cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond Inclusive Legal Positivism

In this essay, I characterize the original intervention that became Inclusive Legal Positivism, defend it against a range of powerful objections, explain its contribution to jurisprudence, and display its limitations and its modest jurisprudential significance. I also show how in its original formulations ILP depends on three notions that are either mistaken or inessential to law: the separability thesis, the rule of recognition, and the idea of criteria of legality. The first is false and is in event inessential to legal positivism. The second is inessential to legal positivism. The third is likely inessential to law. I then characterize the central claim of ILP in a way that relies on none of these: ILP is the claim that necessarily social facts determine the determinants of legal content. I show that ILP so conceived leaves the central debates in law largely untouched. I suggest how the most fundamental of these—the question of the normativity of law—at least can be usefully addressed. The essay closes by suggesting that even though one can distinguish the social from the normative dimensions of law, a theory of the nature of law is necessarily an account of the relationship between the two: It is a theory either of the difference that certain distinctive social facts make in normative space, or it is an account of the distinctive normative difference that law makes, and the social and other facts that are necessary to explain that difference. One can distinguish between but one cannot separate the social from the normative aspects of legality.
LANGUAGE CHANGE AND LANGUAGE CONTACT IN PIDGINS AND CREOLES.John McWhorter (Ed.). Amsterdam: Benjamins, 1999. Pp. vi + 503. $145.00 cloth.

This volume is a selection of 15 papers from approximately 125 papers presented at three consecutive meetings of the Society for Pidgin and Creole Linguistics (San Diego in January 1996, Chicago in January 1997, and London in June 1997). The collection represents a good variety of contributions in terms of theoretical concerns and languages discussed. Two of the chapters present a survey of particular phenomena in a number of pidgins and creoles: stativity and time reference (Holm) and wh-words and question formation (Clements & Mahboob). Another chapter revisits the prototypical creole tense-mood-aspect system with an examination of a larger database of Sranan speech than has been previously seen in the literature (Winford). The remainder of the chapters address historical linguistic concerns, discussing issues of Indo-European development (Goyette) as well as creole genesis. The articles on genesis represent an integration of recent developments from outside the creolist world—for example, using insights from Chaos Theory (Lang) and Optimality Theory (Singler) and expanding on previous discussions of nativization (Roberts). Two chapters represent more quantitative approaches from sociolinguistics applied to creole settings (Naro & Scherre; Tagliamonte). There are four articles that address diachronic issues that would potentially address issues of SLA; however, they do not explicitly address their orientation as to how processes of creole genesis are separate from those of SLA.
A multilevel model of HIV/AIDS information/help network development

Purpose – This paper aims to describe the personal information and help networks of people with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) in rural Canada, and to present a research‐based model of how and why these networks developed. This model seeks to consider the roles of PHAs, their family members/friends and formal health systems in network formation.Design/methodology/approach – In‐depth, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 114 PHAs, their friends/family members (FFs) and formal caregivers in three rural regions of Canada. A network solicitation procedure elicited PHAs' HIV/AIDS information/help networks. Interviews were analyzed qualitatively, and network data were analyzed statistically. Documents describing health systems in each region were also analyzed. Analyses used social capital theory, supplemented by stress/coping and stigma management theories.Findings – PHAs' HIV/AIDS‐related information/help networks emphasized linking and bonding social capital with minimal bridging social capital. This paper presen...
Experimental Study of Uranium(6+) Sorption on the Zeolite Mineral Clinoptilolite

Experiments on the sorption of uranium(6+) on clinoptilolite from solutions in equilibrium with atmospheric CO{sub 2}(g) were conducted to understand the fundamental controls on uranium sorption on zeolite minerals, including the effects of pH, aqueous uranium speciation, and uranium concentration in solution. The results indicate that uranium(6+) species are strongly sorbed on the zeolite mineral clinoptilolite at near-neutral pH. The amount of uranium sorbed is strongly dependent on pH and, to some extent, on the total concentration of uranium. Uranium sorption on clinoptilolite is important in the pH range where UO{sub 2}(OH){sub 2}{degrees}(aq) is the predominant uranium aqueous species, whereas sorption is inhibited at pH`s where carbonate- and hydroxy-carbonate-complexes are the primary uranyl species. Surface adsorption appears to be the main sorption mechanism, although at pH<4 the results suggest ion exchange may occur between the UO{sub 2}{sup 2+} ions in solution and the cations in the intracrystalline cation exchange sites of clinoptilolite. The effectiveness of zeolite-rich horizons underneath Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as barriers to actinide transport through sorption processes will depend strongly on groundwater chemistry. Reliable predictions of radionuclide transport through these horizons will need to properly account for changes in solution chemistry.
Yang's R gauge for self-dual SU(3) gauge fields

Yang's $R$-gauge formulation of self-dual SU(2) gauge fields is extended to the $\mathrm{SU}(N)$ gauge group. A simple and computationally useful expression for the Chern density is exhibited. For $N=3$ the self-duality equations are given explicitly along with a Backlund-type transformation for generating "new" self-dual gauge fields from old ones. No attempt is made to resolve the severe singularity structure of these "new" gauge fields which preclude any physical interpretation.
Apparent Cerebral Atrophy in Patients on Treatment with Steroids

UMMARY The apparent loss of cerebral tissue sometimes demonstrated by computerised axial tomography and other radiological techniques is not always irreversible. A report is given of a child with infantile spasms who was treated with ACTH. While on this treatment, a CAT scan showed findings suggestive of cortical atrophy but when this test was repeated four months after treatment was stopped, it was normal. Various theories are discussed to account for the effects of steroids on the brain. The most likely one is a change in brain volume because of loss of water. As the radiological appearances can be reversible, they should not be described as cerebral atrophy. RESUME A trophie cerebrate apparente chez les sujets trailes par steroides La perte apparente de tissu cerebral quelque fois demontree par tomodensitometrie et autres techniques radiologiques n'est pas toujours irreversible. Le cas rapporte est celui d'un enfant avec spasme en flexion traite par ACTH. Au cours du traitement, le scanner pratique suggerait l'existence d'une atrophie corticale mais quand l'examen fut repete quatre mois apres l'arret du traitement, il etait normal. Des theories variees ont ete proposees pour expliquer les effets des steroides sur le cerveau. La plus vraisemblable fait appel a une modification du volume cerebral par perte d'eau. Les modifications radiologiques etant reversibles, elles ne doivent pas etre decrites comme une atrophie cerebrale. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Scheinbare cerebrale Atrophie bei Patienten mit Steroidtherapie Der scheinbare Verlust von cerebralem Gewebe, der manchmal durch axiale Computer-tomographie und andere radiologische Techniken gezeigt wird, ist nicht immer endgultig. Es wird hier von einem Kind berichtet, das BNS-Krampfe hatte und mit acth behandelt wurde. Unter dieser Therapie fanden sich im axialen Computertomogramm Hinweise auf eine cerebrale Atrophie: als jedoch diese Untersuchung vier Wochen nach Absetzen der Behandlung wiederholt wurde, war der Befund normal. Es werden verschiedene Theorien uber den Einflus von Steroiden auf das Gehirn diskutiert. Die wahrscheinlichste besagt, das die Veranderungen des Hirnvolumens durch einen Wasserverlust hervorgerufen werden. Da die radiologischen Befunde reversibel sein konnen, sollten sie nicht als cerebrale Atrophie beschrieben werden. RESUMEN Atrofia cerebral aparente en pacientes bajo tratamiento con esteroides La aparente perdida de tejido cerebral a veces demonstrada por el scanner y otras tecnicas radiologicas no siempre es irreversible. Se aporta el caso de un nino con espasmos infantiles que fue tratado con ACTH. Mientras duro al tratamiento una cat mostro hallazgos que sugerian una atrofia cortical, pero cuando la prueba fue repetida cuatro meses despues del tratamiento, la imagen era normal. Se discuten varias teorias para explicar los efectos de los esteroides sobre el cerebro. La mas verosimil es un cambio del volumen cerebral por falta de agua. Puesto que la apariencia neurologica puede ser reversible no deberia ser descrita como una atrofia cerebral.
Development of a Model for Quality Gradin of Textile Products

A model for quality grading of textile products was developed which included weaghtang fac tors based on the importance of end-use properties as perceived by consumers, standards based on laboratory measurements of these properties, and the expected wear-life of the product. Children's clothing was the textile product used in developing the model. A questionnaire was distributed to parents of nursery school and elementary school-age children to obtain the needed consumer input. In the questionnaire the consumers rated the importance of end-use properties for various categories of children's clothing, and indicated the expected wear-life of these items. Significant differences were found in the ratings of the importance of the end-use properties for each of the seven categories of clothing. The model for quality grading was then developed utilizing the data from the questionnaire. Also used in the model were laboratory measurements of the end-use properties and perfor mance standards. The desirability function was used to transform data from different labor atory measurements and performance standards into a single value. The model was then tested using four pairs of boys' jeans, similar in appearance but differing in price. The two lowest priced garments were found to be of the lowest grade, but the top-priced garment was the same grade as the next lower-priced garment.
Longitudinal cognitive and motor changes among presymptomatic Huntington disease gene carriers.

Objective To determine whether longitudinal changes in cognitive and motor function can be detected among clinically presymptomatic individuals carrying the Huntington disease (HD) allele. Design A longitudinal, case-control, double-blind study comparing presymptomatic gene carriers and non–gene carriers at risk for HD examined an average of 3.7 years apart. Setting The Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics at a general clinic research center in Indianapolis, Ind. Participants A sample of 43 at-risk individuals consisting of presymptomatic gene carriers (n=12) and non–gene carriers (n=31). Measures Huntington disease gene status was determined by molecular testing of the HD gene. Subscales from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–Revised and a quantified neurologic rating scale were administered. Results Scores on the digit symbol subscale of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–Revised ( P P P P =.02) and for 4 neurologic variables—rapid alternating movements ( P P P P Conclusions Psychomotor speed, optokinetic nystagmus, and rapid alternating movements demonstrated significant decline early in the pathological process of HD. These results suggest that subtle worsening of psychomotor, oculomotor, and motor functions occurs before the onset of signs sufficient to make a clinical diagnosis in individuals who have inherited the HD allele.
Tax Planning as Part of a Tax Risk Management Process

This paper was presented as part of a workshop to supply chain managers in 2006, on tax planning as part of a tax risk management process. The paper contains useful tools to conduct the appropriate tax risk management strategy, with tax planning as the focal point. The paper also deals extensively with tax risk management principles generally, and will be a useful guide to any taxpayers wishing to formulate tax risk management strategies for their organizations.
Semiotics and multiscale cybernetics: theoretical fundamentals of intelligent control

Multiscale control is a nested system of state space search processes using a new intelligent control paradigm which is based upon cybernetics and semiotics and is a part of the analysis of processes of evolution and learning.
Will photosynthesis of maize (Zea mays) in the US Corn Belt increase in future [CO2] rich atmospheres? An analysis of diurnal courses of CO2 uptake under free-air concentration enrichment (FACE)

The C4 grass Zea mays (maize or corn) is the third most important food crop globally in terms of production and demand is predicted to increase 45% from 1997 to 2020. However, the effects of rising [CO2] upon C4 plants, and Z. mays specifically, are not sufficiently understood to allow accurate predictions of future crop production. A rainfed, field experiment utilizing free-air concentration enrichment (FACE) technology in the primary area of global corn production (US Corn Belt) was undertaken to determine the effects of elevated [CO2] on corn. FACE technology allows experimental treatments to be imposed upon a complete soil–plant–atmosphere continuum with none of the effects of experimental enclosures on plant microclimate. Crop performance was compared at ambient [CO2] (354 μ mol mol−1) and the elevated [CO2] (549 μmol mol−1) predicted for 2050. Previous laboratory studies suggest that under favorable growing conditions C4 photosynthesis is not typically enhanced by elevated [CO2]. However, stomatal conductance and transpiration are decreased, which can indirectly increase photosynthesis in dry climates. Given the deep soils and relatively high rainfall of the US Corn Belt, it was predicted that photosynthesis would not be enhanced by elevated [CO2]. The diurnal course of gas exchange of upper canopy leaves was measured in situ across the growing season of 2002. Contrary to the prediction, growth at elevated [CO2] significantly increased leaf photosynthetic CO2 uptake rate (A) by up to 41%, and 10% on average. Greater A was associated with greater intercellular [CO2], lower stomatal conductance and lower transpiration. Summer rainfall during 2002 was very close to the 50-year average for this site, indicating that the year was not atypical or a drought year. The results call for a reassessment of the established view that C4 photosynthesis is insensitive to elevated [CO2] under favorable growing conditions and that the production potential of corn in the US Corn Belt will not be affected by the global rise in [CO2].
Active cross-path correlation for autonomous vehicle path following

We have developed and demonstrated a technique to allow a follower vehicle to closely repeat the path established by a leader vehicle. The leader records the range-to-obstruction to either or both sides as well as its own estimated position and orientation. A non-model-based technique is used to correlate the follower's estimate of position to the leader's. The technique is tolerant of changes in the environment between passes of the leader and follower, and eliminates the correspondence problem in a model-based system where both the leader and follower need to correctly identify a particular object as being the same landmark. In this paper, we describe the active cross-path correlation algorithm and initial experimental results.
Paracoccidioidomycosis case report: cure with amphotericin B and triple sulfa.

A man developed paracoccidioidomycosis with non-productive cough and changes on chest roentgenogram one year following agricultural work in Ecuador. Oropharyngeal and nasal lesions developed 2 years later. This chronic fungal infection is typically difficult to cure, and relapses are common. After treatment with 2·5 g of amphotericin B and a 3-year course of triple sulfa, our patient remained free of disease during 12 years of follow-up.
Consumer reactions to potential intrusiveness and benefits of RFID

The research conducted in this study examined the effect that information and personal traits have on potential consumers' intentions to purchase Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-tagged products. An experiment was conducted involving 128 students at a small, private university. Participants in the study were provided with general information on RFID, as well as more specific information on the benefits and intrusiveness of the technology throughout the supply chain. Two personal characteristics, personal innovativeness and propensity to trust, were assessed. Intrusiveness and propensity to trust were found to be predictors of trust in RFID. Trust in RFID was, as hypothesised, a predictor of an individual's intention to purchase RFID-tagged products. The implications for firms planning to use RFID and future research opportunities are discussed.
Vulnerability of oligodendroglia to glutamate: pharmacology, mechanisms, and prevention

Periventricular white matter injury, the principal variety of brain injury of the human premature infant, involves differentiating oligodendroglia. Nothing is known of the biochemical mechanism of oligodendroglial death in this disorder. Because an early event in periventricular white matter injury is ischemia-induced axonal disruption and because such axonal destruction could lead to a marked increase in local concentrations of glutamate, we evaluated the vulnerability of differentiating oligodendroglia to glutamate in a culture model. Oligodendroglia were isolated from mixed-glial primary cultures by a selective detachment technique and grown in a primary culture under conditions that lead to differentiation. These oligodendroglia were found to be highly vulnerable to glutamate-induced cell death. The EC50 for glutamate for a 24 hr exposure was approximately 200 microM, comparable to the value reported for neurons in conventional cerebral cortical cultures. Astrocytes, in contrast, were shown to be resistant to as much as 5 mM glutamate. Study of glutamate receptor antagonists and glutamate transport substrates showed that the glutamate-induced oligodendroglial death was not related to a receptor mechanism, as operates in neurons, but rather was secondary to glutamate uptake by the oligodendroglia. Glutamate transport by high-affinity, sodium-dependent and by sodium-independent systems was shown. The central importance of glutamate uptake for the toxic effect of glutamate was shown by total prevention of the oligodendroglial toxicity by the simultaneous inhibition of glutamate uptake by the specific inhibitor D,L-threo-beta-hydroxyaspartate. Subsequent observations showed that the toxicity of glutamate was mediated by free radical attack, the consequence of glutathione depletion, apparently caused by the action of a glutamate-cystine exchange mechanism that results in cystine and thereby glutathione depletion. Thus, addition of cystine or cysteine totally prevented the glutamate toxicity to oligodendroglia. Second, glutamate exposure led to cystine efflux. Third, glutathione levels decreased markedly in cells exposed to glutamate, and this marked decrease preceded the loss of cell viability. Fourth, glutamate toxicity could be prevented totally by exposure to different free radical scavengers, vitamin E and idebenone. The data thus show that glutamate is highly toxic to oligodendroglia. Moreover, the findings raise the possibilities that such glutamate toxicity is operative in the oligodendroglial cell death associated with ischemic processes that disrupt axons, such as periventricular white matter injury of the premature infant, and that novel therapies directed against glutamate transport, glutathione depletion, and free radical attack might be beneficial in prevention of that injury.
Extracting Partitional Clusters from Heterogeneous Datasets using Mutual Entropy

Clustering has traditionally been used for partitioning the objects of a single dataset. Some applications may require the clustering of multiple related heterogeneous datasets where it may not be easy to compute a useful and effective integrated feature space. In this paper, we present an algorithm called CEMENT (Cluster Ensemble using Mutual ENTropy) to address the problem of clustering two related datasets where the datasets represent the same or overlapping sets of objects but use different feature sets. The algorithm takes the partitional clusters generated from two datasets as input and uses a constraint-based approach to generate a single set of clusters. CEMENT is an EM (expectation maximization) approach where the objective function is the mutual entropy between the two sets of clusters. The algorithm was applied to the problem of clustering a document collection consisting of journal abstracts from ten different Library of Congress categories. These documents were pre-processed using several NLP (natural language processing) steps to extract syntactic and semantic feature sets. We present empirical results and statistical tests showing that CEMENT yields higher quality clusters with this dataset than several baseline clustering approaches.
Least squares tests for discrete parameter stochastic processes

A rest tor a subset oi parameters based on least squares estimates from dependent data is developed The asymptotic distribution of a test statistic defined Lo be the difference between a sum of squares minimized under the full and reduced models is shown to be that of a linear combination of noncentraL chi-square variates. Application is made to a suocnuicai branching process with immigration.
Characterization of Blockade Antibody Responses in GII.2.1976 Snow Mountain Virus-Infected Subjects

Snow Mountain virus (GII.2.1976) is the prototype strain of GII.2 noroviruses (NoVs), which cause an estimated 8% of norovirus outbreaks, yet little is known about the immunobiology of these viruses. To define the human immune response induced by SMV infection and the antigenic relationship between different GII.2 strains that have circulated between 1976 and 2010, we developed a panel of four GII.2 variant virus-like particles (VLPs) and compared their antigenicities by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and surrogate antibody neutralization (blockade) assays. Volunteers infected with GII.2.1976 developed a mean 167-fold increase in blockade response against the homotypic VLP by day 8 postchallenge. Blockade extended cross-genotype activity in some individuals but not cross-genogroup activity. Polyclonal sera from GII.2.1976-infected volunteers blocked GII.2.1976 significantly better than they blocked GII.2.2002, GII.2.2008, and GII.2.2010, suggesting that blockade epitopes within the GII.2 strains have evolved in the past decade. To potentially map these epitope changes, we developed mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against GII.2.1976 VLPs and compared their reactivities to a panel of norovirus VLPs. One MAb had broad cross-genogroup EIA reactivity to a nonblockade, linear, conserved epitope. Six MAbs recognized conformational epitopes exclusive to the GII.2 strains. Two MAbs recognized GII.2 blockade epitopes, and both blocked the entire panel of GII.2 variants. These data indicate that the GII.2 strains, unlike the predominant GII.4 strains, have undergone only a limited amount of evolution in blockade epitopes between 1976 and 2010 and indicate that the GII.2-protective component of a multivalent norovirus vaccine may not require frequent reformulation.
Service-based P2P overlay network for collaborative problem solving

This paper describes a service-based P2P overlay network architecture to support a collaborative environment for solving complex business processes over the network. In the proposed architecture, autonomic service providers corresponding to various activities that occur in the processes reside on the overlay network and are discovered dynamically during the execution of the process. To consummate a specific process, a set of services that map into the business process are federated together and executed in a choreographed sequence. All services have standardized interfaces and this allows any service to be seamlessly replaced with another service without affecting the performance of the federation. The paper presents two cases of application of this architecture, namely, business-to-business collaboration in an engineering environment (General Electric) and multiparty financial transactions (mortgage).
Addressing Communication Issues in Software Development: A Case Study Approach

Failure in communication between software developers and other stakeholders is a common cause of requirements deficiencies, cost overruns, and delays. It is difficult to present in a classroom setting the complexities that can cause such failures. To address this need, we have developed instructional case study material in software communication. We demonstrate how our cases expose students to situations they will confront outside the classroom, and how they provide opportunities for critiquing and devising communication strategies. We also describe our use of the cases, in a software engineering course and a technical communication course. We give initial results of an ongoing evaluation of the material's effectiveness in the software engineering curriculum.
Reduction in reperfusion-induced myocardial necrosis in dogs by RheothRx injection (poloxamer 188 N.F.), a hemorheological agent that alters neutrophil function.

BACKGROUNDReperfusion after prolonged coronary artery occlusion may be followed by additional myocardial necrosis persisting for hours to days. Potential mechanisms include neutrophil-mediated injury and compromised flow within the microcirculation of the reperfused myocardium. Poloxamer 188 is a nonionic surfactant with beneficial hemorheological and neutrophil-inhibitory properties. The purpose of the present study was to determine if poloxamer 188 is capable of reducing the myocardial injury associated with sustained reperfusion and to examine the effect of treatment duration.METHODS AND RESULTSThree groups of closed-chest dogs underwent 90 minutes of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion (angioplasty balloon) and 72 hours of reperfusion. Poloxamer 188, formulated as RheothRx Injection (Burroughs Wellcome Co), was given as a 75 mg/kg IV bolus 15 minutes before reperfusion followed by a 150 mg.kg-1.h-1 continuous IV infusion for 4 hours (n = 13) or 48 hours (n = 13); control dogs (n = 12) r...
Self-Regulation Strategies for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Historically the ability to self-regulate behavior has been prized (Harris et al. in Learning about learning disabilities, San Diego, Elsevier, 2004). In today's schools this ability may be a critical determinant of success in the classroom because it affects both behavioral and academic performance (Harris et al. in J Spec Educ, 39, 145–156, 2005). The ability to self-regulate is even more relevant for students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Self-regulation is a critical determinant of one's ability to function effectively. In this chapter, we discuss the issue of self-regulation in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Note that because self-regulation has been the focus of many researchers across a number of domains there are numerous definitions of self-regulation (Harris et al. in Learning about learning disabilities, San Diego, Elsevier, 2004). In this chapter we define self-regulation as a “…process whereby students activate and sustain cognitions, behaviors, and affects, which are systematically oriented toward attainment of their goals.” (Schunk and Zimmerman in Self-regulation of learning and performance: issues and educational applications, Hillsdale, Erlbaum, p. 309, 1994). We first preview the problem for children with ASD and their needs for receiving interventions to enable them to self-regulate their behavior. We then introduce five types of self-regulation interventions (self-monitoring, self-evaluation, goal setting, self-instruction, and self-reinforcement). Next, we provide examples of research with students with ASD in the areas of social and communication skills and for academic learning skills. Finally, we will discuss the limitations of these studies and implications for teachers and practitioners working with students with ASD.
Integration of Attributes from Non-Linear Characterization of Cardiovascular Time-Series for Prediction of Defibrillation Outcomes

Objective The timing of defibrillation is mostly at arbitrary intervals during cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), rather than during intervals when the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOH-CA) patient is physiologically primed for successful countershock. Interruptions to CPR may negatively impact defibrillation success. Multiple defibrillations can be associated with decreased post-resuscitation myocardial function. We hypothesize that a more complete picture of the cardiovascular system can be gained through non-linear dynamics and integration of multiple physiologic measures from biomedical signals. Materials and Methods Retrospective analysis of 153 anonymized OOH-CA patients who received at least one defibrillation for ventricular fibrillation (VF) was undertaken. A machine learning model, termed Multiple Domain Integrative (MDI) model, was developed to predict defibrillation success. We explore the rationale for non-linear dynamics and statistically validate heuristics involved in feature extraction for model development. Performance of MDI is then compared to the amplitude spectrum area (AMSA) technique. Results 358 defibrillations were evaluated (218 unsuccessful and 140 successful). Non-linear properties (Lyapunov exponent > 0) of the ECG signals indicate a chaotic nature and validate the use of novel non-linear dynamic methods for feature extraction. Classification using MDI yielded ROC-AUC of 83.2% and accuracy of 78.8%, for the model built with ECG data only. Utilizing 10-fold cross-validation, at 80% specificity level, MDI (74% sensitivity) outperformed AMSA (53.6% sensitivity). At 90% specificity level, MDI had 68.4% sensitivity while AMSA had 43.3% sensitivity. Integrating available end-tidal carbon dioxide features into MDI, for the available 48 defibrillations, boosted ROC-AUC to 93.8% and accuracy to 83.3% at 80% sensitivity. Conclusion At clinically relevant sensitivity thresholds, the MDI provides improved performance as compared to AMSA, yielding fewer unsuccessful defibrillations. Addition of partial end-tidal carbon dioxide (PetCO2) signal improves accuracy and sensitivity of the MDI prediction model.
Effect of chronic left ventricular failure on beta-endorphin.

Stimulation of endogenous opiate secretion worsens circulatory dysfunction in several forms of shock, in part by inhibiting sympathetic activity. To investigate whether endogenous opiates have a si...
The Impact of Thoracoscopic Surgery on Payment and Health Care Utilization After Lung Resection

Background Lung resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is associated with multiple clinical benefits compared with resection by thoracotomy (OPEN). Less is known about reimbursements, costs, and resource use with each approach. This study used a commercial insurance claims database to examine differences between VATS and OPEN lung resections in payment, health care utilization, and estimated days off work for health care visits. Methods All adult inpatient discharges for patients undergoing VATS or OPEN lung resection in 2010 were identified from the Truven MarketScan Database (Ann Arbor, MI). Results A total of 2,611 patients underwent lobectomy (VATS, 270; OPEN, 669) or wedge resection (VATS, 1,332; OPEN, 340). After adjustment, OPEN lobectomies had a longer length of stay (mean difference, 1.79 days) and higher payment to hospitals (mean difference, $3,497) and physicians (mean difference, $433) compared with VATS. Similar findings were noted after wedge resections. OPEN lobectomies had 1.28-times and 1.14-times more health care utilization days within 90 days and 365 days, respectively, after the operation compared with VATS, translating into increased expenditures of $3,260 at 90 days and $822 at 365 days for OPEN procedures. No significant differences in utilization were noted between OPEN and VATS wedge resections, except for fewer outpatient visits within 90 days in the OPEN group. Conclusions Compared with an OPEN approach, lobectomy and wedge resection by VATS were associated with lower hospital and physician payments. In addition, lobectomy by VATS was associated with less health care utilization in the early postoperative period and during the first year after the operation. These payment and utilization reductions are important in an era of value-based purchasing in health care.
Four Research Designs and a Comprehensive Analysis Strategy for Investigating Common Method Variance with Self-Report Measures Using Latent Variables

Common method variance (CMV) is an ongoing topic of debate and concern in the organizational literature. We present four latent variable confirmatory factor analysis model designs for assessing and controlling for CMV—those for unmeasured latent method constructs, Marker Variables, Measured Cause Variables, as well as a new hybrid design wherein these three types of method latent variables are used concurrently. We then describe a comprehensive analysis strategy that can be used with these four designs and provide a demonstration using the new design, the Hybrid Method Variables Model. In our discussion, we comment on different issues related to implementing these designs and analyses, provide supporting practical guidance, and, finally, advocate for the use of the Hybrid Method Variables Model. Through these means, we hope to promote a more comprehensive and consistent approach to the assessment of CMV in the organizational literature and more extensive use of hybrid models that include multiple types of latent method variables to assess CMV.
Mode Switching of Jet Noise Screech

Fourier analysis of the noise spectrum from supersonic jets issuing from bi-conical converging diverging nozzles were found to contain multiple screech frequencies pertaining to dierent modes. Transient processing methods were applied to determine the time evolution of the screech tones with the goal of determining whether mode switching or concurrent existence was occurring. A conditionally sampled short time Fourier analysis method as well as wavelet analysis, using the Morlet wavelet, indicated that mode switching took place. Mode switching was found to occur in both the overexpanded and underexpanded operating ranges for both small and moderate scale jets. The occurrence of tonal events was found to be temporally intermittent, with the time between events following a gamma distribution. Collapse of the intermittency distributions when normalized by the fully expanded diameter and jet Mach number indicates a relation to vortex shedding. Additionally, the eect of heat was shown to eliminate the occurrence of mode switching, with the helical mode taking preference at elevated temperature.
Nitric Oxide Releasing Tygon Materials: Studies in Donor Leaching and Localized Nitric Oxide Release at a Polymer-Buffer Interface

Tygon is a proprietary plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) polymer that is used widely in bioapplications, specifically as extracorporeal circuits. To overcome issues with blood clot formation and infection associated with the failure of these medical devices upon blood contact, we consider a Tygon coating with the ability to release the natural anticlotting and antibiotic agent, nitric oxide (NO), under simulated physiological conditions. These coatings are prepared by incorporating 20 w/w% S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) donor into a Tygon matrix. These films release NO on the order of 0.64 ± 0.5 × 10–10 mol NO cm–2 min–1, which mimics the lower end of natural endothelium NO flux. We use a combination of assays to quantify the amount of GSNO that is found intact at different time points throughout the film soak, as well as monitor the total thiol content in the soaking solution due to any analyte that has leached from the polymer film. We find that a burst of GSNO is released from the material surface within 5...
Egg and Larval Case Formation by Pachybrachis bivittatus

The willow-eating chrysomelid, Pachybrachis bivittatus (Say), catches each egg with the hind tarsi, rotates the egg against the end of the abdomen, applies a pasty green coating to the egg, then drops it. The newly hatched larva is a casebearer, utilizing the hardened egg coat at first, adding to it as growth occurs. Structural details of the case were obtained with an SEM.
Synergistic effect of family hypertension history and hyperuricemia on incidence of hypertension

Objective To study the interaction between family hypertension history and hyperuricemia and its effect on the incidence of hypertension. Methods Totally 2 515 newly diagnosed hypertension patients and 2 650 people with normal blood pressure and at the age of 35 years or older were selected from 100 communities in 6 urban areas of Qingdao city for a case-control study. A questionnaire survey,physical examination and laboratory test were carried out among the participants. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used in data analyses. Results Family hypertension history and hyperuricemia had positive relation with hypertension( P 0. 001). After adjusting for confounding factors,a synergy index( 1. 67) between family hypertension history and hyperuricemia was observed,with an attributable interaction of 0. 60; the attributable proportion due to the interaction was 24. 1% and the pure attributable proportion due to the interaction was 40. 1%. Conclusion There is a synergistic effect between family hypertension history and hyperuricemia on the incidence of hypertension.
Design of the Micro-Friction Testing Apparatus in Fretting Based on Elastic Connector

In order to study tribology property of electrical connector and its impact on electric contacts,an experimental apparatus which can speed up fretting in connector simulation and measure friction force between contacting pairs was designed.Design method of micro-fric- tion test mechanism based on elastic connector was given with introduction to the working principle of the testing mechanism and analysis on its structure via theoretical calculations,through fi nite element simulation and experiment verifi cation,the test apparatus can meet design requirements.
Modification on Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Method for Determination of Lead in Whole Blood

Objective To establish a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric method with the advantages of relatively easy operation and reliable result for the determination of lead in whole blood.Methods The method of blood sample collection was improved and matrix modifier was changed.The best operation condition of the instrument was studied.The samples were automatically injected and the blood lead level was determined with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer(AA7020).Results The detection method had good repeatability.The linear range of determination was 3~100 μg/L.The correlation coefficient was 0.9997,and RSD was 2.6%~9.6%.The recovery rate was 93.2%~105.2%,and the detection limit was 0.92 μg/L.Conclusions This method has the advantages of accuracy,reliability,rapidness,simpleness,small pollution and without sample digestion.It can be applied to the determination of blood lead in grass-roots medical institutions.
Mr. Darwin' critics. old and new. [essay review].

History is a form of strictly objective natural science. Just as a paleontologist derives his history of life from the rocks, not his fancy, an historian of biology infers what has happened from the documents; he does not approach his subject as if it were a branch of imaginative literature. But a wealth of materials may give rise to certain options, so that by selecting alternative pieces of evidence, plausible arguments may be pieced together for contrary interpretations of the same events. Especially with respect to Darwin, the opportunity for a scissors-and-paste approach to scholarship seems infinite. So many opinions have been expressed in the secondary literature that footnotes can make any notion whatever seem orthodox. The Darwinian corpus itself runs to something like 8,000 pages, not including the many revisions, while the published correspondence fills several thick volumes. So prolific an author can scarcely have helped but fall into useful ambiguities. Add to this the wealth of materials preserved in the Cambridge University archives, and anything goes. Peter J. Vorzimmer has based much of his study of Darwin's relationships to his critics on a very limited sample of items from Darwin's personal library and reprint collection. I have my own views on such matters, ones which I have derived from analyses of Darwin's published works. In preparing this review, however, I have spent some weeks at Cambridge, and have gone over much of the same material Vorzimmer did, as well as some which he may not have seen." A look at such
Traffic Light Assistant Simulation: Foggy Weather

In recent years, a variety of new assisted driving systems have been introduced to the automobile market. Advanced Driving Assistance System (ADAS) is becoming a more popular feature in car systems today. It is worth noting that ADAS process best in clear weathers where cameras and sensors are able to detect objects in order to warn the driver in time. However, the weather is not always ADAS friendly. Therefore, this study tested intersection assistance influence on driving behavior in foggy weather. A driving simulator experiment was conducted by using an intersection assistance to send warnings to the driver when approaching an intersection. Various type of warning systems such as audio warning, video displays, and hybrid warning (combination of both audio and visual warning) were examined and compared to no warning system. As a result, we were able to conclude if there was a significant difference in the driver’s behavior due to a certain warning type. Compared to no warnings at all, the experiment concluded that a hybrid warning system is the most effective in terms of awareness and speed approaching the intersection followed by audio warnings and then by video displays. For further calculations of our experiment we were able to calculate how much more distance each driver had to stop due to each warning system.
Access and Affordability: Developed Countries

Housing affordability generally refers to paying a reasonable proportion of income for a place to live. While there is no uniform affordability rate across countries, the assumption is that a household should have sufficient resources left over after paying for housing to then pay for other basic goods and services including food, clothing, transportation, and health care. Affordability is a problem when the market does not produce quality housing that is priced low enough for families, often at lower income levels, to rent or purchase. Many countries provide assistance to make housing affordable. In more recent years, policy has shifted from directly providing affordable housing via social or public housing to relying more on the private market to build low-cost units or provide units that can be made affordable with government subsidy. Some argue, though, that government involvement in the market vis-a-vis regulation of land and production, as well as public subsidy and production, exacerbates rather than reduces the problem. Still, growing use of a human rights framework has seen many countries adapt policy that commits to making sure all have access to housing by either making it affordable or making sure people have sufficient income and economic opportunities to afford a place to live.
Phase Ib study of eribulin (ERB) and cyclophosphamide (CTX) in metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

153 Background: ERB is a non-taxane microtubule inhibitor approved for the treatment (Tx) of taxane (TAX) and anthracycline-treated MBC based on improved OS compared to treatment of physician choice. In the adjuvant setting, docetaxel/CTX (TC) was superior to doxorubicin/CTX for DFS and OS. ERB is active in TAX-resistant disease with a low rate of peripheral neuropathy (PN); its primary dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) is bone marrow suppression. We hypothesized that the combination of ERB and CTX would be well tolerated and active in patients with TAX-resistant disease, with potential applicability to the adjuvant setting. Methods: We designed a 3+3 phase Ib study of ERB, administered in 2 escalating doses on day 1 and 8, with CTX 600 mg/m2day 1 every 21 days. Eligibility included PN ≤ grade 1. Correlative studies to identify predictors of response and toxicity included whole blood for SNPs, GWAS, circulating tumor cells (CTC), and archived tumor RNA/protein expression analysis. Toxicity assessment included ...
A Conceptual Integration of Extra-, Intra- and Gap Junctional- Intercellular Communication in the Evolution of Multi-cellularity and Stem Cells: How Disrupted Cell-Cell Communication during Development can Affect Diseases later in Life

An attempt will be made to provide a short conceptual review to integrate, from an evolutionary perspective, how the emergence of gap junctional intercellular communication helped to bring about multi-cellularity and new adaptive phenotypes. This new fundamental biological function of the metazoans was needed to provide homeostatic control of new cellular functions of an interacting society of different cell types existing in a 3-dimensional unit. Changing paleo-physics- and -chemistry of the earth led to single celled organisms that metabolized sugar via glycolysis and survived via symmetrical cell division and occasional mutations. With the appearance of oxygen-producing phytoplanktons, the single cell organism, the mitochondrion, symbiotically- fused with a primitive cell to form the first multi-cellular organism, which could metabolize glucose via oxidative phosphorylation. The new society of adherent cells developed new strategies for adaptive survival. New genes and phenotypes included: (a) growth control, (b) differentiation, (c) programmed cell death; (d) senescence; (e) regulation of gene expression-“epigenesis”; (f) germline and somatic stem cells; (g) asymmetrical cell division; and (h) anoxic stem cell niches. The evolutionary development of the normal human organism, starting from a single “toti-potent” stem cell to the mature, reproductive and self-aware being, consisting of over 100 trillion cells, of which 200 different cell types and having three major functional cells- (organ-specific stem cells; their progenitor derivative cells; and their differentiated daughters), could only come about by a delicate homeostatic integrated feedback system of extra-, intra- and gap junctional inter-cellular communication (GJIC). Since GJIC occurs in all organs, any disruption of the three forms of cell communication mechanisms by genetic or epigenetic factors, particularly during embryonic, fetal and neonatal periods, could lead to alteration of risks to diseases later in life (i.e., the Barker hypothesis). Chronic disruption of these signaling mechanisms in the adult organs could also lead to several kinds of chronic, stem cell-based diseases, diabetes, cancer, atherogenesis and premature aging.