Patterns of Late Cenozoic exhumation deduced from apatite and zircon U-He ages from Fiordland, New Zealand

New apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He ages from the Fiordland region of New Zealand's South Island expand on earlier results and provide new constraints on patterns of Late Cenozoic exhumation and cooling across this region. Zircon (U-Th)/He cooling ages, in combination with increased density of apatite ages, show that in addition to a gradual northward decrease in cooling ages that was seen during an earlier phase of this study, there is also a trend toward younger cooling ages to the east. Distinct breaks in cooling age patterns on southwestern Fiordland appear to be correlated to the location of previously mapped faults. The northward decrease in ages may reflect asynchronous cooling related to migration in the locus of exhumation driven by subduction initiation, or it may reflect synchronous regional exhumation that exposed different structural levels across Fiordland, or some combination of these effects. In either case, differential exhumation accommodated by major and minor faults that dissect Fiordland basement rocks apparently played an important role in producing the resulting age patterns

Speech Communication

Contains a report on a research project.National Science Foundation (Grant G-16526)United States Air Force, Electronic Systems Division (Contract AF19(604)-6102

The efficacy of problem-solving treatments after deliberate self-harm: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with respect to depression, hopelessness and improvement in problems

Background. Brief problem-solving therapy is regarded as a pragmatic treatment for deliberate self-harm (DSH) patients. A recent meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating this approach indicated a trend towards reduced repetition of DSH but the pooled odds ratio was not statistically significant. We have now examined other important outcomes using this procedure, namely depression, hopelessness and improvement in problems. Method. Six trials in which problem-solving therapy was compared with control treatment were identified from an extensive literature review of RCTs of treatments for DSH patients. Data concerning depression, hopelessness and improvement in problems were extracted. Where relevant statistical data (e.g. standard deviations) were missing these were imputed using various statistical methods. Results were pooled using meta-analytical procedures. Results. At follow-up, patients who were offered problem-solving therapy had significantly greater improvement in scores for depression (standardized mean difference =[minus sign]0·36; 95% CI [minus sign]0·61 to [minus sign]0·11) and hopelessness (weighted mean difference =[minus sign]3·2; 95% CI [minus sign]4·0 to [minus sign]2·41), and significantly more reported improvement in their problems (odds ratio = 2·31; 95% CI 1·29 to 4·13), than patients who were in the control treatment groups. Conclusions. Problem-solving therapy for DSH patients appears to produce better results than control treatment with regard to improvement in depression, hopelessness and problems. It is desirable that this finding is confirmed in a large trial, which will also allow adequate testing of the impact of this treatment on repetition of DSH

Lipopolysaccharide and toll-like receptor 4 in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunts

Surgical attenuation of a congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS) results in increased portal vein perfusion, liver growth and clinical improvement. Portal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is implicated in liver regeneration via toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 mediated cytokine activation. The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with LPS in dogs with CPSS. Plasma LPS concentrations were measured in the peripheral and portal blood using a limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. LPS concentration was significantly greater in the portal blood compared to peripheral blood in dogs with CPSS (P = 0.046) and control dogs (P = 0.002). LPS concentrations in the peripheral (P = 0.012) and portal (P = 0.005) blood of dogs with CPSS were significantly greater than those of control dogs. The relative mRNA expression of cytokines and TLRs was measured in liver biopsies from dogs with CPSS using quantitative PCR. TLR4 expression significantly increased following partial CPSS attenuation (P = 0.020). TLR4 expression was significantly greater in dogs that tolerated complete CPSS attenuation (P = 0.011) and those with good portal blood flow on pre-attenuation (P = 0.004) and post-attenuation (P = 0.015) portovenography. Serum interleukin (IL)-6 concentration was measured using a canine specific ELISA and significantly increased 24 h following CPSS attenuation (P < 0.001). Portal LPS was increased in dogs with CPSS, consistent with decreased hepatic clearance. TLR4 mRNA expression was significantly associated with portal blood flow and increased following surgery. These findings support the concept that portal LPS delivery is important in the hepatic response to surgical attenuation. Serum IL-6 significantly increased following surgery, consistent with LPS stimulation via TLR4, although this increase might be non-specific

Anxiety in cancer patients

Anxiety is common in cancer patient populations, and must often initially be recognized and managed by cancer care professionals. This article reviews the recent oncology and mental health literature on anxiety. The aim is to help those involved in cancer patient care who are not specialists in mental health to understand the nature of anxiety, and discriminate morbid from normal anxiety. We review recent research into the association of anxiety with events during diagnosis and management of cancer, highlighting the importance of the meaning of events to an individual as an important factor in making people anxious. Lastly we review management strategies which might be used by cancer care professionals, in particular the importance of an awareness of specific patterns of communication which may alleviate or maintain anxiety for some cancer patients. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Networks and the epidemiology of infectious disease

The science of networks has revolutionised research into the dynamics of interacting elements. It could be argued that epidemiology in particular has embraced the potential of network theory more than any other discipline. Here we review the growing body of research concerning the spread of infectious diseases on networks, focusing on the interplay between network theory and epidemiology. The review is split into four main sections, which examine: the types of network relevant to epidemiology; the multitude of ways these networks can be characterised; the statistical methods that can be applied to infer the epidemiological parameters on a realised network; and finally simulation and analytical methods to determine epidemic dynamics on a given network. Given the breadth of areas covered and the ever-expanding number of publications, a comprehensive review of all work is impossible. Instead, we provide a personalised overview into the areas of network epidemiology that have seen the greatest progress in recent years or have the greatest potential to provide novel insights. As such, considerable importance is placed on analytical approaches and statistical methods which are both rapidly expanding fields. Throughout this review we restrict our attention to epidemiological issues

Single-shot single-gate RF spin readout in silicon

For solid-state spin qubits, single-gate RF readout can help minimise the number of gates required for scale-up to many qubits since the readout sensor can integrate into the existing gates required to manipulate the qubits (Veldhorst 2017, Pakkiam 2018). However, a key requirement for a scalable quantum computer is that we must be capable of resolving the qubit state within single-shot, that is, a single measurement (DiVincenzo 2000). Here we demonstrate single-gate, single-shot readout of a singlet-triplet spin state in silicon, with an average readout fidelity of $82.9\%$ at a $3.3~\text{kHz}$ measurement bandwidth. We use this technique to measure a triplet $T_-$ to singlet $S_0$ relaxation time of $0.62~\text{ms}$ in precision donor quantum dots in silicon. We also show that the use of RF readout does not impact the maximum readout time at zero detuning limited by the $S_0$ to $T_-$ decay, which remained at approximately $2~\text{ms}$. This establishes single-gate sensing as a viable readout method for spin qubits

Visual art inspired by the collective feeding behavior of sand-bubbler crabs

Sand--bubblers are crabs of the genera Dotilla and Scopimera which are known to produce remarkable patterns and structures at tropical beaches. From these pattern-making abilities, we may draw inspiration for digital visual art. A simple mathematical model is proposed and an algorithm is designed that may create such sand-bubbler patterns artificially. In addition, design parameters to modify the patterns are identified and analyzed by computational aesthetic measures. Finally, an extension of the algorithm is discussed that may enable controlling and guiding generative evolution of the art-making process

Validating automated screening for psychological distress by means of computer touchscreens for use in routine oncology practice

The aim of the study was to confirm the validity of using touchscreen computers for screening for clinically significant levels of distress among cancer patients in routine oncology practice. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), EORTC Quality of Life questionnaire (QLQ-C30), Mental Health Inventory-MHI5 and a Concerns Checklist were administered via touchscreen computer to 172 chemotherapy out-patients, twice, 2–4 weeks apart. A standard psychiatric interview (Present State Examination – PSE) was conducted within a week of the second assessment. On interview, 23% of patients were identified as ‘cases’. Using the available data (questionnaires, sociodemographic details, self-reported past psychiatric history), the best screening strategy combined scores from MHI-5 and HADS from a single time-point with the following rules: if MHI-5 < 11 = non-case; if MHI-5 ≥ 11 then use HADS; then, if HADS ≥ 9 = ‘case’ (sensitivity 85%; specificity 71%; misclassification rate 26%; positive predictive value 47%). The computerized screening system enabled data to be collected, scored, collated and reported in real time to identify patients who warrant further clinical assessment. It offers the potential for improving ‘case’ detection in routine oncology practice while reducing the burden of questions put to ‘non-cases’. Further work is needed to develop optimal choice of screening questions for this purpose. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co

G_2 Domain Walls in M-theory

M-theory is considered in its low-energy limit on a G_2 manifold with non-vanishing flux. Using the Killing spinor equations for linear flux, an explicit set of first-order bosonic equations for supersymmetric solutions is found. These solutions describe a warped product of a domain wall in four-dimensional space-time and a deformed G_2 manifold. It is shown how these domain walls arise from the perspective of the associated four-dimensional N=1 effective supergravity theories. We also discuss the inclusion of membrane and M5-brane sources.Comment: 30 pages, Late