cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experience driven adaptive behaviour of autonomous humanoid robots

Autonomous robots need to learn intelligent behaviour by interacting with the real world and adapting to changing environments. In order to study the adaptive behaviour of intelligent systems, an autonomous humanoid robot has been developed which understands goals, senses its environment in context with the goal and operates independently by means of experience gathering and a self-generating will.
Beyond an ungreen-economics-based political philosophy::Three strikes against 'the difference principle'

“Beyond an ungreen-economics-based political philosophy” John Rawls’s liberalism is the dominant political philosophy of our time. But is it compatible with the values of green economics? I argue in this paper that it is founded on ungreen economics. In particular, Rawls’s ‘difference principle’, which takes inequalities to be just if they benefit the worst off, is subjected here to three counter-arguments. Firstly, an argument based on one from Norman Daniels. Secondly, an argument based on one from Jerry Cohen. Thirdly, and most originally: inegalitarian modes of ‘societal’ organisation are ecologically unsustainable. The difference principle unconsciously assumes that the Earth is infinite, that the more we raise the lowest boats the better; disregarding that we may already have raised the lowest boats – in Western societies at least – let alone, obviously, the higher boats, more than the ecosphere can tolerate. (And: in a steady-state, inequalities would be more socially unsustainable than ever.) Three strikes: the difference principle is out…
Regulation of nuclear localization and transcriptional activity of TFII-I by Bruton's tyrosine kinase.

Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (Btk) is required for normal B-cell development, as defects in Btk lead to X-linked immunodeficiency (xid) in mice and X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) in humans. Here we demonstrate a functional interaction between the multifunctional transcription factor TFII-I and Btk. Ectopic expression of wild-type Btk enhances TFII-I-mediated transcriptional activation and its tyrosine phosphorylation in transient-transfection assays. Mutation of Btk in either the PH domain (R28C, as in the murine xid mutation) or the kinase domain (K430E) compromises its ability to enhance both the tyrosine phosphorylation and the transcriptional activity of TFII-I. TFII-I associates constitutively in vivo with wild-type Btk and kinase-inactive Btk but not xid Btk. However, membrane immunoglobulin M cross-linking in B cells leads to dissociation of TFII-I from Btk. We further show that while TFII-I is found in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of wild-type and xid primary resting B cells, nuclear TFII-I is greater in xid B cells. Most strikingly, receptor cross-linking of wild-type (but not xid) B cells results in increased nuclear import of TFII-I. Taken together, these data suggest that although the PH domain of Btk is primarily responsible for its physical interaction with TFII-I, an intact kinase domain of Btk is required to enhance transcriptional activity of TFII-I in the nucleus. Thus, mutations impairing the physical and/or functional association between TFII-I and Btk may result in diminished TFII-I-dependent transcription and contribute to defective B-cell development and/or function.
Task spreading and shrinking on multiprocessor systems and networks of workstations

In this paper, we describe how our computational model can be used for the problems of processor allocation and task mapping. The intended applications for this model include the dynamic mapping problems of shrinking or spreading an existing mapping when the available pool of processors changes during execution of the problem. The concept of problem edge class and other features of our model are developed to realistically and efficiently support task partitioning and merging for static and dynamic mapping. The model dictates realistic changes in the computation and communication characteristics of a problem when the problem partitioning is modified dynamically. This model forms the basis of our algorithms for shrinking and spreading, and yields realistic results for a variety of problems mapped onto real systems. An emulation program running on a network of workstations under PVM is used to measure execution times for the mapping solutions found by the algorithms. The results indicate that the problem edge class is a crucial consideration for processor allocation and task mapping.
Decomposition Analyses Applied to a Complex Ultradian Biorhythm: The Oscillating NADH Oxidase Activity of Plasma Membranes Having a Potential Time-Keeping (Clock) Function

Seasonal decomposition analyses were applied to the statistical evaluation of an oscillating activity for a plasma membrane NADH oxidase activity with a temperature compensated period of 24 min. The decomposition fits were used to validate the cyclic oscillatory pattern. Three measured values, average percentage error (MAPE), a measure of the periodic oscillation, mean average deviation (MAD), a measure of the absolute average deviations from the fitted values, and mean standard deviation (MSD), the measure of standard deviation from the fitted values plus R-squared and the Henriksson-Merton p value were used to evaluate accuracy. Decomposition was carried out by fitting a trend line to the data, then detrending the data if necessary, by subtracting the trend component. The data, with or without detrending, were then smoothed by subtracting a centered moving average of length equal to the period length determined by Fourier analysis. Finally, the time series were decomposed into cyclic and error components. The findings not only validate the periodic nature of the major oscillations but suggest, as well, that the minor intervening fluctuations also recur within each period with a reproducible pattern of recurrence.
Optimizing virtual machine consolidation performance on NUMA server architecture for cloud workloads

Server virtualization and workload consolidation enable multiple workloads to share a single physical server, resulting in significant energy savings and utilization improvements. The shift of physical server architectures to NUMA and the increasing popularity of scale-out cloud applications undermine workload consolidation efficiency and result in overall system degradation. In this work, we characterize the consolidation of cloud workloads on NUMA virtualized systems, estimate four different sources of architecture overhead, and explore optimization opportunities beyond the default NUMA-aware hypervisor memory managementMotivated by the observed architectural impact on cloud workload consolidation performance, we propose three optimization techniques incorporating NUMA access overhead into the hypervisor's virtual machine memory allocation and page fault handling routines. Among these, estimation of the memory zone access overhead serves as a foundation for the other two techniques: a NUMA overhead aware buddy allocator and a P2M swap FIFO. Cache hit rate, cycle loss due to cache miss, and IPC serve as indicators to estimate the access cost of each memory node. Our optimized buddy allocator dynamically selects low-overhead memory zones and "proportionally" distributes memory pages across target nodes. The P2M swap FIFO records recently unused PFN, MFN lists for mapping exchanges to rebalance memory access pressure within one domain. Our real system based evaluations show a 41.1% performance improvement when consolidating 16-VMs on a 4- socket server (the proposed allocator contributes 22.8% of the performance gain and the P2M swap FIFO accounts for the rest). Furthermore, our techniques can cooperate well with other methods (i.e. vCPU migration) and scale well when varying VM memory size and the number of sockets in a physical host
Exploring diversity in immigrant assimilation and transnationalism: Poles and russian jews in Philadelphia

This article investigates different patterns of coexistence of assimilation and transnational engagements (A/T) among recent Polish and Jewish Russian immigrants in Philadelphia and the particular constellations of circumstances that generate these outcomes. It then integrates this analysis into a broader comparative examination of the simultaneity of A/T among residentially dispersed Asian Indians, first-wave Cubans in Miami, and Jamaicans, undocumented Chinese, and Dominicans in New York. The main factors shaping the most common A/T patterns in these seven immigrant groups at the global, sending and receiving society national, and local levels are identified.
Thermal elevation in the human eye and head due to the operation of a retinal prosthesis

An explicit finite-difference time-domain formulation of the bio-heat equation is employed with a three-dimensional head eye model to evaluate the temperature increase in the eye and surrounding head tissues due to the operation of the implanted stimulator IC chip of a retinal prosthesis designed to restore partial vision to the blind. As a first step, a validation of the thermal model and method used is carried out by comparison with in vivo measurements of intraocular heating performed in the eyes of dogs. Induced temperature increase in the eye and surrounding tissues is then estimated for several different operational conditions of the implanted chip. In the vitreous cavity, temperature elevation of 0.26/spl deg/C is observed after 26 min for a chip dissipating 12.4 mW when positioned in the mid-vitreous cavity while it is 0.16/spl deg/C when the chip is positioned in the anterior portion between the eye's ciliary muscles. Corresponding temperature rises observed on chip are 0.82/spl deg/C for both the positions of the chip. A comprehensive account of temperature elevations in different tissues under different operational conditions is presented.
Does the Context of Spousal Loss Affect the Physical Functioning of Older Widowed Persons? A Longitudinal Analysis:

This study examines: (1) the extent to which acute and chronic stressors related to spousal loss affect the physical functioning of bereaved spouses; and (2) how these patterns differ for men and w...
Lactogenic hormone requirements for milk secretion in intact lactating rats.

SummaryA technic is described for determination of amount of lactogenic hormone required for milk secretion in intact lactating rats. Rats were isolated from their litters for 12 hours on day 14 postpartum then deeply anaesthetized with 4.5 mg/100 g Nembutal and all milk withdrawn by 9 young with aid of oxytocin. With lactogenic hormone discharge blocked and mammary glands empty, significantly less milk (.85 g/100 g maternal body weight) was obtained following a 2nd 12-hour isolation period in comparison with 2.92 g/100 g for unanaesthetized controls. Injection of .5, 1, 1.5 or 2 mg lactogenic hormone during 2nd isolation period significantly restored milk yield approximately 70%. Yields were, nevertheless, significantly less than controls. No greater milk yield resulted from injection of more than 1 mg lactogen. These data indicate that lactogen is necessary for maintenance of milk secretion in intact rats and strongly imply that since lactogen alone was incapable of restoring milk secretion 100%, other ...
Pupal attendance in the crabhole mosquito Deinocerites cancer: the effects of pupal sex and age

Pupal attendance by adult males of the crabhole mosquito, Deinocerites cancer Theobald, was videotaped in the laboratory. The relationship between pupal attendance time and the sex and age of the attended pupa was clarified by quantitative analysis of the videotapes. Male D.cancer distinguish be- tween male and female pupae if the pupae are within approximately 14 h of eclosion and males spend significantly more time attending such female pupae. The attendance time of female but not of male pupae increased exponentially as they approached eclosion.
Business failure pathways: Environmental stress and organizational response

This paper compares the failure of 73 firms that declared bankruptcy from 1980 to 1986 with the behavior of 73 matching firms that had not failed over the same period. We contrast the relative importance of environmental stress, measured by industry growth/decline, with organizational response, measured by asset and debt growth/decline. Firm effects dominate industry effects in explaining failure. Four distinctive business failure pathways based on firm and industry growth patterns are described. In particular, we conclude that debt-funded, forced-growth strategies create a high risk of failure regardless of industry growth rate.
Etiam reges , Even Kings

“He could not believe that the army had been brought so far, through so many dangers, only to fail at the last.” With these few words Joseph Strayer grasped the essence of Louis IX's feelings during the critical phase of the king's first crusade and the French defeat in Egypt in the spring of the year 1250. The king's captivity at the hands of his Muslim adversaries followed soon after the French disaster. My aim in this paper is to suggest and explore some consequences of Louis's experiences in this period, an undertaking that is, I think, historically significant inasmuch as many people over the centuries have idealized the king's rule as the purest form of Christian governance. In large part my story is a tale of what might have been if the king had accomplished the three central goals he set for himself after 1250: his own purification, his kingdom's purification, and the assurance that this purified realm would perdure beyond his lifetime. In an essay of the present length I cannot be comprehensive o...
Round cell sarcoma with CIC-DUX4 gene fusion: Discussion of the distinctive cytomorphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular features in the differential diagnosis of round cell tumors.

BACKGROUND Undifferentiated round cell sarcomas are a heterogeneous group, and include tumors that resemble the Ewing sarcoma family. Although a subset defined by recurrent CIC-DUX4 gene fusion has been recently characterized, data regarding the cytomorphologic features are currently limited. Two recent fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cases prompted review of the spectrum of round cell tumors in the differential diagnosis to determine distinctive diagnostic features. METHODS Two genetically confirmed FNA cases were identified. Cytomorphologic features were evaluated on FNA smears and hematoxylin and eosin-stained cell block and concurrent needle biopsy sections, and immunohistochemical studies performed on cell block and biopsy sections were reviewed. RESULTS The 2 patients were a 24-year-old man with a posterior mediastinal mass and a 69-year-old woman with a gluteal mass. FNA smears were cellular with tumor cells present in large groups and singly dispersed. Tumor cells had large, round-to-ovoid, hyperchromatic nuclei with irregular membranes, frequent large nucleoli, and a moderate amount of vacuolated cytoplasm. Both cases demonstrated necrosis, and one case had prominent myxoid stroma. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated focal-to-multifocal CD99 positivity and diffuse nuclear staining for WT1; staining for cytokeratin, desmin, S-100, CD34, CD45, and TdT were negative. Fluorescence in situ hybridization demonstrated CIC-DUX4 fusion in both cases. CONCLUSIONS CIC-DUX4 round cell sarcoma differs from Ewing sarcoma in that it has more atypical cytologic features and lacks the diffuse membranous CD99 staining pattern characteristic of Ewing sarcoma. The differential diagnosis is broad, and requires the judicious use of ancillary studies. Focal-to-multifocal CD99 immunoreactivity and diffuse nuclear WT1 positivity is characteristic of CIC-DUX4 sarcoma, and should prompt molecular testing. Cancer Cytopathol 2016;124:350-61. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Autocovariance-based MPC model mismatch estimation for SISO systems

Model predictive control (MPC) has become the de-facto standard for multivariable control in the process industries. MPC systems are able to handle complex dynamics, interactions and constraints, but are vulnerable to plant-model mismatch. The deviation of the process model from the plant is an inevitable phenomenon, caused by drifting equipment properties and process conditions. In this contribution, we introduce a novel autocovariance-based framework for estimating MPC plant-model mismatch from closed-loop operating data. Our initial results focus on SISO systems, where we begin by establishing an explicit relationship between the autocovariance of process input and output data, and the magnitude of the plant-model mismatch. We use this result to establish an optimization-based approach for solving the inverse problem, that is, computing plant-model mismatch from available data. We present a numerical study, where we demonstrate the excellent performance of the proposed framework.
Municipal Governments: Does it Take a Strong Mayor to Get the Job Done?

Municipalities have modified their systems of local government as demographics have changed, generally adopting frameworks that grant more power to the mayor. This phenomenon has resulted in an increase in strong mayor forms of municipal governments. Through the examination of empirical data, municipal governments in California will be analyzed to compare the effectiveness of strong mayor and council systems as measured by fiscal stability and public official turnover rates. Further, special consideration will be given to the local characteristics that either enable or hinder effectiveness.
A Simplified Nonsurgical Method for the Correction of Neonatal Deformational Auricular Anomalies

Despite reported success of early nonsurgical splinting of congenital ear deformities, the technique has not been widely utilized due to difficulty with application and positional maintenance of these devices. Delay in treatment can result in unnecessary surgery for the child later in life. In response to this need, we developed a simplified system consisting of Velcro, conformers, and polysiloxane gel that can be applied in 3 steps. Before and after photos after application of the device were graded by a plastic surgeon independent of the study. A total of 33 ear deformities were treated. In all, 92.3% of ears achieved significant improvement and normalization of their ears after therapy. This device allows for a more straightforward and individualized application than current products available. Our hope is that practitioners involved early in the infant's care will utilize this technology resulting in improved outcomes and avoiding unnecessary surgery.
Cerebral functional connectivity and Mayer waves: phenomena and separability

Resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) is based on low-frequency hemodynamic oscillations in the brain. We report that RSFC is independent of Mayer waves, another hemodynamic phenomenon reported in the same frequency range as RSFC.
Central beta adrenoceptor mediation of the antinatriuretic response to behavioral stress in conscious dogs

This study examined the renal excretory response to behavioral stress (aversive conditioning) in conscious dogs during infusion of beta adrenoceptor antagonists that either readily cross, or that do not readily cross the blood-brain barrier. With saline infusion alone (n = 7), behavioral stress decreased sodium excretion (-47 +/- 7% from 345 microEq/min) and urine flow rate (-48 +/- 5% from 2.1 ml/min). In the same dogs, infusion of propranolol, which readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, abolished the sodium excretion and urine flow rate responses to behavioral stress (-2 +/- 6% from 527 microEq/min and -5 +/- 3% from 3.0 ml/min, respectively). In a different group of dogs (n = 5), infusion of timolol or oxprenolol, antagonists that cross the blood-brain barrier less readily than propranolol, did not abolish the excretory response to behavioral stress. Behavioral stress decreased sodium excretion and urine flow rate during timolol infusion (-38 +/- 6% from 452 microEq/min and -36 +/- 6% from 2.4 ml/min, respectively) and oxprenolol infusion (-25 +/- 9% from 328 microEq/min and -19 +/- 8% from 1.8 ml/min, respectively). With saline infusion alone in these same dogs, behavioral stress decreased sodium excretion (-48 +/- 7% from 316 microEq/min) and urine flow rate (-40 +/- 7% from 1.7 ml/min). Mean arterial pressure increased similarly among all conditions in this study. Since the three antagonists accumulate to a high degree in the kidney, but only propranolol abolished the excretory response to behavioral stress, renal beta adrenoceptors did not appear to mediate the excretory response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
HBV Infection Among the Factory Workers in Taishan City

Objective To Survey the HBV infection among the workers in 19 factories in Taishan city and suggest some control measures. Method Serum samples were collected from the factory workers for the detection of HBV markers by ELISA. Results 11062 samples were studied, with an HBsAg(+) rate of 10.63%. The seropositive rate in male was higher than that in female, but showed no difference in different age groups. The Anti-HBs(+) rate was 29.28% and was higher in female that in male. The rates of infection in the age groups of 15 and 50 years old were higher than those of age groups of 20, 30 and 40 years old. The HBeAg(+) rate was 33.37% and was similar in different sex and age groups. Seven HBV markers were detected including HBsAg, HBeAg, Anti-HBc, HBsAg, Anti-HBe, and Anti-HBc. Conclusions The prevalence of HBV infection in Taishan city was high and similar to the epidemic situation in our country. The vaccination program against HBV should be implemented to protect our labor force.
Having and Doing Gender: Young Adults’ Expression of Gender when Resolving Conflicts with Friends and Romantic Partners

A communal orientation focusing on others is consistent with stereotypes of women’s social roles and personality traits, whereas an agentic orientation focusing more exclusively on oneself is consistent with men’s roles and traits. Using survey methods, we drew from Sandra Bem’s ideas to investigate whether gender differences in endorsement of communal and agentic conflict-management strategies varied depending on the peer relationship context. When gender differences were found, we investigated whether they were accounted for by masculine and feminine personality traits. College students (N = 116; 49 men and 67 women, 18–24 years-old) from the U.S. mid-Atlantic region rated stereotyped masculine and feminine traits as well as communal and agentic strategies for resolving hypothetical contexts in three peer contexts: same-gender friend, other-gender friend, and other-gender romantic partner. When conflicts involved a same-gender friend, women rated communal strategies higher than did men, but men’s and women’s ratings of communal strategies were similar in the other peer contexts. When conflicts involved an other-gender friend or romantic partner, women rated agentic strategies higher than did men, but men’s and women’s ratings of agentic strategies were similar when the conflict involved a same-gender friend. Women’s greater endorsement of communal strategies for managing conflicts with a same-gender friend was partially explained by their being more likely than men to endorse stereotypical feminine personality traits. Results are discussed in light of Bem’s (1974) once revolutionary, but still relevant, ideas that situational demands influence behavioral expressions of gender and that gender is a multidimensional construct.
Searching for differences and discovering similarities: Why international and resident second-language learners’ grammatical errors cannot serve as a proxy for placement into writing courses

Abstract Recent research has drawn attention to differences in the writing produced by international second-language writers and U.S. resident second-language writers, with implications for placement into college writing courses. Initially designed to complement the literature through the discovery of different types of grammatical errors in the writing produced by these two groups of learners, the current study instead challenges previous research by noting how similar the two groups’ grammatical errors are when examined in detail. Findings suggest that when groups are controlled for writing proficiency and first language, noticeable differences across the groups diminish. The study's findings call into question placement decisions for resident second-language writers, as well as the value of relying on differences in grammatical errors to distinguish the two groups. Findings can assist writing program administrators, placement test administrators, and writing instructors who need to accommodate both international and resident second-language learners.
Indication and Rationale for the Use of Implantable Devices for Arterial Regional Chemotherapy

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for metastatic liver cancer has been used for over 20 years. The reason that intraarterial chemotherapy has not gained universal popularity has been the technical problems associated with such therapy. The therapy was carried out by the placement of angiographic catheters using the percutaneous Seldinger technique. This required hospitalization of the patient for each treatment cycle, for 7–10 days, every 4–6 weeks. Oberfield et al. [1] reported significant complications in 48 patients at the Lahey Clinic treated with prolonged continuous percutaneous intraarterial chemotherapy and metastatic liver adenocarcinoma from colorectal primary. These complications included complete or partial thrombosis of the common hepatic artery or celiac artery in 18.6% and 20.8% of the patients, respectively, and 30% had dislodgement of the catheter. Bleeding not controlled by pressure, stenosis of the common hepatic artery, pseudoaneurysms of the common hepatic artery, and the catheter breaking off in an artery were also reported. Minor complications, such as displacement of the catheter, occurred in 43.8% of the patients, cracked catheter in 31.3%, clotted catheter in 14.6%, infection in 4.2%, and diminished or lost pulse in 12.5%.
On the P -Scalar Curvature

We study the P-scalar curvature operator used by Perelman in the context of manifolds with density. We verify that the Gromov–Lawson surgery for positive scalar curvature extends naturally to positive P-scalar curvature. By studying the first variation of the P-scalar curvature operator, we obtain local perturbation results for the P-scalar curvature. As a corollary, we construct small perturbations (in the category of manifolds with density) of the round unit hemisphere $$\mathbb {S}^n_+$$ which are compactly supported away from the boundary and yield manifolds with density with non-constant P-scalar curvature at least $$n(n-1)$$ .
Organisational strategies to implement hospital pressure ulcer prevention programmes: findings from a national survey.

Aim To describe the presence and operationalisation of organisational strategies to support implementation of pressure ulcer prevention programmes across acute care hospitals in a large, integrated health-care system. Background Comprehensive pressure ulcer programmes include nursing interventions such as use of a risk assessment tool and organisational strategies such as policies and performance monitoring to embed these interventions into routine care. The current literature provides little detail about strategies used to implement pressure ulcer prevention programmes. Methods Data were collected by an e-mail survey to all chief nursing officers in Veterans Health Administration acute care hospitals. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to summarise survey responses and evaluate relationships between some variables. Results Organisational strategies that support implementation of a pressure ulcer prevention programme (policy, committee, staff education, wound care specialists, and use of performance data) were reported at high levels. Considerable variations were noted in how these strategies were operationalised within individual hospitals. Conclusion Organisational strategies to support implementation of pressure ulcer preventive programmes are often not optimally operationalised to achieve consistent, sustainable performance. Implications for nursing management The results of the present study highlight the role and influence of nurse leaders on pressure ulcer prevention program implementation.
Kriging-Based Design of Experiments for Multi-Source Exposure–Response Studies in Nanotoxicology

For the sustainable development of nanomaterials (NMs), it is critical to assess the toxic potency of NMs. One of the major challenges with toxicology studies of NMs, compared to traditional materi...
The particle charging behavior of ion-exchanged surfactants in apolar media

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of surfactant counterion electronegativity on the micellization and particle charging behavior of a series of ion-exchanged surfactants in apolar media. The sodium cation in Aerosol OT (AOT) was exchanged for four divalent cations and one trivalent cation, resulting in five AOT analogs. The critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) of each of these AOT analogs was measured by conductometric techniques. For each surfactant, dispersions were made with three different mineral oxides, spanning a range of points of zero charge (PZC), and their electrophoretic mobilities were measured. It was found that all five surfactants behaved as acids, charging all particles positively, with zeta potentials up to 201 mV. It was also found, generally, that as the electronegativity of the surfactant head-group increased, the imparted particle mobilities also increased. The trivalent AOT analog imparted higher mobilities than an electronegatively comparable divalent analog.
Oberlandesgericht München, Az. U 1110/14 Kart, Claudia Pechstein v/ International Skating Union (ISU), 15 January 2015

CAS arbitration is fundamentally a forced arbitration. In the first instance, Ms Claudia Pechstein brought an action against the ISU before a German tribunal, which held that arbitration agreements were null given the absence of free consent of the athletes. On appeal, in a resounding ruling rendered on 15 January 2015, the Oberlandesgericht of Munich held that arbitration agreements imposed by sports institutions on their members constituted an abuse of dominant position. Contrary to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, the German Court considered, at least in appearance, the CAS as structurally favourable to sports governing bodies. Consequently, the Court refused to recognize the arbitral award in which the CAS had confirmed the sanction for doping imposed by the ISU on Ms Pechstein on the grounds that the award violated international public policy. Beyond this particular case, the ruling has led to an overall reflection on the CAS’s independence; for instance, by putting an end to the system of the closed list of arbitrators.
What Is Happening With Sustainable Community Tourism

What Is Happening With Sustainable Community Tourism? What is the good of tourism development if the people who are the intended beneficiaries receive little or no benefit after the project occurs? The less developed countries of the world are focusing more and more on tourism to bring in foreign currency and to build growth in GDP but can regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South America and Asia make any progress if research into sustainable tourism development does not help to lead the way? Twenty years ago in Rio sustainable development and sustainable tourism were the answer to the preservation of the world’s resources and the more equitable distribution of wealth. But here in 2012 not much has changed and in most cases has gotten worse. In the twenty years that have passed we cannot agree to a definition of what sustainable tourism is and as Sharpley states there may not even be this thing we have called sustainable tourism.
Accounting Management and Efficiency of SMEs in the Province of Nakorn Nayok

The purpose of studying the accounting management and efficiency of SMEs in the province of Nakorn Nayok, is to study the levels of accounting management and efficiency in managing the business, and to find the correlation between the accounting management and the efficiency of SMEs in Nakorn Nayok province. The model group consisted of 175 managers of the industrial plants SMEs in Nakorn Nayok. Tools used in this study are questionnaires. Statistic is by mean, t-Test, Pearson’s simple correlation moment. It is found that the level of accounting management and the efficiency of managing SMEs in Nakorn Nayok province, is at a medium level. It is also found that the correlation between the accounting management and the efficiency in managing the business is at a low level with statistic significant at .01 and correlation coefficient at .496.
The New Legal Realism: Volume 1: Translating Law-and-Society for Today's Legal Practice

This is the first of two volumes announcing the emergence of the new legal realism as a field of study. At a time when the legal academy is turning to social science for new approaches, these volumes chart a new course for interdisciplinary research by synthesizing law on the ground, empirical research, and theory. Volume 1 lays the groundwork for this novel and comprehensive approach with an innovative mix of theoretical, historical, pedagogical, and empirical perspectives. Their empirical work covers such wide-ranging topics as the financial crisis, intellectual property battles, the legal disenfranchisement of African-American landowners, and gender and racial prejudice on law school faculties. The methodological blueprint offered here will be essential for anyone interested in the future of law-and-society. Published May 2017 by Cambridge University Press: http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9781107071131.
Stereoelectronic Effects on Structure and Reactivity of Organic Molecules: Origins and Consequences

Chemical bonding in the atomic world is controlled byconstructive interference of electronic wavefunctions. The sensitivity of orbital interactions to spatial overlap gives rise to the concept of stereoelectronic effects, i.e. stabilizing orbital interactions specific to a particular geometry. Such effects play important roles in chemical structure, stability and reactivity. They range from interactions between atoms and molecules to interactions between different parts of a single molecule. This chapter starts with the fundamentals of intermolecular interactions, introducing the world of stereoelectronic interactions by relating them to core concepts of organic reactivity. An overview of experimental and theoretical ways to quantify such effects is provided. Illustrative examples of vicinal donor–acceptor interactions introduce the reader to the application of these core concepts and to the “main rule” of stereoelectronics – antiperiplanarity. Furthermore, the chapter expands stereoelectronic concepts to more exotic high energy systems, such as the transition states, where the high energy and unusual chemical bonding amplifydelocalizing interactions. Keywords: chemical bonding; intermolecular interactions; quantum laws; stereoelectronic factors; torquoselectivity
Ablation of IB4 non-peptidergic afferents in the rat facet joint prevents injury-induced pain and thalamic hyperexcitability via supraspinal glutamate transporters

The facet joint is a common source of neck pain, particularly after excessive stretch of its capsular ligament. Peptidergic afferents have been shown to have an important role in the development and maintenance of mechanical hyperalgesia, dysregulated nociceptive signaling, and spinal hyperexcitability that develop after mechanical injury to the facet joint. However, the role of non-peptidergic isolectin-B4 (IB4) cells in mediating joint pain is unknown. Isolectin-B4 saporin (IB4-SAP) was injected into the facet joint to ablate non-peptidergic cells, and the facet joint later underwent a ligament stretch known to induce pain. Behavioral sensitivity, thalamic glutamate transporter expression, and thalamic hyperexcitability were evaluated up to and at day 7. Administering IB4-SAP prior to a painful injury prevented the development of mechanical hyperalgesia that is typically present. Intra-articular IB4-SAP also prevented the upregulation of the glutamate transporters GLT-1 and EAAC1 in the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus and reduced thalamic neuronal hyperexcitability at day 7. These findings suggest that a painful facet injury induces changes extending to supraspinal structures and that IB4-positive afferents in the facet joint may be critical for the development and maintenance of sensitization in the thalamus after a painful facet joint injury.
Sequence-structure relationships, expression profiles, and disease-associated mutations in the paralogs of phosphoglucomutase 1

The key metabolic enzyme phosphoglucomutase 1 (PGM1) controls glucose homeostasis in most human cells. Four proteins related to PGM1, known as PGM2, PGM2L1, PGM3 and PGM5, and referred to herein as paralogs, are encoded in the human genome. Although all members of the same enzyme superfamily, these proteins have distinct substrate preferences and different functional roles. The recent association of PGM1 and PGM3 with inherited enzyme deficiencies prompts us to revisit sequence-structure and other relationships among the PGM1 paralogs, which are understudied despite their importance in human biology. Using currently available sequence, structure, and expression data, we investigated evolutionary relationships, tissue-specific expression profiles, and the amino acid preferences of key active site motifs. Phylogenetic analyses indicate both ancient and more recent divergence between the different enzyme sub-groups comprising the human paralogs. Tissue-specific protein and RNA expression profiles show widely varying patterns for each paralog, providing insight into function and disease pathology. Multiple sequence alignments confirm high conservation of key active site regions, but also reveal differences related to substrate specificity. In addition, we find that sequence variants of PGM2, PGM2L1, and PGM5 verified in the human population affect residues associated with disease-related mutants in PGM1 or PGM3. This suggests that inherited diseases related to dysfunction of these paralogs will likely occur in humans.
Elastic fields and effective stiffness tensor of spheroidal particle composite with imperfect interface

Abstract An analytical approach to the elasticity homogenization problem for a spheroidal particle composite with general imperfect interface has been developed. The considered model takes into account the volume content and elastic moduli of constituents, shape, size and orientation of inhomogeneities and interface stiffness. The multipole expansion method has been applied to obtain an accurate solution to the problem for a single spheroidal inhomogeneity with imperfect interface. This solution constitutes a mathematical background of the Maxwell homogenization scheme. The formula for effective stiffness is derived by equating the induced dipole moment of equivalent inclusion to the total dipole moment of individual inhomogeneities. Numerical study shows a significant combined effect of interface stiffness and particle size, shape and orientation on the stress field and macroscopic stiffness of composite.
Biphasic Tumors of the Lungs

Biphasic tumors are a group of tumors that are composed of two elements: malignant epithelial and mesenchymal components. These tumors only rarely arise in the lungs and overall represent less than 2 % of all primary lung neoplasms. In the bronchopulmonary system, the tumors belonging to this group include pulmonary blastoma, pleuropulmonary blastoma, and carcinosarcoma. Pulmonary blastomas and carcinosarcomas in particular have caused great contention in the literature with regard to their histogenesis, nomenclature, and classification; and to date no universally accepted concept exists as to whether these tumors represent independent clinicopathological entities or rather constitute subtypes of other neoplasms. However, based on their distinct morphological features and the results of the latest molecular investigations indicating tumor autonomy, these neoplasms warrant inclusion as independent entities. The pertinent characteristics of the three neoplasms are summarized in Table 5.1.
Iron absorption and cellular uptake of iron

Iron balance is regulated primarily by keeping the absorptive process attuned to body requirements. While iron loss from the body is quantitatively as important as iron absorption, excretion is limited and plays a more passive role [1]. It has been known for many years that iron is absorbed in the small intestine. However, the mechanisms involved in mucosal uptake of dietary iron and mucosal transfer of iron into the plasma are poorly understood. In non-intestinal cells which possess transferrin receptors on their surface, iron is believed to enter the cell via a transferrin, transferrin-receptor clathrin mediated mechanism [2]. However, recent publications suggest that there may be an alternative pathway [3-5].
Some Elements of Cardiovascular and Renal Physiology

The cardiovascular system has evolved in a complex manner to meet the metabolic requirements of mammals. This is no better illustrated than by the adjustments seen as one goes from the resting state to exercising. Thus, part of the focus of this chapter will be on these adjustments. A discussion of the control of the BP will follow since it involves mechanisms intimately associated with resting-state physiolsogy and the exercise response. I shall close with a brief discussion of renal physiology because of the role the kidney plays in conjunction with the cardiovascular system in maintaining metabolic homeostasis.
Optimal Bayesian Transfer Learning for Classifying Multivariate Gaussian Observations

The fundamental assumption to guarantee the generalizability of traditional machine learning methods is that there are sufficient data for training, assumed to be independently sampled with the identical underlying distribution as the future data to test. However, in many real-world applications involving complex systems, we may not have sufficient data or the collected data may manifest heterogeneity. In either case, the cross-cutting question is when and how we may “transfer” the “surrogate” knowledge and data from well-characterized systems (source) to a target system of interest, to improve the predictive power of machine learning methods for the target.
Thyroid cancer clinical trials in the United States: Understanding trends to maximize impact.

Background We sought to understand thyroid cancer study modalities, publications, and grants. This provides scope, resources, and dissemination patterns to inform future directions for research and policy. Methods A retrospective study of thyroid cancer trials using ClinicalTrials.gov was performed. Publication and grant awards were sourced using PubMed.gov and NIH RePORTER, respectively. Results Seventy-three thyroid cancer trials were identified out of 217 000 from 1998 to 2015. Drugs were studied in 96% of all trials. Only 14% of all trials included radiation, and 4% included surgery. Only 29% of trials published their results, NIH funding was reported for 26% of trials. Total funding was $1 845 567 484 (average award: $97135131). Conclusion This study is the first to prove that drug trials predominate in thyroid cancer and quantify NIH dollars awarded. Radiation and surgery are underrepresented, despite being standard of care. We recommend better balance of therapeutics and peer-reviewed reporting of positive and negative results. Level of evidence Level 1a evidence.
Effect of creep feeding on selected microflora and short-chain fatty acids in the ileum of weanling pigs

Pigs cannulated at the ileum were used to investigate the effect of creep feeding on specific intestinal microflora and VFA and lactate concentrations. In two replicate trials performed 50 d apart, a total of 24 15-d-old nursing pigs from seven sows were cannulated in the terminal ileum and randomly assigned to two test groups. One group was allowed access to a creep diet, whereas the other group was denied access to the diet by removal from the farrowing crate. Ileal samples were collected at 19, 22, 26, and 29 d of age (preweaning) and at 33, 36, and 40 d of age (postweaning). Samples were assayed for total and hemolytic E. coli, total lactobacilli, pH, acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate, isovalerate, D(-), and L(+) lactate. Creep feeding did not affect lactobacilli or E. coli concentrations (P > .05), nor did it affect short-chain fatty acid concentrations (P > .05). Most volatile fatty acid concentrations decreased (P < .05), total lactate increased (P < .05), and the proportion of E. coli that were hemolytic increased (P < .05) following weaning. Consumption of creep feed did not affect specific microbial populations or fermentative byproducts in the ileum of the young pig.
Evaluation of regional climate services: Learning from seasonal-scale examples across the Americas

Abstract A growing body of scientific work is focused on the evaluation of climate services. This literature has helped to characterize the relative success of individual services; it has also helped weigh the pros and cons of particular evaluation methods in context. This literature has been less useful in providing a snapshot of the extent to which evaluation has become a regular practice among climate service providers, nor what that regular practice might look like. This study addresses this gap by reviewing the practices of evaluation associated with 19 seasonal climate information services offered regionally across the Americas. All but one of the climate services included in the study have undergone some form of evaluation, though evaluation practices vary from case to case. The paper traces this variation to the different evaluation goals that climate services providers articulate, as well as the challenges those providers face in implementing their preferred evaluation plans. Interpreting the results of this analysis, this paper argues that regional climate service providers should consider a three-phase approach to evaluation, beginning with (1) rigorous efforts to understand who accesses their information; developing (2) a nuanced understanding of how that information is used; and culminating with (3) a characterization of the utility and value of the information in context. This study also identifies the role that long-term partnerships might play in helping regional climate service providers access the capacity needed to advance evaluation with respect to these goals, and concludes by discussing the implications of this work for those organizations seeking to build climate service capacity at regional scales.
Pragmatic truths about illness experience: Idioms of distress around Alzheimer's disease in Oaxaca, Mexico.

This article explores the pragmatic sensibilities that are implicit in idioms of distress among family caregivers for Alzheimer's disease in Teotitlan del Valle, a rural Zapotec-speaking community in Oaxaca, Mexico. Through analysis of caregivers' perceptions of progressive memory loss and related etiological understandings, this article emphasizes the pragmatism inherent to local health perspectives. In so doing, the article revisits Nichter's earliest formulation of idioms of distress as providing an alternative epistemological framework to appreciate how illness is varyingly understood. Such a framework is useful for understanding how idioms of distress are not aimed towards attaining accuracy about what illness is in an objective sense, but rather put into focus how such descriptions are both constitutive of-and themselves pragmatic responses to-broader social circumstances. This article concludes with a consideration of how idioms of distress empower individuals as agents of action.