cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Somatostatin analog: plasma catecholamine suppression mediated by the central nervous system.

The somatostatin analog, des-AA1,2,4,5,12,13-[D-Trp8] somatostatin (ODT8-SS), acts within the central nervous system to suppress the rise in plasma catecholamines associated with a variety of neural stimuli. Insulin-induced hypoglycemia or stress caused significant elevations in plasma catecholamines that were abolished by intracerebroventricular (icv) administration f ODT8-SS. Bombesin, carbachol, or 2-deoxyglucose, injected icv, evoked marked elevations in plasma epinephrine and norepineprine. These effects were also prevented by ODT8-SS given icv. In all experiments, ODT8-SS appeared to be more effective in lowering plasma epinephrine than in lowering plasma norepinephrine. Systemic administration of ODT8-SS was ineffective in lowering plasma catecholamine levels. Native somatostatin given icv produced inconsistent effects on plasma catecholamine levels. These data suggest that the somatostatin analog, ODT8-SS, acts within the central nervous system to modulate sympathetic nervous system activity. It i...
Characterization of a class of bivariate distribution functions

Abstract Let F X , Y ( x , y ) be a bivariate distribution function and P n ( x ), Q m ( y ), n , m = 0, 1, 2,…, the orthonormal polynomials of the two marginal distributions F X ( x ) and F Y ( y ), respectively. Some necessary conditions are derived for the co-efficients c n , n = 0, 1, 2,…, if the conditional expectation E [ P n ( X ) ∥ Y ] = c n Q n ( Y ) holds for n = 0, 1, 2,…. Several examples are given to show the application of these necessary conditions.
An evaluation of the hypothesis that females are more susceptible than males to lead-induced haematological alterations

1. A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted to assess the hypothesis that sex differences exist with respect to selected lead-induced red blood cell parameters. The study utilized data previously collected in the Boston Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. 2. This study revealed no statistically significant difference between males and females (n = 1548) aged 1-6 years for blood FEP levels when blood lead levels were similar. 3. These findings are in contrast with previously published research with human adults, which has suggested that adult females display significantly greater FEP values at identical blood level values as similarly aged men.
COMPLEX ANGULAR MOMENTUM IN FIELD THEORY

The notlon of complex angular momentum is extended to relativistic scattering amplitudes satisfying the Mande1stam representation. The domain of analyticity in the complex angular momentum plane is enlarged by the use of unitarity relations, and the existence of Regge poles in a certain restricted domain is established. (auth)
Changes in hematologic indices in caucasian and non-caucasian pregnant women in the United States.

Background The objective of this study was to determine if there are differences in common red blood cell (RBC) indices and platelet concentrations during pregnancy and to establish if any observed differences in these parameters were based on the patient's ethnicity.
Body size adjustments for left ventricular mass by cardiovascular magnetic resonance and their impact on left ventricular hypertrophy classification

Methods to index left ventricular (LV) mass, measured by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), for body size have not been investigated. The purposes of this study were to develop allometric indices for LV mass measured by CMR and compare estimates of the prevalence and predictive value of LV hypertrophy defined by a new allometric height-weight index, LV mass/body surface area (BSA), height indices (a new allometric height index; and previously derived indices from echocardiographic measurements: LV mass/height2, LV mass/height2.7), and non-indexed LV mass. 5,004 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) with CMR measurements of LV mass and no clinical cardiovascular disease at baseline were followed for a median of 4.1 years. The new indices and limits for hypertrophy (95th percentile) were derived from 822 normal-weight, normotensive, non-diabetic MESA participants. 107 events (coronary heart disease or stroke) were observed. The estimated prevalence of hypertrophy at baseline and hazard ratio for event associated with hypertrophy were 8% and 2.4 with the new allometric height-weight index, 11% and 2.2 with LV mass/BSA, 23–24% and 2.0–2.1 with height indices, and 20% and 1.7 with non-indexed LV mass. A statistically significant difference was detected between the hazard ratios based on the new height-weight index and non-indexed LV mass. The prevalence of hypertrophy is higher for indices that do not account for weight. The predictive value of hypertrophy is significantly better with the new allometric height-weight index than with non-indexed LV mass and may be better than indices without weight.
Multiple effect flash (MEF) evaporator

Abstract The Multiple Effect Flash 1 Evaporation System represents an improved vertical multiple effect system arranged to give a flow scheme resembling the multi-stage flash system. Performance characteristics are superior to other systems in showing reduced tube area requirements because of improved heat transfer. Feed-flow distribution and interstage control problems have been solved by Vortex Level Control and Flow Distributors 1 , small plastic devices located in the entrance of each brine tube. Dropwise condensation has been achieved although further work needs to be done to insure reliability. Economic projections for this process for sea water conversion appear very promising.
Gyromagnetic remanence and anisotropy in single-domain particles, rocks, and magnetic recording tape

Abstract Experimental results are described for the gyromagnetic remanence acquired by two rock samples and a sample of magnetic tape arbitrarily orientated in a non-magnetic holder. The remanence (gyroremanent magnetization—GRM) is produced in standard ‘demagnetization’ equipment when the sample is exposed without rotation to a strong alternating field in the absence of any other fields. This effect has already been qualitatively explained (Stephenson 1980 c) in terms of an effective transient biasing field resulting from the intrinsic angular momentum associated with the moments of single-domain particles as they are forced to undergo irreversible flips in the strong applied field. By constructing a theoretical model of a three-dimensional anisotropic distribution of uniaxial particles, a consideration of the average flip of the assembly using this transient field approach enables expressions for the dependence of GRM on field-axis orientation to be derived. Use of these expressions in conjunction with ...
The Single Species Hypothesis: Truly Dead and Pushing Up Bushes, or Still Twitching and Ripe for Resuscitation?

1 Abstract Frank Livingstone proclaims himself to be the last living propo- nent of the single species hypothesis. In sharp contrast, a species-rich, bushy phylogeny is favored by most human paleontologists. Is Livingstone's proclamation merely contrarian posturing, or does closer inspection warrant reconsideration of just how speciose the hominin lineage is? The high-speci- ation perspective draws on evidence of speciosity in the Cercopithecoidea and punctuated equilibria theory for support. If blue monkeys and redtail monkeys are indistinguishable skeletally, this reasoning goes, or if red colobus and black and white colobus are likewise indistinguishable, should we not expect that there are more species of hominin than is apparent from skeletal evidence alone? A contrarian perspective notes that not all monkey taxa are speciose. Importantly, two broadly distributed, partly terrestrial mon- keys have not speciated at all: vervets and baboons. Nor are monkeys the first choice as a hominin speciation model. If expectations of species numbers are based on the Hominoidea, a taxon more closely related to hominins, more similar in body size, and found in more hominin-like habitats than monkeys, a single-species perspective is more appealing. No great ape genus has even two sympatric species. Moreover, despite a separation of 1.6 Ma, West Afri- can chimpanzees have not speciated from P.t. troglodytes nor P.t. schwein- furthii. It is notable that no two contemporaneous species of hominin were separated by significantly more than this interval. A biological—as opposed to an ecological or geographical—species definition would place all ho- minins in a single, phenotypically diverse species. Since divergence from the chimpanzee, "species" distinctness in hominins may have been maintained by temporary allopatry and centripetal niche separation. The hominin lineage may have evolved as a single, phenotypically diverse, reticulately evolving species.
Relational databases for rare disease study: application to vascular anomalies.

Objective To design a relational database integrating clinical and basic science data needed for multidisciplinary treatment and research in the field of vascular anomalies. Based on data points agreed on by the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) Vascular Anomalies Task Force. The database design enables sharing of data subsets in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant manner for multisite collaborative trials. Vascular anomalies pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Our understanding of these lesions and treatment improvement is limited by nonstandard terminology, severity assessment, and measures of treatment efficacy. The rarity of these lesions places a premium on coordinated studies among multiple participant sites. Design The relational database design is conceptually centered on subjects having 1 or more lesions. Each anomaly can be tracked individually along with their treatment outcomes. This design allows for differentiation between treatment responses and untreated lesions' natural course. The relational database design eliminates data entry redundancy and results in extremely flexible search and data export functionality. Setting Vascular anomaly programs in the United States. Results A relational database correlating clinical findings and photographic, radiologic, histologic, and treatment data for vascular anomalies was created for stand-alone and multiuser networked systems. Proof of concept for independent site data gathering and HIPAA-compliant sharing of data subsets was demonstrated. Conclusions The collaborative effort by the ASPO Vascular Anomalies Task Force to create the database helped define a common vascular anomaly data set. The resulting relational database software is a powerful tool to further the study of vascular anomalies and the development of evidence-based treatment innovation.
The effects of high pressure and temperature on the microstructure of plutonium

Abstract Studies were made to determine the effects of high pressure (to 35 kilobar) and temperature on the microstructure of plutonium. Metallographie and X-ray evidence show these parameters provide a method for accomplishing recrystallization and grain growth in alpha plutonium.
Predictive and prognostic biomarkers in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Three quarters of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer will have early stage disease and despite surgical resection for curative intent, approximately 20%–25% of patients will recur with their disease within five years. The other 25% will present with advanced or metastatic disease and clinicians are faced with the challenge of choosing the most appropriate therapy for individual patients. Despite multiple treatment options which are now available and concomitant improvements in survival, advanced colorectal cancer remains universally fatal. The challenge for clinicians is to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers that can assist in tailoring available treatments for an individual patient to improve clinical outcomes. This review will summarize current and future biomarkers in colorectal cancer and discuss their utility in managing patient care.
"I Tried to Make It Not Confusing by Fixing It": Describing Six First Graders' Use of Strategies to Understand Text.

This study describes six first-grade students’ use of metacognitive strategies. The students (4 boys and 2 girls) represented low, average, and above-average readers and were enrolled in a rural Midwestern elementary school. A variety of data were collected throughout the year: (a) an informal reading inventory and metacognitive awareness interview were conducted at the beginning and end of the year; and (b) during the school year, think-aloud interview protocols, running records, anecdotal notes, and retellings were conducted. The analysis revealed that these first graders were reporting and using a variety of strategies to read.
Rapid and specific purification of Argonaute-small RNA complexes from crude cell lysates

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) direct Argonaute proteins, the core components of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), to cleave complementary target RNAs. Here, we describe a method to purify active RISC containing a single, unique small RNA guide sequence. We begin by capturing RISC using a complementary 2 ′ -O-methyl oligonucleotide tethered to beads. Unlike other methods that capture RISC but do not allow its recovery, our strategy purifies active, soluble RISC in good yield. The method takes advantage of the finding that RISC partially paired to a target through its siRNA guide dissociates more than 300 times faster than a fully paired siRNA in RISC. We use this strategy to purify fly Ago1- and Ago2-RISC, as well as mouse AGO2-RISC. The method can discriminate among RISCs programmed with different guide strands, making it possible to deplete and recover specific RISC populations. Endogenous microRNA:Argonaute complexes can also be purified from cell lysates. Our method scales readily and takes less than a day to complete.
Matting Solutions for Low-Volume Roads

An evaluation of 11 commercial roadway matting systems was conducted to determine their effectiveness in carrying heavy vehicle traffic over loose-sand subgrades. Three of the 11 matting systems were also evaluated under the same loading conditions over soft, fine-grained subgrades. Matting product types included high-density polyethylene, aluminum, fiberglass, and polyester. System installation methods included continuous rolls of material, segmented rolls, and connection of individual panels. The matting products were assembled in test sections of various sizes, which depended on individual panel dimensions and product availability. The mats were trafficked with a 7-ton, six-wheeled U.S. Marine Corps transport truck loaded with a 7-ton payload until 20% of the mat section was no longer reusable or 2,000 truck passes were achieved. Earth pressure cells were installed under nine of the sand test sections to monitor load distributions provided by the matting systems. On the basis of the test results, recom...
Deterministic exponential modeling techniques for high spectral resolution time-frequency distributions

A new class of time-frequency distribution kernels is introduced. Kernels in this class map the sinusoidal components in the data to auto-terms of undamped sinusoids and cross-terms of damped sinusoids in the local autocorrelation function (LAF). This property allows deterministic exponential modeling of the LAF for improved spectral resolution. Using the backward linear prediction approach, the roots of the polynomial corresponding to the auto-terms and cross-terms are discriminated by their location whether they are on or outside the unit circle. An analysis of the noise in the LAF is also presented. It is shown that the cross-correlation between any two terms in the LAF is zero. It is also shown that the autocorrelation function of the terms produced by the interaction of the signal and the noise components in the data has the same form as the noise-free LAF, but with a different kernel. These terms are primarily responsible for the frequency bias at low SNR, and their effect can only be removed by imposing a new set of constraints on the original time-frequency kernel. >
Analysis of 30-day mortality for clostridium difficile-associated disease in the ICU setting.

Objective To examine the 30-day mortality rate among patients with Clostridium difficile -associated disease (CDAD) requiring intensive care. Design A retrospective, single-center, observational, cohort study. Setting Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a 1,200-bed, urban, teaching facility. Patients Adult patients admitted to the ICU identified to have CDAD by enzyme immunoassay. Interventions Retrospective data collection from automated hospital, microbiology, and pharmacy databases. Measurements and main results Two hundred seventy-eight patients with CDAD admitted to an ICU were identified over a 2-year period. Two hundred six patients (74.1%) received prior antibiotic therapy. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 36.7% (n = 102). Logistic regression analysis identified septic shock (adjusted odds ratio, 1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47 to 2.61; p=0.018), ward-to-ICU transfer (adjusted odds ratio, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.62 to 2.79; p=0.006), and increasing APACHE (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) II scores (1-point increments) [adjusted odds ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.12; p Conclusions We found a high 30-day crude mortality among patients with CDAD in the ICU setting. Although the attributable mortality from CDAD was relatively low, excess length of stay in the ICU and hospital was observed with CDAD. ICUs should routinely employ infection control efforts aimed at minimizing the occurrence of CDAD because of the excess morbidity associated with this nosocomial infection.
The Origin of Concepts

Only human beings have a rich conceptual repertoire with concepts like tort, entropy, Abelian group, mannerism, icon and deconstruction. How have humans constructed these concepts? And once they have been constructed by adults, how do children acquire them? While primarily focusing on the second question, in The Origin of Concepts, Susan Carey shows that the answers to both overlap substantially. Carey begins by characterizing the innate starting point for conceptual development, namely systems of core cognition. Representations of core cognition are the output of dedicated input analyzers, as with perceptual representations, but these core representations differ from perceptual representations in having more abstract contents and richer functional roles. Carey argues that the key to understanding cognitive development lies in recognizing conceptual discontinuities in which new representational systems emerge that have more expressive power than core cognition and are also incommensurate with core cognition and other earlier representational systems. Finally, Carey fleshes out Quinian bootstrapping, a learning mechanism that has been repeatedly sketched in the literature on the history and philosophy of science. She demonstrates that Quinian bootstrapping is a major mechanism in the construction of new representational resources over the course of childrens cognitive development. Carey shows how developmental cognitive science resolves aspects of long-standing philosophical debates about the existence, nature, content, and format of innate knowledge. She also shows that understanding the processes of conceptual development in children illuminates the historical process by which concepts are constructed, and transforms the way we think about philosophical problems about the nature of concepts and the relations between language and thought.
Basic Psychometric Properties of the Transfer Assessment Instrument (Version 3.0)

Abstract Objectives To refine the Transfer Assessment Instrument (TAI 2.0), develop a training program for the TAI, and analyze the basic psychometric properties of the TAI 3.0, including reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC), and construct validity. Design Repeated measures. Setting A winter sports clinic for disabled veterans. Participants Wheelchair users (N=41) who perform sitting-pivot or standing-pivot transfers. Intervention Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures TAI version 3.0, intraclass correlation coefficients, SEMs, and MDCs for reliable measurement of raters' responses. Spearman correlation coefficient, 1-way analysis of variance, and independent t tests to evaluate construct validity. Results TAI 3.0 had acceptable to high levels of reliability (range, .74–.88). The SEMs for part 1, part 2, and final scores ranged from .45 to .75. The MDC was 1.5 points on the 10-point scale for the final score. There were weak correlations (ρ range, −.13 to .25; P >.11) between TAI final scores and subjects' characteristics (eg, sex, body mass index, age, type of disability, length of wheelchair use, grip and elbow strength, sitting balance). Conclusions With comprehensive training, the refined TAI 3.0 yields high reliability among raters of different clinical backgrounds and experience. TAI 3.0 was unbiased toward certain physical characteristics that may influence transfer. TAI fills a void in the field by providing a quantitative measurement of transfers and a tool that can be used to detect problems and guide transfer training.
A Mixed‐Method Examination of Preschool Teacher Beliefs About Social–Emotional Learning and Relations to Observed Emotional Support

Theconnectionsbetweenparents’socializationpracticesandbeliefsabout emotions, and children’s emotional development have beenwell studied; however, teachers ’ impacts on children’ssocial–emotional learning (SEL) remain widely understudied. In thepresent study, private preschool and Head Start teachers (N=32)were observed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System.Comparisongroupswerecreatedbasedontheirobservedemotionalsupport and then compared on their qualitative responses in focusgroup discussions on beliefs about emotions and SEL strategies.Teachers acknowledged the importance of preparing children emo-tionally (as well as academically) for kindergarten, but substantialdifferences emerged between the highly emotionally supportiveand moderately emotionally supportive teachers in three areas: (1)teachers’ beliefs about emotions and the value of SEL; (2) teachers’socialization behaviours and SEL strategies; and (3) teachers’ per-ceptions of their roles as emotion socializers. Understanding suchdifferences can facilitate the development of intervention programsand in-service training to help teachers better meet students’ SELneeds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Key words: early childhood education; social –emotional development;emotional support; mixed-method researchChildren’s social–emotional learning (SEL) is promoted by interactions with theircaregivers. These interactions may include overt socialization practices (such as
A comparative study of temperature sensitivity of InGaAsP and AlGaAs MQW lasers using numerical simulations

We used numerical simulation to compare the temperature sensitivity of an InGaAsP MQW laser emitting at 1.55 /spl mu/m and an AlGaAs MQW laser at 0.82 /spl mu/m. By artificially changing the InGaAsP laser gradually into a structure similar to the AlGaAs laser, we gained quantitative insight into how each material or structural parameter causes the relatively low T/sub 0/ of the InGaAsP MQW laser. Using a typical MQW structure we demonstrated the relative importance of parameters involving Auger recombination, current leakage over the quantum barrier, optical confinement and band offset. We found that if these parameters were made the same as the AlGaAs laser, the T/sub 0/ of the InGaAsP laser was even better than that of the AlGaAs laser. Our numerical simulation confirmed that the Auger recombination is the main cause of low T/sub 0/ in MQW InGaAsP lasers. We also discovered that thermal current leakage over the barrier and Auger recombinations are correlated with each other and both factors must be improved to increase the T/sub 0/ of InGaAsP lasers to that of AlGaAs lasers. >
An advanced photovoltaic array regulator module

Current trends in satellite design are focused on developing small, reliable, and inexpensive spacecraft. To that end, a modular power management and distribution system is proposed which will help transition the aerospace industry towards an assembly line approach to building spacecraft. The modular system is based on an innovative DC voltage boost converter called the series connected boost unit (SCBU). The SCBU uses any isolating DC-DC power converter and adds a unique series connection. This simple modification provides the SCBU topology with many advantages over existing boost power converters. Efficiencies of 94-98%, power densities above 1,000 W/kg and inherent fault tolerance are just a few of the characteristics presented. Limitations of the SCBU technology are presented and it is shown that the SCBU makes an ideal photovoltaic array regulator. A set of photovoltaic power system requirements are presented that can be applied to almost any low Earth orbit satellite. Finally, a modular design based on the series connected boost unit is outlined and functional descriptions of the components are given.
Charge-density-wave phase slip in NbSe3

We have studied the phase-slip process by which charge-density-wave (CDW) current is converted to single-particle current at electrical contacts. Transport and X-ray scattering measurements indicate that an excess voltage V ps dropped between current contacts induces a large static deformation of the CDW phase. The measured V ps - and temperature-dependent phase-slip rates are consistent with a model in which CDW dislocation loops are thermally nucleatod in the presence of these deformations. The effects of impurities and contact perturbations on the phase slip process are also discussed
Transient Analysis of Completely Transposed Multiconductor Transmission Lines

Starting with the general equations of the completely transposed n-conductor transmission system expressed in matrix form, the equations are subjected to a similarity transformation. This transformation reduces the general equations to a set of n independent equations. These equations are then subjected to a Laplacian transformation and solved subject to the impression of arbitrary electromotive forces at a certain point of the lines. Expressions are obtained for the resulting traveling waves of voltage and current and the velocities of propagation are discussed.
Overcoming Workplace Barriers: A Focus Group Study Exploring African American Mothers' Needs for Workplace Breastfeeding Support.

Background:Persistent racial disparities in breastfeeding show that African American women breastfeed at the lowest rates. Return to work is a critical breastfeeding barrier for African American women who return to work sooner than other ethnic groups and more often encounter unsupportive work environments. They also face psychosocial burdens that make breastfeeding at work uniquely challenging. Participants share personal struggles with combining paid employment and breastfeeding and suggest workplace and personal support strategies that they believe will help continue breastfeeding after a return to work.Objective:To explore current perspectives on ways to support African American mothers’ workplace breastfeeding behavior.Methods:Pregnant African American women (n = 8), African American mothers of infants (n = 21), and lactation support providers (n = 9) participated in 1 of 6 focus groups in the Greater Detroit area. Each focus group audiotape was transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to ind...
Aspartame as a Dietary Trigger of Headache

Many dietary factors have been implicated as possible precipitants of headache. There have been recent differences of opinion with regard to the effect of the artificial sweetener aspartame as a precipitant of headache. To assess the importance of aspartame as a dietary factor in headache, 190 consecutive patients of the Montefiore Medical Center Headache Unit were questioned about the effect of alcohol, carbohydrates and aspartame in triggering their headaches. Of the 171 patients who fully completed the survey, 49.7 percent reported alcohol as a precipitating factor, compared to 8.2 percent reporting aspartame and 2.3 percent reporting carbohydrates. Patients with migraine were significantly more likely to report alcohol as a triggering factor and also reported aspartame as a precipitant three times more often than those having other types of headache. The conflicting results of two recent placebo-control studies of aspartame and headache are discussed. We conclude that aspartame may be an important dietary trigger of headache in some people.
CA1-02: Women’s Perception of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Varies by Hypercholesterolemia History: Making Effective Nutritional Choices

A total of 1,220 advanced Colon cancer cases, 422 with Stage III disease prior to progression and 798 with Stage IV disease were enrolled. The proportion of patients who received chemotherapy varied by stage (87%; 256 of 294 with stage III disease and 68%; 630 of 926 with stage IV disease at time of treatment, adjusted p-value=0.0452), geographic site (range 51-83%; adjusted p-value 0.0003; age (rate decreased with increasing age, adjusted p-value < 0.0001), Charlson Score (range score 0, 76%; 147 of 196 to score 6+, 46%; 118 of 257; adjusted p-value < 0.0001), Medicare coverage (yes, 90%; 311 of 346 vs. no, 66%; 577 of 874; adjusted p-value < 0.0001), and positive family history of cancer (family history 82%; 460 of 561 vs. no family history 71%; 258 of 363; adjusted p-value <0.0456), but did not vary by BMI, patient gender, race, level of education, or household income. The median time to treatment varied by geographic site, stage, increasing age, race, Medicare coverage, college education, household income, and other therapy but did not vary by gender, BMI, Charlson Score, or positive family history.
Voodoo dolls and angry lions: how emotions explain arational actions

Hursthouse (J Philos 88(2):57–68, 1991) argues that arational actions—e.g. kicking a door out of anger—cannot be explained by belief–desire pairs. The Humean Response to Hursthouse (Smith in Human action, deliberation and causation. Springer, Netherlands, pp 17–41, 1998; Goldie in The emotions: a philosophical exploration. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000a; Goldie in Mind 109(433):25–38, 2000b) defends the Humean model from Hursthouse’s challenge. We argue that the Humean Response fails because belief–desire pairs are neither necessary nor sufficient for causing emotional actions. The Emotionist Response is to embrace Hursthouse’s conclusion that emotions provide an independent source of explanation for intentional actions. We consider Doring’s (Philos Q 53(211):214–230, 2003) feeling-based Emotionist account and argue that it fails to explain arational actions. Finally, we develop our own Emotionist account, grounded in the Motivational Theory of Emotions one of us has developed. On our account, arational actions form a non-homogeneous class, some members of which must be understood as instrumental actions and some members of which must be understood as displacement behaviors of the kind animals display when their motivations are thwarted or in conflict.
Selection on bristle length has the ability to drive the evolution of male abdominal appendages in the sepsid fly Themira biloba.

Many exaggerated and novel traits are strongly influenced by sexual selection. Although sexual selection is a powerful evolutionary force, underlying genetic interactions can constrain evolutionary outcomes. The relative strength of selection vs. constraint has been a matter of debate for the evolution of male abdominal appendages in sepsid flies. These abdominal appendages are involved in courtship and mating, but their function has not been directly tested. We performed mate choice experiments to determine whether sexual selection acts on abdominal appendages in the sepsid Themira biloba. We tested whether appendage bristle length influenced successful insemination by surgically trimming the bristles. Females paired with males that had shortened bristles laid only unfertilized eggs, indicating that long bristles are necessary for successful insemination. We also tested whether the evolution of bristle length was constrained by phenotypic correlations with other traits. Analyses of phenotypic covariation indicated that bristle length was highly correlated with other abdominal appendage traits, but was not correlated with abdominal sternite size. Thus, abdominal appendages are not exaggerated traits like many sexual ornaments, but vary independently from body size. At the same time, strong correlations between bristle length and appendage length suggest that selection on bristle length is likely to result in a correlated increase in appendage length. Bristle length is under sexual selection in T. biloba and has the potential to evolve independently from abdomen size.
Investigation of Circular Pipes as a Propagation Channel for Through-Wall Radar

The potential of using a circular metal pipe with two open ends as a propagation channel for through-wall radar is investigated. A modal formulation is used for simulating the backscattering from a target through a circular pipe. A target is observed through the pipe using simulation and subsequently validated with measured data. The insertion loss due to the pipe is extracted from simulation and compared to previously published data for the insertion loss of walls.
Alabama's Nurse Monitoring Programs: The Nurse's Experience of Being Monitored

Over the last 25 years, nursing regulatory agencies have developed programs for nurses recovering from substance use disorders. It is estimated that over 250,000 nurses are affected by substance us...
The RAFOS System

Abstract The RAFOS float is a small neutrally buoyant subsurface order, which, like its big brother the SOFAR float, uses the deep sound (or SOFAR) channel to determine its position as a function of time. Whereas the SOFAR float transmits to moored receivers, the ∼12 kg glass pipe RAFOS float listens for accurately timed signals from moored sound sources to determine its position. The acoustic signal detection and norm of data are all handled by a CMOS microprocessor in the float. The data are recovered at the end of its mission when the float surface and telemeters its memory contents to Systeme Argos, a satellite-borne platform location and data collection system. Just a few sound sources provide navigation for an arbitrary number of floats.
A low power radix-2 FFT accelerator for FPGA

This paper presents a low power FFT accelerator using a Radix-2 algorithm with an 8-parallel multi-path delay commutator. Hardware accelerators can achieve better performance and throughput compared to software FFT routines. Thus, FFT accelerators are used in many DSP processors. In this paper, a Radix-2 Multipath Delay Commutator (R2MDC) FFT accelerator is designed with 8-parallel processing of the input samples. The hardware utilization of the architecture is 100% requiring only 4 parallel butterflies. It increases the throughput to eight times that of the traditional R2MDC. Thus, it can achieve similar throughput while running at one eighth of the clock frequency for a regular MDC accelerator while roughly increasing the gate capacitance by 4 times. Thus, it can operate at a lower power than the regular Radix-2 MDC accelerator. We implement our design on the Xilinx Virtex FPGA and measure area, frequency, latency, throughput and power. We show that our design can operate at a similar rate while reducing the power by 25% on an FPGA compared to R2MDC.
A Family of Chisini Mean Based Jensen-Shannon Divergence Kernels

Jensen-Shannon divergence is an effective method for measuring the distance between two probability distributions. When the difference between these two distributions is subtle, Jensen-Shannon divergence does not provide adequate separation to draw distinctions from subtly different distributions. We extend Jensen-Shannon divergence by reformulating it using alternate operators that provide different properties concerning robustness. Furthermore, we prove a number of important properties for this extension: the lower limits of its range, and its relationship to Shannon Entropy and Kullback-Leibler divergence. Finally, we propose a family of new kernels, based on Chisini mean Jensen-Shannon divergence, and demonstrate its utility in providing better SVM classification accuracy over RBF kernels for amino acid spectra. Because spectral methods capture phenomenon at subatomic levels, differences between complex compounds can often be subtle. While the impetus behind this work began with spectral data, the methods are generally applicable to domains where subtle differences are important.
A Nanoscale Piezoelectric Transformer for Low-Voltage Transistors

A novel piezoelectric voltage transformer for low-voltage transistors is proposed. Placing a piezoelectric transformer on the gate of a field-effect transistor results in the piezoelectric transformer field-effect transistor that can switch at significantly lower voltages than a conventional transistor. The piezoelectric transformer operates by using one piezoelectric to squeeze another piezoelectric to generate a higher output voltage than the input voltage. Multiple piezoelectrics can be used to squeeze a single piezoelectric layer to generate an even higher voltage amplification. Coupled electrical and mechanical modeling in COMSOL predicts a 12.5× voltage amplification for a six-layer piezoelectric transformer. This would lead to more than a 150× reduction in the power needed for communications.
Oncogenesis and altered differentiation induced by activated Ras in neuroblasts of transgenic mice

Sympathetic neurons, enteric neurons and adrenal chromaffin cells all derive from the neural crest. During development these cells migrate, proliferate, survive and differentiate in a highly controlled fashion influenced by local signals encountered during their migration. Aberrations of these processes are responsible for a variety of developmental defects and malignancies. Many of the environmental signals influencing these precursor cells activate receptor tyrosine kinases that can signal, at least in part, via Ras pathways. To assess the extent to which Ras can alter neuroblast cell number and fate in vivo, we expressed activated H-Ras in transgenic mice using the dopamine-β-hydroxylase promoter, which directs expression to these cells prior to and after their differentiation. Ganglioneuromas and occasional neuroblastomas formed in the adrenal gland and preaortic sympathetic ganglia. Curiously, neurons of the superior cervical ganglia and the gut were largely unaffected despite demonstrated expression of activated Ras. The sensitivity of preaortic sympathetic neurons and adrenal chromaffin cells to the effects of oncogenes such as Ras may explain the predilection of neuroblastomas in humans to these sites. The ability to analyse neuroblastoma development in these mice may shed light on the molecular basis of certain types of human neuroblastoma.
Modeling Enzymatic Kinetic Pathways for Ring-Opening Lactone Polymerization

A unified kinetic pathway for the enzyme-catalyzed polymerization and degradation of poly(e-caprolactone) was developed. This model tracks the complete distribution of individual chain lengths, both enzyme-bound and in solution, and successfully predicts monomer conversion and the molecular mass distribution as a function of reaction time. As compared to reported experimental data for polymerization reactions, modeled kinetics generate similar trends, with ring-opening rates and water concentration as key factors to controlling molecular mass distributions. Water is critically important by dictating the number of linear chains in solution, shifting the molecular mass distribution at which propagation and degradation equilibrate. For the enzymatic degradation of poly(e-caprolactone), the final reaction product is also consistent with the equilibrium dictated by the propagation and degradation rates. When the modeling framework described here is used, further experiments can be designed to isolate key reaction steps and provide methods for improving the efficiency of enzyme polymerization.
Opportunistic Interference Alignment with Optimal Capacity in Cognitive Networks

Cognitive users can only access idle bandwidth in traditional cognitive networks, but they cannot share the same bandwidth with the primary user simultaneously. In order to make full use of the spectrum, we propose a capacity optimal opportunistic interference alignment algorithm. By ensuring the channel capacity of primary users, cognitive users and primary users can share the same bandwidth, and the cognitive users cause no interference to the primary user. In the proposed algorithm, the hybrid network base station estimates channel state information and calculates channel capacity. It then determines the pre-coding vectors and decoding vectors according to the capacity optimal rule. Cognitive users access the networks by capacity optimal opportunistic interference alignment when the primary user's channel capacity almost does not decline and the whole network can still obtain good channel capacity. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can obtain greater channel capacity and increase the utilization ratio of spectrum than other existing algorithms under the same condition of channel state information.
Surface areas of naturally occurring lipid classes and the quantitative microdetermination of lipids

The surface area (A) of a lipid was directly proportional to the amount of lipid in a surface film (A = k micro moles) measured at constant surface pressure, temperature, and subphase composition. A surface area of 2300 cm(2)/ micro mole was obtained for cholesterol isolated from human adrenal and aorta and for cholesterol from hydrolysates of cholesteryl esters isolated from the same tissues. Unsaturated methyl esters that contained from one to four cis double bonds had the same surface area, 39.4 A(2)/molecule. As a consequence, naturally occurring triglyceride mixtures which had similar saturated-unsaturated fatty acid ratios had the same surface area, 6090 cm(2)/ micro mole. Naturally occurring phospholipid mixtures had the same surface area, 4590 cm(2)/ micro mole, and it appeared that the composition of these mixtures was regulated to control the physical properties of the mixtures. Surface area was much more sensitive than colorimetric procedures for the estimation of cholesterol and triglycerides. The surface area/molecule was a criterion of purity and an expanded surface area/molecule was an indication of autoxidation. Thus, surface area measurements were valuable for both the microdetermination and the characterization of lipid classes.
Optically nonreciprocal device exploiting enhanced backward-stimulated emission

The physical nature of the backward-stimulated emission can be understood by considering the angular distribution of the total radiation from a set of atomic dipoles driven by an intense laser beam. From the classical point of view, the backward-stimulated emission is simply a reflection from the interface between a dielectric and a gain medium from the mismatch in the imaginary parts of their indices of refraction. For bulk gain structure, backward-stimulated emission is usually too weak to be noticed. However, in the case of a gain layer much thinner than a wavelength or a periodic thin gain structure with a spacing of λ/2, the backward-stimulated emission is enhanced and can be as large as the forward stimulated emission in terms of the amplitude of radiation field.1
The Representativeness of Rote Verbal Learning

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses certain phenomena derived from research on rote verbal learning in terms of their relevance to other areas of research on human learning when these phenomena appeared to have some counterpart in the other areas. It is a fact that in paired-associate learning, the associations that develop are to a large extent bidirectional. Not only the stimulus term elicits the response term, but also the response term elicits the stimulus term. While it is difficult to conceive of bidirectional associations for certain tasks in some areas of research, there is reason to believe that in concept formation, problem solving and creative thinking, bidirectional associations are the rule. The expectations are logical but it is difficult to find evidence for them. The so-called standardized tasks are very contrived and over the years have been simplified and refined. They are contrived to allow only a limited range of behavior to be exhibited and they are simplified to allow specific stimulus-response relationships to be derived and to be repeatable from one laboratory to another.
On the Misinterpretation of Insignificant Estimates

This article aims to remedy a common misinterpretation of insignificant coefficient estimates and presents a method to find hidden information in insignificant effects. I first discuss possible reasons for insignificant effects. I then use two distinct research areas as case studies: (1) how divorces are associated with changes in children’s behavior to demonstrate how “counteracting effects” could cause insignificant estimates and to demonstrate a method to simultaneously identify positive and negative effects; (2) the “hot hand” in basketball to demonstrate how improper interpretations of insignificant estimates spawned decades of over-reaching conclusions in further research, best-selling books, and the popular press.
Memory Binding Test Distinguishes Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia from Cognitively Normal Elderly.

Objective We aimed to assess reliability and cross-sectional discriminative validity of the Memory Binding Test (MBT) to distinguish persons with amnestic cognitive impairment (aMCI) and dementia from cognitively normal elderly controls. Method The MBT was administered to 20 participants with dementia, 31 with aMCI and 246 controls, who received the first administration of the MBT from May 2003 to December 2007, as a substudy of the community-based Einstein Aging Study (age range: 70+). The optimal index resulted from comparing the partial area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC AUC) of four major MBT indices for specificities ≥0.70. Optimal cut-score of the optimal index was selected by maximizing the sum of sensitivity and specificity. Age and education effects were assessed using stratified cut-scores and adjusted logistic regression. Reliability was computed as intraclass correlation between scores at baseline and 1-year follow-up for participants who remained cognitively normal. Results Total number of Items recalled in the Paired condition (TIP) was elected the optimal index. TIP cut-score was ≤22 for differentiating aMCI alone (sensitivity = 0.74, specificity = 0.73) and aMCI and dementia combined (sensitivity = 0.84, specificity = 0.73) from controls. It was ≤17 for differentiating dementia from aMCI and controls (sensitivity = 0.95, specificity = 0.87). Age and education adjustments did not materially improve discriminative validity. The reliability of TIP was 0.77. Conclusions MBT achieved moderate to good reliability. TIP had superior cross-sectional discriminative validity than the other MBT indices. We recommend using the empirical cut-score of TIP ≤22 for discriminating aMCI and dementia and ≤17 for discriminating dementia alone.