cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Archaeological Remains, Documents, and Anthropology: a Call for a New Culture History

Historical archaeology is either a significant or superfluous endeavor, depending on the level one stands on to critique the discipline. If theoretical questions concerning the nature, dynamics and evolution of cultures are the starting point, or equally if more substantive but similarly broad questions of modern “world systems” are selected, then the results of a quarter century of excavations on historic sites are indeed weak and unconvincing. In contrast, a view grounded on “culture history” or “historic ethnography” finds historical archaeology to be potentially an impressive, productive field, equal in many ways to other data sources including written records. It is suggested that “historic ethnography,” based equally on archaeology and written sources, is the future natural sphere for the archaeological investigations of the modern world (A.D. 1400–20th century).
Learning to Realize a More Sustainable World

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2015) established 17 targets — such as “no hunger,” “clean water” and “climate action” — to unite humanity in pursuit of a shared, prosperous future. These diverse global goals provide a universal agenda to enlist today’s learners in creatively ensuring our collective well-bring throughout their careers. How can higher education foster effective, intentional learning across courses and curricula to prepare our students to realize these global goals? George Mason University has established a diverse set of over 130 “green leaf” courses, along with regular co-curricular activities, to help our students develop their sustainability skills and practical expertise. These span a new 18-credit “sustainability pathway” through our Mason Core general education requirements and a score of undergraduate and graduate academic programs. Together, these curricula – and others Mason faculty might opt to deliver — permit students to move from first year through accelerated graduate programs while continuously building their sustainability understanding, reflection and intentionality. Meanwhile, co-curricular activities like Mason Earth Month, organic food gardening and Patriot Green Fund projects provide students opportunities to develop and apply “critical doing” skills far beyond the classroom as well.
SENSE OF BELONGING OF BLACK STUDENTS IN STEM MAJORS: A MIXED METHODS STUDY

SENSE OF BELONGING OF BLACK STUDENTS IN STEM MAJORS: A MIXED METHODS STUDY By Lisa Jackson, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2016 Dissertation Chair: Dr. Sharon Zumbrunn Associate Professor Department of Foundations of Education The purpose of this research was to examine Black STEM students’ sense of belonging, as it pertains to their academic and social integration. The researcher also sought to understand what factors most contributed to students’ sense of belonging and whether the involvement in a living learning community or summer bridge program had an effect on students’ sense of belonging. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used with participants from a large, urban university in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Participants (N = 89) were administered a revised Psychological Sense of School Membership survey, then participants (N = 8) were purposively selected to participate in one-on-one follow-up interviews. Quantitative data were used to run a principal component analysis, an independent t-test, and a multiple regression analysis. After the quantitative data were analyzed, the qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Finally, the results of both portions were combined and analyzed through mixed methods analysis. Results of the principal component analysis identified a two-component model containing 15 of the original 20 items. The two-components were identified as ‘interactions” and “welcoming/belonging.” Additionally, survey results indicated that students in a cohort did not differ significantly based on their sense of belonging, as measured on the PSSM. Sense of belonging also was not a significant indicator of academic success. Seven themes emerged during the qualitative phase of the study, they were: (a) student perception of the university; (b) student perception of STEM; (c) individual attributes; (d) family; (e) faculty interaction and support; (f) peer interaction and support; and (g) recommendations. Results of these findings were surprising; students of differing groups shared very important details regarding their sense of belonging and the influences on campus that have impacted it. Together, the quantitative and qualitative data provided very deep and intricate details of students’ perceptions of belongingness. Many of the findings within this study confirmed that of previous research on belonging. Students highlighted the importance of relationships with others, specifically with faculty and peers, to their belonging and success in the university. Several students identified their peers as being the most important factor to their sense of belonging. This study provided researchers, university administrators, professors, and even students insight into the world of Black STEM students and highlighted the nuances associated with their attendance at a predominately White institution and studying in a White, male dominated field.
Exploring the Contours of Transnational Religious Spaces and Networks

Today, few scholars can deny that models of widespread secularization were largely overstated. Religion has shaped and continues to shape globalization and transnationalism as much as these forces have shaped religion. This is particularly true of international migration and the flow of religious ideas, practices, organizations, and movements people in diaspora have established through their faith traditions. Various scholars have attempted to map the complexity of transnational migration and religion with a certain amount of success, but there is considerable work left to be done. Drawing heavily from key scholars in the field and my own work with Ebaugh on transnational service movements, this chapter attempts to bring these various perspectives together to explore and debate the contours of transnational religious spaces and networks.
Intermediate-term earthquake prediction using the modified time-to-failure method in southern California

Abstract Based on retrospective modeling of earthquakes from the southern California earthquake catalog, along with previously published evaluations from the New Madrid Seismic Zone, the modified time-to-failure method may be used as an intermediate-term earthquake prediction technique for locating and predicting the size and time of a future mainshock. Modeling previous mainshocks for hypothesis development indicates that the method predicts the actual magnitude of the mainshock to within approximately ±0.5 magnitude units. The error associated with the time-of-failure is approximately ±1.1 years assuming the last precursory event is known. When the last event in the precursory sequence is not known, the predicted magnitude remains similar, but the predicted time will require refinement as additional events are added, with time, to the sequence. The mainshock location can also be identified within a circular region with a radius on the order of tens of kilometers. Criteria are provided for defining acceleration sequences and mainshock locations. The criteria reduce the number of false predictions but also eliminate some mainshocks from our evaluation. Mainshocks as small as magnitude 5.5, occurring between 1980 and 1995, were evaluated from the Southern California earthquake Catalog (SCC). The results were used in association with previous studies to develop a method that can be used for practical (future prediction) applications. The modified time-to-failure method was used to search the SCC for future mainshocks occurring after 17 August 1998. One region satisfied all the criteria and may be modeled by the modified time-to-failure method. The region likely to have a mainshock is a 65-km-radius area centered at 31.43° N, 115.47° W (northern Baja California, Mexico). The predicted magnitude is 6.36, ±0.55, and the predicted time of failure is 1998.565 (7/25/98), ±1.127 years. The addition of future precursory events will allow refinement of the predicted values.
Exploring the Personality of Luxury Fashion Brands: Evidence from Young US Consumers

This study aims to identify personality characteristics that are associated with luxury fashion brands and test the applicability of Aaker’s brand personality framework in the context of luxury fashion brands. It employed Aaker’s brand personality framework to empirically investigate the personality of luxury fashion brands based on data collected from 413 American young consumers. This research developed a valid and reliable scale that measures personality for luxury fashion products and confirms that consumers do associate particular brand personality dimensions with luxury fashion brands. Results revealed that young consumers perceive six distinct personality dimensions and 37 personality traits in luxury fashion brands: Prestigious, Competent, Sociable, Creative, Snobby, and Romantic. The findings not only provide insights into the underlying values that consumers are seeking from luxury fashion consumption, but also offer a theoretical guidance to the practitioners in the luxury goods industry in their effort of brand equity building.
Neural Models for Full Text Search

A fundamental concern in search engines is to determine which documents have the best content for satisfying the user, based on analysis of the user's query and the text of documents. For this query-content match, many learning to rank systems make use of IR features developed in the 1990s in the TREC framework. Such features are still important in a variety of search tasks, and particularly in the long tail where clicks, links and social media signals become sparse. I will present our current progress, in particular three different neural models, with the goal of surpassing the 1990s models in full text search. This will include evidence, using proprietary Bing datasets, that large-scale training data can be useful. I will also argue that for the field to make progress on query-content relevance modeling, it may be valuable to set up a shared blind evaluation similar to 1990s TREC, possibly with large-scale training data.
Case Study: Polymelia in a Holstein calf

Polymelia, the manifestation of extra limbs or parts of limbs, occurs when there is a developmental duplication in the novel NHL repeat domain containing protein (NHLRC2) gene in Angus cattle. In Holstein cattle, little is known about the etiology of polymelia. To determine the genetic etiology of polymelia in a Holstein calf, genotyping and sequencing of the Angus developmental duplication locus, karyotyping, and a genome-wide association analysis were performed. The genome-wide association analysis compared the polymelia calf (case) to 2,650 control (normal) Holstein calves using EMMAX-GRM (Efficient Mixed-Model Association eXpedited-Genomic Relationship Matrix) software. In addition, homozygous loci within genes in the case that were never found in a control were also evaluated as putative loci. The polymelia calf had a normal Angus developmental duplication genotype that was confirmed by sequencing. Karyotyping revealed no evidence of chromosomal breakage or gross chromosomal abnormalities in the polymelia calf. The additive genome-wide association analysis identified loci associated with polymelia on BTA13 (P < 1 × 10−281) and BTA10 (P < 2 × 10−110). Seventy-nine candidate genes were identified that contained homozygous genotypes in the case that were never identified in 2,650 controls. Candidate genes include MSH homeobox 2 (MSX2) on BTA20, which has been associated with limb development in mice, and GINS complex subunit 1 (GINS1) on BTA13, which is involved in early embryogenesis in mice. In summary, these results suggest that the etiology of polymelia differs by cattle breed and is the result of genetic variants at more than one locus.
In vivo isotopic fractionation of zinc and biodynamic modeling yield insights into detoxification mechanisms in the mayfly Neocloeon triangulifer

Diversity and biomass of aquatic insects decline in metal-rich aquatic environments, but the mechanisms by which insects from such environments cope with potentially toxic metal concentrations to survive through adulthood are less well understood. In this study, we measured Zn concentrations and isotopes in laboratory-reared diatoms and mayflies (Neocloeon triangulifer) from larval through adult stages. The larvae were fed Zn-enriched diatoms, and bio-concentrated Zn by a factor of 2.5-5 relative to the diatoms but maintained the same Zn-isotopic ratio. These results reflect the importance of dietary uptake and the greater rate of uptake relative to excretion or growth. Upon metamorphosis to subimago, Zn concentrations declined by >70%, but isotopically heavy Zn remained in the subimago bodies. We surmised that the loss of isotopically light Zn during metamorphosis was due to the loss of detoxified Zn and retention of metabolically useful Zn. Through the transition from subimago to imago, Zn concentrations and isotope ratios were virtually unchanged. Because the decrease in Zn body concentration and increase in heavier Zn are seen in the subimagos relative to the larvae, the compartmentalization of Zn must be occurring within the larvae. A biodynamic model was constructed, allowing for isotopic fractionation and partitioning of Zn between metabolically essential and detoxified Zn reservoirs within larvae. The model provides a consistent set of rate and fractionation constants that successfully describe the experimental observations. Specifically, metabolically essential Zn is isotopically heavier and is tightly held once assimilated, and excess, isotopically light Zn is sequestered, detoxified, and ultimately lost during the metamorphosis of larvae to subimagos. To our knowledge, this is the first documentation of in vivo isotopic fractionation in insects, offering an improved understanding of the mechanisms and rates by which the N. triangulifer larvae regulate excess Zn in their bodies.
An Unusual Case of Recurrent Hypersensitivity Reaction Associated with Kounis-Like Acute Coronary Syndrome

There have been multiple reports of allergic reactions associated with acute coronary syndromes. This has been classically described as Kounis syndrome. We present an unusual case of 70-year-old male with multiple prior hypersensitivity reactions and history of coronary artery bypass grafting who presented recurrent episode of severe angioedema and anaphylaxis. He responded to epinephrine but subsequently developed a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction with worsening heart failure. Our case is unique in that, unlike classic Kounis syndrome, the acute coronary event in this case did not present concurrently with the allergic reaction; rather it took nearly 48 hours to present. Subsequent angiogram revealed patent grafts and significant decline in the left ventricular systolic function as compared to his own ECHO a year ago. We postulate that slow mediators of inflammation may play a role in delayed development of acute coronary events with associated LV dysfunction following episodes of angioedema and anaphylaxis.
Gender Norm Salience Across Middle Schools: Contextual Variations in Associations Between Gender Typicality and Socioemotional Distress.

Youth who feel they do not fit with gender norms frequently experience peer victimization and socioemotional distress. To gauge differences between schools, the current study examined the longitudinal effects of school-level gender norm salience—a within-school association between gender typicality and peer victimization—on socioemotional distress across 26 ethnically diverse middle schools (n boys = 2607; n girls = 2805). Boys (but not girls) reporting lower gender typicality experienced more loneliness and social anxiety in schools with more salient gender norms, even when accounting for both individual and school level victimization. Greater gender norm salience also predicted increased depressed mood among boys regardless of gender typicality. These findings suggest particular sensitivity among boys to environments in which low gender typicality is sanctioned.
Internet of things: Sensing without power.

A thermally activated micromechanical switch delivers an electrical readout signal only when irradiated by a narrowband mid-infrared light, thanks to a metamaterial element that converts light into heat.
Productivity and New Production of the Oceanic System

Until the radiocarbon method for estimating primary production was developed by Steeman-Nielsen (1952), our understanding of global productivity distributions was, at best, rudimentary. Using this new technique, Steeman-Nielsen and Jensen (1957) collected over 700 measurements during the globe-circling Galathea expedition and produced the first semiquantitative maps of primary production. The earliest quantitative map of global primary production was that of Fleming (1957). While based on the Galathea data, Fleming’s map used both biological and physical oceanographic data in selecting distributional patterns.
Minimal auxiliary Markov chains through sequential elimination of states

When using an auxiliary Markov chain to compute the distribution of a pattern statistic, the computational complexity is directly related to the number of Markov chain states. Theory related to min...
The development of principled connections and kind representations.

Abstract Kind representations draw an important distinction between properties that are understood as existing in instances of a kind by virtue of their being the kind of thing they are and properties that are not understood in this manner. For example, the property of barking for the kind dog is understood as being had by dogs by virtue of the fact that they are dogs. These properties are said to have a principled connection to the kind. In contrast, the property of wearing a collar is not understood as existing in instances by virtue of their being dogs, despite the fact that a large percentage of dogs wear collars. Such properties are said to have a statistical connection to the kind. Two experiments tested two signatures of principled connections in 4–7 year olds and adults: (i) that principled connections license normative expectations (e.g., we judge there to be something wrong with a dog that does not bark), and (ii) that principled connections license formal explanations which explain the existence of a property by reference to the kind (e.g., that barks because it is a dog). Experiment 1 showed that both the children and adults have normative expectations for properties that have a principled connection to a kind, but not those that have a mere statistical connection to a kind. Experiment 2 showed that both children and adults are more likely to provide a formal explanation when explaining the existence of properties with a principled connection to a kind than properties with statistical connections to their kinds. Both experiments showed no effect of age (over ages 4, 7, and adulthood) on the extent to which participants differentiated principled and statistical connections. We discuss the implications of the results for theories of conceptual representation and for the structure of explanation.
Do labels that convey minimal, redundant, or no information affect consumer perceptions and willingness to pay?

Abstract With more labels appearing on food products, it becomes questionable how many add relevant information to consumers. Some products have labels conveying no, redundant, or minimal information, while others have multiple labels that contain overlapping information. The expansion of these types of minimal-information labeling suggests a perception among marketers that labels improve consumers’ perceptions and increase willingness to pay (WTP). Using watermelons, field experiments with 328 participants were conducted to estimate WTP differences between (1) a product with a minimal-information label and no label; and (2) a product with a minimal-information label with and without an overlapping label. While the minimal-information label added nothing new about the origin of the watermelon (redundant information), added minimal information on taste, and provided no mention of food safety (no information), perceptions among participants of all these attributes positively and significantly increased in both label comparisons. The WTP for the product with a minimal-information label also increased, demonstrating consumers will sacrifice real money for products with these labels. The evidence suggests that labels have capabilities to shape perceptions and influence WTP even beyond those attributes they make a claim regarding.
Postoperative Bleeding Disorders after Cardiac Surgery

Maintaining the delicate balance of thrombostasis postoperatively requires attention to preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative effects on the coagulation cascade. Identifying preoperative risk factors for bleeding including medication history, comorbid conditions, and prior bleeding complications is an integral part of preventing postoperative bleeding complications. Outpatient anticoagulant therapies are rapidly evolving with the development of novel medications targeting specific coagulation factors such as thrombin and factor Xa. These agents require an understanding of their effects and limitations in the perioperative period. Additionally, an understanding of the interplay between the coagulation cascade and external factors affecting platelet quantity and function can help direct management of postoperative bleeding complications. Applying appropriate monitoring techniques and result interpretation can guide therapy especially in coagulopathic disease states such as disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) and thrombocytopenia due to a variety of medications and specifically heparin.
A Within-Stride Switching Controller for Walking with Virtual Constraints: Application to a Hybrid Neuroprosthesis

In this paper, we investigated if a switching controller and optimal virtual constraint design for a class of walking exoskeleton with redundant actuation can achieve a stable walking limit cycle. The motivation was to address control allocation problem in a hybrid walking neuroprosthesis that can obtain joint torques either from electric motor or functional electrical stimulation. A generalized switching controller is designed to switch between the motor and the muscle stimulation based on the fatigue state of the stimulated muscle. The controller is used to meet the virtual constraints designed to achieve a stable walking cycle and is proven to achieve exponential stability despite arbitrary switching. The virtual constraints were optimized based on the results of combination of genetic-particle swarm optimization algorithm and SQP method. A simple model of walking (3-link) that has active actuation at the hip joints was simulated to depict the controller feasibility.
Even Cyborgs Cast a Shadow: Christian Resources and Responsibilities in Response to Transhumanism

This chapter draws upon two meanings associated with the metaphor of shadow—as imperfect representation and constant companion—to assess the transhumanist movement and the Christian church’s response. First, the essay demonstrates that the liberal, humanistic accounts of transhumanism have their shadow side because they reflect an imperfect representation of the self and political community, and it offers a corrective drawn from the work of H. Richard Niebuhr and from Christian conceptions of covenant community. Second, the essay highlights the contributions of theologians and ethicists who have shadowed the transhumanist movement to identify both compatibility and incompatibility with the Christian worldview, and it calls upon the broader church to engage more fully rather than dismiss transhumanist insights and challenges.
A 2000 year geomagnetic field record from the Gulf of Papua

Abstract A high resolution Holocene record of geomagnetic field direction and intensity in the Gulf of Papua was constructed using paleomagnetic data from eight piston cores collected in the region. The chronology of the cores was based largely on radiocarbon dates from benthic foraminifera. Correlation of seismic reflectors imaged in subbottom data between nearby cores was consistent with the chronostratigraphic framework based on radiocarbon dates and provided additional confidence of the age model. In other regions, where cores sampled different depositional settings associated with the three-dimensional prograding lobes, reflectors could not be confidently correlated between cores. Furthermore, radiocarbon ages from the bottoms of trigger cores and tops of co-located piston cores revealed varying amounts of overpenetration of the piston core below the seafloor. The relative paleointensity, and a general eastward trend in the declination and steepening of the inclination in our new record are generally compatible with the closest (>4300 km) existing records. Our record does not agree well with global field models CALS3k and pfm9k, likely reflecting the lack of existing data contributing to field models in the region.
Power, Empowerment, and Equality: Evidence for the Motives of Feminists, Nonfeminists, and Antifeminists

Both feminists and antifeminists claim they do not seek to dominate others, and accuse their ideological opponents of an insidious desire for power. The purpose of this study was to examine the motives of feminists, nonfeminists, and antifeminists by assessing their values in a context in which they would not feel that their motives regarding feminism were being scrutinized. Participants were 126 mostly European-American students. Antifeminist men placed more emphasis on their own power than did other men; but antifeminist, nonfeminist, and feminist women did not differ in emphasis placed on power. Among both men and women, antifeminists placed little importance on equality. Feminist women placed more importance on equality than did nonfeminist women, who in turn placed more importance on equality than did antifeminist women.
Reduced effect of epinephrine on circulating eosinophils in asthma and after beta-adrenergic blockade or Bordetella pertussis vaccine: With a note on eosinopenia after methacholine

Abstract These experiments were undertaken to clarify the role of adrenergic and cholinergic influences on the level of circulating eosinophils and to determine if the eosinophilia of pertussis sensitization and bronchial asthma might be relatively resistant to epinephrine. In rats, the beta-adrenergic blocker, propranolol, inhibited epinephrine-induced eosinopenia, but the alpha-adrenergic blocker, dibenamine, did not. Methacholine, like epinephrine, had an eosinopenic effect which was dependent on the adrenal gland and probably mediated by epinephrine and glucocorticoids. The eosinopenic effect of epinephrine was greatly reduced following injection of pertussis vaccine, the reduction being maximal 7 days after the vaccine. In man, the mean eosinopenic response of 9 asymptomatic asthmatic subjects was less than that of 9 normal persons.
Natural history and cost analysis of surgical bypass versus endoscopic stenting for the palliative management of malignant gastric outlet obstruction

Abstract Background Malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) is managed with palliative surgical bypass or endoscopic stenting. Limited data exist on differences in cost and outcomes. Methods Patients with malignant GOO undergoing palliative gastrojejunostomy (GJ) or endoscopic stent (ES) were identified between 2012 and 2015 using the MarketScan® Database. Median costs (payments) for the index procedure and 90-day readmissions and re-intervention were calculated. Frequency of treatment failure—defined as repeat surgery, stenting, or gastrostomy tube—was measured. Results A total of 327 patients were included: 193 underwent GJ and 134 underwent ES. Compared to GJ, stenting resulted in lower total median payments for the index hospitalization and procedure-related 90-day readmissions ($18,500 ES vs. $37,200 GJ, p = 0.032). For patients treated with ES, 25 (19%) required a re-intervention for treatment-failure, compared to 18 (9%) patients who underwent GJ (p = 0.010). On multivariable analysis, stenting remained significantly associated with need for secondary re-intervention compared to GJ (HR for ES 2.0 [1.1–3.8], p 0.028). Conclusion In patients with malignant GOO, endoscopic stenting results in significant 90-day cost saving, however was associated with twice the rate of secondary intervention. The decision for surgical bypass versus endoscopic stenting should consider patient prognosis, anticipated cost, and likelihood of needing re-intervention.
Postprandial Blood Glucose and Insulin Responses of Horses to Feeds Differing in Soluble Fiber Concentration.

In humans, the consumption of soluble fibers reduces glycemic response after a meal. We hypothesized high soluble fiber diets would reduce and delay postprandial glucose and insulin responses in horses. In a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment, four Quarter Horse geldings were adapted to diets containing orchardgrass hay (ORCH) or ORCH with 1 of 3 treatment ingredients: molassed sugar beet pulp (BEET), almond hulls (HULL), or steam-crimped oats (OATS). Blood was serially sampled for 6 hours after feeding 0.15% body weight (BW) of the treatment ingredient (meal test) or 1.1 g starch/kg BW from oats plus the treatment ingredient (starch test) to evaluate glycemic and insulinemic responses. Glycemic response during the meal test peaked between 60 and 90 min after feeding (P < .05) and tended to be altered by diet (P = .071) and diet × time (P = .076). Serum insulin was affected by diet (P = .008), time (P < .001), and diet × time (P < .001) during the meal test, with concentrations lower in ORCH compared with BEET and OATS (P < .05). In the starch test, glucose was lower (P < .05) in ORCH and HULL compared with BEET and insulin was lower (P = .046) in ORCH compared with BEET. In both tests, horses took longer (P < .05) to consume HULL, likely influencing postprandial responses. Future research integrating the functional properties of feeds with physiological responses will be necessary to elucidate how soluble fiber affects postprandial glucose metabolism in horses.
Biological Specificity of Sialyltransferases

Sialyltransferases (abbreviated as SATs or STs) are a family of glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of complex sialoglycoproteins (SGPs) and sialoglycosphingolipids (SGSLs). A separate sialyltransferase (SAT or ST) catalyzes the transfer of sialic acid to a specific oligosaccharide with concomitant formation of a defined anomeric as well as positional linkage (Schachter and Roseman, 1980; Sadler et al., 1982; S. Basu and Basu, 1982). If one accepts the “one linkage, one enzyme” hypothesis (Schachter and Roseman, 1980), then based on the various different sialyl linkages present in cell surface oligosaccharides, genes for many different SATs (M. Basu et al., 1987; S. C. Basu, 1991; Paulson and Colley, 1989) occur in animal cells. The substrate specificity profiles serve as the basis for a general classification of Golgi-bound animal SATs into three major classes: glycoprotein:sialyltransferases, glycolipid:sialyltransferases, and mucin:sialyltransferases. Comparison of their primary structures (as defined by amino acid sequence derived from the cDNAs), as well as three-dimensional structures, will be an important approach for further studies.
AAAPT Diagnostic Criteria for Acute Low Back Pain with and Without Lower Extremity Pain.

Objective Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for which people visit their doctor. Between 12% and 15% of the US population seek care for spine pain each year, with associated costs exceeding $200 billion. Up to 80% of adults will experience acute low back pain at some point in their lives. This staggering prevalence supports the need for increased research to support tailored clinical care of low back pain. This work proposes a multidimensional conceptual taxonomy. Methods A multidisciplinary task force of the ACTTION-APS-AAPM Pain Taxonomy (AAAPT) with clinical and research expertise performed a focused review and analysis, applying the AAAPT five-dimensional framework to acute low back pain. Results Application of the AAAPT framework yielded the following: 1) Core Criteria: location, timing, and severity of acute low back pain were defined; 2) Common Features: character and expected trajectories were established in relevant subgroups, and common pain assessment tools were identified; 3) Modulating Factors: biological, psychological, and social factors that modulate interindividual variability were delineated; 4) Impact/Functional Consequences: domains of impact were outlined and defined; 5) Neurobiological Mechanisms: putative mechanisms were specified including nerve injury, inflammation, peripheral and central sensitization, and affective and social processing of acute low back pain. Conclusions The goal of applying the AAAPT taxonomy to acute low back pain is to improve its assessment through a defined evidence and consensus-driven structure. The criteria proposed will enable more rigorous meta-analyses and promote more generalizable studies of interindividual variation in acute low back pain and its potential underlying mechanisms.
Welcome to Python

Python is a general-purpose programming language. It has increasingly become the language of choice not only for teaching programming, given its simple syntax and great readability, but for programming applications of all kinds, ranging from data analysis and data science to full stack web development.
Shock detachment and drag in hypersonic flow over wedges and circular cylinders

In a recent publication, Hornung et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 871, 2019, pp. 1097–1116) showed that the shock wave stand-off distance and the drag coefficient of a cone in the inviscid hypersonic flow of a perfect gas can be expressed as the product of a function of the inverse normal-shock density ratio are compared with the newly determined corresponding functions for flow over a circular cylinder.
Self-Organized Criticality Governs Dynamic Equilibrium in Bacterial Calcium

How dynamic bacterial calcium is maintained, with kinetics faster than known mechanisms of cellular adaptation, is unknown. Herein, we discover bacterial calcium fluctuations are temporal fractals resulting from calcium dynamics self-organizing at a phase transition, a property known as self-organized criticality (SOC). SOC processes are poised at a transition between chaotic and ordered dynamics and are observed in many anthropogenic and natural systems, including neural circuits. SOC emerges due to calcium channel coupling which is mediated via membrane voltage. Environmental or genetic perturbations elicit different calcium dynamics, though always maintaining SOC, suggesting a continuum of critical attractors. We find moving along this continuum alters the collective information capacity of single-cell communities. In summary, we discover dynamic calcium equilibrium is maintained not by biological sensing, but rather by the physics of phase transitions, and our work connects ionic homeostasis in bacteria to the architecture of nervous systems in metazoans.
Predicting Job Performance Using Mobile Sensing

We hypothesize that behavioral patterns of people are reflected in how they interact with their mobile devices and that continuous sensor data passively collected from their phones and wearables can infer their job performance. Specifically, we study day-today job performance (improvement, no change, decline) of N=298 information workers using mobile sensing data and offer data-driven insights into what data patterns may lead to a high-performing day. Through analyzing workers' mobile sensing data, we predict their performance on a handful of job performance questionnaires with an F-1 score of 75%. In addition, through numerical analysis of the model, we get insights into how individuals must change their behavior so that the model predicts improvements in their job performance. For instance, one worker may benefit if they put their phone down and reduce their screen time, while another worker may benefit from getting more sleep.
TV exposure, attitudes about targeted food ads and brands, and unhealthy consumption by adolescents: Modeling a hierarchical relationship.

Public health experts raise concerns that extensive exposure to advertising for calorie-dense nutrient-poor food negatively influences adolescents' diets, but few studies have explored how food advertising affects children over age 12. This study examines adolescents' attitudes about highly targeted unhealthy food brands and assesses the hierarchical relationship between TV exposure, intermediary measures of advertising effects, and healthy and unhealthy food consumption. A cross-sectional online survey of 1566 adolescents (13-17 years) measured TV exposure, attitudes about eight highly advertised teen-targeted food brands and their advertising, and unhealthy and healthy food consumption. A theory-based structural equation model (SEM) tested hypothesized paths from TV exposure to unhealthy food consumption, with attitudes about teen-targeted TV ads and brands as intermediary variables, controlling for healthy food consumption and demographic characteristics. Participants reported high liking of targeted-brand advertising (M = 4.05/5.0, SD = 0.65), strong perceptions that the ads were targeted to someone like them (M = 4.07/5.0, SD = 0.66), positive brand attitudes (M = 4.07/5.0, SD = 0.56), brand popularity (M = 4.01/5.0, SD = 0.63), and consuming the brands a few times in the past month on average. As hypothesized, the SEM supported significant positive paths from TV exposure to ad attitudes (β = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.40-0.60) to brand attitudes (β = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.87-0.92) to unhealthy food consumption (β = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.32-0.50). Contrary to expectations, healthy consumption was positively associated with both brand attitudes (β = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.04-0.18) and unhealthy consumption (β = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.33-0.51). These results further public health concerns about the potential impact of adolescents' exposure to unhealthy food advertising on brand consumption and unhealthy food consumption more broadly. They also support marketing theories that ad liking and perceived targeting may increase the influence of ad exposure on brand attitudes and unhealthy consumption.
Growth and growth hormone. IV. Limitations of the growth hormone response to insulin and arginine and of the immunoreactive insulin response to arginine in the assessment of growth hormone deficiency in children.

The growth hormone (GH) response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia and to arginine infusion has been evaluated in 60 children with growth retardation. These children have been classified into three groups: Group 1-9 children had peak serum growth hormone values of 7 mµg/ml or greater to both stimuli, a normal growth hormone response. Group 2-18 children had peak GH values of ≤ 3 mµg/ml to both stimuli, an abnormal response indicating growth hormone deficiency. Group 3-6 children had a blunted GH response (> 3 7 mµg/ml) but exhibited no rise, or a minimal one, following insulin administration; 9 children had minimal increase in serum GH concentration following arginine infusion but showed a normal GH response to insulin administration (> 7mµg/ml). Children included in Group 3 represent a heterogenous population. In some patients with a blunted response to both stimuli, evidence of partial or less severe form of GH deficiency was found, whereas in 17 of 18 children exhibiting a disparate response the impaired growth was not attributable to growth hormone deficiency. The blood glucose at all sampling periods was significantly lower following insulin administration in patients in Group 2 than that observed for children in Group 1 and 3. The blood glucose was significantly lower at 90 and 120 minutes following arginine infusion in Group 2 compared to values for patients in Group 1 and 3. Changes in serum insulin in response to the infusion of arginine did not provide a useful index of discrimination among these groups. Administration of diethylstilbestrol, 10 mg/day times 2 days, prior to testing can modify the GH response to both hypoglycemia and arginine; it is a useful ancillary procedure in children with blunted or disparate responses. These studies suggest that two types of stimulation tests are necessary to establish the diagnosis of isolated GH deficiency with a high degree of probability.
Cutting Edge: Ly49C/I− Neonatal NK Cells Predispose Newborns to Autoimmune Ovarian Disease Induced by Maternal Autoantibody

NK cells are critical in immune responses against pathogens. However, their role in autoimmunity is still controversial. In this study, we demonstrate that neonatal NK cells render newborns more susceptible to neonatal autoimmunity induced by maternal autoantibodies (neonatal autoimmune ovarian disease); thus, neonatal but not adult NK cells are pathogenic after transfer into NK cell-deficient pups. The inhibitory receptors Ly49C/I are expressed in ∼5% of neonatal and ∼50% of adult NK cells. In this study, we show that the presence of Ly49C/I⁺ adult NK cells inhibits neonatal autoimmune ovarian disease induction. Thus, the ontogenetic regulation of Ly49C/I expression determines the propensity to autoantibody-induced autoimmunity. In summary, this study provides definitive evidence of a pathogenic role of NK cells in neonatal autoimmunity and also elucidates a novel mechanism by which neonatal NK cells render newborns more susceptible to autoantibody-induced autoimmunity.
States with low non-fatal injury rates have high fatality rates and vice-versa

BACKGROUND: State-level injury rates or fatality rates are sometimes used in studies of the impact of various safety programs or other state policies. How much does the metric used affect the view of relative occupational risks among U.S. states? This paper uses a measure of severe injuries (fatalities) and of less severe injuries (non-fatal injuries with days away from work, restricted work, or job transfer-DART) to examine that issue. METHODS: We looked at the correlation between the average DART injury rate (from the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses) and an adjusted average fatality rate (from the BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries) in the construction sector for states for 2003-2005 and for 2006-2008. The RAND Human Subjects Protection Committee determined that this study was exempt from review. RESULTS: The correlations between the fatal and non-fatal injury rates were between -0.30 and -0.70 for all construction and for the subsector of special trade contractors. The negative correlation was much smaller between the rate of fatal falls from heights and the rate of non-fatal falls from heights. Adjusting for differences in the industry composition of the construction sector across states had minor effects on these results. CONCLUSION: Although some have suggested that fatal and non-fatal injury rates should not necessarily be positively correlated, no one has suggested that the correlation is negative, which is what we find. We know that reported non-fatal rates are influenced by workers' compensation benefits and other factors. Fatality rates appear to be a more valid measure of risk. Efforts to explain the variations that we find should be undertaken. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Language: en
Network Measurement as a Cooperative Enterprise

Real-time network measurements can be used to improve performance of existing Internet services and support the deployment of new services dependent on performance information (e.g., topologically-aware overlay networks). Internet-wide measurement faces numerous scaling-related challenges, including the problem of deploying enough measurement endpoints for wide-spread coverage. We observe that peer-to-peer networks, made up of "volunteer" hosts around the Internet world, have the potential to provide a level of coverage that greatly exceeds that made possible with the tedious human process of negotiating end-point locations. We therefore propose a distributed peer-to-peer system that can be queried for network performance information. We sketch the architecture and operation of such a system and briefly relate it to alternative proposals for measurement infrastructures. Finally, we list open problems related to the design and realization of such a system.
Computer Skills Needed and Demonstrated by Hospitality Management Graduates: Perceptions of Hotel Operators

(1995). Computer Skills Needed and Demonstrated by Hospitality Management Graduates: Perceptions of Hotel Operators. Hospitality & Tourism Educator: Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 25-29.
Multiple Ionization and Excitation Processes in Single Ion-Atom Collisions

The topic of multiple ionization and excitation processes occurring in collisions between highly charged heavy ions and atomic targets has received heavy experimental and theoretical attention for at least the past decade. Much of the activity in the field arose from the increasing availability to atomic physicists of accelerators capable of producing fast beams of highly stripped ions, the wealth of complex phenomena produced by the rapid and transient introduction of extremely large perturbing forces into otherwise stable atomic systems, and a desire to unravel that complexity with simple models. Considerable progress has been made toward cataloguing, quantifying, and understanding these processes, but many results are still unexplained and new realms of the atomic structure and collision physics of highly charged ions remain unexplored, awaiting new technologies and daring ideas.
Legislated protection and the world trade organization

Tariff bindings and administered protection are two characteristics of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that are little understood. Tariff bindings place a ceiling on tariffs that is not always reached, whereas administered protection provides all industries with some minimum import protection, effectively creating a floor for protection. How do these policies affect applied most favored nation (MFN) tariff rates that are enacted through the legislature? I model tariffs determined by a dynamic legislative process and show that low applied MFN tariffs are less likely with tariff bindings and more likely with administered protection than under purely legislated protection
Field Experimentation and Voter Mobilization: Innovations and Advances

In recent years, scholars have turned increasingly to randomized field experiments to investigate the effects of a wide range of interventions on voter mobilization in elections. The articles that comprise this special issue represent a collection of field experimental studies that shed further light on this topic. The selections advance our understanding about the sociopsychological underpinnings of voting behavior and are relevant to scholars and practitioners alike.
Silicic acid chromatography of organic acids in blood cells and biological fluids.

The separation of organic acids and their elution from silicic acid columns and their quantitative measurement by color change of buffered indicator, a technique mechanized by Kesner and Muntwyler, are applicable to the study of biological materials. As little as 25 µg of acid can be measured. Elution times and color yield in terms of peak areas obtained with the commercial apparatus are given for 25 organic acids. Blood, plasma, red cells, and spinal fluid have been analyzed; specimens were either untreated or extracted with ether. The most abundant acids detected were propionic, lactic, hippuric, and acetic. Methylmalonate was measured in body fluids and blood cells of patients with methylmalonic acidemia and pernicious anemia. Concentrations of organic acids in blood and spinal fluid are given.