cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex and emotional responses to classical music.

Musical selections have been found to evoke definite types of emotional and mood change reactions from listeners (Hevner, 1934; Capurso, 1948; Shatin, 1970). Comparisons of the responses of men and women to music, however, seem very limited. Breger ( 1970) compared the affective responses of men and women to music and other complex sounds and found that men and women rated sounds similarly in pleasantness. Since men typically score lower on musical aptitude tests and generally show less interest in and esthetic appreciation for music (Anastasi, 1958) than women it seems likely that these differences might lead to a sex difference in emotional responsiveness to music. The influence of sex differences and familiarity with music on positive vs negative emotional responses to selections of classical music was examined. Thirty men and 30 women who were not music majors but were enrolled in a music literature course served as Ss. Each was asked to indicate how familiar they were with classical music and to indicate whether each of four recorded musical selections played for them was srimulating, triumphant, and joyous or nor (from Capurso, 1948). Ss marked their responses during a 2-min. waiting period between the playing of each of the selections. The numbers of reports of "stimulating, triumphant, and joyous" were tabulated, as was the distribution of self-reported familiarity with classical music. Chi square analysis of the distribution of positive responses ro the music as a function of sex and familiarity indicated reliable difference~ from a chance distribution of positive responses (X2 = 14.37, df = 2, p < .Dl). Men reported less familiarity with classical music than did women, and women reported more positive responses to music than did men. However, men with low familiarity with music reported more positive responses than men with high familiarity with music while women with low familiarity with music reported fewer positive responses than women with high familiarity with music. The data suggest that, while sex and familiarity seem to affect positive responses to music, there may also be an interaction between sex and familiarity.
Speaking ‘Bach’: Strategies of alienation and intimacy in Straub-Huillet's Chronik der Anna Magadelena Bach/Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1968)

The voice of the female narrator provides a counter-discourse that both troubles and disturbs the documentary truth that the combination of text and ‘authentic’ music promises in Straub-Huillet's C...
Relationships of glands, cotton square terpenoid aldehydes, and other allelochemicals to larval growth of Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae)

Female moths of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), oviposit in terminals of the cotton plant, Gossypium hirsutum (L.). The hatched larvae feed in the terminal area, then migrate to small squares (buds) where they feed and finally burrow into and feed on the anthers, where they grow rapidly. They attempt to avoid feeding on gossypol glands during the first 48 h after hatching. When tobacco bud worm neonate larvae were fed squares of highly glanded lines, growth was decreased by 25–75%. The number of glands in calyx and bract tissues of squares of resistant lines was significantly higher than in susceptible lines. The difference was greatest in the calyx crown where the ratio in resistant to susceptible lines was 10–20 fold. The calyx crown of highly glanded resistant lines also was high in terpenoid aldehydes. High pressure liquid chromatography data showed that the gossypol content of susceptible and resistant glanded lines is equal, whereas three other terpenoid aldehydes, hemigossypolone and heliocides H1 and H2, are greatly increased in resistant lines, and they are presumably more closely associated with resistance.
A Comparative Study of the Kinematic Techniques of Elite Female 20 km Race Walkers in China and Foreign Countries

The purpose of this study was to analyze the technique characteristics and difference between Chinese female race walkers and other countries' walkers,and to provide kinematic parameters for Chinese race walkers. This paper analyzed the technique characteristics of elite female 20 km race walkers from 2014 world cup by using the methods of literature review,high speed video-photogrammetric technique and comparative approach. The results showed that the technique characteristics of Chinese female walkers have the following problems. 1) The stride length of Chinese female race walkers' is still shorter than world-class walkers' although it's improved,and it's imbalanced between both legs. 2) The stride length and the stride frequency of Chinese female race walkers are not overall efficient,and the centre-of-mass velocity of Chinese walkers was slower than the world-class walkers'. 3)The stretching range of Chinese female walkers' ankle angle is smaller than the foreign race walkers'. 4) Chinese female walkers had less flight time foul than the world-class walkers. 5) Chinese female walkers have smaller upper limb swing range and slower upper and lower limbs swing speed. 6) The straight leg swing technique of world-class female walkers especially female Russian walkers is better than Chinese woman walkers'. Conclusions: There are certain gaps of stride length,stride frequency,ankle's stretching angle,swinging range of upper and lower limbs between Chinese elite 20 km female race walkers and other elite walkers in foreign countries,but Chinese elite female race walkers had better flight time technique than the foreigners. This study suggested that Chinese elite 20 km female race walkers should improve their key sports techniques such as the swinging range of upper and lower limbs,stride length and stride frequency and so on.
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

La peritonite bacterienne spontanee (PBS) est une infection de l'ascite du cirrhotique. Elle est tres frequente et peut parfois etre reliee a une cause bien definie. Le pronostic est grave. Le diagnostic est fait par l'examen de l'ascite. Si la coloration au Gram est positive et/ou le nombre de polynucleaires dans l'ascite est superieur a 250/mm 3 , on demontre immediatement la cefotoxine I.V. Un nouvel examen est pratique au bout de 40 heures. Le traitement doit etre suspendu si le diagnostic est rejete ou poursuivi 10 a 14 jours si le diangostic est suspect ou certain
The Effects of Oral Altrenogest on Hormonal, Testicular, and Behavioral Profiles of Two-Year-Old Stallions121Funding for this project was provided by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Association. Research was conducted in accordance with TTU ACUC # 9872. TTU CASNR manuscript T-R-404.2The authors would like to acknowledge C. Guay, D. Johnson, and H. Vartorella for their assistance with the project.

Abstract Altrenogest is frequently administered to young stallions in the equine industry as an off-label use to suppress sexual/aggressive behavior. In this study, 2-yr-old Quarter Horse stallions in early-performance training were administered altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg BW daily) to determine the effects on sexual/aggressive behavior, testicular parameters, and steroid hormone profiles. Horses were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 5) and control (n = 5) groups. The treatment group was administered a daily oral dose of 0.044 mg/kg BW daily for 67 d; the control group was given a daily oral sham dose of corn oil for 67 d. No significant differences were found between treatment groups in BW or body condition scores. Altrenogest had no effect on any behavioral parameters or seminal parameters measured. Averages of total scrotal width (TSW) were lower (P
Spirit: The Timekeeper

The will to live is considered to be one of the basic drives in man; some health professionals believe that it plays an important role in one’s chances for survival and increased longevity. In essence spirit gives life to our personhood. Some health professionals believe that spirit is important in maintaining good health and in coping with illness. Spirit can be supported and strengthened outside of a person, but the essence of spirit cannot be rehabilitated or replaced since it is the basis of our personhood. Spirit is our reason for living. It is our timekeeper.
Development of a novel ex vivo equine corneal model.

Objective To develop an ex vivo equine corneal organ culture model. Specifically, to assess the equine cornea's extracellular matrix and cellularity after 7 days using two different culture techniques: either (i) immersion system or (ii) air/liquid interface system, to determine the best ex vivo equine corneal model. Animals Studied Fourteen healthy equine corneas of various breeds. Procedures Equine corneas with 2 mm of perilimbal sclera were freshly harvested from 7 horses undergoing humane euthanasia. One corneal–scleral ring (CSR) from each horse was randomly placed in the (i) immersion condition organ culture system (IC), with the contralateral CSR being placed in the (ii) air/liquid interface organ culture system (ALC) for 7 days. All corneas were evaluated using serial daily gross photography, histology, qPCR, and TUNEL assay. Results corneal–scleral rings placed in the IC (i) had complete loss of corneal transparency on gross photography by 7 days, showed a significant level of corneal stromal disorganization, significantly increased α-SMA levels on qPCR, and apoptosis on TUNEL assay compared to controls. The ALC (ii) had weak stromal disorganization on histopathologic examination and was not significantly different from normal equine corneal controls on all other evaluated parameters. Conclusions The air–liquid interface organ culture system maintains the equine cornea's extracellular matrix and preserves corneal transparency, while the immersion condition results in near complete degradation of normal equine corneal architecture after 7 days in culture. The air–liquid organ culture is a viable option to maintain a healthy equine cornea in an ex vivo setting for wound healing studies.
Film: Visual Literacy

People who write about movies have traditionally referred to the conventions of cinematic representation—such things as low-angle shots, fade-outs, or flashbacks—as the “language” of film. Does the ability to understand this language require previous experience? Or, to put this question differently, would a “naive” viewer, someone who had never seen a movie before, be able to make any sense of his or her first encounter with this medium? The term visual literacy, popular among media scholars, reflects the widely held belief that the comprehension of cinematic conventions is indeed an acquired skill, comparable to fluency in reading or writing. In contemporary film scholarship, this belief is based largely on an extrapolation from the work of such writers as E. H. Gombrich regarding the cross-cultural variability of pictorial conventions. This body of literature is commonly assumed to have shown that any perceived similarity between pictures and the things they represent is simply the result of viewers’ unwitting assimilation of the representational standards of a particular culture or historical period. Consequently, it is argued, the ability to connect a picture to its intended referent must depend on prior familiarity with the conventions employed in that picture. As far as film is concerned, this argument has occasionally been supported by stories about misinterpretations reportedly experienced by early-twentieth-century filmgoers or other inexperienced viewers. Disciplines Communication | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Visual Studies This book chapter is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/453 Walton, Kendall. "Transparent Pictures: On the Nature of Photographic Realism." Critical Inquiry 11, no. 2 (December 1984): 246-277. Wartenberg, Thomas, and Murray Smith, eds. "Thinking through Cinema." Special issue, Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 64, no. 1 (Winter 2006). Wilson, George. Seeing Ficti'ons in Film. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.
Adrenal function in cats with cholestatic liver disease

Cats with cholestatic liver disease experience significant morbidity and mortality when they undergo invasive procedures under anesthesia. Although inadequate adrenal response might account for the...
Die klinische Pharmakologie neuer Benzylisochinolin-Diester-Verbindungen Unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Cisatracurium und Mivacurium

The benzylisochinoline muscle relaxants have a highly selective affinity to the motor endplate which is associated with an absence of autonomic side effects such as ganglionic and vagus block. The requirement of only low clinical doses also reduces histamine liberation. Muscle relaxants with high neuromuscular blocking potency have a slow onset. Both atracurium and cisatracurium undergo Hofmann-Elimination in the plasma whereas mivacurium is hydrolyzed by pseudocholinesterase. The difference in kinetics between these pathways render atracurium and cisatracurium muscle relaxants of intermediate duration of action while mivacurium is short acting. Cisatracurium, one of the ten stereoisomeres of atracurium, is 3 to 4 times as potent as atracurium, does not release histamine, has no cardiovascular side effects and, due to the small clinical doses resulting from its high neuromuscular blocking potency, produces only negligible quantities of laudanosine. Its ED95 is 0.05 mg/kg. Good intubation conditions can be expected within 1.5 to 2 min following 3- to 4-times the ED95. Thereafter is takes about 65 min for T1 to recover to 25% of control. Maintenance doses of 0.02 to 0.04 mg/kg have a duration of action of 15 to 20 min. An infusion of cisatracurium of 1.0 to 2.0 mcg/kg/min, is adequate to maintain a 90 to 95% neuromuscular block. The time of recovery is largely independent on the total dose of cisatracurium administered by either repeated injection or infusion. Mivacurium is a racemate of 3 stereoisomeres of which the trans-trans- and the cis-trans-compound account for 95% of the neuromuscular blocking effect. In adults the ED95 is 0.08 mg/kg. The ensuing recovery of T1 to 25% of control is about 15 min. Rapid injection of 3xED95 may transiently lower the arterial blood pressure and may produce skin flushing in an incidence of 30 to 40%. Larger doses should be injected slowly with 30 to 60 s. The onset of mivacurium neuromuscular block following 3xED95 is relatively slow (2 min). Maintenance doses of 0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg have a duration of action of 5 to 10 min. A 95% neuromuscular block may be maintained by an infusion of 3 to 12 micrograms/kg/min. The time of recovery does not depend on the total cumulative dose given by either repeated injection or by infusion. The duration of mivacurium neuromuscular block may be drastically prolonged in the presence of low or atypical plasmacholinesterase. Both neostigmine and edrophonium are suitable reversal agents. None of the presently available benzylisochinoline muscle relaxants has the potential to completely replace succinylcholine.
Treating Peripheral Artery Disease in the Wake of Rising Costs and Protracted Length of Stay.

Background There has been growing scrutiny in the treatment of patients with peripheral artery disease due to the utilization of resources to manage this complex patient population. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with prolonged length of stay (LOS > 7 days) following lower extremity bypass using data from the Vascular Quality Initiative as well as to define the additional costs incurred due to prolonged LOS in our health system. Methods Summary statistics were performed of patients undergoing lower extremity bypass from 2010 to 2015. Student's t-tests and χ2 tests were performed to compare those with and without prolonged LOS. Multivariable logistic regression was then performed to determine the independent predictors for increased LOS. We then compared our institutional LOS with that of representative institutions from the University Health System Consortium and evaluated the impact of prolonged LOS on limb salvage and survival. Results This study included 334 patients with a mean age of 66.4 ± 12.4 years, 64.7% males, 58.5% of white race, 11.1% on dialysis, 80.5% smokers, and 53.6% with diabetes. The mean LOS was 15.7 ± 12.2 days. Prolonged LOS was associated with transfer (15.4% vs. 2.3%, P = 0.001), diabetes (58.3% vs. 40.2%, P = 0.004), critical limb ischemia (71.3% vs. 49.4%, P 7 days. Prolonged hospital stays accounted for an additional $40,561.64 in total cost and $26,028 in direct costs incurred. Despite these increased costs, limb salvage and overall survival were not adversely impacted in the prolonged LOS group in follow-up. Conclusions Lower extremity bypass is associated with a longer than expected LOS in our health system, much of which can be attributed to return to the OR for minor amputations and wound issues. This led to added total and direct costs, where the majority of this increase was attributable to prolonged LOS. Limb salvage and overall survival were preserved, however, in this subset of patients in follow-up. These findings suggest that lower extremity bypass patients are a resource-intensive population of patients, but that these costs are worthwhile in the setting of preserved limb salvage and overall survival.
Getting Workers to Do More by Doing Good: Field Experimental Evidence

Corporate philanthropy is a prevalent business practice, yet whether and how it adds value to the firm remain topics of debate. This paper uses randomized field experiments in two online labor mark...
Stroboscopic photography as a research instrument.

(1975). Stroboscopic Photography as a Research Instrument. Research Quarterly. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 256-261.
Where There’s Wildfire, There’s Smoke

Where There’s Wildfire, There’s Smoke When catastrophic wildfires come near populated urban areas, as recently occurred in California, many people are exposed to relatively high levels of smoke. How should physicians advise patients and the public when they’re facing poor air quality due to wildfire smoke?
Making Computer Design a Science Instead of an Art

Computer architecture has evolved much like the architecture of buildings: we try some things, they either work or do not work very well, and a few established experts develop a “feel” for the choices to be made. As Connection Machine architect Danny Hillis has complained, computer science does not teach us how to build better computers—at least, not the way physics teaches us how to build better engines or chemistry teaches us how to create better polymers.
Using Audience Physiology to Assess Engaging Conservation Messages and Animal Taxa

AbstractWe used heart rate change as a tool to study how positive and negative wildlife conservation messaging impacts a viewer, and which types of animal images stimulate greatest reaction. We used scenes from five wildlife conservation videos available from environmental organization websites and YouTube, with positive and negative messaging. We found both very positive and very negative messaging in videos may be similarly effective in engaging viewers. A trend in greater changes in heart rate when insects, mammals, and birds appear on the screen suggests generally high human interest in these taxa, potentially due to avoidance and attraction responses. The number of scenes (N = 54) in which various taxa appear reflects bias toward mammals (65%) and birds (17%) to capture viewers’ attention. Arousal is a primary step in engaging an audience to attend to a message. Physiological research offers innovative new techniques to evaluate public responses to communications about biodiversity conservation.
Genetic identification of a novel NeuroD1 function in the early differentiation of islet α, PP and ε cells

Nkx2.2 and NeuroD1 are vital for proper differentiation of pancreatic islet cell types. Nkx2.2-null mice fail to form β cells, have reduced numbers of α and PP cells, and display an increase in ghrelin-producing e cells. NeuroD1-null mice display a reduction of α and β cells after embryonic day (e) 17.5. To begin to determine the relative contributions of Nkx2.2 and NeuroD1 in islet development, we generated Nkx2.2−/−;NeuroD1−/− double knockout (DKO) mice. As expected, the DKO mice fail to form β cells, similar to the Nkx2.2-null mice, suggesting that the Nkx2.2 phenotype may be dominant over the NeuroD1 phenotype in the β cells. Surprisingly, however, the α, PP and e phenotypes of the Nkx2.2-null mice are partially rescued by the simultaneous elimination of NeuroD1, even at early developmental time points when NeuroD1 null mice alone do not display a phenotype. Our results indicate that Nkx2.2 and NeuroD1 interact to regulate pancreatic islet cell fates, and this epistatic relationship is cell-type dependent. Furthermore, this study reveals a previously unappreciated early function of NeuroD1 in regulating the specification of α, PP and e cells.
Sivers Function in the Quasi-Classical Approximation

In this brief article we summarize the derivation of the Sivers function of a heavy nucleus, which we obtain by generalizing the quasi-classical McLerran-Venugopalan model to incorporate the role of spin and orbital angular momentum. In doing so we obtain a new channel which is capable of generating the Sivers function of the nucleus from the orbital motion of its nucleons. An essential role is played in this channel by the multiple rescatterings on spectator nucleons which screen the distribution function during the initial- or final-state interactions. The combination of orbital angular momentum together with multiple rescattering yields a new interpretation of the sign flip relation between the Sivers function measured in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering and the Drell-Yan process.
Atomistic simulations of dipole tilt wall stability in thin films

Abstract In this work, we use molecular statics to study the stability of a pair of symmetric dipole tilt walls in Cu thin films. Two geometric wall parameters, the dislocation spacing and wall separation distance, are varied in the calculations. We find that even closely spaced dipole walls can be stabilized in a thin film under no applied strain, and with this insight, develop a stability map that identifies the regime of maximum dislocation spacing and minimum wall separation for which dipole walls can reside in the film. In addition, we show that a critical in-plane tensile strain exists that can destabilize the dipole walls and transition the film to a wall-free state. The simulations reveal that the wall recovery process occurs by sequentially annihilating alternating pairs of dipole dislocations rather than sudden, simultaneous annihilation of an entire wall. Dipole wall stability is rationalized based on a substantial enhancement in the Peierls barrier of the wall dislocations due to the reorientation of the lattice between the walls and narrowing of their intrinsic stacking faults, two effects that have atomic-scale origins.
The Subacute Toxicity of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and/or Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Legacy Aqueous Film-Forming Foams to Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) Chicks.

As part of an effort to develop avian ecotoxicity information for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) associated with aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used by the Department of Defense, the subacute toxicity of PFOS, PFOA, PFOS + PFOA, 3M AFFF, and Ansul AFFF to Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) chicks was determined. Ten-day-old Japanese quail were administered treated feed for 5 d and then fed untreated feed for 18 d. Analyzed concentrations of PFOS, PFOA, and PFOS + PFOA ranged from 62 to 1955, 162 to 1208, and 43 + 45 to 296 + 292 mg kg feed-1 . Analyzed concentrations of PFOS in feed containing the 3M AFFF ranged from 73 to 1399 mg kg feed-1 , and formulated concentrations of 6:2 fluorotelomer thioamido sulfonate in feed containing the Ansul AFFF ranged from 9 to 1118 mg kg feed-1 . Average daily doses resulting in 50% mortality at day 5 were 38 (34-43), 68 (63-74), 55 (51-59), and 130 (103-164) mg PFOS, PFOA, PFOS + PFOA, and PFOS in 3M AFFF kg body weight-1 d-1 . Ansul AFFF did not result in any mortalities. Dietary concentrations resulting in 50% mortality at day 5 were 351 (275-450), 496 (427-575), 398 (339-468), and 467 (390-559) mg PFOS, PFOA, PFOS + PFOA, and PFOS in 3M AFFF kg feed-1 . Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:695-710. © 2020 SETAC.
Prognostic significance of microscopic size in peripherally located scar-associated clinical stage I lung carcinomas

Abstract Objectives Staging of non-small cell lung carcinoma associated with scar is not discussed in detail in the current American Joint Committee on Cancer staging manual. The recommendation is to include the scar area in the tumor size measurement unless the tumor represents a small focus at the edge of the scar. The aim of this study is to investigate if subtraction of the size of the central scar from the total gross size of surgically resected peripheral clinical stage I non-small cell lung carcinoma improves patient stratification into more accurate prognostic groups. Materials and methods Hematoxylin and eosin sections of 148 non-small cell lung carcinomas (98 adenocarcinomas and 50 squamous cell carcinomas) were reviewed, including 44 adenocarcinomas and 9 squamous cell carcinomas with scar and 54 adenocarcinomas and 41 squamous cell carcinomas without scar. The microscopic size of the invasive tumor component was determined after the average percentage of scar tissue was subtracted from the grossly measured tumor diameter. Manual results were compared to digital image analysis. Results Adenocarcinoma with scar were associated with better overall (80.5 % vs. 63.2 %, p = 0.026) and cancer specific survival (95.2 % vs. 73.3 %, p = 0.0053) when compared to adenocarcinoma without scar. Better cancer specific survival was observed in acinar and papillary predominant adenocarcinoma (95.8 % with scar vs. 67.8 % without scar, p = 0.01); while similar trend although not statistically significant was observed in adenocarcinomas with solid or micropapillary component. Using microscopic size, pathologic T stage was down-staged in 21 adenocarcinomas. Squamous cell carcinoma with or without scar did not show a difference in survival. Manual and quantitative image analysis showed strong correlation (r = 0.9769, p Conclusion Our study suggests that microscopic size of the invasive component in acinar and papillary predominant adenocarcinoma with scar might be a better predictor of survival than the total gross size.
Cumming to a screen near you: transmasculine and non-binary people in the camming industry

In pornographic industries, the transmasculine and non-binary genres are still regarded as a new and burgeoning niche. In this article, I examine the under-representation of transmasculine and non-...
Pipeline Programs Can Support Reforms in Medical Education: A Cohort Study of Alabama's Rural Health Leaders Pipeline to Engage Community Leaders

PURPOSE To demonstrate for county leaders the utility of rural pipelines to gain physicians and produce health professionals. METHODS This cohort study, 1993-2018, aggregated 1,051 students in the Rural Health Leaders Pipeline to their home counties (N = 67) to study the relationship between county participation in pipeline programs and outcomes of family physicians gained and health professionals produced. Additional county demographics were included. We conducted descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable linear regression analyses controlling for poverty, race, and rurality. FINDINGS All 67 Alabama counties participated with means of 9.6 Rural Health Scholars, 2.7 Rural Minority Health Scholars, 3.4 Rural Medical Scholars, 67% rural population, 29.7% Black population, and 21.5% under poverty. Best regression model for gaining family physicians included Rural Medical Scholars involved (b = 0.24, P < .001) with R2 0.30, indicating a county gained 1 family physician for 4 students. Best model for health professionals included Rural Health Scholars involved (b = 0.20, P < .001) with R2 0.31, indicating production of 1 health professional for 5 students. Best model for any professional included Rural Health Scholars involved (b = 0.23, P < .001) with R2 0.35, indicating 1 professional produced for 4 students. CONCLUSIONS Rural pipeline programs can be useful tools in medical education reform to benefit counties with the gain of family physicians and production of health professionals. Local public officials could use these findings, eg, 1 family physician gained for every 4 students a county involved in the pipeline, to advocate that health professional education employ such pipelines.
Neural control of virtual ego-motion enabled by an opportunistic decoding strategy

Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) for reaching have enjoyed continued performance improvements. Yet there remains significant need for BMIs that control other types of movement, including ego-motion through the world. Based on recent scientific findings, the class of decode algorithms employed by reach-based BMIs seems unlikely to generalize well. To examine this, we developed an ego-motion BMI based on cortical activity as monkeys cycled a hand-held pedal to progress along a virtual track. Unlike reaching, strong correlations between neural activity and kinematics were not present during cycling. We thus employed an opportunistic decode strategy that abandoned any notion of inverting encoding, and instead identified and leveraged dominant features of the population response. Online BMI-control success rates approached those during manual control. We argue that, in retrospect, reach-based BMIs succeeded by implicitly using opportunistic strategies, and that explicitly embracing that approach will be essential for expanding the range of BMI-controllable movements.
Osimertinib plus Ramucirumab: The Best of Both Worlds?

Both osimertinib and the combination of erlotinib plus ramucirumab are approved for initial therapy of advanced EGFR mutation–positive non–small cell lung cancer. Osimertinib is also approved in previously treated T790M mutation–positive patients. The accompanying article reports on a study combining osimertinib with ramucirumab. See related article by Yu et al., p. XXXX
A Submillimeter Michelson Interferometer with Frustrated-Total-Internal-Reflection Beamsplitter

An efficient beamsplitter for a Michelson interferometer can be made from a pair of 90° prisms, using the process of frustrated total internal reflection. The design, laboratory tests, and astronomical applications of such an interferometer are discussed.
The Environment and the Judiciary: A Need for Co-Operation for Reform?

In Section 9 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments, Congress authorized a study of the feasibility of establishing an environmental court which would have exclusive jurisdiction over environmental matters. This mandate was devoid of any hint as to the shape and functions of the proposed court, and made no attempt to define the contours of an "environmental issue". An examination of the legislative history of the Act is no more helpful in illuminating the Congressional intent. The study was carried out by the Land and Natural Resources Division of the Justice Department which, because of the absence of concrete guidelines and of a definition of an environmental issue in the statute, was given the responsibility for transforming the broad, abstract mandate into concrete form. Unfortunately, the study itself, although it does present guidelines for the court, never defines an environmental issue; and the lack of such a definition remains a central problem in understanding and analyzing the findings of the report.The remainder of this article will deal with the results of that study, summarizing the methods employed as well as the specific findings. Since the study does not recommend a separate environmental court as a solution, an alternative approach aimed at sharpening the contours of environmental law through education of the judiciary will be discussed briefly. It is not the aim of this article to present a full-blown conceptual alternative to the idea of an environmental court, but rather to suggest further areas for consideration.
Potential Bias and Misconceptions in Liver Transplantation for Alcohol- and Obesity-Related Liver Disease.

Introduction Bias and misconceptions surrounding alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and obesity-related liver disease (OLD) may lead to transplant listing inequities. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients, medical students, residents, fellows, and attending physicians for bias and misconceptions regarding liver transplantation (LT) for patients with ALD and OLD. Methods Participants took a survey asking them whether patients with ALD who continue/discontinue drinking alcohol or patients with OLD who do/do not commit to a weight loss program deserve equal LT rights. A Likert scale was used for their responses. Participants also estimated 5-year survival and advanced fibrosis recurrence after LT. The primary outcome of the study was bias measured by expected agreement or disagreement to questions using a Likert scale, significant underestimation of a 5-year survival rate after LT, and significant overestimation of 5-year advanced fibrosis recurrence after LT. Results A total of 381 participants were included in the analysis: 153 residents/fellows, 31 attending physicians, 98 medical students, and 99 patients. A higher percentage from all 4 participating groups either were neutral or disagreed with equal LT rights for patients with ALD who discontinue drinking compared with patients with OLD who commit to weight loss program. The attending physician group was the only group with a majority estimating >60% 5-year survival after LT in patients with ALD and OLD (P 20% 5-year advanced fibrosis recurrence in patients with ALD and OLD (P > 0.05). Discussion There seems to be current bias and misconceptions regarding LT for patients with ALD and OLD.
Integrated knowledge mining, genome-scale modeling, and machine learning for predicting Yarrowia lipolytica bioproduction

Abstract Predicting bioproduction titers from microbial hosts has been challenging due to complex interactions between microbial regulatory networks, stress responses, and suboptimal cultivation conditions. This study integrated knowledge mining, feature extraction, genome-scale modeling (GSM), and machine learning (ML) to develop a model for predicting Yarrowia lipolytica chemical titers (i.e., organic acids, terpenoids, etc.). First, Y. lipolytica production data, including cultivation conditions, genetic engineering strategies, and product information, was manually collected from literature (~100 papers) and stored as either numerical (e.g., substrate concentrations) or categorical (e.g., bioreactor modes) variables. For each case recorded, central pathway fluxes were estimated using GSMs and flux balance analysis (FBA) to provide metabolic features. Second, a ML ensemble learner was trained to predict strain production titers. Accurate predictions on the test data were obtained for instances with production titers >1 g/L (R2 = 0.87). However, the model had reduced predictability for low performance strains (0.01–1 g/L, R2 = 0.29) potentially due to biosynthesis bottlenecks not captured in the features. Feature ranking indicated that the FBA fluxes, the number of enzyme steps, the substrate inputs, and thermodynamic barriers (i.e., Gibbs free energy of reaction) were the most influential factors. Third, the model was evaluated on other oleaginous yeasts and indicated there were conserved features for some hosts that can be potentially exploited by transfer learning. The platform was also designed to assist computational strain design tools (such as OptKnock) to screen genetic targets for improved microbial production in light of experimental conditions.
Photoinduced Hydrocarboxylation via Thiol-Catalyzed Delivery of Formate Across Alkenes

Herein we disclose a new photochemical process to prepare carboxylic acids from formate salts and alkenes. This redox-neutral hydrocarboxylation proceeds in high yields across diverse functionalized alkene substrates with excellent regioselectivity. This operationally simple procedure can be readily scaled with low photocatalyst loading (0.01% photocatalyst) without the need for a flow reactor or any precautions to exclude air or moisture. Furthermore, this new reaction can leverage commercially available formate carbon isotologues to enable the direct synthesis of isotopically labeled carboxylic acids. Mechanistic studies support the working model involving a thiol-catalyzed radical chain process wherein the atoms from formate are delivered across the alkene substrate via CO2•– as a key reactive intermediate.
Status Epilepticus: It's Not What We've Thought or Taught

Status epilepticus has been defined as `seizures so severe as to constitute a fixed and lasting condition." Prevention of status epilepticus is one of the reasons given for administering anticonvulsant drugs to children. Because status epilepticus is widely believed to be capable of producing neurologic deficit, seizures are believed to require emergency treatment to prevent status epilepticus that might cause brain damage. However, when was the last time you saw a child with status epilepticus who died or had residual encephalopathy? Certainly, there was the child who nearly drowned; the drowning caused both damage to the brain and status epilepticus. I would attribute the residual brain damage to the drowning, not to the status epilepticus.
Use of cosmogenic 129I to constrain numerical models of fluid flow in marine sediments: Application to the Blake Ridge Hydrate Province

[1] Concentrations of cosmogenic iodine, 129I, in the pore fluid of marine sediments often indicate that the pore fluid is much older than the host sediment, even when vertical flow due to sediment compaction is taken into account. Old pore fluid has been used in previous studies to argue for pervasive upward fluid flow and a deep methane source for hydrate deposits. Alternatively, old pore fluid age may reflect more complex flow patterns. We use a two-dimensional numerical transport model to account for the effects of topography and fractures on pore fluid pathlines when sediment permeability is anisotropic. We find that fluid focusing can cause significant lateral migration as well as regions where downward flow reverses direction and returns toward the seafloor. Longer pathlines can produce pore fluid ages much older than that expected with a one-dimensional compaction model. For steady-state models with geometry representative of Blake Ridge (USA), a well-studied hydrate province, we find pore fluid ages beneath regions of topography and within fractured zones that are up to 70 Ma old. Our results suggest that the measurements of 129I/127I reflect a mixture of new and old pore fluid. However, old pore fluid need not originate at great depths. Methane within pore fluids can travel laterally several kilometers, implying an extensive source region around the deposit. This type of focusing should aid hydrate formation beneath topographic highs.
Quality and quality assurance in Chinese private higher education

Purpose – The paper aims to establish a quality assurance framework for Chinese private higher education (PHE) in particular and for any newly-established higher education sector in general. Design/methodology/approach – This research relied on published qualitative and quantitative data, existing literature, historical documents, and the authors' observations. It described the PHE growth context, analyzed the quality issue from three dimensions (academic, administrative, and relationship quality), and examined its quality assurance practice through three players. Findings – The paper provides empirical insights about how quality and quality assurance issues have impacted on PHE development. To approach the issues, it suggests a “quality assurance triangle” framework that is composed of three PHE players (government, market, institution) and their joint association. Research limitations/implications – Because of the relative position of each player in current quality assurance, the success of its implemen...
An Exploratory Study of Student Perceptions of Which Classroom Policies Are Fairest

Fairness is a critical issue in the educational setting, and the research is unified in the view that professors need to be fair in setting course policies and procedures. However, many unanswered questions still remain as to which specific classroom policies and procedures students find fair or unfair. This study explores student perceptions of which course policies provide the fairest treatment for all students in a college class. In addition, we also investigate the presence of a relationship between students’ locus of control and their perceptions of the fairest course policies. Data were provided by 254 undergraduate students enrolled in sections of an introductory operations management course or an introductory management information systems course. As an initial, exploratory study in this specific area, eight common classroom policy situations were investigated. Although, not surprisingly, all students did not agree on which policy was the fairest for any given classroom situation, we were able to identify those policies considered fairest by the most students. The results can help professors develop course policies that improve students’ perceptions of fairness in the college classroom.
Numerical Study Optimal Timing of the Axial Piston Pump

In this paper, the theoretical optimal timing of the axial piston pump is first derived to confirm the analysis published by Professor Kevin Edge [1]. It is discovered that the optimal discharge port delay is different from the optimal inlet port delay. The dimensional analysis also shows that higher shaft angular velocity indicates less delay required in both discharge port and inlet port. Numerical studies show that optimal timing can reduce the dynamic pressure ripple greatly, but since it does not affect the kinematic component, it will not eliminate the entire pressure ripple. The optimal timing could also induce an increase in efficiency where the baseline pump design has cross-porting. However, there is certain tradeoff between pressure ripple reduction and efficiency consideration. Actual design consideration to affect independent timing of the portplate is not studied in this work.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
RACK1 Binds to Smad3 to Modulate Transforming Growth Factor-β1-stimulated α2(I) Collagen Transcription in Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells

Although it is clear that transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is critical for renal fibrogenesis, the complexity of the involved mechanisms is increasingly apparent. TGF-beta1 stimulates phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and activates other signaling molecules as well. The molecular link between these other kinases and Smads is not known. We sought new binding partners for Smad3 in renal cells and identified receptor for activated protein kinase C 1 (RACK1) as a novel binding partner of Smad3. The linker region of Smad3 and the tryptophan-aspartic acid repeat 6 and 7 of RACK1 are sufficient for the association. RACK1 also interacts with Smad3 in the human kidney epithelial cell line, HKC. Silencing RACK1 increases transcriptional activity of TGF-beta1-responsive promoter sequences of the Smad binding element (SBE), p3TP-Lux, and alpha2(I) collagen. Conversely, overexpressed RACK1 negatively modulates alpha2(I) collagen transcriptional activity in TGF-beta1-stimulated cells. RACK1 did not affect phosphorylation of Smad3 at the C terminus or in the linker region. However, RACK1 reduced direct binding of Smad3 to the SBE motif. Mutating a RACK1 tyrosine at residue 246, but not at 228, decreased the inhibitory effect of RACK1 on both alpha2(I) collagen promoter activity and Smad binding to SBE induced by TGF-beta1. These results suggest that RACK1 modulates transcription of alpha2(I) collagen by TGF-beta1 through interference with Smad3 binding to the gene promoter.
Why Do Interest Groups Engage the Judiciary? Policy Wishes and Structural Needs*

Objectives. We test two competing explanations in order to answer the question: Why do organized interests choose to engage in advocacy behavior? The first turns on the notion that concerns with policy success are the principal forces affecting a group's choice. To a lesser degree, issues of group maintenance have also been identified as entering into organized interests' decisional calculus. Method. Using survey data supplemented with confidential interviews of organized interests, we systematically examine the power of both accounts to explain the decision of groups to locate their energies in the federal judiciary. Consequently, in the penultimate section of the article, we specify and test a comprehensive model of interest group litigation behavior. Results. In the resulting multivariate analysis, we find that forces associated with both avenues of explanation for interest group advocacy behavior have substantial statistical purchase and empirical traction. Conclusion. Our findings did not show a dominate role for maintenance concerns; however, clearly, a group's assessment of where, and possibly whether, to act is not an easy calculation based on the receptiveness of a venue and the available balance in the bank account. Groups must attend to their members and their competition. Explanations of group advocacy omitting such concerns are inherently flawed.
Carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in variably-flooded riparian forests

Abstract The water quality protection function of riparian buffers is widely recognized, but much less is known regarding the dynamics of greenhouse gases in these ecosystems. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes were monitored at 6 riparian sites along a 4th-order segment of the White River (Indiana, USA) to assess the effect of vegetation and flood frequency on gas fluxes. The study sites included shrub/grass, young ( 80 years) riparian forests that were either flood-protected (FP), occasionally flooded (OF) or frequently flooded (FF). No significant effect of vegetation type on either CO2 or CH4 flux was noted. While CH4 level was sometimes high (up to 120 μL L− 1) in the deep soil layers, concentration near the soil surface (1.28 μL L− 1) was generally lower than in the litter layer (2.35 μL L− 1). In addition to this pattern, the negative relationship (r2: 0.23, P
Use of bubble image velocimetry for measurement of plunging wave impinging on structure and associated greenwater

The measurement of velocity fields of a plunging wave impacting on a structure in a two-dimensional wave tank was investigated experimentally. As the wave impinged and overtopped the structure, a large highly aerated region was created in front of the structure and on top of the structure. The broken wave in front of the structure and associated greenwater on top of the structure are highly aerated containing not only a large number of bubbles but also very large sizes of bubbles. The highly aerated bubbly flow caused the traditional particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique to fail due to the uncontrollable scattering of laser light. A modified PIV method, called bubble image velocimetry (BIV), was introduced by directly using bubbles as the tracer and measuring the bubble velocity by correlating the 'texture' of the bubble images. No laser light sheet was needed while the depth of field was limited to minimize the error. Velocity measurements using BIV and fibre optic reflectometer were compared to validate the BIV technique. While the fluid velocity in the region where no or few bubbles exist can be successfully obtained using PIV, the velocity in the high void fraction region can be measured using BIV. Therefore, BIV can be seen as a complementary technique for PIV. The use of BIV is essential in the studied problem here due to the fact that in the vicinity of the structure the flow is almost entirely bubbly flow. From both the PIV and BIV measurements, it was found that the maximum fluid particle velocity as well as the bubble velocity in front of the structure during the impinging process is about 1.5 times the phase speed of the waves.