cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hybridization of Darwin's Finches on Isla Daphne Major, Galapagos

There has been much debate in the past about whether Darwin’s finches hybridize in nature, and if they do whether hybridization could account for the intermediate appearance of certain forms. To resolve these issues the breeding of all finches on the small Galapagos island of Daphne Major was studied in every year from 1976 to 1992. The island supported breeding populations of Geospiza fortis (harmonic mean of 198 breeding individuals), G. scandens ( H = 80), G. fuliginosa ( H = 3) and, in the past 10 years, G. magnirostris ( H = 6). Morphological criteria for defining species were developed in a study of the finches on the neighboring large island of Santa Cruz. These were then used with modification on Daphne to classify members of the first few generations to species. Observations of breeding birds showed that in a few cases species interbred. G. fortis hybridized with G. fuliginosa in 11 out of the 13 years in which both species bred. G. fortis and G. scandens hybridized in six of the years. Hybridization was always rare. Hybridizing individuals constituted 1.8% of breeding G. fortis , on average, 0.8% of G. scandens , but 73.0% of the much rarer G. fuliginosa . F 1 hybrids were viable and fertile. They rarely bred with each other to produce an F 2 generation. Much more frequently they backcrossed to the common species, G. fortis and G. scandens . In all these cases hatching and fledging success were high, giving scarcely any indication of genetic incompatibilities in the F 1 , F 2 or backcross generations. The demonstration of natural hybridization answers some questions and raises others. It shows that introgression of genes could be a small factor contributing to the interm ediate appearance of G. fortis on Daphne Major: that is between typically larger forms of this species elsewhere in the archipelago and the smaller G. fuliginosa . However hybridization with the larger G. scandens has the opposite directional effect on G. fortis . Hybridization and introgression sometimes complement the effects of natural selection, sometimes they are opposed by it. Introgression also contributes to the large morphological variation displayed by this and several other populations in the archipelago. Hybridization raises questions about how species of Darwin’s finches (and other organisms) should be defined and recognized. In terms of the broad biological species concept there are four species of finches on Daphne Major, neither completely independent evolutionarily on the one hand (except for G. magnirostris , nor approaching panmixia on the other hand.
Connotative meaning of sentence subjects as a function of verb and object meaning under different grammatical transformations

Forty-three S s rated CVC sentence subjects, on good-bad and active-passive semantic differential scales. The sentences had good or bad predicate verbs and good or bad object nouns and were presented as active, passive, question, or negative sentences. It was found that for active and passive sentences, the subject CVCs were rated as good when the verb and object had the same evaluative meaning and as bad when they had opposite evaluative meanings. Similar results obtained with the question transformation, though to a lesser degree. The negative transformation reversed the evaluation of the subject CVCs for all verb-object combinations except for bad verbs with bad objects. Subject CVCs were rated as less active in the negative transformation than in the other three transformations, which did not significantly differ among each other. The results were discussed in terms of congruity theory and transformational theory.
Imaging of spinal cord vascular malformations

Abstract Spinal vascular malformations are an important cause of myelopathy in patients. They are often overlooked in the differential diagnosis because of their rarity. It is critical, however, to make a correct diagnosis in the case of spinal vascular malformations, which typically require specific treatment that can reverse or stop the progression of symptoms. Left untreated or treated incorrectly, they can cause further neurological deterioration that may be irreversible. The clinical findings in patients with spinal vascular malformations are often nonspecific and can be confused with the presenting symptoms of more common disease entities such as acquired spinal stenosis or even peripheral vascular disease. The radiologic evaluation of these lesions often shows characteristic findings that will lead to the proper diagnosis or that will at least limit the differential diagnosis and lead to definitive diagnostic testing. This article describes the various radiologic tools available for the evaluation of spinal vascular malformations. It also describes the characteristic radiologic findings of each type of spinal vascular malformation and which modality is best suited for its evaluation. Through the appropriate use and interpretation of imaging techniques, patients with myelopathy caused by a spinal vascular malformation can be accurately diagnosed and treated.
The effects of digital trading platforms on commodity prices in agricultural supply chains

Digital platforms for buying and selling agricultural commodities have generated significant interest in the trade literature as a way to link rural communities to the Internet. Yet, the extent to which these digital platforms actually translate into higher commodity prices for producers remains an open research question. We investigate this question by comparing transaction data on trading various grades of coffee from a recently implemented digital platform in India with similar transactions from a physical commodity auction held weekly, and farm-gate prices in the coffee producing regions of India. Although the digital platform prices closely track the physical commodity auction prices, producers obtain significantly higher prices when they sell the commodity through the digital platform rather than at the farm-gate through brokers who operate in their regions. However, coffee grades with higher price volatility and premium coffee grades that require face-toface interactions to verify quality obtain lower prices on the digital platform. Our results also indicate that market participants who control the transaction obtain better prices. We discuss the implications of our findings for governments and platform providers.
The text of the Canterbury fragment of Werferth's translation of Gregory's Dialogues and its relation to the other manuscripts

Dr W. Urry discovered Canterbury Cathedral Library, Add. 25, containing portions of book iv of Bishop Werferth's translation of the Dialogues of Gregory the Great, about thirty years ago and its text is printed here for the first time. N. R. Ker has described the manuscript and his account should be consulted. After a personal inspection I agree with his description in all particulars save one: the first legible letters on 3r are e of lic (Hecht 313.20), not ciged waes (313.21). Ker dates the manuscript s. x ex. and believes that it is probably a fragment of an item in the medieval catalogue of Christ Church, Canterbury, and that it has been damaged by fire and used as a wrapper.
Expression of the Streptomyces coelicolor SoxR Regulon Is Intimately Linked with Actinorhodin Production

The [2Fe-2S]-containing transcription factor SoxR is conserved in diverse bacteria. SoxR is traditionally known as the regulator of a global oxidative stress response in Escherichia coli, but recent studies suggest that this function may be restricted to enteric bacteria. In the vast majority of nonenterics, SoxR is predicted to mediate a response to endogenously produced redox-active metabolites. We have examined the regulation and function of the SoxR regulon in the model antibiotic-producing filamentous bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor. Unlike the E. coli soxR deletion mutant, the S. coelicolor equivalent is not hypersensitive to oxidants, indicating that SoxR does not potentiate antioxidant defense in the latter. SoxR regulates five genes in S. coelicolor, including those encoding a putative ABC transporter, two oxidoreductases, a monooxygenase, and a possible NAD-dependent epimerase/dehydratase. Expression of these genes depends on the production of the benzochromanequinone antibiotic actinorhodin and requires intact [2Fe-2S] clusters in SoxR. These data indicate that actinorhodin, or a redox-active precursor, modulates SoxR activity in S. coelicolor to stimulate the production of a membrane transporter and proteins with homology to actinorhodin-tailoring enzymes. While the role of SoxR in S. coelicolor remains under investigation, these studies support the notion that SoxR has been adapted to perform distinct physiological functions to serve the needs of organisms that occupy different ecological niches and face different environmental challenges.
Effect of host (Musca domestica Linnaeus) age on the Pteromalid parasite Nasonia vitripennis (Walker).

An investigation was made of the influence of age of the host (Musca domestica Linn.) in the pupal stage on the oviposition behavior and development of the pteromalid parasite Nasonia vitripennis (Walk.). Five age groups of hosts were employed in 10 pair combinations with an excess of hosts available for selection. Except for the 1-day-old hosts, more of the younger hosts of the combinations produced parasite progeny while the older hosts had a high percentage yielding neither fly nor parasite. Parasite production per pupa was 6.25 on the youngest hosts, with the number decreasing to 4.85 per host at 5 days. Hosts 2, 3, and 4 days old combined with 1-day-old hosts had higher rates of parasitism than when combined with hosts of other ages. The ranking for successful parasitization of hosts, by age of pupae, was 2, 3, 1, 4, and 5 days old.
Parallel memory-based parsing on SNAP

The paper presents a parallel natural language processing system implemented on a marker-passing parallel AI computer, Semantic Network Array Processor (SNAP). The system uses a memory-based parsing approach in which parsing is viewed as a memory search process. Linguistic information is stored as phrasal patterns in a semantic network knowledge base distributed over the memory of the parallel computer. Parsing is performed by recognizing and linking linguistic patterns that reflect a sentence interpretation. This is achieved via propagating markers over the distributed network. The authors have developed a system capable of processing newswire articles from a particular domain. The paper presents the structure of the system, the memory-based parsing method used, and performance results obtained. >
Description of three new species of Helconichia Sharkey & Wharton (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Ichneutinae) with a revised key to all species

Three new species of Helconichia Sharkey & Wharton are described: H. sarria Sharanowski and Sharkey, sp. nov. and H. reina Sharanowski and Sharkey, sp. nov. from Colombia, and H. brenesi Sharanowski and Sharkey, sp. nov. from Costa Rica. These species double the number of described species of Helconichia, bringing the total number to six. The key of Sharkey and Wharton (1994) is revised to include the new species. Lateral habitus images of all six holotypes of the species of Helconichia are included, in addition to images of character states used in the identification key.
Raman spectroscopy of blood samples for forensic applications

We investigated Raman scattering from human blood as a function of parameters that are relevant for forensic field analysis, such as substrate, sample dilution, individual from which the sample originates, and age of the sample. Peaks characteristic of blood components and in particular the hemoglobin peaks were routinely detected when blood was deposited on substrates that are not strongly luminescent, such as plastic, metal utensils and dry wall. Raman scattering from blood proved quite sensitive and blood samples with a dilution up to 1:250 could be measured for an excitation power of ∼2 mW measured at the sample plane. The sensitivity of Raman scattering to diluted blood allowed measurement using blood reconstituted from fabric substrates, thereby alleviating issues related to luminescence and scattering from the substrate. The dependence of Raman scattering on sample age and individual was also investigated. We found that the relative intensities of scattering peaks depended on sample age and history. For example, the relative intensity of oxyhemoglobin peaks decreases after blood has dried. Fresh blood drawn directly from a donor without intermediate storage exhibits also scattering peaks at 1155 and 1511 cm(-1) which disappear after drying. The origin of these peaks is under investigation. We noticed, however, that they were not found in blood that had been stored for longer than one week in EDTA containers before analysis, thus requiring the use of fresh blood for future studies and validation purposes. The relative intensity of scattering peaks was also found to be somewhat dependent on the donor and, for a same donor, on the day on which blood was drawn.
Phytoplankton blooms in a fluctuating environment: the roles of plankton response time scales and grazing

Our new view of planktonic ecosystems states that the picoplankton can outcompete the netplankton for nutrients, but are held to a relatively constant biomass because of the short response time scales of their protist grazers. The long response time of the mesozooplankton grazing the netphytoplankton allows these larger phytoplankton to respond to environmental fluctuations with large changes in biomass. There is some ambiguity in the literature, however, over the relative importance of response time scales' versus grazing in controlling the phytoplankton biomass. To address this issue, a simple model including explicit response time scales and grazing was formulated. The model was used to explore the influence of these two dynamics in controlling the response of phytoplankton to sudden changes in the carrying capacity of the environment. It was applied to the IronEx II data to explore the implications of the two types of control. The model supports the hypothesis that the short response time scale of the protists limits the picoplankton biomass. However, it also shows that the zooplankton grazing rate (here represented by a clearance rate a) has a much stronger effect in determining the phytoplankton biomass than the response time scale.
Direct noncompetitive inhibition of 5-HT3 receptor-mediated responses by forskolin and steroids

Abstract 5-HT 3 receptors cloned from NCB-20 cells were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and the effects of forskolin and steroids on the function of the receptors were investigated using the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique. Forskolin, 17-β-estradiol, and progesterone inhibited the currents activated by 1 μM 5-HT in a reversible and concentration-dependent manner, with IC 50 values of 12, 33, and 89 μM, respectively. The inhibitory effects of forskolin and 17-β-estradiol were independent of the membrane potential. Forskolin and 17-β-estradiol significantly reduced the maximal amplitude of the 5-HT concentration-response curve ( E max ) without significantly affecting the EC 50 , indicating that these compounds act as noncompetitive inhibitors of the 5-HT 3 receptor. The cAMP analogue, 8-Br-cAMP (0.2 mM), and the protein kinase A activator, Sp-cAMP (0.1 mM), did not affect the amplitude of 5-HT 3 receptor-mediated currents. The membrane-permeable protein kinase A inhibitor Rp-cAMP (0.1 mM) and the estrogen-receptor antagonist tamoxifen (1 μM) did not affect the inhibition of 5-HT-activated current. In addition, 5-HT 3 receptor-mediated currents were inhibited by both 1,9-dideoxy forskolin (30 μM), which does not activate adenylyl cyclase, and wForskolin (30 μM), a charged hydrophilic analogue of forskolin that is membrane impermeable. These results indicate that both forskolin and 17-β-estradiol inhibit the function of the 5-HT 3 receptor in a noncompetitive manner and that this inhibition is independent of cAMP levels.
Doubled Haploid Onion (Allium cepa L.) Lines and Their Impact on Hybrid Performance

Production of double haploid (DH) lines is a rapid method of obtaining completely homozygous inbred lines for numerous crops; however, practical trials testing the use of DH onion lines have been limited. DH onion lines were produced from diverse highly heterozygous material in development within the Cornell onion breeding program. These DH lines were evaluated in multiple replicated trials in onion fields in New York as lines and as parents of hybrids to assess the impact and commercial potential of DH onions. Twenty DH onion lines were compared with open-pollinated cultivars developed from the same source germplasm and with a commercial hybrid over two years. The vegetative vigor of the DH lines was comparable to that of related open- pollinated cultivars, showing minimal, if any, inbreeding depression. Two sets of hybrids were produced using the DH lines as males and two different females that are the female parents of the commercial hybrid controls. Therefore, hybrids in each set are half-sibs, and any performance differences are attributable to their DH male lines. In four replicated trials of these hybrids and controls, the experimental hybrids were either not significantly different or significantly better in measures of vegetative vigor compared with conventional half-sib hybrid controls. The vegetative vigor of DH lines, and their derived hybrids, might result from selection of plantlets without deleterious sublethal genes during gynogenesis. The shortened development time and equivalent quality of DH lines compared with the traditionally bred onion inbreds warrant their use. The increased vigor in hybrid combination could be an additional benefit for onion breeding strategies.
Optical Generation of Binary Phase-Coded Direct-Sequence UWB Signals Using a Multichannel Chirped Fiber Bragg Grating

A novel technique to generate binary phase-coded, direct-sequence ultra-wideband (DS-UWB) signals in the optical domain is proposed and demonstrated. In the proposed system, the wavelengths from a laser array are modulated by a Gaussian pulse, which is sent to a multichannel optical frequency discriminator, to generate a UWB monocycle or doublet pulse sequence with a predetermined phase-code pattern. By tuning the wavelengths of the laser array, or by tuning the states of polarization of the wavelengths, the generated pulse shape and code pattern can be changed. The key device in the system is the multichannel dispersive chirped fiber Bragg grating (FBG), which functions, in combination with a dispersive fiber, as a multichannel frequency discriminator with a step-increased group-delay response, to ensure the generated UWB sequence to have uniform time spacing among the chips and to compensate for the fiber-induced chromatic dispersion. The proposed scheme is experimentally demonstrated. A multichannel chirped FBG is designed and fabricated. Binary phase-coded DS-UWB signals with different code patterns are experimentally generated.
Understanding latency variations of black box services

Data centers run many services that impact millions of users daily. In reality, the latency of each service varies from one request to another. Existing tools allow to monitor services for performance glitches or service disruptions, but typically they do not help understanding the variations in latency. We propose a general framework for understanding performance of arbitrary black box services. We consider a stream of requests to a given service with their monitored attributes, as well as latencies of serving each request. We propose what we call the multi-dimensional f-measure, that helps for a given interval to identify the subset of monitored attributes that explains it. We design algorithms that use this measure not only for a fixed latency interval, but also to explain the entire range of latencies of the service by segmenting it into smaller intervals. We perform a detailed experimental study with synthetic data, as well as real data from a large search engine. Our experiments show that our methods automatically identify significant latency intervals together with request attributes that explain them, and are robust.
Endothelin-1 attenuates increases in hydraulic conductivity due to platelet-activating factor via prostacyclin release

We previously showed that endothelin-1 (ET-1) and prostacyclin (PGI2) similarly attenuate increases in microvascular permeability induced by platelet-activating factor (PAF). This led us to hypothe...
Liquid crystal-based optical time delay units for phased array antennas

Novel two-dimensional (2-D) spatial light modulator (SLM)-based optical time delay units (OTDU's) using freespace/solid optics and fiber delays are introduced for phased array antenna and wideband signal processing applications. In particular, the mature nematic liquid crystal (NLC) SLM technology is considered for the proposed architectures. A 1/spl times/2 optical switch is demonstrated using a parallel-rub birefringent-mode NLC cell, a bulk optics cube polarizing beamsplitter, and a sheet polarizer. Switch measurements taken at 633 nm show a >3400:1 or >35 dB output port optical isolation. The 1/spl times/2 NLC switch is used to build a 1-bit, 3.33-ns-duration, free-space OTDU using mirrors and total internal reflection corner prisms. The unit demonstrated a >30 dB optical (or >60 dB electrical) signal-to-noise ratio for both delay and no-delay positions. A 1500 pixel NLC SLM is built, and a 128:1 or 21 dB on/off isolation is demonstrated limited by the digital drive electronics of thin-film transistor (TFT)-based pixel control. >
Attention and Working Memory: Animal Models for Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia – Studies on D2-Like Receptor Knockout Mice

The ability of humans and other higher vertebrates to implement and orchestrate behavioral strategies that are geared towards defined goals is governed by fundamental cognitive functions of attentional control and working memory that control lower-level sensory, memory, and motor operations for the purpose of achieving these goals. Studies on patients with distinct brain lesions have provided the foundation to delineate a structure–function relationship of such cognitive functions. Moreover, recent advances in brain imaging using positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have added a new dimension to the study of this structure–function relationship, namely the potential of investigating functional interactions among various brain regions in subjects performing defined cognitive tasks. Hence, the last decade of research on higher cognitive functions yielded a wealth of new knowledge about the multiplicity of brain regions that are activated at different stages of information processing. To date, almost all studies on higher cognitive function are conducted on non-human and human primates, and they mostly employ psychological and neuroimaging/electrophysiological techniques. Psychological studies yielded a number of interesting results regarding the deficits of cognitive performance in various psychiatric illnesses. A limitation of these studies is, however, that they cannot examine the neural mechanisms of these cognitive processes. Neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies have powerfully illuminated the anatomic areas involved in attention and working memory, and they have provided important insight into functional aspects of the neural processes underlying these cognitive functions. It is, however, also
Clinical spectrum of valosin containing protein (VCP)-opathy

Introduction Valosin containing protein (VCP) mutations cause a rare disorder characterized by hereditary inclusion body myopathy, Paget disease of bone (PDB), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with variable penetrance. VCP mutations have also been linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2. Methods Review of clinical, serological, electrophysiological, and myopathological findings of 6 VCP-opathy patients from 4 unrelated families. Results Patients manifested muscle weakness between ages 40 and 53 years and developed predominant asymmetric limb girdle weakness. One patient had distal weakness at onset and co-existing peripheral neuropathy. Another patient had PDB, 1 had mild cognitive deficits, and 1 had FTD. All patients had myopathic and neurogenic electromyographic findings with predominant neurogenic changes in 2. Rimmed vacuoles were infrequent, while neurogenic changes were prominent in muscle biopsies. Conclusions VCP-opathy is a multifaceted disorder in which myopathy and peripheral neuropathy can coexist. The electrophysiological and pathological neurogenic changes raise the possibility of coexisting motor neuron involvement. Muscle Nerve, 2015 Muscle Nerve 54: 94-99, 2016 Muscle Nerve 54: 94-99, 2016.
Guide to OCT Image Interpretation with Normal and Anatomic Variants

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a useful adjunct imaging technique for retinal and optic nerve pathology. Advances in OCT have made it a useful diagnostic tool in ethambutol toxicity, hydroxychloroquine retinopathy, optic nerve head drusen, glaucoma, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, and multiple sclerosis, to name a few conditions. Care should be taken when interpreting OCT data, as errors and artifacts can occur. However, OCT has revolutionized ophthalmology and will continue to shape the ophthalmic field as new advances develop.
Human Rights in the United States: The Anomaly of Citizenship for Indigenous Rights

Scholars often understand citizenship as a prerequisite to securing human rights, and describe the gradual extension of citizenship to broader segments of the population as the triumph of human rights in the United States. With respect to American Indians, this understanding overlooks an important ambiguity, one that highlights the deficiencies of a model of human rights that takes state and individual as its fundamental categories. The struggle for indigenous rights throughout history has not been only — or even primarily — to gain rights for native people as individuals separate from tribal communities, but importantly to secure their right to self-determination as political entities distinct from states. While some native people did sincerely seek citizenship, in U.S. history calls to provide citizenship to American Indians were repeatedly linked to efforts to deny them self-determination. The emergence of the concept of the fixed nation-state in international law furthered this dichotomy, by suggesting that Indians could not at once be members of tribes with powers of self-government, and have rights within non-Indian communities. This chapter first examines the history of extensions of citizenship to Indian people, showing how policymakers extended citizenship in an effort to destroy tribal sovereignty, and used tribal citizenship as a justification for ending tribal rights well into the twentieth century. It also considers the ways and reasons that native individuals sought citizenship, and sought to break the link between tribal affiliation and non-citizenship. It then turns to developments in both domestic and international human rights law, particularly the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, that begin to move beyond the citizen-state dichotomy to more effectively recognize the rights of indigenous peoples.
Molecular Mechanisms of Resistance to Trimethoprim

Resistance to inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase arises from a variety of mechanisms involving enzyme alteration, cellular impermeability, enzyme overproduction, inhibitor modification, and loss of binding capacity. The mechanism of greatest clinical importance is the production of plasmid-encoded, trimethoprim-resistant forms of dihydrofolate reductase. At least two different types of these enzymes have been documented. The trimethoprim-resistant reductases differ from all other dihydrofolate reductases in molecular weight, subunit structure, kinetic properties, and binding of inhibitors. Colony hybridization techniques, developed for the detection of plasmid DNA coding for trimethoprim-resistant reductases, enable researchers to evaluate the prevalence and distribution of plasmid-borne resistance. Preliminary results obtained with a series of enzymatically characterized clinical isolates suggest that the colony hybridization technique may provide a convenient epidemiological tool for monitoring the dissemination of plasmid-borne resistance to trimethoprim.
Perspective and Directions for Future Research on Trace Amines and Neurological Disorders

Neurological disorders include neurotraumatic diseases (stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury), neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer, Parkinson, and Huntington diseases), and neuropsychiatric diseases (depression, autism, and hyperactivity disorders). The dysregulation of the inflammatory network and oxidative imbalance along with mitochondrial dysfunction and accumulation of abnormal, aggregated proteins may play a major role in the neurodegeneration in the above-mentioned neurological disorders. Other factors in the regulation of neurodegeneration may include inherited genetic abnormalities, abnormal immune system, and environmental factors. Endogenous trace amines are structurally related to classic monoaminergic neurotransmitters, found at low levels in the mammalian brain. Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) belong to a group of G-protein-coupled receptors. TAAR1 is expressed in various brain regions, and modulates monoamine systems, representing a promising therapeutic target for a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, relatively little information is available about TAAR1 representing a promising therapeutic target for neurotraumatic and neurodegenerative diseases.
Ethics and Social Responsibility

The Global Financial Meltdown is also a meltdown in business ethics. How could this be? And what can we do about it?
Hunter-Gatherer Families and Parenting

Our species is characterized by extraordinary biological success, which we owe, in large part, to our ability to cooperate. This cooperation extends beyond the pair bond to extended kin, affines, and even unrelated individuals. It has been suggested that one primary factor motivating such widespread cooperation in humans is the need to care for overlapping, energetically expensive offspring with long periods of development and dependency. For this reason, we situate the study of hunter-gatherer families and parenting within the larger context of human life history and cooperative networks. We argue that large, extended cooperative networks not only aid in meeting the demands of rearing hunter-gatherer children, but are also deeply rooted in our history. Keywords: hunter-gatherers; cooperation; social networks; cooperative breeding; families
INTERPOLATION ERROR IN WAVEFORM TABLE LOOKUP

Waveform tables are an important tool for synthesizing sound, but they introduce error which results in noise. Error is affected by the spectrum of the signal stored in the table. Error is reduced by increasing the table size and/or by increasing the quality of interpolation. Both of these also affect the signal computation cost. Table sizes required for a given signal-to-noise ratio are computed for different interpolation methods and spectral rolloffs. Execution times are then evaluated. Non-interpolated oscillators perform the best, but only if the storage and computation costs of the tables are not an issue. This and other tradeoffs are discussed.
AN INTRA-OPERATIVE ADJUSTMENT OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE JOINT GAP AND THE TIBIAL INSERT CANNOT CORRECT THE POST-OPERATIVE FLEXION CONTRACTURE IN TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

Postoperative functional outcomes and patients’ satisfaction after total knee arthroplasty are associated with postoperative range of motion. Severe deformities require surgical correction such as soft tissue release and appropriate bone resection. The goal of surgery is to correct the contracture and bring the knee to good range of motion. Using gap-balancing technique is one of the major techniques to obtain good range of motion. Although the gaps are well balanced, the thickness of tibial insert would affect the range of motion. In this study, we analyzed the difference between intraoperative extension joint gap and the thickness of implanted insert (DJI). The objective of this study was to investigate whether DJI affected the postoperative extension of the knee. A total of 155 knees were analyzed retrospectively. Subject included 27 males and 128 females with an average of 72.7 ± 7.0 years. The mean preoperative knee flexion angle was 136.1 ± 20.0°and the mean preoperative knee extension deficit was 4.0 ± 6.1°. All the patients had a diagnosis of varus-type osteoarthritis, identical prostheses (Stryker NRG posterior-stabilized type) implanted with a modified gap-balancing technique and no postoperative complications which may have affected the range of motion. Range of motion was measured using a goniometer before surgery and 12 months after surgery. Joint gap between femoral component and proximal tibia in full extension was measured by a tensor/ balancer device which added joint gap an expansion force by 30 inch pounds intra-operatively. Although we empirically regarded the appropriate DJI was 5 mm for this prosthesis, we determined the thickness of the tibial inserts considering preoperative range of motion. Thinner inserts compared with the joint gap was implanted for knees with flexion contracture and thicker inserts was implanted for knees with hyperextension. In this study, to determine the relationship of DJI and flexion contracture, the correlation coefficient between DJI and extension deficit was calculated. The diagram of DJI and postoperative extension angle is shown in Figure 1. The correlation coefficient between DJI and postoperative extension deficit was 0.24, which showed that DJI slightly affected the postoperative extension of the knee. Flexion contracture cannot be corrected by simply adjusting DJI.
Multisector Team Collaboration at the Child Advocacy Center

An experienced child advocacy center (CAC) executive director has just encountered a pivotal moment. The nonprofit CAC she runs is being asked to perform fewer child forensic interviews. This has led to a loss of clients served and raised concerns about the organization’s financial future, as funders commonly request statistical data to ensure that the organization is a necessary part of the community and deserves funding. In 2011, the cross-sector collaborative CAC model, with its accompanying use of the multidisciplinary team (MDT), was established as the best practice model for investigating crimes against children. 1 Labeled multilevel governance in the public administration field, 2 such collaborations include issues of power, accountability, communication, and turnover. This case is presented as a meeting of the collaborating parties in which the executive director must address decreasing requests for interviews by the collaboration’s government partners.
The Generalized Birthday Problem

Many researchers deal with data that can be viewed as a series of trials, each with two possible outcomes. We will arbitrarily label the two alternative possible outcomes of a trial as success and failure. The maximum number within any m contiguous trials within the N trials, denoted S′ m , is called the scan statistic. For the special case where S′ m = m, a success run of length m has occurred within the N trials. For the general case where S′ m = k, a quota of at least k successes within m consecutive trials has occurred.
Nanoconjugate-bound adenosine A1 receptor antagonist enhances recovery of breathing following acute cervical spinal cord injury

Respiratory complications in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) are common and can have a negative impact on the quality of patients' lives. Previously, we found that intradiaphragmatic administration of the nanoconjugate-bound A1 adenosine receptor antagonist, 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX) induced recovery of diaphragm function following SCI in rats. When administered immediately following the injury, recovery was observed as early as 3days following SCI and it persisted until the end of the study, 28days after the drug delivery. The recovery was observed using diaphragmatic electromyography (EMG) as well as phrenic nerve recordings; both of which were conducted under anesthetized conditions. Confounding effects of anesthetic may make data interpretation complex in terms of the impact on overall ventilatory function and clinical relevance. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that intradiaphragmatic administration of nanoconjugate-bound DPCPX, enhances recovery of ventilation following SCI in the unanesthetized rat. To that end, Sprague-Dawley rats underwent C2 spinal cord hemisection (C2Hx) on day 0 and received either: (i) 0.15μg/kg of nanoconjugate-bound DPCPX or (ii) vehicle control (50μl distilled water). To assess ventilation, unrestrained whole body plethysmography (WBP) was performed on day 0 (immediately before the surgery) and 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28days following the SCI. Frequency, tidal volume, and minute ventilation data were analyzed in two minute bins while the animal was calm and awake. We found that a single administration of the nanoconjugate-bound A1 adenosine receptor antagonist facilitated recovery of tidal volume and minute ventilation following SCI. Furthermore, the treatment attenuated SCI-associated increases in respiratory frequency. Taken together, this study suggests that the previously observed DPCPX nanoconjugate-induced recovery in diaphragmatic and phrenic motor outputs may translate to a clinically meaningful improvement in ventilatory function in patients with SCI.
Self-Actualization and the Tragedy of Beauty:

A tragedy of beauty has occurred in Western culture and perhaps worldwide: The importance of beauty for a flourishing and self-actualizing life is largely going unnoticed by both the general public...
Urinary NNAL in hookah smokers and non-smokers after attending a hookah social event in a hookah lounge or a private home.

Tobacco smoking and exposure to tobacco secondhand smoke (SHS) can cause lung cancer. We determined uptake of NNK (4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone), a tobacco specific potent pulmonary carcinogen, in hookah smokers and non-smokers exposed to hookah tobacco SHS. We analyzed data from a community-based convenience sample of 201 of adult (aged ≥18 years) exclusive hookah smokers (n = 99) and non-smokers (n = 102) residing in San Diego County, California. Participants spent an average of three consecutive hours indoors, in hookah lounges or private homes, where hookah tobacco was smoked exclusively. Total NNAL [the sum of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and its glucuronides], the major metabolites of NNK, were quantified in spot urine samples provided the morning of and the morning after attending a hookah event. Among hookah smokers urinary NNAL increased significantly (p<0.001) following a hookah social event; the geometric mean doubled, from 1.97 to 4.16 pg/mg. Among non-smokers the increase was not significant (p = 0.059). Post hookah event urinary NNAL levels were highest in daily hookah smokers, and significantly higher than in non-daily smokers or non-smokers (GM: 14.96 pg/mg vs. 3.13 pg/mg and 0.67 pg/mg, respectively). For both hookah smokers and non-smokers, pre-to-post event change in urinary NNAL was not significantly different between hookah lounges and homes. We suggest posting health warning signs inside hookah lounges, and encouraging voluntary bans of smoking hookah tobacco in private homes.
Prospective Study of Brain Wave Changes Associated With Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation

Objective To explore brain wave changes associated with cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) among subjects receiving psychiatric care. Methods Quantitative electroencephalogram data were obtained before and after a 20-minute session of CES. The investigators recruited active-duty military subjects from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's Psychiatry Continuity Service, Bethesda, Maryland. Fifty subjects participated in this prospective, convenience sample study from August 2016 through March 2017. The main outcome measures were changes in brain wave activity and the Subjective Units of Distress Scale. Results The typical subject was mildly depressed and had severe trauma-related symptoms and sleep problems. There was a significant increase (P = .000) in the higher beta frequencies (18-21 Hz, 21-33 Hz, and 33-48 Hz) and a strong effect (with the Cohen d around 1.5) immediately following the 20-minute CES. Ten minutes after CES, slower wave activity (4-8 Hz and 8-12 Hz) significantly decreased (P < .05), while higher beta wave activity (13-15 Hz, 18-21 Hz, and 21-33 Hz) increased. A strong effect (with the Cohen d around 1.5) persisted in the beta brain wave bands 18-21 Hz and 21-33 Hz. Conclusions Brain wave measurements taken immediately after the 20-minute CES session showed a significant and strong effect in the beta region, suggesting an increase in mental alertness, focus, and concentration. Ten minutes after the CES session, an even more marked change in brain wave activity occurred. The significant and strong effect in the beta region persisted but was joined by a reduction in slower wave activity, indicating an increase in mental alertness. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03298308.
Simultaneous, noninvasive, in vivo, continuous monitoring of hematocrit, vascular volume, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, pulse rate and breathing rate in humans and other animal models using a single light source

We previously reported a new algorithm “PV[O]H” for continuous, noninvasive, in vivo monitoring of hematocrit changes in blood and have since shown its utility for monitoring in humans during 1) hemodialysis, 2) orthostatic perturbations and 3) during blood loss and fluid replacement in a rat model. We now show that the algorithm is sensitive to changes in hemoglobin oxygen saturation. We document the phenomenology of the effect and explain the effect using new results obtained from humans and rat models. The oxygen sensitivity derives from the differential absorption of autofluorescence originating in the static tissues by oxy and deoxy hemoglobin. Using this approach we show how to perform simultaneous, noninvasive, in vivo, continuous monitoring of hematocrit, vascular volume, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, pulse rate and breathing rate in mammals using a single light source. We suspect that monitoring of changes in this suite of vital signs can be provided with improved time response, sensitivity and precision compared to existing methodologies. Initial results also offer a more detailed glimpse into the systemic oxygen transport in the circulatory system of humans.
Safety from ethical hazards: prospects for a contribution from software engineering

In this paper, I argue that while normative ethical concerns such as fairness and accountability must be addressed in the design of intelligent software, these concerns are far removed from traditional software engineering practice. After reviewing representative illustrations of such ethical hazards arising from the use of intelligent applications, I discuss current practices that might contribute to software engineering practices to assure that intelligent software is safe to use, i.e., free of ethical hazard.
Melanoma in African Americans: An Example of Healthcare Disparities or a Different Gene Expression Profile?

e21044Background: Melanoma is the 6thmost common cancer in the United States. In 2015 the incidence of melanoma in Caucasians was 25/100,000 with 93% 5 yr overall survival. In African Americans the...
Management of Unresectable T4b Esophageal Cancer: Practice Patterns and Outcomes from the National Cancer Data Base

Purpose:Patients with unresectable cT4b esophageal cancer (EC) are rare and largely excluded from prospective trials. As a result, current treatment recommendations are based on limited evidence. This study sought to evaluate national practice patterns and outcomes for this population and evaluated
Harnessing Optimism: How Eliciting Goals Improves Performance

We describe a field experiment in which merely asking people about their goals prior to performance improved performance among experienced but not novice individuals. Whereas most previously-studied goal interventions involve externally-induced goals, our intervention targeted self-set goals. 1,758 marathoners were either asked or not asked to provide a time goal prior to their race. Although our manipulation did not influence the proportion of marathoners who established time goals, experienced marathoners who were asked about their goal in a pre- marathon survey ran 6.75 minutes faster than those who were not asked about their goal. The effect of our goal-asking manipulation on performance was mediated by the ambitiousness of marathoners’ time goals. We suggest that our manipulation increases goal ambitiousness by interrupting the typical decline in optimism as performance approaches.
Visual motion perception is aberrant in children with cerebral palsy

Date Presented 04/06/19 Although frequently overlooked, children with cerebral palsy may have a visual dysfunction that can impact their occupational performance. Our brain imaging results show that these children have weaker activity in the V5 visual cortices, and this aberrant activity is linked with their altered perception of visual motion. These results highlight a possible neurophysiological nexus of the visual dysfunction and identify a neurologic target for improved occupational performance. Primary Author and Speaker: Jacy VerMaas-Hannan Contributing Authors: James Gehringer, Tony Wilson Faculty Advisor: Max Kurz
Cytomegalovirus viremia and resistance patterns in immunocompromised children: An 11-year experience.

We noted a recent increase in number of immunocompromised children with CMV viremia at our institution. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of CMV viremia in this population an...