cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial and temporal patterns of snow accumulation and aerial ablation across the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Snow in the McMurdo Dry Valleys is a potential source of moisture for subnivian soils in a cold desert ecosystem. In a water-limited environment, enhanced soil moisture is expected to provide more favourable conditions for subnivian soil communities. In addition, snow cover insulates the underlying soil from air temperature extremes. Quantifying the spatial and temporal patterns of seasonal snow accumulation and ablation is necessary to understand these dynamics. Repeat high-resolution imagery acquired for the 2009–2010 austral summer was used to map the seasonal distribution of snow across Taylor and Wright valleys, Southern Victorialand, Antarctica. An edge detection algorithm was used to perform an object-based classification of snow-covered area. Coupled with topographic parameters obtained from a 30-m digital elevation model, unique distribution patterns were characterized for five regions within the neighbouring valleys. Time lapses of snow distribution in each region provide insight into spatially variable aerial ablation rates (change in area of landscape covered by snow) across the region. A strong coastal to interior gradient of decreasing snow-covered area was evident for both Taylor and Wright valleys. The surrounding regions of Lake Fryxell, Lake Hoare, Lake Bonney, Lake Brownworth, and Lake Vanda exhibited losses of snow-covered area of 9.61 km2 (−93%), 1.63 km2 (−72%), 1.07 km2 (−97%), 2.60 km2 (−82%), and 0.25 km2 (−96%), respectively, as measured from peak accumulation in October to mid-January. Differences in aerial ablation rates within and across local regions suggest that both topographic variation and regional microclimates influence the ablation of seasonal snow cover. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Low temperature dislocation mechanisms in ordered and disordered Cu3Au

Abstract The temperature and strain rate dependence of the flow stress of ordered and disordered polycrystalline Cu3Au was investigated in the range 20°–420°K. A thermally activated deformation mechanism was observed at temperatures less than ∼100°K and ∼340°K for the ordered and disordered material respectively. For ordered Cu3Au, the experimental data were shown to correlate well with the requirements of the Peierls mechanism over the entire thermally activated region; for the disordered material, good agreement was only obtained at temperatures less than ∼120°K, and it appeared that deformation was by the intersection mechanism in the temperature range ∼220°–340°K. It is suggested that a pseudo-Peierls mechanism occurs in ordered Cu3Au at temperatures less than ∼100°K, and in disordered Cu3Au at temperatures less than ∼120°K, due to splitting of the cores of screw dislocations on several planes.
Concept of Orogeny

The concept of orogeny has undergone change through time and has been the subject of many interpretations, even during the same era. At present, it is vague and varied in definition and in implication. The orogeny concept is comprised of at least 12 criteria, which are used either singly or in various combinations. Further, the concept is viewed as a process and as an event. Concepts of orogeny are fundamentally either morphologic or deformational. A utilitarian concept can be based solely on the criteria of deformation, geographic extent, scale, and time.
Carotid endarterectomy: The gold standard

Abstract Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has become the most frequently performed vascular surgery in the United States. Its efficacy in the treatment of stroke-prone patients has been demonstrated by randomized clinical trial methodology, confirming the superiority of operative intervention when coupled with best medical care versus optimal medical management alone. Durability of these clinical results has been confirmed and the cost-effectiveness of carotid endarterectomy demonstrated. Until clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of carotid artery stenting are completed, CEA remains the “gold standard of treatment” for patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic extracranial carotid occlusive disease.
Are the largest public retailers top financial performers? A longitudinal analysis

– To empirically study the performance of large retailers in terms of the strategic profit model and the retail performance index over time., – This study looks at how well the largest public US retailers performed financially from 1982 to 2001. Several measures are employed, including sales and profit growth, profit margins, asset turnover, return on assets, financial leverage, and return on net worth. The performance of Wal‐Mart is broken out., – As a group, the largest public US retailers have not performed very well across a number of measures. They have not been “high performers.” Wal‐Mart has outperformed other very large retailers for virtually every financial measure. It has been a “high performer” by not losing its edge as it has grown., – Only public retailers were included in the study. Retailers reported financial data using different fiscal years. The federal government converted its data from SIC to NAICS codes during the time frame of the study; the data were converted based on a model from Retail Forward., – As the largest firms seek to heighten their marketplace concentration, they have to be careful not to fall into a growth trap. They need to be more devoted to driving up their financial performance., – The paper reports the results of a comprehensive longitudinal study of the largest public retailers, and focuses on applying two under‐researched retail performance tools: the strategic profit model and the retail performance index.
Ab initio simulation of polyamorphic phase transition in hydrogenated silicon

We study the pressure-induced phase transition of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon model with a void, using a constant pressure ab initio technique within the generalized gradient approximation. With the application of pressure, the 223 atom model of hydrogenated amorphous silicon with a 5-atom void undergoes a first order phase transition from a semiconducting low density amorphous state to a metallic high density amorphous state with a discontinuous volume change of about 16%. The transition is accompanied by a coordination change from fourfold to about sixfold.
Mean cancer mortality rates in low versus high elevation counties in Texas.

There is controversy as to whether low levels of radiation (i.e., < 5 rem) pose a health risk. This brief inquiry compares archived cancer mortality data in counties having relatively low (0–250 feet above sea level), medium (500–1000 feet above sea level), and high (3000+ feet above sea level) elevations also having corresponding greater natural background levels of radiation respectively. Cancer mortality was found to be lowest in the high elevation counties (mean = 58.2) followed by low elevation counties (67.5) and then medium elevation counties (70.4). Statistically significant differences were found between low –high elevations (p = 0.003), and medium – high elevations (p = 0.010), but not between low and medium elevations (p = 0.5). More rigorous research, with an accounting of confounding variables, is indicated.
An analytical model for steady coextrusion of viscoplastic fluids in thin slit dies with wall slip

Coextrusion is widely used to fabricate multilayered products with each layer providing a separate functionality, including barrier resistance to gases, strength, and printability. Here an analytical model of the coextrusion die flow of two incompressible, viscoplastic fluids in a slit die, subject to nonlinear wall slip and under fully developed and isothermal conditions, is developed to allow the prediction of the steady-state velocity and shear stress distributions and the flow rate versus pressure gradient relationship. The resulting model is applied to the coextrusion of two layers of viscoplastic fluids in a thin rectangular slit die (slit gap, h ≪ slit width, W). The analytical solution recognizes a number of distinct flow conditions (eleven cases) that need to be treated separately. The solutions for all eleven cases are provided along with an apriori identification methodology for the determination of the applicable case, given the shear viscosity and wall slip parameters of the two viscoplastic fluids, the slit geometry and the flow conditions. Simplifications of the model would provide the solutions for the fully developed and isothermal coextrusion flows of any combination of Hershel-Bulkley, Bingham, power-law and Newtonian fluids with or without wall slip at one or both walls of the slit die. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers for flip-chip packaged vertical optical interconnects

Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been fabricated and studied as the optical sources in a vertical optical interconnect application. The VCSELs are to replace LEDs that are currently used in a proof-of-concept demonstration. The advantages of VCSELs ares better power efficiency as sources, higher optical powers, focused beam output, monochromatic operation, and higher modulation bandwidth. The VCSELs used in this project are the first to implement continuously sinusoidally graded interface mirrors grown by molecular beam epitaxy. material parameters, device results, and interconnect implications are presented.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Birefringent crystal formation in citrus red mites associated with noninclusion virus disease

Abstract Histological sections of citrus red mites, Panonychus citri , revealed that birefringent crystals, which are useful in diagnosis of the disease, are formed in the midgut. Crystals formed several days earlier in starved infected mites than in those free to feed; and fecal pellets, also birefringent, formed several days early in response to starvation. This correlation is discussed. About 95% of the infected mites cultured in the laboratory contained crystals, but transmission of the virus to other mites did occur when crystals were not present.
Microvesicles as mediators of tissue regeneration

The use of stem cells in the treatment of various diseases and injuries has received increasing interest during the past decade. Injected stem cells, such as mesenchymal stem cells, stimulate tissue repair largely through the secretion of soluble factors that regulate various processes of tissue regeneration, including inflammatory responses, apoptosis, host cell proliferation, and angiogenesis. Recently, it has become apparent that stem cells also use membranous small vesicles, collectively called microvesicles, to repair damaged tissues. Microvesicles are released by many types of cells and exist in almost all types of body fluids. They serve as a vehicle to transfer protein, messenger RNA, and micro RNA to distant cells, altering the gene expression, proliferation, and differentiation of the recipient cells. Although animal models and in vitro studies have suggested promising applications for microvesicles-based regeneration therapy, its effectiveness and feasibility in clinical medicine remain to be established. Further studies of the basic mechanisms responsible for microvesicle-mediated tissue regeneration could lead to novel approaches in regenerative medicine.
Computational Modeling For Magnetic-Sensor-Based Three-Dimensional Visualization Of Microcracks

Abstract : The presence of cracks, phase segregation, or even submicron-sized grain boundaries creates a disruption of the magnetic field response to an externally applied electrical current running through the material. These effects can be detected through the magnetic field leakage in the external near-surface region. Using a computer model of an array of magnetic tunnel junction detectors, magnetic signatures' of various faults and/or material borders and domains have been calculated using finite element analysis and portrayed by icons. We have considered a number of typical cracks and flaws, of different dimensions and orientations, within the bulk of the component. The database of signatures' thus generated allows fast recognition of faults and generation of their images in real time. Significant efforts have been made to provide an adequate three-dimensional visualization of the shape and distribution of microcracks, the magnetic field lines, and delineation of the position of the faults in relation to the surface.
Free‐living amoebae: pathogenicity and immunity

Free-living amoebae causes three well-defined disease entities: (i) primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, caused by Naegleria fowleri, (ii) granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and (iii) chronic amoebic keratitis, caused by species of Acanthamoeba. Both Naegleria infections and chronic amoebic keratitis occur in healthy individuals while granulomatous amoebic encephalitis is often associated with patients with acquired immunodeficiencies. The different pathogenic behaviour of these organisms is associated with differences in life cycle, amoeboidal locomotion, enzyme composition (such as phospholipase A), and cytotoxins, as well as natural host immunity. Immunity against these amoebae (whether acquired or natural) involves a combination of complement, antibody and cell-mediated immunity. Evidence suggests that the major mechanisms of immunity against these amoebae is activation of phagocytic cells, especially neutrophils, by lymphokines and opsonization of the amoebae by antibody which promote an antibody dependent cellular destruction of the organism.
The interatomic potential in liquid 4 He. II. Fourier transform of the potential

The Fourier coefficients of a recently proposed interatomic potential for liquid4He are presented. As motivation for calculating these data, evidence for the physical validity of the new potential is discussed and a likely role in the development of current microscopic theories of superfluidity is suggested.
Effect of time on regional organ perfusion during two methods of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

The effect of the duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on capillary perfusion in selected organs was studied in two methods of CPR. Flows were measured during sinus rhythm and at two and ten minutes of CPR by injection of labeled microspheres. Cardiac output during CPR was redistributed, with a higher percentage directed cephalad. Brain blood flow during early CPR was preserved, but flow decreased significantly (P
New approaches to implementing predictive spectroscopy

Predictive spectroscopy for complex systems can be performed with pattern-recognition-based mathematical approaches. Among the pattern recognition techniques we have employed are principal components analysis and principal components regression, iterative target transformation factor analysis.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Annealing effects on the magnetism of FexPd82−xSi18 metallic glasses

Fe9Pd73Si18 and Fe10Pd72Si18 metallic glasses were annealed isothermally below their crystallization temperature and magnetization measurements were made as a function of annealing time. The results suggest changes in the topological short‐range order due to structural relaxation such that both the Fe‐Fe coordination number in magnetic clusters and long‐range magnetization fluctuations increase. In Fe9Pd73Si18 the cluster size decreases while in Fe10Pd72Si18 it seems to increase. It appears that without reaching equilibrium in a glassy state, structural relaxation is eventually accompanied by gradual crystallization. Its onset, as revealed by magnetization measurements, preceeds its detection by large‐angle x‐ray diffraction.
Stoichiometry and estimates of nutrient standing stocks of larval salamanders in Appalachian headwater streams

SUMMARY 1. Because of their longevity and skeletal phosphorus demand, vertebrates can have distinct influences on the uptake, storage and recycling of nutrients in ecosystems. Quantification of body stoichiometry, combined with estimates of abundance or biomass, can provide insights into the effect of vertebrates on nutrient cycling. 2. We measured the nutrient content and estimated the abundance and biomass of the larvae of three salamander species to characterise the factors that influence larval salamander stoichiometry and estimate the contribution of larval salamanders to nutrient standing stock and recycling in five southern Appalachian headwaters. 3. The proportion and ratios of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) in larval salamanders varied with size within and among species. We found negative relationships between body size and whole-body %N, C : P and N : P and positive relationships between body size and whole-body %P and C : N. Mean estimated larval salamander density was 58 m 2 and mean estimated dry biomass was 2813 mg m 2 . Estimated standing stock of N, P and Ca were 332, 81 and 103 mg m 2 , respectively, which was 1.1 9 and 4.6 9 greater than estimated amounts of N and P reported for macroinvertebrate taxa in similar streams within the region and was higher than in many other consumers in freshwater habitats. Using data from previous studies, we estimate that the mean ingestion rate of N and P by plethodontids is 0.000001 and 0.00001 g 1 day 1 , respectively, while excretion rates of both are <0.00001 g day 1 . 4. Salamanders are the only abundant vertebrates within headwater Appalachian streams, and our results show that larval salamanders represent a large standing stock of N, P and Ca in these streams. These findings complement other recent research demonstrating the effects of larval stream salamanders on macroinvertebrate abundance and seasonal nutrient supply in Appalachian headwaters and stress the importance of plethodontid salamanders to headwater stream processes.
Syria's humanitarian crisis.

The United Nations has called the conflict in Syria “the greatest humanitarian tragedy of our times.”1 What started as a peaceful protest in March 2011 has led to three years of an escalating conflict in which over 100,000 people have been killed2. Over 10 million Syrians—one-half of the country’s population—will need humanitarian aid in 20143. Over 5 million children are currently in need of aid, according to UNICEF (the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund)4. Innocent, noncombatant civilians are paying the largest price, and humanitarian workers—including orthopaedic surgeons—have been risking their lives to help them. Both government forces and extremist militias have committed atrocities and crimes against civilians and civilian infrastructures5. The decimation and starvation of civilian populations, the denial of medical care and humanitarian aid, the murder of doctors and nurses, and the destruction of schools, bakeries, and hospitals—all of these actions have been systematic and deliberate6. They have been conducted as a matter of policy and military strategy to achieve a tactical advantage. A collapsed health-care system further complicates the situation. Sixty percent of public hospitals and 78% of public ambulances are damaged or out of service7. Thousands of health-care personnel have fled the country for their safety, and hundreds have been arrested or kidnapped. As of July 2013, only 250 of 6000 physicians remained in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, to serve a population of 2,500,0008. Over the past two years, sustained bombardments and intense fighting have transformed the civilian and residential neighborhoods of Aleppo into a battlefield. As a result, medical work in these areas has been driven underground where doctors and nurses operate in secret, makeshift, provisional facilities such as caves, farms, and apartment buildings. They do so under the threat …
Equal-Time and Null-Plane Commutators of Conserved Currents on the Light Cone

The usual manifestly conserved expansions of current densities on the light cone do not lead to the correct commutation relations at equal times or on a lightlike plane. Therefore a piece must be added which is compatible with current conservation only for a specific light-cone singularity, namely, ${({z}^{2}\ensuremath{-}i\ensuremath{\epsilon}{z}_{0})}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, which obeys ${\ensuremath{\square}}^{(z)}{({z}^{2}\ensuremath{-}i\ensuremath{\epsilon}{z}_{0})}^{\ensuremath{-}1}=0$. A close relation exists between such a nonmanifestly conserved addition to the operator expansion and the well-known phenomenon of a noncausal part in the invariant function of the matrix element between one-particle states.
Media delivery and media service overlays

Multimedia communication and streaming media services will become mainstream network infrastructure applications in the coming decade. However, there are many challenges that must be overcome. These challenges include the Internet’s limited ability to handle real-time, low-latency media streams, the need for media security, and an uncertainty of the killer app. The nature of these challenges lends itself to enabling technology innovations in the media delivery and media processing space. Specifically, we envision an overlay infrastructure that supports networked media services that couple media delivery with in-network media processing. The media overlay should be programmable to allow rapid deployment of new applications and services and manageable so as to support the evolving requirements of the resulting usage models. Furthermore, the media overlay should allow for the delivery of protected media content for applications that have security requirements. A properly architected infrastructure can enable real-time multimedia communication and streaming media services in light of the inherent challenges.
Alternative roles of national tourism organizations

Abstract There exist various opinions on the role and structure of National Tourism Organizations (NTOs). Up to this point in time, only a few studies have attempted to analyse NTOs. This article provides a comparative analysis of the government tourism organizations for the top five Asia-Pacific destinations. The analysis suggests that, contrary to some opinions, government cannot compensate for the absence of a strong private sector in tourism. The core activities of NTOs are coordination, legislation, promotion, research and providing tourist information. To meet the changing situation of a destination, an NTO should adopt alternative roles, ie, developmental, marketing, management and innovative, consistent with a destination's growth pattern. This process would be continuous as a destination progresses through successive product life cycles reflecting changes to meet new visitor and community needs.
Patterned Conductive Polyaniline on Si(100) Surface via Self-Assembly and Graft Polymerization

A combination of surface graft polymerization of aniline and photopatterned self-assembly monolayer (SAM) was used to generate a well-defined pattern of conductive polyaniline on a Si(100) surface. A self-assembly of phenylsilane monolayer was first generated by reacting a hydroxylated silicon surface with phenyltrichlorosilane under a dry inert (N2) atmosphere. The formed SAM layer has been photopatterned under an UV laser at 263 nm through a lithographic mask. The patterned SAM was reacted with triflic acid (HOTf) under a dry inert atmosphere to remove the benzene rings from the SAM layer. The OTf groups of the triflated SAM have been substituted with aniline under a dry inert atmosphere to generate an aniline-primed substrate which was further used for the graft polymerization of aniline to prepare a patterned conductive polyaniline (PANI) layer. The composition, microstructure, and morphology of PANI grafted silicon surfaces were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microsc...
Portable computed-tomography imaging spectrometer

We have constructed a portable computed tomography imaging spectrometer (CTIS) based on a previous laboratory-bench version. This spectrometer features a computer-generated phase-only hologram as the dispersive element and collects spatial and spectral data from the diffracted orders. CTIS is capable of flash spectral imaging. Reconstruction of the image cube from raw data is achieved by computed-tomography techniques. Other improvements from the original design include a more modular design, an automated and more precise calibration technique, and the inclusion of constraints in the image cube reconstruction. Reconstruction results compare favorably with measurements by a fiber spectrometer. Keywords: Imaging spectrometry, computed tomography, flash spectral imaging.
The Star-grazing Extrasolar Comets in the HD 100546 System

Redshifted absorption profiles that resemble the high-velocity circumstellar gas features in the spectrum of β Pictoris have been detected in IUE data for the 10 Myr old Herbig Be star, HD 100546, on 1995 March 7. In addition to Mg II, Si II, and other refractory species similar to those seen in β Pic, the HD 100546 spectra are rich in accreting gas profiles from neutral atomic gas, including C I and O I, as well as mildly refractory species such as Zn II and S II. The presence of accreting gas profiles, including neutral atomic gas, is consistent with detection of comae of star-grazing bodies potentially resembling either comets or asteroids. Overall, the IUE data for HD 100546 are consistent with the planetesimals in this system being more volatile-rich and magnesium-rich than similar bodies in the β Pic system.
Computational modeling of in vitro biological responses on polymethacrylate surfaces

The objective of this research was to examine the capabilities of QSPR (Quantitative Structure Property Relationship) modeling to predict specific biological responses (fibrinogen adsorption, cell attachment and cell proliferation index) on thin films of different polymethacrylates. Using 33 commercially available monomers it is theoretically possible to construct a library of over 40,000 distinct polymer compositions. A subset of these polymers were synthesized and solvent cast surfaces were prepared in 96 well plates for the measurement of fibrinogen adsorption. NIH 3T3 cell attachment and proliferation index were measured on spin coated thin films of these polymers. Based on the experimental results of these polymers, separate models were built for homo-, co-, and terpolymers in the library with good correlation between experiment and predicted values. The ability to predict biological responses by simple QSPR models for large numbers of polymers has important implications in designing biomaterials for specific biological or medical applications.
Syntactic profiles of style in Russian

Abstract Analysis of case usage in Russian provides quantitatively verifiable ‘syntactic profiles’ of three styles in Russian. They are: spoken, belletristic, and technical. These differences in case usage are shown to be a function of the differing role of marked ‘shifters’. When the verb evinces a high degree of marked verbal shifters (spoken dialogue) the case system is heavily dominated by unmarked cases, particularly the nominative. When verbal shifters are absent or unmarked (technical prose), the reverse is observed, and the case system evinces a high degree of usage of marked, i.e. oblique cases, in particular the genetive. In these regards Russian belletristic prose occupies a middle ground and appears to be diachronically quite stable. The fact that, within the sentence, marked values tend to be either nominal or verbal, but not both, is viewed as a syntagmatic corollary of Stankiewicz' principle of paradigmatic limitation of co-occurrence of marked values.
Stable isotope evidence of ontogenetic changes in the diet of gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum

Stable sulphur isotopic composition (δ34S) of gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum was used to investigate the seasonal and ontogenetic variation in the diet of young and adult fish. This study evaluated fish from a hypereutrophic lake that had recently undergone a 40% reduction of large (>300 mm total length, LT) D. cepedianum biomass as part of a biomanipulation experiment, which aimed at reducing internal nutrient loading. Dorosoma cepedianum δ34S values showed evidence of ontogenetic changes with young fish ( 200 mm LT). The δ34S composition of the adult fish suggested an increasing importance of zooplankton in the diet, although benthic food sources remained part of the diet of all D. cepedianum collected in this study. The results indicated that benthic feeding is used by D. cepedianum of all sizes, suggesting that biomanipulation efforts may need to target all sizes of fish to realize benefits.
Noise induced gain saturation in the ultrasonic traveling wave amplifier

A relationship has been established between departure from small signal theory gain, the onset of nonohmic I-V characteristics, and gain saturation on broadband acoustic noise flux in the CdS ultrasonic amplifier. Noise figure measurements in material whose experimental gain behaves according to small signal theory have allowed evaluation of the level of acoustic flux at the amplifier output plane when noise saturation occurs. Extrapolation from measured points yields a relationship between the acoustic flux saturation level and the material carrier concentration. Measurements also indicate that, even for noise flux levels approaching saturation, signal saturation occurs for bunching parameters slightly greater than 1. Second harmonic distortion is more than 20 decibels down in this condition. The interrelationships between signal power levels and noise flux levels are examined for their effect on an amplifier's maximum possible gain and dynamic range. In particular, maximum possible ultrasonic gain is found to be limited to approximately 80 decibels.
Effect of Fluorescent Light on Repartition of Riboflavin in Homogenized Milk

Abstract This study was designed to determine the effect of fluorescent light on riboflavin in homogenized milk and in the resulting fat, casein, and acid whey isolated therefrom. The major proportion (82%) of riboflavin in homogenized milk was associated with the acid whey fraction, about 15% with the casein phase and about 3% with the fat phase. Riboflavin loss due to light exposure (2150 lx for 48h at 7C) was greatest in the whey fraction. Further separation of the whey proteins by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 superfine indicated that the riboflavin associated with the high molecular weight fraction decreased following exposure. In the whey fraction, 95% of the riboflavin was in the free form and not associated with the major whey proteins. The free riboflavin was most labile to light exposure.
A Prospective Framework for the Design of Ideal Artificial Moral Agents: Insights from the Science of Heroism in Humans

The growing field of machine morality has becoming increasingly concerned with how to develop artificial moral agents. However, there is little consensus on what constitutes an ideal moral agent let alone an artificial one. Leveraging a recent account of heroism in humans, the aim of this paper is to provide a prospective framework for conceptualizing, and in turn designing ideal artificial moral agents, namely those that would be considered heroic robots. First, an overview of what it means to be an artificial moral agent is provided. Then, an overview of a recent account of heroism that seeks to define the construct as the dynamic and interactive integration of character strengths (e.g., bravery and integrity) and situational constraints that afford the opportunity for moral behavior (i.e., moral affordances). With this as a foundation, a discussion is provided for what it might mean for a robot to be an ideal moral agent by proposing a dynamic and interactive connectionist model of robotic heroism. Given the limited accounts of robots engaging in moral behavior, a case for extending robotic moral capacities beyond just being a moral agent to the level of heroism is supported by drawing from exemplar situations where robots demonstrate heroism in popular film and fiction.
Carrier detection in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A review of current issues and approaches

The clinical chemistry laboratory has traditionally played a passive role in the application of technology to diagnostic interpretation. Recent developments offer the clinical laboratorian a renewed potential to enter the patient care arena as a consultant. Our lack of understanding of the disease processes in the muscular dystrophies places emphasis on prevention through carrier detection. This review summarizes the clinical progress of the disease, our present understanding of the genetics that control the mode of inheritance of the disease, and the analytical approaches to carrier detection, including their advantages and limitations. Recent advances allow the examination of the genetic material itself instead of concentrating on the phenotypic expression of biochemical abnormalities.
Free will and the obesity epidemic.

The increase in body weight in the USA over the past several decades is now commonly referred to as the ‘obesity epidemic’. An empirical analysis of the literature suggests that the increased weight can be accounted for by an increase in food intake. The solution to the obesity epidemic, therefore, must centre on a reduction in food consumption, a position well accepted by the American population who think that they, as individuals, are responsible for their adiposity by holding the belief that the decision as to what and how much to eat is determined by their own free will. The evidence demonstrates, however, that this is not true. Variables such as portion size, variety of foods offered, fat content of the diet, the number of people eating, the location where eating occurs and even watching food advertisements act as ‘food primes’ causing individuals to increase their energy intake. Despite the plethora of diets, weight-loss clubs, drugs and mechanical devices available to facilitate weight loss, once treatment is terminated and people return to the ‘free’ environment, their weight returns to pre-treatment levels. Only when individuals are protected from environmental variables by gastric surgery or limited to consume only portion-controlled meals can they successfully maintain a reduced weight. Combining the technique of daily weight monitoring with accepting that our eating behaviour is not determined totally by our free choice, we may be able to curb the obesity epidemic.
Addressing overdiagnosis and overtreatment in cancer

e307 www.thelancet.com/oncology Vol 15 July 2014 indolent lesions of epithelial origin increase the number of patients who perceive themselves to be victims of underdiagnosis, this perception will occur in the context of a harsh legal system that thrives on lay juries listening to paid experts who excel at retrospectively identifying missed cancer diagnoses. By contrast, the many current victims of overdiagnosis are not regarded as potential plaintiff s, but instead as cancer survivors who exist anonymously in the epidemiology data of Esserman and colleagues.
A mathematical model of impulse jet mechanism

Computer controlled impulse jet technology has been demonstrated to be feasible to deposit well defined patterns of electronic circuits without mask. In order to scientifically control the ink jet printing and the electrical parameters such as conductivity, resistivity, and dielectric constant of a printed circuit, mathematical theories of the impulse ink jet related to flow rate are derived from the Navier-Stokes equation. The theoretical predictions made by these models are found to agree with the experimental results.
Effect of barite on meiofauna in a flow-through experimental system

Abstract The effects of barite (94–96% BaSO4), a major constituent of drilling muds used in marine oil drilling operations, on meiofauna were studied in an experimental flow-through system. Aquaria containing sand or varying proportions of barite and sand received a continuous supply of unfiltered seawater from Santa Rosa Sound, Florida, for ten weeks. At the end of this period the composition, biomass and vertical distribution of the meiofauna were determined. Most of the meiofauna (>99%) occurred in the highly aerobic upper 2 cm portion of the substratum. Rotifera, Foraminifera, Hydrozoa, Turbellaria, Ostracoda, Polychaeta and Bivalvia did not exhibit significant differences between control and experimental aquaria. However, the densities of Nematoda, Copepoda and Copepoda nauplii varied with the substrate composition. The meiofaunal densities in the aquaria containing 1:10 or 1:3 mixtures of barite and sand were greater than that in aquaria containing sand alone. A marked decrease in meiofaunal density was evident in aquaria containing 5·5 cm of sand covered with a 0·5 cm layer of barite.
Monitored heavy fuzzy measures and their role in decision making under uncertainty

We discuss the fuzzy measure and the related idea of Choquet aggregation. We describe a prototypical application of the fuzzy measure in decision making under uncertainty. We introduce an extension of the fuzzy measure called the monitored heavy fuzzy measure. We give some examples of these new measures. Using these measures with the Choquet integral, we obtain a general class of aggregation operators that include both mean type operators and totaling type operators. We consider the application of this measure to the problem of decision making under uncertainty in the case in which the uncertain variable can have multiple solutions.
Negative Life Stress and Anxiety: Problem Solving as a Moderator Variable

The present study evaluated the moderating role that social problem solving would serve in relation to negative life stress and both state and trait anxiety. 310 university students completed the Life Experience Survey, the Problem Solving Inventory, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Multiple regression analyses supported problem solving as a moderator variable and confirmed previous research in which a significant relationship was obtained between negative life events and anxiety. Also neither state nor trait anxiety was related to positive life events.
Extracting Multitensor Solid-State NMR Parameters from Lineshapes

Abstract The derivation of a Hamiltonian describing the quadrupolar and chemical-shift interactions is presented in terms of irreducible spherical-tenser algebra. Some potential ambiguities concerning the sign of the asymmetry parameters, in this nomenclature, are identified and clarified. A more robust algorithm for handling the boundary conditions imposed by the constraints on asymmetry parameters is described and implemented in a nonlinear-least-squares minimization procedure. In addition, a detailed account is given on a more efficient method for computing the NMR lineshape, and protocols for the extraction of NMR parameters from solid-state lineshapes are introduced.
Body Image Satisfaction and Involvement in Risky Sexual Behaviors Among University Students

This study examined the impact of body image satisfaction on university students’ (N = 465) involvement in risky sexual behaviors. A valid and reliable survey instrument was designed and administered to students in their classrooms at a Midwestern university. Of 465 participants, 53.8 % reported having low levels of body image satisfaction and 78.9 % indicated they had engaged in sexual intercourse during their lifetime. Of the sexually active students, 80 % have had sexual intercourse without the use of a condom, 76 % have had sexual intercourse while intoxicated, and 21 % have had sexual intercourse following illegal drug use. Students who had high body image satisfaction were significantly more likely to have ever engaged in sexual intercourse. These results should be considered when developing and implementing sexual education efforts for university students. Future studies should seek to identify specific strategies to increase body image satisfaction and decrease risky sexual behaviors among this high-risk population.
Reproductive Periodicities of Some Benthic Algae in Lower Chesapeake Bay

Semi-monthly (monthly in winter) studies of the reproductive cycles of 8 benthic Chlorophyta, 3 Phaeophyta, and 18 Rhodophyta were carried out over a period of three years at three different localities in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Of the 29 species studied, 11 are perennial, 6 occur in three seasons, 7 in two seasons, and 5 in one season only. The appearance and disappearance of these algae are closely related to the changes in temperature of the surface water. The annual surface water temperature gradient is 25.6'C and the surface water salinity gradient is 6.2%,. The phenological records for these algae show that the climax of reproductive activity for most of the taxa studied is in summer and early autumn. During that period all Chloro- phyta produce swarmers, the phaeophyte Punctaria plantaginea has plurilocular reproductive organs, and all Florideophyceae develop either carposporangia or spermatangia, or both. The Phaeophyta Petalonia fascia and Scytosiphon lomentaria, as well as the Rhodophyta Porphyra leucosticta and P. umbilicalis, release their reproductive cells in the spring. Most Florideophyceae pass the winter in the tetrasporophytic stage or as a sporeling. Like most of the Chlorophyta and the 3 Phaeophyta, these species have an annual cycle. In some of the Ceramiales however, i.e. Ceramium rubrum, Grinnellia americana, Poly- siphonia harveyi, and P. nigrescens, gametophytic plants and tetrasporophytic plants are present at the same time in two different periods of the year. These algae seem to be biennial rather than annual.
Early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer: current perspectives in combined-modality therapy.

The most effective treatment for patients with early-stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains complete surgical resection, providing the disease is medically operable and adequately staged. The effectiveness of surgical resection, however, is limited by high rates of distant recurrence caused by the presence of metastatic disease that is not apparent at the time of surgery. Thus, induction, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, as well as a combination of both, have been studied for their ability to reduce local and distant recurrence rates and to improve survival. Adjuvant chest radiation therapy following resection decreases local relapse rates but also decreases overall patient survival, with an increase in the hazard ratio of death. A previous metaanalysis of cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy showed a 13% reduction in the hazard ratio of death and a 5% improvement in 5-year survival, but the differences in the small sample failed to reach statistical significance. Newer 2-drug combinations were shown to reduce the hazard ratio of death by 14%, with a 4.3% improvement in 5-year survival in the largest trial recently reported. These newer 2-drug combinations also have the benefits of reduced toxicity and improved delivery. Induction chemotherapy offers several potential advantages compared with adjuvant chemotherapy, such as improved delivery, early control of micrometastatic disease, and reduction of the primary tumor size prior to surgery, thus allowing for more conservative and possibly complete resection of the tumor. A number of clinical trials have shown that induction chemotherapy is safe and feasible, with no significant increase in surgical complications, and results in favorable survival rates in patients with resectable NSCLC. A number of phase III randomized trials are currently under way to confirm the benefits of induction chemotherapy in patients with stage IB-IIIA NSCLC and to compare induction chemotherapy versus adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery versus surgery alone. In addition, biologically targeted agents are currently under study for patients with advanced NSCLC.
Rate region of the Gaussian scalar-help-vector source-coding problem

We determine the rate region of the Gaussian scalar-help-vector source-coding problem under a covariance matrix distortion constraint. The rate region is achieved by a Gaussian achievable scheme. We introduce a novel lower bounding technique to establish the converse of the main result. Our approach is based on lower bounding the problem with a potentially reduced dimensional problem by projecting the main source and imposing the distortion constraint in certain directions determined by the optimal Gaussian scheme. We also provide several properties that the optimal solution to the point-to-point rate-distortion problem for a vector Gaussian source under a covariance matrix distortion constraint satisfies. These properties play an important role in our converse proof.
Two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis of dog crevicular fluid proteins

Abstract The ligature-induced periodontitis model was used in beagle dogs to compare and contrast profiles of crevicular fluid (CF) proteins collected from gingivitis and periodontitis sites. The protein profiles of CF and serum were determined by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) using a silver stain. 2-D PAGE showed that CF contained proteins with molecular weight 16 K or less and many proteins with molecular weights between 64 K and 16 K in the isoelectric pH between approximately 5.8 and 6.8. The number of such proteins was greater in samples collected from the ligated (periodontitis) side compared to the non-ligated (gingivitis) side. Thus, analysis by 2-D PAGE revealed differences between CF samples from gingivitis and ligature-induced periodontitis sites. This study suggests that analysis of human CF by 2-D PAGE may be useful in diagnosis and investigation of the pathogenesis of periodontitis.
Observation of chemical-shift effects in wide-line deuterium NMR

Abstract Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance spectra at 7.05 T are reported for two perdeuterated polymers, poly(propylene)-d 6 and poly(methylmethacrylate)-ds. Using an inversion-recovery quadrupolar echo pulse sequence, unusual, nonsymmetric Pake powder patterns are observed in the spectra of poly(methylmethacrylate)-d 8 . These nonsymmetric line shapes are explained on the basis of chemical-shift differences of the two different methyl group resonances in the perdeuterated polymer. Spectral simulations of the inversion-recovery experiment are presented that include chemical shift as a simulation parameter. Methyl rotation correlation times are also calculated from the measured nuclear relaxation rates and compared to values obtained from the literature.
Coupling MODIS and Radar Altimetry Data for Discharge Estimation in Poorly Gauged River Basins

The capability of coupling measurements of river velocity derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and water levels derived from ENVISAT Advanced Radar Altimeter (RA-2) for river discharge estimation is thoroughly investigated. The method is applied even considering the possible unavailability of the river cross-section survey by using the entropy theory for reconstructing the bathymetry. The discharge estimation accuracy is validated using in situ measurements along the Po River (Northern Italy) where daily observations are available for the period 2005–2010. The agreement with the observed discharge is fairly satisfactory with coefficient of correlation of 0.91 and relative root-mean-square error (RMSE) of ${\sim} 37\% $ on average. Therefore, the coupling of the two sensors provides, with a good level of accuracy, the hydraulic quantities to use for discharge estimation. These results are particularly significant for the forthcoming European Space Agency Sentinel-3 mission, in which a visible-near infrared multispectral sensor and an altimeter will be onboard the same satellite platform providing significant improvements in terms of vertical accuracy and spatial–temporal resolution.