cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vestibular functioning and migraine: pilot study comparing those with and without vertigo.

Background: The current study compared a migrainous vertigo group with a migraine without vertigo group. It was hypothesised that those with migrainous vertigo would have more abnormal test results during a non-migrainous period than those who suffer from migraine without vertigo. Methods: Both groups, comprising 10 participants each, were tested using: the gaze stabilisation test, dynamic visual acuity test, sensory organisation test, head shake sensory organisation test and functional gait assessment. Results: Eighteen females and 2 males aged 18–53 years participated. There were no significant differences between the two groups for the dynamic visual acuity test, sensory organisation test or head shake sensory organisation test. However, mean dynamic visual acuity loss was greater in both groups than in a normal population, and the head shake sensory organisation (sway) test was well below the normal mean. The functional gait assessment showed a significant difference ( p = 0.0025) between the two groups. Conclusion: Both groups showed abnormalities in vestibular functioning compared with norms, suggesting that both had some degree of vestibular dysfunction. However, vestibular dysfunction was greater in the migrainous vertigo group than in the migraine without vertigo group, as evidenced by differences in functional gait assessment.
Executive Functions in Elementary School Children With and Without Problems in Written Expression

This study examined the executive functioning of 55 elementary school children with and without problems in written expression. Two groups reflecting children with and without significant writing problems were defined by an average primary trait rating across two separate narratives. The groups did not differ in terms of chronological age, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, special education status, or presence of attention problems or receptive vocabulary capabilities; however, they did differ in reading decoding ability, and this variable was controlled for in all analyses. Dependent measures included tasks tapping an array of executive functions grouped conceptually in accordance with a model of executive functioning reflecting the following domains: initiate, sustain, set shifting, and inhibition/stopping. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) procedures revealed statistically significant group differences on the initiation and set shift domains, with the sustaining domain approaching significance. Children with writing problems performed more poorly in each of these domains, although the effect sizes were small. A multiple regression that employed these four factors and the reading decoding variable to predict the primary trait score from the written narratives revealed a statistically significant regression function; however, reading decoding contributed most of the unique variance to the writing outcome. These findings point out the importance of executive functions in the written language process for elementary school students, but highlight the need to examine other variables when studying elementary school-age children with written expression problems.
The TANF/SSI Connection

Interactions and overlap of social assistance programs across clients interest policymakers because they affect client well-being and program efficiency. Connections between receipt of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are discussed in policy and poverty literatures, but reliable data on the extent of this interaction are scarce. This article develops estimates on the prevalence of SSI receipt among families receiving TANF assistance and the proportion of new SSI awards that go to adults and children in families receiving TANF or TANF-related benefits, termed Separate State Programs (SSPs). We estimate that by FY2003, 11 percent of all SSI awards to adults aged 18-64 and 35 percent of awards to children were to TANF/SSP recipients and that 16 percent of families receiving TANF/SSP in 2003 included an adult or child SSI recipient. While the absolute number of SSI awards to adults and children from AFDC/TANF families has declined by 42 percent for children and 25 percent for adults since the 1990s, the incidence of such awards has increased - from less than 1 per 1,000 children in 1991-1993 to 1.3 per 1,000 children in 2001-2003, and from 1.6 per thousand adults in 1991-1993 to 4 per thousand in 2001-2003. The connections between TANF and SSI are substantial and justify collaboration between the Social Security Administration (responsible for SSI) and the Department of Health and Human Services (responsible for TANF) in policymaking affecting families served by both agencies. Changes in work participation requirements and treatment of SSPs incorporated in the reauthorization of TANF, contained in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, strengthen the case for review of the TANF/SSI relationship.
Elucidating the Morphological Complexities of Linear Symmetric Triblock Polymers Confined Between Two Parallel Plates: A Self‐Consistent Field Theoretic Approach

Three dimensional self-consistent field theoretic simulations have been performed to determine the equilibrium morphologies formed by linear ABC triblock polymer melts confined between two parallel plates that favor the middle block. Our primary goal is to elucidate the conditions under which the perpendicular lamella is stabilized, since this morphology plays a central role in many nanotechnology applications. Key factors, namely, the chain architecture, surface energy and the mismatch between the film thickness d and the bulk lamella period, L0, determine the final morphologies, e.g., perpendicular and parallel lamella, perforated lamella and wet substrate with parallel cylinders in the core, have been identified. Overall, our findings are fully consistent with the results of limited experimental studies focused on morphology development in thin films of triblock polymer melts. Finally, we have clearly demonstrated that ABC triblocks hold technological advantages over diblocks for nano-lithographic fabrications.
Nuclear Import of Upf3p Is Mediated by Importin-α/-β and Export to the Cytoplasm Is Required for a Functional Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay Pathway in Yeast

Upf3p, which is required for nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) in yeast, is primarily cytoplasmic but accumulates inside the nucleus when UPF3 is overexpressed or when upf3 mutations prevent nuclear export. Upf3p physically interacts with Srp1p (importin-alpha). Upf3p fails to be imported into the nucleus in a temperature-sensitive srp1-31 strain, indicating that nuclear import is mediated by the importin-alpha/beta heterodimer. Nuclear export of Upf3p is mediated by a leucine-rich nuclear export sequence (NES-A), but export is not dependent on the Crm1p exportin. Mutations identified in NES-A prevent nuclear export and confer an Nmd(-) phenotype. The addition of a functional NES element to an export-defective upf(-) allele restores export and partially restores an Nmd(+) phenotype. Our findings support a model in which the movement of Upf3p between the nucleus and the cytoplasm is required for a fully functional NMD pathway. We also found that overexpression of Upf2p suppresses the Nmd(-) phenotype in mutant strains carrying nes-A alleles but has no effect on the localization of Upf3p. To explain these results, we suggest that the mutations in NES-A that impair nuclear export cause additional defects in the function of Upf3p that are not rectified by restoration of export alone.
Nonequilibrium phase transitions in coordinated biological motion: critical fluctuations

Abstract We report the results of experiments on biological motion demonstrating the presence of critical order parameter fluctuations as the system evolves from one coordinated state to another at a critical control parameter value. This is a key feature of nonequilibrium phase transitions.
The mechanical role of bark

The ability of stem bark to resist bending forces was examined by testing in bending segments of Acer saccharum, Fraxinus americana, and Quercus robur branches with and without their bark. For each species, the bark contributed significantly to the ability of stem segments differing in age to resist bending forces, but its contribution was age-dependent and differed among the three species. The importance of the mechanical role of the bark decreased basipetally with increasing age of F. americana and Q. robur stem segments and was superceded by that of the wood for segments $ 6 yr old. A. saccharum bark was as mechanically important as the wood for stem segments 7 yr old but was not a significant stiffening agent for younger or older portions of stems. On average, the stiffness of the bark from all three species was 50% that of the wood. However, the geometric contribution to the flexural rigidity of stems made by the bark (i.e., the bark’s second moment of area) was sufficiently large to offset its lower stiffness (Young’s modulus) relative to that of the wood. A simple model is presented that shows that the bark must be as mechanically important as the wood when its radial thickness equals 32% that of the wood and its stiffness is 50% that of the wood. Based on this model, which is shown to comply with the data from three species purported to have stiff woods, it is evident that the role of the bark cannot be neglected when considering the mechanical behavior of juvenile woody stems subjected to externally applied bending forces.
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND CONDOM PRACTICES AMONG LOS ANGELES WOMEN

Abstract Background The sociodemographic correlates of the number of recent sexual partners and condom use are investigated in a population-based sample of 1,178 unmarried women living in Los Angeles County. Results Asian Americans, foreign born, and older women are less likely to be sexually active and that more educated and previously married women are more likely. Among the sexually active ( n = 909), Hispanic women and older women are less likely to have multiple partners, and younger and previously married women more are more likely. African-American women and younger women are more likely to use condoms; older and previously married women are less likely. Conclusions Results from this study indicate that women-centered primary and secondary prevention efforts may benefit from targeting women not previously considered, such as women of post-reproductive age and divorced women.
Pediatric HIV Long-Term Nonprogressors

Patients infected with HIV are best categorized along a continuum from rapid progressors to HIV long-term nonprogressors. Long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs) are those in which AIDS develop many years after being infected with HIV, often beyond the 10-year mark, and represent 15–20% of the HIV infected patients. Many of these patients are able to control their infection and maintain undetectable viral loads for long periods of time without antiretroviral therapy. After a comprehensive literature search, we found extensive data related to HIV LTNPs in the adult population; however, very limited data was available related to LTNPs within the pediatric population. We present a case of pediatric HIV LTNPs, perinatally infected patient with undetectable viral loads, despite never receiving ART. Although there are not many instances of LTNPs among children, this child may be one, though she had intermittent viremia. She has continued to manifest serologic evidence of infection, with yearly ELISA and western blot positive tests. Based on the viral fitness studies that were performed, this case exemplifies an adolescent LTNP.
Interference cancellation in receivers with interference frequency estimation

An interference cancellation technique is described for improving the dynamic range of receivers. Feed-forward cancellation is employed to attenuate interferers by extracting interferers in a parallel auxiliary receiver path, and subtracting these at the output of the LNA, so that the linearity requirement of the down-conversion mixer within the main path of the receiver can be relaxed. The auxiliary path in this implementation needs an estimate of the center frequency of the interferer, which may be modulated in general. A PLL-based technique is employed for this purpose. Measurement results of a prototype implementation are used to validate the approach.
Aversive Effects of Ethanol in Adolescent Versus Adult Rats: Potential Causes and Implication for Future Drinking

Background: Many people experiment with alcohol and other drugs of abuse during their teenage years. Epidemiological evidence suggests that younger initiates into drug taking are more likely to develop problematic drug seeking behavior, including binge and other high-intake behaviors. The level of drug intake for any individual depends on the balance of rewarding and aversive effects of the drug in that individual. Multiple rodent studies have demonstrated that aversive effects of drugs of abuse are reduced in adolescent compared to adult animals. In this study, we addressed 2 key questions: First, do reduced aversive effects of ethanol in younger rats correlate with increased ethanol consumption? Second, are the reduced aversive effects in adolescents attributable to reduced sensitivity to ethanol’s physiologic effects? Methods: Adolescent and adult rats were tested for ethanol conditioned taste aversion (CTA) followed by a voluntary drinking period, including postdeprivation consumption. Multivariate regression was used to assess correlations. In separate experiments, adolescent and adult rats were tested for their sensitivity to the hypothermic and sedative effects of ethanol, and for blood ethanol concentrations (BECs). Results: We observed that in adolescent rats but not adults, taste aversion was inversely correlated with postdeprivation consumption. Adolescents also exhibited a greater increase in consumption after deprivation than adults. Furthermore, the age difference in ethanol CTA was not attributable to differences in hypothermia, sedation, or BECs. Conclusions: These results suggest that during adolescence, individuals that are insensitive to aversive effects are most likely to develop problem drinking behaviors. These results underscore the importance of the interaction between developmental stage and individual variation in sensitivity to alcohol.
Biotic resistance, disturbance, and mode of colonization impact the invasion of a widespread, introduced wetland grass

Disturbance and biotic resistance are important factors driving plant invasions, but how these factors interact for plants with different modes of colonization (i.e., sexual and asexual) is unclear. We evaluated factors influencing the invasion of nonnative Phragmites australis, which has been rapidly expanding in brackish tidal wetlands in Chesapeake Bay. We conducted a survey of naturally occurring small-scale disturbances (removal of vegetation and/or sediment deposition) across four plant communities; determined the effects of small-scale disturbance and biotic resistance on P. australis seedling and rhizome emergence; and tested the effects of size and frequency of small-scale disturbances on seedling emergence and survival of transplanted seedlings. The results of our study demonstrate that the invasion window for seeds is in disturbed areas in high-marsh plant communities that flood less frequently; seedling emergence in undisturbed areas was negligible. Establishment of shoots from rhizome segments was low in all plant communities. Disturbance size and frequency had no significant impact on seed germination and seedling survival. Our findings provide evidence that small-scale within-wetland disturbances are important for the invasion of the nonnative lineage of P. australis by seeds in brackish tidal wetlands in Chesapeake Bay. Efforts to reduce disturbances, large and small, in wetlands can be used to limit P. australis invasion by seed, but invasion by rhizome is still likely to occur across many plant communities irrespective of the presence of disturbance.
An occult cause of persistent nausea and vomiting

We report a patient with multiple negative evaluations during emergency department visits and inpatient admissions for unexplained, intermittent nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The etiology of her symptoms was not revealed until her 13th hospital visit, when head magnetic resonance imaging suggested active neurocysticercosis. Central etiologies should be considered for intractable nausea and vomiting in neurologically intact patients even if head computed-assisted tomography scan is negative.
Perspectives [The changing nature of software evolution; The inevitability of evolution]

Summary form only given. Traditionally, software evolution took place after software development put a system in place. However, the pace of change in technology and competition has changed the nature of software evolution to a continuous process, in which there's no neat boundary between development and evolution. Many traditional software development assumptions and practices haven't recognized this changing nature and increasingly find themselves in deep trouble as a result. Minimizing development costs by adopting numerous off-the-shelf products often leads to unaffordable evolution costs as vendors ship new releases and stop supporting the old ones. Assuming that a single form of evolutionary development covers all situations often leads to unrealistic commitments and dead-end systems as situations change.
Fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity: Diffusion measures of white matter abnormalities in the anterior limb of the internal capsule in schizophrenia

Abstract Introduction Higher cognitive functioning is mediated by frontal-subcortical cognitive and limbic feedback sub-loops. The thalamo-cortical projection through the anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) serves as the final step in these feedback sub-loops. We evaluated abnormalities in the ALIC fiber tract in schizophrenia using both structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods 20 chronic schizophrenia patients and 22 male, normal controls group matched for handedness, age, and parental SES, underwent structural and DTI brain imaging on a 1.5 Tesla GE system. We manually measured ALIC volume normalized for intracranial contents (ICC) using structural brain images and then registered these high resolution structural brain scan derived ALIC label maps to DTI space allowing for the measurement in the ALIC of diffusion indices including, fractional anisotropy (FA) mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD). Results We found in the ALIC of chronic schizophrenia subjects, compared with normal controls, bilaterally lower FA and bilaterally higher RD, but no differences in AD, MD, or relative volume. Cognitive correlations in schizophreni a patients showed, in particular, that higher left ALIC FA correlated positively with better verbal and nonverbal declarative/episodic memory performance. Discussion Using a novel approach to assess both diffusion and volume measures in the ALIC in schizophrenia, we found abnormalities in measures of diffusion, but not volume, supporting their importance as sensitive indices of abnormalities in white matter fiber bundles in schizophrenia. Our findings also support the role of ALIC white matter tract FA abnormalities in declarative/episodic memory in schizophrenia.
Large-Sample Theory for Likelihood Ratio Tests

The tests in Chapters 12 and 13 have strong optimality properties but require conditions on the densities for the data and the form of the hypotheses that are rather special and can fail for many natural models. By contrast, the generalized likelihood ratio test introduced in this chapter requires little structure, but it does not have exact optimality properties. Use of this test is justified by large-sample theory. In Section 17.2 we derive approximations for its level and power. Wald tests and score tests are popular alternatives to generalized likelihood ratio tests with similar asymptotic performance. They are discussed briefly in Section 17.4.
Lymphoblastic lymphoma in children--a randomized trial comparing LSA2-L2 with the A-COP+ therapeutic regimen: a Pediatric Oncology Group Study.

From May 1979 to March 1983, 76 evaluable patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) were treated by members of the Pediatric Oncology Group (POG). Forty-six children treated by the six-drug A-COP+ regimen (Adriamycin [doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH], vincristine, prednisone, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and hydrocortisone) were compared in a prospective randomized trial with 30 patients receiving the modified ten-drug LSA2-L2 (cyclosphosphamide, vincristine, methotrexate, Daunomycin [daunorubicin cerubidine; Wyeth Laboratories, Philadelphia], prednisone, cytarabine, thioguanine, asparaginase, hydroxyurea, and carmustine) regimen. After adjusting for stage (I and II v III v IV), there was no statistically significant difference (P = .19) between A-COP+ and LSA2-L2 regimens on the basis of 3-year survival and disease-free survival (62% v 72% and 53% v 58%, respectively for the two treatment regimens) but the power of analysis and thus the ability to detect a clinically meaningful difference in the outcome with the two regimens was limited by the small number of patients. Neither therapy was effective for most patients with stage IV disease, with failure occurring in six of seven children receiving A-COP+ regimen and eight of 11 patients receiving LSA2-L2. Although the LSA2-L2 regimen was more toxic during the induction of remission, the toxicity during maintenance was acceptable and similar for both treatments. CNS relapse was not a significant problem whether cranial radiation with intrathecal (IT) therapy (A-COP+) or IT therapy alone (LSA2-L2) were used. Our results confirm the overall effectiveness of the LSA2-L2 regimen in children with LBLs, especially those initially free of bone marrow or CNS involvement, but were inconclusive as to the inferiority or superiority of this regimen over the A-COP+ regimen.
The contentious nature of soil organic matter

Instead of containing stable and chemically unique ‘humic substances’, as has been widely accepted, soil organic matter is a mixture of progressively decomposing organic compounds; this has broad implications for soil science and its applications. The exchange of nutrients, energy and carbon between soil organic matter, the soil environment, aquatic systems and the atmosphere is important for agricultural productivity, water quality and climate. Long-standing theory suggests that soil organic matter is composed of inherently stable and chemically unique compounds. Here we argue that the available evidence does not support the formation of large-molecular-size and persistent ‘humic substances’ in soils. Instead, soil organic matter is a continuum of progressively decomposing organic compounds. We discuss implications of this view of the nature of soil organic matter for aquatic health, soil carbon–climate interactions and land management. Soil organic matter contains a large portion of the world's carbon and plays an important role in maintaining productive soils and water quality. Nevertheless, a consensus on the nature of soil organic matter is lacking. Johannes Lehmann and Markus Kleber argue that soil organic matter should no longer be seen as large and persistent, chemically unique substances, but as a continuum of progressively decomposing organic compounds.
The Role of the Macrophage Phagocytic System (MPS) in the Development of Secondary Amyloidosis

That the acute phase reactant, serum amyloid A (SAA) is synthesized in the liver is beyond dispute (1). The derivation of the peptide amyloid A (AA) from SAA is also no longer questioned (2–4). In order to elucidate the pathogenesis of secondary amyloidosis, attention must now be focused on the structural variants of SAA (5,6), its behaviour in diverse disease conditions, and on the mechanism whereby the soluble degradation product of SAA becomes polymerized into insoluble fibrils. As described elsewhere in this volume (sections 3 and 7), several investigators are addressing the first aspect of amyloidogenesis, i.e., whether the development of amyloidosis is contingent on a structural variation of the SAA molecule, whereas in our laboratory, studies have concerned mostly the second aspect. We have postulated that the deposition of the AA protein may be attributable, in part, to faulty processing of its precursor peptide, SAA. This hypothesis is based on the observation that in vitro SAA is degraded to completion by surface enzymes of normal monocyte/macrophages, but that peripheral blood monocytes of patients with amyloidosis degrade the peptide incompletely (7–9). While the intermediate degradation product was found to have electrophoretic mobility and virtually complete immunologic cross-reactivity with AA, it was not known whether incomplete processing could be attributed to faulty macrophage function per se.
Xe2 gerade Rydberg states observed in the afterglow of a microplasma by laser spectroscopy of a3Σu+(1u,Ou−) absorption in the green (545–555 nm) and near-infrared (675–800 nm)

Bound←bound transitions of the Xe dimer at small internuclear separation (R < 4.0 A) have been observed in the 545–555 nm and 675–800 nm spectral regions by laser spectroscopy in the afterglow of a pulsed Xe microplasma with a volume of ∼160 nl. Transient suppression of Xe2 A1Σu+(Ou+)→X1Σg+(Og+) emission in the vacuum ultraviolet (∼172 nm), induced by laser excitation of Ωg←a3Σu+(1u,Ou−) [Rydberg←Rydberg] transitions of the molecule, has confirmed the existence of structure between 720 and 770 nm (reported by Killeen and Eden [J. Chem. Phys. 84, 6048 (1986)]) but also reveals red-degraded vibrational bands extending to wavelengths beyond 800 nm. Spectral simulations based on calculations of Franck-Condon factors for assumed Ωg←a3Σu+ transitions involving Ω = 0±,1 gerade Rydberg states suggest that the upper level primarily responsible for the observed spectrum is an Ω = 1 state correlated, in the separated atom limit, with Xe(5p6 1S0) + Xe(5p5 6p) and built on a predominantly A2Π3/2g molecular ion core. S...
Betreuung von patienten an linksventrikulären unterstü tzungssystemen mittels koordinator: Erfahrungen des Methodist DeBakey Heart Centers

Linksventrikulare mechanische Supportsysteme, left ventricular assist devices oder kurz LVAD, erlauben, Patientien mit terminalen Herzversagen bis zur Transplantation zu unterstutzen. Dies hat positiven Einfluss zum einen auf die Uberlebensrate als auch auf mogliche peri-operative Komplikationen. Wir berichten uber unsere Erfahrungen mit einem LVAD-Koordinator, insbesondere hinsichtlich Patientengenesung und Inzidenz an Komplikationen. In der Zeit vom Juni 2000 und Januar 2002 erhielten 28 Patienten mit terminaler therapierefrakterer Herzinsuffizienz ein linksventrikulares Assist Device, 14 Patienten in der Zeit vor Einsatz eines LVAD-Koordinators und weitere 14 Patienten unter der Betreuung eines LVAD-Koordinators. Die untersuchten Kriterien waren dabei Auftreten von Infektionen, lebensbedrohlichen Thromboembolien, Blutungsereignissen und Kostenaufwand, definiert als reine Krankenhauskosten ohne Personal- und Materialkosten. In der Pra-Koordinator-Gruppe wurden 2 Patienten mit Ihrem LVAD nach Hause entlassen, 7 Patienten (50%) entwickelten eine therapiepflichtige Infektion, 5 Patienten (35%) hatten lebensbedrohliche thrombembolische Komplikationen. 6 Patienten aus dieser Gruppe wurden transplantiert und 8 Patienten verstarben an dem Unterstutzungssystem, woraus sich eine Uberlebensrate von 42% errechnet. In der von einem LVAD-Koordinator betreuten Patientengruppe wurden 7 Patienten mit ihrem LVAD nach Hause entlassen, 4 Patienten entwickelten Infektionen und 1 Patient cerebrale Thrombembolien mit irreversiblen neurologischen Schaden. 10 Patienten wurden transplantiert, 3 Patienten verstarben am Assist Device und 1 Patient war bei Studienende noch am Assist Device. Die Uberlebensrate in dieser Gruppe war 78%. Der Einsatz eines LVAD-Koordinators fur die Betreuung von an linksventrikularen Assist Devices befindlichen Patienten trug in unserem Patienten-Kollektiv zu einer hoheren Uberlebensrate, niedrigeren Komplikationsrate und auch niedrigeren Krankenhauskosten bei.
DEREGULATION AND INVESTMENT IN GREEN TECHNOLOGIES: EVIDENCE FROM INVESTOR-OWNED ELECTRIC UTILITIES

Lifting economic regulation that guarantees a fair rate-of-return drastically changes the competitive environment of firms. Incumbents may respond to this change by pursuing either cost-leadership ...
How Can Different People All Fight the Same Battle if They Seem to Have Nothing in Common

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. "Modern day America is a reflection of many different histories. All different, unique, and significant, yet they all belong to us whether we are directly affected or not. The trials different groups of people face today are the same trials once faced by the millions of Americans who preceded us. Today’s women and men can fight together for rights that are much more than skin deep and connect them all regardless of race. How can different people all fight the same battle if they seem to have nothing in common? The answer is that people with a thirst for acceptance and respect from others are all human beings. We are all the same and much less different than we think." This diversity vision is available in Verbum: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol13/iss2/20
Archaeology and Empire

The history of archaeology is inextricably bound up with empire, while the history of empire rests firmly upon the foundations of archaeology. In this mutual entanglement lies a key challenge for the present in seeking understandings of empire, its social legacies, and the expression and future implications of neo-imperial formulations in today's world. Focusing on the development of archaeology from the 16th century to the present, we consider the relationship between colonialism and imperialism, the changing theoretical constructs that underpin archaeological practice, and the contemporary role of archaeology in neo-imperial politics. The role of archaeology in the development of ethnocentric theories of cultural evolution and its current role in challenging those same formulations are examined, with examples drawn from the imperial histories of Africa, the Americas, Mesopotamia, Australasia, and India. Keywords: archaeology; ethics; imperialism and conquest; nationalism; racism; sources and evidence
A Measure Model of Similarity for Finding the Best Coach

A similarity calculation method was applied to establish the mathematical model to select the best coach. The index vector was defined to assess the coaching ability of coacher. The improved method was given to reduce the impact caused by the factor of time. The variance analysis was used to assess the impact caused by the gender. Based on this analysis,the whitening approach was used to remove the impact caused by the gender. To apply cosine similarity to select the best coach,criteria collected based on experience should be transferred as vectors,then compared with the idealistic coach. Many experiment results demonstrated the validity of the proposed method.
Proteinase Inhibitors from Ascaris lumbricoides: Properties and their Physiological Role

Ascaris lumbricoides is the largest parasite which can infest its two hosts, man and pig. The species specificity of these worms is absolute; Ascaris from hogs cannot grow to adults in man, nor can human Ascaris survive in pigs, although morphologically they are indistinguishable. It is estimated that one quarter of the world’s population is infested with human Ascaris; infestation of hogs is far more extensive.
Preparation of Sperm-Free Seminal Plasma From Human Semen *

Whole human semen was centrifuged at various centrifugal forces to obtain sperm-free seminal plasma. Most samples of seminal plasma collected after centrifguation of up to 10,000 g were contaminated with spermatozoa. Centrifugation at 40,000 g yielded sperm-free seminal plasma in two thirds of the samples centrifuged. Filtration of whole semen with Millipore filters (pore size 0.45 mu) removed all spermatozoa.
Shell Egg Sanitation: UV Radiation and Egg Rotation to Effectively Reduce Populations of Aerobes, Yeasts, and Molds.

The intensity of UV radiation (254 nm) and egg rotation were examined for their effect on aerobic microorganisms, yeast, and mold on egg shell surfaces. Aerobic microorganisms, yeast, and mold populations were significantly reduced by UV treatments at 1,720 μW/cm 2 . Eggs rotated at 1 revolution per min under 1,720 μW/cm 2 of UV light had significantly reduced populations of aerobic microorganisms. Higher intensity (4,350 μW/cm 2 ) with egg rotation also significantly decreased aerobic microorganism populations. Eggs treated with rotation and 15 min of 4,350 μW/cm 2 of UV radiation had significantly lower populations of aerobic microorganisms than eggs without rotation. Eggs rotated and exposed to 15 min of 4,350 μW/cm 2 of UV were compared to eggs dipped in 200 ppm chlorine-treated water solution for 1 min, exposed to 3x formaldehyde fumigation for 20 min, sprayed with commercial sanitizer (Bioguard®) for 3 min, and eggs receiving no treatment. Eggs treated with UV radiation had significantly higher populations of aerobic microorganisms than eggs from other treatments but significantly lower bacterial populations than the control group. Mold and yeast populations of UV-treated eggs were significantly lower than the untreated eggs. The results of this study indicate that UV radiation can significantly reduce aerobic microorganisms, yeast and molds on egg shell surfaces.
Differential Expression of Estrogen Receptor Variants in Response to Inflammation Signals in Human Airway Smooth Muscle.

The prevalence of asthma is higher in pre-pubescent and aging males, and in post-pubertal females, strongly indicating that sex steroids (especially estrogen) may be an important modulator in lung disease. We recently demonstrated that airway smooth muscle (ASM) expresses both alpha and beta forms of the estrogen receptor (ERα and ERβ) in males and females, and that these receptors regulate intracellular [Ca2+] and ASM contractility. Although both ERα and ERβ have multiple splice variants, it is unclear if and how the expression of these variants is modulated under conditions such as chronic inflammation/asthma. In order to test the hypothesis that the differential expression of ERα and ERβ variants contributes to the pathogenesis of asthma, we profiled the expression of various ERα and ERβ genes in asthmatic and inflamed (TNFα- or IL-13-treated) ASM. Gene expression was assessed at both the mRNA and protein levels in asthmatic ASM cells or non-asthmatic cells treated with TNFα (20 ng/ml) or IL-13 (50 ng/ml). We observed marked variation in the expression of ER isoforms in response to inflammatory stimuli, and in non-asthmatic versus asthmatic ASM. Changes in protein levels of ERα and ERβ corresponded with the observed differential mRNA patterns. Pharmacological studies implicate cytosolic (p42/44 MAPK and PI3 K) and nuclear (NFκB, STAT6, and AP-1) signaling pathways as putative mechanisms that mediate and/or regulate effects of inflammation on ER expression. We conclude that variations in ASM ER expression profiles occur with inflammation and that ER variants could contribute to estrogen signaling in airway diseases such as asthma. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 1754–1760, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analyzing Circuit Layout to Probing Attack

Probing attacks against Integrated Circuits (IC) for security critical applications have become a serious concern. With the help of modern IC debug technologies, an attacker could remove layers of materials and expose wires carrying security critical information for probing. Existing protection methods use active shields to detect such attacks. However, problems such as ineffective top layer wire mesh and reused hardware Intellectual Property (IP) blocks exist, which threatens active shield security. Moreover, protection for mass-produced products such as smartcards and security tokens has been overlooked, partly due to they can neither afford the area cost or technology requirements of state-of-the-art protection designs. In this chapter, we cover known techniques in performing probing attacks, the problem of protection against probing attacks, and present a layout-driven framework to assess designs for vulnerabilities to probing attacks.
Atrophic Mandible Fractures: Are Bone Grafts Necessary? An Update

Purpose The management of atrophic mandibular fractures poses a challenge because of anatomic variations and medical comorbidities associated with elderly patients. The purpose of this article is to review and update the literature regarding the management of atrophic mandible fractures using load-bearing reconstruction plates placed without bone grafts. Materials and Methods We performed a review of the English-language literature looking for atrophic mandibular fractures with or without continuity defects and reconstruction without bone grafts. Included are 2 new patients from our institution who presented with fractures of their atrophic mandibles and had continuity defects and infections. Both patients underwent reconstruction with a combination of a reconstruction plate, recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2, and tricalcium phosphate. This study was approved as an “exempt study” by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Kentucky. This investigation observed the Declaration of Helsinki on medical protocol and ethics. Results Currently, the standard of care to manage atrophic mandibular fractures with or without a continuity defect is a combination of a reconstruction plate plus autogenous bone graft. However, there is a need for an alternative option for patients with substantial comorbidities. Bone morphogenetic proteins, with or without additional substances, appear to be a choice. In our experience, successful healing occurred in patients with a combination of a reconstruction plate, recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2, and tricalcium phosphate. Conclusions Whereas primary reconstruction of atrophic mandibular fractures with reconstruction plates supplemented with autogenous bone graft is the standard of care, in selected cases in which multiple comorbidities may influence local and/or systemic outcomes, bone morphogenetic proteins and tricalcium phosphate can be used as a predictable alternative to autogenous grafts.
Emphasis on Repair, Not Just Avoidance of Injury, Facilitates Prudent Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SAbR) is a potent, hypofractionated treatment against cancer which puts adjacent normal tissue in potential peril. Accurate delineation of normal tissue injury risks from SAbR has been challenging, and lack of clear understanding of SAbR tolerance continues to limit its potential. In this review, we contend that SAbR effects on normal tissue could be akin to a surgical "wound," and that adequate wound repair of organs at risk is an essential component of effective SAbR therapy. To mitigate risks of clinical relevance from an SAbR wound, in addition to the traditional views on architectural organization and functional organization of an organ at risk, one should also consider the organ's predominant wound healing tendencies. We also propose that avoidance of SAbR injury to organs at risk must involve careful thought to minimize risk factors that could further impair wound healing. It is imperative that efforts aimed at determining appropriate dose constraints based on predicted SAbR wound injury repair mechanisms for a particular organ to be studied as a critically important step to furthering our understanding of SAbR-related normal tissue tolerances. This can be best achieved through thoughtful design of prospective phase I dose-escalation studies.
Privacy, censorship, data breaches and Internet freedom: The drivers of support and opposition to Dark Web technologies:

Do heightened privacy perceptions, censorship concerns and exposure to online crime affect people’s level of opposition to dual-use technologies such as the Dark Web? If they do, then how much do these factors actually drive baseline levels of opposition to the Dark Web? Do privacy and censorship concerns get amplified in regimes with significant Internet restrictions? Does Internet freedom itself affect people’s baseline levels of opposition to Tor and other Dark Web technologies? Using new survey data on 17,121 Internet users in 17 different countries, a series of mixed-effect order logit regressions reveal that privacy and censorship concerns are both significant predictors of less opposition to the Dark Web. Past exposure to online crime, in contrast, significantly increases opposition to the Dark Web. Interestingly, restrictions on Internet freedom do not amplify privacy and censorship concerns, but Internet freedom itself is related to baseline levels of opposition to the Dark Web forming an inverte...
Pupillary Response and Phenotype in ASD: Latency to Constriction Discriminates ASD from Typically Developing Adolescents

Brain imaging data describe differences in the ASD brain, including amygdala overgrowth, neural interconnectivity, and a three-phase model of neuroanatomical changes from early post-natal development through late adolescence. The pupil reflex test (PRT), a noninvasive measure of brain function, may help improve early diagnosis and elucidate underlying physiology in expression of ASD endophenotype. Commonly observed characteristics of ASD include normal visual acuity but difficulty with eye gaze and photosensitivity, suggesting deficient neuromodulation of cranial nerves. Aims of this study were to confirm sensitivity of the PRT for identifying adolescents with ASD, determine if a phenotype for a subtype of ASD marked by pupil response is present in adolescence, and determine whether differences could be observed on a neurologic exam testing cranial nerves II and III (CNII; CNIII). Using pupillometry, constriction latency was measured serving as a proxy for recording neuromodulation of cranial nerves underlying the pupillary reflex. The swinging flashlight method, used to perform the PRT for measuring constriction latency and return to baseline, discriminated ASD participants from typically developing adolescents on 72.2% of trials. Results further confirmed this measure's sensitivity within a subtype of ASD in later stages of development, serving as a correlate of neural activity within the locus–coeruleus norepinephrine (LC–NE) system. A brainstem model of atypical PRT in ASD is examined in relation to modulation of cranial nerves and atypical arousal levels subserving the atypical pupillary reflex. Autism Res 2017. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary Milder forms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult to diagnose based on behavioral testing alone. This study used eye-tracking equipment and a hand-held penlight to measure the pupil reflex in adolescents with “high functioning” ASD and in adolescents without ASD. The ASD group showed a delay in pupil response. This is the first eye-tracking study to conduct this test as typically performed by a clinical provider, demonstrating differences in older individuals with a subtype of ASD.
A Localized Pseudomonas syringae Infection Triggers Systemic Clock Responses in Arabidopsis.

Summary The circadian clock drives daily rhythms of many plant physiological responses, providing a competitive advantage that improves plant fitness and survival rates [1–5]. Whereas multiple environmental cues are predicted to regulate the plant clock function, most studies focused on understanding the effects of light and temperature [5–8]. Increasing evidence indicates a significant role of plant-pathogen interactions on clock regulation [9, 10], but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In Arabidopsis , the clock function largely relies on a transcriptional feedback loop between morning ( CCA1 and LHY )- and evening ( TOC1 )-expressed transcription factors [6–8]. Here, we focused on these core components to investigate the Arabidopsis clock regulation using a unique biotic stress approach. We found that a single-leaf Pseudomonas syringae infection systemically lengthened the period and reduced the amplitude of circadian rhythms in distal uninfected tissues. Remarkably, the low-amplitude phenotype observed upon infection was recapitulated by a transient treatment with the defense-related phytohormone salicylic acid (SA), which also triggered a significant clock phase delay. Strikingly, despite SA-modulated circadian rhythms, we revealed that the master regulator of SA signaling, NPR1 [11, 12], antagonized clock responses triggered by both SA treatment and P. syringae . In contrast, we uncovered that the NADPH oxidase RBOHD [13] largely mediated the aforementioned clock responses after either SA treatment or the bacterial infection. Altogether, we demonstrated novel and unexpected roles for SA, NPR1, and redox signaling in clock regulation by P. syringae and revealed a previously unrecognized layer of systemic clock regulation by locally perceived environmental cues.
Learning Hinduism through a Rural Homestay in South India

As a professor of theology with expertise in interreligious issues, I designed a January Term course on Hinduism set in south India. The course met liberal arts requirements and was designed for predominantly upper Midwestern students with Catholic and Protestant backgrounds. The focus was not on major sites but on meeting people in the countryside. Also, the course moved traditional learning and pedagogy into a living space by staying for six nights, during the Pongal harvest festival, in rural homes in Tamil Nadu. In terms of academics, the course was originally designed to focus on asceticism, the worship of Shiva, village goddesses, and the role of hill shrines in Tamil Nadu. The students would learn about these topics directly through the town, its inhabitants, and nearby religious sites. I did my best to prepare students for the experience, utilizing interviews, orientation sessions, on-site orientations, and assigned readings. My plans and preparations might seem to have been good, but at the midpoint of the course, on the first day in the small town, the program ground to a halt. Many students were emotionally devastated by the level of poverty. In this context, my lectures on asceticism, Shiva, goddesses, and hill shrines rang hollow and empty. Instead, the minds of the students were flooded by a host of other issues, including poverty, race, class, gender, environmental pollution. Although initially devastated by poverty, the students were quickly drawn into the life of the town. After only two days many frowns and tears turned into smiles. They were drawn in by the hospitality, the highly relational nature of the Tamil people, the exuberance and color of the Pongal celebrations, and the town’s rituals. Religion was a main facet of the experiences of the students, and this was key in terms of transforming their stay into a positive one, but my lectures on Shiva nevertheless rang empty. The students were experiencing a different aspect of the religion than what I had learned about in graduate school or was prepared to teach. Westerners tend to think of Asian religions in terms of meditation, asceticism, and philosophy, but the students were experiencing religion in terms of family intimacy, obedience to the elders, and hospitality to the stranger. I later found that the sixth century Tamil classic, the Tirukkural or “Holy Speech,” addresses the experiences of the students. The text gives instructions on how to live a virtuous life, and it discusses two main lifestyles, those of the ascetic and the householder. The former pertains to material that I was prepared to teach and the latter to the world my students were experiencing. There were a variety of lessons which the students, and students in future years, learned from the lifestyle of a Hindu householder. Lessons they wrote about in their journals included generosity to outsiders and guests, valuing family relations, that great joy can exist in the midst of poverty, and that Americans value individual choice, whereas Indians value collective decision making.