cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhancement of human natural killer cells by interferon requires RNA and protein synthesis.

Abstract An enriched population of human natural killer (NK) cells was obtained by density gradient centrifugation. The cytotoxic activity of these cells was enhanced by pretreatment with human leukocyte interferon (IF), and the metabolic requirements of this enhancement were examined. Augmentation of NK activity was initiated in a rapid, temperature-independent manner, requiring only a 10- to 15-min exposure to IF, and occurred at either 4 or 37°C. Increased activity of the IF-treated NK effector cells was consistently observed after only 30 min of contact with target cells. Augmentation was inhibited by prior treatment of NK effector cells with actinomycin D (AD), but treatment with AD after 1 hr of IF treatment did not inhibit the IF-mediated increase in cytotoxicity, suggesting that the RNA species required for enhancement are synthesized within 1 hr of cell-IF interaction. Protein synthesis was required for at least 1 hr following cell-IF interaction, as shown by the ability of emetine and puromycin treatments to abrogate increased NK cell activity. Binding of IF to cells was independent of protein synthesis. IF-induced enhancement was unaffected by incubation of effector cells with mitomycin C either before or after IF treatment, indicating that IF acts primarily upon a population of preexisting cells of lower NK activity.
Detection of halogens as positive ions using a He microwave induced plasma as an ion source for mass spectrometry

Abstract The detection of bromine, chlorine and iodine as positive ions is accomplished by using a helium microwave induced plasma as an ion source with quadrupole mass spectrometric detection. An interface between the microwave cavity and the sampler is described which improves the degree of ionization of Br, Cl and I by reduction of NO+ in the He plasma. The effects of sampling depth, plasma power and He/N2 flow rate on ion signal are discussed. Major background ions present in the He plasma are presented. Preliminary detection limits for Br+, Cl+ and I+ 1.2, 21 and 1.8 pg s respectively.
Effect of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae), on marketable yields of field-grown strawberries in north-central Florida.

Understanding the impact of a pest species on a particular crop is critical for the success of a pest management program. Field studies were conducted to determine the effect of the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, on marketable yield of strawberries during the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 growing seasons. Low, medium, and high mite infestation levels were established by initial inoculations of 5, 10, and 20 twospotted spider mites per strawberry leaf, respectively. A control treatment maintained at near zero mites through applications of an acaricide, bifenazate (Acramite 50 WP), was also included. Weekly records of motile twospotted spider mites were obtained over 13 and 16 wk during the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 growing seasons, respectively. Degree-days and weather parameters were monitored to determine their effect on mite population. In addition, mite-days were calculated for each year from weekly mite counts to determine the effect of mites on marketable yield of strawberries. In both years, twospotted spider mite population increased throughout the growing seasons. More degree-days were accumulated during the 2008/2009 growing season, and mite population was higher in 2008/2009 than in 2009/2010. Mite population density per leaf increased up to 278 motiles per leaf in 2008/2009 growing season as compared with 137 in 2009/2010 within the high-infestation-level treatment. The divergence in mite population between the two growing seasons was attributed mainly to temperature differences between the two seasons that affected mite population development and establishment. During both growing seasons, the high mite infestation level had lowest marketable yield. A negative correlation between cumulative mite-days and harvested marketable yields was detected in both seasons, but it was only significant during the 2008/2009 growing season. Strawberry yield reduction was detected when plants attained 80 mites per leaf in 2008/2009 and 50 mites per leaf in 2009/2010 within the high mite infestation treatment. Factors that affect mite population establishment and management for twospotted spider mites on strawberries are discussed.
Effect of 20α-dihydroxyprogesterone on the estrogen-induced bioactive luteinizing hormone surge in ovariectomized monkeys

Progestins facilitate estrogen induction of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. A biologically weaker progestin, 20 α -dihydroxyprogesterone, is reportedly increased at midcycle, but the importance of 20 α -dihydroxyprogesterone in regulating LH release has not been systematically studied. We therefore evaluated the effect of 2 doses of 20 α -dihydroxyprogesterone on the bioactive LH surge onset in ovariectomized monkeys. Chronically cannulated monkeys (n=10) received estradiol (E 2 ) benzoate (50 μ g/kg) with and without subsequent 20 α -dihydroxyprogesterone injections (50 μ g/kg, n=3 and 100 μ g/kg, n=3). Blood was collected every 15minutes over preselected intervals and the plasma assayed for bioactive LH and gonadal steroids. Low-dose 20 α -dihydroxy-progesterone administration resulted in periovulatory peripheral 20 α -dihydroxyprogesterone levels and did not advance the bioactive LH surge onset. In contrast, high-dose 20 α -dihydroxy-progesterone resulted in supraphysiological 20 α -dihydroxyprogesterone levels, slight increases in progesterone levels, and significant advancement of the surge over E 2 benzoate treatment alone. We conclude that periovulatory levels of 20 α -dihydroxyprogesterone do not play a role in modulating the estrogen-induced bioactive LH surge.
Characterizations and understanding of conducting filaments in resistive switching devices

Characterizations of resistive switching devices, especially through direct, in situ methodologies, provide valuable information that could lead to improved insights into the device switching mechanism. Here we discuss the characterization efforts on resistive switching devices to date, with emphasis on direct transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations on conducting filament formation and growth dynamics. Other characterization techniques used in filament analysis will also be covered. In the end, we will discuss existing challenges in continued filament characterizations and mechanism studies.
North American Russulas of the Subsection Foetentinae

Species of Russula sect. Ingratae subsect Foetentinae (Agaricales) now reasonably well known from North America are R. amoenolens, R. cerolens sp. nov., R. fragrantissima, R. granulata, R. laurocer...
Degenerative Mitral Stenosis: Unmet Need for Percutaneous Interventions

Degenerative mitral stenosis (DMS) is an important cause of mitral stenosis, developing secondary to severe mitral annular calcification. With the increase in life expectancy and improved access to health care, more patients with DMS are likely to be encountered in developed nations. These patients are generally elderly with multiple comorbidities and often are high-risk candidates for surgery. The mainstay of therapy in DMS patients is medical management with heart rate control and diuretic therapy. Surgical intervention might be delayed until symptoms are severely limiting and cannot be managed by medical therapy. Mitral valve surgery is also challenging in these patients because of the presence of extensive calcification. Hence, there is a need to develop an alternative percutaneous treatment approach for patients with DMS who are otherwise inoperable or at high risk for surgery. In this review, we summarize the available data on the epidemiology of DMS and diagnostic considerations and current treatment strategies for these patients.
Physiological Studies of the Precedence Effect in the Inferior Colliculus of the Cat. I. Correlates of Psychophysics

The precedence effect (PE) is experienced when two spatially separated sounds are presented with such a brief delay that only a single auditory image at or toward the location of the leading source is perceived. The responses of neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICC) of cats were studied using stimuli that are known to elicit the PE, focusing on the effects of changes in stimulus conditions that a listener might encounter in a natural situation. Experiments were conducted under both free-field (anechoic chamber) and dichotic (headphones) conditions. In free field, the PE was simulated by presenting two sounds from different loudspeakers with one sound delayed relative to the other. Either click or noise stimuli (2- to 10-ms duration) were used. Dichotically, the same conditions were simulated by presenting two click or noise pairs separated by an interstimulus delay (ISD) with interaural time differences (ITDs) imposed separately for each pair. At long ISDs, all neurons responded to both leading and lagging sources as if they were delivered alone. As the ISDs were shortened, the lagging response became suppressed. The ISD of half-maximal suppression varied considerably within the population of neurons studied, ranging from 2 to 100 ms, with means of 35 and 38 ms for free field and dichotic conditions, respectively. Several correlates of psychophysical findings were observed in ICC neurons: suppression was usually stronger with lower overall stimulus level and longer duration stimuli. Suppression also was compared along the azimuth and elevation in free field by placing the lagging source at (0 degree,0 degree), which is common to both axes, and the leading sources at locations along either plane that generated similar discharge rates. All neurons that showed suppression along the azimuth also did so in the elevation. In addition, there was a high correlation in the ISD of half-maximal suppression along the two planes (r = 0.87). These findings suggest that interaural difference cues, which are robust along the horizontal axis but minimal in the median plane, are not necessary for neural correlates of the PE to be manifested. Finally, single-neuron responses did not demonstrate a correlate of build-up of suppression, a phenomenon whereby echo suppression accumulates with ongoing stimulation. This finding adds credibility to theories about the PE that argue for a "higher order" component of the PE.
Inhibitory suppression of heterogeneously tuned excitation enhances spatial coding in CA1 place cells

Place cells in the CA1 region of the hippocampus express location-specific firing despite receiving a steady barrage of heterogeneously tuned excitatory inputs that should compromise output dynamic range and timing. We examined the role of synaptic inhibition in countering the deleterious effects of off-target excitation. Intracellular recordings in behaving mice demonstrate that bimodal excitation drives place cells, while unimodal excitation drives weaker or no spatial tuning in interneurons. Optogenetic hyperpolarization of interneurons had spatially uniform effects on place cell membrane potential dynamics, substantially reducing spatial selectivity. These data and a computational model suggest that spatially uniform inhibitory conductance enhances rate coding in place cells by suppressing out-of-field excitation and by limiting dendritic amplification. Similarly, we observed that inhibitory suppression of phasic noise generated by out-of-field excitation enhances temporal coding by expanding the range of theta phase precession. Thus, spatially uniform inhibition allows proficient and flexible coding in hippocampal CA1 by suppressing heterogeneously tuned excitation.
Bereavement and Loss in Childhood

This article examines the process of bereavement, its clinical presentation, and developmental influences. Family bereavement issues are outlined, pathologic and traumatic bereavement are described, and treatment strategies are suggested.
Selective checkpointing for minimizing recovery energy and efforts of smartphone apps

Unintended smartphone rebooting and unexpected shutdown (due to reasons like battery run outs, overheating, or automatic app upgrades) is annoying. What can be even worse is that a phone user has to restart, from the very beginning, the apps he or she was using when the phone got rebooted, because all the app states would be lost, especially when the number of apps in use is large. Hence, a recovery service is sorely needed for today's smartphones where apps are becoming increasingly complex. While checkpointing has long been used for desktop and laptop computers, such whole-system state preserving techniques cannot be applied to smartphones directly, due to the constraints of smartphones on energy, delay, and storage space. In this paper, we propose SmartCP, an intelligent checkpointing methodology, in order to reduce the energy required by a smartphone and the amount of efforts required by a user to recover the app states after the smartphone restarts. SmartCP selectively checkpoints the most important apps based on the apps' characteristics and predicted future usage, under the resource constraints of the phone. We propose a novel model that quantitatively analyzes the recovery energy and efforts of each category of smartphone apps and formulate selective checkpointing as a constrained optimization problem. We prototype SmartCP on Android and evaluate it using real-world traces as well as real user feedback. The results show that SmartCP outperforms two alternative app selection schemes by saving 28% more energy and 39% more recovery efforts on average.
Classroom Computer Capsule: Predator-Prey Model

(1991). Classroom Computer Capsule: Predator-Prey Model. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 160-162.
Reproductive promiscuity in the variegated fairy-wren: An alternative reproductive strategy in the absence of helpers?

Cooperative breeding, in which auxiliary group members help rear related, but nondescendent young, is often explained by kin selection. Reproductive monogamy is predicted in cooperatively breeding systems, as monogamy increases intragroup relatedness and maximizes auxiliary inclusive fitness. While monogamy is observed across many systems, including eusocial insects and cooperatively breeding mammals, some cooperatively breeding birds exhibit high rates of extrapair paternity. Here we quantify paternity and examine the role of auxiliaries on extrapair paternity in the highly cooperative variegated fairy-wren, Malurus lamberti, a species with both male and female auxiliaries. Extrapair paternity occurred in 55.4% of nests, and 39.8% of offspring were the result of extrapair matings. The presence of both male and female auxiliaries had a positive relationship with the percentage of within-pair young sired by dominant males, however, the presence of male auxiliaries had a stronger impact than the presence of females. The number of extrapair young sired by dominant males decreased as the number of male auxiliaries increased. The total number of young sired by dominant males, however, was not predicted by group size or relatedness to their social partner, nor did group composition or relatedness to the breeding pair predict the reproductive success of subordinate males. We hypothesize that breeders use alternative reproductive strategies in the presence or absence of auxiliaries. Males and females may seek extrapair reproductive opportunities when no help is available in their group and nest survival is expected to be low. When help is available, breeders may reduce extrapair paternity, either to increase intragroup relatedness or because confidence in nest survival is high. Our data suggest that group composition is important in understanding extrapair paternity rates in cooperatively breeding birds and that variation in extrapair paternity rates may be the result of flexible breeding strategies when auxiliary presence and identity varies.
Neighborhood regularized image superresolution for applications to microscopic imaging

We aim to computationally improve the resolution of images acquired from low magnification slide scanners. Such images, while efficient in terms of storage and data transfer, do not have the necessary resolution needed in diagnostic settings. The question we ask is, can the high resolution image be reconstructed, given a low resolution counterpart. This problem, known as the image superresolution problem (SR), is widely studied in the context of natural images (obtained from digital cameras). But for the application at hand, there are unique challenges, since the images we use do not have the high level features which are typically used in generating superresolution reconstructions. To address these issues, we design an approach specifically tailored for our application. We develop a deep learning framework that implements regularized sparse coding to smoothly reconstruct high-resolution images, given their low-resolution counterpart. Results show that our method indeed produces images which are similar to images from high resolution scanners, both in quality and quantitative measures and compares favorably to several state-of-the-art methods across a number of test images.
Quantitative Assessment of Liver Steatosis and Affected Pathways with Molecular Imaging and Proteomic Profiling

Current assessment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with histology is time-consuming, insensitive to early-stage detection, qualitative, and lacks information on etiology. This study explored alternative methods for fast and quantitative assessment of NAFLD with hyperspectral stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy and nanofluidic proteomics. Hyperspectral SRS microscopy quantitatively measured liver composition of protein, DNA, and lipid without labeling and sensitively detected early-stage steatosis in a few minutes. On the other hand, nanofluidic proteomics quantitatively measured perturbations to the post-translational modification (PTM) profiles of selective liver proteins to identify affected cellular signaling and metabolic pathways in a few hours. Perturbations to the PTM profiles of Akt, 4EBP1, BID, HMGCS2, FABP1, and FABP5 indicated abnormalities in multiple cellular processes including cell cycle regulation, PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling cascade, autophagy, ketogenesis, and fatty acid transport. The integrative deployment of hyperspectral SRS microscopy and nanofluidic proteomics provided fast, sensitive, and quantitative assessment of liver steatosis and affected pathways that overcame the limitations of histology.
Reflections on a Passage in Mill’s Utilitarianism

There is a passage in John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism that seems to me to have an important bearing on the topic of universalizability; but that has not, as far as I know, received much, if any, attention. It occurs in Chapter Three, “On the Ultimate Sanction of the Principle of Utility”, and more precisely in the section in which Mill explains how the social feelings of mankind support the principle of utility. He speaks of these social feelings as “a desire to be in unity with our fellow-creatures”;1 and although he admits that this desire exists in very different degrees of development at different stages of civilization, he claims that it must be present in some degree in all human beings. “The social state”, he declares, “is so actual, so necessary, and so habitual to man that except in some unusual circumstances, or by an effort of voluntary abstraction, he never conceives himself otherwise than as a member of a body…. ”2 It is at this point that the passage to which I wish to draw attention occurs; and it draws the conclusion to which the preceding observations point.
Realism and Existentialism

It is the underlying assumption of this essay that there is an unresolved conflict between realism and existentialism. It is further assumed that there exists throughout contemporary philosophy a fundamental tension between the factors of belief or commitment and the factors of reason or knowledge in the establishment of a world view, and that this tension is especially evident in the conflict between these two movements. This tension is more implicit than explicit, although there are numerous signs that it is becoming increasingly explicit. The essay intends to uncover this issue, show its seriousness for contemporary philosophy, indicate its centrality for the understanding of philosophical foundations, while exploring these foundations in the dialogue between these two movements. It is further assumed that issues surrounding the factor of commitment are fundamental issues of liberal culture, centered upon objectivity and subjectivity or objectivity and conviction. One of the central dilemmas of modern liberal culture is the attempt to find the appropriate relationship between conviction and objectivity. It is obvious that one of the leading developments of nineteenth and twentieth century philosophy is the discovery of the individual subject, the existing individual, as a matter of profound concern.
OR to ICU Patient Handoff: A Matter of Communication

Breakdown in communication during transition of care may result in adverse events. The Joint Commission listed the implementation of a standardized approach to “handoff” communication, including an opportunity to ask and respond to questions, as a requirement for hospitals. This chapter discusses why we have handoff checklists, will present data that handoffs make a difference and give guidance as to how to implement checklists.
Male breast cancer

Abstract Male breast cancer is rare, and many patients and health care providers are not familiar with this entity. Although the underlying causes are not well understood, certain populations are at higher risk, including certain gene mutation carriers, men with Klinefelter syndrome, and certain ethnic groups. Male breast cancer typically presents at a later stage than female breast cancer. A palpable mass is the most common presentation, but nipple discharge or other nipple changes may be seen. Because the number of affected individuals is small, prospective trials have not been conducted; thus, treatment recommendations are typically taken from large trials involving female breast cancer populations. Although outcomes in male breast cancer were previously thought to be worse than female breast cancer outcomes, it appears that they are similar. Questions regarding the most effective surgical and adjuvant therapies remain. Mastectomy with axillary lymph node evaluation, adjuvant hormonal therapy, and chem...
Sociodemographic Patterns of Outpatient Falls: Do Minority Patients Fall Less Frequently?

Abstract Introduction Falls are the most common cause of injury in the elderly, resulting in $50 billion of annual spending. Social and demographic factors associated with falling are not well understood. We hypothesized minority groups (minority race, lower income, and lower education levels) would experience similar rates of falling to majority groups after adjustment for medical factors. Material and Methods We used the 2013 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey Public Use File, a representatively sampled cross-sectional survey of Medicare outpatients. Fall was defined as at least one self-reported fall in the previous year. Logistic regression was performed to determine sociodemographic factors (age, sex, race, ethnicity, income, education level, and marital status) associated with fall. Health factors, physical limitations, and cognitive limitations were included as possible confounders. Data are presented as extrapolated weighted population proportions (±SE). Results 13,924 Medicare beneficiaries, representing 47 million people, were included. 26.6% (±0.4) reported falling. In adjusted logistic regression, black and Hispanic patients had significantly fewer self-reported falls than white patients, after adjustment for medical conditions, physical limitations, and cognitive limitations. Discussion Black and Hispanic Medicare patients are significantly less likely to have reported a fall than non-Hispanic whites. This finding differs from other health-related disparities in which minorities most commonly experience higher risk or more severe diseases. These data may also represent differences in self-reporting, indicating disparities in self-reported data in these cohorts. Further studies on social factors related to falling are needed in this population.
Efficacy of the eCHECKUP TO GO for High School Seniors: Sex Differences in Risk Factors, Protective Behavioral Strategies, and Alcohol Use

Objective:The purpose of this randomized controlled study was to examine sex as a moderator of the efficacy of a brief, web-based personalized feedback intervention (eCHECKUP TO GO) on decreasing c...
Endoscopic full-thickness resection of colorectal lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT Background and Aims Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) is a novel endoscopic technique for the resection of gastrointestinal lesions not amenable to standard endoscopic therapy. The primary aim of this study is to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate EFTR for the resection of colorectal lesions. Methods Individualized searches were developed through October 2020 in accordance with PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Random effects models were used to determine pooled technical success, margin negative (R0) resection, adverse events, procedure duration, and rate of recurrence at follow-up. Subgroup analysis was used to assess impact of specific procedure technique and regression analyses to determine influence of lesion size. Heterogeneity was assessed with I2 statistics and publication bias by funnel plot using Egger and Begg tests. Results Fourteen studies (n=1936; 39.6% female) were included. Most EFTR lesions were located in the colon (75.8%) with remaining in the rectum. Mean procedure duration was 45.4±11.4 minutes. Pooled technical success was 87.6% (95% CI, 85.1-89.8; I2=33), R0 resection rate was 78.8% (95% CI, 75.7-81.5; I2=33), procedure-associated adverse events occurred in 12.2% (95% CI, 9.3-15.9; I2=61) and recurrence rate was 12.6% (95% CI, 11.1-14.4; I2=0) over an average weighted follow-up of 20.1±3.8 weeks. Regression analyses revealed significantly lower R0 resection (OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.2-0.6; I2=61; p=0.0003) and higher overall procedure-associated adverse event rates (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.8-7.2; I2=55; p=0.0004) for lesions >20 mm. Conclusions EFTR overall appears to be an effective modality with high technical success and R0 resection rate with relatively low risk of adverse events and recurrence, with greatest success when lesions are
Social Media Mining for Understanding Traffic Safety Culture in Washington State Using Twitter Data

AbstractTraffic safety culture has emerged as a significant factor in support of the recognition of existing traffic safety policies and programs and as a contextual variable to describe high-risk ...
Disrupting enzyme fluidity

A combination of X-ray crystallography, NMR, and mass spectrometry has revealed how diverse small-molecule inhibitors bind Bruton's tyrosine kinase and alter the conformation of this enzyme.
Non-invasive single photon imaging through strongly scattering media

Non-invasive optical imaging through opaque and multi-scattering media remains highly desirable across many application domains. The random scattering and diffusion of light in such media inflict exponential decay and aberration, prohibiting diffraction-limited imaging. By non-interferometric few picoseconds optical gating of backscattered photons, we demonstrate single photon sensitive non-invasive 3D imaging of targets occluded by strongly scattering media with optical thicknesses reaching 9.5ls (19ls round trip). It achieves diffraction-limited imaging of a target placed 130 cm away through the opaque media, with millimeter lateral and depth resolution while requiring only one photon detection out of 50,000 probe pulses. Our single photon sensitive imaging technique does not require wavefront shaping nor computationally-intensive image reconstruction algorithms, promising practical solutions for diffraction-limited imaging through highly opaque and diffusive media with low illumination power.
Cognitive GPR for Subsurface Object Detection Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning

Ground penetrating radars (GPRs) carried by mobile platforms, such as vehicles and drones, have been applied in various applications, for instance, subsurface utility detection, structural health inspection, and autonomous driving. However, existing GPR systems are not able to operate autonomously and adaptively due to several challenges, including the lack of intelligence, uncertain and dynamic nature of sensing environments, and huge state and action spaces. To overcome these challenges, in this article, we propose an autonomous cognitive GPR (AC-GPR) enabled by a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) approach. Specifically, the operation of the proposed AC-GPR is first formulated as a sequential decision process. A novel reward function is developed for the DRL model by defining and combining two different types of entropy-based rewards resulting from object detection and recognition, respectively. A deep $Q$ -learning network (DQN) is developed to address the extreme curse of dimensionality in the state space and learn a policy directing the actions of the AC-GPR. The AC-GPR is evaluated using software called GprMax by combining DRL with GPR modeling and simulation. Results show that our proposed DRL-based AC-GPR outperforms other GPR systems using different approaches in terms of detection accuracy and operating time.
Identification of a covalent binder to the oncoprotein gankyrin using a NIR-Based OBOC screening method

Despite huge advancements in the process of synthesizing small molecules as part of one-bead-one-compound (OBOC) libraries, progress lags in the ability to screen these libraries against proteins of interest. Recently, we developed a method to screen OBOC libraries in which a target protein is labeled with a near-infrared (NIR) range fluorophore. The labeled protein incubates with beads of a library in a 96-well plate, then the plate is imaged for fluorescence. Fluorescence intensities produced by the labeled protein binding the bead can be quantitated and provide a basis to rank hits. Here, we present an application of this technique by screening the oncoprotein gankyrin against a 343-member peptoid library. The library was composed of four positions occupied by one of seven amines. In the third position, an amine that facilitates covalent binding via a sulfonyl fluoride moiety was incorporated. After screening for gankyrin binders twice, ten structures showed overlap in the types of amines present at each position. These initial hits were validated with an in-gel fluorescence assay in which the labeled ligands covalently interacted with purified gankyrin. Excitingly, one peptoid was validated from this analysis. This hit was also shown to bind gankyrin in the presence of HEK 293T lysate. Results from this study demonstrate successful use of our screening method to quickly identify quality binders to a target protein of interest.
Continuous measurement of attachment behavior: A multimodal view of the strange situation procedure.

Abstract Infant attachment is a critical indicator of healthy infant social-emotional functioning, which is typically measured using the gold-standard Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). However, expert-based attachment classifications from the SSP are time-intensive (with respect both to expert training and rating), and do not provide an objective, continuous record of infant behavior. To continuously quantify predictors of key attachment behaviors and dimensions, multimodal movement and audio data were collected during the SSP. Forty-nine 1-year-olds and their mothers participated in the SSP and were tracked in three-dimensional space using five synchronized Kinect sensors; LENA recordings were used to quantify crying duration. Theoretically-informed multimodal measures of attachment-related behavior (e.g., dyadic contact duration, infant velocity of approach toward the mother, and infant crying) were used to predict expert rating scales and dimensional summaries of attachment outcomes. Stepwise regressions identified sets of multimodal objective measures that were significant predictors of eight of nine of the expert ratings of infant attachment behaviors in the SSP’s two reunions. These multimodal measures predicted approximately half of the variance in the summary approach/avoidance and resistance/disorganization attachment dimensions. Incorporating all objective measures as predictors regardless of significance levels, predicted individual ratings within an average of one point on the original Likert scales. The results indicate that relatively inexpensive Kinect and LENA sensors can be harnessed to quantify attachment behavior in a key assessment protocol, suggesting the promise of objective measurement to understanding infant-parent interaction.
Assessment of Competitiveness Factors of an Agent of the Financial Environment: Methodology and Comparative Analysis

The functioning of the banking sector of the economy in the world is characterized by a decrease in its capital intensity due to a decrease in the concentration of foreign capital, a deterioration in the quality of the loan portfolio, an outflow of urgent deposit resources and the receipt of significant losses by banking institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking into account the current trends in the spread of the virus, the development and implementation of fundamentally new approaches to anti-crisis management in the banking sector of both the world economy and Russia is of great importance today. The COVID-19 pandemic came as a big shock to the global and European economies. While banks are not hit by the pandemic as directly as other retail institutions, they are in the public eye as they provide funding to corporations and individuals. Their stability is crucial for maintaining the efficiency of the entire economic system, not only of a particular country, but also of the world. Currently, the need for a comprehensive study of the competitiveness of a commercial bank is determined by the objective modern conditions of the life of banks operating in a competitive environment. The article proposes the author’s methodology for assessing the competitiveness of a commercial bank, which includes five groups of indicators, which makes it possible to identify not only problematic, but also stable areas of activity. The proposed method for calculating the integral indicator for assessing the competitiveness of a commercial bank has been tested on the example of Russian Agricultural Bank and Sberbank, and a set of measures has been developed to increase the level of competitiveness of a commercial bank.
Milk Urea Nitrogen and Infertility in Florida Dairy Cows

While the negative impact of dietary protein on fertility in dairy cattle has been documented in several studies, the effect of urea nitrogen on fertility in dairy cattle in large dairy operations has not been fully investigated. The objective of this study was to assess the association between milk urea nitrogen (MUN) concentrations (high, low) and pregnancy status 42-49 days after first breeding in Florida dairy cows.
Lawyer Barons: What Their Contingency Fees Really Cost America

1. The origin of the contingency fee 2. How profitable are contingency fees? 3. Are contingency fee profits 'reasonable'? 4. How tort lawyers have increased their profits by restraining competition 5. Why the market has failed to correct the absence of price competition 6. Impediments imposed by the bar to price competition 7. The effects of incentives created by contingency fees 8. How the quest for profits influenced the development of the tort system 9. Lawyers' role in the expansion of tort liability 10. The role of the judiciary in tort system expansion 11. Current and future expansions of tort liability 12. The litigation explosion: 'fact or fiction'? 13. Measures of the rate of expansion of tort liability 14. The relationship between injury rates and tort system costs 15. The impacts of substantial increases in tort lawyers' effective hourly rates 16. Class actions 17. Fees in class actions 18. How class action lawyers game fee setting 19. Securities class actions 20. Regulation through litigation 21. A new role for punitive damages: policy-making as a profit center 22. For-profit partnerships between state attorneys general and contingency fee lawyers Appendix A. A critique of Alex Tabarrok, the problem of contingent fees for waiters Appendix B. Calculating tort lawyers' effective hourly rates in 1960 Appendix C. Electronic discovery and the use of contract lawyers Appendix D. The HMO litigation Appendix E. The GM 'side saddle' truck litigation: the (short lived) triumph of litigation over the regulatory process Appendix F. Modern class actions undermine democratic precepts Appendix G. Other ways lawyers game class action fees Appendix H. Non-recourse financing of tort litigation Appendix I. Political contributions by tort lawyers and the U.S. chamber of commerce Appendix J. Special rules favoring lawyers Appendix K. The ultimate medical expense 'build-up': whiplash Appendix L. The effect of punitive damages on compensatory awards.
THE NAPOLEONIC EMPIRE AND THE MAKING OF A MODERN PUBLIC: POLICING, POLITICS, AND PARADES IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY HAMBURG, 1806-1830

THE NAPOLEONIC EMPIRE AND THE MAKING OF A MODERN PUBLIC: POLICING, POLITICS, AND PARADES IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY HAMBURG, 1806-1830 By Brendan William Haidinger, Master of Arts A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2013. Director: Dr. George Munro Professor, Department of History Despite the attention historians have given to the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras in Central Europe, few works have sought to understand these events' reverberations throughout the nineteenth century in a local or regional context. Taking the northern German city of Hamburg as its focal point, this study investigates the change in the urban political culture affected by eight years of Napoleonic occupation. In the process of replacing Hamburg's sprawling and archaic government with one characterized by Gallic centralization and rigor, the French introduced a new style of politics that relied on consistent, public, and martial presentations of its authority. This public presence was heightened not only by the implementation of modern policing techniques, but also by a series of choreographed, ideologically-charged public spectacles whose effectiveness relied on a clever manipulation and politicization of urban space.
Motivation and Cognitive Control: Going Beyond Monetary Incentives

This chapter examines the topic of motivation–cognition interactions from a cognitive neuroscience perspective. More specifically, we consider the use of primary rewards (e.g., liquids) as motivational incentives during cognitive task performance, in comparison to monetary rewards, which are the traditional form of incentive used in most human experimental studies. We review behavioral and neuroscience literature suggesting that motivationally based performance enhancement is not ubiquitous, but when present, appears to reflect modulation of cognitive control processes supported by frontoparietal cortex via interactions with subcortical reward-processing circuits. Further, we compare and contrasts findings from studies using monetary rewards and those employing primary rewards, suggesting possible reasons for similarities and differences, as well as future directions to address unanswered questions. Finally, and most importantly, we discuss the advantages of using primary rewards as incentives to further explore motivation–cognition interactions. We present pilot data as a sample case study to demonstrate how primary rewards can offer methodological, theoretical, and experimental leverage. We conclude by presenting an indepth discussion of questions (and corresponding experimental paradigms) that can be most profitably investigated through the use of primary rewards, with the goal of providing a more comprehensive characterization of the nature of motivation–cognition interactions in the human brain.
The Measurement of Attitudes toward Man-Machine Systems

To explore and increase the understanding of man-machine relationships, an instrument designed to assess attitudes toward machines was developed and tested in this study. The scaling techniques used in the instrument were based on the work of Charles Osgood with the Semantic Differential. One hundred subjects, consisting of professionals experienced with various machine systems, i.e., programmers, engineers, human factor and operations research scientists, were asked to describe the characteristics of ten machines (Radio, Radar, Automobile, Man, Computer, Teletype, Bulldozer, Bicycle, Welding Torch, and Watch), by means of forty-two adjectives. The results indicate that the developed instrument can be used effectively for the assessment of man-machine attitudes. The hypothesized attitudes toward control and power, toward machines as an extension of man's capabilities, and toward change did emerge; however, typical Osgood factor patterns were not obtained in most of the analyses. The steps for modification...
Statistical Analysis of Call‐Center Operational Data: Forecasting Call Arrivals, and Analyzing Customer Patience and Agent Service

Call centers are increasingly important in our modern commerce. Academic research on call centers has been growing rapidly in the last couple of decades. We review statistical research about inbound call centers. We begin with a description of call-center operational data, proceed with overviews of statistical research in the areas of call forecasting and analysis of customer patience and agent service times, and conclude with a discussion about challenges for future research. Keywords: call center; call-center operational data; workforce management; arrival rate uncertainty; abandonment; patience; retrial; agent heterogeneity
Rocket Measurements of Energetic Particles in the Midlatitude Precipitation Zone

Measurements of energetic ion and electron properties as a function of altitude in the midlatitude zone of nighttime energetic particle precipitation are reported. The measurements of particle fluxes, energy spectra and pitch angle distributions were obtained by a Langmuir probe, six energetic particle spectrometers and an electrostatic analyzer on board a Nike Apache rocket launched near the center of the midlatitude zone during disturbed conditions. It is found that the incident flux was primarily absorbed rather than backscattered, and consists of mainly energetic hydrogen together with some helium and a small energetic electron component. Observed differential energy spectra of protons having an exponential energy spectrum, and pitch angle distributions at various altitudes indicate that the energetic particle flux decreases rapidly for pitch angles less than 70 deg. An energetic particle energy flux of 0.002 ergs/sq cm per sec is calculated which indicates the significance of energetic particles as a primary nighttime ionization source for altitudes between 120 and 200 km in the midlatitude precipitation zone.
Priest as Teacher III: Parishioners’ Responsiveness and Priests’ Vocational Qualities

The study reported here is the third in a program of inquiry examining communication in the Catholic Church. Grounded in existing research underscoring the relationships among nonverbal responsiveness and organizational perceptions, the goal of this inquiry was to explore relationships among priests’ perceptions of parishioners’ nonverbal responsiveness during homilies and priests’ reports of satisfaction, motivation, and burnout. Utilizing a sample of Catholic priests, results indicated that parishioners’ nonverbal responsiveness during priests’ homilies was directly related to priests’ satisfaction and motivation and inversely related to two dimensions of burnout. Analyzing the three organizational perceptions together, motivation appears to be most consistent predictor of burnout. Implications are discussed.
Phase Equilibria in the System CaO‐Yb2O3

Phase equilibrium relations in the system CaO-Yb2O3 were studied. Results of this work demonstrated the existence of four crystalline phases: Yb2O3.3CaO, Yb2O3.2CaO, Yb2O3°CaO, and 2Yb2O3°CaO. The 2Yb2O3°CaO phase is metastable at all temperatures and was obtained only by rapid quenching from the melt. The crystalline solubility limit of YbaO3 in CaO at 1850°C is slightly greater than 8 mole %, whereas no solubility of CaO in Yb2O3 was detected. All four compounds have subsolidus minimums of stability and dissociate into the component oxides below 1800°C. Data are also presented for the systems CaO-Gd2O3 and CaO-La2O3.
Metrology sensor characterization and pointing control for the formation interferometer testbed (FIT)

StarLight is a NASA/JPL sponsored mission that will demonstrate formation flying and interferometric technologies needed for future missions such as Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF). The StarLight stellar interferometer is composed of two spacecraft, a combiner spacecraft and a collector spacecraft, forming separated apertures. In this paper, the metrology pointing sensor of the StarLight ground instrument prototype is characterized and a siderostat pointing control loop is closed between two optical benches with a 10 meter separation. The Formation Interferometer Testbed (FIT) metrology pointing sensor (MPS) uses four photodiodes to detect gradients in the metrology laser caused by relative motion of the two optical benches. By differencing across the photodiodes, a measurement of the laser beam centroid can be obtained. In the flight design, this signal is passed to the combiner spacecraft, via an interspacecraft communication link, and used as a feedback signal to point a siderostat on the combiner spacecraft.
Channel modeling for ad hoc mobile wireless networks

Fading is fundamentally different in ad hoc and cellular mobile wireless networks. Herein we show a way to simulate small-scale and large-scale fading on links in an ad hoc network and present simulation results for a multipath shadowed outdoor environment. We study fundamental discrepancies between ad hoc and cellular networks and find that link performance is worse for the ad hoc case, but, more interestingly, the performance gap shrinks with "increased mobility".
Evolution of Transcriptional Control of the IgH Locus: Characterization, Expression, and Function of TF12/HEB Homologs of the Catfish

The transcriptional enhancer (Eμ3′) of the IgH locus of the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus , differs from enhancers of the mammalian IgH locus in terms of its position, structure, and function. Transcription factors binding to multiple octamer motifs and a single μE5 motif (an E-box site, consensus CANNTG) interact for its function. E-box binding transcription factors of the class I basic helix-loop-helix family were cloned from a catfish B cell cDNA library in this study, and homologs of TF12/HEB were identified as the most highly represented E-proteins. Two alternatively spliced forms of catfish TF12 (termed CFEB1 and -2) were identified and contained regions homologous to the basic helix-loop-helix and activation domains of other vertebrate E-proteins. CFEB message is widely expressed, with CFEB1 message predominating over that of CFEB2. Both CFEB1 and -2 strongly activated transcription from a μE5-dependent artificial promoter. In catfish B cells, CFEB1 and -2 also activated transcription from the core region of the catfish IgH enhancer (Eμ3′) in a manner dependent on the presence of the μE5 site. Both CFEB1 and -2 bound the μE5 motif, and formed both homo- and heterodimers. CFEB1 and -2 were weakly active or inactive (in a promoter-dependent fashion) in mammalian B-lineage cells. Although E-proteins have been highly conserved in vertebrate evolution, the present results indicate that, at the phylogenetic level of a teleost fish, the TF12/HEB homolog differs from that of mammals in terms of 1) its high level of expression and 2) the presence of isoforms generated by alternative RNA processing.