cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do similar foragers flock together? Nonbreeding foraging behavior and its impact on mixed-species flocking associations in a subtropical region

Mixed-species flocks are ubiquitous in forest bird communities, yet the extent to which positive (facilitative) or negative (competitive) interactions structure these assemblages has been a subject of debate. Here, we describe the fine-scale foraging ecology and use network analysis to quantify mixed-species flocking interactions of an insectivorous bird community in hardwood forests of north-central Florida. Our goal was to determine if similarly foraging species are more (facilitation hypothesis) or less (competition hypothesis) likely to associate in flocks, and if foraging ecology can explain intraspecific abundance patterns within flocks. We quantified attack maneuvers, foraging substrate, and foraging microhabitat of all 17 common insectivorous species in these forests and characterized the composition of 92 flocks encountered. Flocking was important in our community; 14 of 17 species joined more than 5% of flocks, and 10 species had flocking propensities of over 0.80. Our results supported both hypothesized mechanisms structuring flock composition. Species had distinct, well-defined foraging niches during the nonbreeding season, but foraging niche overlap among flocking species was greater than expected by chance. Consistent with the facilitation hypothesis, we found that similarly foraging species were significantly more likely to associate in flocks, a result driven by lower association strengths in large-bodied woodpeckers. We found no evidence of assortment by foraging behavior, however, likely because foraging behavior and substrate use showed strong niche partitioning at the fine scale within our community. Intraspecific abundance patterns were significantly linked to foraging substrate use, with live leaf use correlated with high within-flock abundance and relative abundance at study sites. Species that specialized on comparatively less abundant substrates (tree trunks, epiphytes, dead leaves) joined flocks as singletons, showed lower relative abundance, and may exhibit nonbreeding territoriality. Our results highlight the importance of foraging substrate use and mixed-species flocks in structuring the nonbreeding ecology of migratory birds.
The relationship between individual differences in religion, religious primes, and the moral foundations:

We present evidence for a complex relationship between religiousness and Haidt’s moral foundations, with data from four experiments, measuring 21 different dimensions of personal religiousness and ...
Regulation and function of V-ATPases in physiology and disease

The vacuolar H+-ATPases (V-ATPases) are essential, ATP-dependent proton pumps present in a variety of eukaryotic cellular membranes. Intracellularly, V-ATPase-dependent acidification functions in such processes as membrane traffic, protein degradation, autophagy and the coupled transport of small molecules. V-ATPases at the plasma membrane of certain specialized cells function in such processes as bone resorption, sperm maturation and urinary acidification. V-ATPases also function in disease processes such as pathogen entry and cancer cell invasiveness, while defects in V-ATPase genes are associated with disorders such as osteopetrosis, renal tubular acidosis and neurodegenerative diseases. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of V-ATPase structure, mechanism, function and regulation, with an emphasis on the signaling pathways controlling V-ATPase assembly in mammalian cells. The role of V-ATPases in cancer and other human pathologies, and the prospects for therapeutic intervention, are also discussed.
Electrons in artificial atoms

Semiconductor nanostructures known as ‘quantum dots’ are often described as artificial atoms. Researchers are now building quantum dots that interact strongly with light, because they may form the basis of a new generation of lasers.
Feasibility Study of Water Stress Detection in Plants using a High-Throughput Low-Cost System

The importance of efficient water management for crops and its impact on canopy development is undeniable, where high-throughput systems connected to the cloud have a great potential to aggregate measurements for a cyber-physical analysis. In this work, we develop a vision based high-throughput system to aid the identification and early detection of stress caused by water deficit in maize plants. We show that image processing techniques combined with a near infrared camera allow the distinction between a well watered maize plant and one that has its water supply neglected. Our preliminary results demonstrate the potential viability of applying predictive models for early water stress detection.
Willingness of the General Public to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine During a Second-Level Alert — Beijing Municipality, China, May 2020

What is already known on this topic? Preclinical trials showed the effectiveness of domestic inactivated vaccine candidates for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, it is necessary to evaluate the willingness of the public to receive future domestic vaccines and to understand factors associated with willingness at the early stages of vaccine development. What is added by this report? Through May 25, 2020, 70.48% were willing to receive future domestic COVID-19 vaccines. Confidence in vaccines had the largest impact on public willingness, while age and presence of underlying chronic disease did not significantly increase public willingness. What are the implications for public health practice? It is necessary to increase awareness of COVID-19 vaccines among people with high risk of severe infection and to build public confidence in vaccines. Releasing accurate, timely, and reliable data to the public can help increase willingness to get vaccinated.
Benefits of Using the Invertebrate Model Organism C. Elegans in an Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activity:

Background:The goals of laboratory experiences include developing knowledge base, research skills, and scientific communication abilities.Objective:The aim was to assess an inquiry-based laboratory...
Colorblindness, Race Neutrality, and Voting Rights

The Reconstruction Amendments' guarantee of civil rights and political equality for racial minorities means that with respect to voting and representation, raceneutral results should be as much a constitutional imperative as colorblind process. As such, a colorblind electoral rule that unintentionally lessens the ability of a minority group to vote or to choose its candidate of choice should be deemed unconstitutional under the Fifteenth Amendment, not merely unlawful under the Voting Rights Act, unless the jurisdiction can provide a strong justification for the rule focused on why such a rule is reasonably necessary to safeguard the electoral process. This change could' result in significant restructuring of voting qualifications and districting plans.
Will Extending Medicaid to Two Parent Families Encourage Marriage

Several welfare programs in the United States restrict eligibility to single-parent families. This paper asks whether eliminating this restriction for Medicaid encourages marriage. I identify Medicaid's effect through a series of health insurance reforms that were passed in the 1980s and 1990s targeting young children. These reforms were associated with an increase in the probability of marriage of 1.7 percentage points. While the expansions offered some incentives to become married, they also created other incentives to become divorced (known as the "independence effect"). After controlling for the outflows from marriage due to the independence effect, the estimated effect increases by 10 percent.
Ekstasis as (Beyond?) Jouissance: Sex, Queerness, and Apophaticism in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition

Ekstasis (ecstasy) is central to Eastern Orthodox theology, an encounter that sets the self on the way towards knowledge of and union with God. Ekstasis is fundamentally apophatic — achieved through the eschewal of cognitive knowledge, and experiential — precipitated by practices that foster self-renunciation and transcendence. This article examines how this notion of ecstasy, as narrated in the Orthodox theology of Staniloae and Lossky, can aid, and be aided by, queer theoretical claims regarding sex. Through examining Lacan's notion of jouissance and Bersani's utilization of it, as well as Williams's analysis of sex as “the body's grace,” this article explores how sex, particularly orgasm, can function as a spiritual resource, as a site of and practice towards ecstasy. This article concludes with a brief examination of the ethical implications of this frame.
New Proteases in a Ubiquitin Stew

Proteins destined for degradation in the cell9s garbage disposal unit, the proteasome, must first receive a ubiquitin tag. In his Perspective, Hochstrasser discusses new work (Vermaet al., Copeet al.) that reveals the vital link between removal of the ubiquitin tag in the proteasome and degradation of the targeted protein. Proteins are deubiquitinated in the proteasome by a zinc-dependent metalloprotease, and protein degradation cannot take place in the absence of this enzyme.
Interstrain somatic cell hybrids in the mouse. Chromosome and enzyme analyses.

Abstract An intraspecific mouse somatic cell hybrid population (C3H X C57BL) and its clonally derived descendants were studied. The modal chromosome number of the cloned hybrid decreased by 12% after 86 tissue culture passages, and by 20% after 2 years of tumor passage. This moderate loss of chromosomes represented a genuine reduction and could not be attributed to the centric fusion of acrocentric chromosomes. Intraspecific isoenzyme genetic variants specific for and different between C3H and C57BL cells were retained in the hybrids. The enzyme variants could be employed to deduce the balance between the input parental genomes in the hybrids.
Driving the Hypoxia‐Inducible Pathway in Human Pericytes Promotes Vascular Density in an Exosome‐Dependent Manner

Objectives The mechanisms involved in activating pericytes, cells that ensheath capillaries, to engage in the formation of new capillaries, angiogenesis, remain unknown. In this study, the hypothesis was tested that pericytes could be stimulated to promote angiogenesis by driving the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway.
No Deductions for Tax Planning and Controversy Costs

Calvin H. Johnson is a professor of law at the University of Texas. The author wishes to thank Adam Rosenzweig, Mary O’Keefe, Abraham Wickelgren, Michael Shepard, and James Spindler for helpful comments without binding them to conclusions with which they disagree. The law gives a negative tax or subsidy to tax planning and controversy work, because the costs of that work are generally deductible. But the return from the investment, in the form of less tax to be paid, is not taxed. The treatment is self-destructive in that the system gives a subsidy to undercut itself. Even without the negative tax, tax planning and controversy work are too profitable for the common good, because the taxpayer making the decision does not have to consider the harm done to other taxpayers who must make up the tax revenue. This proposal would disallow the deduction of the costs of tax planning, return preparation, tax audits, litigation, collection, and refunds. Payments to tax experts - including in-house experts - and the costs of tax litigation would be disallowed in full. An intermediate remedy - denying 25 percent of the costs - would apply to investment planning and structuring by professionals who are not tax specialists and when the work is not primarily tax-related but tax issues are present. The proposal is made as a part of the Shelf Project, a collaboration among tax professionals to develop proposals to raise revenue. The Shelf Project is intended to raise revenue without a VAT or a rate hike in ways that will improve the fairness, efficiency, and rationality of the tax system. Now is the time for congressional staff work to be done to prevent the impending revenue crisis. An overview of the Shelf Project is found in "How to Raise $1 Trillion Without a VAT or a Rate Hike," Tax Notes, July 5, 2010, p. 101, Doc 2010-13081, or 2010 TNT 129-4. Congress enacted its first Shelf Project in March 2010. New section 871(1), enacted in the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, is based on the Shelf Project proposal by Reuven S. Avi-Yonah, "Enforcing Dividend Withholding on Derivatives," Tax Notes, Nov. 10, 2008, p. 747, Doc 2008-22806, or 2008 TNT 219-34. Shelf Project proposals follow the format of a congressional tax committee report in explaining current law, what is wrong with it, and how to fix it.
Answer sets for propositional theories

Equilibrium logic, introduced by David Pearce, extends the concept of an answer set from logic programs to arbitrary sets of formulas. Logic programs correspond to the special case in which every formula is a “rule” — an implication that has no implications in the antecedent (body) and consequent (head). The semantics of equilibrium logic looks very different from the usual definitions of an answer set in logic programming, as it is based on Kripke models. In this paper we propose a new definition of equilibrium logic which uses the concept of a reduct, as in the standard definition of an answer set. Second, we apply the generalized concept of an answer set to the problem of defining the semantics of aggregates in answer set programming. We propose, in particular, a semantics for weight constraints that covers the problematic case of negative weights. Our semantics of aggregates is an extension of the approach due to Faber, Leone, and Pfeifer to a language with choice rules and, more generally, arbitrary rules with nested expressions.
Qualitative Approaches to Dyadic Data Analyses in Family Communication Research: An Invited Essay

This essay reviews interpretive approaches to dyadic analysis using qualitative data. After reviewing classic approaches to dyadic analysis of qualitative data, we explore some of the benefits these classic approaches offer family communication studies. We then look to three new approaches to dyadic analysis—multiadic analysis, affective analysis, and collaborative autoethnography—that can be of benefit to those who study families. We close with thoughts about observing family interaction and building theory across research paradigms.
Measuring muscle stiffness by linear mechanical perturbation

Transverse muscle stiffness provides valuable information regarding the health and activation level of muscle. Current muscle stiffness sensors are either tethered to a benchtop module or designed as hand-held instruments capable of static measurements. We propose a novel wearable sensor, the sarcometer, to continuously measure dynamic transverse muscle stiffness. The sarcometer utilizes a small linear Lorentz force actuator with position sensing to perturb the muscle body. Initial experimentation was performed on the lateral gastrocnemius of one subject during different periods of muscle activation. Experimental force and displacement measurements were used to estimate the dynamic model of the muscle during each condition. The model stiffness was shown to significantly (p < 0.001) increase from 347 N/m during normal standing to 1606 N/m during standing on the toes of one foot. We hope to further miniaturize the sarcometer into a self-contained system for continuous monitoring of tissue stiffness.
Risk-benefit assessment of drugs used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Although the aetiology of inflammatory bowel disease remains elusive, many agents are available for the control of symptoms and inflammation. Knowledge of drug pharmacology, indications and side effects is essential to ensure the best possible clinical care while minimising toxicity and inappropriate use.
Low pressure organometallic chemical vapor deposition of high-Tc superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−δ films

Abstract High-Tc superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−δ films have been prepared by low-pressure organometallic chemical vapor deposition using Cu(acetylacetonate)2, Y(dipivaloylmethanate)3, and Ba(dipivaloylmethanate)2 as volatile metal-organic precursors. An argon carrier gas is employed and water vapor serves as the reactant. Film growth rates of 10–30 nm min-1 are achieved at a system pressure of 5 torr. After annealing under oxygen, the YBa2Cu3O7−δ films deposited on SrTiO3 exhibit excellent compositional and structural uniformity in addition to preferential orientation of crystalline c axes perpendicular to the SrTiO3 surface. The onset of superconductivity is at ca. 90 K and zero resistance is achieved by 47 K.
Endothelial Progenitor Cells Homing and Renal Repair in Experimental Renovascular Disease

Tissue injury triggers reparative processes that often involve endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) recruitment. We hypothesized that atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) activates homing signals that would be detectable in both the kidney and EPCs, and attenuated on renal repair using selective cell-based therapy. Pigs were treated with intrarenal autologous EPC after 6 weeks of ARAS. Four weeks later, expression of homing-related signals in EPC and kidney, single kidney function, microvascular (MV) density, and morphology were compared with untreated ARAS and normal control pigs (n = 7 each). Compared with normal EPC, EPC from ARAS pigs showed increased stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1, angiopoietin-1, Tie-2, and c-kit expression, but downregulation of erythropoietin (EPO) and its receptor. The ARAS kidney released the c-kit-ligand stem cell factor, uric acid, and EPO, and upregulated integrin beta2, suggesting activation of corresponding homing signaling. However, angiopoietin-1 and SDF-1/CXCR4 were not elevated. Administration of EPC into the stenotic kidney restored angiogenic activity, improved MV density, renal hemodynamics and function, decreased fibrosis and oxidative stress, and attenuated endogenous injury signals. The ARAS kidney releases specific homing signals corresponding to cognate receptors expressed by EPC. EPC show plasticity for organ-specific recruitment strategies, which are upregulated in early atherosclerosis. EPC are renoprotective as they attenuated renal dysfunction and damage in chronic ARAS, and consequently decreased the injury signals. Importantly, manipulation of homing signals may potentially allow therapeutic opportunities to increase endogenous EPC recruitment.
Sol−Gel Column Technology for Single-Step Deactivation, Coating, and Stationary-Phase Immobilization in High-Resolution Capillary Gas Chromatography

A sol−gel chemistry-based novel approach to column technology for high-resolution capillary gas chromatography is described that effectively combines surface treatment, deactivation, coating, and stationary phase immobilization into a single step. In the conventional approach, these operations are carried out in separate steps that make column fabrication a time-consuming job. In the new approach, a cleaned fused silica capillary is filled with a sol solution of appropriate composition, and sol−gel reactions are allowed to go on inside the capillary for a controlled period, typically 15−60 min. A wall-bonded coating results due to condensation of the surface silanol groups with the sol−gel network evolving in their vicinity. Because of the direct chemical bonding to fused silica substrates, sol−gel coatings possess significantly higher thermal stability than conventional coatings. This is especially important for thick and/or polar stationary phase coatings that are difficult to immobilize. Scanning elect...
When and where rivers meet the sea

River mouth areas provide one of the most desired locations for human habitation. Although occupying only a small portion of the total length of the world’s shoreline, river mouths are dynamic and complex with highly variable physical and chemical characteristics.
Sex Differences in Jealousy: Comparing the Influence of Previous Infidelity Among College Students and Adults:

Many studies have found that traditionally aged college students differ in their relative distress when asked to imagine a partner’s sexual versus emotional infidelity. This study examined how real partner infidelity experiences among college students and older adults influence these responses, using both forced choice and continuous scales. Consistent with evolutionary theory, and regardless of previous real infidelity experiences, male college students were more likely to be distressed by hypothetical partner sexual infidelity, whereas female college students were more distressed by emotional infidelity. In contrast, infidelity experience moderated adult responses. As hypothesized, sex differences were found only among adults who had not previously experienced real partner infidelity.
Indirect 17(O)-magnetic resonance imaging of cerebral blood flow in the rat.

Proton T(1rho)-dispersion MRI is demonstrated for indirect, in vivo detection of (17)O in the brain. This technique, which may be readily implemented on any clinical MRI scanner, is applied towards high-resolution, quantitative mapping of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the rat by monitoring the clearance of (17)O-enriched water. Strategies are derived and employed for 1) quantitation of absolute H(2) (17)O tracer concentration from a ratio of high- and low-frequency spin-locked T(1rho) images, and 2) mapping CBF without having to transform the T(1rho) signal to H(2) (17)O tracer concentration. Absolute regional blood flow was mapped in a single 3-mm brain slice at an in-plane resolution of 0.4 x 0.8 mm within a 5-min tracer washout time; these data are consistent with the less localized CBF measurements reported in the literature. T(1rho)-weighted imaging yields excellent signal-to-noise ratios, spatiotemporal resolution, and anatomical contrast for mapping CBF.
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: Controversies in Diagnosis, Biology, and Treatment

: A clinically relevant classification and understanding of the biology of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is mandated by the increasing numbers of mammographically detected lesions of limited size being considered for breast-conserving therapy. DCIS is a morphologically and biologically diverse assemblage of lesions that are conventionally classified in an arbitrary and largely descriptive manner based on architectural features. Several classifications of DCIS based on nuclear grade and necrosis have been shown to stratify DCIS into subtypes associated with vastly different risks of local recurrence and invasive transformation. Breast-conserving therapy for DCIS is dependent on adequate surgical excision, even more so than for invasive breast carcinomas, but the surgical procedure itself is made difficult by the limited ability to define the pathologic extent of the lesion on the basis of mammographic microcalcification, the vagaries of the localization procedure, and the multifocal nature of some DCIS subtypes. Proper tissue processing and interpretation, particularly with regard to the presence of or misinterpretation of microinvasion, all affect the success of breast-conserving therapy. Irradiation would appear to have no role in the treatment of low grade DCIS that is adequately excised. The benefits of irradiation appear to be limited to high grade DCIS but the benefit diminishes with increasing follow-up. Irradiation is not considered likely to affect local control for patients with significant residual disease who undergo breast-conserving therapy.
Recent patterns in downward income mobility: Sinking boats in a rising tide

This paper employs four measures of downward income mobility and 1984–1986 PSID data to examine the extent and possible causes of downward mobility. Despite modest economic growth during this period, a substantial number of Americans experienced downward income mobility, roughly 5% to 20%. The majority of the downwardly mobile initially lived with a nonelderly, Caucasian, male, less-educated, working household head. Logit analysis indicates that the following factors significantly increase the odds of downward income mobility: Male headship; minority headship; family dissolution; nest-leaving; and having a head who works in mining, construction, manufacturing, transportation, trade, or farming. The following factors significantly lower the odds of downward income mobility: Retaining the same household head; having a college-educated head; having a head who works in a professional, technical, or operative occupation; and having a head in the finance, insurance, and real estate industry.
Myxomycete (slime mold) spores: unrecognized aeroallergens?

Abstract Background Myxomycete spores are present in the outdoor air but have not been studied for allergenicity. Objective To determine whether patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) symptoms are sensitized to myxomycete spores. Methods Myxomycete specimens were collected in the field. Nine species of myxomycetes were collected and identified: Arcyria cinerea , Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa , Fuligo septica , Hemitrichia clavata , Lycogala epidendrum , Metatrichia vesparium , Stemonitis nigrescens , Tubifera ferruginosa , and Trichea favoginea . Allergen extracts were made for each species. Protein content of each extract was measured by bicinchoninic acid assay. Protein electrophoresis was performed. Subjects with a history of SAR symptoms were enrolled, and allergy skin prick testing was performed with each extract. Results Protein content of the extracts ranged from 1.05 to 5.8 mg/mL. Protein bands were seen at 10 to 250 kD. Allergy prick testing was performed in 69 subjects; 42% of subjects had positive prick test results for at least 1 myxomycete extract, with 9% to 22% reacting to each extract. Five of the 12 subjects who tested negative for all allergens on the standard aeroallergen panel had positive prick test results for myxomycetes. Conclusion Forty-two percent of subjects with SAR were sensitized to myxomycete spores. A significant subset of subjects who had SAR symptoms and otherwise negative skin test results showed sensitization to myxomycetes. These spores are present in the outdoor air during the summer and autumn and might be significant aeroallergens.
Nicotine replacement methods on a psychiatric unit.

Patients with psychiatric illness smoke more heavily than others in the community. They have more difficulty quitting and have more withdrawal symptoms than others. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine the utilization of nicotine replacement methods in a population of psychiatric patients. Method: In a naturalistic retrospective review, we examined the records of 55 patients who were hospitalized on a smoke-free psychiatric unit. We abstracted the frequency of utilization of nicotine replacement. The rate of utilization was considered a ratio of the number of days utilized to the number of days prescribed. Results: There were 38 patients (69%) who used the transdermal patch, 26 patients (47%) used the inhaler, 4 patients (7%) used nicotine gum, and 2 patients (4%) used the nasal spray. The rate of utilization of the nicotine inhaler (63%) exceeded that of the transdermal nicotine patch (30%) (t= 4.6, p <. 0001). Conclusion: The hospitalization of smokers with mental illness in smoke-...
The influence of simulated fuel-grade ethanol on fatigue crack propagation in pipeline and storage-tank steels

This study presents an evaluation of fatigue crack propagation in three steels (A36, X52, and X70) in a simulated fuel-grade ethanol environment. A fracture mechanics testing approach was used to determine crack propagation rates as a function of the stress-intensity-factor amplitude (DK). Results of this testing and the fracture analysis indicate that all three materials are susceptible to enhanced fatigue damage in fuel-grade ethanol environments. We show that the damage mechanism is attributed to susceptibility of each material to ethanol stress-corrosion cracking under fatigue loading conditions and propose a model for determining crack growth rates in ethanol fuel. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Carney Complex with Right Ventricular Myxoma following Second Excision of Left Atrial Myxoma

We report a case of Carney complex with massive right ventricular myxoma after two-time excision of a left atrial myxoma. The patient was a 45-year-old woman with pyrexia. She temporarily lost consciousness during examination, and echocardiography and computed tomography (CT) showed a massive tumor in the right ventricle. Loss of consciousness was determined to be caused by intracardiac obstruction of blood flow due to the tumor, and corrective surgery was performed. Pathological findings indicated myxoma with no malignancy. Myxomas are benign, but there is frequent recurrence of tumors associated with Carney complex. Because her myxomas were accompanied by unusual skin pigmentation, she was diagnosed with Carney complex. Carney complex has a high rate of myxoma recurrence, and often runs in families. In all cases, it is necessary to observe the patient’s course closely.
Epistemic Comparison, Models of Uncertainty, and the Disjunction Puzzle

The best known theory of modality in linguistics (Kratzer 1991, 2012) uses a binary relation on worlds to state truth-conditions for sentences with epistemic auxiliaries, and lifts this order to an order on propositions to state meanings for epistemic comparatives and equatives with likely and probable. It has recently been observed that this theory makes incorrect predictions about the truth-conditions of epistemic comparative and equative sentences in interaction with disjunction. I analyze the source of this problem in Kratzer’s and several related theories, and consider several modifications suggested in the recent literature. All of the theories available either fail to resolve the problem, or generate incorrect predictions about the relationship between must and likely when combined with Kratzer’s semantics for the auxiliaries. Various alternative models of uncertainty are available which can be used as a semantics for likely and do not encounter the semantic problems discussed here. In particular, qualitative and numerical probability have the necessary features, as do several weaker approaches that include probability as a special case. Data involving entailments and degree modification are argued to provide a reason for preferring the probabilistic approach. I then consider several methods of integrating this approach with Kratzer’s semantics for the epistemic auxiliaries, showing that all of them wrongly invalidate the inference from must to (much) more likely than not. I conclude by stating three alternative semantics for the auxiliaries which do better, one quantificational and two probabilistic. The choice between them will depend on the resolution of three open problems involving the meanings of the auxiliaries which are detailed in the concluding section.
Eighth Cooley's Anemia Symposium: Summation and Perspective

: The Eighth Cooley's Anemia Symposium provided an outstanding summary of current knowledge about the thalassemia syndromes and their treatment. The known spectrum of disease is changing due to growing knowledge about the thalassemias in developing countries, due to immigration patterns throughout the world, and due to improved outcome for transfusion-dependent patients based on the development of effective chelation regimens. Much progress has been made in the development of noninvasive measurement of tissue iron concentration, which has provided new insights into the effects of iron chelation. Although subcutaneous deferoxamine remains the mainstay of treatment, oral deferiprone seems particularly effective at removing cardiac iron and preventing cardiac complications. Additional oral iron chelators are in the pipeline. Growing knowledge and insights into the mechanisms of gene regulation arising from the study of the globin gene clusters have not yet resulted in a full understanding of hemoglobin switching mechanisms. Efforts continue to develop and evaluate drugs for inducing fetal hemoglobin, although progress has been slow. In contrast, there has been substantial progress in the development of vectors for gene therapy of thalassemia and the first clinical trial has been proposed. However, proto-oncogene activation and neoplastic transformation, potential risks of vector insertional mutagenesis, have now been observed in a clinical trial for severe combined immunodeficiency, adding a note of caution. Allogenetic stem cell transplantation from a matched sibling has cured many thalassemia patients and progress is being made in the use of alternative donors for this purpose.
Learning to Clap: Reflections on Top-Down versus Bottom-Up Development

This paper draws on the experience of the World Bank in rural and urban development during the 1970s and 1980s to explain why neither predominantly top-down nor bottom-up approaches have succeeded--nor indeed deserved to--or can be expected to succeed in the future. It then proceeds through a selection of related innovations initiated in the latter 1980s and through the 1990s; notes their failure to promote significant breakthroughs to date; and suggests improved initiatives that blend top-down and bottom-up approaches and beyond their general efficacy would seem to be particularly suitable for confronting many of the principal problems in the Mexico-US borderlands. (authors)
The 3DID face alignment system for verifying identity

The 3DID system verifies the identity of a cooperative person by matching a sensed 3D surface of the face to a face model stored during a prior enrollment. First, anchor point detection is performed based on a shape index; then, a rigid alignment is determined between the observed and model face anchor points. A best alignment is determined using an improved Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm that aligns the surfaces allowing for trimming of 10% noise points. Trimmed Root Mean Squared (RMS) error for the same person is almost always smaller than 1.3mm; whereas for different persons, it is almost always larger than this threshold. Performance analysis shows that the 3DID system is fast enough (<2s on a 3.2MHz P4), reliable enough (1% equal error rate with 1.5% reject rate), and flexible enough (handles 30^o of yaw and 15^o of roll and pitch) to be practical in several applications. 3DID is also user friendly, providing several displays of intuitive value to human agents either in online or delayed analysis mode. An inexpensive scanner is needed for widespread use.
Recurrent orbital schwannomas: clinical course and histopathologic correlation

Background: Schwannomas are slow-growing typically encapsulated tumors composed of differentiated Schwann cells, the primary class of peripheral glial cells.Complete excision is the treatment of choice for orbital schwannomas that cause pain, disfigurement, diplopia, or optic neuropathy.The presence of multiple schwannomas in a single patient suggests possible association with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) or schwannomatosis. Case presentation: We present 2 patients who experienced recurrent orbital schwannoma without evidence for neurofibromatosis. The recurrence in one patient, a 59-year old man, occurred 6 years after complete excision of the initial tumor. This recurrence consisted of 2 independent tumors in the same orbit. The recurrence in the second patient, a 5 year-old girl, occurred multiple times within days to weeks of partial excisions until eventually a complete excision was performed. Conclusion: The clinical history, histopathologic features and particularly the intraoperative findings suggest that the 59 year old man suffers from orbital schwannomatosis, while the rapid recurrence in the second patient correlated with the cellular features of her plexiform schwannoma. Hence, the recurrence in each patient is linked to a different etiology, with implications for treatment and patient counseling given the difficulty in treating orbital schwannomatosis. To our knowledge, this is the first description of isolated orbital schwannomatosis.
Heparan Sulfate 3-O-sulfation: A Rare Modification in Search of a Function

Many protein ligands bind to heparan sulfate, which results in their presentation, protection, oligomerization or conformational activation. Binding depends on the pattern of sulfation and arrangement of uronic acid epimers along the chains. Sulfation at the C3 position of glucosamine is a relatively rare, yet biologically significant modification, initially described as a key determinant for binding and activation of antithrombin and later for infection by type I herpes simplex virus. In mammals, a family of seven heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferases installs sulfate groups at this position and constitutes the largest group of sulfotransferases involved in heparan sulfate formation. However, to date very few proteins or biological systems have been described that are influenced by 3-O-sulfation. This review describes our current understanding of the prevalence and structure of 3-O-sulfation sites, expression and substrate specificity of the 3-O-sulfotransferase family and the emerging roles of 3-O-sulfation in biology.
Evolution of V(V) Species and the Formation of V-O-Si Bonds during the Synthesis of Vanadia-Silica Sol-Gel Materials

The solution chemistry of vanadium(V) species in an aqueous alcoholic silicate solution was studied by 51V NMR spectroscopy. It was found that under conditions of low water, vanadium silicate speci...
Predicting vigorous physical activity using social cognitive theory

Objective To test Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) in predicting future vigorous physical activity among college students. Methods College students (n=350) completed a set of instruments measuring SCT constructs. Their vigorous physical activity was tracked for 4 weeks. Results Exercise role identity, self-regulation, outcome expectancy value, social support, self-efficacy, and positive exercise experience accounted for 27% of the variance in days of vigorous physical activity. Conclusion The results supported the use of SCT in understanding factors associated with vigorous physical activity rates among college students.
Retinal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA expression is altered in relation to neovascularization in oxygen induced retinopathy.

The temporal and spatial expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) mRNA was studied in normal developing cat retina, and in oxygen induced retinopathy. Unexposed control and oxygen-exposed animals (80 h of 80% oxygen from day 3, n = 16) were studied at 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after birth. India ink injected retinal flat mounts were used to study vessel progression, and in situ hybridizations using retinal cross sections were used to assess VEGF mRNA accumulation.In controls, as the retina matured, VEGF mRNA hybridization was evident in the ganglion cell layer in a scattered line of distinct cells prior to the ingrowth of vessels, involved the most cells in regions just peripheral to invading vessels and persisted in a fewer positive cells, widely spaced in the vascularized retinas of control, six week animals. In the inner nuclear layer, hybridization initially appeared diffusely and later became localized to a narrow portion of that layer and persisted there. In animals with oxygen induce...
Parent–Child Relational Problem: Field Trial Results, Changes in DSM-5, and Proposed Changes for ICD-11

Caregiving relationships are significant factors in the development, mediation, or moderation of childhood mental health problems. However, epidemiological and clinical research has been limited by lack of reliable, succinct, and standardized methods of assessing parent-child relationship constructs. The Relational Processes Workgroup (ad hoc to the DSM-5 process) proposed more specific criteria to define a parent-child relational problem (PCRP). These criteria were field tested in one of the DSM-5 Field trial sites, utilizing a similar research design as DSM-5. Participants included 133 symptomatic children (5-17 years) in active treatment for a mental health problem and their primary caregiver (86% mothers). Two separate clinicians, each blinded to the assessment of the other clinician as well as the DSM-5 diagnoses, interviewed the dyads within a 2-week period, utilizing the proposed PCRP criteria. Prior to each interview, parents were asked to write about their relationship with their child, and children (over the age of 10 years) filled out the Parental Bonding Instrument, Brief Current, and the Perceived Criticism Measure. Clinicians were able to read the narratives and see results of the child report measures before assessing the dyad. The weighted prevalence of a PCRP in this sample was 34%. The interclass kappa for overall agreement between clinicians was 0.58 (0.40, 0.72), which indicates good interrater reliability. Further, clinicians found the PCRP diagnostic criteria clinically useful and an improvement over the brief description of PCRP that was presented in DSM-IV. Relationships between children and their primary caregiver can be assessed in a reliable manner, based on clinical interview with the child-caregiver dyad and several self-report measures. Language: en
COGNITIVE INFORMATION PROCESSING MEASURES AS PREDICTORS OF MONITORING PERFORMANCE

To obtain a more precise understanding of the constructs underlying complex monitoring, measures of short-term memory and visual search were administered to 7 male and 13 female college students. The hypothesis was that more rapid short-term memory and visual search would be related to successful monitoring. A correlational analysis indicated that choice reaction time was related to performance (r = –.38 and –.43) while rate of serial comparisons was not (r = –.08 and –.28). It was concluded that information-processing measures enhanced the understanding of the underlying processes in monitoring beyond that provided by traditional cognitive tests.
Market power and provider consolidation in physician markets

Physician services comprise a substantial share of total health care spending, and the price of health care services has been cited as a key contributor to the disproportionately high rate of health care spending in the US. However, despite a large literature analyzing market power in the hospital and insurance industries, less is known about the extent to which physicians exercise market power. In this study we make use of a private health insurance claims data set to analyze physician market power for two specialties within three mid-sized US metropolitan areas. Using a method developed for hospital competition analysis, we estimate measures of consumer willingness-to-pay for physician practices within each of these markets and relate these to the prices paid to these practices for a set of physician services. Our results are suggestive of the presence of market power in the markets that we analyze. We simulate physician practice mergers for the two largest practices in each market for each specialty analyzed. Results suggest that practice mergers could result in price increases deemed significant by antitrust authorities in some markets but not in others.
A counterfactual analysis of the concepts of logical truth and necessity

This paper analyzes the logical truths as (very roughly) those truths that would still have been true under a certain range of counterfactual perturbations.What’s nice is that the relevant range is characterized without relying (overtly, at least) upon the notion of logical truth. This approach suggests a conception of necessity that explains what the different varieties of necessity (logical, physical, etc.) have in common, in virtue of which they are all varieties of necessity. However, this approach places the counterfactual conditionals in an unfamiliar foundational role.
The influence of molecular weight on the reactivity of a vinylbenzyl ether macromonomer of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)

The synthesis of a series of vinylbenzyl ether macromonomers of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO–VBE) with number average molecular weights between 1,000 and 27,000 and narrow molecular weight distribution is presented. The reactivity ratio r1 was determined for the comonomer pairs methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl methacrylate (BMA), respectively (M1), and PPO–VBE (M2) over the entire range of molecular weights of the macromonomer. r1 was determined by the single experiment intergrated equation. Since both the monomer and macromonomer present an induction period, it has been shown that the determination of r1 from one single point experiment is not correct. Accurate r1 values can be obtained from one single copolymerization experiment only when the comonomer conversions are determined at several different reaction times. The macromonomer reactivity (1/r1) increases with its molecular weight up to about 5,000–7,000. Above these values its reactivity decreases. An attempt to explain this behavior based on the kinetic excluded free volume effect is presented.
Dynamics of neuronal responses in macaque MT and VIP during motion detection

We examined how the relationship between neuronal activity and behavior evolved over time during a motion-detection task. Recording from two regions of visual cortex that process motion, the middle temporal (MT) and ventral intraparietal (VIP) areas, we used the time it took subjects to detect a motion stimulus to evaluate the dynamics of the underlying neuronal signals. Single-neuron activity was correlated with stimulus detection and reaction time (RT) in both areas. The rising edge of the population response from both areas was highly predictive of RT using a simple threshold-detection model. The time course of the population responses, however, differed between MT and VIP. For MT, the onset of the neuronal response was relatively constant, whereas for VIP the onset of the neuronal responses increased with RT. In contrast to previous studies, we found that single neurons were not reliable detectors of the motion signal when constrained by realistic detection times.
Information Content of Molecular Structures

For a completely enumerated set of conformers of a macromolecule or for exhaustive lattice walks of model polymers it is straightforward to use Shannon information theory to deduce the information content of the ensemble. It is also practicable to develop numerical measures of the information content of sets of exact distance constraints applied to specific conformational ensembles. We examine the effects of experimental uncertainties by considering “noisy” constraints. The introduction of noise requires additional assumptions about noise distribution and conformational clustering protocols that make the problem of measuring information content more complex. We make use of a standard concept in communication theory, the “noise sphere,” to link uncertainty in measurements to information loss. Most of our numerical results are derived from two-dimensional lattice ensembles. Expressing results in terms of information per degree of freedom removes almost all of the chain length dependence. We also explore off-lattice polyalanine chains that yield surprisingly similar results.
Distribution of hepatic phosphofructokinase isozymes in parenchymal and sinusoidal cells

Abstract The distribution profile of the isozymes of phosphofructokinase (PFK) in different cell types of rat liver is established using the techniques of electrophoresis and immunodiffusion. Agarose gel electrophoresis of the extracts of parenchymal cells, Kupffer or sinusoidal cells, and whole liver indicated that two PFK isozymes are present in whole liver and that the faster moving hepatic PFK isozyme is present only in parenchymal cells; whereas, the slower moving hepatic PFK isozyme is only in sinusoidal cells. Immunodiffusion studies using antiserum specific for the major hepatic PFK isozyme (PFK-L2) revealed that PFK-L2 is present only in whole liver or parenchymal cell extracts and is absent from sinusoidal cells. It is apparent that the other hepatic PFK isozyme (PFK-L1) is normally found only in sinusoidal cells.