cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of interfractional anatomical changes on water-equivalent pathlength in charged-particle radiotherapy of lung cancer.

Intrafractional motion and interfractional changes affect the accuracy of the delivered dose in radiotherapy, particularly in charged-particle radiotherapy. Most recent studies are focused on intrafractional motion (respiratory motion). Here, we report a quantitative simulation analysis of the effects of interfractional changes on water-equivalent pathlength (WEL) in charged-particle lung therapy. Serial four-dimensional (4D) CT scans were performed under free breathing conditions; the time span between the first and second 4DCT scans was five weeks. We quantified WEL changes between the first and second CT scans due to interfractional changes (tumor shrinkage and tissue density changes) and compared the particle-beam-stopping point between the serial 4DCT scans with use of the same initial bolus. Both tumor-shrinkage and lung-density changes were observed in a single patient over the course of therapy. The lung density decreased by approximately 0.1 g/cm 3 between the first and second-CT scans, resulting in a 1.5 cm WEL changes. Tumor shrinkage resulted in approximately 3 cm WEL changes. If the same initial bolus and plan were used through the treatment course, an unexpected significant beam overshoot would occur by interfractional changes due to tumor shrinkage and lung density variation.
Mechanical Ventilation: Is Less, More?

M ECHANICAL ventilation has revolution. ized the treatment of critically ill and postoperative patients by making it possible to ventilate and oxygenate patients with markedly reduced lung function. It has facilitated advances in cardiac surgery, improved the survival of premature infants, and helped the recovery of trauma victims. Technological advances have resulted in the development of increasingly sophisticated modes of artificial ventilation, permitting the successful ventilation of very ill patients. Enhanced monitoring modalities have improved the safety of mechanical ventilation, allowing it to become a frequently used life-sustaining therapy. Yet like many rapidly advancing technologies there comes a time when it becomes necessary to rethink the direction and contemplate the consequences of what is being done. Mechanical ventilation is undergoing such a reexamination, from both scientific and economic perspectives. Many principles have been questioned, and the answers have often reversed what were previously considered basic tenets. This article reviews some of these issues and examines what has prompted this review process and the changes in practice that have ensued.
Selfcommutators of automorphic composition operators

For each automorphic composition operator C ϕ acting on either the Hardy or Bergman Hilbert space of the unit ball in , we show that is a Toeplitz operator, that is the inverse of a Toeplitz operator, and that the selfcommutator is essentially a Toeplitz operator. We then extract spectral and norm information from these identifications, focusing on selfcommutators. For example, in the setting of the Hardy space of the unit disk, we obtain complete descriptions of the spectrum, essential spectrum, and point spectrum for selfcommutators of automorphic composition operators, which reveal that the spectrum and essential spectrum coincide.
Tradeoffs in concatenated coding for frequency-hop packet radio with partial-band interference

Concatenated coding techniques are applied to a frequency-hop (FH) packet radio on a channel with partial-band interference. Binary orthogonal signaling (e.g., binary frequency shift keying) is used with noncoherent demodulation. The outer code is a Reed-Solomon code, and both block and convolutional codes are considered for the inner code. Hard-decision Viterbi decoding is used for the convolutional code. Methods are proposed for using the inner code to derive reliability information, which is used to identify and erase unreliable symbols. Comparisons are made between the performance of these concatenated coding schemes and the performance of Reed-Solomon codes alone. >
On the law of effect

Experiments on single, multiple, and concurrent schedules of reinforcement find various correlations between the rate of responding and the rate or magnitude of reinforcement. For concurrent schedules (i.e., simultaneous choice procedures), there is matching between the relative frequencies of responding and reinforcement; for multiple schedules (i.e., successive discrimination procedures), there are contrast effects between responding in each component and reinforcement in the others; and for single schedules, there are a host of increasing monotonic relations between the rate of responding and the rate of reinforcement. All these results, plus several others, can be accounted for by a coherent system of equations, the most general of which states that the absolute rate of any response is proportional to its associated relative reinforcement.
IgG induction of IL-1 receptor antagonist production by human monocytes.

In summary, IL-1ra is a unique cytokine that binds avidly to cell surface receptors for IL-1 without inducing any detectable intracellular responses. Adherent IgG and LPS induce IL-1ra production in human monocytes through different mechanisms. IL-1ra has been shown to be an effective competitive inhibitor of IL-1 both in vitro and in vivo (Arend 1993). The possibility exists that stimulation or enhancement of endogenous IL-1ra production may be an efficacious therapeutic approach in human diseases where local IL-1 may play an important role in pathophysiology. Our studies have demonstrated that IL-1ra production is induced in human monocytes in vitro by either culture on adherent IgG or culture with i.v.Ig preparations. Our initial studies failed to show increased IL-1ra levels in the peripheral circulation of patients with Kawasaki's Disease after i.v.Ig administration. However, our preliminary approaches may not have been sufficiently complete and a more extensive examination of the effects of i.v.Ig on IL-1ra production in vivo is warranted.
Square-pattern convection in fluids with strongly temperature-dependent viscosity

Three-dimensional numerical solutions are obtained describing convection with a square lattice in a layer heated from below with no-slip top and bottom boundaries. The limit of infinite Prandtl number and a linear dependence of the viscosity on temperature are assumed. The stability of the three-dimensional solutions with respect to disturbances fitting the square lattice is analysed. It is shown that convection in the form of two-dimensional rolls is stable for low variations of viscosity, while square-pattern convection becomes stable when the viscosity contrast between upper and lower parts of the fluid layer is sufficiently strong. The theoretical results are in qualitative agreement with experimental observations.
Is there a role for complementary therapy in the management of leukemia

Patients with leukemia often seek additional treatments not prescribed by their oncologist in an effort to improve their cancer treatment outcome or to manage symptoms. Complementary therapies are used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments to decrease symptoms and side effects associated with cancer or cancer treatment, and to improve patients' overall quality of life. Complementary therapies are distinct from so-called 'alternative' therapies, which are unproven, ineffective and may postpone or interfere with mainstream cancer treatment. Complementary therapies are pleasant, inexpensive, nonpharmacologic and effective. For patients with leukemia, the complementary therapies that are always appropriate include mind-body interventions, such as self-hypnosis, meditation, guided imagery and breath awareness. Massage and reflexology (foot massage) decrease symptoms with effects lasting at least 2 days following treatment. Acupuncture is very beneficial for symptom management without adverse consequences. Physical fitness with regular exercise and healthy dietary habits can significantly decrease side effects of cancer treatments and may prolong survival. Botanical extracts and vitamin supplements may interfere with active cancer treatments, and should be discussed with the oncologist or pharmacist before use.
THE INFLUENCE OF TIME ON THE MATURING TEMPERATURE OF WHITEWARE BODIES. II.1

This investigation deals with the microscopic examination of three of the whiteware bodies which were described in Part I of this paper. With respect to the influence of time of firing upon the crystalline texture, it was found that with samples which showed the same degree of maturity by physical test, the long-fired, low-temperature samples showed more quartz solution as well as more mullite development than the samples fired more quickly at higher temperatures.
Thermodynamic control of tropical rainfall

SUMMARY In 1987, Neelin and Held showed how, in the tropics, surface heat fluxes and infrared radiation control atmospheric convergence, and hence rainfall, by means of their joint effect on the supply of moist static energy to the troposphere. They also showed that for a given rate of supply of moist static energy, the strength of convergence is inversely proportional to a ‘gross moist stability’, which is related to the humidity of the troposphere and to the difference between the height of the environmental minimum in moist static energy and the elevation of maximum vertical mass-flux. The present paper extends NeeIin and Held’s analysis to the non-equilibrium case by invoking the somewhat speculative hypothesis that rainfall is primarily controlled by the mean saturationdeficit of the troposphere. The relaxation time of the atmosphere to the Neelin-Held equilibrium is found to be a strong function of the existing saturation-deficit under this hypothesis. The means by which the large-scale circulation of the atmosphere controls convection and precipitation is still a matter of controversy. The present paper attempts to illuminate this matter by extending the ideas of Neelin and Held (1987) (hereafter NH87). NH87 related the change in the moist static energy of air passing through convective systems to the net input of energy into the troposphere by surface fluxes and radiation. This allowed them to infer how horizontal divergence is related to forcing by radiation and surface heat flux. Their analysis, however, is useful only in the steady state. The present paper extends the analysis to the non-equilibrium case. Moist static energy and moist entropy have quite similar properties in the atmosphere-the main difference being that the former is approximately conserved between hypothetical static states with zero kinetic energy before and after a dynamic event, whereas the latter is conserved during dynamic events to the extent that they operate in reversible adiabatic fashion. Neither quantity is perfectly conserved between real atmospheric states, however, so that the choice of which to use is somewhat a matter of taste. The present paper recasts the arguments of NH87 in terms of entropy and the closely related quantity equivalent potential temperature. Figure 1 shows the entropy currents pertinent to the analysis of NH87, who note that, in a steady situation, 1,s - led = le out - le in.
Direct measurement of protein binding energetics by isothermal titration calorimetry

Of all the techniques that are currently available to measure binding, isothermal titration calorimetry is the only one capable of measuring not only the magnitude of the binding affinity but also the magnitude of the two thermodynamic terms that define the binding affinity: the enthalpy (AH) and entropy (AS) changes. Recent advances in instrumentation have facilitated the development of experimental designs that permit the direct measurement of arbitrarily high binding affinities, the coupling of binding to protonation/deprotonation processes and the analysis of binding thermodynamics in terms of structural parameters. Because isothermal titration calorimetry has the capability to measure different energetic contributions to the binding affinity, it provides a unique bridge between computational and experimental analysis. As such, it is increasingly becoming an essential tool in molecular design.
Design trade-offs for load/store buffers in embedded processing environments

Memory latency is a critical issue for conventional high-speed computing platforms, and it is becoming a common problem in embedded and CMP (chip multiprocessing) systems as well. Conventional processors typically adopt caches and a load/store queue (LSQ) to address the processor-to-memory bottleneck. However, the conventional LSQ design, which has a large number of entries, is not appropriate for embedded systems due to its area and power hungry out-of- order speculation. A compact, low-power load/store buffer that also provides significant performance improvement is essential for such systems. In this paper, we propose an area-efficient wideword load/store buffer (WLSB) which supports both WideWord (256-bit) and scalar (32-bit) load/store instructions for a recently fabricated PIM (processing-in-memory) device. Given its small size, the 4 entry WLSB yields a 57.33% load hit rate on SPEC2K benchmarks. This result is 5.72% better as compared to a less area-efficient 32-entry fully associative scalar load/store buffer (SLSB). The WLSB was synthesized in IBM 90 nm technology, and the resulting implementation occupies less than a seventh of a square mm and is projected to run at 1.6 ns cycle time with 15.72 mW of dynamic power dissipation. This paper demonstrates how this very small-entry buffer can affect the load hit rate and quantifies the design trade-offs between wide small-entry and narrow large-entry buffers with respect to size, power, load hit ratio and clock speed. Although this WLSB has been specifically designed to benefit a PIM architecture, it is expected to be useful for other embedded processing platforms and CMPs due to emphasized area/power constraints.
Rawlsian fairness and international arbitration

Critics of international arbitration predominantly invoke the concept of “fairness” in four ways. First, fairness is associated with procedural due process concerns, involving the expected trade-off between party demands for efficiency and confidentiality in dispute resolution and in court litigation where there are expectations of full presentation and disclosure of evidence and transparency in the conduct of arbitration proceedings. Second, fairness is also used as a criterion for assessing dispute resolution outcomes, in regard to how arbitral tribunals choose their interpretive methodologies or retain subjective discretion when applying substantive law or rules to the given facts of a dispute. Third, critics assert unfairness in pointing out the absence of full judicial review of arbitral awards with merely a limited recourse to appeal as the control mechanism in international arbitration. Fourth, recent empirical attempts by scholars argue fairness synonymously with the legitimacy of community decisionmaking and participation rights, where questions have arisen in regard to perceived inequalities in the appointment of arbitrators, the composition of arbitral tribunals, and the ability of arbitrators to resolve public interest dimensions attaching to international arbitration disputes. These critiques stand alongside mandates of fairness already embedded in the operative rules of international arbitration, such as, for example, Article 18 of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Arbitration (“all parties shall be treated with equality,”)1 Article 9(2)(g) of the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration (“considerations of procedural economy, proportionality, fairness or equality of the Parties”),2 and Article 1.7 of the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial contracts (“good faith and fair dealing in international arbitration”).3 Responding to varying usages of “fairness” and in order to elicit testable criteria for future verification, this paper draws from Harvard philosopher John Rawls’ theory of justice as fairness in his opus “A Theory of Justice.” Rawlsian theory can substantiate the ongoing assessment of fairness in international arbitration through the theory’s approach to evaluating inequalities arising from political ordering and/or economic arrangements. In the original position where individuals contract or reach 1 UNCITRAL, Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, U.N. DOC. A/40/17, art. 18 (Jul. 7 2006). 2 IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, Art.
Protein binding on polyelectrolyte-treated glass. Effect of structure of adsorbed polyelectrolyte

Polyelectrolyte adsorption can be used to modify the surface of chromatographic packings in order to make them more suitable for protein separations. We studied the binding of proteins to controlled pore glass (CPG) on which the polycation poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) was noncovalently immobilized through electrostatic interaction. We found that the selectivity of PDADMAC for bovine serum albumin vs. beta-lactoglobulin, identified in previous selective coacervation studies, is conserved after its immobilization on the CPG surface. Protein binding results showed that the pH, ionic strength, and mixing time for polyelectrolyte adsorption all affect subsequent protein binding, presumably via the molecular properties of the adsorbed polyelectrolyte layer. The polyelectrolyte adsorption layer thickness, for polyelectrolyte adsorbed at pH 9.0, ionic strength I = 0.001, was measured with size-exclusion chromatography as delta H = 2.5 +/- 0.5 nm. Quasielastic light scattering measurement of the polyelectrolyte hydrodynamic layer thickness (HLT) with a model system of PDADMAC and silica, supported a correlation between the structure of the adsorbed polyelectrolyte layer (e.g., loops and tails) and subsequent protein binding, although differences in magnitude between delta H and HLT suggest that adsorption onto silica may not mimic adsorption on CPG.
Classification of whale and ice sounds with a cochlear model

The authors analyze a cochlear model data representation for use in classifying acoustic transient signals. Comparisons of the cochlear model, short time Fourier transform, and wavelet transform from a filter bank perspective are made. The cochleagram and the spectrogram are used to classify a set of bowhead whales and ice sounds from the Arctic. >
Considerations of the scientific substantiation for antioxidant vitamins and beta-carotene in disease prevention.

Advances in our knowledge about the role vitamin C, vitamin E, and β-carotene may play in reducing the risk of chronic diseases have been derived concomitantly from several different research approaches, each with its own advantages and limitations. Evaluation of the evidence for potential health benefits of antioxidant nutrients should include the entire spectrum of available scientific evidence-from cell biology, animal studies, clinical trials, and epidemiologic surveys-and consider the quality, strength, consistency, and biological plausibility of this evidence. However, difficult questions arise when considering how strong the correlation should be between the totality of evidence and the conclusions drawn for making individual and public health recommendations. Many of these questions address the need for additional research not only directed to the efficacy and safety of these nutrients but to their bioavailability, interactions with one another and other dietary factors, mechanisms of action, and methods to assess their functional status.
Biological Effects of Radiation

This chapter describes the biological effect of radiation on cells, tissues, organs, and individuals. The units of measurement of radiation and its effect are identified, and the philosophy and practice of setting limits on exposure are reviewed. When radiation interacts with biological tissue, energy is deposited and ionization takes place that causes damage to cells. The most important point from the biological standpoint is that the bombarding particles have energy, which can be transferred to atoms and molecules of living cells that cause disruptive effect on their normal function. Since an organism is composed of very many cells, tissues, and organs, a disturbance of one atom is likely to be imperceptible, but exposure to many particles or rays can alter the function of a group of cells and thus affect the whole system. It is usually assumed that damage is cumulative, even though some accommodation and repair takes place. The effect on organisms is somatic, related to body health, and genetic, related to inherited characteristics. Radiation dose equivalent as a biologically effective energy deposition per gram is usually expressed in rems, with natural background giving about 0.36 rem/y. Exposure limits are set by use of data on radiation effects at high dosages with a conservative linear hypothesis applied to predict effects at low dose rates.
Orthopaedic Aspects and Early Diagnosis of Superior Sulcus Tumor of Lung (Pancoast)

Fifty-one patients with superior sulcus tumor of lung (Pancoast) treated over a seventeen-year period were reviewed. Musculoskeletal complaints were the presenting symptoms in forty-six patients. The clinical manifestations and diagnostic pitfalls are discussed and recommendations advanced for a thorough roentgenographic study of the thoracic inlet in any patient with persistent shoulder or neck pain, with or without brachialgia. Should any apical lung abnormality be detected, a thorough evaluation including biopsy is indicated.
Theorizing Islam: Disciplinary Deconstruction and Reconstruction by Aaron Hughes, New York: Routledge, 2014, 146pp., ISBN 9781844657902, US$34.95 (Paperback); ISBN 9781908049360, US$125.00 (Hardback)

In the introduction to his Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right (1843), Karl Marx famously noted that the criticism of religion is the beginning of all criticism. For inasmuc...
Increased Risk of Brain Tumors in Children Exposed to Barbiturates

The possible etiologic role of barbiturates in the development of brain tumors in children was examined. Interviews were conducted with mothers of children with brain tumors and results compared with those from interviews with mothers of normal children and mothers of children with other cancers. Mothers of children with brain tumors more frequently reported having used barbiturates during their pregnancy with the index child than did mothers of normal children or mothers of children with other cancers. In addition, more children with brain tumors were reported to have used barbiturates than were normal children or children with other malignant diseases, with most of such uses appearing to be unrelated to symptoms resulting from the brain tumor itself. The results suggested that barbiturates may play an etiologic role, and it is estimated that as many as 8% of brain tumors in children may be attributable to use of barbiturates either by the child or prenatally by the mother.
Seamless grid interaction for a switched doubly-fed machine propulsion drive

Switched doubly-fed machine (DFM) drives can provide shaft speed control over a wide range without the need for a full power converter. Seamless shaft behavior across the complete speed range is achieved using a thyristor-based transfer switch in the stator of the DFM and appropriate control in the rotor converter. The drive must also operate without glitch with respect to the ac source. The seamless grid interaction is critical in applications such as in ship propulsion, where the drive may consume a major share of the generated power. This paper presents a coordinated control of the rotor converter that can ensure seamless operation for the switched-DFM drive with respect to the ac source. A laboratory setup emulating a ship microgrid is used to demonstrate the drive performance under different loading conditions.
Pharmacists' Perceptions of a Set of Pharmaceutical Care Practice Standards

Objective: This study assessed pharmacists' perceptions of the feasibility and relevance of a set of community-based pharmaceutical care practice standards. Design: Practice standards generated in a Delphi study were rated for feasibility of implementation and relevance to improving therapeutic outcomes by a randomized sample of 315 pharmacists on two 7-point Likert-type scales. These ratings were compared with assessments by Delphi panel experts. Results: Pharmacists judged many of the standards favorably; however, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA revealed that they were less confident in the standards' feasibility of implementation and relevance to improving patient outcomes than were the Delphi panel experts. Conclusion: Pharmacists appear ready to accept a majority of the practice standards used in this study. The lower ratings by respondent pharmacists may be indicative of apprehension about embracing a new practice paradigm and a belief that the provision of pharmaceutical care services has a limited impact on therapeutic outcomes. Acknowledgments : The author would like to express his gratitude to the participants in the Delphi study: Doris Anderson, JoAnn Anderson, Ray 8aretto, Marialice Bennet, PharmD, Stuart Bergstein, Robert Clayton, Jan Hastings, PharmD, Alan Lukazewski, Ron Matson, Mark Paley, Sherwin Schnall, Michelle Shibley, Michelle Valentine, Orsula Voltis-Thomas, PharmD, Anne Williamson, and Marijo Winston. Received June 3, 1996, and in revised form November 21, 1996. Accepted for publication February 10, 1997.
Spike coding in pyramidal cells of the piriform cortex of rat.

The study of cortical oscillations has undergone a renaissance in recent years because of their presumed role in cognitive function. Of particular interest are frequencies in the gamma (30–100 Hz) ...
Resource consumption and competition by unit restricted fungal decomposers of patchy substrates

The objective of this work is to develop and test a mechanistic model of resource consumption and competition for resources by unit restricted fungal decomposers of discontinuous substrata. These organisms differ from other types of consumers in that the resource which they consume is also their habitat patch. Any particular patch will eventually be consumed and its inhabitants will be extirpated. I developed a model of resource-consumer interactions at the single patch level, which takes into account these non-equilibrium conditions. Success in competition is measured as the amount of resources allocated to reproduction. The model predicts that the outcome of competition will be determined by their relative growth rates, their resource conversion efficiencies, and the initial resource density of the patch. The model was tested using two species of the mushroom genus Coprinus, grown in Petri plates containing yeast extract agar. Biomass of the mushroom stipes was used as a measure of the amount of resources allocated to reproduction by the fungus. The experiments confirmed that in most cases the model was able to provide accurate quantitative predictions of the reproductive effort of both species.
Steady State Sputtering Yields and Surface Compositions of Depleted Uranium and Uranium Carbide bombarded by 30 keV Gallium or 16 keV Cesium Ions.

Depleted uranium that included carbide inclusions was sputtered with 30-keV gallium ions or 16-kev cesium ions to depths much greater than the ions’ range, i.e. using steady-state sputtering. The recession of both the uranium’s and uranium carbide’s surfaces and the ion corresponding fluences were used to determine the steady-state target sputtering yields of both uranium and uranium carbide, i.e. 6.3 atoms of uranium and 2.4 units of uranium carbide eroded per gallium ion, and 9.9 uranium atoms and 3.65 units of uranium carbide eroded by cesium ions. The steady state surface composition resulting from the simultaneous gallium or cesium implantation and sputter-erosion of uranium and uranium carbide were calculated to be U₈₆Ga₁₄, (UC)₇₀Ga₃₀ and U₈₁Cs₉, (UC)₇₉Cs₂₁, respectively.
Structure/Function Relations in Aifm1 Variants Associated with Neurodegenerative Disorders.

The X-linked AIFM1 gene encodes mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), an FAD-containing and NADH-specific oxidoreductase critically important for energy metabolism and execution of the caspase-independent cell death pathway. Several recently identified mutations in human AIFM1 lead to neurodegenerative disorders varying in severity and onset time. This study was undertaken to structurally and functionally characterize four pathologic variants of human AIF: V243L, G262S, G308E, and G338E. A strong correlation between the mutational effects on the AIF function and clinical phenotype was observed only for the G308E aberration, drastically damaging both the redox properties of AIF and mitochondrial respiration. In contrast, only minimal or mild changes were detected in the structure/function of AIF V243L and G338E, respectively, indicating that a marked decrease in their cellular expression likely triggers the disease. Alterations in the structure and redox activity of AIF G262S, on the other hand, were more severe than could be predicted based on the clinical phenotype. Together, the results of this and previous studies allow to conclude that the phenotypic variability and severity of the AIFM1-related disorders depend on which AIF feature is predominantly affected (i.e., cellular production level, structure, redox or apoptogenic function) and to what extent. Only a drastic decrease in the expression level or/and redox activity of AIF tends to cause an early and severe neurodegeneration, whereas less pronounced changes in the AIF properties could lead to a broad range of slowly progressive neurological disorders.
Treatment of hyperprolactinemic amenorrhea with pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone therapy

Pulsatile GnRH therapy has been shown effective in the treatment of infertility associated with hyperprolactinemia by direct action on the pituitary. Gonadotropin secretion was restored in the setting of moderate hyperprolactinemia. GnRH should be considered as a potential alternative to BCPT therapy in this setting.
Mass extinction patterns of marine invertebrate groups and some implications for a causal phenomenon

A nonparametric analysis of the extinction patterns of 10 major marine invertebrate groups at the five most profound mass extinction events leads to five observations: (1) At each event some taxonomic groups were affected much more than others. (2) There is little consistency among events in terms of which taxonomic groups were most or least affected; however, adaptive groupings do exhibit consistency: benthic, mobile organisms suffered significantly fewer extinctions than sessile suspension feeders, while the pelagic organisms apparently suffered the most. (3) There are no convincing patterns of interrelated extinctions among taxonomic groups. (4) No group exhibits a persistent tendency through time for a relative increase or decrease in their extinction rate at the events. (5) Some relationships are seen between the extinction patterns of three pairs of events; the Late Ordovician and Late Devonian events exhibit a significantly similar pattern (the same taxonomic groups suffered the most extinction in both cases) as do the Late Triassic and Late Cretaceous events. The Late Permian and Late Cretaceous events show a significantly inverse pattern (the most affected groups in the former were among the least affected in the latter). Upon examination, these observations, notably 1, 2, and 5, are consonant with current scenarios of the effects of catastrophic bolide impacts on marine fauna.
Mapping Sentence and Partial Order Mereology for Perceiving Abstract Art

In this chapter I concentrate on mapping sentence descriptions of abstract art. In offering potentially valid and useful explanations for understanding the experiential process of viewing abstract art, I do not propose a single model of the entire abstract art experience; rather I offer multiple context-specific mapping sentences. Finally, I suggest a mapping sentence of Crowther’s componential ontology for art abstraction. From this mapping sentence I extend my enquiries to consider the partial ordering of elements of my modelling of Crowther’s ontology. The chapter closes by claiming that mapping sentences and partial ordered diagrams of art experience provide an approach capable of producing greater understanding of abstract fine art as experienced phenomena.
Crossmodal matching A comparison of two methods

Multimodal interfaces which distribute information across vision, audition, and touch have been demonstrated to improve performance in various complex domains. However, many multimodal studies to- ...
Risk of Epilepsy After Febrile Seizures

Investigators at the Institute of Neurology, London, and at other centers in the UK and the Netherlands conducted a prospective follow-up of 181 infants from the onset of febrile seizures for a median of 21.6 years, to estimate the long-term risk of developing epilepsy.
Enhanced Burst-Suppression and Disruption of Local Field Potential Synchrony in a Mouse Model of Focal Cortical Dysplasia Exhibiting Spike-Wave Seizures

Focal cortical dysplasias (FCDs) are a common cause of brain seizures and are often associated with intractable epilepsy. Here we evaluated aberrant brain neurophysiology in an in vivo mouse model of FCD induced by neonatal freeze lesions (FLs) to the right cortical hemisphere (near S1). Linear multi-electrode arrays were used to record extracellular potentials from cortical and subcortical brain regions near the FL in anesthetized mice (5-13 months old) followed by 24 h cortical EEG recordings. Results indicated that FL animals exhibit a high prevalence of spontaneous spike-wave discharges (SWDs), predominately during sleep (EEG), and an increase in the incidence of hyper-excitable burst/suppression activity under general anesthesia (extracellular recordings, 0.5-3.0% isoflurane). Brief periods of burst activity in the local field potential (LFP) typically presented as an arrhythmic pattern of increased theta-alpha spectral peaks (4-12 Hz) on a background of low-amplitude delta activity (1-4 Hz), were associated with an increase in spontaneous spiking of cortical neurons, and were highly synchronized in control animals across recording sites in both cortical and subcortical layers (average cross-correlation values ranging from +0.73 to +1.0) with minimal phase shift between electrodes. However, in FL animals, cortical vs. subcortical burst activity was strongly out of phase with significantly lower cross-correlation values compared to controls (average values of -0.1 to +0.5, P<0.05 between groups). In particular, a marked reduction in the level of synchronous burst activity was observed the closer the recording electrodes were to the malformation (Pearson’s Correlation = 0.525, P<0.05). In a subset of FL animals (3/9), burst activity also included a spike or spike-wave pattern similar to the SWDs observed in unanesthetized animals. In summary, neonatal FLs increased the hyperexcitable pattern of burst activity induced by anesthesia and disrupted field potential synchrony between cortical and subcortical brain regions near the site of the cortical malformation. Monitoring the altered electrophysiology of burst activity under general anesthesia with multi-dimensional micro-electrode arrays may serve to define distinct neurophysiological biomarkers of epileptogenesis in human brain and improve techniques for surgical resection of epileptogenic malformed brain tissue.
Visual explanations behind important equations in astronomy

When connections between related observations and facts are not being made, introductory science classes can be perceived as an accumulation of disjointed equations with the risk of losing both students' interest as well as their grasp of the materials. In astronomy we have to walk a tightrope between being complete in our presentation of modern-day findings and skirting the surface of quantum mechanics. We introduce Wien's displacement law, Stefan–Boltzmann's law, Hubble's law, and we talk about the age of the Universe and when it first became transparent. The derivation of all these laws and their applications to get numbers out of observations requires knowledge of modern physics, knowledge that students have not acquired (yet), so we tend to choose to not make connections between them. In here, we offer an alternative approach to overcome these drawbacks: we make connections between the main tenets of the laws, such as the temperature dependence that enters Stefan–Boltzmann's law, and processes that students are familiar with, such as the acceleration of electrons. In doing so we reduce the number of disjointed facts presented to students, and we are able to relate equations to imagery that does not rely on faulty representations.
Interannual and low-frequency variability of Upper Indus Basin winter/spring precipitation in observations and CMIP5 models

An assessment is made of the ability of general circulation models in the CMIP5 ensemble to reproduce observed modes of low-frequency winter/spring precipitation variability in the region of the Upper Indus basin (UIB) in south-central Asia. This season accounts for about two thirds of annual precipitation totals in the UIB and is characterized by “western disturbances” propagating along the eastward extension of the Mediterranean storm track. Observational data are utilized for for spatiotemporal characterization of the precipitation seasonal cycle, to compute seasonalized spectra and finally, to examine teleconnections, in terms of large-scale patterns in sea-surface temperature (SST) and atmospheric circulation. Annual and lowpassed variations are found to be associated primarily with SST modes in the tropical and extratropical Pacific. A more obscure link to North Atlantic SST, possibly related to the North Atlantic Oscillation, is also noted. An ensemble of 31 CMIP5 models is then similarly assessed, using unforced preindustrial multi-century control runs. Of these models, eight are found to reproduce well the two leading modes of the observed seasonal cycle. This model subset is then assessed in the spectral domain and with respect to teleconnection patterns, where a range of behaviors is noted. Two model families each account for three members of this subset. The degree of within-family similarity in behavior is shown to reflect underlying model differences. The results provide estimates of unforced regional hydroclimate variability over the UIB on interannual and decadal scales and the corresponding far-field influences, and are of potential relevance for the estimation of uncertainties in future water availability.
Charge transfer in ultracold gases via Feshbach resonances

We investigate the prospects of using magnetic Feshbach resonance to control charge exchange in ultracold collisions of heteroisotopic combinations of atoms and ions of the same element. The proposed treatment, readily applicable to alkali or alkaline-earth metals, is illustrated on cold collisions of $^{9}\mathrm{Be}^{+}$ and $^{10}\mathrm{Be}$. Feshbach resonances are characterized by quantum scattering calculations in a coupled-channel formalism that includes non-Born-Oppenheimer terms originating from the nuclear kinetic operator. Near a resonance predicted at 322 G, we find the charge exchange rate coefficient to rise from practically zero to values greater than ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$/s. Our results suggest controllable charge exchange processes between different isotopes of suitable atom-ion pairs, with potential applications to quantum systems engineered to study charge diffusion in trapped cold atom-ion mixtures and emulate many-body physics.
Due diligence in the open-access explosion era: choosing a reputable journal for publication.

Faculty are required to publish. Naive and "in-a-hurry-to-publish" authors seek to publish in journals where manuscripts are rapidly accepted. Others may innocently submit to one of an increasing number of questionable/predatory journals, where predatory is defined as practices of publishing journals for exploitation of author-pays, open-access publication model by charging authors publication fees for publisher profit without provision of expected services (expert peer review, editing, archiving, and indexing published manuscripts) and promising almost instant publication. Authors may intentionally submit manuscripts to predatory journals for rapid publication without concern for journal quality. A brief summary of the open access "movement," suggestions for selecting reputable open access journals, and suggestion for avoiding predatory publishers/journals are described. The purpose is to alert junior and seasoned faculty about predatory publishers included among available open access journal listings. Brief review of open access publication, predatory/questionable journal characteristics, suggestions for selecting reputable open access journals and avoiding predatory publishers/journals are described. Time is required for intentionally performing due diligence in open access journal selection, based on publisher/journal quality, prior to manuscript submission or authors must be able to successfully withdraw manuscripts when submission to a questionable or predatory journal is discovered.
Bellwether of the Canaries: anthropogenic effects on the land snail fauna of the Canary Islands

Natural areas near human-modified landscapes experience factors that may affect local biodiversity at levels commensurate with natural environmental factors. The land snails of the Canary Islands provide excellent opportunities to evaluate the importance of anthropogenic agents in mediating the diversity and distribution of species. Land snails are particularly sensitive to disturbance and are an integral part of terrestrial ecosystems. This study analyzed the distributions and abundances of terrestrial macrosnail shell assemblages at 60 localities throughout the coastal scrub biome of the Canary Islands. This was accomplished using data on natural and anthropogenic variables to assess their relative importance in governing land snail diversity. A total of 34,801 dead shells represented a diverse malacofauna with highly localized endemism. Due to uncertain species identifications, samples from the 18 sites from the two easternmost islands are described, but excluded from statistical analyses. Regression tree analysis indicated that proximity to agricultural sites was the most important predictor of species diversity. Sites with no or very little agricultural area (≤ 0.167 km2) within a 1 km radius had significantly higher richness and diversity. These results have implications for Canary Islands conservation. Protected areas that are patchworks of natural and agricultural landscapes are still subject to native biodiversity loss because of anthropogenic impacts even when the footprint of agriculture is small.
Joint Caching in Fronthaul and Backhaul Constrained C-RAN

Caching popular contents closer to users has been proposed to alleviate wireless network traffic and improve user quality of experience (QoE). Decisions on where and what to cache is of great importance. In this paper, we propose a hierarchical cache-enabled cloud radio access network (C-RAN) architecture where joint caching is considered in both remote radio heads (RRHs) and baseband units (BBUs) with the constraints of backhaul and fronthaul links. We formulate the content placement problem as an integer linear programming (ILP) model with the objective of minimizing the average content download time. A heuristic algorithm is proposed in order to reduce the time complexity. Simulation results of the average download delay are analyzed from different aspects including caching locations, total file lengths, cache sizes and file popularities, and they demonstrate that the performance of the proposed popularity-based algorithm approximates ILP solutions closely but with high time efficiency.
Neural network based model for estimation of the level of anisotropy of unbound aggregate systems

Abstract Directional dependency of the materials properties in granular soils is an integral component of the analysis and design of pavement foundations. Laboratory determination of such anisotropic properties is often overlooked by design engineers due to the lack of available protocols, equipment, time constraints, and budgetary issues. This research strives to bridge this gap by investigating an alternative approach to provide a practical and reliable framework to estimate the level of anisotropy of unbound granular materials. To achieve this objective, an experiment design was developed to establish a comprehensive aggregate feature database. Nonlinear and cross anisotropic material properties were determined using Variable Dynamic Confining Pressure (VDCP) stress path tests in the laboratory. Particle geometry was characterized using the Aggregate Imaging System (AIMS). Scale parameters and shape parameters of the form, angularity and textural properties of the particles were incorporated in the aggregate database to account for the shape-induced anisotropy of particulate soils. Moisture state and density parameters were also incorporated in the database for further post processing. Several neural network models with different architectures were developed, and the performances of the models were assessed based on an unseen set of data. The impact of the neural network topologies on the performance of the models were also investigated in this research effort. The results indicate that increasing the number of hidden layers has negligible impact on the performance of the models. Additionally, a series of sensitivity analyses were performed to investigate the level of contribution of aggregate features on the anisotropic behavior of unbound granular materials. The results of the sensitivity analysis underscores the influence of aggregate angularity, fines content, surface macro-texture, as well as the parameters of the stress path tests, on the orthogonal load distribution capacity of aggregate layers.
Thermodynamic analysis and optimization of single and combined power cycles for concentrated solar power applications

Abstract Thermodynamic analysis and optimization of the power block of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants were performed in this study. Single and combined power cycles such as regenerative steam Rankine cycle with reheat (RSRC), organic Rankine cycle (ORC), combined Rankine/ORC cycle, regenerative Brayton cycle (RBC), regenerative Brayton cycle with recompression (RBCR), and combined Brayton/ORC cycle were compared. Thermodynamic performance of the power cycles was evaluated by performing parametric calculations over a range of operating conditions (maximum temperature, minimum temperature, maximum pressure). Selection of the best power cycle(s) is the main focus of this study. Performance maps which present performance information on the best power cycles in a graphical and straightforward manner were constructed. Results show that for the maximum cycle temperatures lower than 300 °C, the ORC has the highest thermal efficiency. For the medium maximum cycle temperatures (between 300 °C and 650 °C), the combined Rankine/ORC and RBCR are the best choices. For the maximum cycle temperature higher than 650 °C, depending on the maximum pressure, the combined Brayton/ORC cycle and RBCR give the highest thermal efficiency. Also, for low and medium maximum temperatures, RSRC produces the highest specific net work output, followed by the combined Helium Brayton/ORC cycle.