cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new method for temperature-field reconstruction during ultrasound-monitored cryosurgery using potential-field analogy

The current study aims at developing computational tools in order to gain information about the thermal history in areas invisible to ultrasound imaging during cryosurgery. This invisibility results from the high absorption rate of the ultrasound energy by the frozen region, which leads to an apparent opacity in the cryotreated area and a shadow behind it. A proof-of-concept for freezing-front estimation is demonstrated in the current study, using the new potential-field analogy method (PFAM). This method is further integrated with a recently developed temperature-field reconstruction method (TFRM) to estimate the temperature distribution within the frozen region. This study uses prostate cryosurgery as a developmental model and trans-rectal ultrasound imaging as a choice of practice. Results of this study indicate that the proposed PFAM is a viable and computationally inexpensive solution to estimate the extent of freezing in the acoustic shadow region. Comparison of PFAM estimations and experimental data shows an average mismatch of less than 2 mm in freezing-front location, which is comparable to the uncertainty in ultrasound imaging. Comparison of the integrated PFAM + TFRM scheme with a full-scale finite-elements analysis (FEA) indicates an average mismatch of 0.9 mm for the freezing front location and 0.1 mm for the lethal temperature isotherm of -45 °C. Comparison of the integrated PFAM + TFRM scheme with experimental temperature measurements show a difference in the range of 2 °C and 6 °C for selected points of measurement. Results of this study demonstrate the integrated PFAM + TFRM scheme as a viable and computationally inexpensive means to gain information about the thermal history in the frozen region during ultrasound-monitored cryosurgery.
What Do You Know? Comparing Political and Consumer Knowledge

Survey research shows that voters know embarrassingly little about politics. Some scholars believe this finding demonstrates that representative democracy does not work. Others argue that voters do not need much information to make political decisions. Neither strand of research provides a baseline for evaluating political knowledge. We seek to establish a baseline by putting political knowledge into broader context. We do so by asking the following: How does voters’ knowledge about politics compare to their knowledge about things with which they have far more immediate, frequent, and intimate encounters? Our presumption is they should know more about everyday consumer and investment products than they do about politics where their own choices are far removed from outcomes in time and space. Using a unique survey, we show that voters actually knew at least as much about politics as they knew about everyday consumer products.
Defining Forgiveness: Historical Roots, Contemporary Research, and Key Considerations for Health Outcomes

In the growing literature on the psychology of forgiveness, definitions play a crucial role. Depending on how one defines forgiveness, the information gathered, conclusions drawn, and implications suggested can differ widely. This is particularly true for the relationship between forgiveness and health outcomes. In this chapter we review the theological, philosophical, and cultural roots of forgiveness as well as contemporary research into forgiveness as a multifaceted construct. Throughout the chapter, implications for how a given definition may relate forgiveness to health are offered. Ultimately, rather than arguing for a single broad definition, we provide five key considerations for use in future research into the forgiveness-health link.
Photometric Ambient Occlusion for Intrinsic Image Decomposition

We present a method for computing ambient occlusion (AO) for a stack of images of a Lambertian scene from a fixed viewpoint. Ambient occlusion, a concept common in computer graphics, characterizes the local visibility at a point: it approximates how much light can reach that point from different directions without getting blocked by other geometry. While AO has received surprisingly little attention in vision, we show that it can be approximated using simple, per-pixel statistics over image stacks, based on a simplified image formation model. We use our derived AO measure to compute reflectance and illumination for objects without relying on additional smoothness priors, and demonstrate state-of-the art performance on the MIT Intrinsic Images benchmark. We also demonstrate our method on several synthetic and real scenes, including 3D printed objects with known ground truth geometry.
Effects of morphology, concentration and contact duration of carbon-based nanoparticles on cytotoxicity of l929 cells

Study of nanomaterials and their characteristics have added a new dimension to the rapid development of nanotechnology. Carbon-based nanomaterials are considered to be one of the key elements in nanotechnology since they are known to exhibit a variety of unusual properties which make them beneficial in the field of medicine and bioengineering. Nanoparticles, because of their size are capable of entering the human body by different modes and can spread to different parts by physical translocation or chemical clearance processes and hence requires a thorough understanding of their interaction with biological molecules, sub-cellular units, cells, tissues, and organs. Cytotoxicity of four types of carbon based nanomaterials — Carbon Nanowire (CNW), Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), Graphene and Fullerene, on L929 mouse fibroblast cancerous cells is evaluated by MTT Assay. An analysis based on morphology, concentration and contact duration is discussed in this paper. Graphene was the most toxic material with an average toxicity of 52.24%, followed by CNTs, Fullerene and CNW. The differences in the toxicity levels has been attributed to different structural arrangements and aspect ratio. Lower concentration levels exhibited lower levels of cytotoxicity in three of the four nanomaterials but contact duration failed to show any fixed trend.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
The Influence of Top Managers’ Values and Power on Corporate Social Performance: A Meta-analysis

Although research has accumulated regarding top managers’ influence on corporate social performance (SCP), theoretical arguments and empirical findings have been mixed and even conflicting. Through...
Comparative Serology of Carnivores

One order of mammals in which there still remains a number of problems in relationships even after extensive morphological and paleontological studies is the Carnivora. The relationships of the higher categories within this order have not been adequately resolved. Comparative biochemical studies of proteins, using serological techniques, provide a means of zoological classification which supplements morphological studies. Nuttall (1904) was the first to use the precipitin serological reaction extensively to study mammalian relationships. Even though his tests were unsatisfactory in some respects, he was able to conclude that the amount and rate of serological reaction offer an index of the degree of blood relationship. The application of quantitative comparative serology in mammalian systematics has been well established by Boyden (1926), (1942). The precipitin test has been applied to studies of relationship among the Bovidae and Cervidae (Wolfe, 1939; Baier and Wolfe, 1942), among the Rodentia (Levine and Moody, 1939), among the Lagomorpha (Moody, et al. , 1949), between the Cetacea and other orders of mammals (Boyden and Gemeroy, 1950), and within the Order Marsupialia (Wemyss, 1953). The principal reason for making the study here reported on was to determine serologically the interfamily relationshps among the carnivores. A second study was made to determine the position of the giant panda relative to the Ursidae and the Procyonidae. A third study was made to determine serologically the relationships among the domestic dog, coyote, and timber wolf. These studies were supported, in part, by a research contract, NR 163-012, between the University of Kansas and the Office of Naval Research. Antigens .—A list of the species whose proteins were compared is given in Table 1. Serum proteins were the antigens used throughout this study. A saline extract of the muscle of the mink was used in a few …
A Dynamic Agent Ordering Based Algorithm for Distributed CSPs

Distributed CSPs have become a new hotspot in AI recently.It extends the application of CSPs to the complex distributed environment.Improves the agent ordering strategy in concurrent search for solving distributed CSPs,and combines dynamic agent ordering with concurrent search.At the same time, an algorithm based on dynamic agent ordering that is fit for distributed environment is proposed.Experiments of several random CSPs have been done,and the results show that the improved method performs better on efficiency and communication overhead.
Kinetic modeling of Moorella thermoacetica growth on single and dual-substrate systems

Acetic acid is an important chemical raw material that can be produced directly from sugars in lignocellulosic biomass. Development of kinetic models that capture the bioconversion dynamics of multiple sugar systems will be critical to optimization and process control in future lignocellulosic biorefinery processes. In this work, a kinetic model was developed for the single- and dual-substrate conversion of xylose and glucose to acetic acid using the acetogen Moorella thermoacetica. Batch fermentations were performed experimentally at 20 g L(-1) total sugar concentration using synthetic glucose, xylose, and a mixture of glucose and xylose at a 1:1 ratio. The product yield, calculated as total product formed divided by total sugars consumed, was 79.2, 69.9, and 69.7 % for conversion of glucose, xylose, and a mixture of glucose and xylose (1:1 ratio), respectively. During dual-substrate fermentation, M. thermoacetica demonstrated diauxic growth where xylose (the preferred substrate) was almost entirely consumed before consumption of glucose began. Kinetic parameters were similar for the single-substrate fermentations, and a strong linear correlation was determined between the maximum specific growth rate μ max and substrate inhibition constant, K s . Parameters estimated for the dual-substrate system demonstrated changes in the specific growth rate of both xylose and glucose consumption. In particular, the maximum growth rate related to glucose tripled compared to the single-substrate system. Kinetic growth is affected when multiple substrates are present in a fermentation system, and models should be developed to reflect these features.
Options for Online Undergraduate Courses in Biology at American Colleges and Universities

This analysis of online offerings in biology indicates that offerings at 2-year public colleges are common, while 4-year public and private institutions are lagging. Biology courses commonly offere...
Comparative Neurologic Outcomes of Salvage and Definitive Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Glomus Jugulare: A 20-Year Experience

Objective This case series investigates management of glomus jugulare (GJ) tumors utilizing definitive and salvage Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKSRS). Methods A retrospective chart review was performed to collect data. Statistical analysis included patient, tumor, and treatment information. Results From 1996 to 2013, 17 patients with GJ received GKSRS. Median age was 64 years (range, 27–76). GKSRS was delivered for definitive treatment in eight (47%) and salvage in nine (53%) patients. Median tumor volume was 9.8 cm3 (range, 2.8–42 cm3). Median dose was 15 Gy (range, 13–18 Gy). Median follow-up was 123 months (range, 38–238 months). Tumor size decreased in 10 (59%), stabilized in 6 (35%), and increased in 1 patient (6%). Overall neurological deficit improved in 53%, stabilized in 41%, and worsened in 6% of patients. Overall cause-specific survival was 100%, and actuarial local control was 94%. Eighty-eight percent of patients without prior resection experienced neurologic deficit improvement, while 25% of patients with prior resection experienced neurologic improvement (p = 0.02). Conclusion Gamma Knife radiosurgery provides effective long-term control of GJ and overall improvement or stabilization of neurological deficit in most patients. Patients with prior resection are less likely to experience improvement of neurologic deficit.
Temporal synchrony and audiovisual integration of speech and object stimuli in autism.

Abstract Background Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have been shown to have multisensory integration deficits, which may lead to problems perceiving complex, multisensory environments. For example, understanding audiovisual speech requires integration of visual information from the lips and face with auditory information from the voice, and audiovisual speech integration deficits can lead to impaired understanding and comprehension. While there is strong evidence for an audiovisual speech integration impairment in ASD, it is unclear whether this impairment is due to low level perceptual processes that affect all types of audiovisual integration or if it is specific to speech processing. Method Here, we measure audiovisual integration of basic speech (i.e., consonant-vowel utterances) and object stimuli (i.e., a bouncing ball) in adolescents with ASD and well-matched controls. We calculate a temporal window of integration (TWI) using each individual’s ability to identify which of two videos (one temporally aligned and one misaligned) matches auditory stimuli. The TWI measures tolerance for temporal asynchrony between the auditory and visual streams, and is an important feature of audiovisual perception. Results While controls showed similar tolerance of asynchrony for the simple speech and object stimuli, individuals with ASD did not. Specifically, individuals with ASD showed less tolerance of asynchrony for speech stimuli compared to object stimuli. In individuals with ASD, decreased tolerance for asynchrony in speech stimuli was associated with higher ratings of autism symptom severity. Conclusions These results suggest that audiovisual perception in ASD may vary for speech and object stimuli beyond what can be accounted for by stimulus complexity.
Problem-Intervention-Outcome Meta-Model Project Design

Building on the PIO MM single group before and after design, intervention effectiveness research, quality improvement activities, and program evaluation design strategies are addressed in this chapter, with examples of designs that may be constructed based on this fundamental meta-model. Such designs may build on any aspect of the model to show and relate multiple populations of interest, problems, and interventions, along with related contextual factors. Variations on the single group before and after design are presented with particular attention to details regarding use of observational datasets. The use of comparisons for population characteristics, interventions, and outcomes is described. Time as a property of the model and an aspect of data collection is discussed. The use of a mixed methods approach is suggested as a way of validating findings.
Physical therapists collect different outcome measures after total joint arthroplasty as compared to most orthopaedic surgeons: a New England study

Abstract Background Following total knee and hip arthroplasty, patient progress can be assessed with patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and performance-based outcome measures (PBOMs). The American Joint Replacement Registry 2016 guide recommends collecting several measures, including Patient Reported Outcome Measure Information System Global, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Jr, and Hip Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Jr. This study aimed to assess the current and anticipated use of PROMs and PBOMs by New England physical therapists. Methods An online survey was conducted in July and August of 2015 asking physical therapists in New England to rate their current and anticipated future use of PROMs and PBOMs in terms of clinical decision making associated with the treatment and care of patients after total hip and knee replacement. Results There were 122 responses. The most often used and recommended PROMS were the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (99.2% and 97.5%, respectively) and Lower Extremity Function Scale (76.2% and 77.0%). There was significant variability in the use of different PBOMs, but the most often used and recommended were the Timed Up and Go (93.4% and 85.2%) and the Single Leg Balance Test (90.2% and 87.7%). Conclusions This study suggests that orthopaedic surgeons and physical therapists use different PROMs and PBOMs for postoperative assessment of total joint patients and highlights the need for more collaboration and consistency between these disciplines.
Comparison of thrombin and ristocetin in the interaction between von Willebrand factor and platelets

It is known that the antibiotic ristocetin exposes the platelet membrane receptor for factor VIII/von Willebrand glycoprotein (FVIII/vWF). Recent reports suggest that low concentrations of thrombin also cause platelet membrane receptors to become available for FVIII/vWF. As a consequence, the suspicion has been raised that thrombin provides similar or equivalent activity in vivo to that observed for ristocetin under in vitro conditions. In this study, we quantitated the extent to which thrombin promotes the binding of FVII/vWF to platelets and determined whether or not this interaction initiates or complements platelet aggregation. With ristocetin present, the amount of 125I-FVIII/vWF that became platelet-bound correlated closely with the onset, rate, and extent of platelet aggregation. In contrast, at every thrombin concentration tested, the amount of 125I- FVIII/vWF that specifically bound to platelets was about 6% of that observed with ristocetin. Significantly, FVIII/vWF did not augment the rate of aggregation of platelets in response to thrombin or initiate platelet aggregation when subaggregating doses of thrombin were used. These observations indicate that the minimal association that occurs between FVIII/vWF and the platelet membrane in the presence of thrombin does not correlate with platelet aggregation and therefore is not analogous to the effects of ristocetin. Whether the low level of binding relates to another process, such as platelet-endothelial interactions, remains unknown.
The Effect of Gestational Weight Gain on Persistent Increase in Body Mass Index in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study.

Abstract Background: Weight retention after pregnancy is a concern for adolescents who may be entering adulthood at unhealthy weights. Methods: We studied associations between each of three measures: prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), and postpregnancy BMI in a longitudinal follow-up of an adolescent pregnancy study cohort. BMI and GWG were compared using t-tests and linear regression. Results: Among 91 adolescents, mean prepregnancy BMI was 24.6 [standard deviation (SD) 5.7] and mean GWG was 15.5 kg [SD 6.3]. Overall, prepregnancy BMI was not significantly related to GWG (p = 0.145). Among 42 teens with postpregnancy weight data, within 4 years of their first delivery, mean postpregnancy BMI was 26.3 [SD 5.0] with an average BMI increase of 2.0 points [SD 5.1] (p = 0.013) from prepregnancy. Within 4 years of their first delivery, 45% of teens moved to a higher BMI category. For every 4.5 kg (10 lb) increase in GWG, BMI within 4 years increased on average by 1.6 points (p =...
Adulteration of Drugs-of-Abuse Specimens

Persons abusing drugs attempt to adulterate urine specimens in order to beat drug testing. Dilution of urine in vivo by consuming excess fluid and various detoxifying agents available through the Internet is a common practice. Household chemicals such as bleach, acid, table salt, laundry detergent, toilet-bowl cleaner, vinegar, lemon juice, and Visine® (Pfizer) eye drops are also used for adulterating urine specimens. Most of these adulterants except Visine eye drops can be detected by routine specimen integrity tests (creatinine, pH, temperature, and specific gravity). However, certain adulterants, such as Klear™, Whizzies, Urine Luck™, and Stealth™, cannot be detected by using routine specimen integrity testing. These adulterants can successfully mask drug testing if the concentrations of certain abused drugs are moderate. Several spot tests have been described in the literature to detect the presence of such adulterants in urine. More recently, urine dipsticks are commercially available (AdultaCheck® 4 [Sciteck], Adulta-Check 6, Intect® 7 [Branan Medical Corporation]) for detecting the presence of such adulterants along with creatinine, pH, and specific gravity. Hair and saliva testing for abused drugs are gaining popularity because such specimens are collected directly from a person. Moreover, abused drugs can be detected for a longer time in hair. Recently, certain hair shampoo and saliva cleaning products have become available to beat drug testing involving hair or saliva specimens.
The Setting, II: The Patient’s Home

One obvious difference between the patient’s home environment and the hospital or long-term institution is that the basic purpose of the institution is to give care to sick people. Its activities, whether carried out well or poorly, are centered on this purpose and geared to its fulfillment. In one’s home, however, illness is the exception rather than the rule. Consequently, the nurse who works in the home setting is likely to have to improvise a great deal in order to provide patient care in the existing environment.
Some Bayesian Approaches for Estimating the Failure Rate

In this paper we discuss several Bayesian approaches for estimating the failure rate function when no a priori assumption is made about the parametric family of the underlying life distribution. Our results are based on an extension of the existing Bayesian estimates of the cumulative distribution function, which have recently appeared in the literature. In the sequel, we introduce and review the Dirichlet process, the gamma process, and Processes Neutral to the Right, and point out their relevance and usefulness for the problem at hand.
Light and a Circadian Clock Modulate Structure and Function in Limulus Photoreceptors

Efferent nerve signals transmitted from the brain modulate the response characteristics of sensory organs in a number of animals (1) and thereby may play an important role in processing the sensory information the brain receives. Extensive studies of the Limulus visual system have contributed significantly to our understanding of the retinal mechanisms that process the information transmitted to the brain (2, 3). Recent work in our laboratory now reveals that the response characteristics of the retina of the Limulus lateral eye are strongly influenced by efferent nerve signals transmitted from a circadian clock located in the brain (4).
The Avian Shell Gland: A Study in Calcium Translocation

Knowledge for our understanding of the molecular and cellular events that operate in the metabolism of calcium is derived from a number of research thrusts. One avenue of information flows from a study of models from nature that have developed uniquely specialized systems for handling ionized or nonionized forms of the metal. A segment of the avian oviduct exemplifies such a natural model, and this chapter is an effort to codify and interpret current research findings that elucidate the cellular and molecular details by which the tissues of the avian shell gland channel the movement of calcium from the blood to ultimate crystallization as an egg shell in the form of the mineral calcite. Understanding of the organization and role of subcellular structures and molecular moieties that participate in the metabolism of the metal movement is far from complete; the control mechanisms that signal discrete events, such as initiation of calcium movement, are even more vaguely delineated. However, collectively, current information provides a framework of related events that have been used by the authors with a certain degree of license to speculate on the order and interrelation of the cellular processes involved.
The Clinical Relevance of the Bone Vascular System: Age-Related Implications

]The microcirculation of bone and marrow is vital for bone development, maintenance, and repair. In addition to the well-known function of transporting oxygen, nutrients, systemic hormones, precursor cells, waste, etc., the bone vascular network plays a role in the mechanical induction of bone formation. In addition, arteries and marrow sinusoids are critical components of hematopoietic stem cell niches. This review discusses the various roles of the bone and marrow microcirculation in regard to (1) bone development, remodeling, and fracture repair; (2) the regulation of bone intramedullary pressure and interstitial fluid flow; and (3) the mobilization of mature blood cells into the peripheral circulation. Age-associated dysfunction of the microcirculation is discussed in relation to how it may disturb bone and marrow homeostasis, fracture repair, and organismal vitality. Finally, the review invites the reader to consider the efficacy of treatments designed to alleviate bone and marrow pathologies in the face of a compromised vascular network.
Origins and evolution of CRISPR-Cas systems

CRISPR-Cas, the bacterial and archaeal adaptive immunity systems, encompass a complex machinery that integrates fragments of foreign nucleic acids, mostly from mobile genetic elements (MGE), into CRISPR arrays embedded in microbial genomes. Transcripts of the inserted segments (spacers) are employed by CRISPR-Cas systems as guide (g)RNAs for recognition and inactivation of the cognate targets. The CRISPR-Cas systems consist of distinct adaptation and effector modules whose evolutionary trajectories appear to be at least partially independent. Comparative genome analysis reveals the origin of the adaptation module from casposons, a distinct type of transposons, which employ a homologue of Cas1 protein, the integrase responsible for the spacer incorporation into CRISPR arrays, as the transposase. The origin of the effector module(s) is far less clear. The CRISPR-Cas systems are partitioned into two classes, class 1 with multisubunit effectors, and class 2 in which the effector consists of a single, large protein. The class 2 effectors originate from nucleases encoded by different MGE, whereas the origin of the class 1 effector complexes remains murky. However, the recent discovery of a signalling pathway built into the type III systems of class 1 might offer a clue, suggesting that type III effector modules could have evolved from a signal transduction system involved in stress-induced programmed cell death. The subsequent evolution of the class 1 effector complexes through serial gene duplication and displacement, primarily of genes for proteins containing RNA recognition motif domains, can be hypothetically reconstructed. In addition to the multiple contributions of MGE to the evolution of CRISPR-Cas, the reverse flow of information is notable, namely, recruitment of minimalist variants of CRISPR-Cas systems by MGE for functions that remain to be elucidated. Here, we attempt a synthesis of the diverse threads that shed light on CRISPR-Cas origins and evolution. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The ecology and evolution of prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems'.
The Role of Hope in Negotiation

Economic models of bargaining do not include a role for "hope" or "aspiration." This article offers two theories of hope that go beyond the redundant or ad hoc use of the term that one finds in the negotiation literature. The first, a "Satiation" theory of hope, asserts (contrary to economists' assumptions) that a negotiator's marginal utility is not constant. If there is a punctuated decrease in marginal utility-a "satiation point"-the negotiator will not negotiate very hard (if at all) to extract value beyond this point. Hope or aspiration thus becomes an outer limit on the negotiator's desires. A second theory of hope, dubbed an "Optimism" theory, views hope as a cognitive distortion upsetting the usual economic assumption that negotiators are rational actors. Hope distorts negotiators' estimations of any or all of the primitives of bargaining (e.g. either side's BATNA, costs of bargaining, etc.). This distortion is not always dysfunctional, however, because it may counteract other dynamics-including other cognitive distortions-that would work against settlement. Indeed, I argue that under a theory of optimism or satiation, hope can facilitate integrative bargaining. If this is true, some negotiators should try to raise rather than lower the hopes of the other party.
Dynamic CD8 T-cell responses to tumor-associated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antigens in patients with EBV-negative Hodgkin's disease

8573 Background: Multiple translational efforts in HD are actively investigating augmentation of the anti-tumor immune response by stimulating cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) against tumor-associated...
Two echelon vehicle routing problem with drones in last mile delivery

Abstract In recent years, drone routing and scheduling has become a highly active area of research. This research introduces a new routing model that considers a synchronized truck-drone operation by allowing multiple drones to fly from a truck, serve one or multiple customers, and return to the same truck for a battery swap and package retrieval. The model addresses two levels (echelons) of delivery: primary truck routing from the main depot to serve assigned customers and secondary drone routing from the truck, which behaves like a moveable intermediate depot to serve other sets of customers. The model takes into account both trucks' and drones’ capacities with the objective of finding optimal routes of both trucks and drones that minimizes the total arrival time of both trucks and drones at the depot after completing the deliveries. The problem can be solved by formulated mixed integer programming (MIP) for the small-size problem, and two efficient heuristic algorithms are designed to solve the large-size problems: Drone Truck Route Construction (DTRC) and Large Neighborhood Search (LNS). Numeric results from the experiment compare the performance of both heuristics against the MIP method in small/medium-size instances from the literature. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to show the delivery time improvement of the proposed model over the previous truck-drone routing models.
Ideal Beauty Standards: A Preliminary Analysis of Ethnicity and Skin Tone Features

ANOVA was conducted to determine which ethnicity of model (i.e., Caucasian vs. Korean) is most attractive to U.S. consumers and to determine whether ethnicity has an effect on model evaluations according to skin tone. This study found that Caucasian women, generally, prefer a Caucasian model over three different skin tones when compared to a Korean model. Results also indicate that a medium skin tone had the highest evaluation among the three skin tones.
Partial Order Reduction for Deep Bug Finding in Synchronous Hardware

Symbolic model checking has become an important part of the verification flow in industrial hardware design. However, its use is still limited due to scaling issues. One way to address this is to exploit the large amounts of symmetry present in many real world designs. In this paper, we adapt partial order reduction for bounded model checking of synchronous hardware and introduce a novel technique that makes partial order reduction practical in this new domain. These approaches are largely automatic, requiring only minimal manual effort. We evaluate our technique on open-source and commercial packet mover circuits – designs containing FIFOs and arbiters.
Comparison of protein phosphorylation induced by mitogen and phorbol diester stimulation of murine T and B lymphocytes.

The cellular response to many external stimuli is initiated by soluble mediators or factors which interact with specific membrane receptors. The consequences of these interactions are activational signals which are then transduced across the plasma membrane resulting in an altered cellular response. The mechanism by which signals generated at the cell membrane are transduced and translated into the activational program of the cell is currently an area of intense interest. Perhaps the most actively studied cell with respect to receptor-mediated control of growth and differentiation is the lymphocyte. Phenotypically and functionally, lymphocytes are divided into two types: T and B lymphocytes. Activation of each type involves a complex series of receptor-mediated signalling events. Ligand interaction with the clonally distributed antigen receptor has been shown to generate primary activation signals
Enhancement of phenolic compounds extraction from grape pomace by high voltage atmospheric cold plasma

Abstract The huge amount of grape pomace generated along with wine production usually ends up as waste or with low economic value. However, due to the high content of phenolic compounds, grape pomace can be valorized through extraction. This study applied high voltage (60 kV) atmospheric cold plasma (HVACP) as a pretreatment on grape pomace for different time periods (5, 10 and 15 min) to assist in its phenolic compounds extraction, in terms of extraction yield, and the composition and antioxidant capacity of grape pomace extract. HVACP treatment was found to disrupt the epidermal cell structures of grape pomace, reduce the water contact angle of grape peels, as well as accelerate grape drying, and the effects became more significant as treatment extended. HVACP treatment also increased the yield of phenolic extracts, by 10.9–22.8%, which contained a higher concentration of anthocyanins and showed an improved antioxidant capacity (16.7–34.7%). These results demonstrate that the developed HVACP pretreatment can successfully advance the extraction of bioactive compounds by not only increasing their yield but also improving their nutritional quality. This is a promising technology for the winemaking industry to valorize grape processing byproducts for functional food and nutraceutical applications.
Development and Evaluation of a Fully Automated Surveillance System for Influenza-Associated Hospitalization at a Multihospital Health System in Northeast Ohio.

Background Performing high-quality surveillance for influenza-associated hospitalization (IAH) is challenging, time-consuming, and essential. Objectives Our objectives were to develop a fully automated surveillance system for laboratory-confirmed IAH at our multihospital health system, to evaluate the performance of the automated system during the 2018 to 2019 influenza season at eight hospitals by comparing its sensitivity and positive predictive value to that of manual surveillance, and to estimate the time and cost savings associated with reliance on the automated surveillance system. Methods Infection preventionists (IPs) perform manual surveillance for IAH by reviewing laboratory records and making a determination about each result. For automated surveillance, we programmed a query against our Enterprise Data Vault (EDV) for cases of IAH. The EDV query was established as a dynamic data source to feed our data visualization software, automatically updating every 24 hours. To establish a gold standard of cases of IAH against which to evaluate the performance of manual and automated surveillance systems, we generated a master list of possible IAH by querying four independent information systems. We reviewed medical records and adjudicated whether each possible case represented a true case of IAH. Results We found 844 true cases of IAH, 577 (68.4%) of which were detected by the manual system and 774 (91.7%) of which were detected by the automated system. The positive predictive values of the manual and automated systems were 89.3 and 88.3%, respectively. Relying on the automated surveillance system for IAH resulted in an average recoup of 82 minutes per day for each IP and an estimated system-wide payroll redirection of $32,880 over the four heaviest weeks of influenza activity. Conclusion Surveillance for IAH can be entirely automated at multihospital health systems, saving time, and money while improving case detection.
Quality Of Sleep And Its Associated Factors Among Diabetics And Non Diabetics.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is the metabolic state which has shown a persistent global rise in numbers. It is therefore necessary to closely assess all aspects of this state. Sleep quality and diabetic control have a relation where both can affect each other. Therefore, we aim to study the quality of sleep and factors affecting it in our diabetic population. The objective of the study was the identification of quality of sleep and factors affecting it in the diabetic and non diabetic adult population. Methods : In this comparative cross sectional study quality of sleep was evaluated in all the patients through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Statistical analysis was conducted with the SPSS-23. Results : The total number of study participants were 250 adults (18 years and above), where 125 were diabetics, while 125 were non diabetics. In Diabetic group, the total number of patients with impaired sleep was 65 (52%). In non-diabetic group, impaired sleep was found in 70 (56%) individuals. The mean age of diabetics was 55.2±11.6 years and non-diabetics was 37.23±12.017 years. Prevalence of restless leg syndrome and depression among diabetics was 33 (26.4%) and 30 (24.0%) respectively and in non-diabetic was 20 (16.0%) and 63 (50.4%). Impaired sleep quality was associated with the use of cell phones before going to bed ( p- value: 0.01) and watching television until late at night in both groups. Impaired sleep is seen more commonly in uncontrolled DM (RR:1.462 and CI: 0.531 to 4.025) Conclusion: Impaired sleep and uncontrolled DM has a direct relation and the prevalence of Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is higher in Diabetics. Addressing the factors impairing sleep can improve sleep quality and have beneficial effects on the sufferers from this metabolic state. Keywords: Sleep; Diabetes Mellitus; Restless leg syndrome; Depression; Cell phone
Skeletal muscle (dys)function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Purpose of review Skeletal muscle dysfunction contributes to exercise intolerance, which manifests as dyspnea and fatiguability in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This review aims to summarize the current understanding of skeletal muscle dysfunction in HFpEF. Recent findings Animal and human studies in HFpEF provide insights into the pathophysiological alterations in skeletal muscle structure and function with the identification of several molecular mechanisms. Exercise training and novel pharmacological therapies that target skeletal muscle are proposed as therapeutic interventions to treat HFpEF. Summary There is evidence that skeletal muscle dysfunction plays a pathophysiological role in HFpEF. However, precise mechanistic insights are needed to understand the contribution of skeletal muscle dysfunction in HFpEF.
Linear Stability Boundary of a Spinning Spacecraft with a Ball-in-Tube Damper

Spin stabilization is a commonly used form of passive attitude control for spacecraft. The use of ball-in-tube dampers has been studied extensively for oblate spacecraft. It is widely known from cl...
Effects of Negative Emotion on Abstinence Induced Change in Urge to Vape and Measures of Vaping Dependence.

Negative emotion and craving to smoke are established factors driving the maintenance of combustible cigarette use and dependence. The current study aimed to examine whether these findings extend t...
Adverse Selection and Intermediation Chains

We propose a parsimonious model of over-the-counter trading with asymmetric information to rationalize the existence of intermediation chains that stand between buyers and sellers of assets. Trading an asset through several heterogeneously informed intermediaries can preserve the efficiency of trade by reallocating an information asymmetry over many sequential transactions. Such an intermediation chain ensures that the adverse selection problems counterparties face in each transaction are small enough to allow for socially efficient trading strategies by all parties involved. Our model makes novel predictions about network formation and rent extraction when adverse selection problems impede the efficiency of trade.
Self-Regulated Strategy Development: Connecting Persuasive Writing to Self-Advocacy for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders:

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders often experience difficulties in expressive writing and social outcomes in school and beyond. Therefore, writing instruction and self-determination ...
Population decline assessment, historical baselines, and conservation

Scientific and historical knowledge of worldwide animal-population decline is fragmentary at best. However, understanding historical population trends is essential for informing best efforts to preserve species. We reviewed the literature of long-term studies of population declines across a set of animal taxa and found that only 15% of the studies used data older than 100 years, and 58% of the studies lacked continuous data. Based on our review, we describe five general approaches to studying population declines: counting, correlative, evolutionary, geochemical, and historical. The most common method of population assessment was a census/counting approach (75% of studies) followed by a range mapping/correlative approach (17% of studies). Evolutionary, geochemical, and historical approaches are used less often but, in combination with traditional counting and correlative methods, they hold great potential as tools for conservation. The multidisciplinary approaches we identify and advocate here will be useful for understanding and potentially reversing population declines and ultimately stemming the tide of extinctions currently underway.
Ideology, Morality, and Political Organization

When analyzing Soviet ideology one does not find any advocacy of evil. On the contrary, Soviet ideology is imbued with the declaration of good. One is called upon to be honest, humane, and truthful, to love the Motherland, to be a good family man, to love children. Numerous posters demanding high morals are hung everywhere in schools and universities. The declaration of good is the foundation for the entire Soviet upbringing and educational process.
The effect of power quality variations on a PC

This paper addresses the effect of two types of power quality variations on the operation of personal computers. The first type is short duration variations as sags, and the second long duration variations as undervoltage. A testing setup is developed for this purpose, it consists of a computer with D/A interface board, voltage amplifier, target computer to test, and software to generate voltage waveforms and to control the disturbance duration. >
Surgical treatment of dysmenorrhea

Abstract Surgical intervention for the alleviation of dysmenorrhea produced complete relief in 29 cases and was of benefit in an additional 43 cases. In 14 cases in which hysterectomy was performed the patients still complain of some pain which can be attributed to a tender ovary in some of the cases. In 22 cases there was no relief of the dysmenorrhea. The only procedure which produced uniformly poor results was the insertion of the Baldwin tube, but this procedure has subsequently been discarded.
Bistability and tristability of single-mode gas lasers and lasers containing a saturable absorber

When a tuned standing-wave gas laser operates on-resonance, neighboring frequencies experience gain in accordance with the Lamb dip. Bennett1 showed that it is possible for certain of these frequencies also to satisfy the phase-matching condition required by the dispersion relation. In such cases, gas lasers possess three possible steady states—one on-resonance state and two frequency-pushed ones. Bennett suggested that this effect could give rise to bistability and hysteresis in the frequency vs detuning characteristics.
Trading Technology and Stock Market Liquidity: A Global Perspective

We characterize the technological revolution that swept financial markets around the world and assess its profound effects. Computerization and satellite communication have transformed the industrial organization of stock exchanges and dramatically improved secondary market liquidity. Trading turnover has increased manifold and transaction costs have declined sharply due to advances in technology and an increase in number of stock market participants supplying liquidity. Greater liquidity in equities has made stocks a more attractive investment vehicle for investors thus lowering the cost of equity for listed companies. While technology has had profound positive effects for investors and companies, there have also been negative consequences associated with these innovations. We identify some determinants of these positive and negative variations in the effects of automation on liquidity.
The case for a common spectrum of particles accelerated in the heliosphere: Observations and theory

In the last decade a significant discovery has been made in the heliosphere: the spectrum of particles accelerated in both the inner heliosphere and in the heliosheath is the same: a power law in particle speed with a spectral index of −5, when the spectrum is expressed as a distribution function; or equivalently, a differential intensity spectrum that is a power law in energy with a spectral index of −1.5. In the inner heliosphere this common spectrum occurs at quite low energies and is most evident in instruments designed to measure suprathermal particles. In the heliosheath, the common spectrum is observed over the full energy range of the Voyager energetic particle instruments, up to energies of ~100 MeV. The remarkable discovery of a common spectrum is compounded by the realization that no traditional acceleration mechanism, i.e., diffusive shock acceleration or stochastic acceleration, can account for the common spectrum. There is thus an opportunity to once again demonstrate the relevance of heliospheric physics by developing a new acceleration mechanism that yields the common spectrum, with the expectation that such a new acceleration mechanism will find broader applications in astrophysics. In this paper, the observations of the common spectrum in the heliosphere are summarized, with emphasis on those that best reveal the conditions in which the acceleration must operate. Then, building on earlier work, a complete derivation is presented of an acceleration mechanism, a pump acceleration mechanism, that yields the common spectrum, and the various subtleties associated with this derivation are discussed.
Entropy and the Second Law

A MACROSCOPIC SYSTEM OF GIVEN COMPOSITION is made up of a very large number of molecules, atoms, radicals, and/or ions. The internal energy of the system is associated with random chaotic movements of these particles. Throughout a uniform region, the Kelvin temperature is proportional to the average kinetic energy in a classically excited degree of freedom.