cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Special Adaptive Problems Associated with Unisexual Fishes

SYNOPSIS. Two genera of fishes, Poecilia and Poeciliopsis, both in the family Poeciliidae, have established unisexual populations. One “species,” Poecilia formosa , is a diploid form that relies upon sperm from Poecilia latipinna or P. mexicana to initiate parthenogenetic development (gynogenesis). Triploid individuals of P. formosa have also been discovered but the mode of reproduction and the significance of such fish to natural populations have yet to be established. In the genus Poeciliopsis three gynogenetic triploids are known. Each is superimposed on a different bisexual host: Poeciliopsis lucida, P. monacha or P. viriosa. Five diploid hybridogeneticforms also have been identified. These are fertilized by either P. lucida, P. latidens, or P. occidentalis . In hybridogenetic forms, sperm actually feitilizes the egg. A hybrid with maternal and paternal characters is produced, but only maternal genes are transmitted through the egg to the next generation. Because of their sperm dependency, all unisexual fishes must reside with at least one of the parental species. They areforced to compete with them for sperm, space, and other limited resources. The ability to produce two females for every one that bisexuals produce suggests that the unisexuals have the potential to win this competition; but in so doing, they would lose their sexual support and eliminate themselves. A density-dependent mate selection system plays a role in establishing a workable balance between the competing elements. Unisexual forms of both Poecilia and Poeciliopsis are of hybrid origin. For most of them, the parental precursors and the proportion of genetic material that each contributed to the unisexual is known. The various genomes that make up the unisexuals are adapted to a variety of habitats. Once these genomes are combined in a unisexual hybrid, potential for adaptation to multiple niches exists; this coupled with heterosis contributes greatly to the success of gynogenetic and hybridogenetic fishes.
Variables associated with secondary amenorrhea in women runners

Abstract A study of the relationships among variables associated with oligo‐amenorrhea in 70 healthy female runners, 18–37 years of age, was conducted. The purpose of the study was to re‐examine variables cited previously as being associated with oligo‐amenorrhea using multiple correlation and regression analysis. This analysis of new data provides documentation of interrelationships and possible causal linkages between variables. Seventy‐seven per cent of the runners studied were eumenorrheic while 23 % were oligo‐amenorrheic. Analysis of the data revealed statistically significant correlations between the number of menstrual cycles per year and age, estimated oxygen uptake, training time per mile and percentage body fat. A path model is presented, which indicates that training variables contribute significantly to percentage body fat alterations, which is then related to variation in the number of menstrual cycles. The results are discussed as they related to current hypotheses regarding exercise associ...
Adaptive, Multiresolution Visualization of Large Data Sets using a Distributed Memory Octree

The interactive visualization and exploration of large scientific data sets is a challenging and difficult task; their size often far exceeds the performance and memory capacity of even the most powerful graphics workstations. To address this problem, we have created a technique that combines hierarchical data reduction methods with parallel computing to allow interactive exploration of large data sets while retaining full-resolution capability. The user may interactively change the resolution of the reduced data set either globally or by specifying a region of interest. In this way, high resolution can be obtained in local subregions without sacrificing graphics performance. We describe the software architecture of the system, give details pertaining to the use of a distributed memory octree used to create the reduced data set, and present performance results for the visualization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability and x-ray burst simulation data sets.
Computer Architecture in the Many-Core Era

We are rapidly moving into an era when microprocessors (and SoCs) will have 10s of processors on a single die. In this "many-core" era, we are less concerned with the architecture of individual processors and more concerned with how they are tied together. In particular we are concerned with how on-chip memory is organized to optimize use of the limited off-chip bandwidth and how long off-chip latency is "hidden" from computation. This talk will discuss the challenges of many-core architecture and how the memory organization and management techniques of stream processing can be applied to solve them.
On the Mechanism of the Irreversible Antimicrobial Effects of $\beta$ -Lactams

A full understanding of the mechanism of action of an antibiotic involves not only the identification of the drug-sensitive biochemical targets, but also the pathway by which the inhibition of the target reaction(s) leads to the eventual physiological consequences, i.e. inhibition of the reproductive capacity of the whole cell. The complexity of such a pathway may be illustrated by the case of the penicillin response of pneumococcal mutants defective in the activity of murein hydrolases, i.e. enzymes that do not seem to react directly with the penicillin molecule. These hydrolase-defective mutants seem to contain all the ‘normal’ penicillin-binding proteins; penicillin treatment causes typical morphological and biochemical effects (interference with cell wall metabolism) and the minimal inhibitory concentration as well as dose response to penicillin are identical in the hydrolase-defective mutant cells and in the wild-type bacteria. In spite of all these similarities, the eventual physiological response of mutants is strikingly different from that of the wild-type cells: in contrast to the wild-type cells, mutants do not lyse during penicillin treatment and their rate of loss of viability is greatly suppressed. These observations suggest that inhibition of the primary biochemical targets of penicillin (penicillin-binding proteins) is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the induction of the pharmacologically most useful irreversible effects of β-lactams. During the past 4-5 years, our laboratory has been engaged in an intensive effort to unravel the mechanism of penicillin-induced death and lysis in several species of bacteria and I shall summarize briefly some of our conclusions here, using mainly observations obtained in two experimental system s: the Gram-positive pneumococci and the Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Our approach to the mode of action of β-lactams involves an attempt to identify cellular factors that are directly responsible for the events of cell death and lysis. In my mind, such studies complement the other approaches (biochemical, enzymological and genetic analysis of penicillin sensitive enzymes and binding proteins), summarized in the talks of Professor Strominger, Professor Ghuysen and Dr Spratt at this meeting.
Environment, but not migration rate, influences extinction risk in experimental metapopulations

Ecological theory suggests that several demographic factors influence metapopulation extinction risk, including synchrony in population size between subpopulations, metapopulation size and the magnitude of fluctuations in population size. Theoretically, each of these is influenced by the rate of migration between subpopulations. Here we report on an experiment where we manipulated migration rate within metapopulations of the freshwater zooplankton Daphnia magna to examine how migration influenced each of these demographic variables, and subsequent effects on metapopulation extinction. In addition, our experimental procedures introduced unplanned but controlled differences between metapopulations in light intensity, enabling us to examine the relative influences of environmental and demographic factors. We found that increasing migration rate increased subpopulation synchrony. We failed to detect effects of migration on population size and fluctuations in population size at the metapopulation or subpopulation level, however. In contrast, light intensity did not influence synchrony, but was positively correlated with population size and negatively correlated with population fluctuation. Finally, synchrony did not influence time to extinction, while population size and the magnitude of fluctuations did. We conclude that environmental factors had a greater influence on extinction risk than demographic factors, and that metapopulation size and fluctuation were more important to extinction risk than metapopulation synchrony.
Public Mood and How We Respond

Farm animal welfarism is a complicated, dangerous issue for animal agriculture today. The public mood is complex. Much of the public's positive perception of farmers and their practices is based on myths, not understanding. Many farmers do not rate the animal welfare issue as a clear and present concern. Consumers decide whether or not to eat foods of animal origin mainly on the basis of factors other than ethical concerns. Still, the job of educating our fellow citizens so as to engender their enlightened support of animal agriculture will need to be done deftly. Approximately 10% of our citizenry who are undecided on this issue ultimately will decide our industry's course. At this time, we in animal agriculture need to respond in a well-organized fashion. We should develop educational materials and programs about animal production practices for our fellow citizens, especially youngsters, and we should establish guidelines for the care and use of agricultural animals in agricultural research and teaching to ensure the continuing opportunity for scientists in agricultural businesses and in research and teaching institutions to use agricultural animals in their programs.
Parenting practices in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago: Connections to preschoolers social and cognitive skills

Abstract This report presents the findings of two studies that examined the degrees of parental warmth and control and their associations with children’s social and intellectual skills in two groups of Caribbean families. In Study 1, 139 Indo Guyanese mothers reported on their use of maternal warmth and control and in Study 2, 180 mothers and 180 fathers from diverse ethnic groups in Trinidad reported on their use of warmth and control in parenting their preschool-aged children. In both studies, preschool teachers provided assessments of children’s prosocial behaviors, anger, and their divergent and convergent cognitive skills. Analyses revealed two clusters of Guyanese mothers: one group was higher in warmth and lower in control and the other was lower in warmth and higher in control. Identical clusters were found for Trinidadian mothers and fathers. Trinidadian mothers and fathers reported using similar levels of warmth with preschoolers. Only among Guyanese families did children fare differently in social and intellectual skills between the two clusters of parents. Data are interpreted in terms of variability in the use of both warmth and behavioral control as prevailing practices in Caribbean cultural communities and their implications for childhood developmental outcomes.
The relationship between superior attachment points for anterior wall mesh operations and the upper vagina using a 3-dimensional magnetic resonance model in women with normal support

Objective We examined structural relationships between anterior mesh kit suspension points and the upper vagina in women with normal support. Study Design Eleven women with normal support underwent supine, multiplanar magnetic resonance pelvic imaging at rest and maximal Valsalva. Using 3-dimensional models generated from these images, anterior wall mesh kit anchoring points were identified along the arcus tendineus fascia pelvis. We then measured the percentage of anterior vagina above and posterior to superior suspension points. Results The anterior vagina extended above superior attachment points in 100% of women at rest and in 73% during Valsalva. It extended posterior to them in 82% and 100% (rest and Valsalva, respectively). The mean percentage of anterior vaginal length above superior anchoring sites was 40 ± 14% at rest and 29 ± 12% during Valsalva. Conclusion The upper vagina lies above and posterior to superior suspension points in the majority of women with normal support.
One year of oral calcium supplementation maintains cortical bone density in young adult female distance runners.

We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to determine whether 1 year of supplemental calcium intake would augment hip [greater trochanter, GT, femoral neck (FN), total hip (TH)], spine (LS), and femoral mid-shaft (Fmr) BMD in female distance runners. Twenty-three women (age: 23.7 ± 4.7 yrs, height: 165.6 ± 6.3 cm, weight: 55.7 ± 6.1 kg) were randomly assigned to receive either 1000 mg/d of supplemental calcium (N = 13) or placebo tablets (N = 10) for 1 year. BMD was determined by DXA (Hologic 1000-W) and tablet compliance by self-report logs. Compliance averaged 79% and 71% for supplement and placebo groups, respectively. Calcium supplementation did not affect hip or spine BMD, but did prevent loss at the femoral mid-shaft (GT: –0.5% vs. 0.2%, FN: 0.9% vs. 1.1%, TH: –0.3% vs. 0.2%, LS: 0.3% vs. 1.2%, Fmr: 0.1% vs. –1.8%, for calcium vs. placebo, respectively). We conclude that the addition of 800 mg/d of supplemental calcium to the diet of young adult female distance runners with ...
Market clearing mechanisms in incomplete markets: excluding importers from competitive electricity pricing

Increased access to low cost power from neighboring regions is one of the presumed benefits of industry restructuring, yet with competitive prices, dependence upon such power for meeting local demand has come to be a disadvantage of deregulation for a number of regions. In designing their electricity markets, these regions with inadequate local supply increasingly rely upon regulatory rules rather than market incentives to guide participants' actions in the supposed competitive markets. This presentation discusses two requirements for actually achieving competitive market clearing prices -first, a complete market definition and second, reliance upon market forces to establish the market price. This talk draws upon examples of market participant behavior during the California energy crisis to illustrate the point that market clearing mechanisms must include all participants in the market and also allow market forces to determine the prices-whatever those prices may be. Though the industry remains hopeful of securing both the benefits of competition and the protection of government regulation, we are instead designing self-defeating market mechanisms that are not likely to achieve either objective.
On the effectiveness of Leverett approach for describing the water transport in fuel cell diffusion media

Abstract This paper investigates the effectiveness of employing the traditional Leverett approach for describing the capillary-induced flow in thin-film fuel cell diffusion media (DM) with mixed wettability. A one-dimensional steady-state analytical model is developed to analyze the capillary transport of liquid water through the thin-film DM. A capillary pressure–liquid saturation relation is derived based on the experimental data reported by Gostick et al. [J.T. Gostick, M.W. Fowler, M.A. Ioannidis, M.D. Pritzker, Y.M. Volfkovich, A. Sakars, J. Power Sources, 156 (2006) 375]. The empirical fit is applicable to the fuel cell DMs tested by reference [J.T. Gostick, M.W. Fowler, M.A. Ioannidis, M.D. Pritzker, Y.M. Volfkovich, A. Sakars, J. Power Sources, 156 (2006) 375] under a limited set of conditions, providing a means to evaluate the effectiveness of the traditional Leverett approach. Furthermore, a new characteristic relative permeability correlation appropriate for the tested DMs under the given conditions was obtained by fitting the experimental capillary pressure data [J.T. Gostick, M.W. Fowler, M.A. Ioannidis, M.D. Pritzker, Y.M. Volfkovich, A. Sakars, J. Power Sources, 156 (2006) 375] into four well-established empirical models. The empirically-derived relationships are then integrated into an analytical model framework in order to compare the liquid saturation profiles predicted by both approaches. The results show that use of the standard Leverett approach equipped with Leverett J-function can lead to significant errors; therefore, an extension of this approach appropriate for fuel cell DM with mixed wettability is needed for reliable model predictions. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the relative significance of the various input parameters on the predicted saturation profiles.
The Dynamics of Voter Decision Making Among Minor-Party Supporters: The 2000 Presidential Election in the United States

Minor party candidates are quite common in modern democratic elections, but we know relatively little about the decision-making process of minor-party supporters. An extensive panel dataset is used to examine the individual-level dynamics of Nader support in the United States during the 2000 presidential election campaign. A multinomial logit model is estimated to analyse the factors related to a Nader supporter's decision to switch support to Gore, to switch support to Bush or to remain loyal to Nader from one interview to the next. The Nader supporters most likely to switch to a major-party candidate were the most politically aware, partisans, those concerned about policy outcomes and respondents in competitive states. Nader supporters were also more likely to abandon the candidate at the ballot box rather than earlier in the campaign. These findings challenge existing expectations about campaign dynamics and appear to reflect strategic calculations on the part of Nader supporters.
The U.S. and Botswana in the 1990s: Eroding continuity in a changing region

(1991). The U.S. and Botswana in the 1990s: Eroding continuity in a changing region. Journal of Contemporary African Studies: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 18-44.
A computer program for the 2-D magnetostatic problem based on integral equations for the field of the conductors and boundary elements

The iterative design of the two-dimensional cross section of a beam transport magnet having infinitely permeable iron boundaries requires a fast means of computing the field of the conductors. Solutions in the form of series expansions are used for rectangular iron boundaries, and programs based on the method of images are used to simulate circular iron boundaries. It is pointed out that a single procedure or program for dealing with an arbitrary iron boundary would be useful. The present program has been tested with rectangular and circular iron boundaries and provision has been made for the use of other curves. It uses complex contour integral equations for the field of the constant-current density conductors and complex line integrals for the field of the piecewise-linear boundary elements. The results obtained show that the quality of the solution at the boundary is dependent on the segmentation, for a roughly constant number of segments. >
Roman Catholic Missionary Prelates

One hears frequently of missionaries and often about the Roman Catholic Church's missionary effort. But seldom does one find in English a survey of the canon law of Roman Catholic missionary prelates. This may be because the canon law of missions was perfected only in this century and because to this day it remains only partly codified. In any case, for reasons which will later become apparent, this body of canon law has special application in the Commonwealth.
Enabling security-aware virtual machine placement in IaaS clouds

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) facilitates the provisioning of virtual machines (VMs) in cloud computing platform for disjoint customers in a highly scalable, flexible, and cost-efficient fashion. However, introducing new VMs to a physical server where vulnerable VM already exists could lead to potential security risks to the new ones. Furthermore, even the physical server itself could be compromised by attackers through one of these vulnerable VMs. Therefore, VM placement could bring great impact over the security level of the whole cloud. In this paper, we first quantify the security risks of cloud environments based on virtual machine vulnerabilities and placement schemes. Based on our security evaluation, we present a novel VM placement algorithm that can minimize the cloud's overall security risks by considering the connections among VMs. According to the experimental results, our approach can greatly improve the survivability of most VMs and the entire cloud. The computing costs and deployment costs of our techniques are also practical.
Experimental host-parasite relationship studies with Oesophagostomum columbianum in sheep. I. Attempts to establish infection by different routes.

Attempts to infect lambs cutaneously with O. columbianum failed. Ensheathed larvae exsheathed, grew, moulted to fourth stage and lived several months when injected subcutaneously or intraperitoneally in susceptible lambs. A limited migration occurred and some larvae entered the lungs. No evidence of tracheal migration was seen. Fourth stage larvae failed to reach patency when administered orally to lambs. Prior subcutaneous infection appeared to predispose to larval retention following oral challenge infections
Predictors, prevention, and long-term prognosis of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft operations

Multiple trials have suggested the use of digoxin, digoxin and propranolol, or timolol to prevent atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting. No trial has evaluated the efficacy of digoxin verus propranolol. Furthermore, the predictors of postoperative atrial fibrillation and the long-term consequence of atrial fibrillation that reverts to sinus rhythm have not been established. One hundred fifty patients were randomized to receive no drug, propranolol (20 mg every 6 hours), or digoxin (0.5 mg followed by 0.25 mg daily). Twenty-seven patients were excluded from data analysis. In the remaining 123 patients, no preoperative parameter (age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, electrocardiographic p wave morphology, or preoperative digoxin or propranolol therapy), intraoperative parameter (bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, or number of vessels bypassed), or postoperative parameter (peak creatinine kinase, congestive heart failure, or pericarditis) by univariate or multivariate analysis predicted patients at risk for atrial fibrillation. Sustained atrial fibrillation developed in 37.5% of control and 32.6% of digoxin-treated patients. Only 16.2% of propranolol-treated patients had sustained atrial fibrillation (p
'Abusive' Acts and Practices: Dodd-Frank's Behaviorally Informed Authority Over Consumer Credit Markets and its Application to Teaser Rates

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 2010, authorizes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to prohibit abusive acts and practices that, among other things, materially interfere “with the ability of a consumer to understand a term or condition” as well as acts and practices that take “unreasonable advantage of a lack of understanding on the part of the consumer of the material risks, costs, or conditions of the product or service.” The project of this Note is to understand Congress’s grant of abuse authority to the CFPB. The thesis is that the statutory language of the abuse authority, and particularly its focus on consumer “understanding,” rejects traditional neoclassical economic logic. Instead, the abuse authority directs the CFPB to regulate problems articulated by the burgeoning literature of behavioral law and economics, particularly problems of imperfect rationality. Drawing on lessons from antitrust law, this paper proposes a legal standard for operationalizing the abuse standard. Putting this standard into practice, the paper asks whether the CFPB might be justified in regulating a common pricing structure in credit card markets — credit card teaser rates — under its abuse authority.
Impact of parent-subsidiary conflict on ERP implementation

Purpose – In spite of the large body of literature on success factors of enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation, there is a need to explore its multinational dimension. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of the conflict between parent and subsidiary on the process of ERP implementation in a multinational enterprise (MNE). Design/methodology/approach – Using an interpretive case study methodology, this paper analyses the theoretical frameworks of parent-subsidiary conflict and applies them to interpret an in-depth case study and generate a set of managerial prescriptions. Findings – Theoretical analysis and case evidence suggest that managing parent-subsidiary conflict is a critical success factor of ERP implementation in MNEs. Research limitations/implications – This case relates to a diversified multinational group producing a variety of materials through subsidiaries. The data collection includes multiple sources in the company, and strong theoretical development provides a hi...
Form and (Dys)Function in Sexual Harassment Law: Biology, Culture, and the Spandrels of Title VII

The question of sex difference has long divided feminists, social scientists, policymakers, and legal academics. Most recently, the issue has resurfaced as prominent legal scholars have relied on evolutionary arguments to suggest that men and women might be different in ways that are relevant to sex discrimination law in general and to sexual harassment law in particular. At the same time, the question of causation under Title VII, which requires that discrimination be because of a plaintiff's sex in order to be actionable, has assumed central importance in sexual harassment doctrine. This article proposes that the very evolutionary theories advanced by critics of Title VII sex discrimination doctrine in fact support the view that the typical behavior patterns seen in sexual harassment cases occur because of the plaintiff's sex. Furthermore, this article argues that, under current Supreme Court jurisprudence setting out the contours of employer liability for harassing behavior by employees, employers should be liable for harassment that results where the employer allows, fosters, or fails to correct workplace conditions that are likely to give rise to the typical harassment behaviors analyzed herein. Though often perceived as being in conflict, biological explanations of many human behaviors and feminist conceptions of the causes and harms of workplace sexual harassment share much common ground. This article seeks to explore that common ground and, in so doing, to offer constructive solutions to specific doctrinal and societal problems.
SV-P and S-S imaging at a CO2 storage site using vertical seismic profiling data

Abstract Only compressional (P) waves are typically used to illuminate the geology of land-based carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) storage sites because the costs associated with horizontal-force vibrators needed to emit shear (S) waves deters the use of that mode. However, S-waves are highly sensitive to fractures and provide clues to the porosity and permeability of the reservoir and seal. Shear wave energy may also be produced by vertical-force vibrators, and the resulting up-going direct-S waves may be recorded either as reflected S-S modes or as converted SV-P modes. These two data components can contribute information not available in P-wave components. In particular, the SV-P mode makes converted-wave analysis possible when working with seismic data generated by vertical vibrators and recorded with only vertical geophones. In this paper, we present a method for extracting S-waves emitted by vertical-force vibrators. This is a low-cost opportunity for full seismic wavefield analysis that enhances understanding of geologic reservoirs. We illustrate S-wave seismic imaging with a vertical seismic profiling dataset acquired at a CO 2 storage site in Decatur, Illinois. We discuss a data processing flow that segregates direct-S modes. We compare SV-P and S-S images generated by a vertical vibrator source with P-P, P-SV, and P-SH images – the typical images made with vertical-vibrator sources. All images appear consistent and complement each other, indicating the method presented here allows the use of S-waves in CO 2 storage site screening without requiring horizontal geophones.
Corey-Bakshi-Shibata (CBS) reduction

The CBS (Corey–Bakshi–Shibata) reagent is a chiral catalyst derived from proline. Also known as Corey′s oxazaborolidine, it is used in enantioselective borane reduction of ketones, asymmetric Diels–Alder reactions and [3 + 2] cycloadditions.
INTEGRATED HOMING GUIDANCE-CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ENDO-ATMOSPHERIC INTERCEPT IN SLIDING MODES

Abstract The enabling methods for advanced interceptors to achieve the hit-to-kill accuracy against targets performing evasive maneuvers including spiraling motion are developed on the basis of one unified theory for the purpose of design and analysis, viz. a contemporary nonlinear robust control theory such as the sliding mode control. The integration of guidance and flight control systems is achieved in a two-loop guidance and flight control system designed in the combined state space of engagement kinematics and vehicle dynamics. The designed guidance-control system performance is verified via computer simulations using a generic endo-atmospheric interceptor model.
Transient venular permeability increase and endothelial gap formation induced by histamine.

Histamine is known to increase permeability of venules and to cause formation of gaps between endothelial cells. The permeability increase is transient, lasting only a few minutes during continuous...
The Value of Expert Opinion in the Pricing of Bordeaux Wine Futures

The value of expert opinion for establishing prices in the Bordeaux futures market is analyzed. The expert opinions examined are the wine quality ratings provided by two of the world's foremost wine experts, Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson, for more than 1,700 red Bordeaux wines over the period 2004–2012. The results show that the experts' ratings have both a statistically and practically significant impact on prices after controlling for the effects of other known determinants of price. Thus, expert opinion has significant value in this setting. The results further show that although Parker's impact on prices is significantly greater than Robinson's, combining the quality ratings of both experts has a significantly greater impact than Parker's ratings alone. As hypothesized, the strength of the results differs for wines produced in different regions of Bordeaux because of differences in the availability of other quality-related information. All results are robust to several alternative sample specifications and other research design choices. (JEL Classifications: C52, G13, L11, L15, M21)
Circulating interleukin-6 is not altered while γ-tocopherol is increased in subjects scheduled for knee surgery with low vitamin D

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify if circulating interleukin (IL)-6 and γ-tocopherol (γT) fluctuate with vitamin D status in subjects with an underlying knee joint injury or disease. We hypothesized that low vitamin D associates with an increase in plasma γT while serum IL-6 remains unchanged in subjects with an underlying knee joint trauma or disease. Fifty-four subjects scheduled to undergo primary, unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery (ACL; n = 27) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA; n = 27) were studied. Circulating γT, α-tocopherol (αT), lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides), IL-6, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) were measured in fasting blood samples obtained prior to surgery. Subjects were classified as vitamin D deficient, insufficient, or sufficient if they had a serum 25(OH)D concentration 75 nM, respectively. The majority (57%) of the subjects possessed a serum 25(OH)D less than 50 nM. Circulating cholesterol, triglycerides, and IL-6 were not significantly (all p > 0.05) different between vitamin D status groups. However, lipid corrected αT was significantly (p
Magnetization Transfer MRI Contrast May Correlate with Tissue Redox State in Prostate Cancer.

Developing imaging biomarkers for non-invasive measurement of the tissue redox state is a key research area. Recently, we presented the first non-invasive MR imaging method that demonstrated the correlation between the endogenous chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) contrast and the tissue redox state. It is well known that the broadband magnetization transfer (MT) can occur via chemical exchange (CEST) and/or dipole–dipole interactions. The present study investigated if the broadband MT also correlated with the tissue redox state. The preliminary result for the prostate tumor xenografts indeed showed a significant correlation between the broadband MT contrast and the NADH redox ratio quantified with the optical redox scanning. In vivo MT contrast, once calibrated, may potentially serve as an imaging biomarker for tissue redox state.
Managing the Herd: Price Forecasts for California Cattle Production

A state space model of vertically integrated California cattle prices is constructed and tested in and out of sample. The state space model provides more accurate forecasts than a vector autoregressive model or futures market prices. Since the weight gain characteristics of holding cattle over the relevant production periods are well known, the primary uncertainty lies in the prices. Dependable price forecasts permit market participants to optimize their purchases and sales.
Fear learning alterations after traumatic brain injury and their role in development of posttraumatic stress symptoms

Background It is unknown how traumatic brain injury (TBI) increases risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One potential mechanism is via alteration of fear-learning processes that could affect responses to trauma memories and cues. We utilized a prospective, longitudinal design to determine if TBI is associated with altered fear learning and extinction, and if fear processing mediates effects of TBI on PTSD symptom change. Methods Eight hundred fifty two active-duty Marines and Navy Corpsmen were assessed before and after deployment. Assessments included TBI history, PTSD symptoms, combat trauma and deployment stress, and a fear-potentiated startle task of fear acquisition and extinction. Startle response and self-reported expectancy and anxiety served as measures of fear conditioning, and PTSD symptoms were measured with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. Results Individuals endorsing “multiple hit” exposure (both deployment TBI and a prior TBI) showed the strongest fear acquisition and highest fear expression compared to groups without multiple hits. Extinction did not differ across groups. Endorsing a deployment TBI was associated with higher anxiety to the fear cue compared to those without deployment TBI. The association of deployment TBI with increased postdeployment PTSD symptoms was mediated by postdeployment fear expression when recent prior-TBI exposure was included as a moderator. TBI associations with increased response to threat cues and PTSD symptoms remained when controlling for deployment trauma and postdeployment PTSD diagnosis. Conclusions Deployment TBI, and multiple-hit TBI in particular, are associated with increases in conditioned fear learning and expression that may contribute to risk for developing PTSD symptoms.
A Fuel Cell Based Sensing Platform for Selective Detection of Acetone in Hyperglycemic Patients

Elevated level of acetone in breath or sweat is an indication of type-I diabetes, which can turn into 'ketoacidosis'- a serious hyperglycemic condition. Continuous monitoring is a challenge among the conventional sensing methods. Though real-time detection of acetone from different biofluids is promising, signal interference from other biomarkers remains an issue. A minor fluctuation of the signals in micro-Ampere range causes substantial overlapping in linear/polynomial calibration fittings. To address the above in non-invasive detection, principal component analysis (PCA) was demonstrated which generated specific pattern for the different concentration points of acetone in the subspace. It improves the overlapping of the signals in between of two or different concentration points of the data sets and eliminate dimensionality and redundancy of data variables. An algorithm following PCA was incorporated into the microcontroller (nRF51822) for the functionality of wearable device in a selective manner in the physiological range (0.5ppm to 4ppm) of acetone.
The Primary Tube Versus Trabeculectomy Study: Methodology of a Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Tube Shunt Surgery and Trabeculectomy with Mitomycin C.

Purpose To describe the methodology of the Primary Tube Versus Trabeculectomy (PTVT) Study. Design Multicenter randomized clinical trial. Participants Patients with medically uncontrolled glaucoma and no prior incisional ocular surgery. Methods Patients are being enrolled at 16 clinical centers and randomly assigned to treatment with a tube shunt (350-mm 2 Baerveldt glaucoma implant) or trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (0.4 mg/ml for 2 minutes). Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome measure is the rate of surgical failure, defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) more than 21 mmHg or reduced by less than 20% from baseline, IOP of 5 mmHg or less, reoperation for glaucoma, or loss of light perception vision. Secondary outcome measures include IOP, glaucoma medical therapy, visual acuity, visual fields, and surgical complications. Conclusions Practice patterns vary in the surgical management of glaucoma, and opinions differ among surgeons regarding the preferred primary operation for glaucoma. The PTVT Study will provide valuable information comparing the 2 most commonly performed glaucoma surgical procedures.
An apache calcite-based polystore variation for federated querying of heterogeneous healthcare sources

A Polystore concept, either in its orthodox form, or in a more general interpretation is relevant for a variety of the important, data-centric scenarios, most markedly precision medicine. As we continue to examine the feasibility and maturity of this concept, we are exploring both core and related technologies that are bringing us closer to a comprehensive solution of managing and efficient retrieval of the heterogeneous data. In this paper, we are presenting our exploration of Apache Calcite as a foundation for the more general polystore concept. To this end, we are discussing architectural characteristics of the platform, its performance, implementation, and usability trade-offs, and the readiness of the technology to serve as a polystore foundation. We examine Calcite against relational (SQL Server), array (TileDB), and text data engines (Elasticsearch).
Differences in the Electrophysiological Properties of Mouse Somatosensory Layer 2/3 Neurons In Vivo and Slice Stem from Intrinsic Sources Rather than a Network-Generated High Conductance State

Synaptic activity in vivo can potentially alter the integration properties of neurons. Using recordings in awake mice, we targeted somatosensory layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons and compared neuronal properties with those from slices. Pyramidal cells in vivo had lower resistance and gain values, as well as broader spikes and increased spike frequency adaptation compared to the same cells in slices. Increasing conductance in neurons using dynamic clamp to levels observed in vivo, however, did not lessen the differences between in vivo and slice conditions. Further, local application of tetrodotoxin (TTX) in vivo blocked synaptic-mediated membrane voltage fluctuations but had little impact on pyramidal cell membrane input resistance and time constant values. Differences in electrophysiological properties of layer 2/3 neurons in mouse somatosensory cortex, therefore, stem from intrinsic sources separate from synaptic-mediated membrane voltage fluctuations.
Routerless Network-on-Chip

Traditional bus-based interconnects are simple and easy to implement, but the scalability is greatly limited. While router-based networks-on-chip (NoCs) offer superior scalability, they also incur significant power and area overhead due to complex router structures. In this paper, we explore a new class of on-chip networks, referred to as \textit{Routerless NoCs}, where routers are completely eliminated. We propose a novel design that utilizes on-chip wiring resources smartly to achieve comparable hop count and scalability as router-based NoCs. Several effective techniques are also proposed that significantly reduce the resource requirement to avoid new network abnormalities in routerless NoC designs. Evaluation results show that, compared with a conventional mesh, the proposed routerless NoC achieves 9.5X reduction in power, 7.2X reduction in area, 2.5X reduction in zero-load packet latency, and 1.7X increase in throughput. Compared with a state-of-the-art low-cost NoC design, the proposed approach achieves 7.7X reduction in power, 3.3X reduction in area, 1.3X reduction in zero-load packet latency, and 1.6X increase in throughput.
Noise reduction in optically controlled quantum memory

Quantum memory is an essential tool for quantum communications systems and quantum computers. An important category of quantum memory, called optically controlled quantum memory, uses a strong clas...
Pragmatic Failure in Interpreting Some Proverbs found in SMAN 1 Lubuk Alung

Phenomenon of using proverb in academic environment particularly school is usual right now. Not only using Indonesian proverb but also using English proverb, students are interested to apply them. The trend to use English as the L2 in presenting good philosophy of life is one method to help students to master and acquaintance with English. In term of English proverb, it is usually used to present condition of school environment, students, and the regulation of school which are managed systematically. Particularly, most of the English proverbs in SMAN 1 Lubuk Alung are applied to boost motivation of the students. In fact, there are some of them are misled in transferring the meaning from the real receptor language. The translation of the proverbs were dull and were not appropriate to English sense as receptor language. Learners are unaware of the pragmatic knowledge that a proverb has because they do not recognize the purpose of the communicative act that a proverb has socio-pragmatically. I conclude that the proverbs which were taken from Senior High School No. 1 Lubuk Alung, West Sumatera tends to the incorrect translation so that the students have a problem called pragmatic failure. The process of applying the English proverbs to represent the Indonesian proverbs is not suitable in the Receptor Language (RL), English. There is misleading of choosing word and also the arrangement/ structure of those words. The effort of delivering similar message in another language was failed since they did not know how to transfer knowledge about linguistic, cultural, and social information about the target language.
Evaluating the combined effects of source zone mass release rates and aquifer heterogeneity on solute discharge uncertainty

Abstract Quantifying the uncertainty in solute mass discharge at an environmentally sensitive location is key to assess the risks due to groundwater contamination. Solute mass fluxes are strongly affected by the spatial variability of hydrogeological properties as well as release conditions at the source zone. This paper provides a methodological framework to investigate the interaction between the ubiquitous heterogeneity of the hydraulic conductivity and the mass release rate at the source zone on the uncertainty of mass discharge. Through the use of perturbation theory, we derive analytical and semi-analytical expressions for the statistics of the solute mass discharge at a control plane in a three-dimensional aquifer while accounting for the solute mass release rates at the source. The derived solutions are limited to aquifers displaying low-to-mild heterogeneity. Results illustrate the significance of the source zone mass release rate in controlling the mass discharge uncertainty. The relative importance of the mass release rate on the mean solute discharge depends on the distance between the source and the control plane. On the other hand, we find that the solute release rate at the source zone has a strong impact on the variance of the mass discharge. Within a risk context, we also compute the peak mean discharge as a function of the parameters governing the spatial heterogeneity of the hydraulic conductivity field and mass release rates at the source zone. The proposed physically-based framework is application-oriented, computationally efficient and capable of propagating uncertainty from different parameters onto risk metrics. Furthermore, it can be used for preliminary screening purposes to guide site managers to perform system-level sensitivity analysis and better allocate resources.
Arbitrary Stochastic Petri Nets

Recall Section 5.1.3. When the firing policy for an STPN is the race with enabling age memory (R-E), the marginal distributions in (5.5) are the residual life distributions of t k conditioned to age variable a k :
Evaluating black hole detectability with LISA

We conduct an analysis of the measurement abilities of distinctive Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) detector designs, examining the influence of LISA’s low-frequency performance on the detection and characterization of massive black hole binaries. We are particularly interested in LISA’s ability to measure massive black holes merging at frequencies near the low-frequency band edge, with masses in the range of ∼10^6−10^10 M_⊙. We examine the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) using phenomenological waveforms for inspiral, merger, and ringdown over a wide range of massive black hole binary parameters. We employ a broad palette of possible LISA configurations with different sensitivities at low frequencies. For this analysis, we created a tool^† that evaluates the change in SNR between two parametrized situations. The shifts in SNR are computed as gains or losses as a function of binary parameters, and graphically displayed across a two-dimensional grid of parameter values. We illustrate the use of this technique for both parametrized LISA mission designs, as well as for considering the influence of astrophysical parameters on gravitational wave signal models. In terms of low-frequency sensitivity, acceleration noise or armlength is found to be the most important factor in observing the largest massive black hole binaries, followed by break frequency and then spectral index. LISA’s ability to probe the astrophysical population of ∼10^7−10^9 M_⊙ black holes is greatly influenced by these aspects of its sensitivity. The importance of the constituent black hole spins is also highlighted.
Geolipid Content of Sediments from an Isolated Lake: Evidence for Diagenetic Alteration of Source Indicators

Abstract Coburn Mountain Pond in Maine is an isolated lake having a small, forested watershed. Determinations of the n-alkane and n-alkanoic acid contents of samples from a dated sediment core show that concentrations generally decrease and that biomarker distributions change between modern times and 200 years ago. Although n-alkanes derived from land plants dominate compositions throughout the core, the proportion of algal n-alkanes is larger in younger sediments than in older samples, implying enhanced aquatic productivity in recent times. Comparison of hydrocarbon distributions with those of less-stable fatty acids indicates that post-depositional modifications of biomarker distributions has occurred. Irregular changes in distributions of several fatty acid indicator compounds suggest variations in preservational conditions at different times. The patterns in lipid compositions can be related to the combined effects of diagenesis and fluctuations in inputs of organic matter.