cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oculomotor Plant Feature Extraction from Human Saccadic Eye Movements

Eye movements can be used as a source to predict the user interest behavior in human computer interaction system. Oculomotor Plant Feature (OPF) values are the anatomical components of extra ocular muscles which are responsible for the eye movements. This paper is focusing on extracting the optimized oculomotor plant feature values from the saccadic trajectories generated by the two-Dimensional Oculomotor Plant Mathematical Model (2DOPMM) and selecting the best optimization algorithm to extract the optimized OPF values. The root mean squared error is used to minimize the error between simulated and classified saccadic trajectories and the existing algorithms such as Nelder-mead, levenberg-marquardt and trust-region reflective algorithms are compared to analyze the processing time for the optimization. This project concludes by analyzing results of optimized OPF values and the optimization algorithms used.
Evaluating decision making in a multi-objective route planning-task:

The present study is an initial investigation of complex decision making performance. Specifically, this work investigated how individuals make decisions involving risk and uncertainty within a spa...
Age-related decline in BMD is associated with changes in lean mass and modulated by sex and race

Objective Studies have shown that the association between weight and BMD is primarily due to lean mass. Our objective was to determine whether the age-related decline in BMD was associated with changes in body composition (lean/fat mass) and whether it is influenced by sex and race/ethnicity. Study design This is a cross-sectional study of 76,780 adult participants (age 20-85 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2006 who had whole body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) that provided soft tissue measurements for the total body lean and fat mass and bone measurements for the lumbar spine (LS), total hip (TH) and femoral neck (FN). We performed a multivariate linear regressions stratified by sex with BMD of the 3 skeletal sites as outcome, age as predictor and total body lean and fat mass, and race categories [African American (AA), Caucasian American (CA) and Mexican American (MA)] as covariates. For all data presented p-values were Results In both sexes and across age groups BMD was higher in AA than in other groups. In males, LS BMD did not change significantly with age. TH BMD was stable until age 40 and declined thereafter at a rate of approximately 5% per five years. There was a positive correlation between decline in BMD and lean mass (3% decrease in BMD per 10 kg decrease in lean mass), while adding fat mass did not have significant effect. Findings were similar at the FN (3.3% decrease in BMD per 10 kg decrease in lean mass) but the decline started at age 20. In females, the rate of decline in BMD and lean mass did not differ between perimenopause (45-60 years) and post menopause (over 60 years). LS did not change significantly with age. TH BMD was stable until age 45 and declined thereafter at a rate of approximately 5.1% per five years. There was a positive correlation between the decline in BMD and lean mass (3.2% decrease in BMD per 10 kg decrease in lean mass), while adding fat mass did not have a significant effect. The observation was similar in FN with approximately 5% decrease in BMD per five years after age 45 and 3.5% decrease in BMD per 10 kg decrease in lean mass. Conclusion Decline in BMD with age was associated with the decrease in lean mass in both sexes and all 3 racial/ethnic groups. Based on this cross-sectional study we cannot determine whether the decline in lean mass causes decrease in BMD or whether the reduction in both BMD and lean mass are due to other factors associated with aging. Nevertheless, when designing interventions for optimizing bone health in the elderly it may be prudent to preferentially consider those that also improve total body lean mass.
#Trending in the Right Direction: A Case Study Analyzing Temple Football’s #SpringBall18 Campaign

Social media play a major role in marketing and promotional efforts in intercollegiate athletics, yet student-athletes are rarely included in these campaigns. This case study analyzes a campaign employed by Temple University’s football program that departed from this norm. During their 2018 spring game, Temple coaches allowed football players to put their Twitter handles on the backs of their jerseys. Through interviews with athletic department staff members and football student-athletes and analysis of football players’ tweets and media framing of this campaign, several positive outcomes emerged. These included how the campaign fostered student-athlete buy-in and generated favorable media coverage for the program. However, analysis also revealed that while many football student-athletes actively used Twitter, they were not fully integrated into the campaign. Implications for including student-athletes’ social media content in athletic department marketing, branding, and promotional efforts are discussed.
Measuring Vulnerability and Deferring Responsibility: Quantifying the Anthropocene:

This article addresses the manner in which neoliberal society measures vulnerability. It is not uncommon today to come across quantitative metrics assessing the vulnerability of populations, ecosys...
What information do principals consider when evaluating teachers

This exploratory multi-case study investigates the types of teacher performance data principals consider and collect when evaluating teachers. Data come from public school principals (N = 10) in th...
Hydrocarbons in Upland Groundwater, Marcellus Shale Region, Northeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New York, U.S.A.

Water samples from 50 domestic wells located 1 km (distal) from shale-gas wells in upland areas of the Marcellus Shale region were analyzed for chemical, isotopic, and groundw...
Investigating Equity-Minded Migrant Education Policies in Shanghai from Migrant Parents' Perspectives.

Purpose:This article aims to explore how suburban public schools in Shanghai of China have implemented the top-down equity-minded migrant policies of free compulsory education and equal access to p...
181 Examining the association between rejection sensitivity and aggression in middle school students

Statement of Purpose As violence remains a persistent problem in schools, it is crucial to better understand factors that predict aggressive behavior in youth. Previous research has shown that rejection can elicit aggressive behavior, particularly in individuals who report high levels of rejection sensitivity. Rejection sensitivity refers to the tendency to expect and overreact to rejection. Methods/Approach The study sample includes 697 students recruited from middle schools in Miami, FL and Los Angeles, CA. Students completed two surveys on school climate during the 2018–2019 school year as part of a school safety program evaluation. We used linear regression to determine the correlates of aggressive behavior at Time 2. Covariates in the model included rejection sensitivity, age, gender, race, and victimization at Time 2, aggressive behavior at Time 1, location, and school. Results Findings reveal that higher levels of rejection sensitivity were associated with more engagement in aggressive behavior (β=0.18; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.35). We also found that Time 1 aggressive behavior (β=0.35; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.53), age (β=1.06; 95% CI: 0.29, 1.83), previous victimization (β=0.33; 95% CI: 0.22,0.44), and location (β=1.08; 95% CI: 0.21,1.95) were significantly associated with aggressive behavior at Time 2. Conclusions Previous engagement in aggressive behavior, victimization, and age are all known predictors of aggressive behavior in youth. Youth who report higher levels of rejection sensitivity are more likely to report engagement in aggressive behaviors in the last 3 months. Significance and Contributions to Injury and Violence Prevention Science Similar to other cognitive behavioral approaches to understanding and reducing youth violence, changing how youth frame and respond to experiences of rejection could reduce engagement in aggressive behaviors.
The research on the reliability prediction method based on least absolute deviation method and genetic algorithm

Reliability of distribution system became more and more important for safe and stable operation of the power grid. In order to predict the reliability of distribution system accurately, this paper provided the improved prediction model based on least absolute deviation method and genetic algorithm. First of all, data transformation was used to the historical reliability data. Then, the prediction method based on least absolute deviation method and genetic algorithm was used to get the predicted values. By data inverse transformation, the the predicted reliability values were obtained. Data transformation and inverse transformation could kept the characteristics of the reliability index such as with the up limit 1.The actual distribution system examples verified the accuracy and practical applicability of the prediction method, which would provide more support for reliability management and power grid operation.
Those left behind: A scoping review of the effects of suicide exposure on veterans, service members, and military families.

Veteran and service member suicide remains a significant public health concern. One factor that may impact suicide risk is suicide exposure—knowing someone who has died by suicide or attempted suic...
Weight change over 9 years and subsequent risk of venous thromboembolism in the ARIC cohort.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Weight gain increases risk of cardiovascular disease, but has not been examined extensively in relationship to venous thromboembolism (VTE). The association between weight change over 9 years and subsequent VTE among participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study was examined, with a hypothesis that excess weight gain is a risk factor for VTE, relative to no weight change. SUBJECTS/METHODS Quintiles of 9-year weight change were calculated (visit 4 1996-1998 weight minus visit 1 1987-1989 weight in kg: Quintile 1: ≥-1.81 kg; Quintile 2: 1.36 to ≤4.08 kg; Quintile 4: >4.08 to ≤7.71 kg; Quintile 5: >7.71 kg). Incident VTEs from visit 4 (1996-1998) through 2015 were identified and adjudicated using medical records. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox models. RESULTS 529 incident VTEs were identified during an average of 19 years of follow up. Compared to Quintile 2, participants in Quintile 5 of weight change had 1.46 times the rate of incident VTE (HR = 1.46 (95% CI 1.09, 1.95), adjusted for age, race, sex, income, physical activity, smoking, and prevalent CVD). The HR for Quintile 5 was modestly attenuated to 1.38 (95% CI 1.03, 1.84) when visit 1 BMI was included in the model. When examined separately, results were significant for unprovoked VTE, but not for provoked VTE. Among those obese at visit 1, both weight gain (HR 1.86 95% CI 1.27, 2.71) and weight loss (HR 2.11 95% CI 1.39, 3.19) were associated with incident VTE, compared with normal-weight participants with no weight change. CONCLUSIONS Weight gain later life was associated with increased risk for unprovoked VTE. Among those with obesity, both weight gain and weight loss were associated with increased risk for VTE.
Moderated t-tests for group-level fMRI analysis

In recent years, there has been significant criticism of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies with small sample sizes. The argument is that such studies have low statistical power, as well as reduced likelihood for statistically significant results to be true effects. The prevalence of these studies has led to a situation where a large number of published results are not replicable and likely false. Despite this growing body of evidence, small sample fMRI studies continue to be regularly performed; likely due to the high cost of scanning. In this report we investigate the use of a moderated t-statistic for performing group-level fMRI analysis to help alleviate problems related to small sample sizes. The proposed approach, implemented in the popular R-package LIMMA (linear models for microarray data), has found wide usage in the genomics literature for dealing with similar issues. Utilizing task-based fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP), we compare the performance of the moderated t-statistic with the standard t-statistic, as well as the pseudo t-statistic commonly used in non-parametric fMRI analysis. We find that the moderated t-test significantly outperforms both alternative approaches for studies with sample sizes less than 40 subjects. Further, we find that the results were consistent both when using voxel-based and cluster-based thresholding. We also introduce an R-package, LIMMI (linear models for medical images), that provides a quick and convenient way to apply the method to fMRI data.
High-resolution within-sewer SARS-CoV-2 surveillance facilitates informed intervention

Abstract To assist in the COVID-19 public health guidance on a college campus, daily composite wastewater samples were withdrawn at 20 manhole locations across the University of Colorado Boulder campus. Low-cost autosamplers were fabricated in-house to enable an economical approach to this distributed study. These sample stations operated from August 25th until November 23rd during the fall 2020 semester, with 1,512 samples collected. The concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in each sample was quantified through two comparative reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reactions (RT-qPCRs). These methods were distinct in the utilization of technical replicates and normalization to an endogenous control. (1) Higher temporal resolution compensates for supply chain or other constraints that prevent technical or biological replicates. (2) The endogenous control normalized data agreed with the raw concentration data, minimizing the utility of normalization. The raw wastewater concentration values reflected SARS-CoV-2 prevalence on campus as detected by clinical services. Overall, combining the low-cost composite sampler with a method that quantifies the SARS-CoV-2 signal within six hours enabled actionable and time-responsive data delivered to key stakeholders. With daily reporting of the findings, wastewater surveillance assisted in decision making during critical phases of the pandemic on campus, from detecting individual cases within populations ranging from 109 to 2,048 individuals to monitoring the success of on-campus interventions. Synopsis Tracking SARS-CoV-2 in on-campus wastewater informs and monitors public health decisions and actions. TOC/Abstract Art
On the Dynamical Instability of Monatomic Fluid Spheres in (N+1)-dimensional Spacetime

In this note, I derive the Chandrasekhar instability of a fluid sphere in ($N$+1)-dimensional Schwarzschild-Tangherlini spacetime and take the homogeneous (uniform energy density) solution for illustration. Qualitatively, the effect of positive (negative) cosmological constant tends to destabilize (stabilize) the sphere. In the absence of cosmological constant, the privileged position of (3+1)-dimensional spacetime is manifest in its own right. As it is the \emph{marginal dimensionality} in which a monatomic ideal fluid sphere is \emph{stable but not too stable} to trigger the onset of gravitational collapse. Furthermore, it is the \emph{unique} dimensionality that can accommodate stable hydrostatic equilibrium with \emph{positive cosmological constant.} However, given the current cosmological constant observed no stable configuration can be larger than $10^{20}{\rm M}_\odot$. On the other hand, in (2+1) dimensions it is \emph{too stable} to collapse either in the context of Newtonian Gravity (NG) or Einstein's General Relativity (GR). In GR, the role of \emph{negative cosmological constant} is crucial not only to guarantee fluid equilibrium (decreasing monotonicity of pressure) but also to have the Ba{\~n}ados-Teitelboim-Zanelli (BTZ) solution. Owing to the negativeness of the cosmological constant, there is no unstable configuration for a homogeneous fluid disk with mass $0<\mathcal{M}\leq0.5$ to collapse into a naked singularity, which supports the Cosmic Censorship Conjecture. However, the relativistic instability can be triggered for a homogeneous disk with mass $0.5<\mathcal{M}\lesssim0.518$ under causal limit, which implies that BTZ holes of mass $\mathcal{M}_{\rm BTZ}>0$ could emerge from collapsing fluid disks under proper conditions. The implicit assumptions and implications are also discussed.
Closing the management skills gap: a call for action

Purpose – This article is intended to provide the necessary tools to attack the causes of management training failures.Design/methodology/approach – The top ten managerial training failures identified from a sample of 323 seasoned managers in rapidly changing organizations are discussed along with specific suggested solutions.Findings – A revised content analysis revealed the most frequently cited causes of why organizations fail to train their managers properly.Originality/value – The findings provide an up‐to‐date list of the causes of ineffective training and the discussion focuses on ways to close the managerial skills gap by providing specific solutions to identified problems.
How West Law Was Made: The Company, its Products, and its Promotions

Only in American law is West not primarily a geographical term. When we lawyers think of West we tend to think first of West Publishing Company – the preeminent source of printed law books since before we were born and of electronic law databases in recent years. But despite its importance to the development and dissemination of American law, West itself is a creature most of us do not know much about; we know only its products. That is not our fault, because there is only a little bit of information available, and much of that little bit is hard to find. This Article offers some perspective on the roots of West, the publishing company, and of its primacy (or at least the primacy of its brand) in the consciousness of modern American lawyers.
Identification of the principal neutralizing determinant of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 as a fusion domain.

Abstract The V3 loop, located near the middle of the surface envelope glycoprotein gp120, is the major neutralizing domain of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Although the majority of the V3 loop is highly variable between different strains of HIV-1, a Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg motif at the tip of the loop is highly conserved. To determine whether this region plays a role in fusion mediated by the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins, we introduced seven single-amino-acid changes in the V3 loop. The mutant envelope glycoproteins were expressed from an HIV-1 envelope expression vector and analyzed for their ability to induce cell fusion in the absence of virus replication. Our results indicated that single-amino-acid changes in the V3 loop were capable of completely abolishing or greatly reducing the ability of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins to induce cell fusion, thereby identifying the V3 loop as a fusion domain of HIV-1. Mutations in the highly conserved tip of the loop or in a nonconserved region flanking the highly conserved tip had no effect on envelope glycoprotein synthesis, processing, transport, or binding to the CD4 receptor molecule. Mutation of the putative disulfide bridge-forming Cys at residue 336 blocked gp160 cleavage and CD4 binding.
Homogenization Analysis of Electromagnetic Strip Gratings

The method of homogenization is applied to derive the boundary conditions for the average fields at a periodic metal grating of ribbon conductors. This method leads to a separate determination of the fine structured boundary layer fields and of the average fields which exist at a distance from the structure. Solution of these problems leads to boundary conditions for the average fields which have been referred to in the literature as "equivalent" or "averaged" boundary conditions. These conditions can be applied to the solution of the waveguide, scattering, and antenna problems involving electrically fine gratings.
Student presentations in a project laboratory

The Electrical Engineering Laboratories at Texas Tech University are used to develop the student's presentation skills. Students are required to make many presentations with a variety of formats. Feedback to the students allows them to make continuous improvement over a two and a half year period.
The dipole sum rule with an approximate Hamiltonian

Abstract The familiar ƒ; sum rule for the electric dipole interaction of a complex charge-current system with the electromagnetic field is known to be simply applicable even when exchange forces and other non-classical dynamical effects are present. Evaluation of the ƒ; sum for absorption from the ground state can be made knowing only the Hamiltonian and the ground state wave function. For complex systems the exact wave function is rarely known. Two methods of estimating the ƒ; sum are then attractive whenever an independent particle model is empirically favored: (i) use of the best IPM wave functions and the true Hamiltonian, or (ii) use of the same wave functions but the equivalent one-body potential found to give best energy levels for the IPM. In the first calculation, dynamical correlations are neglected; in the second, a spurious contribution to the sum arises from the velocity dependent form typical of an equivalent one-body potential. We compute the ƒ; sum by both methods in a nuclear example. The results show the differences of principle which arise, though the numerical agreement is rather close. Physical arguments are given for the origin of this close agreement, which can be expected only in particular cases. No criterion for the reliability of such IPM sum rule calculations is known.
Unsupervised segmentation of ERS and Radarsat sea ice images using multiresolution peak detection and aggregated population equalization

In this paper we describe Automated Sea Ice Segmentation (ASIS), a system that automatically segments Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sea ice imagery. This system integrates image processing, data mining, and machine learning methodologies to determine the number of visually separable classes in ERS and Radarsat sea ice images. We introduce two new techniques: multiresolution peak detection and spatial clustering. The detection is a noise-resistant data discretization methodology that results in an initial segmentation of the image. The clustering is based on an innovative concept called Aggregated Population Equalization that utilizes spatial relationships among classes to merge and split the population environment. Its self-organizing ability produces the final segmentation and automates ASIS. In addition, we have designed a Java-based graphical user interface that facilitates post-segmentation human evaluation and classification. Thus, ASIS can be used as a pre-processor to help analyse sea ice images a...
Dynamic Data Driven Crowd Sensing Task Assignment

Abstract To realize the full potential of mobile crowd sensing, techniques are needed to deal with uncertainty in participant locations and trajectories. We propose a novel model for spatial task assignment in mobile crowd sensing that uses a dynamic and adaptive data driven scheme to assign moving participants with uncertain trajectories to sensing tasks, in a near-optimal manner. Our scheme is based on building a mobility model from publicly available trajectory history and estimating posterior location values using noisy/uncertain measurements upon which initial tasking assignments are made. These assignments may be refined locally (using exact information) and used by participants to steer their future data collection, which completes the feedback loop. We present the design of our proposed approach with rationale to suggest its value in effective mobile crowd sensing task assignment in the presence of uncertain trajectories.
Novel SURF1 mutation in a child with subacute encephalopathy and without the radiological features of Leigh Syndrome.

Mutations in SURF1, a gene involved in cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) assembly, cause COX deficiency and Leigh Syndrome (LS). Typical presentation is in the first year of life, with failure to thrive, psychomotor regression, ataxia, signs of brainstem dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy. Progression is rapid and patients usually die of respiratory failure before 2 years of age. LS is characterized by symmetrical bilateral lesions in the brainstem and basal ganglia, revealed premortem as signal hyperintensities in T2-weighted MRI imaging. Here, we describe a 10-year-old boy with a novel mutation in SURF1 associated with an unusually mild clinical course. At 39 months, there were no MRI lesions, and a follow-up MRI at 8 years of age showed only brainstem and cerebellar involvement without lesions in the basal ganglia or subthalamic nuclei. These data confirm that the spectrum of MRI findings in LS is variable and that SURF1 mutations should be considered in patients with encephalomyopathy and COX deficiency even when early MRI findings are negative. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Characterization of phase separation in amorphous films using modern small-angle scattering methods☆

Small-angle X-ray scattering has been used as a structural tool to characterize phase separation in vapor-deposited amorphous thin films. When combined with the anomalous dispersion effect, it becomes possible to differentiate voids from chemical inhomogeneity. These methods, as well as oblique transmission measurements, have been used to observe and characterize phase separation in sputtered amorphous Mo c Ge 1-c and Fe c Ge 1-c alloys. The chemical inhomogeneities depend on the deposition conditions, are quite anisotropic and extremely small (10-30 A), exist throughout a wide composition range (c < 0.33 for Fe-Ge and c < 0.25 for Mo-Ge), and are distinctly different in the Mo and Fe containing films. It is shown how it is possible to determine the endpoints of the phase separation, with results indicating endpoint compositions of amorphous Ge and an intermetallic phase of stoichiometry close to amorphous FeGe 2 or MoGe 3 . Finally, with the use of cylindrical correlation functions, it is demonstrated that small-angle X-ray scattering can be interpreted in terms of an anisotropic microstructure and present straightforward growth models for phase separation in evolving, amorphous films.
Factoring environmental concerns in supply chain decision making

Recent regulatory and market-driven environmental pressures have fundamentally impacted decision making throughout supply chain systems, from raw material sourcing through processing, use and post-use – including the logistical activities in between. In this paper, we focus on three factors – legislative, economic and social – that have introduced environment-related complexities into supply chain decisions. For each of these factors, we provide examples of how the accompanying complexities can be characterised within decision models in the form of parameters, objectives or constraints. The contribution of this work lies in highlighting that conventional supply chain decision models have to be recast and solved differently to accommodate legislative, economic and social pressures related to the life-cycle environmental impacts of products or technologies.
Void formation during ductile fracture of overaged copper-cobalt alloys

Etude au microscope electronique par transmission d'eprouvettes d'alliages Cu−Co2% et Cu−Co3% survieillies a 630 C pendant plusieurs jours et soumises a un essai de traction quasistatique. Formation et coalescence de cavites autour des precipites et sur les frontieres de dislocations
Exploring a Paradox: Commitment as a Moderator of the Stressor-Burnout Relationship

Identity theory suggests that we experience distress when our role-relevant goals are blocked and that this distress is stronger when we are highly committed to the role. Past research, however, clearly demonstrates that commitment is inversely related to the experience of stress. The current study examined whether commitment also moderates the relationship between work stressors and burnout. Over 500 hospital nurses provided information about the frequency of nursing stressors, their career commitment, and burnout. Although nurses who reported greater commitment tended to experience less burnout overall, moderated regression analyses showed that the link between work stressors and burnout was significantly stronger for the more committed nurses. Explanations for these apparently incongruent findings are offered, along with their implications for hospital nursing.
Increased rates of depressed mood in mothers of children with ASD associated with the presence of the broader autism phenotype

This study examined the relationship between the broader autism phenotype (BAP) and depressed mood in mothers of children with and without autism spectrum disorders (ASD). One hundred and sixty-five mothers (71 with an ASD child and 94 with a non-ASD child) completed a survey of child autism severity (ASD mothers only), parenting stress, BAP, and depression. Mothers of children with ASD reported greater depressed mood, higher parenting stress, and more characteristics associated with the BAP than mothers of children without ASD. For mothers of children with ASD, the BAP uniquely predicted number of depressive symptoms after controlling for child autism severity and parenting stress. In the full sample, the relationship between group status and depressed mood was no longer significant after controlling for parenting stress and maternal BAP. These findings suggest that the higher rate of depression found in mothers of children with ASD may be attributed both to the increased stress of raising a child with ASD, as well as a greater number of autistic features in the mothers that may place them at higher risk for developing depression.
REPLICATION AND EXTENSION OF THE PERSONALITY PROFILE OF "ARTISTS IN THE MAKING"

Barron's (1972) recent book on student artists, or as he calls them, "artists in the making" is rich in both psychometric data and interview material. Among many other findings, Barron presents California Psychological Inventory (CPI) results for rwo separate groups ot student artists. As part of a larger research project the present author administered the CPI to a group of student artists and student playwrights at a large Eastern Universiry. The art majors were solicited from studio art courses and had a mean age of 21.8 yr. The playwriting Ss were solicited from playwriting courses in the theatre arts department and had a mean age of 21.0 yr. The means and standard deviations for the CPI scales are presented in Table 1 and the significant inter-group differences among these results as assessed by t test (two-tailed) appear in Table 2.
CAPITAL GAINS TAXES AND REALIZATIONS: CAN A TAX CUT PAY FOR ITSELF?*

This paper is concerned with the effects of capital gains taxes on realizations of accrued capital gains. Previous empirical studies are summarized and exploratory new research using pooled cross-section and time-series tax data is presented. Capital gains realizations are found to be responsive to capital gains tax rates. The magnitude of the response, however, is not sufficient to support the conclusion that a capital gains tax cut would pay for itself.
Trapped Gas Fraction During Steady-State Foam Flow

Trapped or stationary gas contributes significantly to the extent of gas mobility reduction for aqueous foams. Simultaneous measurements of effluent bubble sizes and trapped gas saturation in sandstone are reported for the first time. Roughly 80% of the gas saturation in an aqueous foam is stationary at steady state in this permeable porous medium. The experiments show that as gas velocity increases, the trapped gas fraction decreases. Similarly, as injected gas–liquid ratio increases, the trapped gas fraction decreases. Hence, the absolute velocities of gas and aqueous surfactant solution are fundamental to foamed-gas mobility reduction for they help determine in situ foam texture. Effluent foam bubbles range in size from 60 to 120 μm in diameter. The smaller the effluent bubble, the smaller is the fraction of mobile gas. Scaling laws from network percolation theory are used to engender a mechanistic understanding of the various parameters identified as important in the experimental program. The closed form approimation predicts that the trapped gas fraction is a weak function of pressure gradient, foam-bubble size, and the permeability of the porous medium. Moreover, the theory reproduces well the newly obtained experimental data.
Teratogenic potential of quercetin in the rat

Abstract A single oral dose of 2, 20, 200, or 2000 mg qucrcetin/kg was administered to pregnant rats on the morning of day 9 of gestation. Other groups of pregnant rats received similar oral doses of quercetin daily, on days 6–15 of gestation. Some quercetin-treated groups showed a significant decrease in the average weight of day-20 foetuses compared with the corresponding control weight. However, studies of the foetuses recovered on day 20 of gestation failed to reveal any reproducible dose-related syndrome of teratogenic effects attributable to quercetin treatment.
Recovery of Thyroxine from Thyroid Protein Hydrolyzed with Pancreatic and Bacterial Proteases

Two proteolytic enzyme preparations, one bacterial (Pronase) and the other pancreatic (Viokase), were compared for effectiveness in hydrolyzing thyroidal iodoprotein. The bacterial preparation is shown to be superior. It released iodotyrosines and thyroxine from thyroprotein more rapidly than did the pancreatic preparation. Pronase, however, was more active in deiodinating thyroxine. It is recommended that, for the accurate determination of the thyroxine in iodoproteins, periodic chromatographic analyses of thyroid digests be made to determine when maximal yields of thyroxine occur.
Overalkylation of a Protein Digest with Iodoacetamide

Cystine linkages in proteins are often opened with reducing agents, sometimes to improve their digestion, often to eliminate disulfide linkages from complicating analysis of the digest. After reduction, the sulfhydryls are usually reacted with iodoacetamide (IAM), iodoacetic acid (IAA), or another electrophile to prevent reformation of disulfide linkages in a random manner. When the amount of protein may be reliably estimated, side reactions from excess IAM or IAA can be avoided. When this is not so, removal of excess iodoalkane can be accomplished by HPLC, by dialysis, or simply by allowing a reducing thiol to consume any excess. In mass spectrometric analysis of proteins isolated by 1D or 2D gels, removal of the excess iodoalkane is often accomplished simply by washing the gel prior to proteolytic digestion. During a recent study of the glutathionylation site mapping of actin, IAM was used to block any residual sulfhydryl groups remaining on the protein so that they would not displace glutathione from i...
US Trends in Pediatric VAD Utilization: Analysis of Organ Procurement and Transplant Network Data

Purpose Pediatric ventricular assist device (VAD) utilization has purportedly surged in the US in recent years. Accurate information regarding the type and frequency of devices currently used in children is limited. We sought to describe overall trends in pediatric VAD utilization as a bridge to heart transplant (HT) in the current era. Methods and Materials All children Results Since July 2004, a total of 450 children (14% of children at HT) received a VAD in the US as a bridge-to-transplant. The percent of children supported with a VAD at HT increased from 2% in 2004 to 17% in 2010. The median age of VAD recipients was 9 years (IQR, 1, 14), the median weight was 29 kg (IQR 11, 55). Cardiomyopathy (CMP) was the primary indication for support in 62% (N=277), CHD in 17% (N=76), myocarditis in 15% (N=74) and re-transplant in 2% (N=9). LVADs were used in 62% (N=278) of children, BIVADs in 35% (N=158) and RVADs alone in 3% (N=14). Overall, the most commonly used LVADs included the Berlin Heart EXCOR Pediatric (48%), the Heartmate II (13%), Thoratec XVE (13%), Thoratec IVAD (5%), Toyobo (4%) and heartware (1%). For those receiving BIVAD support, the most commonly used VADs were the Berlin Heart (56%), Thoratec XVE (23%, Thoratec PVAD or IVAD (9%), Abiomed 5000 (5%) and mixed devices. Conclusions Use of pediatric ventricular assist devices has increased dramatically in recent years, and has emerged as a widely accepted therapy for children with end stage heart failure who fail medical therapy. Nearly two-thirds of pediatric VADs are used for cardiomyopathy. While a broad range of VADs are used, a few devices account for the majority of pediatric implants in the current era.
Decreases in soluble α-synuclein in frontal cortex correlate with cognitive decline in the elderly

α-Synuclein (ASN) is a presynaptic protein and major component of Lewy bodies. It is considered important in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its relevance to progressive cognitive decline in aging is largely unknown. To address this issue, ASN immunoreactivity was measured in frontal cortex of elderly individuals with no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early AD using a Western blot technique and a polyclonal antibody to ASN. ASN immunoreactivity was significantly lower in AD than in MCI and NCI, but there was no difference between MCI and NCI. The ASN immunoreactivity correlated with CERAD diagnosis, as well as Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score, global neuropsychologic z-score and some, but not all, frontal neuropsychology measures. Clinical correlations were stronger for ASN than synaptophysin immunoreactivity assessed in a similar manner. The correlation with MMSE was robust when NCI cases were considered separately, suggesting that decreases in soluble ASN may be an early feature of cognitive decline in aging and AD.
Establishing Collision-Zones Under Uncertainty

This paper presents a methodology to include obstacles moving with uncertainty in path planning algorithms. Around each moving obstacle, a collision-zone is defined indicating a high collision likelihood space. These zones are treated as stationary obstacles providing the input to a path planning algorithm. Samples of moving obstacles' positions are assumed to be available. Three models of motion for moving obstacles are considered: 1) obstacles moving randomly, 2) obstacles whose motion is structured but consists of random parameters, 3) obstacles whose motion is predictable as a function of time. Simulation examples yielding collision-zones are presented.
Lectin binding of the major polar tube protein (PTP1) and its role in invasion.

Microsporidia are important parasitic eukaryotic organisms that can infect invertebrates, insects, fish and mammals. While the majority of reported cases of human microsporidiosis involve diarrhea, the spectrum of diseases caused by these organisms includes keratoconjunctivitis, disseminated disease, hepatitis, myositis, sinusitis, nephritis, prostatitis, and cholangitis [8,11]. There are over 144 genera and 1200 described species of microsporidia. Recent molecular phylogeny suggests that the Microsporidia are related to fungi [5,10]. All of the microsporidia contain a unique invasion organelle consisting of a single polar tube, polaroplast and anchoring disc [11]. Upon appropriate stimulation the polar tube is rapidly discharged out of the spore forming a hollow tube through which the sporoplasm passes. The mechanism of the interaction(s) of the polar tube with the host cell membrane remains to be determined. Polar tubes are resistant to dissociation in detergents and acids, but thiol-reducing agents will dissociate polar tubes into their component proteins [11]. We have previously isolated and characterized polar tube proteins (PTPs) using these solubility characteristics [6]. The major polar tube protein (PTP1) of Encephalitozoon hellem was purified to homogeneity from solubilized PTPs using HPLC [6]. This protein was cloned and found to be a proline-rich protein with a predicted mass of 43 kDa [6]. On SDS-PAGE, however, EhPTP1 appears as a broad 55-kDa band [6]. Several potential N- and Olinked glycosylation sites are predicted based on the primary amino acid analysis. Post-translational glycosylation of this protein may be responsible for its aberrant SDS-PAGE migration. Such post-translational modifications may be important for the function of PTP1. We, therefore, undertook a study of the lectin binding of purified polar tube proteins.
Origin of amino acids in the early solar system

Abstract Synthesis of meteoritic amino acids probably took place in the aqueous sub-surface regions of one or more asteroid-sized parent bodies. Starting material for those reactions apparently consisted of a population of more simple compounds including a suite of aliphatic precursors characterised by (1) complete structural diversity, (2) prevalence of branched- over straight-chain species, (3) exponential decrease in abundance with increasing C number, (4) large enrichment in D, and, probably, (5) systematic decrease in 13C/12C with increasing C number. Those properties were apparently acquired during synthesis of the precursors by ion-molecule reactions in a presolar molecular cloud.
Spatial conflict gradients of cigarette smokers: a methodology.

(1969). Spatial Conflict Gradients of Cigarette Smokers: A Methodology. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 80, No. 2, pp. 287-290.
Evaluation of Verticillium wilt resistance in commercial cultivars and advanced breeding lines of cotton

Verticillium wilt (VW), caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb, is one of the most destructive diseases in cotton (Gossypium spp.). The most efficient and cost-effective method of controlling the disease is the use of resistant cotton cultivars. Most commercial cultivars and elite breeding lines are developed under non-VW conditions and their responses to the disease are currently unknown. This study was conducted to evaluate current commercial cotton cultivars and advanced breeding lines for VW resistance. In 2011–2013, a total of 84 cultivars from major US seed companies, 52 advanced breeding lines from the US public breeding programs, and 87 introgression lines from a cross between Acala 1517-99 × Pima PHY 76 from the New Mexico Cotton Breeding Program, were evaluated for VW resistance in the greenhouse. Cotton cultivars and breeding lines were evaluated in ten separate replicated tests by inoculation with a defoliating-type isolate of V. dahliae. While leaf severity rating and percentages of infected plants, infected leaves and defoliated leaves were found to be significantly and positively correlated with one another, leaf severity rating and percentage of infected leaves were best choices because of their relatively low coefficients of variation and higher resolutions to differentiate resistant genotypes from susceptible ones. The heritabilities for the VW resistance traits ranged from 0.58 to 0.80 with an average of 0.67, indicating that variation in VW resistance is predominantly due to genetic factors. Of the 223 commercial cultivars and advanced lines, six Upland cultivars (FM 9160B2F, FM 9170 B2F, NG 4010 B2RF, Nitro 44 B2RF, DP 1219 B2RF, and ST 4288 B2F), five advanced lines (Ark 0403-3, MD 10-5, MD 25ne, NC11AZ01, and PD 0504), two introgression lines from Upland × Pima (NM11Q1157 and 08N1618), and four Pima cultivars (COBALT, DP 357, PHY 800, and PHY 830) had higher levels of resistance to VW. The resistance shown by most of these cultivars in the greenhouse was consistent with their performance in previous field tests. Based on the initial VW resistance, 19 highly or moderately resistant genotypes were chosen for re-evaluation and 30 genotypes were also assessed more than once for VW resistance in different tests, most of which had concordant performance. These cultivars and advanced lines should be useful resources to improve VW resistance in cotton breeding.
This Message Will Self-Destruct: NMD Regulates Axon Guidance

The navigation of axons to their final destination can involve a sequence of steps that require different sets of guidance receptors. In this issue, Colak et al. show that regulated intra-axonal protein synthesis coupled to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) controls a switch in Robo3.2 expression that is critical for navigation.
Comparison of mania patients suitable for treatment trials versus clinical treatment.

It remains uncertain whether bipolar disorder (BPD) patients in randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) are sufficiently representative of clinically encountered patients as to guide clinical-therapeutic practice. We complied inclusion/exclusion criteria by frequency from reports of 21 RCTs for mania, and applied them in a pilot study of patients hospitalized for DSM-IV BPD manic/mixed states to compare characteristics and clinical responses of patients who did versus did not meet exclusion criteria. From 27 initially identified inclusion/exclusion criteria ranked by citation frequency, we derived six inclusion, and 10 non-redundant-exclusion factors. Of 67 consecutive patients meeting inclusion criteria, 15 (22.4%) potential “research subjects” met all 10 exclusion criteria. The remaining 52 “clinical patients” differed markedly on exclusion criteria, including more psychiatric co-morbidity, substance abuse, involuntary hospitalization, and suicide attempts or violence, but were otherwise similar. In both groups responses to clinically determined inpatient treatments were similar, including improvement in mania ratings. Based on applying reported inclusion/exclusion criteria for RCTs to a pilot sample of hospitalized-manic patients, those likely to be included in modern RCTs were similar to patients who would be excluded, most notably in short-term antimanic-treatment responses. The findings encourage further comparisons of subjects included/excluded from RCTs to test potential clinical generalizability of research findings. The pilot study is limited in numbers and exposure times with which to test for the minor differences between “research subjects” and “clinical patients.” Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of computational approaches for predicting the effects of missense mutations on p53 function.

Abstract We applied our recently developed kinetic computational mutagenesis (KCM) approach [L.T. Chong, W.C. Swope, J.W. Pitera, V.S. Pande, Kinetic computational alanine scanning: application to p53 oligomerization, J. Mol. Biol. 357 (3) (2006) 1039–1049] along with the MM-GBSA approach [J. Srinivasan, T.E. Cheatham 3rd, P. Cieplak, P.A. Kollman, D.A. Case, Continuum solvent studies of the stability of DNA, RNA, and phosphoramidate-DNA helices, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 120 (37) (1998) 9401–9409; P.A. Kollman, I. Massova, C.M. Reyes, B. Kuhn, S. Huo, L.T. Chong, M. Lee, T. Lee, Y. Duan, W. Wang, O. Donini, P. Cieplak, J. Srinivasan, D.A. Case, T.E. Cheatham 3rd., Calculating structures and free energies of complex molecules: combining molecular mechanics and continuum models, Acc. Chem. Res. 33 (12) (2000) 889–897] to evaluate the effects of all possible missense mutations on dimerization of the oligomerization domain (residues 326–355) of tumor suppressor p53. The true positive and true negative rates for KCM are comparable (within 5%) to those of MM-GBSA, although MM-GBSA is much less computationally intensive when it is applied to a single energy-minimized configuration per mutant dimer. The potential advantage of KCM is that it can be used to directly examine the kinetic effects of mutations.