cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional data analysis in the use of eyebrow shape as a biometric indicator in face recognition

This paper reports the use of eyebrow shape as a point feature for face recognition in the identity sciences. An approach to quantifying eyebrow shape and results of an experiment to test how human perceptions of eyebrow shape qualitative analyses compare with quantitative analyses i.e., computer generated algorithms of eyebrow shape are discussed. The aim is to develop a method for face identification using a point feature, such as the eyebrow, in as much as face images used in forensic face image comparisons may be obscured due to sunglasses or head coverings, or indiscernible due to pose or lighting issues. Results showed that functional data analysis was successful in interpreting eyebrow shape from digitised face images, and that computer-classified i.e., quantitative analyses eyebrow shapes were more reliable than human perception i.e., qualitative analyses as a relatively high level of human subjectivity was evident from findings of a two-trial experiment on eyebrow classification.
Capital gains tax policy and the behavior of common stock returns

Abstract Consistent with the ‘lock-in’ effect empirically documented in the economic literature and developed in theoretical work by Stiglitz, we find evidence of an increase in stock market volatility following an increase in the capital gains tax rate. We further observe a corresponding decrease in volatility subsequent to a reduction in the capital gains tax rate. We also note an inverse relationship between stock market trading volume and the tax rate on capital gains that is further consistent with the lock-in effect.
Possible effects of the synthetic amino acid, L-ethionine, on memory in rats.

Abstract Two experiments to explore the behavioral effects of injections of the synthetic amino acid L-ethionine indicated that this drug interferes with the performance of a learned passive avoidance response. Additionally, this deficit was found to occur in the absence of detectable changes in gross motor activity. Because this effect was found when the drug was injected near the time of training, but not when it was injected before testing, and because the effect was found to persist after the drug is believed to have been eliminated from the blood stream, the data were interpreted as reflecting a possible effect upon some aspect of memory functioning.
Choroidal endothelial cells transmigrate across the retinal pigment epithelium but do not proliferate in response to soluble vascular endothelial growth factor

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of soluble VEGF on human choroidal endothelial cell (CEC) transmigration across an RPE monolayer as it relates to choroidal neovascularization in AMD. In coculture assays, ARPE-19 (ARPE) was plated on the undersides of Transwell inserts having 0.4 microm pores. Primary human CECs were then plated into the insert. CECs in the Transwell inserts were counted after 72 hr of growth. CEC proliferation was also measured after culturing CECs in ARPE-CEC coculture-conditioned media or in media with exogenous VEGF121 and/or VEGF165 added. Transmigration assays were performed on Transwells with 8.0 microm pores: green-labelled CECs were plated in Transwell inserts with or without red-labelled ARPE plated on the undersides of the insert. In some transmigration assays, ARPE was plated into the wells to provide a chemotactic gradient for CEC transmigration. After 72 hr CECs were plated, green cells were counted either within the well media as CECs that transmigrated the epithelial monolayer, or on the underside of the insert as CECs that transmigrated the Transwell insert to but not beyond the ARPE monolayer. A neutralizing antibody to VEGF was added to the wells of Transwells at the time the CECs were plated in the insert and transmigrated CECs were counted. VEGF protein was measured in the conditioned media of ARPE and CEC coculture and in transmigration assays. Compared to control, CEC proliferation significantly increased when CECs were cultured in coculture conditioned media (p=0.001) or in coculture assays (p<0.001). However, there was no effect on CEC proliferation when VEGF121, VEGF165, or both were added to solo CECs. Antibody to VEGF did not reduce the proliferative effects of coculture conditioned media on CEC. ARPE plated in the well significantly increased CEC transmigration (p<0.001) compared to transmigration assays without ARPE in the well. VEGF protein measured in the well media of transmigration assays having ARPE within the well was significantly greater than in the assays without ARPE within the well (p<0.004). Exogenous neutralizing antibody to VEGF significantly reduced transmigration, and this effect was dose-dependent. VEGF provides a chemotactic gradient for human CECs to transmigrate across a monolayer of ARPE. Neutralization of VEGF in the media partially reduces transmigration. Whereas soluble VEGF does not increase proliferation of solo CECs, coculture conditioned media enhances proliferation, suggesting that growth factors other than VEGF cause CEC proliferation. These findings may have relevance to the transformation of occult CNV into CNV within the neurosensory retina in AMD.
Left-axis deviation and adiposity: The United States health and nutrition examination survey

The influence of body fatness on the direction of the electrocardiographic mean frontal plane QRS axis was investigated in a nationally representative population of 6,913 adults aged 25 to 74 years (the U.S. Health and Nutrition Examination Survey). Adiposity was measured as skinfold thickness and the mean frontal QRS axis was determined by computer analysis of limb lead vectors. A significant leftward shift of the mean QRS axis occurred with increasing fatness in both men and women (p less than 0.001) and was independent of age and blood pressure. However, this association was confined to the range of normal QRS axis. The prevalence of left-axis deviation (LAD) (QRS axis of -30 degrees or less) was not higher among those with greater measures of body fatness. There were no significant differences in mean age-adjusted skinfold thickness, height, weight or chest circumference between those with LAD and those with a normal QRS axis. Thus, although the direction of the mean frontal QRS axis is influenced significantly by body fatness throughout the normal QRS axis range, this association is lost as the QRS axis becomes abnormally deviated to the left. An ECG demonstrating LAD obtained from an obese person probably represents a true abnormality and not merely a reflection of adiposity.
Transnationality as a fluid social identity

How does the concept of transnationalism fit within the framework of social identity? What is the relationship between ‘diaspora’ and ‘transnationalism’? Do transnational migrants define themselves as such, or are they labelled by others (researchers of simply ‘others’)? These are some of the questions we will try to answer in this paper by discussing the concept of ‘transnationalism’ through the lenses of several perspectives drawn from sociology, anthropology, psychology and political science. We want to highlight what is characteristic of ‘transnationalism’ as a concept by integrating it within the larger perspective of social identity and by comparing and contrasting it with nation/nationalism and diaspora. While belonging to one group implies exclusions from other comparable groups, we see transnationalism as fitting well within the postmodern idea of fluid identity, where defining one's self depends on the audiences without affecting the ‘true’ meaning of self.
Profiles in Bilingualism: Factors Influencing Kindergartners’ Language Proficiency

Three common assumptions concerning bilingual children’s language proficiency are: (1) their proficiency in two languages is usually unbalanced; (2) low socioeconomic status (SES) indicates low proficiency in both languages; and (3) encouraging parents to speak some societal language at home will promote its development. Examining the vocabulary scores of 282 bilingual Singaporean kindergartners (167 Chinese, 70 Malay, and 45 Tamil), the current study found that these young children were evenly divided among four language profiles: strong in ethnic language (Chinese, Malay or Tamil) or English, strong in both languages, or weak in both. Children with high proficiency in both languages were proportionally represented in the low, middle and high SES groups, demonstrating the achievability of strong vocabulary in two languages for children of different SES. However, low SES children were most at risk for low proficiency in both languages, although many achieved high proficiency in ethnic language or both. Middle and high SES children were most likely to demonstrate low ethnic language with high English proficiency. Children mostly exposed to one language from different sources generally showed strength in that language. Children exposed to both languages at home were most likely to show low proficiency in both languages, although plenty of children exposed to both languages developed high proficiency in English or both. These results affirm previous findings that SES and home language exposure influence bilingual children’s proficiency. Implications include the importance of teachers assessing bilingual children’s proficiency in both languages and collaborating with parents to develop bilingual children’s vocabulary.
Scar Revision Review

Scars are a natural part of dermal healing following lacerations, incisions, or tissue loss. They can vary in quality depending on the individual's racial characteristics, the mechanism of the trauma, and conditions in which the wound healed-all of which are factors beyond the surgeon's control. A scar on the face can have significant implications for the patient. What may seem like an insignificant issue to the casual observer can cause continuous frustration for the patient, affecting their daily lives. These can include psychological as well as social consequences, leading to a diminished quality of life. Factors that the surgeon can control include the favorable repositioning of the scar, proper alignment of the wound edges, and meticulous handling of the tissues.
Modulations in pallidal local field potentials in the systemic 1-methyl-4-phenyl-l, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine nonhuman primate model of Parkinson's disease during a voluntary reaching task

This case-study characterizes the changes in neuronal activity that occur within the globus pallidus (GP) in the behaving systemic 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) nonhuman primate model of Parkinson's disease (PD) while on and off dopaminergic therapy. Local field potentials (LFP) were recorded from a scaled 8-contact deep brain stimulation (DBS) lead during a center-out reaching task. Spectral LFP activity and reach behavior were correlated with parkinsonian motor signs and changes in behavior during dopaminergic treatment. Dopamine therapy i) increased reaction time and decreased reach time, ii) shortened the onset-times of LFP synchronization and desynchronization during reaction time, and iii) eliminated desynchronization of the high beta band. These findings suggest that dopamine-induced improvement in bradykinesia is related to a change in the pattern of synchronized oscillatory activity in GP.
The Phenomenon of Belarus: A Book Review Essay

native and citizen of Belarus, Yuriy Shevtsov (2005) has written a book for the purpose of introducing that country to the intellectual communities of Russia.2 To be sure, Russians are aware of their western neighbor. Recent surveys (IISEPS, 2005) have shown that when foreign countries are ranked according to degree of friendliness, Belarus tops the list in Russia, and Russia in Belarus. Since 1997, the two countries have been building a union. Although it is still unclear what shape this union will eventually take, efforts to achieve it have generated publicity. Thus while Belarus is not terra incognita, all too many Russians do not recognize it as an ethno-national entity in its own right. Limited recognition of Belarus’ separateness is caused in part by the overwhelming dominance of the Russian language in Belarus. Also, adept at stereotyping all former republics as inherently backward and vitally dependent on Russia, many Russians do not view Belarus as an exception. Another problem is that in Russia, President Aleksandr Lukashenka of Belarus’ is a polarizing figure, a “divider, not a uniter.” Despised by liberals, he is praised by national patriots for his allegedly Pan-Slavic pronouncements and loyalty to the Soviet legacy, including Stalinism. Yet neither end of Russia’s political spectrum seems likely to take Lukashenka for what he most likely is: the president of a sovereign country whose aspirations may have something to do with that country’s own peculiarities and mindset. This, in a nutshell, is the context that Yury Shevtsov confronts in his book. “We, Belarusians, are a separate people, and we are different from you” is the message this book sends to its Russian readers. A historian by training, Shevtsov is a gifted author with experience in journalism. In the introduction, he acknowledges that to refrain entirely from discussing Belarus’ leader in a book devoted to that country may be a failing proposition. So much, however, has been already said about Lukashenka, “irritating quite a few people and almost everybody in advanced countries” (p. 8), that the country over which he presides has all but disappeared from view. “A leader, though, cannot but draw from the socio-economic structure of his society, cannot but be part of its people’s culture and part-and-parcel of local political tradition. . . . However, just because Alexander Lukashenka derives from the phenomenon of Belarus, the analysis of this phenomenon may avoid too intent a look at this politician” (p. 9). Shevtsov transforms this statement into a commitment, so that Lukashenka’s presence in the book is reduced to a minimum. This, however, does not mean that components of Belarus’ success under his leadership are spared attention. According to Shevtsov, one such component is the stability of the country’s political system and another is its economic growth. Growth has been recorded annually since 1996, and in 2004, it was 11 percent (World Bank, 2005).
Treatment of refractory benign biliary stenoses in liver transplant patients by placement and retrieval of a temporary stent-graft: work in progress.

PURPOSE To evaluate patency of refractory benign biliary strictures in liver transplant patients treated with retrievable stentgrafts. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eight male liver transplant patients who ranged in age from 42 to 52 years developed nine symptomatic biliary strictures (intrahepatic left duct, 1; hilar, 2; anastomotic, 6). These strictures had recurred despite multiple previous attempts of treatment ( n = 33), including angioplasty ( n = 27), surgery ( n = 1), atherectomy ( n = 1), metallic stent ( n = 1), and prolonged catheter drainage ( n = 3). As an alternative method of treatment for these refractory biliary strictures, transhepatic placement of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene stent-grafts across the strictures was performed through 10-F sheaths. In total, 14 stent-grafts were placed to treat the nine lesions, and nine of these stent-grafts were subsequently retrieved through 12–16-F sheaths. RESULTS Stent-grafts were deployed successfully. Delayed migrations in two patients required additional stent-graft placement. One patient died of pneumonia 1 month after stent-graft placement; the remaining seven patients had stent-grafts successfully removed at 3–10 months (mean, 5.6 months). Nine intended stentgraft retrievals were performed successfully, with two requiring use of elongated forceps. Immediately after treatment, all strictures were widely patent. Five to 6 months after stent-graft removal in these seven patients, significant strictures recurred in four of eight lesions (50%). One patient underwent surgical revision. At 6–29 months (mean, 12 months) after stent-graft removal, the remaining six patients were without clinical or laboratory evidence of biliary obstruction, despite three patients with significant recurrent strictures. CONCLUSION Temporary stent-graft placement for treatment of benign biliary strictures in liver transplant patients is technically feasible. Longer follow-up with larger patient series is necessary to assess effectiveness and possible broader applications.
The fragility of cardiovascular clinical trial results

Abstract Background: Clinical trials that have their prospective analysis plan altered are difficult to interpret. Methods and Results: After providing 4 examples of problematic trial results that have had their findings reversed, the necessity of a fixed research protocol is developed. Investigators generally wish to extend the results from their research sample to the larger population; however, this delicate extension is complicated by the presence of sampling error. No computational or statistical tools can remove sampling error—the most that researchers can do is to provide to the medical and regulatory communities a measure of the distorting effect that sampling error can produce. Investigators accomplish this by providing an estimate of how likely it is that the population produced a misleading sample for them to study. However, studies in which the data determine the analysis plan damage these estimators. When they are damaged, these estimators produce untrustworthy assessments of the degree to which the study results reflect the population findings. Conclusions: The way to avoid these complications is to design the experiment carefully, then carefully execute the experiment as it was designed.
Chaotic activity in a mathematical model of the vagally driven sinoatrial node.

Phase-locking behavior and irregular dynamics were studied in a mathematical model of the sinus node driven with repetitive vagal input. The central region of the sinus node was simulated as a 15 x 15 array of resistively coupled pacemakers with each cell randomly assigned one of 10 intrinsic cycle lengths (range 290-390 msec). Coupling of the pacemakers resulted in their mutual entrainment to a common frequency and the emergence of a dominant pacemaker region. Repetitive acetylcholine (ACh; vagal) pulses were applied to a randomly selected 60% of the cells. Over a wide range of stimulus intensities and basic cycle lengths, such perturbations resulted in a large variety of stimulus/response patterns, including phase locking (1:1, 3:2, 2:1, etc.) and irregular (i.e., chaotic) dynamics. At a low ACh concentration (1 microM), the patterns followed the typical Farey sequence of phase-locked behavior. At a higher concentration (5 microM), period doubling and aperiodic patterns were found. When a single pacemaker cell was perturbed with repetitive ACh pulses, qualitatively similar results were obtained. In both types of simulation, chaotic behavior was investigated using phase-plane (orbital) plots, Poincare mapping, and return mapping. Period-doubling bifurcations (2:2, 4:4, and 8:8) were found temporally and spatially within the array. Under certain conditions of stimulation, the attractor in the return map during chaotic activity of the single cell resembled the Lorenz tent map. However, when electrical coupling between cells was allowed, the interactions with neighboring cells exhibiting chaotic dynamics resulted in characteristic alterations of the attractor geometry. Our results suggest that irregular dynamics obeying the rules derived from other chaotic systems are present during vagal stimulation of the sinus node. In addition, application of the same analytical tools to the analysis of simulation of reflex vagal control of sinus rate suggests that chaotic dynamics can be obtained in the physiologically relevant case of the baroreceptor reflex loop. These results may provide insight into the mechanisms of dynamic vagal control of heart rate and may help to provide insights into clinically relevant disturbances of cardiac rate and rhythm.
TDRC-a symbolic simulation based design for testability rules checker

A symbolic simulation methodology that can be used to verify a set of standard scan-path-based, ad hoc, and boundary-scan design-for-testability (DFT) rules is proposed, and a DFT rule checker, TDRC (testability design rule checker), that uses this methodology is described. In this methodology, symbolic tokens are used to represent the types of signals applied to the primary inputs of the circuit, and, in a process analogous to simulation, these tokens are propagated through the circuit using a set of simulation rules. A check is then made to verify that the required tokens have been propagated to each scan element and that only allowed tokens have reached particular element and circuit ports. The proposed simulation methodology differs from previous path-tracing approaches in that symbolic tokens are propagated to the output of an object, possibly in modified form, depending on the other tokens reaching both the inputs and the logical function of the object. TDRC has been successfully used to identify real problems in real ASIC (application-specific integrated-circuit designs). >
Isolation of adenovirus type 5 host range deletion mutants defective for transformation of rat embryo cells

A series of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) deletion, insertion and substitution mutants, some of which are defective for transformation of rat cells, have been isolated. The mutants were selected as variants which lack the Xba I endonuclease cleavage site at 4 map units on the viral chromosome. The deletions range in size from 150-2300 bp and are located between 1.5 and 10.5 map units. The mutants can be propagated in 293 cells (Ad5-transformed human embryonic kidney cells), but are defective for growth in HeLa or human embryonic kidney cells. No viral DNA synthesis was observed in mutant virus-infected HeLa cells. All but one of the deletion mutants tested were defective for transformation of rat embryo and rat embryo brain cells.
Prophylaxis of Infective Endocarditis: Prevention of the Perfect Storm

Despite the availability of endocarditis prophylaxis guidelines for more than five decades, no prospective, randomised trial has ever been conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this practice. This fact, in combination with mixed results from case-control investigations and other factors, has prompted a re-evaluation of the appropriateness of the guidelines. The update provided herein highlights recent revisions in guidelines promulgated by different countries.
Emotional Competence in Children with Down Syndrome: Negativity and Regulation.

Abstract Although often described as temperamentally “easy” and sociable, children with Down syndrome also exhibit behavior problems. Affective development is important for social and behavioral competence. We examined negative affective expressions and a range of emotion regulation/coping strategies during a frustrating task in a sample of children with Down syndrome, nonspecific mental retardation, and typical development. Results revealed that children with Down syndrome displayed significantly more frustration and more orienting to the experimenter without asking for help. Typical children used more goal-directed strategies, including assistance-seeking and cognitive self-soothing. Findings suggest that children with Down syndrome may use a limited repertoire of strategies for coping with frustration. Suggestions for future intervention studies are provided.
Preemptibility in real-time operating systems

Real-time operating systems generally depend on some form of priority information for making scheduling decisions. Priorities may take the form of small integers or deadline times, for example, and the priorities indicate the preferred order for execution of the jobs. Unfortunately, most systems suffer from some degree of priority inversion where a high priority job must wait for a lower priority job to execute. The authors consider the nature of the nonpreemptible code sections, called critical sections or critical regions, which give rise to this priority inversion in the context of a soft real-time operating system where average response time for different priority classes is the primary performance metric. An analytical model is described which is used to illustrate how critical regions may affect the time-constrained jobs in a multimedia (soft real-time) task set. >
Changes in WNT/β-catenin pathway during regulated growth in rat liver regeneration

The wnt/β-catenin pathway is important during embryogenesis and carcinogenesis. β-Catenin interaction with E-cadherin has been shown to be crucial in cell-cell adhesion. We report novel findings in the wnt pathway during rat liver regeneration after 70% partial hepatectomy using Western blot analyses, immunoprecipitation studies, and immunofluorescence. We found wnt-1 and β-catenin proteins to be predominantly localized in hepatocytes. Immediately following partial hepatectomy, we observed an initial increase in β-catenin protein during the first 5 minutes with its translocation to the nucleus. We show this increase to be the result of decreased degradation of β-catenin (decrease in serine phosphorylated β-catenin) as seen by immunoprecipitation studies. We observed activation of β-catenin degradation complex comprising of adenomatous polyposis coli gene product (APC) and serine-phosphorylated axin protein, beginning at 5 minutes after hepatectomy, leading to its decreased levels after this time. Quantitative changes observed in E-cadherin protein during liver regeneration are, in general, reverse to those seen in β-catenin. In addition, using immunoprecipitation, we observe elevated levels of tyrosine-phosphorylated β-catenin at 6 hours onward. Thus, changes in the wnt pathway during regulated growth seem to tightly regulate cytosolic β-catenin levels and may be contributing to induce cell proliferation and target gene expression. Furthermore, these changes might also be intended to negatively regulate cell-cell adhesion for structural reorganization during the process of liver regeneration.
Spin-forbidden chemistry within the Breit-Pauli approximation

Abstract Recent advances in the computational techniques available to characterize spin-forbidden processes with the Breit-Pauli approximation are reviewed and the use of these techniques is illustrated. These computational advances include: (i) The use of symbolic matrix element techniques to evaluate matrix elements of the full microscopic spin-orbit Hamiltonian (both the spin-orbit and spin-other-orbit terms) and the dipolar spin-spin Hamiltonian. This approach permits the Breit-Pauli interaction to be characterized in terms of large configurations state functions (CSF) spaces ≥ 106 terms. (ii) The relativistic wavefunctions are determined, directly in the CSF basis, using quasi-degenerate perturbation theory. This approach avoids the computational bottleneck which occurs if the perturbed wavefunction is determined in the eigenstate basis of H0 the non-relativistic Born-Oppenheimer Hamiltonian. (iii) The use of a Lagrange-Newton, analytic gradient-Mcscf/CI wavefunction based, algorithm for determining ...
SPENCERIAN EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY IN DANIEL DERONDA

George Eliot, notoriously sensitive to criticism of her novels, received a reassuring letter from her publisher, John Blackwood, one month into the publication of Daniel Deronda (1876) in Books or Parts: Critics both public and private amuse me by their complaint that they do not quite understand Gwendolen. Did they wish you to lay down a chart of her character and fate on the first page? Did they ever fully know any human being at a first meeting or even after years of acquaintance? The objection is in reality the highest compliment, believing in fact the plainest confession of the interest excited. (GEL 6: 232) While Blackwood was certainly trying to flatter and calm an anxious, important client, this letter also highlights a central element of Eliot's final completed novel: the depth, development, and realism of its psychological portraiture. What made the psychology of Gwendolen Harleth especially, but the eponymous Daniel Deronda as well, resonate with discerning readers from that time to this? This essay argues that it is the same cause that frustrates many readers: Eliot's engagement with the most famous and scientifically integrated psychological theory of her time – Herbert Spencer’s.
Hormone replacement therapy and endothelial function: the exception that proves the rule?

The endothelium plays a central role in the regulation of vascular homeostasis by releasing paracrine factors that influence vascular tone, thrombosis, and inflammation in the arterial wall.1 A principal endothelial product responsible for homeostasis is nitric oxide (NO), which is synthesized by the endothelial isoform of NO synthase2 in response to a number of stimuli, including increased shear stress that accompanies increased arterial flow.3 Atherosclerosis and its risk factors are characterized by an impairment of endothelial NO-dependent vasodilation,1 and the magnitude of this defect in the coronary circulation predicts cardiovascular disease events, raising the possibility of a pathogenic relationship.4,5 See page 1955 This notion of a causal relation between endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular events is also supported by intervention data. For example, lipid-lowering therapy, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, smoking cessation, and exercise all reverse endothelial dysfunction and have proven benefitial against cardiovascular disease events.1 This concordance between improved endothelial function and reduced cardiovascular events has prompted speculation that changes in endothelial function are partially responsible for the benefits.6–8 Thus, endothelial dysfunction could potentially be used as a surrogate marker for cardiovascular disease risk in study of risk reduction therapies.3 Hormone replacement therapy has received considerable attention as a means for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. This interest was initially based on population-based studies linking a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease to hormone replacement therapy.9–11 Estrogen has many potential benefits, including favorable influence on serum lipids and thrombotic factors, and there is substantial evidence that …
Public Opinion and Nuclear Zero: A Domestic Constraint on Ditching the Bomb

Dating back to Harry S. Truman, a number of presidents and prominent political leaders have tried, in some way or another, to reduce the reliance on nuclear weapons in U.S. foreign policy. Throughout the years, such attempts have prompted countless international debates and spawned a cottage industry of security research related to the eventual elimination of nuclear arms. However, aside from the occasional foray, this research paradigm generally overlooks the domestic political obstacles that policy makers should expect to encounter if national security policy continues down the path toward nuclear zero. In pursuit of this goal, this article empirically examines public attitudes concerning the continued pursuit of nuclear abolition. In doing so, we highlight the beliefs and perceptions that inform public preferences concerning the importance assigned to retaining nuclear weapons today. Desde la epoca de Harry S. Truman, muchos presidentes y lideres politicos han intentado, de una u otra forma, reducir la dependencia de la politica exterior de los Estados Unidos en armas nucleares. A traves de los anos estos intentos han provocado sinnumero de debates internacionales y generado una pequena industria dedicada a la investigacion de una posible eliminacion de armas nucleares. Sin embargo, este enfoque investigativo generalmente pasa por alto los obstaculos politicos domesticos que los legisladores deberian esperar si la politica de seguridad nacional continua por el camino de la abolicion nuclear. En busqueda de este objetivo, este articulo examina empiricamente las actitudes publicas respecto a la continua busqueda de una abolicion nuclear. Al mismo tiempo, destacamos las creencias y percepciones que informan las preferencias publicas atribuidas a la importancia de preservar armas nucleares en la actualidad.
A Delayed-Control Trial Examining the Impact of Body Mass Index Recognition on Obesity-Related Counseling

Background. Rates of body mass index (BMI) calculation and plotting remain low. We examined whether providing a BMI wheel and brief education to pediatric residents and attendings would increase rates of “BMI recognition” and obesity-related counseling. Methods. A delayed-control design was used to evaluate a 20-minute intervention. A total of 1640 records of well-child visits were reviewed to determine the proportion of records in which BMI was calculated and plotted and counseling provided. Results. In clinic A, there was a significant increase in the proportion of records in which BMI was recognized from pre- to postintervention (P < .01). No changes in clinic B occurred until after the delayed intervention. Obesity-related counseling was more likely to occur if BMI was recognized. Conclusion. Brief education and BMI wheel increased rates of BMI recognition. BMI recognition was associated with increased obesity management. Additional efforts should be incorporated to further increase BMI recognition an...
Structural Proteins of Adenovirus-Associated Viruses

The structural proteins of adenovirus-associated virus (AAV) types 1, 2, and 3 were analyzed by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. In each case, one major protein (C) and two minor proteins (A and B) were identified. Component C had an estimated molecular weight of 62,000 daltons, and the molecular weights of components A and B were found to be 87,000 and 73,000 daltons, respectively. Coelectrophoresis of adenovirus and AAV proteins revealed an overlap only between the adenovirus fiber-penton component and the AAV C polypeptide. Among AAV serotypes, homologous components were electrophoretically identical, except that the C component of AAV-2 was of slightly lower molecular weight than the C components of AAV-1 and AAV-3. The relative incorporation of (14)C-arginine and (14)C-mixed amino acids into the three polypeptides of AAV-2 was similar, indicating an absence of an arginine-rich component. In addition, AAV-2 was found to have a substantially lower arginine content than helper adenoviruses.
Land-use classification of multispectral aerial images using artificial neural networks

During the past decade, there have been significant improvements in remote sensing technologies, which have provided high-resolution data at shorter time intervals. Considerable effort has been directed towards developing new classification strategies for analysing this imagery, but the use of artificial intelligence-based analysis techniques has been somewhat limited. The aim of this study was to develop an artificial neural network (ANN)-based technique for the classification of multispectral aerial images for land use in agricultural and environmental applications. The specific land-use classes included water, forest, and several types of agricultural fields. Multispectral images at a 1-m resolution were obtained for the state of Georgia, USA from a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data clearinghouse. These false-colour images contained green, red and infrared true-colour information. Three approaches were used for the preparation of the inputs to the ANN. These included histograms of the pixel intensities, textural parameters extracted from the image, and matrices of the pixels for spatial information. A probabilistic neural network was used. Seven hundred images were used for model development and 175 for independent model evaluation. The overall accuracy for the evaluation data set was 74% for the histogram approach, 71% for the spatial approach and 89% for the textural approach. The evaluation of ANNs based on various combinations of all three approaches did not show an improvement in accuracy. We also found that some approaches could be used selectively for certain classes. For example, the textural approach worked best for forest classes. For future studies, edge detection prior to classification, with more careful selection of each class, should be included for land-use classification of multispectral images.
Identification of hydrogen peroxide production-related genes in Streptococcus sanguinis and their functional relationship with pyruvate oxidase

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an important substance produced by many members of the genus Streptococcus, plays important roles in virulence and antagonism within a microbial community such as oral biofilms. The spxB gene, which encodes pyruvate oxidase, is involved in H2O2 production in many streptococcal species. However, knowledge about its regulation and relation with other genes putatively involved in the same pathway is limited. In this study, three genes – ackA, spxR and tpk – were identified as contributing to H2O2 production in Streptococcus sanguinis by screening mutants for opaque colony appearance. Mutations in all three genes resulted in significant decreases in H2O2 production, with 16–31 % of that of the wild-type. H2O2 production was restored in the complemented strains. Antagonism against Streptococcus mutans by these three S. sanguinis mutants was reduced, both on plates and in liquid cultures, indicating the critical roles of these three genes for conferring the competitive advantage of S. sanguinis. Analysis by qPCR indicated that the expression of spxB was decreased in the ackA and spxR mutants and significantly increased in the tpk mutant.
Generalized Activation Energy Spectrum Theory: A New Approach for modeling Structural Relaxation in Amorphous Solids

A general approach to the dynamics of structural relaxation in amorphous solids is developed. A form of the recombination kinetics of defects is chosen which removes the ad hoc assumption made in previous theories that defects recombine only with others of identical activation energy. The generalized theory is tested quantitatively by modelling the structural relaxation of amorphous silicon, and comparing the results with the experimental data on structural relaxation. It is found that the generalized theory is necessary in order to accurately describe the time-resolved relaxation data. The generalized theory is also applied to estimate the effect of irradiation on the nucleation kinetics of crystal silicon, and is found to agree well with experimental data.
Designing SoTL Studies--Part I: Validity.

This chapter discusses how to improve validity in SoTL studies through generating appropriate measures and using designs that examine causality between an activity and students' performance.
Two new Aliciella species and a new subspecies in Ipomopsis (Polemoniaceae) from the western United States of America

Two new species of Aliciella, one from California and Nevada, the other from northeastern Arizona, and a new subspecies of Ipomopsis congesta from the Four Corners region of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah are described and illustrated. From the interface of the Great Basin and Mojave deserts, Aliciella monoensis has long been confused with Aliciella (Gilia) subacaulis, but is distinct morphologically and cytogenetically. In badlands areas of Beautiful Mountain in the Chuska Mountain Range of Arizona, Aliciella cliffordii represents an ethologically unique relative of Aliciella haydenii. Ipomopsis congesta subsp. matthewii has long been confused with I. c. subspp. congesta, crebrifolia and frutescens, but is morphologically and geographically unique.
Point Estimation II

Unbiased estimators and mean squared error should be familiar to the reader. A UMVUE is an unbiased point estimator, and complete sufficient statistics are crucial for UMVUE theory. Want point estimators to have small bias and small variance. An estimator with bias that goes to 0 and variance that goes to the FCRLB as the sample size n goes to infinity will often outperform other estimators with bias that goes to zero.
A study of lavender and tea tree oils on postmenopausal FSH levels and hot flash severity

1516 Background: Products containing lavender and tea tree oil have been linked to prepubertal male gynecomastia.(N Engl J Med 356:479–485) This implies that these products may be phytoestrogens, or plant products with estrogenic effects. Exogenous estrogens increase the risk of developing breast cancer and could counteract benefit from adjuvant hormonal manipulations in women with a history of breast cancer. We designed a study to determine the effects of lavender and tea tree oil on healthy postmenopausal women's FSH as a means to determine the estrogenic effect of both products. Hot flashes are a side effect of decreased endogenous estrogen, and in this study we used hot flash severity as an additional assay of estrogenic effect. Methods: Lavender lotion and tea tree oil products were generously donated by The Body Shop. Nine healthy postmenopausal women suffering from hot flashes were asked to apply lavender lotion and tea tree oil according to product directions for a week each, with a washout period...
'Where They Sit and Where We Stand': Insiders and Outsiders on Political Legitimacy

Democratic theory should provide guidance not merely for the relations between citizens and their own political institutions, but should also inform the conduct of democratic regimes towards undemocratic regimes. When foreign individuals, firms and particularly foreign democratic governments interact at the global level with other regimes, they must decide whether and how to relate to those regimes while taking them as a given, rather than as objects of institutional design. We argue that democratic theory has largely neglected the second task of offering normative criteria to determine what kinds of regimes make for legitimate counter-parties in global political, economic, legal and financial interactions. Our core theoretical contribution consists in introducing a conceptual distinction between a regime's internal legitimacy vis-a-vis the insiders subject to it, and its external legitimacy in the eyes of outsiders who interact with it in various ways.We argue that democratic outsiders must consider the external legitimacy of other regimes they interact with. Such legitimacy assessments by outsiders are not paternalistic because the regime under consideration is taken as a given, rather than as an object of institutional design. Outsiders are merely concerned with how to relate to another regime, not with how to redesign it – and they are motivated with a concern for their own moral integrity. External legitimacy judgments by outsiders thus do not displace or invalidate the internal legitimacy judgments by insiders – the two are conceptually distinct.
The use of titanium metal in vacuum devices

The excellent gettering and gas retention properties of titanium metal make it highly suitable for use in vacuum devices. Tiny receiving tubes made with titanium parts are described which are capable of operating at high cathode emission densities. These high densities reduce the electron transit times and give better high-frequency performance. They permit the use of small electrodes and reduced heater and plate input powers. Vacuum devices made with titanium and ceramic parts can be operated for long periods of time at temperatures up to 700°C.
Ants as Predators of Reticulitermes flavipes

In contrast with other species of termites, predation and destruction of colonies of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) by ants have been inadequately documented. Under experimental conditions, colonies of R. flavipes were invaded and destroyed by Lasius alienus (Foerster), L. umbratus (Nylander), and Tetramorium caespitum (L.). Although Campanotus spp. and Aphaenogaster spp. will fortuitously feed on termites, they commonly share the same sites with termite colonies. Effective predation by ants more likely involves a factor of opportunism and pressures of food requirements than a species-specific behavior pattern. Ants may play a more Significant role in the natural control of R. flavipes than has been realized.
Crystal structure and solution state characterization of lithium (S)-(1-(bis(2-methoxyethyl)amino)-3-methylbutan-2-yl)(methyl)amide.

The solid state structure of lithiated (S)-N1,N1-bis(2-methoxyethyl)-N2,3-dimethylbutane-1,2-diamine, which is a chiral amide base synthesized from (S)-valine was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex in solution state is also characterized by a variety of NMR experiments including diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) with diffusion coefficient-formula weight correlation analyses and other one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques by dissolving the crystal in toluene-d8. The crystallography and NMR results suggest that the chiral amide is dimeric in both solid and solution states.
Construction Idea and Realization Method of Provincial 95598 Customer Service System

The integration and functional adjustment of marketing systems in electric power enterprises promote the transformation of marketing systems from decentralized to intensive management. The integration and upgrade of 95598 customer service systems is necessary. This paper proposes the construction idea and realization scheme of a provincial 95598 customer service system on the basis of the existing decentralized 95598 customer service system. This can be referential to the future construction as well.
"Is Sven Seven?": A Search Intent Module for Children

The Internet is the biggest data-sharing platform, comprised of an immeasurable quantity of resources covering diverse topics appealing to users of all ages. Children shape tomorrow's society, so it is essential that this audience becomes agile with searching information. Although young users prefer well-known search engines, their lack of skill in formulating adequate queries and the fact that search tools were not designed explicitly with children in mind, can result in poor outcomes. The reasons for this include children's limited vocabulary, which makes it challenging to articulate information needs using short queries, or their tendency to create queries that are too long, which translates to few or irrelevant retrieved results. To enhance web search environments in response to children's behaviors and expectations, in this paper we discuss an initial effort to verify well-known issues, and identify yet to be explored ones, that affect children in formulating (natural language or keyword) queries. We also present a novel search intent module developed in response to these issues, which can seamlessly be integrated with existing search engines favored by children. The proposed module interprets a child's query and creates a shorter and more concise query to submit to a search engine, which can lead to a more successful search session. Initial experiments conducted using a sample of children queries validate the correctness of the proposed search intent module.
Transferred Electron Oscillators

Transferred electron devices can be used as oscillators owing to the negative differential resistance related to the intervalley transfer of electrons.
Honour and Violence: Funerals in the Confessional Age

On the twelfth of October, in the night around one o’clock, the honourable, respected and learned Lampertus Distelmeier, chancellor, was called mercifully by God almighty from this miserable vale of tears to him in his kingdom, and on the following sixteenth day of this month was buried, Christian and honourably.1