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A crash is defined as speeding-related if the investigating officer indicates the driver involved in the crash was driving greater than the posted speed limit, driving too fast for conditions, [...]

SUMMER 2020 ISSUE LAST YEAR, RIGHT around the time of the winter solstice, 1 found myself standing alone on the crest of the Kirkpatrick Dam in north-central Florida looking upstream [...]

With the rapid advance of machine learning techniques and the increased availability of high-speed computing resources, it has become possible to exploit machine-learning technologies to aid in the design of photonic devices. In this work we use evolutionary optimization algorithms, machine learning techniques, and the drift-diffusion equations to optimize a modified uni-traveling-carrier (MUTC) photodetector for low phase noise at a relatively low bias of 5 V. We compare the particle swarm optimization (PSO), genetic, and surrogate optimization algorithms. We find that PSO yields the solution with the lowest phase noise, with an improvement over a current design of 4.4 dBc/Hz. We then analyze the machine-optimized design to understand the physics behind the phase noise reduction and show that the optimized design removes electrical bottlenecks in the current design.

Time window functions are used as broadband excitations to obtain the output power spectrum of photodetectors. Numerical results show a good agreement with experimental results. The proposed method yields a two-orders-of-magnitude reduction in computing time and memory compared to traditional monochromatic calculations. This large reduction makes it possible to design high-performance photodetectors with numerical optimization on desktop computers. We use this approach to design a device whose 3-dB bandwidth is four times larger than the initial design.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine if sequential presentation with feeder modeling would lead to an increase in bites accepted of new foods compared to sequential presentation [...]

Mixing alcohol with caffeinated energy drinks is a common practice among young people. Consumption of alcohol mixed in energy drink is associated with increased risk of binge drinking and alcohol dependence. The purpose of this study was to determine whether voluntary intermittent access to alcohol mixed in energy drink in adolescent rats alters adult self‐administration of alcohol, anxiety, and memory. For 10 weeks in the home‐cage, two groups of adolescent female Sprague–Dawley rats had intermittent access to energy drink (ED) or 10% alcohol mixed in energy drink (AmED) with water concurrently available. Other rat groups had daily continuous access to ED or AmED. Anxiety was measured with an open field test and memory was assessed with a novel place recognition test. For self‐administration, rats pressed levers for 10% alcohol alone on a fixed ratio (FR1) and on a progressive ratio (PR). Intermittent access to AmED generated greater intake during the initial 30 min of access (AmED 1.70 ± 0.04 g/kg vs. ED 1.01 ± 0.06 g/kg) and during the subsequent 24 h (AmED 7.04 ± 0.25 g/kg vs. ED 5.60 ± 0.29 g/kg). Intermittent AmED caused a significant but small decrease in anxiety while neither ED nor AmED altered memory. During alcohol self‐administration, group differences emerged only during PR testing during which intermittent AmED rats responded more than all other groups. These findings suggest that intermittent access to AmED generates binge‐like consumption that supports human findings that AmED generates greater alcohol consumption. Furthermore, experience with AmED may alter the motivational properties of alcohol into adulthood without necessarily causing a major impact on anxiety or memory. Female rats had access to 10% w/v alcohol mixed in energy drink (AmED) via intermittent‐access 2‐bottle choice from adolescence into adulthood. Intermittent access generated binge‐like AmED consumption. Persistence of AmED effects was tested by examining behavior later in adulthood after AmED access ended. Exposure to intermittent AmED increased motivation for 10% w/v alcohol alone as measured via increased lever‐pressing on a progressive ratio. History of intermittent AmED caused a small decrease in anxiety but had no effect on memory.

WHEN A JEFF OESTREICH PIECE IS IN YOUR HAND, IT has the presence and solidity of look and feel that makes one think it could not be any way other [...]

Objectives. The aims of this research were to generate a set of time-variant measures of continuity of outpatient care using administrative data, and to evaluate the validity of these measures for persons in the community with serious mental illness (SMI) who use public mental health services. Data Sources. Individuals with SMI were identified using multistage random sampling from shelters, streets, and public mental health clinics in Houston, Texas. Study Design. The study design was observational, cross-sectional, and retrospective. Based on a review of the literature, five distinct conceptual dimensions of continuity of care were defined: timeliness, intensity, comprehensiveness, stability, and coordination. Repeated measures of continuity were generated for each day of the year. Construct validity was assessed by comparing continuity for housed persons and homeless persons based on the assumption that homelessness is a risk factor for low continuity of outpatient care. Data Collection. Subjects were interviewed to collect sociodemographic and clinical information. Service use was retrospectively tracked through the administrative records of multiple public sector agencies. Principal Findings. All five continuity measures demonstrated good construct validity by the fact that homelessness was significantly (p < 0.001) and substantially associated with lower continuity of care. Discussion. The five continuity-of-care measures are relatively easy and inexpensive to generate using administrative data. The tire continuity-of-care measures may be useful for identifying individuals at risk for poor outcomes and for evaluating the ability of public service systems to keep clients engaged in care over time. Key Words. Continuity of care, homeless, serious mental illness, For the purposes of this paper, we conceptualized continuity of care as a characterization of an individual's outpatient service utilization pattern over time. We examined continuity of outpatient care specifically [...]

Doppler ultrasound scans of an unborn baby's umbilical cord is more effective in detecting fetal distress than nonstress tests, according to a study of 1,340 pregnant women. The ultrasound scan detects abnormal blood flow in the umbilical cord, which is a sign of fetal distress.

Research has been conducted on intrapartum electronic fetal heart rate. The authors have investigated the correlation of the intrapartum electronic fetal heart rate pattern changes with the neonatal acidemia development, and they report that in case on intrapartum electronic fetal heart rate urgent delivery should be considered.

The biodigital convergence describes the intersection, and in some cases merging, of biological and digital technologies. Biodigital technologies include mRNA vaccines used to treat COVID-19, digitally controlled surveillance insects, microorganisms genetically engineered to produce medicinal compounds, and more. While significant scholarship has been paid to the ethical dimensions of biodigital technologies from a Western standpoint, little attention has focused on Indigenous views on the biodigital convergence. In this article, we explore the biodigital convergence from a Haudenosaunee perspective and suggest that insights from Indigenous philosophical traditions—specifically regarding relationality and territory—may be necessary for humanity to adapt to the profound and existential changes implicit in the biodigital convergence.

Pregnant women with eclampsia may have an oversupply of blood to the brain. Eclampsia is a pregnancy complication that can cause seizures.

Hypertension or preeclampsia in pregnancy appear to substantially increase cerebral blood flow. Researchers calculated blood flow in the brain of 17 nonpregnant women, 17 pregnant women, 20 pregnant women with high blood pressure, and 21 women with preeclampsia, a hypertensive complication of pregnancy. Hypertensive and preeclamptic women had significantly elevated cerebral perfusion pressure, but pregnancy alone only caused an 18% increase in blood flow in the brain, compared to the flow in nonpregnant women.

Planners have traditionally been involved in the location and management of landfill sites and their impact on the environment, and the progress of Nottingham University to develop systematic methods and criteria for sting recyling banks in Nottingham is reported. The spread of mini-recycling centres, particularly in the centres of residential areas has raised the question of whether they add to the quality of urban life. A survey found that most respondents would be willing to carry their domestic waste to mini-recycling centres, but sites would have to be selected carefully to encourage them to act on their good intentions.

Conjoined twinning is a rare birth defect estimated to occur in about 1 in 50,000 to 100,000 births. The mechanism of conjoined twinning is not proven. Different forms of conjoined twinning are observed with the thoracopagus form being the most common. The rate of conjoined twinning is similar across all major populations. A dramatic malformation of this type would be an extraordinary occurrence leading people to reflect on the spiritual or supernatural nature of such an event. Therefore, it is not surprising that artifacts that seem to depict different forms of conjoined twins are seen across diverse cultures. In this article, we present a survey of these cultural artifacts including anatomic classification based on external anatomy and an exploration of the cultural and spiritual contexts associated with the artifacts. A key finding is that the most common form of conjoined twinning in the artifacts is parapagus (both dicephalus and diprosopus) in contrast to thoracopagus, the most common form in epidemiologic studies. Potential reasons for this difference are discussed. Evidence is presented to support the speculation that these objects represent artistic impressions of actual conjoined twinning events.

As Pharmaceutical Technology Europe celebrates its 20-year anniversary, Good Products reflects on the impact of industry regulations and guidelines during the past two decades, and how developing technology will influence [...]

We calculate the impact of nonlinearity in both a p-i-n photodetector (PD) and a modified uni-traveling carrier (MUTC) PD on an RF-modulated frequency comb generated using 100-fs optical pulses with a 50-MHz repetition rate. We take into account bleaching (nonlinear saturation) that is due to the high peak-to-average-power ratio and contributes to the device nonlinearity. Nonlinear impairment of an RF-modulated continuous wave is typically characterized by the second- and third-order intermodulation distortion products (IMD2 and IMD3). In contrast, an RF-modulated frequency comb must be characterized by a distinct IMD2_n and IMD3_n for each comb line n. We calculate IMD2_n and IMD3_n in both p-i-n and MUTC PDs and compare the results. We also calculate the ratio of the IMD2_n power and the IMD3_n power to the fundamental power S_in in both p-i-n and MUTC PDs. We find that nonlinear distortion has a greater impact at high frequencies in the MUTC PD than in the p-i-n PD.

The use of nontherapeutic broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents triclosan (TCS) and benzalkonium chloride (BC) can contribute to bacterial resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria within wastewater may reflect the resistance burden within the human microbiome, as antibiotics and pathogens in wastewater can track with clinically relevant parameters during perturbations to the community. In this study, we monitored culturable and resistant wastewater bacteria and cross-resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics to gauge the impact of each antimicrobial and identify factors influencing cross-resistance profiles. Bacteria resistant to TCS and BC were isolated from wastewater influent over 21 months, and cross-resistance, taxonomy, and monthly changes were characterized under both antimicrobial selection regimes. Cross-resistance profiles from each antimicrobial differed within and between taxa. BC-isolated bacteria had a significantly higher prevalence of resistance to “last-resort antibiotic” colistin, while isolates resistant to TCS exhibited higher rates of multidrug resistance. Prevalence of culturable TCS-resistant bacteria decreased over time following Food and Drug Administration (FDA) TCS bans. Cross-resistance patterns varied according to sampling date, including among the most clinically important antibiotics. Correlations between strain-specific resistance profiles were largely influenced by taxonomy, with some variations associated with sampling date. The results reveal that time, taxonomy, and selection by TCS and BC impact features of cross-resistance patterns among diverse wastewater microorganisms, which could reflect the variety of factors influencing resistance patterns relevant to a community microbiome.

Blood vessels in the brains of pregnant women may dilate during delivery to protect the brain from adverse changes in blood pressure. Researchers used an ultrasound probe that can be placed against the head to measure blood flow in the brains of 15 pregnant women during delivery. During labor, blood flow in the brain fell significantly even during contractions and active pushing. This indicates that the blood vessels in the brain dilate, or become bigger.

This study was completed to validate a virtual reality (VR) headset (HTC ViveTM, Taiwan) as a tool to measure postural sway using the position and orientation tracking capabilities built into the VR system. If validated, the headset could be a cost-effective tool for balance assessments. Unity was used to develop an optical flow environment for VR. Study participants were able to experience three different speeds of optical flow displayed through the HTC Vive headset. However, for this study, participants were shown a scene in the virtual environment that did not move, causing no optical flow for the participant. A force plate and VR headset recorded position measurements during each trial. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the headset and the force plate data measurements were calculated in MATLAB, along with the root-mean-squared and peak-to-peak values for each trial. Results show that correlations in the AP plane tended to be greater than 0.4 and correlation in the ML plane tended to be greater than 0.6. The VR headset may be used for postural control measurements in clinic. However, further development of software and testing protocols for balance assessments is needed.

The article focuses on expert advice from golf coach Keith Williams on playing fairway bunker shots, emphasizing the importance of assessing factors such as sand amount, face height, and distance.

The article focuses on improving putting accuracy through recommended drills, including creating a putting channel with alignment sticks and a tee-peg gate; adjusting difficulty levels by narrowing the gate and increasing distance; and practicing with tee pegs at varying distances from the hole.

Byline: Keith A. Williams I was there when it happened. And for the record: I did object. I was but a teaching assistant; the decision was not mine. The decision [...]

Take a walk down memory lane as we pick out some of the most witty and pithy letters that you, dear readers, have sent us over the past three decades of Physics World.

To the Editor: David K. Hecht's 'How Scientific Celebrity Hurts Science' (February 26) begins with a very unfortunately worded question: 'Why should we believe what scientists have to say?' This [...]

The focus of this article is on key aspects of caring for patients with a traumatic injury to the spinal column and/or spinal cord. Many variables can make diagnosing and treating spinal injuries difficult. The multiple classification schemes and treatment options available and the controversies in the literature can make spine trauma seem daunting. Included in this short overview are several references that can serve as useful guides for orthopaedic residents when they are presented with a patient who has a spinal injury.

Wildfires are increasingly impacting high‐elevation forests in the western United States that accumulate seasonal snowpacks, presenting a major disturbance to a critical water reservoir for the region. In the first winter following the 2020 Cameron Peak wildfire in Colorado, the peak snow water equivalent in a high burn severity forest was 17%–25% less than nearby unburned sites. The loss of the forest canopy and a lower surface albedo led to an increasingly positive net shortwave radiation balance in the burned area, resulting in melt rates that were 82%–144% greater than unburned sites and snow disappearance occurred 11–13 days earlier. Late‐season snow storms temporarily buried soot, thus increasing the albedo and delaying melt‐out by an estimated 4 days per storm in our study area. While these storms temporarily reduce the higher melt rates imposed by wildfire impacts, SNOTEL measurements show that they occur non‐uniformly across the western U.S. Wildfire activity has increased markedly in the western U.S., with megafires (>100,000 acres) and high‐elevation fires becoming increasingly common. These fires are increasingly occurring in forests that accumulate substantial snowpacks and thus provide a reliable water resource for downstream populations. Following a fire, the loss of canopy can change how much snow accumulates and the rate and timing of its melting. Working in the 2020 Cameron Peak wildfire scar in Colorado, we found that a burned site accumulated less snow than unburned portions of the study area. The largest snowpack changes occurred in the spring, when snow in the burned site melted up to 144% faster and melted out 11–13 days earlier than unburned areas. The loss of tree canopy greatly increases the amount of solar energy that reaches the snow surface. Soot and debris from burned trees make the snow surface darker, resulting in more of this energy being absorbed. Late‐season snow storms were able to temporarily counteract some of these effects by burying the darker snow surface. As more and more of the western United States is fire‐impacted, it is essential to better understand and account for these impacts on this critical water reservoir for this region. Peak snow water equivalent in the burned area was 17%–25% lower than paired unburned areasSnowmelt rates were 82%–144% greater at the burned site compared to unburned sites and snow disappearance occurred 11–13 days earlierLate‐season snow storms reset albedo and delayed melt‐out, thus regional variability in storm frequency can modulate melt rates in burned areas Peak snow water equivalent in the burned area was 17%–25% lower than paired unburned areas Snowmelt rates were 82%–144% greater at the burned site compared to unburned sites and snow disappearance occurred 11–13 days earlier Late‐season snow storms reset albedo and delayed melt‐out, thus regional variability in storm frequency can modulate melt rates in burned areas

The Franz–Keldysh effect has been recognized as the largest contributor to oscillations in the responsivity of high-current photodetectors as a function of the applied bias or the incident light wavelength and to device nonlinearity. Prior work only considered the effect of the electric field without considering the Coulomb interaction. We show that it is not possible to obtain agreement with experiments at all optical wavelengths without including this effect in the effective mass equation. We find the maxima and minima in the absorption of the applied electric field shift when the Coulomb interaction is included. We then use the calculated absorption with the drift–diffusion equations to calculate the responsivity in a partially depleted absorber (PDA) photodetector, and we obtain excellent agreement with experiments at all biases and optical wavelengths.

We all know the value of water. Many of us have a passion for water. I believe those with passion should search for opportunities to share the value of water [...]

'Flex [Wheeler] wants me to always get a complete rep and tense at the stretch and contraction. It's harder and you can't use as much weight, but that's the way [...]

Birthdate May 16, 1973 Birthplace Pomona, California Current residence Plymouth, Minnesota Height 5'10' Wright 265 pounds (contest); 280 pounds (offseason) CONTEST HIGHLIGHTS 2008 IFBB North American Championships, super heavyweight, 4th; [...]

'I isolate each shoulder with one-arm Hammer Strength overhead presses. These help me focus on each side separately and allow for tighter contractions. Similarly, I do single-leg squats, which allow [...]

Our customers, the publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), are under severe financial pressure. Operating costs are climbing, infrastructure is failing, and their revenue sources are limited. The POTWs will tell [...]

You have more than 18 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. What are the most significant changes you have observed? The adoption of computers into every aspect of the [...]

I WAS DISMAYED TO BEAD JUAN GRAY'S response trashing your article identifying Jacksonville, Florida, as a great city for African Americans (Letters, August 2007). It is no small wonder that [...]

A U.S. Navy SEAL shows Secretary of the Navy Dr. Donald C. Winter a Special Operations Peculiar Modification (SOPMOD) M-4 at the shooting facility, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va. [...]