cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Professionalization in Teaching and Teacher Education: Some Notes on Its History, Ideology, and Potential.

Abstract The more recent calls for school reform have focused on a re-visioning of the work of teachings and teacher education. A central rhetoric in the current climate is related to the professionalization of teaching. We can view the public discourses as not simply a formal mechanism for describing events but as part of their context serving to align loyalty and social solidarity with particular values and social interests. My intent in this discussion is to raise questions about how the word, professionalization, is used within the social and political contexts in which teaching occurs. At the same time, I propose that there are certain issues in teaching that professionalization can address. In particular, I examine tensions of modernity and a post-modernity for considering the power relations in which the professional production of knowledge and the development of expert-mediated systems of ideas occurs.
Age and host effects on clutch size in the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens

We document individual and age-specific variation in reproductive output and clutch size of Anastrepha ludens Loew. (Diptera: Tephritidae). The influence of host size, color, and density on clutch size are also examined. Individual and groups of flies were offered artificial hosts composed of agar spheres wrapped in Parafilm. The gross reproduction rate of individual flies was 1000 eggs/female and 165 clutches/female with a range of 1 to 40 eggs/clutch. Mean clutch sizes for these females ranged from 4.5 to 10.6 eggs/clutch. The number of eggs/clutch laid by females held in groups was highly correlated with host size, ranging from about 4.4 eggs/clutch in 2 cm diameter hosts to 12.7 eggs/clutch in 11 cm hosts. Host color, host density, fly density, and fly age did not affect clutch size. This study suggests that variation among females and host size are the principal determinants of clutch size in A. ludens. RESUME Influence de l'hote et de l'âge des mouches sur l'effectif des pontes d'Anastrepha ludens L'examen a porte sur l'influence du polymorphisme et des modifications dues a l'âge des mouches sur la fecondite et la taille des pontes de A. ludens Loew (Dipt. Tephritidae). L'etude a concerne aussi l'influence de la dimension, de la couleur et de la densite des hotes sur la taille des pontes. Des mouches isolees ou par groupes ont recu des hotes artificiels formes de spheres d'agar enveloppees dans du parafilm. La fecondite brute de femelles isolees a ete de 1000 oeufs/femelle et de 165 pontes/femelle, avec une variation de 1 a 40 oeufs/ponte. La taille moyenne des pontes des differentes femelles isolees s'etalait de 4,5 a 10,6 oeufs/ponte. Le nombre d'oeufs/ponte des femelles groupees etait fortement liee a la dimension de l'hote, s'etalant de 4,4 oeufs/ponte pour des hotes de 2 cm de diametre a 12,7 oeufs/ponte pour ceux de 11 cm de diametre. Ni la couleur et la densite des hotes, ni la densite et l'âge des mouches n'ont influe sur la taille des pontes. Ces resultats suggerent que les variabilites du comportement des femelles et de la dimension des hotes determinent par priorite la taille des pontes de A. ludens.
Multistep modeling (MSM) of biomolecular structure application to the A-G mispair in the B-DNA environment

A multistep modeling procedure has been evolved to study the structural changes introduced by lesions in DNA. We report here the change in the structure of regular B-DNA geometry due to the incorporation of Ganti-Aanti mispair in place of a regular G-C pair, preserving the helix continuity. The energetics of the structure so obtained is compared with the Ganti-Asyn configuration under similar constrained conditions. We present the methodology adopted and discuss the results.
Chronic kidney disease in children.

1. Dilys A. Whyte, MD* 2. Richard N. Fine, MD* 1. *Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Define chronic kidney disease (CKD). 2. Immunize a patient scheduled for renal transplantation. 3. Assess and manage growth and development in a patient who has CKD. 4. Discuss the risks and benefits of renal transplantation, including the advantages and disadvantages of living donor versus deceased donor transplantation. Prior to 2002, the term chronic renal insufficiency was used to characterize patients who had progressive decline in renal function, defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of less than 75 mL/min per 1.73 m2 body surface area. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the new term defined by the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease and Outcome Quality Initiative (KDOQI) Group to classify any patient who has kidney damage lasting for at least 3 months with or without a decreased GFR or any patient who has a GFR of less than 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 lasting for 3 months with or without kidney damage. The KDOQI Group also classified CKD into five stages: GFR values for CKD staging are for children older than 2 years of age because the GFR values for younger children are low due to ongoing renal maturation. Children who have CKD may present to clinicians with a combination of problems involving growth, nutrition, electrolyte disturbances, renal osteodystrophy, anemia, immunizations, hypertension, and renal transplantation. …
Studies on candicidin biogenesis.

The biosynthesis of candicidin has been studied with various carbon-14 labeled precursors. The aromatic moiety of candicidin is evidently synthesized from glucose via shikimate to p-aminobenzoic acid, which is then incorporated into candicidin. The synthesis of candicidin was partially inhibited by the presence of L-phenylalanine, L-tryptophane and L-tyrosine in the growing culture. The implication of this inhibitory effect in relation to p-aminobenzoic acid biosynthesis by the organism is briefly discussed.
Challenges for maintaining sustainable agricultural systems in the United States.

During the 20th century, US agriculture underwent vast transformations. The number of farmers has decreased, more farmers are relying on off-farm income, agriculture's proportion of the US GDP has declined, and a minority of non-metro counties in the US are farming dependent. Agriculture's evolution will continue and we have identified key trends and future challenges to effectively manage our changing agricultural system. Eight current trends in US agriculture were identified. These included: (1) increased land degradation; (2) competing land uses; (3) focus on single ecosystem service; (4) increase in farm size; (5) movement toward commercialization; (6) genetic engineering; (7) global markets; and (8) changing social structure. Future trends likely to affect agriculture include: (1) diminishing and increasingly volatile farm incomes; (2) reduced government involvement in food regulation; (3) continued transition from farming to agribusiness; (4) land-use will become a major issue; (5) increasing animal protein consumption in the US; (6) increased public input on livestock production practices; (7) increasing urbanization of historically rural US counties; (8) increased public concern over food safety; (9) increased medicinal production from agriculture; (10) new tastes, markets and opportunities will emerge. We further postulated that future challenges facing US agriculture might include: (1) competitive pressures; (2) sustainable development; (3) resource conservation; and (4) research and development. Integrated agricultural systems may be flexible enough to address these challenges. However, robust principles will be needed to design adaptable integrated agricultural systems. We present a nonexclusive list of preliminary principles under the four general categories of (1) economics and economic policies; (2) environmental; (3) social and political; and (4) technological.
Political Communication and the Epistemic Value of Diversity: Deliberation and Legitimation in Media Societies

By employing the theory of deliberative democracy, Habermas provides a critical assessment of the effects of the media on citizens’ deliberation. His premises, if modified, can also supply the basis for a positive argument for dispersing media power more widely as a way to improve deliberative practices. Contrary to Habermas, however, the epistemic dimension of deliberation should be cast in terms of error avoidance rather than “truth tracking.” Error avoidance is best achieved through the availability of the full range of social perspectives. On empirical and normative grounds, deliberation in heterogeneous groups is the best means for avoiding cognitive errors and biases and for improving the quality of political communication.
Systemic delivery of nanoparticle formulation of novel tubulin inhibitor for treating metastatic melanoma

Clinical translation of tubulin inhibitors for treating melanoma is limited by multidrug efflux transporters, poor aqueous solubility, and dose-limiting peripheral toxicities. Tubulin inhibitors with efficacy in taxane-resistant cancers are promising drug candidates and can be used as single agent or in conjunction with other chemotherapy. Systemic therapy of such a novel tubulin inhibitor, 2-(1H-indol-5-yl)thiazol-4-yl)3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl methanone (abbreviated as LY293), is limited by its poor aqueous solubility. The objective of this study was to design a polymeric nanocarrier for systemic administration of LY293 to improve tumor accumulation and reduce side effects of tubulin inhibitor in a lung metastasis melanoma mouse model. Methoxy polyethylene glycol-b-poly(carbonate-co-lactide) (mPEG-b-P(CB-co-LA)) random copolymer was synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Polymeric nanoparticles were formulated using oil/water (o/w) emulsification method with a mean particle size of 150 nm and loading efficiency of 7.40%. Treatment with LY293-loaded nanoparticles effectively inhibited the proliferation of melanoma cells in vitro and exhibited concentration-dependent cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase. Mitotic arrest activated the intrinsic apoptotic machinery by increasing the cellular levels of cleaved poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) and fraction of sub-G1 cells. In vivo, LY293-loaded nanoparticles significantly inhibited the proliferation of highly aggressive metastasized melanoma in a syngeneic lung metastasis melanoma mouse model without toxicity to vital organs. In conclusion, we have designed a promising polymeric nanocarrier for systemic delivery of LY293 for treating metastatic melanoma while minimizing the toxicity associated with the administration of cosolvents.
Abnormalities Of Personality: Within and Beyond the Realm of Treatment

A monograph which covers the diagnosis and treatment of standard DSM-III personality disorders, such as paranoia and narcissism, antisocial personality disorders and milder disorders characterized by one or two irksome traits.
An instructional note on business risk and audit implications: Seasonality at Mattel

Abstract This instructional note provides materials that can be integrated into a current auditing course to demonstrate the use of a company’s disclosures to understand the company, assess business risks, and identify audit implications. Assessing business risks in the audit process has been a key thrust of academic and professional investigation over the last 20 years, and Auditing Standard 12 raised the profile, importance and requirements for assessing business risk. Teaching the assessment of business risk in the classroom, however, is challenging. Although auditors may get access to companies’ internal procedures of risk measurement and management, students would not. But there is a wealth of information that students do have access to in required SEC filings, as well as at public companies’ investor relations websites. This note provides a specific example of business risk and audit implications using information about seasonality at Mattel.
The Mysterious Unfoldome: Structureless, Underappreciated, Yet Vital Part of Any Given Proteome

Contrarily to the general believe, many biologically active proteins lack stable tertiary and/or secondary structure under physiological conditions in vitro. These intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are highly abundant in nature and many of them are associated with various human diseases. The functional repertoire of IDPs complements the functions of ordered proteins. Since IDPs constitute a significant portion of any given proteome, they can be combined in an unfoldome; which is a portion of the proteome including all IDPs (also known as natively unfolded proteins, therefore, unfoldome), and describing their functions, structures, interactions, evolution, and so forth. Amino acid sequence and compositions of IDPs are very different from those of ordered proteins, making possible reliable identification of IDPs at the proteome level by various computational means. Furthermore, IDPs possess a number of unique structural properties and are characterized by a peculiar conformational behavior, including their high stability against low pH and high temperature and their structural indifference toward the unfolding by strong denaturants. These peculiarities were shown to be useful for elaboration of the experimental techniques for the large-scale identification of IDPs in various organisms. Some of the computational and experimental tools for the unfoldome discovery are discussed in this review.
Low‐Temperature Tolerance of Southern Flounder Paralichthys lethostigma: Effect of Salinity

.— Two studies were conducted to examine the influence of salinity on low-temperature tolerance of southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma. Juveniles (3.4 g ± 1.2 g in study one; 32.8 g ± 34.8 g in study two) were acclimated to 20 C at salinities of 1, S, 10, 20 and 30%o in study one and 1, 10 and 30%o in study two. Temperature was then decreased approximately 1 C per day to a nominal 4 C and 2 C, in studies one and two. respectively. Fish were subjected to the low temperatures for 10 d and then returned to the initial temperature (20 C) at a rate of approximately 1 C per day. Mortality ranged from 0 to 10% in study one and from 30 to 100% in study two and was significantly affected by salinity. Results of this research suggest that the chronic low-level tolerance limit is between 2 and 4 C and that increased salinity offers some mitigating effect.
Acceleration of free electrons in a symmetric evanescent wave

The possibility of accelerating free electrons in a vacuum gap between closely spaced dielectric materials is explored. Plane waves impinging symmetrically on the gap from either side at oblique incidence produce an evanescent wave with net electric field along the direction of propagation. Near the critical angle, the evanescent wave propagates at the vacuum speed of light. A theoretical development and numerical simulations show that free electrons in the gap can be accelerated and accumulate energy indefinitely. This approach lies outside the purview of the Lawson-Woodward theorem, which does not apply in the vicinity of a medium. Damage thresholds of materials restrict the light intensity to far below that achievable by current high-power lasers. This limits the particle energy that might be achieved from an accelerator based on this approach.
Exercise-induced decrease in flow through stenotic coronary arteries in the dog

Abstract In the presence of a coronary stenosis, it is generally believed that exercise-induced ischemia is caused by an inadequate increase in coronary blood flow. This study was carried out to test the hypothesis that, in the presence of a critical coronary stenosis, exercise would result in a decrease in flow across the stenosis. Five dogs were chronically instrumented with a flow probe and a wire snare occluder on the circumflex coronary artery and with catheters in the left atrium, left ventricle, and aorta. Four dogs also had a catheter in the circumflex coronary artery distal to the occluder. Measurements were recorded with the animals resting quietly and then during moderate exercise. In the absence of a stenosis, circumflex flow increased with exercise. In 13 experiments in which a severe stenosis was produced in the circumflex coronary artery, the changes from rest to exercise were as follows: heart rate from 102 ± 7 to 151 ± 12 beats/min (p
Serum thyrotropin and thyroxine after thyrotropin releasing hormone in dairy cows fed varying amounts of iodine.

Abstract The objective was to determine whether dairy cows fed relatively large amounts of iodine had altered thyroid status. In addition, polarographic analysis for determination of iodine and bromine in milk and urine is described. Five dairy herds fed an average of 16mg iodine/head per day (range 11 to 25) and five fed 164mg iodine/head per day (range 74 to 402) were identified. Iodine fed was estimated from minimal guaranteed iodine content of concentrates, iodized salt, minerals, liquid supplements, and silage topdressing. Iodine from other dietary sources was considered negligible. Each dairyman selected three cows each in early ( 120 days) lactation. Blood was collected from each cow selected; then 150 μ g thyrotropin releasing hormone were given. Iodine in milk ( μ g/ml) and urine ( μ g/mg creatinine) were 2.2 and 65 for cows in high iodine herds, more than that (.37 and 20) in low iodine herds. At resting (ng/ml) serum thyroxine was 33 and 32 and thyrotropin was 7.4 and 7.9. Serum thyroxine and thyrotropin concentrations were increased following releasing hormone; however, increase was not affected by quantity of dietary iodine. Thyroxine in serum at resting (ng/ml) was less for cows in early lactation (25.9) than for those in middle (36.1) or late (35.5) lactation.
Take-home laboratory for a course in radiometry

A set of take-home experiments associated with a junior-level course entitled Radiometry, Sources and Detectors has been developed. The students are furnished with a small, inexpensive radiometer and a kit of accessories which allow a wide variety of self-conducted experiments to be performed. A laboratory manual has also been developed to guide the student through a series of eleven experiments. The student must prove radiometric concepts in several cases, and must develop the details of the experiment. This paper describes the concept, the apparatus and the experiments, and reports on the results.
The increasing importance of marine recreational fishing in the US: Challenges for management

Harvests from recreational fishing are increasingly as important as commercial harvest to populations of popularly fished marine recreational species. However, it has yet to be determined whether the increasing importance of recreational fishing is a general trend of marine fisheries in the US or whether such a trend is limited to only those species recognized as popular recreational fishes. 71% of marine species in the US have experienced an increase in the proportion of total harvest from the recreational sector during the time harvest data are available for both sectors. Species demonstrating an increase in the proportion of harvests by the recreational sector included those generally regarded as commercial, bait, and bycatch species, as well as those considered recreational species. Marine species categorized as overfished could not be predicted from either fishery characteristics or life history characteristics in a PCA analysis of available data for fished species in the US. Consequently, there appears to be little to predict vulnerability of populations to fishing efforts save that all fished species can be made vulnerable to overexploitation. Well-developed yield-based strategies, designed for commercial fisheries, are not likely to be effective in managing populations as the diverse recreational fishing sector continues to increase in its importance. Thus, new management strategies for US marine fisheries are needed. Some possible alternative strategies are discussed.
Postoperative Nomogram for Predicting Cancer-Specific Mortality in Medullary Thyroid Cancer.

Background Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a rare thyroid cancer accounting for 5 % of all thyroid malignancies. The purpose of our study was to design a predictive nomogram for cancer-specific mortality (CSM) utilizing clinical, pathological, and biochemical variables in patients with MTC.
Intravenous hyperalimentation in head and neck tumour surgery: indications and precautions.

Abstract Major head and neck surgical procedures often result in temporary prevention of oral nutritional intake. Nasogastric or cervical pharyngostomy (Roysteret al., 1968) tubes are usually all that is required, but in certain circumstances intravenous hyperalimentation (Dudricket al., 1970; Dudrick and Rhoads, 1971) is the only way to achieve wound healing, positive nitrogen balance, and weight gain until oral feeding can be resumed (Copelandet al., 1975). We have reviewed 25 head and neck surgery patients nourished in this way in order to define the indications for and the precautions to be taken with intravenous hyperalimentation in such patients.
A 62-year-old woman with cerebral artery air embolism during commercial air travel.

Objective Air embolism to the cerebral artery circulation is a rare complication previously associated with surgery, scuba-diving, induced abortion, angiography, and pneumothorax. However, air embolism secondary to a ruptured air bulla during commercial air travel has rarely been reported. Methods We report a patient who became unconsciousness 30 minutes after her plane took off. Results The patient was found to have an acute brain infarct in a watershed distribution secondary to multiple, bilateral, intraparenchymal air bubbles. Further investigation revealed a large lung bulla with an air-fluid level. Conclusion Air embolism was due to rupture of the lung bulla into the pulmonary venous outflow. Whether the rupture was spontaneous or due to a stretch injury from a change of air pressure resulting in pulmonary barotrauma occurring during commercial air travel is uncertain.
Constrained Design Optimization of Rotor-Tilting Pad Bearing Systems

Design of a rotor-bearing system is a challenging task due to various conflicting design requirements, which should be fulfilled. This study considers an automatic optimization approach for the design of a rotor supported on tilting-pad bearings. A numerical example of a rotor-bearing system is employed to demonstrate the merits of the proposed design approach. The finite element method is used to model the rotor-bearing system, and the dynamic speed-dependent coefficients of the bearing are calculated using a bulk flow code. A number of geometrical characteristics of the rotor simultaneously with the parameters defining the configuration of tilting pad bearings are considered as design variables into the automatic optimization process. The power loss in bearings, stability criteria, and unbalance responses are defined as a set of objective functions and constraints. The complex design optimization problem is solved using heuristic optimization algorithms, such as genetic, and particle-swarm optimization. Whereas both algorithms found better design solutions than the initial design, the genetic algorithms exhibited the fastest convergence. A statistical approach was used to identify the influence of the design variables on the objective function and constraint measures. The bearing clearances, preloads and lengths showed to have the highest influence on the power loss in the chosen design space. The high performance of the best solution obtained in the optimization design suggests that the proposed approach has good potential for improving design of rotor-bearing systems encountered in industrial applications.
Engineering approach to building complete, intelligent beings

Rather than tackle isolated aspects of Rather than tackle isolated aspects of human-level intelligence the mobile robot group at MIT has been working bottom up trying to build complete insect-level intelligent systems for mobile robots. The robots are situated in ordinary people-populated office and laboratory areas and must go about their business in an unstructured dynamically changing environment. Traditional AI techniques make such unrealistic assumptions on the perceptual and actuation systems that they are not much use for such an endeavour. We have developed a different approach, based on task achieving behaviors, rather than information processing components, as the fundamental unit of reduction of a complete intelligent system. We have built a series of complete creatures (Allen, Herbert, Tom and Jerry, Genghis, and now Seymour under construction) which exist in and interact with the world.
Preservation of steroid receptors in frozen brain and pituitary tissue: use of the cryoprotective agent, dimethylsulfoxide

Abstract This paper examines the effects of freezing and thawing on steroid receptor concentrations in the brain and pituitary of the rat. Storage at −70°C for 1–2 weeks had no detectable effect on levels of cytoplasmic estrogen receptors. However, freezing and thawing resulted in measurable losses of cytoplasmic androgen, progestin and glucocorticoid receptors. Cell nuclear receptors were measured by exchange assay after in vivo administration of non-radioactive steroids. Nuclear estrogen, androgen and progestin receptor concentrations were all reduced by freezing compared to the levels in fresh tissue. In all cases except that of cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptors, these losses could be prevented by freezing the tissue in 10% aqueous dimethylsulfoxide.
Exploration of the primary visual cortex, 1955–78

The following article is the lecture delivered by the author in Stockholm on 8 December 1981 when he received the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology which he shared with Roger Sperry and Torsten Wiesel. The article is published here with permission from the Nobel Foundation and will also be included in the complete volume of Les Prix Nobel en 1981 as well as in the series Nobel Lectures (in English) published by Elsevier. The lecture of Dr Wiesel will appear in next week's issue.
How Income, Employment, Insurance Affect Older Americans’ Dental Care

Data from the national survey of oral health show that most low-income older Americans lack dental insurance. Analyzing data from the national survey of oral health shows that seniors who need health care coverage are least likely to have this coverage. With little government support for dental care, older Americans with lower incomes may delay or avoid dental treatment.
Krüppel-like factor 9 deficiency in uterine endometrial cells promotes ectopic lesion establishment associated with activated notch and hedgehog signaling in a mouse model of endometriosis.

Endometriosis, a steroid hormone-dependent disease characterized by aberrant activation of estrogen receptor signaling and progesterone resistance, remains intractable because of the complexity of the pathways underlying its manifestation. We previously showed that eutopic endometria of women with endometriosis exhibit lower expression of Kruppel-like factor 9 (KLF9), a progesterone receptor coregulator in the uterus, relative to that of women without disease. Here we examined whether loss of endometrial KLF9 expression causes ectopic lesion establishment using syngeneic wild-type (WT) mice as recipients of endometrial fragments from WT and Klf9 null donors. We found significantly higher incidence of ectopic lesions with Klf9 null than WT endometria 8 weeks after tissue injection into the intraperitoneal cavity. The increased incidence of lesion establishment with Klf9 null endometria was associated with a higher expression ratio of estrogen receptor 2 isoform relative to that of estrogen receptor 1 and attenuated progesterone receptor levels in endometriotic stromal cells. PCR array analyses of Notch and Hedgehog signaling components in ectopic lesions demonstrated up-regulated expression of select genes (Jag 2, Shh, Gli1, and Stil 1) in Klf9 null lesions relative to that in WT lesions. Immunohistochemical analyses showed increased levels of Notch intracellular domain and Sonic Hedgehog proteins in Klf9 null lesions relative to that in WT lesions, confirming pathway activation. WT recipients with Klf9 null lesions displayed lower systemic levels of TNFα and IL-6 and higher soluble TNF receptor 1 than corresponding recipients with WT lesions. Our results suggest that endometrial KLF9 deficiency promotes endometriotic lesion establishment by the coincident deregulation of Notch-, Hedgehog-, and steroid receptor-regulated pathways.
THE METABOLISM OF VALERATE-2-C14 BY UREDOSPORES OF WHEAT STEM RUST

When uredospores of Puccinia graminis var. tritici race 15B were shaken in a medium containing M/30 phosphate buffer, pH 6.2, and valerate-2-C14, about 88% of the radioactivity was removed from the...
Examination of the semi-classical theory of circular dichroism†

The solution of the time dependent Schrodinger equation, including renormalization of the wave function, is used to obtain quantum mechanical expressions for the optical rotation and the circular dichroism. The use and form of the radiative damping term is examined with respect to its effects in the circular dichroism formula.
Experience and Problems in the first Six Months of Transcutaneous P02 (tcPo2) Monitoring in Routine Neonatal Intensive Care

A transcutaneous oxygen monitor (Roche 5301), operated by regular intensive care nursery nurses, was used in the routine management of 47 acutely ill infants over a six month period. The monitor was helpful as a trend monitor in showing immediate changes in oxygenation but in this clinical situation lacked accuracy. The overall correlation coefficient was 0.74 with a standard error of the estimate of 2.0 kPa (15 torr). This lack of accuracy was probably due to technical problems including the need for fairly frequent precise calibrations and proper, careful application of the skin electrode. Ill infants with poor skin perfusion may also have contributed to the lowering of the correlation coefficient.
Learning to parse images of articulated bodies

We consider the machine vision task of pose estimation from static images, specifically for the case of articulated objects. This problem is hard because of the large number of degrees of freedom to be estimated. Following a established line of research, pose estimation is framed as inference in a probabilistic model. In our experience however, the success of many approaches often lie in the power of the features. Our primary contribution is a novel casting of visual inference as an iterative parsing process, where one sequentially learns better and better features tuned to a particular image. We show quantitative results for human pose estimation on a database of over 300 images that suggest our algorithm is competitive with or surpasses the state-of-the-art. Since our procedure is quite general (it does not rely on face or skin detection), we also use it to estimate the poses of horses in the Weizmann database.
The Role of Safe Havens in Islamist Terrorism

This article will develop an explanatory theory on terrorist safe havens. Focusing on Islamist Terrorist networks, this article argues that four specific conditions are necessary for the establishment of a safe haven for Islamist terrorist networks: geographic features, weak governance, history of corruption and violence, and poverty. At the conclusion of the article, the developed theory is applied to the Tri-Border Area of South America (TBA), where the frontiers of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet, an area overlooked by the 9/11 National Commission Report's list of Islamist terrorists' safe havens.
Breeding Sex Ratios in Adult Leatherback Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) May Compensate for Female-Biased Hatchling Sex Ratios

For vertebrates with temperature-dependent sex determination, primary (or hatchling) sex ratios are often skewed, an issue of particular relevance to concerns over effects of climate change on populations. However, the ratio of breeding males to females, or the operational sex ratio (OSR), is important to understand because it has consequences for population demographics and determines the capacity of a species to persist. The OSR also affects mating behaviors and mate choice, depending on the more abundant sex. For sea turtles, hatchling and juvenile sex ratios are generally female-biased, and with warming nesting beach temperatures, there is concern that populations may become feminized. Our purpose was to evaluate the breeding sex ratio for leatherback turtles at a nesting beach in St. Croix, USVI. In 2010, we sampled nesting females and later sampled their hatchlings as they emerged from nests. Total genomic DNA was extracted and all individuals were genotyped using 6 polymorphic microsatellite markers. We genotyped 662 hatchlings from 58 females, matching 55 females conclusively to their nests. Of the 55, 42 females mated with one male each, 9 mated with 2 males each and 4 mated with at least 3 males each, for a multiple paternity rate of 23.6%. Using GERUD1.0, we reconstructed parental genotypes, identifying 47 different males and 46 females for an estimated breeding sex ratio of 1.02 males for every female. Thus we demonstrate that there are as many actively breeding males as females in this population. Concerns about female-biased adult sex ratios may be premature, and mate choice or competition may play more of a role in sea turtle reproduction than previously thought. We recommend monitoring breeding sex ratios in the future to allow the integration of this demographic parameter in population models.
Putting the brakes on FOXO1 in fat

The Foxo1 forkhead transcription factor is a critical negative regulator of insulin action. In this issue of The EMBO Journal , Nakae and colleagues (Nakae et al , 2012) describe a novel Foxo1 Co‐Repressor (FCoR) protein in adipocytes, showing that FCoR enhances the acetylation of Foxo1 to inhibit Foxo1 activity, promote adipocyte differentiation, and improve insulin sensitivity.
Precision of syndesmophyte volume measurement for ankylosing spondylitis: A phantom study using high resolution CT

Ankylosing Spondylitis is a disease characterized by abnormal bone structures (syndesmophytes) growing at intervertebral disk spaces (IDS). The growth of syndesmophytes is typically monitored by visual inspection of radiographs. The limitations inherent to the modality (2D projection of a 3D object) and rater (qualitative human judgment) entail a possibly important loss in sensitivity. We previously presented a method designed to overcome both limitations: a computer algorithm that quantitatively measures syndesmophytes in the 3D space of a high-resolution computed tomography scan. To establish the method's usefulness for longitudinal studies, it is necessary to assess its precision (repeatability) which can be affected by the limitations of both the algorithm itself and the imaging modality. To this end, an anthropomorphic vertebral phantom with syndesmophytes in 4 IDSs was manufactured. It was scanned 22 times with varying positions and resolutions. The syndesmophyte volumes extracted by our algorithm have an average coefficient of variation of 1.6% per IDS and 0.85% for the total.
Aggregation and Multilevel Design for Systems: Finding Guidelines

All areas of engineering have a need to find appropriate aggregated outcomes for systems. Issues range from decision problems, "divide-and-conquer" approaches that include aspects of multidisciplinary design optimization and the effects of a division of labor for, perhaps, a design project, the inefficiencies that can accompany multidisciplinary projects involving, say, design, manufacturing, and sales, to the complexities of multiscale design, analysis, and even nanotechnology. But as shown, if the adopted approach (e.g., management choices, divide-and-conquer methodology modeling of the biology/physics, decision rule, etc.) satisfies particular accepted practices, then certain complexities and inefficiencies must be anticipated. A disturbing corollary is that even should "success" appear to have been achieved with an approach that satisfies these conditions, it need not be as firm as expected. Ways to improve methodologies must avoid the specified conditions.
Independent and Linked Migrants: Determinants of African American Interstate Migration

Through kinship and other links to destinations many African American interstate migrants in the United States join other people in destination households. These `linked migrants contrast to `independent migrants who move as individuals or intact groups and set up their own households at the destination. Using U.S. Census Public Use Micro Sample data this paper first shows that in the 1985-90 period about 45 percent of all Black interstate migrants were independent compared to 38 percent who were linked to housing at the destination and 17 percent who moved into group quarters. Second a multinomial logit model incorporating individual and state-level variables is specified that contrasts the determinants of independent and linked migration.... It is concluded that the understanding of Black migration must take into account a variety of factors beyond traditional labor market conditions including links to the destination and individual housing circumstances. (EXCERPT)
Recanalization rates can be misleading.

To the Editor: We read with interest Rha and Saver’s1 review of relationships between recanalization and outcome and commend them on their comprehensive review of pertinent literature. However, we disagree with their main conclusion that recanalization may substitute for measurement of clinical outcome. The central finding that leads Rha and Saver1 to their conclusion is that those patients who recanalized fared better than those that did not. We contend that this conclusion is valid only if a fixed dose of agent was used and the groups were comparable at baseline. In nearly every cohort there will be individuals that do not respond to a specific therapy regardless of dose and so are subject primarily to the toxicity of the intervention as dose is raised …
Extramedullary Guides Versus Portable, Accelerometer-Based Navigation for Tibial Alignment in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized, Controlled Trial: Winner of the 2013 HAP PAUL Award

Abstract Extramedullary (EM) tibial alignment guides have demonstrated a limited degree of accuracy in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to compare the tibial component alignment obtained using a portable, accelerometer-based navigation device versus EM alignment guides. One hundred patients were enrolled in this prospective, randomized controlled study to receive a TKA using either the navigation device, or an EM guide. Standing AP hip-to-ankle and lateral knee-to-ankle radiographs were obtained at the first, postoperative visit. 95.7% of tibial components in the navigation cohort were within 2° of perpendicular to the tibial mechanical axis, versus 68.1% in the EM cohort ( P P =0.007). A portable, accelerometer-based navigation device decreases outliers in tibial component alignment compared to conventional, EM alignment guides in TKA.
Adaptive control design for uncertain polynomial nonlinear systems with parametric uncertainties

In this paper, we will develop an adaptive ℋ∞ control approach for a class of polynomial nonlinear systems with parametric uncertainties. Motivated by the dissipation theory and the vector projection technique, we propose a nonlinear adaptive ℋ∞ controller and its associated parameter adaptation law. The proposed adaptive control strategy is capable of identifying unknown parameter values quickly and minimizing the effect of estimation error. To further improve adaptive controlled performance, the Lyapunov function will be relaxed from quadratic to higher-order forms and the controller gains are generalized from constant to parameter-dependent. All of the synthesis conditions are formulated in the framework of polynomial/constant linear matrix inequalities and solvable using available software packages. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Duration and Course of Post-Concussive Symptoms

OBJECTIVES: To examine the incidence, duration, and clinical course of individual post-concussive symptoms in patients presenting to a pediatric emergency department (ED) with a concussion. METHODS: We conducted secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study of patients 11 to 22 years old presenting to the ED of a children’s hospital with an acute concussion. The main outcome measure was duration of symptoms, assessed by the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPSQ). Patients initially completed a questionnaire describing mechanism of injury, associated symptoms, past medical history, and the RPSQ, then were serially administered the RPSQ for 3 months after the concussion or until all symptoms resolved. RESULTS: Headache, fatigue, dizziness, and taking longer to think were the most common symptoms encountered at presentation, whereas sleep disturbance, frustration, forgetfulness, and fatigue were the symptoms most likely to develop during the follow-up period that had not initially been present. Median duration of symptoms was the longest for irritability (16 days), sleep disturbance (16 days), frustration (14 days), and poor concentration (14 days), whereas nausea, depression, dizziness, and double-vision abated most quickly. One month after injury, nearly a quarter of children still complained of headache, >20% suffered from fatigue, and nearly 20% reported taking longer to think. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients presenting to a pediatric ED after a concussion, physical symptoms such as headache predominate immediately after the injury, emotional symptoms tend to develop later in the recovery period, and cognitive symptoms may be present throughout.
A Review of Computer Simulations in Teacher Education

Computer simulations can provide guided practice for a variety of situations that pre-service teachers would not frequently experience during their teacher education studies. Pre-service teachers c...
Solutions for right ventricular failure: innovation driven by need.

Right-sided circulatory failure has been defined by the International Right Heart FoundationWorkingGroup as a clinical syndrome, causedbyanalterationof structure and/or function of the right heart circulatory system, that leads to suboptimal delivery of blood flow (high or low) to the pulmonary circulation and/or to elevated venous pressures—at rest or with exercise. When taken in the context of postoperative rightsided failure, this encompasses the pulmonary circulation (main pulmonary artery, postpulmonic valve, secondary and tertiary branches of the pulmonary artery, and lung parenchyma), and the right ventricle (tricuspid valve, right ventricular [RV] free wall, RVoutflow tract, and pulmonary valve). Taking this broad approach is critical to our understanding ofwhy the right ventricle seems to fail in the setting of cardiac surgery and transplantation, but most vexingly in the setting of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Right ventricular failure in the setting of left heart failure has been a challenge to quantify when deciding upon candidacy for an LVAD. When the LVAD is used as a bridge to cardiac transplantation, temporary or even longer-term RV failure can be tolerated and obviated by transplantation. The decision regarding RV tolerance is more critical when the LVAD is utilized for destination therapy. In this setting, chronic RV failure on an LVAD can be debilitating and results in recurrent rehospitalization, reduction in quality of life, and ultimately in renal and hepatic dysfunction or failure. It is no longer sufficient to have a right ventricle that supports the patient out of the operating room without an RV assist device (RVAD). The LVAD unloads the left ventricle and thereby reduces the right ventricle’s work against pressure by decompressing the left ventricle, and thus the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, which in turn passively reduces pulmonary vascular resistance. On the other hand, an LVAD, by decompressing the left ventricle, can cause a leftward shift of the interventricular septum, which results in a more spherical
A Review of “Advertising Media Planning: A Brand Management Approach”

As a brand manager, beginning advertising student, or well-versed advertising researcher, knowledge of essential media characteristics and planning concepts are critical when making fundamental dec...
Prey state alters trait‐mediated indirect interactions in rocky tide pools

Author(s): Gravem, SA; Morgan, SG | Abstract: Several studies on trait-mediated indirect interactions (TMIIs) have shown that predators can initiate trophic cascades by altering prey behaviour. Although it is well recognized that individual prey state alters antipredator and foraging behaviour, few studies explore whether this state-dependent prey behaviour can alter the strength of the ensuing tritrophic cascade. Here, we link state-dependent individual behaviour to community processes by experimentally testing whether hunger level and body size of prey altered antipredator behaviour and thus changed the strength of trophic cascades between predators and primary producers. In rocky intertidal tide pools on the California Coast, waterborne cues from the predatory seastar Leptasterias spp. (Stimpson) can cause the herbivorous snail Tegula (Chlorostoma) funebralis (A. Adams) to reduce grazing and flee tide pools, resulting in positive indirect effects on tide pool microalgae. However, we show that the strength of this behaviourally-mediated cascade may be contingent on prey hunger level and body size. During short field experiments at low tide, medium-sized snails that were either newly collected from the field or fed for 1i?½week in the laboratory mediated strong TMIIs because they grazed less when seastars were present. In contrast, no TMIIs occurred when medium-sized snails had been starved for 1i?½week because they continued grazing regardless of seastar presence. Newly collected small snails fled from seastars but did not mediate cascades because they ate little algae. Despite reaching an apparent size refuge from predation, many newly collected large snails fled from seastars, but those individuals that remained tended to graze the algae more quickly, resulting in unexpected negative indirect effects of seastars on algae cover. The implication of this pattern for the natural system is unclear. Because average hunger level and size of snails vary over time and space in nature, a mosaic of TMII strength may exist. Overall, the strength of tritrophic TMIIs in tide pools depended on individual prey state, supporting model predictions and adding to sparse empirical evidence. This outcome suggests that patterns occurring system-wide over the long term may be influenced by the state-dependent decisions made by the individuals present.
A Green's discrete transformation meshfree method for simulating transient diffusion problems

This manuscript presents the formulation and application of the Green’s Discrete Transformation Method (GDTM) for the meshfree simulation of transient diffusion problems, including those with moving boundaries. The GDTM implements a linear combination of time-dependent Green’s basis functions defined on a set of source points to approximate the field in the form of a solution series. A discrete transformation is implemented to evaluate unknown coefficients of this series, which eliminates the need to use time integration schemes. We will study the optimal number and location of the GDTM source points that yield the highest level of accuracy, while maintaining a manageable condition number for the resulting linear system of equations. The optimal values of these parameters, which are inherently independent of the domain geometry, are determined such that the basis functions have appropriate features for approximating the field. A comprehensive convergence study is presented to show the precision and convergence rate of the GDTM for modeling various diffusion problems. We also demonstrate the application of this method for simulating three diffusion problems with complex and evolving morphologies: heat transfer in a turbine blade, thermal response of a porous material, and localized (pitting) corrosion in stainless steel. Copyright c 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.