cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On Predation, Competition, and the Advantages of Group Living

Many evolutionary reasons have been suggested as to why animals live in groups. Based on the costs and benefits associated with group living it appears that the risk of predation and the competitively induced need to forage efficiently are the most important forces responsible for the formation and maintenance of groups.
Carotid Artery Stenosis

Seemant Chaturvedi, Peter M. Rothwell, eds 359 pages. Boca Raton, Fla: Taylor and Francis; 2005. $199.95. ISBN 0-8247-5417-4 Carotid Artery Stenosis is a complete review of atherothrombotic disease at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery, its history, pathology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and management. The book naturally divides itself into 5 general areas that are not acknowledged by headings. The first area (chapters 1 through 3) deals with the history, epidemiology, and pathophysiology of atherothrombotic carotid disease. The second area (chapters 4 and 5) deals with the evaluation of atherothrombotic disease at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery. It includes computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and carotid duplex Doppler imaging with flow analysis. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and conventional cerebral angiography are dealt with only in passing. There is no chapter dedicated to transcranial Doppler (TCD) assessment of the effects of pathology in the carotid artery on intracranial arterial flow. The third area (chapters 6 through 11) covers the various medical therapeutic options for preventing progression of atherothrombotic disease. The fourth area (chapters 12 through 16) discusses the rationale for the various surgical therapeutic options, including a welcomed chapter on extracranial and intracranial bypass grafting. The fifth area (chapters 17 through 20) covers the endovascular considerations for management of atherothrombotic carotid disease. An editor’s summary chapter at the end of the book would have been helpful in binding all of the chapters together to provide a practical guide for the practicing physician at the bedside. My reaction to these general areas and some individual chapters follows. The first group of chapters deals with the introduction, epidemiology, pathology, and pathophysiology of carotid disease. The introductory chapter …
The Alzheimer's plaques, tangles and memory deficits may have a common origin; part I; a calcium deficit hypothesis.

Abstract Review of the literature reveals that several biochemical events implicated in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are calcium dependent processes. These processes include normal processing of beta-amyloid precursor protein, dephosphorylation and degradation of tau, neurotransmitter release and memory formation. Since all of these processes appear to be inactivated during progression of AD, we propose that a "deficit" of intracellular calcium levels may occur in the early phase of the disease. We also propose several experiments to test this hypothesis. The hypothesis predicts that presenilins most likely act as calcium channels in vivo and that their gene mutations may cause the disease by diminishing the Ca2+ channeling function.
Causation, Touch, and the Perception of Force

Abstract Much of the thinking on causation recognizes that it entails more than spatial–temporal contiguity or correlation, but it has been difficult to specify exactly what that extra component of thought is. In this paper, we argue that the representation of causal relations is based on the feeling of force as understood through the sense of touch. Grounding causation in people’s sense of touch allows us to address the long-standing challenges that have been raised against force-based approaches to causation. In support of our proposal, we review research on the perception of causation that provides support for a force-based view of causation. We also describe recent findings that establish a direct connection between people’s impressions of causation and their sense of touch. We conclude by showing how a force-based view can be extended to handle the problem of how abstract causal relations are represented and acquired.
Airway management for cervical spine surgery

Cervical spine surgery is one of the most commonly performed spine surgeries in the United States, and 90% of the cases are related to degenerative cervical spine disease (the rest to cervical spine trauma and/or instability). The airway management for cervical spine surgery represents a crucial step in the anesthetic management to avoid injury to the cervical cord. The crux for upper airway management for cervical spine surgery is maintaining the neck in a neutral position with minimal neck movement during endotracheal intubation. Therefore, the conventional direct laryngoscopy (DL) can be unsuitable for securing the upper airway in cervical spine surgery, especially in cases of cervical spine instability and myelopathy. This review discusses the most recent evidence-based facts of the main advantages and limitations of different techniques available for upper airway management for cervical spine surgery.
Maximal area and conformal welding heuristics for optimal slice selection in splenic volume estimation

Accurate estimation of splenic volume is crucial for the determination of disease progression and response to treatment for diseases that result in enlargement of the spleen. However, there is no consensus with respect to the use of single or multiple one-dimensional, or volumetric measurement. Existing methods for human reviewers focus on measurement of cross diameters on a representative axial slice and craniocaudal length of the organ. We propose two heuristics for the selection of the optimal axial plane for splenic volume estimation: the maximal area axial measurement heuristic and the novel conformal welding shape-based heuristic. We evaluate these heuristics on time-variant data derived from both healthy and sick subjects and contrast them to established heuristics. Under certain conditions our heuristics are superior to standard practice volumetric estimation methods. We conclude by providing guidance on selecting the optimal heuristic for splenic volume estimation.
Early Stages in Insect Social Evolution: Individual and Family Odor Differences and Their Functions

It is a good custom of the Entomological Society of America to honor some of its distinguished deceased members. Moreover, I am honored to have this opportunity to speak in the memory of Herbert H. Ross. He was a distinguished biologist, primarily a systematist with intense interests in evolution—principles as well as phylogenies. He was also interested in insect biology; I think he would have been interested in the sort of thing that I am going to discuss here, even though he was not a bee specialist. Above all, he was a charming and intelligent man. We miss him.
Base Drag Considerations on a 0.50-caliber Spinning Projectile

During the course of using computational fluid dynamics to determine the complete set of aerodynamic coefficients (static and dynamic) over the flight Mach numbers (Mach 0.6 to Mach 2.7), the computed base pressure in the subsonic and transonic flight regimes were found to be quite large (sometimes even greater than free stream) such that either a very small (1% of total) or negative base drag was observed. The present study investigates the cause of this phenomenon by investigating the flow in the subsonic and transonic regimes at zero angle of attack. Computations on the standard 0.50-cal geometry were conducted using multiple turbulence models, multiple computational meshes, and multiple flow solvers to validate that this is not a numerical phenomenon. Additionally, the effect of boattail and base geometry on the base drag was investigated in order to better understand the flow phenomenon leading to the reduced base drag.
A method for the isolation and identification of dengue viruses, using mosquito cell cultures

Abstract An improved method for the isolation and identification of dengue viruses is described. Viruses were isolated in mosquito cell cultures (C6/36 or AP-61), identified by indirect fluorescent antibody technique, and typed by complement-fixation test, using the cell culture fluid as antigen. The sensitivity of this method was compared with mosquito inoculation in comparative titrations of 16 low passage dengue virus strains. Although lower virus titers were obtained by the mosquito cell culture technique, its decreased sensitivity was compensated for by the much larger volume (588×) which could be assayed. By incubating the mosquito cells at 32°C, dengue viruses can be identified and typed within 6 days after inoculation.
Will all pressure ulcers heal

Clinicians today are faced with the need to justify their care through outcomes data. However, this is difficult with chronic, nonhealing wounds or pressure ulcers, which do not follow the expected trajectory of wound healing. Therefore, outcomes are unpredictable. This paper discusses the phases of wound healing and progress toward identifying outcomes for chronic wounds, as well as future directions in research.
Solution NMR structure of CsgE: Structural insights into a chaperone and regulator protein important for functional amyloid formation

Curli, consisting primarily of major structural subunit CsgA, are functional amyloids produced on the surface of Escherichia coli, as well as many other enteric bacteria, and are involved in cell colonization and biofilm formation. CsgE is a periplasmic accessory protein that plays a crucial role in curli biogenesis. CsgE binds to both CsgA and the nonameric pore protein CsgG. The CsgG-CsgE complex is the curli secretion channel and is essential for the formation of the curli fibril in vivo. To better understand the role of CsgE in curli formation, we have determined the solution NMR structure of a double mutant of CsgE (W48A/F79A) that appears to be similar to the wild-type (WT) protein in overall structure and function but does not form mixed oligomers at NMR concentrations similar to the WT. The well-converged structure of this mutant has a core scaffold composed of a layer of two α-helices and a layer of three-stranded antiparallel β-sheet with flexible N and C termini. The structure of CsgE fits well into the cryoelectron microscopy density map of the CsgG-CsgE complex. We highlight a striking feature of the electrostatic potential surface in CsgE structure and present an assembly model of the CsgG-CsgE complex. We suggest a structural mechanism of the interaction between CsgE and CsgA. Understanding curli formation can provide the information necessary to develop treatments and therapeutic agents for biofilm-related infections and may benefit the prevention and treatment of amyloid diseases. CsgE could establish a paradigm for the regulation of amyloidogenesis because of its unique role in curli formation.
Increasing Faculty Involvement in Educational Activities (P2.366)

Objective: Track and compensate faculty involvement in educational activities in order to encourage a greater involvement with educational activities and higher compliance with current requirements. Background: The Department of Neurology at the CUSOM developed a system for tracking and measuring educational relative value units (eRVUs) and compensate faculty according to their activity level. This study was developed to pilot a system that monitors and weighs faculty involvement in educational activities attached to the Neurologic Care Clerkship, Adult Neurology Residency Program and Neurology Subspecialty Fellowships. Methods: An eRVU committee was created and charged with identifying which educational activities should be tracked and what metrics should be considered when tracking the activities. The committee identified two main metrics for determining the importance of an activity: time and relevance to the department. Only activities completed at or for programs within CUSOM would be included. The committee developed a matrix to show faculty activities along the spectrum of time spent preparing for and executing the activity versus the relevance the activity has to the department. Each faculty member’s activity within the department was then plotted and measured on the matrix. The matrix time/relevance combinations were given number assignments in order to produce a numerical value for the effort each faculty member was giving to their educational activities. Results: The final sample consisted of 38 faculty members with 24 education-associated items on the matrix. There was a clear increase in the completion rate of evaluations that was measured over 3 years and includes only those evaluations completed within two weeks of the due date. Conclusions: As a result of this system, faculty members have a clear understanding of the time and relevance of their involvement in educational activities. Faculty showed an increase in compliance with completing evaluations. Disclosure: Dr. Miravalle has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rich has nothing to disclose.
Influences in allergy: epidemiology and the environment.

Abstract Many decades after the first descriptions of hay fever in the 19th century, we still struggle with the formation of a cogent conception embracing all the many fragments of insight into the various aspects of allergic and asthmatic diseases. Although in daily practice we can grasp and allocate most of the clinical manifestations, in research the fundamental structures are only in part recognized. We therefore presume that the underlying mechanisms are complex and multifaceted. We have explored in countless directions while branching into ever more detailed analyses of phenomena, all of which are associated with the conditions of interest. But how can we rearrange these pieces to advance toward a broader understanding of asthma and allergies? Epidemiology as a scientific tool to study the occurrence, the natural course, and the determinants of a condition in various sociocultural environments might contribute to the edifice of such a scaffold. This review does not intend to present a comprehensive digest of the relevant literature: the reader can refer to other "state of the art" reviews. The intention is to discuss some conceptual cornerstones and to illustrate them with a few examples.
Eye contact reminder system for people with autism

Avoiding eye contact behavior has been characteristic of individuals with autism. Such behavior prevents intrinsic development of social and communication skills. In this paper we present a directional eye contact reminder system which reminds people with autism to generally focus their eyes in the direction of a human speaker. This device detects a speaker's voice, calculates the sound direction, and directs their eyes by displaying a prompt on the computerized-eyewear which is a Head-Mounted Display, in the direction of the speaker. The experiments demonstrate the feasibility of our prototyping system.
What elite theory should have learned, and can still learn, from W.E.B. DuBois

One of W.E.B. DuBois’ most famous concepts, the “Talented Tenth”, is a theory of elites1 (1903). Yet elite scholars have completely ignored this contribution. In this brief essay, we outline what e...
Incidence and Prevalence of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis in Olmsted County, Minnesota From 1970 Through 2010.

Background & Aims The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) continue to increase worldwide. We sought to update incidence rates of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in a well-defined United States population, calculating values for Olmsted County, Minnesota through 2010. We also calculated prevalence values. Methods The resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Project were used to identify county residents who were diagnosed with IBD (CD or UC), based on previously set criteria. Those with new diagnoses of CD or UC between 1970 and 2010 were identified as incidence cases, and those meeting diagnostic criteria on January 1, 2011, were identified as prevalence cases. Incidence rates were estimated (adjusted for age and sex to the US white population in 2010). Trends in incidence based on age at diagnosis, sex, and year of diagnosis were evaluated by Poisson regression. Results The incidence cohort included 410 patients with CD (51% female) and 483 individuals with UC (56% male). Median age of diagnosis was 29.5 years for persons with CD (range, 4–93 years) and 34.9 years for UC (range, 1–91 years). From 2000 through 2010, the adjusted annual incidence rate for CD was 10.7 cases per 100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.1–12.3 person-years) and for UC was 12.2 per 100,000 (95% CI, 10.5–14.0 person-years). On January 1, 2011, there were 380 residents with CD, with an adjusted prevalence of 246.7 cases per 100,000 persons (95% CI, 221.7–271.8 cases per 100,000 persons), and 435 residents with UC, with an adjusted prevalence of 286.3 (95% CI, 259.1–313.5 cases per 100,000 persons). Male sex was significantly associated with a higher incidence rate of UC, and younger age was significantly associated with a higher incidence rate of CD. Conclusions Estimated incidence rates for UC and CD in Olmsted County are among the highest in the United States. Extrapolating the adjusted prevalence to the most recent US Census, there could be approximately 1.6 million persons in the United States with IBD.
The relationship of cognitive improvement after cognitive remediation with social functioning in patients with schizophrenia and severe cognitive deficits.

Abstract Background This study aims to examine the effects of change in neurocognition on functional outcomes and to examine predictors of change in social functions following a 12-week course of cognitive remediation in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder with severe cognitive impairments. Method Level of social functioning was assessed using a performance based measure of functional capacity (PSP) in patients prior to and after the completion of 12-week cognitive remediation treatment (CRT). Participants completed a neuropsychological battery (MCCB-MATRICS) and clinical measures at both time points. Results 63 subjects with a mean age of 41.4 (SD = 12.2) and with 12.2 years of education (SD = 2.4) were enrolled. There were significant improvements in overall PSP score from baseline to endpoint (p = 0.021) as well as in PSP domain A (socially useful activities) (p ≤ 0.001), domain B (personal and social relationships) (p = 0.009), and domain D (disturbing and aggressive behaviors) (p = 0.003). There was a significant improvement in the composite MCCB score (p = 0.020) and the Working Memory (p Conclusions Faster speed of processing, better visual and verbal learning and less prominent positive symptoms were associated with greater functional improvement after a systematic cognitive intervention within a rehabilitative setting.
The Earliest Maya Farmers of Peten: New Evidence from Buenavista-Nuevo San José, Central Peten Lakes Region, Guatemala

The origins and cultural affiliations of the first sedentary agricultural and pottery-producing communities in the southern Maya lowlands remain hotly debated. Here, we describe the discovery of a new early farming settlement at the small site of Buenavista-Nuevo San Jose on Lake Peten Itza in northern Guatemala. Evidence for a pre-Mamom occupation (1000–700 BC) at this site was found in the deepest fill layers overlying bedrock, including pottery diagnostic of this time period and the remains of a post-in-bedrock dwelling. Because the evidence for this early settlement is from secondary contexts and because four radiocarbon dates cover a broad chronological range, the best evidence for the pre-Mamom occupation consists of the ceramics recovered in the excavations. The closest links of the pre-Mamom pottery at Buenavista-Nuevo San Jose are with the Eb complex at Tikal and the Cunil complex of Cahal Pech, Belize, suggesting strong interactions between these early groups. The discovery of pre-Mamom pottery at Buenavista also suggests that the early farmers were more widespread than previously suggested. Furthermore, the presence of Olmecoid symbols incised on the pre-Mamom pottery at Buenavista-Nuevo San Jose indicates that these early communities were immersed in broad pan-Mesoamerican spheres of interaction.
Application to the Integration of Ordinary Differential Equations

Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE) play an important role in mathematics for the engineers. This is due to the fact that many laws of physics can be expressed as ODEs.
Differences in utilization of Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) within human services (HHS) regions and metropolitan megaregions in the U.S.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that US practice patterns for ART differ by geographical region. The purpose of this study was to determine whether use of ICSI differs by region and to evaluate whether these rates are correlated with differences in live birth rates. Public data for 2012 were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinics with ≥100 fresh, non-donor cycles were grouped by 10 nationally recognized Department of Health & Human Services regions and 11 metropolitan Megaregions and were compared for use of ICSI, frequency of male factor infertility, and live birth rate in women <35 years. There were 274 clinics in the Health & Human Services regions and 247 in the Megaregions. ICSI utilization rates in Health & Human Services groups ranged between 52.5–78.2% (P < 0.0001). Live birth rates per cycle in women <35 years differed (34.1–47.6%; P < 0.0001) but did not correlate with rates of ICSI (R2 = 0.2096; P = 0.18) per cycle. For Megaregions, rates of ICSI per cycle differed (63.4%–93.5%, P < 0.0001) as did live birth rates per cycle for women <35 (36.0%–59.0%, P = 0.001) but there was only minimal correlation between them (R2 = 0.5347; P = 0.01). Highest rates of ICSI occurred in Front Range (93.5%) and Gulf Coast (83.1%) Megaregions. Lowest rates occurred in the Northeast (63.4%) and Florida (64.8%) Megaregions. Male factor infertility rates did not differ across regions. ICSI utilization and live birth rates per cycle for each clinic group were significantly different across geographical regions of the U.S. However, higher ICSI utilization rate was not associated with higher rates of male factor infertility nor were they strongly correlated with higher live birth rates per cycle. Studies are needed to understand factors that may influence ICSI overutilization in the U.S.
William Bartram, The Search for Nature’s Design: Selected Art, Letters, and Unpublished Writings. Edited by Thomas Hallock and Nancy E. Hoffman

This is a beautiful book, lovingly produced for readers who adore William Bartram (1739–1823) as an artist, Romantic, naturalist, and gardener and painstakingly assembled by scholars who approach him from a variety of perspectives. It provides clear capsule introductions to primary texts otherwise unavailable to most readers.
Anaphylactic Shock After Intravenous Fluorescein Administration for Intraoperative Cystoscopy.

BACKGROUND:Rates of administration of intravenous sodium fluorescein during cystoscopy have increased since indigotindisulfonate sodium was removed from the market in 2014. Although sodium fluorescein has been extensively evaluated and found to be safe, side effects including anaphylaxis have been o
Utility of cell-free nucleic acid and circulating tumor cell analyses in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is characterized by bone metastases and difficulty of objectively measuring disease burden. In this context, cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cell (CTC) quantitation and genomic profiling afford the ability to noninvasively and serially monitor the tumor. Recent data suggest that ctDNA and CTC quantitation are prognostic for survival. Indeed, CTC enumeration using the CellSearch® platform is validated as a prognostic factor and warrants consideration as a stratification factor in randomized trials. Changes in quantities of CTCs using CellSearch also are prognostic and may be employed to detect a signal of activity of new agents. Molecular profiling of both CTCs and ctDNA for androgen receptor (AR) variants has been associated with outcomes in the setting of novel androgen inhibitors. Serial profiling to detect the evolution of new alterations may inform drug development and help develop precision medicine. The costs of these assays and the small quantities in which they are detectable in blood are a limitation, and novel platforms are required to address this challenge. The presence of multiple platforms to assay CTCs and ctDNA also warrants the consideration of a mechanism to allow comparison of data across platforms. Further validation and the continued development and standardization of these promising modalities will facilitate their adoption in the clinic.
Semantic segmentation for prostate cancer grading by convolutional neural networks

Certain pathology workflows, such as classification and grading of prostate adenocarcinoma according to the Gleason grade scheme, stand to gain speed and objectivity by incorporating contemporary digital image analysis methods. We compiled a dataset of 513 high resolution image tiles from primary prostate adenocarcinoma wherein individual glands and stroma were demarcated and graded by hand. With this unique dataset, we tested four Convolutional Neural Network architectures including FCN-8s, two SegNet variants, and multi-scale U-Net for performance in semantic segmentation of high- and low-grade tumors. In a 5-fold cross-validation experiment, the FCN-8s architecture achieved a mIOU of 0.759 and an accuracy of 0.87, while the less complex U-Net architecture achieved a mIOU of 0.738 and accuracy of 0.885. The FCN-8s architecture applied to whole slide images not used for training achieved a mIOU of 0.857 in annotated tumor foci with a multiresolution processing time averaging 11 minutes per slide. The three architectures tested on whole slides all achieved areas under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve near 1, strongly demonstrating the suitability of semantic segmentation Convolutional Neural Networks for detecting and grading prostate cancer foci in radical prostatectomies.
IS HUME A NONCOGNITIVIST IN THE MOTIVATION ARGUMENT

Rejetant l'interpretation non-cognitiviste de l'argument de la motivation developpe par Hume dans le «Traite de la nature humaine», l'A. montre que l'argument ne porte pas sur la representation du monde par le jugement moral et ne peut etre considere comme expressiviste ou descriptivisme. Ayant pour objet la possibilite des proprietes morales des actions et des passions, l'argument est compatible avec une approche a la fois cognitive et non-cognitive des jugements moraux
Auditory function in Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease

Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD; MIM 312080), an inherited defect of central nervous system myelin formation, affects individuals in many ways, including their hearing and language abilities. The aim of this study was to assess the auditory abilities in 18 patients with PMD by examining the functional processes along the central auditory pathways using auditory brainstem responses (ABR) and cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEP) in response to speech sounds. The significant ABR anomalies confirm the existence of dyssynchrony previously described at the level of the brainstem in patients with PMD. Despite the significant auditory dyssynchrony observed at the level of the brainstem, CAEPs were present in most patients, albeit somehow abnormal in terms of morphology and latency, resembling a type of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.
How Visible can a “City of God” be?

[One thing which keeps me in the Church is] the name itself of Catholic, which, not without reason, amid so many heresies, the Church has still retained; so that, though all heretics wish to be called Catholics, yet when a stranger asks where the Catholic Church meets, no heretic will venture to point to his own chapel or house. —Augustine, Against the Epistle of Manichaeus called Fundamental
Deterministic Source Inversion for Wave Propagation Problems in Nondestructive Testing

A source of acoustic or elastic waves is of considerable interest for many nondestructive testing methods. During acoustic emission, waves are generated by transient deformation processes in materials or by externally applied excitations. During ultrasonic testing, transducers of several possible types are used to generate waves. Source inversion refers to the process of determining characteristics of the source of waves from measurements of the resulting wave motion.
Deconstructing Complex Nonlinear Models in System Design Space

Achieving predictive understanding of complex nonlinear systems, such as those manifested at various levels of biological organization, represents an enormous challenge. The task would be facilitated if such systems could be generically decomposed into a series of tractable subsystems and the results of their analysis reassembled to provide insight into the original system. In this chapter, we describe an approach in which subsystems are integrated into a system design space that allows qualitatively distinct phenotypes of a complex system to be rigorously defined and counted, their relative fitness to be analyzed and compared, their global tolerance to be measured, and their biological design principles to be identified. We then illustrate the approach in the context of the “genotype–phenotype” question for a couple of simple, well-studied systems. Finally, we discuss the extent to which this approach might be generalized to other classes of nonlinear models. Although this effort has been the focus of our recent biological work, we believe that this methodology has application beyond biology. It also raises a number of mathematical issues that need to be explored further and extended.
The Structure of Gabor Systems

Whereas the previous chapter was mainly devoted to sufficient conditions for proving the existence of Gabor frames, this chapter discusses necessary conditions and the deeper structure of Gabor systems G(g, α, β = T αk M βn g : k, n ∈ ℤ d . These results are among the most fascinating ones in time-frequency analysis, and many topics are still under investigation. They also show the truly interdisciplinary spirit of time-frequency analysis. For instance, the biorthogonality relations were discovered by the engineers Z. Wexler and S. Raz [249] in an attempt to find an alternative way to compute the dual window of a Gabor frame. Their fundamental result was later made precise and proved rigorously in the course of mathematical research and led to a unexpected link to the field of operator algebras.
Affective Aesthetics beneath Art and Architecture: Deleuze, Francis Bacon and Vogelkop Bowerbirds

There is an aesthetic undercurrent traversing Deleuze's philosophy along confluent trajectories of Baruch Spinoza and Friedrich Nietzsche, which harbours untapped potentials and far-reaching conseq...
Chelate-Free Synthesis of the U(II) Complex, [(C5H3(SiMe3)2)3U]1–, Using Li and Cs Reductants and Comparative Studies of La(II) and Ce(II) Analogs

To expand the range of synthetic options for generating complexes of the actinide metals in the +2 oxidation state, reduction of Cp″3U (Cp″ = C5H3(SiMe3)2) and the lanthanide analogs, Cp″3La and Cp″3Ce with lithium in the absence of crown ether and cryptand chelates was explored. In each case, crystallographically characterizable [Li(THF)4][Cp″3M] complexes were obtainable in yields of 70–75% for M = La and Ce and 45–50% for M = U, that is, chelating agents are not necessary to sequester the lithium countercation to form isolable crystalline M(II) products. Reductions using Cs were also explored and X-ray crystallography revealed the formation of an oligomeric structure, [Cp″U(μ-Cp”)2Cs(THF)2]n, involving Cp″ ligands that bridge “(Cp″UII)1+” moieties to “[Cp″2Cs(THF)2]1–” units.
Global Trends and Future Uncertainties

The most significant trend in global higher education since the second World War has been massification, the dramatic increases in enrollments around the world. By 2018, global postsecondary enroll...
A Flexible-blocking Based Approach for Performance Tuning of Matrix Multiplication Routines for Large Matrices with Edge Cases

Efficient and scalable matrix operations are being highly demanding in the recent era of Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Big Data Analytics. The two commonly used matrix-matrix operations in the Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms (BLAS) specification are General Matrix-Matrix multiplication (GEMM) and Symmetric Rank-k update (SYRK). The SYRK routine is a specialization of the GEMM routine, where half of the multiplications are skipped as the resultant matrix is known to be symmetric. Fortunately, several linear algebra libraries implement these BLAS routines quite efficiently. The libraries usually partition the input matrices into blocks and place them in processor caches, thus improving performance by leveraging the caches. However, the contemporary libraries are highly optimized for squarish matrices, but the performance degrades significantly for the matrices with edge case (strictly thin or strictly fat shapes) in the multicore machine. The primary reason is that the current state-of-the-art libraries make fixed block shapes based on a processor architecture, and do not consider the shape of the input matrices. In this paper, we propose a new blocking approach, we name it Flexible-blocking, to mitigate the scalability issues. In contrast to the contemporary libraries, our approach formulates the blocks of the input matrices based on the shapes of the matrices as well as the number of threads used in the implementation. Our proposed technique shows noticeable performance improvement on multicore shared-memory machines for the edge case matrices.
Analysis of Different M-Band Wavelet Filters for Face Recognition using Nearest Neighbor Classifier

Face recognition system is one of the most interesting studied topics in computer vision for past two decades. Among the other popular biometrics such as the retina, fingerprint, and iris recognition systems, the face recognition is capable of recognizing the uncooperative samples in a non-intrusive manner. Also, it can be applied to many applications of surveillance security, forensics, border control, digital entertainment where face recognition is used in most. In the proposed system an automatic face recognition system is discussed. The proposed recognition system is based on the Dual-Tree M-Band Wavelet Transform (DTMBWT) transform algorithm and features obtained by varying the different filter in the DTMBWT transform. Then the different filter features are classified by means of the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) classifier for recognizing the face correctly. The implementation of the system is done by using the ORL face image database, and the performance metrics are calculated.
Using the full quantum basis set to simulate quantum-dot cellular automata devices

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) are a leading example of field-coupled nanocomputing (FCN) devices. All FCN devices rely on local field interactions among nanoscale building blocks that are arranged in patterns to perform useful calculations. Many methods have been introduced to simulate these devices, but not all of those methods are guaranteed to give correct results. The only method that is certain to give the correct results is constructing and diagonalizing the Hamiltonian operator using a full-basis set for the entire device. Not only does this give all stable states of the device (necessarily including the ground state), it also allows the detection of non-polarized states of QCA and other FCN cells. Unfortunately, simulating moderately complex devices using the full-basis set has been prohibitively expensive, both in storage space and in calculation time. The authors present a new method for calculating the eigenstates of a full-basis set Hamiltonian and use this method to demonstrate that at least one previously published QCA device does not, in fact, operate as it was simulated and described in the previous work. Identifying an error in a previously published device using a heretofore computationally infeasible simulation shows the value of using the exact full-basis calculation in the simulation of QCA devices.
The regional consequences of authoritarian power-sharing: Politburo representation and fiscal redistribution in China

Much political economy research examines how higher-level political representation of the constituent jurisdictions affects resource redistribution among the lower-level units in democracies, but little work has probed the redistributive consequences of regional political representation under dictatorship. This study investigates the effect of membership for provincial officials in the Politburo of the single-ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on fiscal resource flows between the central government and provincial governments in reform-era China. I find robust evidence that the provinces overseen by CCP Politburo members tended to remit more budgetary revenues to the center but did not receive larger central budgetary subsidies. This is consistent with a territorial logic of authoritarian power-sharing in single-party states, which suggests that the regionally selective presence at a collective ruling-party decision-making forum for subnational officials aims at tighter political control to help induce greater policy compliance from below.
Selective deletion of Eos (Ikzf4) in T-regulatory cells leads to loss of suppressive function and development of systemic autoimmunity

Eos (lkzf4) is a member of the Ikaros family of transcription factors and is preferentially expressed in T-regulatory (Treg) cells. However, the role of Eos in Treg function is controversial. One study using siRNA knock down of Eos demonstrated that it was critical for Treg suppressor function. In contrast, Treg from mice with a global deficiency of Eos had normal Treg function in vitro and in vivo. To further dissect the function of Eos in Tregs, we generated mice with a conditional knock out of Eos in Treg cells (lkzf4fl/fl X Foxp3YFP-cre, Eos cKO). Deletion of Eos in Treg resulted in activation of CD4+Foxp3- and CD8+ T cells at the age of 3 months, cellular infiltration in non-lymphoid tissues, hyperglobulinemia, and anti-nuclear antibodies. While Tregs from Eos cKO mice displayed normal suppressive function in vitro, Eos cKO mice developed severe Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyletis (EAE) following immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) and Eos cKO Treg were unable to suppress Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Eos cKO mice had decreased growth of the transplantable murine adenocarcinoma MC38 tumor accompanied by enhanced IFN-γ/TNF-α production by CD8+ T cells in tumor draining lymph nodes. Mice with a global deficiency of Eos or a deficiency of Eos only in T cells developed autoimmunity at a much older age (12 months or 7-8 months, respectively). Taken together, Eos appears to play an essential role in multiple aspects of Treg suppressor function, but also plays an as yet unknown role in the function of CD4+Foxp3- and CD8+ T cells and potentially in non-T cells.
NONLINEAR EFFECTS IN THE TRANSIENT RESPONSE OF THE BASILAR MEMBRANE.

Three new techniques to measure sub-microscopic mechanical vibrations have been applied to the cochlea in recent years. They are the Mossbauer technique(1) (Johnstone and Boyle, 1967; Rhode, 1971), the capacitive probe (Wilson and Johnstone, 1972) and the technique of fuzziness-detection under laser illumination (Kohlloffel, 1972a). These techniques, much more sensitive than the optical method used by von Bekesy (1960), have made it possible to measure the oscillations of the basilar membrane in live animals at physiological levels of stimulation.
Red Is the New Green: The Rise of China’s Influence in Latin America

This essay reviews the following works: China on the Ground in Latin America: Challenges for the Chinese and Impacts on the Region. By R. Evan Ellis. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. Pp. ix + 291. $51.33 hardcover. ISBN: 9781137439765. The China Triangle: Latin America’s China Boom and the Fate of the Washington Consensus. By Kevin P. Gallagher. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016. Pp. vii + 221. $27.95 hardcover. ISBN: 9780190246730. Diaspora and Trust: Cuba, Mexico and the Rise of China. By Adrian H. Hearn. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2016. Pp. vi + 255. $24.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780822360735. The Changing Currents of Transpacific Integration: China, the TTP, and Beyond. Edited by Adrian H. Hearn and Margaret Myers. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2017. Pp. vii + 163. $58.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9781626375642. How China Is Reshaping the Global Economy: Development Impacts in Africa and Latin America. By Rhys Jenkins. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019. Pp. ix + 407. $80.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780198738510.
MUC5B promoter variant: genomic fingerprint for early identification of undiagnosed pulmonary fibrosis

The rising prevalence of pulmonary fibrosis and its attendant morbidity and mortality burden have spurred a renewed interest in the search for radiographical biomarkers predictive of early and clinically inconspicuous disease.1 The pressing need to identify such biomarkers becomes increasingly important as these abnormalities may herald the onset of pulmonary fibrosis, which could be rapidly progressive, necessitating clinical intervention. Antifibrotic therapies have been recently demonstrated to slow the progression of pulmonary fibrosis across diverse forms of interstitial lung disease (ILD), providing some hope in those individuals shown to be at risk.2 In this regard, high-resolution CT (HRCT) scans of the chest hold a broad appeal as a non-invasive radiological tool that is clinically accessible and rapidly performed with near-instantaneous results. Thus, a great deal of emphasis is currently placed on the recognition of radiological abnormalities that possibly signify pulmonary fibrosis in its early stages.3 These subclinical bilateral interstitial densities, often termed interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) or early ILD, are frequently observed on chest HRCTs and are associated with increased risk of hospitalisation and death.3 4 However, substantial inter-reader variability in radiologist interpretations of these fibrotic indices has led to increased reliance on deep learning algorithms and artificial intelligence to identify and accurately quantify the extent of lung parenchymal fibrosis in a more objective manner.5 In tandem with the rapid pace of radiological biomarker advancements is the increasing recognition of the predictive and prognostic value of genomic biomarkers associated with pulmonary fibrosis.6 Of prime importance among the genomic biomarkers that predict risk of pulmonary fibrosis are the polymorphisms in the promoter region of the gene encoding mucin 5B ( MUC5B ) ( rs35705950 ) and gene variants in the …
Open Reduction and Internal Fixation with Concomitant Total Hip Arthroplasty

Early treatment of the older adults with acetabular fractures can be accomplished during their index hospital admission with combined open reduction internal fixation and total hip arthroplasty. Ideally, these would both be accomplished through the same incision. The fracture location and displacement and surgeon experience preference dictate the choice of surgical approach.
Donor Iron Deficiency Study (DIDS): protocol of a study to test whether iron deficiency in blood donors affects red blood cell recovery after transfusion.

Background Despite fulfilling all requirements for blood donation, a large proportion of regular blood donors are iron deficient. Red blood cells (RBC) from iron-deficient donors may be particularly susceptible to damage induced by standard refrigerated storage. Herein, we present a study protocol for testing whether correcting iron deficiency in donors with iron-deficient erythropoiesis will improve the quality of their refrigerator-stored RBC. Materials and methods This is a randomised, controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Sixty healthy regular donors who meet donation standards, while exhibiting iron-deficient erythropoiesis by laboratory testing criteria, will donate a single standard RBC unit that will be leucoreduced and stored in a refrigerator under standard conditions for 40-42 days. A 51Cr-radiolabelled 24-hour RBC recovery study will be performed and then these donors will be randomised to receive, in a double-blinded fashion, either intravenous saline, as a control, or low-molecular weight iron dextran (1 g), to provide total iron repletion. Four to six months later, they will donate a second RBC unit, which will be similarly stored, and autologous 51Cr-labelled 24-hour post-transfusion RBC recovery will again be determined. Results The primary endpoint will be the change in 24-hour post-transfusion recovery from the first to the second donation. The primary outcome will be the group mean difference in the primary endpoints between the group receiving intravenous saline and the group receiving intravenous iron dextran. Secondary outcomes will be quality of life, fatigue, and emotional health, assessed by surveys. Conclusion This study will provide definitive evidence as to whether donor iron deficiency affects the quality of the blood supply and will assess the severity of symptoms affecting iron-deficient blood donors.
Other power reactor fuels

Abstract While oxide fuels have received the bulk of historic interest as nuclear power reactor fuels, a range of other uranium compounds and deployment architectures have also been considered and demonstrated to varying degrees. Metal alloys, ceramics, and particle fuels are candidates for various power reactor applications. Although these families of nuclear fuels have received more limited study than oxides, the benefits of uranium density, favorable thermophysical properties, and other factors have resulted in interest from both the traditional nuclear power industry and more recent efforts for emerging nuclear technologies. The dominant fuel chemistry issues for these fuel forms differ substantially from those of oxide systems. Synthesis routes, factors that affect fresh fuel properties, and critical aspects of fuel performance are unique to these systems and are often dominated by the desired chemical behavior of uranium in each system. This chapter will briefly introduce metallic uranium alloys (specifically uranium–zirconium), nontraditional ceramic fuels (e.g., carbides and nitrides), and oxide/oxycarbide particle fuels most familiar as the basis for tristructural isotropic fuel designs. A survey of major fuel chemistry issues is provided for each of these families of fuels with a focus on contemporary challenges and active research avenues.