cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Connecting instances to promote children's relational reasoning

The practice of learning from multiple instances seems to allow children to learn about relational structure. The experiments reported here focused on two issues regarding relational learning from multiple instances: (a) what kind of perceptual situations foster such learning and (b) how particular object properties, such as complexity and similarity, interact with relational learning. Two kinds of perceptual situations were of interest here: simultaneous view, where instances are viewed at once, and sequential view, where instances are viewed one at a time (one right after the other). We examined the influence of particular perceptual situations and object properties using two tests of relational reasoning: a common match-to-sample task, where new instances are compared with a common sample, and a variable match-to-sample task, where new instances are compared with a sample that varies on each trial. Experiments 1 and 2 indicate that simultaneous presentation of even highly dissimilar instances, one simple and one complex, effectively connects them together and improves relational generalization in both match-to-sample tasks. Experiment 3 shows that simple samples are more effective than complex ones in the common match-to-sample task. However, when one instance is not used a common sample and various pairs of instances are simply compared, as in Experiment 4, simple and rich instances are equally effective at promoting relational learning. These results bear on our understanding of how children connect instances and how those initial connections affect learning and generalization.
Fish Assemblages on Sand/gravel Bar Habitat in the Alabama River, Alabama

Abstract The Alabama River drainage is a biologically diverse system containing over 180 native fishes and at least 33 endemics. Many studies have surveyed single species of conservation concern, such as the federally endangered Scaphirhynchus suttkusi (Alabama Sturgeon), Alosa alabamae (Alabama Shad), and Crystallaria asprella (Crystal Darter), but few have documented entire fish assemblages. Maintaining fish-assemblage data is an important process in monitoring species and assemblage composition through time so that large-scale ecological change can be detected. In this study, we surveyed fish assemblages of sand/gravel bar habitat in the lower Alabama River and compared these data to those collected from historical surveys. Diel and seasonal surveys were conducted along 19 sandbars from Dixie Landing (river mile 22) to Claiborne Lock and Dam (river mile 72). We recorded a total of 48 species in 41 collections during summer, fall, and spring 2010–2011. Based on the Jaccard index, these samples had low s...
Adaptive Project Risk Management

IT projects tend to be associated with over-budget and late deliveries. In this paper, we describe a method for improving project management based on (a) a thorough analysis of risks affecting activities in a project plan, i.e., the root factors leading to cost and time overruns, and (b) an optimization of the resources allocated to each activity in the project plan in order to maximize the probability of completing on time and within-budget. One key feature of our method is its capability to adapt and learn the risk factors affecting activities during the course of the project, which enables project managers to dynamically reallocate resources to ensure a better outcome given the updated risk profile.
Spotted Knapweed Utilization by Sequential Cattle and Sheep Grazing

Prescribed (or targeted) sheep grazing can effectively suppress the invasive perennial forb spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe L. ssp. micranthos [Gugler] Hayek). Some ranchers and other natural resource managers, however, resist using this weed management tool over concerns that sheep may consume too much of the graminoid standing crop, thereby decreasing its availability to cattle and wildlife and possibly harming graminoids with excessive defoliation. One potential approach to address these concerns is to graze spotted knapweed infestations first with cattle, immediately followed by sheep. We evaluated this sequential grazing strategy on foothill rangeland in western Montana, comparing sequential grazing at a moderate stocking rate in mid June (spotted knapweed in bolting stage) vs. mid July (spotted knapweed in late-bud/early flowering stage). Pastures (0.81 ha) were grazed with three yearling cattle for 7 d, immediately followed with 7 d of grazing by seven yearling sheep. Combined relative (i.e., utilization) of graminoids by cattle and sheep averaged 40% in June and July, safely within sustainable grazing use levels recommended for the site. Combined relative use of spotted knapweed by cattle and sheep also did not differ between June and July, averaging 62%. Previous research indicates that this degree of use is sufficient to suppress spotted knapweed. Our results indicate that prescribed sheep grazing can be applied immediately following cattle grazing in either June or July to suppress spotted knapweed without overusing desirable graminoids. Cattle and sheep will eat less graminoids and more spotted knapweed if cattle and sheep graze sequentially when spotted knapweed is in its late-bud/early flowering stage (mid July) rather than its bolting stage (mid June).
Object recognition for an intelligent room

Intelligent rooms equipped with video cameras can exhibit compelling behaviors, many of which depend on object recognition. Unfortunately, object recognition algorithms are rarely written with a normal consumer in mind, leading to programs that would be impractical to use for a typical person. These impracticalities include speed of execution, elaborate training rituals, and setting adjustable parameters. We present an algorithm that can be trained with only a few images of the object, that requires only two parameters to be set, and that runs at 0.7 Hz on a normal PC with a normal color camera. The algorithm represents an object's features as small, quantized edge templates, and it represents the object's geometry with "Hough kernels". The Hough kernels implement a variant of the generalized Hough transform using simple, 2D image correlation. The algorithm also uses color information to eliminate parts of the image from consideration. We give our results in terms of ROC curves for recognizing a computer keyboard with partial occlusion and background clutter. Even with two hands occluding the keyboard, the detection rate is 0.885 with a false alarm rate of 0.03.
Frustrated Lewis pair-like reactions of nucleophilic palladium carbenes with B(C6F5)3.

The reactions of two nucleophilic palladium carbene complexes with the strong Lewis acid B(C6F5)3 afforded two zwitterionic products. One of them features a remote nucleophilic attack at the para-carbon of the supporting ligand, while the other indicates C–F activation of B(C6F5)3. Both behaviours are reminiscent of the reactivity of frustrated Lewis pairs due to the steric inaccessibility of the nucleophilic carbon center, but are unprecedented for transition metal carbene complexes. Furthermore, when those reactions are carried out in the presence of H2, products resulting from H2 splitting are observed.
Bibliography of laser devices II

This bibliography, compiled during the period from July 1967 through December 1967, contains 254 references which are divided into 17 subject categories and listed chronologically. Brief annotations are added to many references. An index of 412 authors is included.
Structure and reactivity of theobrominate and theophyllinate complexes with methyl trans-cinnamate.

The structure of the methyl trans-cinnamate complexes with the theophylline and theobromine anions is calculated theoretically by maximizing the binding energy of the two interacting molecules. The binding energy is calculated using the monopoles-bond polarizabilities method. The predicted structures correlate well with observed reactivity of the ester in the two complexes.
Cold-temperature induction of Escherichia coli polynucleotide phosphorylase occurs by reversal of its autoregulation.

Summary When Escherichia coli cells are shifted to low temperatures (e.g. 158C), growth halts while the ‘cold shock response’ (CSR) genes are induced, after which growth resumes. One CSR gene, pnp, encodes polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), a 3 0 -exoribonuclease and component of the RNA degradosome. At 378C, ribonuclease III (RNase III, encoded by rnc) cleaves the pnp untranslated leader, whereupon PNPase represses its own translation by an unknown mechanism. Here, we show that PNPase cold-temperature induction involves several posttranscriptional events, all of which require the intact pnp mRNA leader. The bulk of induction results from reversal of autoregulation at a step subsequent to RNase III cleavage of the pnp leader. We also found that pnp translation occurs throughout coldtemperature adaptation, whereas lacZ 1 translation was delayed. This difference is striking, as both mRNAs are greatly stabilized upon the shift to 158C. However, unlike the lacZ 1 mRNA, which remains stable during adaptation, pnp mRNA decay accelerates. Together with other evidence, these results suggest that mRNA is generally stabilized upon a shift to cold temperatures, but that a CSR mRNAspecific decay process is initiated during adaptation.
Peroxidation of Liver Lipids in the Pathogenesis of the Ethanol-Induced Fatty Liver

Administration of an acutely intoxicating dose of ethanol produced significant increases in the concentration of liver triglyceride and enhanced the peroxidation of liver lipids in rats. Adipose triglyceride and lipid peroxide concentrations were unaltered. Coenzyme Q4, an effective antioxidant, significantly inhibited accumulation of liver triglyceride following ethanol intoxication and prevented the peroxidation of liver lipids. These results, which demonstrate the selective ability of ethanol to induce peroxidation of liver lipids, together with the effectiveness of antioxidants, support the previously proposed hypothesis that peroxidation of liver lipids following ethanol intoxication is a factor in the pathogenesis of ethanol-induced liver injury.
Equivalence of utilitarian maximal and weakly maximal programs

Abstract For a class of aggregative optimal growth models, which allow for a non-convex and non-differentiable production technology, this paper examines whether the set of utilitarian maximal programs coincides with the set of weakly maximal programs. It identifies a condition, called the Phelps–Koopmans condition, under which the equivalence result holds. An example is provided to demonstrate that the equivalence result is invalid when the Phelps–Koopmans condition does not hold.
An invariant pattern representation based on nonuniform sampling in the human visual system

Matching a target pattern to a prototype can be difficult when structural variations are large. Since pattern size and scale are not normally identifying characteristics, eliminating size and scale differences can improve pattern recognition. Rotational differences can be distinguishing however, and cannot be eliminated. This paper presents a pattern representation that is invariant to shift and scale but is otherwise unique. Rotational differences between target and prototype can be determine by cross-correlation. The representation is based on a model of nonuniform sampling in the human retina. The model features a texture-to-grayscale transformation, facilitating the representation of textured patterns. >
Secure neighbor discovery and wormhole localization in mobile ad hoc networks

Neighbor discovery is an important part of many protocols for wireless adhoc networks, including localization and routing. When neighbor discovery fails, communications and protocols performance deteriorate. In networks affected by relay attacks, also known as wormholes, the failure may be more subtle. The wormhole may selectively deny or degrade communications. In this article we present Mobile Secure Neighbor Discovery (MSND), which offers a measure of protection against wormholes by allowing participating mobile nodes to securely determine if they are neighbors, and a wormhole localization protocol, which allows nodes that detected the presence of a wormhole to determine wormhole's location. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to secure neighbor discovery in mobile adhoc networks and to localize a wormhole. MSND leverages concepts of graph rigidity for wormhole detection. We prove security properties of our protocols, and demonstrate their effectiveness through extensive simulations and a real system evaluation employing Epic motes and iRobot robots.
Beyond Gross National Product: An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between Program for International Student Assessment Scores and Well-being Indices

Because national intelligence is a crucial predictor of national wealth, the potential for international test scores to serve as a proxy measure of national cognitive capabilities has intrigued educational researchers. However, national wealth indexes, such as GDP or Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), are of limited use as indicators of quality of life. Since the late 20 th and early 21 st century, Europeans have been taking the lead in the movement of going beyond GDP by taking social and environmental indicators into account while measuring national progress. Guided by European principles, this study utilizes two indices, Human Development Index (HDI) and Happy Planet Index (HPI), to investigate the extent to which international test scores might predict national well-being. This exploratory study, utilizing correlation matrix, cluster analysis, and conditional regression, found that Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores collected in the year 2000 are a significant predictor of national well-being measured by HDI and HPI approximately a decade later. However, when cultural and geopolitical factors were taken into account, it was found that this relationship was not consistent across different subcomponents of HDI and HPI, and across different regions of the globe.
Benchmarking An Interdisciplinary Concurrent Design Methodology for Electronic/Mechanical Systems

The paper describes the evolution of an Interdisciplinary Concurrent Design Methodology (ICDM) and the metrics used to compare four generations of wearable computer artifacts produced by the methodology at each stage of ICDM's growth. The product cycle is defined, its phases, and the design information representation for each phase. Six generic axes of design activity are defined, and the concept of benchmarking a complete design methodology using these axes is introduced. In addition an approach for measuring design complexity is proposed. When applied to the four generations of the CMU wearable computers, the ICDM has demonstrated two orders of magnitude increase in design and efficiency.
Transient and overvoltage recovery testing of analog-to-digital converters

The dynamic performance (the noise effective number of bits, the spurious-free dynamic range, and the signal-to-noise ratio) of the high-speed analog-to-digital (A/D) converters used in radar systems can be characterized by a spectral analysis test consisting of a series of sinusoidal signals of different frequencies and amplitudes. Some radar systems are exposed to large noise impulses either from an environment or hostile electronic countermeasures (ECM). For these systems, in order to minimize system impact, the radar specification requires that the converters meet transient and overvoltage recovery specifications. In order to verify these requirements, we developed a test method which is a variant of the standard sine-wave test. The transient and overvoltage recovery performance of the converters is determined by applying a poised waveform and determining the time required to recover from the pulse. We designed and built a special test fixture that produces a pulse that is clean to 12-bits accuracy with a 400-ohm load. This paper describes the characteristics of two different 12-bit, 4-MHz converters that were tested, the test equipment, the data analysis, and the transient and overvoltage recovery test results. >
AIDS and associated malignancies

AIDS associated malignancies (ARL) is a major complication associated with AIDS patients upon immunosuppression. Chronically immunocompromised patients have a markedly increased risk of developing lymphoproliferative disease. In the era of potent antiretrovirals therapy (ARV), the malignant complications due to HIV-1 infection have decreased in developed nations where ARV is administered, but still poses a major problem in developing countries where HIV-1 incidence is high and ARV is still not yet widely available. Even in ARV treated individuals there is a concern that the prolonged survival of many HIV-1 carriers is likely to eventually result in an increased number of malignancies diagnosed. Malignancies that were found to have high incidence in HIV-infected individuals are Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The incidence of NHL has increased nearly 200 fold in HIV-positive patients, and accounts for a greater percentage of AIDS defining illness in the US and Europe since the advent of HAART therapy. These AIDS related lymphomas are distinct from their counterparts seen in HIV-1 seronegative patients. For example nearly half of all cases of ARL are associated with the presence of a gamma herpesvirus, Epstein Barr virus (EBV) or human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8)/ Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV). The pathogenesis of ARLs is complex. B-cell proliferation driven by chronic antigenemia resulting in the induction of polyclonal and ultimately monoclonal lymphoproliferation may occur in the setting of severe immunosuppression.
Oligomerization of the EGF Receptor Investigated by Live Cell Fluorescence Intensity Distribution Analysis

Recent evidence suggests that the EGF receptor oligomerizes or clusters in cells even in the absence of agonist ligand. To assess the status of EGF receptors in live cells, an EGF receptor fused to eGFP was stably expressed in CHO cells and studied using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescent brightness analysis. By modifying FIDA for use in a two-dimensional system with quantal brightnesses, a method was developed to quantify the degree of clustering of the receptors on the cell surface. The analysis demonstrates that under physiological conditions, the EGF receptor exists in a complex equilibrium involving single molecules and clusters of two or more receptors. Acute depletion of cellular cholesterol enhanced EGF receptor clustering whereas cholesterol loading decreased receptor clustering, indicating that receptor aggregation is sensitive to the lipid composition of the membrane.
Budget Conflict in Banjo Crossing: Using a Classroom Simulation to Teach the Politics of Budgeting

This article describes a local government budgeting simulation developed by the author and used in an undergraduate course on the politics and administration of local government budgets. The exercise allowed students to participate in a simulated budget process that provided them with firsthand experience in allocating scarce resources, making collective decisions, and considering the political implications of budget alternatives. The simulation activities also provided students with opportunities to practice their written and oral communication skills, as well as experience in developing arguments to support particular revenue or spending proposals.
Acute Re-Feeding Reverses Food Restriction-Induced Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis Deficits

Undernutrition has well-established effects on female reproduction. Here we describe the effects of food restriction on aspects of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in the female musk shrew. We determined that acute re-feeding reverses deficits brought on by food restriction. Two days of food restriction led to an increase in proGnRH immunoreactive cells in the preoptic area relative to ad libitum-fed controls (AL). This increase was reversed by 90 min of ad libitum feeding in the re-fed females (RF). In addition, food-restricted (FR) females had significantly greater GnRH content in the median eminence than either the AL or RF females. After GnRH was administered, the majority of females in all food conditions ovulated, yet the FR females had significantly fewer corpora lutea than either the AL or RF animals. These data show that food restriction impairs HPG axis function in female musk shrews, and that some of these impairments can be rapidly reversed by acute re-feeding.
Classification of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS)

In 1983 Howard King presented his classification system for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) based on the experience with Harrington rod instrumentation. Curves were divided into five types and guidelines and recommendations for which levels should be instrumented were given to preserve motion as much as possible. As segmental instrumentation systems began to gain favor over the Harrington rods this system failed and led to the development of a new classification system which was presented by Lawrence Lenke in 2001. In order to define a curve type by the Lenke classification, one must identify the curve type, the lumbar modifier and, for the first time in any classification system for scoliosis, the sagittal profile was also included. The Lenke classification showed higher inter and intra-reliability compared to the King classification. It also provided a better and more reliable tool to assist surgeons in choosing the best method of treatment for each curve pattern. Although the Lenke classification is more comprehensive and reliable than the King classification it is still far from perfect. It does not address the rotational component of the deformity. New technologies which provide three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the spine may serve as a basis for a truly 3D classification of scoliosis and for new therapeutic concepts.
Cooperation and security isolation of library OSes for multi-process applications

Library OSes are a promising approach for applications to efficiently obtain the benefits of virtual machines, including security isolation, host platform compatibility, and migration. Library OSes refactor a traditional OS kernel into an application library, avoiding overheads incurred by duplicate functionality. When compared to running a single application on an OS kernel in a VM, recent library OSes reduce the memory footprint by an order-of-magnitude.Previous library OS (libOS) research has focused on single-process applications, yet many Unix applications, such as network servers and shell scripts, span multiple processes. Key design challenges for a multi-process libOS include management of shared state and minimal expansion of the security isolation boundary.This paper presents Graphene, a library OS that seamlessly and efficiently executes both single and multi-process applications, generally with low memory and performance overheads. Graphene broadens the libOS paradigm to support secure, multi-process APIs, such as copy-on-write fork, signals, and System V IPC. Multiple libOS instances coordinate over pipe-like byte streams to implement a consistent, distributed POSIX abstraction. These coordination streams provide a simple vantage point to enforce security isolation.
Arthroscopically Assisted Mini-Open Rotator Cuff Repairs Functional Outcome at 2- to 7-Year Follow-up

The functional outcome of 22 consecutive patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears repaired using an arthroscopically assisted technique was evaluated. The average follow-up was 39 months (24 to 80), and the average tear size was 3.5 cm (1 to 7). There were 14 men and 8 women, with a mean age of 56 years (29 to 80); 86% of patients (N 19) were satisfied with the results of surgery and 95% (N 21) had improvement of their symptoms. All patients had a statistically significant improvement in pain and active abduction in the scapular plane and in external rotation. Postoperative strength in external rotation and abduction averaged 95% and 97% of the contralateral shoulder, respectively. Preoperative duration of symptoms, strength, age, and tear size were found to be independent predictors of outcome. The average Constant and Murley score was 84 of 100, the average American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score was 81 of 100, and the average University of California, Los Angeles, score was 31 of 35. Our resu...
Euler/Experiment Correlation of a Generic Fighter

Flowfields about a generic fighter model have been computed using FLO57, a three-dimensional, finite-volume Euler code. Computed pressure coefficients, forces, and moments at three Mach numbers—0.8, 1.2, and 1.6— are compared with wind-tunnel data over a wide range of angles of attack in order to determine the applicability of the code for the analysis of fighter configurations. Two configurations were studied, a wing/body and a wing/ body/chine. FLO57 predicted pressure distributions, forces, and moments well at low angles of attack, at which the flow was fully attached. The FLO57 predictions were also accurate for some test conditions once the leadingedge vortex became well established. At the transonic speed, FLO57 appeared to predict vortex breakdown earlier than that seen in the experimental results. Placing the chine on the forebody delayed the onset of bursting and improved the correlation between numerical and experimental data at the subsonic conditions.
Awareness of preventive medication among women at high risk for breast cancer and their willingness to consider transdermal or oral tamoxifen: a focus group study

Despite demonstrated efficacy, acceptance of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), such as tamoxifen, for breast cancer risk reduction remains low. Delivering SERMs via local transdermal therapy (LTT) could significantly reduce systemic effects and therefore may increase acceptance. We aim to assess women’s knowledge of breast cancer prevention medications and views on LTT of SERMs. Focus groups were conducted with healthy women identified through the comprehensive breast center of a large urban cancer institution. Group discussions covered risk perceptions, knowledge of and concerns about risk reducing medications. Participants reported their perceived risk for breast cancer (average, below/above average), preference for SERMs in a pill or gel form, risk factors, and prior physician recommendations regarding risk-reducing medicines. Participants’ breast cancer risk was estimated using tools based on the Gail Model. Trained personnel examined all qualitative results systematically; risk perceptions and preferred method of medication delivery were tallied quantitatively. Four focus groups (N = 32) were conducted. Most participants had at least a college degree (78.2 %) and were of European (50 %) or African ancestry (31 %). The majority (72 %) were at elevated risk for breast cancer; approximately half of these women perceived themselves to be at elevated risk. Few participants had prior knowledge of preventive medications. The women noted a number of concerns about LTT, including dosage, impact on day-to-day life, and side effects; nonetheless, over 90 % of the women stated they would prefer LTT to a pill. Awareness of preventive medications was low even in a highly educated sample of high-risk women. If given a choice in the route of administration, most women preferred a gel to a pill, anticipating fewer side effects. Future work should focus on demonstrating equivalent efficacy and reduced toxicity of topical over oral medications and on raising awareness of chemopreventive options for breast cancer.
Tools to identify the men with prostate cancer most appropriate for active surveillance

A great deal of effort is underway in order to identify those men with prostate cancer felicitous for active surveillance with greater precision than that afforded to us today. In the manuscript by Irshad et al. the authors evaluate a novel set of genes associated with senescence and aging as tools that can provide guidance regarding the indolent nature of an individual's prostate cancer with validation using both mRNA and protein analyses. While additional studies are required to understand the full impact of these findings, the innovative approach taken enhances our understanding of distinct phenotypes of prostate cancer.
Perceptual Fundamentalism and a priori bootstrapping

According to Perceptual Fundamentalism we can have justified perceptual beliefs solely in virtue of having perceptual experiences with corresponding contents. Recently, it has been argued that Perceptual Fundamentalism entails that it is possible to gain an a priori justified belief that perception is reliable by engaging in a suppositional reasoning process of a priori bootstrapping. But I will show that Perceptual Fundamentalists are not committed to a priori bootstrapping being a rational reasoning process. On the most plausible versions of Perceptual Fundamentalism, a priori bootstrapping cannot be used to rationally support anti-sceptical beliefs about the reliability of perception. Moreover, seeing why Perceptual Fundamentalists are not committed to a priori bootstrapping will help us to better understand the nature of the perceptual entitlements that Perceptual Fundamentalists posit, or at least should posit.
2009 Infrastructure Platform Review Report

This document summarizes the recommendations and evaluations provided by an independent external panel of experts at the U.S. Department of Energy Biomass program‘s Infrastructure platform review meeting, held on February 19, 2009, at the Marriott Residence Inn, National Harbor, Maryland.
The Impact of Acquisition Dose on Quantitative Breast Density Estimation with Digital Mammography: Results from ACRIN PA 4006.

Overall, measurements of breast density with digital mammography are not considerably affected by variations in x-ray acquisition radiation dose, suggesting that density estimation is robust to differences in acquisition dose.
Reliability-Based Optimization of FRP Deck Panels

Extended Abstract Introduction The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has listed over 160,000 Federal, state, county, and city bridges as deficient or functionally obsolete. For most of these bridges, replacement of the existing deteriorated deck (usually reinforced concrete) would return the bridge to a structurally sound condition (Zureick, et al., 1995). Other bridges have deficiencies in the substructure that require a reduction in allowed live (traffic) load. Both of these problems may be addressed with the use of a lightweight composite modular deck to replace the existing deteriorated reinforced concrete deck. To maximize the efficient use of composites, where overdesign is often significantly more costly than traditional civil engineering materials, performing a formal structural optimization to minimize material usage may be beneficial. As structural safety is most consistently measured probabilistically rather than deterministically, it is appropriate to formulate structural optimization problems based on reliability constraints where safety is a concern. This becomes particularly important when relatively new civil engineering materials such as composites are considered.
Acute Low Back Pain: Differential Somatosensory Function and Gene Expression Compared With Healthy No-Pain Controls.

Objectives:Low back pain (LBP) is the second most frequently diagnosed pain condition in the United States, and although a majority of individuals have resolution of pain during the acute period, an estimated 40% of individuals will experience persistent pain. Given the heterogenous nature of LBP, t
TRH-induced growth hormone (GH)-release in rats of both sexes: changes in pituitary response after gonadectomy and during the estrous cycle.

SummaryIn both intact adult male and female rats anesthetized with tribromoe-thanol, the iv injection of thyrotropin-re-leasing hormone (TRH) evoked GH release within 2 min following the injection. The GH response to TRH was greater in males than in females and this response was significantly diminished by short-term (6 days) orchidectomy. In females, the GH response to TRH was maximal in estrus and minimal in diestrus day 2, showing intermediate values at proestrus and diestrus day 1. Long-term ovariectomy decreased the response. Pituitary GH content and concentration were higher in males than in females. Orchidectomy was followed by a significant decrease in pituitary GH values, whereas ovariectomy resulted in increased GH content and concentration. The results indicate that the gonads can modify pituitary GH response to TRH and, therefore, play a physiological role in modulating the stimulatory effect that the hypothalamus exerts on GH release through the secretion of substances with GH-releasing activ...
Ovarian cancer incidence in the United States in relation to manufacturing industry.

Objective Ovarian cancer is primarily a disease of the industrialized world. However, few factors associated with industrialization that contribute to the etiology of ovarian cancer have been identified. We sought to explore factors potentially associated with ovarian cancer by correlating ovarian cancer incidence rates in US states with the distribution of US manufacturing. Methods Data on age-adjusted incidence rates for ovarian cancer per state in the United States and manufacturing rates per state were analyzed using multiple linear regression controlling for access to ovarian cancer care, fertility rate, and other potential confounders. Results In univariate analyses, ovarian cancer incidence rates were positively correlated with the extent of manufacturing, with dairy production, and with the manufacturing of pulp and paper. Using multiple linear regression, only the correlation of ovarian cancer with pulp and paper manufacturing industry was significant. The correlation of ovarian cancer with pulp and paper manufacturing industry remained significant after adjusting for access to ovarian cancer care, fertility rates, and other potential confounders (P Conclusions Pulp and paper mills are associated with exposures to known ovarian carcinogens. Further epidemiological study of exposures involved in the manufacturing of pulp and paper in relation to risk of ovarian cancer is warranted.
Simultaneous determination of arsenic and bismuth in spirulina powder using dry digestion-atomic fluorescence spectrometry

Objective To develop a method for simultaneous determination of arsenic( As) and bismuth( Bi) in the spirulina powder prepared via dry digestion by hydride generation-double channel atomic fluorescence spectrometry( HG-AFS). Methods The samples were pre-treated with auxiliary ashing agents by dry digestion,then reducers were added in the samples to help determination. The As and Bi lamp current were set at 50mA and 60mA,and the negative high voltage at 280V to determine the concentrations of both arsenic and bismuth in the samples digestion solution by HG-AFS. Results The linear calibration curve of As was within the range of 0. 48 μg / L ~ 12. 00 μg / L with correlation coefficient( r) of 0. 9995,while that for Bi was within the range of 0. 22 μg / L ~ 12. 00 μg / L with r = 0. 9999. The detection limits were 0. 089 μg / L for As and0. 045 μg / L for Bi,respectively. The recovery rates of As and Bi were 92. 1% ~ 106. 4% and 97. 3% ~ 104. 2%,respectively. The relative standard deviations( RSDs) were 2. 14% ~ 3. 28% for As and 0. 68% ~ 2. 65% for Bi,respectively. There was no significant difference between the results of simultaneous determination and single( As or Bi) determination. Conclusion The method is simple,accurate,rapid and suitable for simultaneous determination of arsenic and bismuth in spirulina powder.
Nutritional Management of the Patient with a Neurologic Disorder

Maintaining nutrition in patients with neurologic disorders can be a difficult task. The best results can be expected with individual treatment plans based on a thorough knowledge of the disease pr...
Religious group identity and costly signaling

In their 2009 Psychological Bulletin review, McCullough and Willoughby proposed that the relation between religion and well-being is mediated, at least partly, by increased self-control. The target...
The Taxation of Foreign Sovereign in the United States

This chapter covers US taxation rules concerning foreign sovereign activities/investments in the USA, and the limitations thereof, and the activities of sovereign wealth funds in the USA and the current debate over their investments.
Geomediations in the Anthropocene: Fictions of the Geologic Turn

In both literature and philosophy, geologic matter has been imagined as a vector of extending perception and analysis into the territory of not only the nonhuman, but also the non-living, challenging the very distinctions between life and non-life, agile and inert matter. Recently, the debates over the concept of the Anthropocene amplified our fascination with the geologic, bringing into view the inescapable bond of human and Earth’s history. The article probes the possibilities of the geologic turn through two short stories published in the era of the Anthropocene debates—Margaret Atwood’s ‘Stone Mattress’ (2013) and A.S. Byatt’s ‘A Stone Woman’ (2003). The stories’ interest in a geologic setting, their staging of human-mineral intimacies, and their geologically-infused aesthetics position these two stories as fictions of the geologic turn. I examine how these writers—through reconfiguring the relations between bios and geos, human and nonhuman—forge alternatives to an extractive relation to the geos, as well as refuse to accept the figure of Earth as either an inert object or a victim. In this reframing, they also exemplify feminist critique of the imagined unity of ‘Anthropos’ that is named by the Anthropocene thinkers.
Economic and Provider Influences

At the end of Chap. 3, we noted that health care policies made through the political and legal systems in the United States affect, and are affected by, current and anticipated economic conditions. Similarly, we argued in Chap. 1 that health care providers, especially physicians, were the drivers of the health care system, and that the services they produce and supply, have economic implications. As a result, this chapter examines the impacts of economic factors on the health care system.
Rational Design and Facile Synthesis of a Highly Tunable Quinoline-Based Fluorescent Small-Molecule Scaffold for Live Cell Imaging.

Small-molecule fluorescent probes are powerful tools for chemical biology; however, despite the large number of probes available, there is still a need for a simple fluorogenic scaffold, which allows for the rational design of molecules with predictable photophysical properties and is amenable to concise synthesis for high-throughput screening. Here, we introduce a highly modular quinoline-based probe containing three strategic domains that can be easily engineered and optimized for various applications. Such domains are allotted for (1) compound polarization, (2) tuning of photophysical properties, and (3) structural diversity. We successfully synthesized our probes in two steps from commercially available starting materials in overall yields of up to 95%. Facile probe synthesis was permitted by regioselective palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling, which enables combinatorial development of structurally diverse quinoline-based fluorophores. We have further applied our probes to live-cell imaging, utilizing ...
Locating multiple facilities using the max-sum objective

Abstract We propose to apply a multi-start sequential linear programming (MSLP) algorithm for the solution of two multiple obnoxious facility problems on the plane. One problem (Max-Sum1) considers obnoxious facilities and the other (Max-Sum2) obnoxious demand points. The Max-Sum1 objective is maximizing the total distance between demand points and their closest facility. For Max-Sum2 the objective is maximizing the total distance between facilities and their closest demand point. The MSLP algorithm is compared with the interior point and SNOPT solvers in Matlab. A heuristic procedure based on Voronoi diagrams is proposed for the solution of Max-Sum2. The interior point solver performed quite poorly. The solutions by MSLP are of better quality (but not significantly better) than SNOPT for Max-Sum1. For Max-Sum2 the heuristic approach performed best (and significantly better). The MSLP algorithm performed significantly better than SNOPT.
The Soviet Perception of American Goals in Vietnam 1966-70

American objectives in Vietnam have long been a source of considerable confusion to most Americans. Even the publication of the Pentagon Papers did little to clarify American goals in Vietnam. While it was clear that the intent of American involvement was some combination of containment of Communism, defense of an ally, and protection of trading lanes or resource areas,1 many unknowns still existed. What "brand" of Communism was being contained? How reliable was the ally the United States was defending? How important were the trading lanes or resource areas being protected, and were they even being threatened ? These and similar other uncertainties lay at the heart of the answer to the question "What were American goals in Vietnam?" Today, more than two years after the Republic of Vietnam succumbed to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, these uncertainties still exist. However, as is so often the case, a nation's objectives appear much more complicated to intimate observers than to distant observers.2 While Americans debated the objectives of U.S. intervention, American allies and enemies had in many instances already arrived at conclusions about U.S. objectives. This was particularly true of the Soviet Union. To the Soviet leadership, U.S. policy toward Vietnam emanated from the alleged imperialist nature of American society itself. The Soviet perception of American goals in Vietnam was thus relatively stable throughout the height of the American involvement, and American policies toward the Southeast Asian area were continually interpreted in light of a relatively unchanging objective. The "Johnson Doctrine," "Asian Doctrine," and "Nixon Doctrine" were all viewed as different manifestations of American "neo-colonialism." This essay will examine the Soviet perception of American objectives in Vietnam during and immediately after the height of U.S. involvement in Vietnam (1966-70), explore the reasons the Soviet Union adopted the perceptions it did, and examine the effects of those perceptions on Soviet policy.
SWELL signalling in adipocytes: can fat 'feel' fat?

Obesity is becoming a global epidemic, predisposing to Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, pulmonary disease, osteoarthritis and cancer. Therefore, understanding the biolo...
Disability studies, conceptual engineering, and conceptual activism

ABSTRACTIn this project I am concerned with the extent to which conceptual engineering happens in domains outside of philosophy, and if so, what that might look like. Specifically, I’ll argue that ...
The Design of a Virtual Reality App for Mal de Debarquement Syndrome

Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS) is a rare balance disorder where individuals develop a persistent perception of phantom movement after a prolonged period of passive motion. A treatment method using visual stimuli in a nonportable physical chamber was used in a clinical setting. To make this method more accessible and portable, we developed a virtual reality solution with a mobile Google Daydream app using the Unity3D graphics engine. Design rationales and trade-offs are discussed in this paper, with an emphasis on human computer interface design and the iterative design process.
Effect of attentional focus levels on spontaneous eyeblink rate in horses.

Objective Spontaneous eyeblink rate (SEBR) is inversely proportional to the level of attentional focus in humans. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of attentional focus on SEBR in horses. Procedures Twenty client-owned horses (2.5-23 years of age, five mares, 15 geldings) were evaluated. A GoPro HERO5 Session™ video recorder was attached to the halter and directed toward the eyes. Horses were acclimated for two hours before study commencement. Horses were filmed in five scenarios requiring different levels of attention: alone in a stall ("stall"), stall with an observer ("person"), standing in an arena ("stand"), walking in an arena ("walk"), and trotting in arena ("trot"). Each of the five scenarios was filmed for ten minutes. Video recordings were reviewed, and SEBR (incomplete, complete, and total blinks) was measured for both eyes in each scenario. Results The median (25%,75%) total SEBRs (blinks/min) were as follows: STALL: OD-16.6 (12.4, 24.3), OS-18.8 (11.5, 26.9); PERSON: OD-17.7 (14.6, 24.2), OS-17.4 (13.9, 24.4); STAND: OD-18.7 (15.1, 24.4), OS-19.4 (16.2, 24.7); WALK: OD-40.1 (34.1, 44.8), OS-40.6 (33.8, 44.7); and TROT: OD-39.7 (30.3, 44.6), OS-39.4 (28.6, 45.0). The total SEBRs at walk and trot were significantly greater than SEBR in stationary scenarios. Conclusions Despite requiring increased levels of attentional focus, activities involving motion caused increased SEBR in horses. We hypothesize the need for additional tear distribution due to tear evaporation (associated with air movement over the corneas) prevailed over the level of attentional focus to increase the SEBR.
Myosins and Hearing.

Hearing loss is both genetically and clinically heterogeneous, and pathogenic variants of over a hundred different genes are associated with this common neurosensory disorder. A relatively large number of these “deafness genes” encode myosin super family members. The evidence that pathogenic variants of human MYO3A, MYO6, MYO7A, MYO15A, MYH14 and MYH9 are associated with deafness ranges from moderate to definitive. Additional evidence for the involvement of these six myosins for normal hearing also comes from animal models, usually mouse or zebra fish, where mutations of these genes cause hearing loss and from biochemical, physiological and cell biological studies of their roles in the inner ear. This chapter focuses on these six genes for which evidence of a causative role in deafness is substantial.
Systematic Cognitive Bias in the History of Philosophy and its Cultural Transmission: A Case Study of Thomas Reid, Religion, and Science

This article argues influential eighteenth-century thinker Thomas Reid’s philosophical system gets infected with determinable cognitive biases when scientific claims jeopardize his core Christian commitments. These biases are most active, and led reliably to fallacious reasoning, when Reid writes about issues with implications on substance dualism and the human soul, and on the activity of supernatural agents in the material world. Falling into two halves, this article first presents cognitive biases (disconfirmation bias, motivated skepticism, selective attention), explaining the experimental context of their discovery and their sources in emotions. Next, the article walks through a series of textual case studies from published and unpublished writings that reveal the context, operation, and doxastic effects of these biases. Throughout special effort is made to empathize with Reid’s social context and its influence on his affirmation of fallacies in support of his faith.
Multi-variate Arrays and Symmetries

Separately or jointly exchangeable arrays, contraction and extension properties, coding representations, equivalent coding functions, coupling, conditional independence, shell σ-field, independent entries, invariant coding, symmetric functions, inversion, conditioning and independence, shell-measurable and dissociated arrays, separate or joint rotatability, totally rotatable arrays, symmetric partitions.