cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Textual Vagueness and Institutional Divergence in Constitutional Decisionmaking

Constitutional scholars often assume that vague textual provisions cannot meaningfully constrain constitutional decisionmaking. Recent scholarship at the intersection of legal philosophy and philosophy of language provides the conceptual tools necessary to challenge that assumption. Building on that scholarship, this Article argues that semantically vague constitutional provisions shape the decisionmaking of both courts and legislatures in ways that heretofore have been ignored. The Article identifies a systematic divergence between how courts and legislatures implement vague constitutional provisions. Whereas courts often implement such provisions by creating multi-factor standards, legislatures tend to do so by enacting relatively precise rules. This divergence, I argue, results from how certain linguistic properties of vague expressions gain or lose salience depending on the institutional contexts in which the expressions are being applied. Courts and legislatures may agree (at least implicitly) that a text is vague, but each institution may perceive the text as exhibiting a different kind of vagueness. This clash in perceptions will, in turn, lead courts and legislatures to diverge in their strategies for implementing the vague text. Thus, vague constitutional texts can significantly influence both judicial and legislative constitutional decisionmaking. This influence has gone unnoticed, however, because it works on courts and legislatures in starkly different ways.
Crystalline Intermediates and Their Transformation Kinetics during the Formation of Methylammonium Lead Halide Perovskite Thin Films

The morphology of methylammonium lead halide perovskite thin films significantly affects the performance of opto-electronic devices that comprise them. Using X-ray diffraction studies, we elucidated the mechanisms of thin-film formation to complete the complex picture of structural development of perovskites under an inert atmosphere. The presence of excess methylammonium iodide during perovskite crystallization leads to the formation of layered intermediates and low-dimensional perovskites; these intermediates are correlated with the formation of large and continuous grains in the final films. When the precursors are present in stoichiometric equivalence, initial stages of crystallization instead involve the formation of solvates; the fully crystallized films have poor surface coverage and comprise needle-like structures. The activation energy of crystallization in films with stoichiometric excess methylammonium iodide is higher than that for films comprising stoichiometrically equivalent precursors; the...
Older Women in New Romantic Relationships: Understanding the Meaning and Importance of Sex in Later Life

Although research has found that sexual activity declines with age, most of this literature examines people in long-term marriages. Little is known about the initiation of new sexual relationships in later life. In-depth interviews with 14 women aged 64 to 77 years were conducted to examine their personal and collective narratives regarding sexuality in later life. In contrast to common perceptions, none of the participants felt that aging had negatively impacted their own sexuality. For many, this was a time in their lives when they were experiencing renewed sexual desire and enjoyment. Even though sex might not have held the same priority as when they were younger, it held a place of importance in their romantic relationships. The discussion focuses on understanding women’s sexual relationships and behaviors within the context of their cohort and lives.
Acute liver injury and failure.

Acute liver injury and acute liver failure are syndromes characterized by a rapid loss of functional hepatocytes in a patient with no evidence of pre-existing liver disease. A variety of inciting causes have been identified, including toxic, infectious, neoplastic, and drug-induced causes. This article reviews the pathophysiology and clinical approach to the acute liver injury/acute liver failure patient, with a particular emphasis on the diagnostic evaluation and care in the acute setting.
Acetyl-CoA production from pyruvate is not necessary for preservation of myelin

Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells not only form myelin in the central and peripheral nervous system, but also provide metabolic and trophic support to the axons they ensheathe. Acetyl-CoA is potentially a key molecule in Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes because it is at the crossroads of cellular lipid biosynthesis and energy generation. The main route for acetyl-CoA production is the oxidation of pyruvate by the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC). PDC deficiency in humans results in neurodegeneration and developmental impairments in both white and gray matter structures. To address the importance of PDC in myelinating glia, we deleted Pdha1 gene specifically in oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. Surprisingly, sciatic and optic nerve morphology and the motor performance of Pdha1f/Y; CnpCre/+ mice are undistinguishable from those of controls at 1 month of age. In addition, myelin is stably maintained for at least 10 months. However, Pdha1f/Y; CnpCre/+ mice showed reduced fiber density and signs of axonal degeneration in both sciatic and optic nerves from 6 months of age. In contrast, 10 month-old mice bearing a floxed Pdha1 gene with either P0-Cre (expressed only by Schwann cells) or NG2-CreER (expressed in oligodendrocyte precursor cells) do not show any sign of axonal pathology or alterations in myelin structure or thickness. This indicates that the axonopathy is specific to the Pdha1f/Y; CnpCre/+ mice. Taken together, these results suggest that acetyl-CoA derived from pyruvate is not necessary for myelin maintenance and, thus, myelin-forming cells are not likely to contribute to the pathophysiology of PDC deficiency.
Machine learning methods for computational psychology

Advances in sensing and imaging have provided psychology researchers new tools to understand how the brain creates the mind and simultaneously revealed the need for a new paradigm of mind-brain correspondence– a set of basic theoretical tenets and an overhauled methodology. I develop machine learning methods to overcome three initial technical barriers to application of the new paradigm. I assess candidate solutions to these problems using two test datasets representing different areas of psychology: the first aiming to build more objective Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnostic tools using virtual reality and peripheral physiology, the second aiming to verify theoretical tenets of the new paradigm in a study of basic affect using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). Specifically I address three technical challenges: assessing performance in small, real datasets through stability; learning from labels of varying quality; and probabilistic representations of dynamical systems.
Anisotropic Cracking of Nanocrystal Superlattices

The synthesis colloidal nanocrystals in nonpolar organic solvents has led to exceptional size- and shape-control, enabling the formation of nanocrystal superlattices isostructural to atomic lattices built with nanocrystals rather than atoms. The long aliphatic ligands (e.g., oleic acid) used to achieve this control separate nanocrystals too far in the solid state for most charge-transporting devices. Solid-state ligand exchange, which brings particles closer together and enhances conductivity, necessitates large changes in the total volume of the solid (compressive stress), which leads to film cracking. In this work, truncate octahedral lead selenide nanocrystals are shown to self-assemble into body-centered cubic superlattices in which the atomic axes of the individual nanocrystals are coaligned with the crystal axes of the superlattice. Due to this coalignment, upon ligand exchange of the superlattices, cracking is preferentially observed on ⟨011⟩ superlattice directions. This observation is related to ...
Catalysis as an Enabling Science for Sustainable Polymers

The replacement of current petroleum-based plastics with sustainable alternatives is a crucial but formidable challenge for the modern society. Catalysis presents an enabling tool to facilitate the development of sustainable polymers. This review provides a system-level analysis of sustainable polymers and outlines key criteria with respect to the feedstocks the polymers are derived from, the manner in which the polymers are generated, and the end-of-use options. Specifically, we define sustainable polymers as a class of materials that are derived from renewable feedstocks and exhibit closed-loop life cycles. Among potential candidates, aliphatic polyesters and polycarbonates are promising materials due to their renewable resources and excellent biodegradability. The development of renewable monomers, the versatile synthetic routes to convert these monomers to polyesters and polycarbonate, and the different end-of-use options for these polymers are critically reviewed, with a focus on recent advances in c...
Robotic-Assisted Microsurgery for Male Infertility and Chronic Orchialgia

Robotic-assisted microsurgery is currently being utilized for the treatment of male infertility and chronic groin and testicular pain. The advantages appear to include enhanced magnification, improved surgical efficiency, decreased tremor, and similar outcomes. This chapter covers robotic microsurgical application and techniques for vasectomy reversal, varicocelectomy, testicular sperm extraction, and denervation of the spermatic cord.
Homeless Youths’ Interests in Social Action via Photovoice

Engaging homeless youth in services is challenging. Novel methods are needed to better retain and empower this population. Photovoice, an innovative form of community-based participatory research, ...
Controversies in the Management of Central Cord Syndrome: The State of the Art.

Traumatic central cord syndrome is an incomplete spinal cord injury characterized primarily by disproportionate motor and sensory loss in the upper extremities compared with the lower extremities.Initial management of central cord syndrome includes immobilization in a rigid cervical orthosis, mainta
On the Diophantine Equation x4 + ay4 = u2 + bv2

(1916). On the Diophantine Equation x4 + ay4 = u2 + bv2. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 23, No. 9, pp. 321-329.
Change leadership in the 21st century

The purpose of this paper is to examine the field of change leadership at the beginning of the twenty-first century.,The meta-framework presented in this study is a review of the field of change leadership over a 16-year period. The authors reviewed hundreds of peer-reviewed refereed journal articles and books.,The authors identify the key themes in the study of change leadership through the lens of content and process frames of reference.,The authors identify how these new perspectives of change leadership change the way we think about/approach the field of change leadership.
Direct Method of Quantitation of Platelet-Embolus and Residence Time in Brain with Radiolabeled Platelets Formed by Photodenudation of Endothelial Cells of Carotid Artery in a Rat Model

Platelet-thrombus was induced in Wistar rat (300-350 gm) model by photoactivation of common carotid artery. Heterologous blood were collected in ACD-anticoagulant and platelets were separated and labeled with 111In tropolone; 50-100 μCi of 111In platelets were infused in anesthetized rats and carotid injury was induced for 6 minutes of laser-irradiation at 20-30 minutes of equilibration time. The rats were heparinized and sacrificed by decapitation at 30 and 180 minutes after injury and brain was removed and sectioned for measurement of regional radioactivity. The sections were weighed in a microbalance and radioactivity was measured in a gamma-counter in the 111In channel. The ratios of normalized radioactivity of 16 sections of brain to blood are higher in the thrombus-trapping areas of middle cerebral arteries. The ratio of radioactivity of right to left brain (control) and platelet-density per gram of tissue was calculated. The ratios at 15 minutes was higher in the posterior brain and similar values at 180 minutes, suggesting that these emboli may not resolve without pharmacological intervention with fibrinolytic agents. This tracer technique provided a simple technique for monitoring the size of thrombus, their cerebral distribution, right/left assymetry and residence time providing a baseline for interventional therapy.
Development of a mathematical model to predict pool sizes and rates of digestion of 2 pools of digestible neutral detergent fiber and an undigested neutral detergent fiber fraction within various forages

The digestion of neutral detergent fiber treated with amylase and sodium sulfite and ash corrected (aNDFom) has been described as a single digestible pool and a fraction undigested in ruminants. Further, most models that predict rate and extent of digestion of aNDFom in the rumen assume first-order processes, in which the rates of digestion and passage are proportional to the pool size of aNDFom consumed and digested. Data exist demonstrating that the undigested fraction of aNDFom is not well described by a fixed coefficient and varies by maturity and agronomic growing conditions of the plant. Thus, our objective was to improve the prediction of digestible aNDFom (pdNDF) and to quantify, using a minimum number of fermentation time points, 2 pools of digestible aNDFom, pdNDF1 and pdNDF2, and their respective rates. Based on fermentations from 0 to 240 h among 34 forages (grasses, conventional and brown midrib corn silages, and alfalfas), 3 pools were described by aNDFomt = pdNDF1 × e-k1(t-L) + pdNDF2 × e-k2(t-L) + uNDF, where aNDFomt is the residue at time t; L is the lag; k1 is the rate of digestion of pdNDF1; k2 is the rate of digestion of pdNDF2; and uNDF the unavailable NDF on an aNDFom basis. A nonlinear estimation allowed the computation of the pool size and respective digestion rates. Using 3 time points from the digestion curve, 30, 120, and 240 h, as the fermentation endpoints to represent uNDF, we optimized the same model in Vensim (Ventana Simulation Environment; Ventana Systems Inc., Belmont, MA) to obtain rates and pool sizes of aNDFom. In addition, the same optimization was also performed with 2 timepoints and a forage type-specific range for uNDF. Parameters (with and without uNDF) obtained per forage using Vensim were compared by fitting kinetics data from the nonlinear calculations, using coefficients of determination and residual mean squares at convergence for ranking purposes for the whole equation and mean squared prediction errors for specific parameters. The highest coefficient of determination (0.98) and lowest mean square prediction error [0.0927 (NDF-1)2] were obtained when using 48, 120, and 240 h of aNDFom residues or when using 30 and 120 h and a range for the forage-specific uNDFom. Correlations were in all cases consistently high for all kinetic parameters, ranging from 0.76 to 0.99. Results demonstrated that an adequate description of the heterogeneity of aNDFom disappearance was possible without multiple fermentation time points. The equation was fit to all data generated; however, because of the variable nature of pool sizes and rates, forage-specific equations should be developed for better estimations of the forage specific pool sizes and uNDF estimation. This study further describes the heterogeneous nature of aNDFom disappearance and provides an approach for estimating the individual pool sizes and rates of digestion for application for diet formulation.
A Detailed Model of Rear-Side Irradiance for Bifacial PV Modules

We describe and validate a method for modeling irradiance on the back surface of bifacial PV modules at the scale of individual cells using view factors. We compare model results with irradiance measurements on the back of PV modules in various configurations. Our analysis illustrates the relative accuracy of the model as well as the potential variation in back surface irradiance among the cells.
Cost effect of surgeon and patient discretion in regard to cataract surgery.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the cost effect of surgeon and patient discretion in regard to cataract surgery and how this affects population health care costs. Methods A model of cataract progression was created from preexisting published data and combined with mortality data and Medicare cataract statistics to estimate the effect of mortality on decreasing the rate of cataract surgery if surgery was delayed until any cataract progression occurred. Results Five-year cataract progression rates were determined for a given patient age, sex, and type of cataract. Combined with 5-year death rates, delaying surgery until progression occurred resulted in a 1.1% decrease in surgery for nuclear sclerosis at age 45 that increased to a 33.8% decrease by age 90; a 1.5% decrease in surgery for cortical cataract at age 45 that increased to a 51.1% decrease by age 90; and a 1.6% decrease in surgery for posterior subcapsular at age 45 that increased to a 59.7% decrease by age 90. The effect of this decrease in surgical volume on Medicare was estimated to result in a 13% overall decrease in cataract surgery annually at a cost of ~$660 million dollars per year. Conclusion Overall, we conclude that surgeon and patient discretion in regard to cataract surgery has a substantial cost effect with the potential to reduce surgical volume by as much as 13% by the decision to delay surgery as a result of patient mortality.
Autonomic nervous system and neuroimmune interactions: New insights and clinical implications

Normal organ function, homeostasis, and adaptation through change (allostasis) require close reciprocal interactions between the autonomic and the immune systems. The 3 subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system—sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric nervous system (ENS)—as well as primary sensory afferents, receive signals from immune cells and release neurochemical transmitters that regulate the functions of these cells. These neuroimmune interactions occur at multiple levels, including the gut, the CNS, and lymphoid organs. For example, enteric neurons and glial cells interact with enteroendocrine cells and local macrophages and can sense signals from the gut lumen, including those from the microbiota; these signals elicit local immune responses and reach the CNS via humoral and neural pathways. Interleukins (ILs) and other signals from immune cells can access the hypothalamus via the neurovascular unit or circumventricular organs; these signals can also activate receptors in nerve terminals, such as vagal afferents, and thereby reach the brainstem. In response to these signals, the CNS initiates immunomodulatory autonomic and endocrine responses. For example, sympathetic output to lymphoid organs, including the spleen, elicits potent anti-inflammatory responses via β2 adrenergic receptors (adrenoceptors) expressed in multiple cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Vagal efferents affect immune responses in the gut via the ENS, and both vagal and dorsal root ganglion afferents trigger immunomodulatory responses via antidromic release of neuropeptides and other signals at the target organs. Since the last review on autonomic control of immune function in this series,1 studies performed primarily on mice have provided new insight into the role of the microbiota, enteric neurons and glial cells, and autonomic immunomodulatory pathways in these neuroimmune interactions. These studies have elucidated some mechanisms by which these interactions may contribute to the pathophysiology of neurologic disorders including multiple sclerosis (MS) and spinal cord injury (SCI). These findings thus have potential therapeutic implications. There are several recent reviews on these topics.2–12
Maternal Self-efficacy and Maternal Depressive Symptoms on Parent-child Shared Book Reading

Purpose: Parent-child shared book reading has been shown to be related to a child’s language growth, emergent literacy, and reading achievement. Maternal depressive symptoms have been shown to be associated with less shared book reading. Though maternal self-efficacy is associated with both positive parenting practices and maternal depression, little is known about its relation to shared book reading. This study sought to determine if maternal …
A Comparison of Rural and Academic Training Environments for Third-Year Medical Students on a Family Medicine Rotation.

Background and objectives Medical students have been training in rural environments for many years. However, there is sparse research demonstrating that training in a rural environment provides an equivalent learning experience to training in an academic medical setting. This study addresses that gap by comparing student performance after training in rural or community environment versus an academic setting while completing the family medicine clerkship. Methods Participants in this retrospective cohort study were students who completed an 8-week family medicine third-year clerkship between 2013 and 2016. Half spent the first 4 weeks in a rural or community setting while the other half were in an academic setting. These placements were reversed after midterm exams. Data were collected from both student academic files and from rural rotation tracking systems at two time points: midterm and following the 8-week rotation. Results Results from our sample of 159 medical students (89 [56.0%] male and 70 [44.0%] female) revealed no statistically significant differences in students' midterm (P=.63) and final scores (P=.74) based on training locations. Conclusions Study findings suggest that rural and academic clerkships provide equivalent levels of knowledge for family medicine students. This finding has particular relevance for students whose intent is to practice in a rural location. Additional research is needed to identify if these findings are generalizable to other medical schools and locations.
Cloning, expression, purification, and preliminary characterization of single-crystal X-ray diffraction of glucosyltransferase B of streptococcus mutans

Dental caries characterized by acid damage of tooth enamel is a persistent disease that begins with the formation of biofilms on the tooth surface. The secreted glucosyltransferases enable Streptoc...
The impact of systematic review of status 7 patients on the kidney transplant waitlist

Increased morbidity and mortality are well documented in Status 7(inactive list) patients. Delays in transplantation secondary to prolonged periods on inactive status also negatively impacts transplant outcomes. We developed an effective system to reduce the proportion of status 7 patients on our kidney transplant waitlist. This can easily be reproduced by other transplant centers since concerns about Status 7 list size are commonplace. Meetings of a dedicated status 7 focus group were undertaken biweekly beginning in April 2016, each lasting for 1 hour or less. The group was led by a transplant physician and comprised of members from all disciplines of the kidney transplant department. Individual patient barriers to activation were systematically evaluated and action plans were developed to overcome those. The formal meetings were supplemented by updates to an electronic database accessible to all members of the team. In the first 2 years of the program, we were able to activate and eventually transplant 18% of the formerly inactive patients. Forty percent of all inactive patients were removed from the waitlist due to one or more unsurmountable barriers. The median time patients stayed inactive on the waitlist was shortened from 1344 days at the start of this initiative to 581 days at the end. This strategy of systematic reevaluation of status 7 patients resulted in successful disposition of a substantial number of inactive patients. Further, waitlist time was reduced and transplantation expedited for the appropriate individuals. This approach could easily be adapted by other transplant centers with minimum utilization of resources.
Automatic methods for continuous state space abstraction

Reinforcement learning algorithms are often tasked with learning an optimal control policy in a continuous state space. Since it is infeasible to learn the optimal action to take for every possible observation in a continuous state space, useful abstractions of the space must be constructed and subsequently learned on. Abstraction techniques that generalize the space into very few abstract states must take care to avoid creating an abstraction that prevents learning the optimal policy. Many commonly used abstractions, such as CMAC can take considerable effort to tune to ensure a learnable abstraction is created. In this work we propose three methods that derive state abstractions automatically, in part by making use of the dimensionality reduction capability of the RL-SANE algorithm. We show that abstractions derived from these automatic methods can allow a learning algorithm to converge to the optimal policy faster than with a fixed abstraction. Additionally, these techniques are able to break the space into very few abstract states, further facilitating rapid learning.
Rising in the East: Disney Rehearses Chinese Consumers at a Glocalized Shanghai Disneyland

In the years of planning and constructing Shanghai Disneyland (SDL), Disney executives practiced glocalization, repeating the mantra “authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese.” In this chapter Laura MacDonald examines how this mantra manifests in the musical stage performances found in the SDL theme park. In The Lion King and in the park’s other live shows, Chinese culture such as the Monkey King and acrobats have been incorporated, while other aspects of the entertainment experience remain American. MacDonald considers localizations in the park’s live performances, casting, and marketing and evaluates the strategy behind the cross-cultural collaboration that Broadway musical theatre represents at SDL. Chinese consumers are themselves products of glocalization—the process of creating products and services for a global market that are simultaneously global and local. SDL facilitates that very process of grooming consumers for the global marketplace, developing the Chinese appetite for the broad menu of Disney brands, while reinforcing the distinctions and pleasures of local Chinese culture.
Keeping a finger on the pulse—a brief history of cardiovascular medicine

Abstract This review of the history of cardiology starts with the Ancient Egyptians and brings us into the modern era of emerging technologies in the 21st century. This narrative explains how anatomic dissection and experimental methods in the ancient and medieval worlds challenged traditional thinking ultimately leading to Harvey’s discovery of the circulation. The Renaissance and Enlightenment periods brought scientific method to clinical medicine, introducing instruments of precision that augmented and standardized physical examination. Scientific inquiry into the physiology of the heart in the early 20th century led to an understanding of electrophysiology and cardiac dynamics. Antibiotics conquered the major causes of valvular disorders and opened the doors to inquiry into the problem of coronary insufficiency and its consequences. The second half of the 20th century was an era of cardiac surgery, starting with repair of damaged valves, congenital anomalies, and re-vascularization of the heart leading up to prosthetic valves, interventional cardiology, ablation of arrhythmogenic foci in the heart, and heart transplants.
Stress Coping Strategies as Mediators: Toward a Better Understanding of Sexual, Substance, and Delinquent Behavior-Related Risk-Taking among Transition-Aged Youth

Transitional aged youth (18–24) report increasing and peaking risk-taking (sexual, substance, and delinquent behavior). Stressful life events (SLE) are associated with these risk-taking behaviors. ...
Active Power Nodes for Increased Energy Resources Availability in Distribution Networks

This paper explores the effects of modular, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) power electronic interfaces with embedded energy storage on the availability of distributed energy resources, i.e. photovoltaics and energy storage, within a DC-based distribution network. These effects are evaluated both quantitatively and experimentally with Monte Carlo simulations. The chosen MIMO converter interface, referred to as an active power distribution node (APDN), utilizes bi-directional ports and embedded energy storage to achieve both power-routing and power-buffering functionality as well as selectively promote the utilization of connected sources and loads. The detailed approach to evaluating availability uses Markov chain models to characterize a system’s operation and minimal cut sets (MCS) to determine the availability of the system’s power supplies. The main contribution of this work is derived from exploring the benefits of availability analysis incorporating simultaneous MCS – a phenomenon that is generally ignored for systems without modularity and embedded energy storage due to the high probability of an individual MCS over a simultaneous pair of MCS. It is important to evaluate the impact of such features on a distribution system both in terms of its electrical performance and availability benefits.
Anticipatory Resilience Bringing Back the Future into Urban Planning and Knowledge Systems

Anticipatory thinking is a critical component in urban planning practices and knowledge systems in an era of unpredictability and conflicting expectations of the future. This chapter introduces “anticipatory resilience” as a futures-oriented knowledge system that intentionally addresses uncertain climate conditions and explores alternative, desirable future states. It suggests a portfolio of tools suitable for building long-term foresight capacity in urban planning. Examples of knowledge systems interventions are presented to explore the trade-offs, constraints, possibilities, and desires of diverse future scenarios co-generated in settings with people that hold different perspectives, knowledge, and expectations.
Neutropsychic Personality: A Mathematical Approach to Psychology

Neutropsyche is the psychological theory that studies the soul or spirit using the neutrosophy and neutrosohic theories. Neutropsychic Personality is a neutrosophic dynamic open psychological system of tendencies to feel, think, and act specific to each individual. Neutrosophic Refined Memory: that restructured the division of memory into: consciousness, a-consciousness (which we introduce as a blend of consciousness and unconsciousness), and unconsciousness. In Neutrosophic Psychoanalysis Freud’s "id” (das Es) was renamed "under-ego” for a symmetry connection with "ego” and "super-ego” and a part of his Psychoanalysis was extended, while other part rejected. Each individual has a degree of antiTrait and a degree of Trait with respect to each antiTrait-Trait personality pair. Then two Neutrosophic Single-Valued and respectively Interval-Valued Diagrams were constructed, that were extended to any personality dimension n ≥ 1, where n is the number of antiTrait-Trait pairs. The Trait Personality manifests a Neutrosophic Evolution: with Degrees of Evolution, Indeterminacy, and Involution. Through adaptation and due to social selection, some personality traits evolve (and the genes that cause them come into expression), others remain unchanged (neutral) or their change is unclear or indeterminate as in neutrosophy (and the genes that cause them stay the same or their change is unclear), and a third category of personality traits - not or less needed in the new environment – involve (and the genes that cause them come off their expression).
Wav2vec-Switch: Contrastive Learning from Original-noisy Speech Pairs for Robust Speech Recognition.

The goal of self-supervised learning (SSL) for automatic speech recognition (ASR) is to learn good speech representations from a large amount of unlabeled speech for the downstream ASR task. However, most SSL frameworks do not consider noise robustness which is crucial for real-world applications. In this paper we propose wav2vec-Switch, a method to encode noise robustness into contextualized representations of speech via contrastive learning. Specifically, we feed original-noisy speech pairs simultaneously into the wav2vec 2.0 network. In addition to the existing contrastive learning task, we switch the quantized representations of the original and noisy speech as additional prediction targets of each other. By doing this, it enforces the network to have consistent predictions for the original and noisy speech, thus allows to learn contextualized representation with noise robustness. Our experiments on synthesized and real noisy data show the effectiveness of our method: it achieves 2.9--4.9% relative word error rate (WER) reduction on the synthesized noisy LibriSpeech data without deterioration on the original data, and 5.7% on CHiME-4 real 1-channel noisy data compared to a data augmentation baseline even with a strong language model for decoding. Our results on CHiME-4 can match or even surpass those with well-designed speech enhancement components.
Pellet fueling of helium-3 enclosed in Li and Be shells

The proposed design of a fuel pellet containing liquid /sup 3/He enclosed in a spherical Be shell of 300 mu m thickness and overcoated with D/sub 2/ solid is described. The pellet appears to be adequate for fueling large-size d//sup 3/He tokamaks. Smaller pellets of this design could be used for near-term experiments. The pellet fabrication should be simple and the components are nonradioactive. >
The Price-Output Correlation and the Variance of Output

Using data from Backus and Kehoe (1992) we establish the existence of a positive relationship between the price-output correlation and the variance of output. This is consistent with the idea that reductions in the magnitude of aggregate demand shocks have been the dominant cause of changes in the price-output correlation across countries and across time. By contrast, changes in the magnitude of aggregate supply shocks would impart a negative relationship between the price-output correlation and the variance of output. We also consider and rule out the possibility that a steepening of the aggregate supply curve is the cause of the negative price-output correlation in the postwar era. In the postwar period the variance of output and the price-output correlation both fell compared to the pre-WW II period. We argue that both these changes are likely the result of a more effective monetary policy.
Factors Influencing the Particle Size Distribution in an Abrasive Waterjet

A basic investigation of the factors which influence the abrasive jet mixing process was conducted. Particle size analysis was performed on abrasive samples for the “as-received” condition, at the exit of the mixing tube, and after cutting a target material. Grit size distributions were obtained through sieve analysis for both water and air collectors. Two different mixing chamber geometries were evaluated, as well as the effects of pressure, abrasive feed rate, cutting speed, and target material properties on particle size distributions. An analysis of the particle size distribution shows that the main particle breakdown is from 180 microns directly to 63 microns or less, for a nominal 80 grit garnet. This selective breakdown occurs during the cutting process, but not during the mixing process.
Langerhans cells and extra-epidermal dendritic cells. An investigation in laboratory animals and man with immunomorphological methods.

S-100 protein was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of dendritic cells (DCs) in normal and pathologic lymphoid tissues and epidermis in man and several other species. The presence of S-100) protein served to distinguish these cells from other mononuclear cells, most importantly from those of macrophage/histiocyte lineage. Fractionation procedures to isolate and enrich suspensions of DCs were coupled with immunocytochemical techniques to identify S-100-positive cells. Langerhans cells in the epidermis and in aural cholesteatomata and nodal, splenic, and thymic interdigitating cells were S-100-positive. Lymph node and splenic follicular dendritic cells (except in rats) were negative, indicating that this DC may be a separate cell type.
Identification of Cartographic Symbols from TV Displays

An experiment was conducted to investigate the resolution capability of TV displays in distinguishing details from line-maps and picto-maps, and to establish the relative merits of color and black-and-white TV display systems. The experimental variables included two display types, three map types, four symbol types, and three image-resolution levels. The results showed that a color display offered some advantage over a black-and-white display of equivalent effective resolution. However, a black-and-white system could provide the same performance at the expense of a slightly higher effective resolution. At an image-resolution level of nine TV-lines/mm, alphanumeric symbols were identified almost 100% correctly for all map types and display types. Area and line symbols achieved their maximum level of performance at five and seven TV-lines/mm, respectively. United States Geological Survey (USGS) 1:24,000 maps were significantly better than TOPOCOM line-maps and picto-maps.
Cytomegalovirus colitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Abstract The spectrum of presentation of complications in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is changing, in line with their improved survival. Infection of the colon with cytomegalovirus (CMV) is now more commonly encountered in clinical practice. We have reviewed the medical records of eleven patients with clinical and pathological evidence of CMV colitis. The clinical presentation, endoscopic and histological findings, and simultaneous infection of other organs with CMV are discussed. Diarrhoea in association with abdominal pain is the most frequent symptom complex in these patients and should raise the clinical index of suspicion for CMV colitis.
Mechanisms for increased adenylate cyclase responsiveness to TSH in neoplastic human thyroid tissue.

We have previously examined TSH receptors and adenylate cyclase (AC) activity in normal and neoplastic human thyroid tissue. We found only minor differences in the affinity and capacity of the TSH receptor between the normal and neoplastic tissue, and yet there was a five-fold greater AC responsiveness in the neoplastic thyroid tissue. To determine why there was a greater AC responsiveness to TSH in most differentiated thyroid neoplasms, we probed the receptor-cyclase unit which consists of at least 3 classes of components: the receptor (R), the guanyl nucleotide regulatory unit (G), and the catalytic unit (C). The G unit binds GTP and forms a link between R and C. We studied the effects of TSH, Gpp(NH)p (a non-hydrolyzable GTP analog) and sodium fluoride (NaF) (which act on G), and forskolin (which acts on C) on the receptor-cyclase unit. The results of these studies demonstrate that: (a) there was a greater AC response to TSH (5/6), Gpp(NH)p (3/5), and NaF (5/6) in T than N; (b) the AC response to forskolin was comparable in T and N in 5/6 patients and higher in T in 1 patient; (c) Gpp(NH)p, NaF, and forskolin all had an additive or synergistic effect when added to TSH in both N and T; (d) NaF and forskolin also had an additive or synergistic effect on AC, whereas Gpp(NH)p and forskolin together in N and Gpp(NH)p and NaF together in T caused a considerably less than additive AC response. These studies demonstrate that Gpp(NH)p, NaF, and forskolin at optimal concentrations have an additive effect on the AC response to TSH in both normal and neoplastic thyroid tissue and that the altered AC responsiveness to TSH in most, but not all, benign thyroid tumors and differentiated thyroid carcinomas appears to be secondary to an altered guanyl nucleotide regulatory protein.
Impact of hormone therapy for women aged 35 to 65 years, from contraception to hormone replacement

Abstract Background: Midlife women (aged 35–65 years) present a complex combination of clinical challenges and health care opportunities. To meet these issues effectively, recognition of the various phases of the entire menopausal transition is necessary, because each possesses unique biological properties underlying phase-specific clinical presentations. Objective: The aim of this article is to inform health care decisions by defining the endocrine, metabolic, and clinical consequences of therapeutic inaction or intervention at each stage of the midlife experience. Methods: Using PubMed, MEDLINE was searched for age- and phase-specific publications about ovarian function and corresponding clinical manifestations in women aged 35 to 65 years. Large, long-term longitudinal prospective, case-control, and observational studies were selected for inclusion. Results of the Framingham Heart Study, Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, Nurses' Health Study (NHS), and Women's Health Initiative (WHI), as well as materials from the World Health Organization and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, were obtained from the relevant groups' Web sites in 2008. Results: Synthesis of the data acquired, particularly the confirmatory and contrasting elements displayed in the WHI and NHS publications, leads to a set of guiding principles whereby individualized phase-specific management strategies may be safely employed. These include the value of weight control and exercise; use of specific nonhormonal therapies for defined indications; definition of strict inclusion/exclusion criteria; and individualization of timing, regimen, dosage, and portal of entry for possible hormone therapy. Conclusion: An evidence-based, restrictive inclusion/exclusion strategy can be used to maximize benefits and minimize risks for this large, growing, and health-conscious but increasingly vulnerable population.
Primary spinal cord oligodendroglioma: case report and review of the literature

The objectives were to present a case of pediatric spinal oligodendroglioma and review the existing literature written in English on the subject of human spinal oligodendrogliomas. A comparison of the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic characteristics, as they relate to those already described in similar cases, was also attempted. Thorough evaluation of the patient’s clinical course was undertaken. Presenting symptoms and signs are reported. The perioperative radiologic features of the case are presented and the intraoperative details as well as the pathologoanatomic findings and follow-up history are provided. We subsequently performed a thorough search in the literature focusing on the number, characteristics, treatment modalities, and prognosis of patients with spinal cord oligodendrogliomas. Spinal oligodendrogliomas are a distinctly rare type of nervous system tumor, especially in the pediatric population. An international registry addressing all of their clinical and pathobiological characteristics would be of great benefit to patients harboring these rare tumors.
Crystallographic studies on concanavalin B.

Abstract Concanavalin B has been grown as hexagonal needles and analyzed by x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The crystals are of space group P61 with a = 81A and c = 101A. There is one molecule of 30, 000 molecular weight as the asymmetric unit of the crystal. Electron micrographs demonstrate that the crystals maintain considerable order after dehydration and exhibit large intersticial solvent regions.
Detection and functional assessment of complement receptors on two murine macrophage-like cell lines☆

Abstract The complement receptors and associated activities of the murine macrophage-like cell lines P388D1 and IC-21 were compared with those of resident and thioglycolate-elicited peritoneal macrophages. Resident and P388D1 macrophages possessed receptors for both the C3b and C3d components of complement but failed to ingest particles bound to either of these receptor sites. Thioglycolate-elicited and IC-21 macrophages readily bound and ingested C3b particles but had reduced receptor and phagocytic activities when tested with C3d. These cell lines may represent distinct types of macrophages, each with an in vivo counterpart.
Facile Preparation of Hierarchically Porous Carbon Monoliths with Well-Ordered Mesostructures

By integration of gel casting with chemical vapor deposition (CVD), hierarchically porous carbon monoliths with either hexagonal or cubic mesostructures are prepared starting from well-ordered mesoporous silica powders (SBA-15 and KIT-6). Powdery silica particles are first fused together to form silica monoliths by the gel-casting method. Furfuryl alcohol at various concentrations in trimethylbenzene is used as carbon precursor. The use of low concentration of furfuryl alcohol, together with a secondary loading of carbon by the CVD method, allows an additional level of control over the hierarchical porosity of carbon monoliths. In addition, monolithic carbon materials with connected hexagonally packed nanopipes are fabricated for the first time here from large-pore SBA-15. The carbon monoliths exhibit macroporosity, well-ordered mesoporosity with either hexagonal or bicontinuous cubic symmetry, and controlled microporosity. The method described can be extended to prepare other types of carbon monoliths wi...
Generalized Decision Scoring Rules: Statistical, Computational, and Axiomatic Properties

We pursue a design by social choice, evaluation by statistics and computer science paradigm to build a principled framework for discovering new social choice mechanisms with desirable statistical, computational, and social choice axiomatic properties. Our new framework is called generalized decision scoring rules (GDSRs), which naturally extend generalized scoring rules [Xia and Conitzer 2008] to arbitrary preference space and decision space, including sets of alternatives with fixed or unfixed size, rankings, and sets of rankings. We show that GDSRs cover a wide range of existing mechanisms including MLEs, Chamberlin and Courant rule, and resolute, irresolute, and preference function versions of many commonly studied voting rules. We provide a characterization of statistical consistency for any GDSR w.r.t. any statistical model and asymptotically tight bounds on the convergence rate. We investigate the complexity of winner determination and a wide range of strategic behavior called vote operations for all GDSRs, and prove a general phase transition theorem on the minimum number of vote operations for the strategic entity to succeed. We also characterize GDSRs by two social choice normative properties: anonymity and finite local consistency.
Minimum-Via Topological Routing

A new approach to the two-dimensional routing utilizing two layers is proposed. It consists of two major steps, topological routing and geometrical mapping. This paper describes the topological routing algorithm in detail. Based on a circle graph representation of the net intersection information of the routing problem, a maximal set of nets that can be routed without vias are selected. The layer assignments for the selected nets are determined by a global analysis so that the total number of vias needed is minimum. The layer assignment problem turns out to be a maximum-cut problem on an edge-weighted graph and we developed a greedy algorithm for it. According to the layer assignments, the detailed topological routes are then generated.