cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell phones and places: The use of mobile technologies in Brazil

Mobile phones are increasingly pervasive technologies in contemporary society. Worldwide cell phones have largely surpassed the number of PCs,1 and appear to be surpassing the popularity of TV sets (Rice & Katz, 2003, p. 598). However, it is not possible to define a monolithic global cell phone culture. The mobile interface is used significantly differently in distinct parts of the world, depending on cultural, social, and economic local specificities. Even within specific countries and regions, there are substantial differences in the use of technology as a result of many factors, including age, culture, socioeconomic distribution, and instruction level. The use we make of technology does not depend solely on the technology per se, but is intrinsically connected to how the technology is culturally embedded in social practices. This paper is an early exploration of the reasons for the exponential growth and social uses of mobile technologies in Brazil, a developing country, with wideranging social and economic diversity. This study aims at contextualizing three research questions to the Brazilian situation: (1) How do low income communities appropriate technology in unusual ways based on price policies and technology availability? (2) To what degree does the increasingly pervasiveness of cell phones transform them into social collective technologies? (3) How the initial idea of the digital divide should be redefined when cell phones replace not only landlines, but also personal computers? With the goal of answering the above-mentioned questions, this article is structured in two main parts. The first two questions are addressed with a comparison between low income2 and high income population3 use of cell phones in Brazil. It looks at how cell phone usage is shaped by the availability of technology, focusing on two factors that promoted cell phone growth in the country: poor landline infrastructure and the emergence of pre-paid phones. It also gives an overview of the mobile services available in the country for the
Computer Aided Design for Integrated Systems

This paper describes a design framework for integrated system design. It discusses the design methodology, the design system, the CAD tools, the models and their interaction that enable optimized integrated system design. Examples of this design approach are discussed in the context of an integrated GSM chip.
An Implementation of Protocol Analysis and the Silent Dog Method in the Area of Behavioral Safety

Recent research has demonstrated that conducting safety observations increases the safety performance of the observer. The purpose of this study was to help determine whether observers make self-verbalizations regarding their own safety performance and whether these reports are functionally related to safety performance. In order to answer these questions two experiments were conducted using both protocol analysis and the silent dog method. The objective of Experiment 1 was (a) to determine whether safety performance with continuous, concurrent talk-aloud procedures is functionally equivalent to safety performance without talk-aloud reports, and (b) to determine whether that safety performance is altered when participants are presented with a distracter task. The goal of Experiment 2 was to determine whether the safety-related verbalizations made by Experiment 1 participants were task-relevant and functionally related to safety performance. The results from both Experiments 1 and 2 provide support for the existence of a functional relationship between safety-related verbalizations and increases in safety performance.
Extreme shear processing for exfoliating organoclay in nanocomposites with incompatible polymers

Abstract Twin screw extrusion at speeds exceeding several thousand rotations per minute (RPM) has the potential to provide extreme shear typically required to break up aggregates and provide good dispersion in polymer nanocomposites. In this work, a novel twin screw extruder with ultra-high screw speed capability has been used to compound the polystyrene (PS) with organically modified nanoclay without using any compatibilizer. The rheological properties and the morphology of the nanocomposites were investigated and compared with simulation after compounding. Screw profiles imparting more and less aggressive mixing were compared over a range of screw speeds from 400 to 4000 RPM. Morphological characterization revealed the necessity of intense shear stress for achieving intercalation and exfoliation when chemical interactions between filler and matrix are unfavorable. The nanocomposites exhibited greater elasticity indicating reinforcement up to a critical screw speed for each screw profile, but further increasing the screw speed resulted in significant polymer degradation, and thus lower viscosity and storage modulus. Moreover, based on calculations of the theoretical adhesion force between the organoclay layers and the shear stress imparted through mixing, the optimized screw speed for a specific screw profile was determined that would overcome lamellar adhesion to form exfoliated nanocomposites, while minimizing the effect of degradation. The resulting model could be extended to any well-defined extruder system as well as other agglomerated nanofillers.
Introduction to the Ecological Dimensions of Climate Change and Disasters

Every year, a number of disasters occur and grab and hold global attention, at least for a short period of time. In 2010, the world witnessed an earthquake in Haiti at the start of the year, another one in Chile a month later, massive flooding in Pakistan, an intense summer heat wave and wildfires in Russia, and widespread flooding in Mexico. The images of destruction from these events are heartbreaking, and the damage estimates are staggering. Moreover, there are also hundreds of small-scale disasters that occur every year that are seldom reported on outside of local areas. In any given year, there are more than 700 natural catastrophic events, resulting in billions of dollars of damage and asset loss, and unquantifiable human suffering. In the first 9 months of 2010 alone, more than 236,000 people were killed and 256 million people were affected by disasters at a cost of 81 billion dollars (Center for Research in the Epidemiology of Disasters, 2010). Disasters, both large and small, erode away at a community or country’s ability to develop, by diverting resources for development towards rescue, recovery, and reconstruction measures; by fraying social safety nets and networks; and reducing economic productivity. GDP losses due to disasters range from 2% to 15%.
Action Selection Under Uncertainty and Risk Involving High Consequence Rare Events

This paper describes an approach to decision making for action selection in the presence of high consequence rare events. A model presented in the paper is an adaptation of the Multiple Quantile Theory that evaluates actions based on Choquet utility while considering decision making attitudes towards gains and losses. In our model, the capacities used for computing Choquet utility are based on the belief structure resulting from situation assessment, which allows for eliminating a priori parameter selection required by the Multiple Quantile Theory. A use case designed to illustrate the feasibility of the model in a simple military scenario is also presented.
Abstract TP248: Identifying Characteristics of Patients With Suspected Stroke by Paramedics but not by Emergency Medical Dispatchers Using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning

Introduction: Accurate stroke identification during 9-1-1 calls by emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) results in improved acute stroke care, but EMDs only identify 50% of strokes. Structured anal...
Patient-Centered Research Priorities: A Mixed-Methods Approach from the Colorado Children's Outcomes Network (COCONet).

Background: Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) perform clinically relevant research designed for immediate translation to patient care. Research questions developed with patients and parents are more likely to be relevant to stakeholders. This case study developed priority areas for patient-centered outcomes research in pediatric health within the context of the Colorado Children9s Outcomes Network, a statewide pediatric PBRN, and in collaboration with stakeholders. Methods: We undertook a mixed-methods, community-engaged process to understand and develop a research agenda for our pediatric PBRN. With a stakeholder-engaged research team, we conducted 52 stakeholder interviews and 1 focus group (n = 9) addressing topics including child health issues, personal health care experiences, community health, and the health care system. Transcripts were coded and analyzed by researchers and parent advisors. We conducted a Web-based survey of PBRN stakeholders (n = 75) to rate priority issues identified in qualitative findings. Finally, we facilitated a community-engaged mixed-methods interpretation and issue selection process with our Network Advisory Board to identify issues of highest importance for Colorado Children9s Outcomes Network. Results: Six topic areas of importance to pediatric health stakeholders emerged from qualitative work. Participating stakeholders used rating surveys to rank these 6 topics. Pediatric mental health coordination and communication/integration with primary care was ranked as the most important and highest research priority. The Network Advisory Board additionally identified immunization uptake and transition from pediatric to adult health care as research priority areas. Conclusions: This pediatric PBRN identified numerous research priorities in pediatric health and selected 3 for immediate research action. PBRNs can use community-engaged, mixed-methods research approaches to set research priorities and develop patient-centered pediatric research agendas.
Healthcare disparities in rheumatology: the role of education at a global level

All fields of medicine are victim to health inequity worldwide, including rheumatology. While the health system is a key proponent to health access for all, other social determinants of health also impact world health. We describe herein the current state of global healthcare disparities in rheumatology and attempts at optimizing graduate medical education and resources for optimized healthcare, international research collaborations and a future of universal health equity. We performed a comprehensive search through Pubmed using the following keywords: healthcare disparities, medical education, access to care, community health.Key Points• Healthcare disparities are ubiquitous globally, including the field of rheumatology.• The heterogeneity of global healthcare disparities emphasizes the importance of addressing unmet needs at a regional level.• A standardized approach to incorporating healthcare disparities education in the medical field is lacking. Intervening at this level provides a foundation of increasing provider awareness of regional healthcare disparities so as to establish a framework of addressing such disparities in a culturally competent manner.
Optimal Location for Centralization of Hospitals Performing Pancreas Resection in California.

This study investigates the optimal locations for centralization of hospitals performing pancreaticoduodenectomy in California.
Binding of benzoic acid and anions within the cupin domains of the vicilin protein canavalin from jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis): Crystal structures.

Abstract X-ray intensities extending to 1.4 A resolution were collected on the P63 hexagonal crystal form of canavalin, and extended to 1.9 A for the orthorhombic C2221 crystals. Structure determination of a new crystal form of canavalin having space group P212121 is reported as well. Both the N and C terminal cupin domains contained identifiable ligands. For hexagonal crystals, in the cavity of the C terminal cupin, a molecule of benzoic acid was found, bound through carboxyl oxygens to Histidine 297, asparagine 284 and Arginine 376. The benzene ring was immersed in a cluster of at least 8 hydrophobic amino acid side chains. The N terminal cupin contained a molecule of citrate. Benzoic acid was also found to be present in the C terminal cupins of in the C2221 and P212121 crystal forms. In rhombohedral crystals, the C terminal cupin domain appeared to be occupied by a phosphate ion, but this was ambiguous. In cubic crystals, both domains were vacant. The N terminal cupin domains of canavalin in the P212121 and rhombohedral crystals were also vacant, but the N terminal cupin domain of the C2221 crystals contained a ligand whose identity is uncertain, but which has been modeled as HEPES buffer. A possible physiological role for the ligands and their complexes with canavalin is considered.
The effect of theobromine on the in vitro de- and remineralization of enamel carious lesions.

Abstract Objectives This in vitro study investigated the effect of theobromine on the de- and remineralization of enamel carious lesions under plaque fluid-like conditions. Methods Early carious lesions were created in 272 bovine enamel specimens and assigned to sixteen groups (n = 17) based on Knoop surface microhardness (SMH). Lesions were demineralized again under plaque fluid-like conditions in the presence of fluoride (0.2 or 1 ppm) and theobromine (0; 10; 100 or 200 ppm) at different pH values (5.5 or 7.0) in a factorial design. SMH was determined again and percent SMH recovery (%SMHr) calculated. Three-way ANOVA was used for the fixed effects of fluoride, theobromine and pH levels to compare the differences between each level. Results The three-way interaction was not significant (p = 0.712). The two-way interaction between fluoride and pH was significant (p = 0.030), whereas those between fluoride and theobromine as well as that for pH and theobromine were not (p = 0.478 and p = 0.998, respectively). Theobromine did not affect %SMHr at any of the tested concentrations. There were trends for the higher fluoride concentration and the higher pH resulting in more rehardening with the lesions exposed to 0.2 ppm fluoride at pH 5.5 displaying significantly less rehardening than those exposed to 0.2 ppm fluoride at pH of 7.0 and lesions exposed to 1 ppm fluoride at pH of 5.5. Conclusion Theobromine, when continuously present in a plaque fluid-like medium at various concentrations and at different pH values, does not affect de- or remineralization of enamel carious lesions under the presently studied conditions. Clinical significance Based on the presently available evidence, theobromine cannot be recommended as an anticaries agent.
Co-Optimizing Performance and Memory Footprint Via Integrated CPU/GPU Memory Management, an Implementation on Autonomous Driving Platform

Cutting-edge embedded system applications, such as self-driving cars and unmanned drone software, are reliant on integrated CPU/GPU platforms for their DNNs-driven workload, such as perception and other highly parallel components. In this work, we set out to explore the hidden performance implication of GPU memory management methods of integrated CPU/GPU architecture. Through a series of experiments on micro-benchmarks and real-world workloads, we find that the performance under different memory management methods may vary according to application characteristics. Based on this observation, we develop a performance model that can predict system overhead for each memory management method based on application characteristics. Guided by the performance model, we further propose a runtime scheduler. By conducting per-task memory management policy switching and kernel overlapping, the scheduler can significantly relieve the system memory pressure and reduce the multitasking co-run response time. We have implemented and extensively evaluated our system prototype on the NVIDIA Jetson TX2, Drive PX2, and Xavier AGX platforms, using both Rodinia benchmark suite and two real-world case studies of drone software and autonomous driving software.
Multiply robust matching estimators of average and quantile treatment effects

Propensity score matching has been a long-standing tradition for handling confounding in causal inference, however requiring stringent model assumptions. In this article, we propose double score matching(DSM) for general causal estimands utilizing two balancing scores including the propensity score and prognostic score. To gain the protection of possible model misspecification, we posit multiple candidate models for each score. We show that the de-biasing DSM estimator achieves the multiple robustness property in that it is consistent for the true causal estimand if any model of the propensity score or prognostic score is correct.
Positive autoregulation of lag-1 in response to LIN-12 activation in cell fate decisions during C. elegans reproductive system development

During animal development, ligand binding releases the intracellular domain of LIN-12/Notch by proteolytic cleavage to translocate to the nucleus, where it associates with the DNA-binding protein LAG-1/CSL to activate target gene transcription. We investigated the spatiotemporal regulation of LAG-1/CSL expression in Caenorhabditis elegans and observed that an increase in endogenous LAG-1 levels correlates with LIN-12/Notch activation in different cell contexts during reproductive system development. We show that this increase is via transcriptional upregulation by creating a synthetic endogenous operon, and identified an enhancer region that contains multiple LAG-1 binding sites (LBSs) embedded in a more extensively conserved high occupancy target (HOT) region. We show that these LBSs are necessary for upregulation in response to LIN-12/Notch activity, indicating that lag-1 engages in direct positive autoregulation. Deletion of the HOT region from endogenous lag-1 reduced LAG-1 levels and abrogated positive autoregulation, but did not cause hallmark cell fate transformations associated with loss of lin-12/Notch or lag-1 activity. Instead, later somatic reproductive system defects suggest that proper transcriptional regulation of lag-1 confers robustness to somatic reproductive system development.
Reinforcing Sustainability Assessment and Reshaping Technology Innovation for Highly Sustainable Manufacturing in the Post-COVID-19 Era

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented shock around the world Manufacturing sectors are among the hardest hit As the initial negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic start to recede, the manufacturing sectors must work collaboratively to develop strategies for transition to much more sustainable and resilient industries These circumstances have created a number of research opportunities in sustainability science and engineering This technical note discusses challenges and research needs in the effort to introduce new aspects to enhance existing sustainability metrics systems and to develop powerful decision analysis and decision-making methodologies and tools for reshaping technology innovations Copyright © 2020 by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959
Hydration kinetics and activation energy of cement pastes containing various nanoparticles

Abstract The relative effects of nanoparticles (NPs) of dry powdered nSiO2, nAl2O3, and nCaCO3 and colloidal nSiO2 (in size range of 10–40 nm) on the hydration kinetics and apparent activation energy (Ea) of Portland cement were analyzed. Different variables, such as NP replacement levels (0, 0.5, and 5 wt %) and testing temperature (10–40 C), were evaluated. For a given type of NPs, the acceleration effect on cement hydration increased with increasing NP replacement level, but it reduced with increasing testing temperature. Apparent Ea increased at low replacement while it reduced at high replacement level of NPs, which was thought to occur due to an enhanced reduction in the rate of diffusion-control hydration at high replacement level. Accounting for the specific surface areas (SSA) of cement and NPs, the filler effect of NPs was quantified in terms of area multiplier. It was revealed that a NP with high SSA could function as a better accelerator at low replacement than the one with low SSA at high replacement. For tailoring the setting and strength development behavior of cementitious systems, the results from this study can aid in an informed decision making for the selection of the type of NP and its dosage. Moreover, the apparent Ea values can be used for the maturity prediction of nanoengineered cementitious composites.
Discordance Between Severity of Heart Failure as Determined by Patient Report Versus Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing

Background Patient‐reported outcomes may be discordant to severity of illness as assessed by objective parameters. The frequency of this discordance and its influence on clinical outcomes in patien...
Emerging roles for CNS fibroblasts in health, injury and disease

Recent transcriptomic, histological and functional studies have begun to shine light on the fibroblasts present in the meninges, choroid plexus and perivascular spaces of the brain and spinal cord. Although the origins and functions of CNS fibroblasts are still being described, it is clear that they represent a distinct cell population, or populations, that have likely been confused with other cell types on the basis of the expression of overlapping cellular markers. Recent work has revealed that fibroblasts play crucial roles in fibrotic scar formation in the CNS after injury and inflammation, which have also been attributed to other perivascular cell types such as pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells. In this Review, we describe the current knowledge of the location and identity of CNS perivascular cell types, with a particular focus on CNS fibroblasts, including their origin, subtypes, roles in health and disease, and future areas for study. Fibroblasts in the CNS have been assigned a role in fibrotic scar formation in response to injury and inflammation but might perform additional roles attributed to other cell types. In this Review, Dorrier and colleagues discuss the available evidence regarding fibroblast functions in the CNS.
Baseline heart rate variability (HRV) and performance during a set-shifting visuospatial learning task: The moderating effect of trait negative affectivity (NA) on behavioral flexibility✰

Higher negative affectivity (NA) has an association with decreased executive function and cognitive control. Heart rate variability (HRV) may index cardiac vagal regulation differences in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) for both cognition and emotion. The current study investigates this association using a set-shifting variant of the Virtual Morris Water Task (VMWT) to study discrimination learning, spatial learning, reversal learning, and attentional set-shifting in a virtual environment. 73 participants completed affective questionnaires (Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Positive and Negative Affective Scale), a 5-minute baseline electrocardiogram, and the VMWT. Individuals who failed to complete the task exhibited significantly lower baseline RMSSD then those who completed the task. There was no direct effect between affective measures and task performance. Higher baseline HRV was predictive of better performance during set-shifting. Trait NA moderated the effect of baseline HRV, as well as trait positive affectivity (PA), on performance during the extradimensional shift condition. Increased behavioral flexibility performance was only predicted by higher HRV and PA in low NA individuals. High trait NA negates the positive effects of HRV and PA on behavioral flexibility.
Tritrophic interactions among Bt maize, an insect pest and entomopathogens: effects on development and survival of western corn rootworm

Agricultural systems often provide a model for testing ecological hypotheses, while ecological theory can enable more effective pest management. One of the best examples of this is the interaction between host-plant resistance and natural enemies. With the advent of crops that are genetically modified to produce insecticidal toxins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a new form of host-plant resistance has been introduced to agroecosystems. How Bt crops interact with natural enemies, especially insect pathogens in below-ground systems, is not well understood, but provides a unique opportunity to study below-ground tritrophic interactions. In this study, we used two species of entomopathogenic fungi and three species of entomopathogenic nematodes to determine how this community of soil-borne natural enemies might interact with Bt maize (event 59122, expressing the insecticidal protein Cry34/35Ab1) to affect survival and development of western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera), which is an obligate root feeder and a serious pest of maize. We ran two experiments, one in a greenhouse and one in a growth chamber. Both experiments consisted of a fully crossed design with two maize treatments (Bt maize and non-Bt maize) and two entomopathogen treatments (present or absent). The community of entomopathogens significantly increased mortality of western corn rootworm, and Bt maize increased larval developmental time and mortality. Entomopathogens and Bt maize acted in an independent and additive manner, with both factors increasing the mortality of western corn rootworm. Results from this study suggest that entomopathogens may complement host-plant resistance from Bt crops.
One Size Doesn't Fit All - RefEditor: Building Personalized Diploid Reference Genome to Improve Read Mapping and Genotype Calling in Next Generation Sequencing Studies

With rapid decline of the sequencing cost, researchers today rush to embrace whole genome sequencing (WGS), or whole exome sequencing (WES) approach as the next powerful tool for relating genetic variants to human diseases and phenotypes. A fundamental step in analyzing WGS and WES data is mapping short sequencing reads back to the reference genome. This is an important issue because incorrectly mapped reads affect the downstream variant discovery, genotype calling and association analysis. Although many read mapping algorithms have been developed, the majority of them uses the universal reference genome and do not take sequence variants into consideration. Given that genetic variants are ubiquitous, it is highly desirable if they can be factored into the read mapping procedure. In this work, we developed a novel strategy that utilizes genotypes obtained a priori to customize the universal haploid reference genome into a personalized diploid reference genome. The new strategy is implemented in a program named RefEditor. When applying RefEditor to real data, we achieved encouraging improvements in read mapping, variant discovery and genotype calling. Compared to standard approaches, RefEditor can significantly increase genotype calling consistency (from 43% to 61% at 4X coverage; from 82% to 92% at 20X coverage) and reduce Mendelian inconsistency across various sequencing depths. Because many WGS and WES studies are conducted on cohorts that have been genotyped using array-based genotyping platforms previously or concurrently, we believe the proposed strategy will be of high value in practice, which can also be applied to the scenario where multiple NGS experiments are conducted on the same cohort. The RefEditor sources are available at https://github.com/superyuan/refeditor.
Apraxia in anti‐glutamic acid decarboxylase–associated stiff person syndrome: Link to corticobasal degeneration?

Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is associated with asymmetrical rigidity as well as asymmetrical limb-kinetic and ideomotor apraxia. Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is characterized by muscle stiffness and gait difficulties. Whereas patients with CBS have several forms of pathology, many patients with SPS have glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GAD-ab), but these 2 disorders have not been reported to coexist. We report 2 patients with GAD-ab-positive SPS who also had signs suggestive of CBS, including asymmetrical limb rigidity associated with both asymmetrical limb-kinetic and ideomotor apraxia. Future studies should evaluate patients with CBS for GAD-ab and people with SPS for signs of CBS.
Inflammation and the capacity for organ regeneration (212.1)

Most vertebrate species used for studies of regeneration (amphibians, teleosts) are deficient in adaptive immunity compared to mammals. Recent data suggest that such immunodeficiency may be linked to regenerative capacity. The profile of cytokines, chemokines, and leukocytes elicited by limb amputation in regenerating amphibians is generally similar to that produced during the early phase of mammalian wound repair. Regeneration of limbs and tails requires production of reactive oxygen species, macrophage activity, and other components of inflammation. In the frog Xenopus laevis the ability to regenerate well-patterned limbs is lost during the prometamorphic period. Analyses of gene expression in Xenopus limbs amputated at different developmental stages reveal changes in inflammation and resolution during the period when regenerative capacity declines. Nonregenerating limbs appear delayed in resolving inflammation, which does not impair wound closure or local cellular reprogramming but perturbs the regulat...
On the Combination of Congruence Closure and Completion

We present a graph-based method for constructing a congruence closure of a given set of ground equalities that combines the key ideas of two well-known approaches, completion and abstract congruence closure, in a natural way by relying on a specialized and optimized version of the more general, but less efficient, SOUR graphs. This approach allows for efficient implementations and a visual presentation that better illuminates the basic ideas underlying the construction of congruence closures and clarifies the role of original and extended signatures and the impact of rewrite techniques for ordering equalities.
N-methyl-D,L-aspartic acid differentially affects LH release and LHRH mRNA levels in estrogen-treated ovariectomized control and androgen-sterilized rats.

Excitatory amino acids such as N-methyl-d,l-aspartic acid (NMDA) are thought to play an important role in the regulation of gonadotropin secretion. NMDA induces significant increases in plasma LH in a variety of animal models and these effects occur by activation of neural processes involved in excitation of LHRH neurons rather than by a direct action on the pituitary gland. We have taken advantage of this information to study the effects of NMDA on LH release and on changes in levels of LHRH mRNA in single neurons of adult rats treated neonatally with a high dosage of androgen. While iv NMDA evoked an increase in plasma LH in estrogen-treated ovariectomized control and androgen-sterilized rats (ASR), significantly less LH was released in ASR. LHRH mRNA levels in the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT), the rostral (r), medial (m) and caudal (c) preoptic (POA) regions were quantitated using in situ hybridization histochemistry and quantitative image analysis methods. LHRH mRNA levels in untreated controls and ASR did not differ in any of the brain regions examined. Within 1 h after NMDA, LHRH mRNA had increased significantly in OVLT and rPOA but not in mPOA and cPOA neurons of control rats and these mRNA levels remained elevated for 4 h. In contrast, NMDA treatment of ASR did not affect basal levels of LHRH mRNA in any region of the rostral hypothalamus. These observations suggest that neonatal androgen treatment of female rats either directly or indirectly affects the responsiveness of LHRH neurons to NMDA. As a consequence, LH release is attenuated and the ability of these neurons to respond to NMDA by an increase in LHRH mRNA is lost.
Marc Boglioli. A Matter of Life and Death: Hunting in Contemporary Vermont

In A Matter of Life and Death, Marc Boglioli engages the tensions and contradictions surrounding hunting in the modern age. He does so in well-researched, clear, readable prose that brings to life ...
Strategic Behaviors and Competition: Intangibles, Intellectual Property and Innovation

Intangibles such as intellectual property rights are an increasingly important source of value for businesses today. This increasing importance has significance for the uses of intangibles by companies and the mechanisms and behaviors by which companies extract value from intangibles. The manners in which holders of intellectual property rights wield such rights can play an important role in shaping the effective functioning of intellectual property frameworks. Although intellectual property rights may serve as important tools of innovation, empirical evidence shows that in many industries intellectual property protection is not a primary means by which innovation is protected. Moreover, increasingly pervasive intellectual property portfolio management strategies are often combined today with broad grants of intellectual property rights. These factors may promote strategic uses of intangibles that are thought to be increasingly characteristic of business practice today. These factors may also permit and even encourage the holders of such rights to use them offensively as strategic weapons in a manner that may actually be a disincentive to diffusion and future innovation. Existing models of intellectual property rights focus to a large extent on assumptions about ex ante incentives for individual creators and inventors. Under the intangibles paradigm, new markets for new products and technologies have arisen that suggest a more complex picture of incentives with respect to intellectual property, some of which may challenge dominant assumptions. The operation of markets for technology and uses of intellectual property rights today also suggest that greater attention should be paid to the implications of the uses of intellectual property rights for markets, market competition and future innovation.
Quantitative assessment of LV function and volumes with 3-slice segmentation of cine SSFP short axis images: our experience

We retrospectively studied 1.5T cardiac MR images of 62 patients with various clinical indications. All patients had a stack of EKG gated segmented SSFP cine images through the LV. Semi-automated cardiac MR software (Argus) was used to trace LV contours both at multiple slices from base to apex as well as just 3 slices (base, mid and apical) by two readers. End diastolic volume (EDV), end systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), and ejection fraction (EF) were calculated using both assessment methods. Results There were no statistically significant differences between EF and LV volumes obtained by multi-slice vs 3-slice analysis for both readers (P > 0.05). For reader 1 (and 2), Bland-Altman plot revealed the mean difference in LVEF between multi-slice and 3-slice analysis was 0.4% (0.5%) with limits of agreement of -4.3% to 5.1% (-3.9% to 4.9%) (Figure 1). For both readers, all differences in EF between multi-slice and 3-slice analysis were within 5.3%. The measured volumes are listed in Table 1. Multi-slice assessment required approximately 10 minutes per study while 3-slice evaluation required about 3-5 minutes. Conclusions The LVEF obtained from either 3-slice or multi-slice evaluation of SSFP cine images closely correlate across various cardiac pathologies, thereby offering a method to reduce post-processing time. Of note, although the decreased LV volumes obtained by 3-slice segmentation are statistically significant, the difference of < 3.7% may not be clinically significant. Funding None.
The non-existence of pairwise-proof equilibrium

Abstract Private bilateral contracting between a supplier and competing customers admits multiple equilibria. We show that requiring equilibrium to be ‘pairwise proof’ - immune to bilateral deviations by the supplier and any customer - can imply non-existence of equilibrium in ‘normal’ environments.
High-power high-brightness 808nm QCW laser diode mini bars

A new class of high power high brightness 808 nm QCW laser diode mini bars has been developed. With nLight's nXLT facet passivation technology and improvements in epitaxial structure, mini bars of 3 mm bar width with high efficiency design have tested to over 280 W peak power with peak efficiency over 64% on conduction cooled CS packages, equivalent to output power density near 130 mW/μm. These mini laser bars open up new applications as compact, portable, and low current pump sources. Liftests have been carried out on conduction cooled CS packages and on QCW stacks. Over 370 million (M) shots lifetest with high efficiency design has been demonstrated on CS so far without failure, and over 80 M shots on QCW stacks with accelerated stress lifetest have also proven high reliability on mini bars with high temperature design. Failure analysis determined that the failure mechanism was related to bulk defects, showing that mini laser bars are not prone to facet failure, which is consistent with the large current pulse test and failure analysis on high power single emitters.
Effects of hydroxyapatite tricalcium phosphate coating and intracancellous placement on bone ingrowth in titanium fibermetal implants.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare the host—bone response to hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP)-coated and noncoated titanium fibermetal implants placed in a load-sharing cancellous bone environment of the distal femurs of rabbits. The influence of implantation site was also investigated by comparing these intracancellous implants with intramedullary implants evaluated in a previous study. Three parameters were measured: percentage implant perimeter surface length in contact with new bone, percentage internal fibermetal surface length in contact with ingrown bone, and percentage of available pore space filled with bone. The HA/TCP coating significantly accelerated and increased bone ongrowth, new bone formation on the perimeter and internal surface of the implants. This effect was evident as early as 2 weeks after implantation. In contrast, there was no difference between HA/TCP-coated and noncoated implants in the bone ingrowth parameter, percentage of available pore space filled with bone, or pull-out strength. Scanning electron microscopy in the backscatter mode demonstrated that new bone formed directly onto the HA/TCP-coated fibers and did not usually form directly on noncoated fibers. Analysis of fluorochrome labeling revealed that bone formation in weeks 1 through 4 was primarily woven and there-after lamellar. Compared with intramedullary placement, intracancellous placement significantly accelerated the apposition of bone to the perimeter and internal surface of HA/TCP-coated implants and both accelerated and increased bone ingrowth as a percentage of available pore volume. These data show that the host response to titanium fibermetal implants is influenced both by HA/TCP coating and by the implantation site.
Nonnegative polynomials: A criterion

It is shown that the modified Routh scheme can be used to determine the number of real positive zeros of a real polynomial together with their multiplicities. This leads to a completely recursive test for nonnegativity of real polynomials.
Middle School Teachers Using Individualized Instruction Strategies

The inclusion of middle school students with special needs in general education classrooms can be a significant challenge. Teachers can make a difference during these transitional years by using strategies that individualize instruction for all students. This article describes strategies for teaching middle school students in a manner that promotes inclusion while allowing for individual differences.
A photochemical procedure for determining reaction quantum efficiencies in systems with multicomponent inner filter absorbances.

A kinetic procedure for measuring the photochemical quantum efficiencies of reactions in which several components have overlapping absorbances is fully described. This method has been found to be particularly suitable for photochemical determinations where inner filter effects are substantial, such as those typically observed in the ligand substitution and intermolecular C-H/Si-H bond activation mechanisms of metal complexes. The quantitative measurement of the Si-H bond activation photochemistry of ({eta}{sup 5} -C{sub 5}H{sub 5})Rh(CO){sub 2} in triethylsilane solution is demonstrated in detail, although the procedure has widespread application in photochemistry. 18 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
Disinfection of pumice

Abstract Infectious organisms may be transmitted from patient to patient if pumice is re-used to polish dentures. Contaminated particles may also create a hazard to the dentist's eyes. Some disinfection of pumice can be achieved by mixing the pumice used for polishing dentures with a chemical disinfectant. However, absolute disinfection is not assured by this method. Therefore, precautionary measures should be taken while polishing dentures that have been in patients' mouths: (1) Always wear safety glasses; (2) Discard the pumice after polishing the adjusted denture to prevent the transmission of organisms from patient to patient; and (3) Mix the pumice with a non-irritating disinfectant such as Zephiran Chloride.
Increase in atrial size in long-term survivors of heart transplant☆

Atrial size in recipients of orthotopic heart transplant (OHTX) who have long-term survival is not well described in the literature. We reviewed 2-dimensional echocardiograms of 14 recipients of OHTX who survived at least 5 years. Apical 4-chamber images were used for measurements starting at 1-year post-OHTX. The recipients of OHTX were 8 (57%) men and 6 (43%) women with a mean age of 43.6 +/- 12.1 (20-60) years and mean survival of 9.5 +/- 2.6 (5.8-14.4) years. All chambers increased with time post-OHTX (r > 0.83, P 0.83, P <.002). The change in RA recipient remnant area did not correlate with survival (r = 0.58, P =.06). In recipients of OHTX with long-term survival, there is a significant correlation between the echocardiographic size of LA and RA, and donor and recipient remnants with time and survival.
Becoming a geologist : Florence bascom in Wisconsin, 1874-1887

Florence Bascom (1862-1945) was a petrologist and field geologist at Bryn Mawr College who provided a basic description and interpretation of major areas of Pennsylvania and surrounding regions. This paper is the first of a two-part study that explores the question of how Bascom became a geologist. The initial phase of this process took place in Wisconsin, to which she moved at the age of twelve when her father became president of the University at Madison. Both of her parents supported women's education, rights, and suffrage.Bascom graduated from the coeducational university in 1882 and, in a series of fits and starts in which scientific study alternated with social pleasures and non-scientific pursuits, she began to take a serious interest in geology. In 1883-84 she studied under two well known geologists there, Roland D. Irving and his student Charles R. Van Hise, obtaining a B.S. degree. Although she did not participate in field work, she conducted laboratory research on the gabbros of Lake Superior u...
Does faint galaxy clustering contradict gravitational instability

It has been argued, based on the weakness of clustering of faint galaxies, that these objects cannot be the precursors of present galaxies in a simple Einstein-de Sitter model universe with clustering driven by gravitational instability. It is shown that the assumptions made about the growth of clustering were too restrictive. In such a universe, the growth of clustering can easily be fast enough to match the data.
Regulation of magnesium homeostasis and transport in mammalian cells

Magnesium is the second most abundant cation within the cell after potassium and plays an important role in numerous biological functions. Several pieces of experimental evidence indicate that mammalian cells tightly regulate Mg(2+) content by precise control mechanisms operating at the level of Mg(2+) entry and efflux across the cell membrane, as well as at the level of intracellular Mg(2+) buffering and organelle compartmentation under resting conditions and following hormonal stimuli. This review will attempt to elucidate the mechanisms involved in hormonal-mediated Mg(2+) extrusion and accumulation, as well as the physiological implications of changes in cellular Mg(2+) content following hormonal stimuli.
Exact recovery of low-rank plus compressed sparse matrices

Given the superposition of a low-rank matrix plus the product of a known fat compression matrix times a sparse matrix, the goal of this paper is to establish conditions under which exact recovery of the low-rank and sparse components becomes possible. This fundamental identifiability task subsumes compressed sensing and the timely low-rank plus sparse matrix recovery encountered in matrix decomposition problems. Leveraging the ability of l 1 - and nuclear norms to recover sparse and low-rank matrices, a convex program is formulated to estimate the unknowns. Analysis and simulations confirm that the said convex program can recover the unknowns for sufficiently low-rank and sparse enough components, along with a compression matrix possessing an isometry property.
FINITE-SAMPLE CORRECTIONS TO NEUTRON SCATTERING DATA.

Abstract The correction of neutron-scattering data for finite-sample effects in solid cylindrical samples up to 0.5 total mean free path in radius with height-to-diameter ratios of from 1 to 3 is described. Neutron attenuation is well approximated by assuming the sample to be a disk with the neutrons incident edge-on in a parallel beam. Angular spread is corrected by a factor obtained by numerical integration of the single-scattering integral. Multiple scattering is corrected by a combination of Monte Carlo results and traditional analytic methods, the energy change in inelastic scattering being included explicitly in the formulation. The effect of anisotropic scattering is shown to amount to a few percent at most and to lie within the errors introduced by the assumptions. The Monte Carlo calculations and the validity of the assumptions are considered in an appendix.
Experimental tooth movement through regenerate alveolar bone: A pilot study

The purpose of this pilot study was to experimentally evaluate tooth movement through regenerate bone at an early time point during the consolidation phase after bilateral mandibular osteodistraction. Two beagle dogs underwent 10 mm of bilateral mandibular lengthening via intraoral distraction osteogenesis between the fourth premolars and first molars. After 1 week of consolidation, retraction of the fourth premolars was initiated. Immediately after completing premolar retraction, the dogs were sacrificed and the mandibles were analyzed radiographically, histologically, and by dental cast measurements. Initially, all 4 fourth premolars moved distally, with 2 of the 4 touching the first molars at the time of sacrifice. Based on the current data, it is possible to move teeth through regenerate bone, and it appears that tooth movement can begin within weeks of starting the consolidation period.