cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BICS-based March test for resistive-open defect detection in SRAMs

Nowadays, embedded Static Random Memories (SRAMs) can occupy a significant portion of the chip area and contain hundreds of millions of transistors. Due to technology scaling, functional fault models traditionally applied in SRAMs' testing have become insufficient to correctly reproduce the effects caused by some defects generated during the manufacturing process. In this paper, we investigate the possibility to use Built-In Current Sensors (BICSs) in combination with an optimized March algorithm to detect static faults associated to resistive-open defects. Experimental results obtained throughout electrical simulations validate the proposed technique demonstrating its viability and effectiveness.
A reasoning framework for autonomous urban driving

Urban driving is a demanding task for autonomous vehicles as it requires the development and integration of several challenging capabilities, including high-level route planning, interaction with other vehicles, complex maneuvers, and ultra-reliability. In this paper, we present a reasoning framework for an autonomous vehicle navigating through urban environments. Our approach combines route-level planning, context-sensitive local decision making, and sophisticated motion planning to produce safe, intelligent actions for the vehicle. We provide examples from an implementation on an autonomous passenger vehicle that has driven over 3000 autonomous kilometers and competed in, and won, the Urban Challenge.
Professionalism Symposium: Enhancing the Accountability of Lawyers for Unprofessional Conduct

This article introduces a symposium on Enhancing the Accountability of Lawyers for Unprofessional Conduct. The symposium grew out of a conference co-sponsored by the University of South Carolina School of Law's Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough Center on Professionalism and the Stanford Law School's Keck Center on Legal Ethics and the Legal Profession. In this volume, the authors consider a wide range of professionalism issues and propose a variety of thoughtful and creative ways to improve the conduct of lawyers.
Comparison of nanocrystalline material produced using mechanical milling and a RF-plasma heating source

This paper reports on nanocrystals which are polycrystalline materials with a grain size on the order of one to ten nanometers and appear to be a new class of materials with interesting properties and characteristics. Since the grain size of these materials is so small, a large percentage of their atoms are located in the interfaces; thus, the material can be thought of as a composite consisting of a crystalline component and a boundary component. The properties of these materials are, therefore, expected to be dependent upon the relative amounts of these two components. A study has been initiated to produce nanocrystalline Cr{sub 3}Si and Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} material. It has been shown that by reducing the grain size to the nanometer scale, the ductility of brittle compounds increases, due presumably to the increase in the percentage of the boundary component. Thus, these materials were examined as models of how hard, brittle, high temperature intermetallic compounds may behave in the nanocrystalline state. The silicide compounds also are being studied since they have excellent properties such as low densities, high melting temperatures, good corrosion resistance at low temperatures and fairly good oxidation resistance at high temperatures. It is hoped that withmore » this combination of characteristics, plus increased ductility due to the small grain size, these materials will find practical industrial applications. The nanocrystalline material studied was produced using mechanical milling techniques and an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system. Mechanical milling was chosen since it has been demonstrated to be a convenient way to produce large quantities of nanocrystalline material. However, ball milling may produce a significant amount of contamination from the containment vessel and milling medium, the actual amount being dependent upon the specific method, length of milling time, container and medium used.« less
Blood Cells of the Worker Honeybee

SummaryWorker honeybee haemolymph, or blood, was found to contain 7 types of haemocytes and 2 kinds of stem cells. However, not all 7 types are present at any one life stage of the insect.
The Effects of Elaboration in Creativity Tests as it Pertains to Overall Scores and How it Might Prevent a Person From Thinking of Creative Ideas During the Early Stages of Brainstorming and Idea Generation

Previous studies have found that the first few ideas we think of for a given prompt are likely to be less original than the later ideas. In this study, 460 participants were given the Alternative Uses Test (AUT) where they were asked to list alternative uses for a paperclip, creating a database of 235 unique answers, each having a relative occurrence rate in that pool. It was found that later responses were significantly more novel than early responses and on average the originality of responses exponentially increased with quantity. A closer look at this data reveals that a person is likely to have a lower overall originality score if he or she has more elaborate responses. 89 of these participants were also given the Abbreviated Torrance Test For Adults (ATTA) and the data from both tests was used to study relationships between elaboration, fluency, and originality. The data from the AUT reveals a strong negative correlation between an individual’s average number of words per response and his or her average originality score. It is hypothesized that people who spend more time writing multiple-word responses have less time to generate many different ideas thus hindering their ability to reach the novel ideas. Similarly, the ATTA reveals that after two extraneous details, elaboration on a drawing will negatively impact fluency and originality scores. This is not to say that elaborate ideas cannot be original, but rather that in time-limited situations, elaboration may hinder the production of original ideas. In applying this to real world problem solving and idea generation, it is suggested that people may prevent themselves from finding creative solutions if too much time is spent on discussing the first few suggested ideas from a brainstorming session. It is suggested that a more effective brainstorming session will delay discussion until a significant number of ideas are generated.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Human Endometrial Fibroblasts Derived from Mesenchymal Progenitors Inherit Progesterone Resistance and Acquire an Inflammatory Phenotype in the Endometrial Niche in Endometriosis

Human endometrium undergoes cyclic regeneration involving stem/progenitor cells, but the role of resident endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (eMSC) as progenitors of endometrial stromal fibroblasts (eSF) has not been definitively demonstrated. In endometriosis, eSF display progesterone (P4) resistance with impaired decidualization in vivo and in vitro. To investigate eMSC as precursors of eSF and whether endometriosis P4 resistance is inherited from eMSC, we analyzed transcriptomes of eutopic endometrium eMSC and eSF isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) from endometriosis (eMSCendo, eSFendo) and controls (eMSCcontrol, eSFcontrol) and their derived primary cultures. Differentially expressed lineage-associated genes (LG) of FACS-isolated eMSC and eSF were largely conserved in endometriosis. In culture, eSFcontrol maintained in vitro expression of a subset of eSF LG and decidualized in vitro with P4 The eMSCcontrol cultures differentiated in vitro to eSF lineage, down-regulating eMSC LG and up-regulating eSF LG, showing minimal transcriptome differences versus eSFcontrol cultures and decidualizing in vitro. Cultured eSFendo displayed less in vitro LG stability and did not decidualize in vitro. In vitro, eMSCendo differentiated to eSF lineage but showed more differentially expressed genes versus eSFendo cultures, and did not decidualize in vitro, demonstrating P4 resistance inherited from eMSCendo Compared to controls, cultures from tissue-derived eSFendo uniquely had a pro-inflammatory phenotype not present in eMSCendo differentiated to eSF in vitro, suggesting divergent niche effects for in vivo versus in vitro lineage differentiation. These findings substantiate eMSC as progenitors of eSF and reveal eSF in endometriosis as having P4 resistance inherited from eMSC and a pro-inflammatory phenotype acquired within the endometrial niche.
Visualizing the variations of ensemble of isosurfaces

Visualizing the similarities and differences among an ensemble of isosurfaces is a challenging problem mainly because the isosurfaces cannot be displayed together at the same time. For ensemble of isosurfaces, visualizing these spatial differences among the surfaces is essential to get useful insights as to how the individual ensemble simulations affect different isosurfaces. We propose a scheme to visualize the spatial variations of isosurfaces with respect to statistically significant isosurfaces within the ensemble. Understanding such variations among ensemble of isosurfaces at different spatial regions is helpful in analyzing the influence of different ensemble runs over the spatial domain. In this regard, we propose an isosurface-entropy based clustering scheme to divide the spatial domain into regions of high and low isosurface variation. We demonstrate the efficacy of our method by successfully applying it on real-world ensemble data sets from ocean simulation experiments and weather forecasts.
Correlation Analysis of Yield Characters and Nitrogen Utilization Characteristics in Northern Rice Germplasm Resources

Take 129 rice germplasm resources of Northern China as test materials,nitrogen absorption and utilization characteristics(NAUC) under different nitrogen fertilizer conditions were identified and evaluated;the regressive equation of the yield and nitrogen utilization characteristics were established.And a comprehensive appraisal indicator system(CAIS) of NAUC was established.The results indicated that: all yield characters including PH PL BW HI PN PGN SSR KGW were deduced 5,5 and 6 composite factors at high,middle and low nitrogen condition respectively,each factor integrated the information of all the agronomic traits to some extent.At high nitrogen condition,the F2 and F5 factor were significantly related to some of the NAUC,so did the F1,F3 and F4 factor at middle nitrogen condition,and the F1,F2,F4 and F5 factor at low nitrogen condition.There were significant conic regression equations between those related factors and NSUC.
Conceptual Model of Ventilatory Muscle Recruitment and Diaphragmatic Fatigue

In the diaphragm as with other respiratory muscles, motor units (a motoneuron and the muscle fibers it innervates; Fig. 1) are the final effector pathway by which the central nervous system controls the level of ventilation. The forces generated by the diaphragm are controlled by changing the number of activated motor units (recruitment coding) and/or by modifying the discharge frequency of recruited units (frequency coding). As in other skeletal 113-1 muscles, the motor units that comprise the diaphragm vary considerably in their contractile and fatigue properties1. The overall strength of the diaphragm and its susceptibility to fatigue depend upon the motor units recruited by the central nervous system. For example, under conditions requiring prolonged low level force production by the diaphragm (e.g., quiet breathing), the nervous system might recruit only those units that are fatigue resistant. In contrast, during other conditions where the diaphragm generates increased levels of force (e.g., sneezing, gagging), the recruitment of more fatigable motor units would also be required. Thus, it is important to consider what types of diaphragm motor units are available for recruitment, both in the generation of a respiratory rhythm and in the production of nonventilatory forces.
A Gospel of Prosperity? An Analysis of the Relationship Between Religion and Earned Income in Ghana, the Most Religious Country in the World

This study tests for a relationship between religious affiliation and earned income in Ghana. While microeconomic analyses have studied the relationship between religion and several socioeconomic outcomes in the United States, remarkably few have done so in developing countries, and none has explored the religion-earnings relationship. Using the fifth round of the Ghana Living Standards Survey from 2005 to 2006, we find that, among women, religious denomination correlates with earned income. Specifically, Spiritualists, Pentecostals, and Methodists earn higher income than the Presbyterian base group, while Traditionalists earn less. This article investigates the relationship and posits some of its causes, including the influence of a trend in neo-Pentecostal religious groups that emphasizes wealth accumulation and self-confidence.
Endoscopic full-thickness plication for the treatment of GERD: Five-year long-term multicenter results

Background The Plicator™ (NDO Surgical, Inc., Mansfield, MA) endoscopically places a full-thickness permanent suture to augment the antireflux barrier. At 3-years post-treatment, published results demonstrated a reduction in subjects’ gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and related medication use.
A quantum network model for the coherent Ising machine

Networks of degenerate parametric oscillators have recently shown potential for solving optimization problems on Ising spins. We propose a quantum model for these coherent Ising machines based on the SLH framework for quantum optical networks.
Combined numerical and experimental investigations of heat transfer of a highly loaded low-pressure turbine blade under periodic inlet flow condition:

This paper experimentally and numerically investigates heat transfer characteristics of a low-pressure turbine blade under steady/unsteady flow conditions. Generally, the low-pressure turbine blade...
Distinct cargo-specific response landscapes underpin the complex and nuanced role of galectin-glycan interactions in clathrin-independent endocytosis.

Clathrin-independent endocytosis (CIE) is a form of endocytosis that lacks a defined cytoplasmic machinery. Here, we asked whether glycan interactions, acting from the outside, could be a part of that endocytic machinery. We show that the perturbation of global cellular patterns of protein glycosylation by modulation of metabolic flux affects CIE. Interestingly, these changes in glycosylation had cargo-specific effects. For example, in HeLa cells, GlcNAc treatment, which increases glycan branching, increased major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI) internalization but inhibited CIE of the glycoprotein CD59 molecule (CD59). The effects of knocking down the expression of galectin 3, a carbohydrate-binding protein and an important player in galectin–glycan interactions, were also cargo-specific and stimulated CD59 uptake. By contrast, inhibition of all galectin–glycan interactions by lactose inhibited CIE of both MHCI and CD59. None of these treatments affected clathrin-mediated endocytosis, implying that glycosylation changes specifically affect CIE. We also found that the galectin lattice tailors membrane fluidity and cell spreading. Furthermore, changes in membrane dynamics mediated by the galectin lattice affected macropinocytosis, an altered form of CIE, in HT1080 cells. Our results suggest that glycans play an important and nuanced role in CIE, with each cargo being affected uniquely by alterations in galectin and glycan profiles and their interactions. We conclude that galectin-driven effects exist on a continuum from stimulatory to inhibitory, with distinct CIE cargo proteins having unique response landscapes and with different cell types starting at different positions on these conceptual landscapes.
The Role of Machine Learning in Knowledge-Based Response-Adapted Radiotherapy.

With the continuous increase in radiotherapy patient-specific data from multimodality imaging and biotechnology molecular sources, knowledge-based response-adapted radiotherapy (KBR-ART) is emerging as a vital area for radiation oncology personalized treatment. In KBR-ART, planned dose distributions can be modified based on observed cues in patients' clinical, geometric, and physiological parameters. In this paper, we present current developments in the field of adaptive radiotherapy (ART), the progression towards KBR-ART, and examine several applications of static and dynamic machine learning approaches for realizing the KBR-ART framework potentials in maximizing tumor control and minimizing side effects with respect to individual radiotherapy patients. Specifically, three questions required for the realization of KBR-ART are addressed: (1) what knowledge is needed; (2) how to estimate RT outcomes accurately; and (3) how to adapt optimally. Different machine learning algorithms for KBR-ART application shall be discussed and contrasted. Representative examples of different KBR-ART stages are also visited.
Nitrification inhibitors, with emphasis on natural products, and the persistence of fertilizer nitrogen in the soil

Nitrogenous fertilizers have been major contributers to increases in agricultural productivity world-wide. However, there is continuing need to improve the efficiency of N fertilizer use to achieve more efficient production of food crops and minimize fertilizer-related pollution of the environment.
Fuzzy logic based activity life cycle tracking and recognition

Human activity has a life cycle that could be tracked to provide crucial information that increases activity recognition performance. Life cycle tracking also enables powerful and more versatile programming models over the sentience of human activities. This paper introduces a new activity recognition approach that is based on fuzzy logic and activity life cycle tracking. We conduct preliminary performance validation and show how activity life cycle tracking offers higher accuracy when compared to the traditional approach of no-life cycle activity recognition.
Features of Feingold syndrome 1 dominate in subjects with 2p deletions including MYCN

Interstitial deletions of the distal short arm of chromosome 2 including MYCN have only been reported for a small number of individuals. Germline deletions and mutations of MYCN cause Feingold syndrome 1 (FS1), a rare disorder characterized by microcephaly, digit anomalies, gastrointestinal atresias, short stature, dysmorphic features, and intellectual disability. We present a series of six individuals referred for SNP microarray with overlapping deletions of 2p ranging from 3.4 to 16.8 Mb in size, with a common overlapping region of 1.53 Mb spanning (14,614,477-16,148,021) [hg19] and including five genes: NBAS, DDX1, MYCNUT, MYCNOS, and MYCN. Clinical information was available for five individuals. Clinical features included core features of FS1 such as microcephaly, digit anomalies, and gastrointestinal atresias as well as structural cardiac defects, hearing loss, and renal anomalies, which are features less consistently associated with FS1. Other features observed in several individuals, that have not specifically been associated with FS1 were motor delay, structural brain abnormalities, genital abnormalities, and radioulnar synostosis. These results indicate that while individuals with deletions of 2p spanning several megabases and including MYCN can present with features not typically associated with FS1, the common core features are usually present.
Interaction of the β amyloid – Aβ(25–35) – peptide with zwitterionic and negatively charged vesicles with and without cholesterol

The interactions of the Alzheimer's β-amyloid peptide, Aβ(25-35), with 18:1 (Δ9-Cis) PC 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), L-α-phosphatidylcholine (EPC), 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (sodium salt) (DOPG), and L-α-phosphatidylglycerol (EPG) phospholipid vesicles with and without cholesterol (Ch) are studied by the nitroxide spin probe electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) method. Two nitroxide spin probes, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidin-1-oxyl-4-yl hexadecanoate (TP, TEMPO-Palmitate) and 2-Ethyl-2-(15-methoxy-15-oxopentadecyl)-4,4-dimethyl-3-oxazolidinyloxy (16-DSE), are utilized in the study. TEMPO-Palmitate has the reporting EPR moiety located at the top of this spin probe, while 16-DSE has the reporting EPR moiety located at the tail of the spin probe. These two probes enable us to sample the surface and the middle of the phospholipid bilayer, respectively. All EPR measurements are done above the melting points of all four phospholipids when the bilayer is in the liquid crystal phase, the physiologically relevant phase. Due to non-linear spectral line fitting, the EPR spectral parameters are extracted with high precision. The results show that there are two populations of Aβ(25-35) and that one of them is located in the hydrophobic phospholipid layer below the hydrophilic headgroup region. The second population appears to be weakly coupled to the surface of the bilayer. Both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions affect the insertion of Aβ(25-35) in the bilayer. Also, there is strong evidence for an interaction between cholesterol and Aβ(25-35), which affects the dielectric and dynamic properties of the bilayer.
Simulation Modeling of a Prototype Designed to Address the Congestion of Passengers and Items at the Composure Area of Security Checkpoints

Discrete event simulation is used to evaluate a novel configuration of the exit roller in the composure area of security checkpoints, which is designed to address the failures of the current exit r...
‘Roots and wings’: an exploration of intergenerational play: Research

Play is an important part of life, not only during childhood but also into adulthood and later life. While scholars have emphasized the physical, social, psychological, and cognitive benefits of pl...
Separated and State-Constrained Separated Linear Programming Problems on Time Scales

Separated linear programming problems can be used to model a wide range of real-world applications such as in communications, manufacturing, transportation, and so on. In this paper, we investigate novel formulations for two classes of these problems using the methodology of time scales. As a special case, we obtain the classical separated continuous-time model and the state-constrained separated continuous-time model. We establish some of the fundamental theorems such as the weak duality theorem and the optimality condition on arbitrary time scales, while the strong duality theorem is presented for isolated time scales. Examples are given to demonstrate our new results
Reading Instructional Level from a Print-Processing Perspective

AbstractThis study addressed the concept of reading instructional level. First, we reviewed the history of the concept, including some recent criticisms of its validity (Schwanenflugel & Knapp, 201...
Sensing is Believing: What People Think Biosensors Can Reveal About Thoughts and Feelings

Biosensors-devices that sense the human body-are increasingly ubiquitous. However, it is unclear how people evaluate the risks associated with their use, in part because it is not well-understood what people believe these sensors can reveal. In this study, participants ranked biosensors by how likely they are to reveal what a person is thinking and feeling. We report quantitative and qualitative results of two survey-based studies, one on Mechanical Turk workers (n=100), and one on participants in a longitudinal self-tracking study (n=100). Our findings imply that, in the absence of information about particular sensing technologies, people rely on existing beliefs about the body to explain what they might reveal. Highlighting mismatches between perceived and actual technical capabilities, we contribute recommendations for designers and users.
Heartbeat: blood pressure and left ventricular remodelling in young athletes.

Pre-participation screening of athletes mostly has focused on identifying those at increased risk of sudden cardiac death. However, screening also offers an opportunity for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. In a large cohort of young (age 13–35 years) athletes, Hedman and colleagues1 looked at the prevalence of hypertension as defined by US/European guidelines and the associations between blood pressure (BP) and left ventricular (LV) remodelling in these subjects. Overall, 34.3% of athletes had a BP that exceeded US hypertension thresholds. Independent correlates of BP were male sex, body mass index and height. In the subset of subjects with ECG data, systolic BP was independently associated with a higher LV mass/volume ratio and with slower early diastolic relaxation. The relationship between mean systolic BP, age and specific sports is shown in figure 1. Figure 1 Mean systolic blood pressure in all sports with ≥40 athletes, in relation to average age per sport. Circle area is proportional to the number of athletes in each sports category (reference: sailing n=40, soccer n=368) and circle colour indicates the proportion of males in each sport category, as explained in imposed …
On The Comparison of Fuzzy Interpolations and Neural Network Fitting Functions in Modeless Robot Calibrations

A comparison study among type 1 fuzzy interpolations (T1FI), interval type 2 fuzzy interpolations (IT2FI) and neural network fitting functions (NNFF) applied on modeless robots calibrations is proposed. Traditional robots calibration implements either model or modeless method. The compensation of position error in modeless method is to move the robot’s end-effector to a target position in the robot workspace, and to find the target position error based on the measured neighboring 4-grid-point errors around the target position. A camera or other measurement device is attached on the robot’s end-effector to find and measure the neighboring position errors, and compensate the target position with various error interpolation methods. By using the NNFF technique provided in this paper, the accuracy of the position error compensation can be greatly improved, which has been confirmed by the simulation results given in this paper. Compared with some other popular interpolation methods, this NNFF technique is a better choice. The simulation results show that more accurate compensation result can be achieved using this technique compared with the type-1 fuzzy and interval type 2 fuzzy interpolation methods.
Loneliness and its Association with Health Behaviors in People with a Lived Experience of a Serious Mental Illness.

To explore the association between loneliness and efficacy to engage in health behaviors that are known to reduce the risk of early mortality in people with serious mental illness (SMI). This secondary data analysis was based on a cross-sectional study of 113 participants with SMI residing in New Hampshire. Ordinary Least Squares regressions were used to examine bivariate relationships between variables of interest. Participants had a primary mental health diagnosis of major depressive disorder (37.2%), schizophrenia spectrum disorder (28.3%), bipolar disorder (29.2%), or posttraumatic stress disorder (5.3%). High levels of loneliness were associated with low levels of self-efficacy to manage chronic diseases (p = 0.0001), as well as low levels of self-efficacy to manage psychological well-being (R2 = .31; F = 9.49, p = 0.0001; RMSE = 1.66). Loneliness may serve as a barrier to healthy behaviors, and thus, contribute to early mortality among people with SMI. The growing body of literature that demonstrates the importance of addressing loneliness in people with SMI should stimulate policymakers and researchers to target loneliness as a mechanism to address early mortality in people with SMI.
Unleashed and Unbound: Living Textualism in Bostock v. Clayton County

In Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia the Supreme Court held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits—and has always prohibited—discrimination by employers on the basis of homosexuality or of what the Court called transgender status. How so? The statute forbids employers to intentionally discriminate against any individual “because of such individual’s . . . sex.” The Court asserted that discrimination because of homosexuality or transgenderism violates the unambiguous text of the statute. This result in this case decision would not have been much of surprise in the period during which Justice Anthony Kennedy held the controlling vote on issues dealing with sex, and especially with homosexuality. But the 6-3 majority opinion in Bostock was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch and joined by Chief Justice John Roberts. The majority opinion has virtually no policy analysis or political rhetoric, and it lacks the kind of inflated pseudo-philosophic pontification that Kennedy favored. Instead, the Bostock opinion presents itself as nothing more than a straightforward application of the legally binding text of the statute. Justice Gorsuch even goes out of his way to cast himself as the legitimate intellectual successor to the man whom he literally succeeded: the high priest of statutory textualism, Justice Antonin Scalia. Leaving others to speculate about judicial motives, I propose that Bostock is an extension of a theory commonly called “living originalism.” During the last decade, this approach to constitutional interpretation has been gaining steam in the legal academy. Bostock has now effectively extended that approach beyond the academy, beyond the field of constitutional interpretation, and even beyond the limits recognized by its academic adherents. Bostock is a demonstrably outlandish judicial performance. Outlandish though it is, Bostock might be used by the Court to correct one of its most egregiously mistaken lines of case law. Although Title VII unambiguously forbids employers to discriminate on the basis of race or sex, the Court has upheld quotas and preferences explicitly based on the race or sex of people in favored groups. In 1991, Congress amended Title VII by adding a new provision whose text unambiguously overruled the decisions that upheld these preferences. Even without using the peculiar new form of textualism deployed in Bostock, the Supreme Court should have recognized that the 1991 amendment deprived these precedents of any binding force they may once have had. The Court has not done so, but Bostock now imperatively requires the Court to declare that Title VII forbids, and has always forbidden, these illegal employment practices.
Promise and Peril in the Age of Turbulence in Emerging Markets: Implications for Private Equity Investors

While the death of globalization has been greatly exaggerated, the past will hardly be prologue for private equity investors desiring participating in the emerging markets. As a new decade begins, it is not “business as usual” due to the rise of global populism and protectionism. As a result, the risks and rewards of the emerging markets for private equity investors have shifted. Private investors will have to think more regionally and granularly than globally in the years ahead, and be more differentiating in terms of country and sector exposure. That said, the emerging markets represent both promise and peril for private equity investors.
An Alter-Centric Perspective on Employee Innovation: The Importance of Alters’ Creative Self-Efficacy and Network Structure

While most social network studies of employee innovation behavior examine the focal employees’ (“egos’”) network structure, we employ an alter-centric perspective to study the personal characteristics of employees’ network contacts — their “alters” — to better understand employee innovation. Specifically, we examine how the creative self-efficacy (CSE) and innovation behavior of employees’ social network contacts affects their ability to generate and implement novel ideas. Hypotheses were tested using a sample of 144 employees in a U.S.-based product development organization. We find that the average CSE of alters in an employee’s problem solving network is positively related to that employee’s innovation behavior, with this relationship being mediated by these alters’ average innovation behavior. The relationship between the alters’ average innovation behavior and the employee’s own innovation behavior is strengthened when these alters have less dense social networks. Post hoc results suggest that having network contacts with high levels of CSE also leads to an increase in ego’s personal CSE 1 year later in cases where the employee’s initial level of CSE was relatively low. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
A qualitative analysis of clinicians' communication strategies with family members of patients experiencing hospital-acquired delirium.

Abstract Objective Identify doctors’ and nurses’ perceptions of effective communication strategies when talking with family members of patients with hospital-acquired delirium. Methods We conducted focus groups and interviews of hospitalists, anesthesiologists, and nurses using a semi-structured approach. We rigorously analyzed transcribed data using a constant comparative method. Results We conducted six focus groups and 14 interviews. Participants included 20 hospitalists, 9 anesthesiologists, and 21 nurses. Clinicians identified three communication approaches as effective when communicating with family of delirium patients: Provide reassurance, educate families, and engage in family-centered communication. Conclusion In communicating with families of patients with post-operative delirium, clinicians work to reassure and educate families using family-centered communication. Different approaches are used by different types of clinicians to accomplish this goal. Clinicians recognized the importance of involving family members in the patients’ recovery. Practice Implications Though clinically common and familiar to clinicians, delirium may be a new diagnosis for family members and thus compassion and education are vital. Due to the different clinical roles, education may be different for each discipline.
Sources of abiotic hydrolysis of chromogenic substrates in soil enzyme assays: Storage, termination, and incubation

Abstract Assays of enzyme activities using chromogenic substrates that release para-nitrophenol (pNP) and para-nitroaniline (pNA) products are commonly employed in soil science, but these substrates are susceptible to non-enzymatic (i.e., abiotic) hydrolysis. We evaluated abiotic hydrolysis of 10 pNP- and pNA-linked substrates stored over seven days in two matrices of water and modified universal buffer, and with two alkalization methods of 0.5 M NaOH and 0.1 M Tris. We then compared the magnitude of abiotic versus enzymatic hydrolysis of substrates for two soils with high and low enzyme activity. Finally, we quantified substrate abiotic hydrolysis during the incubation (1–2 h at 37 °C). Abiotic hydrolysis of stored substrate solutions remained relatively constant across 7 days, and the base type used in alkalization had a much stronger effect on abiotic hydrolysis than storage time or matrix. Abiotic hydrolysis was generally least for substrates dissolved in water with Tris alkalization and greatest when dissolved in modified universal buffer with NaOH alkalization. The extent of abiotic hydrolysis varied by substrate, and in general was least for ester substrates and greatest for amide substrates. Abiotic hydrolysis was as low as
Antilisterial activity of freeze-dried bacteriocin-containing powders produced by lactic acid bacteria against Listeria innocua NRRL B-33016 on cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) surface

Abstract Bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria may reduce pathogenic loads on cantaloupe surfaces. The efficacy of these bacteriocins on reducing the pathogenic loads of Listeria was evaluated. Non-pathogenic bacteria, Listeria innocua NRRL B-33016 was used as a surrogate for L. monocytogenes. Two bacteriocins, (1) nisin and (2) pediocin, were produced from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis ATCC 11454 and Pediococcus acidilactici RS2, respectively. L. innocua NRRL B-33016 was inoculated on the cantaloupes surface at a concentration of 4.69 ± 0.37 log CFU/cm2, and then the melons were stored for 16 days at 4 °C. The antimicrobial activity on L. innocua of the powders was 3.34 × 107 and 1.01 × 108 international units (IU)/g, respectively. Application of nisin freeze-dried bacteriocin-containing powder (NBP), pediocin freeze-dried bacteriocin-containing powder (PBP), or the combination of pediocin-nisin freeze-dried bacteriocin-containing powder (PNBP) significantly reduced L. innocua on the cantaloupes by approximately 1.29, 1.09, and 1.68 log CFU/cm2, respectively. Compared to the controls, bacteriocin applications significantly reduced APC, yeast, and mold counts regardless of bacteriocin type. This study demonstrated that bacteriocins could reduce Listeria, aerobic bacteria, yeast, and mold counts on the cantaloupes surface; and that PNBP was more effective in reducing Listeria than NBP or PBP alone.
Impact of Pre-Mortem Factors on Meat Quality: An Update.

Meat quality is closely associated with the chemical composition of skeletal muscle and is therefore influenced by the pre-mortem metabolic state of skeletal muscle tissue [...]
Dietary Supplementation with Naringenin Attenuates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in Mice

The common therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases have limited efficacy and often come with serious side effects. Dietary intervention may play a role in developing preventive and thera...
Structural correlates of gap junction permeation.

Publisher Summary Gap junction channels are often regarded by membranologists as an unusual means of membrane permeability, having little in common with other membranous channels. Although gap junction channels establish hydrophilic paths between two cells' interiors and are a permissive type of channel, as they are bidirectionally and indiscriminately permeable to charged and neutral molecules, they have many structural and functional similarities with other membranous channels. Not only can they be easily localized in intact cells and studied by ultrastructural methods, such as thin sections, lanthanum infiltration, freeze-fracture, and negative staining, they can also be isolated in quite pure fractions and characterized chemically. Because of their crystalline configuration in isolated fractions, they can be studied by laser, X-ray, and electron diffraction techniques. Their permeability properties and the mechanisms of permeability modulation can be studied electrophysiologically, morphologically, and by tracer-transfer methods. Thus, in the years to come, gap junction channels will be recognized as one of the most useful and exciting model systems to be exploited in studying the general properties of membranous channels.
The araE low affinity L-arabinose transport promoter. Cloning, sequence, transcription start site and DNA binding sites of regulatory proteins.

Abstract The promoter for the gene encoding the low affinity l -arabinose uptake protein in Escherichia coli was studied. The promoter was cloned, sequenced, its transcription start site determined by S 1 nuclease mapping, the proteins required for in vitro transcription were determined, and the regulatory protein binding sites located by DNase footprinting. The araE promoter shows no evidence of an operator site upstream from the CRP binding site, but otherwise it is similar to the araBAD promoter.
Hardware courses and the undergraduate computer science curriculum at small colleges

Hardware courses have always been a part of the undergraduate Computer Science (CS) curriculum at small colleges. However, these courses are often viewed by many faculty members either as a necessity to satisfy accreditation requirements or, at best, as a traditional but useless part of the CS program in liberal arts settings. The material in these courses is often considered self-contained, and the relationship with other courses in the CS curriculum is rarely emphasized. In this paper we take a closer look at the place and relevance of hardware courses in the CS curriculum of small colleges.
On single parameter characterization of parallelism

Issues pertinent to performance analysis of massively parallel systems are discussed. Attention is focused on the average parallelism of a software structure, which has been proposed as a single-parameter characterization of parallel software. It is argued that single-parameter characterization of parallel software or of parallel hardware rarely provides insight into the complex interactions among the software and hardware components of a parallel system. In particular, bounds for the speedup based on simple models of parallelism are violated when a model ignores the effects of communication delays. >
The Network Completion Problem: Inferring Missing Nodes and Edges in Networks

Network structures, such as social networks, web graphs and networks from systems biology, play important roles in many areas of science and our everyday lives. In order to study the networks one needs to first collect reliable large scale network data. While the social and information networks have become ubiquitous, the challenge of collecting complete network data still persists. Many times the collected network data is incomplete with nodes and edges missing. Commonly, only a part of the network can be observed and we would like to infer the unobserved part of the network. We address this issue by studying the Network Completion Problem: Given a network with missing nodes and edges, can we complete the missing part? We cast the problem in the Expectation Maximization (EM) framework where we use the observed part of the network to fit a model of network structure, and then we estimate the missing part of the network using the model, re-estimate the parameters and so on. We combine the EM with the Kronecker graphs model and design a scalable Metropolized Gibbs sampling approach that allows for the estimation of the model parameters as well as the inference about missing nodes and edges of the network. Experiments on synthetic and several real-world networks show that our approach can effectively recover the network even when about half of the nodes in the network are missing. Our algorithm outperforms not only classical link-prediction approaches but also the state of the art Stochastic block modeling approach. Furthermore, our algorithm easily scales to networks with tens of thousands of nodes.
Generation of a potent Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-related Protein 1 (LRP1) antagonist by engineering a stable form of the Receptor-Associated Protein (RAP) D3 domain

The low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is a member of the low density lipoprotein receptor family and plays important roles in a number of physiological and pathological processes. Expression of LRP1 requires the receptor-associated protein (RAP), a molecular chaperone that binds LRP1 and other low density lipoprotein receptor family members in the endoplasmic reticulum and traffics with them to the Golgi where the acidic environment causes its dissociation. Exogenously added RAP is a potent LRP1 antagonist and binds to LRP1 on the cell surface, preventing ligands from binding. Following endocytosis, RAP dissociates in the acidic endosome, allowing LRP1 to recycle back to the cell surface. The acid-induced dissociation of RAP is mediated by its D3 domain, a relatively unstable three-helical bundle that denatures at pH <6.2 due to protonation of key histidine residues on helices 2 and 3. To develop an LRP1 inhibitor that does not dissociate at low pH, we introduced a disulfide bond between the second and third helices in the RAP D3 domain. By combining this disulfide bond with elimination of key histidine residues, we generated a stable RAP molecule that is resistant to both pH- and heat-induced denaturation. This molecule bound to LRP1 with high affinity at both neutral and acidic pH and proved to be a potent inhibitor of LRP1 function both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that our stable RAP molecule may be useful in multiple pathological settings where LRP1 blockade has been shown to be effective.
Musculoskeletal System – Overview

The musculoskeletal system comprises a number of specialized connective tissues, including bone, cartilage, muscle, ligament and tendon, whose major functions are to provide rigid support for the body, protect organs and other tissues, and to generate and enable controlled movement. Most movement is created by muscular contractions which act upon bones that move (some slide) at joints. Variations in joint structure constrain the range and type of movement that can occur at each joint. Keywords: tissues; joints and movement; support; other functions
Instructional Supervision as Dialogue: Utilizing the Conversation of Art to Promote the Art of Communication.

The degree to which instructional supervisors encourage reflection by teachers is in large part a function of both the supervisorâ€™s and teacherâ€™s use of the art of conversation. The author juxtaposes the Concern Based Adoption Model theory for innovation with the Feldman Method for art criticism to support reflection as aesthetic. Reflection that is grounded in an arts-based methodology may embrace both the technical and aesthetic dimensions of teaching and supervision. The author concludes that utilizing the language of art may support reflection that attends to the needs of the teacher and the needs of the students.
Mercury emissions from chlorine-production solid waste deposits

BEFORE 1970 the amount of Hg discharged to the environment from anthropogenic sources was estimated to be comparable with quantities derived from continental weathering processes1. As a result, however, of several well-documented cases of acute Hg contamination throughout the world, most large industrial sources have been identified and the discharge of Hg reduced to negligible amounts relative to natural aquatic and atmospheric sources. The natural atmospheric dispersion mechanisms of Hg overshadow input into the global environment by human activity, the latter being of prime importance in localised environments. The role of the chlor-alkali industry in global and regional Hg cycling has been repeatedly discussed2–5, with the general conclusion that their contribution may be of limited importance globally but of particular concern to local and regional water and air quality6.
Validation of a task‐specific scoring system for a microvascular surgery simulation model

Objective/Hypothesis: Simulation models can help develop procedural skills outside the clinical setting while also providing a means for evaluation of trainees. Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) have been developed for several procedures. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the construct validity of an OSATS for microvascular anastomosis performed on a simulation model using chicken thigh vessels. Study Design: Validation study. Methods: An expert panel constructed a task-specific checklist for an OSATS for microvascular anastomosis. Twenty surgical staff and trainees performed a microvascular anastomosis of a chicken ischiatic artery. Training level and microsurgical experience were assessed by questionnaire. The performances were recorded and scored by two experts using the task-specific and global scales of the OSATS. Results: Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of training and microvascular experience for both the task-specific score and global rating scale score (P < .005). Interrater reliability was 0.7. Experience level demonstrated a logarithmic relationship with task time. Conclusions: The microvascular OSATS applied to the chicken thigh simulator model differentiated between levels of microvascular experience. It demonstrated construct validity and reliability for the assessment of procedural competence using a cost-effective and easily accessible model.
LOT SIZE REDUCTION IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY: A IVIEAT MARKET EXAMPLE

Just-in-Time (JIT) principles have been widely accepted in manufacturing arenas throughout the world. Service industries, however, have been slow to adopt these practices, either because of perceived irrelevance or less aggressive emphasis on process im..