cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Romantics on writing: Liberal culture and the abolition of composition courses∗

In the century or so that required freshman composition courses have been in existence, critics have often called for their abolition. Indeed, no other subject of study in the university has been so persistently and bitterly attacked, as historians have often noted (Berlin, Rhetoric; Greenbaum; Parker). I cannot in this space recount the whole history of the attempts to abolish composition courses. Instead I will analyze the arguments that the abolitionists used to attack the courses, and in doing so explore the assumptions which lay behind their opposition-assumptions which continue to fuel the conflicts within English studies: between teachers of literature and of literacy, between exponents of competing theories of the composing process, and, finally, between those who favor and those who oppose wider access to the academic community. Though English departments were founded at the close of the nineteenth century largely to teach writing, and freshman composition has been the most constant part of a shifting elective curriculum ever since, composition courses have rarely been a full part of the university. Dismissed as remedial or preparatory, condemned as ineffective, passed down like old clothes to
Fluoride estimation by means of its methemoglobin complex.

Abstract A simple colorimetric method has been described for measuring concentrations of fluoride ion greater than 5 × 10 −4 M by means of a methemoglobin complex. Accuracy has been indicated. Limiting factors have been mentioned.
MO‐F‐213CD‐10: PShield: An Algorithm for Optimization of PET/CT Shielding

Purpose: Calculation of radiation shielding requirements for high‐workload PET installations using the methods proposed by AAPM TG‐108 can be difficult. The principle challenge that makes PET shielding design more complex than other diagnostic imaging modalities, aside from the higher photon energy, is that it is a multisource problem for which no unique solution exists. The PShield algorithm incorporates three‐dimensional numerical methods to optimize PET shielding and deliver a cost‐optimized solution while making no approximations. Methods: PShield uses a sequential quadratic programming routine to optimize PET shielding by minimizing a cost function in 3‐dimensions using extrapolations of the TG‐108 formulas. PShield makes no approximations and accounts for the contribution of every radiation source to the dose rate at every location in the problem using a discrete mesh. We used two simple examples of shielding problems to compare PShield with the TG‐108 methods. Results: The benefit of applying an optimization routine to an indeterminate problem is the identification of the only solution to the problem that minimizes the desired cost function. Choosing a poorly optimized solution can Result in a shielding design that requires as much as 50% more shielding than an optimized design to reach the same dose rate at a given control point. The increased accuracy afforded by P Shield ensures that dose rates at every point in a control area never exceed the design dose, whereas a reasonable design based on the TG‐108 methods may have hot spots where the dose rate exceeds the design dose by a factor of 2 or more. Conclusions: PShield is an exact three‐dimensional numerical solution for optimal PET shielding which identifies a singular solution which is cost‐optimized. This is especially important for modern PET/CT suites, where increases in scanner capabilities have resulted in more complex shielding problems and the potential for high occupational doses.
A single universal scale of radical stabilization energies does not exist: global bond dissociation energies and radical thermochemistries are described by combining two universal scales.

formula chem. Results from any single scale of radical stabilization energies are dependent on the species chosen for setting its zero. A scale of radical destabilization energies with a universal zero reference point is shown to exist, but it must be used in conjunction with a universal scale capable of describing the polarities of bonds broken and formed. The use of the two scales is demonstrated for calculating bond dissociation enthalpies, enthalpies of reactions, enthalpies of formation, and the magnitude of steric effects, resonance, and conjugation stabilization. Examples of applications include explanations of some observed effects in autoxidations and polymerizations.
Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy: The Evolution and Technique of Minimally Invasive Surgery for Esophageal Cancer

Beginning with the widespread introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in late 1989, minimally invasive surgical technique has been refined in conjunction with the development of advanced instrumentation and have subsequently been applied to increasingly complicated disease processes. Esophageal surgeons have increasingly incorporated minimally invasive surgery into their practice since the first laparoscopic fundoplication was described by Dallemagne et al. in 1991. Esophagectomy is associated with significant morbidity and mortality even in highly experienced centers. Many esophageal surgeons have had a great deal of interest in minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE), which has the potential advantages of being a less traumatic procedure with a resultant improvement in postoperative convalescence and fewer wound and cardiopulmonary complications compared to the open approaches. Throughout the 1990s, as confidence with laparoscopic surgery of the esophagogastric junction grew, MIE was initially attempted with hybrid operations combining traditional open surgery with minimally invasive approaches. Subsequently, a totally laparoscopic transhiatal approach was described; however, this approach was perceived to be very challenging and has not gained widespread acceptance. Approaches used at present depend on cancer stage, cancer location, body habitus, and pulmonary function. For localized cancer (T1N0) or HGD, we prefer laparoscopic inversion esophagectomy (retrograde or antigrade). This approach may also be used for patients at high risk for thoracotomy. For locally advanced cancer in the middle third of the esophagus or for proximal third esophageal cancer, we prefer 3-field MIE (abdomen, and chest with neck anastomosis). For locally advanced cancer in the distal esophagus, especially in patients with a short thick neck, we prefer thoracoscopic-laparoscopic (2-field) esophagectomy (TLE).
Automated reasoning about image motion using a rule-based deduction system

Abstract A rule-based production system for the identification and structural description of image motion is presented. The system employs a set of intermediate-level motion description rules of antecedent-consequent form and a set of low-level, incomplete and possibly incorrect local spatiotemporal motion features together with a forward-backward chaining paradigm to produce or verify high-level motion descriptions. The system has been implemented in LISP and provides a basis for more complex designs, perhaps employing motion-specific frames and iterative deduction and feature extraction. Sample results and future research directions are presented.
Household formation and suburbanization, 1970-1980.

The author attempts to establish whether the recent increases in some population subgroups in central cities in the United States is the start of a trend or a temporary phenomenon. Data are from the 1970 and 1980 censuses. The author concludes that the increase is a temporary one that is primarily due to an increase in the size of certain cohorts. The overriding trend is toward suburbanization and the author concludes that the increase in central city populations will cease as cohorts decline in size. (ANNOTATION)
Fractal dynamics of bioconvective patterns

Biologically generated cellular patterns, sometimes called bioconvective patterns, are found to cluster into aggregates which follow fractal growth dynamics akin to diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) models. The pattern formed is self-similar with fractal dimension of 1.66 +/-0.038. Bioconvective DLA branching results from thermal roughening which shifts the balance between ordering viscous forces and disordering cell motility and random diffusion. The phase diagram for pattern morphology includes DLA, boundary spokes, random clusters, and reverse clusters.
Methods of Analysis of Canine Uroliths

Accurate analysis of urinary calculi is essential for greater understanding of urinary stone disease and initiation of effective management and preventive measures. Quai:ititative and qualitative analysis of uroliths are discussed in this article.
Cognitive Decompiosition of Wirless Networks

In this paper, we provide a framework for a fundamental study of the communication limits of networks of cognitive devices. It is shown that all communication in a network of cognitive and non-cognitive devices can be cast into competitive, cognitive and cooperative behaviors. An achievable rate region for the cognitive radio channnel (which captures the most fundamental form of cognition - vertical spectrum sharing), is presented.
Evaluation of basophil activation in food allergy: present and future applications

Purpose of review The diagnosis of immediate hypersensitivity relies on specific IgE and history. Because of low specificity, however, provocation challenges are often necessary. Furthermore, IgE testing does not predict features such as reaction severity; nor can it discriminate cross-reactivity from multiple sensitizations. Direct and passive basophil activation tests may address these needs. In addition, measuring basophil activation ex vivo may be useful for monitoring patients with food allergies. Recent findings Several papers using basophil activation tests demonstrate comparable sensitivity and specificity to current testing for food allergy. Flow-based basophil activation tests have also been used to assess functional characteristics of patient IgE. Finally, several activation phenotypes have been identified as markers of allergic inflammation in vivo; these phenotypes appear to correspond to earlier reports of spontaneous histamine-releasing basophils in patients with active allergic inflammation. Summary Although in their early stages, direct basophil activation tests may prove to be useful in the clinic. Indirect basophil activation studies are useful when applied to compare functional aspects of IgE. Identification of basophil activation ex vivo is a promising approach for monitoring allergic inflammation.
Fresh evidence confirms links between newer contraceptive pills and higher risk of venous thromboembolism

Important insights for women and their doctors In this week’s issue of The BMJ , Vinogradova and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.h2135) report the results of a large study on the effects of combined oral contraceptives on the risk of venous thromboembolism, conducted in two large United Kingdom databases: the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and QResearch. The authors identified over 10 500 cases of VTE in women aged 15-49 years and around 42 000 matched controls to address the inconsistencies and limitations of earlier studies. Older oral contraceptives (those containing levonorgestrel or norethisterone) showed results consistent with previously published findings: current users of oral contraceptives are at increased risk of venous thromboembolism compared with non-users of similar age and health status. Relative to non-users, risks were increased by around 2.5-fold for users of older oral contraceptives. Notably, Vinogradova and colleagues also looked at the newer oral contraceptives, such as those containing desogestrel, gestodene, and cyproterone, as well as the newest pill containing drospirenone, where data have been limited and the magnitude of effects on the risks of venous thromboembolism remains controversial. They found that the newer contraceptives increased …
LAYER CHARGE INFLUENCES ON THE HYDRATION OF EXPANDABLE 2:1 PHYLLOSILICATES

he objective of this study was to investigate the influence of layer charge on the hydration of Mg-saturated expandable 2:1 phyllosilicates. Water retained by 12 Mg-saturated clays at 54% relative humidity was quantified gravimetrically. X-ray diffraction and total chemical analysis were used to de- termine the hydratable surface area (447-759 m z g 1) and layer charge (0.327-0.754 electrons per formula unit (e f.u. ~)) of each sample. Water retained by the clays increased with both hydratable surface area and layer charge of the clays. However, the increase in H20 content with layer charge occurred only on external surfaces of the clays. This result suggests that the H20 on external surfaces is localized around the cation/charge sites rather than forming multi-layers as was suggested previously. A model is proposed for the hydration of expandable 2:1 phyllosilicates. The model assumes that interlayer volume controls interlayer hydration and that the number of cation/charge sites on external surfaces controls hydration of external surfaces.
Influence of Extracellular Potassium Concentration on Myocardial Uptake and Inotropic Effect of Tritiated Digoxin

Because of conflicting reports on the influence of extracellular potassium concentration ([K]) on the inotropic action of cardiac glycosides, we compared the effects of varying [K] (1.5, 4.5, and 7.5mM) on the inotropic action and myocardial concentration of tritiated digoxin (5 x 10-7M) using the isolated cat papillary muscle. The time course of the inotropic response to digoxin was significantly altered by [K] in an inverse manner; the rate of change of the active tension response to digoxin (g/mm2 · min-1) was 0.048±0.004 with low [K], 0.025±0.003 with normal [K] and 0.014±0.002 with high [K]. There were no differences, however, in the peak inotropic responses achieved at each [K]. Muscles were analyzed for 3H-digoxin content after 45 minutes, and at the time of the peak inotropic response. The relationships found between [K] and 3H-digoxin content were similar to those found between [K] and active tension. Moreover, a significant positive correlation between digoxin content and the increment in active tension was observed. Thus, an inverse relationship exists between [K] and the rate of development of the inotropic response to digoxin, changes that may be due to a [K] induced alteration in myocardial digoxin content.
Control variates for sensitivity estimation

We adapt a newly proposed generic approach to control variate selection to the problem of efficient estimation of sensitivity of financial security prices to model parameters, the so-called Greeks. We show that estimators based on pathwise and likelihood ratio methods can be cast in a general setting where generic control variates can be systematically defined for their estimation. In general, the means of such controls cannot be exactly calculated. One can use the Biased or Estimated Control Variates approach and estimate the means via simulation, or use the approach of DataBase Monte Carlo (DBMC) which also requires estimation of control means via simulation. We consider a parametric setting where price sensitivities need to be estimated repeatedly at multiple parameters. The fact that the same controls can be used for multiple estimation problems can justify the setup cost. The approach is illustrated via simple examples and preliminary computational results are provided.
Locus of control and job dissatisfaction.

To replicate an earlier study, 274 hospital employees, 86% of the staff, were surveyed to determine whether perceived job satisfaction was related to an individual's locus of control. While high scoring (external) employees were relatively less satisfied than were the low scoring (internal) ones, their attitudes toward the hospital, their working conditions, and their manager were significantly less positive. It was concluded that the external group may be dissatisfied since they feel that they do not control their lives and project their frustrations on the organization and its management.
RNA complexity in developing sea urchin oocytes

Nuclear and cytoplasmic RNAs extracted from previtellogenic and vitellogenic oocytes of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus were characterized by hybridization reactions with radioactively labeled single-copy sea urchin DNA. The complexity of nuclear RNA from previtellogenic oocytes was 1.6 × 10^8 nucleotides. The previtellogenic nuclear RNA sequence set is included in the hnRNA of gastrula stage embryos. The nulcear RNA of vitellogenic oocytes may also contain a class of more prevalent transcripts. A single-copy [^3H]DNA tracer enriched for the sequences of mature egg RNA was reacted with cytoplasmic RNA of previtellogenic oocytes. This experiment showed that less than half of the mature egg RNA sequence set is accumulated before the onset of vitellogenesis. Therefore, a large fraction of the maternal message sequences appears in the egg during the last several weeks of oocyte development.
Integrative eQTL-Based Analyses Reveal the Biology of Breast Cancer Risk Loci

Germline determinants of gene expression in tumors are infrequently studied due to the complexity of transcript regulation caused by somatically acquired alterations. We performed expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL)-based analyses using the multi-level information provided in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Of the factors we measured, cis-acting eQTLs accounted for 1.2% of the total variation of tumor gene expression, while somatic copy-number alteration and CpG methylation accounted for 7.3% and 3.3%, respectively. eQTL analyses of 15 previously reported breast cancer risk loci resulted in the discovery of three variants that are significantly associated with transcript levels (false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.1). Our trans-based analysis identified an additional three risk loci to act through ESR1, MYC, and KLF4. These findings provide a more comprehensive picture of gene expression determinants in breast cancer as well as insights into the underlying biology of breast cancer risk loci.
An evanescent hybrid silicon laser neuron

We propose a hybrid silicon laser and photodetector system that can emulate the electro-physiological behavior of a real neuron at ultrafast time-scales. Networks of lasers would scale up easily using a silicon III-V wafer-bonding platform.
Modifying Elk (Cervus elaphus) Behavior With Electric Fencing at Established Fence-Lines to Reduce Disease Transmission Potential

Direct and indirect contact through fences at cervid farms with only a single perimeter fence may play a role in transmission of diseases such as chronic wasting disease or bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis). We report a case study examining effectiveness of a baited electric fence, as an addition to an existing single woven-wire fence (2.4 m high), for altering behavior and reducing fence-line contact between elk (Cervus elaphus). We used a video-surveillance system to monitor one 20-m-long test fence at an elk ranch in north-central Colorado, USA from 2006 to 2007. We conducted 26 trials (11 without electric fence during 48.2 total cumulative days and 15 with electric fence during 63.7 days) with different levels of motivation for contact between groups of elk separated by the test fence. We documented 426 contacts between elk (direct transmission risk) or the woven-wire fence (indirect transmission risk) during trials without the electric fence. We documented 0 contacts between adult elk or the woven-wire fence during trials when the electric fence was in place. During our case study, 24 of 25 elk exposed to the electric fence were completely deterred. We emphasize that our approach targets behavior modification of farmed elk routinely exposed to the electric fence, not wild elk that may occasionally approach from the outside. Our results suggest that adding a baited electric fence inside an existing woven-wire-fenced enclosure has potential to provide a cost-effective means to minimize contacts between farmed and wild elk. 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Consumer Behavior 101 Meets General Psychology

Abstract M. J. Lambert (1992) postulated the theory that “successful change in people occurs primarily as a result of four interrelated factors.” For the psychologist, these factors are as follows: “Client,” i.e., someone's personal attributes; “Relationship,” i.e., maintaining relationships for the long-term; “Expectancy,” i.e., believing that certain things will happen in the future, and “Modeling,” which is intervention by the psychologist to increase the focus of the client on the corrective behavior. For the consumer behaviorist/marketer these factors are usually interpreted as follows: “Client” is normally thought of as the customer or prospect and their personal attributes are normally termed “demographics/psychographics”; “Relationship” means the same thing to the marketer as to the psychologist, i.e., maintaining a long-term relationship with the customer; “Expectancy Theory” tells the consumer behaviorist that customers and prospects believe that certain results will occur from certain actions; ...
The Role of the International Monetary Fund in the Post-Bretton Woods Era:

This paper examines the changing role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the world economy in the 1970s and into the 1980s. Though the IMF was established in 1945 by the Bretton Woods Agreement to aid countries with short term balance of payments problems, its role in recent years has changed dramatically. Many people argue that the IMF is becoming a world central bank with powers of surveillance over domestic economic policies, conditional loans to deficit countries, and control of world liquidity. The extent to which this is the case is a main focus of this paper.In order to do this, it is necessary to review the events in the international monetary system in the 1970s with special attention given to those factors which affected the IMF's role. Though there are various interpretations of the IMF's role from both the mainstream and the radical-left, an alternative interpretation, which differs from those interpretations in many respects, is presented. My argument is that the IMF emerged in the 1...
The Effect of Allograft Meniscal Replacement on Intraarticular Contact Area and Pressures in the Human Knee A Biomechanical Study

To define the biomechanical effects of total lateral meniscectomy and of subsequent lateral meniscal allograft replacement on load transmission and distribution across the human knee, we mounted 10 fresh-frozen young human cadaveric knees on a mechanical testing system. Peak pressure and contact area profiles were determined at 0 degrees, 30 degrees, and 60 degrees of knee flexion using pressure-sensitive film and a densitometer. Load transmission profiles were determined for each knee in a sequential test order: 1) intact knee, 2) after lateral meniscectomy, 3) after implantation of size-matched meniscal allograft fixed with bone plugs, and 4) after release of the anterior and posterior horn attachments of the allograft. Total lateral meniscectomy resulted in a 45% to 50% decrease in total contact area. Allograft replacement increased total contact area by 42% to 65% as compared with total meniscectomy at all flexion angles. After release of the anterior and posterior horn attachments, contact area was identical to that after total meniscectomy. Total lateral meniscectomy resulted in a 235% to 335% increase in peak local contact pressure. Allograft replacement decreased these pressures by 55% to 65% at all flexion angles, but they remained significantly greater than those in the intact state. After release of the anterior and posterior horn attachments, contact pressures were identical to those after total meniscectomy. Compared with total meniscectomy, meniscal allograft transplantation significantly increases contact area and decreases peak local contact pressures, but any biomechanical advantages are lost without bone plug fixation of the anterior and posterior horns.
The implications of improvisational acting and role-playing on design methodologies

For decades designers have used theatre metaphors to describe design methodologies and have used performance techniques to enhance the design process, two of which are improvisational acting and role-playing. Unfortunately, most design literature does not differentiate between these two practices even while using them in combination with various design methods. This paper discusses how improvisation and role-playing have been employed during the design process and why they are distinct from one another. The authors draw upon their current research involving improvisational acting and compare it with other role-playing research which examines role-playing from both a serious and entertainment angle. They conclude through this comparison that both performance techniques have their place in the design process and that more informed definitions of each technique can aid designers in deciding which technique's properties will benefit them the most.
Synchronizing a sea-level jump, final Lake Agassiz drainage, and abrupt cooling 8200 years ago

Abstract Freshwater pulses draining into the North Atlantic Ocean are commonly hypothesized to have perturbed the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC), triggering abrupt climate changes such as Heinrich events, the Younger Dryas, and the 8.2 ka event. However, dating uncertainties have prevented causal links between freshwater pulses and climate events from being firmly established. Here we report a high-resolution relative sea-level record from the Mississippi Delta that documents a sea-level jump that occurred within the 8.18 to 8.31 ka (2σ) time window and is attributed to the final drainage of proglacial Lake Agassiz–Ojibway (LAO). This age is indistinguishable from the onset of the 8.2 ka climate event, consistent with a nearly immediate ocean–atmosphere response to the freshwater perturbation. This constitutes a rare currently available example of a major abrupt climate cooling that can be directly linked to a well-documented freshwater source with a temporal resolution on the order of a century. The total inferred eustatic sea-level rise associated with the very final stage of LAO drainage at 8.2 ka ranges from 0.8 to 2.2 m, considerably higher than previous estimates. These new constraints on the timing and amount of final LAO drainage permit significantly improved quantitative analysis of the sensitivity of MOC to freshwater perturbation, a crucial step toward understanding abrupt climate change.
Use of reduced dose rate when treating moving tumors using dynamic IMRT

The purpose was to evaluate the effect of dose rate on discrepancies between expected and delivered dose caused by the interplay effect. Fifteen separate dynamic IMRT plans and five hybrid IMRT plans were created for five patients (three IMRT plans and one hybrid IMRT plan per patient). The impact of motion on the delivered dose was evaluated experimentally for each treatment field for different dose rates (200 and 400 MU/min), and for a range of target amplitudes and periods. The maximum dose discrepancy for dynamic IMRT fields was 18.5% and 10.3% for dose rates of 400 and 200 MU/min, respectively. The maximum dose discrepancy was larger than this for hybrid plans, but the results were similar when weighted by the contribution of the IMRT fields. The percentage of fields for which 98% of the target never experienced a 5% or 10% dose discrepancy increased when the dose rate was reduced from 400 MU/min to 200 MU/min. For amplitudes up to 2 cm, reducing the dose rate to 200 MU/min is effective in keeping daily dose discrepancies for each field within 10%.
A study of the obstacle avoidance problem based on the deformation retract technique

A point automaton operating in three-dimensional (3D) Cartesian space R/sup 3/ has an infinite number of possible directions to pass around a 3D body. By making use of the natural constraints imposed by the manipulator arm kinematics, it is show that a two-dimensional (2D) approach can be applied, with proper modifications, to a three-link 3D arm manipulator with sliding joints (a Cartesian arm) operating among unknown obstacles of arbitrary shape. The configuration space (C-space) of the arm manipulator exhibits a certain monotonicity property, which makes the free C-space consist of a finite number of components, each homeomorphic to a cube with a finite number of vertical cylindrical holes removed. It is shown that if there exists a path in the free C-space, then there must be a path in the 2D surface that presents C-space deformation retract containing the start and target positions. The existence of a path between the given start and target positions can be determined via online exploration of the underlying connectivity graph. Also, a motion planning algorithm is outlined in terms of searching the same graph. >
A comparison of design methods for 2-D FIR orthogonal perfect reconstruction filter banks

This paper examines the design of nonseparable 2-D FIR perfect reconstruction filter banks. We restrict our attention to orthogonal filter banks, i.e., analysis and synthesis filter banks with paraunitary polyphase matrices. The design problem reduces to the selection of a 2-D FIR paraunitary polyphase matrix, such that the filtering characteristics of the analysis or synthesis filters approximate as closely as possible the ideal bandpass characteristics of their desired frequency bands. Three design methods are compared. The first method, which was developed by Viscito and Allebach (1991), designs the impulse response of the polyphase matrix in the space-domain. A second technique was proposed in a paper by Karlsson Vetterli (1990) and relies on the subclass of 2-D paraunitary transfer matrices which can be represented as a product of paraunitary matrices of McMillan degree one in each variable. Finally, we develop a third approach based on a parametrization of 2-D FIR paraunitary matrices in terms of orthonormal minimal 2-D state-space realizations. The design examples that we present indicate that the third approach may have significant advantages, at least for the design of orthogonal filter banks with small spatial support. >
Exploration of Refuge Preference in the Arizona Bark Scorpion (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

The ongoing difficulty in understanding how Centruroides sculpturatus (Ewing) uses the built environment has prompted this study in exploring refuge choices in a school environment and in laboratory behavioral assays. Radio telemetry tags were used at an urban site heavily populated with C. sculpturatus to track scorpions for a period of 21 d from 1 to 21 August 2013. Complimentary laboratory work tested scorpions in refuge choice arenas targeting variables of four crevice widths--14.0, 9.3, 7.0, and 4.6 mm--or of a vertical versus horizontal orientation preference. These crevice sizes were picked as a response to crevices being naturally used in the field. Telemetry and observations tallied significant preference for artificial structural harborage. Ninety-five percent of the structure refuge use occurred in hollow block walls. Vegetative harborage, debris, and underground burrows were not selected with any significance compared with each other or structures. Generalized additive models (GAMs) indicated the strongest predictive power from individual preference. The behavioral choice assays yielded a significant preference for the largest of crevice widths offered, 14.0 mm and to a lesser extent 9.3 mm, both horizontally and vertically. GAMs for these assays indicated size as the strongest predictive factor in choices. The orientation tests and GAMs showed individual preference driving choice favoring vertical planes. Observations about negative geotaxis in assay and refuge use details from the field are also reported.
Empirical advanced orthokeratology through corneal topography: the University of Houston clinical study.

Purpose Traditionally, orthokeratology has used diagnostic lenses to determine the best fit. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of fitting empirically from corneal topography, without the use of diagnostic lenses. Methods Twenty-nine subjects, 18 to 37 years old, with myopia of 1.00 to 4.00 diopters (D) and astigmatism of no more than 1.50 D, were entered into this 6-month study. Corneal topography, scanning slit topography and corneal thickness (Orbscan), confocal microscopy, ultrasound corneal thickness, aberrometry, and biomicroscopy were used to assess corneal changes. Unaided logMAR high-contrast visual acuity, subjective refraction, and questionnaires were used to monitor vision and symptoms. Follow-up visits were scheduled after 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Results For 6-month data, unaided logMAR acuity improved from 0.78 +/- 0.26 in the right eye and 0.75 +/- 0.22 in the left eye to 0.06 +/- 0.18 in the right eye and 0.04 +/- 0.16 in the left eye. Myopia decreased from -2.55 +/- 0.87 D in the right eye and -2.47 +/- 0.89 D in the left eye to +0.45 +/- 0.74 D in the right eye and -0.17 +/- 0.69 D in the left eye. Shape factor, using corneal topography, increased from 0.85 +/- 0.13 in the right eye and 0.85 +/- 0.15 in the left eye to 1.28 +/- 0.32 in the right eye and 1.30 +/- 0.29 in the left eye. Both eyes showed a decrease in lower-order aberrations (i.e., defocus) and an increase in higher-order aberrations (i.e., spherical aberrations and coma). Conclusions Myopia reduction after 1 week was clinically insignificant from the 1-month results, indicating that the full effect is achieved by 1 week. Neither total nor epithelial corneal thickness varied significantly from baseline measurements.
Estradiol benzoate (EB)-induced changes in serum-luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in immature female rats.

The changes in serum LH and FSH (luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone) in immature rats treated with an optimal dose fo estradiol benzoate (EB) were measured by antibody radioimmunoassay. Ovulation occurred 72 hours after EB injection in 87% of the rats and ovarian weights were significantly increased (p<.05) at 48 hours. LH levels rose to a peak 15 nanograms/ml) at 56 hours. Serum FSH drastically increased at 2 hours (4 nanograms/ml) dropped at 24 hours (about 1 nanogram/ml) and rose to a second peak at 56 hours (15-19 nanograms/ml). FSH and LH values were significantly higher (p<.01) at 65 hours after EB injection than at 72 hours after injection. Uterine weight was also significantly increased at 56 hours (180 mg). A surge of gonadotropins including LH and FSH concurrent with physiologic changes in the reproductive tract occurs prior to ovulation in the immature rats pretreated with an optimal dose of EB.
Osteitis Pubis: A Diagnosis for the Family Physician

Background: Osteitis pubis was first described in 1924 in patients who had had suprapubic surgery. Since that time many theories concerning the cause of the disease have been developed. Published case reports and retrospective record reviews of specific, isolated patient populations have been used to postulate an infectious, inflammatory, or traumatic cause of this condition. Such confusion reduces the likelihood of an accurate diagnosis of osteitis pubis, particularly in the primary care setting, where it is becoming increasingly likely that patients afflicted with this frustrating illness will initially seek treatment. Methods: This article describes a case report and provides a review of the literature. The medical literature was searched using the following key words: “abdominal pain,” “pelvic pain,” “inflammation,” “symphysis pubis,” and “enthesopathy.” Results and Conclusions: Osteitis pubis, considered to be the most common inflammatory disease of the pubic symphysis, is a self-limiting inflammation secondary to trauma, pelvic surgery, childbirth, or overuse, and it can be found in almost any patient population. Occurring more commonly in men during their 30s and 40s, osteitis pubis causes pain in the pubic area, one or both groins, and in the lower rectus abdominis muscle. The pain can be exacerbated by exercise or specific movements, such as running, kicking, or pivoting on one leg, and is relieved with rest. Pain can occur with walking and can be in one or several of many distributions: perineal, testicular, suprapubic, inguinal, and postejaculatory in the scrotum and perineum. Symptoms are described as “groin burning,” with discomfort while climbing stairs, coughing, or sneezing. A greater understanding and awareness of osteitis pubis will reduce patient and physician frustration while improving overall outcomes.
Neuro-Fuzzy Dynamic Programming for Decision-Making and Resource Allocation during Wildland Fires

This paper proposes implementing fuzzy logic to improve upon the decision-making and resource allocation during a wildland fire. The problem is based on previous work of implementing neural dynamic programming in the theater-missile defense problem. The scenario was modified to the parameters of a wildland fire and extended to include multiple layers of defense. Three key areas were studied to evaluate the performance of the algorithm: sensitivity to engagement probability, uncertainty analysis, and scalability. The control methodologies were critiqued by the remaining health of the assets and the execution time. The neuro-fuzzy dynamic programming showed improved results in the uncertainty cases while being robust to system complexity.
A Discrete Lagrangian Particle Equation of Motion for Significant Reynolds Numbers and Diameters

It is often important to consider significant Reynolds numbers (e.g. up to 50) with respect to the drag, lift, torque, and history forces. Herein, an equation of motion is developed for solid spherical particles based on theoretical analysis, experimental data, and surfaceresolved simulations. Some comments are made with respect to the numerical implementation of this equation, especially with respect to the history force. The extension to significant particle sizes can be accomplished through spatial-averaging (both volumebased and surface-based) of the continuous flow properties. This averaging is consistent with the Faxen limit for solid spheres at small Reynolds numbers and added mass and fluid stress forces at inviscid limits. A discrete version of these corrections is generally an order of magnitude more accurate than point-force expressions.
Normal Reflection From a Vertical Stack of Fluid-filled Fractures

Reflection coefficient of Pplane wave normally incident upon a vertical stack of fluid-filled fractures can be accurately approximated by a simple analytical formula. Incident wavelength is assumed to be much larger than the layer thicknesses. The obtained result is verified by comparison with finite-difference modeling. The reflection amplitude is a linear function of fracture system porosity and possibly can be used for porosity mapping of vertically oriented fractured rock.
Cycle of conception endometrial biopsy

Although controversial, the diagnosis of luteal phase inadequacy and its therapy may improve reproductive outcome, but an endometrial biopsy in the cycle of conception (COC) might theoretically interrupt an intrauterine pregnancy. Fifty-four biopsies obtained in the COC were identified, and patient outcome was documented. Eleven (20%) of the 54 women who underwent COC biopsy did not deliver viable infants. Two patients had ectopic pregnancies, and nine had early abortions, including one whose biopsy specimen contained an early implantation site and another with a trisomy 16 fetus. Although COC endometrial biopsy did not appear to increase the incidence of fetal wastage, biopsy information provided no predictive information suggestive of ultimate pregnancy outcome. Because no useful information is gained from a COC biopsy, we recommend either that pregnancy be avoided or a sensitive pregnancy test be employed for detection in a cycle in which a biopsy is to be performed.
Chromosome-Specific Centromere Sequences Provide an Estimate of the Ancestral Chromosome 2 Fusion Event in Hominin Genomes

Human chromosome 2 is a product of a telomere fusion of two ancestral chromosomes and loss/degeneration of one of the two original centromeres. Genomic signatures of this event are limited to inverted telomeric repeats at the precise site of chromosomal fusion and to the small amount of relic centromeric sequences that remain on 2q21.2. Unlike the site of fusion, which is enriched for sequences that are shared elsewhere in the human genome, the region of the nonfunctioning and degenerate ancestral centromere appears to share limited similarity with other sites in the human genome, thereby providing an opportunity to study this genomic arrangement in short, fragmented ancient DNA genomic datasets. Here, chromosome-assigned satellite DNAs are used to study shared centromere sequence organization in Denisovan and Neandertal genomes. By doing so, one is able to provide evidence for the presence of both active and degenerate centromeric satellite profiles on chromosome 2 in these archaic genomes, supporting the hypothesis that the chromosomal fusion event took place prior to our last common ancestor with Denisovan and Neandertal hominins and presenting a genomic reference for predicting karyotype in ancient genomic datasets.
Theme Poster Session: Oxalate

Oxalate with calcium forms the most-common crystal salt in the majority of calculi formed within the urinary tract. These ions are present in an equal molar ratio in the crystals of calcium oxalate monohydrate and calcium oxalate dihydrate. The greatest crystalline mass from a solution supersaturated with calcium oxalate is made when these ions are present at equal molar concentrations. In normal urine, the ratio between the molar concentration of calcium and oxalate is usually greater than 3:1 and often 5:1 or greater. Thus, increases in the calcium concentration would be expected to have a lesser effect on supersaturation and crystalline mass than increases in the oxalate concentration, making oxalate concentration a major determinant in the formation of calcium oxalate stones within the urinary tract (1–3).
‘Building Us Up’: Supporting Black Male College Students in a Black Male Initiative Program:

Efforts to enhance the academic performances and educational experiences of Black males in college has exploded in the past 15 years, including institutional, state, system-level, and national programs, policies, and calls to action. Key among these efforts is establishing Black Male Initiative (BMI) programs, which primarily are structured as social cohesion programs and intended to increase students’ retention and graduation rates. Using qualitative interview data from a convenience sample of 40 Black male students at two different institutions, this project explores their engagement and experiences in a BMI program. First, I analyze students’ narratives regarding their participation and meaning-making of BMIs. I find that BMIs play a critical role in supporting students through increased access to social and cultural (sociocultural) capital while simultaneously honoring the cultural wealth students bring to campus. Second, I examine how engagement in the BMI community helped enhance students’ academic ...
Quantification of Micro-Crack Density for Fiber Based Composites

This paper describes a method for quantifying defects in fiber based composite materials created during the fabrication process. The defects include voids that arise during manufacturing, micro-cracks produced during cure, and delaminations which occur between lamina. In this method, photomicrography technology is used in conjunction with computer aided design (CAD) software. The photomicrographs, stored as bitmap images, provide a visualization of the bond behavior between the fiber and the resin materials. The CAD software transforms each bitmap image into a two-dimensional work space where the areas of the defects are computed by tracing them using a closed polygon feature. Micro-crack density measurements are made by dividing the sum of the individual micro-crack areas by the total specimen area. The approach is applied to measure the micro-crack densities in materials used for ablative nozzle applications.
Using fractional derivatives as degree of symmetry to characterize two dimensional natural features

We present an approach to the common problem in data analysis namely to detect interesting phenomena without a priori knowledge. In an earlier work [1,2] we put forth method of decomposition in one dimension based on a notion we called degree of symmetry. In this work we present a decomposition model in two dimensions based as well on degree of symmetry. We associate degree of symmetry with fractional order of derivatives and represent each feature along each axis as a linear combination of fractionally differentiated symmetric Schwartz functions. The fractional derivatives for each component complement each other such that the sum of their orders is an odd integer. The parameters of this model, namely the fractional degree of the derivatives, the widths of the Schwartz functions and the ratio of the weights in the linear combination of each component induce a multidimensional representation space to detect, classify and characterize shapes. We present a numerical method using wavelet transform coefficients for determining the parameters of the representation model given a two dimensional shape.
Long-term effect of COPD on patients with lung cancer

18077 Background: Despite the association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer, their inter-relationship has not been studied. Their pathogenesis suggests that they ...
Endogenous Opiates and Behavior: 2015

This paper is the thirty-eighth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2015 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.
Affordance generation enables behavioral plasticity and cognitive offloading in evolving robots

In this paper we discuss the importance of the ability to perceive and generate affordances, i.e. opportunities for behaviour execution. More specifically we show how robots evolved for the ability to solve a given problem use the ability to generate affordances for displaying differentiated behaviour and/or to regulate how their behaviour vary over time.