cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of high and middle imperforate anus with improved abdominoperineoanoplasty

Objective:To investigate the improvement of operative mode for anoreetal malformation.Methods: 11 cases of anorectal malformation were treated with stage I piocto-plasty of pasterior sagital and abdominal sacroperineal incision respective to instead of traditional method.Results: All cases,execpt one case with cardial transposition,were showed that the contractile force was strength, no anus incontinence,defecation function was normal and the efficacy was better.Conclusion: The improved operative mode have enough exposure of operative field and have less injury of nerve and muscle tissue.Moreover, stage I of proto-plasty can shorten the course of disease.
Metabolic Programming, Epigenetics, and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

The link between an adverse intrauterine environment and the development of disease later in life has been observed in offspring of pregnancies complicated by obesity and diabetes, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are unknown. In this review, we highlight recent publications exploring the role of gestational diabetes mellitus in the programming of disease in the offspring. We also review recent publications aiming to identify mechanisms responsible for the “programming effect” that results from exposure to diabetes in utero. Finally, we highlight research on the role of epigenetic regulation of gene expression in an animal model of uteroplacental insufficiency where the offspring develop diabetes as a model by which an exposure to the mother can alter epigenetic modifications that affect expression of key genes and ultimately lead to the development of diabetes in the offspring.
Myocardial revascularization in patients with chronic renal failure

Symptomatic coronary artery disease in patients with chronic renal failure can complicate their management in a dialysis program. Hypotension associated with hemodialysis and the anemia of chronic renal disease can produce anginal episodes refractory to medical management. Untreated coronary artery disease may be a contraindication to renal transplantation in an otherwise acceptable candidate. We have encountered three cases of coronary artery disease severe enough to necessitate coronary bypass in patients from our long-term hemodialysis program. All three patients had uncomplicated postoperative courses, none had perioperative infarction, and in all three patients postoperative angiography demonstrated patency of all grafts. One patient subsequently underwent successful renal transplantation; the other two patients have continued in hemodialyses since bypass. We believe our experience and the reported experience of others confirm the feasibility of coronary bypass grafting in patients with chronic renal failure.
Harmonic imaging: echocardiographic enhanced contrast intensity and duration.

The intensity and duration of contrast effect within the left ventricular cavity after an intravenous bolus of Levovist Injection were observed with both harmonic and fundamental imaging in nine patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Contrast intensity was assessed by a qualitative grading system (0, none; 1, weak; 2, moderate; 3, good) and by videodensitometric analysis of pixel intensity. Duration of left ventricular contrast effect was determined by measuring time from the initial visual appearance of contrast agent to its disappearance. The mean increase in pixel intensity within the left ventricular cavity from precontrast to peak contrast was significantly greater for second harmonic than for fundamental imaging (25.5 vs 7.1; P < 0.012). The mean contrast intensity qualitative score with harmonic imaging was higher (2.6 ± 0.73 vs 1.2 ± 0.44; P < 0.01) and the duration of contrast effect was longer (242 ± 131 s vs 53 ± 33 s; P < 0.004). Second harmonic imaging significantly enhanced contrast intensity and prolonged visible duration of contrast effect after a peripheral venous injection of Levovist.
Chemical communication connects soil food webs

Abstract Food webs are conceptual maps of ecosystem matter and energy flows, intended to illustrate the connections between organisms at different trophic and phylogenetic levels. All organisms communicate, most by way of diffusion of chemical signals, often in a density-dependent manner. In this essay, I suggest that food web interactions are regulated by extracellular, inter-species and often inter-domain communication. Defining the web of chemical communication in soils may illuminate new food web interactions and improve our understanding for how disturbances will reverberate through trophic interactions in terrestrial ecosystems.
Adaptive control of eye movements : clinical implications

This paper is directed primarily to clinicians who diagnose and treat patients with neurological disorders. It is an attempt to illustrate that even with modern imaging technology and other advances in laboratory testing, a thorough understanding of neurophysiology and its anatomical substrate still plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of patients with neurological diseases. One area in neurophysiology in which there has been great progress in the last few decades is the ocular motor system. Particular interest has been focused on the ways that the brain can adapt to lesions, and more specifically, how the ocular motor system keeps itself calibrated in the face of normal development and aging as well as in response to disease and trauma. Since disorders of eye movements are such common and often dramatic manifestations of neurological disease it seems appropriate to bring some of the newer concepts in ocular motor physiology to the "bedside".
On Invariance Principles for LMP Conditional test Statistics

For a set of random variables, not necessarily independent, along with a characterization of locally most powerful (LMP) conditional tests, some weak as well as strong invariancc principles for tbe allied test statistics arc considered. In the light of asymptotic sufficiency of sub-sigma fields (generating tbe conditional tests). the closeness of LMP and LMP conditional test statistics is examined with reference to the invariancc principles for these statistics. these results include, as special cases, parallel results on various LMP rank test statistica. scattered in the literature.
Angel and the Badman: Mockingjay, Spectre, and Choosing Sides in War Movies

Recent films in the James Bond series and the Hunger Games series have taken entertaining and sentimental versions of stories about violence in the struggle between the established state and rebels against the state. The craft of the moviemaker lends heroic stature to one side in this fight, thus justifying the use of violence. In these movies, different sides are made to seem virtuous. In the James Bond movies, the defenders of the established order are the good guys. In the Hunger Games movies, the rebels trying to bring down the established order are the good guys. Our ambivalence about violence, morality, and inequality in general is not resolved, but only masked by the needs of entertaining story telling.
Inhibition and Regression of Experimental Oral Cancer by Beta Carotene and Vitamin E: Emerging Concepts

The hamster buccal pouch experimental model for oral cancer has proven to be a superior model for oral mucosal carcinogenesis and is now receiving wide attention as one of the better overall experimental models for carcinogenesis. The malignant tumors are epidermoid carcinomas that develop slowly, in response to polyaromatic hydrocarbon carcinogen application, and are preceded by a keratotic and dysplastic lesion comparable to human precancerous leukoplakia. The hamster lesions are indistinguishable histologically from human oral epidermoid carcinomas of the well-to-moderately differentiated variety, at both light microscopic and ultrastructural levels. Both animal and human lesions have similar metabolic markers, such asgamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and lactic dehydrogenase. The hamster carcinoma develops with the activation and expression of specific oncogenes, often similar to those expressed in human oral cancer. These include c-erbBl, H-ras, K-ras, and mutant p53. The hamster lesions are clearly visible at all times and can be counted and measured at different stages of development so that figures can be obtained for overall tumor burden. The hamster tumors are also closely related to immune control, as in humans. The hamster tumor development is enhanced by immunosuppressive drugs such as cortisone and methotrexate, and retarded by immunoenhancing agents such as levamisole or BCG.
Understanding inherent substrate selectivity during atomic layer deposition: Effect of surface preparation, hydroxyl density, and metal oxide composition on nucleation mechanisms during tungsten ALD

Area-selective thin film deposition is expected to be important for advanced sub-10 nanometer semiconductor devices, enabling feature patterning, alignment to underlying structures, and edge definition. Several atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes show inherent propensity for substrate-dependent nucleation. This includes tungsten ALD (W-ALD) which is more energetically favorable on Si than on SiO2. However, the selectivity is often lost after several ALD cycles. We investigated the causes of tungsten nucleation on SiO2 and other "non-growth" surfaces during the WF6/SiH4 W-ALD process to determine how to expand the "selectivity window." We propose that hydroxyls, generated during the piranha clean, act as nucleation sites for non-selective deposition and show that by excluding the piranha clean or heating the samples, following the piranha clean, extends the tungsten selectivity window. We also assessed how the W-ALD precursors interact with different oxide substrates though individual WF6 and SiH4 pre-exposures prior to W-ALD deposition. We conclude that repeated SiH4 pre-exposures reduce the tungsten nucleation delay, which is attributed to SiH4 adsorption on hydroxyl sites. In addition, oxide surfaces were repeatedly exposed to WF6, which appears to form metal fluoride species. We attribute the different tungsten nucleation delay on Al2O3 and TiO2 to the formation of nonvolatile and volatile metal fluoride species, respectively. Through this study, we have increased the understanding of ALD nucleation and substrate selectivity, which are pivotal to improving the selectivity window for W-ALD and other ALD processes.
A cocktail of three virulent bacteriophages prevents Vibrio cholerae infection in animal models

Effective prevention strategies will be essential in reducing disease burden due to bacterial infections. Here we harness the specificity and rapid-acting properties of bacteriophages as a potential prophylaxis therapy for cholera, a severely dehydrating disease caused by Vibrio cholerae. To this end, we test a cocktail of three virulent phages in two animal models of cholera pathogenesis (infant mouse and rabbit models). Oral administration of the phages up to 24 h before V. cholerae challenge reduces colonization of the intestinal tract and prevents cholera-like diarrhea. None of the surviving V. cholerae colonies are resistant to all three phages. Genome sequencing and variant analysis of the surviving colonies indicate that resistance to the phages is largely conferred by mutations in genes required for the production of the phage receptors. For acute infections, such as cholera, phage prophylaxis could provide a strategy to limit the impact of bacterial disease on human health. There has been a renewed interest in the potential use of bacterial viruses (phages) for treatment or prevention of bacterial infections. Here the authors show that a cocktail of three phages can prevent cholera-like diarrhoea in animals infected withVibrio cholerae.
Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation and Right Ventricular Dysfunction During Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Significant right ventricular dysfunction occurs in approximately 22% of patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation and is a predictor of early and late mortality [1, 2]. Despite previously described predictors of RV failure such as right ventricular stroke work index (RVSWI) and central venous pressure to pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (CVP/PCWP) ratio [1], reliable identification of patients who will require mechanical RV support has been challenging. Early failure of right ventricular (RV) output in the operating room may be evidenced by an elevated central venous pressure (CVP) >16 mmHg, poor RV performance parameters (e.g., tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) <16 mm), reduced mixed venous oxygen saturation (SVO2 <55%), and cardiac index <2 L/min/m2, in the presence of low pulmonary capillary wedge pressures (PCWP) as assessed by invasive monitoring [3]. Resultant insufficient delivery of volume to the left heart leads to low LVAD pump output. Delayed RV failure in the intensive care or step down unit can manifest as LVAD suction events with insufficient forward flow, hypotension, as well as elevated CVP with secondary renal or hepatic dysfunction. Potential treatment options include the use of pulmonary vasodilators and intravenous inotropic therapy with potential escalation to right-sided mechanical support.
Effect of ripening inhibitor type on formation, stability, and antimicrobial activity of thyme oil nanoemulsion.

Abstract The objective of this research was to study the impact of ripening inhibitor level and type on the formation, stability, and activity of antimicrobial thyme oil nanoemulsions formed by spontaneous emulsification. Oil-in-water antimicrobial nanoemulsions (10 wt%) were formed by titrating a mixture of essential oil, ripening inhibitor, and surfactant (Tween 80) into 5 mM sodium citrate buffer (pH 3.5). Stable nanoemulsions containing small droplets ( d canola > coconut which also depended on their ability to transfer hydrophobic antimicrobial constituents to the separated hydrophobic domain.
Morphogen dynamics control patterning in a stem cell model of the human embryo

During embryonic development, diffusible signaling molecules called morphogens are thought to determine cell fates in a concentration-dependent manner, and protocols for directed stem cell differentiation are based on this picture. However, in the mammalian embryo, morphogen concentrations change rapidly compared to the time for making cell fate decisions. It is unknown how changing ligand levels are interpreted, and whether the precise timecourse of ligand exposure plays a role in cell fate decisions. Nodal and BMP4 are morphogens crucial for gastrulation in vertebrates. Each pathway has distinct receptor complexes that phosphorylate specific signal transducers, known as receptor-Smads, which then complex with the shared cofactor Smad4 to activate target genes. Here we show in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) that the response to BMP4 signaling indeed is determined by the ligand concentration, but that unexpectedly, the expression of many mesodermal targets of Activin/Nodal depends on rate of concentration increase. In addition, we use live imaging of hESCs with GFP integrated at the endogenous SMAD4 locus to show that a stem cell model for the human embryo generates a wave of Nodal signaling. Cells experience rapidly increasing Nodal specifically in the region of mesendoderm differentiation. We also demonstrate that pulsatile stimulation with Activin induces repeated strong signaling and enhances mesoderm differentiation. Our results break with the paradigm of concentration-dependent differentiation and demonstrate an important role for morphogen dynamics in the cell fate decisions associated with mammalian gastrulation. They suggest a highly dynamic picture of embryonic patterning where some cell fates depend on rapid concentration increase rather than absolute levels, and point to ligand dynamics as a new dimension to optimize protocols for directed stem cell differentiation.
An intervention strategy to hone students' code understanding skills

The main focus in programming courses is usually on writing code; students are asked to write programs after only being taught the syntax rules and a few examples. We believe that more emphasis needs to be put in code understanding skills, which are precursor skills to writing code. In this paper, we present the results of an intervention strategy we implemented with the goal of honing students f program understanding skills. Automatic Item Generation was used to generate a set of practice exercises individualized to each student fs needs. Results of pre and post-assessments from the intervention group and a control group show the benefits of dedicating time to program understanding.
Robust Optical Networks with Emerging Coherent Technologies and Traffic Trends

We analyze the impact of cloud, mobile, and NFV architectures on transport networks using advanced traffic models and emerging optical technologies. We show robustness of converged optical/digital switching designs with carrier speeds up to 600Gb/s.
One of the Performing Arts

Most of us would likely classify drama as one of the performing arts. Speaking in general, on the other hand, would not fit stereotypically under the same umbrella. But what about speech genre such as poetry readings, homiletic eloquence, political discourse, and media expertise? They all involve at their best the skillful use of speaking in a way that surely transcends our everyday notion of adult native fluency. Despite our negative stereotyping, there is much to argue for their inclusion as members of the community of performing arts. The present chapter addresses the temporal organization of these skills.
Methods to reduce dimensionality and identify candidate solutions in multi-objective signal timing problems

Abstract Adjusting traffic signal timings is a practical way for agencies to manage urban traffic without the need for significant infrastructure investments. Signal timings are generally selected to minimize the total control delay vehicles experience at an intersection, particularly when the intersection is isolated or undersaturated. However, in practice, there are many other potential objectives that might be considered in signal timing design, including: total passenger delay, pedestrian delays, delay inequity among competing movements, total number of stopping maneuvers, among others. These objectives do not tend to share the same relationships with signal timing plans and some of these objectives may be in direct conflict. The research proposes the use of a new multi-objective optimization (MOO) visualization technique—the mosaic plot—to easily quantify and identify significant tradeoffs between competing objectives using the set of Pareto optimal solutions that are normally provided by MOO algorithms. Using this tool, methods are also proposed to identify and remove potentially redundant or unnecessary objectives that do not have any significant tradeoffs with others in an effort to reduce problem dimensionality. Since MOO procedures will still be needed if more than one objective remains and MOO algorithms generally provide a set of candidate solutions instead of a single final solution, two methods are proposed to rank the set of Pareto optimal solutions based on how well they balance between the competing objectives to provide a final recommendation. These methods rely on converting the objectives to dimensionless values based on the optimal value for each specific objectives, which allows for direct comparison between and weighting of each. The proposed methods are demonstrated using a simple numerical example of an undersaturated intersection where all objectives can be analytically obtained. However, they can be readily applied to other signal timing problems where objectives can be obtained using simulation outputs to help identify the signal timing plan that provides the most reasonable tradeoff between competing objectives.
Adoption of management practices and breed types by US grass-fed beef producers.

ABSTRACT Using data from a 2013 survey, adoption rates of 14 farm operations and management practices, as well as frequencies of breed types adopted by US grass-fed beef producers, are provided. The management practices are classified into 3 broad groups or categories: general management (access to shade during summer, castration, animal identification system, vaccination, deworming, and insect control), reproductive (defined breeding season, breeding records, pregnancy checking, bull test, and AI), and technological or informational (searching the internet for grass-fed beef information, keeping individual animal records, and testing the quality of forage). Multivariate probit and joint Poisson models were used to analyze determinants of adoption of the management practices. A summary of breeds used by producers is provided. Results indicate that larger-scale producers who were involved in the cow-calf segment and sold grass-fed beef as meat were the more likely adopters of most of the management practices. The Angus breed and Angus crosses were the most heavily used animals. The results provide insight for research and extension personnel in determining the predominant structure of grass-fed beef farms and the practices used and, hence, in developing research and educational programs to further assist the grass-fed beef segment.
Production and Postproduction Performance of Uniconazole-Treated Bedding Plants

Abstract Growth and flowering responses of Pelargonium × hortorum L. H. Bailey ‘Ringo Deep Scarlet’, Tagetes erecta L. ‘Inca Orange’, Viola × wittrockiana Gams. ‘Blue Shades’, Impatiens × ‘Zenith’ and Salvia farinacea Benth. ‘Victoria Blue’ to uniconazole applied at the seedling stage were evaluated at the end of production and 5 to 7 weeks after transplanting into the landscape (geranium, impatiens and salvia only). A drought stress evaluation was also conducted. Response to uniconazole varied with species, sampling date and uniconazole concentration. Growth of all species was suppressed when measured 4½ to 8½ weeks after treatment (WAT), and stress tolerance of all species except marigold increased with increasing concentrations of uniconazole. Flowering generally was delayed with uniconazole. Impatiens and geranium treated with 10 ppm or less of uniconazole were similar in height to nontreated plants 5 to 7 weeks after being transplanted; at this time, uniconazole had no effect on plant height or shoot...
Hyperandrogenic origins of polycystic ovary syndrome - implications for pathophysiology and therapy.

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis comprises combinations of female hyperandrogenism, menstrual irregularity and polycystic ovaries. While it is a familial and highly prevalen...
Comparison of Silent Gap in Noise Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials in Matched Tinnitus and No-Tinnitus Control Subjects

Purpose Previous research suggests the existence of gap detection impairments because of tinnitus. The current study aimed to determine whether there was objective evidence of gap impairment in ind...
Reducing Parallel Linear Feedback Shift Register Complexity Through Input Tap Modification

BCH codes and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) are broadly used to ensure the reliability and integrity of data transmission. BCH encoders and CRC en/decoders are implemented by linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs). In prior LFSRs, the input is added to the most significant tap (MST), whose output is fed back and affects each of the other registers in the next clock cycle. The effects on the registers in a parallel design are translated to a pre-processing matrix multiplication, which may occupy the majority of the LFSR area. In this paper, we propose to add the input to the least significant tap (LST) and derive the corresponding parallel processing formula. Since the output of the LST is shifted to the MST before being fed back to the other taps, the corresponding pre-processing matrix is much simpler. Complexity reductions achievable by applying state-space transformations on LST-input LFSRs are evaluated and possible optimizations are discussed. For various CRCs considered, the proposed designs lead to 10–40% gate count reduction and significant power reduction compared to prior approaches with no or negligible penalty on the throughput.
Does Workplace Matter? How Engineers Use and Access Information Resources in Academic and Non-Academic Settings

The ways in which engineers seek, read, and use information resources varies depending on their workplace. This study seeks to provide an understanding of how engineers in academia and engineers in...
Forecasting stock market movements using Google Trend searches

In the following paper, we seek to evaluate the predictive capabilities of internet search data. While past studies have proposed using Google Trends as an effective proxy for investor attention, we re-evaluate this idea in the context of a Granger causal framework. We apply the Kaplan–Meier estimator to quantify the level of persistence in lagged correlations between the search volume series and the directional movements in the S&P 500. We find that the directional movement of the S&P 500 from changes in the search volume series is dependent on the specific term being searched for, and by extension, the sentiment of the term itself. We hypothesize that while Google Trends is a valid measure of investor attention, the signals derived from changes in search volume is conditional upon the sentiment inherent to the search terms. Using the terms that are persistently found to be Granger causal with the index, we propose several generalized linear models for forecasting the probability of positive or negative directional movements, and propose a trade strategy from the generated forecasts, resulting in a 40% outperformance of a traditional buy-and-hold strategy in our testing period.
Soil cation accumulation in a mesquite woodland: sustained production and long-term estimates of water use and nitrogen fixation.

Historical records indicate sustained production in a stand of phreatophytic mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa var. Torreyana) in the Sonoran Desert of California for 200 to 500 years. The plants are primarily utilizing moderately saline groundwater (electrical conductivity c. 30 dS/m) at 5 m depth. Most of the major cations entering the ecosystem in the groundwater remain in the deep root zone, since root uptake of cations removes only a small proportion of the total input. Under these conditions prolonged root activity could result in excessive salt (cation) accumulation which could limit growth and potentially kill the plant. We measured total Ca, Na, Mg, and K accumulations in the capillary fringe above the water table to determine the pattern and degree of salt accumulation in the active root zone. Possible mechanisms for sustained production by this system include (1) a fluctuating water table which regularly flushes salts out of the root zone; (2) high salt tolerance of the mesquite which prolongs production, but not indefinitely; (3) seasonal fluctuation in water use which allows inverse leaching, capillary rise carrying salts above the most active portion of the root zone during the dormant season. In addition, estimates of total stand water use and symbiotic N-fixation over the total life of the stand may be derived from measurements of total cation accumulation in the plant root zone.
pH Modeling to Predict SWCNT–COOH Gas Sensor Response to Multiple Target Gases

Carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT–COOH) have long been studied for gas/vapor sensing. Controlling the pH during the carboxylation process by adding an acid or a base yields inks wi...
Integrating Runtime Verification into a Sounding Rocket Control System

An actuation fault in the aerobraking control system (ACS) took down Iowa State’s Nova Somnium rocket during the 2019 Spaceport America Cup competition, prematurely ending the team’s participation. The ACS engaged incorrectly before motor burnout, altering the rocket’s trajectory and leading to a dangerous crash. The ability to detect this fault in real time on-board the ACS’s Arduino microcontroller would have prevented an uncontrolled landing and rapid unscheduled disassembly, which posed a major safety threat and ended a year’s worth of effort by the 50-student team. Runtime verification (RV) specializes in efficiently catching this type of scenario; the R2U2 RV engine uniquely fits in the project’s resource constraints. We design specifications to detect ACS faults and trigger the appropriate mitigations. We discuss specification development, validation, coverage, and robustness against false positives. Experimental evaluation on the real, recorded flight data demonstrates that running R2U2 on the Nova Somnium ACS would have prevented this accident from occurring. We generalize our results and outline our plans for integrating runtime verification into future sounding rockets.
Transfusion timing relative to surgery does not impact outcomes in hip fracture patients.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of blood transfusion timing in hip fracture patients. A consecutive series of hip fracture patients 55 years and older who required a blood transfusion during hospitalization were reviewed for demographic, injury, clinical outcome, and cost information. A validated risk predictive score (STTGMA) was calculated for each patient. Patients were stratified to preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative first transfusion cohorts. The intraoperative and postoperative cohorts were matched by STTGMA, sex, and procedure to the preoperative cohort. Baseline patient characteristics and outcomes were compared before and after matching. Prior to matching, the preoperative cohort was more often male (p < 0.001) with increased Charlson comorbidity index (p = 0.012), ASA class (p < 0.002), STTGMA (p < 0.001), total transfused volume (p = 0.002), incidence of inpatient mortality (p = 0.045), myocardial infarction (p = 0.005) and cardiac arrest (p = 0.014). After matching, the preoperative cohort had increased total transfused volume (p = 0.015) and decreased pneumonia incidence (p = 0.040). Matching STTGMA score, sex, and procedure results in non-inferior outcomes among hip fracture patients receiving preoperative first blood transfusions compared to intraoperative and postoperative transfusions.
Eliminating topological errors in neural network rotation estimation using self-selecting ensembles

Many problems in computer graphics and computer vision applications involves inferring a rotation from a variety of different forms of inputs. With the increasing use of deep learning, neural networks have been employed to solve such problems. However, the traditional representations for 3D rotations, the quaternions and Euler angles, are found to be problematic for neural networks in practice, producing seemingly unavoidable large estimation errors. Previous researches has identified the discontinuity of the mapping from SO(3) to the quaternions or Euler angles as the source of such errors, and to solve it, embeddings of SO(3) have been proposed as the output representation of rotation estimation networks instead. In this paper, we argue that the argument against quaternions and Euler angles from local discontinuities of the mappings from SO(3) is flawed, and instead provide a different argument from the global topological properties of SO(3) that also establishes the lower bound of maximum error when using quaternions and Euler angles for rotation estimation networks. Extending from this view, we discover that rotation symmetries in the input object causes additional topological problems that even using embeddings of SO(3) as the output representation would not correctly handle. We propose the self-selecting ensemble, a topologically motivated approach, where the network makes multiple predictions and assigns weights to them. We show theoretically and with experiments that our methods can be combined with a wide range of different rotation representations and can handle all kinds of finite symmetries in 3D rotation estimation problems.
Political Journalism and Democracy: How Journalists Reflect Political Viewpoint Diversity in Their Reporting

Journalists express support for providing a diversity of viewpoints in their reporting, but how is this reflected in their content? This study compared survey results of U.S. political journalists’...
The Role of the Cerebellum in Repetitive Behavior Across Species: Childhood Stereotypies and Deer Mice

Recent studies suggest that the cerebellum may have a significant role in repetitive behaviors. In primary complex motor stereotypies, typically developing children have repetitive movements usually involving rhythmic flapping/waving arm/hand movements. Similarly, the deer mouse animal model exhibits inherited repetitive behaviors, with increased frequencies of spontaneous jumping and rearing. In this study, data from both children with motor stereotypies and deer mice were used to investigate the role of the cerebellum in repetitive behaviors. The 3.0-T MRI volumetric imaging of the cerebellum was obtained in 20 children with primary complex motor stereotypies and 20 healthy controls. In deer mice, cerebellar volume (n = 7/group) and cell counts (n = 9/group) were compared between high- and low-activity animals. Levels of cerebellar neurotransmitters were also determined via HPLC (n = 10/group). In children with stereotypies, (a) there were a statistically significant reduction (compared to controls) in the white matter volume of the posterior cerebellar lobule VI–VII that negatively correlated with motor control and (b) an 8% increase in the anterior vermis gray matter that positively correlated with motor Stereotypy Severity Scores (SSS). In deer mice, (a) there was a significant increase in the volume of the anterior vermal granular cell layer that was associated with higher activity and (b) dentate nucleus cell counts were higher in high activity animals. Similar increases in volume were observed in anterior vermis in children with stereotypies and a deer mouse model of repetitive behaviors. These preliminary findings support the need for further investigation of the cerebellum in repetitive behaviors.
Experimental Design and Clinical Cancer Chemotherapy

There are four basic parameters for evaluating objective response to chemotherapy. These are listed on the ordinate of Fig. 1. Remission induction consists of the initial period of chemotherapy and is generally continued until maximum tumor regression has occurred. Remission duration is divided into “unmaintained remisssion” and “maintained remission”. The former is the remission duration after remission induction therapy has been discontinued and the latter (maintained remission) is defined as the duration of remission when antitumor agent therapy is continued during remission. The ultimate parameter is survival and this, of course, is the major parameter for the evaluation of potentially curative therapy.
Dynamics in Rod-Sphere Composite Liquids

We review experimental and theoretical work on model rod-sphere composite liquids, emphasizing the dynamics of the spheres and the rods. We first present a survey of experimental techniques that may be used to study composite liquids, and then a brief review of “depletion forces” in colloidal composites. We discuss translational motions of probe spheres in liquids consisting of solvent and entangled rods (polymer composite liquid) and rotational diffusion of probe rods in liquids composed of solvent and spheres (ceramic composite liquid). Possible scaling relations between rod and sphere diffusion coefficients and 1) size (length of rods, radius of spheres) 2) concentrations of the nondilute components and 3) viscosity of the background suspension are considered. Perspectives on further research and more fundamental theoretical approaches are given.
Expert Tutoring and Natural Language Feedback in Intelligent Tutoring Systems

This paper describes a comprehensive study of expert versus non-expert tutoring and a baseline intelligent tutoring system which provides different kinds of feedback. It proposes a method to computationally model expert tutoring and a framework of effective natural language feedback generation with 3-tier probabilistic planning.
Two Kinds of Retributivism

This essay, written as a contribution to a forthcoming volume on the philosophical foundations of the criminal law, challenges the longstanding dominant framework for classifying justifications for criminal punishment. The familiar binary distinction between consequentialism and retributivism is no longer most perspicuous, I argue, because many recognizably retributivist theories of punishment employ a consequentialist justificatory structure. However, because not all do, it might prove most illuminating to carve the retributivist field in two – distinguishing what we might term “consequentialist retributivism” (perhaps better labeled “instrumentalist retributivism”) from “non-consequentialist retributivism” (“non-instrumentalist retributivism”). Whether or not it is ultimately persuasive, consequentialist retributivism is a fairly straightforward theory of, or justification for, punishment. Roughly, it rests on the claims that the suffering of wrongdoers is good or valuable in itself and that the state has reason (of some weight) to bring about this good or valuable state of affairs. Non-consequentialist retributivism is more difficult to formulate and defend. So this essay critically assesses some of the more promising routes to its vindication. It argues that the split between consequentialist and non-consequentialist retributivism reduces most naturally to a disagreement regarding precisely what it is that wrongdoers deserve – what is (to coin a term) wrongdoers’ “desert object.” Philosophers of the criminal law – retributivists and anti-retributivists alike – commonly say that, on the retributivist account, wrongdoers deserve “to suffer” or “to be punished.” Very rarely do theorists treat these two formulations as meaningfully different, let alone do they explain why one formulation of the retributivist desert object is more accurate than the other, or why some third formulation is preferable to both. But if, as is commonly contended, desert is central to retributivism (in both consequentialist and non-consequentialist guises), efforts to articulate and defend wrongdoers’ desert object in careful and precise terms might make it easier for persons with retributivist sympathies or sensibilities to choose intelligently between the two kinds of retributivism.
The exothermic reaction of calcium with unilamellar phosphatidylserine vesicles: titration microcalorimetry.

Phospholipid membranes have been used extensively as model systems for understanding the mechanism of membrane fusion in biological systems (reviews [I ,2]). Phosphatidylserine (PS) membranes have unusual properties with respect to their interaction with divalent ions. For example, planar bilayer membranes (black lipid films) are unstable if Ca*+ is added to only one side of the membrane [3,4]. Small unilamellar PS vesicles have a similar instability in the presence of Ca*+ in that they fuse [5], leak their contents [3], and eventually form cochlear cylinders [6]. PS also exhibits a specificity for the binding of Ca*+, and the gel to liquid crystalline transition temperature of the phospholipid is shifted to above 100°C when Ca*’ is added [7,8]. The binding of divalent ions to PS appears to be correlated with their ability to fuse sonicated vesicles made of this phospholipid [8-l I]. The addition of Ca*+ to these vesicles results in the release of heat as measured in a batch calorimeter [8]. To identify the source of the heat released and its possible involvement in the fusion reaction requires a detailed knowledge of the relationship of the extent of the exothermic reaction and the amount of Ca*+ bound to the vesicles. For this purpose, we have measured the heat of reaction in a titrating microcalorimeter and have determined the Ca*+ bound by means of a
Phase transformation of dental zirconia following artificial aging.

Aims Low-temperature degradation (LTD) of yttria-stabilized zirconia can produce increased surface roughness with a concomitant decrease in strength. This study determined the effectiveness of artificial aging (prolonged boiling/autoclaving) to induce LTD of Y-TZP (yttria-tetragonal zirconia-polycrystals) and used artificial aging for transformation depth progression analyses. The null hypothesis is aging techniques tested produce the same amount of transformation, transformation is not time/temperature dependent and LTD causes a constant transformation throughout the Y-TZP samples. Methods Dental-grade Y-TZP samples were randomly divided into nine subgroups (n = 5): as received, 3.5 and 7 day boiling, 1 bar autoclave (1, 3, 5 h), and 2 bar autoclave (1, 3, 5 h). A 4-h boil treatment (n = 2) was performed post-experiment for completion of data. Transformation was measured using traditional X-ray diffraction and low-angle X-ray diffraction. Results The fraction of t m transformation increased with aging time. The 3.5 day boil and 2 bar 5 h autoclave produced similar transformation results, while the 7 day boiling treatment revealed the greatest transformation. The surface layer of the aged specimen underwent the most transformation while all samples displayed decreasing transformation with depth. Significance Surface transformation was evident, which can lead to rougher surfaces and increased wear of opposing dentition/materials. Therefore, wear studies addressing LTD of Y-TZP are needed utilizing accelerated aging. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 103B: 1519–1523, 2015.
The influence of hormones on the biochemical development of fetal rat lung in organ culture: I. Estrogen

Abstract It was recently demonstrated that 17β-estradiol enhances phosphatidylcholine synthesis in fetal lung in vivo. In order to determine whether estrogen acts directly on the lung, we examined the influence of 17β-estradiol on phospholipid and glycogen metabolism in explants of 18 day fetal rat lung in organ culture. Exposure of the explants to 17β-estradiol resulted in significant stimulation of [Me- 3 H]choline incorporation into phosphatidylcholine, disaturated phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin. Incorporation of [ 3 H]acetate into total phospholipid was increased by 63% ( P P 3 H] acetate in the various phospholipid fractions, it was found that there was a 29% increase in the phos-phatidylglycerol fraction ( P P P These data indicate that estrogen acts directly on the fetal lung and stimulates the incorporation of choline and acetate into phospholipids. It may specifically enhance incorporation into phosphatidylglycerol, the second most abundant phospholipid in pulmonary surfactant.
Molecular Diagnosis of Metastasizing Oligodendroglioma: A Case Report

We report the case of a suspicious parotid mass in which molecular determination of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of chromosome arms 1p and 19q in combination with cytologic and immunohistochemical analysis defined the tumor to be metastatic oligodendroglioma. The patient was a 41-year-old woman who developed a World Health Organization grade II oligodendroglioma in her right frontal lobe at age 32, for which no adjuvant chemo- or radiotherapy was administered. Five years following this diagnosis, radiological assessment revealed a 10-centimeter mass in the tumor bed, suspicious for a recurrence. Resection of this lesion revealed an anaplastic oligodendroglioma (grade III) and adjuvant radiotherapy was given. Eleven months after this surgery the patient presented with a 5.5-cm subcutaneous, non-mobile, non-tender mass in the region of the right parotid gland. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) yielded highly cellular material, morphologically and immunohistochemically suspicious for oligodendroglioma. Molecular analysis of microsatellite loci residing on chromosome arms 1p and 19q was performed using DNA extracted from the patient's recurrent brain oliogdendroglioma and the FNA specimen. This analysis revealed evidence of LOH at all eight of the microsatellite loci tested. The combination of cytologic and molecular findings defined the extracranial tumor to be metastatic oligodendroglioma.
Parallel cooperating A-Teams solving instances of the Euclidean planar travelling salesman problem

The paper proposes an architecture for solving difficult combinatorial optimization problems through cooperation of several A-Teams working in parallel. The idea extends JABAT environment through integrating the team of asynchronous agent paradigm with the island-based genetic algorithm concept. The proposed architecture has been tested on instances of the Euclidean planar travelling salesman problem. Computational experiment has confirmed that the proposed architecture is competitive in terms of the quality of solutions in comparison with using traditional, non-cooperating A-Teams.
Interference resistant blind acquisition and channel estimation for CDMA communication systems

The time scale over which a channel is observed determines whether a deterministic or statistical characterization is appropriate. We show that the channel estimation algorithm of Tsatsanis and Xu (see Proc. 31st Conf. Inform. Sci. Systems (CISS) John Hopkins Univ., Baltitmore, MD, p.724-29, 1997) and the acquisition algorithm of Sayeed and Aazhang (see Proc. 91st Conf. Inform. Sci. Systems (CISS) Princeton, NJ, 1998) share a common MMSE formulation. They differ only in the assumption of the channel characterization. From this observation we develop a new blind MMSE interference resistant algorithm for both timing acquisition and channel estimation that is applicable to both deterministic and statistical channel models. Simulations illustrate the effectiveness of the new method.
Breaking the Mold? Venezuela's Defiance of the Neoliberal Agenda∗

Something remarkable is happening in Latin America. In four of the continent's countries, including its largest and most industrially advanced, popular elections have brought to power administratio...
β1-Adrenergic and M2 Muscarinic Autoantibodies and Thyroid Hormone Facilitate Induction of Atrial Fibrillation in Male Rabbits.

Activating autoantibodies to the β1-adrenergic and M2 muscarinic receptors are present in a very high percentage of patients with Graves' disease and atrial fibrillation (AF). The objective of this study was to develop a reproducible animal model and thereby to examine the impact of these endocrine-like autoantibodies alone and with thyroid hormone on induction of thyroid-associated atrial tachyarrhythmias. Five New Zealand white rabbits were coimmunized with peptides from the second extracellular loops of the β1-adrenergic and M2 muscarinic receptors to produce both sympathomimetic and parasympathomimetic antibodies. A catheter-based electrophysiological study was performed on anesthetized rabbits before and after immunization and subsequent treatment with thyroid hormone. Antibody expression facilitated the induction of sustained sinus, junctional and atrial tachycardias, but not AF. Addition of excessive thyroid hormone resulted in induced sustained AF in all animals. AF induction was blocked acutely b...
Phosphoribulokinase mediates nitrogenase-induced carbon dioxide fixation gene repression in Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

In many organisms there is a balance between carbon and nitrogen metabolism. These observations extend to the nitrogen-fixing, nonsulfur purple bacteria, which have the classic family of P(II) regulators that coordinate signals of carbon and nitrogen status to regulate nitrogen metabolism. Curiously, these organisms also possess a reverse mechanism to regulate carbon metabolism based on cellular nitrogen status. In this work, studies in Rhodobacter sphaeroides firmly established that the activity of the enzyme that catalyses nitrogen fixation, nitrogenase, induces a signal that leads to repression of genes encoding enzymes of the Calvin–Benson–Bassham (CBB) CO2 fixation pathway. Additionally, genetic and metabolomic experiments revealed that NADH-activated phosphoribulokinase is an intermediate in the signalling pathway. Thus, nitrogenase activity appears to be linked to cbb gene repression through phosphoribulokinase.