Spontaneous Analogy by Piggybacking on a Perceptual System

Most computational models of analogy assume they are given a delineated source domain and often a specified target domain. These systems do not address how analogs can be isolated from large domains and spontaneously retrieved from long-term memory, a process we call spontaneous analogy. We present a system that represents relational structures as feature bags. Using this representation, our system leverages perceptual algorithms to automatically create an ontology of relational structures and to efficiently retrieve analogs for new relational structures from long-term memory. We provide a demonstration of our approach that takes a set of unsegmented stories, constructs an ontology of analogical schemas (corresponding to plot devices), and uses this ontology to efficiently find analogs within new stories, yielding significant time-savings over linear analog retrieval at a small accuracy cost.Comment: Proceedings of the 35th Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, 201

Prevalence and types of rectal douches used for anal intercourse: results from an international survey.

BackgroundRectal products used with anal intercourse (AI) may facilitate transmission of STIs/HIV. However, there is limited data on rectal douching behavior in populations practicing AI. We examined the content, types of products, rectal douching practices and risk behaviors among those reporting AI.MethodsFrom August 2011 to May 2012, 1,725 women and men reporting receptive AI in the past 3 months completed an internet-based survey on rectal douching practices. The survey was available in English, French, German, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Thai and included questions on sexual behaviors associated with AI including rectal douching. Differences by rectal douching practices were evaluated using chi-square methods and associations between reported douching practices and other factors including age and reported STI history were evaluated using logistic regression analysis.ResultsRespondents represented 112 countries, were mostly male (88%), and from North America (55%) or Europe (22%). Among the 1,339 respondents (66%) who reported rectal douching, most (83%) reported always/almost always douching before receptive AI. The majority of rectal douchers reported using non-commercial/homemade products (93%), with water being the most commonly used product (82%). Commercial products were used by 31%, with the most common product being saline-based (56%). Rectal douching varied by demographic and risk behaviors. The prevalence of rectal douching was higher among men (70% vs. 32%; p-value < .01), those reporting substance-use with sex (74% vs. 46%; p-value < .01), and those reporting an STI in the past year (69% vs. 57% p-value < .01) or ever testing HIV-positive (72% vs. 53%; p-value < .01). In multivariable analysis, adjusting for age, gender, region, condom and lubricant use, substance use, and HIV-status, douchers had a 74% increased odds of reporting STI in the past year as compared to non-douchers [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.74; 95% CI 1.01-3.00].ConclusionGiven that rectal douching before receptive AI is common and because rectal douching was associated with other sexual risk behaviors the contribution of this practice to the transmission and acquisition of STIs including HIV may be important

Racial Threat and Opposition to the Re-Enfranchisement of Ex-Felons

Abstract: Prior research demonstrates that racial threat is related to the time, place and severity of disenfranchisement laws for ex-felons. This study builds on that work by examining whether perceived racial threat helps to account for public opposition to the abolition of disenfranchisement policies. To do this, we draw on interview data from a survey of 1,575 Florida adults randomly sampled in 2005. Perceived racial composition of neighborhood and the perceived involvement of blacks in several crimes – the racial typification of crime – are our measures of perceived racial threat. Perceived racial composition is unrelated to opposition to re-enfranchisement of ex-felons. But the racial typification of crime significantly predicts that opposition, independent of the effects of general punitiveness, conservatism, and other predictors. Among white respondents that relationship is strongest for those who are liberal/moderate and generally less punitive and is not effected by varying levels of racial threat measured at macro-social levels

Enhancing Ductility of WWR Slabs

A series of research studies have recently identified an issue called strain localization in welded wire reinforced (WWR) members. This phenomenon reportedly concentrates strains at welded cross wire locations and severely limit ductility. Those that identified the phenomenon used it to imply that WWR is unsafe because it does not warn of failure. This research program is investigating details to mitigate the strain localization effect and demonstrate the WWR can be used safely. Sixteen beams have been constructed using WWR and rebar with various cross wire spacing, using a realistic design. The strain localization phenomenon was not demonstrated, but WWR slabs are somewhat less ductile than traditionally reinforced members. The WWR members were shown to provide adequate ductility for warning of impending failure visually and with a well-accepted ductility measure. Future study will focus on proving ability of WWR to provide load redistribution, investigating the effect of cross wire diameter on strain localization and developing simple and easy to use guidelines for proper WWR detailing

Examining the Relationship Between Trait Energy and Fatigue and Feelings of Depression in Young Healthy Adults

Depression is usually co-morbid with fatigue. However, we are unaware of studies exploring the relationship between trait energy and fatigue and feelings of depression. Recent evidence suggests that energy and fatigue are two distinct moods. PURPOSE: To examine the association between trait mental and physical energy and fatigue and feelings of depression, within an otherwise healthy young adult cohort. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, healthy respondents (n=495) completed a series of self-reported surveys measuring depression, lifestyle factors (sleep, diet, physical activity), and trait mental and physical energy and fatigue. Using a step-wise regression, we controlled for demographics and lifestyle and added trait mental and physical energy and fatigue to the second model. RESULTS: When trait mental and physical energy and fatigue were added to the models, the adjusted R2 increased by 5% (R2 = .112, F(13, 457) = 4.455, p \u3c .001). In our second model, trait mental fatigue was the only significant predictor of depressive mood states (Β = .159, t (457) = 2.512, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Young adults, who struggle with high mental fatigue, may also be more likely to report feeling depressed suggesting that fatigue and depression are co-morbid, while low energy and depression are not. Future research should aim to identify epigenetic/genetic factors that influence mental fatigue and how those may be associated with feelings of depression

Ecosystem development after mangrove wetland creation : plant–soil change across a 20-year chronosequence

This paper is not subject to U.S. copyright. The definitive version was published in Ecosystems 15 (2012): 848-866, doi:10.1007/s10021-012-9551-1.Mangrove wetland restoration and creation efforts are increasingly proposed as mechanisms to compensate for mangrove wetland losses. However, ecosystem development and functional equivalence in restored and created mangrove wetlands are poorly understood. We compared a 20-year chronosequence of created tidal wetland sites in Tampa Bay, Florida (USA) to natural reference mangrove wetlands. Across the chronosequence, our sites represent the succession from salt marsh to mangrove forest communities. Our results identify important soil and plant structural differences between the created and natural reference wetland sites; however, they also depict a positive developmental trajectory for the created wetland sites that reflects tightly coupled plant-soil development. Because upland soils and/or dredge spoils were used to create the new mangrove habitats, the soils at younger created sites and at lower depths (10–30 cm) had higher bulk densities, higher sand content, lower soil organic matter (SOM), lower total carbon (TC), and lower total nitrogen (TN) than did natural reference wetland soils. However, in the upper soil layer (0–10 cm), SOM, TC, and TN increased with created wetland site age simultaneously with mangrove forest growth. The rate of created wetland soil C accumulation was comparable to literature values for natural mangrove wetlands. Notably, the time to equivalence for the upper soil layer of created mangrove wetlands appears to be faster than for many other wetland ecosystem types. Collectively, our findings characterize the rate and trajectory of above- and below-ground changes associated with ecosystem development in created mangrove wetlands; this is valuable information for environmental managers planning to sustain existing mangrove wetlands or mitigate for mangrove wetland losses