cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Walter Kohn and Boris Regal: The Early Days of ITP

Walter’s service as the Founding Director of the Institute for Theoretical Physics was certainly one of his major contributions to theoretical physics. I had the good fortune to serve as the Deputy Director during the first two years of his term, and again during the last year. As a result, I was able to watch at first hand as Walter turned ideas of Jim Hartle, Boris Kayser, Ray Sawyer, Doug Scalapino and myself into a vibrant research institute, which quickly became a leading center for theoretical physics. This was one of the most exciting experiences of my professional career, and I have always been grateful to Walter for making it possible for me to participate in it. It is well known that the original idea for a National Science Foundation funded Institute for Theoretical Physics was due to Boris Kayser, the long-time Program Director for Theoretical Physics at the NSF. Boris Kayser was a strong supporter of ITP, and Walter formed a close working relationship with him. It is perhaps less well known outside of Santa Barbaria that Walter was also in constant contact with another high official at the NSF, Boris Regal. Regal carried the title Theoretical Director of Experimental Programs.1 Whereas Boris Kayser focused on solving problems, Boris Regal focused on creating them. Naturally, Walter and Regal bonded immediately.
The effect of hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and total circulatory arrest on cerebral metabolism in neonates, infants, and children.

Cardiopulmonary bypass management in neonates, infants, and children often requires the use of deep hypothermia at 18° C with occasional periods of circulatory arrest and represents marked physiologic extremes of temperature and perfusion. The safety of these techniques is largely dependent on the reduction of metabolism, particularly cerebral metabolism. We studied the effect of hypothermia on cerebral metabolism during cardiac surgery and quantified the changes. Cerebral metabolism was measured before, during, and after hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass in 46 pediatric patients, aged 1 day to 14 years. Patients were grouped on the basis of the different bypass techniques commonly used in children: group A—moderate hypothermic bypass at 28° C; group B—deep hypothermic bypass at 18° to 20° C with maintenance of continuous flow; and group C—deep hypothermic circulatory arrest at 18° C. Cerebral metabolism significantly decreased under hypothermic conditions in all groups compared with control levels at normothermia, the data demonstrating an exponential relationship between temperature and cerebral metabolism and an average temperature coefficient of 3.65. There was no significant difference in the rate of metabolism reduction (temperature coefficient) in patients cooled to 28° and 18° C. From these data we were able to derive an equation that numerically expresses a hypothermic metabolic index, which quantitates duration of brain protection provided by reduction of cerebral metabolism owing to hypothermic bypass over any temperature range. Based on this index, patients cooled to 28° C have a predicted ischemic tolerance of 11 to 19 minutes. The predicted duration that the brain can tolerate ischemia (“safe” period of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest) in patients cooled to 18° C, based on our metabolic index, is 39 to 65 minutes, similar to the safe period of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest known to be tolerated clinically. In groups A and B (no circulatory arrest), cerebral metabolism returned to control in the rewarming phase of bypass and after bypass. In group C (circulatory arrest), cerebral metabolism and oxygen extraction remained significantly reduced during rewarming and after bypass, suggesting disordered cerebral metabolism and oxygen utilization after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest The results of this study suggest that cerebral metabolism is exponentially related to temperature during hypothermic bypass with a temperature coefficient of 3.65 in neonates infants and children. Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest changes cerebral metabolism and blood flow after the arrest period despite adequate hypothermic suppression of metabolism.
Spectral evidence for source multiplicity in explosions: Application to regional discrimination of earthquakes and explosions

Abstract Spectral and cepstral analysis were performed on regional-array NORESS recordings of mining explosions in Scandinavia and Russia in order to detect the effects of delayed explosions or “ripple firing” commonly used in mine-blasting practice. NORESS array-stacked spectra, corrected for instrument and noise, were computed in windows on Pn , Pg , Sn , and Lg waves from the mine blasts by averaging individual channel spectra, frequency by frequency, across the array. For comparison, spectra were also computed for six western Norway earthquakes located near the Blasjo and Titania Norwegian mines. Also, stack spectra of P coda, Sn , and Lg were computed using NORSAR seismograms for presumed peaceful nuclear explosions (PNEs) located at near-regional distances (Δ > 10°) in western Russia. The NORSAR spectra were determined in the same manner as the NORESS spectra, except that an individual source correction was applied to the spectra. Comparison of western Norway mine-blast spectra and nearby earthquakes shows that the earthquake Pn spectra are peaked in the 8- to 16-Hz band, with little energy below 6 Hz, whereas the explosion spectra have flatter spectra from 3 to 16 Hz. This difference in the Pn spectra may be caused by the earthquakes occurring at greater depths than the explosions, differences in the near-source media, or source mechanism effects in the earthquake spectra. The main difference between earthquake and explosion spectra is that the explosion spectra exhibit marked scalloping or modulation patterns not observed in the earthquake spectra. The modulation patterns are identical in spectra of all phases, indicating that they are caused by multiple-shot sequences or ripple firing. Simulated multiple-source spectra, determined using the NORESS seismograms for one of the western Norway earthquakes, resulted in spectra that resembled many of the explosion modulation patterns. Based on the simulation studies and cepstral analysis of the spectra, the mine explosions appear to be composed of two to three separate explosions delayed by between 80 to 150 msec. Moreover, the NORSAR spectra of PNEs indicate that these signals are also produced by multiple explosions, although they have larger delay times of between 0.9 to 1.5 sec. These results show that spectral modulations in seismogram spectra of economic explosions, including mine explosions and nuclear explosions fired for peaceful, economic purposes, can be used to distinguish them from earthquakes and nuclear-explosion weapons tests.
Active Modes of Eternal Life

As there are possible modes of eternal life with an interior focus, so there are possible modes of eternal life with an exterior focus. The division between interior modes and exterior modes corresponds to what St. Francis de Sales calls the ‘two principal exercises of our love towards God, the one affective, the other effective, or … active.’1 Exterior modes may be characterized, using the descriptive phrase that Hick applies to active saintliness, as having a ‘practical engagement in social or political action.’
Development of an evidence-based decision pathway for vestibular schwannoma treatment options ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Objective To integrate multiple sources of clinical information with patient feedback to build evidence-based decision support model to facilitate treatment selection for patients suffering from vestibular schwannomas (VS). Methods This was a mixed methods study utilizing focus group and survey methodology to solicit feedback on factors important for making treatment decisions among patients. Two 90-minute focus groups were conducted by an experienced facilitator. Previously diagnosed VS patients were recruited by clinical investigators at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). Classical content analysis was used for focus group data analysis. Providers were recruited from practices within the UPMC system and were surveyed using Delphi methods. This information can provide a basis for multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework to develop a treatment decision support system for patients with VS. Results Eight themes were derived from these data (focus group + surveys): doctor/health care system, side effects, effectiveness of treatment, anxiety, mortality, family/other people, quality of life, and post-operative symptoms. These data, as well as feedback from physicians were utilized in building a multi-criteria decision model. Discussion The study illustrated steps involved in the development of a decision support model that integrates evidence-based data and patient values to select treatment alternatives. Conclusions Studies focusing on the actual development of the decision support technology for this group of patients are needed, as decisions are highly multifactorial. Such tools have the potential to improve decision making for complex medical problems with alternate treatment pathways.
Remission Status and Performance Status, but Not Cytogenetic Risk Group, Are Associated with Outcome After Reduced Intensity Conditioning (RIC) and Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) for Therapy-Related Myeloid Neoplasms (t-MN): Results of the University of Chicago Experience.

Abstract 3395 Poster Board III-283 Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MN) are associated with unfavorable cytogenetics, drug resistance, and poor outcomes. For appropriate candidates, allogeneic HCT is the most likely curative therapy. We, and others, have shown that outcomes from HCT using RIC regimens are comparable to standard myeloablative conditioning regimens for high-risk patients with myeloid neoplasms. Few studies have focused on transplant outcomes for pts with t-MN. Therefore, we reviewed outcomes of 46 pts (median age 51; range, 25-71) with t-MN who underwent HCT at the University of Chicago between 3/89 and 1/09. Eleven had presented with 20% blasts. Prior malignancies included Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 9), NHL (n = 9), CLL (n = 2), ALL (n = 2), APL (n = 1), and solid tumors (n = 19). Four pts had non-malignant prior diseases (SLE, Crohns disease, heart transplant, kidney transplant), but had received cytotoxic therapy. Since 2001, 37 pts received RIC transplants, whereas 9 earlier pts received myeloablative conditioning. Overall survival (OS) at day 100, 1 yr, and 2 yrs was 63% (95%CI, 49-77%), 40% (95%CI, 25-55%), and 34% (95%CI, 19-49%), respectively. Disease status at transplant was highly predictive of outcome (p = 0.03), with those pts in CR (n = 12) at the time of transplant exhibiting a 2 yr OS of 69% (95% CI, 38-100%) versus those with persistent disease (n = 34) exhibiting a 2 yr OS of 24% (95% CI, 8-40) (see figure below). ECOG performance status (PS) of 0 and 1 (n = 32) had similar outcomes, while no pts with a PS of 2 (n= 4) were alive at 2 years. Neither patient age (>50) nor donor source (related [n = 28] vs unrelated [n = 18]) had a significant impact on outcome (p= 0.73 and 0.07, respectively). Interestingly, cytogenetic subset did not affect outcome; 2 yr OS was 35% (95%CI, 9-61%) for those with intermediate (n = 15) and 31% (95%CI, 12-50%) for those with poor-risk (n = 30) cytogenetics. Only one patient in the group had a good-risk cytogenetic pattern. RIC was associated with a 2 yr OS of 38% (95%CI, 18-58%), while ablative regimens resulted in a 2 yr OS of 21% (95% CI, 0-43%) (p = 0.04). Since RIC transplants were performed more recently, improvements in supportive care may have affected outcomes. These data represent one of the largest series reported on transplant outcome for t-MN. We conclude that RIC followed by related or unrelated donor HCT should be considered for pts with t-MN, regardless of cytogenetic abnormalities. The results for pts transplanted in remission are encouraging with 2 yr OS of 69%. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
AMPK Regulates Nanog Gene Expression Via p53 in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells.

Abstract Abstract 2537 Poster Board II-514 High glucose level is usually required for embryonic stem cell (ESC) culture but culture medium without glucose is a rather favorable condition to enhance differentiation of ESCs. However, the exact molecular relationship of how glucose metabolism affects ESC pluripotency remains unclear. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key regulator for controlling the metabolism of glucose and fatty acids, is activated in response to a high intracellular AMP to ATP ratio (ATP-exhausting stress). We hypothesized that AMPK activity is associated with maintenance of ESC pluripotency and tested this hypothesis utilizing aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) and Compound C, respectively as an activator and a selective inhibitor of AMPK. Here, we demonstrate that in the mouse ESC line, R1, in the presence of LIF, AICAR significantly reduced protein expression of Nanog and SSEA-1 (Nanog: 365+/−21 vs. 270+/−25; SSEA-1: 13195+/−707 vs. 7572+/−507, mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), +/-SD, control vs. AICAR (0.5 mM, 24h treatment), n=3 expts, p Fig. 1 ). Thus, we postulate that activated AMPK might inhibit Nanog gene activity by phosphorylation of p53. Taken together, our data suggest that AMPK activity in response to metabolic ATP and AMP levels may play a primary role in controlling ESC pluripotency through p53-mediated regulation of Nanog gene expression. Download : Download high-res image (101KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1 . AMPK regulates Nanog expression. (A) R1 mouse ES cells were treated with AICAR (0.5mM) or Compound C (0.005mM) for 24h, and then cells were collected and lysed. (B) R1 cells were treated with AICAR or Compound C for 9h. The levels of indicated proteins were measured by western blotting. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Comparative Study of Hexahedral and Tetrahedral Elements for Non-linear Structural Analysis

Finite elements are routinely used for analysis of real world problems in a wide range of engineering disciplines. The types of problems for which these are used include, but are not limited to, structural engineering, materials science, heat transfer, optics and electromagnetics. While linearity is a good assumption to start with in many problems, reasonable solutions to real-life problems require them to be treated as non-linear. It is, therefore, necessary that the users of finite element codes be aware of the capabilities and limitations of their analysis tools.
Measurements and Calculations of the Neutron Emission Spectra from Materials Used in Fusion-Fission Reactors

Spherical assemblies of copper with radii (R) equal to 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 mean-free-paths (mfp) for 14-MeV neutrons, niobium (R = 0.9 and 3.2 mfp), 232Th (R = 1.0 mfp), and 238U (R = 1.0 and 3.1 mfp...
Imaging Approach to Musculoskeletal Trauma

Trauma is a common and major cause of musculoskeletal pathology.The entire musculoskeletal system is subject to trauma from minor muscle strains to full-scale fractures and dislocations.In this chapter, we present the principles and approach to imaging trauma including fractures; dislocations; ligament, fibrocartilage, hyaline cartilage tears; tendon sprains; and muscle strains.Each topic is discussed with a focus on pathophysiologically correct diagnosis and appropriate imaging technique, including radiographs, computed tomography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging.The interaction between various parts of the musculoskeletal system in response to a traumatic event is discussed.Types of fractures and their clinical implications will be reviewed.Common dislocations are discussed.Typical cartilage injuries are reviewed.Muscle strains, tendon, and ligament injuries are reviewed.
The Case of a Dysfunctional Administrative Team: Star Player Questions Status Quo.

This case study is a combination of real-life events that describe the complexity of dual roles within a small school. The administrators in this case have to determine the consequences in response...
Is the Federal Judiciary Independent of Congress

Can Congress command a federal court to rule in favor of a particular party in a pending case? The answer to this seemingly simple question is unsettled. The Constitution permits Congress to enact rules of law that courts must follow; and it permits the courts to decide cases pending before them. Constitutional conflict arises when Congress writes a rule of law so specific that it guarantees the outcome in a particular, pending case. The Supreme Court is currently considering this fundamental separation of powers question in Patchak v. Zinke. This Essay describes the complex issues presented in Patchak and offers an approach to resolving them that preserves both Congress’s role in lawmaking and the judiciary’s independence.
‘New’ Feminisms in India: Encountering the ‘West’ and the Rest

The role of the ‘west’ in defining feminism in India has been the subject of many contestations and critiques. Conversing with different theorists, I look at instances of ‘new’ feminisms in India through initiatives such as Blank Noise, SlutWalk, and Pink Chaddi Campaign to question the meaning of the ‘west’ in Indian feminisms. Also, I turn to Mithu Sen’s exhibit (2016), which encourages us to rethink the construction of boundaries and geographical delimitations. Complicating the notion of space and ideological delineations, my essay theorizes on the ‘new’ and ‘west’ as complex interactions, which though seen as ostensibly western influenced could help push us towards a more nuanced analysis of power fabrics.
Predictors of Overnight Admission after Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy in the Expert Setting.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To identify predictors of overnight admission after laparoscopic and robot-assisted hysterectomy to improve preoperative counseling and patient optimization. DESIGN A single-center retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification III). SETTING Academic university hospital. PATIENTS Patients undergoing straight-stick laparoscopic and robot-assisted hysterectomy by fellowship-trained minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons for benign indications INTERVENTIONS: Straight-stick laparoscopic and robot-assisted hysterectomy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Data from 396 consecutive minimally invasive hysterectomy procedures were collected for analysis. Three hundred twelve patients (79%) were discharged the same day, and 84 (21%) were admitted for at least 1 night. Data from the 2 groups were compared. Overnight stay compared with same-day discharge was associated with older age (47.3 vs 43.4 years, p < .001), lower preoperation hematocrit (35.8% vs 37.3%, p = .035), history of prior laparotomy (31% vs 14.1%, p = .003), prolonged operative time (190.5 vs 115.2 minutes, p < .001), estimated blood loss (244.6 vs 104.1 mL, p < .001), lysis of adhesion (27.4% vs 13.5%), and intraoperative organ injury (17% vs 3%, p = .005). Logistic regression analysis, adjusting for all included variables as confounders, showed that hematocrit increments of 5% were protective against any overnight stay (odds ratio, .622; p = .015), and a 30-minute increase in operative time increased the odds of an overnight stay by 1.6 (p < .001). History of a laparotomy remained a significant predictive factor for an overnight stay (odds ratio, 3.2; p = .006). Later surgery end time, in 60-minute increments, increased the odds of an overnight stay by 1.2 (p < .01). CONCLUSION Perioperative factors such as age, hematocrit, surgery time, and surgical history as well as intraoperative factors such as prolonged operative time are predictive of overnight hospital stay.
Skyrmions and Antiskyrmions in Quasi-Two-Dimensional Magnets

A stable skyrmion, representing the smallest realizable magnetic texture, could be an ideal element for ultra-dense magnetic memories. Here, we review recent progress in the field of skyrmionics, which is concerned with studies of tiny whirls of magnetic configurations for novel memory and logic applications, with a particular emphasis on antiskyrmions. Magnetic antiskyrmions represent analogs of skyrmions with opposite topological charge. Just like skyrmions, antiskyrmions can be stabilized by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, as has been demonstrated in a recent experiment. Here, we emphasize differences between skyrmions and antiskyrmions, e.g., in the context of the topological Hall effect, skyrmion Hall effect, as well as nucleation and stability. Recent progress suggests that anitskyrmions can be potentially useful for many device applications. Antiskyrmions offer advantages over skyrmions as they can be driven without the Hall-like motion, offer increased stability due to dipolar interactions, and can be realized above room temperature.
Incubation water loss, shell conductance, and pore dimensions in Adelie Penguin eggs

In order to understand water loss regulation of bird eggs in very dry climates eggs of the Adelie Penguin were studied at Cape Bird, Ross Island, Antarctica. During incubation 125 g Adelie Penguin eggs lose about 447 mg of water per day, resulting in an overall estimated loss, during 35 days of incubation, of 13% of their initial mass. The eggshell conductance of 13.1 mg H2O·day-1·torr-1 occurs from 9100 pores with an effective radius and pore length of 11 μm and 600 μm, respectively. In this study the water vapor pressure of the egg was 44 torr, estimated from the egg temperature of 35.9°C. Ambient temperature was-4°C, with an absolute humidity of less than 3 torr, resulting in an overall vapor pressure difference between the egg and the environment of 41 torr. This difference was divided between the egg and nest conductance in a ratio of ca. 1:5.
Reassembling the household for Icelandic archaeology: a contribution to comparative political economy

SUMMARY: Between the 11th and 19th centuries, household archaeology in Iceland comprises rural, dispersed farmsteads notable for their boundedness and stability, suggesting productive and reproductive autonomy. Insights from Actor-Network Theory and entanglement theory help ‘disassemble’ this assumption by shifting our focus first to the agencies, flows and dependences that comprise a political economy without assuming the household’s relations of production a priori. Architecture, settlement patterns, landscape and midden accumulations from the Langholt region in Skagafjorður, North Iceland, along with historical data illustrate that households in Iceland are actually marked by social dissolution, alienation and instability through dramatic political-economic dis- and re-assembling which in turn produces the stability in the material manifestation of the household. These data caution against a simple relationship between the household and archaeological farmstead, and suggest that measures of dependency ...
Integration of Palliative Care and Oncology Nursing

Objective To describe the evolution of oncology and palliative nursing in meeting the changing landscape of cancer care. Data Sources Peer-reviewed articles, clinical practice guidelines, professional organization, and position statements. Conclusion Nurses have been at the forefront of efforts to develop and implement oncology and palliative care programs. Fifty years ago a cancer diagnosis meant a poor prognosis, high symptom burden, and disease uncertainty. Current cancer care has advanced to include palliative care in conjunction with innovative therapies and symptom management. Implications for Nursing Practice Specialty trained oncology and palliative care nurses are essential in disease and symptom management, psychosocial and spiritual support, and advance care planning.
3D modeling: a future of cardiovascular medicine 1.

Cardiovascular disease resulting from atypical cardiac structures continues to be a leading health concern despite advancements in diagnostic imaging and surgical techniques. However, the ability t...
Social Capital and Mental Health

Social capital is a compound and complex construct, an umbrella term under which social cohesion, social support, social integration and/or participation are often lumped together. Beyond its growing appeal to policy makers, practitioners and researchers in public health in general and mental health in particular, social capital is now also an integral part of broad-based discussions on social-ecological resilience, ecosystem sustainability, and the collective management of natural resources (see for instance, Adger et al., 2005; Hardin, 1968; Pretty, 2003). This chapter revisits and updates the analysis presented in an earlier interdisciplinary review of primary evidence linking social capital and mental health (Almedom, 2005).
High Resolution Non-Line-of-Sight Imaging with Superheterodyne Remote Digital Holography

We present a novel technique for Non-Line-of-Sight imaging that borrows ideas from Multi-Wavelength Interferometry and Remote Digital Holography. Our method reaches a resolution of a few mm, which by far surpasses the resolution of conventional methods.
"Let Go, Let God": A Qualitative Study Exploring Cancer Patients' Spirituality and Its Place in the Medical Setting.

This study explored the role of God and spirituality in cancer patients to gain deeper insight into how patients use their spirituality to cope during illness, including how they see the medical team meeting their spiritual needs. From our work, some naturally emerging themes included Finding God in Cancer and Healing, Spiritual Support Desired from Medical Community, Doctor as “Gift from God”?, and Communication and the Power of Talk. Cancer patients not only acknowledged a spiritual need, but a desire for it to be addressed by their medical team as part of their treatment.
Critique of the pairwise method for estimating qPCR amplification efficiency: beware of correlated data!

A recently proposed method for estimating qPCR amplification efficiency E analyzes fluorescence intensity ratios from pairs of points deemed to lie in the exponential growth region on the amplification curves for all reactions in a dilution series. This method suffers from a serious problem: The resulting ratios are highly correlated, as they involve multiple use of the raw data, for example, yielding ~ 250 E estimates from ~ 25 intensity readings. The resulting statistics for such estimates are falsely optimistic in their assessment of the estimation precision. Monte Carlo simulations confirm that the correlated pairs method yields precision estimates that are better than actual by a factor of two or more. This result is further supported by estimating E by both pairwise and Cq calibration methods for the 16 replicate datasets from the critiqued work, and then comparing the ensemble statistics for these methods. Contrary to assertions in the proposing work, the pairwise method does not yield E estimates a factor of 2 more precise than estimates from Cq calibration fitting (the standard curve method). On the other hand, the statistically correct direct fit of the data to the model behind the pairwise method can yield E estimates of comparable precision. Ways in which the approach might be improved are discussed briefly.
On the thermodynamic stability of bubbles, immiscible droplets, and cavities

Nanobubbles filled with air or a variety of pure gases are observed to persist in bulk water for weeks and months. Nanoemulsions consisting of oil droplets in water are also remarkably stable against coagulation, with lifetimes up to weeks even if not coated with surfactants. The inverse system of nanodroplets of water in oil is also accessible for study and application. Voids on the nanoscale are formed in simulations of water under strong tension and are stable during the time of the simulation. The stability of these nano-entities is ultimately determined by the molecular-level structure of their interfaces. However, a thermodynamic theory might also be capable of providing some insight. We therefore consider spherical gas nanobubbles, immiscible liquid nanodroplets, and nanocavities formed in water under negative pressure on the same footing, and give a unified thermodynamic analysis of these systems. In all cases, mechanical equilibrium (local free energy maximum or minimum) is expressed by the Laplace equation, and thermodynamic stability (local free energy minimum) follows from the radius dependence of surface tension. All of them would be unstable if their surface tensions were constant. Data from the literature allow construction of numerical examples for cavities and gas nanobubbles. Spectroscopic data are cited in support of an interfacial water structure in gas nanobubbles and water droplets in oil that differ from their flat surface counterparts. The observed longevity of nanobubbles in particular has been thought to violate fundamental principles of diffusion and solubility. A close look at the Laplace equation and its derivation shows why this widespread belief is incorrect.
Comparison of the number of nodes explored by cyclic best first search with depth contour and best first search

Abstract Search strategies are used in Branch-and-bound (B&B) algorithms to determine the order to process the nodes in a search tree. A search strategy that has seen frequent success in B&B algorithms is Best First Search (BFS). However, a new search strategy called Cyclic Best First Search with depth contour (CBFS-depth) has been shown to consistently process fewer nodes than BFS on several combinatorial optimization problems. In this paper, we study the properties of search trees under which CBFS-depth may outperform BFS in terms of the average number of nodes explored to prove optimality. To facilitate the study, a search tree model is proposed for minimization problems solved by B&B algorithms which is based on the distributions of nodes in the tree with different lower bounds. Using this model, we estimate the expected number of nodes expanded by CBFS-depth. Additionally, we apply B&B algorithms using both search strategies to trees that are randomly generated according to the proposed model in order to study how the average number of nodes expanded by each search strategy is affected by the search tree. Finally, both search strategies are tested on existing optimization problems to validate the observations from the randomly generated search trees.
Vegetation Effects for Remote Sensing of Soil Moisture Using NMM3D Full-wave Simulation

The transmission of microwave through vegetation layer has been studied by the Radiative Transfer Equations (RTE) and Distorted Born Approximation (DBA) model, both of which assume a uniformly random distribution of the scatterers in vegetation. In this paper, a hybrid method is developed for the Numerical Maxwell Model of 3D (NMM3D) full-wave simulation of vegetation field consisting of many plants. A geometry setup is used to include the plant structure and gaps. Using the Huygens's principle and vector cylindrical wave expansions, the T-matrix of single plant is extracted based on the near field solutions from Ansys High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). The final scattered field is calculated using Foldy-Lax multiple scattering equations. The convergence of the T-matrix is tested and the hybrid method is verified with HFSS for the case of 4 wheat. The transmissivity of wheat at L-band calculated from the hybrid method is significantly higher than that of RTE/DBA.
The Characters of Living Things

The dramatic advance of biological research in the past few decades has been proceeding on two very different fronts. The triumphs of biochemistry, in its detailed study of the nature and regulation of metabolic processes; the startling advances of molecular genetics, in particular DNA ‘code-cracking’; the revelation, through the electron microscope, of a whole new world of complex organization at the minutest level: in short, those fields of research designated by the package title ‘molecular biology’: these form one such ever-widening front of advancing knowledge. A little less conspicuously in the headlines, but as ingenious in its methods and certainly as significant in its philosophical implications, is the almost equally new and equally rapidly growing science of animal behavior, or ethology, which studies, not the minute component parts of animals, but their action patterns, whether as individuals or in groups.
On-line estimation with the multivariate Gaussian distribution

We consider on-line density estimation with the multivariate Gaussian distribution. In each of a sequence of trials, the learner must posit a mean µ and covariance Σ; the learner then receives an instance x and incurs loss equal to the negative log-likelihood of x under the Gaussian density parameterized by (µ, Σ). We prove bounds on the regret for the follow-the-leader strategy, which amounts to choosing the sample mean and covariance of the previously seen data.
Sequence of rat mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase cDNA. Evidence for EF-hand calcium-binding domains.

Abstract The FAD-dependent, mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.99.5) is an essential component of the glycerol phosphate shuttle and is abundant in the pancreatic insulin cell, skeletal muscle, and brain. Although DNA clones for this enzyme and its homologues have been isolated from bacteria and yeast, it has never been cloned from a higher eukaryote. We have cloned and sequenced cDNAs encoding the rat mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. The longest cDNA (2337 base pairs) encodes a deduced protein of 727 amino acids that shows strong homology to the yeast and bacterial FAD-dependent glycerol phosphate dehydrogenases. The amino terminus of the purified mature protein was sequenced and shows identity with the deduced amino acid sequence beginning with residue 43. The 42 preceding amino acids are consistent with a mitochondrial leader peptide. A highly conserved FAD-binding domain and conserved regions possibly involved with glycerol phosphate binding are present. An unexpected finding was the homology of the deduced protein to calmodulin. Analysis of the deduced protein sequence shows a region near the carboxyl terminus containing two sequences homologous to "EF-hand" calcium-binding domains that are not present in the shorter yeast and bacterial homologues. The second of these domains appears to have features compatible with considerable affinity for calcium, whereas the first does not. The finding of a potential calcium-binding region is consistent with the known enhancement by calcium of the mammalian enzyme activity at low substrate concentrations and the lack of a requirement for calmodulin. This is the first report of EF-hands in a metabolic enzyme or in a mitochondrial protein.
Nitrogen fixation in the South Atlantic Gyre and the Benguela Upwelling System

[1] Dinitrogen (N2) fixation is recognized as an important input of new nitrogen (N) to the open ocean gyres, contributing to the export of organic matter from surface waters. However, very little N2-fixation research has focused on the South Atlantic Gyre, where dust deposition of iron (Fe), an important micronutrient for diazotrophs, is seasonally low. Recent modeling efforts suggest that N2-fixation may in fact be closely coupled to, and greatest in, areas of denitrification, as opposed to the oceanic gyres. One of these areas, the Benguela Upwelling System, lies to the east of the South Atlantic Gyre. In this study we show that N2-fixation in surface waters across the South Atlantic Gyre was low overall (<1.5 nmol N l−1 d−1) with highest rates seen in or near the Benguela Upwelling System (up to ∼8 nmol N l−1 d−1). Surface water dissolved Fe (dFe) concentrations were very low in the gyre (∼0.3 nM or lower), while soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations were relatively high (∼0.15 μM). N2-fixation rates across the entire sampling area were significantly positively correlated to dFe, but also to SRP and NO3−. Thus, high NO3− concentrations did not exclude N2-fixation in the upwelling region, which provides evidence that N2-fixation may be occurring in previously unrecognized waters, specifically near denitrification zones. However the gene encoding for a nitrogenase component (nifH) was not detected from known diazotrophs at some stations in or near the upwelling where N2-fixation was greatest, suggesting the presence of unknown diazotrophs in these waters.
Entanglement of a Gas of Atomic Spins

In this paper we discuss our recent work on the creation of massively entangled states of millions to trillions of thermal atomic spins. We consider the particular entangled states that are also spin-squeezed states.
Transonic flow in the throat region of annular supersonic nozzles

A theoretical and experimental investigation of flow in the throat region of annular supersonic nozzles has been conducted. The theoretical analysis consists of the formulation and development of an approximate, series expansion solution to the inviscid, irrotational governing equations. The resulting solution provides a direct means of analyzing the throat flowfields in a variety of two-dimensional nozzle configurations including axisymmetric, planar, and annular nozzles. Flowfield static pressure measurements have been obtained for four nozzle configurations, including a conventional axisymmetric nozzle and three annular ones. Half-section cylindrical models were constructed and mounted on a splitter plate whose surface corresponds to a plane of symmetry for the axisymmetric geometries under consideration. Measurements from a grid of pressure taps arranged on the splitter plate allowed the determination of the static pressure fields in the nozzle throats. For all four cases tested, it is found that the agreement between the theoretical and experimental results is quite good through a significant region of the throat. Only near the bounding walls in the throat inlet region is there a noticeable discrepancy for some of the cases.
Definitive radiation therapy without chemotherapy for human papillomavirus-positive head and neck cancer.

Background To report a single institutional experience with definitive radiation therapy alone for human papillomavirus (HPV)–positive head and neck cancer. Methods A total of 67 patients were treated by radiation therapy alone to a median dose of 70 Gy (range, 66–72 Gy) for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed pretreatment tumor tissues were used to establish HPV-positivity using standardized techniques of immunohistochemistry for p16 and polymerase chain reaction for HPV. Results In all, 23 patients with HPV-positive cancers were identified. With a median follow-up of 28 months (range, 6–85 months), the 3-year actuarial rates of overall survival, locoregional control, and distant metastasis-free survival were 83%, 90%, and 88%, respectively. Conclusion These findings attest to the exquisite radiosensitivity of HPV-positive head and neck cancer. The clinical outcomes observed from this selected series compare favorably with historical controls treated by more intensive chemoradiotherapy strategies. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 35: 1652–1656, 2013
Refractory abdominal-cutaneous fistulas or leaks: percutaneous management with a collagen plug.

Abstract Background: We report the results of abdominal–cutaneous fistula tract occlusion with a collagen plug in a series of patients with fistulas or leaks refractory to conservative therapy. Study Design: Seven patients were found to have persistent fistula or leak after percutaneous drainage of abdominal pelvic fluid collections. All patients but one were refractory to surgical or percutaneous drainage. Under fluoroscopic guidance, modified Vasoseal (Datascope Inc, Montvale, NJ) collagen plugs were deployed into the fistulas using catheter-directed techniques. The plugs were split longitudinally to fit into an 8F or 9F peel-away sheath, placed into the fistula, and deployed. Results were tabulated and patients were followed up. Results: Six of seven patients undergoing fluoroscopically guided, catheter-directed tract occlusion had resolution of the fistula, with no evidence of fistula or abscess recurrence from 30 to 180 days after closure. There were no procedural complications. The technique was unsuccessful in closing a gastrocutaneous fistula after removal of a large-bore gastrostomy tube; this failure was believed to be secondary to the short length and large caliber of the tract in a patient with hypercortisolemia. Conclusions: Closure of abdominal–cutaneous fistula tracts by occlusion with a modified Vasoseal collagen plug shows promise in the management of fistulas refractory to catheter drainage.
Spatial Competition and Market Definition in the Nursing Home Industry

The degree of competition in the nursing home industry has profound implications for regulations, quality and pricing decisions. This paper presents a model of spatial competition in the nursing home industry to investigate how consumer preferences over location can affect the substitutability and the degree of competition between geographically differentiated nursing homes. A random coefficients logit demand model for nursing home care is estimated using census tract demographic information. The estimates on distance and price show plausible substitution effects and time costs. Simulation results reveal a higher own price elasticity of demand than found in the previous literature. The model is used to examine the impact of changes in the market structure of nursing homes in one hypothetical county.
Sedimented Ridges as a Laboratory for Exploring the Subsurface Biosphere

Sediment-buried seafloor spreading centers offer one of the best environments for quantifying the extent and composition of the subsurface biosphere, particularly chemosynthetic and thermophilic organisms. Critical parameters that control microbial viability, including temperature, pore fluid composition and fluid advection rates, are routinely measured in sediments, but these same measurements are difficult or impossible to make in normal oceanic crust. Depth zonation of different metabolic pathways for organic carbon diagenesis based on availability of electron acceptors has been extensively investigated in the marine environment and is a fundamental aspect of the subsurface biosphere at sedimented ridges. Additional energy sources for microbial metabolism, including hydrothermal gases and thermogenic hydrocarbons are present at sedimented ridges. Stable isotopes provide a useful tool for distinguishing sources of electron donors and acceptors in this environment, but repeated cycling of compounds across redox boundaries due to burial and diffusion complicates the interpretation of isotope fractionation. Studies of the microbial ecology of sedimented ridges conducted to date demonstrate that interdisciplinary approaches that combine microbiology with geophysical and geochemical characterization of the subsurface environment are critical for understanding the controls on the extent and composition of the subsurface biosphere.
Impairment of mitochondrial dynamics: A target for the treatment of neurological disorders?

Mitochondrial dysfunction has long been appreciated in the pathogenesis of various neurological disorders. However, the molecular basis underlying the decline in mitochondrial function is not fully understood. Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that frequently undergo fusion and fission. In healthy cells, the delicate balance between fusion and fission is required for maintaining normal mitochondrial and cellular function. However, under pathological conditions, the balance is disrupted, resulting in excessive mitochondrial fragmentation and mitochondrial dysfunction. The impaired fusion and fission processes can lead to apoptosis, necrosis and autophagic cell death and seem to play causal roles in the progression of acute and chronic neuronal injuries. In this article, important aspects of what is currently known about the molecular machinery regulating mitochondrial fission and fusion in mammalian cells is summarized. Special emphasis will be given to the consequences of disregulated mitochondri...
SU-FF-I-98: Accelerating B-Spline Registration Using Graphics Processing Units

Purpose: To develop a highly data‐parallel version of B‐spline registration within the stream‐processing model, suitable for use on cheap stream processors such as graphics processing units (GPUs). Method and Materials: We first develop a grid‐alignment technique and a data structure that greatly improves the computation speed of B‐spline registration on the CPU. The basic idea here is to align the B‐spline grid with the voxel grid, so that the volume is partitioned into tiles of equal size. The use of equal sized tiles is important since it allows the coefficient multipliers used for B‐spline interpolation to be pre‐computed. Then, using this data structure, we develop a data‐parallel version of B‐spline registration suitable for use on a GPU. We have developed a streaming algorithm for B‐spline registration within the Compute Unified Device Architecture (or CUDA), a programming abstraction for general‐purpose computing on GPUs, recently introduced by NVidia. Results: Using both phantom (swine lung) and synthetic images, we have validated and compared the GPU‐based algorithm with the B‐spline registration routines in the Insight Toolkit (ITK version 3.10.1). Our CPU implementation that uses the grid‐alignment technique runs up to 400 times faster than ITK. The GPU‐based algorithm achieves further speedup; it runs about four times faster per iteration than our CPU version, that is, about 1600 times faster than ITK B‐splines. The registration quality achieved by the GPU was found to be excellent, with nearly identical displacement vectors compared to the CPU version. Conclusions: Improvements in the processing speed of deformable registration algorithms are a powerful driving force for clinical applications. Interventional procedures such as image‐guided surgery and image‐guidedradiotherapy require very low latencies in imaging and analysis, and improvements in processing speed mean that deformable registration can be used in such settings.
Repair of tegmen defect using cranial particulate bone graft

Bone pate is used to repair cranial bone defects. This material contains bone-dust collected during the high-speed burring of the cranium. Clinical and experimental studies of bone dust, however, have shown that it does not have biological activity and is resorbed. We describe the use of bone pate using particulate bone graft. Particulate graft is harvested with a hand-driven brace and 16mm bit; it is not subjected to thermal injury and its large size resists resorption. Bone pate containing particulate graft is much more likely than bone dust to contain viable osteoblasts capable of producing new bone.
Direct MRI Mapping of Neuronal Activity Evoked by Electrical Stimulation of the Median Nerve at the Right Wrist

Magnetic source MRI (msMRI) has being developed recently for direct detections of neuronal magnetic fields to map brain activity. However, controversial results have been reported by different research groups. In this study, more evidence was provided to demonstrate that the neuronal current signal could be detected by MRI using a rapid median nerve stimulation paradigm. The experiments were performed on six normal human participants to investigate the temporal specificity of the effect, as well as inter- and intrasubject reproducibility. Significant activation of contralateral primary sensory cortex (S1) was detected 80 ms after stimulation onset (corresponding to the P80 evoked potential peak). The 80-ms latency S1 activation was observed over three independent sessions for one subject and for all six participants. The magnitude of the signal change was 0.2-0.3%. Coinciding with our expectations, no S1 activation was found when MRI data acquisitions were targeted at the N20 and P30 peaks because of mutual cancellation of magnetic fields generated by those peaks. The results demonstrated good reproducibility of S1 activations and indicated that the S1 activations most likely originated from neuronal magnetic field rather than hemodynamic response.