Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neural models of binocular depth perception.

We have developed a model for the representation of stereo disparity by using a population of neurons that is based on tuning curves similar in shape to those measured physiologically (Lehky and Sejnowski 1990). The model predicts depth discrimination thresholds that agree with human psychophysical data only when the population size representing disparity in a small patch of visual field was in the range of about 20-200 units. This population model of disparity coding at a single spatial location was extended to include lateral interactions, as suggested by psychophysical data on stereo interpolation (Westheimer 1986a). Disparity is a measure of depth relative to the plane of fixation. Additional sources of information are needed to estimate the distance to the point of fixation, such as that provided by eye vergence, vertical disparity, and accommodation. We have developed a simple model that combines disparity information in a distributed representation and vergence information to compute the absolute depth of objects from the observer (Pouget and Sejnowski 1990). Although these are models of binocular vision, a number of the ideas presented here generalize to the representations of other sensory cues.
Interaction by known beta cell loci on the association of antihypertensive drug therapies with hyperglycemia in the Framingham Offspring Study

Background: Common beta cell–associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and hypertension or its treatment might interact in their positive associations with change over time in fasting glucose (ΔFG) or incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: We pooled data from 3,471 Framingham Offspring Study participants into 6 ~4-yr periods (15,852 person-exams; mean age 52 years, 54% women). We defined three hypertension exposures: 1) hypertension vs. no-hypertension; 2) treated vs. untreated hypertension; 3) five mutually exclusive anti-hypertension drug categories (beta-blockers, thiazides, renin-angiotensin system agents, combinations, others) vs. untreated hypertension; and two genetic exposures reflecting total beta-cell genetic risk burden: 16 FG-SNP and 33 T2DM-SNP additive genetic scores. We tested ~4-year mean ΔFG or odds of T2DM by hypertension category and per-risk allele change in genetic scores, seeking hypertension-by-genetic-score significant (p 0.05. In joint models without interaction, hypertension (p<0.0001) and FG-SNP or T2DM-SNP genetic scores independently increased ΔFG or T2DM risk (both p<0.001). Conclusion: Hypertension, hypertension treatment and common FG- and T2DM-SNP genetic scores independently predicted ΔFG and T2DM incidence, but did not modify each other’s association with ΔFG or T2DM risk.
The design of the MeerKAT L-band feed

The design methodology of the MeerKAT L-band feed which consists of a wide flare angle axially corrugated conical horn, a horn matching section and a compact orthomode transducer (OMT) is presented. The dish is a classical Gregorian offset dual-reflector antenna system. The predicted results show stable radiation patterns over the frequency band with an ideal antenna efficiency above 73 %. The feed has losses below 0.05 dB resulting in very good system sensitivity.
Cardiovascular mortality trends in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: a population-based cohort study

ABSTRACT Background: Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) survivors are at a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Methods: A population-based study was conducted to investigate the cardiovascular mortality trends to identify NHL survivors at the highest risk. Results: The CVDs mortality was the second most common cause of death (13.07%) after NHL. There were more patients ≥ 60 years old in the cardiovascular group (87.2%), P < 0.001. Patients who died from CVDs had the best survival while patients who died from NHL had a significantly lower mean survival. The overall survival rate was 92.4%. Consistently, older age, unmarried, male patients, not recently diagnosed with NHL and not receiving radiation and/or surgery were associated with a worse survival across all models. The black race and stage IV only had a worse cardiovascular specific survival (CVSS). Conclusions: Although the CVSS improved over time, the mortality from the CVDs is still the second most common cause of death after NHL. Older age, not married, black, male patients, not recently diagnosed with NHL, with an advanced stage and not receiving radiation and/or surgery were associated with a worse survival. Risk factor modification along with CVDs screening should be intensified in NHL patients with these mortality predictors.
Petrology and geochemistry of high degree mantle melts

Experimental phase equilibria, whole rock major and trace element concentrations, and mineral major and trace element concentrations are used to constrain the petrogenesis of high degree, hydrous melts of the mantle, with particular focus on komatiites from the Barberton Mountainland, South Africa. Chapter 1 presents experiments on a Barberton komatiite composition under anhydrous and H20 saturated conditions. A comparison of the compositions of augite in the experiments with augite in the samples indicates that at least 4.5 wt. % H20 was present in the komatiite melts prior to emplacement. The presence of H20 in the magmas would allow them to be produced at lower temperatures than required by anhydrous models of komatiite genesis, and would obviate the need for extremely high temperatures in the Archean mantle. In Chapter 2, ion probe analyses of augite in Barberton komatiites are used to quantify the effects that metamorphism has had on the bulk rock compositions. The results indicate that high field strength elements and most rare earth elements were not significantly mobilized by metamorphism, while Eu and Sr were mobilized. Some Barberton magmas were enriched in light rare earth elements and Sr, and depleted in high field strength elements, which are the chemical characteristics of modem subduction related magmas. Chapter 3 presents melting experiments that explore the effect of H20 on melts in equilibrium with olivine and orthopyroxene at 1.2 to 2.4 GPa. The results of the experiments are used to infer the thermodynamic properties of H20 in silicate melts, and to construct a numerical model that predicts the composition of high degree mantle melts. The model is used to estimate the melting conditions that produced high-MgO andesites, boninites, and komatiites. It is shown that Barberton komatiites can be produced by melting at low pressures (2.4-3.0 GPa) and temperatures (1440-1500 0C). Chapter 4 demonstrates that basaltic komatiites overlap the compositions of modem boninites and display nearly identical trace element systematics. Komatiites are also shown to have numerous chemical similarities to boninites as well. It is proposed that komatiites and basaltic komatiites were produced by the same processes that produce modem boninites. The lack of komatiites in modem subduction zones is attributed to -100*C secular mantle cooling that has occurred since 3.5 Ga. Thesis Supervisor: Timothy L. Grove Title: Professor of Geology
Explanatory semantic relatedness and explicit spatialization for exploratory search

Exploratory search, in which a user investigates complex concepts, is cumbersome with today's search engines. We present a new exploratory search approach that generates interactive visualizations of query concepts using thematic cartography (e.g. choropleth maps, heat maps). We show how the approach can be applied broadly across both geographic and non-geographic contexts through explicit spatialization, a novel method that leverages any figure or diagram -- from a periodic table, to a parliamentary seating chart, to a world map -- as a spatial search environment. We enable this capability by introducing explanatory semantic relatedness measures. These measures extend frequently-used semantic relatedness measures to not only estimate the degree of relatedness between two concepts, but also generate human-readable explanations for their estimates by mining Wikipedia's text, hyperlinks, and category structure. We implement our approach in a system called Atlasify, evaluate its key components, and present several use cases.
Sustained subthreshold-for-twitch depolarization in rat single ventricular myocytes causes sustained calcium channel activation and sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release

Single rat ventricular myocytes, voltage-clamped at -50 to -40 mV, were depolarized in small steps in order to define the mechanisms that govern the increase in cytosolic [Ca2+] (Cai) and contraction, measured as a reduction in myocyte length. Small (3-5 mV), sustained (seconds) depolarizations that caused a small inward or no detectable change in current were followed after a delay by small (less than 2% of the resting length), steady reductions in cell length measured via a photodiode array, and small, steady increases in Cai measured by changes in Indo-1 fluorescence. Larger (greater than -30 and less than - 20 mV), sustained depolarizations produced phasic Ca2+ currents, Cai transients, and twitch contractions, followed by a steady current and a steady increase in Cai and contraction. Nitrendipine (or Cd, verapamil, or Ni) abolished the steady contraction and always produced an outward shift in steady current. The steady, nitrendipine-sensitive current and sustained increase in Cai and contraction exhibited a similar voltage dependence over the voltage range between -40 and -20 mV. 2 microM ryanodine in the presence of intact Ca2+ channel activity also abolished the steady increase in Cai and contraction over this voltage range. We conclude that when a sustained depolarization does not exceed about -20 mV, the resultant steady, graded contraction is due to SR Ca2+ release graded by a steady ("window") Ca2+ current. The existence of appreciable, sustained, graded Ca2+ release in response to Ca2+ current generated by arbitrarily small depolarizations is not compatible with any model of Ca2(+)-induced Ca2+ release in which the releasing effect of the Ca2+ channel current is mediated solely by Ca2+ entry into a common cytosolic pool. Our results therefore imply a distinction between the triggering and released Ca2+ pools.
Quality of Acute Psychedelic Experience Predicts Therapeutic Efficacy of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Introduction: It is a basic principle of the “psychedelic” treatment model that the quality of the acute experience mediates long-term improvements in mental health. In the present paper we sought to test this using data from a clinical trial assessing psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). In line with previous reports, we hypothesized that the occurrence and magnitude of Oceanic Boundlessness (OBN) (sharing features with mystical-type experience) and Dread of Ego Dissolution (DED) (similar to anxiety) would predict long-term positive outcomes, whereas sensory perceptual effects would have negligible predictive value. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with treatment resistant depression underwent treatment with psilocybin (two separate sessions: 10 and 25 mg psilocybin). The Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) questionnaire was used to assess the quality of experiences in the 25 mg psilocybin session. From the ASC, the dimensions OBN and DED were used to measure the mystical-type and challenging experiences, respectively. The Self-Reported Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-SR) at 5 weeks served as the endpoint clinical outcome measure, as in later time points some of the subjects had gone on to receive new treatments, thus confounding inferences. In a repeated measure ANOVA, Time was the within-subject factor (independent variable), with QIDS-SR as the within-subject dependent variable in baseline, 1-day, 1-week, 5-weeks. OBN and DED were independent variables. OBN-by-Time and DED-by-Time interactions were the primary outcomes of interest. Results: For the interaction of OBN and DED with Time (QIDS-SR as dependent variable), the main effect and the effects at each time point compared to baseline were all significant (p = 0.002 and p = 0.003, respectively, for main effects), confirming our main hypothesis. Furthermore, Pearson's correlation of OBN with QIDS-SR (5 weeks) was specific compared to perceptual dimensions of the ASC (p < 0.05). Discussion: This report further bolsters the view that the quality of the acute psychedelic experience is a key mediator of long-term changes in mental health. Future therapeutic work with psychedelics should recognize the essential importance of quality of experience in determining treatment efficacy and consider ways of enhancing mystical-type experiences and reducing anxiety. Trial Registration: ISRCTN, number ISRCTN14426797, http://www.isrctn. com/ISRCTN14426797
Hillslope evolution by nonlinear, slope‐dependent transport: Steady state morphology and equilibrium adjustment timescales

Soil-mantled hillslopes are typically convex near the crest and become increasingly planar downslope, consistent with nonlinear, slope-dependent sediment transport models. In contrast to the widely used linear transport model (in which sediment flux is proportional to slope angle), nonlinear models imply that sediment flux should increase rapidly as hillslope gradient approaches a critical value. Here we explore how nonlinear transport influences hillslope evolution and introduce a dimensionless parameter Ψ L to express the relative importance of nonlinear transport. For steady state hillslopes, with increasing Ψ L (i.e., as slope angles approach the threshold angle and the relative magnitude of nonlinear transport increases), the zone of hillslope convexity becomes focused at the hilltop and side slopes become increasingly planar. On steep slopes, rapid increases in sediment flux near the critical gradient limit further steepening, such that hillslope relief and slope angle are not sensitive indicators of erosion rate. Using a one-dimensional finite difference model, we quantify hillslope response to changes in baselevel lowering and/or climate-related transport efficiency and use an exponential decay function to describe how rapidly sediment flux and erosion rate approach equilibrium. The exponential timescale for hillslope adjustment decreases rapidly with increasing Ψ L . Our results demonstrate that the adjustment timescale for hillslopes characteristic of the Oregon Coast Range and similar steep, soil-mantled landscapes is relatively rapid (≤ 50 kyr), less than one quarter of the timescale predicted by the linear transport model.
Heat shock protein 90 inhibitors in the treatment of cancer: current status and future directions

Introduction: Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) serves as a critical facilitator for oncogene addiction. There has been augmenting enthusiasm in pursuing HSP90 as an anticancer strategy. In fact, since the initial serendipitous discovery that geldanamycin (GM) inhibits HSP90, the field has rapidly moved from proof-of-concept clinical studies with GM derivatives to novel second-generation inhibitors. Areas covered: The authors highlight the current status of the second-generation HSP90 inhibitors in clinical development. Herein, the authors note the lessons learned from the completed clinical trials of first- and second-generation inhibitors and describe various assays attempting to serve for a more rational implementation of these agents to cancer treatment. Finally, the authors discuss the future perspectives for this promising class of agents. Expert opinion: The knowledge gained thus far provides perhaps only a glimpse at the potential of HSP90 for which there is still much work to be done. Lessons from the clinical trials suggest that HSP90 therapy would advance at a faster pace if patient selection and tumor pharmacokinetics of these drugs were better understood and applied to their clinical development. It is also evident that combining HSP90 inhibitors with other potent anticancer therapies holds great promise not only due to synergistic antitumor activity but also due to the potential of prolonging or preventing the development of drug resistance.
Single camera stereo using structure from motion

Mobile robot designers frequently look to computer vision to solve navigation, obstacle avoidance, and object detection problems such as those encountered in parking lot surveillance. Stereo reconstruction is a useful technique in this domain and can be done in two ways. The first requires a fixed stereo camera rig to provide two side-by-side images; the second uses a single camera in motion to provide the images. While stereo rigs can be accurately calibrated in advance, they rely on a fixed baseline distance between the two cameras. The advantage of a single-camera method is the flexibility to change the baseline distance to best match each scenario. This directly increases the robustness of the stereo algorithm and increases the effective range of the system. The challenge comes from accurately rectifying the images into an ideal stereo pair. Structure from motion (SFM) can be used to compute the camera motion between the two images, but its accuracy is limited and small errors can cause rectified images to be misaligned. We present a single-camera stereo system that incorporates a Levenberg-Marquardt minimization of rectification parameters to bring the rectified images into alignment.
Mesh Composition on Models with Arbitrary Boundary Topology

This paper presents a new approach for the mesh composition on models with arbitrary boundary topology. After cutting the needed parts from existing mesh models and putting them into the right pose, an implicit surface is adopted to smoothly interpolate the boundaries of the models under composition. An interface is developed to control the shape of the implicit transient surface by using sketches to specify the expected silhouettes. After that, a localized Marching Cubes algorithm is investigated to tessellate the implicit transient surface so that the mesh surface of the composed model is generated. Different from existing approaches in which the models under composition are required to have pairwise merging boundaries, the framework developed based on our techniques have the new function to fuse models with arbitrary boundary topology.
Longitudinal variations in tropical tropopause properties in relation to tropical convection and El Niño‐Southern Oscillation events

This paper focuses on the longitudinal variations in tropopause properties evident in the historical record of tropical Pacific radiosonde data. Over 30 years of radiosonde temperature soundings from tropical Pacific stations (Ponape, Yap, Guam, Majuro, Koror, and Eniwetok) have been analyzed to yield tropopause height and tropopause potential temperature. Both tropopause height and tropopause potential temperature show a clear year-to-year variation in response to changes in tropical convection associated with El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. In particular, the tropopause potential temperature appears to be very sensitive to the longitude of major convective activity. As the locus of convective activity moves eastward during an El Nino, there is a concurrent change in the longitudinal gradient of tropopause potential temperature. During an El Nino year the tropopause potential temperature is systematically warmer at Koror as compared to Majuro. This is the reverse of the normal tropopause potential temperature difference between these two stations. The difference in the tropopause potential temperature between these two stations forms an ENSO index with interannual variations well correlated with the conventional ENSO index formed by the Tahiti-Darwin surface pressure.
Design and testing of the use of a complementary and alternative therapies survey in women with breast cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To design and test a reliable and valid instrument to determine the frequency of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies among women diagnosed with breast cancer. DESIGN A descriptive cross-sectional survey. SETTING Women were recruited from the southeastern area and a rural midwestern area of the United States. SAMPLE 105 predominantly Caucasian women (mean= 59 years of age) with a diagnosis of breast cancer. METHODS The Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapies Survey was designed with a content validity index, and reliability was determined with the coefficient alpha. Exploratory factor analysis using a principal components analysis identified primary components (factors) embedded within the survey. Frequency of CAM therapy use was calculated for 33 individual therapies listed on the survey and among three survey-defined subscales of CAM therapies (i.e., diet and nutritional supplements, stress-reducing techniques, and traditional and ethnic medicines). MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Psychometric properties of an instrument to assess frequency of use of CAM among women with breast cancer. FINDINGS The reported prevalence of use of the individual CAM therapies varied considerably. The coefficient alpha estimate for the total survey was 0.86. Estimates for the individual hypothesized subscales were 0.67 for diet and nutritional supplements, 0.79 for stress-reducing techniques, and 0.80 for traditional and ethnic medicines. The principal components analysis resulted in a two-factor solution with nine items that loaded heavily and uniquely on a factor conceptualized as stress and anxiety reduction and six items that loaded heavily and uniquely on a factor conceptualized as dietary and physical manipulation. The remaining five items (vitamins and minerals, prayer and spiritual healing, massage, reflexology, and aromatherapy) indicated moderate loadings on factors one and two and, thus, were interpreted as equivocal items. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary data indicated that the instrument is reliable and valid. Additional work is needed to improve the range of items and to test the instrument with other populations. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Use of CAM by women with breast cancer is believed to be increasing. However, limited data exist on the frequency and predictors of its use in this patient population; therefore, reliable and valid instruments are needed to determine use. If nurses can determine which CAM therapies women are employing, nurses can educate patients with breast cancer on the safe use of these therapies.
DA 00464 ANXIETY CONTRIBUTES TO SUICIDALITY IN DEPRESSED ADOLESCENTS

Several studies have suggested a positive association between anxiety symptoms and suicidality in adults. However, relatively little is known about this topic in adolescents. To investigate this issue, we examined a group of adolescents admitted to our psychiatric inpatient unit. Fifty-six adolescents (mean age = 14.8±1.4; females = 34, males = 22; race = 95% Caucasians) participated in the study. Diagnoses were made using the DSM-III-R criteria and a diagnostic interview. Anxiety was found to significantly correlate with depression (r = .60; P = < .05) and suicidality (r = .72; P < .05). A multiple regression analysis revealed that anxiety and depression together accounted for more than half (55%) of the variance in suicidal ideation [F(2,46) = 28.4; P < . 0001]. In addition, anxiety had an independent ability to predict suicidality (t = 5.01; P < .0001). Self-rated but not clinician-rated suicidality was positively correlated with both anxiety and depression. Clinical and research implications of these findings are discussed. Depression and Anxiety 11:134–138, 2000.
Audio source separation of convolutive mixtures

The problem of separation of audio sources recorded in a real world situation is well established in modern literature. A method to solve this problem is blind source separation (BSS) using independent component analysis (ICA). The recording environment is usually modeled as convolutive. Previous research on ICA of instantaneous mixtures provided solid background for the separation of convolved mixtures. The authors revise current approaches on the subject and propose a fast frequency domain ICA framework, providing a solution for the apparent permutation problem encountered in these methods.