cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A New Conception of Ordinary Objects and the Role of their Identities in Perception

This paper levels two charges against our current, mildly hylomorphic conception of ordinary objects: that it contains a logically faulty understanding of matter and an equally problematic treatment of identity; reification is the kernel of both. With the help of McDaniel and Wittgenstein, I construct a suitable critique of the ordinary object and its respective ontology, laying the groundwork for a new ontology of the ordinary object. The discussion of concepts and McDowell at the conclusion of the project acts as a lynchpin, connecting our subjective understanding of our experience with the objects of our experience.
Practical Learning Research at Scale

Massive scale education has emerged through online tools such as Wikipedia, Khan Academy, and MOOCs. The number of students being reached is high, but what about the quality of the educational experience? As we scale learning, we need to scale research to address this question. Such learning research should not just determine whether high quality has been achieved, but it should provide a process for how to reliably produce high quality learning. Scaling practical learning research is as much an opportunity as a problem. The opportunity comes from the fact that online courses are not only good for widespread delivery, but are natural vehicles for data collection and experimental instrumentation. I will provide examples of research done in the context of widely used educational technologies that both contribute interesting scientific findings and have practical implications for increasing the quality of learning at scale.
Effect of irrigation pumpage during drought on karst aquifer systems in highly agricultural watersheds: example of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin, southeastern USA

In the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river basin in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida (USA), population growth in the city of Atlanta and increased groundwater withdrawal for irrigation in southwest Georgia are greatly affecting the supply of freshwater to downstream regions. This study was conducted to understand and quantify the effect of irrigation pumpage on the karst Upper Floridan Aquifer and river–aquifer interactions in the lower ACF river basin in southwest Georgia. The groundwater MODular Finite-Element model (MODFE) was used for this study. The effect of two drought years, a moderate and a severe drought year, were simulated. Comparison of the results of the irrigated and non-irrigated scenarios showed that groundwater discharge to streams is a major outflow from the aquifer, and irrigation can cause as much as 10 % change in river–aquifer flux. The results also show that during months with high irrigation (e.g., June 2011), storage loss (34 %), the recharge and discharge from the upper semi-confining unit (30 %), and the river–aquifer flux (31 %) are the major water components contributing towards the impact of irrigation pumpage in the study area. A similar scenario plays out in many river basins throughout the world, especially in basins in which underlying karst aquifers are directly connected to a nearby stream. The study suggests that improved groundwater withdrawal strategies using climate forecasts needs to be developed in such a way that excessive withdrawals during droughts can be reduced to protect streams and river flows.
Inorganic Gel Plugging Sealing Materials Research and Experimental

Inorganic non-metallic high temperature plugging material is designed for heavy oil thermal recovery of high temperature operation and development of plugging new material. It is the use of special minerals,according to pre-wet production processes are based,by the comminution process made of a gas-water two rigid inorganic cementitious material. In the absence of activator existence and normal temperature and pressure conditions,even after a long period of flooding,inorganic non-metallic materials will not gel and cure.Temperature and inorganic non-metallic high-temperature activator hydration activity of plugging the excitation and the thickening and hardening speed and strength after curing can be controlled.
Bilateral radial nerve palsy secondary to unilateral blunt shoulder trauma

We report the case of a 20-year-old black male who developed bilateral radial nerve palsies eight hours after reported blunt trauma to his left shoulder. Pure radial damage was confirmed by electromyography and nerve conduction studies. Recovery was spontaneous and complete without the use of specific therapy.
Religion in the Xunzi: What Does Tian 天 Have to Do with It?

Interpreters of Xunzi have disagreed about whether there is a religious element to be found in his thought, and if there is such an element, where it is to be found. Much of the debate has focused on the notion of tian 天 (commonly translated as “Heaven”). This essay reviews some of these debates and the challenges that are involved in seeing Xunzi as a religious thinker. I situate Xunzi’s thought against the broader background of Confucian religiousness and propose that although it is not unreasonable to see a religious attitude in his discussions of tian, the primary locus of Xunzi’s religious element is better found in his views about the human realm. Using Frederick Streng’s conception of religion as “a means to ultimate transformation,” we can see Xunzi’s religiosity in the path to sagehood that he articulates. The essay traces out some of the major elements of his program of self-cultivation, as a way of sketching the religious dimension of the Xunzi.
Minimally Invasive Approaches to Esophageal Disorders: Strictures, Webs, and Duplications

Disorders of the esophagus in infants and children are comprised of acquired and congenital conditions. The most common acquired problems of the esophagus are strictures secondary to postoperative esophageal anastomotic complications, and injuries induced following the ingestion of toxic substances (chemicals or lye). Esophageal webs or distal congenital stenosis on the esophagus are very rare, and children present with feeding difficulties. Duplications of the esophagus are often asymptomatic and found incidentally when radiographic imaging of the chest or barium esophagram is performed for unrelated indications. The diagnosis, workup, and minimally invasive surgical management approaches for these conditions in children are described.
Boosting the Performance of FPGA-based Graph Processor using Hybrid Memory Cube: A Case for Breadth First Search

Large graph processing has gained great attention in recent years due to its broad applicability from machine learning to social science. Large real-world graphs, however, are inherently difficult to process efficiently, not only due to their large memory footprint, but also that most graph algorithms entail memory access patterns with poor locality and a low compute-to-memory access ratio. In this work, we leverage the exceptional random access performance of emerging Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC) technology that stacks multiple DRAM dies on top of a logic layer, combined with the flexibility and efficiency of FPGA to address these challenges. To our best knowledge, this is the first work that implements a graph processing system on a FPGA-HMC platform based on software/hardware co-design and co-optimization. We first present the modifications of algorithm and a platform-aware graph processing architecture to perform level-synchronized breadth first search (BFS) on FPGA-HMC platform. To gain better insights into the potential bottlenecks of proposed implementation, we develop an analytical performance model to quantitatively evaluate the HMC access latency and corresponding BFS performance. Based on the analysis, we propose a two-level bitmap scheme to further reduce memory access and perform optimization on key design parameters (e.g. memory access granularity). Finally, we evaluate the performance of our BFS implementation using the AC-510 development kit from Micron. We achieved 166 million edges traversed per second (MTEPS) using GRAPH500 benchmark on a random graph with a scale of 25 and an edge factor of 16, which significantly outperforms CPU and other FPGA-based large graph processors.
A Kinect-based movement assessment system: marker position comparison to Vicon

Accurate movement analysis systems are prohibitive in cost and size to be accessible to the general population, while commercially available, affordable systems lack the accuracy needed for clinical relevance. To address these limitations, we developed a Depth Camera Movement Assessment System (DCMAS) featuring an affordable, widely available depth camera (e.g. Microsoft Kinect). After examining 3D position data for markers adhered to participants and a flat surface, captured with both DCMAS and the industry standard Vicon system, we demonstrated DCMAS obtained measurements comparable, within soft tissue artifact, to the Vicon system, paving the way for a breakthrough technology in preventative medicine.
A hybrid simulation modeling framework for regional food hubs

As demand for regionally produced food has increased, regional food hubs have helped to facilitate connections between consumers and small-scale food producers. However, food hubs often struggle to achieve the logistical and operational efficiencies that characterize conventional large-scale food distribution. In many cases, implementation of innovations adopted by conventional food distributors has proved to be challenging and even counterproductive for food hubs, due to their distinct business structure and mission. To address this problem, an empirical agent-based and discrete-event hybrid simulation model was developed to determine the effects of incorporating various efficiency-enhancing practices into food hub warehousing operations. The model was validated using data from a food hub in central Iowa. Experimental results demonstrate the potential usefulness of this model in supporting food hub managers’ operational planning decisions, as well as the effectiveness of incorporating agent-based and discrete-event simulation modeling paradigms to study warehousing operations.
Experience Learning From Basic Patterns for Efficient Robot Navigation in Indoor Environments

In this paper we propose a machine learning technique for real-time robot path planning for an autonomous robot in a planar environment with obstacles where the robot possess no a priori map of its environment. Our main insight in this paper is that a robot’s path planning times can be significantly reduced if it can refer to previous maneuvers it used to avoid obstacles during earlier missions, and adapt that information to avoid obstacles during its current navigation. We propose an online path planning algorithm called LearnerRRT that utilizes a pattern matching technique called Sample Consensus Initial Alignment (SAC-IA) in combination with an experience-based learning technique to adapt obstacle boundary patterns encountered in previous environments to the current scenario followed by corresponding adaptations in the obstacle-avoidance paths. Our proposed algorithm LearnerRRT works as a learning-based reactive path planning technique which enables robots to improve their overall path planning performance by locally improving maneuvers around commonly encountered obstacle patterns by accessing previously accumulated environmental information. We have conducted several experiments in simulations and hardware to verify the performance of the LearnerRRT algorithm and compared it with a state-of-the-art sampling-based planner. LearnerRRT on average takes approximately 10% of the planning time and 14% of the total time taken by the sampling-based planner to solve the same navigation task based on simulation results and takes only 33% of the planning time, 46% of total time and 95% of total distance compared to the sampling-based planner based on our hardware results.
Fatal Falls Overboard in Commercial Fishing — United States, 2000–2016

Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, with a 2016 work-related fatality rate (86.0 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers) 23 times higher than that for all U.S. workers (3.6) (1). Sinking vessels cause the most fatalities in the industry; however, falling from a fishing vessel is a serious hazard responsible for the second highest number of commercial fishing-associated fatalities (2,3). CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) analyzed data on unintentional fatal falls overboard in the U.S. commercial fishing industry to identify gaps in the use of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies. During 2000-2016, a total of 204 commercial fishermen died after unintentionally falling overboard. The majority of falls (121; 59.3%) were not witnessed, and 108 (89.3%) of these victims were not found. Among 83 witnessed falls overboard, 56 rescue attempts were made; 22 victims were recovered but were not successfully resuscitated. The circumstances, rescue attempts, and limited use of lifesaving and recovery equipment indicate that efforts to reduce these preventable fatalities are needed during pre-event, event, and post-event sequences of falls overboard. Vessel owners could consider strategies to prevent future fatalities, including lifeline tethers, line management, personal flotation devices (PFDs), man-overboard alarms, recovery devices, and rescue training.
MADLaSR: multi-angle detector of Lambertian and specular reflectivity

The goal of this project was to build a device capable of measuring both the specular reflectivity of black materials, as well as the Lambertian reflectivity of white materials over their full range of incident and observed angles, respectively. The MADLaSR (Multi-Angle Detection of Lambertian and Specular Reflectivity) is a device designed for specular reflectivity testing in the range of 10° < θ < 160° and for Lambertian reflectivity testing in the range of 10° < θ < 85°. The data collected from this device may be used to influence the design of optical systems, aerospace structures, or other devices in which maximum light control is a necessary consideration. This paper will discuss the design and functionality of the MADLaSR.
Anomalous Diffusion in Random Flows

The simplest model of turbulent transport is the random motion of Brownian particles passively convected by random, incompressible velocity fields.
Developmental Regulation Through Protein Stability

The idea that differential gene expression is critical to the establishment of different cell identities is well-worn into the psyches of all scientists who think about the cellular dynamics of development. Equally commonplace is the idea that temporally and spatially dynamic gene expression is quite often regulated at the level of transcription initiation. More exotic forms of regulation are also well-known, including mRNA splicing, mRNA and protein localization, protein-protein interactions and protein modification. Most recently, it has become apparent that specific alteration of protein stability is a widely used mechanism for controlling the dynamics of important cellular regulators. For example, the levels of cyclins and transcription factors are controlled by specifically targeted protein degradation via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway.
Santé et sécurité au travail en Europe : ce que disent les enquêtes européennes

Les objectifs de cette communication sont de presenter les principales conclusions d’une analyse conjointe de trois enquetes europeennes et les principaux resultats pour la France et l’Union europeenne (UE) de la deuxieme enquete europeenne des entreprises sur les risques nouveaux et emergents (ESENER-2) publiee par l’Agence europeenne pour la securite et la sante au travail (EU-OSHA) en 2015. L’analyse conjointe d’ESENER-2, du module ad hoc 2013 de l’enquete europeenne sur les forces de travail (EFT) publie par Eurostat, portant sur les accidents du travail et autres problemes de sante lies au travail, et de la sixieme enquete europeenne sur les conditions de travail (EWCS) publiee par la Fondation europeenne pour l’amelioration des conditions de vie et de travail permet de disposer d’une vue d’ensemble de la situation en matiere de securite et de sante sur les lieux de travail en Europe, en juxtaposant le point de vue des etablissements sur la gestion et la sensibilisation aux risques, au point de vue des travailleurs sur l’exposition aux risques et les solutions adoptees en matiere de securite et sante au travail. L’enquete ESENER donne un apercu actualise de la maniere dont les risques sur le lieu de travail, et plus particulierement les risques nouveaux et emergents, sont geres dans toute l’Europe. 50 000 entreprises et organisations en Europe sont invitees a remplir un questionnaire axe sur les themes suivants : les risques generaux pour la sante et la securite sur le lieu de travail et leur gestion, les risques psychosociaux, les motivations et les obstacles a la gestion de la sante et de la securite au travail (SST) et la participation des travailleurs a la SST. En France, 2250 etablissements ont participe a l’enquete en 2014. Il n’existe pas, au niveau de l’UE, d’autre source d’informations sur la facon dont la SST est geree dans les entreprises. L’enquete ESENER joue un role cle en aidant EU-OSHA a communiquer des informations comparables au plan transnational, susceptibles de contribuer a l’elaboration de politiques en matiere de SST. De meme, les donnees de l’enquete contribuent a d’autres activites de l’agence, telles que les campagnes de prevention « Lieux de travail sains ».
Gliding Pitch Control Model of Bionic Flying Squirrel Robot

Through the bionic principle based on the relevant knowledge of robotics, BSR (Bionic flying squirrel robot) is designed by using the experience of flying squirrel’s movement of body structure and mechanism. Besides, control model is proposed for pitching movement. In this paper, the mechanism of the robot is introduced first, by which we know the robot is designed by integration and has nine degrees of freedom, which can realize the wall-climbing and gliding movement functions. Then dynamic analysis is used to build a robot kinematics model of gliding pitch movement. Furthermore, the control model of gliding pitch movement is discussed. Finally, kinematics simulation, wind tunnel and outfield experiments verify the control model achieving the gliding movement. The results show BSR has a good gliding ability based on pitching control model.
Image Guidance and Planning

The concept of being able to isolate an abdominal or retroperitoneal nerve plexus percutaneously using a needle technique provided a less invasive approach to “blocking” nociceptive impulses. Popper et al. described the use of splanchnic nerve block as a diagnostic tool to differentiate between somatic and visceral abdominal pains (Popper HL. Am J Dig Dis 15(1):1–4, 1948). The risks associated with previous “blind” techniques eventually led to the use of imaging guidance. Fluoroscopic guidance was first introduced in the 1950s followed by CT guidance and eventually ultrasound guidance in the 1990s (Wiersema MJ, Wiersema LM. Gastrointest Endosc 44(6):656–62, 1996). The most commonly used imaging modalities include ultrasound, MRI, fluoroscopy, and CT scan. While each modality possesses individual benefits and limitations which will be discussed below, it is important to understand patient-specific characteristics, such as optimal patient positioning. Moreover, each cancer patient will require imaging for their workup, which is invaluable to determine the “approach” using the most anatomically appropriate interventional modality. Various plexus blocks and neurolyses, such as celiac, splanchnic, superior hypogastric, and lumbar sympathetic, have become an essential therapeutic option in the management of cancer-related abdominal and pelvic pain.
Utility and performance of bacterial artificial chromosomes-on-beads assays in chromosome analysis of clinical prenatal samples, products of conception and blood samples.

Aim Chromosome analysis of prenatal samples and products of conception (POC) has conventionally been done by karyotyping (KT). Shortcomings of KT like high turnaround time and culture failure led to technology innovations, such as the bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC)s-on-Beads (BoBs)-based tests, Prenatal BoBs (prenatal samples) and KaryoLite BoBs (POC samples). In the present study, we validated and evaluated the utility of each test on prenatal, POC and blood samples. Methods Study A (n = 305; 259 prenatal + 46 blood/POC) and Study B (n = 176; 146 POC/chorionic vill + 30 blood/amniotic fluid) samples were analyzed using Prenatal and KaryoLite BoBs kits, respectively. KT, array-based Comparative Genomic Hybridization (arrayCGH) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were used for comparison of results. Ability of KaryoLite BoBs to identify ring chromosomes was tested. Results Prenatal BoBs had zero test failure rate and results of all samples were concordant with KT results. Totally four microdeletions were identified by Prenatal BoBs but not by KT. In Study B, all but two POC samples (one triploid and one tetraploid) were concordant with KT and arrayCGH. Partial chromosomal imbalance detection rate was ~64% and KaryoLite BoBs indicated the presence of a ring chromosome in all four cases. The failure rate of KaryoLite BoBs was 3%. Conclusion We conclude that Prenatal BoBs (common aneuploidies and nine microdeletions) together with KT constitutes more comprehensive prenatal testing compared to FISH and KT. KaryoLite BoBs for aneuploidies of all chromosomes is highly successful in POC analysis and the ability to indicate presence of ring chromosomes improves its clinical sensitivity. Both tests are robust and could also be used for different specimens.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Male Sexual Dysfunction, and Infertility: Common Links, Common Problems.

Abstract Introduction Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered a hallmark of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease (CVD). With the alarming rates of obesity in the United States and worldwide, efforts at understanding, preventing, and treating MetS and its components are being increasingly undertaken by scientists and clinicians. A strong association between MetS and male sexual problems is already well established. More recent animal and human studies have further evaluated the relationship of NAFLD with male sexual problems and infertility. The molecular and physiological mechanisms correlating these conditions are incompletely established at this time, however. Aim To review and analyze current literature associating NAFLD with andrologic disorders, including erectile dysfunction (ED), infertility, and hypogonadism. Methods The PubMed database was searched using terms “erectile dysfunction,” “hypogonadism,” “male infertility,” and “nonalcoholic fatty liver disease” for articles published between January 1980 and June 2018. Main Outcome Measures We present a summary of the recent clinical and experimental evidence and discuss the possible pathophysiological mechanisms relating NAFLD development and progression to ED, a hypogonadal state, and infertility. Results A total of 132 articles were reviewed. These included human observational and clinical studies and animal and basic science research relating NAFLD to the development and progression of ED, hypogonadism, and infertility in men. Conclusion There is growing evidence linking NAFLD to male sexual and reproductive dysfunction. A complex interplay of pathophysiological processes underlying these entities and further relating them to the MetS components may ultimately aid the identification and development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Hawksworth DJ, Burnett AL. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Male Sexual Dysfunction, and Infertility: Common Links, Common Problems Sex Med Rev 2020;8:274–285.
A Winter Sports School

(1948). A Winter Sports School. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 176-231.
Astroparticle physics with a customized low-background Broad Energy Germanium detector

We have found that modified Broad Energy Ge detectors produced by CANBERRA have several promising features, including large mass, low electronic noise, and excellent pulse-shape analysis capabilities. Modified BEGe detectors obtain these capabilities due to their low-capacitance “point-contact” electrode configuration. Modified BEGes are also the only point-contact design fabricated on a commercial basis. We have deployed a modified BEGe, named “MALBEK” in a low-background cryostat and shield in the Kimballton Underground Research Facility, located in Ripplemead, Virginia at a depth of 1450 meters water equivalent. We will focus on detector characteristics, data acquisition, and analysis techniques used with MALBEK.
Glycemic control and lipid outcomes in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes

Background The incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in children has increased dramatically. However, limited published information is known about the glycemic control and lipid outcomes in pediatric T2DM outside of clinical trials. Objectives To determine the glycemic control and lipid measure outcomes at one and three- year follow-up in children with T2DM. Methods A retrospective electronic medical record review of children with T2DM at the Children’s Hospital of Alabama over a 12-year period. Results There were 301 patients with a diagnosis of T2DM who had a 1-year follow-up visit, of which 184 also had a 3-year follow-up. Most patients (78%) received either insulin with metformin or insulin alone at diagnosis. At one year, 37% of the cohort achieved ‘optimal glycemic control’ (HbA1C ≤6.5%) and 58% of patients achieved durable glycemic control (HbA1C ≤8%). Optimal glycemic control was seen in 48 patients at 3 years. The patients treated with insulin (alone or in combination with metformin) tended to have higher HbA1C at diagnosis, but had improved lipid and glycemic outcomes at follow-up. The group treated with insulin along with metformin had significant improvements in non-HDL, HDL and TC/HDL ratios. The effects of insulin treatment on glycemic control at 3 years were not statistically significant. Conclusion With the current modality of treatment, only a minority of patients achieve optimal glycemic control at 1 and 3 years of follow-up. Studies are warranted to further elucidate the optimal therapies in the management of pediatric T2DM.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Women’s Sport: Injuries, Manipulations, and Aberrations

Abstract For many female athletes, serious pursuit of athletics occurs nearly at the same age as menarche and activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. For much of their athletic careers, these athletes are exposed to normal physiologic changes that accompany their menstrual cycles — which can affect their comfort during training and competition — and the regular underlying hormonal shifts throughout the menstrual cycle. Different hormone levels between women and men have been hypothesized to play a role in injury risk, particularly anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. This review serves as a primer on the HPG axis for athletes, coaches, caretakers, and physicians to understand basic physiology of the HPG axis, injuries affected by the HPG axis, purposeful manipulation of the HPG axis, and identification of improper function of the HPG axis.
X-ray diffraction structure of Re2(CO)8[(Z)-Ph2PCH=CHPPh2]. Proof for diphosphine ligation across the Re–Re bond

Treatment of either Re2(CO)8(μ-H)(μ-η1,η2-CH=CHBu) or Re2(CO)8(MeCN)2 with the unsaturated diphosphine ligand (Z)-Ph2PCH=CHPPh2 gives the known bridging phosphine compound Re2(CO)8[(Z)-Ph2PCH=CHPPh2]. The solid-state structure of Re2(CO)8[(Z)-Ph2PCH=CHPPh2] was established by X-ray diffraction analysis, which confirmed the attachment of the diphosphine ligand to each rhenium center. Re2(CO)8[(Z)-Ph2PCH=CHPPh2] crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P42bc, a = 18.054(2) A, c = 22.289(4) A, V = 7265(2) A3, Z = 8, and dcalc = 1.900. The two Re(CO)4 units that are tethered by the diphosphine ligand exhibit a staggered rotational geometry.
Turbulent mixing in supercritical jets: effect of compressibility factor and inflow condition

Fuel injection and turbulent mixing at supercritical pressures determines ignition and combustion in numerous engineering applications. Flow evolution under such conditions is characterized by strong non-linear coupling between dynamics, transport coefficients, and thermodynamics. Experimental studies observe that the jets injected at supercritical pressures exhibit significantly different dynamics from the jets at subcritical conditions, owing to the lack of distinct liquid and gas phases in supercritical state. Thus, the averaged flow quantities such as the potential core length, jet spatial growth rate and velocity decay profiles differ in the two conditions, resulting in different mixed-fluid distributions. In this study, turbulent jet direct numerical simulations (DNS) are performed to examine the variations in flow statistics between injection of Nitrogen (N₂) in Nitrogen (N₂) at both subcritical (perfect-gas) and supercritical conditions. In all cases, isothermal round jets at Reynolds number (Re_{D}), based on jet diameter (D) and jet orifice velocity (U₀), of 5000 are considered. For mixing analyses, a passive scalar transported with the flow is examined.
Pectoralis muscle area is associated with bone mineral density and lung function in lung transplant candidates.

Loss of bone mineral density and skeletal muscle area are linked in lung transplant patients. This loss is greater in patients with restrictive compared with obstructive lung diseases. Sarcopenia and osteoporosis are associated with aging and chronic illnesses and may be linked in patients with advanced lung disease. Pectoralis muscle index (PMI) quantitated on computed tomography (CT) of the chest can be used to measure skeletal muscle mass. This study aimed to determine the relationship of PMI to clinical parameters including bone mineral density (BMD) in candidates for lung transplantation. A retrospective review of transplant candidates at a single center was performed. Demographic, anthropomorphic, and clinical data were recorded. Pectoralis muscle area (PMA) was determined on an axial slice from a chest CT. PMI was calculated as the PMA divided by height squared. BMD was obtained from routine dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan. In 226 included patients, mean PMI was 8.2 ± 3.0 cm2/m2 in males and 6.1 ± 2.1 cm2/m2 in females. Osteopenia was present in 44.4%, and 23.2% of patients had osteoporosis. Patients with obstructive lung disease had lower body mass index (22.0 ± 4.9 versus 27.9 ± 4.9 kg/m2, p < 0.001), PMI (6.0 ± 2.3 versus 8.2 ± 2.8 cm2/m2, p < 0.001), and BMD (− 2.3 ± 1.1 versus − 1.3 ± 1.1, p < 0.001) compared with patients with restrictive lung disease. PMI was a significant predictor of BMD (β = 0.16, p < 0.001). The association between muscle area and BMD in lung transplant candidates suggests that similar mechanisms may underlie the development of both. Differences in PMI and BMD in patients with obstructive versus restrictive lung disease may result from differences in respiratory physiology or disease processes.
The Effect of Spatially and Temporally Modulated Plasma Actuation on Cylinder Wake

The wake of a circular cylinder was forced with a temporally modulated and spatially segmented dielectric-barrier-discharge plasma actuator. The temporal modulation was achieved by modulating the a...
Turbulence and Coral Reefs.

The interaction of coral reefs, both chemically and physically, with the surrounding seawater is governed, at the smallest scales, by turbulence. Here, we review recent progress in understanding tu...
Domesticating Foreign Finance

More than a decade after the 2008 financial crisis, U.S. policymakers still have not adequately addressed one of the primary causes of the crash: foreign banks. When foreign banks first entered the United States fifty years ago, they specialized in traditional banking products like loans and deposit accounts. Over time, however, foreign banks shifted to a riskier strategy focused on speculative capital markets investments and fueled by volatile short-term debt. This novel business model created vulnerabilities for the U.S. financial system, as became clear when Deutsche Bank, Barclays, UBS, and other foreign banks accelerated the 2008 crisis. This Article contends that while foreign banks’ role in the U.S. financial system has changed dramatically over time, the U.S. regulatory framework has not kept pace. After the financial crisis, policymakers tried to rein in foreign banks by regulating some of their U.S. offices directly, rather than deferring to home country authorities. Foreign banks, however, have largely evaded these reforms by shifting billions of dollars in assets to lightly-regulated U.S. branches — a classic case of regulatory arbitrage. This Article asserts that foreign banks continue to pose risks to the U.S. financial system, threatening a recurrence of the Great Recession. Accordingly, this Article recommends an alternative regulatory approach — namely, mandatory subsidiarization of foreign bank branches — that would better safeguard foreign banks’ U.S. operations, consistent with longstanding international regulatory norms.
Why Not Try the Carrot - A Modest Proposal to Grant Immunity to Lawyers Who Disclose Client Financial Misconduct

If the legal profession is serious about attorney disclosure of client financial misconduct, it must address the costs disclosure creates for lawyers who blow the whistle. Taking costs into account offers a more complete picture of the economic incentives and disincentives faced by lawyers who must decide whether to disclose financial scams. I offer a proposal to address these costs and encourage lawyers to disclose more frequently: states and the federal government should grant immunity from civil, criminal, and administrative liability to the first participant in a financial scam to disclose the scam, whether a lawyer, accountant, another professional, or even the client itself.
Rare earth element distributions in the Arabian Sea reveal the influence of redox processes within the oxygen deficient zone

Abstract The Arabian Sea is a dynamic system driven by intense monsoon cycling, water mass interactions, and a persistent oxygen deficient zone (ODZ). It has been an area of much interest due to high primary productivity with the potential to act as a major source of climatically important gases, nitrous oxide and dimethylsulfide, and a sink for fixed nitrogen. Trace metal geochemistry is influenced by complex physics and biology within the Arabian Sea, and by inputs from continental margins that surround it on three sides. Rare earth elements (REE) and manganese have been studied on a transect through the Arabian Sea during the southwest monsoon in 2007. Fractionation within the REE series (especially cerium) and comparison with manganese and previously published iron data show the importance of redox gradients within the ODZ and transport from the continental margin. Shale-normalized patterns of the entire series reveal the importance of aeolian deposition, but also reveal that some dust may have been significantly altered by weathering before deposition, with important implications for other metals. Hydrographic data, a slightly positive europium anomaly, and Fe and Mn data give evidence for hydrothermal input from the Gulf of Aden. Interactions between the hydrothermally-derived, shelf-driven, and aeolian deposition inputs make it difficult to ascertain the inputs directly, but there is supporting evidence for all three.
On the Feasibility of 3D Model-Based Forensic Height and Weight Estimation

Forensic DNA analysis has been critical in prosecuting crimes and overturning wrongful convictions. At the same time, other physical and digital forensic identification techniques—used to link a suspect to a crime scene— are plagued with problems of accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility. Flawed forensic science can have devastating consequences – the National Registry of Exonerations identified that flawed forensic techniques contribute to almost a quarter of wrongful convictions in the United States. Even some of the most basic, general-purpose forensic techniques for measuring a person’s height and weight are unreliable. We propose using recent advances in 3D body-pose estimation to estimate height and weight from a single, unconstrained image. The reliability of this method is assessed using large-scale simulations and an in-the-wild dataset, bounding the expected accuracy with which height and weight can be estimated, and providing a road map for further improvements.
Inhibition of in vitro starch digestion by ascorbyl palmitate and its inclusion complex with starch

Abstract Since starch is the major energy source of the human diet, retarding starch digestion could serve as an effective way for modulating glycemic response and for the prevention and treatment of obesity. In this study, a dietary bioactive compound, ascorbyl palmitate (AP), was evaluated as a potential inhibitor in the digestion of raw, cooked, and retrograded high amylose maize starch (HAMS) and potato starch (PS). The inhibitory effect of AP was compared with that of palmitic acid (PA), without the ascorbyl group. In addition, HAMS inclusion complexes with AP and PA were formed and treated by annealing (ANN), acid hydrolysis (ACH), and the combination of both. Upon the addition of AP, the resistant starch (RS) contents in raw, cooked, and retrograded starches were increased significantly, indicating the inhibitory effect of AP against starch digestion. Although both HAMS-AP and HAMS-PA inclusion complexes exhibited minimal RS contents, all the hydrothermal treatments enhanced the RS contents in both inclusion complexes, marking their potential to serve as a new type of RS, i.e., RS5. Among the treatments, ANN followed by ACH (ANN-ACH) was most effective to retard starch digestion by increasing RS contents. The study findings could have practical implications in designing functional starch-based ingredients and increasing their nutritional value.
Statistical Considerations for Patient Selection and Triggers for Intervention in Active Surveillance

The decision whether to refer a prostate cancer patient for curative therapy, or consider active surveillance, depends on the answer to the question: if I do not treat this patient right now, what is the chance that, next time I evaluate him, his cancer will have progressed to become incurable? This is pretty much exclusively a statistical prediction problem. In the case of active surveillance, the endpoint for prediction research is highly problematic. From a research standpoint, the ideal design would be to follow patients without treatment and then see which patients die from disease. Yet to do so would obviate the rationale for active surveillance, which is to follow patients carefully and to cross them to active treatment at the first sign of disease progression. Accordingly, it is disease progression that is typically the endpoint in active surveillance studies. But not only is progression a surrogate endpoint, but predictors for progression can also become criteria for progression, leading to circular reasoning. The best example is PSA velocity: if patients are defined as progressing if their PSA rises above 10 ng/ml, then patients with a greater PSA velocity at baseline are more likely to progress. It would be unsound on this basis to suggest that men with high PSA velocity are not eligible for active surveillance. Criteria for active surveillance can be based on long-term cohort studies of prostate cancer patients followed to death. In particular, it need not matter whether these patients receive treatment (such as radical prostatectomy) or are managed conservatively (even if this is without an active surveillance approach). This is because risk factors are unlikely to change dramatically depending on treatment. Indeed, the results from such studies are consistent. Grade is strongly associated with the risk of prostate cancer death, stage somewhat less so; age moderates this association due to competing risks of death; PSA is only predictive if it is very high; and PSA kinetics have little or no important predictive contribution. That said, it is clear that grade, stage, and age are less than perfect predictors of prostate cancer outcome. Future research on active surveillance should follow some simple principles: separate the predictor and the endpoint, choose clear decision points, specificity may be more of a problem than sensitivity, collaborate and share data, and focus on clinical rather than statistical significance.
Altruism, Selfishness, and Destructiveness on the Social Web

Many online communities are emerging that, like Wikipedia, bring people together to build community-maintained artifacts of lasting value (CALVs). What is the nature of people's participation in building these repositories? What are their motives? In what ways is their behavior destructive instead of constructive? Motivating people to contribute is a key problem because the quantity and quality of contributions ultimately determine a CALV's value. We pose three related research questions: 1) How does intelligent task routing--matching people with work--affect the quantity of contributions? 2) How does reviewing contributions before accepting them affect the quality of contributions? 3) How do recommender systems affect the evolution of a shared tagging vocabulary among the contributors? We will explore these questions in the context of existing CALVs, including Wikipedia, Facebook, and MovieLens.
Electric dichroism of DNA. Influence of the ionic environment on the electric polarizability.

Abstract In order to test the diffuse ion atmosphere polarization model recently developed by us. the effects of ionic strength, titrating with Mg2+ and CO(NH)63+, and coion charge on the electric polarizability of short fragments of DNA are investigated. The results are consistent with the predictions of the theory and show that the diffuse ion atmosphere polarization contributes significantly to the overall orientation of DNA. At low ionic strengths, we attempt to separate the total dipole moment into two components: one that agrees well with the Debye-Huckel ion atmosphere calculations, while the other, presumably due to condensed counlerion polarization, appears to be substantially independent of the ionic strength. At higher salt concentrations. however, a simple separation into dipole components is not possible, perhaps due to a significant coupling of ion flows between the diffuse atmosphere and the condensed counterion layer.
The Acquisition of Physical Knowledge in Infancy: A Summary in Eight Lessons

As adults we possess a great deal of knowledge about the physical world. For example, we realize that an object continues to exist when placed behind a nearer object, that a wide object can be lowered inside a wide but not a narrow container, and that an object typically falls when released in midair. Piaget (1954) was the first researcher to examine whether infants, like adults, hold expectations about physical events. Analyses of infants’ responses in various object-manipulation tasks led him to conclude that, during the first year of life, infants possess very little physical knowledge. For the next several decades, this conclusion was generally accepted (for reviews of this early research, see Bremner, 1985; Gratch, 1976; Harris, 1987; and Schubert, 1983). This state of affairs began to change in the 1980s, however, when evidence obtained with novel, more sensitive tasks revealed that even young infants hold at least limited expectations about physical events (e.g., Baillargeon, 1986; Baillargeon, Spelke, & Wasserman, 1985; Baillargeon & Graber, 1987; Diamond, 1985; Hood & Willatts, 1986; Leslie, 1982, 1984; Pieraut-Le Bonniec, 1985; Spelke & Kestenbaum, 1986). In subsequent years, researchers began to explore many new facets of infants’ physical knowledge, bringing to light new competences and developments (e.g., Arterberry, 1993; Clifton, Rochat, Litovsky, & Perris, 1991; Diamond, 1991; Goubet & Clifton, 1998; Kotovsky & Baillargeon, 1994; Lecuyer, 1993; Needham & Baillargeon, 1993; Oakes & Cohen, 1990; Spelke, Breinlinger, Macomber, & Jacobson, 1992). Today, investigators generally agree (with a few notable exceptions: e.g., Bogartz, Shinskey, & Speaker, 1997;
Photoacoustic Tomography of Microcirculation

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT), a hybrid technology combining optical excitation and ultrasonic detection, senses functional or molecular optical absorption contrasts and enables highhresolution imaging as deep as the optical diffusive regime. PAT for labelhfree microvascular imaging is highly desirable because of the presence of hemoglobin as an endogenous chromophore. In this chapter, we first review two major embodiments of PAT (photoacoustic microscopy and photoacoustic computed tomography). Then, we introduce methods for in vivo quantification of total hemoglobin concentration, blood oxygenation, and blood flow. After that, we show a few recent biomedical applications, including angiogenesis monitoring, brain and ocular imaging, and in vivo detection of circulating tumor cells. We end by summarizing the current status of microvascular applications of PAT and proposing several future research directions.
Easychair as a pedagogical tool engaging graduate students in the reviewing process

One of the more important aims of graduate artificial intelligence courses is to prepare graduate students to critically evaluate the current literature. The established approaches for this include either asking a student to present a paper in class, or to have the entire class read and discuss a paper. However, neither of these approaches presents incentives for student participation beyond the posting of a single summary or review. In this paper, we describe a class project that uses the popular Easychair conference management system as a pedagogical tool to enable engagement in the peer review process. We report on the deployment of this project in a medium- sized graduate AI class, and present the results of this deployment. We hope that the success of this project in engaging students in the peer review process can be used better train and bolster the future corps of AI reviewers.
SPIN POLARIZATION OF ELECTRONS TUNNELING FROM FILMS OF Fe, Co, Ni, AND Gd.

The spin polarization of electrons tunneling from films of Fe, Co, Ni, and Gd to superconducting Al films is determined from conductance measurements. The phenomenological theory of superconducting-normal-metal tunneling is modified to describe superconducting-ferro-magnetic tunneling in a magnetic field. The experimental technique and the method of analysis of the conductance curves to obtain the electron polarization are both described. The observed polarization is positive (majority spin direction predominating) for all the metals; the values obtained were Fe, +44%; Co, +34%; Ni, +11%; and Gd, +4.3%.
Solution conformation of ferricytochrome c-551 from Pseudomonas stutzeri substrain ZoBell.

Abstract The main chain protons and the majority of side chain protons have been assigned for the ferric form ofPseudomonas stutzerisubstrain ZoBell (American Type Culture Collection 14405) cytochrome c-551. The chemical shifts were compared to those for the ferrous protein to determine the pseudocontact shift contribution. These observed values were compared to contributions calculated from the atomic coordinates of the ferrous cytochrome and an optimized effective room temperature g-tensor centered on the paramagnetic ferric iron. The agreement between observed and calculated values indicates that the conformations of the two forms are highly similar.