cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Human Microbiome and Obesity: Moving beyond Associations

Mounting evidence indicates that the gut microbiome responds to diet, antibiotics, and other external stimuli with speed and high precision and in ways that impact a variety of metabolic conditions including obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Despite a decade of research establishing a strong association between the gut microbiota and obesity in humans, a causal relationship and the underlying mechanism remain outstanding. Several technological and methodological limitations in obesity and microbiome research have made it difficult to establish causality in this complex relationship. Additionally, limited collaborative interaction between microbiome and obesity researchers has delayed progress. Here, we discuss the current status of microbiome research as it relates to understanding obesity from the perspective of both communities, outline the underlying research challenges, and suggest directions to advance the obesity-microbiome field as a whole, with particular emphasis on the development of microbiome-targeted therapies for obesity prevention and treatment.
Tropospheric Chemistry Changes Due to Increased UV-B Radiation

UV radiation is a principal driving force of tropospheric chemistry. Increases in tropospheric UV, calculated to result from stratospheric O3 depletion, are likely to increase the reactivity of the troposphere, and thus change the concentrations of key species such as OH, CH4, O3, and H2O2. The geographical distributions of other species, such as SO2 and NOx, are also likely to be altered. Further study is needed for quantitative assessment of these indirect chemical effects of O3 depletion.
Calcium-Calmodulin Gating of Connexin43 Gap Junctions in the Absence of the pH Gating Domain

Intracellular protons and calcium ions are two major chemical factors that regulate connexin43 (Cx43) gap junction channels and the synergism or antagonism between pH and Ca2+ has been questioned for decades. In this study, we assessed whether the calcium gating mechanism occurs independently of the pH gating mechanism by utilizing the Cx43-M257 (Cx43K258stop) mutant, a carboxyl-terminal (CT) truncated version of Cx43 lacking the pH gating domain. Dual whole cell patch clamp experiments were performed on Neuroblastoma-2a (N2a) cells or neonatal mouse ventricular myocytes (NMVMs) expressing either full length Cx43 or Cx43-M257 proteins. Addition of 1 ?M ionomycin to normal calcium saline reduced Cx43 or Cx43-M257 macroscopic gap junction conductance (gj) to zero within 15 min of perfusion, while this response was prevented by omitting 1.8 mM CaCl2 from the external solution or adding 100 nM calmodulin (CaM) inhibitory peptide to the internal pipette solution. The ability of connexin calmodulin binding domain (Cx CaMBD) mimetic peptides and the Gap19 peptide to inhibit the Ca2+/CaM gating response of Cx43 gap junctions was also examined. Internal addition of a Cx50 cytoplasmic loop CaMBD peptide (200 nM) prevented the Ca2+/ionomycin-induced decrease in Cx43 gj, while 100 ?M Gap19 peptide had no effect. Lastly, the transjunctional voltage (Vj) gating properties of NMVM Cx43-M257 gap junctions were investigated. We confirmed that the fast kinetic inactivation component was absent in Cx43-M257 gap junctions, but also observed that the previously reported facilitated recovery of gj from inactivating potentials was abolished by CT truncation of Cx43. We conclude that CT pH gating domain of Cx43 contributes to the Vj-dependent fast inactivation and facilitated recovery of Cx43 gap junctions, but the Ca2+/CaM-dependent gating mechanism remains intact. Sequence-specific Cx CaMBD mimetic peptides act by binding Ca2+/CaM non-specifically and the Cx43 mimetic Gap19 peptide has no effect on this chemical gating mechanism.
A Maastrichtian birth of the Ancestral Mississippi River system: Evidence from the U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology of the McNairy Sandstone, Illinois, USA

Abstract Sediment dispersal patterns are integral to the understanding of Cretaceous paleogeography and tectonics. Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology of fluvial/deltaic sandstones of the Maastrichtian (∼70 Ma) McNairy Sandstone (s = 5, n = 1458) at the northern end of the Mississippi Embayment documents the initiation of south-flowing drainage in the Laurentian midcontinent. The detrital zircon age spectra of the McNairy Sandstone include zircons from the Superior (>2.5 Ga), Penokean (1.8–1.9 Ga), Yavapai-Mazatzal (1.6–1.8 Ga), Midcontinent Granite-Rhyolite (1.3–1.5 Ga), Grenville (980–1300 Ma), and Taconic-Acadian (350–450 Ma) provinces. Grenville zircons account for 74% of the age spectrum. Taconic-Acadian grains also are important, comprising ∼10% of the age spectrum. The McNairy DZ age spectra are statistically indistinguishable from uppermost Pennsylvanian strata (i.e. the later Des Moinesian Copperas Creek Sandstone) in the Illinois Basin. These DZ age spectra are also indistinguishable from sands in the Modern Ohio and Tennessee River valleys. Based on this similarity, local Illinois Basin source areas contributed a previously unrecognized volume of sediment to the Mississippi Embayment as early as Maastrichtian time. Our interpretation includes a Cenomanian onset of subsidence in the southern Mississippi Embayment initiated by the rapid opening of the Gulf of Mexico. This subsidence propagated northward, and by the Maastrichtian, the Mississippi Embayment was the drainage axis for an Ancestral Mississippi that is recorded in both the Maastrichtian strata in the northern Mississippi Embayment and the Paleogene deposits in the southern part. Our interpretation shows the integration of an Ancestral Mississippi River occurred by the Maastrichtian, that the river continued through the Paleocene, and subsequently developed into the modern Mississippi River system.
Some Estimation Problems on Lie Groups

Recently a number of results [1]–[8] related to stochastic bilinear systems have been obtained. In particular, the work of Willsky and Lo [l]-[6] on optimal estimation on certain Lie groups leads to concrete and simple solutions to several bilinear estimation and stochastic control problems. The major limitation of Willsky and Lo’s work is that it deals only with abelian Lie groups. Although there are a number of interesting problems in that setting [4], this limitation prevents their techniques from being directly applicable to a number of problems.
LACK OF THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF VITAMIN A FOR NON-CHOLERA, WATERY DIARRHOEA IN BANGLADESHI CHILDREN

Vitamin A deficiency has been postulated to increase childhood mortality, possibly through increasing the severity and case-fatality of infectious diseases like diarrhoea. A clinical trial was conducted to measure the effect of vitamin A therapy on the severity and duration of acute episodes of non-cholera, watery diarrhoea; 83 children with less than 48 h of illness were randomized to receive vitamin A (200,000 IU of retinyl palmitate) orally or placebo during hospitalization at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh. The patients were similar initially with regard to age, nutritional status and severity of diarrhoea prior to admission. No adverse effects of vitamin A were detected. During hospitalization there were no differences between groups in duration of illness or stool output. Thus, vitamin A can be given safely during diarrhoeal illness to augment hepatic reserves and possibly provide a beneficial effect in regard to subsequent episodes of diarrhoea and other infections, but this supplementation should not be expected to have a therapeutic effect on a current episode.
Herpes simplex virus and the chemokines that mediate the inflammation.

Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are highly pervasive pathogens in the human host with a seroconversion rate upwards of 60% worldwide. HSV type 1 (HSV-1) is associated with the disease herpetic stromal keratitis, the leading cause of infectious corneal blindness in the industrializedworld. Individuals suffering fromgenital herpes associated withHSV type 2 (HSV-2) are found to be two- to threefoldmore susceptible in acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The morbidity associated with these infections is principally due to the inflammatory response, the development of lesions, and scarring. Chemokines have become an important aspect in understanding the host immune response to microbial pathogens due in part to the timing of expression. In this paper, we will explore the current understanding of chemokine production as it relates to the orchestration of the immune response to HSV infection.
Family therapy for eating disorders in youth: current confusions, advances, and new directions

Purpose of reviewFamily interventions for eating disorders are often recommended for the treatment of children and adolescents. Treatment studies and a range of treatment guidelines now recommend family-based treatment (FBT) for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa. The current
Highly selective room temperature acetylene sorption by an unusual triacetylenic phosphine MOF

The new ligand tris(p-carboxyphenylethynyl)phosphine (P{C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CC6H4-4-CO2H}3) was used to synthesize a permanently porous Mn(ii)-based acetylenic phosphine coordination material, PCM-48. This triply-interpenetrated MOF contains 1-D microchannels that are decorated with electron-rich and adsorbate-accessible acetylenic moieties and phosphine lone pairs. PCM-48 has a moderate room-temperature C2H2 adsorption capacity (25.54 cm3 g-1) and displays high separation selectivities for C2H2 over CH4 (C2H2/CH4 = 23.3), CO2 (C2H2/CO2 = 4.3), and N2 (C2H2/N2 = 76.9) at 296 K.
Marketing Ploy or Strategic Initiative: An Investigation of Deceptive Advertising: An Abstract

Advertising surrounds us whether we are at work, engaging in social activities, or in our homes (Pollay 1986). The number of advertisements that a typical consumer is exposed to has increased from about 500 advertisements to as many as 5000 a day (Walker-Smith 2014). With an average of $120 billion spent on advertising each year in the USA, it is critical that an advertisement be able to cut through the clutter and capture consumers’ processing attention (Campbell 1995). In the face of this challenge, marketers have become more resourceful at enhancing the attractiveness of their marketplace offerings (Romani 2006) and arousing interest and building trust so consumers buy their products (Zhou 2012). While advertising is intended to inform, persuade, or remind consumers about a beneficial product, there is the potential for consumers to fall prey to the unethical manipulation (i.e., deception) of some advertising executions (Amyx and Amyx 2011). Deception in advertising occurs when a marketer creates communication that depicts an incorrect expectation for the attributes of the promoted products and services (Held and Germelmann 2014).
Evaluation of Instructional Module Development System

This Research full paper addresses the challenge of creating an effective course design that has tight alignment between various course components and incorporates appropriate pedagogy and assessment techniques. Many systems have been proposed solely for the purpose of guiding instructors through the process of course design so as to achieve maximum student learning. One such system is the Instructional Module Development System (IMODS). IMODS is a web-based software system that has been developed to assist instructors in curriculum design based on the principles of Outcome-based Education (OBE) and Bloom’s Taxonomy. It is not just enough to come up with a model that theoretically facilitates effective result-oriented course design. There should be facts, experiments and proof that any model succeeds in achieving what it aims to achieve. This paper focuses on testing and evaluation of the IMODS platform and deliver feedback to its development team. We present our methodology and instruments used for testing and evaluation of the tool. Data collection and analysis is described and the results of evaluation of IMODS are presented.
Self‐perceived oral health, normative need, and dental services utilization among dentate adults in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011‐2014

Objective This study investigated the role of self-perceived oral health and normative need on dental services utilization by US adults aged ≥30 years from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods Data on 5,806 dentate adult NHANES participants were analyzed. Key independent variables were self-perceived oral health and normative need assessed by a dentist. The dependent variable was dental visit within the past 12 months. Select sociodemographic variables were adjusted for in logistic regression models using SAS survey procedures. Results Overall, 33.8 percent of adults did not have a dental visit in the past 12 months. About 26.9 percent reported they were unsatisfied with their oral health and 53.4 percent needed to seek care. Individuals unsatisfied with their oral health were less likely to have a dental visit in the past 12 months compared to those who were satisfied with their oral health (57 versus 25 percent). Overall, participants who were unsatisfied with their oral health received a recommendation to seek care. These participants had more normative needs and were less likely to have a dental visit in the past 12 months; however, this relationship varied by race/ethnicity. For Asian-Americans, there was no association between those unsatisfied with their oral health and dental visits. Also, there was no association across all race/ethnicities between number of teeth present and dental visits. Conclusion Both self-perceived oral health and normative need are associated with dental utilization. Results will contribute to health policy discussions and program development that aim to improve oral health status in the United States.
Interpreting and visualizing the unit of measurement in the Rasch Model

Abstract One of the more attractive features of the Rasch Model as a paradigm for measurement in the human sciences is that it has the potential to locate respondents on a test or survey instrument on a scale with equal intervals. Wright Maps (also known as person-item maps) are sometimes used as graphical visualizations of such scales, but they are frequently very difficult to interpret. One reason for this is that they are premised on an arbitrary unit of measurement, the logit. In this article an approach is illustrated whereby a new reference unit can be established for the interpretation and visualization of differences along the scale. This new unit is premised on the substantive choice of two locations on the scale that represent benchmark differences in the psychological attribute of interest. The invariance of the unit to differences in the context in which the measuring instrument was administered is then subject to empirical evaluation.
Open-source Poly-phase Distribution System Power Flow Analysis Tool (DxFlow)

This paper details architecture, mathematical modeling, and use cases of a new distribution system power flow analysis tool (called DxFlow). The DxFlow is developed in MATLAB environment and is made completely open source. Thefirst version of DxFlow can solve single-phase and poly-phase power flow analyses using standard forward-backward sweep (FBS) method. Moreover, DxFlow allows easy integration with heuristic optimization algorithms for solving optimal settings of equipment on distribution level (such as load tap changers and capacitor banks). DxFlow also allows time-series power flow analysis. Themathematical model in DxFlow is validated using the IEEE test feeders, compared with OpenDSS and GridLAB-D models, and additional new cases are presented to demonstrate its usefulness. The DxFlow is primarily intended for educational and early-stage research purposes.
Low Risk of Recurrence After Posterior Labral Repair of the Shoulder in a High-Risk United States Military Population

Purpose To examine the results of isolated arthroscopic posterior labral repair of the shoulder in an active military population, looking specifically at the reoperation rate and rate of return to previous military activity with a minimum follow-up period of 2 years. Methods A retrospective case series was performed in active-duty military service members who underwent isolated, primary arthroscopic posterior labral repair at a single academic military treatment facility between 2009 and 2015 and had at least 2 years of follow-up. Patients were excluded if they were of non–active-duty status, had insufficient follow-up ( Results Sixty-five patients were included. After arthroscopic repair, a high rate of return to previous military duties (83%) was noted at short- to mid-term follow-up (mean ± standard deviation, 3.04 ± 1.30 years), with 1 patient (1.5%) requiring revision arthroscopic repair and 10 patients (15.5%) showing activity-limiting shoulder pain preventing a return to active duty. Intraoperative positioning (P = .17), a low anchor position (P = .27), and the number of anchors used (P = .62) were not found to be significant contributors to continued postoperative pain or recurrent instability. Conclusions Arthroscopic intervention resulted in a reliable rate of glenohumeral stability with a low rate of surgical revision and a high rate of return to military duty at short- to mid-term follow-up. However, 1 in 6 military service members showed significant, activity-limiting shoulder pain postoperatively that did not permit a return to previous military activities after surgical intervention. Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic case series.
Education Level Predicts Appropriate Follow-Up of Incidental Findings From Lung Cancer Screening.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to identify predictors of appropriate follow-up for clinically significant incidental findings (IFs) detected with low-dose CT during lung cancer screening. Methods Charts of 1,458 prospectively enrolled lung screening patients from January 1, 2015, to October 31, 2018, were reviewed. IFs, other than coronary artery calcification and emphysema, were identified. ACR practice guidelines defined appropriate patient follow-up. Patient demographic and social characteristics were obtained from the initial shared decision-making visit and the electronic medical record. Factors of interest included age, gender, race, education level, and insurance status. Education level was reported as high school graduate or less or education past high school. A multivariate logistic regression was estimated to assess patient factors associated with appropriate follow-up. Results One hundred thirty-eight participants (9%) with 141 actionable IFs were identified. The overall appropriate follow-up rate was 82%. The most common IFs were renal lesions (16%), dilated thoracic aorta (10%), and pulmonary fibrosis (10%). Univariate analysis of appropriate patient follow-up revealed a significant difference for education level (P = .02). A greater than high school education remained strongly associated with appropriate follow-up after controlling for other demographic factors. Conclusions Appropriate patient follow-up of clinically significant IFs from lung cancer screening is a well-recognized avenue to improve population health. Education level is a significant independent predictor of appropriate follow-up of IFs, whether as a surrogate for low socioeconomic status or as an indication of health literacy. To address these realities, lung screening shared decision making should adapt to consider health care access and health literacy.
Survey of Intravitreal Injection Practice Patterns Among Retina Specialists

Purpose:Intravitreal injection therapy (IVT) is the most performed procedure in ophthalmology. This study was conducted to determine current trends in IVT delivery.Methods:An online, 31-question, m...
Improved Gas Chromatographic Method for Determination of Daminozide by Alkaline Hydrolysis and 2-Nitrobenzaldehyde Derivatization and Survey Results of Daminozide in Agricultural Products

An improved method was developed for the quantitative determination of daminozide. This new method combines the alkaline hydrolysis and distillation steps of the PAM II method for daminozide with the derivatization, cleanup, and gas chromatographic determination steps of the Wright method for unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine (UDMH). The minimum detectable level is 0.05 ppm. Recoveries range from 85 to 110% when daminozide is added at 0.1 to 1.0 ppm, and are generally 40% at the 0.05 ppm level. A variety of domestic and imported products were analyzed by this improved method and daminozide was detected in 33 of the 98 samples analyzed. Levels detected ranged from a trace amount to 0.80 ppm. The identity of UDMH hydrazone was confirmed by mass spectrometry in many samples, thus confirming the presence of daminozide. Two samples containing daminozide were analyzed independently by a second laboratory and the findings were closely duplicated.
One-pot synthesis of polycyclic isoindolines using isoindole umpolung

Abstract Using an isoindole umpolung strategy, a one-pot synthesis of polycyclic isoindolines was accomplished. In this reaction, the in situ-generated nucleophilic isoindoles were converted to electrophilic isoindoliums via protonation, which underwent a Pictet-Spengler-type cyclization to afford a variety of polycyclic isoindolines in good yields.
E-Textbooks, Inclusive Access, and Academic Performance

Many colleges and universities are considering the adoption of an institutional e-textbook program as a strategy to control the cost of higher education and to ensure students have the required course content needed in order to be successful in the course. Although controlling costs is an important component of these programs, it is also important to assess whether students who enroll in e-text courses actually perform better than students who do not. Three years of student data from nearly 13,000 students and over 3600 classes – to include course grades, demographics, and course delivery modality – were collected from e-textbook courses and non-e-textbook courses. Results suggest that students enrolled in e-textbook courses earn higher grades than students enrolled in non-e-textbook courses. This is true for both undergraduate and graduate students and regardless of ethnicity. Implications are discussed as well as the importance of developing an institutional e-textbook program that meets the needs of campus stakeholders.
Structures of an intact yeast V-ATPase alone and in complex with bacterial effector VopQ

Vacuolar-type ATPase (V-ATPase) is a rotary protein pump involved in proton translocation across various cellular membranes using the energy of ATP hydrolysis. Despite previous studies on bacterial and eukaryotic V-ATPases, information on the intact structure of a eukaryotic V-ATPase is missing. Here we report cryo-EM structures of the intact yeast V-ATPase and this complex bound to a bacterial effector. We reveal the interaction of the elusive regulatory subunit H with its neighboring subunits. Insight for the catalysis mechanism is gained by determining conformations of the catalytic subunits either empty or bound with nucleotides.
Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Components in Gas-Phase Pyrolysis of Hydrolytic Lignin

Pyrolysis of hydrolytic lignin (HL) in newly designed, gas phase continuous droplet evaporation (CDE) and continuous atomization (CA) reactors was studied. The product distribution was strongly dep...
Measuring organizational mentoring climate: Importance and availability scales.

Introduction: Although organizational climate may affect faculty’s mentoring behaviors, there has not been any way to measure that climate. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of two novel scales to measure organizational mentoring climate importance and availability at two public research universities. Methods: We developed 36 content-valid mentoring climate items in four dimensions: Structure, Programs/Activities, Policies/Guidelines, and Values. In total, 355 faculty completed an anonymous, structured, online survey asking about the importance (very important to very unimportant) and availability (no, don’t know, yes) of each of the items. We conducted reliability analyses and construct validity testing using exploratory common factor analysis, principal axis factoring, and oblique rotation. Results: The majority of the predominantly female, White non-Hispanic, senior, tenure-track faculty were not currently mentoring another faculty or being mentored. Analyses demonstrated a 15-item solution for both the Organizational Mentoring Climate Importance (OMCI) and the Availability (OMCA) Scales, with three factors each: Organizational Expectations, Mentor–Mentee Relationships, and Resources. Standardized Cronbach alphas ranged from 0.74 to 0.90 for the subscales, and 0.94 (OMCI) and 0.87 (OMCA) for the full scales. Faculty rated all items as somewhat to very important; however, perceived availability was very low ranging from mentor training programs (40%) to guidelines for evaluating mentoring success or managing conflict (2.5%). Conclusions: The scales will allow studying of how organizational climate may affect mentoring behavior and whether climate can be changed to improve faculty mentoring outcomes. We provide recommendations for furthering the science of organizational mentoring climate and culture.
Is Internal Mammary to the Anterior Descending Always the Best Option

The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) is the gold standard conduit used to revascularize the left anterior descending artery and has consistently been shown to be associated with better survival, graft patency, and freedom from cardiac events compared with other used conduits. Evaluation of LIMA flow and anatomy is not routinely done by the interventional cardiologist while performing the left heart catheterization. We present a case where the LIMA was found to be the major blood supply to the left leg, which might have led to leg ischemia if the LIMA had been used as graft.
Use of prescription drug samples in the US and implications for pharmacoepidemiologic research: a systematic search of the literature.

Free drug samples are not captured in the pharmacy claims databases used in many pharmacoepidemiologic studies, which could lead to misclassification of drug exposure status and thus bias study res...
Association of Economic Well-Being With Comorbid Conditions in Patients Undergoing Carpal Tunnel Release

Purpose Medical comorbidities have been associated with the development of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), severity at the time of presentation, and outcomes of carpal tunnel release (CTR). Socioeconomic factors have also been associated with worse function in patients with CTS at presentation and after surgery. However, the effects of economic well-being on the prevalence of medical comorbidities in patients with CTS have not been well-described. The objective of this study was to determine whether economic well-being is associated with medical comorbidities in a cohort of patients undergoing CTR. Methods Patients (n = 1,297) who underwent CTR at a single tertiary care referral center over a 5-year period from July 2008 to June 2013 were retrospectively identified. The exclusion criteria were acute trauma or infection, revision surgery, incomplete medical records, and neoplasm excision. Additionally, patients were excluded if they lacked documented confirmatory or normal electrodiagnostic study findings prior to CTR. Finally, this study comprised a cohort of 892 patients with electrodiagnostic study–confirmed CTS who underwent CTR. The economic well-being of patients was assessed using the Distressed Communities Index. The comorbidities of diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease , hypertension, hypothyroidism, cervical radiculopathy , tobacco use, and body mass index were assessed. Bivariate comparisons were used to determine the associations between the tiers of economic well-being and comorbidities. Results Lower economic well-being was associated with body mass index, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and tobacco use in these patients. Although hypertension, hypothyroidism, and cervical radiculopathy were not associated with economic well-being, their comparisons were underpowered. Conclusions Patients experiencing economic distress have a higher comorbidity burden, and as such, may be at an increased risk of complications or poorer outcomes. The association between economic well-being and comorbidities in this population suggests the need for a multidisciplinary care model that addresses both compressive neuropathy and the associated economic factors. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic II.
A New Dimension of Electronic Auction Market Research: The Case for Participant Experience

The impact of participant experience on financial outcomes in online auction markets has been widely ignored in the IS literature. This paper reports on research in progress intended to remedy this oversight. A high level of buyer experience is found to significantly decrease the total cost of acquiring a commodity item in an online auction market, while a high level of seller experience is found to significantly increase total revenue. A significant interaction effect between participant experience levels is also shown to exist. Taken in sum, the results highlight the important role played by participant experience in online auction outcomes. It is therefore argued that future research in this area should include participant experience as a predictor of financial outcomes, and that past research ignoring participant experience should be reexamined in light of the current paper’s findings.
MetaLib, WebFeat, and Google: The strengths and weaknesses of federated search engines compared with Google

Purpose – Seeks to describe library federated search engines MetaLib and WebFeat as research tools by comparing MetaLib with WebFeat and by highlighting their strengths and weaknesses against Google and Google Scholar.Design/methodology/approach – This study tested MetaLib and WebFeat from various libraries; attended vendor demos and asked vendors questions; reviewed literature; and interviewed system administrators of MetaLib and WebFeat.Findings – MetaLib and WebFeat have fundamental differences between them. They cannot compete with Google in speed, simplicity, ease of use, and convenience, nor can they be truly one‐stop shopping. Their strengths lie in the contents they search as well as in the objective way they retrieve and display results. With the federated search engines, information literacy education is still relevant.Originality/value – The comprehensive comparisons of MetaLib and WebFeat from the perspectives of both users and system administrators are original. It helps libraries make decisi...
An approach to reading machine design

Within two years, both the required algorithmic competence and the necessary integrated circuit technology will have been developed to a point where practical personal reading machines for the blind will be possible. In this paper, the linguistic and phonetic principles needed to convert optically recognized text to speech are discussed, and it is shown how they mirror the human cognitive ability to read aloud. A perspective on the current status and rate of progress of large scale integration technology is then used to show that economical implementations of even complex text-to-speech algorithms can be realized in the short-term future. Finally, a view of important human factors problems requiring attention is given.
Mega‐cities and the urban future

In spite of a proliferation of innovative approaches to urban challenges, the seriousness of urban problems is accelerating and threatening all societies. For more than two decades, foundations and government agencies have supported innovative projects in anticipation that they would be expanded city‐wide or replicated across cultures. Sadly, however, successful small‐scale initiatives are rarely replicated, if at all. Given the magnitude of urban problems, new methods must be developed to support, adapt, and replicate innovative solutions, and to speed up the process of incorporating new approaches into public policy. One of the key challenges we face at the international, national, and local levels is to reduce the time‐lag between urban innovation and its implementation. This paper analyses some of the lessons learned by the Mega‐Cities Project in its capacity as an international network of urban leaders.
Disorders of Ornithine Metabolism

Hyperornithinemia due to ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) deficiency is associated with gyrate atrophy of the choroid and retina. Patients usually become virtually blind by age 55. Treatment includes a low arginine diet and pharmacological doses of pyridoxine (vitamin B6). Long term compliance to an arginine-restricted diet, especially when started at a young age, can slow the progression of the chorioretinal lesions and loss of vision. Rarely, neonates can present with hyperammonemic encephalopathy, hypoargininemia, and hypoornithinemia and require arginine supplementation. In the hyperornithinemia, hyperammonemia, and homocitrullinuria (HHH) syndrome there is a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, most of which are related to the toxicity of hyperammonemia. Progressive spastic paraparesis is often a late complication. Patients have a marked elevation of plasma ornithine associated with hyperammonemia and increased urinary excretion of homocitrulline. HHH results from a defect in the import of ornithine into the mitochondrion and consequent urea synthesis malfunction. Treatment is similar to that for patients with urea cycle disorders.
The Time-Temperature-Transformation (TTT) State Diagram and Its Role in Determining Structure/Property Relationships in Thermosetting Systems

A generalized time-temperature-transformation (TTT) state diagram for the thermosetting process is presented in which the four physical states encountered (i.e., liquid, rubber, ungelled glass and gelled glass) are related to the time and temperature of cure. Gelation and vitrification, as a consequence of quenching morphological development and chemical conversion respectively, are discussed with respect to control of material properties.
Detectability of Galactic Kinematical Parameters from Proper Motions

We discuss the inclusion of a warp structure (as discussed by Miyamoto et al. 1993) to a realistic galactic model. We investigate how the proper motions are effected by changes in the inclination, phase angle and spin velocity of the warp. It is shown that accurate proper motions of disk stars do reflect the variation of warp parameters. A simulation of OB stars with an apparent magnitude limit of 7.0, mimicing the early type content of the HIPPARCOS catalogue, indicates that variations of phase are probably not observable while detection of velocity variation is within the limit of the current precision.
The tryptophan-specific permease gene, mtr, is differentially regulated by the tryptophan and tyrosine repressors in Escherichia coli K-12.

Abstract The regulation of transcription of the gene for the tryptophan-specific permease, mtr, was evaluated in several genetically marked Escherichia coli strains through the use of a single-copy lacZ reporter system. The expression of mtr was repressed 97-fold by tryptophan via the Trp repressor and induced 10-fold by phenylalanine or tyrosine via the Tyr repressor. By primer extension analysis two distinct mtr transcripts and their corresponding promoters were identified. One transcript was induced by the Tyr repressor. The tryptophan-dependent interaction of Trp repressor with an operator target within the mtr promoter was demonstrated by means of a restriction endonuclease protection assay.
Neutrons from Radiative Pion Absorption on O16 and Si28 Nuclei

Recently, much interest has centered on demonstrating that the excitation of giant resonances plays a dominant role in radiative pion absorption on complex nuclei.* After stopping in the target material, the pion is generally captured into highly excited, circular atomic orbits from which it cascades to lower orbits via Auger and radiative dipole transitions. For the light nuclei of interest, absorption occurs predominantly from the 2p atomic orbit accompanied by the emission of a high energy photon. One would expect the residual nucleus to be excited to the isobaric analogs of the giant resonance states of the capturing nucleus, which subsequently decay via neutron emission[1]. Observation of the energy spectra of the emitted particles would provide a means of studying these particular states. In addition, by exploiting the similarities and differences between this process, muon capture, and the electromagnetic excitation (both γ and (e,e’))of giant resonances in complex nuclei, one can hope to learn much about the structure of the giant resonance region.
Numerical investigation of bleed on three-dimensional turbulent interactions due to sharp fins

A numerical investigation is focused on the effect of bleed on the three-dimensional turbulent interaction generated by a sharp fin at Mach 3. For an incipiently separated configuration (8 deg fin, Re δ =5.6X10 5 ), 23% suction is applied over a rectangular area beneath the inviscid shock.
Families of conformal fixed points of \mathcal{N} = 2 Chern-Simons-matter theories

We argue that a large class of $ \mathcal{N} = 2 $ Chern-Simons-matter theories in three dimensions have a continuous family of exact IR fixed points described by suitable quartic superpotentials, based on holomorphy. The entire family exists in the perturbative regime. A nontrivial check is performed by computing the 4-loop beta function of the quartic couplings, in the ’t Hooft limit, with a large number of flavors. We find that the 4-loop beta function can only deform the family of 2-loop fixed points, and does not change the dimension of this family. We further present an explicit computation of a perturbative correction to the Zamolodchikov metric on this space of three-dimensional superconformal field theories.
Prediction of Maximal Oxygen Consumption from Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) using a Modified Total-body Recumbent Stepper

Exercise training is crucial to improve cardiovascular health and quality of life in people with spinal cord injuries (SCI). A key limitation is the lack of validated submaximal tests to evaluate and predict cardiovascular fitness in this population. The purpose of this study was to validate a submaximal test to predict maximal oxygen consumption for individuals with SCI. Ten able-bodied participants and two individuals with SCI completed a rating of perceived exertion (RPE)-based submaximal oxygen consumption test and a graded maximal oxygen consumption test on a NuStep T4 recumbent stepper. Prediction of VO2max from an RPE-based protocol is feasible and can produce reliable predicted VO2max values in the able bodied population. This study is a proof of concept to the implementation of a submaximal test protocol using a total body recumbent stepper to predict VO2max in able-bodied individuals. Additionally, this study shows evidence of feasibility of performing this test in SCI individuals.
Direct drive target survival during injection in an inertial fusion energy power plant

In inertial fusion energy (IFE) power plant designs, the fuel is a spherical layer of frozen DT contained in a target that is injected at high velocity into the reaction chamber. For direct drive, typically laser beams converge at the centre of the chamber (CC) to compress and heat the target to fusion conditions. To obtain the maximum energy yield from the fusion reaction, the frozen DT layer must be at about 18.5 K and the target must maintain a high degree of spherical symmetry and surface smoothness when it reaches the CC. During its transit in the chamber the cryogenic target is heated by radiation from the hot chamber wall. The target is also heated by convection as it passes through the rarefied fill-gas used to control chamber wall damage by x-rays and debris from the target explosion. This article addresses the temperature limits at the target surface beyond which target uniformity may be damaged. It concentrates on direct drive targets because fuel warm up during injection is not currently thought to be an issue for present indirect drive designs and chamber concepts. Detailed results of parametric radiative and convective heating calculations are presented for direct-drive targets during injection into a dry-wall reaction chamber. The baseline approach to target survival utilizes highly reflective targets along with a substantially lower chamber wall temperature and fill-gas pressure than previously assumed. Recently developed high-Z material coatings with high heat reflectivity are discussed and characterized. The article also presents alternate target protection methods that could be developed if targets with inherent survival features cannot be obtained within a reasonable time span.
Automated de-stacking using compact and low-cost robotized system

– This paper aims to introduce a compact and low-cost robotized system and corresponding processing method for automatically identifying and de-stacking circulation boxes under natural stacking status. , – The whole system is composed of an industrial robot, a laser scanner and a computer. Automated de-stacking requires comprehensive and accurate status information of each box. To achieve this goal, the robot carries the laser scanner to perform linear scanning to describe a full depth image for the whole working area. Gaussian filter is applied to the image histogram to suppress the undesired noise. Draining and flooding process derived from classic algorithm identifies each box region from an intensity image. After parameters calculation and calibration, the grasping strategy is estimated and transferred to the robot to finish the de-stacking task. , – Currently, without pre-defined stack status, there is still manual operated alignment in stacking process in order to enable automatic de-stacking using robot. Complicated multi-sensor system such as video cameras can recognize the stack status but also brings high-cost and poor adaptability. It is meaningful to research on the efficient and low-cost measurement system as well as corresponding common data processing method. , – This research presents an efficient solution to automated de-stacking task and only tests for three columns stack depending on the actual working condition. It still needs to be developed and tested for more situations. , – Utilizing only single laser scanner to measure box status instead of multi-sensor is novel and identification method in research can be suitable for different box types and sizes.
Phantasms of the living and of the dead

In this outline no attempt has been made to “prove” survival, nor even to cite all of the more convincing types of cases, but to present in organized form some of the classes of evidence gathered by psychical research. During the eighty-odd years of organized research in this field, instances have been attested of apparitions which indirectly suggest the survival of personality.
The oxidative stress theory of aging: Embattled or invincible? Insights from non-traditional model organisms

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), inevitable byproducts of aerobic metabolism, are known to cause oxidative damage to cells and molecules. This, in turn, is widely accepted as a pivotal determinant of both lifespan and health span. While studies in a wide range of species support the role of ROS in many age-related diseases, its role in aging per se is questioned. Comparative data from a wide range of endotherms offer equivocal support for this theory, with many exceptions and inconclusive findings as to whether or not oxidative stress is either a correlate or a determinant of maximum species lifespan. Available data do not support the premise that metabolic rate and in vivo ROS production are determinants of lifespan, or that superior antioxidant defense contributes to species longevity. Rather, published studies often show either a negative associate or lack of correlation with species longevity. Furthermore, many long-living species such as birds, bats and mole-rats exhibit high levels of oxidative damage even at young ages. Similarly genetic manipulations altering expression of key antioxidants do not necessarily show an impact on lifespan, even though oxidative damage levels may be affected. While it is possible that these multiple exceptions to straightforward predictions of the free radical theory of aging all reflect species-specific, “private” mechanisms of aging, the preponderance of contrary data nevertheless present a challenge to this august theory. Therefore, contrary to accepted dogma, the role of oxidative stress as a determinant of longevity is still open to question.
Parallel processsing in finite flement structural analysis

A brief review is made of the fundamental concepts and basic issues of parallel processing. Discussion focuses on mechanisms for parallel processing, construction and implementation of parallel numerical algorithms, performance evaluation of parallel processing machines and numerical algorithms, and parallelism in finite element computations. A novel partitioning strategy is outlined for maximizing the degree of parallelism on computers with a small number of powerful processors.
Fatigue and fretting of self-piercing riveted joints

The fatigue life and fretting characteristics of aluminum alloy 5754-O self-piercing riveted lap joints have been investigated experimentally and analytically. The experimental program involves a set of 27 cyclic tension tests on three different joints consisting of either 1 mm, 2 mm or 3 mm-thick sheet specimens. In most cases (85%), fatigue cracks are found to initiate on the faying surface of the upper sheet, adjacent to the hole, and at an angular location that lies on the sheet loading axis towards the loading end. Three-dimensional finite element analysis of the three joints has also been performed. Computed distributions of local stresses and rivet-sheet slips are interpreted in terms of experimental observations of fatigue life, crack initiation location and fretting damage observations. Significantly, the calculations provide a rationale for the surprising crack initiation location.© 2002 ASME
Transvenous extraction of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator leads under advisory—A comparison of Riata, Sprint Fidelis, and non-recalled implantable cardioverter-defibrillator leads

Background Comparative safety and efficacy associated with transvenous lead extraction (TLE) of recalled and non-recalled implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) leads has not been well characterized. Objectives To compare the indications, techniques, and procedural outcomes of recalled vs non-recalled ICD lead extraction procedures. Methods TLE procedures performed at our institution from June 2002 to June 2012 in which Riata, Sprint Fidelis, or non-recalled ICD leads were extracted were included in the analysis. Results ICD lead extraction procedures were performed in 1079 patients, including 430 patients with recalled leads (121 Riata, 308 Sprint Fidelis, and 1 Riata and Sprint Fidelis) and 649 patients with non-recalled ICD leads. A total of 2056 chronic endovascular leads were extracted, of which 1215 (59.1%) were ICD leads. Overall, there was 96.8% complete procedural success, 99.1% clinical success, and 0.9% failure, with 3.9% minor complications and 1.5% major complications. Procedural outcomes for Riata and Sprint Fidelis TLE procedures were no different. Lead implant duration was significantly less in recalled than in non-recalled ICD lead TLE procedures. Complete procedural success was higher in recalled (424 of 430 [98.6%]) than in non-recalled (621 of 649 [95.7%]; P = .007) ICD lead TLE procedures. Minor complications were lower in recalled (10 of 430 [2.3%]) than in non-recalled (32 of 649 [5.0%]; P = .030) ICD lead TLE procedures. Rates of clinical success, failure, and major complications were no different in the recalled and non-recalled ICD lead TLE procedures. Conclusion In our experience, recalled ICD leads were extracted with safety and efficacy comparable to that of non-recalled ICD leads.