cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rational Choice Theory and Explanation

Much of the debate concerning rational choice theory (RCT) is fruitless because many people (both critics and defenders) fail to correctly understand the role it plays in developing explanations of social phenomena. For the most part, people view rational choice theory as a species of intentional explanation; on the best available understanding, however, it should be viewed as contributing to the construction of straightforward causal explanations. Debate concerning RCT can progress in a worthwhile manner only once this point is correctly understood. Once it is, many common critiques are easily answered, but at the same time, the ambitions of some rational choice theorists are deflated.
Resounding Silence in the Streets of a Musical City

New Orleans is a musical city where sound is inextricable from the experience of place. Sound has played a defining role in distinctive cultural practices such as jazz funerals and parades called “second lines,” in which African Americans have made claims on the contested city streets for over a century. How will New Orleans re-sound after extraordinary forces claimed those same streets?
Corpus-based Statistical Screening for Phrase Identification

Purpose: The authors study the extraction of useful phrases from a natural language database by statistical methods. The aim is to leverage human effort by providing preprocessed phrase lists with a high percentage of useful material. Method: The approach is to develop six different scoring methods that are based on different aspects of phrase occurrence. The emphasis here is not on lexical information or syntactic structure but rather on the statistical properties of word pairs and triples that can be obtained from a large database. Measurements: The Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) incorporates a large list of humanly acceptable phrases in the medical field as a part of its structure. The authors use this list of phrases as a gold standard for validating their methods. A good method is one that ranks the UMLS phrases high among all phrases studied. Measurements are 11-point average precision values and precision-recall curves based on the rankings. Result: The authors find of six different scoring methods that each proves effective in identifying UMLS quality phrases in a large subset of MEDLINE. These methods are applicable both to word pairs and word triples. All six methods are optimally combined to produce composite scoring methods that are more effective than any single method. The quality of the composite methods appears sufficient to support the automatic placement of hyperlinks in text at the site of highly ranked phrases. Conclusion: Statistical scoring methods provide a promising approach to the extraction of useful phrases from a natural language database for the purpose of indexing or providing hyperlinks in text.
Variations in isoaccepting species of transfer RNA during embryogenesis of Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas).

Abstract Reverse-phase column profiles of the isoaccepting species of lysyl-, seryl-, aspartyl-, methionyland alanyl-tRNAs present in two developmental stages of Oncopeltus fasciatus embryos, before (48-hour) and after (120-hour) gastrulation have been shown. Quantitative differences in the seryl-, aspartyl- and methionyl-tRNAs were evident. In addition, seryl-tRNAs possibly exhibit qualitative changes. Little variation was detected in the isoaccepting species of lysyl- and alanyl-tRNAs.
Transient outward current modulates discontinuous conduction in rabbit ventricular cell pairs.

Objective: While several studies have demonstrated that the L-type calcium current maintains discontinuous conduction, the contribution of the transient outward current ( I to) to conduction remains unclear. This study evaluated the effects of I to inhibition on conduction between ventricular myocytes. Methods: An electronic circuit with a variable resistance ( R j) was used to electrically couple single epicardial myocytes isolated from rabbit right ventricle. We inhibited I to with 4-aminopyridine superfusion, rate–acceleration, or premature stimulation to evaluate the subsequent effects on conduction delay and the critical R j, which was quantified as the highest R j that could be imposed before conduction failed. Results: I to inhibition significantly enhanced conduction in all cell pairs ( n = 23). Pharmacologic inhibition of I to resulted in a 32±5% decrease in conduction delay and a 36±7% increase in critical R j. Similarly, reduction of the basic cycle length from 2 to 0.5 s resulted in a 31±3% decrease in conduction delay and a 31±3% increase in critical R j. Finally, premature action potentials conducted with a 41±4% shorter conduction delay and a 73±24% higher critical R j than basic action potentials. Conclusions: I to inhibition significantly enhanced conduction across high R j. These results suggest I to may contribute to rate-dependent conduction abnormalities.
Effect of Spatial Inhomogeneity in Dielectric Permittivity on DNA Double Layer Formation

In solutions of tetramethylammonium (TMA+) DNA (double stranded) without added low-molecular-weight salt, the counterion radial density is calculated using the cylindrical Poisson-Boltzmann equation with a distance-dependent quasimacroscopic dielectric permittivity. Comparisons with small-angle neutron scattering data indicate that any inhomogeneity in dielectric permittivity is confined to one or two solvent layers from the DNA surface. At least for TMA+, which may be too large to penetrate the grooves of DNA to any significant extent, dielectric inhomogeneity modeled in this way has no detectable effect on the radial distribution.
Artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic for system modeling and control: a comparative study

Over the last decade, an extensive research has been carried out in the areas of fuzzy logic and neural networks. Fuzzy logic has emerged as a mathematical tool to deal with the uncertainties in human perception and reasoning. It also provides a framework for an inference mechanism that allows for approximate human reasoning capabilities to be applied to knowledge-based systems. On the other hand, artificial neural networks have emerged as fast computation tools with learning and adaptivity capabilities. Recently, these two fields have been integrated into a new emerging technology called fuzzy neural networks which combines the benefits of each field. The objective of the paper is to establish the similarities and differences between fuzzy systems and neural networks and to discuss possible models for fuzzy neural networks which can be applied to system modeling and control. >
Computer Program Calculation of Gas Supersaturation in Water

Abstract A short computer program, written in BASIC for the Apple IIe or IBM PC computer, efficiently performs all the calculations required to determine gas pressure and percent saturation values for water. Input for the program is limited to empirical determinations of barometric pressure, water temperature, differential dissolved gas pressures, dissolved oxygen, and salinity. An optional routine is included for obtaining a printed report of input data and results. The program can be easily modified to run on most other microcomputers that use BASIC programming language.
r- AND K-SELECTION REVISITED: THE ROLE OF POPULATION REGULATION IN LIFE-HISTORY EVOLUTION

The theory of r- and K-selection was one of the first predictive models for life-history evolution. It helped to galvanize the empirical field of comparative life-history and dominated thinking on the subject from the late 1960s through the 1970s. Large quan- tities of field data were collected that claimed to test predictions of the theory. By the early 1980s, sentiment about the theory had changed so completely that a proposal to test it or the use of it to interpret empirical results would likely be viewed as archaic and naive. The theory was displaced by demographic models that concentrated on mortality patterns as the cause of life-history evolution. Although demographic models are known for their density-independent approach and focus on extrinsic mortality, these models can incorporate many ecological features captured by r- and K-selection, such as density-dependent pop- ulation regulation, resource availability, and environmental fluctuations. We highlight the incorporation of these factors in recent theory, then show how they are manifest in our research on life-history evolution in Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Explanations of the repeatable suites of life-history differences across populations of guppies originate from demographic models of predator-driven age-specific mortality. Recently, careful ex- amination of guppy demography and habitat has revealed that density-dependent regulation and resource availability may have influenced the evolution of guppy life histories. In the field, these factors covary with predation risk; however, they can be uncoupled experi- mentally, providing insight into how they may have synergistically driven guppy life-history evolution. Although life-history theory has shifted away from a focus on r- and K-selection, the themes of density-dependent regulation, resource availability, and environmental fluc- tuations are integral to current demographic theory and are potentially important in any natural system.
Behavioral and Psychiatric Differences in Medication Side Effects in Adults With Severe Intellectual Disabilities

Participants were 109 adults with severe intellectual disabilities and long histories of psychotropic drug use. Side effect profiles were examined in the context of types of mental health disorders observed using the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-Revised (DASH-II) and the Behavior Problems Inventory-Revised (BPI-01). The best predictor of severe side effects were challenging behaviors, especially aggression and to a lesser degree self-injurious behavior. The implications of these data for current and future practice are discussed.
PHYSIOLOGY’S RECONDITE CURRICULUM

Dr. Penny Hansen is an international physiology educator. She was born in America and became a Canadian citizen, and her husband is from Sweden. Dr. Hansen has a reputation throughout the world fro...
Active phase labor arrest: revisiting the 2-hour minimum.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To generate contemporary uterine activity and labor progress data for oxytocin-augmented labor, and assess whether 2 hours of active phase labor arrest with at least 200 Montevideo units justifies cesarean delivery. METHODS: Five hundred and one consecutive spontaneously laboring term women with abnormally progressive labor were managed by a standardized protocol: oxytocin and intrauterine pressure catheter with an intent to sustain at least 200 Montevideo units for 4 hours or more before cesarean for labor arrest. Uterine activity was measured, and maternal and neonatal outcomes were evaluated. With a sample of this size, the upper 95% confidence interval limit for an event with an observed rate of 1% is below 3%. RESULTS: During oxytocin augmentation, nulliparas who were delivered vaginally dilated at a median rate of 1.4 cm/hour versus 1.8 cm/hour for parous women. In both groups, the 5th percentile of cervical dilation rate was 0.5 cm/hour. Thirty-eight women experienced labor arrest for over 2 hours despite at least 200 sustained Montevideo units; 23 (61%) achieved a vaginal delivery. Rates of chorioamnionitis and endometritis for the 38 women were 26%. None of their infants sustained a serious complication, including brachial plexus injury, even though three of the 23 vaginal deliveries (13%) were complicated by shoulder dystocia. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that oxytocin-augmented labor proceeds at substantially slower rates than spontaneous labor, and support our previous contention that the criteria of labor arrest for 2 hours, despite at least 200 sustained Montevideo units, are insufficiently rigorous for the performance of cesarean.
Can the ADA Achieve its Employment Goals

One of the main objectives of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is to increase the relative wages and employment rates of persons with disabilities by eliminating employer discrimination. The act implicitly assumes that employer discrimination is the main cause of disabled persons' disadvantages in the labor market, ignoring important differences between this minority group and the groups protected by civil rights legislation in the past. Neither does the law address the underlying sources of employer discrimination against persons with disabilities. Research demonstrates that prejudice is one important source of such discrimination but not the only source. Other factors—namely, informational problems and productivity differentials—also contribute to differences in the employment and wages of disabled and nondisabled workers. Because the employment provisions of the ADA do not take account of these facts, the act provides insufficient assistance to persons with disabilities subject to the most dis...
Using mating designs to uncover QTL and the genetic architecture of complex traits

Analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting complex traits is often pursued in single-cross experiments. For most purposes, including breeding, some assessment is desired of the generalizability of the QTL findings and of the overall genetic architecture of the trait. Single-cross experiments provide a poor basis for these purposes, as comparison across experiments is hampered by segregation of different allelic combinations among different parents and by contextdependent effects of QTL. To overcome this problem, we combined the benefits of QTL analysis (to identify genomic regions affecting trait variation) and classic diallel analysis (to obtain insight into the general inheritance of the trait) by analyzing multiple mapping families that are connected via shared parents. We first provide a theoretical derivation of main (general combining ability (GCA)) and interaction (specific combining ability (SCA)) effects on F2 family means relative to variance components in a randomly mating reference population. Then, using computer simulations to generate F2 families derived from 10 inbred parents in different partial-diallel designs, we show that QTL can be detected and that the residual among-family variance can be analyzed. Standard diallel analysis methods are applied in order to reveal the presence and mode of action (in terms of GCA and SCA) of undetected polygenes. Given a fixed experiment size (total number of individuals), we demonstrate that QTL detection and estimation of the genetic architecture of polygenic effects are competing goals, which should be explicitly accounted for in the experimental design. Our approach provides a general strategy for exploring the genetic architecture, as well as the QTL underlying variation in quantitative traits. Heredity (2006) 96, 139‐149. doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6800763; published online 23 November 2005
Corticotropin-releasing hormone in humans.

I. A Brief History of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH) and Vasopressin as Mediators of Pituitary-Adrenal Activation in Humans HARRIS' 1948 hypothesis (1) that anterior pituitary function is regulated by hypothalamic factors released into and carried by the hypothalamic-hypophysial portal blood to the adenohypophysis was not lost upon clinical investigators. Soon thereafter G. W. Liddle, for example, referred to this regulatory influence of the central nervous system as the “pituitary driving mechanism” (2), recognizing that such a mechanism was essential for explaining the diurnal rhythm in pituitary-adrenal axis function and its response to stress. According to this concept, the pituitary driving mechanism was the variable force against which cortisol exerted its negative feedback inhibitory action on ACTH secretion. Long before CRH [ovine CRH (oCRH) mol wt = 4671; human CRH (hCRH) mol wt = 4758] was isolated, characterized, and synthesized (3), vasopressin [either arginine vasopressin (AVP) or lysi...
Asking the Correct Questions to Assess Asthma Symptoms

A national survey of 896 parents of children with asthma was performed and responses to 2 types of inquiry were compared: global assessment versus specific assessment of symptoms. Almost all parents, 860 (96%), described their child's asthma as under "good control'' when asked a global assessment question. However, 306 (34%)-when asked specific questions-actually described poor asthma control with frequent symptoms. Medicaid insurance (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.44) and parental smoking (OR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.43) increased the likelihood that parents' responses would be at risk for misinterpretation. Increased education (OR 0.41: 95% CI: 0.18, 0.91) and English as the primary language (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.16, 0.96) were associated with decreased likelihood of misinterpretation. Vague, global assessment questions lead to incomplete clinical information and places the patient at risk for inadequate asthma therapy. A better approach is to use specific questions to determine the frequency of daytime or nighttime symptoms.
Nonlinear constrained optimization of filled polyesters

An efficient method for optimization of a formulation problem subject to nonlinear constraints was demonstrated. Specifically, a nine-variable polyester-filler system was investigated experimentally. The investigation included selection of an efficient experimental design, regression analysis, and study of optimization methods. Recommended procedures are reported, along with examples and discussion of several typical applications.
Chapter 2. The historical geography of an archipelago of polar explorers

An outline of the rationale for a workshop, held in Oslo, Norway, from 12-13 May 2015, to discuss the historic place names of the High Arctic archipelago of Franz Josef Land. The islands contain hundreds of place names that amount to a virtual catalog of polar exploration and explorers of the mid- to late-19 th Century. As an example, three American expeditions spent seven years there between 1898-1905, in failed attempts to try to reach the geographic North Pole. However, in the process, they left behind a record of the American Gilded Age that survived even 70 years of Soviet Communism.
A comparative study on the machinability of Ti-6Al-4V using conventional flood coolant and sustainable dry machining

This study aims to conduct a comparative experimental investigation on the machinability of Ti-6Al-4V for conventional flood coolant machining and sustainable dry machining. The effect of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut on machining performance has been evaluated for both conditions. A comparative investigation on the tool wear mechanism and chip morphology for dry and wet machining has also been presented. The machining time and surface roughness were found to be lower in dry machining compared to wet machining. The tool wear was found to be unpredictable with no significant difference for dry and wet machining, although cutting tools suffered from more adhesion of chips during dry machining. The flank wear and chipping were more common in wet machining, whereas crater wear and build-up edge were predominant in dry machining. Comparing all the parameters, sustainable dry machining was found to provide better performance for machining Ti-6Al-4V.
Essential bariatric emergencies for the acute care surgeon

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. Due to the high volume of weight loss procedures worldwide, the general surgeon will undoubtedly encounter bariatric patients in his or her practice. Liberal use of CT scans, upper endoscopy and barium swallow in this patient population is recommended. Some bariatric complications, such as marginal ulceration and dyspepsia, can be effectively treated non-operatively (e.g., proton pump inhibitors, dietary modification). Failure of conservative management is usually an indication for referral to a bariatric surgery specialist for operative re-intervention. More serious complications, such as perforated marginal ulcer, leak, or bowel obstruction, may require immediate surgical intervention. A high index of suspicion must be maintained for these complications despite "negative" radiographic studies, and diagnostic laparoscopy performed when symptoms fail to improve. Laparoscopic-assisted gastric band complications are usually approached with band deflation and referral to a bariatric surgeon. However, if acute slippage that results in gastric strangulation is suspected, the band should be removed immediately. This manuscript provides a high-level overview of all essential bariatric complications that may be encountered by the acute care surgeon.
Hypotheticals: Conditionals and Theticals

1. For millennia philosophers have been grappling with the problem of the logic of conditionals-the problem of determining which principles of inference hold for conditional statements. Surprisingly enough (considering the nature of philosophers) there has been almost universal agreement on at least a small number of these principles, including, for example, modus ponens, modus tollens, hypothetical syllogism and contraposition. Most of the dispute about the logic of conditionals has concerned whether or not certain additional principles, such as those which generate the so-called paradoxes of material implication, hold for conditionals. Recently, however, several philosophers have presented putative counterexamples to hypothetical syllogism and to contraposition, and have argued that these patterns of inference are not valid for conditionals. I will try to show that these philosophers are mistaken because their examples involve certain hypothetical statements which are not genuine conditionals at all. Since this strategy presupposes that hypotheticals (i.e., 'if '-statements) can be legitimately divided into at least two categories (which I shall call conditionals on the one hand and theticals on the other), I must at least address the problem of providing a comprehensive account of hypotheticals.1 I shall first try to show that 'if '-sentences are used in ordinary discourse to make several distinguishable kinds of statements, one of these, the genuine conditional, involving an assertion that the state of affairs described by the apodosis is conditional upon, or a consequence of, the state of affairs described by the protasis. This kind of statement, in the making of which the speaker posits a consequential connection between the protasis-state and the apodosisstate, does seem to obey the principles of hypothetical syllogism and contraposition. Secondly, I shall try to show that the putative counterexamples to these principles involve theticals-hypotheticals which are not assertions that the apodosis-state is a consequence of the protasis-state. Finally, I shall attempt to show that the relevant theticals not only fail to obey the rules of hypothetical syllogism and contraposition, but fail to obey other basic principles, such as modus ponens and modus tollens. If my arguments are sound, it will follow that a theorist who tries to devise a logic of hypotheticals-
DISCIPLINING EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY: ERNST MAYR AND THE FOUNDING OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF EVOLUTION AND EVOLUTION (1939-1950).

Ernst Mayr's contributions to the growth of evolutionary biology have been more multifaceted than his scientific work alone, impressive as that is. In addition to the publication of his Systematics and the Origin of Species in 1942, which effectively brought systematics into the wider Evolutionary Synthesis (and earned him one of the principal roles as architect), as well as his extensive postsynthesis work in evolution and systematics, Mayr has played the roles of historian, philosopher, organizer, and general promoter of evolutionary biology. So critical are these roles, that, taken as a whole, the best way to view Ernst Mayr is as a chief discipline builder (if not the chief discipline builder) of evolutionary biology. In this paper, I examine one little-known feature of Mayr's work that brings into relief, if only partially, this disciplining role: his organizational efforts to found a society for the study of evolution and his sponsorship and editorship of the journal Evolution in the years 1939-1950. This paper and the larger study that provides full documentation (Smocovitis 1994) are based on examination of the historical record of the papers left by the successive secretaries of the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) and now housed in the archives of the American Philosophical Society. EARLY HISTORY OF THE SSE: THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF SPECIATION AND THE COMMITTEE ON COMMON PROBLEMS IN GENETICS, PALEONTOLOGY AND SYSTEMATICS
THE ENDOCRINE MECHANISMS OF CRUSTACEANS

The basic plan of the crustacean endocrine system 1 The endocrine structures 2 X-organ-sinus gland complex 2 Postcommissural organ 3 Pericardial organ 3 Y -o rg a n .... ....... .. ...... ......... ... ......... 3 Androgenic gland 4 O vary 4 Mandibular organ 4 The roles of hormones 5
Reflection Correction for High-Accuracy Transmittance Measurements on Filter Glasses.

Multiple reflections in the sample compartment of a spectrophotometer constitute a source of systematic bias in transmittance measurements on filter glasses. This bias may be removed by applying a numerical correction obtained from measurements on tilted samples in polarized light. For a high-accuracy spectrophotometer, this correction was found to be of the order of several 10-4 transmittance units, independent of polarization, but slightly wavelength dependent.
On the Relationship Between Musicianship and Contralateral Suppression of Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions.

BACKGROUND The medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent reflex that modulates outer hair cell function has been shown to be more robust in musicians versus nonmusicians as evidenced in greater contralateral suppression of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs). All previous research comparing musical ability and MOC efferent strength has defined musicianship dichotomously (i.e., high-level music students or professional classical musicians versus nonmusicians). PURPOSE The objective of the study was to further explore contralateral suppression of TEOAEs among adults with a full spectrum of musicianship ranging from no history of musicianship to professional musicians. Musicianship was defined by both self-report and with an objective test to quantify individual differences in perceptual music skills. RESEARCH DESIGN A single-factor between-subjects and correlational research designs were employed. STUDY SAMPLE Forty-five normal-hearing young adults participated. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Participants completed a questionnaire concerning their music experience and completed the Brief Profile of Music Perception Skills (PROMS) to quantify perceptual musical skills across multiple musical domains (i.e., accent, melody, tempo, and tuning). TEOAEs were evaluated with 60 dB peak equivalent sound pressure level click stimuli with and without a contralateral 65 dB sound pressure level white noise suppressor. TEOAE suppression was expressed in two ways, absolute TEOAE suppression in dB and a normalized index of TEOAE suppression (i.e., percentage of suppression). RESULTS Participants who considered themselves musicians scored significantly higher on all subscales and total Brief PROMS score (p 0.05). There were no statistically significant correlations or linear predictive relationships between subscale or total Brief PROMS scores with absolute and percentage of TEOAE suppression (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The findings do not support the notion of a graded enhancement of MOC efferent suppression among adults with varied degrees of musicianship from nonmusicians to professional musicians.
Substance P in the dorsal vagal complex inhibits medullary TRH-induced gastric acid secretion in rats

Neurons that contain substance P (SP) and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in medullary midline raphe nuclei project to the dorsal vagal complex (DVC). The modulatory role of SP on basal gastric acid secretion (GAS) and TRH on DVC-induced stimulation of GAS was studied in urethan-anesthetized rats. The stable SP agonist, DiMe-C7 ([pGlu5, MePhe8, MeGly9]SP5-11, 50 and 100 pmol), injected unilaterally into the DVC reduced the GAS response (47 +/- 12 mumol/60 min) to coinjected TRH analog, RX 77368 (25 pmol), by 53% and 85%, respectively, whereas DiMe-C7 (100 pmol) alone had no effect on basal and pentagastrin-stimulated GAS. DiMe-C7 (100 pmol/site) inhibited the GAS response to kainic acid injected into the raphe pallidus (Rpa) when it was injected bilaterally into the DVC but not the hypoglossal nuclei. The SP nourokinin-1-receptor antagonist, CP-96,345, injected bilaterally into the DVC (1 nmol/ site) increased basal GAS (33 +/- 8 mumol/90 min) and potentiated the GAS response to kainic acid injected into the Rpa by 40%. These results suggest that SP acts on neurokinin-1 receptors in the DVC to reduce medullary TRH-induced stimulation of GAS in rats.
Lightweight Journey Mapping: The Integration of Marketing and User Experience through Customer Driven Narratives

Marketing researchers often utilize customer surveys and interviews to gage customer satisfaction, but user experience professionals know that these methods may not reveal discrepancies between self-reported and actual customer behavior. Integrating market research and observational research approaches in a fashion that is agreeable to a cross-functional team can be very challenging, but using hybrid techniques can help a team collaborate to provide a high-quality user experience. This case study describes the development of a customer-driven lightweight journey mapping approach that led to new insights about how our customers were using our product. These insights led to a new understanding of our customers' challenges using our product, and more generally, they helped the team appreciate the variety of user experience challenges our customers faced.
Complex mechanisms linking neurocognitive dysfunction to insulin resistance and other metabolic dysfunction.

Scientific evidence has established several links between metabolic and neurocognitive dysfunction, and epidemiologic evidence has revealed an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia in patients with diabetes. In July 2015, the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases gathered experts from multiple clinical and scientific disciplines, in a workshop entitled “The Intersection of Metabolic and Neurocognitive Dysfunction”, to clarify the state-of-the-science on the mechanisms linking metabolic dysfunction, and insulin resistance and diabetes in particular, to neurocognitive impairment and dementia. This perspective is intended to serve as a summary of the opinions expressed at this meeting, which focused on identifying gaps and opportunities to advance research in this emerging area with important public health relevance.
Term twins with discordant birth weights: observations at birth and one year.

Sixteen pairs of term discordant twins (weight discrepancy of more than 20% when the, lighter twin was compared to the heavier) were evaluated at birth. Weight, length, head circumference, anterior fontanel area, and combined ossification of the knee epiphyses were measured, and ponderal index (weight/length ratio) calculated. The most severely growth retarded infants had markedly decreased ossification and larger anterior fontanels. Eleven pairs had physical measurements at one year of age. With individual exceptions, the lighter twins at birth remained smaller in all dimensions. Despite these persistent differences between twin pairs, the values for length at one year of age were within normal limits for both the heavier and lighter twins. Infants without ossification at birth had a greater incremental linear growth by one year than those infants with ossification.
Management of invasive Allee species

AbstractIn this study, we use a discrete, two-patch population model of an Allee species to examine different methods in managing invasions. We first analytically examine the model to show the presence of the strong Allee effect, and then we numerically explore the model to test the effectiveness of different management strategies. As expected invasion is facilitated by lower Allee thresholds, greater carrying capacities and greater proportions of dispersers. These effects are interacting, however, and moderated by population growth rate. Using the gypsy moth as an example species, we demonstrate that the effectiveness of different invasion management strategies is context-dependent, combining complementary methods may be preferable, and the preferred strategy may differ geographically. Specifically, we find methods for restricting movement to be more effective in areas of contiguous habitat and high Allee thresholds, where methods involving mating disruptions and raising Allee thresholds are more effecti...
Questions and Answers About Minds

The foregoing chapters have elucidated a science-based view of reality that I call “Realistically-Construed Orthodox Quantum Mechanics”. It is profoundly different from the essentially Newtonian conception represented by classical mechanics. A comprehensive comparison of the two views in the preceding chapters has shown classical physics view to be inadequate in its treatment of reality, compared to that of Realistically Construed Orthodox Quantum Mechanics.
The impact of statin therapy on survival for inhospital cardiac arrest.

We read with great interest the paper published by Hung et al describing the favorable impact of preceding statin therapy on survival following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).1 Cardiac arrest remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, despite improvement in resuscitation efforts. Statins have been shown to decrease the incidence of sudden cardiac death in ischemic heart disease.2–4 We performed a retrospective study to examine the impact of statin pretreatment on in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survival. This is a retrospective study conducted under the auspices of the Human Investigation Committee of the Research Institute of William Beaumont Hospital. All patients who suffered an IHCA and underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at Beaumont hospital from April 2012 to December 2013 were included in the study. Exclusion criteria were for CPR in the setting of trauma, postoperatively, during pregnancy and postpartum. Out-of-the hospital cardiac arrest, patients who underwent hospice or palliative care approach were also excluded and patients with …
Künstliche Intelligenz und der Faktor Arbeit

Kunstliche Intelligenz und ihre Auswirkung auf den Faktor Arbeit ist zum Modethema in der wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Politikberatung avanciert. Studien, die alarmistisch die baldige Verdrangung eines Grosteils konventioneller Jobprofile beschworen, leiden jedoch unter fragwurdiger Datenqualitat und Methodik. Die Unternehmensperspektive zeigt, dass der Wandel der Arbeitswelt durch kunstliche Intelligenz weitaus langsamer und weniger disruptiv ablaufen wird. Aus wirtschaftspolitischer Sicht empfiehlt sich in diesem offenen Innovationsprozess eine ordnungspolitische Begleitung anstelle der bereits heute diskutierten prozesspolitischen Interventionen.
Validity-Versus-Reliability Tradeoffs and the Ethics of Educational Research

In educational research that calls itself empirical, the relationship between validity and reliability is that of trade-off: the stronger the bases for validity, the weaker the bases for reliability (and vice versa). Validity and reliability are widely regarded as basic criteria for evaluating research; however, there are ethical implications of the trade-off between the two. The paper traces a brief history of the concepts, and then describes four ethical issues associated with the validity-reliability tradeoff in educational research: bootstrapping, stereotyping, dehumanization, and determinism. The article closes by describing emerging trends in social science research that have the potential to displace the validity-reliability tradeoff as a central concern for the evaluation of educational research: the introduction of translational sciences, a shift from significance to replicability, a move from inference to Big Data, and the increasing importance of consequential validity.
Serum vitamin D and body composition in adults undergoing fitness assessments: A correlation study

The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess serum levels of 25(OH) vitamin D3 (25(OH)D) in participants who voluntarily participated in a fitness assessment and correlate this with muscular strength, weekly exercise, overall body composition, and dietary intake of vitamin D and calcium. Thirty-six participants were recruited. Anthropometric measurements and handgrip strength were taken with blood analyses completed utilizing 25-hydroxyvitamin D assay. A dietary screening survey was used to assess calcium and vitamin D intake. All data collection was completed at time of assessment appointment. Statistical analyses completed utilized Pearson’s and Kendall’s Tau correlation, with level of significance set at p < 0.05. Twenty-two percent of our sample were 25(OH)D deficient and 33% 25(OH)D insufficient, with 16% consuming adequate vitamin D and 5% consuming adequate calcium. Eight of the females and one male had below average DXA assessments for bone health. Vitamin D intake was significantly correlated with serum 25(OH)D levels (τ = 0.29, p<0.01). In females there was an inverse relationship between 25(OH)D and weight (r = -0.45, p<0.05). Thirty-one percent of participants had higher than desirable waist circumference and were 25(OH)D insufficient or deficient. This sample had a high rate of 25(OH)D insufficiency and deficiency, with most not consuming adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D. Normalizing serum 25(OH)D through food and supplements has the potential to positively impact several parameters of an individual’s health including weight status, visceral adiposity and waist circumference, and bone health.
Cortical Motor Map of Macaca Mulatta after Chronic Section of the Medullary Pyramid

It is an honor and a privilege to be invited to participate in this symposium celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of OTFRID FOERSTER. I recall vividly Professor FOERSTER’s lecture on the dermatomes of man (4), which he delivered at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine when I was a medical student. I am happy to acknowledge that his work on cortical localization (3, 5) has had an important influence on my own studies and teaching in this field.
Robust Wireless Network Jamming Problems

We extend the results presented in a previous paper which focused on deterministic formulations of the wireless network jamming problem. This problem seeks to determine the optimal number and placement locations for a set of wireless jamming devices to sufficiently suppress a communication network according to some specified criterion. We now introduce robust variants of those formulations which account for the fact that the exact topology of the network to be jammed may not be known entirely. Particularly, we consider instances in which several topologies are considered likely, and develop robust scenarios for placing jamming devices which are able to suppress the network regardless of which candidate topology is realized. We derive several formulations and include percentile constraints to account for a variety of scenarios. Case studies are presented and the results are analyzed. We conclude with directions of future research.
REGIONAL BLOOD FLOW DURING SIMULATED DIVING OF THE CONSCIOUS ANTARCTIC WEDDELL SEAL

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a study to analyze regional blood flow during the simulated diving of the conscious Antarctic Weddell seal. This study used 25 micra radioactive carbon microsphere techniques. Four isotopic labels were serially injected into the left ventricle of the awake seal during control and breath-hold diving. Organ blood flow distribution was sampled and counted on a gamma spectrometer. Fifteen adult pregnant and male seals (300–500 kg) were captured on the fast ice off Turtle Rock and taken by sledge to the laboratory. After Ketamine injection, under spontaneous Halothane anesthesia, a flipper artery and a left ventricular or proximal aortic catheter was passed. In 5 gravid seals, a fetal flipper artery was also catheterized at caesarian section. It was observed that cardiac output and left ventricular blood flow were reduced by 85% after 8–12 min during diving despite PaO 2 32 mmHg. Cerebral blood flow was unchanged, while adrenal blood flow was maintained at a reduced level. In 3 late gestation seals, descending aorta microsphere injection revealed an increase from 8 to 38% of the injected dose lodged in the placenta during diving.
Crack Face Bridging Tractions in Monolithic Spinel

The strongly rising R-curve behavior, typical of coarse grain sized spinels, has been ascribed to crack face tractions in the following wake zone which reduce the crack tip stresses. A novel experimental approach is presented which isolates these tractions for direct characterization in pure tension. With this method, a detailed study of the crack face separation events has identified the toughening contributions from the active microstructural constituents. A critical wake stress of about 7 MPa is estimated for this high purity spinel, containing only minor quantities of a crystalline grain boundary phase. The post fracture tensile test results are validated through a simple model to reconstruct the experimentally determined R-curve.
Evaluating a Dyadic Intervention on Risk Reduction Among People Who Inject Drugs.

Among 100 people who inject drugs enrolled in a peer mentorship intervention aiming to promote injection-related risk reduction behavior change, we evaluated the role of participation in a dyad ses...
Nationwide outcomes and costs of laparoscopic and robotic vs. open hepatectomy.

The safety of hepatectomy continues to improve and it holds a key role in the management of benign and malignant hepatic lesions. Laparoscopic and robotic approaches to hepatectomy are increasingly utilized. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes and costs of laparoscopic and robotic vs. open approaches to hepatectomy and to determine the national nonelective postoperative readmission rate, including readmission to other hospitals. The Nationwide Readmission Database from 2013 to 2014 was queried for all patients undergoing hepatectomy. Patients undergoing laparoscopic and robotic hepatectomies were compared to patients undergoing open hepatectomy. Multivariate logistic regression was implemented to determine the odds ratios (OR) for non-elective readmission within 45 days. There were 10,870 patients who underwent hepatectomy from 2013 to 2014 and 724 (6.7%) were approached with laparoscopic or robotic technique. The robotic cohort had lower mean cost of the index admission ($24,983 ± $18,329 vs. open $32,391 ± $31,983, p < 0.001, 95% CI − 18,292 to 534), shorter LOS (4.5 ± 3.8 vs. lap 6.8 ± 6.0 vs. open 7.6 ± 7.7 days, p < 0.01), and were less likely to be readmitted within 45 days (7.9% vs. 13.0% lap vs. 13.8% open, p = 0.05). The robotic cohort was slightly younger (mean age 57.5 ± 13.5 vs. lap 60.1 ± 13.8 vs. open 58.9 ± 13.7, p < 0.05), and no significant differences were seen by Charlson Comorbidity Index. Anastomosis of hepatic duct to GI tract carried higher odds of mortality (OR 2.87, p < 0.01) and higher odds of readmission (OR 1.40, p < 0.01). LOS above 7 days increased odds of readmission (OR 2.24, p < 0.01). Nearly one-fifth of patients readmitted after hepatectomy present to a different hospital. Robotic hepatectomy was associated with favorable cost and readmission outcomes compared to laparoscopic and open hepatectomy patients, despite similar patient comorbid burdens and patient’s age. Length of stay over 7 days and anastomosis of hepatic duct to GI tract are strong risk factors for readmission and mortality.
Dark energy and string theory

Abstract A radiatively stable de Sitter spacetime is constructed by considering an intrinsically non-commutative and generalized-geometric formulation of string theory, which is related to a family of F-theory models endowed with non-trivial anisotropic axion-dilaton backgrounds. In particular, the curvature of the canonically conjugate dual space provides for a positive cosmological constant to leading order, that satisfies a radiatively stable see-saw-like formula, which in turn induces the dark energy in the observed spacetime. We also comment on the non-commutative phase of the non-perturbative formulations of string theory/quantum gravity implied by this approach.
Evaluating changes to Ralstonia pickettii in high-purity water to guide selection of potential calibration materials for online water bioburden analyzers.

Online water bioburden analyzers (OWBAs) can provide real-time feedback on viable bacteria in high-purity water (HPW) systems for pharmaceutical manufacturers. To calibrate and validate OWBAs, which detect bacteria using scattered light and bacterial autofluorescence, standards are needed that mimic the characteristics of bacteria in HPW. To guide selection of potential standards, e.g., fluorescent microspheres, a relevant bacterial contaminant, Ralstonia pickettii, was characterized for size, count, viability, and autofluorescence after exposure for 24 h to HPW or a nutrient environment. The cells exposed to HPW showed smaller sizes, with lower counts and autofluorescence intensities, but similar spectral features. The cell characteristics are discussed in comparison with a set of fluorescent microspheres, considering factors relevant to OWBAs. These studies suggest that fluorescent microspheres should be relatively small (< 1 µm diameter) and dim, while covering a broad emission range from ≈ (420 to 600) nm to best mimic the representative R. pickettii.
The Role of the Gut Microbiome on Skeletal Muscle Mass and Physical Function: 2019 Update

Within the past year, several studies have reported a positive role for the gut microbiome on the maintenance of skeletal muscle mass, evidence that contrasts previous reports of a negative role for the gut microbiome on the maintenance of whole body lean mass. The purpose of this mini-review is to clarify these seemingly discordant findings, and to review recently published studies that further elucidate the gut-muscle axis.
Design and Simulation of 600V 4H-SiC Superjunction JBS Diode

A 600V 4H-SiC Superjunction Junction Barrier Diode (SJ-JBS) was designed. Trench sidewall implant was utilized to serve as both the negative charge depletion region for the SJ effect and the buried junction for JBS effect. According to the Synopsys TCAD simulation results, the sidewall angle introduced by the trench etching process is playing an important role in determining the tradeoff window for SJ and JBS effects. The optimized SJ-JBS has a half mesa-width of 0.75 $\mu$ m and a sidewall angle of 25°, and can achieve both a breakdown voltage (BV) of 867.9 V and a surface electric field of 8.11×l05 V/cm. When comparing to the theoretical maximum SJ BV (909 V) at the critical electric field of 3.01×l06 V/cm, a 95.5% BV maintenance with 73% surface electric field reduction were achieved.