cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GROWTH AND SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCKLING BEEF CALVES AS INFLUENCED BY AGE AT CASTRATION AND GROWTH IMPLANTS

A 2-yr study using crossbred male calves (n = 228) evaluated castrating at birth or at 4 mo of age and use of anabolic growth implants (none, zeranol or estradiol-17 beta). Angus, Hereford and Brahman crossbred calves produced in seven cow-calf units that varied by breed component, stocking rate and calving season were allotted to treatment at birth in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement. Growth implants decreased (P less than .01) testicular weight and expression (P less than .05) of male secondary sex characteristics in suckling bull calves at 4 mo. Implanted calves were shorter (P less than .05) at the hips and had shorter front legs (P less than .01) at both 4 mo and at weaning. Cannon bone circumference at weaning was increased (P less than .05) by growth implants. Age at castration did not affect (P greater than .05) calf performance or body characteristics. Calves given growth implants had higher (P less than .05) rates of gain from birth to 4 mo than did nonimplanted calves (.75 vs .71 kg/d). Implanted calves were heavier (P less than .01) at weaning and had higher (P less than .01) ADG from 4 mo to weaning than did nonimplanted calves. These data indicate no benefit from delaying age at castration, but implanting increased weaning weight an average of 8.2 kg.
Lower Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage

Lower gastrointestinal bleeding refers to bleeding from a source distal to the ligament of Treitz. Presentation ranges from occult bleeding with anemia to frank hemorrhage with cardiovascular collapse. Management hinges on volume resuscitation and restoration of hemodynamic stability, followed by a search for the source of bleeding. Investigative measures include colonoscopy, nuclear scintigraphy, CT angiography, and mesenteric angiography. If an active source of bleeding is identified, therapeutic angiography and embolization should be attempted. Active bleeding identified during colonoscopy should be controlled endoscopically. Surgery is reserved for patients with ongoing hemorrhage and hemodynamic instability or for those who fail nonsurgical management.
Predictors of remission from generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder.

Abstract Background The predictors of onset of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are well-characterized. However the factors that predict remission from these conditions are less clear, and the study of this area is further complicated by differing definitions of remission. Methods Data come from the National Comorbidity Survey – Replication, and analysis was limited to respondents with a lifetime history of GAD (n=621) or MDD (n=1299) assessed by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Predictors of remission included demographic factors, adverse childhood events, family history, and clinical characteristics. Multiple definitions of remission were explored to account for residual symptoms. Results Half (54.4%) of respondents with MDD and 41.1% of respondents with GAD experienced full remission. Older age and higher socioeconomic status were positively related to remission in a dose-response manner for both disorders. Adverse childhood experiences and family history of anxious/depressive symptoms were negatively associated with remission from MDD. Comorbid GAD was inversely associated with remission from MDD (Odds ratio (OR): 0.62, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.44–0.88), but comorbid MDD did not impact remission from GAD (OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.64–1.35). With the exception of the influence of comorbidity, these associations were robust across definitions of remission. Limitations Cross-sectional analysis and retrospective recall of onset of MDD/GAD. Conclusions Many individuals with MDD or GAD will experience full remission. Some predictors appear to have a general association with remission from both disorders, while others are uniquely associated with remission from MDD.
The development of China-DNDC and review of its applications for sustaining Chinese agriculture

Abstract During the past century Chinese agriculture has been struggling to produce more food to support the ever growing population, while dealing with the increased degradation of air, water and soil quality in the agricultural regions. Lessons learnt from the long-term efforts indicated that scientifically sound methodology could play a crucial role in understanding the complex interactions among climate, soil, water and farming management practices, all of which collectively control the agroecosystem services including crop yield, greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient loading and other environmental issues. Therefore, the development of a more process-based approach is needed. The process-based model, DNDC (Denitrification-Decomposition) has been widely used internationally to simulate detailed carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles occurring in agricultural systems. However, this model is not fully suitable for China as it lacks a number of features which are crucial for representing Chinese agro-ecosystems, including paddy rice cultivation, complex and multiple cropping systems, and intensive management practices, etc. Recently a new version of DNDC, China-DNDC, was developed. The new model improved its capability of predicting the fluxes of all three terrestrial greenhouse gases: nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4), as well as other important indicators such as crop phenology, soil C sequestration, and nutrient leaching from different cropping systems across all the major agricultural regions in China. This paper reported how China-DNDC was developed, tested and applied for sustaining Chinese agriculture. And then, it identified the weaknesses and potential improvements for the model.
Electronic prompt to improve outpatient code status documentation for advanced lung cancer.

6048 Background: Rates of documentation of end-of-life care preferences in the medical record remain low, even among patients with incurable malignancies. The goal of this study was to assess the ...
A Characterization of Oriented Hypergraphic Laplacian and Adjacency Matrix Coefficients

Abstract An oriented hypergraph is an oriented incidence structure that generalizes and unifies graph and hypergraph theoretic results by examining its locally signed graphic substructure. In this paper we obtain a combinatorial characterization of the coefficients of the characteristic polynomials of oriented hypergraphic Laplacian and adjacency matrices via a signed hypergraphic generalization of basic figures of graphs. Additionally, we provide bounds on the determinant and permanent of the Laplacian matrix, characterize the oriented hypergraphs in which the upper bound is sharp, and demonstrate that the lower bound is never achieved.
Importance of integrated approaches and perspectives

Ecology has traditionally neglected the role of people as components of ecosystems, and in particular has been largely absent from urban and other densely settled and built ecosystems. However, ecologists have finally come to realize that people and their effects are part of both seemingly wild and clearly urban ecosystems. This recognition has called for increased integration between the social sciences and biophysical sciences. This novel integration has exploited the increasingly important interfaces between urban and rural or wild systems. The frameworks of (i) patch dynamics, (ii) the watershed, and (iii) the human ecosystem concept have supported integrated research, education, and community engagement. The chapter uses the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, Long-Term Ecological Research program to exemplify how these frameworks are used to formulate and answer questions shared by social and biophysical sciences. Furthermore, shared research and restoration sites, and a shared concern with neighborhood quality of life, environmental quality, and ultimately with urban sustainability continue to promote integration across disciplines and embed socio-ecological research and education in the decision making and community life of Baltimore.
Embracing Finitude: Falque’s Phenomenology of the Suffering “God with Us”

Representing a new generation of phenomenologists in the so-called theological turn, Emmanuel Falque presses the boundary between theology and phenomenology in a more radical way than many of his predecessors. Despite his conviction that “the more one theologizes, the better one philosophizes,” he adopts a very different approach from other theological phenomenologists—beginning from the point of immanence and incarnation rather than transcendence and height. Falque thus reclaims the essential goodness of the human body, even in its finitude and limitations. This approach yields numerous problems, however, when maximized into a comprehensive system by creating a paradigmatic or normative phenomenological perspective grounded in the experience of “the human as such” (l’homme comme tel). Consequently, I argue for a minimalist reading of Falque’s phenomenology—one that seeks to preserve its various insights and benefits (especially in the realm of pastoral care) while avoiding the problems of a comprehensive “grand narrative” of theological phenomenology.
A novel compact reconfigurable UWB antenna for cognitive radio applications

In this paper, a novel reconfigurable antenna covering a 10:1 bandwidth is designed and fabricated for cognitive radio applications. The proposed novel antenna covers 400 MHz to 4 GHz frequency range, while keeping its size suitable for potential MIMO applications. The wide frequency configuration is obtained by combining ultra-wideband (UWB) monopole configuration together with tunable matching network via two different signal paths from the feed point. The first path is directly connected to the UWB antenna, which covers 1–4 GHz operation frequency range. The second path, for frequency range between 400 MHz and 1 GHz, goes through a tunable matching network, which matches the UWB antenna. Two discrete switches are used to toggle between the lower and higher operating bands. Simulated and measured results are presented.
Introduction and scope of monograph

Disulfiram (DSSD), widely known under the trade name, Antabuse®, is a symmetrical disulfide which can be reduced to two molecules of the thiol (DSH) which, at physiological pH is better than 99% ionized to diethyldithiocarbamate and so referred to in this book. The sodium salt of diethydithiocarbamic acid is available both in an anhydrous form and as a trihydrate. It was earlier given the appellation dithiocarb (West and Sunderman, 1958; Sunderman and Sunderman, 1958; Merck Index, 1968). More recently it has been assigned the International Nonproprietary Name ditiocarb sodium (Merck Index, 1989; USAN, 1990).
A suicide in group: a case of functional realignment.

This article explores the consequences of a therapy group member's suicide on a group's interaction and coping style. The exploration takes an ethnographic approach, which emphasizes a deep description of the circumstances surrounding the group member's death, the meaning of that action for the members, including the therapists, and the group coming to terms with the crisis. Language: en
Medieval Climatic Anomaly in the Americas

Discussions of future climate, whether in forums of science or policy, have come to be dominated by the debate over human-induced global warming. Typically, these discussions focus on the temperature departures that might result from continued anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gasses; on the response of the earth’s physical and biotic systems to those departures; and on the socio-economic impacts of those responses. Strong differences of opinion fuel these discussions. Many scientists, citing computerized simulations of an atmosphere with increased heat-trapping capacity, conclude that significant global warming is likely in the future, and perhaps already underway. Others, stressing the uncertainties of the computer models and questioning the assumptions on which the simulations are based, proclaim that predictions of human-induced global warming are premature, unscientific, and alarmist. The socio-economics of the debate are no less polarized. One side warns that failure to curtail fossil-fuel emissions could threaten the food and water supply of the Earth’s burgeoning human population; the other raises the specter that restricting fossil fuel consumption might lead to global economic collapse.
Effect of vacuum impregnation on quality of fresh and electron-beam irradiated highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) under refrigerated storage

Highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) are “super fruits” because they are a good source of antioxidants. However, they have a short shelf‐life. Therefore, methods to mitigate quality degradation of blueberries throughout storage must be assessed. This study evaluated the synergistic effect of two non‐thermal technologies on the quality of highbush blueberries: vacuum impregnation (VI) and electron beam irradiation. A VI process was optimized using three calcium lactate solutions (4, 5, and 6 g/mL) under different vacuum pressure/time combinations. The impregnated and untreated berries were irradiated up to 2.0 kGy using a 1.35 MeV electron‐beam accelerator at room temperature and immediately stored at 4±1°C for 14 days. Quality measurements of moisture content, texture, color, total soluble solids, pH, total titratable acidity, and total phenols were done on Day 0, 7, and 14 of storage. The VI pre‐treatment helped maintain the firmness and other quality attributes of irradiated blueberries. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Results from this study show the potential use of pre‐treatments to maintain the quality of “soft” fruits such as blueberries throughout refrigerated storage. These fruits marketability is highly correlated with their textural quality (firmness) in addition to their antioxidant properties. Electron‐beam irradiation treatment of fresh fruits and vegetables for shelf‐life extension causes detrimental changes in their physico‐chemical and sensory quality attributes. Pretreatment of blueberries with VI is suitable to maintain the quality of refrigerated highbush blueberries up to 14 days.
Are Those Immersive Online Ads Really Effective? Consumers’ Responses to 360° Video Ads in Different Media Platforms: An Abstract

This study investigated the main effects of video ad type and media platform type as well as a two-way interaction effect between ad type and media platform type on consumer responses to online video ads. Several research objectives are developed. First, it examines whether 360° video provides more immersive environment (i.e., perceived autonomy, telepresence, and satisfaction) to consumers than 2D video. Second, it also examines whether desktop screens generate greater immersive environment of the contents than mobile screen. Lastly, this study identifies the differences between video types (360° vs. 2D video) within different media screen size (desktop (large) vs. mobile (small)) on consumer engagements.
Spray-guided direct injection

A 2.0 | turbocharged FSI engine forms the basis for the analysis of spray-guided combustion with central location of injector and spark plug. The long duration experience in the field of the Volkswagen brands since introducing the first generation of gasoline direct injection into market in 1999 stands for competence in the domain of gasoline Direct Injection (DI).
Predictors of adjuvant treatment and survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma who undergo resection.

Abstract Background Administration of adjuvant therapy (AT) in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains inconsistent despite recent trial data. This study investigates predictors of receipt of AT and survival. Methods Patients with ICC who underwent resection were identified using the NCDB (2004–2014). Logistic regression and Cox analysis were used to determine predictors of AT and survival, respectively. “High-risk” was defined as positive margins/nodes or stage III/IVa disease. Results 2813 patients were identified, of whom 42.3% received AT. Patients with positive margins, positive nodes, and higher stage tended to receive AT (p Conclusions AT after ICC resection is associated with improved survival in patients with positive margins, positive nodes, and stage III/IVa disease. There are disparities and regional variations in the receipt of AT.
Free-living and symbiotic lifestyles of a thermotolerant coral endosymbiont display profoundly distinct transcriptomes under both stable and heat stress conditions.

Reef-building corals depend upon a nutritional endosymbiosis with photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the family Symbiodiniaceae for the majority of their energetic needs. While this mutualistic relationship is impacted by numerous stressors, warming oceans are a predominant threat to coral reefs, placing the future of the world's reefs in peril. Some Symbiodiniaceae species exhibit tolerance to thermal stress, but the in hospite symbiont response to thermal stress is underexplored. To describe the underpinnings of symbiosis and heat stress response, we compared in hospite and free-living transcriptomes of Durusdinium trenchii, a pan-tropical heat-tolerant Symbiodiniaceae species, under stable temperature conditions and acute hyperthermal stress. We discovered that symbiotic state was a larger driver of the transcriptional landscape than heat stress. The majority of differentially expressed transcripts between in hospite and free-living cells were downregulated, suggesting the in hospite condition is associated with the shutdown of numerous processes uniquely required for a free-living lifestyle. In the free-living state, we identified enrichment for numerous cell signalling pathways and other functions related to detecting and responding to a changing environment, as well as transcripts relating to mitosis, meiosis, and motility. In contrast, in hospite cells exhibited enhanced transcriptional activity for photosynthesis and carbohydrate transport as well as chromatin modifications and a disrupted circadian clock. Hyperthermal stress induced drastic alteration of transcriptional activity in hospite, suggesting symbiotic engagement with the host elicited an exacerbated stress response when compared to free-living D. trenchii. Altogether, the dramatic differences in gene expression between in hospite and free-living D. trenchii indicate the importance of considering symbiotic state in investigations of symbiosis and hyperthermal stress in Symbiodiniaceae.
Optical crosstalk in division of focal plane imagers

Recent technology advancements in imaging technology has led to the commercialization of the first color-polarization imaging sensor. This technological feat is enabling development of new imaging applications and algorithms, which were not possible without this technology. However, when we compare several attributes between state-of-the-art color and polarization imaging technology, several shortcomings are evident in the polarization technology. First, the pixel pitch of today’s color technology is around 0.8 microns. The most advanced polarization imager utilized 3.5-micron pixel pitch – color imaging technology achieved this pixel pitch more than 10 years ago. However, today’s color imaging technology is plagued with optical and electrical cross talk. Although signal processing algorithms mitigate some of these effects, color technology is less stringent on the efficacy of these algorithms. Polarization imaging technology is fundamentally different from color and is more dependent on crosstalk. In this paper, we present theoretical data on how cross talk affects polarization accuracy.
Adaptive separation control of a laminar boundary layer using online dynamic mode decomposition

Adaptive control of flow separation based on online dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) is formulated and implemented on a canonical separated laminar boundary layer via a pulse-modulated zero-net mass-flux jet actuator located just upstream of separation. Using a linear array of thirteen flush-mounted microphones, dynamical characteristics of the separated flow subjected to forcing are extracted by online DMD. This method provides updates of the modal characteristics of the separated flow while forcing is applied at a rate commensurate with the characteristic time scales of the flow. In particular, online DMD provides a time-varying linear estimate of the nonlinear evolution of the controlled flow without any prior knowledge. Using this adaptive model, feedback control is then implemented in which the linear quadratic regulator gains are computed recursively. This physics-based, autonomous approach results in more efficient flow reattachment compared with commensurate open-loop control. Four Reynolds numbers are tested to assess robustness, . All controlled cases exhibit a significant reduction in mean separation bubble height, requiring approximately 10 characteristic time periods to establish control.
Organic Electrochemistry: Expanding the Scope of Paired Reactions

Paired electrochemical reactions allow the optimization of both atom and energy economy of oxidation and reduction reactions. While many paired electrochemical reactions take advantage of perfectly matched reactions at the anode and cathode, this matching of substrates is not necessary. In constant current electrolysis, the potential at both electrodes adjusts to the substrates in solution. In principle, any oxidation reaction can be paired with any reduction reaction. Various oxidation reactions conducted on the anodic side of the electrolysis were paired with the generation and use of hydrogen gas at the cathode, showing the generality of the anodic process in a paired electrolysis and how the auxiliary reaction required for the oxidation could be used to generate a substrate for a non-electrolysis reaction. This is combined with variations on the cathodic side of the electrolysis to complete the picture and illustrate how oxidation and reduction reactions can be combined.
Bioprinting Embedded Non-planar Tissues (BENT) for Manufacturing Tissue Engineered Atrioventricular Valves

Objective: Bioprinting has strengthened the ability to create complex materials to replace dysfunctional tissue and has been used to replicate the geometry of heart valves. Additionally, embedded p...
Unplanned open conversion during radical or partial nephrectomy: Comparing outcomes and trends.

Abstract Objectives To compare perioperative outcomes between open conversion and planned open surgical approach and to investigate trends. Materials and Methods The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for cT1 and cT2 RCC treated by radical (RN) or partial (PN) nephrectomy between 2010 and 2016. We retrospectively analyzed patient demographics, clinical tumor characteristics, and perioperative outcomes between unplanned open conversion and planned open approaches for RN and PN. Results In total, 152,919 patients underwent RN or PN for cT1 or cT2 RCC over the 7-year span. The rate of unplanned open conversion from MIS was 3.9% overall, remaining lowest for cT1 PN (2.7%) and highest for cT2 RN (5.9%). Cases of open conversion tended to have higher rate of upstaged disease. When comparing open conversion to a planned open case, there was no difference in the length of post-operative hospitalization. On logistic regression, unplanned open conversion from MIS was associated with higher odds of positive margin for RN but not for PN. Increased odds of 30-day's readmission were associated with unplanned open conversion from MIS in the setting of cT1 PN only. Conclusion When compared to a planned open approach, conversion to open from MIS does not affect length of hospital stay but is associated with higher odds of positive surgical margins for RN and higher odds of 30-day's readmission for cT1 PN. Advanced pathologic stage is associated with an open conversion, likely relating to increased tumor complexity. These findings should be considered preoperatively when determining the best surgical approach.
Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics of Opioids in the ICU

According to the 2018 Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) guidelines for the prevention and management of pain, agitation/sedation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disruption (PADIS), opioids are the cornerstone of pain management in critically ill patients. Nonetheless, multimodal analgesia is recommended to reduce opioid utilization and associated adverse outcomes (Devlin et al. Crit Care Med. 46:e825–73, 2018). In order to minimize adverse effects, the use of opioids in critically ill patients requires careful consideration of potential changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics when selecting the appropriate agent, dose, and route of administration. This chapter will provide an overview of opioid pharmacology, dosing strategies, route of administration, adverse effects, and expected pharmacokinetic alterations in the critically ill.
BVD Vaccination, some common sense approaches

Our knowledge of the bovine virus diarrhea virus is still changing, even though we have known about the virus for many years. One of the things we have learned is that the virus has the ability to mutate readily. The "Veterinary Medicine" BVD review from October 1990 gives a good reference although it is already becoming outdated. The incidence of infected herds appears to be on the rise. This is seen primarily in the dairy herds and purebred beef herds. The BVD viruses appear to have the ability to be tissue specific. Different strains may affect certain organs in the body giving rise to a whole host of syndromes caused by the BVD virus.
Collisional-Radiative Modeling for Highly-Charged Ions of Tungsten ∗)

We present an overview of the recent advances in collisional-radiative modeling of highly-charged ions of tungsten that are relevant to fusion research. The status of spectroscopic data for W ions is briefly discussed as well. Strategies and peculiarities of building models for Maxwellian fusion plasmas and non-Maxwellian plasmas of electron beam ion traps are outlined. Comparisons with the measured x-ray and extreme ultraviolet spectra are also given.
MEMS modules for life-on-a-chip

Real-time analysis of living cells requires microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) with multiple detection and fluidic capabilities. In this paper we present progress towards a modular architecture for life-on-a-chip microsystems. Capabilities explored for use in MEMS modules include efficient mixing of fluids, genetically engineered reporters, microformat sensor patches, dielectrophoretic capture and cell manipulation, and electroimpedance spectroscopy.
Uranium(VI) Release from Contaminated Vadose Zone Sediments: Estimation of Potential Contributions from Dissolution and Desorption

A key difficulty in developing accurate, science-based conceptual models for remediation of contaminated field sites is the proper accounting of multiple coupled geochemical and hydrologic processes. An example of such a difficulty is the separation of desorption and dissolution processes in releasing contaminants from sediments to groundwaters; very few studies are found in the literature that attempt to quantify contaminant release by these two processes. In this study, the results from several extraction techniques, isotopic exchange experiments, and published spectroscopic studies were combined to estimate the contributions of desorption and dissolution to U(VI) release from contaminated sediments collected from the vadose zone beneath former waste disposal ponds in the Hanford 300-Area (Washington state). Vertical profiles of sediments were collected at four locations from secondary pond surfaces down to, and slightly below, the water table. In three of the four profiles, uranium concentration gradients were observed in the sediments, with the highest U concentrations at the top of the profile. One of the vertical profiles contained sediments with U concentrations up to 4.2x10-7 mol/g (100 ppm). U(VI) release to artificial groundwater solutions and extracts from these high-U concentrations sediments occurred primarily from dissolution of precipitated U(VI) minerals, including the mineral metatorbernite,more » [Cu(UO2PO4)2∙8H2O]. At the bottom of this profile, beneath the water table, and in all three of the other profiles, U concentrations were <5.88x10-8 mol/g (14 ppm), and U(VI) release to artificial groundwater solutions occurred primarily due to desorption of U(VI). When reacted in batch experiments with artificial groundwater solutions with compositions representative of the range of chemical conditions in the 2 underlying aquifer, all samples released U(VI) at concentrations greater than regulatory limits within a few hours. A semi-mechanistic surface complexation model was developed to describe U(VI) adsorption on sediments collected from near the water table, as a function of pH, alkalinity, and Ca and U(VI) concentrations, using ranges in these variables relevant to groundwater conditions in the aquifer. Dilute (bi)carbonate solution extractions and uranium isotopic exchange methods were capable of estimating adsorbed U(VI) in samples where U(VI) release was predominantly due to U(VI) desorption; these techniques were not effective at estimating adsorbed U(VI) where U(VI) release was affected by dissolution of U(VI) minerals. The combination of extraction and isotopic exchange results, spectroscopic studies, and surface complexation modeling allow an adequate understanding for the development of a geochemical conceptual model for U(VI) release to the aquifer. The overall approach has generic value for evaluating the potential for release of metals and radionuclides from sediments that contain both precipitated and adsorbed contaminant speciation.« less
Assimilation to the unmarked

Assimilation is often controlled by a segment in a particular position. For instance, vowel harmony is often rootor stem-controlled, meaning that the value of the harmonic feature in the root morpheme (more accurately, the stem of affixation) remains constant while the value of the feature in affixes alternates to agree with the root. Similarly, in voicing assimilation, the value of [voice] often remains constant in an onset while a coda alternates to agree with the onset; voicing assimilation is thus often onset-controlled. An example of onset-controlled voicing assimilation comes from Yiddish (Katz 1987, Lombardi 1996, 1999). Final obstruents contrast in voicing, but adopt a following initial obstruent’s value of the feature in compounds.
Supervised domain adaptation for emotion recognition from speech

One of the main barriers in the deployment of speech emotion recognition systems in real applications is the lack of generalization of the emotion classifiers. The recognition performance achieved in controlled recordings drops when the models are tested with different speakers, channels, environments and domain conditions. This paper explores supervised model adaptation, which can improve the performance of systems evaluated with mismatched training and testing conditions. We address the following key questions in the context of supervised adaptation for speech emotion recognition: (a) how much labeled data is needed for adaptation to achieve good performance? (b) how important is speaker diversity in the labeled set? (c) can spontaneous acted data provide similar performance than naturalistic non-acted recordings? and (d) what is the best approach to adapt the models (domain adaptation versus incremental/online training)? We address these problems by using a multi-corpus framework where the models are trained and tested with different databases. The results indicate that even small portion of data used for adaptation can significantly improve the performance. Increasing the speaker diversity in the labeled data used for adaptation does not provide significant gain in performance. Also, we observe similar performance when the classifiers are trained with naturalistic non-acted data and spontaneous acted data.
Building in efficacy: developing solutions to combat drug-resistant S. pneumoniae

The development of our understanding of the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) principles that determine antimicrobial efficacy has advanced substantially over the last 10 years. We are now in a position to use PK/PD principles to set targets for antimicrobial design and optimisation so that we can predict eradication of specific pathogens or resistant variants when agents are used clinically. Optimisation of PK/PD parameters to enable the treatment of resistant pathogens with oral agents may not be possible with many current agents, such as some cephalosporins, macrolides and fluoroquinolones. Aminopenicillins, however, such as amoxicillin, have linear PK and have a good safety profile even at high doses. The new pharmacokinetically enhanced oral formulation of amoxicillin/clavulanate, 2000/125 mg twice daily, was designed using PK/PD principles to be able to eradicate Streptococcus pneumoniae with amoxicillin MICs of up to and including 4 mg/L, which includes most penicillin-resistant isolates. For amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanate, a time above MIC (T > MIC) of 35-40% of the dosing interval (based on blood levels) is predictive of high bacteriological efficacy. This target was met by the design of a unique bilayer tablet incorporating 437.5 mg of sustained-release sodium amoxicillin in one layer plus 562.5 mg of immediate-release amoxicillin trihydrate and 62.5 mg of clavulanate potassium in the second layer, with two tablets administered for each dose. This unique design extends the bacterial killing time by increasing the T > MIC to 49% of the dosing interval against pathogens with MICs of 4 mg/L, and 60% of the dosing interval against pathogens with MICs of 2 mg/L. Based on these results, this new amoxicillin/clavulanate formulation should be highly effective in treating respiratory tract infections due to drug-resistant S. pneumoniae as well as beta-lactamase-producing pathogens, such as Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.
Early clinical outcomes of ultrasound-guided CT-planned high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for primary locally advanced cervical cancer.

Abstract Purpose To report early clinical outcomes of high-dose-rate interstitial image-guided brachytherapy (BT) in the definitive management of locally advanced cervical cancer. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 31 locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated at our institution between January 2010 and April 2013. About 88% had advanced disease based on the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics guidelines, and 87% received concurrent chemotherapy. All patients were treated with external beam radiation therapy to a median dose of 45 Gy (range, 39.6–58 Gy) before receiving BT. High-dose-rate BT was delivered in a single implant to a median dose of 6 Gy × five fractions to a CT-defined volume. Median total equivalent 2-Gy dose, dose covered by 90% of the high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV D 90 ), and HR-CTV were 84, 87.4, and 49.9 cc, respectively. Kaplan–Meier method was used for actuarial survival analysis, and toxicity was graded using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. Results Median followup was 19.3 months. Two-year actuarial local control, regional control, and distant metastasis (DM) were 90%, 93%, and 23.6%, respectively. Two-year disease-free survival was 55%. Genitourinary, gastrointestinal, or gynecologic Grade 3 toxicity was seen in 5 patients (3 T4a and 2 T3b) for crude rates of 13%, 7%, and 3%, respectively. Stratifying HR-CTV by 30 cc and then by HR-CTV D 90 of 90 Gy showed that 100% of the local failures, regional failures, DM, and G3 toxicity occurred in >30 cc group. The rate of DM was also significantly higher in the >30 cc group ( p = 0.036). Conclusions An interstitial approach can achieve excellent outcomes in cases where intracavitary and/or hybrid approaches are either not suitable or not available.
Receiver Bandwidth Effect on Reflectivity and Doppler Velocity Estimates

Abstract Probert-Jones' radar equation assumes receiver bandwidth large compared to the reciprocal of the transmitted pulse width τ. The advent of coherent radars with precise transmitter frequencies allows consideration of receiver bandwidth “matched” to and sometimes smaller than τ−1 in order to enhance measurement signal-to-noise ratio. An extension to the radar equation has been made to show explicitly the dependence of echo power on the product of transmitter pulse width and receiver bandwidth. When receiver bandwidth is less than twice τ−1, there is significant loss in echo power. This should be accounted for when estimating reflectivities. Considerable improvement in Doppler velocity estimation can often be obtained by matching range resolution to the angular one and this has implications of practical importance when moderately sensitive dual-Doppler radars are used to map the mesoscale wind in clear air.
Immunity against Ixodes scapularis Salivary Proteins Expressed within 24 Hours of Attachment Thwarts Tick Feeding and Impairs Borrelia Transmission

In North America, the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, an obligate haematophagus arthropod, is a vector of several human pathogens including Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease agent. In this report, we show that the tick salivary gland transcriptome and proteome is dynamic and changes during the process of engorgement. We demonstrate, using a guinea pig model of I. scapularis feeding and B. burgdorferi transmission, that immunity directed against salivary proteins expressed in the first 24 h of tick attachment — and not later — is sufficient to evoke all the hallmarks of acquired tick-immunity, to thwart tick feeding and also to impair Borrelia transmission. Defining this subset of proteins will promote a mechanistic understanding of novel I. scapularis proteins critical for the initiation of tick feeding and for Borrelia transmission.
Filamentous and tubular structures in mammalian axoplasm. An electron microscopic study.

A neurofibrillar and neurotubular ultrastructure of mammalian axoplasm has been observed consistently after glutaraldehyde fixation. The embedding media (Epon, Maraglas, Vestopal W, Araldite), dehydration procedure (alcohol, acetone) and counter-strain used (lead citrate, uranyl acetate, phosphotungstic acid) played no significant role in the selective demonstration of neurotubules or neurofibrils. It was suggested that the neurotubules may form part of the neurofibrillar apparatus described by Cajal.
Biopharmaceutics Classification of Selected β-Blockers: Solubility and Permeability Class Membership

The purpose of this study was to determine the permeability and solubility of seven β-blockers (acebutolol, atenolol, labetalol, metoprolol, nadolol, sotalol, and timolol) and to classify them according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS). Apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) were measured using the Caco-2 cell line, and the solubility was determined at 37 °C over a pH range of 1.0−7.5. The permeability coefficients ranged from 1.0 × 10-7 to 4.8 × 10-5 cm/s. On the basis of the in vitro permeability and solubility data observed in the study, labetolol, metoprolol, and timolol can be categorized as BCS Class I drugs, whereas acebutolol, atenolol, and nadolol belong to BCS Class III. The permeability coefficients in Caco-2 cells were consistent with the reported extent of intestinal absorption in humans for all drugs except sotalol. Sotalol displayed low permeability in the Caco-2 cell line, but the extent of intestinal absorption in humans is over 90%. The low permeability through the ...
Effects of alternative transmitter amines on cyclic AMP formation in rat brain tissue

Aromatic amines and related compounds, some of which are taken up and released from nerve terminals, might act at brain receptors ordinarily stimulated by traditional amine neurotransmitters. Several of these compounds were evaluated for their ability to stimulate or impede synthesis of cyclic AMP in rat striatal homogenates and cortical slices. In contrast to catecholamines, most had no effect, consistent with their possible role as false transmitters.
Promoter Methylation of E-Cadherin, p16, and RAR-β2 Genes in Breast Tumors and Dietary Intake of Nutrients Important in One-Carbon Metabolism

Aberrant DNA methylation plays a critical role in carcinogenesis, and the availability of dietary factors involved in 1-carbon metabolism may contribute to aberrant DNA methylation. We investigated the association of intake of folate, vitamins B2, B6, B12, and methionine with promoter methylation of E-cadherin, p16, and RAR-β2 genes in archived tumor tissues from incident, primary breast cancer cases in a population-based case-control study. Real-time methylation-specific PCR was performed on 803 paraffin-embedded samples; usual dietary intake was queried from a food frequency questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression was used to derive adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for likelihood of promoter methylation for high compared to low intake of those 1-carbon nutrients. Overall, in case-case comparisons, dietary intakes of folate, vitamins B2, B6, B12, and methionine were not associated with likelihood of promoter methylation of E- cadherin, p16, and RAR-β2 for all cases combined or w...
CONSTANT-DEPTH PERIODIC CIRCUITS

This paper is devoted to the languages accepted by constant-depth, polynomial-size families of circuits in which every circuit element computes the sum of its input bits modulo a fixed period q. It has been conjectured that such a circuit family cannot compute the AND function of n inputs. Here it is shown that such circuit families are equivalent in power to polynomial-length programs over finite solvable groups; in particular, the conjecture implies that Barrington's result on the computational power of branching programs over nonsolvable groups cannot be extended to solvable groups. It is also shown that polynomial-length programs over dihedral groups cannot compute the AND function. Furthermore, it is shown that the conjecture is equivalent to a characterization, in terms of finite semigroups and formal logic, of the regular languages accepted by such circuit families. There is, moreover, considerable independent evidence for this characterization. This last result is established using new theorems, of independent interest, concerning the algebraic structure of finite categories.
Hybrid Fuzzy Bang–Bang Mode Controller With Switching Function for Electric Motor Drive Applications

This paper proposes a real-time hybrid fuzzy bang–bang (BB) controller with switching function, in order to implement a full nonlinear control law. The controller consists of a fuzzy-BB controller in parallel with a BB controller while the system is in operation. In order to circumvent the shortcomings of fuzzy-BB and BB-based controllers, a hybrid fuzzy-BB controller is proposed, in which the output can be either the outputs of the two, i.e., the fuzzy-BB or BB units that are being switched as per the absolute error signal. Normally, the BB controller operates in general; the fuzzy-BB controller is activated when the drive system experiences oscillatory behavior. The choice between the fuzzy-BB and BB controllers is based on a set of simple if–then rules; the overshoot and the oscillatory behavior have to be detected by the absolute errors. Trajectory tracking of nonlinear motor drives in position mode serves as a test bed for the control law, and a real-time experiment allows for the assessment of its practical applicability. The hybrid fuzzy-BB controller has been implemented on hardware with a dSPACE digital signal processor, and it is observed that the performance of the controlled brushless dc motor drive with the hybrid fuzzy-BB controller is assuring. Noticeably, experimental results demonstrate that the proposed controller is capable of significantly cultivating the motor performance under random disturbance and different loading conditions.
"Inside Information" and Negotiator Decision Behavior

Abstract In negotiation, information about the other party may be a source of strength or weakness, depending on the context, the type of information, its availability and quality, and how a negotiator uses it. An empirical study examines the way negotiators use "inside" information specifically designed to increase bargaining strength. The scoop-privileged information about the other party′s deadline-does not inform negotiators about possible deals; rather, it suggests a process of negotiating agreement. Misuse of the scoop, therefore, poses potential costs that may diminish its possible advantages. In a two-party negotiation exercise, access to inside information affected negotiators′ thoughts and behaviors. It enhanced their feelings of success and shifted the criterion for success away from final price toward a relative, interpersonal standard. Furthermore, informed negotiators used the scoop appropriately to manage the negotiation process and enhance both joint and individual profits.
Thermal dependence of cardiac SR Ca2+-ATPase from fish and mammals

Abstract The thermal sensitivity of metabolic performance in vertebrates requires a better understanding of the temperature sensitivity of cardiac function. The cardiac sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase (SERCA2) is vital for excitation–contraction (E–C) coupling and intracellular Ca 2+ homeostasis in heart cells. To better understand the thermal dependency of cardiac output in vertebrates, we present comparative analyses of the thermal kinetics properties of SERCA2 from ectothermic and endothermic vertebrates. We directly compare SR ventricular microsomal preparations using similar experimental conditions from sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from cardiac tissues of mammals and fish. The experiments were designed to delineate the thermal sensitivity of SERCA2 and its role in thermal sensitivity Ca 2+ uptake and E–C coupling. Ca 2+ transport in the microsomal SR fractions from rabbit and bigeye tuna ( Thunnus obesus ) ventricles were temperature dependent. In contrast, ventricular SR preparations from coho salmon ( Onchorhychus kisutch ) were less temperature dependent and cold tolerant, displaying Ca 2+ uptake as low as 5 °C. As a consequence, the Q 10 values in coho salmon were low over a range of different temperature intervals. Maximal Ca 2+ transport activity for each species occurred in a different temperature range, indicating species-specific thermal preferences for SERCA2 activity. The mammalian enzyme displayed maximal Ca 2+ uptake activity at 35 °C, whereas the fish (tuna and salmon) had maximal activity at 30 °C. At 35 °C, the rate of Ca 2+ uptake catalyzed by the bigeye tuna SERCA2 decreased, but not the rate of ATP hydrolysis. In contrast, the salmon SERCA2 enzyme lost its activity at 35 °C, and ATP hydrolysis was also impaired. We hypothesize that SERCA2 catalysis is optimized for species-specific temperatures experienced in natural habitats and that cardiac aerobic scope is limited when excitation–contraction coupling is impaired at low or high temperatures due to loss of SERCA2 enzymatic function.
State, Identity, and Representations of Danger: Competing World Views on Indian Nuclearisation

Abstract What explains India's nuclear detonation in May 1998? Some offer a realist, others a nuclear-apartheid, and some an identity-logic explanation for this detonation. My contention in this article is that the nuclear policy choice made by India in 1998, under the BJP government, is a culturally situated one and the logic of (in)securities that the state has used to justify this decision draws upon the ideological lenses of its then policy makers. To this extent, I compare how ideological perceptions of the post-colonial Indian state's leaders (evidenced under the Congress Party and the BJP) have articulated divergent notions of nationalisms, nationalist identities, and (in)securities perceived by the Indian state – thereby suggesting a link between political leaders’ ideologies, articulation of statist identities, (in)securities, and nuclearisation policies.