cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of perceptual attention in precuing of location.

Abstract What are the mechanisms of spatial attention underlying precue validity effects? We answer this question within the framework of a perceptual template model (PTM) [Lu & Dosher (1998). External noise distinguishes attention mechanisms. Vision Research, 38, 1183–1198; Dosher & Lu (1999). Mechanisms of perceptual learning. Vision Research, 39, 3197–3221] and an external noise plus attention paradigm for orientation judgments in two- to eight-location displays. Attentional mechanisms correspond to behavioral signatures: External noise exclusion produces cuing effects in high external noise and stimulus enhancement produces cuing effects in noiseless displays. We found that external noise exclusion was the primary mechanism of cue validity effects, with large effects in high-noise displays. Stimulus enhancement coexisted as a secondary mechanism in noiseless displays for a subset of observers and display conditions. Contrast threshold ratio tests ruled out attentionally mediated changes in gain control. The ratio rules were also shown to hold for a stochastic PTM model. Effects were equivalent for four-alternative (Experiment 1) and two-alternative (Experiment 2) orientation identification. Precues allow observers to reduce noise and focus on the target in the precued location. External noise exclusion was more important in larger displays. Previous results are reclassified and understood within the PTM framework.
Performance in noise of a diffusion-based shape descriptor

A diffusion-like process, analogous to the thermodynamic diffusion of heat or of gas molecules, is used to describe the shape of two-or three-dimensional objects. It is effective at identifying extrema of curvature that might be used to segment the boundary, and also at characterizing the types of line segments that lie between the extrema. Both of those operations are essential for qualitative descriptions of images, as would be required by an approach based on geometrical icons (geons). The region need not be convex. The descriptor is invariant to several common transformations, including rotation. It can be implemented easily on parallel machines, does not pose problems with the definition of slope, and appears to be capable of dealing with the matching of partially-occluded objects. The descriptor’s performance is essentially independent of user-supplied parameters.
RESISTANCE OF RATS TO POTASSIUM POISONING AFTER ADMINISTRATION OF THYROID OR OF DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE ACETATE1

THE thyroid gland and the adrenal cortex seem to exert opposing influences on certain phases of animal metabolism. Early work has indicated, for example, that induced hypothyroidism was beneficial to animals deprived of their adrenals, whereas the feeding of thyroid extract to such animals increased the mortality rate (Zwemer, 1925, 1927). Other work, with relatively crude cortical extracts (Shapiro and Marine, 1921; Cameron 1923) has indicated that in both experimentally produced hyperthyroidism and Graves' disease some antagonism may exist. Because of the well-known adrenal cortex-potassium association (Zwemer and Truszkowski, 1936), the following experiments were designed to investigate the thyroid-adrenal cortex relationship as it bears on the resistance of normal animals to toxic intraperitoneal dosage of potassium chloride. Rats were used in all experiments, and were from the colony of Long-Evans hooded rats inbred since 1927 at the Department of Anatomy, College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Implementation of Dynamic Bandwidth Re-allocation in Optical Interconnects using Microring Resonators

Dynamic bandwidth re-allocation (DBR) technique balances traffic by re-allocating bandwidth from under utilized links to over utilized links. This results in significant improvement in overall throughput and latency. In previous study, passive optical devices, namely arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) and couplers were used to implement DBR [2]. Although the performance was significantly improved, the design was cost prohibitive since it required n2 number of lasers per board (where n is the number of transmitters per board). In this paper we propose the implementation of DBR using silicon on insulator (SOI) based microring resonators. We call this technique row-column switch implementation. The proposed active implementation reduces the number of required lasers by a factor of n without any degradation in performance. Analytical and simulation studies were conducted to compare the passive implementation of DBR with the proposed active approach. This comparison included area, power consumption, throughput, power loss (dB), power-delay product and area-delay product. Results show that the proposed active switch provides throughput and latency similar to the passive implementation of DBR while dramatically improving cost by a factor of n. There is a slight increase in power consumption (0.4% for the worst case traffic) using the active switch implementation.
Estimating Statistical Power With Incomplete Data

Software developments increasingly facilitate inclusion of incomplete data, but relatively little research has examined the effects of incomplete data on statistical power. Seven steps needed to conduct power analyses with incomplete data for a variety of commonly tested hypotheses are illustrated, focusing on significance tests of individual parameters. The example extends a growth curve model simulation presented by Curran and Muthen (1999) to the incomplete data situation. How to estimate statistical power for a range of sample sizes from a single model, as well as how to calculate the sample size required to obtain a desired value of statistical power, is demonstrated. Effects of data being missing completely at random (MCAR) or missing at random (MAR) across a range from 0% (complete data) to 95% missing data are considered. SAS and LISREL syntax are provided in this paper with syntax for other software available from the authors.
Generalized Gyrator Theory

In this paper, the gyrator theory is generalized so that it can be applied to multiple-input multiple-output energy systems. A multiport gyrator is defined as a system that follows the same power flow characteristics as a conventional gyrator, and with the use of superposition theorem, the equations describing its behavior are developed. Then, a multiport version of the dual active bridge is analyzed in order to validate the proposed equations. Finally, the network transformation properties of multiport gyrators are explored.
Nitro‐ and fluoropolyformals. II. Novel polyformals from α, ω‐fluoro‐ and nitrodiols

The scope of polyformal formation from nitro- and fluorodiols has been explored further with a series of α, ω-diols. Polymers with Mns of 2000–4000 were generally obtained but Mns approaching 10,000 are possible in some cases. Effects of monomer structure and reaction parameters on polymer molecular weight are described. The polymers were characterized by GPC, 1H-NMR, and DSC analysis.
A candidate multimodal functional genetic network for thermal adaptation

Vertebrate ectotherms such as reptiles provide ideal organisms for the study of adaptation to environmental thermal change. Comparative genomic and exomic studies can recover markers that diverge between warm and cold adapted lineages, but the genes that are functionally related to thermal adaptation may be difficult to identify. We here used a bioinformatics genome-mining approach to predict and identify functions for suitable candidate markers for thermal adaptation in the chicken. We first established a framework of candidate functions for such markers, and then compiled the literature on genes known to adapt to the thermal environment in different lineages of vertebrates. We then identified them in the genomes of human, chicken, and the lizard Anolis carolinensis, and established a functional genetic interaction network in the chicken. Surprisingly, markers initially identified from diverse lineages of vertebrates such as human and fish were all in close functional relationship with each other and more associated than expected by chance. This indicates that the general genetic functional network for thermoregulation and/or thermal adaptation to the environment might be regulated via similar evolutionarily conserved pathways in different vertebrate lineages. We were able to identify seven functions that were statistically overrepresented in this network, corresponding to four of our originally predicted functions plus three unpredicted functions. We describe this network as multimodal: central regulator genes with the function of relaying thermal signal (1), affect genes with different cellular functions, namely (2) lipoprotein metabolism, (3) membrane channels, (4) stress response, (5) response to oxidative stress, (6) muscle contraction and relaxation, and (7) vasodilation, vasoconstriction and regulation of blood pressure. This network constitutes a novel resource for the study of thermal adaptation in the closely related nonavian reptiles and other vertebrate ectotherms.
Effect of Biomineralized Manganese on the Corrosion Behavior of C1008 Mild Steel

Abstract The possibility that biomineralized manganese dioxide (MnO2) might serve as an efficient cathodic reactant in mild steel corrosion was studied using stainless steel (SS) covered with micro...
Downslope Windstorms in the Lee of Ridges on Mars

Abstract The semianalytical theory of downslope windstorms, originally developed to understand large increases in surface winds in the lee of major mountain chains on Earth, such as the famous windstorms in Boulder, Colorado, is applied to martian conditions. The focus of this work is to assess whether this theory can help us understand dark erosional wind streaks downstream of ridges on the martian surface. These streaks provide a well-documented example of dust raising on Mars. However, the formation of the streaks remains a mystery because atmospheric circulation models indicate surface friction velocities far lower than those required for the initiation of eolian activity. Downslope windstorms result from the interaction of topographically launched finite amplitude gravity waves with a level of zero wind, which vertically traps the waves. When this zero-wind level is at the proper height, large increases in downstream surface winds (up to a factor of 4) can be produced. During the martian night, downslope windstorms can occur in the lee of quite small ridges (heights ≥ tens of meters) when a level of zero-wind is present in the lowest few kilometers of the atmosphere. Three independent models of the martian atmospheric circulation indeed show levels of zero wind in the form of wind reversals at the appropriate height and season and at the locations where the ridge-related dark streaks are concentrated. The strong upstream/downstream difference in surface winds produced by the downslope windstorm mechanism when a suitable wind reversal is present, rather than a particularly strong upstream wind, is what controls the occurrence of the ridge-related dark streaks. Downslope windstorms also appear to be potentially useful in understanding the build-up of dust in the atmosphere preceding the martian global dust storms.
Using a groupware technology to implement cooperative learning via the Internet - a case study

The Internet presents numerous new resources for teaching/learning. Despite this, it also brings many difficulties. To get around some of them, the AulaNet environment was developed in such a way that teachers could concern themselves about producing educational content while the environment manages the learners' navigation for them. Moreover, the environment offers integrated communication, coordination and cooperation services that can be added on to the course in order to supplement it. The course on "Information Technology Applied to Education" is wholly taught via the Internet though the AulaNet environment. The purpose of the course is to get students to learn to work with information technology as a group, turning them into Web-based educators. The class has been conducted since 1998. This paper reports how the AulaNet was configured and how its services aided in the creation and application of the course during the period from 1998 to 2001. The result of this work is an experience in which it has been possible to analyze development costs, updating and application, and to discern how to encourage learner participation, what the size of the ideal group should be, and a form of assessment of the learning experience based on cooperative activities.
Use of nucleic acid probes in genetic tests

Advances in molecular genetics have led to the development of clinical assays for several genetic diseases. Two general testing approaches are available: direct detection of the genetic mutation or indirect detection using DNA markers close to, or within, the defective gene. Direct testing at the nucleic acid level is available for diseases in which the basic defect is well characterized, such as sickle cell anemia. Several methods are available for detection of the point mutation that causes sickle cell anemia including: routine Southern blot analysis, allele specific oligonucleotides, and polymerase chain reaction gene amplification. For diseases such as cystic fibrosis, in which the basic genetic defect has not yet been characterized, an indirect approach is used. This approach relies on linkage analysis using DNA markers close to the genetic defect. Inheritance of the DNA marker is followed through the family. Unlike direct testing, the DNA marker does not detect the actual genetic defect. Therefore, a prediction of inheritance of the linked disease is given based on the risk of recombination between the disease locus and the DNA marker. An appreciation of the differences between the direct and indirect approaches is necessary to understand their attributes and their limitations.
Cardiac Hypertrophy in Rats with Phenylhydrazine Anemia

The effect of phenylhydrazine-produced anemia upon the hearts of rats was studied with observations upon the accompanying hypertrophy. Results indicated that the mechanism of hypertrophy under these conditions may be one of myocardial injury rather than mechanical.
Recursive formulas for multinomial probabilities with applications

Recursive formulas are provided for computing probabilities of a multinomial distribution. Firstly, a recursive formula is provided for computing rectangular probabilities which include the cumulative distribution function as a special case. These rectangular probabilities can be used to provide goodness-of-fit tests for the cell probabilities. The probability that a certain cell count is the maximum of all cell counts is also considered, which can be used to assess the probability that the maximum cell count corresponds to the cell with the maximum probability. Finally, a recursive formula is provided for computing the probability that the cell counts satisfy a certain ordering, which can be used to assess the probability that the ordering of the cell counts corresponds to the ordering of the cell probabilities. The computational intensity of these recursive formulas is linear in the number of cells, and they provide opportunities for calculating probabilities that would otherwise be computationally challenging. Some examples of the applications of these formulas are provided.
Telecommunication network analysis with COMNET 11.5

COMNET Il.5 is a general SIMSCRIPT Il.5-based model for the performance analysis of circuit-switched, message-switched, or packet-switched networks. A variety of alternate-routing and adaptive shortest-path routing algorithms are built-in. After creating a network description with a convenient menu-driven editor, simulation follows immediately. There are no programming delays. Network operation is animated during the simulation. Reports show blocking probabilities, call queueing and packet delays, network throughput, link group utilization, and link group queue statistics. This paper highlights some of COMNET Il.5's latest features, which include capabilities for modeling call preemption, call retries, dynamic bandwidth allocation, link failures, and source-node routing.
Hybrid almost output regulation of linear impulsive systems with average dwell-time ☆

Abstract This paper deals with the hybrid almost output regulation problem for a class of linear systems with average dwell-time impulses. The proposed hybrid output regulator is constructed as a linear impulsive system that undergoes synchronous impulses with the controlled plant. Lyapunov-based sufficient conditions of the output regulability and weighted L 2 performance for the linear impulsive systems are first derived. Based on the analysis results, the hybrid synthesis problem is formulated in terms of linear matrix equations plus a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). With this hybrid synthesis scheme, both flow and jump dynamics of the hybrid regulator can be jointly designed by solving a convex optimization problem in minimizing the weighted L 2 gain from the perturbation signal to the error output. A numerical example is used to demonstrate the proposed approach.
What Drives the Formation of Trophectoderm During Early Embryonic Development

In the mouse, the lineages of cells that give rise to trophectoderm and ICM are generally held to arise between the 8-cell and 16-cell stage of development. This model assumes that all blastomeres have essentially equivalent potential in terms of their fate through the first three rounds of cell division. There is, however, accumulating evidence that the blastomeres of 2-cell stage conceptuses may be compositionally different and contribute unequally to trophectoderm and ICM of the blastocyst. Here, we evaluate these competing points of view relating to when commitment to the trophectoderm lineage occurs in mammals, describe some of the genes that drive trophectoderm specification, and discuss the implications of the two hypotheses in relation to outcomes in commonly used reproductive technologies. Much of what is presently known has been derived from studying the mouse, but where information is available from other species, and particularly from cattle, it has been included.
A Short Note on Rank-2 Relaxation for Waveform Inversion

This note is a first attempt to perform waveform inversion by utilizing recent developments in semidefinite relaxations for polynomial equations to mitigate non-convexity. The approach consists in reformulating the inverse problem as a set of constraints on a low-rank moment matrix in a higher-dimensional space. While this idea has mostly been a theoretical curiosity so far, the novelty of this note is the suggestion that a modified adjoint-state method enables algorithmic scalability of the relaxed formulation to standard 2D community models in geophysical imaging. Numerical experiments show that the new formulation leads to a modest increase in the basin of attraction of least-squares waveform inversion.
Truth, the Liar, and Relativism

I aim to establish a new connection between two topics. The first is the aletheic paradoxes (that is, the paradoxes affecting truth, of which the liar is merely the most famous).1 Nearly as old as Western philosophy itself, work on the aletheic paradoxes is still vibrant today. Contributions to this topic from analytic philosophy have come in roughly three waves. The first wave is based on Alfred Tarski’s work from the 1930s, which gave truth conditions for formulas of first-order predicate calculus and set the stage for much of what came after. Saul Kripke’s seminal paper from 1975 posed serious problems for applying Tarski’s results to natural language and used new mathematical techniques to address the paradoxes. Kripke’s work also inspired a whole generation of new approaches in the 1980s and early 1990s.2 After something of a lull, the twenty-first century has seen a flurry of new activity—enough to constitute a third wave that is still building.3
1116PUVEAL MELANOMA TUMOR SIZE CORRELATED WITH GENE EXPRESSION PROFILING: THE MD ANDERSON EXPERIENCE

ABSTRACT Aim: Uveal melanoma is the most common eye cancer in adults affecting approximately 6,000 patients worldwide each year. Classically, prognostication for this disease involved histopathologic parameters such as tumor size, thickness, histologic cell type, mitoses, or extraocular extension. Recently, gene expression profiling (GEP) has armed clinicians with a powerful tool for risk assessment that more accurately stratifies patients according to metastatic risk than previous histopathologic categories. This test, commercially available in the U.S. as DecisionDx-UM, stratifies patients into low-risk for distant metastasis (DM), Class 1A and 1B, and high-risk for DM, Class 2. The relationship between tumor size and GEP remains unclear. Here we aim to analyze and clarify that relationship. Methods: Between December 2009 and April 2014, consecutive uveal melanoma patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center who received prognostication with DecisionDx-UM were captured. Data regarding original tumor size was obtained from echography measurements or pathology specimens, where available. We correlated tumor size and GEP in this dataset. Results: A total of 115 uveal melanoma patients with GEP and size measurements were included for analysis. A Kruskal-Wallis test and ordinal logistic regression were conducted to assess the relationship between largest tumor dimension (basal and apical) and GEP. Largest tumor dimension was not significantly different by GEP class, nor was it a significant predictor of GEP class (p = 0.6390). Class 1 tumors had similar sizes compared to Class 2 tumors. GEP and Largest Tumor Dimension GEP Largest dimension (mm) p-value n Median Minimum Maximum Class 1A 31 13.00 5.90 25.00 0.6390 Class 1B 29 12.00 5.50 22.00 Class 2 55 13.00 5.20 22.00 Conclusions: In our single institution case series, uveal melanoma tumor size did not significantly correlate with GEP. Therefore size alone does not predict a patient's more powerful prognosticator, GEP. Clinicians should not rely on tumor size to counsel patients regarding metastatic risk. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Diagnostic value of different types of specimens and their combination detection in hand-foot-and-mouth disease

Objective To evaluate the role of different types of samples and their combination detection in diagnosis of handfoot- and- mouth disease so as to provide an experimental basis for collecting samples and improving the detection rate of enterovirus. Methods Real- time RT- PCR was used to detect general enterovirus, enterovirus 71 and coxsackievirus 16 in throat swabs, rectal swabs, ulcer swabs and vesicle fluid. Results Among four types of the samples, the detection rate in throat swabs was the highest(50.77%). Among the multi- sample combined detection, the positive rates were improved with the increased types of samples. Conclusions During large outbreaks of HFMD, throat swab culture is the best choice. In daily surveillance, two different types of samples should be tested in slight cases according to different clinical manifestations and more than two types of samples should be tested in severe cases.
Safety, Tolerability, and Compliance with Long-Term Antimalarial Chemoprophylaxis in American Soldiers in Afghanistan.

Abstract. Long-term antimalarial chemoprophylaxis is currently used by deployed U.S. military personnel. Previous small, short-term efficacy studies have shown variable rates of side effects among patients taking various forms of chemoprophylaxis, though reliable safety and tolerability data on long-term use are limited. We conducted a survey of troops returning to Fort Drum, NY following a 12-month deployment to Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007. Of the 2,351 respondents, 95% reported taking at least one form of prophylaxis during their deployment, and 90% were deployed for > 10 months. Compliance with daily doxycycline was poor (60%) compared with 80% with weekly mefloquine (MQ). Adverse events (AEs) were reported by approximately 30% with both MQ and doxycycline, with 10% discontinuing doxycycline compared with 4% of MQ users. Only 6% and 31% of soldiers reported use of bed nets and skin repellents, respectively. Compliance with long-term malaria prophylaxis was poor, and there were substantial tolerability issues based on these anonymous survey results, though fewer with MQ than doxycycline. Given few long-term antimalarial chemoprophylaxis options, there is an unmet medical need for new antimalarials safe for long-term use.
Chemotherapy of Gastrointestinal Malignancies.

Beginning with esophageal cancer of both the adeno and squamous variety, it would appear that combined modality therapy is here to stay. Most cancer programs now advocate chemotherapy, usually cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil together with radiation therapy, prior to definitive esophagectomy for localized disease. An exciting advance is the discovery of the activity of paclitaxel in this setting, and it is currently being tested in combination with both cisplatin and carboplatin as well as 5fluorouracil with early indications of success. In this regard, an ongoing protocol at the University of Florida using two to four cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel followed by continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil and radiation therapy prior to surgery continues to accrue patients and, together with other phase two studies of a similar nature, will help to define the optimal use of paclitaxel in this disease. If its initial promise is confirmed, it is likely that this agent will become an integral component of the new standard of care.
Malacoplakia of the Bladder: Efficacy of Bethanechol Chloride Therapy

AbstractPresent evidence suggests that malacoplakia is the result of a functional defect in the mononuclear cells of the lesion caused by a deficiency of cyclic 3′,5′ guanosine monophosphate. This defect results in the impaired ability of the macrophage to release lysosomal enzymes necessary for the digestion of phagocytized bacteria. The persistent inflammatory reaction produces the characteristic granuloma of malacoplakia.Previous laboratory studies indicate that the phagocytic defect is reversible by cholinergic agonists, which led to the use of bethanechol chloride in the treatment of patients with malacoplakia, We report on 3 patients with vesical malacoplakia who were treated successfully with bethanechol chloride.
The Structural and Functional Relationships Between Olfactory and Reproductive Systems from Birth to Old Age in Fish

The existence of a structural and functional axis between the olfactory and reproductive systems has long been suspected and is now becoming better understood because of increased interest and study. As a result, exciting new information is now available which clearly demonstrates that changes in olfactory epithelium can be directly related to naturally occurring and experimentally induced events in the neuroendocrine system of vertebrates (e.g., menstrual and estrous cycles, castration, and sex steroid administration). The frequency of studies in these areas decreases, however, as one descends the phylogenetic scale. In addition, there is a patent paucity of temporal analyses of the olfactory system during the postnatal development and senescence of the reproductive system for vertebrates in general.
Quantifying the synergistic effects of impervious surface and drought on radial tree growth

The global trend of increasing urbanization is generating isolated patches of vegetation that could be strongly influenced by the surrounding landscape. Simultaneously, many of these urban forests will be exposed to the increasing temperatures and higher risk of drought conditions brought up by climate change. The heat island effect associated with an increase in impervious surface cover and its influence on urban vegetation has been document mostly for large urban centers. However, how the effects of urbanization may interact with tree resilience to drought have been much less studied, especially in middle size cities like the majority of those populating eastern North America. In this study, we analyzed 30 years of tree radial growth data collected from individuals of three common native species in remnant forest patches distributed along a gradient of urbanization in the Midwestern USA. Acer saccharum and Quercus rubra show reduced growth rates in years with lower water availability. Our results also indicate that the detrimental effects of impervious surface cover eliminated any of the beneficial effects of growing in a wet year for A. saccharum and Q. rubra, and these effects of increase impervious surface cover on growth were more detrimental than those of droughty years. Carya ovata, the third species, did not show differential growth along the urbanization gradient or among years with varying water availability. This study illustrates how the combination of drought events and increasing impervious surface cover could have a differential impact on coexisting species in urban forests, which could further alter the species composition and functioning of these ecosystems.
Qualitative Data Analysis Software Practices in Complex Research Teams: Troubling the Assumptions About Transparency and Portability

Early hypotheses about the ways Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS) would be integrated into qualitative research lacked the backing of extensive experience. Changing contexts, such as the increasing use of complex teams, raise issues that bring into question earlier assumptions about the role of QDAS in transparency and portability. Using Jackson’s (2014) conception of transparency in motion as a grounding concept, the authors present an exemplar case of the ways one complex qualitative research team made use of QDAS to support interpretive activities in a project that was also geographically far flung. The article concludes with a reconsideration of the notion of transparency, suggesting a more nuanced approach for the future.
Providing Family Planning Services at Primary Care Organizations after the Exclusion of Planned Parenthood from Publicly Funded Programs in Texas: Early Qualitative Evidence.

Objective To explore organizations’ experiences providing family planning during the first year of an expanded primary care program in Texas. Data Sources Between November 2014 and February 2015, in-depth interviews were conducted with program administrators at 30 organizations: 7 women's health organizations, 13 established primary care contractors (e.g., community health centers, public health departments), and 10 new primary care contractors. Study Design Interviews addressed organizational capacities to expand family planning and integrate services with primary care. Data Extraction Interview transcripts were analyzed using a theme-based approach. Themes were compared across the three types of organizations. Principal Findings Established and new primary care contractors identified several challenges expanding family planning services, which were uncommon among women's health organizations. Clinicians often lacked training to provide intrauterine devices and contraceptive implants. Organizations often recruited existing clients into family planning services, rather than expanding their patient base, and new contractors found family planning difficult to integrate because of clients’ other health needs. Primary care contractors frequently described contraceptive provision protocols that were not evidence-based. Conclusions Many primary care organizations in Texas initially lacked the capacity to provide evidence-based family planning services that women's health organizations already provided.
Strategies of distinction: Aesthetic materiality and restrained discourse

Abstract This paper clarifies the role of objects in generating both cultural meanings and valuable forms of status by building upon previous research on cultural consumption and mediation, while simultaneously highlighting the intrinsic materiality of such practices. Beginning with the sociological notion that clues to high-status cultural consumption exist within journalistic writing about food, this project asks how profit-seeking firms make use of related discursive strategies to establish that their cultural products are not only delicious but also distinctive. To that end, this paper examines the packaging materials and packaging discourse of two case study firms whose food products are similar, in kind and country of origin, and whose food packages all meet the shared expectations of the US gourmet food market, in order to explore how their packages differentiate themselves from their competitors and frame their contents as valuable. In order to understand these firms as both commercial storytellers and amateur cultural intermediaries, the comparative case study methodology is employed with the goal of describing the process whereby profit-seeking firms make use of gourmet food writing and food packages to create distinction within an omnivorous, and economically valuable, marketplace. This paper draws attention to food packaging as a form of gourmet food writing which has a role to play in the dynamics of distinction within the contemporary gastronomic field.
Robot-assisted Placement of Pelvic Tissue Expander for Radiation After Prostatectomy and Cystectomy for Treatment of Prostate Cancer Biochemical Recurrence.

Abstract Objective To present a robot-assisted surgical technique for overcoming challenges of a patient with prior pelvic surgeries and bowel in the radiation target. Methods A 72-year-old male required treatment for biochemically recurrent prostate cancer. In 2006, he presented with Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) 5.74 ng/mL, Gleason 3 + 3 prostate cancer. He underwent a robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for pT2aNx adenocarcinoma with negative margins. In 2008, he was found to have muscle-invasive high-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma and underwent robot-assisted radical cystectomy and ileal conduit for pT2bN0 urothelial carcinoma. In 2017, he had prostate cancer biochemical recurrence, with a PSA of 0.27 ng/mL. Pelvic CT showed small bowel in his prostatic bed behind the pubic bone. A robot-assisted lysis of adhesions and placement of a tissue expander in the prostatic fossa was performed. Three robotic ports and 1 assistant port were utilized. The sigmoid and small bowel were displaced during lysis of adhesions. The deflated tissue expander was inserted through the midline trocar site, inflated intra-abdominally, and filled with 330 cc of saline. The tissue expander was secured with proline sutures in a dependent position. The patient subsequently underwent Intensity-modulated radiation therapy of 66 Gy to the prostatic fossa. Eleven days after finishing intensity-modulated radiation therapy, he underwent successful laparoscopic removal of the tissue expander. PSA nadir was Results The patient tolerated intensity-modulated radiation therapy without complications. There were no gastrointestinal complaints following radiation therapy. Conclusion Robotic placement of a tissue expander in patients who have undergone multiple pelvic surgeries is feasible and may reduce radiation morbidity.
Preparation and characterization of preferred oriented PZT films on amorphous substrates

The (001) preferred orientation of Nb-doped Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48) O3 (PZT) thin films was successfully realized on amorphous glass substrate with LaNiO3(LNO) as electrode by rf-sputtering method. It was found that the LNO film greatly promotes formation of the PZT film with pervoskite phase on amorphous substrate and the preferred orientation of the PZT film depends strongly on the process of preparation. The experimental results show that the dielectric constant and loss of the PZT films with the (001) preferred orientation are 1308 and 0.042, respectively, at 1 kHz, 0.05 V. The remanent polarization (Pr), saturation polarization (Ps) and coercive field (Ec) are 34.5, 43 μC/cm2 and 105 kV/cm, respectively. The PZT films also show a 33 kV/cm internal bias field due to its (001) preferred orientation. The piezoelectric coefficient d33 of the PZT film without the poled treatment is about 15 pC/N due to its (001) preferred orientation. The effect of the foreign stress on the piezoelectric voltage response of the PZT/LNO/glass was investigated. The results make us consider using the PZT film as an artificial skin to realize the self-diagnosis of amorphous materials under the action of stress.
Economies of the City: Honolulu’s Financial Plaza of the Pacific

This paper concerns one monumental architectural structure that defined Honolulu’s business economy and approaches to urban planning in the Central Business District (CBD) during the 1960s – the Financial Plaza of the Pacific. As indicated from its moniker, the design and construction of the edifice highlighted Hawai‘i’s physical location as a global crossroads. The international vision of this “commercial condominium”, and by extension Honolulu, addressed the effects of urban blight and suburban flight that plagued the CBD in the years leading up to, and following, U.S. statehood. The merger of three corporate enterprises (Castle & Cooke, Bank of Hawaii, and American Savings and Loan) at the Financial Plaza of the Pacific functioned as means to display corporate reinvestment in the district. The architects of the project, Leo S. Wou & Associates and Victor Gruen Associates, desired to create a spatially unified environment with outdoor public space and art projects as loci for human interaction. Ultimately, the Financial Plaza of the Pacific reveals the ways in which Honolulu operated – and continues to operate – as a living city spurred by enterprise and revitalization.
Feasibility of Automotive Coatings Designed for Direct Adhesion to TPO Materials

ABSTRACT The discovery, that adhesion to untreated non-polar TPO could be achieved directly through olefinic color coats based on low viscosity functional liquid polymers, might be considered the breakthrough for the TPO industry. Feasibility of the olefinic color coats at bumper plants is also discussed.
Nonhomologous Recombination: Retrotransposons

Retrotransposons are evolutionarily widespread genetic elements that replicate through reverse transcription of an RNA copy and integrate the product DNA into new sites in the host genome. They comprise significant fractions of metazoan genomes. Because insertions can disrupt host genome function, retrotransposon activity is controlled at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Research into this control has provided insights into unexpected mechanisms of gene regulation, including RNA interference (RNAi). Despite their potential deleterious effects, retrotransposons perform important genomic functions including roles in the centromeres and telomeres of some species, and contributions to genome adaptation with changing environments. As we better understand retrotransposon–genome interactions, we are better able to exploit retrotransposon activities as in vivo research and therapeutic tools.
Infinite cup length in free loop spaces with an application to a problem of the N-body type

Abstract Cup lengths in the cohomology of the space of free loops (over fields of finite characteristic) are computed and results applied to prove the existence of infinitely many solutions of a Hamiltonian system of N-body type.
ARCHITECTING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AT USAA

Since its founding in 1922, financial service provider USAA has grown its product portfolio from auto insurance to over one hundred P&C insurance, banking, life insurance, and investment management products. More recently, USAA has also created connections between different products by linking them in integrated services addressing life events. Life events like buying a car or house—or getting married— involve multiple products such as loans and insurance. Introduced in 2010, one of the company’s first integrated services targeted the car buying life event, allowing members to select, buy (at a pre-negotiated price), finance, and insure a car in one seamless process. This case study describes the motivation for and challenge of providing financial products in a more integrated way, as well as how USAA worked towards making this integration a success. USAA found that making its members' lives simpler involved making its own organizational life more complex.
The Impact of Mountain Waves on an Idealized Baroclinically Unstable Large-Scale Flow

AbstractThe feedback of mountain waves and low-level blocking on an idealized baroclinically unstable wave passing over an isolated ridge is examined through numerical simulation. Theoretical analy...
Lonely consumers and their friend the retail salesperson

Abstract Store-based retailers face constant challenges in trying to lure shoppers, extend shopping visits, and convert patrons. With shopping options galore (e.g., native online sellers, mobile commerce, automatic replenishment), experts might inquire whether store-based retailers still offer enough value for today's consumers. Some stores have found success through format diversification, self-checkout, in-store pickup, and so on. In this study, we assert that store-based retailers could find success via in-store salespersons capable of satisfying the social needs of consumers experiencing loneliness. Despite purported “connections” to friends, followers, and devices, consumers of all demographics feel undesirable shortcomings in their personal relationships. Delving into this largely unexplored area, we find that two varieties of loneliness— social and emotional —influence the degree to which consumers use in-store sales personnel for social interaction. We also ascertain that consumers' predisposition to comply with salesperson input affects their trust in the salesperson , purchase intention , and retail store patronage .
Oxyhemoglobin Saturation Overshoot Following Obstructive Breathing Events Mitigates Sleep Apnea-Induced Glucose Elevations.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes nocturnal intermittent hypoxia (IH) and is associated with disturbances in glucose regulation and diabetes. We recently showed that CPAP withdrawal in patients with moderate-severe OSA leads to dynamic within-night glucose elevations in proportion to the severity of IH. In the present study, we examined the relationships between nocturnal IH signal dynamics and nocturnal glucose. We hypothesized that specific patterns of IH lead to alterations in glucose throughout the night. Methods: 27 non-diabetic CPAP-adherent patients with moderate-severe OSA (18 men, age 48.9 ± 10.3 years and BMI 36.3 ± 7.6 kg/m2) underwent polysomnography with concurrent blood sampling every 20-30 minutes, on CPAP and after 3-night CPAP withdrawal in random order. To characterize IH dynamics, we calculated mean SPO2, and the frequency and magnitude of SPO2 changes relative to baseline during the 10-minute period preceding each glucose measurement during the CPAP withdrawal night. We further characterized SPO2 variations by the frequency and amplitude of SPO2 reductions and rises (desaturations and resaturations, respectively), which were calculated relative to a baseline defined by the mean spo2 during CPAP night. We used mixed-effects linear regressions models to examine the associations between nocturnal plasma glucose and AHI, mean SPO2, and the frequency of desaturations and resaturations at varying amplitudes. We constructed multi-variable models to examine the independent associations between these IH components, OSA severity and nocturnal glucose. Results: In single predictor models, glucose was not significantly associated with AHI, or with the frequency of desaturations of any amplitude (p>0.05). Glucose was inversely associated with mean SPO2 (p1% predicted a 0.46 mg/dL glucose reduction. In multivariable models, the protective effect of resaturation overshoot against glucose elevation was significant with adjustment for mean SPO2 and AHI (p<0.05). Conclusions: Hypoxia severity predicted nocturnal glucose elevations. Resaturation overshoot independently predicted glucose change in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggest that hypoxia from OSA contributes to nocturnal glucose elevations, which can be mitigated by maneuvers that improve oxygenation.
THE ROLE OF TIME IN NATURAL INTELLIGENCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR NEURAL NETWORK AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH*

Real-time, closed-loop interactions between biological systems and their environments appear to be fundamental to the mechanisms that underlie natural intelligence. Such a theoretical view has given rise to neuronal models that predict a vide range of Pavlovian animal learning phenomena and to neural networks that may model instrumental conditioning phenomena. The theoretical framework that is emerging suggests an alternative to the current paradigms for neural network and artificial intelligence research.
On Optimal Pursuit Trajectories for Visibility-Based Target-Tracking Game

In this paper, we address a class of visibility-based pursuit-evasion game in which a mobile observer tries to maintain a line-of-sight (LOS) with a mobile target in an environment containing obstacles. The observer knows the current position of the target as long as the target is in the observer's LOS. At first, we address this problem in an environment containing a single corner. We formulate the game as an optimal control problem of maximizing the time for which the observer can keep the reachability set of the target in its field-of-view. Using Pontryagin's principle, we show that the primitives for optimal motion of the observer are straight lines ( $ST$ ) and spiral-like curves ( $C$ ). Next, we present the synthesis of the optimal trajectories from any given initial position of the observer. We show that the optimal path of the observer belongs to the class $\lbrace ST,C-ST,ST-C-ST\rbrace$ . Given any initial position of the target, we present a partition of the workspace around a corner based on the optimal control policy of the observer.
Propagation model using the DiFrancesco-Noble equations. Comparison to reported experimental results.

Propagation, re-entry and the effects of stimuli within the conduction system can be studied effectively with computer models when the pertinent membrane properties can be represented accurately in mathematical form. To date, no membrane models have been shown to be accurate representations during repolarisation and recovery of excitability, although for the Purkinje membrane the DiFrancesco-Noble (DN) model has become a possibility. The paper examines the DN model, restates its equations and compares simulated waveforms in a number of propagation contexts to experimental measurements reported in the literature. The objective is to determine whether or not the DN model reproduced phenomena such as supernormality, shortening in action potential duration during pacing rate increases, alternation of duration with changes in rhythm, graded responses and ‘all-or-none’ repolarisation in a quantitatively realistic way, as each of these come from time and space dependencies not directly a part of the ionic current measurements on which the DN model is based. The results show that the DN equations correctly simulate these situations and support the goal of having a model that is broadly applicable to Purkinje tissue, including refractory period properties and response to electrical stimulation.