cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxidative-stress and IL-6 mediate the fibrogenic effects of rodent Kupffer cells on stellate cells†

The impact of Kupffer cells (KCs) on the hepatic stellate cell (HSC) fibrogenic response was examined in an in vitro coculture model of primary KCs and HSCs. Coculture with KCs induced a more activated phenotype and greater proliferation compared to HSC cultured alone. Similar results were obtained on Matrigel which maintains HSCs quiescent. The effect of KCs on HSC collagen I involved transcriptional regulation, as determined by nuclear in vitro transcription run-on assays, promoter studies, and Northern blot analysis, while stability of the COL1A1 and COL1A2 mRNA were similar. The minimal COL1A1 and COL1A2 promoter regions responsible for the KC effects were localized to the -515 and -378 base pair (bp) regions, respectively. Intracellular and extracellular collagen I protein, H2O2, and IL-6 increased in a time-dependent fashion, especially for HSCs in coculture. Catalase prevented these effects as well as the transactivation of both collagen promoters. The rate of collagen I protein synthesis and intracellular collagen I degradation remained similar but the t(1/2) of the secreted collagen I was lower for HSC in coculture. MMP13, a protease that degrades extracellular collagen I, decreased in the cocultures, while TIMP1, a MMP13 inhibitor, increased; and these effects were prevented by catalase, anti-IL-6, and siRNA-IL-6. Cocultured HSC showed elevated phosphorylation of p38 which when inhibited by catalase, anti-IL-6, and siRNA-IL-6 it blocked TIMP1 upregulation and collagen I accumulation. In conclusion, these results unveil a novel dual mechanism mediated by H2O2 and IL-6 by which KCs may modulate the fibrogenic response in HSCs.
A risk factor study of coccidioidomycosis by controlling differential misclassifications of exposure and susceptibility using a landscape ecology approach

State-reported coccidioidomycosis cases in Arizona have dramatically increased since 1997, raising concerns about a possible epidemic, its cause, and associated risk factors, including spatio-temporal differences in susceptibility and exposure. This stratified, two-stage, cross-sectional study evaluates inherent, socio-economic, and environmental risk factors of coccidioidomycosis from information collected during an address-based telephone survey of 5460 households containing 14,105 individuals in greater Tucson, Arizona. Three geomorphic and two demographic strata controlled for differences in group-level exposures and susceptibility, and assured recruitment of a minority population. Logistic regression of self-reported cases indicates that location of residence by geomorphic and demographic strata was a risk factor that confounded the associations of coccidioidomycosis with age, race-ethnicity, and educational attainment. The risk due to age is more evenly distributed across the population than bivariate results when individual- and group-level exposure and susceptibility factors are controlled. Similarly the association for being Hispanic decreased from strong bivariate 0.28 odds ratio to a weak multivariate 0.75. Location of residence confounded the risk due to race-ethnicity and was an effect modifier of risk due to age. Differential misclassification of exposure to Coccidioides spores and susceptibility to coccidioidomycosis was reduced through landscape stratification by demographics and geomorphic types. Landscape epidemiological studies of diseases with strong environmental and demographic determinants can reduce residual confounding and account for spatial and temporal differences between neighborhoods and at broader scales.
Evidence for a partially folded intermediate in alpha-synuclein fibril formation.

Intracellular proteinaceous aggregates (Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites) of α-synuclein are hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple systemic atrophy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying α-synuclein aggregation into such filamentous inclusions remain unknown. An intriguing aspect of this problem is that α-synuclein is a natively unfolded protein, with little or no ordered structure under physiological conditions. This raises the question of how an essentially disordered protein is transformed into highly organized fibrils. In the search for an answer to this question, we have investigated the effects of pH and temperature on the structural properties and fibrillation kinetics of human recombinant α-synuclein. Either a decrease in pH or an increase in temperature transformed α-synuclein into a partially folded conformation. The presence of this intermediate is strongly correlated with the enhanced formation of α-synuclein fibrils. We propose a model for the fibrillation of α-synuclein in which the first step is the conformational transformation of the natively unfolded protein into the aggregation-competent partially folded intermediate.
Experienced Advocates and Litigation Outcomes Repeat Players in the South African Supreme Court of Appeal

While the facts and the attendant law are essential components of understanding litigation outcomes, extralegal factors, such as the experience of the attorney representing each party, are also significantly related. The authors assert that the capability of the attorney, as evidenced in previous litigation success, is more significant than experience alone. They test this assertion for the South African appellate court from 1970 to 2000. After controlling for the effects of a number of variables, the results suggest that the previous success of the advocate is a far better predictor of litigation outcomes than previous experience, litigant status, or court ideology.
Polysaccharides of the cocoa pod husk

Cocoa pod husk from Ghana was extracted successively with hot water, hot 0·5% anmonium oxalate, cold 10% potassium hydroxide, and hot 20% sodium hydroxide, and the various polysaccharide fractions isolated after dialysis. The hot-water-soluble fraction was examined by hydrolysis with 50% formic acid, quantitative determination of the component sugars, and characterisation of the sugars by preparation of crystalline derivatives. The major part of this fraction is a pectic material containing D-galacturonic acid, D-galactose, L-rhamnose and L-arabinose, but is contaminated with several other polysaccharides, notably a glucan and a mannan. The ammonium oxalate fraction is also a pectin but in a depolymerised form, while the main component sugar of the alkaline extracts is xylose. The insoluble husk residue is probably chiefly cellulose.
A new societist social ontology

This article delineates a new type of social ontology—site ontology—and defends a particular version of that type. The first section establishes the distinctiveness of site ontologies over both individualist ontologies and previous societist ones. The second section then shows how site ontologies elude two pervasive criticisms, that of incompleteness directed at individualism and that of reification leveled at societism. The third section defends a particular site ontology, one that depicts the social as a mesh of human practices and material arrangements. The article concludes by outlining what is involved in giving site-ontological analyses of social things.
Common raven occurrence in relation to energy transmission line corridors transiting human-altered sagebrush steppe

Energy-related infrastructure and other human enterprises within sagebrush steppe of the American West often results in changes that promote common raven (Corvus corax; hereafter, raven) populations. Ravens, a generalist predator capable of behavioral innovation, present a threat to many species of conservation concern. We evaluate the effects of detailed features of an altered landscape on the probability of raven occurrence using extensive raven survey (n ¼ 1045) and mapping data from southern Idaho, USA. We found nonlinear relationships between raven occurrence and distances to transmission lines, roads, and facilities. Most importantly, raven occurrence was greater with presence of transmission lines up to 2.2 km from the corridor. We further explain variation in raven occurrence along anthropogenic features based on the amount of non-native vegetation and cover type edge, such that ravens select fragmented sagebrush stands with patchy, exotic vegetative introgression. Raven occurrence also increased with greater length of edge formed by the contact of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata spp.) with non-native vegetation cover types. In consideration of increasing alteration of sagebrush steppe, these findings will be useful for planning energy transmission corridor placement and other management activities where conservation of sagebrush obligate species is a priority. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://
Serial processing in human movement production

Parallel processing is often considered to be synonymous with biological computation, but a great deal of evidence points to serial computation being used by animals to solve specific types of problems. In particular, the observation of movement intermittency (fluctuations in limb kinematic variables that cannot be explained by low-level dynamics of the system) seems to imply a serial temporal segmentation strategy in the planning of arm movements. This paper discusses prior observations of movement intermittency in different task contexts, possible theoretical and physiological origins of the phenomenon, and implications for human movement strategies.
On comparing bills of materials: a similarity/distance measure for unordered trees

Many enterprise areas, such as marketing, variant design, group technology, and cellular manufacturing, require their wide variety of products to be organized into families, which are clusters of similar products. In this paper, we propose a similarity metric for finding the distance between existing products based on bills of materials (BOMs), a class of unordered trees. We show that existing editing operations for unordered trees are not consistent for BOMs, and present a similarity metric based on the symmetric difference. We also provide an polynomial time algorithm for finding the minimum weighted symmetric difference between a pair of unordered trees. The results of the pairwise comparisons are used as a distance metric for a clustering algorithm that groups the BOM trees into product families.
John Wesley's Indebtedness to John Norris

Several scholars, including Workman, Cragg, Dreyer, and now Henry Rack, have called attention to Wesley's endorsement of Locke's philosophy (within limits) and, more broadly, to the debt which he owed to empiricist psychology and theories of knowledge. Wesley read the Essay Concerning Human Understanding in 1725 during the interval between his commencement as a Bachelor of Arts and his election to a Fellowship at Lincoln College, Oxford. The book made a favorable impression which endured to the end of his life. During the decade of the eighties, for instance, Wesley published a series of extracts from the Essay, books I and II, in his Arminian Magazine (volumes 5–7, 1782–1784). He also praised The Procedure, Extent, and Limits of Human Understanding and Things Divine and Supernatural Conceived by Analogy with Things Natural and Divine, books written by Peter Browne (died 1735), an Irish bishop and philosopher whom Locke had influenced to a considerable degree. Indeed, at one juncture, Wesley expressed a preference for Browne over Locke. He wrote in his journal for 6 December 1756, “I began reading to our preachers the late Bishop of Cork's Treatise on Human Understanding, in most points far clearer and more judicious than Mr. Locke's, as well as designed to advance a better cause.”
Phylogeny of Mycobacterium avium strains inferred from glycopeptidolipid biosynthesis pathway genes

The Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) encompasses two species, M. avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare, which are opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals. The standard method of MAC strain differentiation is serotyping based on a variation in the antigenic glycopeptidolipid (GPL) composition. To elucidate the relationships among M. avium serotypes a phylogenetic analysis of 13 reference and clinical M. avium strains from 8 serotypes was performed using as markers two genomic regions (890 bp of the gtfB gene and 2150 bp spanning the rtfA-mtfC genes) which are associated with the strains' serological properties. Strains belonging to three other known M. avium serotypes were not included in the phylogeny inference due to apparent lack of the marker sequences in their genomes, as revealed by PCR and Southern blot analysis. These studies suggest that serotypes prevalent in AIDS patients have multiple origins. In trees inferred from both markers, serotype 1 strains, known to have the simplest and shortest GPLs among all other serotypes, were polyphyletic. Likewise, comparisons of the inferred phylogenies with the molecular typing results imply that the existing tools used in epidemiological studies may be poor estimators of M. avium strain relatedness. Additionally, trees inferred from each marker had significantly incongruent topologies due to a well supported alternative placement of strain 2151, suggesting a complex evolutionary history of this genomic region.
J Proteins Catalytically Activate Hsp70 Molecules to Trap a Wide Range of Peptide Sequences

Proteins of the Hsp70 family of ATPases, such as BiP, function together with J proteins to bind polypeptides in numerous cellular processes. Using a solid phase binding assay, we demonstrate that a conserved segment of the J proteins, the J domain, catalytically activates BiP molecules to bind peptides in its immediate vicinity. The J domain interacts with the ATP form of BiP and stimulates hydrolysis resulting in the rapid trapping of peptides, which are then only slowly released upon nucleotide exchange. Activation by the J domain allows BiP to trap peptides or proteins that it would not bind on its own. These results explain why BiP and probably all other Hsp70s can interact with a wide range of substrates and suggest that the J partner primarily determines the substrate specificity of Hsp70s.
An Area-Efficient and Low-Power Logarithmic A/D Converter for Current-Mode Sensor Array

This paper presents an area-efficient and low-power current-mode logarithmic analog-to-digital converter (LADC) that can be potentially used for large-scale CMOS sensor array applications. The core of the proposed LADC consists of a novel analog functional block and a reference transistor working in the subthreshold region, which encodes the input sensor currents into logarithmically compressed voltage outputs. The LADC core has been implemented in standard 0.18 ?m CMOS process with a total area of 55 ?m × 55 ?m and a power consumption of less than 9.7 ?W. A 7-bit digital counter and an external discrete ramp generator, typically shared among all sensor unit cells in the future sensor array implementation, complete the LADC configuration. Measurement results have presented a dynamic range of 80 dB with 5 KS/s conversion rate. The proposed LADC is ideally suited for compact and low-power CMOS biomedical sensor arrays or CMOS image sensor applications.
Improving network security by multipath traffic dispersion

In this paper we argue that multipath traffic dispersion techniques can be utilized complementary to the existing security provision mechanisms to improve network security so that the possibility of unauthorized information leakage induced by attacks along the information path is minimized. Initially, we provide an analytical framework to study and evaluate the security performance provided by multipath traffic dispersion. Based on the results achieved, we propose a heuristic multipath traffic dispersion scheme to minimize the impact of network attacks.
A Novel Approach to Teaching Periocardiocentesis

Pericardiocentesis can be a life-saving intervention but it is associated with significant complications if not performed appropriately. Periocardiocentesis should ideally be done under ultrasound guidance. However, in many community emergency departments (EDs) ultrasound is not routinely available, leaving the ED physician the anatomic approach. Emergency medicine residents need to achieve competence in this procedure using both techniques, but there are limited opportunities for residents to perform this procedure on live patients. Many residency programs teach this procedure using cadaver models. We have devised a model, made with readily available, inexpensive materials, that allows residents to practice pericardiocentesis using both the subxiphoid and parasternal approach in a setting that we feel is more life-like than with that using the dessicated tissue of routine cadaver models. Materials: Two racks of pork or beef ribs, wire, pericardiocentesis tray, Betadine, plastic baggies. The racks of ribs are wired together to make a thorax and are then covered with an opaque covering to simulate skin. One plastic bag is filled with Betadine and then placed within another plastic bag containing water, to simulate pericardial effusion. The bag-within-bag set-up is then secured on the under surface of the thorax. Residents can then practice either the parasternal or subxiphoid approach with the intent of aspirating clear fluid. Aspiration of dark-fluid represents cardiac penetration and is considered an unsuccessful procedure. Bags can be replaced as needed, but based on our experience, approximately 10 attempts were done before any significant leakage occurred. Total cost for the materials was less than $35.
A Semantic Approach for Trust Information Exchange in Federation Systems

In federation systems, management of trust is critical for information sharing and online collaboration. Security tokens provide a way to convey and exchange trust information for security and privacy protection. Although several communication protocols have mechanisms to exchange security tokens, users may still encounter difficulties when they have to handle security tokens across heterogeneous platforms and trust domains. Semantic gaps and incompatibilities are major barriers for trust information exchange in federated trust management. This paper introduces a hybrid approach with intermediary- and query-based mechanisms to resolve semantic gaps and incompatibilities for different types of trust information exchanged by security tokens, and then proposes different exchange models for different types of trust information. This paper also provides a comprehensive framework to exchange security tokens across trust domains using these mechanisms and models. Application of this framework in a healthcare environment is also discussed.
Inverse limits of finite topological spaces

Extending a result of McCord, we prove that every finite simplicial complex is homotopy equivalent to the inverse limit of a sequence of finite spaces. In addition to generalizing McCord’s theorem, this provides it with a more geometric motivation, demonstrating a sense in which the simplicial complex is successively better approximated by its finite models.
Alcohol intake and invasive breast cancer risk by molecular subtype and race in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study

Alcohol is an established breast cancer risk factor, but there is little evidence on whether the association differs between African Americans and whites. Invasive breast cancers (n = 1,795; 1,014 white, 781 African American) and age- and race-matched controls (n = 1,558; 844 white, 714 African American) from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (Phases I–II) were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for pre-diagnosis drinks per week and breast cancer risk. African American controls reported lower alcohol intake than white controls across all age groups. Light drinking (0 to ≤2 per week) was more prevalent among African American controls. Moderate-to-heavy drinking was more prevalent in white controls. African Americans who reported drinking >7 drinks per week had an elevated risk compared to light drinkers [adjusted OR, 95% CI 1.62 (1.03–2.54)]. A weaker association was observed among whites [adjusted OR, 95% CI 1.20 (0.87–1.67)]. The association of >7 drinks per week with estrogen receptor-negative [adjusted OR, 95% CI 2.17 (1.25–3.75)] and triple-negative [adjusted OR, 95% CI 2.12 (1.12–4.04)] breast cancers was significant for African American, but not white women. We observed significantly elevated ORs for heavy intake at ages 50 years of age for African American women only. We found no evidence of statistical interaction between alcohol intake and oral contraceptive use or smoking. Drinking more than seven alcoholic beverages per week increased invasive breast cancer risk among white and African American women, with significant increases only among African American women. Genetic or environmental factors that differ by race may mediate the alcohol–breast cancer risk association.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF ZERO DISCOUNTING: AN EXPLORATION IN POLITICS AND MORALITY

What are our political obligations to future generations? How does morality suggest that we weight current interests against future interests? Do politics or markets place greater weight upon interests in the very distant future? How should we discount future costs and benefits?
Laparoscopic Resection of the Diaphragmatic Tumor Nodule for Management of Recurrent Endometrial Cancer

Abstract Study Objective To show a surgical video in which an isolated hemidiaphragmatic tumor nodule was resected laparoscopically in a patient with isolated recurrence of endometrial cancer. Design Case report (Canadian Task Force Classification study design III). Setting Tertiary referral center in New Haven, CT. Interventions This is a step-by-step illustration of tumor nodule resection from the right hemidiaphragm. The patient was a 55-year-old white woman who was diagnosed with stage IIIA endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma in June 2011 after surgical debulking. She received adjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel and vaginal brachytherapy. She was disease free until March 2015 when she presented with right upper abdominal pain. A computed tomographic scan showed a 1-cm implant on the right hepatic dome. The implant was noted to be enlarged to 1.8 cm on a subsequent computed tomographic scan in August 2015. The patient was taken to the operating room for exploratory laparoscopy and resection of the hepatic dome/hemidiaphragmatic tumor nodule. The tumor nodule was noted to involve the full thickness of the right hemidiaphragm. The resection of the entire nodule required perforation of the diaphragm, which was reapproximated after the excision. Main Results The procedure was performed without any complications. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged home on postoperative day 1. Pathology revealed metastatic endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma with negative resection margins. Conclusion Laparoscopic resection of the diaphragmatic tumor nodule and the reapproximation of the diaphragm were successfully performed in this patient with isolated disease recurrence. The laparoscopic approach should be considered for management of isolated recurrences in gynecologic cancers by experienced laparoscopic surgeons because it might otherwise be associated with significant morbidity and mortality [1–3] .
Effect of ovariectomy on vasopressin, ACTH, and renin activity responses to hypotension.

The gonadal axis is thought to modulate adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), arginine vasopressin (AVP), and plasma renin activity (PRA) responses to stimuli in several species. These experiments were designed to compare the responses to hypotension in chronically ovariectomized ewes and intact ewes. The ewes were infused with nitroprusside at rates of 5, 10, or 15 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 or infused with vehicle for 10 min. The response to 15 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 was also tested with or without treatment with 10 mg of dexamethasone 2 h before nitroprusside. Blood samples were collected before and at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 min after the start of the infusion for measurement of plasma ACTH, AVP, and PRA. In both groups of animals there were significant responses to hypotension. There was a significant effect of ovariectomy on ACTH, AVP, and PRA responses. ACTH and PRA responses were lower in the ovariectomized ewes; AVP responses were increased in the ovariectomized ewes. Administration of dexamethasone inhibited ACTH responses and did not inhibit PRA responses in both groups of ewes. Administration of dexamethasone did not inhibit the AVP response in the intact ewes but did reduce the response in the ovariectomized ewes.
Enhanced Superplasticity in Modified Ti-6%Al-4%V Alloys

Ti-6%Al-4%V displays optimum superplastic properties at approximately 927°C. To lower the optimum superplastic forming temperature, alloy additives must: (1) stabilize the β phase at temperatures below 927°C, and (2) accelerate the rates of the creep processes that contribute to superplastic deformation. Fe, Co, and Ni are known to stabilize the β phase and have rapid diffusion rates in β-Ti. Modified alloy compositions have been prepared with additions of Fe, Co, and Ni to the Ti-6%Al-4%V base alloy. The modified alloys exhibit extensive superplasticity at 815°C. The superplastic properties at 815°C of a modified alloy with a 2% Ni addition are nearly identical with the superplastic properties of the base alloy at the conventional forming temperature of 927°C.
Comparing Consent Requirements for Research-Intended Tissue Banking in Sweden, Iceland, and the United States

Using the story of HeLa cells as the background, this paper compares informed consent requirements for research-intended tissue banking under the statutory, regulatory, and jurisprudential systems of Sweden, Iceland, and the United States.
SNPing away to individualize induction therapy for acute myelogenous leukemia

Despite the recent exponential growth in the knowledge of the genomic underpinnings of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and the promising role of incorporating novel, molecularly targeted agents in...
Optical and Structural Characteristics of Gold Nanocrystallites Embedded in a Dielectric Matrix

We have fabricated Gold (Au) crystallites in amorphous alumina matrix by pulsed laser deposition. The characterization of these multilayer sequences was performed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and optical transmission measurements. TEM studies revealed the morphology and the microstructure of these composites. The optical transmission spectra showed characteristic surface plasma resonance of Au particles confined by the host dielectric matrix. These resonances fall in the visible spectral range. The importance of pulsed laser deposition in fabricating these composite films is discussed.
A novel web informatics approach for automated surveillance of cancer mortality trends

Display Omitted A web mining based approach for cancer mortality surveillance is proposed.The approach relies on online obituaries as the data source.Spatiotemporal trends discovered with our approach correlated highly with official statistics. Cancer surveillance data are collected every year in the United States via the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). General trends are closely monitored to measure the nation's progress against cancer. The objective of this study was to apply a novel web informatics approach for enabling fully automated monitoring of cancer mortality trends. The approach involves automated collection and text mining of online obituaries to derive the age distribution, geospatial, and temporal trends of cancer deaths in the US. Using breast and lung cancer as examples, we mined 23,850 cancer-related and 413,024 general online obituaries spanning the timeframe 2008-2012. There was high correlation between the web-derived mortality trends and the official surveillance statistics reported by NCI with respect to the age distribution (ź=0.981 for breast; ź=0.994 for lung), the geospatial distribution (ź=0.939 for breast; ź=0.881 for lung), and the annual rates of cancer deaths (ź=0.661 for breast; ź=0.839 for lung). Additional experiments investigated the effect of sample size on the consistency of the web-based findings. Overall, our study findings support web informatics as a promising, cost-effective way to dynamically monitor spatiotemporal cancer mortality trends.
Seasonal fluctuation analysis on fly density from 2009 to 2011 in Yongkang City

[Objective] To get an insight into the distribution and seasonal fluctuations of the fly density and provide the basis for the control of flies and fly-borne diseases in Yangkang City.[Methods] Fly density monitoring was conducted from April to November once a month by cage traps.Each time,one monitoring spot was selected in farmers' market,two in restaurant-surrounding areas,one in city green belt and one in residential area,these were as the fixed monitoring points.[Results] A total of 681 flies were captured from 2009 to 2011 with an average fly density of 5.68/cage,of which the dominant species were Musca domesic,L.cuprina,M.sorbens.Their habitats listed in terms of the fly density in descending order of density were farmers' market,dining environment,residential community and green belt.The seasonal fluctuations of fly density followed a single-peaked curve,the high peak of which appeared in July and August.[Conclusion] There are several fly species in Yangkang City that can transmit disease,so it is important to strengthen the integrated monitoring to reduce the fly density for the control of fly-borne diseases.
Convolutional Neural Networks for Small-Footprint Keyword Spotting

We explore using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for a small-footprint keyword spotting (KWS) task. CNNs are attractive for KWS since they have been shown to outperform DNNs with far fewer parameters. We consider two different applications in our work, one where we limit the number of multiplications of the KWS system, and another where we limit the number of parameters. We present new CNN architectures to address the constraints of each applications. We find that the CNN architectures offer between a 27-44% relative improvement in false reject rate compared to a DNN, while fitting into the constraints of each application.
The effects of age, gender, and gender role ideology on adolescents’ social perspective-taking ability and tendency in friendships

Social perspective taking (SPT; i.e., the social-cognitive process of inferring another person’s thoughts and feelings) is commonly thought to be essential for successful social relationships, yet the bulk of past work on the development of SPT does not consider youths’ tendency to engage in SPT in the context of their close relationships. The current study of adolescents (ages 12–17, N = 158) helps move the field forward by distinguishing between adolescents’ SPT ability (i.e., whether they are developmentally capable of SPT) and their tendency to apply this ability in their actual social relationships, namely, friendships, and considering the roles of gender and age. Results indicate that SPT ability and SPT tendency are distinct, suggesting that youths do not always put to use the SPT skills that they possess. Girls scored higher than boys on both SPT ability and SPT tendency. Boys and girls had significant gains in SPT ability across adolescence. Surprisingly, however, boys’ SPT tendency decreased fro...
I. The methodology Menu planning competencies in administrative dietetic practice

Described are the steps preliminary to a survey of administrative dietetic practitioners to determine competencies they consider essential for good menu planning.
Chapter 3 Models and Metrics for Energy‐Efficient Computing

Abstract Over the past decade, however, power and energy have begun to severely constrain component, system, and data center designs. When a data center reaches its maximum provisioned power, it must be replaced or augmented at great expense. In desktops, power consumption and heat contribute to electricity costs as well as noise. Better equipment design and better energy management policies are needed to address these concerns. This chapter will detail current efforts in energy‐efficiency metrics and in power and thermal modeling, delving into specific case studies for each. Various benchmarks are explained and their effectiveness at measuring power requirements is discussed.
Malebranche on Ideas

In this paper I offer an interpretation of Malebranche's conception of ideas. This is no easy matter. Malebranche says so many different things about ideas that it is daunting to try to weave them all together. To make matters worse, some of the things he says are not very clear. Worse still, some of the things he says are not obviously consistent with each other or with other Malebranchean doctrines. It is not surprising, therefore, that his account of ideas came under attack from the beginning, and continues to be attacked to this day. It is with trepidation, then, that I offer any interpretation at all. It is with even greater trepidation that I suggest that this interpretation affords Malebranche a clear and coherent theory of ideas, one that is consistent with the rest of his philosophy, has its primitives in the right places, and may even satisfactorily address the common charges laid against him.
Globalization imperially fractured

Introduction: Types of empire Empires have provided the most dominant type of rule across the large-scale societies of history. This is because social groups can attain many of their goals by expansion through force of arms. In a sense, empires need no further explanation. They help the more powerful groups achieve goals that humans generally desire, and so they have been ubiquitous through history – at least until war became too destructive to achieve such desired goals. Because Europeans were greatly increasing their powers in the early modern world, they naturally sought to conquer the world, as they were heavily armed and driven by both material and ideal interests. Imperialism has been a core feature of modernity. Our modern English word “empire” derives from the Latin imperium , “the power wielded by a general commanding an army and a magistrate armed with the law” – that is, a combined political and military power. Modern usages add a geographical element – power exercised over peripheral regions by a core power. I define an empire as a centralized, hierarchical system of rule acquired and maintained by coercion through which a core territory dominates peripheral territories, serves as the intermediary for their main interactions, and channels resources from and between the peripheries.
Effect of pain scrambler therapy on shoulder joint pain and range of motion in patients who had undergone arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for the first time

[Purpose] This study aimed to determine the effect of pain scrambler therapy on shoulder joint pain and range of motion in patients who had undergone arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for the first time. [Subjects and Methods] Pain scrambler therapy was administered once a day every 40 minutes for 10 days to patients that had undergone arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for the first time. The visual analog scale was used to measure pain, and a goniometer was used to measure shoulder range of motion. [Results] After 10 sessions of pain scrambler therapy, pain was significantly reduced from that before the treatment. In addition, shoulder range of motion was increased after 10 treatment sessions. [Conclusion] Thus, pain scrambler therapy greatly reduced pain and increased should range of motion in the patients who had undergone arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for the first time.
Crowdsourcing, by Daren C. Brabham

Since Jeff Howe's (2006) coining of the term “crowdsourcing” in Wired, the concept has come into use (and perhaps overuse) in a broad array of fields, including business, economics, science, public...
Gender Differences in Perceptions of Resources and Turnover Intentions of Work-Linked Couples in Masculine Occupations.

Employees in work-linked marriages have spouses that share the same family and the same workplace and/or occupation. Whereas, in recent years, there has been increasingly more research on dual-career marriages (i.e. both spouses work, but not necessarily at the same workplace and/or occupation), there has been very little research on work-linked marriages. The current study focuses on work resources (i.e. family supportive supervisor behaviour and job control) as key mediating processes that explain the effect of gender on turnover intentions among work-linked employees in masculine occupations (i.e. military). Investigating gender differences is important because, compared with men, women are more likely to be in work-linked marriages and to leave their jobs. Based on role theory and conservation of resource theory, we predicted that gender was related to turnover intentions, and this relationship would be mediated by key explanatory variables (i.e. family supportive supervisor behaviours, job control and psychological distress). Mediation analyses, conducted on a sample of men and women in work-linked marriages (n = 309), provide support for the hypothesized model. These findings offer guidance for understanding gender differences among work-linked employees in masculine occupations, and how these differences can affect important outcomes such as turnover intentions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A 3 ns 1 K*4 static self-time GaAs RAM

A GaAs 1 K*4 static self-timed random-access memory (SSTRAM) with input and output latches and internal write-pulse generation has been designed, fabricated, and tested. Fully functional SSTRAMs have been obtained, with a worst-case clock access time (equal to read and write cycle time) of 3.6 ns for a 1.9-W device. This part is manufactured using three levels of interconnect metallization and a novel high-margin enhancement-depletion (HMED) process, and utilizes many innovative circuits. >
Nutrition Standards for Food Service Guidelines for Foods Served or Sold in Municipal Government Buildings or Worksites, United States, 2014.

INTRODUCTION The Institute of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended that government agencies use nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold and provided at their facilities. In this study, we examine written nutrition standards for foods sold or served in local government buildings or worksites among US municipalities. METHODS We used data from a 2014 national survey of 1,945 municipal governments serving populations of 1,000 or more to assess the presence of written nutrition standards, the food groups or nutrients addressed by standards, and the populations served by facilities where standards are applied. The prevalence of standards was estimated by municipality population size, rural-urban status, census region, poverty prevalence, education level, and racial/ethnic composition. RESULTS Overall, 3.2% of US municipalities reported nutrition standards with greater prevalence observed among large municipalities (12.8% of municipalities with ≥50,000 people vs 2.2% of municipalities with <2,500 people, P < .001). Prevalence differed by region, and standards were most common in the West (6.6%) and least common in the Midwest (2.0%, P = .003).The most common nutrition topics addressed in standards were offering low-calorie beverages, fruits and vegetables, and free drinking water. Most standards applied to facilities serving government employees (67%) or the general public (66%), with fewer serving institutionalized populations (23%). CONCLUSION Few municipal governments reported having written nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold in their facilities in 2014. Implementing nutrition standards for foods sold or served by local governments is a strategy for increasing access to healthier foods and beverages among municipal employees and local residents.
Assessment of Vascular Stent Heating with Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

Objective A high proportion of patients with stroke do not qualify for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) clinical studies due to the presence of metallic stents. The ultimate concern is that any metal could become heated due to eddy currents. However, to date, no clinical safety data are available regarding the risk of metallic stents heating with rTMS. Methods We tested the safety of common rTMS protocols (1 Hz and 10 Hz) with stents used commonly in stroke, nitinol and elgiloy. In our method, stents were tested in gelled saline at 2 different locations: at the center and at the lobe of the coil. In addition, at each location, stent heating was evaluated in 3 different orientations: parallel to the long axis of coil, parallel to the short axis of the coil, and perpendicular to the plane of the coil. Results We found that stents did not heat to more than 1°C with either 1 Hz rTMS or 10 Hz rTMS in any configuration or orientation. Heating in general was greater at the lobe when the stent was oriented perpendicularly. Conclusions Our study represents a new method for ex vivo quantification of stent heating. We have found that heating of stents was well below the Food and Drug Administration standards of 2°C. Thus, our study paves the way for in vivo testing of rTMS (≤10 Hz) in the presence of implanted magnetic resonance imaging-compatible stents in animal studies. When planning human safety studies though, geometry, orientation, and location relative to the coil would be important to consider as well.
Deaths allegedly caused by the use of "choke holds" (shime-waza)

Shime-waza or the "choke hold", when properly applied, should not cause death; therefore, its primary purpose should be to subdue violent suspects. When properly applied, the choke hold causes unconsciousness in 10 to 20 s. No fatalities as a result of shime-waza have been reported in the sport of judo since its inception in 1882. Among the methods of "control holds" taught to law enforcement officers is the choke hold similar or identical to shime-waza used in judo. Using the choke hold, officers may afford themselves maximum safety while subjecting the suspect to a minimum possibility of injury. The author has reviewed 14 fatalities with autopsy findings where death was allegedly caused by the use of choke holds.
Prediction of Solar Particle Events for Exploration Class Missions

Manned space missions beyond the Earth’s magnetosphere require forecasts of solar activity to insure that crews are safe enough to perform their duties and live normal lives after they complete their missions. Solar flares and associated activity produce temporary increases in the number of ionized particles in interplanetary space near Earth, Mars, and the Moon. These increases, called Solar Particle Events (SPE), typically last a few hours and are a source of radiation intense enough to degrade people’s ability to perform physical activity, to cause lingering after effects such as cancer and cataracts, and in extreme cases, to endanger lives. Crews on missions beyond the protective shield of Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field can go into storm shelters or take protective chemicals if they have timely forecasts of SPEs. A forecast and observing system for SPEs and associated solar activity is already in place. In this paper, comparisons of forecasts and observations for the past several years are analyzed to identify strengths and shortcomings of the present program. This data indicates that forecasts made tens of minutes to a few hours in advance are rather reliable in forecasting whether SPEs will occur but are less reliable in forecasting the intensity of SPEs. Longer term forecasts, made one to three days in advance, would be useful for planning exploration trips away from protective shelters. Though such forecasts are moderately reliable for solar flares, they are less reliable in forecasting whether a SPE will follow.
Price bubbles, gender, and expectations in experimental asset markets

Abstract This paper reports results of laboratory markets for a risky asset with a “flat” fundamental value that equates expected dividends to the return on a safe asset. Subjects were sorted by gender in an unobtrusive manner, and bubbles in this setting are pervasive and of comparable magnitude for both genders. In contrast, a robustness check done with a declining fundamental value did generate larger bubbles for groups of males. Elicited price forecasts tend to trail share prices as they rise and exceed prices as they fall, a pattern that is tracked by a “double adaptive” forecasting model.
Ad Length and the Presence of the Timer in In-Stream Commercial: An Abstract

One of the most prominent phenomena in the online environment is the rapid growth of the in-stream commercial, where video advertising appears before, during, and/or after viewers watch their chosen content (YouTube, 2016). However, a limited number of scholarly articles have investigated the factors affecting individuals’ avoidance of the advertising exposure—mainly based on the traditional commercial context (e.g., zapping behavior for television commercials)—by focusing on the cognitive aspect of the decision-making process. Thus, we proposed two important features that might influence the consumers’ irritation level: the length of in-stream commercials and the existence (versus absence) of the countdown timer based on the concept of temporal uncertainty (Monat, 1976; Zakay, 1992) from the uncertainty theory (Knight, 1921).
HIV-TB Coinfection among 57 Million Pregnant Women, Obstetric Complications, Alcohol Use, Drug Abuse, and Depression.

Objective. HIV and tuberculosis represent diseases of major public health importance worldwide. Very little is known about HIV-TB coinfection among pregnant women, especially from industrialized settings. In this study, we examined the association between TB, HIV, and HIV-TB coinfection among pregnant mothers and obstetric complications, alcohol use, drug abuse, and depression. Method. We examined inpatient hospital discharges in the United States from January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2014. We employed multivariable survey logistic regression to generate adjusted estimates for the association between infection status and study outcomes. Results. We analyzed approximately 57 million records of pregnant women and their delivery information. HIV-TB coinfection was associated with the highest risks for several obstetric complications, alcohol use, and drug abuse. The risk for alcohol abuse was more than twice as high among HIV-monoinfected as compared to TB-monoinfected mothers. That risk gap more than doubled with HIV-TB coinfection. Both HIV-monoinfected and HIV-TB coinfected mothers experienced similarly increased risks for depression. Conclusions. Mothers with HIV-TB coinfection experienced relatively heightened risks for obstetric complications, alcohol use, and drug abuse. The findings of this study underscore the importance of augmenting and enhancing social and structural support systems for HIV-TB coinfected pregnant women.
Reducing congestion through information design

We consider the problem of designing information in games of uncertain congestion, such as traffic networks where road conditions are uncertain. Using the framework of Bayesian persuasion, we show that suitable information structures can mitigate congestion and improve social welfare.