cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why does land-use history facilitate non-native plant invasion? A field experiment with Celastrus orbiculatus in the southern Appalachians

Although historic land use is often impli- cated in non-native plant invasion of forests, little is known about how land-use legacies might actually facilitate invasion. We conducted a 2-year field seeding experiment in western North Carolina, USA, to compare germination and first-year seedling sur- vival of Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. in stands that had been cultivated and abandoned a century earlier and were dominated by tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.), and in paired stands that had never been cultivated and were dominated by oaks (Quercus spp.). Experiments were conducted at five sites with paired tulip poplar and oak stands by varying litter mass (none, low, or high) and litter type (tulip poplar or oak). We also performed reciprocal soil translocations using pots seeded with C. orbiculatus. Soil moisture and temper- ature were measured throughout the growing season. Germination and survival were highest in the tulip poplar stands. Germination was also higher in plots with low litter mass. Seedling survival was highest in plots with low litter mass or no litter. Soil moisture was higher in tulip poplar stands and under low-mass litter. Differences in germination and survival among the potted plants were minimal, suggesting that soil type and ambient site conditions were less important than litter conditions for C. orbiculatus establishment. Our results suggest that the low litter mass and mesic soil conditions that are characteristic of tulip poplar stands may confer higher invasibility and explain the higher abundance of C. orbiculatus in areas with successional overstory communities associated with historically cultivated forests.
The new plans for the cooperative investigation of the North Atlantic's circulation

The ocean is so huge that it is most necessary for the relatively few men in the world who are actively engaged in studying its circulatory movements to combine forces in order to secure more adequate observations. Nevertheless until recently it has proved most difficult to promote any scheme whereby a number of vessels from different nations could work simultaneously on a given problem. Therefore, it is most encouraging that during the last year two ambitious cooperative undertakings have progressed well beyond the stage of wistful planning.
MLPN based Parameter Estimation to Evaluate Overhead Power Line Dynamic Thermal Rating

A widely and massively distributed power line sensor network (PLSN) has been proposed to monitor the status of utility assets to enhance line reliability and maximize the existing power grid utilization. One of its important applications is monitoring and evaluating the short-term overload capacity of an overhead power line (OHPL) down to a 'per span' level of granularity in real-time, and to determine the Real-time Dynamic Thermal Rating (RDTR) of the line under variant ambient weather conditions. Formulation of the RDTR requires repeated calculation to predict the conductor temperature ahead of time under various ambient conditions, often complex and difficult for real-time implementation. This paper, on the other hand, proposes a MLPN based parameter estimation scheme, by which the dynamic thermal rating is evaluated directly under different weather conditions with no conductor temperature prediction required. This method requires only temperatures and line current as inputs and its simplified calculation makes it an attractive and cost effective solution to real-time implementation. Furthermore, by continuously providing accurate real-time line thermal condition information, this method can assist in utilizing the power lines more effectively.
Karyotypes of Domestic Dogs Peripheral Lymphocytes

Objective To study the domestic dog chromosome abnormalities by karyotyping. Methods Chromosome preparation were made by mitogenic stimulation of canine peripheral lymphocytes in 13 domestic dogs (six female and seven male).Conventional and G-banding samples were prepared for karyotype analysis. Results Chromosomes of all dogs were alike. The number of chromosomes was 2n=78. The karyotype of female dog was 78, XX and the karyoptype of male dog was 78, XY. There were 38 pairs of acrocentric autosomes with similar shape and the size is from large to small. One pair of sex chromosomes, which are metacentric. X was the biggest chromosome and very similar to the human X chromosome while Y was the shortest one. Conclusion Canine autosomes 1 to 21 and sex chromosomes can be easily identified, but is not the rest 17 pairs.
Comparative pharmacological response of an in vitro whole bladder preparation (rabbit) with response of isolated smooth muscle strips.

Abstract Although much of our knowledge of the pharmacological response of the urinary bladder comes from in vitro muscle strip studies, it is not clear if these studies can be directly correlated with bladder function. We have compared the pharmacological response of an in vitro whole bladder model with the response of the standard muscle strip technique. The whole bladder model has the advantage of being able to measure both the isometric contractile response to drugs as well as a functional response in which the bladder can empty in the presence of a constant resistance. The results of these studies may be summarized as follows: 1) bethanechol was equipotent in contracting the muscle strips and in the closed whole bladder model; 2) at low and intermediate bladder volumes, the bladder fully emptied at concentrations of bethanechol significantly below the concentration required for maximal contraction; 3) isoproterenol, a potent beta-adrenergic agonist, stimulated a strong relaxation in muscle strips, whereas the whole bladder responded very poorly to isoproterenol; 4) in muscle strips, isoproterenol strongly antagonized bethanechol contraction, whereas, in the whole bladder system, isoproterenol did not significantly antagonize bethanechol contraction; 5) methoxamine and adenosine triphosphate produced a moderate, equipotent contraction in both models.
The perils of privacy regulation

Advocates of digital privacy law believe it is necessary to correct failures in the market for digital privacy. Though legislators allegedly craft digital privacy regulation to protect consumers, some advocates have understated the dangers that digital privacy law may engender. This paper provides evidence for Kirzner’s “perils of regulation” in the digital privacy arena. The regulatory process fails to simulate the market process, stifles entrepreneurial discovery, and creates opportunities for superfluous discovery. My research suggests that policy-makers should consider a more holistic accounting of the costs before imposing additional digital privacy regulation.
Pursuing a Foreign Language Education: A Current Student's Perspective.

As a sixth year student of Spanish looking back on her foreign language education, the author believes she has a greater understanding of what attracted her to and maintained her interest in the language. Yet she also recognizes areas in her education that could have benefited from change, including flexibility in creating her own program of study and more integration of language and culture in her courses. Such changes, she believes, would encourage more students to continue pursuing their foreign language education even after meeting their minimum requirements.
Food Selection and Capture by Consumers

The last chapter focused on the importance of food quantity. It turns out, however, that quality of food items must also be considered. Moreover, even though there may be sufficient abundance of food items of adequate quality, they may not be easily vulnerable or accessible to consumers. In this chapter, we take up the search for available food particles of sufficient quality. First, we consider cues used by consumers in finding and selecting food of appropriate quality and the role of properties of the food and consumer, particularly size and chemical makeup, in food choice. We then consider the relative vulnerability of food items, mainly in reference to the morphology of prey and the physical structure of the habitat. Last, we consider consequences of food selection, especially in regard to changes of populations of items consumed.
Properties of the Random Block Design for Clinical Trials

To avoid deterministic treatment allocations in the permuted block design (PBD), many clinical trialists prefer randomizing the block sizes as well. While such a procedure is rarely formalized, it is generally assumed that the design will be less predictable. In this paper, we formalize the random block design by assuming a discrete uniform distribution for block size. The aim of this study is to provide a statistical understanding of the RBD, by investigating its distributional properties, including the degree of predictability and variability of treatment imbalance.
Alkyldisulfanium Salts: Isolable, Electrophilic Sulfur Reagents Competent for Polyene Cyclizations

Tools that can effect electrophilic sulfur-promoted cation−π cyclizations are generally lacking, especially using alkylsulfide-based reagents. Herein we report that combining three different 1,2-dithioethers with Cl2 and SbCl5 generates isolable alkyldisulfanium salts that can effect such reactions. These new reagents can install −SMe, −SEt, and −SCH2CH2CF3 in modest, moderate, or good yield on diverse frameworks, including polyenes that terminate with electron-deficient groups. We also show that reagents such as dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium tetrafluoroborate (DMTSF) can accomplish similar chemistry.
Solving the non-isothermal reaction-diffusion model equations in a spherical catalyst by the variational iteration method

Abstract In this work we address the Lane-Emden boundary value problems which appear in chemical applications, biochemical applications, and scientific disciplines. We apply the variational iteration method to solve two specific models. The first problem models reaction–diffusion equation in a spherical catalyst, while the second problem models the reaction–diffusion process in a spherical biocatalyst. We obtain reliable analytical expressions of the concentrations and the effectiveness factors. Proper graphs will be used to illustrate the obtained results. The proposed analysis demonstrates reliability and efficiency applicability of the employed method.
Developing the racial city: conflict, solidarity and urban traders in late-colonial Mombasa

ABSTRACTMuch of the scholarly literature on race and decolonization in East Africa focuses on how this period created new and exacerbated existing racial tensions, divisions and conflicts between diverse coastal communities that came to increasingly identify or be identified as “African” or “Arab.” While this article will examine such a moment in which these two groups came into conflict, it will also consider the possibility and nature of solidarity between Arabs and Africans in late-colonial East Africa. The tension surrounding race and decolonization in Mombasa and the wider Kenyan coast during this period was influenced by Mwambao, a movement advocating for coastal autonomy as independence approached. This article will focus on how the politics of mwambao and race came to shape the ways in which African vendors and hawkers in Mombasa mobilized against a municipal council that had become increasingly authoritarian in its administration of “informal” industries, especially those relating to food, polici...
Beyond Eschatology: Environmental Pessimism and the Future of Human Hoping

In much environmentally concerned literature, there is a burgeoning concern for the status and sustainability of human hope. Within Christian circles, this attention has often taken the form of eschatological reflection. While there is important warrant for attention to eschatology in Christian examinations of hope, I claim that to move so quickly from hope to eschatology is to confuse a species of Christian hope for a definition of hope itself; as such, it is important for theological ethicists to examine hope also from the experiential perspective of the human hoper. In particular, this is important today given the shortcomings of an eschatological focus in addressing anxieties arising due to the environmental crisis. Through examining hope as a fallible human activity, one can come to better understand hope's importance to human life, its profound ambiguity, and the potential threat that the environmental crisis poses to it.
Vegetation response to strip cutting young hardwood stands in West Virginia

ABSTRACTThree 21-year-old Appalachian hardwood stands were strip cut using three cutting widths (2.4-m, 3.7-m, and 4.9-m) and allowed to resprout. One year after strip cutting, we examined the vegetation response within the harvested strips relative to non-treated control areas, focusing on the sprouting ability of young hardwood stems and the herbaceous component for wildlife habitat. Results indicate the width of the strip cutting significantly affected the amount of biomass produced from stump sprouts (p = 0.042) and influenced species composition. Shade-intolerant species accounted for more of the biomass production within the wider cut strip widths, while shade-tolerant and shade-intermediate species were more prominent within the narrower cut strips. Cut strip width did not have a significant effect on the biomass of new seedlings germinating after the cuttings. Herbaceous vegetation was greater within the 4.9-m cut strips than in the control plots (p = 0.046); however, the amount of herbaceous biom...
Complex diversity in a mainly tropical group of ant parasitoids: Revision of the Orasema stramineipes species group (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eucharitidae).

Twenty-nine species are recognized in the Orasema stramineipes species group, including 22 new species in what is now the most diverse species group of the New World ant-parasitoid genus Orasema Cameron. Orasema aenea Gahan syn. n. is synonymized with O. freychei (Gemignani), the holotype of which has been rediscovered. Orasema smithi Howard syn. n. is synonymized with Orasema minutissima Howard. Orasema violacea Gemignani syn. n. and its replacement name Orasema gemignanii De Santis syn. n. are synonymized with O. worcesteri (Girault). Twenty-two species are described as new: O. arimbome Dominguez, Heraty & Burks n. sp., O. carchi Heraty, Burks & Dominguez n. sp., and the following 20 species by Burks, Heraty & Dominguez: O. chunpi n. sp., O. cozamalotl n. sp., O. evansi n. sp., O. hyarimai n. sp., O. kaspi n. sp., O. kulli n. sp., O. llanthu n. sp., O. llika n. sp., O. mati n. sp., O. nyamo n. sp., O. pirca n. sp., O. pisi n. sp., O. qillu n. sp., O. qincha n. sp., O. rikra n. sp., O. taku n. sp., O. tapi n. sp., O. torrensi n. sp., O. woolleyi n. sp., and O. yaax n. sp. The stramineipes -group has much greater diversity in tropical America than outside the tropics, and is much more diverse than its sister-group, the susanae -group, which is mainly present in temperate regions of Argentina. A hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships is proposed based on an analysis of 28S-D2 rDNA and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) for 14 stramineipes -group species. Species concepts were established using both morphological and molecular data. Most species in the stramineipes -group have a tropical distribution, with only a few species in temperate regions. Ant hosts for the group include Pheidole Westwood , Wasmannia Forel, and possibly Solenopsis Westwood (Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Orasema minutissima is a common parasitoid of Wasmannia auropunctata Roger in the Caribbean and has the potential to be a biological control agent in other areas of the world. Two distinct size morphs are recognized for O. minutissima, which are correlated with attacking either Wasmannia (small morph) or different castes of Pheidole (medium to large size morphs). Some species of Orasema have been regarded as pests due to scarring or secondary infections of leaves or fruit of banana, yerba mate or blueberry, but outbreaks are rare and the threat is usually temporary.
Extending the Theory of Normative Social Behavior to Predict Hand-Washing among Koreans

The current study tests the predictions of the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB) in a hand-washing context in a Korean sample and extends the theory to examine the role of perceived public...
Drug Concentration Monitoring of Immunosuppressive Agents

Several new immunosuppressive agents have recently been approved for use in solid organ transplantation. Many of these agents have narrow therapeutic ranges, which necessitates drug concentration monitoring in order to optimise efficacy, minimise toxicity and individualise dosages. Some of the lessons learned with the clinical use of the revolutionary agent cyclosporin have been applied to the newer agents tacrolimus and sirolimus. The agent mycophenolate mofetil has been in clinical use without widespread drug concentration monitoring; however, recent data suggest that therapeutic monitoring may improve clinical outcomes, especially in certain high risk subsets of patients. This review focuses on the literature published to date on drug concentration monitoring of the newer immunosuppressive agents — tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and sirolimus. In addition, pertinent aspects of the clinical pharmacokinetics and metabolism of each agent are reviewed.
Impact of age on mid- to long-term outcomes of transvaginal native tissue repair for apical vaginal prolapse.

AIMS To compare surgical success rates in older versus younger women a minimum of 3 years post transvaginal native tissue repair for apical prolapse. Post-operative symptom severity and quality of life improvement, surgical complications and retreatment were also examined. METHODS Women who underwent transvaginal native tissue repair for apical prolapse between 2011 and 2013 were eligible. Subjects completed the pelvic floor distress inventory (PFDI-20), pelvic floor impact questionnaire (PFIQ-7), and patient global impression of improvement (PGI-I), and were categorized as "younger" (age 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Older and younger women had similar surgical success rates a minimum of 3 years post-operative; however, older women had a greater overall symptom severity improvement. This information may be helpful in counseling older women regarding surgical expectations and decision-making.
Influence of Tibial Component Position on Altered Kinematics Following Total Ankle Arthroplasty During Simulated Gait

Background:Ankle and hindfoot kinematics following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) are poorly understood and it is unclear whether patients can replicate physiologic motion after TAA. Furthermore, t...
Female Participation as Top-Producing Authors, Editors, and Editorial Board Members in Educational Psychology Journals from 2009 to 2016

This article examines top-producing female authors, editors, and editorial board members in five educational psychology journals (i.e., Cognition and Instruction, Contemporary Educational Psychology, Educational Psychologist, Educational Psychology Review, and Journal of Educational Psychology) from 2009 to 2016. Results extend data from four previous studies (Evans et al. Educational Psychology Review, 17(3), 263–271, 2005; Fong et al. Educational Psychology Review, 21(3), 267–277, 2009; Greenbaum et al. Educational Psychology Review, 28, 215–223, 2016; Robinson et al. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 23, 331–343, 1998) and also compare top female authors to the top male authors. The top-producing women in the field have, on average, less seniority in the field than do top male authors. Male authors have more publications, on average, and more sole authorships and first authorships, as compared to female authors. No discernible progress has been made by women in terms of editorial board memberships or editorships since 2004.
On the paradox of ‘Dichotomous’ and ‘Deficit-Based’ thinking in medicine

As F Scott Fitzgerald wrote in the collection of 1936 essays called ‘The Crack Up’,1 ‘The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.’ Likewise, in their 2002 book ‘Built to Last’ regarding the features of sustainably successful organisations,2 Collins and Porras extol the ‘Genius of the AND’ and warn against the ‘Tyranny of the OR’. (For clarity here, they were not referring to the Operating Room.) Collins and Porras suggest, “The ‘Tyranny of the OR’ pushes people to believe things must be either A or B but not both. ” All of these authors across different times and sectors are identifying a common human way of thinking. I’ll call this ‘A or B but not both’ approach ‘dichotomous thinking’. The first goal of this perspective is to consider two different types of thinking that are deeply ingrained in medical reasoning and clinical care—the first of these is ‘dichotomous thinking’ as just defined and the second is ‘deficit-based thinking’. Simply put, deficit-based thinking is focusing on problems rather than on opportunities; metaphorically, the deficit-based thinker sees the hole rather than the donut.3 The second goal of this paper is to examine ways in which these two thinking paradigms help define the time-honoured, effective approaches for clinical reasoning that doctors use as they care for patients. At the same time, I want to highlight a paradox related to these two types of medically entrenched thinking. On the one hand, both dichotomous and deficit-based thinking are very well suited to and, in fact, are critically important for clinical reasoning and for physicians’ clinical effectiveness. On the other hand, both types of thinking can conspire against physicians’ effectiveness as leaders and as …
Parental Perspectives on Blenderized Tube Feeds for Children Requiring Supplemental Nutrition.

Background Families choose pureed blenderized tube feeds (BTFs) over commercial formulas for several reasons, including the ability to provide foods with natural composition, improvements in physiological outcomes, intimate experiences for parental nurturing, and the benefits that come with family inclusion and mealtime engagement. Although dietetic associations cannot, as yet, recommend BTFs, many families still choose to commence them. We aimed to better understand the demographics of these families, their sources of information and support, and the perceived benefits in a community setting to tailor the support we provide these families. Methods Dietitians at a pediatric hospital in Sydney identified 21 children receiving BTFs. Questionnaires that focused on child/parent demographics, parental knowledge, dietetic support, and symptoms before and after commencing BTFs were distributed. Food diaries were also sent. Results Twelve respondents returned completed surveys. Thematic analysis indicated improvements in general health, emotional and social well-being, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Respondents reported challenges with food preparation, nutrition adequacy, food storage, and prevention of tube blockages. Respondents primarily sought information online from social media and support groups. Likert scale analysis demonstrated positive outcomes for children receiving BTFs. Improvements were noted in general health, growth, nausea/vomiting, reflux, constipation, diarrhea, and social inclusion. Tube blockage was reported, however, and only changed from "never" to "rarely a problem." Food diaries were not detailed enough for analysis. Conclusion Families continue to choose BTFs and report a range of benefits, accessing much of their information online. Health professionals should recognize this and openly provide support, guidance, and monitoring as appropriate.
Collision Avoidance for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in the Presence of Static and Moving Obstacles

A new collision-avoidance procedure for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the presence of static and moving obstacles is presented. The proposed procedure is based on a new form of local paramete...
Effects of human serum on the stability and cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles are ubiquitous in today’s commercial marketplace. Despite decades of research, there is still disagreement about the risk that silver nanoparticles pose to human and environmental health. There is often a lack of correlation between measured physical properties and the measured biological endpoints, making it difficult to establish trends, and discrepancies between different cell models have not been clearly accounted for. Here we have used human AB serum in cell culture media for the investigation in place of fetal bovine serum (FBS) which is typically used. In HepG2 cells, particle uptake was clearly correlated with smaller sizes of particles and with increased cytotoxicity. In neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells, similar trends were not observed. Compared with previously published data on the same particles in these cell lines with cell culture media supplemented with FBS, there are clear and significant differences in the stability of the particles, their cellular uptake and their cytotoxicity in these two commonly used cell models for in vitro cytotoxicity testing. This highlights the need for improved in vitro testing for nanomaterials and the importance of using human serum to better predict human in vivo outcomes.
Mammalian Odorant Receptor Gene Regulation

Synopsis Mammals cope with the vast diversity of odor molecules by employing hundreds of odorant receptors (ORs). Each mature olfactory sensory neuron expresses only one allele of one OR gene, an adaptation that maximizes odor discrimination ability. This specificity is achieved via a developmental program of epigenetic repression and segregation of OR gene loci into compartments within the nucleus, rescue of a few OR genes from repression in each immature neuron, and an unprecedented mechanism involving interchromosomal interactions between OR gene enhancers to trigger strong expression of a single OR allele and the final maturation of the sensory neuron.
Gene- And Tissue-Level Interactions in Normal Gastrointestinal Development and Hirschsprung Disease

The development of the gut from endodermal tissue to an organ with multiple distinct structures and functions occurs over a prolonged time during embryonic days E10.5–E14.5 in the mouse. During this process, one major event is innervation of the gut by enteric neural crest cells (ENCCs) to establish the enteric nervous system (ENS). To understand the molecular processes underpinning gut and ENS development, we generated RNA-sequencing profiles from wild-type mouse guts at E10.5, E12.5, and E14.5 from both sexes. We also generated these profiles from homozygous Ret null embryos, a model for Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), in which the ENS is absent. These data reveal 4 major features: 1) between E10.5 and E14.5 the developmental genetic programs change from expression of major transcription factors and its modifiers to genes controlling tissue (epithelium, muscle, endothelium) specialization; 2) the major effect of Ret is not only on ENCC differentiation to enteric neurons but also on the enteric mesenchyme and epithelium; 3) a muscle genetic program exerts significant effects on ENS development; and 4) sex differences in gut development profiles are minor. The genetic programs identified, and their changes across development, suggest that both cell autonomous and nonautonomous factors, and interactions between the different developing gut tissues, are important for normal ENS development and its disorders.
Hyperparameter Optimization in Neural Networks via Structured Sparse Recovery.

In this paper, we study two important problems in the automated design of neural networks -- Hyper-parameter Optimization (HPO), and Neural Architecture Search (NAS) -- through the lens of sparse recovery methods. In the first part of this paper, we establish a novel connection between HPO and structured sparse recovery. In particular, we show that a special encoding of the hyperparameter space enables a natural group-sparse recovery formulation, which when coupled with HyperBand (a multi-armed bandit strategy), leads to improvement over existing hyperparameter optimization methods. Experimental results on image datasets such as CIFAR-10 confirm the benefits of our approach. In the second part of this paper, we establish a connection between NAS and structured sparse recovery. Building upon ``one-shot'' approaches in NAS, we propose a novel algorithm that we call CoNAS by merging ideas from one-shot approaches with a techniques for learning low-degree sparse Boolean polynomials. We provide theoretical analysis on the number of validation error measurements. Finally, we validate our approach on several datasets and discover novel architectures hitherto unreported, achieving competitive (or better) results in both performance and search time compared to the existing NAS approaches.
Single Satellite Emitter Geolocation in the Presence of Oscillator and Ephemeris Errors

This paper addresses high-accuracy geolocation of a ground-level, uncooperative RF emitter using a single low earth orbit (LEO) satellite. It is meant to be a real-time, single-pass solution that requires only a few seconds of Doppler and Doppler Rate measurements and resistant to erroneous ephemeris readings and oscillator errors from both the transmitter and receiver. The presented work can be expected to have a significant impact on search and rescue operations, spectrum monitoring, and tracking. Oscillator and ephemeris errors are inherent system flaws for satellite geolocation - heavily distorting error distributions, violating many symmetric and Gaussian assumptions that most estimation algorithms rely on. To deal with this, a constrained Unscented Particle Filter (cUPF) is provided. Using quoted oscillator errors, ephemeris error, analysis is provided with respect to geolocation accuracy. Each scenario compares the cUPF with a previously developed constrained Unscented Kalman Filter (cUKF). Validation is provided on both simulated data and off-the-air IQ data obtained from the TDS-1 Satellite operated by Surrey Satellite Technology. The cUPF algorithm outperforms the prior state-of-the-art cUKF in both accuracy and convergence time, often obtaining single kilometer geolocation accuracies with only a few seconds of acquisition time over a several hundred kilometer search space.
Wie breitet sich das Coronavirus aus

Wenn eine Epidemie beginnt, ist es wichtig, dass man quantitativ erfasst, wie die Krankheit sich ausbreitet, in welcher Form die Bevolkerung betroffen ist und wie verschiedene gesundheitspolitische Masnahmen sich auf sie auswirken. Die Wissenschaft der Epidemiologie beschaftigt sich mit der Frage, wie eine Krankheit in einer Bevolkerung verteilt ist und welche Faktoren uber diese Verteilung bestimmen. Mithilfe solcher Untersuchungen konnen wir quantitative Aussagen uber die wichtigsten Faktoren in der Bevolkerung machen, die zum Einschleppen und zur Ausbreitung einer Infektionskrankheit fuhren, und wir erfahren etwas daruber, welche Faktoren im Zusammenhang mit der Schwere des Krankheitsverlaufs stehen.
Fate-Patterning of 2D Gastruloids and Ectodermal Colonies Using Micropatterned Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

In the developing mammalian embryo, intercellular signaling allows cells to self-organize to create spatial patterns of different cell fates. This process is challenging to study because of the difficulty of observing or manipulating embryos on the spatial and temporal scales required. In vitro models can provide a complement to in vivo systems for addressing these issues. These models are also the only windows we have into early human development. Here we provide protocols for two systems based on differentiating human pluripotent stem cells in micropatterned colonies on defined size and shape. The first model replicates the patterning of the germ layers at gastrulation, while the second replicates the medial-lateral patterning of the ectoderm. These systems allow study of how signaling underlies self-organized patterning at stages of development which are otherwise inaccessible.
Late relapse of germ cell tumors: Detection and treatment outcomes.

5007Background: Late relapse (LR) of germ cell tumors (GCT) is defined as relapsed disease > 2 years from initial treatment. LR remains a challenge both for optimal screening methods and treatment....
USING PARALLEL DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TO REDUCE THE COMPUTATIONAL TIME OF DIGITAL MEDIA SIMILARITY MEASURES

Digital forensic practitioners are constantly challenged to find the best allocation of their limited resources. While automation will continue to partially mitigate this problem, the preliminary question about which media should be prioritized for examination is largely unsolved. Previous research has developed methods for assessing digital media similarity that may aid in prioritization decisions. Similarity measures may also be used to establish links between media and, by extension, the individuals or organizations associated with the media. However, similarity measures have high computational costs that delay the identification of digital media warranting immediate attention and render link establishment across large collections of data impractical.
Respecting Autonomy through Reciprocal Recognition and Interlocking Brokenness

Imitating Nathan Carlin’s correlational method in Pastoral Aesthetics, this essay provides an extended description of a patient care situation to consider what it means to reciprocally recognize someone as being able to make autonomous choices in health care. Next, Larry Graham’s concept of the interlocking brokenness of selves and worlds is explored in relation to the case and the concept of reciprocal recognition. And finally, borrowing from Graham, Albrecht Durer’s engraving “Knight, Death and the Devil” is reinterpreted as a deformed structure of recognition, one that has relevance to patient care.
Die Stellung der Kreditinstitute in der Wirtschaft

Das Wirtschaftsgeschehen wird durch zwei entgegengesetzte Kreislaufbewegungen bestimmt, durch den Guterkreislauf und den Geldkreislauf. Die Kreditinstitute als Unternehmungen, die gewerbsmasig das Kreditgeschaft betreiben und im Zahlungs- und Wertpapierverkehr tatig sind, stehen nur im Geldkreislauf, wo sie eine Vermittlerfunktion ausuben.
Preference functions that score rankings and maximum likelihood estimation

In social choice, a preference function (PF) takes a set of votes (linear orders over a set of alternatives) as input, and produces one or more rankings (also linear orders over the alternatives) as output. Such functions have many applications, for example, aggregating the preferences of multiple agents, or merging rankings (of, say, webpages) into a single ranking. The key issue is choosing a PF to use. One natural and previously studied approach is to assume that there is an unobserved "correct" ranking, and the votes are noisy estimates of this. Then, we can use the PF that always chooses the maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) of the correct ranking. In this paper, we define simple ranking scoring functions (SRSFs) and show that the class of neutral SRSFs is exactly the class of neutral PFs that are MLEs for some noise model. We also define composite ranking scoring functions (CRSFs) and show a condition under which these coincide with SRSFs. We study key properties such as consistency and continuity, and consider some example PFs. In particular, we study Single Transferable Vote (STV), a commonly used PF, showing that it is a CRSF but not an SRSF, thereby clarifying the extent to which it is an MLE function. This also gives a new perspective on how ties should be broken under STV. We leave some open questions.
White Dwarfs in Wide Binaries and the Age of the Galaxy

We present a photometric study of wide binaries with suspected white dwarf (WD) components. These systems were initially identified on the basis of their reduced proper motions and colors by W. J. Luyten (Proper Motion Survey with the Forty-Eight Inch Schmidt Telescope [Minneapolis: Univ. Minnesota Press, 1963–]) and H. L. Giclas et al. (Lowell Proper Motion Survey, Northern Hemisphere [Flagstaff: Lowell Obs., 1971], Lowell Proper Motion Survey, Southern Hemisphere [Flagstaff: Lowell Obs., 1978]). These systems usually contain a WD and a main-sequence star; however, a few contain more than two components. We obtained BVRI CCD images for approximately 475 of the 512 systems in our sample. These systems were determined by a concurrent low-resolution spectroscopy program to contain about 325 relatively cool WDs. We use this sample to determine the WD luminosity function (WDLF) and, by inference, the minimum age of the Galaxy. The WDLF was constructed using the 1/Vmax technique (M. Schmidt, ApJ, 151, 393 [1968]), as modified by T. Oswalt & J. A. Smith (Proc. Ninth European Workshop on White Dwarfs, ed. D. Koester & K. Werner [Berlin: Springer, 1995], p. 24) to correct for sample incompleteness. Error estimates were determined using the conservative approach used by J. Liebert, C. C. Dahn, & D. G. Monet (ApJ, 332, 891 [1988]). Of the spectroscopically identified WDs, 152 met the selection and completeness criteria for our study and were included in the final sample used to derive the WDLF. Most stars will end their lives as white dwarfs, slowly radiating their stored thermal energy and cooling to invisibility. The cooling timescale, calibrated using pulsating WDs, is on the order of 10 Gyr to cool to . This cooling log (L/L ) ≈ 5 , rate is slow enough that the remnants of the first epoch of star formation in the solar neighborhood are still visible. Comparison of the observed WDLF with age-dependent WDLFs integrated numerically by M. A. Wood (Proc. Ninth European Workshop on White Dwarfs [Berlin: Springer, 1995], p. 41) suggests a lower limit age of the local Galactic disk of Gyr. Assuming a ∼1 Gyr delay between the big bang 0.9 9.7 0.8 and galaxy formation, and allowing for main-sequence evolutionary times, this minimum Galactic disk age then implies a lower limit to the age of the universe of about 11 Gyr. Newly revised ages derived from globular cluster studies (B. Chaboyer, P. Demarque, P. J. Kernan, & L. M. Krauss, ApJ, 494, 96 [1998]) and recently derived cosmological ages, corrected for Hipparcos data (M. W. Feast & R. M. Catchpole, MNRAS, 286, L1 [1997]), now agree with our age determination to within 1 j. Furthermore, our age estimate is in accord with those derived from nuclear-cosmochronology studies (e.g., C. Sneden, J. J. Cowen, D. L. Burris, & J. W. Truran, ApJ, 496, 235 [1998]) and meteoritic sample analyses (e.g., L. R. Nittler & R. Cowsik, Phys. Rev. Lett., 78, 175 [1997]). Our data show no clear observational evidence for an increase in the WDLF at crystallization, , so there is log (L/L ) ≈ 3.8 ,
A modest proposal: licensing personal computers and Internet service providers

As the threat to the Internet at large from poorly configured or maintained personal computers continues to increase it is increasingly important to consider ways to 'harden' these machines. By adopting a model based on the already familiar requirement for licensing and safety checks for individually owned vehicles operated on public thoroughfares, it may be possible to facilitate the public policy debate and gain mass acceptance in a relatively short span of time.
Prescription Opioid Use Among Seriously Mentally Ill Veterans Nationally in the Veterans Health Administration.

Frequent prescription opioid use has been recognized as a growing problem but there have been no studies specifically among veterans with serious mental illness (SMI). National data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) during Fiscal Year 2012 show that VHA patients with SMI receive more opioid prescriptions than other veterans. Additionally, high numbers of opioid prescriptions is associated with greater use of anxiolytics/sedative-hypnotics, drug dependence and COPD—all of which pose an increased risk of respiratory depression and falls and warrant substantial caution and improved coordination between mental health and non-mental health prescribers to evaluate risk–benefit tradeoffs.
Finite element analysis of a layered elastic solid in normal contact with a rigid surface

Analyse par elements finis d'un solide elastique multicouche en contact normal avec une surface rigide
Carcinoma of the uterine cervix FIGO stage I-B

Abstract All patients with cervical carcinoma, FIGO Stage I-B, admitted to the Gynecologic Oncology Service of the University of Minnesota Hospitals during the 10-year period ending December 31, 1979, were reviewed. The 5-year survival rate without evidence of disease was 75.3%, the corrected rate being 80.8%. During the last half of the study there was a significant increase in the percentage of patients with adenosquamous carcinoma. The survival rate for younger patients with this diagnosis was significantly lower. Patients frequently had normally interpreted Pap smears in the years just prior to the diagnosis of invasive carcinoma. Early diagnosis of cervical carcinoma is essential. Reliance cannot be placed on a normally interpreted Pap smear, particularly for those patients who have adenosquamous carcinoma or adenocarcinoma.
Some effects of accounting expertise and information load: An empirical study☆

Abstract Effects of accounting expertise and information load upon predictions made from accounting reports were explored in a laboratory setting. Both greater expertise and lower information load (where achieved by increasing the processing time available) were associated with the placement of wider confidence intervals around predictions by subjects. These two variables also had systematic (though generally not statistically significant) effects upon the dispersion of predictions made by the subjects (auditors and students).
Creation and annihilation operators in Fock space

Abstract A discussion is presented of creation and annihilation operators in Fock space, without reference to occupation-number space. This leeds to anticommutation relations for fermion operators and commutation relations for boson operators in a more transparent way.
Accelerated Vesting of Employee Stock Options in Anticipation of FAS 123-R*

In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) mandated the use of a fair value based measurement attribute to value employee stock options (ESOs) via FAS 123-R. In anticipation of FAS 123-R, between March 2004 and November 2005, several firms accelerated the vesting of ESOs to avoid recognizing existing unvested ESO grants at fair value in future financial statements. We find that the likelihood of accelerated vesting is higher if (i) acceleration has a greater effect on future ESO compensation expense, especially related to underwater options; and (ii) firms suffer greater agency problems, proxied by fewer block-holders, lower pension fund ownership and top five officers holding a greater share of ESOs. We also find a negative stock price reaction around the announcement of the acceleration decision, especially for firms with greater agency problems. Furthermore, stock returns are significantly negative before the new vesting dates and positive afterward, suggesting that vesting dates could have been backdated.
Chile's Middle Class: A Struggle for Survival in the Face of Neoliberalism

The Chilean middle class social networks in the urban middle class in the late 1960s a brief history of Chile's education system teachers in Chile in 1988 teachers' lives - five cases.
Silicon Uptake in Diatoms Revisited: A Model for Saturable and Nonsaturable Uptake Kinetics and the Role of Silicon Transporters

The silicic acid uptake kinetics of diatoms were studied to provide a mechanistic explanation for previous work demonstrating both nonsaturable and Michaelis-Menten-type saturable uptake. Using 68Ge(OH)4 as a radiotracer for Si(OH)4, we showed a time-dependent transition from nonsaturable to saturable uptake kinetics in multiple diatom species. In cells grown under silicon (Si)-replete conditions, Si(OH)4 uptake was initially nonsaturable but became saturable over time. Cells prestarved for Si for 24 h exhibited immediate saturable kinetics. Data suggest nonsaturability was due to surge uptake when intracellular Si pool capacity was high, and saturability occurred when equilibrium was achieved between pool capacity and cell wall silica incorporation. In Thalassiosira pseudonana at low Si(OH)4 concentrations, uptake followed sigmoidal kinetics, indicating regulation by an allosteric mechanism. Competition of Si(OH)4 uptake with Ge(OH)4 suggested uptake at low Si(OH)4 concentrations was mediated by Si transporters. At high Si(OH)4, competition experiments and nonsaturability indicated uptake was not carrier mediated and occurred by diffusion. Zinc did not appear to be directly involved in Si(OH)4 uptake, in contrast to a previous suggestion. A model for Si(OH)4 uptake in diatoms is presented that proposes two control mechanisms: active transport by Si transporters at low Si(OH)4 and diffusional transport controlled by the capacity of intracellular pools in relation to cell wall silica incorporation at high Si(OH)4. The model integrates kinetic and equilibrium components of diatom Si(OH)4 uptake and consistently explains results in this and previous investigations.
Aggression and the Chronic Use of LSD

(1970). Aggression and the Chronic Use of LSD. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 3, LSD. The Psychedelic Experience and Beyond, pp. 32-37.
Aberrant octanol dehydrogenase isozyme patterns in interspecific Drosophila hybrids

A maternal octanol dehydrogenase (ODH) isozyme pattern is observed in embryos of reciprocal crosses of A and B variants both in intraspecific hybrids of D. pellewae and of D. metzii, respectively, and in interspecific hybrids of D. metzii crossed with either D. pellewae or D. leticiae. In addition, slowly migrating ODH isozymes not detectable in unfertilized eggs or single adult females can be seen in both intra- and interspecific hybrid embryos. In reciprocal intraspecific hybrids of D. pellewae, the slowly migrating embryonic isozymes appear as early as two and one half hours after fertilization, before the gastrula stage. They are presumably synthesized by pregastrula embryos. The present work supports the idea that in intraspecific hybrids of D. pellewae, maternally and paternally derived ODH genes become active at about the same time, producing a triplet isozyme pattern at positions 3, 4, 5 in late first instar larvae. The 3, 4, 5 pattern is maintained through second and third instar larvae and pupae. In adults isozymes at positions 6 and 7 often appear. The sequence of developmental changes normally observed in ODH isozyme patterns is retarded in interspecific hybrids, and aberrant patterns occur in some individuals. Sometimes early embryonic patterns persist in both B ♀/A ♂ and A ♀/B ♂ interspecific hybrids as late as the pupal stage. Either a paternally or maternally introduced ODH structural gene expected to contribute subunits to the 4 and 5 isozymes may fail to do so to a detectable degree. Other abnormalities seen in interspecific third instar larvae or pupae include a 3, 4 or 4, 5 pattern where a 3, 4, 5 triplet is expected. Gene action leading to the abnormal isozyme patterns is discussed on the basis of the tetramer hypothesis of ODH (Pipkin, '69).