cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comprehension of functional support by enculturated chimpanzees Pan troglodytes

Studies of causal understanding of tool relationships in captive chimpanzees have yielded disparate findings, particu- larly those reported by Povinelli & colleagues (2000) for tool tasks by laboratory chimpanzees. The present set of experiments tested nine enculturated chimpanzees on three versions of a support task, as described by Povinelli (2000), during which food re- wards were presented in different experimental configurations. In Experiment 1, stimulus pairs included a choice between a cloth with a reward on the upper right corner or with a second reward off the cloth, adjacent to a corner, with the second pair comprised of a cloth with food on the upper right corner, and a second cloth with the reward on the substrate, partially covered. All subjects were successful with both test conditions in Experiment 1. In a second study, the experimental choices included one of two possi- ble correct options, paired with one of three incorrect options, with the three incorrect choices all involving varying degrees of perceptual containment. All nine chimpanzees scored significantly above chance across all six conditions. In Experiment 3, four unique conditions were presented, combining one of two possible correct choices with one of two incorrect choices. Six of the subjects scored significantly above chance across the four conditions, and group performance on individual conditions was also significant. Superior performance was demonstrated by female subjects in Experiment 3, similar to sex differences in tool use previously reported for wild chimpanzees and some tool tasks in captive chimpanzees. The present results for Experiments 2 & 3 were significantly differed from those reported by Povinelli et al. (2000) for laboratory-born, peer-reared chimpanzees. One con- tribution towards the dramatic differences between the two study populations may be the significant rearing and housing differ- ences of the chimpanzee groups. One explanation is that under conditions of enculturation, rich social interactions with humans and conspecifics, as well as active exploration of artifacts, materials, and other aspects of their physical environment had a sig- nificant impact on the animals' ability to recognize the support relationships among the stimulus choices. Overall, the present findings provide strong support for the hypothesis that our chimpanzee subjects based their responses on an understanding of functional support which represented one facet of their folk physics repertoire (Current Zoology 57 (4): 429-440, 2011).
New Challenges in Social Work Practice with the Mentally Retarded

During the past 15 years, dramatic developments have occurred within the fields of mental retardation and mental health. The number of residents in public institutions for the retarded in the United States has shrunk from a high of near 193,000 in 19671 to a current figure of around 139,000.2 Mentally retarded citizens have moved into community-based residential and vocational settings and are participating in a wide variety of community services and programs. The impact of Public Law 94–142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975) has been felt across the country as increasing numbers of mentally retarded children are being served in the public schools. Many of these children, who previously had been educated in self-contained special classes or in institutions, have now been placed in regular classes for part or all of their school program. Because of recent court decisions and advocacy on the part of parent and professional groups such as the Association for Retarded Citizens, the legal and basic human rights of the retarded have been affirmed and promoted. A new diversity in service provision to the retarded has thus arisen, as the mental health needs of these citizens are addressed in an assortment of settings.
Methods of Management of ADHD

Several methods and disciplines are involved in the management of the child with ADHD. These include participation of the parents, teachers, psychologist, and physicians. The parents, and especially the mother, may be the first to draw attention to the problem, even in the preschool years. The teacher generally reports concerns about a child’s inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior in kindergarten or first grade. The psychologist becomes involved either on referral from the teacher or after consultation with the physician. The pediatrician, pediatric neurologist, or child psychiatrist is usually consulted to confirm the diagnosis and to supervise the management of medical therapy.
IPFR, Integrated Pool Fusion Reactor Concept

The IPFR (Integrated Pool Fusion Reactor) concept involves placing a fusion reactor into a pool of molten Flibe. The Flibe serves the multiple functions of breeding, cooling, shielding, and moderating. Therefore, the only structural material between the superconducting magnets and the plasma is the first wall. The first wall is a stand-alone structure with no coolant connection and is cooled by Flibe at atmospheric pressure. There is also no need for a primary coolant loop. The design is expected to improve the safety, reliability, and maintainability aspects of the fusion system.
Visión histórica de la Sociedad Chilena de Enfermedades Respiratorias en sus 85 años

La Sociedad Chilena de Enfermedades Respiratorias fue fundada en 1930. Inicialmente fue denominada "Sociedad Chilena de Fisiologia" ya que en esa epoca la Tuberculosis era un problema crucial de salud. Desde entonces el desarrollo de la Sociedad ha reflejado los cambios que han experimentado la sociedad chilena y las ciencias medicas en el siglo XX y en los inicios del siglo XXI. Actualmente la Sociedad Chilena de Enfermedades Respiratorias abarca diversas disciplinas y profesionales de la salud, manteniendo su compromiso con temas clinicos y de salud publica. Este articulo menciona a los fundadores de la Medicina Respiratoria en Chile, como tambien a los actores, instituciones y actividades mas relevantes que se han desarrollado en nuestra Sociedad durante sus 85 anos de existencia.
Influence of thyroid hormone disruption on the incidence of shingles

The reactivation of dormant alpha-human herpesvirus (αHHV) has been attributed to various causes often referred to as stressors. However, no clinical study investigating the relationship between stressors and reactivation exists in humans at this time. Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), an important αHHV, was shown to have its gene expression and replication regulated by thyroid hormone (TH) using molecular biology approaches. Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is categorized in αHHV superfamily and shares similar homology with HSV-1. We hypothesize that a history of TH imbalance may be associated with the incidence of shingles (VZV reactivation). This current pilot study, based on a hospital medical claims database, was conducted as a retrospective case-controlled investigation to determine if a putative link between TH imbalance and incidence of shingles is present. An odds ratio of 2·95 with a χ 2 value of 51·74 was calculated for the total population diagnosed with TH disruption and shingles. Further analyses indicated that African American males exhibited a much higher chance of simultaneous diagnoses. These results show that a TH imbalance history may affect VZV reactivation at different incidence rates in different races and age groups.
Neurotransmitter Release Enhancement as a Possible Therapy for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Update on Linopirdine (DUP996)

Cholinergic approaches to palliate the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have focussed on the discovery and development of direct cholinergic agonists or cholinesterase inhibitors. As an alternative approach to develop drugs that bolster compromised cognitive processes, increasing presynaptic release of acetylcholine (ACh) offers another means of enhancing cholinergic activity. The aminopyridines have long been known to increase neurotransmitter release, but these compounds increase release under basal as well as stimulated conditions. Nickolson et al. (1990) hypothesized, however, that compounds which specifically enhance stimulated ACh release would prove to be superior therapeutic agents. Their efforts to identify compounds which enhance K+-stimulated and not basal release of ACh led to the discovery of linopirdine (DuP996), an agent which has undergone clinical evaluation for its efficacy in AD patients.
Optical Waveguiding and Steering in an Active Semiconductor Slab Structure

Optical beam steering has a wide range of potential applications in signal processing, optical memory, display, laser scanning, communication multiplexing and free space interconnection etc.
TRANSCATHETER CLOSURE OF VENTRICULAR SEPTAL DEFECT: RESULTS OF MIDTERM FOLLOWUP

There are limited data about transcatheter closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD). We present the largest single center cohort of transcatheter VSD closure in USA. We reviewed 28 patients (pt) with transcatheter VSD closure performed between 1999-2013 (Table/Figure). Indications included post
Synthetic Biology Approaches to Fluorinated Polyketides

The catalytic diversity of living systems offers a broad range of opportunities for developing new methods to produce small molecule targets such as fuels, materials, and pharmaceuticals. In addition to providing cost-effective and renewable methods for large-scale commercial processes, the exploration of the unusual chemical phenotypes found in living organisms can also enable the expansion of chemical space for discovery of novel function by combining orthogonal attributes from both synthetic and biological chemistry. In this context, we have focused on the development of new fluorine chemistry using synthetic biology approaches. While fluorine has become an important feature in compounds of synthetic origin, the scope of biological fluorine chemistry in living systems is limited, with fewer than 20 organofluorine natural products identified to date. In order to expand the diversity of biosynthetically accessible organofluorines, we have begun to develop methods for the site-selective introduction of fluorine into complex natural products by engineering biosynthetic machinery to incorporate fluorinated building blocks. To gain insight into how both enzyme active sites and metabolic pathways can be evolved to manage and select for fluorinated compounds, we have studied one of the only characterized natural hosts for organofluorine biosynthesis, the soil microbe Streptomyces cattleya. This information provides a template for designing engineered organofluorine enzymes, pathways, and hosts and has allowed us to initiate construction of enzymatic and cellular pathways for the production of fluorinated polyketides.
Infestation and pesticide resistance of cockroaches in market and relevant comprehensive control measures

Objective To investigate the infestation and population distribution of cockroaches in the market and the pesticide resistance of Blattella germanica to provide a basis for comprehensive control measures.Methods The infestation of cockroaches was investigated by visual inspection;the density of cockroaches was measured by cockroach glue board;the pesticide resistance of B.germanica was determined by residual film method.The pesticides to which the cockroaches were sensitive were used for comprehensive control.Results The infestation rate of cockroaches in the market was 86.67%,and the density was 4.19 cockroaches/board/night.The levels of resistance(folds) of B.germanica to beta-cypermethrin,deltamethrin,propoxur,chlorpyrifos,dimethyl dichloroviny phosphate(DDVP),cypermethrin,permethrin,tetramethrin,and azamethiphos were 2.65,3.82,1.77,3.51,11.19,5.21,6.51,12.00,and 2.11,respectively.The pesticides to which the cockroaches were sensitive and developed low resistance achieved a killing rate of 96.19%.Conclusion There is a high infestation rate of cockroaches in the market of Wuhan city,China.B.germanica is the dominant species of the cockroaches and has developed high resistance to DDVP and tetramethrin.Comprehensive control measures,including environmental treatment and pesticide use,should be taken to control the density of cockroaches below a harmless level.
Pulmonic Valve: Pulmonic Stenosis

Pulmonic stenosis is a right sided valvular lesion that is usually asymptomatic. It is often a congenital lesion and is associated with Noonan Syndrome, Leopard Syndrome, and Tetralogy of Fallot. On auscultation, the patient may present with a systolic murmur loudest at the left sternal border. The murmur is louder upon standing and with inspiration. An ejection click may be present. Patients rarely require treatment unless severe. If severe, treatment options include balloon valvotomy and cardiac catheterization with dilation.
Irvine Page lecture. Legacies of Irvine H. Page.

Abstract Irvine Page has played a singularly important part in the field of hypertension for almost 60 years. His first contributions were published in the early 1930s and his most recent, Hypertension Mechanisms, in 1987. The present review outlines some of his accomplishments. It focuses on five areas where his pre-eminence is a matter of record, the renin-angiotensin system, serotonin, the mosaic theory, treatment of hypertension and public and professional advocacy of the recognition of this condition and its effects in daily life.
Beyond lognormal inequality: The Lorenz Flow Structure

Abstract Observed from a socioeconomic perspective, the intrinsic inequality of the lognormal law happens to manifest a flow generated by an underlying ordinary differential equation. In this paper we extend this feature of the lognormal law to a general “Lorenz Flow Structure” of Lorenz curves–objects that quantify socioeconomic inequality. The Lorenz Flow Structure establishes a general framework of size distributions that span continuous spectra of socioeconomic states ranging from the pure-communism extreme to the absolute-monarchy extreme. This study introduces and explores the Lorenz Flow Structure, analyzes its statistical properties and its inequality properties, unveils the unique role of the lognormal law within this general structure, and presents various examples of this general structure. Beyond the lognormal law, the examples include the inverse-Pareto and Pareto laws–which often govern the tails of composite size distributions.
Primary alveolar hypoventilation.

SUMMARY Primary alveolar hypoventilation is a syndrome of unknown cause characterized by failure of automatic respiration despite normal lungs and chest bellows. The clinical characteristics of the syndrome are detailed. The relationship between primary alveolar hypoventilation and the sleep apnea syndromes is discussed. Primary alveolar hypoventilation is distinguished from central alveolar hypoventilation due to neurological disease, and the latter entity is reviewed. Electrophrenic stimulation is a promising therapeutic modality for treatment of primary alveolar hypoventilation.
Aromatic Polyurea Possessing High Electrical Energy Density and Low Loss

We report the development of a dielectric polymer, poly (ether methyl ether urea) (PEMEU), which possesses a dielectric constant of 4 and is thermally stable up to 150°C. The experimental results show that the ether units are effective in softening the rigid polymer and making it thermally processable, while the high dipole moment of urea units and glass structure of the polymer leads to a low dielectric loss and low conduction loss. As a result, PEMEU high quality thin films can be fabricated which exhibit exceptionally high breakdown field of >1.5 GV/m, and a low conduction loss at fields up to the breakdown. Consequently, the PEMEU films exhibit a high charge–discharge efficiency of 90% and a high discharged energy density of 36 J/cm3.
TH-CD-209-09: Quickly Identifying Good Candidates for Proton Therapy From Geometric Considerations

Purpose: We developed a knowledge-based model that can predict the patient-specific benefits of proton therapy based upon geometric considerations. The model could also aid patient selection in model-based clinical trials or help justify clinical decisions to insurance companies. Methods: The knowledge-based method trains a model upon existing proton treatment plans, exploiting correlations between dose and distance-to-target. Each OAR is split into concentric subvolumes surrounding the target volume, and a skew-normal PDF is fit to the dose distribution found within each shell. The model learns from shared trends in how the best-fit skew-normal parameters depend upon distance-to-target. It can then predict feasible OAR DVHs for a new patient (without a proton plan) based upon their geometry. The expected benefits of proton therapy are assessed by comparing the predicted DVHs to those of an IMRT plan, using a metric such as the equivalent uniform dose (EUD). Results: A model was trained for clival chordoma, owing to its geometric complexity and the multitude of nearby OARs. The model was trained using 20 patients and validated with a further 20 patients, and considers several different OARs. The predicted EUD was in good agreement with that of the actual proton plan. The coefficient of determination (R-squared) was 85% overall, 92% for cochleas, 80% for optic chiasm and 79% for spinal cord. The model exhibited no signs of bias or overfitting. When compared to an IMRT plan, the model could classify whether a patient will experience a gain or a loss with an accuracy between 75% and 95%, depending upon the OAR. Conclusion: We developed a model that can quickly and accurately predict the patient-specific benefits of proton therapy in clival chordoma patients, though models could be trained for other tumor sites. This work is funded by National Cancer Institute grant U19 CA 021239.
Pluribus—Exploring the Limits of Error Correction Using a Suffix Tree

Next generation sequencing technologies enable efficient and cost-effective genome sequencing. However, sequencing errors increase the complexity of the de novo assembly process, and reduce the quality of the assembled sequences. Many error correction techniques utilizing substring frequencies have been developed to mitigate this effect. In this paper, we present a novel and effective method called Pluribus , for correcting sequencing errors using a generalized suffix trie. Pluribus utilizes multiple manifestations of an error in the trie to accurately identify errors and suggest corrections. We show that Pluribus produces the least number of false positives across a diverse set of real sequencing datasets when compared to other methods. Furthermore, Pluribus can be used in conjunction with other contemporary error correction methods to achieve higher levels of accuracy than either tool alone. These increases in error correction accuracy are also realized in the quality of the contigs that are generated during assembly. We explore, in-depth, the behavior of Pluribus , to explain the observed improvement in accuracy and assembly performance. Pluribus is freely available at http://compbio.case.edu/pluribus/ .
Seizures, Ethanol, and Recreationally Abused Drugs

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on seizures in nonepileptic substance abusers with no underlying cerebral pathology or additional risk factors. Among those with unprovoked seizures, the risk of seizures increased with increasing ethanol use. It is found that seizures were not clearly associated temporally with abstinence. They occurred more than 2 weeks after the last drink in 16% of patients, and during or within 1 h of drinking in 19%. Ethanol affects a number of neurotransmitter systems, including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), but probably indirectly, a secondary consequence of nonspecific fluidizing actions on neuronal membranes. Barbiturates not only potentiate GABA but also have direct actions on chloride channels, and they antagonize glutamate excitatory neurotransmission. These different actions probably account for the ability of some barbiturates such as phenobarbital to prevent seizures without producing anesthesia. It is found that a number of nonbarbiturate, nonbenzodiazepine sedatives such as chloral hydrate or meprobamate also produce physical dependence and withrawal seizures. It is observed that seizures and myoclonus are acute neurotoxic side effects of meperidine, a consequence of its metabolite, normeperidine, which also causes delirium and hallucinations.
Using sequence signatures and kink-turn motifs in knowledge-based statistical potentials for RNA structure prediction

Kink turns are widely occurring motifs in RNA, located in internal loops and associated with many biological functions including translation, regulation and splicing. The associated sequence pattern, a 3-nt bulge and G-A, A-G base-pairs, generates an angle of ∼50° along the helical axis due to A-minor interactions. The conserved sequence and distinct secondary structures of kink-turns (k-turn) suggest computational folding rules to predict k-turn-like topologies from sequence. Here, we annotate observed k-turn motifs within a non-redundant RNA dataset based on sequence signatures and geometrical features, analyze bending and torsion angles, and determine distinct knowledge-based potentials with and without k-turn motifs. We apply these scoring potentials to our RAGTOP (RNA-As-Graph-Topologies) graph sampling protocol to construct and sample coarse-grained graph representations of RNAs from a given secondary structure. We present graph-sampling results for 35 RNAs, including 12 k-turn and 23 non k-turn internal loops, and compare the results to solved structures and to RAGTOP results without special k-turn potentials. Significant improvements are observed with the updated scoring potentials compared to the k-turn-free potentials. Because k-turns represent a classic example of sequence/structure motif, our study suggests that other such motifs with sequence signatures and unique geometrical features can similarly be utilized for RNA structure prediction and design.
Vision-Based Front and Rear Surround Understanding Using Embedded Processors

Vision-based driver assistance systems involve a range of data-intensive operations, which pose challenges in implementing them as robust and real-time systems on resource constrained embedded computing platforms. In order to achieve both high accuracy and real-time performance, the constituent algorithms need to be designed and optimized such that they lend well for embedded realization. In this paper, we present a novel two-camera-based embedded driver assistance framework that analyzes the dynamics of vehicles in the front and rear surround views of the host vehicle (ego-vehicle). In order to do this, we propose a set of integrated techniques that combine contextual cues and lane information to detect vehicles that pose high threat to the ego-vehicle. The threat analysis is then used for generating a safe maneuver zone by the proposed system, which is implemented by using two Snapdragon 810 embedded CPUs. A detailed performance evaluation and tradeoff analysis is presented using a novel multiperspective dataset (DualCam Dataset) that is released as part of this paper. In terms of accuracy, the detailed evaluations show high robustness with true positive rates greater than 95% with less than 6% false alarm rate. The proposed embedded system operates at real-time frame rates in our testbed under real-world highway driving conditions. The proposed framework was presented as a live demonstration at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show.
Mapping X-linked Ophthalmic Diseases: IV. Provisional Assignment of the Locus for X-linked Congenital Cataracts and Microcornea (The Nance-Horan Syndrome) to Xp22.2-p22-3

Abstract The Nance-Horan syndrome (NHS) is an infrequent X-linked disorder typified by dense congenital central cataracts, microcornea, anteverted and simplex pinnae, brachymetacarpalia, and numerous dental anomalies. The regional location of the genetic mutation causing NHS is unknown. The authors applied the modern molecular techniques of analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms to five multigenerational kindreds in which NHS segregated. Provisional linkage is established to two DNA markers—DXS143 at Xp22.3-p22.2 and DXS43 at Xp22.2. Regional localization of NHS will provide potential antenatal diagnosis in families at risk for the disease and will enhance understanding of the multifaceted genetic defects.
Evian: The Dénouement

In this chapter, consideration is given to the overall effectiveness of the Evian Conference in achieving its aims as they had been set out in the original invitation and prepared agenda. It is argued did not “fail,” as is often asserted, when it is measured alongside of its formal intentions. Further, it will be shown that practically the only person to read the reality behind the Evian Conference was Adolf Hitler, the man who was directly responsible for the refugee crisis in the first place. Finally, the chapter asks whether the conference could have made a difference to the events of the Holocaust that were to follow within a few short years, concluding that no other outcome was ever likely for the meeting than that which ensued, owing to the priorities of those attending—priorities which did not give any weight to what was, in reality, the most pressing humanitarian crisis of the day.
A Bayesian approach to determine the composition of heterogeneous cancer tissue

Cancer Tissue Heterogeneity is an important consideration in cancer research as it can give insights into the causes and progression of cancer. It is known to play a significant role in cancer cell survival, growth and metastasis. Determining the compositional breakup of a heterogeneous cancer tissue can also help address the therapeutic challenges posed by heterogeneity. This necessitates a low cost, scalable algorithm to address the challenge of accurate estimation of the composition of a heterogeneous cancer tissue. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to tackle this problem by utilizing the data of accurate, but high cost, single cell line cell-by-cell observation methods in low cost aggregate observation method for heterogeneous cancer cell mixtures to obtain their composition in a Bayesian framework. The algorithm is analyzed and validated using synthetic data and experimental data. The experimental data is obtained from mixtures of three separate human cancer cell lines, HCT116 (Colorectal carcinoma), A2058 (Melanoma) and SW480 (Colorectal carcinoma). The algorithm provides a low cost framework to determine the composition of heterogeneous cancer tissue which is a crucial aspect in cancer research.
One-Time Contributors to FLOSS: Surveys and Data Analysis

Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) projects rely on a steady influx of newcomer volunteer developers to survive. As these projects, unlike traditional software projects, often do not pay their contributors to work on them, volunteers must be obtained instead. Once obtained, a volunteer goes through a lengthy process in order to join the project, including obtaining sufficient knowledge of the codebase and learning the rules of the community. However, some developers drop out after they make a single commit to the code database. These developers are knowledgeable enough to commit code and make it through the onboarding process, but leave the project rather than join, therefore depriving the project of potential talent. We propose to understand these One-Time code Contributors (OTCs) through surveys and through data-mining the projects? software repositories: if they are a unique demographic, why they only commit once, if anything can be done to assist them. Once they are determined as a separate demographic, the study pivots to examine other factors that might affect OTCs, including such factors as project governance and project architecture.
Evidence for dose and dose rate effects in human and animal radiation studies.

For stochastic effects such as cancer, linear-quadratic models of dose are often used to extrapolate from the experience of the Japanese atomic bomb survivors to estimate risks from low doses and l...
Corporate Leaders’ Perceptions About Corporate Social Responsibility: An Exploratory Analysis

This paper examines the perceptions about corporate social responsibility (CSR) among a sample of corporate leaders in Africa. A survey and personal interviews were the primary methods of data collection. Our findings show that respondents were able to identify a range of parameters and stakeholders pertaining to CSR; actual practice tended to revolve around the philanthropic dimension. Corporate leaders were motivated by different factors to practice CSR, which we saw as being driven by either a proactive, accommodative, or reactive approach. We also found that the lack of commitment among some leaders in evaluating CSR practices might have been because they do not have clear definition of CSR goals. Based on our findings, we offer suggestions on how to evaluate CSR activities and how different stakeholders can help promote CSR.
EPR Studies of Lattice Defects in Semiconductors

Lattice defects have been studied by EPR more thoroughly in silicon than in any other semiconductor material. As a result, these lectures will tend to concentrate in large measure on the results found in this material. No discussion will be given specifically to the other elemental materials, although some EPR work has been reported in germanium,1 and quite a bit has been reported in diamond.2 The state of understanding in these materials is still relatively poor and relies heavily upon the insight gained from the silicon studies.
Unsupervised Hyperspectral Unmixing via Kernelized Correlations

In this work we derive a novel unsupervised scheme for unmixing hyperspectral pixels. Building on a novel combination of canonical correlations with unsupervised kernel learning, a novel unmixing technique is formulated that can perform even when data are nonlinearly mixed. Principal component analysis is utilized to set proper kernel parameters, while projected gradient descent techniques are used to obtain an estimate of the abundances, and corresponding endmembers. Numerical tests on real hyperspectral data advocate that the proposed method outperforms existing techniques, even in the presence of missing pixel entries.
Response of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to inoculation with indigenous and commercial Rhizobium strains under organic farming systems in Minnesota.

Organic farmers recognize the importance of using Rhizobium to meet crop N fertility needs and to reduce use of chemical fertilizers. Field experiments were conducted during the 2015 and 2016 seasons at different organic fields to assess the effect of indigenous Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli (OrgK9) and commercial R. tropici (CIAT899) strains on symbiotic performance and grain yield of bean varieties, Eclipse and Redhawk. Averaged for both varieties, nodule numbers on plants inoculated with CIAT899 (35.2 ± 3.7 and 26.3 ± 2.6 /plant) and OrgK9 (29.6 ± 2.5 and 26.8 ± 2.1 /plant) were significantly greater (P < 0.0001) than the control (18.9 ± 2.2 and 10.5 ± 3.1) in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Bean genotype Eclipse cultivated at Lamberton and inoculated with OrgK9 had (P < 0.0001) greater number of nodules compared with CIAT899-inoculated or non-inoculated plants. The N-content (3.3 ± 0.04%) of plants inoculated with CIAT899 was greater (P < 0.0001) compared with plants inoculated with OrgK9. Strain CIAT899 increased nodule occupancy by 29 and 62% and 4 and 26% on Red Hawk cultivated in the Lamberton and Farmington fields compared with the control in season 2015 and 2016, respectively. The majority of nodules formed on Red Hawk (76%) and Eclipse (64%) at Farmington were occupied by CIAT899 and OrgK9 in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Eclipse inoculated with OrgK9 had a significantly greater seed yields (2683 ± 402 and 2546 ± 247 kg/ha) compared with control (2265 ± 996 and 2058 ± 51 kg/ha) in both years, respectively. These results clearly indicate that symbiotic performance and grain yield of dry bean can be significantly increased by using Rhizobium inoculation under organic farming systems.
World Trade Organization (WTO) iLibrary

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is a global international organization dealing with trade agreements and disputes between its members, and providing assistance to developing countries. Their goa...
Building $k$ -Protected Routes in Multi-Hop Cognitive Radio Networks

In cognitive radio networks (CRNs), the established communication sessions between secondary users (SUs) may be affected or even get interrupted because the SUs need to relinquish a spectrum when the primary users (PUs) become active again. On detecting PU activities, the SUs on the interrupted links either switch to another link operating on another spectrum fragment using the same one-hop path, or the SUs seek for an alternative multi-hop backup path. In either approach, the communication session is destined to experience a delay or even gets interrupted, which is intolerable to quality of service-sensitive applications such as multimedia streaming or audio/video conferencing. In this paper, we study the problem of building ${k}$ -protected routes in CRNs. A ${k}$ -protected route consists of a set of main link s with preassigned backup links and backup path s so that the ${k}$ -protected route is guaranteed to endure ${k}$ PU appearances without being interrupted. For a CRN, we find a ${k}$ -protected route for each session request and maximize the number of sessions that the CRN can support. We propose both centralized and distributed algorithms for the ${k}$ -protected routing problem. Simulation results show that our ${k}$ -protected routes outperform existing opportunistic spectrum switching approaches regarding delay and interruption rate.
Mitigating near-fracture blockage and enhancing oil recovery in tight reservoirs by adding surfactants in hydraulic fracturing fluid

Abstract Flowback after hydraulic fracturing consistently shows a significantly poor load recovery of the fracturing fluid. The unrecovered fluid creates a blockage at the matrix-fracture interface in the reservoir, which hinders the optimum hydrocarbon production. Surfactant, added into the fracturing fluid, is believed to minimize this blockage by reducing the oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) and altering the rock wettability. Although many lab and field data have shown the surfactant benefits, there is a lack of mechanistic analysis on how surfactant more effectively removes such blockage. Therefore, this paper presents a mechanistic study of water blockage removal by surfactant. Interfacial tension (IFT) reduction and wettability alteration effect are modeled to represent the main effects induced due to the surfactant addition. Our numerical model is extensively calibrated with computed tomography (CT) scans and pressure drop data during coreflood experiments. Our model shows that surfactant addition into the fracturing fluid results in a better water blockage removal than fracturing water alone, because surfactant results not only in a shallower invasion depth, but also a much milder blockage within the shallower invasion depth itself. Furthermore, our model also discovers that the restoration of hydrocarbon permeability by surfactant could demonstrate a time-dependent behavior, based on the interplaying effects among IFT reduction, fracture clean-up state, and the wettability of the matrix-fracture interface. Overall, by presenting the mechanistic analysis, this study serves as a crucial step toward the optimization of surfactant formulation for fracturing fluid and EOR applications in tight reservoirs.
The Impact of Antebellum Slavery on Contemporary Income Inequality

The authors relate county-level data on the population of slaves in the antebellum South to present-day county-level Gini ratios on income inequality. Outside the five Deep Southern states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, the intensity of slavery in 1860 is associated with a lower degree of income inequality. Inside these same five states in counties where the population of slaves accounted for more than 71 percent of the county’s total population in 1860, there is evidence of a strong positive relationship between slavery and contemporary income inequality.
Supervised Regression Study for Electron Microscopy Data

This study presents a supervised regression model to estimate the growth of Electron Microscopy experimental data for a decade ahead. The study employs the autoregression process model using the best curve-fitting that optimizes the level of confidence. Further, the proposed model retains the smallest normalized estimation error. The developed model was competently utilized to estimate the size of Electron Microscopy (EM) data expected to be released within years 2019–2028. One EM dataset was used to model and predict the annual growth of released 3DEM. Another EM dataset was used to model and predict the annual number of 3-Dimensional EM achieving resolution 10 Ao or better. Indeed, both models used EM data collected in the past 18 years, 2002–2018. The experimental results showed that the best curve-fitting orders to predict both datasets were AR(5) at 96.8% and AR(6) at 85% for the released 3DEM and 3DEM resolutions datasets, respectively. Therefore, the estimation findings disclose an exponential growing performance in the upcoming evolution for both, the released 3DEM and 3DEM resolutions datasets. However, the evolution rate of the released 3DEM confirms a faster exponential growth.
An Electronic Data Capture Framework (ConnEDCt) for Global and Public Health Research: Design and Implementation

Background: When we were unable to identify an electronic data capture (EDC) package that supported our requirements for clinical research in resource-limited regions, we set out to build our own reusable EDC framework. We needed to capture data when offline, synchronize data on demand, and enforce strict eligibility requirements and complex longitudinal protocols. Based on previous experience, the geographical areas in which we conduct our research often have unreliable, slow internet access that would make web-based EDC platforms impractical. We were unwilling to fall back on paper-based data capture as we wanted other benefits of EDC. Therefore, we decided to build our own reusable software platform. In this paper, we describe our customizable EDC framework and highlight how we have used it in our ongoing surveillance programs, clinic-based cross-sectional studies, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in various settings in India and Ecuador. Objective: This paper describes the creation of a mobile framework to support complex clinical research protocols in a variety of settings including clinical, surveillance, and RCTs. Methods: We developed ConnEDCt, a mobile EDC framework for iOS devices and personal computers, using Claris FileMaker software for electronic data capture and data storage. Results: ConnEDCt was tested in the field in our clinical, surveillance, and clinical trial research contexts in India and Ecuador and continuously refined for ease of use and optimization, including specific user roles; simultaneous synchronization across multiple locations; complex randomization schemes and informed consent processes; and collecting diverse types of data (laboratory, growth measurements, sociodemographic, health history, dietary recall and feeding practices, environmental exposures, and biological specimen collection). Conclusions: ConnEDCt is customizable, with regulatory-compliant security, data synchronization, and other useful features for data collection in a variety of settings and study designs. Furthermore, ConnEDCt is user friendly and lowers the risks for errors in data entry because of real time error checking and protocol enforcement.
Prescribing Pattern of Oral Anticoagulants in Patients With Obesity

Introduction:There is limited efficacy and safety data for direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with obesity, and it has been suggested to avoid DOACs in this patient population.Objective...
Who wants to be a scientist in South Korea: assessing role model influences on Korean students’ perceptions of science and scientists

Students from Eastern countries score well on international assessments in science yet lack interest in pursuing science careers. Several factors play into students’ perceptions of science and scie...
Abstract 13438: The Role and Mechanism of Chronic Beta3-Adrenergic Receptor Blockade on the Progression of Heart Failure in a Rat Model

Background: The negative inotrope and up-regulation of β3-adrenergic receptors (AR) in human and animal failing hearts suggest a direct and contributing role of cardiac β3-AR activation on the prog...
Letter to the editor: preoperative pain and function profiles reflect consistent TKA patient selection among US surgeons.

To the editor, The study by Ayers and colleagues [1] addresses TKA utilization in the United States, a complex and important issue in healthcare. We also published work on this issue [3, 4] as have others [2]. Our comments are directed toward the basic premise of the study by Ayers and colleagues – that site variation in SF-36 and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score indicate the amount of variation in selection criteria for TKA. To be methodologically sound, this basic premise requires two key considerations: (1) A determination of whether the variation in outcome scores for individual patients is acceptable or unacceptable, and (2) a determination of whether the TKA selection criteria (that is, the outcome score thresholds for determining if TKA is indicated for an individual) are defined. To judge variation in outcome scores, Ayers and colleagues determined site-based mean, median, and 25th and 75th percentile scores for 4900 patients treated by a smaller number of surgeons in 22 participating sites. The authors determined whether variation among sites differed from the grand median from all 22 sites or from the minimal clinically important change – an estimate typically used to make inferences regarding intraindividual important change [5]. Because the upper and lower quartiles of median outcome scores for the sites as compared to the grand median were generally smaller than minimal clinically important change estimates [5], the authors concluded that outcome score variation was acceptable when scheduling patients for TKA. The structure of the data in the study by Ayers and colleagues was multilevel; patients were grouped by surgeons, and surgeons were grouped by sites. The authors only presented the site level data. If one is interested in examining the extent of variation in outcome measures, the inferences should be based on patient-level data after taking into account the multilevel data structure. Data reported at the surgeon level or at the site level represents data only at the group level. Group-level data will mask individual patient variation, which is accentuated when only the middle 50% of the distributions are examined – as performed in this study. Regarding the definitions of individual patient-level TKA selection criteria for the outcome measures, the authors indicated that median scores obtained at participating sites were substantially below general population levels. However, selection criteria for applying to individual patients were not defined. Without a clear definition of outcome score thresholds for TKA selection at the individual patient level, the extent of variation in outcome scores carries little meaning, particularly when variation is described using a group-level approach and central tendency measures. In summary, while we find the overarching topic of TKA selection criteria important, the design and analytic approaches used by Ayers and colleagues do not appear to support the conclusions made in the paper.
Organizational legitimacy for high-risk facilities: Examining the case of NBAF

Abstract Through an online survey of community residents living nearby the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), this study examined how high-risk organizations can communicate organizational legitimacy, and how legitimacy perception may affect public trust and risk perceptions. Results illustrated the importance of transparent and consistent communication in organizational legitimacy-building, as well as the role of legitimacy, especially for high-risk organizations, to garner public trust, to ease public uncertainty, and to increase public preparedness.
Training and Practice of Instructional Librarians: Cross-Population and Longitudinal Perspectives

This study examines the perspectives of instructional librarians, academic library administrators, and library school educators regarding the training and practice of instructional librarians. Semi...
Antitrust and Inequality: The History of (In)Equality in Competition Law and Its Guide to the Future

Is equality a value of competition law, and can competition law help to close the growing wealth/income inequality gaps? To help answer these questions, this paper explores the history of equality in the competition laws of four key jurisdictions and uses the studies as a guide to what we can expect competition law to do and not do to reduce inequality. It finds equality values deeply embedded in the antitrust jurisprudence of most (at least representative) jurisdictions, and draws connections that inevitably, albeit indirectly, impact wealth and income. It concludes: Do not overestimate, and do not underestimate, what the equality value can do.
Binary Representations of Ternary Relationships in ER Conceptual Modelling

Our paper seeks to provide an analysis of ternary relationship logic with an objective of identifying whether they can be decomposed given only the constructs and constraints provided during conceptual entity relationship (ER) modeling.
Food Aid at a Crossroads: The Shared Challenge NGOs Face

Food aid stands at a crossroads today. Major policy decisions will be made in the coming year as to the direction food aid will follow for the next decade or more. NGO leaders need to decide soon how to engage these debates. If the NGOs fail to step forward on these imminent, major decisions, not only will they miss a substantial opportunity to shape their own future role in food aid operations, they risk abdicating the historic responsibility of development and humanitarian agencies to ensure the poor's access to adequate food. Thus far, the NGO community has been largely and noticeably silent.How has food aid reached this crossroads, with key decisions to be made amid contradictory indicators of the health of the current system and the NGOs struggling to join the debate? What key issues lie ahead and what key next steps must NGO executives take at this conjunctural moment, taking advantage of emerging opportunities and paying heed to ever-present risks? This background paper focuses on these two topics. First, it describes the persistent reality of donororiented food aid and slow, incomplete movement towards a recipient-oriented system. Then it lays out the three-part shared challenge the NGOs face:(1) to articulate a shared vision as to how food aid fits into a strategy to reduce poverty and to fulfill and protect human rights,(2) to coordinate at an operational level in food aid management, and(3) to cooperate at the strategic level in the realm of policy advocacy related to food aid.NGOs must work together in these three parallel activities. No single NGO has much incentive to seriously rethink, much less to change its food aid operations or mount a significant advocacy effort for pro-poor reform of food aid programming without the cooperation of other NGOs. If, however, the NGOs can move as a bloc to push for real reform of food aid and development assistance more generally, they could be a potent force for a reallocation of resources that would enhance, not constrain, the resource base for fighting poverty and protecting human rights.