cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MEMS/NEMS and BioMEMS/BioNEMS: Tribology, Mechanics, Materials and Devices

A number of micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS /NEMS ) and bioMEMS/bioNEMS are used in commercial applications and/or are under development. Surface area-to-volume ratio in MEMS/NEMS is large, and surface forces such as adhesion, friction, and meniscus and viscous forces become very large compared to inertial and electromagnetic forces. Some devices are designed to execute expected functions with short durations, typically in the millisecond to picosecond range. The expected life of the devices for high-speed contacts can vary from a few hundred thousand to many billions of cycles, e. g., over a hundred billion cycles for digital micromirror devices (DMD s). This puts serious requirements on materials in systems involving relative motion. Thus, there is a need for a fundamental understanding of adhesion, friction/stiction, wear, lubrication, and the role of surface contamination and environment, all on the nanoscale. Most mechanical properties are known to be scale dependent. Therefore, the properties of nanoscale structures need to be measured. For bioMEMS/bioNEMS, adhesion between biological molecular layers and the substrate, and friction and wear of biological layers can be important. Component-level studies are required to provide a better understanding of the tribological phenomena occurring in MEMS/NEMS. This chapter presents an overview of nanoscale adhesion, friction, and wear studies of materials and lubrication for MEMS/NEMS and bioMEMS/bioNEMS, and component-level studies of stiction phenomena in MEMS/NEMS devices.
The Late Triassic Timescale

The Upper Triassic chronostratigraphic scale consists of one Series, the Upper Triassic, divided into three stages (in ascending order)—Carnian, Norian and Rhaetian. Only the base of the Carnian currently has an agreed on GSSP (global boundary stratotype section and point), though agreement on GSSPs for the bases of the Norian and Rhaetian is imminent. Substages of the Carnian and Norian provide more detailed subdivisions of Late Triassic time than do the relatively long Carnian and Norian stages. These substages need boundary definitions and greater use in Late Triassic correlations. Numerical chronology of the Late Triassic is based on very few radioisotopic ages from volcanic ash beds directly related to marine biostratigraphy. The numerical calibration of the Late Triassic favored here is Carnian ~220–237 Ma, Norian ~205–220 Ma and Rhaetian ~201–205 Ma. Late Triassic magnetostratigraphy is fraught with problems because the most complete record from the Newark Supergroup of eastern North America cannot be correlated based on pattern matching to any co-eval magnetostratigraphy from a marine section. The long Norian (beginning at ~228 Ma) was created by magnetostratigraphic correlations that abandoned biostratigraphic constraints and has produced extensive miscorrelation, particularly of nonmarine Carnian strata. A reliable Late Triassic magnetostratigraphy is a succession of multichrons that identifies the Carnian-early Norian and late Norian-Rhaetian as dominantly of normal polarity. Late Triassic cyclostratigraphy of the Newark Supergroup has been advanced as a floating astrochronology of the Late Triassic, but is problematic given evident hiatuses in the Newark record and the presence of non-cyclical lithofacies. Isotope stratigraphy of the Late Triassic, for example the late Rhaetian carbon-isotope excursion, has great potential for use in Late Triassic correlations. The Late Triassic timescale is still very much a work in progress that needs more precise chronostratigraphic definitions, additional numerical ages directly related to marine biostratigraphy, a wholesale rethinking of magnetostratigraphic correlations and additional cyclostratigraphic and isotopic data to achieve greater precision and stability.
Cytoplasmic dynein during mitosis

Abstract Cytoplasmic dynein is a prominent microtubule (MT) motor protein that plays several crucial roles during mitosis. Although important contributions to spindle assembly, spindle positioning, and kinetochore function are well accepted, more recent discoveries into nuclear envelope breakdown, spindle assembly checkpoint silencing, and cortical anchoring have garnered attention. This chapter is focused on mechanisms of targeting to each location and the impacts of defects in this process on mitotic progression. Where appropriate, the relative contributions of dynein and other MT-binding proteins are compared.
A molecular algorithm to detect and differentiate human pathogens infecting Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae)

Abstract The incidence and geographic range of tick-borne illness associated with Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus have dramatically increased in recent decades. Anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Borrelia spirochete infections, including Lyme borreliosis, account for tens of thousands of reported cases of tick-borne disease every year. Assays that reliably detect pathogens in ticks allow investigators and public health agencies to estimate the geographic distribution of human pathogens, assess geographic variation in their prevalence, and evaluate the effectiveness of prevention strategies. As investigators continue to describe new species within the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex and to recognize some Ixodes-borne Borrelia species as human pathogens, assays are needed to detect and differentiate these species. Here we describe an algorithm to detect and differentiate pathogens in unfed I. scapularis and I. pacificus nymphs including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia mayonii, and Borrelia miyamotoi. The algorithm comprises 5 TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assays and 3 sequencing protocols. It employs multiple targets for each pathogen to optimize specificity, a gene target for I. scapularis and I. pacificus to verify tick-derived DNA quality, and a pan-Borrelia target to detect Borrelia species that may emerge as human disease agents in the future. We assess the algorithm’s sensitivity, specificity, and performance on field-collected ticks.
Interaction of C2H with molecular hydrogen: Ab initio potential energy surface and scattering calculations.

The potential energy surface (PES) describing the interaction of the ethynyl (C2H) radical in its ground X2Σ+ electronic state with molecular hydrogen has been computed through restricted coupled cluster calculations including single, double, and (perturbative) triple excitations [RCCSD(T)], with the assumption of fixed molecular geometries. The computed points were fit to an analytical form suitable for time-independent quantum scattering calculations of rotationally inelastic cross sections and rate constants. A representative set of energy dependent state-to-state cross sections is presented and discussed. The PES and cross sections for collisions of H2(j = 0) are compared with a previous study [F. Najar et al., Chem. Phys. Lett. 614, 251 (2014)] of collisions of C2H with H2 treated as a spherical collision partner. Good agreement is found between the two sets of calculations when the H2 molecule in the present calculation is spherically averaged.
Manifestations Of Pathology In Elastic-Scattering Spectra And Exigencies For Clinical Translation Of Diagnostic Spectroscopy

Elastic-scattering spectroscopy is sensitive to micro-architectural changes at the cellular and sub-cellular levels, which are the biomarkers of disease in histopathology. Optical diagnostic accuracy is superior when multiple structural factors are assessed for spectral classification.
Kentucky Lions Eye Center/University of Louisville: An Ocular Surface Center in Development

At the Kentucky Lions Eye Center at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, an ocular surface research center has coalesced, primarily from elements already present at the University.
Identifying Malicious Nodes in Multihop IoT Networks Using Diversity and Unsupervised Learning

The increased connectivity introduced in Internet of Things (IoT) applications makes such systems vulnerable to serious security threats. In this paper, we consider one of the most challenging threats in IoT networks, where devices manipulate (maliciously or unintentionally) the data transmitted in infor-mation packets as they are being forwarded from the source to the destination. We propose unsupervised learning that exploits network diversity to detect and identify suspicious networked elements. Our proposed method can identify suspicious nodes along multihop transmission paths and under variable attack levels within the network. More speciﬁcally, we formulate a contribution metric for each networked element, which is used as a feature to cluster the nodes based on their behavior. We proposed two detection approaches, namely hard detection and soft detection. In the former, nodes are clustered into malicious or benign group; while in the latter, nodes are clustered into three groups based on their suspicious level, then highly suspicious nodes are discarded and more accurate contribution features are evaluated for the remaining nodes. Soft detection has higher detection accuracy provided that there is sufﬁcient network diversity. Simulation results show that the proposed methods achieve high detection accuracy under different percentages of malicious nodes in the network and in the existence of channel errors.
Probabilistic-Robust Optimal Control for Uncertain Linear Time-delay Systems by State Feedback Controllers with Memory

In this paper, a new method is developed for robust control of uncertain linear time-delay systems with feedback control whose gain matrix is time-varying. In contrast to the available linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based techniques for stabilizing linear time-invariant (LTI) uncertain time-delay systems where the feedback controller is chosen memoryless with a constant gain matrix, the feedback control has memory over time in the new proposed LMI-based technique. In addition, two new constraint removal approaches are proposed to solve this problem as a chance-constrained optimization problem. The proposed approaches are developed such that the closed-loop systems are robustly asymptotically stable in the presence of uncertainties. In an illustrative example, it is shown that the proposed techniques can successfully stabilize a linear second-order time-delay system with a time-varying feedback control. It is also shown that the proposed constraint removal approaches are more efficient in comparison to the current approaches for approximating chance-constrained problems.
Minimum Energy Estimation Applied to the Lorenz Attractor

Minimum Energy Estimation is a way of filtering the state of a nonlinear system from partial and inexact measurements. It is a generalization of Gauss’ method of least squares. Its application to filtering of control systems goes back at least to Mortensen who called it Maximum Likelyhood Estimation. For linear, Gaussian systems it reduces to maximum likelihood estimation (aka Kalman Filtering) but this is not true for nonlinear systems. We prefer the name Minimum Energy Estimation (MEE) that was introduced by Hijab. Both Mortensen and Hijab dealt with systems in continuous time, we extend their methods to discrete time systems and show how Taylor polynomial techniques can lessen the computational burden. The degree one version is equivalent to the Extended Kalman Filter in Information form. We apply this and the degree three version to problem of estimating the state of the three dimensional Lorenz Attractor from a one dimensional measurement.
Accuracy and Correlation in Stochastic Computing

This chapter begins by reviewing the sources of inaccuracy in stochastic computing, focusing on correlation, that is, dependencies among stochastic bit-streams. The measurement of correlation is considered, and the SCC metric is defined. The properties of correlation are then explored including some that have only been discovered recently. Correlation can be seen in two ways: either as corrupting a function f, or as changing f to a different, but potentially useful one. Therefore, to ensure that a stochastic circuit works as expected it is important to manage correlation appropriately. This can be done with correlation-controlling units, which must be used carefully to avoid unexpected functional changes and excessive hardware area or latency overhead. There are also cases where correlation has no effect at all (correlation insensitivity). Identifying such immunity to correlation can aid the design of stochastic circuits. Finally, design of stochastic number generators to provide specified levels of correlation is discussed.
Intravenous lidocaine in the management of various chronic pain states. A review of 211 cases

During a 4-year period, 211 patients were treated for various chronic pain states with infusion of intravenous (IV) lidocaine. Patients received between 1 and 5 mg/kg administered over 5-35 minutes. Responses were graded 0 (no response), 1 (partial pain relief), or 2 (complete pain relief). Results were assessed by case review at the end of 4 years. Eighty-three patients (46%) of 182 included in the study reported partial or complete pain relief on at least one occasion. These responders included patients with radicular low back pain and various peripheral neuropathies. Nonresponders included patients with mechanical back pain, myofascial syndromes, phantom limb pain, and postherpetic neuralgia. The duration of relief was variable but was far in excess of what could be predicted from CNS-depressant effects. The conclusion is that repeat intravenous infusions of lidocaine solution can be useful in the management of certain chronic pain states.
Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator Outcomes for Patients Outside the U.S. FDA Recommendations.

Objectives The hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HGNS) is currently approved for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of >15 to ≤65 events/hour, and a central apnea index (CAI) Methods We included all patients who underwent HGNS but who did not meet all FDA guidelines. Demographic data, previous OSA treatments, polysomnographic (PSG) parameters from baseline and HGNS titration PSG, Epworth sleepiness score (ESS), and BMI were compared before and after surgery. Results Eighteen patients were identified: 94.4% male, median age 63 years. Seven underwent previous sleep surgery. Four had an AHI 65 (mean 86.9 events/hour), two had an elevated CAI (mean 31.3% of AHI), and 12 had a BMI >32 kg/m2 (range 32.1-39.1). Median AHI decreased from 25.3 to 3.75 events/hour on titration polysomnography (P = .0006), oxyhemoglobin saturation nadir increased from 82% to 88.5% (P = .0001) and median ESS dropped from 11 to 7.5 (P = .0016). Fifteen (83.3%) patients achieved surgical success (decrease in AHI >50% and AHI 25% was successfully treated. Median adherence = 33.5 hours/week. Conclusion Our success rate for patients outside the Food and Drug Administration guidelines for HGNS (67%) was similar to the 1-year STAR trial results (66%). Future studies are necessary to consider expansion of these guidelines. Level of evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 130:866-872, 2020.
A dual role of prestimulus spontaneous neural activity in visual object recognition

Vision relies on both specific knowledge of visual attributes, such as object categories, and general brain states, such as those reflecting arousal. We hypothesized that these phenomena independently influence recognition of forthcoming stimuli through distinct processes reflected in spontaneous neural activity. Here, we recorded magnetoencephalographic (MEG) activity in participants (N = 24) who viewed images of objects presented at recognition threshold. Using multivariate analysis applied to sensor-level activity patterns recorded before stimulus presentation, we identified two neural processes influencing subsequent subjective recognition: a general process, which disregards stimulus category and correlates with pupil size, and a specific process, which facilitates category-specific recognition. The two processes are doubly-dissociable: the general process correlates with changes in criterion but not in sensitivity, whereas the specific process correlates with changes in sensitivity but not in criterion. Our findings reveal distinct mechanisms of how spontaneous neural activity influences perception and provide a framework to integrate previous findings. The effect of spontaneous variations in prestimulus neural activity on subsequent perception is incompletely understood. Here, using MEG, the authors identify two distinct neural processes that can influence object recognition in different ways.
Functorial semiotics for creativity

In this paper, we develop a mathematically conceived semiotic theory. This project seems essential for a future computational creativity science since the outcome of the process of creativity must ...
Multi-Contact Force-Sensing Guitar for Training and Therapy

Hand injuries from repetitive high-strain and physical overload can hamper or even end a musician’s career. To help musicians develop safer playing habits, we developed a multiple-contact force-sensing array that can substitute as a guitar fretboard. The system consists of 72 individual force sensing modules, each containing a flexure and a photointerrupter that measures the corresponding deflection when forces are applied. The system is capable of measuring forces between 0-25 N applied anywhere within the first 12 frets at a rate of 20 Hz with an average accuracy of ±0.4 N and a resolution of 0.1 N. Accompanied with a GUI, the resulting prototype was received positively as a useful tool for learning and injury prevention by novice and expert musicians.
A retrospective chart review evaluating the relationship between cancer diagnosis and drinking water source on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.

e13587Background: The lower Eastern Shore of Maryland is an agricultural and rural region with high cancer rates. The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine if cancer patients on the ...
Randomized trial of a novel lifestyle intervention compared with the Diabetes Prevention Program for weight loss in adult dependents of military service members.

BACKGROUND Lifestyle interventions are the first-line treatment for obesity, but participant weight loss is typically low. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the efficacy of an alternative lifestyle intervention [Healthy Weight for Living (HWL)] compared with a modified Diabetes Prevention Program (m-DPP). HWL was based on a revised health behavior change model emphasizing hunger management and the development of healthy food preferences. m-DPP was a standard Diabetes Prevention Program implemented with counselor time matched to HWL. Participants were adult dependents of military personnel and had overweight or obesity. METHODS Participants were randomly assigned to HWL (n = 121) or m-DPP (n = 117), delivered primarily by group videoconference with additional midweek emails. The primary outcome was 12-mo weight change. Secondary outcomes included 6-mo changes in cardiometabolic risk factors and diet. Intention-to-treat (ITT) and complete case (CC) analyses were performed using linear mixed models. RESULTS Retention did not differ between groups (72% and 66% for HWL and m-DPP at 12 mo, respectively; P = 0.30). Mean ± SE adjusted 12-mo weight loss in the ITT cohort was 7.46 ± 0.85 kg for HWL and 7.32 ± 0.87 kg for m-DPP (P = 0.91); in the CC cohort, it was 7.83 ± 0.82 kg for HWL and 6.86 ± 0.88 kg for m-DPP (P = 0.43). Thirty-eight percent of HWL and 30% of m-DPP completers achieved ≥10% weight loss (P = 0.32). Improvements in systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, general health, sleep, and mood were similar across groups; improvements in diastolic blood pressure were greater in m-DPP. Adjusted group mean reductions in energy intake were not significantly different between groups, but HWL participants were more adherent to their dietary prescription for lower glycemic index and high fiber and protein (P = 0.05 to <0.001 for ITT). CONCLUSIONS HWL and m-DPP showed equivalent and clinically impactful mean weight loss with cardiometabolic benefits. These results identify an alternative approach for behavioral treatment of overweight and obesity.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02348853.
Meaningful response criteria for myelodysplastic syndromes

Standardizing response criteria for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a clinically and biologically heterogeneous group of disorders, has been historically challenging. The International Working Group (IWG) response criteria, first proposed in 2000 and modified in 2006 and 2018, represent the best effort by a group of international experts to define a set of clinically meaningful end-points in MDS. These criteria have been adopted in many MDS clinical trials, allowing for comparisons of response across trials. However, clinical experience has also revealed some limitations of these criteria, and most of the end-points proposed by the IWG require further validation. In this review, we present a critical analysis of the current MDS response criteria from both a practical standpoint and based on currently available clinical trial data. Potential areas for improvement in the criteria are highlighted, which may be considered in future iterations of the response criteria.
Jim Blinn's corner: dirty pixels

1. The World's Largest Easter Egg and What Came Out of It 2. What We Need Around Here Is More Aliasing 3. Return of the Jaggy 4. How Many Different Curves Are There? 5. Dirty Pixels 6. Cubic Curve Update 7. Triage Tables 8. The Wonderful World of Video 9. Uppers and Downers 10. Uppers and Downers, Part II 11. The World of Digital Video 12. How I Spent My Summer Vacation-1976 13. NTSC: Nice Technology, Super Color 14. What's the Deal with the DCT? 15. Quantization Error and Dithering 16. Compositing-Theory 17. "Composting"-Practice 18. How to Attend a SIGGRAPH Conference 19. Three Wrongs Make a Right 20. Fun with Premultiplied Alpha
Inferring the annual migration patterns of fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the United States from mitochondrial haplotypes

Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) or fall armyworm is an important agricultural pest of a number of crops in the western hemisphere. In the United States, infestations in corn acreages extend from the Mexican to the Canadian border. Because fall armyworm does not survive prolonged freezing, the infestations annually affecting most of North America are migrants from southern Texas and Florida, where winter temperatures are mild and host plants are available. A haplotype method was developed that can distinguish between these two geographically distant overwintering populations, with the potential to delineate the associated migratory pathways. Several years of collections from major corn-producing areas in the southern, central, and eastern United States were used to map the geographical distribution of the fall armyworm haplotypes. From these haplotype profiles, it was possible to develop the most detailed description yet of the annual northward movements of fall armyworm. The consistency of these results with past studies and the implications on our understanding of fall armyworm biology are discussed. A better understanding of fall armyworm populations and their movement is critical for the development of strategies to predict infestation levels and eventually control this pest in the United States.
Histamine enhances interleukin (IL)-1-induced IL-6 gene expression and protein synthesis via H2 receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The regulation of interleukin (IL)-6 synthesis by cAMP-increasing agents remains an unresolved issue. Since an increase in cAMP levels via activation of histamine H2 receptors does not induce IL-1 beta synthesis but enhances self-induction of IL-1 (Vannier, E., and Dinarello, C. A. (1993) J. Clin. Invest. 92, 281-287), we investigated whether histamine regulates IL-6 synthesis. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with IL-1 alpha in the absence or presence of histamine (1 nM to 100 microM). IL-6 was measured using a specific radioimmunoassay. Histamine alone did not induce protein synthesis or mRNA accumulation for IL-6. Histamine (1-100 microM) enhanced IL-1 alpha-induced synthesis of IL-6 (p < 0.001). Cimetidine and ranitidine, H2 receptor antagonists structurally unrelated to each other, completely reversed the histamine-mediated increase in IL-1 alpha-induced IL-6 synthesis. However, diphenhydramine, an H1 receptor antagonist, did not reverse this effect. Prostaglandin E2, an activator of adenylate cyclase, also enhanced IL-1 alpha-induced synthesis of IL-6. Histamine increased and sustained steady-state levels of IL-6 mRNA in IL-1 alpha-stimulated cells, but reduced IL-6 mRNA half-life (3.5 h versus 1.8 h). Our results indicate that cAMP-increasing agents, such as histamine or prostaglandin E2, fail to induce IL-6 synthesis but rather enhance IL-1-induced IL-6 synthesis.
[17] Direct cloning of DNA fragments generated by PCR

Publisher Summary The cloning of amplified DNA from polymerase chain reactions (PCR) has become an important task for many researchers because the popularity of the PCR has increased. Unfortunately, the difficulty often encountered in cloning these fragments stands in marked contrast to their ease of production. Double-stranded DNA products obtained by primed amplification with Thermus aquaticus (Taq) DNA polymerase (and other polymerases that lack proofreading function) contain a single 3' untemplated deoxyadenosine residue gratuitously added by the polymerase to its product. To clone the amplified products efficiently, either the extra deoxyadenosine residues must be removed, or the vector has to be modified to accommodate them. It would be desirable to use the latter method in concert with a simple vector preparation, which would save the additional time and materials consumed in modifying the PCR product. A general method is described for direct cloning of DNA fragments generated by PCR that is based on digesting the cloning vector, pDK101, with Xcm I restriction endonuclease.
Secondary cancers after a carcinoid tumor of the lung: a population-based analysis.

478 Carcinoid lung tumors are relatively rare neoplasms of neuroendocrine origin. Prognosis is generally good, with the majority of patients receiving curative surgery. However, the etiology of carcinoid tumors of the lung is unclear, and it is unknown whether individuals are at greater risk of other cancers prior to or after their carcinoid tumor diagnosis. Lung carcinoid cases (n=2573) were identified from 12 Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registries from 1988-2001. Cases were predominately white (90.4%) and female (66.3%). Women were slightly older at diagnosis compared to men (60.7 and 57.9 years, respectively) and were more likely to be diagnosed with earlier stage tumors (p-value=0.004). Of lung carcinoid cases identified through SEER, 683 (26.5%) had at least one other cancer diagnosis. Thirty eight percent had a cancer diagnosis one year or more before their carcinoid diagnosis, 38% had a second cancer diagnosed within the same year, and 24% of individuals had another cancer diagnosed at least one year after their lung carcinoid. Records were available for 154 cancers from the 164 individuals who had a cancer diagnosed at least one year after their lung carcinoid. The distribution of cancers in the entire SEER population from 12 registries from 1988-2001 was used as the reference population. In women (n=98), the most common cancer diagnosed after a lung carcinoid was breast cancer (33.7%), similar to the female cancer distribution in the entire registry (31.5%). Cancers in women with differing distributions in the carcinoid subset compared to those in the SEER population included non-carcinoid lung cancer (18.4% and 11.9%, respectively), lymphomas (6.1% and 4.3%, respectively), and pancreas cancer (4.1% and 2.5%, respectively). In men (n=56), the most common cancer diagnosed after a lung carcinoid was prostate cancer (30.4%), similar to the cancer distribution among men in the SEER registry (30.1%). Unlike women, men with a prior lung carcinoid were less likely to be diagnosed with a non-carcinoid lung cancer (10.7%) afterwards, compared to all males in the SEER population (14.9%). Cancers in men with differing distributions in the carcinoid subset compared to those in SEER population included pancreas cancer (7.1% and 2.1%, respectively), melanoma (7.1% and 3.6%, respectively) and lymphomas (7.1% and 5.0%, respectively). Additional analyses, including standardized incidence ratios, will be presented. These findings may provide insight to etiologic factors associated with carcinoid tumors of the lung.
Marian Tolpin, A Latter Day Athena: From Classical Thinker to Self Psychologist

Marian wrote two virtually unknown articles engaging the figure of Athena, patron goddess of Athens, of war, wisdom, and weaving (the primary activity of Greek women). Her discussion of Aeschylus's Oresteia (Tolpin, 1969) shows her struggling with a classical psychoanalytic approach to the text, her spirit moving already to forward edge interpretations. In her article on H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), Freud, and Athena (Tolpin, 1991), she grapples with Freud's understanding that H.D. is like the “castrated goddess” figurine on his desk (a small bronze Athena who has lost her spear), and she transforms Freud's classical understanding of H.D.'s analysis to one that is profoundly self psychological. This article traces Marian's growth into self psychology through her discussions of these two Athenas, revealing Marian as a “woman of letters,” who engaged in a feminism that was never anti-masculine. Marian escribio dos articulos practicamente desconocidos que tratan sobre la figura de Atenea, la diosa de Atenas, de l...
Sideband generation in frequency-modulated continuous-wave light through nonlinear near-resonant propagation in an atomic vapor.

We have observed sideband generation in the spectrum of frequency-modulated light when the light is transmitted near resonance to the D1 line in Na vapor. The temporal pulse reshaping that gives rise to the self-phase modulation phenomenon is in good agreement with the predictions of a one-dimensional two-level off-resonant Maxwell–Bloch computer code.
A microcomputer based image analysis system for the left ventricle and the coronary artery

A microcomputer-based image analysis system for the left ventricle is introduced. This system is based on an IBM-PC/AT microcomputer as a host with an image processing subsystem. The configurations of the hardware and the software of the system are presented, followed by the functions and main features of the system. In addition, a contour detection method using the dynamic programming is developed for the left ventricle. Finally, applications to routine images are presented. The experimental results show the efficacy and efficiency of present system. >
Review: surgery may be more effective than unstructured nonoperative treatment for chronic low-back pain.

Question: In patients with chronic low-back pain and disc degeneration, how do surgical and nonsurgical treatments compare? Data sources: MEDLINE and references of review articles. Study selection and assessment: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared surgical with nonsurgical treatment for discogenic back pain. Studies that focused specifically on comparing injections or other percutaneous treatments were not included. Study quality was assessed with use of the checklist for the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials. Main outcome measures: Back-specific disability. Main results: 4 RCTs (n = 783; age range, 18 to 65 y) met the inclusion criteria. Surgery in 2 RCTs consisted of posterolateral fusion with use of iliac crest autograft and a specific type of pedicle screw fixation; in 1 RCT, surgeons chose the surgical approach, implant, interbody cages, and bone-graft material; and in 1 RCT, patients were randomized to receive 1 of 3 prespecified surgical techniques: posterolateral fusion with iliac crest autograft and no fixation, posterolateral fusion with iliac crest autograft and pedicle screw fixation, or circumferential fusion consisting of posterolateral fusion and fixation supplemented with interbody fusion with use of autogenous iliac crest bone block inserted anteriorly or posteriorly. One RCT compared surgery with nonoperative care focused on physical therapy, and in 3 RCTs the control treatment was cognitive behavioral therapy addressing fears about back injury. All 4 RCTs measured disability with use of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (higher score = greater disability). Across the 4 RCTs, the percent improvement from baseline ranged from 19% to 37% in the surgery group and from 5.8% to 30% in the nonoperative group. 1 RCT showed a benefit of surgery over unspecified nonoperative treatment with a difference in mean change in the ODI of 8.8 points (percent improvement 19%). The other 3 RCTs did not show a clinically meaningful difference in change in ODI score between surgery and nonoperative treatment (range: in mean change, -3.9 to 3.8%; in improvement, -9.5% to 7.5%). 2 RCTs that reported patient satisfaction showed greater success with surgery. The complication rate with surgery ranged from 9% to 18%; no complications were reported for the nonoperative group in any study. Conclusions: In patients with chronic low-back pain and disc degeneration, surgical treatment may be somewhat better than unstructured nonoperative treatment but has not been shown to be better than cognitive behavioral therapy.
Presence of aspiration pneumonia is independently associated with mortality, after adjusting for age, disease severity, and comorbities

Background : Patients with aspiration pneumonia are older and have more comorbid conditions. It is unknown whether presence of aspiration pneumonia independently increases mortality, or merely signifies greater comorbidities. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization (CAPO) database, which retrospectively collected data from 43 hospitals in 12 countries, between June 2001 and December 2012. We included adult patients who met criteria for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Presence of aspiration pneumonia was determined clinically. We performed a propensity-matched analysis, comparing patients with and without aspiration pneumonia, accounting for age, disease severity, and comorbidities. Results: We identified 451 patients with aspiration and 4734 patients with non-aspiration CAP. Patients with aspiration pneumonia were older (median 79 vs. 69, p < 0.001), had greater comorbidities, and presented with greater disease severity. Patients with aspiration pneumonia had greater pneumonia severity index scores (median 123 vs. 92, p < 0.001), increased hospital length-of-stay (median 9 vs. 7 days, p <0.001), and increased in-hospital mortality (41% vs. 26%, p < 0.001). The propensity-matched analysis, adjusted for age, disease severity, and comorbidities, demonstrated that aspiration pneumonia independently conferred a 2.32 (95% CI 1.56-3.45, p < 0.001) odds ratio for in-hospital mortality compared to non-aspiration pneumonia. Conclusions: Patients with aspiration pneumonia are more likely to die than those with non-aspiration pneumonia, even after adjusting for age, disease severity, and comorbidities.
Dietary Iron Intake Modulates the Activity of Iron Regulatory Proteins and the Abundance of Ferritin and Mitochondrial Aconitase in Rat Liver

Iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1) and IRP2 are cytoplasmic RNA binding proteins that coordinate cellular iron homeostasis in mammals. We investigated the effect of dietary iron intake on rat liver IRP activity in relation to the abundance of two targets of IRP action, ferritin and mitochondrial aconitase (m-aconitase). Rats were fed diets containing 2, 11, 20, 37 (control), 72 or 107 mg iron/kg diet for 3 wk. RNA binding activity of IRP1 and IRP2 was enhanced one- to twofold in rats fed 11 or 2 mg iron/kg diet compared with control rats. IRP RNA binding activity was inversely correlated to blood hemoglobin levels (r = -0.787; P < 0.0001). Compared with control rats, liver ferritin levels were depressed in rats fed 20 mg iron/kg diet and were undetectable in rats ingesting diets with 11 or 2 mg iron/kg diet. Ferritin concentrations were biphasically related to IRP RNA binding activity with the regulation of IRP occurring before the onset of ferritin accumulation. Iron deficiency caused up to a 50% decline in m-aconitase abundance. IRP RNA binding activity and m-aconitase abundance were inversely correlated (r = -0.751; P < 0.0001). Our results indicate that (1) liver IRP activity is responsive to a range of dietary iron levels, (2) there appears to be a differential effect of IRPs on ferritin and m-aconitase abundance, and (3) activation of IRPs may contribute to the alterations in energy metabolism in iron deficiency through an impairment of m-aconitase synthesis.
Triboelectrification of materials used in tape heads

Triboelectrification of tapes by read/write heads can result in either increased error rates or permanent damage to the heads through electrostatic discharge (ESD) or electrochemical processes. In order to understand these phenomena, we have studied triboelectrification between tapes and different tape head materials used in magnetic tape storage drives. The triboelectrification phenomenon can be modeled as a Thevenin equivalent battery or current source whose magnitude is highly dependent not only on materials, but also on physical parameters such as tape speed, wrap angle, the direction of tape over asymmetric multi-material substrates, and the complete electrical circuit. In this report, we will discuss the different physical parameters that affect the tribocharging of tape by different tape and head materials. We also show that tribocharging can cause ESD damage.
Interface shape during Bridgman growth of CsCdCl3

Abstract Some predictions from computer and analytical models regarding the behavior of the crystal-melt interface shape during Bridgman growth were tested using a model material, CsCdCl3. It was found that the convexity exhibited a sharp maximum in a region where the temperature gradient decreased sharply. Crucible movement was found to make the interface more concave only at rather high translation rates. End effects, and the influence of an IR absorbing dopant, are also reported.
Mineral Classification Using Computer-Controlled Scanning Electron Microscopy

Computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy (CC-SEM) is an automated technique combining electron microscopy, image analysis, and X-ray spectroscopy to rapidly acquire morphological and chemical information for thousands of individual particles. Measurements are typically performed on polished cross-sections of material embedded in epoxy mounts. Individual particles are first identified from the epoxy matrix based on user-specified criteria (e.g., pre-set grayscale threshold from a representative Back-Scattered Electron image). Following identification, morphologic parameters (e.g., area, perimeter, aspect ratio, etc.) and an X-ray spectrum (EDS) are recorded for each particle. Multiple fields of view can be analyzed, resulting in many thousands of individual particle analyses collected during a single CC-SEM session. The resulting data can then be mined for useful information like particle size distributions (PSDs), phase proportions, and even bulk chemistry.
Ecological community integration increases with added trophic complexity

The existence of functional biological organization at the level of multi-species communities has long been contested in ecology and evolutionary biology. I found that adding a trophic level to simulated ecological communities enhanced their ability to compete at the community level, increasing the likelihood of one community forcing all or most species in a second community to extinction. Community-level identity emerged within systems of interacting ecological networks, while competitive ability at the community level was enhanced by intense within-community selection pressure. These results suggest a reassessment of the nature of biological organization above the level of species, indicating that the drive toward biological integration, so prominent throughout the history of life, might extend to multi-species communities.
Pichingli: An English-Spanish Pidgin from the Canary Islands

Tenerife fut au 19 e siecle le port favori des touristes anglais et un pidgin rudimentaire anglais-espagnol se developpa pour permettre la communication entre les marchands autochtones et les voyageurs de langue anglaise. Ce pidgin se developpa au cours du 19 e siecle et au debut du 20 e siecle, il tomba ensuite en desuetude. L'A. retrace brievement l'histoire de cette langue
Calcium Treatments Affect Storage Quality of Shredded Carrots

Carrot shreds, sticks and slices were dipped in solutions of CaCl 2 alone, or with chlorine and stored at 0, 5 or 10 o C to determine the effects of calcium (Ca) on storage quality. A 0.5% or 1% CaCl 2 treatment maintained firmness and reduced microbial growth of carrot shreds at all temperatures. These treatments also resulted in lower tissue pH than in the water-dipped controls. Treatments increased Ca content slightly in sticks and slices and substantially in shreds and had no effect on storage quality of sticks or slices
Geodesics on modular surfaces and continued fractions

A connection between the symbolic description of the geodesic flows on certain modular surfaces and the theory of continued fractions is developed. The well-known properties of these dynamical systems then lead to some new results about continued fractions.
The Search for the Key: Aid, Investment, and Policies in Africa

Aid does not necessarily finance investment, and investment does not necessarily promote growth. But the combination of private investment, good policies, and foreign aid is quite powerful. When societies themselves take the lead in putting growth-enhancing policies in place, foreign aid can play a powerful supporting role, bringing ideas, technical assistance, and money. Dollar and Easterly's study of aid, investment, and policies in Africa leads them to four principal conclusions: ° The traditional links between aid, investment, and growth are not robust. Aid does not necessarily finance investment and investment does not necessarily promote growth. ° Differences in economic policies can explain much of the difference in growth performance. Poor quality of public services, closed trade regimes, financial repression, and macroeconomic mismanagement explain Africa's poor record. ° Foreign aid cannot easily promote lasting policy reform in countries where there is no strong domestic movement in that direction. Country ownership of reform is more important than donor conditionality. ° These three conclusions imply that societies themselves must take the lead in putting growth-enhancing policies in place. When this happens, foreign aid can play a powerful supporting role, bringing ideas, technical assistance, and money. The combination of private investment, good policies, and foreign aid is quite powerful. Where do we stand in the search for the key to growth in Africa? Because past keys to growth in Africa have failed, Dollar and Easterly are cautious about claims to a new key. But even if aid-cum-private-investment-cum-policy reform falls short of being the one and only key to growth, disbursing aid into good policy environments would be an improvement on current practices. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to examine aid effectiveness. The authors may be contacted at ddollar@worldbank.org or weasterly@worldbank.org.
The role of central- and peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors in anxiolytic-agent augmentation of NaCl solution intake: Effects of clonazepam and Ro 5-4864

Two 1,4 benzodiazepines bind preferentially to the central- and peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor in the brain, clonazepam and Ro 5-4864, respectively. They were administered to rats to determine if the relation between known anxiolytic action and efficacy in augmenting NaCl solution ingestion in rehydrating rats would remain the case for these prototypic agents. Clonazepam (0.062-32.0 mg/kg, PO) was highly potent and efficacious and increased 1.5% NaCl solution intake in a dose-related fashion. Water intake could also be increased, but to a relatively minor degree. Ro 5-4864 (4-8 mg/kg, IP) did not affect 1.5% NaCl solution ingestion, nor did this dose range suppress the augmenting effect of clonazepam (0.5-2.0 mg/kg, PO) on the solution intake. Since clonazepam does, and Ro 5-4864 does not, possess punishment-attenuation properties in other tests, drug augmentation of NaCl solution ingestion by rehydrating rats continues to correlate well with known anxiolytic action.
Rapid Wastage of Alaska Glaciers and Their Contribution to Rising Sea Level

We have used airborne laser altimetry to estimate volume changes of 67 glaciers in Alaska from the mid-1950s to the mid-1990s. The average rate of thickness change of these glaciers was –0.52 m/year. Extrapolation to all glaciers in Alaska yields an estimated total annual volume change of –52 ± 15 km 3 /year (water equivalent), equivalent to a rise in sea level (SLE) of 0.14 ± 0.04 mm/year. Repeat measurements of 28 glaciers from the mid-1990s to 2000–2001 suggest an increased average rate of thinning, –1.8 m/year. This leads to an extrapolated annual volume loss from Alaska glaciers equal to –96 ± 35 km 3 /year, or 0.27 ± 0.10 mm/year SLE, during the past decade. These recent losses are nearly double the estimated annual loss from the entire Greenland Ice Sheet during the same time period and are much higher than previously published loss estimates for Alaska glaciers. They form the largest glaciological contribution to rising sea level yet measured.
Crossflow topology of vortical flows

Introduction F LOWS past delta wings and slender bodies of revolution at angle of attack are of obvious importance in aerodynamics. These flows are characterized by the formation of stream wise vortical structures on the leeside of the body. In experimental as well as computational studies, the vortical flow structure is often examined on transverse planes normal to the body axis. On such planes, the projected or sectional streamline pattern typically exhibits crossflow separation. The purpose of this Note is to demonstrate using critical-point theory and computational results for delta wing flows' that a number of distinct topologies of crossflow separation are possible. In addition, the present results confirm and extend recent experimental findings' for the instantaneous crossflow topology on pitching delta wings.
Some nonrenormalizable theories are finite

Some nonrenormalizable theories are less singular than all renormalizable theories, and one can use lattice simulations to extract physical information from them. This paper discusses four nonrenormalizable theories that have finite Euclidian and Minkowskian Green's functions. Two of them have finite energy densities and describe scalar bosons of finite mass. The space of nonsingular nonrenormalizable theories is vast.
The Frontal Arousal Rhythm

This study involved 50 patients with the frontal arousal rhythm (FAR), a rare pattern (0.22%) seen in children with an average age of 4 yrs who show long bursts of bifrontal sharp waves at a theta frequency upon arousal from stage II sleep. The pattern is seen mainly in males and children with histories of seizures (70%), usually with generalized attacks. Although cognitive/behavior disorders were seen in an overlapping 56%, this incidence was not different from a control group from the same clinic with normal EEGs.