National Seismic System Science Plan

Recent developments in digital communication and seismometry are allowing seismologists to propose revolutionary new ways to reduce vulnerability from earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis, and to better understand these phenomena as well as the basic structure and dynamics of the Earth. This document provides a brief description of some of the critical new problems that can be addressed using modem digital seismic networks. It also provides an overview of existing seismic networks and suggests ways to integrate these together into a National Seismic System. A National Seismic System will consist of a number of interconnected regional networks (such as southern California, central and northern California, northeastern United States, northwestern United States, and so on) that are jointly operated by Federal, State, and private seismological research institutions. Regional networks will provide vital information concerning the hazards of specific regions. Parts of these networks will be linked to provide uniform rapid response on a national level (the National Seismic Network). A National Seismic System promises to significantly reduce societal risk to earthquake losses and to open new areas of fundamental basic research. The following is a list of some of the uses of a National Seismic System

Tracing Noble Gas Radionuclides in the Environment

Trace analysis of radionuclides is an essential and versatile tool in modern science and technology. Due to their ideal geophysical and geochemical properties, long-lived noble gas radionuclides, in particular, 39Ar (t1/2 = 269 yr), 81Kr (t1/2 = 2.3x10^5 yr) and 85Kr (t1/2 = 10.8 yr), have long been recognized to have a wide range of important applications in Earth sciences. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the development of practical analytical methods, and has led to applications of these isotopes in the hydrosphere (tracing the flow of groundwater and ocean water). In this article, we introduce the applications of these isotopes and review three leading analytical methods: Low-Level Counting (LLC), Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) and Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA)

How does the relaxation of a supercooled liquid depend on its microscopic dynamics?

Using molecular dynamics computer simulations we investigate how the relaxation dynamics of a simple supercooled liquid with Newtonian dynamics differs from the one with a stochastic dynamics. We find that, apart from the early beta-relaxation regime, the two dynamics give rise to the same relaxation behavior. The increase of the relaxation times of the system upon cooling, the details of the alpha-relaxation, as well as the wave vector dependence of the Edwards-Anderson-parameters are independent of the microscopic dynamics.Comment: 6 pages of Latex, 4 figure

Management and Outcome of Permanent Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Infections

ObjectivesWe describe the management and outcome of permanent pacemaker (PPM) and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) infections in a large cohort of patients seen at a tertiary care facility with expertise in device lead extraction.BackgroundInfection is a serious complication of PPM and ICD implantation. Optimal care of patients with these cardiac device infections (CDI) is not well defined.MethodsA retrospective review of all patients with CDI admitted to Mayo Clinic Rochester between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 2003, was conducted. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and descriptive analysis was performed.ResultsA total of 189 patients met the criteria for CDI (138 PPM, 51 ICD). The median age of the patients was 71.2 years. Generator pocket infection (69%) and device-related endocarditis (23%) were the most common clinical presentations. Coagulase-negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus, in 42% and 29% of cases, respectively, were the leading pathogens for CDI. Most patients (98%) underwent complete device removal. Duration of antibiotic therapy after device removal was based on clinical presentation and causative organism (median duration of 18 days for pocket infection vs. 28 days for endocarditis; 28 days for S. aureusinfection vs. 14 days for coagulase-negative staphylococci infection [p < 0.001]). Median follow-up after hospital discharge was 175 days. Ninety-six percent of patients were cured with both complete device removal and antibiotic administration.ConclusionsCure of CDI is achievable in the large majority of patients treated with an aggressive approach of combined antimicrobial treatment and complete device removal. Based on findings of our large retrospective institutional survey and previously published data, we submit proposed management guidelines of CDI

Watershed Management on Range and Forest Lands Proceedings of the Fifth Workshop of the United States/Australia Rangelands Panel

Preface: The U.S.-Australia Cooperative Rangeland Science Program In October 1968 the governments of the United States and Australia entered into an agreement for the purpose of facilitating close cooperative activities between the scientific communities of the two countries. The joint communique issued at that time designated the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Australian Commonwealth Department of Education and Science as the coordinating agencies. Both countries were to encourage binational teamwork in research, interchanges of scientists, joint seminars, and exchanges of information. A United States-Australia Rangeland Panel was established in December 1969 to further cooperation between the two countries in the rangeland sciences. The present panel includes the following

Centerscope

Centerscope, formerly Scope, was published by the Boston University Medical Center "to communicate the concern of the Medical Center for the development and maintenance of improved health care in contemporary society.

Economic development, human development, and the pursuit of happiness, April 1, 2, and 3, 2004

This repository item contains a single issue of the Pardee Conference Series, a publication series that began publishing in 2006 by the Boston University Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future. This was the Center's spring conference, which took place during April 1, 2, and 3, 2004.The conference asks the questions, how can we make sure that the benefits of economic growth flow into health, education, welfare, and other aspects of human development; and what is the relationship between human development and economic development? Speakers and participants discuss the role that culture, legal and political institutions, the UN Developmental Goals, the level of decision-making, and ethics, play in development

Molecular Dynamics Simulations

A tutorial introduction to the technique of Molecular Dynamics (MD) is given, and some characteristic examples of applications are described. The purpose and scope of these simulations and the relation to other simulation methods is discussed, and the basic MD algorithms are described. The sampling of intensive variables (temperature T, pressure p) in runs carried out in the microcanonical (NVE) ensemble (N= particle number, V = volume, E = energy) is discussed, as well as the realization of other ensembles (e.g. the NVT ensemble). For a typical application example, molten SiO2, the estimation of various transport coefficients (self-diffusion constants, viscosity, thermal conductivity) is discussed. As an example of Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics (NEMD), a study of a glass-forming polymer melt under shear is mentioned.Comment: 38 pages, 11 figures, to appear in J. Phys.: Condens. Matte

In search of phylogenetic congruence between molecular and morphological data in bryozoans with extreme adult skeletal heteromorphy

peerreview_statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope. aims_and_scope_url: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=tsab20© Crown Copyright 2015. This document is the author's final accepted/submitted version of the journal article. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it