cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-Dimensional Imaging Provides Valuable Clinical Data to Aid in Unilateral Tissue Expander-Implant Breast Reconstruction

The current approach to breast reconstruction remains largely subjective and is based on physical examination and visual-estimates of breast size. Thus, the overall success of breast reconstruction is limited by the inability of plastic surgeons to objectively assess breast volume and shape, which may result in suboptimal outcomes. A potential solution to this obstacle may be three-dimensional (3D) imaging, which can provide unique clinical data that was previously unattainable to plastic surgeons. The following study represents a prospective analysis of patient volunteers undergoing unilateral tissue expander (TE)-implant reconstruction by one of the two senior authors (MC, NSK). All patients underwent unilateral mastectomy with immediate or delayed insertion of a TE, followed by an exchange for a permanent silicone or saline implant. 3D scans were obtained during routine pre- and postoperative office visits. The 3D breast-volume calculations served as a guide for surgical management. Twelve patients have completed 3D-assisted unilateral breast reconstruction to date. These patients represent a wide range of body habitus and breast size/shape; 3D volume range from 136 to 518 cm(3). The mean baseline breast asymmetry in this group was 12.0 +/- 10.8%. Contralateral symmetry procedures were performed in eleven patients, consisting of the following: mastopexy (n = 6), augmentation (n = 1), mastopexy/augmentation (n = 2), and reduction mammoplasty (n = 2). Reconstruction was completed in a total number of 2 (n = 10) or 3 (n = 2) operations. Overall breast symmetry improved at the completion of reconstruction in the majority of patients, with an average postoperative symmetry of 95.1 +/- 4.4% (relative to 88% preoperatively). 3D imaging serves a valuable adjunct to TE-implant breast reconstruction. This technology provides volumetric data that can help guide breast reconstruction, such as in choosing the initial TE size, total volume of expansion, and final implant size/shape. 3D imaging technology also provides benefit as a method for assessing tissue expansion, the need for symmetry or revision procedures, and critically analyzing the final reconstructive outcome.
Video Game-Based Learning: An Emerging Paradigm for Instruction

Interactive digital media, or video games, are a powerful new medium. They offer immersive experiences in which players solve problems. Players learn more than just facts—ways of seeing and understanding problems so that they “become” different kinds of people. “Serious games” coming from business strategy, advergaming, and entertainment gaming embody these features and point to a future paradigm for eLearning. Building on interviews with leading designers of serious games, this article presents case studies of three organizations building serious games, coming from different perspectives but arriving at similar conclusions. This article argues that such games challenge us to rethink the role of information, tools, and aesthetics in a digital age.
The effect of temperature differences on the distribution of an airborne contaminant in an experimental room.

Estimating exposure to contaminants emitted into workroom air is essential for worker protection. Although contaminant concentrations are often not spatially uniform within workrooms, many methods for estimating exposure do not adequately account for this variability. Here the impact of temperature differences within a room on spatial contaminant distribution was studied. Tracer gas (99.5% propylene) concentrations were monitored automatically at 144 sampling points with a photoionization detector. One wall was chosen to represent a building’s external wall and was heated or cooled to simulate summer or winter conditions. Experiments were preformed at two flow rates (5.5 and 3.3 m 3 min � 1 ) and six thermal conditions (isothermal, three summer conditions and two winter conditions). For 5.5 m 3 min � 1 and all thermal conditions, the coefficient of variation (CV) ranged from 0.34 to 0.45 and the normalized average concentrations were similar. For 3.3 m 3 min � 1 , winter conditions produced greater spatial variability of concentration (CV = 0.72 and 1.10) than isothermal or summer conditions (CV range = 0.29–0.34). Tests simulating winter conditions suggest that the resulting stable temperature structure inhibited the dilution of the tracer and enhanced its segregation in the lower portion of the room, especially for the lower flow rate (3.3 m 3 min � 1 ). Therefore, not explicitly addressing thermal effect in exposure modeling may impact the estimated accuracy and precision when used for rooms that are non-isothermal and not well mixed. These findings also have implications for air monitoring. Dispersion patterns for different thermal conditions were found to be substantially different, even when the mean concentrations were nearly the same. Thus, monitoring data from a single season should not be taken as representative of the entire year, when summer and winter conditions create temperature gradients in a room.
Mental Illness Stigma as a Mediator of Differences in Caucasian and South Asian College Students' Attitudes toward Psychological Counseling.

Previous research has established that Asian Americans use mental health services less frequently and hold poorer attitudes toward psychological counseling than Caucasians. The authors directly tested whether stigmatizing beliefs regarding mental illness might explain such differential attitudes toward counseling in a South Asian and Caucasian student sample. Using mediation analyses, the authors examined 2 aspects of stigma posited to affect help-seeking attitudes: personal stigmatizing views and perceptions of the public’s stigmatizing views directed toward persons with mental illness. First, the authors found that Caucasian (n 74) college students revealed more positive attitudes toward counseling than did South Asian (n 54) students. Second, in terms of mediation, increased personal stigma, but not perceived stigma, expressed by South Asians partially mediated and accounted for 32% of the observed difference in attitudes toward counseling services. These findings support a long-standing conjecture in the literature regarding the increased significance of stigma processes on disparities in majority-minority help-seeking attitudes. They also suggest that efforts to reduce disparities in attitudes toward counseling for South Asian students specifically should incorporate interventions to reduce the increased stigma expressed by this community, particularly related to a desire for social distance from persons with a mental illness.
Continued Increases in the Relative Risk of Death From Smoking

Objectives. We examined changes in the relative risk of death among current and former smokers over recent decades in the United States.Methods. Data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were linked to subsequent deaths. We calculated age-standardized death rates by gender and smoking status, and estimated multivariate discrete time logit regression models.Results. The risk of death for a smoker compared with that for a never-smoker increased by 25.4% from 1987 to 2006 based on NHIS data. Analysis of NHANES data from 1971 to 2006 showed an even faster annual increase in the relative risk of death for current smokers. Former smokers also showed an increasing relative risk of death, although the increase was slower than that among current smokers and not always statistically significant. These trends were not related to increasing educational selectivity of smokers or increased smoking intensity or duration among current smokers. Smok...
Biosynthesis of a New UDP-sugar, UDP-2-acetamido-2-deoxyxylose, in the Human Pathogen Bacillus cereus Subspecies cytotoxis NVH 391-98 *

We have identified an operon and characterized the functions of two genes from the severe food-poisoning bacterium, Bacillus cereus subsp. cytotoxis NVH 391-98, that are involved in the synthesis of a unique UDP-sugar, UDP-2-acetamido-2-deoxyxylose (UDP-N-acetyl-xylosamine, UDP-XylNAc). UGlcNAcDH encodes a UDP-N-acetyl-glucosamine 6-dehydrogenase, converting UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to UDP-N-acetyl-glucosaminuronic acid (UDP-GlcNAcA). The second gene in the operon, UXNAcS, encodes a distinct decarboxylase not previously described in the literature, which catalyzes the formation of UDP-XylNAc from UDP-GlcNAcA in the presence of exogenous NAD(+). UXNAcS is specific and cannot utilize UDP-glucuronic acid and UDP-galacturonic acid as substrates. UXNAcS is active as a dimer with catalytic efficiency of 7 mM(-1) s(-1). The activity of UXNAcS is completely abolished by NADH but unaffected by UDP-xylose. A real-time NMR-based assay showed unambiguously the dual enzymatic conversions of UDP-GlcNAc to UDP-GlcNAcA and subsequently to UDP-XylNAc. From the analyses of all publicly available sequenced genomes, it appears that UXNAcS is restricted to pathogenic Bacillus species, including Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus thuringiensis. The identification of UXNAcS provides insight into the formation of UDP-XylNAc. Understanding the metabolic pathways involved in the utilization of this amino-sugar may allow the development of drugs to combat and eradicate the disease.
The Aging Mind in Transition: Amyloid Deposition and Progression toward Alzheimer's Disease

Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques have provided neuroscientists with the ability to visualize in vivo the signature pathology of AD: amyloid and tau deposition (the so-called plaques and tangles of AD). These PET imaging techniques have provided scientists with the remarkable opportunity to understand the underlying brain changes that reflect the transition from healthy cognitive function to dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The present chapter focuses on the earliest manifestations of AD and its relationship to cognition guided by two models. The Scaffolding Model of Aging and Cognition provides a framework to understand how the complex interrelationships among brain structure, function and cognition for both healthy and pathological aging trajectories, while also allowing for the integration of experiences and individual differences. The Preclinical Model of AD provides an AD-specific sequence of detectable stages from healthy function to dementia based on underlying pathology and neurodegeneration.
Ephrin-A2 and ephrin-A5 guide contralateral targeting but not topographic mapping of ventral cochlear nucleus axons

Background In the auditory brainstem, ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) axons project to the contralateral, but not ipsilateral, medial nucleus of trapezoid body (MNTB), terminating in the calyx of Held. Dorsal VCN neurons, representing high frequencies, synapse with medial MNTB neurons, while low frequency-coding ventral VCN neurons synapse with lateral MNTB neurons, reflecting tonotopic organization. The mechanisms that ensure strictly contralateral targeting and topographic ordering are incompletely understood. Here we examined the roles of ephrin-A signaling in both types of targeting.
Sludge digestion enhancement and nutrient removal from anaerobic supernatant by Mg(OH) 2 application

Anaerobic sludge digestion is a widely adopted process for sludge stabilization. Phosphate removal from anaerobic supernatant is necessary to limit the phosphate returned to the head of the treatment plant, thereby improving the overall treatment efficiency. In this study, magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) was used to improve the sludge digestion efficiency and to remove phosphorus from anaerobic supernatant. The anaerobic sludge digestion experiment was conducted at a pilot scale, and the results showed that applying Mg(OH)2 to anaerobic sludge digester resulted in a larger reduction in SS and COD, a higher biogas production rate, a lower level of phosphate and ammonia nitrogen concentrations in the sludge supernatant and an improved sludge dewaterability. Research results at both lab scale and pilot scale on phosphorus removal from anaerobic supernatant using Mg(OH)2 showed that a high removal of phosphorus can be achieved through the addition of Mg(OH)2. The required reaction time depends on the initial phosphorus concentration and the Mg(OH)2 dosage.
RésuMatcher: A personalized résumé-job matching system

Abstract Online jobs search through popular websites are quite beneficial having served for many years as a prominent tool for job seekers and employers alike. In spite of their valuable utility in linking employers with potential employees, the search process and technology utilized by job search websites have not kept pace with the rapid changes in computing capability and machine intelligence. The Information retrieval techniques utilized by these websites rely primarily on variants of manually entered search queries with some advanced similarity metrics for ranking search results. Advancements in machine intelligence techniques have enabled programmatic extraction of pertinent information about the job seeker and job postings without active user input. To this end, we developed a resume matching system, ResuMatcher, which intelligently extracts the qualifications and experience of a job seeker directly from his/her resume, and relevant information about the qualifications and experience requirements of job postings. Using a novel statistical similarity index, ResuMatcher returns results that are more relevant to the job seekers experience, academic, and technical qualifications, with minimal active user input. Our method provides up to a 34% improvement over existing information retrieval methods in the quality of search results. In addition however, ResuMatcher requires minimal active user input to search for jobs, compared to traditional manual search-based methods prevalent today. These improvements, we hypothesize, will lead to more relevant job search results and a better overall job search experience for job seekers. As an alternative to the fragmented organization-centric job application process, job recruitment websites offered the promise of simplifying and streamlining the job search process. However, these websites offer limited functionality using generic and simplistic information retrieval methods, which being non-domain lead to a poor and frustrating search experience. In this paper, we present ResuMatcher, a personalized job-resume matching system, which offers a novel statistical similarity index for ranking relevance between candidate resumes and a database of available jobs. In our experiments we show that our method offers a 37.44% improvement over existing information retrieval methods in the quality of matches returned.
Evolution across the Curriculum: Microbiology.

An integrated understanding of microbiology and evolutionary biology is essential for students pursuing careers in microbiology and healthcare fields. In this Perspective, we discuss the usefulness of evolutionary concepts and an overall evolutionary framework for students enrolled in microbiology courses. Further, we propose a set of learning goals for students studying microbial evolution concepts. We then describe some barriers to microbial evolution teaching and learning and encourage the continued incorporation of evidence-based teaching practices into microbiology courses at all levels. Next, we review the current status of microbial evolution assessment tools and describe some education resources available for teaching microbial evolution. Successful microbial evolution education will require that evolution be taught across the undergraduate biology curriculum, with a continued focus on applications and applied careers, while aligning with national biology education reform initiatives. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
Three day crisis resolution unit.

This paper describes a three day crisis resolution unit within the confines of the psychiatric emergency service of a general hospital. It utilizes a crisis model of acute intervention, time limited psychotherapeutic approach combined with family therapy, and psychotropic meditation when indicated. One hundred thirty six consecutive admissions were rev ie.wed. 19% were discharged within 72 hours, and 51% required further hospitalization. Seventy seven percent of the patients discharged had involved families (significant others) in the treatment process, in comparison with only 28% family involvement with those patients who needed further hospitalization. This may be even more significant for psychotic patients who were discharged (14/18 family involvement) versus those who needed long hospitalization (13/50 family involvement).
On the analysis of pharmacological experiments in terms of an allosteric receptor model.

According to the usual drug-receptor model, developed by Clark, Gaddum, and Stephenson, one can determine drug-receptor dissociation equilibriun constants and relative efficacies experimentally, by analyzing the drug concentrations which cause equal responses under various conditions. Underlying this analysis is the concept of the "stimulus," which is directly proportional to the fraction of receptors activated the proportionality constant being characteristic of each drug, and being known as the "efficacy." Equal biological responses are assumed to correspond to equal stimuli. Such experiments to determine equieffective drug concentrations circumvent the problem presented by the fact that there is no generally valid theory to interpret the shapes of concentration-response curves. This paper discusses the interpretation of these experiments according to the allosteric receptor model proposed by Karlin. In this model the receptor is assumed to have two conformational states, R and T , normally present in the ratio T/R = L. A drug A is assumed to combine reversibly with each of these two forms, with dissociation equilibrium constants K AR and K AT , respectively, and the biological response is assumed to depend on the proportion of receptors in the R form. The present analysis shows that for competitive drug interactions a "stimulus" can be defined which has exactly the same algebraic form as the "stimulus" in the Clark-Gaddum-Stephenson model; hence the two models are experimentally indistinguishable with respect to competitive drug interactions. The drug-receptor dissociation constant determined by these methods is K AT , and the "efficacy" depend-on the relative affinities of the drug for the R and T forms; i.e., the "efficacy" is K AT /K AR -1. On the other hand, the experimental method utilizing partial irreversible receptor inactivation yields a different apparent dissociation constant, namely, [ K AT -1 + ( K AR L ) -1 ] -1 . By doing different kinds of experiments on two or more drugs, one can in principle determine all the equilibrium constants in the allosteric model. Both models allow for the possibilities of negative efficacy and of nonparallel log concentration-response curves for competitive antagonists with nonzero efficacy. Experimental evidence to date does not clearly rule out either model.
Anchoring 2D gesture annotations in augmented reality

Augmented reality enhanced collaboration systems often allow users to draw 2D gesture annotations onto video feeds to help collaborators to complete physical tasks. This works well for static cameras, but for movable cameras, perspective effects cause problems when trying to render 2D annotations from a new viewpoint in 3D. In this paper, we present a new approach towards solving this problem by using gesture enhanced annotations. By first classifying which type of gesture the user drew, we show that it is possible to render annotations in 3D in a way that conforms more to the original intention of the user than with traditional methods. We first determined a generic vocabulary of important 2D gestures for remote collaboration by running an Amazon Mechanical Turk study with 88 participants. Next, we designed a novel system to automatically handle the top two 2D gesture annotations — arrows and circles. Arrows are handled by identifying their anchor points and using surface normals for better perspective rendering. For circles, we designed a novel energy function to help infer the object of interest using both 2D image cues and 3D geometric cues. Results indicate that our approach outperforms previous methods in terms of better conveying the original drawing's meaning from different viewpoints.
Light Induced Defect Influence on a-Si Field Test Performance

The Solar Energy Research Institute has had amorphous silicon modules under field performance and evaluation test for since 1985. This paper addresses the evaluation of that performance in light of the Staebler-Wronski effect (1). This six years of data obtained by the SERI test program is analyzed in this paper for these early modules of the mid-eighties. The performance of these modules show strong dependence on light induced defect generation as described by Faughan, et al, for cell laboratory performance. The model description is linear with log(time). Since the modules are tested to a real outdoor environment the performance shows a significant annual annealing cycle. Because of the relatively strong annealing effects, more than two years of field test data are required to adquately predict the degradation trends. The performance of these earlier modules is compared to module sets of more recent manufacture. The later modules show better stabilization following a stronger initial degradation. Analytical models are used to evaluate performance to date and to project 30-year performance. Many modules project reasonable percentage performance.
Design, Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Scaffold-Assembled Collagen Mimetics

In collagen mimetic research we have demonstrated the successful incorporation of N-isobutyl glycine (Nleu) into triple helical collagen-like peptides composed of Gly-Nleu-Pro and Gly-Pro-Nleu sequences [1]. In addition, scaffolds (templates) have been employed by us to enhance the formation and stability of triple helices [2]. In this brief communication we report the utilization of a new scaffold for collagen mimetic synthesis. This scaffold, synthesized from the biological buffer TRIS (tris-(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane), possesses three carboxylic acid moieties for attachment to the N-terminus of peptide chains and a free amine for reaction at surfaces or with core structures (Scheme 1) [3]. This scaffold allows us to prepare novel collagen-based biomaterials.
Recent and Long-Term Selection Across Synonymous Sites in Drosophila ananassae

In Drosophila, many studies have examined the short- or long-term evolution occurring across synonymous sites. Few, however, have examined both the recent and long-term evolution to gain a complete view of this selection. Here we have analyzed Drosophila ananassae DNA polymorphism and divergence data using several different methods, and have identified evidence of positive selection favoring preferred codons in both recent and long-term evolutionary time scale. Further in D. ananassae, the strength of selection for preferred codons was stronger on the X chromosome compared to the autosomes. We show that this stronger selection is not due to higher gene expression of X-linked genes. Analysis of the selectively neutral introns indicated that the X chromosome also had a preference for GC over AT nucleotides, potentially from GC-biased gene conversions (gcBGCs) that can also affect the base composition of synonymous sites. Thus selection for preferred codons and gcBGC both seem to be partially responsible for shaping the D. ananassae synonymous site evolution.
Modification of the Processing Method for Home-Preservation of Tomato Juice.

A modification (low water level bath, LWL) of the recommended water bath (high water level bath, HWL) procedure was used to process tomato juice in quart jars. The LWL bath contained one-fifth the amount of water recommended for the HWL bath. Use of the HWL bath required 59 min and 1838 watt-hours of electricity to heat the bath and process hot packed (92°C) juice for 15 min. In comparison, 34 min and 1065 watt-hours of electricity were required when the LWL bath was used. Samples of juice were inoculated with log 3.0 Bacillus coagulans per ml, processed in each of the two baths, and stored up to 12 weeks at 27°C. Aerobic mesophiles were found only in juice processed in the HWL bath and stored 4 weeks and in juice processed in the LWL bath and stored 0 weeks. The aerobic mesophile count (log10) of juice processed in the HWL bath and stored 4 weeks was a mean log 1.4 per ml. Similar juice processed in the LWL bath had a mean log 1.3 aerobic mesophiles per ml. Juice processed in both water baths and stored for 8 and 12 weeks exhibited mesophilic counts of <1 log per ml. None of the inoculated, processed samples had a mean count greater than 1 log per ml of juice for aerobic, acid forming mesophiles; aerobic thermophiles; anaerobic mesophiles and thermophiles; and mold. Using temperature values and microbiological measurements, one may conclude that the LWL bath was as effective as the HWL bath for processing tomato juice while allowing for a substantial saving of time and electricity.
Quantification of Small Molecule-Protein Interactions using FRET between Tryptophan and the Pacific Blue Fluorophore.

We report a new method to quantify the affinity of small molecules for proteins. This method is based on Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between endogenous tryptophan (Trp) residues and the coumarin-derived fluorophore Pacific Blue (PB). Tryptophan residues are frequently found in proteins near ligand-binding sites, making this approach potentially applicable to a wide range of systems. To improve access to PB, we developed a scalable multigram synthesis of this fluorophore, starting with inexpensive 2,3,4,5-tetrafluorobenzoic acid. This route was used to synthesize fluorescent derivatives of biotin, as well as lower affinity thiobiotin, iminobiotin, and imidazolidinethione analogues that bind the protein streptavidin. Compared with previously published FRET acceptors for tryptophan, PB proved to be superior in both sensitivity and efficiency. These unique properties of PB enabled direct quantification of dissociation constants (Kd) as well as competitive inhibition constants (Ki) in the micromol...
Rapid Mass Spectrometry Imaging to Assess the Biochemical Profile of Pituitary Tissue for Potential Intraoperative Usage

Pituitary adenomas are relatively common intracranial neoplasms that are frequently treated with surgical resection. Rapid visualization of pituitary tissue remains a challenge as current techniques either produce little to no information on hormone-secreting function or are too slow to practically aid in intraoperative or even perioperative decision-making. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI MSI) represents a powerful method by which molecular maps of tissue samples can be created, yielding a two-dimensional representation of the expression patterns of small molecules and proteins from biologic samples. In this chapter, we review the use of MALDI MSI, its application to the characterization of the pituitary gland, and its potential applications for guiding the management of pituitary adenomas.
Wernicke Encephalopathy in Cancer Patients: A Literature Review (P3.382)

Objective: To assess the frequency of Wernicke Encephalopathy (WE) in cancer patients and to determine if prophylaxis with thiamine prevents neurologic complications. Background:Wernicke’s Encephalopathy ( WE) is a known neurologic complication in cancer patients due to suspected etiologies such as chronic malnutrition, chemotherapy-associated vomiting, and thiamine consumption by rapidly growing tumors. MRI brain is considered the most valuable method to confirm the diagnosis. Currently amongst the cancer population there is no standardized approach to obtain thiamine levels, brain MRI, thiamine dose and duration, and when to initiate prophylaxis. Methods:We utilized the search engine PubMed to review a total of 78 cases reported between 1990-2015. Patients with history of alcoholism were excluded from our review. Results:The most common types of cancer associated with WE, were gastrointestinal tract (35.6[percnt]) followed by hematopoietic cancers (34.6[percnt]), gynecological cancers (9[percnt]), CNS cancers and Head and neck gynecological cancers (6.4[percnt] each) and others (7.6[percnt]). WE was also frequently seen in patients treated with; antimetabolites (29.48[percnt]), followed by alkylating and anthracyclines agents (24.3[percnt] each), and Mitotic inhibitors (6.4[percnt]). Of the 78 cases reviewed 61.5[percnt] were females, with mean age of 44. Brain MRIs were obtained in 78[percnt] of patients, of those 93[percnt] revealed positive radiological findings. 76.9[percnt] of patients received thiamine, despite only 24[percnt] that had serum thiamine levels checked. 70.5[percnt] showed partial or total recovery after thiamine supplementation. The thiamine doses were variable and not frequently reported. Total parental nutrition was reported in 46.1[percnt] of patients. Conclusion: WE needs to be considered in all cancer patients, especially GI and hematopoietic cancers. Work up should consist of thiamine levels and MRI brain. Thiamine supplementation should be reinforced amongst patients receiving TPN. We recommend standardized WE prophylaxis in cancer patients in order to prevent neurologic complications. Disclosure: Dr. Wajnsztajn has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cameron has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kaur has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kowalska has nothing to disclose.
Implementing a Smart Beta Index: The Implications of a Dual Performance Objective and Limited Liquidity

A smart beta portfolio that tracks an explicit smart beta index has two performance benchmarks: the smart beta index itself and a cap-weighted index that represents the broader equity market. This dual performance objective creates a trade-off whenever the portfolio is large relative to the liquidity of the smart beta index. A portfolio that fully replicates the smart beta index, and trades all shares near the close on each rebalancing date of the smart beta index, can incur significant transaction costs and thereby adversely affect the performance of the smart beta index vis-a-vis the cap-weighted market. This article shows that sampling (by excluding the least-liquid stocks) and trading patiently (by trading over a longer interval of time) can reduce expected transaction costs and improve the performance of the smart beta index (and, by extension, the smart beta portfolio). Sampling and patient trading cause tracking error between the smart beta portfolio and the smart beta index. However, this tracking error, when modest, has very little impact on the tracking error between the smart beta portfolio and the cap-weighted performance index. The authors conclude that the optimal level of tracking error between the smart beta portfolio and the smart beta index may be much higher than the level usually chosen for a cap-weighted passive portfolio.
Interface Microstructure and Mechanical Fatigue Behavior of Sn63Pb37 on Electroplated Cu and Ni

Electroplated Cu and Ni are commonly used as under bump metallurgy (UBM) in flip chip bumping due to their good wetting to common solders. The objective of this study was to understand interface microstructure and mechanical fatigue property of eutectic SnPb solder on electroplated Cu and Ni. The study focused on the intermetallic compound morphology, its distribution and the impact of such on interfacial fatigue life under controlled cyclic load. Flexural peel technique was used to study the fatigue crack propagation along the interface of solder and intermetallics. Interface microstructure, fatigue crack profile and crack sdace were analyzed by both optical and scanning electron microscopies. The experimental results showed the solder joint fatigue life depends strongly on under bump metallurgy materials and the interfacial microstmcture, especially the intermetallic phase and their distrubution at the interfaces. For Cu, a continuous coarse cell-shape C%Snr intermetallic formed at the Cuisolder interface and the fatigue crack propagated along this interface under relatively small load. For Ni, it was clearly seen that Ni effectively limited the isotropic growth of intermetallics at the interface. Morever, the needle-shape Ni3Sn4 intermetallic compond tends to grow into the bulk of solder which results in a zigzag intermetallics and solder interface. This zigzag interface is able to deflect the crack tip into solder and divert the crack propagation direction. Consequently, a relatively high resistance to fatigue crack was observed at this interface. The better mechanical fatigue life of Ni makes it a better choice for flip chip UBM selection.
Intraventricular Meningioma Resection with Postoperative Ischemia of the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus.

Background Intraventricular meningiomas comprise 0.5%–3% of intracranial meningiomas. They often cause obstructive hydrocephalus and commonly are treated with surgical resection or stereotactic radiosurgery. Objective To describe the surgical approaches and resection techniques needed to approach intraventricular tumors while highlighting the eloquent anatomy and blood supply surrounding the ventricular system to avoid neurological injury. Methods Two cases of left atrial intraventricular meningiomas that were complicated by postoperative lateral geniculate nucleus ischemia and resultant temporary contralateral quadrantanopia are described. The safe surgical approaches to the atrium of lateral ventricles as well as the anatomy and blood supply to the lateral geniculate nucleus and optic radiation are discussed and illustrated. Results In both cases, the patients had complete resection of their tumors. They both ultimately made a good recovery after transient visual deficits. These cases provide useful demonstrations of eloquent anatomy of the ventricular walls and visual pathway anatomy. Conclusions Care must be taken to avoid visual pathways along the lateral ventricle wall and the nearby arterial supply of the lateral geniculate nucleus from the choroidal arteries when resecting intraventricular tumors.
Daoism and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and Bioethics

Daoism does not find anything objectionable in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Bioethics, but the rationale for the rights are quite different with the result that some of the articles will need elaboration. This argument attempts to demonstrate two conclusions: (1) All people are manifestations of the Dao and therefore have rights. Ziran, a person’s inviolable place in the Dao, is the basis for a Daoist discussion of human rights. (2) The Daoist body, as a cosmic body, brings together the rights of the individual with the well-being of the community and cosmos. For this reason, individual rights must be understood as being conjoined with individual duties, especially in the realm of health and medicine.
"We don't have any of those:" Looking for leaders in the horizontal structure of Occupy Portland

i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii LIST OF TABLES iv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 7 CHAPTER 3: METHODS 27 CHAPTER 4: HORIZONTALITY AND PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY IN OCCUPY PORTLAND 38 CHAPTER 5: LEADERLESS OR LEADER-FULL? THE STATE OF LEADERSHIP IN OCCUPY PORTLAND 64 CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION 82 WORKS CITED 94
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Lymphadenitis

Bacterial lymphadenitis caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacteria are gram-positive, acid-fast positive aerobic rods that are 2–4 μm long. M. tuberculosis is the causative agent of tuberculosis, a significant healthcare burden worldwide. In developed countries, tuberculosis is particularly common among individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and among immigrants from regions with high disease prevalence. Tuberculosis lymphadenitis is the most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Lymph node involvement by tuberculosis usually presents as unilateral, painless lymphadenopathy involving one or several cervical lymph nodes.
Weed Control Through Crop Plant Manipulations

Abstract Weeds are able to establish in agricultural systems when and where resources are in excess of what the crop is able to utilize. We discuss four strategies for manipulating crop plants in order to increase resource utilization and improve weed suppression. First, cover plants can be used to usurp resources and suppress weeds during fallow periods between cash crops. In some cases, cover plants can also suppress weeds in subsequent cash crops by changing soil resource availability, production of allelopathic substances, and/or persistence of physically suppressive residues. Second, intercropping two or more functionally diverse cash crops can reduce weed abundance by increasing total resource utilization by the crop community. Thirdly, manipulating the density or spatial orientation of cash crops can reduce weed abundance by enhancing the competitiveness of the crop population. Finally, breeding for competitive cultivars by selecting traits that increase a crop plant’s ability to acquire resources has the potential to enhance the ability of crops to suppress and/or tolerate weeds. Weed suppression via crop plant manipulations is enhanced when multiple tactics are combined and will result in benefits such as reduction in the need for tillage and herbicides and their associated negative environmental impacts.
Intravital multi-photon imaging through intact highly scattering bone using binary wavefront optimization

Diffraction limited imaging of structures in a highly scattering heterogeneous tissue like bone is a non-trivial task. Here we show binary wavefront optimization using a genetic algorithm, for 2-photon imaging of bone endogenous cells.
Reduction of C X to CHXH by Dissolving Metals and Related Methods

Dissolving metals have been used as reducing agents in organic synthesis for well over a century and for many years metal-alcohol or metal amalgam-water systems were the principal methods employed for the reduction of aldehydes and ketones to primary and secondary alcohols, respectively. The same reagents were employed for the reduction of imines and oximes to the corresponding amines. Catalytic hydrogenation was the only viable alternative to dissolving metal reductions until the development of the Meerwein-Pondorff-Verley reduction in the mid 1920s and the introduction of complex metal hydrides in the years following World War II.
Chapter 2 Monetary policy shocks: What have we learned and to what end?

Abstract This chapter reviews recent research that grapples with the question: What happens after an exogenous shock to monetary policy? We argue that this question is interesting because it lies at the center of a particular approach to assessing the empirical plausibility of structural economic models that can be used to think about systematic changes in monetary policy institutions and rules. The literature has not yet converged on a particular set of assumptions for identifying the effects of an exogenous shock to monetary policy. Nevertheless, there is considerable agreement about the qualitative effects of a monetary policy shock in the sense that inference is robust across a large subset of the identification schemes that have been considered in the literature. We document the nature of this agreement as it pertains to key economic aggregates.
Laboratory Studies of Allelopathic Effects of Juniperus Virginiana L. on Five Species of Native Plants

Juniperus virginiana L. (eastern redcedar) is known as an encroaching native plant species. It poses particular problems in the Great Plains, where fire suppression in the 20 th century has led to the expansion of its population and the area it affects. There is some evidence that the genus Juniperus contains members that are allelopathic; work with western species of juniper have demonstrated negative effects of litter on seedling growth. We established laboratory experiments to test the effect of a water leachate of eastern redcedar litter (100 g litter per liter DI water; steeped 8 h) and eastern redcedar litter on the growth and germination of five native herbaceous species. We saw no clear negative effect of leachate or litter; in fact, there is limited evidence that the leachate increased percent germination, and the presence of litter may have led to greater height growth in inland sea-oats. There was no evidence of the litter or leachate acidifying the soil, at least over the short course of the experiment. It is possible the main negative effect of the presence of eastern redcedar on herbaceous species is through light or nutrient competition by mature trees. We are repeating this study in a field setting.
The Long Sleep of Belatedness: Nonsynchronism and Modernity in Maruoka Kyūka’s ‘Rippu ban unkuru’ (1886) and Tawfīq Al-Ḥakīm’s Ahl Al-Kahf (1933)

This article juxtaposes a long Japanese poem (Maruoka Kyūka’s 1886 ‘Rippu ban unkuru’) and an Egyptian play (Tawfīq al-Ḥakīm’s 1933 Ahl al-kahf) to examine representations of cultural belatedness a...
Noninvasive neurostimulation of left temporal lobe disrupts rapid talker adaptation in speech processing

Talker adaptation improves speech processing efficiency by reducing possible mappings between talkers' speech acoustics and listeners' phonemic representations. We investigated the functional neuroanatomy of talker adaptation by applying noninvasive neurostimulation (high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation; HD-tDCS) to left superior temporal lobe while participants performed an auditory word identification task. We factorially manipulated talker variability (single vs. mixed talkers) and speech context (isolated words vs. connected speech), measuring listeners' speech processing efficiency under anodal, cathodal, or sham stimulation. Speech processing was faster for single talkers than mixed talkers, and connected speech reduced the additional processing costs associated with mixed-talker speech. However, the beneficial effect of connected speech in the mixed-talker condition was significantly attenuated under both anodal and cathodal stimulation versus sham. Stimulation of left superior temporal lobe disrupts the brain's ability to use local phonetic context to rapidly adapt to a talker, revealing this region's causal role in talker adaptation.
Bladder cancer in African-Americans: Defining intrinsic biology and outcome.

e15595 Background: Matched for stage and grade, urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder has a higher cancer-specific mortality in African-Americans [AAs] as compared to whites. Gene expression stu...
Surface-induced thickness limit of conducting La-doped SrTiO3 thin films

We report on a surface-induced, insulating, electrically dead layer in ultrathin conducting La-doped SrTiO3 thin films. Systematic studies on electrical properties as a function of film thickness and La-doping levels reveal that the insulating layer has a constant thickness and traps a constant amount of electron density regardless of La-doping levels. Growing an additional capping layer on top of the La-doped SrTiO3 surface counteracts the reduced conductivity, indicating a strong relationship between the insulating layer and the surface structure. Our results emphasize the importance of surface state studies for functional oxides in the thin film limit and provide a guiding principle for the fabrication of La-doped SrTiO3-based oxide nanoscale devices.
Sotos syndrome with a novel mutation in the NSD1 gene associated with congenital hypothyroidism

Childhood overgrowth syndromes are relatively rare. A generalized overgrowth syndrome should be suspected when tall stature and macrocephaly are present, after ruling out nutritional excess and endocrinopathies. Sotos syndrome is a well-described overgrowth syndrome due to haploinsufficiency of the NSD1 gene. We present a case of an infant with permanent congenital hypothyroidism, who had tall stature and macrocephaly by 7 months of age. He was noted to have typical facial features, mild gross motor and speech delay, and scoliosis by 13 months of age. Gene sequencing revealed a heterozygous novel c6076_6087del12: p.Asn2026_Thr2029del variant in exon 20 of the NSD1 gene, pathogenic for Sotos syndrome. Congenital hypothyroidism with Sotos syndrome has been infrequently reported and may expand the spectrum of disease characteristics. Early diagnosis of overgrowth syndromes is important for developmental follow up and multidisciplinary care coordination.
Minimization of Delta-v for Satellite Swarm Maintenance Using a Virtual Chief

This article presents a novel methodology for minimizing delta-v costs associated with relative orbit-keeping of a satellite swarm. The minimization is achieved through the selection of a virtual chief spacecraft for the reference of the swarm. By casting the minimization in relative orbital elements (ROE), the proposed approach leverages state-transition matrices (STMs) and analytical representations of delta-v usage. The STMs and analytical expressions are used to represent the swarm delta-v usage as a function of the virtual chief spacecraft parameters. The minimization of the resulting swarm delta-v function is manipulated to take the form of a convex program that is applicable to various delta-v formulations, ROE sets, and dynamic environments, generalizing approaches used for binary satellite systems to larger swarms. The novel quadratically constrained, linear objective convex program can be solved efficiently with available algorithms, such as interior point methods or commercial solvers. Furthermore, a new analytical delta-v lower bound for 6 degrees-of-freedom reconfigurations of quasi-nonsingular ROEs is developed. By leveraging the novel delta-v lower bound in the optimization, analytical solutions to the optimization for various orbit environments that include the perturbing effects of $J_{2}$ or drag are produced. For the problems that do not have an analytical solution, geometric insight is provided to reduce computational effort in solving the optimization. The presented solutions and insights are validated through a convex optimization solver, demonstrating the accuracy and value of the analysis. Additionally, a high-fidelity simulation demonstrates fuel savings in a realistic mission scenario.
Economic Dynamics of Environmental Law

The Economic Dynamics of Environmental Law proposes an alternative to static efficiency-based analysis and policy prescription, focusing primarily upon the environmental law example. It argues for an approach that takes change over time seriously. In particular, an economic dynamic exists that tends to diminish environmental quality over time, principally through increased consumption and population growth. For that reason environmental policy should compensate for these tendencies by encouraging pro-environmental innovation, which the free market often fails to foster. The literature has blurred attention to the innovation problem by failing to acknowledge the tension between fostering innovation beneficial for the long-term and regulation aimed at short term efficiency. Environmental policy cannot foster innovation by treating each regulatory decision as a separate transaction governed by principles of allocative efficiency. Rather, environmental policy-makers should aim to address this larger picture by securing a sufficient number of environmentally positive decisions to countervail numerous private decisions that tend to degrade the environment. This book employs an institutional economic framework, placing some emphasis on Douglas North's idea of adaptive efficiency, to analyze how to think about the environmental law's economic dynamic. It critiques cost-benefit analysis, emissions trading, and free trade-based restraints on environmental protection. It uses the free market as a model, not of efficiency, but of a dynamic encouraging innovation and adaptation in the face of uncertainty. And it urges consideration of a variety of reforms based on economic dynamic analysis. This book contends that its economic dynamic theory offers a viable alternative to policy prescription based on a neoclassical economic framework in a variety of areas, and includes an application of the theory to the law of regulated industries.