cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ‘Anti-commentary’ of Bernardino Telesio (1509–1588)

In a class by itself is the De Rerum Natura juxta propria principia of Bernardino Telesio. This is a commentary on the natural philosophical works of Aristotle, and a rejection of the Philosopher Telesio argues that the world is constructed of two substances, heaven and earth, shaped by paired opposing qualities of heat and cold. Generation involves spiritus with its qualities of heat and motion. The two seeds contribute to the foetus by fusion, not as agent and patient. Telesio rejects Aristotle’s claim for the primacy of the heart in generation. He tackles a much trickier question: the operation of the soul in generation. The role of spiritus in Telesio’s writings seems designed to counter a major problem of unity. Galen’s solution, the multiplication of ‘faculties’ to control the body’s diverse operations, compounds the problem. Spiritus is one, and performs the actions of the soul throughout the body. Telesio’s monistic system, with its emphasis on unity, has considerable claims to originality. He is included because his work follows the standard format of Aristotle commentaries, and treats many of the same problems.
Intraspecific variability may not compensate for increasing climatic volatility

The role of intraspecific variability is being examined to improve predictions of responses to climate change or invasions and in research on diversity. Simultaneously, the probability and implications of increased high-frequency climate variability have been raised. An agent based model simulated two species on an environmental gradient representing an alpine treeline; a trend in its volatility was added. The species have different levels of variability, and each individual has further unique heterogeneity. Environmental volatility and individual heterogeneity were based on tree ring data from Pinus albicaulis. Simulations show that increasing volatility leads to population declines, including extinctions, and to sharper ecotones, and this impact is only slightly lessened by higher heterogeneity. Some simulation runs reveal an unanticipated selection for greater individual variability when volatility creates strong negative anomalies that fall short of extinction events. Increasing volatility can have significant ecological impacts because negative anomalies are not balanced by positive ones.
Volatile organic compounds and ozone in Rocky Mountain National Park during FRAPPÉ

Abstract. The 2014 Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Experiment (FRAPPE) aimed to better characterize summertime air quality in the Northern Front Range Metropolitan Area (NFRMA) and its impact on surrounding areas. As part of this study, measurements of gas- and particle-phase species were collected in Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO), located in the mountains west of the urban northern Front Range corridor from July to October 2014. We report on measurements of ozone from two locations in the park and a suite of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) measured using a continuous real-time gas chromatography (GC) system and a quadrupole proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer (PRT-MS) at the ROMO Longs Peak (ROMO-LP) air quality site. We also measured VOCs using canister samples collected along transects connecting the NFRMA and ROMO. These datasets show that ROMO is impacted by NFRMA emission sources, and high observed mixing ratios of VOCs associated with oil and gas extraction (e.g. ethane) and urban sources (e.g. ethene and C2Cl4 ) occur during periods of upslope transport. Hourly ozone mixing ratios exceeded 70 ppb during six events. Two of the six events were largely associated with VOCs from the oil and gas sector, three high ozone events were associated with a mixture of VOCs from urban and oil and gas sources, and one high ozone event was driven by a stratospheric intrusion. For the high ozone events most associated with emissions from oil and gas activities, we estimate that VOCs and NOx from sources along the Front Range contributed ∼20 ppbv of additional ozone.
A New Tool for Design and Certification of Aircraft Turbine Rotors

This paper summarizes recent enhancements to a probabilistic damage tolerance software code, DARWIN™, that can be used for design certification of aircraft jet engine titanium disks/rotors that may contain melt-related anomalies. Evaluations of DARWIN™ by engine manufacturers are also discussed, including comparisons with existing codes for accuracy and time efficiency. In addition, relevant test results, including various fatigue tests on material containing melt-related anomalies, are summarized.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Determining Jurisdiction In Cyberspace: The "Zippo" Test or the 'Effects" Test?

Engaging in online activity is no longer a novel experience yet, there are many unresolved issues remaining in determining jurisdiction over the person which is a fundamental legal threshold in order to pursue one's legal rights. Two principal models for testing jurisdiction have moved to the forefront. One is the “Zippo test,” after the case in which it was first articulated which bases jurisdiction over a nonresident website on the degree of interactivity between the website and the forum. This test has been found by cyberlawyers, scho lars and many courts to be inexact and therefore not particularly helpful. Consequently, the "effects" test has evolved which focuses on the effects intentionally caused within the forum by a defendant’s online conduct outside the forum. After summarizing the background and evolution of both the Zippo and effects tests, this article demonstrates that the courts are not embracing the effects test as a panacea to the dilemma of determining jurisdiction, but rather a combination of both the Zippo and the effects test is being employed. Oftentimes a court will begin its case analysis of with the Zippo test but completes the jurisdictional determination using the effects test. It is therefore advisable for attorneys advocating jurisdiction to use both tests, since the effects test may work where the slidingscale of Zippo might not.
Genes, Description of

Heredity is a key to biodiversity, and the underlying genes are themselves complex and constantly changing. Both adaptive and selectively neutral genetic variations depends upon genes, defined as sequences of DNA that specify cell structure, including proteins and several types of RNA. But genes also code for regulators of gene expression and cellular physiology via enzymes, proteins, and other RNAs that bind both DNA or RNA. Many aspects of genes, especially the structures of DNA and RNA, are held in common among all organisms, ranging from viruses, to bacteria and other prokaryotes, to multi-cellular eukaryotes. Differences in gene structure and regulation between these groups illustrate great diversity as well, much of it resulting from the inexorable force of mutation. Genetic variation provides the material for evolution—descent with modification—including adaptation within populations, diversification of lineages, and the formation of new species. Within populations, genetic variation reflects recent history and indicates prospects for change in the future. On the other hand, variation in non-coding parts of genomes can be used to track relationships among living groups of organisms, taxonomic status of individual populations, relatedness within and between populations, parentage, and genome mapping.
BIOENGINEERING AND BIOPHYSICAL MODELING: SOME IMPLICATIONS OF A NEW THEORY OF VISION, ANGULAR RESOLUTION OF VISUAL DETAIL, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARTIFICIAL OR SUBSTITUTE EYE

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on some implications of a new theory of vision, angular resolution of visual details, and the development of an artificial or substitute eye. The expanding beam from a spatial filter on a laser is used to illuminate positive transparencies of a pincushion grid, a Hermann grid, and a checkerboard that are placed in front of a light converging lens. The experimental result contradicts the conventional theory of vision; if the eye operated by the action of an intensity image at the retina, it too would perceive light diagonals. The Kuffler patches patches probably have like spatial frequency locations interconnected retinally. The successful stimulation of visual effects then involves the establishing of a neurological location within the cortex to attach an electrode that has information coming from an appropriate spatial frequency input at the transducer replicated retina.
Thresholds and Complex Dynamics of Interdependent Cascading Infrastructure Systems

Critical infrastructures have a number of the characteristic properties of complex systems. Among these are infrequent large failures through cascading events. These events, though infrequent, often obey a power law distribution in their probability versus size which suggests that conventional risk analysis does not apply to these systems. Real infrastructure systems typically have an additional layer of complexity, namely the heterogeneous coupling to other infrastructure systems that can allow a failure in one system to propagate to the other system. Here, we model the infrastructure systems through a network with complex system dynamics. We use both mean field theory to get analytic results and a numerical complex systems model, Demon, for computational results. An isolated system has bifurcated fixed points and a cascading threshold which is the same as the bifurcation point. When systems are coupled, this is no longer true and the cascading threshold is different from the bifurcation point of the fixed point solutions. This change in the cascading threshold caused by the interdependence of the system can have an impact on the “safe operation” of interdependent infrastructure systems by changing the critical point and even the power law exponent.
Activation of transcription factor AP-1 by extracellular ATP in PC12 cells

We have previously shown that extracellular ATP caused cell death in PC12 cells through activation of its receptors. Oxidative stress has been implicated as a mechanism of cell death caused by extracellular ATP. In the present study we examined the possible signal transduction cascades leading to cell death by extracellular ATP. We found, using the electrophoretic mobility shift assay, that transcription factor AP-1 DNA binding activity was stimulated by extracellular ATP. Northern blot analysis showed that mRNA levels of c-fos, c-jun were elevated after treatment with ATP. The stimulation was receptor mediated, since it was blocked by the ATP receptor antagonist, suramin. The stimulated AP-1 binding was also blocked by the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine, indicating that reactive oxygen species generated following ATP stimulation were involved in the induction of AP-1 activity. It appears that both translational and posttranslational events contributed to the increased AP-1 DNA binding since cyclohexamide (a protein synthesis inhibitor), genistein (tyrosine kinase inhibitor) and staurosporine (PKC inhibitor) each partially blocked the AP-1 activation. Changes in AP-1 DNA binding activity may modulate expression of target genes involved in cell death pathways.
Kalman Filtering and State-Feedback Control of a Nonlinear Piezoelectric Cantilevered Actuator

This chapter deals with the state estimation with noise rejection in a piezoelectric cantilevered actuator and its state-feedback control. The noises which come from the sensor used, strain gage, are important and should be filtered. For that, we employ the classical Kalman filtering for their rejection and for the state estimation and we apply afterwards a state-feedback control with integral action to improve the general performances of the actuator. However, as the actuator exhibits hysteresis nonlinearity, we propose first its linearization thanks to a feedforward control before application of the above filtering and feedback control. The experimental results confirm the efficiency of the approach and demonstrate the interest of the method for precise positioning such as in micropositioning applications.
Constraint Handling in ESC Control Strategies with Application to HVAC Systems

When applying ESC to a complex system, internal variables within the system may be subject to constraints that cannot be handled explicitly by limiting the range of the variable(s) manipulated by ESC. This is particularly evident in HVAC systems where ESC is often used to minimize energy use but where internal variables need to be constrained to satisfy comfort requirements. To address this problem, the paper proposes the use of penalty functions that are incorporated in the objective function. This approach is generally applicable because mathematical information about the relationship between the constrained variables and the ESC manipulated variables is not required. The paper describes the application of penalty functions to two types of HVAC systems: variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems; and roof-top air-conditioners. Different penalty function formulations are described and results are shown from tests on detailed simulation models.
Policing and Racial Discrimination: Throwing Out the Baby with the Bath Water

Husak contends that the state should not abolish a police practice such as Stop Question and Frisk (SQF) simply because it has a disparate impact on racial minorities. The ultimate verdict on this practice depends on whether its advantages are sufficient to offset its costs—especially inasmuch as the crime-reduction effects of SQF tend to disproportionately benefit the very racial minorities who are subject to it. Husak reconstructs and responds to arguments of legal theorists who disagree with him, and seemingly believe that no practice implemented by legal officials who suffer from implicit racial biases can ever be justified.
Interwealth Contact and Young Children's Concern for Equity.

This study examined young children's contact with individuals of high-wealth and low-wealth backgrounds and their behavior toward peers of these backgrounds in a resource distribution task. The sample included 72 ethnically diverse higher income children (Mage = 6.68 years, SD = 0.98 years). Contact with individuals of low-wealth backgrounds (interwealth contact) affected children's behavior indirectly, through social-cognitive reasoning processes. The more interwealth contact children reported, the more likely they were to reason about access to resources rather than their own wealth preferences in this context. This reasoning, in turn, was associated with more resources allocated to a low-wealth peer relative to a high-wealth peer. Thus, interwealth contact early in development was associated with more equitable peer interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Creative Writing in English Education: An Historical Perspective.

This review considers the history of school-based creative writing in the light of today's professional perspective. Curricular documents in English education throughout the twentieth century indic...
Microbiome dysbiosis and alcoholic liver disease

Microbiome dysbiosis is strongly associated with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Recent studies on comprehensive analyses of microbiome compositional and functional changes have begun to uncover the mechanistic relation between microbiome and the pathogenesis of ALD. Importantly, targeting the microbiome has become a potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of ALD. In this review, we summarize the clinical evidence of microbiome dysbiosis in ALD patients, and experimental advances in microbiome and metabolomic functional changes in animals with different species and genetic backgrounds in ALD. We also summarize the studies in humanized intestinal microbiome and fecal microbiota transplantation in mice. We introduce new developments in the studies on the role of the circulating bacterial microbiome, oral bacterial microbiome and fungal microbiome in the development of ALD. We highlight the potential mechanisms by which microbiome dysbiosis contributes to ALD, including short chain fatty acid changes, bile acid metabolism, intestinal barrier function, release of bacterial and fungal products, and inflammation. In addition, we summarize the recent developments targeting the microbiome in prevention and treatment of ALD, including dietary nutrient interference, herbal medicine, antibiotics, anti-fungal agents, probiotics, engineered bacterial therapy, fecal transplantation and oral hygiene. Although recent preclinical studies have advanced our understanding of the microbiome and ALD, clinical studies, especially prospective studies with large samples, are needed to better understand the cause-effect of microbiome dysbiosis in ALD. Identifying new precision-based strategies targeting the microbiome are expected to be developed as more effective therapies in ALD.
Cell-type diversity and regionalized gene expression in the planarian intestine revealed by laser-capture microdissection transcriptome profiling

Abstract Organ regeneration requires precise coordination of new cell differentiation and remodeling of uninjured tissue to faithfully re-establish organ morphology and function. An atlas of gene expression and cell types in the uninjured state is therefore an essential pre-requisite for understanding how damage is repaired. Here, we use laser-capture microdissection (LCM) and RNA-Seq to define the transcriptome of the intestine of Schmidtea mediterranea, a planarian flatworm with exceptional regenerative capacity. Bioinformatic analysis of 1,844 intestine-enriched transcripts suggests extensive conservation of digestive physiology with other animals, including humans. Comparison of the intestinal transcriptome to purified absorptive intestinal cell (phagocyte) and published single-cell expression profiles confirms the identities of known intestinal cell types, and also identifies hundreds of additional transcripts with previously undetected intestinal enrichment. Furthermore, by assessing the expression patterns of 143 transcripts in situ, we discover unappreciated mediolateral regionalization of gene expression and cell-type diversity, especially among goblet cells. Demonstrating the utility of the intestinal transcriptome, we identify 22 intestine-enriched transcription factors, and find that several have distinct functional roles in the regeneration and maintenance of goblet cells. Furthermore, depletion of goblet cells inhibits planarian feeding and reduces viability. Altogether, our results show that LCM is a viable approach for assessing tissue-specific gene expression in planarians, and provide a new resource for further investigation of digestive tract regeneration, the physiological roles of intestinal cell types, and axial polarity.
P$^2$IM: Scalable and Hardware-independent Firmware Testing via Automatic Peripheral Interface Modeling (extended version)

Dynamic testing or fuzzing of embedded firmware is severely limited by hardware-dependence and poor scalability, partly contributing to the widespread vulnerable IoT devices. We propose a software framework that continuously executes a given firmware binary while channeling inputs from an off-the-shelf fuzzer, enabling hardware-independent and scalable firmware testing. Our framework, using a novel technique called P$^2$IM, abstracts diverse peripherals and handles firmware I/O on the fly based on automatically generated models. P$^2$IM is oblivious to peripheral designs and generic to firmware implementations, and therefore, applicable to a wide range of embedded devices. We evaluated our framework using 70 sample firmware and 10 firmware from real devices, including a drone, a robot, and a PLC. It successfully executed 79% of the sample firmware without any manual assistance. We also performed a limited fuzzing test on the real firmware, which unveiled 7 unique unknown bugs.
The association between heavy metal and serum cholesterol levels in the US population: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2012:

Background:Few studies have examined the relationship between heavy metal and serum cholesterol levels, and no recent study has examined this relationship in the US population.Methods and Results:A...
Dynamics of Entangled Networks in Ultrafast Perforation of Polystyrene Nanomembranes

The mechanical behavior of polymers at ultrahigh strain rates can be very different from their typical behavior because of the inertia effect, wave propagation, adiabatic processes, and rate-dependent polymer chain dynamics. Polymer chain entanglements play a significant role in the mechanical properties of polymers. By employing microscopic ballistic testing in vacuum, the high-strain-rate intrinsic behavior of polystyrene (PS) is demonstrated depending on its molecular weight and microprojectile’s perforation speed. Based on the experimentally quantified correlation between the specific penetration energy and the entanglement density, we predict the upper limits of the specific penetration energy of PS.
TREATMENT OF A HFPEF MOUSEMODEL WITH CARVEDILOL, SALBUTAMOL OR EXERCISE

There is currently no effective treatment for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This study aims to investigate and compare the potential benefits of voluntary exercise, β2-adrenergic stimulation (salbutamol), or β/α-adrenergic blockade (carvedilol) in Col4a3-/- mice that we
Cumulative risk and newly qualified teachers’ professional well-being: Evidence from rural Ghana:

The transition from student-teaching to full-time teaching is an understudied period in teachers’ careers. This paper uses a cumulative risk (CR) framework to assess personal and professional risks...
Systematic evaluation of the electronic effect of aluminum-containing ligands in iridium-aluminum and rhodium-aluminum bimetallic complexes.

Pyridinemethanolate and oxyquinoline derivatives of previously reported late transition metal–aluminum heterobimetallic complexes containing iridium and rhodium have been synthesized and characterized. A combination of experimental and computational data permits a direct comparison of the electronic effects of each novel aluminum-containing ligand in our library on the late transition metal centers. Alongside electronic data of previously reported oxypyridine bridged systems, we conclude that the addition of a dialkylaluminum(X) (X = anion) fragment does not significantly perturb the electron donor ability of the bridging ligand. Anions bound to the aluminum are also shown to behave similarly. The overall library, thus, suggests that the best predictor of the electron donor ability of an alkylaluminum-containing ligand to a transition metal is the donor power of the bridging ligand.
The Influence of Justinian on American Common Law Property

The civil law’s impact on American law property may not at first be readily apparent. Civil law property and common law property are structured very differently. How things are classified, be they, for example, movable or immovable, corporeal or incorporeal, is of great import in the civil law; the common law focuses far less on the classification of things. The civil law has a firm, if not restrictive, concept of what constitutes a property right, whereas in the common law, property rights are much more fluid. The civil law has a finite set of rights that are included in ownership, namely the rights of usus, fructus, and abusus. The bundle of sticks that may make up an individual’s interest in property in the common law is, it seems, ever morphing. The very notion that an individual can own property is theoretically foreign to the common law, whereas ownership is a bedrock of civil law property. Civil law property and common law property are unquestionably very different, and yet, they are also very similar. Doctrinally, much of common law property stems directly from the civil law and, specifically, from the father of the civil law himself, Justinian. This essay explores how Justinian’s work influenced a number of common law property doctrines including the rule of capture, riparian rights, servitudes, and the doctrine of waste, to name a few.
Das Hubble-Gesetz und das expandierende Universum

Im fruhen 20. Jahrhundert analysierte Vesto M. Slipher vom Lowell-Observatorium in Arizona die Spektren zahlreicher Spiralnebel.
Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence : Covering Defects in Understanding from Clinical to Radiologic Evaluation.

Superior semicircular canal dehiscence alters the normal fluid mechanics of the vestibulocochlear system and can be a debilitating condition. This article reviews the current understanding of the bony labyrinthine defect, including symptoms, etiology, surgical approach, as well as preoperative and postoperative imaging pearls.
Social Capital Dimensions are Differentially Associated with COVID-19 Vaccinations, Masks, and Physical Distancing

Abstract Background Social capital has been associated with health outcomes in communities and can explain variations in different geographic localities. Social capital has also been associated with behaviors that promote better health and reduce the impacts of diseases. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing, face masking, and vaccination have all been essential in controlling contagion. These behaviors have not been uniformly adopted by communities in the United States. Using different facets of social capital to explain the differences in public behaviors among communities during pandemics is lacking. Objective This study examines the relationship among public health behavior—vaccination, face masking, and physical distancing—during COVID-19 pandemic and social capital indices in counties in the United States. Methods We used publicly available vaccination data as of June 2021, face masking data in July 2020, and mobility data from mobile phones movements from the end of March 2020. Then, correlation analysis was conducted with county-level social capital index and its subindices (family unity, community health, institutional health, and collective efficacy) that were obtained from the Social Capital Project by the United States Senate. Results We found the social capital index and its subindices differentially correlate with different public health behaviors. Vaccination is associated with institutional health: positively with fully vaccinated population and negatively with vaccination hesitancy. Also, wearing masks negatively associates with community health, whereases reduced mobility associates with better community health. Further, residential mobility positively associates with family unity. By comparing correlation coefficients, we find that social capital and its subindices have largest effect sizes on vaccination and residential mobility. Conclusion Our results show that different facets of social capital are significantly associated with adoption of protective behaviors, e.g., social distancing, face masking, and vaccination. As such, our results suggest that differential facets of social capital imply a Swiss cheese model of pandemic control planning where, e.g., institutional health and community health, provide partially overlapping behavioral benefits.
The Role of Long Term Label-Retaining Cells in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction by Vacuum Erectile Device.

INTRODUCTION Vacuum erectile device (VED) therapy is commonly used for penile rehabilitation after radical prostatectomy, however, the underlying mechanism of this effect is not fully understood. AIM To evaluate the presence of label-retaining cells (LRCs), cells with long-term retention of 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU) labeling and recognized as adult stem cells or progenitor-like cells, in cavernous tissue after VED treatment using a BCNC rat model. METHODS Postnatal pups (1 day old) of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were intraperitoneally injected with EdU (50 ug/g, BID for 3 days) and BCNC surgery was conducted at 6 weeks old (designated as natal-labeled rats). Adult SD rats underwent BCNC surgery and EdU injection (50 ug/g, once) after surgery (designated as adult-labeled rats). One week after surgery, both natal- and adult-labeled rats received daily VED treatment for 4 weeks. Intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured for all rats and then the penile tissue was harvested. The ratio of ICP/MAP was calculated to represent erectile function. Penile tissue was examined by immunofluorescence staining to detect EdU positive cells. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The ratio of Intracavernous pressure (ICP) /MAP and the percentage of EdU positive cells were measured. RESULTS The erectile function was impaired after BCNC and partially restored after VED treatment in both natal- and adult-labeled rats (P < .05). There was no difference in the percentage of EdU positive cells in natal-labeled rat cavernous tissue in BCNC group compared with VED group. Among the adult-labeled rats, the percentage of EdU positive cells increased in BCNC group (P < .05) but didn't change significantly after VED treatment (P = .35). CONCLUSION LRCs may play a limited role in the restoration of erectile dysfunction through VED treatment after BCNC. Yang B, Luse D, Cao Y, et al. The Role of Long Term Label-Retaining Cells in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction by Vacuum Erectile Device. Sex Med 2021;9:100442.
ERCP in Patients with Altered Anatomy

The number of patients with surgically altered anatomy is rising due to the proliferation and success of bariatric surgery and liver transplant, as well as the improved detection of pancreatic and gastric neoplasms and their resultant surgical resection. Despite improved surgical technique, the inherent complication rate of these procedures as well as the baseline prevalence of stricture, stone, and the progression of unresected or metachronous malignancy, provide a challenge to the endoscopist when treating patients with surgically altered anatomy. This chapter will review the indications for and technical aspects associated with performing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with surgically altered anatomy.
Sense of Injury

Yesterday I killed a tree. Just a little one, to be sure?I didn't think I could kill a big one. I pulled it up by its roots and cut it up with an axe into small pieces which I then dropped down the sewer. I watched it go down. I know, too, a little about the light haired girl who lives a mile down the road. Her name is Jennifer. As the leaves change, every year, I see her in the distance on her mare. But I almost never get close to her. My father says I am blocking the sewer with all that wood. I go fishing, sometimes. The other day I was fishing, killing even the smallest ones?then throwing them back to watch them come to life again?down near the place where the stream falls, where Jennifer sometimes waters her mare. She was swimming, this time. She was alone. She has long hair and it was wet. Then I hooked a big trout and when I looked again she was gone. So I went down there myself and swam, afterwards, leaving my clothes where she had left hers. I hope she was watching, but I don't know that she was. Wouldn't it be something if she did see me? I'll go there again. I hope she will, too. Today I was allowed to slaughter a hog. My father says I'll have to learn how to do it all, eventually, and so I might as well start now. There was a lot of blood and a lot of screaming. If anything has real pain when it's dying, it's a hog.
An intermediate methylation signature is associated with improved patient survival and a distinct global mRNA expression profile in glioblastoma: An interim analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data

PL04 The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project is an ongoing study with a goal of describing the variety of molecular aberrations that occur in glioblastoma (GBM) by the use of high-throughput molecular platforms on clinically annotated tumor specimens. One such platform includes methylation of approximately 3,000 CpG islands using the Illumina Golden Gate array. Data were available for 183 GBM patients for an interim analysis. Data were filtered to include the CpG islands that showed high variation among the samples, resulting in 143 CpG islands, which were subject to unsupervised hierarchical clustering. This cluster analysis revealed 3 groups of tumors differing according to the degree of overall methylation. One group exhibited extensive methylation, a second showed very low levels of methylation and a third was defined by hyper-/hypomethylation of specific CpG islands (the intermediate group). The intermediate group was further characterized by methylation of a specific set of genes that were unmethylated in the other groups, and included HRB2 , NETO2 , WNT10B , LAYN and PCDHB2 . A survival analysis showed that the intermediate group had a significantly improved overall survival (p FABP5 , RBP1 , FAS , THBS1 and ICA1 . Among the 13 genes specifically methylated in the other 2 groups, 3 genes (23%) showed a concordant decrease in expression ( NPY , NEFL and TUSC3 ). Interestingly, the global gene expression profile of the intermediate methylation subgroup greatly differed from the other 2 subgroups. In particular, this group showed increased expression of genes whose over-expression we have previously found to be correlated with improved outcome, including SNAP91 , DCX , RP11-35N6.1 , TUSC3 , and RTN1 , genes associated with neural development. Genes previously associated with poor outcome, including CHI3L1 (YKL-40), PDPN , NNMT , and TIMP1 as well as additional extracellular matrix/mesenchymal genes were under-expressed in this group. In all, there were over 200 genes with a ≥2.5-fold difference in mRNA expression between the intermediate subgroup versus the other 2 groups, but minimal gene expression variability between the high and low methylation groups, respectively. Taken together, these data suggest that CpG methylation profiles represent a source of robust biomarkers in GBM, are extensively intertwined with the global gene expression profile, and corroborate our previously described concept of a prognostically unfavorable, mesenchymal subgroup and favorable, proneural subgroup. Importantly, it also provides proof-of-concept that the cross-platform analyses made possible by TCGA will lead to new insights regarding the molecular complexity of GBM.
Teaching Case-Based Argumentation Concepts Using Dialectic Arguments vs. Didactic Explanations

We compared two automated approaches to teaching distinguishing, a fundamental skill of case-based reasoning that involves assessing the relevant differences among cases in a context-sensitive way. The approaches are implemented in two versions of CATO, an ITS designed to teach law students basic skills of case-based legal argument. The original version of CATO employed a didactic explanatory dialogue. The newer version, CATO-Dial, teaches the same skill with a simulated dialectic argument in a courtroom setting. Our hypothesis was that students would learn better by engaging in the simulated argument than by receiving interactive explanation. We showed that students in the dialectic argument simulation group performed significantly better on certain sections of the post-test aimed at assessing transfer of their skills of distinguishing.
Lower-stratospheric/upper-tropospheric exchange processes associated with tropical cyclones as observed by TOMS

Total ozone associated with western Atlantic and Pacific tropical cyclones at various stages of development were analyzed for the purpose of monitoring storm intensity and/or intensity changes. The analysis is based on total ozone measurements from the Nimbus 7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS). Since ozone may be considered a passive tracer in the lower stratosphere and the ozone gradients are strongest just above the tropopause, fluctuations of total ozone are due to variations in tropopause height and/or changes in concentration within the column caused by vertical and horizontal advection. In the subtropical northern Pacific during August and September 1981, a negative correlation greater than 0.60 was found between upper-tropospheric geopotential heights near the tropopause level and total ozone. Preliminary results suggest that TOMS can be used to resolve the upper-troposphere structure in and around tropical cyclones and can provide an indication of those processes that help to intensify and maintain these storms.
The surface ionization of gadolinium, terbium and dysprosium on the tungsten (110) surface

Abstract A study of the surface ionization of gadolinium, terbium, and dysprosium (Gd, Tb, and Dy) is described and the results compared with the predictions of the Saha-Langmuir equation. A tentative measurement of holmium is also included. The experimental index parameter, E, which should be equal to the difference between the first ionization potential of the element and the apparent work function of the surface, was found to exceed the predicted value by the following amounts: Gd, 0.66 ± 0.14 eV; Tb, 0.27 ± 0.13 eV; and Dy, 0.24 ± 0.12 eV. The absolute ionization efficiencies were estimated by comparison of our gadolinium results with those reported by Dresser and Hudson. The preexponential coefficients are found to exceed the theoretically predicted values by an order of magnitude. Surface ionization efficiency of these rare earths is larger than predicted by the Saha-Langmuir equation by factors ranging from 5 to 25 at 2500 K. The (110) face of a tungsten single crystal was used as the ionizing surface, and its work function was determined to be 5.46 ± 0.11 eV in an auxiliary study of the emission of tungsten ions.
Ring fragmentation predictions using the Gurson model with material stability conditions as failure criteria

The Gurson constitutive model used in combination with failure criteria based on material stability and bifurcation has been used in a finite element model to predict fracture and fragmentation in a dynamic expanding ring experiment. Integration of the constitutive relation is through a two level iteration scheme operating only on scalar equations. It provides a robust solution for the large strain increments expected in shock problems. Numerically efficient failure criteria based on a bifurcation analysis and Drucker's condition for material stability are evaluated at each integration point and at every time step. The models were used to predict the fracture strain and number of fragments for thin, electromagnetically loaded, expanding rings. The results show good predictions of time to failure. Predictions of the number of fragments are generally good, with the model based on Drucker's hypothesis being better at the higher strain rates.
The Roles of Precipitation Increases and Rural Land-Use Changes in Streamflow Trends in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

Abstract Recent trends in precipitation and streamflow in the United States have become a particular focus of hydroclimatic research. The U.S. Hydro-Climatic Data Network (HCDN) has proven to be especially useful for the analysis of long-term streamflow trends. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists selected sites for inclusion in the HCDN from the USGS stream-gauge network on the basis of streamflows being relatively free of nonclimatic anthropogenic influences. Consequently, most previous analyses of flow trends at those sites have either implicitly or explicitly attributed the trends to climate change and variability. In this paper, trends in seasonal and annual precipitation, and annual 7-day low, mean, and peak flows are examined for 48 medium-sized HCDN streams in the upper Mississippi (UM) water-resource region over 1939–2008. Using the concept of precipitation elasticity of flow, it is shown that the observed magnitudes of statistically significant increases in mean and low flows were up to ...
Linkage analysis in unconventional mating designs in line crosses

Linkage estimation and genetic map construction with genotyped DNA markers in plants preferentially employ a few maximally informative early-generation or recombinant-inbred mating designs. Fitting their recombination models to unconventional designs adapted to cultivar development (series of backcrossing, selfing, haploid-doubling, random-intercrossing, and sib-mating steps) distorts single- and multipoint linkage estimates even with dense marker coverage. Two methods are provided for correct linkage estimation in unconventional designs: fitting a correct multigeneration model, or correcting the estimates produced by fitting a one-generation model with any conventional software. These methods also support calculation of multilocus genotype frequencies and QTL-genotype distributions and are available in software.
New Records of Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Ecuador

The number of recorded phlebotomine sand fly species in Ecuador has nearly doubled during the past 20 years as a result of surveys. In 2005, a sand fly survey of two localities, Tiputini in the Amazon rain forest and Paraiso Escondido in the Pacific coastal lowland forest, resulted in the capture of 25 species. New records for Ecuador consisted of five species from the Amazonian region and one from Paraiso Escondido. The Amazonian species were Nyssomyia richardwardi (Ready and Fraiha), Psathyromyia dreisbachi (Causey and Damasceno), Psathyromyia runoides (Fairchild and Hertig), Trichophoromyia pabloi (Barretto, Burbano and Young), and Trichopygomyia witoto (Young and Morales). The Pacific coastal lowland species was Psathyromyia punctigeniculata (Floch and Abonnenc).
A matching framework for modeling symptom and medication relationships from clinical notes

Clinical notes are rich free-text data sources containing valuable symptom and medication information. Little research has been done on matching medication information with multiple symptoms information. Such a matching could provide valuable information for patients with multiple syndromes. We propose a Symptom-Medication (Symp-Med) matching framework to model symptom and medication relationships from clinical notes. After extracting symptom and medication concepts, we construct a weighted bipartite graph to represent the relationships between the two groups of concepts. The key is to efficiently answer user's symptom-medication queries using the graph. We formulate this problem as an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) problem. The objectives are to maximize the total edge weight and minimize the number of medication concepts. We first explore a Branch-and-Cut based algorithm. Then, we revise the combinational objective, and propose a Greedy-based algorithm for solving the Symp-Med problem. The Greedy-based algorithm performs better and significantly improves the computational costs.
Magnetoelectric effect induced by electron–electron interaction in three dimensional topological insulators

Abstract We compute the magnetoelectric response of an interacting topological insulator in three space dimensions with a short range interaction between electrons in different orbitals. We show that in the presence of interactions and inverted bands the chiral phase is gauged away and replaced by a topological angle ( θ -term) which is determined by saddle point of the interacting action and the Fujikawa integration measure. The magnetoelectric response breaks time reversal symmetry which is restored at strong interactions. The effect is equivalent to the one in four dimensions without interaction; it can be observed by measuring the Faraday rotation under external stress.
Pain or Gain: Is There a Bright Side to Juggling Work and Family Roles?

The article reviews the research article “How Work and Family can Facilitate Each Other: Distinct Types of Work-Family Facilitation and Outcomes for Women and Men,” by E.F. Van Steenbergen, N. Ellemers, and A. Mooijaart published in the “Journal of Occupational Health Psychology issue 12(3) . The research focuses on positive aspect of the often difficult balancing of work and family responsibilities. The study discusses several types of employee conflict, including strain-based, time-based, behavioral, and psychological.
End-of-Life Terminology: The ED Patients’ Perspective

Accurate understanding of end-of-life terminology is essential to communications regarding end-of-life treatment preferences. This study was undertaken to assess the level of understanding of commonly used end-of-life medical terms among emergency department (ED) patients and visitors. In this prospective survey study, an oral structured interview was conducted in a university emergency department in 2008. Participants were asked to define 10 terms. Free text responses were scored by three investigators, using a health literacy 3-point scale (correct, partially correct, or incorrect). Among 303 participants (82% participation rate), 7.3% correctly defined 7 or more of 10 end-of-life terms. Terms most commonly understood included do not resuscitate (DNR) (56.3% correctly defined), ICU (51.8%), and durable power of attorney for health care (39.8%). Terms least correctly defined included resuscitation (15.3% correctly defined), physician-assisted suicide (9.4%), and euthanasia (7.4%). Factors associated with...
The rotation set of a homeomorphism of the annulus is closed

We show that the rotation set for any orientation preserving, boundary component preserving homeomorphism of the annulus is closed. In particular, if the homeomorphism is area preserving, then the rotation set is a closed interval.
SEASONAL CHANGES IN STOMACH WORMS (Obeliscoides cuniculi) IN SNOWSHOE HARES IN MAINE

The stomachs of 141 (96.5%) of 146 snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) collected in the area of East Corinth, Maine between the months of February, 1972 and February, 1973 were infected with Obeliscoides cuniculi. Nematodes were counted in 140 infected adult hares. The greatest intensity of infection occurred during the period from spring into summer (March to July) and at this time the populations of nematodes were mainly adults. During this period, female hares harbored significantly greater numbers of nematodes than males. Lowest numbers of nematodes were seen in late fall and early winter (October to December). The proportions of immature (fourth stage) nematodes in the populations increased appreciably from late summer on into winter and by December these constituted some 60% of the total population. A marked decline in immature nematode numbers was observed after February, with a concurrent increase in numbers of adults. A well-defined cyclical population fluctuation in natural infections of O. cunicu...
Hierarchical decision making for proactive quality control: system development for defect reduction in automotive coating operations

Product quality control (QC) in manufacturing usually relies solely on inspection. Once a quality problem is found, a solution is sought usually based on experience, which is basically ad hoc. A new generation of QC requires the integration of both quality prediction and inspection. Automotive coating is a typical example. In the paint shop of an automotive assembly plant, topcoat filmbuild quality on vehicle surface has been a major concern. In production, defects are frequently generated in the very thin coating layers, which can degrade severely both coating appearance and durability. Trial and error in troubleshooting is a usual practice. In this paper, we introduce a proactive QC approach by resorting to artificial intelligence and engineering fundamentals. The approach is developed for solving a class of engineering problems for which conventional reactive QC approaches are feeble due to system complexity and uncertainties, such as that in paint applications. The main focus of the approach is on-process, rather than post-process. Thus, the domain knowledge about a process is fully explored and correlation of the process to product quality is established in a systematic way. In this approach the knowledge is expressed either symbolically or numerically, and structured in a hierarchy as reasoning progresses. Decision making is performed by a fuzzy MIN–MAX algorithm for heuristic knowledge and optimization for fundamental knowledge. To demonstrate the efficacy of the methodology, an application to QC of automotive topcoat is illustrated through developing an intelligent decision support system. This system is capable of evaluating process performance, and providing various valuable decision supports for defect prevention in different stages of a topcoat application process.