Theorems on products of EPr matrices, II

AbstractThis paper gives necessary and sufficient conditions that the product of EPr matrices with entries from an arbitrary field be EPr. Results about the Reverse Order Law for generalized inverses of products of these matrices are included

Delirium as a predictor of sepsis in post-coronary artery bypass grafting patients: a retrospective cohort study

Article deposited according to agreement with BMC, December 6, 2010.YesFunding provided by the Open Access Authors Fund

ARAC's radiological support of the Cassini Launch

The Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was the U.S. Department of Energy atmospheric modeling resource used for the contingency of potential radiological releases during the launch of the Cassini mission. Having the ARAC system up and running was one of the launch criteria during the countdown. The ARAC Center at LLNL forecasted detailed weather conditions and delivered consequence assessments for potential accident scenarios to NASA before and during launch operations. A key aspect of ARAC's support was to acquire a variety of meteorological data for use in both forecast and real-time model calculations. ARAC acquired electronically two types of real-time observed meteorological data: 1) the set of on-site tower and profiler data via the Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS), and 2) routine regional airport observations delivered to the ARAC Center from the Air Force Weather Agency. We also used two forecasted data sources: 1) the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron at CCAS forecasted soundings for launch time, and 2) the Navy Operational Regional Atmospheric Prediction System (NORAPS) prognostic model which ARAC ran over the Cape. The NORAPS runs produced detailed 24-hr forecasts of 3-D wind fields. ARAC used default radiological accident source terms involving the potential destruction of Cassini�s Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) during 3 phases: 1) before the launch, 2) during the first 5 sec after ignition, and 3) from 5 to 143 sec after ignition. ARAC successfully developed and delivered dose and deposition plots at 24 hours, 3 hours, and 30 minutes before each of the launch windows

Evaluation of a new sonic anemometer for routine monitoring and emergency response applications

Recently, several new sonic anemometers have become available for routine wind measurements. Sonic anemometers avoid many problems associated with the traditional rotating anemometer and vane sets- inertia of moving parts, bearing wear, contamination from dust and ice, frequent maintenance. Without a starting threshold, the sonic anemometer also produces more accurate measurements of wind direction and sigma theta at very low wind speeds. We illustrate these advantages by comparing 20 days of observations from a new sonic anemometer with data from existing cup and vane sensors at the 10-m level of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory`s meteorological tower

ARAC's operational support of the Cassini Launch

The Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was the U.S. Department of Energy atmospheric modeling resource used for the contingency of potential radiological releases during the launch of the Cassini mission. The ARAC Center at LLNL forecasted detailed weather conditions and delivered consequence assessments for potential accident scenarios to NASA before and during launch operations. A key aspect of ARAC� s support was to acquire a variety of meteorological data for use in both forecast and real-time model calculations. ARAC acquired electronically two types of real-time observed meteorological data: 1) the full set of on-site towers and profilers via the Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS), and 2) routine regional airport observations (delivered to the ARAC Center from the Air Force Weather Agency). We also used two forecasted data sources: 1) the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron at CCAS forecasted soundings for launch time, and 2) the Navy Operational Regional Atmospheric Prediction System (NORAPS) prognostic model which ARAC ran over the Cape. The NORAPS runs produced detailed 24-hr forecasts of 3-D wind fields. ARAC used default radiological accident source terms involving the potential destruction of Cassini� s Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) during 3 phases: 1) before the launch, 2) during the first S set after ignition, and 3) from 5 to 143 set after ignition. ARAC successfully developed and delivered dose and deposition plots at 24 hours, 3 hours, and 30 minutes before each of the la

Decomposing the queue length distribution of processor-sharing models into queue lengths of permanent customer queues

We obtain a decomposition result for the steady state queue length distribution in egalitarian processor-sharing (PS) models. In particular, for an egalitarian PS queue with $K$ customer classes, we show that the marginal queue length distribution for class $k$ factorizes over the number of other customer types. The factorizing coefficients equal the queue length probabilities of a PS queue for type $k$ in isolation, in which the customers of the other types reside \textit{ permanently} in the system. Similarly, the (conditional) mean sojourn time for class $k$ can be obtained by conditioning on the number of permanent customers of the other types. The decomposition result implies linear relations between the marginal queue length probabilities, which also hold for other PS models such as the egalitarian processor-sharing models with state-dependent system capacity that only depends on the total number of customers in the system. Based on the exact decomposition result for egalitarian PS queues, we propose a similar decomposition for discriminatory processor-sharing (DPS) models, and numerically show that the approximation is accurate for moderate differences in service weights. \u

Recommended launch-hold criteria for protecting public health from hydrogen chloride (HC1) gas produced by rocket exhaust

Solid-fuel rocket motors used by the United States Air Force (USAF) to launch missiles and spacecraft can produce ambient-air concentrations of hydrogen chloride (HCI) gas. The HCI gas is a reaction product exhausted from the rocket motor during normal launch or emitted as a result of a catastrophic abort destroying the launch vehicle. Depending on the concentration in ambient air, the HCI gas can be irritating or toxic to humans. The diagnostic and complex-terrain wind field and particle dispersion model used by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory`s (LLNL`s) Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) Program was applied to the launch of a Peacekeeper missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California. Results from this deterministic model revealed that under specific meteorological conditions, cloud passage from normal-launch and catastropic-abort situations can yield measureable ground-level air concentrations of HCI where the general public is located. To protect public health in the event of such cloud passage, scientifically defensible, emergency ambient-air concentration limits for HCI were developed and recommended to the USAF for use as launch-hold criteria. Such launch-hold criteria are used to postpone a launch unless the forecasted meteorological conditions favor the prediction of safe ground-level concentrations of HCl for the general public. The recommended concentration limits are a 2 ppM 1-h time-weighted average (TWA) concentration constrained by a 1-min 10-ppM average concentration. This recommended criteria is supported by human dose-response information, including data for sensitive humans (e.g., asthmatics), and the dose response exhibited experimentally by animal models with respiratory physiology or responses considered similar to humans

The National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) Modeling and Decision Support System for Radiological and Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response

This paper describes the tools and services provided by the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for modeling the impacts of airborne hazardous materials. NARAC provides atmospheric plume modeling tools and services for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear airborne hazards. NARAC can simulate downwind effects from a variety of scenarios, including fires, industrial and transportation accidents, radiation dispersal device explosions, hazardous material spills, sprayers, nuclear power plant accidents, and nuclear detonations. NARAC collaborates with several government agencies and laboratories in order to accomplish its mission. The NARAC suite of software tools include simple stand-alone, local-scale plume modeling tools for end-user's computers, and Web- and Internet-based software to access advanced modeling tools and expert analyses from the national center at LLNL. Initial automated, 3-D predictions of plume exposure limits and protective action guidelines for emergency responders and managers are available from the center in 5-10 minutes. These can be followed immediately by quality-assured, refined analyses by 24 x 7 on-duty or on-call NARAC staff. NARAC continues to refine calculations using updated on-scene information, including measurements, until all airborne releases have stopped and the hazardous threats are mapped and impacts assessed. Model predictions include the 3-D spatial and time-varying effects of weather, land use, and terrain, on scales from the local to regional to global. Real-time meteorological data and forecasts are provided by redundant communications links to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force, as well as an in-house mesoscale numerical weather prediction model. NARAC provides an easy-to-use Geographical Information System (GIS) for display of plume predictions with affected population counts and detailed maps, and the ability to export plume predictions to other standard GIS capabilities. Data collection and product distribution is provided through a variety of communication methods, including dial-up, satellite, and wired and wireless networks

Multiple metrics of latitudinal patterns in insect pollination and herbivory for a tropical‐temperate congener pair

The biotic interactions hypothesis posits that biotic interactions are more important drivers of adaptation closer to the equator, evidenced by “stronger” contemporary interactions (e.g. greater interaction rates) and/or patterns of trait evolution consistent with a history of stronger interactions. Support for the hypothesis is mixed, but few studies span tropical and temperate regions while experimentally controlling for evolutionary history. Here, we integrate field observations and common garden experiments to quantify the relative importance of pollination and herbivory in a pair of tropical‐temperate congeneric perennial herbs. Phytolacca rivinoides and P. americana are pioneer species native to the Neotropics and the eastern USA, respectively. We compared plant‐pollinator and plant‐herbivore interactions between three tropical populations of P. rivinoides from Costa Rica and three temperate populations of P. americana from its northern range edge in Michigan and Ohio. For some metrics of interaction importance, we also included three subtropical populations of P. americana from its southern range edge in Florida. This approach confounds species and region but allows us, uniquely, to measure complementary proxies of interaction importance across a tropical‐temperate range in one system. To test the prediction that lower‐latitude plants are more reliant on insect pollinators, we quantified floral display and reward, insect visitation rates, and self‐pollination ability (autogamy). To test the prediction that lower‐latitude plants experience more herbivore pressure, we quantified herbivory rates, herbivore abundance, and leaf palatability. We found evidence supporting the biotic interactions hypothesis for most comparisons between P. rivinoides and north‐temperate P. americana (floral display, insect visitation, autogamy, herbivory, herbivore abundance, and young‐leaf palatability). Results for subtropical P. americana populations, however, were typically not intermediate between P. rivinoides and north‐temperate P. americana, as would be predicted by a linear latitudinal gradient in interaction importance. Subtropical young‐leaf palatability was intermediate, but subtropical mature leaves were the least palatable, and pollination‐related traits did not differ between temperate and subtropical regions. These nonlinear patterns of interaction importance suggest future work to relate interaction importance to climatic or biotic thresholds. In sum, we found that the biotic interactions hypothesis was more consistently supported at the larger spatial scale of our study