Results of Millikan Library Forced Vibration Testing

This report documents an investigation into the dynamic properties of Millikan Library under forced excitation. On July 10, 2002, we performed frequency sweeps from 1 Hz to 9.7 Hz in both the East-West (E-W) and North-South (N-S) directions using a roof level vibration generator. Natural frequencies were identified at 1.14 Hz (E-W fundamental mode), 1.67 Hz (N-S fundamental mode), 2.38 Hz (Torsional fundamental mode), 4.93 Hz (1st E-Wovertone), 6.57 Hz (1st Torsional overtone), 7.22 Hz (1st N-S overtone), and at 7.83 Hz (2nd E-Wovertone). The damping was estimated at 2.28% for the fundamental E-W mode and 2.39% for the N-S fundamental mode. On August 28, 2002, a modal analysis of each natural frequency was performed using the dense instrumentation network located in the building. For both the E-W and N-S fundamental modes, we observe a nearly linear increase in displacement with height, except at the ground floor which appears to act as a hinge. We observed little basement movement for the E-W mode, while in the N-S mode 30% of the roof displacement was due to basement rocking and translation. Both the E-W and N-S fundamental modes are best modeled by the first mode of a theoretical bending beam. The higher modes are more complex and not well represented by a simple structural system

Leech Parasitism of the Gulf Coast Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina major (Testudines:Emydidae) in Mississippi, USA

Ten leeches were collected from a Gulf Coast box turtle, Terrapene carolina major, found crossing a road in Gulfport, Harrison County, Mississippi, USA. Eight of the leeches were identified as Placobdella multilineata and 2 were identified as Helobdella europaea. This represents the second vouchered report of leeches from a box turtle. Helobdella europaea is reported for the first time associated with a turtle and for the second time from the New World

Aftershock Accelerograms Recorded on a Temporary Array

We recovered 52 timed analog accelerograms from 25 aftershocks of the 1979 Imperial Valley earthquake, between 3:33p.m. P.d.t. October 16 and 5:43 a.m. October 31. The largest aftershock that we recorded (M_L =4.9) occurred at 4:16p.m. October 16. This aftershock triggered eight accelerographs; preliminary estimates of epicentral distance range from 7 to 35 km. The data from this aftershock may be useful for study of both source and wave-propagation phenomena in the Imperial Valley

Nivolumab-induced fulminant diabetic ketoacidosis followed by thyroiditis

Five days following the 3rd cycle of nivolumab, a monoclonal antibody, which acts as immune checkpoint inhibitor against the programmed cell death protein-1, for metastatic lung adenocarcinoma, a 56-year-old woman presented at the hospital critically ill. On admission, she had severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), as evidenced by venous glucose of 47 mmol/L, blood ketones of 7.5 mmol/L, pH of 6.95 and bicarbonate of 6.6 mmol/L. She has had no personal or family history of diabetes mellitus (DM), while random venous glucose, measured 1 week prior to hospitalisation, was 6.1 mmol/L. On admission, her HbA1c was 8.2% and anti-GAD antibodies were 12 kIU/L (0–5 kU/L), while islet cell antibodies and serum C-peptide were undetectable. Nivolumab was recommenced without the development of other immune-mediated phenomena until 6 months later, when she developed hypothyroidism with TSH 18 U/L and low free T4. She remains insulin dependent and has required levothyroxine replacement, while she has maintained good radiological and clinical response to immunotherapy. This case is notable for the rapidity of onset and profound nature of DKA at presentation, which occurred two months following commencement of immunotherapy. Despite the association of nivolumab with immune-mediated endocrinopathies, only a very small number of patients developing type 1 DM has been reported to date. Patients should be closely monitored for hyperglycaemia and thyroid dysfunction prior to and periodically during immunotherapy

ERDA's central receiver solar thermal power system studies

The utilization of solar energy for electrical power production was studied. Efforts underway on the central receiver solar thermal power system are presented. Preliminary designs are included of pilot plant utilizing large numbers of heliostats in a collector field. Safety hazards are also discussed, as well as the most beneficial location of such a plant within the United States

The Gutenberg Algorithm: Evolutionary Bayesian Magnitude Estimates for Earthquake Early Warning with a Filter Bank

Earthquake early warning (EEW) is a race against time. In particular, at proximal sites to the epicenter (typically the most heavily affected sites), strong ground motion starts shortly after the P‐wave onset. For these sites, regional‐type EEW systems that wait until data from several stations are available before issuing a warning and that require fixed data windows following a trigger are not fast enough. Single‐station algorithms, on the other hand, have high uncertainties that compromise their usefulness. In this article, we propose that uncertainties of the earliest warning messages can be reduced substantially if the broadband frequency information of seismic signals is fully exploited. We present a novel probabilistic algorithm for estimating EEW magnitudes. The Gutenberg algorithm uses a filter bank for a time–frequency analysis of the real‐time signals and estimates the posterior probabilities of both magnitude and source–station distance directly from the observed frequency content. It starts off as a single‐station algorithm and then naturally evolves into a regional‐type algorithm, as more data become available. Using an extensive near‐source waveform data set, we demonstrate that the Gutenberg parameter estimates reach the estimation accuracy and precision of existing regional‐type EEW systems with only 3 s of data from a single station. The magnitude estimates, however, saturate at a threshold magnitude that depends on the available signal length that is used for the estimation, suggesting that current EEW magnitude estimates (1) are observational rather than predictive and (2) have to be considered minimum estimates, depending on the amount of available data

Feasibility and initial efficacy of project-based treatment for people with ABI

Background: Communication impairments are common and pervasive for people a long time following acquired brain injury (ABI). These impairments have a significant impact on a person's quality of life (QOL) post‐injury. Project‐based treatment is a treatment approach that could have an impact on communication skills and QOL for people with ABI a long‐term post‐injury. This treatment is embedded in a context of meaningful activities chosen by people with ABI, whereby, as a group, they work collaboratively to achieve a tangible end product. Aims: To evaluate the feasibility and initial efficacy of project‐based treatment on improving the communication skills and QOL for people with ABI. Methods & Procedures: An exploratory controlled trial with alternate allocation of groups, and follow‐up at 6–8 weeks, was completed. Twenty‐one people with chronic ABI were recruited in groups of two to three from community settings, allocated to either a TREATMENT (n = 11) or WAITLIST group (n = 10). Participants attended a 20‐h group‐based treatment over 6 weeks where they worked towards achieving a project that helped others. To determine feasibility, four criteria were used: demand, implementation, practicality and acceptability. A range of communication and QOL outcomes was used to determine a fifth feasibility criterion, initial efficacy. Some of these criteria were additionally used to evaluate the feasibility of the outcomes. Outcomes & Results: All participants received the treatment as allocated with high attendance and no dropouts. The treatment was feasible to deliver as intended and was highly acceptable to participants. Medium and large effect sizes were found from pre‐ to post‐treatment, and from pre‐treatment to follow‐up for measures of conversation, perceived communicative ability and QOL. Conclusions & Implications: Project‐based treatment is feasible with indications of initial efficacy for both communication skills and QOL. The treatment provides a promising new approach for improving communication skills and QOL in people with chronic acquired brain injuries in the community setting

Self healing slip pulses along a gel/glass interface

We present an experimental evidence of self-healing shear cracks at a gel/glass interface. This system exhibits two dynamical regimes depending on the driving velocity : steady sliding at high velocity (> Vc = 100-125 \mu m/s), caracterized by a shear-thinning rheology, and periodic stick-slip dynamics at low velocity. In this last regime, slip occurs by propagation of pulses that restick via a ``healing instability'' occuring when the local sliding velocity reaches the macroscopic transition velocity Vc. At driving velocities close below Vc, the system exhibits complex spatio-temporal behavior.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figure

Reply to Comment by J. Zhang and N. Makris on “Estimates of the Ground Accelerations at Point Reyes Station during the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake” by A. Anooshehpoor, T. H. Heaton, B. Shi, and J. N. Brune

Contrary to the comments by Zhang and Makris (hereafter, ZM), our equations of motion governing the rocking response of a rectangular block subjected to a full-sine acceleration pulse are correct. Therefore, the first part of ZM's discussion, which is based primarily upon the assumption that the equations of motion in our article were incorrect, is inappropriate. In the second part of the discussion, ZM present new results for mode 2, toppling without impact. We did not consider this mode because it was not relevant to the Point Reyes train, which by eyewitness accounts, had overturned after experiencing one impact. However, as explained in this reply, toppling with no impact is never the minimum condition for overturning, and would in general involve very large horizontal accelerations, especially at frequencies where mode 2 is the only overturning mode