cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Moving Toward an Acceptance of Robotic Sexuality Through Sci-Fi

This chapter concludes this book, and looks at the way the stories are changing to be somewhat more inclusive, though acknowledging that there remains a long way to go. It begins by reiterating some of the themes from previous chapters, including that of the potential for self-replication and the potential for sex robot revolt, while discussing the perils of giving something an emotive capability, forgetting that rage, hatred, and the will to survive are also emotions. It also looks at the diversity of the emerging sci-fi and examines how such ideas fit into the greater narrative. It also contains a peek at the very newest of advancements in cybernetics and AI, examining biofeedback prosthetics, ‘learning’ AI, and following the latest news on Sophia, the Saudi citizen robot.
Role of image-guided percutaneous thermal ablation in the management of colorectal cancer liver metastases.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death in the developed world and the third most common malignancy worldwide, with more than 1 million people affected. Approximately half of this population develops colorectal liver metastases (CLM) with a significant increase in morbidity and mortality, yet only a minority of these patients (10–15%) can undergo hepatectomy (1). Image-guided percutaneous thermal ablation (TA) destroys cancer cells by delivering heat directly into the tumor using radiofrequency (RFA) or microwave (MWA) energy, via special needles/electrodes.
Cardiac Monitoring for Thoracic Radiation Therapy: Survey of Practice Patterns in the United States.

Objective The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2017 guidelines on cardiac monitoring during cancer treatments identified patients receiving thoracic radiation (TRT) ≥30 Gy (heart in field) at increased risk for developing radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD). ASCO encouraged clinicians to actively screen and monitor for baseline modifiable cardiac risk factors and therapy-induced cardiotoxicity in this high-risk population. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is an independent risk factor for adverse cardiac events that can be mitigated with preventative medical therapy. It is unclear whether radiation oncologists (ROs) are aware of ASCO guidelines or the implications of CAC observed on computed tomographic scans. We report on practice patterns, perceptions, and experiences of cardiac monitoring for patients receiving definitive TRT, excluding breast patients. Materials and methods A 28-question survey was emailed to United States ROs 3 times from September 2018 to January 2019. Results There were 162 respondents from 42 states, 51% in academic practice. Most ROs (81%) were not aware of the ASCO guidelines. Only 24% agreed with the guidelines, only 27% believed symptomatic RIHD could manifest within 2 years of TRT, and 69% thought there was a lack of strong evidence for type and timing of cardiac monitoring tests. If CAC was evident on computed tomographic scans, 40% took no further action to inform the patient or referring doctor. Conclusions This survey highlights a critical gap in knowledge about cardiac monitoring and potentially life-saving opportunities for preventive cardiac medical management. Future studies focusing on timing and detection of RIHD may elucidate the utility of cardiac monitoring for TRT patients.
From Predictions to Decisions: Using Lookahead Regularization

Machine learning is a powerful tool for predicting human-related outcomes, from credit scores to heart attack risks. But when deployed, learned models also affect how users act in order to improve outcomes, whether predicted or real. The standard approach to learning is agnostic to induced user actions and provides no guarantees as to the effect of actions. We provide a framework for learning predictors that are both accurate and promote good actions. For this, we introduce look-ahead regularization which, by anticipating user actions, encourages predictive models to also induce actions that improve outcomes. This regularization carefully tailors the uncertainty estimates governing confidence in this improvement to the distribution of model-induced actions. We report the results of experiments on real and synthetic data that show the effectiveness of this approach.
An Experiential Learning Chemistry Course for Nonmajors Taught through the Lens of Science Fiction

A nonmajors general chemistry course entitled “Putting the Science in SciFi” was taught to 19 seniors at the College of the Holy Cross in 2018. The course coupled the delivery of content with experiential learning strategies in the form of writing assignments and hands-on activities. A pretest and posttest indicate that students gained and retained basic scientific information throughout the semester. Student feedback reveals a positive learning experience. As a result, the pedagogical tools used in this course carry significant implications to the course design of science curriculum.
Rawls’s political ontology

The background thesis is that an implicit ontology of the people and the relation between the people and the state often shapes how we think in normative terms about politics. This article attempts...
Degenerative Adult Cervical Kyphosis With Secondary Diagnosis Codes Are Associated With Higher Cost and Complications After Spinal Fusion: A Medicare Database Study.

ABSTRACT Background: Adult cervical deformity (ACD) is a potentially debilitating condition resulting from kyphosis, scoliosis, or both, of the cervical spine. Conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson9s disease, and neuromuscular diseases are particularly known to cause severe deformities. We describe the 90-day cost and complications associated with spinal fusion for ACD using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding terminology and study if secondary diagnoses associated with potential for severe deformity affect the cost and complication profile of ACD surgery. Methods: Medicare data were used to study hospital costs and complications within 90 days after primary cervical fusion for ACD in 2 cohorts matched by demographics and comorbidity burden: (1) patients with diagnoses of secondary pathology (SP) known to cause severe deformity and (2) without SP. Univariate and multiple-variable analyses to study incidence of complications, readmission, and costs within 90 days were done. Results: A total of 2900 patients in matched cohorts of 1450 each were included. The mean index hospital payment ($26 545 ± $25 968 versus $22 991 ± $21 599) and length of stay (4.8 ± 5.6 versus 3.9 ± 4.5 days) was significantly (P Conclusions: ACD patients with secondary diagnosis codes such as inflammatory arthropathy or neuromuscular pathology incur higher 90-day costs due to the inherent requirement of bigger fusions and higher risk of peri-operative complications, but with similar risk of readmission and refusion as those without SP. Level of Evidence: 3. Clinical Relevance: With evolving health care reforms and payment models, knowledge of conditions associated with higher expenditure after elective spine surgical procedures will be beneficial to providers and payors for appropriate risk stratification.
Multi-Valent Protein Hybrid Pneumococcal Vaccines: A Strategy for the Next Generation of Vaccines.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is a bacterial pathogen known to colonize the upper respiratory tract and cause serious opportunistic diseases such as pneumonia, bacteremia, sepsis and meningitis. As a consequence, millions of attributable deaths occur annually, especially among infants, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Although current vaccines, composed of purified pneumococcal polysaccharide in free form or conjugated to a protein carrier, are widely used and have been demonstrated to be effective in target groups, Spn has continued to colonize and cause life-threatening disease in susceptible populations. This lack of broad protection highlights the necessity of improving upon the current “gold standard” pneumococcal vaccines to increase protection both by decreasing colonization and reducing the incidence of sterile-site infections. Over the past century, most of the pneumococcal proteins that play an essential role in colonization and pathogenesis have been identified and characterized. Some of these proteins have the potential to serve as antigens in a multi-valent protein vaccine that confers capsule independent protection. This review seeks to summarize the benefits and limitations of the currently employed vaccine strategies, describes how leading candidate proteins contribute to pneumococcal disease development, and discusses the potential of these proteins as protective antigens—including as a hybrid construct.
Neuroimaging Biomarkers of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Targets for the Academic Memory Disorders Clinic.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with exposure to repetitive head impacts, such as those from contact sports. The pathognomonic lesion for CTE is the perivascular accumulation of hyper-phosphorylated tau in neurons and other cell process at the depths of sulci. CTE cannot be diagnosed during life at this time, limiting research on risk factors, mechanisms, epidemiology, and treatment. There is an urgent need for in vivo biomarkers that can accurately detect CTE and differentiate it from other neurological disorders. Neuroimaging is an integral component of the clinical evaluation of neurodegenerative diseases and will likely aid in diagnosing CTE during life. In this qualitative review, we present the current evidence on neuroimaging biomarkers for CTE with a focus on molecular, structural, and functional modalities routinely used as part of a dementia evaluation. Supporting imaging-pathological correlation studies are also presented. We targeted neuroimaging studies of living participants at high risk for CTE (e.g., aging former elite American football players, fighters). We conclude that an optimal tau PET radiotracer with high affinity for the 3R/4R neurofibrillary tangles in CTE has not yet been identified. Amyloid PET scans have tended to be negative. Converging structural and functional imaging evidence together with neuropathological evidence show frontotemporal and medial temporal lobe neurodegeneration, and increased likelihood for a cavum septum pellucidum. The literature offers promising neuroimaging biomarker targets of CTE, but it is limited by cross-sectional studies of small samples where the presence of underlying CTE is unknown. Imaging-pathological correlation studies will be important for the development and validation of neuroimaging biomarkers of CTE.
Perceptions of Rehabilitation Managers on Implementation of the Home-Based Older Person Upstreaming Prevention (HOP-UP) Program: A Retrospective Qualitative Analysis.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to identify themes and concepts derived from responses of physical therapy clinical leaders related to implementing a prevention-focused, home-based older-adult program known as HOP-UP-PT (Home-Based Older Person Upstreaming Prevention Physical Therapy) into their clinical operations. Methods Following Institutional Review Board approval, a retrospective qualitative analysis of transcribed interviews obtained by six undergraduate students participating in the Oakland University Ideas to Business Program (I2B) was conducted. Students interviewed nine local physical therapy clinical managers throughout Michigan using 12 questions developed by content experts. Questions aimed to ascertain the perceived opportunities and barriers to implementing HOP-UP-PT into each respondent's practice setting, clinic demographics, and suggested price point of a prevention-focused continuing education. Interview data was analyzed using the constant comparative method to identify themes and concepts. Results Sixty-seven percent of respondents (n=6) reported practicing in an outpatient setting; 56% of respondents (n=5) indicated 50% or more of their clients were 65 years and older; and 67% of respondents (n=6) suggested a price point of $200-$500 for an eight-hour HOP-UP-PT training course. Three concepts (community involvement and partnership, administrative barriers to an innovative delivery model, and foundational physical therapy [PT] skills utilized in a novel approach) and eight themes (community altruism, referral source expansion, integrated community relationships, current payment methodology challenges, favorability of clinic setting and type, minimal additional training required, willingness to pay for certification training, and prevention-focused or upstream mindset) were identified. Conclusion Physical therapy clinical managers identified a willingness to expand current rehabilitation models and incorporate prevention-focused care delivery into the existing care delivery approach. However, barriers and opportunities must be addressed in advance of a program roll-out to achieve optimal outcomes and cost savings within the healthcare system.
Comprehensive Models for Feldspars

In this chapter we provide R codes for four different models previously developed for feldspars, apatites, and other materials exhibiting quantum tunneling phenomena. These are the ground state tunneling (GST) model, irradiation GST (IGST) model, excited state tunneling (EST) model, and thermally assisted tunneling (TA-EST) model. We demonstrate appropriate R functions that can simulate a wide variety of processes in feldspars, for both natural and laboratory irradiated samples. We present specialized codes for analyzing CW-IRSL and TL signals from freshly irradiated samples, as well as for simulating a variety of multiple stage experiments, involving thermal and optical pretreatments of samples in the laboratory. The chapter concludes with several R examples for the TA-EST model, which can be used for low temperature thermochronology studies.
Carbohydrate ingestion attenuates cognitive dysfunction following long-duration exercise in the heat in humans.

Abstract Introduction To determine if electrolyte or carbohydrate supplementation vs. water would limit the magnitude of dehydration and decline in cognitive function in humans following long-duration hyperthermic-exercise. Methods 24 subjects performed 3 visits of 2 h walking (3mph/7% grade) in an environmental chamber (33 °C/10% relative humidity). In random order, subjects consumed water (W), electrolytes (Gatorade Zero; E), or electrolytes+carbohydrates (Gatorade; E+C). Throughout exercise (EX), subjects carried a 23 kg pack and drank ad-libitum. Pre-and post-EX, body mass (BM) and plasma osmolality (pOsm) were measured. Physiological Strain Index (PSI) and core temperature (TC) were recorded every 15 min. Plasma glucose (GLU) was measured every 30 min. Cognitive processing (SCWT) was measured post-EX and compared to baseline (BL). A subset of 8 subjects performed a normothermic (N) protocol (21 °C/ambient humidity) to ascertain how the exercise stimulus influenced hydration status and cognition without heat. Results There were no significant differences between fluid conditions (W, E, E+C) for BM loss (Δ2.5 ± 0.2, 2.5 ± 0.2, 2.3 ± 0.2 kg), fluid consumption (1.9 ± 0.2, 1.9 ± 0.2, 1.8 ± 0.2L), pOsm (Δ1.5 ± 2.7, 2.2 ± 2.4, 2.0 ± 1.5 mmol/L), peak-PSI (7.5 ± 0.4, 7.0 ± 0.6, 7.9 ± 0.5), and peak-TC (38.7 ± 0.1, 38.6 ± 0.2, 38.8 ± 0.2 °C). GLU decreased significantly in W and E, whereas it increased above BL in E+C at 60, 90, and 120 min (P Conclusions These data are the first to suggest that, independent of supplementation variety, cognitive processing significantly decreases immediately following long-duration exercise in the heat in healthy humans. Compared to water and fluids supplemented with only electrolytes, fluids supplemented with carbohydrates significantly blunts this decrease in cognitive function.
Racial Identity Among Blacks and Whites in the U.S.

This study uses identity theory, social identity theory, and life course theory to investigate influences on five aspects of Blacks’ and Whites’ racial identity: importance, salience, pride in the identity, verification, and perceived public respect for the identity. Data were from the Identity Module of the 2014 General Social Survey. As predicted, Blacks score higher than Whites on racial identity importance and salience, and Blacks are prouder of their racial group. Blacks’ racial identity is more often verified than Whites’, but they perceive less public respect for their group than Whites do. Social relationships (marriage or cohabitation, parenthood, and religious attendance) only selectively enhanced racial identity. Unexpectedly, loneliness was related to greater racial identity importance, salience (for Whites), pride in one’s group, and verification. As life course theory would predict, racial identity was stronger among the civil rights and older cohort than the post-civil rights cohort. For Black compared to White millennials, racial identity was more important and salient, and a greater source of pride.
Customer Configuration of TPM2 and Its Host Platform

Depending on the type of host platform, the customer might be able to configure aspects of TPM2’s behaviour, such as whether a secondary Trusted Computing Base can use the TPM. A customer might be able to customise a TCB to determine whether Trusted Computing is used to protect the customer’s data and/or the customer’s network infrastructure, and the degree of platform anonymity that is provided. In some platforms, customers will be able to store small pieces of data in the TPM’s non-volatile storage, and will be able to add personal TPM endorsements. Customers must always manage the password used to reset the TPM’s response to dictionary attacks, and must customise TPM2 if they change the host platform’s secondary Trusted Computing Base.
Assays of Cardiolipin Levels

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the most useful methods for cardiolipin analysis and discusses their respective merits and shortcomings. Regardless of the technical details, the key to each method is the separation of cardiolipin from the other lipids that are present in biological tissues. This can be achieved by thin layer liquid chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), or mass spectrometry (MS). The chapter reviews the structure of cardiolipin, in which multiple fatty acid combinations and their positional isomers provide a unique challenge for comprehensive compositional analysis. TLC is a powerful method to separate phospholipids. The chapter describes a large number of techniques, using various solvents and stationary phases. As many kinds of TLC plates have become available from commercial sources, the practice of preparing self-made silica phases on glass plates has largely fallen out of favor. Advancement in MS technology has made it very attractive for cardiolipin analysis. MS is not only the most sensitive of the cardiolipin methods, it is also the most amenable to automation and can potentially provide a wealth of structural information. However, it has been difficult to define the oxidation products of cardiolipin that presumably form during apoptosis.
INTENSIVE ROTATIONAL GRAZING IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

Pastures had been a significant feature of theAmerican landscape for centuries, and were used as themajor source of nutrients for dairy cows. Many studiesin the early 1900s focused on agronomic and pasture productivity, pasture management, animal responses, and economic factors (Fales, et al., 1992), and scientists in the United States were considered leaders in pasture research and education. The movement away from pasture systems toward "confined" systems began in the 50s and was caused by many economic, political, and technological factors. Research and education programs related to pasture declined dramatically, and pasture use declined in Pennsylvania from about 170 days per year in the early 1950s to 64 days (mainly exercise lots) in 1990. Pasture systems based on early United States research were adopted widely in various countries of Europe and in New Zealand, and these countries are now considered the world leaders in intensive pasture systems.
Nanocrystalline Li x Mn2 − y O 4 Cathodes for Solid‐State Thin‐Film Rechargeable Lithium Batteries

Thin-film cathodes of lithium manganese oxide, 0.3--3 {micro}m thick, were deposited by rf magnetron sputtering of a LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} ceramic target onto unheated substrates. The resulting films were dense, {approximately}4.2 g/cm{sup 3}, with a {approximately}50 {angstrom} nanocrystalline spinel structure. The film composition was typically Li{sub x}Mn{sub 2{minus}y}O{sub 4} with y {approximately} 0.3 and 1.2 < x < 2.2. When cycled in a thin-film rechargeable lithium battery, specific cathode capacities of 145 {+-} 23 and {approximately}270 mAh/g were realized for discharge from 4.5 V to either 2.5 or 1.5 V, respectively. The discharge and charge current densities were limited by the resistivity of lithium transport into and through the cathode. After thousands of cycles at 25 C, there was a small increase in cell resistance. After several hundred cycles at 100 C, the discharge curves developed a stable knee at {approximately}4 V characteristic of crystalline LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} cathodes. The polarization of the discharge/charge cycles were interpreted in terms of free energy of mixing curves.
New Insights into Mechanisms Of Vitamin D Action Revealed Through The Study Of Transgenic, Knockout, and Aging Mice

Vitamin D is an important regulator of calcium homeostasis. However, the role of vitamin D in the distal intestine, where 70% of calcium absorption occurs, has been unexplored. Hectorol, a vitamin D analog, which is less calcemic than the active form of vitamin D, 1,25(OH)2D3, has been suggested for the treatment of osteoporosis. We hypothesize that the distal segments of the intestine are as important as the proximal intestine in vitamin D mediated intestinal calcium absorption and that transgenic mice expressing the vitamin D receptor exclusively in the distal intestine express vitamin D target genes in the distal intestine at levels equivalent to wild type. We also hypothesize that hectorol is as effective as 1,25(OH)2D3 in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis. Intestine and kidney from WT mice, Tg, and VDR KO mice were harvested. Total RNA was isolated, and protein extracts were prepared. The expression of vitamin D target genes was analyzed by RT-PCR. Protein expression was studied using Western bl...
Discrepancy between direct and indirect determinations of the muon-to-proton magnetic- moment ratio μ μ μ p

Unevaluated theoretical contributions of recoil and retardation could well account for the recently quoted discrepancy between two determinations of the ratio $\frac{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}}{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{p}}$.
Optimal low-thrust, three-burn orbit transfers with large plane changes

Optimal low-thrust, three-burn solutions have been obtained for orbit transfers between a 28.5-degree inclined low earth orbit and a series of 63.4-degree inclined circular orbits as well as a series of 63.4-degree inclined elliptical orbits with twelve hour periods. Solutions have also been obtained for orbit transfers between 97-degree inclined orbits and a 57-degree inclined low earth orbit. Thrust to weight ratios as low as 0.02 were considered. A hybrid nonlinear programming method was used to obtain the solutions. Analysis of the optimal steering during various burns reveals a natural division of the steering strategies into two categories based on whether a burn results in a change predominantly in semi-major axis or orbit plane. The similarity of these optimal steering strategies to previously obtained simple near-optimal steering strategies is discussed.
Staffing to Meet Protective Goals

Employees make organizations successful or unsuccessful. Their selection has changed in past years as retrieval of background information has improved enormously. This chapter discusses how prospective personnel needs are analyzed, prospects recruited, next vetted (evaluated), and then assessed prior to a final offer of employment. Trends in such processes will be described.
Root System Patterning: Auxin Synthesis at the Root Periphery

Plasticity in plant form is achieved through differential elaboration of developmental pre-patterns during postembryonic organ development. A new report links the output of the root clock, an oscillatory transcriptional pre-patterning mechanism, with cell-type-specific production of the plant hormone auxin, and identifies a downstream component required for elaboration of the pre-pattern.
Power, difference and mobility: feminist advances in migration studies

The feminist migration literature in geography has contributed to bringing several critical social theoretical themes to the forefront of migration studies. Specifically, feminists have foregrounde...
What you always wanted to know about the history and physical examination of neck pain but were afraid to ask

Diagnoses of most cases of neck pain can be made on the basis of a careful history and physical examination. Any tests must be interpreted only in the context of the clinical examination. The clinician must be cognizant of signs or symptoms that may indicate a more serious disorder by attending to the red flags and examining the lower extremities for spasticity that could indicate cervical myelopathy.
Monofunctional gold nanoparticles: synthesis and applications

The ability to control the assembly of nanoparticle building blocks is critically important for the development of new materials and devices. The properties and functions of nanomaterials are not only dependent on the size and properties of individual particles, but also the interparticle distance and interactions. In order to control the structures of nanoassemblies, it is important to first achieve a precise control on the chemical functionality of nanoparticle building blocks. This review discusses three methods that have been reported recently for the preparation of monofunctional gold nanoparticles, i.e., nanoparticles with a single chemical functional group attached to each particle. The advantages and disadvantages of the three methods are discussed and compared. With a single functional group attached to the surface, one can treat such nanoparticles as molecular building blocks to react with other molecules or nanoparticles. In other words, by using appropriate chemical reactions, nanoparticles can be linked together into nanoassemblies and materials by covalent bonds, similar to the total chemical synthesis of complicated organic compounds from smaller molecular units. An example of using this approach for the synthesis of nanoparticle/polymer hybrid materials with optical limiting properties is presented. Other potential applications and advantages of covalent bond-based nanoarchitectures vs. non-covalent interaction-based supramolecular self-assemblies are also discussed briefly in this review.
Verification of IMRT dose distributions using a water beam imaging system.

A water beam imaging system (WBIS) has been developed and used to verify dose distributions for intensity modulated radiotherapy using dynamic multileaf collimator. This system consisted of a water container, a scintillator screen, a charge-coupled devicecamera, and a portable personal computer. The scintillation image was captured by the camera. The pixel value in this image indicated the dose value in the scintillation screen. Images of radiation fields of known spatial distributions were used to calibrate the device. The verification was performed by comparing the image acquired from the measurement with a dose distribution from the IMRT plan. Because of light scattering in the scintillator screen, the image was blurred. A correction for this was developed by recognizing that the blur function could be fitted to a multiple Gaussian. The blur function was computed using the measured image of a 10 cm×10 cm x-ray beam and the result of the dose distribution calculated using the Monte Carlo method. Based on the blur function derived using this method, an iterative reconstruction algorithm was applied to recover the dose distribution for an IMRT plan from the measured WBIS image. The reconstructed dose distribution was compared with Monte Carlo simulation result. Reasonable agreement was obtained from the comparison. The proposed approach makes it possible to carry out a real-time comparison of the dose distribution in a transverse plane between the measurement and the reference when we do an IMRTdose verification.
The collapse of the work enterprise system and the expansion of moral involvement in urban China

Adam Smith first suggested there is a strong link between the development of a nationalistic-oriented government, the rise of a capitalistic economy, and the expansion of an empathic gaze toward another's plight. From this, it follows that once someone becomes aware of misfortune or an injustice, an ethical imperative will arise to do something to alleviate the suffering of others. From this it follows that the more fully integrated a community, the greater its interdependence within the global economy. Communities that are less linked to a national or global economy should have a weakly internalised set of social values such as justice and altruism. To date, there is no study designed to probe this hypothesis. China presents an opportune moment to revisit this discussion. In this paper, I will examine the transformation of the Chinese moral universe as it is reflected primarily in their changing evaluation of the role of the lawyer in Chinese society. In addition, cultural attitudes and patterns of charity donation will also be discussed.
Dolichol metabolism in the rat

Abstract Dolichyl phosphate (Dol-P) is a long chain polyisoprenoid which transfers saccharide residues in N -linked glycoprotein synthesis. It is synthesized by a quantitatively small branch of the cholesterol pathway at a rate which, at least in liver, appears to be independent of the rate of sterol synthesis. This article reviews recent work on the fate of dolichol compounds and the regulation of Dol-P synthesis.
Exponential stability of discrete-time filters for bounded observation noise

This paper proves exponential asymptotic stability of discrete-time filters for the estimation of solutions to stochastic difference equations, when the observation noise is bounded. No assumption is made on the ergodicity of the signal. The proof uses the Hilbert projective metric, introduced into filter stability analysis by Atar and Zeitouni [1,2]. It is shown that when the signal noise is sufficiently regular, boundedness of the observation noise implies that the filter update operation is, on average, a strict contraction with respect to the Hilbert metric. Asymptotic stability then follows.
Parallel Shared-Memory Workloads Performance on Asymmetric Multi-core Architectures

Putting performance asymmetric cores inside the same processor can be a good alternative to obtain high performance per area, throughput and single-threaded performance. However, the impact of running parallel applications on this type of machine is not clear, since most of previous work focused on multi-programmed and server workloads where there is low or no dependence between threads. In this work, we analyze the impact of running parallel shared-memory programs on heterogeneous multi-core setups using six parallel applications with diverse parallelization schemes. Moreover, we show that, in some cases, with a high number of cores, it is better to put one complex core than several simple ones. The impact of sharing the address space between asymmetric cores with private caches was also investigated and the number of invalidations per write access was not greater than a comparable homogeneous configuration.
Efficient adaptive signal and signal dimension estimation using piecewise libraries

Previously, methods to estimate the number of jumps in a piecewise constant signal were presented in the framework of projection libraries. In this paper, these concepts are extended to general piecewise projection libraries appropriate for modeling, for example, piecewise polynomial and piecewise stationary signals. A general piecewise best basis algorithm is also presented that offers an efficient alternative to standard methods. Particularly, an algorithm for best piecewise wavelet basis is shown to reduce the entropy over wavelet packets. While a dynamic programming algorithm can still be employed to efficiently calculate optical estimates for these new piecewise projection libraries, additional modifications are often needed to reduce the computational requirements for practical implementation. An alternative approach, termed subspace pursuit, is presented that is applicable to all projection libraries and is especially suited for signal dimension estimation. The method is an order-recursive least square implementation of matched pursuit that requires roughly twice the computation but has the advantage that at each iteration the coefficients are optimal, that is, are obtained by a projection onto the subspace spanned by signals in the dictionary. Additionally, for the signal dimension estimation problem, an interesting paradox is presented where estimates are shown to be worse with increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) past a certain threshold and to converge to a level less than this optimum performance for infinite SNR.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Coagulation, fibrinolysis, and recanalization after acute deep venous thrombosis.

Abstract Objective: Recanalization is common after acute deep venous thrombosis, but the factors that contribute to its variable extent are unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between recanalization and plasma markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis. Methods: Subjects with an ultrasound-confirmed deep venous thrombosis had prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F 1+2), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) activity, and t-PA antigen levels determined before anticoagulation therapy. Ultrasound and plasma studies were repeated at 14 days, 1 month, and every 3 months for 1 year. Results: Among 71 enrolled subjects, F 1+2 levels normalized within 14 days. The mean t-PA activity was within the normal range at all follow-up intervals. However, the mean t-PA antigen (10.7 ± 10.5 to 13.6 ± 13.5 ng/mL; P =.04) and PAI-1 (9.0 ± 8.1 to 13.2 ± 17.3 U/mL; P =.05) levels increased between the time of presentation and day 14. The mean reduction in thrombus score among 44 patients who completed 9 months of follow-up was 60.9% (± 42.1%). Percent recanalization was directly associated with initial t-PA activity levels ( R =.4; P =.006) and inversely related to F 1+2 ( R = −. 5; P =.004), t-PA antigen ( R = −.5, P =.002), and PAI-1 ( r = −. 5, P =.001) levels. However, only initial F 1+2 ( P =.0009) and t-PA antigen ( P =.004) levels were independent predictors of the degree of recanalization. Conclusion: Although the mechanisms by which the venous lumen is restored are still being elucidated, recanalization is inversely related to levels of activated coagulation (F 1+2) and fibrinolytic inhibition (t-PA antigen) at the time of presentation. (J Vasc Surg 2002;35:278-85.)
Risk factors for preeclampsia in twin pregnancies: A population-based cohort study

Objective: To evaluate in twin pregnancies the characteristics parity, race, smoking, and age, known to be risk factors for preeclampsia in non-twin pregnancies. Methods: All twin pregnancies (3407) and approximately twice as many singletons (8287) were assembled using Washington state birth certificates from the period 1984–1988. Results: In singleton pregnancies, preeclampsia was more common in women who were younger, black, poor, nulliparous, and nonsmokers. In twin pregnancies, similar associations were found, but were only statistically significant for age, race, and parity. There were no significant differences in the risk factors between twin and singleton women. Logistic regression showed that twin pregnancy carries a relative risk (RR) of 3.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0–4.2), nulliparity an RR of 4.0 (95% CI 3.3–4.8), and black race an RR of 1.8 (95% CI 1.2–2.6) for preeclampsia. In each case, this risk is independent of the other risk factors. Conclusion: Twin pregnancy carries nearly a fourfold increased risk of preeclampsia, independent of race and parity, and the risk of a nulliparous twin pregnancy is 14 times that of a parous singleton pregnancy. Risk factors in a singleton pregnancy act similarly in a twin pregnancy. Thus, any pathophysiologic model for preeclampsia needs to account for the risk twin pregnancy poses as well as other risk factors, such as parity and race.
Activation of the Hedgehog pathway in the mouse fetal ovary leads to ectopic appearance of fetal Leydig cells and female pseudohermaphroditism

Proper cell fate determination in mammalian gonads is critical for the establishment of sexual identity. The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway has been implicated in cell fate decision for various organs, including gonads. Desert Hedgehog (Dhh), one of the three mammalian Hh genes, has been implicated with other genes in the establishment of mouse fetal Leydig cells. To investigate whether Hh alone is sufficient to induce fetal Leydig cell differentiation, we ectopically activated the Hh pathway in Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)-positive somatic cell precursors of fetal ovaries. Hh activation transformed SF1-positive somatic ovarian cells into functional fetal Leydig cells. These ectopic fetal Leydig cells produced androgens and insulin-like growth factor 3 (INLS3) that cause virilization of female embryos and ovarian descent. However, the female reproductive system remained intact, indicating a typical example of female pseudohermaphroditism. The appearance of fetal Leydig cells was a direct consequence of Hh activation as evident by the absence of other testicular components in the affected ovary. This study provides not only insights into mechanisms of cell lineage specification in gonads, but also a model to understand defects in sexual differentiation.
The CO 2 -induced thickening/thinning of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets as simulated by a GCM (CCMI) and an ice-sheet model

Scaling analysis shows that the mean thickness of an ice sheet depends on the product of two poorly known quantities, the ice viscosity and the net snow accumulation rate. We adjust the viscosity of an ice sheet in order to get a consistent value of this product for the present-day ice sheet volume and area given the net snow accumulation rate calculated by an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM). We then hold this artificial rheology constant in further numerical experiments. We hope that in doing so we can partially compensate for systematic GCM errors in simulating the snow accumulation rate, and, therefore, thickening/thinning of ice sheets will depend mostly on the tendency in the net accumulation change rather than on its absolute value. Using this approach, the response of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets to doubling CO2 concentration is simulated and the horizontal distribution of possible thickening/thinning of polar ice obtained. We find that, initially, the region of thickening ice is close to the area of increased snowfall rate, but later it significantly changes under the influence of internal ice flow dynamics. The sea-level changes predicted by our experiments agree with some empirical estimates. The sensitivity experiment with assigned basal sliding does not show significant changes in the large-scale ice topography, meaning, for example, that there is no indication of a possible disintegration of the West Antarctic ice sheet. At the same time, the regional thickening/thinning of ice (and consequently the sea-level change) depends strongly on processes at the ice sheet bottom.
Effects of short-term exercise and energy surplus on hormones related to regulation of energy balance

Energy surplus raises circulating concentrations of leptin and insulin while lowering plasma ghrelin. Exercise has the opposite effects. The purpose of this study was to determine whether exercise counters the hormonal effects of energy surplus independent of changes in energy balance. To do that, we assessed plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin, and ghrelin at baseline, after overfeeding, and after overfeeding plus exercise. Baseline (B) leptin and insulin concentrations and ghrelin area under the curve were measured during an oral glucose challenge in 9 healthy, active subjects (6 male, 3 female) after 2 days in energy balance without exercise. Measurements were repeated after subjects were overfed by +3213 +/- 849 kJ/d for 3 more sedentary days (OF). In the third condition, the same net energy surplus (+3125 +/- 933 kJ/d) was generated for 24 hours by doubling the overfeeding (+6284 +/- 1669 kJ/d) and countering it with a bout of exercise (expenditure = 3063 +/- 803 kJ); and measurements were made the next day (OF + EX). Compared with B, leptin went up (5.8 +/- 8.2 to 7.6 +/- 10.6 ng/mL) after OF, but was not significantly higher after OF + EX (7.1 +/- 10.2 ng/mL). Compared with B, insulin was +36% and +43% higher after OF and OF + EX, respectively. In contrast, ghrelin area under the curve did not change after OF but was significantly lower (-14%) than B or OF after OF + EX (indicating greater suppression). These data suggest that the effect of short-term exercise on fasting leptin and insulin depends on energy balance but the ghrelin response may be partially mediated by effects of exercise independent of energy balance.
Two and three dimensional ultrastructure of boutons and glial cells on the motoneuronal surface in the cat spinal cord

A method is presented for individually mounting serial sections on one-hole specimen holders. Also a technique for constructing stereograms based upon serial sections is described including a method for obtaining perspective foreshortening. Ultrastructural findings revealed the surface of the motoneuron to be covered with synaptic boutons which frequently pressed against each other. Surface area not contacted by boutons was covered with astroglial processes. The latter processes wedged around and sometimes between the boutons. On occasion finger-like astrocytic processes (spines) were found to invaginate the terminal boutons. No synaptic thickenings were found between adjacent boutons (axo-axonal contacts) on the perikaryal surface. However, in view of the enormous size of the motoneuron contrasted to the small volume of tissue thus far investigated, this observation is regarded as inconclusive. Three-dimensional studies revealed an astrocytic process with disproportionately large amounts of surface membrane in the form of many interconnected pockets. The initial unmyelinated segment of a large anterior horn cell was encountered and found to have synaptic boutons on its proximal half. Its distal half was surrounded by an extracellular space containing electron dense material similar to that found in the goldfish by Robertson, Bodenheimer, and Stage ('63).
Adult testosterone levels influence the morphology of a sexually dimorphic area in the mongolian gerbil brain

This research shows that the medial preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus (MPOA-AH) of the gerbil contains a sexually dimorphic area (SDA) whose morphology is influenced by adult gonadal steroids. The characteristics of the SDA were studied initially in gonadally intact males and females and later in males and females that had been gonadectomized or gonadectomized and given testosterone. Coronal sections through the MPOA-AH were stained with thionin to visualize the SDA. In male gerbils, the SDA is a darkly staining, hook-shaped structure on either side of the third ventricle, above the suprachiasmatic nuclei and below the anterior commissure. Within the male SDA lies a small, dense cluster of cells, the SDA pars compacta (SDApc). In female gerbils, the SDA is more ovoid and diffuse and the SDApc is absent. Camera lucida tracings and planimeter measurements of the SDA showed that the total volume of the SDA is similar in the two sexes, but the proportion of the SDA that stains darkly and/or stands out clearly from the surround (dark volume) is larger in males. Gonadectomy decreases both total and dark volume of the SDA in both sexes and decreases the volume of the SDApc in males. Testosterone treatment prevents these changes. This is the first report of changes in the gross morphology of the mammalian brain after steroid hormone manipulations in adulthood. The changes in the SDA may be related to testosterone activation of scent marking behavior.
Change Detection for the NASA Generic Transport Aircraft Model

Abstract This paper reports our initial effort on change detection performed on the residuals of sets of probing outputs to monitor the health of a simulated generic transport aircraft model provided by NASA. The probing outputs are estimates of small signal impulse responses generated based on a pulse-compression principle, and designed to be independent of other applied signals around the aircraft control loop. The residuals are the difference between the probing outputs of a potentially faulty system and the stored or calculated probing outputs of a normal system. The samples of residuals are evaluated using the Hotelling's T 2 -test which rejects or accepts the null hypothesis that the samples are from an F -distribution. The paper focuses its discussion on the attempt to reduce detection delay, and presents a simplified analysis on detection threshold, detection delay, and miss detection rate.
What General Educators Have To Say About Successfully Including Students With Down Syndrome in Their Classes

Abstract The purpose of this study was to review the instructor and classroom management procedures of those general education teachers involved in the inclusion of children with Down syndrome who have been rated as successful by the children's parents. Using a parent affiliate list provided by the National Down Syndrome Society, 250 questionnaires were mailed to families in the United States. From this group, 195 parents indicated that they thought their children were included successfully, and they then forwarded questionnaires to their children's general education inclusion teachers. Of those, 189 teachers, from kindergarten through 12th grade, returned their questionnaires. According to the reports from the teachers designated by parents as successfully including students with Down syndrome in their classes, praise was the best motivator for the children with Down syndrome and the most effective learning methods were individual and small-group instruction, hands-on activities, and the use of computers...