cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactive deformation of light fields

We present a software pipeline that enables an animator to deform light fields. The pipeline can be used to deform complex objects, such as furry toys, while maintaining photo-realistic quality. Our pipeline consists of three stages. First, we split the light field into sub-light fields. To facilitate splitting of complex objects, we employ a novel technique based on projected light patterns. Second, we deform each sub-light field. To do this, we provide the animator with controls similar to volumetric free-form deformation. Third, we recombine and render each sub-light field. Our rendering technique properly handles visibility changes due to occlusion among sub-light fields. To ensure consistent illumination of objects after they have been deformed, our light fields are captured with the light source fixed to the camera, rather than being fixed to the object. We demonstrate our deformation pipeline using synthetic and photographically acquired light fields. Potential applications include animation, interior design, and interactive gaming.
55-kW Variable 3X DC-DC Converter for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

This paper presents an alternative to the traditional dc-dc converter interfacing the battery with the inverter dc bus in plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) traction drives. The boost converter used in commercial HEVs meets with obstacles when it comes to upgrading the power rating and achieving high efficiency while downsizing the converter. A four-level flying-capacitor dc-dc converter is explored that can overcome these drawbacks by dramatically reducing the inductance requirement. A special case of the four-level converter, the 3X dc-dc converter, operates at three discrete output/input voltage ratios, thus further reducing the inductance requirement to a minimal value (almost zero). When further compared to its switched-capacitor dc-dc converter counterparts, the 3X dc-dc converter can be operated at variable output/input voltage ratios without sacrificing efficiency, and it lowers the capacitance requirement by utilizing the parasitic inductance. The operating principle, current ripple analysis, the transient control to limit the inrush current, and power loss analysis are introduced. Experimental results of a 55-kW prototype are provided to demonstrate the principle and analysis of this topology.
Central corneal thickness and measured IOP response to topical ocular hypotensive medication in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.

Purpose To determine whether central corneal thickness (CCT) correlates with measured intraocular pressure (IOP) response to topical ocular hypotensive medication in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS). Design Prospective randomized clinical trial. Methods Intraocular pressure measurements were performed by Goldmann applanation tonometry. Central corneal thickness was measured by ultrasonic pachymetry. The following indicators of IOP response to topical ocular hypotensive medication were examined: (1) IOP after an initial four- to six-week one-eyed therapeutic trial of a nonselective β-blocker (N = 549) or a prostaglandin analog (N = 201); (2) the mean IOP response during 12 to 60 months of follow-up among medication participants (N = 689); (3) the percentage of follow-up visits at which both eyes met the treatment goal; (4). the total number of different medications prescribed to reach treatment goal; and (5) the total number of different medications prescribed multiplied by the number of months each medication was prescribed. Results Central corneal thickness was inversely related to the IOP response after the initial one-eyed therapeutic trial and during 12 to 60 months of follow-up ( P Conclusions Individuals with thicker corneas had smaller measured IOP responses to ocular hypotensive medication than those with normal or thin corneas. We believe that CCT measurements may be useful in patient management and in interpreting clinical trials of ocular hypotensive medication.
Residential Community Associations and the American Intergovernmental System

Despite their growth and functional similarity to census-listed governments, residential community associations (RCAs) represent a little-researched feature of American federalism. This study employs survey data from a national sample of RCAs to examine how these organizations relate to other parts of local government systems. The findings underscore the similarity of RCAs to local government with regard to service provision, intergovernmental contracting, and lobbying with other units. Multivariate analysis shows that where RCAs are overlapped by other local units, including other RCAs, they engage in more government-like actions. The article also seeks to stimulatefurther research on RCAs by reflecting on measurement issues and the federalism implications of the study'sfindings.
Metal nanoparticle-based electrochemical stripping potentiometric detection of DNA hybridization.

A new nanoparticle-based electrical detection of DNA hybridization, based on electrochemical stripping detection of the colloidal gold tag, is described. In this protocol, the hybridization of a target oligonucleotide to magnetic bead-linked oligonucleotide probes is followed by binding of the streptavidin-coated metal nanoparticles to the captured DNA, dissolution of the nanometer-sized gold tag, and potentiometric stripping measurements of the dissolved metal tag at single-use thick-film carbon electrodes. An advanced magnetic processing technique is used to isolate the DNA duplex and to provide low-volume mixing. The influence of relevant experimental variables, including the amounts of the gold nanoparticles and the magnetic beads, the duration of the hybridization and gold dissolution steps, and the parameters of the potentiometric stripping operation upon the hybridization signal, is examined and optimized. Transmission electron microscopy micrographs indicate that the hybridization event leads to t...
Evaluating the Accuracy of Spot Speed Data from Global Positioning Systems for Estimating Truck Travel Speed

A number of trucking companies use Global Positioning System (GPS) devices for fleet management. Data extracted from these devices can provide valuable traffic information such as spot (instantaneous) speeds and vehicle trajectory. However, the accuracy of GPS spot speeds has not been fully explored, and there is concern about their use for estimating truck travel speed. This concern was addressed by initially comparing GPS spot speeds with speeds estimated from dual-loop detectors. A simple speed estimation method based on GPS spot speeds was devised to estimate link travel speed, and that method was compared with space mean speed estimation based on GPS vehicle location and time data. The analysis demonstrated that aggregated GPS spot speeds generally matched loop detector speeds and captured travel conditions over time and space. Speed estimation based on GPS spot speeds was sufficiently accurate in comparison with space mean speeds, with a mean absolute difference of less than 6%. It is concluded that...
DESERT HORNED LIZARD (PHRYNOSOMA PLATYRHINOS) LOCOMOTOR PERFORMANCE: THE INFLUENCE OF CHEATGRASS (BROMUS TECTORUM)

Abstract Vegetation plays a critical role in lizard activities such as thermoregulation. Less understood is the influence of vegetation structure on lizard mobility. This study examined the influence of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) patches on: 1) distribution patterns of the desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) using transect surveys along an elevational gradient, and 2) sprint performance of adult and juvenile P. platyrhinos using raceways established under field conditions. There was a significant negative association between cheatgrass cover and lizard scat abundance across the study gradient, suggesting horned lizards might avoid areas with higher cheatgrass cover. Adult and juvenile sprint performance were reduced on grass raceways by 50 to 70% of their bare-substrate speeds; adult speeds decreased from 0.93 m/s on bare substrate to 0.26 m/s on grass, and juvenile speeds decreased from 0.41 to 0.11 m/s. The findings were consistent based on 2 independent measures of velocity (burst and susta...
Moderating role of trait hope in the relation between painful and provocative events and acquired capability for suicide

Abstract. Background: The interpersonal theory of suicide has gained empirical support as a conceptualization of suicide risk; however, little research has examined the role of individual traits, such as trait hope, within the interpersonal theory of suicide. Aims: The purpose of this study was to further investigate the role of trait hope components (i.e., pathways and agency) in acquired capability for suicide. Method: Participants were 711 college students who completed measures of acquired capability for suicide, painful and provocative events, and trait hope (i.e., pathways and agency). Linear regression was used to test the hypotheses. Results: As hypothesized, there was a positive relation between pathways and acquired capability. Contrary to our hypotheses, after controlling for gender there was a significant relation between agency and acquired capability. In addition, after controlling for gender, pathways did not moderate the relation between painful and provocative events and acquired capabili...
Radiance and photon noise: imaging in geometrical optics, physical optics, quantum optics and radiology

The statistics of detector outputs produced by an imaging system are derived from basic radiometric concepts and definitions. We show that a fundamental way of describing a photon-limited imaging system is in terms of a Poisson random process in spatial, angular, and wavelength variables. We begin the paper by recalling the concept of radiance in geometrical optics, radiology, physical optics, and quantum optics. The propagation and conservation laws for radiance in each of these domains are reviewed. Building upon these concepts, we distinguish four categories of imaging detectors that all respond in some way to the incident radiance, including the new category of photon-processing detectors (capable of measuring radiance on a photon-by-photon basis). This allows us to rigorously show how the concept of radiance is related to the statistical properties of detector outputs and to the information content of a single detected photon. A Monte-Carlo technique, which is derived from the Boltzmann transport equation, is presented as a way to estimate probability density functions to be used in reconstruction from photon-processing data.
Learning the Number of Autoregressive Mixtures in Time Series Using the Gap Statistics

Using a proper model to characterize a time series is crucial in making accurate predictions. In this work we use time-varying autoregressive process (TVAR) to describe non-stationary time series and model it as a mixture of multiple stable autoregressive (AR) processes. We introduce a new model selection technique based on Gap statistics to learn the appropriate number of AR filters needed to model a time series. We define a new distance measure between stable AR filters and draw a reference curve that is used to measure how much adding a new AR filter improves the performance of the model, and then choose the number of AR filters that has the maximum gap with the reference curve. To that end, we propose a new method in order to generate uniform random stable AR filters in root domain. Numerical results are provided demonstrating the performance of the proposed approach.
Organization Of Babbling: A Case Study

Speech is probably the most complex serially ordered behavior in living forms. However, no systematic investigation of the organization of speech-related output when it is presumably simplest, namely during the babbling stage, has been attempted. Transcriptions of 423 babbled utterances (1145 syllables) were obtained from one subject 7-12 months of age. Most results could be interpreted in terms of a basic mouth opening-closing alternation, responsible not only for the typical vowel-consonant alternation of babbling, but also for many prominent details including within-utterance variation in vowel height (often stress-related) and in degree of closure for consonants. The results suggest that a "frame" for babbling is provided by mandibular oscillation, perhaps reflected, when operating alone, in the common alternation between labial consonants and central vowels. Variation in the amplitude of this oscillation may be responsible for the within-utterance vowel height and consonant manner variation and much of the perceived stress variation. Further variation is attributed to fronting movements of the tongue, the effects of which often spread beyond single vowels and consonants.
Plenary lecture 8: multimedia delivery over mobile ad-hoc wireless networks

A mobile ad-hoc wireless network is a dynamically changing network of mobile devices that communicate without the support of a fixed infrastructure. There is a direct communications among the neighboring devices, but non-neighboring devices require a robust and intelligent routing strategy to ensure reliable and efficient communications. However, in such networks there is no guaranteed end-to-end quality of service (QoS) and packets may be discarded due to bit errors. On the other hand there has been an increased demand to maintain the video quality over mobile ad-hoc networks. In this talk we will address some of the techniques to enhance quality of services for video delivery over mobile ad-hoc wireless networks. These techniques are implemented either in the MAC layer, in unicast/multicast routing, or in the applications layers. In the first part of the talk, we will present a multipath error recovery technique for video transmission using multipath retransmission scheme. A video demo will highlight the effectiveness of the scheme. In the second part of the Talk, we will address route selection criteria that maintain the video quality under different loss rates and mobility speeds. Route selection is performed based on the expected throughput of the candidate routes. We will demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique by incorporating it into a multi-path routing protocol.
Cross-cultural Training Analysis Via Social Science and Computer Vision Methods☆

Abstract Computer Vision technology is an invaluable addition to cross-cultural communication training for military personnel. It allows trainers to assess trainees in real time and provide feedback grounded in social science research. The present study reports on a joint analysis of military cross-cultural training data by Computer Vision specialists from GE Global Research as well as analyses from Georgetown University's Social Interaction Research Group (SIRG). Data for this study were collected over 10 days at the Army Infantry Basic Officer Leaders Course (IBOLC). 80 lieutenants participated in classroom role-play scenarios designed to assess their ability to communicate cross-culturally. GE and SIRG researchers video-recorded interactions among the role players and Soldiers and correlations were observed between these automatic interpretations and those gleaned by the SIRG analysis team in order to augment understanding of the efficacy of the cross-cultural training. For the Computer Vision methods, Each person was represented as a stream of visual cues which include: position, articulated motion, facial expressions and gaze directions. The social science researchers conducted multimodal (including embodied elements such as eye gaze, hand gestures, and body positioning), mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) discourse analyses of the data. SIRG researchers developed a coding scheme, marking specific human behavioral features within each interaction. From such coding, SIRG identified key skills in cross-cultural interaction, including observation and adaptation to unfamiliar communicative norms, rapport building, and trouble recovery (for details see Logan-Terry & Damari, forthcoming). Various correlations between raw computer vision measurements and the social science coding scheme was observed. Such results represent a significant step towards establishing the efficacy of the joint analysis of automated Computer Vision and established social science methods with regards to complex social interaction analysis.
Mechanisms of elimination reactions—XXVI: The α'-β mechanism in elimination reactions of sulforium salts

Abstract Tracer studies with β-deuterated sulfonium salts have shown that the α'-β, or ylid mechanism can be the major path of elimination in the reaction of sulfonium salts with t -butoxide in t-butyl alcohol, while the E2 reaction is dominant with hydroxide in water or n -butoxide in n -butyl alcohol. The structure of the sulfonium salt also affects the propensity toward α'-β elimination, with 3-pentyl > 3-propyl and eyclopentyl > 3-pentyl > cyclohexyl. The S -methyl protons of the sulfonium salt exchange at a rate much faster than that of the elimination reaction. A strongly basic medium and a syn -periplanar arrangement of the α-C-S and β-C-H bonds seem to be the two most important factors favoring the α'-β mechanism.
Thermal, Oxidative and CO2 Induced Degradation of Primary Amines Used for CO2 Capture: Effect of Alkyl Linker on Stability

The stability of primary amine grafted mesoporous SBA-15 silica adsorbents with alkyl linker length varying from methyl to propyl (SBA-Methyl, SBA-Ethyl, SBA-Propyl) is investigated with respect to thermal, oxidative, and CO2 induced degradation to assess how differences in stability may result from different chain lengths. Methyl-based materials are found to have no thermal stability, with a severe reduction in amine content of up to 80% upon heating to 135 °C, and were therefore unable to be assessed for oxidative or CO2 specific instabilities. SBA-Ethyl and SBA-Propyl adsorbents are both thermally and oxidatively stable but are prone to urea induced deactivation in the presence of high-temperature, dry CO2 for prolonged periods. A greater extent of CO2 capacity deactivation is observed for SBA-Propyl materials, which is attributed to the larger amine efficiency of the material as compared to that of SBA-Ethyl adsorbents, as this would translate to a greater percentage of amines interacting with CO2 tha...
Synthesis and Evaluation of Cu-SAPO-34 Catalysts for Ammonia Selective Catalytic Reduction. 1. Aqueous Solution Ion Exchange

SAPO-34 molecular sieves are synthesized using various structure directing agents (SDAs). Cu-SAPO-34 catalysts are prepared via aqueous solution ion exchange (IE). Catalysts are characterized with surface area/pore volume measurements, temperature programmed reduction (TPR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. Catalytic properties are examined using standard ammonia selective catalytic reduction (NH3–SCR) and ammonia oxidation reactions. During solution IE, different SAPO-34 samples undergo different extent of structural damage via irreversible hydrolysis. Si content within the samples (i.e., Al–O–Si bond density) and framework stress are key factors that affect irreversible hydrolysis. Even using very dilute Cu acetate solutions, it is not possible to generate Cu-SAPO-34 samples with only isolated Cu2+ ions. Small amounts of CuOx species always coexist with isolated Cu2+ ions. Highly active and selective Cu-SAPO-34 catalysts for NH3-SCR are readily ...
Local Distribution of Microtus montanus and M. pennsylvanicus in Southwestern Montana

Distributional patterns of Microtus montanus and Microtus pennsylvanicus in relation to various plant communities and to characteristics of habitats were studied in the vicinity of Bozeman, southwestern Montana, in 1968 and 1969. A description of the physiography and vegetation of nine community types is given. During a total of 17,700 trap-nights, 762 M. montanus and 583 M. pennsylvanicus were snap-trapped from 59 study plots. These two species occurred sympatrically in 31 of the 59 sample areas. Preferred habitat of M. pennsylvanicus is in moist areas where grasses, especially Poa pratensis , and grass-like species are dominant plants, comprising 50 per cent or more of the vegetation by canopy coverage, and total canopy cover of all herbaceous material is at least 85 per cent. The preferred habitat of M. montanus is not as well delineated as that of M. pennsylvanicus. Microtus montanus appeared to have a wider ecological tolerance than M. pennsylvanicus , and demonstrated a direct general correlation between abundance and the dryness of the substrate.
Leadership and Election Litigation in State Supreme Courts

Elections in the American states are important mechanisms for legitimizing state governments by facilitating the involvement of citizens in electing political leaders. Elections, however, receive scrutiny through challenges in state courts on issues such as contested elections and the structure and context of election ballots. Capitalizing on attention to the role of leadership in institutional maintenance, the analysis presented examines the effects of leadership and other essential political and legal characteristics on building decision consensus in election cases. An empirical test using 203 election decisions by state supreme courts from 1995 to 1998 illustrates that, among other factors, the authority of leadership facilitates consensus where considered jointly with the resources of courts, the state as a litigant, and internal rules that prioritize seniority.
Response of the Superparameterized Madden–Julian Oscillation to Extreme Climate and Basic-State Variation Challenges a Moisture Mode View

AbstractThe climate sensitivity of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is measured across a broad range of temperatures (1°–35°C) using a convection-permitting global climate model with homogenous sea surface temperatures. An MJO-like signal is found to be resilient in all simulations. These results are used to investigate two ideas related to the modern “moisture mode” view of MJO dynamics. The first hypothesis is that the MJO has dynamics analogous to a form of radiative convective self-aggregation in which longwave energy maintenance mechanisms shut down for SST ≪ 25°C. Inconsistent with this hypothesis, the explicitly simulated MJO survives cooling and retains leading moist static energy (MSE) budget terms associated with longwave destabilization even at SST < 10°C. Thus, if the MJO is a form of longwave-assisted self-aggregation, it is not one that is temperature critical, as is observed in some cases of radiative–convective equilibrium (RCE) self-aggregation. The second hypothesis is that the MJO is...
Mechanochemical Influence on the Stereoselectivity of Halide Metathesis: Synthesis of Group 15 Tris(allyl) Complexes

The stereochemical outcomes of reactions conducted in solution and those under mechanochemical conditions need not be the same; this is a well-established observation in organic synthesis, but few examples are known in organometallic systems. Halide metathesis is now shown to be a type of mechanochemical reaction that can produce different ratios of stereoisomers depending on whether the reagents are dissolved or ball-milled. Trihalides of As (X = I), Sb (X = Cl), and Bi (X = Cl) react with K[A′] (A′ = 1,3-(SiMe3)2C3H3) (As, Sb) or [AlA′3] (Bi) to generate the tris(allyl) complexes [EA′3]. All three complexes are found in two diastereomeric forms of C1 (R,S,S) and C3 (R,R,R) symmetry, and mechanochemical synthesis increases the C1:C3 ratio relative to that produced in hexanes solution (up to 3.3× in the case of [AsA′3]). The stereoselectivity of the metathesis in the solid state can be correlated with the asymmetric environment found in the group 15 trihalides; mechanochemical induction provides a new too...
CT measurement of renal cortex in children

Objective To provide references for diagnosis of abnormal renal morphology, and to establish the range of the normal renal cortex thickness using CT measurement in different age groups, so as to obtain a practicable method for clinical measurement. Methods A total of 204 children without kidney disease and drug-induced kidney injury were examined with CT, and were divided into 0—, 1—, 3—, 7— and 13—16 year-old groups. The renal cortical and parenchymal thickness and renal size were measured on CT images and were analyzed statistically. Results The renal cortex thickness in 5 groups was (0.41±0.09)cm, (0.48±0.09)cm, (0.54±0.12)cm, (0.65±0.13)cm and (0.76±0.18)cm, respectively, and statistical difference was found between each two groups (all P0.05). The age and renal cortex thickness correlated significantly (right kidney: r=0.65, left kidney: r=0.65, both P0.05). The ratio of the renal cortex thickness to renal parenchyma thickness had the lowest correlation with age (right kidney: r=0.19, left kidney: r=0.16, both P0.05). Conclusion Renal cortex thickness of normal kidney increases with age, but the change of the ratio of thickness in renal cortex to renal parenchyma with age is not significant. The research results provide an important CT anatomic basis for diagnosis of child renal diseases.
THE FUNCTION k(t)IN GOLUSIN AND L(?)WNER'S DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION

Let s be the class of function f(z)=z+c_2 z~2+……,each of which is re-gular and schlicht in the unit circle |z|1.It is well-kown that~[1,2]any functionof s can be approximated by the functions of a certain subclass s' of s.Cor-responding to any function f(z) of s',there is a continuous function k(t),|k(t)|=1,with possible exception of a finite number of discontinuities for t≧0,suchthat the solution f(z,t)of the equation(?)with the initial condition (?)satisfies the relation(?)Conversely,given a piece-wise continuous function k(t),|k(t)|=1, t≥0,thesolution w=f(z,t),(?) of the corresponding differential equation(1)isregular and schlicht in |z|1 and bounded by 1 in |z|1.Moreover,the limit(2)exists~[4,5].In the present note,we give all such functions of s',which correspond tothe functions k(t) having the type k(t)=e(~iθ)p(t),where p(t) is a real function,θis a real constant,and |p(t)|=1.We obtain the followingTheorem.If the function k(t) in the equation(1)is of the form:k(t)=e~(iθ)p(t),p(t)(?)0,|k(t)|=|p(t)|=1,then the solutioh f(z,t),with f(z,0)=z,satisfies the relation(?)where c is a real constant such that |c|≤2.The converse holds true.
Stochastic approach for an unbiased estimation of the probability of a successful separation in conventional chromatography and sequential elution liquid chromatography.

Abstract A stochastic approach was utilized to estimate the probability of a successful isocratic or gradient separation in conventional chromatography for numbers of sample components, peak capacities, and saturation factors ranging from 2 to 30, 20⿿300, and 0.017⿿1, respectively. The stochastic probabilities were obtained under conditions of (i) constant peak width (⿿gradient⿿ conditions) and (ii) peak width increasing linearly with time (⿿isocratic/constant N⿿ conditions). The isocratic and gradient probabilities obtained stochastically were compared with the probabilities predicted by Martin et al. [Anal. Chem., 58 (1986) 2200⿿2207] and Davis and Stoll [J. Chromatogr. A, (2014) 128⿿142]; for a given number of components and peak capacity the same trend is always observed: probability obtained with the isocratic stochastic approach HPLC = 31.2% versus P SE-LC = 69.1% for 12 components and the same analysis time). For a given number of components, the density of probability data provided over the range of peak capacities is sufficient to allow accurate interpolation of probabilities for peak capacities not reported,
Steady‐state serum levels of quinidine and active metabolites in cardiac patients with varying degrees of renal function

The concentrations of quinidine, (3S)-3-hydroxyquinidine (3-OH), and 2'-oxoquinidinone (2'-OXO) in serum samples from 25 patients on long-term quinidine therapy were determined by a high-pressure liquid chromatography assay. Large individual variation in the levels of each of the compounds measured was observed. After correcting for differences in protein binding, the ratio of 3-OH/quinidine in serum water is 0.61 +/- 0.31 (SD) and the ratio of 2'-OXO/quinidine is 0.39 +/- 0.44. Seven of the 25 patients had serum water levels of one of these metabolites similar to or greater than that of quinidine. The quinidine levels, after normalizing for dose, are significantly higher in hemodialysis patients (about twice) than in nonazotemic patients; azotemic patients have mean values intermediate between them. Quinidine, 3-OH, and 2'-OXO are equally potent antiarrhythmic drugs (ED50 = 0.18, 0.17, and 0.21 mmoles/kg, respectively) when tested against chloroform- and hypoxia-induced ventricular fibrillation in mice. O-Desmethylquinidine, a new metabolite detected in urine of quinidine-treated patients, is less active. Quinidine and 2'-OXO are equally potent (ED50 = 0.010 mmoles/kg), while 3-OH seems less potent and more toxic when tested against BaCl2-induced ventricular arrhythmias in rabbits. Thus, these metabolites appear to contribute to the effects of quinidine and may make a significant contribution in some cases.
Electrophysiologic Assessment of Low-Frequency Hearing: Sedation Effects:

Sixteen normal-hearing adults were tested in both awake and sedated states for several evoked responses to low-frequency stimuli. Responses obtained by cross-correlation function, middle latency responses, and the 40-Hz response proved most sensitive; all had mean thresholds of less than 20 dB normal hearing level for the awake-alert state, but 40-Hz and middle latency response mean thresholds were shifted about 10 dB under sedation. The cross-correlation method seems to offer promise for pediatric auditory assessment.
Early High-Dose Caffeine Increases Seizure Burden in Extremely Preterm Neonates: A Preliminary Study

Background: Although evidence suggests that methylxanthines may lower the seizure threshold, the effect of high-dose caffeine on seizure burden in preterm infants is not known. This study reports a secondary post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial of early high-dose caffeine citrate therapy in preterm infants, evaluating the effect of caffeine on the seizure burden using amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG). Methods: Seventy-four preterm infants (≤30 weeks gestation) were randomized to receive high-dose (n = 37, 80 mg/kg over 36 hours) or standard-dose (n = 37, 30 mg/kg over 36 hours) caffeine citrate over the first 36 hours followed by standard maintenance therapy. Simultaneous recording of two-channel amplitude-integrated EEG was conducted over the first 72 hours of life. The primary outcome of this post hoc analysis was cumulative seizure burden over the first 72 hours of life, measured in seconds. Results: Fifteen infants were excluded due to short recordings (≤5 hours) or corrupted data files (n = 7 standard dose; n = 8 high dose). The high-dose caffeine group displayed a trend toward an increased incidence of seizures (40% vs. 58%; p = 0.1) and a threefold increase in seizure duration (48.9 vs. 170.9 seconds; p = 0.1). Conclusion: Early high-dose caffeine therapy was associated with a trend toward an increase in seizure incidence and burden. Future studies of alternative caffeine dosing regimens should include continuous EEG monitoring.
Electronic medical records improve quality of care.

HIV care, with its relatively frequent patient visits, laboratory monitoring, and referrals to outside consultants, generates a significant amount of paper very quickly.
Uncertainty Quantification of Identified Modal Parameters Using the Fisher Information Criterion

This paper derives exact results for the maximum achievable accuracy when estimating modal parameters from free vibration and forced vibration signals contaminated by Gaussian white noise. These limits are found through the Cramer-Rao lower bound. The paper proposes a simple yet accurate expression to determine the ratio between the coefficient of variation of damping and frequency. This expression can be useful to compute the variance of the damping using limited number of vibration tests. The paper presents results that verify and validate the derived expressions using laboratory and field experiments.
The Greatest Monetary Agreement in History

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC is the repository for America’s artifacts. Lindbergh’s Spirit of St Louis hangs from the rafters. The Hope Diamond is there. So are George Washington’s uniforms and the largest blue whale ever caught. In December 1971 the US Secretary of the Treasury met with the finance ministers of Great Britain, Canada, Japan, Germany, and a few other industrial countries at the Smithsonian and agreed to a new set of foreign exchange values for the various European currencies and the Japanese yen in terms of the US dollar. President Nixon called the Smithsonian Agreement ‘The Greatest Monetary Agreement In History.’ The remarkable accomplishment of the agreement was that more exchange rates were simultaneously realigned in a multinational framework than ever before.
Regularized kernel PCA for the efficient parameterization of complex geological models

The use of geological parameterization procedures enables high-fidelity geomodels to be represented in terms of relatively few variables. Such parameterizations are particularly useful when the subspace representation is constructed to implicitly capture the key geological features that appear in prior geostatistical realizations. In this case, the parameterization can be used very effectively within a data assimilation framework. In this paper, we extend and apply geological parameterization techniques based on kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) for the representation of complex geomodels characterized by non-Gaussian spatial statistics. KPCA involves the application of PCA in a high-dimensional feature space and the subsequent reverse mapping of the feature-space model back to physical space. This reverse mapping, referred to as the pre-image problem, can be challenging because it (formally) involves a nonlinear minimization. In this work, a new explicit pre-image procedure, which avoids many of the problems with existing approaches, is introduced. To achieve (ensemble-level) flow responses in close agreement with those from reference geostatistical realizations, a bound-constrained, regularized version of KPCA, referred to as R-KPCA, is also introduced. R-KPCA can be viewed as a post-processing of realizations generated using KPCA. The R-KPCA representation is incorporated into an adjoint-gradient-based data assimilation procedure, and its use for history matching a complex deltaic fan system is demonstrated. Matlab code for the KPCA and R-KPCA procedures is provided online as Supplementary Material.
Evaluating Design Specifications Using Heuristic Evaluation

A study was carried out to examine the value of evaluating designs by applying heuristic evaluation to written design specifications. Whilst experienced and novice usability specialists did not differ in the evaluation of a telephone interface, they differed in the evaluation of a screen-based interface. Protocol analysis suggested that experienced usability specialists were able to utilized knowledge of previous user testing results and knowledge of similar designs to identify problems which were missed by novices. Ways to improve novices’ ability to pick out problems from design specifications are suggested.
Survivability and growth kinetics of methanogenic archaea at various pHs and pressures: Implications for deep subsurface life on Mars

Abstract Life as we know it requires liquid water and sufficient liquid water is highly unlikely on the surface of present-day Mars. However, according to thermal models there is a possibility of liquid water in the deep subsurface of Mars. Thus, the martian subsurface, where the pressure and temperature is higher, could potentially provide a hospitable environment for a biosphere. Also, methane has been detected in the Mars’ atmosphere. Analogous to Earth’s atmospheric methane, martian methane could also be biological in origin. The carbon and energy sources for methanogenesis in the subsurface of Mars could be available by downwelling of atmospheric CO2 into the regolith and water-rock reactions such as serpentinization, respectively. Corresponding analogs of the martian subsurface on Earth might be the active sites of serpentinization at depths where methanogenic thermophilic archaea are the dominant species. Methanogens residing in Earth’s hydrothermal environments are usually exposed to a variety of physiological stresses including a wide range of pressures, temperatures, and pHs. Martian geochemical models imply that the pH of probable groundwater varies from 4.96 to 9.13. In this work, we used the thermophilic methanogen, Methanothermobacter wolfeii, which grows optimally at 55oC. Therefore, a temperature of 55oC was chosen for these experiments, possibly simulating Mars’ subsurface temperature. A martian geophysical model suggests depth and pressure corresponding to a temperature of 55 °C would be between 1–30 km and 100-3,000 atm respectively. Here, we have simulated Mars deep subsurface pH, pressure, and temperature conditions and have investigated the survivability, growth rate, and morphology of M. wolfeii after exposure to a wide range of pH 5–9) and pressure (1−1200 atm) at a temperature of 55 °C. Interestingly, in this study we have found that M. wolfeii was able to survive at all the pressures and pHs tested at 55 °C. In order to understand the effect of different pHs and pressures on the metabolic activities of M. wolfeii, we also calculated their growth rate by measuring methane concentration in the headspace gas samples at regular intervals. In acidic conditions, the growth rate (γ) of M. wolfeii increased with the increase in pressure. In neutral and alkaline conditions, the growth rate (γ) of M. wolfeii initially increased with pressure, but decreased upon further increase of pressure. To investigate the effect of combined pH, pressure, and temperature on the morphology of M. wolfeii, we took phase contrast images of the cells. We did not find any obvious significant alteration in the morphology of M. wolfeii cells. Methanogens, chemolithoautotrophic anaerobic microorganisms, are considered as ideal model microorganisms for Mars. In light of research presented here, we suggest that at least one methanogen, M. wolfeii, could survive in the deep subsurface environment of Mars.
Feedforward and Feedback Inhibition in the Neostriatum

The neostriatum is the principal input structure of the basal ganglia and plays the greatest role in integrating and transducing the excitatory input that derives from the cortex and thalamus. The principal neuron, the GABAergic spiny projection neuron, comprises the majority of the striatal neurons, ranging from slightly less than 80% of all striatal neurons in primates (Graveland and DiFiglia, 1985) to almost 98% in rodents (Luk and Sadikot, 2001; Rymar et al., 2004). The remainder of the neuronal population consists of at least 3 distinct types of GABAergic and one cholinergic interneuron. The somatodendritic morphology and existence of a local axonal arborization of the spiny neuron was well described in the earliest Golgi studies but the nature and full extent of the local axon collateral plexus was not completely appreciated until the advent of in vivo intracellular staining of striatal neurons with horseradish peroxidase in the late 1970s and early 1980s (Wilson, 1979; Preston et al., 1980; Wilson and Groves, 1980; Bishop et al., 1982). These studies revealed that the main axon of the spiny cell branched within a few tens of micrometers from the soma of origin to form a relatively dense and homogeneous local arborization that in most cases overlapped and extended slightly beyond the dendritic field of the parent neuron. In some cases the local collateral arborization extended for great distances beyond the parent dendritic field. Around the same time it became clear from electron microscopic analysis of intracellularly or retrogradely labeled material that the principal targets of the spiny cell local axon collaterals were the surrounding spiny neurons (Wilson and Groves, 1980; Somogyi et al., 1981). This was not unexpected given the numerical predominance of the spiny cells in the striatum, and the finding led rather naturally to the inference that the functional organization of the neostriatum would incorporate a powerful lateral inhibitory modulation of spiny neurons by their local collaterals (Groves, 1983). Several other independent lines
Self-Limited Kleptomania Symptoms as a Side Effect of Duloxetine

Introduction. Impulse control disorders (ICDs) have been described as a side effect of dopamine agonists, frequently used in neurodegenerative conditions affecting the nigrostriatal pathway. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (e.g., duloxetine) have dose-dependent differential affinity for monoaminergic transporters, inhibiting the dopamine transporter at higher doses, thus increasing availability of synaptic dopamine, with the potential for similar impulse control side effects. Case Presentation. A 19-year-old Asian-American female with a history of depression developed new-onset stealing behaviors after an increase in her dose of duloxetine from 60 mg to 90 mg; she described these actions as “compulsive” and irresistible, later experiencing either relief or guilt, features compatible with an ICD. Her symptoms eventually subsided with continued use of 90 mg of duloxetine. Discussion. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first report of a patient developing new-onset ICD behaviors after being placed on a higher dose of duloxetine, which can inhibit the dopamine transporter and cause difficulty with impulse control. The self-resolving nature of the symptoms may result from compensatory upregulation of dopamine transporters, increasing reuptake of dopamine. Asian populations may be at a higher risk due to the frequent occurrence of CYP2D6 polymorphisms, which decrease the conversion of duloxetine to its inactive metabolites.
Machine learning in physical design

Machine learning, a powerful technique for building models, can rapidly provide accurate predictions. Since Integrated Circuit (IC) design and manufacturing have tremendously high complexity and enormous data, there is a surge in adapting machine learning approach in IC Design stages, as machine learning can provide fast predictions. Recently, machine learning has been used in some IC Design stages (e.g. Physical Verification), but not in Physical Design. In this research, machine learning is adapted to Physical Design. Surrogate Modeling is implemented to predict results after GR in Physical Design. Machine learning models for predicting Detailed Route (DR) results using Global Route (GR) results are also discussed. With surrogate models and machine learning methods, circuit performances after Physical Design (e.g. hold violation check and area) would be predicted quickly.
Fgf8 Expression and Degradation of Retinoic Acid Are Required for Patterning a High-Acuity Area in the Retina

Species that are highly reliant on their visual system have a specialized retinal area subserving high-acuity vision, e.g., the fovea in humans. Although of critical importance for our daily activities, little is known about the mechanisms driving the development of retinal high-acuity areas (HAAs). Using the chick as a model, we found a precise and dynamic expression pattern of fibroblast growth factor 8 (Fgf8) in the HAA anlage, which was regulated by enzymes that degrade retinoic acid (RA). Transient manipulation of RA signaling, or reduction of Fgf8 expression, disrupted several features of HAA patterning, including photoreceptor distribution, ganglion cell density, and organization of interneurons. Notably, patterned expression of RA signaling components was also found in humans, suggesting that RA also plays a role in setting up the human fovea.
CALCULATIONAL STUDY OF BANEBERRY

Baneberry, a 42-TJ (10-kt) nuclear device, was detonated at a depth of 278 m in hole U8d at the Nevada Test Site on 18 December 1970. About 3.5 min after the nuclear explosion, radioactive gases and debris began venting through a shock-induced fissure that had opened earlier near surface ground zero. This report presents results from five computer calculations. The first calculation, BANE 1, provided results in reasonable agreement with all the measurements and observations made on Baneberry. The other four calculations isolate contributions to the shock phenomenology from: a saturated clay-rich tuff layer that surrounded the explosion, a double fault system, a high impedance Paleozoic surface 2.1 cavity radii below the detonation, the free surface and changes in media properties. By varying certain geologic features and material properties their relative effect on ground motion and the residual stress field was determined. Calculational results show how the above features interact with the shock wave to produce: strong compressive reflections, shock wave refraction and focusing, horizontal rebound, asymmetric cavity growth and spalling. These effects are interpreted to explain the observed vent path.
Several Pesticides Influence the Nutritional Content of Sweet Corn.

Herbicides are pesticides used to eradicate unwanted plants in both crop and non-crop environments. These chemistries are toxic to weeds due to inhibition of key enzymes or disruption of essential biochemical processes required for weedy plants to survive. Crops can survive systemic herbicidal applications through various forms of detoxification, including metabolism that can be enhanced by safeners. Field studies were conducted near Louisville, Tennessee and Painter, Virginia to determine how the herbicides mesotrione, topramezone, nicosulfuron, and atrazine applied with or without the safener isoxadifen-ethyl would impact the nutritional quality of “Incredible” sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. rugosa). Several herbicide treatments increased the uptake of the mineral elements phosphorus, magnesium, and manganese by 8–75%. All herbicide treatments increased protein content by 4–12%. Applied alone, nicosulfuron produced similar levels of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids when compared...
The Aftermath of Suicide: A Qualitative Study With Guyanese Families.

Abstract Introduction The suicide rate in Guyana was five times higher than the world average in 2014 (WHO) which puts Guyana at the top of the list with 44.2 per 100,000 people, the highest suicide rate in the world. For every completed suicide, there are survivors who experience high levels of psychological, physical, and social distress, and report feelings of guilt, shame, social stigma, and search for meaning. Aim The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how family members coped and understand the suicide of their loved one, and to determine what resources were available to help them during this transition. Method Ten family members were recruited to participate in a focus group. The focus group lasted approximately 90 min and was recorded. The audio recordings were later transcribed. Results Four overarching themes emerged from the data: (1) perceived causes of suicide, (2) perceived solutions, (3) barriers to helping persons who are suicidal, and (4) personal and community reactions to suicide. Implications for practice Nurses in Guyana are uniquely positioned to take a leadership role in creating and implementing postvention programs for suicide survivors that are culturally and ethnically relevant. Opportunities to partner with schools of nursing in higher income countries are explored.
Whiteness and the joys of cruelty

I grew up in a country where religion did not exist. The so-called “opium of the people” was relegated to the Communist Party’s critique of the bourgeois excesses; the spirit of Providence haunting...