cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vision-based multiple model adaptive estimation of ground targets from airborne images

This paper describes a vision-based multiple model adaptive estimation using UAVs that enables the tracking of a mobile target that changes the system model depending on unknown factors. In our system the machine-learning-based target identification method uses Haar-like classifiers that detects the target position. The system uses multiple extended Kalman filters for each system model and estimates the states of the target through the observed positions. We estimate the probability that each system is true and use the max-probability method to determine the current model. The position controller of the UAVs uses the vision system not only to determine a desired waypoint but also to switch the control law for another model. Implementation of this system is validated through an image-in-the-loop simulation. We also explore an vision-based solution for Mission 7 of the international aerial robotics competition.
CHAPTER 31 – The Aging Maxillofacial Skeleton

This chapter reviews skeletal changes in the maxilla and mandible from birth to maturity. Changes in the morphology of the bones and the relationship to tooth loss, secondary effect of decreased muscle mass, and the effects of systemic physiologic alterations and osteoporosis are discussed. The changes observed in the maxillofacial skeleton with aging have significant functional consequences. With progressive loss of teeth, subsequent alveolar atrophy complicates prosthetic rehabilitation and challenges dental practitioners and reconstructive surgeons. Changes in the masticatory muscles with age alter bite forces, and a patient's ability to maintain a normal diet may be compromised, especially if compounded by tooth loss. The development of osteoarthrosis in the temporomandibular joint can lead to limited motion and occasionally pain with jaw function. The profound effect that metabolic bone disease has on the skeleton is certainly observed in the maxillofacial region. Problems with bone healing, more advanced periodontal disease, a decreased capacity to integrate endosseous implants, and more advanced and rapid alveolar atrophy have been described in patients with osteoporosis.
Optimizing General-Purpose CPUs for Energy-Efficient Mobile Web Computing

Mobile applications are increasingly being built using web technologies as a common substrate to achieve portability and to improve developer productivity. Unfortunately, web applications often incur large performance overhead, directly affecting the user quality-of-service (QoS) experience. Traditional techniques in improving mobile processor performance have mostly been adopting desktop-like design techniques such as increasing single-core microarchitecture complexity and aggressively integrating more cores. However, such a desktop-oriented strategy is likely coming to an end due to the stringent energy and thermal constraints that mobile devices impose. Therefore, we must pivot away from traditional mobile processor design techniques in order to provide sustainable performance improvement while maintaining energy efficiency.In this article, we propose to combine hardware customization and specialization techniques to improve the performance and energy efficiency of mobile web applications. We first perform design-space exploration (DSE) and identify opportunities in customizing existing general-purpose mobile processors, that is, tuning microarchitecture parameters. The thorough DSE also lets us discover sources of energy inefficiency in customized general-purpose architectures. To mitigate these inefficiencies, we propose, synthesize, and evaluate two new domain-specific specializations, called the Style Resolution Unit and the Browser Engine Cache. Our optimizations boost performance and energy efficiency at the same time while maintaining general-purpose programmability. As emerging mobile workloads increasingly rely more on web technologies, the type of optimizations we propose will become important in the future and are likely to have a long-lasting and widespread impact.
Ipsilateral Pupillary Dilation Following Carotid Endarterectomy: A Temporary and Benign Phenomenon.

Background and importance Cases of post carotid endarterectomy (CEA) Horner's syndrome have been reported, with symptoms attributed to manipulation of the sympathetic plexus situated along the carotid artery; however, these patients presented with the typical constricted pupil. We report the first 3 cases to our knowledge of mydriasis following CEA. Clinical presentation We present 3 cases of CEA followed by immediate postoperative development of ipsilateral mydriasis. The patients were otherwise at their neurologic baseline and the mydriasis resolved over the ensuing few days. Conclusion We suggest that these cases are secondary to an ischemic phenomenon, specifically to parasympathetic structures such as the ciliary ganglion and/or oculomotor nerve, resulting in autonomic dysfunction manifested by pupillary dilation. A similar finding of mydriasis occurring subsequent to other carotid pathology has been reported, with ischemia to parasympathetic structures also proposed as the underlying etiology. Although pupillary dilation often represents a worrisome neurosurgical sign indicating herniation, it should be recognized that after CEA this finding may be a transient, benign occurrence.
Russian workers’ experiences with and perceptions of sexual harassment severity

AbstractAs the reach of global business operations increases, cultural context will likely influence the nature and amount of sexual harassment workers experience. Surprisingly, little is known about sexual harassment in Russia, an attractive target for expanding companies. To address this gap in the literature, we examine Russian workers’ perceptions of sexual harassment severity through the lens of cultural context. In particular, we examine the sexual harassment severity perceptions from the perspective of both targets and perpetrators. Results indicate that as targets of sexual harassment, Russian women and men held similar sexual harassment severity perceptions. However, as perpetrators, Russian women reported perceiving the harassment they committed as being less severe than the reports of Russian men. Further, among both targets and perpetrators, Russian women held less permissive sexual attitudes than Russian men, with this difference mediating the relationship between participant sex and perceive...
Will’s Need to Know

When Holy Church stresses to Will that “treuthe” is the best of all treasures and a glorious love-gift from God, Will resists her counsel. Instead of relying upon faith, he insists on employing his mind to discern truth’s meaning, which he finds in the concrete objects of this world. The certain knowledge that these objects provide stands apart from the kind of knowledge described by Holy Church. This gap explains the inherent difficulty for Will in completing his search for divine truth, for the mind can never know the essence of metaphysical matters. Yet his search does not simply educe the limitations of our cognitive abilities; more importantly, it reveals a specific epistemological pattern that conjoins Scotist and Ockhamist conceptions of thought—namely, intuitive and abstractive cognition. Logically, this pattern helps to explicate the counsel proffered to Will in the Vita de Dowel, a section that focuses exclusively upon human mental faculties. This chapter thus examines three select episodes from the Vita to illustrate how an awareness of these thinkers helps us to better understand the epistemological theories central to the poem’s narrative and, in turn, champion Will’s inquiries into the mind’s powers.
A CMOS 22k-pixel single-cell resolution multi-modality real-time cellular sensing array

This paper presents a single-cell-resolution multimodality cellular interfacing array for holistic cell characterization and high-throughput drug screening. It contains 22,528 multimodality sensing pixels with a pixel size of 17μm×17μm. Each pixel contains a 4μm×4μm gold-plated electrode for extracellular potential recording and a 3μm×6μm photodiode for optical detection. To compensate for the degraded signal to noise ratio (SNR) due to the large electrode-electrolyte impedance at the cell-sensor interface, we employ a DC-coupled chopper amplifier when performing extracellular potential recording. A proof-of-concept design is implemented in a standard 130nm CMOS process. It achieves a measured input-referred noise of 2.46μVrms integrated from 1Hz to 4kHz with a chopping frequency of 20kHz, and cell-based measurement results demonstrate real-time recorded action potentials with high SNR. Measured high-resolution optical shadow images provide the detailed cell and tissue morphology as well as the 2D distribution of on-chip cultured cells. Furthermore, this paper presents the first CMOS sensing array to successfully capture on-chip rat cardiomyocyte contraction using multiple sensing modalities, specifically optical detection and potential recording.
Charging and Damage

A major concern in both scanning electron and scanning ion microscopy is that of sample charging, but strategies to eliminate this problem are available.
Energy-efficient synchronous counter design with minimum hardware overhead

The Performance of any VLSI circuit depends on its design architecture, which optimizes power and provides high reliability. To design any circuit with low power, power optimization of circuit at different levels is needed. Most of the system level architectures consists of sequential circuits, design of these circuits plays an pivotal role in reducing overall energy of the system. Counters are basic building blocks in many VLSI applications such as timers, memories, ADCs/DACs, frequency dividers etc. It is observed that design of counters has power overhead because of requirement of high power consumption for the clock signal distribution and undesired activity of flip-flops due to presence of clocks. In this paper we propose an energy efficient design of synchronous counters that reduces the power consumption due to clock distribution for different flip-flops and offers high reliability. The proposed counter design is evaluated and anlayzed in terms of energy in a standard 45nm CMOS technology in CADENCE. The proposed counter design has lower energy requirement than existing counter architectures and the energy reduction is more significant for wide-bit counters.
Detecting Alpha Synuclein Seeding Activity in Formaldehyde-Fixed MSA Patient Tissue by PMCA

Alpha synuclein (α-syn) is central to the pathogenesis of a group of neurodegenerative disorders known as synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Aggregation of α-syn is the pathologic hallmark of these disorders and is intimately associated with the pathogenic changes. The prion-like hypothesis postulates that the aggregated α-syn provides a template to seed the aggregation of normal α-syn and spread the pathology. Thus far, it remains unclear whether aggregated α-syn can be a useful biomarker for diagnosis and/or tracking disease progression, which is mainly due to the lack of a suitable biochemical assay. The protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technique is known for its enormous amplification power to detect the seeding activity of protein aggregates such as prions. In this study, we adapted PMCA for detecting the seeding activity of α-syn. By extensively optimizing the PMCA parameters, we developed a protocol that is able to sensitively and quantitatively detect the seeding activity of as little as 100 attomoles (10−16 mol) of α-syn aggregate. Using our protocol, we detected α-syn seeding activity from a histologically positive, formaldehyde-fixed MSA sample, but not with the histologically negative, formaldehyde-fixed control sample. Our results confirmed that the α-syn in MSA patient’s brain does contain seeding activity, which remains active even after fixation. Moreover, we also established that PMCA with sonication is a sensitive and quantitative method for detecting α-syn seeding activity, which can be further adapted to more accessible patients’ samples to evaluate α-syn aggregates as a biomarker for synucleinopathies.
Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of a New Scale to Measure Hyperacusis: Introducing the Inventory of Hyperacusis Symptoms.

Objectives Despite increasing interest in hyperacusis and other disorders of auditory sensitivity, there is still a lack of valid, standardized assessment tools to measure symptom severity, treatment outcomes, and diagnostic differentiation. Accordingly, this study sought to create a new scale that is reliable, valid, brief, and easy to score with the purpose of filling this gap. Design Original items were constructed through review of currently existing models of hyperacusis measurement, as well as qualitative data collected from professional audiologists and individuals reporting heightened audiological sensitivity with tinnitus. An initial 26-item scale yielded sound reliability and validity properties. Refinement based on review of initial data resulted in a 25-question second version with a maximum score of 100. A total of 450 completed survey protocols were analyzed from 469 refined Inventory of Hyperacusis Symptoms (IHS) administrations collected online, representing individuals from 37 countries with a mean age of 34.8 years. Results Internal consistency reliability analysis yielded a Cronbach's α of 0.93, indicating excellent reliability. Furthermore, the IHS showed sound convergent validity with established measures of quality of life, anxiety, and depression in bivariate correlation analysis of Pearson's r. Factor analysis revealed a dimensional structure containing five factors, which were designated psychosocial impact, emotional arousal, functional impact, general loudness, and communication. Analysis of variance between perceived global hyperacusis severity categories provided a preliminary framework for scoring thresholds. Although the level of hearing loss did not correlate with IHS scores, increased tinnitus symptoms were a significant factor in predicting hyperacusis distress and severity. Conclusions These initial results demonstrated sound statistical properties of the IHS and usefulness as a hyperacusis measurement tool in research and clinical practice. Factor structure and scale dimensions allow for differentiation between subtypes of loudness, annoyance, fear, and pain based on responses to clusters of specific items within the dimensional factor structure of the scale, and may thus prove useful in clinical practice and research.
Intraspecific variability for VA mycorrhizal symbiosis in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.)

The effects of inoculation with Glomus mosseae or G. fasciculatum and Rhizobium on plant growth and N2 fixation parameters of two cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) cultivars, Brown Crowder (high N2 fixing) and Bush Purple Hull (low N2 fixing), were studied in pot experiments. Inoculation with VAM fungi significantly increased the percentage of colonized roots, plant height, and percent shoot nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), while root length decreased. Influence of VAM fungi on shoot dry weight and nitrogenase activity was dependent on species of VAM fungi as well as host cultivar. Root weight, nodule number and weight, root N and P and seed yield were not affected by mycorrhizal inoculation. A significant difference between the two cultivars for percent root colonization at four weeks after inoculation was also found. The developmental pattern for hyphae, vesicles and arbuscules was not significantly different between cowpea cultivars or VAM species.
Using live estimates and ultrasound measurements to predict beef carcass cutability.

Commercial slaughter steers (n = 329) and heifers (n = 335) were selected to vary in frame size, muscle score, and carcass fat thickness to study the effectiveness of live evaluation and ultrasound as predictors of carcass composition. Three trained personnel evaluated cattle for frame size, muscle score, fat thickness, longissimus muscle area, and USDA quality and yield grade. Live and carcass real-time ultrasound measures for 12th-rib fat thickness and longissimus muscle area were taken on a subset of the cattle. At the time of slaughter, carcass ultrasound measures were taken at "chain speed." After USDA grade data were collected, one side of each carcass was fabricated into boneless primals/subprimals and trimmed to .64 cm of external fat. Simple correlation coefficients showed a moderately high positive relationship between 12th rib fat thickness and fat thickness measures obtained from live estimates (r = .70), live ultrasound (r = .81), and carcass ultrasound (r = .73). The association between estimates of longissimus muscle area and carcass longissimus muscle area were significant (P < .001) and were higher for live evaluation (r = .71) than for the ultrasonic measures (live ultrasound, r = .61; carcass ultrasound, r = .55). Three-variable regression equations, developed from the live ultrasound measures, explained 57% of the variation in percentage yield of boneless subprimals, followed by live estimates (R2 = .49) and carcass ultrasound (R2 = .31). Four-variable equations using frame size, muscle score, and selected fat thickness and weight measures explained from 43% to 66% of the variation for the percentage yield of boneless subprimals trimmed to .64 cm. Live ultrasound and(or) live estimates are viable options for assessing carcass composition before slaughter.
A New Method for Studying Acoustic Radiation Using Long-Wavelength Acoustical Holography

This paper describes some experiments where acoustical holography is used to study the acoustic wavefield radiated from an acoustical source. In this case it is the acoustic wavefield itself, rather than the shape of the radiating object, that is of interest.
Efficient Implementation of DCT-based MIMO Channel Estimation on FPGA

Channel estimation is a key processing module in next generation of mobile wireless communications. As the radio channel needs to be estimated for each combination of transmit and receive antennas in a multiple-input multiple-output system, the latency and cost-effectivity of the implementation has significant influence on the performance and overall cost of the system. Pilot-based least square channel estimation with cosine domain noise suppression algorithm is described in this paper. Efficient HW implementation of the algorithm is presented with resource utilization and timing performance on FPGA. A multiplexing technique is proposed for time-sharing a single module among multiple antennas reducing resource usages and overall implementation cost. Finally, the accuracy of the module is validated by comparing against MATLAB simulation.
Synapse Formation Activates a Transcriptional Program for Persistent Enhancement in the Bi-directional Transport of Mitochondria

Mechanisms that regulate the bi-directional transport of mitochondria in neurons for maintaining functional synaptic connections are poorly understood. Here, we show that in the pre-synaptic sensory neurons of the Aplysia gill withdrawal reflex, the formation of functional synapses leads to persistent enhancement in the flux of bi-directional mitochondrial transport. In the absence of a functional synapse, activation of cAMP signaling is sufficient to enhance bi-directional transport in sensory neurons. Furthermore, persistent enhancement in transport does not depend on NMDA and AMPA receptor signaling nor signaling from the post-synaptic neuronal cell body, but it is dependent on transcription and protein synthesis in the pre-synaptic neuron. We identified ∼4,000 differentially enriched transcripts in pre-synaptic neurons, suggesting a long-term change in the transcriptional program produced by synapse formation. These results provide insights into the regulation of bi-directional mitochondrial transport for synapse maintenance.
In situ investigation of stress-induced martensitic transformation in granular shape memory ceramic packings

Abstract Stress-induced martensitic transformation can occur in granular shape memory materials when individual particles experience high stresses and transform from a high-symmetry austenite phase to a low-symmetry martensite phase. This involves a highly heterogeneous distribution of the driving force and very low mechanical constraint for martensite nucleation, so the transformation behavior can be dramatically different from the well-documented case of monolithic solids. In this work, we investigate the stress-induced martensitic transformation in granular shape memory ceramic packings, which consist of single-crystal micro-particles of ZrO2-12 at%CeO2 and ZrO2-15 at%CeO2. Through in situ neutron diffraction, we study how the phase fraction, lattice strain, and integral peak broadness evolve during external loading, unloading, and subsequent heating. Several peculiar features are discovered, including (i) a continuous mode of transformation with a wide range of transformation loads, (ii) co-evolution of the packing structure, contact deformation, and martensitic transformation, and (iii) a strong correlation between the peak broadening and the transformed phase fraction. In addition, we show the first direct evidence of reversible stress-induced martensitic transformation in granular materials. We finally discuss the mechanism for martensite nucleation and growth in granular packings and show how that leads to the observed transformation characteristics.
Ewes express increased proceptive behavior toward high-sexually active rams

Abstract Variable expression of male reproductive behavior has been observed in all species studied. Approximately 25% of male sheep exhibit low sexual interest, but usually mate and have limited numbers of offspring. In domesticated, promiscuous species like sheep, the female may have mate preference, but mate choice is usually constrained by breeding strategies. It was hypothesized that when mate choice is limited, ewes would exhibit more proceptive behavior toward rams with low sexual interest to ensure reproductive success. Recorded serving capacity tests (n = 56) were utilized for this analysis. Rams were individually exposed to two ewes in estrus with behavior recorded for 20 min. From those recordings, a 10 min time period was utilized to assess ewe proceptive behavior. Ram anticipatory and consumatory behaviors were recorded. Anticpatory behaviors included ano-genitial sniffs, vocalization, fore-leg kicks, head butts, and nudges. Consumatory behavior included mount attempts, mounts, and ejaculations. Rams were categorized as high performing if they achieved two or more mounts during the 10 min period. Ewe behavior was determined by the number of solicitation looks and movements toward and away from the ram. During the 10 min of observed behavior, time spent in close proximity (less than 0.3 m) to the ram was determined and considered time in affiliation with the ram. Percent of time spent in affiliation with high sexually performing rams was greater (P
Exogenous progesterone for smoking cessation in men and women: a pilot double‐blind, placebo‐controlled randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS In some clinical studies men and women have been found to differ in their ability to quit smoking, perhaps as a result of progesterone. The primary aim of this study was to provide a preliminary test of whether progesterone (PRO), compared with placebo (PBO), was more effective for smoking cessation in men and women. DESIGN Pilot double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. SETTING Minneapolis/St Paul metro area, Minnesota, USA. PARTICIPANTS A total of 216 participants were randomized, including 113 men (18-60 years; PRO = 56, PBO = 57) and 103 women (18-50 years, pre-menopausal with self-reported regular menstrual cycles; PRO = 51, PBO = 52). INTERVENTION Participants were randomized (1 : 1 within sex group) to either PRO (200 mg twice daily) or PBO. Participants were assigned a quit date approximately 7 days after starting medication (luteal phase for women) and were followed for 12 weeks to assess relapse. MEASUREMENTS The primary outcome was self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) at week 4. Secondary outcomes included 7-day PPA at weeks 8 and 12, prolonged abstinence, continuous abstinence, urine cotinine < 50 ng/ml, expired carbon monoxide ≤ 5 parts per million (p.p.m.) and days to relapse. FINDINGS There was a significant difference in 7-day PPA at week 4 among women [PRO: 18 (35.3%) versus PBO: 9 (17.3%), odds ratio (OR) = 2.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04, 6.54, P = 0.041], but not among men [PRO: 13 (23.2%) versus PBO: 12 (21.1%), 1.13 (0.47, 2.76), P = 0.782]. There was some evidence that PRO delayed relapse in women (days to relapse; PRO: 20.5 ± 29.6 versus PBO: 14.3 ± 26.8, P = 0.03) but not in men (PRO: 13.4 ± 25.9 versus PBO: 13.3 ± 23.8, P = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS Oral micronized progesterone may aid smoking cessation in women.
Nanomanipulation of colloidal particles and nanowires with optothermally gated photon nudging (Conference Presentation)

Optical trapping and manipulation of colloidal particles and biological objects have demonstrated essential applications in the fields of physical chemistry, biology and condensed matter physics. Currently, most optical tweezers and manipulation techniques are operated in solutions, where undesired Brownian motion will limit the working performance. Herein, we develop an all-optical technique for dynamic manipulation of colloidal particles and nanowires on a solid-state substrate under ambient conditions. Specifically, particles and nanowires are dispersed onto a thin layer of polymer surfactant spin-coated on the glass substrate. The surfactant layer acts as a gate to effectively trigger the particle motion. When the laser is off, particles are firmly bonded on the substrate by van der Waals interactions; under the laser illumination, the photothermal effects of particles induce the transition of polymer layer into a fluid-like phase, which reduces the van der Waals bonding and activates the movement of nanoparticles by optical scattering forces. This optothermally gated photon nudging strategy supports on-demand manipulation and reconfigurable patterning of colloidal particles at nanoscale accuracy with simple optics and low operation power. Our method applies to particles with different materials (e.g., gold, silver, silicon) and variable sizes (from 40 nm to 1.5 mm). Furthermore, integrated with dark-field imaging and spectroscopy, the reported platform enables in-situ detection and characterizations of the colloidal structures. With its versatile capabilities, this novel nanomanipulation technique will have promising applications in optical nanomanufacturing, nanophotonics, and colloidal nanodevices.
PREVALENCE OF PNEUMATIZATION OF THE CRISTA GALLI IN DENTAL PATIENTS

Background A large field of view (FOV) cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan can show an anatomic variant, such as pneumatization of the crista galli. The crista galli is a bony projection that extends superiorly from the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone. It is located at the midline of the anterior cranial fossa and is where the falx cerebri attaches anteriorly. As there is no literature on this topic using CBCT imaging, we undertook this study to add to the research as well as to inform dentists and specialists about pneumatization of crista galli. Objective(s) The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of pneumatization of the crista galli using CBCT images and to compare the prevalence of pneumatization of crista galli in patients receiving nonsurgical versus surgical dental treatment. Study Design The study included 514 diagnostic CBCT scans from 2015 to 2016. Age, sex, treatment provided, and the size of pneumatized crista galli were recorded. The associations between age and sex versus pneumatization of the crista galli were evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test. The associations between treatment and pneumatization of crista galli were assessed using Pearson's χ2 and Fischer's exact tests. Results The average age of the patients was 15.69 years. Pneumatization of crista galli occurred in 20 out of 514 (3.8%) patients. The median cranial–caudal length of a pneumatized crista galli was 4.78 mm in females and 5.62 mm in males. The median width was 4.49 mm in females and 6.98 mm in males. Patients with pneumatization were statistically significantly older than the patients without pneumatization (U = 3041.5; P = .004). Among the nonsurgical categories, orthodontic treatment was classified as significant (P = .008). Among surgical categories, orthognathic surgery was found to be significant in the presentation of pneumatization of the crista galli (P = .001). Fischer's exact test showed there was a significantly higher percentage of surgical patients with pneumatization compared with nonsurgical patients (P = .003). Discussion/Conclusions Age, orthodontic treatment, and orthognathic surgery were significantly associated with pneumatization of the crista galli. Gender did not contribute substantially to pneumatization of the crista galli.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer: Bear and Leather Subcultures

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) community often has been reduced to a homogenous group. However, multiple LGBTQ subcultures have developed across time. The leathermen and bears are two subcultures that arose out of a critique of the mainstream gay men's masculinity. The leathermen movement of the 1960s developed an aesthetic based upon the masculinity portrayed in media representations of bikers of that period, with a focus upon leather attire along with dominant and submissive sexual scripts. In contrast, the bears of the 1980s formed a masculinity that idealized naturalism, with a heavy set and hirsute appearance along with nurturing sexual practices. Both groups began by hosting invitation-only parties but became visible parts of the LGBTQ community through grassroots organization and using the community organization techniques of the civil rights movement.
Variability in the estimation of ungulate group sizes complicates ecological inference.

Foundational work has examined adaptive social behavior in animals in relation to the costs and benefits of group living. Within this context, a "group" of animals represents an organizational unit that is integral to the study of animal ecology and evolution.Definitions of animal group sizes are often subjective with considerable variability within and across species. However, investigations of both the extent and implications of such variability in the estimation of animal group sizes are currently lacking.Selecting ungulates as a case study, we conducted a literature review to assess prevailing practices used to determine group sizes among terrestrial Cetartiodactyla and Perissodactyla. Via this process, we examined group size definitions for 61 species across 171 peer-reviewed studies published between 1962 and 2018.These studies quantified group sizes via estimation of ungulate aggregations in space and time. Spatial estimates included a nearest neighbor distance ranging from 1.4 m to 1,000 m, and this variation was partially explained by a weak positive correlation (|r| = .4, p < .003) with the body size of the ungulate research subjects. The temporal extent over which group size was estimated was even broader, ranging from three minutes to 24 hr.The considerable variability in ungulate group size estimation that we observed complicates efforts to not only compare and replicate studies but also to evaluate underlying theories of group living. We recommend that researchers: (a) clearly describe the spatiotemporal extents over which they define ungulate group sizes, (b) highlight foundational empirical and ecological rationale for these extents, and (c) seek to align such extents among individual species so as to facilitate cross-system comparisons of ungulate group size dynamics. We believe an integrative approach to ungulate group size estimation would readily facilitate replication, comparability, and evaluation of competing hypotheses examining the tradeoffs of animal sociality.
Floating Vertebral Body Cement Ball After High-Viscosity-Cement Vertebroplasty for Lytic Defect: Report of 2 Cases.

ABSTRACT Background Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is an effective procedure for painful pathological vertebral fractures. High-viscosity cement is the preferred choice for vertebroplasty given its low risk of extravasation. We describe here 2 cases of high-viscosity cement vertebroplasty in large lytic defects and associated complications. Case Description Case 1 describes PVP in an 89-year-old male patient with L1 pathological fracture from prostrate metastasis. Case 2 describes PVP in a 68-year-old male with T7 and T8 vertebral fractures from multiple myeloma. In both cases, high-viscosity cement was used to fill large lytic cavities. This resulted in poor interdigitation of the cement with the trabeculae forming an unstable floating cement ball and dangerous retrieval of the cement trocar needle. The implications of this occurrence have been described. Conclusions High-viscosity-cement vertebroplasty in large lytic defects needs to be done with caution. The potential occurrence of poor cement interdigitation and the following complications can be catastrophic, and caution must be used.
Photonic resonators with microring-like behavior based on standing wave cavity pairs with opposite-symmetry modes

We emulate the reflectionless response of a traveling-wave resonator using two bus-coupled photonic crystal nanobeam cavities with respective symmetric and antisymmetric modes. The scheme may enable new active device platforms beyond ring resonators.
The effect of non-pecuniary motivations on labor supply

Abstract People value work not only as a means of earning income to satisfy their consumption needs but also as a direct source of satisfaction for its socio-psychological effects (non-pecuniary benefits). I show that once non-pecuniary effects of working time are incorporated in the standard labor-supply model: (i) the wage rate under-estimates ( over-estimates ) the true opportunity cost of non-work/leisure time when working time has non-pecuniary benefits (costs), (ii) non-pecuniary work motivations can substitute for monetary wages as work incentives, (iii) at very low wage rates, work can become a net source of utility , and (iv) the implied shape of labor-supply curve differs starkly from those implied by standard theory. I identify conditions under which a greater non-pecuniary work motivation induces a larger supply of labor, and examine the effects of non-wage income on supplies of paid work and voluntary work when there are non-pecuniary benefits associated with both types of work.
Emotional problem-related distress screening and its prevalence by cancer type: Assessment by patients' characteristics and level of assistance requested.

OBJECTIVE Emotional problem-related distress is a common issue faced by patients with cancer. However, patients suffering with this emotional burden do not typically seek assistance. This study sought to determine the prevalence of emotional problem-related distress by cancer type, and identify factors correlated with the level of assistance requested. METHODS Using the SupportScreen®, patients were screened for emotional problem-related distress at their first or second visit to an NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. General Linear Model was used to test the association between emotional problem-related distress and type of cancer, and the relationship between level of assistance requested and patients' characteristics. RESULTS A total of 2,421 patients were included in this analysis. Patients were mostly female (62%), diagnosed with breast (24%), gynecological (16%) or gastrointestinal (15%) cancers. Highest levels of emotional problem-related distress were reported by patients diagnosed with lung, gynecological, breast and gastrointestinal cancers. Level of assistance requested were significantly associated with problem-related distress scores (p < 0.001), which were higher among patients with lower household incomes (p < 0.001) and Spanish as primary language (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION Our study found an association between Level of assistance requested and emotional problem-related distress, which were heightened by lower income and Spanish-speaking. Intervention strategies should be considered to increase access to psychosocial support services.
Contribuições da Arte e da Cultura pra formação docente

A conjuntura dinâmica da sociedade atual exige da educacao uma otimizacao de praticas e teorias nos curriculos de licenciaturas capazes de formar professores aptos a desenvolverem em seus alunos habilidades e competencias necessarias para o trabalho e a convivencia social das proximas decadas. Aliada a formacao academica, e necessario que o professor participe de formacoes continuadas que lhe proporcionem subsidios em diversas areas, que o auxiliem no desenvolvimento da sua metodologia de ensino, visto que o professor precisa ser sempre aluno, disposto a, diante das constantes transformacoes tecnologicas e sociais, ressignificar-se frequentemente enquanto mediador de aprendizagens. A partir da fala da cantora Anaadi, vencedora do Grammy Latino 2018, para uma turma do Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Memoria Social e Bens Culturais da Universidade La Salle, sobre a digitalizacao da arte, sao realizadas reflexoes acerca da importância da arte e da cultura para a formacao continuada de professores da rede municipal de ensino de Esteio. E diante dessa perspectiva, que o presente artigo, parte da pesquisa de Mestrado da autora, se insere, no intuito de buscar respostas para o seguinte questionamento: Momentos artisticos e culturais proporcionados aos docentes em formacao continuada podem contribuir para a construcao de memorias individuais e coletivas? A base teorica deste estudo sera composta por Geertz (1989) e Cunha (2010), no que se refere a Cultura, Cassirer (2012) ao tratar do tempo e do espaco, Halbwachs (2003) no que concerne a Memoria, Todorov (2009) e Rosa (2014) no que diz respeito a arte e a literatura, Rosa e Casagrande (2017) no que tange a formacao docente, e Graeff, Constante e Caye (2020) no que se refere a relacao cultura e escola.
Maximizing Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Piezoelectric Properties through the Optimization of Electrospinning and Post-thermal Treatment Processes

While high-performance piezoelectric polymeric nanofibers such as polyvinylidene fluoride and its derivatives have been extensively studied to various applications, limited works examined other fun...
Towards Mobile Functions

The major sources of inspiration for our subject come from the research areas of functional programming and foundational models of mobile computation. The aim of this chapter is to give an overview of the existing works in these areas which provide the background to this book.
Erythrocyte Membrane Lipids and Rh Antigen Activity

The Rh antigens have never been totally and reproducibly obtained in free solution. Indirect evidence, based among other observations on the reversible loss of Rh antigen activity of lyophilized Rh-positive erythrocyte membranes with mercurial sulfhydryl reagents, suggests that the activity may depend on membrane protein. With the hypothesis that this membrane protein may be associated perhaps structurally with membrane lipid, studies were undertaken on the effects of organic solvents on lyophilized membrane Rh antigen activity. The antigen activity was abolished after extensive extraction with 100% 1-butanol, but could be regenerated to approximately 50% of the unextracted membranes by the addition of certain lipids. The present investigations establish that phospholipids are the only class of lipids which result in such regeneration. The binding of 14C-labeled lecithin of biological origin was measured in benzene solution, in sonicated aqueous dispersions, and in 5% methanol-ether dispersions. Regeneration of Rh activity was also followed, which showed that the binding of aqueous sonicated phospholipids (liposomes) was associated with the best regeneration and the maximum labeled lecithin bound. The binding of 14C-fatty acids also occurred under similar conditions, but no associated regeneration of Rh antigen activity was observed. Similarly, an extensive series of nonphosphorus-containing lipids failed to regenerate the antigen activity. Synthetic dipalmitoyl lecithin was found to bind to the 1-butanol-extracted membranes, but not to result in regenerated activity. Labeled phosphorylcholine showed little binding to these membranes, and large amounts of unlabeled phosphorylcholine only mildly depressed the binding of labeled lecithin. This suggests that the binding of the lecithin is predominantly hydrophobic. A graded effect of different phospholipids was noted in regard to the extent of antigen regeneration. Thus, the Rh antigen activity is dependent on the presence of bound phospholipid, containing at least one unsaturated fatty acid, with neither the polar nor the nonpolar portion of the molecule alone satisfying this requirement.
Host-parasite relationship of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Lymnaea palustris. III. Oxygen uptake of Lymnaea palustris.

Abstract Oxygen uptake rates by Lymnaea palustris infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis and by noninfected controls were determined at 25, 30, and 35 C over 34-day periods. Significant decreases in oxygen uptake were noted from one day to the next for both infected and noninfected groups of snails. At 25 and 30 C groups of infected snails found to have high average larval recoveries frequently had significantly higher oxygen uptake rates than for corresponding groups of noninfected snails. At 35 C readings were less reliable due to an increase in mortality for both infected and noninfected snails. Respiratory rates were not significantly altered by increasing the temperature from 25 to 30 and 35 C.
Cell adhesion and spreading factor. Partial purification and properties.

Abstract The fetal calf serum (FCS) factor required for both the specific adhesion and spreading of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells has been purified 140-fold. The purified factor is a mixture which appears to contain two active globular glycoprotein components. The larger has a sedimentation coefficient of 12.5S and contains polypeptide chains of about 215 000 D and the smaller is 9S and contains popypeptide chains of 94 000, 80 000 and 71 000 D. The mixed factor has been determined to have an isoelectric point of 4.0 and its amino acid and carbohydrate composition have been determined. The low isoelectric point may be a result of the high content of glutamic and asparatic acid (up to 21%) and sialic acid (2–3%). Activity of the mixed factor requires its adsorption onto the substratum surface and about 0.6-0.85 μg of adsorbed factor protein on a 9.6 cm2 surface is required for complete cell adhesion and spreading to subsequently occur. Non-specific cell adhesion (i.e., direct adsorption of cells onto the substratum in the absence of serum) can be completely blocked by pre-coating the substratum with bovine serum albumin (BSA); the purified factor can be shown to compete with BSA for the limited number of potential adsorption sites on the substratum surface. The mixed factor adsorbs preferentially to the substratum in the presence of a high excess of BSA and promotes increased cell adhesion and spreading as the density of the factor on the substratum is increased. Experiments with anti-factor antiserum indicated that the mixed factor preparation contains all of the FCS components involved in promoting cell adhesion and spreading.
Materials for Advanced Battery and Energy Storage Systems (Batteries, Capacitors, Fuel Cells)

The annual production of Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion Devices including Batteries, Capacitors and Fuel Cells is approaching a $100 billion value (at manufacturers values). Approximately one half of this amount is the value of materials used in processing or product. These materials include metals, plastics, organic and polymer materials, fabrics, glass, ceramics, inorganic materials, and composites. They are utilized or processed in powders, pastes, films, sheets, fabrics, mats, electrolytes, seals, moldings, fibers, and composites. An overview of the presently used and advanced materials is presented and the needs for further innovations to meet emerging applications described. Some advanced materials studied in the Center for Energy Storage Materials and Engineering at Rutgers University are discussed. They include metal hydrides for the storage of hydrogen, bipolar-NiMH battery designs, manganese-bismuth mixed metal oxides for rechargeable alkaline and lithium cells, and super capacitor materials.
Iced Aircraft Flight Data for Flight Simulator Validation

NASA is developing and validating technology to incorporate aircraft icing effects into a flight training device concept demonstrator. Flight simulation models of a DHC-6 Twin Otter were developed from wind tunnel data using a subscale, complete aircraft model with and without simulated ice, and from previously acquired flight data. The validation of the simulation models required additional aircraft response time histories of the airplane configured with simulated ice similar to the subscale model testing. Therefore, a flight test was conducted using the NASA Twin Otter Icing Research Aircraft. Over 500 maneuvers of various types were conducted in this flight test. The validation data consisted of aircraft state parameters, pilot inputs, propulsion, weight, center of gravity, and moments of inertia with the airplane configured with different amounts of simulated ice. Emphasis was made to acquire data at wing stall and tailplane stall since these events are of primary interest to model accurately in the flight training device. Analyses of several datasets are described regarding wing and tailplane stall. Key findings from these analyses are that the simulated wing ice shapes significantly reduced the C , max, while the simulated tail ice caused elevator control force anomalies and tailplane stall when flaps were deflected 30 deg or greater. This effectively reduced the safe operating margins between iced wing and iced tail stall as flap deflection and thrust were increased. This flight test demonstrated that the critical aspects to be modeled in the icing effects flight training device include: iced wing and tail stall speeds, flap and thrust effects, control forces, and control effectiveness.
Finding Freedom Through Complexity

Did My Neurons Make Me Do It? . Philosophical and Neurobiological Perspectives on Moral Responsibility and Free Will. By Nancey Murphy and Warren S. Brown . Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2007. 352 pp. $65, £40. ISBN 9780199215393. Murphy and Brown present a case for a "nonreductive version of physicalism whereby humans are (sometimes) the authors of their own thoughts and actions."
Correlation between glycated hemoglobin and mean plasma glucose in hemodialysis patients

Background Since the half-life of red blood cells (RBCs) is shorter in hemodialysis patients, the value of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as a marker of glycemic control in patients with diabetes on hemodialysis has recently been questioned. It is thought that it is not a good marker of mean plasma glucose (MPG) over a 3-month duration. In our current study, we evaluate whether monthly HbA1c values is a better marker of glycemic control than HbA1c every 3 months.