cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unfair Examinations and Student Ratings

Student ratings of course effectiveness are frequently administered on the day of the final examination, a time that assures the greatest return. The present investigation was designed to study whether such ratings, given immediately after the final, would be biased by the presence of unfair questions on that examination. Two equiv alent student groups in afreshman medical gross anatomy course took different versions of the final examination, one de signed to be fair (F) and the other unfair (U). Students then rated the examination, course, and instructors. The F version was rated more favorably than the U version, but ratings of the course and instructors were equivalent between groups. These data indicate that ratings of course and instructor characteristics that are unrelated to testing remain unbiased by an examination designed to be and recognized as unfair. Data also show that a total rating score may be reduced significantly if a substantial number of rating items pertain to that examination.
Menstrum for culture preservation and medium for seed preparation in a tetanus toxin production process containing no animal or dairy products

Aims: To completely eliminate animal and dairy products from the lyophilization menstrum and the seed medium used to produce tetanus toxin with Clostridium tetani. Methods and Results: Tetanus toxin production in a recently developed fermentation medium lacking animal and dairy products was studied with different seed media. It was found that soy peptone could completely replace the beef heart infusion plus animal peptone previously used as seed medium. In addition, we found that cells lyophilized in soy milk could replace the usual type of cells lyophilized in cow's milk. Conclusions: We have now developed a complete tetanus toxin production process containing no animal and dairy products. Significance and Impact of the Study: Toxoid preparations made from toxin produced with animal and dairy products can contain undesirable contaminants such as the prion causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Mad Cow's Disease) or antigenic peptides that stimulate anaphylactic reactions and other undesirable immune reactions in immunized hosts. The new vegetable-based process described here avoids such unfortunate possibilities.
Coulomb sink effect on coarsening of metal nanostructures on surfaces

We discuss Coulomb effects on the coarsening of metal nanostructures on surfaces. We have proposed a new concept of a “Coulomb sink” [Phys. Rev. Lett., 2004, 93: 106102] to elucidate the effect of Coulomb charging on the coarsening of metal mesas grown on semiconductor surfaces. A charged mesa, due to its reduced chemical potential, acts as a Coulomb sink and grows at the expense of neighboring neutral mesas. The Coulomb sink provides a potentially useful method for the controlled fabrication of metal nanostructures. In this article, we will describe in detail the proposed physical models, which can explain qualitatively the most salient features of coarsening of charged Pb mesas on the Si(111) surface, as observed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). We will also describe a method of precisely fabricating large-scale nanocrystals with well-defined shape and size. By using the Coulomb sink effect, the artificial center-full-hollowed or half-hollowed nanowells can be created.
Compact flowing gas system for CO2 lasers

A miniature air‐actuated vacuum pump has been utilized to effect gas flow at partial atmospheric pressures for waveguide CO2 lasers. Implications are that flowing gas laser systems can be acceptable for many applications requiring miniaturization of components.
Genetic and pathologic evolution of early secondary gliosarcoma

Gliosarcoma is a subset of glioblastoma with glial and mesenchymal components. True secondary gliosarcomas (i.e. progressing from lower-grade precursors) in the absence of radiation therapy are very rare. We report the unique case of a 61-year-old male who developed a fibrillary astrocytoma (WHO grade II). In the absence of adjuvant therapy the tumor recurred 3 years later as a gliosarcoma comprising an infiltrating glial component and a curious, early high-grade sarcomatous component surrounding intratumoral vessels. DNA was extracted from formalin fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from the precursor low-grade glioma and from the glioma and sarcomatous components at progression. Samples were hybridized separately to a 300 k Illumina SNP array. IDH1(R132H) mutant protein immunohistochemistry was positive in all tissue components. Alterations identified in all samples included dup(1)(q21q41), del(1)(q41qter), del(2)(q31.1), del(2)(q36.3qter), del(4)(q35.1qter), dup(7)(q22.2q36.3), del(7)(q36.3qter), del(9)(p21.3pter), dup(10)(p13pter), del(10)(q26.13q26.3), dup(17) (q12qter), and copy neutral LOH(20)(p11.23p11.21). The recurrent tumor had additional alterations, including del(3)(p21.31q13.31), del(18)(q21.2qter), and a homozygous del(9)(p21.3)(CDKN2A locus) and the sarcoma component had, in addition, del(4)(p14pter), del(6)(q12qter), del(11)(q24.3qter), and del(16)(p11.2pter). In conclusion, unique copy number alterations were identified during tumor progression from a low-grade glioma to gliosarcoma. A subset of alterations developed specifically in the sarcomatous component.
Mercenarism: Alive and Well

Civilians operating in the battlefield can easily escape the requirements of being classified as a mercenary under the current international legal regime. By analyzing a hypothetical based on current events in Syria, it is clear that foreign fighters fighting the Assad regime can easily escape the prohibitions for mercenarism under international law. Due to this loose international definition of mercenary, States have and will continue to use contractors to accomplish national security interests in the battlefield without the fear of legal ramifications.
Neandertal and Cromagnon: Symbiosis Hypothesis and Competition Hypothesis

Since the study of mithocondrial DNA regarding the origin of modern humans, the fate of the Neandertal has been debated. Currently, two famous models are present such as the Out of Africa model and the Multiregional Evolution model.This papar reviewed the past and current studies of morphological research on the Neandertal and the new dating of the several sites in Europe and Mddle East. Also, tested the ecological theory of symbiosis hypothesis (mutualism and commensalism) and competition hypothesis (habitat segregation and food segregation). Only Out of Africa model is applicable to both symbiosis hypothesis and competition hypothesis.The present author favored the competition hypothesis.
Cucumber mosaic virus-associated RNA 5

Abstract The low-molecular-weight fifth RNA component encapsidated in cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) has recently been identified as a satellite-like or defective RNA, dependent on a helper virus for its replication. Of six CMV strains studied, five were found to have this RNA 5 associated in major proportions after one or more serial transfers in tobacco. After passage(s) in squash, the viruses (with the exception of CMV strain R) contained only small amounts of RNA 5. In tobacco, increased RNA 5 proportions in the CMV preparations isolated were correlated with a decrease in symptoms of the plants, a decrease in specific infectivities, yields, and in the proportions of some of the genomic RNAs (particularly RNA 1) in the virus, indicating a general suppression of helper virus synthesis. The RNA 5 components of the five strains comigrated in polyacrylamide electrophoresis on 4% gels and thus seem to have very similar or identical molecular weights. In tobacco, addition of purified RNA 5 from different strains to inocula consisting of RNA 1 + 2 + 3 from CMV-S induced replication of RNA 5. Similarly, mixtures of RNA 5 and RNA 1 + 2 + 3 from CMV-S and CMV-R, and vice versa, were found to produce RNA 5 in the progeny. This made it possible to establish that, for these two strains, the amount of RNA 5 produced in squash was determined by the helper and not by the RNA 5 itself. Thus, with CMV the amount of RNA 5 associated with virions seems to be a characteristic determined by the interaction of the host plant with the helper virus and not with the RNA 5. This interaction could also be an important factor in the genesis of helper-dependent replicating RNAs. A code name CARNA 5 was introduced for CMV-associated RNA 5.
Efficacy of UV, acidified sodium hypochlorite, and mild heat for decontamination of surface and infiltrated Escherichia coli O157:H7 on green onions and baby spinach.

Produce-associated foodborne illnesses outbreaks have highlighted the need for more effective decontamination methods to ensure the safety of fresh produce. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the individual and combined efficacies of germicidal UV light (12.5 to 500 mJ/cm2), acidified sodium hypochlorite (ASC; 10 to 200 ppm), and mild heat (40 to 50°C) for decontaminating green onions and baby spinach infected with Escherichia coli O157:H7. Samples were inoculated by spot and dip inoculation methods to mimic surface and infiltrated E. coli O157:H7 contamination, respectively. In green onions and baby spinach, the individual efficacies of UV, ASC, and mild-heat treatments varied based on the produce type and contamination method. Following analysis of the efficacies of the single treatments, a combined treatment with 125 mJ/cm2 UV and 200 ppm of ASC at 50°C was selected for spot-inoculated green onions, and a combined treatment with 125 mJ/cm2 UV and 200 ppm of ASC at 20°C was selected for sp...
New Somali Basin magnetic anomalies and a plate model for the early Indian Ocean

Abstract The oldest portions of the Indian Ocean formed via the breakup of Gondwana and the subsequent fragmentation of East Gondwana. We present a constrained plate model for this early Indian Ocean development for the time period from Gondwana Breakup until the start of the Cretaceous Normal Superchron. The motions of the East Gondwana terranes are determined using new geophysical observations in the Somali Basin and existing geophysical interpretations from other coeval Indian Ocean basins. Within the Somali Basin, recent satellite gravity data clearly resolve traces of an east–west trending extinct spreading ridge and north–south oriented fracture zones. A thorough compilation of Somali Basin ship track magnetic data allows us to interpret magnetic anomalies M24Bn through M0r about this extinct ridge. Our magnetic interpretations from the Somali Basin are similar in age, spreading rate, and spreading directions to magnetic anomalies previously interpreted in the neighboring Mozambique Basin and Riiser Larsen Sea. The similarity between the two magnetic anomaly datasets allows us to match both basin's older magnetic anomaly picks by defining a pole of rotation for a single and cohesive East Gondwana plate. However, following magnetic anomaly M15n, we find it is no longer possible to match magnetic picks from both basins and maintain plausible plate motions. In order to match the post-M15n geophysical data we are forced to model the motions of Madagascar/India and East Antarctica/Australia as independent plates. The requirement to utilize two independent plates after anomaly M15n provides strong circumstantial evidence that suggests East Gondwana breakup began around 135 Ma.
Identifying Option Awareness Requirements for Public Health Crisis Decision Making

This paper presents the results of a series of task analyses with decision makers responsible for managing public health crises. The goal was to uncover cognitive requirements for achieving option awareness, in addition to situation awareness, in complex and emergent decision-making scenarios. Five expert decision makers in multiple roles related to public health were interviewed to elicit knowledge requirements relating to emerging public health crises. Analysis revealed patterns of responses showing that in addition to the known necessity of high situation awareness in handling complex events, additional forms of awareness about the relative desirability of options affect the decision making of experts. The results have implications for the design of systems supporting decision making under high complexity and uncertainty, as well as for training to accelerate the growth of novices into expert decision makers.
Surveillance for hand foot and mouth disease in Liuyang,Hunan,2011-2012

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of hand foot and mouth disease( HFMD) in Liuyang,Hunan province,and provide evidence for the development of HFMD prevention and control strategies. Methods The incidence data of HFMD in Liuyang during 2011-2012 were collected from national disease reporting information system to conduct descriptive epidemiological analysis. Results A total of 7627 HFMD cases were reported,the average annual incidence was 296. 36 / lakh. The cases mainly occurred during May-June and OctoberNovember,accounting for 60. 48% of the total. The male to female ratio of the cases was 1. 70∶ 1. The incidence was 369. 33 / lakh in males and 221. 91 / lakh in females,the difference was statistically significant( χ2= 8. 91,P 0. 01). The cases were mainly distributed in children aged 0-4 years,accounting for 96. 46%; and in children outside child care settings,accounting for 81. 69%. The incidence in areas with dense population and a large number of floating population was higher than that in mountain areas,the difference had statistical significance( χ2= 27. 08,P 0. 01). Among 132 laboratory confirmed cases,EV71,Cox A16 and other enteric virus infections accounted for 43. 18%, 20. 46% and 36. 36% respectively. Conclusion The incidence of HFMD in Liuyang has obvious seasonal,age, gender,regional differences. Children aged 0-4 years are the risk population.
Texts, Editors, and Readers: Methods and Problems in Latin Textual Criticism

This book re-examines the most traditional area of classical scholarship, offering critical assessments of the current state of the field, its methods and controversies, and its prospects for the future in a digital environment. Each stage of the editorial process is examined, from gathering and evaluating manuscript evidence to constructing the text and critical apparatus, with particular attention given to areas of dispute, such as the role of conjecture. The importance of subjective factors at every point is highlighted. An Appendix offers practical guidance in reading a critical apparatus. The discussion is framed in a way that is accessible to non-specialists, with all Latin texts translated. The book will be useful both to classicists who are not textual critics and to non-classicists interested in issues of editing.
Patterns of correlations for various language measures in mother-child interactions for normal and Down's syndrome children.

Forty-two normal and Down's syndrome children and their mothers were observed while interacting at home in a free-play situation. The linguistic level of the children as assessed by mean length of utterance ranged from 1.00 to 3.00. Quantitative aspects of the verbal interaction were analysed. They were found to vary with the language level of the children. Correlational analyses confirmed the validity of MLU as a reflection of formal complexity in children's speech and in mothers' speech directed to their children. The data were related to other recent studies on the same topic.
The overlooked ethics of the Human Genome Diversity Project.

King, P. (1992). "The Dangers of Difference." Hastings Center Report 22 (2):35-38. Long, J. et al. (1998). "Evidence for Genetic Linkage to Alcohol Dependence on Chromosomes 4 and 11 from an Autosome-Wide Scan in an American Indian Population." American Journal of Medical Genetics (Neuropsychiatrie Genetics) 81:216-21. Meeting with Indigenous People of Canada and the United States Concerning the HGDP (1998). Stanford University, Stanford, California, January 23-25. Model Ethical Protocol (1997). North American Regional Committee?Human Genome Diversity Project Proposed Model Ethical Protocol for Collecting DNA Samples. Houston Law Review 33:1431-73 (www.Stanford.edu/group/morrinst/HGDP.html) Navajo IRB Handbook (1999). Navajo Nation Division of Health, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Navajo IRB, P.O. Box 390, Window Rock, AZ 86515, USA. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental Genome Project (1999). http://www.niehs.nih.gov/ NIH Conference (1998). "Involving Diverse Communities in Genetic Research." Natcher Conference Center, National Institutes of Health, November 23. NIH Grants Guide, PA Files (1999). http://www.nih.gov/grants/ guide/pa-filesPA-99-016.html NIH Grants Guide, RFA Files (1999). http://www.nih.gov/grants/ guide/rfa-files/RFA-GM-99-004.html NIH, NIGMS News and Announcements, Pharmacogenetics Initiatives. http://www.nih.gov/nigms/news/announcements/pharm_ initiatives.html NIH, NIGMS News, Reports, Pharmacogenetics (1999). http://www.nih.g0v/nigms/news/rep0rts//pharmacogenetics.html Pennisi, E. (1997). "NRC OKs Long-Delayed Survey of Human Genome Diversity." Science 278:568. Pennisi, E. (1998). "A Bonanza for Plant Genom ics." Science 282:652-54. Pilot Projects for a Human Genome Diversity Project, Special Competition (1996). Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, Directorate for Biological Sciences, Proposal Solicitation No. NSF 96-112. Resnik, D.B. (1999). "The Human Genome Diversity Project: Ethical Problems and Solutions." Politics and the Life Science 18:15-23. Rifkin, J. (1998). The Biotech Century. New York: Penguin Putnam. Robin, R. et al. (1998). "Relationship of Binge Drinking to Alcohol Dependence, Other Psychiatric Disorders, and Behavioral Problems in an American Indian Tribe." Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 22:518-23. Stone, A. (1996). "The Strange Case of John Moore and the Splendid Stolen Spleen." http://socrates.Berkeley.edu:4050/moore. html
Bleifreie KTL: konsequente Umstellung lohnt sich!

Bereits ab Mitte 2003 ist naeh der Europaischen Altfahrzeug-Riehtlinie die Verwendung von bleihaltigen KTL-Produkten nieht mehr erlaubt. Doeh es empfiehlt sieh, bei der Umstellung nieht nur Blei zu eliminieren, sondern noeh weitere gesetzliehe Anforderungen zu beaehten.
A framework for data sharing in computer-supported cooperative environments

Concurrency control is an indispensable part of any information sharing system. Co-operative work introduces new requirements for concurrency control which cannot be met using existing applications and database management systems developed for non-cooperative environments. The emphasis of concurrency control in conventional database management systems is to keep users and their applications from inadvertently corrupting data rather than support a workgroup develop a product together. This "insular" approach is necessary because applications that access the database have been built with the assumptions that they have exclusive access to the data they manipulate and that users of these applications are generally oblivious of one another. These assumptions, however, are counter to the premise of cooperative work in which human-human interaction is emphasized among a group of users utilizing multiple applications to jointly accomplish a common goal. Consequently, applying conventional approaches to concurrency control are not only inappropriate for cooperative data sharing but can actually hinder group work. Computer support for cooperative work must therefore adopt a fresh approach to concurrency control which does promote group work as much as possible, but without sacrifice of all ability to guarantee system consistency. This research presents a new framework to support data sharing in computer supported cooperative environments; in particular, product development environments where computer support for cooperation among distributed and diverse product developers is essential to boost productivity. The framework is based on an extensible object-oriented data model, where data are represented as a collection of interrelated objects with ancillary attributes used to facilitate cooperation. The framework offers a flexible model of concurrency control, and provides support for various levels of cooperation among product developers and their applications. In addition, the framework enhances group activity by providing the functionality to implement user mediated consistency and to track the progress of group work. In this dissertation, we present the architecture of the framework; we describe the components of the architecture, their operation, and how they interact together to support cooperative data sharing.
The City, Redux but Deeply Flawed

In the mid-19th century, Baudelaire complained that Paris was changing more rapidly than the human heart. Cities are again going through upheavals, in their built environments, their economic activities, and their forms of life. When Baudelaire was writing about Paris, few large cities existed anywhere in the world and only a handful with one million people or more. Today there are over five hundred cities with populations over one million. These are no longer confined to Europe and North America, but also occur in the Global South, especially in Asia .
Deletion of the Imprinted Gene Grb10 Promotes Hematopoietic Stem Cell Self-Renewal and Regeneration

Imprinted genes are differentially expressed by adult stem cells, but their functions in regulating adult stem cell fate are incompletely understood. Here we show that growth factor receptor-bound protein 10 (Grb10), an imprinted gene, regulates hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal and regeneration. Deletion of the maternal allele of Grb10 in mice (Grb10m/+ mice) substantially increased HSC long-term repopulating capacity, as compared to that of Grb10+/+ mice. After total body irradiation (TBI), Grb10m/+ mice demonstrated accelerated HSC regeneration and hematopoietic reconstitution, as compared to Grb10+/+ mice. Grb10-deficient HSCs displayed increased proliferation after competitive transplantation or TBI, commensurate with upregulation of CDK4 and Cyclin E. Furthermore, the enhanced HSC regeneration observed in Grb10-deficient mice was dependent on activation of the Akt/mTORC1 pathway. This study reveals a function for the imprinted gene Grb10 in regulating HSC self-renewal and regeneration and suggests that the inhibition of Grb10 can promote hematopoietic regeneration in vivo.
Development of SRI's Translation Systems for Broadcast News and Broadcast Conversations

We present our recent work on developing large-vocabulary Arabic-to-English and Chinese-to-English speech-to-text translation systems for the January 2008 Global Autonomous Language Exploitation (GALE) retest evaluation. Two audio genres were involved in the evaluation: broadcast news and broadcast conversation. Our system, following the hierarchical phrase-based translation approach, has a two-pass decoding strategy, with the first-pass integrated search generating 3000 unique n-best lists, which are then reranked by several different language models in the second pass. We emphasize our work on adapting the system, which was mostly trained on text data, to the speech genres, including number tokenization, punctuation compensation, and various optimization techniques. We present our results on several different tuning and testing data sets used for system development. Index Terms : speech-to-text translation, hierarchical-phrasebased translation, n-best reranking
Reply to the ‘Comment on “Robust scalable high throughput production of monodisperse drops”’ by M. Nakajima, Lab Chip, 2017, 17, DOI: 10.1039/C7LC00181A

This reply to the comment by Nakajima on our article that appeared in Lab on a Chip (E. Amstad, M. Chemama, M. Eggersdorfer, L. R. Arriaga, M. Brenner and D. A. Weitz, Lab Chip, 2016, 16, 4163-4172) highlights the differences between the microchannel step emulsification devices developed by the Nakajima group and the millipede device reported by us in Lab on a Chip.
History of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is now a well-understood clinical phenomenon in which neuropathic symptoms are secondary to median nerve compression within the carpal tunnel. Prior to this understanding, the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome were attributed to several different etiologies: (1) post-traumatic median neuropathy, (2) brachial plexus compression, and (3) thenar neuritis. However it was not until the mid-1900s that the pathophysiology was elucidated to provide a means for clinical care. Herbert Galloway performed the first carpal tunnel release in 1924, and the term “carpal tunnel syndrome” was first used in print by Kremer in 1953.
Control Paradigms and Self-Organization in Living Systems

This chapter describes control of systems characterized by numerically valued variables. It opens with a qualitative description of the fundamental concepts behind open-loop and feedback control methods. The chief aim of feedback control is to cause a system’s output to maintain some desired relation to an input, in spite of disturbances or deviations in plant dynamics.
Synthesis of a new dibenzo-14-crown-4 lariat ether and structure of its sodium perrhenate complex

A dibenzo-14-crown-4 ether with a novel monooxyacetone sidearm is prepared and its structure with sodium perrhenate is determined. The structure crystallizes in P21/c with cell dimensions: a = 8.107(2) A, b = 28.138(3) A, c = 10.293(2) A, and β = 104.173(9)°; giving a volume of 2276.6(7) A3. This structure is compared to other sodium complexes of dibenzo-14-crown-4 lariat ethers and is found to be the only one with intramolecular bonding between the sidearm and the cation. Possible reasons for this observation are discussed.
Clinical Lipidology and the Prevention of Vascular Disease: Time for Personalized Therapy

Genetic, metabolic, and lifestyle modifications can cause elevations of lipoproteins that contribute to atherosclerotic lesions over time. In the modern world with life extension from many improvements in medicine and public health, most humans live long enough to develop atherosclerosis with concentrations of blood plasma lipoproteins that are very common. Familial abnormalities are prevalent and provide additional challenges in identifying unhealthy but treatable values of low-density (LDL) and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). Multiple community studies and clinical trials have provided guidance on selecting targets and new tools that make possible effective goals of treatment. Lipid-lowering drugs are making it possible to achieve those goals and place responsibility on physicians to master the art of preventing atherosclerotic events. Lipoprotein management remains a very focused effort and requires an artful individualized approach for each patient. Few skills are more important for healthcare providers in primary care and cardiovascular medicine.
Executive Compensation at Talent Partners

Talent Partners' CEO was very successful at growing the business and establishing its leadership position. He was compensated with a mix of salary and options and he did not own any equity in the company. The options were set so that if Talent Partners achieved its financial plan over the next five years, about half of his total compensation would come from the options.Learning Objective: The case allows students to explore the strengths and weaknesses of option-based compensation plans for small, privately-held corporations.
First 1000 Days and Beyond: Strategies to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations is preparing for global equity and prosperity through 2030 with the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At least 7 of the 17 goals are relevant to children, emphasizing the life-course perspective that forms the basis of developmental science. To reach their developmental potential, children require health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, opportunities for learning and exploration, and protection from threats, such as violence, toxins, and infections. These five domains comprise Nurturing Care and are indivisible, meaning that all are necessary and no single domain is sufficient. This chapter illustrates how a Nurturing Care framework can be implemented during the first 1000 days (conception to 24 months), a period of rapid growth and brain development, with application during preschool and early childhood periods, and ultimately through middle childhood and adolescence. Through a systems approach and multi-sectoral collaboration, countries can achieve the SDGs by adopting a Nurturing Care framework that supports families and enables young children to reach their developmental potential.
CDS trading and bond interest rates

Abstract What is the effect of CDS trading on the bond market? I develop a simple asset pricing model of efficient bond and CDS markets that rationalizes the empirical findings in Ashcraft and Santos (2009) and Subrahmanyam et al. (2014) .
Dominant retailers and their impact on marketing channels

This chapter explores the implications of dominant retailers for marketing channels – the system through which manufacturers distribute their products to consumers. The emergence of a few dominant retailers has altered the way in which members of the marketing channel make decisions. The chapter first presents an economic framework to explore the source of retail dominance. It then explores how several key decisions (e.g., product quality and assortment, prices, market data collaboration, advertising) taken within the marketing channel are affected by the dominance of certain retailers. Antitrust implications are also assessed.
Parents’ perceptions of parent-child interactions related to eating and body image: an experimental vignette study

Parents are key to children’s health because they can influence children’s eating behavior and body image and can make health-related decisions for children. Despite their influence, research on pa...
X-Ray Novae, Event Horizons, and the Exponential Metric

Recent work has shown that the spinning magnetic fields of neutron stars (NSs) can cause soft/hard spectral state switches. The spectral state switches of black hole candidates (BHCs) could be produced in the same way. Spin frequencies and magnetic field strengths are estimated for them. Spins below 100 Hz and fields above 1010 G can account for their spectral state switches and their quiescent luminosities. It also appears that large flickering amplitudes and ultrasoft spectral peaks would be expected from radiating surfaces of massive NSs. Since BHCs share most of their spectral properties with NSs and there is as yet no proof of event horizons, the possibility that they might simply be massive NSs must be considered seriously. This opens an avenue for proof by negation but requires the use of a spacetime metric that has no event horizon. The Yilmaz exponential metric used here is shown to have an innermost marginally stable orbit with radius, binding energy, and Keplerian frequency that are within a few percent of the same quantities for the Schwarzschild metric. A maximum NS mass of ~10 M☉ is found for the Yilmaz metric. Since the two metrics essentially differ only by the presence/absence of a surface for the BHCs it should at last be possible to prove or disprove the existence of event horizons.
Use of cognitive behavioural therapy with usual physical therapy intervention for individuals who are unemployed secondary to chronic low back pain: A case series

Background Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of work absence and may influence the development of fear-avoidance behaviours. The purpose of this case series was to examine the use of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with physical therapy (PT) for the treatment of fear-avoidance behaviours in patients with chronic LBP who are disabled or in a period of work absence. Case description Four patients with high-irritability chronic LBP who were considered as being on work absence or disability were treated in outpatient PT clinics. The intervention consisted of fundamental CBT concepts utilized in combination with a traditional PT intervention. Outcomes Patients were treated until the achievement of functional goals and normalized movement patterns. Pain, disability and function were measured via a numerical pain rating scale, the Oswestry Disability Index and Focus on Therapeutic Outcomes. All patients achieved the minimally clinically important difference for these measures. Fear-avoidance behaviours decreased, as observed by an average 15-point change in Fear-Avoidance Behaviour Questionnaire (Physical Activity) outcomes. Patients on work absence returned to work. Discussion This case series describes the use of CBT in combination with a traditional PT intervention for the treatment of high-irritability, fear-avoidant individuals who are on disability or in a period of work absence. The results indicated that CBT may be a useful and feasible adjunct to PT and may positively influence a return to work. Further studies are needed to determine effectiveness, including randomized controlled trials.
Massive MIMO Beamforming on a Chip

An LTCC passive beamformer package with 10-30GHz instantaneous bandwidth, 9 simultaneous beams in a 90 degree sector capable of driving a 13 element stick array is proposed. Full-wave simulations show 30%-50% beamforming efficiency, with excellent impedance match and beam fidelity.
Study on the Relationship between Acid-rain pH Value and Fog-water Conductivity

Active ions in acid rain may decrease the electrical performance of the insulation outside the electrical equipment. The relationship between acid-rain pH value and fog-water conductivity is studied in this paper. It is found that the acid rain ion component and pH value are very correlated with local air pollution. The pH value and conductivity of sediment water in different areas may be different. The conductivity γ-value of acid precipitation decreases with the increase of pH value. The external insulation electrical test can be carried out by adjusting fog water conductivity equivalent simulation of acid wet sedimentation.
Photogrammetry of a 5m Inflatable Space Antenna With Consumer Digital Cameras

This paper discusses photogrammetric measurements of a 5m-diameter inflatable space antenna using four Kodak DC290 (2.1 megapixel) digital cameras. The study had two objectives: 1) Determine the photogrammetric measurement precision obtained using multiple consumer-grade digital cameras and 2) Gain experience with new commercial photogrammetry software packages, specifically PhotoModeler Pro from Eos Systems, Inc. The paper covers the eight steps required using this hardware/software combination. The baseline data set contained four images of the structure taken from various viewing directions. Each image came from a separate camera. This approach simulated the situation of using multiple time-synchronized cameras, which will be required in future tests of vibrating or deploying ultra-lightweight space structures. With four images, the average measurement precision for more than 500 points on the antenna surface was less than 0.020 inches in-plane and approximately 0.050 inches out-of-plane.
Induced fusion and aggregation of bacterial outer membrane vesicles: Experimental and theoretical analysis.

Abstract Recombinantly engineered bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are promising vaccine delivery vehicles. The diversity of exogenous antigens delivered by OMVs can be enhanced by induced fusion of OMV populations. To date there are no reports of induced fusion of bacterial OMVs. Here we measure the pH and salt-induced aggregation and fusion of OMVs and analyze the processes against the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) colloidal stability model. Vesicle aggregation and fusion kinetics were investigated for OMVs isolated from native E. coli (Nissle 1917) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) modified E. coli (ClearColi) strains to evaluate the effect of lipid type on vesicle aggregation and fusion. Electrolytes and low pHs induced OMV aggregation for both native and modified LPS constructs, approaching a calculated fusion efficiency of ~25% (i.e. ~1/4 of collision events lead to fusion). However, high fusion efficiency was achieved for Nissle OMVs solely with decreased pH as opposed to a combination of low pH and increased divalent counterion concentration for ClearColi OMVs. The lipid composition of the OMVs from Nissle negatively impacted fusion in the presence of electrolytes, causing higher deviations from DLVO-predicted critical coagulation concentrations with monovalent counterions. The outcome of the work is a defined set of conditions under which investigators can induce OMVs to fuse and make various combinations of vesicle compositions.
Ring Resonators in the Far-Infrared

The development of a high power (⋍1 MW) narrow bandwidth (≤ 50 MHz), pulsed FIR laser for diagnostic research of fusion plasmas has been an area of great activity over the last few years [1,2]. Until recently [3], all of the schemes investigated have consisted of either stable or unstable linear cavities [4,5].
Adopting the AcciMap Methodology to Investigate a Major Power Blackout in the United States: Enhancing Electric Power Operations Safety.

The electric power industry is an example of a high-risk system in which large-scale accidents occur. Conversely, there is a high dependence on electricity. According to Wang [1], the end use of electricity in the US was approximately 3.95 trillion kilowatt hours in 2018. Therefore, improving the safety of operations in the electric power industry is of paramount importance. Originally proposed by Rasmussen in 1997 [2], the AcciMap methodology is utilized in this paper to systematically analyze the Arizona-Southern California power outages of 2011 in the United States, identify its main contributing causes, and use that as a basis to develop prevention strategies. The AcciMap attempts to explain the context in which an accident occurred by highlighting socio-technical factors that contributed to the accident using a hierarchical framework. It also provides a detailed analysis of the interactions of different involved key players and decision makers.
How Knowledge Transfer Impacts Performance: A Multilevel Model of Benefits and Liabilities

When does knowledge transfer benefit performance? Combining field data from a global consulting firm with an agent-based model, we examine how efforts to supplement one's knowledge from coworkers interact with individual, organizational, and environmental characteristics to impact organizational performance. We find that once cost and interpersonal exchange are included in the analysis, the impact of knowledge transfer is highly contingent. Depending on specific characteristics and circumstances, knowledge transfer can better, matter little to, or even harm performance. Three illustrative studies clarify puzzling past results and offer specific boundary conditions: 1 At the individual level, better organizational support for employee learning diminishes the benefit of knowledge transfer for organizational performance. 2 At the organization level, broader access to organizational memory makes global knowledge transfer less beneficial to performance. 3 When the organizational environment becomes more turbulent, the organizational performance benefits of knowledge transfer decrease. The findings imply that organizations may forgo investments in both organizational memory and knowledge exchange, that wide-ranging knowledge exchange may be unimportant or even harmful for performance, and that organizations operating in turbulent environments may find that investment in knowledge exchange undermines performance rather than enhances it. At a time when practitioners are urged to make investments in facilitating knowledge transfer and collaboration, appreciation of the complex relationship between knowledge transfer and performance will help in reaping benefits while avoiding liabilities.
3031 – AN OLD CELL WITH NEW TRICKS: ALTERATIONS TO MEGAKARYOPOIESIS DURING AGING

Our goal is to define the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control aging of the hematopoietic system. Given the increasing global life expectancy of people and the prevalence of age-related hematological diseases, understanding alterations to stem and progenitor cell function during aging is critical for developing preventative and restorative therapies. Previous reports have suggested that age-related morbidity is determined by functional decline of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). While HSCs themselves have been associated with hematopoietic aging, the role of progenitor cells during aging remains a mystery. Progenitor cells carry varied capacity to proliferate and differentiate in order to meet the demands of the blood system. Therefore, we hypothesize that progenitor cells play a significant role in the homeostatic decline associated with aging. Indeed, Megakaryocyte Progenitors (MkPs) have been shown to be consistently enriched in the aging bone marrow. Therefore, we specifically tackled the question – how might aging alter the functional and molecular regulation of MkPs? Surprisingly, and in stark contrast to the functional decline of aging HSCs, we found that old MkPs displayed greater capacity to generate platelets compared to young MkPs. These functional differences were apparent by both in vivo reconstitution and in vitro proliferation assays. To gain further insight into the changes in molecular regulation of MkP populations, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of young and old MkPs. Interestingly, their functional differences are paralleled by unique molecular regulators of old MkPs. These data demonstrate that megakaryopoiesis and MkP maintenance is fundamentally different between young and old mice, and that old MkPs gain expansion capacity whereas old HSCs functionally decline. Understanding these cellular and molecular events provides a promise for development of effective therapeutic strategies aimed at guiding differentiation and maturation toward a more youthful megakaryopoiesis.
Isolation and characterization of Pichia stipitis mutants with enhanced xylanase activity

Pichia stipitis strain NRRL Y-11,543 was mutagenized with N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) to improve xylanolytic activity. A total of 20,000 mutants were screened for xylanase overproduction by observing the clear zones around the colonies on remazol-briliant-blue-xylan (RBB-xylan)-containing agar. Of 94 mutants isolated 11 of them were found to have enhanced xylanase activity compared to the parental strain. The most active mutant NP54376 had superior properties to the wild type which included: double the enzyme activity of wild type, a shorter generation time of 2.22 h compared to 3.13 h when grown on xylan, and an enhanced growth and yield of xylanase when low levels of xylose were added to the medium. Zymogram analysis of the crude enzyme preparations from both NP54376 and the wild type by isoelectric focusing showed multiple bands ranging between pI 4.2 and 7.4. No significant difference was observed in the K m and V max values of the parental strain and NP54376. K m and V max values of xylanase for birchwood xylan were 4.2 mg ml−1 and 0.08 μmol min−1 mg−1 of protein, respectively.
Interactions between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and biological membranes. II. Swelling and membrane permeability changes induced in some immunocompetent cells by various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Abstract Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) that are known to induce pseudo-energized high-amplitude swelling of mitochondrial preparations also induce swelling in various types of lymphocytes, namely: rat and rabbit thymocytes, rat and rabbit lymph node cells, and human and rat circulating lymphocytes obtained by thoracic duct drainage. The swelling of these immunocompetent cells was measured by light scattering. With the important exception of gold salts (no effect) and salicylates (very poor activity), almost all the NSAID that we have studied were able to induce cell swelling in vitro , but only at relatively high concentrations of these drugs compared to the concentrations which induced mitochondrial swelling (liver, kidney). The most dramatic effect was observed with N -arylanthranilates (fenamates), especially with flufenamic acid, which was used to study the mechanism of this drug action. The magnitude of the swelling is poorly related to the concentration of the drug, but the rapidity of this phenomenon seems to be a concentration-related phenomenon. If p -chloromer-curibenzoate ( p -CMB) or Mersalyl is present in the medium, the rate of NSAID-induced swelling is enhanced and appreciable cell swelling can even be demonstrated for drugs which otherwise (i.e. without p -CMB or Mersalyl) cause little cell swelling, e.g. phenylbutazone. By contrast, iodacetamide and N -ethylmaleimide fail to enhance the swelling. These activities seem to be related both to reactions with membrane thiol groups and modifications of the membrane charges by these compounds. The ionic composition of the medium is critical for this swelling activity and a cationic as well as an anionic selectivity was found for this phenomenon. These results suggest that one possible effect of the NSAID on leukocytes implicated in the immune and inflammatory responses may be on the permeability of the cell membrane to various ions.
Philosophy, Adversarial Argumentation, and Embattled Reason

Philosophy’s adversarial argumentation style is often noted as a factor contributing to the low numbers of women in philosophy. I argue that there is a level of adversariality peculiar to philosophy that merits specific feminist examination, yet doesn’t assume controversial gender differences claims. The dominance of the argument-as-war metaphor is not warranted, since this metaphor misconstrues the epistemic role of good argument as a tool of rational persuasion. This metaphor is entangled with the persisting narrative of embattled reason, which, in turn, is linked to the sexism-informed narrative of the “man of reason” continually warding off or battling “feminine” unreason.
Chapter 3 The activated endothelial cell phenotype

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the current information on endothelial cell activation, providing overviews of some of the typical endothelial responses and activation stimuli. It focuses on the activators of vascular endothelium, providing current understanding of their activating mechanisms. The multitude of stimuli is broadly grouped by similarity of structure and function, ranging from cell-derived mediators, to microbial organisms, and to mechanical stimuli. Endothelial cells respond to activating stimuli by undergoing phenotypic changes, with an increased metabolic activity and increases in (1) adhesion for leukocytes, (2) permeability, (3) proliferation, (4) pro-coagulant activity, and (5) secretion. A particular stimulus can activate one or a combination of these endothelial phenotypes. More commonly, a stimulus triggers a combination of these phenotypes, the predominance of phenotype(s) being characteristic of the particular stimulus.