cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of phase on the perception of 3D shape from texture: psychophysics and modeling.

Two experiments are reported in which observers judged the apparent shapes of elliptical cylinders with eight different textures that were presented with scrambled and unscrambled phase spectra. The results revealed that the apparent depths of these surfaces varied linearly with the ground truth in all conditions, and that the overall magnitude of surface relief was systematically underestimated. In general, the apparent depth of a surface is significantly attenuated when the phase spectrum of its texture is randomly scrambled, though the magnitude of this effect varies for different types of texture. A new computational model of 3D shape from texture is proposed in which apparent depth is estimated from the relative density of edges in different local regions of an image, and the predictions of this model are highly correlated with the observers’ judgments.
Somalia: ‘They Created a Desert and Called it Peace(building)’

This article documents the humanitarian, political and security dimensions of the current Somali crisis and assesses the external policies that are playing an increasingly central role in the conflict. It advances the thesis that in 2007 and 2008 external Western and UN actors treated Somalia as a post-conflict setting when in fact their own policies helped to inflame armed conflict and insecurity there. As a result there was no peace for peacekeepers to keep, no state to which state-building projects could contribute, and increasingly little humanitarian space in which aid agencies could reach over 3 million Somalis in need of emergency relief. The gap between Somali realities on the ground and the set of assumptions on which aid and diplomatic policies toward Somalia have been constructed is wide and deep.
Privacy and the Smart Grid: A Policy-Making Case Study

In the modernization of the United States electricity grid, the United States is moving towards the creation of a Smart Grid. The first step is the installation of Smart Meters which transmit electricity usage from the residence or the business to the utilities periodically throughout the day and provide consumers with information to alter their usage behavior. The frequent reporting of electricity usage data has triggered privacy concerns surrounding the ability of Smart Meters to reveal personal and private information about customers and their activities within their homes. These privacy concerns are significant because they may hamper the deployment of the Smart Grid, as appears to be happening in Europe. This paper presents a case study of the development of legislation to create privacy standards for the Smart Grid in California. California is leader in its deployment of Smart Grid infrastructure with over 6 million Smart Meters installed. This paper discusses the author’s experience staffing a bill (Senate Bill 837) for California Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez to mandate privacy standards for electricity usage information in California. This paper evaluates the impact of timing, legislative politics, stakeholder input, and legislative oversight. While SB 837 was not a success in creating privacy standards for the Smart Grid, the act of moving SB 837 through the Legislature presents several important lessons about the policy-making process, and the impact of legislative oversight.
Agent-based mathematical modeling as a tool for estimating Trypanosoma cruzi vector-host contact rates

The parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, spread by triatomine vectors, affects over 100 mammalian species throughout the Americas, including humans, in whom it causes Chagas' disease. In the U.S., only a few autochthonous cases have been documented in humans, but prevalence is high in sylvatic hosts (primarily raccoons in the southeast and woodrats in Texas). The sylvatic transmission of T. cruzi is spread by the vector species Triatoma sanguisuga and Triatoma gerstaeckeri biting their preferred hosts and thus creating multiple interacting vector-host cycles. The goal of this study is to quantify the rate of contacts between different host and vector species native to Texas using an agent-based model framework. The contact rates, which represent bites, are required to estimate transmission coefficients, which can be applied to models of infection dynamics. In addition to quantitative estimates, results confirm host irritability (in conjunction with host density) and vector starvation thresholds and dispersal as determining factors for vector density as well as host-vector contact rates.
Constraints on the 29 June 1992 Little Skull Mountain, Nevada, earthquake sequence provided by robust hypocenter estimates

Abstract The M s 5.4 Little Skull Mountain earthquake of 29 June 1992 occurred within 21 km of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, the site of a proposed high-level nuclear-waste repository. Data from a dense portable seismic network have enabled us to examine the faulting process in detail. Standard linearized least-squares procedures were used to determine hypocenter estimates for all the events. A grid-search technique was applied to test the robustness of estimates of the hypocenters of the mainshock and six of the largest aftershocks. Projection of the mainshock fault plane to the surface, delineated by its focal mechanism and the distribution of aftershocks, defines a strike subparallel to a north-northeast structural trend within Jackass Flats and collinear with the Mine Mountain fault system. This result implies reactivation of mapped faults with no known Quaternary movement, and growth or reactivation of buried faults having no clear surface manifestation. The aftershock distribution suggests that postseismic strain release occurred up-dip from the mainshock on the mainshock fault plane and on several secondary faults. The mainshock focal mechanism and the aftershock distribution indicate a normal-slip rupture on a plane with a strike of N55°E, a dip of 56°, and a rake of −72°. Results of the grid-search analysis show that the mainshock and three of the largest aftershocks probably occurred on the same fault plane and that the other three occurred off the mainshock fault plane; two on a steeply dipping, N200°E-striking plane (with dextral strike-slip displacements), and the other possibly on a plane conjugate to the mainshock rupture plane (focal mechanism unknown).
Normal Venous Phase Documented during Angiography in Patients with Spinal Vascular Malformations: Incidence and Clinical Implications

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A key angiographic sign observed in patients with spinal vascular malformations is the absence of a normal venous phase. While this finding alone is often believed to rule out a lesion impacting the perimedullary venous drainage, the observation of a venous phase in several patients with vascular malformations led us to reconsider the validity of that sign. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-one patients with 6 spinal arteriovenous malformations, 16 perimedullary arteriovenous fistulas, 61 spinal epidural or dural AVFs, and 1 paravertebral AVF (2 patients had multiple lesions) were reviewed. The venous phase was defined as normal, absent, or indeterminate. The venous phase timing was analyzed in patients with spinal dural or epidural AVFs. RESULTS: The existence of a venous phase could not be determined for technical reasons in 23 patients. A venous phase was documented in 25 of 58 patients (43%), including 16 of 49 vascular malformations (40.0%) with perimedullary venous drainage. Twelve of the 30 patients (40.0%) with dural or epidural AVFs had a normal venous phase, appearing, on average, 10.1 seconds and best visualized 15.0 seconds after opacification of the artery of Adamkiewicz. CONCLUSIONS: A normal venous phase was observed in 43% of patients with spinal vascular malformations, and within an acceptable delay (
Studies in the tetraarylborates

Abstract The stability of sodium tetraarylborates toward acid attack can be enhanced by placing electron-withdrawing substituents at the m - or p -positions of the phenyl rings, thus rendering them less susceptible to electrophilic attack. A series of tetraarylborates has been studied, and the following order of decreasing resistance toward acid attack has been established: m -fluorophenyl > p -trifluoromethylphenyl > m -trifluoromethylphenyl > p -fluorophenyl ≧ p -chlorophenyl ⋍ phenyl > p -methylphenyl > p -methoxyphenyl. Sodium tetrakis ( m -fluorophenyl) borate does not undergo acid decomposition at pH 2.0 and 50.0°, but it is partially decomposed under these conditions via other pathways.
Stormwater Chemical Contamination Caused by Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) Infrastructure Rehabilitation Activities

Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) is becoming a popular U.S. stormwater culvert rehabilitation method. Several State transportation agencies have reported that CIPP activities can release styrene into stormwater, but no other contaminants have been monitored. CIPP’s stormwater contamination potential and that of its condensate waste was characterized. Condensate completely dissolved Daphnia magna within 24 h. Condensate pH was 6.2 and its chemical oxygen demand (COD) level was 36 000 ppm. D. magna mortality (100%) occurred in 48 h, even when condensate was diluted by a factor of 10 000 and styrene was present at a magnitude less than its LC50. Condensate and stormwater contained numerous carcinogenic solvents used in resin synthesis, endocrine disrupting contaminants such as plasticizers, and initiator degradation products. For 35 days, COD levels at the culvert outlets and downstream ranged from 100 to 375 ppm and styrene was 0.01 to 7.4 ppm. Although contaminant levels generally reduced with time, styrene leve...
The Subspecies of Emballonura semicaudata (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae)

The four subspecies of the Pacific species Emballonura semicaudata are considered. Their taxonomic history, distribution, and characters are discussed. On the basis of size and morphology of skull, they form a linear series, semicaudata-palauensis-rotensis-sulcata .
Source of Increase in Serum Calcium Induced by Irradiated Ergosterol.

We have shown that irradiated ergosterol is able not only to raise the level of the inorganic phosphorus and calcium of the blood, when it is decreased in rickets and in tetany, but that it brings about hypercalcemia when given to normal infants or animals.1 The question naturally suggests itself as to whether this calcium is taken from the bones and other tissues, or is the result of increased absorption from the intestine. In order to investigate this point, rats were placed on a diet almost free of calcium and high in phosphorus, for a period of 3 days, in other words, until there was no longer any calcium within the intestinal tract. It was found that this procedure greatly reduced the calcium content of the blood, that it fell from the normal of 10 to 6.4 mg. per 100 cc. of serum. In fact, it reached about this level within 24 hours. This calcium depletion of the blood could, however, be brought about only in young animals weighing 100 gm. or less and did not develop in the adult rat. It may be added...
In-Depth Survey of Digital Advertising Technologies

Some of the world’s most well-known IT companies are in fact advertising companies deriving their primary revenues through digital advertising. For this reason, these IT giants are able to continually drive the evolutions of information technology in ways that serve to enhance our everyday lives. The benefits of this relationship include free web browsers with powerful search engines and mobile applications. Still, it turns out that “free” comes at a cost that is paid through our interactions within a digital advertising ecosystem. Digital advertising is not without its challenges. Issues originate from the complex platforms utilized to support advertising over web and mobile application interfaces. This is especially true for advertising links. Additionally, as new methods for advertising develop so too does the potential for impacting its underlying ecosystem for good or ill. Accordingly, researchers are interested in understanding this ecosystem, the factors that impact it, and the strategies for improving it. The major contribution of this survey is that it is the first review of the digital advertising ecosystem as it applies to online websites and mobile applications. In doing so, we explain the digital advertising relationships within this ecosystem along with their technical, social, political, and physical implications. Furthermore, advertising principles along with a variation of other advertising approaches, both legitimate and malicious, are explored in order to compare and contrast competing digital advertising methods.
Evaluation in times such as these.

In the institutional organization, from the top echelon of administration to the level of the students, the educational setting must be developed and planned toward producing or educating the kind or type of person whom the institution hopes to graduate. If one's desires are for a mechanical man, so be it. If the program is to develop an individual to meet today's needs, another kind of educational experience is needed. But, in times such as these, it can be assumed that neither of these so-called opportunities for educational programming will rate a high index for efficiency in the days ahead.
Paired-Associate Learning with Visual and Olfactory Cues: Effects of Temporal Order

The present study examined paired-associate learning with color and olfactory stimuli. Separate groups of undergraduate students learned pairs comprised of homogenous colors or scents, or pairs containing both colors and scents in which the order of presentation was manipulated. The results showed that learning was greater with colors than olfactory stimuli. More importantly, the learning task was affected by temporal order. Performance was significantly reduced when the odor element appeared first in the paired presentations. When the scent elements appeared second, learning was rapid and was similar to that which occurred in the group presented with homogenous colors. Discussion focused on the ecological nature of olfactory processing and encoding strategies.
Strategies for Addressing and Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy.

Family physicians should give strong, favorable vaccine recommendations. When faced with true hesitancy, be curious and ask respectful questions to delineate concerns. Remember that patients' ambivalence is your friend because it means that they have not closed their minds to vaccines.
Constructing and Reading Visual Information: Visual Literacy for Library and Information Science Education

AbstractThis article examines visual literacy education and research for library and information science profession to educate the information professionals who will be able to execute and implement the ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) Visual Literacy Competency Standards successfully. It is a continuing call for inclusion of visual literacy into the curriculum for library and information science education and research in order to educate students to provide professional services in this visual information world and it is a call for a paradigm shift from text-based information services and research realm to a social construction of meaning, reading, searching, finding meaning in a visual information world.
Contrasting germination responses to vegetative canopies experienced in pre- vs. post-dispersal environments.

Background Seeds adjust their germination based on conditions experienced before and after dispersal. Post-dispersal cues are expected to be more accurate predictors of offspring environments, and thus offspring success, than pre-dispersal cues. Therefore, germination responses to conditions experienced during seed maturation may be expected to be superseded by responses to conditions experienced during seed imbibition. In taxa of disturbed habitats, neighbours frequently reduce the performance of germinants. This leads to the hypotheses that a vegetative canopy will reduce germination in such taxa, and that a vegetative canopy experienced during seed imbibition will over-ride germination responses to a canopy experienced during seed maturation, since it is a more proximal cue of immediate competition. These hypotheses were tested here in Arabidopsis thaliana METHODS: Seeds were matured under a simulated canopy (green filter) or white light. Fresh (dormant) seeds were imbibed in the dark, white light or canopy at two temperatures (10 or 22 °C), and germination proportions were recorded. Germination was also recorded in after-ripened (less dormant) seeds that were induced into secondary dormancy and imbibed in the dark at each temperature, either with or without brief exposure to red and far-red light. Key results Unexpectedly, a maturation canopy expanded the conditions that elicited germination, even as seeds lost and regained dormancy. In contrast, an imbibition canopy impeded or had no effect on germination. Maturation under a canopy did not modify germination responses to red and far-red light. Seed maturation under a canopy masked genetic variation in germination. Conclusions The results challenge the hypothesis that offspring will respond more strongly to their own environment than to that of their parents. The observed relaxation of germination requirements caused by a maturation canopy could be maladaptive for offspring by disrupting germination responses to light cues after dispersal. Alternatively, reduced germination requirements could be adaptive by allowing seeds to germinate faster and reduce competition in later stages even though competition is not yet present in the seedling environment. The masking of genetic variation by maturation under a canopy, moreover, could impede evolutionary responses to selection on germination.
PET/MRI: Where might it replace PET/CT?

Simultaneous positron emission tomography and MRI (PET/MRI) is a technology that combines the anatomic and quantitative strengths of MR imaging with physiologic information obtained from PET. PET and computed tomography (PET/CT) performed in a single scanning session is an established technology already in widespread and accepted use worldwide. Given the higher cost and complexity of operating and interpreting the studies obtained on a PET/MRI system, there has been question as to which patients would benefit most from imaging with PET/MRI versus PET/CT. In this article, we compare PET/MRI with PET/CT, detail the applications for which PET/MRI has shown promise and discuss impediments to future adoption. It is our hope that future work will prove the benefit of PET/MRI to specific groups of patients, initially those in which PET/CT and MRI are already performed, leveraging simultaneity and allowing for greater degrees of multiparametric evaluation. Level of evidence 5 Technical Efficacy: Stage 5 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1247-1262.
LACTATE AND OXYGEN DEBT: AN INTRODUCTION

The relationship of the formation of lactate acid to skeletal muscle energy release in exercising humans was first explored by A.V. Hill and co-workers (21, 22). The term “oxygen debt” was suggested by them to describe the excess oxygen consumption of recovery which they felt was closely related. A combination of their work and the earlier work of Krogh and Lindhard (35) resulted at that time in the belief that a certain amount of energy release during the transition from rest to exercise was provided by a non-aerobic source, glycolysis. The resulting accumulation of lactic acid (as lactate) in the body required an extra consumption during recovery for its oxidative removal.
Development of a Large Pelvic Sperm Granuloma Status Post Radical Prostatectomy: A Case Report

A 72 year old male developed severe obstructive voiding symptoms status post radical prostatectomy. Imaging showed a large pelvic mass causing mass effect on the bladder that ultimately proved to be a sperm granuloma. To the best of our knowledge the development of sperm granuloma post-prostatectomy has not been previously reported.
The Social Structural, Family, School, and Personal Characteristics of At-Risk Students: Policy Recommendations for School Personnel:

The following review summarizes the research concerning the characteristics of at-risk students. Surprisingly, at-risk students have not been extensively studied. However, as the discussion of social structure will document, the available research clearly demonstrates that the single most consistent factor characterizing at-risk students is social class. Social class is a powerful determinant of school success, and, as a consequence, at-risk students are disproportionately drawn from families with low socioeconomic status. Fortunately, researchers, especially sociologists, have devoted considerable energy to studying the impact of social class on educational success. While these researchers have not singled out at-risk students for special study, their findings on why students from lower-socioeconomicstatus families do less well in school than children from middle-class families can be extrapolated to the at-risk population. The relatively few studies focusing exclusively on at-risk students support this link. They suggest that the factors underlying the poorer school performance of students from lower-socioeconomic-status families also account for much of the variance between students who are at-risk and those who are not. Accordingly, in this report we will discuss, not only studies of students identified as being at-risk, but also studies investigating the impact of social class on school success.
Not a Metaphor: Immigrant of Color Autoethnography as a Decolonial Move:

This essay argues that if “decolonization in the settler colonial context must involve the repatriation of (Native) land”(p. 7), then autoethnography committed to decolonization should first and fo...
18F-FDG PET/MRI in Chronic Sciatica: Early Results Revealing Spinal and Nonspinal Abnormalities

Chronic sciatica is a major cause of disability worldwide, but accurate diagnosis of the causative pathology remains challenging. In this report, the feasibility of an 18F-FDG PET/MRI approach for improved diagnosis of chronic sciatica is presented. Methods:18F-FDG PET/MRI was performed on 9 chronic sciatica patients and 5 healthy volunteers (healthy controls). Region-of-interest analysis using SUVmax was performed, and 18F-FDG uptake in lesions was compared with that in the corresponding areas in healthy controls. Results: Significantly increased 18F-FDG uptake was observed in detected lesions in all patients and was correlated with pain symptoms. 18F-FDG-avid lesions not only were found in impinged spinal nerves but also were associated with nonspinal causes of pain, such as facet joint degeneration, pars defect, or presumed scar neuroma. Conclusion: The feasibility of 18F-FDG PET/MRI for diagnosing pain generators in chronic sciatica was demonstrated, revealing various possible etiologies.
De novo metastasis in breast cancer: occurrence and overall survival stratified by molecular subtype

Breast cancer molecular subtypes, categorized jointly by hormone receptors (HR) and human epidermal growth factor-2 (HER2), are utilized to guide systemic therapy. We hypothesized distinct patterns of de novo metastasis and overall survival by molecular subtype using a retrospective cohort of 399,772 women in the National Cancer Database diagnosed with first primary invasive breast cancer between 2010 and 2014, of whom 13,924 were diagnosed with de novo metastasis from 2010 to 2013 and had follow up data. The relationship of molecular subtype with patient and tumor characteristics, including site of de novo metastasis, were examined using Chi-squared tests. Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to examine overall survival by molecular subtype. Bone was the most frequent de novo metastatic site for all molecular subtypes. Compared to HR+/HER2−, patients with HR−/HER2+ experienced 4.5, 3.0, and 6.0 times the de novo brain, lung, and liver metastasis respectively. In survival analyses of women diagnosed with de novo metastasis, the mortality risk relative to HR+/HER2− was twice as high for triple-negative (hazard ratio = 2.02, 95% CI 1.89–2.16) and modestly lower for HR+/HER2+ (hazard ratio = 0.83, 95% CI 0.78–0.88). The median survival difference between metastatic patients with and without chemotherapy was 28.6 months in HR+/HER2+ and 28.2 months in HR−/HER2+, but only 10.9 months in triple-negative and 5.2 months in HR+/HER2−. In conclusion, despite unfavorable patterns of de novo metastasis, HER2+ breast cancers had relatively better survival in recent years, probably due to treatment differences. Utilizing molecular subtype and site of de novo metastasis may predict prognosis and guide treatment.
The missing money problem: Incorporation of increased resources from wind in a representative US power market

Abstract The paper considers opportunities to reduce emissions of CO2 through increases in commitments to wind in a representative US power market. A model is applied to simulate market operations for different wind levels focusing on implications of the reduction in clearing prices arising due to increasing inputs of zero marginal cost power from wind, a dilemma referred to as the missing money problem. The resulting decrease in income poses problems for existing thermal and nuclear generating systems, at the same time making investments in wind uneconomic in the absence offsetting policy interventions. Two options are considered to subsidize cost: an investment credit (IC) or a subsidy on production (PC). The dilemma could be addressed also with a carbon tax targeted to increase income. It is assumed that the cost associated with the IC and PC options should be borne by the consumer, offsetting benefits from lower wholesale prices. It is assumed further that income from the carbon tax should be rebated to the consumer offsetting related increases in clearing prices. IC and PC options offer opportunities to reduce emissions at low or even negative net costs to the consumer. Higher costs are associated with the option of a carbon tax.
Myelin status is associated with change in functional mobility following slope walking in people with multiple sclerosis.

BackgroundThe level of myelin disruption in multiple sclerosis patients may impact the capacity for training-induced neuroplasticity and the magnitude of therapeutic response to rehabilitation inte...
Sensitivity analysis of a fumigant movement and loss model for bulk stored grain to predict effects of environmental conditions and operational variables on fumigation efficacy

Abstract In order to improve fumigation effectiveness and address phosphine resistance concerns, fumigant concentrations and movement in a grain storage silo need to be understood. In a previous study a mathematically accurate fumigation model was developed that is capable of predicting fumigant concentration and movement throughout a grain storage silo by taking into account fumigant loss from leakage and sorption. This model was used to investigate the impact on a phosphine fumigation with changing operational variables and environmental conditions. These included modifying the initial values from the fumigation by ± 25% and 50% for leakage rates, air recirculation rates, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. Reducing leakage rate to 50% and 75% of the original rate increased fumigant concentrations by 111% and 36% compared to −21% and −34% for 125% and 150% leakage rate changes, respectively. Likewise, by the end of the simulation, average phosphine concentrations changed by 118%, 41%, −28%, and −47% for the 50%, 75%, 125%, and 150% air recirculation rates, respectively. Results underline the importance of designing well sealed silos and the importance of monitoring fumigations during high wind speed weather events.
REM sleep deprivation induces changes in coping responses that are not reversed by amphetamine

Study objective Although sleep deprivation often occurs during stressful or threatening situations, the effects of sleep loss on defensive and coping behaviors are not well known. The purpose of the present study was to measure the effects of selective rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation (RSD) on responses elicited by threatening situations and to assess the extent to which RSD-induced changes are reversed by amphetamine. Design Animals were divided into 3 groups; home-cage control, apparatus control, and REM sleep-deprived groups. The flowerpot method was used to produce RSD for up to 5 days. One set of rats was tested in the elevated plus maze, open field, shock-induced freezing, and analgesia tests. A second set of rats was evaluated for locomotor activity. A third set of animals was assessed in the defensive burying test. For the amphetamine studies, groups of home-cage control and REM sleep-deprived rats received an intraperitoneal injection of amphetamine prior to administration of the shock-induced freezing test or the defensive burying test. Setting Sleep Research Laboratory at UW-Madison. Participants and interventions 186 male Long-Evans rats approximately 3 months old. Measurements and results RSD increased the proportion of time spent in open arms of the elevated plus maze and center of the open field, decreased freezing time, and reduced defensive burying. Amphetamine did not reverse RSD-induced changes in freezing or burying responses. Conclusions RSD causes widespread abnormalities in coping and defensive responses in threatening situations; these deficits are not reversed and, in some cases, may be exacerbated by amphetamine.
Aquatic Landscapes: The Importance of Integrating Waters

The landscapes of the Mid-Atlantic Region are dissected by networks of rivers, with their associated wetlands and riparian areas. These systems provide important ecosystem services, both ecological functions and societal values, such as floodwater storage, public water supplies, recreational greenbelts, and habitats for a diversity of flora and fauna. Ecologists and hydrologists have increasingly focused on integrating across the four dimensions of these ecosystems: longitudinal, lateral, hyporheic, and time. Here, we use a hydrogeomorphic classification system to describe wetland types, and present a conceptual model of how they connect to other waters through critical components such as hydrologic connectivity, energy flows and sources, and biological integrity. The connectivity of aquatic habitats is described and related in a watershed context. Concepts are supported by a technical review of pertinent literature. We emphasize the flow of water, nutrients, and organisms from headwaters downstream through an interconnected riverine ecosystem.
Physician-owned hospitals and self-referral.

While critics of section 6001 of the ACA warn that it will debilitate an important competitive force in the marketplace, it does not categorically eliminate further development of the physician-owned hospital industry.
Hormonal Regulation of the Proliferation and Differentiation of Astrocytes and Oligodendrocytes in Primary Culture

One of the most challenging questions in contemporary biology is what controls the orchestration of events which lead to the orderly proliferation and differentiation of cells in the CNS. Evidence has accumulated suggesting that hormones are involved in this critical process. After the discovery of the association of hypothyroidism with mental retardation, thyroidectomy of rats at birth was found to produce irreversible morphological changes with impaired behavior (Eayrs, 1964) as well as marked biochemical alterations in the developing brain (Balazs et al., 1971). Glucocorticoids have also been shown to affect brain development (Balazs, 1974) in addition to regulating the activity of a developmentally expressed enzyme, glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) (de Vellis and Inglish, 1968). Furthermore, induced sexual differentiation of the brain by sex steroids implicates hormones as regulatory agents (McEwen et al., 1979). Thus, hormonees seem to be a primary agent in the orchestration of brain proliferation and differentiation.
Statistical Inference in MLPs

In Chapter 3, we showed that HMMs were stochastic models that dealt efficiently with the statistical and sequential character of the speech signal, but which also suffer from several limiting assumptions that are required for tractable solutions. In Chapter 4, we discussed ANNs and showed that they had their own attractive properties; in particular, they appear to rely on fewer basic assumptions. Chapter 5 briefly reviewed the most popular ANN approaches currently used for sequence processing in general and speech recognition in particular. We concluded that none of these were able to solve CSR properly using ANNs by themselves. Given these tradeoffs, we have been interested in using ANNs to overcome some HMM drawbacks while staying within the latter’s formalism. This kind of hybrid is frequently not straightforward, however; for instance, it is difficult to optimally incorporate rule-based speech knowledge in an HMM-based ASR system.1
Carnitine and β-Oxidation

Fatty acids represent the major fuel for energy production. The substrate fatty acids either are mobilized from triglycerides stored in a adipose tissue and transported via the bloodstream to tissues or are derived from plasma lipoproteins by the lipoprotein lipase. Following uptake into tissues by specific transport proteins, fatty acids are either stored as triglycerides or used for energy production. This latter process, called β -oxidation, is localized within the mitochondria and involves activation of fatty acids in the cytosol, the carnitine-dependent uptake of activated fatty acids into mitochondria, and their sequential oxidative chain shortening yielding acetyl-CoA and reducing equivalents (flavin adenine dinucleotide, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). Complete oxidation of fatty acid-derived acetyl-CoA in the citric acid cycle produces additional reducing equivalents. The energy in the form of ATP is formed during the reoxidation of reducing equivalents in the electron transport chain coupled with ATP synthesis.
Philanthropy in Medicine: Some Historical Perspectives

There is a somewhat nebulous and elusive quality usually desired and sometimes present in medical practice, variously called caring, compassion, humanitarianism, altruism, beneficence, or philanthropy. None of these words individually is adequate to encompass the quality to which this historical investigation is addressed, and none is truly synonymous with any other. Each of these words can be taken as having a negative connotation in that each assumes, as it were, even if only slightly, a need or a deficiency in someone to which the quality expressed by the word is, at least in part, a response. As one reads through this list of words, that negative connotation grows in intensity until, when one reaches ‘philanthropy’, one is dealing with a term that has of late, when applied to medical practice, received some rather ‘bad press’. This is especially evident in articles by William F. May [31] and Robert M. Veatch [45], both of whom are concerned with some fundamental questions of the basis for medical ethics and obligations within the physician/patient relationship. Both stress the desirability of obligations founded on reciprocity rather than on deontology that arises from the profession’s own definition of its role-specific duties. Both authors consider philanthropy as a central feature of the latter, that is, of a one-sided definition of obligations. May writes about “the conceit of philanthropy when it is assumed that the professional’s commitment to his fellow man is a gratuitous, rather than a responsive or reciprocal, act. Statements of medical ethics that obscure the doctor’s prior indebtedness to the community are tainted with the odor of condescension” ([31], p. 31). There is a degree of condescension, or at least a potential for suspicion of condescension, in each of the words listed above, indeed in that very quality in medical practice for which we are at a loss to find a suitable word. In the present paper we shall avoid being prescriptive as we seek to describe that elusive element in the history of ancient and medieval medicine.
World War II military led the way in screening chest radiography.

World War I recruits were screened for tuberculosis almost exclusively with a history and physical exam. Radiography was unavailable on a large scale and expensive. New techniques developed in Brazil and elsewhere in the 1930s made mass radiographic screening practical. During World War II, the U.S. Army and Navy took advantage of this new technology to screen an estimated 10 million personnel. This ambitious and successful case-finding program inspired, in part, continuing radiographic screening efforts among the civilian population following the war, including mass screening of asymptomatic individuals and routine hospital admission chest films.
Start Here, Or Here, No Here: Introductions to Rethinking Education Policy and Methodology in a Post-Truth Era

This special issue takes up urgent questions about how we education scholars might think and do policy and methodology in what has come to be known as the post-truth era. The authors in this special issue grapple with questions about the roles and responsibilities of educational researchers in an era in which research and policy have lost their moorings in T/truth. Collectively they reconceptualize educational research and policy in light of post-truths, anti-science sentiment, and the global rise of right-wing populism. At the same time we editors wonder whether post-truth is given a bad rap. Could post-truth have something productive to offer? What does post-truth open up for educational research and policy? Or, is the real issue of this special issue a collective despair of our own insignificance and obsolescence in the wake of post-truth. Whatever we editors and authors aimed to do, this special issue will not be heard by post-truth adherents and partisans. Perhaps its only contribution is encouragement to stay with the troubles of a post-truth era, even as we despair the consequences of our research and policy creations.
Customer Segmentation Algorithm Based on Data Mining for Electric Vehicles

Customer segmentation is of great significance for charge service operators to obtain the features of charging behaviors and individual differences between various Electric Vehicle (EV) users. Based on large numbers of charging service data fast accumulated by Operations Management System, exploratory data analysis was applied to all the historical data in the database. Firstly the paper screened out key variables to the segmentation model, and then presented the EV customer segmentation method by data mining technique and k-means algorithm. Secondly the customer value evaluation method was proposed, and charging behavioral features and customer values were analyzed. At last, conclusions and suggestions are given, which would provide data supports to the improvement of operation and maintenance management and decision-making of the precision marketing.
Less recognized conditions associated with PFO: Decompression illness, carcinoid heart disease, coronary spasm

Abstract A patent foramen ovale (PFO) increases the risk of developing serious phenotypes of decompression illness (DCI) in divers. Since the incidence of DCI is very low, routine screening of recreational scuba divers for PFO is not recommended. However, screening should be considered on a case-by-case basis and if present, consideration should be given to PFO closure if diving cessation or conservative diving are not options. The prevalence of PFO is higher in patients with carcinoid heart disease as compared to the general population. Most patients with left-sided carcinoid heart disease have a PFO which may indicate a causal relationship. There is limited evidence showing that PFO closure may improve symptoms in patients with carcinoid heart disease and advanced New York Heart Association functional class. The data on the relation of PFO to coronary spasm are limited. Some reports support the theory that PFO acts as a pathway for a chemical substrate that induces coronary vasospasm in patients with or without carcinoid syndrome or following foam sclerotherapy.
Methamphetamine Use: A New Wave in the Opioid Crisis?

Background The ongoing drug crisis in the United States continues to be headlined with numbers of deaths related to opioid overdose. Less known to the public and health care providers is the rise in methamphetamine use, often in conjunction with opioids or adulterated with fentanyl. An old practice with a new twist is the use of methamphetamine in conjunction with an opioid such as heroin. Purpose Although there are no Food and Drug Administration-approved medications to treat individuals with stimulant use disorders, a review of available studies suggests a few promising medications that may be helpful for patients in early recovery from methamphetamine. Outcome Some individuals are more likely to respond to medications such as long-acting naltrexone, bupropion, and mirtazapine, who have light-to-moderate use of methamphetamine. Naloxone kits should be considered for all patients who are actively using stimulants because of a high potential of adulterated methamphetamine.
Genetic analysis of a child with 13q deletion syndrome featuring congenital heart disease

Objective To explore the genetic basis of a child with congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods Clinical examination of the child was carried out. Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and quantitative PCR were carried out to detect copy number variations. Results The major features of the child included CHD (ventricular septal defect, severe pulmonary hypertension, tricuspid regurgitation, patent ductus arteriosus, and patent foramen ovale), severe pneumonia and liver failure. A de novo 3.2 Mb deletion encompassing 25 genes in 13q34 and a paternal 2.2 Mb duplication in 19p13.3 were revealed by CMA and qPCR. Conclusion The 13q34 region probably contains susceptibility genes for CHD. Key words: 13q deletion syndrome; Chromosomal microarray analysis; Congenital heart disease
Are academic hospitals better at treating metastatic colorectal cancer

Abstract Background There is a strong association between hospital volume and surgical outcomes in resectable colorectal cancer. The purpose of our study was to investigate the association between hospital facility type and survival of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Methods Adults from the National Cancer Database (2010–2015) with a primary diagnosis of colorectal metastases were included and stratified by facility type: community cancer program, comprehensive community cancer program, and academic/research program. The primary outcome was 5-year overall survival, analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, log-rank test, and the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results Among the 52,958 included patients, 13.72% were treated at a community cancer program, 49.89% at a comprehensive community cancer program, and 36.29% at an academic/research program. A significant increase in the proportion of patients being treated in an academic/research program has been observed from 2010 to 2015. An academic/research program tended to use more chemotherapy with colorectal radical resection and liver or lung resection and immunotherapy with chemotherapy. In adjusted analysis, the academic/research program had decreased risk of mortality in comparison to the community cancer program and the comprehensive community cancer program (hazard ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.86–0.94; 0.87, 0.85–0.90; each P Conclusion The prognosis and overall survival of patients with metastatic disease is better in an academic/research program compared with a community cancer program or a comprehensive community cancer program, with this difference persisting across sites of metastatic disease and treatment types. Further studies are required to validate these results and investigate disparities in the management of metastatic colorectal cancer.
The role of cysteines in the structure and function of OGG1.

8-Oxoguanine glycosylase (OGG1) is a base excision repair enzyme responsible for the recognition and removal of 8-oxoguanine, a commonly occurring oxidized DNA modification. OGG1 prevents the accumulation of mutations and regulates the transcription of various oxidative stress–response genes. In addition to targeting DNA, oxidative stress can affect proteins like OGG1 itself, specifically at cysteine residues. Previous work has shown that the function of OGG1 is sensitive to oxidants, with the cysteine residues of OGG1 being the most likely site of oxidation. Due to the integral role of OGG1 in maintaining cellular homeostasis under oxidative stress, it is important to understand the effect of oxidants on OGG1 and the role of cysteines in its structure and function. In this study, we investigate the role of the cysteine residues in the function of OGG1 by mutating and characterizing each cysteine residue. Our results indicate that the cysteines in OGG1 fall into four functional categories: those that are necessary for (1) glycosylase activity (C146 and C255), (2) lyase activity (C140S, C163, C241, and C253), and (3) structural stability (C253) and (4) those with no known function (C28 and C75). These results suggest that under conditions of oxidative stress, cysteine can be targeted for modifications, thus altering the response of OGG1 and affecting its downstream cellular functions.
Experimental Verification and Design Guidelines for Efficient Ultrasonic Power Transfer Using Capacitive Parametric Ultrasonic Transducers

Capacitive parametric ultrasound transducers (CPUT) passively harness energy from ultrasound signals without the need for a DC bias, making them especially useful in wireless power transfer applications. In earlier works, CPUTs were analyzed using a 1D lumped parameter model which did not consider the complex acoustic interactions in realistic transducers with many membranes. For practical device design and implementation, experimentally validated full-scale simulations should be used. In this work, a CPUT model using the boundary element method (BEM) to model membrane arrays is implemented and used to study effects of multi-mode behavior on power transfer. The results indicate that CPUTs with practical micromachined membrane geometries can provide efficiency levels suitable for remote power transfer.
International Human Rights and Multinational Corporations: An FCPA Approach

Recent Supreme Court decisions have severely curtailed the reach of the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), making it nearly impossible to hold multinational corporations accountable in the United States for grave human rights violations overseas. In this article, we propose a new strategy that borrows from the U.S. antibribery regime under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA). We demonstrate that the fundamental aspects of this regime can be adapted to cover corporate involvement in human rights violations while remedying many of the serious shortcomings that compromised the effectiveness of civil litigation. A FCPA-based regime would clearly define the prohibited conduct by reference to existing U.S. statutes that criminalize grave human rights violations. It would delineate a clear jurisdictional scope, centered around U.S. corporations and foreign corporations who choose to access U.S. securities markets, and provide clear rules for holding corporations accountable for complicity in human rights violations committed by others. By placing enforcement decisions in the hands of federal prosecutors rather than private plaintiffs, it would avoid the separation of powers concerns that played a central role in the ATS’s demise. Like the FCPA has done for foreign bribery, this model would not only give multinational corporations a powerful incentive to avoid involvement in grave human rights violations but also give the United States a tool for inducing other states to pressure companies under their influence to do the same.