cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fast native function calls for the Babel language interoperability framework

Babel is an open-source language interoperability framework tailored to the needs of high-performance scientific computing. Its primary focus is on fast in-process communication across various languages. In doing so, some additional call overhead is often inevitable. For several pairs of languages, however, shortcuts exist that allow for more efficient function calls. As Babel is a dynamic framework, the particular set of languages involved is often only known at runtime. In this work, we present a simple yet very effective optimization that can be used to reduce the call overhead between various pairs of languages. In particular, our optimization is applicable if caller and callee are implemented in the same language. We implement and evaluate these techniques for C++ and Python. When applicable, our optimization virtually eliminates the overhead for a small memory cost. Compared to previous versions of Babel, this means a speedup ranging from about 5x for simple numerical argument types up to roughly 125x for strings.
Effects of Dobutamine Stress on Myocardial Blood Flow, 99mTc Sestamibi Uptake, and Systolic Wall Thickening in the Presence of Coronary Artery Stenoses Implications for Dobutamine Stress Testing

Background Although dobutamine stress is used with both 99mTc sestamibi (sestamibi) myocardial perfusion imaging and echocardiography for detecting coronary artery stenoses, the impact of stenosis severity on test end points (myocardial sestamibi uptake and systolic thickening, respectively) has not been clearly defined. Methods and Results In 15 open-chest dogs, dobutamine (2.5 to 30 μg · kg−1 · min−1) was infused after placement of an LAD stenosis that reduced (n=8) or abolished (n=7) flow reserve. In dogs with reduced flow reserve, the stenotic-to-normal sestamibi activity ratio (0.86±0.03) significantly underestimated the ≈2-to-1 dobutamine-induced flow disparity at the time of sestamibi injection (flow ratio, 0.53±0.04; P<.001). Stenotic-zone thickening increased at low but not at higher doses of dobutamine (2.9±0.4 versus 4.2±0.4 mm in normal zone at peak dobutamine; P=.055) but did not fall below baseline (2.7±0.3 mm). Similarly, in dogs with absent flow reserve, the sestamibi activity ratio (0.78±...
Clinical phenotypes and prognostic full-field electroretinographic findings in Stargardt disease.

Purpose To investigate the relationships between clinical and full-field electroretinographic (ERG) findings and progressive loss of visual function in Stargardt disease. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods We performed a retrospective review of data from 198 patients with Stargardt disease. Measures of visual function over time, including visual acuity, quantified Goldmann visual fields, and full-field ERG data were recorded. Data were analyzed using SAS statistical software. Subgroup analyses were performed on 148 patients with ERG phenotypic data, 46 patients with longitudinal visual field data, and 92 patients with identified ABCA4 mutations (46 with 1 mutation, and 47 with 2 or more mutations). Results Of 46 patients with longitudinal visual field data, 8 patients with faster central scotoma progression rates had significantly worse scotopic B-wave amplitudes at their initial assessment than 20 patients with stable scotomata ( P = .014) and were more likely to have atrophy beyond the arcades ( P = .047). Overall, 47.3% of patients exhibited abnormal ERG results, with rod–cone dysfunction in 14.2% of patients, cone–rod dysfunction in 17.6% of patients, and isolated cone dysfunction in 15.5% of patients. Abnormal values in certain ERG parameters were associated significantly with (maximum-stimulation A- and B-wave amplitudes) or tended toward (photopic and scotopic B-wave amplitudes) a higher mean rate of central scotoma progression compared with those patients with normal ERG values. Scotoma size and ERG parameters differed significantly between those with a single mutation versus those with multiple mutations. Conclusions Full-field ERG examination provides clinically relevant information regarding the severity of Stargardt disease, likelihood of central scotoma expansion, and visual acuity deterioration. Patients also may exhibit an isolated cone dystrophy on ERG examination.
FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE ROLE OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX IN THE METABOLISM OF AMINO ACIDS

PREVIOUS data derived from the measurement of urea formation in nephrectomized rats have been interpreted to indicate that the adrenal cortex was not concerned in the catabolism of amino acids (Engel, Schiller and Pentz, 1949; Bondy, Engel and Farrar, 1949). Neither adrenal cortical extract nor previous adrenalectomy were found to have any measurable effect on the rate of urea formation during a 3–4 hour period following the intravenous administration of amino acids. Indeed, our results were interpreted as indicating that the intravenous administration of amino acids actually suppressed the catabolism of endogenous protein that occurred after administration of cortical extract. Bondy (1949) showed indisputably that adrenal extract had an effect on peripheral protein by demonstrating an increased accumulation of amino acids in the plasma of eviscerated rats treated with adrenal extract. This has been confirmed in cortisone-treated eviscerated rats (Ingle, 1950). Both the accelerated accumulation of amino acids
Seasonal fluctuations in deep-sea sediment community oxygen consumption: central and eastern North Pacific

Seasonal fluctuations in deep-sea sediment community oxygen consumption: central and eastern North Pacific
Software Factories: Assembling Applications with Patterns, Models, Frameworks, and Tools

The confluence of component based development, model driven development and software product lines forms an approach to application development based on the concept of software factories. This approach promises greater gains in productivity and predictability than those produced by incremental improvements to the current paradigm of object orientation, which have not kept pace with innovation in platform technology. Software factories promise to make application assembly more cost effective through systematic reuse, enabling the formation of supply chains and opening the door to mass customization.
Isolation of Radioactive Vitamin B12 from Incubation Mixtures containing Glycine-2-14C and Turkey Liver Homogenates

STUDIES carried out with tracer techniques indicate that α-carbon of glycine gives rise to a single-carbon moiety at the oxidation-level of formaldehyde and this combines with α-carbon of another molecule of glycine to give rise to serine1. However, no free formaldehyde per se but formic acid has been isolated from the reaction mixtures containing liver homogenates, glycine-2-14C or serine-3-14C2,3. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments, compounds of the type of hydroxymethyltetrahydrofolic acid are produced from glycine and serine4,5 and this is strong indirect evidence for the formation of formaldehyde from α-carbon of glycine or β-carbon of serine.
Black Churches and HIV/AIDS: Factors Influencing Congregations’ Responsiveness to Social Issues

The ambivalent response of many black churches to current social issues has caused some scholars to question the centrality of black churches within African-American communities. Using a nationally representative sample of black congregations, this study engages the debate about the institutional centrality of black churches by focusing on their response to HIV/AIDS. Although many congregational studies treat black churches as a monolithic whole, this analysis identifies heterogeneity among black churches that shapes their responsiveness to social issues. Contrary to prior claims, a congregation's liberal-conservative ideological orientation does not significantly affect its likelihood of having an HIV/AIDS program. Beyond assessing churches’ internal characteristics, this study uses institutional theory to analyze churches as open systems that can be influenced by their surrounding environment. It demonstrates that externally engaged congregations are significantly more likely to have a program. These results indicate that black churches maintain institutional centrality by engaging their external environment.
Assessment of radio frequency ablation treatment of hepatic tumors

It is fundamentally important that all cancerous cells be adequately destroyed during Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) procedures. To help achieve this goal, probe manufacturers advise physicians to increase the treatment region by one centimeter (1cm) in all directions around the diseased tissue. This enlarged treatment region provides a buffer to insure that cancer cells that migrated into surrounding tissue are adequately treated and necrose. Even though RFA is a minimally invasive, image-guided procedure, it is difficult for physicians to confidently follow the specified treatment protocol. In this paper we visually assess an RFA treatment by comparing a registered image set containing the untreated tumor, including the 1 cm safety boundary, to that of an image set containing the treated region acquired one month after surgery. For this study, we used Computerized Tomography images as both the tumor and treated regions are visible. To align the image sets of the abdomen, we investigate three different registration techniques; an affine transform that minimizes the correlation ratio, a point (or landmark) based 3D thin-plate spline approach, and a nonlinear B-spline elastic registration methodology. We found the affine registration technique simple and easy to use because it is fully automatic. Unfortunately, this method resulted in the largest visible discrepancy between the liver in the fused images. The thin-plate spline technique required the physician to identify corresponding landmarks in both image sets, but resulted in better visual accuracy in the fused images. Finally, the non-linear, B-spline, elastic registration technique used the registration results of the thin-plate spline method as a starting point and then required a significant amount of computation to determine its transformation, but also provided the most visually accurate fused image set.
Solution of the transverse patterning problem: Response to cue-cue relations

The transverse patterning problem was studied in adult human Ss. As hypothesized, the addition of a nonspatial dimension varying among the settings comprising the cue-cue patterns decreased the difficulty of this discrimination task. Contrary to Spence (1952), a number of Ss solved the problem by means of responding to the cue-cue patterns, even though the additional nonspatial dimension permitted solution on the basis of a less complex type of pattern.
Ankylosing Spondylitis With Subsequent Development of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjögren'S Syndrome, and Rheumatoid Vasculitis

Twelve years after the onset of ankylosing spondylitis, a patient developed severe seropositive rheumatoid arthritis with subcutaneous nodules. This was subsequently complicated by Sjogren's syndrome and rheumatoid vasculitis. The literature is reviewed, and the nature of the association between ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis is discussed.
EVALUATION OF A MULTICOMPONENT INTERVENTION FOR DIURNAL BRUXISM IN A YOUNG CHILD WITH AUTISM

Bruxism, forceful grinding of one's teeth together, can produce destructive outcomes such as wear on the teeth and damaged gums and bone structures. The current study implemented a multicomponent intervention that consisted of vocal and physical cues to decrease rates of bruxism. A partial component analysis suggested that the vocal cue was only effective at decreasing levels of bruxism when paired with a simultaneous physical cue.
Disposition of tritium‐labeled spirolactones in the dog

The disposition and metabolism of spironolactone (I), canrenone (II), and potassium canrenoate (III) in dogs were followed by fluorescence methods and by tritium label of I and III. Spironolactone was rapidly converted to nonfluorogenic, possibly reduced, metabolites, which were concentrated in the bile fluid (35% of the dose within 6 hr.). The 4,6-dienone, III, followed a similar metabolic pathway to nonfluorogenic metabolites; however, it was eliminated at a slower rate than I. Urinary excretion was rather low (about 2% of the dose in 6 hr.), and gastric cycling was virtually absent. A preliminary pharmacokinetic model in the dog is suggested. Equimolar amounts of I and II were given perorally and intravenously for absorption studies. The bioavailability to the central compartment was about 40% following oral doses, whereas the absorption amounted to about 80% when judged by the biliary excretion after oral and intravenous doses. The difference is explained by the effective hepatic clearance following oral administration.
Neural tube defect rates before and after food fortification with folic acid.

BACKGROUND Since 1998, enriched cereal grains sold in the United States have been fortified with folic acid, to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that NTD rates have decreased 26% since fortification, but that additional effort is needed to achieve the national goal of a 50% reduction. However, accurate determination of NTD rates requires counting antenatally detected cases; the CDC study noted that the number of prenatally diagnosed cases was likely underestimated. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined studies from the United States and Canada that compared rates of NTDs before and after very similar fortification programs were instituted in each country. U.S. studies had incomplete ascertainment of prenatally diagnosed NTD cases, and as a result, underreported the number of NTDs prevented. Canadian studies, in which ascertainment was more complete, showed decreases in NTD rates up to 54%. CONCLUSIONS There is a strong correlation between the completeness of ascertainment and the percentage decrease in NTD rates. Studies that identify cases best show that folic acid fortification is preventing around 50% of NTDs. The percentage of NTDs that are folate-preventable in the United States is uncertain, but is probably 50–60%. Thus, we may be quite close to achieving the optimum level of protection at current fortification levels. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2004. Published 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Mass-Spectrometric Study of Photoionization. VI. O 2 , CO 2 , COS, and CS 2 †

Photoionization-efficiency curves are obtained for the molecule and fragment ions of the subject molecules in the wavelength region extending from onset of ionization to 600 A. The initial onset of O2+ is observed at 12.072 eV. Autoionization in the continuum is correlated with various progressions of Rydberg series. Curves for both O+ and O− ions formed by the ion–pair process from O2 are obtained and 1.48 eV is derived for the electron affinity of oxygen atoms. The shape of the CO2+ curve including structure ascribed to autoionization is discussed. The unresolved 2Пg-doublet threshold is observed at 13.77 eV with the first vibrational level at 13.93 eV. The onset of the O+-fragment ion indicates about 0.04 eV excess energy in the dissociation process. It is suggested that dissociative ionization occurs from the autoionizing Rydberg level just above the calculated threshold value. Partially resolved doublet components of COS+ are observed at 11.18 and 11.22 eV, respectively. Intense autoionization is observed. Various thermochemical values are calculated from the fragment-ion thresholds. The doublet components of the ion ground state of CS2+ are observed at 10.059 and 10.112 eV, respectively. Intense autoionization is observed at wavelengths which are in excellent agreement with known Rydberg levels for the molecule. Although the S+ ion is formed with excess energy, the CS+ ion gives a value of 11.71 eV for the ionization energy of the CS radical. This is in agreement with but more precise than a directly measured electron-impact value.
Phase separation during co-deposition of Al-Ge thin films

We present the results of a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of phase separation and microstructure development in co-deposited Al–Ge thin films. For small film thicknesses and deposition temperatures above 150 °C the phase-separated films consist of an array of domains of the Al- and Ge-rich terminal phases (lateral phase separation). Films deposited at 100 °C or less contained one or both of the terminal phases plus a metastable phase. We show that the domain structure evolves during deposition in a manner consistent with a surface interdiffusion controlled process. As film thickness increases we observe a transition from the laterally phase-separated microstructure to a layered microstructure exhibiting phase separation perpendicular to the film/substrate interface (transverse phase separation), with Al segregating to the film surface. We present a thermodynamic argument based on the competition between surface and interfacial free energies to explain this transition. Finally, we discuss the stability of the transverse phase-separated microstructure in the thick-film limit in terms of the transport of Ge through the Al-rich surface layer.
The Habitual Route to Environmentally Friendly (or Unfriendly) Happiness

I agree with Andreou that people are ‘highly adaptable when it comes to material goods.’ But I would supplement her point about the influence of social comparisons on experiences of happiness with a point about the influence of habit. Andreou does briefly mention habituation, arguing that ‘a good will give one less happiness once one has gotten used to having it.’ While this may be true, though, it is also true that one's sense of how necessary a good is to one's happiness actually increases once one has gotten used to having it. One becomes accustomed to having that good in one's life, incorporating it into one's routines, such that it becomes difficult to imagine life without it anymore. This phenomenon complicates Andreou's argument that being happy with less is possible if everyone has less: being happy with less also depends on (re)creating habits adapted to living with less.
Early Cardiac Arrest in Patients Hospitalized With Pneumonia: A Report From the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines-Resuscitation Program

Background Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death. Early deterioration and death commonly result from progressive sepsis, shock, respiratory failure, and cardiac complications. Recent data suggest that cardiac arrest may also be common, yet few previous studies have addressed this. Accordingly, we sought to characterize early cardiac arrest in patients who are hospitalized with coexisting pneumonia. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of a multicenter cardiac arrest database, with data from > 500 North American hospitals. We included in-hospital cardiac arrest events that occurred in community-dwelling adults with pneumonia within the first 72 h after hospital admission. We compared patient and event characteristics for patients with and without pneumonia. For patients with pneumonia, we also compared events according to event location. Results We identified 4,453 episodes of early cardiac arrest in patients who were hospitalized with pneumonia. Among patients with preexisting pneumonia, only 36.5% were receiving mechanical ventilation and only 33.3% were receiving infusions of vasoactive drugs prior to cardiac arrest. Only 52.3% of patients on the ward were receiving ECG monitoring prior to cardiac arrest. Shockable rhythms were uncommon in all patients with pneumonia (ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, 14.8%). Patients on the ward were significantly older than patients in the ICU. Conclusions In patients with preexisting pneumonia, cardiac arrest may occur in the absence of preceding shock or respiratory failure. Physicians should be alert to the possibility of abrupt cardiopulmonary collapse, and future studies should address this possibility. The mechanism may involve myocardial ischemia, a maladaptive response to hypoxia, sepsis-related cardiomyopathy, or other phenomena.
Observation of optical spring effect in a microtoroidal optomechanical resonator

We present experimental evidence of the optical spring effect in a silica microtoroid resonator. The variation of the measured mechanical resonant frequency as a function of optical power, optical coupling, and optical detuning is in very good agreement with a model for radiation-pressure-induced rigidity in a silica microtoroid.
Explaining Hungary's powerful Constitutional court a bargaining approach

Au cours des negociations de la transition vers la democratie en 1989, la Cour constitutionnelle hongroise s'est revelee etre une des plus puissantes institutions de ce type. Reposant sur les proces-verbaux de la table ronde et des interviews avec les acteurs-cles, l'article propose un modele de construction d'un compromis institutionnel. Il apparait que la patience des forces d'opposition, plus grande que celle du parti au pouvoir, a impose a ce dernier des concessions significatives qui ont accru l'autorite et l'independance de la Cour
Surface control adjustment experiments on a mesh reflector antenna

The authors present results of experiments performed for the purpose of determining the practicality of utilizing active surface control as a means of correcting for distortions in a mesh reflector antenna. A 15-m diameter hoop/column reflector antenna was reconfigured with surface-adjustment capability by installation of control motors on 28 surface shaping tension cords. Only one quadrant of the surface was configured with control motors; all other surface cords had preset tensions. After the motors were installed, the antenna was deployed and the surface distortion measured. The initial deployed surface had a root-mean-square (RMS) distortion of 0.164 in. determined by measuring 239 photogrametric targets over the surface of the controllable quadrant. A finite-element structural model was used to determine the amount of adjustment required for each surface shaping cord to minimize the deviation from a paraboloid. >
Stereotactic body radiation therapy for stage I non-small cell lung cancer.

Conventional fractionated radiotherapy has resulted in 5-year local control rates of 30% to 50% and overall survival rates of 10% to 30% in stage I inoperable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Early stage NSCLC is not inherently a systemic disease at the time of diagnosis; research directed toward improving survival should put more emphasis on improving local tumor obliteration. Image-guided hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy can deliver a high biologic effective dose to the target while minimizing the normal tissue toxicities, which may translate into improved local control and survival rates. This article discusses the rationale, indications, and optimal techniques for stereotactic body radiation therapy and comparison with surgical resection in patients with stage I NSCLC.
On-chip oscilloscopes for noninvasive time-domain measurement of waveforms in digital integrated circuits

High-speed digital design is becoming increasingly analog. In particular, interconnect response at high frequencies can be nonmonotonic with "porch steps" and ringing. Crosstalk (both capacitive and inductive) can result in glitches on wires that can produce functional failures in receiving circuits. Most of these important effects are not addressed with traditional automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) and built-in self-test (BIST) techniques, which are limited to the binary abstraction. In this work, we explore the feasibility of integrating primitive sampling oscilloscopes on-chip to provide waveforms on selective critical nets for test and diagnosis. The oscilloscopes rely on subsampling techniques to achieve 10-ps timing accuracy. High-speed samplers are combined with delay-locked loops (DLLs) and a simple 8-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert the waveforms into digital data that can be incorporated as part of the chip scan chain. We will describe the design and measurement of a chip we have fabricated to incorporate these oscilloscopes with a high-frequency interconnect structure in a TSMC 0.25-/spl mu/m process. The layout was extracted using Cadence's Assura RCX-PL extraction engine, enabling a comparison between simulated and measured results.
Bayesian analysis of longitudinal data using growth curve models

Bayesian methods for analyzing longitudinal data in social and behavioral research are recommended for their ability to incorporate prior information in estimating simple and complex models. We first summarize the basics of Bayesian methods before presenting an empirical example in which we fit a latent basis growth curve model to achievement data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. This step-by-step example illustrates how to analyze data using both noninformative and informative priors. The results show that in addition to being an alternative to the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method, Bayesian methods also have unique strengths, such as the systematic incorporation of prior information from previous studies. These methods are more plausible ways to analyze small sample data compared with the MLE method.
A Performance Evaluation Framework for Library Search Engines

Libraries offer valuable resources to library patrons. Unfortunately, formulating library queries that match the rigid keywords chosen by the Library of Congress in library records to retrieve relevant results can be difficult. In solving this problem, we have developed a library search engine, called EnLibS, which allows library patrons to post a query Q with commonly-used words and ranks the retrieved library records according to their degrees of resemblance with Q. To evaluate the performance of EnLibS, it is imperative to conduct a thorough assessment. However, this performance evaluation cannot be conducted due to the lack of benchmark datasets and standardized metrics. To address this issue, in this paper we introduce an evaluation framework which (i) statistically determines the size of a test dataset, (ii) includes a controlled experiment that employs technically-sound approaches for calculating the ideal number of appraisers and queries to be used in the experiment, and (iii) establishes standard metrics for evaluating a library search engine. The proposed evaluation model can be applied to assess the performance of library search engines in (i) reducing the number of keyword queries that retrieve no results, (ii) obtaining high precision in retrieving and accurately ranking relevant library records, and (iii) achieving an acceptable query processing time. We present a case study in which we apply the proposed evaluation framework on the library search engine at Brigham Young University and EnLibS to assess, compare, and contrast their performance.
Algorithm for use of nucleic acid probes for identifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis from BACTEC 12B bottles.

Nucleic acid probes (Gen-Probe, San Diego, Calif.) can be used to identify mycobacteria in BACTEC 12B broth cultures prior to detection of growth on solid media. We developed an algorithm that can be used to make an initial choice of a probe (either Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex [MTB] or M. avium complex [MAC]) for use in testing respiratory specimens. The algorithm was based on both the fluorochrome smear result of the concentrated specimen and the time from inoculation until the BACTEC 12B broth culture is flagged (growth index 10) as presumptively positive. The MTB probe is used first for all 4+ smear specimens, 3+ smear specimens positive in 5 days, 2+ and 1+ smear specimens positive in 7 days, and smear-negative specimens positive in 11 days. The MAC probe is used for all other specimens. The algorithm is used when other information about the culture (e.g., previous positive cultures and colonial morphology of growth on solid media) is unknown. Use of the algorithm to probe 102 respiratory BACTEC 12B broth cultures (35 with MTB; 1 with MTB, MAC, and M. gordonae; 47 with MAC; and 19 with other mycobacterial species) from 1 September through 30 November 1992 resulted in the initial use of the MTB probe for 35 (97%) of the cultures positive for MTB and the use of the MAC probe for 35 (73%) of the cultures positive for MAC. Use of the algorithm aided in the efficient use of laboratory resources without delaying the time to identification of MTB isolates.
Neonatal Lupus Syndromes

Neonatal lupus has become an important model of passively acquired autoimmunity since the seminal observation in the late 1970s that sera from nearly all mothers of children with isolated congenital heart block (CHB) contain specific autoantibodies.
Diabetes among US- and foreign-born blacks in the USA

Objective. Little is known about diabetes status among US blacks by nativity. This study aims to measure differences in diabetes among US blacks by region of birth and examines potential explanations for subgroup differences.Design. Data from 47,751 blacks aged 25–74 pooled from the 2000–2013 waves of the National Health Interview Survey were analyzed. Logistic regression models predicted self-reported diabetes. The roles of education, income, body mass index (BMI), smoking, and duration of US residence were explored.Results. Compared to the US-born, foreign-born blacks had significantly lower reported diabetes prevalence (8.94% vs. 11.84%) and diabetes odds ratio [OR: 0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62, 0.89], adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics. Further inclusion of education, income, household size, and smoking did not appreciably change the OR (0.77; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.86). Including an adjustment for BMI entirely eliminated the foreign-born advantage (OR 0.93; 95% CI: 0.78, 1.11). The ...
Physical and Psychological Representations of Faces: Evidence From Morphing

Models of face recognition and classification often adopt a framework in which faces are represented as points in a multidimensional space. This psychological face space organizes the faces according to similarity and makes predictions for representational theories of faces. A variety of image-processing techniques have been used to create novel stimuli in this space that represent the average of a population or make a face appear more distinctive. The current research examined the relation between the stimuli created by these image-processing techniques and the underlying psychological representation as measured by multidimensional scaling (MDS) procedures. Morphing procedures were used to create 16 faces that were embedded in a set of 84 other faces. Similarity ratings between all possible pairs of faces were collected, and the data were analyzed using MDS procedures. Dimensions that emerged from the MDS solution included age, race, adiposity, and facial hair. In the MDS space, the morphs appeared more ...
ENHANCEMENT TECHNOLOGIES AND THE BODY

AbstractThe technological ability to alter biology, along with the social conditions and cultural expectations that enable such transformations, is spawning a variety of techniques that augment bodily forms and functions. These techniques, collectively known as enhancement technologies, aim to improve human characteristics, including appearance and mental or physical functioning, often beyond what is ‘normal’ or necessary for life and well-being. Humans have always modified their bodies. What distinguishes these techniques is that bodies and selves become the objects of improvement work, unlike previous efforts in modernity to achieve progress through social and political institutions. There are profound effects on sociality and subjectivity. This chapter reviews analytical approaches through which researchers have attempted to illuminate the practices, moral and economic reasoning, cultural assumptions and institutional contexts constituting enhancements, framing the discussion by examining the concept o...
Effect of projective aspect variations on estimates of changes in bone mass using digital subtraction radiography

This study tests the hypothesis that estimates of changes in bone mass derived from subtraction data obtained in accord with published methods are independent of the spatial aspect of the lesion being evaluated when calibrations are performed independently. Nineteen sliver-shaped bone chips ranging in mass from approximately 1 to 35 mg were orientated with broad side parallel to the facial surface of a hemisectioned dry human mandible and radiographed using conventional exposure parameters on conventional E-speed dental X-ray film. Also attached to the film was a standardized aluminium calibration wedge that facilitated quantitative analysis of resulting subtraction data using established methodology. The effects of scatter were simulated by the addition of a 1-cm-thick slab of tissue-equivalent plastic. A second series of exposures then was produced using the same respective spatial chip locations and projection geometries but each chip was reorientated such that its broad side was now positioned perpendicular to the mandibular facial surface. Finally, a comparable series of control exposures was produced without any chips or calibration wedge to facilitate subtraction. When paired bone estimates derived from the two chip orientations were compared (paired comparisons) using Student's t-test, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed. These results also were tested for statistical significance using the non-parametric Wilcoxon test. As with the parametric analysis, the discrepancy between the parallel and perpendicular mass estimates was found to statistically significant (p < 0.05). The methods employed in this investigation thus resulted in bone mass estimates that varied significantly depending upon lesion orientation.
Plumage polymorphism and fitness in Swainson’s hawks

We examine the maintenance of a plumage polymorphism, variation in plumages among the same age and sex class within a population, in a population of Swainson’s Hawks. We take advantage of 32 years of data to examine two prevalent hypotheses used to explain the persistence of morphs: apostatic selection and heterozygous advantage. We investigate differences in fitness among three morph classes of a melanistic trait in Swainson’s Hawks: light (7% of the local breeding population), intermediate (57%) and dark (36%). Specifically, we examined morph differences in adult apparent survival, breeding success, annual number of fledglings produced, probability of offspring recruitment into the breeding population and lifetime reproductive success (LRS). If apostatic selection were a factor in maintaining morphs, we would expect that individuals with the least frequent morph would perform best in one or more of these fitness categories. Alternatively, if heterozygous advantage played a role in the maintenance of this polymorphism, we would expect heterozygotes (i.e. intermediate morphs) to have one or more increased rates in these categories. We found no difference in adult apparent survival between morph classes. Similarly, there were no differences in breeding success, nest productivity, LRS or probability of recruitment of offspring between parental morph. We conclude that neither apostatic selection nor heterozygous advantage appear to play a role in maintaining morphs in this population.
Exercise and BMI in Overweight and Obese Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Trial Sequential Meta-Analysis

Objective. Determine the effects of exercise on body mass index (BMI in kg&#xB7;m&#x2212;2) among overweight and obese children and adolescents. Methods. Trial sequential meta-analysis of randomized controlled exercise intervention trials &#x2265; 4 weeks and published up to November 11, 2014. Results. Of the 5,436 citations screened, 20 studies representing 971 boys and girls were included. Average length, frequency, and duration of training were 13 weeks, 3 times per week, for 46 minutes per session. Overall, random-effects models showed that exercise decreased BMI by 3.6&#x25; (mean: &#x2212;1.08; 95&#x25; CI: &#x2212;0.52 to &#x2212;1.64; ; ; &#x25;; 95&#x25; CI: 87.6&#x25; to 93.4&#x25;; &#x25;). Trial sequential meta-analysis showed that changes in BMI crossed the monitoring boundary for a type 1 error in 2010, remaining stable thereafter. The number needed to treat was 5 while the percentile improvement was 26.9. It was estimated that approximately 2.5 million overweight and obese children in the US and 22.0 million overweight and obese children worldwide could reduce their BMI by participating in a regular exercise program. Overall quality of evidence was rated as moderate. Conclusions. Exercise is associated with improvements in BMI among overweight and obese children and adolescents. This trial is registered with PROSPERO Trial Registration #CRD42015017586.
Combined injuries to the posterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament of the knee

Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears with concomitant medial collateral ligament (MCL) or posteromedial injuries are a rare but recognized injury pattern. Unlike the posterolateral corner (PLC), the medial side generally has a higher potential to heal conservatively. Nevertheless, we have a low threshold to surgically address the medial side if significant instability exists in a PCL deficient knee. Bergfeld et al. showed that complete injuries to the superficial MCL in combination with the PCL led to increased laxity in internal tibial rotation and significant increases in posterior tibial translation (1). They recommended restoration of the MCL in combined PCL-MCL injuries to restore normal knee biomechanics.
The Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Magna mitral valve bioprosthesis: intermediate-term efficacy and durability

The Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Magna mitral valve bioprosthesis (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) is a low-profile version of the earlier Perimount valve that uses the ThermaFix process for enhanced calcium removal. The Magna valve has been in use since 2008, yet no publication, until now, has verified its intermediate-term safety and efficacy. From 2008 through 2011 (our 4-year study period), 70 Magna valves were implanted in the mitral position at a single institution (the Cleveland Clinic). Echocardiograms were prospectively interpreted. For this study, we reviewed patients’ charts; endpoints included hemodynamic measurements, in-hospital morbidity and mortality, valve-related events, resource utilization, and 5-year survival rates. The mean patient age was 68 years; 43 % of the patients had New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV disease, and 51.4 % had moderately severe, or worse, mitral regurgitation (MR). For 43 % of the patients, the Magna valve implantation was a reoperation. For 83 %, the Magna valve implantation also included a concomitant cardiac procedure. The median survival rate was 4.7 years and 90 % of patients were free from significant structural valve degeneration at 5 years. Preoperative atrial fibrillation, ischemic MR, intraaortic balloon pump placement, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, and renal failure were associated with increased mortality. Right ventricular systolic pressure decreased from 50 mmHg preoperatively to 40 mmHg postoperatively, according to our matched-pair analysis (P = 0.003). Per their final echocardiogram during our study period, 98 % of surviving patients had trivial or no MR, one patient had mild MR, and one patient had severe MR. Our 5-year experience indicates that the Magna valve offers excellent intermediate-term durability and substantial echocardiographic improvement; its low-profile design make it ideal for reoperations and for concomitant cardiac procedures, including valve replacement.
Laramide Signals and Architecture of A Widespread Fluvial Sand Sheet: Canyon Creek Member, Southern Wyoming, U.S.A.

Abstract The Upper Campanian Canyon Creek Member of the Ericson Formation in the Greater Green River Basin of southern Wyoming, USA, is a regionally extensive sandstone sheet of fluvial origin. A well-log and outcrop dataset allows this ancient fluvial system to be examined basin-wide, covering an area of approximately 45,000 km2. Changes in fluvial style and architecture, and in thickness and net-to-gross occur both down-dip and along strike, across the whole fluvial system, allowing insight on both local and regional structural styles in the basin. From the proximal reaches of the system in the west and northwest to the distal areas in the east and southeast, the Canyon Creek Member (and its equivalents) shows a first-order trend of thickening and of net-to-gross reduction, as well as a change of planform style from braided to meandering. The reason for these trends is an eastward increase of subsidence away from the orogenic belt, probably resulting from reduced activity in the Sevier fold–thrust belt, which decreased the importance of the tectonic loading and flexural subsidence and enhanced the signal of the dynamic subsidence. The Laramide orogeny is typically thought to have been initiated during the Maastrichtian or Paleocene. However, study of the Canyon Creek Member strongly indicates earlier initiation during the Campanian. The above general proximal-to-distal trends in the Canyon Creek are locally modified by early differential movement across the Rock Springs Uplift, the Uinta Mountains, the Rawlins Uplift, and the Sierra Madre Uplift, all of which are Laramide-style structures. This early movement is shown by reduced thickness and increased net-to-gross over the crest of these structures and by the opposite trend down-flank on the structure into the footwall of the adjacent structure. This asymmetric pattern of thickness and net-to-gross development within individual Canyon Creek “subbasins” is the typical and distinctive Laramide basin signature. The Canyon Creek Member of the Ericson Formation is a clear example of how varied a fluvial system can be laterally in response to minute changes in accommodation, slope, and other parameters, and illustrates how important it is to recognize that variability before embarking in the more complicated task of recognizing these changes through time in a sequence stratigraphic framework.
Facilitated orienting underlies fearful face-enhanced gaze cueing of spatial location

AbstractFaces provide a platform for non-verbal communication through emotional expression and eye gaze. Fearful facial expressions are salient indicators of potential threat within the environment, which automatically capture observers’ attention. However, the degree to which fearful facial expressions facilitate attention to others’ gaze is unresolved. Given that fearful gaze indicates the location of potential threat, it was hypothesized that fearful gaze facilitates location processing. To test this hypothesis, a gaze cueing study with fearful and neutral faces assessing target localization was conducted. The task consisted of leftward, rightward, and forward/straight gaze trials. The inclusion of forward gaze trials allowed for the isolation of orienting and disengagement components of gaze-directed attention. The results suggest that both neutral and fearful gaze modulates attention through orienting and disengagement components. Fearful gaze, however, resulted in quicker orienting than neutral gaze...
The Shine-Dalgarno sequence of riboswitch-regulated single mRNAs shows ligand-dependent accessibility bursts.

In response to intracellular signals in Gram-negative bacteria, translational riboswitches—commonly embedded in messenger RNAs (mRNAs)—regulate gene expression through inhibition of translation initiation. It is generally thought that this regulation originates from occlusion of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence upon ligand binding; however, little direct evidence exists. Here we develop Single Molecule Kinetic Analysis of RNA Transient Structure (SiM-KARTS) to investigate the ligand-dependent accessibility of the SD sequence of an mRNA hosting the 7-aminomethyl-7-deazaguanine (preQ_1)-sensing riboswitch. Spike train analysis reveals that individual mRNA molecules alternate between two conformational states, distinguished by ‘bursts’ of probe binding associated with increased SD sequence accessibility. Addition of preQ_1 decreases the lifetime of the SD’s high-accessibility (bursting) state and prolongs the time between bursts. In addition, ligand-jump experiments reveal imperfect riboswitching of single mRNA molecules. Such complex ligand sensing by individual mRNA molecules rationalizes the nuanced ligand response observed during bulk mRNA translation.
The Λ (1520) hyperon and the parity of the

Whereas most excited hyperon states were seen in Dalitz plots of three-body final states, the A (1520) was observed as a peak in the total K-p cross-section measured as a function of energy. Ferro-Luzzi et al. (1962a) obtained the first clear evidence for the existence of the Λ (1520) in looking at K-p interactions at K- momenta from ≈ 300 to ≈ 500 MeV/c. They saw peaks in the following modes $$\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {{K^ - } + p \to \bar K + N} \\ { \to \Sigma + \pi } \\ { \to \Lambda + 2\pi .} \end{array}$$ (24.1)
Development of a Control Theoretic Alternative to Fitts’ Law With Application to In-Vehicle Touchscreen Interface

A control theoretic alternative to Fitts’ Law based on a modified crossover model is proposed. A physical interpretation of the model offers the unification of various different formulations of Fitts’ Law. Model identification and validation is carried out for a target acquisition task using a touchscreen. A brief treatment of noise generated by random relative movement between the human operator and the touchscreen (such as in-vehicle touchscreen based devices) is considered using the proposed model.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Notes on the Mammals of the Bahamas with Special Reference to the Bats

To the student of insular faunas, the West Indies are of considerable interest since they represent, on the whole, a characteristic derivative of the Neotropical region, depauperate, yet presenting some peculiar features. Of this larger Antillean assemblage, the Bahamian fauna constitutes, in some respects, a particularly interesting fragment as a result of its peripheral and northern position, it being the only part of the West Indies which extends into the temperate zone. The last complete critical listing of the native Bahamian mammal fauna is that of G. M. Allen (1911). While only a few papers have appeared since which have added any new records (Allen, 1937; Allen and Sanborn, 1937; Koopman, 1951; Lawrence, 1934; Shamel, 1931), there is considerable additional material hitherto unreported. Recently, two expeditions to the Bahamas made collections of mammals, chiefly bats. A study of these collections made a general resurvey of the mammalian fauna of these islands particularly desirable. The first of these collections was that made on several islands by George Rabb and Ellis B. Hayden, Jr., as members of the Van Voast-American Museum of Natural History expedition during the winter and spring of 1953. The second collection was made by the writers on Exuma, an island previously uncollected for living mammals, in August and September of 1953. (See Hecht, 1955, for a list of localities collected.) In the following systematic accounts, special mention will be given to specimens collected on these two expeditions as well as to important previously collected material hitherto unreported in the literature. (The senior author is responsible for all taxonomic judgments.) Finally, an attempt will be made to draw certain conclusions as to the geographical derivation of the mammalian fauna. Only two species of native land mammals other than bats are known from the …