cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The pursuit of global health: the relevance of engagement for developed countries

The globalisation of the world economy and the consequent increase in commerce, travel, and communication have brought benefits to virtually every country. But these changes also bring risks that cannot be addressed adequately within traditional national borders. These risks include emerging infectious diseases, resulting in part from increased prevalence of drug-resistant pathogens; exposure to dangerous substances, such as contaminated foodstuffs, and banned and toxic substances; and violence, including chemical and bioterrorist attack. By investing in global health, industrialized countries will not only benefit populations in desperate and immediate need of assistance, but also themselves--through protecting their people, improving their economies, and advancing their international interests. This paper describes the rationale for involvement of industrialised countries in global health, and suggests a means for its coordination.
From gas-phase ionization energies to solution oxidation potentials: Dimolybdenum tetraformamidinate paddlewheel complexes

Abstract The gas-phase ionization energies of a series of Mo 2 (DPhF) 4 paddlewheel complexes (DPhF is the N , N ′-diphenylformamidinate anion with p -CH 3 , p -Cl, m -Cl, p -CF 3 , or m -CF 3 phenyl substituents) have been measured by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and compared with the solution oxidation potentials measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV) reported by Ren and coworkers. A linear relationship was found between the gas-phase ionization energies and the solution oxidation potentials. Density functional theory (DFT) computations clarify the individual electronic and thermodynamic factors that contribute to the correlation. The metal–metal delta bond electron energy is the largest factor in determining the solution oxidation potential. The substituents shift the metal–metal orbital energies by changing the through-space field potential at the metals rather than by an inductive change in charge at the metals or orbital overlap effects. The cation solvation energies determine the extent that the potential shifts are attenuated in solution. The results show that substituent field effects and solvation have major roles in determining the dimetal redox chemistry even when the dimetal unit is protected from direct interaction with the substituent and the solvent.
Photoelectron emission spectroscopy of weak acids and bases and their ions in aqueous solution

Abstract Threshold energies E t are determined for 14 weak acids and three bases and their ions. Values of E t are interpreted in terms of dissociation or protonation reactions involving species produced by photoionization. Electron transfer to weak acid molecules in solution is shown to occur for emission by inorganic anions and cations and weak acids.
Toward More Successful Project Management

Abstract Improving an organization's ability to develop and implement projects depends on the organization's skills and experience, past performances, management climate, and the specific project. Initiating an improvement program is based on understanding the specifics of a company's development environment. the program itself strives to maximize organizational strengths and involves examining past failures and current weaknesses, focused workshops to develop critical project management success factors, and task groups to facilitate change
Sponge-feeding fishes of the West Indies

In an analysis of the stomach contents of 212 species of West Indian reef and inshore fishes, sponge remains were found in 21 species. In eleven of these, sponges comprised 6% or more of the stomach contents; it is assumed that these fishes feed intentionally on sponges. Sponges comprise over 95% of the food of angelfishes of the genus Holacanthus, over 70% of the food of species of the related genus Pomacanthus, and more than 85% of the food of the filefish, Cantherhines macrocerus. Lesser quantities of sponges are ingested by the remaining fish species. Fishes that feed on sponges belong to highly specialized teleost families, suggesting that this habit has evolved in geologically late time. The small number of fish species that concentrate on sponges as food suggests that the defensive characters of sponges—mineralized sclerites, noxious chemical substances, and tough fibrous components—are highly effective in discouraging predation. The two sponges most frequently eaten by fishes have a low percentage of siliceous spicules relative to organic matter, but among the 20 next most frequently consumed species no striking correlation occurs with respect to spicule content. Color and form of the sponge show no special correlation with frequency of occurrence in fish stomachs. Three species of fishes appear to concentrate on one species of sponge, but in these cases over 60% of the food taken consists of a variety of other organisms. Those fishes, more than half of whose diet consists of sponges, tend to sample a wide variety of species. No strong evidence is provided by our data that fish predation is a significant factor in limiting sponge distribution in the West Indian region.
Exact second-order estimates of the self-consistent type for nonlinear composite materials

Abstract This work is concerned with the application of a general procedure for estimating the effective behavior of nonlinear composites to obtain new estimates of the self-consistent type. The procedure makes use of a linear comparison thermoelastic composite with the tangent moduli of the nonlinear phases, evaluated at appropriately chosen estimates for the average strain in the phases. Unlike the classical incremental and secant modulus self-consistent estimates for nonlinear composites, the new self-consistent estimates are found to satisfy all known bounds, including some recently established bounds of the Hashin–Shtrikman type. Also, the new self-consistent estimates are found to be exact to second order in the contrast, and thus, in agreement with recently established small-contrast asymptotic expansions for nonlinear composites. In addition, for composites with incompressible, isotropic phases and statistically isotropic microstructures, the new self-consistent estimates are found to depend on the determinant of the strain, thus giving different predictions under uniaxial and simple shear loading conditions.
Monumental architecture and power in Polynesian chiefdoms: A comparison of Tonga and Hawaii

Abstract Polynesia, with its rich ethnohistoric as well as archaeological materials pertaining to settlement landscapes, provides excellent opportunities for studying the role of monumental architecture in complex chiefdom societies. In this paper, the complex, highly stratified societies of Tonga and Hawaii are compared with respect to the forms, size ranges, spatial distribution, and function of monuments. While the specific forms and cultural associations of Tongan and Hawaiian monuments are seen to differ, there are also many similarities in monument hierarchy, size ranges, territorial distribution, and functions in these two Polynesian chiefdoms.
Non-lexical conversational sounds in American English

Sounds like h-nmm, hh-aaaah, hn-hn, unkay, nyeah, ummum, uuh, um-hm-uh-hm, um and uh-huh occur frequently in American English conversation but have thus far escaped systematic study. This article reports a study of both the forms and functions of such tokens in a corpus of American English conversations. These sounds appear not to be lexical, in that they are productively generated rather than finite in number, and in that the sound?meaning mapping is compositional rather than arbitrary. This implies that English bears within it a small specialized sub-language which follows different rules from the language as a whole. The functions supported by this sub-language complement those of main-channel English; they include low-overhead control of turn-taking, negotiation of agreement, signaling of recognition and comprehension, management of interpersonal relations such as control and affiliation, and the expression of emotion, attitude, and affect.
The Demand for Economics Majors by Financial Institutions

Economics has been traditionally the social science that provided "the only theoretical framework for the study of business" (Pierson, p. 211). Indeed, the origin of some subjects taught in colleges of business is in economics, for example, marketing and finance. Because of this relationship to the subject matter of business colleges, it has been suggested that "every business student should go far enough in economics to be able to use [it] with a fair degree of confidence and facility" (Pierson, p. 221). Given such an evaluation, it would seem that, as a major, economics could provide the student with a strong market appeal when looking for a job. The evaluation seems credible when the number of economics majors graduating per year is viewed with respect to alternative sources of employment. The number of students majoring in economics is relatively small, between 15,000 and 18,000 per year from 1968 to 1974.' In colleges of business, the graduate with an economics major is more of a rarity since that major has remained at about 2 percent of the total number of business college graduates during the recent past (Gordon and Howell, p. 216). Understanding the sources of potential employment in business and government, the congruity of interest between the study of economics and business, and the number of majors available for employment per year, it seems inconsistent that, as stated by the U.S. Department of Labor (p. 718), "the number of persons who will graduate with bachelor's degrees in economics through the middle 1980's is likely to exceed available positions. Although many of these degree holders may find employment ... competition will be keen."
Conceptions of Time and the Development of Paleolithic Chronology

Until recently the reflexive archaeological literature on concepts of time has been sparse. As a result, chronologies have been treated as a conceptual black box, tools about which nothing need be known except their input and output. Recent theoretical discussions have begun to pry open the lid of this black box, revealing the complexities that lie within. The historical analysis presented here highlights the importance of chronologies to the archaeological treatment of time. The 19th-century Paleolithic chronologies of Lartet, de Mortillet, and Breuil are not simply lists of periods but rather the expression of differing conceptions of the relations between people, the archaeological record, and time.
Monitoring multilayer film growth with the atomic force microscope. Aluminum(III) alkanebisphosphonate multilayer films and DNA immobilization

The growth of aluminum(III) alkanebisphosphonate multilayer thin films on gold surfaces in aqueous solutions was investigated by probing the surface charge following alternate treatments with anionic phosphonate and cationic Al(III). This was accomplished by determining the force between a modified silica tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) and the film-covered gold substrate. The AFM force measurements revealed that the formation of the films followed a regular layer-by-layer growth mechanism as evidenced by the occurrence of surface charge reversal with each adsorption step. However, the quantitative surface charge data, obtained by theoretical fits of the force data to solutions of the complete nonlinear Poisson−Boltzmann equation with a knowledge of the silica probe surface potential, indicated that the films became less ordered with an increase in the number of layers. The AFM force measuring technique was also employed to monitor the immobilization of both single-stranded (ss) and double-strande...
Intraspinal transplantation of neurogenin-expressing stem cells generates spinal cord neural progenitors

Embryonic stem (ES) cells and their derivatives are an important resource for developing novel cellular therapies for disease. Controlling proliferation and lineage selection, however, are essential to circumvent the possibility of tumor formation and facilitate the safe translation of ES-based therapies to man. Expression of appropriate transcription factors is one approach to direct the differentiation of ES cells towards a specific lineage and stop proliferation. Neural differentiation can be initiated in ES cells by expression of Neurogenin1 (Ngn1). In this study we investigate the effects of controlled Ngn1 expression on mouse ES (mES) cell differentiation in vitro and following grafting into the rat spinal cord. In vitro, Ngn1 expression in mES cells leads to rapid and specific neural differentiation, and a concurrent decrease in proliferation. Similarly transplantation of Ngn1-expressing mES cells into the spinal cord lead to in situ differentiation and spinal precursor formation. These data demonstrate that Ngn1 expression in mES cells is sufficient promote neural differentiation and inhibit proliferation, thus establishing an approach to safely graft ES cells into the spinal cord.
Method Variance From the Perspectives of Reviewers: Poorly Understood Problem or Overemphasized Complaint?:

Beliefs and practices regarding common method variance (CMV) were surveyed from a sample of top journal board members. Results indicated that reviewers frequently mentioned CMV concerns and believed that addressing this issue in the design stage was more effective than postdata approaches. Although there was little consensus regarding whether concerns about CMV would cause them to recommend rejection of manuscripts, reviewers generally agreed that some variables were more likely than others to be affected by CMV and that a simple focus on the method of measurement was not adequate for determining whether CMV caused problems with the interpretation of study results. Slight differences were observed across journals and were related to participant experience.
Detection of telomerase expression in fine‐needle aspirations and fluids

The cytologic examination of fine-needle aspirates and fluid specimens is plagued by a persistent false negative rate. The rate of false negative results will be decreased if sensitive molecular assays can be developed to detect cytologically malignant cells. The current study investigated telomerase expression as a potential marker of malignancy, using the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) in fine-needle aspirates and fluid specimens. TRAP was performed on 24 fine-needle aspirate and 24 fluid specimens from different body sites and of different histological diagnoses. We found that 6 of 12 fine-needle aspirate specimens that were cytologically positive for malignant cells expressed telomerase activity, while no specimens that were cytologically suspicious for malignancy, atypical, or negative tested positive for telomerase activity. Of the fluid specimens, 4 of 6 cytologically positive cases and 1 of 18 cytologically negative cases expressed telomerase. Seven of eight telomerase negative, cytologically positive specimens contained only rare malignant cells in a very bloody background. Peripheral blood contamination is a possible pitfall in the TRAP assay, as applied in the current study, because the assay is standardized to protein concentration that may be derived from lysed red blood cells. We conclude that with further technical refinement, the TRAP assay could become a useful adjunct in the cytologic examination of fine-needle aspirates and fluid samples.
High-Fat Meals and Endothelial Function

Two recent studies on the effects of single high-fat meals on endothelial function have postulated an additional mechanism by which dietary lipids can impact atherosclerosis. These studies found that dietary lipids decrease the ability of blood vessels to dilate and that this modification of endothelial function was protected by dietary antioxidants. Although this research presents an interesting hypothesis, much more research is necessary to determine the importance of dietary factors on vasoactivity.
Differing effects of arginine deficiency on the urea cycle enzymes of rat liver, cultured hepatocytes and hepatoma cells.

We have confirmed that arginine-deficient diets increase the liver activities (units per 100 g) of the first four arginine biosynthetic enzymes of the urea cycle in Wistar rats, but not the activity of arginase. In contrast, rat liver cells cultured in monolayers for 48, 72 or 96 h in arginine-free L-15 or minimum essential medium showed no changes in carbamoyI-phosphate synthase (EC 6.3.4.16), ornithine transcarbamylase (EC 2.1.3.3), argininosuccin- ate synthase (EC 6.3.4.5), argininosuccinase (EC 4.3.2.1 ) or arginase (EC 3.5.3.1) activities. The arginine content of the cells grown on deficient medium was 36% of that of cells grown on 2.9 DIM arginine-sufficient L-15, yet the urea excretion rate into the medium was reduced to 7% of the rate in control cells and the excretion of orotic acid was 400% of that in control cells. A Morris rat hepatoma cell line, 7800C,, which maintains activities of all five urea cycle enzymes, showed no consistent increases in the activities of the first four enzymes when the arginine in the medium was varied between 0 and 2 mw. Thus, in spite of severe arginine deficiency, cultured rat liver cells and hepatoma cells do not show the derepression-like response seen by other investigators when nonliver cells were cultured in ar ginine-deficient media. The difference between in vivo and in vitro effects of arginine deficiency on urea cycle activities remains unexplained. J. Nutr. 117: 1827-1837, 1987.
Tropism, Cytotoxicity, and Inflammatory Properties of Two Envelope Genes of Murine Leukemia Virus Type-Endogenous Retroviruses of C57BL/6J Mice

Envelope (env) proteins of certain endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) participate in various pathophysiological processes. In this study, we characterized pathophysiologic properties of two murine leukemia virus-type ERV (MuLV-ERV) env genes cloned from the ovary of C57BL/6J mice. The two env genes (named ENV(OV1) and ENV(OV2)), with 1,926 bp coding region, originated from two MuLV-ERV loci on chromosomes 8 and 18, respectively. ENV(OV1) and ENV(OV2) were ~75 kDa and predominantly expressed on the cell membrane. They were capable of producing pseudotype murine leukemia virus virions. Tropism trait and infectivity of ENV(OV2) were similar to the polytropic env; however, ENV(OV1) had very low level of infectivity. Overexpression of ENV(OV2), but not ENV(OV1), exerted cytotoxic effects and induced expression of COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, and iNOS. These findings suggest that the ENV(OV1) and ENV(OV2) are capable of serving as an env protein for virion assembly, and they exert differential cytotoxicity and modulation of inflammatory mediators.
A programming course for business MIS students

The business program at the University of Washington, Bothell has recently established a new management information systems concentration. As an integral part of the technology foundation, students are required to take the typical software engineering course from the computer science department. This paper describes the motivations behind this decision, and the results of collaborative efforts between the business and computing faculty in creating a custom programming course to prepare MIS students for the software engineering course. This newly created programming course is designed to challenge students to apply and refine their basic programming and problem solving skills, and in doing so, to experience the often tedious software application development process. The implementation of the new course is based on programming the automation of popular commercial software systems. The results of our initial offering indicate success in building on the modest technical background of typical business students in designing and implementing programming solutions to moderately complex practical problems
Pooled energy budgets: Resituating human energy -allocation trade-offs

Across taxa, many life-history traits vary as a function of differences in body size.1–5 Among primates, including humans, allometric relationships explain many trends in metabolic, growth, reproductive, and mortality rates.6–8 But humans also deviate from nonhuman primates with respect to other developmental, reproductive, and parenting characteristics.9–13 Broad relationships between life-history traits and body size assume that energy expended in activity (foraging effort) is proportional to body size, and that energy available for growth and reproduction are equivalent. Because human subsistence and parenting are based on food sharing, and cooperation in labor and childrearing, the ways by which energy is acquired and allocated to alternate expenditures are expanded. We present a modification of the general allocation model to include a mechanism for these energy transfers. Our goal is to develop a framework that incorporates this mechanism and can explain the human life-history paradox; that is, slow juvenile growth and rapid reproduction. We suggest that the central characteristics of human subsistence and energy transfer need to be accounted for in order to more fully appreciate human life-history variability.
Controlling the rotational behavior of bacterial flageller motors

Mutant strains of bacterial flagellar motors can be tethered to the sidewalls of microfluidic channels to perform mechanical functions. In most cases, the rotational behavior of the tethered motors must be properly controlled in order to achieve optimized performance. There are several approaches for carrying out this task but most of them involve techniques that affect the viability of the motors. The present paper describes the application of hydrodynamic loading to achieve cell rotation synchronization. This is a non-contact method that uses viscous drag force induced by a small fluid flow to either slow down or stop the motor rotation completely if necessary. No negative effect on the motors is observed when the loading time is kept short. By applying this method to a group of tethered motors, it is possible to stop and restart their rotation for the purpose of synchronization.
Continuum electrostatics and hydration phenomena

A formalism for a computational treatment of the polarization of a solvent and polar solutes immersed in it is presented. The solvent is modeled as a continuum dielectric. Polarization effects are represented by a polarization charge density at the dielectric boundaries and by induced dipoles at the polarizable atoms. Applications of this formalism with nonpolarizable atoms have led to excellent agreement between the calculated and experimental hydration enthalpies of a variety of polar molecules. A problem of the choice of the charge distribution of the solute is addressed in calculations of the solution dipole moment and hydration enthalpy of polarizable molecule of water in solution. Experimental values of these properties were well reproduced in calculations starting with point charges fitted to the vacuum dipole moment of the water molecule. Tests calculations for spherical models and for a 13-residue peptide show good convergence of the computational method. It is shown in calculations on simplified models that a change in the exposure of a charged side chain can lead to large changes in the potential inside protein measured at a fixed distance from the charge and at the same depth from the protein surface. Calculations performed for the C-peptide of the ribonuclease suggest that the differential screening of partial charges can reverse the sign of the vacuum potential of the helix dipole.
Cloning, expression, and characterization of a neuraminidase gene from Arcanobacterium pyogenes.

Arcanobacterium pyogenes is an opportunistic pathogen, associated with suppurative infections in domestic animals. In addition to pyolysin, a pore-forming, cholesterol-binding toxin, A. pyogenes expresses a number of putative virulence factors, including several proteases and neuraminidase activity. A 3,009-bp gene, nanH, was cloned and sequenced and conferred neuraminidase activity on an Escherichia coli host strain. The predicted 107-kDa NanH protein displayed similarity to a number of bacterial neuraminidases and contained the RIP/RLP motif and five copies of the Asp box motif found in all bacterial neuraminidases. Recombinant His-tagged NanH was found to have pH and temperature optima of 5.5 to 6.0 and 55°C, respectively. Insertional deletion of the nanH gene resulted in the reduction, but not absence, of neuraminidase activity, indicating the presence of a second neuraminidase gene in A. pyogenes. NanH was localized to the A. pyogenes cell wall. A. pyogenes adhered to HeLa, CHO, and MDBK cells in a washing-resistant manner. However, the nanH mutant was not defective for adherence to epithelial cells. The role of NanH in host epithelial cell adherence may be masked by the presence of a second neuraminidase in A. pyogenes.
The ‘chef’s hat’ appearance of the femoral head in cleidocranial dysplasia

Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by failure of membranous ossification. The condition is due to a mutation of the cbfa1 gene on chromosome 6 which has a role in the development of osteoblasts from the mesenchymal cells. In their growing years, these patients have an unusual shape of the femoral head reminiscent of a 'chef's hat'. In order to confirm the consistency of this sign, we have reviewed the radiographs of 28 patients with CCD. All except three had this appearance. The sign was also seen in patients with coxa vara associated with a variety of other conditions. The chef's hat sign may occur secondary to the particular mechanical environment created by coxa vara as well as abnormal cellular function in patients with CCD. Although coxa vara has some influence on the shape of the femoral head, it is not entirely responsible for its morphology since it was present in only six of the 28 patients with CCD.
An Evaluation of the Gravity Control Network in North America

Observations with a LaCoste and Romberg geodetic gravimeter having a very low nearly linear drift rate, a high reading precision, and a world wide range were made at approximately three hundred sites in order to check and extend the gravity control network in North America. The sites occupied were mostly at former gravimeter bases located at airports, harbors, universities, and pendulum stations. The instrument was calibrated against the North American standardization range of pendulum measurements from Paso de Cortes, Mexico, to Fairbanks, Alaska, using the weighted mean values of the observations established with the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Cambridge University (England), and Gulf‐University of Wisconsin pendulum equipment. A statistical evaluation of the precision of the network based on the reoccupations at 40 major control stations gives an estimated standard deviation of 0.08 mgal. The airport network of bases previously reported by Woollard (1958) that was established with high range Worde...
A rapid method for computing the inverse of the gametic covariance matrix between relatives for a marked Quantitative Trait Locus

The inverse of the gametic covariance matrix between relatives, G-1, for a marked quantitative trait locus (QTL) is required in best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) of breeding values if marker data are available on a QTL. A rapid method for computing the inverse of a gametic relationship matrix for a marked QTL without building G itself is presented. The algorithm is particularly useful due to the approach taken in computing inbreeding coefficients by having to compute only few elements of G. Numerical techniques for determining, storing, and computing the required elements of G and the nonzero elements of the inverse are discussed. We show that the subset of G required for computing the inbreeding coefficients and hence the inverse is a tiny proportion of the whole matrix and can be easily stored in computer memory using sparse matrix storage techniques. We also introduce an algorithm to determine the maximum set of nonzero elements that can be found in G-1 and a strategy to efficiently store and access them. Finally, we demonstrate that the inverse can be efficiently built using the present techniques for very large and inbred populations.
Diffuse anaplastic leptomeningeal oligodendrogliomatosis mimicking neurosarcoidosis

Diffuse leptomeningeal oligodendrogliomatosis is a rare, frequently fatal CNS malignancy that most often affects children.1 Although potentially treatable with chemotherapy and radiation, the radiologic findings are nonspecific and pathologic confirmation of the diagnosis is difficult. We describe an adult patient whose initial presentation mimicked neurosarcoidosis. Despite extensive imaging abnormalities, 3 biopsies were required before the diagnosis of diffuse leptomeningeal oligodendrogliomatosis was confirmed.
Automatic estimation of left ventricular dysfunction from echocardiogram videos

Echocardiography is often used to diagnose cardiac diseases related to regional and valvular motion abnormalities. Due to the low resolution of the imaging modality, the choice of viewpoint and mode, and the experience of the sonographers, there is a large variance in the estimation of important diagnostic measurements such as ejection fraction. In this paper, we develop an automatic algorithm to estimate diagnostic measurements from raw echocardiogram video sequences. Specifically, we locate and track the left ventricular region over a heart cycle using active shape models. We also present efficient ventricular localization in video sequences by automatically detecting and propagating echocardiographer annotations. Results on a large database of cardiac echo videos demonstrate the use of our method for the prediction of left ventricular dysfunction.
Relating the Cost of Spinning Silk to the Tendency to Share It for Three Embiids with Different Lifestyles (Order Embiidina: Clothodidae, Notoligotomidae, and Australembiidae)

Although adult female embiids (Order Embiidina) superÞcially lack morphological diversity, their variety of habitats may impose distinct selective pressures on behavior, such as their use of silk and their tendency to aggregate. For example, where silk serves as a primary defense from environmental threats, coloniality might be adaptive. The cost of production or spinning might also prompt them to share silk. These ideas were tested in laboratory trials involving three species of embiids with different lifestyles: an arboreal species (Antipaluria urichi (Saussure) from a neotropical rain forest, a species (Notoligotoma hardyi (Frederichs) that dwells on surfaces of granite outcrops in Australia, and another Australian species (Australembia incompta Ross) that stitches leaf litter together. The cost of spinning silk was analyzed by recording CO2 output in the short term during spinning and by measuring performance in long-term trials where embiids were forced to repeatedly replace their silk. Their subsequent development or reproductive output was scored. Overall, the cost of spinning was relatively low. However, the tendencies to spin and to aggregate varied in a manner related to how silk is used in the Þeld. As such, the more exposed the embiid is to the elements, as for the two species that spin on surfaces, the more silk they spun and the more likely they settled near a neighbor. In contrast, the embiid that used dead leaves (not silk) as walls for their abodes produced scant silk and showed little tendency to aggregate.
Probabilistic Causal Interaction and Disjunctive Causal Factors

The basic idea in probabilistic theories of causality is that causes raise the probability of their effects. Of course, it is necessary to control for other causes of the effect in question in order to avoid being misled by “spurious correlations”, which arise in cases of “Simpson’s paradox”. But, even when we control for other causes, it is possible for a causal factor to raise the probability of a second factor in some situations and lower that probability in other situations, where these situations do not correspond to the presence or absence of other causes of the second factor. When this happens, the reason may be that the causal factor “interacts” with other factors. In this paper, I will explore the phenomenon of probabilistic causal interaction in detail and in general, and I will suggest a general way of accommodating the possibility of causal interaction in one common current understanding of probabilistic causation.
Using myoelectric signals to recognize grips and movements of the hand

People want to live independently, but too often disabilities or advanced age robs them of the ability to do the necessary activities of daily living (ADLs). Finding relationships between electromyograms measured in the arm and movements of the hand and wrist needed to perform ADLs can help address performance deficits and be exploited in designing myoelectrical control systems for prosthetics and computer interfaces. This paper reports on several machine learning techniques employed to discover the electromyogram patterns present when using the hand to perform 14 typical fine motor functional activities used to accomplish ADLs. Classification and clustering techniques are employed. Improvements to accuracies are introduced, including the use of exponential smoothing and using a symbolic representation to approximate signal streams. Results show the patterns can be learned to an accuracy of approximately 77% for a 15 class problem and the symbolic representation shows the potential for future improvement in accuracies.
Analytical Method for Pesticide Determination in Soil and Sediment using Supercritical Fluid Extraction

土壌及び底質試料中の農薬類の抽出法として二酸化炭素によるSFEを検討し, 多くの農薬を一斉に抽出できる条件を見いだした。抽出時の圧力を一定にして流体密度を0.84～0.52g/ml, 抽出温度を45～110℃の間で検討した結果, 低温かつ高密度の条件抽出すると, より多くの農薬で回収率が向上した。また, 試料の性状の違いによる回収率の変動について検討したところ, 河川底質の泥状試料と砂状試料で回収率が低くなる農薬があった。しかし, 土壌では多くの農薬で良好な回収率を得ることができ, しかも, 溶媒抽出法と比較して有機溶媒の使用量を著しく減らすことができ, 土壌中の農薬の抽出法として有用性の高い方法であることを実証することが出来た。
Biology and Pest Potential of Anavitrinella pampinaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in Soybeans

The geometrid Anavitrinella pampinaria (Guenee) became common in experimental plots of soybeans in mid-Missouri in 1978. Weekly sweep-net samples detected a peak population of 0.45 larvae per 10 sweeps in late August and early September. Larvae were rare in similar samples taken in 1980, however. Laboratory studies at 24°C showed that larvae require ca. 24 days to mature and that 42 days are required from egg deposition to adult emergence. Total soybean leaf consumption, 72.3 cm2, was most comparable to that of the velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarisa gemmatalis (Hubner), whereas pupal weight, 109.6 mg, was closest to that of the green cloverworm, Plathypena scabra (F.). Economic injury levels per 10 sweeps are: (R3) 93.0, (R4) 63.6, (R5) 47.4, and (R6) 17.2, indicating that the species is not a significant pest at present.
Primate cerebral synaptic inhibition by drugs.

SummaryCortical evoked potential studies show that the synaptic inhibition by serotonin and lysergic acid diethylamide observed in the rat, cat and dog can also be obtained in the monkey. Specificity of action is indicated by the protection afforded by chlorpromazine. Comparison of the synaptic and behavioral effects suggests an orderly, parallel relation in a series that progresses through a subhuman primate to man.
Enrollment and Racial Disparities in Cancer Treatment Clinical Trials in North Carolina

Background Clinical trials provide access to innovative, high-quality cancer treatment. Simultaneously, broad access helps to ensure that trials include heterogeneous patient populations, which improves the generalizability of findings and the development of interventions that are effective for diverse populations. We provide updated data describing enrollment into cancer treatment trials in North Carolina. Methods For the period 1996-2009, person-level data regarding cancer clinical trial enrollment and cancer incidence were obtained from the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Enrollment rates were estimated as the ratio of trial enrollment to cancer incidence for race, sex, and year for each county, Area Health Education Center region, and the state overall. Enrollment rates for common cancers are presented. Results From 1996 to 2009, North Carolina NCI treatment trial enrollment rates were 2.4% and 2.2% for white patients and minority patients, respectively. From 2007 to 2009, rates were 3.8% for white women, 3.5% for minority women, 1.3% for white men, and 1.0% for minority men; there was greater enrollment among more urban populations (2.4%) than among the most rural populations (1.5%). Limitations This study is limited to NCI-sponsored treatment trials in North Carolina. Policies governing collection of original data necessitate a delay in data availability. Conclusions Effort is needed to ensure trial access and enrollment among all North Carolina populations. Specifically, we identified racial and sex disparities, particularly for certain cancers (eg, breast cancer). Programs in North Carolina and across the nation can use the methods we employed to assess their success in broadening clinical trial enrollment to include diverse populations.
Guatemalan family-style orphanages: A grounded theory examination of caregiver perspectives:

This study is an exploratory qualitative examination of two separate non-profit family-style orphanages in Guatemala. The researchers used a grounded theory approach to study semi-structured interviews of caregivers (N = 20). Caregivers mainly consisted of ‘tias’ who lived with the children and teachers who taught the children at the schools associated with the orphanage. The following categories emerged from the data: sense of belonging, hope for the future, and the importance of structure (e.g. organization and schedule). There was also an emphasis on religion in both the sense of belonging and hope for the future categories. This study adds to the emerging research regarding family-style orphanage care and focuses on caregiver perspectives.
Discriminability and Perceptual Saliency of Temporal and Spectral Cues for Final Fricative Consonant Voicing in Simulated Cochlear-Implant and Bimodal Hearing

Multiple redundant acoustic cues can contribute to the perception of a single phonemic contrast. This study investigated the effect of spectral degradation on the discriminability and perceptual saliency of acoustic cues for identification of word-final fricative voicing in “loss” versus “laws”, and possible changes that occurred when low-frequency acoustic cues were restored. Three acoustic cues that contribute to the word-final /s/-/z/ contrast (first formant frequency [F1] offset, vowel–consonant duration ratio, and consonant voicing duration) were systematically varied in synthesized words. A discrimination task measured listeners’ ability to discriminate differences among stimuli within a single cue dimension. A categorization task examined the extent to which listeners make use of a given cue to label a syllable as “loss” versus “laws” when multiple cues are available. Normal-hearing listeners were presented with stimuli that were either unprocessed, processed with an eight-channel noise-band vocode...
Reduced Leukocyte Infiltration in Absence of Eosinophils Correlates with Decreased Tissue Damage and Disease Susceptibility in ΔdblGATA Mice during Murine Neurocysticercosis

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is one of the most common helminth parasitic diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) and the leading cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide. NCC is caused by the presence of the metacestode larvae of the tapeworm Taenia solium within brain tissues. NCC patients exhibit a long asymptomatic phase followed by a phase of symptoms including increased intra-cranial pressure and seizures. While the asymptomatic phase is attributed to the immunosuppressive capabilities of viable T. solium parasites, release of antigens by dying organisms induce strong immune responses and associated symptoms. Previous studies in T. solium-infected pigs have shown that the inflammatory response consists of various leukocyte populations including eosinophils, macrophages, and T cells among others. Because the role of eosinophils within the brain has not been investigated during NCC, we examined parasite burden, disease susceptibility and the composition of the inflammatory reaction in the brains of infected wild type (WT) and eosinophil-deficient mice (ΔdblGATA) using a murine model of NCC in which mice were infected intracranially with Mesocestoides corti, a cestode parasite related to T. solium. In WT mice, we observed a time-dependent induction of eosinophil recruitment in infected mice, contrasting with an overall reduced leukocyte infiltration in ΔdblGATA brains. Although, ΔdblGATA mice exhibited an increased parasite burden, reduced tissue damage and less disease susceptibility was observed when compared to infected WT mice. Cellular infiltrates in infected ΔdblGATA mice were comprised of more mast cells, and αβ T cells, which correlated with an abundant CD8+ T cell response and reduced CD4+ Th1 and Th2 responses. Thus, our data suggest that enhanced inflammatory response in WT mice appears detrimental and associates with increased disease susceptibility, despite the reduced parasite burden in the CNS. Overall reduced leukocyte infiltration due to absence of eosinophils correlates with attenuated tissue damage and longer survival of ΔdblGATA mice. Therefore, our study suggests that approaches to clear NCC will require strategies to tightly control the host immune response while eradicating the parasite with minimal damage to brain tissue.
Ressentimento, poder e valor

I examine two recent accounts of ressentiment, respectively as a malicious form of envy and as the urge to find someone to blame for one's suffering, and argue that they fail either to identify the distinctive character of ressentiment or to give a persuasive account of the revaluation it motivates. I propose to conceive of ressentiment as an expression of will to power and proceed to outline an analysis of this motivation as a desire for effective agency. I conclude by showing how ressentiment so understood is especially apt to disrupt an agent's values.
A Framework for efficient computation of belief theoretic operations

The Dempster-Shafer (DS) theory is a powerful general framework for reasoning under uncertainty. While the strength of the DS theoretic (DST) framework in its ability to handle a wider variety of data imperfections is not in dispute, a major criticism cast towards DST evidential reasoning is the heavy computational burden it entails. If the advantages offered by DS theory is to be fully realized, it is essential that one explores efficient data structures and algorithms that can be used for DST operations and computations. In this paper, we wish to present a novel generalized computational framework for exactly this purpose. We develop three representations — DS-Vector, DS-Matrix, and DS-Tree — which allow DST computation to be performed in significantly less time. These three representations can also be utilized as tools for visualizing DST models. A new strategy, which we refer to as REGAP, which allows REcursive Generation of and Access to Propositions is introduced and harnessed in the development of this framework and computational algorithms. The paper also provides a discussion and experimental validation of the utility, efficiency, and implementation of the proposed data structures and algorithms.
Algorithmic Aspects of Control: Approach Based on Symmetry and Similarity

In the previous chapter, we concentrated on the problem of predicting the future events. Once we are able to predict future events, a natural next step is to influence these events, i.e., to control the corresponding system. In this step, we should select a control that leads to the best possible result.
Influence of Winemaking Processing Steps on the Amounts of (E)-2-Decenal and Tridecane as Off-Odorants Caused by Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys).

Brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) release stress compounds, tridecane and (E)-2-decenal, that affect final wine quality. This study focuses on determining the effect of wine processing on (E)-2-decenal and tridecane release in both red and white wines. Wines were produced by adding live BMSB to grape clusters at densities of 0, 0.3, 1, and 3 bugs/cluster. Compound concentrations were measured using headspace solid phase microextraction with multidimensional gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. For red wines, the highest levels of stress compounds were found using 3 BMSB/cluster [tridecane, 614 μg/L; (E)-2-decenal, 2.0 μg/L]. Pressing was found to be the critical process point for stress compound release, and additional pressing processes, press types, and press fractions were investigated. BMSB taint for white wines was not found to be problematic with respect to wine quality. An action control of 3 BMSB/cluster is recommended as this was related to the known consumption rejection threshold for (E)-...
ECX: An R Package for Studying Sensitivity of Antimicrobial Substances Using Spiral Plating Technology

ABSTRACT Spiral plating technique is reliable, repeatable, and more efficient than dilution plating methods in studying the efficacy of antimicrobial products. In this method, the concentration of ...
Breast cancer-related lymphedema: risk factors, precautionary measures, and treatments.

Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a negative sequela of breast cancer treatment, and well-established risk factors include axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and regional lymph node radiation (RLNR). BCRL affects approximately 1 in 5 patients treated for breast cancer, and it has a significant negative impact on patients’ quality of life after breast cancer treatment, serving as a reminder of previous illness. This paper is a comprehensive review of the current evidence regarding BCRL risk factors, precautionary guidelines, prospective screening, early intervention, and surgical and non-surgical treatment techniques. Through establishing evidence-based BCRL risk factors, researchers and clinicians are better able to prevent, anticipate, and provide early intervention for BCRL. Clinicians can identify patients at high risk and utilize prospective screening programs, which incorporate objective measurements, patient reported outcome measures (PROM), and clinical examination, thereby creating opportunities for early intervention and, accordingly, improving BCRL prognosis. Innovative surgical techniques that minimize and/or prophylactically correct lymphatic disruption, such as axillary reverse mapping (ARM) and lymphatic-venous anastomoses (LVAs), are promising avenues for reducing BCRL incidence. Nonetheless, for those patients with BCRL who remain unresponsive to conservative methods like complete decongestive therapy (CDT), surgical treatment options aiming to reduce limb volume or restore lymphatic flow may prove to be palliative or corrective. It is only through a strong team-based approach that such a continuum of care can exist, and a multidisciplinary approach to BCRL screening, intervention, and research is therefore strongly encouraged.
Fulfilling the Intentions of Teaching

In teaching mindfulness as a professional, using your authenticity, authority, and friendship, each session is fresh and different, like a new wave breaking on the shore. Each progress through a course is unique. Participants and teacher find other ways of saying, demonstrating, learning, understanding — together. Participants and teacher are never the same, course to course, or even session to session, again like the river flowing past the shore. Never the same people again, as they are changing in each moment. There will never be these same sufferings, these same questions, these same jokes or joys — each a challenge to the teacher and the others. And so, there will never be these same responses. Holding this. Exploring that. Sitting with the terrible, the unanswerable, the riotous, and the oh-so-sweet.