cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sequence-Specific Nucleases for Genetic Improvement of Potato

Genome editing using sequence-specific nucleases (SSNs) is rapidly becoming a standard tool for genetic engineering in crop species. The implementation of zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated systems (Cas)) for inducing double-strand breaks enables targeting of virtually any sequence for genetic modification. Targeted mutagenesis via nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) and gene targeting via homologous recombination (HR) have been demonstrated in a number of plant species but reports have been limited in vegetatively propagated crops, such as potato (Solanum tuberosum Group Tuberosum L.). This review provides a historical overview of genetic engineering in agriculture, applications of SSN technologies for genome editing in plant species, and prospects of using SSNs for genetic improvement of potato.
Integrated Metabolomic and Proteomic Approaches Dissect the Effect of Metal-Resistant Bacteria on Maize Biomass and Copper Uptake

Marginal soils arise due to various industrial and agricultural practices reducing crop productivity. Pseudomonas sp. TLC 6-6.5-4 is a free-living multiple-metal-resistant plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) isolated from Torch Lake sediment that promotes maize growth and nutrient uptake. In this study, we examined both PGPB–soil and PGPB–plant interactions. PGPB inoculation resulted in significant increase in maize biomass. Soil inoculation before sowing seeds and coating seeds with the PGPB resulted in higher copper uptake by maize compared to other methods. The PGPB–soil interaction improved phosphorus uptake by maize and led to significant decrease in organic bound copper in marginal soil and a notable increase in exchangeable copper. PGPB improved soil health based on soil enzyme activities. Metabolomic analysis of maize revealed that PGPB inoculation upregulated photosynthesis, hormone biosynthesis, and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites. Proteomic analysis identified upregulation of proteins r...
Nymphal performance of Geocoris punctipes (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) on pest-resistant soybeans

Performance of Geocoris punctipes (Say) nymphs was studied on the pest-resistant soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, genotypes PI 171451 and PI 229358, and pest-susceptible ‘Bragg’ and ‘Govan’. G. punctipes nymphal growth rate decreased when the insect food was velvetbean caterpillar (VBC), Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner, reared on ‘Bragg’, PI 229358, or PI 171451. Mortality of nymphs increased when they fed on PI 171451- or PI 229358-reared VBC larvae. Direct effects of plant food as detached leaflets included increased nymphal development time and increased nymphal mortality. Development time of nymphs was increased on a diet that included PI 171451 leaf and PI 171451- reared soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker)
Transport and optical properties of Ti 1 + x S 2

We report measurements of the electrical resistivity, Hall coefficient, magnetoresistance, thermoelectric power, infrared reflectivity, and $c$-axis lattice parameter of single crystals of titanium disulfide ${\mathrm{Ti}}_{1+x}{\mathrm{S}}_{2}$ with varying degrees of nonstoichiometry. The strong correlations we find between different measurements made on the same sample allow us to conclude that titanium disulfide is a semiconductor rather than a semimetal. Even though this fact is established, our most stoichiometric samples continue to exhibit metallic behavior, and the source of these conduction electrons is unknown. In addition, none of the scattering mechanisms examined here is capable of explaining the unusual temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity which varies as ${T}^{3}$ at low $T$ and as ${T}^{y}$ above 100 K where $y$ ranges from 1.85 for the least stoichiometric samples to 2.2 for the most stoichiometric.
Re-examining achievement goal instrumentation: Convergent validity of AGQ and PALS

Abstract Questions persist about the validity of the two most widely used achievement goal instruments (Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales, PALS; and the Achievement Goals Questionnaire, AGQ). This study uses structural equation modeling to examine the convergence of results obtained with the AGQ and PALS within the same sample of high school students ( N = 278). A test of convergent validity supports that the two instruments may similarly operationalize mastery-approach goals, but differentially measure performance goals. Findings underscore the need to further examine performance goal assessment between the AGQ and PALS.
Theoretical Modeling and Experimental Study on Fatigue Initiation Life of 16MnR Notched Components

In order to investigate the effects of notch geometry and loading conditions on the fatigue initiation life and fatigue fracture life of 16MnR material,fatigue experiments were conducted for both smooth rod specimens and notched rod specimens.The detailed elastic-plastic stress and strain responses were computed by the finite element software(ABAQUS) incorporating a robust cyclic plasticity model via a user subroutine UMAT.The obtained stresses and strains were applied to the multiaxial fatigue damage criterion to compute the fatigue damage induced by a loading cycle on the critical material plane.The fatigue initiation life was then obtained by the proposed theoretical model.The well agreement between the predicted results and the experiment data indicated that the fatigue initiation of notched components in the multiaxial stress state related to all the nonzero stress and strain quantities.
Designing and Implementation of Reliable Multicast Based on FEC in Distributed Switch

We presented the general architecture of a distributed ethernet switch,focusing on analysis of the model of internal communication subsystem.According to its character,a novel reliable multicast communication mechanism based on FEC recovery algorithm was applied and evaluated in our experiment.
Diagnosis and medical management of multiple sclerosis.

(1998). Diagnosis and Medical Management of Multiple Sclerosis. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine: Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 109-112.
The mitochondrial-derived peptide humanin activates the ERK1/2, AKT, and STAT3 signaling pathways and has age-dependent signaling differences in the hippocampus

Humanin is a small secreted peptide that is encoded in the mitochondrial genome. Humanin and its analogues have a protective role in multiple age-related diseases including type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, through cytoprotective and neuroprotective effects both in vitro and in vivo. However, the humanin-mediated signaling pathways are not well understood. In this paper, we demonstrate that humanin acts through the GP130/IL6ST receptor complex to activate AKT, ERK1/2, and STAT3 signaling pathways. Humanin treatment increases phosphorylation in AKT, ERK 1/2, and STAT3 where PI3K, MEK, and JAK are involved in the activation of those three signaling pathways, respectively. Furthermore, old mice, but not young mice, injected with humanin showed an increase in phosphorylation in AKT and ERK1/2 in the hippocampus. These findings uncover a key signaling pathway of humanin that is important for humanin's function and also demonstrates an age-specific in vivo effect in a region of the brain that is critical for memory formation in an age-dependent manner.
Challenges for Global Supply Chain Sustainability: Evidence from Conflict Minerals Reports

The vertically integrated corporation of the 20th century has been replaced by disaggregated global supply chains across many industries. Dis-integration can reduce costs, but also limits the abili...
Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH) : An Alternative Therapy for Infantile Spasms

Pediatric neurologists at the Central Hospital, Aichi Prefectural Colony, Kasugai, Aichi 480-03, Japan, compared the effects of TRH in 31 children and ACTH in 33 with severe epilepsy.
Pediatric Cranial Nerve Palsies

The diagnostic evaluation and treatment of children with cranial nerve palsies is markedly different from that of adults. Genetic, traumatic, inflammatory, and compressive etiologies are common. Unlike adults, vascular etiologies are rare. Treatment entails addressing factors such as amblyopia and fusion. This manuscript will outline the etiologies, diagnostic work-up, and treatment of cranial nerve palsies in children.
Photo-electron streaking for synchronization of laser pulses with radiofrequency fields.

Synchronization of cavity enhanced RF fields with laser triggered electron pulses is crucial in electron acceleration and temporal refocussing. We propose a method to measure jitter in situ and with femtosecond accuracy based on photo-electron streaking.
Adaptable planner primitives for real-world robotic applications

With increased processor speed and improved robotic and AI technology, researchers are beginning to design programs that can behave intelligently and interact in the real world. A large increase in processing power has come from parallel machines, but taking advantage of this power is challenging. In this paper we address the issues in designing planners for real-time AI and robotic applications, and provide guiding principles. These principles were designed to minimize the difference between the new real-time model and the standard off-line model. Applying these principles yields a better-structured application, easier design and implementation, and improved performance. The focus of the paper is on a design methodology for implementing effective planners in real-world applications. Using Ephor (our runtime environment), and applying the described planner principles, we demonstrate improved performance in a real-world shepherding application.
Exact solution for the Poisson field in a semi-infinite strip

The Poisson equation is associated with many physical processes. Yet exact analytic solutions for the two-dimensional Poisson field are scarce. Here we derive an analytic solution for the Poisson equation with constant forcing in a semi-infinite strip. We provide a method that can be used to solve the field in other intricate geometries. We show that the Poisson flux reveals an inverse square-root singularity at a tip of a slit, and identify a characteristic length scale in which a small perturbation, in a form of a new slit, is screened by the field. We suggest that this length scale expresses itself as a characteristic spacing between tips in real Poisson networks that grow in response to fluxes at tips.
Phytotoxicity and Yellow Nutsedge Control in Azalea and Liriope with Basagran (bentazon)

Abstract Tolerance of eight azalea cultivars and three liriope cultivars to two broadcast applications of Basagran at 1.1 and 2.2 kg/ha (1.0 and 2.0 lb/A) was determined in container studies. No injury was observed on azalea cultivars ‘Rosebud’, ‘Tradition’, ‘Delaware Valley White’ or ‘Elsie Lee’ 40 days after the second application of Basagran at 2.2 kg ai/ha (2.0 lb/A) plus crop oil. This treatment injured ‘Hershey's Red’ and ‘Girard's Rose’, but two applications of Basagran at 2.2 kg/ha applied alone or at 1.1 kg/ha (1.0 lb/A) with or without crop oil did not injure these two varieties. Slight injury (16%) was observed on ‘Corsage’ 20 days after the second application of Basagran at 1.1 kg/ha (1.0 lb/A), although no injury was seen with other treatments. Greater injury (22 to 35%) occurred to ‘Pleasant White’ 20 days after treatment when Basagran was applied twice at 1.1 or 2.2 kg/ha (1.0 or 2.0 lb/A) with or without crop oil. Injury to all azalea cultivars decreased with time, with no injury apparent ...
Differential Tumor Progression Patterns in Skull Base Versus Non-Skull Base Meningiomas: A Critical Analysis from a Long-Term Follow-Up Study and Review of Literature.

Background To analyze the differences in tumor progression patterns and histopathologic characteristics between skull base meningiomas (SBMs) and non–skull base meningiomas (NSBMs). Methods Retrospective data of 382 patients with SBMs and 200 patients with NSBMs who underwent primary microsurgical resection between January 1995 and December 2016 were analyzed. Data related to clinical history, neuroimaging, surgical technique, and follow-up were reviewed. A separate prospective cohort of 78 meningiomas operated on from June 2016 to July 2017 was analyzed (World Health Organization [WHO] grade and Ki-67 proliferation index) for biologic comparison. Results Skull base location, WHO grade II tumor, and subtotal resection were independent predictors of unfavorable outcome. The overall tumor progression rate in the SBM group (33%) was higher than in the NSBM group (19.7%) (P = 0.006) (mean follow-up period, 51 months). The 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 78%, 60%, and 45% in the SBM group, whereas it was 90%, 80%, and 53% in the NSBM group, respectively. Interestingly, there was no difference in the median PFS after 10 years of follow-up (SBMs 210 months vs. NSBM 212 months, P = 0.93). In the prospective cohort of 78 meningiomas, there was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of WHO grade I tumors and in the mean Ki-67 index of WHO grade I meningiomas between the 2 groups. Conclusion There is a divergent tumor progression pattern for surgically treated SBMs vis-a-vis NSBMs. Differences in tumor biology and the proportion of Simpson grade I resections are likely attributable factors.
Discovery Assessment and Improvement at an Academic Health Sciences Library: Health Information @ Himmelfarb Five Years Later

Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library was an early health sciences library adopter of web scale discovery with introduction of a customized instance of EBSCO’s Discovery Service (EDS) in 2012. After t...
The impact of postoperative therapy on primary cardiac sarcoma.

Abstract Objective Primary cardiac sarcomas (PCS) are extremely rare, portend a very poor prognosis, and have limited outcomes data to direct management. This study evaluated the impact of postoperative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy on survival for PCS. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of 12 patients diagnosed with and who underwent resection for PCS at a single institution between 2000 and 2016. Data were collected on patient/tumor characteristics and analyzed with respect to treatment and outcome using Kaplan–Meier methods. Results Median age was 43 (range 21-73 years) with a 50:50 male-to-female ratio. The most common subtype was angiosarcoma (42%), and 25% presented with distant metastases (DMs). The initial treatment modality for all patients was surgery, with 58% having macroscopically positive (R2) margins. In total, 75% received postoperative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.9 months, and median overall survival (OS) was 12.0 months. Achieving negative or microscopically positive margins (R0/R1) as compared with R2 resection significantly improved PFS (12.6 vs 2.7 months, P = .008) and OS (21.8 vs 7.2 months, P = .006). DM at presentation demonstrated a significantly shorter OS (7.0 vs 16.9 months, P = .04) and PFS (0.7 vs 7.9 months, P = .003) compared with localized disease. Patients given postoperative therapy had longer OS compared with surgery only, but this difference was not statistically significant (15.5 vs 2.6 months, P = .12). Conclusions Gross total surgical resection can significantly improve PFS and OS in PCS, but DM at diagnosis is an extremely poor prognostic sign. Postoperative therapy should be considered, although this study was likely underpowered to demonstrate a statistically significant benefit.
Fecal Metagenome Sequences from Lactating Dairy Cows Shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7.

ABSTRACT Cattle are primary reservoirs of Escherichia coli O157:H7, a causative agent of severe human infections. To facilitate analyses of the communities in which this pathogen is found, we sequenced the fecal metagenomes of 10 dairy cows shedding E. coli O157:H7 and added them to the public domain.
Alignment of a circumbinary disc around an eccentric binary with application to KH 15D

We analyse the evolution of a mildly inclined circumbinary disc that orbits an eccentric orbit binary by means of smoother particle hydrodynamic (SPH) simulations and linear theory. We show that the alignment process of an initially misaligned circumbinary disc around an eccentric orbit binary is significantly different than around a circular orbit binary and involves tilt oscillations. The more eccentric the binary, the larger the tilt oscillations and the longer it takes to damp these oscillations. A circumbinary disc that is only mildly inclined may increase its inclination by a factor of a few before it moves towards alignment. The results of the SPH simulations agree well with those of linear theory. We investigate the properties of the circumbinary disc/ring around KH 15D. We determine disc properties based on the observational constraints imposed by the changing binary brightness. We find that the inclination is currently at a local minimum and will increase substantially before setting to coplanarity. In addition, the nodal precession is currently near its most rapid rate. The recent observations that show a reappearance of Star B impose constraints on the thickness of the layer of obscuring material. Our results suggest that disc solids have undergone substantial inward drift and settling towards to disc midplane. For disc masses $\sim 0.001 M_\odot$, our model indicates that the level of disc turbulence is low $\alpha \ll 0.001$. Another possibility is that the disc/ring contains little gas.
Outcomes for Surgical Treatment of Femoroacetabular Impingement in Adults

To assess the outcomes of modern techniques for arthroscopic surgery in the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement. While initially approached by means of open surgical hip dislocation, recent literature has shown generally good outcomes of arthroscopic treatment for femoroacetabular impingement. Modern advances in hip arthroscopy technique and implants now allow for labral repair or reconstruction when indicated. Arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement results in significant improvements in patient pain and function, with low complication rates and high patient satisfaction. A majority of improvements in these patients occur within 1 to 2 years post-operatively. Hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement yields the best results in patients without significant arthritis or hip dysplasia.
Mihnag in The Haye Adam—The Case of Kitniyot on Passover

Rabbi Abraham Danzig (1748–1820) was a leading posek in his day and wrote a number of authoritative legal works, including his two editions of the Haye Adam (1810 and 1818, respectively). His treatment of customs (minhagim) is of specific historical and contemporary interest. This discussion centers on one particular tradition, the prohibition against the Ashkenazi Jews to eat legumes (kitniyot) on Passover. Only the second edition of Haye Adam contains a chapter (klal) entitled “The Law of Things that are Prohibited because of Custom” and it is here that the topic of customs is greatly elaborated upon. The case of kitniyot exemplifies Rabbi Danzig’s understanding of minhag which motivated him to present an extended section on the laws of custom. This issue of kitniyot on Passover is, I suggest, an illustration of an exercise in rabbinical authority. The Haskalah and Reform movements of the eighteenth century constantly sought to contest rabbinical authority either explicitly or implicitly. The question can be posed: if there had been no opposition to the eating of legumes on Passover by groups opposing and challenging rabbinical authority would the rabbis have objected so vehemently? The non-Orthodox streams of Judaism challenged the prohibition of kitniyot (and with the contemporary reality in the State of Israel, where a majority of Sephardic Jews are permitted to eat legumes on Passover, and with the reasons for prohibition by the early rabbinical authorities no longer relevant today). Reality and conflict have once again impelled the rabbinic establishment to defend its authority. Based on Danzig’s approach, I conclude that the prohibition not to eat kitniyot on Passover, a religious custom, has been positioned within the codified laws of Passover with all their full authority, and no room for flexibility.
Effects of an external electric field on /sup 1/P/sup o/ resonances of H/sup -/

Positions, widths, and oscillator strengths for the $2s\ensuremath{-}2p$ "shape" resonance and the lowest Feshbach resonance in the $^{1}P^{o}$ spectrum of ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ have been computed via the method of complex coordinates. The dc Stark broadening of the shape resonance has been determined giving a quantitative estimate of the effects of plasma microfields on the resonance and explaining the negative observational results of Ott et al. [Phys. Rev. A 12, 2009 (1975)].
Cook Peel (70% Glycolic Acid +40% Trichloroacetic Acid) for Extra-Facial Areas

Body peels are the most difficult because of lower density of pilosebaceous units, delayed healing, and scarring. At the same time, most chemicals present reduced epidermal penetration in body sun-exposed areas, compared to facial skin. This chapter illustrates how to properly perform a chemical peel, which is one of the strongest superficial peels for the body, and how to increase its penetration to achieve focal chemoabrasion of melanosis or superficial keratoses. The success of the procedure depends on the artistic hands of the surgeon, patient education, and attention to endpoints for neutralization.
Rural Health and Contextualizing Data

With significantly higher rates of comorbidities and limited access to health care, some Appalachian rural communities face magnified health challenges due to COVID-19. This article looks at one ex...
Analysis of [11C]Choline and [13N]Ammonia using a single HPIC method.

Abstract A single HPIC method was developed and validated for the analysis of both [11C]Choline and [13N]Ammonia with the same setup. The HPIC system suitability tests were performed and [11C]Choline and [13N]Ammonia were used to verify their performance on this HPIC method. The HPIC setup and method provides qualitative and quantitative analysis information of [11C]Choline and [13N]Ammonia. The data suggested this HPIC method is validated for determining radiochemical/chemical purity and radiochemical identity of [11C]Choline and [13N]Ammonia products in CGMP compliant manufacturing process.
U.S. Oil Companies' Earnings Management in Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

This study examines earnings management by U.S.-based oil companies in the period immediately after the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We show that large petroleum refining firms - but not the smaller crude oil and gas production companies - recorded significant abnormal income-decreasing accruals in the fiscal quarter immediately after the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita (Q4 of 2005). In addition, we show that these results are driven by abnormal current accruals. Prior studies show that some firms respond to periods of heightened political scrutiny by recording abnormal income-decreasing accruals (e.g., Cahan, 1992; Han and Wang, 1998). Our results add to this stream of research by examining a political cost-increasing event that occurred after the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002. The results suggest that in the post-SOX period managers continue to engage in income-decreasing earnings management during periods of heightened political cost sensitivity, at least in the case of large petroleum refining firms.
Early Reflections on the Therapeutic Effects of Mindfulness-Based Therapies in Adults with Autism and Suggestions for Future Research

Emerging research suggests mindfulness-based therapies positively impact adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, questions concerning intervention active ingredients, the breadth and duration of impact, and psychological and neural mechanisms of change remain. Here we discuss what is known about mindfulness-based therapies in adults with ASD and offer suggestions for future research.
Function Approximation for High-Energy Physics: Comparing Machine Learning and Interpolation Methods

The need to approximate functions is ubiquitous in science, either due to empirical constraints or high computational cost of accessing the function. In high-energy physics, the precise computation of the scattering cross-section of a process requires the evaluation of computationally intensive integrals. A wide variety of methods in machine learning have been used to tackle this problem, but often the motivation of using one method over another is lacking. Comparing these methods is typically highly dependent on the problem at hand, so we specify to the case where we can evaluate the function a large number of times, after which quick and accurate evaluation can take place. We consider four interpolation and three machine learning techniques and compare their performance on three toy functions, the four-point scalar Passarino-Veltman $D_0$ function, and the two-loop self-energy master integral $M$. We find that in low dimensions ($d = 3$), traditional interpolation techniques like the Radial Basis Function perform very well, but in higher dimensions ($d=5, 6, 9$) we find that multi-layer perceptrons (a.k.a neural networks) do not suffer as much from the curse of dimensionality and provide the fastest and most accurate predictions.
Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Altruism

How Earthbound are values and ethics? We humans enjoy a surprising transcendence of localized body and place. We are always situated somewhere, but it does not follow that all our knowledge is situational. True, science is a human enterprise. True, ethics is a human activity—even biologically-based. But can we expect to share some of our science and ethics with extraterrestrials? Perhaps in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, the question to ask is not about the value of π, or the atomic number of carbon. A more revealing test might be to ask whether one should tell the truth, keep promises, or be just. The Golden Rule may be as universally true as is the theory of relativity.
Marketing Implications of Business to Business Buying: A Model of the Information Flow of the Purchasing Decision Process

Marketing scholars and practitioners have long acknowledged the multi-person, communicative nature of the business to business buying process. This process is often complex and may involve several people at all levels of the firm.
What's the matter with Kansas Lava?

Kansas Lava is a functional hardware description language implemented in Haskell. In the course of attempting to generate ever larger circuits, we have found the need to effectively test and debug the internals of Kansas Lava. This includes confirming both the simulated behavior of the circuit and its hardware realization via generated VHDL. In this paper we share our approach to this problem, and discuss the results of these efforts.
Negative Cognitive Styles and Stress-Reactive Rumination Interact to Predict Depression: A Prospective Study

Research on cognitive theories of depression has identified negative cognitive styles and rumination in response to depressed mood as risk factors for depressive episodes. In addition, a general self-focusing style has been suggested to increase vulnerability to depression. The present study used a behavioral high-risk paradigm to test whether the interaction of negative cognitive styles and rumination predicted the prospective onset, number, and duration of depressive episodes in a sample of 148 initially nondepressed undergraduates over a 2.5-year follow-up. In addition, rumination was assessed specifically as the tendency to focus on maladaptive self-referential thoughts following stressful events (stress-reactive rumination; SRR). The principal hypotheses tested were (1) the interaction of negative cognitive styles and SRR increases risk for developing depressive episodes as well as longer duration depressive episodes; and (2) this interaction would not be obtained when a trait measure of general self-focus or a measure of rumination in response to depressed mood is used instead of the measure of SRR. After controlling for subsyndromal depressive symptoms and the main effects of negative cognitive styles and SRR, the interaction of negative cognitive styles and SRR was found to predict the prospective onset, number, and duration of major depressive and hopelessness depressive episodes. These interactions were not obtained when other measures of trait self-focus and depressive rumination were used instead of SRR.
Performance Potential of Effective Address Prediction of Load Instructions

Modern, deeply pipelined, out-of-order, and speculative microprocessors are still plagued by the latency of load instructions. This latency is dominated by the latencies to resolve the source operands of the load, to compute its effective address, and to fetch the load’s data from caches or the main memory. This chapter examines the performance potential of hiding a load’s data fetch latency using effective address prediction. By predicting the effective address of a load early in the pipeline, we can initiate the cache access early, thereby improving performance.
Connotations of Eve

In her book, Admen and Eve (2012), Katie Edwards suggests that modern advertisers exercise this passion or power of (re-)naming when they invoke the biblical story of Eden. Like Crowley’s Girl and Boy or Eco’s Adam and Eve, the “admen” draw upon the “limitless possibilities of semiosis” opened up by connotations that operate in every language and culture, but they do so in order to exploit the more mundane passions of female consumers: desires for happiness, success, or romance. More specifically, they draw upon a conventional Christian understanding of the Eden story—an understanding that is quite different from those suggested in either Crowley’s story or Eco’s essay. Edwards’s book surveys a large number of print advertisements in which what is evidently and often explicitly an Eve-figure appears, frequently accompanied by an apple, a serpent, or an Adam-figure, and sometimes in a garden or forest setting. The book’s final chapter also examines the TV series Desperate Housewives, as well as the movie Twilight. These are not advertisements as such but were actively used to market items of interest to women. The re-naming of portions of the Eden story that appears in such advertisements reverses that story’s connotative polarities as they are identified in the conventional understanding of it, replacing the signifieds of the Christian understanding with binary opposites. Eve as the Original Sinner and temptress of Adam is transformed into an alluring, prosperous, and powerful woman, and the biblical story of the paradisal origins of human history metamorphoses into a postfeminist story of personal empowerment through consumption of perfume, cosmetics, or other items of interest to women.
The Ambiguous Lily Motif in Balzac's Le Lys dans la vallée

Critics of Balzac's Le Lys dans la vallee have tended to overlook the inherent ambiguity of this novel's eponymous lily motif and, by extension, the ambiguity of nature description in the novel generally. On the surface, the meaning of the novel's title is clear and univocal: at numerous places in the text the lily is treated as a symbol of purity and equated with the novel's pristine, virtuous heroine, Mme de Mortsauf. On a deeper level, however, another meaning can be discerned, although it is never openly proclaimed in the text like the other and may well have not been consciously "intended" as a symbol by Balzac. That second meaning—the second sense in which the lily motif can be understood and thus part of the basis of its ambiguity—is that of the fleur-de-lis, symbol of monarchy. The fact that Mme de Mortsauf serves throughout the novel as both the metaphorical tenor of the lily as purity and as the novel's chief spokesman and emblem for Monarchism in itself constitutes prima-facie evidence of the ambiguity. But there is other evidence to be found as well, notably, in one lengthy nature description where natural phenomena like the "lys" consistendy appear as having veiled political significance. That scene occurs near the beginning of the novel where it serves almost singlehandedly to establish the overall descriptive tone and thematics of the novel. The task of this paper will be to examine the ambiguity of the lily motif and nature generally in that key descriptive scene and then to draw conclusions from the ambiguity regarding the personal and political outlook expressed in the novel.
The Nitrosation of Aliphatic Carbon Atoms

The nitrosation reaction consists in the replacement of a hydrogen atom by the nitroso group with the formation of a nitroso or oximo derivative. With a few exceptions, the replacement of hydrogen on an aliphatic carbon atom requires the presence of an electron-attracting groups adjacent to the carbon to be nitrosated. Acyl, aroyl, carbonyl, carboxy, carbalkoxyl, nitrogen, cyano, imino, and aryl groups may serve as activators. Monoketones are readily converted into alpha-oximino ketones, whereas monoesters containing no other activating groups do not undergo the reaction. Victor Meyer discovered the reaction in 1873–1874. Keywords: nitrosation; aliphatic carbon atoms; ketones; keto acids; malonic acid; nitriles; arylacetic acid; esters; hydrocarbons; nitro compounds; synthetic applications; experimental conditions
Prevention of Auditory Sequelae in Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis: A Meta‐Analysis

Meta-analysis methods were used to compare the effect of antibiotic regimens and corticosteroids on the development of auditory sequelae after pediatric bacterial meningitis. After a literature search of two major data bases, 11 studies met the criteria and were included in the analysis. Summary odds ratios, with 95% confidence intervals, were calculated that quantified the relative risk of developing auditory sequelae after specific therapies. No significant differences among antibiotics were identified in terms of reducing the risk of meningitis-related hearing impairment. However, corticosteroids significantly reduced the frequency of bilateral, moderate, or greater hearing loss. Patients receiving placebo versus dexamethasone were much more likely to develop auditory dysfunction (odds ratio 3.77; 95% CI 1.77-8.10). The results of this study add quantitative evidence supporting the use of dexamethasone as adjunctive therapy in pediatric bacterial meningitis.
Statistical Investigation of Structure in the Discrete Logarithm

The absence of an efficient algorithm to solve the Discrete Logarithm Problem is often exploited in cryptography. While exponentiation with a modulus, bx ≡ a (mod m), is extremely fast with a modern computer, the inverse is decidedly not. At the present time, the best algorithms assume that the inverse mapping is completely random. Yet there is at least some structure, such as the fact that b ≡ b (mod m). To uncover additional structure that may be useful in constructing or refining algorithms, statistical methods are employed to compare mappings, x 7→ bx (mod m), to random mappings. More concretely, structure will be defined by representing the mappings as functional graphs and using parameters from graph theory such as cycle length. Since the literature for random permutations is more extensive than other types of functional graphs, only permutations produced from the experimental mappings are considered.
Information literacy instruction in four Vietnamese university libraries

Abstract This case study explored the perceptions of academic stakeholders about the development and delivery of information literacy (IL) programs in four universities, and identified elements necessary to establishing IL credit courses in Vietnamese higher education. The following research questions framed this study: 1) How do library administrators, instruction librarians, and faculty perceive the current implementation of information literacy instruction (ILI) programs for undergraduates studies in universities libraries in Vietnam? 2) What are the challenges to including IL as a credit course in the curriculum as perceived by library administrators, instruction librarians, and faculty? Respondents were purposefully recruited from four universities, including library administrators, instruction librarians, and faculty. Three online surveys were distributed to 537 individuals through Survey Monkey with 149 replies and a final receipt of 133 completed surveys. Interview and focus group data collection included 23 face-to-face interviews and nine focus groups. Findings showed IL is considered the domain of librarians and has not influenced Vietnamese campus culture. IL activities at four university libraries take the form of lectures, workshops, and basic IL skills modules. Few ILI activities are subject discipline-related. Respondents reported challenges to an ILI credit course revolve around the lasting impact of teacher-centered instruction and rote learning, misperceptions about the effect of IL on student learning outcomes, degree of support of IL by academic stakeholders, degree of faculty–librarian collaboration, and scarcity of resources. Recommendations are given for academic librarians in Vietnam implementing ILI programs and considering developing IL credit courses.
Theory of coherent transients in semiconductor pump–probe spectroscopy

Probe-transmission spectra are calculated for a semiconductor that is excited by ultrashort pulses well above its band edge. Coherent coupling of the light field to the band-to-band transitions is assumed, neglecting the mixing of different momentum states. The transmission spectra exhibit pronounced oscillatory structures caused by the interaction of the probe pulse with the medium polarization, which is driven by the pump pulse. The details of the oscillations are determined by the temporal separation between pump and probe pulses and by the total temporal width of the pump pulse. Characteristic modifications of the spectra are obtained for strong pump fields (π and 2π pulses). Possible applications of the theoretical results for the determination of intraband scattering times in semiconductors are discussed.
Simultaneous monotic masking as a function of linguistic violations

An investigation was conducted to determine whether grammatical, semantical, and phonological constraints affect aural masking. The rationale for the study centered around conflicting reports in the literature as to the importance of content and linguistic rules for masking efficiency. Thirty‐six college‐age, normal‐heating, native speakers of English participated in six conditions of linguistic masking. Conditions differed in type and degree of linguistic violation of the competing message. Articulation scores computed in percentages served as measures. Significant differences in performance were discussed in terms of information theory, figure‐ground and closure concepts, linguistic analysis, attention, memory, and linguistic feature detection.
Growth-retarding effect of carbon-dioxide anaesthesia on the German cockroach

Abstract German cockroach nymphs exposed to a high concentration of carbon dioxide for 3 minutes weekly until maturity were retarded in growth by 14% to 53% compared to nonanaesthetized controls, as determined by the time required to moult to adults. There was no apparent correlation between diet and the carbon-dioxide effect. The adult weight of roaches subjected to weekly anaesthesia during the nymphal period was less than that of nonanaesthetized roaches. Nymphs reared as isolated individuals were retarded by carbon dioxide relatively as much as nymphs reared in groups. Nymphs kept under constant carbon-dioxide anaesthesia for 2 1 2 hours became greatly distended by gas, remained paralysed, and died within several days. The retardation and lethal factors seem to be carbon-dioxide specific rather than a general immobilization, nervous, or oxygen-deficit effect inasmuch as nitrogen was relatively innocuous. Consideration was given to the possibility of the formation of a toxic carbon-dioxide compound which is retained by the blood.
Optimization of Aortic Arch Replacement With a One-Stage Approach

Background Staged procedures for extensive aneurysmal disease of the thoracic aorta are associated with a substantial cumulative mortality for the two procedures and death in the interval between, often from aortic rupture. We have used a one-stage approach for operative repair of most, or all, of the thoracic aorta. Methods Sixty-nine patients were treated using a bilateral anterior thoracotomy with transverse sternotomy, hypothermic circulatory arrest, and reperfusion of the arch vessels first to minimize brain ischemia. Forty-two patients had chronic ascending aortic dissections (all but 1 had a previous operation), 24 had degenerative aneurysms, and 3 had chronic descending aortic dissections with proximal extension. The ascending aorta and aortic arch were replaced in all patients combined with resection of various lengths of descending aorta. Results In-hospital mortality was 7.2% (5 patients). Morbidity included reoperation for bleeding (13%), mechanical ventilation for more than 72 hours (50%), temporary tracheostomy (13%), and temporary renal dialysis (9%). No patient sustained a stroke. There have been 9 late deaths unrelated to the aortic disease. Four patients have undergone successful reoperation on the aorta for false aneurysm in 1, endocarditis in 1, and progression of disease in 2. Survival at 5 years was 71%. Conclusions The one-stage arch-first technique is a safe and suitable alternative to the two-stage procedure for repair of extensive thoracic aortic disease.
Sensitive and high sensitivity next generation cardiac troponin assays: more than just a name

In the 20 years that cardiac troponin testing has been available in clinical laboratories, the biomarker has revolutionised testing of patients with acute coronary syndromes. Cardiac troponin I and T testing has become the cornerstone for diagnosis of myocardial infarction and is useful for risk assessment and management of suspected acute coronary syndrome patients. As evidence and knowledge have evolved, it has become clear that even small troponin elevations are associated with adverse health outcomes. As a result there have been several generations of troponin assays, all toward tests that reliably detect lower concentrations of this critical analyte. Guidance for cardiac troponin interpretation has been in the form of myocardial infarction redefinition and evidence-based clinical and analytical guidelines. Although terminology naming generations for cardiac troponin assays has been inconsistent, state-of-the-art cardiac troponin assays are generally referred to as 'sensitive' assays and are in general compliance with analytical guidelines. Evidence shows that use of a sensitive troponin assay can result in diagnosis of myocardial infarction earlier. Next generation cardiac troponin I and T assays will likely be termed 'high sensitivity'; these assays should have the ability to measure troponin with a CV of total error of <10% at concentrations significantly lower than the 99 percentile of the normal reference population. As such, these assays should reliably measure troponin in most normal individuals and detect troponin changes (delta values) below the 99 percentile. This property may result in earlier ACS diagnosis and better management. Utilisation of high sensitivity troponin measurements may be useful for applications other than acute coronary syndromes including risk stratifying patients with renal insufficiency, heart failure, cardiac amyloid and screening elderly patients.
Dawn: Rapid large-scale protein multiple sequence alignment and conservation analysis

Understanding of protein structure, function, and disease can be obtained from the analysis of protein sequences evolutionary conservation. Multiple sequence alignments of different isolates, orthologs, paralogs, and functional domains provide essential insights into protein function and structure. Evolutionary conservation level is directly correlated with likelihood of missense mutations' functional impact. A new conservation characterization tool, Dawn, that aligns sequences based on the Divergence Model of protein evolution can align and characterize large numbers of related protein sequences rapidly. Using this tool, a performance improvement of at least two orders of magnitude improvement over current methods. Dawn is applied to three pressing challenges: identification of antiviral targets for therapeutics, multigene family alignment, and analysis of human missense mutations (variants).
Turnaround of Axoplasmic Transport of Selected Particle‐Specific Enzymes at an Injury in Control and Diisopropylphosphorofluoridate‐Treated Rats

: Reversal of direction (turnaround) of axonal transport of particle specific enzyme activities was studied at a ligature placed on rat sciatic nerve. In the principal experiment, the ligature remained on the nerve in vivo several hours, allowing enzyme activities (acetylcholinesterase, acid phosphatase, and monoamine oxidase) to accumulate immediately proximal to the tie. The nerve was then tied a second time, proximal to the first tie, and incubated in vitro for several more hours. Accumulation of enzyme activities just distal to the second tie was measured. This second accumulation, of activities traveling in the retrograde direction, was shown to be the result of turnaround in several ways. (1) The increase in activity distal to the second tie was equal to the decrease in activity proximal to the first. (2) The increase in enzyme activities distal to the second tie was greatly reduced when the accumulation proximal to the first tie was trapped by placing a third tie between the first and second ties. (3) It was shown that the activity that accumulated distal to the second tie could not have been in retrograde motion at the time of the first tie. (4) Accumulation distal to the second tie was not a function of the length of nerve segment included between the two ties. In contrast to the consistent occurrence of turnaround of orthograde flow, turnaround of retrograde flow could not be demonstrated. Turnaround transport was blocked by incubation in the cold and in the presence of NaCN or vinblastine. The turnaround process operated on all three enzymes studied, suggesting that it operates on lysosomes and mitochondria, as well as on the endoplasmic reticulum-like material bearing acetylcholinesterase. Evidence for the participation of the transport process in the renewal of AChE in the distal portions of the axon was obtained in experiments using diisopropylphosphorofluoridate and cycloheximide.
APL learning bugs

This paper discusses common mistakes novices make when learning to program in APL. We present several exemplary APL “learning bugs”, describe the context in which they occur, indicate why we believe they are interesting, and speculate about underlying thinking processes. We claim that such learning bugs are worth examining: further study may yield insight into barriers to wider acceptance of APL, better understanding may lead to more effective APL teaching, and deeper analysis may hold implications for APL designers.bug...1: obs: bogey, bugbear (bugaboo): an imaginary object of fear; a source of concern2: an insect or other creeping or crawling invertebrate...3: an unexpected defect, fault, flaw, or imperfection4: a disease-producing germ; also: a disease caused by it5: a fad6: enthusiast, hobbyist (obs: a crazy person)7: a prominent person8: a concealed listening device9: a handicap(adapted from Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam Co., Springfield, MA, 1977)
Phase Behavior of Mesostructured V-Mg-O

Mesostructured vanadium−magnesium oxides (V-Mg-O) were synthesized using vanadium pentoxide and magnesium nitrate as sources and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or the mixture of CTAB and hex...