cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three‐Dimensional Simulations of Mantle Convection with a Thermo‐Chemical Basal Boundary Layer: D″?

Numerical simulations in both twoand three-dimensions are performed to investigate the hypothesis that D” is a thermo-chemical boundary layer. A layer of dense, compositionally-distinct material above the CMB reduces the characteristic horizontal lengthscales and interior mantle temperature. In three-dimensions, the layer forms a spoke pattern, with entrainment in upwelling cylinders, even for systems which are heated entirely from within. Long-term stability of the layer requires rather high density contrasts if the Boussinesq approximation is assumed, but geophysically reasonable density contrasts using a compressible formulation with depth-dependent properties. Temperature-dependent viscosity and internal heating also promote greater layer stability. Even if the core heat flux is zero, the layer can become several 100 K higher than the mantle above it, due to trapped radiogenicallyproduced heat. The combination of high deep-mantle viscosity and other depth-dependent parameters allows a stable layer with very high topography, leading to huge, thermo-chemical ‘megaplumes’ extending at least half way through the lower mantle. These stationary megaplumes are stable for long geological times and may correspond to the ‘megaplumes’ imaged tomographically under Africa and the Pacific, as well as acting as a geochemical reservoir and providing an explanation for various other geophysical observations. The dense layer increases the lateral heterogeneity in density and probably seismic velocity in the deep mantle, although the signature of the layer may be partly masked by cancellation of thermal and chemical effects. The interaction of thermal convection with a preexisting dense, homogeneous layer does not cause short-wavelength heterogeneity per se (although sharp edges may be generated), and thus some additional mechanism, such as the introduction of fresh heterogeneity by slabs, must be active to explain seismic observations of short-scale D” variation. Unfortunately, these mechanisms tend to produce a layer boundary too gradual to produce a strong seismic reflection, perhaps leading to a phase change as the prefered explanation of the “Lay discontinuity”.
Fishing effort: Its testing, specification, and internal structure in fisheries economics and management

Abstract The concept of fishing effort is central to fisheries economics and management. However, effort is an aggregate index of inputs which can be consistently formed only under the condition on production technology of homothetic separability of inputs. This paper develops the conditions under which effort can be consistently formed. It then provides the first empirical test for effort and jointness in inputs in a fishery by estimating a multiproduct function for the New England otter trawl fleet. After not rejecting input-output separability and rejecting nonjointness in inputs, the construction of a superlative index for effort is demonstrated through estimating a translog production function. The implications of effort's internal structure for fisheries management are then considered.
Implementation of a Flash-LADAR aided inertial navigator

GPS aided inertial systems can provide high accuracy position and attitude information in many operational scenarios; however, their use is limited to environments where GPS signals are available. An alternative method can be based on the use of Flash-LADAR or other 3D imaging sensor data to navigate in the GPS-devoid environments or the integration of these 3D imaging sensors with an inertial measurement unit. Flash LADAR (laser radar) and 3D imaging technology consists of a laser or light transmission source that is being emitted over a relatively large aperture coupled with a focal plane array detector capable of creating an ldquoimagerdquo of the observed scene where each pixel not only has an associated intensity value but also an estimate of the range to the observed object. With the recent development of short-range low-cost (Lt $10 k) 3D imager technology, the use of such technology to aid a low-cost inertial measurement unit (IMU) has become practical and of great interest. Current low-cost 3D imager or Flash LADAR technology is capable of greater than 100 times 100 pixel resolution with 5 mm depth resolution at a 30 Hz frame rate. From this 3D range, features such as planar surfaces created by the walls, lines created where planes intersect, and points from the intersection of lines can be measured with high precision. In this paper we will focus the discussion on the 3D imager feature extraction performance aspects and lay the basis for the image and IMU-based feature association and integration architecture. Data from an indoor test will be utilized to illustrate some of the concepts explained in this paper..
A Usability User Study Concerning Free-Hand Microgesture and Wrist-Worn Sensors

Wrist-worn sensors (microphones, time-of-flight cameras, etc) have gained the attention of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and body sensor researchers for their potential ability to aid interaction with wearable devices. In this paper, we use wrist-worn sensor modalities to evaluate free-hand microgesture usability. Our goal was to determine which microgestures should be included in a potential universal microgesture language and identify any underlying microgestural usability principles. Through a brief pilot user study recording microgesture task time and user accuracy, we were able to explore trends in common usability aspects. Results of the user study showed that free-hand microgestures, even at small physical and temporal scale, have significant effects on task time and user accuracy. Further analysis through multiple comparisons identified which microgestures produce relatively more accurate and efficient interaction. Physical commonalities between such microgestures prompted theories concerning why certain microgestures produce more efficient results. Based on findings and proposed theories, we give suggestions concerning a universal microgestural language and microgestural application development.
Molecular Biology of Coronavirus 1986

Molecular biology took the center stage at the Second International Coronavirus Symposium held in 1983. Much of the discussion focused on the structure and synthesis of virus-specific RNAs, and viral structural proteins, particularly envelope glycoproteins. At that time, the application of recombinant DNA technology to coronavirus research was just beginning to change the direction of studies in this field. This trend became even more evident in the Third International Coronavirus Symposium in 1986, as a vast body of sequence data was presented. These data not only provided a deeper understanding of the viral RNAs and their genes, but also revealed many details of viral structural proteins, complementing the studies of protein biochemistry. This sequence information has also contributed significantly to our understanding of coronavirus pathogenesis and facilitated future development of effective coronavirus vaccines.
The Carrier Telephone Plant

In this chapter, the facilities of the common-carrier system for voice communications are described. In the evolution of data communications, it was the adaptation of the public telephone network for transmission of digital data that molded the destiny of developments to come, as shall be described in Chapter 9.
A hierarchical analysis of incest avoidance in a cooperative breeder

When animals live near family members, this creates potential for incest and inbreeding depression, especially with unfamiliar kin. We examined incest avoidance when birds paired in kin groups and after dispersal in western bluebirds, Sialia mexicana, a cooperative breeder with a persistent, but low frequency of adult males helping at the nest. During their first winter, sons usually live in family groups comprised of parents, brothers, immigrant females, and more rarely, immigrant males and philopatric sisters. Sons usually pair with females that have joined their winter group, although some pair with females they encounter after dispersal. Incestuous pairing among relatives with relatedness ≥0.25 rarely occurred in either context, even considering extrapair fertilizations and other sources of unfamiliar kin. Sons pairing in their winter groups preferentially mated with immigrant females and actively avoided pairing with relatives. After dispersal into kin neighborhoods in spring, active incest avoidance was still required to explain low levels of incest with females within 600 m (2–3 territories) of where sons first bred, whereas absence of incest over larger distances could be explained by random mating. The probability of encountering a female relative within 600 m of where a male settled declined rapidly with dispersal distance to near zero for males dispersing 2 km from home. Although recognition is required to avoid incest when pairing in winter groups or settling near home, female-biased dispersal reduces likelihood of incest to near zero, even when males disperse relatively short distances (e.g., 2 km) from where they were born.
Pore Space Partition and Charge Separation in Cage-within-Cage Indium−Organic Frameworks with High CO2 Uptake

The integration of negatively charged single-metal building blocks {In(CO2)4} and positively charged trimeric clusters {In3O} leads to three unique cage-within-cage-based porous materials, which exhibit not only high hydrothermal, thermal, and photochemical stability but also attractive structural features contributing to a very high CO2 uptake capacity of up to 119.8 L/L at 273 K and 1 atm.
Why should we foster core specialty collaboration in cosmetic medicine

Every day in my cosmetic practice, I am faced with the challenge of maximizing patient outcomes through my knowledge of available and emerging energy-based technologies, soft-tissue injectables, and medical skin care products. Keeping up-to-date in these areas is an extremely time-consuming process. To better understand the scope of current research and clinical evidence, it is necessary to familiarize myself with the work coming from 4 distinct specialty groups: plastic surgery, dermatology, facial plastic surgery, and oculoplastic surgery. Although I am encouraged that each of these 4 core specialties in the field of cosmetic medicine has embraced the concept of evidence-based medicine (EBM) at national meetings and in society-endorsed peer-reviewed journals,1,2 I remain frustrated by the lack of widespread collaboration among the specialties to achieve standardized outcome measures that are both safety and patient-centric driven. As Dr Carl Hartrampf's fellow in 1988, I was exposed to the value of EBM. Under his direction, we meticulously evaluated clinical outcomes using prospectively collected data. I was introduced to the concepts of inclusion criteria and, more important, exclusion criteria so that best practices in autologous breast reconstruction could be developed. In 1996, Sackett et al3 wrote, “Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.” As American Board of Plastic Surgery-certified doctors, we are charged with developing our own “best practices” through a variety of avenues. First, we must engage in vigorous and ongoing evaluation of our clinical results. We accomplish this through careful observation, meticulous recording and analysis of all relevant data, and meaningful measurement of patient satisfaction. In addition, we draw from the experiences of other qualified practitioners by attending educational meetings and reading peer-reviewed journals. But how many meetings must we attend, and how …
Discovery of Protein- and DNA-Imperceptible Nanoparticle Hard Coating Using Gel-Based Reaction Tuning

The seemingly inevitable protein corona appears to be an insurmountable obstacle to wider application of functional nanomaterials in biotechnology. The accumulation of serum proteins can block targeting functionalities and alter the in vivo fate of these nanomaterials. Here we demonstrate a method to generate non-stick, robustly passivated functional nanoparticles (NPs) using a tailored silica coating. We apply agarose gel electrophoresis to sensitively evaluate protein binding to NPs with different surface chemistry. Using gel banding and retardation as a read-out for protein adsorption, we optimize the surface chemistry to yield a mixed charge surface which displays remarkable binding resistance to a wide range of serum proteins and nucleic acids. The hard silica shell also protects the functional NP core in harsh environments (down to pH 1) while still showing the ability to be targeted for cellular uptake with little or no non-specific binding.
Insulation Materials Development for Potential Venus Surface Missions

Any potential mission that operates on the surface of Venus requires a unique thermal protection system unlike those found on traditional spacecraft. This paper describes the results of thermal and mechanical testing of insulation materials that may be used to protect a conceptual Lander for Venus surface operations. The thermal control strategy for a conceptual Venus Lander does not rely upon developing new technology; it utilizes the efforts pioneered by the Soviet Venera missions. A new investigation of insulation materials is warranted because many of the practical design and implementation details of the Venera thermal system are unavailable and the present generation of thermal expertise lacks specific knowledge to claim heritage with validity. Thermal conductivity testing of three different classes of insulation materials was made at earth-like and Venus-like conditions. The material classes were porous silica, TiO2 filled aerogel, and silica fiber blankets. Earthlike test conditions were carried out in an oven at ambient pressure air at 470C. Venus-like test conditions were performed in a heated pressure vessel capable of providing a CO2 atmosphere up to 470C and 92 bar pressure. In all material classes, the thermal conductivity under Venus-like conditions increased significantly over the earth-like values. Data from these tests can be used in thermal design to determine the required insulation thickness to protect the Lander for the mission operating life. Mechanical testing of the insulation materials was performed because the atmospheric entry and landing of the vehicle can generate significant deceleration forces. Insulation bonding techniques have been developed for attaching insulation to the exterior surface of a Lander pressure vessel. Data on shear and tensile loading capacity have been collected for various adhesives and bonding techniques. Furthermore, insulation restraint using an exterior skin of stainless steel foil has been developed to enable the insulation material to handle up to 150g’s of deceleration forces. Data from these tests can be used in the mechanical design of the insulation system to ensure it would survive the high body forces of atmospheric entry and landing.
Laminar-Turbulent Transition Measurements in the Boeing/AFOSR Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel ⁄

In September 2006, the Mach-6 tunnel at Purdue became quiet to stagnation pressures as high as 153 psia, yielding quiet freestream Reynolds numbers of more than 3 × 10/ft. It is the only operational hypersonic quiet tunnel in the world. The tunnel continued quiet in regular use through March 2007, when the performance degraded. In late April 2007, the compressor failed. After the compressor is replaced, the performance is to be restored by blowing out dust, cleaning the nozzle, or if necessary repolishing the nozzle. The design and fabrication of a new model-support section is also described; this new section is to enable running larger models with stronger bow shocks even when the nozzle-wall boundary layer is laminar.
Usefulness of intra-procedural cone-beam computed tomography in modified balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration of gastric varices.

Usefulness of intra-procedural cone-beam computed tomography in modified balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration of gastric varices
Designing and Adapting Instruments for a Cross-Cultural Study on Migration and Mental Health in Peru

Methods to make measurement both valid and reliable in trans—cultural settings are exemplified from a study conducted in Peru to examine the impact of the migratory process from a rural village in the Andes to Lima, a metropolitan urban area. The purpose of the paper is to describe the results of design, selection and/or cultural adaptation of six instruments used in the project. A taxonomy of issues in adapting instruments for cross-cultural equivalence is presented, and the procedures used to address issues involved in cross-cultural applicability of the instruments selected for the study are provided.
Abstract 1536: In silico discovery of target genes and pathways associated with breast cancer brain and bone metastases

Metastasis is the primary cause of death from breast cancer. Bone and brain are the most frequent sites for breast cancer metastasis. The aim of this study was to explore candidate genes associated with breast cancer bone and brain metastases. We compared the gene expression profiles of bone and brain metastases with primary tumors by compiling 55 microarray data sets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO: GSE12763, primary tumor n = 30; GSE14017, bone metastasis n = 10, brain metastasis n = 15). A total of 160 differentially expressed genes were screened with a two-fold change, among which 109 genes were up-regulated and 51 genes were down-regulated in bone metastasis. Pathway analysis showed these differentially expressed genes were significantly related to bone development and cell adhesion (p Citation Format: Su-Ni Tang, Peixin Jiang, Xinli Liu. In silico discovery of target genes and pathways associated with breast cancer brain and bone metastases. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1536.
Subsystem identification of multivariable feedback and feedforward systems

We present a frequency-domain technique for identifying multivariable feedback and feedforward subsystems that are interconnected with a known subsystem. This subsystem identification algorithm uses closed-loop input-output data, but no other system signals are assumed to be measured. In particular, neither the feedback signal nor the outputs of the unknown subsystems are assumed to be measured. We use a candidate-pool approach to identify the feedback and feedforward transfer function matrices, while guaranteeing asymptotic stability of the identified closed-loop transfer function matrix. The main analytic result shows that if the data noise is sufficiently small and the candidate pool is sufficiently dense, then the parameters of the identified feedback and feedforward transfer function matrices are arbitrarily close to the true parameters.
Modernism, Nationalism, Albanianism: Geographic Poetry and Poetic Geography in the Albanian and Kosovar Independence Movements

The nationalist ideals which fired the Albanian independence movement were drawn from western revolutionary art, even as Albanian poets domesticated these foreign ideas into the well-established language of traditional Albanian poetry to create a new hybrid form of art: both familiar and foreign, conventional and revolutionary. By appropriating both romantic idealizations of the landscape and through specific mention of place names, the Albanians constructed an appeal to national independence in the wake of Ottoman decay through claims of a unified physical space with carefully delimited borders. This allowed for the establishment of a primary national identity to replace the variety of identities that the Ottomans used to divide the Albanians.
Reactive silver ink as front contacts for high efficiency silicon heterojunction solar cells

Low-resistance Ohmic contacts formed at low temperatures expand photovoltaic device opportunities to include thermally sensitive layers while reducing thermal budget during fabrication. Silicon heterojunction solar cells cannot be processed over ∼200°C because of temperature-induced degradation of surface passivation provided by hydrogenated amorphous silicon. Efficiencies of these cells are limited by high series resistance, which primarily arises from the use of relatively high-resistivity silver paste contacts that are formed at low-temperature. We report the formation of highly conductive contacts by drop-on-demand printing of reactive silver inks at low temperatures between 50 and 110°C, resulting in resistivities approaching that of bulk silver. Reactive silver ink printed as a front grid on a silicon heterojunction solar cell resulted in a cell series resistance of 1.8Ω cm2 compared to 1.1Ω cm2 for a cell screen printed with low-temperature silver paste. These results show that, before optimization, reactive silver ink contacts perform comparably to pastes that have been custom developed and commercialized for this specific application.
Anatase-Selective Photoluminescence Spectroscopy of P25 TiO2 Nanoparticles: Different Effects of Oxygen Adsorption on the Band Bending of Anatase

Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy was used to infer that oxygen adsorption changes the band bending of the anatase phase of TiO2 within P25 nanopowder in different ways. On the one hand, oxygen can adsorb through irreversible reaction with defects which reduces the intrinsic upward band bending at the TiO2 surface and results in increased PL emission. On the other hand, oxygen exposure also leads to molecular chemisorption that yields an outermost negative charge at the surface which increases the upward band bending of TiO2 and decreases the PL emission. Since band bending plays an active role in directing charge carrier migration to the surface, the finding that oxygen adsorption can have two different, and quite opposite, effects on the band bending of TiO2 provides a new perspective on how oxygen may influence photocatalytic reaction efficiencies.
Neural information and the problem of objectivity

A fascinating research program in neurophysiology attempts to quantify the amount of information transmitted by single neurons. The claims that emerge from this research raise new philosophical questions about the nature of information. What kind of information is being quantified? Do the resulting quantities describe empirical magnitudes like those found elsewhere in the natural sciences? In this article, it is argued that neural information quantities have a relativisitic character that makes them distinct from the kinds of information typically discussed in the philosophical literature. It is also argued that despite this relativistic character, there are cases in which neural information quantities can be viewed as robustly objective empirical properties.
Young children's rough and tumble play: Developing effective policies for educators of pre-schoolers

This article outlines rough and tumble play of young children in early childhood settings and strategies for educators seeking to manage the play. Descriptions and a categorization of the elements of rough and tumble play observed as part of a research study are presented which serve as a foundation to interpret and manage the play. An example of effective policy development is presented in support of educators developing effective strategies to successfully incorporate rough and tumble play in their early childhood settings.
Assessing the Evidence for the Educational Efficacy of Webinars and Related Internet-Based Instruction

The proliferation of webinars and other similar web-based educational offerings attests to the interest in this instructional modality on the part of educators and learners in the public health wor...
On the development of self-control and deviance from preschool to middle adolescence

Abstract Purpose The study tested whether developmental changes in self-control stabilize by late childhood (age 10) or continue into early and middle adolescence. Second, it tested the bidirectional, longitudinal relationship between self-control and deviance over an 11-year period. Methods Children (N = 1159) from the longitudinal NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) were assessed six times, ages 4.5 to 15 years. Latent growth models tested self-control and deviance trajectories, using competing growth functions to capture change over time. The longitudinal, bidirectional self-control-deviance links were examined in a cross-lagged latent model. Results Findings showed that children's self-control significantly increased during childhood, but stabilized sometime between 8.5 and 10.5 years. Deviance also changed in parallel, but in the opposite direction; some evidence was found of continued change in deviance during early adolescence. Finally, self-control and deviance were bidirectionally and longitudinally linked across all assessments through childhood only. Conclusions Findings support theoretical predictions that self-control principally develops during childhood (by age 10) and subsequently remains stable. They also support longitudinal, bidirectional self-control-deviance links, largely identical in size prior to the age of 10; study findings are contextualized vis-a-vis self-control theory as well as recent behavior genetic evidence.
Pharmacology of Anticoagulants, Antithrombotics, and Antiplatelet Drugs

Anticoagulant therapies, which include antiplatelet and antithrombotic drugs, prevent and treat many cardiovascular disorders and are some of the most universally prescribed drugs. Rapid onset anticoagulant therapy is also required to perform a number of clinical procedures including percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), structural heart interventions, cardiovascular surgery and other surgeries, as well as dialysis. This therapy is also used as a treatment for a number of thrombotic diseases including acute coronary syndromes (myocardial infarction and unstable angina), deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism.
Suicide risk in persons with colorectal cancer: A population-based study.

196Background: Patients with cancer have nearly twice the incidence of suicide compared to the general population. To date, identifying patients at risk for suicide remains challenging. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the US. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors associated with higher suicide rates (SR) among patients with CRC. Methods: A retrospective analysis was completed using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data from 1973 to 2014. Comparisons with the general US population were based on US mortality data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. Suicide incidence, rates and standardized mortality ratio (SMR) were obtained by SEER*Stat 8.3.4. Results: Among 414788 patients with CRC observed for 2785811 person-years, 747 suicides were identified, for an adjusted SR of 26.7/100,000 person-years (SMR 1.40 [95% CI 1.30-1.50]). Higher SRs were associated with male sex, non-white or non-black race, being unmarried and having advanced dis...
Electroencephalography and Cannabis: From Event-Related Potentials to Oscillations

Cannabis continues to be one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide. In parallel with advances in our understanding of the endocannabinoid system, numerous studies have begun to examine the effects of exogenous cannabinoids on human brain function. Electroencephalography (EEG) is one of the few noninvasive techniques that can directly record neural activity in humans. This chapter reviews studies that have utilized EEG in an attempt to examine the chronic and acute effects of cannabinoids on various aspects of neural function. A brief discussion of the nature of EEG is included, followed by sections describing the effects of cannabinoids on event-related potentials and neural oscillations. Last, a brief discussion of potential future directions for studies on the electrophysiological correlates of cannabinoids is included.
Hematomas in Tiger Territory: An Endovascular Alternative to Wading In.

A 26-year-old man presented with gunshot wound to the epigastrium. At surgery, he was hemodynamically stable and had a tense hematoma with thrill in zone 2 (right side) and porta triad. After liver...
On the Characteristics of Language Tags on the Web

The Internet is a global phenomenon. To support broad use of Internet applications such as the World Wide Web, character encodings have been developed for many scripts of the world’s languages and there are standard mechanisms for indicating that content is in a particular language and/or tailored to a particular region. In this paper we study the empirical characteristics of language tags used in HTTP transactions and in web pages to indicate the language of the content and possibly the script, region, and other information. To support our analysis, we develop a new algorithm to infer the value of a missing language tag for elements used to link to alternative language content. We analyze the top-level page for websites in the Alexa Top 1 Million, from six geographic perspectives. We find that one third of all pages do not include any language tags, that half of the remaining sites are tagged with English (en), and that about 10 K sites have malformed tags. We observe that 80 K sites are multilingual, and that there are hundreds of sites that offer content in the tens of languages. Besides malformed tags, we find numerous instances of correctly formed but likely erroneous language tags by using a Naive Bayes-based language detection library and comparing its output with a given page’s language tag(s). Lastly, we comment on differences in language tags observed for the same site but from different geographic vantage points or by using different client language preferences via the HTTP Accept-Language header.
Gunshot wounds to the gravid uterus. A case report

A pregnant woman sustained an abdominal gunshot wound during the second trimester; the bullet injured multiple loops of bowel and passed through the uterus, placenta and fetus. Although the stillborn fetus was delivered by cesarean section, a review of the literature indicated that operative delivery is not indicated when the fetus has died already. Labor and delivery are well tolerated, and an unnecessary hysterotomy is thus avoided. If labor does not ensue spontaneously, it can be induced. Approximately 40% of fetuses will survive the initial injury. In past reviews the risk of prematurity often outweighed the benefits of delivery of those infants. Advances in neonatology now make survival routine after 28 weeks' gestation, and viable fetuses should be delivered promptly by cesarean section to decrease the risk of delayed death from fetal or placental injury. Language: en
'Untruss a Point'—Interiority, Sword Combat, and Gender in The Roaring Girl

This article discusses the critical apparatus surrounding Dekker and Middleton's well-known play The Roaring Girl . While previous discussions of the text have focused mostly on Moll's cross-dressing, I instead look at Moll's sword skills to show how the lascivious behaviour of London's men produces her gender performance, which seems unruly by early modern standards. I also examine other rituals of gender construction that texture previous analyses of Moll.
Androgens induce growth of the limb skeletal muscles in a rapamycin-insensitive manner.

Signaling through the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) has been well defined as an androgen-sensitive transducer mediating skeletal muscle growth in vitro; however, this has yet t...
Phenomenology of Intercultural Communication

Edmund Husserl’s later phenomenology focuses on how meaning is manifested (endowed and fulfilled) semiotically. J. N. Mohanty’s philosophy of communicatioon draws a complementary relation between Husserl’s semiotic phenomenology and the Indian Nyaya model of communication. This essay shows how Mohanty’s critical assessment of these orientations is pertinent for the interpretation of verbal and nonverbal messages and codes among people from diverse cultures. Extending Mohanty’s suggestions I argue that the Husserlian transcendent, though useful as a common ground of provisional understanding, should be made problematic in communication where persons’ expression and perception are challanged by cultural differences.
Late Wisconsinan Glacial Geomorphology of the Kent Interlobate Complex, Ohio, USA

The northern sector of the Kent Interlobate Complex, created by twomajor ice lobes of the Laurentide Ice Sheet during late Wisconsinan times, dominates theglacial landscape of northeast Ohio. The geomorphology of this impressive complex revealsthe presence of large hummocks, kettle lakes and substantial esker chains. The esker chains,usually smaller than 1.3 km long, run parallel to the interlobate complex geographicorientation of northeast-southwest. Gravel pits present on large hummocks display beddedand sorted sedimentary units of gravel, sand and gravel and climbing ripple laminated sandwith folds, which demonstrate that the northern sector of the interlobate complex isprimarily a glaciofluvial feature. Topping these hummocks is a massive clast-supporteddiamicton interpreted to be a debris flow. These geomorphic and sedimentary characteristicsseem to indicate that hummocks present in the interlobate area are in fact kames and that theentire northern sector of the interlobate complex is a product of late Wisconsinan timetransgressive ice stagnation that occurred between two major ice lobes.
Geographic dimensions of broadband data uncertainty

This article reviews sources of uncertainty in broadband provision data from Federal Communications Commission’s Form 477 database, which is the largest publicly available broadband database for th...
Natural and Cultural History of the Obsidian Butte Source, Imperial County, California

ABSTRACTLocated in the Salton Basin of Imperial County in southeastern Alta California, Obsidian Butte was the major prehistoric obsidian toolstone source in southern Alta California and northern Baja California and is frequently referenced in the archaeological literature. Reported in detail geoarchaeologically by Richard Hughes in the 1980s, the study herein considerably amplifies his research in that it focuses on the natural (geological) and cultural (archaeological) history of this source and its impact on the prehistory and archaeological interpretations of the region. A thorough in-field examination of the source and analysis of over 500 obsidian artifacts from San Diego County and western Imperial County archaeological contexts enlarges the database of artifacts assigned to that source, as well as providing recent geochronological data in support of the cultural history. This study can be seen as a companion to the recent work on sources of archaeological obsidian in northern Baja California by Pa...
Observations of compression and fracture in polymer networks subjected to impact loading

Abstract Compression and fracture during high rate impacts were quantified in a series of model transparent polymer networks using high speed videography with sub-microsecond temporal resolution. Sample transparency enabled direct quantification of the compression front velocities, as well as time-resolved measurements of crack initiation and growth. Compression front propagation reveals multiple fronts and reflections, indicating a complex loading profile under these conditions. The front velocity is found to correlate linearly with the longitudinal sound velocity. Radial crack growth was measured both in the radial direction as well inward growth towards the sample impact surface. Measurements of the crack length reveal a deceleration period at short times, transitioning to a steady-state velocity at longer times, and crack arrest at still longer times. Crack lengths were found to correlate with quasi-static fracture toughness, and crack velocities were compared to longitudinal sound velocities.
Conclusion: Sentient-Flesh Subversions

This conclusion marks the overarching arguments of Decolonial Puerto Rican Women’s Writings: Subversion in the Flesh. It provides demonstrations of why the literary arts are important as part of a decolonial praxis of empowerment for the Puerto Rican community, as well as other Latino communities. The conclusion also provides information regarding cultural nuances and strategic deployments of social justice activism—both performed and written—that are vital for Puerto Ricans in the process of engaging the sentient-flesh. It finishes with a statement regarding the desire to not be prescriptive in detailing what a decolonial praxis for social justice should look like, but instead the kinds of avenues for inquiry and exploration that it should open for those seeking change.
The Distortive Effect of the National Practitioner Data Bank on Medical Malpractice Litigation and Settlement

Congress created the National Practitioner Data Bank ("NPDB") in 1986 to address a concern that medical liability cases were increasing throughout the nation. In order to prevent physicians from moving from state to state in order to escape a poor outcome, the NPDB was supposed to provide a central clearinghouse of information for every physician in the country-regardless of where they practiced. However, the NPDB distorts medical malpractice litigation and settlement-harming defendant-physicians, plaintiff-patients, and insurers. The NPDB's brooding shadow over medical malpractice has led many litigants and commentators to term it a "blacklist." Part II explores whether this term is appropriate by describing the NPDB in the context of insurer-physician relations. This discussion will connect the well-described model of insurer-insured relations to the prescient concerns raised about the NPDB's potential distortive effect on litigation and settlement as the data bank was being enacted in the late 1980s. Part III will explore mechanisms to alter reports-and place a physician's "side" into the record kept by the NPDB. Attempts to alter reports have triggered litigation against reporting entities and the NPDB itself, and although they have largely failed, these suits illustrate the unique problems that the NPDB causes physicians. In Part IV, these unsuccessful suits will be contrasted against a body of law surrounding the accuracy of another putative "blacklist"-credit scores. Part V will begin to sketch out some basic policy recommendations.
Optimizing pharmacokinetics of intravesical chemotherapy for bladder cancer

Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) remains one of the most common malignancies and is associated with considerable treatment costs. Patients with intermediate-risk or high-risk disease can be treated with intravesical BCG, but many of these patients will experience tumour recurrence, despite adequate treatment. Standard of care in these patients is radical cystectomy with urinary diversion, but this approach is associated with considerable morbidity and lifestyle modification. As an alternative, perioperative intravesical chemotherapy is recommended for low-risk papillary NMIBC, and induction intravesical chemotherapy is an option for patients with intermediate-risk NMIBC and BCG-unresponsive NMIBC. However, poor pharmaceutical absorption and drug washout during normal voiding can limit sustained drug concentrations in the urothelium, which reduces efficacy, and small-molecule chemotherapeutic agents can be absorbed through the urothelium into the bloodstream, leading to systemic adverse effects. Several novel drug delivery methods - including hyperthermia, mechanical sustained released devices and nanoparticle drug conjugation - have been developed to overcome these limitations. These novel methods have the potential to be combined with established chemotherapeutic agents to change the paradigm of NMIBC treatment.
Displaying radiologic images on personal computers: Image storage and compression: Part 1

This is the third article of our series for radiologists and imaging scientists on displaying, manipulating, and analyzing radiologic images on personal computers. Part 1 of this article discusses image storage and reviews the basic concepts of information theory and image compression; part 2 will discuss specific methods of image compression. There are a wide variety of removable storage devices available to users who need to archive radiologic images on their personal computers. Tape drives have potentially very large storage capacity but slow performance. Removable SyQuest (SyQuest Technology, Femont, CA) and Bernoulli disks have near hard disk performance and can store from 100 to 150 Mbytes. Magneto-optical drives can store nearly 1 Gb on a 5.25″ disk, with somewhat slower performance. Selecting the most appropriate storage solution requires a careful balance of the user's requirements, including performance, storage needs, cost and compatibility with other users. Despite the advances in low cost high capacity storage technology, image compression remains a crucial technology for modern diagnostic radiology because digital images require such large amounts of storage. Image compression is possible because radiologic images have relatively low entropy (high information content) compared with random noise. Image compression is classified as lossless (nondestructive) or lossy (destructive). Lossless image compression commonly achieve compression ratios of 1.5:1 to 3:1 (33% to 67%), whereas lossy compression can compresses images from 3:1 to 30:1 (67% to 97%). Many lossless compression methods are enhanced by first creating a difference image using discrete pulse code modulation. All compression methods are adversely affected by image noise.
The EVALI and Youth Vaping Epidemics — Implications for Public Health

The EVALI and Youth Vaping Epidemics Interventions aimed at curbing two related U.S. epidemics connected with vaping — an outbreak of lung injuries and a continued surge in use by young people — sh...
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound of Congenital and Infantile Hemangiomas: Preliminary Results From a Case Series.

OBJECTIVE. The contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging features of hepatic vascular tumors in infants, including infantile hemangioma (IH) and congenital hemangioma (CH), are not well reported....
A framework for evaluation of existing pavement conditions and selection of feasible maintenance/rehabilitation alternatives; a case study in some routes of Livingston Parish in the state of Louisiana

This study presents a step-by-step framework process/general guideline for the process of project evaluation, identify, document, and evaluate the existing pavement conditions plus evaluate the most feasible maintenance/rehabilitation alternatives for flexible roads. The presented framework could be significantly useful for extending the service life of the pavement, based on their accurate time of application. The presented framework consists of six classified steps to evaluate the existing condition of the pavement, assessing the cost-effectiveness of different maintenance or rehabilitation techniques by conducting Life Cycle Cost Analysis and selecting feasible alternative techniques according to distress types in the flexible pavements. As of the framework, four existing pavements located in Livingston parish in the state of Louisiana have evaluated in detail. Finally, at least two feasible alternatives have suggested for each subsection roads and most cost-effective alternative techniques scored according to assigned weighting factors. Although Different strategies are using by various highway agencies to evaluate the strategy of selection of the appropriate alternative, which is different in the details, the proposed framework could evaluate the uncertainties associated with infrastructure conditions plus determining the optimal inspection, maintenance, and rehabilitation decision policies. This study presents that Micro-surfacing and thin overlay techniques found the most common techniques for the case studies sections, which are according to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development common treatment selection strategy.
Improving the prediction of western North Pacific summer precipitation using a Bayesian dynamic linear model

Seasonal prediction of western North Pacific summer monsoon rainfall (WNPSMR) is in great demand but remains challenging, because the relationships between the Asian monsoon system and precursors are nonstationary and exhibit significant decadal changes. The present study aims to (1) examine decadal variations of the relationships between the WNPSMR and predictors used in previous studies and (2) establish a new prediction model using a Bayesian dynamical linear model (DLM), which is capable of capturing the time-evolving relationships between the predictand and predictors whereas the conventional static linear model cannot. Two predictors were selected previously to predict the WNPSMR. One is the sea level pressure tendency anomalies over the tropical eastern Pacific from late spring to early summer, which represents remote forcing related to ENSO and has a stable effect on WNPSMR throughout the analysis period. The other is the sea surface temperature anomaly difference between the northern Indian Ocean (IO) and the WNP during spring through early summer (called IOWPSST), which denotes local air–sea interaction that affects the WNP subtropical high. Results show that the IOWPSST has strong influence on WNPSMR during 1979–2003 (period 1), while from 2004 to 2017 (period 2) its connection to WNPSMR evidently weakens. This nonstationary relationship is due to the non-persistence of the enhanced WNP subtropical high during period 2, which is associated with the positive-to-negative phase transition of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation since ~ 2000. A new prediction model was established using the two predictors with Bayesian DLM. The cross-validation method and a 9-years independent forward-rolling forecast is applied to test the hindcast and actual forecast ability. Results show that the Bayesian DLM has higher hindcast/forecast skill and lower mean square error compared with static linear model, suggesting that the DLM has advantage in predicting WNPSMR and is a promising method for seasonal prediction.
Design of an Integrated Observer Structure for Robust Fault Detection

An integrated observer structure consisting of an unknown input observer and proportional integral observer with an additional fading term for robust fault detection is presented. First, a brief overview of each observer is outlined with the associated advantages. The design equations of each observer is required for the design of combined observer structure termed as PIFUIO. It is shown that the fading term of this observer plays a key role in reliable estimation of faults decoupled from the unknown disturbance or vice versa. The robust detection of sensor fault is also considered with the presence of unknown inputs. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the advantage of PIFUIO.
Alcohol Use Disorder

A high percentage of subjects diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) suffer from sleeping difficulties. Lack of sleep could lead AUD patients to relapse or, sometimes, to suicide. Most of the currently prescribed medications to treat this complex problem retain a high risk of side effects and/or dependence. Therefore, the aim of the current clinical trial is to investigate the possibility of the use of a safer treatment, such as the natural health product melatonin, to treat alcohol-related sleeping problems. Sixty treatment-seeking AUD subjects were assigned to melatonin (5 mg) or placebo for 4 weeks of treatment. Change in sleeping quality which is the primary outcome of the study was assessed using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) scale. Linear mixed models were used to statistically analyze the difference in scores before and after 4 weeks of treatment. There was a reduction in the global PSQI score in both groups with no significant drug effect between groups