cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis and endoscopic management of primary sclerosing cholangitis

Abstract Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a complex, chronic, and progressive fibroinflammatory destructive cholestatic biliary disease. The exact etiology and pathogenesis are unknown and possibly related to an enhanced immune-mediated response and reaction in the biliary system. PSC is closely associated with inflammatory bowel disease and specifically, ulcerative colitis. It can be characterized by both intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct stricturing and dilation. Clinical manifestations include abnormal liver tests, jaundice, pruritus, and fatigue. At more advanced stages, PSC can progress to cirrhosis and posttransplant disease recurrence is not uncommon. PSC is associated with an increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma and is an independent risk factor for colorectal cancer in patients with concomitant inflammatory bowel disease. Cholangiography is the mainstay of PSC diagnosis. Improved noninvasive biliary imaging has shifted the role of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography from disease diagnosis to management of complications, including dominant biliary strictures, bile duct stones, and assisting in the differentiation of benign vs malignant strictures. The role of additional endoscopic modalities, including endoscopic ultrasound, direct cholangioscopy, and probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy is evolving. At the present time, medical treatment options are limited and the role of endoscopy is mainly supportive.
The Impact of Training and Facilitation of Farmers in Livestock Rearing and Farmer’s Experiences of the Livestock Development Program in Kamuli, Uganda

For several years Iowa State University’s Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) has conducted a livestock development program in Uganda by giving animals and training very poor farmers in animal management. A study was carried out by interviewing 113 farmers to determine the impact of the program. A total of 40(G1) farmers had received considerable facilitation and training, 33(G2) had received some facilitation and less training, and 39(G3) had not received any facilitation or special training. Data were analyzed using standard statistics. Results indicated that members of G1 performed better than members of G2 and G3 on several measures including they had fewer sick pigs in the 6 months preceding the study (P<0.05), they had sold more animals (P<0.01), and they felt that their households consumed enough livestock products (P<0.01). These results demonstrate that training and facilitating farmers had a positive impact on their livelihoods and nutrition.
In-flight pointing calibration model of large aperture antennas for deep space missions

Large aperture antennas and operations at Ka-band frequencies enable higher data rates for deep space missions but require accurate pointing to realize the desired performance gains due to their inherently narrow beamwidth. We describe an in-flight pointing calibration model to aid the design and analysis of large aperture spacecraft telecommunications systems and to inform requirements on the spacecraft attitude control system (ACS) and ground support equipment. Understanding the expected residual in-flight antenna pointing calibration error allows the determination of the potential need for alternative methods to aid spacecraft high gain antenna pointing. The physically based time domain model incorporates both ground station and spacecraft contributions to the residual in-flight pointing calibration error. Spacecraft contributions are dominated by antenna pointing deviations from the commanded pointing positions due to spacecraft ACS performance limitations. The treatment of residual calibration error within a spacecraft's high gain antenna pointing budget is analyzed. The interpretation of in-flight calibration results is discussed. NASA's Europa mission is used as an example to evaluate the utility of this model for future large aperture deep space missions. The mission proposes to fly a 3-m Ka-band high gain antenna for science data return to Earth. Using typical assumptions for ground and spacecraft performance a 3-σ residual pointing calibration error of 0.20 mrad is obtained.
Going Virtual: The Driving Forces and Arrangements

INTRODUCTION During the last decade, the adjective “virtual” has become a common place descriptor of social forms where people do not have to live, meet or work face to face in order to create goods and services or maintain significant social relationships. There are specialized literatures about new social forms, such as virtual corporations, virtual organizations, virtual communities, virtual libraries, and virtual classrooms, as well as r lated practices such as telecommuting, computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW), tele-education, teleconferencing, tele-medicine, tele-marketing, and tele-democracy. There is general agreement in the literature that the profound impact of information technology (IT) and its rapid adoption by individuals, groups, #ITB7865 701 E. Chocolate Avenue, Hershey PA 17033-1117, USA Tel: 717/533-8845; Fax 717/533-8661; URL-http://www.idea-group.com IDEA GROUP PUBLISHING
Migraine Prevalence and Use of Preventive Therapy

The epidemiology of migraine in the United States, and the patterns of migraine treatment in the population were assessed and contrasted with current treatment recommendations in a study at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Headache Center, Bronx, NY; The New England Center for Headache, Stamford, CT; Diamond Headache Center, Chicago, IL; Vedanta Research, Chapel Hill, NC; and Geisinger Clinic, Danville, PA.
Overestimation of Viscosity by the Green-Kubo Method in a Dusty Plasma Experiment.

The Green-Kubo (GK) method is widely used in simulations of strongly coupled plasmas to obtain the viscosity coefficient. However, the method's applicability, which is often taken for granted, has not been tested experimentally. We report an experimental test using a two-dimensional strongly coupled dusty plasma. We find that the GK viscosity is $\ensuremath{\approx}60%$ larger than the result of a benchmark hydrodynamic method, obtained in the same experiment with the same conditions except for the presence of shear.
Experimental validation of tunable features in laser-induced plasma resonators

Measurements are presented which examine the use of gaseous plasma elements as highly-tunable resonators. The resonator considered here is a laser-induced plasma kernel generated by focusing the fundamental output from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser through a lens and into a gas at constant pressure. The near-ellipsoidal plasma element interacts with incoming microwave radiation through excitation of low-order, electric-dipole resonances similar to those seen in metallic spheres. The tunability of these elements stems from the dispersive nature of plasmas arising from their variable electron density, electron momentum transfer collision frequency, and the concomitant e↵ect of these properties on the excited surface plasmon resonance. Experiments were carried out in the Ku band of the microwave spectrum to characterize the scattering properties of these resonators for di↵erent values of electron density. The experimental results are compared with results from theoretical approximations and finite element method electromagnetic simulations. The described tunable resonators have the potential to be used as the building blocks in a new class of all-plasma metamaterials with fully three-dimensional structural flexibility.
RAVEN: Optimizing Power Consumption of Mobile Games Using Perception-Aware Rendering Rate Scaling

ACM MobiCom 2017, the Annual International Conference on Mobile Computing and Networking, is the twenty third in a series of annual conferences sponsored by ACM SIGMOBILE dedicated to addressing the challenges in the areas of mobile computing and wireless and mobile networking. The MobiCom conference series serves as a highly selective, premier international forum addressing networks, systems, algorithms, and applications that support mobile computers and wireless networks. In addition to the regular conference program, MobiCom 2017 will include a set of workshops, panels, research demonstrations, and a poster session that includes the ACM Student Research Competition. MobiCom will again feature the mobile app competition successfully introduced three years ago. The conference will be held at the SnowBird resort close to Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Technique and Outcomes for Knotless Transosseous Rotator Cuff Repair

Rotator cuff tears are a common cause of shoulder disability. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs can lead to significant improvement in pain and function, though follow-up imaging studies may still demonstrate a substantial rate of rotator cuff tendon re-tearing. The double-row transosseous-equivalent repair is biomechanically superior to other repair techniques and thereby may improve tendon-to-bone healing. This article describes our preferred technique for knotless rotator cuff repair using a transosseous-equivalent technique.
Methane leak detection and sizing over long distances using dual frequency comb laser spectroscopy and a bootstrap inversion technique

Advances in natural gas extraction technology have led to increased activity in the production and transport sectors in the United States, and, as a consequence, an increased need for reliable monitoring of methane leaks to the atmosphere. We present a statistical methodology in combination with an observing system for the detection and attribution of fugitive emissions of methane from distributed potential source location landscapes such as natural gas production sites. We measure long (> 500 m), integrated open path concentrations of atmospheric methane using a dual frequency comb spectrometer and combine measurements with an atmospheric transport model to infer leak locations and strengths using a novel statistical method, the non-zero minimum bootstrap (NZMB). The new statistical method allows us to determine whether the empirical distribution of possible source strengths for a given location excludes zero. Using this information, we identify leaking source locations (i.e., natural gas wells) through rejection of the null hypothesis that the source is not leaking. The method is tested with a series of synthetic data inversions with varying measurement density and varying levels of model-data mismatch. It is also tested with field observations of 1) a non-leaking source location and 2) a source location where a controlled emission of 2.1 E-5 kg s −1 of methane gas is released over a period of several hours. This series of synthetic data tests and outdoor field observations using a controlled methane release demonstrate the viability of the approach for the detection and sizing of very small ( −1 ) leaks of methane across large distances (4 + km 2 in synthetic tests). The field tests demonstrate the ability to attribute small atmospheric enhancements of 18 ppb to the emitting source location against a background of combined atmospheric (e.g., background methane variability) and measurement uncertainty of 6 ppb (1-sigma), when measurements are averaged over 2 minutes. The results of the synthetic and field data testing show that the new observing system and statistical approach greatly decreases the incidence of false alarms (that is, wrongly identifying a well site to be leaking) compared with the same tests that don’t use the NZMB approach, and therefore offers increased leak detection and sizing capabilities.
How do Women Learn They Are Pregnant? The Introduction of Clinics and Pregnancy Uncertainty in Nepal

Woman’s knowledge about her pregnancy state is an important input to decrease maternal mortality and improve the conditions in-utero for the child. This paper explores the effect of the distance to a health clinic on pregnancy knowledge. Using a seven-year, individual level monthly panel dataset in Nepal, I find that living closer to a clinic that offers pregnancy tests decreases in 1.3 percentage points the proportion of women who do not know they are pregnant, from a base of 3.47%. I argue that the results are driven by the provision of the technology of pregnancy testing. Women’s experience with previous pregnancies also contributes to reduce the false negatives.
Revisited and Remixed

This chapter explores the idea of creativity as “variations on a theme” and grounds this in actual cases of creative practice. Specifically, we seek to explain how combinatorial creativity can lead to uniquely novel output where it is difficult to see any traces of the influence it was derived from? We ground this discussion by digging deeper into specific examples taken from the world of puzzle and game design. Essentially, we argue that spotting more complex and less-obvious variables (and seeing how they can be reconfigured) is more amenable to people with a wider diversity of experiences and depth of knowledge across different disciplines. This supplies a person with a richer repository of inspiration and the potential to see more prospects than people with narrower foundations.
Higher scores on the Mini-K life history battery are associated with greater disgust sensitivity on the three domains of disgust scale

Disgust is a universal emotion that promotes protective behaviors in three distinct domains: sexual, moral, and pathogenic. There is considerable individual variation in sensitivity to disgust, and...
Modelo pedagógico para la interactividad de las ciencias técnicas Aproximación conceptual

La solucion a un problema no es necesariamente la respuesta favorable, es el soporte, el metodo de conocimiento con el cual ocurre la respuesta. La presente investigacion presente concilia un metodo de conocimiento que florezca al integrar diversos metodos de conocimientos provenientes de la integracion de ciencias diversas alrededor de la solucion de un problema comun y en la perspectiva de brindar soluciones tecnicas y tecnologicas. El modelo pedagogico, que permite comprender el fenomeno educativo que suscita de la integracion-articulacion de las diversas ciencias y sus metodos de conocimiento, debe reconstruir la ensenanza de las ciencias tecnicas a partir de un syllabus superior, y a partir de este, dar forma a la linealidad del syllabus academico.
Homer, the Author of The Iliad and the Computational-Linguistic Turn

This paper analyzes two sets of opposing opinions about the nature of meaning represen- tations and knowledge resources. The first of these axes of disagreement is the opposition between an ineffable, "revealed" language of thought in the Fodor tradition and Wilks' position that (using its strongest formulation) elements of the language of knowledge representation are essentially elements of a natural language. The second opposition is between a "scientifically" defined ontology, in Guarino's sense, and human-oriented resources of knowledge about language, such as MRDs or WordNet. An attempt will be made to clarify some of the motivation behind these differing opinions. I will try to formulate my own positions on the above issues and will use as illustrations some modules of ontological semantics, a computationally-tractable theory of meaning, as implemented in the OntoSem text analyzer and the knowledge resources that support it
Skeletal muscle cutoff values for sarcopenia diagnosis using T10 to L5 measurements in a healthy US population

Measurements of skeletal muscle cross-sectional area, index, and radiation attenuation utilizing clinical computed tomography (CT) scans are used in assessments of sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function associated with aging. To classify individuals as sarcopenic, sex-specific cutoffs for ‘low’ values are used. Conventionally, cutoffs for skeletal muscle measurements at the level of the third lumbar (L3) vertebra are used, however L3 is not included in several clinical CT protocols. Non-contrast-enhanced CT scans from healthy kidney donor candidates (age 18–40) at Michigan Medicine were utilized. Skeletal muscle area (SMA), index (SMI), and mean attenuation (SMRA) were measured at each vertebral level between the tenth thoracic (T10) and the fifth lumbar (L5) vertebra. Sex-specific means, standard deviations (s.d.), and sarcopenia cutoffs (mean-2 s.d.) at each vertebral level were computed. Associations between vertebral levels were assessed using Pearson correlations and Tukey’s difference test. Classification agreement between different vertebral level cutoffs was assessed using overall accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity. SMA, SMI, and SMRA L3 cutoffs for sarcopenia were 92.2 cm2, 34.4 cm2/m2, and 34.3 HU in females, and 144.3 cm2, 45.4 cm2/m2, and 38.5 HU in males, consistent with previously reported cutoffs. Correlations between all level pairs were statistically significant and high, ranging from 0.65 to 0.95 (SMA), 0.64 to 0.95 (SMI), and 0.63 to 0.95 (SMRA). SMA peaks at L3, supporting its use as the primary site for CT sarcopenia measurements. However, when L3 is not available alternative levels (in order of preference) are L2, L4, L5, L1, T12, T11, and T10. Healthy reference values reported here enable sarcopenia assessment and sex-specific standardization of SMA, SMI, and SMRA in clinical populations, including those whose CT protocols do not include L3.
Effect of chemotherapy in patients with early stage synovial sarcoma on disease-free survival or overall survival.

e22550Background: The benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma is controversial. Methods: We retrosectivly analyzed the database of Northern California Kaiser Permanente from 1981 t...
“I would have told you about being forgetful, but I forgot”: the experience of cognitive changes and communicative participation after head and neck cancer

Purpose: Survivors of head and neck cancer have reported difficulties with memory, attention, verbal fluency, and processing speed sometimes persisting years after treatment. Self-perceived cognitive function is an important predictor of communication outcomes in this population. This study explores the lived experience of cognitive changes in survivors of non-nasopharyngeal head and neck cancer and how these changes affect communication in their daily lives.Materials and methods: In the phenomenological tradition, five adult survivors of non-nasopharyngeal head and neck cancer participated in individual semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and summarized into themes.Results: Two major themes emerged: (1) I would have told you about being forgetful, but I forgot; and (2) It's such a journey that much of it is uncharted. Participants described problems with memory, focus/attention, and task initiation along with slowed processing and language difficulties. These difficulties affected communication at work, socially, and at home. Participants expressed feeling unprepared for the possibility of cognitive changes, not knowing why they were happening or what to do about them.Conclusions: Results of this study have implications for counseling and treatment of individuals with head and neck cancer, as well as advocating for these patients to receive appropriate information and intervention.Implications for rehabilitationSurvivors of non-nasopharyngeal head and neck cancer described experiencing problems with memory and focus/attention along with slowed processing and language difficulties.Study participants generally felt both unprepared for the cognitive changes they experienced and, in many ways, unsupported by healthcare providers and others.Rehabilitation professionals should be aware that cognitive changes following medical treatment for head and neck cancer may affect a patient's ability to learn and follow complex treatment regimens.Rehabilitation professionals can advise and advocate for these patients to receive the appropriate referrals for assessment and treatment of their cognitive symptoms.
Reimagining the research-practice relationship: policy recommendations for informatics-enabled evidence-generation across the US health system

The widespread adoption and use of electronic health records and their use to enable learning health systems (LHS) holds great promise to accelerate both evidence-generating medicine (EGM) and evidence-based medicine (EBM), thereby enabling a LHS. In 2016, AMIA convened its 10th annual Policy Invitational to discuss issues key to facilitating the EGM-EBM paradigm at points-of-care (nodes), across organizations (networks), and to ensure viability of this model at scale (sustainability). In this article, we synthesize discussions from the conference and supplements those deliberations with relevant context to inform ongoing policy development. Specifically, we explore and suggest public policies needed to facilitate EGM-EBM activities on a national scale, particularly those policies that can enable and improve clinical and health services research at the point-of-care, accelerate biomedical discovery, and facilitate translation of findings to improve the health of individuals and populations.
Enhanced quantum dots spontaneous emission with metamaterial perfect absorbers

Metamaterial perfect absorbers (PAs) made of a hexagonal array of holes on Ag-SiO2-Ag thin films have been realized and utilized to enhance the spontaneous emission rate and photoluminescence intensity of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) spin-coated on the absorber top surface. Perfect absorption of incoming light occurs at the wavelength where the impedance is matched to that of the free space. When QDs strongly excite both the electric and magnetic resonances at this perfect absorption wavelength, a significant Purcell effect on the spontaneous emission process and enhanced radiative outcoupling of photoluminescence intensity are expected. For perfect absorbers with near-unity absorption at the QD emission wavelength of 620 nm, 5-fold Purcell enhancement of the spontaneous emission rate and 3.6-fold enhancement of photoluminescence intensity are demonstrated in the time-resolved photoluminescence experiments, which are in good agreement with three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulation. These results will advance the understanding and applications of metamaterial PA-based light harvesting and emitting devices.Metamaterial perfect absorbers (PAs) made of a hexagonal array of holes on Ag-SiO2-Ag thin films have been realized and utilized to enhance the spontaneous emission rate and photoluminescence intensity of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) spin-coated on the absorber top surface. Perfect absorption of incoming light occurs at the wavelength where the impedance is matched to that of the free space. When QDs strongly excite both the electric and magnetic resonances at this perfect absorption wavelength, a significant Purcell effect on the spontaneous emission process and enhanced radiative outcoupling of photoluminescence intensity are expected. For perfect absorbers with near-unity absorption at the QD emission wavelength of 620 nm, 5-fold Purcell enhancement of the spontaneous emission rate and 3.6-fold enhancement of photoluminescence intensity are demonstrated in the time-resolved photoluminescence experiments, which are in good agreement with three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulation. These r...
Stochastic Games with Sensing Costs

In real-world games involving autonomous agents making decisions under uncertainty [1], the agents are often subject to sensing and communication limitations. In these cases, it is desirable to win the game, while also minimizing an agent’s sensing budget. In particular, in two-player uncertain adversarial environments, where one player enters the opponent’s territory, we seek a wining strategy with minimum sensing. In this paper, we consider finite two-player stochastic games, wherein in addition to the conventional cost over states and actions of each player, we include the sensing budget in terms of transfer entropy. We find a set of pure and mixed strategies for such a game via dynamic programming. The application of dynamic programming leads to a set of coupled nonlinear equations that we solve using the modified Arimoto-Blahut algorithm. The efficacy of the proposed method is illustrated by a stochastic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pursuit-evasion game example using the tool AMASE.
React to the future: political visualization, emotional reactions and political behavior

This study explores the mediating role political visualization – the process of imagining future political scenarios – plays in determining how political advertising affects voting behaviour. Speci...
UNUSUAL EARLY-ONSET VITELLIFORM DYSTROPHY POSSIBLY LINKED TO THE INTERPHOTORECEPTOR MATRIX PROTEOGLYCAN-1 P.LEU154PRO MUTATION.

Purpose To describe a case of symptomatic outer retinal disruption in a patient heterozygous for the p.Leu154Pro interphotoreceptor matrix proteoglycan-1 (IMPG1) mutation implicated in adult-onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy. Methods Observational case report. Results We describe a case of a 25-year-old female patient with symptomatic scotoma and vision decrease who exhibited bilateral small foveal yellow spots. Optical coherence tomography revealed disorganization and decreased reflectance of the foveal ellipsoid and interdigitation zones in the left eye more than in the right eye. Fundus autofluorescence imaging showed minimal findings, and dye angiography was unrevealing. Multifocal electroretinogram revealed slightly decreased retinal sensitivity in the central retina of the left eye. Genetic testing identified a heterozygous p.Leu154Pro mutation in the IMPG1 gene. Conclusion The p.Leu154Pro IMPG1 mutation may cause symptomatic outer retinal disturbance in the heterozygous state. Further studies are necessary.
A Sustainable Cost Benefit Assessment of Wall Assemblies from the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011

Residential homes consume 24% of total primary energy while commercial buildings use an additional 19%, totaling 43% of all energy consumption in the U.S. (United States Energy Information Administration [USEIA], 2011). Wall assemblies are a fundamental component of a building's construction and can make significant impacts on building performance. Wall assemblies impact the environment, the builder, and the homeowner in various ways. Depending on the assembly method used to construct walls, a builder may find it easier or more difficult to install, and will identify a labor cost accordingly. Homeowners desire a wall with an affordable cost and appropriate thermal performance. Environmental concerns include using rare or readily available materials or avoiding use of materials which require more energy to produce than they offset. Exploring these factors to discover the ideal wall assembly is critical to enhancing building construction and performance. The purpose of this study was to identify optimal wall assemblies from the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 using a newly developed Sustainable Cost Benefit Assessment (SCBA). The wall assemblies were analyzed using cost per square foot, clear wall R-value, and embodied energy metrics as a means for comparison. Reviewing the entries to the Solar Decathlon 2011 it is clear that the structures incorporate unique wall assemblies, which have not yet been studied. The results of this study provide data showing which of these wall types may prove to offer the most energy efficient, affordable, and environmentally conscious options. In addition, it contributes data to suggest which methods should not be adopted for widespread use. The conclusions of this study help supply valuable information describing which wall types are the best options for reducing building energy consumption.
Food insecurity among formerly homeless youth in supportive housing: A social-ecological analysis of a structural intervention

A growing body of research indicates that structural interventions to provide permanent supportive housing (PSH) to homeless adults within a Housing First approach can improve their health. However, research is lacking regarding the impact of PSH on youth experiencing homelessness. This article seeks to understand how PSH for youth impacts a basic health need-food security- across multiple levels of the social-ecological environment. In January of 2014, San Francisco, California opened the city's first municipally-funded PSH building exclusively designated for transition-aged youth (ages 18-24). We conducted 20 months of participant observation and in-depth interviews with 39 youth from April 2014 to December 2015. Ethnographic fieldnotes and interview transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory. We present our social-ecological assessment regarding food insecurity for formerly homeless youth in supportive housing. We found that although housing removes some major sources of food insecurity from their lives, it adds others. Many of the participating youth were frequently hungry and went without food for entire days. Mechanisms across multiple levels of the social-ecological model contribute to food insecurity. Mechanisms on the structural level include stigma, neighborhood food resources, and monthly hunger cycles. Mechanisms on the institutional level include the transition into housing and housing policies regarding kitchen use and food storage. Interpersonal level mechanisms include food sharing within social networks. Individual level mechanisms include limited cooking skills, equipment, and coping strategies to manage hunger. Although supportive housing provides shelter to youth, effective implementation of the Housing First/PSH model for youth must ensure their access to an affordable nutritious diet.
Comparison of volitional opposing and following responses across speakers with different vocal histories.

Research has shown that people who are instructed to volitionally respond to pitch-shifted feedback either produce responses that follow the shift direction with a short latency of 100–200 ms or oppose the shift direction with longer latencies of 300–400 ms. This difference in response latencies prompted a comparison of three groups of vocalists with differing abilities, non-trained English-speaking subjects, non-trained Mandarin-speaking subjects, and trained English-speaking singers. All subjects produced short latency following responses and long latency opposing responses, and in most cases the opposing responses were preceded by a shorter latency following response. Across groups, the magnitudes of the opposing and following responses were largest for the Mandarin speakers. Singers produced the smallest opposing response magnitudes, suggesting differences in the pitch goals of the two groups. Opposing response latencies were longest for the English and Mandarin speaking subjects and shortest for the trained singers, demonstrating that musical training increases the speed of producing the opposing responses. The presence of similar latencies of small following responses preceding larger opposing responses in all groups suggests that the tendency to mimic changes in sounds to which a person is attending are not influenced by vocal training or experience.Research has shown that people who are instructed to volitionally respond to pitch-shifted feedback either produce responses that follow the shift direction with a short latency of 100–200 ms or oppose the shift direction with longer latencies of 300–400 ms. This difference in response latencies prompted a comparison of three groups of vocalists with differing abilities, non-trained English-speaking subjects, non-trained Mandarin-speaking subjects, and trained English-speaking singers. All subjects produced short latency following responses and long latency opposing responses, and in most cases the opposing responses were preceded by a shorter latency following response. Across groups, the magnitudes of the opposing and following responses were largest for the Mandarin speakers. Singers produced the smallest opposing response magnitudes, suggesting differences in the pitch goals of the two groups. Opposing response latencies were longest for the English and Mandarin speaking subjects and shortest for the ...
Risk-Informed Safety Analysis for Accident Tolerant Fuels

Accident tolerant fuels (ATFs) are being tested by different nuclear vendors and research organizations, and their introduction into the U.S light water reactor fleet is planned for the second half...
Awareness and accuracy of height and weight among mothers and their preschool-aged children.

Abstract Objectives A constant challenge in addressing the issue of obesity is the validity and reliability of self-reported measurements to calculate body mass index, that assesses the prevalence of obesity in a population. The objective of this study is to analyze both awareness and accuracy of mothers who are overweight or obese, in reporting their own and their child's height and weight measurements. Study design cross-sectional study. Methods In this study, mothers were asked over phone to self-report height and weight for them and their child. This was followed by objective measurement of maternal and child height and weight by study staff in a clinical setting. The descriptive and statistical analysis of the data obtained were carried out using SAS software. Results 1) The mean weight of mothers who inaccurately self-reported their weight was 9.5 kg greater than the mean weight of those who reported accurately (P Conclusion Strategies to tackle both maternal awareness and accuracy of child's measurements can help with early identification of child's obesity risk and prevention of long-term consequences.
Terrorizing gender: Transgender visibility and the surveillance practices of the U.S. security state

In 2014, the cover of Time magazine announced a ‘transgender tipping point’ in America, a moment that both reflected and contributed to the growing visibility of transgender people in American poli...
Nickel Impurities in the Solid-Electrolyte Interphase of Lithium-Metal Anodes Revealed by Cryogenic Electron Microscopy

Summary Dissolution of transition metals from high-voltage cathodes and their incorporation into the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) of carbonaceous anodes drastically reduces the lifetime of Li-ion batteries. The effects of dissolved transition metals on the performance of carbonaceous anodes are well characterized; however, the impact on Li-metal anode performance and the SEI is rarely considered. Here, we use cryogenic electron microscopy to reveal the impact of dissolved Ni on the SEI formation process on Li-metal. A link between Ni incorporation into the SEI and the failure of Li-metal batteries is established. We find that Ni is reduced into its metallic state and incorporates as small clusters into the SEI, locally changing the chemistry and nanostructure of the SEI. These chemical and nanostructure changes locally modify the Li-ion and electron transport properties of the SEI, accelerating electrolyte decomposition, increasing formation of “dead” Li, and ultimately causing failure.
Comparison of heating performance between inverter and cycled microwave heating of foods using a coupled multiphysics-kinetic model

Non-uniform heating has been a challenging problem in microwave heating due to ‘standing wave pattern’ and ‘thermal runaway’ problems. Cycled microwave heating was used to improve microwave heating...
Computational Multi-scale Modeling of Segregation and Microstructure Evolution During the Solidification of A356 Ingots Processed via a 2-Zone Induction Melting Furnace

In the current study, a stochastic mesoscopic model was applied to predict the evolution of the A356 microstructure (e.g., dendritic morphologies and columnar-to-equiaxed transition formation) in a 2-Zone induction melting and solidification furnace. The influence of process and material parameters on microstructure, such as initial melting temperature, ultrasonic stirring and cavitation, fluid flow conditions, cooling rate, temperature gradient, and nucleation and growth kinetics parameters for both equiaxed and columnar phases, is studied. In addition, the initial transient of the macro-segregation of silicon during solidification of A356 in the crucible is also simulated. The results will be helpful for determining the solidification structure, mushy zone evolution in the crucible and assist in developing of comprehensive solidification maps of alloys used in additive manufacturing.
Mito-SinCe 2 Approach to Analyze Mitochondrial Structure-Function Relationship in Single Cells

The cross talk between mitochondrial dynamic structure, determined primarily by mitochondrial fission and fusion events, and mitochondrial function of energetics, primarily ATP and ROS production, is widely appreciated. Understanding the mechanistic details of such cross talk between mitochondrial structure and function needs integrated quantitative analyses between mitochondrial dynamics and energetics. Here we describe our recently designed approach of mito-SinCe2 that involves high resolution confocal microscopy of genetically expressed ratiometric fluorescent probes targeted to mitochondria, and its quantitative analyses. Mito-SinCe2 analyses allows for quantitative analyses of mitochondrial structure-function relationship in single cells toward understanding the role of mitochondria and their heterogeneity in various physiological and pathological conditions.
Features of heterosis manifestation in interlinear hybrids of sweet pepper in unheated film greenhouses

The dynamics of changes in an important economic trait of sweet pepper “average fruit weight” and the manifestation of heterosis have been studied on the example of 10 hybrids and their parental lines with multiple harvests in an unheated film greenhouse. It was found that the average weight, regardless of its value, was maximum and relatively stable during the first 5 harvests, which corresponds to the return of an early yield in the first month of fruiting. At the last collection, there was a decrease in the average weight of the fruit by 1.3-2.5 times. It has been established that a decrease in fruit weight with late harvests in hybrids occurs at a later date and is less pronounced than in parental lines, which indicates their higher adaptive ability. With an early harvest in 3 combinations, the level of true heterosis was 5.4-19.7%, a hypothetical heterosis at the level of 5.4-24.4% was found in 7 hybrids. At an early harvest and a late harvest in 50% of sweet pepper hybrids, the value of heterosis varied, but had the same character; in 50% of hybrids, a change in the sign of heterosis to the opposite was noted.2 hybrid combinations with a more stable average fruit weight were identified with multiple harvests - (Bs1xF46Kt22706) and (San1xF46Kt2181) with varying traits within 77-99 g and 81-123 g. the effect in 80% of large-fruited (17.6-27.3%) and medium-fruited hybrids (8.5-49.3%) was noted after the early harvest on July 21.The maximum effect of heterosis does not correspond to the maximum value of fruit weight in the experiment and is associated with a more pronounced reaction of the parental lines compared to hybrids to extreme temperatures during the period of fruit formation.
Spiritual Assessments in Occupational Therapy

Spirituality is recognized as an important concept in the study and practice of medicine, including occupational therapy. This aligns with occupational therapy’s core value of treating people holistically—mind, body, and spirit. Currently, the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Hospital Organizations ( JCAHO) requires that a spiritual assessment be given to patients on admission. To conduct effective spiritual assessments, occupational therapists must distinguish between religion and spirituality. They also must be aware of their own spiritual beliefs and practices and how those might influence their clinical interactions. This article presents spiritual assessment tools that occupational therapists can use in clinical practice; they range from history taking, to questionnaires, to observation scales. Guidelines are presented for selecting among several spiritual assessments. A case study is presented in which a patient’s faith tradition is being challenged, which could affect the outcome of therapy. Finally, treatment and intervention planning and ethical considerations are discussed.
A Comparative Perspective on the Evolution of Moral Behavior

Humans are not alone in the animal kingdom in showing moral behavior. The precursors to moral behavior exist in rudimentary form in many species, including our closest phylogenetic relatives, the nonhuman primates, and have evolved into the more complex moral behavior seen in humans. At its most basic, moral behavior functions to reduce tension in social groups to allow for the peaceful interactions that are essential for groups to exist. Here we consider four of these behaviors: conflict resolution, reciprocity, reactions to inequity, and empathy. By studying these behaviors in other species, we gain insight into the evolutionary history of moral behavior, what the underlying mechanisms are that motivate the behavior, how these behaviors develop in the individual, and, through the comparative approach in particular, the evolutionary function of the behavior.
Infrared signature of Jupiter's Io interaction is detected

One of the most intriguing problems in the study of planetary magnetospheres is the electrodynamic interaction between Io, a satellite of Jupiter, and the planet's magnetosphere. The first indication of this unique relationship was found in remote observations of radio emission from Jupiter's magnetosphere, first detected in 1955. Observations of Jovian decameter radiation (DAM) at Earth had established a correlation between the probability of observation of DAM and the position of Io in its orbit about Jupiter. Io's influence on the generation of Jovian DAM was attributed to the workings of an electric generator of enormous scale [Goldreich and Lynden-Bell, 1969]. Now, images of Jupiter's disc reveal a localized infrared emission feature associated with this interaction (Figure 1).
Business ethics in Brazil and the U.s.: A comparative investigation

In this comparative survey of 126 Brazilian and U.S. business professionals, we explore the effect of national culture on ethical decision-making within the context of business. Using Reidenbach and Robin's (1988) multi-criteria ethics instrument, we examined how these two countries' differences on Hofstede's individualism/collectivism dimension are related to the manner in which business practitioners make ethical decisions. Our results indicate that Brazilians and Americans evaluate the ethical content of actions or decisions differently when applying utilitarian criteria. By contrast, business people from both countries do not differ significantly when they use egoistic criteria in evaluating the ethical nature of business decisions.
A Review of “USING DRUPAL, 2nd ed.”

The preface of Using Drupal, 2nd Edition by Angela Byron, Addison Berry, and Bruno DeBondt states that the book is for anyone who wants to find out more about this “weird ‘Drupal’ thing.” Drupal be...
The Evolution of the Galactic Lithium Abundance

Studies of the lithium abundances in Population I and Population Il stars have been used to determine the Li/H fraction produced in Big Bang nucleosynthesis. A summary of the principal results derived from the 6707 A line measured in the spectra of various stars is presented. The value Li/H ≈ 1 × 10-10 uniformly found for about 40 relatively hot, extreme halo stars appears to have survied, nearly unaltered, from that early epoch.
Endogenous hormones and risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women

Multiple lines of evidence support a central role of hormones in the etiology of breast cancer. In epidemiologic studies, considerable effort has focused on delineating the role of endogenous hormones in risk of breast cancer among postmenopausal women. Recently, substantial additional data has accrued from prospective studies where endogenous hormones are measured in study subjects prior to disease diagnosis. In this review, the epidemiologic evidence linking sex steroids, prolactin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF) with subsequent risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women is summarized and evaluated. Overall, a strong positive association between breast cancer risk and circulating levels of both estrogens and androgens has now been well confirmed; women with hormone levels in the top 20% of the distribution (versus bottom 20%) have a 2- to 3-fold higher risk of breast cancer. Accumulating data also indicate a significant positive association with prolactin levels, although additional confirmation is needed. In contrast, no important link has been found between circulating levels of IGF-I (and its binding protein, IGFBP-3) and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.
Euler characters and submanifolds of constant positive curvature

This article develops methods for studying the topology of submanifolds of constant positive curvature in Euclidean space. It proves that if M is an n-dimensional compact connected Riemannian submanifold of constant positive curvature in E 2n-1 , then M n must be simply connected. It also gives a conformal version of this theorem.
Gene SPILL: an evolutionary algorithm based on bacterial gene exchange

Prokaryotes mainly reproduce by binary fission where the offspring are genetically identical to their parents. In order to take advantage of the benefits of sexual reproduction, these organisms have evolved ingenious ways to exchange genetic information. This article proposes an evolutionary algorithm called SPILL (Simulated Prokaryote Interchange of aLLeles) that is based on prokaryote genetic exchange patterns.
Preclinical mechanisms of action of docetaxel and docetaxel combinations in prostate cancer

Docetaxel, a semisynthetic taxane, has exhibited significant single-agent activity against prostatic tumors. In phase I/II studies, single-agent docetaxel and the combination of docetaxel plus estramustine were effective in inducing prostate-specific antigen reductions of > or =50% in men with androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC). The underlying reason for docetaxel's clinical activity against prostate cancer has been a focus of ongoing research. Docetaxel is believed to have a twofold mechanism of antineoplastic activity: (1) inhibition of microtubular depolymerization, and (2) attenuation of the effects of bcl-2 and bcl-xL gene expression. Taxane-induced microtubule stabilization arrests cells in the G(2)M phase of the cell cycle and induces bcl-2 phosphorylation, thereby promoting a cascade of events that ultimately leads to apoptotic cell death. In preclinical studies, docetaxel had a higher affinity for tubulin and was shown to be a more potent inducer of bcl-2 phosphorylation than paclitaxel. Laboratory evidence also supports the clinical evaluation of docetaxel-based combinations that include agents such as trastuzumab and/or estramustine. The pathways for docetaxel-induced apoptosis appear to differ in androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer cells. Further elucidation of these differences will be instrumental in designing targeted regimens for the treatment of localized and advanced prostate cancer.