cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vanilloid Receptor Expression and Capsaicin Excitation of Rat Dental Primary Afferent Neurons

Little is known about the molecular mechanisms that cause excitation of neurons which innervate the teeth. We investigated whether rat dental sensory neurons express the vanilloid (capsaicin) receptor (VR1). Dental sensory neurons were identified by retrograde transport of the fluorescent dye DiIC18 placed in maxillary molars. Patch-clamp recordings in culture showed that 65% of DiIC18-labeled rat trigeminal ganglion neurons are excited by capsaicin. Responders covered the entire range of cell sizes examined (soma diameter, 24 to 48 μm). All non-responders had a soma diameter > 33 μm. Capsazepine (1 μM) reduced the capsaicin-evoked membrane current (6/6) and depolarization (7/7 responders). RT-PCR amplified a 375-bp product from DiIC18-labeled neurons which was identical to that expected for VR1. Thus, many rat dental primary afferent neurons are excited by capsaicin, and the response appears to be mediated by VR1. These results suggest that pharmacological blockers of VR1 may provide significant relief o...
Control of frictional dynamics of a one-dimensional particle array

Control of frictional forces is required in many applications of tribology. While the problem is approached by chemical means traditionally, a recent approach was proposed to control the system mechanically to tune frictional responses. We design feedback control laws for a one-dimensional particle array sliding on a surface subject to friction. The Frenkel-Kontorova model describing the dynamics is a nonlinear interconnected system and the accessible control elements are average quantities only. We prove local stability of equilibrium points of the un-controlled system in the presence of linear and nonlinear particle interactions, respectively. We then formulate a tracking control problem, whose control objective is for the average system to reach a designated targeted velocity using accessible elements. Sufficient stabilization conditions are explicitly derived for the closed-loop error systems using the Lyapunov theory based methods. Simulation results show satisfactory performances. The results can be applied to other physical systems whose dynamics is described by the Frenkel-Kontorova model.
High temperature antenna measurement system with GSG or GS contact probing capability

A system to measure the return loss, radiation patterns and gain of planar antennas with GSG or GS probe connects at high temperatures has been presented. Antennas can be heated to 600°C and a radiation sweep of 360° is possible. The return loss, radiation patterns and gain of a FSA have been presented on Styrofoam and ceramic heater/shuttle tile chucks at RT and 250°C. The antenna was measured on a Styrofoam chuck to show the effect the ceramic heater has on the measured data. The heater/shuttle tile chuck shifts the resonant frequency from its design frequency of 5 GHz to 4 GHz but its effect is minimal on the magnitude of S 11 . The magnitudes of the gain at 90 and −90° are not the same, which is due to the ceramic heater acting as a lens and focusing more radiation downward from the antenna through the ceramic heater. The phenomenon is also present on Styrofoam but not as predominant. The FSA and other omnidirectional antennas are the hardest to measure on this system and therefore this is a worst case test. Directional antennas such as patches would not be as impacted by the surrounding system.
Implementation of a genetic algorithm based associative classifier system (ACS)

The first results from the development of a genetic algorithm-based ACS are presented. The ACS is a result of mapping the inherent parallelism in classifier systems to a program which executes on a PC-based associative processor. The associative algorithms of the ACS for the coherent processor are presented. It is demonstrated that this associative implementation of the BOOLE classifier system learns as well as results published for serial implementations. It is shown that the use of an associative processor as a co-processor can decrease classifier system response time, particularly for classifier systems with a large number of rules. In fact, when the number of rules in the ACS was increased by an order of magnitude, the response time of the system increased only 25% after DOS overhead was removed. >
How Peace Agreements Are Derailed: The Evolution of Values in Cyprus, 1959–74

This article investigates the relationship between risk-taking behavior and value prioritization and develops an analytical framework that helps explain where groups stood over time on a high/low conflict continuum in the case of Cyprus (1959-74). It seeks to explain how peace agreements derail by focusing on the evolution of value-frames (the linguistic windows through which we see or interpret) held by agent/stakeholders representing ethnic groups in conflict. A value is an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct is preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence, and a value system is an enduring organization of beliefs concerning preferable modes of conduct or end-states of existence along a continuum of relative importance. With the use of smallest space analysis (SSA), the article creates a value-based model that could be applied to post-agreement processes to help assess psycho-political readiness to reach agreement or resort to force. The present study suggests monitoring the evolution of the value structures of groups in post-settlement processes to develop a better sense of how decisions to sign peace agreements are reassessed by the former signatories, how groups in conflict adapt to the demands of peace processes, and, as a consequence, how they establish the criteria to evaluate risks and gains.
Travels with Fossil Hunters

Travels with Fossil Hunters, Peter Whybrow (editor), 2000, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 176 p. (Hardcover $39.95) ISBN: 0-521-66301-6. Travels with the Fossil Hunters is a collection of essays by ten British paleontologists about their adventures to various corners of the world in the search for the quarry of their various specialties. As the title suggests, the focus is not on the fossils and their importance towards unraveling the history of life on Earth. Rather, these scientists tell the stories behind their discoveries. Peter Whybrow edited the volume and, like Whybrow, the contributors are, or were, associated with the British Museum of Natural History (London). Sir David Attenborough wrote a Forward and Richard Fortey a colorful Introduction. Curiously, the Brits scatter mostly eastward from the kingdom's seat towards the regions of Europe (Gibraltar, Latvia), Asia (China, Tibet, India, Pakistan, Turkey), Africa and the Middle East (Abu Dhabi, Yemen, the Sahara Desert, Sierra Leone), and south to Antarctica. (Is there some unconscious instinct at work here to reclaim lost glory of the former British empire?) The desired fossiliferous deposits span over 400 million years of evolutionary history, from Devonian brachiopods of Tibet to the recently extinct Neanderthals of Gibraltar. The quarry includes, among others, invertebrates (bryozoans in India, forams in Sierra Leone), dinosaurs in the Sahara desert, and hominids in Pakistan. In today's increasingly complex world driven by scheduled meetings, quarterly reports, and email that demands immediate responses, many of us with some field experience will fondly recall the peaceful quiet far from city lights and belching busses like that recounted by the travelers. They express many of the same nostalgic thoughts—“astonishing,” “exhilarating,” and “enjoyable”—at the beauty of the land and the feelings upon discovery of their long-sought quarry. In search of Miocene vertebrates on the Arabian coast, Whybrow and colleague Andrew …
IPB: an Internet Protocol Benchmark using simulated traffic

A common shortcoming of many network measurement programs is that their metrics are not expressed in terms directly applicable to applications and users. To address this problem, we have developed the IP Benchmark (IPB), a benchmark program that synthetically generates traffic to simulate the network activity of common Internet applications. It measures the performance experienced by the simulated applications, and expresses that performance in terms of application-specific metrics. After presenting same details of the design and implementation of IPB, we show how we use it to measure HTTP performance along various long-delay, lossy ATM links, such as might be found in satellite or wireless ATM environments. These links themselves are simulated by using a BBN Long Link Emulator which adds delays and errors to local-area OC-3 links. Finally, we present some preliminary results.
Lasers with nanopatterned active regions

The structures, processing methods and challenges, experimental results, and spectral analyses for patterned quantum dot lasers and nanopore ordered array lasers are presented and compared with otherwise identical quantum well laser diodes.
Social Media and Learning Environments: Shifting Perspectives on the Locus of Control

In the past, centralised technology departments had major influence over the choices of learning applications in higher education. With the emergence of freely available Web 2.0 and open-access tools, instructors and designers have been given greater ability to customize e-learning. This paper examines the historical roots of the impacts of authority from centralised technology units to an emerging user-centric control over learning environment design in higher education. A case study is used to illustrate the potentials and pitfalls in this more decentralised configuration for both learning and organization. Keywords: learning applications; higher education; Web 2.0; e-learning; open-access tools
Changes In Stock Returns And Trading Volume Of American Depositary Receipts Around Their U.S. Stock Exchange Listing Switches

This study examines the change in stock returns and trading volume of American Depositary Receipts when foreign firms switched their listings from a major U.S. stock exchange to a more prestigious U.S. stock exchange; namely from the NASDAQ or American Stock Exchange to the New York Stock Exchange or from the American Stock Exchange to the NASDAQ since year 2000. We find that the stock returns of these American Depositary Receipts changed from better-than-market performance before the listing changes to just market performance after the listing changes. This evidence is consistent with a timing behavior of the management. We also find significant increase in their trading volume after the listing changes. This leads us to conclude that switching to a more prestigious stock exchange was able to create more investor interest.
Sleep fragmentation in normals: a model for sleepiness associated with upper airway resistance syndrome.

Summary: Eight young adults underwent I night of auditory sleep fragmentation followed by four naps of the multiple sleep latency test and performance testing the next day. A latin-square design was used to compare results with baseline. Efforts were made to eliminate effects of learning on repeated performance tests. A mean of 303 arousals, lasting a mean of II seconds, disrupted nocturnal sleep. This sleep fragmentation was induced to mimic as closely as possible the nocturnal sleep disruption seen in subjects with upper airway resistance syndrome. There was a significant disruption of nocturnal sleep architecture with a significant overall decrease in slow-wave sleep (SWS) and a significant but more moderate decrease in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep during the fragmented night. The most interesting finding related to analysis by thirds of the night, which indicated an important increase over time in arousal threshold during SWS followed by REM sleep. This threshold increase was associated with a parallel increase in dB(A) levels needed to induce an arousal. Stages I and 2 nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep were less affected by the stimulation, but the amount of stage I NREM sleep decreased from the beginning to the end of the night, again indicating an increase in pressure to sleep. Following I night of sleep fragmentation, subjects had significantly shorter sleep latencies on the multiple sleep latency test for naps 2, 3 and 4. There was a significant relationship between percent nocturnal SWS and mean sleep latencies. The selected performance tests were not affected by I night of sleep fragmentation, despite the obvious sleepiness. Key Words: Sleep fragmentation­ Upper airway resistance syndrome-Sleepiness-Performance testing.
On the mechanism of oxidative cleavage of aryl-alkyl ethers by liver microsomes.

Studies with 18O2 and H218O have shown that oxidative O-demethylation of p -methoxyacetanilide by liver microsomes involves the cleavage of the oxygen methyl bond with no incorporation of oxygen into the phenolic product. They indicate that the intact methoxy group is not displaced by a hydroxyl group. Furthermore, p -methoxyphenylalanine was not converted to tyrosine by liver phenylalanine hydroxylase. These findings indicate that the microsomal cleavage of aryl-alkyl ethers is not catalyzed by an aromatic hydroxylase.
Teaching data envelopment analysis in production operations management through an undergraduate research project based on real-world data

This teaching note reflects the recent experience in teaching an undergraduate production operations management course through the implementation of a real-world-problem-based research project. In this project, students investigated a multi-million dollar effort Access database compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and applied a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to benchmark production efficiency among the coal-fired power plants within the states that they selected in the USA. This research project did much to developing students' quantitative problem-solving skills by weaving the research project throughout the whole semester, engaging students in illustrating DEA models with a real industrial production problem, and enhancing students' awareness of sustainability in production operations management.
The p38 MAP kinase pathway modulates the hypoxia response and glutamate receptor trafficking in aging neurons

Neurons are sensitive to low oxygen (hypoxia) and employ a conserved pathway to combat its effects. Here, we show that p38 MAP Kinase (MAPK) modulates this hypoxia response pathway in C. elegans. Mutants lacking p38 MAPK components pmk-1 or sek-1 resemble mutants lacking the hypoxia response component and prolyl hydroxylase egl-9, with impaired subcellular localization of Mint orthologue LIN-10, internalization of glutamate receptor GLR-1, and depression of GLR-1-mediated behaviors. Loss of p38 MAPK impairs EGL-9 protein localization in neurons and activates the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor HIF-1, suggesting that p38 MAPK inhibits the hypoxia response pathway through EGL-9. As animals age, p38 MAPK levels decrease, resulting in GLR-1 internalization; this age-dependent downregulation can be prevented through either p38 MAPK overexpression or removal of CDK-5, an antagonizing kinase. Our findings demonstrate that p38 MAPK inhibits the hypoxia response pathway and determines how aging neurons respond to hypoxia through a novel mechanism.
Does Mental Stress Lead to Permanent Vascular Alterations

The heart rate and blood pressure response during stress testing is unique to a particular individual. Some people have an exaggerated response and are known as “hyperreactors” while others barely react at all and are known as “hyporeactors”. Whether or not the hyperreactors have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease is controversial.
Limited transpiration under high vapor pressure deficits of creeping bentgrass by application of Daconil-Action®

First observation that chemical spray can induce limited-transpiration rate under high vapor pressure deficit. It appears that acibenzolar may be key in inducing this water conservation trait. Irrigation and water use have become major issues in management of turfgrasses. Plant health products that have been introduced into the turfgrass market have been observed to improve plant performance in water stress conditions. In this study, we evaluated whether a selection of common plant health products alter the ability of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) to control transpiration under high vapor pressure deficit (VPD). The plant health treatments--Daconil Action, Insignia, and Signature--were applied to plots on golf course putting greens located in Raleigh NC and in Scottsdale, AZ. Using intact cores removed from the putting greens, transpiration rates were measured over a range of VPDs in controlled conditions. In all cases stretching over a 3-year period, bentgrass cores from field plots treated with Daconil-Action limited transpiration under high VPD conditions, while check treatments with water, and others treated with Insignia or Signature did not. Transpiration control became engaged when VPDs reached values ranging from 1.39 to 2.50 kPa, and was not strongly influenced by the field temperature at which the bentgrass was growing. Because all plots in NC had been treated with chlorothalonil-the key ingredient in Daconil Action to control diseases-it was concluded that the likely chemical ingredient in Daconil Action triggering the transpiration control response was acibenzolar. This is the first evidence that the limited-transpiration trait can be induced by a chemical application, and it implies significant potential for ameliorating drought vulnerability in cool-season turfgrasses, and likely other plant species.
Integrating Security Design into Information Systems Development

There are numerous methods for designing information systems (IS) and for designing security into an IS, including rapid application development, checklists, threat analysis and security development methods. However, these methods are not integrated into an overall design methodology that can be used to ensure security requirements are identified and then implemented. Siponen and Baskerville (2001) attempted to resolve this by proposing a security design paradigm that relied on meta-notation to abstract and document integrated security requirements into IS development methods. However, this paradigm has not been widely adopted.
Courses in Marketing

Marketing may be viewed in the very narrow sense of selling what one has produced for sale. It may be broadened to include all those activities and institutions involved in the handling, storing, transferring, transforming and ultimate sale to consumers of specific products. To this enlarged concept may be added that of finding ways and means of improving the present marketing system. These may include standardization, a better adjustment of shipments to the demands for the specific products in the various markets at a given time and a better equalization of shipments throughout the season. It may include methods of sale and methods of settling disputes such as public inspection services, systems of arbitration, and in this day of movements for self help among farmers in their efforts to solve their marketing problems, the science and the art of cooperative marketing comes in for a large share of the time and attention of the student of agricultural marketing. But even this broad concept does not include all that is included in the present-day discussion of the farmer's marketing problem. So broad is the concept as used today as to include the whole problem of a fair share for the farmer in the national income. This includes, therefore, property rights, contracts, credit, custom, competition, monopoly, legal restrictions of various kinds and the standards of living of the various groups of population as they affect the distribution ot wealth. When viewed from the broad standpoint of the basic problems of the distribution of wealth, the student of marketing problems finds himself facing the whole field of economics, both theoretical and applied. How far the student should enter this field depends upon the end he has in view. If he contemplates entering the actual work of marketing a specific product and does not expect to try to solve the deeper problems of marketing, the courses may be limited to the geography of production, the centers of consumption, the methods of handling the specific product, the marketing institutions involved, whether boards of trade.
Are Bladder Diaries Helpful in Management of Overactive Bladder

Bladder diaries have long been used in both research and clinical practice to measure lower urinary tract symptoms in overactive bladder, yet their practical role in clinical practice remains questioned. In this review, we evaluate current literature to assess the usefulness of bladder diaries in the management of overactive bladder. A MEDLINE search was performed to identify literature regarding bladder diaries. Seven hundred sixty were returned of which 52 were considered relevant and reviewed. The review was limited to papers published in peer reviewed journals. Studies were selected based on their use of formal bladder diaries rather than short-form questionnaires in evaluating overactive bladder symptoms. Studies were excluded that focused primarily on bladder diaries for prostate and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) rather than overactive bladder symptoms. Bladder diaries provide accurate data and are more reliable than patients’ recollections of symptoms. In addition to being inexpensive and low risk, patients view diaries as easy to complete and helpful for their care. Bladder diaries assist providers in differentiating between urge incontinence caused by overactive bladder and stress incontinence of separate etiology, allowing for correct tailoring of treatment regimens. The level of scientific rigor surrounding the development of bladder diaries continues to increase, and there are now several validated diaries available for clinical use. The 3- to 7-day bladder diary is a useful tool for both clinicians and patients in the management of overactive bladder. For patients, recording their voiding habits in a bladder diary provides insight into their urinary habits and symptom triggers. It allows them to contribute in the treatment decision process in a meaningful way and also empowers them to identify ways in which to control their symptoms. For providers, the bladder diary serves as an objective, prospective tool to assess the severity of patients’ symptoms as well as the effectiveness of various interventions.
Radiotherapy Issues After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Radiotherapy (RT) is standard following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) and breast-conserving surgery. NCT leads to pathologic down-staging, allowing some patients to undergo breast-conserving therapy (BCT) instead of mastectomy. BCT can also be considered in select stage III patients who respond well to NCT. Clearly-negative surgical margins should be obtained in all patients undergoing BCT. RT is used selectively following NCT and mastectomy. Indications for RT have not been fully established; retrospective data and results from National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-18 and B-27 currently form the basis for recommending RT. Patients with locally advanced breast cancer should receive postmastectomy RT (PMRT). Patients with residual nodal involvement require PMRT. Stage I-II patients with a pathologic complete response do not require PMRT. Patients without residual nodal involvement, but with residual breast involvement represent an intermediate-risk group. NCT also provides down-staging in the axilla. The role of axillary RT in the setting of NCT is under investigation in ongoing randomized trials.
iFixit Myself: User-Generated Content Strategy in “The Free Repair Guide for Everything”

Research problem: This study investigates the phenomenon of user-generated content strategy in an open-source, wiki-based content-management system (CMS) for the repair of technological devices ( http://ifixit.com ). By “user-generated content strategy,” we mean processes for developing systems for producing, moderating, and encouraging user-generated content. Research questions: (1) What strategies, or holistic means of organizing content, are used to manage repair manual content via an open-source, wiki-based content-management system that relies on content generated by a wide variety of users? (2) What content rules, or logical premises for how and where content is developed, emerge from a qualitative case study of such a CMS? Literature review: Though a wealth of empirical research has been conducted into user-generated content, few studies have focused on the explicit strategies employed by organizations to develop and encourage such content. At the same time, several recent calls by researchers in both academia and industry have indicated a need for such content models. Some of the challenges these thinkers have noted with creating user-generated content strategies include the difficulty of maintaining a consistent strategy across content generated by users who don’t necessarily understand what strategies are in place, as well as maintaining a modicum of quality assurance without squelching user participation. Methodology: We conducted a content audit of iFixit’s main educational initiative, the Technical Writing Project ( http://edu.ifixit.com ) to identify strategies iFixit uses to organize content in this initiative. iFixit is an open-source wiki to help users repair their own devices. We supplemented the audit with interviews with student participants in the project and iFixit technical writing staff to find out what technologies and other affordances affected users of the iFixit Technical Writing Project. Results and conclusions: The main user-generated content strategies used by iFixit include allowing users a wide range of means to participate (such as posting comments or developing their own repair guides), using a content moderation queue (or simple interface for seeing all updates to the wiki), ensuring quality assurance of all repair guide content through redundancy (such as making sure experienced users vetted every published guide), and staging (or arranging information in a linear sequence) information in a multimodal fashion (using multiple modes of communication to reinforce the same information). Such strategies represent a commitment by iFixit to opening up practices that are central to creating content, such as repair documentation, to any interested internet user. Lessons for organizations who wish to encourage user-generated content include developing strategies that protect users from the worst consequences of their actions, that encourage participation, and that allow for experienced users to vet new content.
Effect of Saline and Alkaline Stresses on the Growth of Alfalfa Bud Seedlings Grown Under Hydroponics Culture

To explore a method to rapidly evaluate the salt and alkali resistance of alfalfa germplasms,bud seedlings of alfalfa were used as test materials to study the short-term effect of different saline and alkaline concentrations on the growth of root and stem.Results:The root length of bud seedlings increased first and then decreased as the increase of stress concentrations.On condition of neutral salt stress,optimum root length was found at 40 mmol/L,which was 6.3cm,increased 2.02-fold of the control group,with significant difference(p0.05).And on condition of alkaline salt stress,optimum root length(5.2cm)was found at 5mmol/L,which was 156%times higher than the CK,with significant difference(p 0.05).Conclusion:short-term low concentration saline stress could stimulate seedling root elongation,but to the ground part of the growth was still to curb the performance.The effects of the stresses on stem length were found less than that on root length.And the inhibitory effect of alkaline stress on seedlings' growth in early stage was found greater than neutral salt stress.
Study on PUMA-mediated hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced rat cardiomyocyte apoptosis

Aim To investigate the effect of PUMA in hypoxia-reoxygenation(H/R)induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis.Methods Primary cultured rat cardiomyocytes were exposed to hypoxia for 5 hours followed by reoxygenation for 2~12 hours.PUMA targeted siRNA was transfected into primary cultured cardiomyocytes in vitro.Cell apoptosis was determined by Annexin V apoptosis assay and PI staining combined Flow Cytometry.Spectrophotometer was used to test caspase-3 activity.RT-PCR and Western blot were used to semi-quantify the mRNA and protein of PUMA,Bcl-2 and Bax,respectively.Results In comparison with the control group,cell apoptosis and Caspase-3 activity of the H/R group were increased.PUMA,Bax expression was up-regulated while Bcl-2 was down-regulated upon H/R treatment.Moreover,it was found that PUMA targeted siRNA could inhibit the effect by neutralizing Bax and Bcl-2 expression changes.Conclusion PUMA is induced significantly in hypoxia-reoxygenation rat cardiomyocytes,which may mediate apoptosis through upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2.
Grey correlation optimization for shale gas exploration and development areas of complicated geological parameter features

Took 5 shale gas test areas in Nanxiang Basin,western Hubei,Hunan-eastern Chongqing and other regions as the research objects,on the basis of systematic analysis of different parameters impactd on enrichment degree of shale gas,and shale gas exploration and development optimization evaluation system was established. Applying analytic hierarchy process( AHP) and entropy weight method to determine the combination weight vector. In the index system of shale gas exploration and development,the geological parameters order of importance is as follow: effective thinkness, buried,content of brittle mineral,gas content,porosity,organic matter abundance,depth. For the uncertainty and complexity of shale gas reservoir geologic parameter,based on the grey system theory,establishment of multi-objective gray relational optimization model,the exploration and development potential of research areas which evaluation indexes is interval number can be optimized and ranked. The evaluation results are in good agreement with the actual development information,which indicates the shale gas development potential grey correlation optimization model based on combination weight for recoverability evaluation of shale gas target areas is feasible.
Constructive Controversy: Teaching Students How to Think Creatively

If organizations are to flourish, their members must (a) create new ideas that suggest productive and profitable new directions and procedures and (b) innovate by implementing those ideas and procedures. Creativity and innovation are often derived from the clash of different perspectives and positions. Structuring conflict among ideas, conclusions, opinions determines the interaction among group members, which in turn determines the outcomes. The process of constructive controversy includes forming an initial conclusion when presented with a problem, being confronted by other people with different conclusions, becoming uncertain as to the correctness of one’s views, actively searching for more information and a more adequate perspective, and forming a new, reconceptualized, and reorganized conclusion. This process tends to result in greater achievement and retention, cognitive and moral reasoning, perspective-taking, open-mindedness, creativity, task involvement, continuing motivation, attitude change, interpersonal attraction, and self-esteem.
The need for cosmopolitan justice

Introduction The cosmopolitan idea of justice, as I am defending it, holds that distributive principles are not to be constrained or limited by state or national boundaries. In this chapter, I want to provide some reasons why we need a cosmopolitan conception of global distributive justice . I stress here both “justice” and “cosmopolitan” because I want to show both (a) why we need to talk about global justice as opposed to humanitarian assistance (and what is distinctive about the two), and (b) why global justice must be cosmopolitan in its conception. My claims here will be largely familiar, I believe; but I think it is worth reminding ourselves of the relevance and importance of a cosmopolitan approach to global justice for the following reasons. First, some theorists argue, or at least give the impression, that we do not need principles of global distributive justice, but only principles of humanitarian assistance to tackle the problem of global poverty. Yet focusing on humanitarian duties as opposed to justice does not fully locate the source of global poverty, and hence falls short of offering a complete solution to it. Second, the surging interest in the theory of nationalism in recent political philosophy has brought on a renewed skepticism concerning the cosmopolitan ideal. Because nationalism and cosmopolitanism are often thought to be mutually incompatible ideals, the resurgence of nationalist claims in the world has put the cosmopolitan idea on the defensive.
Numerical and experimental investigation of hydrodynamics and light transfer in open raceway ponds at various algal cell concentrations and medium depths

A spectral radiation-transport model was integrated with a three dimensional computational fluid dynamics model to simulate the hydrodynamics and light transfer in open raceway ponds (ORPs). The predicted three-dimensional velocity and light intensity agreed well with measured values collected on a lab-scale ORP. However, there was a slight difference in the predicted velocity profiles using two different types of boundaries for the paddlewheel, i.e., the moving zone boundary and inlet velocity boundary, with R2 values between the predicted and measured velocities of 0.9947 and 0.9838, respectively. The R2 value between the predicted and measured light intensity was 0.9939. Simulations were further conducted on a large-scale ORP with 100 m2 surface area operated at total medium depths of 0.2 and 0.3 m, average cell concentration of 0.4 g/L, and inlet velocities of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 m/s from the paddlewheel. The increase of inlet flow velocity from 0.1 to 0.2 m/s resulted in a more uniform cell concentration profile. However, when the inlet velocity was further increased from 0.2 to 0.3 m/s, there was only a slight increase in the uniformity of the cell concentration. In addition, the simulation results showed that sedimentation of cells more likely occurred at the bottom of the ORP with a total medium depth of 0.2 m than at 0.3 m at the same inlet velocity. The increase of inlet velocity from the paddlewheel resulted in a uniformly distributed light intensity in the region near the medium surface (e.g., 0.05 m depth from the surface) owing to improved mixing. However, owing to a sudden drop in the light intensity after a few centimeters from the medium surface, the cell sedimentation that occurred at the bottom of the ORPs had negligible effects on the light penetration depth in the medium.
Theory of an Intelligent Planning Unit for the Complex Built Environment

AbstractThis paper develops the theory of an intelligent planning unit (IPU) as a new thought process. The theory of an IPU is designed to (1) enable the complex built environment system to be more intelligent; (2) standardize the complex physical entities and processes at a modular scale; (3) accumulate the knowledge at different levels of complexity for IPU refinement and control; and (4) provide the decision-makers with timely and accurate information for better decision-making. An IPU can be developed by breaking down the physical entities and processes in the complex built environment system into carefully planned units (even nanoscale units). An IPU can be implemented in three phases (i.e., IPU planning, IPU application, and IPU network). This paper illustrates the theory of an IPU as a holistic approach using the smart photovoltaic system blind as one of the sustainable management strategies. The IPU case scenario illustrates the strategy, design, replication, combination, interaction, and refineme...
Anticipatory Eye Movements While Watching Continuous Action Across Shots in Video Sequences: A Developmental Study.

Eye movements were recorded as 12-month-olds (n = 15), 4-year-olds (n = 17), and adults (n = 19) watched a 15-min video with sequences of shots conveying continuous motion. The central question was whether, and at what age, viewers anticipate the reappearance of objects following cuts to new shots. Adults were more likely than younger viewers to make anticipatory eye movements. Four-year-olds responded to transitions more slowly and tended to fixate the center of the screen. Infants’ eye movement patterns reflected a tendency to react rather than anticipate. Findings are consistent with the hypothesis that adults integrate content across shots and understand how space is represented in edited video. Results are interpreted with respect to a developing understanding of film editing due to experience and cognitive maturation.
Unmasking Corporate-Military Infrastructure: Four Theses

At our workshop at the inaugural Conference on Community Writing on the rhetoric of the corporate university, participants noted that the values espoused by community literacy “in the community” are being eroded at the university . Furthermore, they noted the underlying rhetorics of missionary zeal, whiteness, and privatization in community literacy and service learning work. The authors build on these critiques by examining two successive administrations at Syracuse University. The first presented a model of “engaged infrastructure” with progressive rhetoric but oppressive outcomes; the second shed the facade of community partnership for an explicitly corporate and militaristic vision of higher education. Through this comparison, the authors interrogate foundations that community literacy has been built on with the hope of opening new possibilities.
Abstract 273: Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase γ Regulates Cardio-protective ERK by Kinase Independent Mechanism

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) enzymes are critical in many cellular processes including survival. PI3Kγ, a member of the PI3K family activated by G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), is known to b...
Prosodic features, self-monitoring, and dysfluency in native and non-native Mandarin speech

This study explores the relationship between the prosodic features for time delay, self-monitoring in speech production, and perceived dysfluency. In this study, twenty native and non-native speakers of Chinese took a speech test. Each speech was transcribed, prosodic features were assigned symbols, and the coding system traced self-monitoring. An additional twenty-eight native speakers assessed the fluency of the speech samples, and then the researcher matched assessment results with symbols and coding, and analyzed them. The results indicate that uh/um and self-monitoring influence perceived dysfluency in most cases while other prosodic features do not; that the filled pause in non-native speech is a salient feature of perceived dysfluency; and how a dysfluency is perceived. The study also finds the native speakers’ perception bias.
“Where is Dementia?” A Systematic Literature Review Exploring Neuroanatomical Aspects of Dementia

Dementia is a condition caused by and associated with separate physical changes in the brain. The signs and symptoms of dementia are very similar across the diverse types, and it is difficult to di...
Luma is not essential for murine cardiac development and function.

Aims Luma is a recently discovered, evolutionarily conserved protein expressed in mammalian heart, which is associated with the LInker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton (LINC) complex. The LINC complex structurally integrates the nucleus and the cytoplasm and plays a critical role in mechanotransduction across the nuclear envelope. Mutations in several LINC components in both humans and mice result in various cardiomyopathies, implying they play essential, non-redundant roles. A single amino acid substitution of serine 358 to leucine (S358L) in Luma is the unequivocal cause of a distinct form of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. However, the role of Luma in heart has remained obscure. In addition, it also remains to be determined how the S358L mutation in Luma leads to cardiomyopathy. Methods and results To determine the role of Luma in the heart, we first determined the expression pattern of Luma in mouse heart. Luma was sporadically expressed in cardiomyocytes throughout the heart, but was highly and uniformly expressed in cardiac fibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle cells. We also generated germline null Luma mice and discovered that germline null mutants were viable and exhibited normal cardiac function. Luma null mice also responded normally to pressure overload induced by transverse aortic constriction. In addition, localization and expression of other LINC complex components in both cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts was unaffected by global loss of Luma. Furthermore, we also generated and characterized Luma S358L knock-in mice, which displayed normal cardiac function and morphology. Conclusion Our data suggest that Luma is dispensable for murine cardiac development and function and that the Luma S358L mutation alone may not cause cardiomyopathy in mice.
Multi-resolution geometric modeling of the mitral heart valve leaflets

An essential element of cardiac function, the mitral valve (MV) ensures proper directional blood flow between the left heart chambers. Over the past two decades, computational simulations have made marked advancements toward providing powerful predictive tools to better understand valvular function and improve treatments for MV disease. However, challenges remain in the development of robust means for the quantification and representation of MV leaflet geometry. In this study, we present a novel modeling pipeline to quantitatively characterize and represent MV leaflet surface geometry. Our methodology utilized a two-part additive decomposition of the MV geometric features to decouple the macro-level general leaflet shape descriptors from the leaflet fine-scale features. First, the general shapes of five ovine MV leaflets were modeled using superquadric surfaces. Second, the finer-scale geometric details were captured, quantified, and reconstructed via a 2D Fourier analysis with an additional sparsity constraint. This spectral approach allowed us to easily control the level of geometric details in the reconstructed geometry. The results revealed that our methodology provided a robust and accurate approach to develop MV-specific models with an adjustable level of spatial resolution and geometric detail. Such fully customizable models provide the necessary means to perform computational simulations of the MV at a range of geometric accuracies in order to identify the level of complexity required to achieve predictive MV simulations.
Comparison of pediatric adenoidectomy techniques

OBJECTIVES Evaluate the effects of electrocautery, microdebrider, and coblation techniques on outpatient pediatric adenoidectomy costs and complications. STUDY DESIGN Observational retrospective cohort study. METHODS An observational cohort study was performed in a multihospital network using a standardized accounting system. Children < 18 years of age who underwent outpatient adenoidectomy were included from January 2008 to September 2015. Cases with additional procedures were excluded. The cohorts were divided into children who underwent electrocautery, microdebrider, or coblator adenoidectomy. Data regarding costs, postoperative complications, and revision surgeries were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 1,065 cases of adenoidectomy were performed with electrocautery (34.9%), microdebrider (26.1%), and coblation (39.0%). There was an increased after direct cost associated with the microdebrider, $833 (standard deviation [SD] $363) and the coblator, $797 (SD $262) compared to the electrocautery, $597 (SD $361) (P < 0.0001). There was a greater overall operating room (OR) time associated with use of the microdebrider (mean 28.7, SD 11.0 minutes) compared with both the electrocautery (mean 24.7, SD 8.1 minutes) and coblator (mean 26.2, SD 9.8 minutes) (P < 0.0001). No significant difference was found with regard to complication rates. The incidence of repeat adenoidectomies was significantly greater for microdebrider (9.7%) compared to electrocautery (2.7%; P = 0.0002) and coblator (5.3%; P = 0.0336) techniques. CONCLUSION These results suggest that adenoidectomy with electrocautery is significantly less expensive than microdebrider and coblator, with no differences in complication rates or surgical times among the techniques. Microdebrider adenoidectomy was associated with a longer overall OR time and a higher rate of adenoid regrowth, requiring revision surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4. Laryngoscope, 128:745-749, 2018.
A More Rigorous Examination of the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Working Memory Capacity

Working memory is a core cognitive system that is thought to support many forms of complex cognition. Mindfulness meditation has shown promise in improving the functioning of the working memory system, but no study has thoroughly tested its benefits by using a well-controlled study design (i.e., using multiple, valid outcome measures and an active, adaptive control group). The main goal of the current study was to more rigorously examine the effects of mindfulness meditation on working memory capacity. This was done by comparing 2 weeks of focused attention mindfulness meditation training to active, adaptive cognitive training regarding improvement on multiple, valid indicators of working memory capacity that were different from the tasks participants trained on. The results of the present experiment suggest that 2 weeks of focused attention mindfulness meditation training does not improve working memory capacity when controlling for non-specific effects. Future interventions using similar well-controlled study designs can consider using longer duration, more frequent, or alternative styles of mindfulness meditation training to potentially enhance working memory capacity.
Can Survival Bias Explain the Age Attenuation of Racial Inequalities in Stroke Incidence?: A Simulation Study.

Background:In middle age, stroke incidence is higher among black than white Americans. For unknown reasons, this inequality decreases and reverses with age. We conducted simulations to evaluate whether selective survival could account for observed age patterning of black–white stroke inequalities.Me
Time-series analysis of tuberculosis from 2005 to 2017 in China

Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) has been used to model nationwide tuberculosis (TB) incidence in other countries. This study aimed to characterise monthly TB notification rate in China. Monthly TB notification rate from 2005 to 2017 was used. Time-series analysis was based on a SARIMA model and a hybrid model of SARIMA-generalised regression neural network (GRNN) model. A decreasing trend (3.17% per years, P < 0.01) and seasonal variation of TB notification rate were found from 2005 to 2016 in China, with a predominant peak in spring. A SARIMA model of ARIMA (0,1,1) (0,1,1)12 was identified. The mean error rate of the single SARIMA model and the SARIMA-GRNN combination model was 6.07% and 2.56%, and the determination coefficient was 0.73 and 0.94, respectively. The better performance of the SARIMA-GRNN combination model was further confirmed with the forecasting dataset (2017). TB is a seasonal disease in China, with a predominant peak in spring, and the trend of TB decreased by 3.17% per year. The SARIMA-GRNN model was more effective than the widely used SARIMA model at predicting TB incidence.
A Worldly Anglophony: Empire and Englishes

This essay considers the recent move in English literary studies from the postcolonial towards the World Anglophone as more an intellectual incitement and less a deficient renomination for scholars...