cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TU-EE-A3-06: Sub-Millimeter Three Dimensional Ventilation Imaging of Rodent Lungs

Purpose: To develop a technique capable of generating a high resolution 3D ventilation image in a rat model from a series of CTimages. This technique will be invaluable in developing strategies for radiation treatmentoptimization and characterization of pulmonary disease states. Method and Materials: A series of three 150gram Fischer 344 rats were euthanized and intubated. The lungs were equilibrated to ambient pressure, then serially inflated and imaged at approximately 1ml increments. A GE flat panel CT scanner capable of 0.15mm resolution was utilized for image acquisition. A deformable image registration algorithm, utilizing 3D optical flow, was applied to each pair of CTimages to map, on a voxel by voxel basis, corresponding tissue elements. The difference in average CT number of a nine voxel region surrounding each pair of mapped voxels was then utilized to compute the change in fraction air per voxel (i.e. regional ventilation). This local ventilation measurement was then superimposed onto each voxel of the CTimage to generate a 3D ventilation image. The sum of each voxel's ventilation (i.e. total lung ventilation) was then compared to the change in manually segmented lung volumes between each of a series of twenty‐two pair of CTimages.Results: Visualization of the 3D ventilation images revealed regional heterogeneity of ventilation throughout the lung fields. The images required smoothing by averaging over a 0.75mm cube surrounding each voxel to minimize artifacts. The calculated total lung ventilation compared favorably with the change in manually segmented lung volumes, with a slope of unity, as expected, and a correlation coefficient of R=0.99. Conclusion: We have demonstrated a unique method of quantifying regional lung ventilation with sub‐millimeter accuracy in a rat model. This model has been developed in order to study lung function and radiation injury.
Qualitative Analysis of the Perspectives of Volunteer Reconstructive Surgeons on Participation in Task-Shifting Programs for Surgical-Capacity Building in Low-Resource Countries

Background Experts agree that the global burden of untreated surgical disease is disproportionately borne by the world’s poorest. This is partly because of a severe shortage of surgical care providers. Several experts have emphasized the need to research solutions for surgical-capacity building in developing countries. Volunteer surgeons already contribute significantly to directly tackling surgical disease burden in developing countries. We qualitatively evaluated their interest in participating in task-shifting programs as a surgical capacity-building strategy.
Decadal variability of temperature at a depth of 400 meters in the North Pacific Ocean

The gyre-scale structure and evolution of decadal ocean thermocline variability in the North Pacific is described by analyzing historical temperature data at a depth of 400 meters. Decadal thermocline anomalies are characterized by a distinct see-saw pattern in the midlatitudes and subtropics that appears to circulate coherently in the North Pacific basin, with a period on the order of 20 years. There are coherent spatial and temporal relationships between temperature anomalies around the subtropical gyre, with phase differences at depth and at the sea surface, suggesting that thermocline variability evolves independently of local SST anomalies. In the subtropics, subsurface anomalies can be seen to propagate all the way across the basin and thereby lead SST anomalies, providing a possible phase transition mechanism for SST. The basinwide anomaly pathways suggest a clockwise advection of subsurface temperature anomalies around the subtropical gyre, an active role played by the mean geostrophic flow in decadal variability.
Improving stability of EKF filter used by the symmetrical measurement equation approach to multiple-target tracking

Multiple Target Tracking (MTT) requires the proper association of measurement data with individual targets before the data is filtered and target positions estimated. Because data association is computationally intensive, there has been interest in the Symmetrical Measurement Equation (SME) approach to MTT. An SME tracker subsumes the data association step by defining a measurement equation where the ordering of measurements is no longer required. However, the acceptance of the SME approach has been curtailed by a lack of stability in the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and the ability of the SME track to properly maintain tracks during track crossings. Tweaking the EKF parameter can improve stability and track maintenance, but we show that an extension to the EKF filter, the Proportional-integral EKF, produces superior results. Integral action improved track maintenance at crossings, reducing the incidence of track switching by more than an order of magnitude. The SME tracker now shows promise of providing superior stability and reduced estimation error while tracking multiple, crossing, and maneuvering targets.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
DERIVATION ALGEBRAS OF RINGS RELATED TO HEISENBERG ALGEBRAS

In this paper, we will determine the Lie algebra of derivations of rings which are generalizations of the enveloping algebras of Heisenberg Lie algebras. First, we will determine which derivations are X-inner and also determine which elements in the Martindale quotient ring induce X-inner derivations. Then, we will show that the Lie algebra of derivations is the direct sum of the ideal of X-inner derivations and a subalgebra which is isomorphic to a subalgebra of finite codimension in a Cartan type Lie algebra.
Intensity statistics-based HSI diffusion for color photo denoising

This paper presents a new image denoising model for real color photo noise removal. Our model is implemented in the hue, saturation and intensity (HSI) space. The hue and saturation denoising are combined and implemented as a complex total variation (TV) diffusion. The intensity denoising is based on a diffusion flow to minimize a new energy functional, which is constructed with intensity component statistics. Besides the common gradient-based edge stopping functions for anisotropic diffusion, specifically for color photo denoising, we incorporate an intensity-based brightness adjusting term in the new energy, which corresponds to the noise disturbance with respect to photo intensity. In addition, we use the gradient vector flow (GVF) as the new diffusion directions for more accurate and robust denoising. Compared with previous diffusion flows only based on regular image gradients, this model provides more accurate image structure and intensity noise characterization for better denoising. Comprehensive quantitative and qualitative experiments on color photos demonstrate the improved performance of the proposed model when compared with 14 recognized approaches and 2 commercial software.
A Doubling Method for the Generalized Lambda Distribution

This paper introduces a new family of generalized lambda distributions (GLDs) based on a method of doubling symmetric GLDs. The focus of the development is in the context of L-moments and L-correlation theory. As such, included is the development of a procedure for specifying double GLDs with controlled degrees of L-skew, L-kurtosis, and L-correlations. The procedure can be applied in a variety of settings such as modeling events and Monte Carlo or simulation studies. Further, it is demonstrated that estimates of L-skew, L-kurtosis, and L-correlation are substantially superior to conventional product-moment estimates of skew, kurtosis, and Pearson correlation in terms of both relative bias and efficiency when heavy tailed distributions are of concern.
Consideration of betaine and one-carbon sources of N5-methyltetrahydrofolate for use in homocystinuria and neural tube defects

A major focus in attempts to ameliorate homocystinuria and neural tube defects is supplementation of the diet with B vitamins. The metabolic defect in these cases may be due in part to a deficiency of methyl groups. B vitamin supplementation supports the need for enzyme cofactors but cannot provide substrate in the form of methyl groups. l-Methionine is an essential amino acid and is required for protein synthesis, but it also plays a unique role in metabolism as S-adenosylmethionine, which is the primary methyl donor in metabolism. The observation that l-homocysteine, which is produced in the metabolism of l-methionine, is remethylated 2-4 times before it is destroyed is key to understanding the possibility of a methyl group deficiency. This suggests that the requirement for methyl groups (ie, S-adenosylmethionine) may be 2-4 times that for methionine in support of protein synthesis. l-Homocysteine can be remethylated to form l-methionine by betaine or N(5)-methyltetrahydrofolate. Betaine and one-carbon sources that lead to the production of N(5)-methyltetrahydrofolate and the remethylation of l-homocysteine to form l-methionine should be considered along with B vitamin supplementation in the treatment of homocystinuria and neural tube defects.
Radar and Damage Analysis of Severe Bow Echoes Observed during BAMEX

Abstract This study examines damaging-wind production by bow-shaped convective systems, commonly referred to as bow echoes. Recent idealized numerical simulations suggest that, in addition to descending rear inflow at the bow echo apex, low-level mesovortices within bow echoes can induce damaging straight-line surface winds. In light of these findings, detailed aerial and ground surveys of wind damage were conducted immediately following five bow echo events observed during the Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortex (MCV) Experiment (BAMEX) field phase. These damage locations were overlaid directly onto Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) images to (i) elucidate where damaging surface winds occurred within the bow-shaped convective system (in proximity to the apex, north of the apex, etc.), and then (ii) explain the existence of these winds in the context of the possible damaging-wind mechanisms. The results of this study provide clear observational evidence that low-level mesovortices wit...
Dramatic acceleration of SET-LRP of methyl acrylate during catalysis with activated Cu(0) wire

A simple method for the activation of the Cu(0) wire used as catalyst in single-electron transfer living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) is reported. The surface of Cu(0) stored in air is coated with a layer of CuO. It is well established that CuO is a less reactive catalyst for SET-LRP than Cu(0). We report here the activation of the Cu(0) wire under nitrogen by the reduction of CuO from its surface to Cu(0) by treatment with hydrazine hydrate. The kinetics of SET-LRP of methyl acrylate (MA) catalyzed with activated Cu(0) wire in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at 25 °C demonstrated a dramatic acceleration of the polymerization and the absence of the induction period observed during SET-LRP catalyzed with nonactivated Cu(0) in several laboratories. Exposure of the activated Cu(0) wire to air results in a lower apparent rate constant of propagation because of gradual oxidation of Cu(0) to CuO. This dramatic acceleration of SET-LRP is similar to that observed with commercial Cu(0) nanopowder except that the polymerization provides excellent molecular weight evolution, very narrow molecular weight distribution and high polymer chain-end functionality.
Mobilizing Asian American Voters: A Field Experiment

This study examines the effects of mobilization on political participation among Asian Americans. It focuses on whether telephone calls and mail increase voter turnout among Asian Americans who live in high-density Asian American areas in Los Angeles County. Prior to the November 5, 2002, elections, a randomized voter mobilization field experiment was conducted. Lists of registered Asian Americans (Chinese, Korean, Indian, Filipino, and Japanese) were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. A few days before Election Day, the treatment group received a phone call or postcard encouraging them to vote. After the election, voter turnout records were reviewed to compare turnout rates for the treatment and control groups. Multivariate analysis shows that telephone calls and mail increase voter turnout for Asian Americans.
Two high-pressure–low-temperature serpentinite-matrix mélange belts, Motagua fault zone, Guatemala: A record of Aptian and Maastrichtian collisions

Left-lateral motion along the North American-Caribbean plate boundary has juxta- posed two high-pressure-low-temperature (HP-LT) belts from separate Cretaceous colli- sions. These two belts have quite different ages and different suites of high-pressure as- semblages, yet they both contain jadeitite, a relatively rare rock type. This part of the plate boundary zone follows the Motagua River Valley in Guatemala, where it separates the Maya block (North American plate) from the Chortis block (Caribbean plate). On both sides of the bounding Motagua fault, tectonic slices of serpentinite-matrix melange host the HP-LT rocks. South of the fault, the melange slices contain eclogite, lawsonite eclogite, glaucophane eclogite, and blueschist blocks. North of the fault, the melange slices contain omphacite metabasite, albitite, and garnet amphibolite blocks, but lack intact eclogite. In addition to the dissimilar rock assemblages, 40 Ar/ 39 Ar geochronology of phen- gitic micas yields 77-65 Ma for northern and 125-113 Ma for southern blocks. These data suggest that the southern belt formed during Early Cretaceous (Aptian), northeastward- dipping subduction of the Farallon plate and collision of the Chortis block with western Mexico. The block was then displaced southeastward along this suture. In contrast, the northern belt records subduction related to the Maastrichtian collision of an extension of the Chortis block, perhaps the Nicaraguan Rise, with the Maya block.
Vector Spectropolarimetry with the Advanced Stokes Polarimeter (ASP) for Quantitative Solar Magnetometry

The validity of the analytic inversion of Stokes vector profiles of the FeI λ6301.5 and A6302.5 A lines to determine vector magnetic fields in the active region NOAA 7197 is shown from several points of view and includes a comparison with direct Zeeman splitting (IR data) and model free geometric methods. Further, in a comparison of ASP spectropolarimetry with coordinated “longitudinal” (i.e. scalar) spectropolarimetry for the same active region (Jones et al., 1993) one finds that the ASP measurements yield superior results.
Position error modeling for automated construction manipulators

Hydraulically actuated construction equipment is rapidly being retrofitted with robotic control capabilities by several major manufacturers. However, position control errors caused by several factors are significant in these types of construction equipment. Errors are amplified if the manipulator and its operator must measure and locate objects in the equipment’s fixed reference frame. Both mechanistic and statistical approaches to correcting position errors are possible. A statistical approach is reported here that is validated based on experiments with a computer-controlled large-scale manipulator (LSM). The LSM is sufficiently representative of several types of construction equipment to be able to serve as a general test bed. In the regression analysis, three factors which are measurable in real time: distance, hydraulic pressure, and payload, were varied to determine their influence on position errors in the LSM. It was shown that with an integrated multivariable regression model, about 30% of the mean positioning error of the LSM can be reduced without the use of fixed external reference systems. The model can be implemented as simple, real-time regression equations.
Pro-apoptotic Bid is required for the resolution of the effector phase of inflammatory arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by hyperplasia of the synovial lining and destruction of cartilage and bone. Recent studies have suggested that a lack of apoptosis contributes to the hyperplasia of the synovial lining and to the failure in eliminating autoreactive cells. Mice lacking Fas or Bim, two pro-apoptotic proteins that mediate the extrinsic and intrinsic death cascades, respectively, develop enhanced K/BxN serum transfer-induced arthritis. Since the pro-apoptotic protein Bid functions as an intermediate between the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, we examined the role that it plays in inflammatory arthritis. Mice deficient in Bid (Bid-/-) show a delay in the resolution of K/BxN serum transfer-induced arthritis. Bid-/- mice display increased inflammation, bone destruction, and pannus formation compared to wild-type mice. Furthermore, Bid-/- mice have elevated levels of CXC chemokine and IL-1β in serum, which are associated with more inflammatory cells throughout the arthritic joint. In addition, there are fewer apoptotic cells in the synovium of Bid-/- compared to Wt mice. These data suggest that extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways cooperate through Bid to limit development of inflammatory arthritis.
Representation of descriptive knowledge for nested hierarchical controllers

A methodology is described for representing nested hierarchical knowledge for control purposes which has been developed for analysis and design of autonomous robots. A theory of knowledge representation for knowledge-based control used ideas of multiresolutional nonhomogeneous (analytical/linguistical) world representation. Algorithms of planning/control have been developed that are consistent with the multiresolutional structure of the nested hierarchical control. A principle of behavioral plurality is exercised within the decision-making subsystem of the controller. >
Fixed points of a family of exponential maps

We consider the family of functions fλ(z) = exp(iλz), λ real. With the help of MATLAB computations, we show fλ has a unique attracting fixed point for several values of λ. We prove there is no attracting periodic orbit of period n ≥ 2.
Persistence of Granular Structure during Die Compaction of Ceramic Powders

Glass spheres were used as a model system to investigate granule failure during die compaction. Stresses within an assembly of spheres follow a network of pathways. When the spheres are of uniform composition, the magnitude of the stresses within a pair of contacting granules is a function of the locally transmitted stress and the diameter of the two spheres. Results obtained using glass spheres demonstrated the statistical nature of granule failure during compaction, with some granules failing at very low applied pressures while others (~40% by volume) persist at even the highest applied loads. Within a distribution of granule sizes, those granules with smaller diameter were seen to have a higher probability of failure at low pressure than were larger granules. These results are consistent with those observed during die compaction of granulated alumina powder.
Transspinal constant-current long-lasting stimulation: a new method to induce cortical and corticospinal plasticity

Functional neuroplasticity in response to stimulation and motor training is a well-established phenomenon. Transcutaneous stimulation of the spine is used mostly to alleviate pain, but it may also induce functional neuroplasticity, because the spinal cord serves as an integration center for descending and ascending neuronal signals. In this work, we examined whether long-lasting noninvasive cathodal (c-tsCCS) and anodal (a-tsCCS) transspinal constant-current stimulation over the thoracolumbar enlargement can induce cortical, corticospinal, and spinal neuroplasticity. Twelve healthy human subjects, blind to the stimulation protocol, were randomly assigned to 40 min of c-tsCCS or a-tsCCS. Before and after transspinal stimulation, we established the afferent-mediated motor evoked potential (MEP) facilitation and the subthreshold transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-mediated flexor reflex facilitation. Recruitment input-output curves of MEPs and transspinal evoked potentials (TEPs) and postactivation depression of the soleus H reflex and TEPs was also established. We demonstrate that both c-tsCCS and a-tsCCS decrease the afferent-mediated MEP facilitation and alter the subthreshold TMS-mediated flexor reflex facilitation in a polarity-dependent manner. Both c-tsCCS and a-tsCCS increased the tibialis anterior MEPs recorded at 1.2 MEP resting threshold, intermediate, and maximal intensities and altered the recruitment input-output curve of TEPs in a muscle- and polarity-dependent manner. Soleus H-reflex postactivation depression was reduced after a-tsCCS and remained unaltered after c-tsCCS. No changes were found in the postactivation depression of TEPs after c-tsCCS or a-tsCCS. Our findings reveal that c-tsCCS and a-tsCCS have distinct effects on cortical and corticospinal excitability. This method can be utilized to induce targeted neuroplasticity in humans.
The Exosporium Layer of Bacterial Spores: a Connection to the Environment and the Infected Host

Much of what we know regarding bacterial spore structure and function has been learned from studies of the genetically well-characterized bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Molecular aspects of spore structure, assembly, and function are well defined. However, certain bacteria produce spores with an outer spore layer, the exosporium, which is not present on B. subtilis spores. Our understanding of the composition and biological functions of the exosporium layer is much more limited than that of other aspects of the spore. Because the bacterial spore surface is important for the spore's interactions with the environment, as well as being the site of interaction of the spore with the host's innate immune system in the case of spore-forming bacterial pathogens, the exosporium is worthy of continued investigation. Recent exosporium studies have focused largely on members of the Bacillus cereus family, principally Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus. Our understanding of the composition of the exosporium, the pathway of its assembly, and its role in spore biology is now coming into sharper focus. This review expands on a 2007 review of spore surface layers which provided an excellent conceptual framework of exosporium structure and function (A. O. Henriques and C. P. Moran, Jr., Annu Rev Microbiol 61:555-588, 2007, http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.micro.61.080706.093224). That review began a process of considering outer spore layers as an integrated, multilayered structure rather than simply regarding the outer spore components as independent parts.
The Ausria Test: Critical Evaluation of Sensitivity and Specificity

Ausria was shown to be considerably more sensitive than CEP by comparing titers of HBAg+ sera and by testing selected proficiency panels, sera from hepatitis patients, and sera from experimentally infected rhesus monkeys; CEP+, Ausria-sera were never encountered. However, in testing NIH donors and personnel, 19 of 20 Ausria+, CEP-sera were shown by neutralization studies to be nonspecific for HBAg, i.e., false positives. Nonspecificity was confirmed by an alternate radioimmunoassay procedure and, in one serum, by density-gradiant ultracentrifugation. Testing of 35 additional Ausria+, CEP-sera from New Jersey donors showed 13 specific and 22 (63%) nonspecific reactions. It is mandatory that serum from every Ausria+, CEP-donor undergo specificity testing. In addition to the 14 specific Ausria+, CEP-sera, two sera, subsequently shown to be CEP+, were undetected on the initial CEP test (one was transfused and resulted in hepatitis). These sera were strongly positive by Ausria; sera subject to reader error in CEP are unequivocally positive by Ausria. Ausria tests on CEP-donors suspected of transmitting HBAg failed to implicate a donor in each of eight cases. Some HBAg+ hepatitis will continue to occur despite universal application of Ausria or other tests of equal sensitivity.
A Franks' lemma for convex planar billiards

Let γ be an orbit of the billiard flow on a convex planar billiard table; then the perpendicular part of the derivative of the billiard flow along γ is a symplectic linear map DP. This paper contains a proof of the following Franks’ lemma for a residual set of convex planar billiard tables: for any closed orbit, the map DP can be perturbed freely within a neighbourhood in Sp(1) by a C2-small perturbation in the space of convex planar billiard tables.
Optically Controlled Mixing in Microdroplets

Liquid microdroplets represent a convenient system for studies of mixing by chaotic advection in discrete microscopic volumes. The mixing properties of the flows in microdroplets are governed by their symmetries, which give rise to invariant surfaces serving as barriers to transport. Complete three-dimensional mixing by chaotic advection requires destruction of all flow invariants. To illustrate this idea, we demonstrate that complete mixing can be obtained in a time-dependent flow produced by motion of a microdroplet along a two-dimensional path. The theoretical predictions are confirmed by experiments that optically manipulate and mix microdroplets.
Can Benefits and Work Incentives Counseling be a Path to Future Economic Self-Sufficiency for Individuals with Disabilities?

In this paper, I estimate the relationship between benefit counseling and work incentive services and various labor market outcomes in the case of Supplemental Security Income /Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries who from 2003 to 2009 participated in the Vocational Rehabilitation programs in New York State. Using the propensity score matching approach, I find that counseling services can increase the probability of successful case closure by 5.2 percentage points. At the same time, these services can increase the earnings and working hours of beneficiaries by $42 and 3.3 h per week, respectively. Moreover, there is a $0.59 per hour increase in the wage rate for service recipients. From these results I conclude that providing benefit counseling and work incentive services helps beneficiaries who have strong employment goals achieve financial independence.
Comparative Toxicity of Avermectin B1 to the Predator Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and the Spider Mites Tetranychus urticae Koch and Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae)

The relative toxicity of avermectin B1 was assessed in the laboratory, using adult females of Tetranychus uritcae Koch, Panonychus ulmi (Koch), and Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt). Avermectin B1 was less toxic to M. occidentalis than to the spider mites. However, at the proposed field rates (4, 8, and 16 ppm), few M. occidentalis survived and fecundity was reduced. Larvae of M. occidentalis were more susceptible to avermectin B1 at 0.1, 4, 8, and 16 ppm, than adult females. Eggs of M. occidentalis hatched on leaf discs containing residues of avermectin B1 applied at field rates, but none of the larvae survived to the nymphal stage. Larvae exposed to avermectin B1 at 0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 ppm matured into adults and deposited eggs, although at 0.1 ppm survival, activity, and developmental rates were reduced. The differential toxicity of avermectin B1 to this predator could be of practical importance in managing spider mite populations in the field, particularly if refuges exist or if resistant predator strains can be developed.
Cloning,Expression,and Identification of the Major Outer Membrane Protein PIA of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in HELA Cell

Objective To clone the major membrane protein PIA gene of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and construct the eukaryotic expression vector expressed in HELA cell. Methods According to the sequence of PIA,design a pair of specific amplification primers by Primer Premier 5.0 Biology Software and amplify the ORF of PIA by PCR after removing the signal peptide. Clone the product of PCR to the pcDNA3.1(+)eukaryotic vector,after identifying the recombinant eukaryotic plasmid by PCR and enzymes analysis,transfect the expression plasmid to the HELA cell by liposome and detect the expression of PIA in the cell by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Results The recombinant plasmid of pcDNA3.1(+)/PIA was constructed successfully and the pcDNA3.1(+)/PIA eukaryotic plasmid could highly express in HELA cell. Conclusions The recombinant plasmid of pcDNA3.1(+)/PIA could highly express in HELA cell and it will be benefit to the function research of the PIA protein.
Chemotherapy for muscle-infiltrating bladder cancer.

The majority of deaths from invasive bladder tumors are from metastases. Thus, integration of systemic chemotherapy is essential to improve survival. The role of chemotherapy for invasive tumors is placed in the context of overall management of this disease considering the currently available regimens. Controversies in the use of chemotherapy are also reviewed along with trials designed to prove the true role of this modality in the treatment of these tumors.
Bioactive-to-immunoreactive ACTH activity changes with severity of stress in late-gestation ovine fetus

The late-gestation ovine fetus (> 130 days, 0.90 gestation, full term 145 days) is capable of increased pituitary-adrenal activity following a variety of stressors. To examine the relationship betw...
Size-related changes in the primary xylem anatomy of some early tracheophytes

A survey of the primary xylem anatomy and dimensions of axes (="stems") of Upper Devonian plant petrifaction/compression fossils reveals the following: among genera, the primary xylem strand (1) increasingly deviates from a cylindrical geometry (=haplostele) as both the axis diameter and the nonxylem ("ground") tissue volume increase and (2) increases in geologically younger specimens. (3) The perimeter length to area ratio of the primary xylem strand (or the primary xylem surface area to volume ratio) is dependent upon axis diameter or the area of the ground tissue. This ratio (4) decreases in evolutionary lineages that involve the appearance of larger plants that maintain a haplostelar anatomy (e.g., the evolution of trimerophytes from a rhyniophyte ancestor) or increases in evolutionary lineages involving the appearance of nonhaplostele anatomy (e.g., the evolution of progymnosperms and pteridophytes from trimerophyte ancestors) and (5) the relative amount of primary xylem to ground tissue increases in stratigraphically younger specimens. These trends are interpreted within the context of (1) correlations between the diameter of axes and the complexity of the primary xylem anatomy reported for some extant pteridophytes and (2) changes associated with the evolution of new primary xylem configurations and organographic relation- ships. Based on the appearance of new ontogenetic patterns and concomitant changes in the anatomy of the primary xylem strand associated with the evolution of derived plant groups, a strict extrapolation of a size to complexity correlation based on ontogenetic studies to the phyletic level is considered suspect.
Experiments with Dense Low-Energy Positrons and Positronium

Abstract This chapter reviews the steps required to capture and accumulate copious numbers of low-energy positrons, and to form positronium (Ps) atoms at low energies. We then relate the few results that have so far been achieved using large pulses of positrons at high densities, include observing Ps–Ps spin exchange quenching, formation and optical excitation of the Ps 2 molecule, and production of a fully spin-polarized ensemble of Ps via Ps–Ps spin exchange quenching. In addition there are many ongoing experiments that are benefiting from the availability of large positron pulses at lower densities, including studying antihydrogen, doing optical spectroscopy on Ps and its negative ion ( Michishio et al., 2015 ) with pulsed lasers, and eventually for measuring Ps free fall in Earth's gravitational field. Meanwhile a number of interesting possibilities involving positron–positron and Ps–Ps interactions are on the horizon, including forming Ps Bose–Einstein condensates and dense collections of positrons having a nonnegligible positronic Fermi energy. In particular, collecting positrons at high density on a tungsten tip from which they would be field emitted could be the basis for a valuable single-molecule positron microscope suggested by Platzman ( Barbiellini and Platzman, 2006 , Mills and Platzman, 2001 ), in which the damage that would ordinarily be sustained by a molecule is mitigated by the rapid transfer of the molecular excitations to the metallic surface.
Ethics & Graphics Reporting

In recent years, surveys of public opinion place journalism at the bottom of 15 groups in terms of public credibility – even below politicians! Thus, maintaining the highest journalistic and ethical standards for your publication's information graphics is not only important, but it's essential to the credibility and reliability of the product. The ethical and responsible journalist is one who constantly challenges and reviews his personal ethical standards, as well as those of the publication for which he works. According to Richard Keeble, author of Ethics for Journalists , ethical inquiry “…encourages journalists to examine their basic moral and political principles; their responsibilities and rights; their relationships to their employer and audience; their ultimate goals.” And in a media age that boasts increased globalization, constant advances in technology and more media outlets and journalistic roles (i.e., reporters, photographers, editors, producers, graphics reporters, designers, etc.) than ever before, continued ethical inquiry on a number of levels must be every journalist's top priority.
Impact of the Use of Regional Poison Control Centers in an Urban EMS Dispatch System

Background The public commonly calls 911 for unintentional ingestions, rather than calling the local poison center. By utilizing a series of scripted questions, 911 dispatchers in Los Angeles determine if an ingestion meets “omega-1” classification. Under such circumstances, the regional poison center is contacted prior to dispatch of paramedics. If the poison center advises that the patient can remain at home, EMS is not dispatched and the patient is followed at home by the poison center. The primary objective is to determine the number of averted transports through involvement of a poison center. A secondary objective is to determine the potential costs and charges saved with the use of such a strategy.
Integrating the end user into infrastructure systems: a customer centric approach to the design and function of intelligent transportation systems

This chapter analyzes the role of users in enacting Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) functions and services. Preliminary evidence from recent demonstrations and market research studies is reviewed with a focus on the role of travelers in producing and using information about traffic conditions and traveler options. The potential for systems development is then considered with specific regard to alternative mode travel, flexible travel, emergency, and commercial services. Based on these findings, several directions and recommendations are made for creating the next generation of ITS systems that enhance user-based elements. Several areas for research and development are recommended, including integrating a wider range of market segments into ITS systems planning, developing a better understanding of how users drive complex systems, and creating new institutional partnerships for delivering innovative services.
Are federal security efforts evidence-based?

Over the last few decades, local law enforcement agencies have become more receptive to incorporating research, evaluation, and analysis into their daily work, a concept known as “evidence-based policing.” Federal law enforcement and security agencies, in contrast, have rarely been evaluated and are traditionally much less open to input and analysis from outside researchers. Recently, leaders in the Federal Protective Service (FPS) have proactively pursued an evidence-based approach, looking to determine how research might apply to their mission and how partnerships with researchers can benefit their agency. In this study, we report on the first comprehensive “evidence assessment” of the deployment portfolio of the FPS. An evidence assessment is a translational criminology method which analyzes an agency’s practices and policies to ascertain how they align with existing crime prevention research. Our findings indicate that while some of FPS’s countermeasures are grounded in promising crime prevention measures, others are more uncertain. It is also unclear how some prevention strategies (such as guards and patrol) are used to optimize their effectiveness in evidence-based ways.
Magic Squares and Art

For centuries, people believed there is magic in numbers. Many still do, including numerologists and their clients. Others enjoy testing their skill in solving math challenges. At present the game of Sudoku, a logic-based combinatorial numberplacement puzzle is extraordinarily popular.
The Assessment of Elder Abuse

Publisher Summary Elder abuse is a significant public health problem estimated to affect up to 10% of Americans aged 65 years or older. Any professional who works with older adults needs to be aware of the current state of assessment and intervention research in order to help combat the problem. This chapter introduces the topic of elder abuse from legal, regulatory, and funding perspectives in order to provide a common foundation of knowledge to a diversity of professionals representing social services, psychology, medicine, and law. It provides standardized definitions of elder abuse and related terms in order to help establish a common language across disciplines for both clinicians and researchers. In reviewing the epidemiology of elder abuse and outlining the full scope of the problem, it discusses the importance of establishing more rigorous research methods that will inform future policy development and federal initiatives. It incorporates case studies to exemplify common clinical scenarios and reviews current screening tools and assessment methods. It explores special issues and ethical dilemmas encountered by practitioners working in the field.
Reprint of: DMD and POD of time-resolved schlieren on a multi-stream single expansion ramp nozzle

Abstract Time-resolved schlieren measurements were conducted on a supersonic rectangular multi-stream nozzle used for three-stream engines. The jet utilizes a single expansion ramp nozzle (SERN) configuration along with an bypass stream, operating at an ideally expanded bulk flow of M j , 1 = 1.6 and bypass stream of M j , 3 = 1.0 . Experiments were conducted with and without an aft deck to model airframe integration. Schlieren imaging was acquired up to 100 kHz in two different orientations. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) were applied to the schlieren data to identify flow structures. Comparisons were made between the two decomposition methods in the form of spatial correlations.
Composition-property relationships in high-κ LaxZr1-xOy thin films from aqueous solution

Abstract Miniaturization of microelectronic devices has reached a fundamental scaling limit; parasitic electron tunneling through the ultrathin gate dielectric has become a major obstacle to continued device performance. One method for overcoming this limitation is to replace SiO2 gate dielectrics with thicker high-κ metal oxides. La2O3 and ZrO2 are two such materials that have received significant interest, but low stability to post-anneal water absorption and low-crystallization temperatures, respectively, have limited their widespread use. We recently reported an aqueous, all-inorganic route to high-κ lanthanum zirconium oxide dielectric films (1/1 La/Zr), which mitigates the disadvantages of the binary oxides but maintains their high-κ properties. In this contribution, we vary the La/Zr ratio of the aqueous precursor to optimize the properties of the resulting films. We find that the La0.20Zr0.80Oy composition is optimal for providing a high dielectric constant (∼18.2 at 600 °C) while maintaining excellent film morphology and stability. 20% La was necessary to prevent crystallization up to 600 °C, but films with higher La content displayed diminished dielectric constants and decreased stability towards post-anneal water absorption.
The Relationship Between The Use Of Intravenous Acetaminophen During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy And Appendectomy Surgery And The Use Of Intravenous Opioids After Surgery

Multimodal pain management is the use of combinations of medications from different classes or medications with different routes of delivery to optimize pain relief. The adjunctive use of multiple analgesic agents is associated with better pain relief and fewer adverse effects. Intravenous acetaminophen offers a relatively low risk, safe adjunct to multimodal therapy. A comparative retrospective chart review showed that adult patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy or cholecystectomy surgery who received intravenous acetaminophen in the operating room had a reduced opioid requirement directly after surgery, in the post anesthesia care unit. A total of 34 doses of opioids (Fentanyl and Dilaudid) were given to the group who received the intravenous acetaminophen as compared to 65 doses of the same opioids given to the group that did not. Since only two surgical procedures were studied, the results may not be applicable to other surgical procedures. Additionally, the small sample size (60 patient charts) was a noted limitation. Data is consistent with previous studies supporting the use of intravenous acetaminophen to help reduce the amount of opioid use postoperatively Because of its relatively safe profile, intravenous acetaminophen should be thoughtfully considered when addressing pain management in the operative setting.
The entrepreneurial motivations of nonemployer entrepreneurs

A nonemployer business is one that has no paid employees.The number and revenues of nonemployer businesses are increasing at a faster rate than other businesses, and they are an increasingly important alternative to other forms of entrepreneurship.Yet very little is known about these businesses. This study uses a survey of 1,600 MBA alumni to compare the entrepreneurial motivations of nonemployer entrepreneurs to conventional entrepreneurs and no entrepreneurs. The findings indicate that nonemployer entrepreneurs differ in important ways, and future research is needed to understand more fully this large and important group of entrepreneurs.
Azoospermia and embryo morphokinetics: testicular sperm-derived embryos exhibit delays in early cell cycle events and increased arrest prior to compaction

Sperm play an essential role in embryonic genome activation and embryonic progression to blastocyst. In the present work, we focus on development of embryos created as a result of ICSI with testicular or epididymal sperm from azoospermic males and compare this to outcomes from normospermic males. The objective of this study was to determine if sperm origin influences clinical outcomes, the kinetics of embryo development, or the incidence of cleavage anomalies and multinucleation. A total of 93 consecutive intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles (ICSI) performed for 83 couples were included in this study. Observations were made on 594 fertilized oocytes cultured in the EmbryoScope using time-lapse microscopy (TLM). Epididymal sperm (n = 29) cycles or surgically retrieved sperm from the testis (TESE; n = 37 cycles) of men with either obstructive (OA) or non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) were used to inject oocytes. A further 27 ICSI cycles were performed using ejaculated sperm from normospermic males, designated as our control sperm (CS) group. Kinetic data and cycle outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical pregnancy rate was not different between the three groups (TESE 51.4%, PESA 57.7%, and CS 59.3%). A non-significant decrease was observed in both implantation (30.9%) and live birth rate (43%) with TESE as compared to PESA (35.3%, 58%, respectively) and CS groups (45.1%, 56%, respectively). Failure to compact was significantly higher amongst TESE-NOA embryos (35.2%; P < 0.001) as compared to TESE-OA (4%), PESA (9%), and CS (3.8%) embryos. The two points at which TESE-derived embryos (both NOA and OA) behaved most differently from PESA and CS embryos was at cc2 (t3-t2; time to initiation of the second cell cycle) and tSB (time to start of blastulation). A significantly lower percentage of TESE embryos exhibited kinetics typically ascribed to high quality embryos with the greatest developmental potential. Finally, the incidence of direct uneven cleavage (DUC) was observed to be significantly higher after ICSI with sperm retrieved from azoospermic males. TLM allowed a more in depth comparison of paternal influence on embryo morphokinetics and helped to identify specific differences in cell cycle kinetics. TESE-NOA embryos exhibited a higher incidence of compaction failure.
CloudTracker: Using Execution Provenance to Optimize the Cost of Cloud Use

In this work, we investigate tools that enable dollar cost optimization of scientific simulations using commercial clouds. We present a framework, called CloudTracker, that transparently records information from a simulation that is executed in a commercial cloud so that it may be “replayed” exactly to reproduce its results. Using the automated CloudTracker provenance and replay facilities, scientists can choose either to store the results of a simulation or to reproduce it on-demand – whichever is more cost efficient in terms of the dollar cost charged for storage and computing by the commercial cloud provider. We present a prototype implementation of CloudTracker for the Amazon AWS commercial cloud and the StochSS stochastic simulation system. Using this prototype, we analyze the storage-versus-compute cost tradeoffs for different classes of StochSS simulations when deployed and executed in AWS.
Opening Remarks: Basic Quark Considerations

All of us, in the days when we were studying nuclear physics, heard about Gamow-Teller transitions. Recently with the experiments using (p,n) reaction and other reactions, there has been a revived interest in Gamow-Teller strength and, in fact, there is a big question of where is the missing Gamow-Teller strength or why is it missing? Our first speaker may not be able to tell us where it has gone, but he can certainly tell us where the idea came from. It is my pleasure to introduce Dr. Edward Teller.
Ski trail effects on a beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Elateridae) community in Vermont

Beetle diversity and species composition were studied using pitfall traps placed along three parallel transects that extended from the center of a downhill ski trail, 100 m into a large, unfragmented spruce-fir forest on Mount Mansfield State Park, VT, USA. Groups of beetles showed associations with three distinct habitats: ski trail openings (Agonum cupripenne, Amara spp., Poecilus lucublandus, Hypnoidus bicolor, and H. abbreviatus), edge (Pterostichus coracinus, Agonum retractum, Sphaeroderus canadensis, and Calathus ingratus), and forest (Pterostichus adstrictus, P. punctatissimus, P. brevicornis, Platynus decentis, Trechas apicalis, T. crassiscapus, and Eanus maculipennis). Consequently, carabid and elaterid species composition in the ski trail, edge, and 5 m into the unfragmented forest showed nearly complete turnover. Most beetles within the ski trail were colonizers from lower elevations; however, one species, H. bicolor, was a tundra species that appeared to have colonized lower elevations along the ski trail opening. Of "forest" beetles, only 2 of 540 individuals (< 0.5%) were collected in the ski trail opening. Thus, ski trails are strong barriers to dispersal for forest beetles, several of which are flightless or dimorphic and primarily short-winged. Consequently, fragmentation of mountain slopes by ski trails, especially those that run perpendicular to the climatic gradient, may put isolated populations at a greater risk of local extirpation.