cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quine against Lewis (and Carnap) on Truth by Convention

Many commentators now view Quine's ‘Truth by Convention’ as a flawed criticism of Carnap. Gary Ebbs argued recently that Quine never intended Carnap as his target. Quine's criticisms were part of his attempt to work out his own scientific naturalism. I agree that Carnap was not Quine's target but object that Quine's criticisms were wholly internal to his own philosophy. Instead, I argue that C.I. Lewis held the kind of truth-by-convention thesis that Quine rejects. This, however, leaves Carnap out of the picture. I then show how Quine came to see the earlier criticisms as also having force against Carnap.
Comparison and evaluation of ambient air quality at different nearby locations of LCL plant, 2014

The monitoring of ambient air quality is very important to evaluate the effect of running industry on environment. The Lahore compost Pvt. Ltd. has its own composting plant that utilizes tons of municipal solid waste to make organic bio fertilizer. The tons of organic waste are transported to landfill site. This study was designed to check the effect of composting plant on nearby village, nearby roads and LCL site. The evaluated parameters for ambient air quality were PM 10, CO, TSP and VOC. The results were compared and it was concluded from this study that composting plant do not effect nearby locations. The results were according to the WHO standards.
Intellectuals in the Public: Uniting a Divided Baltimore

The University of Baltimore offered a community-based course following the Baltimore unrest in 2015. The course, which we called Divided Baltimore, engaged scores of students and community members ...
Prognostic Significance of IL-17,And IL-13 Along With IL-23R Gene Polymorphisms in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Iraqi Patients

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease with very complex pathogenesis and feature of chronic synovitis. The biological effect of polymorphism on expression and functionality of IL-23R such as SNP can have functional and phenotypic consequences that make Il-23R as a risk factor for RA disease. Moreover recently there is a new trends to find out a new noninvasive prognostic biomarker for RA disease which may help in fallowing up disease. Thus the aim of present work is to find out if there prognostic value for IL-13 and IL-17in Rheumatoid arthritis through linking its expression level with disease activity score (DAS). Also To study if there is a role for IL-23R 11209026 gene polymorphism in disease susceptibility in Iraqi community by using healthy volunteer as a control group. To achieve this goal a Case control study has been conducted on 40 patient and 40 matched apparently health control. serum IL-17 and IL-13 concentration were measure by enzyme Linked immunosorbent assay According to manufactural instruction,measurement of disease activity was determine according to DAS 28 Score.RFLP PCR was used to study SNP of IL-23R gene polymorphism for patient and control group. Data were summarized, presented and analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS version 23). Result of present study found there was significant association between serum IL-17 and IL-13 level and RA disease (P<0, 001; and P<0, 001respectively). Moreover,there is significant positive correlation between expression level of both IL-17 and IL-13 with DAS28 (0.044,and 0.034 respectively). According to Receptor operating Curve both of IL-17 and IL-13 found to have high specificity and sensitivity 100%. Regarding to IL-23 R gene polymorphism,there was no significant correlation between rs11209026 gene polymorphism and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis patients in Iraqi community. Thus,present study showed that the concentrations of IL-13 and IL-17 significantly correlated with disease severity and DAS 28 which reflect their prognostic value in RA. Moreover,present study demonstrated that there was no significant association between Il-23R gene rs11209026 polymorphism and susceptibility to RA in Iraqi population.
Five-Year Mortality Hazard Is Reduced In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Receiving Double- versus Single-Lung Transplants.

Abstract Background Previous studies suggest double-lung transplant (DLT) may be associated with superior survival compared to single-lung transplantation (SLT) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) recipients. The purpose of this study was to compare survival in patients with COPD undergoing DLT versus SLT since the inception of the lung allocation score. Methods We used the United Network for Organ Sharing database to retrospectively identify adult patients with COPD who underwent isolated lung transplantation from 5/4/2005-12/31/2014. We then separated patients into DLT versus SLT. Short-term (1 y) and long-term survival (5 y) were compared between DLT and SLT cohorts by the method of Kaplan–Meier, and Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to adjust for case mix. Results Four thousand eight hundred thirty-two COPD patients were listed, and 3554 underwent lung transplantation over the study period, including 1358 SLTs (38%) and 2196 DLTs (62%). Survival 1 y after listing was 93% for those remaining wait listed (n = 1892) versus 91% for SLT (n = 1093) versus 89% for DLT (n = 1847) (log-rank P Conclusions In the largest survival analysis of COPD recipients since the inception of the lung allocation score, the hazard for 5-y mortality was significantly reduced in recipients who underwent DLT as compared to SLT.
Explanation, Understanding, and Incommensurability in Psychoanalysis

In his landmark studies of Freud and psychoanalysis, Paul Ricoeur argues for the distinction between meaning and force, between hermeneutical understanding and causal explanation in psychoanalysis. If the psyche is a text, this text is not one that can be addressed in simply an exegetical manner.
An Unsteady Model of Animal Hovering

An unsteady, two-dimensional model of animal hovering is experimentally investigated. The model consists of an airfoil which executes combined plunging and pitching sinusoidal motions in still air. While the kinematics is rather simple, the model has sufficient flexibility to qualitatively capture various hover modes of insects, birds and fishes. By constructive use of dynamic stall vortices the model creates a hover-jet indicative of the high thrust known for many insects.
A microscopic evaluation of Paget's disease of bone from a Byzantine monastic crypt in Jordan.

Abstract Paget’s disease of bone (PDB) is a metabolic bone disease that has been present in human populations for over 2000 years, with the earliest cases reported in Western Europe. Now present globally, PDB is one of the most common metabolic bone diseases in modern populations. This study details possible PDB of an adult male (MNR-EN Skull 3) with abnormally thickened cranial bones (17 mm). The skull was recovered from commingled skeletal remains excavated from the Robebus crypt at the Byzantine monastery of Mount Nebo, Jordan (c. late 4–7th C). Micro-CT imaging and histological sections of the bone samples revealed an abnormal pattern of bone remodeling, with atypical osteon formation, convoluted and enlarged trabeculae, and an overall pattern of highly vascularized bone. Polarized microscopy produced a mix of woven bone and lamellar bone, the mosaic pattern of atypical bone remodeling indicative of PDB. Coupled with the dense, thickened nature of the vault bones, these data suggest that the individual had PDB. To our knowledge, this represents the earliest evidence of PDB in the Middle East supported by micro-analysis, and adds to the emerging paleopathological literature involving commingled skeletal remains and the potential for identifying unique disease processes.
Coordinated Power Management in Data Center Networks

Abstract In this paper, we present a coordinated power management technique for data center networks (DCN) which we have implemented in the popular network simulator NS3. The proposed mechanism includes three key entities: (a) a local controller (LC) that manages traffic at each DCN node (switches and routers), (b) a global controller (GC) that has a global view of the DCN and provides hints to the LC's based on this knowledge, and (c) a topology aware user request assignment controller (RAC) that controls placement of the external requests on the endpoint hosts based on hints from the GC. The main goal of the coordination from the energy management perspective is to properly direct and consolidate network traffic to maximize low power (or “sleep”) opportunities for the network interfaces while avoiding link congestion. In the process of testing out our mechanisms, we have enhanced the popular NS3 package for network modeling. The key enhancements are in the accounting of energy consumption at various levels and enhanced traffic routing mechanisms. We show that these mechanisms can reduce the power consumption by up to ∼40% in the common fat-tree based DCNs using the low power idle (LPI) feature of the Ethernet. We also apply our mechanism to the Hypercube network and show that it too can save a significant amount of energy.
Randomized controlled trial of motivational interviewing for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

Objective We conducted a randomized controlled trial of motivational interviewing (MI) as an intervention to improve psychotherapy adherence and outcomes, including frequency of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), quality of life, and emergency department utilization, among participants with PNES. Methods Sixty participants were randomized to receive either psychotherapy alone or MI plus psychotherapy. Participants and therapists were contacted at 16-week follow-up. Participants were considered adherent with psychotherapy if they attended at least eight sessions within 16 weeks following referral. Results Among control participants, 31.0% were adherent, whereas among MI participants, 65.4% were adherent (P = 0.015, absolute risk reduction = 34.4%, number needed to treat = 2.9). In the control arm, PNES frequency decreased by 34.8% (standard deviation [SD] = 89.7%), whereas in the MI arm, PNES frequency decreased by 76.2% (SD = 39.2%; P = 0.034, Cohen's d = 0.59). Among control participants, 10.7% achieved PNES freedom versus 30.8% of MI participants (P = 0.095). Quality of Life in Epilepsy-10 scores (a 40-point scale) improved by an average of 1.8 (SD = 7.9) points among control participants, and by 7.2 (SD = 10.0) points among MI participants (P = 0.047, Cohen's d = 0.60). Monthly emergency department visits increased by 0.06 (SD = 0.47) visits per month among control participants versus a decrease of 0.15 (SD = 0.76) among MI participants (P = 0.23). Significance Motivational interviewing improved treatment adherence, PNES frequency, and quality of life among our participants with PNES. Our study is limited in that it was conducted at a single quaternary care medical center, and MI was provided by a single neurologist, which may limit generalization of results.
Apathy and Color-Blindness in Privatized Immigration Control:

Despite several widely covered scandals involving the role of for-profit corporations in administering immigration policy, the privatization of immigration control continues apace with the criminal...
International NGO Centralization and Leader-Perceived Effectiveness:

Although international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) rely on their governance structures to pursue crucial missions across national borders, the extant literature is lacking theoretical ins...
Whole Fruit Phytochemicals Combating Skin Damage and Carcinogenesis.

Abstract Skin is arguably the largest organ of the body and is continuously subjected to intrinsic, extrinsic, and environmental stresses. Therefore, skin developed elaborate mechanisms to maintain homeostasis, including antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and DNA damage repair capabilities. However, repeated and excessive stresses can overwhelm these systems, causing serious cutaneous damages, including skin carcinogenesis. Phytonutrients present in the diet possess a myriad of health-promoting effects by protecting skin from damaging free radicals as well as by other mechanisms. Although many chemoprotective phytonutrients have been shown to be efficacious individually, a combination of multiple agents could have synergistic response in curtailing or preventing cutaneous damages. Here, we discuss the benefits of natural amalgamation of phytonutrients in select fruits against skin damage including carcinogenesis. However, a majority of these studies have been done in preclinical models. Therefore, clinical studies are needed to determine the human relevance of the available preclinical data, especially in the human population who are at higher risk for skin cancers (e.g., organ transplant patients). In addition, detailed well-structured preclinical animal studies in the models of high-risk skin carcinogenesis could also be useful toward informing the design for human trials.
Chapter 8 – Defect Prediction

In this part of the book Data Science for Software Engineering: Sharing Data and Models, we offer some tutorial notes on commonly used software engineering applications of data mining, along with some tutorial material on data mining algorithms. Covered topics of SE problems include effort estimation and defect prediction. Covered aspects of data mining include discretization, column pruning (also known as feature selection), row pruning, clustering, contrast set learning, decision learning, and learning for continuous classes.
Abstract 3758: Impact of ANXA7 I1 expression on PDGFRA and MET endosomal trafficking in glioblastoma

Purpose/Objective(s): Glioblastomas (GBM) are highly malignant tumors that arise from astrocytes. GBMs rely on signaling through receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) to ensure tumorigenicity. EGFR, PDGFRA and MET are distinct RTKs; each is capable of binding a ligand, which promotes receptor dimerization and kinase activation. Annexin A7 (ANXA7), a protein involved in membrane binding and vesicle trafficking, is spliced into 2 isoforms - isoforms 1 (I1) and isoform 2 (I2). A normal adult brain will express both isoforms, however, in GBM, I1 expression is prevented. We determined that I1, but not I2, is tumor suppressive, in part, because it promotes the endocytic degradation of EGFR. Because I1 is typically not expressed in GBM, EGFR signaling persists unabated and tumors thrive. Recently, we extended these observations and determined that I1 also impacts additional RTKs, including PDGFRA and MET. By understanding how ANXA7 I1 impacts PDGFRA and MET signaling, we hope to target multiple tumorigenic RTKs and improve therapy for patients with GBM. Materials/Methods: To understand how and when I1 downregulates PDGFRα and MET, U251-malignant glioma (MG) cells, which only express I2 (P), were modified to express I1. Cells were serum starved overnight, and then stimulated with PDGFAA and HGF(20 ng/ml), which activate the aforementioned receptors respectively. As a positive control, cells were stimulated with EGF to activate EGFR. Total protein was then collected and analyzed by western blot analyses. Next, we sought to determine whether I1 was competent to down-regulate several RTKs coincidentally. To do this, P and I1 cells were serum starved, stimulated with EGF, PDGFAA or both, and total protein levels were evaluated. Results: The levels of activated EGFR, PDGFRα and MET are dramatically reduced in those cells that express I1 as compared to cells expressing I2 (P). Upon activation with both PDGFAA and EGF, in cells expressing I1 (I1), levels of PDGFRα and EGFR were markedly reduced 30 minutes post-stimulation as compared to cells expressing I2. Conclusion: Our results suggest I1 may be a master regulator of RTK endocytosis and degradation. Further investigations of the impact of I1 on endocytic trafficking patterns using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy are underway. Collectively, understanding how I1 functions and targets multiple tumorigenic RTKs will provide the foundation for future selective therapies that restore I1 expression in GBM and reduce tumorigenicity. Citation Format: Zachary B. White, Centdrika Dates Hurt, Rajani Rajbhandari, Sindhu Nair, Susan Nozell, Markus Bredel. Impact of ANXA7 I1 expression on PDGFRA and MET endosomal trafficking in glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 3758.
Somewhere in France: the World War I letters and journal of private Frederick A. Kittleman: edited by Thomas J. Schaeper, Albany, NY, State University of New York Press, 2017, 168 pp., $16.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1-4384-6376-6

Any evaluation of a book of this kind – the edited letters and journal entries of an individual soldier – must consider two things. First, are the assembled documents detailed enough and distinctiv...
Comparison of post-embolization syndrome in the treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: Trans-catheter arterial chemo-embolization versus Yttrium-90 glass microspheres

Post-embolization syndrome (PES) occurs in most patients who undergo trans-catheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Intra-hepatic arterial administration of TheraSphere, yttrium-90 glass microspheres, is an alternative treatment for unresectable HCC that does not require embolization of major vessels and may have a more favorable toxicity profile than TACE. This paper compares the incidence of PES after TACE vs. TheraSphere treatment in unresectable HCC patients. Data for 29 TACE-treated and 34 TheraSphere-treated patients were evaluated for PES. PES toxicities (i.e., nausea, vomiting, fever in the absence of infection, and abdominal pain) were scored according to Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) toxicity criteria. PES was defined as a total score for the four toxicities of 2 or greater. Survival was defined from the date of treatment to the date of death. TACE patients underwent one to seven treatment procedures; TheraSphere patients underwent one to two treatment procedures. The incidence of PES was 3.8-times (95% confidence interval 1.6-16.3) higher after TACE [20/29(69%)] than after TheraSphere [6/34 (18%)] treatment; this difference was statistically significant (p=.003). Median survival was similar for TheraSphere (N=20; 378 days, CI 209-719) and TACE (N=29; 343 days, CI 217-511) patients. It was concluded that treatment of unresectable HCC with TheraSphere results in a much lower incidence of PES compared to TACE. Since TheraSphere is a pure beta emitter; it can potentially be administered safely on an outpatient basis, and appears to be at least as efficacious as TACE on survival with fewer treatments per patient. (author)
Timing of Quiescence and Uveitis Recurrences After Cataract Surgery in Patients with a History of Uveitis

In patients with a history of uveitis, a 60–90-day period of quiescence prior to cataract surgery has been historically recommended. These recommendations were based mostly on expert opinion. The purpose of this study was to further examine and understand uveitis quiescence timing and outcomes of eyes that do have a recurrence of uveitis after cataract surgery. Patients with a history of uveitis undergoing cataract surgery at the University of Colorado Sue-Anschutz Rodgers Eye Center from 2014 to 2018 were studied. Main outcome measures were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 6 months, intraocular pressure (IOP) at 6 months, and recurrences of uveitis within 90 days of surgery. Timing of cataract surgery in relation to preoperative uveitis quiescence was recorded. A total of 149 eyes from 114 patients were included. Uveitis recurrence was seen in 31 (20.8%) of the 149 eyes with a history of uveitis undergoing phacoemulsification. The mean logMAR change or improvement in vision was 0.429 in eyes with a recurrence of uveitis, and 0.318 in eyes without, a difference that was not statistically significant (p = 0.292). Eyes with a recurrence of uveitis displayed higher IOP at 6 months compared to eyes without a recurrence, at 16.1 versus 13.0 mmHg respectively (p = 0.0009). Eyes that were quiescent for 30 days or less were more likely to have a uveitis recurrence (OR 6.11, 95% CI 2.48–15.06, p = 0.0001). Our study shows that a quiescence period of at least 30 days is beneficial in reducing uveitis recurrence after cataract surgery. It is unclear what the long-term consequences of a uveitis recurrence after cataract surgery are, though it appears there may be elevated IOP in patients with recurrences, and thus patients with a history of uveitis should be counseled carefully about this potential risk.
Search for 1 s 2 s 3 S 1 –1 s 2 p 3 P 2 decay in U 9 0 +

We present high-resolution crystal-spectrometer measurements that cover the wavelength range 3.0--3.2 \AA{} containing the electric-dipole-allowed 2${\mathit{s}}_{1/2}$-2${\mathit{p}}_{3/2}$ transitions in highly charged uranium ions. Strong features from 2${\mathit{s}}_{1/2}$-2${\mathit{p}}_{3/2}$ transitions in lithiumlike, berylliumlike, and boronlike uranium were observed. In addition, a weak feature with intensity just above the level of background fluctuations was observed at the predicted location of the 1s2s${\mathrm{}}^{3}$${\mathit{S}}_{1}$--1s2p${\mathrm{}}^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{2}$ transition in heliumlike ${\mathrm{U}}^{90+}$. The feature was observed in spectra where the intensity of the 2${\mathit{s}}_{1/2}$-2${\mathit{p}}_{3/2}$ transition in lithiumlike uranium, and thus the ionization balance, was optimized; it appeared absent in spectra where the average ionization balance was lower. The measured energy of the feature is 4510.05\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.24 eV, which agrees closely with the values predicted for the 1s2s${\mathrm{}}^{3}$${\mathit{S}}_{1}$--1s2p${\mathrm{}}^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{2}$ transition by recent theories. Detailed spectral modeling calculations indicate the possibility that a weak transition in berylliumlike ${\mathrm{U}}^{88+}$ is situated within 4 eV of the location of the heliumlike $^{3}$${\mathit{S}}_{1}$${\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{2}$ transition. This transition connects the level 1s${\mathrm{}}^{2}$2${\mathit{p}}_{1/2}$2${\mathit{p}}_{3/2}$${\mathrm{}}^{3}$${\mathit{p}}_{1}$ with the 1s${\mathrm{}}^{2}$2${\mathit{s}}_{1/2}$2${\mathit{p}}_{1/2}$${\mathrm{}}^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{0}$ metastable ground level in berylliumlike uranium. The accuracy with which the energy of the berylliumlike transition can be predicted is insufficient to rule out a blend with the heliumlike $^{3}$${\mathit{S}}_{1}$${\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{2}$ transition. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
A Mathematical Solution to Boost the Positive Value of the Cumulative Balance of Payment of the USA

Very recently the President of the USA, set up a bipartisan commission to generate strategies to boost the positive value of the Balance of Payment of the USA. A mathematical solution can be deduced from the following research monographs of the author, E. N. Chukwu. (1) E. N. Chukwu, Stability and Time Optimal Control of Hereditary Systems with Application to the Economic Dynamics of the US, 2nd edition, World Scientific, 2001, ISBN 981-02-4674-9. Singapore, New Jersey, London. (2) E. N. Chukwu, Differential Models and Neutral Systems for Controlling the Wealth of Nations, World Scientific, 2001, ISBN 9810243812, Singapore, New Jersey, London. (3) Optimal Control of the Growth of Wealth of Nations, Taylor and Francis, 2003, ISBN 0-415-26966-0, London, New York. (4) E. N. Chukwu, A Mathematical Treatment of Economic Cooperation and Competition Among Nations with Nigeria, USA, UK, China and Middle East Examples, Mathematics in Science and Engineering, v 203, Elsevier, 2005, ISBN-13978-0-444-51859-0, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (5) E. N. Chukwu, The Omega Problem of all members of the United Nations, Atlantis Studies in Mathematics for Engineering and Science, v 7, World Scientific, pub. Date scheduled Summer 2010. (6) E. N. Chukwu, Stability and Time Optimal Control f Hereditary Systems, Academic Press, Boston, 1992.
6 Perceived Similarity in Perceptual and Conceptual Development: The Influence of Category Information on Perceptual Organization

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a framework to consider the importance of perceived similarity in attempting to characterize perceptual and conceptual development, and it also reviews the literature that demonstrates developmental shifts in the perception of objects. The chapter describes traditional views of the development of object perception, as well as more circumscribed hypotheses such as the integral-to-separable developmental shift, the developmental shift in dimensional salience, and the syncretic and pointillistic views of the development of object perception. There is a review of the literature supporting the notion of shifts in the conception of objects, with an emphasis on the central importance of perceived similarity. These shifts include the perceptual-to-conceptual shift, the function-to-form shift, the developmental studies of the vertical and horizontal structure of categories, the characteristic-to-defining shift, and the thematic-to-taxonomic shift. The goal of this chapter is to highlight the role of perceived similarity among the proposed developmental shifts in perceptual and conceptual representation. It presents a series of four experiments that explore the link among one characterization of the development of object perception, the integral-to-separable developmental shift, and the representation and processing of category information. The goal of these studies was to characterize across development the effect of category information on perceptual organization. A set of stimulus objects that varied perceptually in form and size but varied conceptually in category membership—vases, cups, and bowls—was developed.
Block adaptive filtering with application to real-time broadband RF spectral whitening

The frequency content of signals, which can be adaptively processed in real time, have typically been limited by A/D conversion rates and digital signal processor instruction speeds. By sampling averages rather than instantaneous values of signals formed from the predictor configuration, A/D sample rates and computational requirements can be significantly reduced. This paper describes a circuit which adaptively attenuates 90 MHz bandwidth signals with a 25 kHz sample rate using an analog programmable transversal filter (PTF). The dynamic range of the overall circuit exceeds that of the individual PTF.
Construction of Chromosome Jumping and Linking Libraries in E. coli

Chromosome jumping allows the use of one point on a chromosome as a starting point for exploring another potentially distant point on the same chromosome without cloning the intervening sequences as in chromosome walking. A linking library consists of genomic fragments that each contain a particular restriction site with a marker inserted into it. Because the sequences flanking the marker represent the termini of two contiguous genomic restriction fragments, the linking clones can be used, in conjunction with a specific jumping library made with the same restriction enzyme, to expedite jumping between consecutive restriction fragments. Separate protocols present strategies for constructing general and specific jumping libraries from total genomic DNA. An additional protocol details construction of a linking library from flow-sorted chromosomes. Support protocols provide instructions for preparing genomic insert DNA, supF gene fragments, and Chromosome jumping allows the use of one point on a chromosome as a starting point for exploring another potentially distant.
AN ANALYSIS OF THE LITERATURE ON TIRE-ROAD SKID RESISTANCE

Over the last 20 years there has been an exponential rise in the number of reports in the area of Tire-Road Skid Resistance. In a recent publication*, the authors surveyed the major findings and conclusions on this subject up to 1970. The present paper is a summary of that publication: it is designed to assist one in quickly becoming acquainted with the significant findings and landmark publications on the many different aspects of Tire-Road Skid Resistance research.
Search for Neutrino Masses and Oscillations

In these lectures we shall discuss the various aspects of the neutrino mass problem. This has been an interesting story for several reasons. First, if neutrinos are massive one has to modify the “standard” (Weinberg-Salam-Glashow) theory of weak interactions. A nonvanishing neutrino mass would represent a strong argument for grand unification with its tremendous mass scale. Second, the search for neutrino mass involves an interplay of very different, and often isolated, subfields of physics. Thus we shall mention astrophysics, particle physics, nuclear physics, and even geophysics. It is quite unusual that results of so many disciplines contribute to a common goal.
Can a minimum wage increase have an adverse impact on inequality? Evidence from two Latin American economies

This paper uses a semiparametric model to analyze the impact of an increase in the real minimum wage on inequality in Colombia between 1995 and 1999 and in Paraguay between 1993 and 2000–2001. Simulations suggest that if the employment effects of the minimum wage increase are ignored, the underlying policies would contribute to reduce earnings inequality in Colombia and would be inequality neutral in Paraguay. By considering the drop in wages of those who lost their jobs, simulations suggest that in both countries the policy in question would increase earnings inequality under some assumptions about the employment elasticity of the minimum wage and the new level of earnings unemployed workers rely upon. While these findings do not mean that minimum wage increases in LDCs (Less Developed Countries) necessarily have adverse distributional affects, they suggest that minimum wage policy should be implemented with care depending on how sensitive employment is to wage increases.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and the Development of Structural Neuronal Connectivity

Neurotrophins are growth factors with crucial roles in the developing and mature nervous system. They are initially synthesized as precursor proteins (pro-neurotrophins), which are processed intracellularly to be secreted mostly in a mature, biologically active form (Mowla et al., 1999; Mowla et al., 2001; Matsumoto et al., 2008; for review see Lu et al., 2005). Pro-neurotrophins can also influence developing and mature neural circuits, and may be released in a developmentally regulated manner (Lee et al., 2001; Lu et al., 2005; Teng et al., 2005; Yang et al., 2009). Neurotrophins bind two classes of membrane receptors, the tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) family of receptors and the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) (for a review see Chao, 2003). The actions of mature neurotrophins are mediated by the high affinity full-length Trk receptors, which signal through their intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity to promote growth. Trk receptors signal by dimerization of receptor molecules, leading to intracellular phosphorylation and activation of intracellular signaling cascades (Ullrich and Schlessinger, 1990; Jing et al., 1992). Truncated Trk receptors (Trk.T) are splice variants of full-length Trks, which lack the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain, and are thought to act as negative effectors of full-length receptors (Luikart et al., 2003), although they may also have their own signaling properties (Rose et al., 2003; Ohira et al., 2006). The neurotrophins show binding specificity for particular Trk receptors: nerve growth factor (NGF) binds to TrkA, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin 4 (NT4) to TrkB, and neurotrophin 3 (NT3) to TrkC (Chao, 2003). The p75NTR has low affinity for the mature neurotrophins, but can form a complex with Trk receptors to form high affinity binding sites for neurotrophins, enabling the receptor to participate in the stimulation of growth processes (Esposito et al., 2001). Moreover, p75NTR displays high affinity binding with pro-neurotrophins, and induces apoptosis by interacting with sortilin (Lee et al., 2001; Nykjaer et al., 2004). Thus, pro-neurotrophins and mature neurotrophins may utilize distinct receptors to mediate divergent neuronal actions. This review focuses on the actions of mature BDNF, highlighting the role that BDNF plays in the development of synaptic connectivity in the central nervous system (CNS). Evidence supporting presynaptic actions by target-released BDNF, and the influence that BDNF exerts during the structural development of neurons are reviewed here.
Thrombophlebitis secondary to methysergide maleate therapy

The occurrence of thrombophlebitis in a 9-year-old girl two weeks after the beginningof methysergide therapy for migraine is reported. The child recovered completely following discontinuance of the drug, but phlebitis recurred when methysergide was restarted. No other predisposing cause of phlebitis was known to exist in the child.
Outcomes and Quality of Life in Patients ≥85 Years of Age With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

The oldest old comprise the fastest growing segment of the US population. However, data are limited regarding the treatment and outcomes of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in this age group. We analyzed consecutive patients with STEMI ≥85 years old at a single center. Quality of life was assessed using the EQ-5D Index (range −0.11 to 1.00) and EQ-VAS (range 0 to 100). Of 1,847 patients admitted from 2002 to 2007 with STEMI, 73 (4%) were ≥85 years old (range 85 to 94). Median time from symptom onset to hospital arrival was 3 hours. Cardiogenic shock occurred in 33%. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed in 70% of patients, and the procedural success rate was 94%. Evidenced-based therapy included aspirin (97%), clopidogrel (93%), β blockers (82%), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (74%), and statins (86%). The in-hospital mortality rate was 32%, and it was 54% in those with cardiogenic shock. Long-term follow-up was obtained in 96% of hospital survivors at a median of 429 days. Survival rates in patients discharged alive were 75% at 1 year and 65% at 2 years. Cardiogenic shock was the only independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 3.8, 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 11.7, p = 0.02), and primary PCI was the only independent predictor of long-term survival (hazard ratio 0.3, 95% confidence interval 0.1 to 0.8, p = 0.02). Mean EQ-5D Index was 0.78 and mean EQ-VAS was 70.5. In conclusion, in the oldest old with STEMI, aggressive treatment is associated with reasonable long-term survival and excellent quality of life. The exception may be patients presenting with cardiogenic shock, for whom short-term mortality remains exceedingly high.
Muslimah Media Watch: Media activism and Muslim choreographies of social change

This article explores media activism in the Muslim context by focusing on the blog, Muslimah Media Watch. It analyzes the significance of blogging as an activist tool used by a group of Muslim wome...
Optical Spectrum of SO 3 − ; Radicals produced from the Photolysis of Dithionate Ions in Solution

DURING a recent study1 of the photochemistry of sulphite ions in aqueous solutions, an absorption spectrum with a maximum λ-275 mµ was observed in the flash photolysis of 10−2 M Na2SO3 solutions in the presence or the absence of oxygen. This transient species, with an apparently low extinction coefficient, decays relatively slowly with a half-life of a few milliseconds. It was considered to be produced from the primary photoionization of sulphite ions and was tentatively assigned to the SO3− radical. A radical with a similar absorption spectrum, but longer lived, was also observed1 in the flash photolysis of thiosulphate ions and, on the basis of kinetic evidence, was assigned to the S2O2− radical. In order to provide further support for the species produced in the photolysis of SO32− ions, we examined the flash photolysis of dithionate ions, S2O62−.
Characteristics of snags containing excavated cavities in northern Arizona mixed-conifer and ponderosa pine forests

Snags provide an important resource for a rich assemblage of cavity-nesting birds in the southwestern United States. To expand our knowledge of snag use by cavity-nesting birds in this region, we documented characteristics of snags with and without excavated cavities in mixed-conifer and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws) forest in north-central Arizona. Snags were sampled in 113 square plots (1 ha each) randomly located within a study area covering approximately 73,000 ha across two National Forests. Density of snags was three times greater in mixed-conifer forest (n = 53 plots) than in ponderosa pine forest (n = 60 plots), but density of snags containing cavities and overall cavity density did not differ between forest types. In both forest types, snags containing cavities were larger in diameter and retained less bark cover than snags without cavities. Most cavities were in ponderosa pine and Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii Nutt.) snags, and most were in snags in advanced decay classes with broken tops. Our results are largely consistent with previous results from ponderosa pine forest, but differ from previous studies that documented heavy use of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michaux) by cavity nesters in mixed-conifer forest. These results support management to protect and recruit large snags well distributed across the landscape. The relatively high use of ponderosa pine and Gambel oak snags in both forest types suggests that recruitment of large pine and oak snags should be emphasized, and previous studies suggest emphasizing aspen recruitment as well. This may require special management efforts in mixed-conifer forest. These species are relatively shade-intolerant seral species in this forest type, and are apparently declining in this forest type due to fire-suppression efforts and resultant patterns of ecological succession.
Downdrafts within High Plains cumulonimbi. I - General kinematic structure

Results from a comprehensive investigation in which observations from several case studies are integrated with three-dimensional cloud model results to examine the general kinematic structure of downdrafts associated with High Plains precipitating convection are presented. One particular downdraft type, the low-level precipitation-associated downdraft, is the focus of this paper. General airflow and trajectory patterns within low-level downdrafts are convergent from 0.8 km upwards to downdraft top, typically less than 5 km AGL. Observed mass flux profiles often increase rapidly with height as a result of strong buoyancy forcing below the melting level. Inflow to the low-level downdraft, although vertically continuous can be separated into two branches. The up-down branch originating within the planetary boundary layer initially rises up to 4 km and then descends within the main precipitation-associated downdraft. The midlevel branch, usually more pronounced during early downdraft stages, originates from above the PBL and transports low-valued theta sub e air to low levels. The depth of the low-level downdraft can be approximated by the environmental sounding transition level, defined as the vertical height interval separating conditionally unstable to neutral air below from roughly stable air above. The low-level downdraft is most frequently located along the upshear storm flank relative to the updraft, although a downshear downdraft may become common under higher environmental wind shear.
Nutrient Solution Temperature Affects Pythium Root Rot of Tobacco in Greenhouse Float Systems.

ABSTRACT Float nutrient solution, soilless media, and ambient temperatures were monitored in two tobacco greenhouses with different heating regimes. Water temperatures at seeding were 11°C in an unheated greenhouse and 17°C in a heated greenhouse. Water temperature differences between greenhouses continued over the duration of seedling production. Media and air temperatures varied diurnally, but not float solution. In a greenhouse float system where water temperatures were constant at 15, 20, 25, or 30°C, seedling disease caused by Pythium myriotylum was correlated with float-water temperature and could be described by quadratic equations (R2 = 0.99) with the lowest level of root necrosis at 15°C. Pythium spp.-infected and noninfected seedlings grown in controlled-temperature water baths were transplanted to the field and evaluated for disease development. Previous infection with P. myriotylum, regardless of float-temperature regime, failed to alter yield, leaf quality, or root necrosis (P = 0.05) in fiel...
Differential effect of insulin on whole-body proteolysis and glucose metabolism in normal-weight, obese, and reduced-obese women.

The whole-body rate of proteolysis, as indicated by the postabsorptive appearance rate (Ra) of leucine, is increased in obese women. The present study was conducted to examine the hypothesis that the increased proteolysis is explained by insulin resistance, and to determine if proteolysis returns to normal when obese women reduce to normal weight. The mean basal leucine Ra was 21% higher in 31 obese women (> 135% ideal weight) than in 17 normal-weight women, and 9% higher per kilogram lean body mass ([LBM] P > .05). When 17 of the obese women reduced and stabilized at 100% to 116% of ideal weight, their mean basal leucine Ra decreased 17% (7%/kg LBM) and was not significantly different from that of the normal-weight control group. Insulin (40 mU/m2/min) was infused for 2 hours while maintaining euglycemia in eight normal-weight, 14 obese, and eight reduced-obese subjects. Glucose disposal per kilogram LBM was 29% lower in obese than in normal-weight subjects (P < .05) and was normal in the reduced-obese subjects. Insulin suppressed the leucine Ra an average of 18.4% in the control group, 20.4% in the obese group, and 24.1% in the reduced-obese group. Suppression of the leucine Ra by insulin did not correlate with the waist to hip ratio (WHR), glucose disposal rate, or basal leucine Ra. We conclude that the increased basal proteolysis of obese women is reversed by weight loss, and is not caused by insulin resistance.
Coronary blood flow control is impaired at rest and during exercise in conscious diabetic dogs.

This study tested whether diabetes mellitus impairs coronary blood flow control sufficiently to alter the balance between myocardial oxygen delivery and metabolism. Dogs (n = 7) were instrumented with catheters in the aorta and coronary sinus, and with a flow transducer on the circumflex coronary artery. Coronary blood flow, myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2), heart rate and aortic pressure were measured at rest and during treadmill exercise before and after induction of diabetes with alloxan monohydrate (40 – 60 mg/kg). Arterial plasma glucose concentration increased from 4.6 ± 0.2 mM in non-diabetic, control dogs to 20.2 ± 2.3 mM one week after alloxan injection. In non-diabetic control dogs, exercise increased MVO2 3.1-fold, coronary blood flow 2.7-fold, and heart rate 2.4-fold. Coronary venous PO2 decreased from 19.4 ± 0.6 mmHg at rest to 14.7 ± 0.7 mmHg during exercise. Diabetes significantly attenuated exercise coronary hyperemia and reduced coronary venous PO2 at rest (15.6 ± 0.5 mmHg) and during exercise (12.6 ± 0.8 mmHg). Diabetes also significantly reduced myocardial oxygen delivery at each level of exercise. Acute hyperglycemia alone did not alter exercise-induced coronary vasodilation or reduce coronary venous PO2. These findings demonstrate that experimental diabetes attenuates functional coronary hyperemia and impairs the balance between coronary blood flow and myocardial metabolism. However, this deleterious effect is not related to acute hyperglycemia but to the chronic disease process of diabetes mellitus.
Comparison of agar dilution, broth dilution, disk diffusion, and the E-test for susceptibility testing of penicillin-susceptible and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.

An evaluation to determine the optimal methods for the in vitro susceptibility testing of 41 clinical isolates and the ATCC 49619 strain ofStreptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin was undertaken. No very major or major interpretive errors were observed with the following test methods and media: agar dilution using either Mueller-Hinton medium with lysed horse blood or Haemophilus test medium; broth dilution using cation-adjusted Mueller-Hinton medium with lysed horse blood, Haemophilus test medium, or Todd-Hewitt medium; and the epsilometer test (E-test) using agar containing Mueller-Hinton medium and 5% sheep blood. The disk diffusion method using agar containing Mueller-Hinton medium and 5% sheep blood agar was an effective screening method, requiring confirmation by a dilution susceptibility test method.
Principles and Applications of Biosensors for Bioprocess Monitoring and Control

Biosensors are useful analytical devices that can be integrated with on-line process monitoring schemes. In this article, the principles and applications of these devices for bioprocess monitoring are considered. Several different types of biosensors are described, and the applications and limitations of flow injection analysis (FIA) for these applications are discussed. It is hoped that the background provided here can be useful to researchers in this area.
A Truncated Sequential Test for Constant Failure Rate

This paper presents a truncated sequential procedure for testing if the failure rate of a device is constant versus a linearly increasing failure rate. A number of items, N, are placed on test and their failure times are recorded sequentially. After each observation one decides either to accept or reject a constant failure rate or to wait for another observation. Simulation under various parametric conditions yields information on the initial choice of N, average sample sizes, and points on the OC curve. Selection of the various parametric conditions is discussed. An example illustrates the use of the test.
Integration of clustering and multidimensional scaling to determine phylogenetic trees as spherical phylograms visualized in 3 dimensions

Phylogenetic analysis is commonly used to analyze genetic sequence data from fungal communities, while ordination and clustering techniques commonly are used to analyze sequence data from bacterial communities. However, few studies have attempted to link these two independent approaches. In this paper, we propose a method, which we call spherical phylogram (SP), to display the phylogenetic tree within the clustering and visualization result from a pipeline called DACIDR. In comparison with traditional tree display methods, the correlations between the tree and the clustering can be observed directly. In addition, we propose an algorithm called interpolative joining (IJ) to construct and visualize the SP in 3D space. In the experiments, we used the sum of branch lengths to quantify the general fit between the clustering and the phylogenetic tree in SP and Mantel tests to determine how well the same grouping of sequences was preserved between the clustering and the SP. Our results show that DACIDR has a classification accuracy that is similar to a phylogenetic tree generated using a multiple sequence alignment, while having much lower computational cost.