cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The total number of giant planets in debris discs with central clearings

Infrared spectra from the Spitzer Space Telescope (SSC) of many debris discs are well fit with a single blackbody temperature which suggest clearings within the disc. We assume that clearings are caused by orbital instability in multiple planet systems with similar configurations to our own. These planets remove dust-generating planetesimal belts as well as dust generated by the outer disc that is scattered or drifts into the clearing. From numerical integrations, we estimate a minimum planet spacing required for orbital instability (and so planetesimal and dust removal) as a function of system age and planet mass. We estimate that a 10 8 yr old debris disc with a dust disc edge at a radius of 50 au hosted by an A star must contain approximately five Neptune mass planets between the clearing radius and the iceline in order to remove all primordial objects within it. We infer that known debris disc systems contain at least a fifth of a Jupiter mass in massive planets. The number of planets and spacing required is insensitive to the assumed planet mass. However, an order of magnitude higher total mass in planets could reside in these systems if the planets are more massive.
The roundoff noise of pipelined scattered look-ahead IIR digital filters with decomposition

Scattered look-ahead (SLA) with power-of-two decomposition has been proposed for high-throughput recursive digital filters. The roundoff noise of first- and second-order minimum roundoff noise structures and direct-form SLA structures is determined. An improvement over previous results is obtained by enforcing proper scaling and including nonrecursive section noise. >
Sulfasalazine for brain cancer fits

Recent research has identified an important role for a cystine-glutamate antiporter (system Xc) in the biology of malignant brain tumors. This transporter is effectively inhibited by sulfasalazine, a drug widely used to treat a number of chronic inflammatory conditions such as Crohn's disease. Preclinical data show that sulfasalazine is an effective inhibitor of tumor growth and tumor-associated seizures. These studies suggest that the cystine-glutamate antiporter is a valuable drug target for which tumor-specific drugs can be generated. In the meantime, sulfasalazine may be considered as adjuvant treatment for malignant gliomas.
Convergence acceleration techniques in the iterative solution of integral equation problems

The authors present some techniques that, when applied judiciously, can speed up convergence rates considerably or make convergence possible in otherwise impossible cases in connection with the iterative solution of integral equation problems. Particular attention is given to automatic renumbering (matrix, method), extrapolation schemes, and a multilevel approach. It is noted that the combined effect of these techniques would speed up the iterative process further. >
Response dynamics and receptive-field organization of catfish ganglion cells.

Responses from catfish retinal ganglion cells were evoked by a spot or an annulus of light and were analyzed by a procedure identical to the one used previously to study catfish amacrine cells (Sakai H. M., and K.-I. Naka, 1992. Journal of Neurophysiology. 67:430-442.). In two-input white-noise experiments, a response evoked by simultaneous stimulation of the center and surround was decomposed into the components generated by the center and surround through a process of cross-correlation. The center and surround responses were also decomposed into their linear and nonlinear components so that the response dynamics of the linear and nonlinear components could be measured. We found that the concentric organization of the receptive field was determined by linear components, i.e., the first-order kernels generated by the center and surround were of opposite polarity. Both the center and surround generated second-order kernels with similar signatures, i.e., the second-order components formed a monotonic receptive field. The peak response time of the first- and second-order kernels from the surround was longer by approximately 20 ms than that of the center. Except for the DC potential present in the intracellular responses, almost identical first- and second-order kernels for the center and surround were obtained from both the intracellular response and spike discharges. Thus, information on concentric organization of a receptive field is translated into spike discharges with little loss of information. A train of spike discharges carries, simultaneously, at least four kinds of information: two linear and two nonlinear components, which originate in the receptive field center and the surround. A spike train is not a simple signaling device but is a carrier of complex and multiple signals. Victor, J. D., and R. M. Shapley (1979. Journal of General Physiology. 74:671-687.) discovered similarly that, in the cat retina, static second-order nonlinearity is encoded into spike trains. Results obtained in this study support the thesis that signals generated by the preganglionic cells are translated into spike discharges without major modification and that those signals can be recovered from the spike trains (Sakuranaga, M., Y. Ando, and K.-I. Naka. 1987. Journal of General Physiology. 90:229-259.; Korenberg, M. J., H. M. Sakai, and K.-I. Naka. 1989. Journal of Neurophysiology. 61:1110-1120.). Current injection studies have shown that such signal transmission is possible (Sakai, H. M., and K.-I. Naka, 1988a. Journal of Neurophysiology. 60:1549-1567.; 1990. Journal of Neurophysiology. 63:105-119.).
Design and implementation of a distributed X-multiplexor

Application sharing is an important aspect of collaborative computing. One mechanism for sharing applications is a multiplexor, a tool that broadcasts input/output messages from a single client to multiple displays. We describe the design and implementation of a multiplexor for X windows that supports a heterogeneous environment and works effectively across both local and wide area networks. This X-multiplexor is composed of two distinct components, the Collaborative Computing Frameworks X-Multiplexor (CCFX) which acts as a pseudo server for the client, and the Collaborative Computing Session Manager (CCSM) which renders the client images and supplies the user interface to the system. In effect, CCSM acts as a distributed window manager, ensuring that all participants have the same view of the shared clients. This two headed approach offers significant gains in flexibility and resource usage. CCFX and CCSM can communicate using any reliable transport protocol. This can result in significant reduction of bandwidth, decreased latency, and avoids some TCP/IP communication required by the X protocol. In addition, this architecture facilitates the creation of a virtual X environment. Using this virtual environment, instead of an actual X server's environment, and then translating the virtual properties to a specific server's properties, allows for more robust support of heterogeneous systems.
Triad of Iron Deficiency Anemia, Severe Thrombocytopenia and Menorrhagia—A Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction: Thrombocytosis is a common disorder in patients diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. The decreased platelet counts commonly found iron deficiency anemia is rarely reported in clinical practice. The exact mechanism of the occurrence of thrombocytopenia in iron deficiency anemia remains unclear. In this case report we discuss a triad of symptoms seen in the African American population: Iron deficiency anemia, menorrhagia and thrombocytopenia. Case presentation: A 40 year old multiparous African-American woman presented with heavy vaginal bleed, severe anemia (3.5 g/dL) and thrombocytopenia (30,000/mm3). The peripheral blood smear showed marked microcytic hypochromic cells with decreased platelets counts. After excluding other causes of thrombocytopenia and anemia, increased red cell distribution width and low iron saturation confirmed the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. Treatment for iron deficiency anemia was initiated with intravenous and oral iron supplements. Two months following treatment of iron deficiency anemia, the triad of manifestations resolved and patient remained stable. Conclusion: Profound degree of iron deficiency anemia can present with thrombocytopenia and severe menorrhagia. Iron replacement should be the main treatment goal in these patients. This case report further supports the 2 compartment model of the role of iron in maintaining platelet counts.
The Impact of Design Moves on Platform Adoption: The Case of Microsoft Windows OS

How soon will firms form alliances with a platform provider? What factors impact the decision and the speed with which firms first move into partnerships with a platform provider such as Microsoft? This study uses the theories of design rules and network effects as its theoretical anchors to explore the timing of the alliance decision with Microsoft. We develop a model that incorporates platform design changes and its impact on the decision of firms to form an alliance with Microsoft. In particular, we analyze two design moves that a platform provider can make — augmenting and inversion. We empirically test the impact of each design move using a sample spanning the years 1989 to 1994. Study results provide an initial design theoretic based examination of platform design changes and its impact on alliance formation.
Pregnancy associated-plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and alfa-fetoprotein (AFP) associated with placental abruption

remature separation of a normally implanted placenta P or abruptio placentae affects up to 1% of pregnancies and is a significant contributor to perinatal mortality and morbidity. There are epidemiological indications that the incidence may be increasing. Early diagnosis of abruption is limited by the reliance on clinical symptoms which may present late and can be nonspecific. In this issue of the Journal, Blumenfeld et al estimate the association between placental abruption, maternal characteristics and serum analytes used for aneuploidy screening in the first-and second-trimesters. Using results from the California Prenatal Screening Program linked to live birth and hospital discharge records, the authors found significant association between maternal age greater than 34 years, low maternal serum pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and elevated alpha-feto protein (AFP) levels and placental abruption. The degree of association appeared higher for elevated AFP levels. The strengths of the study include the large sample size of over 1000 women with abruption and the exclusion of a major potential confounder, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy from the main analysis. Although the use of linked birth certificate data can be considered a limitation of the study, this specific dataset appears more robust because of linkage to hospital records and has been validated by prior studies. The mechanism for the association between maternal age greater than 34 years and placental abruption was not fully explored by the investigators. Another limitation is one that is generalizable to all studies on the subject of placental abruption, that of potential for ascertainment bias. Because placental abruption is a clinical diagnosis, many causes of unexplained vaginal bleeding could be classified as abruption and coded as such in the discharge record. On the other hand, there are many instances of subclinical abruption that will also be undetected and coded as normal. Therefore it may be difficult to predict the direction of such ascertainment bias and in the end may be nondifferential. The gold standard of placental histologic evidence of abruption is not feasible with the present study design. One natural question that arises from the study is
Biomarkers: hopes and challenges in the path from discovery to clinical practice

Biomarkers are objectively measured indicators of normal or pathological processes that may be helpful in diagnosis, staging, monitoring treatment, or prognostic evaluation of a disease. Although development of genomic, metabolomic and proteomic technologies has contributed to an explosion in identification of candidate analytes, validation remains expensive and challenging, and successful introduction of new biomarkers to clinical practice occurs at a very slow pace. The goal of this introductory overview is to provide the context for a series of review manuscripts published in the special issue on biomarkers. The promises and challenges of biomarker discovery are highlighted. Discovery and implementation of transformative new biomarkers in clinical practice requires close collaborations between scientists, clinicians and industry. High throughput technologies can identify a myriad of promising candidates but cannot predict their clinical value. In addition to rapid effective and systematic approaches for clinical validation, there is a need to study and establish links between the purported biomarker and the pathophysiologic basis of the disease of interest. Biomarkers are most informative when they provide insights into activation of specific pathways, thus serving as windows into the molecular basis of the disease.
MicroRNA-205 promotes keratinocyte migration via the lipid phosphatase SHIP2

microRNA-205 (miR-205) and miR-184 coordinately regulate the lipid phosphatase SHIP2 for Akt survival signaling in keratinocytes. As the PI3K-Akt pathway has also been implicated in regulating the actin cytoskeleton and cell motility, we investigated the role that these 2 miRNAs play in keratinocyte migration. We used antagomirs (antago) to reduce the levels of miR-205 and miR-184 in primary human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs) and corneal epithelial keratinocytes (HCEKs) as well as direct SHIP2 silencing using siRNA oligos. Treatment of HEKs and HCEKs with antago-205 increased SHIP2 levels and impaired the ability of these cells to seal linear scratch wounds compared with untreated or irrelevant-antago treatments. In contrast, AKT signaling was enhanced and wounds sealed faster in HCEKs where miR-184 was suppressed, enabling miR-205 to inhibit SHIP2. Similar increases in migration were observed following direct SHIP2 silencing in HEKs. Furthermore, down-regulation of miR-205 resulted in an increase in Rho-ROCKI activity, phosphorylation of the actin severing protein cofilin, and a corresponding diminution of filamentous actin. The connection among miR-205, RhoA-ROCKI-cofilin inactivation, and the actin cytoskeleton represents a novel post-translational mechanism for the regulation of normal human keratinocyte migration.
The Changing Impact of Industry, Household Structure, and Residence on Household Weil‐Being1

Les AA. examinent l'influence de l'industrialisation, de la structure des menages et de la zone de residence sur le sentiment de bien-etre des menages et cela sur la base de donnees collectees en 1982 et 1991. Ils montrent que ce sentiment est plus fort chez les familles a haut revenus lies au secteur industriel. Tandis qu'il est plus faible pour celles liees au secteur tertiaire. On constate un niveau de satisfaction equivalent pour les bas-revenus dans les deux secteurs. Les AA. montrent que la precarite est surtout ressentie par les populations vulnerables comme les familles mono-parentales, les minorites
Network security: Focus on security, skills, and stability

Computer network security is a new and fast moving technology in the field of computer science. As such, the teaching of security is still a moving target. Security courses originally focused on mathematical and algorithmic aspects such as encryption and hashing techniques. However, as crackers hacked away at networks and systems, courses arose that emphasized the latest attacks. These attacks soon became out-of-date with security software responses. As security technology continues to mature, there is an emerging set of security techniques and skills. Network security skills emphasize business practices, legal foundations, attack recognition, security architecture, and network optimization. These skills tend to stabilize network security course(s). This paper summarizes skills relating to network security, and discusses active-learning exercises that assist students in learning these important skills.
Arborista, Inc.: An Instructional Resource Case

ABSTRACT: This deceptively simple case is intended for use as early as the first day of an M.B.A. core accounting course or as a focused review for an undergraduate accounting course. It achieves three primary objectives: accelerating student learning about the statement of cash flows, emphasizing the importance of both the cash flow statement and the income statement in valuation and capital markets, and introducing the three primary financial statements as an integrated system. The case also features the use of the direct method of presenting operating cash flows, both as a pedagogical tool and to allow interested instructors to increase their focus on that method. We have found that students benefit from the early integration of the cash flow statement, as well as the ability to clearly understand how operating cash flows are similar to—and different from—net income. Finally, the case provides an optional managerial accounting module for instructors who teach a course that integrates financial and mana...
An Abandoned Web Page Finds its Audience

The Web page "The questionnaire as a data source" was placed on the Web June 26, 1998 and subsequently abandoned. It began to be requested in July 1999 and has enjoyed increasing requests ever since. In March 2006, it was requested 203 times. Sibling Web pages from the same online course have not been requested at the same rate. Categorization into scholastic yearly periods shows interest in the page exceeds just activity from the .edu domain. It is a Web page that is fore-grounded in front of the billions of pages on the Web
Undoing degradation: the attempted "rehumanization" of Arab and Muslim Americans

The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the subsequent “war on terrorism” have brought forth increasing attention on Arab and Muslim Americans. While images of Arab and Muslim Americans have long been a part of Western media, the increase of media outlets (such as cable news networks, radio talk shows, internet sites) have contributed to an overall increase in coverage of these groups. Beyond accounts of events in the Arab and Islamic Worlds, the coverage has included discussions of the place of Arabs (immigrants and their descendants) and Muslims in Western society. This has been spurred by the “clash of civilizations” thesis that posits Western and Islamic civilizations constitute different cultures and values that will inevitably come into conflict when in contact. Furthermore, every new event or occurrence related in any way to Islam or the Arab World recharges conversation around the qualities and attributes of those who fall into the categories of ‘Arab’ and ‘Muslim’. Given that the “war on terrorism” is a war without a definite ending, we can expect this discourse to continue indefinitely.
Panel testing reveals nonsense and missense CDH1 mutations in families without hereditary diffuse gastric cancer

Background The reported penetrance of germline CDH1 mutations is high in families with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC). Men and women have a 70% and 56%, respectively, cumulative risk of developing diffuse gastric cancer by age 80. Women additionally have a 42% cumulative risk of developing breast cancer. Due to the high penetrance of these mutations, prophylactic total gastrectomy is currently recommended for CDH1 mutation carriers. However, whether everyone with a CDH1 gene mutation is at risk for HDGC is not clear. Methods Mutation identification was performed by next-generation sequencing. Mutations and variant status was confirmed by Sanger sequencing in 11 family members. Results We present two families with pathogenic CDH1 mutations. The first family carries a novel truncating, nonsense CDH1 mutation that we were able to trace for three generations, but reports no family history of diffuse gastric cancer. The occurrence of cancer in this family deviates significantly from the expectation for HDGC. The proband from the second family presents with breast cancer and carries a previously reported pathogenic CDH1 mutation, but also reports no family history of diffuse gastric cancer. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the need for further analysis of CDH1 mutation penetrance in order to better counsel asymptomatic CDH1 mutation carriers on preventative measures and general care.
Characteristics of Smokers from a National Sample Who Engaged in Any Physical Activity: Implications for Cardiovascular Health Intervention.

Background: Tobacco is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, and current treatments lack long-term efficacy. Promoting physical activity may be a viable population-level approach to improving cardiovascular health among smokers. Purpose: To characterize smokers engaging in any physical activity based on demographics, quitting behaviors, health perceptions, preventive health behaviors, and disease status to identify targets for subsequent intervention. Methods: A national sample of smokers participating in the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 4 Cycle 2 data collection (N = 491) was analyzed using bivariate and multivariate regression models to characterize smokers engaging in any physical activity. Results: Some past-week physical activity was reported by 62% of smokers. “Active” status was associated with being younger (Exp(B) = 0.971; P < .001), lower body mass index (Exp(B) = 0.955; P = .011), fewer hours of daily screen time (Exp(B) = 0.903; P = .001), consuming at least one cup of ...
The anaerobic threshold: over-valued or under-utilized? A novel concept to enhance lipid optimization!

Purpose of review The purpose of this article is to assess the value of the anaerobic threshold for use in clinical populations with the intent to improve exercise adaptations and outcomes. The anaerobic threshold is generally poorly understood, improperly used, and poorly measured. It is rarely used in clinical settings and often reserved for athletic performance testing. Recent findings Increased exercise participation within both clinical and other less healthy populations has increased our attention to optimizing exercise outcomes. Of particular interest is the optimization of lipid metabolism during exercise in order to improve numerous conditions such as blood lipid profile, insulin sensitivity and secretion, and weight loss. Numerous authors report on the benefits of appropriate exercise intensity in optimizing outcomes even though regulation of intensity has proved difficult for many. Despite limited use, selected exercise physiology markers have considerable merit in exercise-intensity regulation. The anaerobic threshold, and other markers such as heart rate, may well provide a simple and valuable mechanism for regulating exercising intensity. Summary The use of the anaerobic threshold and accurate target heart rate to regulate exercise intensity is a valuable approach that is under-utilized across populations. The measurement of the anaerobic threshold can be simplified to allow clients to use nonlaboratory measures, for example heart rate, in order to self-regulate exercise intensity and improve outcomes.
Tocopherol vs tocopherol acetate as a sparer of vitamin A.

Summary1. In bio-assays of vitamin A, α-tocopherol, but not α-tocopherol acetate, increased the rate of gain in the assay period. In a post-assay depletion period, animals that received α-tocopherol during the assay period survived 30-80% longer than controls.2. As judged by gain in weight in the assay period, there is an optimum dosage of α-toco-pherol; animals receiving 1.5 mg per day gained less than those receiving 0.5 mg. This conforms to the antioxygenic behavior of α-tocopherol.3. Some of the possible causes for the failure of α-tocopherol acetate to conserve vitamin A are briefly discussed.
The achievement of pregnancies using assisted reproductive technologies for male factor infertility after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular carcinoma

Objective To evaluate the success of electroejaculation with assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in anejaculate men after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) for testicular cancer. Design Retrospective clinical study. Setting Tertiary care, university-affiliated IVF program. Patients Anejaculate men after RPLND, spouses. Interventions Electroejaculation, microsurgical sperm aspiration, various assisted reproductive technologies. Main Outcome Measures Sperm density and motility, fertilization rate, pregnancy rate (PR). Results Compared with patients not receiving chemotherapy, patients who received chemotherapy had diminished average sperm densities and motilities (63×10 6 and 20% versus 101×10 6 and 32%, respectively); decreased fertilization rates per cycle for IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (11% versus 26%, respectively); lower PRs per cycle of hMG-IUI and IVF (14% versus 60% and 8% versus 50%, respectively). No pregnancies were achieved with natural cycle-IUI, clomiphene citrate-IUI, or GIFT. Two couples progressed to intracytoplasmic sperm injection with one achieving the successful delivery of healthy twins. The overall PR per cycle was 22%. Conclusions Patients receiving chemotherapy had decreased sperm densities, motilities, fertilization, and PRs for each modality used. Rectal probe electroejaculation with ART can help anejaculate men after RPLND achieve biologic paternity. An early move to the more aggressive therapies (hMG-IUI, IVF, ICSI) is supported.
Study on The Change of VRCI of Recruit and Veteran after Cold Acclimation

[Objective]To observe the changes of index of vaso-response to cold(VRCI) in the recruit and veteran before and after cold tolerance training so as to evaluate their level of cold acclimatization.[Methods]The 20 recruits in cold area and 20 veterans who stayed in the cold area for 2 years both came from Sichuan Province were selected randomly.Cold tolerance training was taken at the average temperature-3~-15 ℃,recruit was tested VRCI after training for 20,40 days,while veteran was also tested after new soldiers training for 40 days.[Results]After cold tolerance training for 20 and 40 days,the VRCI had the significantly increased(P0.01),the differences of VRCI between veteran and recruit before and after training for 20 day were significant(P0.05,P0.01).The differences between veteran and recruit after training for 40 day was not significant(P0.05).[Conclusion]After cold tolerance training for 40 days,the cold-resistant ability of recruit can reach the level of acclimatization staff in cold area.
Study on the Optimization of Organizational Structure of Sport Universities and Institutes from the Perspective of Strategic Management

Organizational structure is a very important foundation for the organization to implement strategic management,and is an effective means to achieve the objectives of the organization.In order to further promote and strengthen the strategic management and organization structure construction of sports colleges and universities,based on the corporate strategy management theory,combined with the organizational characteristics of sports colleges and universities,on the basis of analyzing university organization structure relationship of strategic management,this paper studies the selection of strategic model of sports colleges and universities,and takes the opportunity to lead,optimizes and builds the organizational structure of sports colleges and universities matching the strategy.The sports colleges and universities should strengthen the awareness of the strategic management of university strategic management,and take it as the core of the internal management of the universities,actively construct a strategy to lead the organization structure,the organization structure matching the strategic management of the support mechanism.
A new species of Cosmocerca (Nematoda: Cosmocercidae) and other helminths in Cyrtodactylus gubaot (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Philippines

Cosmocerca leytensis sp. nov. (Ascaridida, Cosmocercidae) from the large intestine of Cyrtodactylus gubaot (Squamata: Gekkonidae) collected on Leyte Island, Philippines is described and illustrated. Cosmocerca leytensis sp. nov. is the 30th species assigned to the genus, the 4th from the Oriental region, and the first from the Philippine Islands. The new species is most similar to those species possessing 4 pairs of plectanes, i.e., C. archeyi, C. australis, C. oroensis, and C sardiniae. Cosmocerca sardiniae lacks lateral alae; C. archeyi, C. australis, C. leytensis sp. nov. and C. oroensis possess lateral alae. Spicule length of C. oroensis is less than 75 μm, while C. archeyi, C. australis, and C. leytensis sp. nov. have spicule lengths greater than 75 μm. Males of C. australis possess 2 pairs of rosette caudal papillae, which are lacking in C. archeyi and C. leytensis sp. nov. Females of C. archeyi posses a conical tail, females of C. leytensis sp. nov. have a rounded posterior end supporting a flexible filament.
Estimating Group-Level Relationships: General Recommendations and Considerations for the Use of Intraclass Correlation Coefficients

In this investigation, we argue for why and how available intraclass correlation coefficients and other types of reliability estimates can be employed as sample-based reliability estimates within primary and meta-analytic studies when relationships between group-level phenomena are of interest. Group-level correlations and reliability estimates were obtained from 46 studies examining organizational climate–performance relationships. We illustrate how the group-level reliability estimates can be used to correct correlations for predictor and criterion unreliability. Procedures are presented for computing the sampling variances of individually corrected correlations that account for sampling error in the group-level reliability estimates. Support was found for the conservative nature of meta-analytic parameter estimates when group-level reliability information is sample-based as opposed to assumed population values. In addition, our analyses indicated that conclusions about substantive relationships between group-level variables can change based on availability of sample-based reliabilities within both primary and meta-analytic studies. Results from this study suggest that researchers should rely on sample-based meta-analytic procedures when examining the generalizability of group-level relationships. This study also demonstrates the importance of using all available reliability information and accounting for sampling error in the reliability estimates when conducting meta-analyses at the group level of analysis. This study breaks ground by systematically examining the use of intraclass correlation coefficients as reliability estimates within group-level meta-analytic studies. Furthermore, illustrative analyses provide guidance to primary and meta-analytic researchers in regard to how to correct group-level correlations for unreliability in the predictor, criterion, or both whenever and in whatever proportions the artifact information is available.
Seeker in an Age of Transition

During the 1930s, the historian Paul Hazard identified a “crisis of the European consciousness” that overtook the continent toward 1700.1 Religious absolutes were discarded during this intellectual crisis, but nothing replaced them in the minds of the learned until those of the Enlightenment became the norm in the later eighteenth century. People were probing, questioning and pondering around 1700, without finding definitive answers to the fundamental questions that were raised regarding the essence of human existence.
Direct and indirect effects of attachment orientation on relationship quality and constraint commitment in married couples

ABSTRACTThis study examined the associations between attachment orientation, relationship quality, and constraint commitment. It tested the prediction that insecure attachment would be negatively associated with constraint commitment, that relationship quality would be positively associated with constraint commitment, and that there would be an indirect effect of attachment insecurity on lower constraint commitment through lower relationship quality. Parallel research questions were advanced to examine if there were corresponding partner effects. Predictions were tested on 628 married couples. Tests of actor-partner interdependence revealed that attachment insecurity was associated with lower constraint commitment for both husbands and wives, and that husbands’ attachment insecurity was associated with wives’ lower constraint commitment. These same tests revealed a positive association between relationship quality and constraint commitment for husbands and wives. Tests of actor-partner interdependence med...
Cost of intervention delivery in a lifestyle weight loss trial in type 2 diabetes: results from the Look AHEAD clinical trial.

SummaryObjective The Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD) trial was a randomized controlled clinical trial to compare the effects of 10 years of intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) with a control condition of diabetes support and education (DSE) on health outcomes in over 5,000 participants with type 2 diabetes. The ILI had significantly greater weight losses than DSE throughout the trial. The goal of this analysis is to describe the cost of delivering the intervention. Methods The ILI was designed to promote weight loss and increase physical activity. It involved a combination of group plus individual intervention sessions, with decreasing frequency of contact over the 10 years. The intervention incorporated a variety of strategies, including meal replacement products, to improve weight loss outcomes. The costs of intervention delivery were derived from staff surveys of effort and from records of intervention materials from the 16 US academic clinical trial sites. Costs were calculated from the payer perspective and presented in 2012 dollars. Results During the first year, when intervention delivery was most intensive, the annual cost of intervention delivery, averaged (standard deviation) across clinical sites, was $2,864.6 ($513.3) per ILI participant compared with $202.4 ($76.6) per DSE participant. As intervention intensity declined, costs decreased, such that from years 5 to 9 of the trial, the annual cost of intervention was $1,119.8 ($227.7) per ILI participant and $102.9 ($33.0) per DSE participant. Staffing accounted for the majority of costs throughout the trial, with meal replacements and materials to promote adherence accounting for smaller shares. Conclusions The sustained weight losses produced by the Look AHEAD intervention were supported by intervention costs that were within the range of other weight loss programmes. Future work will include an evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of the ILI and will contain additional follow-up data.
Salient object detection: a benchmark

Several salient object detection approaches have been published which have been assessed using different evaluation scores and datasets resulting in discrepancy in model comparison. This calls for a methodological framework to compare existing models and evaluate their pros and cons. We analyze benchmark datasets and scoring techniques and, for the first time, provide a quantitative comparison of 35 state-of-the-art saliency detection models. We find that some models perform consistently better than the others. Saliency models that intend to predict eye fixations perform lower on segmentation datasets compared to salient object detection algorithms. Further, we propose combined models which show that integration of the few best models outperforms all models over other datasets. By analyzing the consistency among the best models and among humans for each scene, we identify the scenes where models or humans fail to detect the most salient object. We highlight the current issues and propose future research directions.
Looking at fashion through green-colored glasses: Vogue's sustainable fashion discourse

Under question was how Vogue engaged, shaped, and altered the sustainable fashion discourse within the limitations of a high-fashion magazine from 1990-2013. The research contextualizes Vogue’s construction, appropriation, and alteration of the sustainable fashion discourse through the discourse-historical approach (DHA). DHA assists diachronic analysis of numerous, heterogeneous texts while still employing critical theories (Wodak 2001, p. 65).
Pediatric Opportunistic Infections

This chapter reviews what is known about the more common OIs in HIV-infected children in Africa and discusses their diagnosis and management, which can be particularly challenging when health-related resources are limited. It is hoped that while our understanding of the optimal approaches to diagnosing and treating pediatric OIs in Africa will continue to increase, the number of new pediatric infections will decrease.
All-electric warship load demand model for power and energy system analysis using exogenously initiated threats

High energy pulse load weapons and sensors on smaller, more affordable platforms are the driving factors behind future all-electric warship power and energy systems. For design space exploration, legacy design tools based on ideal steady-state conditions are not sufficient. Design studies must factor in the significant impact that these dynamic loads have on the stability of the warship's power and energy system, especially under critical operational demands. This paper continues to improve the fidelity of a shipboard load demand model by introducing exogenous features that trigger load responses. This operational vignette-based model contains a set of shipboard asset and rival characteristic features in a virtual battlespace. With pre-defined rules that model human-in-the-loop decision-making, a representative time-domain battle scenario is simulated and ship-wide load demands are recorded. By modifying ship and opponent features along with the rules that define engagement, a set of realistic test cases designed specifically for Monte Carlo simulation can accurately predict the load demand over a wide range of notional operational vignettes. In addition, since representative rival data is now added to the model, tactical mission effectiveness can be assessed as a function of power demand.
Inequality, poverty, and the carbon intensity of human well-being in the United States: a sex-specific analysis

Sustainability requires reducing the carbon intensity of human well-being (CIWB): the level of anthropogenic carbon emissions per unit of human well-being. Here, we examine how multiple forms of inequality affect sex-specific measures of CIWB using data for the 50 US states, while taking into account the effects of other socio-economic and political factors. Results from longitudinal models indicate that state-level female CIWB and male CIWB are both positively associated with (1) income concentration, measured as the income share of the top 10%, and (2) the percent of the population at or below the poverty line. Overall inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, has no net effect on male CIWB or female CIWB. These findings suggest that reducing forms of inequality, especially poverty and the concentration of income among the most affluent, are potential pathways to sustainability.
Temporal information processing in gray treefrogs: Compute within frequency then integrate across frequency

In Cope’s gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis), the pulse rate of advertisement calls is a species recognition cue. This temporal information is redundant across two spectral bands in the call’s bimodal spectrum that are primarily transduced by different inner ear papillae. Previous studies have shown that some neurons in the frog auditory midbrain are selective for bimodal spectra and that, compared with unimodal spectra, calls with bimodal spectra are more attractive. In addition, “interval-counting” neurons in the frog auditory midbrain are selective for conspecific pulse rates. However, it is not known whether pulse rate information is computed prior to, or subsequent to, spectral integration. We conducted behavioral experiments to investigate the serial order of pulse rate computations and spectral integration. In phonotaxis tests that used bimodal and unimodal stimuli with variable pulse rates, we tested the hypothesis that spectral information is integrated prior to pulse rate computations versus the ...
Temporal Changes in Affiliation and Emotion in MOOC Discussion Forum Discourse

Studies have shown discourse constructs of affiliation and emotion to be critical factors influencing learning performance and outcomes in both traditional environments and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). However, there is limited research investigating the affiliation and emotions of MOOC learners and how these factors develop over time. To gain a deeper understanding of the MOOC population and to facilitate MOOC environment design, we addressed this gap by conducting a longitudinal analysis of change of affiliation and emotions presented in discussion forums of five Coursera courses. They have been offered numerous times from 2012 to 2015. We demonstrate that discussion forums have reflected decreasing affiliation and increasing negative emotions over the four years for most courses, with no significant overall change in positive emotions.
Low Frequency Recombination Line Surveys of the Galactic Plane

Weak centimetric recombination lines are observed at almost all locations near the galactic plane where the longitude is less than 50°. Most of the emission probably comes from extended outer parts of normal HII regions whose dense cores are prominent in the radio continuum. At least one component of the emission, however, comes from a more broadly distributed medium that extends over a few hundred parsecs, and that has a density ~1 cm-3 and a temperature of a few thousand Kelvins or less. This gas is not associated with sites of current: star formation. There is no evidence that the recombination line observations have detected a truly diffuse, low density, electron component of the interstellar medium.
The Interpretation of Child Abuse: Bureaucratic Relevance in Urban Newfoundland

The disposition of suspected instances of child abuse is accomplished by bureaucratic personnel through their interpretation of the relevancies of their organizational life-world. Three such instances are discussed: these resulted respectively in an unmodified interpretation, in a modified interpretation, and in an ambiguous interpretation. Among the bureaucratic relevancies which are discussed are, the elasticity itself of the rubric of "suspicion", the affluence of the suspected, and the nature of their support network. The reification of instances of suspected abuse is found to be related, in part, to bureaucratic contingencies which themselves are connected only tangentially to the behavioral phenomenon under investigation. In their recent overview of research into child abuse, Parks and Collmer (1975) identify three models of analysis: the psychiatric, the sociological, and the social-situational. All three proceed as if child "abuse" does exist in instances which are labelled as such: then, each mode, in its own way, tries to account for those conditions which elicit abusive behavior on the part of caretakers. But, in general, studies which articulate with these models do not consider, in any detail, a problem which is at the heart of child abuse and neglect: its identification by officials who work within bureaucratic frameworks. Thus Parke and Collmer (1975:7) note only that the error rate in abuse-detection is particularly serious; and Light (1973:571) suggests that rates of error in the detection of "false positives", where children are considered abused when this is not the case, will be high.
Experience with implementing pyramid examinations in an elective pharmacy course.

Abstract Background and purpose This article describes the implementation of pyramid tests, an assessment strategy that utilizes individual and cooperative testing for formal examinations in an elective course for third year pharmacy students. This strategy provides individual accountability and uses group collaboration to extend students depth of thinking through essay responses. Pyramid tests have been suggested as a way to improve grading efficiency compared to traditional tests that use essay questions. Educational activity and setting A two-credit hour pharmacy elective taught by synchronous video conferencing on two campuses of a large public university utilized pyramid tests for both the midterm and final examinations. Each examination had individual and group components and utilized a simple metacognitive question. Findings The averages from the individual portions of the pyramid tests were similar to the prior year, while the combined group (2/3 weight) and individual (1/3 weight) pyramid test scores averages were slightly higher than the previous year's average (87% compared to 86%, respectively). Student feedback on this assessment technique was generally positive. Summary This assessment strategy was an efficient way to test students’ knowledge. Although it had a collaborative component, it also provided individual accountability. Time spent on course administration and grading was similar to previous years that employed fixed choice assessments without collaborative work.
Multiparameter Outstation Agents for Cyber-Physical Electrical Grid Security and Restoration

This paper describes the development and deployment of cyberaware sensors to monitor the electrical grid and aid with disaster relief. These cyberaware sensors, outstation agents, provide information of multiple parameters simultaneously acting like a black box. The sensors embedded in the outstation agents and the communication architectures are described. These outstation agents are deployed around electrical substations in stationary and mobile platforms. The data collected from the outstation agents is sent to the utility control center providing information of the current status of the electrical grid. In the event of a disaster, the outstation agents make available information on the state of the grid, failures, and resources available to create an effective restoration pathway.
Toward a Dialogue: Following Professional Standards on Education Achievement Testing

The authors describe challenges of following professional standards for educational achievement testing due to the complexity of gathering appropriate evidence to support demanding test interpretation and use. Validity evidence has been found to be low for some individual testing standards, leading to the possibility of faulty or impoverished test interpretation and use. In response to this context, measurement professionals have called for a theory of action including behavior changes of multiple agents involved in the testing process. Also, changing roles have been seen for a broad range of agents including test developers, those who influence testing, and those influenced by testing. Some of these roles are discussed and others illustrated with examples from practice. A sociocultural theory of action noted in the literature is proposed as a thematic guide to practice. The paper concludes with a call for dialogue and two research and development tasks that might advance practice.