cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A low-cost, autonomous surface vehicle-based system for unexploded ordnance bistatic acoustic localization and classification

A growing application for unmanned vehicle technology is the localization, classification and mitigation of underwater hazards such as munitions in shallow harbor environments. Because visual inspection of targets can be difficult or impossible in murky harbors and requires precise target localization, acoustic sensors such as sidescan sonar and synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) are used more extensively for munition detection missions. While these techniques can provide rich images of targets and the environment, postprocessing is often required and the sensors themselves are too expensive to be practical in multi-vehicle operations. A new system for low-cost, autonomous-surface-vehicle-based unexploded ordnance detection and localization is under development to provide a practical alternative to provide greater coverage via distributed, multi-vehicle missions. A mobile receiver array, fixed source geometry makes it possible to cover large areas while detecting man-made, aspect-dependent targets based on directional scattering from seabed targets. The system built on a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution JetYak autonomous surface vehicle and results from experiments in summer 2019 in Ashumet Pond in Falmouth, Massachusetts are presented. [Sponsored by SERDP.]A growing application for unmanned vehicle technology is the localization, classification and mitigation of underwater hazards such as munitions in shallow harbor environments. Because visual inspection of targets can be difficult or impossible in murky harbors and requires precise target localization, acoustic sensors such as sidescan sonar and synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) are used more extensively for munition detection missions. While these techniques can provide rich images of targets and the environment, postprocessing is often required and the sensors themselves are too expensive to be practical in multi-vehicle operations. A new system for low-cost, autonomous-surface-vehicle-based unexploded ordnance detection and localization is under development to provide a practical alternative to provide greater coverage via distributed, multi-vehicle missions. A mobile receiver array, fixed source geometry makes it possible to cover large areas while detecting man-made, aspect-dependent targets based on di...
Debate: Do SIBs make markets in the welfare system? Should they? For whom?

Should we make markets in the welfare system? I am not convinced that we should. Can Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) deliver better outcomes than prior government reforms? The evidence is lacking. If we...
An analysis of 3,954 cases to determine surgical wound classification accuracy: Does your institution need a monday morning quarterback?

Abstract Introduction Surgical site infections reporting has financial implications for institutions under Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Pay-for-Performance programs. Surgical Wound Classification (SWC) is an important factor in performing risk adjustment and affects the accuracy of the Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR). This in turn leads to more accurate inter-hospital ratings and reimbursement. This study aims to measure (1) services and procedures associated with the highest rates of misclassification and (2) whether temporal factors influenced misclassification. Methods Accuracy of SWC was assessed by comparing the wound classification documented by the Operating Room (OR) nurse at the time of the operation to the actual SWC determined from in-depth chart review using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wound classification algorithm by a trained reviewer. Cases were reviewed once operative reports were available. Results Review of 3954 cases yielded an overall discordance rate of 22.15% (N = 876), with most cases being under-classified. Services with the highest rates of discordance include cardiothoracic (38.46%) and general surgery (37.86%), followed by general oncology (29.46%), OB-GYN (28.93%), urology (27.27%), and plastic surgery (27.14%). Procedures with the highest discordance rates are laparoscopic appendectomy (66.67%), cholecystectomy (52.90%), exploratory laparotomy (49.21%), and split-thickness skin graft (36.84%). Discordance rates were significantly higher (p = 0.0001) during weekends compared to weekdays, while operations starting after-hours during the week did not show a significant difference from daytime hours. Conclusion At a level 1 trauma academic medical center, certain procedures were found to be misclassified in regards to SWC more often than other types of cases. The timing of the case, such that they occurred on the weekends also contributed to higher discordance rates between original and corrected wound classifications. Recognizing cases, services, and temporal factors frequently associated with misclassification of wound class can help allocate limited resources to maximize improvement of this important metric.
Host Susceptibility and Molecular Epidemiology

Tobacco and alcohol exposures are major determinants of risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), accounting for approximately threefourths of all oral and pharyngeal cancers in the U.S. and an even higher attributable fraction of laryngeal cancers [1] . Othe r exposures include human papillomavirus, dietary, occupational, medical, and other factors that may also contribute to the etiology of this disease; however, only a fraction of exposed individuals will develop SCCHN. Therefore, the role of genetic susceptibility to carcinogenic exposures must be factored into the risk assessment process. This chapter explores some of the host factors that modulate susceptibility to epithelial carcinogenesis induced by tobacco and alcohol exposures and describes some relevant molecular epidemiology association studies of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and risk of SCCHN.
Nicotine: A Targeted Therapy for Epilepsy Due to nAChR Gene Variants.

Objective:Genetic variants of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) cause autosomal dominant sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy. Approximately 30% of autosomal dominant sleep-related...
“I Africanize São Paulo”: Vision, Race, and Afro-Paulistano Visual Culture

Although the city of Sao Paulo has the largest number of Black people in Brazil, it is not commonly associated with Blackness or Black aesthetics. Yet, the city has historically and currently been the home of Black collective action, culturalproduction, and Black life. This article focuses on the “I Africanize Sao Paulo”T-shirt, its designer, and photo campaign. Rather than consider Sao Paulo antithetical to Black aesthetic and cultural production, I find that the “I Africanize Sao Paulo” T-shirt demonstrates a form of Afro-aesthetics that emerges from Sao Paulo’s tradition of Black politics and culture. I focus on the history of Black political and cultural activity that preceded the T-shirt production as well as the factors that contribute to the obfuscation of Black culture in the city.
In-class hierarchical team model as a no-cost strategy to improve student success: Integrated peer leadership program

The integrated peer leadership program model is a low cost strategy that can decrease low course rates and reduce the gap between students in introductory physics courses.
Variation in COVID-19 Mortality in the US by Race and Ethnicity and Educational Attainment.

Importance Racial and ethnic inequities in COVID-19 mortality have been well documented, but little prior research has assessed the combined roles of race and ethnicity and educational attainment. Objective To measure inequality in COVID-19 mortality jointly by race and ethnicity and educational attainment. Design, setting, and participants This cross-sectional study analyzed data on COVID-19 mortality from the 50 US states and the District of Columbia for the full calendar year 2020. It included all persons in the United States aged 25 years or older and analyzed them in subgroups jointly stratified by age, sex, race and ethnicity, and educational attainment. Main outcomes and measures Population-based cumulative mortality rates attributed to COVID-19.F. Results Among 219.1 million adults aged 25 years or older (113.3 million women [51.7%]; mean [SD] age, 51.3 [16.8] years), 376 125 COVID-19 deaths were reported. Age-adjusted cumulative mortality rates per 100 000 ranged from 54.4 (95% CI, 49.8-59.0 per 100 000 population) among Asian women with some college to 699.0 (95% CI, 612.9-785.0 per 100 000 population) among Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander men with a high school degree or less. Racial and ethnic inequalities in COVID-19 mortality rates remained when comparing within educational attainment categories (median rate ratio reduction, 17% [IQR, 0%-25%] for education-stratified estimates vs unstratified, with non-Hispanic White individuals as the reference). If all groups had experienced the same mortality rates as college-educated non-Hispanic White individuals, there would have been 48% fewer COVID-19 deaths among adults aged 25 years or older overall, including 71% fewer deaths among racial and ethnic minority populations and 89% fewer deaths among racial and ethnic minority populations aged 25 to 64 years. Conclusions and relevance Public health research and practice should attend to the ways in which populations that share socioeconomic characteristics may still experience racial and ethnic inequity in the distribution of risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 exposure and infection fatality rates (eg, housing, occupation, and prior health status). This study suggests that a majority of deaths among racial and ethnic minority populations could have been averted had all groups experienced the same mortality rate as college-educated non-Hispanic White individuals, thus highlighting the importance of eliminating joint racial-socioeconomic health inequities.
Analysis of Mathematical Models of the Human Lung

iii 1 Chapter One: Biological Background of Gas Exchange 1 2 Chapter Two: Mathematical Background of Gas Exchange 3 2.1 Diffusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2.2 Capillary-Alveolar Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2.3 Removal and Uptake of Gasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2.3.1 Mathematical Model of Oxygen Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2.3.2 Mathematical Model of Carbon Dioxide Exchange . . . . . . . . . 15 2.4 Ventilation and Perfusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3 A Mathematical Model of Lung Ventilation 19 4 A Mathematical Model of Gas Dynamics in the Body 25 4.1 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 5 Vita 32
A macroeconomic analysis of the fiscal system in Egypt

We construct a dynamic general equilibrium model to analyze the fiscal situation of Egypt. We model Egypt as a small open economy that takes real interest rates and world prices of fuel as given. Since a large component of the government budget consists of pensions payments, we use an overlapping generations structure. The model contains descriptions of the public and private sector, as well as descriptions of the production sectors for a public good such as infrastructure, energy, and a final aggregate consumption good. The model pays special attention to the energy sector. We then calibrate the model to data from Egypt. The following policy reforms are considered: (i) reductions in pensions to public sector workers, (ii) reductions in pensions to private sector workers, (iii) reductions in the public sector pay premiums, (iv) decreases of the energy subsidies, and (v) a decrease of the public sector workforce. In each case we reduce the "expenditure" by 15 percent. For each of the reforms we adjust consumption taxes, labor taxes, "capital taxes", or public investments in infrastructure to satisfy the government budget constraint. We calculate the new steady states, the transition paths to the new steady states, and the size of the welfare gains or losses for all reforms. We find that due to the modest nature of the reforms, the effect of the policy reforms on GDP and consumption are modest. Often these gains are in the neighborhood of 1 percent. We find that welfare gains or losses can be sizable and that the largest gains from the reforms are attained when the freed up resources are used for infrastructure investments or for lowering the tax on company profits.
A Study of Ignition System Effects on Power, Emissions, Lean Misfire Limit, and EGR Tolerance of a Single-Cylinder Engine-Multiple Spark versus Conventional Single Spark Ignition

The characteristics of multiple spark ignition systems with respect to engine performance, emissions, lean misfire, and tolerance to exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) have been investigated using a carbureted single-cylinder engine. The results, which were compared to those obtained with a standard single spark ignition system, show that both lean misfire limit and EGR tolerance are extended with the multiple spark system. The amount of extension varies with engine load, being largest at the lighter loads studied. Engine power and emissions at non-misfiring conditions are the same with both ignition systems.
Non-deterministic DUT behavior during functional testing of high speed serial busses: challenges and solutions

The characteristics defining non-determinism for PCI Express busses are explored. The RapidIO/sup /spl reg// bus is used as a point of comparison. ATE architecture is proposed to significantly reduce the yield and throughput impact of random output. A specific architecture is explored and proposed for real-time pass/fail analysis of HSS data streams in the ATE environment.
Ant-colony based optimal MC-CDMA multiuser detector

In this paper, we present a novel multiuser detection (MUD) technique based on ant colony optimization (ACO), for synchronous multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) systems. ACO algorithms are based on the cooperative foraging strategy of real ants. While an optimal MUD design using an exhaustive search method is prohibitively complex, we show that the ACO based MUD converges to the optimal MUD BER performance in relatively few iterations providing 98% saving in computational complexity.
The Macromolecular Neutron Diffractometer MaNDi at the Spallation Neutron Source

The Macromolecular Neutron Diffractometer (MaNDi) is located on beamline 11B of the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The instrument is a neutron time-of-flight wavelength-resolved Laue diffractometer optimized to collect diffraction data from single crystals. The instrument has been designed to provide flexibility in several instrumental parameters, such as beam divergence and wavelength bandwidth, to allow data collection from a range of macromolecular systems.
Structural and rotational isomerism in diaminocarbene complexes of iron

Abstract Primary amines react with a variety of cationic and neutral iron isocyanide complexes to yield structural and rotational diaminocarbene isomers characterized by variable temperature 1H and 13C NMR spectra. Structural isomers result from the conversion of amines to isocyanide ligands via the base-catalyzed nucleophilic attack of initially formed diaminocarbenes on cis isocyanides substituents, the effect on isomer populations is often marked. Factors influencing structural and rotational isomeric preferences are discussed.
In Defense of Eating Meat

Some arguments for moral vegetarianism proceed by appealing to widely held beliefs about the immorality of causing unjustified pain. Combined with the claim that meat is not needed for our nourishment and that killing animals for this reason causes them unjustified pain, they yield the conclusion that eating meat is immoral. However, what counts as a good enough reason for causing pain will depend largely on what we think about the moral status of animals. Implicit in these arguments is the claim that sentience is sufficient for having moral status. These arguments, however, fail to specify the conceptual connection between the two. I argue in this paper that sentience is not sufficient for moral status. Thus, although animals experience pain as it is physically bad, their experience of it is not in itself morally bad. They are harmed in feeling pain, but this harm is not of a moral kind. This distinction parallels the more familiar distinction between moral and non-moral goods. When considered, this significantly mitigates the force of sentience-based arguments for moral vegetarianism. Since animals lack moral status, it is not wrong to eat meat, even if this is not essential to nutrition.
BACKWARD BIFURCATION IN A DISCRETE SIS MODEL WITH VACCINATION

A simple discrete SIS model with vaccination is proposed. Its dynamics depend on a lumped parameter Rvac. The model exhibits the classical threshold behavior when vaccination is totally ineffective. When vaccination is partially effective, a backward transcritical bifurcation may occur at Rvac = 1. In this case, the model also undergoes a saddle–node bifurcation at certain parameter values when Rvac 1 and can be eradicated for Rvac < 1 if a forward transcritical bifurcation occurs at Rvac = 1. However, the disease may persist even when Rvac < 1 if a backward bifurcation occurs at Rvac = 1.
The Impact of Rate Design and Net Metering on the Bill Savings from Distributed PV for Residential Customers in California

Net metering has become a widespread mechanism in the U.S. for supporting customer adoption of distributed photovoltaics (PV), but has faced challenges as PV installations grow to a larger share of generation in a number of states. This paper examines the value of the bill savings that customers receive under net metering, and the associated role of retail rate design, based on a sample of approximately two hundred residential customers of California's two largest electric utilities. We find that the bill savings per kWh of PV electricity generated varies by more than a factor of four across the customers in the sample, which is largely attributable to the inclining block structure of the utilities' residential retail rates. We also compare the bill savings under net metering to that received under three potential alternative compensation mechanisms, based on California's Market Price Referent (MPR). We find that net metering provides significantly greater bill savings than a full MPR-based feed-in tariff, but only modestly greater savings than alternative mechanisms under which hourly or monthly net excess generation is compensated at the MPR rate.
Human papillomavirus infection in adolescents: a rational approach.

Adolescents account for 25% of all sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or 4 million STIs per year. The most common STI is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Manifestations are variable ranging from asymptomatic subclinical disease to genital warts and cervical neoplasia. Recently new evidence-based guidelines have been published that address screening strategies and management options for lower genital tract disease. An understanding of the natural history and pathogenesis of this viral infection is necessary to allow diagnosis of clinically significant disease and judicious application of treatment modalities especially in the young patient. (excerpt)
A statistical analysis of cavity nucleation at particles in grain boundaries

Abstract Cavity nucleation on grain boundary particles during creep has been examined using a classical thermodynamic method. The particle sizes and spacings are assumed to obey a log-normal distribution. It is found that a threshold shear stress is needed for cavity nucleation to occur. When the resolved shear stress on a grain boundary segment reaches the threshold stress, a critical normal stress for cavity nucleation is produced on the panicle-matrix interface by grain boundary sliding and cavity nucleation occurs. The threshold stress is determined mainly by the concentration and distribution of grain boundary particles and falls in the stress range of engineering applications. A program has been developed to calculate the fraction of particles which can serve as nucleation sites. The model is used to predict the onset of cavitation in the oxide dispersion strengthened alloy Inconel MA 754. Implications for avoiding the nucleation of cavities in engineering alloys are discussed.
Investigating meaning in uses of assistive devices: implications of social and professional contexts

People with disabilities use assistive devices both to bridge accessibility gaps in everyday tasks, and to augment inaccessible technologies, such as desktop computers. This interview study investigates how people with disabilities are affected when using assistive devices in professional and social situations. Participants were asked about different contexts of use, and how people around them reacted to their devices. Key findings were that individuals experienced issues of self consciousness and empowerment when using assistive devices and that specific aspects of assistive device design, such as size and perceived sleekness, contributed to these feelings.
Pharmacist's role in managing anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease: potential clinical and economic benefits.

Purpose. Barriers to the treatment of anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), the role of pharmacists in screening patients for anemia and developing guidelines for the use of anemia therapies in patients with CKD, the goals of and considerations in developing pharmacist-managed anemia management clinics, and the potential benefits of these clinics are described. Summary. The complexity of patients with CKD, patient nonadherence to the treatment regimen, a shortage of nephrologists, and a lack of familiarity with clinical practice guidelines and recommendations for treating anemia in these patients are possible barriers to the treatment of anemia. Pharmacists can play a role in improving the treatment of anemia in patients with CKD by screening for anemia, developing guidelines for the use of anemia therapies, and providing patient education to promote adherence to the treatment regimen. The optimal upper limit for hemoglobin concentration during treatment with erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESA) in patients with CKD remains to be determined, but it should not routinely exceed 13.0 g/dL. Extended dosing of darbepoetin alfa and the new agent continuous erythropoiesis receptor activator appears effective. Iron status often is not assessed in patients with CKD because of difficulty interpreting iron laboratory values and identifying iron deficiency. The usefulness of iron supplementation is not limited to patients with iron deficiency. The intravenous (i.v.) or oral route of administration may be used for iron supplementation in predialysis patients and peritoneal dialysis patients, but the i.v. route is recommended for hemodialysis patients. Adverse effects and drug interactions limit the use of oral iron supplements. Administration of parenteral iron is time consuming and accompanied by concerns about iron accumulation and uncertainty about the optimal maximum serum ferritin concentration. Improved access to care and clinical outcomes and reduced costs have been documented in pharmacist-managed anemia management clinics. Conclusion. Pharmacists can help overcome barriers to treating anemia in patients with CKD. Clinical and economic benefits are associated with pharmacist-managed anemia management clinics.
Enthusiasm for primary care: comparing family medicine and general internal medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To compare attitudes and perceptions of primary care among faculty, students, and residents oriented toward family medicine (FM) and general internal medicine (GIM). DESIGN: Descriptive study using confidential telephone interviews. PARTICIPANTS: National stratified probability sample of FM and GIM faculty (n=68), residents (n=196), and students (n=81). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We created indicators for attitudes toward primary care among the faculty that included perceptions of medical practice, experiences within the academic environment, and support for primary-care-oriented change. For the students and residents, we explored their perceptions of faculty and resident attitudes toward primary care, their perception of encouragement to enter primary care, and their satisfaction with training. Family medicine faculty showed more enthusiasm for primary care as manifested by their greater likelihood to endorse a primary care physician to manage a serious illness (FM 81.3% vs GIM 41.1%; p<.01), their strong encouragement of students to enter primary care (FM 86.2% vs GIM 36.3%; p<.01), and their greater support for primary-care-oriented changes in medical education (FM 56.8% vs GIM 14.7%; p<.01). Family medicine students and residents were more likely to perceive the primary care faculty as very satisfied with their work (FM 69.2% vs GIM 51.5%; p<.05), to feel strongly encouraged by peers toward primary care (FM 59.5% vs GIM 16.1%; p<.0001), and to have a primary care role model (FM 84.3% vs GIM 61.3%; p<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Family medicine faculty, students, and residents showed a consistent pattern of greater enthusiasm for primary care than their GIM counterparts. This may be a reflection of the different cultures of the two disciplines.
Clustering of modifiable biobehavioral risk factors for chronic disease in US adults: a latent class analysis

Aims:Examining the co-occurrence patterns of modifiable biobehavioral risk factors for deadly chronic diseases (e.g. cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes) can elucidate the etiology of risk factors and guide disease-prevention programming. The aims of this study were to (1) identify latent classes based on the clustering of five key biobehavioral risk factors among US adults who reported at least one risk factor and (2) explore the demographic correlates of the identified latent classes.Methods:Participants were respondents of the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (2004–2005) with at least one of the following disease risk factors in the past year (N = 22,789), which were also the latent class indicators: (1) alcohol abuse/dependence, (2) drug abuse/dependence, (3) nicotine dependence, (4) obesity, and (5) physical inactivity. Housing sample units were selected to match the US National Census in location and demographic characteristics, with young adults oversampled. Part...
Imprecise probabilities and scenarios

Abstract This paper argues that imprecise probability can be used to describe uncertainty about scenarios. Scenarios are conceptualized as written descriptions of potential future worlds that are based on assessments of economic, political, social, technological, and environmental trends [This description of scenarios follows that provided by Peter Schwartz. P. Schwartz [9] , The Art of the Long View, Doubleday, New York, 1991 [9]. Because written, qualitative scenarios are beginning to find application in important policy contexts, such as with respect to global climate change [N. Nakicenovic, R. Swart [5] , Emission Scenarios: Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 2000 [5], where uncertainty estimates are of some importance to policy makers, there is a growing need to address the question of whether uncertainty estimates can be assessed over qualitative scenarios. Section 1 of this short paper contrasts imprecise probability with standard classical (or precise) probability. Section 2 provides a technique for assessing the amount of information (referred to as ‘determinateness’) expressed by imprecise (i.e. lower and upper) probabilities over a set of scenarios. Section 3 discusses how to assess to what degree the scenarios may represent the whole space of potential futures. Section 4 brings all the pieces together to show how scenario developers can use measures of determinateness and the coverage of a set of scenarios over all potential possible futures to improve the development and use of scenarios.
EVALUATION OF DEBRANCHED RICE STARCH SAMPLE PREPARATION METHODS FOR ANION-EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH PULSED AMPEROMETRIC DETECTOR

Rice starch was debranched with the debranching enzyme pullulanase. Anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (AEC-PAD) was used to study effect of time on the degree of enzyme catalyzed debranching. The stability of starch sample in different starch solvents during extended storage was evaluated. Lyphylized, non-debranched starch samples were prepared in 0.0375 M HCl, 0.0375 M NaOH and water, followed by heating at 121°C for 30 min. Samples were stored for 21 days. HCl hydrolyzed the starch. Starch samples prepared in water were also unstable with progressively increasing peak areas up to 21 days. Starch samples prepared in NaOH are most stable on storage. Lower concentration (0.009, 0.0046, 0.0023, and 0.0012 M) of HCl hydrolyzed freshly prepared non-debranched starch autoclaved at 121°C for 30 min in respective concentration of HCl to different degrees dependent on the concentration of HCl used. Starch samples prepared in water from freshly cooked or lypholized non-waxy and waxy ...
A tile-based 3D frame using a reconfigurable display matrix

Figure 1 shows the diagram of our 3D frame system. The scene image is divided into the same number of the tiles as the display matrix, pre-warped and projected from the left projector onto the non-planar display surface of the matrix. The displacement of each tile is determined by the average depth of the pixels that project onto it. Since the display surface is a discontinuous manifold, shadows occur due to the illumination from the left projector and may be visible to the user in the walking area. The right projector is used to illuminate or hide these shadow regions. The user at the center of the walking area sees a geometrically correct scene image on the non-planar display wall. Users, viewing the display off center, see a geometric approximation to the 3D model with per-pixel illumination. To change the display surface interactively, we have developed a robotic display matrix. Figure 2 shows our matrix with a 16×8 set of display tiles. Each tile is driven by an inexpensive servo motor. We can adjust the tiles’ displacement to create different scenes as well as provide interactivity or dynamic scene support by modifying the tiles’ displacement in real time.
Preventive Care in Relation to Obesity: An Analysis of a Large, National Survey

Background Reports from the 1990s observed lower receipt of preventive care services among obese individuals, but a few recent studies in older adults and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients have failed to do so. Additional studies, using population-based samples, are needed to understand whether disparities in care by obesity continue to exist in the U.S. Purpose To investigate whether receipt of preventive care services varies in relation to BMI. Methods This study used data from the 2008 and 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (analyzed in 2011), a state-based national telephone survey of non-institutionalized U.S. adults, to examine associations between receipt of preventive services (influenza and pneumococcal vaccination; cholesterol and HIV screening; fecal occult blood test; colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy, mammogram, and Pap) and BMI category (normal, 18.5–24.9; overweight, 25–29.9; obese Class I, 30–34.9; obese Class II, 35–39.9; and obese Class III, ≥40), after adjusting for confounding factors. Results Receipt was lower for mammography and Pap testing (6.1 and 5.6 percentage points, respectively, relative to normal weight women) in obese Class III women. For immunizations, cholesterol screening, and colon cancer screening, receipt was similar or greater in overweight and obese individuals. Conclusions This study suggests that for most services, obese individuals received as much if not more preventive health care as normal-weight individuals. Although these findings are reassuring, the evidence for disparities for cervical and breast cancer screening in obese women demonstrates that efforts to ensure more equitable service delivery are still needed.
The Determination of Plutonium in Irradiated Uranium Fuel Solutions by Controlled-Potential Coulometry*†

Summary Controlled potential coulometry has been applied to the determination of plutonium in solutions which contain plutonium within the range 0.05 to 50 g/l. The titrations are performed by direct electrode reactions at the controlled-potential electrode. No valence state adjustments or methods for detecting the end point of a titration are necessary. The electronic equipment and special cells necessary to prevent the spread of radioactivity are described in detail. The procedures are simple enough and the equipment dependable enough for routine application in control laboratories. The method has been applied to solutions containing approximately 20 g/l. of plutonium with a relative standard deviation of 0.05 per cent and with an accuracy of better than 0.1 per cent. The method has also been applied to the direct estimation of the plutonium content of solutions of irradiated natural uranium (dissolver solution) with a relative standard deviation of 0.5 per cent and an accuracy of at least 1.4 per cent, using samples containing between 100 and 200 μg of plutonium. The titration curves follow the Nernst equation exactly for ions which undergo reversible electrode reactions. Therefore, if the concentration and half-wave potential of an interfering material are known, estimations can readily be made of the theoretical magnitude of the interference. The method is remarkably free from interferences since there are few reversibly titratable ions which have standard electrode potentials near that of the plutoniumIV plutoniumIII couple in an acid medium. When an ion with a standard redox potential near that of the plutonium couple is known to be present, the titration can usually be carried out by the selection of a complexing medium which increases the difference between the electrode potentials of the interfering substances and that of plutonium. Several such media have been investigated and are compared. The high acid or salt content of the media used provides buffering action and prevents interference from variations in the acid content of the sample. Details concerning the procedure can be obtained from document number HW-58491. A year of experience with the method has been obtained since the publication of this document and has led to a definite preference for the titration cell using the platinum working electrode. Electrode efficiencies and reaction reproducibility have not proven to be a problem as anticipated in HW-58491. The ease of cell construction and the simplicity with which remote titrations can be performed using this cell have proved to be of great advantage.
Optically demodulated interferometric sensor system

We demonstrate the feasibility of optically demodulating and processing the output produced by an interferometric fiber sensor. A technique for providing the time filtering of an optical signal in the optical domain based on the use of a doped fiber section is reported. Optical processing is a field which offers enormous potential for rapid, parallel processing of information, and is an area which will continue to experience significant growth over the coming years. Optical sensors have a natural inherent compatibility with this form of processing, which could be utilized to great advantage for processesing the data from large arrays of sensors. Many forms of fiber optic sensor, however, produce an optical output which does not vary in a uniform fashion with the measurand field, and consequently require a linearization circuit. or 'demodulator' to provide a linear transfer function before a signal could be converted back to the optical domain and operated on by an optical processor. This is particularly true with interferometric fiber sensors which exhibit a cosine squared transfer function. To demodulate this form of output, a range of demodulation schemes have been developed, such as active phase tracking homodyne [1], phase generated carrier (PGC) passive homodyne [2], and synthetic heterodyne [3J. These techniques allow the detection of measurand-induced phase shifts down to the irad/'JHz level over a wide range of frequencies with high linearity and wide dynamic range. Certain forms of interferometric sensors designed for low frequency measurands, such as magnetometers and electhc field sensors, require the additional demodulation of a 'dither' induced phase carrier signal which is modulated by the DC and low frequency measurand information. In such systems, the overall demodulation process requires several electronic processing blocks after photodetection of the interferometer signal. In applications where arrays of such sensors are of interest, a significant amount of electronics may be required to fully demodulate the sensor outputs. We have examined the practicality of using optical techniques to perform much of the demodulation process, and in this paper demonstrate the feasibility of this concept.
Characterizing stiffness of human prostates using acoustic radiation force

Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) imaging has been previously reported to portray normal anatomic structures and pathologies in ex vivo human prostates with good contrast and resolution. These findings were based on comparison with histological slides and McNeal’s zonal anatomy. In ARFI images, the central zone (CZ) appears darker (smaller displacement) than other anatomic zones, and prostate cancer (PCa) is darker than normal tissue in the peripheral zone (PZ). Since displacement amplitudes in ARFI images are determined by both the underlying tissue stiffness and the amplitude of acoustic radiation force which varies with acoustic attenuation, one question that arises is: how are the relative displacements in prostate ARFI images related to the underlying prostatic tissue stiffness? In linear, isotropic elastic materials and in tissues that are relatively uniform in acoustic attenuation (e.g. liver), relative displacement in ARFI images has been shown to be correlated with underlying tissue stiffness. However, the prostate is known to be heterogeneous. Variations in acoustic attenuation of prostatic structures could confound the interpretation of ARFI images due to the associated variations in the applied acoustic radiation force. Therefore, in this study, co-registered three-dimensional (3D) ARFI datasets and quantitative shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) datasets were acquired in freshly excised human prostates to investigate the relationship between displacement amplitudes in ARFI prostate images and the matched reconstructed shear moduli. The lateral time-to-peak (LTTP) algorithm was applied to the SWEI data to compute the shear wave speed and reconstruct the shear moduli. Five types of prostatic tissue (PZ, CZ, transition zone (TZ) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), PCa, and atrophy) were identified, whose shear moduli were quantified to be 4.1±0.8 kPa, 9.9±0.9 kPa, 4.8±0.6 kPa, 10.0±1.0 kPa and 8.0 kPa, respectively. Linear regression was per formed to compare ARFI displacement amplitudes and the inverse of the corresponding reconstructed shear moduli at multiple depths. The results indicate an inverse relation between ARFI displacement amplitude and reconstructed shear modulus at all depths. These findings support the conclusion that ARFI prostate images portray underlying tissue stiffness variations.
Random Comments on the Early Days of Solid State Physics

Smoluchowski, R. Born Poland 1910. Educated Warsaw and Groningen. Emigrated to United States 1935. Worked at General Electric Research Laboratories and Princeton University. Research on many aspects of solid state physics.
Infinitesimals are too small for countably infinite fair lotteries

We show that infinitesimal probabilities are much too small for modeling the individual outcome of a countably infinite fair lottery.
Etowah Textile Remains and Cultural Context: A Model for Inference

Archaeological textiles are products of decision making by early peoples and represent efforts to manage environmental, economic, and human resources for a variety of purposes. Their study must incorporate rigor, but the conditions of survival have hampered investigative efforts in the past. Recent applications of instrumental analyses have yielded more precise information which must be used correctly in order to reconstruct with accuracy the cultural use of textile products in the past. A theoretical framework and model are proposed for inferring cultural context from archaeological textile remains. The model incorporates two types of attribute analyses and burial site information to infer behavior and function in the cultural processes of early people. A partially mineralized fabric from Mound C, Etowah (EMC #840) was used to test the model's capabilities.
Minimum parking requirements and housing affordability in New York City

Many cities throughout the United States require developers of new residential construction to provide a minimum number of accompanying off-street parking spaces. However, critics argue that these requirements increase housing costs by bundling an oversupply of parking with new housing and by reducing the number of units developers could otherwise fit on a given lot. Furthermore, the requirements reduce the subsequent direct costs of car ownership by forcing up-front, or subsidizing, consumption of parking spaces, which leads to increases in auto-use and its related externalities. Such critics advocate eliminating or at least reducing the requirements to be more responsive to locational context, particularly proximity to transit. In this article, we explore the theoretical objections to minimum parking requirements and the limited empirical literature. We then use lot-level data and GIS to analyze parking requirements in New York City to determine to what extent they are already effectively sensitive to t...
The use of stepwise differential scanning calorimetry for thermal analysis of foods

Abstract Stepwise differential scanning calorimetry was tested for its ability to detect thermal transitions. In this approach, the temperature was increased in 1 K steps, allowing sufficient time between steps for heat flow to reach a steady state. Measurements on ice and indium showed melting to occur within a 1 K step, corresponding with melting points determined by continuous DSC scans. The latent heat of ice melting was linearly correlated with sample weight and used to calibrate the power response. Melting in 20% glucose showed that the end of the melting peak corresponded with the equilibrium freezing point. A phase diagram was developed for sucrose using enthalpy data from a stepwise scan on 20% sucrose, and agreed well with diagrams based on freezing point data. Stepwise scans were also used to study glass transition temperatures in frozen potato and maltodextrin solutions.
New device for interactive image-guided surgery

Stereotactic neurosurgery is a technique in which a rigid frame is applied to the patient''s head and pre-operative images acquired. Because the frame and the lesion are visible in the images, the lesion can be located relative to the frame. Devices may then be attached to the frame to direct surgical instruments to the lesion. Conventional stereotactic neurosurgery remains a point by point process, conceptually little changed from the original devices which were designed for use with pneumoencephalograms. The exponential rise in the amount of available imaging information over the past 15 years has not been matched by intrasurgical applications. A new device will be presented which allows the intrasurgical position and trajectory to be displayed on preoperative images. This device has sub-millimetric accuracy and precision and is limited only by the image voxel size. The device can use both CT and MRI image sets concurrently or exclusively. Applications include surgical planning, biopsy, bone flap location and intracranial localization. Both phantom and clinical procedures will be shown.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Regulation of Lactate Production in Streptococcus bovis: A Spiraling Effect That Contributes to Rumen Acidosis

When Streptococcus bovis was grown in batch culture with 6 g/L glucose at pH 6.7, maximum specific growth rate was 1.47 h(-1), and lactate was the primary fermentation product. In continuous culture at pH 6.7 and growth rate equal to .10 h(-1), little lactate was formed, and formate, acetate, and ethanol accounted for most of the product. When extra-cellular pH decreased to 4.7, intra-cellular pH declined to 5.4, and organisms switched back to lactate production. Intracellular concentration of fructose 1,6-diphosphate of batch culture cells was greater than 12 mM, a concentration that allowed maximal lactate dehydrogenase activity. When Streptococcus bovis was grown in continuous culture at pH 6.7, intracellular fructose-l,6-diphosphate declined to .4 mM, a concentration which gave little lactate dehydrogenase activity at pH 6.5 or greater. Decreasing pH of continuous culture to 4.7 increased intracellular fructose-1,6-diphosphate concentration to .8 mM. This concentration was still limiting if lactate dehydrogenase was assayed at pH 6.5, but nearly maximal activity was obtained when enzyme was assayed at pH 5.5. The small increase in fructose-l,6-diphosphate and decreased requirement of lactate dehydrogenase for fructose-l,6-diphosphate under acidic assay conditions, accounted for increased lactate production during low pH (4.7) continuous culture. These and other aspects of lactate regulation by Streptococcus bovis are discussed as factors leading to rumen acidosis. This pattern of regulation also helps to explain why rumen acidosis is difficult to reverse.
Laves intermetallics in stainless steel–zirconium alloys

Laves intermetallics have a significant effect on properties of metal waste forms being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. These waste forms are stainless steel-zirconium alloys that will contain radioactive metal isotopes isolated from spent nuclear fuel by electrometallurgical treatment. The baseline waste form composition for stainless steel-clad fuels is stainless steel-15 wt.% zirconium (SS-15Zr). This article presents results of neutron diffraction measurements, heat-treatment studies and mechanical testing on SS-15Zr alloys. The Laves intermetallics in these alloys, labeled Zr(Fe,Cr,Ni){sub 2+x}, have both C36 and C15 crystal structures. A fraction of these intermetallics transform into (Fe,Cr,Ni){sub 23}Zr{sub 6} during high-temperature annealing; the authors have proposed a mechanism for this transformation. The SS-15Zr alloys show virtually no elongation in uniaxial tension, but exhibit good strength and ductility in compression tests. This article also presents neutron diffraction and microstructural data for a stainless steel-42 wt.% zirconium (SS-42Zr) alloy.
Activation of Membrane Cholesterol by 63 Amphipaths

A few membrane-intercalating amphipaths have been observed to stimulate the interaction of cholesterol with cholesterol oxidase, saponin and cyclodextrin, presumably by displacing cholesterol laterally from its phospholipid complexes. We now report that this effect, referred to as cholesterol activation, occurs with dozens of other amphipaths, including alkanols, saturated and cis- and trans-unsaturated fatty acids, fatty acid methyl esters, sphingosine derivatives, terpenes, alkyl ethers, ketones, aromatics and cyclic alkyl derivatives. The apparent potency of the agents tested ranged from 3 μM to 7 mM and generally paralleled their octanol/water partition coefficients, except that relative potency declined for compounds with >10 carbons. Some small amphipaths activated cholesterol at a membrane concentration of ∼3 mol per 100 mol of bilayer lipids, about equimolar with the cholesterol they displaced. Lysophosphatidylserine countered the effects of all these agents, consistent with its ability to reduce ...