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The structural lung features that characterize individuals with preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) that remain stable overtime are unknown. The objective of this study was to use machine learning models with computed tomography (CT) imaging to classify stable PRISm from stable controls and stable COPD and identify discriminative features. A total of 596 participants that did not transition between control, PRISm and COPD groups at baseline and 3-year follow-up were evaluated: n = 274 with normal lung function (stable control), n = 22 stable PRISm, and n = 300 stable COPD. Investigated features included: quantitative CT (QCT) features (n = 34), such as total lung volume (%TLC CT) and percentage of ground glass and reticulation (%GG+Reticulation texture), as well as Radiomic (n = 102) features, including varied intensity zone distribution grainy texture (GLDZM ZDV). Logistic regression machine learning models were trained using various feature combinations (Base, Base+QCT, Base+Radiomic, Base+QCT+Radiomic). Model performances were evaluated using area under receiver operator curve (AUC) and comparisons between models were made using DeLong test; feature importance was ranked using Shapley Additive Explanations values. Machine learning models for all feature combinations achieved AUCs between 0.63–0.84 for stable PRISm vs. stable control, and 0.65–0.92 for stable PRISm vs. stable COPD classification. Models incorporating imaging features outperformed those trained solely on base features (p < 0.05). Compared to stable control and COPD, those with stable PRISm exhibited decreased %TLC CT and increased %GG+Reticulation texture and GLDZM ZDV. These findings suggest that reduced lung volumes, and elevated high-density and ground glass/reticulation patterns on CT imaging are associated with stable PRISm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hazardous drinking is a public health problem affecting approximately 20 % of the U.S. primary care population. Clinical trials have documented the efficacy and effectiveness of Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention (ASBI), yet widespread implementation remains elusive, and questions remain regarding optimal implementation and sustainment strategies. Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) implemented systematic ASBI in adult primary care in mid-2013. We used 8 years of electronic health record (EHR) data, combined with surveys which captured primary care provider perceptions organized into PRISM (Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model) implementation framework domains (Intervention, External Environment, Implementation Infrastructure, and Recipients), to characterize ASBI implementation and sustainment and test how various factors are associated with ASBI rates. Using EHR data, we calculated yearly screening rates of adults with a primary care visit, and brief intervention (BI) rates among those with a positive hazardous drinking screen, (exceeding the age and sex-specific daily and weekly low-risk NIH guidelines (≤3 per day and ≤ 7 per week for women and older men; ≤4 per day and ≤ 14 per week for men 18–65)), across KPNC, from 2014 to 2021. We collected web-based survey data, informed by the PRISM domains, from primary care providers (n = 796; 35.5 % RR) to assess perceptions on ASBI implementation and sustainability. Between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/21 there were 5,072,270 completed screenings and 624,167 BIs. After adjusting for patient panel characteristics, we found that facilities with higher Implementation Infrastructure domain scores, indicating more robust implementation capacity, had higher screening and BI rates; facilities with higher Intervention domain scores, indicating positive perceptions of SBIRT evidence, and facilities with higher Recipients domain scores, indicating perceived organizational robustness, clinician culture and management support; and greater perceived patient needs and their likely benefit from SBIRT, had higher BI rates. Results provide information on factors which may facilitate successful ASBI implementation and sustainability and could inform future ASBI implementation efforts in healthcare system settings. In particular, efforts toward bolstering an organization's implementation infrastructure capacity, prior to embarking on implementation of a systematic ASBI program, could potentially help pave the way for successful implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High levels of activin A are associated with all-cause mortality in general population. • Elevated levels of serum activin A are associated with a 'level-response' correlation to worse lung function. • Elevated activin A levels are risk factors for preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm). This study endeavors to decipher the association between Activin A and PRISm, thereby addressing the potential of Activin A as a serum biomarker for early detection and long-term clinical outcome prediction of PRISm and subsequent all-cause mortality. The study sample comprised middle-aged and older adults from the I-Lan Longitudinal Aging Study. Pulmonary function including forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1) were measured. Demographic data and laboratory data (including serum Activin A levels) were also collected. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify independent predictors of PRISm and all-cause mortality, respectively. Among 711 eligible participants, 34 % had PRISm. The risk of PRISm elevated with Activin A levels in group quartiles (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), Q2: 1.606 [95 % CI 0.972–2.652], p = 0.064, Q3: 2.666 [1.635–4.348], p < 0.001, Q4: 3.225 [1.965–5.293], p < 0.001). On the other hand, lower hemoglobin (aOR: 1.122, p = 0.041) and higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels (aOR: 1.033, p = 0.048) were associated with increased risk of PRISm. In addition, the PRISm group had a higher all-cause mortality rate (non-PRISm 4.5% vs. PRISm 8.3 %, p = 0.038). Multivariate Cox models also identify a higher level of Activin A as a risk factor of all-cause mortality (aHR: 1.001 [1.000–1.003], p = 0.042). Higher Activin A quartiles were linked to increased risk of PRISm, along with lower hemoglobin and higher BUN levels. Additonally, elevated Activin A was a significant risk factor of all-cause mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our school-based asthma program has reduced asthma exacerbations for youth with health disparities in the Denver metropolitan area, due partly to addressing social determinants of health, such as access to health care and medications. Dissemination and implementation (D&I) science approaches accelerate the translation of evidence-based programs into routine practice. D&I methods are being applied more commonly to improve health equity. The purpose of this publication was to give an overview of D&I research methods, using our school-based asthma program as an example. To successfully scale out our program across the state of Colorado, we are applying a D&I framework that guides the adaptation of our existing implementation approach to better meet our stakeholders' local context—the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment framework. In a pragmatic trial design, we will evaluate the outcomes of implementing the program across 5 Colorado regions, with attention to health equity, using a second commonly used D&I framework—Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance. Our central hypothesis is that our program will have broad and equitable reach to eligible students (primary outcome) and will reduce asthma attacks and symptoms. This D&I approach accelerates dissemination of our program and is an applicable process for translating other effective allergy/asthma programs to address asthma and allergy-related disparities. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current technology has made it possible to automate a number of agricultural processes that were traditionally carried out by humans and now can be entirely performed by robotic platforms. However, there are certain tasks like soft fruit harvesting, where human skills are still required. In this case, the robot's job is to cooperate/collaborate with human workers to alleviate their physical workload and improve harvesting efficiency. To accomplish that in a safe and reliable way, the robot should incorporate a safety system whose main goal is to reduce the risk of harming human co-workers during close human–robot interaction (HRI). In this context, this paper presents a theoretical study, addressing the safety risks of using collaborative robots in agricultural scenarios, especially in HRI situations when the robot's safety system is not completely reliable and a component may fail. The agricultural scenarios discussed in this paper include automatic harvesting, logistics operations, crop monitoring, and plant treatment using UV-C light. A human injury assessment is conducted based on converting the HRI in each agricultural scenario into a formal mathematical representation. This representation is later implemented in a probabilistic model-checking tool. We then use this tool to perform a sensitivity analysis that allows us to determine the probability that a human may get injured according to the occurrence of failures in the robot's safety or perception systems. Results of the sensitivity analysis show that an agricultural robot with a robust human perception system can still harm people if they are not well-trained to interact with the robot for certain scenarios. This illustrates how the probabilistic modeling methodology presented in this work can be used by safety engineers as a guideline to construct their own HRI models and then use the results of the model-checking to enhance the safety and reliability of their robot's safety system architectures and on-site safety policies. • Templates for hazard analysis and mitigation strategies in cooperative agricultural robotics. • Human–robot interactions in agricultural scenarios can be represented as simplified probabilistic models. • The reliability of robot safety systems/policies can be tested by formal verification before real implementation. • An agricultural robot with a robust human perception system can still harm people if they are not well-trained. • Ensuring that only trained people interact with agricultural robots, minimizes chances of producing human injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scleral contact lenses have a range of therapeutic and optical applications. In recent years, scleral lens prescribing has increased due to significant advances in ocular imaging technology, lens manufacturing processes, and the widespread availability of scleral lenses globally. While the optical principles of scleral lenses are identical to those of corneal rigid lenses (i.e. the post-lens tear layer neutralises the majority of anterior corneal astigmatism and higher order aberrations), the nature of scleral lenses and their typical fitting characteristics means that many of the assumptions of 'thin lens' paraxial optics traditionally used for corneal rigid lens calculations may be inappropriate in certain clinical scenarios. This review provides a comprehensive overview of a variety of lens and fitting characteristics that are unique to scleral lenses, or not typically encountered with corneal rigid lenses, and how these factors may potentially influence optical performance based on theoretical modelling, in particular; scleral lens parameters, the post-lens tear layer, and dynamic changes during lens wear. Current front and back surface lens designs and future scleral lens applications are also discussed, along with lens modifications to improve visual outcomes and transient changes in corneal optics induced by appropriately fitted modern scleral lenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The PRISM (Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Stratified Markers) project was funded under the auspices of the European Union Innovative Medicine Initiative (EU-IMI) to explore quantitative approaches to the biological and behavioral aspects of neuropsychiatric disorders. PRISM focuses specifically on social withdrawal, although its principles are applicable to a wide range of disorders. This commentary explores some of the major aspects of the PRISM design from the perspective of the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project initiated by the National Institute of Mental Health. PRISM represents an apt exemplar of the principles developed in the RDoC framework, with the potential to contribute palpable advances in precision diagnosis and innovative approaches to treatment development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Sleep disturbances are common in Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. • Sleep disturbances can precede Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. • Some sleep disturbances associate with neuropsychiatric symptoms. • Preclinical models can provide insights into mechanisms linking sleep and symptoms. • Standardising methods across disorders aids understanding sleep-symptom relations. Abstract The high prevalence of sleep disturbance in neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions is often interpreted as evidence for both sleep's sensitivity to and causal involvement in brain pathology. Nevertheless, how and which aspects of sleep contribute to brain function remains largely unknown. This review provides a critical evaluation of clinical and animal literature describing sleep and circadian disturbances in two distinct conditions and animal models thereof: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and schizophrenia. Its goal is to identify commonalities and distinctiveness of specific aspects of sleep disturbance and their relationship to symptoms across conditions. Despite limited standardisation, data imply that reductions in sleep continuity and alterations in sleep timing are common to AD and schizophrenia, whereas reductions in REM sleep and sleep spindle activity appear more specific to AD and schizophrenia, respectively. Putative mechanisms underlying these alterations are discussed. A standardised neuroscience based quantification of sleep and disease-independent assessment of symptoms in patients and animal models holds promise for furthering the understanding of mechanistic links between sleep and brain function in health and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Brain diseases are not diagnosed based on neurobiological mechanisms • Value may be gained by deep and broad phenotyping across disease states • Attention and working memory are important constructs for assessment • Assay selection across disease states requires significant compromise • Relating psychological construct to functional ability may redefine brain disease Abstract Central nervous system diseases are not currently diagnosed based on knowledge of biological mechanisms underlying their symptoms. Greater understanding may be offered through an agnostic approach to traditional disease categories, where learning more about shared biological mechanisms across conditions could potentially reclassify sub-groups of patients to allow realisation of more effective treatments. This review represents the output of the collaborative group "PRISM", tasked with considering assay choices for assessment of attention and working memory in a transdiagnostic cohort of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia patients exhibiting symptomatic spectra of social withdrawal. A multidimensional analysis of this nature has not been previously attempted. Nominated assays (continuous performance test III, attention network test, digit symbol substitution, N-back, complex span, spatial navigation in a virtual environment) reflected a necessary compromise between the need for broad assessment of the neuropsychological constructs in question with several pragmatic criteria: patient burden, compatibility with neurophysiologic measures and availability of preclinical homologues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Discussion of working definition of social withdrawal in neuropsychiatric diseases. • Selection of subjective and objective rating scales for assessing social withdrawal in specific neuropsychiatric diseases. • Selection of MRI and EEG paradigms for studying brain circuitry and mechanisms involved in social withdrawal. • Selection of complementing behavioral paradigms and addition of a digital phenotyping tool. Abstract Social withdrawal is one of the first and common signs of early social dysfunction in a number of important neuropsychiatric disorders, likely because of the enormous amount and complexity of brain processes required to initiate and maintain social relationships (Adolphs, 2009). The Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Stratified Markers (PRISM) project focusses on the shared and unique neurobiological basis of social withdrawal in schizophrenia, Alzheimer and depression. In this paper, we discuss the working definition of social withdrawal for this study and the selection of objective and subjective rating scales to assess social withdrawal chosen or adapted for this project. We also discuss the MRI and EEG paradigms selected to study the systems and neural circuitry thought to underlie social functioning and more particularly to be involved in social withdrawal in humans, such as the social perception and the social affiliation networks. A number of behavioral paradigms were selected to assess complementary aspects of social cognition. Also, a digital phenotyping method (a smartphone application) was chosen to obtain real-life data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • PRISM uses metallic fuel for its reference cores (471–840 MWth). • Metallic fuel is compatible with sodium whereas oxide chemically reacts with sodium. • Incorporating actinides in a metallic alloy is easier than into an oxide matrix. • Metallic fuel's high thermal conductivity enhances the inherent safety of the core. Abstract The basis for GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy America's, LLC (GEH's) decision to select metallic fuel as the reference core for its sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), such as PRISM (Power Reactor Inherently Safe Module), is based on the fuel's physical properties, manufacturability, and accident response. The ideal fuel for a fast reactor has high thermal conductivity, a high melting temperature, chemical compatibility with the coolant, dimensional stability during irradiation, high fissile atom density, and few moderating atoms. Though each material has unique benefits, metallic fuel was chosen because 1) its high heat transport capability throughout its irradiation life, while still maintaining similar margin to melt as oxide fuel, 2) it is completely compatible with the coolant, making run beyond cladding breach a feasible operational strategy, and 3) it avoids the potential for core-wide boiling by providing a lower accident condition fuel centerline temperature and low Doppler reactivity feedback in stabilization of the core power during transient events. Metallic fuel is judged to have a more robust implementation for multiple SFR missions due to the relatively limited impact on overall thermo-mechanical properties with varying isotopic content, and therefore aligns PRISM better with the GEN-IV and PRISM's original design goals of economic power generation, transuranic recycle and plutonium disposition, which in turn makes the commercialization of an advanced SFR possible in the near-term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Indirect hex-dominant meshing methods rely on the detection of adjacent tetrahedra that may be combined to form hexahedra, prisms and pyramids. In this paper we introduce an algorithm that performs this identification and builds the set H of all possible combinations of tetrahedral elements of an input mesh T into hexahedra, prisms, or pyramids. All identified cells are valid for engineering analysis. First, all combinations of eight/six/five vertices whose connectivity in T matches the connectivity of a hexahedron/prism/pyramid are computed. The subset of tetrahedra of T triangulating each potential cell is then determined. Quality checks allow to early discard poor quality cells and to dramatically improve the efficiency of the method. Each potential hexahedron/prism/pyramid is computed only once. Around 3 millions potential hexahedra are computed in 10 s on a laptop. We finally demonstrate that the set of potential hexes built by our algorithm is significantly larger than those built using predefined patterns of subdivision of a hexahedron in tetrahedral elements. Highlights • We introduce an algorithm to combine tetrahedra into hexahedra. • The algorithm identifies all valid hexahedra in an existing tetrahedral mesh. • Hybrid meshes of hexahedra, prisms, and tetrahedra are efficiently generated. • We demonstrate our hybrid meshing method on 12 complex models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, a prismatic solid-shell is developed. The element is intended to the analysis of shells during forming process and consolidation stage. To correctly perform the simulation of this step, the proposed element provides an accurate calculation of stress/strain through the thickness. The bending stiffness of the element is based on the formulation of a DKT plate element which leads to good numerical efficiency. An additional degree of freedom at the center of the element, allows at the same time, the use of a complete 3D constitutive law, to avoid the thickness locking and a variation of the normal stress in the thickness which makes it possible to check the load boundary conditions on the upper and lower surfaces. This is very important for process simulation, and in particular for consolidation. A set of examples shows the good precision of the proposed element in many of the classical shell tests and its ability to calculate with accuracy the normal strain/stress in thickness. Highlights • A prismatic solid-shell element is developed for sheet forming simulations. • The objective is prepreg thermoforming in which a consolidation stage compact the prepreg to remove voids. • The bending stiffness of the element is based on the formulation of a DKT plate element. • The transverse shear is calculated using a mixed assumed strain interpolation. It is used to stabilize zero energy modes. • A set of examples shows the efficiency of the element and its ability to calculate the normal strain/stress in thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigated agriculture is the primary driver of freshwater use and is continuously expanding. Precise knowledge of irrigation amounts is critical for optimizing water management, especially in semi-arid regions where water is a limited resource. This study proposed to adapt the PrISM (Precipitation inferred from Soil Moisture) methodology to detect and estimate irrigation events from soil moisture remotely sensed data. PrISM was originally conceived to correct precipitation products, assimilating Soil Moisture (SM) observations into an antecedent precipitation index (API) formula, using a particle filter scheme. This novel application of PrISM uses initial precipitation and SM observations to detect instances of water excess in the soil (not caused by precipitation) and estimates the amount of irrigation, along with its uncertainty. This newly proposed approach does not require extensive calibration and is adaptable to different spatial and temporal scales. The objective of this study was to analyze the performance of PrISM for irrigation amount estimation and compare it with current state-of-the-art approaches. To develop and test this methodology, a synthetic study was conducted using SM observations with various noise levels to simulate uncertainties and different spatial and temporal resolutions. The results indicated that a high temporal resolution (less than 3 days) is crucial to avoid underestimating irrigation amounts due to missing events. However, including a constraint on the frequency of irrigation events, deduced from the system of irrigation used at the field level, could overcome the limitation of low temporal resolution and significantly reduce underestimation of irrigation amounts. Subsequently, the developed methodology was applied to actual satellite SM products at different spatial scales (1 km and 100 m) over the same area. Validation was performed using in situ data at the district level of Algerri-Balaguer in Catalunya, Spain, where in situ irrigation amounts were available for various years. The validation resulted in a total Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) of 0.80 and a total root mean square error (rmse) of 7.19 mm ∕ week for the years from 2017 to 2021. Additional validation was conducted at the field level in the Segarra-Garrigues irrigation district using in situ data from a field where SM profiles and irrigation amounts were continuously monitored. This validation yielded a total bi-weekly r of 0.81 and a total rmse of −9.34 mm ∕14- days for the years from 2017 to 2021. Overall, the results suggested that PrISM can effectively estimate irrigation from SM remote sensing data, and the methodology has the potential to be applied on a large scale without requiring extensive calibration or site-specific knowledge. • A new methodology for estimating irrigation amounts based on PrISM (Precipitation inferred from Soil Moisture) is introduced. • The methodology requires observations of soil moisture and precipitation, and can exclusively rely on remote sensing data. • Retrieved irrigation is validated at different spatial (district and field level) and temporal (weekly and bi-weekly) scales. • Irrigation water estimation's performances reach and improve current state-of-the-art methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principles of design for two types of prismatic elements have been studied. The theoretical approach has been used for design of the glass prisms to optimize their function for given application and geographic location. The two manufactured prismatic glass elements have been applied in triple glazed window samples with a low emissivity coating and experimentally tested to determine the realistic angular selective optical properties. A specific test stand for glass prism transmittance measurement has been developed and applied. The results have been compared with conventional triple glazing with clear glass panes and triple glazing with solar control pane applied, both alternatives with the identical low emissivity coating. Significant advantages of transmittance selectivity (low transmittance for high solar altitude – summer condition, high transmittance for low solar altitude – winter condition) have been proved especially for triple glazing with reverse symmetrical prism. The results open the possible application of the prismatic structures in modern façade envelopes, e.g. curtain walling facades or greenhouse walls as low-cost alternative to other types of shading devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation and temperature are two primary drivers that significantly affect hydrologic processes in a watershed. A network of land-based National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) weather stations has been typically used as a primary source of climate input for agro-ecosystem models. However, the network may lack the density to adequately capture spatial climate variability throughout large watersheds. High-resolution weather datasets based on 4 km × 4 km grid, such as Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) and Parameter–Elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM), have become increasingly available as alternatives to conventional land-based networks. The goal of this study was to evaluate impacts of the three weather datasets, NCDC, NEXRAD, and PRISM, on hydrologic processes in an agricultural catchment in Kansas. A method of collecting and processing three sets of weather input datasets was developed and applied to a calibrated Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model for the Smoky Hill River watershed (SHRW) in west-central Kansas, which is sparsely covered by NCDC weather stations with fair to poor range of NEXRAD coverage. SHRW is a typical agricultural catchment in the Central Great Plains; research findings here may be applicable to large areas of the US with similar topography and climate conditions. The SWAT model based on PRISM dataset was able to capture daily streamflow alterations with a greater accuracy compared to NCDC and NEXRAD based SWAT models. With three different weather inputs, SWAT with NCDC consistently overestimated monthly stream discharges, while the SWAT models based on NEXRAD and PRISM datasets tended to underestimate monthly high flows of over 8 m 3 s − 1 and overestimate monthly low flows of below 1 m 3 s − 1 . In general, all models overestimated streamflow in dry years and underestimated streamflow in wet years, however, the PRISM-based model generated smaller bias than the models utilizing NEXRAD or NCDC. The use of PRISM resulted in better statistical performance metrics for streamflow. The conducted study suggests that gridded weather datasets can significantly improve simulated streamflow at daily, monthly and yearly scales as compared to traditional land-based networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest above-ground biomass (AGB) and spatial distribution of vegetation elements have profound effects on the productivity and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. In this paper, we evaluated biomass estimation from L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data acquired by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle SAR (UAVSAR) and the improvement of accuracy by adding canopy height information derived from stereo imagery acquired by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Panchromatic Remote Sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (PRISM) on-board the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS). Various models for prediction of forest biomass from UAVSAR data were investigated at pixel sizes of 1/4 ha (50 m × 50 m) and 1 ha. The variance inflation factor (VIF) was calculated for each of the explanatory variables in multivariable regression models to assess the multi-collinearity between explanatory variables. In addition, the t - and p -values were used to interpret the significance of the coefficients of each explanatory variables. The R 2 , Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), bias and Akaike information criterion (AIC), and leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) and bootstrapping were used to validate models. At 1/4-ha scale, the R 2 and RMSE of biomass estimation from a model using a single track of polarimetric UAVSAR data were 0.59 and 52.08 Mg/ha. With canopy height from PRISM as additional independent variable, R 2 increased to 0.76 and RMSE decreased to 39.74 Mg/ha (28.24%). At 1-ha scale, the RMSE of biomass estimation based on UAVSAR data of a single track was 39.42 Mg/ha with a R 2 of 0.77. With the canopy height from PRISM, R 2 increased to 0.86 and RMSE decreased to 29.47 Mg/ha (20.18%). The models using UAVSAR data alone underestimated biomass at levels above ~ 150 Mg/ha showing the saturation phenomenon. Adding canopy height from PRISM stereo imagery significantly improved the biomass estimation and elevated the saturation level in estimating biomass. Combined use of UAVSAR data acquired from opposite directions (odd and even tracks) slightly improved the biomass estimation. Combined use of UAVSAR data acquired from opposite directions (odd and even tracks) slightly improved the biomass estimation at 1/4-ha scale, R 2 increased from 0.59 to 0.66 and RMSE reduced from 52.08 to 48.57 Mg/ha. Averaging multiple acquisitions of UAVSAR data from the same look azimuth direction did not improve biomass estimation. A biomass map derived from NASA's LVIS (Laser Vegetation Imaging System) waveform data was used as a reference for evaluation of the biomass maps from these models. The study has also shown that the errors decreased when deciduous, evergreen, and mixed forests were modeled separately but the improvement was not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a push to improve and standardize the quality of clinical care delivered. This has led to marked efforts across institutions to invest in quality improvement (QI) as a part of daily practice. “Problem-solving, Root cause analysis, Improvement Science, and Monitoring” (PRISM) is a model used to detail a stepwise approach to QI in a way that can be easily followed, sustained, and eventually integrated into an organization’s learning system. This model is being used to improve the efficiency of our emergency department admissions process. The various tools that are a part of PRISM are discussed in detail here. Frontline team members have been educated about PRISM and are now engaged and leading improvement efforts within our organization. In short, PRISM has provided the common QI language for our transformation toward becoming a leader in patient- and family-centered care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO 2 conversion luminescent materials doped with Er3+ and Yb3+ are used as electron transport layer to enhance photoelectric performance of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite solar cells (MAPbI 3 PSC) under scattered solar light irradiation by prism. The composition, morphology and optical property of the films were characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, UV–vis and PL. The up-conversion TiO 2 luminescent film absorbs multiple low energy infrared photons and converts them into one visible photon, while the down-conversion TiO 2 luminescent film absorbs one high-energy ultraviolet photon and converts it into multiple visible photons. The obtained visible photons can effectively excite the MAPbI 3 perovskite to produce more photo-generated electron-hole pairs, thus improving the incident light utilization and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of MAPbI 3 PSC. The MAPbI 3 PSC with up-conversion TiO 2 , TiO 2 and down-conversion TiO 2 electron transport layer (UTD-MAPbI 3 PSC) can effectively utilize the infrared, visible and ultraviolet lights obtained from the sunlight dispersed by a prism, respectively. Under the scattered solar light irradiation, the PCE of UTD-MAPbI 3 PSC is increased by 11.22%, compared with that of the MAPbI 3 PSC with un-doped TiO 2 as the electron transport layer (TiO 2 -MAPbI 3 PSC). This may provide a new idea to enhance the utilization ratio of sunlight for solar cells. • Up-convesion TiO 2 :Er3+,Yb3+ film can transfer infrared light to visible lights. • Down-conversion TiO 2 :Er3+,Yb3+ film can transfer ultraviolet light to visible light. • Up- and down-conversion luminescent materials are used in perovskite solar cells. • Prism scattered lights are utilized up- and down-conversion luminescent materials. • Use of prism and light conversion materials increases the cell efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3-polytopes are planar, 3-connected graphs. A classical question is, given r ≥ 3 , is the 2 (r − 1) -gonal prism K 2 × C 2 (r − 1) the unique 3-polytope of graph radius r and smallest size? Under some extra assumptions, we answer this question in the positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, highly crystalline rectangular prism-like CeO 2 microrods were synthesized by a microwave assisted solution without any surfactants or templates. The reaction time was only 30 min. The structure and morphology were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and XPS. The calculated lattice parameter was a = 0.5405 nm. The microrods growth was in the [111] direction. A possible formation mechanism was suggested. As an anode material for Li-ion batteries, lithium storage behaviors of the as-prepared CeO 2 were evaluated in 0.01–1.5 V by charge-discharge test, CV and EIS. The discharge capacity retention was 98.97% with reference to the 10th cycle (319.5 mAh g −1 ) after 100 cycles at 0.2 mA cm −2 . The excellent lithium storage behavior should be attributed to 1-dimensional (1D) microrod structures, the path of lithium ions diffusion and the maintain of the microrod morphology during lithiation/delithiation. Furthermore, the obtained rectangular prism-like CeO 2 microrods can also be extended to other application fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short rotation woody crop (SRWC) systems continue to be investigated as energy crops for a range of energy products including liquid biofuels and electricity. To understand their market potential and economic viability, regional biomass yield and production estimates are used as primary inputs. Biomass is generally estimated using growth models which often utilize gridded weather datasets when implemented for regional simulations. With such models, the accuracy of weather data will affect the uncertainty of estimated biomass and subsequent bioenergy analyses. This study evaluates the biases in weather variables of commonly used high resolution gridded datasets including PRISM, Daymet, NARR, and NLDAS in comparison with observed weather at five flux tower stations. Further, impacts of inaccuracies in gridded data sources on biomass estimates of SRWC hybrid poplar was investigated at site and regional levels using a version of the 3-PG growth model modified to model production with multiple harvests through coppicing or periodic cutting of the trees with regrowth from the tree stump. Results suggest that weather variables in all gridded datasets are characterized by some degree of bias leading to considerable bias in biomass estimates, in some cases up to 45%. PRISM and Daymet were shown to have lower uncertainty in most of the weather variables, likely due to their higher spatial resolution and higher dependency on station weather. Site level simulations indicate that relative to the reference biomass estimates based on actual weather measurements, NARR data yielded 4.1 Mg ha −1 y −1 higher biomass while NLDAS, Daymet, and PRISM resulted in 3.3, 1.2 and 0.3 Mg ha −1 y −1 lower biomass. Regional simulations suggest that total biomass varied substantially with gridded data sources ranging between 47.4 and 58.3 Tg on the croplands and rangelands in the region (Columbia Plateau), which subsequently led up to 23% variation in the estimate of poplar based jet fuel production from the SRWC resource. Therefore, findings of this study reinforce the need to account for uncertainties in biomass estimates introduced by biases in gridded weather when modeling bioenergy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to compare the features of two groups of cocaine dependent patients in treatment, one of them with co-morbid diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder and the other not. Cross-sectional design, with 143 cocaine-dependent patients attending a drug unit, distributed in two groups: patients with and without Antisocial Personality Disorder. As results, we found that the 15.38% of the sample were diagnosed with an Antisocial Personality Disorder. In relation to socio-demographic variables, Antisocial Personality Disorder patients have less probability of being working or studying (9.1% vs. 47.9%). After multivariate analysis it was found that significantly Antisocial Personality Disorder patients have more opiates dependence (OR: 0.219; 95% IC 0.072–0.660), sedative dependence (OR: 0.203; 95% IC 0.062–0.644) and in more cases show Borderline Personality Disorder (OR: 0.239; 95% IC 0.077–0.746). This study highlights significant differences between cocaine addicts with or without an Antisocial Personality Disorder. All these differences are good indicators of the complexity of the patients with this personality disorder. Better knowledge of their profile will help us to improve the design of specific treatment programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the known classification approaches in data mining is rule induction (RI). RI algorithms such as PRISM usually produce If-Then classifiers, which have a comparable predictive performance to other traditional classification approaches such as decision trees and associative classification. Hence, these classifiers are favourable for carrying out decisions by users and therefore they can be utilised as decision making tools. Nevertheless, RI methods, including PRISM and its successors, suffer from a number of drawbacks primarily the large number of rules derived. This can be a burden especially when the input data is largely dimensional. Therefore, pruning unnecessary rules becomes essential for the success of this type of classifiers. This article proposes a new RI algorithm that reduces the search space for candidate rules by early pruning any irrelevant items during the process of building the classifier. Whenever a rule is generated, our algorithm updates the candidate items frequency to reflect the discarded data examples associated with the rules derived. This makes items frequency dynamic rather static and ensures that irrelevant rules are deleted in preliminary stages when they don't hold enough data representation. The major benefit will be a concise set of decision making rules that are easy to understand and controlled by the decision maker. The proposed algorithm has been implemented in WEKA (Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis) environment and hence it can now be utilised by different types of users such as managers, researchers, students and others. Experimental results using real data from the security domain as well as sixteen classification datasets from University of California Irvine (UCI) repository reveal that the proposed algorithm is competitive in regards to classification accuracy when compared to known RI algorithms. Moreover, the classifiers produced by our algorithm are smaller in size which increase their possible use in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years' development in nanotechnology utilization of DNA barcodes with potential benefit of nanoparticulate system is a hallmark for novel advancement in healthcare, biomedical and research sector. Interplay of biological barcoding with nanodimensional system encompasses innovative technologies to offer unique advantages of ultra-sensitivity, error-free, accuracy with minimal label reagents, and less time consumption in comparison to conventional techniques like ELISA, PCR, culture media, electrophoresis. DNA barcoding systems used as universal novel tool for identification and multiplex structural detection of proteins, DNAs, toxins, allergens, and nucleic acids of humans, viruses, animals, bacteria, plants as well as personalized treatment in ovarian cancer, AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma, breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Barcoding tools offer substantial attention in drug delivery, in-vivo screening, gene transport for theranostics, bioimaging, and nano-biosensors applications. This review article outlines the recent advances in nano-mediated DNA barcodes to explore various applications in detection of cancer markers, tumor cells, pathogens, allergens, as theranostics, biological sensors, and plant authentication. Furthermore, it summarizes the diverse newer technologies such as bio-barcode amplification (BBA), Profiling Relative Inhibition Simultaneously in Mixtures (PRISM) and CRISPR-Cas9 gene knockout and their applications as sensors for detections of antigens, allergens, and other specimens. [Display omitted] • DNA barcoding technique shows benefits over ELISA, PCR and culture methods • DNA barcoding in combination with nanotechnology employed for multiplex structural detection of microorganisms. • This integrated technique tracks in-vivo delivery of nanoparticulate drug at the targeted site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light-absorbing materials are widely used, and their optical properties are an important factor. Snell's law does not hold in materials that partially absorb light. Hence, the optical path in refraction is calculated from Maxwell's law. We used the optical path to obtain the deviation angle when a light passes through a prism made of light-absorbing material. The deviation angle has a local maximum. The deviation angle near the maximum is sensitive to the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index. The local maximum deviation angle and its incident angle are used to determine the complex index of refraction. This measurement has the same advantages as measuring the minimum deviation angle of a transparent prism. The detection is easy. Then, it is necessary to determine the complex refractive index from the measured maximum deviation angle and its incident angle. These two angles are plotted parametrically by varying the real part of the refractive index under a fixed imaginary part. The similar curves are drawn under the fixed real parts. Each curve has a fixed value for the real or imaginary part of the refractive index. Drawings of these many curves are made prior to measurement. Then we select the four curves that are closest to the measured local maximum deviation angle and its incident angle. Four fixed values attached to each of the four curves determine the complex index of refraction. The method in this paper can easily determine the complex refractive index and can be used for material identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper makes use of the refined unambiguous angles of incidence and refraction reported earlier by the author to give birth to a novel general expression for the dispersive power of a prism. This expression has been subsequently employed to derive interesting findings in respect of the dependence of dispersive power on: (i) the refracting angle of prisms for a particular unambiguous angle of incidence, (ii) the unambiguous angle of incidence for a particular thin prism, and (iii) the unambiguous angle of incidence for a particular thick prism. The results obtained are all novel and unlikely to be found in the traditional optical literature. As such the present contribution will enrich the long-running optical literature thereby enhancing it as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper makes use of the unambiguous definitions of angles of incidence and refraction offered by the author in 2005 to make an extensive study of the theoretical behavior of the ( i – δ) curve of a prism in ray optics. Novel relations have been achieved for the explicit dependence of the final angle of emergence ( i 2 ) as well as the net deviation ( δ ) on the unambiguous primary angle of incidence ( i 1 ). Considering a glass prism with angle, A = 60° and refractive index, μ = 1.5, the theoretical relations developed have been subsequently employed to predict the graphical behavior of each of the ( i 1 versus i 2 ) curve, ( i 1 versus ( i 2 − i 1 )) curve, and ( i 1 versus δ ) curve. Though the quantitative interpretation of the peculiar nature of the ( i 1 versus δ ) curve of a prism follows from the relevant relation derived in the paper, qualitative interpretation regarding the peculiar trend of variation of the net deviation ( δ ) with the unambiguous primary angle of incidence ( i 1 ) has also been provided on the basis of the ( i 1 versus i 2 ) as well as ( i 1 versus ( i 2 − i 1 )) curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial configuration of cities can affect how urban environments alter local energy balances. Previous studies have reached the paradoxical conclusions that both sprawling and high-density urban development can amplify urban heat island intensities, which has prevented consensus on how best to mitigate the urban heat island effect via urban planning. To investigate this apparent dichotomy, we estimated the urban heat island intensities of the 50 most populous cities in the United States using gridded minimum temperature datasets and quantified each city's urban morphology with spatial metrics. The results indicated that the spatial contiguity of urban development, regardless of its density or degree of sprawl, was a critical factor that influenced the magnitude of the urban heat island effect. A ten percentage point increase in urban spatial contiguity was predicted to enhance the minimum temperature annual average urban heat island intensity by between 0.3 and 0.4 °C. Therefore, city contiguity should be considered when devising strategies for urban heat island mitigation, with more discontiguous development likely to ameliorate the urban heat island effect. Unraveling how urban morphology influences urban heat island intensity is paramount given the human health consequences associated with the continued growth of urban populations in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complementary prism G G ¯ of a graph G arises from the disjoint union of G and the complement G ¯ of G by adding a perfect matching joining corresponding pairs of vertices in G and G ¯ . Partially answering a question posed by Haynes et al. (2007) we provide an efficient characterization of the circumference of the complementary prism T T ¯ of a tree T and show that T T ¯ has cycles of all lengths between 3 and its circumference. Furthermore, we prove that for a given graph of bounded maximum degree it can be decided in polynomial time whether its complementary prism is Hamiltonian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating mats of vegetation serve to transfer biomass, nutrients and energy across marine habitats and alter the spectral properties of the sea surface. Here, spectral measurements from the airborne Portable Remote Imaging Spectrometer (PRISM) imagery at 1-m resolution and experimental mesocosms were used to assess the hyperspectral properties of the macroalgae Sargassum and aggregations of the seagrass Syringodium filiforme wrack in Greater Florida Bay. A simple Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI) effectively discriminated the presence of vegetation floating on the sea surface. The Sargassum Index derived from reflectance ratios at 650 and 630 nm was used to effectively discriminate Sargassum from Syringodium wrack. Mesocosm spectral measurements revealed an initial lowering of wrack reflectance over the first 3 days followed by a subsequent increase in reflectance over the next 8 days. The age of the wrack estimated from 2 to 5 days was best characterized using narrowband indices of the water absorption feature at 930 and 990 nm potentially from increasing water content in wrack leaves over time. Hyperspectral imagery ( < 10 nm) was necessary to differentiate between these two types of floating vegetation and assess age of the wrack. PRISM imagery revealed seagrass wrack organized in 5–35 m spaced windrows caused by Langmuir circulation. Wrack was only detectable at 60 m pixel resolution when densities were high and individual windrows were in close proximity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a novel study on structural behaviour of axially loaded cement stabilized rammed earth (CSRE) prisms and columns of square and rectangular cross-sections. The effects of slenderness ratio and aspect ratio on the load-capacity of columns and stress reduction factors were assessed. Experimental results were compared with that obtained by tangent modulus theory. Experimental capacity/stress reduction factors were compared with published codal values. The result shows that the load-capacity of column decreases as the value of slenderness ratio increases and aspect ratio of column was found to influence the load-capacity. The ultimate compressive strength of column predicted by tangent modulus theory tend to converge the experimental values at higher slenderness ratios. The stress reduction factors in earthen (NZS 4297, AS HB 195) and masonry (IS 1905) standards are found to be in close agreement with the experimental values. The characteristic strength of column yields relatively higher safety factor (∼23–35) indicating a possibility of using CSRE for construction of load-bearing houses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we model and examine the energy efficiency profile of individual single-family houses from Gainesville, Florida, in our sample ( n = 7091). For this we use Princeton Scorekeeping Method (PRISM) which processes historical weather data and monthly utility usage data as inputs using an iterative regression approach to compute three energy efficiency parameters: (1) baseload consumption for end-uses which do not change with weather, e.g., lighting, refrigerator, water heater; (2) heating/cooling slope which is a function of the building shell insulation and the efficiency of the heating/cooling unit; (3) reference temperature, i.e., the outside temperature at which the house turns on heating/cooling. These parameters make up the normalized annual consumption (NAC). We then proceed to regress these parameters against the publicly available data to study the extent we can extract statistical insight for residential energy efficiency profiling using publicly available information ( n = 5243). These regression models are to pave a path to creating energy efficiency “reservoir maps” across individual homes and reducing the information barrier to energy efficiency adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the computational complexity of determining whether a graph is hamiltonian, we study under algorithmic aspects a class of polyhedra called k -pyramids, introduced in [31] , and discuss related applications. We prove that determining whether a given graph is the 1-skeleton of a k -pyramid, and if so whether it is belted or not, can be done in polynomial time for k ≤ 3 . The impact on hamiltonicity follows from the traceability of all 2-pyramids and non-belted 3-pyramids, and from the hamiltonicity of all non-belted 2-pyramids. The algorithm can also be used to determine the outcome for larger values of k , but the complexity increases exponentially with k . Lastly, we present applications of the algorithm, and improve the known bounds for the minimal cardinality of systems of bases called foundations in graph families with interesting properties concerning traceability and hamiltonicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper makes use of the newly introduced refined unambiguous definitions of angle of incidence, angle of reflection and angle of refraction to give birth to novel vectorial treatment for the calculation of deviation of a ray of light in each of a few cases of ray optics. The problem of calculation of minimum deviation of a ray of light in passing through a prism has also been considered in the light of the refined unambiguous definitions of angle of incidence and angle of refraction. The use of vectorial treatment increases the range of applicability of vector algebra. Furthermore, incorporation of the refined unambiguous definitions of the aforesaid three angles in the novel treatment offered is much clearer leaving no room for confusion and it will enhance and sophisticate the optical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Surface reflectance decline in the Big Pine Creek watershed over a 28year period. [•] Temperatures show statistically significant upward trends. [•] Trends consistent with increased vegetative surface cover. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this study is to compare the clinical characteristics of three groups of patients in treatment for cocaine dependence: patients without any psychotic symptoms (NS), patients with transient psychotic symptoms (PS) and patients with cocaine-induced psychotic disorder (CIPD). An observational and retrospective study of 150 cocaine-dependent patients undergoing treatment in the Drug Unit of the Psychiatry Department of University Hospital Vall d׳Hebron in Barcelona (Spain) using these three groups, NS, PS and CIPD, was performed. All patients were evaluated with the PRISM interview. ANOVA, χ 2 tests and multivariate multinomial regression analysis were used to perform statistical analyses. Seven patients with a primary psychotic disorder were discharged. Forty-six patients (32.1%) did not report any psychotic symptoms. Ninety-seven patients (67.9%) presented with a history of any cocaine-induced psychotic symptom and were considered as the cocaine-induced psychotic (CIP) group. Among them, 39 (27.3%) were included in the PS group and 58 (40.6%) were included in the CIPD group. A history of imprisonment was found significantly more frequently in the PS group than in the NS group. The distribution of age at onset of dependence, lifetime cannabis abuse or dependence and imprisonment were significantly different between the NS and CIPD groups. We conclude that in cocaine-dependent patients, clinicians should be advised about the risk of development of psychotic symptoms. The presence of some psychotic symptoms could increase the potential risks of disturbing behaviours. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] A PRISM QGIS plugin was developed on Quantum GIS platform. [•] The PRISM QGIS plugin can be used on a personal computer and without requesting professional level of GIS background. [•] High resolution daily precipitation data can be generated using the PRISM QGIS plugin with ease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An extremely sensitive silica glass prism based SPR sensor with indium tin oxide (ITO) layer is presented and theoretically analyzed. The sensitivity of the sensor enhances with the increase in the thickness of ITO layer. With optimized values of thickness of ITO layer and incident wavelength to be 50nm and 1600nm, respectively, the proposed sensor offers high sensitivity of 164°/RIU. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Two new overlapping finite elements are presented: a pyramid element and a prism element. • The elements are compatible with overlapping brick and tetrahedral elements. • When used as coupling elements, they are also compatible with the traditional finite elements. • The elements contain no spurious zero energy mode and pass the patch tests. • The elements are shown to be quite insensitive to element distortions; convergence tests are given. • Illustrative applications using the AMORE scheme with the new overlapping elements are presented. Our objective in this paper is to present two new overlapping finite elements: a pyramid element and a prism element. These elements are useful when meshing general three-dimensional geometries in providing the possibility to transition between other overlapping and traditional elements. Both new overlapping elements are compatible with overlapping brick and tetrahedral elements, and when used as coupling elements also with the traditional finite elements. We theoretically formulate the two new overlapping finite elements, show that only the rigid body modes correspond to zero eigenvalues (hence the elements contain no spurious zero energy mode), show that the patch test is passed, and test the elements for their convergence behavior and condition numbers. We also show that the elements are quite insensitive to element distortions and revisit the imposition of displacement boundary conditions. Finally, we give some illustrative applications using the AMORE scheme in which also the new overlapping elements are employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Optical techniques developed for sensing and analysis purposes have been used in various fields. An attempt has been made to design optimization of refractormetric based method for the measurement of Brix. Mathematical modeling and simulation of the proposed system has been performed. From the study it is seen that mathematical model may help for getting the better performance to developed experimental model. Optimization of various constructional parameters including selection and location of source, prism and detector, position of source, angular position and height of source from prism plane, divergent angle of source, refractive index of prism, size of prism, the location of detector to pickup the optimum reflected light, refractive index of sample, critical angle, choice of suitable prism. The various possibilities of mounting position of source, detector, prism are studied. The mathematical model is developed considering the above mentioned parameters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Due to the needs of medical care, the probability of using health care service from heroin users is high. This cross-sectional study investigated the frequency and correlates of health service utilization among heroin users. From June to September 2006, 124 heroin users (110 males and 14 females, mean age: 34.2±8.3years) who entered two psychiatric hospitals (N=83) and a detention center (N=41) in northern Taiwan received a face-to-face interview. Therefore, socio-demographic characteristics, patterns of drug use, psychiatric comorbidities, blood-borne infectious diseases and health service utilization were recorded. The behaviors of health service utilization were classified into the frequency of out-patient department visit and hospitalization, as well as the purchase of over-the-counter drugs. During 12months prior to interview, 79.8% of the participants attended health care service at least once. The rate of having any event in out-patients service visit, hospitalization, and over-the-counter drugs were 66.1%, 29.8% and 25.8% respectively. The frequency of health service utilization was associated with numerous factors. Among these factors, patients who were recruited from hospital and having a mood disorder were conjoint predictors of out-patient department visit, hospitalization and purchase of over-the-counter drugs. According to the results of this study, social education and routine screening for mood disorders can help heroin users to obtain adequate health care service. The findings of this study are useful references for targeting the heroin users for whom a successful intervention represents the greatest cost benefit. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] In the literature does not exist a triangular-prism solid-shell element. Such an element is presented. [•] Some aspects of transverse shear locking cure presented here have never been applied to a triangular prism. [•] The EAS has not been applied to the transversal normal strain of a simplex prism before. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We now live in a world of Big Data, massive repositories of structured, unstructured or semi-structured data. This is seen as a valuable resource for organisations, given the potential to analyse and exploit that data to turn it into useful information. However, the cost and risk of continuing to hold that data can also make it a burden for many organisations. There are also a number of fetters to the exploitation of Big Data. The most signifi-cant is data privacy, which cuts across the whole of the Big Data lifecycle: collection, combination, analysis and use. This article considers the current framework for the regulation of Big Data, the Article 29 Working Party's opinion on Big Data and the pro-posed new General Data Protection Regulation. In particular, the article considers if current and proposed regulation strikes the right balance between the risks and benefits of Big Data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper proposes a simple geometrical ray approach to calibrate the extrinsic parameters of the virtual cameras and solve the stereo correspondence problem of the single-lens bi-prism stereovision system. Each images captured using this system can be divided into two sub-images which are generated by two virtual cameras due to the refraction through the bi-prism. This stereovision system is equivalent to the conventional two camera system and the two captured sub-images provide disparity which can be used for depth recovery. The virtual cameras will be calibrated geometrically and the correspondence problem of this system will be solved by applying epipolar geometry constraint on the generated virtual cameras instead of the real CCD camera. Experiments are conducted to validate the proposed method and the results are compared to the conventional approach to confirm its accuracy and effectiveness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]