cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
QUANTITATIVE VARIATION OF LIFE HISTORY TRAITS IN AMPHICARPIC PEANUTGRASS (AMPHICARPUM PURSHII) AND ITS EVOLUTIONARY SIGNIFICANCE

Peanutgrass, Amphicarpum purshii, is a predominantly selfing annual that exhibits an amphicarpic reproductive strategy, producing spikelets (and seeds) both above and below the soil surface. Both aerial and subterranean spikelets are self-fertile, but only the aerial spikelets are chasmogamous and capable of cross-pollination. This species mostly grows in disturbed areas of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. To examine life history variation, 60 quantitative characters were measured on twelve families raised from seeds collected from the aerial panicles of twelve parents grown in the greenhouse. Only 19 (= 31.7%) of the traits showed significant betweenfamily phenotypic variation, and the mean percentage of the total variation due to family was 14.9 (N = 60 characters). Percentage biomass allocation and vegetative characters showed the highest narrow-sense heritabilities. Traits directly relevant to fitness such as subterranean seed set and seed weight of both seed types showed the least genetic variation. This low variation could reflect genetic fixation and/or developmental canalization of those fitness components important to survival in disturbed, early-successional habitats.
Directing power of cyclobutenoid annelations on the double bonds of planar cyclooctatetraenes.

Ab initio and hybrid density functional quantum mechanical computations are applied to the structure and energetics of a series of two-atom-bridge annelated cyclooctatetraenes. The contribution of each annelation to the exo/endo relative energy is estimated. Key directing factors for a given type of annelation, such as strain, electronegativity, or cyclic electron count, can be sorted out by comparison of various bridge compositions. Overall, electron count and the essential components of the Clar/Robinson rule work well to predict the exo/endo preferences. Specifically, three 4-e- Huckel systems (CH−CH, NH−BH and NH−C(O)) display dominant exo forms whereas the three 4n + 2 Huckel counterparts (C(O)−C(O), BH−BH, and planar NH−NH) display a common preference for endo. These endo systems act like four independent four-membered “aromatic” rings linked by “single” bonds. An analysis based on the effective hybridization of carbon atoms in the annulene (Bent's rule) provides a rationale for subtle trends in the...
Personality traits and developmental experiences as antecedents of childbearing motivation.

Childbearing motivation may be conceptualized as based upon psychological traits and shaped by experiences during childhood, adolescence, and early adult life. This paper explores what those traits and developmental experiences are. Two measures of childbearing motivation, one positive and the other negative, are described. Using a sample of 362 married men and 354 married women, the paper systematically examines the factors associated with these measures. In addition to a set of basic personality traits, these factors include parental characteristics, teenage experiences, and a number of variables from young adult behavior domains such as marriage, education, work, religion, and parental relationships. Stepwise multiple regression analyses lead to two final constrained, simultaneous-equation regression models. These models indicate the importance of both personality traits and diverse life-cycle experiences in the development of childbearing motivation, the differential gender distribution of predictors, and the different experiential antecedents of positive and negative motivation
Native American Children and Adolescents: Cultural Distinctiveness and Mental Health Needs

Native American families have powerful reservoirs for resilience. Many families experience oppression, exploitation, and poverty that contribute to mental health disturbances. Cultural traditions associated with harmony can promote positive mental health for Native American children and adolescents. Health care providers will benefit from knowing risks, cultural expressions of coping, and a framework for contextual assessment and intervention. The purpose of this paper is to respond to the challenge of developing practices, programs, and policies that are culturally sensitive and helpful for people who need nursing care.
Acetyl-L-carnitine as a precursor of acetylcholine.

Synthesis of [3H]acetylcholine from [3H]acetyl-l-carnitine was demonstrated in vitro by coupling the enzyme systems choline acetyltransferase and carnitine acetyltransferase. Likewise, both [3H] and [14C] labeled acetylcholine were produced when [3H]acetyl-l-carnitine andd-[U-14C] glucose were incubated with synaptosomal membrane preparations from rat brain. Transfer of the acetyl moiety from acetyl-l-carnitine to acetylcholine was dependent on concentration of acetyl-l-carnitine and required the presence of coenzyme A, which is normally produced as an inhibitory product of choline acetyltransferase. These results provide further evidence for a role of mitochondrial carnitine acetyltransferase in facilitating transfer of acetyl groups across mitochondrial membranes, thus regulating the availability in the cytoplasm of acetyl-CoA, a substrate of choline acetyltransferase. They are also consistent with a possible utility of acetyl-l-carnitine in the treatment of age-related cholinergic deficits.
Soybean water use in the shelter of a slat-fence windbreak☆

Abstract Evaporative and photosynthetic flux rates were measured in wind sheltered and exposed irrigated soybeans in an eastern Great Plains (U.S.A.) location. Portable slat-fencing of 50% porosity was used to provide shelter. Evapotranspiration was measured with precision weighing lysimeters. CO 2 flux was estimated from CO 2 gradient measurements and calculated exchange coefficients. Multiplicative effects of the windbreak on the irrigated soybean crop over time were eliminated by frequent moves of the barrier between two sites in the experimental field. The intensity of turbulent exchange was decreased in the shelter. Vapor pressure, air temperature and CO 2 concentration gradients were intensified in shelter. During six days of measurement shelter caused a mean 20% decrease in evapotranspiration. The water saving was greatest when sensible heat advection was important. CO 2 photosynthetic flux rates estimates suggest no difference caused by shelter effect.
On the Yield of Nuclear Reactions with Heavy Elements

The cross sections for different kinds of nuclear reactions are calculated as functions of the energy of the bombarding particles by means of statistical methods. Their application is restricted to heavy elements ($Ag50$) and to bombarding energies greater than 1 Mev. The excitation curves of several ($p,n$)-reactions have been measured for elements with $A$ between 60 and 115; it is found that the measured cross sections and their dependence on the energy suggests a nuclear radius of $R=1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{A}^{\frac{1}{3}}$ cm for these elements. Section I gives a complete discussion of the calculated cross sections. Section II and III contain the derivations of these expressions. Section IV describes the new experimental material and its implications for the theory.
Classroom-Based Phonological Sensitivity Intervention (PSI) Using a Narrative Platform: An Experimental Study of First Graders At Risk for a Reading Disability

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of classroom-based phonological sensitivity intervention (PSI) using a narrative platform for children in first grade who are at risk for a...
β-Tubulin C354 Mutations that Severely Decrease Microtubule Dynamics Do Not Prevent Nuclear Migration in Yeast

Microtubule dynamics are influenced by interactions of microtubules with cellular factors and by changes in the primary sequence of the tubulin molecule. Mutations of yeast β-tubulin C354, which is located near the binding site of some antimitotic compounds, reduce microtubule dynamicity greater than 90% in vivo and in vitro. The resulting intrinsically stable microtubules allowed us to determine which, if any, cellular processes are dependent on dynamic microtubules. The average number of cytoplasmic microtubules decreased from 3 in wild-type to 1 in mutant cells. The single microtubule effectively located the bud site before bud emergence. Although spindles were positioned near the bud neck at the onset of anaphase, the mutant cells were deficient in preanaphase spindle alignment along the mother-bud axis. Spindle microtubule dynamics and spindle elongation rates were also severely depressed in the mutants. The pattern and extent of cytoplasmic microtubule dynamics modulation through the cell cycle may reveal the minimum dynamic properties required to support growth. The ability to alter intrinsic microtubule dynamics and determine the in vivo phenotype of cells expressing the mutant tubulin provides a critical advance in assessing the dynamic requirements of an essential gene function.
Use of Google Translate in medical communication: evaluation of accuracy

Communication is the cornerstone of medicine, without which we cannot interact with our patients.1 The General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice states that “Doctors must listen to patients, take account of their views, and respond honestly to their questions.”2 However, we still often interact with patients who do not speak the local language. In the United Kingdom most hospitals have access to translation services, but they are expensive and often cumbersome. A complex and nuanced medical, ethical, and treatment discussion with patients whose knowledge of the local language is inadequate remains challenging. Indeed, even in a native language there is an element of translation from medical to lay terminology. We recently treated a very sick child in our paediatric intensive care unit. The parents did not speak English, and there were no human translators available. Reluctantly we resorted to a web based translation tool. We were uncertain whether Google Translate was accurately translating our complex medical phrases.3 4 Fortunately our patient recovered, and a …
Piezopotential gated nanowire--nanotube hybrid field-effect transistor.

We report the first piezoelectric potential gated hybrid field-effect transistors based on nanotubes and nanowires. The device consists of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on the bottom and crossed ZnO piezoelectric fine wire (PFW) on the top with an insulating layer between. Here, SWNTs serve as a carrier transport channel, and a single-crystal ZnO PFW acts as the power- free, contact-free gate or even an energy-harvesting component later on. The piezopotential created by an external force in the ZnO PFW is demonstrated to control the charge transport in the SWNT channel located underneath. The magnitude of the piezopotential in the PFW at a tensile strain of 0.05% is measured to be 0.4-0.6 V. The device is a unique coupling between the piezoelectric property of the ZnO PFW and the semiconductor performance of the SWNT with a full utilization of its mobility. The newly demonstrated device has potential applications as a strain sensor, force/pressure monitor, security trigger, and analog-signal touch screen.
Learning with Fredholm Kernels

In this paper we propose a framework for supervised and semi-supervised learning based on reformulating the learning problem as a regularized Fredholm integral equation. Our approach fits naturally into the kernel framework and can be interpreted as constructing new data-dependent kernels, which we call Fredholm kernels. We proceed to discuss the "noise assumption" for semi-supervised learning and provide both theoretical and experimental evidence that Fredholm kernels can effectively utilize unlabeled data under the noise assumption. We demonstrate that methods based on Fredholm learning show very competitive performance in the standard semi-supervised learning setting.
Conjuring Pakistan: History as Official Imagining

Even before an anthropologist‧s tour de force underlined the power of imagination as creation in narrative constructions of the “nation,” memory, myth, and might had been triumphantly parading the realm of historical scholarship. The torch of objectivity did not have to go cold for the heat of subjectivity to captivate and command audiences through print and signs, visual or aural. It is simply that the cornmodification of the past by the marketplace and the expansive imaginings of power have combined to reduce the once revered craft of the historian to a battlefield where mired imaginings posture as interpretations in a contest in which there are no umpires, only partisans. So it is not necessary to claim objective ground when presumably no such domain exists or even to spin yarns about “authenticity” and “falsification.” But it is possible to make an analytical distinction between the past as invention and the past as inspiration without denying the role of creativity or power in either conception.
Opinion leaders, adopters, and communicative adopters: A role analysis

Our knowledge of the relationship between opinion leaders and adopters is based on discontinuous innovations. This paper argues that the relationship is different for continuous innovations. Previous research suggests that besides opinion leaders and adopters, communicative adopters—consumers who are both opinion leaders and adopters-play important yet different roles in the diffusion of continuous innovations. Based on a study of 317 moviegoers, this paper shows that communicative adopters can be characterized as ‘Change agents,’ opinion leaders as ‘Interpersonal communicators,’ and adopters as ‘Nonpersonal influencers’.
Phylogenetic distribution of symbiotic bacteria from Panamanian amphibians that inhibit growth of the lethal fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

The introduction of next-generation sequencing has allowed for greater understanding of community composition of symbiotic microbial communities. However, determining the function of individual members of these microbial communities still largely relies on culture-based methods. Here, we present results on the phylogenetic distribution of a defensive functional trait of cultured symbiotic bacteria associated with amphibians. Amphibians are host to a diverse community of cutaneous bacteria and some of these bacteria protect their host from the lethal fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) by secreting antifungal metabolites. We cultured over 450 bacterial isolates from the skins of Panamanian amphibian species and tested their interactions with Bd using an in vitro challenge assay. For a subset of isolates, we also completed coculture experiments and found that culturing isolates with Bd had no effect on inhibitory properties of the bacteria, but it significantly decreased metabolite secretion. In challenge assays, approximately 75% of the bacterial isolates inhibited Bd to some extent and these inhibitory isolates were widely distributed among all bacterial phyla. Although there was no clear phylogenetic signal of inhibition, three genera, Stenotrophomonas, Aeromonas and Pseudomonas, had a high proportion of inhibitory isolates (100%, 77% and 73%, respectively). Overall, our results demonstrate that antifungal properties are phylogenetically widespread in symbiotic microbial communities of Panamanian amphibians and that some functional redundancy for fungal inhibition occurs in these communities. We hope that these findings contribute to the discovery and development of probiotics for amphibians that can mitigate the threat of chytridiomycosis.
Phase Frequency Detector With Minimal Blind Zone for Fast Frequency Acquisition

Blind zone in a phase-frequency detector (PFD) reduces the input detection range and aggravates cycle slips. This brief analyzes the blind zone in latch-based PFDs and proposes a technique that removes the blind zone caused by the precharge time of the internal nodes. With the proposed technique, the PFD achieves a small blind zone close to the limit imposed by process-voltage-temperature variations. The comparison between the proposed design and previous works is presented. Fabricated in a 130-nm CMOS technology, the measured blind zone is 61 ps, which is smaller than that of the existing topologies by almost 100 ps.
THE PHAGOCYTOSIS OF SOLID PARTICLES : IV. CARBON AND QUARTZ IN SOLUTIONS OF VARYING ACIDITY.

1. Leucocytes ingest quartz particles more readily than carbon in acid solutions, and carbon more readily than quartz in alkaline solutions. 2. In the presence of acacia carbon is always preferred to quartz even in acid solutions. 3. Manganese dioxide particles are ingested by leucocytes with extraordinary rapidity as compared with manganese silicate or quartz. 4. Leucocytes are not attracted toward carbon or quartz particles but manganese dioxide exerts a distinct attraction for them. 5. Spores of Penicillium are ingested more readily than quartz. 6. Very small quartz particles, 1 micron in diameter, are not ingested as readily as larger particles of the same material. This result being contrary to the predictions of surface tension indicates that some other factor is involved in the ingestion of these small particles. 7. Measurements of the carbon electrode potentials and the cataphoretic charges on the particles have failed to supply an explanation for the varying relative rates of ingestion of carbon and quartz with varying hydrogen ion concentration.
A Case Study of a Late Preterm Infant’s Transition to Full At-Breast Feedings at 4 Months of Age

Breast milk intake is recommended for late preterm infants. Many mothers provide expressed breast milk during hospitalization and anticipate transitioning their late preterm infant to full feedings at-breast after discharge. However, some infants take months to transition to full feedings at-breast. This article describes the case of a mother and her 35-week infant who transitioned to full feeding at-breast at 4 months after discharge. The clinical strategies to maintain maternal milk supply, use of hospital-grade scale, and importance of professional and community lactation support are discussed.
Empires and Indigenes: Intercultural Alliance, Imperial Expansion, and Warfare in the Early Modern World. Edited by Wayne E. Lee . (New York, NY: New York University Press, 2011. Pp. vii, 295. $28.00.)

Divide and conquer was an old technique much favored by Europeans in the New World. The Spanish used it to great effect against the native empires they confronted. There were always a group of peop...
Cloud Manufacturing: Drivers, Current Status, and Future Trends

Cloud Manufacturing (CM) refers to a customer-centric manufacturing model that exploits on-demand access to a shared collection of diversified and distributed manufacturing resources to form temporary, reconfigurable production lines which enhance efficiency, reduce product lifecycle costs, and allow for optimal resource loading in response to variable-demand customer generated tasking. Our objective is to present the drivers, current status of research and development, and future trends of CM. We also discuss the potential short term and long term impacts of CM on various sectors.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Evaluation of abnormal liver function in pregnancy

Liver disease in pregnancy may present in a subtle or dramatic fashion. An approach using the pattern of liver function abnormalities, time of gestation, and constellation of symptoms will narrow the diagnostic possibilities. Diagnostic tests, including serology, ultrasonography of the hepatobiliary tree, and liver biopsy, can make a definitive diagnosis.
Dichroic f-sum rule and the orbital magnetization of crystals

We consider the magnetic circular dichroism spectrum of a crystal with broken time-reversal symmetry in the electric-dipole approximation. Using the Kubo-Greenwood formula for the absorptive part of the antisymmetric optical conductivity, its frequency integral is recast as a ground-state property. We show that in insulators this quantity is proportional to the circulation of the occupied Wannier orbitals around their centers (more precisely, to the gauge-invariant part thereof). This differs from the net circulation, or ground-state orbital magnetization, which has two additional contributions: (i) the remaining Wannier self-rotation, and (ii) the ``itinerant'' circulation arising from the center-of-mass motion of the Wannier orbitals, both on the surface and in the interior of the sample. Contributions (i) and (ii) are not separately meaningful, since their individual values depend on the particular choice of Wannier functions. Their sum is, however, gauge invariant, and can be inferred from a combination of two experiments: a measurement of the magneto-optical spectrum over a sufficiently wide range to evaluate the sum rule, and a gyromagnetic determination of the total orbital magnetization.
Work in progress - evaluation of a method for lecturing with notes with gaps

The author has been using a method for classroom instruction in which he hands out notes with gaps to students. He makes transparencies of the notes and he lectures using the transparencies. The gaps are filled in with information that is elicited from the students or supplied by the lecturer. Others have used similar methods, usually with large lecture classes. The main goal of the present method is to keep the students interested and learning as the class proceeds. The information that fills the gaps varies from single words to segments of programs or proofs to suggestions of ways to solve problems, including descriptions of algorithms. The method is being tested in the classroom in a variety of courses: to determine objectively whether students learn more when the lecturer uses the experimental method than when using a more traditional method; to estimate the degree of student participation using the various methods; and to compare the students' subjective reaction to being taught using the various methods.
Value correlates of collegiate alcohol abuse.

This study tested whether problematic alcohol use correlates with different values clusters in the Schwartz Values Survey. Participants were 156 midwestern university students (M = 21.6 yr., 63% women). We used two alcohol-use assessment methods, one involving behavior checklist reports with a questionnaire, the other a two-week daily log procedure. Although exploratory in nature, we took as most important those relationships between alcohol use and values which replicated across both measures. Those who drank frequently and problematically were most likely to endorse a hedonistic and stimulation-seeking values system.
Intra-industry Trade and the Open Economy

This paper explores the implications of cross-border production networks and vertical intra-industry trade for macroeconomic adjustment and for the effectiveness of monetary and fiscal stabilization policies. Vertical intra-industry trade introduces direct links between countries’ imports and exports and thereby affects the manner in which trade balances respond to variations in exchange rates and to global shocks more generally. The precise effects depend on whether the direct link runs from exports to imports or vice versa. In the U.S., for example, exports of auto parts and components rise with an increase of imports of passenger vehicles from Mexico. This produces a change in balance-of-payments adjustment similar to high capital mobility and raises the likelihood that a fiscal expansion will lead to appreciation rather than depreciation of the currency. In China and Mexico, on the other hand, a rise in exports of assembled end products raises imports of parts and components. The differences in outcome are more pronounced under floating rates, because of the role of the exchange rate in the adjustment process. Direct export-import links undermine the impact of the exchange rate on the trade balance, hence necessitating larger changes in rates in order to achieve a given degree of adjustment and raising exchange-rate volatility as a result. In the case of both types of exchange-rate regime, vertical intra-industry trade weakens the response of the trade balance to price and income shocks.
Acclimation and acute temperature effects on population differences in oxidative phosphorylation.

Temperature changes affect metabolism on acute, acclamatory, and evolutionary time scales. To better understand temperature's affect on metabolism at these different time scales, we quantified cardiac oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) in three Fundulus taxa acclimated to 12 and 28°C and measured at three acute temperatures (12, 20, and 28°C). The Fundulus taxa (northern Maine and southern Georgia F. heteroclitus, and a sister taxa, F. grandis) were used to identify evolved changes in OxPhos. Cardiac OxPhos metabolism was quantified by measuring six traits: state 3 (ADP and substrate-dependent mitochondrial respiration); E state (uncoupled mitochondrial activity); complex I, II, and IV activities; and LEAK ratio. Acute temperature affected all OxPhos traits. Acclimation only significantly affected state 3 and LEAK ratio. Populations were significantly different for state 3. In addition to direct effects, there were significant interactions between acclimation and population for complex I and between popul...
Characteristics of Bi-attracted Men Who Have Sex with Men: Findings from Three Internet-based Studies on HIV

Bisexual identities and attractions are seldom discussed in HIV research, despite the fact that bi individuals might be facing significant health disparities. In this article, the authors harmonized and pooled data from three Internet-based, HIV-focused studies of men who have sex with men (MSM) and, given the complexities of categorizing bisexuality and limitations of the existing samples examined, the authors decided to use bi attraction to identify bi men. The authors found that between 21.8% and 35% of participants in the three samples were bi-attracted. Bi-attracted MSM were significantly younger, more likely to be Black in two out of the three samples, less likely to be out, and more likely to experience internalized homonegativity. There was lower HIV prevalence among bi-attracted MSM when compared to homo-attracted MSM in this sample, but this could be related to the significantly lower levels of HIV testing we found amongst bi-attracted MSM. We hope that these findings will spur on more research ...
A Framework for Sustainable Consumption of Electronic Products

Product stewardship practices are gaining popularity as producers work to minimize global resource utilization and negative environmental impacts. Thus, there is increasing pressure on the personnel who are responsible for improving supply chain performance. In this paper, we propose and measure the effectiveness of mechanisms for sustainable consumption, that include extending products’ lifespans and government imposed fee-upon-sale penalties. Specifically, we propose a conceptual model comprised of one producer, segmented consumers, and the policy-maker. The model conceptualizes the interaction among the three groups to slow consumption. Then, we propose a mathematical model based on the conceptualization to quantify the value of demand management through dynamic pricing on producer profitability and examine the mechanisms for setting government fees that are based on products’ expected lifespans. The model allows for different service offerings and multiple segments of consumers.
Abstract 3921: Androgens stimulate phosphorylation of ERK and AKT in thyroid cancer cells

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy with the papillary variety comprising ∼85% of thyroid neoplasms. While the greatest incidence of PTC is in women of childbearing age, the occurrence of PTC in men and postmenopausal women is associated with increased aggressiveness and poorer clinical outcomes. This gender disparity suggests that while the initiation of PTC is driven by estrogens, its progression may be mediated by androgens. Immunohistochemical analysis of PTC specimens from 5 male and 15 female patients indicated that all expressed androgen receptors (AR). AR mRNA was detected in equivalent amounts in three thyroid cell lines, but the PTC cell lines, BCPAP and TPC-1 expressed significantly more AR protein (4.6 fold and 3.9 fold, respectively) than the “normal” T-antigen transformed thyrocyte cell line, Nthy-ori-1. The treatment of the cell lines with the synthetic androgen, R1881 (10nM) resulted in increased phosphorylation of ERK and AKT in all three cell lines. Nthy expressed 2 fold more pERK when treated with R1881 whereas pAKT, which was previously undetected increased to significantly higher levels. R1881 addition increased pERK and pAKT 3 fold and 2 fold, respectively, in the male, RET/PTC cell line, TPC-1. pERK and pAKT were undetectable in the female, BRAF V600E cell line and were significantly induced by R1881.The known role of ERK and AKT in cellular proliferation, migration and invasion, and the activation of these molecules by androgens, may provide the mechanistic basis for the gender disparity in PTC aggressiveness and clinical outcome between young women and men/postmenopausal women. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3921. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3921
Sensory neuron-mediated gastric mucosal protection is blocked by cyclooxygenase inhibition

BACKGROUND Sensory neurons have been proposed to play a critical role in the protection of the gastric mucosa from a variety of necrotizing agents. The purposes of this study were (1) to investigate the effect of topical capsaicin, a sensory neuron stimulant, on the gastric mucosal injury caused by the topical application of low concentrations of bile acid and (2) to determine whether local neuronal blockade with topical lidocaine or cyclooxygenase blockade with systemic indomethacin has any effect during pretreatment with capsaicin. METHODS Before injury with topical 5 mmol/L acidified taurocholate (pH 1.2) rat stomachs were pretreated with either vehicle or capsaicin (160 mmol/L), both with and without prior administration of either lidocaine (1%) or indomethacin (5 mg/kg subcutaneously). Injury was assessed by measuring net transmucosal ion fluxes, the appearance of deoxyribonucleic acid into the gastric lumen, and gross and histologic injury scores. RESULTS Pretreatment with topical capsaicin significantly (p < 0.05) decreased bile acid-induced net luminal ion fluxes and luminal deoxyribonucleic acid accumulation, an effect blocked by both lidocaine and indomethacin. CONCLUSIONS Thus both local neuronal blockade and cyclooxygenase inhibition block the protective effect of capsaicin, findings corroborated by gross and histologic injury analysis. This study suggests that sensory neurons may mediate gastric mucosal protection from bile acid injury by increasing synthesis of endogenous prostaglandins.
Multivariate Survival Models Incorporating Hidden Truncation

Abstract Consider (X, Y) an n+ 1 dimensional random vector with non-negative coordinates. Consider the conditional distribution of X given λ’X < Y. The X i’s are viewed as survival times of k components in a system. The random variable Y is a concomitant variable reflecting, perhaps, operating conditions. The resulting conditional distribution of X is called a hidden truncation distribution since it is assumed that Y is hidden (i.e. not observable). The present paper investigates the distributional structure of such models.
Capturing Layers In Image Collections With Componential Models

Recently, the Counting Grid (CG) model [5] was developed to represent each input image as a point in a large grid of feature counts. This latent point is a corner of a window of grid points which are all uniformly combined to match the (normalized) feature counts in the image. Being a bag of word model with spatial layout in the latent space, the CG model has superior handling of field of view changes in comparison to other bag of word models, but with the price of being essentially a mixture, mapping each scene to a single window in the grid. In this paper we introduce a family of componential models, dubbed the Componential Counting Grid, whose members represent each input image by multiple latent locations, rather than just one. In this way, we make a substantially more flexible admixture model which captures layers or parts of images and maps them to separate windows in a Counting Grid. We tested the models on scene and place classification where their componential nature helped to extract objects, to capture parallax effects, thus better fitting the data and outperforming Counting Grids and Latent Dirichlet Allocation, especially on sequences taken with wearable cameras.
Towards Revitalization: Introducing a Dualistic Style to the First-Year-Writing Classroom

Scholars in the field of stylistics have recently claimed that teaching on the canon of style has gone missing in much of modern composition. For instance, in “Style: The Hidden Agenda in Composition Classes or One Reader’s Confession,” Kate Ronald admits that she feels that, although she does not explicitly teach style, she is "still rewarding and punishing [her] students for their writing styles" (197). As one of the classical canons of rhetoric, style can be a powerful tool for those students who comprehend it, but it seems that more and more students are missing out on opportunities to learn and practice style. To begin to solve the issue of how style might be revitalized in composition, this article puts forward the research question: What happens when a writing fellow attached to a section of first-year-composition introduces a dualistic style into the classroom?
The New and the Old

What has been Keynes’ revolutionary contribution? As shown in the preceding chapter, the revolution was solely the development of a theory of effective demand; i.e., a theory of the determination of the level of output as a whole.
Fixed Points for Non-commuting Map Families

Here we’ll generalize the Markov–Kakutani Theorem (Theorem 9.6, p. 107) to collections of affine, continuous maps that obey a generalized notion of commutativity inspired by the group-theoretic concept of solvability. This will enable us to show, for example, that the unit disc is not paradoxical even with respect to its full isometry group, and that solvable groups are amenable, hence not paradoxical. We’ll prove that compact solvable groups possess Haar measure, and will show how to extend this result to solvable groups that are just locally compact.
On Unimodular Transformations of Conservative L-systems

We study unimodular transformations of conservative L-systems. Classes \( {\mathfrak{M}}^{Q} ,\,\,{\mathfrak{M}}_{k}^{\,Q} ,\,\,{\mathfrak{M}}_{k}^{ - 1,\,Q} \, \) that are impedance functions of the corresponding L-systems are introduced. A unique unimodular transformation of a given L-system with impedance function from the mentioned above classes is found such that the impedance function of a new L-system belongs to \( {\mathfrak{M}}^{( - Q)} ,\,\,{\mathfrak{M}}_{k}^{( - Q)} ,\,\,{\mathfrak{M}}_{k}^{ - 1,\,( - Q)} \), respectively. As a result we get that considered classes (that are perturbations of the Donoghue classes of Herglotz–Nevanlinna functions with an arbitrary real constant Q) are invariant under the corresponding unimodular transformations of L-systems. We define a coupling of an L-system and a so-called F-system and on its basis obtain a multiplication theorem for their transfer functions. In particular, it is shown that any unimodular transformation of a given L-system is equivalent to a coupling of this system and the corresponding controller, an F-system with a constant unimodular transfer function. In addition, we derive an explicit form of a controller responsible for a corresponding unimodular transformation of an L-system. Examples that illustrate the developed approach are presented.
Spectral imaging system performance forecasting

The quantitative forecasting of spectral imaging system performance is an important capability at every stage of system development including system requirement definition, system design, and even sensor operation. However, due to the complexity of the end-to-end remote sensing system involved, the analyses are often performed piecemeal by various groups, and then merged together. The ability to understand system sensitivities also supports the best use of an operational system and is thus desirable. It was with this perspective and goal to better perform end-to-end remote sensing system analyses that work was undertaken in the late 1980s to develop models that can be efficiently used as part of the system design and operation. Both simulation and analytical models were developed. The simulation approach has the advantage of creating an actual image, which can include non-linear effects or specified instrument artifacts, while the analytical approach has the benefit of being much simpler computationally and amenable to large numbers of comprehensive trade studies. In the mid 1990s, the analytical approach was extended to the case of unresolved object detection. By taking advantage of the spectral information, objects and materials that are not spatially resolved in the imagery can still be detected and identified. Subsequently, this model, which was developed for the reflective solar part of the optical spectrum, was extended to the thermal infrared. Here, surfaces are characterized not only by, their spectral emissivity means and covariances, but also their physical temperature mean and standard deviation. The model has also been extended to explore linear unmixing applications through the implementation of multiple classes in the target class. This has allowed the exploration of the role of class variability in unmixing abundance estimation. This paper provides an overview of this model development activity as well as show examples of how it can be used in the various applications. Examples include the impact of system parameters sub-pixel object detection and abundance estimation applications. Key capabilities as well as limitations of this analytical modeling approach are identified. System understanding developed through the use of the model is highlighted and the future enhancements are discussed.
A Factor VII Deficiency Protects Against Lethal Endotoxemia in Mice.

The formation of FVIIa:TF complex is a main contributor to the coagulopathy associated with acute bacterial infection and sepsis. In this study, the role of FVII has been investigated in a murine model of lethal endotoxemia induced by LPS using genetically altered mice expressing low FVII ( FVII tTA/tTA ). The results demonstrated that FVII tTA/tTA mice had reduced mortality, coagulation, and inflammatory responses compared to wild-type ( WT ) mice. The reduced thrombin generation in FVII tTA/tTA mice at early stages of post-LPS challenge correlated with less fibrin formation, which was characterized by diminished fibrin deposition in the liver and lower D-Dimer levels in the plasma. Fibrin deposition at late stages of endotoxemia was, however, similar between WT and FVII tTA/tTA mice. There was an apparent increased activation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway in FVII tTA/tTA mice as exhibited by an increased consumption of FXII and FXI zymogen in blood, which appeared to compensate for the diminished thrombin generation characteristic of the low FVII state. Fibrinolytic potential during endotoxemia remained the same between WT and FVII tTA/tTA mice. Reduced inflammatory responses were prominent in FVII tTA/tTA mice, as demonstrated by lower IL-6, MIP-2, and higher IL-10 plasma protein levels, which correlated with the total RNA expression levels in various tissues as determined by Quantitative RT-PCR. These reduced inflammatory responses could be directly due to less FVIIa:TF:PAR-2 signaling, and/or indirectly by less thrombin:PARs signaling in FVII tTA/tTA mice. Additionally, a slight increase in parenchymal organ bleeding was observed in FVII tTA/tTA mice challenged with LPS. Results from these studies indicate that low FVII benefits survival mainly through attenuation of coagulation and inflammatory responses as the result of potentially less coagulation protease signaling. Protection by mechanisms associated with regulation of fibrin formation appears to be limited to early stages of the disease.
Who are the World’s Food Insecure? New Evidence from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Food Insecurity Experience Scale

Summary Until recently there was lacking a common food security measure and the necessary data to study the individual-level determinants of food insecurity around the world. In 2014, the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Voices of the Hungry project developed an experiential measure of food insecurity, the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), translated it into 200 languages, and contracted Gallup, Inc. for collection of data through the Gallup World Poll. This is the first paper that identifies and examines the common determinants of food insecurity in 134 countries using this cross-country comparable experiential measure of food insecurity. We also investigate whether and to what extent the common determinants of food insecurity identified in a global model differ across rankings of economic development. Using a series of multilevel linear probability models, we find that the five characteristics associated with the largest increase in the likelihood of experiencing food insecurity around the world are: having low levels of education, weak social networks, less social capital, low household income, and being unemployed. We also find significant heterogeneity in the determinants of food insecurity over development rankings. This study is an important first step in utilizing the new FIES to document risk factors of food insecurity around the globe.
Cardiovascular risk factors among women with self-reported infertility.

Amongst women with certain types of ovulatory disorder infertility, the studies are conflicting whether there is an increased risk of long-term cardiovascular disease risk. This paper evaluates the associations of several CVD risk factors among Framingham women with self-reported infertility. Women who completed the Framingham Heart Study Third Generation and Omni Cohort 2 Exam 2 (2008–2011), and reported on past history of infertility and current cardiovascular disease status were included in this cross-sectional study. Directly measured CVD risk factors were: resting blood pressure, fasting lipid levels, fasting blood glucose, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI). Multivariable models adjusted for age, smoking, physical activity, and cohort. Generalized estimating equations adjusted for family correlations. We performed sensitivity analyses to determine whether the association between infertility and CVD risk factors is modified by menopausal status and menstrual cycle length. Comparing women who self-reported infertility to those who did not, there was an average increase in BMI (β = 1.03 kg/m2, 95% CI: 0.18, 1.89), waist circumference (β = 3.08 in., 95% CI: 1.06, 5.09), triglycerides (β = 4.47 mg/dl, 95% CI:−1.54, 10.49), and a decrease in HDL cholesterol (β = −1.60 mg/dl, 95% CI: −3.76, 0.56). We estimated that infertile premenopausal women have an increased odds of obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.11, 4.49) and diabetes (OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 0.86, 4.49). BMI and waist circumference were the most strongly correlated CVD risk factors amongst women reporting a history of infertility.
Towards knowledge-level analysis of motion planning

Inspired by the success of the distributed computing community in applying logics of knowledge and time to reasoning about distributed protocols, we aim for a similarly powerful and high-level abstraction when reasoning about control problems involving uncertainty. Here we concentrate on robot motion planning, with uncertainty in both control and sensing. This problem has already been well studied within the robotics community. Our contributions include the following: We define a new, natural problem in this domain: obtaining a sound and complete termination condition, given initial and goal locations. We consider a specific class of (simple) motion plans in Rn from the literature, and provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of sound and complete termination conditions for plans in that class. We define a high-level language, a logic of time and knowledge, to reason about motion plans in the presence of uncertainty, and use them to provide general conditions for the existence of sound and complete termination conditions for a broader class of motion plans.
Theoretical Studies on the Conformation of Peptides in Solution

A procedure for a theoretical prediction of most preferred conformations of molecules in solutions is described and applied for N-acetyl L-alanine N-methyl amide in CCI4 and in water and for N-acetyl glycine N-methyl amide in CCI4. The calculation of intrinsic, or intramolecular energies, employs the method of partitioned energy potential, including electrostatic, nonbonded and torsional terms. The intramolecular electrostatic energies include terms up to segmental octopole moments. Convergence of the electrostatic series is always obtained when all distances between interacting groups are not appreciably less than the sum of corresponding van der Waals radii. The calculation of intermolecular interactions with the environment is based on the method of continuum reaction field, including electrostatic, dispersion and cavity terms, which depend on the conformations through molecular dipole moments, molecular volume, and molecular exposed surface area. The most stable conformations predicted and calculated dipole moment are in reasonable agreement with experimental findings. For the case of N-acetyl glycine N-methyl amide calculations of intramolecular energies with ab-initio (STO-3G) and IEHT/2 are also presented. It is concluded that in the cases treated in this study the partitioned potential method yields significantly better predictions for the stable conformations than the molecular orbital methods.
Thermodynamic Properties of Ethane: Vapor-Liquid Coexistence

A number of correlational studies [1–5] present both vapor-liquid coexistence and superheated vapor thermodynamic properties for ethane. The present compilation is part of a general revision of the C1–C5 alkane, j-tables of API Research Project 44 [6].
Protagoras’ Homo-Mensura Doctrine and Literary Interpretation in Certamen Homeri et Hesiodi

Taking a cue from the interpretive difficulties faced by Socrates and his interlocutors in Plato’s Theaetetus as they struggle to determine the meaning of Protagoras’ homo-mensura doctrine ( HM ), I argue that Protagoras, or early Protagoreans, used HM to speak on the relativity of literary criticism. For evidence I adduce an overlooked passage of the anonymous Certamen Homeri et Hesiodi , which contains an ethical formulation of HM . This formulation of HM , compatible with the portrait of Protagoras from Theaetetus , explains the concern for literary interpretation latent in two sections of the Certamen . From the evidence in the Certamen , we may infer that HM was directly related to Protagorean education in civic virtue, part of which included a study of how to read and listen to texts.
Light Dark Matter Searches at Accelerators and the LDMX Experiment

Accelerator-based experiments are playing an increasingly essential role in exploring the nature of dark matter. Several approaches have been proposed to search for light dark matter at collider and beam-dump experiments, providing unique sensitivity to several well-motivated scenarios. In this contribution, we review the current experimental situation and future efforts in that domain, emphasizing the advantages and challenges of each technique. A new proposal offering unprecedented sensitivity to directly annihilating thermal dark matter, the LDMX experiment, is also presented.