cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Concepts and the Modularity of Thought

Having concepts is a distinctive sort of cognitive capacity. One thing that conceptual thought requires is obeying the Generality Constraint: concepts ought to be freely recombinable with other concepts to form novel thoughts, independent of what they are concepts of. Having concepts, then, constrains cognitive architecture in interesting ways. In recent years, spurred on by the rise of evolutionary psychology, massively modular models of the mind have gained prominence. I argue that these architectures are incapable of satisfying the Generality Constraint, and hence incapable of underpinning conceptual thought. I develop this argument with respect to two well-articulated proposals, due to Dan Sperber and Peter Carruthers. Neither proposal gives us a satisfactory explanation of Generality within the confines of a genuinely modular architecture. Massively modular minds may display considerable behavioral and cognitive flexibility, but not humanlike conceptualized thought.
Dichroism of Dyed Fibres as a Means of Studying Micellar Arrangement

WHY certain types of dyes are adsorbed by cellulose in a definite oriented manner, and how the orientation or alignment of the micelles or crystalline portions is reflected or imitated by such dye ...
Laser treatment in eyes with drusen.

During the past several decades, many individuals have noted that drusen may resolve after macular laser photocoagulation. The lack of effective therapies against choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has prompted many investigators to explore strategies designed to prevent CNV in eyes with high-risk drusen. Currently, several pilot studies in the United States, Spain, Sweden, Australia, and the United Kingdom are in progress; the Choroidal Neovascularization Prevention Trial (CNVPT) is the largest pilot study to date and is detailed herein. A definitive study, the Complications of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Prevention Trial, aims to evaluate the effects of laser treatment in patients with bilateral drusen and will commence this year.
Robust adaptive control for a class of MIMO nonlinear systems

The design of stabilizing controllers for nonlinear plants with unknown nonlinearities is a challenging problem. The inability to identify the nonlinearities on-line or off-line accurately motivates the design of stabilizing controllers based on approximations or on approximate estimates of the plant nonlinearities. The price paid in such case, could be lack of theoretical guarantees for global stability, and/or nonzero tracking or regulation error at steady state. In this, paper a nonlinear robust adaptive control algorithm is designed and analyzed for a class of multi-input multi-output nonlinear systems with unknown nonlinearities. The controller guarantees closed loop semi-global stability and convergence of the tracking error to a small residual set. The size of the residual set for the tracking error depends solely on design parameters, which can be chosen to meet desired upper bounds for the tracking error. Consequently the proposed methodology provides a design procedure to meet a priori specified performance guarantees for the steady state tracking error.
Cloning and characterization of the vitamin D receptor from Xenopus laevis.

The Vitamin D receptor (VDR), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, mediates the effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on mineral ion homeostasis. Although the mammalian and avian VDRs have been extensively studied, little is known about the VDR in lower vertebrate species. To address this, we have isolated the Xenopus laevis VDR (xVDR) complementary DNA. Overall, the xVDR shares 79%, 73%, 73%, and 75% identity at the amino acid level with the chicken, mouse, rat, and human VDRs, respectively. The amino acid residues and subdomains important for DNA binding, hormone binding, dimerization, and transactivation are mostly conserved among all VDR species. The xVDR polypeptide can heterodimerize with the mouse retinoid X receptor α, bind to the rat osteocalcin vitamin D response element (VDRE), and induce vitamin D-dependent transactivation in transfected mammalian cells. Northern analysis reveals two xVDR messenger RNA species of 2.2 kb and 1.8 kb in stage 60 Xenopus tissues. In the adult, xVDR expressi...
Design of Approximation Law for Discrete-time Variable Structure Control Systems

This paper presents two approximation laws of sliding mode for discrete-time variable structure control systems against defects existing in the exponential approximation law and the variable rate approximation law. By applying the proposed approximation laws of sliding mode to discrete-time variable structure control systems, the switching between approximation laws does not exist, the stability of origin can be ensured and the chattering along the switching surface caused by discrete-time variable structure control can be restrained effectively. In designing of approximation law proposed, the problem of system control input being restricted is also considered, which is very important in practical system. Finally one simulation example is given to show the effectiveness of the two approximation laws proposed
The Impact of Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatiles on Parasitoid Foraging Success: A General Deterministic Model

Parasitoids respond to volatiles that plants produce when injured by herbivores. A considerable body of literature addresses the chemical pathways of herbivore-induced volatile production. However, there is almost no theory or data on how timing of volatile release in relationship to host availability for parasitization impacts the utility of these cues to parasitoids and on the extent that this volatile release timing might increase or decrease the percent of herbivores that become parasitized. This kind of information is critical in judging the benefits that might accrue from a breeding program aimed at enhancing herbivore-responsive volatile production. We developed a general model to begin examining this issue by using available parameters from two tritrophic systems. The model uses herbivore oviposition, development, and mortality rates, linked to a range of plant volatile induction and cessation periods for calculating the proportion of plants in a field that are (1) not producing volatiles but occupied by suitable herbivore hosts, (2) producing volatiles and occupied by suitable herbivore hosts, (3) producing volatiles but not occupied by suitable herbivore hosts, and (4) not producing volatiles and not occupied by suitable herbivore hosts. The impact of the plant volatiles on parasitoid foraging success is then determined by comparing the expected number of hosts parasitized when the parasitoid focuses solely on the volatile-producing plants to when it forages randomly among all plants. Under some conditions, parasitoids can attack three times more herbivores if they focus on volatile-producing plants. However, when we simulate plants that take several days to cease volatile production after pupation or death of the herbivore, parasitization rate does not increase when parasitoids use volatiles as cues. The utility of the volatile cues is consistently greater when a smaller proportion of plants is occupied by herbivores, indicating that their usefulness may be reduced to zero in fields saturated with volatiles.
Histone H3K9 methyltransferase G9a represses PPARγ expression and adipogenesis

PPARγ promotes adipogenesis while Wnt proteins inhibit adipogenesis. However, the mechanisms that control expression of these positive and negative master regulators of adipogenesis remain incompletely understood. By genome-wide histone methylation profiling in preadipocytes, we find that among gene loci encoding adipogenesis regulators, histone methyltransferase (HMT) G9a-mediated repressive epigenetic mark H3K9me2 is selectively enriched on the entire PPARγ locus. H3K9me2 and G9a levels decrease during adipogenesis, which correlates inversely with induction of PPARγ. Removal of H3K9me2 by G9a deletion enhances chromatin opening and binding of the early adipogenic transcription factor C/EBPβ to PPARγ promoter, which promotes PPARγ expression. Interestingly, G9a represses PPARγ expression in an HMT activity-dependent manner but facilitates Wnt10a expression independent of its enzymatic activity. Consistently, deletion of G9a or inhibiting G9a HMT activity promotes adipogenesis. Finally, deletion of G9a in mouse adipose tissues increases adipogenic gene expression and tissue weight. Thus, by inhibiting PPARγ expression and facilitating Wnt10a expression, G9a represses adipogenesis.
The Consistency of a System of Combinatory Restricted Generality

Whether or not this leads to an actual contradiction it would be interesting to know2; but, no matter whether it does or not, (2) seems highly counterintuitive. The aim of this note is to point out that a related system, here called 22, is demonstrably consistent3 and sufficient for all practical purposes served by Y2*, and at the same time to correct an error in [CLg, ?15D2], which was discovered too late to be corrected on the proofs. This 22 is formed from 2* by dropping H from the list of O's, and hence deleting FLH and (1). The new system does not allow inferential rules to be converted into formulas with the same ease as does 2*; but if one is content with stating the results as rules, 22 is adequate for all the main results deduced for 2* in [CLg, ?15C-D]. Let us begin by revising the notion of canonicalness introduced in [CLg, ?15B3]. Let " Cank(X)" stand for " X is a canonical ob of degree k ".4 Then the rules are as follows: (a) We have Cano(e) in the following cases: (al) =_ OX1S. A, where 6 is a canonical atom of degree k and Xi1,.*, Xk are arbitrary obs; (a2) 6 _ where Can1(-q) and Canj(g);
Free radicals and chemiluminescence as products of the spontaneous oxidation of sulfide in seawater, and their biological implications.

The discovery of symbioses between marine invertebrates and sulfide-oxidizing bacteria at deep-sea hydrothermal vents and in other high-sulfide marine environments has stimulated research into the adaptations of metazoans to potentially toxic concentrations of sulfide. Most of these studies have focused on a particular action of sulfide-its disruption of aerobic metabolism by the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration-and on the adaptations of sulfidetolerant animals to avoid this toxic effect (I). We propose that sulfidic environments impose another, hitherto overlooked type of toxicity: exposure to free radicals of oxygen, which may be produced during the spontaneous oxidation of sulfide, thus imposing an oxidative stress. Here we present evidence that oxygen- and sulfur-centered free radicals are produced during the oxidation of sulfide in seawater, and we propose a reaction pathway~for sulfide oxidation that is consistent with our observations. We also show that chemiluminescence at visible wavelengths occurs during sulfide oxidation, providing a possible mechanism for the unexplained light emission from hydrothermal vents (2, 3). In the presence of molecular oxygen and trace metal catalysts, hydrogen sulfide spontaneously oxidizes. Oxidation-reduction reactions frequently involve free-radical intermediates, and a metal-catalyzed pathway in which the initial reactions of sulfide oxidation form superoxide and sulfide radicals has been proposed (4). The proposed reaction begins with four steps:
Two highly singular intermittent structures: Rain and turbulence

[1] Rainfall charges soil moisture and river basins among its many roles with respect to the hydrologic cycle. Research aimed at improved understanding and modeling of surface water processes includes attention to rainfall at a variety of space-time scales. Given the atmospheric environment in which rain events are observed, some similarities between certain rainfall data structures and fluid turbulence can be expected. So the space-time intermittency and large fluctuations observed in both rain rates and energy dissipation rates have provided an interest among hydrologists in developing physical theories, experiments, and mathematical models. In response to a request for insights into multiplicative cascade models, the main goal of this article is to single out a special mathematical transformation, namely, “size biasing” (or “tilting”), which has proven to be very powerful in the mathematical analysis of multiplicative cascades and which has also been successfully exploited within the context of turbulence from a physical perspective.
Managing Knowledge for Innovation: The Case of Business‐to‐Business Services*

The present study builds a typology of organizational knowledge in business services and empirically examines the effects of knowledge on innovation performance. It is suggested that firms differ with respect to their knowledge creation approaches and that these approaches have implications for firms' innovation activities. A conceptual framework of knowledge assets with degrees of tacitness and collectiveness as the principal axes is used to ground the empirical analysis. The organizational knowledge framework is empirically operationalized using survey data from 167 business service firms and supplementary case study evidence from 16 other firms. It is found that business service improvements and new service introductions are significantly associated with collectively held knowledge, such as codified service solutions or team-based competences and procedures. In contrast, relying solely on tacit knowledge held by individuals may hamper innovation. The results also suggest that tacit collective knowledge is more closely associated with new service introductions, whereas explicit collective knowledge is associated with service improvements. Tacit collective knowledge is thus conducive. A managerial implication is that new service introductions necessitate team competences and routines, whereas incremental service improvements are more likely if procedures are in place to codify services into explicit solutions or technologies. Thus, the knowledge management approach should depend on the strategic orientation of the service firm toward continuous improvement of existing services or development of completely new services.
On the design of optimum radar waveforms for clutter rejection

The problem to be considered in this paper is that of designing radar signals and receivers that are optimum for detecting a point target masked by a background of clutter returns and thermal noise. The problem of choosing an optimum signal when no constraints are placed on the type of signals allowed is discussed briefly, but the remainder of the paper is restricted to signals and receiver impulse responses that are uniformly spaced, phase and amplitude-tapered pulse trains. Expressions for the signal-to-interference ratio obtained when a signal is used with its matched filter (pm/) and with the optimum filter or clutter filter (\rho_{cf}) are then derived together with an explicit expression for the clutter filter. An iterative technique for maximizing \rho_{cf} is devised. This scheme has the useful property that it generates a sequence of signals whose \rho_{cf} 's form a monotone, nondecreasing sequence. This is followed by an application of the calculus of variations to derive the Euler equations for the stationary points of \rho_{cf} and \rho_{mf} . The form of the Euler equations suggests iterative techniques for their solution; in fact, the technique suggested for the solution of the Euler equation associated with \rho_{cf} is essentially the iterative technique that was described above.
Insulin does not change the intracellular distribution of hexokinase in rat heart.

Preliminary evidence has suggested that hexokinase in rat heart changes its kinetic properties in response to insulin through translocation to the outer mitochondrial membrane. We reexamined this h...
TCP Performance in Flow-Based Mix Networks: Modeling and Analysis

Anonymity technologies such as mix networks have gained increasing attention as a way to provide communication privacy. Mix networks were developed for message-based applications such as e-mail, but researchers have adapted mix techniques to low-latency flow-based applications such as anonymous Web browsing. Although a significant effort has been directed at discovering attacks against anonymity networks and developing countermeasures to those attacks, there is little systematic analysis of the quality of service (QoS) for such security and privacy systems. In this paper, we systematically address TCP performance issues of flow-based mix networks. A mix's batching and reordering schemes can dramatically reduce TCP throughput due to out-of-order packet delivery. We developed a theoretical model to analyze such impact and present formulas for approximate TCP throughput in mix networks. To improve TCP performance, we examined the approach of increasing TCP's duplicate threshold parameter and derived formulas for the performance gains. Our proposed approaches will not degrade the system anonymity degree since they do not change the underlying anonymity mechanism. Our data matched our theoretical analysis well. Our developed theoretical model can guide the deployment of batching and reordering schemes in flow-based mix networks and can also be used to investigate a broad range of reordering schemes.
DataGuard: Dynamic data attestation in wireless sensor networks

Attestation has become a promising approach for ensuring software integrity in wireless sensor networks. However, current attestation either focuses on static system properties, e.g., code integrity, or requires hardware support such as Trusted Platform Module (TPM). However, there are attacks exploiting vulnerabilities that do not violate static system properties, and sensor platforms may not have hardware-based security support. This paper presents a software attestation scheme for dynamic data integrity based on data boundary integrity. It automatically transforms the source code and inserts data guards to track run-time program data. A data guard is unrecoverable once it is corrupted by an attacker, even if the attacker fully controls the system later. The corruption of any data guard at runtime can be remotely detected. A corruption either indicates a software attack or a bug in the software that needs immediate attention. The benefits of the proposed attestation scheme are as follows. First, it does not rely on any additional hardware support, making it suitable for low-cost sensor nodes. Second, it introduces minimal communication cost and has adjustable runtime memory overhead. Third, it works even if sensor nodes use different hardware platforms, as long as they run the same software. The prototype implementation and the experiments on TelosB motes show that the proposed technique is both effective and efficient for sensor networks.
Biocompatible low temperature co-fired ceramic for biosensors

Low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) electronic packaging materials are applied for their ease of fabrication, three dimensional features and integration of multifunctional component, such as optical and electrical functions. For these reasons LTCC is attractive for biomedical microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip systems. However, commercial LTCC systems, optimized for microelectrics applications, are not designed for biomedical applications, and have unknown cytocompatibility. In the current work, LTCC has been developed starting with materials of known composition and biocompatibility. The developed LTCC, fabricated from a lime silicate glass and pure alumina, exhibits low sintering temperature (<1000°C) and high density. Alumina reacts with the glass and forms anorthite type crystalline phase CaAl2Si2O8 at temperature 900°C. A commercial gold electrode paste has also been co-fired with the LTCC, with no delamination, cracks nor camber observed. In-vitro biocompatibility of LTCC has been evaluated using h...
Stress fractures of the pubic ramus.

The diagnosis of march fracture of the inferior pubic arch should be considered whenever there is a history of unusual physical stress associated with complaints of pain in the perineum; roentgenographic evidence of a break in the continuity of the inferior pubic ramus and calcification about the site confirm the diagnosis.
The quest for biomarker discovery in pulmonary arterial hypertension: the right takes lessons from the left

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe form of cardiopulmonary disease that is characterised by plexogenic, hypertrophic and fibrotic remodelling of distal pulmonary arterioles. Although abnormal pulmonary vasoreactivity and increased vasoconstriction occur in the setting of these maladaptive changes to blood vessel phenotype, the 5-year mortality rate for PAH remains elevated even in the contemporary era of pulmonary vasodilator therapy.1 An obvious approach to address this is the development of novel therapeutics that target the pathogenesis of vascular remodelling. However, accumulating clinical trial data also suggest that treatment timing and drug class selection when based on clinical status2 and disease subtype,3 respectively, are important factors for optimising therapeutic efficacy and reducing PAH clinical events. Nonetheless, point-of-care risk stratification methods to guide initiation or escalation of treatment in PAH are limited currently to elaborate scoring systems that require invasive haemodynamic data, or metrics such as changes in 6-min walk distance and functional class that hinge on subjective assessment or are of controversial utility in clinical practice.4 This dilemma illustrates a critical, but incompletely met, need in the field of clinical pulmonary vascular disease: the identification …
An Assessment of Current U.S. Pipeline Flushing Practice and Decommissioning Requirements: How Clean Is Clean?

This paper will discuss an assessment of current industry practice with respect to decommissioning requirements for offshore pipeline flushing and purging operations — specifically addressing corrosion and cleanliness in out-of-service and decommissioned offshore pipelines. The results, observations, and conclusions will also be discussed, from the ongoing research project entitled “Assessment of Current Pipeline Flushing and Decommissioning Requirements - Research and Field Testing Phase A” that was funded through the Technology Assessment & Research (TAR) Program of the U.S. Minerals Management Service. Data collected during this study has specific application to regulation and effectiveness of industry practice for future pipeline and flowline flushing, purging, and decommissioning. The main applications from this research are: 1) Understanding how a pipeline corrodes while out of service; 2) Determining whether the line is fit for service for possible reuse; and 3) Determining the cleanliness of decommissioned offshore oil and gas pipelines. The study results will lead to a more in-depth understanding of the condition of out-of-service and decommissioned pipelines as well as an improved public perception of the use and reuse of submerged pipelines for oil and gas activities on the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States.© 2002 ASME
Correlating Small Angle Scattering Spectra to Electrical Resistivity Changes in a Nickel-Base Superalloy

Waspaloy specimens aged at 800°C from 0.5h to 88.5h were evaluated via small angle neutron scattering (SANS), ultra small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS), electrical resistivity, and SEM. The average ?’ precipitate size and volume fraction, obtained from modeling the small angle scattering data, was used to calculate a figure of merit of electron scattering. This figure of merit is designed to correlate the electron scattering ability of the material to the precipitate microstructure. The USAXS data shows a secondary precipitate population at smaller diameters that is absent from the SANS data, since the SANS measurements were not obtained at high enough values of Q. It is believed that this secondary population makes the USAXS-derived figure of merit more sensitive to the actual measured resistivity response than the SANS-derived values; however, the SANS derived primary precipitate sizes are believed to more accurate due to a larger sample volume.
Compassion Fatigue: A Crucible of Transformation

This article explores the history, causes, treatments and prevention of compassion fatigue (the negative effects of helping others), contextualized for application to the trauma recovery efforts from the events of September 11, 2001. The author draws upon experience with development and implementation of the Accelerated Recovery Program for Compassion Fatigue, the Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist Training, and the provision of treatment and training to hundreds of caregivers suffering from compassion fatigue symptoms. A model for understanding the multiple causes of compassion fatigue is presented, along with distillation of the active ingredients for effective treatment and prevention of its symptoms. Symptoms of compassion fatigue are conceptualized not only as disruptive and deleterious effects of caring for the traumatized, but also as a catalyst for positive change, transformation, maturation, and resiliency in the lives of these caregivers. Specific suggestions for compassion fatigue...
Application of Matlab in Experimental Teaching of Electromagnetic Fields and Waves

Based on the present state of the experiment of electromagnetic fields and waves course,Matlab software was introduced to simulate the spatial distribution of time-varying electromagnetic fields in experimental teaching.The propagation of electromagnetic waves in a perfect medium and TE_(10) model of rectangular waveguide were given.The practice proves that visualizing abstract concepts of electromagnetic fields can enhance students' understanding of the propagation characteristics of electromagnetic waves and achieve a very good teaching effect.
7 Evolution in Heritable Bacterial–Fungal Endosymbioses

Recent accumulation of data from newly discovered bacterial–fungal symbioses revealed that many of these associations are suitable as models to understand evolution of symbioses in general. Thus far, alliances formed by early divergent lineages of Mucoromycotina and Glomeromycota with heritable beta-proteobacteria and Mollicutes yielded novel insights into the forms of evolutionary trajectories in mutualisms and into mechanisms of symbiont genome evolution. Future work is expected to reveal molecular underpinnings of symbiont vertical transmission and forces that drive coevolution between the partners.
Testicular carcinoma in patients positive and at risk for human immunodeficiency virus.

AbstractPatients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are at increased risk for certain malignancies. Because acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and testicular cancer affect primarily young men, the potential complications that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome might impose raise significant concern. To address this question we performed a retrospective review of all cases of testicular cancer during an 11-year period. Of 140 patients 6 had human immunodeficiency virus infection and 7 were from human immunodeficiency virus risk groups. All cases were either stage I or II disease with seminoma in 8, teratocarcinoma in 3, embryonal cell carcinoma in 1 and teratoma in 1. The clinical presentations of these patients were comparable to those of patients without human immunodeficiency virus risk factors. The majority of the patients received standard therapy, including orchiectomy followed by lymphadenectomy, radiation therapy or chemotherapy depending on stage and pathological subtype. Patients tolerat...
Automated Stock Trading Algorithm Using Neural Networks

One of many applications of artificial neural networks is discovering non-linear patterns in time series data. In this paper, analysis of the efficacy of applying an artificial neural network to the time series data produced by fluctuating stock prices is discussed in more detail. There are few current models that are capable of analyzing stocks but they lack in predicting effectively. Results of this neural network are examined through the generated return on investment. The network used for stock analysis is a four layer, feed-forward artificial neural network. The results of this network reveal that artificial neural networks are capable of performing technical analysis on stock prices. The return on investment ranged anywhere from 0.8 to 5.28 % per month or as extrapolated over a year, as high as 17 %.
Fruit Detachment in Rabbiteye Blueberry: Abscission and Physical Separation

A better understanding of fruit detachment and the processes mediating it is essential to improve the efficiency of mechanical harvesting in blueberry (Vaccinium sp.). In blueberry, fruit detachment may occur either at the point of attachment of the pedicel to the peduncle (peduncle-pedicel junction (PPJ)) or at the point of attachment of the pedicel to the fruit (fruit-pedicel junction (FPJ)). The fruit detachment responses of the PPJ and the FPJ to different conditions are not entirely clear. Additionally, whether fruit detachment at these junctions is mediated by the physiological process of abscission or through physical separation of the organ from the parent plant is not well understood. In this study, a series of experiments were performed to determine the abscission zone (AZ) corresponding to the point of mature fruit detachment and to determine whether fruit detachment occurs as a result of abscission or physical separation in rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei). Anatomical studies indicated the presence of an AZ at the PPJ. Greater than 92% of the natural detachment of mature fruit occurred at the PPJ. The morphology of the fracture plane at the PPJ in naturally detached fruit was even and uniform, consistent with fruit detachment through abscission at this location. Abscission agents such as methyl jasmonate (20 mM) and ethephon (1000 mgL L1 ) enhanced the extent of fruit detachment at the PPJ, further indicating that mature fruit detachment through abscission occurred primarily at this location. Additionally, the fracture plane at the PPJ during fruit detachmentinresponsetoabscissionagentapplicationswasflattenedandeven,furthersupportingtheconclusionthat fruit detachment at this location occurred through abscission. In contrast, the majority of the fruit detachment in response to mechanical shaking occurred at the FPJ. Analysis of the morphology of the fracture plane at the FPJ during detachment in response to mechanical shaking indicated that fruit detachment at this location was associated with extensive tearing and mechanical disruption of cells, consistent with physical separation. Together, data from this study indicate that mature fruit detachment resulting from abscission occurs primarily at the PPJ, whereas fruit detachment during mechanical shaking occurs primarily at the FPJ as a result of physical breakage at this weak junction.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use for HIV Management in the State of Florida: Medical Monitoring Project

Abstract Objective: The aims of this study were to describe complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and to assess the relationships between CAM use and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA viral load suppression among a sample of persons living with HIV (PLWH) engaged in care in the state of Florida. Design: The Florida Medical Monitoring Project (n = 803) collected repeated cross-sectional data for surveillance of clinical outcomes among PLWH from 2009 to 2010. Past-year CAM use specifically for the management of HIV was measured via self-report. Logistic regression models were conducted to assess the effect of CAM use on ART adherence and viral load suppression, controlling for demographic and clinical factors using backwards stepwise deletion of factors with a p-value of >0.25. Results: CAM use was reported in 53.3% (n = 428). In bivariate analysis, CAM use was the highest among those 40–49 years of age (61%; p < 0.05), males (56%; p < 0.01), whites...
Assessing the Effectiveness of High-Profile Targeted Killings in the “War on Terror”

Research Summary Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the ensuing “war on terrorism,” the U.S. government has engaged in a series of controversial counterterrorism policies. Perhaps none is more so than the use of targeted killings aimed at eliminating the senior leadership of the global jihadist movement. Nevertheless, prior research has yet to establish that this type of tactic is effective, even among high-profile targets. Employing a robust methodology, I find that these types of killings primarily yielded negligible effects. Policy Implications Given the immense controversy surrounding the policy of targeted killings, it has become that much more vital to assess whether such measures are effective. This study's findings, that most of these high-profile killings either had no influence or were associated with a backlash effect, have important implications for future counterterrorism efforts. All in all, the U.S. government's investment in the policy of targeted killings seems to be counterproductive if its main intention is a decrease in terrorism perpetrated by the global jihadist movement.
Detection of norepinephrine in whole blood via fast scan cyclic voltammetry

Bioelectronic Medicines is an emerging field that capitalizes on minimally-invasive technology to stimulate the autonomic nervous system in order to evoke therapeutic biomolecular changes at the end-organ. The goal of Bioelectronic Medicines is to realize both ‘precision and personalized’ medicine. ‘Precise’ stimulation of neural circuitry creates biomolecular changes targeted exactly where needed to maximize therapeutic effects while minimizing off-target changes associated with side-effects. The therapy is then ‘personalized’ by utilizing implanted sensors to measure the biomolecular concentrations at, or near, the end-organ of interest and continually adjusting therapy to account for patient-specific biological changes throughout the day. To realize the promise of Bioelectronic Medicines, there is a need for minimally invasive, real-time measurement of biomarkers associated with the effects of autonomic nerve stimulation to be used for continuous titration of therapy. In this study we examine the feasibility of using fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) to measure norepinephrine levels, a neurochemical relevant to end-organ function, directly from blood. FSCV is a well-understood method for measuring electroactive neurochemicals in the central nervous system with high temporal and high spatial resolution that has yet to be adapted to the study of the autonomic nervous system. The results demonstrate that while detecting the electroactive neurochemical norepinephrine in blood is more challenging than obtaining the same FSCV measurements in a buffer solution due to biofouling of the electrode, it is feasible to utilize a minimally invasive FSCV electrode to obtain neurochemical measurements in blood.
Highly Stereoselective 2-Oxonia-Cope Rearrangement: A Platform Enabling At-Will Control of Regio-, Enantio-, and Diastereoselectivity in the Vinylogous Aldol Reactions of Aldehydes

A distinctly different approach for the vinylogous aldolation of aldehydes is described, which exploits 2-oxonia-Cope rearrangement reactions between two readily available partners, a set of rationally designed chiral homoallylic alcohol synthons and aldehydes, under simple conditions. In these processes, chirality transfer from the former to the latter is nearly perfect, giving rise to excellent enantio- and diastereoselectivity without the regioselectivity issue associated with traditional vinylogous aldol reactions.
The effect of newt toxin on an invasive snail

Invasive species are well documented to impact native species where they are introduced. In the Santa Monica Mountains, a native species of amphibian, the California newt (Taricha torosa) possesses a neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin (TTX) that is considered a chemical defense against predation but also appears to facilitate ecological processes and specifically affect freshwater macroinvertebrate behavior. A recently introduced invasive species, the New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum), is known to negatively affect ecosystems it invades and means to control its proliferation once introduced are limited. Given the ecological role of newt neurotoxin, we hypothesized that TTX may impact P. antipodarum behavior and tested its effects upon snail movement in laboratory assays and in-stream experiments. When snails were exposed to ecologically realistic TTX concentrations and newt chemical cues that contain TTX they moved significantly less and distance was significantly reduced relative to controls. In a natural stream, significantly more P. antipodarum moved out of areas exposed to newt chemical cues relative to snails in the presence of native tree frog cues (Pseudacris cadaverina). Our results suggest that California newts may help limit the spread of P. antipodarum in streams where T. torosa is both able to persist and possess adequate chemical defenses.
A hybrid land grid array socket connector design for achieving higher signalling data rates

This paper presents an improved hybrid land grid array socket connector design enabling high speed bus signaling data rates up to 50Gb/s. Observed limitations in an existing connector such as impedance mismatches and crosstalk are treated and improved. The improved connector structural differences from the existing connector are presented and motivated. Electromagnetic modelling for the improved and existing connectors has been carried out to validate the design concept and compare signal integrity properties.
Immunostimulants and Hepatic Drug Metabolism

The variety of agents, doses, species, experimental protocols, etc. used by investigators to date leaves little doubt that immunostimulators result in decreased hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 mediated drug metabolism. Involvement of the RES, particularly the spleen, indicates that at least some of the effects described are not simply due to toxic liver injury. The decrease in activity found after C. parvum and certain other agents appears to be biphasic, and it is suggested that initially humoral and later cellular mechanisms are responsible. Future studies should employ low doses and drug schedules which avoid producing frank hepatic injury, so as to more selectively determine how modulation of hepatic function is mediated via the RES.
Remote sensing of above cloud aerosols

The direct and indirect radiative effects of aerosols suspended in the atmosphere above clouds (ACA) are a highly uncertain component of both regional and global climate. Much of this uncertainty is observational in nature most orbital remote sensing algorithms were not designed to simultaneously retrieve aerosol and cloud optical properties in the same vertical column.
Hand Gesture Shape Descriptor Based on Energy-Ratio and Normalized Fourier Transform Coefficients

The hand gesture shape is the most remarkable feature for gesture recognition system. Since hand gesture is diversity, polysemy, complex deformation and spatio-temporal difference, the hand gesture shape descriptor is a challenging problem for gesture recognition. This paper presents a hand gesture shape describing method based on energy-ratio and normalized Fourier descriptors. Firstly, the hand gesture contour of the input image is extracted by YCb’Cr’ ellipse skin color model. Secondly, the Fourier coefficients of the contour are calculated to transform the point sequence of the contour to frequency domain. Then the Fourier coefficients are normalized to meet the rotation, translation, scaling and curve origin point invariance. Finally, the items of normalized Fourier coefficients are selected by calculating energy-ratio information as the hand shape descriptors. For validating the shape descriptors performance, the hand gestures 1-10 are recognized with the template matching method and the shape descriptor method, respectively. The experiment results show that the method can well describe the hand shape information and are higher recognition rate.
Olfaction and Gustation: Implications of Viral, Toxic Exposure, Head Injury, Aging, and Drugs

■ Olfactory disorders are very common in the population with increasing prevalence with advanced age.
Pound, Louise (1872–1958)

Louise Pound was largely responsible for making the study of American speech and folklore an academically respectable component of the discipline of linguistics. Possibly the most prominent female academic in America in the 1920s, Pound was founding editor of American Speech and three decades later, in 1955, was elected the first woman president of the Modern Language Association.
Super-normal length song preferences of female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and a theory of the evolution of bird song

Two way choice tests show a preference of female zebra finches for male songs four standard deviations longer than normal song. Further tests show the ontogeny of this preference to parallel song learning in general as well as a preference for songs with entirely heterogeneous notes compared to songs with four note repeats. These findings are discussed in relation to a theory of the evolution of bird song from bird calls due to female preferences for longer, more complex vocalizations.
Demographics and Outcomes Between Telestroke and Routine Hospital Transfers in Acute Ischemic Stroke (P5.251)

Objective: To study the differences in demographics and outcomes between Telestroke transfers (TT) and routine transfers (RT) to a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) for management of acute ischemic stroke. Background: Telestroke has the potential to bridge the gap between CSC and small community hospitals, where neurological expertise is limited. There’s paucity of data on both demographics and outcomes. Design/Methods: Chart review of prospectively collected stroke database for all transfers to CSC was performed from January 2015–March 2017. Patients aged ≥ 18 years with radio-logically confirmed ischemic strokes were included. Patients with transient ischemic attacks, stroke mimics and intracranial hemorrhages were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA statistical software. Results: A total of 90 subjects were included (24 TT and 66 RT). The mean age was 70.2 ± 14.3 years with an equal male to female ratio. The most common risk factors included hypertension (76.7%) and hyperlipidemia (57.8%). The most common stroke etiology was cardioembolic (41.1%). The median admission NIHSS was significantly higher for TT vs. RT [6.5 (0–33) vs. 4(0–36), p=0.01)]. More patients received IV-TPA in TT vs RT (41.7% (n=10) vs. 21.2% (n=14), p=0.05). The mean symptom onset to tPA time was 148.8 ± 63.8 minutes, with no significant difference between TT and RT (172.72± 56.0 minutes vs. 126.9± 64.8 minutes, p=0.08). There was no significant difference in patients undergoing Endovascular Therapy [12.5% (n=3) in TT vs. 16.7% (n=11) in RT, p=0.63]. Favorable short-term functional outcome (modified Rankin Score at discharge of 0–2) was similar in both groups [ 50%(n=12) in TT vs. 48.4%(n=32) in RT, p=0.9]. Conclusions: Despite more severe stroke, TT patients achieved similar outcomes compared with RT cases, likely due to higher use of acute intervention through telestroke, allowing CSC to provide quality stroke care to patients in rural areas, who may have otherwise not benefited from timely acute stroke therapy. Disclosure: Dr. Gudlavalleti has nothing to disclose. Dr. Anwer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schleier has nothing to disclose. Dr. Onyan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vallelunga has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chandak has nothing to disclose. Dr. Latorre has nothing to disclose.
Anesthesia and Select Surgical Procedures

Abstract The humane use of the common marmoset in research requires the exercise of good surgical technique and a knowledge of the essential disciplines of anesthesia and analgesia. In this chapter, the challenges of anesthesia, surgery, and perioperative care in this diminutive nonhuman primate species are discussed. The choice of agents is presented in the context of the duration and invasiveness of the procedure, physiologic support of the animal, and appropriate postoperative monitoring and care. Also described are indications and approaches for common emergency, elective, and investigational surgery. Tables provide doses for agents currently in use.
Four hundred fifty-three consecutive pancreaticoduodenectomies with pancreaticogastrostomy.

Abstract Background Patients who undergo pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) have the pancreatic remnant (PR) anastomosed to the jejunum. In this study, all patients had the PR anastomosed to the stomach. Our aims are to evaluate postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing PD with pancreaticogastrostomy (PG). Methods There was 453 patients who underwent PD with PG. Preoperative characteristics, intraoperative data, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed using univariate and multivariate models. Results The patient cohort had a median age of 67 years and underwent resection for pancreatic (40.8%), ampullary (15.9%), duodenal (6.6%), distal bile duct (6.4%) cancers. Multivariate analysis revealed poor prognosis was related to age, tumor diameter, lymph node ratio, perineural invasion, and tumor differentiation in patients with periampullary adenocarcinoma. Conclusions This series of patients undergoing PD with PG shows that the operation can be performed safely with excellent outcomes for a variety of malignant and benign conditions.
Compost induces the accumulation of biopesticidal organic acids during soil biosolarization

Abstract Current agricultural soil pathogen control methods that rely on fumigation with toxic synthetic chemicals are not sustainable. Combining soil organic matter amendment with soil hydrothermal treatment via solarization is a biological pest control alternative to chemical fumigation. The application and bioconversion of readily-available organic amendment resources, such as green wastes (GW), have not been considered. The impact of compost inoculum on the bioconversion of GW to pesticidal volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in soil during solarization was investigated. Laboratory experiments showed a significant positive effect of compost inoculum at a rate ≥ 1% on aerobic and anaerobic decomposition of GW, but only when soils were heated. Field trials showed that GW induced conditions in soil that supported fermentation and resulted in accumulation of VFAs. When soil was inoculated with compost, VFA accumulation was enhanced at increasing soil depth. The results indicate that green waste bioconversion can be used to improve pest control conditions in soil during solarization. The findings have environmental implications on green waste management and use of toxic synthetic chemical fumigants.
Psychological Constellations Assessed at Age 13 Predict Distinct Forms of Eminence 35 Years Later

This investigation examined whether math/scientific and verbal/humanistic ability and preference constellations, developed on intellectually talented 13-year-olds to predict their educational outco...