cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strengthening the Experimenter’s Toolbox: Statistical Estimation of Internal Validity

Experiments have become an increasingly common tool for political science researchers over the last decade, particularly laboratory experiments performed on small convenience samples. We argue that the standard normal theory statistical paradigm used in political science fails to meet the needs of these experimenters and outline an alternative approach to statistical inference based on randomization of the treatment. The randomization inference approach not only provides direct estimation of the experimenter’s quantity of interest—the certainty of the causal inference about the observed units— butalsohelpstodealwithotherchallengesofsmallsamples.Weofferanintroductiontothelogicofrandomizationinference, a brief overview of its technical details, and guidance for political science experimenters about making analytic choices within the randomization inference framework. Finally, we reanalyze data from two political science experiments using randomization tests to illustrate the inferential differences that choosing a randomization inference approach can make. E xperimentation has been a growth industry in political science over the last decade or so. This growth reflects an interest in making valid causal inferences about political phenomena. Randomly assigning subjects either to receive or not to receive a treatment that represents a causal factor of interest enables researchersto employ the assumption that they have equivalent groups, with the exception of the groups’ reception of the treatment. Thus, the cause of any observed differences across the groups in the outcome of interest is validly ascribed to the treatment—but not without some uncertainty. Because random assignment delivers equivalence in expectation, there remains a chance in any one experiment that the groups were different on the outcome of interest before treatment. Thus, the experimenter is left with the question of how certain it is that any observed difference is due to the treatment, and not
Comparison of the substrate conformations in the active sites of papain, chymopapain, ficin and bromelain by resonance Raman spectroscopy

The resonance Raman spectra of several enzyme-substrate intermediates of papain, chymopapain, ficin and bromelain are reported. The intermediates are dithioacyl enzymes formed during the catalyzed hydrolysis of N-acylglycine thionoester substrates. Interpretation of the resonance Raman spectra allows us to compare, for the first time, the substrate geometries in a series of functioning intermediates from different enzymes. The substrates assume essentially identical conformations for papain, chymopapain and ficin and a similar, but not identical, conformation in the active site of bromelain. Each dithioacyl enzyme population appears to be made up of a single homogeneous conformational state. This state has been characterised in earlier studies of dithioacyl papains. It is designated as conformer B and is characterized by an attractive contact between the substrate's glycinic N atom and the active site cysteine S atom. It is now apparent that conformer B is of general significance in the mechanism of cysteine proteases.
Mean Free Path Effects on the Experimentally Measured Thermal Conductivity of Single-Crystal Silicon Microbridges

Accurate thermal conductivity values are essential for the successful modeling, design, and thermal management of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and devices. However, the experimental technique best suited to measure the thermal conductivity of these systems, as well as the thermal conductivity itself, varies with the device materials, fabrication processes, geometry, and operating conditions. In this study, the thermal conductivities of boron doped single-crystal silicon microbridges fabricated using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers are measured over the temperature range from 80 to 350 K. The microbridges are 4.6 mm long, 125 lm tall, and either 50 or 85 lm wide. Measurements on the 85 lm wide microbridges are made using both steady-state electrical resistance thermometry (SSERT) and optical time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR). A thermal conductivity of 77 Wm 1 K 1 is measured for both microbridge widths at room temperature, where the results of both experimental techniques agree. However, increasing discrepancies between the thermal conductivities measured by each technique are found with decreasing temperatures below 300 K. The reduction in thermal conductivity measured by TDTR is primarily attributed to a ballistic thermal resistance contributed by phonons with mean free paths larger than the TDTR pump beam diameter. Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) modeling under the relaxation time approximation (RTA) is used to investigate the discrepancies and emphasizes the role of different interaction volumes in explaining the underprediction of TDTR measurements. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4024357]
Tracheomalacia in Hallermann-Streiff syndrome

We report on a white boy with Hallermann–Streiff syndrome (HSS) who also had tracheomalacia. Chronic respiratory insufficiency led to biventricular failure and death at age 6 months. There have been no previously reported cases of Hallermann–Streiff syndrome with documented tracheomalacia. However, there may be cases in which tracheomalacia may have been present, but not diagnosed. The literature contains 6 HSS cases with severe respiratory symptoms. Tracheomalacia should be considered in a patient with HSS who presents with an unusual cry, stridor, choking, or apnea. With the availability of surgery and supportive treatment, early diagnosis of tracheomalacia in these patients may prevent death and secondary neurologic insult from acute hypoxia.
The Impact of Visiting Team Travel on Game Outcome and Biases in NFL Betting Markets

Using data on regular season National Football League games from 1981-2004, this study examines the impact that travel has on game outcome and whether betting markets fully incorporate this information. A visiting team travelling west to east and crossing at least one time zone is shown to significantly increase the probability of the home team winning. This impact increases with distance, but at a decreasing rate. Evidence on whether betting markets fully account for this travel effect is mixed. While there is evidence that markets do not fully account for the impact of travel and that bettors underestimate the home team’s score whenever the visitor crosses a time zone, the model does not provide a profitable betting strategy out of sample. Thus, any bias is likely too small to profitably exploit.
Corneal Lymphangiogenesis: Implications in Immunity

The lymphatic system is a network of vessels throughout the body that serves to return lymphatic fluid to the systemic blood circulation and serves as the immune system's highway in the afferent limb of the immune response. This paper reviews the basics of structure, function and development of the lymphatic system. The emphasis is on understanding the role of lymphatics in the cornea as related to angiogenesis and the clinical setting of corneal transplant rejection. The lymphatic system has two main functions: to drain excess extracellular fluid from capillary beds to return to the systemic blood circulation and to capture antigen for presentation to the immune system in the lymphoid compartment (e.g. nodes) connected in parallel to the lymphatic system. The normal cornea is devoid of lymphatic vessels and blood vessels, thus allowing for its unique immune privileged status. Abnormal blood vessel growth into the cornea has been studied for many years, but the study of lymphatic vessels has been hampered until the recent discovery of lymphatic-specific markers. Subsequent studies of vascularized corneas support the presence of lymphatic vessels in the cornea. The growth of new lymphatic (lymphangiogenesis) and blood (hemangiogenesis) vessels in the cornea is closely related to the abrogation of the immune privileged status of the cornea. This review summarizes our current understanding of the parallel development of hemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis as related to the mechanisms of immune rejection of corneal transplants.
Lower Esophageal Sphincter Pressure as an Index of Lower Esophageal Sphincter Strength

The ability of pressures measured in the lower esophageal sphincter to assess accurately the strength of the sphincter cannot be evaluated without a suitable objective measurement of sphincter strength. This study describes a measurement of strength and compares it with sphincter pressure. The strength of the lower esophageal sphincter was defined as the force in grams required to pull a 12-mm Teflon ball from the stomach, through the sphincter, and into the esophagus. Comparison of this value with sphincter pressure showed an excellent correlation (r = 0.97, P
The Syntax and Semantics of Wanting in Indonesian

The Indonesian verbs mau and ingin ‘want’ look like typical control verbs. When they are followed by a passive predicate however, an additional, unexpected interpretation arises. The sentence Siti mau/ingin di-cium oleh Ali means ‘Siti wants to be kissed by Ali’ but also ‘Ali wants to kiss Siti’. We call the latter interpretation Crossed Control (CC). In CC, the wanter is not the surface subject of ‘want’ but an oblique element in the complement clause and the surface subject is the theme of the embedded predicate and not an argument of ‘want’. For the syntax of CC, we reject clause union and backward control analyses and propose that ‘want’ in this construction is an auxiliary/raising verb that does not assign an external u-role. We then propose that the control interpretation is encoded in the lexical semantics of the auxiliary. ‘Want’ takes a propositional argument but forces the volitional participant in this event to be construed as an experiencer of wanting. We hypothesize that this approach can be extended to volitional constructions in other languages. # 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Adolescents: At Increased Risk for Osteoporosis?

Perhaps the most important factor in the primary prevention of osteoporosis is the attainment of an optimal peak bone during adolescence. In addition to endogenous factors, such as genetic and ethnic background, environmental factors such as dietary habits, physical activity, and sex hormone therapy, influence the accretion of bone mass during this critical period of skeletal growth. First, calcium dietary intake in adolescents is generally well less than the current recommended RDA of 1200 mg/day. Multiple studies of children and adolescents have demonstrated increases in bone mass with dietary calcium supplementation. Second, regarding physical activity, the overall impression is that a moderate amount of particularly weight-bearing exercise has a positive impact on bone. There appears, however, to be a threshold of intensity of physical activity over which a negative impact on bone occurs, particularly when the exercise is of an anaerobic nature or occurring in very thin, amenorrheic participants. Third, previous research suggests that the various forms of hormonal contraception exert differing effects on bone mass in adolescents, with levonorgestrel implants and combined oral contraceptives may be associated with a more positive effect on bone mass compared with that observed with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate. From a clinical perspective, approaches to optimizing peak bone mass in adolescents would include increasing calcium intake, whether in the form of dairy products, fortified foods, or supplements as well as encouraging participation at a moderate level, in weight-bearing exercise. Last, in adolescents with extensive risk factors and predicted long duration of use, subdermal implants or combined oral contraceptives may be the optimal hormonal methods of birth control.
Reaction and nucleation mechanisms of copper electrodeposition from ammoniacal solutions on vitreous carbon

The reaction and nucleation mechanisms of the electrodeposition of copper from ammoniacal solutions were investigated by cyclic voltammetric (cv) and chronoamperometric (ca) techniques, respectively. Each experiment with both electrochemical techniques was followed by morphological studies by atomic force microscopy (AFM). With respect to pH, the studies were performed on ammoniacal solutions at pH 4, pH 6, and pH 8, each representing a characteristic predominance region in E–pH diagrams. The experimental parameters were copper concentration, scanning rate, deposition potential, and electrode conditioning. It was found that at pH 4 copper electrodeposition occurs via reduction of cupric species to cuprous, which in turn can be either reduced, or disproportionated to metallic copper. At pH 6, deposition occurs from free and complexed cupric species, while at pH 8, only cupric amine complexes are involved. Copper nucleates according to instantaneous mechanisms at pH 4, and progressive nucleation mechanisms at pH 6 and pH 8. The diffusion coefficients of the copper species involved were also determined and are reported in this study.
Development of somites and their derivatives in amphioxus, and implications for the evolution of vertebrate somites

Vertebrate somites are subdivided into lineage compartments, each with distinct cell fates and evolutionary histories. Insights into somite evolution can come from studying amphioxus, the best extant approximation of the chordate ancestor. Amphioxus somites have myotome and non-myotome compartments, but development and fates of the latter are incompletely described. Further, while epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important for most vertebrate somitic lineages, amphioxus somites generally have been thought to remain entirely epithelial. Here, we examined amphioxus somites and derivatives, as well as extracellular matrix of the axial support system, in a series of developmental stages by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and in situ hybridization for collagen expression. The amphioxus somite differentiates medially into myotome, laterally into the external cell layer (a sub-dermal mesothelium), ventrally into a bud that forms mesothelia of the perivisceral coelom, and ventro-medially into the sclerotome. The sclerotome forms initially as a monolayered cell sheet that migrates between the myotome and the notochord and neural tube; subsequently, this cell sheet becomes double layered and encloses the sclerocoel. Other late developments include formation of the fin box mesothelia from lateral somites and the advent of isolated fibroblasts, likely somite derived, along the myosepta. Throughout development, all cells originating from the non-myotome regions of somites strongly express a fibrillar collagen gene, ColA, and thus likely contribute to extracellular matrix of the dermal and axial connective tissue system. We provide a revised model for the development of amphioxus sclerotome and fin boxes and confirm previous reports of development of the myotome and lateral somite. In addition, while somite derivatives remain almost entirely epithelial, limited de-epithelialization likely converts some somitic cells into fibroblasts of the myosepta and dermis. Ultrastructure and collagen expression suggest that all non-myotome somite derivatives contribute to extracellular matrix of the dermal and axial support systems. Although amphioxus sclerotome lacks vertebrate-like EMT, it resembles that of vertebrates in position, movement to surround midline structures and into myosepta, and contribution to extracellular matrix of the axial support system. Thus, many aspects of the sclerotome developmental program evolved prior to the origin of the vertebrate mineralized skeleton.
Rigid-Body Dynamics with Friction and Impact

Rigid-body dynamics with unilateral contact is a good approximation for a wide range of everyday phenomena, from the operation of car brakes to walking to rock slides. It is also of vital importance for simulating robots, virtual reality, and realistic animation. However, correctly modeling rigid-body dynamics with friction is difficult due to a number of discontinuities in the behavior of rigid bodies and the discontinuities inherent in the Coulomb friction law. This is particularly crucial for handling situations with large coefficients of friction, which can result in paradoxical results known at least since Painleve [C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 121 (1895), pp. 112--115]. This single example has been a counterexample and cause of controversy ever since, and only recently have there been rigorous mathematical results that show the existence of solutions to his example. The new mathematical developments in rigid-body dynamics have come from several sources: "sweeping processes" and the measure differential inclusions of Moreau in the 1970s and 1980s, the variational inequality approaches of Duvaut and J.-L. Lions in the 1970s, and the use of complementarity problems to formulate frictional contact problems by Lotstedt in the early 1980s. However, it wasn't until much more recently that these tools were finally able to produce rigorous results about rigid-body dynamics with Coulomb friction and impulses.
Consolidation of Lagrangian functionals for mathematical modelling of dissipative systems

The author highlights some of the features of a comprehensive effort, currently in progress, to construct a framework which allows formulation of variation principles for dissipative systems (linear and nonlinear). The main idea is to extend the conventional scope of variational calculus by allowing Lagrangians to include path-dependent integrals as variables. The appropriate generalized Lagrangian equations are formulated by fusing previous results of the author. This allows elimination of the time running backward from dynamical equations. Another limitation of previous results is also eliminated by taking nonzero initial (boundary) conditions into account. Finally, a variational principle for the Volterra integral equation is found within the framework of Lagrangian functionals. >
Personal Branding And e-Professionalism

As early as the late 1990s, Tom Peters started the conversation about personal branding with his book The Brand Called You. This concept is not without its supporters and critics. Often people view personal branding as something negative such as bragging or possible view it as self-promotion. In the world of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, it is more important than ever that everyone, but primarily students, understand the implication of their online postings but also consider the importance of crafting, promoting, and defending their personal brand.
Surveillance and control of anthrax and rabies in wild herbivores and carnivores in Namibia

Anthrax has been studied intensively in Etosha National Park, Namibia since 1966; in addition, since 1975, mortality due to rabies and all other causes has been recorded, totalling 6,190 deaths. Standard diagnostic procedures demonstrated that at least 811 deaths (13%) were due to anthrax and 115 deaths (2%) were caused by rabies. Of the total number of deaths due to anthrax, 97% occurred in zebra (Equus burchelli), elephant (Loxodonta africana), wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) while 96% of rabies deaths occurred in kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), jackal (Canis mesomelas), bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) and lion (Panthera leo). Anthrax deaths were highest in the rainy season for zebra, wildebeest and springbok, while elephant mortality peaked during dry seasons. No statistical relationship existed between seasonal rainfall and overall incidence of either anthrax or rabies. Control of anthrax is limited to prophylactic inoculation when rare or endangered species are threatened. Incineration of anthrax carcasses and chemical disinfection of drinking water are not feasible at Etosha. Rabies control consists of the destruction of rabid animals and incineration of their carcasses when possible.
AJAE Appendix for “Determinants of Income Growth in Metropolitan and Non-metropolitan Labor Markets”

George W. Hammond Associate Director, BBER Associate Professor of Economics Bureau of Business and Economic Research and Department of Economics West Virginia University Phone: (304) 293-7876 Fax: (304) 293-7061 Email: ghammond@wvu.edu Eric C. Thompson Director, BBR Associate Professor of Economics Department of Economics and Bureau of Business Research University of Nebraska-Lincoln Phone: (402) 472-3188 Fax: (402) 472-9700 Email: ethompson2@unl.edu
Women of Vision: Unique Insights into Women of the 20th Century. edited by Eileen A. Gavinn, Gavin, Aphrodite Clamar, and Mary Anne Siderits

Women of Vision offers powerful insights into the lives of several 20th-century women who, through their remarkable achievements, provided role models for others to follow. These women helped to tr...
Salicylamide metabolism in acute intermittent porphyria

Salicylamide is metabolized in man by glucuronidation, sulfation, and hydroxylation. It was used to examine these three drug-metaboliZing pathways in patients with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP). The over-all rate of metabolism of salicylamide was significantly reduced in porphyric subjects, with a mean half-life of 103 minutes in comparison to 72 minutes in normals. This was due largely to the reduced rate of conversion to the sulfate and hydroxyl derivatives. Glucuronidation was not significantly different although there was greater individual variation among porphyric subjects. Consequently, subjects with AIP excreted a larger fraction of salicylamide as its glucuronide. This reduction in the rate of hydroxylation may be related to clinical exacerbations precipitated in patients with AIP by drugs metabolized primarily by hydroxylation.
Attending to the “face of the other” in intercultural communication: Thinking and talking about difference, identity, and ethics

ABSTRACTThis essay contributes to the discussions in intercultural communication scholarship on key intercultural urgencies, issues, and challenges in today's world through the ethical framework of Emmanuel Levinas and his discussion of “absolute otherness” that informs and expands the dialogue on interculturality, cultural humility, and ethics. Levinas's discussion of “absolute otherness” aims to preserve difference—the otherness of the other—by asserting the ethical relation prior to the ontological relation and carries significant communicative implications in terms of the relation of the self and the other as well as making sense of difference and identity, and offers a new way of talking about these issues in the field of communication studies, specifically in intercultural communication. An illustration of attending to the other beyond reduction to the same is offered through a pedagogical application of the Levinasian framework in the intercultural communication class.
Two Dimensional Richardson Extrapolation for Optical Waveguide Problems

Light propagation in optical waveguides is studied in the paraxial approximation using Richardson extrapolation. Highly accurate solutions have been efficiently obtained using Richardson extrapolation and the mid-step Euler finite different method [1]. In Richardson extrapolation, numerical solutions with lesser accuracy are extrapolated to zero step size to obtain a more accurate solution. Richardson extrapolation is a simple algebraic procedure that can be used with any numerical scheme to improve the accuracy of the solution [2]. Richardson extrapolation stabilizes the unstable mid-step Euler method and also allows one to use Hadley’s transparent boundary conditions. When solving the paraxial wave equation using finite difference methods, both the propagation and transverse dimensions are discretized. Discretization errors arising from both the transverse and the propagation dimension have to be minimized in order to obtain an accurate solution. We solve this problem by applying Richardson extrapolation in both directions.
Deficiency of intestinal mucin-2 protects mice from diet-induced fatty liver disease and obesity

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and obesity are characterized by altered gut microbiota, inflammation, and gut barrier dysfunction. Here, we investigated the role of mucin-2 (Muc2) as the major component of the intestinal mucus layer in the development of fatty liver disease and obesity. We studied experimental fatty liver disease and obesity induced by feeding wild-type and Muc2-knockout mice a high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 wk. Muc2 deficiency protected mice from HFD-induced fatty liver disease and obesity. Compared with wild-type mice, after a 16-wk HFD, Muc2-knockout mice exhibited better glucose homeostasis, reduced inflammation, and upregulated expression of genes involved in lipolysis and fatty acid β-oxidation in white adipose tissue. Compared with wild-type mice that were fed the HFD as well, Muc2-knockout mice also displayed higher intestinal and plasma levels of IL-22 and higher intestinal levels of the IL-22 target genes Reg3b and Reg3g. Our findings indicate that absence of the intestinal mucus layer activates the mucosal immune system. Higher IL-22 levels protect mice from diet-induced features of the metabolic syndrome.
Problems in the application of electrical insulation in a partially developed country

The ultimate choice of insulating materials for use in an insulation system for a particular type of electrical equipment is the responsibility of the design engineer. In a partially-developed country like Brazil, however, factors governing this choice may involve so many fields that well-oriented teamwork is sometimes necessary to gather all the information required for a sound decision to be reached. The factors to be considered are, of course, the same in any country, cost usually being the deciding factor. The difference lies in the fact that local conditions may give entirely different weights to the various factors and to the various components of the total cost.
Foodborne Parasitic Infection in Guangzhou Area-Prevention and Treatment Strategies

Objective To determine the extent of parasite egg contamination in some of the vegetables and freshwater fishes,and the extent of foodborne parasitic infection in individuals living in the Guangzhou area.To explore the risk factors related to food contamination and foodborne parasitic infection,and to provide evidence for the formulation of prevention and treatment strategies so as to further improve food hygiene and safety.Method Inquiry and on-the-spot sampling were carried out.Plain water precipitation,eggs floating technique,Kato-Katz thick smear and digestion methods were employed to test for parasitic eggs and Clonorchis sinensis metacercaria.Result In 2004,365 vegetables of 8 different types for raw consumption were tested.21.37% were positive for parasites and parasite eggs(15.34% were positive for hookworm eggs,11.23% were positive for hookworm larvae,and 4.93% were positive for lumbricus eggs).10.4% of the semi-processed vegetables prepared by the food industry was positive for parasite and parasite eggs(28.95% of the vegetables were positive after cleaning by soaking,3.77% were positive after cleaning by washing).In 2006,60 samples of freshwater fishes and shrimps for raw consumption from 25 food industries were examined.9.84% were positive for Clonorchis sinensis metacercaria(The positive rate of Ctenopharyngodon idellus in fish meat and shrimps was 13.33% and 6.67%,respectively).Between 1998 and 2003,helminth infection rate in the general population was 15.21%,of which Clonorchis sinensis infection rate was 6.95%.In 2005,C.sinensis infection rate in some occupational groups was 12.46%.The level of infection is higher than the national level(0.40%).Conclusion The vegetables and freshwater fishes for raw consumption in Guangzhou area were contaminated by parasite eggs(nematode and C.sinensis).Human C.sinensis infection rate was high.Education on food hygiene should be strengthened to change unhealthy dietary habits.Effective and comprehensive prevention and treatment measures should be taken to ensure food safety and improve people′s physique.
Reward Learning, Neurocognition, Social Cognition, and Symptomatology in Psychosis

Background: Patients with psychosis spectrum disorders exhibit deficits in social and neurocognition, as well as hallmark abnormalities in motivation and reward processing. Aspects of reward processing may overlap behaviorally and neurobiologically with some elements of cognitive functioning, and abnormalities in these processes may share partially overlapping etiologies in patients. However, whether reward processing and cognition are associated across the psychoses and linked to state and trait clinical symptomatology is unclear. Method: The present study examined associations between cognitive functioning, reward learning, and clinical symptomatology in a cross-diagnostic sample. Patients with schizophrenia (n=37), bipolar I disorder with psychosis (n=42), and healthy controls (n=29) were assessed for clinical symptoms (patients only), neurocognitive functioning using the MATRICS Battery (MCCB) and reward learning using the Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT). Groups were compared on neurocognition and PRT response bias, and associations between PRT response bias and neurocognition or clinical symptoms were examined controlling for demographic variables and PRT task difficulty (discriminability). Results: Patients with schizophrenia performed worse than controls on most measures of neurocognition; patients with bipolar disorder exhibited deficits in some domains between the level of patients with schizophrenia and controls. The schizophrenia – but not bipolar disorder – group exhibited deficits in social cognition compared to controls. Patients and controls did not differ on PRT response bias, but did differ on PRT discriminability. Better response bias across the sample was associated with poorer social cognition, but not neurocognition; conversely, discriminability was associated with neurocognition but not social cognition. Symptoms of psychosis, particularly negative symptoms, were associated with poorer response bias across patient groups. Discussion: Reward learning was associated with symptoms of psychosis – in particular negative symptoms – across diagnoses, and was predictive of worse social cognition. Reward learning was not associated with neurocognitive performance, suggesting that, across patient groups, social cognition but not neurocognition may share common pathways with this aspect of reinforcement learning. Better understanding of how cognitive dysfunction and reward processing deficits relate to one another, to other key symptom dimensions (e.g. psychosis), and to diagnostic categories, may help clarify shared etiological pathways and guide efforts toward targeted treatment approaches.
Evaluating machine and technician effects on ultrasonic measures of backfat and longissimus muscle depth in swine

Results: For last-rib fat depth, the effects of machine and pig were highly significant (P ≤ .001). However, the interaction between machine × pig was also significant (P ≤ .01). Pig and machine × pig interactions may be explained by overestimating C and K for leaner pigs and underestimating C and K for fatter pigs. At the tenth rib only, the effect of machine was significant (P ≤ .001). For longissimus muscle depth, machine was highly significant (P ≤ .001) and a tendency (P ≤ .1) for the effects of technician and technician × machine interaction was observed.
Pathogenesis of fusion deficient recombinant mouse hepatitis viruses.

It has been shown that MHV-4 (JHM) can utilize both endosomal and nonendosomal pathways for entry into cells, depending on the strain of the virus and the nature of the cell being infected (Nash and Buchmeier, 1997). Wildtype MHV-4 fuses at the cell surface. However, persistent MHV-4 infection of a neuronal cell line (OBL21a) gave rise to the acid-dependent fusion variant OBLV60. Previous studies demonstrated that there were 8 amino acid differences between the S genes of MHV-4 and OBLV60. Elimination of neutral pH fusion was dependent only on amino acid alterations at positions 1067 (Q to H), 1094 (Q to H), and 1114 (L to R) within the first heptad repeat of the S2 subunit (Gallagher et al, 1991). Additionally, it was shown that intranasal inoculation with MHV-4 resulted in fatal encephalitis as a consequence of widespread distribution of infection in the brain. In contrast, the OBLV60 variant grew preferentially in the glomerular and mitral layers of the olfactory bulb and no fatal encephalitis was observed (Pearce et al., 1994).
Challenges of Civilian Distinction in Cyberwarfare

Avoiding attacks on civilian targets during cyberwarfare is more difficult than it seems. We discuss ways in which an ostensibly military cyberattack could accidentally hit a civilian target. Civilian targets are easier to attack than military targets, and an adversary may be tempted to be careless in targeting. Dual-use targets are common in cyberspace since militaries frequently exploit civilian cyber infrastructure such as networks and common software, and hitting that infrastructure necessarily hurts civilians. Civilians can be necessary intermediate objectives to get to an adversary’s military, since direct Internet connections between militaries can be easily blocked. Cyberwarfare methods are unreliable, so cyberattacks tend to use many different methods simultaneously, increasing the risk of civilian spillover. Military cyberattacks are often seen by civilian authorities, then quickly analyzed and reported to the public; this enables criminals to quickly exploit the attack methods to harm civilians. Many attacks use automatic propagation methods which have difficulty distinguishing civilians. Finally, many cyberattacks spoof civilians, encouraging counterattacks on civilians; that is close to perfidy, which is outlawed by the laws of armed conflict. We discuss several additional problems, including the public’s underestimated dependence on digital technology, their unpreparedness for cyberwarfare, and the indirect lethal effects of cyberattacks. We conclude with proposed principles for ethical conduct of cyberwarfare to minimize unnecessary harm to civilians, and suggest designating cyberspace “safe havens”, enforcing reparations, and emphasizing cyber coercion rather than cyberwarfare.
Catalytic Enantioselective and Diastereoselective Allylic Alkylation with Fluoroenolates: Efficient Access to C3-Fluorinated and All-Carbon Quaternary Oxindoles

Synthetically versatile 3,3-disubstituted fluorooxindoles exhibiting vicinal chirality centers were obtained in high yields and with excellent enantio-, diastereo-, and regioselectivity through catalytic asymmetric fluoroenolate alkylation with allylic acetates. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions and can be scaled up without compromising the asymmetric induction. The unique synthetic usefulness of the products is highlighted by the incorporation of additional functionalities and the formation of 3-fluorinated oxindoles exhibiting an array of four adjacent centers of chirality. A new C-F bond functionalization path that provides unprecedented possibilities for the stereoselective generation of a chiral quaternary carbon center in the alkaloid scaffold is introduced.
Cephalopod biodiversity in the vicinity of Bear Seamount, western North Atlantic based on exploratory trawling from 2000 to 2014

Bear Seamount (BSM) is the most inshore seamount in the New England Seamount chain. It is located within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and is contained within the recently established Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. In 2000, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Systematics Laboratory began an exploratory trawling program to document nekton diversity at BSM and its vicinity. Here, we summarize eight exploratory sampling cruises conducted between 2000 and 2014, and describe the cephalopod biodiversity and assemblage structure around BSM. Over the course of 174 deep–midwater and 56 bottom tows, 5088 cephalopods were identified, measured, and documented. In total, 77 species were collected at BSM; 75 species were collected from midwater tows and 28 from benthic tows. Rarefaction curves did not reach an asymptote, suggesting that additional sampling will collect more species. Seventeen species accounted for 75% of the total midwater and bottom catch, including: Illex illecebrosus (n = 605), Magnoteuthis magna (n = 568), Abraliopsis morisii (n = 518), Abralia redfieldi (n = 358), Mastigoteuthis agassizii (n = 336), Histioteuthis reversa (n = 273), Taonius pavo (n = 239), Haliphron atlanticus (n = 195), Brachioteuthis beanii (n = 160), Ornithoteuthis antillarum (n = 153), Pterygioteuthis gemmata (n = 141), Pyroteuthis margaritifera (n = 120), Vampyroteuthis infernalis (n = 101), Chiroteuthis veranyi (n = 33), Bolitaena pygmaea (n = 30), Graneledone verrucosa (n = 11), and Stauroteuthis syrtensis (n = 29). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) of significant analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) results showed that the 2000 cruise was different from other years, meteorological winter was different from other seasons, and that day and night shallow samples were different from each other and all other depths. Based on seasonal size variation in the most abundant taxa, we propose hypotheses of year-round, winter, and spring spawning for future critical assessment. This extensive description of the offshore cephalopod assemblage may be used to assess vulnerability to future environmental changes and human activities.
In-Memory Computation of a Machine-Learning Classifier in a Standard 6T SRAM Array

This paper presents a machine-learning classifier where computations are performed in a standard 6T SRAM array, which stores the machine-learning model. Peripheral circuits implement mixed-signal weak classifiers via columns of the SRAM, and a training algorithm enables a strong classifier through boosting and also overcomes circuit nonidealities, by combining multiple columns. A prototype 128 $\times $ 128 SRAM array, implemented in a 130-nm CMOS process, demonstrates ten-way classification of MNIST images (using image-pixel features downsampled from 28 $\times $ 28 = 784 to 9 $\times $ 9 = 81, which yields a baseline accuracy of 90%). In SRAM mode (bit-cell read/write), the prototype operates up to 300 MHz, and in classify mode, it operates at 50 MHz, generating a classification every cycle. With accuracy equivalent to a discrete SRAM/digital-MAC system, the system achieves ten-way classification at an energy of 630 pJ per decision, 113 times lower than a discrete system with standard training algorithm and 13 times lower than a discrete system with the proposed training algorithm.
Vibrational Strong Coupling Controlled by Spatial Distribution of Molecules within the Optical Cavity

Similar to excitonic materials interacting with optical cavity fields, vibrational absorbers coupled to resonantly matched optical modes can exhibit new hybridized energy states called cavity polaritons. The delocalized nature of these hybrid polaritonic states can potentially modify a material’s physical and chemical characteristics, with the promise of a significant impact on reaction chemistry. In this study, we investigate the relationship between the spatial distribution of vibrational absorbers and the cavity mode profile in vibrational strong coupling by systematically varying the location of a 245-nm-thick poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film within a few-micrometer-thick Fabry–Perot cavity. Angle-tuning the cavity reveals that the first- and second-order cavity resonances couple to molecular absorption lines of PMMA (the C═O and C–H stretching bands at 1731 and 2952 cm–1, respectively), resulting in quantifiable vacuum Rabi splittings in the dispersion response. These splittings, as extracted fr...
The role of the ugly duckling sign in patient education

Background The ABCDE (with A standing for asymmetry, B for border irregularity, C for color variegation, D for diameter larger than 6 mm, and E for evolution) rule for melanoma (MM) recognition is widely taught in the general population. The ugly duckling (UD) sign is an alternate MM recognition strategy that is not generally taught. Objective To compare the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MM recognition with UD sign and the ABCD rule in a general population. Methods Participants were randomized into either the ABCD or UD arm of the study. An educational tutorial on their respective teaching method followed. Participants were subsequently tested using images of 9 lesions (7 nevi and 2 MMs) and asked to categorize each image as MM or not MM. Results A total of 51 participants were randomized to the ABCD group and 50 to the UD group. The sensitivity for MM recognition of both groups was similar. The specificity and accuracy for MM recognition was significantly higher (P =.02, P = .02) in the UD group. Limitations The E for evolution in the ABCDE rule was not tested. No follow-up knowledge retention test was conducted. Conclusion The UD sign significantly improved accuracy and specificity of MM recognition. We recommend adding the UD sign to patient education in addition to the traditional ABCDE rule.
False friends: Phagocytes as Trojan horses in microbial brain infections.

Humans are constantly exposed to pathogenic microbes. The first line of cellular host defense is composed of “professional” phagocytes, cells that efficiently recognize pathogens, internalize them, and then marshal an array of antimicrobial mechanisms to destroy them. Nevertheless, successful pathogens evade or survive such attack. A particularly subversive strategy is to manipulate normal phagocyte behaviors to benefit the microbe, sometimes even turning the phagocyte from a threat to a safe haven. In this environment, the microbes can multiply while protected from immune surveillance, and in some cases, even travel to the most protected host site, the brain. This gives rise to the Trojan horse analogy: like the wooden horse that carried hidden enemies through the gates into the walled city of Troy, phagocytes carry intracellular microbes through the blood–brain barrier (BBB) into the central nervous system (CNS).
Does probability have a place in non-monotonic reasoning?

Arguments are presented in favor of the answer "yes". A quantitative approach which overcomes the usual need for a priori probabilities is presented. Some of the practical advantages of using probabilities in a production system are described.
Delocalization of Salt Solution in a Semiarid Farmland Topsoil

Salt buildup is a global phenomenon in semiarid soils that leads to land degradation and water quality deterioration. These problems can be alleviated through the quantification of salt leaching from topsoil horizons. Delocalization of solid-phase salts and solution-phase leaching was evaluated within the topsoil layers of a semiarid farmland by utilizing a non-invasive electromagnetic sensing and stochastic modeling approach. The horizontal and vertical conductivity signals were strongly correlated (r = 0.988, P < 0.05) and characterized by high precision and low errors (0.12–0.18). Electrical conductivity across the field was highly variable within the 0.6-m profile with nearly all surveyed locations exhibiting values greater than 2 dS m−1. Around 86% of the salinity data in 0.3-m depth ranged from 2 to 8 dS m−1, and 56% data within 0.3–0.6 m surpassed 8 dS m−1. Spatial depletion in salinity within the 0.3-m depth plausibly resulted from salt delocalization. The salinity values generally exceeded plant tolerance threshold limits and indicated that most crops would be adversely affected unless management practices were aimed at removing salts past the topsoil horizons. The leaching fraction levels ranged from 5 to 40% across the topsoil layers, and indicated the need for salt removal practices for most crops. Overall, salt delocalization analysis can benefit agronomic decisions for irrigation and soil quality management. The approach can be applied worldwide in locating impaired soil zones that need salt reclamation for developing best management practices pertaining to site-specific crop selection and agricultural water budgeting.
Parental Perceptions of Child Vulnerability, Overprotection, and Parental Psychological Characteristics

While a parental perception of child vulnerability to illness/injury is often used interchangeably with parental overprotection, research suggests that these constructs are independent. Distinct parental psychological characteristics were hypothesized for each construct. The parents of 871 children, ages 22-72 months, completed a four-part protocol (clinical background data, Child Vulnerability Scale, Parent Protection Scale, and Brief Symptom Inventory). A distinct parent symptom profile was found for perceived child vulnerability (somatization, obsessive-compulsiveness, and anxiety). Overprotection was associated with phobic anxiety, psychoticism, and paranoid ideation. These findings provide further support for the differentiation of these constructs.
Single-nucleotide control of tRNA folding cooperativity under near-cellular conditions

RNA folding is often studied by renaturing full-length RNA in vitro and tracking folding transitions. However, the intracellular transcript folds as it emerges from the RNA polymerase. Here, we investigate the folding pathways and stability of numerous late-transcriptional intermediates of yeast and Escherichia coli transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Transfer RNA is a highly regulated functional RNA that undergoes multiple steps of posttranscriptional processing and is found in very different lengths during its lifetime in the cell. The precursor transcript is extended on both the 5' and 3' ends of the cloverleaf core, and these extensions get trimmed before addition of the 3'-CCA and aminoacylation. We studied the thermodynamics and structures of the precursor tRNA and of late-transcriptional intermediates of the cloverleaf structure. We examined RNA folding at both the secondary and tertiary structural levels using multiple biochemical and biophysical approaches. Our findings suggest that perhaps nature has selected for a single-base addition to control folding to the functional 3D structure. In near-cellular conditions, yeast tRNAPhe and E. coli tRNAAla transcripts fold in a single, cooperative transition only when nearly all of the nucleotides in the cloverleaf are transcribed by indirectly enhancing folding cooperativity. Furthermore, native extensions on the 5' and 3' ends do not interfere with cooperative core folding. This highly controlled cooperative folding has implications for recognition of tRNA by processing and modification enzymes and quality control of tRNA in cells.
Quantifying suppressed child pedestrian and bicycle trips

Abstract Traditional pedestrian and bicycle safety analyses take a reactive approach to traffic safety by investigating crashes, injuries, or fatalities after they occur. Also examining trips that have been suppressed because of perceived road safety concerns facilitates a more proactive safety approach; however, a methodology must first be developed to estimate the number of pedestrian and bicycle trips that are suppressed specifically due to road safety concerns. To accomplish this, we examine child pedestrian and bicycle trips to and from schools in Denver, Colorado. By combining suppression rates derived from a survey examining parental perceptions of safety and the upper limit of trip frequencies derived from a GIS network analysis, we explore how grade level, gender, and adult supervision are related to childhood travel allowance in terms of street-level design characteristics such as posted speed limits, vehicle volumes, presence of sidewalks and bike lanes, and the number of vehicle lanes. We then investigate how widespread these suppressed trips are by quantifying the number of children that are impacted and how their routes are altered. Finally, we detect built environment characteristics – such as street-level designs, network configurations, barriers, and destination siting – linked with high levels of suppressed trips. By integrating this tool with traditional traffic safety analyses, we hope to not only make the places where children are currently walking and bicycling safer, but to improve safety in places where children should walk and bike.