cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bone-Conduction Calibration

The audiogram is one of the most powerful tests in health care. It is one of the few that can lead to a diagnosis on its own. Bone-conduction testing gives the audiogram its diagnostic power. Bone-conduction audiometry requires calibration methods that are expensive, cumbersome, and often misunderstood. Because the stimulus is a mechanical vibration, the quantities that are measured (force and acceleration) differ from the sound pressure measurements used to calibrate air-conducted tonal and speech stimuli. This article reviews the history of bone-conduction testing from its Renaissance beginnings, standard and alternative bone-conduction calibration methods, problems in current calibration standards, and the measurement of the performance of wearable and surgical bone-conduction hearing devices.
Analysis of current situation of county-level CDC in Kunming

Objective:To learn about the present status of county center for disease control and prevention in Kunming. Methods:The personnel,equipment,capacity,workload of laboratory department in country-level CDC were investigated by questionnaire survey and on-site investigation. Results:The laboratory departments in different CDCs had different detection functions. There was an average of six people in the laboratory of county-level CDCs. Detection equipment configuration level was lower than the national standard. The detectability of county-level CDC failed to meet national requirements. The detection of the laboratory samples and per capita test volume had a long way to go. Most test samples were from employees in physical examination and disease surveillance. The percent of samples from sudden public health events was only 9. 09%. Conclusion:Lack of staff and testing capacity make the county-level CDCs difficult to effectively handle disease control and prevention and public health emergencies. CDC functions in detection work should be re-positioned and the detection capability should be initiatively maintained.
Carbohydrate components of Paleozoic plants.

The residual monosaccharide components in aqueous and acid extracts of 25 species of Devonian-Permian plant fossils range from traces to 420 micrograms per gram. The species are distributed as follows: Pteridophyta-Psilophytales (2 species), Pteriodophyta-Equisetales (4 species), Pteridophyta-Lycopodiales (9 species), Pteridospermatophyta (6 species), Gymnospermae-Cordaitales (4 species).
Improving rates of screening and prevention by leveraging existing information systems.

Article-at-a-Glance Background In 1997 Virginia Mason Health System (VMMC), a vertically integrated hospital and multispecialty group practice, had no process or system to deliver the right patient clinical data, in the right form, at the right place—when providers needed it for effective patient care. Without any new investment in technology, a work group of five individuals leveraged existing, primarily paper-based information systems to launch development and implementation of a provider prompting tool—a primary care and prevention (PCP) report—which prompted providers to complete screening, prevention, and disease management services at every patient appointment. Planning and Implementing the Tool The work group developed and pilot tested the report and created a mechanism by which the report could be delivered just in time before each patient's appointment. The report integrated information from independent appointment scheduling, laboratory results reporting, patient demographics, and billing data sources. Measuring the PCP Report’s Impact The results of two separate analyses demonstrate improvement in rates of screening and prevention across VMMC soon after the PCP report became available. These results led senior leadership to make the PCP report's utilization a systemwide imperative. Discussion The PCP report is used by nearly all primary care providers as a prompt to complete screening, prevention, and disease management services at every patient appointment.
Utilitarianism and Animals: Peter Singer’s Case for Animal Liberation

Peter Singer can, with justification, be regarded as the founding father of the contemporary animal liberation movement. The increased public awareness of what exactly transpires in our treatment of non-humans — in factory farming, medical research, product testing, and so on — is, to a significant extent, due to the wide circulation of his work. Consequently, anyone who cares about the welfare of non-human animals must acknowledge an enormous debt to Singer. However, it is important to distinguish the beneficial impact Singer’s work has had on public awareness from the philosophical arguments he uses to defend the moral claims of non-humans. The two are logically independent of each other. And this chapter is concerned purely with the philosophical arguments.
Ultrafast four-wave mixing using incoherent light and coherent short-pulsed light

We report a new class of Rabi-detuning oscillation in transient coherent Stokes/anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CSRS/CARS) experiments which use incoherent light to achieve high time resolution.1-3 Ultrahigh time resolution is achieved by mutually delaying in time two nanosecond laser beams derived from the same broadband dye-laser pulse.
276 Fostering inquiry and multi-sectoral humility using the multi-sectoral influences matrix

Background Daniel Boorstin believed: “The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, it is the ‘illusion of knowledge’”. As the scope and complexity of injury and violence prevention and control challenges have grown, it has become evident that no single discipline can provide the solution. Effective public-private and non-traditional partnerships are needed both to understand and address the problem; and to remove the many obstacles posed by competing priorities and opposing interests. Each sector of a community, and even sub-groups of sectors, have their own culture, priorities and “language”. Even if we know that a stakeholder group exists, we may not appreciate how much we do not know about their culture. Objectives 1. Describe the concept of multi-sectoral humility. 2. Introduce the Multi-Sectoral Influences Matrix. 3. Illustrate the relevance of the matrix in education, research and practice. Results The need for the Multi-Sectoral Influences Matrix was inspired by practitioners. Its design and application has been honed over 15 years with feedback from hundreds of students in various disciplines and training settings. This presentation will include examples of breakthrough insights cited by students, as well as opportunities discovered through assets-focused inquiry. Conclusions Challenging assumptions is a key component of critical thinking. No matter where we work in the world, the focus of our injury and violence prevention and control efforts, our level of training, or perceived need for resources and collaboration, we need to develop multi-sectoral humility. Until we do, we will not recognise the full potential of multi-sectoral collaboration.
Patterns of Clinical Reasoning in Physical Therapist Students.

Background and purpose Clinical reasoning is a complex, nonlinear problem-solving process that is influenced by models of practice. The development of physical therapists' clinical reasoning abilities is a crucial yet underresearched aspect of entry-level (professional) physical therapist education. Objectives The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the types of clinical reasoning strategies physical therapist students engage in during a patient encounter. Methods A qualitative descriptive case study design involving within and across case analysis was used. Eight second-year, professional physical therapist students from 2 different programs completed an evaluation and initial intervention for a standardized patient followed by a retrospective think-aloud interview to explicate their reasoning processes. Participants' clinical reasoning strategies were examined using a 2-stage qualitative method of thematic analysis. Results Participants demonstrated consistent signs of development of physical therapy-specific reasoning processes, yet varied in their approach to the case and use of reflection. Participants who gave greater attention to patient education and empowerment also demonstrated greater use of reflection-in-action during the patient encounter. One negative case illustrates the variability in the rate at which students may develop these abilities. Conclusions Participants demonstrated development toward physical therapist--specific clinical reasoning, yet demonstrated qualitatively different approaches to the patient encounter. Multiple factors, including the use of reflection-in-action, may enable students to develop greater flexibility in their reasoning processes.
Penetration Depth and Defect Image Contrast Formation in Grazing-Incidence X-ray Topography of 4H-SiC Wafers

Synchrotron x-ray topography in grazing-incidence geometry is useful for discerning defects at different depths below the crystal surface, particularly for 4H-SiC epitaxial wafers. However, the penetration depths measured from x-ray topographs are much larger than theoretical values. To interpret this discrepancy, we have simulated the topographic contrast of dislocations based on two of the most basic contrast formation mechanisms, viz. orientation and kinematical contrast. Orientation contrast considers merely displacement fields associated with dislocations, while kinematical contrast considers also diffraction volume, defined as the effective misorientation around dislocations and the rocking curve width for given diffraction vector. Ray-tracing simulation was carried out to visualize dislocation contrast for both models, taking into account photoelectric absorption of the x-ray beam inside the crystal. The results show that orientation contrast plays the key role in determining both the contrast and x-ray penetration depth for different types of dislocation.
An Overview of Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome and the Anterior Segment Developmental Disorders

The preceding chapters have described the current research on the genetic, molecular and biochemical basis for Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS). They also provided information on anterior segment disorders by PITX and FOXCl genes characterized by maldevelopment of the anterior segment of the eye. In chapter 1, Dr. Elena Semina described their initial studies that identified the human PITX2 gene on chromosome 4q25 using a positional cloning strategy. This gene was cloned from mouse at the same time by a group from the University of Michigan, and several other groups and has been assigned various names {Rieg, Ptx2, Otlx2, Brxl, ARPl)}'^ The three cardinal features of ARS include specific ocular anomalies of the anterior segment, dental anomalies and redundant periumbilical skin. However, other anomalies were reported in ARS patients such as pituitary, hearing, heart and limb defects that may be associated with other gene defects. Dr. Semina noted that approximately 40% of classic ARS patients have mutations in the PITX2 gene. This indicated that other genes are involved in the etiology of this disorder. Dr. Semina and Dr. Murray as well as others have identified many PITX2 mutations, which are mainly clustered in the homeodomain, however recendy two missense mutations were found downstream of the homeodomain in ARS patients.^ The phenotypic presentations of the ARS patients provided the first clues to the role oi PITX2 in embryogenesis and development of the affected tissues. Drs. Nishimura and Swiderski described their work in chapter 2 on a second locus for ARS, which was identified from chromosomal abnormalities on chromosome 6p25. Their research has identified mutations in the FOXCl gene from patients with Axenfeld anomaly, Rieger anomaly and iris hypoplasia. Subsequendy, FOXCl mutations were associated with ARS patients from several laboratories. FOXCl has been linked to the group of anterior segment disorders including ARS. The authors describe the clinical presentations of patients with FOXCl mutations. The molecular/biochemical studies on FOXCl are evolving and initial work demonstrates that FOXCl mutant proteins are transactivation defective. Dr. Riise has extended the chromosomal loci for ARS by reporting that a small deletion on chromosome 11 was associated with a patient presenting with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome. She described a new ARS patient associated with a PAX6nmtzxion. The affected individual has the three cardinal features of ARS, and FISH analysis using probes for the PAX6gene showed a small deletion in the PAX6 gene on one homologue of chromosome 11. The molecular/
The PISCES 2 parallel programming environment

PISCES 2 is a programming environment for scientific and engineering computations on MIMD parallel computers. It is currently implemented on a flexible FLEX/32 at NASA Langley, a 20 processor machine with both shared and local memories. The environment provides an extended Fortran for applications programming, a configuration environment for setting up a run on the parallel machine, and a run-time environment for monitoring and controlling program execution. This paper describes the overall design of the system and its implementation on the FLEX/32. Emphasis is placed on several novel aspects of the design: the use of a carefully defined virtual machine, programmer control of the mapping of virtual machine to actual hardware, forces for medium-granularity parallelism, and windows for parallel distribution of data. Some preliminary measurements of storage use are included.
The accumulation of orotic acid by a pyrimidineless mutant of Neurospora.

The discovery of orotic acid (1,2-carboxyuracil) in cow's milk by Biscaro and Belloni (1), followed by its identification and synthesis (2-4), led to a number of speculations as to its biological origin and significance (,3,5,6). A definite connection of orotic acid with the biosynthesis of nucleic acid pyrimidines is provided by the finding that orotic acid (7) as well as thymine (8,9) can supplement or replace the folic acid required by certain microorganisms. As suggested by Chattaway (7), it would appear that folic acid has a function in the biosynthesis of pyrimidines. Furthermore, this function is probably concerned in some step prior to the appearance of orotic acid in the biosynthetic series. More recently it was shown by Loring and Pierce (10) that orotic acid could be substituted for uracil in satisfying the growth requirements of some pyrimidineless mutants of the mold Neurospora. Investigations of orotic acid in this laboratory have led to a new method of synthesis of the compound (11) and to some suggestions concerning its relation to the biosynthesis of nucleic acids in Neurospora (12). The results of the present work are in accord with the previous suggestions and provide further evidence on the biological origin and function of orotic acid.
Education in the century XXI

In the last couple of years the Institute Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey "ITESM [7]" has been implementing a new model of education that can fulfill the needs of students and society in the XXI century. In this paper some of these ideas are discussed. The traditional model of education in which professors play the most important role, and the model used at ITESM in which students are the main actors are explained. Some of these ideas were implemented during a summer course taught at Texas AM the experiences obtained using it are presented.
HPV Vaccination and Korean American College Women: Cultural Factors, Knowledge, and Attitudes in Cervical Cancer Prevention

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection that leads to nearly all cervical cancers in the United States (U.S.), which could be prevented with the HPV vaccine. Korean American women experience a high burden of cervical cancer, but little is known about their awareness, knowledge, attitudes, sociocultural factors and social network/support related to intention to obtain the HPV vaccine. This study reports baseline characteristics of 104 Korean American college women aged 18-26 and who have not been previously vaccinated against HPV, as part of a pilot randomized controlled trial testing feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of an HPV storytelling intervention. Data were analyzed including descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to understand the relationship between independent predictors of intention to receive HPV vaccination. Overall, 34.6% of participants intended to obtain the vaccine. Positive predictors of intention to receive HPV vaccine were: years in the U.S., academic major, awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine, knowledge, and HPV recommendation by healthcare provider and parents. The multivariate logistic model showed that intention to receive the HPV vaccine was significantly associated with HPV vaccine recommendation by parents (OR 4.58, 95% CI 1.37-15.36) and knowledge (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.11-1.22). These findings suggest a need for development of interventions that are not only culturally tailored but also acculturation-sensitive to promote HPV vaccination among Korean American college women. This may play a significant role in cervical cancer prevention among Korean American college women.
Biomechanical Comparison of Suture-External Button Fixation vs Internal Suspension Fixation for Tendon Transfers of the Feet:

Background:Fixation of tendon transfers in pediatric feet typically involves passing a suture that is secured to a tendon, through an intraosseous tunnel, and tying it over an external button on th...
Augmenting Diaphragmatic Breathing With Behavioral Exposure: Single-Case Experimental Design for Rumination Disorder

Abstract Objective Rumination disorder (RD) is a feeding/eating disorder and disorder of gut-brain interaction characterized by repeated, effortless regurgitations. Diaphragmatic breathing is the most widely used treatment technique for RD, theoretically as a competing response to the habitual contraction of the abdominal wall. However, in light of diaphragmatic breathing’s lack of effectiveness for some patients, we created a comprehensive treatment to test the incremental effect of behavioral exposure on symptom change. Method In a single-case experimental design, we present the treatment of a 27-year-old patient with a 9-year history of untreated RD. The patient completed a comprehensive six-session cognitive-behavioral treatment for RD, comprising a 1-week phase of self-monitoring regurgitations + psychoeducation (Phase A), a 6-week phase of diaphragmatic breathing (+ identification of secondary maintenance mechanisms) (Phase B), and a 3-week phase of diaphragmatic breathing + behavioral exposure (Phase C). We compared change in daily symptom data between Phases B and C, and also report 20-month follow-up data. Results The patient’s daily regurgitation frequency did not change during Phase B (diaphragmatic breathing alone), even with the elimination of foods that had become associated with regurgitations. However, she achieved a significant reduction in regurgitations during Phase C, with symptom remission extending to 20-month follow-up. Phase C included purposefully breaking learned associations with food stimuli using behavioral exposure. Conclusions Our data suggest that when diaphragmatic breathing alone is not effective in reducing symptoms, further cognitive and behavioral techniques like behavioral exposure can augment the effect of diaphragmatic breathing on symptom reduction.
A Proposed Framework for Enhancing Collaboration in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education:

Collaboration with caregivers and between disciplines and agencies is a recommended practice in the field of early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) as well as required b...
More than a Slogan: Or, how we built a Social Justice Program that made our campus more Just

Today on college campuses in the U.S., “social justice” is everywhere—a bright signal of some institutional wokeness in institutions that have not always been good or awake to the needs of many in their communities. In 2014, I joined the trend, as part of a small group of faculty and staff at Portland Community College, that created a concentration of courses called the Social Justice Focus Award and, the next year, built a curriculum for a capstone class called “Social Justice: Theory & Practice” (SJ210). This article shares this experience for faculty considering building such a course, program, or major; maybe you can learn from our successes (and our mistakes). But in telling this story, I am also tracing the contradictions tied up in the proliferation of “social justice” on college campuses. Even as a marking strategy, for higher ed to claim it’s doing social justice sparks off massive institutional identity conflicts. Higher education’s long-term investment in (scientific) objectivity, neutrality, of teaching students ‘how to think not what to think’ stands in direct contrast to doing the work of justice. So claiming to teach social justice—to grant degrees in it!—begs important questions about the kinds of promises we’re making to our students and our communities, to say nothing of our conception of who we are as institutions. I’ll argue here that if we teach social justice in the framework dictated by traditional higher ed commitments, we probably do a bad job. But we can make good on the promise of social justice if our courses and programs are (1) centered on a student-led, class-defined, campus-based project that (2) involves collective action. That work must be grounded in a classroom that is (3) explicitly not neutral. In our program, we don’t aim at global justice; we aim at making the changes we can make on campus. And what we’ve learned is that by starting there, our students are actually making the world more just. As our students learn to identify injustice, talk about it with others, and enact strategies for change, they are meeting the course’s learning outcomes while improving life for many on campus, including undocumented students, nonbinary students, and students living without housing. Their work has made “social justice” more than a slogan on our campus.
Novel antisense inhibition of diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 for treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial

Summary Background Diacylglycerol-O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) is one of two enzyme isoforms that catalyse the final step in the synthesis of triglycerides. IONIS-DGAT2Rx is an antisense oligonucleotide inhibitor of DGAT2 that is under clinical investigation for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The aim of this trial was to examine the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of IONIS-DGAT2Rx versus placebo in reducing liver fat in patients with type 2 diabetes and NAFLD. Methods This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study consisted of a 2-week screening period, a run-in period of up to 4 weeks, a 13-week treatment period of once-weekly dosing, and a 13-week post-treatment follow-up period. The study was done at 16 clinical research sites in Canada, Poland, and Hungary. Eligible participants were aged 18–75 years, had a body-mass index at screening between 27 kg/m2 and 39 kg/m2, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels from 7·3% to 9·5%, and liver fat content 10% or greater before randomisation, and agreed to maintain a stable diet and exercise routine throughout the study. Enrolled participants were stratified on the basis of liver fat content during the run-in period ( ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03334214 . Findings Between Nov 3, 2017, and Nov 28, 2018, we screened 173 people for eligibility. 44 were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either IONIS-DGAT2Rx (29 participants) or placebo (15 participants). After 13 weeks of treatment, the mean absolute reduction from baseline was −5·2% (SD 5·4) in the IONIS-DGAT2Rx group compared with −0·6% (6·1) in the placebo group (treatment difference −4·2%, 95% CI −7·8 to −0·5, p=0·026). Reductions in liver fat were not accompanied by hyperlipidaemia, elevations in serum aminotransferases or plasma glucose, changes in bodyweight, or gastrointestinal side-effects compared with placebo. Six serious adverse events occurred in four patients treated with IONIS-DGAT2Rx. No serious adverse events were reported in the placebo group. One of four patients reported three serious adverse events: acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiac arrest, and ischaemic cerebral infarction, each considered severe and not related to study drug. Three of four patients reported one serious adverse event of increased blood triglycerides (severe, unrelated to study drug), deep-vein thrombosis (severe, unlikely to be related to study drug), and acute pancreatitis (mild, unrelated to study drug). Interpretation Our results suggest that DGAT2 antisense inhibition could be a safe and efficacious strategy for treatment of NAFLD and support further investigation in patients with biopsy-proven NASH. Based on the pharmacological target, the response to treatment observed in this study population could extend to the broader population of patients with NAFLD. Funding Ionis Pharmaceuticals.
Acoustic Scattering in Deep Ocean Waveguides due to Small Scale Ocean Structure

Abstract : The long-term goal is to contribute to the understanding of long-range propagation of acoustic pulses in deep ocean environments. Emphasis is placed on broadband pulses centered at around 100 Hertz in oceans that have a well defined acoustic waveguide. This effort directly compliments the Long-range Ocean Acoustic Propagation Experiment (LOAPEX) that was performed in the fall of 2004. A primary objective is to test the hypothesis that an stochastic environmental model that includes internal waves and spice is adequate to explain the multiple forward scattering of acoustic pulses as they are propagated in range. The stochastic model is based on measurements of temperature, salinity, and pressure taken during LOAPEX. Of primary consideration is to compare model results to LOAPEX data which used source of approximately 75 Hz, but extrapolation to other source frequencies (e.g. 250 Hz) is also an objective.
Core transcriptional networks in Williams syndrome: IGF1-PI3K-AKT-mTOR, MAPK and actin signaling at the synapse echo autism

Gene networks for disorders of social behavior provide the mechanisms critical for identifying therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Large behavioral phenotypic effects of small human deletions make the positive sociality of Williams syndrome (WS) ideal for determining transcriptional networks for social dysfunction currently based on DNA variations for disorders such as autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCHZ). Consensus on WS networks has been elusive due to the need for larger cohort size, sensitive genome-wide detection and analytic tools. We report a core set of WS network perturbations in a cohort of 58 individuals (34 with typical, 6 atypical deletions and 18 controls). Genome-wide exon-level expression arrays robustly detected changes in differentially expressed gene (DEG) transcripts from WS deleted genes that ranked in the top 11 of 12 122 transcripts, validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR, RNASeq and western blots. WS DEG's were strictly dosed in the full but not the atypical deletions that revealed a breakpoint position effect on non-deleted CLIP2, a caveat for current phenotypic mapping based on copy number variants. Network analyses tested the top WS DEG's role in the dendritic spine, employing GeneMANIA to harmonize WS DEGs with comparable query gene-sets. The results indicate perturbed actin cytoskeletal signaling analogous to the excitatory dendritic spines. Independent protein-protein interaction analyses of top WS DEGs generated a 100-node graph annotated topologically revealing three interacting pathways, MAPK, IGF1-PI3K-AKT-mTOR/insulin and actin signaling at the synapse. The results indicate striking similarity of WS transcriptional networks to genome-wide association study-based ASD and SCHZ risk suggesting common network dysfunction for these disorders of divergent sociality.
Locke’s Ciceronian Liberalism

Few features of John Locke’s political thought have inspired more controversy than his doctrine of natural law. Although he bases his entire political project on it, Locke never completely elaborat...
Does Twitter Strengthen Volatility Forecasts? Evidence from the S&P 500, DJIA and Twitter Sentiment Analysis

The role of public sentiment in stock market volatility has recently become increasingly relevant. Twitter, in theory, offers an inexpensive way to measure real-time public sentiment. We take advantage of a natural experiment to assess the potential improvement that social media adds to forecast performance of ARIMA and ARFIMA models of realized volatility using E-mini S&P 500 (ES) and E-mini DJIA (YM) futures contracts. Comparing models over time, we find that accounting for Twitter sentiment strengthens out-of-sample volatility forecasts across all time periods. While statistical significance exists, economic significance is harder to quantify, and it is unclear if a first-mover advantage exists from continuously monitoring real time Twitter sentiment.
Speculative Experimentation, Exclusion, and Uneven Material Agencies: A Response to Mirka Koro’s Egon Guba Lecture:

This article was presented as a response to Dr. Mirka Koro’s Egon Guba Lecture offered at the 2021 American Educational Research Association Conference.
The scope and processing of for-adverbials: A reply to Deo and Piñango

Deo & Pinango (2011) propose a novel account of measure adverbials like for an hour that focuses on their puzzling scopal behavior, their ability to shift predicates into iterative interpretations, and the higher processing cost that this shift engenders. The scopal behavior, though not the processing cost, had been previously modeled in classical accounts of for-adverbials (e.g. Dowty 1979; Krifka 1998). Unlike these accounts, D&P do not provide a semantic explanation of the aspectual sensitivity of for-adverbials. I argue that only a synthesis of D&P and classical accounts captures the full empirical picture. This synthesis both restores the explanation of the aspectual sensitivity, and improves on D&P’s account of the scopal behavior. It also opens the door to an explanation of data which suggests that the processing cost of iterativity is not uniform, but varies according to the algebraic properties of the underlying predicates.
A self-organizing neural network model for redundant sensory-motor control, motor equivalence, and tool use

A neural network is introduced which provides a solution of the classical motor equivalence problem, whereby many different joint configurations of a redundant manipulator can all be used to realize a desired trajectory in 3-D space. To do this, the network self-organizes a mapping from motion directions in 3-D space to velocity commands in joint space. Computer simulations demonstrated that without any additional learning the network can generate accurate movement commands that compensate for variable tool lengths, clamping of joints, distortions of visual input by a prism, and unexpected limb perturbations. Blind reaches have also been simulated. >
Modeling of the Global Water Cycle: Numerical Models (General Circulation Models)

Atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs) are powerful tools for exploring climate sensitivity and the global water cycle. The wealth of data provided by an AGCM allows a complete statistical characterization of its water cycle, a far more complete picture than would be allowed from real-world observations. AGCM numerical experiments have been used to isolate the mechanisms that control water cycle variability, illustrate the potential for water cycle prediction, and quantify water cycle changes resulting from human activities. The AGCM fields can also be merged with observations (via data assimilation) to provide the best estimates possible of the true water cycle. Unfortunately, biases in simulated fields resulting from coarse resolution and inadequate physical parameterizations continue to plague AGCMs, forcing climate modelers to temper their faith in the models' results. Keywords: general circulation model; earth system model; climate model; AGCM
Space Applications of Artificial Intelligence

We are pleased to introduce the space application issue articles in this issue of AI Magazine. The exploration of space is a testament to human curiosity and the desire to understand the universe that we inhabit. As many space agencies around the world design and deploy missions, it is apparent that there is a need for intelligent, exploring systems that can make decisions on their own in remote, potentially hostile environments. At the same time, the monetary cost of operating missions, combined with the growing complexity of the instruments and vehicles being deployed, make it apparent that substantial improvements can be made by the judicious use of automation in mission operations.
Transcriptional analysis of Bacillus subtilis rRNA-tRNA operons. II. Unique properties of an operon containing a minor 5 S rRNA gene.

This is part of a series of two papers on gene regulation in Bacillus subtilis rRNA-tRNA operons that contain large clusters of tRNA genes. The preceding paper (Vold, B.S., Okamoto, K., Murphy, B.J., and Green, C.J. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 14480-14484) investigates the rrnB operon containing 21 tRNA genes, and this paper investigates a B. subtilis rRNA-tRNA operon containing 16 tRNA genes and a minor 5 S rRNA. Hybridization studies suggest this minor 5 S rRNA occurs as a single copy in the B. subtilis 168 genome. S1 nuclease mapping indicates that this minor 5 S rRNA gene has its own promoter. No promoters have been found immediately 5' to any of the major 5 S rRNA species in B. subtilis rRNA operons. S1 mapping of the spacer region between the 23 S and minor 5 S rRNA revealed that the maturation of the 23 S rRNA in this operon may arise from an unusual processing mechanism. S1 nuclease mapping experiments suggest the existence of a promoter element immediately upstream of the last gene, for tRNA(Leu CAA), in the operon. A precursor leucine tRNA resulting from transcription of this last tRNA gene was observed in Northern hybridizations, and the amounts of this precursor increased during sporulation. A single terminator-like element is located just upstream of this last tRNA gene; however, S1 nuclease mapping experiments suggest that some read-through transcription occurs. Thus, all 16 tRNA genes are under control of the upstream 16 S rRNA promoters and the minor 5 S rRNA promoter. However, the last tRNA gene is primarily under the control of its own unique promoter.
Visualization of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in live Drosophila egg chambers.

In oviparous animals, clathrin-dependent endocytosis is often critical to stockpile a necessary supply of yolk within the maturing oocyte, which enables subsequent embryonic development. In the physically linked chains of maturing egg chambers within the Drosophila melanogaster ovary, a distinct, morphologically discernable, subset undergoes a massive burst clathrin-mediated endocytosis to accumulate yolk in a process termed vitellogenesis. Here, we describe how to prepare isolated ovaries to follow endocytosis, and detail approaches to follow live uptake of soluble reporters into vitellogenic Drosophila egg chambers.
“Just Go To Sleep!” Sleep & Learning

> “There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.” > > —Homer, The Odyssey Does it matter that children and adolescents are sleeping more than an hour less per night than they did a century ago? (Matricciani et al., 2011). Could this difference influence their learning or other aspects of their lives? The answer to each of these questions is a resounding YES . We explore relationships between sleep, learning, and health, starting with basic information about sleep, which occurs in five phases: stages 1–4 and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Stage 4, slow-wave sleep (based on electroencephalograph measurements) occurs mostly in the first half of a night’s sleep; REM sleep occurs more during the second half (Figure 1). Falling asleep, we start in stage 1 and then move progressively though stages 2–4 and into REM. Each cycle lasts about 90 minutes. Figure 1. A typical hypnogram from a young, healthy adult. Light gray areas represent non–rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep (http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih3/sleep/guide/info-sleep.htm). All five stages of sleep – each with its own …
A finite element model of shape memory polymer composite beams for space applications

Summary Structures made of shape memory polymer composite (SMPC), due to their ability to be formed into a desired compact loading shape and then transformed back to their original aperture by means of an applied stimulus, are an ideal solution to deployment problems of large and lightweight space structures. In the literature, there is a wide array of work on constitutive laws and qualitative analyses of SMP materials; dynamic equations and numerical solution methods for SMPC structures have rarely been addressed. In this work, a macroscopic model for the shape fixation and shape recovery processes of SMPC structures and a finite element formulation for relevant numerical solutions are developed. To demonstrate basic concepts, a cantilever SMPC beam is used in the presentation. In the development, a quasi-static beam model that combines geometric nonlinearity in beam deflection with a temperature-dependent constitutive law of SMP material is obtained, which is followed by derivation of the dynamic equations of the SMPC beam. Furthermore, several finite element models are devised for numerical solutions, which include both beam and shell elements. Finally, in numerical simulation, the quasi-static SMPC beam model is used to show the physical behaviors of the SMPC beam in shape fixation and shape recovery. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modified output error method with parameter mismatch compensation for improved performance model reference adaptive control

A method for model reference adaptive control (MRAC) with improved transient performance is introduced. It is shown that with this method the zero-state output error can be made arbitrarily small. For the linear system case, the value of the high frequency gain, k/sub p/, of the plant does not have to be known a priori, i.e., some uncertainty on k/sub p/ is allowed. The structure of the proposed controller allows for existing convergence results such as exponential convergence of output and parameter errors in the presence of sufficiently rich reference inputs to remain valid. It is also shown that the proposed controller demonstrates improved robustness in the presence of bounded disturbances and/or modeled dynamics, as well as in the case in which adaptation is switched off. >
Different temporal patterns of expression result in the same type, amount, and distribution of filamin (ABP) in cardiac and skeletal myofibrils

The morphogenesis of functional myofibrils in chick skeletal and cardiac muscle occurs in greatly different time spans, in about 7 and 2 days, respectively. In chick skeletal myogenic cells, one isoform of the 250 kD actin-binding protein (ABP) filamin is associated with stress fiber-like structures of myoblasts and early myotubes, then disappears for approximately 4 days, whereupon a second filamin isoform reappears at the Z-disc periphery. We sought to determine if cardiac myogenesis involves this sequence of appearance, disappearance, and reappearance of a new filamin isoform in a compressed time scale. It was known that in mature heart, filamin is localized at the Z-disc periphery as in mature (fast) skeletal muscle, and is also associated with intercalated discs. We find that myocardial filamin has an apparent molecular weight similar to that of adult skeletal muscle filamin and lower than that of smooth muscle filamin, and that both skeletal and cardiac muscle contain roughly 200 filamin monomers per sarcomere. Two-dimensional peptide mapping shows that myocardial filamin is very similar to skeletal muscle filamin. Myocardial, slow skeletal, and fast skeletal muscle filamins are all phosphorylated, as previously shown for filamin of non-striated muscle. Using immunofluorescence, we found that filamin could not be detected in the developing heart until the 14-somite stage, when functional myofibrils exist and the heart has been beating for 3 to 4 hours. We conclude that in cardiac and skeletal myogenesis, different sequences of filamin gene expression result in myofibrils with similar filamin distributions and isoforms.
Acquisition and extinction of an instrumental response as a function of delay of intracranial stimulation reward and amount of training

Rats were trained to barpress for intracranially delivered electrical stimulation under conditions of 0.0-, 0.5-, and 1.0-sec delay of reward before initiating extinction trials. One group received 3, and another 10, training days with each delay interval Both delay of reward and amount of training influenced acquisition performance, but neither affected extinction rate. Results are discussed in terms of a hypothesis implicating mediating responses as the critical factor determining extinction rates in the ICR situation.
Facile synthesis of anisotropic Au@SiO2 core–shell nanostructures

Anisotropic Au@SiO2 core–shell nanostructures have been fabricated from CTABr-stabilized Au nanoparticles with a facile synthesis involving a single growth solution. This procedure circumvents tedious surface modification steps and allows for the SiO2 shell thickness to be tuned from 5 to 20 nm by modulating the nanoparticle number density and concentration of silica precursor.
A rare presentation of locally re-recurrent colon cancer involving the iliac bone and a review of the literature

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in the USA. While locally advanced rectal cancer involving bone has been described extensively, colon cancer locally involving bone has only been described, to our knowledge, in a single case report. In this case report, we describe the presentation and treatment of locally advanced re-recurrent colon cancer involving the iliac bone. We also discuss the available literature on treatment for recurrent and re-recurrent colorectal cancer.
Associations of serum carotenoid levels with serum insulin-like growth factor-i and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 levels in black men and white men.

Carotenoids in tomatoes are hypothesized to play a chemopreventive role in prostate cancer ([1][1]); lycopene, in particular, has received considerable attention as a potent antioxidant because it seems to be the most effective quencher of singlet oxygen and free radicals ([2][2]). In addition,
Combining laparoscopic giant paraesophageal hernia repair with sleeve gastrectomy in obese patients.

Surgical treatment for giant paraesophageal hernias (PEH) in morbidly obese patients (BMI > 35) continues to be a difficult problem. Prior studies have demonstrated recurrence rates of up to 40 % with higher rates in morbidly obese patients. Reports have shown success combining repair with a bariatric procedure to decrease recurrence rates while achieving weight loss. We report mid-term results from a larger series with combining laparoscopic giant PEH repair with sleeve gastrectomy (SG). We reviewed all combined cases of PEH repairs with SG done at a single institution from 2008 to 2013. The surgical technique was standardized and absorbable bio-prosthetic buttress crural closure reinforcement was used selectively. Yearly upper gastrointestinal radiographic (UGI) studies and postoperative Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Health-Related Quality of Life questionnaires were completed. 33 patients were enrolled; 18 patients (55 %) completed the study No 30-day morbidity or mortality occurred. 16 patients were female; the average age was 55.3 ± 11.4 years (30–72) with follow-up from surgery of 19.9 ± 16.7 months (6–66). The average weight loss was 23.5 ± 12.7 kg (8–57); excess body weight loss was 46 ± 25.8 % (18–112). Based on the UGIs, 9/18 (50 %) had no evidence of hernia recurrence, while 6/18 (33 %) demonstrated a small (<2 cm) recurrence. 3/18 (17 %) patients had evidence of moderate recurrence (3–5 cm). Postoperative GERD-HRQL scores revealed an average score of 10 ± 7 (2–26). All patients reported being “satisfied” with their operation and weight loss and also had a significant improvement in foregut symptoms. No patient has required surgical revision and residual symptoms responded to conservative management. PEH in morbidly obese patients remain a complex surgical problem. Our case series shows that combination with SG may decrease recurrence rates but more importantly leads to lower rates of reoperation for symptomatic recurrence. Patients also garner the added medical benefits of weight loss.
Radiofrequency therapy of the lower esophageal sphincter for treatment of GERD

Recent years have witnessed the introduction of a multitude of novel therapies for GERD. Prominent among these is the Stretta procedure, an endoluminal therapy in which radiofrequency energy is delivered to the esophagogastric junction (EGJ). At first glance that may seem a strange way to treat what is generally thought to be either an oversensitive or overstimulated distal esophagus. However, in other organ systems radiofrequency energy has been shown capable of ablating aberrant nerve pathways as in Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome,1 tightening lax tissue as in damaged joints,2 shrinking the prostate in benign prostatic hypertrophy,3 shrinking liver tumors,4 and volumetric reduction of the palate in snoring and sleep apnea.5 In each case, the mechanism of action targets the underlying pathophysiology of the disease process, be it neurolysis or tissue necrosis with subsequent scarring. Thus, the underlying hypothesis of the Stretta procedure is that one or both of these potential effects will prove beneficial in the treatment of GERD. If there is one true cliche of GERD it is that it is a heterogeneous clinical entity with a multitude of potential causative factors that has consistently defied all attempts at a simple definition. Consider for example the definition of GERD recently labored over by the Genval workshop, “...all individuals who are exposed to the risk of physical complications from gastrooesophageal reflux, or who experience clinically significant impairment of health related well being (quality of life) due to reflux related symptoms, after adequate assurance of the benign nature of their symptoms.”6 This definition was carefully crafted so as to encompass the multitude of GERD syndromes including the following: (1) esophagitis and its complications with or without corresponding esophageal symptoms, (2) esophageal symptoms without corresponding esophagitis or complications of esophagitis, or (3) extraesophageal reflux-related symptoms with or without accompanying esophageal manifestations. Clearly, if it is so difficult to define an entity, one can anticipate equal difficulty in finding a uniformly effective therapy. A corollary of that is that a multitude of potential therapies can be anticipated. One need spend little time on the Internet to appreciate that this prediction has been realized. It is from this perspective that the Stretta procedure will be analyzed. First, what is actually known about the physiologic effects of this intervention? Second, what are the resultant effects of this intervention on each potential manifestation of GERD?