cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ecological and evolutionary consequences of systemic racism in urban environments

Urban areas are dynamic ecological systems defined by interdependent biological, physical, and social components. The emergent structure and heterogeneity of urban landscapes drives biotic outcomes in these areas, and such spatial patterns are often attributed to the unequal stratification of wealth and power in human societies. Despite these patterns, few studies have effectively considered structural inequalities as drivers of ecological and evolutionary outcomes and have instead focused on indicator variables such as neighborhood wealth. In this analysis, we explicitly integrate ecology, evolution, and social processes to emphasize the relationships that bind social inequities-specifically racism-and biological change in urbanized landscapes. We draw on existing research to link racist practices, including residential segregation, to the heterogeneous patterns of flora and fauna observed by urban ecologists. In the future, urban ecology and evolution researchers must consider how systems of racial oppression affect the environmental factors that drive biological change in cities. Conceptual integration of the social and ecological sciences has amassed considerable scholarship in urban ecology over the past few decades, providing a solid foundation for incorporating environmental justice scholarship into urban ecological and evolutionary research. Such an undertaking is necessary to deconstruct urbanization's biophysical patterns and processes, inform equitable and anti-racist initiatives promoting justice in urban conservation, and strengthen community resilience to global environmental change.
Gene Expression in Meniscal Tears at the Time of Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy Predicts the Progression of Osteoarthritis Within 6 Years of Surgery.

Background:While knees with meniscal tears are associated with a heightened risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA), it is difficult to predict which patients are at the greatest risk for OA. Gene s...
All in the Levels-Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Expression as a Biomarker for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Response in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) benefit rare subsets of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients. Significant interest exists to identify predictive biomarkers which may increase the applicability of ICI therapy for these patients. Programmed-death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is one such candidate; however, this biomarker has well-chronicled limitations. Combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 1 is the minimum PD-L1 expression threshold necessary for gastric/gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer patients to qualify for treatment with pembrolizumab; however, studies suggest that patients with higher CPS scores may derive greater benefit. We present the cases of two patients, both with low tumor mutational burden, microsatellite stable and CPS ≥ 70 GI tumors (cholangiocarcinoma and GEJ cancer), who have achieved excellent tumor control with pembrolizumab. We postulate that by testing for CPS in all GI cancer patients, and identifying a CPS threshold predictive of ICI response, PD-L1 expression could identify the GI cancer patients, in tissue agnostic fashion, who could benefit from ICI therapy. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: CPS measures PD-L1 expression on both tumor and immune cells and has been used to select advanced cancer patients for pembrolizumab therapy. A CPS ≥ 1, however, carries limited predictive capacity to identify the patients who may derive benefit from the immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI). The two patient cases presented suggest that that perhaps by testing CPS in all gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients, beyond those with gastric/gastroesophageal cancer, and defining an appropriate CPS threshold, PD-L1 expression may better predict ICI benefit for GI cancer patients irrespective of tumor type. Further studies are needed to verify this hypothesis.
Virulence of the Pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis Is Controlled by the CRISPR-Cas Protein Cas3.

ABSTRACT The CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)-Cas system is a unique genomic entity that provides prokaryotic cells with adaptive and heritable immunity. Initial studies identified CRISPRs as central elements used by bacteria to protect against foreign nucleic acids; however, emerging evidence points to CRISPR involvement in bacterial virulence. The present study aimed to identify the participation of one CRISPR-Cas protein, Cas3, in the virulence of the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, an organism highly associated with periodontitis. Our results show that compared to the wild type, a mutant with a deletion of the Cas3 gene, an essential nuclease part of the class 1 type I CRISPR-Cas system, increased the virulence of P. gingivalis. In vitro infection modeling revealed only mildly enhanced production of proinflammatory cytokines by THP-1 cells when infected with the mutant strain. Dual transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of infected THP-1 cells showed an increase in expression of genes associated with pathogenesis in response to Δcas3 mutant infection, with the target of Cas3 activities in neutrophil chemotaxis and gene silencing. The importance of cas3 in controlling virulence was corroborated in a Galleria mellonella infection model, where the presence of the Δcas3 mutant resulted in a statistically significant increase in mortality of G. mellonella. A time-series analysis of transcription patterning during infection showed that G. mellonella elicited very different immune responses to the wild-type and the Δcas3 mutant strains and revealed a rearrangement of association in coexpression networks. Together, these observations show for the first time that Cas3 plays a significant role in regulating the virulence of P. gingivalis. IMPORTANCEPorphyromonas gingivalis is a key pathogen of periodontitis, a polymicrobial disease characterized by a chronic inflammation that destroys the tissues supporting the teeth. Thus, understanding the virulence potential of P. gingivalis is essential to maintaining a healthy oral microbiome. In nonoral organisms, CRISPR-Cas systems have been shown to modulate a variety of microbial processes, including protection from exogenous nucleic acids, and, more recently, have been implicated in bacterial virulence. Previously, our clinical findings identified activation of the CRISPR-Cas system in patient samples at the transition to disease; however, the mechanism of contribution to disease remained unknown. The importance of the present study resides in that it is becoming increasingly clear that CRISPR-associated proteins have broader functions than initially thought and that those functions now include their role in the virulence of periodontal pathogens. Studying a P. gingivaliscas3 mutant, we demonstrate that at least one of the CRISPR-Cas systems is involved in the regulation of virulence during infection.
The Hidden Cost of Prayer: Religiosity and the Gender Wage Gap

AbstractReligion is a preeminent social institution that meaningfully shapes cultures. Prevailing theory suggests that it is primarily a benevolent force in business, and differences across world r...
Owner–Intruder contests with correlated resource values

We study a conflict of two individuals over a valuable resource. We construct a sequential game where the first individual, the Owner, decides whether to defend the resource and the other individua...
Boyte, H. C. (2018). Awakening democracy through public work: Pedagogies of empowerment. Vanderbilt University Press. 200 pp.

A Review of Boyte, H. C. (2018). Awakening democracy through public work: Pedagogies of empowerment. Vanderbilt University Press. 200 pp.
Semantic Web-based critical Healthcare system using Bayesian networks

Abstract In this paper, a Semantic Web-based Critical Healthcare (SWCH) system is designed for early diagnosis and treatment of critical diseases which include Heart attack, Stroke, Cancer, Kidney failure and Brain tumour. It consists of knowledge Extraction anddiagnosis & disease prediction modules. In Knowledge extraction module, medical data from various sources is gathered. Based on this knowledge base, a medical Ontology model with Bayesian networks is developed which provides the diagnosis of whether the patient has the potential to have that critical disease. The domain experts have made an ontology rubrics about every sickness for ontology improvement in Diagnosis & disease prediction module. The fitness condition of a patientregarding the sickness is resolute using the suggested ontology samplethatreverts a group of health-related data. We have applied the suggested SWCH by relating web ontology language (OWL) and Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) centred on diverse classes associated with numeroussicknesses to acquire a knowledge-based demonstration. The presentation is assessed regarding the metrics such as Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. Experimental results have shown that the accuracy of heart attack is 98%, brain tumour 96%, stroke 94% and kidney failure 94.5% The sensitivity of heart attack is 98%, brain tumour 97.4, stroke 96.4 and kidney failure 95.7% The specificity of heart attack is 98%, brain tumour 97.4, stroke 96.4 and kidney failure 95.7%.
Case Report: Peripheral Retinal Ischemia and Retinal Neovascularization in von Willebrand Disease.

Significance Although von Willebrand disease is the most common inherited bleeding disorder, there are only a few published reports of ocular complications. To our knowledge, this is the first case of peripheral retinal ischemia and retinal neovascularization in a patient with von Willebrand disease. Purpose This study aimed to demonstrate the value of multispecialty care when exploring a diagnosis for bilateral retinopathy. Case report A 55-year-old African American woman presented with peripheral retinal hemorrhages on routine examination. She was asymptomatic and did not have any personal or family history of bleeding disorders. Blood work was ordered, and she was referred to a retinal specialist who found peripheral telangiectasia, retinal ischemia, and leakage on fluorescein angiography, consistent with retinal neovascularization. Laser photocoagulation was performed while numerous specialists were consulted to determine the cause for her retinopathy. Laboratory testing confirmed low-grade type 1 von Willebrand disease. She was monitored without systemic treatment. She remained stable and asymptomatic, but her retinal neovascularization did not regress fully, so laser treatment was repeated. Conclusions This case described a new finding of peripheral retinal ischemia and retinal neovascularization in von Willebrand disease. It was discovered in an asymptomatic patient who did not have a history of bleeding but presented with bilateral retinal hemorrhages. Diagnosis was challenging because of the high degree of variation in this bleeding disorder, requiring extensive testing and careful consideration of the individual's clinical profile. Most people with von Willebrand disease do not know they have the disease because symptoms are mild or absent, so most cases are unreported. The von Willebrand factor is poorly recognized in ocular disease, but given its role in angiogenesis, it may be a valuable target to consider in future research.
Systematic Review: Nonverbal Learning Disability.

Objective To summarize the current state of the research literature on nonverbal learning disability (NVLD), including criteria used to define NVLD in research contexts and the quality of the extant research; and to determine what research can tell us about ways in which NVLD is distinct from DSM neurodevelopmental disorders and typical development. Method A systematic search of 7 databases was conducted to identify research on NVLD published through February 2019. Criteria used to define NVLD were extracted from identified studies and sorted by category. Each study was assessed for risk of bias and rated “good,” “fair,” or “poor;” findings from studies rated good or fair were summarized. Results A total of 61 articles (63 studies) met inclusion criteria. There was great heterogeneity in the criteria used to define NVLD. Deficits in visuospatial ability/intelligence was the most common criterion used, followed by discrepancy between verbal and nonverbal intelligence (VIQ>PIQ split of 10 or greater). All studies were cross-sectional and most included small, poorly described samples. Most studies focused on children and young adolescents. Eight studies were rated as good, 42 as fair, and 13 as poor. Review of results from the 50 good or fair studies suggest that there is sufficient evidence that youths with NVLD (as defined by significant deficits in visuospatial abilities) can be clearly differentiated from their typically developing peers, those with verbal learning disorders, and from other clinical groups (eg, individuals with high functioning autism). Conclusion A standard set of criteria for determining an NVLD diagnosis would greatly improve research studies and the possibility of inclusion in the DSM and ICD.
Teaching and Facilitating Mathematical Modeling: Teaching, Teaching Practices, and Innovation

This commentary acknowledges contributions from three chapters that address the teaching of mathematical modeling in the early grades. Carlson, Fulton, and Suh and colleagues each report on projects that engaged in-service elementary school teachers in crafting and implementing early experiences in mathematical modeling in the United States. The contributions of the chapters inform understanding of teaching of mathematical modeling (MM), especially in terms of teaching practices during planning and implementation of early MM experiences. Other contributions come in the form of tools that could assist teachers and researchers to monitor and improve classroom MM activities. In the commentary, the teaching practices illuminated by the reported research are contrasted and connected to broader literature on teacher practices. The phenomenon is compared also to the use of different frameworks to understand the more established area of teacher growth in the use of technology in teaching mathematics.
RANCANG BANGUN SISTEM KENDALI PADA ROBOT TEMPUR CIA VERSI N2MR3 MENGGUNAKAN REMOTE CONTROL BERBASIS RASPBERRY PI 4.0

Pada era perkembangan teknologi di masa depan, teknologi sangat berkembang pesat khususnya pada bidang robotika dan persenjataan alutsista. Robot mempunyai peran penting pada era masa kini karena sangat membantu segala aktivitas yang dilakukan oleh manusia. Umumnya robot bergerak dengan dikendalikan remote control yang jaraknya terjangkau, dan sekarang ini dengan adanya kendali menggunakan Internet of Things (IoT) robot dapat dikendalikan melalui jarak jauh asalkan terjangkau oleh jaringan internet pada daerah tersebut. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode mixing yang terdiri dari kualitatif dan kuantitatif. Pada penelitian ini, robot tempur CIA versi N2MR3 dibuat sedemikian rupa sehingga dapat bergerak ke segala arah. Robot tempur CIA versi N2MR3 dilengkapi dengan kamera sebagai mata pada robot tempur tersebut, serta dilengkapi dengan senjata yang dapat dikendalikan oleh operator untuk membantu tugas prajurit TNI dalam melaksanakan pengintaian maupun penyerangan. Robot tempur CIA versi N2MR3 dilengkapi juga dengan fungsi OMSP (Operasi Militer Selain Perang) yaitu penyemprot disinfektan dan mesin pemotong rumput dan pergerakan robot tempur dapat di monitor menggunakan GCS (Ground Control System) yang saling terkoneksi, kemudian data-data pengontrolan tersebut dikirimkan ke raspberry pi melalui komunikasi serial.
Mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle in Morocco: preparation and evaluation of chemical extracts for use in detection of immune responses

60 INTRODUCTION 61 MATERIALS AND METHODS 62 RESULTS 68 DISCUSSION 111 PART TWO; INVESTIGATIONS ON MYCOBACTERIUM BOVISINFECTION IN CATTLE IN MOROCCO: AN ABATTOIR SURVEY 120 ABSTRACT 12
Quantitative structure-retention relationship approach to prediction of linear solvation energy relationship coefficients: I. H-Bond acceptor capability of gas chromatography stationary phases in McReynolds data set

Abstract Linear solvation energy relationships (LSER) have been used successfully in the characterization of GC stationary phases. The various terms in the LSER are related to the ability of the stationary phae to engage in different types of intermolecular interactions. Using the 77 phase McReynolds set, structural features of the stationary phases have been correlated with the a value in an LSER, which reflects the H-bond acceptor capabilities of the stationary phase. Structural descriptors consisted of the fraction of each phase that was represented by a given functional group. For the coatings in this data set, only five descriptors were identified as contributing to the observed acceptor behavior: siloxane, ester, ether, hydroxyl and methylene (CH2). These terms were included in the equation a = c1(siloxane) + c2(ester) + c3(ether) + c4(OH) + c5(CH2), where the coefficients (ci were determined by multiple linear regression analysis. The R2 for the above equation was 0.990. The values of the first four coefficients are a direct indication of the ability of these functional groups to act as H-bond acceptors, while the fifth term is believed to contribute via inductive effects.
Organic Acids and Their Salts as Dipping Solutions To Control Listeria monocytogenes Inoculated following Processing of Sliced Pork Bologna Stored at 4°C in Vacuum Packages

Postprocessing contamination of cured meats with Listeria monocytogenes has become a major concern for the meat processing industry and an important food safety issue. This study evaluated aqueous dipping solutions of organic acids (2.5 or 5% lactic or acetic acid) or salts (2.5 or 5% sodium acetate or sodium diacetate, 5 or 10% sodium lactate, 5% potassium sorbate or potassium benzoate) to control L. monocytogenes on sliced, vacuum-packaged bologna stored at 4°C for up to 120 days. Organic acids and salts were applied by immersing (1 min) in each solution inoculated (102 to 103 CFU/cm2) slices of bologna before vacuum packaging. Growth of L. monocytogenes (PALCAM agar) on inoculated bologna slices without treatment exceeded 7 log CFU/cm2 (P 0.05) increase in L. monocytogenes populations occurred on bologna slices treated with 2.5 or 5% acetic acid, 5% sodium diacetate, or 5% potassium benzoate from day 0 to 120. Products treated with 5% potassium sorbate...
Phenylalanine Hydroxylase in Cultured Hepatocytes I. HORMONAL CONTROL OF ENZYME LEVELS

Abstract The presence of phenylalanine hydroxylase as a constitutive enzyme in two clonal cell lines (H4-II-E-C3 and MH1C1) derived from rat hepatomas and cultured in vitro is described; eight other clonal cell strains originating from rat or rabbit liver did not contain detectable amounts of this enzyme. The levels of phenylalanine hydroxylase in the two hepatoma cell lines were stimulated by hydrocortisone, corticosterone, dexamethasone or N6-O2'-dibutyryl-3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate. The stimulation of the levels of the enzyme by hydrocortisone in the H4-II-E-C3 line was shown to depend on de novo protein synthesis as it was inhibited by cycloheximide. It is postulated that the hepatoma cell lines are probably good models for studying the factors regulating the expression of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene.
High-dispersion spectroscopic observations of Venus: IX. The carbon dioxide bands at 12 030 and 12 177 Å☆

High dispersion spectroscopic observations of Venus carbon dioxide bands for deriving rotational temperature
Gamma Phase Zinc Nickel Electrodeposits from Alkaline Electrolyte

Gamma (y) phase zinc nickel electrodeposited from alkaline electrolytes possesses excellent sacrificial corrosion resistance in the 12-15wt% nickel range. By isolating anode and anolyte the efficiency of the process may be improved and byproducts avoided. By varying additives the mechanical properties and luster of the deposit may be controlled. The results of Hull cell tests, high-resolution field emission SEM, X-ray diffraction, accelerated corrosion testing, corrosion product analysis, wear testing, torque tension testing, cylindrical mandrel bend testing, micro-hardness, and nano-mechanical indentation testing with different alkaline electrolyte y phase ZnNi processes are presented.
Isodicyclopentadienes and related molecules: LVII. Solid state structural studies of the diastereomeric exo- and endo-(η5 -cyclopentadienyl)( η5 -( 1S,8R)-9,9-dimethyltricyclo[6.1.1.02,6]deca-2,5-dienyl) dichlorotitaniums and a stereopure exo-(η5-pentamethyl-cyclopentadienyl) congener☆

The lithium salt of optically pure (1S,8R)-9,9-dimethyltricyclo[6.1.1.02,6]deca-2,5-diene (9) has been transformed in highly stereoselective fashion to the dichlorotitanium complexes 5–7. Temperature and reaction conditions can be suitably controlled to attain proper ρ-facial selectivity in those condensations involving CpTiCl3. Direct condensation with Cp★TiCl3, on the other hand, leads only to 7 in a more sluggish reaction. A stereochemical crossover to arrive at 8 was attempted by taking advantage of the inversion of configuration that operates during condensation of silane 10 with TiCl4. Unfortunately, steric hindrance precluded the successful reaction of 11 with Cp*M (M  Li, K, Tl, SiMe3 SnMe3) to provide 8. Crystal structure analyses of the three available complexes were completed and detailed comparison of their structural features are presented. The absolute configurational assignments rest securely on the synthetic pathway developed earlier for gaining access to 9.
Biogeochemistry of Decomposition and Detrital Processing

Decomposition is a key ecological process that roughly balances net primary production in terrestrial ecosystems and is an essential process in resupplying nutrients to the plant community. There exists an amazing body of literature on the subject of decomposition that draws from many disciplines—including ecology, soil science, microbiology, plant physiology, biochemistry, and zoology. This chapter attempts to draw information from all of these fields to present an integrated analysis of decomposition in a biogeochemical context. It begins by reviewing the composition of detrital resources and SOM, the organisms responsible for decomposition, and some methods for quantifying decomposition rates. This is followed by a discussion of the mechanisms behind decomposition, humification, and the controls on these processes. It concludes with a brief discussion on how current biogeochemical models incorporate this information.
Floorplan classification algorithms

We present optimal linear time algorithms that determine whether a given general floorplan represented by a q-sequence or twin binary trees is slicing or hierarchical. Experimental results on several benchmarks are presented.
Mapping User Preference to Privacy Default Settings

Managing the privacy of online information can be a complex task often involving the configuration of a variety of settings. For example, Facebook users determine which audiences have access to their profile information and posts, how friends can interact with them through tagging, and how others can search for them—and many more privacy tasks. In most cases, the default privacy settings are permissive and appear to be designed to promote information sharing rather than privacy. Managing privacy online can be complex and often users do not change defaults or use granular privacy settings. In this article, we investigate whether default privacy settings on social network sites could be more customized to the preferences of users. We survey users' privacy attitudes and sharing preferences for common SNS profile items. From these data, we explore using audience characterizations of profile items to quantify fit scores that indicate how well default privacy settings represent user privacy preferences. We then explore the fit of various schemes, including examining whether privacy attitude segmentation can be used to improve default settings. Our results suggest that using audience characterizations from community data to create default privacy settings can better match users' desired privacy settings.
HNF-3β as a regulator of floor plate development

The transcription factor gene HNF-3 beta is expressed in the ventral midline of the mouse embryonic neural tube, including the floor plate, a structure important for dorsoventral patterning and axonal guidance. To assess HNF-3 beta function, the gene has been ectopically expressed in the midbrain/hindbrain of transgenic embryos using an En-2 promoter/enhancer. By 18.5 days postcoitum, transgenic brains show a range of abnormalities, including absent inferior colliculus and reduced cerebellum. Earlier, several genes normally expressed in the floor plate (BMP-1, Steel factor, and HNF-3 alpha) are induced within the same ectopic dorsal domain as HNF-3 beta, and autoactivation of the endogenous HNF-3 beta is observed. Conversely, expression of the dorsal gene Pax-3 is suppressed. Ectopic dorsal neuronal differentiation and abnormal dorsal axonal projections are also seen. These results suggest that HNF-3 beta is an important regulator of floor plate development in vivo.
Left ventricular filling in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a pulsed Doppler echocardiographic study.

Abnormal left ventricular diastolic properties have been described in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. To evaluate the diastolic filling characteristics of the left ventricle in patients with this disease, pulsed Doppler echocardiography was used to study mitral flow velocity in 17 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (11 with and 6 without systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve) and 16 age-matched normal subjects. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with and without systolic anterior motion with regard to ventricular septal thickness, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, left ventricular internal dimensions or the extent of hypertrophy evaluated by two-dimensional echocardiography. Mitral regurgitation was detected by Doppler echocardiography in all 11 patients with and in 2 (33 %) of the 6 patients without systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve. Early and late diastolic peak flow velocity, the ratio of late to early diastolic peak flow velocity and deceleration of early diastolic flow were measured from Doppler mitral flow velocity recordings. There were no statistically significant differences in these four indexes between the patients with systolic anterior motion and normal subjects. In contrast, the patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy without systolic anterior motion showed lower early diastolic peak flow velocity, higher ratio of late to early diastolic peak flow velocity and lower deceleration of early diastolic How compared with the patients with systolic anterior motion and normal subjects, suggesting impaired left ventricular diastolic filling. These observed differences in mitral flow velocity between patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with and without systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve may be explained by the more frequent occurrence of mitral regurgitation, which augments early diastolic left ventricular filling, or the less extensive myopathic process reported previously in patients with systolic anterior motion, rather than by differences in the extent of hypertrophy.
Aqueous Humor pH Changes After Experimental Alkali Burns

Following application of 2N sodium hydroxide, or 8.1N ammonium hydroxide to rabbit cornea, the aqueous humor pH reached a maximum of 10.2, 11.9, and 12 within six minutes following 20-, 50-, and 100-mu1 sodium hydroxide burns, respectively; after two hours the pH had fallen to 8.5, 10, and 10.5. The maximum rise following application of 100-mu1 of ammonium hydroxide was 10.8, declining to about 9 at two hours. The fall in pH following a 100-mu1 sodium hydroxide burn was not greatly influence by external lavage. However, the pH was significantly lowered (12 to 10) by paracentesis alone and further reduced by immediate or delayed intracameral administration of phosphate buffer. On the basis of these results moderately severe and severe alkali burns of the eye should be treated by paracentesis and if possible with anterior chamber reformation with a sterile solution.
The vagus nerve and the inflammatory reflex—linking immunity and metabolism

The vagus nerve has an important role in regulation of metabolic homeostasis, and efferent vagus nerve-mediated cholinergic signalling controls immune function and proinflammatory responses via the inflammatory reflex. Dysregulation of metabolism and immune function in obesity are associated with chronic inflammation, a critical step in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Cholinergic mechanisms within the inflammatory reflex have, in the past 2 years, been implicated in attenuating obesity-related inflammation and metabolic complications. This knowledge has led to the exploration of novel therapeutic approaches in the treatment of obesity-related disorders.
Coupled Effect of Filler Content and Countersurface Roughness on PTFE Nanocomposite Wear Resistance

In tests of PTFE with 2.9% volume content alpha-phase alumina nanoparticles (40 or 80 nm) in sliding reciprocation against polished steel, wear rates of ~10−7 mm3/Nm were measured which is four orders-of-magnitude lower than unfilled PTFE and two orders-of-magnitude lower than with microparticles (0.5 or 20 μm) of more conventional filler size. This was similar to that previously reported in unidirectional sliding, and did not vary greatly with stroke of reciprocation. For a microfilled PTFE, the wear rate gradually increased towards that of unfilled PTFE as filler content was reduced, whereas nanofilled PTFE maintained relatively constant ~10−7 mm3/Nm to filler contents as low as 0.18% before reverting towards the rapid wear rate of unfilled PTFE. Lightly filled nanocomposites depend upon low countersurface roughness to maintain such low wear rate, and with increasing roughness the wear rate was found to transition at a critical value to a wear rate of ~10−5 mm3/Nm. Nanocomposites with higher filler contents were able to retain the low wear rates against rougher countersurfaces, as the critical roughness at which this wear resistance was lost tended to increase with the square of the filler content. Upon encountering extremely high countersurface roughness in the range R a = 6–8 μm, nanocomposites at each filler content eventually increased in wear rate to ~10−4 mm3/Nm. The steel countersurface did not appear to play an important role in the extreme wear resistance of these alumina nanofilled PTFE composites, as comparable performance was also displayed against alumina countersurfaces.
Self-localizing smart camera networks

This article describes a novel approach to localizing networks of embedded cameras and sensors. In this scheme, the cameras and the sensors are equipped with controllable light sources (either visible or infrared), which are used for signaling. Each camera node can then determine automatically the bearing to all of the nodes that are visible from its vantage point. By fusing these measurements with the measurements obtained from onboard accelerometers, the camera nodes are able to determine the relative positions and orientations of other nodes in the network.The method uses angular measurements derived from images, rather than range measurements derived from time-of-flight or signal attenuation. The scheme can be implemented relatively easily with commonly available components, and it scales well since the localization calculations exploit the sparse structure of the system of measurements. Additionally, the method provides estimates of camera orientation which cannot be determined solely from range measurements.The localization technology could serve as a basic capability on which higher-level applications could be built. The method could also be used to automatically survey the locations of sensors of interest, to implement distributed surveillance systems, or to analyze the structure of a scene, based on images obtained from multiple registered vantage points. It also provides a mechanism for integrating the imagery obtained from the cameras with the measurements obtained from distributed sensors.
Milk protein polymorphisms in Holstein cattle

Milk samples from 203 Holstein cows were phenotyped for genetic variants αs1-casein, β-casein, κ-casein and β-lactoglobulin using starch-gel electrophoresis. All of the four milk protein loci exhibited polymorphism with allele frequencies of 0.862 ± 0.017 for αs1-casein B, 0.966 ± 0.0009 for β-casein A, 0.712 ± 0.0224 for κ-casein A and 0.567 ± 0.0245 for β-lactoglobulin B. The mean heterozygosity estimated over all the four milk protein loci was 0.3015. Genetic equilibrium was observed among all of the loci investigated, except κ-casein. Chi-squared tests revealed that there was no significant linkage among studied milk protein phenotypes.
Developmental biology. Making head or tail of Dickkopf.

Signals that guide embryonic cells through development are often under the control of inhibitors. It now seems that one such inhibitor does not bind to the signal itself, but rather to the receptor that detects the signal.
Pilot Error in Copying Air Traffic Control Clearances

A study investigating the accuracy of pilots' copying air traffic control clearances is described. Twentyfour airline pilots listened to 28 taped clearances and copied them down on an answer sheet using shorthand, longhand, or some combination of these according to their preferences. The copied clearances were analyzed by the number of correctly copied elements, the number of omitted elements, and the number of extraneous elements that were not present in the original clearance. Preliminary results indicate a strong influence of habit and familiar operating environment and procedures on the accuracy of copying unfamiliar information. Common errors included victor-airways copied as jet-airways, low altitudes copied as much higher, and slow speeds copied as much higher. The vulnerability of controller-pilot communications to the effects of unfamiliarity is apparent. A detailed analysis of these data may provide for a better understanding of the shortcomings of controller-pilot communication.
Tracking considerations in selection of radar waveform given range measurements

Previously, in a sequence of papers, there has been considerable analysis of the effects of waveforms on tracking; but these have always assumed that measurements both of range and of range-rate are deliverable. Many radar systems use what may be termed “conventional” processing, in which measurements only of range are available, and for which range-rate information must be inferred. Thus, in this paper, results are extended to that case. As an example result, we show that to allow for the bias to the observed range measurement via a linear function of the range-rate results in a considerable loss versus what would be possible with more accurate accounting.
Vergil, Aeneid 1.607–9 and Midas’ Epitaph

Aeneas ends his first speech to Dido as follows: quae te tam laeta tulerunt saecula? qui tanti talem genuere parentes? in freta dum fluuii current, dum montibus umbrae lustrabunt conuexa, polus dum sidera pascet, semper honos nomenque tuum laudesque manebunt, quae me cumque uocant terrae. A number of parallels have been cited for 607–9, notably Eel. 1.59f. (an adynaton ) and the positive statement (about Daphnis) at Eel. 5.76ff., which even ends with the same line:
Habituation based neural networks for spatio-temporal classification

Abstract A new class of neural networks is proposed for the dynamic classification of spatio-temporal signals. These networks are designed to classify signals of different durations, taking into account correlations among different signal segments. Such networks are applicable to SONAR and speech signal classification problems, among others. Network parameters are adapted based on the biologically observed habituation mechanism. This allows the storage of contextual information, without a substantial increase in network complexity. We introduce the concept of a complete memory. We then prove mathematically that a network with a complete memory temporal encoding stage followed by a sufficiently powerful feedforward network is capable of approximating arbitrarily well any continuous, causal, time-invariant discrete-time system with a uniformly bounded input domain. The memory mechanisms of the habituation based networks are complete memories, and involve nonlinear transformations of the input signal. In networks such as the time delay neural network (TDNN) [35] and focused gamma networks [8], nonlinearities are present in the feedforward stage only. This distinction is made important by recent theoretical results concerning the limitations of structures with linear temporal encoding stages. Results are reported on classification of high dimensional feature vectors obtained from Banzhaf sonograms.
The Case for the Caldwell-Luc Procedure:

The increasing popularity of fiberoptic endonasal sinus surgery has led some to state that a Caldwell-Luc procedure should be performed only to manage tumors involving the maxillary sinus and epist...
The Revival of Political Theory

WXC TITH APPALLING SWIFTNESS, the judgment that political theory is on the verge of extinction has spread through the political science profession. Heading the professional mourners is Alfred Cobban, who has done as much as anyone to establish the allegation that political theory is in lamentable decline as a virtually unchallenged cliche. Cobban's essay of almost a decade agol obviously captured the mood of a sizeable body of political scientists, some of whom have actually resorted to funereal metaphors to describe the present condition of political theory.2 I propose to argue that this thesis is seriously in error and that its continued acceptance only obscures the fact that an extensive and significant effort is being made at the present time to restore political theory as a tradition of inquiry. My contention is that what Cobban has described as a decline in political theory is actually a crisis in positivist political science. He has chronicled the inevitable demise of political theory within the positivist universe of discourse, where the "fact-value" dichotomy reigns as dogma. The Cobban position fails to recognize that political theory is an experiential science of right order in human society and that theory can never be redeemed or intellectually legitimized by indulgence in subjective "value" speculation. Only by virtue of the recovery of a sound ontology and an adequate epistemology will political theory be able to flourish as it once did; this will require an abandonment of the physicalist interpretation of experience that has for decades been dominant in political science. Such a major philosophical reconstruction is now under way in our
Surface Tension Effects In Microlithography - Striations

Surface tension plays a role in many areas of lithography. One of them has been found to be formation of Benard cells in photoresist coatings at the center of a wafer. A relationship between these cells and ,'riations is proposed. Observations of the effects of evaporation, gravity, radius, dispense flow, spiv, lme, spin speed, type of solvent, type of solute and concentration of surfactant suggest that the formation of cells and striations follows the same principles that are active in conventional thick coatings. Surface tension measurements are reported that support this conclusion.
Universal transversal gates with color codes: A simplified approach

We provide a simplified yet rigorous presentation of the ideas from Bombin's paper (arXiv:1311.0879v3). Our presentation is self-contained, and assumes only basic concepts from quantum error correction. We provide an explicit construction of a family of color codes in arbitrary dimensions and describe some of their crucial properties. Within this framework, we explicitly show how to transversally implement the generalized phase gate R_n =diag(1,e^(2πi/2^n)), which deviates from the method in the aforementioned paper, allowing an arguably simpler proof. We describe how to implement the Hadamard gate H fault tolerantly using code switching. In three dimensions, this yields, together with the transversal controlled-NOT (CNOT), a fault-tolerant universal gate set {H,cnot,R_3} without state distillation.
Total Synthesis of (−)-Colchicine by an Oxyallyl [4+3] Cycloaddition

Abstract An enantioselective synthesis of (−)-colchicine, free from isocolchicine, is delineated and features tandem application of the intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction of acetylene-tethered oxazoles and the [4+3] cycloaddition of oxyallyls. This work underscores the synthetic utility of little explored α-alkoxy substituted oxyallyls.
Evidence that Stimulation of Megakaryocytopoiesis by Low Dose Vincristine Results from an Effect on Platelets

Appropriate low dosages of vincristine stimulate megakaryocytopoiesis and produce thrombocytosis. In this study of the thrombocytotic action of vincristine, administration of a single dose of 0.1 mg/kg to rats produced an increase in megakaryocyte concentration, diameter and 24 h [3H]thymidine labelling index. Transfusion of one body equivalent of platelets from normal donors prevented stimulation of megakaryocytopoiesis by vincristine whereas platelets from vincristine-treated donors did not. These results suggest that vincristine stimulates megakaryocytopoiesis by altering the functional role of circulating platelets in the regulation of thrombopoiesis.
Investigation of Hole Expansion Characteristics of DP 600 With Testing and Modeling

The automotive industry utilizes stretch flanges in sheet metal components which become load carrying members providing strength to the body or they are subsequently joined with other components in vehicle structures. Failures often occur at the edge of these flanges. The Hole Expansion Test is designed specifically for characterizing the deformation of sheet steels in the flange. The test is performed for DP 600 sheet steel with the guideline of ISO standard 16630: 2009. Strains developed during the tests were measured using a non-contact strain measurement system and square grid method. This study also compared those results with finite element simulation results.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A quantitative method for assessing co-localization in immunolabeled thin section electron micrographs.

Abstract A method is introduced for the analysis of nearest neighbor distances between immunogold particles marking proteins on electron micrographs. Deviation from the distribution that is predicted by chance indicates co-localization of the labeled species, and the potential for productive interaction in vivo. Application of this method to the analysis of nearest neighbor distances in experiments with pea leaf thin sections and isozyme-directed antibodies indicates that glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase is located near P-glycerate kinase and near aldolase in the chloroplast stroma, consistent with the notion that these enzymes are part of a multi-enzyme photosynthetic CO2-fixation complex in situ.
"Natural" Properties of Flowchart Step-Counting Measures

Abstract A system of program schemata is viewed as a schema for a class of natural computational complexity measures. Certain properties of this class of measures, such as recursive enumerability of complexity classes and a weak notion of “conformity,” are shown to derive from the schematic structure. Other properties, earlier proposed as “natural,” are shown to be more superficial, depending upon the interpretation given to the primitive operations. These are “properness,” “finite invariance,” and “density.” Two other natural properties of the flowchart measures are given, together with a short assessment of possible progress in defining “naturalness” in complexity measures.
Managerial incentives and acquisitions: a survey of the literature

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review and summarize research into managerial incentives, merger activity, performance, and the use and structure of compensation to mitigate agency problems in the firm.Design/methodology/approach – The authors discuss studies of size elasticity and compensation, pay for performance, changes in managerial compensation due to merger activities, incentives and risk taking, and the relationship between managerial risk aversion and acquisitions.Findings – The paper identifies several prominent themes in the literature. First, size and performance both appear to be positively related to managerial compensation. There appears to be a strong relation between pay and performance, but results depend upon whether the pay measure includes all forms of compensation. With mergers, any merger gains seem to accrue to the acquired firm. It appears that acquiring managers can increase their pay by merging with other firms, and this is likely to happen in cases where shareholder r...
Publication trends in the medical informatics literature: 20 years of "Medical Informatics" in MeSH

The purpose of this study is to identify publication output, and research areas, as well as descriptively and quantitatively characterize the field of medical informatics through publication trend analysis over a twenty year period (1987–2006). A bibliometric analysis of medical informatics citations indexed in Medline was performed using publication trends, journal frequency, impact factors, MeSH term frequencies and characteristics of citations. There were 77,023 medical informatics articles published during this 20 year period in 4,644 unique journals. The average annual article publication growth rate was 12%. The 50 identified medical informatics MeSH terms are rarely assigned together to the same document and are almost exclusively paired with a non-medical informatics MeSH term, suggesting a strong interdisciplinary trend. Trends in citations, journals, and MeSH categories of medical informatics output for the 20-year period are summarized. Average impact factor scores and weighted average impact factor scores increased over the 20-year period with two notable growth periods. There is a steadily growing presence and increasing visibility of medical informatics literature over the years. Patterns in research output that seem to characterize the historic trends and current components of the field of medical informatics suggest it may be a maturing discipline, and highlight specific journals in which the medical informatics literature appears most frequently, including general medical journals as well as informatics-specific journals.
Multi-UAV network control through dynamic task allocation: Ensuring data-rate and bit-error-rate support

A multi-UAV system relies on communications to operate. Failure to communicate remotely sensed mission data to the base may render the system ineffective, and the inability to exchange command and control messages can lead to system failures. This paper describes a unique method to control communications through distributed task allocation to engage under-utilized UAVs to serve as communication relays and to ensure that the network supports mission tasks. The distributed algorithm uses task assignment information, including task location and proposed execution time, to predict the network topology and plan support using relays. By explicitly coupling task assignment and relay creation processes the team is able to optimize the use of agents to address the needs of dynamic complex missions. The framework is designed to consider realistic network communication dynamics including path loss, stochastic fading, and information routing. The planning strategy is shown to ensure that agents support both datarate and interconnectivity bit-error-rate requirements during task execution. System performance is characterized through experiments both in simulation and in outdoor flight testing with a team of three UAVs.