cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Defending ‘the Principle of Representation’: Andrew Bisset, The English Civil War, and The History of the Struggle for Parliamentary Government in England

AbstractVictorian attitudes to the past were varied and in some cases irreconcilable. Newer standards of expertise and objectivity coexisted with older approaches, and the idea that history should be used for present purposes remained intact. Throughout the Victorian age there were circumstances in which history was a polemical tool, designed to give one set of interpretations or values or policies an advantage over its rivals. This article explores the work of a relatively neglected figure in Victorian historiography – the reform-minded historian and lawyer Andrew Bisset (1803–1891) – whose primary goal was to illustrate and advance what he called ‘the principle of representation’. He discussed people and events of the past to this end, offending reviewers along the way because of his obvious political agenda, but also developing a rigorous source-based style, usefully evaluating for his readers the work of Macaulay, Carlyle, and others, and helping to shape Victorian opinion about, in particular, the po...
Improved model order determination by information theoretic criteria

An approach for using minimum description length (MDL) criterion for autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) models and autoregressive models with exogenous input (ARX) is formulated in terms of the minimum eigenvalue of a covariance matrix. It is shown that as the number of observation data points increases without bound, the MDL criterion reduces to a simple monotonic nonlinear transformation of this minimum eigenvalue. Consequently, it is shown that in the asymptotic case the minimum-eigenvalue provides exactly the same information as the original MDL formulation. Additionally, the approach does not require prior estimation of the model parameters, and thus has the potential for significantly reduced computation compared to other MDL-based model order determination schemes. The approach's application to the selection of ARMA and ARX model orders is discussed, and several numerical examples are presented. >
A Phylogenetic Study of Perideridia (Apiaceae) Based on Nuclear Ribosomal DNA ITS Sequences

Abstract A phylogenetic study of the genus Perideridia (Apiaceae; tribe Oenantheae) was conducted to elucidate its circumscription, infrageneric relationships, and patterns in the evolution of available morphological, anatomical, and cytological characters. Nuclear rDNA ITS sequences were procured from 84 accessions of Perideridia, representing all 14 of its species and four of its six subspecies, and five outgroup taxa, and analyzed using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference methods. The trees recovered by each of these optimality criteria were congruent and generally quite robust. Upon the removal of the eastern Asian Perideridia neurophylla, previously referable to Pterygopleurum neurophyllum, the genus Perideridia is monophyletic and exclusively North American in distribution. Three major clades within Perideridia are inferred; the midwestern U.S. Perideridia americana is likely sister to all other species. With the exceptions of Perideridia lemmonii and P. bolanderi (where ea...
Species Tree Discordance Traces to Phylogeographic Clade Boundaries in North American Fence Lizards (Sceloporus)

I investigated the impacts of phylogeographic sampling decisions on species tree estimation in the Sceloporus undulatus species group, a recent radiation of small, insectivorous lizards connected by parapatric and peripatric distribu- tion across North America, using a variety of species tree inference methods (Bayesian estimation of species trees, Bayesian untangling of concordance knots, and minimize deep coalescences). Phylogenetic analyses of 16 specimens representing 4 putative species within S. "undulatus" using complete (8 loci, >5.5 kb) and incomplete (29 loci, >23.6 kb) nuclear data sets result in species trees that share features with the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genealogy at the phylogeographic level but provide new insights into the evolutionary history of the species group. The concatenated nuclear data and mtDNA data both recover 4 major clades connecting populations across North America; however, instances of discordance are localized at the contact zones between adjacent phylogeographic groups. A random sub-sampling experiment designed to vary the phylogeographic samples included across hundreds of replicate species tree inferences suggests that inaccurate species assignments can result in inferred phylogenetic relationships that are dependent upon which particular populations are used as exemplars to represent species and can lead to increased estimates of effective population size (Θ). For the phylogeographic data presented here, reassigning specimens with introgressed mtDNA genomes to their prospective species, or excluding them from the analysis altogether, produces species tree topologies that are distinctly different from analyses that utilize mtDNA-based species assignments. Evolutionary biologists working at the interface of phylogeography and phylogenetics are likely to encounter multiple processes influencing gene trees congruence, which increases the relevance of estimating species trees with multilocus nuclear data and models that accommodate deep coalescence. (Bayesian analysis; deep coalescence; gene flow; gene trees; introgression; lineage sorting; species delimitation; taxon sampling.) The growing ease of acquiring genomic scale data sets to study nonmodel organisms enables systematic biologists to assemble the tree of life with increasing de- tail. However, it is widely recognized that the stochastic process of lineage sorting can cause discordance among gene trees inferred from independent loci, which may
Failure of Prostaglandin F2α to Cause Luteal Regression in Ewes After Destruction of Ovarian Follicles by X-Irradiation

The hypothesis that estradiol-17..beta.. may play a role in prostaglandin F/sub 2/..cap alpha.. (PGF/sub 2/..cap alpha..)-induced luteolysis was tested in ewes following selective destruction of ovarian follicles by x-irradiation. The effects of two injections of (1) 7 mg PGF/sub 2/..cap alpha.., (2) 750 ..mu..g estradiol benzoate (E/sub 2/B) and (3) 7 mg PGF/sub 2/..cap alpha.. + 750 ..mu..g E/sub 2/B were compared in sham and x-irradiated ewes. Treatment of sham-irradiated ewes with PGF/sub 2/..cap alpha.. resulted in luteolysis in all 5 treated ewes, as judged by a fall in the plasma progesterone concentration to non-detectable levels (less than 0.2 ng/ml) by 54 h after the first injection. In contrast, luteolysis was not observed in 4 of 5 x-irradiated ewes following treatment with PGF/sub 2/..cap alpha.., as indicated by plasma progesterone levels greater than 1.60 ng/ml 96 h after the first injection and corpus luteum weights in excess of 535 mg. Luteolysis was observed in the fifth animal of this group, ewe No. 20, in which plasma progesterone fell to non-detectable levels and a corpus luteum of 203 mg was observed at autopsy. The mean plasma estradiol concentration ranged between 4 and 9 pg/ml in sham-irradiated, PGF/sub 2/..cap alpha..-treated ewes, butmore » fell to non-detectable levels before treatment with PGF/sub 2/..cap alpha.. in all x-irradiated ewes except No. 20 in which levels as high as 11.6 pg/ml were observed. A large luteinized, cystic follicle was observed at autopsy in ewe No. 20. These observations suggest that destruction of ovarian follicles to remove the primary source of estradiol reduced the effectiveness of PGF/sub 2/..cap alpha.. as a luteolytic agent.« less
THE EFFECT OF CONFINEMENT ON DETONATION INITIATION BY BLUNT PROJECTILES

The effect of confinement on the initiation of detonation waves by supersonic projectiles is investigated. For experiments in a large diameter detonation chamber, the projectile bow shock cannot reach the tube wall during the experimental test time, making the experiment effectively unconfined. In this case, a projectile is capable of direct initiation only, wherein the combustion sufficiently couples to the projectile bow shock to propagate as a free-running detonation. If the dimensions of the detonation chamber are reduced to the order of the projectile diameter, multiple bow shock reflections and boundary layer growth can promote ignition and the confinement of the chamber wall can assist in the initiation of detonation via deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) mechanisms. This paper reports an experimental examination into the effect of confinement. Spheres with a diameter of 1.27 cm were fired into a stoichiometric mixture of hydrogen and oxygen diluted with argon. The mixture was contained in a tube 3.81 cm in diameter. Combustion waves were observed to form in the wake of the sphere and eventually overtake the sphere. This result is in contrast with prior experiments in an 18 cm diameter detonation chamber with the same mixture and sphere size. In the large chamber, only direct initiation from the sphere itself was observed. The results indicate that initiation in a confined environment can be realized under a much wider range of conditions (lower projectile Mach numbers and mixture pressures) than in an unconfined environment. The relevance of
World-to-digital-microfluidic interface enabling extraction and purification of RNA from human whole blood.

Digital microfluidics (DMF) is a powerful technique for simple and precise manipulation of microscale droplets of fluid. This technique enables processing and analysis of a wide variety of samples and reagents and has proven useful in a broad range of chemical, biological, and medical applications. Handling of “real-world” samples has been a challenge, however, because typically their volumes are greater than those easily accommodated by DMF devices and contain analytes of interest at low concentration. To address this challenge, we have developed a novel “world-to-DMF” interface in which an integrated companion module drives the large-volume sample through a 10 μL droplet region on the DMF device, enabling magnet-mediated recovery of bead-bound analytes onto the device as they pass through the region. To demonstrate its utility, we use this system for extraction of RNA from human whole blood lysates (110–380 μL) and further purification in microscale volumes (5–15 μL) on the DMF device itself. Processing...
Evaluation and Prism Management of Divergence Insufficiency Esotropia

An esodeviation that is greater at distance than near in an adult patient requires a full sensorimotor exam to rule out any cofounding neurological conditions. Many etiologies are described in the literature to cause an esodeviation that is greater at distance than near in adult patients and some exist in conjunction with a neurological condition. However, many adult patients present to the adult strabismus clinic with no other findings on exam and have a purely benign divergence insufficiency esotropia. A review of the literature on divergence insufficiency reveals a few attempts of classifying these entities, but none have been completely accepted.Recently benign non-neurological divergence insufficiency esotropia has been described as a resulting condition due to a mechanical etiology. Currently, the literature only describes a couple of different etiologies.Regardless of the etiology, these patients are quite symptomatic and present to the adult strabismus clinic with various complaints and require a thorough examination. The primary focus of the exam is to first rule out the need for further neurological work-up, but secondly, to also determine the best treatment option for the patient. To determine the best treatment plan, a thorough evaluation, including a sensorimotor exam with proper testing, can help. Many of these patients do very well with base-out prism management; however, some have decompensated to a larger angle and prefer surgical intervention. However, the focus of this paper will be on nonsurgical prism management of patients with divergence insufficiency that is not associated with any neurological disorder.
MECHANICAL AORTIC VALVE THROMBOSIS ON RIVAROXABAN

Target specific oral anticoagulants (TSOACs) are approved for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and for prevention and treatment of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Currently they are contraindicated in patients with mechanical valves. In the absence of appropriate
Effect of Chamber Length With Converging Exhaust on Swirling Flow Field Characteristics of a Counter-Rotating Radial-Radial Swirler

An experimental study has been conducted to examine the effect of chamber length on the aerodynamic characteristics of an enclosed, non-reacting, swirling, flow field. The swirling flow was generated by a counter-rotating radial-radial swirler consisting of an inner, primary swirler generating counter-clockwise rotation and an outer, secondary swirler generating clockwise rotation. The enclosures used were square cross-section chambers of differing lengths. The internal cross section of all chambers was 50.8 mm × 50.8 mm (2 inch × 2 inch). 3 different lengths of chamber used for the tests were 76.2 mm (3″), 101.6 mm (4″), and 152.4 mm (6″) respectively. A nozzle was used at the downstream end of the enclosure to ensure the absence of reverse flow back to test chamber and to simulate the area reduction in typical combustor. The nozzle reduced the cross-section area from 50.8 mm × 50.8 mm (2″ × 2″) to 22.2 mm × 22.2 mm (0.875″ × 0.875″) via 45° slope. A two-component laser doppler velocimetry (LDV) system was used to measure the velocities in the flow fields. The chamber length has been observed to have a clear influence on the mean and turbulent velocity profile near the exit of swirler. However, this effect is not as evident further downstream in the flow field. For the short chamber length, higher values of axial and tangential velocities were observed in the swirling jet due to the proximity of the downstream nozzle to the swirler. For this chamber length, higher turbulence intensities were observed in the swirling jet and inside center toroidal recirculation zone. The magnitudes of the swirling jet velocity and the turbulence intensities decreased with an increase in the chamber length. Two counter-rotating flows could merge more complete in the exit of swirler with the chamber length decreasing.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Application of Code Generation Techniques Based on MDA in E-business Development Platform

This paper suggests a code generation techniques based on MDA.It realizes Web code generation automatically by using temples technology and component technology.It improves the generation rate of Web code,and solves the problem generally.The techniques are applied in the E-business development platform and gains successful results.
Criminal offending and the family environment: Swedish national high-risk home-reared and adopted-away co-sibling control study

Background Criminal offending is strongly transmitted across generations. Aims To clarify the contribution of rearing environment to cross-generational transmission of crime. Method Using Swedish national registries, we identified 1176 full-sibling and 3085 half-sibling sets from high-risk families where at least one sibling was adopted and the other raised by the biological parents. Results Risk for criminal conviction was substantially lower in the full- and half-siblings who were adopted v. home-reared (hazard ratios (HR) = 0.56, 95% CI 0.50–0.64 and 0.60, 95% CI 0.56–0.65, respectively). The protective effect of adoption was significantly stronger in sibships with two v. one high-risk parent. Conclusions Using matched high-risk full- and half-siblings, we found replicated evidence that (a) rearing environment has a strong impact on risk for criminal conviction, (b) high-quality rearing environments have especially strong effects in those at high familial risk for criminal offending and (c) the protective effects of adoption are stronger for more severe crimes and for repeated offending.
High throughput phenotyping of cotton plant height using depth images under field conditions

Abstract Plant height is an important phenotypic trait that can be used not only as an indicator of overall plant growth but also a parameter to calculate advanced traits such as biomass and yield. Currently, cotton plant height is primarily measured manually, which is laborious and has become a bottleneck for cotton research and breeding programs. The goal of this research was to develop and evaluate a high throughput phenotyping (HTP) system using depth images for measuring cotton plant height under field conditions. For this purpose, a Kinect-v2 camera was evaluated in a static configuration to obtain a performance baseline and in a dynamic configuration to measure plant height in the field. In the static configuration, the camera was mounted on a partially covered wooden frame and oriented towards nadir to acquire depth images of potted cotton plants. Regions of interest of plants were manually selected in the depth images to calculate plant height. In the dynamic configuration, the Kinect-v2 camera was installed inside a partially covered metal-frame that was attached to a high-clearance tractor equipped with real time kinematic GPS. A six-step algorithm was developed to measure the maximum and average heights of individual plots by using the depth images acquired by the system. System performance was evaluated on 108 plots of cotton plants. Results showed that the Kinect-v2 camera could acquire valid depth images of cotton plants under field conditions, when a shaded environment was provided. The plot maximum and average heights calculated by the proposed algorithm were strongly correlated (adjusted R2 = 0.922–0.987) with those measured manually with accuracies of over 92%. The average processing time was 0.01 s to calculate the heights of a plot that typically has 34 depth images, indicating that the proposed algorithm was computationally efficient. Therefore, these results confirmed the ability of the HTP system with depth images to measure cotton plant height under field conditions accurately and rapidly. Furthermore, the imaging-based system has great potential for measuring more complicated geometric traits of plants, which can significantly advance field-based HTP system development in general.
Under-ascertainment from healthcare settings of child abuse events among children of soldiers by the U.S. Army Family Advocacy Program.

Abstract In cases of maltreatment involving children of U.S. Army service members, the U.S. Army Family Advocacy Program (FAP) is responsible for providing services to families and ensuring child safety. The percentage of cases of maltreatment that are known to FAP, however, is uncertain. Thus, the objective of this retrospective study was to estimate the percentage of U.S. Army dependent children with child maltreatment as diagnosed by a military or civilian medical provider who had a substantiated report with FAP from 2004 to 2007. Medical claims data were used to identify 0–17 year old child dependents of soldiers who received a medical diagnosis of child maltreatment. Linkage rates of maltreatment medical diagnoses with corresponding substantiated FAP reports were calculated. Bivariate and multivariable analyses examined the association of child, maltreatment episode, and soldier characteristics with linkage to substantiated FAP reports. Across 5945 medically diagnosed maltreatment episodes, 20.3% had a substantiated FAP report. Adjusting for covariates, the predicted probability of linkage to a substantiated FAP report was higher for physical abuse than for sexual abuse, 25.8%, 95% CI (23.4, 28.3) versus 14.5%, 95% CI (11.2, 17.9). Episodes in which early care was provided at civilian treatment facilities were less likely to have a FAP report than those treated at military facilities, 9.8%, 95% CI (7.3, 12.2) versus 23.6%, 95% CI (20.8, 26.4). The observed low rates of linkage of medically diagnosed child maltreatment to substantiated FAP reports may signal the need for further regulation of FAP reporting requirements, particularly for children treated at civilian facilities.
Tell it with zest: The generative influence of storytelling on the origin of creative drama

ABSTRACTIn previous discussions of the factors that influenced the genesis of creative drama, the art of storytelling has been largely overlooked. Our archival studies indicate that Winifred Ward was steeped in oral traditions and storytelling from early childhood throughout her life. We have followed course descriptions and syllabi to determine that it was modifications of her initial storytelling classes that led to her work in creative dramatics. The legacy of this initial impact of storytelling can be observed in her narrative-based approach to drama with young people. This article presents storytelling as a missing piece of the puzzle, and invites us to consider implications for the future of our field.
Failure to Deliver and Translate-New Insights into RNA Dysregulation in ALS.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons. The molecular mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis remain largely unknown. Multiple genetic loci including genes involved in proteostasis and ribostasis have been linked to ALS providing key insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying disease. In particular, the identification of the RNA binding proteins TDP-43 and FUS as causative factors of ALS resulted in a paradigm shift centered on the study of RNA dysregulation as a major mechanism of disease. With wild-type TDP-43 pathology being found in ~97% of ALS cases and the identification of disease causing mutations within its sequence, TDP-43 has emerged as a prominent player in ALS. More recently, studies of the newly discovered C9orf72 repeat expansion are lending further support to the notion of defects in RNA metabolism as a key factor underlying ALS. RNA binding proteins are involved in all aspects of RNA metabolism ranging from splicing, transcription, transport, storage into RNA/protein granules, and translation. How these processes are affected by disease-associated mutations is just beginning to be understood. Considerable work has gone into the identification of splicing and transcription defects resulting from mutations in RNA binding proteins associated with disease. More recently, defects in RNA transport and translation have been shown to be involved in the pathomechanism of ALS. A central hypothesis in the field is that disease causing mutations lead to the persistence of RNA/protein complexes known as stress granules. Under times of prolonged cellular stress these granules sequester specific mRNAs preventing them from translation, and are thought to evolve into pathological aggregates. Here we will review recent efforts directed at understanding how altered RNA metabolism contributes to ALS pathogenesis.
An Investigation of College Students' Knowledge of Stuttering

Purpose This study explored college students' basic knowledge of stuttering. Method One hundred eighty college students were interviewed to assess their knowledge of stuttering. Participant respons...
Genes in the Basement, Postmortem Genetic Testing…and 3 (New) Realities

We all have a treasure trove of things—squirreled away in knick-knack drawers or long-forgotten boxes in the basement, storage lockers, and parents’ homes. Things we tell ourselves will someday have value if we just wait long enough. Every pathology department has things too—the glass slides and paraffin blocks of specimens long since diagnosed and discarded, all tucked away in the far recesses of hospitals and storage warehouses, waiting for a time to reach their full potential. A select few of these even manage to be resurrected each year, some for a retrospective analysis of one marker or another, others to settle a diagnostic or medicolegal matter. Most, however, sit idly in file cabinets and storage facilities, out of sight and largely forgotten, reminiscent of the final scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark. See Article by Baudhuin et al Those materials, however, still have great value. Among pathologists, this is not exactly a secret—archived slides and blocks have long been appropriated for developing new stains, defining diagnoses, and understanding disease pathogenesis. And when modern genetic testing methods arrived, many had visions of Jurassic Park-style moments, unlocking the secrets embedded not in amber but in paraffin. Unfortunately, most of the promise of such materials has languished. Genetic testing methods to date have largely focused on peripheral blood and carefully preserved tissues gathered from living patients. Applying the same techniques to the stuff …
Arvo Pärt's Resonant Texts: Choral and Organ Music 1956–2015

Statistically the most performed and listened to contemporary composer in the world, Arvo Part is a musical and cultural phenomenon. This book is an essential resource for anyone interested in his extraordinarily innovative and uniquely appealing music. Andrew Shenton surveys the full scope of Part's oeuvre, providing context and chronological continuity while concentrating in particular on his text-based music, analysing and describing individual pieces and techniques such as tintinnabulation. The book also explores the spiritual and theological contexts of Part's creativity, and the challenges of performing his work. This volume is the definitive guide for readers looking to engage with the form, content, and context of Part's compositions, as Shenton situates Part in the narrative of metamodernism and suggests new ways of understanding this unique and beautiful music.
Noninvasive Electroretinographic Procedures for the Study of the Mouse Retina

Overall retinal function can be monitored by recording the light-evoked response of the eye at the corneal surface. The major components of the electroretinogram (ERG) provide important information regarding the functional status of many retinal cell types including rod photoreceptors, cone photoreceptors, bipolar cells, and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The ERG can be readily recorded from mice, and this unit describes procedures for mouse anesthesia and the use of stimulation and recording procedures for measuring ERGs that reflect the response properties of different retinal cell types. Through these, the mouse ERG provides a noninvasive approach to measure multiple aspects of outer retinal function, including the status of the initial rod and cone pathways, rod photoreceptor deactivation, rod dark adaptation, the photoreceptor-to-bipolar cell synapse, and the RPE. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Religion and the Public Sphere in Premodern India

When in 1962 Habermas formulated his theory of the public sphere as “a society engaged in critical debate” he sought to describe something he felt was unique to the modern liberal democratic Western world. Yet the creation of discursive spheres where people across lines of social difference debate questions of the common good, mutual interest, and forms of equality long predates the modern era and flourished well outside the “Western” world. This essay adapts Habermas’ influential concept to highlight the emergence of a nascent public sphere at the earliest layers of Marathi literary creation in 13th century India. At this inaugural stage of a regional language’s full shift to writing, we see traces of a debate in the language of everyday life that struggled over the ethics of social difference, a public deliberation that might presage key aspects of Indian modernity and democracy today.
Important Special Systems

This chapter discusses two important types of matrices, tridiagonal, and positive definite. A tridiagonal matrix A can be factored into the product of a unit lower triangular matrix L and an upper triangular matrix U whose superdiagonal is equal to that of A . Solving a tridiagonal linear system with this algorithm is a slightly faster than using the Thomas algorithm. The chapter introduces the symmetric positive definite matrix and develops some of its properties. In particular, it shows that a matrix is positive definite if and only if its eigenvalues are positive. Sylvester’s criterion is stated but not proved. Two necessary criteria are developed that allow one to show a matrix is not positive definite. The Cholesky decomposition is developed, and its flop count determined. If a matrix A is positive definite, it is faster to solve the system Ax = b using the Cholesky factorization than using the LU decomposition. If LU is used, pivoting is not necessary. It is shown that the Cholesky factorization is backward stable.
Rapid ocular angiogenic control via naked DNA delivery to cornea.

Purpose To determine the efficacy and safety of naked plasmid gene therapy to the corneal stroma and epithelium. Methods Naked plasmid DNA was injected under pressure into the cornea of mice. The expression of genes coding for beta galactosidase (beta-gal), enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and soluble Flt-1 (s-Flt) was recorded and measured with regard to dose, time course, and bioactivity. Results LacZ gene expression of the protein beta-gal was demonstrated as early as 1 hour, with expression persisting for 10 days. Plasmid-injected corneas remained clear and free of inflammation. EGFP was bicistronically expressed with VEGF to demonstrate the practicality of simultaneous in vivo analysis of gene expression and growth factor bioactivity. Corneal injection of a plasmid containing VEGF cDNA induced corneal and anterior chamber neovascularization. Moreover, corneal injection of plasmid containing the cDNA for the soluble form of the VEGF receptor Flt-1 effectively prevented corneal neovascularization. Conclusions The cornea is readily accessible for gene therapy in the laboratory and in the clinic. The method described is safe, effective, titratable, and easily monitored. Naked DNA delivery to the cornea has the potential to alter the treatment of a wide variety of corneal and anterior segment diseases.
Plant Responses to Temperature Extremes

Ancestors of commercial cotton varieties are of tropical origin and are naturally adapted to growth in warm environments. Today, the derived cultivars retain the high optimal temperatures for growth that are characteristic of their progenitors. It is valuable to review the reported optimal temperature(s) for cotton before examining plant responses to temperature extremes. Despite many studies evaluating cotton temperature responses during the past century, a clear picture has yet to emerge whether there is a single temperature optimum for cotton metabolism. Some reports suggest distinct temperature responses within different anatomical structures, or at diverse developmental times. Discrepancies between reported temperature responses can be related to the measure of temperature itself. Some studies describing optimal temperatures for cotton refer to air temperature, while others refer to plant temperature. The discussion below will show that air and plant temperature measurements cannot be used interchangeably. This chapter will provide brief overviews of temperature measurement techniques, reported temperature optima, and the effects of low and high temperature stresses on cotton metabolism.
Affine and Projective Varieties

In this book we will be dealing with varieties over a field K, which we will take to be algebraically closed throughout. Algebraic geometry can certainly be done over arbitrary fields (or even more generally over rings), but not in so straightforward a fashion as we will do here; indeed, to work with varieties over nonalgebraically closed fields the best language to use is that of scheme theory. Classically, much of algebraic geometry was done over the complex numbers ℂ, and this remains the source of much of our geometric intuition; but where possible we will avoid assuming K = ℂ.
Corneal Transplantation: Keratoprosthesis

A keratoprosthesis surgery is corneal transplantation using an artificial cornea. This is in contrast to a traditional penetrating keratoplasty (described previously) that utilizes cornea from a deceased donor. A keratoprosthesis (also abbreviated as KPro) is used in situations where using donor cornea is unlikely to succeed. To be successful, transplanted donor cornea would need to clear following the keratoplasty. In cases where the cornea does not clear or initially clears but becomes cloudy later on, the transplant is said to have failed.
Complexity, Inquiry Critical Thinking, and Technology: A Holistic and Developmental Approach

Among the skill and competency areas being addressed in national education plans and by prominent educators are collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. In this chapter, a fifth C is added to that list—namely, contemplation. The argument to be presented in this chapter involves two assumptions: (a) technologies can play an important role in developing these competencies, and (b) to be effective in developing the five C’s, a holistic and developmental approach seems appropriate. Given those assumptions, the solution approach here is that a learner should be considered as a whole person and not simply a cognitive processor. Moreover, promoting effective learning involves developing stable and persistent changes in what a person knows and can do. Consequently, developing habits of inquiry and reasoning takes time and is not likely to happen in one unit of instruction, nor in one course. The earlier those habits are developed, the more likely they are to persist and to be applied to multiple domains of inquiry.
Cost Efficiency Analysis of Local Commercial Banks in Taiwan

This study uses a stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) model to evaluate the relative cost efficiency of commercial banks in Taiwan in the wake of liberalization. The model is estimated using data made available through Taiwan's Banking Bureau and Financial Supervisory Commission. With data from before and after the 2008 financial crisis, our central result is that banks affiliated with bank holding companies (BHC) have become increasingly more efficient. While unaffiliated banks have generally increased their efficiency, they have not kept pace with respect to efficiency gains. Secondary findings are that, independent of ownership structure, both balance sheet and income statement composition affect efficiency. In particular, bank efficiency increases with growth in loans and capital prices. We also find evidence that labor productivity is a key explanatory factor behind efficiency differences across banks. As a result, a policy recommendation is made that banks invest in maximizing worker productivity. Finally, in addition to the insights gained from this study we contribute to the general literature on both bank efficiency and the use of the SFA model by applying it to new data in a new setting.
Dimensions of the paediatric femur: anatomical limitations of flexible intramedullary nailing.

Abstract Purpose Although spica casting remains the benchmark for treating diaphyseal femur fractures in preschool children, some authors advocate using flexible intramedullary nails in certain sit...
The Interplay of Diet Quality and Alzheimer's Disease Genetic Risk Score in Relation to Cognitive Performance Among Urban African Americans.

We examined the interactive associations of poor diet quality and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) genetic risk with cognitive performance among 304 African American adults (mean age~57 years) from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study. In this cross-sectional study, selected participants had complete predictors and covariate data with 13 cognitive test scores as outcomes. Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) were measured. A genetic risk score for AD in HANDLS (hAlzScore) was computed from 12 selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our key hypotheses were tested using linear regression models. The hAlzScore was directly associated with poor performance in verbal memory (−0.4 ± 0.2, 0.01) and immediate visual memory (0.4 ± 0.2, 0.03) measured in seconds, in women only. The hAlzScore interacted synergistically with poorer diet quality to determine lower cognitive performance on a test of verbal fluency. Among numerous SNP × diet quality interactions for models of cognitive performance as outcomes, only one passed correction for multiple testing, namely verbal fluency. Our results suggest that improved diet quality can potentially modify performance on cognitive tests of verbal fluency among individuals with higher AD genetic risk.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of MSI-H/MMR-D colorectal cancer and a perspective on resistance mechanisms

Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) with a mismatch repair-deficiency (MMR-D)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) phenotype carries unique characteristics such as increased tumour mutational burden and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes. Studies have shown a sustained clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors with dramatic clinical improvement in patients with MSI-H/MMR-D CRC. However, the observed response rates range between 30% and 50% suggesting the existence of intrinsic resistance mechanisms. Moreover, disease progression after an initial positive response to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment points to acquired resistance mechanisms. In this review article, we discuss the clinical trials that established the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with MSI-H/MMR-D CRC, consider biomarkers of the immune response and elaborate on potential mechanisms related to intrinsic and acquired resistance. We also provide a perspective on possible future therapeutic approaches that might improve clinical outcomes, particularly in patients with actionable resistance mechanisms.
Semantic Segmentation of Microengineered Neural Tissues

In this paper, we present a novel strategy for automatic segmentation of biomedical images acquired from bio-engineered nerve tissues exhibiting variable morphological characteristics. Automatic image segmentation is one step towards the end goal of automatic analysis of the impact of various neurotoxic drug treatments on these artificial nerve tissues. We propose a deep learning architecture to perform this task. Our proposed architecture can be seen as a variation of U-Net that helps deal with a small manually annotated training data set. We present promising preliminary results and our human expert analysis shows that in some cases the model is even more precise in detecting the relevant morphological characteristics of the tissue compared to the manually annotated data. In the future, our model can be adapted for end-to-end automatic analysis of treated tissues. Moreover, based on a very small set of annotated data, it provides a reasonable segmentation to be used by human annotators. This will reduce the time of manual annotation significantly and streamline the process of generating a larger manually annotated data set for training our final ideal segmentation model.
A 230-GHz High-Power and Wideband Coupled Standing Wave VCO in 65-nm CMOS

This article presents a 230-GHz wideband harmonic voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) with large output power based on a compact and low-loss structure of coupled standing wave oscillators. In order to boost the output power, oscillators are coupled together without adding extra passive loss to the circuit. Transistors with inductive drain impedances provide the necessary negative resistance to the oscillators while simultaneously acting as active variable capacitors for frequency tuning and generate the desired second-harmonic power through their nonlinearities. Transmission lines at the drains are responsible for creating the inductive impedance as well as coupling adjacent oscillators and routing and combining the output power. Therefore, the circuit has a compact structure that minimizes passive losses. A varactor-less frequency tuning scheme is used and allows for wideband operation without sacrificing the output power. In addition to oscillator coupling and minimizing the losses, the output power has been boosted by engineering the harmonic impedance that is seen by the transistors in the circuit. The prototype chip was implemented in a 65-nm CMOS process. The output power of the VCO covers 219–238 GHz frequency band (8.35% tuning range) and delivers 3.4-dBm maximum output power. The minimum measured phase noise is −105.8 dBc/Hz (at 10-MHz offset) while consuming 195 mW from a 1.5-V supply.
Using Social Norms as a Lever of Social Influence

Deviance regulation theory predicts that attempts to influence human conduct should be more successful when the message characterizes people whose behaviors diverge from, rather than those that conform to, the perceived norm. The social identity and self-categorization perspective contends that behavioral outcomes are influenced by reference group norms, but only for those individuals who consider group membership to be a salient basis for self-representation. Importantly, one of the primary factors that appears to influence whether group membership is seen as a salient basis for self-conceptualization is the meaningfulness and level of identification that one has for the group. Much like the distinction that M. Deutsch and H. B. Gerard made between informational and normative influences, R. B. Cialdini et al. suggested that descriptive and injunctive norms influence conduct through separate sources of human motivation. Descriptive norms refer to perceptions of what is done, whereas injunctive norms refer to perceptions of what ought to be done.
A Neurocognitive Comparison of Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder, HPD) are both considered obsessive-compulsive and related disorders due to some indications of shared etiological and phenomenological characteristics. However, a lack of direct comparisons between these disorders, especially in pediatric samples, limits our understanding of divergent versus convergent characteristics. This study compared neurocognitive functioning between children diagnosed with OCD and HPD. In total, 21 children diagnosed with HPD, 40 diagnosed with OCD, and 29 healthy controls (HCs), along with their parents, completed self-/parent-report measures and a neurocognitive assessment battery, which included tasks of inhibitory control, sustained attention, planning, working memory, visual memory, and cognitive flexibility. A series of analyses of variance (or covariance) indicated significant differences between groups on tasks examining planning and sustained attention. Specifically, children in both the OCD and HPD groups outperformed HCs on a task of planning. Further, children with OCD underperformed as compared to both the HPD and HC groups on a task of sustained attention. No between group differences were found with respect to tasks of reversal learning, working memory, spatial working memory, visual memory, or inhibitory control. The implications these findings may have for future, transdiagnostic work, as well as limitations and future directions are discussed.
The Question of the Meaning of Ágalma: Between Hermeneutics, Topology, and Unconcealment—Commentary on Sessions IX and X

The focus of this commentary covering sessions IX and X is Alcibiades’s “entrance” into the symposium and what his late inebriated ingress brings to the discussion around love. Following the speeches delivered by Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, and Aristophanes culminating in the epistemological and mythological expressions of the meaning of love which are followed by speeches delivered by Agathon and Socrates focusing respectively on the rhetorical and the philosophical expressions of the meaning of love, Alcibiades’s speech provides a unique elucidation that brings Lacan to acknowledge that Alcibiades’s entrance is essential. This commentary seeks to understand what makes this entrance “essential,” how the “experience of transference,” as a form of unconcealment, is embodied in the relationship between Alcibiades, Agathon, and Socrates, and the concept of love, through Lacan, as a question of the meaning of agalma.
Marked Synergy by Vertical Inhibition of EGFR signaling in NSCLC Spheroids: SOS1 as a therapeutic target in EGFR-mutated cancer

Abstract Drug treatment of 3D cancer spheroids more accurately reflects in vivo therapeutic responses compared to adherent culture studies. In EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma, EGFR-TKIs show enhanced efficacy in spheroid cultures. Simultaneous inhibition of multiple parallel RTKs further enhances EGFR-TKI effectiveness. We show that the common RTK signaling intermediate SOS1 was required for 3D spheroid growth of EGFR-mutated NSCLC cells. Using two distinct measures of pharmacologic synergy, we demonstrated that SOS1 inhibition strongly synergized with EGFR-TKI treatment only in 3D spheroid cultures. Combined EGFR- and SOS1-inhibition markedly inhibited Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling. Finally, broad assessment of the pharmacologic landscape of drug-drug interactions downstream of mutated EGFR revealed synergy when combining an EGFR-TKI with inhibitors of proximal signaling intermediates SOS1 and SHP2, but not inhibitors of downstream RAS effector pathways. These data indicate that vertical inhibition of proximal EGFR signaling should be pursued as a potential therapy to treat EGFR-mutated tumors.