cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growing apart: an ontogenetic perspective on the evolution of sexual size dimorphism

Sexes play different roles in reproduction and the adaptive significance of the often remarkably distinct morphologies of adult males and females is documented frequently. Yet, in most vertebrates, the sexes are nearly identical in morphology during early development and undergo highly divergent growth to achieve different adult sizes. The mechanisms that enable the virtually genetically identical sexes to have such divergent growth are not well understood. Of special interest are the constraints that a shared gene pool imposes on sex-specific modifications of growth and the ways that males and females overcome these constraints in response to divergent selection pressures. Recent studies show that the rapid evolution of sex-specific developmental regulators and modifiers can produce sexual dimorphism in size whilst maintaining the integrity of the developmental program that is shared between the sexes.
Effect of several production factors on two varieties of rapeseed in the central United States

Abstract Two varieties of winter rapeseed (Brassica napus) (Cobra and Liborius) were planted at Brownstown, IL to evaluate the effect of planting date, nitrogen (N) rate, N application timing, and tillage on grain yield and oil content of the grain, grain moisture, plant lodging, winter survival, and plant N content. Results indicated that planting rapeseed approximately one to two weeks prior to winter wheat in this region is preferable to planting earlier. Grain yield showed a significant linear increase with delayed planting date from 25 August to 24 September. Grain yield also increased quadratically with increasing N rate (with an optimum of about 250 kg N/ha) and increased (0.15 Mg/ha) due to splitting the N fertilizer into two even applications. An increase in grain yield was accompanied by an increase in grain moisture with Liborius (late maturing) having significantly greater grain moisture than Cobra. Winter survival increased linearly with delayed planting date but, was accompanied by a signifi...
Infants Around the World: Cross-Cultural Studies of Psychomotor Development from Birth to Two Years

Comparisons were made of the findings of fifty cross-cultural studies of psychomotor development, from birth to two years, of contemporary groups of infants on five continents. The effects of ethnicity, amount and type of caretaker stimulation, and nutritional status were discussed. African infants showed the greatest early acceleration, Caucasian infants the least, while Latin American and Asian infants ranked intermediate. Within each ethnic group, "traditionally" reared, rural infants showed greater motor acceleration than "Westernized, " urban infants in the first six to twelve months, and a greater decline, after weaning, in adaptive and language development, in the second year. Within both traditional and Westernized samples of the same ethnic groups, infants with higher birthweight were more accelerated.
An estimate of late Pleistocene geomagnetic intensity variation from Sulu Sea sediments

Abstract Sediments from Site 769 of the Ocean Drilling Program's Leg 124 provide a record of geomagnetic intensity variation over the past 110 ky. Using continous shipboard measurements exclusively, I estimate the variation in the geomagnetic field strength by employing low-field magnetic susceptibility as a normalization parameter for the measured remanence intensity. By calibrating the resultant relative paleointensity record against previously available Holocene age estimates of absolute paleointensity, I derive an estimate of virtual dipole moment since 110 ka. The record obtained from these Sulu Sea sediments is strikingly like that previously obtained from sediments of a similar age in the Mediterranean Basin with distinct intervals of low intensity near 15, 20, 40 and 65–70 ka. The Sulu sediments also indicate a low-intensity feature near 108 ka. Important differences in paleointensity estimates obtained from these different regions for the interval between 30 and 20 ka suggest that a relatively large non-dipolar component of the geomagnetic field might have been present at that time.
Design and evaluation of metaphor processing systems

System design and evaluation methodologies receive significant attention in natural language processing NLP, with the systems typically being evaluated on a common task and against shared data sets. This enables direct system comparison and facilitates progress in the field. However, computational work on metaphor is considerably more fragmented than similar research efforts in other areas of NLP and semantics. Recent years have seen a growing interest in computational modeling of metaphor, with many new statistical techniques opening routes for improving system accuracy and robustness. However, the lack of a common task definition, shared data set, and evaluation strategy makes the methods hard to compare, and thus hampers our progress as a community in this area. The goal of this article is to review the system features and evaluation strategies that have been proposed for the metaphor processing task, and to analyze their benefits and downsides, with the aim of identifying the desired properties of metaphor processing systems and a set of requirements for their evaluation.
A market framework for eliciting private data

We propose a mechanism for purchasing information from a sequence of participants. The participants may simply hold data points they wish to sell, or may have more sophisticated information; either way, they are incentivized to participate as long as they believe their data points are representative or their information will improve the mechanism's future prediction on a test set. The mechanism, which draws on the principles of prediction markets, has a bounded budget and minimizes generalization error for Bregman divergence loss functions. We then show how to modify this mechanism to preserve the privacy of participants' information: At any given time, the current prices and predictions of the mechanism reveal almost no information about any one participant, yet in total over all participants, information is accurately aggregated.
Synthesis and structure of a stuffed derivative of α-quartz, Mg0.5AlSiO4

A structural derivative of quartz with the composition Mg 0.5 AlSiO 4 has been grown from glass and characterized using synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and 29 Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Rietveld analysis of the XRD data indicates that the framework of Mg 0.5 AlSiO 4 is isostructural with α-quartz, rather than β-quartz, as is consistent with previous theoretical modeling (Sternitzke and Muller 1991). Al and Si exhibit long-range disorder over the framework tetrahedral sites, indicated by the absence of the superlattice reflections corresponding to the doubling of c relative to that of quartz. Nevertheless, 29 Si NMR measurements show that Al and Si exhibit partial short-range order with an ordering degree of 56%. Electron diffraction reveals superlattice reflections indicative of doubled periodicities along the a -axes. Fourier electron density maps show that Mg occupies channel sites that each are bonded to six O atoms, in contrast to the tetrahedral coordination of Li in the β-quartz-type framework for β-eucryptite, LiAlSiO 4 . Furthermore, the concentrations of Mg in adjacent channels are different, resulting in framework distortions that generate the superstructures along a .
Interrater Reliability of Therapists' Judgments of Graphed Data

Increased emphasis on the use of single-subject designs in physical therapy research suggests the need to examine whether therapists can meaningfully interpret the results of such research as part of the clinical decision-making process. With this goal in mind, the interrater reliability of therapists to make visual judgments from graphed data that included a trend line was examined. Thirty therapists were presented with 24 graphs of single-subject data from AB (baseline-treatment) designs. Each graph included a trend line calculated using the split-middle method of trend estimation. The trend line was computed using the baseline data and then extended into the treatment phase to "predict" patient performance. The analysis, using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), revealed low interrater agreement, with ICC values ranging from .37 to .55 for the entire sample. Evidence is presented that the statistical backgrounds of some raters positively influenced interrater reliability. No statistically significant relationship was found between interrater agreement and visual components of the graphed data, such as changes in slope or variability.
Midodrine for the weaning of vasopressor infusions

SummaryWhat is known and objective Midodrine, an orally available α1-agonist indicated for the treatment of orthostatic hypotension, has been used at our institution as an adjunctive treatment to provide haemodynamic support to facilitate intravenous (IV) vasopressor weaning. Limited published data exist for this off-label use; thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes in patients who received midodrine for IV vasopressor weaning compared to control patients. Methods This retrospective comparison included adult ICU patients admitted to our institution from January 2007 to March 2012. The primary outcome was the time to IV vasopressor discontinuation after midodrine initiation. Secondary outcomes included a comparison between midodrine and control patients of the time from IV vasopressor discontinuation to ICU discharge, hospital and ICU length of stay (LOS), and the number of ICU readmissions. Results and discussion The analysis included 188 patients (94 midodrine and 94 control). Patients discontinued IV vasopressors a median of 1·2 days (IQR 0·5–2·8) after midodrine initiation. ICU discharge occurred sooner after IV vasopressor discontinuation (0·8 vs. 1·5 days, P = 0·01), and 96% of patients remained off IV vasopressors after midodrine treatment. Hospital LOS was longer in midodrine patients (P < 0·01), but there were no differences in ICU LOS or readmissions. Adverse event rates after midodrine use were consistent with those observed in other studies. What is new and conclusion Midodrine may serve as a useful adjunct to wean IV vasopressors in difficult-to-wean patients. Further studies are needed to assess the efficacy and safety of midodrine for this indication.
BILATERAL OPTIC NERVE COLOBOMAS IN INFANT WITH TETRAPLOIDY.

PURPOSE To describe the previously unreported ocular anomalies in the rare condition of tetraploidy. METHODS This study is a retrospective case report of a 23-day-old male infant with tetraploidy. RetCam fundus photography and neuroimaging were performed. RESULTS This 23-day-old male infant was born at full term and found to have tetraploidy with numerous congenital anomalies including bilateral optic nerve colobomas, left microphthalmia, vitreous hemorrhage, and septo-optic dysplasia. CONCLUSION Infants with tetraploidy can present with ocular anomalies and while hospitalized should be examined by an ophthalmologist.
Depression is ordinary: Public feelings and Saidiya Hartman’s Lose Your Mother:

What if depression, in the Americas at least, could be traced to histories of colonialism, genocide, slavery, exclusion, and everyday segregation and isolation that haunt all of our lives, rather than to biochemical imbalances? This article seeks alternatives to the medical model found in most depression memoirs by considering how the epistemological and methodological struggles faced by a scholar of the African diaspora confronted by the absent archive of slavery are relevant to discussions of political depression. Combining scholarly investigation and personal memoir, Saidiya Hartman’s Lose Your Mother exemplifies feminism’s affective turn not only by bringing personal narrative into scholarship, but by seeking reparation for the past in the affective dynamics of cultural memory rather than in legal reform or state recognition. Stubbornly refusing to find solace in an African past before slavery, though, Hartman provides a model of emotional reparation in which feelings of loss and alienation persist. H...
Fracture Behavior of a Silicon Nitride Ceramic under Mixed-Mode Fracture Condition

The mixed-mode fracture toughness of a silicon nitride ceramic was studied to evaluate the parameter C in Shetty's empirical equation. The measurement was conducted at room temperature and 800°C by the four-point bending method using the controlled surface flaw technique. The obtained Shetty's parameter C was 1.58 at room temperature and 1.35 at 800°C. These values are in good agreement with those obtained by multiaxial strength tests.
Progress in the relationship of phosphodiesterases inhibitors and signal transduction pathway associated with learning and memory

A large number of studies indicates that cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)directly or indirectly activates the transcription of certain gene such as c-fos,c-jun,BDNF,et al,and then expresses the certain protein molecules and neurotrophic factor,which plays an important role in the renewable,survival and repair of neurons in the stress injury and learning and memory. Phosphodiesterases(PDEs) can hydrolyze cyclic AMP (cAMP)and cyclic (GMP),affect its downstream signal transduction,and play a role in the regulation of CREB. This article reviews the progress in the relationship of phosphodiesterases inhibitors and signal transduction pathway associated with learning and memory and the role of its effects on learning and memory disorders,to explore the prospects of phosphodiesterase as new drug targets for neurodegenerative disorders.
Assay of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Activation of G Proteins in Native Cell Membranes Using [ 35 S]GTPγS Binding

The interaction of a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) with the G protein is the first step in the transduction of receptor binding to the activation of second-messenger systems mediated by G proteins. Binding of the poorly hydroylzable GTP analog guanosine-5'-O-(3-[35S]thio)triphosphate ([35S]-GTP gamma S) to the alpha subunit of a G protein has been used as a biochemical assay to measure the efficacy of a compound. The maximal percent stimulation of [35S]GTP gamma S binding, induced by an agonist, correlates well with the efficacy of an agonist in an in vivo system. The concentration of agonist necessary to achieve 50% of the maximal stimulation is indicative of the affinity of the agonist for the receptor, under the assay conditions. The [35S]GTP gamma S binding assay, which uses membranes from either myeloma cells or endogenous tissues, is a biochemical assay to determine the efficacies of agonists for receptors that are expressed endogenously. Novel compounds that have been shown to have high affinity in radioligand receptor-binding assays are screened in the [35S]GTP gamma S binding assay to determine if they are agonists, antagonists, or partial agonists at a particular receptor.
What Can Be Detected

The characteristics of an analytical method are dynamic. The state of the apparatus and of the operator, the laboratory environment, and the level and type of contaminants present in the sample are examples of such characteristics. Detectability, which concerns functioning of an analytical method near its natural limit of sensitivity, is particularly dependent on dynamic characteristics. At the instant of analysis, past history only determines these characteristics in a frequency sense. Probability theory provides a tool for deciding what can be detected by using frequency-type information to define the characteristics of the analytical method.
Improved noninvasive prostate cancer assessment using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging

This study explores potential multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) biomarkers for improved non-invasive prostate cancer (PCa) management, particularly for clinically significant PCa lesions that are missed by the current standard of care mpMRI exams. T2-weighted MRI and diffusion weighted imaging scans were acquired for subjects with Gleason Score 6 to 9 PCa lesions prior to radical prostatectomy. Lesions were examined by experienced clinicians and categorized as those visible on routine mpMRI radiological assessment, viz. mpMRI-detectable (mpMRI-d) and those that could not be satisfactorily diagnosed using routine mpMRI, viz. mpMRI-undetectable (mpMRI-u). A dense set of voxel-wise mpMRI features quantifying local spatial distribution, texture and statistical properties in the prostate were computed and analyzed for their potential to differentiate disease from healthy tissue. Feature selection and training were performed to build classifiers to produce voxel-wise probability-of-malignancy maps over the entire gland to characterize the extent of PCa. Receiver operating characteristic analysis on a cohort of 48 mpMRI exams showed that our classifier improves the sensitivity of the detection of prostate lesions by over 38% for the whole cohort and 124% for the mpMRI-u lesions with only a modest loss in specificity when compared to baseline routine radiological mpMRI assessment.
Fifteen-year experience with renal cell carcinoma with associated venous tumor thrombus

Background For patients with renal cell carcinoma with venous tumor thrombus (VTT), the importance of the extent of the VTT on survival has inconsistent published results. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the VTT on morbidity and mortality of our patients with renal cell carcinoma. Methods This was a single institution review of all patients who underwent resection of renal cell carcinoma with VTT over a 15-year period. Results Thirty-seven patients (26 men, 11 women) with a mean age of 61 years were analyzed. The majority of the cohort were of Neves level II (n = 19), while 8 were of Neves 0 (only renal vein) or I, and 10 were of Neves III (extending into retrohepatic cava) or IV (extending supradiaphragmatically). When compared with Neves 0–II patients, there were more Neves III–IV patients with operative time >3 hours (70% vs 30%), blood loss >2,000 mL (70% vs 33%), and intensive care unit stay longer than one day (60% vs 30%) (P ≤ .05 each). Mean follow-up was 58 months. The overall 5-year survival was 71%, and all 10 patients with Neves III–IV had survived since the operation. Conclusion We found advanced tumor thrombus involvement did not impact long-term survival; however, cases with suprahepatic VTT had increased operative time, blood loss, and duration of hospital stay.
Extension of Classical Methods II

Our purpose in this section is to derive the limiting distribution of the 2SLS and 3SLS estimators obtained in Chapter 1. In that chapter we derived several types of estimators, viz., the standard 2SLS and 3SLS, the restricted 2SLS and 3SLS, unrestricted reduced form (OLS) estimators; we have also presented an alternative derivation of 2SLS and 3SLS, obtained by minimizing the objective function(s) when the prior restrictions are imposed by the device of Lagrange multipliers. This is in contrast to the standard derivation where such, restrictions are imposed directly, by substitution.
Status of Programs for the DoD Family of Linear Drive Cryogenic Coolers for Weapon Systems

The Standard Advanced Dewar Assembly (SADA) is the critical module in the Department of Defense (DOD) standardization effort of second-generation thermal imaging systems. DOD has established a family of SADAs to address high performance (SADA I), mid-to-high performance (SADA II), and compact class (SADA III) systems. SADAs consist of the Infrared Focal Plane Array (IRFPA), Dewar, Command & Control Electronics (C&CE), and the cryogenic coolers. SADAs are used in weapons systems such as Comanche, the M1 Abrams tank, the M2 Bradley fighting vehicle, and the Javelin CLU.
Treatment of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Abstract Eating disorders affect both males and females of all socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds across the lifespan and are particularly common in children, adolescents, and young adults. With a mortality rate higher than any mental illness other than the substance use disorders, they are a significant public health problem. Medical sequelae of malnutrition and purging behaviors affect every organ system of the body and can lead to sudden death due to cardiac arrhythmia. Comorbid psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders can significantly affect the recovery process, and suicide is common among patients with a chronic course of illness. Treatment consists of medical stabilization and weight restoration by normalizing eating patterns and ceasing behaviors such as binge-eating, purging, and compulsive exercising, which is achieved through various psychotherapeutic modalities and monitoring by the medical team. Consultation with a dietitian may be helpful to clarify questions about the individual’s nutritional needs. Future work should focus on studying treatment modalities in children and adolescents, and on increasing access to evidence-based therapeutic interventions in general.
Comment on ‘Super‐resolution microscopy by movable thin‐films with embedded microspheres: Resolution analysis’ [Ann. Phys. (Berlin) 527, 513 (2015)]

This work addresses the shortcomings of the recent paper by Allen et al. [Ann. Phys. (Berlin) 527, 513 (2015)], in which the authors attempted to quantify the spatial resolution and magnification in imaging by using microsphere-embedded films. Their methodology in resolution and magnification analyses is ill-considered and worth discussing. Neglecting the impact of the confocal arrangement, used for imaging in their work, on the resolution improvement factor has led to an exaggerated claim of ∼λ/6 as the inherent resolution gain of the microsphere. However, this ∼λ/6 value cannot be solely attributed to the microspheres because, the effects the pinhole function and image acquisition process of the laser scanning confocal microscope must be separated from their results in order to find the inherent resolution gain of the microsphere. The magnification analysis is flawed for several reasons: invalidity of geometrical optics for micron-scale spheres, neglecting the impact of the index of the PDMS film surrounding the microsphere, and the cyclic methodology used in presenting the magnification results. Specifically, such large claimed gaps between the object and the microsphere as a mediator of near-field information contradicts the coupling condition requirement, as claimed by the authors, between the scattered evanescent field of the object and the microsphere.
Lithium glass scintillator neutron detector as an improved alternative to the standard 3 he proportional counter

Lithium glass scintillator made from 6Li-enriched substrate is a well known for its neutron detection capability. In spite of neutron interaction, cross section of 6Li happens to be lower than that of 3He. However, the neutron detection efficiency could be higher due to higher volume content of 6Li nuclear in the solid scintillator vs. gas filled proportional counter. At the same time, as lithium glass is sensitive to gamma and charge particle radiation, non-neutron radiation discrimination is required. Our detector is composed of two equal-size cylindrical Li(Ce) glass scintillators. The first one is high-sensitive to thermal neutrons GS-20 (6Li doped), the second one is GS-30 (7Li doped) type Scint-Gobain made lithium glass scintillator. Each of scintillators is coupled with R7400U Hamamatsu subminiature photomultiplier tube, and all assembly is fitted into NP100H 3He tube size. 6Li absorbs thermal neutrons releasing alpha particles and triton with 4.8 MeV total energy deposit inside the scintillator (equivalent to about ∼1.3 MeV gamma energy depositions). Because 7Li isotope does not absorb thermal neutrons, and the physical properties of the two scintillators are virtually identical, the difference between these two scintillators could be used to provide neutron dose rate information. Results of study of neutron detector assembled of two Li(Ce) scintillators and NP100H moderator are presented.
Calorically restricted diets decrease PCSK9 in overweight adolescents.

Abstract Background and aims Nutritional therapy is the first line approach to treatment of hyperlipidemia in childhood. Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a key regulator of plasma cholesterol levels and a target of novel lipid-lowering pharmacotherapies. We examined the effects of an intensive nutritional intervention on PCSK9 levels in overweight adolescents with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Methods and results Twenty seven obese and overweight adolescents with CVD risk factors were assigned to either a low fat or low glycemic load diet. During an 8-week " Intensive Phase ," assigned meals were delivered to the home, and all participants received weekly in-person home nutrition counseling and phone calls. The subjects then underwent a 4-month " Maintenance Phase " without food provision and with no in-person contact. Anthropometric measurements, laboratory data, and serum PCSK9 protein levels were measured at baseline, 8 weeks, and 6 months. PCSK9 decreased by 16.5% at 8 weeks (201.2 ± 56.3 vs 165.6 ± 58.4 ng/mL; p Maintenance Phase . Change in PCSK9 was associated with change in fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and AUC insulin, independent of weight loss. Conclusions PCSK9 decreased in youth participating in an intensive dietary intervention. Change in HOMA-IR was associated with change in PCSK9, independent of weight loss, suggesting an important relationship with insulin sensitivity. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01080339.
Disparities in contralateral prophylactic mastectomy use among women with early-stage breast cancer.

Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy use has increased over the past decades among women with early-stage breast cancer. Racial differences in contralateral prophylactic mastectomy use are well described, but with unclear causes. This study examined contralateral prophylactic mastectomy use among black and white women and the contribution of differences in perceived risk to differences in use. We surveyed women diagnosed with early-stage unilateral breast cancer between ages 41–64 in Pennsylvania and Florida between 2007–2009 to collect data on breast cancer treatment, family history, education, income, insurance, and perceived risk. Clinical factors—age,stage at diagnosis, receptor status—were obtained from cancer registries. The relationships between patient factors and contralateral prophylactic mastectomy were assessed using logistic regression. The interaction between race and contralateral prophylactic mastectomy on the perceived risk of second breast cancers was tested using linear regression. Of 2182 study participants, 18% of whites underwent contralateral prophylactic mastectomy compared with 10% of blacks (p < 0.001). The racial difference remained after adjustment for clinical factors and family history (odds ratio = 2.32, 95% confidence interval 1.76–3.06, p < 0.001). The association between contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and a reduction in the perceived risk of second breast cancers was significantly smaller for blacks than whites. Blacks were less likely than whites to undergo contralateral prophylactic mastectomy even after adjustment for clinical factors. This racial difference in use may relate to the smaller impact of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy on the perceived risk of second breast cancers among blacks than among whites. Future research is needed to understand the overall impact of perceived risk on decisions about contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and how that may explain racial differences in use. Racial disparities exist in the desire of American women with early-stage breast cancer to surgically remove their healthy breast tissue. Younji Kim and colleagues from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA, surveyed more than 2100 middle-aged women from Pennsylvania and Florida who were newly diagnosed with early-stage cancer in one breast. They asked about the women’s medical and family histories, perceived risk of further disease, and assorted demographic variables. After adjusting for clinical factors and family history, white women were more than twice as likely to undergo contralateral prophylactic mastectomy, in which both breasts are surgically removed, than were black women. The authors surmise that the racial discrepancy may result from perceptual differences among populations about the benefits of bilateral mastectomies on future cancer risk, although more research is needed into the decision-making process.
7.15 Intervertebral Disc

The current tools available to physicians for the treatment of back pain are relatively limited, palliative in nature, and often lead to deleterious side effects. As a result, much research is occurring in the biomaterials realm to create new treatments that not only relieve pain, but restore function to the spine and circumvent the unwanted side effects. Both traditional metal/polyethylene hardware approaches, often associated with joint replacements, and more novel regenerative medicine approaches are being investigated. It is currently unclear which procedures and materials will be best suited for the treatment of back pain, but a wide range of materials are being investigated. This chapter reviews the current state of biomaterial-based treatment of intervertebral disc-originated back pain. Topics cover established treatments such as spinal fusion and total disc replacement, as well as novel regenerative treatments such as nucleus pulposus replacement, annulus fibrosus repair, and tissue-engineered total disc replacement.
Effects of Oxaliplatin, Carboplatin, and Cisplatin Across Treatment on High-Frequency Objective and Subjective Auditory Measures in Adults

Platinum chemotherapies are often ototoxic, initially affecting the basal end of the cochlea. Thus, monitoring high-frequency auditory function is advised to reveal early damage. Objective measures...
LaCoO3 catalytically enhanced MgO partially stabilized ZrO2 in heterogeneous methane combustion

Abstract Heterogeneous combustion is an advanced combustion technique in which a porous ceramic support is immersed into a combustion chamber to provide heat redistribution through the chemical reaction wave. Within this work a support made of magnesia partially stabilized zirconia (MgO-ZrO2), a fast O2- ionic conductor, is used to evaluate gadolinia doped ceria (Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9), and lanthanum cobaltite (LaCoO3) as solid catalysts to promote lean methane combustion. By utilizing temperature profiles of the combustion chamber, collection of radiative and acoustic emissions, it was found that both Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 and LaCoO3 are effective combustion catalysts, with LaCoO3 being even better performing, which enable higher maximum temperatures within the combustion chamber and extend lean flammability limits of methane-air combustion.
Toward Automating Crowd RE

Crowd RE is an emerging avenue for engaging the general public or the so called crowd in variety of requirements engineering tasks. Crowd RE scales RE by involving, potentially, millions of users. Although humans are at the center of Crowd RE, automated techniques are necessary (1) to derive useful insights from large amounts of raw data the crowd can produce; and (2) to drive the Crowd RE process, itself, by facilitating novel workflows combining crowd and machine intelligence.To facilitate automated techniques for Crowd RE, first, we showcase a crowd-acquired dataset, consisting of requirements and their ratings on multiple dimensions for the smart homes application domain. Our dataset is unique in that it contains not only requirements, but also the characteristics of the crowd workers who produced those requirements including their demographics, personality traits, and creative potential. Understanding the crowd characteristics is essential to developing effective Crowd RE processes. Second, we outline key challenges involved in automating Crowd RE and describe, how our dataset can serve as a foundation for developing such automated techniques.
Development of the grit scale for children and adults and its relation to student efficacy, test anxiety, and academic performance

Abstract We sought to develop a new measure of grit, which would be suitable (i.e. readable) for both schoolchildren and adults. An initial pool of 14 items was administered to a student/community sample in Study 1 and 12 items were selected for the Grit Scale for Children and Adults (GSCA) based on factor loadings. In Study 2, the GSCA was administered to 249 students in grades 3–12. Participants also completed measures of self-efficacy, test anxiety, the Grit-O scale, and standardized tests in ELA, Math and Science. The GSCA demonstrated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations with efficacy, anxiety, and other measures of grit. Scores on the GSCA predicted achievement on the ELA and Science standardized tests, over and above an existing grit scale (the Grit-O). The study found initial evidence for the psychometric properties of the GSCA and its use in school-children.
Furniture and Scientific Books

Following the Allied December 4, 1943 bombing of his Leipzig house, Van der Waerden gets a permission to travel to Holland to replaced lost scientific books and furniture.
Fabrication and characterization of aluminum nanoparticles entrapped in hollow polymer capsules

Abstract In this study, we report on the in situ synthesis of aluminum nanoparticles within the cavity of hollow polymer nanocapsules. A novel titanium (IV) benzyloxide initiator was synthesized within and trapped inside the nanocapsule. The initiator and nanocapsule complex formed a nano-reactor environment in which alane was decomposed to form the nanoparticles, producing reactive metal–polymer nanorattles. The synthetic protocol resulted in air-stable nanoparticles with crystalline active core sizes of 18–23 nm. Thermal analysis showed combustion and metal ignition exotherms associated with the presence of aluminum confirming successful fabrication of Al NPs. The ratio of active aluminum (Al0) to total aluminum present in any oxidation state was determined to be 85 %.
Exploring the Mechanical Life in Literature through Marxist Theory

The Victorian Era of writings of works such as Charles Dickens Hard Times used the social and environmental setting by which the characters live in; it is created by a philosophy that adds fuel to sustain the advancement of industrialization. The philosophy mirrors the mechanical characteristics of industrialization and how they are expressed is of great importance to the mechanical perceptions, such as objective utilitarianism. The mechanization that is found in the lives of the characters has an evil presence of depriving them of human dignity by living a mechanical lifestyle. It was the mechanical lifestyle that can be explained through Marxist theory to explain the key characteristics of the Industrial Era and its importance to materialism, as it represented political power. Marxism provides a theory for requiring the working class to concentrate on working in factories in Coketown and the “bourgeois” to separate themselves as competing agents of self-interest. It is a goal of the wealthy social class to maximize utility as a consumer and profit as a producer within the mechanical world. Keywords: Victorian Era; Mechanical Thinking; Marxist Theory
FERONIA Receptor Kinase Contributes to Plant Immunity by Suppressing Jasmonic Acid Signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary Bacterial pathogens use effectors and phytotoxins to facilitate infection of host plants. Coronatine (COR) is one of the phytotoxins produced in bacterial pathogens, such as Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (pst DC3000). COR structurally and functionally mimics the active form of the plant hormone jasmonic acid (JA), JA-isoleucine (JA-Ile), and can hijack the host JA-signaling pathway to achieve host disease susceptibility [ 1 ]. COR utilizes the transcription factor MYC2, a master regulator of JA signaling, to activate NAC transcription factors, which functions to inhibit accumulation of salicylic acid (SA) and thus compromise host immunity [ 2 ]. It has been demonstrated that SA can antagonize JA signaling through NONEXPRESSOR of PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENE1 (NPR1) [ 3 ] and downstream transcription factors TGAs [ 4 ] and WRKYs [ 5 , 6 ]. However, the detailed mechanism by which host plants counteract COR-mediated susceptibility is largely unknown. Here, we show that the receptor kinase FERONIA (FER) functions to inhibit JA and COR signaling by phosphorylating and destabilizing MYC2, thereby positively regulating immunity. Conversely, the peptide ligand RALF23 acts through FER to stabilize MYC2 and elevate JA signaling, negatively contributing to plant immunity. Our results establish the RALF23-FER-MYC2 signaling module and provide a previously unknown mechanism by which host plants utilize FER signaling to counteract COR-mediated host disease susceptibility.
Comprehensive Review of Cranial Chordomas Using National Databases in the USA.

Abstract Aims The management of cranial chordomas is controversial. We provide a comprehensive review of the evolving patterns of care of cranial chordomas in the USA. Materials and methods We analysed the National Cancer Database (NCDB) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2004 and 2014 for clinical characteristics and long-term survival, and the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) dataset between 2005 and 2016 for perioperative characteristics and surgical morbidity. Results In total, 936 patients were identified from the NCDB, 405 patients from SEER and 64 patients from the NSQIP. Most patients were men (56.2, 54.8 and 57.8% in NCDB, SEER and NSQIP, respectively) and White (80.9 and 83.2% in NCDB and SEER, respectively). Surgery was the preferred treatment modality (87.3% in NCDB and 86.2% in SEER). Surgery was carried out alone (41.8% in NCDB and 40.7% in SEER) or in combination with radiation (42.1% in NCDB and 45.4% in SEER). Proton therapy was the most common type of radiation (32.2% in NCDB), particularly after 2011. The median operative time, median hospital length and postoperative morbidity were significantly higher in chordoma patients compared with patients who underwent other skull-base procedures. The 5-year survival rate was 79.8% in NCDB and 76.9% in SEER. There was a trend towards longer survival in patients receiving surgery and radiation, which has been increasingly used since 2004. Patients younger than 60 years had a decreased risk of mortality. Conclusions Our analysis reflects patterns of care in the USA. The use of surgery and radiation is increasing, with a trend towards longer survival. Surgery is complicated with long operative time, hospital stay and a higher rate of complications.
Hypotarsus Morphology of the Ralloidea Supports a Clade Comprising Sarothrura and Mentocrex to the Exclusion of Canirallus

Molecular data suggest that the traditional Rallidae (rails) are polyphyletic and that some species actually belong to a clade that is the sister taxon of the Heliornithidae (sungrebes). This clade includes the African taxon Sarothrura and the Madagascan Mentocrex and has been termed Sarothruridae. It was noted that White-spotted Flufftail Sarothrura pulchra and Sungrebe Heliornis fulica share a distinctive morphology of the hypotarsus, which guides the tendons for the flexor muscles of the toes. Owing to the scarcity of skeletons in osteological collections, however, other species of the Sarothruridae and Heliornithidae have not yet been studied. Here, the hypotarsus of extant and fossil members of the Ralloidea is examined. It is shown that the characteristic hypotarsus morphology is also present in Buff-spotted Flufftail Sarothrura elegans (Sarothruridae), Madagascan Wood Rail Mentocrex kioloides (Sarothruridae), and African Finfoot Podica senegalensis (Heliornithidae). Grey-throated Rail Canirallus oculeus, by contrast, which was traditionally considered closely related to Sarothrura and Mentocrex, exhibits the hypotarsus morphology found in the Rallidae. To foster future communication, it is here proposed to use the taxon name Heliornithes for the clade including Heliornithidae, Sarothrura, and Mentocrex. A previously unknown derived hypotarsus morphology is described, which characterizes the rallid taxon Porphyrio (swamphens) and may be functionally correlated with the fact that the species of this taxon manipulate food items with their feet.
Resolution-based spectral clustering for brain parcellation using functional MRI.

Abstract Background Brain parcellation is important for exploiting neuroimaging data. Variability in physiology between individuals has led to the need for data-driven approaches to parcellation, with recent research focusing on simultaneously estimating and partitioning the network structure of the brain. New method We view data preprocessing, parcellation, and parcel validation from the perspective of predictive modeling. The goal is to identify parcels in a way that best generalizes to unseen data. We utilize an uncertainty quantification approach from image science to define parcels as groups of unresolvable variables in the predictive model. Model parameters are chosen via cross-validation. Parcellation results are compared based on both their repeatability as well as their ability to describe held-out data. Results The approach provides insight and strategies for open questions such as the choice of evaluation metrics, selection of model order, and the optimal tuning of preprocessing steps for functional imaging data. Comparison with existing methods We compare new and established approaches using functional imaging data, where we find the proposed approach produces parcellations which are both more accurate and more repeatable than the current baseline clustering method. The metrics also demonstrate potential problems with overfitting for the baseline method, and with bias for other methods. Conclusions Clustering of resolution provides a principled and robust approach to brain parcellation which improves on the current baseline.
The Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system is the motor system for the viscera (that is, cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and glands). However, from the outset, it is important to recognize that the neural input does not directly drive the activity of the viscera; instead, the viscera have their own intrinsic activity, and this activity is regulated in both a positive and negative fashion by the two divisions of the autonomie nervous system. In this way, the two components of the autonomie system coordinate visceral activities so as to maintain homeostasis or to enable the body to respond to emergency situations.
María Zambrano and Hannah Arendt: A philosophical symbiosi

espanolMaria Zambrano and Hannah Arendt were very nearly the same age and experienced similar historical and life circumstances—war and dictatorship in their countries of origin, exile, and a career in writing that included political writing. Zambrano considered the interior of the person in her study of democracy, while Arendt focused on exterior phenomena such as the masses in her consideration of totalitarianism. EnglishMaria Zambrano y Hannah Arendt tenian casi la misma edad y experimentaron circunstancias historicas y vitales semejantes —guerra y dictadura en sus paises de origen, y una carrera como escritoras que incluia la tematica politica en sus obras—. Zambrano se centro en el interior de la persona en su estudio sobre la democracia, mientras que Arendt se enfoco mas en fenomenos exteriores como las masas en su estudio del totalitarismo.
Amyloid-β Peptides Disrupt Interactions Between VAMP-2 and SNAP-25 in Neuronal Cells as Determined by FRET/FLIM.

BACKGROUND Synaptic dysfunction prevalent in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain is closely associated with increased accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain parenchyma. It is widely believed that Aβ peptides trigger synaptic dysfunction by interfering with the synaptic vesicular fusion and the release of neurotransmitters, primarily facilitated by the SNARE protein complexes formed by VAMP-2, SNAP-25, and syntaxin-1. However, Aβ interactions with SNARE proteins to ultimately disrupt synaptic vesicular fusion are not well understood. OBJECTIVE Our objective is to elucidate mechanisms by which Aβ peptides perturb SNARE complexes. METHODS Intensity (qualitative) and lifetime (quantitative) based measurements involving Forster (fluorescence) resonance energy transfer (FRET) followed by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) were employed to investigate the effect of Aβ peptides on dynamic interactions between VAMP-2, labeled with cerulean (Cer) at the N-terminus (FRET donor), and SNAP-25 labeled with citrine (Cit) on the N-terminus (FRET acceptor). The FRET and FLIM interactions at the exocytosis locations on the pre-synaptic membrane were recorded under spontaneous and high potassium evoked conditions. Moreover, cellular accumulation of fluorescein labeled Aβ (F-Aβ) peptides and their co-localization with Cer-VAMP2 was investigated by confocal microscopy. RESULTS The F-Aβ40 and F-Aβ42 are internalized by differentiated N2A cells, where they colocalize with Cer-VAMP2. Both Aβ40 and Aβ42 decrease interactions between the N-termini of Cer-VAMP2 and Cit-SNAP25 in N2A cells, as determined by FRET/FLIM. CONCLUSION By perturbing the N-terminal interactions between VAMP-2 and SNAP-25, Aβ40 and Aβ42, can directly interfere with the SNARE complex formation, which is critical for the docking and fusion of synaptic vesicles.
Full-Time Students With Part-Time Benefits: How Being Denied On-Campus Housing Affects College Students With Criminal Records:

There are major assumptions that housing opportunities in higher education are equally accessible and available to all students. However, these accessible housing opportunities are not available to...
Review of stationary and transport CO2 refrigeration and air conditioning technologies

Abstract Since its resurgence as a refrigerant in the 1990s, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) has grown in popularity and breadth of application. Its negligible global warming potential (GWP) eliminates the risk of being phased out due to legislation, and its non-toxicity, non-flammability, and low cost allows its use in many vapor compression cycle applications. However, the high critical pressure and low critical temperature require significantly more compressor power under moderate and high-ambient conditions and thus, necessitate the addition of cycle modifications to reach coefficient of performance (COP) values equal to or greater than those of other working fluids. This paper provides a review of research conducted on the use of CO2 vapor compression cycles in refrigeration and air conditioning (AC) cycles for both transportation and stationary refrigeration. A primary intention of writing this review is to offer evidence and justification for many common cycle modifications, then connect these modifications to a broad array of applications. Thus, advanced cycles in mobile and stationary applications are shown and the individual modifications present have their own independent justification to create a complete picture of the topic. The designs of complete systems, as well as specific components within the system, are included, as are the relations between the thermo-physical properties of CO2 and their benefits in these particular applications. Additionally, economic analyses of the feasibility of using CO2 in place of existing fluids are reviewed. Challenges facing the use of CO2 refrigeration cycles in stationary and transportation refrigeration are discussed, as are potential future advancements to overcome them.