cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Locomotion in Alligator Mississippiensis: Kinematic Effects of Speed and Posture and Their Relevance to the Sprawling-To-Erect Paradigm

In terms of locomotory posture, amphibians and lizards are considered to be sprawlers, mammals and dinosaurs are considered to be erect, and extant crocodilians are considered to be intermediate because they use the 9high walk9, a semi-erect posture where the body is held half-way between the sprawling and erect grades during locomotion. In addition, crocodilians occasionally use a sprawling posture. Extant crocodilians, therefore, provide an interesting model in which to investigate the sprawling-to-erect transition in vertebrate evolution. This study quantifies the sprawl and high walk kinematics of the alligator Alligator mississippiensis moving at different speeds on a treadmill and compares them with kinematic data available for other vertebrates. These data allow us to examine the effects of speed on crocodilian postures and to examine how crocodilian locomotion relates to the sprawling-to-erect paradigm in vertebrate locomotion. Our results show that the crocodilian sprawl is not functionally equivalent to the primitive sprawling behaviors exhibited by salamanders and lizards. In fact, although the high walks and sprawls of alligators exhibit some kinematic differences, they are actually much more similar than expected and, essentially, the crocodilian sprawl is a lower version of a high walk and could be termed a 9low walk9. In terms of the sprawling-to-erect transition, the high walk has knee kinematics intermediate between those of birds and non-archosaurian tetrapods, but alligators increase speed in a way completely different from other terrestrial vertebrates (distal rather than proximal limb elements are used to increase speed). These kinematic data viewed in the light of the fossil and phylogenetic evidence that modern crocodilians evolved from erect ancestors suggest that modern crocodilians have secondarily evolved a variable semi-erect posture and that they are problematic as an intermediate model for the evolutionary transition from sprawling to erect postures in archosaurs.
Individuality, Radical Politics, and the Metaphor of the Machine

The concept of individuality expresses an ideal of personal emancipation and self-realization. For many philosophers of the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, individuality was the highest end, the telos, not only of human life but also of social and political organization. This paper explores the idea of individuality in the works of several nineteenth-century philosophers: Wilhelm von Humboldt, Friedrich Schleiermacher, John Stuart Mill, and French socialist Pierre Leroux. It asks the following questions: What sort of emancipation did individuality promise? What were its social and political implications? And what would it emancipate us from, exactly? It also explores the ways in which these several authors used the metaphor of the machine to dramatize the meaning and value of individuality.
Subcortical neuromorphometry in schizophrenia spectrum and bipolar disorders

Background Disorders within the schizophrenia spectrum genetically overlap with bipolar disorder, yet questions remain about shared biological phenotypes. Investigation of brain structure in disease has been enhanced by developments in shape analysis methods that can identify subtle regional surface deformations. Our study aimed to identify brain structure surface deformations that were common across related psychiatric disorders, and characterize differences.
Elastic-wave propagation in two evenly-welded quarter-spaces

abstract This paper deals with elastic-wave propagation in two evenly-welded quarter-spaces. A compressional line source can be located at any point within either medium. The numerical solutions to this problem have been obtained by using the finite difference method. A computer program has been written to obtain synthetic seismograms of the horizontal and vertical displacements at all nodes of the superimposed grid, for the following cases: (a) elastic-wave propagation in a quarter-space, and (b) elastic-wave propagation in two quarter-spaces. Reflected, converted, transmitted, and diffracted phases are identified and interpreted. Surface and interface waves, originated at the corner by diffraction of the source pulse, are investigated as a function of the rigidity contrast and the velocity contrast between the two media and of the position of the source. Two-dimensional seismic modeling techniques have been used to provide a qualitative experimental verification of the numerical results.
Localized surface plasmons in nanostructured monolayer black phosphorus

We theoretically investigate localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) in a monolayer, nanostructured black phosphorus (BP). Using finite-difference time-domain simulations, we demonstrate LSPRs at mid-infrared and far-infrared wavelength regime in BP nanoribbon arrays. Black phosphorus nanostructures provide polarization dependent, anisotropic plasmonic response.
Application of Reflective Teaching in Clinical Nursing Teaching for College Nursing Students

Objective To explore the influence of reflective teaching on the teaching level of clinical nursing teachers.Methods 72 qualified clinical nursing teachers were randomly divided into experiment group(n=36) with reflective teaching and control group(n=36) with traditional teaching.Students' nursing skill and knowledge and teachers' competence in two groups were compared in the first and last month of students' practice.Results Clinical teachers and students in experiment group performed better in teaching competence,nursing skill and knowledge than those in control group(P0.01).Conclusion Reflective teaching benefits both teachers' competence and students' active study and eventually enhance clinical nursing teaching quality.
Correlation Analysis of Yield and Yield Components and High-yield Cultivation Technique of Wufengyou 569

To provide a reference for production application of hybrid rice cultivar Wufengyou 569,based on the data of regional tests,the yield and yield components of Wufengyou 569 were investigated,and variation,correlation,partial correlation,regression of them were analyzed.The results were as follows: 1) Wufengyou 569 had a steady and high yield performance,and most of its agronomic traits showed smaller variation;The grain number per spike,effective panicles and seed-setting rate were positively correlated with yield,respectively;And the grain number per spike,effective panicles,seeding-setting rate and 1 000-grain weight were very significantly partially correlated with yield,respectively;Moreover,the grain number per spike and effective panicles had more contribution to yield.2) the regression equation of some important characteristics was erected,according to the analysis results above and rice production situation,its high-yielding cultivation technical was made out.
Seminal fluid antisperm antibodies do not reflect those present on the sperm surface

Given the increasing evidence that head-directed antibodies can impair fertilization in vitro, as well as play a role in the impaired entry of sperm into cervical mucus, our findings provide strong support for the direct analysis of immunoglobulins bound to the sperm surface, rather than by indirect analysis through the study of seminal fluid.
Answering Science Questions: Deduction with Answer Extraction and Procedural Attachment.

An approach to question answering through automated deduction is advocated. Answers to questions are extracted from proofs of associated conjectures over an axiomatic theory of the subject domain. External knowledge resources, including data and software, are consulted through a mechanism known as procedural attachment. A researcher ignorant of the subject domain theory or its logical language can formulate questions via a query elicitation facility. A similar device allows an expert to extend the theory. An English explanation for each answer, and a justification for its correctness, is constructed automatically from the proof by which it was extracted. A deductive approach has been applied in planetary astronomy, geography, intelligence analysis, and, most recently, molecular biology and medical research applications. It is argued that the constructs in the Semantic Web languages, including OWL with SWRL, are insufficiently expressive for this kind of application.
A virtual water maze revisited: Two-year changes in navigation performance and their neural correlates in healthy adults

Abstract Age-related declines in spatial navigation are associated with deficits in procedural and episodic memory and deterioration of their neural substrates. For the lack of longitudinal evidence, the pace and magnitude of these declines and their neural mediators remain unclear. Here we examined virtual navigation in healthy adults (N=213, age 18–77 years) tested twice, two years apart, with complementary indices of navigation performance (path length and complexity) measured over six learning trials at each occasion. Slopes of skill acquisition curves and longitudinal change therein were estimated in structural equation modeling, together with change in regional brain volumes and iron content (R2* relaxometry). Although performance on the first trial did not differ between occasions separated by two years, the slope of path length improvement over trials was shallower and end-of-session performance worse at follow-up. Advanced age, higher pulse pressure, smaller cerebellar and caudate volumes, and greater caudate iron content were associated with longer search paths, i.e. poorer navigation performance. In contrast, path complexity diminished faster over trials at follow-up, albeit less so in older adults. Improvement in path complexity after two years was predicted by lower baseline hippocampal iron content and larger parahippocampal volume. Thus, navigation path length behaves as an index of perceptual-motor skill that is vulnerable to age-related decline, whereas path complexity may reflect cognitive mapping in episodic memory that improves with repeated testing, although not enough to overcome age-related deficits.
Radiation characteristics of flexible reconfigurable antenna with curved cylindrical configurations

In this paper, a flexible reconfigurable antenna mounted on curved cylindrical configurations is presented. The proposed design is based on a folded slot antenna printed on a flexible Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) substrate. One PIN-diode is incorporated to the antenna surface to make it reconfigurable in terms of its resonant frequencies and polarizations. The impact of curved cylindrical geometries, such as circumferential and axial configurations, on the antenna radiation characteristics is discussed.
Neurovascular Unit Dysfunction and Blood–Brain Barrier Hyperpermeability Contribute to Schizophrenia Neurobiology: A Theoretical Integration of Clinical and Experimental Evidence

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, negative symptoms, as well as behavioral and cognitive dysfunction. It is a pathoetiologically heterogeneous disorder involving complex inter-related mechanisms that include oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Neurovascular endothelial dysfunction and blood–brain barrier (BBB) hyperpermeability are established mechanisms in neurological disorders with comorbid psychiatric symptoms, such as epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and Alzheimer’s disease. Schizophrenia is frequently comorbid with medical conditions associated with peripheral vascular endothelial dysfunction, such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus. However, the existence and etiological relevance of neurovascular endothelial dysfunction and BBB hyperpermeability in schizophrenia are still not well recognized. Here, we review the growing clinical and experimental evidence indicating that neurovascular endotheliopathy and BBB hyperpermeability occur in schizophrenia patients. We present a theoretical integration of human and animal data linking oxidative stress and neuroinflammation to neurovascular endotheliopathy and BBB breakdown in schizophrenia. These abnormalities may contribute to the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of schizophrenia via several mechanisms involving reduced cerebral perfusion and impaired homeostatic processes of cerebral microenvironment. Furthermore, BBB disruption can facilitate interactions between brain innate and peripheral adaptive immunity, thereby perpetuating harmful neuroimmune signals and toxic neuroinflammatory responses, which can also contribute to the symptoms of schizophrenia. Taken together, these findings support the “mild encephalitis” hypothesis of schizophrenia. If neurovascular abnormalities prove to be etiologically relevant to the neurobiology of schizophrenia, then targeting these abnormalities may represent a promising therapeutic strategy.
Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Its Association with Cardiovascular and Noncardiac Vascular Risk in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-based Study.

Objective. To define the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and determine whether OSA diagnosis predicts future cardiovascular disease (CVD) and noncardiac vascular events. Methods. Medical information pertaining to RA, OSA, CVD, and vascular diagnoses was extracted from a comprehensive medical record system for a geographically defined population of 813 patients previously diagnosed with RA and 813 age- and sex-matched comparator subjects. Results. The risk for OSA in persons with RA versus comparators was elevated, although not reaching statistical significance (HR 1.32, 95% CI 0.98–1.77; p = 0.07). Patients with RA were more likely to be diagnosed with OSA if they had traditional risk factors for OSA, including male sex, current smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and increased body mass index. Features of RA disease associated with OSA included large joint swelling and joint surgery. Patients with RA with decreased renal function were also at higher risk of OSA. The increased risk of overall CVD among patients with RA who have OSA was similar to the increased CVD risk associated with OSA in the comparator cohort (interaction p = 0.86). OSA diagnosis was associated with an increased risk of both CVD (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.08–3.27), and cerebrovascular disease (HR 2.4, 95% CI 1.14–5.26) in patients with RA. Conclusion. Patients with RA may be at increased risk of OSA secondary to both traditional and RA-related risk factors. Diagnosis with OSA predicts future CVD in RA and may provide an opportunity for CVD intervention.
Pneumonia with bacterial and viral coinfection

Purpose of reviewWe aim to review the epidemiology of pneumonia with bacterial and viral coinfection, the pathogenesis and clinical impact of coinfection along with the current state of treatment and outcomes.Recent findingsEmphasis is given to the pathogenesis of bacterial and viral co-infection in
Heritage Language Development of Pre-service Bilingual Teachers: How a Practice-Situated Intervention Promoted Multiliteracy

The increasing number of Latino English learners (EL) in US schools has been accompanied by a growing need for bilingual educators with the necessary linguistic skills to create optimal learning environments for their students. This chapter introduces a project in the state of Texas designed to foster bilingual education teacher candidates’ existing language literacies in Spanish. The program incorporated the tenets of Learning by Design, with the objective of establishing a linguistic intervention that would engage heritage teacher candidates in a transformational process that would allow them to develop new literacies and meanings in Spanish. The vehicle was a set of multimodal learning experiences based on the candidates’ available designs (literacies in Spanish and English, pedagogical knowledge, and life experiences) transferred to their teaching practice.
Sentiments in Wikipedia Articles for Deletion Discussions

Wikipedia provides a discussion forum, namely, Article for Deletion forum, for people to deliberate about whether or not an article should be deleted from the site. In this paper, we present interesting correlation between outcomes of the discussion and number of sentiments in the comments with different intensity. We performed sentiment analysis on 37,761 AfD discussions with 156,415 top-level comments and explored relationship between outcomes of the discussion and sentiments in the comments. Our preliminary work suggests: discussion that have keep or other outcomes have more than expected positive sentiment, whereas discussions that have delete outcomes have more than expected negative and neutral sentiment. This result shows that there tends to be positive sentiment in the comment when Wikipedia users suggest not to delete the article. This observation of differences in sentiments also encourages to further study influence of sentiments in decision making or outcome of the discussions. Our future analysis will include threaded comments, and examine the relationship between a discussion’s sentiment and its other properties such as topic of the article and the characteristics of the participating users.
Root causes investigation of catastrophic optical bulk damage in high-power InGaAs-AlGaAs strained QW lasers

High-power single-mode (SM) and multi-mode (MM) InGaAs-AlGaAs strained quantum well (QW) lasers are critical components for both terrestrial and space satellite communications systems. Since these lasers predominantly fail by catastrophic and sudden degradation due to COD, it is especially crucial for space satellite applications to investigate reliability, failure modes, and degradation mechanisms of these lasers. Our group reported a new failure mode in MM and SM InGaAs-AlGaAs strained QW lasers in 2009 and 2016, respectively. Our group also reported in 2017 that bulk failure due to catastrophic optical bulk damage (COBD) is the dominant failure mode of both SM and MM lasers that were subject to long-term life-tests. For the present study, we report root causes investigation of COBD by performing long-term lifetests followed by failure mode analysis (FMA) using various micro-analytical techniques including electron beam induced current (EBIC), time-resolved electroluminescence (EL), focused ion beam (FIB), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). Our life-tests with accumulated test hours of over 25,000 hours for SM lasers and over 35,000 hours for MM lasers generated a number of COBD failures with various failure times. EBIC techniques were employed to study dark line defects (DLDs) generated in SM COBD failures stressed under different test conditions. FIB and high-resolution TEM were employed to prepare cross sectional and plan view TEM specimens to study DLD areas (dislocations) in post-aged SM lasers. Time-resolved EL techniques were employed to study initiation and progressions of dark spots and dark lines in real time as MM lasers were aged. Lastly, to investigate precursor signatures of failure and degradation mechanisms responsible for COBD in both SM and MM lasers, we employed DLTS techniques to study a role that electron traps (non-radiative recombination centers) play in degradation of these lasers. Our in-depth root causes investigation results are reported.
Is Optimism Associated With Healthier Cardiovascular-Related Behavior? Meta-Analyses of 3 Health Behaviors.

Optimistic people have reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular-related mortality compared with their less optimistic peers. One explanation for this is that optimistic people may...
Quantifying the effects of embryonic phenotypic plasticity on adult phenotypes in reptiles: A review of current knowledge and major gaps

Studies of reptiles have contributed greatly to understanding the impacts of developmental environments on offspring phenotypes. A major challenge for these studies, however, is quantifying the effects of embryonic environments on adult phenotypes and reproductive success. Such measurements may be necessary to gain full insight into the evolution of plasticity, as well as the long-term consequences of plasticity under environmental change. Unfortunately, most studies of reptile developmental plasticity only measure phenotypic traits of offspring at hatching, and rarely evaluate effects on subsequent adult phenotypes. This lack of information highlights a major gap in this active field. In this review, we first discuss conceptual issues regarding the ecology and evolution of plasticity to provide justification for long-term studies necessary to measure adult phenotypes. Second, we review case studies of reptiles that assessed the effects of developmental environments on adult phenotypes and/or reproduction, and we highlight the valuable insights that they provide. Importantly, we illustrate that terminating studies during early-life stages can lead to incomplete or even misleading interpretations. Third, we discuss the pros and cons of different experimental approaches for quantifying long-term effects of developmental environments. Overall, devoted long-term studies on taxa with diverse ecologies and life histories will provide major advances in the field of developmental plasticity.
Electroreduction of tellurium(IV) on solid electrodes in neutral solutions

Electroreduction of Te(IV) on glassy-carbon and nickel in neutral and weakly alkaline solutions is studied by cyclic voltammetry. A wave for the Te(IV) → Te(0) process is discovered. At a limiting current of Te(IV) reduction in a potentiodynamic mode in 0.5 M Na2SO4, a peak current is observed on Ni at –1.02 V (Ag/AgCl). The relationship between the peak and the tellurium electroreduction to the tellurium ion and the tellurohydrogen formation involving a proton is discussed. Dependence of the peak current on the concentration of Te(IV) ions is used for their analytical assay.
Existence Theorems: The Case of an Exceptional Set of No Growth

Any of the growth conditions (γl), (γ2), (γ3) in (11.1.i) can be remarkably reduced. Indeed, we may assume that on the points (t, x) of a “slender” subset S of A no growth condition holds. We shall see that this will lead to a notable enlargement of the class of problems for which we can prove the existence of an optimal solution.
Against Genetic Exceptionalism: An Argument in Favor of the Viability of Preconception Torts

While courts have had decades of experience in grappling with preconception torts, primarily through the diethylsulfidamide (DES) litigation, the more recent phenomenon of preconception genetic torts have proved difficult for the judicial system to manage properly. A preconception genetic tort occurs where a person is exposed to a mutagen that results in structural changes to that person's DNA. These changes, in turn, can affect any offspring, and because they result in structural alterations to DNA, the offspring potentially carry those mutations in their own germline cells. While these facts obviously render preconception genetic torts unique, in this paper, I argue against genetic exceptionalism and contend that there are no policy considerations sufficient to justify categorically denying the viability of such torts. The article canvasses the most important cases addressing preconception genetic torts, and analyzes the policy considerations that militate against the genetic exceptionalism that animates outright denial of preconception genetic torts.
Introducing enhanced navigation and supportive care into the curative treatment of cancer (SCOOP pathway).

142Background: We hypothesized that introducing supportive care management and enhanced electronic aids to nurse navigation in selective curative cases could result in cost savings and enhanced pat...
Medical Therapy for Crohn’s Disease the Pouch

Abstract De novo Crohn’s disease of the pouch (CDP) can develop after pouch surgery for patients with a preoperative diagnosis of ulcerative colitis or indeterminate colitis. There are overlapping features between CDP and surgery-associated complications and no consensus on diagnostic criteria for CDP. CDP is classified into inflammatory, fibrostenotic, and fistulizing phenotypes. There are overlap and difference in the management of CD in pouch or nonpouch patients. Mesalamines, antibiotics, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and biological agents have been used in the treatment of CDP. Antibiotics, immunomodulators, and biologics are main treatment regimens for fistulizing CD. Fibrostenotic and fistulizing CDP often require endoscopic and surgical intervention in addition to medical therapy. The prognosis of CDP varies.
AVAIL: Assured Volt-Ampère Information Ledger

To address the need for trusted information across bulk power systems, our paper proposes a new type of distributed ledger (or Blockchain), for a shared management of sensitive information in power systems. We call our Blockchain design the Assured Volt Ampere Information Ledger (AVAIL). The AVAIL` abstractions fit data needs of prototypical grid applications in wide area protection and control, energy management systems, and markets. The contribution of this paper is to draw directly from the distinct requirements of these applications and the valid assumptions about the adversaries, to shape the AVAIL abstractions. AVAIL is unique for the following features: 1) Adversarial model: Our design principles consider an adversarial model where attacks affect physical resources; 2) Non-binary validity: in our setting we allow for a spectrum of validity; 3) Validity enforcement: validity in our setting is governed by physical laws.
Cloud Motion Vector Estimation Using Scalable Wireless Sensor Networks

Short-term solar irradiation estimation is essential for effective matching of real-time demands and distribution in PV microgrids. In this work, we have developed and evaluated a scalable solar irradiation monitoring wireless sensor network. The WSN can monitor and estimate short-term cloud shadow speed and direction. The individual nodes of the WSN can communicate with each other using RF and WiFi connectivity, thereby allowing us to create a scalable and configurable WSN. The solar irradiations at each WSN node have been calibrated with respect to standard pyranometer values. Also, a network of nodes arranged in a circular orientation was implemented to determine the cloud motion vector. The developed network was evaluated for artificial and real cloud shadow speed and direction. The power consumption of the sensor nodes at different operating states was also determined.
Abstract 225: Determinants of Compensation for US Academic Physicians: Does Gender Matter?

Introduction: Academic physician compensation remains opaque, despite its critical importance for negotiating equitable salaries. In particular, prior studies have suggested inequity between male a...
MIDAS: Finding the Right Web Sources to Fill Knowledge Gaps

Knowledge bases, massive collections of facts (RDF triples) on diverse topics, support vital modern applications. However, existing knowledge bases contain very little data compared to the wealth of information on the Web. This is because the industry standard in knowledge base creation and augmentation suffers from a serious bottleneck: they rely on domain experts to identify appropriate web sources to extract data from. Efforts to fully automate knowledge extraction have failed to improve this standard: these automated systems are able to retrieve much more data and from a broader range of sources, but they suffer from very low precision and recall. As a result, these large-scale extractions remain unexploited. In this paper, we present MIDAS, a system that harnesses the results of automated knowledge extraction pipelines to repair the bottleneck in industrial knowledge creation and augmentation processes. MIDAS automates the suggestion of good-quality web sources and describes what to extract with respect to augmenting an existing knowledge base. We make three major contributions. First, we introduce a novel concept, web source slices, to describe the contents of a web source. Second, we define a profit function to quantify the value of a web source slice with respect to augmenting an existing knowledge base. Third, we develop effective and highly-scalable algorithms to derive high-profit web source slices. We demonstrate that MIDAS produces high-profit results and outperforms the baselines significantly on both real-world and synthetic datasets.
Bias in Regulatory Administration

The requirement of an objective, open-minded agency decisionmaker lies at the core of our administrative law scheme. And yet the ways in which "bias" doctrine plays out reflects a muddled and frequently overbearing approach to solving important problems in regulatory administration. This article takes a close look at the architecture of bias doctrine in administrative law, exploring doctrinal issues and also the theoretical underpinnings of the persistent, yet incorrigible, principle of neutrality in agency adjudication and rulemaking. Exploring these issues opens up promising new lines of inquiry about administrative law and regulatory decisionmaking more generally. Given the predicament of trust and discretion at the heart of debates over the scope and purposes of regulatory administration, how do the variegated bias doctrines help or hinder our rule of law and social welfare goals?
Dopant-Induced Ordering of Amorphous Regions in Regiorandom P3HT

Despite the fact that molecular doping of semiconducting polymers has emerged as a valuable strategy for improving the performance of organic electronic devices, the fundamental dopant–polymer inte...
Interest as a Starting Place for Philosophy

This paper discusses a puzzle about philosophical beliefs. Core philosophical beliefs that are widely shared among philosophers, such as the belief that skepticism is false, are often held with extreme confidence. However, this confidence is not justified if these beliefs are based on what are traditionally seen as the sources of philosophical evidence, such as intuitions or observation (or reasoning on these bases). Charity requires that we should look for some other basis for these beliefs. I argue that these beliefs are based on our knowledge of what we find interesting. Further, I argue that this is a good basis for belief. Knowing what we find interesting allows us to tune our inquiry in ways we could not otherwise. How do philosophers know the things we know about philosophical topics – about, for example, justice, free will, knowledge, or reasons? A conventional answer is that some of what we know we know via observation or intuition, some we know via testimony or recollection, and some we know from reasoning about the data provided by these other sources. But there’s a puzzle: it turns out that these routes to knowledge don’t explain the confidence we have in some of our philosophical beliefs, often ones that are widely held and ground quite of bit of theorizing. This might suggest that many of us are not as good at philosophy as we’d like to think, but before we accept that we should first see if there is a more charitable explanation. This would be another type of data that philosophers can appeal to that justifies a high level of confidence in the puzzling beliefs. I think that that data is data about what we find philosophically interesting. Knowing what we find interesting gives us knowledge about the target of our inquiry: it has those qualities that we are interested in. While this may seem trivial, I’ll argue that it not only explains our puzzling confidence in core philosophical beliefs, but it also can be quite useful in tuning our inquiry appropriately. I will begin by arguing that there is a puzzle to be solved, by discussing some examples of widely and very confidently held philosophical beliefs, where the apparent confidence _____________________________ Corresponding Author: B. Talbot University of Colorado email – brian.talbot@colorado.edu Essays Philos (2012) 13:1 Talbot | 120 we have in these beliefs is not supported by intuitions or reasoning that is based on intuitions. I focus on the inadequacy of intuitions because the other routes to knowledge – observation, testimony, and memory – aren’t plausibly relevant to the sorts of beliefs I’ll discuss. I will then give an account of how knowing what we find interesting can explain this confidence. This is to suggest that this knowledge is, in fact, a source of data that philosophers appeal to, perhaps tacitly. I will also argue that this is a good source of data – that there are advantages to founding philosophical inquiry on both intuitions and interestingness. The paper ends with considerations of some worries about the view, and questions we should go on to investigate.
Autoimmune skin diseases: Role of sex hormones, vitamin d, and menopause

Autoimmune diseases that affect the skin occur predominantly in women and are classified as rheumatic diseases. They include systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis, Sjogren’s syndrome, and scleroderma. Data support the idea that estrogen elevates autoantibodies and T helper 2 responses and promotes fibrosis by stimulating profibrotic interleukin-4 and transforming growth factor-β and fibroblast growth factor, all of which contribute to increased skin inflammation in rheumatic diseases in women. Epidemiological data indicate that more than 60 % of postmenopausal women have vitamin D insufficiency and 16 % are vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D deficiency is far more common among women with rheumatic diseases than controls and is associated with worse disease severity and cutaneous manifestations. This chapter describes our current understanding of the role of sex hormones, vitamin D, and the effect of menopause on the development of autoimmune skin diseases.
Multivariate Cubic Spline: A Versatile DC Modeling Technique Suitable for Different Deep Submicron Transistors

This work presents multivariate cubic spline polynomial as a versatile and efficient method for DC modeling of modern transistors with very different underlying physics including MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor), MESFET (Metal-Semiconductor-Field-Effect-Transistor), HBT (heterojunction bipolar transistor), HEMT (High-electron-mobility transistor) and a novel silicon-on-insulator four-gate transistor (G4FET). A set of available training data from TCAD simulation, analytical expression and experimental measurements is used to determine the coefficients of the spline model and then the model is validated using another set of test data. The developed model expresses the drain current as a multivariate cubic spline and it is shown to be valid across a wide range of bias conditions provided the independent variables are inside the range of data set used for training. The formulation of the cubic spline ensures its continuity along with the continuity of its first and second order derivatives which is highly desirable for implementation in a SPICE simulator. The model shows excellent predictive capability for different kinds of devices. This can be very useful for modeling deep-submicron emerging devices for which any closed-form analytical solution is not yet available.
Survival characteristics and prognostic importance of echocardiographic measurements of right heart size and function in dogs with pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND The clinical relevance of echocardiographic measurements of right heart size and function in dogs with pulmonary hypertension (PH) is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine if echocardiographic measurements of right heart size and right ventricular (RV) function are associated with survival times in dogs with PH. ANIMALS Eighty-two client-owned dogs. METHODS Retrospective study where data from medical records and baseline echocardiographic examinations were collected and measured in a standardized manner. Owners or primary veterinarians were contacted for outcome data. RESULTS Enlargement of the right atrium (88%), RV (69%), and pulmonary artery (72%) was common. One-third of the cases had reduced RV function quantified by two-dimensional echocardiography-derived tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). Decreased TAPSE was significantly (P = .008) more common in dogs with PH not secondary to left heart disease (LHD; 43%) compared to dogs with PH secondary to LHD (14%) but median survival times (182, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 39-309 versus 298, 95% CI = 85-314 days, respectively) were not significantly different (P = .78). Right atrial area (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.58-4.70), TAPSE < 3.23 mm/kg0.284 (HR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.28-3.74), and right heart failure (HR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.18-3.57) were independently associated with shorter survival time (P ≤ .04). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Right atrial area, RV function (TAPSE < 3.23 mm/kg0.284 ), and right heart failure offer clinically relevant prognostic information in dogs with PH. Results support the quantitative assessment of right heart size and function in dogs with PH.
Predictors of the development of takotsubo cardiomyopathy in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and outcomes in patients with intra-aortic balloon pumps.

Objective Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have shown that female patients presenting with a poor clinical grade are at the greatest risk for developing TC. Intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABPs) are known to support cardiac function in severe cases of TC, and they may aid in the treatment of vasospasm in these patients. In this study, the authors investigated risk factors for developing TC in the setting of aSAH and outcomes among patients requiring IABPs. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 1096 patients who had presented to their institution with aSAH. Four hundred five of these patients were originally enrolled in the Barrow Ruptured Aneurysm Trial, and an additional 691 patients from a subsequent prospectively maintained aSAH database were analyzed. Medical records were reviewed for the presence of TC according to the modified Mayo Clinic criteria. Outcomes were determined at the last follow-up, with a poor outcome defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score > 2. Results TC was identified in 26 patients with aSAH. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis identified female sex (OR 8.2, p = 0.005), Hunt and Hess grade > III (OR 7.6, p 7 mm (OR 3, p = 0.011), and clinical vasospasm (OR 2.9, p = 0.037) as risk factors for developing TC in the setting of aSAH. TC patients, even with IABP placement, had higher rates of poor outcomes (77% vs 47% with an mRS score > 2, p = 0.004) and mortality at the last follow-up (27% vs 11%, p = 0.018) than the non-TC patients. However, aggressive intra-arterial endovascular treatment for vasospasm was associated with good outcomes in the TC patients versus nonaggressive treatment (100% with mRS ≤ 2 at last follow-up vs 53% with mRS > 2, p = 0.040). Conclusions TC after aSAH tends to occur in female patients with large aneurysms, poor clinical grades, and clinical vasospasm. These patients have significantly higher rates of poor neurological outcomes, even with the placement of an IABP. However, aggressive intra-arterial endovascular therapy in select patients with vasospasm may improve outcome.
Development of a Novel Preoperative Venous Thromboembolism Risk Assessment Model

IntroductionStandardization of preoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk assessment remains challenging due to variation in risk assessment models (RAMs) and the cumbersome workflow addition t...
‘Skyscraper Primitives’: Futurity and Primordial Time in New York City, 1904–1932

Nardi’s chapter applies the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas’s concept of an ‘architectural Big Bang’ to frame the emergence of the skyscraper as a central trope for time and space in the literary manifestos of the 1910s and 1920s. Koolhaas argues that the new architectural technologies emerging at the turn of the century in New York revolutionized concepts of space and time; Nardi traces similar ideas among avant-garde in New York, where writers such as Amy Lowell, Waldo Frank, and Gorham Munson, explored the technological space of the immense architectural interior as a force that contained all of time and could undo time as well as mark the progress and development of urban ambitions.
The PEET procedure: Punch Excision of Epithelialized Tracts for gastrocutaneous fistula closure.

Abstract Background : Persistent Gastrocutaneous Fistula (GCF) is common problem encountered in the pediatric population. Several management options for intervening on pediatric persistent GCF have been described and range from open surgical management to medical management. Here we describe a novel adaptation on a previously described technique that utilizes a punch biopsy to excise the GCF we have coined as Punch Excision of Epithelialized Tracts (PEET). Methods : The steps to this procedure include passing a punch biopsy tool over a Foley catheter. The catheter is inserted into the GCF tract, the balloon is inflated, the catheter is retracted against the abdominal wall, and the punch biopsy instrument is pushed through the skin and subcutaneous tissue circumferentially excising the tract. Results : Four patients at our institution have undergone GCF excision using the PEET approach. Mean duration of the GCF in our four patients was 9 months. Mean follow-up after GCF excision using the PEET approach was 7.8 months. No patients in the cohort had any post-operative complications including surgical site wound infection, emergency department visits, or re-hospitalizations related to their surgical care. Conclusion : Based on our preliminary findings in this small patient cohort, we believe the PEET approach for managing persistent pediatric GCF has short-term efficacy and has the potential upside of utilizing fewer hospital resources to perform the procedure in a time-efficient manner.
A Review of The Testimony of Teeth

The oft-quoted saying “You cannot judge a book by its cover” holds true once again. Should potential purchasers of this book go further than the dust cover description of its contents, they should prepare for a disappointment.
Predicting Reading Failure: Beyond the Readiness Model.

The limited success of investigations directed toward predicting reading failure is discussed. The relative lack of success is attributed to the apparent reliance on a reading readiness model and on procedures which do not assess the impact of the many variables shaping school success and failure. The position espoused here is that a youngster's success or failure in school is most fruitfully seen as a function of the interaction between his strengths, weaknesses, and limitations and the specific classroom situational factors he encounters. A formal hypothesis suggested by this interactional model is offered, and a novel strategy for predicting reading failure is briefly described.
Learning sparse Gaussian Markov networks using a greedy coordinate ascent approach

In this paper, we introduce a simple but efficient greedy algorithm, called SINCO, for the Sparse INverse COvariance selection problem, which is equivalent to learning a sparse Gaussian Markov Network, and empirically investigate the structure-recovery properties of the algorithm. Our approach is based on a coordinate ascent method which naturally preserves the sparsity of the network structure. We show that SINCO is often comparable to, and, in various cases, outperforms commonly used approaches such as glasso [7] and COVSEL [1], in terms of both structure-reconstruction error (particularly, false positive error) and computational time. Moreover, our method has the advantage of being easily parallelizable. Finally, we show that SINCO's greedy nature allows reproduction of the regularization path behavior by applying the method to one (sufficiently small) instance of the regularization parameter λ only; thus, SINCO can obtain a desired number of network links directly, without having to tune the λ parameter. We evaluate our method empirically on various simulated networks and real-life data from biological and neuroimaging applications.
Studies on the dimorphism of Histoplasma capsulatum. I. The roles of -SH groups and incubation temperature.

Abstract Employing a synthetic medium to which were added varying concentrations of cysteine and incubation temperatures of 25 °, 30 °, and 37 °C, Y phase cells of H. capsulatum were maintained preponderantly in this phase for 3 weeks at 25 °C with as little as 0.001 M cysteine. Such maintenance of the Y phase required an inoculum of at least 2 × 106 cells per ml of medium. Inocula of 105 cells or less permitted no Y phase growth at any temperature of incubation used and at any concentration of cysteine from 0.001 to 0.05 M. The addition of 0.04 per cent agar, washed or regular, or 0.025 per cent silica jel to the medium containing cysteine at any concentration completely inhibited growth of the mycelial phase inoculum at 37 °C. Since these same conditions permitted good Y phase growth, it was concluded that the conditions of culture and hence the biochemical pathways directing M → Y dimorphism and those necessary to maintain Y phase growth are independent of each other. The ramifications of these findings are discussed.
Fertility, social class, gender, and the professional model: statistical explanation and historical significance†

This is the accepted manuscript. It's currently embargoed until 19/03/2017. The final version is available from Wiley at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ehr.12102/abstract
WISENET - TinyOS based wireless network of sensors

WISENET is a wireless sensor network that monitors the environmental conditions (such as light, temperature, and humidity) of labs and offices in ECE department at Bradley University. This network is comprised of nodes called "motes" that form an ad-hoc network to transmit this data to a computer that functions as a server. The server stores the data in a database where it can later be retrieved and analyzed via a Web-based interface. Firmware used in motes is based on TinyOS that was developed in the University of California, Berkeley.
Optimizing the input scrambling rate in a recirculating loop with EDFAs

We optimize the input polarization scrambling rate in a recirculating loop by analyzing amplitude modulation in a cascade of EDFAs. This scrambling rate minimizes penalties due to PDL and PDG.
Construction Bidding and the Winner's Curse: Game Theory Approach

AbstractIn the construction industry, competitive bidding has long been used as a method for contractor selection. Because the true cost of construction is not known until the completion of the project, adverse selection is a major concern. Adverse selection is when the winner of the contract has underestimated the project’s true cost. Thus, the winning contractor will most likely earn negative or at least below normal profits. The winner’s curse is when the winning bidder submits an underestimated bid and is thus cursed by being selected to undertake the project. In the multistage bidding environment, where subcontractors are hired by a general contractor, the winner’s curse may be compounded. In general, contractors suffer from the winner’s curse for a variety of reasons including inaccurate estimates of project cost; new contractors entering the construction market; minimizing losses in case of recession of the construction industry; strong competition within the construction market; differential oppor...