cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3-D dam break flow simulations in simplified and complex domains

Abstract This paper presents a 3-D, non-hydrostatic, Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model using the volume of fluid (VOF) approach to simulate dam-break flows. Good agreement is observed between the 3-D model predictions and results of dam-break experiments performed in the laboratory. The 3-D model is then applied to predict flood-wave propagation induced by the sudden failure of two flood-protection dams in Iowa, USA. Results are also compared with predictions of 2-D, hydrostatic, depth-averaged models. The 2-D model simulations using the precalibrated values of the Manning's coefficients underpredict the speed of propagation of the flood wave and the area inundated by the flood compared to the 3-D model predictions. A methodology is presented to recalibrate the 2-D model which improves the agreement with the 3-D model predictions. Simulation results also show that strong 3-D effects are generated in regions of strong curvature of the river channel, near sudden constrictions and obstacles, and during the times the mean flow direction varies significantly over the flow depth. Such 3-D effects cannot be captured by the 2-D model even after recalibration, pointing toward the need to use 3-D models for detailed flood mapping.
Intolerance to the Device – Abdominal Pain, Nausea, and Others

Common postoperative symptoms after intragastric balloon placement are abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. These side effects may occur in up to 90% of patients but normally resolve over 48–72 hours. If these symptoms do not resolve, they may lead to long-term complications, such as gastroesophageal reflux, esophagitis, or ulcers. Other uncommon complications include pancreatitis and gastric outlet obstruction. Balloon removal is necessary in as many as 20% of patients due to these unresolved symptoms.
Elastic-Tape Picture of a Bi-Directional Kerr-Lens Mode-Locked Dual-Comb Ring Laser

A fixed point of a bi-directional dual-comb ring laser is investigated. Using dual-comb spectroscopy we show how changes in the combs’ relative repetition and offset frequencies are correlated, giving insight into the combs’ mutual coherence.
Better Branding on the Big Screen: How the Marijuana Industry Could Use Product Placement to Increase Public Support

Reefer Madness is often credited for spreading anti-marijuana sentiment across the country. Could modern movies depicting marijuana have the opposite effect? This paper asks whether film can influence our opinions on marijuana use and legalization. If movies do have a persuasive effect, the marijuana industry may seek to utilize film as a way to build public support. One method for doing so would be product placement. This paper discusses potential strategies the industry could use to implement product placement, as well as the legal and industry barriers that could prevent or minimize the industry’s ability to engage in the practice. However, a measured approach to product placement could be a viable persuasive tool for the industry.
Exceptional Point of Degeneracy in a Backward-Wave Oscillator with Distributed Power Extraction

We show how an exceptional point of degeneracy (EPD) is formed in a system composed of an electron beam interacting with an electromagnetic mode guided in a slow wave structure (SWS) with distributed power extraction from the interaction zone. Based on this kind of EPD, a regime of operation is devised for backward-wave oscillators (BWOs) as a synchronous and degenerate regime between a backward electromagnetic mode and the charge wave modulating the electron beam. Degenerate synchronization under this EPD condition means that two complex modes of the interactive system do not share just the wave number, but they rather coalesce in both their wave numbers and eigenvectors (polarization states). In principle, this condition guarantees full synchronization between the electromagnetic wave and the beam's charge wave for any amount of output power extracted from the beam, setting the threshold of this EPD-BWO to any arbitrary, desired, value. Indeed, we show that the presence of distributed radiation in the SWS results in having high-threshold electron-beam current to start oscillations, which implies higher power generation. These findings have the potential to lead to highly efficient BWOs with very high output power and excellent spectral purity.
Basic Assumption (A Poem Based on Sherwood v. Walker)

I’ll tell you how a man with a cow had a cow because his cow had a cow. A poem based on Sherwood v. Walker, the famous “barren cow” case that is a staple of first-year Contracts and a foundation for the doctrine of mutual mistake.
Sample size considerations for matched-pair cluster randomization design with incomplete observations of continuous outcomes

Abstract Matched-pair cluster randomization design is becoming increasingly used in clinical and health behavioral studies. Investigators often encounter incomplete observations in the data collected. Statistical inference for matched-pair cluster randomization design with incomplete observations has been extensively studied in literature. However, sample size method for such study design is sparsely available. We propose a closed-form sample size formula for matched-pair cluster randomization design with continuous outcomes, based on the generalized estimating equation approach by treating incomplete observations as missing data in a marginal linear model. The sample size formula is flexible to accommodate different correlation structures, missing patterns, and magnitude of missingness. In the presence of missing data, the proposed method would lead to a more accurate sample size estimation than the crude adjustment method. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the finite-sample performance of the proposed sample size method under various design configurations. We use bias-corrected variance estimators to address the issue of inflated type I error when the number of clusters per group is small. A real application example of physical fitness study in Ecuadorian adolescents is presented for illustration.
Relative Bioavailability of Omecamtiv Mecarbil Pediatric Minitablet Formulations in Healthy Adult Subjects.

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a cardiac myosin activator under clinical development for the treatment of heart failure. Two modified-release (MR) novel OM minitablet formulations were developed to support the planned investigation of chronic heart failure in pediatric patients. The primary objective of this study was to determine the bioavailability of the minitablets relative to the adult matrix MR formulation tablets. In a randomized, 5-period, crossover study, 20 healthy subjects received each of the following treatments orally: one 25-mg adult matrix MR tablet, 25 1-mg slow-release minitablets, 25 1-mg fast-release minitablets, six 1-mg slow-release minitablets, or six 1-mg fast-release minitablets after an overnight fast of at least 10 h with a minimum washout of 7 days between treatments. Blood samples were collected for up to 168 h. OM pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using non-compartmental methods. When OM was administered as 25 1-mg OM slow-release minitablets, AUClast, AUCinf, and Cmax were 0.998-, 1.00-, and 1.29-fold of a single 25-mg OM matrix MR tablet, respectively. When OM was administered as 25 1-mg OM fast-release minitablets, AUClast, AUCinf, and Cmax were 1.26-, 1.25-, and 2.21-fold of a single 25-mg OM matrix MR tablet, respectively. The slow- and fast-release minitablets display approximately dose-proportional pharmacokinetics. There were no serious adverse events or treatment-emergent adverse events leading to discontinuation from the study. Relative bioavailability of slow-release minitablets was demonstrated to be similar to the adult matrix MR formulation.
Code Wisely: Risk assessment and mitigation for custom clinical software.

PURPOSE The task of software development has become an increasing part of the medical physicist's role. Many physicists who are untrained in the best practices of software development have begun creating scripts for clinical use. There is an increasing need for guidance for both developers and medical physicists to code wisely in the clinic. MATERIALS AND METHODS We created a novel model for assessing risk for custom clinical software analogous to failure modes and effects analysis and propose minimum best practices that should be followed to mitigate the risks. Using this risk model, we integrated a literature review and institutional experience to form a practical guide for risk mitigation. RESULTS Using this new risk assessment model, we outlined several risk mitigation techniques including unit testing, code review, source control, end-user testing, and commissioning from the literature while sharing our institutional guidelines for evaluating software for risk and implementing these strategies. CONCLUSION We found very little literature for custom software development guidelines targeted at medical physicists. We have shared our institutional experience and guidelines to help facilitate safe software development for the evolving role of the medical physicist.
Technology and Education Online Discussion Forums: It's in the Response

A virtual conference center has been used for online discussion forums at Northern Arizona University since the early 90's. This asynchronous method for discussion participation has been steadily integrated into online web courses as well as discussion augmentations for face-to-face courses. NAU uses an online discussion tool called Screen Porch. Screen Porch supports a graphic user interface and allows participants to include graphics and multimedia links. The discussion forum has grown beyond the initial text only "box". It is a beguiling temptation of the technology to consider what participants can do with it without examining the pedagogical implications.
Length-of- residence discounts and rental housing demand: theory and evidence.

The improved availability of crosssectional household level data over the past decade has led to substantive improvements in estimates of housing demand. Better techniques have been developed to measure permanent income and housing price, to determine proper functional forms for demand equations, and to consider the endogenous nature of the mobility (move/non-move) and/ or the tenure (own/rent) decision. This paper examines two rental housing market features which have been alluded to elsewhere, but which have not received systematic attention. First, many analysts have estimated substantial length-of-residence discounts (for example, Merrill 1977; Lowery 1980; Follain and Malpezzi 1980; Downs 1980; and Marshall and Guasch 1983; 35778). These discounts are consistent with several explanations, including "turnover minimization" by landlords, "screening" of good tenants, or sample truncation due to random error in the setting of rental prices. Irrespective of the source, they imply that any crosssection sample of tenants will indicate rental prices that decrease, all else equal, with length of residence. Their pervasive nature suggests that they will be expected by consumers, who will act accordingly in housing demand decisions. This consumer optimization is the second feature of the analysis, in what might be termed the "equilibrium-disequilibrium" question. The substantial search and moving costs that often accompany a housing purchase suggest that the random cross-sectional
Structure and Electronic Properties of Self-Assembled Macrocycle and Polymer Multilayers

Layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly technique has been widely used to fabricate artificial thin films for a number of potential applications with several advantages (Decher, 1997; Lenahan et al., 1998; Kaschak et al., 1999). First, many materials with charges can be chosen as building blocks for this simple approach to thin-film fabrication; this includes conducting polymers, optical chromophores, metal complexes, or semiconductor nanoparticles. Second, LBL self-assembly processes are much simpler when compared to the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, or chemical/physical vapor depositions (Liu et al., 1997; Li et al., 1998; Lutt, et al., 1998; Dante et al., 1999; Kim et al., 1999; Liu et al., 1999; Ostrander et al., 2001). Finally, by controlling length scale at the nanometer level, LBL approach can be used to construct materials with designed properties for applications in electronics, photonics, and optoelectronics. Since the interfaces between each layer become the key linkages for multilayers and therefore interface properties are crucial to the self-assembled systems (Li et al., 1998; Schlenoff et al., 1998).
The Decline of Literature: A Public Perspective

After centuries of dominance, literature has not been in a robust health for the last few decades. Several scholars have addressed the decline of literature in a number of books and articles attributing it to institutional and economic reasons. However, a major factor has not been taken into account. It is the larger audience who receives and absorbs literature. In this paper, I argue that the decline of literature emanates from the lack of appreciation of literature among the public who have deserted this field of humanity in the present days. I will investigate the causes of this desertion and explore its consequences in the field of literature. Through using a questionnaire, this paper looks and evaluates the experiences and perspectives of public. It is expected that the findings will contribute to literature to better understanding the decline. Keywords: Humanities-Literature Decline-Reading Literature
Elementary and Pre-Service Teachers' Strategies for Working with Students with Hyperactivity.

This study investigated the types of interventions that elementary school teachers and pre-service teachers choose to employ when working with students displaying hyperactive behavior. The extent to which beliefs systems, namely entity/incremental theories, showed relationships with the selection of particular types of interventions was also examined. Participants were presented with fictional scenarios of students that varied according to the level of ADHD-like behaviors exhibited and were then asked to provide appropriate interventions. Overwhelmingly, the teachers in this study chose behavioral interventions (e.g., reinforce appropriate behavior) over more clinical or medical options (e.g., refer for ADHD diagnosis). However, the teachers did not differentiate their interventions in a manner consistent with the qualifications of ADHD as described in the DSM-IV. In addition, entity/incremental beliefs revealed an inconsistent relationship with the choice of intervention.
Neuronal loss induced in limbic pathways by kindling: evidence for induction of hippocampal sclerosis by repeated brief seizures

Repeated kindled seizures induce long-lasting physiological and morphological alterations in the hippocampal formation. In the dentate gyrus (DG), the morphological alterations induced by kindled seizures include loss of polymorphic neurons in the hilus, mossy fiber axon sprouting, and synaptic reorganization of the mossy fiber pathway. In this study, quantitative stereological methods were used to determine the distribution and time course of neuronal loss induced by 3, 30, or 150 kindled generalized tonic-clonic seizures in hippocampal, limbic, and neocortical pathways. Neuronal loss was observed in the hilus of the DG and CA1 after three generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and progressed in these sites to 49% and 44% of controls after 150 seizures. Neuronal loss was also observed in CA3, entorhinal cortex, and the rostral endopyriform nucleus after 30 seizures, and was detected in the granule cell layer and CA2 after 150 seizures. There was no evidence of neuronal loss in the somatosensory cortex after 150 seizures. The time course of the neuronal loss demonstrated selective vulnerability of hippocampal neuronal populations to seizure-induced injury, and suggests that even brief seizures may induce excitotoxic injury in vulnerable neuronal populations. Repeated brief seizures induced neuronal loss in a distribution that resembled hippocampal sclerosis, the most common lesion observed in human epilepsy. The results demonstrated that kindling induces alterations in neural circuitry in a variety of locations in the limbic system, and suggest that hippocampal sclerosis may be acquired in human epilepsy as a consequence of repeated seizures.
Aligning Theory and Design: The Development of an Online Learning Intervention to Teach Evidence-based Practice for Maximal Reach.

Background: Online educational interventions to teach evidence-based practice (EBP) are a promising mechanism for overcoming some of the barriers to incorporating research into practice. However, attention must be paid to aligning strategies with adult learning theories to achieve optimal outcomes. Methods: We describe the development of a series of short self-study modules, each covering a small set of learning objectives. Our approach, informed by design-based research (DBR), involved 6 phases: analysis, design, design evaluation, redesign, development/implementation, and evaluation. Participants were faculty and students in 3 health programs at a complementary and integrative educational institution. Results: We chose a reusable learning object approach that allowed us to apply 4 main learning theories: events of instruction, cognitive load, dual processing, and ARCS (attention, relevance, confidence, satisfaction). A formative design evaluation suggested that the identified theories and instructional ...
Application of Next-Generation Sequencing in RNA Biomarker Discovery in Cancer Research

The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has opened up a plethora of possibilities in cancer research by allowing for an unprecedented characterization of the cancer genome. The sensitivity, broad dynamic range, speed, and reduced cost per sample make the NGS technology a highly attractive platform in biomedical research compared to other sequencing and expression profiling techniques. NGS is being currently employed in several malignancies for both quantitative and qualitative profiling of nucleic acids and has already uncovered novel genetic determinants that play an important role during tumor development. In particular, the use of NGS technology for profiling the transcriptome from tumor tissues and body fluids has led to the identification of novel molecular targets that could potentially be translated in the clinic as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers. Currently, efforts are also being undertaken in the clinic to characterize an individual’s cancer genome for guiding evidence-based molecular therapies tailored for individual patients. In this chapter, we review recent advances in the use of NGS technology for RNA-based biomarker studies in cancer and its potential implications in the overall management of the disease.
A Stochastic Linear Quadratic Optimal Control Problem with Generalized Expectation

In this article, we initiate a study on optimal control problem for linear stochastic differential equations with quadratic cost functionals under generalized expectation via backward stochastic differential equations.
“Spindex”: Accelerated Initial Speech Sounds Improve Navigation Performance in Auditory Menus

Users interact with mobile devices through menus, which can include many items. Auditory menus can supplement or even replace visual menus. Unfortunately, little research has been devoted to enhancing the usability of large auditory menus. We evaluated a novel auditory menu enhancement called a “spindex” (i.e., speech index), in which brief audio cues inform the user where she is in a long menu. In the current implementation, each item in a menu is preceded by a sound based on the item's initial letter. 25 undergraduates navigated through an alphabetized contact list of 50 or 150 names. The menu was presented with text-to-speech (TTS) alone, or TTS plus spindex, and with the visual menu displayed or not. Search time was faster with the spindex-enhanced menu, especially for long lists. Subjective ratings also favored the spindex. Results are discussed in terms of theory and practical applications.
Behavioral and Emotional Risk in Early Adolescents

Early adolescents are frequently described as being at increased risk for a variety of physical and emotional health problems. In this study self-reported problem behaviors from a sample (N = 1508) of junior high school students were factor analyzed to determine whether identifiable problem behavior factors emerged and whether the resulting factors varied with demographic and other psychosocial traits. The factor analysis yielded two risk factors. The first factor was described as a Behavioral Risk factor and the second as an Emotional Risk factor. Additional analyses revealed increased Emotional Risk among the females and increased Behavioral Risk among the males. Additionally, risk status was found to vary as a function of age, family configuration, and cognitive level. These findings confirm and extend earlier findings of problem behavior factors reported among older adolescents and expand the role of such factors in a problem behavior theory.
Retrotransposon insertions in rice gene pairs associated with reduced conservation of gene pairs in grass genomes

Small-scale changes in gene order and orientation are common in plant genomes, even across relatively short evolutionary distances. We investigated the association of retrotransposons in and near rice gene pairs with gene pair conservation, inversion, rearrangement, and deletion in sorghum, maize, and Brachypodium. Copia and Gypsy LTR-retrotransposon insertions were found to be primarily associated with reduced frequency of gene pair conservation and an increase in both gene pair rearrangement and gene deletions. SINEs are associated with gene pair rearrangement, while LINEs are associated with gene deletions. Despite being more frequently associated with retrotransposons than convergent and tandem pairs, divergent gene pairs showed the least effects from that association. In contrast, convergent pairs were least frequently associated with retrotransposons yet showed the greatest effects. Insertions between genes were associated with the greatest effects on gene pair arrangement, while insertions flanking gene pairs had significant effects only on divergent pairs.
Depression and Demoralization Among Russian-Jewish Immigrants in Primary Care

The purpose of this study was to examine the levels and nature of psychological distress and depression among Russian-Jewish emigres in primary care. Fifty-seven consecutive patients at the primary care clinic were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Scale (Ham-D). The subjects completed self-rating scales, including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Life Orientation Test, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Attributional Style Questionnaire, and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale. Data on demographics and physical complaints were collected and analyzed. Of the patients studied, 82.5% experienced psychological distress (BDI > or = 10), and 43.9% had clinically significant depressive symptoms (Ham-D > or = 17). BDI and Ham-D scores were significantly correlated with the number of psychosomatic complaints, hopelessness, lack of optimism, anhedonia, and dysfunctional attributional style. The distressed, but not depressed, patients had preservation of hedonic capacity. The authors found a high rate of depression based upon Ham-D scores among the Russian-Jewish emigres in primary care. The authors suggest that this high rate is attributable to a culturally specific tendency to express distress in somatic terms. The nature of distress was phenomenologically similar to demoralization.
Thermal conduction and radiant energy transfer in stationary, heated air

Abstract The relative importance of thermal conduction and radiation in stationary, heated air has been estimated for the diffusion and transparent gas approximations. Representative applications of the appropriate heat-transfer parameters are briefly considered.
Radar cross sections of dielectric or plasma coated conducting spheres and circular cylinders

Radar cross sections for a variety of spherical and cylindrical scatterers having homogeneous dielectric or plasma shells are obtained by using both the exact boundary value solutions and approximate, semi-empirical methods based on physical principles. The plasma is assumed to have the macroscopic properties of a lossless dielectric with a permittivity less than that of free space. A superposition approximation for the radar cross section of a dielectric coated conducting body is obtained by considering the scattered field to be the phasor sum of two principal components, the field scattered by the air-dielectric interface and the field scattered by an equivalent conducting body which differs from the actual body because of the lens action of the shell. This approximation yields very good agreement with the exact solutions for both spherical and cylindrical dielectric clad scatterers with radii in the Rayleigh region and in the resonant region, and for bistatic scattering as well as for backscatter. The echo area of a conducting sphere with nonconcentric spherical dielectric shell calculated by means of the superposition approximation is in excellent agreement with experimental measurements, thus demonstrating the validity of this method in a case for which the exact solution cannot be obtained.
Long-Lifetime Metal–Ligand pH Probe

Abstract We describe the synthesis and fluorescence spectral characterization of a pH-sensitive metal–ligand complex, [Ru(deabpy)(bpy) 2 ] 2+ , where deabpy is 4,4′-diethylaminomethyl-2,2′-bipyridine. This metal–ligand complex (MLC) was found to display pH-dependent intensities, emission spectra, and decay times, with the changes centered near the physiological useful pH value of 7.5. The apparent p K a values were not found to be dependent on ionic strength. The compound was found to be useful for lifetime-based sensing by phase-modulation fluorometry. Global analysis of the intensity decays over a range of pH values revealed two decay times of 235 and 380 ns, associated with the protonated and unprotonated forms, respectively. Because of its long decay time, optical pH measurements could be accomplished by phase-modulation fluorometry with a conveniently low modulation frequency of 700 kHz. The lifetime data were obtained with either a amplitude-modulated laser or with an amplitude-modulated blue-light-emitting diode. This pH-sensitive complex also displays a modest spectral shift with change in pH, allowing its use as a wavelengthratiometric MLC probe. One can imagine lifetime sensors for a variety of blood cations and point-ofcare assays based on long-lifetime metal–ligand complexes and simple solid-state light sources and detectors.
Reconstruction of low-resolution three-dimensional density maps from one-dimensional small-angle X-ray solution scattering data for biomolecules

A Monte Carlo type reconstruction algorithm (Saxs3D) to yield low-resolution three-dimensional structures from one-dimensional small-angle X-ray scattering data (SAXS) is presented. It is demonstrated that Saxs3D reliably reproduces the shape of several test protein structures, with their respective SAXS profiles calculated theoretically from their known high-resolution atomic coordinate sets. A reconstruction for experimentally obtained scattering data for GroEL, a molecular chaperone, correctly reproduced the gross structural features of GroEL. Compared to other reconstruction methods described in the literature, Saxs3D has the advantage of allowing for any topology of the target structure, does not require any prior estimation of its dimensions, is fast and conceptually very simple.
UV-induced lethal sectoring and pure mutant clones in yeast

The induction of lethal sectoring and pure mutant clones by ultraviolet light has been studied in a homogeneous G1 population of Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown in a normal growth medium. At the lowest UV dose of 250 ergs, which corresponds to a shoulder in the survival curve, all mutants appeared as pure clones. At higher doses the frequency of mosaic mutants progressively increased. These results indicate a relationship between the highest frequency of complete mutants and the maximum repair activity. In addition, the frequency of lethal sectoring at all doses tested was too low to account for the origin of pure mutant clones.
The dimensional stability of elastomeric impression materials following disinfection

Abstract Public awareness of infectious diseases has focused attention on the prevention of nosocomial disease. Difficulties in sterilizing impressions have led to chemical disinfection as an alternative. Recent literature indicated a lack of consensus between researchers about distortion caused by disinfection. A polysulflde, polyether, and vinyl polysiloxane were disinfected by immersion in iodophor, sodium hypochlorite, and glutaraldehyde. Distortion was evaluated by use of a stainless steel die (ADA specification No. 19). Linear dimension variations after disinfection were clinically insignificant.
The Kanyok of Zaire: An Institutional and Ideological History to 1895

In this study John Yoder chronicles the history of the Kanyok, a people from the southern savanna of Zaire, from before 1500 until their incorporation into the Congo Free State in the 1890s. By analysing their oral histories, myths, and legends, he describes the political and cultural development of a people who, before 1891, had no written records. Yoder sets his work firmly within the larger context of the southern savanna by extending his investigations to the traditions of neighbouring peoples, in particular to the Luba and the Lunda, whose empires once dominated the region. In this way he demonstrates how the same stories and ideas circulated over a vast area but were continually adapted to local circumstances. Yoder's history of the Kanyok of Zaire thereby forms the nucleus for a broader and more composite understanding of the entire region.
Solar physics: Solar flares add up

Solar flares are the most energetic events in our Solar System, but relatively little is known about their contribution to the total energy the Earth receives from the Sun. The detection of a moderate solar flare in the total solar irradiance suggests their impact on the variability of the Sun's output could be larger than expected.
Prediction of particle beam distribution on PIXE targets

Abstract Geometric calculations and equations for multiple scattering were used to develop an expression for the distribution of protons on a PIXE target. The finite size of the proton beam striking a diffuser foil was responsible for a region of lesser proton intensity on the target. A probe consisting of electrodeposited copper on an iron wire was scanned across the target to experimentally measure proton intensity. The experimental beam intensity distribution was used to calculate an effective beam area of constant proton intensity.
Near‐normal incidence scattering from rough, finite surfaces: Kirchhoff theory and data comparison for arctic sea ice

The Kirchhoff theory is applied for the target strength of a rough, circular surface whose roughness is characterized by a two‐dimensional, isotropic power‐law wave number spectrum, W2(κ) = η2κ−p2. The reflection coefficient for ice and three nondimensional parameters are found to govern the target strength. These parameters are ζ=κ0a, η≡η2ap2−4, and p1=p2−1, where κ0 is the acoustic wave number, a is the radius of the surface, and p1 is the spectral exponent of the one‐dimensional power‐law wave‐number spectrum from which W2(κ) is derived. The general influence of ζ, p1, and η on the target strength is discussed. Calculations of average target strength of the ice/water interface of a submerged cylindrical block of ice are shown, which are then compared with individual realizations of measured target strengths of ice blocks for ζ between 25 and 100, corresponding to frequencies between 20 and 80 kHz for a=0.29 m. Data and theory show that the (smooth surface) form function for a finite surface does not de...
Structure of a detonation wave under the influence of a transverse magnetic field

Die Gestalt einer Detonationswelle in einer vollstandig leitenden Flussigkeit mit quergerichtetem Magnetfeld wird unter Annahme der Hirschfelder-Curtis-Hypothese untersucht. Feldstarke und Energieabgabe werden numerisch errechnet.
Low Temperature Chemical Precipitation and Vapor Deposition of Sn x S Thin Films

Films of gray‐black , brown , and/or were deposited onto nonconductive substrates by (i) an "electroless," chemical precipitation mechanism in organic baths of, S, and Sn(II)‐complexing agents and/or (ii) a novel, above‐solution CVD mechanism involving condensation and reaction of Sn and S species such as and . and complexing agent (potassium gluconate or tartaric acid) concentrations critically affect film stoichiometry due to their "freeing" (with acid ionization) or chelating of the Sn(II). A surface area‐minimizing Sn(II,IV)‐S(‐ II) exchange reaction is postulated to explain slow transfer of deposit/precipitate to smooth surfaces. Mixed phases are often present, as evidenced by x‐ray diffraction, microprobe analysis, and optical absorbance data. Other data, including conductance vs. , photoconductance vs. t, and open‐circuit film voltage in a Sn(II) bath, are presented and proposed film growth mechanisms discussed.
Overview of economy-wide nafta models

In the recent debate about the costs and benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), both proponents and opponents used the empirical results of several economic models to support their arguments. Most of the quantitative estimates were provided by computable general equilibrium (CGE) models, which are part of the growing literature known as applied general equilibrium. The CGE model is a powerful tool that can make important contributions to policy debates. Compared to other approaches, CGE models rest on a relatively more solid theoretical foundation. However, the numerical analysis has to be interpreted properly. Quantitative estimates are highly tentative and contingent on the assumptions of the models. Thus, estimates should not be interpreted as predictions but rather as providing some indication of the direction of the various economic changes induced by a certain policy change. This paper provides an overview of the CGE approach, and of its application to NAFTA. After outlining ho...
Perioperative and late outcome in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction of 35% or less who require major vascular surgery

Abstract Survival in patients with diminished left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) is reduced after major vascular surgery. The objective of this study was to determine perioperative (30-day) and subsequent outcome after major vascular surgery in those with severe cardiac dysfunction, defined by EF being 35% or less (normal EF greater than 50%). From Aug. 1, 1984 to Jan. 1, 1988, 35 patients with EF equal to 27.7% ± 6.1% (mean ± 1 standard deviation) have required 47 major vascular procedures: 53% (n = 25) were limb revascularizations; 21% (n = 10) were direct aortoiliac aneurysm repairs: 23% (n = 11) were carotid endarterectomies: one patient had transaortic renal endarterectomy. Two deaths occurred within the first 30 days, yielding a 4.3% perioperative mortality rate (2 of 47 procedures). The cumulative mortality rate for the entire group during follow-up of 410 ± 390 days was 40% (14 of 35 patients). Most late deaths (71%) occurred within the first 6 months after surgery and each was due to cardiovascular complications. Survival for those with an EF of 29% or less was significantly worse than for those with an EF greater than 29%, determined by life-table analysis ( p p
Magnetic observations on a moving ice‐floe

Magnetic observations on the arctic Ice-floe are made under two unique and desirable conditions. The magnetic material of the Earth is on the average some 4.000 feet below the observer. His observations should, therefore, give a fair representation of the Earth's field at the time of observation undisturbed by local anomalies, excepting of course the case of a high submarine peak or ridge directly below him. The motion of the floe or pan on which observations are made is so slow that individual readings can be made with as much deliberation end with the same accuracy as on land.
An optimization approach to signal extraction from noisy multivariate data.

We consider a problem of blind signal extraction from noisy multivariate data, in which each datum represents a system's response, observed under a particular experimental condition. Our prototype example is multipixel functional images of brain activity in response to a set of prescribed experimental stimuli. We present a novel multivariate analysis technique, which identifies the different activity patterns (signals) that are attributable to specific experimental conditions, without a priori knowledge about the signal or the noise characteristics. The extracted signals, which we term the generalized indicator functions, are optimal in the sense that they maximize a weighted difference between the signal variance and the noise variance. With an appropriate choice of the weighting parameter, the method returns a set of images whose signal-to-noise ratios satisfy some user-defined level of significance. We demonstrate the performance of our method in optical intrinsic signal imaging of cat cortical area 17. We find that the method performs effectively and robustly in all tested data, which include both real experimental data and numerically simulated data. The method of generalized indicator functions is related to canonical variate analysis, a multivariate analysis technique that directly solves for the maxima of the signal-to-noise ratio, but important theoretical and practical differences exist, which can make our method more appropriate in certain situations.
Enron, board governance and moral failings

The failure of the Enron Corporation has brought attention to the roles played by the chief executive officer and other executives of the modern corporation. Its failure has also produced discussion of further regulations that will, it is hoped, prevent another collapse similar to that of Enron. This article argues that the central reason for Enron’s crash was not a lack of regulations or the deceptions of executives but rather a failure of the board of directors of Enron to function in a morally and ethically responsible manner.
Comparative Theoretical Performance of Maneuverable Unmanned Vehicles versus Conventional Towed-Arrays for Passive Sonar

This paper considers the potential for passive acoustic target detection using a maneuverable unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) equipped with towed line array. The objective is to assess target detection performance as a function of vehicle maneuverability, environmental variability, and array length. Detection performance is evaluated by mapping the search region onto a graph wherein vehicles are constrained in their trajectories as function of their maximum turning angle. Detection range, as a function of location on the graph, is encoded on the edge weights between nodes. With this framework, the UUV trajectory which maximizes the probability of at least one target detection along a transit through the region can be determined using the computationally efficient Dijkstra algorithm. Increasing UUV maneuverability is shown to significantly improve detection performance given known environmental variability since the optimal trajectory is able to visit more favorable locations, or "hot spots" with respect to environmental conditions. Moreover, it is shown that in sufficiently variable, but known, environmental conditions, a maneuverable UUV with short array is competitive to a much longer non-maneuverable array.
Genetically regulated filamentation contributes to Candida albicans virulence during corneal infection

Candida albicans is a commensal fungus of the normal flora yet causes opportunistic infection following trauma or surgery and during immunosuppression. C. albicans virulence factors include morphogenesis into invasive filaments, adherence to host cells, and secretion of proteases. This study evaluated the role of fungal hyphal extension in experimental C. albicans keratitis using genetically altered yeast strains. Scarified corneas of adult BALB/c mice were topically inoculated with wild-type (SC5314) or 10 transposon-induced mutant strains of C. albicans and monitored for 4 days post inoculation (PI). In vitro growth kinetics and the yeast strains' ability to bud into pseudohyphae or hyphae were also compared. The wild-type human isolate had a high degree of virulence in the murine cornea, and four fungal strains deficient in genes regulating adherence or encoding membrane proteins did not significantly differ from the parental strain (P>0.3). Five yeast strains deficient in genes involved in filamentation resulted in fully or partially attenuated keratomycosis (P 0.9), but mutants with deficient morphogenesis had reduced filamentation in vitro. Phenotypic switching from yeasts to filamentous forms facilitates the establishment and progression of experimental corneal disease by C. albicans.
Evaluating the Association of Workplace Psychosocial Stressors with Occupational Injury, Illness, and Assault

This research project characterizes occupational injuries, illnesses, and assaults (OIIAs) as a negative outcome associated with worker exposure to generalized workplace abuse/harassment, sexual harassment, and job threat and pressure. Data were collected in a nationwide random-digit-dial telephone survey conducted during 2003–2004. There were 2151 study interviews conducted in English and Spanish. Analyses included cross tabulation with Pearson's Chi-Square and logistic regression analyses. Three hundred and fifty-one study participants reported having an OIIA during the 12 months preceding the study. Occurrences of generalized workplace harassment (OR = 1.53; CI = 1.33–1.75, p ⩽ 0.05); sexual harassment (OR = 1. 18; CI = 1.04–.34, p ⩽ 0.05); and job pressure and threat (OR = 1.26; CI = 1.10–1.45, p ⩽ 0.05) were significantly associated with reporting an OIIA. The psychosocial environment is significantly associated with an increased risk of OIIA. Further research is needed to understand causal pathways ...
Strengthening Howick's argument against the alleged superiority of placebo-controlled trials

Jeremy Howick's (2009) article is a welcome contribution to ethical debate surrounding the use of placebo-controlled clinical trials, because it approaches the issue from an unusual angle. Historic...
Implementation of modified early-goal directed therapy for sepsis in the emergency center of a comprehensive cancer center

Purpose The investigation examines the impact of a standardized sepsis order set and algorithm utilizing non-invasive monitoring for early-goal directed therapy (EGDT) in an emergency center setting on the clinical outcomes of sepsis in cancer patients.
Treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile-associated disease

Recurrent Clostridium difficile-associated disease (RCDAD) is a difficult treatment problem--once a patient has one recurrence of the disease the likelihood of further recurrences is markedly increased. Repeat antibiotics are usually indicated, either metronidazole or vancomycin. Tapering and pulsing the antibiotic dose after a 10-day standard course decreases the incidence of recurrences compared with abruptly stopping antibiotics after a simple 10-day course. If recurrences continue after two courses of metronidazole, vancomycin may be preferable to avoid the risk of neurotoxicity that is associated with prolonged metronidazole use. There is also a role for probiotics in the treatment of RCDAD; Saccharomyces boulardii has been shown to decrease recurrences by about 50%, especially when combined with high-dose vancomycin. Other microbiologic approaches include the restoration of normal colonic flora by fecal enema or by nasogastric tube, but these have not been studied in controlled trials. In addition, there are numerous new treatment approaches that are under development, including a vaccine, which promise to aid the future treatment of RCDAD as well as prevention of initial CDAD.
Eating disorder and epilepsy in mice lacking 5-HT2C serotonin receptors

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a monoaminergic neurotransmitter that is believed to modulate numerous sensory, motor and behavioural processes in the mammalian nervous system. These diverse responses are elicited through the activation of a large family of receptor subtypes. The complexity of this signalling system and the paucity of selective drugs have made it difficult to define specific roles for 5-HT receptor subtypes, or to determine how serotonergic drugs modulate mood and behaviour. To address these issues, we have generated mutant mice lacking functional 5-HT2C receptors (previously termed 5-HT1C), prominent G-protein-coupled receptors that are widely expressed throughout the brain and spinal cord and which have been proposed to mediate numerous central nervous system (CNS) actions of serotonin. Here we show that 5-HT2C receptor-deficient mice are overweight as a result of abnormal control of feeding behaviour, establishing a role for this receptor in the serotonergic control of appetite. Mutant animals are also prone to spontaneous death from seizures, suggesting that 5-HT2C receptors mediate tonic inhibition of neuronal network excitability.
Aerial and ground spectral characteristics of rangeland plant communities in Nevada

Abstract Visible and near infrared spectral reflectance values were recorded from Nevada rangeland plant communities using both low flying aircraft and ground measurement approaches. The individual spectrum values, four-band signatures and infrared: red scatterplots were used to compare 5 × 5 m aerial pixels with data from various ground components. Results show that vegetation and soil do not account for the integrated aerial spectra. The composite ground signatures indicate that spectrally dark components exist in rangeland plant communities which decrease the brightness of a scene measured from the air. Shadow and litter are presumed to be the primary sources of spectral darkening. An estimate of the overall signature of the shadow/fitter component was calculated.
99mTc-Sn DTPA angioscintigraphy in detection of a pheochromocytoma

The authors present one case of pheochromocytoma which was visualized during renal angioscintigraphy using 99mTc-Sn DTPA. An area of increased radioactivity above the left kidney suggested a well-vascularized mass supporting the clinical suspicion of a pheochromocytoma on the left, which was proved by abdominal angiography. During the operation the pheochromocytoma was removed.
Scene analysis in support of a Mars rover

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Jet Propulsion Laboratory breadboard mobile robot is a test system for developing adaptive variably autonomous capabilities in support of future missions to the planets. A vision subsystem is a part of this breadboard development. Scene analysis software has been developed and experiments conducted in order to segment a scene with irregular objects in it and to develop an algorithmic definition of the scene and relationships in that scene. The results at present have used simulated real-time TV inputs. The scenes which have been used are both contrived and natural. The results presented in this paper will form the basis for implementation of the vision software on the mobile robot.