cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autotransplantation in Patients with Multiple Myeloma and Concurrent Renal Failure Is Safe and Feasible and Associated with Recovery of Renal Function in > 30% of Patients.

Abstract Background: About 20% of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have renal impairment at diagnosis and 2–3% are dialysis-dependent (DD). These patients may potentially benefit from high-dose therapy (HDT) and autotransplants. Method: We analyzed the outcome in 48 patient who received an autotransplant for MM while in renal failure at our institution between 8/1991 and 9/2006. Renal failure was defined as serum creatinine ≥ 2 mg/dl sustained for > 1 month. 9 patients (18%) were DD. Median age was 56 (29–72) years. 26 patients (54%) had at least a PR to induction therapy, 16 had primary refractory disease (33%) and 6 patients (12%) had relapsed disease. Median serum Cr was 2.9 mg/dl (2.0 – 12.5) and creatinine clearance (CrCl) at transplant was 33 ml/min (8.7 – 63). A CrCl of Results: 9 patients achieved a CR (19%), with a total response rate (CR + PR) of 67% (32 patients). 2 patients (4%) died within 100 days of autotransplant. Median times to neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 10 (9–18) and 12 (8–81) days, respectively. Grade ≥ 1 mucositis was seen in 21 patients (43%), with 3 patients (6%) experiencing grade ≥3 mucositis. After a median follow up of 34 months, the estimated median PFS and OS were 21 and 87 months, respectively. Kaplan-Meier estimates of 5-year PFS and OS probabilities were 21% and 54%, respectively. Significant improvement in renal function, defined as an increase in Glomerular Filtration Rate by 25% above baseline by 1 year post-transplant, was seen in 17 patients (35%). None of the 9 DD patients became dialysis independent. A pre-transplant creatinine level of ≥ 3mg/dl was associated with a significantly shorter overall survival (p = 0.05, HR 2.8), but did not adversely impact the improvement in renal function (p = 0.6). Conclusion: Autotransplant after HDT is safe and feasible in patients with multiple myeloma and renal failure. Response rates and outcomes were similar to those observed in other patients. Approximately 35% of patients had a significant improvement in renal function post-transplant. Analysis Results N Event Free Survival Overall Survival 48 Hazard Ratio at 3 years 95% CI p value Hazard ratio at 3 years 95% CI p value Age ≤ 55 23 Ref Ref > 55 25 1.2 0.6–2.7 0.6 1.2 0.4–3.1 0.8 Cytogenetics Abnormal 10 0.9 0.4–2.5 0.9 1.7 0.5–6.1 0.4 Normal 27 Ref Ref Pretransplant Dialysis Dependent Yes 9 1.1 0.4–3.4 0.8 1.1 0.4–4.7 0.6 No 39 Ref Ref Serum Creatinine ≥ 3 23 1.6 0.7–3.4 0.2 2.8 1–7.9 0.05 25 Ref Ref Ref= Reference
Evaluating the Community Structures from Network Images Using Neural Networks

Communities or clusters in a network unveil important structures of a physical or social system. Suppose a Google image search for “complex network” returns thousands of network images. Can we infer the community structures in the original networks just from these images? Traditional community detection algorithms will fail in this case because they do not work with images. We developed an approach where convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are trained to reveal community information from images of complex networks. We trained three CNNs with images of simulated networks having ground truth communities. The training process uses state-of-the-art community detection, graph drawing, and deep learning training algorithms. The trained networks are then used to predict the number of communities and the modularity score (a measure of community structure of networks) for real-world networks. We formulated these two tasks as a classification and a regression problem and used appropriate loss functions for them. The CNN models can attain test accuracy of 81% and 33.3% for simulated and real networks, respectively. This result is statistically significant as can be seen by Spearman’s rank correlation of 0.77 with a p-value of \(6.2\times 10^{-13}\) for real-world networks.
Biomarker-Based Drug Development in NSCLC

ABSTRACT Clinical trials of targeted therapies in genetically defined patient populations of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have been very successful. Compelling clincal examples include gefitinib or erlotinib in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant NSCLC and crizotinib in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearranged NSCLC. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated an improvement in both response rate (RR) and progression-free survival (PFS) for gefitinib or erlotinib compared with chemotherapy in EGFR mutant NSCLC. However, clinical trials in broader populations of NSCLC (not selected for an EGFR mutation) demonstrated either equivalence or worsening of outcomes compared with chemotherapy. Phase III clinical trials of crizotinib compared with chemotherapy are underway in ALK rearranged NSCLC. Although genomic alterations, especially those involving kinases, make compelling therapeutic targets in NSCLC, several challenges remain. Many of these, including HER2 mutations, BRAF mutations, ROSI rearrangements and RET rearrangements, represent small subsets of NSCLC. Thus a systematic method of identifying such patients is necessary. The presentation will discuss approaches currently underway to identify a broad range of genomic alterations. In addition, the challenges of performing clinical trials in small populations are discussed. Given that there are not sufficient numbers of patients to test every therapeutic approach, model systems such as mouse models of lung cancer are needed to prioritize which therapies ultimately to pursue through clinical trials.
Memory and Other Cognitive Processes

Learning Objectives • To describe the cognitive processes and brain regions associated with visual attention. • To compare the brain regions associated with visual attention to working memory and long-term memory. • To describe the cognitive processes and brain regions associated with visual imagery. • To compare the brain regions associated with visual imagery to working memory and long-term memory. • To list the two primary brain regions associated with language processing and name two ways in which language processing is relevant to memory. • To identify the two regions that interact to enhance memory for emotional information. Attention is focused on the contents of all explicit memories. The experience of detailed recollection seems similar to the experience of vivid imagery. This chapter compares the cognitive processes and brain regions associated with memory to the cognitive processes and brain regions associated with attention, imagery, language, and emotion. Section 8.1 reviews the brain regions that have been associated with attention, which include sensory processing regions in addition to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex control regions. These regions are similar to the regions that have been associated with working memory and long-term memory (except for the additional dependence of long-term memory on the medial temporal lobe; see Chapters 3 and 6). In section 8.2 of this chapter, the brain regions associated with imagery are reviewed, which also include sensory processing regions, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and the parietal cortex. The cognitive processes and brain processes associated with visual imagery are compared to the cognitive processes and brain processes associated with working memory and long-term memory. Section 8.3 details the regions of the brain associated with language processing, which include the left inferior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the left posterior lateral temporal cortex. These regions are of relevance to memory studies, which often use words and meaningful objects as stimuli that have language/conceptual representations. The final section, 8.4, considers the brain regions that have been associated with emotion, which include the amygdala (a region just anterior to the hippocampus) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
Screen to Save: Results from NCI's Colorectal Cancer Outreach and Screening Initiative to Promote Awareness and Knowledge of Colorectal Cancer in Racial/Ethnic and Rural Populations.

Background: The Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD), National Cancer Institute (NCI), launched Screen to Save, NCI9s Colorectal Cancer Outreach and Screening Initiative to promote awareness and knowledge of colorectal cancer in racial/ethnic and rural populations. Methods: The initiative was implemented through CRCHD9s National Outreach Network (NON) and Comprehensive Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity (CPACHE) programs. NON is a national network of Community Health Educators (CHEs), aligned with NCI-designated Cancer Centers (CCs). CPACHE are partnerships between a CC and a minority-serving institution with, among other components, an Outreach Core and a CHE. In phases I and II, the CHEs disseminated cancer-related information and implemented evidence-based educational outreach. Results: In total, 3,183 pre/post surveys were obtained from participants, ages 50 to 74 years, during 347 educational events held in phase I. Results demonstrated all racial/ethnic groups had an increase in colorectal cancer-related knowledge, and each group agreed that the educational event increased the likelihood they would engage in colorectal cancer-related healthful behaviors. For phase II, Connections to Care, participants were linked to screening. Eighty-two percent of participants who were screened during the follow-up period obtained their results. Conclusions: These results suggest that culturally tailored, standardized educational messaging and data collection tools are key elements that can serve to inform the effectiveness of educational outreach to advance awareness and knowledge of colorectal cancer. Impact: Future initiatives should focus on large-scale national efforts to elucidate effective models of connections to care related to colorectal cancer screening, follow-up, and treatments that are modifiable to meet community needs.
Observations on the general nonlocal theory applied to axially loaded nanobeams

Static and dynamic analyses for the pre- and post-buckling behavior of an axially loaded nanobeam modeled with a general form of Eringen’s nonlocal theory are conducted and discussed. The general nonlocal theory is a modified form of Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity theory that, contrary to Eringen’s, considers separate attenuation functions to account for the long-range interactions for the two different material moduli and thus introduces an additional nonlocal parameter. The nanobeam is modeled considering Euler–Bernoulli beam theory and the von Karman geometric nonlinearity for midplane stretching in end-constrained beams. Three sets of boundary conditions are studied, namely clamped–clamped, clamped-hinged, and hinged–hinged. The governing equations are derived by virtue of the Hamilton’s principle. Introducing the general nonlocal theory into a beam system increases the order of the resultant transverse equation of motion from fourth to sixth, thus requiring two additional higher-order boundary conditions. These higher-order boundary conditions are derived using a weighted residual approach and are thus variationally consistent. Through this effort, a focus is placed on the effects that these higher-order boundary conditions have on the static and dynamic responses of the system. Specifically, the nonlocal parameters, Poisson ratio, boundary conditions, and axial load are varied. The static critical buckling loads, bifurcation diagrams, and static post-buckling configurations are examined and presented. Additionally, through a linear eigenvalue analysis, the natural frequencies and mode shapes in the pre- and post-buckling regimes are examined. It is shown that the system is very sensitive to the selected nonlocal parameters and higher-order boundary conditions for both the static and dynamic responses. It is the hope that this expanded model can be used by other researchers to accurately model nanobeams composed of materials outside the limits of applicability of Eringen’s nonlocal theory.
Association Between Chemosensory Dysfunction and Diet Quality in United States Adults

BackgroundEvidence suggests chemosensory dysfunction (CSD) patients have altered diet, but population-level evidence assessing diet quality in CSD patients is lacking.ObjectiveWe examined the assoc...
MK-RRT*: Multi-Robot Kinodynamic RRT* Trajectory Planning

This paper introduces MK-RRT*: a Multi-robot Kinodynamic RRT*-based framework for trajectory planning of multiple dynamically-modeled robots. The framework includes both tightly-coupled and loosely-coupled methods for planning. The simultaneous, tightly-coupled, method provides an asymptotically optimal solution to the multi-robot trajectory planning problem. A sequential, loosely-coupled, method is also developed to compare costs of the generated trajectories and computational complexity of both methods. An application of this framework to multi-UAV trajectory planning is presented and experimentally evaluated using a team of Ryze Tello EDU UAVs.
Reporting and Analyzing Demographics in the Journal of Arthroplasty: Are We Making Progress?

Abstract Background Demographic factors, including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), race, and ethnicity have great effects on the outcomes of patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. A portion of this data is included in nearly every study, but the completeness with which it is reported is variable. The purpose of this study is to investigate the frequency at which demographic information is reported and analyzed through formal statistical methods in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the Journal of Arthroplasty (JOA). Methods A systematic review was conducted of RCTs published in JOA between 2015 and 2019. For each study, we determined if age, sex, weight, height, BMI, race, and ethnicity were reported and/or analyzed. The overall frequency was assessed, along with the rates of reporting by individual year. Studies were evaluated using Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Results Age (96.7%), sex (96.7%), and BMI (80.4%) were reported by the majority of studies. There was very little information provided regarding race (6.2%) and ethnicity (3.8%); although both were reported at the highest frequency in 2019, the final year of articles reviewed. Sex was the most frequently analyzed variable at 11.5%. Only 1 study (0.5%) analyzed ethnicity and no studies analyzed race. Conclusion Although age, sex, and BMI are reported at a high rate, RCTs published in JOA rarely reported information on patient race and ethnicity. Demographics were infrequently included as part of statistical analysis. The importance of this information should be recognized and included in the analysis and interpretation of future studies.
Metacognition Mediates the Effect of Social Communication and Internalizing Behaviors on Self-management of Daily Life Tasks for Diploma-Track Autistic Youth.

Social communication and executive functioning challenges as well as co-occurring anxiety/depression may make acquiring the skills needed to manage daily life tasks difficult for diploma-track autistic youth, thus limiting their participation in adult roles. This study describes the associations between executive function, social communication skills, and internalizing behaviors on task management in academically capable autistic adolescents (n = 46) using multiple regression with mediator analysis. The three predictors and youth age explained a moderate amount of variance in task management. Metacognition mediated the effect of social communication skills and internalizing behaviors on task management. Relations between underlying factors that influence self-management of daily life tasks are complex, supporting the need for multifaceted assessment and intervention approaches for academically capable autistic youth.
Three-dimensional reconstruction of pulmonary veins in patients with atrial fibrillation and controls: morphological characteristics of different veins.

PEREZ-LUGONES, A., et al.: Three-dimensional Reconstruction of Pulmonary Veins in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Controls: Morphological Characteristics of Different Veins.Multidetector computed tomography can be used to evaluate the anatomy of pulmonary veins (PVs) in patients with AF. The study evaluated two groups. Group 1 included 61 patients assessed following PV ablation with ultrasound or RF energy. Group 2 included 15 patients undergoing ablation for AF and 14 control subjects without a history of AF matched for age and sex. The anatomy of the PVs was analyzed in this group prior to the ablation and compared to controls. Computed tomography was used to measure the ostium of the left superior, left inferior, right superior, right inferior PVs, and the left atrial appendage size. In group 1, PV stenosis was seen in 14 (30%) of 46 patients undergoing ablation with RF energy and in none of the 15 patients receiving ablation with ultrasound energy. In group 2, the ostium size was not different between patients with AF and controls. Similarly, the ostium of the PV that appeared to trigger AF was not larger than the ostium of the remaining veins. A “clustering pattern” of PV branches near the right inferior PV ostium was seen in almost every patient, independent of the presence of the arrhythmia. Computed tomography frequently detects PV stenosis following RF ablation. Ultrasound ablation does not appear to result in PV narrowing. Overall, patients with AF do not have larger sizes of PV ostia. Multiple ramifications from the right inferior PV ostium is a common pattern and may represent a protective anatomic variant. (PACE 2003;26[Pt. I]:8–15)
Specific Staining of Wall Mannan in Yeast Cells with Fluorescein-Conjugated Concanavalin A

A procedure is given for the coupling of fluorescein isothiocyanate to concanavalin A, a protein which specifically combines with a variety of polysaccharides, and for the subsequent isolation of the reactive conjugate. This fluorescent conjugate stains Saccharomyces cerevisiae but not Schizosaccharomyces pombe or Rhodotorula glutinis . The cell walls of the latter two organisms do not contain branched homopolymers of α-linked mannose. Furthermore, the staining of S. cerevisiae is competitively inhibited by either unlabeled concanavalin A or methyl-α-d-manno-pyranoside. On the basis of this evidence, it is concluded that the staining of S. cerevisiae results from the specific interaction of the fluorescein-concanavalin A conjugate with the α-mannan present in the cell wall of this yeast. Images
Accurate, low-energy trajectory mapping for mobile devices

CTrack is an energy-efficient system for trajectory mapping using raw position tracks obtained largely from cellular base station fingerprints. Trajectory mapping, which involves taking a sequence of raw position samples and producing the most likely path followed by the user, is an important component in many location-based services including crowd-sourced traffic monitoring, navigation and routing, and personalized trip management. Using only cellular (GSM) fingerprints instead of power-hungry GPS and WiFi radios, the marginal energy consumed for trajectory mapping is zero. This approach is non-trivial because we need to process streams of highly inaccurate GSM localization samples (average error of over 175 meters) and produce an accurate trajectory. CTrack meets this challenge using a novel two-pass Hidden Markov Model that sequences cellular GSM fingerprints directly without converting them to geographic coordinates, and fuses data from low-energy sensors available on most commodity smart-phones, including accelerometers (to detect movement) and magnetic compasses (to detect turns). We have implemented CTrack on the Android platform, and evaluated it on 126 hours (1,074 miles) of real driving traces in an urban environment. We find that CTrack can retrieve over 75% of a user's drive accurately in the median. An important by-product of CTrack is that even devices with no GPS or WiFi (constituting a significant fraction of today's phones) can contribute and benefit from accurate position data.
Bayesian Transductive Markov Random Fields for Interactive Segmentation in Retinal Disorders

In the realm of computer aided diagnosis (CAD) interactive segmentation schemes have been well received by physicians, where the combination of human and machine intelligence can provide improved segmentation efficacy with minimal expert intervention [1-3]. Transductive learning (TL) or semi-supervised learning (SSL) is a suitable framework for learning-based interactive segmentation given the scarce label problem. In this paper we present extended work on Bayesian transduction and regularized conditional mixtures for interactive segmentation [3]. We present a Markov random field model integrating a semi-parametric conditional mixture model within a Bayesian transductive learning and inference setting. The model allows efficient learning and inference in a semi-supervised setting given only minimal approximate label information. Preliminary experimental results on multimodal images of retinal disorders such as drusen, geographic atrophy (GA), and choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) with exudates and subretinal fibrosis show promising segmentation performance.
Solution of block Toeplitz equations by matrix iterative methods

Summary form only given. An algorithm for the solution of block matrix equations has been developed, using some well-known matrix iterative techniques. The algorithm requires fewer computations than the direct matrix inversion methods and is very simple to implement. The problem of solving block matrix equations of the Toeplitz form arises in several areas of signal processing such as array processing, optimal filtering, and spectral estimation of two-dimensional signals with both quarter-plane and asymmetric half-plane supports, and in one- and two-dimensional multichannel spectral estimation. Efficient solution methods for these equations are of considerable interest. >
Off the Grid: New York City Landmark Performance

��� few years ago I received an odd text message from a friend telling me to meet her at a corner somewhere in Greenpoint, Brooklyn at 10:00 p.m. sharp for a “secr et” performance that w ould take place in the streets, inside some trucks — not to tell an yone as it was somewhat illegal and would only last that one night, around four hours to be precise. She could not give me more information. It turned out the event was The Lost Horizon Night Market, a “part 21st centur y street carnival, part Burning man-style artgasm,” as Wired magazine described it. Co-founded by Mark Krawczuk and Kevin Balktick, it lasted between September 2009 and February 2012, and for the time of its existence provided a sporadic venue in remote, industrial areas of Brooklyn for people to create installation projects inside movers’ trucks. Artists and creative teams paid their own expenses, roughly $150 a day plus materials; Krawczuk and Balktick organized the time and place for the event. Because this was a grass-roots operation, details were spread via word of mouth only: no advertising, listings, or postings on social media, no admission fees. There were no permits (though technically none were needed, except for liability). From the outside, a few blocks would have thirty or more unmarked box trucks parked on both sides of the street. Inside the trucks, all sorts of interactive environments and small theatres occurred ranging from the artistic to the carnivalesque, including an outer space scene truck, a surveillance truck, an old-time circus, even a petting zoo truck, all under the pretense of creating, as Krawczuk described it, “an autonomous neighborhood. ” The Lost Horizon Night Market is just one of a sle w of immersive, participatory, celebratory, theatrical, word-of-mouth, often illicit, and sometimes off-the-radar urban performance-oriented events that have been occurring in New York City for quite some time now. As David Freedlander writes in his article “Urban F olk Art” (borr owing a phrase from Jeff Stark, featured in this section), there has been a “flourishing of public performances in recent years that began around the turn of the millennium,” whose emphasis has been “less on w atching someone do something than doing it yourself.” 1 Some of these events explore the city’s edges, like Duke Riley’s art installation/party at Dead Horse Bay, and Ida D. Benedetto and N.D. Austin’s “W anderlust” experiences in abandoned or r emote places like The Candyland Trespass Safari at
Infrared Spectroscopy of Polymers

Historically, studies of the selective absorption of infrared (IR) radiation preceeded vibrational spectroscopy using the Smekal-Raman effect, although in the early times recording of IR-spectra was difficult and time-consuming1–4). The development of routine double beam spectrophotometers operating in the analytically most important medium IR (mIR) made this type of spectroscopy the most important one in identifying known compounds and elucidating the chemical structure of unknown ones.
Modulation of Cell-Extracellular Matrix Interactionsa

Changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) structure and composition, such as occur during morphogenesis, can have important regulatory effects on cell behavior. Two fibronectin (FN)-based systems have been developed to dissect how cells respond to different types of ECM. One system mimics the provisional matrix of the wound and is composed of FN cross-linked into a fibrin clot matrix. Unlike cells on FN alone, cells on an FN-fibrin matrix are smaller with cortical distribution of actin filaments and membrane ruffles. Addition of the ECM protein tenascin to the FN-fibrin matrix induces a different cell morphology. Thus, matrix composition can have profound effects on cell phenotype. Cells also interact with FN while assembling it into a fibrillar matrix. Using recombinant FNs, a domain that is required for normal progression of FN fibril formation has been identified. During assembly of this recombinant matrix, formation of actin stress fibers and focal adhesions is delayed, demonstrating that changes in FN matrix structure can affect intracellular organization and activation of signaling pathways.
Denitrification in intact sediment cores from a constructed wetland : Examining the isotope pairing technique

Abstract Constructed wetlands aid in the removal of NO 3 - from surface waters due to enhanced rates of denitrification. In this study intact sediment cores from a constructed wetland were used to measure denitrification rates via the isotope pairing technique and to compare with denitrification rates measured via a mass balance of NO 3 - disappearance from the water column. The traditional application of the isotope pairing technique calls for the use of mechanical mixing to ensure the transfer of tracer 15 NO 3 - into the sediments. However, artificial mixing can disrupt natural redox processes near the sediment–water interface, and thus may yield rates that are not representative of field conditions. The objective of this study was to examine the applicability of the isotope pairing technique for intact sediment cores and to determine the adjustments that may be necessary in such applications. The 15 NO 3 - was added to the overlying water of intact sediment cores and was transported into sediments only by natural diffusion processes. Using Br − as a conservative tracer, it was determined that passive diffusion alone allowed 27% of the added compound to reach the zone of denitrification in the sediments. Using these results, the enrichment factor ( e ) used in the isotope pairing technique was adjusted to account for this effect. Also, it was determined that agitation of the cores at the end of the incubations was necessary to release residual 15 N-labelled N 2 gas entrained in the sediment matrix. Only after accounting for these two factors did the denitrification rate from the isotope pairing technique agree with mass balance calculations. The isotope pairing technique can be used to quantify denitrification in intact sediment cores if diffusion limitations are quantified and entrained N 2 is released from the sediment matrix before final isotope analyses are conducted.
Effect of superimposed uniaxial stress on rumpling of platinum-modified nickel aluminide coatings

Thermal cycling of a platinum modified, nickel aluminide (Ni,Pt)Al coated single crystal superalloy, between 1000 and 1150 °C with 10 min holds at each temperature, and subject to a compressive uniaxial stress is reported. There are two major effects of the superimposed compressive stress not observed in the absence of the stress. One is that the rumpling pattern exhibits an asymmetry with an increase of the bond coat surface roughness perpendicular to the applied loading axis. The other is the formation of cracks in the thermally grown oxide aligned parallel to the stress axis.
The gravitational acceleration of antiprotons

We review the theoretical arguments and experimental evidence (both direct and indirect) for the conventional view that the gravitational acceleration of antimatter must be the same as that of matter. We find there is no compelling support for such a belief. Therefore, we propose to measure the gravitational acceleration of antiprotons using a beam extracted from the low-energy antiproton ring (LEAR) at CERN.
Linking FMI-based components with discrete event systems

The simulation of cyber-physical systems involves modular heterogeneous systems. When embedding continuous subsystems in a discrete event system, in a classic approach the different subsystems use the same communication points and wait for each other. The approach presented in this paper uses predictions for every single continuous subsystem. That way the continuous subsystems can be used as discrete components in a discrete event system. This concept is implemented with FMUs (Functional Mock-up Units) generated with OpenModelica and the Discrete Event domain of Ptolemy II as a proof of concept. A model is implemented using this environment and compared to another implementation that uses only Ptolemy II. The results show the better scalability and shorter runtime of the presented approach compared to the pure Ptolemy II approach.
Megatectonics and geophysics

By means of specific examples, a graphic picture is presented of the growth of geologic thinking, from the mapping of local geology to the nature of the visible part of the Earth's crust as a whole. The development of three basic concepts is briefly sketched which make possible, significant integration of areal geological knowledge. They are: (1) geosynclines, as loci of orogenic deformation; (2) ultramafics as initial products of orogeny; and (3) metamorphism and granite as products of mature orogeny. The synthesis of the relations implied in these concepts leads to a rather unorthodox outlook on fundamental questions concerning the history and dynamics of the Earth's crust which concern geophysicists as much as geologists. It looks as if there had never been a primeval upper, sialic part of the Earth's crust, but rather as if the sial was a by-product of orogenic deformation. The question seems not to be “Why is there no granite on the (main portions of) the ocean floors?” but “Why is there granite in the continents?” Correspondingly, the big question is not “Why are the ocean floors low?” but “Why are the continents high?” The answer to these questions lies fundamentally in the nature of orogeny.
The effect of 7-oxo-DHEA acetate on memory in young and old C57BL/6 mice.

7-Oxo-dehydroepiandrosterone, which can be formed from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) by several mammalian tissues, is more effective than its parent steroid as an inducer of thermogenic enzymes when administered to rats. Using the Morris water maze procedure, we tested DHEA and its 7-oxo-derivative for their ability to reverse the memory abolition induced by scopolamine in young C57BL/6 mice, and for their effect on memory in old mice. A single dose of 7-oxo-DHEA-acetate at 24 mg/kg b.w. completely reversed the impairment caused by 1 mg of scopolamine per kg b.w. (P < 0.001). DHEA (20 mg/kg) was also effective (P < 0.01). In old mice given the same single doses followed by feeding 0.05% of the respective steroid in the diet, memory of the water maze training was retained through a four week test period in mice receiving 7-oxo-DHEA-acetate (P < 0.05) but not in the control or DHEA-treated groups. When old mice were not tested until five weeks after being trained 7-oxo-DHEA exerted a slight, but statistically insignificant, improvement in memory retention. The possible effect of 7-oxo-DHEA in human memory problems deserves investigation.
Transient Thermo-Reflectance Method for Characterization of Thermal Interface Material Based on Carbon Nanotube Array

Vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays have been explored as advanced thermal interface materials because of their compliance and high cross-plane thermal conductivity. Our previous work showed that a CNT array directly bridging two surfaces by dry contact had a surface-surface interface resistance of order of 10 m2 -K/MW. With an indium bonding layer, the interface thermal resistance was reduced by a factor of ten. Therefore, a more sensitive measuring system is needed to accurately determine the thermal resistance. In this paper, we achieved a higher sensitivity measurement by applying the phase sensitive transient thermo-reflectance technique to a front side heating and detecting system. A detailed analysis is presented. We used this technique to characterize a 71-μm long CNT array with packing density of 9.4 ± 1.4%. The CNT array was sequentially wetted with chromium/gold films and was bonded to a glass surface with an indium bonding layer. We found that the CNT array-surface interface resistance is 0.35 ± 0.11 m2 -K/MW and the cross-plane thermal conductivity of CNT array is 94 ± 40 W/m-K.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
From psychiatric symptom to diagnostic category: self-harm from the Victorians to DSM-5.

It is rare that a symptom becomes a disease entity. ‘Self-harm’ is now a full-fledged diagnostic category for DSM-5. The existing literature of the topic posits that it is a trans-historical psychi...
Ultrafast Coherent Excitation of a Trapped Ion Qubit for Fast Gates and Photon Frequency Qubits

We demonstrate ultrafast coherent excitation of an atomic qubit stored in the hyperfine levels of a single trapped cadmium ion. Such ultrafast excitation is crucial for entangling networks of remotely located trapped ions through the interference of photon frequency qubits, and is also a key component for realizing ultrafast quantum gates between Coulomb-coupled ions.
OLIGOSACCHARIDES OF 13 AMERICAN CULTIVARS OF COWPEAS (Vigna sinensis)

Mature dry seeds of 13 American cowpea (Vigna sineilsis) cultivars were subjected to proximate analysis with the following results: moisture 9.6%; crude protein 23.9%; crude fat 1.6%; crude fiber 4.1%; ash 3.3%; and nonfiber carbohydrates by difference 57.7%. The sugars of these cultivars were extracted with 70% ethanol and separated by paper chromatography. On the basis of RG and Rf values, and several confirming tests, sucrose, raffinose, stachyose and verbascose were identified in these extracts. On a dry basis the average content of the cowpeas in these sugars was: sucrose 2.2%; raffinose 1.2%; stachyose 3.4%; and verbascose 0.9%.
Calibration of multi-camera systems with refractive interfaces

A method for performing bundle adjustment–based calibration of a multi-camera setup with refractive interfaces in the optical path is presented. The method contributes to volumetric multi-camera fluid experiments, where it is desirable to avoid tedious alignment of calibration grids in multiple locations and where a premium is placed on accurately locating world points. Cameras are calibrated from image point correspondences of unknown world points, and the location of the refractive interface need not be accurately known a priori. Physical models for two practically relevant imaging configurations are presented; the first is a planar wall separating cameras and a liquid, and the second is a liquid-containing cylindrical tank with finite wall thickness. Each model allows the cameras to be in general location and orientation relative to the interface. A thorough numerical study demonstrates the ability of the calibration method to accurately estimate camera parameters, interface orientation, and world point locations. The numerical study explores the convergence, accuracy, and sensitivity of the calibration method as a function of initialization, camera configuration, volume size, and interface type. The technique is applied to real calibration data where the algorithm is supplied with errant initial parameter estimates and shown to provide accurate results. The ease of implementation and accuracy of the refractive calibration method make the approach attractive for three-dimensional multi-camera fluid measurement methods.
A fast relighting engine for interactive cinematic lighting design

We present new techniques for interactive cinematic lighting design of complex scenes that use procedural shaders. Deep-framebuffers are used to store the geometric and optical information of the visible surfaces of an image. The geometric information is represented as collections of oriented points, and the optical information is represented as bi-directional reflection distribution functions, or BRDFs. The BRDFs are generated by procedurally defined surface texturing functions that spatially vary the surfaces' appearances.The deep-framebuffer information is rendered using a multi-pass algorithm built on the OpenGL graphics pipeline. In order to handle both physically-correct as well as non-realistic reflection models used in the film industry, we factor the BRDF into independent components that map onto both the lighting and texturing units of the graphics hardware. A similar factorization is used to control the lighting distribution. Using these techniques, lighting calculations can be evaluated 2500 times faster than previous methods. This allows lighting changes to be rendered at rates of 20Hz in static environments that contain millions of objects of with dozens of unique procedurally defined surface properties and scores of lights.
Finite amplifier gain and bandwidth effects in switched-capacitor filters

Discusses the effects of finite operational-amplifier gain and bandwidth on the response of the most widely used switched-capacitor filter section. Formulas are derived for the minimum acceptable values of the DC amplifier gain and the unity-gain frequency under specified conditions.
The infrastructure of obesity and the obesity epidemic

If present increases in the rate of obesity persist, by 2015 half of the population in the US could be obese. This article presents the case that the reason for the epidemic is an ‘infrastructure of obesity’ that fuels the phenomenon. To control this epidemic, public policy in general and health policy in particular need to shift from market oriented policies that favour individual choice to policies that regulate the food supply, to help dismantle the infrastructure of obesity. Our research shows that state regulations have made some progress in the fight against obesity.
A Transdisciplinary Team Approach to Pain Management in Inpatient Health Care Settings

This paper will discuss the transition from multidisciplinary to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary team approaches to pain management at New York University Langone Medical Center - Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. A transdisciplinary team approach to pain management emphasizes mutual learning, training, and education, and the flexible exchange of discipline-specific roles. Clinicians are enabled to implement a unified, holistic, and integrated treatment plan with all members of the team responsible for the same patient-centered goals. The model promotes and empowers patient and family/support system goals within a cultural context. Topics of exploration include the descriptions of three team approaches to patient care, including their practical, philosophical, and historical basis, strengths and challenges, research support, and cultural diversity. Case vignettes will highlight the strengths and limitations of the transdisciplinary team approach to pain management throughout a broad and diverse continuum of care, including acute medical, palliative, and perioperative care and acute inpatient rehabilitation services.
A Qualitative Study about Cervical Cancer Screening among Latinas Living in a Rural Area of California: Lessons for Health Educators

Abstract Cervical cancer is a major health concern for Latinas, who are also less likely to undergo a Pap smear exam than the general population. This study identifies alterable determinants of Pap smear screening for Latino women living in a rural area of California. It involved the design and pilot testing of a culturally appropriate instrument and the development of semi-structured interviews with 51 Latinas. Qualitative data were analyzed using NUD*IST. Results from this study indicate that the main factors identified by participants as hindering their decision to seek Pap smear exams were long waiting periods, a lack of continuity of care, a perceived lack of quality of care, language differences, and a lack of knowledge regarding how to access the health system. This article provides health educators working in health care settings with an analysis of the cultural and logistic factors influencing health-related decisions in immigrant and rural Latino populations. It also presents some of the lessons...
The niobium-osmium constitution diagram

Abstract The Nb-Os alloy system has been investigated over the entire composition range using metallographic, X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe techniques. The ϵ-Os solid solution extends to about 27 at.% Nb at high temperatures but this is reduced to about 20 at.% Nb at lower temperatures. Three intermediate phases occur in this system and all of them possess topologically close-packed structures of the Frank-Kasper type. These phases are χ (α-Mn type), σ (α-phase type) and β (A15 or βW-type). The α-Nb solid solution extends to about 19 at.% Os at high temperatures but only to about 13 at.% Os at lower temperatures. Two eutectic reactions occur at about 2120°C and 2175°C. The χ-phase is formed by a peritectic reaction at about 2270°C, the α-phase melts congruently at about 2200°C and the β-phase forms by a peritectoid reaction at about 1975°C. All the intermediate phases possess highly ordered structures with the larger (Nb) atoms preferring the sites having high coordination while the smaller (Os) atoms prefer the sites of lowest coordination.
Regional Patterns of the Diurnal Properties of Heavy Hourly Precipitation

Heavy precipitation is one of the most significant natural hazards in the United States today. Knowledge of the climatography, including the temporal characteristics, of this phenomenon is necessary in order to better plan, design for, and predict this hazard. In this study, cluster analysis is used to simplify and clarify the spatial patterns in the time of day heavy precipitation most frequently occurs. Regions with similar diurnal properties are delineated, and the substantial seasonal fluctuations in the regional patterns are traced. Of particular interest is the expansion during the cool season and contraction during the warm season of the nocturnal precipitation regime in the central United States.
Space-environment effects on optical cables

Results obtained from the Long-Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) JPL fiber optics experiment, which remained in low-earth orbit for 5 3/4 years, are discussed in order to illustrate the effects of the adverse space environment on fiber optic cables. The results of tests performed on the ten fiber optic cable samples, flown on the LDEF, are then compared to data obtained from similar laboratory tests performed on currently available fiber optic cables. The effects of radiation exposure, temperature cycling, polymer aging, and micrometeoroid impacts on fiber optic cables applied in space are discussed. Overall, it seems that current commercially available fiber cables could be used for space missions, if kept in a controlled environment. Improvements in purity of silica glass, in buffer coatings, and in cabling materials are already visible in the new generation of fiber cables, bringing it one step closer to the ultimate `space qualified' fiber cable.
Suspended-sediment concentration and mineralogy in the central and western Mediterranean and mineralogic comparison with bottom sediment

Abstract Concentrations and mineralogy of suspensates in the central and western Mediterranean are vertically and laterally variable. This variability is related to input by resuspension of bottom sediments and from local terrigenous sources. Bottom currents flowing through constrictions at the straits of Sicily and Gibraltar and the eastern entrance of the Alboran Sea resuspend bottom sediments, giving rise to increased concentrations of suspensates in near-bottom waters and limited inputs to higher levels. There is no evidence of a suspensate-rich bottom water in the Balearic Sea. Terrigenous sources are believed to be the cause of increasing relative amounts of montmorillonite in surface waters as they flow eastward within the Mediterranean. Montmorillomite is relatively more important in suspended sediments than in bottom sediments where kaolinite—chlorite is dominant.
Gas-Phase Oxidation of Cm+ and Cm2+ : Thermodynamics of Neutral and Ionized CmO

Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry was employed to study the products and kinetics of gas-phase reactions of Cm+ and Cm2+; parallel studies were carried out with La+/2+, Gd+/2+ and Lu+/2+. Reactions with oxygen-donor molecules provided estimates for the bond dissociation energies, D[M+−O] (M = Cm, Gd, Lu). The first ionization energy, IE[CmO], was obtained from the reactivity of CmO+ with dienes, and the second ionization energies, IE[MO+] (M = Cm, La, Gd, Lu), from the rates of electron-transfer reactions from neutrals to the MO2+ ions. The following thermodynamic quantities for curium oxide molecules were obtained: IE[CmO] = 6.4 ± 0.2 eV; IE[CmO+] = 15.8 ± 0.4 eV; D[Cm−O] = 710 ± 45 kJ mol−1; D[Cm+−O] = 670 ± 40 kJ mol−1; and D[Cm2+−O] = 342 ± 55 kJ mol−1. Estimates for the M2+−O bond energies for M = Cm, La, Gd, and Lu are all intermediate between D[N2−O] and D[OC−O] − that is, 167 kJ mol−1 < D[M2+−O] < 532 kJ mol−1 − such that the four MO2+ ions fulfill the thermodynamic requi...
Round off error analysis for Gram-Schmidt method and solution of linear least squares problems

Round off error analysis for the classical Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization method with re-orthogonalization is presented. The effect of the round-off error on the orthogonality of the derived vectors and also on the solution of the linear least squares problems when solved by the Gram-Schmidt algorithm are given. Numerical results compared favorably with the results of other methods. The classical case when no re-orthogonalization takes place is also discussed.