cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discurso da Servidão Voluntária:relações de força e de liberdade na obra de La Boétie

O objetivo do presente trabalho e propiciar um discernimento ante as ambiguidades suscitadas pelo Discurso da Servidao Voluntaria no seu percurso historico, desde seu nascedouro, passando pelas apropriacoes de determinados grupos, ate as diferentes opticas de leitura. Na tentativa de compreender o porque da servidao voluntaria, Etienne de La Boetie reescreve as bases do poder a luz da Antiguidade, donde originam-se as relacoes de forca. A insuficiencia de respostas convincentes na motivacao da servidao remete o Autor a buscar luzes nas relacoes de liberdade, ja que e natural ao homem ser livre, mas nao e natural ao homem servir. La Boetie tece consideracoes que permitem concluir que na tirania a cumplicidade, a igualdade e o companheirismo podem soar extremamente falsos. O antidoto mais eficaz no enfrentamento destes desvios, como forma de reencontrar a liberdade esquecida, e o bom exercicio da amizade. A atualidade do Discurso da Servidao Voluntaria reside no fato de ser um perene paradigma para a analise de todo e qualquer tipo de exercicio da tirania. A sabedoria que permite decifrar as estrategias do poder despotico, bem como sua desmistificacao, assim como a amizade que, uma vez re-politizada permite novas relacoes no espaco publico, se apresentam como escapatorias a viciosa e comum servidao voluntaria
Deer-mediated changes in environment compound the direct impacts of herbivory on understorey plant communities

Summary In forests of eastern North America, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can directly affect, via herbivory, the presence, abundance and reproductive success of many plant species. In addition, deer indirectly influence understorey communities by altering environmental conditions. To examine how deer indirectly influence understorey plants via environmental modification, we sampled vegetation and environmental variables in- and outside deer exclosures (10–20 years old) located in temperate forests in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA. We assessed how excluding deer affected understorey community composition and structure, the soil and light environment, and relationships between direct and indirect effects, using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), mixed linear models and nonparametric multiplicative regression (NPMR). Excluding deer altered sapling communities and several aspects of the understorey environment. Excluding deer from plots with lower overstory basal area increased sapling abundance, decreasing the amount of light available to groundlayer plants. Exclusion also reduced soil compaction and the thickness of the soil E horizon. The composition of understorey communities covaried in apparent response to the environmental factors affected by exclusion. In several common species and groups, E horizon thickness, compaction, openness, and/or total (sapling and overstory) basal area were significant predictors of plant frequency. Complementary analyses revealed that deer exclusion also altered the frequency distributions of several species and groups across environmental space. Synthesis. Deer alter many facets of the understorey environment, such as light availability, soil compaction and thickness of the soil E horizon, which, in turn, appear to mediate variation in plant communities. Those environmental modifications likely compound direct impacts of herbivory as drivers of understorey community change. Our results provide evidence that deer effects on the environment have important implications for forest composition. Thus, we suggest a re-examination of the common assumption that understorey community shifts stem primarily from tissue removal.
INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OF SYMPTOMATIC PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE FOR ADVERSE OUTCOMES, POOR GRAFT SURVIVAL AND LENGTH OF HOSPITAL STAY FOLLOWING HEART TRANSPLANTATION: AN ANALYSIS OF 22,820 HEART TRANSPLANTS FROM THE UNOS DATABASE

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a risk factor for increased long term mortality following heart transplantation (HT). However, data on the incidence of adverse events, length of hospitalization immediately following HT and long term graft survival time in patients with PAD is
R. B. Woodward: A Larger-than-Life Chemistry Rock Star.

To mark the 100th birthday of R. B. Woodward (April 10, 1917-July 8, 1979), a discussion and analysis of Woodward's persona is given. The fundamental theme is that "Woodward experienced his own exceptionality," as described by Albert Eschenmoser, Woodward's partner in the vitamin B12 project. Woodward's rock star personality is explored and discussed as one of his legacies in addition to his scientific achievements. Woodward presented himself to his students, colleagues, and fellow chemists with an aura of nobility and romanticism.
A sustainability index with attention to environmental justice for eco-city classification and assessment

Abstract Sustainability programs and their assessments have often been criticized for failing to support social justice. Eco-city development has also raised similar concerns. This research was conducted in order to address such problems. Specifically, this paper develops a new sustainability index that emphasizes environmental justice for the purpose of better classifying and assessing eco-cities. The proposed index measures equity among places as a result of eco-city development. Specifically, this index indicates instances in which a certain location achieves sustainability through means detrimental to another location. Thus, the index, comprised of environmental, economic, and social indicators of sustainability, may also be used to foster justice among diverse locations (urban centers, suburbs, rural areas, and neighboring cities) by highlighting the genuine motives behind eco-city development. One preliminary finding from the application of this classification is that oftentimes, eco-city development is not completed in the environmental, economic, or social interests of the people. Official eco-cities tend to serve government officials’ interest in upper mobility. Developer eco-cities tend to be commercial expansions or developments focused on growth, profit, and model demonstration. Both official and developer eco-cities degrade the environment. They are also likely to develop urban centers at the environmental expense of other places. The economic growth of official and developer eco-cities is accompanied by worsening income inequality and social injustice. As a result, these types of eco-cities fail the sustainability performance assessment. Conversely, eco-cities founded by the citizens or by donors tend to focus on social and economic equity. This study was completed using qualitative research methods, including field work in 29 eco-cities throughout China and various countries. This field work was conducted from 2006 to 2014. Data was collected through interviews with 87 government officials, as well as environmental experts, grassroots environmentalists, residents, and real estate developers. The findings reveal that the majority of Chinese eco-cities have been overlooked in global eco-city literature. The research also calls for effective sustainability management in order to avoid the development of eco-cities that negatively impact the environmental and social interests of surrounding areas.
Pediatric Patch Testing: A 10-Year Retrospective Study

M Ascha, M Irfan, J Bena, JS Taylor, A Sood. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2016;117(6):661–667 To review the demographics, referral criteria, efficacy of testing, and comorbid conditions among patients who are evaluated by patch testing for concern for allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Data were collected from 157 pediatric patients (3–18 years old, median 13 years old) who were evaluated for patch testing at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Department of Dermatology from 2005–2015. Of participants, 58.6% were female, and 68.8% were atopic. A retrospective chart review was conducted with …
Bressoud's conjecture

Abstract In 1980, D. M. Bressoud obtained an analytic generalization of the Rogers–Ramanujan–Gordon identities. He then tried to establish a combinatorial interpretation of his identity, which specializes to many well-known Rogers–Ramanujan type identities. He proved that a certain partition identity follows from his identity in a very restrictive case and conjectured that the partition identity holds true in general. In this paper, we prove Bressoud's conjecture for the general case by providing bijective proofs.
Right ventricular dysfunction in congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries and risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia and sudden death

Abstract Background It is unknown whether systemic right ventricular (SRV) dysfunction confers increased risk for sudden death in congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA). We sought to define risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death attributable to systemic right ventricular dysfunction in ccTGA. Methods The study cohort is comprised of adult patients with a diagnosis of ccTGA. Clinical information and clinical outcomes including ICD therapy, incidence of VT/VF, and cause of death were reviewed. Results 129 patients with ccTGA were followed for 7.2 ± 3.4 years. Mean SRV ejection fraction (SRVEF) was 39% ( n = 56 with an EF 35% ( p 35%. However, risk of sudden death was higher in patients with SRV EF p = 0.002). The combined clinical endpoint of ICD therapy, clinically significant VT/VF, and sudden death was significantly higher in patients with SRV EF 35%, independent of the presence of LV EF p Conclusions Dysfunction of the systemic RV in ccTGA increases the risk of sudden death and clinically significant ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Further study is needed to determine if ventricular tachyarrhythmias comprise the primary cause of sudden death in these patients and if ICDs offer any significant mortality benefit.
A Basis for Christian Psychology: A Reply to Grounds:

A discussion of Grounds’ five objections to the thesis that by studying man's behavior and character we can come to a better understanding of God's behavior and character.
Has demonetization triggered farmers to move towards cashless transactions

This paper has documented the difficulties faced by farmers due to demonetization, facilities existing for making digital payments and farmers’ opinion about it. The study has used primary data collected through farm survey done in October 2017, almost a year after demonetization. The survey was made in three adopted villages under MGMG (Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav) scheme in Palwal district of Haryana. Results have shown that due to demonetization farmers faced numerous difficulties (both crop production and family related activities). They could not use quality inputs (particularly seeds of wheat) in desired quantity, got delayed payment of their crop produce and faced problems in drawing money from bank. Familyandsocietal needswerealsoaffected. Payment incashwas the main mode of transactions(and even now) forfood and non-food articles. Analysis revealed that large number of farmers have bank account and are availing facilities of debit cum ATM card, but their functional literacy and infrastructure are inadequate. Farmers’ expressed both merits and demerits about digital payments. Nevertheless, without removing fear of farmers and other rural people and bringing change in their attitude, moving towards digital mode of transactions will not trigger desired results.
Strategies in technology-enhanced language learning

The predominant context for strategy research over the last three decades has focused on language learning situated in a conventional classroom environment. Computer technology has brought about many changes in language learning and has become ecological and normalized rather than a supporting tool in the language classroom. Consequently, the landscape of language learning has been rapidly and largely changed with the normalization of technologies in people’s daily communication. The pervasive use of mobile technologies and easy access to online resources require that digital language learners understand and employ appropriate learning strategies for learning effectiveness and that their teachers are able and willing to teach these strategies as needed. This article provides an overview of the state-of-the-art research into technology-enhanced language learning strategies. The strategies under review include those for language learning skill areas, language subsystems, and self-regulated learning. At the end, we discuss the pressing issues that Digital Age language learning has posed to learners, teachers, and researchers and propose considerations for strategy research in digital realms.
Tracheostomy for Ventilator Dependence in the Elderly Patient: A Preliminary Report:

With advances in medical technology and increasing numbers of elderly patients surviving acute intensive care unit admissions, otolaryngologic consultation regarding tracheostomy for ventilator-dependent patients is expected to continue increasing. However, established treatment guidelines and defined outcomes in terms of health status, quality of life, and medical costs are lacking in this emotionally delicate setting. A retrospective case review of the outcomes of 19 elderly patients who underwent tracheostomy for ventilator dependence revealed that 14 had died within 40 days of surgery. The high number of deaths--which were caused by multiple organ failure, sepsis, and/or cardiopulmonary arrest--so soon after tracheostomy demands the implementation of outcomes research. In this article, we introduce outcomes analysis as a means of assessing the utility of tracheostomy for ventilator dependence in the elderly and to advocate the establishment of a multidisciplinary palliative-care unit for this group of patients.
Systemic Medications: Opioids, Sedatives, Inhalational Agents

This chapter discusses normal doses for opioids and PCAs during labor. It also discusses the effects of volatile halogenated agents on the uterine tone.
On the Computation of Sparse Solutions to the Controllability Problem for Discrete-Time Linear Systems

In this work, we address the fundamental problem of steering the state of a discrete-time linear system to the origin after a given (finite) number of stages by means of the sparsest possible control sequence, that is, the sequence of inputs comprised of the maximum possible number of null elements. In our approach, the latter controllability problem is associated with the problem of finding either the minimum 1-norm solution or the minimum p-norm, with p taking values greater than zero and less than one, solution of an under-determined system of linear equations, which are both known to exhibit good sparsity properties under certain technical assumptions. Motivated by practical considerations, we compute approximate solutions to the latter optimization problems by utilizing the class of iteratively weighted least squares algorithms from the literature of compressive (or compressed) sensing. This particular choice of algorithms is motivated by (1) their straightforward implementation, which makes them appealing to the non-expert and (2) the fact that some of the most costly operations involved in their implementation can be carried out recursively by leveraging well-known properties of the controllability Grammian of a discrete-time linear system. Finally, we apply the proposed approach to a spacecraft proximity operation problem and in particular, a linearized impulsive fixed-time minimum-fuel rendezvous problem in which the 1-norm serves as a proxy to the fuel consumption at a given time interval.
Fluorescence microscopy of biophysical protein dynamics in nanoporous hydrogels

Proteins within nanoporous hydrogels have important biotechnological applications in pharmaceutical purification, tissue engineering, water treatment, biosensors, and medical implants. Yet, oftentimes proteins that are functional in solution lose activity when in contact with soft, nanostructured, condensed phase materials due to perturbations in the folded state, conformation, diffusion, and adsorption dynamics of the protein by the material. Fluorescence microscopy experimentally measures the biophysical dynamics of proteins within hydrogels at the nanoscale and can overcome the limitations of conventional ensemble techniques. An explanation of the benefits of fluorescence is provided, and principles of fluorescence microscope instrumentation and analysis are discussed. Then several nanoscale fluorescence microscopies that image nanoscale protein dynamics within hydrogels are introduced. First, location-based super-resolution imaging resolves the adsorption kinetics of proteins to charged ligands within hydrogels used in pharmaceutical separations. Next, correlation-based super-resolution techniques image the heterogeneity of the nanoscale pore size of the hydrogels and the diffusion of analytes within the pores simultaneously. Finally, fluorescence resonance energy transfer imaging combined with temperature jump perturbations determines the folding and stability of a protein within hydrogels. A common finding with all three fluorescence microscopies is that heterogeneous nanoporous hydrogel materials cause variability of protein behavior dependent on gel sterics and/or interfacial electrostatic forces. Overall, in situ observations of proteins in hydrogels using fluorescence microscopies can inform and inspire soft nanomaterial design to improve the performance, shelf life, and cost of biomaterials.
The contribution of duff consumption to fire emissions and air pollution of the Rough Ridge Fire

It is typically difficult to burn duff because of high fuel moisture; however, under persistent drought conditions, duff will burn readily. This study investigates the burning of a deep duff layer by the 2016 Rough Ridge Fire, in the southern United States, under drought conditions and evaluates the contribution of duff consumption to fire emissions and air pollution. Fuel loading was measured and used to evaluate the BlueSky framework. Smoke was simulated for three fuel loading and moisture scenarios of field measurement, BlueSky estimated fuel loading, and a hypothetical moist condition. The measured fuels had a very deep duff layer that had accumulated over decades due to the lack of historical fires, most of which was burned by the fire. The burning of this deep duff layer contributed substantially to the increased fire emissions at the fire site and the air pollution in metro Atlanta. In contrast, BlueSky under-predicted duff loading and fire emissions. As a result, no major air pollution episodes were predicted for metro Atlanta. The high-moisture scenario also failed to produce a major air-pollution episode within Atlanta, which highlights the contribution of the drought to the air-pollution episode within Atlanta.
Heat conduction in porcine muscle and blood: experiments and time-fractional telegraph equation model.

This paper presents experimental evidence for the damped-hyperbolic nature of transient heat conduction in porcine muscle tissue and blood. An examination of integer order and Maxwell–Cattaneo heat...
Differences in Nutrient Intake and Diet Quality Between Non-Hispanic Black and Non-Hispanic White Men in the United States.

ObjectivesNon-Hispanic black (NHB) men have higher rates of chronic disease than men in other racial/ethnic groups. Poor diet quality is one risk factor for chronic disease, but research on the die...
Using Pooled Heteroskedastic Ordered Probit Models to Improve Small-Sample Estimates of Latent Test Score Distributions:

This article describes an extension to the use of heteroskedastic ordered probit (HETOP) models to estimate latent distributional parameters from grouped, ordered-categorical data by pooling across...
Understanding Veterans Expression of Anger Using Social Media Analysis

Millions of US service members have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade. When returning home, many veterans experience difficulties reintegrating into civilian society. Veterans are often faced with challenges finding employment, completing higher education and reconnecting to friends and family. These challenges often result in or exacerbate existing mental health issues. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that impacts between 15-20% of veterans. It is a national priority to find innovative solutions to PTSD experienced by veterans returning from their duty. There is very little research on identifying Angry Outburst (AOB) specific pre-crisis data in social media posts, within the veteran community, as a preventative measure against escalated at-risk behavior and negative outcomes. In this paper, we outline a threephase approach to identify veteran AOB specific pre-crisis text data. The key objective of our study is to examine twitter posts to reveal how anger is expressed by both the veteran population and civilians. We identify a lexicon of terms that are more common among veterans with PTSD prone to AOB. Our study emphasizes the difference in language used on social media between both veteran and civilian population. We expand the knowledge base of AOB specific pre-crisis events on social media within veteran communities. This research will contribute to a broader study on building preventative mHealth systems to combat PTSD in veterans.
Urban stream temperature patterns: Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the Philadelphia region, Pennsylvania, USA

Stream temperature is a critical water quality parameter that is not fully understood, particularly in urban areas. This study explores drivers contributing to stream temperature variability within an urban system, at 21 sites within the Philadelphia region, Pennsylvania, USA. A comprehensive set of temperature metrics were evaluated, including temperature sensitivity, daily maximum temperatures, time >20°C, and temperature surges during storms. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were the strongest driver of downstream temperature variability along 32 km in Wissahickon Creek. WWTP effluent temperature controlled local (1–3 km downstream) temperatures year‐round, but the impacts varied seasonally: during winter, local warming of 2–7°C was consistently observed, while local cooling up to 1°C occurred during summer. Summer cooling and winter warming were detected up to 12 km downstream of a WWTP. Comparing effects from different WWTPs provided guidelines for mitigating their thermal impact; WWTPs that discharged into larger streams, had cooler effluent, or had lower discharge had less effect on stream temperatures. Comparing thermal regimes in four urban headwater streams, sites with more local riparian canopy had cooler maximum temperatures by up to 1.5°C, had lower temperature sensitivity, and spent less time at high temperatures, although mean temperatures were unaffected. Watershed‐scale impervious area was associated with increased surge frequency and magnitude at headwater sites, but most storms did not result in a surge and most surges had a low magnitude. These results suggest that maintaining or restoring riparian canopy in urban settings will have a larger impact on stream temperatures than stormwater management that treats impervious area. Mitigation efforts may be most impactful at urban headwater sites, which are particularly vulnerable to stream temperature disruptions. It is vital that stream temperature impacts are considered when planning stormwater management or stream restoration projects, and the appropriate metrics need to be considered when assessing impacts.
Alcohol intake in early adulthood and risk of colorectal cancer: three large prospective cohort studies of men and women in the United States.

Heavy alcohol consumption in mid-adulthood is an established risk factor of colorectal cancer (CRC). Alcohol use in early adulthood is common, but its association with subsequent CRC risk remains largely unknown. We prospectively investigated the association of average alcohol intake in early adulthood (age 18–22) with CRC risk later in life among 191,543 participants of the Nurses’ Health Study ([NHS], 1988–2014), NHSII (1989–2015) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1988–2014). Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), which were pooled using random effects models. We documented 2,624 CRC cases. High alcohol consumption in early adulthood (≥ 15 g/day) was associated with a higher CRC risk (multivariable HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.99–1.66, Ptrend = 0.02; Pheterogeneity = 0.44), after adjusting for potential confounding factors in early adulthood. Among never/light smokers in early adulthood, the risk associated with high alcohol consumption in early adulthood was elevated (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.04–2.24), compared with those who had < 1 g/day of alcohol intake. The suggestive higher CRC risk associated with high alcohol consumption in early adulthood was similar in those who had < 15 g/day (HR 1.35, 95% CI 0.98–1.86) versus ≥ 15 g/day of midlife alcohol intake (HR 1.35, 95% CI 0.89–2.05), compared with nondrinkers in both life stages. The findings from these large prospective cohort studies suggest that higher alcohol intake in early adulthood may be associated with a higher risk of developing CRC later in life.
A Critical Approach to Service-Learning Criminal Justice and Criminology Courses

This case study provides an analysis of the utilization of critical service-learning (CSL) pedagogy in an upper-division Criminal Justice and Criminology course. Although service-learning is frequently used in the pedagogy of Criminal Justice and Criminology, critical-service-learning has yet to be examined as an effective teaching tool within the discipline. This paper highlights the benefits of utilizing a critical service-learning pedagogy within the field of Criminal Justice and Criminology while focusing on the role of the community partner.
Mitochondrial Regulation of Inflammation in Cancer

Inflammation can occur in response to transient or chronic conditions. Transient inflammation is beneficial during injury or invasion of pathogens. Chronic inflammation presents an unresolved response which can have harmful consequences to the host system. Inflammation is prevalent in multiple human diseases. Current studies provide a strong association between inflammation and cancer. Mitochondrial dysfunction augments the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) to support inflammation and proliferation via release of various cytokines. Inflammation, in turn, can further induce mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) to create a feedback loop of inflammatory insult, which supports the growth and survival of tumor cells. Current pharmacological agents seek to exploit this process by targeting either the mitochondria or downstream targets of the mitochondria which promote inflammation. This chapter delves into the origins of mitochondrial dysfunction and the corresponding signaling pathways that regulate inflammation in cancer.
Three-dimensionality in vertebral pathology: the horizontal plane is hidden in every scoliotic deformity

The main idea of the paper is that any scoliotic deformity of the spine is a deformity primarily occurring in the sagittal plane. This statement is confirmed by anatomical and clinical data, results of the use of imaging techniques, and biomechanical data. The proposed concept significantly affects the solution of strategic and technical problems in the course of both conservative and surgical treatment of patients with scoliosis. It should be realized that scoliotic deformity is a compensatory response within the balance chain to a rotational phenomenon occurring in the frontal plane. The goal of the doctor is to achieve the balance of the patient's body through understanding its three-dimensionality and realizing the importance of taking into account the horizontal plane.
A Tensor Processing Framework for CPU-Manycore Heterogeneous Systems

Future CPU-manycore heterogeneous systems can provide high peak throughput by integrating thousands of simple, independent, energy-efficient cores in a single die. However, there are two key challenges to translating this high peak throughput into improved end-to-end workload performance: (1) manycore co-processors rely on simple hardware putting significant demands on the software programmer; and (2) manycore co-processors use in-order cores that struggle to tolerate long memory latencies. To address the manycore programmability challenge, this paper presents a dense and sparse tensor processing framework based on PyTorch that enables domain experts to easily accelerate off-the-shelf workloads on CPUmanycore heterogeneous systems. To address the manycore memory latency challenge, we use our extended PyTorch framework to explore the potential for decoupled access/execute (DAE) software and hardware mechanisms. More specifically, we propose two software-only techniques, naive-software DAE and systolic-software DAE, along with a lightweight hardware access accelerator to further improve area-normalized throughput. We evaluate our techniques using a combination of PyTorch operator microbenchmarking and real-world PyTorch workloads running on a detailed register-transfer-level model of a 128-core manycore architecture. Our evaluation on three real-world dense and sparse tensor workloads suggest these workloads can achieve approximately 2-6× performance improvement when scaled to a future 2,000-core CPU-manycore heterogeneous system compared to an 18-core out-of-order CPU baseline, while potentially achieving higher area-normalized throughput and improved energyefficiency compared to general-purpose graphics processing units.
Effect of 6–8 weeks of oral ursodeoxycholic acid administration on serum concentrations of fasting and postprandial bile acids and biochemical analytes in healthy dogs

Background Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is commonly used for the treatment of hepatobiliary disease. UDCA is a bile acid that can be detected in the bile acid assay. Its effect on biochemical analytes is unknown. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 6–8 weeks of UDCA administration on fasting and postprandial concentrations of serum bile acids (SBA), cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin, and liver enzyme activities in healthy dogs. Methods Twenty healthy dogs received UDCA for 6–8 weeks. CBC, biochemistry profile, urinalysis, fasting and postprandial SBA, and hepatobiliary ultrasound examination were performed prior to starting UDCA (timepoint 0) and after 6–8 weeks of therapy, while animals were still receiving UDCA (timepoint 1). Timepoint 0 and timepoint 1 values were compared with a paired t-test. SBA were remeasured 72 hours after UDCA discontinuation. Results Only mean fasting SBA at timepoint 1 increased significantly (P = .03) from timepoint 0 (2.26 μmol/L at time 0 and 3.81 μmol/L at time 1) but were not elevated above the normal reference interval (0–9 μmol/L). Two dogs had timepoint 1 fasting SBA above the reference interval (10 and 11.7 μmol/L). One dog had timepoint 1 postprandial SBA above the reference interval at 20.1 μmol/L (reference interval 0–17 μmol/L). Repeat SBA 72 hours after UDCA discontinuation were normal. Conclusions Long-term administration of UDCA to healthy dogs may increase fasting SBA above pretreatment values (typically within the reference interval). Long-term administration of UDCA to healthy dogs does not alter liver enzyme activities, and bilirubin, cholesterol, or triglyceride concentrations.
A Smoothing Algorithm for Improved Tracking in Clutter and Multitarget Environment

The probabilistic data association filter (PDAF) has been proven to be a very good practical approximation to the otherwise computationally impractical, optimal or nearly optimal algorithms for the problem of tracking targets in cluttered or multi-target environments. In this paper, we develop a smoothing algorithm in the spirit of the PDAF, called the PDAS, in order to incorporate the advantages of smoothing techniques to the tracking problem. Various methods of using the smoothing techniques without undue or excessive increase in the computational method are briefly described.
Flight inspection-the "state of the art"

Flight Inspection encompasses the verification of navigational aids (e.g. VOR's, ILS's, GPS) in the air to ensure that the guidance signals emanating from these ground/air facilities as received by the user (Aviation Community) are within specification. This paper provide a brief tutorial on flight inspection concepts, fundamental techniques utilized for measurement and a typical system configuration employed on many of today's flight inspection aircraft. The balance of the paper focuses on the attributes of the latest generation Flight Inspection System (FIS) currently being developed for the US FAA by Gull Electronics Systems Division (Gull) of Parker Hannifin Corporation. The system consisting of airborne and ground components, employs the latest receiver, display and computer technology capitalizing on many developments achieved by both commercial and military aviation. The adaptation of Color Active Matrix LCD's for operator displays, state-of-the-art GPS for improved positioning and DATALINK to enhance air/ground communications for routine deployment and emergency dispatch, will ensure the ultimate Flight Inspection platform leading into the 21th century. >
We are not babysitters: Family child care providers redefine work and care

We Are Not Babysitters: Family Child Care Providers Redefine Work and Care. Mary C. Tuominen. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. 2003. 207 pp. ISBN 0-8135-3283-3. $22.00 (paper). ISBN 0-8135-3282-5. $60.00 (hardcover). According to 2003 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 75% of mothers with children under the age of 18 and 58% of mothers with children under the age of 6 currently are employed in the United States. These growing employment rates translate into rising public demand for child care. To be able to contribute economically to their families, employed mothers rely on child-care providers, who are most likely to be women of color. Formal child care is also essential to businesses that employ mothers and to the economy, yet it remains devalued both economically and socially, ultimately resulting in women subsidizing care work for businesses. In We Are Not Babysitters: Family Child Care Providers Redefine Work and Care, Mary Tuominen contributes to the growing scholarship on care work by documenting the experiences of family child-care providers. This group comprises the most understudied type of all providers, although one fifth of all children under 6 in paid child care attend family childcare centers. Tuominen's research makes visible the organization and provision of family child care, demonstrating the skill and intensity that this work entails, our dependency on it, and its overall importance to the economy. Based on her previous research on gender and employment policy, Tuominen strives to increase the economic, social, and professional recognition of women who provide child care in their homes and the work rewards they receive. This exposition carries important implications for policy because the majority of family child-care providers work 60-65 hours per week, yet their earnings fall below the federal poverty line and they have neither health insurance nor retirement benefits, making it difficult to meet the needs of their own families. Tuominen bases her analyses on data gathered through a combination of observation and semistructured interviews with 20 family childcare providers of various ethnic and class backgrounds in the state of Washington. She draws upon standpoint theory and "diversity feminism" to investigate three dimensions of care work: (a) how ideologies, social structures, and personal choices converge to shape women's experiences of providing care to children within their own homes; (b) the changing nature of family, care, and "work"; and (c) the persistence of the care deficit. She uses an institutional ethnographic approach to understand how the institution of the family affects daily life as a family child-care provider. We Are Not Babysitters contains seven chapters that discuss how race and gender structure women's employment opportunities, what family child-care providers do and the meaning they derive from this work, how providers define motherhood, how these workers balance work and family, and what factors shape their decisions to offer state-subsidized child care. …
Reducing Student Procrastination in a Personalized System of Instruction Course.

This study examined the effects of three pacing procedures on student withdrawal rate, rate of progress, final examination performance, and attitude in a personalized system of instruction course. Undergraduate students (N = 100) who were enrolled in an introductory speech communication course were randomly assigned to either a reward, penalty, or control condition. Those students in the penalty group proceeded through the course at a more rapid pace than students in the control group. There were no significant differences in student withdrawal rate, final examination performance, and attitude. Final examination performance was not affected by the interaction between pacing procedures and student perception of locus of control. The benefits of reducing student procrastination, and appropriate means of doing so, are discussed in light of these results.
Predictive accuracy of a cardiovascular disease risk prediction model in rural South India - a community based retrospective cohort study.

Background: Identification of individuals at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases by risk stratification is the first step in primary prevention. Aims & Objectives: To assess the five year risk of developing a cardiovascular event from retrospective data and to assess the predictive accuracy of the non laboratory based National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) risk prediction model among individuals in a rural South Indian population. Materials & Methods: A community based retrospective cohort study was conducted in three villages where risk stratification was done for all eligible adults aged between 35-74 years at the time of initial assessment using the NHANES risk prediction charts. Household visits were made after a period of five years by trained doctors to determine cardiovascular outcomes. Results: 521 people fulfilled the eligibility criteria of whom 486 (93.3%) could be traced after five years. 56.8% were in low risk, 36.6% were in moderate risk and 6.6% were in high risk categories. 29 persons (5.97%) had had cardiovascular events over the last five years of which 24 events (82.7%) were nonfatal and five (17.25%) were fatal. The mean age of the people who developed cardiovascular events was 57.24 ± 9.09 years. The odds ratios for the three levels of risk showed a linear trend with the odds ratios for the moderate risk and high risk category being 1.35 and 1.94 respectively with the low risk category as baseline. Conclusion: The non laboratory based NHANES charts did not accurately predict the occurrence of cardiovascular events in any of the risk categories.
Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and the bovine immune system.

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (M. paratuberculosis) is the causative agent of Johne’s disease, a deadly intestinal ailment of ruminants. Johne’s disease is of tremendous economic importance to the worldwide dairy industry, causing major losses due to reduced production and early culling of animals. A highly controversial but developing link between exposure to M. paratuberculosis and human Crohn’s disease in some individuals has led to the suggestion that M. paratuberculosis is also a potential food safety concern. As with many other mycobacteria, M. paratuberculosis is exquisitely adapted to survival in the host, despite aggressive immune reactions to these organisms. One hallmark of mycobacteria, including M. paratuberculosis, is their propensity to infect macrophages. Inside the macrophage, M. paratuberculosisinterferes with the maturation of the phagosome by an unknown mechanism, thereby evading the host’s normal first line of defense against bacterial pathogens. The host immune system begins a series of attacks against M. paratuberculosis-infected macrophages, including the rapid deployment of activated γδ T cells, CD4+T cells and cytolytic CD8+ T cells. These cells interact with the persistently infected macrophage and with each other through a complex network of cytokines and receptors. Despite these aggressive efforts to clear the infection, M. paratuberculosis persists and the constant struggle of the immune system leads to pronounced damage to the intestinal epithelial cells. Enhancing our ability to control this important and tenacious pathogen will require a deeper understanding of how M. paratuberculosis interferes with macrophage action, the cell types involved in the immune response, the cytokines these cells use to communicate, and the host genetic factors that control the response to infection.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae expression of exogenous vacuolar ATPase subunits B

The precise function of subunit B of the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase class is unknown, but it is essential for proton pumping. We have previously reported the DNA sequence and predicted protein sequence of the vacuolar ATPase subunit B for Candida tropicalis (Gu, H.H., Gallagher, M.J., Rupkey, S. and Dean, G.E. (1990) Nucleic Acids Res. 18, 7446). When the Candida gene was expressed in a Saccharomyce cerevisiae delta vat2 mutant from which the homologous gene had been deleted, viability and vacuolar acidification was restored to apparently wild-type levels. The predicted identity between these two proteins is 90%. We have searched for vacuolar ATPase subunits B from other species that might show a difference in function, when expressed in yeast, relative to the endogenous gene. We have cloned an apparently full-length 1.8-kb bovine subunit B cDNA from adrenal medulla that is about 1 kb shorter than the previously reported bovine brain cDNA (Puopolo, K., Kumamoto, C., Adachi, I., Magner, R. and Forgac, M. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 3696-3706; Nelson, R.D., Guo, X.L., Masood, K., Brown, D., Kalkbrenner, M. and Gluck, S. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 3541-3545), but nearly identical throughout the coding nucleotide and protein sequences; it is only 74% identical to the Saccharomyces subunit B protein sequence. Upon expression of this cDNA in two different delta vat2 deletion strains, the bovine cDNA restored function only partially, as judged by both viability at high pH and vacuolar acidification. Current work is aimed at determining which regions of the bovine protein require alteration in order to fully restore the delta vat2 strain to wild-type acidification, with the eventual goal of identifying interactive residues between subunit B and other proteins required for pump function.
Electrocardiographic responses to carbon monoxide and cyanide in the conscious rat.

Carbon monoxide (CO) and cyanide (CN), commonly found in exhaust fumes and smoke, act as hypoxic agents in eliciting morbid and lethal effects. This study explored the effects of these two toxicants on the ECG in a controlled and well-characterized animal model. Levine-prepared awake female rats were treated with 1500 and 2400 ppm CO for 90 min, CN at 4 mgkg, or 1500 ppm CO plus 4 mgkg CN. As in past studies, CO initially induced hyperglycemia and many-fold increases in blood lactate concentration, and rebound increases in blood glucose during recovery. CN produced hyperglycemia, however, there was no glucose rebound, nor was there a significant increase in lactate. CN plus 1500 ppm CO produced glucose changes similar to that of CO alone. CO exposure also induced hypothermia and hypotension, while CN produced little change in these parameters. CO increased heart rate, while CN tended to decrease heart rate. PR interval was increased significantly 4.5–17.0 ms by exposure to CO, with or without combination with CN, while CN alone produced minimal change in the PR interval. QT interval was increased up to 20 ms by exposure to CO, with or without combination with CN. CN alone produced no change in the QT interval. T wave duration was increased up to 22.5 ms by exposure to 1500 ppm CO, with or without combination with CN. CN alone produced minimal changes in T wave duration. There were no changes in duration of the (Q)RS complex or of the R wave. QT interval lengthening was positively correlated with the decrease in systolic blood pressure (0–30 min, r = 0.657, P < 0.05; 0–60 min, r = 0.704, P < 0.05). Hypothermia was correlated with increase in lactate concentration (r = 0.73, P < 0.05) and with decrease in blood pressure (r = 0.69, P < 0.05). No correlation between body temperature and QT interval was observed. The results indicate that CO at the concentrations used in the Levine-prepared rat has major effects on the ECG in slowing AV conduction and ventricular repolarization. In contrast, CN at 4 mgdl has little or no effect on either conduction or repolarization in this animal model. These findings are discussed in light of past animal and human studies.
Preconditioning exposure to contextual cues and the acquisition of the keypeck behavior in autoshaping by pigeons

Acquisition of classically conditioned responses has been described as a direct function of the interreinforcer cycle, C, and an inverse function of signal duration, T. There is no agreement as to whether C is the interreinforcer mean interval or the session length divided by the number of reinforcements given. This issue was studied in an experiment with three groups of pigeons receiving different presession adaptation periods. The birds were placed in the conditioning box for 30,300, or 3,000 sec before the first daily training trial. Birds in Group 30 showed significant impairment in acquisition rate; the performances of Groups 300 and 3,000 were not different from each other. Because the greatest impact of this manipulation was expected between 300 and 3,000 sec—where no differences were found—the results were not consistent with the hypothesis that pigeons start “computation” of C as soon as they are placed in the conditioning apparatus.
Electronic multicriticality in bilayer graphene

We map out the possible ordered states in bilayer graphene at the neutrality point by extending the previous renormalization group treatment of many-body instabilities to finite temperature, trigonal warping and externally applied perpendicular electric field. We were able to analytically determine all outcomes of the RG flow equations for the nine four-fermion coupling constants. While the full phase diagram exhibits a rich structure, we confirm that when forward scattering dominates, the only ordering tendency with divergent susceptibility at finite temperature is the nematic. At finite temperature, this result is stable with respect to small back and layer imbalance scattering; further increasing their strength leads to the layer antiferromagnet. We also determine conditions for other ordered states to appear and compare our results to the special cases of attractive and repulsive Hubbard models where exact results are available.