cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Demonstrating close-packing of atoms using spherical bubble gums

In this paper, the use of spherical bubble gums (Gum Balls) to demonstrate the close-packing of atoms and ions is presented. Spherical bubble gums having distinctive colours were used to illustrate the different layers in variety of crystalline packing and the formation of tetrahedral and octahedral holes. Students with hands-on experience of building the different packing models could better understood the close-packing of atoms.
On the quantum Landau collision operator and electron collisions in dense plasmas

The quantum Landau collision operator, which extends the widely used Landau/Fokker-Planck collision operator to include quantum statistical effects, is discussed. The quantum extension can serve as a reference model for including electron collisions in non-equilibrium dense plasmas, in which the quantum nature of electrons cannot be neglected. In this paper, the properties of the Landau collision operator that have been useful in traditional plasma kinetic theory and plasma transport theory are extended to the quantum case. We outline basic properties in connection with the conservation laws, the H-theorem, and the global and local equilibrium distributions. We discuss the Fokker-Planck form of the operator in terms of three potentials that extend the usual two Rosenbluth potentials. We establish practical closed-form expressions for these potentials under local thermal equilibrium conditions in terms of Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein integrals. We study the properties of linearized quantum Landau operator, and extend two popular approximations used in plasma physics to include collisions in kinetic simulations. We apply the quantum Landau operator to the classic test-particle problem to illustrate the physical effects embodied in the quantum extension. We present useful closed-form expressions for the electron-ion momentum and energy transfer rates. Throughout the paper, similarities and differences between the quantum and classical Landau collision operators are emphasized.
Review of the Utilization of Vehicular Braking Energy in Urban Railway Transportation

The feasibility and potentiality of vehicular braking energy utilization in urban railway transportation networks are discussed.Existing techniques in this field are introduced with their features analyzed and problems pointed out.Resolving methods of these problems are proposed and current researching concerns on vehicular braking energy utilization are investigated.A preview of possible developments is presented finally.These work will provide useful information for vehicular braking energy utilization in urban railway transportation networks and contribute to the development of the urban railway vehicles.
Mesothelial Hyperplasia in Hernia Sacs

AbstractMesothelial hyperplasia is a benign condition, which simulates a neoplastic process. Since it may occur in hernia sacs this entity must be recognized by the urologist to prevent over-treatment.
Habenular neuron responses to noxious input are modified by dorsal raphe stimulation.

Single-cell experiments were undertaken to characterize the neurons of the rat habenular complex (Hab) which respond to noxious input and the extent to which the noxious responses can be modulated by dorsal raphe stimulation. The reported observations demonstrate that habenular neurons exhibit two response patterns to noxious stimulation termed 'nociceptive-on' and 'nociceptive-off'. In addition, it was demonstrated that dorsal raphe stimulation modulates the noxious input to the 'nociceptive-on' and to the 'nociceptive-off' cells. These findings demonstrated that the habenular complex responds to noxious input and, together with other findings reporting that both direct morphine application into the Hab and electrical stimulation of the Hab produced analgesiasuggest that the habenular complex is integrated into the pain regulatory circuitry.
Correlation between Oncotype Dx score with histologic grade, tumor size and Ki67 in patients with early stage breast cancer: A single academic institution experience.

146 Background: Oncotype DX is an RT-PCR based assay that calculates a recurrence score (RS) to predict chemotherapy benefit in patients with breast cancer. Some authors have proposed using Ki-67, receptor status, Nottingham grade, and tumor size as histo-pathologic variables that could potentially substitute for the RS. Comprehensive and larger reviews are still lacking in this filed. To our knowledge this is the largest retrospective review of cases in a single academic institution. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and reported baseline patient demographic characteristics (including age, race and gender) and routine pathological features such as histologic grade, Ki-67, tumor size, and histologic type. All patients included in this study had an Oncotype Dx ordered between 2007 and 2014. Results: Our analysis included 252 patients of which 248 were females and 4 were males, median age was 56, median tumor size of 2.1 cm. The majority of cases were grade 2 with 49.4%, followed by grade 3 with 28.1% an...
The World Bank Experience with Housing Finance

In the last ten years the World Bank has lent over US$3 billion for housing finance projects. A review of the Bank’s experience with these projects can offer some perspective and insights on when and how such projects can be effective contributors to broader economic policies and the financial deregulation process. A control point of the review is to indicate that while the Bank’s experience is complicated and variable, one maxim, however, remains valid: correctly structured housing finance systems can be expected to significantly improve the mobilization of financial resources, and the effective targeting of subsidies. These improvements, in turn, can help develop the sector so that the social concerns generated by poor housing conditions can be obviated.
Renewable Unsaturated Polyesters from Muconic Acid

cis,cis-Muconic acid is an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid that can be produced in high yields via biological conversion of sugars and lignin-derived aromatic compounds. Muconic acid is often targeted as an intermediate to direct replacement monomers such as adipic or terephthalic acid. However, the alkene groups in muconic acid provide incentive for its direct use in polymers, for example, in the synthesis of unsaturated polyester resins. Here, biologically derived muconic acid is incorporated into polyesters via condensation polymerization using the homologous series of poly(ethylene succinate), poly(propylene succinate), poly(butylene succinate), and poly(hexylene succinate). Additionally, dimethyl cis,cis-muconate is synthesized and subsequently incorporated into poly(butylene succinate). NMR measurements demonstrate that alkene bonds are present in the polymer backbones. In all cases, the glass transition temperatures are increased whereas the melting and degradation temperatures are decreased. In the ...
Bioinformatics Aspects of Foodborne Pathogen Research

This chapter functions as an introduction to the field of bioinformatics and current sequencing technologies as it pertains to the research of foodborne pathogens. As the field of bioinformatics and the field of whole genome sequencing are rapidly evolving, the chapter focuses on general principles in bioinformatics analyses of microbial genomes and microbiome, such as genome assembly, comparative genomics, population genetics and phylogenetics. The last part of the chapter discusses microbiome research and it’s applications to foodborne pathogen research.
An in-situ electrochemical IR investigation of solution CO electro-oxidation on a polycrystalline Au surface in an alkaline electrolyte: Identification of active reaction intermediates

Abstract We report an in-situ electrochemical surface enhanced IR reflection absorption spectroscopic (SEIRAS) study of carbon monoxide electro-oxidation reaction (COR) of CO dissolved in alkaline supporting electrolyte (COsol). With judiciously chosen concentration of OH−, we were able to observe for the first time the vibrational band of the weakly adsorbed COw in an alkaline solution and identify it as the active reaction intermediate for the COR of COsol, as in the acidic media. With the help of deuterium labeling, we were also able to confirm spectroscopically, again for the first time, the previously proposed CO-adsorption-promoted-OH-adsorption hypothesis. We proposed a reaction mechanism accordingly that consists of (1) CO-adsorption-promoted OH adsorption, (2) formation of weakly-bound COw from COsol, and (3) the oxidation of COw by a surface-anchored weakly-hydrogen-bound species. We believe that the synergistic actions of these elemental chemical processes are the reasons for the observed unusually high activity of COR of COsol in an alkaline solution.
Remote Sensing of Sea Surface Temperature Using AMSR-2 Measurements

In this paper, an operational retrieval algorithm is described to infer sea surface temperature (SST) using measurements from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2 (AMSR-2) aboard the Global Change Observation Mission-Water. The algorithm exploits AMSR-2 observations from 12 channels (6–36 GHz, horizontally and vertically polarized), after being corrected for residual calibration biases, to retrieve SST using a statistical based scheme. The Algorithm performance is assessed and results are compared to models and other independent data products.
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits: Part 3 [Circuit Intuitions]

Welcome to the 19th article in the "Circuit Intuitions" column series. As the title suggests, each article provides insights and intuitions into circuit design and analysis. These articles are aimed at undergraduate students but may serve the interests of other readers as well. I would appreciate your comments and feedback as well as your requests and suggestions for future articles in this series. Please e-mail me at ali@ece.utoronto.ca.
SM 05-0904 Protecting kids in school zones

The Safe School Zones initiative guides Safe Kids coalitions in the U.S. in identifying locations in need of pedestrian safety improvement and selecting, implementing and evaluating appropriate countermeasures to improve child pedestrian safety. This presentation will share successes and lessons learned from six years of grant-funded projects, including new research on long-term safety outcomes to understand the lasting impact on safety, active transportation, and other relevant outcomes. Presenters will demonstrate how community grants are used to establish community task-forces comprised of key pedestrian safety stakeholders to make needed improvements for enhancing safety. Safe Kids coalitions were provided with a two-day workshop led by international experts in pedestrian safety. The workshop brought together stakeholders to identify locations at greatest need of improvements, as well as countermeasures to enhance safety. Projects were comprehensive in approach, involving engineering, education, and enforcement solutions. Several of the grant projects have been evaluated based on field observations of pedestrian behavior collected before and after implementation, along with speed and crash data. Overall, participants in the workshops have indicated they have more knowledge in the pedestrian safety area, which can be applied to other projects. Site evaluations have demonstrated improvements in pedestrian and motor vehicle compliance with yielding laws, increases in pedestrian activity, reduced turning conflicts, reduced speeds, and safer walking behaviors among pedestrians. This project has also addressed economic and social justice issues by creating change in areas in most need for pedestrian safety projects. One of the key benefits to the Safe School Zones initiative is the multidisciplinary approach working to improve child pedestrian safety in communities. This model leverages a variety of perspectives and professions, which provides a valuable example to others who may approach pedestrian safety with a more limited scope.
Structure, diversity and health of Sierra Nevada red fir forests with reestablished fire regimes

The reestablishment of natural fire regimes may benefit forest ecosystems by restoring their fundamental structural, compositional or functional attributes. We examined the influence of fire on the structure, understorey diversity and health of red fir (Abies magnifica) forests by comparing burned and unburned stands in 22 separate, paired fires of Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and the Giant Sequoia National Monument. Burned red fir plots were characterised by lower tree densities and canopy cover, restored spatial heterogeneity and higher understorey species richness than unburned plots. Densities of large trees and large snags and red fir regeneration were similar between burned and unburned sites. Forest health indicators were similar between burned and unburned sites, and red fir crown loss ratings were primarily associated with topographic variables indicative of increased moisture stress or reduced soil moisture availability (i.e. lower elevations, south-facing slopes). Our results suggest that fire does not improve the health of red fir trees especially in areas of greater moisture stress, but it can restore red fir forest structure, increase understorey diversity and enhance adaptive capacity in landscapes with reestablished fire regimes.
High-Dielectric 3-D Printable Materials for Laser Accelerators

“Logpile” photonic band gap structures are an attractive option for the construction of laser dielectric accelerators. In principle, these structures can be fabricated using a commercial Nanoscribe 3-D printer, although currently available resins do not meet the materials requirements necessary for a functional dielectric waveguide for laser accelerators. In particular, the requisite optical-frequency dielectric constant is well outside the range of conventional organic materials. This work examines material options for overcoming this barrier, while simultaneously meeting requirements for loss tangent, laser-induced breakdown, and compatibility with two-photon polymerization. We present computational screening of more exotic organics resins, and synthetic options for promising candidates. In addition, we discuss materials approaches involving metal-polymer complexes, as well as germanium and metal-chalcogenide polymer nanocomposites. Prospects, inherent limitations, and initial characterization of these various materials will be discussed in the context of 3D-printed dielectric accelerators.
Tetra-pyrazine-platinum(II) bis-(tetra-fluoro-borate) acetonitrile hemisolvate.

The improved synthesis and characterization of tetra­pyrazine­platinum(II) bis­(tetra­fluoro­borate) acetonitrile hemisolvate, [Pt(C4H4N2)4](BF4)2·0.5CH3CN, is reported. The unit cell contains a half equivalent of an acetonitrile solvent mol­ecule per tetra­pyrazine­platinum(II) ion. The coordination geometry of the PtII ion is almost square-planar, with the Pt atom residing on an inversion center. The BF4− counter-anion, located at a general position, has an idealized tetra­hedral geometry and an acetonitrile solvent mol­ecule, the methyl group of which is disordered over two equal positions, sits on a twofold rotation axis.
Effectiveness of the American College of Surgeons Bleeding Control Basic Training Among Laypeople Applying Different Tourniquet Types: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance More than 500 000 laypeople in the United States have been trained in hemorrhage control, including tourniquet application, under the Stop the Bleed campaign. However, it is unclear whether after hemorrhage control training participants become proficient in a specific type of tourniquet or can also use other tourniquets effectively. Objective To assess whether participants completing the American College of Surgeons Bleeding Control Basic (B-Con) training with Combat Application Tourniquets (CATs) can effectively apply bleeding control principles using other tourniquet types (commercial and improvised). Design, Setting, and Participants This nonblinded, crossover, sequential randomized clinical trial with internal control assessed a volunteer sample of laypeople who attended a B-Con course at Gillette Stadium and the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts, for correct application of each of 5 different tourniquet types immediately after B-Con training from April 4, 2018, to October 9, 2018. The order of application varied for each participant using randomly generated permutated blocks. Interventions Full B-Con course, including cognitive and skill sessions, that taught bleeding care, wound pressure and packing, and CAT application. Main Outcomes and Measures Correct tourniquet application (applied pressure of ≥250 mm Hg with a 2-minute time cap) in a simulated scenario for 3 commercial tourniquets (Special Operation Forces Tactical Tourniquet, Stretch-Wrap-and-Tuck Tourniquet, and Rapid Application Tourniquet System) and improvised tourniquet compared with correct CAT application as an internal control using 4 pairwise Bonferroni-corrected comparisons with the McNemar test. Results A total of 102 participants (50 [49.0%] male; median [interquartile range] age, 37.5 [27.0-53.0] years) were included in the study. Participants correctly applied the CAT at a significantly higher rate (92.2%) than all other commercial tourniquet types (Special Operation Forces Tactical Tourniquet, 68.6%; Stretch-Wrap-and-Tuck Tourniquet, 11.8%; Rapid Application Tourniquet System, 11.8%) and the improvised tourniquet (32.4%) (P Conclusions and Relevance The B-Con principles for correct CAT application are not fully translatable to other commercial or improvised tourniquet types. This study demonstrates a disconnect between the B-Con course and tourniquet designs available for bystander first aid, potentially stemming from the lack of consensus guidelines. These results suggest that current B-Con trainees may not be prepared to care for bleeding patients as tourniquet design evolves. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:NCT03538379
Carotenemia: A Case Report

Carotenemia is a condition characterized by yellow-orange discoloration of the skin usually secondary to excessive ingestion of foods rich in carotene. It occurs in the absence of yellow discoloration of the sclera. Carotenemia is a benign condition; hence, further diagnostic testing is unnecessary. We present a case of carotenemia secondary to excessive ingestion of papaya and mango.
Impact, Legitimacy, and Limitations of Truth Commissions

How do truth commissions affect post-conflict violence? In Impact, Legitimacy, and Limitations of Truth Commissions, Dr. Angela Nichols explores the comparative efficacy of truth commissions (TC), ...
A family affair—Severe fetal and neonatal hemolytic anemia due to novel alpha‐spectrin mutations in two siblings

Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is the most common cause of inherited, nonimmune hemolytic anemia. When inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, the anemia is typically mild. However, severe, transfusion-dependent anemia is seen in autosomal recessive HS, which is often associated with deficient or absent red blood cell membrane protein alpha-spectrin. We report a 26-year-old para one who was referred to our center at 28 weeks' gestation due to concerns for fetal anemia. Evaluation revealed elevated peak systolic velocity in the middle cerebral artery by Doppler scan and fetal cardiomegaly. Fetal hematocrit obtained by sampling the umbilical vein was 9% confirming severe fetal anemia. Fetal peripheral smear was consistent with hereditary spherocytosis. Genetic analysis of both parents confirmed heterozygosity for the SPTA1 variants (pathogenic variant c.4180del (p.C1394Afs*25), and a variant of uncertain significance, c.1677G>T (p.G449G)) detected by a hemolytic anemia panel in the patient's first child. It is important to consider genetic causes of anemia in patients presenting with severe nonimmune fetal anemia, including autosomal recessive HS. We present a case of autosomal recessive HS with a novel pathogenic variant in the SPTA1 gene which resulted in significant impact on prenatal management.
A machine learning approach to identification of unhealthy drinking

Introduction: Unhealthy drinking is prevalent in the United States, and yet it is underidentified and undertreated. Identifying unhealthy drinkers can be time-consuming and uncomfortable for primary care providers. An automated rule for identification would focus attention on patients most likely to need care and, therefore, increase efficiency and effectiveness. The objective of this study was to build a clinical prediction tool for unhealthy drinking based on routinely available demographic and laboratory data. Methods: We obtained 38 demographic and laboratory variables from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999 to 2016) on 43,545 nationally representative adults who had information on alcohol use available as a reference standard. Logistic regression, support vector machines, k-nearest neighbor, neural networks, decision trees, and random forests were used to build clinical prediction models. The model with the largest area under the receiver operator curve was selected to build the prediction tool. Results: A random forest model with 15 variables produced the largest area under the receiver operator curve (0.78) in the test set. The most influential predictors were age, current smoker, hemoglobin, sex, and high-density lipoprotein. The optimum operating point had a sensitivity of 0.50, specificity of 0.86, positive predictive value of 0.55, and negative predictive value of 0.83. Application of the tool resulted in a much smaller target sample (75% reduced). Conclusion: Using commonly available data, a decision tool can identify a subset of patients who seem to warrant clinical attention for unhealthy drinking, potentially increasing the efficiency and reach of screening.
Comparison of nature-inspired techniques in design optimization of non-uniformly spaced arrays in the presence of mutual coupling

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the performance of various nature-inspired optimization algorithms in the design and analysis of non-uniformly spaced arrays. These algorithms include covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy (CMA-ES), evolutionary programming (EP), particle swarm optimization (PSO), genetic algorithm (GA), and fireworks algorithm (FWA). First, we compare the performance of these algorithms in optimal placements of elements in non-uniformly spaced linear arrays with uniform weights in order to achieve minimized sidelobe level for a given beam-direction as well as for having nulls at specified angles. We consider linear arrays with both isotropic and finite-length dipole elements, and both without and with mutual coupling effects. We also present the optimization of both spacings and weights in the design of sparse Dolph-Chebyshev arrays in the presence of mutual coupling effects. In addition, we perform the optimization for the case of a two-dimensional planar array. Finally, we apply a variation of the algorithms to perform joint direction-of-arrival and mutual coupling estimation using structured sparse arrays such as nested and minimum redundancy arrays.
Efficient symbolic execution of value-based data structures for critical systems

Symbolic execution shows promise for increasing the automation of verification tasks in certified safety/security-critical systems, where use of statically allocated value-based data structures is mandated. In fact Spark/Ada, a subset of Ada designed for verification and used for building critical systems, only permits data structures that are statically allocated. This paper describes a novel and efficient graph-based representation for programs making use of value-based data structures and procedure contracts. We show that our graph-based representation offers performance superior to a logic-based representation that is used in many approaches that delegate array reasoning to a decision procedure.
G242(P) Does the sepsis screening tool used in the paediatric emergency department highlight children at risk of sepsis and what is the relationship of initial bpews score to patient outcome

Aims This study of children seen in the paediatric emergency department set out to determine how useful the sepsis screening tool was in alerting clinicians to unwell potentially septic children, and to establish if the initial BPEWS (beside paediatric early warning score) was predictive of admission. Methods A retrospective study of the electronic patient records for patients who had triggered on the sepsis screening tool over a 4 month period. Information gathered included initial BPEWS with breakdown for each parameter, and the outcome – discharged or admission (admission included children observed in the clinical decision unit or use of the nursing outreach service). Of those who required admission, further information was gathered as to final diagnosis, whether antibiotics were given (IV or oral) and the microbiology results. Results In the study period 719 patients triggered on the sepsis screening tool of which 713 were analysed. 172 of these were admitted (24%), and of these only 1 had an invasive bacteraemia. Respiratory infections were a common cause of illness with 19% (33) having upper respiratory tract infection and 17% (29) having lower. 16% (27) of those admitted were ultimately diagnosed with viral induced wheeze. 63 (37%) were positive for one or more viruses on respiratory or stool samples. Correlation analysis of the BPEWS showed that the higher the initial BPEWS, the more likely that children would be admitted. There was a correlation of 95% between these variables and chi squared analysis of the relationship showed a significant p value of Conclusion Whilst large numbers of children triggered on the sepsis screening tool, 76% were not admitted and thus raises questions as to the sensitivity of the tool. Increasing BPEWS was found to be predictive in identifying children who require admission. This suggests that perhaps the tool requires some adaptations, such as using high BPEWS as a significant trigger, to allow it to be more sensitive and applicable for this population and workforce.
Theoretical study of electronic transport in monolayer SnSe

Monolayer SnSe is a two-dimensional (2D) material with an indirect band gap ($\sim$ 0.92 eV) that can be obtained relatively easily by exfoliating bulk SnSe crystals. Like most 2D van der Waals monolayers, its layered nature reduces or eliminates the defects found in bulk materials, such as surface interface roughness and dangling bonds. Here, we show promising results of first-principle calculations of the low-field mobility and high-field characteristics of monolayer SnSe by implementing the fullband Monte Carlo approach.
Criticality of a Randomly-Driven Front

Consider an advancing ‘front’ $${R(t) \in \mathbb{Z}_{\geqq 0}}$$ and particles performing independent continuous time random walks on $${ (R(t), \infty) \cap \mathbb{Z}}$$ . Starting at $${R(0)=0}$$ , whenever a particle attempts to jump into $${R(t)}$$ the latter instantaneously moves $${k \ge 1}$$ steps to the right, absorbing all particles along its path. We take k to be the minimal random integer such that exactly k particles are absorbed by the move of R, and view the particle system as a discrete version of the Stefan problem $$\begin{aligned}&\partial_{t} u_{*}(t,\xi) = \frac{1}{2} \partial^{2}_{\xi} u_{*}(t,\xi), \quad \xi >r(t), \\ &u_{*}(t,r(t))=0, \\ &\frac{{\rm d} }{{\rm d}t}r(t) = \frac{1}{2} \partial_\xi u_{*}(t,r(t)), \\ &t \mapsto r(t)\ \hbox{non-decreasing}, \quad r(0):=0.\end{aligned} $$ For a constant initial particle density $${u_{*}(0,\xi)=\rho {\bf 1}_{\{\xi > 0\}}}$$ , at $${\rho < 1}$$ the particle system and the PDE exhibit the same diffusive behavior at large time, whereas at $${\rho \ge 1}$$ the PDE explodes instantaneously. Focusing on the critical density $${ \rho=1 }$$ , we analyze the large time behavior of the front R(t) for the particle system, and obtain both the scaling exponent of R(t) and an explicit description of its random scaling limit. Our result unveils a rarely seen phenomenon where the macroscopic scaling exponent is sensitive to the amount of initial local fluctuations. Further, the scaling limit demonstrates an interesting oscillation between instantaneous super- and sub-critical phases. Our method is based on a novel monotonicity as well as PDE-type estimates.
Teledyne Princeton Instruments - Teledyne Imaging: Introducing ground-breaking advancements in sensor and camera technology

CCD and CMOS technology are well established, but over the past two decades there has been a shift from CCD towards CMOS devices, in particular for scientific applications tackling low-light and relatively short exposure times. Although CCD technology is still advantageous for applications such as spectroscopy and astronomy, it is limited by relatively higher read noise and slow readout speed. CMOS technology can overcome these limitations, however scaling this to larger formats has hit technology limits, resulting in slower or noisier products. At Teledyne Imaging, we have combined the benefits of CCD-like technology with the advantages of CMOS sensor architecture to create the ultimate CMOS imaging experience. The newly developed LACera™ technology provides deep-cooled, low-noise performance on a large sensor area, with global shutter, high dynamic range, and glow reduction technology all within one sensor. This technology has also been integrated into an astronomy optimized, large format CMOS camera called COSMOS. Combining all of the advantages of LACera™ technology into one fully integrated device, the COSMOS is advantageous for astronomy applications requiring faster frame rates, high sensitivity and low noise, all while offering large sensor areas for multiple object capture per frame.
Reservoir hosts experiencing food stress alter transmission dynamics for a zoonotic pathogen.

Food limitation is a universal stressor for wildlife populations and is increasingly exacerbated by human activities. Anthropogenic environmental change can significantly alter the availability and...
Violence as a genre of urban life: Urban sustainability and (in)security in South African cities

Focusing on the urban identity of South African cities, this paper considers the merit of adopting “genre knowledges” to understand how violence shapes urban sustainability. Genre and the metaphor ...
Electro-optical frequency division and stable microwave synthesis

Optical frequency division and stable microwave generation is demonstrated using an electro-optical-based frequency comb created through phase modulation of two stable optical signals. The technique is simple, tunable and scalable to higher division ratios.
Structure and permeability differ in subepithelial villus and peyer's patch follicle capillaries

Intravenously injected sheep antilaminin immunoglobulin G conjugated with horseradish peroxidase uniformly labeled the basement membrane of mouse villus epithelium but not that of Peyer's patch follicle domes, although laminin is abundant in both. This suggested differences in the permeability of capillaries underlying these epithelia. Therefore, the fine structure of mouse subepithelial villus and follicle capillaries and their permeability to selected macromolecules was compared. Fenestrae, abundant in villus capillaries, were extremely rare in dome capillaries as assessed by electron microscopy of tissue sections and freeze-fracture replicas. Two minutes after IV-injected horseradish peroxidase and 9 minutes after IV-injected hemoglobin, reaction product decorated the pericapillary space of 97% and 95%, respectively, of capillary profiles in the upper half of villi but only 28% and 2%, respectively, of capillary profiles in the upper half of patch domes. Reaction product was intense surrounding most villus capillaries but, when present, was faint in dome capillary adventitia. These results indicate that most subepithelial capillaries in mouse Peyer's patch domes, unlike those in villi, generally lack endothelial fenestrae, and the dome capillary network is less permeable to some macromolecules than that of the villus.
Modeling and Verification of Pipelined Embedded Processors in the Presence of Hazards and Exceptions

Embedded systems present a tremendous opportunity to customize designs by exploiting the application behavior. Due to increasing design complexity deeply pipelined high performance embedded processors are common today. In the presence of hazards and exceptions the validation of pipelined embedded processors is a major challenge. We extend a Finite State Machine (FSM) based modeling of pipelined processors to verify the pipeline specification in the presence of hazards and multiple exceptions. Our approach leverages the system architect’s knowledge about the behavior of the pipelined processor, through Architecture Description Language (ADL) constructs, and thus allows a powerful top-down approach to pipeline verification. We applied this methodology to the DLX processor to demonstrate the usefulness of our approach
Fiberoptic Array Spectroscopy of NH2 in Comet Hale-Bopp: Nature of the Rotational Energy Distributions

Moderate-resolution spectra of the 030 band of NH2 near 6300 A were recorded in Comet Hale-Bopp near 2.6 and 1.0 AU with the HYDRA array spectrometer on the WIYN telescope. The spectra from beyond the collision sphere were examined with respect to the relative rotational energy distributions in NH2. The relative rotational profiles could be consistently fitted at both heliocentric positions by a photostationary state model that follows optical pumping and fluorescence in the 2A1(Πu)- 2B1 band and radiative rotational relaxation in the ground state. The behavior of the spectra with regard to the relative weakness of lines from K = even states at large heliocentric distances is explained by this model, where only the solar flux changes. The general heliocentric dependence of the rotational excitation temperature of collision-free NH2, and, to a first-order approximation, polar diatomic radicals are predicted. The form of the heliocentric dependence is coincidentally similar to that of CO in the collision sphere as observed by others. Species that can undergo optical pumping will show a heliocentric dependence of the rotational excitation temperature of the form Texc(rh) = T1 AU/r. The NH2 radical and diatomic hydrides will have flatter rh dependence than the polar first row diatomics. The rh dependence is largely controlled by the ratio of the fluorescence excitation rate and the rate of radiative rotational relaxation.
Plasmonic Bragg reflector and its application on optical switching

In nowadays intergrated circuit design, the diffraction limit has restricted the downscaling of the conventional electronic components. Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPPs) are quantized charge density oscillations that occur at the interface between metal and dielectric materials when photons couple to the free electron gas of the metal. The extraordinary properties of SPPs can be utilized for sub-diffraction limit wave guiding and localized field enhancement. The resulting photonic components overcome the physics limitations of their electronic counterparts and offer a promising vista of the next generation all-optic circuits. Among all possible plasmonic-based configurations, those focus light into the dielectric core in a metal-insulator-metal(MIM) structure allow the manipulation and transmission of light at the nanoscale. Based on MIM structures, plasmonic Bragg reflectors reveal similar properties as the distributed Bragg reflectors. Therefore, plasmonic Bragg reflectors may also be used for effective optical switching, when the similar design for distributed Bragg reflectors is applied. In this thesis, the sawtooth plasmonic Bragg reflector and the nonlinear λ/4-shifted plasmonic Bragg reflector is proposed and studied. The obtained simulation results grant a better understanding of the characteristics of plasmonic Bragg reflectors and demonstrate their outstanding performance on optical switching.
Historical and current perspectives on organic meat production

The public concerns about the environment and the chemicals used in food production have made consumers more sensitive to the potential ecological problems associated with synthetic chemicals used in farming. This has resulted in a growing interest in the production of organic foods. Based on the growth of market demand, organic foods have become much more precisely defined as a regulatory entity, and now these food products often carry an organic label when sold at retail establishments. However, there is still some confusion among consumers about the different organic labels, and some of those reasons are discussed here. In addition to covering the development of organic foods and meats and current perceptions, this chapter also discusses the specific objectives on organic meat production and processing, which is the subject of this book.
Contemporary tectonic motion of the eastern Snake River Plain: A campaign global positioning system study

A comparison of precision campaign GPS data from 1995 and 2004 from ten benchmarks on the eastern Snake River Plain (eSRP) has revealed that the province moved 2.8 ± 0.3 mm/yr to the SW (232.4 ± 6.3°) relative to a fixed North American reference frame. The benchmarks had no measurable displacement relative to one another at the resolution of the GPS during the nine-year study, evidence that the province moves as a rigid, non-extending block. This scenario is supported by the aseismic nature of the province and the lack of measurable horizontal stress in boreholes. However, an additional small component of intra-plain extension must also be invoked to account for the observed NW-trending volcanic rift zones that transect the eSRP. We suggest that intra-plain extension is too slow (<1 mm/yr) to measure using our campaign GPS methods, but may be sufficient over millennial time scales to accommodate rift zone formation. Slower velocities measured on three benchmarks within the neighboring Basin and Range ‘seismic parabola’ are consistent with this region serving as a zone of detachment between the North American craton and the faster-moving eSRP.
Aspiration of Grass Head with Subsequent Migration to the Lung Periphery

A 9-year-old boy was referred to pediatric pulmonology with hemoptysis. There was history of a possible foreign body aspiration event that had occurred 4 months previously. Computed tomography scan of the chest demonstrated right lower lobe atelectasis. However, flexible fiber-optic bronchoscopy did not reveal any foreign body in the airway. Over the following month, there were two additional episodes of hemoptysis. In consultation with pediatric surgery, the child went to the operating room for video-assisted thoracoscopy. This revealed that there was an aspirated grass head that had migrated to the lung periphery.
Correlation of Arthroscopic and Clinical Examinations With Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings of Injured Knees in Children and Adolescents

This study evaluated the correlation among clinical diagnosis, magnetic resonance imaging reports, and arthroscopic findings in 28 patients aged 8 to 17 years (average, 14.4) with knee injuries. Meniscal, anterior cruciate ligament, and articular surface injuries were evaluated. A highly positive correlation (78.5%) was found between clinical and arthroscopic findings. A highly negative correlation was found between arthroscopic and magnetic resonance imaging findings (78.5%) and between clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings (75%). In this series, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity data were much more favorable from clinical examination than from magnetic resonance imaging. Overall, magnetic resonance imaging diagnoses added little guidance to patient management and at times provided spurious information.
Patient characteristics influencing the variability of distributed parameter-based models in DCE-CT kinetic analysis

Kinetic parameter variability may be sensitive to kinetic model choice, kinetic model implementation or patient-specific effects. The purpose of this study was to assess their impact on the variability of dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT) kinetic parameters. A total of 11 canine patients with sinonasal tumours received high signal-to-noise ratio, test-double retest DCE-CT scans. The variability for three distributed parameter (DP)-based models was assessed by analysis of variance. Mixed-effects modelling evaluated patient-specific effects. Inter-model variability (CVinter ) was comparable to or lower than intra-model variability (CVintra ) for blood flow (CVinter :[4-28%], CVintra :[28-31%]), fractional vascular volume (CVinter :[3-17%], CVintra :[16-19%]) and permeability-surface area product (CVinter :[5-12%], CVintra :[14-15%]). The kinetic models were significantly (P<0.05) impacted by patient characteristics for patient size, area underneath the curve of the artery and of the tumour. In conclusion, DP-based models demonstrated good agreement with similar differences between models and scans. However, high variability in the kinetic parameters and their sensitivity to patient size may limit certain quantitative applications.
Enumeration of Scientific Populations by Immunofluorescence

The fluorescent antibody (FA) staining technique is a powerful tool in microbial ecology since it makes possible the direct identification of microbial populations in mixed communities. A number of quantitative and qualitative immunofluorescence studies have greatly advanced our knowledge of the autecology of many microorganisms in diverse habitats. To illustrate the quantitative application of the technique in an aquatic habitat, the distribution of Nitrobacter, a chemo-autotrophic nitrite-oxidizing bacterium, was determined in a Minnesota lake. Population densities of 2 to 10 x 10 2 cells/ml were relatively uniform in the upper 7 m of the water column but decreased to 0.1 to 1 x 10 2 in the bottom 3 m, which suggested that conditions in the upper layers were more favorable for nitrification. The distribution with depth on three consecutive days was quite similar, as were duplicate subsamples from the same sample. These results indicate that the method accurately measured the nitrobacter population density. Interference from debris and other cells was presumably the reason for nonproportionality between the sample volume assayed and the population density calculated from larger sample volumes. This interference determines the minimum population density which can be measured accurately by FA staining.
Computational Studies of Oxahalocarbene Fragmentation: Convergence of Theory and Experiment

B3LYP/6-31G* computed transition states and activation energies for the unimolecular and bimolecular fragmentation reactions of eight oxahalocarbenes (ROCX) are in good accord with the available ex...
Kashmir: ripe for resolution?

Abstract This paper documents and analyses 46 proposals made between 1947 and 2008 for resolving the India–Pakistan dispute over Jammu and Kashmir. We conduct a content analysis to recognise the patterns that emerge from these formulations and identify the key elements that recur over time. Our analysis suggests that the dispute may be more ‘ripe’ for resolution today than it has ever been in the past. For the first time in the dispute's history, there is growing convergence over a core element of the solution, ie granting autonomy to Kashmiris. This is matched by a virtual consensus on the ‘catalysts’, namely soft borders to allow relatively free human and economic exchange within Jammu and Kashmir, the notion of Kashmiri involvement in any negotiations on the issue and demilitarisation of the state. Ripeness alone, however, does not lead to resolution. Over the years various dynamic proposals have been made, which means that this particular convergence could also dissipate, as some of the prior ones hav...
Multiplexed fluorescence detection in microfabricated devices with both time-resolved and spectral-discrimination capabilities using near-infrared fluorescence

Abstract We examined the feasibility of using a two-color time-resolved detection scheme with microdevices for DNA sequencing applications. A home-built dual-color optical-fiber-based time-resolved near-infrared (IR) fluorescence microscope successfully coupled lifetime discrimination with color discrimination, increasing fluorescence multiplexing capabilities. The instrument was constructed by using two pulsed-diode lasers (680/780-nm excitation) and two avalanche photodiodes as the basic building blocks. The data were processed using electronics configured in a time-correlated single-photon counting format. The use of near-IR fluorescence detection greatly simplified the hardware and allowed low detection limits (
Effects of wind-powered hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on stratospheric ozone and global climate

[1] Converting the world's fossil-fuel onroad vehicles (FFOV) to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCV), where the H2 is produced by wind-powered electrolysis, is estimated to reduce global fossil, biofuel, and biomass-burning emissions of CO2 by ∼13.4%, NOx ∼23.0%, nonmethane organic gases ∼18.9%, black carbon ∼8% H2 ∼3.2% (at 3% leakage), and H2O ∼0.2%. Over 10 years, such reductions were calculated to reduce tropospheric CO ∼5%, NOx ∼5–13%, most organic gases ∼3–15%, OH ∼4%, ozone ∼6%, and PAN ∼13%, but to increase tropospheric CH4 ∼0.25% due to the lower OH. Lower OH also increased upper tropospheric/lower stratospheric ozone, increasing its global column by ∼0.41%. WHFCV cooled the troposphere and warmed the stratosphere, reduced aerosol and cloud surface areas, and increased precipitation. Other renewable-powered HFCV or battery electric vehicles should have similar impacts.
On the numerical computation of the derivatives of a B-spline series

In this paper we present a description and an error analysis of the various algorithms used to evaluate the derivatives of a given B-spline series. The results of the error analysis show that the basic de Boor-Cox evaluation scheme is the «best» algorithm for controlling the growth of round-off error. Comparisons of the overall accuracies of the various algorithms are illustrated through several numerical examples
Alternate, adjacent 2 and 3:1 meiotic segregation products from a balanced t(13;18) (q12;q11) carrier

Cotton C, Cummins M, Smith A. Alternate, adjacent 2 and 3:1 meiotic segregation products from a balanced t(13: 18) (q12;q11) carrier. Clin Genet 1993: 44: 193–195. © Munksgaard, 1993 We present a case in which alternate, adjacent 2 and 3:1 meiotic segregations have occurred in the pregnancies of a female carrier of a balanced reciprocal translocation - 46,XX,t(13;18) (q12;q11). Products of five conceptions effectively showed trisomy 18q, trisomy 18p or monosomy 18p. This is one of the rare rearrangements which can give rise to a variety of segregation modes including adjacent 2.