cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selective attention in an overcrowded auditory scene: Implications for auditory-based brain-computer interface design

Listeners are good at attending to one auditory stream in a crowded environment. However, is there an upper limit of streams present in an auditory scene at which this selective attention breaks down? Here, participants were asked to attend one stream of spoken letters amidst other letter streams. In half of the trials, an initial primer was played, cueing subjects to the sound configuration. Results indicate that performance increases with token repetitions. Priming provided a performance benefit, suggesting that stream selection, not formation, is the bottleneck associated with attention in an overcrowded scene. Results' implications for brain-computer interfaces are discussed.
The Reponse of Duck Erythrocytes to Norepinephrine and an Elevated Extracellular Potassium Volume regulation in isotonic media

This paper presents evidence that duck erythrocytes regulate their size in isotonic media by utilizing a previously reported "volume-controlling mechanism." Two different experimental situations are examined. In the first, cells enlarge in a solution containing norepinephrine and an elevated [K]o; and in the second, enlarged cells shrink to their original size if the norepinephrine and excess potassium are removed. As the erythrocytes enlarge, K, Cl, and H2O accumulate. Shrinkage, in contrast, is accompanied by the controlled loss of K, Cl, and H2O. These changes and the associated changes in membrane permeability resemble those reported previously when duck erythrocytes incubate in anisotonic media. There cells, after first shrinking or swelling, utilize a "volume-controlling mechanism" to reestablish their original size. The mechanism regulates cell size by adjusting the total number of osmotically active intracellular particles. The present studies indicate duck red cells use this mechanism to readjust their total monovalent cation content and thus their solute content in isotonic media as well. In addition, evidence is presented which indicates that the "volume-controlling mechanism" and ouabain-inhibitable cation pump differ functionally.
Randomized Trial Assessing the Effects of Ergocalciferol Administration on Circulating FGF23

Summary Background and objectives Fibroblast growth factor 23 is a phosphate- and vitamin D–regulating hormone. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of ergocalciferol administration on fibroblast growth factor 23 levels in healthy vitamin D–deficient subjects. Design, setting, participants, & measurements In this 12-week trial conducted in a clinical research center, 18- to 45-year-old subjects (n=90) with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels #20 ng/ml (by chemiluminescent immunoassay) were randomized to weekly ergocalciferol treatment of 50,000 international units or placebo, while consuming a self-selected diet. Changes in fibroblast growth factor 23, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (by liquid chromatography/ tandem mass spectroscopy), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and serum phosphate were measured. ResultsMean 25-hydroxyvitamin D (P,0.0001), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (P=0.01), and fibroblast growth factor 23 (P=0.003) increased in the treatment versus placebo group. In the treatment group, 25-hydroxyvitamin D increased from 186 7t o 40612 ng/ml at week 4 (P,0.0001) and remained stable at 43612 ng/ml at week 12 (P,0.0001); 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D increased from 42617 to 52618 pg/ml at week 4 (P,0.001) and then remained stable, and fibroblast growth factor 23 increased from 43617 to 60633 pg/ml at week 8 (P=0.001) and 74642 pg/ml at week 12 (P,0.0001). Urinary phosphate excretion increased within the treatment group, but parathyroid hormone and serum phosphate were unchanged.
Voriconazole monitoring in children with invasive fungal infections.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to determine the optimal daily dose of voriconazole required to achieve therapeutic trough concentrations in children 1 month to 18 years of age. The secondary objective was to analyze the association between voriconazole trough concentrations and clinical and microbiological outcomes, toxicity, and mortality. METHODS: This study was a retrospective chart review (October 2009 to August 2012) of pediatric oncology/bone marrow transplant patients with proven or probable invasive fungal infections treated with intravenous or oral voriconazole. Patients were excluded if they were older than 18 years of age, had no voriconazole concentrations drawn during the study period, or received voriconazole prior to the study period. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were reviewed; 11 patients met all criteria for inclusion. There were 6 males and 5 females, with a median age of 8 years (range: 0.8–14.8) and a median weight of 27 kg (range: 9–74). Doses were adjusted to a ...
Desgin considerations of auto phase number control in multiphase voltage regulators

Automatic phase number control in multiphase voltage regulators can optimize the efficiency over a wide load range by adjusting the operational phase number according to the load current level. Several challenges limit its adoption in real applications. The dropped phases must respond immediately when a step load applies. The compensation network should be adjusted according to the phase number to keep the system stable under all operational conditions. The output voltage ripple and load line, during different phase number operation and during the transitioning of phase adding or dropping, should be kept within the spec. In this paper, some design considerations of auto phase number control are discussed in detail and illustrated with realizations of both optimal efficiency and transient performance across the entire load range.
A transmission electron microscopy study of presolar spinel

Abstract We report on the isotopic and microstructural properties of four presolar spinel grains identified in acid-resistant residues of the Murray CM2 and Orgueil (ORG) CI1 chondrites, and a mixture of the unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (UOC) QUE 97008 (L3.05), WSG 95300 (H3.3), and MET00452 (LL3.05) collected in Antarctica. All four grains have O-isotopic compositions indicating an origin in low-mass (∼1.2–1.4 M⊙) O-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, although two of the grains have compositions indicating that non-standard mixing (cool-bottom processing) likely occurred in their parent stars. Three of the grains are single-crystal Mg–Al-rich spinels containing minor Fe and Cr; one is Mg deficient and one contains minor Ca. The fourth consists of an assemblage of three, Fe–Cr-rich crystalline grains with closely aligned crystallographic orientation but systematically varied cation composition. Each spinel grain within the assemblage also contains Ti-rich sub-grains ( The isotopic and microstructural data indicate that the Al–Mg-rich and Fe–Cr-rich grains experienced different condensation and processing histories. The single-crystal, stoichiometric, nearly pure Mg–Al spinels are generally consistent with equilibrium condensation predictions, which constrain their condensation temperatures between 1161 and 1221 K, assuming total gas pressures of 1 × 10−6 and 1 × 10−3 atm, respectively. Minor stacking disorder is observed in one of the Mg–Al spinels and is probably a result of slight perturbations to crystal growth during condensation in the circumstellar environment or of impact-induced sheer strain as a response to grain-grain collisions, which could have occurred in the circumstellar environment, the interstellar medium, or the solar nebula. The minor Ca in one of the Mg–Al spinels suggests back reaction with the circumstellar gas from which it formed. In comparison, the similarly oriented Fe–Cr-rich grains of the Orgueil assemblage and their homogeneous isotopic compositions are consistent with their condensation as a single circumstellar dust particle. However, the Fe–Cr-rich compositions (nearly chromite) are inconsistent with predictions for equilibrium condensation and suggest a complex cooling history that is not possible to precisely constrain.
Prediction of specific self-evaluations from performance and personality measures.

Summary.-Performance, general self-concept, and specific anxiety were found predicuve of self-evaluauve behavior. This finding was generally supportive of the idea that persons evaluate rhemselves both on the basis of what they do and on the basis of the concept that they hold of themselves. Marston (1965) has noted that self-directed statements can be viewed as a link between self-concept and overt behavior. The individual with a low selfconcept is likely to produce a greater number of self-directed negative statements and the person with a high self-concept is likely to produce a greater number of positive, self-directed statements. The relationship between such statements and general self-concept has been investigated by Felker and Thomas (1971) who found that fourth-grade boys and girls with high self-concept rated positive statements as "better to say to yourself while doing school work than did boys and girls with low self-concep: and by Felker and Sranwyck (1971) who found that specific self-evaluations after an academic task were related to seff-concept scores. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship of performance and personality variables to specific self-evaluations made after an academic task METHOD Ss were from an urban, middle-class, predominantly white elementary school. Three fourth-grade classes were involved in the study. The sample was composed of 88 pupils who were present for all resting sessions. There were approximately equal numbers of boys and girls. The Piers-Harris Self-concept Scale (Piers & Harris, 1964), the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Quesrionnaire (Crandall, Katkovsky, & Crandall, 1965 ) , and the Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (Castaneda, McCandless, & Palerrno, 1965) were administered as the instruments of primary interest. Two other tests were also given to gather information on their vali8ity when used with children. These instruments are the Elementary School Form of rhe Dogmatism Scale (Figert, 1968), and the Affect Adjective Check List (Zuckerman, 1960), which was developed for adults and has not been used with children. The testing of the hypothesis relative to their validity has been reported elsewhere (Felker & Treffinger, 1970; Szarkowicz, 1972). Tescs were administered by teachers in group sessions in random order. The teachers read the items while the children followed in the test booklets and marked their responses on the booklet.
An Efficient Method to Derive Explicit KLT Kernel for First-Order Autoregressive Discrete Process

Signal dependent Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT), also called factor analysis or principal component analysis (PCA), has been of great interest in applied mathematics and various engineering disciplines due to optimal performance. However, implementation of KLT has always been the main concern. Therefore, fixed transforms like discrete Fourier (DFT) and discrete cosine (DCT) with efficient algorithms have been successfully used as good approximations to KLT for popular applications spanning from source coding to digital communications. In this paper, we propose a simple method to derive explicit KLT kernel, or to perform PCA, in closed-form for first-order autoregressive, AR (1), discrete process. It is a widely used approximation to many real world signals. The merit of the proposed technique is shown. The novel method introduced in this paper is expected to make real-time and data-intensive applications of KLT, and PCA, more feasible.
Comparison of a Single Optimized Coil and a Helmholtz Pair for Magnetic Nanoparticle Hyperthermia

Magnetic nanoparticles in a tumor can induce therapeutic heating when energized by an alternating magnetic field from a current-carrying coil outside the body. We analyzed a single-turn, air-core coil carrying a filamentary current to quantify the power absorbed by: a) magnetic nanoparticles at depth in tissue and b) superficial tissue in response to induced eddy currents; we defined this quotient as power ratio (PR). Given some limit on the eddy current heating tolerated by an alert patient, maximizing the PR maximizes the power absorbed in the tumor; all else being equal, this increases the thermal dose delivered to the tumor. The mean eddy current heating rate tolerated in four clinical studies we reviewed equaled 12.5 kW/m $^{3}$ . We differentiated our analytical expression for PR with respect to the radius of the coil to find the value of radius that maximizes PR. Under reasonable simplifying assumptions, the optimal value of coil radius equaled 1.187 times the depth of the nanoparticle target below the body surface. We also derived the PR of two coils surrounding the body configured as a Helmholtz pair. We computed PR for combinations of nanoparticle depths below the surface and axial locations with respect to the coils. At depths less than 4.6 cm, the optimized single coil had a higher PR than that of the Helmholtz pair and furthermore produced less total ohmic heating within the coil. These results were independent of driving frequency, nanoparticle concentration, tissue electrical conductivity, and magnetic nanoparticle heating rate, provided the latter is assumed to be proportional to the product of frequency and the square of the local magnetic field. This paper supports the clinical application of current-carrying coils to deliver efficacious hyperthermia therapy to tumors injected with magnetic nanoparticles.
Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection increases Foxp3, IL-10 and IL-2 in CXCL-10 deficient C57BL/6 mice

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a major cause of malaria mortality. Sequestration of infected red blood cells and leukocytes in brain vessels coupled with the production of pro-inflammatory factors contribute to CM. CXCL-10 a chemokine that is chemotactic to T cells has been linked to fatal CM. Mice deficient for CXCL-10 gene are resistant to murine CM, while antibody ablation of CXCL-10 enhanced the production of regulatory T cells (CD4+Cd25+Foxp3+) and IL-10 which regulate the immune system. Interleukin-2 (IL-2), a pro-inflammatory cytokine implicated in malaria pathogenesis has also been shown to be a key regulator of Foxp3. However the role of Foxp3 in resistant murine CM is not well understood. The hypothesis that resistance of CXCL-10-/- mice to murine CM may be due to enhanced expression of Foxp3 in concert with IL-10 and IL-2 was tested. CXCL-10-/- and WT C57BL/6 mice were infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA and evaluated for CM symptoms. Brain, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma were harvested from infected and uninfected mice at days 2, 4 and 8. Regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+) and non-T regs (CD4+CD25-) were isolated from PBMCs and cultured with P. berghei antigens in vitro with dendritic cells as antigen presenting cells. Regulatory T cell transcription and specific factor Foxp3, was evaluated in mouse brain and PBMCs by realtime-PCR and Western blots while IL-10, and IL-2 were evaluated in plasma and cultured supernatants by ELISA. Wild type mice exhibited severe murine CM symptoms compared with CXCL-10-/- mice. Foxp3 mRNA and protein in brain and PBMC's of CXCL-10-/- mice was significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) by day 4 post-infection (p.i) compared with WT. Plasma levels of IL-10 and IL-2 in infected CXCL-10-/- were higher than in WT mice (p < 0.05) at days 2 and 4 p.i. Ex-vivo CD4+CD25+ T cells from CXCL-10-/- re-stimulated with P. berghei antigens produced more IL-10 than WT CD4+CD25+ T cells. The results indicate that in the absence of CXCL-10, the resulting up-regulation of Foxp3, IL-10 and IL-2 may be involved in attenuating fatal murine CM.
SHAME-PRONENESS, GUILT-PRONENESS, AND INTERPERSONAL PROBLEM SOLVING: A SOCIAL COGNITIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract Research has found a negative relationship between proneness to experience shame and problematic relationships, but no relationship between proneness to guilt and relationship adjustment or maladjustment (Tangney, 1995; Tangney & Dearing, 2002). Social cognitive theory suggests that a reason for the interpersonal problem of shame-prone people is that shame impairs people's ability to generate effective solutions to interpersonal problems and/or diminishes confidence (self-efficacy) in one's ability to implement those solutions. In a study of 233 undergraduates, shame-proneness was negatively correlated with the quality of self-generated solutions to common interpersonal problems, self-efficacy for implementing these solutions, and with the expected effectiveness of those solutions. Guilt-proneness was positively correlated with quality of solutions, self-efficacy for implementing the solutions, the expected effectiveness of the solutions, and with the desire to solve the interpersonal conflict. F...
Intrathyroidally generated iodide: the role of propylthiouracil-sensitive processes in its production

Thyroid radioiodide to serum radioiodide concentration (*T/*S) ratios 1 h after 131I administration were 3 times higher in rats pretreated with propylthiouracil (PTU) than in rats with binding thyroids. Although indications of a preponderance of transported iodide in the thyroid early after 131I injection were found, a reduction of the 1-h *T/*S ratio in TSHtreated rats by the inhibitor of iodotyrosine dehalogenation, mononitrotyrosine, points to an early contribution of intrathyroidally generated (internal) iodide to total thyroid iodide. In rat thyroids labeled 72 h earlier, there was no rise in electrophoretically separated radioiodide 2 h after the administration of PTU alone, but the elevation of thyroid iodide due to TSH was augmented by concurrently given PTU. On the assumption that PTU affects transported components of thyroid iodide identically whether they are labeled 1 or 72 h earlier, we conclude that PTU must severely depress the generation of internal iodide. This effect is no longer evident...
Supersonic Turbulent Boundary Layer in Adverse Pressure Gradient. Part I: The Experiment

Experimental measurements of the mean profile characteristics of the supersonic turbulent boundary layer in a region of moderate adverse pressure gradient along the curved surface of an isentropic ramp model are reported. Detailed surveys of impact pressure, static pressure and total temperature were made through the boundary layer and local values of wall shear stress were obtained using the Preston tube technique. The measurements were made for a nominal tunnel nozzle setting of Mach 3.5, closely adiabatic wall, and momentum thickness Reynolds number of 1.9 to 4.2 x 10. In addition to the mean profile data, fluctuation data were obtained using constant temperature hot wire anemometry at one station in the region of zero pressure gradient and at one station in the region of adverse pressure gradient.
The Runaway Greenhouse: A History of Water on Venus

Radiative-convective equilibrium models of planetary atmospheres are discussed for the case when the infrared opacity is due to a vapor in equilibrium with its liquid or solid phase. For a grey gas, or for a gas which absorbs at all infrared wavelengths, equilibrium is impossible when the solar constant exceeds a critical value. Equilibrium therefore requires that the condensed phase evaporates into the atmosphere. Moist adiabatic and pseudoadiabatic atmospheres in which the condensing vapor is a major atmospheric constituent are considered. This situation would apply if the solar constant were supercritical with respect to an abundant substance such as water. It is shown that the condensing gas would be a major constituent at all levels in such an atmosphere. Photodissociation of water in the primordial Venus atmosphere is discussed in this context.
VLSI systems for embedded video

This paper describes our work in smart cameras as a driver application for very deep submicron VLSI systems. A smart camera uses on-board computing engines to analyze video in real time. In particular, we use algorithms for realtime human gesture recognition as an example of the sorts of next-generation video applications that will be implemented in future VLSI systems. This paper introduces smart camera applications and outlines some of the VLSI challenges posed by such systems.
Operation analysis and numerical approximation for the LLC DC-DC converter

The LLC resonant converter has the advantages of achieving high power efficiency for wide input voltage and load range, which makes it a popular candidate in high power density and high efficiency power converter applications. However, the complex interaction between resonant components makes it hard to analysis. The fundamental harmonic approximation (FHA) is widely adopted as a simplified analysis model. Yet, it has poor accuracy in gain prediction and cannot explain LLC's various operation modes. In this paper, a detailed mode analysis is developed that can offer highly accurate description on the resonant behavior, and the mode distribution under different load and frequency is illustrated and discussed. Moreover, a numerical approach is developed based on the mode model to provide precise peak gain points estimation. An experimental prototype is built to verify the analysis.
Defense of Earth against large comets and asteroids

Increasing scientific evidence strongly supports the conclusion that the major extinctions in the history of life on earth were caused by the impact of large near-earth-orbit objects (NEOs) and that these impacts will continue. Although the annual likelihood of this threat from asteroids and comets is extremely low, the consequences are so disastrous they have no precedent in human history. An example of risk management methodology is applied to planetary defense. The conclusion is that present NEO detection programs should be intensified, NEOs should be characterized through rendezvous missions and that intercept systems studies should be undertaken. Additionally, several examples of technologies involving advanced applications of electrical engineering are identified for development in response to the planetary defense mission.
Dis-integrating mathematics and science in early childhood methods courses: Encouraging discrete content-area proficiency

ABSTRACTMethods for teaching early childhood mathematics and science are often addressed in a single, dual-content course. Approaches to teaching this type of course include thoroughly integrating the content and the pedagogy of both subjects, or keeping the subject areas distinct. In this paper, we discuss and illustrate our approach to teaching such a combined course, and argue that focusing on the subjects’ commonalities without first learning about their epistemological and pedagogical differences may promote an inappropriate assimilation of content and instructional practices. We primarily emphasize preservice teachers’ independent development of pedagogical content knowledge in both mathematics and science, making eventual integration possible through continuing education. By concentrating on one big idea for each subject area and discussing and highlighting the similarities and differences between early childhood mathematics and science methods, we offer preservice teachers a conceptual infrastruct...
Enhanced-Resolution Reconstruction of ASCAT Backscatter Measurements

A wind scatterometer measures the normalized radar cross section σ° of the Earth's surface in order to estimate the ocean near-surface wind. Each measurement is the weighted integral of σ° over an area, so samples of σ° are filtered by a measurement spatial response function (SRF). Enhanced-resolution σ° data may be produced from σ° measurements and their associated SRF using image reconstruction algorithms. These enhancedresolution data products are useful for land and ice studies in addition to high-resolution ocean wind retrieval. The spatial resolution and noise may be improved by combining data for multiple passes, trading off temporal resolution for spatial resolution. In this paper, we consider the production of enhanced-resolution σ° image reconstruction from the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) on the MetOp satellites for land and ice regions. Two previously introduced image reconstruction algorithms, the weighted AVErage (AVE) and Scatterometer Image Reconstruction (SIR), are applied to ASCAT data, as well as a conventional gridding method. We select optimum values of the reconstruction parameters for ASCAT. The imaging algorithms are compared and evaluated, as quantified by the spatial resolution, pixel mean and variance, and pixel correlation of the produced images. The effective spatial resolution of the AVE and SIR reconstructed images is on the order of 15 to 20 km, an improvement over the nominal spatial resolution of 25 and 50 km for the spatially averaged swath-oriented ASCAT L1B products.
Novel high-yield transesterification and transamination routes to P(OCH2)3CCH3 and P[N(CH3)CH2]3CCH3, respectively

Abstract High yields (93–96%) in a one-step syntheses of CH3C(CH2OP(o-O2C6H4))3 (3), CH3C(CH2OPOCH2C(CH3)2CH2O)3 (4) and CH3C(CH2N(CH3)POCH2C(CH3)2CH2O)3 (5) are reported. Compounds 4 and 5 at 100–110° give P(OCH2)3CCH3 (2) and P(N(CH3)CH2)3CCH3 (7) in 97 and 96% yield, respectively, plus the diphosphite (CH3)2C(CH2O)2POCH2C(CH3)2CH2OP(OCH2)2C(CH3)2 (8). Compound 8 was also characterized as its dithiophosphate derivative. Experiments designed to synthesize the adamantane-like P(OCH)3(CH2)3 (9) and P(CH2O)3P (10) in an analogous manner met with only partial success. The tris-phosphate analogue of 4 was also synthesized but it did not thermolyze to OP(OCH2)3CCH3 under the conditions used for 4 and 5 even after prolonged heating.
Heparin calcium treated Henoch–Schönlein purpura nephritis in children through inhibiting hyperfibrinolysis

AbstractAim: To explore the underlying mechanism of low-molecular-weight heparin calcium therapy on Henoch–Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN). Methods: Eighty-nine children with severe HSPN were randomized into control group (treated with conventional therapy, n = 45) and treatment group (treated with conventional therapy plus low-molecular-weight heparin calcium, n = 44). The concentrations of plasma fibrinogen (Fg), d-dimer and fibrin degradation products (FDPs) were detected before and after treatment. The urinary red blood cell (RBC) and 24 h proteinuria were determined weekly for assessing the children’s kidney function. Results: Two groups were well-matched at baseline. After 8 weeks of treatment, the clinical outcomes of HSPN and outcome of proteinuria of the treatment group were better than the control group (p < 0.05); the content of Fg, d-dimer and FDP in plasma of the treatment group were lower than the control group (p < 0.05); but there was no difference about the curative effect of hematuria...
One Face Less: Masks, Time, and the Telling of Stories in Tahar Ben Jelloun’s The Sand Child

Sitting cross-legged in a circle, the men and women train their eyes on the figure in their center. Breathless, the day itself holds still around them for a second, a half-second, waiting. And into the expectant silence the voice of the storyteller speaks; the day resumes its normal bustle, but the seated listeners only lean forward a fraction more. They would not want to miss a single word.
Bacteria liquid SYBR real-time fluorescence PCR for rapid detection of Staphylococcus aureus

Objective To establish bacteria liquid SYBR real-time PCR method for identifying Staphylococcus aureus.Methods According to the specific of staphylococcus aureus genes heat-resistant nuclease nuc to design primers,PCR and SYBR fluorescent PCR dissolution curve method to verify the specificity of the primers;establish a gas-bacilli SYBR fluorescent PCR rapid detection method,milk powder with the specificity of the experiment and strain specific evaluation methods,preparation of genome concentration gradient and colony gradient testing method of sensitivity.Results Using the primers 3 standard strains of the laboratory for PCR amplification,stripes presented were all single band,and in line with the purpose fragment length,16 strains of staphylococcus aureus strains are in unimodal the melting curve,good specificity,no specific amplification,establish microbial SYBR fluorescent PCR method for staphylococcus aureus has good specificity and sensitivity.1 pg / including l DNA concentration sensitivity,and can detect 1 CFU / ml of complex samples.Conclusions The bacteria liquid SYBR real-time PCR method is fast,specific,sensitive,has important significance for rapid detection of staphylococcus aureus.
A charismatic church in a post-Catholic Ireland: negotiating diversity at Abundant Life in Limerick City:

This article analyses Abundant Life Christian Church in Limerick City, a multi-ethnic, Pentecostal/charismatic congregation in the Assemblies of God denomination. It provides insights about how rel...
Attention to Body-Parts Varies With Visual Preference and Verb–Effector Associations

Theories of embodied conceptual meaning suggest fundamental relations between others’ actions, language, and our own actions and visual attention processes. Prior studies have found that when people view an image of a neutral body in a scene they first look toward, in order, the head, torso, hands, and legs. Other studies show associations between action verbs and the body-effectors used in performing the action (e.g., “jump” with feet/legs; “talk” with face/head). In the present experiment, the visual attention of participants was recorded with a remote eye-tracking system while they viewed an image of an actor pantomiming an action and heard a concrete action verb. Participants manually responded whether or not the action image was a good example of the verb they heard. The eye-tracking results confirmed that participants looked at the head most, followed by the hands, and the feet least of all; however, visual attention to each of the body-parts also varied as a function of the effector associated with the spoken verb on image/verb congruent trials, particularly for verbs associated with the legs. Overall, these results suggest that language influences some perceptual processes; however, hearing auditory verbs did not alter the previously reported fundamental hierarchical sequence of directed attention, and fixations on specific body-effectors may not be essential for verb comprehension as peripheral visual cues may be sufficient to perform the task.
Design of a TW-SLIM Module for Dual Polarity Confinement, Transport, and Reactions

Here we describe instrumental approaches for performing dual polarity ion confinement, transport, ion mobility separations, and reactions in structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM). Previous means of ion confinement in SLIM, based upon rf-generated pseudopotentials and DC fields for lateral confinement, cannot trap ions of opposite polarity simultaneously. Here we explore alternative approaches to provide simultaneous lateral confinement of both ion polarities. Traveling wave ion mobility (IM) separations experienced in such SLIM cause ions of both polarities to migrate in the same directions and exhibit similar separations. The ion motion (and relative motion of the two polarities) under both surfing and IM separation conditions are discussed. In surfing conditions the two polarities are transported losslessly and non-reactively in their respective potential minima (higher absolute voltage regions confine negative polarities, and lower absolute potential regions are populated by positive polarities). In separation mode, where ions roll over an overtaking traveling wave, the two polarities can interact during the rollovers. Strategies to minimize overlap of the two ion populations to prevent reactive losses during separations are presented. A theoretical treatment of the time scales over which two populations (injected into a DC field-free region of the dual polarity SLIM device) interact is considered, and SLIM designs for allowing ion/ion interactions and other manipulations with dual polarities at 4 Torr are presented. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.
Use of 3D models of vascular rings and slings to improve resident education.

Objective Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a manufacturing method by which an object is created in an additive process, and can be used with medical imaging data to generate accurate physical reproductions of organs and tissues for a variety of applications. We hypothesized that using 3D printed models of congenital cardiovascular lesions to supplement an educational lecture would improve learners' scores on a board-style examination. Design and Intervention Patients with normal and abnormal aortic arches were selected and anonymized to generate 3D printed models. A cohort of pediatric and combined pediatric/emergency medicine residents were then randomized to intervention and control groups. Each participant was given a subjective survey and an objective board-style pretest. Each group received the same 20-minutes lecture on vascular rings and slings. During the intervention group's lecture, 3D printed physical models of each lesion were distributed for inspection. After each lecture, both groups completed the same subjective survey and objective board-style test to assess their comfort with and postlecture knowledge of vascular rings. Results There were no differences in the basic demographics of the two groups. After the lectures, both groups' subjective comfort levels increased. Both groups' scores on the objective test improved, but the intervention group scored higher on the posttest. Conclusions This study demonstrated a measurable gain in knowledge about vascular rings and pulmonary artery slings with the addition of 3D printed models of the defects. Future applications of this teaching modality could extend to other congenital cardiac lesions and different learners.
Modeling Regulatory Ambiguities for Requirements Analysis

Lawyers and policy makers regularly and intentionally use ambiguous language in laws, regulations, and other legal texts. Although ambiguity has important policy benefits, such as interpretive resilience in an ever-changing world, it frustrates engineers and businesses seeking to build software systems that are demonstratively compliant with legal obligations. In this vision paper, we propose a method for modeling legal texts alongside models of software requirements or design artifacts. Our approach allows engineers to reason about regulatory ambiguity separately from their system under development and then trace interpretive decisions made about the legal text to affected requirements models. When a regulation is updated or case law demands a new interpretation of a regulation, engineers can evaluate the effect of the changes on the current design and respond appropriately. Inspired by User Requirements Notation, our proposed method can be implemented as an extension to Legal-GRL.
Covariance Estimation for GPS-LiDar Sensor Fusion for UAVs

Outdoor applications for small-scale Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) commonly rely on Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers for continuous and accurate position estimates. However, in urban areas GPS satellite signals might be reflected or blocked by buildings, resulting in multipath or non-line-of-sight (NLOS) errors. In such cases, additional onboard sensors such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) are desirable. Kalman Filtering and its variations are commonly used to fuse GPS and LiDAR measurements. However, it is important, yet challenging, to accurately characterize the error covariance of the sensor measurements. In this paper, we propose a GPS-LiDAR fusion technique with a novel method for efficiently modeling the position error covariance based on LiDAR point clouds. We model the covariance as a function features distributed in the point cloud. We use the LiDAR point clouds in two ways: to estimate incremental motion by matching consecutive point clouds; and, to estimate global pose by matching with a 3-dimensional (3D) city model. For GPS measurements, we use the 3D city model to eliminate NLOS satellites and model the measurement covariance based on the received signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) values. Finally, all the above measurements and error covariance matrices are input to an Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF), which estimates the globally referenced pose of the UAV. To validate our algorithm, we conduct UAV experiments in GPS-challenged urban environments on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus.
Divination in the Ancient World, from Plato to the Neo-Platonists by Way of Aristotle and the Stoics. A Review of Peter T. Struck’s Divination and Human Nature

Divination is nowadays considered a pseudoscience or a parlor trick. Consequently, we are inclined to dismiss the ancient Greco-Romans’ interest in it as misguided and an intellectual dead end. But a new book by Peter Struck traces an intellectual history of divination from Plato to Aristotle and from the Stoics to the Neoplatonists, re-interpreting the concept as an early attempt to make sense of what we today call intuition.
Effects of ozone on transepithelial potential of mouse trachea

The effects of ozone on tracheal electrical potential were investigated in inbred strains of mice that are differentially susceptible to ozone-induced inflammation. In male mice (9-13 wk), a tracheostomy was made under pentobarbital anesthesia for spontaneous breathing and tracheal potential was measured in the cephalad portion of the bisected trachea using Hanks' salt/agar-capped KCl bridges connected to a pair of calomel half cells. The mean tracheal potentials of five different strains of mice (C3H/HeJ, DBA/2J, C57BL/6J, BALB/cJ, and 129/J) were approximately 10 mV (lumen negative) with no significant interstrain difference. Amiloride reduced mouse tracheal potentials by approximately 70% in both C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6J mice, indicating that sodium absorption is the predominant ion transport across this tissue. Relative to air-exposed controls, acute ozone exposure (2 ppm for 3 h) significantly attenuated tracheal potential of inflammation-susceptible C57BL/6J mice by approximately 50% at 6 h and 40% at 24 h postexposure but had no effect immediately after exposure. The mean tracheal potential of C3H/HeJ mice was not changed by ozone. The differential effect of acute ozone exposure on tracheal potential in C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ mice is consistent with differential susceptibility to ozone-induced increases in epithelial permeability in these strains.
Isolated Tear of the Pectoralis Minor Tendon in a Professional American Football Quarterback: A Case Report.

Case A 27-year-old right-hand-dominant National Football League (NFL) quarterback injured his right shoulder after falling with the elbow flexed and the shoulder flexed and slightly abducted. He noted an immediate onset of right anterior shoulder pain, but was able to continue playing and throwing without notable deficit. Magnetic resonance imaging of the chest revealed an isolated tear of the pectoralis minor tendon. The patient received nonoperative local treatment and was able to start as quarterback at the next game. Conclusion An isolated pectoralis minor tear in the dominant arm of a professional throwing athlete may be successfully treated with nonoperative local treatment and shoulder strengthening and stabilization exercises, allowing an early return to competition.
Chemical investigations of Element 108, Hassium (Hs)

The basic aim of chemistry experiments of transactinide elements (TAN) is to establish their place in the periodic table of the elements, i.e. to determine if their chemical behavior is similar to the one of supposed homologs. In this contribution I will try to give an overview of all chemical experiments on element 108, hassium (Hs) that have been reported to date. Based on the systematics of the periodic table, Hs is expected to be a member of group 8 and therefore homologous to osmium (Os) and ruthenium (Ru). As a member of the transactinide series, its experimental investigation is complicated by low production cross-sections and short half-lives. It has therefore been successfully investigated only recently. Already in the seventies of the last century, several authors mentioned the tetroxides of the two heavier group 8 elements, Ru and Os, to be very outstanding compounds with respect to their unusually high volatility. A possible HsO{sub 4} was considered suitable for isolating Hs from unwanted by-products of the nuclear production reaction. While RuO{sub 4}4 is rather unstable, OsO{sub 4} is well-known to be a stable compound and is widely used in organic chemistry. Recent theoretical calculations on the electronic structure and propertiesmore » of Hs [5,6] predict the formation of a stable HsO{sub 4} whose properties should be similar to the ones of OsO{sub 4}. This is in agreement with an extrapolation of the trend established in group 8 of the periodic table by Ru and Os [7]. All of the reported experiments on the chemistry of Hs therefore aimed at a formation of this compound. Hs was discovered in 1984, when Muenzenberg et al. reported the observation of a correlated decay-chain from {sup 265}Hs formed in the nuclear reaction {sup 58}Fe({sup 208}Pb; n) [8]. However, its half-life is only 1.55 ms, too short for a successful chemistry experiment. Early chemistry experiments therefore aimed at the production and detection of more neutron-rich Hs isotopes which were expected to be longer-lived. In some experiments, a nuclide with a higher Z was produced which was expected to subsequently decay to an isotope of element 108. In 1996, {sup 269}Hs (T{sub 1/2} {approx} 10 s) was discovered [9], and it was this relatively long-lived isotope which was used in the recent experiments. In this report, all experiments on the chemical investigation of Hs are presented in a chronological order.« less
Input Signal Synthesis for Open-Loop Multiple-Input/Multiple-Output Testing

Many in the structural dynamics community are currently researching a range of multiple-input/multiple-output problems and largely rely on commercially-available closed-loop controllers to execute their experiments. Generally, these commercially-available control systems are robust and prove adequate for a wide variety of testing. However, with the development of new techniques in this field, researchers will want to exercise these new techniques in laboratory tests. For example, modifying the control or input estimation method can have benefits to the accuracy of control, or provide higher response for a given input. Modification of the control methods is not typically possible in commercially-available control systems, therefore it is desirable to have some methodology available which allows researchers to synthesize input signals for multiple-input/multiple-output experiments. Here, methods for synthesizing multiply-correlated time histories based on desired cross spectral densities are demonstrated and then explored to understand effects of various parameters on the resulting signals, their statistics, and their relation to the specified cross spectral densities. This paper aims to provide researchers with a simple, step-by-step process which can be implemented to generate input signals for open-loop multiple-input/multiple-output experiments.
Immune Therapy for Autoimmune Uveitis

Intraocular inflammatory disease (uveitis) presents an ongoing challenge to ophthalmologists dealing with this problem. The term “uveitis” has been used since the last century, since it was felt that the problem stemmed from an inflammation of uvea. Today, it is clear that this limited definition is not the case, and the term denotes any intraocular inflammatory disease, no matter what the cause and no matter what portion of the eye is affected by the disorder. Ocular inflammation is commonly dealt with by all ophthalmologists, either as a primary or secondary problem. It is the cause of about 10% of the severe visual handicap in the United States and Great Britain (U.S. DHEW., 1976). The diseases that fall under the umbrella term “uveitis” generally strike children and young adults, and thus often have a major impact on the family structure. The disorders are grouped as to those affecting the anterior and posterior portions of the globe. The International Uveitis Study Group, made up of 26 ophthalmologists currently representing many nations, has developed guidelines for the classification of uveitis. The disease entities are divided into three broad categories: anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis, and posterior uveitis. This simplified system permits a standardized system for the classification of these disorders.
The Saga of the Nodulin Genes

The nodulins, nodule-specific host gene products, were first identified from soybean and nodulin-35 was detected to be the second most abundant protein in soybean root nodules 1. Following this, a group of other nodulins were detected using various immunological approaches and 2-D gel analysis2 and nodulin-35 was characterized to be a subunit of the nodule-specific uricase3. These early studies, coupled with DNA sequence hybridization4 and differential screening of nodule cDNA libraries5 established that a group of host genes encoding nodulins is induced following infection of the host plants by rhizobia. This group was later divided into early and late nodulins6 and each group was generally considered to play a role in early root nodule morphogenesis and function, respectively. During the last 10 years almost 200 such genes, in addition to leghemoglobin genes, have been identified from different legume hosts.
Frontiers: Asymmetric Effects of Recreational Cannabis Legalization

This study examines the effects of recreational cannabis legalization on adults versus youth and on the alcohol and tobacco industries.
PARP Inhibition in Cancer: An Update on Clinical Development

PARP (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase) inhibitors represent a novel class of anti-cancer therapy; they take advantage of synthetic lethality and induce cell death by exploiting a defect in DNA repair. This class of medication was initially evaluated in patients with BRCA-associated tumors, but efficacy was also demonstrated in other populations. Since 2014, four PARP inhibitors have been approved in various indications: olaparib, niraparib, and rucaparib in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, and olaparib and talazoparib in metastatic breast cancer. The exact indications and study populations vary slightly between the different approvals in both disease states but there is significant overlap. PARP inhibitors continue to be investigated in ongoing clinical trials. In line with other targeted therapies, benefit appears to be strongest in a distinct population of patients with BRCA mutations or other defects in homologous recombination repair. Combination therapies, which include anti-angiogenesis agents and immunotherapy, show promise as a strategy to broaden efficacy for unselected patients. Initial studies of PARP inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy were limited by toxicity, but further studies are underway. To date, head-to-head trials comparing various PARP inhibitors have not been conducted, so questions remain in terms of choosing a PARP inhibitor to administer when indications overlap, as well as how to sequence these medications. Here we review both completed and ongoing clinical trials involving PARP inhibitors and mechanisms of resistance to this class of drugs.