cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The You-I event: on the genesis of self-awareness

I present empirical evidence suggesting that an infant first becomes aware of herself as the focal center of a caregiver's attending. Yet that does not account for her awareness of herself as agent. To address this question, I bring in research on neonatal imitation, as well as studies demonstrating the existence of a neural system in which parts of the same brain areas are activated when observing another's action and when executing a similar one. Applying these findings, I consider gestural exchanges between infant and caregiver, such as reciprocal smiles and imitative vocalizations. Lacking self-awareness at first, the infant is unaware of her own agency. By returning her unwitting gesture, the caregiver singles out for her—thanks to neural matching—the gesture's kinesthesis. Moreover, the caregiver's smile, imitative vocalization, or other gesture is the form that focusing takes. The kinesthesis of the infant's gesture, in being singled out, is experienced by the infant as what the caregiver is focusing on. It is experienced as being within the focal center. In this way, the infant becomes aware of herself as a bodily entity acting toward the caregiver. Exchanges that involve matching are at first essential, I argue, in making the infant present to herself in action. Matching will cease to be necessary, but self-awareness continues to depend fundamentally on others until the acquisition of language, when the child becomes capable of talking to herself as if she were the caregiver.
Antisocial Personality Disorder/Psychopathy

This entry reviews the historic background for the diagnoses of antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy along with modern conceptions of these disorders and empirical findings pertaining to their correlates and causes. In doing so, the entry discusses these clinical conditions in relation to a broader integrative model of impulse control disorders that encompasses substance-related problems along with impulsive sensation-seeking tendencies and aggressive behavior of differing types. Approaches to prevention and treatment of these conditions are also reviewed. Keywords: empathy; forensic psychology; morality; psychopathy; resilience; aggression; anti-social behavior; criminal justice; personality disorders
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in HIV-infected outpatients is common and detection is enhanced by groin culture.

Although high rates of clinical infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been reported in HIV-infected adults, data on MRSA colonization are limited. We enrolled HIV-infected adults receiving care at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. Swabs from each participant's nares and groin were cultured with broth enrichment for S. aureus. Of 600 HIV-infected adults, 79 (13 %) were colonized with MRSA and 180 (30 %) with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus. MRSA pulsed-field gel electrophoresis types USA300 (n = 44, 54%) and USA500/Iberian (n = 29, 35%) predominated. Inclusion of groin swabs increased MRSA detection by 24 % and USA300 detection by 38 %. In multivariate analysis, MRSA colonization compared to no MRSA colonization was associated with a history of MRSA clinical infection, rarely or never using condoms, and contact with prisons and jails. In summary, the prevalence of MRSA colonization was high in this study of HIV-infected adults and detection of USA300 was enhanced by groin culture.
Microfluidic chamber arrays for whole-organism behavior-based chemical screening

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an important model organism in genetic research and drug screening because of its relative simplicity, ease of maintenance, amenability to simple genetic manipulation, and relevance to human biology. However, their small size and mobility make nematodes difficult to physically manipulate, particularly with spatial and temporal precision. We have developed a microfluidic device to overcome these challenges and enable fast behavior-based chemical screening in C. elegans. The key components of this easy-to-use device allow rapid loading and housing of C. elegans in a chamber array for chemical screening. A simple two-step loading process enables simultaneous loading of a large number of animals within a few minutes without using any expensive/active off-chip components. In addition, chemicals can be precisely delivered to the worms and exchanged with high temporal precision. To demonstrate this feature and the ability to measure time dependent responses to chemicals, we characterize the transient response of worms exposed to different concentrations of anesthetics. We then use the device to study the effect of chemical signals from hermaphrodite worms on male behavior. The ability of the device to maintain a large number of free moving animals in one field of view over a long period of time permits us to demonstrate an increase in the incidence of a specific behavior in males subjected to worm-conditioned medium. Because our device allows monitoring of a large number of worms with single-animal resolution, we envision that this platform will greatly expedite chemical screening in C. elegans.
Protecting your firm from FX risk

Recent oil-price hikes are hurting U.S. businesses. But Europe seems protected—perhaps by the rising value of the euro against the U.S. dollar. So U.S.-based managers need to compensate for the falling value of the dollar when planning their business strategies. How can U.S. managers protect their companies from rising foreign exchange (FX) risks? The authors offer some vital tools and strategies—and discuss what perils the future may hold. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Acculturation, Partner Violence, and Psychological Distress in Refugee Women From Somalia

This study examined the relations among acculturation, domestic violence, and mental health in 62 married refugee women from Somalia. Refugees from Somalia constituted the largest group of refugees entering the United States in 2005, and little is known about the presence of domestic violence in this group. The results showed that women who reported greater ability to speak English also reported more experiences of partner psychological abuse and physical aggression. Experiences of more psychological abuse and physical aggressions also predicted more psychological distress. Implications for future research and psychological services are addressed.
Surface Cleaning by Electrostatic Removal of Particles

Contamination of product surfaces by particles during microelectronics manufacturing can lead to significant losses of product yield and reliability. In many cases, cleaning by an effective dry process would be preferable to cleaning by an equally effective wet process. A new dry process for cleaning is described. The product surface to be cleaned is grounded or placed on a grounded surface. An insulating film, approximately 20 μm thick, is placed on the contaminated product surface. A counterelectrode is placed on the film, with enough direct current voltage, typically kilovolts, to create fields of approximately 1 MV/cm. When the film is removed from the contaminated product surface, particles as small as 1 μm are removed with the film. Particles deposited dry are substantially easier to remove than particles deposited wet and allowed to dry. Also very difficult to remove are particles that melt and then solidify on a surface. Various insulating films have shown successful particle removal, but all film...
Resources as dual sources of advantage: Implications for valuing entrepreneurial-firm patents

Why and how do resources provide sources of competitive advantage? This study sheds new light on this central question of resource-based theory by allowing a single resource—entrepreneurial-firm patents—to play distinctive roles in different competitive arenas. As rights to exclude others, patents serve a well-known role as legal safeguards in product markets. As quality signals, patents also could improve access and the terms of trade in factor input markets. Based on the financing activities of 370 venture-backed semiconductor start-ups, we provide new evidence that patents confer dual advantages in strategic factor markets, improved access and terms of trade, above and beyond their added product-market protection. The study has important implications for empirical tests of resource-based theory and the measurement of resource value. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Optical Study of BG Geminorum: An Ellipsoidal Binary with an Unseen Primary Star

We describe optical photometric and spectroscopic observations of the bright variable BG Gemino- rum. Optical photometry shows a pronounced ellipsoidal variation of the K0 I secondary, with amplitudes of D0.5 mag at and a period of 91.645 days. A deep primary eclipse is visible for VR C I C a shallower secondary eclipse is present at longer wavelengths. Eclipse timings and the radial j(4400 A! ; velocity curve of the K0 secondary star indicate an interacting binary where a lobe-!lling secondary, transfers material into a extended disk around a massive primary, The M 2 D0.5 M _ , M 1 D4.5 M _ . primary star is either an early B-type star or a black hole. If it did contain a black hole, BG Gem would be the longest period black hole binary known by a factor of 10, as well as the only eclipsing black hole binary system.
Functional neuroanatomy of human voluntary cough and sniff production

Cough and sniff are both spontaneous respiratory behaviors that can be initiated voluntarily in humans. Disturbances of cough may be life threatening, while inability to sniff impairs the sense of smell in neurological patients. Cortical mechanisms of voluntary cough and sniff production have been predicted to exist; however, the localization and function of supramedullary areas responsible for these behaviors are poorly understood. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify the central control of voluntary cough and sniff compared with breathing. We determined that both voluntary cough and sniff require a widespread pattern of sensorimotor activation along the Sylvian fissure convergent with voluntary breathing. Task-specific activation occurred in a pontomesencephalic region during voluntary coughing and in the hippocampus and piriform cortex during voluntary sniffing. Identification of the localization of cortical activation for cough control in humans may help potential drug development to target these regions in patients with chronic cough. Understanding the sensorimotor sniff control mechanisms may provide a new view on the cerebral functional reorganization of olfactory control in patients with neurological disorders.
Forest Reranking: Discriminative Parsing with Non-Local Features

Conventional n-best reranking techniques often suffer from the limited scope of the nbest list, which rules out many potentially good alternatives. We instead propose forest reranking, a method that reranks a packed forest of exponentially many parses. Since exact inference is intractable with non-local features, we present an approximate algorithm inspired by forest rescoring that makes discriminative training practical over the whole Treebank. Our final result, an F-score of 91.7, outperforms both 50-best and 100-best reranking baselines, and is better than any previously reported systems trained on the Treebank.
Optimal splitters for database partitioning with size bounds

Partitioning is an important step in several database algorithms, including sorting, aggregation, and joins. Partitioning is also fundamental for dividing work into equal-sized (or balanced) parallel subtasks. In this paper, we aim to find, materialize and maintain a set of partitioning elements (splitters) for a data set. Unlike traditional partitioning elements, our splitters define both inequality and equality partitions, which allows us to bound the size of the inequality partitions. We provide an algorithm for determining an optimal set of splitters from a sorted data set and show that it has time complexity O(k lg2N), where k is the number of splitters requested and N is the size of the data set. We show how the algorithm can be extended to pairs of tables, so that joins can be partitioned into work units that have balanced cost. We demonstrate experimentally (a) that finding the optimal set of splitters can be done efficiently, and (b) that using the precomputed splitters can improve the time to sort a data set by up to 76%, with particular benefits in the presence of a few heavy hitters.
Therapeutic potential of EGFR-related protein, a universal EGFR family antagonist

Interference with the activation of growth factor receptors, specifically epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and/or other member(s) of its family (human epidermal growth factor [HER]-2, -3 and -4) represents a promising strategy for development of novel and selective anticancer therapies. Indeed, a number of inhibitors that target either EGFR or HER-2, but not both, have been developed for treatment of epithelial cancers. However, since most solid tumors express different EGFRs, identification of inhibitor(s) targeting multiple EGFR family members may provide a therapeutic benefit to a broader patient population. To this end, the author proposes that EGFR-related protein (ERRP), a recently isolated negative regulator of EGFR that possesses a substantial homology to the extracellular ligand-binding domain of EGFR and its family members, is a pan-ErbB inhirbB family of receptors in epithelial cancers, and describes isolation, characterization and the mechanisms of action of ERRP as well as its potentia...
Landscape evolution: the interactions of tectonics and surface processes

The last decade has witnessed a resurrection of historical concepts and controversies concerning the evolution of landscapes in active tectonic regimes. New insights into and quantification of spatial patterns of deformation and of surface processes have enlivened this debate and provided an impetus to address some long-standing questions. Under a regime of persistent tectonic forcing, are there predictable stages of topographic form through which a landscape would pass?
Single-snapshot DOA estimation and source number detection

We present a Bayesian solution to the problem of multiple direction of arrival (DOA) detection/estimation from a single temporal observation of array data, where the array can be of general configuration. The proposed method consists of multiple-step likelihood marginalizations using noninformative priors selected specifically to allow valid comparison of alternative model orders. This yields a novel DOA estimation cost function and a new detection algorithm useful for the single-snapshot case.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase p85α Subunit-Dependent Interaction with BCR/ABL-Related Fusion Tyrosine Kinases: Molecular Mechanisms and Biological Consequences

The p85alpha subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3k) forms a complex with a protein network associated with oncogenic fusion tyrosine kinases (FTKs) such as BCR/ABL, TEL/ABL, TEL/JAK2, TEL/PDGFbetaR, and NPM/ALK, resulting in constitutive activation of the p110 catalytic subunit of PI-3k. Introduction of point mutations in the N-terminal and C-terminal SH2 domain and SH3 domain of p85alpha, which disrupt their ability to bind phosphotyrosine and proline-rich motifs, respectively, abrogated their interaction with the BCR/ABL protein network. The p85alpha mutant protein (p85mut) bearing these mutations was unable to interact with BCR/ABL and other FTKs, while its binding to the p110alpha catalytic subunit of PI-3k was intact. In addition, binding of Shc, c-Cbl, and Gab2, but not Crk-L, to p85mut was abrogated. p85mut diminished BCR/ABL-dependent activation of PI-3k and Akt kinase, the downstream effector of PI-3k. This effect was associated with the inhibition of BCR/ABL-dependent growth of the hematopoietic cell line and murine bone marrow cells. Interestingly, the addition of interleukin-3 (IL-3) rescued BCR/ABL-transformed cells from the inhibitory effect of p85mut. SCID mice injected with BCR/ABL-positive hematopoietic cells expressing p85mut survived longer than the animals inoculated with BCR/ABL-transformed counterparts. In conclusion, we have identified the domains of p85alpha responsible for the interaction with the FTK protein network and transduction of leukemogenic signaling.
High-efficiency potentially low-cost fiber-optic links via carrier-interferometry pulse shaping

The authors propose a far-reaching inexpensive solution to counter the many dispersion effects introduced by the fiber-optic link. Their signal-processing-based solution employs novel transmit and receive technology based on carrier interferometry ultrashort pulse shaping.
Some negative side effects of a punishment procedure for stereotyped behavior

Abstract Two profoundly retarded adolescents were punished for engaging in stereotyped self-stimulatory behavior. A within subjects reversal design was used. One adolescent also experienced a DRO condition to reduce his self-stimulatory behavior. Both participants exhibited what could be interpreted as negative side effects of the punishment condition. For one adolescent this was seen in experimenter directed aggression, while for the other the side effect was a decrease in social behavior. These behaviors were not seen in the other experimental conditions. The data suggest that punishment may result in negative side effects and when it is the treatment of choice, a careful, systematic monitoring of a variety of behaviors should be made. In this way any deleterious effects of the procedure are more likely to be detected.
Insights Into Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease–Associated Dyspeptic Symptoms

Background & Aims Patients with GERD frequently report dyspeptic-like symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, early satiety, bloating, and belching. The purpose of this review was to define the epidemiology and underlying mechanisms for dyspeptic symptoms in GERD patients. Methods We performed a systematic literature review to identify the prevalence of dyspeptic symptoms in GERD patients. We identified 2057 studies, and 37 studies (2%) met the entry criteria, including 17 articles describing the prevalence of dyspeptic symptoms in GERD subjects, 7 studies describing mechanistic evaluation of dyspeptic symptoms in GERD, 7 studies describing questionnaires used to measure dyspeptic symptoms, and 6 studies assessing the role of proton pump inhibitor therapy for dyspeptic symptoms associated with GERD. We used an evidence-based approach to assess the literature. Results The median (± standard deviation) prevalence of GERD in 30,384 subjects from 8 studies conducted in Western countries was 30% ± 8% (range, 20%–40%). Dyspeptic symptoms were present in 38% ± 14% (range, 21%–63%) and were more frequent in patients with frequent GERD symptoms, compared with patients with intermittent or no GERD symptoms [Evidence B]. Patients with nonerosive disease had a higher prevalence of dyspeptic symptoms [Evidence B] in addition to a lower response to proton pump inhibitor therapy [Evidence A], compared with patients with erosive esophagitis. Epigastic pain, belching, bloating, and early satiety demonstrated improvement on PPI therapy [Evidence A], compared with symptoms of nausea and vomiting that did not improve [Evidence A]. Patients with dyspepsia were at risk for a subsequent new diagnosis of GERD [Evidence B]. Dyspeptic symptoms contributed significantly to the decrement in health-related quality of life associated with GERD. Conclusions Dyspeptic symptoms are common in GERD patients and impact health-related quality of life.
Growth Hormone and Prolactin Synthesis in Normal and Homozygous Snell and Ames Dwarf Mice

The severe growth retardation and sterility characteristic of Snell and Ames dwarfs, two nonallelic, recessive mouse mutants, have been attributed to a deficiency in pituitary production of GH and PRL. We have investigated the synthesis of these hormones in normal and homozygous dwarf mice of both strains at various stages of development to determine whether the mutations prevent initial development of the pituitary capacity to produce these hormones. Synthesis of radiolabeled GH and PRL was assayed by two-dimensional electrophoresis and immunoprecipitation using goat antisera to mouse GH and PRL. Litters in which all pups were mutant were produced by mating adult dwarfs made fertile by implanting a normal pituitary under the kidney capsule. We found that GH and PRL synthesis was undetectable in Snell or Ames dwarfs at all stages of development examined, including the neonatal period when dwarf pups are indistinguishable from normal littermates. Furthermore, we detected no immunoprecipitable peptides whic...
"I Wish I Had Known the Truth Sooner": Middle School Teacher Candidates' Sexuality Education Experiences

AbstractWhile many general education classroom teachers encounter issues of sexuality in the middle school classroom, few teacher candidates feel prepared to address them. One source of information for teacher candidates is the role modeling provided by their own teachers when they were elementary and secondary students. In this study, 107 teacher candidates enrolled in a middle level preparation course completed five stem sentences describing their experience of being educated about sexuality when they were younger. The results revealed that 69% of the teacher candidates described poor role modeling. Most commonly, these teacher candidates detailed wanting “more” from their teachers—more depth and breadth, more honesty, and more commitment to providing sexuality information. They indicated that they would have liked to have teachers who were more comfortable with the subject matter and who covered topics such as love and relationships. Without preparation to address these topics, teacher candidates may h...
Cosintering process for glass-ceramic/copper multilayer ceramic substrate

In order to improve the electrical performance of the substrate for 3081 mainframe computers, a new material system consisting of glass-ceramic and copper metallurgy was developed for the system 390/ES9000 computers. The glass-ceramic package for the system 390/ES9000 is made up of 63 layers of green sheets screened with copper thick film paste and laminated under pressure to form a green body. The authors describe the challenges and solutions in cosintering the glass-ceramic and copper to form a dense package with the desired mechanical and electrical properties. A steam sintering process that is based on sound theoretical principles has been developed. This process has allowed packaging of a low dielectric constant ceramic with a high conductivity copper conductor. >
Developing Idiomatic Competence in the ESOL Classroom: A Pragmatic Account

Building on previous theoretical constructs and empirical findings on idioms, this article advances an integrated theoretical and methodological framework for developing idiomatic competence in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). Beginning with a definition of the term idiomatic competence, the author then presents a framework of theory and pedagogy not to theorize research findings to date but to advocate for learning idioms in an explicit and systematic way befitting natural use in comprehending and producing idioms effectively and appropriately in actual context-sensitive social situations without violating the conventions of social appropriacy. Throughout the explication of this pragmatic account, a series of insights are offered to help readers reexamine their contexts of teaching and pedagogical practices. It is suggested that for idiom instruction to achieve social immediacy, that is, attain communicative reality and social relevance in everyday discourse, the conditions for optimal idiom learning need to be made compatible with and supportive of the way English language learners learn best. The author concludes with implications for practicing and testing idiomatic competence across the curriculum, even at the tertiary level, in a supportive environment that values active, real-life participation and engagement in English language learning both inside and outside the language class.
Scald burns from hair braiding

Only one previous case report has described scald burns secondary to hair braiding in pediatric patients. The present case study is the largest to date of scald burns as a result of hair braiding in children and adults. Charts of all 1609 female patients seen at a single burn center from 2008 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients with scald burns attributed to hair braiding. Demographics, injury severity, injury patterns, and complications were analyzed. Twenty-six patients (1.6%) had scald burns secondary to hair braiding with median TBSA 3%. Eighty-five percent of patients were pediatric with median age 8 years. Injury patterns were as follows: back (62%), shoulder (31%), chest (15%), buttocks (15%), abdomen (12%), arms (12%), neck (12%), and legs (4%). No patients required operative intervention. Three patients were admitted to the hospital. Two patients required time off from school for 6 and 10 days post burn for recovery. Complications included functional limitations (n = 2), hypertrophic scarring (n = 1), cellulitis requiring antibiotics (n = 1), and anxiety requiring medical/psychological therapy (n = 2). This peculiar mechanism of injury not only carries inherent morbidity that includes the risks of functional limitations, infection, and psychological repercussions but also increases usage of resources through hospital admissions and multiple clinic visits. Further work in the form of targeted outreach programs is necessary to educate the community regarding this preventable mechanism of injury.
Abstract 3962: Hematopoietic Endothelial Progenitor Cells Enhance Motor Function And Motor Map Integrity Following Cerebral Ischemia.

Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the Unites States resulting in upper extremity motor impairments. The present study examined the efficacy of systemically administered hematopoietic endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) for ameliorating motor impairments and cortical dysfunction following cerebral ischemia. Methods: Baseline motor performance of Forty one male adult rats was established on a single pellet reaching task. Animals were assigned to one of five experimental conditions that counterbalanced baseline motor performance. Animals in the Stroke condition (n=7) received infusion of endothelin-1 onto the middle cerebral artery contralateral to the preferred paw. Animals in the PRE (n=7) and POST (n=7) conditions received the same infusion of endothelin-1 one but also received ten million EPCs injected into the tail vein either thirty minutes before (PRE) or immediately after (POST) infusion. The EPC’s were enriched from the bone marrow of a separate group of donor rats using nanoparticles tagged with LIN negative and CD90 markers. SHAM (n=9) animals only received EPC infusion and CONTROLS received no stroke or EPC infusion. One, three and five weeks following stroke all animals were tested on the skilled reaching task after which intracortical microstimulation was used to derive maps of forelimb movement representations within the motor cortex contralateral to the preferred paw. All assessments were performed in a blinded manner. Results: showed POST animals performed significantly better on single pellet reaching than animals in all other stroke conditions on weeks 3 and 5. Control animals scored a reaching accuracy of 41±8.1% and 46±11% at 3 and 5 weeks, respectively. Stroke decreased this task to 12±2.1% and 18±2.8%, respectively (p
On the Mechanics of Flight of Small Insects

A mechanism is proposed for the generation of lift and propulsive forces by small insects with deeply fringed wings. The fringes, composed of bristles (setae) projecting from the margins of the wings, form sheets in which waves generated by the beating of the wings will propagate in spanwise and chordwise directions. Extrapolation of measurements of pressure drops in flow through inclined gauze sheets to the very low Reynolds numbers of insect flight indicate that the wave motion can generate lift forces many times those achievable by airfoils at the same Reynolds numbers.
Assessing the use of a Traffic Enforcement Unit

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the 22-month life of a three-officer specialized Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) within one mid-sized municipal police agency. The case study allowed for the examination of the impact of this structural change from a generalist to a specialist approach on the rate of traffic citations. Additionally, officer attitudes related to the change were considered. Design/methodology/approach – The study used a mixed method approach, which included both an objective output (traffic citations) and the results of a management survey to consider officers’ attitudes. Findings – Despite the fact that most officers reported the introduction of the TEU did not change their commitment to traffic enforcement, the findings indicate citations by non-TEU officers declined sharply over time. Likewise, citations by the three specialized officers also dropped, which, when combined with non-TEU officers, resulted in no real differences between the generalist and specialist approach ...
An Empirical Comparison of Statistical Term Association Graphs with DBpedia and ConceptNet for Query Expansion

Term graphs constructed from document collections as well as external resources, such as encyclopedias (DBpedia) and knowledge bases (ConceptNet), can be used as sources of semantically related terms for query expansion. Although these resources individually have been shown to be effective for IR, it is not known how their retrieval effectiveness compares with each other. In this work, we use standard TREC collections to perform systematic evaluation and empirical comparison of retrieval effectiveness of both types of term graphs for all and difficult queries. Our results indicate that of the term association graphs constructed automatically from document collection using information theoretic measures are more effective for Web collections, while the term graphs derived from DBpedia and ConceptNet are more effective for newswire collections.
Review of Theory and Technology of Mechanical Reliability for Dynamic and Gradual Systems

Along with the development of industry and modern science,the performance of the mechanical product increases continuously and the mechanical system and work environment become more complex. The problems for the performance and reliability of the product become more and more prominent. It is very important and urgent to research the area of reliability of the mechanical product. Based on the research of mathematics,mechanics,material science and mechanical engineering,the basic task of mechanical reliability design is to propose mathematical-mechanical models and methods for engineering practice in mechanical product design by integrating the reliability experiment and statistical analysis of the failure data. Dynamic and gradual changing over time are universal characteristics of mechanical systems during service lifetime. Structural dynamic and time-dependent reliability analyses needs theories and methodologies in terms of mechanical dynamics,strength deterioration mechanism,random processes,probability theory,reliability analysis and design,etc. With the developments during past decades,methods on dynamic and gradual reliability analysis of system are reviewed.
Relative Toxicity of Permethrin to a Predator, Metaseiulus occidentalis , and Its Prey, Tetranychus urticae

Two strains of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae , were 20–40 times more tolerant to permethrin than 3 strains of the phytoseiid Metaseiulus occidentalis . One predator colony was 2 times more susceptible to permethrin than the other two. The authors note that very low rates of permethrin might preserve M. occidentalis populations in the field.
Tacrolimus: a new immunosuppressive agent

The mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, clinical efficacy, and adverse effects of tacrolimus, a newly approved immunosuppressant drug for use in the prophylaxis of organ rejection after transplantation, are reviewed. Tacrolimus prevents rejection of the transplanted organ by inhibiting the expression of interleukin-2 in T cells and inhibiting T-cell growth and proliferation. Bioavailability after oral administration is 5-67%, and the half-life is 4-41 hours. Tacrolimus is extensively metabolized by cytochrome P-450 3A4 isoenzyme, resulting in several known drug interactions. Most experience with tacrolimus has been at one institution, where clinical trials have been conducted in liver, kidney, heart, lung, and intestinal transplantation. Clinical trials have shown that tacrolimus is an effective alternative to cyclosporine for both primary immunosuppression and rescue therapy in liver transplant patients. Fewer reports have been published regarding tacrolimus use in other types of transplantation, but the results show that tacrolimus may be a useful alternative to cyclosporine. The major adverse effects of tacrolimus therapy are nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Tacrolimus is an effective alternative to cyclosporine as a primary immunosuppressant in the prevention of organ rejection and may reduce the incidence of rejection after organ transplantation.
Covenant Violations, Collateral and Access to Funding: Public and Private Firms

We study the impact of covenant violations on credit access for both privately-held and publicly-traded firms, using a rich supervisory dataset of syndicated loans from 2006-2012. Leveraging the unique information on covenant compliance, collateral and default risk in the data, we show that banks are substantially less likely to forgive covenant violations by private firms. Hence private firms, particularly firms with assets below $1 billion, experience more severe credit access consequences after violations relative to comparable public firms. These private firms are more likely to suffer loan limit cuts and balance reductions. Recessions aggravate these credit constraints due to increased violations and tighter lending standards. Private firms that are established in the loan market or have an external rating face smaller cuts. We also find that collateral plays an important role in alleviating credit rationing for private firms after violations, with over-collateralized loans experiencing much smaller cuts. Our results shed new light on how access to the public markets can influence bank intermediation, and the financing constraints faced by firms.
Analysis of acute pesticide poisoning in Huzhou between 2007 and 2008.

[Objective] To understand the pesticide poisoning pattern and provide preventive strategy against the pesticide poisoning in a city of Zhejiang province in 2007-2008.[Methods] Case records of pesticide poisoning were retrieved from a national monitoring system reported between 2007 to 2008.Descriptive analysis was applied and chi square test was used for rate comparison.[Results] Total of 1101 cases of acute pesticide intoxication from 2007 to 2008 were collected,including 55 fatalities(5.00%).There were 39.33% of fatalities fell in age of 35-55.The fatality rate of male and female was 4.42% and 5.60%.Organophosphorus insecticides were the most frequent cause in occupational pesticides poisoning.Summer and autumn were the most common seasons in occupational pesticides poisoning occurring.[Conclusion] High incidence rate and fatality rate of acute pesticide poisoning were found in this area.To control acute pesticide poisoning and related fatality,the relevant authority should enforce the reduction and substitution of highly toxic pesticides in local forming,strengthen personal protection in applications of pesticide,enhance health education,and improve the rural medical infrastructure,especially pre-hospital emergency care.
A Batesonian Perspective on Qualitative Research and Complex Human Systems

This chapter examines the fundamental assumptions and presuppositions of the complexity sciences in contrast to various paradigms of educational research. This examination focuses on a variety of conflicting assumptions that lead to problems in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, and, in fact, to problems in how we see and understand our world, in general. In addition, the chapter explores how such conflicting assumptions and their associated paradigms insidiously work their way into the research on complex systems and dynamics. From this basis, the chapter develops an argument for qualitative research that provides more consistent and in depth approaches to understanding complex systems dynamics in educational settings. This chapter draws on the historical work of Kurt Lewin, Gregory Bateson, L. Andrew Coward, Gerald Weinberg, Ross Ashby, Ruth Benedict, Hannah Arendt, and others, as well as on more recent work in the complexity sciences in education, including the work of Brent Davis, David Sumara, Bill Doll, Jayne Fleener, and many others.
Mechanisms of Natural Resistance

The most dramatic changes in human society and the quality of our lives have been associated with the discovery of new ideas and principles. There are many obvious examples, such as the discovery that the earth is round, that the earth is not the center of the universe, that the sun is fueled by nuclear fusion, that beliefs are testable by a scientific method, that evolution determines existing life forms, that electromagnetic waves occur, that many diseases are contagious, and that the template for life is encoded in genes. Without these fundamental concepts the modern miracles of space travel, energy generation, world-wide communication, and health might not exist. This manuscript will explore the development of the concepts that explain a modest miracle, the survival of people and animals despite constant immersion in a sea of microorganisms that outnumber us many million times. Prof. Piet De Somer and his colleagues, Prof. A. Billiau and Prof. E. De Clercq, were among a small band of scientists who championed a major change in the paradigms by which the body defends itself against this incessant onslaught.
Direct Photolysis Rates and Transformation Pathways of the Lampricides TFM and Niclosamide in Simulated Sunlight

The lampricides 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) and 2′,5-dichloro-4′-nitrosalicylanilide (niclosamide) are directly added to many tributaries of the Great Lakes that harbor the invasive parasitic sea lamprey. Despite their long history of use, the fate of lampricides is not well understood. This study evaluates the rate and pathway of direct photodegradation of both lampricides under simulated sunlight. The estimated half-lives of TFM range from 16.6 ± 0.2 h (pH 9) to 32.9 ± 1.0 h (pH 6), while the half-lives of niclosamide range from 8.88 ± 0.52 days (pH 6) to 382 ± 83 days (pH 9) assuming continuous irradiation over a water depth of 55 cm. Both compounds degrade to form a series of aromatic intermediates, simple organic acids, ring cleavage products, and inorganic ions. Experimental data were used to construct a kinetic model which demonstrates that the aromatic products of TFM undergo rapid photolysis and emphasizes that niclosamide degradation is the rate-limiting step to dehalogenation and mine...
Effect of annealing ambient on anisotropic retraction of film edges during solid-state dewetting of thin single crystal films

During solid-state dewetting of thin single crystal films, film edges retract at a rate that is strongly dependent on their crystallographic orientations. Edges with kinetically stable in-plane orientations remain straight as they retract, while those with other in-plane orientations develop in-plane facets as they retract. Kinetically stable edges have retraction rates that are lower than edges with other orientations and thus determine the shape of the natural holes that form during solid-state dewetting. In this paper, measurements of the retraction rates of kinetically stable edges for single crystal (110) and (100) Ni films on MgO are presented. Relative retraction rates of kinetically stable edges with different crystallographic orientations are observed to change under different annealing conditions, and this accordingly changes the initial shapes of growing holes. The surfaces of (110) and (100) films were also characterized using low energy electron diffraction, and different surface reconstructions were observed under different ambient conditions. The observed surface structures were found to correlate with the observed changes in the relative retraction rates of the kinetically stable edges.
Self-Assembled Gold Nanoparticle-Fluorescent Protein Conjugates as Platforms for Sensing Thiolate Compounds via Modulation of Energy Transfer Quenching.

The ability of Au and other metal nanostructures to strongly quench the fluorescence of proximal fluorophores (dyes and fluorescent proteins) has made AuNP conjugates attractive for use as platforms for sensor development based on energy transfer interactions. In this study, we first characterize the energy transfer quenching of mCherry fluorescent proteins immobilized on AuNPs via metal–histidine coordination, where parameters such as NP size and number of attached proteins are varied. Using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements, we recorded very high mCherry quenching, with efficiency reaching ∼95–97%, independent of the NP size or number of bound fluorophores (i.e., conjugate valence). We further exploited these findings to develop a solution phase sensing platform targeting thiolate compounds. Energy transfer (ET) was employed as a transduction mechanism to monitor the competitive displacement of mCherry from the Au surface upon the introduction of varying amounts of thiolates with ...
Human Milk Oligosaccharides Influence Neonatal Mucosal and Systemic Immunity.

The immune system of the infant is functionally immature and naive. Human milk contains bioactive proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates that protect the newborn and stimulate innate and adaptive immune
Sympatry Predicts Spot Pigmentation Patterns and Female Association Behavior in the Livebearing Fish Poeciliopsis baenschi

In this study, we explored the possibility that differences in pigmentation patterns among populations of the fish Poeciliopsis baenschi were associated with the presence or absence of the closely related species P. turneri. If reproductive character displacement is responsible, spotting patterns in these two species should diverge in sympatry, but not allopatry. We predicted that female P. baenschi from sympatric sites should show a preference for associating with conspecifics vs. heterospecific males, but females from allopatric sites should show no such preferences. To evaluate these predictions, we compared spotting patterns and female association behaviors in populations of P. baenschi from Central Mexico. We found that both of our predictions were supported. Poeciliopsis baenschi that co-occured with P. turneri had spotting patterns significantly different than their counterparts from allopatric sites. Using a simultaneous choice test of video presentations of males, we also found that female P. baenschi from populations that co-occured with P. turneri spent significantly more time with males of their own species than with P. turneri males. In contrast, females from allopatric populations of P. baenschi showed no differences in the amount of time they spent with either conspecific or heterospecific males. Together, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that reproductive character displacement may be responsible for behavioral and spotting pattern differences in these populations of P. baenschi.
Ann Hinson: A Little Known Woman in the Country's Premier Prison, Eastern State Penitentiary, 1831

As Francis Lieber observed in 1833, when writing the above introduction to Alexis de Toqueville and Gustave de Beaumont's On the Penitentiary System in the United States, female prison inmates received little public attention. On this point, Lieber was correct. Without exception, women historically have been convicted of fewer crimes than men. This statistical fact, however, ob scures the more subtle and pernicious point of greater significance. Fewer convictions of women offenders do not explain the neglect of female impris onment in the Penitentiary for the Eastern District of the State of Pennsylva nia (Eastern), the country's premier penal institution, during its first years. The consequences of this neglect are particularly evident in the case of Ann Hinson, one of Eastern's first female inmates. The Pennsylvania State Penitentiary for the Eastern District, otherwise popularly referred to as Eastern State Penitentiary or the Prison at Cherry Hill, began receiving prisoners in 1829. Almost immediately it achieved in ternational renown for a design and building that intended to keep inmates separate and silent, apart from the evil influences that, penal reformers be lieved, had caused the crimes which led to their imprisonment. While impris oned alone in a cell, an inmate would work, sleep, and eat in solitude. Prison ers would see or speak to no one but their keepers, and they would be ad dressed by numbers assigned to them rather than by name. Under the sepa rate and silent system of incarceration, authorities and reformers anticipated that an inmate would arrive at the same conclusion that a jury had reached when its members pronounced the accused guilty and the judge sentenced the individual to imprisonment. The Eastern inmate would come to understand the depths of his or her own transgression and never stray again. Ann Hinson's imprisonment, and statements made about her activities while confined at Eastern, repudiate the claims that separate and silent incar ceration would
Case Study in Self-Determinism: A Model for Client-Assisted Self-Help

This paper presents a case history in which a client self-recorded and intervened in her pain-producing and painful behaviors. The counseling process focused upon facilitating client awareness and change through selfobservation and self-determinism procedures. Throughout the counseling process, the client chose (a) which behaviors would be self-recorded, (b) the beginning and termination of self-recording for each behavior, (c) whether or not to apply a self-determinism (self-intervention) procedure, (d) the specific self-intervention for each behavior and (e) the interval between onset and termination of each self-intervention. Over the course of the self-help program, the client self-recorded with respect to nine sets of problem behaviors and chose to apply a self-determinism procedure with respect to six of these sets. This paper describes in detail four of these processes. To the author’s knowledge, no published report documents such extensive application of self-management procedures. Finally, this paper attempts to present the process of self-determinism as an adjunct to counseling or therapy. The client is seen as an equal partner in the therapeutic work, exerts freedom of choice from the start of the counseling process, and cannot be victimized by a counselor’s application of one or two preferred modalities.
Upper Extremity Strength Imbalance after Mastectomy and the Effect of Resistance Training

The purpose of this non-randomized pre/post comparison trial was to explore the effect of resistance training (RT) on upper extremity strength imbalance in breast cancer survivors. Seventeen right-side dominant female breast cancer survivors (age: 58.2±2.7 years; BMI: 27.8±1.1 kg/m2) with right-sided (RSM) or left-sided (LSM) mastectomy completed strength testing (30-second arm curl) before and after an 8-week RT program. At baseline, LSM (n=8) had equal strength bilaterally (right=16.8±1.1 repetitions; left=16.4±1.4 repetitions), whereas RSM (n=9) had impaired strength on the right (16.7±1.3 repetitions) compared to the left (18.6±1.1 repetitions) side (p