cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hand Controllers for Telerobotics on International Space Station (ISS)

Abstract Multiple robotic manipulators on Space Station use common manual controllers for teleoperation consisting of two three degree-of freedom hand controllers. One is a Translational Hand Controller (THC) and the other is a Rotational Hand Controller (RHC). A review of the latest technologies for input devices for teleoperation is conducted. Applicability of these technologies to space based manipulators is discussed. The characteristics and parameters for the Space Station Rotational and Translational hand controllers are presented. The methodology to the approach for the Space Station hand controllers which minimizes development cost by employment of space-proven hardware of the same basic design and configuration as those on the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator System and Right Control System is discussed. These hand controllers are incorporated on the ISS as part of the Spar RWS and also on the JEM RMS. Further operational aspects of teleoperation is discussed which permits rapid adaptation by the astronauts to unstructured tasks.
Mechanosensation: A Catch Bond That Only Hooks One Way

Single-molecule force spectroscopy and modeling have revealed that the adhesion molecule vinculin and F-actin form a catch bond that is dependent on the direction of forces along the actin filament. This may underlie the mechanisms by which cells sense directional physical cues.
Signal attenuation maps for needle enhancement and localization in 2D ultrasound

We propose a novel framework for enhancement and localization of steeply inserted hand-held needles under in-plane 2D ultrasound guidance. Depth-dependent attenuation and non-axial specular reflection hinder visibility of steeply inserted needles. Here, we model signal transmission maps representative of the attenuation probability within the image domain. The maps are employed in a contextual regularization framework to recover needle shaft and tip information. The needle tip is automatically localized by line-fitting along the local-phase-directed trajectory, followed by statistical optimization. The proposed method was tested on 300 ex vivo ultrasound scans collected during insertion of an epidural needle into freshly excised porcine and bovine tissue. A tip localization accuracy of $$0.55\pm 0.06\,\hbox {mm}$$ was achieved. The proposed method could be useful in challenging procedures where needle shaft and tip are inconspicuous. Improved needle localization results compared to previously proposed methods suggest that the proposed method is promising for further clinical evaluation.
Rhetorical Touch: Disability, Identification, Haptics by Shannon Walters: Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2014. 257 pp. ISBN: 978-1611173833. $49.95

Shannon Walters’ Rhetorical Touch stretches the consideration of embodied rhetorics to embrace the sense of touch through both classical rhetoric and contemporary disability studies. Key to Walters...
English One and Ones as Complex Determiners

One and ones are complex determiners whose relation to their antecedent, when they have one, is mediated by a silent noun. They are never themselves nouns taking an antecedent directly. All instances of non-numeral one are associated with a classifier, plus an indefinite article. Numeral one is in addition associated with an element akin to single. The analysis proposed unifies prenominal one with the one of a blue one and blue ones. The syntax of one and ones is best understood if all nonlocal syntactic relations necessarily involve internal merge.
Persistent EcoHIV infection induces nigral degeneration in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-intoxicated mice

The widespread use of antiretroviral therapy for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections has dramatically improved the quality and duration of life for HIV-positive individuals. Despite this success, HIV persists for the life of an infected person in tissue reservoirs including the nervous system. Thus, whether HIV exacerbates age-related brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) is of concern. In support of this idea, HIV infection can be associated with motor and gait abnormalities that parallel late-stage manifestations of PD including dopaminergic neuronal loss. With these findings in hand, we investigated whether viral infection could affect nigrostriatal degeneration or exacerbate chemically induced nigral degeneration. We now demonstrate an additive effect of EcoHIV on dopaminergic neuronal loss and neuroinflammation induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine intoxication. HIV-1-infected humanized mice failed to recapitulate these EcoHIV results suggesting species-specific neural signaling. The results demonstrate a previously undefined EcoHIV-associated neurodegenerative response that may be used to model pathobiological aspects of PD.
Husserl’s philosophy of mind

The last ten or fifteen years have seen considerable research on Husserl’s philosophy of mind and in particular the emergence of a second major interpretation of Husserl’s theory of intentionality. Husserl’s overall philosophy involves many strands and multiple purposes, but our concern here is restricted to his account of the nature of mind or consciousness, principally his theory of intentionality, which is the foundation of his phenomenology. Husserl took over from his teacher Brentano the view that consciousness is intentional, or directed toward something. For Husserl, the directedness of an act of consciousness consists in its correlation with a “noema” or meaning (Sinn). As of the mid-1960s, the dominant interpretation of Husserl’s theory of intentionality and its central notion of noema was the interpretation well articulated by Aron Gurwitsch, dating from 1929. The Gurwitschian interpretation of the noema was taken for granted in the works of such eminent phenomenologists as Dorion Cairns, Alfred Schutz, Rudolf Boehm, and Eugen Fink (so reports Hubert Dreyfus [1], pp. 136–137).
The Low-Birth-Weight Infant

Low-birth-weight infants (< 2500 g) may result from pregnancies terminating before the completion of a normal gestational period (preterm infant) or from pregnancies during which the rate of intrauterine growth is abnormally slow, regardless of the duration of the gestation (SGA or small-for-gestational-age infant). Ever since the World Health Organization (1950) defined prematurity on the basis of birth weight (< 2500 g) alone, there has been slow but increasing recognition that a significant percentage of low-birth-weight infants are due to a decreased intrauterine growth rate rather than preterm delivery (Gruenwald, 1963).
Morality: Moral standards and the distinguishing mark of a man

A PROTOTYPE of the nontranscendental type is to be found in the philosophy of Aristotle. According to Aristotle, there are certain characteristics, in particular, certain activities and powers, which are distinctive of man, and the life of the good man will exemplify to the fullest degree the development of those powers and activities. Or, more accurately, there is one distinctive feature of man – his ability to shape his actions and dispositions by reason – which will be manifested in the highest degree; other of his potentialities will, under the ordering power of reason, be realized in a balanced way and not each maximally. Practical reason is supposed to produce coherence, and reduce conflict, among the desires of the individual living (as man must live) in society. This aim of reducing conflict between desires, while not inordinately suppressing them, is part of what gives recognizable content to the claim that the aim of the sort of life outlined in Aristotle's system is happiness . The importance of the harmonization of desires in Aristotle, and of practical reason in securing this, is illustrated in a backhanded way by his notable failure to deal with one problem of reconciliation which, in his own terms, must be important. The ‘reason’ that we have so far referred to is practical reason, which applies to particular actions and desires and which is the ground of what Aristotle (or rather his translators) call ‘virtues of character’ – that is to say, those dispositions to right action which involve motivations of pleasure and pain.
Review of Metformin Use for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention.

Context Prediabetes is prevalent and significantly increases lifetime risk of progression to type 2 diabetes. This review summarizes the evidence surrounding metformin use for type 2 diabetes prevention. Evidence acquisition Articles published between 1998 and 2017 examining metformin use for the primary indication of diabetes prevention available on MEDLINE. Evidence synthesis Forty articles met inclusion criteria and were summarized into four general categories: (1) RCTs of metformin use for diabetes prevention (n=7 and n=2 follow-up analyses); (2) observational analyses examining metformin use in heterogeneous subgroups of patients with prediabetes (n=9 from the Diabetes Prevention Program, n=1 from the biguanides and the prevention of the risk of obesity [BIGPRO] trial); (3) observational analyses examining cost effectiveness of metformin use for diabetes prevention (n=11 from the Diabetes Prevention Program, n=1 from the Indian Diabetes Prevention Program); and (4) real-world assessments of metformin eligibility or use for diabetes prevention (n=9). Metformin was associated with reduced relative risk of incident diabetes, with the strongest evidence for use in those at highest risk (i.e., aged Conclusions Two decades of evidence support metformin use for diabetes prevention among higher-risk patients. However, metformin is not widely used in real-world practice, and enhancing the translation of this evidence to real-world practice has important implications for patients, providers, and payers.
Can Sarcopenia Quantified by Computed Tomography Scan Predict Adverse Outcomes in Emergency General Surgery

Abstract Background Sarcopenia (a decline of skeletal muscle mass) has been identified as a predictor of poor postoperative outcomes. The impact of sarcopenia in emergency general surgery (EGS) remains undetermined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between sarcopenia and outcomes after EGS. Methods A 3-y (2012-15) review of all EGS patients aged ≥45 y was presented to our institution. Patients who underwent computer tomography–abdomen were included. Sarcopenia was defined as the lowest sex-specific quartile of total psoas index (computer tomography–measured psoas area normalized for body surface area). Patients were divided into sarcopenic (SA) and nonsarcopenic. Primary outcome measures were in-hospital complications, hospital-length of stay [h-LOS], intensive care unit-length of stay, adverse discharge disposition, and in-hospital mortality. Our secondary outcome measures were 30-d complications, readmissions, and mortality. Results Four hundred fifty-two patients undergoing EGS were included. Mean age was 58 ± 8.7 y, and 60% were males. Hundred thirteen patients were categorized as SA. Compared to nonsarcopenic, SA patients had higher rates of minor complications (28% versus 17%, P = 0.01), longer hospital-length of stay (7d versus 5d, P = 0.02), and were more likely to be discharged to skilled nursing facility/Rehab (35% versus 17%, P = 0.01). There was no difference between the two groups regarding major complications, intensive care unit-length of stay, mortality, and 30-d outcomes. On regression analysis, sarcopenia was an independent predictor of minor complications (OR 1.8 [1.6-3.7]) and discharge to rehab/SNIF (OR: 1.9 [1.5-3.2]). However, there was no association with major complications, mortality, 30-d complications, readmissions, and mortality. Conclusions Sarcopenia is an independent predictor of minor postoperative complications, prolonged hospital-length of stay, and an adverse discharge disposition in patients undergoing EGS. Identifying SA EGS patients will improve both resource allocation and discussion about the patient's prognosis between physicians, patients, and their families.
Diagnosis and Management of Fournier’s Gangrene

Fournier’s gangrene is a necrotizing infection of the genitals that requires emergent management with broad-spectrum antibiotics, aggressive surgical debridement, and appropriate supportive care for an often septic patient. This chapter discusses the diagnosis and management of Fournier’s gangrene with discussion of antibiotic choice and decision-making surrounding urinary and fecal diversion.
Multi-frame Super-resolution for Time-of-flight Imaging

Recently, time-of-flight (ToF) sensors have emerged as a promising three-dimensional sensing technology that can be manufactured inexpensively in a compact size. However, current state-of-the-art ToF sensors suffer from low spatial resolution due to physical limitations in the fabrication process. In this paper, we analyze the ToF sensor’s output as a complex value coupling the depth and intensity information in a phasor representation. Based on this analysis, we introduce a novel multi-frame superresolution technique that can improve both spatial resolution in intensity and depth images simultaneously. We believe our proposed method can benefit numerous applications where high resolution depth sensing is desirable, such as precision automated navigation and collision avoidance.
Development of a WebGIS-Based Analysis Tool for Human Health Protection from the Impacts of Prescribed Fire Smoke in Southeastern USA

We have developed the Southern Integrated Prescribed Fire Information System (SIPFIS) to disseminate prescribed fire information, including daily forecasts of potential air quality impacts for southeastern USA. SIPFIS is a Web-based Geographic Information Systems (WebGIS) assisted online analysis tool that provides easy access to air quality and fire-related data products, and it facilitates visual analysis of exposure to smoke from prescribed fires. We have demonstrated that the information that SIPFIS provides can help users to accomplish several fire management activities, especially those related to assessing environmental and health impacts associated with prescribed burning. SIPFIS can easily and conveniently assist tasks such as checking residential community-level smoke exposures for personal use, pre-screening for fire-related exceptional events that could lead to air quality exceedances, supporting analysis for air quality forecasts, and the evaluation of prescribed burning operations, among others. The SIPFIS database is currently expanding to include social vulnerability and human health information, and this will evolve to bring more enhanced interactive functions in the future.
Creating Effective Communication and Teamwork for Patient Safety

Effective operative care requires the coordination of multiple healthcare professionals from different disciplines working together in complex environment. Any breakdown in this intricate network of interdependent processes can potentially lead to performance failures and adverse events. Although surgical risk has traditionally been considered in terms of patient and disease characteristics, there is increasing recognition of healthcare providers’ role in adverse patient outcomes. Specifically, providers’ nontechnical skills and ability to function within a team have been demonstrated to be an important root cause of surgical errors. In this chapter, we will define teams and teamwork in the healthcare setting and explore how to create effective team functioning to achieve patient safety. We will present evidence for the importance of effective team functioning. We will discuss instructional framework for team training and the effectiveness of team training. Finally, we will consider the importance of safety culture within an organization and its influence on teamwork and patient outcomes.
Incidence of frontotemporal disorders in Olmsted County: A population-based study.

Abstract Introduction Frontotemporal dementia disorders (FTDs) are heterogeneous phenotypical behavioral and language disorders usually associated with frontal and/or temporal lobe degeneration. We investigated their incidence in a population-based cohort. Methods Using a records-linkage system, we identified all patients with a diagnostic code for dementia in Olmsted County, MN, 1995–2010, and confirmed the diagnosis of FTD. A behavioral neurologist verified the clinical diagnosis and determined phenotypes. Results We identified 35 FTDs cases. Overall, the incidence of FTDs was 4.3/100,000/year (95% CI: 2.9, 5.7). Incidence was higher in men (6.3/100,000, 95% CI 3.6, 9.0) than women (2.9/100,000; 95% CI: 1.3, 4.5); we observed an increased trend over time (B = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.54, 1.11, P Discussion We observed an increased incidence and trends of FTDs over time. This may reflect a better recognition by clinicians and improvement of clinical criteria and diagnostic tools.
Role of Cardiovascular CT in Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a disease in which there is an elevated pressure in the pulmonary vasculature leading to anatomic changes that can be identified on imaging. While right heart catheterization (RHC) is the gold standard for definitive diagnosis, there are many steps prior to catheterization in evaluating a patient with suspected PH. Computed Tomography (CT) is often used as one of the initial imaging modalities in the workup of suspected PH and is usually obtained in all patients with suspected or confirmed PH. In other cases, CT scans done for other purposes can suggest findings of PH that would alert clinicians to an additional possible diagnosis. Patients diagnosed with PH often have very complex hemodynamics as well as medical comorbidities, and referral to a center that specializes in PH is always recommended. There have been newly proposed classifications for the different groups of PH as well as a new definition for the diagnosis of PH. Various findings may require a specific CT to be completed with or without contrast or an electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated CT. This article reviews the current literature and provides a pictorial reference of CT findings associated with PH that can lead to a proposed diagnosis and, possibly, the underlying etiology of PH.
Novel Method for Implantation of Balloon Expandable Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement to Reduce Pacemaker Rate—Line of Lucency Method

The risk of permanent pacemaker implantation (PPM) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains high. Valve implantation depth is an independent predictor of PPM. This study desc...
The World Ecology of Desalination

World-systems scholars are increasingly engaged in issues at the intersection of ecological and economic concerns since the proliferation of debates on the Anthropocene. Recently, the alternative concept of Capitalocene—age of Capital—has emerged to draw attention to the world-ecological disruption of capitalism founded on cheap nature appropriation at ever-emerging extraction zones. This paper extends these discussions to the oceanic frontier, as the latest trend in the abstraction of value from the environment. Based on original archival research conducted in the context of a larger ethnographic project on the politics of industrial desalination—creating potable water from the sea—the article analyzes how this practice emerged in two phases. First, the Cold War opened the ocean as a commodity frontier during the pax Americana. Then, when this technopolitical agenda stagnated, financialization techniques were deployed to appropriate seawater, utilizing a mode of financial engineering—desalination via financialization reinstates the cultural hegemony of the Capitalocene that privileges infrastructure for water supply management solutions. As such, the article highlights the co-production of nature with financial capitalism.
Molecular dynamics with nuclear quantum effects: Approximations to the quantum force

Abstract Molecular dynamics based on classical equations of motion is a highly useful tool of simulating behavior and properties of large molecular systems. With the growing capabilities to perform such simulations using accurate ab initio electronic structure methods on-the-fly, incorporation of the quantum behavior of at least some nuclei is gaining attention of theorists. The quantum trajectory, or Bohmian, formulation of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation provides a conceptually appealing path of including the nuclear quantum effects (NQEs) into the trajectory framework through an additional force acting on the nuclei, that is defined by the nuclear wavefunction propagating in time. While the exact implementation of the quantum trajectory (QT) dynamics for general coupled anharmonic systems is impractical, physically motivated approximations to the quantum force are capable of capturing the leading quantum corrections on the dynamics of nuclei. We review approximations to the quantum force ranging from the global mean-field type to the semiglobal (in space or in the degrees of freedom), and to local approximations converging to the exact quantum mechanics. Examples are given for several chemically relevant models and molecular systems.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in All-Cause Mortality among Patients Diagnosed with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

It is unclear whether racial/ethnic disparities in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) mortality remain after accounting for clinical characteristics, treatment, and access-to-care-related factors. In this study, women with a primary diagnosis of TNBC during 2010-2014 were identified from the National Cancer Database. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for 3- and 5-year all-cause mortality associated with race/ethnicity were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models with stepwise adjustments for age, clinical characteristics, treatment, and access-to-care-related factors. Of 78,708 patients, non-Hispanic (NH) black women had the lowest 3-year overall survival rates (79.4%), followed by NH-whites (83.1%), Hispanics (86.0%), and Asians (87.1%). After adjustment for clinical characteristics, NH-blacks had a 12% higher risk of dying 3 years post-diagnosis (HR=1.12, 95%CI: 1.07 to 1.17), while Hispanics and Asians had a 24% (HR=0.76, 95%CI: 0.70 to 0.83) and 17% (HR=0.83, 95%CI: 0.73 to 0.94) lower risk than their NH-white counterparts. The black-white disparity became non-significant after combined adjustment for treatment and access-to-care-related factors (HR=1.04, 95%CI: 0.99 to 1.09), while the white-Hispanic and white-Asian differences remained. Stratified analyses revealed that among women aged less than or equal to 50 with stage III cancer, the elevated risk among NH-blacks persisted (HR=1.20, 95%CI: 1.04 to 1.39) after full adjustments. Similar results were seen for 5-year mortality. Overall, clinical characteristics, treatment, and access-to-care-related factors accounted for most of the white-black differences in all-cause mortality of TNBC but explained little about Hispanic- and Asian-white differences.
Is preoperative genicular radiofrequency ablation effective for reducing pain following total knee arthroplasty? A pilot randomized clinical trial.

Background and objective Although total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective treatment for severe knee osteoarthritis (OA), a subset of patients experience significant postoperative pain and dissatisfaction. Several clinical trials support the analgesic benefits of genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation (GN-RFA) for non-operative knee OA, but only one prior trial has examined the effects of this intervention given preoperatively on postoperative outcomes following TKA, showing no analgesic benefit of cooled GN-RFA. The current study evaluated whether conventional thermal GN-RFA performed preoperatively resulted in significant improvements in pain and function following TKA. Methods This was a single-center, prospective, randomized, sham-controlled, double-blinded pilot trial in which patients received either conventional GN-RFA (n=30) or sham (n=30) between 2 and 4 weeks prior to their TKA. Baseline measures were obtained preprocedurally on the day of intervention, with follow-up outcomes obtained preoperatively on the day of surgery, and at 2 and 6 weeks postoperatively. Results Patients receiving GN-RFA showed no significant improvements relative to sham controls in the primary outcome, pain intensity at rest at 6-week follow-up. Secondary outcomes, including pain with ambulation and physical function, also showed no significant differences between groups at any follow-up assessment. Conclusions Conventional GN-RFA of the superior lateral, superior medial, and inferior medial genicular nerves when performed prior to TKA did not provide clinically significant pain relief or improvement in functional status at 2 or 6 weeks postoperatively. Trial registration number NCT02947321.
A Gestão da Matéria e a Gestão de Classe no ensino de Matemática: uma perspectiva sobre a metodologia “Lógica do Cálculo”

This article has the goal of which is to investigate aspects of the development of teaching mathematics in the first year of Basic Education, based on the application of the “Logic of Calculation” methodology (SIMONS, 2013). This study is qualitative in nature, using a case study as the method. The data collection took place in a private school in the city of Canoas (RS), through in loco observation as well as a semi-structured interview with the teacher of the observed class. The data analysis was carried out using the technique of discourse textual analysis. The corpus analysis, composed of the observations and the interview with the teacher, resulted in two categories: Subject Management and Class Management. Based on this categorization, some findings were obtained with respect to content in Mathematics, using games, the strategies used by the teacher and the methodology studied.
Associations between mental health and job loss among middle- and low-income veterans and civilians during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory study.

This study examined the relationship between job loss and mental health during the pandemic among a nationally representative sample of middle- and low-income military veterans and civilians. Participants were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk in May-June 2020. Our sample was comparable to the U.S. population with respect to key demographics (i.e., sex, race, ethnicity, and geographic region). More veterans were male (36.9% civilians vs. 74.1% veterans), and on average they were older than civilians (Mcivilians = 47.86 vs. Mveterans = 52.64). After controlling for sociodemographic factors, probable anxiety (adjusted odds ratio for veterans = 1.96, 95% [1.22-3.15]) was significantly associated with job loss among veterans, whereas among civilians, probable anxiety (adjusted odds ratio for civilians [AORc ] = 1.48, 95% [1.21-1.81]), probable COVID-19 era-related stress (AORc = 1.73, 95% [1.45-2.07]), and loneliness (AORc = 1.09, 95% [1.04-1.13]) were associated with job loss. Results demonstrated that veteran sample's effect sizes were larger than civilian sample's effect sizes; however, our moderation analyses results revealed that veteran status did not moderate the relationships between mental health and job loss. The findings in this study support a relationship between job loss and poorer mental health, suggesting that increased mental health services may be important to address ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
56 Role of sleep duration in cardiovascular mortality among patients with chronic kidney disease

Growing evidence suggests an association between both short and long duration of habitual sleep and adverse health outcomes. In order to determine whether the population longitudinal evidence supports the presence of a relationship between Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-mortality, and how sleep duration plays a role in mortality outcomes. This is a population-based cohort study of National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys participants between 2005 and 2010 with mortality data obtained through 2015. Adults aged 20 years or older with sleep duration information were categorized into excessive (≥ 8 hours) versus normal. CKD was determined using the Cockcroft-Gault equation and considered positive at GFR The percentage of deaths from low sleep duration among the population (N=15,586) were higher among individuals without High School (HS) Diploma (12.8%) versus at least some college education (5.7%). The mean follow-up was 7.7 years. For CVD-mortality, the overall unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) of individuals with CKD to no CKD was 1.54 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-2.14, p = 0.01). Adjusted HR was elevated, 1.59 (CI 1.01-2.52, p = .04), among those with excessive sleep duration but closer to 1.0 (0.62 CI 0.25-1.51, p Our study shows an unambiguous and consistent pattern of increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease among individuals with CKD. However, this relationship is especially pronounced among individuals who have excessive sleep duration, making it an important determinant of health. Screening for sleep disorders is especially important in the consideration of other chronic diseases like cardiorenal syndrome.
VLSI implementation of very-high-order FIR filters

Very-high-order FIR filters required for the new modulation schemes associated with wireless computer networks and cellular telephones can be implemented in VLSI circuitry using low-power CMOS technology and a novel application of Residue Number System (RNS) arithmetic. Through this approach 20-bit equivalent integer arithmetic can be obtained for filters with 8 to 256 taps with only a modest increase in hardware for filters above 8 taps. Simulations indicate that this new technique can increase dramatically the number of taps implemented on a single VLSI chip when compared with an FIR filter generated using FIRGEN.
A history of shifting fortunes for African penguins

Africa is home today to only a single breeding species of penguin, Spheniscus demersus (black-footed penguin), which is endangered with extinction. Spheniscus demersus has been the only breeding species of penguin to share African coastlines with humans over the last 400 000 years. Interestingly, African penguin diversity was substantially higher before the evolution of archaic humans. The fossil record indicates that a diverse assemblage of penguin species inhabited the southern African coasts for much of the Neogene. Previous excavations have identified four distinct species in Early Pliocene coastal marine deposits. Here we extend this pattern of high diversity and report the oldest record of penguins from Africa. Seventeen penguin specimens were identified from the Saldanha Steel locality, revealing the presence of at least four distinct species in South Africa during the Miocene. The largest of these species reached the size of the extant Aptenodytes patagonicus (king penguin), whereas the smallest was approximately the size of the smallest extant penguin Eudyptula minor (little blue penguin). Recovery of Miocene penguin remains is in accordance with earlier predictions of multiple pre-Pliocene colonizations of Africa and supports a higher level of ecological diversity amongst African penguins in the past. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London
Stochastic Models: Preliminaries

Production environments in the real world are subject to many sources of uncertainty or randomness. Sources of uncertainty that may have a major impact include machine breakdowns and unexpected releases of high priority jobs. Another source of uncertainty lies in the processing times, which are often not precisely known in advance. A good model for a scheduling problem should address these forms of uncertainty.
The Normative Legitimacy of International Courts

This Article’s objective is to spark discussion about the standards by which we judge international courts. Traditional justifications for the authority of international courts are based on outmoded assumptions of their role and impact. State consent and procedural fairness to litigants are insufficient to ground the legitimacy of institutions that may adjudicate the international rights and duties of nonlitigants, deeply affect the interests of nonlitigating stakeholders, and shape the law prospectively. These realities mandate a new approach to the legitimacy of international courts. This Article presents alternative or additional approaches for justifying the authority of international courts rooted in both procedure and substance. First, legitimacy requires a reimagining of procedural fairness to include those whose international rights and duties are being adjudicated by international courts. Democratic theory can help to justify the authority of international courts so long as stakeholders are given the opportunity to participate in the formulation of policies that affect them. In addition, international courts must adhere to certain universal standards of justice. They cannot facilitate the violation of a set of core norms, including prohibitions against torture, slavery, racial discrimination, and genocide, and still retain their legitimacy. Finally, the extent to which an international court implements the objectives it was created for also affects its legitimacy.
Deployment of Paired Push Nets from Jet-Propelled Kayaks to Sample Ichthyoplankton

AbstractAccessing and effectively sampling the off-channel habitats that are considered crucial for early life stages of freshwater fishes constitute a difficult challenge when common ichthyoplankton survey methods, such as push nets, are used. We describe a new method of deploying push nets from jet-propelled kayaks to enable the sampling of previously inaccessible off-channel habitats. The described rig is also functional in more open and accessible habitats, such as the main channel of rivers or reservoirs. Although further evaluation is necessary to ensure that results are comparable across studies, the described push-net system offers a statistically rigorous methodology that generates replicate samples from a wide range of freshwater habitats that were previously inaccessible to this gear type.Received January 26, 2015; accepted June 29, 2015
Correlation of Solution and Gas Phase Complexation Assessed by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Application to One-, Two-, and Three-Ring Macrocycles.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was used to probe multiple cation complexation by C12H25〈N18N〉(CH2)12〈N18N〉(CH2)12〈N18N〉C12H25, 2, and 〈18N〉CH2C6H4CH2〈N18〉, 3. Complexation of two cations (2Na+, 2 K+, or Na+ and K+) by 3 and three cations by 2 (3 Na+, 3 K+, and mixtures) as well as mixed proton−metallic cation complexes of both were observed. The K+/Na+ cation-binding selectivity of 18-crown-6 was studied by ESI-MS of a methanol solution, and the selectivity profile was favorably compared with data obtained previously by ion-selective electrode techniques in the same solvent.
La globalización y las articulaciones de las actividades informales

This article considers the forms of articulation of informal microbusinesses to productive processes in the context of the aperture of the region's economies, and establishes a typology for them. The analysis indicates that the majority of microbusinesses are inserted in vertical or vertical-subordinate articulations with companies that sell to the lowest income sectors in the local market. There are not many cases of articulation with processes of globalized production and, when these articulations exist, the informal microbusiness is in a position of subordination. The article concludes, therefore, that the informal microbusiness is a subsistence sector.
Orchestrating an institution-wide transition to google calendar

Since the late 1990s, Lehigh University utilized a group calendaring system named Oracle Calendar. Pressured by more advanced customer expectations, rising licensing costs, and an ever-increasing number of trouble reports, Lehigh University investigated the possibility of migrating to Google Calendar. Lehigh University ultimately decided to make the transition and it is pleased to share its experience with other institutions. In addition to the history of Oracle Calendar, this paper will address how Google Calendar was beta-tested, how clients were trained in its use, the mechanics of the actual transition, and the feedback received from customers.
Implicit Spatial Contextual Learning in Healthy Aging.

Three experiments investigated the aging of implicit spatial and spatiotemporal context learning in 2 tasks. In contextual cuing, people learn to use repeated spatial configurations to facilitate search for a target, whereas in higher order serial learning, they learn to use subtle sequence regularities to respond more quickly and accurately to a series of events. Results reveal a dissociation; overall contextual cuing is spared in healthy aging, whereas higher order sequence learning is impaired in the same individuals. This finding suggests that these 2 forms of implicit learning rely on different neural substrates that age differently; the results are also consistent with recent evidence that fronto-striatal circuits are particularly susceptible to decline in health aging.
One- and two-photon detachment of H- with excitation of H(n=2)

The cross sections for one- and two-photon detachment of H{sup {minus}} with excitation of the degenerate H(2{ital s}) and H(2{ital p}) levels are calculated within an adiabatic hyperspherical representation. Both the partial cross sections, {sigma}(2{ital s}) and {sigma}(2{ital p}), and the photoelectron angular distribution asymmetry parameters are obtained. Our one-photon detachment results are dominated by the {sup 1}{ital P{ital o}} shape resonance feature above threshold, which is well known from prior theoretical and experimental work, with which our results are compared in detail. Our two-photon detachment cross sections and angular distribution asymmetry parameters exhibit a half-cycle of dipole-field-induced oscillation in the energy region from the H({ital n}=2) threshold to approximately 34 meV above threshold. The occurrence of a half-cycle of oscillation with significant amplitude over a 34-meV energy region above the H({ital n}=2) threshold is due to two circumstances unique to this two-photon process: first, in contrast to the strongly suppressed oscillations in the {sup 1}{ital S{ital e}} and {sup 1}{ital P{ital o}} attractive dipole-field channels for the H({ital n}=2)-{ital e}{sup {minus}} system, the amplitude of oscillation in the channel having {sup 1}{ital D{ital e}} symmetry is not strongly suppressed above threshold; second, electric dipole selection rules for the two-photonmore » process do not permit population of the intense {sup 1}{ital P{ital o}} shape resonance located above the H({ital n}=2) threshold, which would otherwise obscure the half-cycle of dipole-field-induced oscillation. For these reasons, the process of two-photon detachment of H{sup {minus}} is a favorable one for observing this dipole-field-induced oscillation above threshold, which has yet to be observed experimentally in any process.« less
Hyaluronic acid is not effective in symptomatic hip OA

Consistent with evidence from trials in osteoarthritis of the knee, the results of a randomized controlled trial demonstrate that, for symptomatic hip osteoarthritis, a single intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid is no better than placebo at alleviating pain.
Abscisic Acid Accumulation in Developing Seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Free and bound abscisic acid (ABA) in the pod, seed coat, and embryo were determined separately throughout seed development of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. `Taylor9s Horticultural.9 An internal standard method of gas-liquid chromatography was used for ABA quantification. In the embryo, two peaks of free ABA occurred at days 22 (1.18 micrograms per gram or 5.5 micromolar) and 28 (1.74 micrograms per gram or 12 micromolar); and a single peak of bound ABA at day 30. In the seed coat, there was one peak of free ABA at day 22 and only small amounts of bound ABA. Very small amounts of ABA were detected in the pod at any stage of development. In cv. PI 226895, in which seed development is more rapid than in `Taylor9s Horticultural,9 the embryo ABA peaks occur on days 20 and 26. The timing of the ABA peak in the embryo, and the concentration attained, are consistent with previous reports on the natural pattern of RNA synthesis and with ABA inhibition of RNA synthesis in developing bean fruit.
Differences in osteonal micromorphology between tensile and compressive cortices of a bending skeletal system: Indications of potential strain‐specific differences in bone microstructure

Background: It has been hypothesized that bone has the capacity to accommodate regional differences in tension and compression strain mode and/or magnitude by altering its osteonal microstructure. We examined a simple cantilevered bone to determine whether regional differences in particular strain-related features are reflected in the microstructural organization of compact bone. Methods & Results: The artiodactyl (e.g., sheep and deer) calcaneus has a predominant loading condition which is typified by prevailing compressive and tensile strains on opposite cortices, and variations in strain magnitudes across each of these cortices. Microscopic examination showed osteon density and cortical porosity differences between tension (caudal) and compression (cranial) cortices, averaging 11.4% more osteons in the compression cortex (P < 0.01) and 80.2% greater porosity in the tension cortex (P < 0.01). There is 43.5% more interstitial bone in the compression cortex (P < 0.01). Osteons in the compression cortex also have smaller areas in contrast to the larger area per osteon in the tension cortex. Although no definite transcortical gradient in osteonal density or cortical porosity is found, fractional area of interstitial bone is largest and osteon population density is lowest in the endocortical regions of both tension and compression cortices. The endocortical regions also have greater porosity than their corresponding middle and pericortical regions (P < 0.01). Conclusions: These osteonal microstructure and cortical porosity differences may be adaptations related to regional differences in strain mode and/or strain magnitude. This may be related to the disparity in mechanical properties of compact bone in tension vs. compression. These differences may reflect a capacity of bone to process local and regional strain-related information. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.1 .
K-shell photoionization of multielectron atomic systems

A simplified procedure is proposed for calculating the cross section for photoionization from the K-shell for a general atomic system that contains an arbitrary number of outer-shell electrons. The procedure retains the formalism of the one-electron atom case (pure Coulomb-field problem) by determining the effective nuclear charge reduced from Z by 'screening parameters' associated with the other K-shell electron and the outer-bound electrons. The parameters are determined essentially by fitting the atom's radial electric field to Coulomb form at the distance from the nucleus where the integrand of the dipole radial integral is peaked.
A Year of Strain Measurements in Southern California

STRAIN measurements have been obtained nearly continuously for over a year from a surface laser interferometric strain-meter1 deployed at Pinon Flat Geophysical Observatory. This site(33.49° N, 116.46° W) is located in the wedge of granite that forms the San Jacinto Mountains, between the San Andreas fault and an active branch, the San Jacinto fault, to the south of their confluence. The area lies at the southern end of the trace of the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake(magnitude 8.5) and was possibly loaded with 10 m of potential displacement by that event. To the south, in the Imperial Valley, a roughly continuous fault movement occurs accompanied by moderate seismicity, whereas to the north no recent motion has been detected along some 350 km of the San Andreas fault which is aseismic at present.
Testing lung function in schoolchildren: a practical approach

• Too few children with respiratory illness have their lung function assessed objectively • Lung function tests are a sensitive way of detecting and measuring the severity of lung pathology. They aid the monitoring of the course of chronic conditions • Measurement of peak expiratory flow alone is inaccurate and of limited value • Measuring the flow–volume curve with a modern electronic spirometer is the most clinically useful technique we currently have • Such spirometry should be a standard part of the assessment of school-age children who present to the paediatrician with chronic respiratory symptoms
The effect of ph and blood gas correction on DPG and plasma potassium content of stored blood

During storage of CPD preserved blood, red cell DPG decreases and plasma potassium increases, the changes becoming more marked with increasing duration of storage. Correction of the blood gas and pH alterations of stored blood decreases plasma potassium and increases red cell DPG, but they do not return to normal except in blood stored less than seven days. There is a highly significant correlation between increasing red cell DPG and decreasing plasma potassium as the pH and blood gases of stored blood are restored to physiological range.
Sjögren's syndrome nuclear antigen B (La): cDNA cloning, structural domains, and autoepitopes

Abstract SS-B/La is a major antigenic target for autoantibodies in patients with Sjogren's syndrome. Its transient association with nascent RNA polymerase III transcripts in the cell nucleus suggests a functional role of SS-B/La in RNA processing and maturation. Human SS-B/La autoantibodies recognize at least two distinct epitopes on two separate structural domains of the SS-B/La protein and these epitopes are conserved among mammalian species. In contrast, murine monoclonal antibodies produced though immunization with purified bovine SS-B/La recognize different epitopes. To elucidate these differences, cDNA sequences of SS-B/La were cloned from several mammalian species including human, bovine, and rabbit. Complete human SS-B/La cDNAs including the coding sequence (1227bp) and untranslated sequences were isolated. The complete bovine sequence was determined from two overlapping partial cDNA clones. Comparison of the complete protein sequences encoded by the human and bovine cDNAs revealed a high degree of conservation of amino acid sequence showing only 26 substitutions/deletions out of 408 residues. RNA blot analysis indicated the presence of two size species of transcrips in bovine and rabbit cells, 1.8 kb and >2.5 kb, in contrast to a single 1.8 kb mRNA species in human cells. The results of cDNA cloning support our previous finding of SS-B/La as a two-domain protein, and the RNA-binding site is confirmed to be located within N-terminal domain designated X. Epitope mapping using recombinant SS-B/La fusion proteins confirmed the findings of at least two autoepitopes located on different domains.
Breast cancer treated at the Johns Hopkins hospital, 1951–1956: Review of international ten‐year survival rates

Recent results of surgical treatment of breast cancer at the Johns Hopkins Hospital reveal that the crude 5-year survival rate for radical mastectomy was 62.3% and that the crude 10-year survival rate was 48.7%. These results were compared with 3 prior time periods. Progressive improvement was noted despite the paradox of a uniform and level trend in our national mortality rates. The prognosis for Negro women appeared to be comparatively poor. A collective study of international 10-year survival rates was reviewed to compare the effectiveness of varying methods of treatment. The striking characteristic of these world-wide survival rates is their remarkable similarity regardless of the difference in the type of treatment. This concordance is true despite the dissimilarity of country or clinic being compared. A controlled clinical trial to evaluate the relative merits of equivalent methods of treatment must be undertaken as soon as possible. Randomized studies are urgently needed to assess the value of adjuvant therapy including castration, pre- or postoperative radiation therapy and chemotherapy.