cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Densification and residual stress induced by CO2 laser-based mitigation of SiO2 surfaces

Knowing the ultimate surface morphology resulting from CO2 laser mitigation of induced laser damage is important both for determining adequate treatment protocols, and for preventing deleterious intensification upon subsequent illumination of downstream optics. Physical effects such as evaporation, viscous flow and densification can strongly affect the final morphology of the treated site. Evaporation is a strong function of temperature and will play a leading role in determining pit shapes when the evaporation rate is large, both because of material loss and redeposition. Viscous motion of the hot molten material during heating and cooling can redistribute material due to surface tension gradients (Marangoni effect) and vapor recoil pressure effects. Less well known, perhaps, is that silica can densify as a result of structural relaxation, to a degree depending on the local thermal history. The specific volume shrinkage due to structural relaxation can be mistaken for material loss due to evaporation. Unlike evaporation, however, local density change can be reversed by post annealing. All of these effects must be taken into account to adequately describe the final morphology and optical properties of single and multiple-pass mitigation protocols. We have investigated, experimentally and theoretically, the significance of such densification on residual stress and under what circumstances it can compete with evaporation in determining the ultimate post treatment surface shape. In general, understanding final surface configurations requires taking all these factors including local structural relaxation densification, and therefore the thermal history, into account. We find that surface depressions due to densification can dominate surface morphology in the non-evaporative regime when peak temperatures are below 2100K.
Karyotypic abnormalities and clinical aspects of patients with multiple myeloma and related paraproteinemic disorders

Karyotypic abnormalities were detected in the malignant cells of 6 of 18 patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Six patients with benign monoclonal gammopathy, one with amyloidosis of immunoglobulin origin, and two with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia had normal karyotypes. All six MM patients with aneuploidy were in a group of 10 patients in an accelerated or relapse phase of their disease and four had high serum paraprotein levels (7.92, 6.24, 6.80, and 4.24 g/dl, respectively) when their abnormal karyotypes were detected. Five of the 6 MM patients with aneuploidy had received prior chemotherapy. Aneuploidy was not observed in 8 stable MM patients. Abnormalities of chromosome 14 were present in all 6 patients, with a 14q+ marker in 5 and loss of No. 14 in 1. A translocation between Nos. 11 and 14 was found in aneuploid cells of 2 patients who had plasma cell leukemia (PCL). However, the break point in the long arm of No. 11 differed in the 2 patients. A gain of Nos. 5, 9, and 11 was seen in 3 patients, a gain of No 1 in 2, and rearrangements of No. 1 in 5 MM patients, including all 4 who had a 14q+ marker chromosome initially. A deletion of chromosome 6 at band q25 was detected in 2 MM patients and a pericentric inversion of No. 6 (6p21 to 6q13) was seen in the patient with PCL. Three of 4 MM patients had a nonrandom loss of one chromosome 8. Two other MM patients, who were treated with melphalan and prednisone, developed acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) 2+ and 4+ years after the diagnosis of MM. Marrow cells of one patient showed a 5q- chromosome and a constitutional translocation involving Nos. 13 and 14 during the preleukemic stage; during the leukemic phase, the karyotype evolved to 50 chromosomes including extra chromosomes 1, 6, 8, 10, and 21 and a missing 7, in addition to the originally detected 5q- and the 13/14 translocation. The peripheral blood from the other patient was hypodiploid, with a missing chromosome 7 and a translocation between 3q and 9p. These patterns of chromosome change resemble those of ANLL rather than MM and are similar to the changes seen in ANLL after treated malignant lymphoma.
Febrile seizures: Emergency department diagnosis and treatment

Febrile seizures are a common problem. Simple febrile seizures usually occur in otherwise normal children and are brief, generalized, and relatively benign. First febrile seizures should be evaluated by a physician to rule out serious underlying disease. A careful history and thorough physical exam are essential. Routine laboratory evaluation of simple febrile seizures is seldom helpful. Other laboratory tests to determine the source of fever or cause of seizures should be obtained when specifically indicated. Although the threshold for performing a lumbar puncture should be low, it is not mandatory to obtain one in every case of simple febrile seizures. Treatment of most simple febrile seizures consists of fever control and parental counseling. Chronic anticonvulsant therapy should be limited to special circumstances.
Protein-Protein Interactions Mediate Mitochondrial Cholesterol Transport and Steroid Biosynthesis

Transport of cholesterol into the mitochondria is the rate-determining, hormone-sensitive step in steroid biosynthesis. Here we report that the mechanism underlying mitochondrial cholesterol transport involves the formation of a macromolecular signaling complex composed of the outer mitochondrial membrane translocator protein (TSPO), previously known as peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor; the TSPO-associated protein PAP7, which binds and brings to mitochondria the regulatory subunit RIalpha of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKARIalpha); and the hormone-induced PKA substrate, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). Hormone treatment of MA-10 Leydig cells induced the co-localization of TSPO, PAP7, PKARIalpha, and StAR in mitochondria, visualized by confocal microscopy, and the formation in living cells of a high molecular weight multimeric complex identified using photoactivable amino acids. The hormone-induced recruitment of exogenous TSPO in this complex was found to parallel the increased presence of 7-azi-5alpha-cholestan-3beta-ol in the samples. Co-expression of Tspo, Pap7, PkarIalpha, and Star genes resulted in the stimulation of steroid formation in both steroidogenic MA-10 and non-steroidogenic COS-F2-130 cells that were engineered to metabolize cholesterol. Disruption of these protein-protein interactions and specifically the PKARIalpha-PAP7 and PAP7-TSPO interactions, using PAP7 mutants where the N0 area homologous to dual A-kinase-anchoring protein-1 or the acyl-CoA signature motif were deleted or using the peptide Ht31 known to disrupt the anchoring of PKA, inhibited both basal and hormone-induced steroidogenesis. These results suggest that the initiation of cAMP-induced protein-protein interactions results in the formation of a multivalent scaffold in the outer mitochondrial membrane that mediates the effect of hormones on mitochondrial cholesterol transport and steroidogenesis.
Porosity and consolidation limits of sediments and Gassmann's Elastic‐Wave Equation

The elastic framework properties of sediments relate to porosity. Porosity relates to the state of consolidation of sediments. The full range of quasi-static, elastic moduli vs porosity behavior can be incorporated into Gassmann's [1951] equations. I review the Atterberg [1911] limits to establish a basis for discussing the precompaction porosity, ф0, which corresponds approximately to the Atterberg plastic limit. This porosity is about 0.36–0.40 for sands and sandstones. The ratio of the dry-frame moduli to the effective mineral moduli is (1−ф/ф0). I incorporate this ratio into Gassmann's equations, which operate from 0 ≤ ф ≤ ф0, when sediments have a solid elastic frame. For ф s> ф0, when sediments no longer have a solid elastic frame, Gassmann's equations reduce to Reuss' [1929] isostress average for the solid-fluid mixture.
Noninvasive diagnosis of extracranial cerebrovascular disease: Oculoplethysmography‐phonoangiography and directional Doppler ultrasonography

The ability of two noninvasive diagnostic methods—oculoplethysmography-carotid phonoangiography (OPG/CPA) and directional Doppler ultrasonography—to detect extracranial cerebrovascular disease was examined in 400 consecutive studies. Cerebral arteriography was performed in 74 patients. Transient ischemic attack was the most common indication for study (30 percent). The OPG was normal in 95 percent of cases in which the diameter of the lumen of the internal carotid artery (ICA) was less than 60 percent reduced; the ocular pulse was delayed in 86 percent of cases with ICA stenosis of 60 percent or more. The overall diagnostic accuracy of OPG was 93 percent; CPA did not enhance the accuracy of OPG alone. Supraorbital Doppler tests detected 88 percent of cases of ICA stenosis of 60 percent or more, but there was a 13 percent false-positive rate with ICA stenosis of less than 60 percent. Supratrochlear Doppler tests had only a 1 percent false-positive rate, but detected only 48 percent of significant ICA stenoses. Doppler studies were most often abnormal in the presence of ICA occlusion. Thus, OPG was as sensitive as supraorbital Doppler and more sensitive than supratrochlear Doppler in detecting hemodynamically significant ICA stenoses, without the unacceptable false-positive rate observed with the supraorbital Doppler test.
The collaborative curriculum at the school without walls: Empowering students for classroom learning

Various research and writings are used to frame a major issue in U.S. schooling: Our schools apparently do little to change power relations between the students of our elite families and those of the minorities and of low socioeconomic status (SES). The authors use situated cognition as an instructional strategy; curriculum designed for depth—not coverage; and student responsibility and choice as a theoretic rationale for a collaborative curriculum design in which power is shared by teachers and students to provide equal educational opportunity. After setting the organizational context at a School Without Walls (SWW), a public, urban high school in Rochester, New York, the authors describe how such a collaborative curriculum works. Data both from SWW student outcomes and from a national study on school restructuring are employed to support the efficacy of this collaborative curriculum in providing a schoolwide, student-centered context and equal opportunity for students.
Exploring the behaviour of neural network software quality models

In the paper, we explore the behaviour of neural network software quality models. We select a multiple regression quality model from the principal components of software complexity metrics collected from a large commercial software system. We train two neural networks; one with the complete set of principal components and one with the set of components selected by multiple regression model selection. Comparisons of the three models, for two quality measures gathered from five related software systems, lead to a better understanding of neural network software quality models, and the relationship between software complexity metrics and software quality metrics.
Continuous myonuclear addition to single extraocular myofibers in uninjured adult rabbits.

Extraocular muscles (EOM) are unique among mammalian skeletal muscles in that they normally express molecules associated with muscle development and regeneration. In this study we show that satellite cells of EOM, unlike those of other skeletal muscles, continually divide in the normal, uninjured adult. Adult EOM contained activated satellite cells positive for the myogenic regulatory factor MyoD. EOM satellite cells did not require a prolonged activation period prior to onset of cell division and differentiation in vitro. EOM satellite cells incorporated bromodeoxyuridine (brdU), a marker for cell division, and with longer postlabeling survival, brdU-labeled nuclei populated EOM myofibers. This was not seen with leg muscle. These findings suggest the possibility that continual division of satellite cells and fusion of their daughter myocytes with existing adult EOM myofibers contribute to the unique sparing or susceptibility of EOM to certain muscle diseases.
Dose deformation-invariance in adaptive prostate radiation therapy: implication for treatment simulations.

Abstract Purpose To investigate dose deformation-invariance in adaptive prostate radiation treatment. Methods A 19 patient prostate cancer-cohort with 8–13 CTs/patient is used. The 79.2Gy plans are developed on the reference image using seven 6 and 18MV intensity-modulated beams with identical RTOG 0126 objectives. Dose on the subsequent images is evaluated in two ways: (A1) Dose is recalculated on each image. (A2) The initially planned dose distribution is copied to each image. A2 assumes dose-invariance in the accelerator-coordinate-system. Effects of patient miss-alignment are simulated by 27 per-patient image shifts; 0 and ±10mm in left–right, anterior–posterior and superior–inferior directions. The per-voxel dose differences for each patient image, total accumulated patient dose, and dose–volume metrics (CTV-D98 and -D90, bladder- and rectum-D50, -D35, -D25 and -D15) are used to compare A1 and A2. Results The per-voxel mean percent difference in A1 and A2 dose over all patient images at 6MV is (0.01±1.56)% and at 18MV is (0.00±0.96)%. For 6MV and 18MV plans, the root-mean-square-percentage-error (RMSPE) in A2 over all patient image shifts are CTV-D98=0.94 and 0.55, CTV-D90=0.92 and 0.55, rectum-D50, -D35, -D25 and -D15=1.00, 0.96, 0.86, 0.80 and 0.84, 0.96, 0.92, 1.05; and bladder-D50, -D35, -D25, -D15=1.07, 0.88, 0.78, 0.72 and 1.61, 0.93, 0.67, 0.51. The dose differences are not correlated to the dice-similarity coefficients; with respective correlation-coefficients for CTV, rectum and bladder being −0.17, −0.17 and 0.081. Conclusions Assumption of shift- and deformation-invariant dose distributions on an average introduces
Effective properties of power-law solids containing elliptical inhomogeneities. Part II: Voids

Abstract The plane strain deformation of a power-law material containing a dispersion of randomly oriented elliptical voids is investigated. Constitutive relations are established first for solids containing a dilute concentration of voids. The essential step in the analysis is the solution for an isolated void, and this solution is obtained using a Ritz procedure developed in Part I of this investigation. In the procedure, trial displacement fields are derived using a displacement potential in elliptic-cylindrical coordinates, which allows the full range of void shapes from circular cylinders to cracks to be treated both accurately and efficiently. Approximate constitutive relations are then developed for nondilute concentrations of voids. For linearly elastic matrix materials, these relations are established using a differential self-consistent scheme, while for nonlinear matrix materials they are constructed using a procedure recently introduced by Ponte Castaneda (J. Mech. Phys. Solids (1991)). The accuracy of the approximate relations obtained with the latter procedure are assessed by specializing them to dilute concentrations of voids and comparing the resulting predictions with the accurate results obtained here.
Learning from Viruses: The Necrotic Bodies of Tumor Cells with Intracellular Synthetic dsRNA Induced Strong Anti-tumor Immune Responses

Purpose Coaxing dead tumor cells to induce specific immune responses is an attractive tumor therapy. However, there continues to be a need for adjuvants that can promote the cross-presentation of the dead tumor cells to induce specific anti-tumor response. Viral dsRNA has multiple mechanisms to promote the cross-presentation of viral antigens in virus-infected cells. We propose to learn from viruses by generating dead tumor cells having synthetic dsRNA delivered inside them to allow the dsRNA to promote the cross-presentation of dead tumor cells.
Efficient determination of spatial relations using composition tables and decision trees

In order for Qualitative Spatial Reasoning applications to be both useful and usable, the information feedback loop between the computational engine and the user must be as seamless as possible. Inherently, computational geometry can be quite expensive, and every effort must be made to avoid inefficient or unnecessary calculations. Within the field of Region Connection Calculi, the 9-Intersection model often is used to determine the spatial relation between two regions. Consequently, optimization efforts typically focus on calculations involving the intersections between the interiors, boundaries, and exteriors of the regions, or the use of composition tables to narrow down the possibilities for the relations that can hold between two regions. The few implementations of spatial reasoners that have been attempted have been simply proofs-of-concept and/or have been limited to two dimensions. Herein we present a novel approach that combines the use of composition tables and decision trees to efficiently determine the spatial relation between two objects in 3D considering both connectivity and obscuration. This approach has been fully implemented for the VRCC-3D+ spatial reasoning system, and benchmarks are included to corroborate our claims of efficiency.
Fruit flies of the subtribe Gastrozonina of Indonesia, New Guinea and the Bismarck and Solomon Islands (Diptera, Tephritidae, Trypetinae, Acanthonevrini)*

Thirty one genera [including Homoiothemara gen.n., Polyaroidea gen.n., Proepacrocerus gen.n. and 1 unnamed new(?) genus], 3 subgenera, 87 species [including 9 new species: Acrotaeniostola interrupta, Carpophthorella bivittata, Enicoptera gressitti, Homoiothemara eurycephala, Polyaroidea distincta, P. opposita, P. univittata, Proepacrocerus pallidoviridus and Xanthorrachis sabahensis and 6 unnamed new(?) species] and 1 subspecies are keyed and described or, if recently described elsewhere, only listed and additional data recorded. The following are new synonyms: Trypeta retorta Walker, Carpophthorella magnifica Hendel, Gastrozona bifasciata de Meijere and Gastrozona alboscutellata Enderlein =Carpophthorella nigrifascia Walker; Icteroptera van der Wulp =Sophira Walker; Sophira disjuncta Hardy =Sophira (Kambangania)ypsilon (Rondani); Curvinervis walkeri Hardy and Strumeta concisa Walker =Stymbara vagaria Walker; Carpophthorella scutellomaculata Hering =Xanthorrachis annandalei Bezzi. Proanoplomus cinereofasciatus (de Meijere) is a new combination and Spilocosmia kotoshoensis (Shiraki) is given new status.
Density measurements in a DC arcjet using scanned beam deflection tomography

We have demonstrated a scanned beam deflection technique, and applied this technique to imaging the free stream of a dc arcjet plasma plume. An acousto-optic deflector sweeps a HeNe beam transverse to the jet flow direction. A transform lens and split photodiode measure angular beam deflections produced by refractive index gradients in the arcjet plume. Line scans of beam deflection angle are collected at a 1 kHz sweep rate. Assuming axial symmetry, tomographic reconstruction is used convert the beam deflection data to refractive index. Multiple one-dimensional scans are stacked to produce two-dimensional refractive index images. Index of refraction is directly related to density for measurements in pure argon. Good images are obtained at chamber pressures as low as 4 Torr.Measurements were performed using both pure argon and argon/ hydrogen/methane mixtures in the arcjet reactor at a variety of reactor chamber pressures including conditions for diamond deposition. We found significant differences in the radial transport with chamber pressure and with feedstock composition. Comparison of index of refraction data with photographs of arcjet optical emission shows that the emission is not a good representation of the jet density. The simplicity and sensitivity of the scanned beam deflection technique may allow its use for process control when using arcjets for plasma deposition of material.
The role of the prostatic median lobe in urinary symptoms following photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP)

Introduction and Objective: Photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) remains a relatively new addition to our armamentarium of minimally invasive surgical treatments for symptomatic benign prostatic hypertrophy/enlargement. Early favorable reports of the safety and efficacy of PVP do not alleviate the need to investigate factors that may further improve the safety margin and efficacy outcomes of PVP in the management of symptomatic benign prostatic enlargement (BPE). Consequently, we investigated the role of enlarged or prominent intravesical median/middle lobe of the prostate in mediating urinary symptoms following PVP. Materials and Methods: Forty-one non-consecutive patients diagnosed with BPE were enrolled under an Institutional Review Board approved multi-center protocol at the Hunter McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, for PVP treatment using the 80W quasi-continuous wave KTP laser. Perioperative and postoperative complications/adverse events were assessed. Urodynamic parameters: AUA-SI, QOL, Qmax and PVR; and PSA were assessed at baseline, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Results: The forty-one patients were sub-stratified based on cystoscopic evidence of prominent median/middle lobe (n=17)(Study Group), and absence of median lobe (n = 24). Seven of seventeen (41.1%) patients with and 10/24 (41.7%) patients without median lobes experienced adverse urinary symptoms, which resolved within 7-8 months. All 41 patients have demonstrated significant improvements in urodynamic, that is, flow rates, post void residual volumes and clinical (QOL) outcome measures. Conclusion: Niagara Green Light PVP procedure did not result in heightened severity of voiding symptoms in those BPE patients with prominent intravesical median lobes.
Effects of pregnancy, oxytocin, ovine trophoblast protein-1 and their interactions on endometrial production of prostaglandin F2α in vitro in perifusion chambers

Pregnancy and intrauterine infusion of ovine trophoblast protein one (oTP-1) decrease oxytocin-induced secretion of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF) from the uterus. In the present study, effects of oTP-1 and pregnancy on endometrial secretion of PGF were examined in an in vitro perifusion system. In Experiment 1, endometrium from day 14 pregnant and cyclic ewes was perifused sequentially on both the lumenal and myometrial sides with Krebs Ringers Bicorbonate solution (KRB), KRB plus oxytocin (1 IU/ml) and KRB alone. Endometrium from pregnant ewes secreted more PGF from both lumenal and myometrial sides than endometrium from cyclic ewes (P less than 0.05). Oxytocin stimulated secretion of PGF from both sides of endometrium regardless of status. Secretion of PGF was greater from the lumenal surface of endometrium compared to myometrium (P less than 0.05) for pregnant and cyclic ewes. For Experiment 2, endometrium was collected from day 15 cyclic ewes and perifused sequentially with KRB, KRB plus 300 ng/ml of either Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) or oTP-1, KRB with or without BSA or oTP-1 plus oxytocin (1 IU/ml) and then KRB alone. Oxytocin stimulated greater release of PGF from oTP-1-treated than BSA-treated endometrium. Pretreatment of endometrium with oTP-1 had the same effect on oxytocin-induced PGF secretion as cotreatment with oTP-1 and oxytocin. In Experiment 3, uterine horns of cyclic ewes were catheterized on day 10 of the estrous cycle, and infused with either oTP-1 or day 16 pregnant sheep serum proteins on days 12, 13 and 14. Endometrium was collected on day 15 and perifused sequentially with KRB, KRB plus oxytocin (1 IU/ml) and then KRB alone. Treatment of ewes with oTP-1 attenuated endometrial secretion of PGF in response to oxytocin. Results of this study indicate that: (1) pregnancy stimulates basal secretion of PGF from endometrium and has no effect on oxytocin-induced secretion of PGF in vitro; (2) short-term oTP-1 treatment enhances oxytocin-induced PGF secretion from day 15 cyclic endometrium and (3) long-term oTP-1 treatment in vivo inhibits oxytocin-induced PGF secretion in ewes.
Laban Movement Analysis: Charting the Ineffable Domain of human Movement

(1995). Laban Movement Analysis: Charting the Ineffable Domain of human Movement. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 66, No. 2, pp. 27-30.
Lattice-matched GaNPAs-on-silicon tandem solar cells

A two-junction device consisting of a 1.7-eV GaNPAs junction on a 1.1 -eV silicon junction has the theoretical potential to achieve nearly optimal efficiency for a two-junction tandem cell. We have demonstrated a monolithic III-V-on-silicon tandem solar cell in which most of the III-V layers are nearly lattice-matched to the silicon substrate. The cell includes a 1.8 eV GaNPAs top cell, a GaP-based tunnel junction (TJ), and a diffused silicon junction formed during the epitaxial growth of GaNP on the silicon substrate. This tandem on silicon has a V/sub OC/ of 1.53 V and an AM1.5G efficiency of 5.2% without any antireflection coating. Low currents in the top cell are the primary limitation to higher efficiency at this point.
L 1 Adaptive Control for Indoor Autonomous Vehicles: Design Process and Flight Testing

Adaptive control techniques have the potential to address many of the special performance and robustness requirements of flight control for unmanned aerial vehicles. L1 adaptive control offers potential benefits in terms of performance and robustness. An L1 adaptive output feedback control design process is presented here in which control parameters are systematically determined based on intuitive desired performance and robustness metrics set by the designer. Flight test results verify the process for an indoor autonomous quadrotor helicopter, demonstrating that designer specifications correspond to the expected physical responses. In flight tests comparing it with the baseline linear controller, the augmented adaptive system shows definite performance and robustness improvements confirming the potential of L1 adaptive control as a useful tool for autonomous aircraft.
When the Hands Are Many: Community and Social Change in Rural Haiti

When the Hands Are Many: Community and Social Change in Rural Haiti. Jennie M. Smith. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2001. 229 pp.
Chemoselective probes for metabolite enrichment and profiling

Chemical probes that target classes of proteins based on shared functional properties have emerged as powerful tools for proteomics. The metabolome rivals, if not surpasses, the proteome in terms of size and complexity, suggesting that efforts to profile metabolites would also benefit from targeted technologies. Here we apply the principle of chemoselective probes to the metabolome, creating a general strategy to tag, enrich and profile large classes of small molecules from biological systems. Key to success was incorporation of a protease-cleavage step to release captured metabolites in a format compatible with liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. This technology, termed metabolite enrichment by tagging and proteolytic release (METPR), is applicable to small molecules of any physicochemical class, including polar, labile and low-mass (o100 Da) compounds. We applied METPR to profile changes in the thiol metabolome of human cancer cells treated with the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Understanding the metabolic and signaling networks that regulate health and disease is a principal goal of post-genomic research. The remarkable complexity of these biochemical pathways necessitates the integrated application of multiple molecular profiling methods to facilitate their discovery and annotation. Although a wealth of information has been gained from genomic 1 and proteomic 2 studies, they provide an incomplete picture of the molecular pathways that regulate cell physiology and pathology. To fully understand the composition and function of biochemical networks, analysis of the small-molecule complement of cells and tissues, commonly referred to as the metabolome, is essential 3,4 .
Changes in gait kinematics and lower back muscle activity post-radiofrequency denervation of the zygapophysial joint: a case study.

Abstract Background context Using diagnostic anesthetic blocks, the lumbar zygapophysial (facet) joint has been shown to be the primary cause of pain in approximately 15% of patients with chronic low back pain. Radiofrequency neurotomy (RFN) of the lumbar medial branch innervating the zygapophysial joint has been shown to provide a significant decrease in pain in patients selected by dual comparative anesthetic blocks, but quantitative improvements in mobility have not been fully elucidated. A theoretical concern with RFN is that the multifidus muscle, a stabilizing paraspinal muscle, is also denervated during this procedure, which may have adverse effects on mobility and spine stability. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine gait kinematics and muscle activity of the low back during treadmill walking both before and after RFN. Study design Case study. Patient sample One 33-year-old female, with 15 years of chronic left low back pain and a diagnosis of L4/L5 lumbar zygapophysial joint pain by dual comparative anesthetic blocks was studied. Outcome measures Self-reported measures of perceived pain and effort; in addition to physiologic measures of heart rate, gait kinematics and surface electromyography (EMG) activity of the multifidus and erector spinae muscles were collected before and after the procedure. Methods The participant walked for 15 consecutive minutes on a treadmill. The first and last 5-minute intervals were at a self-selected pace, and the middle 5-minute interval was at a 50% increase of the self-selected pace. Gait kinematics and lumbar paraspinal surface EMG activity were recorded during the last minute of each walking interval. Heart rate, perceived effort, and perceived pain were also collected at the end of each walking interval. Data were collected both 7 and 1 days before RFN, and on the following days post-RFN: 0, 8, 14, 28, and 58. Results Perceived effort did not change despite an increase in treadmill speed and heart rate. Pain decreased by 60% in the first two weeks and by 92% by 4 weeks post-RFN. There were also gradual positive changes in gait kinematics across all post-sessions and an immediate and sustained decrease in surface EMG activity over the left multifidus and erector spinae muscles following RFN. Conclusions The results of this pilot study are the first to show quantitative positive changes in gait and muscle activity post-RFN, suggesting that the relationship between this procedure and mobility warrant further investigation.
The Effect of HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors on Cognition in Patients With Alzheimer's Dementia: A Prospective Withdrawal and Rechallenge Pilot Study

Abstract Background Statins are well-known for their cardiovascular benefits. However, the cognitive effects of statins are not well understood. We hypothesized that individuals with preexisting dementia would be more vulnerable to statin-related cognitive effects. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact on cognition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl–coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin) discontinuation and rechallenge in individuals with Alzheimer's dementia (AD) on statins at baseline. Methods A 12-week prospective, open-label study was conducted in a geriatric clinic setting. Eighteen older subjects underwent a 6-week withdrawal phase of statins followed by a 6-week rechallenge. The primary outcome measure was cognition, measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); secondary outcome measures were the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) neuropsychological battery, Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, Instrumental ADL (IADL) scale, and fasting cholesterol. The change in outcome measures was assessed using repeated-measures ANOVA and paired t tests. Results At the end of the intervention, there was a significant difference across time for MMSE score ( P = 0.018), and total cholesterol ( P = 0.0002) and a trend toward change across time for ADL ( P = 0.07) and IADL ( P = 0.06) scale scores. Further analyses using paired t tests indicated improvement in MMSE scores (Δ1.9 [3.0], P = 0.014) with discontinuation of statins and a decrease in MMSE scores (Δ1.9 [2.7], P = 0.007) after rechallenge. Total cholesterol increased with statin discontinuation ( P = 0.0003) and decreased with rechallenge ( P = 0.0007). The CERAD score did not show a change across time ( P = 0.31). There was a trend toward improvement in ADL ( P = 0.07) and IADL ( P = 0.06) scale scores with discontinuation of statins, but no change with rechallenge. Conclusions This pilot study found an improvement in cognition with discontinuation of statins and worsening with rechallenge. Statins may adversely affect cognition in patients with dementia.
Conversational gestures in autism spectrum disorders: Asynchrony but not decreased frequency

Conversational or "co-speech" gestures play an important role in communication, facilitating turntaking, providing visuospatial information, clarifying subtleties of emphasis, and other pragmatic cues. Consistent with other pragmatic language deficits, individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are said to produce fewer conversational gestures, as specified in many diagnostic measures. Surprisingly, while research shows fewer deictic gestures in young children with ASD, there is a little empirical evidence addressing other forms of gesture. The discrepancy between clinical and empirical observations may reflect impairments unrelated to frequency, such as gesture quality or integration with speech. Adolescents with high-functioning ASD (n = 15), matched on age, gender, and IQ to 15 typically developing (TD) adolescents, completed a narrative task to assess the spontaneous production of speech and gesture. Naive observers rated the stories for communicative quality. Overall, the ASD group's stories were rated as less clear and engaging. Although utterance and gesture rates were comparable, the ASD group's gestures were less closely synchronized with the co-occurring speech, relative to control participants. This gesture-speech synchrony specifically impacted communicative quality across participants. Furthermore, while story ratings were associated with gesture count in TD adolescents, no such relationship was observed in adolescents with ASD, suggesting that gestures do not amplify communication in this population. Quality ratings were, however, correlated with ASD symptom severity scores, such that participants with fewer ASD symptoms were rated as telling higher quality stories. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of communication and neuropsychological functioning in ASD.
‘Masculine Domination’ Desire and Chinese Patriliny

This article reprises 1970s discussions of gender inequality in feminist anthropology to critique contemporary assumptions regarding gender construction, advocating a psycho-cultural explanation fo...
One-shot learning and big data with n=2

We model a "one-shot learning" situation, where very few observations y1,...,yn ∈ ℝd are available. Associated with each observation yi is a very high-dimensional vector xi ∈ ℝd, which provides context for yi and enables us to predict subsequent observations, given their own context. One of the salient features of our analysis is that the problems studied here are easier when the dimension of xi is large; in other words, prediction becomes easier when more context is provided. The proposed methodology is a variant of principal component regression (PCR). Our rigorous analysis sheds new light on PCR. For instance, we show that classical PCR estimators may be inconsistent in the specified setting, unless they are multiplied by a scalar c > 1; that is, unless the classical estimator is expanded. This expansion phenomenon appears to be somewhat novel and contrasts with shrinkage methods (c < 1), which are far more common in big data analyses.
IFNα Inducible Models of Murine SLE.

The role of type I interferons (IFNs) in SLE pathogenesis has been a subject of intense investigation in the last decade. The strong link between type I IFNs and SLE was initially provided by ex vivo studies showing that exposure of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to immune complexes from SLE patients elicits a signature of IFN inducible genes and was then further highlighted by human genetic studies. The mechanisms by which type I IFNs, especially IFN alpha (IFN-α), modulate the immune system and exacerbate SLE have been largely elucidated through studies in mouse lupus models. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of several such models in which disease is accelerated by ectopically expressed IFN-α. We also summarize several studies which tested therapeutic interventions in these models and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using IFN-α accelerated models to study experimental treatments for lupus.
Implementation of a CDMA receiver with multiple-access noise rejection

A DS-CDMA receiver is typically implemented as a matched filter. Such a receiver, while optimum in additive white Gaussian noise, may yield poor performance when multiple-access noise is the dominant interference. Previously proposed multiple-user receivers greatly improve performance in this situation, but quickly become prohibitively complex for systems of realistic size. The authors propose a receiver which takes advantage of the colored power spectrum of the multiple-access noise to reject it. The receiver is simple to implement, can run at high rates, and can be tuned adaptively. It is designed to maximize signal-to-noise ratio, but is also shown to yield a substantial improvement over the conventional receiver in average probability of error. >
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY MADE BY PRIVATE/SMALL GROUP PRACTICE OBSTETRICIANS IN THE USA

For pregnant women, exercise offers numerous benefits with little risk. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) endorses aerobic exercise for all pregnant women without medical or obstetric complications. Nonetheless, only a small percentage of pregnant women meet exercise guidelines. We investigated the extent to which obstetricians (Obs) in private or small group practice in the USA actively recommend exercise to their pregnant patients. Surveys were sent to 300 Obs in 33 American cities, of which 83 were returned. 52% of respondents reported discussing exercise with 81-100% of their patients. Using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = never, 7 = always), Obs reported recommending aerobic exercise more often than resistance exercise (5.6 ± 1.5 versus 3.8 ± 1.6, p 16 min, consistent with ACOG guidelines. However, 62% of Obs reported that they regularly specify a maximum heart rate, even though ACOG guidelines do not. Half of respondents indicated that they advise a reduction in exercise load during the third trimester, even for uncomplicated pregnancies. Respondents’ opinions were mixed regarding the extent to which exercise reduces gestational diabetes or preeclampsia risk and they believe more research on exercise during pregnancy is needed. Half of Obs do not routinely discuss exercise. The majority is hesitant to advise sedentary gravidae to start exercise and is conservative with respect to exercise intensity. Action may be needed to convince more Obs to routinely recommend exercise to all healthy patients.
Simulation of the electric response of DNA translocation through a semiconductor nanopore?capacitor

A multi-scale/multi-material computational model for simulation of the electric signal detected on the electrodes of a metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) capacitor forming a nanoscale artificial membrane, and containing a nanopore with translocating DNA, is presented. The multi-scale approach is based on the incorporation of a molecular dynamics description of a translocating DNA molecule in the nanopore within a three-dimensional Poisson equation self-consistent scheme involving electrolytic and semiconductor charges for the electrostatic potential calculation. The voltage signal obtained from the simulation supports the possibility for single nucleotide resolution with a nanopore device. The electric signal predicted on the capacitor electrodes complements ongoing experiments exploring the use of nanopores in a MOS capacitor membrane for DNA sequencing.
Honeybees can learn the relationship between the solar ephemeris and a newly experienced landscape: a confirmation

SUMMARY Honeybees learn the spatial relationship between the sun9s pattern of movement and the landscape immediately surrounding their nest, which allows bees to locate the sun under overcast skies by reference to the landscape alone. Surprisingly, when bees have been transplanted from their natal landscape to a rotated twin landscape – such as from one treeline to a similar but differently oriented treeline – they fail to learn the relationship between the sun and the second landscape. This raises the question of whether bees can ever learn the relationship between the sun9s pattern of movement and a landscape other than their natal one. Here we confirm, with new and necessary controls, that bees can indeed learn the relationship between the sun9s pattern of movement and a second (that is, non-natal) landscape, if the second landscape is panoramically different from the bees9 natal site. We transplanted bees from their natal site to a panoramically different second site and, 3 days later, tested the bees9 knowledge of the relationship between the sun and the second landscape. The test involved observing the bees9 communicative dances under overcast skies at a third site that was a rotated twin of the second. These bees oriented their dances using a memory of the sun9s course in relation to the second landscape, indicating that they had learned this relationship. Meanwhile, control bees transplanted directly from the natal site to the third site, skipping the second, danced differently, confirming the importance of the experimental bees9 experience at the second site.
Are Voter Fraud Beliefs an Extension of Immigrant Resentment

Public beliefs about the frequency of voter fraud in the United States remain high among liberals and conservatives, and among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. However, we know very little about the sources of public beliefs about voter fraud. Using new data from a survey module in the 2014 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, our study provides evidence that immigrant resentment is strongly associated with voter fraud beliefs. To date, our study is the first to investigate the extent to which a variety of political and social dispositions – including anti-immigrant attitudes, emotions toward immigration, and resentment of African-Americans – shape beliefs about different fraudulent electoral behaviors. Our results pose important implications for political science scholarship, as heightened immigrant animosity among U.S. citizens may stimulate restrictive measures to limit participation in democratic elections among eligible voters.
Cicada (Tibicen linnei) steers by force vectoring

Abstract To change flight direction, flying animals modulate aerodynamic force either relative to their bodies to generate torque about the center of mass, or relative to the flight path to produce centripetal force that curves the trajectory. In employing the latter, the direction of aerodynamic force remains fixed in the body frame and rotations of the body redirect the force. While both aforementioned techniques are essential for flight, it is critical to investigate how an animal balances the two to achieve aerial locomotion. Here, we measured wing and body kinematics of cicada ( Tibicen linnei ) in free flight, including flight periods of both little and substantial body reorientations. It is found that cicadas employ a common force vectoring technique to execute all these flights. We show that the direction of the half-stroke averaged aerodynamic force relative to the body is independent of the body orientation, varying in a range of merely 20 deg. Despite directional limitation of the aerodynamic force, pitch and roll torque are generated by altering wing angle of attack and its mean position relative to the center of mass. This results in body rotations which redirect the wing force in the global frame and consequently change the flight trajectory.
Magnetosonic Image Converter

One of the more recent works concerned with the storage of stress information by means of magnetic thin films was that of Weinstein et al (1) and their Sonic Film Memory. In this memory, strain pulses were used in conjunction with current pulses to store digital information in a magnetostrictive thin film evaporated onto a glass cylinder. The easy axis of magnetization was circumferential around the cylinder. A conductor ran down the center of the glass cylinder and a transducer for generating sonic waves was mounted on the end of the cylinder. The transducer generated a 10 nanosecond pulse of ultrasound which propagated down the cylinder. A current pulse was also sent down the conductor. The magnetization of a particular location or band could be changed if the strain pulse and current pulse arrived at that location at the same instant of time.
Double differential cross sections for (p, xn) reactions of64Zn,65Cu and89Y with 26MeV protons

Double differential cross sections for the inclusive production of neutrons from64Zn,65Cu and89Y bombarded with 26.0 MeV protons have been measured with time-of-flight techniques. The data reduction is discussed with respect to the influence of background corrections in the continuous part of the spectra, and a short comparison with preequilibrium model calculations is presented, showing good agreement with predictions of both, the hybrid and the geometry-dependent hybrid model including multiple particle emission. The question of how to treat pairing remains open.
The Physics and Technology of Quantum Cascade Lasers

For more than eighty years, infrared spectroscopy research and applications have played an increasingly important role in science and technology. Infrared laser spectroscopy has yielded many important results using a variety of tunable laser-based sources, particularly lead salt diodes, color center lasers, difference frequency generation, optical parametric oscillators, and sidebands on fixed frequency gas lasers. Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are a much more recent tunable laser source of infrared light. The first QCL was invented and demonstrated [1] at Bell Labs in 1994; QCLs developed rapidly; for reviews of this earlier work see Refs. [2], [3] and the June 2002 issue of IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics.