cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analyzing the dictionary properties and sparsity constraints for a dictionary-based music genre classification system

Learning dictionaries from a large-scale music database is a burgeoning research topic in the music information retrieval (MIR) community. It has been shown that classification systems based on such learned features exhibit state-of-the-art accuracy in many music classification benchmarks. Although the general approach of dictionary-based MIR has been shown effective, little work has been done to investigate the relationship between system performance and dictionary properties, such as the dictionary sparsity, coherence, and conditional number of the dictionary. This paper aims at addressing this issue by systematically evaluating the performance of three types of dictionary learning algorithms for the task of genre classification, including the least-square based RLS (recursive least square) algorithm, and two variants of the stochastic gradient descent-based algorithm ODL (online dictionary learning) with different regularization functions. Specifically, we learn the dictionary with the USPOP2002 dataset and perform genre classification with the GTZAN dataset. Our result shows that setting strict sparsity constraints in the RLS-based dictionary learning (i.e., <;1% of the signal dimension) leads to better accuracy in genre classification (around 80% when linear kernel support vector classifier is adopted). Moreover, we find that different sparsity constraints are needed for the dictionary learning phase and the encoding phase. Important links between dictionary properties and classification accuracy are also identified, such as a strong correlation between reconstruction error and classification accuracy in all algorithms. These findings help the design of future dictionary-based MIR systems and the selection of important dictionary learning parameters.
Surface-layer intermittency investigated with conditional sampling

A conditional sampling technique is used to provide statistics of surface-layer plume properties. A selection criterion based on the high-frequency variance of the horizontal wind component enables an accurate division of plume and nonplume states. The intermittency factor derived with this technique closely matches values obtained using other techniques at various heights in the atmospheric boundary layer. The intermittency factor in addition to other plume statistics are found to be stability dependent. Conditional averages are used to produce scatter diagrams from which the interrelationships between properties of both the plume and nonplume states can be examined. Several provocative relationships discovered in this way are discussed.
The FOODBANCS project: Introduction and sinking fluxes of organic carbon, chlorophyll-a and phytodetritus on the western Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf

Abstract The impact of the highly seasonal Antarctic primary production cycle on shelf benthic ecosystems remains poorly evaluated. Here we describe a times-series research project on the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) shelf designed to evaluate the seafloor deposition, and subsequent ecological and biogeochemical impacts, of the summer phytoplankton bloom along a transect crossing the Antarctic shelf near Anvers Island. During this project, entitled Food for Benthos on the Antarctic Continental Shelf (FOODBANCS), we deployed replicate sediment traps 150–170 m above the seafloor (total water-column depth of 590 m) on the central shelf from December 1999 to March 2001, recovering trap samples every 3–4 months. In addition, we used a seafloor time-lapse camera system, as well as video surveys conducted at 3–4 months intervals, to monitor the presence and accumulation of phytodetritus at the sediment–water interface. The fluxes of particulate organic carbon and chlorophyll-a into sediment traps (binned over 3–4 month intervals) showed patterns consistent with seasonal variability, with average summer fluxes during the first year exceeding winter fluxes by a factor of ∼2–3. However, inter-annual variability in summer fluxes was even greater than seasonal variability, with 4–10-fold differences in the flux of organic carbon and chlorophyll-a between the summer seasons of 1999–2000 and 2000–2001. Phytodetrital accumulation at the shelf floor also exhibited intense inter-annual variability, with no visible phytodetritus from essentially December 1999 to November 2000, followed by pulsed accumulation of 1–2 cm of phytodetritus over a ∼30,000 km2 shelf area by March 2001. Comparisons with other studies suggest that the levels of inter-annual variability we observed are typical of the Antarctic shelf over decadal time scales. We conclude that fluxes of particulate organic carbon, chlorophyll-a and phytodetritus to WAP-shelf sediments vary intensely on seasonal to inter-annual time scales, yielding dramatic temporal variability in the flux of food for detritivores to the Antarctic shelf floor.
CONTROL OF GROWTH AND MORPHOGENESIS IN SOME MYXOCOCCUS SPECIES.

THE influence of nutrition on growth and (particularly) on morphogenesis of some fruiting myxobacteria was observed in this laboratory some two years ago. As recently reported1, a number of Myxococcus strains grow luxuriantly on an agar (2 per cent w/v) medium containing enzymatically hydrolysed casein (Difco ‘Tryptone’, 1 per cent w/v). However, only vegetative cells are present ; neither the formation of microcysts (cellular morphogenesis) nor of fruiting structures (colonial morphogenesis) takes place. Microcyst and fruiting body formation does occur, however, when the ‘Tryptone’ concentration is reduced to 0.1 or 0.2 per cent (w/v).
Interactive Processes in Sentence Comprehension and Recognition.

Abstract Two experiments examined the roles played by semantic and surface information in reading and recognizing sentences. Subjects read sentences in normal and inverted typography. Their recognition of meaning and other sentence features was tested using sentences whose typography, wording, and/or meaning were either the same as or different from that in the first set of sentences. In Experiment 1, subjects either read aloud or performed a sentence continuation task. For originally inverted sentences, recognition of meaning was high, irrespective of task demands. For originally normal sentences, recognition was low for Read Aloud subjects and high for Sentence Continuation subjects. Sentence recognition was affected by repetition of wording and typography. Experiment 2 replicated the results with the read aloud task and showed the second reading of originally inverted sentences to be equally swift for paraphrase and verbatim test forms. It was concluded that reading and recognition are interactive processes, involving conceptually driven and data driven operations. The interaction of operations may be either automatic or controlled. While processing of normal typography is automatic, inverted typography induces controlled processing, resulting in better retention. Furthermore, semantic and surface information are conceptualized as interacting components of comprehension and memory processes.
Computation and communication in R*: a distributed database manager

This article presents and discusses the computation and communication model used by R*, a prototype distributed database management system. An R* computation consists of a tree of processes connected by virtual circuit communication paths. The process management and communication protocols used by R* enable the system to provide reliable, distributed transactions while maintaining adequate levels of performance. Of particular interest is the use of processes in R* to retain user context from one transaction to another, in order to improve the system performance and recovery characteristics.
Spiritual, Religious, Nonspiritual, and Nonreligious Narratives in Marginalized Older Adults: A Typology of Coping Styles

SUMMARY Narrative therapy is an important tool in the phenomenological framing of life events with older clients. Seventy-nine older adults who lived independently in four subsidized high-rise housing facilities in Chicago were interviewed in a research project about managing life challenges. Cases represent four types in a spiritual-religious typology: religious and spiritual, religious only, spiritual only, and neither religious nor spiritual (Zinnbauer, 1997). This article explores how older adults managed adversity and maintained a sense of self-efficacy. Findings indicate that older adults use many references to religion and spirituality in their narratives, either embracing these domains or defining themselves in contrast to them. Narrative therapy suggests that the implications of religious and spiritual resources addressed in client stories may reinforce coping capacity and promote aging well.
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder across cultures: development and disability in contexts

The interpretation of children’s behaviour varies widely across different contexts (Graue & Walsh, 1998). How behaviour influences children’s performance in school, goals for learning and teachers’...
Aspirin and Postoperative Bleeding

Excerpt To the editor: Torosian and colleagues (1) have reported increased postoperative bleeding in patients receiving aspirin within a week of surgery. Although the effects of aspirin last for th...
Advances in the Treatment of Diseased Equine Incisor and Canine Teeth

Dental therapies for equid incisor and canine teeth have modernized significantly over the last 2 decades. Basic principles in incisor reduction have become more conservative, and extraction procedures more exacting. Periodontal and endodontic treatments are described to save teeth that would have succumbed to extraction in the past. Pathologic impacts on treatment decisions for equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis are significant, and veterinarians and owners need to be aware of treatment options and outcomes. Easy access to equid incisor and canine teeth offers a variety of therapeutic options, and this article reviews some of the practical procedures available.
Does patient blood glucose monitoring improve diabetes control: a systematic review of the literature

Objective The purpose of this systematic review was 2-fold: first, to perform a comprehensive review of relevant studies on the impact of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) on HbA1c levels for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and, second, to explore mediators and moderators within a self-regulation framework. Data sources Five databases-Medline, PsychInfo, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL)-were searched. Study selection Cross-sectional, longitudinal, and randomized control trials from 1990 to 2006, which included patients with type 2 diabetes not on insulin, were reviewed. In total, 6,769 studies were screened for inclusion, 89 were retrieved for detailed analysis, and 29 met criteria for inclusion in the review. Data extraction Data on the impact of SMBG on HbA1c, potential mediators and moderators, study design and participants, and limitations of each study were retrieved. Data synthesis Twenty-nine studies were included in this review: 9 cross-sectional studies, 9 longitudinal studies, and 11 randomized controlled trials. Evidence from the cross-sectional and longitudinal studies was inconclusive. Evidence from randomized controlled trials suggests that SMBG may lead to improvements in glucose control. Very few studies examined potential mediators or moderators of SMBG on HbA1c levels. Conclusions SMBG may be effective in controlling blood glucose for patients with type 2 diabetes. There is a need for studies that implement all the components of the process for self-regulation of SMBG to assess whether patient use of SMBG will improve HbA1c levels.
A Global Parity Measure for Incomplete Point Cloud Data

Shapes with complex geometric and topological features such as tunnels, neighboring sheets, and cavities are susceptible to undersampling and continue to challenge existing reconstruction techniques. In this work we introduce a new measure for point clouds to determine the likely interior and exterior regions of an object. Specifically, we adapt the concept of parity to point clouds with missing data and introduce the parity map, a global measure of parity over the volume. We first examine how parity changes over the volume with respect to missing data and develop a method for extracting topologically correct interior and exterior crusts for estimating a signed distance field and performing surface reconstruction. We evaluate our approach on real scan data representing complex shapes with missing data. Our parity measure is not only able to identify highly confident interior and exterior regions but also localizes regions of missing data. Our reconstruction results are compared to existing methods and we show that our method faithfully captures the topology and geometry of complex shapes in the presence of missing data. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Plasma-Based Control of Transition on a Wing with Leading-Edge Excrescence

Large-eddy simulations are carried out to investigate plasma-based flow control that is used to delay transition generated by excrescence on the leading edge of a wing. The wing airfoil section has a geometry that is representative of modern reconnaissance air vehicles and has an appreciable region of laminar flow at design conditions. Modification of the leading edge, which can be caused by the accumulation of debris, insect impacts, microscopic ice crystal formation, damage, or structural fatigue, may result in premature transition and an increase in drag. A dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator, located downstream of the excrescence, is employed to mitigate transition, decrease drag, and increase energy efficiency. Numerical solutions are obtained to the Navier–Stokes equations that were augmented by source terms used to represent the body force imparted by the plasma actuator on the fluid. A simple phenomenological model provided this force resulting from the electric field generated by the pla...
Crystal Structures of the Response Regulator DosR from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Suggest a Helix Rearrangement Mechanism for Phosphorylation Activation

Abstract The response regulator DosR is essential for promoting long-term survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis under low oxygen conditions in a dormant state and may be responsible for latent tuberculosis in one-third of the world's population. Here, we report crystal structures of full-length unphosphorylated DosR at 2.2 A resolution and its C-terminal DNA-binding domain at 1.7 A resolution. The full-length DosR structure reveals several features never seen before in other response regulators. The N-terminal domain of the full-length DosR structure has an unexpected (βα) 4 topology instead of the canonical (βα) 5 fold observed in other response regulators. The linker region adopts a unique conformation that contains two helices forming a four-helix bundle with two helices from another subunit, resulting in dimer formation. The C-terminal domain in the full-length DosR structure displays a novel location of helix α10, which allows Gln199 to interact with the catalytic Asp54 residue of the N-terminal domain. In contrast, the structure of the DosR C-terminal domain alone displays a remarkable unstructured conformation for helix α10 residues, different from the well-defined helical conformations in all other known structures, indicating considerable flexibility within the C-terminal domain. Our structures suggest a mode of DosR activation by phosphorylation via a helix rearrangement mechanism.
Hyperfractionation for head and neck cancer.

Abstract Between March 1978 and April 1984, 144 patients with 148 moderately advanced to advanced primary squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck received treatment with curative intent with twice-a-day irradiation (120 cGy/fraction, 4–6 hour interfraction interval). Eighty-eight percent of the patients had AJCC Stage III–IV cancers. One hundred and thirty-two patients received irradiation alone to the primary site with or without radical neck dissection, with surgery reserved for salvage. The total doses administered were 7440–7920 cGy in the majority of instances. In 19 patients with oropharyngeal lesions, a 1000–1500 cGy radium needle boost was added after the basic dose. Twelve patients received preoperative irradiation (5040–6000 cGy) followed by primary resection and radical neck dissection. Local control results following irradiation alone to total doses of >7000 cGy with minimum 2-year follow-up were 25 31 (81%), 38 50 (76%), and 5 25 (20%) for T2, T3, and T4 cancers, respectively. Local control rates did not correlate well with total dose. Local control following preoperative irradiation plus primary resection was obtained in 4 of 5 T3 and 2 of 3 T4 primary lesions. The 5-year actuarial rates of neck control were 100% for NO (45 patients), 90% for N1 (25 patients), 77% for N2 (23 patients), 50% for N3A (9 patients), and 70% for N3B (42 patients). The 5-year actuarial rates of continuous disease control above the clavicles were 73% for Stage III, 64% for Stage IVA, and 32% for Stage IVB. The actuarial 4-year rate of continuous disease control above the clavicles was 78% for Stage II. For patients whose disease was controlled above the clavicles, distant metastases developed in 4% of patients with Stage II–III disease and in 18% of patients with Stage IV disease. Radiation complications following irradiation alone to the primary site correlated with total dose. Complications of planned neck dissection(s) were acceptable. Complications of salvage surgery at the primary site were similar to those seen in patients treated once a day. The actuarial 5-year survival rates, according to modified AJCC stage, were 59% for Stage III, 37% for Stage IVA, and 23% for Stage IVB. The actuarial 4-year survival rate for Stage II was 69%. Compared to historical control groups treated with once-a-day, continuous-course irradiation at our institution, twice-a-day treatment has produced local control results that are higher by 10–15 percentage points.
Affinity chromatography of Pseudomonas salicylate hydroxylase.

Abstract In order to facilitate the purification of salicylate hydroxylase (salicylate 1-monooxygenase, EC 1.14.13.1) from Pseudomonas sp. RPP (ATCC 29351), an affinity chromatography procedure was developed employing immobilized salicylate as the affinity ligand. The immobilization was achieved by reacting p -aminosalicylate with the N -hydroxysuccinimide ester of Sepharose 4B-6-aminohexanoic acid. When the bacterial crude extract was chromatographed with this affinity column, salicylate hydroxylase was absorbed to the gel while the bulk of protein freely passed through. The absorbed enzyme was subsequently eluted from the affinity column by applying a 0–60 m m sodium salicylate gradient. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the enzymatically most active fraction of the affinity effluent revealed salicylate hydroxylase was by far the most predominant protein but there were also small amounts of contaminating proteins. However, a virtually homogeneous enzyme preparation was obtained when the crude extract was first fractionated with a DE-52 anion-exchange column followed by the affinity step. The enzyme preparation obtained by this two-step procedure showed a specific activity of 14.9 units/mg and an A 450 : A 372 : A 280 of 1.01:1:10.23. Because most of the enzymes belonging to the class of external flavoprotein monooxygenase utilize salicylate analogs as substrates and share many other common properties, there is a strong possibility that the salicylate column may be useful for the purification of other member monooxygenases.
Genetics and pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease

Recent advances have provided substantial insight into the maintenance of mucosal immunity and the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. Cellular programs responsible for intestinal homeostasis use diverse intracellular and intercellular networks to promote immune tolerance, inflammation or epithelial restitution. Complex interfaces integrate local host and microbial signals to activate appropriate effector programs selectively and even drive plasticity between these programs. In addition, genetic studies and mouse models have emphasized the role of genetic predispositions and how they affect interactions with microbial and environmental factors, leading to pro-colitogenic perturbations of the host-commensal relationship.
Annular inhomogeneities with eigenstrain and interphase modeling

Abstract Two and three-dimensional analytical solutions for an inhomogeneity annulus/ring (of arbitrary thickness) with eigenstrain are presented. The stresses in the core may become tensile (for dilatational eigenstrain in the annulus) depending on the relative shear moduli. For shear eigenstrain, an “interface rotation” and rotation jumps at the interphase also occur, consistent with the Frank–Bilby interface model. A Taylor series expansion for small thickness of the annulus is obtained to the second-order as to model thin interphases, with the limit agreeing with the Gurtin–Murdoch surface membrane, but also accounting for curvature effects.. The Eshelby “driving forces” on a boundary with eigenstrain are calculated, and for small, but finite, interphase thicknesses they account for the interaction of the two interfaces of the layer, and the next order term may induce instabilities, for some bimaterial combinations, if it becomes large enough to render the driving force zero. It is also proven that for 2-D inhomogeneities with eigenstrain the stresses have reduced material dependence for any geometry of the inhomogeneity. The case when the outer boundary of the inhomogeneity annulus with eigenstrain is a free surface is also analyzed and agrees with classical surface tension results in the limit, but, moreover, the thick free surface terms (next order in the expansion depending on the radius) are also obtained and may induce instabilities depending on the bimaterial combinations. Applications of inhomogeneity annuluses with eigenstrain are wide and include interphases in thermal barrier coatings and coated particles in electrically/thermally conductive adhesives.
A pseudoatom approach to molecular truncation: application in ab initio MBPT methods.

In this paper, we test the performance of the molecular truncation method of Mallik et al.,' which was originally applied at the semiempirical NDDO level, in ab initio MBPT methods. Pseudoatoms developed for the replacement of -OCH 3 and -OCH 2 CH 3 functional groups are used in optimizations of selected clusters, and the resulting geometries are compared to reference values taken from the full molecules. It is shown that the pseudoatoms, which consist of parametrized effective core potentials for the nearest neighbor interactions and an external charge field for long-range Coulomb effects, perform well at the MP2 and CCSD levels of theory for the suite of molecules to which they were applied. Representative timings for some of the pseudoatom-terminated clusters are presented, and it is seen that there is a significant reduction in computational time, yet the geometric configurations and deprotonation energies of the pseudoatom-terminated clusters are comparable to the more computationally expensive all-atom molecules.
Moving from basic toward systems pharmacodynamic models

Building upon many classical foundations of pharmacology, a diverse array of mechanistic pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models have emerged based on mechanisms of drug action and primary rate-limiting or turnover processes in physiology. An array of basic models can be extended to handle various complexities including tolerance and can readily be employed as building blocks in assembling enhanced PK/PD or small systems models. Our corticosteroid models demonstrate these concepts as well as elements of horizontal and vertical integration of molecular to whole-body processes. The potential advantages and challenges in moving PK/PD toward systems models are described.
Discrimination of interaural envelope delays: The effect of randomizing component starting phase

The goal of this study was to examine the nature of envelope extraction in the discrimination of high‐frequency waveforms on the basis of envelope delay. Threshold interaural envelope delays were measured for complexes consisting of three or five components for which the starting phases of all sinusoids were either sine phase or randomized between intervals of a two‐alternative forced‐choice (2‐AFC) task. The center frequency was 4 kHz and the frequency separation was varied from 25 to 500 Hz. The results showed that thresholds were greater for the phase‐randomized conditions than the sine‐phase conditions. The phase effect tended to diminish with increasing frequency separation for three‐component complexes but not for the five‐component complexes. Sensitivity to envelope delay was better for five‐component complexes than for three‐component complexes at most frequency separations. In general, the results showed superior lateralization performance for conditions in which the envelope fluctuations were greater, a finding that is consistent with models of high‐frequency binaural processing that include envelope extraction prior to binaural comparison.
Structural Dynamics of an RF MEMS Switch

The radio-frequency micro-electromechanical system (RF MEMS) switch comprises a plate suspended by four double-cantilever springs. When electrostatic actuation is applied, the plate moves toward the substrate and closes the switch. This article discusses how simulation and experimental methods improve the performance of the switch by suppressing mechanical rebounds and thus electrical signal discontinuities. To accurately simulate the mechanical motion of the switch, a high-fidelity three-dimensional finite element model is created to couple the solid dynamics with the electrostatic actuation. The displacement of the switch at various points is measured using a laser Doppler velocimeter through a microscope. The operational deflection shapes agree with the model. The three-dimensional model produces the necessary information for an effective one-dimensional model. The latter model is used to calculate an actuation voltage waveform to minimize switch velocity at closure, thereby suppressing switch rebound. The waveforms can be refined experimentally to compensate for switch property variations. Laboratory tests indicate that the waveform suppresses or eliminates rebound events.© 2005 ASME
The extent of DNA deformation in DNA photolyase-substrate complexes: a solution state fluorescence study.

Cyclobutylpyrimidine dimers (CPDs) are the major UV photoproduct formed in DNA containing adjacent pyrimidines. These lesions can be repaired by DNA photolyase, a flavoprotein that utilizes blue light in a direct reversal of the cyclobutane ring. Previous studies have shown that the CPD is base flipped into the protein, with concomitant disruption of the substrate around the CPD. In this study, we use a fluorescent cytidine analog, pyrrolo-dC (PC), to probe how far base flipping propagates along the duplex. From these measurements, the degree of base destacking in the two bases flanking the adenines opposing the CPD appears to be minimal, which was consistent with the protein:substrate crystal structure. Fluorescence-detected melting temperatures for duplexes with and without a CPD were obtained, suggesting that a 5′-pyrimidine-PC-purine-3′ motif is more stable than the 5′-purine-PC-pyrimidine-3′ motif. This stability trend was reflected in the fluorescence intensities of ss-PC oligos but not for duplexes. The melting point depression due to the PC probe was found to be comparable to other popular fluorescent base analogs.
Structural dynamics research in a full-scale transport aircraft crash test

A remotely piloted air-to-ground crash test of a full-scale transport aircraft was conducted for the first time for two purposes: (1) to demonstrate performance of an antimisting fuel additive in suppressing fire in a crash environment, and (2) to obtain structural dynamics data under crash conditions for comparison with analytical predictions. The test, called the Controlled Impact Demonstration (CID), was sponsored by FAA and NASA with cooperation of industry, the Department of Defense, and the British and French governments. The test aircraft was a Boeing 720 jet transport. The aircraft impacted a dry lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base, CA. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the structural aspects of the CID. The fuselage section tests and the CID itself are described. Structural response data from these tests are presented and discussed. Nonlinear analytical modeling efforts are described, and comparisons between analytical results and experimental results are presented.
Ultrabright omnidirectional collective emission of correlated photon pairs from atomic vapors

Spontaneous four-wave mixing can generate highly correlated photon pairs from atomic vapors. We show that multiphoton pumping of dipole-forbidden transitions in a recoil-free geometry can result in ultrabright pair emission in the full $4\ensuremath{\pi}$ solid angle, while strongly suppressing background Rayleigh scattering and associated atomic heating, Such a system can produce photon pairs at rates of $~10$${}^{12}$ per second, given only moderate optical depths of $10\ensuremath{-}100$, or alternatively, the system can generate paired photons with subnatural bandwidths at lower production rates. We derive a rate-equation based theory of the collective atomic population and coherence dynamics and present numerical simulations for a toy model, as well as realistic model systems based on $^{133}\mathrm{Cs}$ and $^{171}\mathrm{Yb}$ level structures. Last, we demonstrate that dark-state adiabatic following electromagnetically induced transparency and/or time-scale hierarchy protects the paired photons from reabsorption as they propagate through the optically thick sample.
Facial type, expression, and viseme generation

The process of generating facial models and various poses of these models is a necessary part of most present-day movies, and usually required for any interactive game which features humans as a primary character. The generation of this face data can be approached in ways varying from pure computation to pure data acquisition. Computational models are flexible but can lack realism and intuitive or simple controls, while data-driven models produce realistic faces, but necessitate the often slow and cumbersome capture of new scan data for every desired set of face attributes. Our method is a hybrid approach, which combines a relatively small set of real world facial data with a computational algorithm that learns the underlying variations in this geometric information automatically. Given a sparse data set that spans variation in viseme, face type, and expression, we are able to generate new faces that exhibit combinations of these attributes, and were never part of the original data set. We rely on user-assisted categorization of our sparse data set to associate each piece of face data with a small set of attribute contributions, and then use this categorization data as a guide for binding abstract variation to concrete parameters. This process takes the complex, subtle, and often subjective qualities associated with visemes, expressions, and face types, and correlates them to known geometric features, in order to facilitate the creation of entirely new face poses.
Site-specific deformable imaging registration algorithm selection using patient-based simulated deformations

Purpose: The accuracy of deformable image registration could have a significant dosimetric impact in radiation treatment planning. Various image registration algorithms have been developed for clinical application. However, validation of these algorithms in the current clinical setting remains subjective, relying on visual assessment and lacking a comparison to the ground-truth deformation. In this study, the authors propose a framework to quantitatively validate various image registration solutions by using patient-based synthetic quality assurance (QA) phantoms, which can be applied on a site-by-site basis. Methods: The computer-simulated deformation was first generated with virtual deformation QA software and further benchmarked using a physical pelvic phantom that was modeled after real patient CT images. After the validity of the virtual deformation was confirmed, a set of synthetic deformable images was produced to simulate various anatomical movements during radiotherapy based on real patient CT images. Three patients with head-and-neck, prostate, and spine cancer were included. The transformations included bladder filling, soft tissue deformation, mandible, and vertebral body movement, etc., which provided various ground-truth images to validate deformable registration. Several clinically available deformable registration algorithms were tested on these images with multiple registration setups, such as global or regional and single-pass or multipass optimization. The generated deformation fields and the ground-truth deformation are compared using voxel-by-voxel based analysis as well as regional based analysis. Results: Performance of registration algorithms varies with clinical sites. The voxel-by-voxel analysis showed the intensity-based free-form deformation by MIM generated the greatest accuracy for low-contrast small regions that underwent significant deformation, such as bladder expansion for prostate. However, for large field deformations with strong contrast, this approach may increase errors, which is especially evident in the cranial spinal irradiation (CSI) case. Both single-pass and multipass B-spline registrations performed well for the head-and-neck patient and CSI patients. Conclusions: QA for deformable image registration is essential to verify the cumulated dose for accurate adaptive radiotherapy. In this study, the authors develop a workflow that can validate image registration techniques for several different clinical sites and for various types of deformations using patient-based simulated deformations. This work could provide a reference for clinicians and radiation physicists on how to choose appropriate image registration algorithms for different situations.
Causal relativistic classical electrodynamics

The nonrelativistio differential-difference (DD) motion equations of the causal classical electrodynamics that was developed from first principles by the author in 1975 are extended by analogy to the relativistic regime. These relativistic DD equation also have only causal, nonrunaway solutions. As an example, the solution of one of the DD equations for the problem of a charged particle released from rest in a pre-existing constant uniform electric field is contrasted with the corresponding solution of the Lorentz-Dirac equation. The general Cauchy problem for this DD equation is discussed, and conditions are given under which the stadard Cauchy data of initial position and velocity are adequate to determine a solution to sufficient practical accuracy.
What Every Biotech Entrepreneur Needs to Know about VC Due Diligence

Due diligence, as it applies to venture capital, is actually imprecise. Origins of the term are based in banking case law. Due diligence to the attorney is more of a precise concept. A better term is â€œhomework.â€ Better indeed, because the burden of this homework weighs far more heavily on the entrepreneur than on the venture capitalist. The odds of getting funded by a venture capital firm are somewhere between 50: and 100: 1. In most instances, the funding goes to companies that already have some connection into the community of venture capital funds. Does this mean that all others need not apply? That is hardly the case. Good venture capitalists know a good opportunity when they see it, but sometimes it is not always obvious. Either the business plan is flawed in strategy, format or content, or the due diligence process reveals a team totally unprepared to fulfill their own vision. Elsewhere in this special edition of JCB is an article on the business plan and the pitch book. This article teaches, in a manner of speaking, how business plans get read and pitches gets heard.
The geographic understanding of snail borne disease in endemic areas using satellite surveillance

The current status of research on use of earth observing satellite sensors and geographic ifnormation systems for control program management of schistosomiais and fascioliasis is reviewed.
Medical treatment of urethral prolapse in the premenarchal female

Abstract Urethral prolapse, the circumferential protrusion of urethral mucosa through the urethral meatus, often presents in the premenarchal female as a large, friable mass. Some traditional therapies have included excision or cautery. A series of 13 premenarchal females presented with urethral prolapse and were treated medically at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital. All patients had resolution of signs and symptoms within 4 weeks of initiation of therapy. No relapses or recurrences were noted. Medical therapy of urethral prolapse in the premenarchal female is a safe and successful alternative to surgery.
Quantitative Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy with 2-Dimensional Contrast Echocardiography

The study of transgenic mouse models of human cardiovascular disease has been limited by the small size and high heart rate of the mouse heart. Advances in digital echocardiographic imaging equipment have provided the high spatial and temporal resolution necessary for 2-dimensional (2D) in vivo imaging of the mouse heart. The goal of this study was to test the use of contrast-enhanced 2D echocardiography to quantitatively assess left ventricular (LV) size and function in normal and transgenic mice with dilated cardiomyopathy. Images were obtained with a 12-MHz broadband transducer in the parasternal short-axis view in 8 control mice and 8 transgenic mice with dilated cardiomyopathy resulting from expression of a dominant-negative CREB transcription factor in the heart. LV opacification was achieved with injections of human albumin microspheres, injectable suspension (Optison) (15 to 30 microliter bolus). LV area was measured throughout the cardiac cycle with manual frame-by-frame tracing of the endocardial boundary. End-systolic and end-diastolic areas (ESA and EDA) were measured and fractional area change (FAC) calculated in both groups at baseline and during administration of dobutamine (40 microgram/kg/min intravenously). High-quality 2D images, which yielded LV area over time waveforms, were obtained in all mice. Under baseline conditions, ESA was significantly higher and FAC lower in the transgenic mice compared with their controls. During administration of dobutamine, normal mice had significantly smaller ESA and significantly larger FAC compared with baseline conditions, whereas this trend did not reach significance in the transgenic mice. In summary, quantitative assessment of LV size and function may be achieved with contrast-enhanced 2D echocardiographic imaging. This technique promises to facilitate studies of pathophysiology in murine models of human cardiovascular disease.
Very low temperature membrane-free desalination by directional solvent extraction

We demonstrate a very low temperature membrane-free desalination technology, using directional solvents capable of extracting pure water from a salt solution without themselves dissolving in the recovered water. The recovered water contains negligible residual solvent and meets WHO and EPA salinity standards. This process is demonstrated to function effectively at temperatures as low as 40 °C, thus opening up a way to utilize lower temperatures, which may be obtained inexpensively from terrestrial or solar energy or by scavenging waste heat.
Degradation in nickel-cadmium cells studied by impedance measurements

The impedance characteristics of various Ni-Cd cells were measured at different times during accelerated charge/discharge trials to identify characteristics indicative of cell lifetime and cycle history. The tests were performed as part of an attempt to develop nondestructive testing techniques to detect flaws in batteries installed on low-earth orbit satellites. Trials consisted of 60 min charging and 40 min discharging, covering 20, 30, and 40 C temperatures, 20, 35, and 50 percent depth of discharge, and the average cycle life. No correlations were derived between impedance characteristics and cycle life. Other possible techniques for evaluating predictors of battery performance are discussed.
Cactus bristle implantation. Report of an unusual case initially seen with rows of yellow hairs.

• A 45-year-old man was seen in a hospital emergency room with regularly arranged rows of yellow hairs on his arm. A detailed investigation disclosed the occurrence of cactus bristle implantation from a house cactus. This implantation resulted in a severe acute dermatitis that evolved during a four-week period into a chronic granulomatous foreign-body reaction. ( Arch Dermatol 1983;119:152-154)
Bose-Einstein condensation of spin-1/2 atoms with conserved total spin

Recently it has been predicted that if a gas of spin-1/2 bosonic atoms is cooled down while conserving its total spin, it can form a Bose-Einstein condensate in a new type of fragmented state. In that fragmented state two orbital wave functions are macroscopically occupied. We derive a set of Gross-Pitaevskii equations that describe the two occupied wave functions, taking into account the effects of interatomic interactions. We then analyze the solutions of those equations in some special cases. In particular, we find that if the fragmented state is realized in a toroidal trap, under certain conditions the system will spontaneously acquire macroscopic orbital angular momentum. Finally, we discuss the nature of the phase transition from an uncondensed gas to a fragmented-state condensate.
Gating within limbic-cortical circuits and its alteration in a developmental disruption model of schizophrenia

Abstract Schizophrenia is comprised of several symptom subtypes, including positive symptoms, negative symptoms, disorganization syndrome, and cognitive disturbances. Of these, evidence suggests that the positive symptoms are related to a dopaminergic hyperactivity within subcortical limbic regions, such as the nucleus accumbens. The accumbens itself receives overlapping inputs from several limbic areas, including the hippocampus subiculum and the amygdala, as well as afferents from the prefrontal cortex. Our studies show that the hippocampal input functions as a gate within the accumbens, modulating information flow along the prefrontal cortical-accumbens-pallidal-thalamic-prefrontal cortical loop. It is suggested that the hippocampal subiculum may exert a context-dependent gating within this loop, serving to keep an organism focused on a task. In contrast, the amygdala exerts a very brief, event-related gating that is likely related to affective states. It is this balance between hippocampal-driven focus on task and affect-mediated emotional drive that preserves normal function; a balance that is in part maintained by the dopamine system. This interaction was examined in a developmental disruption model of schizophrenia. In this model, a mitotoxin is administered to pregnant rats during gestational day 17. The adult offspring exhibit several neuroanatomical, behavioral, and pharmacological responses consistent with an animal model of schizophrenia. Moreover, in these animals, electrophysiological studies show that gating within the accumbens is driven primarily by the amygdala, rather than the hippocampus. If such a condition is present in schizophrenia, it would suggest that such patients would react to stimuli primarily based on affective valence, being easily distracted from tasks and goal-directed behaviors. Dopamine D2 antagonists would act to restore this balance by augmenting prefrontal cortical input while diminishing amygdala drive.
Magnetic properties of transition-metal atoms and thin layers deposited on nonmagnetic metals

A new and very sensitive rf oscillator method was used to detect magnetic moments of atoms and thin films of 3d transition elements deposited on nonmagnetic metals. It was shown that isolated Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, and Cr atoms deposited on the surface of Pb at 4.2 K all have magnetic moments. The depression of ${T}_{c}$ of 90-A\r{}-thick superconducting Pb films was used to obtain the relative depairing parameters associated with the transition metals. Ti and Cu had no moment. V atoms apparently had a moment for very low coverage, but not for the succeeding layers. The decrease in the superconducting order parameter was shown to be approximately proportional to the decrease in the oscillator frequency. Evidence of interactions between Fe atoms commenced at about (1/20) of an atomic layer, whereas for Ni such interactions were observed only after two atomic layers were deposited. The functional dependence of the frequency versus film coverage is different for materials with ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions.
The core of murine leukemia virus requires phosphate for structural stability

Abstract Treatment of murine leukemia virus (MuLV) with nonionic detergents in Tris-buffered saline resulted in solubilization of the membrane and degradation of the core. An appreciable fraction of the core survived as a stable particle whose physical and chemical properties are consistent with published values for MuLV core only if phosphate was present in the medium. The stability of the core in phosphate-buffered detergent indicates that protein-protein interactions other than simple hydrophobic aggregation are primarily responsible for the structural integrity of the viral core. The stabilizing effect of phosphate was found to be much stronger in phosphate esterified to peptide. This suggests a possible role for the phosphorylation of the gag gene-coded polyprotein, Pr65 gag .
Modulation coding for pixel-matched holographic data storage.

We describe a digital holographic storage system for the study of noise sources and the evaluation of modulation and error-correction codes. A precision zoom lens and Fourier transform optics provide pixel-to-pixel matching between any input spatial light modulator and output CCD array over magnifications from 0.8 to 3. Holograms are angle multiplexed in LiNbO3:Fe by use of the 90° geometry, and reconstructions are detected with a 60-frame/s CCD camera. Modulation codes developed on this platform permit image transmission down to signal levels of ∼2000 photons per on camera pixel, at raw bit-error rates (BER’s) of better than 10-5. Using an 8–12–pixel modulation code, we have stored and retrieved 1200 holograms (each with 45,600 user bits) without error, for a raw BER of <2×10-8.
Sensitivity analysis of large-scale time dependent PDEs

In this paper, we present several new algorithms for estimating the sensitivity of solutions of partial differential equations to certain parameters in the equations. There has been a great deal of work done on sensitivity analysis using direct linear algebra, but we are concerned with large-scale simulations so the use of direct linear algebra is not feasible. Therefore we have developed a new class of algorithms which use matrix-free methods to solve all the linear systems. We describe several of the direct algorithms and show how some of the ideas contained in them can be used to develop the matrix-free methods. Several numerical examples are given to compare the methods, and a convergence theory for the methods is presented.