cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On conflicted Swedish consumers, the effort to stop shopping and neoliberal environmental governance

Drawing on 14 months of in-depth ethnographic research, this paper explores the difficulties and barriers that Swedish citizen-consumers face in their attempts to reduce their environmental and social impacts. The research reveals that while many find it quite easy to turn off their lights, ride their bike to work, or buy organic apples, generalized anti-consumption proves to be much more difficult – even for the aware, interested, and committed men and women participating in this research. Contrary to the contemporary dominance of theories which link sustainable action to awareness, I argue that in the Swedish context the most significant barrier is not lack of information but rather concerns with conformity, equality, and fairness – suggesting that efforts to encourage sustainable living depend not only on appeals to reflexive and rational consumers or the promise of alternative identities, but also on structural changes that require political and industrial leadership. The research, therefore, raises questions about the effectiveness of neoliberal environmental governance and the contemporary focus on consumer responsibility in sustainability policy. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the nonlinear evolution of a solid-liquid interface

Abstract A strongly nonlinear, spatially invariant equation for the dynamics of interface is derived, using a free-boundary problem with the linear attachment kinetics and zero anisotropy. The equation turns out to be qualitatively identical to that describing the thermo-diffusive propagation of flame fronts.
Significance of prolonged electrocardiographic pauses in sinoatrial disease: sick sinus syndrome.

Abstract Eighty-four patients (2.6%) were found to have prolonged (≥ 2.0 seconds) sinoatrial pauses in a review of 3,259 consecutive patients who had 24-hour Holter electrocardiographic studies. Pauses averaged 2.6 ± 1.5 seconds (± standard deviation) (range 2.0–15.2). In 17 (20%), no underlying heart disease was found and in 8 (10%), prolonged pauses appeared to be drug-induced. No relation was found between length of pauses and presence of symptoms or risk of death. Twenty patients received a pacemaker. Pacemaker recipients were older and more likely to be male and to have symptoms, although 7 were asymptomatic. Patients who received a permanent pacemaker were not different from nonrecipients with respect to average longest pause, mechanisms of pause, underlying heart condition or average time of follow-up. However, the survival rate was not improved by permanent pacemaker implantation. Of the 17 patients who died, only 3 died of cardiac causes; none had a recognizable bradycardic cause. Thirteen who initially had syncope did not receive a pacemaker; 2 died of noncardiac causes and none had a subsequent syncopal episode. Ten patients with a syncopal episode received a permanent pacemaker; 3 subsequently died and 3 survivors continued to complain of dizziness. Of the 37 patients who did not have any symptoms on initial examination, only one subsequently had a syncopal episode. Thus, length of sinoatrial pauses correlates poorly with symptoms and does not predict sudden death. Unless prolonged sinoatrial pauses are shown to cause symptoms, such pauses per se are not an indication for permanent pacemaker implantation.
Studies of the human testis. I. Biosynthetic pathways for androgen formation in human testicular tissue in vitro.

Thirty-four incubations of minced testis tissue from five patients with prostatic carcinoma were performed for different periods of time with labeled precursors pregnenolone, progesterone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (Δ4-dione), and androst-5-ene-3β, 17β-diol (Δ5-diol) singly or in varying combinations. Testosterone (T) and the Δ5 and Δ4 intermediates which have been suggested as possible precursors of T were identified. Metabolism of pregnenolone or 17-hydroxypregnenolone yielded steadily increasing T with a bell shaped curve depicting the Δ5 intermediates, whereas the recovery of Δ4 intermediates remained low throughout the incubation period. From a comparison of the 3H/14C ratio of intermediates with the 3H/14C ratio of T following incubations with two labeled precursors, it appeared that T is formed more readily from pregnenolone than progesterone; from 17-hydroxypregnenolone than pregnenolone, progesterone or 17-hydroxyprogest...
Linear coefficients of thermal expansion of Au0.5Ni0.5Sn4, Au0.75Ni0.25Sn4, and AuSn4

Abstract Linear coefficients of thermal expansion for Au 1−xNixSn4 and AuSn4 alloys have been measured by thermo-mechanical analysis at temperatures between 340 and 460 K. These values are compared to those of other constituents of Ni/Au/PbSn solder joints. These joints have previously been shown to crack during thermal cycling in this temperature range.
A HEMOLYTIC SYSTEM ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERITIS IN RABBITS : I. NATURE OF THE CELL CHANGE AND THE SERUM FACTORS CONCERNED.

A disease characterized by frequent association of enteritis and polyagglutinable cells often develops in weanling rabbits. The red cell lesion renders the cells susceptible to agglutination and hemolysis in normal rabbit sera. The degree of red cell abnormality varies among different animals and disappears when the animals recover. The abnormality of the red cells responsible for their polyagglutinability and susceptibility to hemolysis was resistant to the action of trypsin or papain and persisted in heated stroma preparations derived from polyagglutinable cells. The factors necessary for agglutination and hemolysis of the polyagglutinable cells are present in normal rabbit sera but are lacking in the sera of affected rabbits. These factors returned to normal levels as the polyagglutinable cell lesion disappeared. The sera of rabbits with polyagglutinable cells contained normal levels of complement and properdin. Whereas the agglutinating factor in normal sera is heat-stable at 56 degrees C for 30 minutes, the hemolytic factor is heat labile. The hemolytic factor is apparently distinct from complement and properdin since it was adsorbed from normal rabbit serum by zymosan or by polyagglutinable cells at 0 degrees C. However, complement was fixed when normal rabbit serum was reacted with stroma from polyagglutinable cells. Hemolysis of polyagglutinable cells by normal rabbit serum at 25 degrees C was inhibited by preliminary incubation of the mixture at 0 degrees C prior to incubation at 25 degrees C. Evidence was obtained which indicated that this inhibition was due to progression of a reaction involving Ca(++) independent of a reaction involving Mg(++).
Multivariable model identification from frequency response data

A strategy for synthesising high-fidelity, MIMO models from transfer function data has been developed. It takes advantage of the strengths of three separate model ID methods. The eigensystem realisation algorithm is used to generate a model, and then a curve fit based on the complex log of the transfer functions is used to reduce the model. Finally, the model is fine-tuned using a curve fit to the transfer function data directly. This method has been shown to work well on the SERC Interferometric Testbed, a system with many lightly-damped, closely spaced modes. One facet of identifying a system model from the interferometer data was the absence of noise in the measured transfer functions. Future work will examine performance of this method on noisier data and suggest modifications. >
Lung disease at high altitude

Large numbers of people travel to high altitudes, entering an environment of hypobaric hypoxia. Exposure to low oxygen tension leads to a series of important physiologic responses that allow individuals to tolerate these hypoxic conditions. However, in some cases hypoxia triggers maladaptive responses that lead to various forms of acute and chronic high altitude illness, such as high-altitude pulmonary edema or chronic mountain sickness. Because the respiratory system plays a critical role in these adaptive and maladaptive responses, patients with underlying lung disease may be at increased risk for complications in this environment and warrant careful evaluation before any planned sojourn to higher altitudes. In this review, we describe respiratory disorders that occur with both acute and chronic exposures to high altitudes. These disorders may occur in any individual who ascends to high altitude, regardless of his/her baseline pulmonary status. We then consider the safety of high-altitude travel in patients with various forms of underlying lung disease. The available data regarding how these patients fare in hypoxic conditions are reviewed, and recommendations are provided for management prior to and during the planned sojourn.
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Origin, Development, and Implications for Pedagogy in Health Promotion

The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) has a fascinating history, has played a significant role in higher education for the past 25 years, and has a specific meaning that has developed over time and with much debate. It has been part of national and international conversations that have questioned the role of scholarship and whether its increasingly restrictive standards have limited higher education’s ability to respond adequately to today’s academic and social mandates. This essay introduces Pedagogy in Health Promotion readers to SoTL’s origin as one of four scholarly functions proposed in Ernest Boyer’s highly influential book Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate. It summarizes these functions, describes SoTL’s subsequent development, and then applies all four functions to health education and health promotion discussing their relevance to the field. Finally, this essay raises questions regarding the current alignment of scholarship with professional roles and responsibil...
Managing human behaviour in the motor vehicles and parts industry

Looks into sexual harassment complaints at Mitsubishi Motors in Illinois, USA, which could become the largest sexual harassment case in US history with nearly 500 female plaintiffs eligible to receive a total amount of US$150 million in compensation and damages. Mentions other foreign companies operating in the USA, which have been charged with violation of employee rights. Mentions Employment Practices Liability insurance, which protects companies against the costs of workers winning damages in cases of discrimination or wrongful discharge. Attributes some of these employee abuse problems to the lack of flow of information within a company’s communication network. Points out that most companies have got downward communication from top management to employees sorted out, but that other forms of communication are lacking. Suggests that this might be due to control, incompetence, lack of understanding and unfairness when dealing with various societal groups – all of which can cost organizations a load of money, particularly in the litigious USA.
Movements, activity patterns, and habitat use of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in interior Alaska

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are generally sedentary, but are likely to move among habitats frequently to gain access to spatially segregated food and cover. We investigated movement patterns of hares from 2 characteristic boreal habitats using very-high-frequency radio collars (n ¼ 300) monitored weekly and global positioning system (GPS) collars (n ¼ 18) programmed to record locations at 30–120-min intervals. We used collar recoveries (n ¼ 203) to estimate distance from capture to mortality site. Approximately 90% of collars were recovered within 1 km of their deployment locations, the greatest distances being recorded in winter. We used locations of GPS-collared hares to estimate seasonal home range sizes, habitat use, and diel patterns of movement among and within habitats. Seasonal home ranges were 3–6 ha in size, depending on season and habitat. Hares used multiple habitat types on a daily basis. Movement rates, based on animal locations recorded every 2 h, varied 4-fold between peak and nadir. The majority of movements between habitat types coincided with times when hares were most active. Our findings show that hares may use multiple vegetation types even when food and cover are apparently abundant in a single habitat. Hares move between these areas on a daily basis, probably to make use of better foraging opportunities in one location and return to resting sites in dense cover in a different location.
Power Input During Flight of the Fish Crow, Corvus Ossifragus

1. The fish crow and the laughing gull, although similar in body mass, differ in wing morphology and wingbeat frequency. We studied the power input during sustained flight in the fish crow for comparison with data reported for the laughing gull. 2. Two fish crows (mean mass 275 g) were trained to fly in a wind-tunnel for 15-20 min at air speeds of 7-11 m s -1 in descending flight at angles of 2°, 4° and 6° relative to horizontal. Oxygen consumption was determined by analysing air sampled through a mask and attached trailing air tube. Power input was defined as the rate of metabolic energy expenditure calculated from rate of oxygen consumption. The results were corrected for the drag of the mask and tube, and power input for horizontal flight was calculated. 3. Power input varied little with air speed, but decreased with increasing angle of descent. Minimum power input for horizontal flight (0.083 W g -1 ) was 6.4 times greater than mean resting power input. During horizontal flight, power input for the fish crow exceeded by about one-third that for the laughing gull.
Effects of the exposure to corrosive salts on the frictional behavior of gray cast iron and a titanium-based metal matrix composite

Abstract The introduction of increasingly corrosive road-deicing chemicals has created significant and costly problems for the trucking industry. From a tribological perspective, corrosion of the sliding surfaces of brakes after exposure to road salts can create oxide scales that affect friction. This paper describes experiments on the effects of exposure to sodium chloride and magnesium chloride sprays on the transient frictional behavior of cast iron and a titanium-based composite sliding against a commercial brake lining material. Corrosion scales on cast iron, whose compositions were analyzed by several methods, initially act as abrasive third-bodies. Then they become crushed, spread out, and behave as a solid lubricant. Owing to its greater corrosion resistance, the titanium composite remained scale-free and its frictional response was markedly different. No corrosion scales were formed on the titanium composite after aggressive exposure to salts; however, a reduction in friction was still observed. Unlike the crystalline sodium chloride deposits that tended to remain dry, hygroscopic magnesium chloride deposits absorbed ambient moisture from the air, liquefied, and retained a persistent lubricating effect on the titanium surfaces.
RESONANT STRUCTURE IN THE KUIPER DISK: AN ASYMMETRIC PLUTINO DISK

In order to develop a dynamical model of the Kuiper disk, we run numerical integrations of particles originating from source bodies trapped in the 3 : 2 external mean motion resonance with Neptune to determine what percentage of particles remain in the resonance for a variety of particle and source body sizes. The dynamical evolution of the particles is followed from source to sink with Poynting-Robertson light drag, solar wind drag, radiation pressure, the Lorentz force, neutral interstellar gas drag, and the effects of planetary gravitational perturbations included. We find that the number of particles in the 3 : 2 resonance increases with decreasing � (i.e., increasing particle size) for the cases in which the initial source bodies are small (� 10 km in diameter) and that the percentage of particles in resonance is not significantly changed by either the addition of the Lorentz force, as long as the potential of the particles is small (� 5 V), or the effect of neutral interstellar gas drag. The brightness of the entire Kuiper disk is calculated using a model composed of 500 lm diameter particles and fits well with upper limits to the Kuiper disk brightness and previous estimates. A disk with a size-frequency distribution weighted toward large particles, which are more likely to remain in resonance, may have a stronger, more easily identifiable resonant signature than a disk composed of small particles.
The Time Series of Terra and Aqua MODIS Near-IR Water Vapor Products

Two Moderate Resolution Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MODIS) instruments [1] on the NASA Terra and Aqua Spacecraft platforms are currently operational for global remote sensing of the land, ocean and atmosphere. Both MODIS instruments are equipped with channels located within and around the 0.94-micron water vapor band absorption region for water vapor measurements over reflective land surfaces, clouds, and oceanic regions with sunglint. We have developed an algorithm to retrieve column water vapor amount using ratios of water vapor absorption channels with nearby atmospheric window channels [2]. The daily `pixel-based' Level 2 near-IR water vapor product at the 1-km spatial resolution of the MODIS instrument, and the daily, 8-day, and monthly-mean Level 3 near-IR water vapor products at a 1deg by 1deg latitude-longitude grid globally are routinely produced at a NASA computing facility [3]. We have analyzed more than eight years of Terra MODIS and five years of Aqua MODIS Level 3 monthly-mean near-IR water vapor products. Major observations on spatial distributions and temporal variations of water vapor in different geographic regions are described in this paper. Areas severely affected by the 2002 El Nino phenomenon in southeastern Australia and southeastern Asia can be detected from the Level 3 monthly-mean data sets. The 2007 drought areas in southeastern US can also be seen. It is concluded that the MODIS near-IR water vapor products can be useful for establishing a long term water vapor climatology over global land surface areas.
The Effect of Aqueous Humor Suppressants on Intravitreal Gas Bubble Duration in Rabbits

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the effect of topical aqueous humor suppressants on the absorption of intravitreal perfluorocarbon gases. Methods: Sulfur hexafluoride or perfluoropropane was injected intravitreally in five rabbits. Time to gas disappearance was measured in eyes treated with topical aqueous humor suppressants and in those not treated. Results: The mean time (± SD) to disappearance of 0.4 cc of sulfur hexafluoride was 5.6 ± 0.9 days, which was prolonged by 43% to 8.0 ± 0.7 days with topical aqueous humor suppressants ( P = .009). The mean time (± SD) to disappearance of 0.2 cc of perfluoropropane was 18.4 ± 1.9 days, which was prolonged by 55% to 28.6 ± 2.7 days with topical aqueous humor suppressants ( P = .009). Conclusion: Aqueous suppressants prolong sulfur hexafluoride and perfluoropropane intravitreal gas bubble duration in rabbits.
Space and place in geographic decision making

Recent innovations in computer science seem in some ways to have undercut traditional objections to the use of computers in decision making. For example, if some argued that traditional programming promoted a mindset within which decision making itself was a linguistic and rigidly rule-guided process, new systems of object-oriented programming seem to offer a much richer image of thinking. Yet, in the case of geographic information systems (GISs), historical precedent, expressed in legal, cultural and institutional structures, renders it difficult to move from this rule-bound model. These matters are made more difficult by the way in which language and thinking are tightly linked to a very specific conception of space. Indeed, in GISs, the conceptions of space, reason and language can best be seen as fitting together in a self-supporting structure. In the end, this undercuts the possibility of understanding certain important features of human decision-making; at the same time, it prevents those involved in the use of GISs from benefiting from those recent developments that have "loosened" the conceptualization of decision making in information systems more generally.
A batch processing constant modulus algorithm

We present a batch processing constant modulus algorithm (BP-CMA) derived by a nonlinear optimization approach to minimizing the constant modulus (CM) criterion. BP-CMA is a line search iteration algorithm. The search direction may be taken as deepest descent direction or Newton direction. The exact step size is obtained from the roots of a cubic equation. The initial value is calculated by using the eigenvectors of the signal subspace. The BP-CMA with the Newton direction has a fast convergence rate and can converge to the minima of the CM criterion after a few iterations.
Right-lower-quadrant pain and suspected appendicitis in pregnant women: evaluation with MR imaging--initial experience.

PURPOSE: To determine if there is a role for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in evaluation of pregnant women with acute right-lower-quadrant pain in whom acute appendicitis is suspected. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Informed consent and institutional review board approval were obtained. Images obtained with a 1.5-T MR imager and medical records of 23 pregnant women (age range, 19–34 years; mean age, 24.7 years) who presented with acute right-lower-quadrant pain were retrospectively reviewed. MR protocol included use of transverse, coronal, and sagittal noncontiguous T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo (SE) sequences; transverse fat-suppressed T2-weighted fast SE sequences; transverse T1-weighted gradient-recalled-echo sequences; and transverse and coronal short inversion time inversion-recovery sequences performed through the lower abdomen and pelvis. MR findings were evaluated by two radiologists and compared with surgical and pathologic findings and clinical follow-up data. RESULTS: Appendix was detected i...
Bayesian Analysis of Abandonment in Call Center Operations

In this paper, we consider the modeling and the inference of abandonment behavior in call centers. We present several time to event modeling strategies, develop Bayesian inference for posterior and predictive analyses, and discuss implications on call center staffing. Different family of distributions, piecewise time to abandonment models, and mixture models are introduced, and their posterior analysis with censored abandonment data is carried out using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. We illustrate the implementation of the proposed models using real call center data, present additional insights that can be obtained from the Bayesian analysis, and discuss implications for different customer profiles. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Passive Exercise of the Hind Limbs after Complete Thoracic Transection of the Spinal Cord Promotes Cortical Reorganization

Physical exercise promotes neural plasticity in the brain of healthy subjects and modulates pathophysiological neural plasticity after sensorimotor loss, but the mechanisms of this action are not fully understood. After spinal cord injury, cortical reorganization can be maximized by exercising the non-affected body or the residual functions of the affected body. However, exercise per se also produces systemic changes – such as increased cardiovascular fitness, improved circulation and neuroendocrine changes – that have a great impact on brain function and plasticity. It is therefore possible that passive exercise therapies typically applied below the level of the lesion in patients with spinal cord injury could put the brain in a more plastic state and promote cortical reorganization. To directly test this hypothesis, we applied passive hindlimb bike exercise after complete thoracic transection of the spinal cord in adult rats. Using western blot analysis, we found that the level of proteins associated with plasticity – specifically ADCY1 and BDNF – increased in the somatosensory cortex of transected animals that received passive bike exercise compared to transected animals that received sham exercise. Using electrophysiological techniques, we then verified that neurons in the deafferented hindlimb cortex increased their responsiveness to tactile stimuli delivered to the forelimb in transected animals that received passive bike exercise compared to transected animals that received sham exercise. Passive exercise below the level of the lesion, therefore, promotes cortical reorganization after spinal cord injury, uncovering a brain-body interaction that does not rely on intact sensorimotor pathways connecting the exercised body parts and the brain.
Investigating Allegations of Pointshaving in NCAA Basketball Using Actual Sportsbook Betting Percentages

Detailed gambling market data are used to investigate allegations of pointshaving in college basketball by Wolfers. Data on actual sportsbook betting percentages on favorites and underdogs and changes in pointspreads are used to test for evidence of corruption by players and/or coaches of NCAA basketball teams. After establishing a rejection of the balanced book hypothesis, the authors test for corruption in a variety of ways by investigating the games that Wolfers describes as likely situations for pointshaving, specifically games involving big underdogs. In a variety of tests, which include differences in betting percentages on big underdogs who cover and do not cover the pointspread, betting simulations based on thresholds of percentage bet on underdogs, analysis of pointspread movements toward big underdogs, and an analysis of coaches and programs that meet the conditions of Wolfers, little evidence is found to suggest rampant pointshaving in this market.
Further Studies of the Drumming Behavior of North American Perlidae (Plecoptera)

The drumming of Acroneuria evoluta and Doroneuria baumanni is described for the first time, and additional signals of A. lycorias and Phasganophora capitata are reported. The three-way signals of A. evoluta are the most complex yet reported in Plecoptera; males call with diphasic signals produced by combinations of abdominal tapping and rubbing, females answer with 4.8 ± 1.5 beats spaced at 48.0 ± 4.2 ms intervals and males reply with tapping signals of 5.9 ± 0.8 beats. Male D. baumanni call with two prolonged rubs of the hammer on the substratum, and females answer with 9.1 ± 0.7 beats spaced at 129.6 ± 5.0 ms. Females also occasionally drum without a male call stimulus. P. capitata males call with tapping signals of 14.0 ± 5.5 beats spaced at 411.9 ± 19.9 ms, and females answer with an unusually long sequence of 145.1 ± 54.5 beats having 418.1 ± 33.5 ms intervals. Female A. lycorias answer taped male signals with 5.8 ± 1.3 beats having 50.9 ± 7.6 ms intervals. Out-group comparisons utilizing drumming data from 50 North American species in eight families indicate that drumming signal production by rubbing in some Perlidae is a derived character. Ancestral and derived expressions of almost all the basic character states known for drumming in Plecoptera are exhibited in the 16 Nearctic Perlidae species whose signals have been described.
Abstract A63: Combination aspirin and/or calcium chemoprevention with colonoscopy in colorectal cancer prevention: Cost-effectiveness analyses

Background: Evidence from large-scale studies has shown that low dose aspirin and calcium are effective low risk strategies for primary prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC). We analyzed the cost-effectiveness of combination aspirin and calcium chemoprevention used with colonoscopy for primary prevention of CRC, using population-based compliance rates. Methods: Cost-effectiveness of prevention strategies was compared using Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations of a hypothetical population with 100,000 persons starting at 50 years of age with a colonoscopy compliance rate of 50%. Once adenomas were detected, colonoscopy was repeated every 4 years until no adenomas recurred. Our data sources included state transition rates, CRC incidence, and treatment complication rates determined from existing literature. Age-adjusted US standard population mortality rates were used and costs were estimated from Medicare reimbursement data. The target population was US adults, ages 50 to 75, for whom primary CRC prevention methods are recommended within the general population. Results: Outcome measures included incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, life-years saved, and cancer-free years saved. Compared to no screening, colonoscopy with aspirin and colonoscopy with both aspirin and calcium were the most cost-effective strategies based on cancer-free years saved. In terms of overall life-years saved, colonoscopy with and without aspirin were the most cost-effective options. Conclusion: Given its strong positive effect, an aspirin-calcium regimen should be recommended for use in primary colorectal cancer prevention, especially when colonoscopy is also utilized. Impact: Cost-effectiveness analysis is a valid tool for comparing multiple chemoprevention/screening strategies in a population. Citation Format: Barbara C. Pence, Eric J. Belasco, Conrad P. Lyford. Combination aspirin and/or calcium chemoprevention with colonoscopy in colorectal cancer prevention: Cost-effectiveness analyses. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2012 Oct 16-19; Anaheim, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Prev Res 2012;5(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A63.
Roles for retrotransposon insertions in human disease

Over evolutionary time, the dynamic nature of a genome is driven, in part, by the activity of transposable elements (TE) such as retrotransposons. On a shorter time scale it has been established that new TE insertions can result in single-gene disease in an individual. In humans, the non-LTR retrotransposon Long INterspersed Element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) is the only active autonomous TE. In addition to mobilizing its own RNA to new genomic locations via a “copy-and-paste” mechanism, LINE-1 is able to retrotranspose other RNAs including Alu, SVA, and occasionally cellular RNAs. To date in humans, 124 LINE-1-mediated insertions which result in genetic diseases have been reported. Disease causing LINE-1 insertions have provided a wealth of insight and the foundation for valuable tools to study these genomic parasites. In this review, we provide an overview of LINE-1 biology followed by highlights from new reports of LINE-1-mediated genetic disease in humans.
Integrated simulation environment for anti-submarine warfare

Building integrated simulation environment is an effective approach to meet multiple requirements for anti-submarine warfare(ASW) simulation.By analyzing the requirements,an integrated simulation environment for anti-submarine warfare(ISEASW) was constructed,the system architecture was presented,and the functions were described in detail.Some key points such as acoustic information processing were discussed,which are encountered in the course of realizing ISEASW.The creation of a simulation application utilizing ISEASW was discussed.With the characteristics of expandability and generality,ISEASW provides powerful support for the research into the anti-submarine warfare,and has broad application prospect.
AutoCAD in der Hochschullehre

AutoCAD, das Flaggschiff im PC-CAD Markt hat sich dank den gezielten Anstrengungen des Herstellers Autodesk mehr und mehr zum Standard in der Industrie und an Ausbildungsstellen etabliert. Was war die Idee? John Walker, Hauptgrunder und Mentor von Autodesk schlug vor, ein Unternehmen zu grunden, mit dem Ziel, exzellente Software fur die neu aufkommenden PCs zu schreiben. Die 13 Programmierer aus den USA und Europa entschlossen sich daraufhin im Jahre 1982, mit einem Startkapital von 59.000$ die Autodesk zu grunden. Jeder der 13 Programmierer arbeitete weiter als Consultant oder Angestellter, um sein tagliches Brot zu verdienen. Bezog doch jeder lediglich einen symbolischen Jahresgehalt von 1$, in der Hoffnung, in zwei bis drei Jahren so weit zu sein, sich richtige Gehalter auszahlen und sich dann von anderen Consulting-Jobs zuruckziehen zu konnen. Im Herbst schlieslich gingen die Grunder mit allem, was bis dahin entwickelt wurde, an die COMDEX, eine amerikanische Computershow in Las Vegas. Der Erfolg war uberwaltigend. Die Besucher uberrannten beinahe den Stand, als sie das Zeichnungspaket sahen. Es war zwar bekannt, das die PCs grafikfahig waren. Das aber Zeichnen wie auf einem grossen System moglich sein sollte, uberstieg ihre Fantasie. Aufgrund dieses Erfolges liesen die Grunder von Autodesk alle anderen Projekte fallen und machten sich daran, das Zeichnungspaket (immer noch ohne Namen) zur Marktreife zu bringen. 1m November 1982 wurde das Paket “AutoCAD” getauft, und bereits einen Monat spater erfolgte die weltweit erste Installation. Mit der 1984 freigegebenen AutoCAD Version 2.0 konnten im selben Jahr welt–weit 10.000 Arbeitsplatze installiert werden. Im Laufe der Zeit folgten weiterentwickelte Versionen. Mit dem aktuellen AutoCAD Release 10, nun auch basierend auf 80386 Systeme, ist Autodesk jetzt – Stand September 1990 – weltweit bei ca. 410.000 Installationen angelangt.
Metabolism of Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate to Higher Inositol Phosphates in Bovine Adrenal Cytosol

The metabolism of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate to inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate was studied in a cytosolic fraction prepared from the bovine adrenal cortex. The activity of the partially purified inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase was dependent on Ca2+/calmodulin, Mg2+, and pH, and was inhibited by 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate. The enzyme exhibited Michaelis-Menten behavior toward its two substrates, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and ATP, with Km values of 0.42 mumol/L and 0.4 mmol/L, respectively. The presence of other inositol-phosphate metabolizing enzymes in the cytosolic fraction was indicated by the appearance of additional inositol polyphosphates during prolonged incubation with inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. These included inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate, inositol 1,3,4,6-tetrakisphosphate, and inositol pentakisphosphate. These findings are consistent with the rapid phosphorylation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate to the 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate by the calcium/calmodulin-dependent 3-kinase, and its subsequent conversion to inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate and thence to inositol 1,3,4,6-tetrakisphosphate in angiotensin-stimulated bovine glomerulosa cells. The formation of inositol pentakisphosphate during prolonged incubations suggests that inositol 1,3,4,6-tetrakisphosphate is slowly phosphorylated and serves as a source of inositol pentakisphosphate in the adrenal. The metabolic conversion of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate to several higher inositol polyphosphates provides potential new messengers for intracellular regulation in agonist-stimulated target cells.
Abstraction and problem solving in an undergraduate electrical engineering circuits course

The ability to solve problems is a critical skill in all undergraduate engineering curricula. Students' capacity for problem solving is complicated by the fact that higher level reasoning skills, including the capacity for abstraction, are not innate in a person until the mid-twenties or later. The results of an exploratory study that looked at students' episodes of reasoning when solving problems in a sophomore level electrical circuits course are presented. Students' problem solving attempts are analyzed using the representation mapping framework developed by Hahn and Chater that is based on store representations of knowledge and how they are applied. This framework distinguishes between similarity and rules-based cognitive processes, and accounts for memory-bank, rules-based, similarity-based and prototype types of reasoning. Students were asked to think aloud when solving specific problems selected by the course instructor. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed in detail to identify the types of reasoning and the degree of abstraction in the students' problem solving attempts. This study demonstrated that representation mapping is useful framework for studying students' problem solving skills in electrical engineering.
Lifting subgroups of symplectic groups over

For a positive integer g, let $$\mathrm {Sp}_{2g}(R)$$ Sp 2 g ( R ) denote the group of $$2g \times 2g$$ 2 g × 2 g symplectic matrices over a ring R. Assume $$g \ge 2$$ g ≥ 2 . For a prime number $$\ell $$ l , we give a self-contained proof that any closed subgroup of $$\mathrm {Sp}_{2g}(\mathbb {Z}_\ell )$$ Sp 2 g ( Z l ) which surjects onto $$\mathrm {Sp}_{2g}(\mathbb {Z}/\ell \mathbb {Z})$$ Sp 2 g ( Z / l Z ) must in fact equal all of $$\mathrm {Sp}_{2g}(\mathbb {Z}_\ell )$$ Sp 2 g ( Z l ) . The result and the method of proof are both motivated by group-theoretic considerations that arise in the study of Galois representations associated to abelian varieties.
Comparison of Pediatric and Adult Systemic Reactions to Subcutaneous Immunotherapy

Background Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) has been used to treat allergic rhinitis for over a century, and current regimens have wide variability with an array of practice styles and dosing strategies. Although there are some statements about contraindications and cautions, no specific formal age- or weight-based dosing guidelines are utilized when administering SCIT. Objective The primary objective of this study was to estimate the overall incidence rate of any reaction to SCIT and to consider the severity of the reaction by grade in children and adults. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted to document the number and severity of episodes of systemic reactions (SRs) in pediatric and adult subjects. Crude incidence rates were estimated as the number of SRs relative to the total injections administered. Adjusted incidence rate ratios were generated using a generalized estimating equation approach, which accounted for multiple visits within subjects. Results The incidence rate for any SR was 0.2%. The unadjusted incidence rate of any SR was significantly higher in children compared with adults ( P P P Conclusions These results suggest that current SCIT practices are associated with a higher rate of SRs, specifically of grade 1 and 2 SRs, in children than adults. Further studies are necessary to evaluate if changes in dosing strategies for children, such as a lower starting dose, a decrease in target maintenance dose, or a slower build-up phase, are warranted.
On the icy edge at Louth and Korolev craters

Abstract The modern climate of Mars has been well characterized from over a decade of orbiting spacecraft, in situ measurements via landers/rovers, and theoretical advances in climate modeling. Nonetheless, important questions remain unanswered, including the present-day mass balance of the north polar residual cap and its icy outliers. Exposed water-ice mounds are found in craters, and extend as far equatorward as 70.2°N. Due to their southerly location, these ice mounds are likely more sensitive to ongoing changes in climate. We analyze high-resolution images of the Louth crater ice mound, and employ a coupled 1-D thermal and atmospheric model to estimate annual mass balance of both Louth and Korolev water ice. We incorporate the effects of shallowly-sloping surfaces and seasonally-dependent water ice albedo. No clear trend in the advance or retreat of Louth crater water ice is observed in over 4 Mars years of repeat, high-resolution images. Secular changes are either sufficiently small as to not be detected, or the ice is in equilibrium. Modeled mass balance ranges from −6 to +2 mm of water ice per Mars year at both sites, with nominal cases being in near-equilibrium (
Auxetic metamaterials from disordered networks

Recent theoretical work suggests that systematic pruning of disordered networks consisting of nodes connected by springs can lead to materials that exhibit a host of unusual mechanical properties. In particular, global properties such as Poisson's ratio or local responses related to deformation can be precisely altered. Tunable mechanical responses would be useful in areas ranging from impact mitigation to robotics and, more generally, for creation of metamaterials with engineered properties. However, experimental attempts to create auxetic materials based on pruning-based theoretical ideas have not been successful. Here we introduce a more realistic model of the networks, which incorporates angle-bending forces and the appropriate experimental boundary conditions. A sequential pruning strategy of select bonds in this model is then devised and implemented that enables engineering of specific mechanical behaviors upon deformation, both in the linear and in the nonlinear regimes. In particular, it is shown that Poisson's ratio can be tuned to arbitrary values. The model and concepts discussed here are validated by preparing physical realizations of the networks designed in this manner, which are produced by laser cutting 2D sheets and are found to behave as predicted. Furthermore, by relying on optimization algorithms, we exploit the networks' susceptibility to tuning to design networks that possess a distribution of stiffer and more compliant bonds and whose auxetic behavior is even greater than that of homogeneous networks. Taken together, the findings reported here serve to establish that pruned networks represent a promising platform for the creation of unique mechanical metamaterials.
Effects of sealant and self-etching primer on enamel decalcification. Part I: An in-vitro study

Introduction A self-etching primer (SEP) saves valuable time by eliminating the many steps required to etch, rinse, and place a sealant before application of the adhesive and placement of the bracket. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a conventional etch and sealant (CES) and a SEP on enamel decalcification in vivo. Methods Twenty-five patients who required comprehensive orthodontic treatment were included in this study. Before bonding, enamel surfaces were treated with either a CES (Light Bond, Reliance Orthodontic Products, Itasca, Ill) or a SEP (Transbond Plus, 3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif) by using a split-arch technique. At the end of the observation period (18-24 months), the O'Leary plaque index was used to determine patients' oral-hygiene compliance, and enamel decalcification around the orthodontic bracket was scored based on the amount and severity of decalcification. Scanning electron microscopy images and x-ray spectrum analysis were performed to examine the etched pattern of the 2 bonding systems. Data were analyzed by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey-Kramer test; the confidence level was set at a significant level of P = 0.05. Results Significantly higher decalcification scores were found in the SEP group (27.5%) compared with the CES group (13.9%, P Conclusions Using a SEP might save chair time and improve cost-effectiveness, but it provides less resistance to enamel decalcification than a CES, especially in patients with poor oral hygiene.
Rethinking Skin Lesion Segmentation in a Convolutional Classifier

Melanoma is a fatal form of skin cancer when left undiagnosed. Computer-aided diagnosis systems powered by convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can improve diagnostic accuracy and save lives. CNNs have been successfully used in both skin lesion segmentation and classification. For reasons heretofore unclear, previous works have found image segmentation to be, conflictingly, both detrimental and beneficial to skin lesion classification. We investigate the effect of expanding the segmentation border to include pixels surrounding the target lesion. Ostensibly, segmenting a target skin lesion will remove inessential information, non-lesion skin, and artifacts to aid in classification. Our results indicate that segmentation border enlargement produces, to a certain degree, better results across all metrics of interest when using a convolutional based classifier built using the transfer learning paradigm. Consequently, preprocessing methods which produce borders larger than the actual lesion can potentially improve classifier performance, more than both perfect segmentation, using dermatologist created ground truth masks, and no segmentation altogether.
Laser continuum source atomic absorption spectroscopy: Measuring the ground state with nanosecond resolution in laser-induced plasmas

Abstract A new dual-beam atomic absorption technique is applied to laser-induced plasmas. The technique uses an optical parametric oscillator pseudocontinuum, producing emission that is both wider than the absorption line profile, but narrow enough to allow the use of an echelle spectrograph without order sorting. The dual-beam-in space implementation makes the technique immune to nonspecific attenuation of the probe beam and the structure of the pseudocontinuum. The potential for plasma diagnostics is demonstrated with spatially and temporally resolved measurements of magnesium metastable and lithium ground state optical depths in a laser-induced plasma under reduced pressure conditions. The lithium measurements further demonstrate the technique's potential for isotope ratio measurements.
Discounting of Past and Future Rewards of Texas Hold’em Gamblers

The present study investigated the delay discounting of future and past monetary rewards by Texas Hold’em Poker gamblers. While present at a poker tournament, eight participants completed three del...
Enhancing microprocessor immunity to power supply noise with clock-data compensation

This paper demonstrates an alternative to the conventional wisdom that microprocessors require a flat impedance spectrum across a broad range of frequencies in order to deliver maximum operating frequency. Delivering this impedance requires large amounts of on-die capacitance. We show through extensive analysis techniques that proper co-design of the clock and power distribution networks can relax this requirement, saving the area and leakage power needed for on-die decoupling. Measurements made on 130- and 180-nm processors validate the approach.
User Experiences with Personal Intelligent Agents: A Sensory, Physical, Functional and Cognitive Affordances View

The interaction between users and their personal intelligent agents like Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, and Google Home is getting more personal, therefore raising questions about the ethical obligations of technology companies. Thus, a thorough examination of users' experiences with these agents is indispensable. After all, it is merely the interaction between the human actor and the system that enables the artifact to be of consequence. This study uses an affordances lens to explore such use patterns. We qualitatively analyze 232 interviews with personal intelligent agents' users. The results reveal sensory affordances that support functional ones (hands-free and eyes-free use, familiarity and emotional connection) and dominate the users' experience with these agents. We also detect cognitive (personalization and learning from interactions), functional (speedy assistance and usefulness), and physical affordances (potential improvement). These findings have implications for researchers and practitioners alike seeking to understand usability patterns and challenges resulting from the integration of Apple's Siri, Google Now, Amazon's Echo and Microsoft's Cortana into users' everyday life.