence of mixing during composting

Abstract One of the problems encountered in assessing the process dynamics of composting is the considerable variation observed between experimental replicates. The major objective of this study was to use ANOVA to assess the statistical differences between mixing treatments in bench-scale reactors. Two sets of mixing experiments were performed with 30-litre reactors using intervals between mixing of 0, 24, 96, and 192 h. Using ANOVA, mixing was found to increase the time required to achieve maximum temperatures, to prolong the time spent at elevated temperatures and to extend the period of high rates of O 2 uptake. ANOVA for spatial gradients indicated a significant influence of mixing on the formation of moisture gradients; however it had little influence on temperature gradients. This study underscores the importance of improving experimental reproducibility in order to reach quantitative conclusions.
Theories of Alloy Ordering - Overview and Forecast

The task of any alloy ordering theory simply put is to predict from a small amount of experimental data the ordering phase transitions, their temperature, composition and crystal structure in some selected alloy system. Ideally, the experimental information needed would be not more than the atomic numbers of the alloy components involved. This paper attempts to assess the progress that has been made towards that objective, the various techniques that have been used to provide solutions and the probable avenues of most rapid progress in the next ten years. The major areas that will be reviewed are Ising model approaches, many body interaction approaches, computer simulation techniques, and first principle calculations. It will be argued that we are on the verge of some quite exciting breakthroughs in the field of alloy phase prediction.
Defective error/pointer interactions in the Linux kernel

Linux run-time errors are represented by integer values referred to as error codes. These values propagate across long function-call chains before being handled. As these error codes propagate, they are often temporarily or permanently encoded into pointer values. Error-valued pointers are not valid memory addresses, and therefore require special care by programmers. Misuse of pointer variables that store error codes can lead to serious problems such as system crashes, data corruption, unexpected results, etc. We use static program analysis to find three classes of bugs relating to error-valued pointers: bad dereferences, bad pointer arithmetic, and bad overwrites. Our tool finds 56 true bugs among 52 different Linux file system implementations, the virtual file system (VFS), the memory management module (mm), and 4 drivers.
Sustained reduction in body mass index and other cardiovascular risk markers a year after a 12-month intensive family-based lifestyle intervention for obese children; but follow-up of participants low

Commentary on: M Savoye, P Nowicka, M Shaw, et al.. Long-term results of an obesity program in an ethnically diverse pediatric population. Pediatrics2011;127:402–10.
Sample size calculation, power analysis and randomization: research project design in Windows

Single estimates of sample size for a study may be easily obtained by use of a hand calculator or from published tables. In contrast, performing multiple calculations is a tedious and time-consuming task, which is greatly simplified by a computer program. The computer program presented here assists the investigator in calculating sample size estimates, determining statistical power and creating randomization tables for a study. The program is designed primarily for clinical trials and thus includes some features not found in other software packages performing similar tasks. Sample size calculation and power analysis are performed for dichotomous, continuous (parametric and non-parametric tests) and time-to-failure (exponential distribution and log-rank test) response variables, and for correlation coefficients. Sample size estimates and significance levels may be adjusted for multiple participating centers, non-compliance, interim analyses and.multiple testing. The randomization subroutine generates tables for studies with up to nine treatment arms and with any valid block size. As a Windows application, the program runs in a multitasking environment, allowing switching between programs and easy pasting of results into word-processing documents and other applications. It is very simple to use, with a completely menudriven interface and sufficient built-in help to obviate the use of a manual.
The Human–Biometric-Sensor Interaction Evaluation Method: Biometric Performance and Usability Measurements

This paper discusses the human-biometric-sensor interaction (HBSI) evaluation method that uses ergonomics, usability, and sample quality criteria as explanatory variables for the overall biometric system performance. The HBSI method was proposed because of questions regarding the thoroughness of traditional system-level performance evaluation metrics such as the failure-to-acquire (FTA) rate, the failure-to-enroll (FTE) rate, the false-accept rate (FAR), and the false-reject rate (FRR). Data were collected from 85 individuals over three visits that accounted for 25 867 user interactions with three swipe-based fingerprint sensors. The results in this paper revealed that traditional biometric evaluations that focus on system-level metrics are not providing sufficient reporting details regarding the user interaction with the devices. In this paper, the systemic FTA rate of 14.38% was shown to be segmented into three metrics: false interaction (FI), failure to detect (FTD), and concealed interaction (CI). The results show that the FI accounted for 69.05% of the systemic FTA presentations, FTD accounted for 30.71%, and CI accounted for 0.24%. Overall, the HBSI evaluation method and framework for biometric interactions provided new metrics that improve the analysis capabilities for biometric performance evaluations as it links system feedback to the human-sensor interaction, enabling researchers, system designers, and implementers to understand if the issues are the result of the system, the user, both the system and the user, or some other extraneous factor.
Ice regimes in the Antarctic and the Arctic using satellite multichannel passive microwave data

Monthly and weekly brightness temperature data from the various SSMI channels, especially the 85 GHz channel, show the existence of ice covered areas associated with persistent brightness temperatures. The physical characteristics of the ice cover in each of these areas are studied for possible association with different regimes of the sea ice cover. In general, the ice cover can be divided into different ice regimes that are associated with extensive new ice formation, young ice regions, first year ice areas with or without thick snow cover and a few types of multiyear ice areas. Unsupervised identification of the regimes is done with multichannel cluster analysis. The interpretation of the different regimes is based mainly on extensive field measurements, radiative transfer calculations, comparisons with other satellite data, and time series development of the surface ice cover from early fall through winter. The key to proper identification of some of this region is the use of the 85 GHz data, which is the most sensitive to surface effects among the SSM/I channels. >
Geometric analysis on a family of pseudoconvex hypersurfaces

We discuss the sub-Riemannian geometry induced by the sub-Laplacian Δk on a family of finite type, pseudoconvex hypersurfaces . We also give the physical interpretation of this geometry.
Pollen Competition in Heterostylous Plants

The term pollen competition has been used to describe a variety of phenomena in plant reproductive systems. In the context of sexual selection it has been treated synonymously with male competition, including factors such as anther and pollen production, pollinator attraction, and the efficiency of pollen pickup and deposition on conspecific stigmas (Stephenson and Bertin 1983; Willson and Burley 1983; Galen et al. 1986). In a more restricted sense, pollen competition can be limited to studies of the interactions among pollen grains after deposition on a stigma. Pollen competition in this sense refers strictly to competition between microgametophytes during germination and growth.
Instant Insanity II

SummaryInstant Insanity II is a sliding mechanical puzzle whose solution requires the special alignment of 16 colored tiles. We count the number of solutions of the puzzle's classic challenge and show that the more difficult ultimate challenge has, up to row permutation, exactly two solutions, and further show that no similarly-constructed puzzle can have a unique ultimate solution.
Clinical epidemiology of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus gallinarum and Enterococcus casseliflavus bloodstream infections

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bloodstream infections (VRE BSI) caused by Enterococcus gallinarum or Enterococcus casseliflavus. Variables associated with treatment failure were determined and treatment options were compared. This was a national retrospective study of hospitalised Veterans Affairs patients with non-faecium, non-faecalis VRE BSI. The primary outcome was treatment failure, defined as a composite of: (i) 30-day all-cause mortality; (ii) microbiological failure; and (iii) 30-day VRE BSI recurrence. Stepwise Poisson regression was conducted to determine variables associated with treatment failure. In total, 48 patients were included, with 29 cases (60.4%) caused by E. gallinarum and 19 cases (39.6%) caused by E. casseliflavus. Among these cases, 20 (41.7%) were treated with an anti-VRE agent (linezolid or daptomycin) and 28 (58.3%) were treated with an anti-enterococcal β-lactam. Overall, 30-day mortality was 10.4% (5/48) and composite treatment failure was 39.6% (19/48). In multivariate analysis, treatment with an anti-enterococcal β-lactam was associated with increased treatment failure in comparison with anti-VRE therapy (adjusted risk ratio = 1.73, 95% confidence interval 1.06-4.97; P = 0.031). Overall, treatment with linezolid or daptomycin for vancomycin-resistant E. gallinarum or E. casseliflavus BSI resulted in improved clinical outcomes in comparison with anti-enterococcal β-lactam treatment.
Source characteristics of earthquakes along the southern San Jacinto and Imperial fault zones (1937 to 1954)

Abstract Body waveform inversion techniques are used to study the source parameters of four earthquakes occurring between 1937 and 1954 along the southern San Jacinto and Imperial faults (1937 Buck Ridge, 1940 Imperial Valley, 1942 Borrego Mountain, and 1954 Salada Wash events). All earthquakes had simple rupture histories with the exception of the 1940 Imperial Valley main shock, which consisted of at least four subevents whose relative locations indicate unilateral rupture toward the southeast. Earthquakes in regions of high heat flow (>80 mW/m 2 ) had focal depths near the base of the seismogenic zone (8 to 10 km). The 1937 Buck Ridge earthquake, located in a region of lower heat flow, however, appears to have occurred at a shallow (3 ± 2 km) depth. The location, mechanism, and aftershock distribution for the 1942 Borrego Mountain earthquake suggest it could have occurred along the Split Mountain fault, a recently identified northeast-trending cross fault located between the Elsinore and Coyote Creek faults or along an unnamed fault that parallels the trend of the Coyote Creek fault. Moment and rupture length estimates obtained from this study agree well with estimates obtained in previous studies that used different data sets.
$sup 12$C($sup 16$O,$alpha$)$sup 24$Mg EXCITATION FUNCTIONS AND STATISTICAL- MODEL CALCULATIONS FOR HIGH-SPIN STATES IN $sup 24$Mg.

High-resolution excitation functions were measured in the energy range ${E}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=19\ensuremath{-}25$ MeV for the $^{12}\mathrm{C}(^{16}\mathrm{O},\ensuremath{\alpha})$ reaction to highly excited states in $^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$ (${E}_{\mathrm{exc}}\ensuremath{\approx}13.5\ensuremath{-}17.5$ MeV). The strong, rapid observed fluctuations suggest a predominately compound-nucleus reaction mechanism. The selective population of high-spin states in $^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$ by the present reaction in contrast to the lack of such selectivity in the $^{14}\mathrm{N}(^{14}\mathrm{N},\ensuremath{\alpha})$ reaction can readily be explained by Hauser-Feshbach statistical-model calculations. A fluctuation analysis indicates coherence widths of 90-150 keV, and cross correlations were found to be small and thus compatible with a purely statistical compound-nucleus process.
Propargyl + O2 reaction in helium droplets: entrance channel barrier or not?

A combination of liquid He droplet experiments and multireference electronic structure calculations is used to probe the potential energy surface for the reaction between the propargyl radical and O2. Infrared laser spectroscopy is used to probe the outcome of the low temperature, liquid He-mediated reaction. Bands in the spectrum are assigned to the acetylenic CH stretch (ν1), the symmetric CH2 stretch (ν2), and the antisymmetric CH2 stretch (ν13) of the trans-acetylenic propargyl peroxy radical (•OO—CH2—C≡CH). The observed band origins are in excellent agreement with previously reported anharmonic frequency computations for this species [Jochnowitz, E. B.; Zhang, X.; Nimlos, M. R.; Flowers, B. A.; Stanton, J. F.; Ellison, G. B. J. Phys. Chem. A 2010, 114, 1498]. The Stark spectrum of the ν1 band provides further evidence that the reaction leads only to the trans-acetylenic species. There are no other bands in the CH2 stretching region that can be attributed to any of the other three propargyl peroxy iso...
Monodisperse Sn nanocrystals as a platform for the study of mechanical damage during electrochemical reactions with Li

Monodisperse Sn spherical nanocrystals of 10.0 ± 0.2 nm were prepared in dispersible colloidal form. They were used as a model platform to study the impact of size on the accommodation of colossal volume changes during electrochemical lithiation using ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Significant mechanical damage was observed after full lithiation, indicating that even crystals at these very small dimensions are not sufficient to prevent particle pulverization that compromises electrode durability.
Pesticide inhibition of the entomogenous fungus Nomuraea rileyi in soybeans.

Two applications of the fungicides Benlate®, Du Ter®, and Bravo®, and Benlate in combination with carbaryl were made to soybean. Infection of lepidopterous larvae by the entomogenous fungus Nomuraea rileyi (Farlow) Samson was inhibited to some degree by application of Benlate ®, Du Ter®, and Bravo®. Bravo caused the most inhibition followed by Bentlate and Du Ter respectively. In one instance the combination of Benlate + carbaryl was more disruptive to N. rileyi than either chemical alone. Inhibition was greatest when pesticide application coincided with the early stages of N. rileyi epizootics.
Asteroid Proximity Navigation using Flash LIDAR

As missions to asteroids increase in interest, a need for autonomous navigation once arriving at the asteroid is also growing. This paper investigates using a flash LIDAR system for preforming orbit determination and navigation of a spacecraft around an asteroid. A flash LIDAR instrument returns effectively a 3D picture of its target, in which each pixel is a range. An ideal case in which the spacecraft position was exactly known was studied to establish a baseline for comparison of the simulation results. An ellipsoid shape model was investigated with one to four beam range measurements, as well as a facet asteroid shape model with a full flash LIDAR sensor. It was shown that with the ellipsoid model, three and four beams produced similar results with position accuracy down to the noise level of 1 m, while the facet model and flash LIDAR results reached 0.1 m in position accuracy.
Improving Public Acceptability of Using Financial Incentives for Smoking Cessation During Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Experiment.

INTRODUCTION Financial incentives are effective for smoking cessation during pregnancy. Public opinion is important for successful dissemination of this approach from research into clinical practice. We developed a brief information-based intervention to improve public acceptability. METHODS We recruited 166 adult participants (54.2% females [6.7% pregnant], 25.3% smokers, mean age 32.4 years [SD, 9.9]) currently living the United States from Amazon Mechanical Turk. They were randomized to either intervention (N = 84) or control (N = 82). The control group read educational materials on car safety for pregnant women and young children. The intervention group read educational materials on the rationale behind using financial incentives for smoking cessation during pregnancy. Key outcomes were 11 opinion items regarding whether using financial incentives to help pregnant smokers to quit is a good idea; its effectiveness, fairness, cost, health benefits, and saved healthcare cost; and pregnant women's responsibility and difficulty of quitting smoking. RESULTS Intervention and control groups had similar pretest opinion on using financial incentives for smoking cessation during pregnancy. All 11 mean opinion scores significantly increased in the intervention group, but remained stable in the control group. After the intervention, 27.7% more of participants (from 62.6% to 90.3%; P value < .001) in the intervention group and only 4.8% more (from 64.6% to 69.4%; P value = .557) in the control group agreed that "Paying pregnant women who smoke to quit smoking is a good idea" (interaction P value = .015). CONCLUSIONS Our low-cost information-based intervention has the potential to improve public acceptability of this efficacious approach to promoting smoking cessation during pregnancy. IMPLICATIONS In this sample of educated young adults, our low-cost information-based intervention substantially improved their acceptability of using financial incentives for smoking cessation during pregnancy. Our intervention can be used to gain public support before implementing this approach as a policy in the general population. One potential concern that needs to be further addressed by future intervention is unfairness of this smoking cessation approach to pregnant nonsmokers.
Introducing hypertonic saline for cerebral edema: an academic center experience.

Introduction: Use of hypertonic saline (HTS) is gaining acceptance in the neurosciences critical care unit (NCCU) based on its efficacy in reducing cerebral edema and its favorable hemodynamic profile. In the NCCU, unfamiliarity with the use of HTS may result in implementation difficulties. We report our initial experience using HTS, its ability to achieve a hypernatremic state, and adverse effects. Methods: Analysis of 19 consecutive patients who were admitted to the NCCU and treated with 2 or 3% HTS infusion for cerebral edema (target serum sodium: 145–155 mEq/L) included patient diagnoses, laboratory data, length of treatment, adverse effects, and outcome at discharge. We compared the adverse effects of those patients to a contemporary cohort of patients who received mannitol as the sole form of osmotherapy. Results: The HTS cohort had a median age of 46 years (range: 18–70). Median GCS and APACHE II scores were 11 (range: 3–15) and 18 (range: 8–30), respectively. Median length of HTS treatment was 5 days (range: 1–17). Target hypernatremia was achieved in 14 patients (74%), 7 of whom achieved hypernatremia within the first 24 hours. The median number of rescue interventions received for ICP control was 3 (range: 1–30). The adverse effects between the HTS and mannitol cohorts were not found to be significantly different. Conclusion: The use of HTS for cerebral edema requires intensive efforts by the medical team to rapidly achieve and maintain a hypernatremic state. The continuous infusion of HTS was used safely.
At Hard Labor: Inmate Labor at the Colorado State Penitentiary, 1871-1940

This first-of-a-kind study places the Colorado State Penitentiary in a national context of traditional incarceration and inmate labor as a means of punishment, reform and self-support. The author's thorough research reveals that an ever-expanding institution can bolster the economy of a community, but fail to become self-supporting. When inmate labor competed with free labor and free enterprise, the latter two formed an unusual alliance leading to legislation that confined prison labor to state-use production only. For a time, Colorado attracted national attention with its successful honor road camps where inmates prepared over 2000 miles of road. Details of other early experiments with prison labor illustrate the unique Colorado environment.