cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Entangled Species: The Inclusive Posthumanist Ecopoetics of Juliana Spahr

In her most recent collection, Well Then There Now (2011), Juliana Spahr promotes an inclusive posthumanist ethics by composing poetry that adopts the complex patterns of nature, a poetry that models the shared, connective spaces we inhabit with others. Reacting to our contemporary moment of intense globalization and economic imperialism, and the environmental changes accompanying these giant social forces, Spahr conducts investigations of and through language in order to become more fully aware of the interconnections between self and others; and between self, others and environment, including how material interconnections shape our social and cultural conditions. Through her signature use of Steinian repetition and parataxis—alongside a process of cutting up, hashing, and recycling text—Spahr looks critically at the systemic intersection of all organisms, including the artificial or non-living other. As this essay argues, by emphasizing points of convergence between human, machine, and animal, Spahr’s inclusive poetics teaches us how to live intersectionally with respect and regard for other species, and encourages us to acknowledge our existence as co-existence.
Intrinsic uncertainty and integration efficiency in bisection acuity

Abstract A spatial perturbation paradigm was used to determine equivalent intrinsic uncertainty and spatial integration efficiency in bisection. Specifically, three-line bisection thresholds were measured in the fovea of four normal observers with stimulus lines comprised of discrete dark dots distributed randomly around the mean line position according to a Gaussian function. The standard deviation of the Gaussian distribution ( σ e ), the number ( N ), and the strength ( C ) of the dots as well as line separation were varied. Bisection thresholds were modeled by an ideal integrator, from which the magnitude of equivalent internal uncertainty ( σ i ), the equivalent effective number of dots ( k ), and equivalent integration efficiency ( k/N ) were quantified. At the 2 min arc separation , σ i decreases (down to a few sec arc) as N and/or C increases. The effects of both N and C can be accounted for by the stimulus visibility ( V , in multiples of detection threshold). At the 16 min arc separation , σ i is independent of N, C , or V , and is about 1 min arc. The two different forms of σ i indicate that bisection judgments are limited by at least two separate sources of limiting noise, consistent with the hypothesis of two separate mechanisms (i.e. spatial filters and local signs). A visibility dependent σ i at the 2 min arc separation can be explained on the basis of contrast sensitive spatial filter mechanisms. A fixed ai at the 16 min arc separation indicates a genuine positional uncertainty , consistent with local-sign mechanisms. Interestingly, equivalent integration efficiency ( k/N ) is very similar at the two line separations. ( k/N ) is critically dependent on, and proportional to C , indicating a common limitation in a detection mechanism.
Ablation of inner hair cells by carboplatin alters cells in the medial K+ flow route and disrupts tectorial membrane

Abstract The thesis that K + effluxing from inner hair cells (IHCs) cycles medially back to endolymph through inner sulcus and interdental cells (IDCs) was tested by comparing control chinchilla cochleas with those in which IHCs were selectively destroyed by carboplatin. By light microscopy inner sulcus cells appeared tall and nearly empty in control ears, but 4 months after the carboplatin treatment many showed vacuolization and shrinkage. Inner pillar cells also consistently developed abnormal vacuoles after carboplatin treatment. Control cochleas exhibited lateral columns and central clusters of IDCs which at their apex possessed expanded presumably hydrated phalanges. Four months after carboplatin, the IDC epithelium enclosed empty looking spaces and the apical phalangeal compartment collapsed into a thin, apparently dehydrated layer. This alteration was accompanied by changes in the tectorial membrane (TM) whereby the membrane’s limbal zone thickened progressively to form a tall hollow mound in advanced lesions. The clear spaces in the epithelium and collapse of the phalanges are thought to reflect diminished flow of ions and fluid through IDCs. The accumulation of limbal TM supports the premise that IDCs secrete macromolecules for TM turnover as well as ions and fluid for promoting lateral migration of its precursor constituents. Occurring after ablation of IHCs by carboplatin, the changes in inner pillar, inner sulcus and IDCs and limbal TM can be viewed as a secondary effect of the interrupted ion efflux from IHCs and as further evidence that this effluent follows a medial route.
Transcriptional response of the archaeal ammonia oxidizer Nitrosopumilus maritimus to low and environmentally relevant ammonia concentrations

The ability of chemoautotrophic ammonia-oxidizing archaea to compete for ammonia among marine microorganisms at low ambient concentrations has been in part attributed to their extremely high affinity for ammonia, but as yet there is no mechanistic understanding of supporting metabolism. We examined transcription of selected genes for anabolic functions (CO2 fixation, ammonia transport, and cell wall synthesis) and a central catabolic function (ammonia oxidation) in the thaumarchaeon Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1 growing at two ammonia concentrations, as measured by combined ammonia and ammonium, one well above the Km for ammonia oxidation (∼500 μM) and the other well below the Km (<10 nM). Transcript levels were generally immediately and differentially repressed when cells transitioned from ammonia-replete to ammonia-limiting conditions. Transcript levels for ammonia oxidation, CO2 fixation, and one of the ammonia transport genes were approximately the same at high and low ammonia availability. Transcripts for all analyzed genes decreased with time in the complete absence of ammonia, but with various rates of decay. The new steady-state mRNA levels established are presumably more reflective of the natural physiological state of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and offer a reference for interpreting message abundance patterns in the natural environment.
Batch Process for Solvent Extraction of Natural Rubber from Guayule

Abstract Quantities of high-quality rubber gumstock, well below the permissible contaminant levels established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), have been prepared in the Food Protein Research and Development Center's Industrial Crops Solvent Extraction Pilot Plant using a batch-processing approach. The basic unit operations of this approach are compatible with the infrastructure of screw press cottonseed oil mill operations in the United States. Process limitations in shrub preparation, mixing, miscella filtration, and removal of solvent from the finished rubber were identified and subsequently minimized or resolved. Different combinations of solvents and alcohols for rubber precipitation, antioxidants, extraction temperatures, shrub sources, storage conditions, and preparation methods were investigated; and their effects on rubber material properties were evaluated. Compounding studies and physical testing have shown that the center'...
Postoperative CPAP and BiPAP use can be safely omitted after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Abstract Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent in the morbidly obese population. The need for routine preoperative testing for OSA has been debated in bariatric surgery publications. Most investigators have advocated the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) in the postoperative setting; however, others have reported pouch perforations or other gastrointestinal complications as a result of their use. From a review of our experience, we present an algorithm for the safe postoperative treatment of patients with OSA without the use of CPAP or BiPAP. Methods From January 2003 to December 2007, 1095 laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses were performed at our institution. Preoperative testing for OSA was not routinely performed. A prospective database was maintained. The data included patient demographics, co-morbidities (including OSA and CPAP/BiPAP use), perioperative events, complications, and follow-up information. Patients with known OSA were not given CPAP/BiPAP after surgery. They were observed in a monitored setting during their inpatient stay, ensuring continuous oxygen saturation of >92%. All patients used patient-controlled analgesia, were trained in the use of incentive spirometry, and ambulated within a few hours of surgery. The outcomes were compared between the OSA patients using preoperative CPAP/BiPAP versus those with OSA without preoperative CPAP/BiPAP versus patients with no history of OSA. Results A total of 811 patients were included in the study group with no known history of OSA. Of the 284 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of OSA, 144 were CPAP/BiPAP dependent. Statistically significant differences were present in age distribution and gender, with men having greater CPAP/BiPAP dependency. No significant differences were found in body mass index, length of stay, pulmonary complications, or deaths. One pulmonary complication occurred in the OSA, CPAP/BiPAP-dependent group, three in the OSA, non-CPAP group, and six in the no-known OSA group. No anastomotic leaks or deaths occurred in the series. Conclusion Postoperative CPAP/BiPAP can be safely omitted in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients with known OSA, provided they are observed in a monitored setting and their pulmonary status is optimized by aggressive incentive spirometry and early ambulation.
A class of data structures for 2‐D and 3‐D adaptive mesh refinement

A ‘family’ of tree data structures for adaptive mesh refinement is described and details concerning the associated logic are provided. The data structures encompass triangular elements and quadrilateral elements in two dimensions and quadrilateral bricks in three dimensions. Furthermore, both linear (bilinear) and quadratic (biquadratic) element types, respectively, are developed. Representative refinement results are given for the bilinear, trilinear and biquadratic types and associated performance studies made for the refinement procedure.
Culture, Individual Differences, and Support for Human Rights: A General Review

Cultural and individual differences in support for universal human rights are reviewed. Cross-cultural studies suggest a common international understanding of human rights, and international surveys indicate strong global endorsement of human rights. However, country-specific events can affect support within a country, and a country’s historical culture affects whether civil and political rights, or economic, social, and cultural rights receive stronger support. Individual differences in support for human rights are strongly predicted positively by a sense of identification with all humanity and by concern for other global issues, and negatively by generalized prejudice, authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and right-wing political ideology. Many other individual differences more weakly predict human rights support. Little is known about how concern for human rights develops, and this issue merits sustained research.
FEM assessment of performance of microhole textured cutting tool in dry machining of Ti-6Al-4V

In this paper, the AdvantEdge FEM is used to investigate the performance of microhole textured cutting tools in dry three-dimensional (3D) turning of Ti alloy (Ti-6A1-4V). Microholes are designed on the rake face of cemented carbide (WC/Co) cutting inserts. The purpose is to assess the effect of microhole textured cutting tool on machining performance and to compare it with non-textured regular cutting tools. Specifically, the following microhole parameters are tested: microhole diameter, microhole depth, edge distance (the distance from cutting edge to the first line of microholes), and microhole position pattern. Their effects are assessed in terms of the cutting forces and tool-chip contact length. It is found that microhole textured cutting tools generate lower cutting force and consequently lower-energy consumption for machining. Moreover, the microhole diameter, the microhole depth, the edge distance, and the microhole position pattern all affect the cutting forces of the machining in their own way.
Compositions and isotopic differences of iso- and anteiso-alkanes in black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) across a salinity gradient in a subtropical estuary

Environmental context Mangroves dominate at the interface between land and sea, especially along tropical and subtropical coasts. To gain a better understanding of how mangroves respond to various environmental stress factors, we investigated the use of monomethylalkanes as potential chemical tracers for black mangroves. The application of these chemical tracers could elucidate how black mangroves respond to environmental stress such as sea level rise in mixed mangrove environments. Abstract A series of iso- and anteiso-monomethylalkanes (MMAs) with carbon numbers from C23 to C35 and C14 to C34 respectively were detected in Avicennia germinans. These compounds were present in varying amounts up to 54.1, 1.0 and 3.4µg g–1 dry weight in the leaves, bark and the crustose lichens attached to the bark of A. germinans respectively. These MMAs were not detected in the leaf waxes of Rhizophora mangle and Laguncularia racemosa, but were detected in significantly lower abundances (2–6% of that in A. germinans leaf wax) in the bark and lichen of R. mangle. Significant odd-carbon number distributions and even-carbon number distributions were observed for long chain (C ≥ 25) iso- (maximising at C31) and anteiso-MMAs (maximising at C32) respectively in A. germinans leaf wax. However, no obvious carbon number preferences were detected for bark and lichen. The long chain (LC) iso- and anteiso-MMAs in A. germinans leaf waxes were found to be enriched in 13C by 0.3–4.3 and 0.7–4.2 per mille (‰) compared to the n-alkanes with the same carbon numbers respectively across the salinity gradient of 19.7–32.0 practical salinity units (psu). In comparison, the LC iso- and anteiso-MMAs were found to be more depleted in D by 6.1–55.1 and 7.3–57.0 ‰ compared to the n-alkanes with same carbon numbers respectively. The results imply that A. germinans could be another important source of iso- and anteiso-alkanes in sediments and soils, and that these compounds could potentially be used as biomarkers for this species in mixed mangrove environments.
Computational aspects of dispersive computational continua for elastic heterogeneous media

The present manuscript focusses on computational aspects of dispersive computational continua ($$C^2$$C2) formulation previously introduced by the authors. The dispersive $$C^2$$C2 formulation is a multiscale approach that showed strikingly accurate dispersion curves. However, the seemingly theoretical advantage may be inconsequential due to tremendous computational cost involved. Unlike classical dispersive methods pioneered more than a half a century ago where the unit cell is quasi-static and provides effective mechanical and dispersive properties to the coarse-scale problem, the dispersive $$C^2$$C2 gives rise to transient problems at all scales and for all microphases involved. An efficient block time-integration scheme is proposed that takes advantage of the fact that the transient unit cell problems are not coupled to each other, but rather to a single coarse-scale finite element they are positioned in. We show that the computational cost of the method is comparable to the classical dispersive methods for short load durations.
Bioethical Issues in Research on the Fetus and Newborn Infant

As noted earlier in reference to both performance of studies on fetal endocrinology and steroid metabolism, and in reference to other “experiments” for “pure science” and the conduct of double-blinded clinical trials in attempting to improve survival of very premature infants, a number of questions have arisen in regard to the ethics of experimentation. In addition to the issue of the culture wars of abortion, debates about the fetus, whether it be their bodies, rights, personhood, or perception of pain, involve arguments of scientific authority, political, religious, and social values, as well as other considerations (Dubow 2011; Morgan 2009; Reagan 2010). In addition, with the lifesaving technologies of maintaining viability of premature infants at ever earlier ages, and the recognition that a high percentage of such newborns face a life of neurologic disability, the debates can become intense. A number of gifted individuals have addressed these issues, and there are no easy answers. In his banquet address upon receipt of the 1949 Nobel Prize for Literature, in the early years of the Cold War era William Faulkner addressed the tragedy of that day, that of an almost universal fear for life and survival and our universal need for compassion and perseverance. In part, this involves our gaining an understanding of our origins.
The Driver Has Control: Exploring Driving Performance with Varying Automation Capabilities

As vehicle automation becomes more capable and prevalent, an understanding of how drivers will interact with automation systems of varying capabilities will be of critical importance. In this study, we compare the performance of drivers on takeover of control from varying types of automation systems (single-function and combined function). Participants drove a 20-minute course with sections of automated driving, and with several traffic events designed to elicit a driver response. Structured transfers of control between automated and manual driving modes occurred following a 7-second countdown at fixed locations on the course. Significant differences were found between groups in terms of lanekeeping ability immediately after taking control following a period of automated vehicle control or partial driver/automation control, but significant differences were not found in accident evasion ability, even five seconds after resuming full control.
'Disabling the Revolution, Evaluating the First Ten Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act' a Review of the Disability Pendulum, the First Decade of the Americans with Disabilities Act by Ruth Colker

Ruth Colker provides a detailed history of the first ten years of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) based upon a study of federal cases, legislative history, and judicial decision-making. Her examination gives insight into why, despite broad congressional support, initial ADA jurisprudence has fallen short of the envisioned goals of its supporters with the vast majority of case law limiting the breadth and effectiveness of the statute. In addition, Colker gives readers a behind-the-scenes look into the debates and personal stories that paved the way for the statute's enactment in Congress.
An integrated analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation and genetic variants underlying etoposide-induced cytotoxicity in European and African populations

Genetic variations among individuals account for a large portion of variability in drug response. The underlying mechanism of the variability is still not known, but it is expected to comprise of a wide range of genetic factors that interact and communicate with each other. Here, we present an integrated genome-wide approach to uncover the interactions among genetic factors that can explain some of the inter-individual variation in drug response. The International HapMap consortium generated genotyping data on human lymphoblastoid cell lines of (Center d’Etude du Polymorphisme Humain population - CEU) European descent and (Yoruba population - YRI) African descent. Using genome-wide analysis, Huang et al. identified SNPs that are associated with etoposide, a chemotherapeutic drug, response on the cell lines. Using the same lymphoblastoid cell lines, Fraser et al. generated genome-wide methylation profiles for gene promoter regions. We evaluated associations between candidate SNPs generated by Huang et al and genome-wide methylation sites. The analysis identified a set of methylation sites that are associated with etoposide related SNPs. Using the set of methylation sites and the candidate SNPs, we built an integrated model to explain etoposide response observed in CEU and YRI cell lines. This integrated method can be extended to combine any number of genomics data types to explain many phenotypes of interest.
Reporter gene transfer induces apoptosis in primary cortical neurons.

Abstract Modern cell biologists typically use reporter genes either alone or co-expressed with a protein of interest to facilitate the localization or quantification of protein expression. Our work demonstrates that reporter genes should be used cautiously, as several common reporter gene products are toxic to primary cortical neuronal cultures. We used the herpes simplex virus-based viral amplicon vector to transduce cortical neurons with three different reporter genes and assessed whether any reporter gene products were toxic over time, by monitoring neurite disintegration and apoptosis. Toxicity varied as a function of the reporter gene, the gene product localization, and the level of reporter gene expression. Transduction of enhanced green fluorescent protein or nuclear-localized β-galactosidase was more toxic than non-nuclear localized β-galactosidase. This work underscores the need for careful design of gene expression constructs. Moreover, in studies where cell injury or toxicity is being evaluated, their use should be carefully considered.
When Mathematics Says No

When all the impermanencies of the world are considered, when one thinks of vast empires that have fallen, of religious beliefs and customs consigned to the ash-heaps of time, of facts and systems of science patched up as a result of body blows received from pummeling nature; when one sees day-to-day arrangements of life changing rapidly even as we live them, in what quarter are we to find a yearned for permanence? One answer has beenand it has been an answer for a very long time indeed-mathematics. It is asserted that the proven statements of mathematics are true and indubitably so; that they are universal, that their truth is independent of time and of national (or even intergalactic) origin. These are commonly held views; and since they are by no means self-evident, they have naturally been the subject of discussions for rather a long time. Such discussions have, over the years, constituted a good fraction of what is called the philosophy of mathematics. In the opinion of the writer (and of many observers of the mathematical scene) these views are naive and lead to a picture of mathematical activity that is inadequate. In this article, I shall explore these views from a particular point of view, namely, that of the statements of impossibility that occur in mathematics. Of such statements there is an abundance: "It is impossible for parallel lines to meet," "It is impossible to square the circle," "It is impossible that the sum of two even numbers be an odd number," "It is impossible to give a proof of the consistency of Zermelo's Axioms," and many, many others. We might say that since the phrase 'it is impossible that' is simply the negation of the phrase 'it is the case that,' any statement of mathematics that asserts that something is the case can be converted to an impossibility by denying its denial. Thus, 'two and two is four' converts to 'it is impossible that two and two not be four.' Nonetheless, some statements seem to fit the impossibility format more naturally than others. Examples: children say in subtraction "six from four you cannot take," and mathematicians say that "a transcendental number is one that cannot possibly satisfy a polynomial equation with integer coefficients." Furthermore, the psychological import of a statement that asserts impossibility is different from one that asserts actuality. ("You mean that such and such is impossible? You mean that no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, I will never succeed in ... ?") There seems to be a time element at work in such statements. Actuality is here, actuality is now, it is complete; an impossibility seems to bargain with an uncommitted future. Consider the following three statements: (1) It is impossible for two integers p and q to exist such that p/q = 12 (2) It is impossible to define the terms in an axiom. (3) It is impossible to display 10100000ooo0 decimal digits of F2. The first statement is an old theorem of mathematics. The second is a statement about
Congenital cutaneous diseases associated with central nervous system disorders.

Many dermatologic conditions are associated with neurologic disorders, especially with mental retardation. These conditions are usually congenital and often hereditary. Some of these “neurocutaneous” diseases are discussed on the basis of the most important clinical manifestations, laboratory features, or both.
Argyria resulting from chronic use of colloidal silver in a patient presenting for colonoscopy.

An elderly male with a history of argyria caused by chronic ingestion of colloidal silver presented for elective colonoscopy. The patient’s skin was a profound blue-gray color that caused concern among staff until his condition was identified through his medical and medication history. Colonoscopy and anesthesia proceeded without incident. The anesthetic management concerns include differentiating argyria from hypoxemia and other pathologies with similar appearance and clearly communicating the patient’s history of argyria to follow-on caregivers to prevent unneeded diagnostic or interventional procedures. It is also important for caregivers to understand that the altered skin pigmentation of argyria does not interfere with pulse oximetry.
Implementation of Displayport Protocol on FPGA

Displayport protocol,proposed by VESA organization,is a high speed serial interface for digital high definition video and audio applications.The maximum transmission speed of displayport is 10.8 Gbps.Receiver part of the displayport protocol was implemented based on Altera's StratixIIGX series FPGA.Solutions to realization of high-speed SERDES was proposed based on fractional-N frequency synthesis.
Molecular Detection of Smad2 / Smad4 Alterations in Colorectal Tumors

The signaling pathways mediated by the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family of factors are implicated in a wide array of biological processes including cell differentiation and proliferation, determination of cell fate during embryogenesis, cell adhesion and cell death. The recent discovery of the SMAD family of signal transducer proteins as mediators of TGF-β relaying signals from cell membrane to nucleus has revolutionized the understanding of the molecular basis of these processes (1,2). To date, at least eight homologues of the Smad genes have been identified and shown to be downstream of the serine/threonine kinase receptors Table 1 ). SMADs are molecules of relative mass 42K-60K composed of two regions of homology at the amino and carboxy terminals of the protein. The activation of SMADs by receptors upon TGF-β binding results in the formation of hetero-oligomeric complexes and translocation to the nucleus where transcription of target genes is effected. However, some of the SMADs apparently inhibit rather than mediate, TGF-β signaling. These inhibitory SMADs are also induced by TGF-β stimulation suggesting that there is an intracellular negative-feedback loop. Table 1 Human SMAD Genes and Cancers Gene Map position Affected cancers Reference(s) SMAD1 4q28-31 None 24 SMAD2 18q21 Colon 24 , 26 , 32 SMAD3 15q21-22 None 24 , 33 SMAD4 18q21 Lung, pancreatic,and colon 22-25 , 33 SMAD5 5q31 None 24 , 33 SMAD6 15q21-22 None 24 , 33 SMAD7 18q21 None 24 , 33 , 34 SMAD8/MADH6 13q12-14 None 35.
The Effects of Neuroleptics on Longevity in Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s disease (HD) comes from the observations of George Sumner Huntington, who gained eponymic immortality by his description of chronic progressive hereditary chorea in 1872. Huntington’s paper includes the following major features of the disease: 1. Its hereditary nature: “When either or both the parents have shown manifestation of the disease, ... one or more of the offspring almost invariably suffer from the disease, if they live to adult age. But if by chance these children go through life without it, the thread is broken and the grandchildren and great grandchildren of the original shakers may rest assured that they are free from the disease.... Unstable and whimsical as the disease may be in other respects, in this it is firm, it never skips a generation to again manifest itself in another; once having yielded its claims, it never regains them.” 2. Its rarity: “hereditary chorea ... is confined to certain and fortunately a few families.” 3. Its abnormal involuntary movements: “It begins as an ordinary chorea might begin, by the irregular and spasmodic action of certain muscles, as of the face, arms, etc. These movements gradually increase, when muscles hitherto unaffected take on the spasmodic action, until every muscle in the body becomes affected (excepting the involuntary ones)....” 4. Its progressive nature: “... increasing by degrees, and often occupying years in its development, until the hapless sufferer is but a quivering wreck of his former self.” 5. Its delayed age of onset: “I do not know of a single case that has shown any marked signs of chorea before the age of thirty of forty years, while those who pass the fortieth year without symptoms of the disease, are seldom attacked.” 6. Its behavioral abnormalities, including suicide: “In nearly all the families ... in which the choreic taint exists, the nervous temperament greatly preponderates, and in my grandfather’s and father’s experience, which conjointly covered a period of 78 years, nervous excitement in a marked degree almost invariably attends upon every disease these people may suffer from, although they may not when in health be over nervous.... The tendency to insanity, and sometimes that form of insanity which leads to suicide is marked.” 7. Its progressive dementia: “As the disease progresses the mind becomes more or less impaired, in the many amounting to insanity, while in others mind and body both gradually fail until death relieves them of their sufferings.” 8. Its resistance to treatment: “I have never known a recovery or even an amelioration of symptoms in this form of chorea; when once it begins it clings to the bitter end. No treatment seems to be of any avail, and indeed nowadays its end is so well known to the sufferer and his friends, that medical advice is seldom sought.”
Automated Probabilistic Modelling for Relational Data

Probabilistic graphical model representations of relational data provide a number of desired features, such as inference of missing values, detection of errors, visualization of data, and probabilistic answers to relational queries. However, adoption has been slow due to the high level of expertise expected both in probability and in the domain from the user. Instead of requiring a domain expert to specify the probabilistic dependencies of the data, we present an approach that uses the relational DB schema to automatically construct a Bayesian graphical model for a database. This resulting model contains customized distributions for the attributes, latent variables that cluster the records, and factors that reflect and represent the foreign key links, whilst allowing efficient inference. Experiments demonstrate the accuracy of the model and scalability of inference on synthetic and real-world data.
Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Inhibitors in Turnover and Degradation of Extracellular Matrix

As their names imply, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are thought to degrade or turnover extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Although some MMPs have prominent roles in ECM metabolism, most members of this large gene family, however, have either limited or no demonstrated roles in ECM turnover. In vivo studies of MMP function have revealed that matrix degradation per se is neither the sole nor predominant function of these proteinases and that these proteinases act on a variety of extracellular protein substrates, often to mediate gain-of-function processing. Because their substrates are diverse, MMPs have emerged as critical effectors in a variety of homeostatic functions, such as bone remodeling, wound healing, metabolism, and several aspects of immunity and inflammation. However, MMPs are also involved in a number of pathological processes, such as tumor progression, fibrosis, chronic inflammation, and vascular disease. In this chapter, we discuss the role of MMPs in affecting ECM metabolism and aspects of how their catalytic activity is regulated, with an emphasis on the action of the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs).
A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Low FODMAP Diet vs. Modified NICE Guidelines in US Adults with IBS-D

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Low FODMAP Diet vs. Modified NICE Guidelines in US Adults with IBS-D
Radionuclide removal by apatite

A growing body of research supports widespread future reliance on apatite for radioactive waste cleanup. Apatite is a multi-functional radionuclide sorbent that lowers dissolved radionuclide concentrations by surface sorption, ion exchange, surface precipitation, and by providing phosphate to precipitate low-solubility radionuclide-containing minerals. Natural apatites are rich in trace elements, and apatite’s stability in the geologic record suggest that radionuclides incorporated into apatite, whether in a permeable reactive barrier or a waste form, are likely to remain isolated from the biosphere for long periods of time. Here we outline the mineralogic and surface origins of apatite-radionuclide reactivity and show how apatites might be used to environmental advantage in the future.
Gradients of Atmospheric Temperature and Humidity Controlled by Local Urban Land-Use Intensity in Boston

AbstractCities are home to the majority of humanity. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that control urban climates has substantial societal importance to a variety of sectors, including public health and energy management. In this study, data from an urban sensor network (25 stations) and moderate-resolution remote sensing were used to explore how spatial variation in near-surface air temperature Ta, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and land surface temperature (LST) depend on local variations in urban land use, both diurnally and seasonally, in the Boston, Massachusetts, metropolitan area. Positive correlations were observed between the amount of local impervious surface area (ISA) and both Ta and VPD. Heat-island effects peaked during the growing-season nighttime, when mean Ta and VPD increased by up to 0.02°C and 0.008 kPa, respectively, per unit ISA. Air temperature and VPD were strongly coupled, but their relationship exhibited significant diurnal hysteresis during the growing season, with changes...
Fact and Fantasy in the History of Freud's Views on Incest and Seduction

This article surveys the history of Freud's attitudes and theories about the etiologic role of actual incest and seduction and neurosis. It also surveys the debate in historical writing on that topic, much of which oversimplifies complex and contradictory data. Here is an instance in which history is being written and used as part of current debates and polemics, principally to either monolithically defend or attack Freud. This article argues that Freud's motives for downplaying the etiologic role of seduction in the neuroses were complex, did not involve cowardice, and need to be understood both in terms of internal developments in Freud's thinking as well as in terms of relevant external (for example, historical) factors.
Perceptual and behavioral effects of expectations formed by exposure to positive or negative Ratemyprofessors.com evaluations

The Internet permits students to share course evaluations with millions of people, and recent research suggests that students who read these evaluations form expectations about instructors’ compete...
High performance terahertz metasurface quantum-cascade VECSEL with an intra-cryostat cavity

A terahertz quantum-cascade (QC) vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-laser (VECSEL) is demonstrated with over 5 mW power in continuous-wave and single-mode operation above 77 K, in combination with a near-Gaussian beam pattern with a full-width half-max divergence as narrow as ∼5° × 5°, with no evidence of thermal lensing. This is realized by creating an intra-cryostat VECSEL cavity to reduce the cavity loss and designing an active focusing metasurface reflector with low power dissipation for efficient heat removal. Also, the intra-cryostat configuration allows the evaluation of QC-VECSEL operation vs. temperature, showing a maximum pulsed mode operating temperature of 129 K. While the threshold current density in the QC-VECSEL is higher compared to that in a conventional edge-emitting metal-metal waveguide QC-laser, the beam quality, slope efficiency, maximum power, and thermal resistance are all significantly improved.
Lessons learned from participating in D3R 2016 Grand Challenge 2: compounds targeting the farnesoid X receptor

D3R 2016 Grand Challenge 2 focused on predictions of binding modes and affinities for 102 compounds against the farnesoid X receptor (FXR). In this challenge, two distinct methods, a docking-based method and a template-based method, were employed by our team for the binding mode prediction. For the new template-based method, 3D ligand similarities were calculated for each query compound against the ligands in the co-crystal structures of FXR available in Protein Data Bank. The binding mode was predicted based on the co-crystal protein structure containing the ligand with the best ligand similarity score against the query compound. For the FXR dataset, the template-based method achieved a better performance than the docking-based method on the binding mode prediction. For the binding affinity prediction, an in-house knowledge-based scoring function ITScore2 and MM/PBSA approach were employed. Good performance was achieved for MM/PBSA, whereas the performance of ITScore2 was sensitive to ligand composition, e.g. the percentage of carbon atoms in the compounds. The sensitivity to ligand composition could be a clue for the further improvement of our knowledge-based scoring function.
Contest Over Authority: Navigating native advertising’s impacts on journalism autonomy

This study explores how editors and business executives discursively renegotiated the boundary of authority in the wave of integrating native advertising at nine US publishers across five years. Th...
The diagnosis of mucinous lesions in endometrial samplings by gynaecological pathologists: an analysis of diagnostic reproducibility.

The purpose of this study is to assess the reproducibility among gynaecological pathologists in their diagnosis of mucinous alterations in endometrial sampling specimens. Twenty-six cases were independently reviewed by four experienced gynaecological pathologists from four academic medical centres. Pathologists were asked to classify each case into one of four groups, including three World Health Organization (WHO)-recognised categories: (1) mucinous metaplasia; (2) atypical mucinous glandular proliferation; (3) carcinoma; and (4) 'other' (absence of a true mucinous alteration and/or an alteration of non-endometrial origin). The overall reproducibility was 'fair' (κ = 0.39). In an analytical scenario that established three clinically significant groups ('benign/non-neoplastic', 'atypical', and 'carcinoma') by redistributing all group 4 responses, the resultant kappa improved to 0.51 (moderate reproducibility). In another analysis with only two categories-'benign/non-neoplastic' versus 'atypical/carcinoma'-reproducibility was similarly moderate (κ = 0.46). However, with one exception, all cases that were ultimately diagnosed as carcinoma in a follow-up hysterectomy specimen, were classified as atypical or carcinoma in the preceding sampling. For 11 cases that were classified as either 'carcinoma' or 'atypical' by all observers, there was moderate reproducibility (κ = 0.53) in making that distinction, and none of a wide array of morphological features were found to significantly distinguish between these two categories. For five cases that all observers classified as either mucinous metaplasia or benign endocervix, reproducibility was substantial (κ = 0.67). In summary, gynaecological pathologists show moderate reproducibility in categorising mucinous alterations in endometrial sampling specimens as benign, atypical, or carcinomatous. They accurately classify as at least 'atypical' those cases that are ultimately diagnosed as carcinoma in the subsequent resection. Our findings suggest that there are indeed some mucinous alterations which have features that do not allow for reproducible assignment by pathologists into the WHO-recognised categories. In this subset of cases, there may be a need for better-defined diagnostic criteria and/or extra-morphological diagnostic tools.
Supercooling point is an individually fixed metric of cold tolerance in Pyrrhocoris apterus.

Measuring the supercooling point (SCP) is a standard procedure to describe the cold tolerance of freeze-avoiding arthropods. The SCP of an individual animal is a stochastic event that will occur with increasing probability as the temperature is lowered below the freezing point of that animal. Nevertheless, the repeatability and extent of stochasticity of the SCP has not previously been determined. The repeatability of the SCP in post-diapause, laboratory cold-acclimated and naturally acclimated field-collected linden bugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus; Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae) was investigated in this study. Two methods were used: (a) repeated freezing of previously frozen and thawed individuals, and (b) repeated cooling of groups of individuals to the population median SCP. The results showed a significant positive correlation between the SCP and repeated SCP. All individuals died when frozen, whereas none died at temperatures above the SCP. Most of the individuals survived repeated cooling to the population median SCP. Survivorship increased from 85% to 97% (first to fourth repeated cooling to the population median SCP) when individuals were frozen to within 0.5 °C above the population median SCP. The SCP in post-diapause, cold-acclimated insects is a fixed, intrinsic cold tolerance metric with slight individual stochastic variance (SD < 1 °C).
Celebration as a source of power in archaic states: archaeological and historical evidence for the Makahiki festival in the Hawaiian Islands

Large celebrations in ancient societies, when viewed through the lens of political economy theory, were opportunities for economic redistribution, elite rivalry and social integration. Metrics to e...
Toward an Understanding of the Tradeoffs of Adopting the MEAN Web Server Stack.

In the past decade, the performance of web services has been enhanced via scale-up and scale-out methods, which increase available system resources, and also by improvements in database performance. As cloud technology continues to rise in popularity, storage and compute services are reaching unprecedented scale, with great scrutiny being turned to the performance tradeoffs of the web application server stacks. In particular, the MEAN (MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js) web server stack is increasingly popular in the computing industry, yet has largely escaped the focus of formal benchmarking efforts. In this work, we compare MEAN to its more entrenched competitor, the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) web server stack, the most widely distributed web platform in production. We herein describe the design, execution, and results of a number of benchmark tests constructed and executed to facilitate direct comparison between Node.js and Apache/PHP, the web server applications of these stacks. We investigate each web server’s ability to handle heavy static file service, remote database interaction, and common compute-bound tasks. Analysis of our results indicates that Node.js outperforms the Apache/PHP by a considerable margin in all single-application web service scenarios, and performs as well as Apache/PHP under heterogeneous server workloads. We extend our understanding of the MEAN stack’s performance potential by exploring the performance and memory tradeoffs of Angularizing the Mongo-Express web application, a database administration dashboard for MongoDB. We find that porting Mongo-Express to MEAN’s AngularJS provides up to a 4x improvement in document read bandwidth and up to almost 2.2x improvement in collection read bandwidth, at a cost of roughly double the client memory footprint.
EVENTS AND OBSERVABILITY

This chapter focuses on the notion of an event. It presents an analysis that starts from the simplest case—that of temporal changes of spatial locations of physical objects whose boundary are not well defined. The object, at any given time, is defined through the function that specifies, for any given location, the degree to which an object is present at this location. The set of points at which the object is present in full degree is the core of the object, and points at which the object is present with some positive but not full degree, form a fuzzy cloud surrounding the object, or its fuzzy boundary, referred to as the carrier of the object. The chapter highlights the properties of objects or predicates. In this case, both the object and its property may be fuzzy, and the main issue is to separate those properties that are independent of the fuzziness of the object and to explicate the notion that a given object has a given property at some time. The chapter also highlights a theory of events.
Electrodiagnostic evidence of suprascapular nerve recovery after decompression.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to determine whether surgical arthroscopic decompression or ultrasound-guided aspiration of a paralabral cyst would result in suprascapular nerve recovery from axonal regeneration based on electrodiagnostic testing. Methods Nine patients with preoperative electromyography (EMG) evidence of suprascapular neuropathy due to paralabral cysts at the suprascapular or spinoglenoid notch were prospectively studied. Eight patients underwent arthroscopic surgical decompression, and 1 patient underwent ultrasound-guided aspiration. Postoperative EMG was performed in all patients to evaluate nerve regeneration. Results Three (33%) patients had cysts at the suprascapular notch, whereas 6 (67%) patients had cysts at the spinoglenoid notch. All patients showed complete electrophysiological recovery after decompression. Discussion Decompression of paralabral cysts at the suprascapular or spinoglenoid notch resulted in postoperative EMG evidence of nerve recovery. Long-term studies with a greater number of patients are required to elucidate time to recovery. Muscle Nerve 59:247-249, 2019.
Varieties of Demonstration in Alfarabi

This paper analyzes a classification of different types of demonstration introduced by Alfarabi (d. 950 CE) in his Kitāb al-Burhān (Book of Demonstration). Alfarabi identifies eight combinations of...
Two-Level Transport Methods with Independent Discretization

In this paper, we present two-level nonlinear iteration methods for the transport equation in 1D slab geometry approximated by means of the linear discontinuous finite element method (LDFEM). We de...