cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High single-mode power observed from a coupled-resonator vertical-cavity laser diode

We report a monolithic coupled-resonator vertical-cavity laser with an ion-implanted top cavity and a selectively oxidized bottom cavity which exhibits single fundamental-mode operation. The output powers are as high as 6.1 mW with side mode suppression ratios greater than 30 dB. The sizes of the implant and oxide current apertures are shown to be important for demonstrating the required selectivity for the fundamental lasing mode. With a fixed bias current on the implant cavity and increasing oxide cavity current, mode switching from single-mode operation to multimode operation and back to single-mode operation was observed. The intensities of the fundamental and first transverse modes were calculated by solving a set of multimode rate equations. The calculation indicates that the observed mode switching can be identified with changes in the optical length of the oxide cavity with increasing pump current. The observed mode dynamics are unique to coupled-resonator vertical-cavity lasers.
Two new harpacticoid copepods from the North Adriatic and a revision of the genus Paramphiacella

Two new species of meiobenthic copepod (Crustacea, Copepoda, Harpacticoida) found during an ecological study of the effects of municipal raw sewage on the marine meiobenthos in the Bay of Piran, Yugoslavia (North Adriatic) are described. One belongs to the genus Tisbe and the other to the genus Paramphiacella. A revision of the genus Paramphiacella and a key to its species are given. In revising the genus, an earlier redescription of P. mediterranea Lang is now shown to be a new species and is, accordingly, given a specific designation.
DEVELOPING THE SPATIAL MISMATCH HYPOTHESIS: PROBLEMS OF ACCESSIBILITY TO EMPLOYMENT FOR LOW-WAGE CENTRAL CITY LABOR

This research focuses on the spatial mismatch hypothesis as an explanation for the concentration of unemployment in the central cities of the industrial Midwest. It is argued that the immobility of low-wage labor relative to the mobility of employment results in either the exploitation or isolation of low-wage labor. In the contemporary period, the suburbanization of low-wage employment economically isolates the immobile low-wage population of the central cities. This alternative view of the spatial mismatch de-emphasizes race and emphasizes the segmentation of women and minorities into low-wage occupations. To test the spatial mismatch hypothesis, a model of the probability distribution of travel times to work is estimated for three cities in the industrial Midwest: Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland. The results support the hypothesis that the decentralization of employment reduces access to employment for central city residents as evidenced by the lower frequency of short trips to work for low-wage centra...
Finite element study of an interface crack between an elastic-perfectly plastic solid and a rigid substrate

The near-tip asymptotic stress fields around an interface crack between an elastic-perfectly plastic solid and a rigid substrate are members of a family parameterized by ζ0, which depends on the phase angle and magnitude of the complex stress intensity factor and bimaterial properties. A new family of three-sector slip-line solutions is found in addition to the existing two-sector field and the family of four-sector fields. The finite element study confirms the existence of this new family, the two-sector solution, and only one member in the four-sector family. The finite element analysis also confirms the existence of elastic sectors near the interfacial crack tip.
Influence of Hydrodynamic Interaction on the Viscoelastic Behavior of Dilute Polymer Solutions in Good Solvents

The treatment by Ptitsyn and Eizner of the dynamics of dilute polymer solutions for dominant hydrodynamic interaction, taking into account excluded volume effects, is extended to the general case for changing hydrodynamic interaction. The function Φ (h, e) is tabulated for selected values of e, the parameter which accounts for the expansion of the coil due to excluded volume effects.An approximate derivation of the storage and loss moduli from this theory is proposed. According to this calculation, an increase in e causes a shift of the frequency dependence of the moduli from Zimm‐like toward Rouse‐like behavior. The determination of e from experimental data is discussed.
Family Focus A Transitional Cottage in an Acute-Care Hospital†

The family is traditionally excluded from patient treatment in the hospital. This article describes a unique approach and setting for family inclusion and participation in health care prior to the patient's hospital discharge.
Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis in college students

Since college students are highly sus­ ceptible to acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (A N U G ), the 326 members of a college freshman class were examined for ANUG at their entering physical ex­ aminations; eight months later, a followup questionnaire was sent to each. Twenty-two students were found who had ANUG at the time of matriculation, had a history of ANUG or contracted ANUG during their freshman year. This group smoked more than the unaffected group. The data also suggested that poor oral hygiene might be a factor in the disease. That there is a psychological fac­ tor in the disease is suggested by the greater number of withdrawals from col­ lege and the higher proportion of psy­ chology majors in the ANUG group than in the unaffected group.
Analytical ionization cross sections for atomic collisions

General analytical expressions for cross sections for direct ionization in atom–atom collisions are evaluated using the classical impulse approximation. The approach is also applied to ion–atom and molecule–molecule interactions. The overall accuracy of the obtained cross sections in a broad range of energy is better, when compared with existing measurements for many collision systems, than accuracy of other analytical predictions available in literature.
In vitro assessment of a direct transfer vitrification procedure for bovine embryos.

Abstract We developed a simple vitrification technique for bovine embryos that could permit direct transfer. Embryos were produced in-vitro by standard procedures. The base medium for cryopreservation was a chemically defined medium similar to SOF + 25 mM Hepes and 0.25% fatty acid free bovine serum albumin (FAF-BSA) (HCDM2). In experiment 1, embryos were first exposed to 3.5 M ethylene glycol (V1) for 1, 2 or 3 min at room temperature (20–24 °C), and then moved to 7 M ethylene glycol (V2) at 4 or 20–24 °C and loaded in 0.25-mL straws. After 45 s in 7 M ethylene glycol, straws were placed in liquid nitrogen. Embryos that were loaded at 20–24 °C had higher survival rates than those loaded at 4 °C (P
Little Galloo Island, Lake Ontario: A Review of Nine Years of Double-crested Cormorant Diet and Fish Consumption Information

The diet of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) on Little Galloo Island (LGI) in the eastern basin of Lake Ontario has been quantified since 1992. Over the past nine years considerable information has been generated on cormorant feeding ecology through the examination of approximately 12,000 pellets collected on LGI, where three distinct cormorant feeding periods, pre-chick, chick, and post-chick, are delineated by differences in diet composition and daily fish consumption. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were the major prey during pre-chick and post-chick feeding periods. Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), which move inshore to spawn in mid-June, dominated (>60%) cormorant diets during the chick feeding period. Mean daily fish consumption (14.6) during the pre-chick feeding period was significantly greater than during the chick feeding (9.3) or post-chick feeding (8.0) periods. The proportion of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the diet increased over the season (0.8% to 7.2%), while the size of bass consumed declined (214 mm to 143 mm). Forage fish (mainly alewife, three-spine sticklebacks [Gasterosteus aculeatus] and minnows) comprised 58% of the diet of LGI cormorants, followed by panfish (37%) (yellow perch, pumpkinseed [Lepomis gibbosus], rock bass [Ambloplites rupestris]) and gamefish (5%) (mostly smallmouth bass). On the average LGI cormorants consumed about 32.8 million fish annually, weighing about 1.4 million kilograms. Cormorants from LGI consumed more biomass of smallmouth bass and yellow perch annually than is taken by sport (bass and yellow perch) and commercial (perch) fishermen.
Socio-Constructivist and Political Views on Teachers' Implementation of Two Types of Reading Comprehension Approaches in Low-Income Schools.

Researchers have reported that two types of instructional approaches—strategy instruction and high-level talk about text—lead to reading comprehension improvement in elementary-age students. One hypothesis is that both approaches have similar student outcomes because they develop high-level thinking about text. This article examines the literature on the two instructional approaches (cognitive strategy instruction and responsive engagement instruction), presents socio-constructivist views of teaching and learning, and explains what can happen when a socio-constructivist perspective guides teachers' implementation of either approach in low-income schools. The authors discuss three implementation challenges beyond the frameworks of either instructional approach—the impact of district/school initiatives, movement of teachers from teacher-directed to student-directed instruction, and the selection and use of appropriate texts—and how teachers have met such challenges. They conclude with recommendations for im...
A Novel Method to Design and Optimize Flat-Foldable Origami Structures Through a Genetic Algorithm

As advantages of foldable or deployable structures have been established, origami artists and engineers have started to study the engineering applications of origami structures. Methods of computational origami design that serve different types of origami have already been developed. However, most of the existing design methods focus on automatically deriving the crease pattern to realize a given folded finished shape, without actually designing the finished shape itself. To include final shape design into the computational origami design and optimization process, this paper presents a genetic algorithm that aims to develop origami structures featuring optimal geometric, functional, and foldability properties. In accordance with origami, the genetic algorithm is adapted both in the aspects the individual encoding method and the evolutionary operators. To compliment the Genetic algorithms (GA), a new origami crease pattern representation scheme is created. The crease pattern is analogous to the ice-cracks on a frozen lake surface, where each crack is equivalent to a crease and each forking point to a vertex. Thus to form the creases and vertices in an “ice-cracking”-like origami crease pattern, we pick one vertex as the starting location, and let the rest of the creases and vertices grow in the same manner that cracks extend and fork form in ice. In this research, the GA encodes the geometric information of forming the creases and vertices according to the development sequence through the ice-cracking process. Meanwhile, we adapt the evolutionary operators and introduce auxiliary mechanisms for the GA, so as to balance the preservation of both elitism and diversity and accelerate the emergence of optimal design outcomes through the evolutionary design process.
Immunochemical identification of multiple cell surface antigens appearing during specific stages of mouse spermatogenesis

Cell surface antigens that appear in a defined temporal sequence during mouse spermatogenesis were previously detected serologically, but not identified biochemically, with four heterologous antibodies prepared against purified populations of pachytene spermatocytes (AP), round spermatids (ARS), vas deferens spermatozoa (AVDS), and mixed seminiferous cells (ASC) [Millette and Bellve, J Cell Biol 74:86–97, 1977]. These antigens have now been identified immunochemically on nitrocellulose blots from SDS polyacrylamide gels. Three antisera (AP, ARS, and ASC) recognize a similar subset of determinants on one-dimensional immunoblots of germ cells and plasma membranes prepared from a mixed population of late spermatogenic cells. Comparisons of minor bands to reveal differences among these antisera. AVDS exhibits the least complex binding pattern. The results indicate that at least ten surface constituents appear during the pachytene stage of meiosis, coincident with a period of maximal RNA and protein synthesis [Monesi, Exp Cell Res 39:197–224, 1965]. Furthermore, two-dimensional immunoblot comparisons of plasma membranes isolated from pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids reveal differences between surface determinants detectable at these two spermatogenic stages. For example, ASC recognizes two newly described proteins that are restricted to pachytene spermatocytes (˜ Mr 57,000, pI 6.45) and to round spermatids (˜ Mr 39,500, pI 4.85), respectively.
Structures and transport properties of hydrated water-soluble dendrimer-grafted polymer membranes for application to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells : Classical molecular dynamics approach

We investigate a new molecular architecture in which water-soluble dendrimers are grafted onto a linear polymer for application to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Using full-atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we examined the nanophase segregation and transport properties in hydrated membranes with this new architecture. In order to determine how the nature of the linear polymer backbone might affect membrane properties, we considered three different types of linear polymers, poly(epichlorohydrin) (PECH), polystyrene (PS), and poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), each in combination with the second-generation sulfonic polyaryl ether dendrimer to form PECH-D2, PS-D2, and PTFE-D2. Our simulations show that the extent of nanophase segregation in the membrane increases in the order of PECH-D2 (∼20 A) < PS-D2 (∼35 A) < PTFE-D2 (∼40 A) at the same water content, which can be compared to ∼30−50 A for Nafion and ∼30 A for Dendrion at the same water content. We find that the structure and dynamics of the water molecules and transport of protons are strongly affected by the extent of nanophase segregation and water content of the membrane. As the nanophase-segregation scale increases, the structure in water phase, the water dynamics, and the proton transport approach those in bulk water. On the basis of the predicted proton and water transport rates, we expect that the PTFE-D2 may have a performance comparable with Nafion and Dendrion.
A novel CK isoenzyme migrating between CK-MB and CK-BB

A CK isoenzyme migrating between CK-MB and CK-BB was detected in the serum of three patients with metastatic prostatic carcinoma. CK-BB was detected in the serum of all three patients and mitochondrial CK in two of the patients. Total CK activity was either normal or elevated, and the atypical CK isoenzyme, CK-BB and the mitochondrial CK isoenzyme were present in serum for up to 1.5 months. This atypical CK isoenzyme was not CK-MB, an albumin-ligand complex, or adenylate kinase, and was not bound to an immunoglobulin. This atypical CK isoenzyme did not contain immunologically normal CK-M subunits but had some CK-B subunits and could be a variant CK-BB or CK-MB isoenzyme. Its appearance in serum could be indicative of a serious illness.
Computationally-Obtained Thermal Distributions for LDR Thermobrachytherapy Seeds in Clinical Implants

fractions to the prostate bed, versus the same dose and volume with the addition of 2.25 Gy daily SIHB to the MRI identified GTV (BEDZ 80Gy, a/b Z 1.5). While still accruing, this report provides the first dosimetric assessment. Materials/Methods: Two plans were generated for each of 14 patients treated per the MAPS protocol. The MRI identified GTVs were contoured in the Varian Eclipse TPS (Version 11.0); IMRT was utilized. The trial stipulates that no more than 35% and 55% of the rectum (R) should receive 65 Gy and 40 Gy, respectively, and no more than 50% and 70% of the bladder minus the prostate bed CTV (B-CTV) should receive 65 Gy and 40 Gy respectively. Doses to targets and normal tissues were compared. Results: Prostate bed CTV volumes ranged from 84.8 to 202.7 cc, mean (SD) of 143.3 cc (39.2). GTV volumes ranged from 0.31 to 10.4 cc, mean (SD) of 2.34 cc (2.8). Normal tissue criteria were achieved for all variables aside from bladder. Five plans had >70% of the bladder receiving 40 Gy, and one plan had >50% of the bladder receiving 65 Gy. Coverage ranged from 95.0% to 97.9% for the PTV, and 95.0% to 100% for the GTV. There was no difference between the SIHB and SFRT plans per patient or overall in terms of constraints or coverage. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that while most GTVs are located in close proximity to critical structures, dose escalation can be achieved without exceeding constraints for the rectum in all cases and the bladder in the majority, a logical result when considering that unavoidably small bladders are encompassed by the CTV. Long term follow-up will determine the clinical outcomes associated with using a SIHB to deliver definitive doses to MRI identified prostate bed lesions.
Consumer Affairs Executives' Opinions on Educational Preparation for Business Careers in Consumer Affairs

Data collected from practicing executive level consumer affairs professionals (CAPs) was used to identify areas they felt were important in preparation for a career in consumer affairs. The business administration major was considered the most useful major, with middle and junior level CAPs most favorable to the business administration major. Important areas of study delineated through factor analysis included consumer oriented subjects, communication skills, marketing, management, ethics and poverty, home economics, and physical sciences. Variations in the relative importance of majors and courses were found by type of company, level of management, and by sex. The study concludes that an interdisciplinary academic program appears to be most desirable for preparing students for a career in consumer affairs.
The Influence by Substituents on the Intermolecular Hydrogen-Bonding Interactions in Imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic Acid Derivatives

A series of chiral imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid derivatives was prepared in order to test the significance that stereochemistry and substitution have on the preferred intermolecular associations of the compounds in solution and the solid state. Solution 1H NMR spectroscopy provided evidence for racemic associations by enantiomeric imidazole-4,5-dicarboxamides (I45DCs) but not for enantiomeric imidazole-4-carboxylic acid ester-5-carboxamides (I45EAs). Melting point phase diagrams illustrate that enantiomeric and dissymmetrically disubstituted imidazole-4,5-dicarboxamides (I45DCs) preferably form racemic compounds in the solid state. It is anticipated that the aggregation occurs through intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions identified for similar compounds in this class. In contrast, imidazole-4-carboxylic acid ester-5-carboxamides (I45EAs) form intermolecular hydrogen-bonded tapes, and equimolar mixtures of enantiomeric I45EAs yield solid solutions.
Lithocholic Acid in Human-Blood Serum

Lithocholic acid was present in the serum of three patients with, jaundice and, in smaller amounts, in two healthy adults. This bile acid occurs naturally in human feces but induces cirrhosis of the liver when fed to a wide variety of experimental animals. The finding of lithocholic acid in blood is of interest because of its possible role in injuring human liver.
A spiking neural network model of midbrain visuomotor mechanisms that avoids objects by estimating size and distance monocularly

A network of spiking neurons, modeled on the midbrain of fishes, directs a moving animat to avoid large objects and approach small ones. The discrimination is performed by a model of optic tectum that uses monocular vision to extract image size and rate of expansion. Nucleus isthmi which is reciprocally interconnected with tectum, is modeled to estimate object proximity and to scale image size to obtain object size, which if large enough interrupts approach by triggering avoidance.
A comparison of tests for detecting genetic variance from human twin data based on absolute intratwin differences

Most analyses of continuous human twin data assume that twin values have a bivariate normal distribution, an assumption that is not always valid. Nonparametric and robust methods have been proposed for analysis of twin data, but the power of these tests has not been compared to corresponding parametric tests. We compare several tests for the simplified problem in which all tests are based on the absolute twin differences computed from each twin pair. We compare the performance of three likelihood-based tests, a method-of-moments-based test, two nonparametric tests, and a robust test for detecting genetic variance based on the absolute intratwin differences for the monozygotic and dizygotic twin groups. The performance of these tests is compared under three non–normal distributions for the original twin data in addition to the assumed bivariate normal distribution. Results indicate that the best test statistic depends heavily upon the relative sample sizes in the two zygosity groups. Generally, the Wald te...
Near-best approximate solutions for a class of elliptic partial differential equations

On reformule dans le cadre de la theorie des fonctions les solutions de la meilleure approximation pour une classe d'equations aux derivees partielles elliptiques
Oaks in a high-CO2 world

La concentration en dioxyde de carbone dans l'atmosphere est un facteur de l'environnement qui influencera certainement la physiologie et la productivite des chenes partout a travers le monde. Une evaluation directe de l'impact d'un accroissement des concentrations en CO 2 est cependant difficile, du fait de la duree de ces effets et de la myriade d'autres facteurs de l'environnement susceptibles d'interagir avec le CO 2 pour influencer les caracteristiques physiologiques et ecologiques de ces especes. Les reponses a l'augmentation de CO 2 d'au moins 11 especes de chenes ont ete analysees, le plus souvent au travers d'experiences portant sur des jeunes plants. La croissance a ete tres diversement affectee au cours de ces experimentations, et aucune differenciation des chenes en tant que taxon n'a pu etre etablie en comparaison avec d'autres especes ligneuses sur la base de ces reponses. Cependant, la necessite d'extrapoler les reponses obtenues a l'echelle de semis et de jeunes plants a celle des ecosystemes a base de chenes constitue un redoutable defi. Une serie d'experiences avec des semis et de jeunes plants de chene blanc (Quercus alba) a ete menee dans le but de repondre a deux questions sur la reaction de chenaies adultes: i) les limitations de croissance imposees par la disponibilite en azote pourront-elles contrebalancer l'effet positif potentiel de l'accroissement de CO 2 ? ii) Les reponses physiologiques observees a court terme seront-elles maintenues a plus long terme? Les experiences presentees suggerent que trois phenomenes revetent une importance particuliere a l'echelle des ecosystemes forestiers: les dynamiques d'installation de la surface foliaire, la production de racines fines et les interactions biotiques. En orientant les experimentations futures menees sur des jeunes plants de maniere a repondre a ces questions, nous pourrons obtenir des informations interessantes sur des processus important pour la reponse des ecosystemes, et, au moins de maniere qualitative, la sensibilite de ces processus a des augmentations de CO 2 .
A PROPERTY OF THE LOG-LIKELIHOOD-RATIO PROCESS FOR GAUSSIAN PROCESSES.

Abstract : The aim is to give a necessary and sufficient condition for a Gaussian process to be the log-likelihood-ratio process of Gaussian processes. All the measures encountered are assumed to be mutually absolutely continuous. (Author)
A model for the spreading of thick liquid films on solid surfaces

Abstract A model has been developed for studying the spreading rates of thick liquid films on solid surfaces. This conservation of energy model is in agreement with the available experimental data for thicker films. The model permits the independent assessment of the potential, kinetic, viscous and surface energy contributions, and possesses great flexibility in modeling the spreading phenomenon. The testing of the model is discussed.
Failure of balloon dilatation in mid-cavity obstruction of the systemic venous atrium after the Mustard operation

Mid-cavity obstruction of the systemic venous atrium developed after the Mustard operation in a child with transposition of the great arteries. Balloon dilatation (BD) was performed twice, to a maximum theoretical transverse diameter of 18 mm. Each time obstruction was initially relieved, but recurred within months. The usefulness of balloon dilatation therapy requires long-term follow-up. Results from currently reported experience do not suggest a major therapeutic role for this procedure in children.
Operating Results from NAL

The NAL accelerator achieved design energy of 200 GeV on March 1, 1972. Since that time, the main accelerator has operated as high as 400 GeV and regularly operates at 300 GeV. The highest intensity to date has been 1.8 × 1012 protons per pulse at 300 GeV. This beam has been extracted from the accelerator using a half-integral resonance system to give a slow spill over approximately 250 ms. The extracted beam is presently being split and sent into three different experimental areas. In addition, a target area in the main accelerator enclosure allows experiments to be done on the internal, circulating beam.
Cd2+-Induced Conformational Change of a Synthetic Metallopeptide : Slow Metal Binding Followed by a Slower Conformational Change

A two-stranded α-helical coiled coil was prepared having a Cys4 metal-binding site within its hydrophobic interior. The addition of Cd2+ results in the incorporation of 2 equiv of metal ion, which is accompanied by a conformational change of the peptide, as observed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) shows that the addition of Cd2+ is accompanied by two thermodynamic events. A comparison of the time dependence of the ITC behavior with those of the UV absorption and CD behavior allows the assignment of these events to a preliminary endothermic metal-binding step followed by a slower exothermic conformational change.
Drug use and fatal motor vehicle crashes: A case-control study

Drugged driving is a serious safety concern, but its role in motor vehicle crashes has not been adequately studied. Using a case-control design, the authors assessed the association between drug use and fatal crash risk. Cases (n=737) were drivers who were involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes in the continental United States during specific time periods in 2007, and controls (n=7719) were participants of the 2007 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers. Overall, 31.9% of the cases and 13.7% of the controls tested positive for at least one non-alcohol drug. The estimated odds ratios of fatal crash involvement associated with specific drug categories were 1.83 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.39, 2.39] for marijuana, 3.03 (95% CI: 2.00, 4.48) for narcotics, 3.57 (95% CI: 2.63, 4.76) for stimulants, and 4.83 (95% CI: 3.18, 7.21) for depressants. Drivers who tested positive for both alcohol and drugs were at substantially heightened risk relative to those using neither alcohol nor drugs (Odds Ratio=23.24; 95% CI: 17.79, 30.28). These results indicate that drug use is associated with a significantly increased risk of fatal crash involvement, particularly when used in combination with alcohol.
A novel NIR camera with extended dynamic range

We have constructed a novel filter wheel camera that allows filters to be rapidly and sequentially introduced into the optical path of a high-performance NIR (near-infrared) camera based on a staring focal-plane array (FPA) made with indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) detectors. The filter wheel is populated with neutral density filters ranging from a transmission of 0.97 (essentially no attenuation) to ~10-5 (an ND5 filter stack). The camera acquires images with increasing attenuation of signal in cycles of six images called subframes. Those images are collapsed into a single radiometrically-calibrated image (called a superframe) with a greatly extended dynamic range. In the current configuration of the system, the radiance dynamic range is about 4x106, which is equivalent to 22 bits, a significant enhancement over the nominal 14-bit dynamic range of the camera core. This extended range makes it possible to make radiometric measurements on low ambient light scenes with tremendous variability of temperature or radiance, such as rocket launches, laser beams and intense flames. It is also possible to image scenes with high ambient near-infrared light levels, such as landscape on bright, sunny days without having to dynamically adjust exposure. Since the wheel rotates at high speed (15 Hz), the resulting dataset of six-frame cycles can be reduced to a superframe movie sequence with 15 Hz frame rate, making it possible to image spatially-changing scenes such as rocket launches with good image registration between subframes in a given cycle.
The Fourth Royal Society Nuffield Lecture - Decision-making in large organizations

It gives me very special pleasure to address the Royal Society on this subject during the Presidency of Professor Blackett. Six years ago, before joining the U. S. Department of Defense, I had occasion to refer to Professor Blackett’s 1948 paper on ‘Operational research’ in The Advancement of Science as ‘after eleven years, one of the best. . . introductions to operations research available’. In that paper Professor Blackett stated: ‘The problems of analysing war operations are. . . rather nearer, in general, to many problems, say, of biology or of economics, than to most problems of physics.’ The management techniques I am discussing this evening, which I think of as part of economics rather than biology, are now collectively known in the U. S. as the planning-programming-budgeting system or PPBS (with that penchant for substituting letters for names which we learned from the British). They are direct lineal descendants of the wartime operational research to which your President made such important contributions. Of course, like people, they have other parentage (and ‘ancestrage’) as well.
Molecular Mechanism of Gas Adsorption into Ionic Liquids: A Molecular Dynamics Study

Room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have been shown to be versatile and tunable solvents that can be used in many chemical applications. In this Perspective, we developed a dynamic, molecular-scale picture of the gas dissolution and interfacial processes in RTILs using molecular simulations. These simulations can provide the free energies associated with transporting a gas solute across various RTIL interfaces and physical insights into the interfacial properties and transport molecular mechanism of gas sorption processes. For CO2 sorption, the features in the potential of mean force (PMF) of CO2 using both polarizable and nonpolarizable force fields are similar qualitatively. However, we observed some quantitative differences, and we describe the causes of these differences in this paper. We also show the significant impact of ionic liquid chemical structures on the gas sorption process, and we discuss their influence on the H2O transport mechanism.
A new method of evaluating the accuracy of economic forecasts

Abstract Conventional measures of forecasting accuracy reflect the view that forecast evaluation should concentrate on all large disturbances and ignore turning-point errors. Many forecasters, however, believe missed turns are the most grievous of all forecasting errors. Despite this consensus, no generally acceptable measure of this type of forecasting error exists. In this paper, such a measure—the probability of correctly forecasting directional change—is introduced. Values of this measure are computed for eleven well-known macroeconometric forecasting models. An inequality-type index of relative directional accuracy based on this measure is also presented and used to evaluate the models in terms of their relative accuracy.
Photon-Burst Correlation Spectroscopy

Using a single-clipped digital correlator, the burst of photons resulting from laser induced resonance fluorescence of a single atom as it passes through a laser beam can be recorded and its transit-time measured. By averaging many fluorescent atoms, the transport characteristics of these atoms in a gaseous system, such as diffusion, flow velocity, and chemical reaction rates can be conveniently determined by photon-burst correlation spectroscopy.
Upper-Ocean Singular Vectors of the North Atlantic Climate with Implications for Linear Predictability and Variability

The limits of predictability of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) and upper-ocean temperatures due to errors in ocean initial conditions and model parametrizations are investigated in an idealized configuration of an ocean general circulation model (GCM). Singular vectors (optimal perturbations) are calculated using the GCM, its tangent linear and adjoint models to determine an upper bound on the predictability of North Atlantic climate. The maximum growth time-scales of MOC and upper-ocean temperature anomalies, excited by the singular vectors, are 18.5 and 13 years respectively and in part explained by the westward propagation of upper-ocean anomalies against the mean flow. As a result of the linear interference of non-orthogonal eigenmodes of the non-normal dynamics, the ocean dynamics are found to actively participate in the significant growth of the anomalies. An initial density perturbation of merely 0.02 kg m −3 is found to lead to a 1.7 Sv MOC anomaly after 18.5 years. In addition, Northern Hemisphere upper-ocean temperature perturbations can be amplified by a factor of 2 after 13 years. The growth of upper-ocean temperature and MOC anomalies is slower and weaker when excited by the upper-ocean singular vectors than when the deep ocean is perturbed. This leads to the conclusion that predictability experiments perturbing only the atmospheric initial state may overestimate the predictability time. Interestingly, optimal MOC and upper-ocean temperature excitations are only weakly correlated, thus limiting the utility of SST observations to infer MOC variability. The excitation of anomalies in this model might have a crucial impact on the variability and predictability of Atlantic climate. The limit of predictability of the MOC is found to be different from that of the upper-ocean heat content, emphasizing that errors in ocean initial conditions will affect various measures differently and such uncertainties should be carefully considered in decadal prediction experiments. Copyright c
Exploring the Value Added of a Guided, Silent Reading Intervention: Effects on Struggling Third-Grade Readers' Achievement.

ABSTRACT The authors’ purpose was to explore the effects of a supplementary, guided, silent reading intervention with 80 struggling third-grade readers who were retained at grade level as a result of poor performance on the reading portion of a criterion referenced state assessment. The students were distributed in 11 elementary schools in a large, urban school district in the state of Florida. A matched, quasi-experimental design was constructed using propensity scores for this study. Students in the guided, silent reading intervention, Reading Plus, evidenced higher, statistically significant mean scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test criterion assessment measure of reading at posttest. The effect size, favoring the guided, silent reading intervention group was large, 1 full standard deviation, when comparing the 2 comparison groups’ mean posttest scores. As such, the results indicate a large advantage for providing struggling third-grade readers guided silent reading fluency practice in a...
Decentralized compressive sensing

Motivated by sensor network applications, in this paper we study the problem of a decentralized network of J sensors, in which each sensor observes either all or some components of an underlying sparse signal ensemble. Sensors operate with no collaboration with each other or the fusion center. Each sensor transmits a subset of its linear measurements to the fusion center. The fusion center gathers the data sent by all sensors and reconstructs the signal. The goal is to compress data at each node efficiently for accurate reconstruction at the fusion center. Accurate reconstruction is possible only if sufficient, well-chosen measurements are provided at the fusion center. In a decentralized network, each sensor measures part of a sparse signal. We refer to the sparsity of the observed signal at each node as local sparsity. Although the original signal is sparse, there is no guarantee on local sparsity at each node. To manage decentralized reconstruction, we propose a new Bernoulli Sampling scheme. This scheme associates an independent Bernoulli trial, with parameter p, to each measurement that a sensor makes. The sensor makes a measurement, if the outcome of the associated Bernoulli trial is 1. The measurement is ignored otherwise. We apply this sampling scheme to different sparsity models, including a common signal model, a common signal with innovation model, and a partitioned signal model for the observed signal. We show that it is possible to accurately reconstruct the signal through Bernoulli sampled measurements, with no assumption on the local sparsity, if the success probability of the Bernoulli sampling exceeds a lower bound. We also show the recovery through Bernoulli sampling is robust to noisy measurements and packet loss. If the signal is of length N, with sparsity k, the lower bound we derived for the parameter p of the Bernoulli Sampling, for robust and accurate reconstruction, is O(k over N log (N over k)). This result implies that the expected number of measurements needed for stable and accurate reconstruction is O(k log (N over k)). This is the same as the result obtained for a collaborating sensor network or a distributed network with local sparsity assumption.
Delayed operative management of fractures of the scapula

Between 1998 and 2007, 22 patients with fractures of the scapula had operative treatment more than three weeks after injury. The indications for operation included displaced intra-articular fractures, medialisation of the glenohumeral joint, angular deformity, or displaced double lesions of the superior shoulder suspensory complex. Radiological and functional outcomes were obtained for 16 of 22 patients. Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, Hand (DASH) and Short form-36 scores were collected for 14 patients who were operated on after March 2002. The mean delay from injury to surgery was 30 days (21 to 57). The mean follow-up was for 27 months (12 to 72). At the last review the mean DASH score was 14 (0 to 41). Of the 16 patients with follow-up, 13 returned to their previous employment and recreational activities without restrictions. No wound complications, infection or nonunion occurred. Malunion of the scapula can be prevented by surgical treatment of fractures in patients with delayed presentation. Surgery is safe, effective, and gives acceptable functional results.
An evaluation of the electrical-resistivity method for water-reservoir salinity studies

An important potential application of the electrical-resistivity method occurs in salinity studies of lakes and water reservoirs. However, uncertainty exists because there is a problem of equivalence in resistivity data interpretation and because the resistivity variation in the water layer in reservoirs is subtle (contrasts of a factor of two) and changes over short intervals of time (typically in hours or days). We carry out numerical modeling and inversion of synthetic data and field resistivity data from Lake Whitney, Texas, U.S.A., to examine how accurately resistivity in the water column in reservoirs can be determined using the electrical-resistivity method. Our objective is to advance the method as a tool in limnologic research for mapping freshwater zones in impacted lakes and water reservoirs. The simulated freshwater target in the synthetic data effectively is realized from the inversion with root-mean-square (rms) error less than 10%. However, the resolutionof the inverted sections decreases w...
The enigmatic truffle Fevansia aurantiaca is an ectomycorrhizal member of the Albatrellus lineage.

Fevansia aurantiaca is an orange-colored truffle that has been collected infrequently in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. This sequestrate, hypogeous fungus was originally thought to be related to the genera Rhizopogon or Alpova in the Boletales, but the large, inflated cells in the trama and the very pale spore mass easily segregated it from these genera. To date, no molecular phylogenetic studies have determined its closest relatives. F. aurantiaca was originally discovered in leaf litter beneath Pinaceae, leading Trappe and Castellano (Mycotaxon 75:153–179, 2000) to suggest that it is an ectomycorrhizal symbiont of various members of the Pinaceae. However, without direct ecological or phylogenetic data, it is impossible to confirm the trophic mode of this truffle species. In this study, we combined phylogenetic analysis of the ITS and 28S ribosomal DNA with data on microscopic morphology to determine that F. aurantiaca is a member of the Albatrellus ectomycorrhizal lineage (Albatrellaceae, Russulales).
Medication-Related Visits to the Emergency Department: A Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE:To assess the prevalence, preventability, category, and severity of drug-related problems; medications involved; common causes of preventable medication-related visits (MRVs); and cost of MRVs.METHODS:In this prospective, observational study of emergency department visits, patients were identified as having MRVs by use of a questionnaire. The patients or their representatives were interviewed to assess whether the emergency department visit was caused by a medication-related problem. Patient selection was consecutive. A blinded panel of pharmacists and one physician was used to assess study objectives.RESULTS:Of the 253 patients interviewed, 71 patients (28.1%) presenting to the emergency department had a medication-related reason for their visits. Of the 71 MRVs, 50 (70.4%) were judged to be preventable and 21 (29.6%) nonpreventable. The data showed that MRVs are most often caused by an adverse drug reaction, followed by overprescribing of the correct medication. The severity of MRVs was most o...
Training Law Enforcement Officers to Assist the Demented Elderly

In times of crisis involving the unmanageable behavior of the elderly with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders, families often request assistance from law enforcement officers who have little ...
Holographic blind signal separation

A holographic optoelectronic system descrambles linearly mixed random signals. Channel separation is typically 40 dB having 40 kHz signal bandwidth. The system can be extended to handle microwave communications signals having bandwidth approaching 1 GHz.
Older Adults and Their Information Seeking

Abstract In this qualitative study the author examines the information-seeking behavior of older adults and asks whether the information sources used by participants vary with the role they are performing; whether “young” seniors just entering retirement seek information differently than the “oldest” old; and whether seniors living independently seek information differently than those who live in an institutional setting. The twenty-nine participants interviewed indicated that interpersonal sources together with internally-produced print materials were relied on for the information needed for participation in community clubs and organizations; interpersonal sources to find answers to medical and financial questions; and printed resources for hobby-related information seeking. Findings related to computer use indicated that it is important when discussing older adults to distinguish between different stages of older age.
Indomethacin induced gene regulation in the rat hippocampus

Background Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin are widely used to treat inflammatory diseases and manage pain, fever and inflammation in several conditions, including neuropsychiatric disorders. Although they predominantly function by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) activity, important COX-independent actions also occur. These actions could be responsible for the adverse side effects associated with chronic and/or high dose usage of this popular drug class.
Patterns of accumulation and flow of ice in the mid-latitudes of Mars during the Amazonian

Evidence has accumulated that non-polar portions of Mars have undergone significant periods of glaciation during the Amazonian Period. This evidence includes tropical mountain glacial deposits, lobate debris aprons, lineated valley fill, concentric crater fill, pedestal craters, and related landforms, some of which suggest that ice thicknesses exceeded a kilometer in many places. In some places, several lines of evidence suggest that ice is still preserved today in the form of relict debris-coved glaciers. The vast majority of deposit morphologies are analogous to those seen in cold-based glacial deposits on Earth, suggesting that little melting has taken place. Although these features have been broadly recognized, and their modes of ice accumulation and flow analyzed at several scales, they have not been analyzed and well-characterized globally despite their significance for understanding the evolution of the martian climate. A major outstanding question is the global extent of accumulation and flow of ice during periods of non-polar glaciation: As a mechanism to address this question, we outline two end-member scenarios to provide a framework for further discussion and analysis: (1) ice accumulation was mainly focused within individual craters and valleys and flow was largely local to regional in scale, and (2) ice accumulation was dominated by global latitudinal scale cold-based ice sheets, similar in scale to the Laurentide continental ice sheets on Earth. In order to assess these end members, we conducted a survey of ice-related features seen in Context Camera (CTX) images in each hemisphere and mapped evidence for flow directions within well-preserved craters in an effort to decipher orientation preferences that could help distinguish between these two hypotheses: regional/hemispheric glaciation or local accumulation and flow. These new crater data reveal a latitudinal-dependence on flow direction: at low latitudes in each hemisphere ( 40–45°), slopes of all orientations show signs of ice accumulation and ice-related flow. This latitudinal onset of concentric flow of ice within craters in each hemisphere correlates directly with the lowest latitudes at which typical pedestal craters have been mapped. Taken together, these observations demarcate an important latitudinal boundary that partitions each hemisphere into two zones: (1) poleward of ∼45°, where net accumulation of ice is interpreted to have occurred on all surfaces, and (2) equatorward of ∼45°, where net accumulation of ice occurred predominantly on pole-facing slopes. These results provide important constraints for deciphering the climatic conditions that characterized Mars during periods of extensive Amazonian non-polar glaciation.