cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of spatial aliasing on sea-ice thickness measurements

We explore spatial aliasing of non-Gaussian distributions of sea-ice thickness. Using a heuristic model and >1000 measurements, we show how different instrument footprint sizes and shapes can cluster thickness distributions into artificial modes, thereby distorting frequency distribution, making it difficult to compare and communicate information across spatial scales. This problem has not been dealt with systematically in sea ice until now, largely because it appears to incur no significant change in integrated thickness which often serves as a volume proxy. Concomitantly, demands are increasing for thickness distribution as a resource for modeling, monitoring and forecasting air–sea fluxes and growing human infrastructure needs in a changing polar environment. New demands include the characterization of uncertainties both regionally and seasonally for spaceborne, airborne, in situ and underwater measurements. To serve these growing needs, we quantify the impact of spatial aliasing by computing resolution error (E r) over a range of horizontal scales (x) from 5 to 500 m. Results are summarized through a power law (E r= bxm ) with distinct exponents (m) from 0.3 to 0.5 using example mathematical functions including Gaussian, inverse linear and running mean filters. Recommendations and visualizations are provided to encourage discussion, new data acquisitions, analysis methods and metadata formats.
Characteristics of gene regulation systems in differentiated cells

This chapter describes the characteristics of gene regulation systems in differentiated cells. Gene regulation in differentiated cells is a process of diverse attributes, and there is at present available a great variety of data relevant to the nature of this process. A question closely related to the absolute proportion of the genome active is the relative amount of genomic information involved in changes in the pattern of gene activity that are associated with changes in the state of differentiation. An example is tissue-specific hormone response. The chapter discusses the molecular nature of the repressive agents responsible for the functional inactivity of most of the differentiated cell genome. It is clear that these agents are proteins, removal of chromatin proteins from chromatin results experimentally in apparent derepression of the genome.
Reanimation im Kindesalter

In diesem Kapitel wird, entsprechend der aktuellen Leitlinie des European Resuscitation Council, die Reanimation im Kindesalter beschrieben. Dabei werden die einzelnen Masnahmen, getrennt nach Altersstufen, ubersichtlich in einer Tabelle dargestellt. Der Algorithmus der erweiterten lebensrettenden Masnahmen bei defibrillierbarem und nicht defibrillierbarem Rhythmus wird beschrieben. Daruber hinaus werden mogliche Kriterien, die zum Abbruch einer Reanimation fuhren konnen, beschrieben und die Frage der Anwesenheit von Eltern bei der Reanimation ihres Kindes diskutiert.
Dynamics and Evolution of Marine Populations with Pelagic Larval Dispersal

A model for the demography of an open population with space-limited recruitment, together with field studies in the rocky intertidal zone of Monterey Bay in California, show that the settlement rate of larvae onto vacant substrate is a parameter that controls the structure of communities containing sessile marine organisms. Models of open populations can be combined, assuming a common larval pool is shared, into a model for a closed regional population. This regional model integrates processes in benthic ecology with coastal oceanographic processes, shows that local coexistence among species competing for space reflects the partitioning of habitats on a regional scale, and is the basis for a theory of life-history evolution pertaining to organisms with pelagic larvae and sessile adults. These new models may be relevant to the dynamics of fishes with demersal adults and pelagic larvae.
Allergy for the otologist. External canal to inner ear.

Approximately 20% of Americans suffer from hypersensitivity diseases. The head and neck are the most commonly affected target organs of the allergic reaction, and the effect of allergic reactions in producing nasal symptoms was first reported by Dr. French K. Hansel. 22 The ear also has been suspected of being a target organ for an allergic reaction. The first case reports suggesting an allergic basis for labyrinthine symptoms were in 1893, although Duke published the first clinical report of a suspected allergic etiology for Meniere's disease in 1923. 17,37 Likewise, anecdotal information concerning an allergic basis for otitis media with effusion has been reported for generations. This chapter reviews the immune and allergic activity of the ear as we currently understand it, and suggests mechanisms by which a classic allergic or autoimmune response may result in the production of otologic symptoms. Various treatment modalities, including specific allergic testing and treatment techniques, are described.
Space-Time Geostatistical Assessment of Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.

Nearly every summer, a large hypoxic zone forms in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Research on the causes and consequences of hypoxia requires reliable estimates of hypoxic extent, which can vary at submonthly time scales due to hydro-meteorological variability. Here, we use an innovative space-time geostatistical model and data collected by multiple research organizations to estimate bottom-water dissolved oxygen (BWDO) concentrations and hypoxic area across summers from 1985 to 2016. We find that 27% of variability in BWDO is explained by deterministic trends with location, depth, and date, while correlated stochasticity accounts for 62% of observational variance within a range of 185 km and 28 days. Space-time modeling reduces uncertainty in estimated hypoxic area by 30% when compared to a spatial-only model, and results provide new insights into the temporal variability of hypoxia. For years with shelf-wide cruises in multiple months, hypoxia is most severe in July in 59% of years, 29% in August, and 12%...
N-methylcarbamate pesticides and their phenolic degradation products: hydrolytic decay, sequestration and metal complexation studies

We report on the rates of decomposition of a group of N-methylcarbamate (NMC) pesticides (carbaryl, carbofuran and propoxur) under pre-determined tropical field conditions. Rates of decomposition f...
Anti-Phospho-Tau Gene Therapy for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by repetitive trauma to the central nervous system (CNS) suffered by soldiers, contact sport athletes, and civilians following accident-related trauma. CTE is a CNS tauopathy, with trauma-induced inflammation leading to accumulation of hyperphosphorylated forms of the microtubule-binding protein Tau (pTau), resulting in neurofibrillary tangles and progressive loss of neurons. At present, there are no therapies to treat CTE. We hypothesized that direct CNS administration of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector coding for an anti-pTau antibody would generate sufficient levels of anti-pTau in the CNS to suppress pTau accumulation thus interrupting the pathogenic process. Using a serotype AAVrh.10 gene transfer vector coding for a monoclonal antibody directed against pTau, we demonstrate the feasibility of this strategy in a murine CTE model in which pTau accumulation was elicited by repeated traumatic brain injury (TBI) using a closed cortical impact procedure over 5 days. Direct delivery of AAVrh.10 expression vectors coding for either of the two different anti-pTau antibodies to the hippocampus of these TBI mice significantly reduced pTau levels across the CNS. Using doses that can be safely scaled to humans, the data demonstrate that CNS administration of AAVrh.10anti-pTau is effective, providing a new strategy to interrupt the CTE consequences of TBI.
Graph-Theoretic Analyses of MIMO Channels in Diffusive Networks

In this work, we characterize the finite-zero and infinite-zero structure of a multi-input multi-output channel in a standard model for network synchronization. To do so, we first develop an algebraic analysis of the zeros based on a input-to-output transformation known as the special coordinate basis. This decomposition then allows us to develop topological results on the zeros, i.e. characterizations in terms of the network graph and the input/output locations relative to the graph. Specifically, our results show how the relative locations and interactions among multiple input-output pairs in a network influence the locations of the finite and invariant zeros. As a whole, the study contributes to the analysis of dynamical networks from an input-output perspective, rather than only in terms of internal or emergent behaviors.
Cerebral microbleed incidence, relationship to amyloid burden: The Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.

Objective To determine the incidence of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) and the association of amyloid PET burden with incident CMBs. Methods A total of 651 participants, age ≥50 years (55% male), underwent 3T MRI scans with ≥2 separate T2*-weighted gradient recalled echo sequences from October 2011 to August 2017. Eighty-seven percent underwent 11C Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) PET scans. Age-specific CMB incidence rates were calculated by using the piecewise exponential model. Using structural equation models (SEMs), we assessed the effect of amyloid load and baseline CMBs on future CMBs after considering the direct and indirect age, sex, vascular risk factors, and APOE effects. Results Participants9 mean age (SD) was 69.8 (10.0) years at baseline MRI, and 111 participants (17%) had ≥1 baseline CMB. The mean (SD) of the time interval between scans was 2.7 (1.0) years. The overall population incidence rate for CMBs was 3.6/100 person-years and increased with age: from 1.5/100 new CMBs at age 50 to 11.6/100 person-years at age 90. Using the piecewise exponential model regression, the incidence rates increased with age and the presence of baseline CMBs. The SEMs showed that (1) increasing age at MRI or carrying an APOE4 allele was associated with more amyloid at baseline, and higher amyloid, particularly occipital amyloid load, in turn increased the risk of a new lobar CMB; and (2) the presence of CMBs at baseline increased the risk of a lobar CMB and had a larger effect size than amyloid load. Conclusions Age and APOE4 carrier status act through amyloid load to increase the risk of subsequent lobar CMBs, but the presence of baseline CMBs is the most important risk factor for future CMBs.
Connecting Personal Health Records Together with EHR Using Tangle

Health Data Records Fragmentation across hospitals, labs, pharmacies, and general caregivers has been hurting medical services quality and patient outcome. The problem is getting worse as we have even more healthcare accesses from different sources such as mobile phones, wearable devices, etc. In an attempt to defragment health data, we are proposing the utilization of distributed transaction ledgers (DTL) technology by IOTA-Tangle which facilitates communication between patients and care providers. Through this technology the gap between health-care delivery and population health can be bridged so the quality of health services and patient outcomes may be improved. Our approach provides complete picture for each patient by sharing data between healthcare participants.
Synthesis and Self-Assembly of Block Polyelectrolyte Membranes through a Mild, 2-in-1 Postpolymerization Treatment

Block polymer systems containing spatially separated positive and negative charges are desirable for a number of applications, including biomedical devices, membrane separations, and coatings. Unfo...
Effects of mother's imitation on speech sounds in infants with Down syndrome.

Abstract Background The Down syndrome behavioral phenotype includes delays in making speech sounds, production of more non-speech sounds than speech sounds, and contrasting strengths in social development. Within a behavior analytic framework, we conceptualize characteristics of the Down syndrome behavioral phenotype as creating a context for impairments in speech sound development that suggest interventions caregivers can use to improve speech sounds. Aim and method We examined one intervention, the effects of mother’s contingent vocal imitation, on rate of speech and non-speech sound production in infants with Down syndrome using an ABAB design. Results Mothers responded favorably to learning to imitate their infants’ vocalizations and their contingent vocal imitation was associated with increases in infant speech sounds. Conclusions The increases in infant speech sound suggest the promise of this approach and future research examining variations in contingent vocal imitation and additional outcomes.
Genetic variation associated with plastic and homeostatic growth responses to drought in Arabidopsis

Natural genetic variation influences plant responses to environmental stressors. However, the extent to which such variation underlies plastic versus homeostatic response phenotypes has been little studied. We quantified the extent of drought-induced changes in leaf area in a set of Iberian Arabidopsis accessions and then performed association studies correlating variation in this phenotype with genomic and transcriptomic variation. Drought-induced plastic reductions in relative leaf area typified accessions originating from productive environments. In contrast, homeostasis in relative leaf area typified accessions originating from unproductive environments. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), Transcriptome Wide Association Studies (TWAS), and expression GWAS (eGWAS) highlighted the importance of auxin-related processes and, in particular, the potential role of the SMALL AUXIN UP RNA 26 (SAUR26) gene in conferring leaf area plasticity. Homeostatic responses in relative leaf area were associated with a diverse gene set and positively associated with a higher intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi) as confirmed in a TWAS metanalysis of previously published δ13C measurements. We have identified not only candidate "plasticity genes" but also candidate "homeostasis genes" controlling leaf area. Our results demonstrate the value of a combined GWAS, TWAS, and eGWAS approach to identify mechanisms underlying phenotypic responses to stress.
List of abbreviations for currently valid generic-level taxa in family Culicidae (Diptera).

Abbreviations are provided for all currently valid genera (111) and subgenera (137) in family Culicidae of order Diptera. Information on sources of proposed generic and subgeneric abbreviations is also provided.
Robust design of flexible manufacturing systems using, colored Petri net and genetic algorithm

A method is presented for the robust design of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) that undergo the forecasted product plan variations. The resource allocation and the operation schedule of a FMS are modeled as a colored Petri net and an associated transition firing sequence. The robust design of the colored Petri net model is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem that simultaneously minimizes the production costs under multiple production plans (batch sizes for all jobs), and the reconfiguration cost due to production plan changes. A genetic algorithm, coupled with the shortest imminent operation time (SIO) dispatching rule, is used to simultaneously find the near-optimal resource allocation and the event-driven schedule of a colored Petri net. The resulting Petri net is then compared with the Petri nets optimized for a particular production plan in order to address the effectiveness of the robustness optimization. The simulation results suggest that the proposed robustness optimization scheme should be considered when the products are moderately different in their job specifications so that optimizing for a particular production plan creates inevitably bottlenecks in product flow and/or deadlock under other production plans.
A Review of "Library 3.0: Intelligent Libraries and Apomediation"

The role of librarians and libraries has been in question since the advent of the Information Age. New technologies have made access to and retrieval of information easier and faster for individual...
Mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy in canine volume overload

This study tested whether the modest hypertrophy that develops in dogs in response to mitral regurgitation is due to a relatively small change in the rate of protein synthesis or, alternatively, is due to a decreased rate of protein degradation. After 3 mo of severe experimental mitral regurgitation, the left ventricular (LV) mass-to-body weight ratio increased by 23% compared with baseline values. This increase in LV mass occurred with a small, but not statistically significant, increase in the fractional rate of myosin heavy chain (MHC) synthesis (Ks), as measured using continuous infusion with [3H]leucine in dogs at 2 wk, 4 wk, and 3 mo after creation of severe mitral regurgitation. Translational efficiency was unaffected by mitral regurgitation as measured by the distribution of MHC mRNA in polysome gradients. Furthermore, there was no detectable increase in translational capacity as measured by either total RNA content or the rate of ribosome formation. These data indicate that translational mechanisms that accelerate the rate of cardiac protein synthesis are not responsive to the stimulus of mitral regurgitation. Most of the growth after mitral regurgitation was accounted for by a decrease in the fractional rate of protein degradation, calculated by subtracting fractional rates of protein accumulation at each time point from the corresponding Ks values. We conclude that 1) volume overload produced by severe mitral regurgitation does not trigger substantial increases in the rate of protein synthesis and 2) the modest increase in LV mass results primarily from a decrease in the rate of protein degradation.
Is a community still a community? Reviewing definitions of key terms in community ecology

Community ecology is an inherently complicated field, confounded by the conflicting use of fundamental terms. Nearly two decades ago, Fauth et al. (1996) demonstrated that imprecise language led to the virtual synonymy of important terms and so attempted to clearly define four keywords in community ecology; "community," "assemblage," "guild," and "ensemble". We revisit Fauth et al.'s conclusion and discuss how the use of these terms has changed over time since their review. An updated analysis of term definition from a selection of popular ecological textbooks suggests that definitions have drifted away from those encountered pre-1996, and slightly disagreed with results from a survey of 100 ecology professionals (comprising of academic professors, nonacademic PhDs, graduate and undergraduate biology students). Results suggest that confusion about these terms is still widespread in ecology. We conclude with clear suggestions for definitions of each term to be adopted hereafter to provide greater cohesion among research groups.
Vancomycin-associated acute kidney injury in pediatric cardiac intensive care patients.

Objective Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant source of morbidity among critically ill pediatric patients, including those that have undergone cardiac surgery. Vancomycin may contribute to AKI in pediatric patients admitted to a cardiac intensive care unit. Design and Setting Patients admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit at Texas Children's Hospital and received vancomycin over a 4-year period were included in a case-control study. Patients were excluded if they underwent renal replacement therapy during vancomycin therapy. Patient demographic and disease state variables, vancomycin therapy variables, and use of other nephrotoxic medications were collected. The overall incidence of AKI was calculated based on doubling of serum creatinine during or within 72 hours of vancomycin therapy (vancomycin-associated AKI [vAKI]). Patients who developed vAKI were matched with three patients who did not develop vAKI, and conditional logistic regression was used to determine independent risk factors for vAKI. Results A total of 418 patients met study criteria (males 57.8%) and infants (31 days to 2 years) were the most populous age group (48.6%). Vancomycin-associated AKI occurred in 30 patients (7.2%), which resulted in a total of 120 patients (30 cases; 90 controls). No significant differences were noted in vancomycin dosing between groups. Vancomycin-associated AKI patients were less likely to have undergone cardiac surgery (P < .05), more likely to have undergone extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (P < .05), and had greater exposure to nephrotoxic medications (P < .05). A conditional logistic regression model identified extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as associated with vAKI (odds ratio 14.4, 95% confidence interval 1.02–203, P = .048) and patients with prior cardiovascular surgery (odds ratio 0.10, 95% confidence interval 0.02–0.51, P < .01) or an elevated baseline serum creatinine (odds ratio 0.009, 95% confidence interval 0.0002–0.29, P < .01) as less likely to develop vAKI. Conclusions Vancomycin-associated AKI occurs infrequently in the pediatric cardiac intensive care population and is strongly associated with patient critical illness.
Far from the Heart: Counteracting coagulation

Basic research on the mechanisms of blood coagulation and the inflammatory response during tissue damage has revealed new potential targets for antithrombotic drugs. In 'Bench to Bedside', Charles T. Esmon examines three such studies, which offer the possibility of developing badly needed drugs that could block thrombosis without increasing the risk of hemorrhage. Esmon also raises the possibility that the new research could help explain why distal injury may contribute to protection of organs such as the heart, a process called 'remote conditioning'. In 'Bedside to Bench', Christian Weber takes a closer look at a clinical trial of remote ischemic conditioning, involving intermittent periods of occlusion and reperfusion on the arm. He examines evidence that cross-talk between cytokine and opioid receptors may underlie the effectiveness of this technique in protecting the heart from damage.
Position-related injury is uncommon in robotic gynecologic surgery

Abstract Objective To assess the rate and risk factors for position-related injury in robotic gynecologic surgery. Methods A prospective database from 12/2006 to 1/2014 of all planned robotic gynecologic procedures was retrospectively reviewed for patients who experienced neurologic injury, musculoskeletal injury, or vascular compromise related to patient positioning in the operating room. Analysis was performed to determine risk-factors and incidence for position-related injury. Results Of the 831 patients who underwent robotic surgery during the study time period, only 7 (0.8%) experienced positioning-related injury. The injuries included minor head contusions ( n =3), two lower extremity neuropathies ( n =2), brachial plexus injury ( n =1) and one large subcutaneous ecchymosis on the left flank and thigh ( n =1). There were no long term sequelae from the positioning-related injuries. The only statistically significant risk factor for positioning-related injury was prior abdominal surgery ( P =0.05). There were no significant associations between position-related injuries and operative time ( P =0.232), body mass index ( P =0.847), age ( P =0.152), smoking history ( P =0.161), or medical comorbidities ( P =0.229–0.999). Conclusions The incidence of position-related injury among women undergoing robotic surgery was extremely low (0.8%). Due to the low incidence we were unable to identify modifiable risk factors for position-related injury following robotic surgery. A standardized, team-oriented approach may significantly decrease position-related injuries following robotic gynecologic surgery.
Affinity binding on argon plasma-immobilized biotinylated phospholipids

Dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and N-biotinyl-dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (bDOPE) were covalently bonded to polystyrene surfaces by exposure to argon radio frequency (RF) plasmas. Characterization by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) for P-, N- and O-contents revealed net increases in oxygen species, but no significant changes in P/N ratios due to the different plasma treatments. Plasma-immobilized bDOPE was shown to bind avidin by affinity interactions. Nonspecific adsorption of avidin was comparable on plasma-immobilized DOPC and bDOPE-DOPC mixed-lipid coatings.
Engaging with Molecular Form to Understand Function

Understanding the relationship between form and function is critical for appreciating biology at the molecular level. This feature explores online materials that connect molecular structures with their functional relevance.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PANCREAS OF THE RAT EMBRYO IN VITRO: ISLETS AND ACINI.

Developing pancreases from embryos of thirteen and one-half to seventeen and one-half days were placed on rayon grids and cultivated on a liquid medium of cock serum and chick embryo extract for periods of two to ten days. The cultures were incubated at 37°C in air supplemented by controlled oxygen and carbon dioxide. Pancreatic islets develop well in organ culture. This process usually involves increases in the size of islets and in the number of cells per islet, and sometimes involves an increase in the number of islets. The rate of morphogenesis of islets is variable: slower than that in normal controls during equal time in days (most cases) or equal to it (several cases) or faster than it (few cases). The development of islets includes the formation of granulated beta cells (many cases). The beta cells may reach stages as advanced as those in normal pancreases of postnatal day 3 (few cases). The existence of granulated beta cells in cultures from explants too young to have them constitutes convincing morphologic evidence of the production of insulin or pre-insulin during the periods of culture. The development of acini in organ culture includes the formation of them from pancreatic primordia with no acini and the appearance of zymogen granules in the acinar cytoplasm. The morphogenesis may reach stages as advanced as those in normal pancreases of prenatal day nineteen and one-half (several cases).
A generalization of Cochran's procedure for the combining of r×c contingency tables*

Cochran [3] derives a test of association when k 2 × 2 contingency tables are combined. We show in this paper how to extend Cochran's test to the combining of k r×c contingency tables using a multiple comparison technique similar to the one presented by Dunn [4]. An example is included.
History of Solid Organ Transplantation and Organ Donation

Solid organ transplantation is one of the most remarkable and dramatic therapeutic advances in medicine during the past 60 years. This field has progressed initially from what can accurately be termed a "clinical experiment" to routine and reliable practice, which has proven to be clinically effective, life-saving and cost-effective. This remarkable evolution stems from a serial confluence of: cultural acceptance; legal and political evolution to facilitate organ donation, procurement and allocation; technical and cognitive advances in organ preservation, surgery, immunology, immunosuppression; and management of infectious diseases. Some of the major milestones of this multidisciplinary clinical science are reviewed in this article.
Effect of parental exposure to trenbolone and the brominated flame retardant BDE-47 on fertility in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

We exposed sexually maturing male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to BDE-47 (a polybrominated diphenyl ether) and female rainbow trout to trenbolone (an anabolic steroid). Male trout were orally exposed for 17 days to 55 microg/kg/day BDE-47 and female trout continuously exposed for 60-77 days to a measured trenbolone water concentration of 35 ng/L. After the exposure, eggs and semen were collected and in vitro fertilization trials performed using a sperm:egg ratio of 300,000:1. In the BDE-47 study, eggs from control females were fertilized with semen from exposed males, while in the trenbolone study, eggs from exposed females were fertilized with semen from control males. All treatments were evaluated at two-three early developmental time-points representing first cleavage (0.5 day), embryonic keel (9 days), and eyed stages (19 days), respectively. The results indicated that BDE-47 exposure did not alter fertility as embryonic survival was similar between control and exposed groups. Trenbolone exposure also did not alter embryo survival. However, in the embryos fertilized with eggs from trenbolone exposed females, a noticeable delay in developmental progress was observed. On day 19 when eye development is normally complete, the majority of the embryos either lacked eyes or displayed under-developed eyes, in contrast to control embryos. This finding suggests steroidal androgen exposure in sexually maturing female rainbow trout can impact developmental timing of F1 offspring.
Studies on the metabolism of thymine and 6-azathymine

Abstract The administration of 6-azathymine to the mouse led to the urinary elimination not only of free azathymine, but also of various metabolites of it. Of these metabolites, two have been identified: (a) the ribonucleoside, (b) a side-chain oxidation product of azathymine, tentatively identified as 5-hydroxymethyl-6-azauracil (6-hydroxymethyl as -triazine-3:5-(2H:4H)-dione). Other metabolic derivatives of azathymine were produced, but their nature has not been established conclusively. The administration of azathymine also resulted in the excretion of relatively large amounts of free uracil. Following the administration of 6-azathymine-5- 14 C to mice, radioactivity was found in all tissues investigated, not only in the form of free azathymine, but also as metabolic derivatives. A study of the influence of mouse liver slices or homogenates on radioactive azathymine and thymine indicated that each of these compounds is converted to the corresponding ribonucleoside and, to a lesser degree, to the analogous 2'-deoxyribonucleoside.
Compressive Quantum Sensing

We use compressive sensing to measure hitherto difficult quantum signals, high-dimensional entanglement and quantum images.
Trauma Induced Complete Sinonasal Separation and Subsequent Frontoethmoid Mucocele Formation

She was initially treated with intravenous antibiotics and quickly defervesced, but recurred when transitioned to oral antibiotics. Given the refractory nature of her disease the decision was made for surgical intervention. Using a combined endoscopic and extended lynch incision approach, an artificial drainage pathway was successfully created to the nasal cavity. Initially intraoperative endoscopic examination revealed no identifiable landmarks. Correlating the intra-operative findings with the most recent CT scan, a connection between the frontal sinus and nasal cavity was made using transillumination from above and below. A #4.5 endotracheal tube sutured to the nasal septum was utilized to stent the neonasofrontal duct. (figure 5) The patient did well post-operatively and was seen in clinic prior to discharge. The nasal stent was cleaned and irrigated, and confirmed to be in good position. She was discharged on POD# 4. On returning for follow up visit at 6 weeks, the stent was noted to have fallen out. She is currently 7 months post operative and continues to do well.
Uses for evolutionary trees

The general impression of molecular evolution is often that one sequences a gene from a number of organisms and infers the evolutionary relations of the organisms. Indeed, if the sequences turn out to be orthologous and the data robust, one will get a phylogeny (tree) depicting those historical relations. But what one really obtains is a gene tree (I shall henceforth assume that the data are robust; that is another problem) and the biological messages implicit in that tree can be quite various. This article lists a number of those messages that one may have or may wish to look for.
Differential contributions of vision and proprioception to movement accuracy

We examined the relative roles of visual and proprioceptive information about initial hand position on movement accuracy. A virtual reality environment was employed to dissociate visual information about hand position from the actual hand position. Previous studies examining the effects of such dissociations on perception of hand location have indicated a bias toward the visually displayed position. However, an earlier study, which employed optical prisms to dissociate visual and proprioceptive information prior to targeted movements, suggested a bias in movement direction toward that defined by the actual hand position. This implies that visual and proprioceptive information about hand position may be differentially employed for perceptual judgments and movement planning, respectively. We now employ a virtual reality environment to systematically manipulate the visual display of the hand start position from the actual hand position during movements made to a variety of directions. We asked whether subjects would adjust their movements in accord with the virtual or the actual hand location. Subjects performed a series of baseline movements toward one of three targets in each of three blocks of trials. Interspersed among these trials were "probe" trials in which the cursor location, but not the hand location, was displaced relative to the baseline start position. In all cases, cursor feedback was blanked at movement onset. Our findings indicated that subjects systematically adjusted the direction of movement in accord with the virtual, not the actual, start location of the hand. These findings support the hypothesis that visual information about hand position predominates in specifying movement direction.
Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese from Condensed Milk. 3. Accelerated Ripening

Abstract Reduced fat Cheddar cheeses were manufactured from control uncondensed milk (10.27% total solids) and condensed milks containing 15.40, 18.33, and 22.23% total solids. Three ripening treatments were applied to the cheeses: control, 6 to 7°C; elevated temperature, 11°C; and enzyme added, 6 to 7°C. The cheeses were ripened for up to 12 wk. Soluble nitrogen production was slower in the condensed milk cheeses. Condensed milk cheeses were drier and had crumbly body with increasing milk concentration. Elevated ripening temperatures increased the rate of proteolysis in the cheeses, and cheeses developed surface crystals and off-flavor at 12 wk of age. Addition of lyophilized protease and lipase enzymes derived from Aspergillus oryzae increased rates of proteolysis and lipolysis, but rancidity developed between 8 and 12 wk of age. The protease increased the rate of β -casein hydrolysis. Condensed milk cheeses had more Cheddar flavor than the control cheese.
Toward customer-usable all-optical networks

Although all-optical networks were being thought about almost ten years ago, until recently it would have been premature to talk about such networks as being truly usable. Now, ways of removing most of the roadblocks to practicality have come clearly into view. It is generally agreed that time-division packet switching in the form of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) is likely to constitute the next generation of networking, both local and wide area; but what about the generation after that? While people are evolving SONET/ATM, the present Internet, and such emerging ambitions as the National Information Infrastructure (NII), in order to serve the needs anticipated for the next decade, optical fiber is being steadily installed at a rate of 700 miles per day in the United States alone. Furthermore, this resource is being extended steadily outward from the telco or cable provider backbone into customer premises, so that within the lifetime of the ATM generation, we may expect extremely rich fiber connectivity of a large number of homes and offices. >
Aggregation Behavior of Indomethacin, Cholic Acid & POPC

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly used class of drugs for the treatment of inflammation, fever and pain. One of their major side effects, especially if used chronically, is ulceration and bleeding of the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It has been reported that NSAIDs cause surface injury by perturbing the integrity of membranes of the intestinal mucosa which can be abrogated by phosphatidylcholine (PC). Moreover, it has been shown that the toxic effect of NSAIDs to the lower gut is related to the presence of bile acid, suggesting that the mixture, not NSAID alone, constitutes the agent that destabilizes lower-gut membranes in a COX-independent manner. Several biochemical studies further indicated that NSAIDs form mixed micelles with bile salts. NSAIDs may also alter the physiological balance of bile acids and phospholipids in the lumen of the small intestine. In order to understand the molecular mechanism by which NSAIDs form mixed micelles with bile salts, and to understand how NSAID-bile salt interaction might be modulated by phospholipids, we studied the binary and ternary mixtures of indomethacin (one of the most commonly used NSAIDs), cholate (a bile salt) and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) lipid in a various molar ratios. Initial results from extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the binary mixtures have distinct aggregation behaviors and morphology than the ternary mixtures, providing clues about the physical basis for the toxicity of NSAID/Cholic Acid mixtures and how this might be modulated by phospholipids.
Multispectral laser radar development and target characterization

We investigate the phenomenology and modeling for the development of an active multispectral laser radar (LADAR) sensor to image and identify ground targets in the 1 to 5 micrometers wavelength region. This sensor will be especially useful in high clutter situations or situations where the target is partially concealed. A continuously tunable optical parametric oscillator using a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) nonlinear optical crystal is investigated as a candidate light source for the sensor. A 1 micrometers Nd:YAG laser was frequency shifted in PPLN to produce continuously tunable output between 1.35 to 5 micrometers wavelengths and signal output energy of up to 3.3 mJ in a 3 ns pulse. A tunable monostatic reflectometer system is fabricate for the measurement of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function of the LADAR target materials A method or band selection is formulated and tested using library reflectance spectra. Results of this work will be used for tower based imaging of different targets in cluttered backgrounds at ranges out to 3 km.
Current health and preferences for life-prolonging treatments: An application of prospect theory to end-of-life decision making

As a substantial body of research attests, the acceptability of life-prolonging treatment (e.g., tube feeding) tends to be greater among people in worse health than among healthier ones. Because a decision for or against a life-prolonging treatment represents a choice between two prospects-life (usually in poor health) and death-we propose a decision model, Prospect Theory, as a theoretical account of this phenomenon. Prospect Theory postulates that pairs of distant prospects are less distinguishable than pairs of closer ones. Thus, to healthy individuals, the prospects of death and life in poor health would both be remote, and therefore, the distinction between them, small. To less healthy individuals, however, the difference between the same pairs of prospects would appear greater, and therefore, life-prolonging treatment may be more acceptable. In a cross-sectional study of 304 community-dwelling people, aged 60 years and over in the Philadelphia area, USA, preferences for 4 life-prolonging treatments in 9 health scenarios were examined in relation to participants' current health, operationalized as number of deficits in physical functioning. As predicted, less healthy people expressed stronger preferences for all life-prolonging treatments compared with healthier ones, with differences greatest in the worse-health scenarios. Preferences also varied by health scenario, with any treatment preferred in the better health scenarios. Treatment preferences did not differ by type of treatment, depressed mood or any demographic characteristic except race, with African-Americans expressing stronger treatment preferences. Implications for advance care planning are discussed.
Metal and Mineral Concentrations in Lungs of Bituminous Coal Miners

Abstract The concentrations of metals and minerals in lungs of bituminous coal miners are the subject of a continuing study that includes gravimetric determinations of coal and total dust, chemical determinations of free silica, and quantitative spectrographic analyses of metallic and other elemental constituents. The free silica and the elemental constituents of the residual mineral deposits were determined by phosphoric acid and quantitative emission spectrographic methods, respectively.
Clinical assessment of three-dimensional ultrasound prostate localization for external beam radiotherapy.

Three-dimensional ultrasound localization has been performed for external beam prostate treatments at our institution since September 2001. This article presents data from the daily shifts for 221 patients and 5005 fractions, and the results of tests performed to assess the system's performance under clinical conditions. Three tests are presented: (1) To measure the accuracy of the shifts, eight patients treated on a helical tomotherapy machine were localized daily using both ultrasound (US) and a megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) scan. Comparison of the shifts showed that US localization improved alignment for six of the eight patients when compared to alignment using skin marks alone. The mean US-MVCT vector for these six patients was 3.1{+-}1.3 mm, compared to 5.1{+-}2.1 mm between the MVCT and the skin marks. The other two patients were identified as poor candidates for US prior to their first treatment fraction. (2) To assess the extent of intrafraction motion, US localization was repeated after treatment for six patients and a total of 29 fractions. The mean intrafraction prostate shift was 1.9{+-}1.0 mm, and the shift was within the 3 mm localization uncertainty [Tome et al., Med. Phys. 29, 1781-1788 (2002); in New Technologies in Radiotion Oncology, edited by W.more » Schlegel, T. Bortfelde, and A. Grosu (Springer, Berlin, 2005)] of the system for 25 of 29 fractions. (3) To assess the interuser variation in shifts, four experienced operators independently localized five patients for five consecutive fractions. The standard deviation of the users' shifts was found to be approximately the same as the system's localization uncertainty. For shifts larger than the system localization uncertainty, the standard deviation of the users' shifts was nearly always much smaller than the mean shift. Taken together with the results of the US-MVCT comparison, this indicates that the shifts improved patient localization despite differences between users.« less
Commentary on “Idiographic Filters for Psychological Constructs”

This is a very interesting and important proposal for an alternative definition of measurement equivalence. In what follows, I will consider operational and conceptual aspects of the proposal. Defi...
Evolution of Die Stress and Delamination During Thermal Cycling of Flip Chip Assemblies

Underfill encapsulation is used with flip chip die assembled to laminate substrates to distribute and minimize the solder joint strains, thus improving thermal cycling fatigue life. Any delaminations that occur at the underfill/die interface will propagate to the neighboring solder bumps and lead to solder joint fatigue and failure. The onset and propagation of delaminations in flip chip assemblies exposed to thermal cycling are governed by the cyclic stresses and damage occurring at the underfill to die interface. For this reason, underfills are optimized by increasing their adhesion strength, interfacial fracture toughness, and resistance to thermal aging. In this work, we have sought to develop a fundamental understanding of delamination initiation and growth in flip chip assemblies through simultaneous characterization of the stress and delamination states at the die to underfill interface. Mechanical stresses on the device side of the flip chip die have been measured using special (111) silicon stress test chips containing piezoresistive sensor rosettes that are capable of measuring the complete three-dimensional silicon surface stress state in the silicon (including the interfacial shear and normal stresses at the die to underfill interface). By continuous monitoring of the sensor resistances, the die surface stresses were measured during post-assembly thermal cycling environmental testing from −40 to 125 C. With this approach, the stress distributions across the chip, and the stress variations at particular locations at the die to underfill interface have been interrogated for the entire life of the flip chip assembly. In order to correlate the stress changes at the sensor sites with delamination onset and propagation, CSAM evaluation of the test assemblies was performed after every 125 thermal cycles. A total of 75 flip chip assemblies with 3 different underfills have been evaluated. For each assembly, the complete histories of three-dimensional die surface stresses and delamination propagation have been recorded versus the number of thermal cycles. Through these measurements, we have been able to identify the stress histories that lead to delamination initiation for each underfill encapsulant, and the variation of the stresses that occur before and during delamination propagation. The progressions of stress and delamination have been mapped across the entire surface of the die, and a series of stress/delamination videos have been produced. One of the most important discoveries is that the shear stresses occurring at the corners of flip chip die have been demonstrated to be a suitable proxy for prognostic determination of future delamination initiations and growth.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Modeling Incidental Findings in Radiology Records

Information loss can occur between radiologists and patients with regard to incidental findings (unexpected or uncertain results) in the interpretation of an image. When a healthcare provider fails to inform a patient of a potential medical issue, quality of care is decreased and medical-legal issues arise. We discuss issues in modeling incidental findings in clinical records, examine available machine learning inputs, and propose a clinical text analysis system using weighted syntactic matching and user feedback learning. To demonstrate that our proposal would support better quality of care at lower cost than prior process-based solutions, we evaluate a prototype system on a gold-standard set of 580 records, yielding 82% sensitivity and 92% specificity, as compared with 43% sensitivity and 100% specificity for an existing manual review process.
Effect of Porosity on Physical Properties of Sintered Alumina

Porous structures having a continuous solid phase with isolated pores were prepared by the addition of different amounts of crushed naphthalene to an alumina casting slip. Samples of from 5 to 50% porosity were fired together for comparable grain development, eliminating structural variables except porosity. Effects of porosity and temperature on strength, elastic modulus, modulus of rigidity, and coefficient of thermal expansion were investigated. Effects of porosity on thermal stress resistance and tor-sional creep properties were studied at constant temperature.