cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assignment of gender to French nouns in primary and secondary language : a connectionist model

In French, grammatical gender is often represented phonologically and/or morphologically. Thus, a language learner's competence for gender iden tification might in part reflect the ability to recognize patterns in noun phonology and morphology. We herein describe a computer-based connec tionist-type network model which learned to identify correctly the gender of a set of French nouns. Subsequently, this model was able to generalize from that learning experience and assign gender to previously unstudied nouns with a high degree of reliability. This gender assignment was accomplished by relying solely upon information inherent in the structure of the nouns themselves, and it occurred in the absence of explicit rules for the evaluation of nouns. Instead, the model discovered criterial gender-specific features when shown examples of masculine and feminine nouns during its initial training period. The model's ability to learn these gender-specific features was found to be related both to its initial connectivi...
A Septal-Hypothalamic Pathway Drives Orexin Neurons, Which Is Necessary for Conditioned Cocaine Preference

Orexins (also called hypocretins) have been shown to be importantly involved in reward and addiction, but little is known about the circuitry that regulates orexin neuronal activity during drug-seeking behaviors. Here, we examined inputs to the lateral hypothalamus (LH) orexin cell field from the lateral septum (LS) using tract-tracing and Fos immunohistochemistry after cocaine (10 mg/kg) conditioned place preference (CPP) in Sprague Dawley rats. We found that neurons in rostral LS (LSr) that project to LH are Fos-activated in proportion to cocaine CPP, and that inhibition of LSr neurons with local baclofen and muscimol microinjection (0.3/0.03 nmol) blocks expression of Fos in LH orexin cells and cocaine preference. In addition, using local inactivation in LS and orexin antisense morpholinos in LH, we found that LSr influences on LH orexin neurons are critical for the expression of cocaine preference. These results indicate that LSr activates LH orexin neurons during cocaine place preference, and that this circuit is essential for expression of cocaine place preference.
Two-Particle Inclusive Reactions in 9 GeV/ c K − p Collisions

Cross sections and correlation functions are presented for two-body inclusive channels in ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}p$ collisions. The cross sections for two particles emitted in the same hemisphere depend mainly on the variable (${x}_{1}+{x}_{2}$), where ${x}_{i}\ensuremath{\equiv}\frac{{p}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}^{*i}}{{p}_{max}^{*}}$. Interpretations are given of the appreciable correlations which occur in addition to those imposed by momentum conservation.
If at first you do not succeed: try another phase! Rescue reconstruction of an anomalous coronary artery in a patient with atrial fibrillation.

An 81-year-old woman with a background history of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, and diabetes mellitus presented with exertional dyspnoea and was referred for coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA). At coronary CTA, the woman was incidentally found to be in atrial fibrillation with a heart rate ranging from 50 to 88 bpm. The CTA was performed on a dual-source scanner with full tube current throughout the entire cardiac cycle to permit unlimited reconstructions (total radiation dose 20.3 mSv). Standard reconstructions at the 65–80% phases of the R–R interval rendered the woman's coronary CTA scan uninterpretable for the exclusion of significant coronary artery disease ( Figure 1 A – C ). Subsequent manual …
Assessment of Current High-Temperature Design Methodology Based on Structural Failure Tests

Une methodologie de conception, basee sur des methodes d'analyses inelastiques et des criteres d'endommagement normalises, existe pour les composants de reacteurs fonctionnant a haute temperature. Le but de cette etude est d'estimer la validite de cette methodologie en comparant les deformations inelastiques et les durees de vie prevues avec les resultats d'essais d'endommagement de structures
Static display of shape

Among the mechanical parameters that are important for dexterous manipulation, shape is useful for both object recognition and control purposes. To investigate the role of shape information in telemanipulation we have created a tactile shape display. This prototype consists of a regular 6 X 4 array of pin elements or `tactors' which rest against the operator's finger tip. Shape memory alloy wires raise individual tactors to approximate the desired surface shape on the skin. We have implemented a feedforward control law and air- cooling that improves the bandwidth of the otherwise slow SMA wires. The hysteretic and nonlinear nature of the SMA actuators has also led us to implement a closed loop controller with position feedback using an optical emitter-receiver pair. The resulting performance of the SMA actuators has a -3 dB bandwidth point between 6 and 7 Hz. We have interfaced the display with a capacitive tactile array sensor and we are able to convey simple shapes from a remote environment through the display. The results of simple tactile feature localization experiments show the ability of the shape relay system to convey shape information.
Environment-based physical motion for secondary characters

Motion pictures of all sorts make heavy use of "extra" actors to bring fidelity and liveliness to a scene. These secondary characters are usually engaged in low-energy, background actions and are often seen close-up and in-detail. This fabric of background human activity comes with two main challenges. First, secondary characters must be able to react to events in their environment. Second, characters should not exhibit motions that are too repetitive. In this paper, we propose an approach to generating physically realistic and non-repetitive motion for small groups of autonomous secondary characters. To equip a character with a wide range of motor skills we introduce the concepts of behavior and transition. A behavior models the ability of a character to remain within range of a set of well-defined configurations, while a transition allows the character to change its behavior. Characters choose their behavior as a response to the environment and in accordance to a simple physiological model.
Estradiol and lithium chloride specifically alter NMDA receptor subunit NR1 mRNA and excitotoxicity in primary cultures.

Abstract Glutamate facilitates calcium influx via NMDAR, and excess calcium influx increases excitotoxicity — a pathological characteristic of neurological diseases. Both 17β-estradiol (E2) and lithium influence NMDAR expression/signaling and excitotoxicity. This led us to hypothesize that combined E2 and lithium will alter NMDAR expression and excitotoxicity. We tested this hypothesis using primary cell cultures from the cortex and hippocampus of C57BL/6J fetal mice pretreated with E2, lithium chloride (LiCl) and combined E2/LiCl for 12, 24 or 48 h. We examined cultures for brain cell type and changes in cell type caused by experimental procedures using glia and neuron gene specific primers. These cultures expressed increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA with low neurofilament-heavy chain (NF-H) mRNA expression. Subsequent analysis of cortical cell cultures indicated that combined E2/LiCl decreased NR1 mRNA expression after a 12 and 48 h treatment period. Combined E2/LiCl also reduced NR1 mRNA expression in hippocampal cultures but only after a 48 h treatment period. LiCl-treated hippocampal cultures also reduced NR1 mRNA expression after a 24 and 48 h treatment. We next examined the response of 48 h pretreated cultures to a toxic level of glutamate. Excitotoxicity was measured using fluorescein diacetate/propidium iodide (FDA/PI) cell viability assay. Results from FDA/PI assay revealed that LiCl pretreatment increased viability for cortical cultures while E2 and combined E2/LiCl reduced viability. All pretreatments for hippocampal cultures failed to increase viability. Our results showed combined E2/LiCl reduced NR1 mRNA and prevented protection against glutamate excitotoxicity in glial primary cultures.
Determination of experimental imaging conditions for off-axis transmission electron holography

Abstract A new iterative method is proposed for the accurate determination of the experimental imaging conditions (defocus, spherical aberration coefficient) necessary for the restoration of the object wave function in transmission off-axis electron holography for thin crystalline specimens on the basis of criteria related to the local intensities of the image of the specimen itself. The optimum region for which a functional is minimized with respect to defocus and aberration coefficient is found on the basis of simulations for a model structure. The procedure is shown to be effective for a maximum phase shift in the exit plane wave function, σ v ( r ) t , up to 5.6 or more: this covers most of the experimental conditions commonly used in high-resolution imaging. It is shown that some special methods for the accurate determination of the size of the hologram in the direction of beam overlapping should be worked out; otherwise a sampling interval as small as 10 -3 A is required for digitization of a hologram.
Chip–NMR biosensor for detection and molecular analysis of cells

Rapid and accurate measurement of biomarkers in tissue and fluid samples is a major challenge in medicine. Here we report the development of a new, miniaturized diagnostic magnetic resonance (DMR) system for multiplexed, quantitative and rapid analysis. By using magnetic particles as a proximity sensor to amplify molecular interactions, the handheld DMR system can perform measurements on unprocessed biological samples. We show the capability of the DMR system by using it to detect bacteria with high sensitivity, identify small numbers of cells and analyze them on a molecular level in real time, and measure a series of protein biomarkers in parallel. The DMR technology shows promise as a robust and portable diagnostic device.
Partnering With Families to Refine and Expand a Diabetes Intervention for Mexican Americans

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to refine and expand a culturally tailored individual-level diabetes self-management intervention to a family-level intervention.MethodsUsing community-based participatory research principles, Mexican American adults (n = 12) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and family members (n = 12) in the United States–Mexico border region participated in 6 focus group interviews, conducted by bilingual, bicultural facilitators. Facilitators and barriers to T2DM management were identified. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsThrough an iterative analysis process, 5 categories represented participants with T2DM: (1) strategies my family can use to support our managing T2DM, (2) be sensitive to my challenges, (3) stop telling me what to eat or do, (4) how can we peacefully coexist, and (5) I feel supported. Categories identified by family members were (1) changing behaviors together, (2) sharing not controlling, (3) supporting positive behaviors, a...
“Just Good Different Things” Specific Accommodations Families Make to Positively Adapt to Their Children With Developmental Disabilities

Fifteen parents and two grandparents of children with developmental disabilities (DD) were interviewed to discover common themes regarding specific ways in which they devised positive adaptations t...
On Einstein four-manifolds with S 1 -actions

We study closed Einstein 4-manifolds which admit S1 actions of a certain type, i.e., warped products. In particular, we classify them up to isometry when the fixed point of the S1 action satisfies certain natural geometric conditions. The proof uses the Bochner-Weitzenbock formula for 1-forms and the theory of minimal surfaces in 3-manifolds.
SENSORY COMPARISON OF AROMA PRECURSORS IN MARINE AND TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS

An investigation was conducted to determine if the precursors of aromas from selected marine species exhibit the same solubility as those from terrestrial animals. Shrimp, clams, oysters, lean beef, and pork were extracted with chloroform:methanol (2:1). The extract was divided in half and one fraction was washed with water. The solvents of the three resulting fractions (the original extract, the washed extract, and the water wash) were removed and the remaining residues were reconstituted with water. The fractions were heated and evaluated for odor by 18 panelists. Although the panelists did not correctly identify the samples from the odor evaluation of all three fractions 100% of the time, their frequencies of correct responses were better than was expected by chance alone. In most cases, a higher number of correct responses was obtained for the unwashed chloroform:methanol extract. In shrimp, the more water soluble compounds of the lipid fraction were significantly better than the nonpolar components in producing the typical shrimp aroma, while in pork, the water soluble components alone were not as important as the total extract in producing typical pork aroma.
Rotational transformations of the sum of the squares of the flux Jacobians of the Navier–Stokes equations

We report the discovery of a new mathematical identity for the NavierStokes equations, which model the flow of a viscous compressible gas. The identity relates the sum of the squares of the viscous...
Social Movements and Societal Conditions: A Response to Roach and Roach

Perhaps the singular contribution of the intellectual tradition of the left, as it has developed since the 19th century, has been to bring working-class people fully into history, not simply as victims, but as actors. The left has understood that working and lower-class people are an historical force, and could become a greater historical force. And the left has understood that the distinctive form in which that force expresses itself is the mass movement. In theory, the left has also understood that working and lower-class movements are not forged merely by willing or thinking or arguing them into existence. Proletarian movements, Marx said, are formed by a dialectical process reflecting the institutional logic of capitalist arrangements. The proletariat is a creature not of communist intellectuals, but of capital and the conditions of capitalist production:
Protecting the Self: Defense Mechanisms in Action.

Part I: Defenses in Everyday Life. Introduction. Development of Defenses. Part II: A Closer Look at Three Defenses. Denial. Projection. Identification. Part III: Defense Mechanisms in Action. Defenses in Childhood: Stress and Psychopathology. Stress and Defense Use in Adulthood. Defenses and Personality. Gender Differences and Defenses. Studying Defenses Over Time: Longitudinal Studies. Part IV: Defenses and Psychopathology. Defenses and Psychopathology in Adult Community and Student Samples. Defenses and Psychopathology in Adult Psychiatric Patients. Defenses and Psychotherapy. Case Studies. Part V: Assessment of Defenses. Explaining the Defense Mechanism Manual. Other Approaches to Assessing Defense Mechanisms.
The molecular perspective: p53 tumor suppressor.

Guardian of the Cell.” It is not essential for life—mice that are deficient in this protein are born seemingly normal—but it is essential in its role of protecting an organism from rogue cells. p53 guards two gates: a gate to life and a gate to death. Sensing damage to DNA, p53 can initiate two processes to isolate the damaged cell and prevent its uncontrolled growth. It can halt cell division, freezing the cell at the G1 checkpoint of the cellular cycle. The cell is unable to reproduce, and its damaged genome is safely isolated. p53 can also initiate a more permanent solution: programmed cell death, or apoptosis. p53 tumor suppressor acts as transcriptional activator, controlling the expression of a variety of genes important in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. p53, composed of four identical subunits, binds to a specific site on the DNA, and interacts with transcription interaction factors, leading to the initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase II. p53 itself is present at extremely low levels in most cells, and has a life span of mere minutes. These low levels allow the action of p53 to be genetically controlled. Levels may be raised quickly by synthesis of more p53, and high levels are quickly reduced when synthesis abates. The induction of p53 has a hair-trigger: even a single double-stranded break of the DNA has been predicted to be enough. As one might expect, disruption of a process with such an important function will have dire consequences. Approximately half of all cases of human cancer may be attributed to a defective p53 protein. Most of these are caused by missense mutations in the p53 gene, changing The Molecular Perspective: p53 Tumor Suppressor
Apparent and True Metabolizable Energy of Feedstuffs for Mature, Nonlaying Female Embden Geese

Abstract Mature, nonlaying, female Embden geese were used to determine the effect of level of intake on the apparent and true metabolizable energy (AME and TME) of corn, wheat, and oats. The AME values showed a significant quadratic increase as level of intake increased; however, TME values showed a decreasing trend as input levels increased from 10 to 70 g. In the second experiment, corn, wheat, oats, and rice hulls were determined to have similar and rapid passage rates through the goose. The gross energy and proximate composition of 18 feedstuffs along with corresponding AME and TME values for geese are reported.
Detection and tracking of high motion objects in arm robotics

Herein a method for object tracking and interception for applications in arm robotics is presented. Generality of five and six degree of freedom robots has traditionally been lost due to focus on pre-programmed dead-reckoning centric algorithms. The method presented herein utilizes high speed software engineering techniques in conjunction with image processing algorithms to produce a viable and extensible object tracking platform.
Contrôle financeiro através da análise do fluxo de fundos

"Durante um periodo de inflacao sobe o custo devida, nao so para as pessoas, mas tambem para associedades. Os custos para reabastecer os estoques,para substituir equipamentos obsoletos e para expan-dir a capacidade - todos aumentam, No entanto.as praticas contabeis geralmente nao registram essesaumentos de maneira adequada."
Satisfiability at microsoft

Constraint satisfaction problems arise in many diverse areas including software and hardware verification, type inference, static program analysis, test-case generation, scheduling, planning and graph problems. These areas share a common trait, they include a core component using logical formulas for describing states and transformations between them. The most well-known constraint satisfaction problem is propositional satisfiability, SAT, where the goal is to decide whether a formula over Boolean variables, formed using logical connectives can be made true by choosing true/false values for its variables. Some problems are more naturally described using richer languages, such as arithmetic. A supporting theory (of arithmetic) is then required to capture the meaning of these formulas. Solvers for such formulations are commonly called Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) solvers. Modern software analysis and model-based tools are increasingly complex and multi-faceted software systems. However, at their core is invariably a component using logical formulas for describing states and transformations between system states. In a nutshell, symbolic logic is the calculus of computation. The state-of-the art SMT solver, Z3, developed at Microsoft Research, can be used to check the satisfiability of logical formulas over one or more theories. SMT solvers offer a compelling match for software tools, since several common software constructs map directly into supported theories. SMT solvers have been the focus of increased recent attention thanks to technological advances and an increasing number of applications. The Z3 solver from Microsoft Research is particularly prolific both concerning applications and technological advances. We describe several of the applications of Z3 within Microsoft, some are included as critical components in tools shipped with Windows 7, others are used internally and yet more are available for academic research. Z3 ranks as the premier SMT solver available today.
Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis of Genetic Structure Within White Clover Populations

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) populations exhibit high genetic and clonal diversities, while existing for many decades in grazed swards at northern midlatitudes. Genetic structure might exist within rapidly changing populations and might be a factor in creating genetic diversity. Trifoliate leaf samples were taken monthly for two years from up to 37 specific stolon points in quadrats from May to September on three central Pennsylvania farm sites. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles for individuals within populations in quadrats were tested by analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and spatial autocorrelation. Genetic variance by quadrat population dates in the three pastures ranged from 15 to 74 % and 46 to 80% in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Significant (P < 0.05) overall spatial autocorrelation was found in 26 populations that had clones and in seven populations without clones. No significant autocorrelation was found in 27 and seven populations with and without clones, respectively. The estimated patch size did not change significantly over two growing seasons. Number of clones and patch size was less important in determining genetic structure than variable existence of spatial autocorrelation.
Preparation and properties of Cr2UO6

Abstract Cr2UO6 has been prepared hydrothermally by the reaction of uranium trioxide with a chromium(III) nitrate solution at 325–425°C. The crystal symmetry is hexagonal, space group D 3d 1 -P 3 1m , with a = 4·988[1] and c = 4·620[1] A . The i.r. spectrum is shown to be in accord with predictions of factor group analysis. Thermal analysis indicates that Cr2UO6 is stable in air to 950°C.
The Effect of Advertising on Liquor Brand Sales

Estimation of the revenue and profit generated by increments of advertising expenditures for liquor brands. Various distributed-lag regressions are fitted to ten-year periods for 15 brands. Annual retention rates around .75, and a logarithmic response function are found.
Enhanced mobility in 100 nm strained SiGe vertical P-MOSFETs fabricated by UHVCVD

Strained SiGe vertical PMOSFETs with a channel length of 100 nm have been fabricated without sophisticated lithography and the whole process is compatible with a regular CMOS process. The source, channel and drain layers within situ doping were grown by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHVCVD) at 500 °C. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of the SiGe and silicon sample surfaces shows the RMS roughness to be 0.18 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) rocking curves of the Si (004) plane demonstrate that the SiGe layers do result in compressive strain. The drive current for the vertical SiGe PMOSFET was enhanced by as much as 80% as compared with the silicon control device, in both the forward and reverse modes of operation.
A micro-method for assay of neutralizing antibodies against parainfluenza virus types 1 and 3.

SummaryAssay of neutralizing antibody to types 1 and 3 parainfluenza viruses in microplates was shown to correlate well with titers obtained by the standard roller tube tissue culture method. The micro-test is efficient, sensitive and sufficiently reproducible to be an acceptable method of assay for these antibodies.We are indebted to Patricia Laine for technical assistance. Dr. David Ailing assisted in the statistical analysis.
Abstract A10: SLC7A11 contributes to the pathogenesis of lung cancer

Introduction: Many tumors increase uptake and dependence on nutrients such as glucose, cysteine or glutamine. These basic observations on cancer cell metabolism have opened multiple new diagnostic and therapeutic avenues in cancer. Here, we investigated the function of SLC7A11 (xCT), a cystine/glutamate anti-porter, in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Recently, we found xCT to be strongly overexpressed at the cell surface of lung cancers and began to investigate the mechanisms by which xCT may contribute to lung cancer progression. Methods: The expression of xCT and its related genes in 411 patients with non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were evaluated in publically available lung cancer gene expression datasets. The association between xCT expression and overall survival, stage of diseases were tested in tissue microarray datasets. Gain of function studies for xCT were undertaken in the normal airway epithelium cell lines (BEAS2B and 16HBE) to investigate the role of xCT in regulating cell metabolism, growth and survival in normal and malignant lung epithelial cells. Results: Our results shows that xCT proein is overexpressed in 38% of NSCLC patients. We also found that expression of xCT mRNA is strongly associated with disease stage (p Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that xCT is highly expressed in a subset of NSCLCs. The induction of xCT in transformed aiway epithelial cells causes tumor formation in nude mice. The mechanism of malignant transformation involves the Warburg effect. Further investigation into the mechanisms of transformation may help in answering fundamental questions pertaining to how glutamate/cystine exchange contributes to lung cancer development and progression and also in establishing xCT as a potential novel therapeutic target in lung cancer. Citation Format: Xiangming Ji Ji, Jun Qian, Jamshedur Rahman, Brad Harris, Megan Hoeksema, Heidi Chen, Rosana Eisenberg, Jamey Young. SLC7A11 contributes to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Metabolism and Cancer; Jun 7-10, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(1_Suppl):Abstract nr A10.
Causes and consequences of nuclear envelope alterations in tumour progression

Morphological changes in the size and shape of the nucleus are highly prevalent in cancer, but the underlying molecular mechanisms and the functional relevance remain poorly understood. Nuclear envelope proteins, which can modulate nuclear shape and organization, have emerged as key components in a variety of signalling pathways long implicated in tumourigenesis and metastasis. The expression of nuclear envelope proteins is altered in many cancers, and changes in levels of nuclear envelope proteins lamins A and C are associated with poor prognosis in multiple human cancers. In this review we highlight the role of the nuclear envelope in different processes important for tumour initiation and cancer progression, with a focus on lamins A and C. Lamin A/C controls many cellular processes with key roles in cancer, including cell invasion, stemness, genomic stability, signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, and resistance to mechanical stress. In addition, we discuss potential mechanisms mediating the changes in lamin levels observed in many cancers. A better understanding of cause-and-effect relationships between lamin expression and tumour progression could reveal important mechanisms for coordinated regulation of oncogenic processes, and indicate therapeutic vulnerabilities that could be exploited for improved patient outcome.
Laboratory Housing of Nonhuman Primates

Primary enclosures for nonhuman primates include cages that allow varying degrees of conspecific contact and larger enclosures that accommodate groups of animals. Primary enclosures may be located in totally environmentally controlled buildings, sheltered environments that control for temperature extremes, or outdoor facilities that are not environmentally controlled. Regardless of the type utilized, the enclosure should promote physical comfort of the animals being maintained with sufficient cage height for animals to stand erect with their feet on the floor. Enclosures should allow for application of behavioral management aspects such as socialization, training, and other forms of environmental enrichment to promote normal species behavior. Enclosures should be constructed using materials that are resistant to corrosion and should present an environment that assures animal safety and freedom from injury. Enclosures should accommodate appropriate equipment to safely provide animals with food and water. Enclosure design must address the prevention of disease, escape, and undesired contact and fighting between adjacent animals, as well as providing proper sanitization, ease of maintenance, and ergonomic considerations for employee safety. Enclosures must also meet the research and primate care requirements, as well as the requirements of applicable regulatory agencies.
Media Concentration and Democracy: Not a Real Problem: Many Owners, Many Sources

Ben Bagdikian is probably the most quoted, certainly one of the most acute, commentators on media ownership. In the first 1983 edition of his book, The Media Monopoly , he reported that “fifty corporations own most of the output of daily newspapers and most of the sales and audiences in magazines, broadcasting, books and movies.” Bagdikian asserted that this concentration is dangerous for democracy – that we would be much better off if there were a different owner for each of the country's 25,000 media outlets. In the 2004 edition, he reported something even worse for our society and for democracy: “Five global-dimension firms … own most of the newspapers, magazines, book publishers, motion picture studios and radio and television stations in the United States.” Bagdikian's claims have not gone unchallenged. Benjamin Compaine, a respected economist and lead author of the most definitive book on media ownership in America, is possibly the most prominent scholarly critic of the view that existing concentration in the mass media is – or that likely future concentration will be – objectionable. Compaine challenges both Bagdikian's factual and evaluative claims. According to Compaine, the top five media companies collect 27.55 percent of the revenue in the media industry. Contrary to Bagdikian's claim, even the top fourteen together collect less than half. As for Bagdikian's claim about the increasing extent of concentration, Compaine observes that in his 1982 book, he listed 62 companies “as being a leading firm in one or more media industries,” while in the 2000 edition he lists 90 companies.
MyPalmVein: A Palm Vein-Based Low-Cost Mobile Identification System for Wide Age Range

Traditional methods of access control such as password token or identification card are being replaced by biometrics recognition technology in many fields because of their limitation in reliability and usability. Vein pattern identification is outstanding compared to other biometrics methods such as fingerprint or iris due to its dependability and ease of use. At the same time, current biometrics recognition systems and applications have some disadvantages in usability, cost, and supported user age range. In this paper, we propose MyPalmVein, which is a low-cost identification system based on vein pattern recognition. The evaluation of MyPalmVeins performance on a public database of 250 subjects as well as field tests enrolled around 300 subjects from 2 months to 65+ years old shows that MyPalmVein is very accurate on wide age range user.
Impact of multiwall carbon nanotubes on the accumulation and distribution of carbamazepine in collard greens (Brassica oleracea)

Pre-existing pharmaceutical residues in agricultural soils may encounter engineered nanomaterials, resulting in poorly understood co-contamination interactions. In this study, the bioaccumulation and translocation of the pharmaceutical residue carbamazepine (100 μg L−1) in collard greens (Brassica oleracea) was evaluated upon concurrent exposure to pristine or carboxyl-functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (pCNTs or cCNTs) at 50 mg L−1 under hydroponic exposure and at 500 mg kg−1 in soil-grown conditions. B. oleracea toxicity was more evident under hydroponic exposure, with growth inhibtion dependent on carbamazepine concentrations; however, biomass enhancement was noted in cCNTs-treated plants. Without CNTs, B. oleracea accumulated and translocated significant amounts of carbamazepine; up to 2500 μg kg−1 in the leaves and 300 μg kg−1 in the roots, depending on growth condition. The co-exposure of carbon materials notably suppressed carbamazepine accumulation in both hydroponic and soil systems. Specifically, root carbamazepine content in soil-grown plants was suppressed 29%, 53% and 89% by pCNTs, cCNTs and AC, respectively. Generally, the adsorption capacity of the carbon materials correlated well with the suppression of carbamazepine accumulation. The results also suggest that functionalization of CNTs enhanced carbamazepine translocation potential and significantly affected nanomaterial/co-contaminant interactions as compared to its pristine analog. These findings show that the CNTs in the environment may significantly affect the bioavailability and translocation pattern of coexisting organic contaminants.
The Eggshell Microbial Activity

Abstract To a consumer of eggs, the shell is important for containment preventing the leakage of yolk and albumen prior to cooking. Most people do not realize that the shell matrix has proteins with antimicrobial properties that suppress the invasion of microorganisms. To the avian embryo, the shell is not only essential for protection, but also for gas and water vapor exchange through its pores and for providing calcium to the developing embryo. The shell and its pore openings are sealed by a protective cuticle. Yet, with all of these defense mechanisms in place, the eggshell can still be contaminated while being formed in the reproductive tract and after it is laid. Contaminants include bacteria, mold, and yeast. Shell contamination may be affected by housing systems, hen age, and egg storage temperature. To reduce microbial growth, table eggs should be stored at a temperature of 7°C (45°F) or below but above freezing.
Direct policy search for robust multi-objective management of deeply uncertain socio-ecological tipping points

Abstract Managing socio-ecological systems is a challenge wrought by competing societal objectives, deep uncertainties, and potentially irreversible tipping points. A classic, didactic example is the shallow lake problem in which a hypothetical town situated on a lake must develop pollution control strategies to maximize its economic benefits while minimizing the probability of the lake crossing a critical phosphorus (P) threshold, above which it irreversibly transitions into a eutrophic state. Here, we explore the use of direct policy search (DPS) to design robust pollution control rules for the town that account for deeply uncertain system characteristics and conflicting objectives. The closed loop control formulation of DPS improves the quality and robustness of key management tradeoffs, while dramatically reducing the computational complexity of solving the multi-objective pollution control problem relative to open loop control strategies. These insights suggest DPS is a promising tool for managing socio-ecological systems with deeply uncertain tipping points.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Classification

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant neoplasm of lymphocytes characterized by the clonal accumulation of immature blood cells in the bone marrow. These abnormal cells are arrested in the lymphoblast stage of the normal maturation pathway. Aberrations in proliferation and differentiation of these cells are common, and normal hematopoiesis is suppressed. Symptoms result from varying degrees of anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia or from infiltration of ALL cells into tissues. Although virtually any organ system may become involved, once leukemia cells enter the peripheral blood, the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system (CNS), and skin are the most common sites detected clinically.
Query Processing Techniques for Big Spatial-Keyword Data

The widespread use of GPS-enabled cellular devices, i.e., smart phones, led to the popularity of numerous mobile applications, e.g., social networks, micro-blogs, mobile web search, and crowd-powered reviews. These applications generate large amounts of geo-tagged textual data, i.e., spatial-keyword data. This data needs to be processed and queried at an unprecedented scale. The management of spatial-keyword data at this scale goes beyond the capabilities of centralized systems. We live in the era of big data and the big data model is currently been used to address scalability issues in various application domains. This has led to the development of various big spatial-keyword processing systems. These systems are designed to ingest, store, index, and query huge amounts of spatial-keyword data. In this 1.5 hour tutorial, we explore recent research efforts in the area of big spatial-keyword processing. First, we give main motivations behind big spatial-keyword systems with real-life applications. We describe the main models for big spatial-keyword processing, and list the popular spatial-keyword queries. Then, we present the approaches that have been adopted in big spatial-keyword processing systems with special attention to data indexing and spatial and keyword data partitioning. Finally, we conclude this tutorial with a discussion on some of the open problems and research directions in the area of big spatial-keyword query processing.
Divergent competitive phenotypes between females of two sex-role-reversed species

Divergent phenotypes between lineages in the early stages of speciation can promote or impede reproductive isolation. Although divergence in male competitive morphology and behavior has been explored for many hybridizing lineages, it is less known how divergence between females influences hybridization. Here, I compare competitive phenotypes between females of two hybridizing, sex-role-reversed jacana species in Panama. Previous work suggests Jacana spinosa females monopolize mating in the hybrid zone, potentially through a competitive advantage. I tested whether J. spinosa females have a more competitive phenotype than Jacana jacana females. I compared morphological traits related to territoriality and measured aggressive behavior using territorial intrusion simulations: the first aggression assay in a shorebird. I also quantified these traits in males, to confirm previous studies reporting males as smaller and less aggressive than females in both species. As predicted, J. spinosa females had larger body mass and longer wing spurs than J. jacana females. J. spinosa females were also more aggressive than J. jacana females. Male J. spinosa had longer wing spurs than male J. jacana, but there was no difference in male body mass between the species, and J. spinosa males were more aggressive than J. jacana males. Additionally, male J. spinosa was more aggressive than female J. spinosa, suggesting mixed support for females as competitively dominant to males and indicating the need for additional experimental work on sex differences in Jacana. Historically, research on the role of mating behavior in hybridization has focused on competitive males and choosy females. Although female-female competition is widespread and has important fitness consequences for many species across numerous taxa, little is known about the role of female competition in mediating hybridization between closely related lineages. I compare morphological and behavioral traits related to competition between two hybridizing species of jacanas, tropical shorebirds with sex-role reversal. I find that J. spinosa females have a more competitive morphological phenotype and higher aggression than J. jacana females, which may allow them a competitive advantage in obtaining and defending territories and mates in the hybrid zone. These patterns align with a pattern of asymmetrical introgression of J. spinosa mitochondrial DNA previously described in the hybrid zone, as well as findings from other hybrid zones in which male-male competition can potentially explain asymmetric patterns of gene flow from the more dominant species into the less dominant species.
Octogenarians have worse clinical outcomes after thyroidectomy

Abstract Background The rising proportion of older adults in the US population coupled with an increased prevalence of nodular thyroid disease will result in more thyroidectomies being performed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes among older adults (age ≥65) undergoing thyroidectomy compared to younger adults (18–64). Methods This was a population-based study of adult thyroidectomy patients using the Premier Healthcare Database, 2005–2014. Discharge status, hospital length of stay (LOS), morbidity, and total patient charge were compared between younger adults and older adults in three different age groups: ≥65, ≥70, and ≥80 years old. Results Among 75,141 thyroidectomy patients, 15,805 (21.0%) patients were ≥65 years, 8834 (11.8%) were ≥70 years, and 1613 (2.2%) were ≥80 years. Patients ≥80 years were 2.6 times (aOR:2.58, 95%CI: 1.72–3.86; p Conclusions Age ≥80 is an independent predictor of worse clinical outcomes after thyroidectomy.
The effect of hospital acuity on severe maternal morbidity in high-risk patients.

Background In 2015, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published guidelines that established levels of maternal care. These guidelines outlined the nursing, provider, and facility requirements for hospitals to be designated a birthing center or 1 of 4 levels of care. To date, these levels of maternal care have not been adopted widely; currently, no data exist on how these designations may affect maternal or neonatal outcomes. Objective Because the levels of maternal care attempt to reflect a hospital’s ability to treat patients with certain conditions that are associated with increased risk of complications, our objective was to compare outcomes among high- and low-risk patients between high- and low-acuity hospitals. We hypothesized that hospitals that cared for a high rate of high-risk patients, which we considered “high-acuity” centers, would have a lower risk of severe maternal morbidity among high-risk patients compared with low-acuity centers. Study Design Deliveries were identified in the 2013 Nationwide Readmission Database. A patient’s comorbidity index was assigned based on diagnosis and procedure codes with the use of previously validated methods; a comorbidity index of ≥3 has been associated with increased odds of severe maternal morbidity. Patients were classified as low, intermediate, or high risk by their comorbidity index for analysis. Patients at hospitals with Results From 1203 hospitals, 1,656,659 delivering patients met the inclusion criteria. There were 58.7% low-risk, 39.0% intermediate-risk, and 2.3% high-risk patients in the overall sample, and the overall rate of severe maternal morbidity was 1.2%. Less than 3.7% of delivering patients in low-acuity hospitals had a high-risk condition. In comparison, >7.1% patients in high-acuity centers had a high-risk condition. In the adjusted analysis, intermediate-risk patients had a slightly increased risk of morbidity in both low-acuity and high-acuity centers compared with low-risk patients (adjusted risk ratios, 1.53 [95% confidence interval, 1.33–1.77] vs 1.57 [95% confidence interval, 1.49–1.65]). However, there was a notable difference in the adjusted risk ratios for severe maternal morbidity in the high-risk population: the adjusted risk ratio was 9.55 (95% confidence interval, 6.83–13.35) in low-acuity hospitals compared with 6.50 (95% confidence interval, 5.94–7.09) in high-acuity hospitals. Conclusion High-risk patients have a higher risk of severe maternal morbidity at low-acuity hospitals compared with high-acuity centers. These findings support the concept of regionalization of maternity care to improve outcomes for high-risk patients.
Real-Time Traffic Prediction and Probing Strategy for Lagrangian Traffic Data

The objective of this paper is to present a new analytical tool that predicts highway congestion in real time by utilizing a macroscopic traffic flow model, and to investigate a data collection strategy that is adaptable to the quality of traffic information. A stochastic Lagrangian traffic flow model is proposed to capture the transition into traffic jam and randomness in the traffic flow. To calibrate the model, vehicles in a traffic flow are divided into cells, and only the first and last vehicles in each cell are probed. Model parameters and traffic information are updated in real time by the unscented Kalman filter, and an advance warning is provided for stop-and-go traffic jam. Adaptive data collection is done by adjusting the probing cell size based on the variance of the prediction from the stochastic model. By validating the model with empirical highway traffic data, the proposed stochastic model shows a 20% improvement in predicting the one-step-ahead traffic state, comparing it to the result from the deterministic model. The 3-sec prediction of traffic status, which may be applied to compensate for the latency of data processing in real-time applications, can be obtained with a 15% error. The model parameter can be used to warn the drivers 6.76 sec before entering a traffic jam. The scenario with low penetration rate and longer sample time interval is also demonstrated with traffic data collected by smartphones. The results from adaptive probing suggest that it can efficiently use less data to provide higher prediction accuracy than using non-adaptive probing.
Transition research opportunities at subsonic and transonic speeds

Substantial progress has been made in a number of areas related to transition physics and applied transition technology in the past decade. This has been most noticeable in the subsonic and transonic speed regimes where improved stability theories and wind-tunnel facilities coupled with state-of-the-art boundary-layer and inviscid-flow codes have stimulated the design of a number of ambitious wind-tunnel and flight experiments. The data base and code validations obtained provide some of the resources required for the design of flight vehicles with large expanses of laminar flow.
The Role of GTP in the Coupling of Hormone Receptors and Adenylate Cyclase

The adenylate cyclase system is one of the most important biological communication systems known. Through this system, a variety of extracellular agents, including hormones and neuro-transmitting agents, regulate the production of the intracellular “messenger,” cyclic AMP, that profoundly affects the metabolism, growth, and differentiation of cells responding to these agents. Although it is generally agreed that the receptors for the extracellular agents and the enzyme that catalyzes the formation of cyclic AMP from ATP are separate molecules, not understood is the nature of the transduction process whereby binding of the hormones leads to changes in the activity of the enzyme.
Neuro-ophthalmic manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus infection

Both the afferent visual pathways and ocular motor system may be affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Coexisting infections and neoplastic processes in the eye and brain create a diagnostic challenge for the clinician. This article discusses neuro-ophthalmic manifestations associated with HIV and AIDS, with emphasis on clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.