cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ideality contours and thermodynamic regularities in supercritical molecular fluids

Abstract Using Expanded Wang-Landau simulations, we calculate the ideality contours for 3 molecular fluids (SF 6 , CO 2 and H 2 O). We analyze how the increase in polarity, and thus, in the strength of the intermolecular interactions, impacts the contours and thermodynamic regularities. This effect results in the increase in the Boyle and H parameters, that underlie the Zeno line and the curve of ideal enthalpy. Furthermore, a detailed analysis reveals that dipole–dipole interactions lead to much larger enthalpic contributions to the Gibbs free energy. This accounts for the much higher temperatures and pressures that are necessary for supercritical H 2 O to achieve ideal-like thermodynamic properties.
How Physicians Lost Out to Managed Care: A Case Study of Accommodation and Resistance in a Medical Community

This paper involves a case study of physicians working in an urban Midwestern region. It raises questions surrounding how physicians adapted to, encouraged and resisted the increasing presence of managed care in their work lives. The patterning of physician accommodation to managed care and the failure of physicians to mount any effective organized resistance in Metro has some important implications for theories about professional dominance and decline.
Multi-speckle cross-correlation spectroscopy measurement of phonons in an entropic crystal

Dynamic light scattering studies of dense colloidal systems require special care due to problems of non-ergodicity and multiple scattering. We have combined a number of novel scattering techniques and developed a multi-speckle cross-correlation spectroscopy using a CCD chip as the detector. Cross correlation of pixels separated by a single scattering speckle length eliminates multiple scattering while averaging correlation functions from many speckles with approximately the same scattering wavevector performs the ensemble average. We use this technique to measure the phonons of a single hard sphere RHCP colloidal crystal which exhibits a well defined dispersion despite the complete anharmonicity of the interparticle potential.
Brumaire or 1793: the Open Question

The continuous push toward anarchy and the rise in Bolshevik influence led a number of observers to question the inevitability of the Brumaire script. There was a feeling that the continuing anarchy could result in two different endings - either a Jacobin or a Brumaire solution. Although the cases made for the likeliness of the materialization of either eventuality seem mutually exclusive, the differences are actually illusory. In the context of the reading that the result would be a Jacobin dictatorship, the belief was that in the long run this dictatorship would not be the institutionalizing of the populace’s will, but rather a force that would place itself above the populace. The terror in this case would not be directed at the counter-revolution, then; instead it would be a force that first of all disciplined the masses. Yet in the eyes of contemporary observers, these two alternatives - a Jacobinic (Bolsheviks) or Napoleonic (Kornilov type) dictatorship - were viewed as absolutely differing scripts of development.
Exergy and irreversible entropy production thermodynamic concepts for control system design: Regulators

This paper develops a novel control system design methodology that uniquely combines: concepts from thermodynamic exergy and entropy; Hamiltonian systems; Lyapunov's direct method and Lyapunov optimal analysis; electric AC power concepts; and power flow analysis. Relationships are derived between exergy/entropy and Lyapunov optimal functions for Hamiltonian systems. The methodology is demonstrated with a couple of fundamental numerical simulation examples: 1) a PID regulator control for a linear mass-spring-damper system and 2) a Duffing oscillator/Coulomb friction nonlinear model that employs PID regulator control. The control system performances are partitioned and evaluated based on exergy generation and exergy dissipation terms. This novel nonlinear control methodology results in both necessary and sufficient conditions for stability of nonlinear systems.
Introduction: Living on the Edge

Through a series of case studies spanning the bounds of literature, photography, essay, and manifesto, this book examines the ways in which literary texts do theoretical, ethical, and political work. The project approaches the relationship between literature, theory, and public life through a specific site, the French Antilles, and focuses on two mutually elucidating terms: hunger and irony. Reading hunger and irony together helps clarify irony’s creative potential and limitations. If hunger gives irony purchase by anchoring it in particular historical and material conditions, irony also gives a literature of hunger a means to move beyond a given situation, to interrupt the inertia of historical determination.
Transitions of Care

Transitions of Care focuses on the coordinated and comprehensive movement of patients between healthcare locations, providers, and different levels of care. The transition from inpatient hospitalization to outpatient care has been extensively studied due to the high rates of preventable adverse events and hospital readmissions during this time. As a result, several evidence-based transitions of care models have been created to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, accountability, patient education, and standardized discharge care. This chapter reviews the importance of effective transitions of care, its barriers, and successful models that are currently in practice.
Osteophyte induced lung fibrosis prevalence and osteophyte qualities predicting disease.

Abstract Objective To determine the prevalence of osteophyte induced lung fibrosis (OIF) and its relationship to osteophyte size, location, and surrounding fat. Methods 94 CT scans of the chest were reviewed, size of the largest osteophyte and the presence of fibrosis were recorded. Results Presence of fibrosis was higher among patient with large (> 10 mm) osteophytes compared to those with small (1–10 mm) osteophytes. Age and presence of periosteophyte fat were significantly associated with presence of fibrosis. Conclusions As the size of an osteophyte increases, there is a greater likelihood of lung fibrosis. Subpleural fat protects the lung from OIF.
Multi-class US traffic signs 3D recognition and localization via image-based point cloud model using color candidate extraction and texture-based recognition

A new efficient method that can recognize and localize US traffic signs in 3D environment.Point cloud cleaning and noise removal as an essential step of data preprocessing for traffic sign recognition.3D recognition of traffic signs in the point cloud model. Continuous condition monitoring and inspection of traffic signs are essential to ensure that safety and performance criteria are met. The use of 3D point cloud modeling by the construction industry has been significantly increased in recent years especially for recording the as-is conditions of facilities. The high-precision and dense 3D point clouds generated by photogrammetry can facilitate the process of asset condition assessment. This paper presents an automated computer-vision based method that detects, classifies, and localizes traffic signs via street-level image-based 3D point cloud models. The proposed pipeline integrates 3D object detection algorithm. An improved Structure-from-Motion (SfM) procedure is developed to create a 3D point cloud of roadway assets from the street level imagery. In order to assist with accurate 3D recognition and localization by color and texture features extraction, an automated process of point cloud cleaning and noise removal is proposed. Using camera pose information from SfM, the points within the bounding box of detected traffic signs are then projected into the cleaned point cloud by using the triangulation method (linear and non-linear) and the 3D points corresponding to the traffic sign in question are labeled and visualized in 3D. The proposed framework is validated using real-life data, which represent the most common types of traffic signs. The robustness of the proposed pipeline is evaluated by analyzing the accuracy in detection of traffic signs as well as the accuracy in localization in 3D point cloud model. The results promise to better and more accurate visualize the location of the traffic signs with respect to other roadway assets in 3D environment.
Vascular applications of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging.

Abstract Objective Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging is a powerful noninvasive modality offering numerous potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications in vascular medicine. CEUS imaging uses microbubble contrast agents composed of an encapsulating shell surrounding a gaseous core. These microbubbles act as nearly perfect intravascular reflectors of ultrasound energy and may be used to enhance the overall contrast and quality of ultrasound images. The purpose of this narrative review is to survey the current literature regarding CEUS imaging and discuss its diagnostic and therapeutic roles in current vascular and selected nonvascular applications. Methods The PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases were searched until July 2016 using the PubMed and Ovid Web-based search engines. The search terms used included contrast-enhanced, microbubble, ultrasound, carotid, aneurysm, and arterial. Results The diagnostic and therapeutic utility of CEUS imaging has grown exponentially, particularly in the realms of extracranial carotid arterial disease, aortic disease, and peripheral arterial disease. Studies have demonstrated that CEUS imaging is diagnostically superior to conventional ultrasound imaging in identifying vessel irregularities and measuring neovascularization to assess plaque vulnerability and end-muscle perfusion. Groups have begun to use microbubbles as agents in therapeutic applications for targeted drug and gene therapy delivery as well as for the enhancement of sonothrombolysis. Conclusions The emerging technology of microbubbles and CEUS imaging holds considerable promise for cardiovascular medicine and cancer therapy given its diagnostic and therapeutic utility. Overall, with proper training and credentialing of technicians, the clinical implications are innumerable as microbubble technology is rapidly bursting onto the scene of cardiovascular medicine.
Red, blue and purple states of mind: Segmenting the political marketplace

Abstract John Jost (2017 – this issue) provides a thoughtful review of the literature in political psychology that speaks to important distinctions between conservatives and progressives. I use his essay as a point of departure to accomplish three goals: a) further elaborate on the left/right segmentation scheme, identifying other portions of the political market that are less brand loyal and therefore more persuadable; b) offer preliminary suggestions based on consumer psychology perspectives on how voter attitudes and behaviors might be nudged by political candidates and campaigns; and c) identify some areas in which the fields of political and consumer psychology might profitably benefit from cross-pollination of theories, approaches and evidence.
Clonal plant allocation to daughter ramets is a simple function of parent size across species and nutrient levels

The evolution of clonal growth is a widespread phenomenon among plant species, characterized by the production of genetically identical clonal fragments (ramets) via rhizomes or stolons that form an interconnected clonal organism (genet). Clonal plant species are known to differ in their investment into ramet production, and exhibit considerable variation in ramet morphology both within and among species. While patterns of resource allocation are thought to be linked to a number of plant characteristics, many analyses are limited by uncertainty in how clonal plants determine the morphology and resources allocated to new ramets. In this study, we attempted to discern what aspects of parent ramets best predicted resource allocation to new daughter ramets, and the relationship between resource allocation and daughter ramet rhizome morphology. We grew two sedge species, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani and Eleocharis elliptica, in a greenhouse under two levels of fertilizer addition. By harvesting daughter ramets that had initiated stem production, yet remained aphotosynthetic, we were able to isolate parental investment into non-independent daughter ramets at a point where daughter ramet spacer length became fixed. Our results indicate that parent ramets allocated a non-linear proportion of parent rhizome biomass to the production of daughter ramets. Moreover, this relationship was unaffected by environmental nutrient availability. Daughter ramet biomass, in turn, was strongly correlated with daughter ramet spacer length. These observations shed light on key processes governing clonal growth in plants, and their potential application in unifying allocational and morphological perspectives to explore the fitness implications of variability in clonal growth.
Standardization of 60Co and 137Cs Gamma-Ray Beams in Terms of Exposure.

At the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), the exposure-rate standards for 60Co and 137Cs gamma rays were based for a number of years on a weighted average of measurements using a cylindrical ionization chamber and a group of small spherical chambers. Complex setup conditions for the cylindrical chamber, differences between the cylindrical and spherical chamber data, and recognition that the institution of this weighted average exposure-rate standard increased the difference between free-air-chamber and cavily-chamber measurements, led to the development of new spherical chambers. All correction factors for exposure-rate measurements were investigated and updated. Excellent agreement was achieved between independent exposure-rate measurements for six spherical chambers and, as of May 1, 1972, the exposure standards were reduced 0.7 percent for 60Co and 0.6 percent for 137Cs gamma rays. Recalculation of correction factors since that time indicates that the standard 137Cs should be further reduced by 0.2 percent, and this adjustment was made on July 1, 1974. The uncertainties associated with each of the quantities entering into the determination of exposure rate were tabulated and the overall uncertainty of the exposure rates used for instrument calibrations at NBS was found to be about 0.7 percent for addition in quadrature.
Ultrasonography in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the evidence of educational outcomes associated with teaching ultrasonography (US) to medical students. METHODS A review of databases through 2016 was conducted for research studies that reported data on teaching US to medical students. Each title and abstract were reviewed by teams of 2 independent abstractors to determine whether the article would be ordered for full-text review and subsequently by 2 independent authors for inclusion. Data were abstracted with a form developed a priori by the authors. RESULTS Ninety-five relevant unique articles were included (of 6936 identified in the databases). Survey data showed that students enjoyed the US courses and desired more US training. Of the studies that assessed US-related knowledge and skill, most of the results were either positive (16 of 25 for knowledge and 24 of 58 for skill) or lacked a control (8 of 25 for knowledge and 27 of 58 for skill). The limited evidence (14 of 95 studies) of the effect of US training on non-US knowledge and skill (eg, anatomy knowledge or physical examination skill) was mixed. CONCLUSIONS There is ample evidence that students can learn US knowledge and skills and that they enjoy and want US training in medical school. The evidence for the effect of US on external outcomes is limited, and there is insufficient evidence to recommend it for this purpose at this time.
Testing Encourages Transfer Between Factual and Application Questions in an Online Learning Environment

Quizzing improves retention compared to additional study opportunities, a phenomenon known as test-enhanced learning. Two experiments investigated whether the type of question at quiz improves retention for factual and applied course material on exams in an online college course. Students were given quizzes with either factual questions or questions designed to encourage application of a particular concept. As expected, quizzing with feedback improved exam performance compared to material that had not been quizzed. Further, the benefits of quizzing transferred to different question types. Performance on application exam questions improved if students were quizzed with factual questions. Likewise, performance on factual exam questions improved if students were quizzed with application questions. These results replicate the finding that quizzing benefits retention in an online learning environment and, more importantly, that the benefits of quizzing transfer to exam questions that differ in type from the quiz question.
Microbial Mats on the Early Earth: The Archean Rock Record

Fossil microbial mats provide a convincing record of life on the early Earth. Although mat-like features may be produced abiologically, a careful examination of physical and chemical characteristics can be used to determine the origin of fine laminations within carbonaceous cherts with some confidence. Examples of probable microbial mats are found in the Hooggenoeg, Kromberg, and Fig Tree Formations of the Kaapvaal Craton of southern Africa and the Dixon Island Formation and the Farrel Quartzite of the Pilbara Craton in northwestern Australia.
Apollo: Giving application developers a single point of access to public health models using structured vocabularies and Web services

This paper describes the Apollo Web Services and Apollo-SV, its related ontology. The Apollo Web Services give an end-user application a single point of access to multiple epidemic simulators. An end user can specify an analytic problem-which we define as a configuration and a query of results-exactly once and submit it to multiple epidemic simulators. The end user represents the analytic problem using a standard syntax and vocabulary, not the native languages of the simulators. We have demonstrated the feasibility of this design by implementing a set of Apollo services that provide access to two epidemic simulators and two visualizer services.
tDCS modulates behavioral performance and the neural oscillatory dynamics serving visual selective attention.

Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive method for modulating human brain activity. Although there are several hypotheses about the net effects of tDCS on brain function, the field's understanding remains incomplete and this is especially true for neural oscillatory activity during cognitive task performance. In this study, we examined whether different polarities of occipital tDCS differentially alter flanker task performance and the underlying neural dynamics. To this end, 48 healthy adults underwent 20 min of anodal, cathodal, or sham occipital tDCS, and then completed a visual flanker task during high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG). The resulting oscillatory responses were imaged in the time-frequency domain using beamforming, and the effects of tDCS on task-related oscillations and spontaneous neural activity were assessed. The results indicated that anodal tDCS of the occipital cortices inhibited flanker task performance as measured by reaction time, elevated spontaneous activity in the theta (4-7 Hz) and alpha (9-14 Hz) bands in prefrontal and occipital cortices, respectively, and reduced task-related theta oscillatory activity in prefrontal cortices during task performance. Cathodal tDCS of the occipital cortices did not significantly affect behavior or any of these neuronal parameters in any brain region. Lastly, the power of theta oscillations in the prefrontal cortices was inversely correlated with reaction time. In conclusion, anodal tDCS modulated task-related oscillations and spontaneous activity across multiple cortical areas, both near the electrode and in distant sites that were putatively connected to the targeted regions.
Experimental Evidence for pKa-Driven Asynchronicity in C–H Activation by a Terminal Co(III)–Oxo Complex

C–H activation by transition metal oxo complexes is a fundamental reaction in oxidative chemistry carried out by both biological and synthetic systems. This centrality has motivated efforts to unde...
Advancing Program Theory for Licensed Assisted Living Services in Independent Housing

Assisted living programs (ALPs) embed licensed assisted living services within independent housing. To advance nascent research on this type of housing plus services, this study aimed to develop em...
Efficacious dose of metformin for breast cancer therapy is determined by cation transporter expression in tumours.

Background and purpose It has been extensively reported that the leading anti-diabetic drug, metformin, exerts significant anticancer effects. This hydrophilic, cationic drug requires cation transporters for cellular entry where it activates its intracellular target, the AMPK signalling pathway. However, clinical results on metformin therapy (used at antidiabetic doses) for breast cancer are ambiguous. It is likely that the antidiabetic dose is inadequate in patients that have breast tumours with low cation transporter expression, resulting in non-responsiveness to the drug. We postulate that cation transporter expression and metformin dose are key determinants in its antitumour efficacy in breast cancer. Experimental approach Antitumour efficacy of metformin was compared between low cation transporter-expressing MCF-7 breast tumours and MCF-7 tumours overexpressing organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3-MCF7). A dose-response relationship of metformin in combination with standard-of-care paclitaxel (for oestrogen receptor-positive MCF-7 breast tumours) or carboplatin (for triple-negative MDA-MB-468 breast tumours) was investigated in xenograft mice. Key results Metformin had greater efficacy against tumours with higher cation transporter expression, as observed in OCT3-MCF7 versus MCF-7 tumours and MDA-MB-468 versus MCF-7 tumours. In MCF-7 tumours, a threefold higher metformin dose was required to achieve intratumoural exposure that was comparable to exposure in MDA-MB-468 tumours and enhance antitumour efficacy of standard-of-care in MCF-7 tumours versus MDA-MB-468 tumours. Antitumour efficacy correlated with intratumoural AMPK activation and metformin concentration. Conclusions and implications An efficacious metformin dose for breast cancer varies among tumour subtypes based on cation transporter expression, which provides a useful guide for dose selection.
The Permanency of Low Prices

By mid-1987, the commercial and trade press were carrying articles with headlines such as “Metals Prices Rebound”. In the July 31, 1987, New York Times article of that title, B.J. Feder stated that “rising metals prices . . . are expected to be a fact of industrial life for the rest of this year, according to economists and traders.” The expansion of the world economy, along with reductions in exchange rates and inventories, had by then brought about broadly based metals price increases. At that time, with continued GNP growth and reductions in both inventories and the value of the dollar, there was the expectation that higher prices would be sustained through the remainder of the decade. Indeed, one plausible view of the future, based on the stability of these factors, is that a long period of falling and low metals prices has been reserved for the last decade of the 20th century.
A Music Therapy Feasibility Study with Adults on a Hospital Neuroscience Unit: Investigating Service User Technique Choices and Immediate Effects on Mood and Pain

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to study the frequency of service user MT technique choices and their resultant effects on mood and pain in adults receiving music therapy (MT) offered for the first time on a neuroscience unit. Participants (N = 29) self-selected into one of three pre-determined single-session techniques: 1) Listening to preferred music delivered live (receptive MT); 2) A guided relaxation script with pre-recorded music (guided relaxation); or 3) Playing instruments to preferred music delivered live (active MT) and completed mood and pain scales at pre- and posttest. Most participants selected receptive MT (n = 16, 55%), followed by guided relaxation (n = 11, 38%) and active MT (n = 2, 7%). Although no significant within- or between-group difference in mood or pain was found, most techniques tended to slightly improve mood and pain from pre- to posttest. Despite the temporal parameters of a single treatment session, MT tended to have positive impacts on mood and pain from pre- to posttest. Implications for clinical practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided.
Aspartic Acid Isomerization Characterized by High Definition Mass Spectrometry Significantly Alters the Bioactivity of a Novel Toxin from Poecilotheria

Research in toxinology has created a pharmacological paradox. With an estimated 220,000 venomous animals worldwide, the study of peptidyl toxins provides a vast number of effector molecules. However, due to the complexity of the protein-protein interactions, there are fewer than ten venom-derived molecules on the market. Structural characterization and identification of post-translational modifications are essential to develop biological lead structures into pharmaceuticals. Utilizing advancements in mass spectrometry, we have created a high definition approach that fuses conventional high-resolution MS-MS with ion mobility spectrometry (HDMSE) to elucidate these primary structure characteristics. We investigated venom from ten species of "tiger" spider (Genus: Poecilotheria) and discovered they contain isobaric conformers originating from non-enzymatic Asp isomerization. One conformer pair conserved in five of ten species examined, denominated PcaTX-1a and PcaTX-1b, was found to be a 36-residue peptide with a cysteine knot, an amidated C-terminus, and isoAsp33Asp substitution. Although the isomerization of Asp has been implicated in many pathologies, this is the first characterization of Asp isomerization in a toxin and demonstrates the isomerized product's diminished physiological effects. This study establishes the value of a HDMSE approach to toxin screening and characterization.
Monolithic SLA-Based Capacitively-loaded High-Q Coaxial Resonators and Bandpass Filters

This paper discusses the design, manufacturing and testing of additively-manufactured coaxial resonators and filters with high unloaded quality factor (Q u ). A stereolithographic (SLA)-based integration concept that facilitates the realization of monolithic 3D printed coaxial-resonator-based bandpass filters (BPFs) is explored in detail. In particular, we present a study on alternative resonator sizes and non-radiating perforations for monolithic coaxial resonators and BPFs in the frequency range of 1-12 GHz. The applicability of the SLA-based concept to complex frequency-dependent couplings is also explored with the purpose of enhancing the BPF’s out-of-band rejection. For proof-of-concept demonstration, various resonator and BPF prototypes— with and without frequency-dependent couplings—were designed, manufactured and measured. They exhibited Q u between 1638-3520 and passbands centered at 5 GHz with fractional bandwidths between 13-14.2% and insertion loss < 0.35 dB.
Compressed ultrafast photography: world's fastest camera captures light propagation at light speed

We have developed CUP to record 70 trillion fps. CUP can record the fastest phenomenon, namely, light propagation, and can be slowed down for slower phenomena. CUP can image in 2D non-repetitive events. CUP has a prominent advantage of measuring an x, y, t scene with a single exposure, thereby allowing observation of transient events occurring on a time scale down to 10s of fs. Further, CUP is receive-only—avoiding specialized active illumination required by other single-shot ultrafast imagers. CUP can be coupled with front optics ranging from microscopes to telescopes for widespread applications in both fundamental and applied sciences.
“The lantern of the world rises to mortals by varied paths”: Paul Laffoley (1935–2015) and Dante:

American artist and architect Paul Laffoley (1935–2015) had a life-long fascination with Dante. Not only did he refer to Dante and the Commedia throughout his writings and paintings, but he created...
Day-to-day changes in negative attributions of stress: A daily diary study of cognitive vulnerability and negative affect in adults with elevated risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors

Abstract Background The hopelessness theory is one of the most studied cognitive vulnerability theories of depression. It proposes that risk for depression is conferred by attributing the causes of negative events to global, internal, stable causes and inferring future negative consequences and negative characteristics about oneself from these events. Nearly all research has operationalized cognitive style using individuals’ responses to hypothetical events at single timepoints. Far less research has explored attributions of specific events as they occur, none of which has involved clinical samples. Methods This study aimed to examine if measuring event-specific attributions clarifies the relationship between negative cognitive style and clinical symptoms. Adults (n = 51), who had attempted suicide at least once in the year prior, were recruited from the community via online forums related to suicide risk. Participants provided nightly ratings of hopelessness and attributions of the most stressful event that day for four weeks. Results The daily diary composite measure of cognitive style was more strongly associated with hopelessness and depressive symptoms than the trait measure. Daily attributions fully mediated the relationship between trait cognitive style and hopelessness. Limitations The measurement period could not capture the occurrence of a next depressive episode for all participants. Relatedly, we could not account for the precise nature of individual stressors. Conclusions At a population level, trait measures alone may be a useful risk factor. But, with the goal to move towards more personalized prediction and intervention, more dynamic, ecologically valid, and real time measures may help gain more traction.
Formation of Wind-Erodible Aggregates for Salty Soils and Soils with Less Than 50% Sand Composition in Natural Terrestrial Environments

Of nine possible mechanisms for the formation of non-sandy, wind-erodible aggregates from a more homogeneous soil or sediment, five are found to be widespread in arid and semiarid regions. In approximate order of significance, the most important mechanisms are tension and compression fracturing of shrinkable mud or soil during wet/dry cycles; tension fracturing and molding by compression during freeze/thaw cycles; direct abrasion (corrosion); fracturing and aggregation produced by salt efflorescence; and mechanical disturbance of surface materials by animals. A sixth mechanism (in soils) is by surface films, colloidal matting, or cements. Minor mechanisms are: floatation and lofting of foam and fracturing caused by hydration expansion or other chemical weathering of fine-grained bedrock. The flocculation of small particles in a water suspension or wet mud is a possible minor mechanism not yet observed. Surface soils and sediments with more than 28% clay and more than 2% organic material formed wind-erodible aggregates, but organic-poor materials did not. Calcareous loams, silt loams, silty clay loams, and clay loams formed wind-erodible aggregates, but non-calcareous materials of the same textures did not. Salt efflorescence was locally a major mechanism for production of wind-erodible aggregates. An experiment with expandible (high smectite content) clay shows that wet/dry cycles (such as might result from several summer rain showers on a dry lake bed) can produce wind-erodible aggregates without high temperatures or lengthy droughts and in the absence of salt efflorescence. For example, cold-climate clay dunes (now inactive) fringe ephemeral lakes in deflation basins in Montana at windy semiarid sites with short hot summers and intensely cold winters.
Image Processing: Analysis Beyond Matched Filtering

Matched filters are revisited from the ciewpoint of regulations of the ill-posed problem and the super-resolution. Object-matched minimum mean-square image spread (MMIS) filters are derived from a general contrained moment expansion method. An inverse problem of image processing is to determine an optimum trade-off potential U\([(\overrightarrow f )\) or V\([(\overrightarrow f )\) from the knowledge of the restored object Q\([(\overrightarrow f )\) or the output transfer function Ψ\([(\overrightarrow f )\) as S\([(\overrightarrow f )\). Analytic example and exact solutions are given for the coherent and incoherent image restorations. A MMIS filter is found to yield an identical minimum mean square estimation-error (MMSE) filter of Wiener in the special case, similar to the visual MTF or contrast sensitivity function, peaked at the middle band of spatial frequency channels. The direct problem for the linear and noisy motion-blurred image restoration is solved. By means of the Gelf fand-Levitan inverse transform technique for the reference potential, the inverse problem is solved and the design of the energy constrained WES filter follows. Finally, both the direct and inverse problems are exemplified with the dc-incision, namely the central dark field method of Abbe and Zernike, useful for a systematical design of both the imaging OTF and linage restoration filters under noise. The simple rule of thumb is given for mannnade sciences.
Finiteness theorems for submersions and souls

The first section of this paper provides an improvement upon known finiteness theorems for Riemannian submersions; that is, theorems which conclude that there are only finitely many isomorphism types of fiber bundles among Riemannian submersions whose total spaces and base spaces both satisfy certain geometric bounds. The second section of this paper provides a sharpening of some recent theorems which conclude that, for an open manifold of nonnegative curvature satisfying certain geometric bounds near its soul, there are only finitely many possibilities for the isomorphism class of a normal bundle of the soul. A common theme to both sections is a reliance on basic facts about Riemannian submersions whose A and T tensors are both bounded in norm.
Molecular mechanisms that confer antibacterial drug resistance

Antibiotics--compounds that are literally 'against life'--are typically antibacterial drugs, interfering with some structure or process that is essential to bacterial growth or survival without harm to the eukaryotic host harbouring the infecting bacteria. We live in an era when antibiotic resistance has spread at an alarming rate and when dire predictions concerning the lack of effective antibacterial drugs occur with increasing frequency. In this context it is apposite to ask a few simple questions about these life-saving molecules. What are antibiotics? Where do they come from? How do they work? Why do they stop being effective? How do we find new antibiotics? And can we slow down the development of antibiotic-resistant superbugs?
The Denver Serum Bank.

ABSTRACT At the University of Colorado, Dr. Gordon Meiklejohn pursed the study of influenza and other respiratory pathogens for an unbroken period of 40 years, under the auspices of the Commission on Influenza of the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board through a series of contracts with the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command. Sera, throat washings, and other specimens for diagnosis were sent to Dr. Meiklejohn's laboratory. After serologic and virologic studies were carried out, aliquots of sera and virus samples were logged in and frozen. Sera were stored at −20°C and virus specimens at −70°C. These specimens became known as the Denver Serum Bank. The Bank supported military research programs and other researchers nationally and internationally until the 1990s when lacking of funding and considerations of administration, space, and cost resulted in the destruction of all specimens.
Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 and risk of incident cardiovascular disease in a multi-ethnic cohort: The multi ethnic study of atherosclerosis

Objective Prospective studies reporting a positive association of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) mass and activity with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) have included primarily white individuals. We evaluated associations of Lp-PLA2 and first-time cardiovascular events in a healthy multi-ethnic cohort characterized by presence or absence of baseline subclinical atherosclerosis.
Improving the Security and Privacy of Implantable Medical Devices

Dr. William Maisel and Tadayoshi Kohno write that the complex and sophisticated features of medical devices have created a susceptibility to security breaches that could compromise the performance of such devices and the safety and privacy of patients.
Accelerators and detectors

The developing understanding of particle physics, especially in the past 60 or so years, has been largely paced by the evolution of high-energy accelerators and detectors. We restrict ourselves here to describing crucial developments in accelerators related to high-energy particle collisions. Similarly, discussion of detectors will be restricted to those associated with the accelerators and colliders covered.
Sex as Reported in a Recent Sample of Psychological Research

This study is a follow up on the study done by Sara Schwabacher (1972). All the articles in this study were taken from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1974, volume 30, and were reviewed for sex of subjects, type of conclusions drawn, and whether sex was mentioned in the abstract, introduction, or methods section. These results were compared to the Schwabacher study in order to discover if the conditions noted in her study continue to prevail, or whether there has been a change in scientific sampling and reporting procedures.Contrary to the previous study, the percentage of all male studies show a sharp drop of 15% while all female studies rose 22%. When comparing the amount of single sex studies overgeneralized, all-male studies remained proportionately the same, whereas overgeneralized all-female studies showed an increase of 35.5%. In addition more both-sex articles checked for sex differences than previously reported. The authors discuss the results in relation to the women's movement ...
Electronic kiosk project: distributed access to e-mail and web browsing

Electronic kiosks provide an alternative avenue of access to the University of Pittsburgh’s electronic communication network. These limited-use devices allow students to enter PittNet, redistributing the historically heavy use of e-mail and web browsing from the Campus Computing Labs to strategically placed kiosks in public settings throughout the University of Pittsburgh campus. Electronic kiosks are capable of managing email transactions and delivering full-featured web browsing in an authenticated environment.
Avoiding Early Complications After Metal-on-Metal Hip Resurfacing: The Technical and Conceptual Aspects of “Bailing-Out” to Total Hip Arthroplasty

Metal-on-metal hip resurfacing (MOMHR) is gaining in popularity as a viable alternative to total hip arthroplasty (THA) in the treatment of advanced osteoarthritis in the younger patient. This is due to both the bone sparing nature of the procedure and the low wear rates of a metal-on-metal articulation combined with a high range of motion caused by the large sized femoral head. Mid-term results in Europe and Australia have been encouraging with most available implants, and early results in the United States are starting to emerge as comparable. There have been, however, some poor early results reported in the US with an alarming array of early complications. Our understanding of the risks and complications of MOMHR are continuously evolving. The surgeon must be able to recognize when completion of a planned MOMHR will place the patient at an unacceptably high risk of early failure. In this report, we examine a consecutive series of patients of 2 surgeons at a single United States institution indicated for MOMHR and discuss the reasons for converting intraoperatively from MOMHR to THA. All patients scheduled for MOMHR from March 2005 to March 2009 were included in the study. During this time, 189 MOMHRs were scheduled and 31 became intraoperative bail-outs to THA. In the bail-out group, 23 were male and 8 were female. Average age was 53.2 ± 8.5 and average BMI was 30.2 ± 6.4. The most common diagnoses were osteoarthritis (65%), dysplasia (16%), and avascular necrosis (AVN) (10%). In the MOMHR group, there were 105 males and 40 females; average age was 50.2 ± 8.8, average BMI was 27.9 ± 4.8, and the most common diagnoses were osteoarthritis (74%), AVN (10%), and dysplasia (9%). The bail-out rate was 16.4%. The most common reasons for bailing out were a large cyst (39%), poor bone quality (19%), femoral head or neck deformity (16%), implant size mismatch (16%), and varus neck (6%). The bearing surfaces used in the bail-out THAs were mostly metal-on-metal (75%), but also included metal-on-poly and oxinium-on-poly. Optimizing survivorship for MOMHR occasionally requires bailing-out to THA. Patients must understand that THA remains the gold standard and should not be disappointed. Surgeons should understand when bail-out is necessary and inform patients about this possibility. Completion of MOMHR in the above situations can lead to early failure and reduced survivorship.
Automated detection of EUV Polar Coronal Holes during Solar Cycle 23

A new method for automated detection of polar coronal holes is presented. This method, called perimeter tracing, uses a series of 171, 195, and 304 A full disk images from the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on SOHO over solar cycle 23 to measure the perimeter of polar coronal holes as they appear on the limbs. Perimeter tracing minimizes line-of-sight obscurations caused by the emitting plasma of the various wavelengths by taking measurements at the solar limb. Perimeter tracing also allows for the polar rotation period to emerge organically from the data as 33 days. We have called this the Harvey rotation rate and count Harvey rotations starting 4 January 1900. From the measured perimeter, we are then able to fit a curve to the data and derive an area within the line of best fit. We observe the area of the northern polar hole area in 1996, at the beginning of solar cycle 23, to be about 4.2% of the total solar surface area and about 3.6% in 2007. The area of the southern polar hole is observed to be about 4.0% in 1996 and about 3.4% in 2007. Thus, both the north and south polar hole areas are no more than 15% smaller now than they were at the beginning of cycle 23. This compares to the polar magnetic field measured to be about 40% less now than it was a cycle ago.
Individual responsibility within organizational contexts

Actions within organizational contexts should be understood differently as compared with actions performed outside of such contexts. This is the case due to the agentic shift, as discussed by social psychologist Stanley Milgram, and the role that systemic factors play in shaping the available alternatives from which individuals acting within institutions choose. The analysis stemming from Milgram’s experiments suggests not simply that individuals temporarily abdicate their moral agency on occasion, but that there is an erosion of agency within organizations. The point about the erosion of agency is deepened in the discussion of a case study which illustrates the difficulty of identifying even the bare “ownership” of actions within organizations. While this is the case, explicating these reasons suggests that both individual actors and firms can bear ethical responsibility within organizational contexts. As part of the effort to present the whole picture, business ethics courses should introduce students to the relevant insights from social psychology and human factors research.
Experimental Investigation of Through Air Drying of Tissue and Towel under Commercial Conditions

An experimental setup was developed to study the through air–drying characteristics of permeable grades such as tissue and towel under commercially relevant conditions of basis weight, airflow rate, temperature, and humidity conditions. The experimental setup is capable of evaluating the transient fluid flow, heat, and mass transfer characteristics of relatively larger samples (TAPPI standard hand sheets; 0.1524 m) and is capable of studying the effect of local heterogeneity and structure on convective heat and mass transfer. The system is capable of airflow rates of 0.5–10 m/s with corresponding high-speed data collection and acquisition for measuring important variables such as exhaust air humidity. To study the effect of nonuniformity, local temperature and velocity profiles can also be measured using grid of thermocouples and hot wire anemometers. The instantaneous drying rate and airflow characteristics during through air drying was measured and dry permeability, wet permeability, and convective heat...
Precise sequence assignment of replication origin in the control region of chick mitochondrial DNA relative to 5′ and 3′ D-loop ends, secondary structure, DNA synthesis, and protein binding

The data reported identify for the first time the sequence of an avian mitochondrial heavy-strand replication origin, OH, located only about 12 nucleotides (nt) downstream from the conserved sequence block CSB-1, as well as the sequence of premature synthesis arrest of the 781 (±1) nt D-loop strand, only 6–7 nt downstream from a TAS-like (termination-associated) element. Both sites are associated with putative cruciform secondary structures. A major sequence-specific DNA-binding/cleavage site of a potential regulatory protein, the approximately 36-kDa aMDP1 (shown previously to stimulate mtDNA synthesis), is located about 90 nt upstream of OH. Correlated in vivo analysis of avian genome-length mtDNA replication provides missing evidence on the functional equivalence of D-loop origin with nascent initiation, and on the direction, asymmetry and temporal aspects of a full round of replication. The importance of the results to understanding the regulation of linked replication/transcription and the unusual sequence evolution of avian mtDNA is discussed.
Image Denoising using Multi-Resolution Coefficient Support Based Empirical Wiener Filtering

In this paper, a new image denoising algorithm using simple thresholding operations and wavelet coefficient magnitude based Wiener filtering is proposed. A hard thresholding operation is initially performed on the noisy wavelet coefficients. The initial significance map is then refined by use of multi-resolution coefficient support map which considers the local spatial features of the image. As a final denoising step, optimal wiener filtering is performed on the thresholded wavelet coefficients using only magnitude information. The performance of proposed algorithm is evaluated on standard test images and found to perform competetively to the state-of-art image denoising algorithms in the literature.
DVT Prevention for the Obese Patient: Evidence-Based Nursing Interventions

Abstract Obesity is a risk factor for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and as obesity increases, DVT rates will also elevate. The purpose of this article is to assist nurses in correctly selecting evidence-based interventions found effective in preventing DVT formation. To promote full understanding of this disease process, pathophysiologic changes associated with obesity will be linked with current research-based therapies of anticoagulation, compression therapy, and mobilization. A call for future research is proffered in multiple areas, to include assessment, determination of interventional effectiveness, and establishment of outcome measurements for both surgical and medical obese populations.