Clustering outdoor soundscapes using fuzzy ants

A classification algorithm for environmental sound recordings or "soundscapes" is outlined. An ant clustering approach is proposed, in which the behavior of the ants is governed by fuzzy rules. These rules are optimized by a genetic algorithm specially designed in order to achieve the optimal set of homogeneous clusters. Soundscape similarity is expressed as fuzzy resemblance of the shape of the sound pressure level histogram, the frequency spectrum and the spectrum of temporal fluctuations. These represent the loudness, the spectral and the temporal content of the soundscapes. Compared to traditional clustering methods, the advantages of this approach are that no a priori information is needed, such as the desired number of clusters, and that a flexible set of soundscape measures can be used. The clustering algorithm was applied to a set of 1116 acoustic measurements in 16 urban parks of Stockholm. The resulting clusters were validated against visitor's perceptual measurements of soundscape quality

Hematologic Toxicity of Concurrent Administration of Radium-223 and Next-generation Antiandrogen Therapies.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Radium-223 is a first-in-class radiopharmaceutical recently approved for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer in patients with symptomatic bone metastases. Initial studies investigating Radium-223 primarily used nonsteroidal first-generation antiandrogens. Since that time, newer antiandrogen therapies have demonstrated improved survival in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. It has been suggested that the rational combination of these newly approved agents with Radium-223 may lead to improved response rates and clinical outcomes. Currently, there is lack of information regarding the safety of concurrent administration of these agents with radiopharmaceuticals. Here, we report on hematologic toxicity findings from our institution in patients receiving concurrent Radium-223 and next-generation antiandrogen therapies with either enzalutamide or abiraterone. MATERIALS/METHODS: In a retrospective study, we analyzed patients who received Radium-223 as part of an early-access trial, and following FDA approval in May 2013, patients receiving Radium-223 as part of standard care. Radium-223 was given at standard dosing of 50 kBq/kg each month for 6 total cycles. Complete blood counts were performed before treatment monthly and following each injection. Blood counts from patients receiving Radium alone and concurrently with next-generation antiandrogens were compared. To date, 25 total patients were analyzed, with a median of 5 monthly doses received per patient. Fourteen patients received concurrent therapy during monthly Radium-223 with either enzalutamide (n=8) or abiraterone (n=6). RESULTS: Six patients expired due to disease progression. Two patients discontinued treatment due to grade 3 myelosuppression. For patients receiving either Radium alone and with concurrent next-generation antiandrogen therapy, there did not appear to be any statistically significant differences between initial and nadir blood counts. Mean change from initial neutrophil count to nadir was 1.9×10/L in patients receiving Radium alone, versus 2.3×10/L in patients receiving concurrent therapy (P=0.77). Mean change from initial hemoglobin value to nadir was 1.5 g/L in patients receiving Radium alone, versus 1.8 g/L in patients receiving concurrent therapy (P=0.31). Mean change from initial platelet count to nadir was 52.3×10 cells/L in patients receiving Radium alone versus 70.6×10 cells/L in patients receiving concurrent therapy (P=0.39). Individual blood counts for each measured laboratory are included in the supplemental data. PSA was stable or decreased in 22% of patients receiving Radium alone versus 35% of patients receiving combination treatment (P=0.24). CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent administration of Radium-223 and next-generation antiandrogen therapies appears to be well tolerated with similar toxicities to standard administration of Radium-223 alone. This particular cohort of patients represents a high-risk, heavily pretreated group of patients with advanced metastatic disease and significant marrow burden. Despite these risk factors, hematologic toxicity was modest and was in the range expected for this risk group based on previous trials. To date, this is the first study investigating the toxicity of combination treatment. Further studies investigating the safety and efficacy of combination treatments are warranted

Resource contrast in patterned peatlands increases along a climatic gradient

Copyright by the Ecological Society of America 2010, for personal or educational use only. Article is available at <http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/09-1313.1

Natural Resources Policy Under the Bush Administration: Not What it Says, But What it has Done in Court

Bioassays relying on magnetic read-out using probe-tagged magnetic nanobeads are potential platforms for low-cost biodiagnostic devices for pathogen detection. For optimal assay performance it is crucial to apply an easy, efficient and robust bead-probe conjugation protocol. In this paper, sensitive (1.5 pM) singleplex detection of bacterial DNA sequences is demonstrated in a portable AC susceptometer by a magnetic nanobead-based bioassay principle; the volume-amplified magnetic nanobead detection assay (VAM-NDA). Two bead sizes, 100 and 250 nm, are investigated along with a highly efficient, rapid, robust, and stable conjugation chemistry relying on the avidin-biotin interaction for bead-probe attachment. Avidin-biotin conjugation gives easy control of the number of detection probes per bead; thus allowing for systematic investigation of the impact of varying the detection probe surface coverage upon bead immobilization in rolling circle amplified DNA-coils. The existence of an optimal surface coverage is discussed. Biplex VAM-NDA detection is for the first time demonstrated in the susceptometer: Semi-quantitative results are obtained and it is concluded that the concentration of DNA-coils in the incubation volume is of crucial importance for target quantification. The present findings bring the development of commercial biodiagnostic devices relying on the VAM-NDA further towards implementation in point-of-care and outpatient settings

Towards an eficient atomic frequency comb quantum memory

We present an efficient photon-echo experiment based on atomic frequency combs [Phys. Rev. A 79, 052329 (2009)]. Echoes containing an energy of up to 35% of that of the input pulse are observed in a Pr3+-doped Y2SiO5 crystal. This material allows for the precise spectral holeburning needed to make a sharp and highly absorbing comb structure. We compare our results with a simple theoretical model with satisfactory agreement. Our results show that atomic frequency combs has the potential for high-efficiency storage of single photons as required in future long-distance communication based on quantum repeaters.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Five-dimensional N=4, SU(2) X U(1) Gauged Supergravity from Type IIB

We construct the complete and explicit non-linear Kaluza-Klein ansatz for deriving the bosonic sector of N=4 SU(2)\times U(1) gauged five-dimensional supergravity from the reduction of type IIB supergravity on S^5. This provides the first complete example of such an S^5 reduction that includes non-abelian gauge fields, and it allows any bosonic solution of the five-dimensional N=4 gauged theory to be embedded in D=10.Comment: latex, 12 page

Inclusive quasielastic electron scattering on 6^6He: a probe of the halo structure

We investigate inclusive electron scattering reactions on two-neutron halo nuclei in the quasielastic region. Expressions for the cross section and structure functions are given assuming that the halo nucleus can be described as a three-body system (${core}+n+n$). The method is applied to $^6$He. We compute cross sections and structure functions, and investigate the kinematic conditions for which the observables are determined either by $\alpha$-knockout or by halo neutron-knockout. The optimal kinematical domain to disantangle the momentum distributions of the various components of the three--body system ($q \lesssim 200$ MeV/c and $\omega < q^2/2M_N + 20$ MeV) are explored.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures. Physics Letters B, in pres

Faces of pricing and profit planning at the doorstep of the EU: government pricing policy in the innovative pharmaceutical sector in Turkey

The majority of research on the pharmaceutical sector has focused on an overall micro economic, medical oriented welfare issues, whereas the marketing management role of the innovative drug manufacturer has to a large extent been disregarded. Using the case of Turkey, through a series of in-depth interviews with highly innovative companies, other marketing management possibilities to develop pricing strategies and plan for profit are explored based on broader definitions of value and transparency. Our results suggest that pharmaceutical companies as well as governments might have a too narrow focus of value and underestimate the potential long term benefits of a broader approach to marketing management and long term relationships between the various stakeholders