cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assay of deoxyhypusine hydroxylase activity.

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is the only cellular protein that contains an unusual amino acid, hypusine [N (e)-(4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)-lysine]. eIF5A and its hypusine/deoxyhypusine modification are vital for eukaryotic cell proliferation. Hypusine is formed posttranslationally by two enzymatic steps catalyzed by deoxyhypusine synthase and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase. Deoxyhypusine hydroxylase catalyzes a stereo-specific hydroxylation of the deoxyhypusine residue in the eIF5A intermediate protein, eIF5A(Dhp). The enzyme is totally specific for this protein and does not act on short peptides (<50 amino acids). The assay measures the conversion of the radiolabeled deoxyhypusine residue to a hypusine residue in eIF5A. Optimum conditions for the reaction and two detection methods for the product, hypusine-containing eIF5A, are described in this chapter. The first, and most reliable, method is the measurement of the amount of [(3)H]hypusine in the protein hydrolysate after its separation from [(3)H]deoxyhypusine, by ion exchange chromatography. This method does require specialized equipment. The second method is based on counting the total TCA soluble radioactivity after sodium periodate oxidation of the reaction mixture, since the radiolabeled 4-amino-2-hydroxy butyl moiety of the hypusine residue is cleaved and is released from protein as radiolabeled β-propionaldehyde and formaldehyde by periodate oxidation.
Long-Term Followup of 207 Patients with Bladder Exstrophy: An Evolution in Treatment

AbstractBetween 1945 and 1985 a total of 207 patients (male-to-female ratio 2:1) was treated at our institution for exstrophy of the bladder. Primary anatomical bladder closure was performed in 137 patients, of whom 42 (31 per cent) eventually required urinary diversion. Primary urinary diversion was the initial treatment in 70 patients, including ureterosigmoidostomy in 40, ileal conduit in 17, colon conduit in 11 and cutaneous ureterostomy in 2. Secondary urinary diversion was necessary in 35 patients and included continent diversion in 7. Primary anatomical bladder closure, done within 72hours of birth and followed by staged reconstruction of the bladder neck, was the most successful surgical regimen for the treatment of bladder exstrophy. Acceptable urinary continence was achieved in 82 per cent of our patients with this approach. However, multiple procedures often were required to achieve continence.
Imaging features of pancreatic neoplasms

Pancreatic masses are common in daily imaging practice. The advent of helical CT and breathold MRI has provided a new impetus to the study of the pancreas not only for the potential of characterizing pancreatic masses and pancreatitis but also because of the more accurate staging of pancreatic neoplasms using this technique. Pancreatic tumors are classified according to its histologic origin. Ductal adenocarcinoma is the most common. Regarding ductal adenocarcinoma, despite the fast evolving imaging techniques promising an earlier diagnosis and an accurate staging, still the prognosis is extremely poor. However, new surgical data indicate that long-term survival although rare, occurs on resected tumors less than 2 cm, without vascular encasement or adenopathy. Logically, early detection and accurate staging of tumors has become the main focussing in pancreatic imaging since it may result in an increase in the survival of these patients. In this context, the role of imaging to identify, characterize and stage pancreatic neoplasms will be described. Furthermore, the key radiological features of a gamut of more uncommon pancreatic neoplasms will be illustrated. These include other exocrine epithelial tumors (anaplastic carcinoma, pancreatoblastoma, acinar cell carcinoma serous cystic pancreatic adenoma, mucinous cystic tumors, intraductal mucinous papillary tumor, and solid pseudopapillary neoplasm), endocrine tumors or islet cell tumors (insulinoma, gastrinoma, gluconoma, vipoma, non-functioning tumors), rare non-epithelial tumors (lymphoma, teratoma) and metastases to the pancreas.
Extended Cost-Effectiveness Analysis for Health Policy Assessment: A Tutorial

Health policy instruments such as the public financing of health technologies (e.g., new drugs, vaccines) entail consequences in multiple domains. Fundamentally, public health policies aim at increasing the uptake of effective and efficient interventions and at subsequently leading to better health benefits (e.g., premature mortality and morbidity averted). In addition, public health policies can provide non-health benefits in addition to the sole well-being of populations and beyond the health sector. For instance, public policies such as social and health insurance programs can prevent illness-related impoverishment and procure financial risk protection. Furthermore, public policies can improve the distribution of health in the population and promote the equalization of health among individuals. Extended cost-effectiveness analysis was developed to address health policy assessment, specifically to evaluate the health and financial consequences of public policies in four domains: (1) the health gains; (2) the financial risk protection benefits; (3) the total costs to the policy makers; and (4) the distributional benefits. Here, we present a tutorial that describes both the intent of extended cost-effectiveness analysis and its keys to allow easy implementation for health policy assessment.
Conductive and Stretchable Silver-Polymer Blend for Electronic Applications

Stretchable and flexible electronic devices have gained significant attention in recent years, as they can be integrated into many systems such as medical sensors, displays, and robots. One of the primary areas of research is designing stretchable interconnects which provide adequate conductivity and mechanical robustness. Metal-based interconnects have been reported to have the highest conductivity, but are not stretchable enough, while elastomer interconnects are not conductive enough. In this paper we report a silver polymer blend composite that provides excellent conductivity, stretchability and flexibility for use as a stretchable interconnect. The composite was prepared by dispersing silver flakes in a Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Phosphoric acid (H3PO4) and poly(3,4-ethyl-ene-dioxythiophene) (PEDOT): Poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PSS) polymer mixture. Silver was chosen as it has the highest conductivity of all metals, while the PEDOT:PSS/PVA-H3PO4 blend was chosen as the blend offers a practical trade-off between conductivity and stretchability for the composite matrix. The polymer blend provides conductive pathways between the silver flakes, leading to the blend's superior electrical properties, even at large deformations. The synthesis process of the composite material, along with the observed electrical and mechanical properties of the composite will be presented in detail.
Methoprene does not affect juvenile hormone titers in honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers

Methoprene, a juvenile hormone (JH) analog, is a widely used insecticide that also accelerates behavioral development in honey bees (Apis mellifera). JH regulates the transition from nursing to foraging in adult worker bees, and treatment with JH or methoprene have both been shown to induce precocious foraging. To determine how methoprene changes honey bee behavior, we compared JH titers of methoprene-treated and untreated bees. Behavioral observations confirmed that methoprene treatment significantly increased the number of precocious foragers in 3 out of 4 colonies. In only 1 out of 4 colonies, however, was there a significant difference in JH titers between the methoprene-treated and control bees. Further, in all 4 colonies, there was no significant differences in JH titers between precocious and normal-aged foragers. These results suggest that methoprene did not directly affect the endogenous JH secreted by corpora allata. Because methoprene caused early foraging without changing workers' JH titers, we conclude that methoprene most likely acts directly on the JH receptors as a substitute for JH.
Identifying carboxylate ligand vibrational modes in photosystem II with QM/MM methods

The light-driven oxidation of water in photosystem II (PSII) produces nearly all of the molecular oxygen on Earth and drives the production of nearly all of Earth’s biomass. Determining the mechanism of O2 formation in PSII is one of the hottest topics in photosynthesis and has stimulated much interest in the development of artificial photosynthesis. The catalytic water-oxidizing center (WOC) consists of a Mn4CaO5 cluster, nearby amino acid residues, and numerous surrounding water molecules (Fig. 1). Rapid progress in understanding the mechanism of O2 formation has been made in the last 5 years because of developments in crystallography (e.g., the development of free electron laser sources) and the interplay between new structural information, computational studies, and advanced biophysical methods such as pulsed EPR spectroscopy, X-ray absorbance spectroscopy, and membrane inlet mass spectrometry (1⇓⇓–4). FTIR spectroscopy is an additional biophysical method that has the advantage of being sensitive to the amino acid residues and water molecules that surround the Mn4CaO5 cluster. However, the interpretation of much of the FTIR literature on PSII has been hampered by an inability to assign spectral features to specific residues or functional groups. In PNAS, Nakamura and Noguchi (5) address this problem by simulating FTIR difference spectra of the WOC in the symmetric carboxylate stretching region on the basis of quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods. Fig. 1. The Mn4CaO5 cluster and its ligation environment from the 1.95-A X-ray crystallographic structure (7) (Protein Data Bank ID code 4UB6). For clarity, only selected residues are shown. Except as noted otherwise, all residues are from the D1 polypeptide. Purple spheres, manganese ions; yellow sphere, calcium; large red spheres, μ-oxo bridges; blue sphere, chloride; small red spheres, water molecules including the four water molecules bound to Mn4 … [↵][1]1Email: richard.debus{at}ucr.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Regression Discontinuity in Serial Dictatorship: Achievement Effects at Chicago's Exam Schools

Abstract Many school and college admission systems use centralized mechanisms to allocate seats based on applicant preferences and school priorities. When tie-breaking uses non-randomly assigned cr...
Diagnosis and Treatments for Vesico-Enteric Fistulas: a 2017 Current Review

Vesico-enteric fistulas (VEF) have a tremendous effect on patient quality of life. Unfortunately, clear diagnostic and management guidelines do not exist. In this article, we review the current evidence for workup and treatment of these fistulas. Additionally, new treatments are presented. Technological advancements in imaging modalities have shifted diagnosis from simply demonstrating the fistula to providing anatomic and pathologic information. Furthermore, continued improvement in endoscopic and laparoscopic tools may allow for treatment of fistulas with durable results. Management of the underlying disease process is key to management of VEF. Enhanced imaging techniques and improved medical therapies have allowed for better optimization prior to surgical therapy improving success rates. Additionally, endoscopic and laparoscopic treatments have allowed for more minimally invasive treatments, challenging the accepted practice of excision and repair of VEF. In the future, continued technological and medical developments will allow for better management of the underlying cause of VEF and decrease comorbidity associated with repair.
Citations to chemical resources in scholarly articles: CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics and The Merck Index

The use of authoritative chemical resources by scientists is an important first step to finding reliable and credible information for supporting and validating research results. Given the vast number of commercially and freely available online resources used for searching chemical and physical information, the utility of the traditional ready-reference print resources such as the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (referred to as the “Rubber Bible”) and The Merck Index (referred to as the “Chemist’s Bible”) may no longer be regarded suitable or useful for looking-up information and hence no longer required for purchase by academic institutions. To investigate this hypothesis, a study was undertaken to examine the usage and impact of these resources through citation in scholarly articles. The ‘Cited Reference Search’ from the Web of Science database is used to search, collect, and analyze article citations from the Science Citation Index Expanded to the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics and The Merck Index, between the years 2002 and 2015 inclusive. The distribution of article citations to these chemical resources was analyzed by document type, research field, country, affiliation, and journal. The article citation yearly counts to these chemical resources were further compared to Wikipedia.
Backbone and side-chain 1 H, 15 N, and 13 C resonance assignments of a novel Staphylococcal inhibitor of myeloperoxidase

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus produces an array of anti-inflammatory molecules that prevent the innate immune system from recognizing it as a pathogen and clearing it from the host. In the acute phase of inflammation, our immune system relies on neutrophils to clear invading bacteria. Recently, novel classes of secreted proteins from S. aureus, including the Extracellular Adherence Protein (EAP) family (Stapels et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 111:13187-13192, 2014) and the Staphylococcal Peroxidase Inhibitor (SPIN), (unpublished work) have been identified as highly selective inhibitors acting on Neutrophil Serine Proteases (NSPs) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) respectively. SPIN is a protein found only in Staphylococci, with no sequence homology to any known proteins. Solution NMR structural studies of SPIN are therefore expected to provide a deeper understanding of its interaction with MPO. In this study, we report the backbone and side-chain 1H, 15N, and 13C resonance assignments of SPIN. Furthermore, using the chemical shifts of these resonances, we predicted the secondary structure of SPIN in solution via the TALOS-N server. The assignment data has been deposited in the BMRB data bank under Accession No. 27069.
Toward Health Information Technology that Supports Overweight/Obese Women in Addressing Emotion- and Stress-Related Eating

Emotion- and stressed-related eating (ESRE) is associated with weight management difficulties and is more likely to affect women than men. Additionally, health information technology (HIT) for weight management tends to be less effective for women than it is for men, and less effective for people who engage in ESRE. Therefore, this study explores how HIT can support overweight/obese women curb ESRE behavior. Study participants, all adult overweight/obese women (BMI ' 25), logged dietary intake for 10 days with the Lose It! smartphone app as an elicitation exercise. Cross sectional, semi-structured interviews (N = 22) were then conducted to explore technology support needs concerning ESRE behavior. Findings revealed participants had the following needs: holistic health goal development, building motivation to achieve goals, and assistance with handling stress. Resulting HIT guidelines include supporting holistic health goals, developing and sustaining motivation, exchange of emotional support, understanding of behavior, and change in ESRE mindset.
Allene Aziridination as a Tool for the Synthesis of Complex Amines

Abstract The importance of stereochemically complex amine functionality in bioactive natural products, pharmaceuticals, and ligands, coupled with challenges associated with the synthesis of these motifs via conventional alkene functionalizations, has spurred the development of new methods. Transition-metal catalyzed reactions of allenes for the synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles have largely focused on [ n + m ] cycloadditions with C=N or X=N bonds or on cycloisomerizations of allenes with amine, amide, or sulfonamide nucleophiles. These strategies often ignore one of the most appealing characteristics of allenes; that is, the possibility of transferring axial chirality from all three contiguous unsaturated carbons to three new sp 3 C–C or C–X bonds to furnish complex, densely functionalized “stereotriad” building blocks. Recent developments in transition metal–catalyzed oxidative amination of allenes have explored this potential synthetic utility by first transforming one or both of the cumulated double bonds into a three-membered aziridine heterocycle. These highly strained intermediates exhibit an array of interesting reactivities that allow for new approaches to the synthesis of valuable nitrogen-containing heterocycles. In this chapter, we summarize transition metal–catalyzed allene aziridinations that proceed with high levels of chemo-, regio-, and stereocontrol and describe their elaboration into stereochemically complex, densely functionalized cyclic and acyclic amine stereotriads, aminated carbocycles, and other building blocks for constructing natural product scaffolds.
FSE–Ag complex NS: preparation and evaluation of antibacterial activity

Silver (Ag) complexes of drugs and their nanosystems have great potential as antibacterials. Recently, an Ag complex of furosemide (Ag-FSE) has shown to be a promising antimicrobial. However, poor solubility of Ag-FSE could hamper its introduction into clinics. Therefore, the authors developed a nanosuspension of Ag-FSE (Ag-FSE_NS) for its solubility and antibacterial activity enhancement. The aim of this study was to introduce a novel nanoantibiotic with enhanced antibacterial efficacy. Ag-FSE_NS was prepared by precipitation-ultrasonication technique. Size, polydispersity index (PI) and zeta potential (ZP) of prepared Ag-FSE_NS were measured by dynamic light scattering, whereas surface morphology was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In vitro antibacterial activity was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using broth microdilution method. Size, PI and ZP of optimised Ag-FSE_NS1 were 191.2 ± 19.34 nm, 0.465 ± 0.059 and -55.7 ± 8.18 mV, respectively. SEM revealed that Ag-FSE_NS1 particles were rod or needle-like with smooth surfaces. Saturation solubility of Ag-FSE in NS increased eight-fold than pure Ag-FSE. Ag-FSE_NS1 exhibited two-fold and eight-fold enhancements in activity against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. The results obtained showed that developed Ag-FSE_NS1 holds a promise as a topical antibacterial.
Vibrational structure analysis of cobalt fluoro-porphyrin surface coatings on gallium phosphide

Grazing angle attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (GATR–FTIR) spectroscopy is used to characterize chemically modified gallium phosphide (GaP) surfaces containing grafted cobalt...
Using group-based projects to improve retention of students in computer science major

Some research indicated that degree completion rates had decreased as compared with 10 years ago. To address this disparity, we have developed an approach to improve retention of students to increase the graduation rate of students in computer science major while enhancing their learning experience. The group-based collaborative research will not only improve student performance, but also will increase student motivation, confidence and resilience. This paper discusses our small-group-based approach to provide students in their early undergraduate years on the CSULA campus. We provide three software development groups for students to join. Each of group is headed by a graduate teaching assistant under the supervision of the faculty.
Growth of oriented molecular sieves on organic layers

The oriented growth of zincophosphate molecular sieves on modified gold substrates is reported. Self-assembled layers of thiols with alcohol terminating groups were phosphorylated with phosphoryl, chloride. A series of mixed layers containing alkyl chains and phosphate groups of similar chain lengths was prepared and the resulting mixed layers were examined as substrates for the room temperature growth of zincophosphate molecular sieves with FAU structure. The mixed functional films show profound effects on the density and orientation of surface-grown crystals. At high phosphate concentration, the crystals are highly oriented with their (111) faces parallel to the substrate, while both density and order decreased with decreasing phosphate content. The crystal density changes with phosphate density in a nonlinear fashion, suggesting a minimum surface concentration of phosphate groups for successful growth.
The Emerging Academic Discipline of Knowledge Management

Although knowledge management (KM) has gained worldwide recognition as an important strategic imperative, its integration into academia has lagged. A review of the literature, as well as an examination of information systems (IS) curriculum models, was performed to determine how KM related courses are being integrated. The analysis revealed that KM is still not considered appropriate as an integral component of the undergraduate IS curriculum; rather it is more prevalent in optional courses or those covering advanced topics, and integrated into the curriculum at the graduate level. The sluggish adoption of KM into mainstream academia is countered by an increasing demand for KM professionals in the marketplace. Examination of several web resources reveals the emergence of new professional categories and job titles related to KM and a growing certification industry. The article also presents a preliminary analysis of KM related doctoral dissertations, written over the last two decades. Findings reveal a steady growth in the number of such dissertations, as well as a widening array of research topics. Data on degree type, nation of origin, and academic discipline are presented along with ideas for future research in this area.
COMPRESSIBILITY OF CARBON BLACK

The compression of carbon black has been studied in considerable detail, using a cylinder and piston at pressures from 82 to 7500 psi. It is shown that the void ratio, which can be calculated from the thickness, is a linear function of the logarithm of the pressure. This relationship is obeyed well at higher pressures (1000–7500 psi); however, there is frequently some deviation at low pressures, particularly with fluffy blacks. The slope of this semi-logarithmic function, which we designate as the compressibility parameter B, is an index of “structure” which correlates well with other indices such as oil absorption, modulus, and extrusion shrinkage of rubber. The “structure” of carbon black refers to the shape and size of the primary aggregates (which consist of spherical primary particles fused together) and the strength with which these primary aggregates are joined together by interparticle bonds to form secondary aggregates. Compression involves breakdown of the secondary aggregates, followed by packing of the fragments thus formed; consequently, the compressibility appears to be determined by the number and strength of the interparticle bonds. The effects of various prior treatments of the black, including pelletizing, heat treatment, and chemical treatments, are considered. In particular, it is shown that pelletizing and some chemical treatments have a relatively small effect, but heat treatment has a pronounced effect (as shown by Mrozowski et al., Proc. Third Carbon Conf., p. 211).
Reclassifying Idiopathic Uveitis: Lessons From a Tertiary Uveitis Center.

Purpose Idiopathic uveitis is frequently the most common diagnosis in series from uveitis clinics. This study sought to determine the percentage of patients initially diagnosed as idiopathic, noninfectious uveitis referred to a tertiary uveitis center who were subsequently found to have an identifiable cause of uveitis. Design Retrospective case series. Methods We performed a computerized database analysis of 179 consecutive patients who were referred to our practice with the diagnosis of idiopathic, noninfectious uveitis between 2008 and 2016. Patients were evaluated by a thorough history and ophthalmic examination with selected laboratory testing targeted by clues from the history and examination. Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) criteria were used to better assess different types of uveitis. Results Fifty-two out of 179 (29.0%) patients initially diagnosed with idiopathic uveitis were subsequently diagnosed with an underlying condition. Among patients referred with a diagnosis of idiopathic disease, female patients were most commonly affected (121/179; 67.6%). Among subsequent diagnoses, sarcoidosis was the most common (19/52 or 36.5%), followed by HLA-B27-associated uveitis (11/52, 21.1%), infectious uveitis (6/52, 11.5%), tubulointerstitial nephritis with uveitis (6/52, 11.5%), and juvenile idiopathic uveitis (4/52, 7.7%). Other diagnosable conditions included Behcet disease, multifocal choroiditis, panuveitis, Crohn disease, multiple sclerosis, and relapsing polychondritis. An underlying condition was not found in 127 of 179 (70.9%) patients. Conclusions We report that 29% of patients referred to our tertiary uveitis center diagnosed as “idiopathic” had an associated identifiable cause. Identifying an underlying condition associated with uveitis could be potentially lifesaving for some illnesses (eg, sarcoidosis with cardiac involvement) and is critical to management (eg, infection). Although we were able to use limited testing to classify many patients who had been previously incorrectly labeled with idiopathic uveitis, idiopathic uveitis remains the most common diagnosis in our uveitis clinic.
Beyond Parenting: The Responsibility of Multidisciplinary Health Care Providers in Early Intervention Policy Guidance.

Moral responsibility in early intervention (EI) policy guidance is discussed and analyzed in the target article by Mortimer and colleagues (Mortimer et al. 2018), with emphasis on the role of paren...
Distal Tibiofibular Syndesmosis Dysfunction: A Systematic Literature Review of Dynamic Versus Static Fixation Over the Last 10 Years.

Abstract The goal of the present work was to perform a systematic review of the literature of the past 10 years regarding dynamic and static fixation of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis to determine any clinical differences between the 2 procedures. A literature search of the PubMed MEDLINE database was conducted to identify relevant studies related to distal tibiofibular syndesmosis. Studies before January 1, 2007, were excluded to limit the project to the recent literature. Clinical outcomes, device removal rates, time to weightbearing after the initial procedure, and the cost effectiveness of each device were explored. In these 26 studies, 350 patients were treated using a dynamic technique and 845 were treated using a static technique. The weighted American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score was 91.70 (standard error [SE] 1.87) for dynamic fixation patients and the weighted average was 86.48 (SE 2.17) for static fixation patients (p = .068). A secondary procedure to remove the fixation device was performed in 7.7% of dynamic fixation patients and in 39.4% of static fixation patients when studies with 100% device removal were excluded (p
A High-Resolution Data Assimilation Framework for Snow Water Equivalent Estimation across the Western United States and Validation with the Airborne Snow Observatory

AbstractNumerical simulations of snow water equivalent (SWE) in mountain systems can be biased, and few SWE observations have existed over large domains. New approaches for measuring SWE, like NASA...
The effect of respondent's kinship position on reported levels of integrational contact: USA and Japan

Intergenerational relationships are a topic of general concern to social scientists because of the importance of the family for individual's well-being, especially in times of crisis. Hence, a considerable amount of research on relationships between parents and their adult children has been published in a broad array of social science journals. Most of this research examines intergenerational relationships from the perspective of only one generation and implicitly assumes that we would get the same results if we were to examine the rela- tionships from the point of view of other family members. In societies where there are strong norms regarding kin contact, this assumption is likely to be invalid. This research examines reported levels of face-to-face contact among kin in the USA and Japan, and tests whether these reports are systematically different for respondents in some kinship positions than in others. The results show that norms favoring patrilineal contact in Japan can produce reporting bias. In Japan, married daughters tend to underreport levels of contact with their parents. In the USA, children-in-law report lower levels of visiting.
Monomeric and Trimeric Thorium Chlorides Isolated from Acidic Aqueous Solution.

Two thorium(IV) compounds, [Th(H2O)4Cl4]·2(HPy·Cl) (1) and (HPy)3[Th3(H2O)2Cl10(OH)5]·4(HPy·Cl) (2) (HPy = pyridinium), were isolated from acidic aqueous solution. The compounds were synthesized at...
Exogenous Orientation of Attention to the Center of Mass in a Visual Search Task

Anne Treisman’s scientific career included broad-ranging contributions that advanced our understanding of the attentional mechanisms that people rely on to make sense of the world. In this paper, we describe results from a visual-search paradigm first developed by Grabowecky and Treisman (Grabowecky, 1992). Their design exploited known feature-search asymmetries (Treisman & Gormican, 1988) to investigate the role of a center of mass (CoM) mechanism in determining the initial locus of visual-spatial attention in visual search. The original experiment supported the hypothesis that CoM influences initial orienting of visual-spatial attention, as targets near the CoM of a multi-element array were detected more quickly than targets distant from the CoM. These findings were replicated in a follow-up experiment using a different feature-search asymmetry, with eye-tracking added to verify central fixation. We also investigated whether CoM had any influence on pop-out search, and found no evidence that it does. Surprisingly, the effect of position of the search array on the CoM suggested that CoM may be computed independently for elements contained within each visual hemifield. Whereas our work on CoM with Treisman was initiated within an earlier theoretical context, the present results are also compatible with contemporary theoretical advances; both the early results and the new results can be integrated within current ways of thinking about attention and pre-attentive mechanisms.
Observations on Development of Diogmites angustipennis Loew (Diptera: Asilidae) in a Cultivated Field

An agricultural field in southeastern Colorado grown under drip irrigation in 2014 allowed for observations related to the life history of immature stages of the asilid Diogmites angustipennis Loew. A survey of holes in the soil surface made during recent pupal eclosion provided an estimate that approximately 6,670 D. angustipennis/hectare had recently emerged at the site. The field had been in furrow irrigated field corn the previous three seasons indicating that larval stages of this species can develop sizable populations within cultivated fields. Larval prey were not observed, but the most abundant potential prey in this site would have been immature stages of diabroticine beetles.
Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Endophthalmitis: Microbiologic Spectrum and Clinical Outcomes.

Purpose: To report visual outcomes, microbiologic spectrum, and antibiotic resistance in endophthalmitis patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy (PPV).Methods: Retrospective study of 32 patients ...
Real-Time Well Log Prediction From Drilling Data Using Deep Learning

The objective is to study the feasibility of predicting subsurface rock properties in wells from real-time drilling data. Geophysical logs, namely, density, porosity and sonic logs are of paramount importance for subsurface resource estimation and exploitation. These wireline petro-physical measurements are selectively deployed as they are expensive to acquire; meanwhile, drilling information is recorded in every drilled well. Hence a predictive tool for wireline log prediction from drilling data can help management make decisions about data acquisition, especially for delineation and production wells. This problem is non-linear with strong ineractions between drilling parameters; hence the potential for deep learning to address this problem is explored. We present a workflow for data augmentation and feature engineering using Distance-based Global Sensitivity Analysis. We propose an Inception-based Convolutional Neural Network combined with a Temporal Convolutional Network as the deep learning model. The model is designed to learn both low and high frequency content of the data. 12 wells from the Equinor dataset for the Volve field in the North Sea are used for learning. The model predictions not only capture trends but are also physically consistent across density, porosity, and sonic logs. On the test data, the mean square error reaches a low value of 0.04 but the correlation coefficient plateaus around 0.6. The model is able however to differentiate between different types of rocks such as cemented sandstone, unconsolidated sands, and shale.
Verifying the Effect of Barefoot Walk and Comfortable Shoe Walk using Gait Velocity as a Tool for Analysis

Walking is the commonly adopted exercise to maintain and regain the fitness. The very basic thing which layman can understand is observed variation in walking speed during different phases, monitoring of such variation at early stage helps out to know the health condition in certain diseases. To understand the influence of Barefoot Walk and with Shoe Walk, Gait Velocity is selected for basic analysis of the gait pattern in this paper. Fifty subjects within age group of 25 to 75 years are selected for data collection and requested to walk barefoot and using comfortable footwear. Using GAITRite mat platform working on pressure sensors logic, data is recorded and results are tested. Results shows that the barefoot velocity remains on lower side compared with shoe walk. While, when compared along with age group it shows linear relation between gait velocity and age. As age increases the velocity decreases.
A generalized observation confirmation model to account for false positive error in species detection-nondetection data

Abstract Spatially-indexed repeated detection-nondetection data is widely collected by ecologists interested in estimating parameters associated with species distribution, relative abundance, phenology, and more while accounting for imperfect detection. Recent model development has focused on accounting for false positive error as well, given growing recognition that misclassification is common across many sampling protocols. To date, however, the development of model-based solutions to false positive error has been largely restricted to occupancy models. We describe a general form of the observation confirmation protocol originally described for occupancy estimation that permits investigators to flexibly and intuitively extend several models for detection-nondetection data to account for false positive error. Simulation results demonstrate that estimators for relative abundance and arrival time exhibit relative bias greater than 20% under realistic levels of false positive prevalence (e.g., 5% of detections are false positive). Bias increases as true and false positives occur in more distinct places or times, but can also be sensitive to the values of the state variables of interest, sampling design, and sampling efficiency. Results from an empirical study focusing on patterns of gray fox relative abundance across Wisconsin, USA suggest that false positive error can also distort estimated spatial patterns often used to guide decision-making. The extended estimators described within typically improve performance at any level of confirmation, and when false positive error occurs at random and constitutes less than 10% of all detections, the estimators are essentially unbiased when more than 50 observations can be confirmed as true or false positives. The generalized form of the observation-confirmation protocol is a flexible model-based solution to false positive error useful for researchers collecting data with sampling devices like trail or smartphone cameras, acoustic recorders, or other techniques where classifications can be reviewed post-hoc.
AM Versus PM Postoperative Administration of Warfarin With a Mechanical Mitral Valve.

Background: Currently, there are no guidelines regarding the optimal daily timing of inpatient warfarin administration. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether dosing warfarin...
Sparse Coding for Specification Mining and Error Localization

Formal specifications play a central role in the design, verification, and debugging of systems. This paper presents a new viewpoint to the problem of mining specifications from simulation or execution traces of reactive systems. The main application of interest is to localize faults to sections of an error trace we term subtraces, with a particular focus on digital circuits. We propose a novel sparse coding method that extracts specifications in the form of basis subtraces. For a set of finite subtraces each of length p, each subtrace is decomposed into a sparse Boolean combination of only a small number of basis subtraces of the same dimension. We formally define this decomposition as the sparse Boolean matrix factorization problem and give a graph-theoretic algorithm to solve it. We formalize a sufficient condition under which our approach is sound for error localization. Additionally, we give experimental results demonstrating that (1) we can mine useful specifications using our sparse coding method, and (2) the computed bases can be used to do simultaneous error localization and error explanation.
Communication Networks: A First Course

From the Publisher: The second edition of this very successful text provides thorough coverage of networks, including applications, protocols, compression, security and transmission links. Both students and current practitioners will benefit from Walrand's clear presentation of networking concepts.
Monitoring α4β7 integrin expression on circulating CD4+ T cells as a surrogate marker for tracking intestinal CD4+ T-cell loss in SIV infection

Monitoring α4β7 integrin expression on circulating CD4+ T cells as a surrogate marker for tracking intestinal CD4+ T-cell loss in SIV infection
Proteins that bind RNA and the labs who love them.

RNA–protein interactions were the subject of a recent meeting in Austin, Texas. The program provided a current shapshot of the state of our understanding of how proteins help mediate the many functions of RNA.
Discrimination in absorption or transport of beta-carotene isomers after oral supplementation with either all-trans- or 9-cis-beta-carotene.

Human subjects (n = 24) were supplemented with 100 mg β-carotene/d for 6 d, either as synthetic all-trans-p-carotene or a natural β-carotene preparation derived from the alga Dunaliella salina, which consists of a 50 :50 mixture of all-trans-and 9-cis-β-carotene. This loading dose was followed by a 23-d maintenance dose consisting of alternate-day supplementation with 50 mg all-trans-β-carotene or either 66 or 100 mg of the natural 50 :50 isomeric mixture. The loading dose resulted in significant increases in plasma concentrations of both isomers, with the all-trans-β-carotene-supplemented group showing a 7.2-and 5.0-fold increase in the all-trans and 9-cis concentrations in plasma, respectively. The group receiving the 50 :50 mixture showed a 4.0- and 3.7-fold increase in the all-trans and 9-cis concentrations in plasma, respectively, without any apparent dose-dependency. However, even with the 50 :50 mixture, the 9-cis concentrations were only a small fraction of the total plasma β-carotene. Results after an additional 23-d period of alternate-day supplementation were not significantly different from those described above for the 6-d supplementation. Increases in low-density-lipoprotein concentrations of total β-carotene correlated strongly with the increases seen in plasma concentrations. Lipid-soluble antioxidants vitamin E and ubiquinol were unaffected by β-carotene supplementation. However, the amount of lycopene in the low-density lipoprotein decreased during this supplementation period. A strong discrimination between these two geometric isomers of β-carotene was demonstrated, although the tissue site of discrimination was not determined. Am J Clin Nutr 1995 ;61 : 1248-52.
Board or Shareholders – Who Should Determine Management Compensation? A Model of Compensation Governance

The efficacy of boards of directors as a critical governance institution has attracted increasing scrutiny in the wake of the recent financial meltdown. CEO compensation which consequentially determines overall management compensation in a firm, is a key governance decision entrusted with the board. A relevant, though unexplored question would be whether shareholders are better served by making the compensation decision themselves. In this paper, in a game theoretic set up, we analyze shareholder payoffs under the traditional delegated- governance structure wherein shareholders set the compensation of the board, but delegate the management compensation decision to the board, and contrast such delegated- governance with an alternate owner-governance structure wherein shareholders determine the compensation contracts for both the board and management. Under unobservable effort, we consider both deterministic and stochastic firm performance, jointly determined by the effort of the board and management. We find that shareholders are never worse off under owner-governance, though management wages as well as effort are higher under certain conditions. Within a deterministic setting, board wages as well as effort are equal or higher with centralized governance. Under extreme stochastic effects, which might describe boom or bust environments, it does not pay to incentivize the board or management to expend effort. In a stochastic environment where output is determined primarily by board effort, it does not pay to incentivize management for effort. Our analysis suggests a possible explanation for the puzzling observation of rising managerial compensation, often not in congruence with firm performance, as the board faces no penalty for misaligned managerial wages under delegated-governance. We show that owner-governance generally eliminates non-aligned incentive structures.
Effects of intracerebroventricular β-funaltrexamine on μ and δ opioid receptors in the rat: dichotomy between binding and antinociception

The effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) beta-funaltrexamine (beta-FNA) pretreatment at -24 or -6 h were studied on mu and delta opioid receptor binding and on antinociception produced by i.c.v. morphine in rats. Mu and delta opioid receptor binding in brain membrane preparations was performed with [3H][D-Ala2,MePhe4,Gly-ol5]enkephalin (DAGO) and [3H][D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE) as radiolabeled ligands, respectively. Effects of i.c.v. beta-FNA (24 h) on mu and delta binding depended on dosage. For [3H]DAGO binding, 3 micrograms beta-FNA did not affect either the Kd or Bmax, whereas 10 micrograms increased the Kd without changing the Bmax. beta-FNA pretreatment for 24 h did not alter [3H]DPDPE binding at 3 micrograms; at 10 micrograms, the Kd was increased with no change in the Bmax. Pretreatment with 10 micrograms beta-FNA for 6 h gave similar results to the 24-h treatment in mu binding, but did not change delta binding. When mu binding was performed on various brain regions, pretreatment with 10 micrograms beta-FNA for 24 h increased the Kd in all regions studied (the periaqueductal gray, thalamus, striatum and cortex). However, this pretreatment decreased the Bmax only in the periaqueductal gray (by 22%) and cortex (by 14%). Pretreatment of rats with beta-FNA (3 or 10 micrograms at -24 h), which by itself caused some hyperalgesia, greatly antagonized the antinociceptive effect of morphine (10 micrograms i.c.v.) in the hot-plate test. Our work with beta-FNA has revealed an apparent discrepancy between binding and behavioral results. This dichotomy may, in part, be the result of the limited distribution of beta-FNA to the periventricular area.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Anti-HTLV III ELISA and Western blot testing in a blood donor population: implications for donor notification

We have evaluated the western blot (WB) test for distinguishing anti-HTLV III ELISA-positive donors who have likely been exposed to HTLV III from those that are false positives. Of 1,955 donors, 26 were positive for anti-HTLV III by ELISA testing. Only 6 (23%) were positive by WB: 5 of these 6 were male homosexuals with multiple partners and 5 of 6 had low Th/Ts ratios. The WB-positive donors gave the highest absorbance values in the anti-HTLV III ELISA assay. The immunologic abnormalities in the WB-positive donors suggest that they should be notified of their test results. We conclude that basing a donor notification policy on WB results is the optimum public health strategy for blood banks at the present time.
Carbon dioxide plasticization and conditioning effects in thick vs. thin glassy polymer films

Abstract Recent studies have shown that thin glassy polymer films undergo physical aging more rapidly than thick films. This suggests that thickness may also play a role in the plasticization and conditioning responses of thin glassy films in the presence of highly-sorbing penetrants such as CO2. In this paper, a carefully designed systematic study explores the effect of thickness on the CO2 plasticization and conditioning phenomena in Matrimid®, a polyimide commonly used in commercial gas separation membranes. Thin films are found to be more sensitive than thick films to CO2 exposure, undergoing more extensive and rapid plasticization at any pressure. The response of glassy polymers films to CO2 is not only dependent on thickness, but also on aging time, CO2 pressure, exposure time, and prior history. Finally, thin films experiencing constant CO2 exposure for longer periods of time exhibit an initial large increase in CO2 permeability, which eventually reaches a maximum, followed by a significant decrease in permeability for the duration of the experiment. Thick films, in contrast, do not seem to exhibit this trend for the range of conditions explored.
High-risk bronchoscopy

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy may be performed in patients with acute respiratory distress after thoracic surgical procedures as a measure to avoid intubation and subsequent positive-pressure ventilation in a patient with mucous impaction or as a method of intubating in a patient with a difficult airway. We describe the indications, the technique, and the potential complications.
Modeling the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica on raspberries and strawberries resulting from exposure to ozone or pulsed UV-light

Inactivation data for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica on raspberries and strawberries resulting from treatment with gaseous ozone, aqueous ozone, or pulsed UV-light were used to construct inactivation models; a log-linear model (based on first-order kinetics) and a Weibull model were developed. Initial analysis indicated that survival curves were non-linear and that the log-linear model failed to accurately estimate the inactivations in most instances. The Weibull model more accurately estimated the inactivation and the concavity exhibited in the survival curves. Validation of the Weibull model produced correlation coefficients of 0.83–0.99 and slopes of 0.76–1.26. The results presented in this study indicated that first-order kinetics are not suitable for the estimation of microbial inactivation on berries treated with ozone or pulsed UV-light, but that the Weibull model can be successfully used to estimate the reductions of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica on raspberries and strawberries.