cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the joint impact of atmospheric turbulence and refractivity on laser beam propagation

A laser beam propagation model that accounts for the joint effect of atmospheric turbulence and refractivity is introduced and evaluated through numerical simulations. In the numerical analysis of laser beam propagation, refractive index inhomogeneities along the atmospheric propagation path were represented by a combination of the turbulence-induced random fluctuations described in the framework of classical Kolmogorov turbulence theory and large-scale refractive index variations caused by the presence of an inverse temperature layer. The results demonstrate that an inverse temperature layer located in the vicinity of a laser beam’s propagation path may strongly impact the laser beam statistical characteristics including the beam wander and long-exposure beam footprint, and be a reason for refractivity-induced spatial anisotropy of these characteristics.
Understaging T2: Limitations of Pelvic Imaging

Although single detector CT has been used for many years to help stage bladder cancers, the results have been disappointing. However, there is a paucity of literature evaluating the success of CT staging following the advent of multidetector CT (MDCT). The improved resolution and multiplanar reformats available with MDCT are innovations which have yet to be tested in this context.
Maternal Physiology of Pregnancy

During the course of pregnancy, the mother undergoes major physiologic and metabolic adaptations to accommodate the requirements of the developing fetus and to prepare for subsequent delivery, lactation, and care for her newborn infant. To some, to speak of the history of maternal physiology, in a volume devoted to the physiology of the fetus and newborn infant, may appear to be a contradiction in terms. However, as the fetus constitutes a portion of the maternal-placental-fetal “complex” or “unit” (Diczfalusy 1964), and its growth and development would be impossible without the mother, it suggests a rationale for this consideration. In addition, because optimal fetal developmental cannot occur in the absence of profound changes in the physiologic function of almost each of the maternal organ systems, metabolic, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, neurohumoral, and others, such consideration is vital. The organs of the female reproductive system are among the most dynamic tissues in the human body. Even in the absence of pregnancy, from puberty to menopause, these undergo repeated cycles of growth and involution. To attain such plasticity, the reproductive tissues must respond to blood-borne signals (hormones, growth factors, and cytokines), as well as physical forces (mechanical and osmotic).
Impact of field development strategies on CO2 trapping mechanisms in a CO2–EOR field: A case study in the permian basin (SACROC unit)

Abstract This paper presents field-scale compositional reservoir flow modeling in the SACROC (Scurry Area Canyon Reef Operators Committee) unit, Permian Basin, to demonstrate the relative partitioning of CO2 during and after CO2 injection. The model was developed to study the effect of structural trapping, solubility trapping, and residual trapping on the partitioning of CO2 in oil, gas (free or residual), and brine phases over time. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of various injection scenarios, such as CGI (Continuous Gas Injection) and WAG (Water Alternating Gas), on the different trapping mechanisms. First, we used a high-resolution geocellular model, which was constructed from wireline logs, seismic surveys, core data, and stratigraphic interpretation. As the initial distribution of fluids plays an important role in CO2 partitioning, a comprehensive pressure-production history matching of primary, secondary, and tertiary recovery was completed. The hysteresis model was used to calculate the amount of CO2 trapped as residual. CO2 solubility into brine was verified based on previous experiments. The model results show a new understanding of relative CO2 partitioning in porous media. Although it was believed that structural trapping is the largest of the trapping mechanisms during CO2 injection and the first years of post-inject ion, our results show that in a carbonate field like SACROC, which contains a light oil, the solubility of CO2 in oil plays a very important role, even in the first stage of CO2 injection. Running a comprehensive history matching shows the deficiency of previous models to estimate the amount of trapped CO2 during and after the injection period. Among the various scenarios explored, WAG seems to be a promising operational approach to balance both storage and oil production. The present work provides valuable insights for optimizing oil production and CO2 storage in carbonate reservoirs like SACROC unit. In addition, this work helps decision makers to set storage goals based on optimized project risks.
Impacts of particulate matter on Gulf of Mexico tropical cyclones

This research analyzes the relationship between tropical cyclones and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for landfalling Atlantic tropical cyclones from 2000 to 2015. Daily mean PM2.5 concentrations w...
Bayesian Nets & Model Generation

Bayesian networks are graphical models that capture the probability dependency relationships among random variables. The probability dependency relationships are encoded as the likelihoods of event associations in terms of conditional probabilities.
New Approaches to Business Process Redesign: A Case Study of Collaborative Group Technology and Service Mapping

Whether it is called reengineering, quality function deployment, quality circles, continuous improvement or total quality management, business process redesign (BPR) is occurring in many organizations. In the broadest sense, BPR includes nearly any kind of systematic effort by companies to realign their business processes so that they are more competitive. Successful business process redesign can lead to dramatic improvements in productivity and quality. But BPR typically requires vast amounts of time and money to implement, since extensive employee input is necessary during the redesign process. Group Decision Support Software (GDSS) provides a viable alternative to the traditional BPR approach. GDSS is defined as “computer-based information systems used to support intelligent, collaborative work.”This technology allows multiple users to meet and discuss topics simultaneously via a computer network, thus increasing employee commitment while decreasing time and cost.
Evaluation of Pregnancy Outcomes from the TYSABRI® (Natalizumab) Pregnancy Exposure Registry (P02.127)

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate the outcomes of pregnancy in women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant and have been exposed to natalizumab within 90 days prior to last menstrual period (LMP). BACKGROUND: Women of childbearing potential with multiple sclerosis (MS) are likely to be exposed to disease-modifying therapies around the time of conception and pregnancy. Biogen Idec and Elan Pharmaceuticals implemented the TYSABRI® (natalizumab) Pregnancy Exposure Registry (TPER) to prospectively assess whether natalizumab exposure has any effect on pregnancy outcomes. Patients who received natalizumab for the treatment of Crohn9s disease (CD) are included. DESIGN/METHODS: TPER is a global, observational, exposure-registration, follow-up study targeting a minimum of 300 prospectively-enrolled pregnant women with MS or CD exposed to natalizumab within 90 days prior to the first day of the LMP or during pregnancy. Information on natalizumab exposure and pregnancy outcomes is collected. Enrollment for the study has completed and registry follow-up is ongoing. RESULTS: As of 23 May 2012, 375 patients (368 with MS; 7 with CD) were registered prospectively in TPER. There were 362 known pregnancy outcomes available, 11 pregnancies were ongoing and 10 were lost to follow-up. There were 314 live births, including 8 twin pregnancies, 13 elective terminations, 34 spontaneous abortions, and 1 stillbirth. Major and/or minor birth defects were observed in 28 pregnancy outcomes in 26 women. CONCLUSIONS: Present data do not suggest any effect of natalizumab exposure on pregnancy outcomes. The rate of spontaneous pregnancy losses is consistent with background rates in the US general population. Final registry data will be presented. Data from TPER provide an important source of information for patients regarding exposure to natalizumab during pregnancy. Additional data are required before definite conclusions can be made about the effect of natalizumab exposure on pregnancy outcomes. Supported by: Biogen Idec Inc. and Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Disclosure: Dr. Cristiano has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec as an employee. Dr. Friend has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec as an employee. Dr. Bozic has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec as an employee. Dr. Bozic holds stock and/or stock options in Biogen Idec, which sponsored research in which Dr. Bozic was involved as an investigator. Dr. Bozic holds stock and/or stock options in Biogen Idec. Dr. Bloomgren has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec as an employee.
Mobile Commerce: Technology, Theory, and Applications

A Framework for the Study of Mobile Commerce NTT DoCoMo's i-Mode Wireless Devices for Mobile Commerce Locating the Money Towards a Classification Framework for Mobile Location Based Services Wireless Personal and Local Area Networks The Impact of Technology Advances on Strategy Formulation in Mobile Communications Networks The Ecology of Mobile Commerce The Wireless Application Protocol Mobile Business Services Mobile Portal Factors Influencing the Adoption of Mobile Gaming Services Mobile Data Technologies and Small Business Adoption and Diffusion We Know Where You Are M-Commerce and Coca Cola M-Commerce in the Automotive Industry Location-Based Services - Criteria for Adoption and Solution Deployment The Role of Mobile Advertising in Building a Brand Wireless in the Classroom and Beyond.
Book Review: Memory Serves: Oratories

In Memory Serves, Sto:lō (Coast Salish) rememberer and storyteller Lee Maracle weaves together a selection of her speeches and lectures into a single volume of oratories. In the preface, Maracle expresses the worry that in the process of converting these spoken pieces into written form, “the words can lose much of the personality of the speaker” (xii). Her voice as a storyteller, however, coheres beautifully on the page, carrying the rhythm and consonance of her original orations. The recurrence of several themes (decoloniality, sovereignty, direction, memory) that arise throughout the text also gives us a powerful sense of her memory and personality as an Indigenous woman, elder, and rememberer who is anchored by the cultural values of her people.
Identifying Comorbidities of Obesity

A 55-year-old woman presents to an obesity medicine specialist for evaluation. Her BMI is 37 kg/m2. She has tried multiple diets in the past, with some success, but finds that she always regains the weight she loses. Her past medical history is significant for hypertension, for which she takes metoprolol and hydrochlorothiazide. She has osteoarthritis in her knees and is planning to have knee replacement surgery in a few months. For knee pain she takes ibuprofen daily. On further questioning, she reveals that she has not been sleeping well. Her husband complains that she snores. She wakes up multiple times throughout the night, does not feel well rested in the morning, and falls asleep at her desk occasionally in the afternoon. She has been taking diphenhydramine occasionally to help her fall asleep at night.
Crystal Growth of Celecoxib from Amorphous State: Polymorphism, Growth Mechanism, and Kinetics

The crystal growth kinetics of amorphous celecoxib (CEL), an anti-inflammatory BCS class II drug, was systematically investigated for developing effective stabilization strategies to enhance solubi...
Patterns of cumulative continuity and maturity in personality and well-being: Evidence from a large longitudinal sample of adults.

Abstract Longitudinal studies have shown that, on average, agreeableness and conscientiousness increase and neuroticism decreases in adulthood, a phenomenon dubbed the “maturity principle”. The rank-order stability of personality also tends to increase with age, sometimes called the “cumulative continuity principle”. It remains unclear, however, whether the rank-order stability and average levels of different types of well-being increase with age. Therefore, using a large longitudinal sample of adults (N > 6,000), the present study aimed to replicate studies of the maturity and cumulative continuity of the Big Five and test whether these developmental trends extend to different types of well-being. The present study demonstrates that, although many types of well-being exhibit developmental trends that are similar to those of the Big Five, distinguishing the general tendency toward all forms of well-being from variation in specific kinds of well-being can illuminate potentially important developmental differences.
CONTINUOUS HEATING METHOD FOR HIGH RESOLUTION SPECIFIC HEAT MEASUREMENTS

ABSTRACT In order to determine the critical exponents, α and α', used to describe the asymptotic behavior of the specific heat near a magnetic phase transition, one must make high resolution measurements on a single crystal. We have been successful in making such measurements in the He 4 temperature range. A vacuum calorimeter with continuous heating, a heat leak less than 0.1 ergs/sec, and lock-in detection permits a resolution of 1 μK with 1–3 gm samples. By obtaining large quantities of data it is possible to differentiate the data, define the rounded region, and extract the critical exponents. This paper discusses the continuous heating method, our calorimeter, and critical exponent determinations.
Asymmetric volatility spillover between European equity and foreign exchange markets: Evidence from the frequency domain

Abstract This study analyzes volatility spillovers between European equity and foreign exchange markets over 2003–2019 by exploring causal linkages in realized volatility across the frequency domain. Daily volatility spillovers are bidirectional and asymmetric across the frequency domain in most cases. Spillovers from equity to foreign exchange markets are significant at high, mid-range, and low frequencies, whereas typically at lower frequencies in the opposite direction. Sub-sample estimations identify similar patterns of asymmetric frequency significance; however, volatility spillovers are primarily unidirectional prior to the Global Financial Crisis. Focusing on slower moving volatility, weekly analysis suggests weaker equity market driven spillovers.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy of an Adolescent Stem Cell Transplantation Recipient with Hemorrhagic Cystitis and BK Virus.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) continues to show effectiveness in the treatment of several diseases and benefits such as fibroblast proliferation, capillary angiogenesis, and decreasing edema, especially in hemorrhagic cystitis (HC). We report a case of a 15-year-old male with chronic myelogenous leukemia status posthaploidentical stem cell transport with BK virus in the United States to be treated by HBOT. The patient received a total of 30 HBOT treatments for 90 minutes at 2 ATA. After HBOT treatments, patient showed signs of improvements such as cessation of hemorrhage cystitis. The findings of this case support and shows that there is growing evidence for the use of HBOT as adjunctive therapy for patients with BK virus associated with HC after stem cell transplantation.
Neratinib decreases pro-survival responses of [sorafenib + vorinostat] in pancreatic cancer.

Abstract The combination of the multi-kinase and chaperone inhibitor sorafenib and the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat in pancreatic cancer patients has proven to be a safe and efficacious modality (NCT02349867). We determined the evolutionary mechanisms by with pancreatic tumors become resistant to [sorafenib + vorinostat] and developed a new three-drug therapy to circumvent the resistant phenotype. Pancreatic tumors previously exposed to [sorafenib + vorinostat] evolved to activate the receptors ERBB1, ERBB2, ERBB3, c-MET and the intracellular kinase AKT. The irreversible ERBB receptor family and MAP4K inhibitor neratinib significantly enhanced the anti-tumor efficacy of [sorafenib + vorinostat]. We then determined the mechanisms by which neratinib enhanced the efficacy of [sorafenib + vorinostat]. Compared to [sorafenib + vorinostat] or to neratinib alone, the three-drug combination further enhanced the phosphorylation of eIF2α and NFκB and the expression of Beclin1, ATG5 and CD95; and suppressed the levels of β-catenin. Knock down of Beclin1, ATG5, CD95, eIF2 α or NFκB suppressed cell killing whereas knock down of β-catenin enhanced killing. The drugs interacted to increase autophagosome formation; and autophagy and cell killing were suppressed by expression of activated mTOR. A portion of the killing mechanism required CD95 signaling and knock down of NFκB prevented the drugs from increasing CD95 expression. We conclude that neratinib, by down-regulation of evolutionary activated growth factor receptors, may represent a novel follow-on clinical concept after the completion of NCT02349867.
Factors Influencing Aberrant Facial Nerve Stimulation Following Cochlear Implantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the literature to evaluate the rate of and associated factors with aberrant facial nerve stimulation (AFNS) following cochlear implantation. Additionally, management strategies for AFNS were assessed. DATA SOURCES A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Web of Science to identify peer reviewed research. STUDY SELECTION Eligible studies were those containing peer-reviewed research in English addressing AFNS following cochlear implantation. Studies with paired data were included in the meta-analysis. DATA EXTRACTION Three investigators independently reviewed all articles and extracted data. Bias was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Study Quality Assessment Tool. DATA SYNTHESIS Thirty-seven articles were included, representing 5,694 patients. The overall reported AFNS rate was 5.6% (range, 0.68-43%). Array type demonstrated a significant association with AFNS with lateral wall electrodes having a higher odds ratio than perimodiolar electrodes (odds ratio [OR] = 3.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.46-10.47, p = 0.01). CI recipients with otosclerosis were also more likely to experience AFNS compared with non-otosclerosis pathology (OR = 13.73, 95% CI 3.57-52.78, p < 0.01). Patients with cochlear malformations had an overall AFNS rate of 28% (range, 5.3-43%) and those with otosclerosis had an overall rate of 26% (range, 6.25-75%). Reprogramming with or without electrode deactivation was successful for AFNS elimination. Four patients of 3,015 required explantation. CONCLUSION Array type and underlying cochlear pathology are associated with AFNS and implant reprogramming is an overall successful management strategy. Further research is needed to elucidate mechanism of AFNS and develop management strategies that limit impact on hearing outcomes.
Composting Susceptible Fruit Wastes Reduces Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) Reproductive Habitat

Background Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an invasive, polyphagous vinegar fly pest that is primarily controlled by calendar based broad spectrum insecticide programs. Non-chemical management tactics are urgently needed to re-establish IPM within affected berry and cherry cropping systems. Composting is a post-harvest crop sanitation strategy that could potentially be used to manage D. suzukii infestation of fruit wastes. Results This study found that D. suzukii emergence decreased exponentially with an increasing proportion of chicken manure, with emergence reduced by 95% in compost treatments containing 25% chicken manure. Furthermore, Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) demonstrated a response similar to D. suzukii in the field. Conclusion Integrating this control tactic into existing D. suzukii management programs may help to reduce the need for insecticide applications for D. suzukii as well as provide improved management of other Drosophila spp. in post-harvest systems. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A CD-based mapping method for combining multiple related parameters from heterogeneous intervention trials

Effect size can differ as a function of the elapsed time since treatment or as a function of other key covariates, such as sex or age. In evidence synthesis, a better understanding of the precise conditions under which treatment does work or does not work well has been highly valued. With increasingly accessible individual patient or participant data (IPD), more precise and informative inference can be within our reach. However, simultaneously combining multiple related parameters across heterogeneous studies is challenging because each parameter from each study has a specific interpretation within the context of the study and other covariates in the model. This paper proposes a novel mapping method to combine study-specific estimates of multiple related parameters across heterogeneous studies, which ensures valid inference at all inference levels by combining sample-dependent functions known as Confidence Distributions (CD). We describe the "CD-based mapping method" and provide a data application example for a multivariate random-effects meta-analysis model. We estimated up to 13 study-specific regression parameters for each of 14 individual studies using IPD in the first step, and subsequently combined the study-specific vectors of parameters, yielding a full vector of hyperparameters in the second step of meta-analysis. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the CD-based mapping method is robust to model misspecification. This novel approach to multi-parameter synthesis provides a reasonable methodological solution when combining complex evidence using IPD.
Accuracy and Monitoring of Pediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) Scores Prior to Emergent Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Transfer: Retrospective Analysis

Background: Current approaches to early detection of clinical deterioration in children have relied on intermittent track-and-trigger warning scores such as the Pediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) that rely on periodic assessment and vital sign entry. There are limited data on the utility of these scores prior to events of decompensation leading to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) transfer. Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine the accuracy of recorded PEWS scores, assess clinical reasons for transfer, and describe the monitoring practices prior to PICU transfer involving acute decompensation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients ≤21 years of age transferred emergently from the acute care pediatric floor to the PICU due to clinical deterioration over an 8-year period. Clinical charts were abstracted to (1) determine the clinical reason for transfer, (2) quantify the frequency of physiological monitoring prior to transfer, and (3) assess the timing and accuracy of the PEWS scores 24 hours prior to transfer. Results: During the 8-year period, 72 children and adolescents had an emergent PICU transfer due to clinical deterioration, most often due to acute respiratory distress. Only 35% (25/72) of the sample was on continuous telemetry or pulse oximetry monitoring prior to the transfer event, and 47% (34/72) had at least one incorrectly documented PEWS score in the 24 hours prior to the event, with a score underreporting the actual severity of illness. Conclusions: This analysis provides support for the routine assessment of clinical deterioration and advocates for more research focused on the use and utility of continuous cardiorespiratory monitoring for patients at risk for emergent transfer.
A* Search Without Expansions: Learning Heuristic Functions with Deep Q-Networks.

A* search is an informed search algorithm that uses a heuristic function to guide the order in which nodes are expanded. Since the computation required to expand a node and compute the heuristic values for all of its generated children grows linearly with the size of the action space, A* search can become impractical for problems with large action spaces. This computational burden becomes even more apparent when heuristic functions are learned by general, but computationally expensive, deep neural networks. To address this problem, we introduce DeepCubeAQ, a deep reinforcement learning and search algorithm that builds on the DeepCubeA algorithm and deep Q-networks. DeepCubeAQ learns a heuristic function that, with a single forward pass through a deep neural network, computes the sum of the transition cost and the heuristic value of all of the children of a node without explicitly generating any of the children, eliminating the need for node expansions. DeepCubeAQ then uses a novel variant of A* search, called AQ* search, that uses the deep Q-network to guide search. We use DeepCubeAQ to solve the Rubik's cube when formulated with a large action space that includes 1872 meta-actions and show that this 157-fold increase in the size of the action space incurs less than a 4-fold increase in computation time when performing AQ* search and that AQ* search is orders of magnitude faster than A* search.
Rural-Urban Residence and Maternal Hepatitis C Infection, U.S.: 2010-2018.

Introduction The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among women delivering live births in the U.S. may be higher in rural areas where county-level estimates may be unreliable. The aim of this study is to model county-level maternal hepatitis C virus infection among deliveries in the U.S. Methods In 2020, U.S. natality files (2010–2018) with county-level maternal residence information were used from states that had adopted the 2003 revised U.S. birth certificate, which included a field for hepatitis C virus infection present during pregnancy. Hierarchical Bayesian spatial models with spatiotemporal random effects were applied to produce stable annual county-level estimates of maternal hepatitis C virus infection for years when all states had adopted the revised birth certificate (2016–2018). Models included a 6-Level Urban–Rural County Classification Scheme along with the birth year and county-specific covariates to improve posterior predictions. Results Among approximately 32 million live births, the overall prevalence of maternal hepatitis C virus infection was 3.5 per 1,000 births (increased from 2.0 in 2010 to 5.0 in 2018). During 2016–2018, posterior predicted median county-level maternal hepatitis C virus infection rates showed that nonurban counties had 3.5–3.8 times higher rates of hepatitis C virus than large central metropolitan counties. The counties in the top 10th percentile for maternal hepatitis C virus rates in 2018 were generally located in Appalachia, in Northern New England, along the northern border in the Upper Midwest, and in New Mexico. Conclusions Further implementation of community-level interventions that are effective in reducing maternal hepatitis C virus infection and its subsequent morbidity may help to reduce geographic and rural disparities.
Optimization of Takeoff Departure Procedures for Airport Noise Mitigation

The environmental effects of aviation, particularly community noise exposure, is one of the major barriers to a sustainable growth in passenger air traffic. With an increasing number of aircraft op...
Nitric oxide synthase inhibition in healthy adults reduces regional and total cerebral macrovascular blood flow and microvascular perfusion

The importance of nitric oxide (NO) in regulating cerebral blood flow (CBF) remains unresolved, due in part to methodological approaches, which lack a comprehensive assessment of both global and regional effects. Importantly, NO synthase (NOS) expression and activity appear greater in some anterior brain regions, suggesting region-specific NOS influence on CBF. We hypothesized that NO contributes to basal CBF in healthy adults, in a regionally distinct pattern that predominates in the anterior circulation. Fourteen healthy adults (7 females; 24 ± 5 years) underwent two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study visits with saline (placebo) or the NOS inhibitor, L-NMMA, administered in a randomized, single-blind approach. 4D flow MRI quantified total and regional macrovascular CBF, whereas arterial spin labelling (ASL) MRI quantified total and regional microvascular perfusion. L-NMMA (or volume-matched saline) was infused intravenously for 5 min prior to imaging. L-NMMA reduced CBF (L-NMMA: 722 ± 100 vs. placebo: 771 ± 121 ml/min, P = 0.01) with similar relative reductions (5-7%) in anterior and posterior cerebral circulations, due in part to the reduced cross-sectional area of 9 of 11 large cerebral arteries. Global microvascular perfusion (ASL) was reduced by L-NMMA (L-NMMA: 42 ± 7 vs. placebo: 47 ± 8 ml/100g/min, P = 0.02), with 7-11% reductions in both hemispheres of the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes, and in the left occipital lobe. We conclude that NO contributes to macrovascular and microvascular regulation including larger artery resting diameter. Contrary to our hypothesis, the influence of NO on cerebral perfusion appears regionally uniform in healthy young adults. KEY POINTS: Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is vital for brain health, but the signals that are key to regulating CBF remain unclear. Nitric oxide (NO) is produced in the brain, but its importance in regulating CBF remains controversial since prior studies have not studied all regions of the brain simultaneously. Using modern MRI approaches, a drug that inhibits the enzymes that make NO (L-NMMA) reduced CBF by up to 11% in different brain regions. NO helps maintain proper CBF in healthy adults. These data will help us understand whether the reductions in CBF that occur during ageing or cardiovascular disease are related to shifts in NO signalling.
Neural Mechanisms of Attentional Control

In the last 30 years, an extensive and detailed understanding has emerged of the mechanisms that permit an observer to perceive selectively only those aspects of a scene that are relevant to the task at hand. Much of the foundation of this knowledge is behavioral, but increasingly evidence about the brain mechanisms of attention has accumulated from neuropsychological analysis of brain-damaged patients, from single cell recordings taken in awake, behaving monkeys, and from functional neuroimaging (PET and fMRI) in behaving human subjects. In the sections that follow, I will briefly summarize some of this work.
Modeling fiber Bragg grating device networks in photomechanical polymer optical fibers

We report on the modeling of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) networks in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer fibers doped with azo dyes. Our target is the development of Photomechanical Optical Devices (PODs), comprised of two FBGs in series, separated by a Fabry-Perot cavity of photomechanical material. PODs exhibit photomechanical multi-stability, with the capacity to access multiple length states for a fixed input intensity when a mechanical shock is applied. Using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) numerical methods, we modeled the photomechanical response of both Fabry-Perot and Bragg-type PODs in a single polymer optical fiber. The polymer fiber was modeled as an instantaneous Kerr-type nonlinear χ (3) material. Our model correctly predicts the essential optical features of FBGs as well as the photomechanical multi-stability of nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity-based PODs. Networks of PODs may provide a framework for smart shape-shifting materials and fast optical computation where the decision process is distributed over the entire network. In addition, a POD can act as memory, and its response can depend on input history. Our models inform and will accelerate targeted development of novel Bragg grating-based polymer fiber device networks for a variety of applications in optical computing and smart materials.
Howl and Me

I must have been fourteen and still in junior high school when I first encountered Allen Ginsberg's "Howl." How it crossed my path I'm not sure; probably my older brother Leonard, who was seventeen and mad about Garcia Lorca and William Blake, tossed it my way, as he did all of his poetic discoveries. We went around for weeks intoning favorite passages?the first two lines, of course, "I saw the best minds of my generation..." down to "looking for an angry fix," and "fucked in the ass by saintly motorcyclists" and "boxcars boxcars boxcars," which for some reason always cracked us up. We loved the poem for its phonic fireworks and flaming images, but we also mocked its solemn oracular quality, opportunistically applying an adolescent penchant for parody to any target within easy reach. I have to say that "Howl" struck me from the first as a little ludi crous and overblown. In retrospect I think I may have been threat ened by its intense emotions, and deaf to its more ironic registers. Then, too, much as we embraced Kerouac and Ginsberg as a retort to the "tranquilized Fifties," we were not immune to the ubiqui tous parodies of them in the popular culture. Who could not giggle at Bob Hope's beatnik routine, wearing a beret and a fake goatee, banging bongos, snapping his fingers and crying "Yeah, man!" Still, we were much more pro-Beat than anti-; and "Howl," by virtue of giving America the finger, fit neatly into our bag of anarchic provo cations, along with Mad Magazine, the raunchier lyrics of rhythm and blues, and, a bit later, Lenny Bruce. I have a feeling some shards of Ginsberg's dangerous shrapnel lodged more deeply into my subconscious than I realized, because, soon after reading it, I wrote a poem called "I Hate It All" and turned it into my English teacher for creative writing extra-credit. This lurid rant enlisted every clich? about "gnawing rats," "crying men" and "the dirt of the slums," disguising my personal resent
Calcium, free radicals, and excitotoxic neuronal death in primary cell culture.

Publisher Summary Elucidation of cellular and molecular mechanisms of excitotoxic neuronal injury have been facilitated by the development of several cell biological technologies—namely, (1) neural cell culture, (2) quantitative assays of neuronal injury and death, (3) fluorescence imaging of intracellular free calcium levels ([Ca 2+ ] i ), (4) evaluation of mitochondrial function, (5) quantification of reactive oxygen species, (6) assessment of cytoskeletal alterations elicited by excitotoxic/metabolic insults, and (7) detection of “stress response” proteins. This chapter presents protocols for each of these technical approaches, as applied to embryonic rat and human brain neurons in dissociated cell culture. One strategy employed to study neuronal death is to elucidate the mechanisms that normally protect neurons from adverse environmental conditions. These studies have shown that many cellular signaling mechanisms exist that are designed to protect neurons against adverse environmental conditions such as metabolic and excitotoxic insults. Many of the neuroprotective strategies acquired during evolution involve systems that control calcium and free radical metabolism.
Algorithm for IAU north poles and rotation parameters

In 1970 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) defined any object's north pole to be that axis of rotation which lies north of the solar system's invariable plane. A competing definition in widespread use at some institutions followed the 'right hand rule' whereby the 'north' axis of rotation was generally said to be that of the rotational angular momentum. In the case of the latter definition, the planet Neptune and its satellite Triton would have their 'north' poles in opposite hemispheres because Triton's angular momentum vector is in the hemisphere opposite from that of Neptune's rotation angular momentum. The IAU resolutions have been somewhat controversial in some quarters ever since their adoption. A Working Group has periodically updated the recommended values of planet and satellite poles and rotation rates in accordance with the IAU definition of north and the IAU definition of prime meridian. Neither system is completely satisfactory in the perception of all scientists, and some confusion has been generated by publishing data in the two different systems. In this paper we review the IAU definitions of north and of the location of prime meridian and we present the algorithm which has been employed in determining the rotational parameters of the natural satellites. The IAU definition of the prime meridian contains some ambiguities which in practice have been 'specified' by the numerical values published by the IAU working group but which have not yet been explicitly documented. The purpose of this paper is to explicitly document the algorithm employed by the IAU working group in specifying satellite poles and rotation rates.
Negative Word Production in Adults With Right Hemisphere Brain Damage: Effects of Implicit Assessment and Contextual Bias

Purpose Both theory and evidence suggest that unilateral right hemisphere brain damage (RHD) should impair the processing of negative emotions. Typical metalinguistic assessments, however, may obscure processing strengths. This study investigated whether adults with RHD would produce proportionately fewer negative emotion words than control participants in an implicit assessment task and whether a negatively toned contextual bias would enhance performance. Methods Eleven participants with RHD and 10 control participants without brain damage watched a video in 2 parts and described each segment. Between segments, participants evaluated the emotion conveyed by sentences designed to induce the negative bias. Results The primary outcome measure, percentage of negative emotion words in video descriptions, did not differ between groups. After the contextual bias, this measure significantly increased for both groups, whereas production of motion words, a control variable, remained constant. Conclusions Findings ...
Conformations and interactions of pectins: I. X-ray diffraction analyses of sodium pectate in neutral and acidified forms

Abstract X-ray diffraction patterns of uniaxially oriented, polycrystalline fibers of neutral sodium pectate can be indexed on the basis of an orthogonal unit cell with dimensions a = 0.84 nm, b = 1.43 nm, c (fiber axis) = 1.34 nm, which contains trisaccharide fragments of two polygalacturonic chains of opposite sense. The polysaccharide chains have 3 1 screw symmetry but are arranged in a lattice that has space group symmetry P 2 1 (unique axis b ). There are three sodium ions in each crystal asymmetric unit. They are all octahedrally co-ordinated to oxygen atoms of the galacturonan chains or of water molecules. Every oxygen atom is involved also in at least one hydrogen bond. Sodium pectate can be partially converted to pectic acid whose polysaccharide chains preserve the 3 1 pectate conformation, are packed in an orthogonal unit cell also with P 2 1 symmetry but with quite different dimensions a = 0.99 nm, b (unique 2 1 axis) = 1.23 nm, c (fiber axis) = 1.33 nm. In this lattice, the polygalacturonic acid chains form corrugated sheets in which alternate molecules have opposite sense and are extensively hydrogen-bonded through their carboxyl groups.
Atomic Broadcast in a Real-Time Environment

This paper presents a model for real-time distributed systems that is intermediate in complexity between the simple, perfectly synchronous model in which there are rounds of communication exchange among processors in a completely connected network and an asynchronous model in which there is no reasonable upper bound on the time required for transmission and processing of messages. In this model algorithms are described for atomic broadcast that can be used to update synchronous replicated storage, a distributed storage that displays the same contents at every correct processor as of any clock time. The algorithms are all based on a simple communication paradigm and differ only in the additional checking required to tolerate different classes of failures.
Extremists and Fundamentalism: The Return to Paradise2

Two types of religious orientations, Islamic and Christian Fundamentalism, are examined in relation to whether or not, and to what degree, their ideas and doctrines promote terrorism. It is argued that totalitarianism forms the taproot of political violence.“We dream much of Paradise, or rather of a number of successive Paradises, but each of them is, long before we die, a Paradise Lost, in which we should feel ourselves lost also.”M. ProustCities of the Plain (1927).
Cardiac involvement in lymphosarcoma and reticulum cell sarcoma

Abstract Cardiac involvement was found at autopsy in 15 per cent of 170 patients who died of lymphosarcoma and in 27 per cent of 41 patients who died of reticulum cell sarcoma. The heart and epicardium were involved more frequently than the pericardium, which suggests that cardiac lesions arise from hematogenous dissemination rather than by direct extension from mediastinal tumor masses. Pericardial effusion appeared to be associated with myocardial and epicardial infiltration rather than with pericardial involvement; the presence of bloody pericardial fluid suggested infiltration of the epicardium. Except for pericardial friction rub and clinically demonstrable pericardial effusion, there were no clinical or electrocardiographic manifestations which represented reliable signs of cardiac involvement.
Universal dynamics during and after ultrafast laser-induced semiconductor-to-metal transitions

We observe common features in semiconductor-to-metal transitions induced by femtosecond laser pulses in crystalline GaAs, amorphous GaAs, and Sb-rich films of amorphous GeSb, by tracking ultrafast changes in the spectral dielectric function. The dielectric function of the metal-like state reveals a decay in the plasma frequency with time after the transition. In addition, the plasma frequency roughly decreases with increasing excitation fluence.
The role of Mg2Si formation in the hydrogenation of Mg film and Mg nanoblade array on Si substrates

Abstract In this paper, both an Mg film and an Mg nanoblade array have been first fabricated directly on Si substrates and hydrogenated under 20 bar hydrogen pressure at temperatures ranging from 200 °C to 350 °C. It is found that Mg 2 Si alloy starts to form at T = 200 °C in both the Mg samples, which produces a two-layered structure in the hydrogenated films with the bottom dense layer of Mg 2 Si. To prevent Mg alloying with Si, a layer of 200 nm thick Ti film was deposited in between the Mg samples and Si substrates as a diffusion barrier, and their hydrogenation results show that Mg 2 Si formation is suppressed greatly and even eliminated in nanoblades, though Mg 2 Si hillock defects are observed in the hydrogenated films, which could be formed progressively through the pinholes in the Ti film. To improve the diffusion barrier, a unique structure, consisting of layers of Ti nanorod array and Ti film, has been designed for Mg-based nanostructure deposition. The hydrogen cycling study demonstrates that the structure of 450 nm Ti nanorods on 1 μm Ti film can endure enough number of cycles for the hydrogen storage kinetic and thermodynamic study of film-based Mg nanostructures with/without nanocatalyst, and thus one can gain a fundamental understanding of hydrogen interacting with Mg intrinsic nanostructures and nanocatalysts.
Soluble fibrillar oligomer levels are elevated in Alzheimer's disease brain and correlate with cognitive dysfunction.

Recent evidence has suggested a role for soluble oligomeric Aβ species in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Fibrillar plaque deposits are present in non-demented individuals and levels of soluble Aβ correlate better with cognitive dysfunction in AD and transgenic mouse models. We have previously reported that there are at least two conformationally distinct types of Aβ oligomers: prefibrillar oligomers that are kinetic intermediates in fibril assembly reactions and are specifically recognized by A11 antibody and fibrillar oligomers that may represent fibril seeds or small pieces of fibrils and are recognized by a fibril specific antibody, OC. We have examined the levels of these two types of oligomers in the PBS soluble fraction of brain tissue from control cases, cases with senile degenerative changes (SDC) and AD patients. We found that the levels of soluble fibrillar oligomers detected by OC antibody are significantly elevated in multiple brain regions of AD patients. The elevated fibrillar oligomer levels were found not to be an artifact of tissue homogenization, nor a result of increased Aβ or APP levels. The concentration of fibrillar oligomers in adjacent brain regions of the same patient can vary widely and were not detected in post-mortem cerebrospinal fluid. In contrast, the level of prefibrillar oligomers are variable in both AD and age matched controls, indicating that they are not correlated with cognitive dysfunction and suggesting that they precede dementia in AD. Significant correlations were found between the levels of fibrillar oligomers and cognitive decline (MMSE scores) as well as the neuropathological hallmarks of AD. These results indicate that fibrillar oligomers may play a key role in the pathology of AD and may be a new target for diagnostic and therapeutic development.
Data detection techniques for OFDM signals over Doppler-distorted channels

Signal scaling due to Doppler in underwater acoustic communications results in inter-carrier interference (ICI) and severely degraded detection performance in OFDM based systems in the absence of interference mitigation. Using a recently proposed partial FFT demodulation technique [5], where several FFT demodulators operate over parallel non-overlapping segments, two efficient algorithms which reduce ICI and error probability significantly are proposed. Numerical simulations demonstrate an improvement of several dB over conventional OFDM detection techniques at the cost of a small increase in complexity.
Importance of biomass in the global carbon cycle

[1] Our knowledge of the distribution and amount of terrestrial biomass is based almost entirely on ground measurements over an extremely small, and possibly biased sample, with many regions still unmeasured. Our understanding of changes in terrestrial biomass is even more rudimentary, although changes in land use, largely tropical deforestation, are estimated to have reduced biomass, globally. At the same time, however, the global carbon balance requires that terrestrial carbon storage has increased, albeit the exact magnitude, location, and causes of this residual terrestrial sink are still not well quantified. A satellite mission capable of measuring aboveground woody biomass could help reduce these uncertainties by delivering three products. First, a global map of aboveground woody biomass density would halve the uncertainty of estimated carbon emissions from land use change. Second, an annual, global map of natural disturbances could define the unknown but potentially large proportion of the residual terrestrial sink attributable to biomass recovery from such disturbances. Third, direct measurement of changes in aboveground biomass density (without classification of land cover or carbon modeling) would indicate the magnitude and distribution of at least the largest carbon sources (from deforestation and degradation) and sinks (from woody growth). The information would increase our understanding of the carbon cycle, including better information on the magnitude, location, and mechanisms responsible for terrestrial sources and sinks of carbon. This paper lays out the accuracy, spatial resolution, and coverage required for a satellite mission that would generate these products.