cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor promotes development of in vitro produced bovine embryos.

The objective was to determine whether granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulates development of bovine embryos. In each experiment, oocytes were fertilized in vitro, GM-CSF was added to embryo culture medium at 8-10 h or 5 days after insemination, and development was monitored as the proportion of oocytes that formed blastocysts. Addition of recombinant bovine GM-CSF to serum-free medium at 8-10 h after insemination increased the percentage of oocytes that formed blastocysts (7.2% and 15.2% for control and GM-CSF, respectively). GM-CSF did not affect cleavage rate. Rather, the effect of GM-CSF seems to be exerted after Day 5 after insemination, as indicated by the following findings: 1) GM-CSF did not alter embryo cell number at Day 5 after insemination; 2) administration of GM-CSF at Day 5 increased the proportion of oocytes that developed to the blastocyst stage (6.7%, 13.0%, and 22.4% for control and 1 and 10 ng/ml GM-CSF, respectively); and 3) addition of serum at Day 5 increased development but prevented a further increase due to addition of GM-CSF at 10 h after insemination. Blastocysts from GM-CSF-treated cultures tended to be at earlier stages of morphological development (i.e., fewer blastocysts expanded at Day 7 and fewer were hatching or hatched at Day 9 after insemination). GM-CSF may play a role in the early development of bovine embryos and might be a useful molecule for increasing blastocyst production rates in serum-free culture systems.
Adaptive compensation of Lorentz force detuning in superconducting RF cavities

The Lorentz force can dynamically detune pulsed Superconducting RF cavities. Considerable additional RF power can be required to maintain the accelerating gradient if no effort is made to compensate for this detuning. An adaptive feed-forward Lorentz Force Detuning (LFD) compensation algorithm developed at Fermilab is described. Systems based on this approach have been used to successfully reduce LFD from several hundred Hz to several 10s of Hz or better.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend … or still my enemy

Purpose – World events underscore political challenges. Even with the relaxation of import/export impediments, the continuance of market globalization, the reduction of travel restriction among many countries combined with challenges throughout the globe that exist, the world appears to becoming an increasingly dangerous place. Heads of government and leaders throughout public sector organizations must have situational awareness of what is going on, not just within their own national boundaries, but what is taking place in the contiguous countries to their own and beyond. Decisions made regarding one issue could have profound secondary and tertiary effects on the situation abroad. This is particularly true when looking at countries as a primary unit of analysis in the context of international relations. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research methodology was used focussing on secondary data. Findings – A public sector leader’s decisions can have a profo...
A Machine Learning Framework for Plan Payment Risk Adjustment

Objective To introduce cross-validation and a nonparametric machine learning framework for plan payment risk adjustment and then assess whether they have the potential to improve risk adjustment. Data Sources 2011–2012 Truven MarketScan database. Study Design We compare the performance of multiple statistical approaches within a broad machine learning framework for estimation of risk adjustment formulas. Total annual expenditure was predicted using age, sex, geography, inpatient diagnoses, and hierarchical condition category variables. The methods included regression, penalized regression, decision trees, neural networks, and an ensemble super learner, all in concert with screening algorithms that reduce the set of variables considered. The performance of these methods was compared based on cross-validated R2. Principal Findings Our results indicate that a simplified risk adjustment formula selected via this nonparametric framework maintains much of the efficiency of a traditional larger formula. The ensemble approach also outperformed classical regression and all other algorithms studied. Conclusions The implementation of cross-validated machine learning techniques provides novel insight into risk adjustment estimation, possibly allowing for a simplified formula, thereby reducing incentives for increased coding intensity as well as the ability of insurers to “game” the system with aggressive diagnostic upcoding.
Oxygen channels and fractal wave-particle duality in the evolution of myoglobin and neuroglobin

Abstract The evolution of terrestrial and aquatic globins is dominated by changes in two proximate–distal His channels, here monitored quantitatively by hydropathic waves. These waves reveal allometric functional features inaccessible to single amino acid stereochemical contact models, and even very large all-atom Newtonian simulations. The evolutionary differences between these features between myoglobin and neuroglobin are related to the two oxidation channels through hydropathic wave analysis, which identifies subtle interspecies functional differences inaccessible to traditional size and metabolic scaling studies. Level set analysis involves dynamic synchronization of allometric interactions across entire globins. Amino acid sequences alone show functional differences between species, which reflect basic metabolic differences (for instance, between temperate and tropical fresh water fish, or differing escape strategies of mice and rabbits).
Psychology of the scientist. VII. The scientist and the mortality of science.

The culture of science institutionalizes impermanence and this creates a source of adventure but also threatens the results of a lifetime's work.
Word Characteristics and Judged Duration for Two Response Sequences

In a previous study, Ss read each of a series of 24 tachistoscopically presented words, wrote each down, and then judged the duration; judgments apparently related to word length and word frequency (Warm & McCray, 1969). In the present study, which employed 2 groups of 24 Ss each, Group Word-Time first wrote the word and then judged its duration, while Group Time-Word judged the duration first and then wrote the word. The word length did not significantly affect the judgments. Words of higher frequency produced significantly greater judgments of duration than did lower; however, the frequency effect was significantly larger for Group Word-Time than for Group Time-Word, indicating that judged duration occurred at least partly as a response to the act of writing the word.
Life history of immature Lyctocoris campestris (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae): effects of constant temperatures and relative humidities

Life history of immature Lyctocoris campestris (F.), a predator of stored-product insects, was investigated at 17, 21, 25, and 29°C and ≍43, ≍58, and ≍75% RH in the laboratory. Most life history traits of L. campestris were influenced by temperature, but none of the traits was influenced by relative humidity. The egg incubation period was ≍7 d at 25-29°C, but increased sharply at temperatures <25°C. An equation was developed to predict egg incubation period over a range of temperatures. Egg hatch rate did not vary with temperatures nor with the relative humidities. The mean hatch rate ranged from 78 to 86% across different temperatures summed across 3 relative humidities. The instar-specific nymphal development also varied with temperature. The 2nd stadium was the shortest followed by the 3rd, 1st, and the 4th, and the 5th stadium was the longest across all 4 temperatures. However, the ratios of duration of nymphal stadia remained constant across all 4 temperatures tested. Total nymphal durations were 20.5, 27.6, 40.1, and 66.2 d at 29,25,21, and 17°C, respectively; all 4 were significantly different from one another. The relationships between temperature and instar-specific nymphal durations and total nymphal durations were described by the same equation for both females and males; total nymphal durations did not vary with sex. Nymphal survival rates ranged from 0.60 to 1.00 and did not vary significantly with temperature or relative humidity. Sex ratio (proportion of males) of emerging adults ranged from 0.40 to 0.70, but did not differ from 1:1. These life history data are reported in a manner useful for developing a computer model for simulating L. campestris population dynamics.
Nutrients in Social Wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Polistinae) Honey

Previous investigators have questioned the temporal occurrence, biochemistry, and nutritional use of honey sometimes present in nests of some social polistine wasps. Honey of species in the genera Polistes and Polybia contains diverse amino acids. Inositols (alicyclic polyalcohols) also are present in the honey of both genera; quercitol was the most abundant inositol in honey of Polistes metricus (Say) from Missouri, but it was not present in honey of Polybia diguetana R. du Buysson from Costa Rica. Honey of P. metricus from Missouri is similar to that of Brachygastra mellifica (Say) because it contained more fructose than glucose. Honey has been seen in P. metricus nests in Missouri at all phases of the colony cycle except late preemergence (1st pupae); scattered but suggestive observations indicate that swarm-founding tropical polistine wasps store honey primarily during low activity phases of the colony cycle in locales with alternating wet and dry or subtropical seasons. Although the nutritional value of wasp honey seems clear, the nutritional role of honey in wasp colonies remains unknown.
Hormonal Responses to Noncontact Aggression in Convict Cichlid Fish

This study explored whether convict cichlid fish mount a hormonal response to aggressive encounters where dominance status remains unresolved. Hormone samples were collected at two time points before an aggressive interaction to obtain confinement-induced and baseline measures, and at one time point following a contest across a clear partition (experimental) or exposure to an opaque partition with an opponent on the opposite side (control). There was no overall significant effect of treatment (control vs. experimental) on hormone release rates but there were trends for cortisol and testosterone (T). A priori linear contrasts showed that individuals that engaged in aggressive interactions had lower postfight cortisol and T release rates than controls, suggesting that aggression, in this context, might attenuate the synthesis of both hormones. Cortisol decreased significantly between initial confinement and baseline, indicating that individuals habituate to the water-borne hormone collection procedure. Contrary to expectation, individuals with higher baseline T and 11-ketotestosterone (KT) release rates took longer to initiate conflict. None of the other measures of behavior were predicted by baseline hormone release rates, and contest behavior did not predict postfight hormone release rates. There was a significant positive relationship between KT and T at all time points. As with studies that employ mirror image stimulation, we found no hormonal response to unresolved contests despite high levels of aggressive behavior. Our study is unique because we demonstrate that animals engaged in conflict with live opponents also do not mount a significant hormonal response when clear dominance relationships are not established.
The Online Studio Problem: Assessing the Role of Distance Learning in Design Pedagogy

El papel de la instruccion en linea en la educacion arquitectonica ha sido motivo de mucho debate reciente. Los cursos basados en conferencias donde un profesor se presenta ante un numero ilimitado de estudiantes, se producen mejor en linea y se han recibido mas favorablemente, sin embargo, la ensenanza del diseno con esta nueva tecnologia ha sido motivo de muchas mas cavilaciones. El advenimiento de las nuevas tecnologias en cualquier campo suele encontrarse con una mezcla de altas expectativas y temor, por lo que una reaccion como esta a la tecnologia en linea no es de llamar la atencion. Desde hace mucho tiempo la fuerza de las metodologias de estudio se han basado en la inmediatez de la interaccion cara a cara entre el profesor y el alumno, y en la camaraderia y la comunion de una experiencia compartida, aspectos mas dificiles de conservar en la distancia. Basado en la investigacion de los pocos programas de arquitectura que actualmente ensenan cursos con este metodo, he resumido los resultados en beneficios y desafios con los que podemos evaluar el problema para entender cuales preocupaciones iniciales siguen siendo validas y cuales pueden ser infundadas
Arapaho Stories, Songs, and Prayers: A Bilingual Anthology

Arapaho stories are precious things, which make the new collection by Andrew Cowell, Alonzo Moss, Sr., and William C'Hair a real treasure trove. They have gathered, retranscribed, and retranslated ...
“Do as I Do and Not as I Say”: Exploring Price‐Oriented Maverick Buying During Supplier Selection

This article empirically examines the occurrence of price-oriented maverick buying (MB) during supplier selection, in a direct purchasing process context. Drawing on agency theory, maverick buying, and total cost of ownership (TCO) literature, the statistically significant existence of price-oriented MB is investigated and the purchasing manager (PM)-related factors that influence such noncompliant behavior are determined. A discrete choice experiment is designed to simulate a TCO-based supplier selection process in which an established purchasing framework agreement stipulates PMs not necessarily be price-oriented (i.e., select suppliers primarily based on lowest price), and then models PM choice behavior in the supplier selection process (SSP), utilizing a conditional logit model (CLM) to determine PM compliance to the established purchasing framework agreement and identify if price-oriented MB exists. Statistical tests utilizing comprehensive primary and secondary data are then conducted to determine if correlational relationships exist between PM-related factors and PM price-orientation. Results indicate that three PM-related factors bear a significant correlational relationship to PM price-orientation.
Synthesis, metal coordination, and cellular internalization of a siderophore-bearing NIR fluorescent carbocyanine probe

In order to explore novel NIR fluorescent probes for optical imaging in biomedicines, one desferrioxamine (DFO)-bearing NIR fluorescent probe was designed and synthesized based on a dicarboxylic acid-containing carbocyanine (Cypate). Similar to the free DFO, the resulting conjugate Cypate-DFO showed high binding affinity with Fe(III) and Ga(III) as identified by ES-MS. Nevertheless, the iron binding was found to quench its fluorescent emission significantly, suggesting that the siderophore moiety might perturb the spectroscopic properties of the attached carbocyanine fluorophore through metal binding. As observed by fluorescence microscopy, Cypate-DFO showed significant cellular internalization in A549 cells in vitro. Further studies on novel Cypate-DFO derivatives of this type may reveal some exciting properties and biological activities.
Concurrent Beet Juice and Carbohydrate Ingestion: Influence on Glucose Tolerance in Obese and Nonobese Adults.

Insulin resistance and obesity are characterized by low nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Insulin sensitivity is improved with stimulation of NO generating pathways. Consumption of dietary nitrate () increases NO formation, via reduction to nitrite () by oral bacteria. We hypothesized that acute dietary nitrate (beet juice) ingestion improves insulin sensitivity in obese but not in nonobese adults. 12 nonobese (body mass index: kg/m2 (mean ± SE)) and 10 obese adults ( kg/m2) ingested beet juice, supplemented with 25 g of glucose (carbohydrate load: 75 g), with and without prior use of antibacterial mouthwash to inhibit reduction to . Blood glucose concentrations after beet juice and glucose ingestion were greater in obese compared with nonobese adults at 60 and 90 minutes (). Insulin sensitivity, as represented by the Matsuda Index (where higher values reflect greater insulin sensitivity), was lower in obese compared with nonobese adults (). Antibacterial mouthwash rinsing decreased insulin sensitivity in obese ( versus ) but not in nonobese ( versus ) adults (). In conclusion, insulin sensitivity was improved in obese but not in nonobese adults following coingestion of beet juice and glucose when oral bacteria nitrate reduction was not inhibited. Obese adults may benefit from ingestion of healthy nitrate-rich foods during meals.
Ergonomics in Robotic Colorectal Surgery

Improved ergonomic conditions for the operating surgeon are proposed as a cornerstone advantage of the robotic surgical platform. When conceptually applied to colorectal surgery and in particular rectal dissection, the ergonomic advantages of the robotic surgeon console over traditional laparoscopic or open pelvic dissection are almost irrefutable. Sitting at the console with the advantages of magnified three-dimensional vision, surgeon-controlled camera movement, and articulating tremor damping wristed instruments, a vast improvement is apparent over the back-bending-arm-wrenching-torque-creating callisthenic that is required in laparoscopy and open rectal surgery. The trade-off for this improved working environment is both the loss of haptic feedback and the yet to be accurately quantified cost of the platform in comparison to open or laparoscopic surgery.
What are the advantages of non-opioid analgesic techniques in the management of acute and chronic pain?

In the early 1990s, Kehlet and his colleagues introduced the concept of ‘balanced’ or multimodal analgesia [1]. The concept was based on the premise that use of a combination of opioid and nonopioi...
Myocardial G protein-coupled receptor kinases: Implications for heart failure therapy

The beta-adrenergic signaling cascade is an important regulator of myocardial function. Significant alterations of this pathway are associated with several cardiovascular diseases, including congestive heart failure (CHF). Included in these alterations is increased activity and expression of G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs), such as the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK1), which phosphorylate and desensitize beta-adrenergic receptors (beta ARs). A body of evidence is accumulating that suggests that GRKs, in particular beta ARK1, are critical determinants of cardiac function under normal conditions and in disease states. Transgenic mice with myocardial-targeted alterations of GRK activity have shown profound changes in the in vivo functional performance of the heart. Included in these studies is the compelling finding that inhibition of beta ARK1 activity or expression significantly enhances cardiac function and potentiates beta AR signaling in failing cardiomyocytes. This article summarizes the advances made in the study of beta ARK1 in the heart and addresses its potential as a novel therapeutic target for CHF.
An Ecological Model to Classify and Monitor Mountain Plover Nesting Habitat on Grasslands in Colorado

A multivariate statistical model based on vegetation and soil surface characteristics was developed to classify and monitor mountain plover (Charadrius montanus ) habitat groupings and nest selection. Data were collected on the shortgrass prairie, Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado. Vegetation and soil surface characteristics were sampled from late April to early June of 1999 and 2000 during the nesting season. Samples were collected on random sites in 43 sections and at 54 nest sites within adjacent townships. Random data were clustered into three habitat groups consisting of high, mid and low nesting habitat. Key variables in the model for classifying and monitoring nest habitat were percent bare ground, percent canopy cover for blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis ) and buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides ). The three nest habitat groupings were quantitatively identified with an estimated 97 percent accuracy. The model classified the 54 mountain plover nest sites as either high, mid or low nesting habitat. High mountain plover nest preference (39 nests) for bare ground was 46 percent, with blue grammar 27 percent and buffalograss at 2 percent (n = 39 nest sites). Mid classified nests (12) selected 23 percent bare ground, 60 percent blue grama and 1 percent buffalograss. Three nests were classified as low nesting habitat, which exhibited 25 percent bare ground, 41 percent buffalograss and 17 percent blue grama. Mountain plovers selected nest sites that had short plant structure, a mean visual obstruction reading (VOR) of 0.25 cm at nesting and ranged from 0 to 1.6 cm. Nest selection was similar for VOR among the three groups (P >0.10). Plant structure (VOR) from 499 random sites was grouped into three categories; tall, intermediate and short and ranged from 0.6 to 11.4 cm. Short VOR plant structure of 2.2 cm or less (<1-inch) is potential nesting habitat and may be achieved by fall or winter grazing within high plover nesting habitat. This multivariate model along with visual obstruction groupings for classifying and monitoring mountain plover habitat on the shortgrass prairie are simple to use, reliable, repeatable and cost effective to meet management objectives and monitoring plans.
Racial–Ethnic Socialization and Transracial Adoptee Outcomes: A Systematic Research Synthesis

Transracial adoptees face unique challenges when it comes to being socialized with their race and culture. Ethnic identity and parent racial–ethnic socialization are two important variables that have been studied in the transracial adoption literature. Additionally, transracial adoptee outcomes of racial–ethnic socialization have been analyzed in multiple studies. However, few reviews have focused on synthesizing empirical studies that include the variables of both racial–ethnic socialization and transracial adoptee outcomes together. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic research synthesis was to examine studies with variables of parent practices of racial–ethnic socialization and transracial adoptee outcomes, and transracial adoptee experiences of racial–ethnic socialization and adoptee outcomes. Thirteen studies were included in the synthesis, and collective findings suggest that racial–ethnic socialization is associated with healthy adoptee outcomes in multiple studies. Implications and limitations about the need for transracially adoptive parents to be educated about racial–ethnic socialization, and resources that adoptive agencies can provide are discussed.
Accelerated model of lupus autoimmunity and vasculopathy driven by toll-like receptor 7/9 imbalance.

Objectives Activation of endosomal toll-like receptor (TLR)7 or TLR9 has been proposed as a critical step for the initiation and development of SLE. Traditional spontaneous lupus models normally introduce multiple risk alleles, thereby adding additional confounding factors. In the induced lupus models, the role of TLR9 remains unclear. In the present study, we explored the role of an imbalance between TLR7 and TLR9 pathways in the pathogenesis of lupus and its associated vasculopathy using the imiquimod model in TLR9 KO/B6 background. Methods Wild type (WT) and Tlr9 -/- mice were epicutaneously treated with imiquimod cream 5% on both ears three times per week for indicated times. At euthanasia, mice were analysed for organ involvement, endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, serum autoantibodies, and innate and adaptive immune responses. Results Compared with the lupus-like phenotype that develops in imiquimod-treated WT mice, Tlr9 -/- mice exposed to imiquimod have increased severity of autoimmunity features and inflammatory phenotype that develops at earlier stages. These abnormalities are characterised by enhanced TLR7 expression and immune activation, increased immune complex deposition, Th1 T cells and dendritic cell kidney infiltration and significant impairments in endothelial function. Modulation of TLR7 expression was observed in the Tlr9 -/- mice. Conclusions These findings further underscore the protective role of TLR9 in TLR7-driven autoimmunity and also in the development of vasculopathy, further strengthening the importance of tightly manipulating TLRs in putative therapeutic strategies. This study provides a new model of accelerated lupus phenotype driven by danger-associated molecular patterns.
Surface States of Aluminophosphate and Zeolite Molecular Sieves

Ultrahigh vacuum surface studies of aluminophosphate and alu-mino silicate molecular sieves have been carried out with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed. The C 1s, 0 1s, Na 1s, Al 2p, Si 2p and P 2p transitions were collected with MgK∝ radiation. Narrow scans for each of these elements were collected, when appropriate, with a constant absolute energy mode with a pass energy of 50 eV. Collected data were analyzed with curve resolution procedures to determine the number of surface species. Quantitative analyses were done to determine Si 4+ /Al 3+ ratios of the zeolites and other ratios, Al 3+ /P 5+ ratios, for aluminophosphate molecular sieves. Besides photoelectron lines, x-ray excited Auger lines were also collected. Data from the photoelectron and Auger transitions were used to construct chemical state plots for silicon, aluminum and phosphorous. Data for zeolites have been compared to literature data. These surface studies suggest that there are different regions on both Si and Al chemical state plots for high Si/Al and low Si/Al zeolites. The surface data reported here also suggest that Al 3+ environments for aluminophosphate molecular sieves more closely resemble aluminum-rich faujasitic zeolites rather than aluminum-deficient zeolites like ZSM-5.
A natural molecule, urolithin A, downregulates androgen receptor activation and suppresses growth of prostate cancer.

Androgen ablation therapy is the primary therapeutic option for locally advanced and metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We investigated therapeutic effect of a dietary metabolite Urolithin A (UroA) and dissected the molecular mechanism in CRPC cells. Treatment with UroA inhibited cell proliferation in both androgen receptor-positive (AR+ ) (C4-2B) and androgen receptor-negative (AR- ) (PC-3) cells however, AR+ CaP cells were more sensitive to UroA treatment as compared with AR- CaP cells. Inhibition of the AR signaling was responsible for the UroA effect on AR+ CaP cells. Ectopic expression of AR in PC-3 cells sensitized them to UroA treatment as compared to the vector-expresseing PC-3 cells, which suggests that AR could be a target of UroA. Similarly, in enzalutamide-resistant C4-2B cells, a downregulation of AR expression also suppressed cell proliferation which was observed with the UroA treatment. Oral administration of UroA significantly suppressed the growth of C4-2B xenografts (P = 0.05) compared with PC-3 xenografts (P = 0.069) without causing toxicity to animals. Immunohistochemistry analysis confirmed in vitro findings such as downregulation of AR/pAKT signaling in UroA-treated C4-2B tumors, which suggests that UroA may be a potent chemo-preventive and therapeutic agent for CRPC.
Protective antigenic sites in respiratory syncytial virus G attachment protein outside the central conserved and cysteine noose domains

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of lower respiratory tract disease in infants. Previously, we elucidated the antibody repertoire following primary RSV infection in infants. Whole genome-fragment phage display libraries (GFPDL) expressing linear and conformational epitopes from RSV bound 100-fold more phages within attachment protein (G) following primary RSV infection. The G-reactive epitopes spanned the N- and C-termini of G ectodomain, in addition to the central conserved domain (CCD). In the current study, we examined the contribution of antigenic regions of G outside of the CCD to RSV-specific immunity. We evaluated the immunogenicity, neutralization and protective efficacy of all RSV-G antigenic sites identified following primary RSV infection using recombinant E. coli expressed G ectodomain (REG), CCD-deleted G ectodomain (REG ΔCCD), N- and C-terminal G subdomains, and antigenic site peptides. The REG ΔCCD, N- and C-terminal subdomains and peptides generated antibody titers in rabbits and mice that bound fully glycosylated Recombinant Mammalian expressed G ectodomain (RMG) and intact RSV virion particles but minimal in vitro neutralization titers compared with the intact G ectodomain. Vaccinated mice were challenged intranasally with RSV-A2 Line 19F. Viral replication in nasal cavity and lungs was significantly reduced in vaccinated animals compared to unimmunized controls. Control of viral loads post-RSV challenge correlated with serum antibody binding to the virus particles. In addition, very low Th2/Th1 cytokine ratios were found in the lungs of REG ΔCCD vaccinated mice after challenge. These data demonstrate the presence of multiple protective sites in RSV G protein outside of the CCD that could contribute to the development of a bacterially produced unglycosylated G protein as safe and protective vaccine against RSV disease.
Too Subtle for Words: Doing Wordless Narrative Research

Inspired by the wordless novels of early twentieth century Belgian artist Frans Masereel, this paper introduces wordless narrative research, a dynamic method of inquiry that uses visual storytelling to study, explore, and communicate personal narratives, cultural experiences, and emotional content too nuanced for language. While wordless narrative research can be useful for exploring a range of social phenomenon, it can be particularly valuable for exploring preverbal constructions of lived experiences, including trauma, repressed memories, and other forms of emotional knowledge often times only made accessible through affective or embodied modalities. This paper explores the epistemological claims of the method while describing five considerations for doing wordless narrative research. The paper concludes with a presentation of an excerpt of There is No (W)hole (Horwat, 2015), a surreal wordless autoethnographic allegory, as an example of wordless narrative research.
Abstract TP251: Release of IL-6 After Stroke Contributes to Impaired Cerebral Autoregulation and Hippocampal Neuronal Necrosis Through NMDA Receptor Activation and Upregulation of ET-1 and JNK

Introduction: The sole FDA approved drug treatment for acute stroke is tissue type plasminogen activator (tPA). However, its brief therapeutic window and post-treatment complications markedly const...
Comparison of μPMU and PMU

Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) have been used for several years to record information on power system, especially in transmission system. Their ability to synchronize to Global Positioning System (GPS) time, enables them to make accurate measurements of angle differences. However, due to their cost and the small angle differences they are rarely used in distribution system. The recently developed micro Phasor Measurement Unit (μPMU) claims a capability of micro-second resolution and milli-degree accuracy, which is 100 times the resolution of traditional transmission-type PMU. Therefore, μPMUs could be an extremely useful tool for distribution systems and microgrids. To better understand the advantages of μPMUs compared to traditional PMUs, this paper provides the experimental results of a comparative testing of these two devices based on the C37.118.1 standard for Synchrophasor [1].
Adaptive CU Mode Selection in HEVC Intra Prediction: A Deep Learning Approach

The computational time of HEVC encoder is increased mainly because of the hierarchical quad-tree-based structure, recursive coding units, and the exhaustive prediction search up to 35 modes. These advances improve the coding efficiency, but result in a very high computational complexity. Furthermore, selecting the optimal modes among all prediction modes is necessary for subsequent rate-distortion optimization process. Therefore, we propose a convolution neural network-based algorithm which learns the region-wise image features and performs a classification job. These classification results are later used in the encoder downstream systems for finding the optimal coding units in each of the tree blocks, and subsequently reduce the number of prediction modes. The experimental results show that our proposed learning-based algorithm reduces the encoder time saving up to 66.89% with a minimal Bjontegaard delta bit rate (BD-BR) loss of 1.31% over the state-of-the-art machine learning approaches. Furthermore, our method also reduces the mode selection by 45.83% with respect to the HEVC baseline.
Fracture-Tolerant and Shear-Resistant Interlayers for Mitigation of Reflective Cracking:

Reflective cracking is frequently reported as the most common distress affecting resurfaced pavements. An asphalt rubber membrane interlayer (ARMI) approach has been traditionally used in Florida t...
Red: An Ethnographic Study of Cross-Pollination Between the Vedic and the Tantric

This essay explores the connections between Tantric rites and those of Indian tribal religions with “blood” as the central subject. Rooted in ethnographic research in Assam, India, the essay compares the ritual of bali, animal sacrifice, as practiced in the famous śākta pīṭha, Kāmākhyā, with corresponding data gathered from the practice of bali in the indigenous Ṭiwā tribe. The ethnographic findings are further mapped to instructions on bali given in the tenth-century text Kālikāpurāṇa and the sixteenth-century text Yoginītantra to highlight these complex negotiations that have continued for centuries. The primary objective of this essay is to concretize and bring into relief some of the dynamics inherent in the ways these neighboring sacrificial traditions relate to each other, to Brāhmaṇical Sanskritic norms, to sacred space, and to recent challenges from animal rights activists. In doing so, the essay also briefly discusses the mind state of the sacrifier and the effects of the sacrifice on the community.
Dessa extinção que habita a vida: HOMERO E EUGÉNIO NA FOZ DO DOURO

O mote para este ensaio encontrei-o no poema de Eugenio de Andrade “Encontro no Inverno com Antonio Lobo Antunes”, que regista esse encontro entre duas figuras maiores da literatura portuguesa contemporânea e serve de epigrafe a Nao Entres Tao Depressa Nessa Noite Escura , romance de Lobo Antunes. Interroga-lo-ei a partir de dois aspetos: primeiro, examinando o modo como os textos respondem um ao outro; depois, proponho analisar o modo como o poema desenvolve uma intimidade com a morte humana e as suas concecoes que se integra numa tradicao ocidental que remonta aos hexâmetros da Iliada .
Pyridoxine and Fat Metabolism

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes the physiological and biochemical interrelationships between vitamin B 6 , especially pyridoxine, and fat metabolism. A biochemical interrelationship exists between pyridoxine and fat metabolism. The exact nature of this interrelationship is not yet known. Many phases of fat metabolism—transport, deposition, oxidation, and synthesis—are influenced by pyridoxine. The unsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic and arachidonic acids, seem to be most intimately involved in this interrelationship. Many pathological conditions are induced by abnormal fat metabolism resulting from pyridoxine deficiency. The mutual sparing action of fats and pyridoxine in the production and cure of acrodynia resulting from a fat or pyridoxine deficiency has been demonstrated repeatedly. A specific biochemical relationship has been shown to exist between pyridoxine and the essential fatty acids, especially arachidonic acid. The recent findings that pyridoxine functions as pyridoxal phosphate as part of an enzyme system in the metabolism of amino acids prompts the suggestion that pyridoxine has a similar function in the metabolism of fatty acids.
Tiering as a Stochastic Submodular Optimization Problem.

Tiering is an essential technique for building large-scale information retrieval systems. While the selection of documents for high priority tiers critically impacts the efficiency of tiering, past work focuses on optimizing it with respect to a static set of queries in the history, and generalizes poorly to the future traffic. Instead, we formulate the optimal tiering as a stochastic optimization problem, and follow the methodology of regularized empirical risk minimization to maximize the \emph{generalization performance} of the system. We also show that the optimization problem can be cast as a stochastic submodular optimization problem with a submodular knapsack constraint, and we develop efficient optimization algorithms by leveraging this connection.
A novel treatment for skin repair using a combination of spironolactone and vitamin D3

Injury of the skin from exposure to toxic chemicals leads to the release of inflammatory mediators and the recruitment of immune cells. Nitrogen mustard (NM) and other alkylating agents cause severe cutaneous damage for which there are limited treatment options. Here, we show that combined treatment of vitamin D3 (VD3) and spironolactone (SP), a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, significantly improves the resolution of inflammation and accelerates wound healing after NM exposure. SP enhanced the inhibitory effect of VD3 on nuclear factor-kB activity. Combined treatment of NM-exposed mice with VD3 and SP synergistically inhibited the expression of iNOS in the skin and decreased the expression of matrix metallopeptidase-9, C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, interleukin (IL)-1α, and IL-1β. The combined treatment decreased the number of local proinflammatory M1 macrophages resulting in an increase in the M2/M1 ratio in the wound microenvironment. Apoptosis was also decreased in the skin after combined treatment. Together, this creates a proresolution state, resulting in more rapid wound closure. Combined VD3 and SP treatment is effective in modulating the immune response and activating anti-inflammatory pathways in macrophages to facilitate tissue repair. Altogether, these data demonstrate that VD3 and SP may constitute an effective treatment regimen to improve wound healing after NM or other skin chemical injury.
Antibiotics in Food Chain: The Consequences for Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotics have been used as essential therapeutics for nearly 100 years and, increasingly, as a preventive agent in the agricultural and animal industry. Continuous use and misuse of antibiotics have provoked the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria that progressively increased mortality from multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, thereby posing a tremendous threat to public health. The goal of our review is to advance the understanding of mechanisms of dissemination and the development of antibiotic resistance genes in the context of nutrition and related clinical, agricultural, veterinary, and environmental settings. We conclude with an overview of alternative strategies, including probiotics, essential oils, vaccines, and antibodies, as primary or adjunct preventive antimicrobial measures or therapies against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. The solution for antibiotic resistance will require comprehensive and incessant efforts of policymakers in agriculture along with the development of alternative therapeutics by experts in diverse fields of microbiology, biochemistry, clinical research, genetic, and computational engineering.
Density of odd order reductions for elliptic curves with a rational point of order 2

Suppose that E/ℚ is an elliptic curve with a rational point T of order 2 and α ∈ E(ℚ) is a point of infinite order. We consider the problem of determining the density of primes p for which α ∈ E(&#x1d53d;p...
Limitations of conventional magnetic resonance imaging as a predictor of death or disability following neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in the late hypothermia trial

Objective To investigate if magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an accurate predictor for death or moderate-severe disability at 18-22 months of age among infants with neonatal encephalopathy in a trial of cooling initiated at 6-24 hours. Study design Subgroup analysis of infants ≥36 weeks of gestation with moderate-severe neonatal encephalopathy randomized at 6-24 postnatal hours to hypothermia or usual care in a multicenter trial of late hypothermia. MRI scans were performed per each center's practice and interpreted by 2 central readers using the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development injury score (6 levels, normal to hemispheric devastation). Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed at 18-22 months of age. Results Of 168 enrollees, 128 had an interpretable MRI and were seen in follow-up (n = 119) or died (n = 9). MRI findings were predominantly acute injury and did not differ by cooling treatment. At 18-22 months, death or severe disability occurred in 20.3%. No infant had moderate disability. Agreement between central readers was moderate (weighted kappa 0.56, 95% CI 0.45-0.67). The adjusted odds of death or severe disability increased 3.7-fold (95% CI 1.8-7.9) for each increment of injury score. The area under the curve for severe MRI patterns to predict death or severe disability was 0.77 and the positive and negative predictive values were 36% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions MRI injury scores were associated with neurodevelopmental outcome at 18-22 months among infants in the Late Hypothermia Trial. However, the results suggest caution when using qualitative interpretations of MRI images to provide prognostic information to families following perinatal hypoxia–ischemia. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00614744 .
Shakespearean Disability Theatre

Disability theatre empowers d/Deaf and disabled theatre practitioners to redress their invisibility, challenge disability stereotypes and stigma, and create new meanings of disability through performance. This chapter asks what it might mean to create a specifically Shakespearean disability theatre. I begin by discussing some of the institutional and attitudinal obstacles for d/Deaf and disabled Shakespearean actors, including performance traditions, ableist biases in actor training, and audience unease with “real” as opposed to fictive disability onstage. I then discuss the particular issues that arise when disabled actors take on the most iconic disabled Shakespearean role, Richard III, focusing on Michael Patrick Thornton’s performance at Chicago’s Gift Theater in 2016. I also discuss two other Shakespeare productions in which an actor’s disability was problematically metaphorized by directors. I then turn to the work of Howie Seago at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, in which the Deaf actor’s collaborations with his director and fellow cast members reimagined Shakespeare through a disability lens. The chapter concludes by considering two recent Shakespeare adaptations, Redefining Juliet and Follies in Titus, which put the experiences and perspectives of disabled actors at the center of the theatre-making process.
Perception as Understanding

This first findings chapter introduces the idea of ‘perceiving as’, a central analytical notion connecting perception to the understanding that underpins practical skill. As the chapter progresses, it shows how boatbuilders ‘see as’, observing meaningful details in practical objects through sight, but also ‘feel as’ and ‘hear as’, perceiving details through other bodily senses as well. The final section explains how deep familiarity with tools and materials leads their users to lose track of them as discrete objects entirely, their interrelated purposes filling the boatbuilders’ attention instead. Throughout this first findings chapter, learning is mainly linked to the novice’s own curiosity as he or she explores the contents of the wooden boat workshop and attempts to decipher their purposes.
Mereological themes in cuneiform worldmaking

Taking as a point of departure Nelson Goodman’s idea that it is the frames of reference and the descriptions that refer within those frames that make for ways of worldmaking, this paper considers d...
Trade Efficiency, Cross-Border Integration, and Regional Barriers in Northeast China

The Northeast region has struggled to restructure and modernize its economy during China’s transformation into a global power, missing the opportunity to benefit from foreign trade and investment. ...
Effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions related to social distancing on respiratory viral infectious disease outcomes: A rapid evidence-based review and meta-analysis

Objectives:Non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g. quarantine and isolation) are used to mitigate and control viral infectious disease, but their effectiveness has not been well studied. For COVID-1...
Assessing the Effect of Mental Health Courts on Adult and Juvenile Recidivism: A Meta-Analysis

Mental health courts (MHCs) are increasingly used across the United States as a means of reducing contact with the criminal justice system for individuals experiencing serious mental health conditions. MHCs rely on diversion from incarceration to rehabilitation, services, and treatment to reduce recidivism and other negative outcomes among individuals with mental health disorders. While MHCs are a potential evidence-based remedy for the intensifying mental health and criminal justice crises in America, there is limited research indicating the overall effects these courts have on recidivism, and whether the effects vary across different sub-groups or research design and analytic features. Therefore, we present a meta-analysis of 38 effect sizes collected from 30 evaluations conducted from 1997 through 2020 on the impact of mental health courts on recidivism for adults and juveniles with mental health issues in the United States. Weighted meta-analytic results indicate that MHC participation corresponds to a 74% decrease in recidivism (OR = 0.26). Notably, the strength of MHC effects are similar for adult and juvenile participants, and stable across varied follow-up periods, study design features, and when prior criminal history, gender and race/ethnicity are controlled for in the analyses. Implications for the criminal justice system are also discussed.
Modern AI and How We Got Here

In Chap. 2, we gave a brief historical perspective on philosophical, mathematical, and engineering issues that led to the creation of the digital computer, the birth of artificial intelligence, and the promise for a modern epistemology. We concluded Chap. 2 with Alan Turing’s test for determining when a computer program might be considered intelligent. Because of this test and his earlier foundational work in the science of computing, Alan Turing is seen as the father of artificial intelligence. In this chapter, we discuss AI’s first workshop at Dartmouth College in the summer of 1956, summarize several early AI research projects, and describe the origins of the Cognitive Science discipline. We begin this chapter with several recent successes of modern AI.