cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiocardiac Reflexes — The Role of the Spinoreticular Tract

The heart contains receptors that continually sense information during normal and pathological conditions. After the mechanical or chemical receptors transduce information into electrical impulses, the spikes are carried in both sympathetic and vagal afferent pathways (1,2). The sympathetic afferent information can be transmitted to several destinations. Sympathetic afferent activity can synapse on postganglionic sympathetic efferent neurons located in the inferior and middle cardiac ganglia to affect the function of the heart (3). Information can enter the gray matter of the spinal cord and, either directly or indirectly, modulate the activity of sympathetic preganglionic efferent fibers of the heart (4) or other visceral structures such as the kidney (5). Once information reaches the spinal cord it can also be transmitted to supraspinal structures for complex integration. The work described in this chapter will focus on the transmission of noxious and innocuous information from the heart by the spinoreticular tract (SRT). Much of the SRT terminates in regions of medullary reticular formation involved in reflex cardiovascular adjustments and the motivational-affective behavioral aspects of pain (6). This chapter will describe the effects of coronary artery occlusion, intracardiac injections of bradykinin and generation of premature ventricular contractions on the activity of cells of origin in the SRT. The results indicate that these noxious and innocuous stimuli are capable of increasing the discharge rate of thoracic SRT cells. This study also demonstrates that vagal afferent stimulation suppresses sympathetic afferent information originating from the heart.
Affective publics and structures of storytelling: sentiment, events and mediality

ABSTRACTIn this essay, I further explicate the construct of affective publics by drawing elements from two case studies, the first focusing on uses of Twitter leading up to and following the events surrounding the resignation of Hosni Mubarak via #egypt, and the second one focusing on online iterations of the Occupy movement, and specifically #ows, one of the more connective and central tags of the movement. I explore what mediated feelings of connectedness do for politics and networked publics in the digital age, and explore their impact on structures of storytelling, sentiment, and the mediality of events broadcast through different platforms. Technologies network us, but it is our stories that connect us.
Use of advance directives: facilitating health care decisions by adults with mental retardation and their families.

Abstract As increasing numbers of adults with mental retardation survive into adulthood and old age, they may face decisions about their health care and end-of-life treatment. Advance directives may serve as a tool for communicating one's preferences about future medical treatment. Information about the types, extent of use, and ethical context of advanced directives is provided and four critical issues regarding use of advanced directives by adults with mental retardation and their families are examined: assessment of decision-making capacity, standards for surrogate decision-making, family involvement in advanced directives planning, and constraints on the use of advanced directives. Implications for professionals are discussed, including ways to facilitate advance care planning.
Cap and Trade, A Relative Gains Approach Towards Achieving a Sustainable Energy Policy

The United States is at the crossroads in determining future energy policy needs. This is a daunting task considering the U.S. consumes nearly 21 million barrels of oil per day. In turn this places pressure on policymakers to offset this overwhelming dependence by seeking mitigation mechanisms which include the currently debated Cap and Trade program. Drawing upon an absolute and relative gains approach as well as looking at recent environmental challenges, I demonstrate how Cap and Trade mirrors this dilemma in that it seeks to redirect this country towards a non-fossil fuel program based on incremental ideology. This in turn will contribute towards altering energy sources as well as reduce greenhouse emissions. I argue that cap and trade policy reflects a classical environmental policy paradigm in that it offers relative gains, but needs to approach absolute gains as close as possible in order for a successful, sustainable, and cogent energy policy to be realized.
Large-Area Monolayer MoS2 for Flexible Low-Power RF Nanoelectronics in the GHz Regime

Flexible synthesized MoS2 transistors are advanced to perform at GHz speeds. An intrinsic cutoff frequency of 5.6 GHz is achieved and analog circuits are realized. Devices are mechanically robust for 10,000 bending cycles.
Detection of Occult Carcinoma of the Esophagus by Toluidine Blue Staining in High-risk Patients

One prospect for increasing survival in esophageal cancer would be detection of occult lesions in asymptomatic patients. Vital staining of the esophageal mucosa with toluidine blue has proven effective in demonstrating dysplastic and early malignant lesions which are not otherwise recognizable [1]. Because of the increased incidence of cancer of the esophagus in patients with previous or concurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract, esophagoscopy with toluidine blue staining in this selected group of patients would be expected to uncover a significant number of occult esophageal malignancies.
Structural characteristics of Au-GaAs nanostructures for increased plasmonic optical enhancement

This research has been performed to improve upon optical qualities exhibited by metallic-semiconductor nanostructures in terms of their ability to excite electrons and generate current through the fabricated device. Plasmonic interactions become very influential at this scale, and can play an important role in the generation of photocurrent throughout the semiconductor. When the device is fabricated to promote the coupling of these radiated electromagnetic fields, a very substantial optical enhancement becomes evident. A GaAs substrate with an array of Au nanowires attached to the surface is studied to determine structural qualities that promote this enhancement. Using computational electromagnetic modeling and analysis, the effect of the Ti adhesion layer and various structural qualities are analyzed to promote photocurrent generation. Emphasis is placed on the amount of enhancement occurring in the semiconductor layer of the model. The photocurrent is then calculated mathematically and generalized for optimization of the device.
Investigating an alternate form of the cognitive reflection test.

Much research in cognitive psychology has focused on the tendency to conserve limited cognitive resources. The CRT is the predominant measure of such miserly information processing, and also predicts a number of frequently studied decision-making traits (such as belief bias and need for cognition). However, many subjects from common subject populations have already been exposed to the questions, which might add considerable noise to data. Moreover, the CRT has been shown to be confounded with numeracy. To increase the pool of available questions and to try to address numeracy confounds, we developed and tested the CRT-2. CRT-2 questions appear to rely less on numeracy than the original CRT but appear to measure closely related constructs in other respects. Crucially, substantially fewer subjects from Amazonâ€™s Mechanical Turk have been previously exposed to CRT-2 questions. Though our primary purpose was investigating the CRT-2, we also found that belief bias questions appear suitable as an additional source of new items. Implications and remaining Keywords: cognitive reflection, CRT.
Seems that We Have a Failure to Coordinate

When John Maynard Keynes recognized that Say’s Law, supply creates its own demand, may not always work, he shocked his classical economist colleagues. The classical school was one of permanent equilibrium, unless of course some irrational animal spirits plunges us, presumably temporarily, into disequilibrium. Keynes was the first to create a consistent theory that explains how an economy can be in a persistently bad state of affairs.
Design of reinforced concrete structure with special-shaped columns under horizontal seismic loading

Due to the particularity of geometric property of reinforced concrete special-shaped cross-section,structural response in different horizontal seismic directions should be taken into account.According to an example,reinforced concrete structure with special-shaped columns was analyzed in different horizontal seismic directions.Natural period of vibration,axial compressive ratio,bottom shear of column and drift angle were also researched.The result demonstrates the special-shaped column of L section has stronger direction.The directions of 45 degree and 45 negative degree should be taken into account.Plane placement of special-shaped columns should be adjusted that its center of rigidity can be close to centroid.So it can deminish structure negative influence resulted from torsion effect.
Prediction of ruminal volatile fatty acids and pH within the net carbohydrate and protein system

A steady-state model of the production, absorption, passage, and concentration of ruminal VFA and pH is developed from published literature data and is structured to use the feed descriptions and inputs from the net carbohydrate and protein system. Included are the effects of pH on growth rate and yield of structural and non-structural carbohydrate-fermenting bacteria; production of acetate, propionate, butyrate, lactate, and methane; conversion of lactate to VFA; ruminal absorption of acids; and prediction of ruminal pH from dietary measures and from ruminal buffering and acidity. The root mean square error of predicted total VFA concentration was 12 mM. Individual VFA fractions were inadequately predicted. In a review of literature data, effective NDF (eNDF) provided a better correlation with ruminal pH than forage or NDF. Digestion rate of NDF remained at normal levels above pH 6.2, which corresponds to a minimum eNDF of 20% of dietary DM. Further research is needed to determine the individual VFA produced from carbohydrate fractions at various pH, the appropriateness of partitioning the starch and pectin carbohydrate pool into slowly and rapidly degraded fractions, and the effect on microbial yield, total tract digestibility, and predicted energy values of feeds.
Colonic adenocarcinoma metastatic to thyroid Hürthle cell carcinoma presenting with airway obstruction.

Clinical presentation of a metastatic carcinoma to the thyroid gland is rare; it is more commonly reported in autopsy studies. Clinical presentation of malignant primary tumors to the thyroid is most common for renal, breast, and lung tumors that metastasize through a blood-borne route to the vascular thyroid gland. A 71-year-old man with a history of colon cancer that had been in remission for seven years had a long-standing thyroid goiter being followed elsewhere, with previous needle aspiration cytology consistent with a benign thyroid goiter. He presented with stridor, a 14 cm thyroid mass, and a larynx dramatically deviated to the contralateral side. Thyroidectomy resulted in return of the larynx to the midline with mobile vocal cords. Final pathologic examination indicated the rare phenomenon of tumor-to-tumor metastasis--a colon adenocarcinoma metastatic to a thyroid Hurthle cell carcinoma with focal areas of dedifferentiated anaplastic thyroid cancer. Colorectal carcinoma can remain asymptomatic for years. A thyroid mass in a patient previously diagnosed with a slow-growing malignancy (breast, kidney, colon) should be suspected of being a distant metastasis. Surgery may be indicated as palliative treatment.
Reducing the pain of intravenous injections in preschool children

Background & problems Peripheral intravenous catheter insertion is a significant source of stress for preschoolers during hospitalization. An average of about 85% of pediatric patients at our general pediatric unit are preschoolers. An average 71% of these exhibit severe pain-related behavior during intravenous insertions. The factors influencing this pain experience may include inappropriate administration of analgesics by nurses, non-pharmacologic pain management, and inappropriate clinical settings. Purpose This project worked to develop a strategy to reduce the incidence of severe injection pain in preschool children from 71.0% to 36.0% and to achieve a capacity improvement target of 50%. Resolutions We implemented the following: 1) arranged a relevant training program for pediatric nurses; 2) revised hospital standards for pediatric intravenous insertions; and 3) enhanced analgesic administration and non-pharmacologic pain management through creating child-friendly clinical settings and providing interactive toys. Results After implementing the above mentioned interventions, the incidence of severe pain-related behavior in pediatric patients decreased from 71.0% to 19.7%, a result that greatly exceeded expectations. Conclusions This project demonstrated an effective approach to reducing severe intravenous-insertion pain in preschoolers and increasing pediatric care quality.
Automated Synthesis and Dynamic Analysis of Tradeoff Spaces for Object-Relational Mapping

Producing software systems that achieve acceptable tradeoffs among multiple non-functional properties remains a significant engineering problem. We propose an approach to solving this problem that combines synthesis of spaces of design alternatives from logical specifications and dynamic analysis of each point in the resulting spaces. We hypothesize that this approach has potential to help engineers understand important tradeoffs among dynamically measurable properties of system components at meaningful scales within reach of existing synthesis tools. To test this hypothesis, we developed tools to enable, and we conducted, a set of experiments in the domain of relational databases for object-oriented data models. For each of several data models, we used our approach to empirically test the accuracy of a published suite of metrics to predict tradeoffs based on the static schema structure alone. The results show that exhaustive synthesis and analysis provides a superior view of the tradeoff spaces for such designs. This work creates a path forward toward systems that achieve significantly better tradeoffs among important system properties.
The Mediating Role of Message Concreteness and Perceived Persuasiveness in Explaining the Match Effect Between Temporal Frame and Self-View

Different temporal frames are often used in health communication to convey persuasive messages. This work investigates how temporal frames can be used more effectively depending on an individual’s accessible self-view. This study found that a distal temporal frame is more effective with an independent self-view whereas a proximal temporal frame is more effective with an interdependent self-view. In addition, this chapter examines two mediating variables as being important in understanding the relationship between temporal frame and self-construal on behavioral intentions: persuasiveness and message concreteness. This study revealed that the cognitive information processing of the match effect varied depending on how concretely one construes health-risk-related information. This chapter adds to the existing literature by explaining the underlying mechanisms of the match effects between temporal frame and self-view.
Controversial summonses in Rudens and Persa

In Rudens and Persa , the slave-owners are summoned to court in highly dramatized fashion: in the former, the pimp Lab rax has been held at bay by lorarii (floggers) for the greater part of Act in before Plesidippus appears on-stage and hales him, plaintively calling for assistance, to court; in Persa , the court summons in iv 9 is the climax of the “legal plot” scripted and rehearsed by Toxilus and his friends. In each play, the alleged criminal reappears on-stage in the last act of the play. What happened in the interim – between the march to the courtroom and the reappearance of the accused on-stage? Are we to imagine, via the brachiology of dramatic time, that the praetor heard the claims and assigned the case ( in iure ) and that a hearing took place at which a verdict was given ( apud iudicem )? That imagined sequence, however, is fraught with problems: do the procedures and penalties match the offense in each play? and are we to imagine the same sequence in the Greek originals – or is it possible, or even necessary, that different resolutions appeared in them?
Public perceptions of adolescent mothers in need of care and protection in Jordan: Could community-based alternatives to institutional placement reduce stigma?

Adolescent girls who become pregnant outside of marriage in the Middle East experience increased stigma, risk of social exclusion, and family violence. This study examined whether community-based foster care has the potential to reduce the stigma attached to pregnant girls placed in protective institutional care within an Arab context. Using data from a public survey of adults in Jordan, this study found that stigma was significantly lower when the pregnant girl was described as placed in foster care rather than institutional care. Findings indicate that foster care models may have the potential to lessen the stigma attached to these girls.
Creating contemplative studies in the Southwest: theory and practice

In this article, I offer a brief history of the Contemplative Studies initiative at Texas Christian University, then discuss some of the theoretical underpinning for our program, indicating the value of contemplative pedagogy in academia and Religious Studies in particular. I argue that such pedagogy addresses central concerns of liberal arts education, that is, enhancing insight into and critical reflection about both self and others in their social and historical location. Contemplative learning adds “first person” direct experience to traditional “third person” objective study which gives a more accurate (and “lived”) understanding of both one’s own and others’ worldviews and practices. I will also discuss how and why students themselves want contemplative methods in the classroom. Religion professors in particular should introduce students to the importance of understanding the historical and cultural context of these (and our own) worldviews, enhancing these understandings with appropriate first-hand experience of basic exercises in various traditions (religious and modern secular) that have specialized in “first person” inquiry. I will close by raising questions about how scholars should address the high degree of appropriation, decontextualization, and commodification of most contemplative traditions today.
Knowledge-based decision-making model for the management of transit system alternative fuel infrastructures

ABSTRACTEnergy-efficient and environmentally sustainable public transportation systems are within the solution space provided by alternative fuel vehicles. Given the large revenue service potential of alternative fuel buses within the urban space, they are good candidates for emissions reductions when they are employed as part of a comprehensive urban transit planning process. The determination of the most appropriate alternative fuel bus asset for a given application is not necessarily that straightforward. The typical bus fleet is developed over a broad time horizon with each asset being acquired to meet a certain agency need or to close a perceived gap in the delivery of public transportation service. Therefore, as new assets are considered, it is critical for the fleet manager to consider as many factors of the fleet infrastructure to better ensure the positive impact that the newly acquired asset will have on fleet performance relative to the overall service goals and objectives of the fleet. This st...
A Trajectory Based Method of Automatic Counting of Cyclist in Traffic Video Data

Due to the growing number of cyclist accidents on urban roads, methods for collecting information on cyclists are of significant importance to the Department of Transportation. The collected information provides insights into solving critical problems related to transportation planning, implementing safety countermeasures, and managing traffic flow efficiently. Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) employs automated tools to collect traffic information from traffic video data. One of the important factors that influence cyclists safety is their counts. In comparison to other road users, such as cars and pedestrians, the automated cyclist data collection is relatively a new research area. In this work, we develop a vision-based method for gathering cyclist count data at intersections and road segments. We implement a robust cyclist detection method based on a combination of classification features. We implement a multi-object tracking method based on the Kernelized Correlation Filters (KCF) in cooperation with the bipartite graph matching algorithm to track multiple cyclists. Then, a trajectory rebuilding method and a trajectory comparison model are applied to refine the accuracy of tracking and counting. The proposed method is the first cyclist counting method, that has the ability to count cyclists under different movement patterns. The trajectory data obtained can be further utilized for cyclist behavioral modeling and safety analysis.
To Type or not to Type: On the Effectiveness of Static typing for JavaScript

JavaScript is growing explosively and is now used in large mature projects even outside the web domain. JavaScript is also a dynamically typed language for which static type systems, notably Facebook’s Flow and Microsoft’s TypeScript, have been written. What benefits do these static type systems provide? Leveraging JavaScript project histories, we select a fixed bug and check out the code just prior to the fix. We manually add type annotations to the buggy code and test whether Flow and TypeScript report an error on the buggy code, thereby possibly prompting a developer to fix the bug before its public release. We then report the proportion of bugs on which these type systems reported an error. Evaluating static type systems against public bugs, which have survived testing and review, is conservative: it understates their effectiveness at detecting bugs during private development, not to mention their other benefits such as facilitating code search/completion and serving as documentation. Despite this uneven playing field, our central finding is that both static type systems find an important percentage of public bugs: both Flow 0.30 and TypeScript 2.0 successfully detect 15%!
Early Science on Theta

At the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, the process for standing up a new system is paired with The Early Science Program. This competitive program prepares a select group of applications science teams to use the new machine very readily by providing them staff support and early access to preproduction system hardware and software. This column describes three Theta Early Science projects: two science applications and one code development effort.
Frogeye Leaf Spot of Soybean : A Review and Proposed Race Designations for Isolates of Cercospora sojina Hara

Frogeye leaf spot (FLS), caused by Cercospora sojina K. Hara, is a common disease of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in most soybean-growing countries of the world. Signifi cant yield losses of soybean (10-60%) have been attributed to FLS under hot and humid growing conditions. The FLS in the southern United States has been kept under control by planting resistant cultivars. Cercospora sojina is a dynamic pathogen with extensive virulence or race diversity. The current number of C. sojina isolates at the University of Georgia collection is 93. Assigning race desig- nations to this large number of isolates has been diffi cult because of the lack of a well-defi ned set of differentials. To facilitate future studies of the genetics of soybean resistance to FLS and the identifi cation and comparison of existing and future races of C. sojina, we have reassessed both the soybean differentials and the C. sojina races. Based on the reactions of 93 isolates of C. sojina on 38 putative soybean differentials, we propose a core set of 12 differentials and 11 races that represent the major diversity among the 93 C. sojina isolates. The defi nition of these 12 differentials and 11 races should provide the foundation for the identifi cation and comparison of additional soybean resistance genes and new races of C. sojina.
An Evaluation of SignBright: A Storytelling Application for Sign Language Acquisition and Interpersonal Bonding amongst Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth and Caregivers

Deaf or hard of hearing children of hearing caregivers face many challenges that have been shown to adversely impact their interpersonal interactions and development. Contemporary research indicates that many of these challenges stem from environmental factors, including a lack of exposure to language concepts during early developmental stages. This study investigates an innovative solution to foster connection and understanding between Deaf or hard of hearing children and hearing. SignBright is a storytelling application designed to promote connection between parents and Deaf or hard of hearing children. SignBright allows parents and Deaf or hard of hearing children to engage in the activity of storytelling, which promotes mutual growth and understanding, teaches language skills, and enhances parent-child bonds. This study is focused on evaluating qualities of SignBright such as the ease of navigation, design, layout, motivational characteristics, and the perceived effectiveness of SignBright.
Beta-ig. Molecular cloning and in situ hybridization in corneal tissues.

PURPOSE To identify a protein that copurifies with type VI collagen from rabbit cornea and to determine its cell source in rabbit corneal tissues by in situ hybridization. METHODS Type VI collagen was extracted from cornea with urea and purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel chromatography. The purity of the collagen was assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). On reduction with mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol, the alpha chains of type VI collagen ran into the gel. In addition to the type VI collagen polypeptides, an extra 68-kDa protein band appeared, suggesting that this protein is present as a large molecular weight component before reduction. Amino acid sequencing indicated that protein was related to beta ig-h3 from humans. Western blot analysis was used to determine immunologic similarity to this human protein. A rabbit stromal cell cDNA library was screened with human beta ig-h3 cDNA probe. Positive clones were sequenced and analyzed for sequence homology. Oligonucleotide probes prepared from rabbit cDNA sequences were used for Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization of corneal tissues. RESULTS Electroblotting of the SDS-PAGE and amino acid sequence analysis of the first 10 N-terminal amino acids of the 68-kDa band gave 100% homology with a known protein produced by human adenocarcinoma cells, beta ig-h3. This 68-kDa protein was identical immunologically to beta ig-h3 by Western blot analysis. Sequence analysis of a rabbit cDNA clone contained the whole coding region and had high identity with both human beta ig-h3 and mouse beta ig-m3. The deduced amino acid sequence had 92% identity with these species. An oligonucleotide probe from the rabbit cDNA sequence detected a single band of mRNA from cultures of stromal cells consistent in size with human beta ig-h3 mRNA. The authors refer to the rabbit form of beta ig-h3 as beta ig because the protein was obtained from normal rabbit cornea and the mRNA comes from primary cultures of rabbit stromal cells and not from a cloned cell line. In situ hybridization of rabbit corneal tissue indicated that the beta ig mRNA is located primarily in the epithelium of normal adult cornea, in fetal stromal cells, and both endothelium- and stroma-derived cells in healing corneal wounds. Normal adult endothelium and stroma did not show beta ig mRNA label. CONCLUSIONS The highly conserved amino acid sequence homology between the human, mouse, and rabbit proteins and the temporal expression of beta ig message during corneal healing and development suggest this protein plays an important role in the morphogenesis of corneal tissues.
The folate receptor as a potential therapeutic anticancer target

The folate receptor, a 38,000 Dalton glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked membrane protein, has been identified qualitatively in selected normal tissues and is relatively overexpressed in certain neoplastic tissues [1]. Three receptor subtypes have been identified in humans: the high-affinity (Kd = nM) α-subtype which is found in the kidney and is relatively overexpressed in epithelial tumors, the more abundant, low-affinity (Kd = mM) β-subtype which is found in the placenta, and the γ -subtype which is the secretory form. The mechanism of folic acid uptake by the receptor, through a process termed potocytosis, has been well described [2]. While the role of the receptor in folate homeostasis has not been well delineated, it is thought to provide a selective advantage for tumor growth over normal tissue or, because of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol tail, it may have a role in cell activation or communication. Since the folate receptor is relatively overexpressed in epithelial tumors, particularly in ovarian tumors in adults, in ependymoma in children, and choroid plexus tumors in both populations, there has been considerable interest in exploiting the folate receptor in tumor imaging, drug and antisense delivery, immunotherapy, and antifolate drug design. It has been shown that folic acid, when covalently linked to other macromolecules, retains its high affinity for the folate receptor [3]. Radionuclides, antineoplastic agents, antibodies, antisense DNA and toxins have been targeted to cell lines and tumors which overexpress the folate receptor using folic acid conjugates. The purified receptor has been used to produce monospecific antibodies against choriocarcinoma, renal, lung and ovarian tumors [4,5,6] and bispecific antibody against ovarian tumors [7] which have shown potential in clinical trials as immunotherapy and radiotherapy. Recent studies of new antifolate compounds have evaluated their affinity for the folate receptor or the reduced folate carrier as well as for enzymes of the folate pathway [8,9]. The purpose of this paper is to review the current preclinical and clinical studies and to identify future directions for investigations of the receptor with respect to treatment of pediatric and adult tumors.
A WOMAN WITH ISCHEMIA AND NON-OBSTRUCTIVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE WITH CORONARY MICROVASCULAR DYSFUNCTION WITH ABNORMAL SPECT FINDINGS: FACT OR ARTIFACT

Recognizing and treating women with signs and symptoms of ischemia and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) with coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is a challenge for physicians. An 83-year-old female with history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia presented with exertional angina.
Electroporation and stable maintenance of plasmid DNAs in a biocontrol strain of Pseudomonas syringae.

Transformation efficiencies as high as 107 transformants μg−1 DNA have been previously reported for pseudomonads using electroporation protocols established for E. coli with plasmid DNAs prepared from methylation proficient E. coli hosts. We report here a protocol for electroporation of plasmid DNAs into a biocontrol strain of Pseudomonas syringae which could not be electroporated by standard E. coli methods. Transformation efficiencies of 107 or higher were obtained with DNA recovered from initial P. syringae transformation or with DNA prepared from methylation deficient E. coli. Both plasmids used in this study were stably maintained in the absence of selection for at least 50 generations.
De la picaresca a la parresia: desplazamientos éticos en ¡Ay Carmela!

iAy Carmela! supuso en 1990 un hito tanto para la historia del cine espanol por su exito tanto en critica como en taquilla, asi como por su deliberada articulacion pionera de la memoria desde la ar...
Distracted by “distracted pedestrians”?

Abstract Some observers view distracted walking as a menace, while others contend that concern is overblown. Understanding these competing frames about pedestrian safety is essential because interpretive frames influence how we try to solve problems. In this study, we survey transportation practitioners to gauge how concerned they are about distracted walking, assess whether windshield bias and professional training influence concern, and determine whether concern influences preferred policy solutions for reducing pedestrian deaths. One third of transportation practitioners surveyed view distracted walking as a large problem, estimating that it was responsible for 40% of pedestrian deaths. Practitioners were more concerned about distracted walking if they primarily use a car or spend little time in pedestrian -oriented areas (windshield bias), or if they work in engineering or public health (professional training). Most importantly, the distracted walking frame does indeed shape policy solutions. Practitioners concerned about distracted walking were more likely to endorse individual-level solutions (like educational campaigns) and were less likely support reducing vehicle speeds. Concern about distracted walking detracts attention from more deadly risk factors, more effective policy approaches, and, most importantly, is inconsistent with the ethos of making streets safe for all users, including children, the elderly, and vision impaired people. Instead of focusing on educational campaigns, practitioners should focus their pedestrian safety efforts on the biggest risk factors and the most effective solutions.
Functional and structural basis of extreme non-coding conservation in vertebrate 5’UTRs

The lack of knowledge about extreme conservation in genomes remains a major gap in our understanding of the evolution of gene regulation. While previous findings have mainly focused on the role of extreme conservation at the level of DNA in transcriptional regulation, its implications for RNA biology remains largely unexplored. Here, we reveal an unexpected role of extremely conserved 5′UTRs in translational regulation that is linked to the emergence of essential developmental features in vertebrate species. Endogenous deletion of conserved elements within these 5[prime]UTRs decreased gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. A large-scale reporter library of extremely conserved 5[prime]UTRs revealed the widespread presence of cis-regulatory elements that promote cell-type specific regulation of translation. As these elements function as RNA molecules, further understanding of their potential structures was essential. We therefore developed in-cell mutate-and-map (icM2), a novel methodology that maps RNA structure using high-throughput mutational analysis, previously impossible to perform inside cells. Using icM2, we determined that an extremely conserved 5′UTR encodes multiple alternative structures whose relative proportions are actively maintained by ATP-dependent RNA helicases. We further show that each single nucleotide within the extremely conserved element maintains the balance of alternative structures important to control the dynamic range of protein expression. These results explain how extreme sequence conservation can lead to RNA-level biological functions encoded in the untranslated regions of vertebrate genomes.
Percepción del equipo de salud sobre los beneficios del calostro como factor protector de enterocolitis necrotizante en recién nacidos prematuros

In Chile, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) mainly affects preterm infants, with an incidence of 0.3 to 2.4 per 1,000 live births, and 8 to 12% in preterm infants weighing less than 1,500 grams. Objective: To describe health professionals perceptions on the use of human colostrum as a preventive measure against necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm newborns. Subjects and Method: Qualitative study, using 18 semi-structured individual interviews of health professionals in three public hospitals of the Valparaiso Region. The interview included 3 topics: Knowledge, Perception of early colostrum supply and Opinion about the extent of the measure, and 6 subtopics, 2 for each topic respectively: Self-perception of knowledge level and Sources of information; Experience: positive aspects/adverse events and Opinion of colostrum as a protective factor for enterocolitis; Facilitating or hindering aspects and Opinion about the measure as national policy. Data were processed through qualitative content analysis. Results: Two of the three high-complexity neonatal units of the Valparaiso Region have a protocol for administrating colostrum in premature infants. Participants have a positive opinion about the preventive results of this measure. Even in the third hospital where there is no protocol, they have a favorable perception of its potential benefit and its low cost of implementation. However, we observed that this procedure requires more evidence and an application protocol. Other limitations would be the lack of staffing and training and the need for equipment and supplies. Conclusions: Professionals who have applied a colostrum administration protocol in preterm infants in the Valparaiso Region report good health outcomes and promote team motivation towards this practice. However, it is relevant to the dissemination and discussion of national and international protocols, as well as the development of local research. Given the ongoing experiences in Chile and the international debate, we considered appropriate to address and discuss the topic within the national health community.
Correlation of Patient Activation Measure Level with Patient Characteristics and Type of Vascular Disease.

Background Patient activation or level of engagement in one’s medical care is linked to hospital readmissions and worse outcomes in a number of diseases. Patients with higher levels of activation are typically guiding their care rather than acting as passive observers of care. This study aims to determine if either patient demographics or type of vascular disease can predict patient activation. Methods All patients presenting over a 4-month period to an outpatient vascular clinic were asked to complete the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) survey. In total, 257 completed surveys were collected. Survey responses were scored on a Likert scale with anchors. Responses are tallied with a score of 1–100 and converted to summary levels 1–4 in accordance with the previously validated scoring system. Level 1 patients are considered disengaged and overwhelmed. Patients in level 2 are becoming aware of their health care, but still struggle. Level 3 patients are taking action, while level 4 represents patients who are maintaining healthy behaviors and pushing further. Chi-squared test and multivariable regression were then performed to determine if patient characteristics or type of disease correlated with activation levels. Results In total, 257 patients completed the survey. The mean participant age was 67 years (±15). Sixteen percent of patients lived alone, 58% were married, and in 39% mean household income was Conclusions Patient activation is unpredictable using patient characteristics or type of vascular disease, and CLTI patients report high activation levels. Quality databases that collect only patient demographics may not fully capture patient predictors of poor outcomes. Use of the PAM survey should be further explored in vascular patients to correlate activation level with vascular-specific outcomes.
Consistent Metrics Needed for Quantifying Methane Emissions from Upstream Oil and Gas Operations

Methane emissions from oil and natural gas sources are often characterized as a methane emissions intensity, which is typically defined as methane emissions divided by natural gas production. Repor...
The Asymmetric Association of Customer Commitment and Behavioral Intentions in Business-to-Business Markets

Marketing scholars have hypothesized and found a linear and symmetric association between different dimensions of customer commitment and behavioral intentions. We utilize a four dimensional conceptualization of commitment to hypothesize an asymmetric association among the different dimensions of commitment and repurchase intentions. We test for this asymmetric association using a large-scale dataset (N=8,589) in the Business to Business (B-to-B) segment. Results show an asymmetric association of affective, forced, habitual commitment with repurchase intentions, while economic commitment displays a symmetric association with repurchase intentions.
Two Major Transitions in Earth History: Evidence of Two Lithospheric Strength Thresholds

AbstractPast geological and geochemical changes suggest the existence of two transitions in Earth history at 2.5–2 and 1–0.5 Ga. Twenty-one changes during Transition One and eight during Transition...
Quality Improvement Tools and Risk Mitigation in the Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory

In this chapter the reader is provided with the tools necessary to begin implementing quality improvement methodology within their home institution. Expansion of one’s quality improvement toolbox will allow successful analysis of safety events and near misses, along with strategies needed to mitigate risk and provide optimal patient-centered care for complex population of patients with congenital heart disease. Furthermore, there is an ever-expanding roll for multi-centered collaboration given the innate heterogeneity of the patient population along with the relatively rare frequency of serious adverse events. We provide important examples of successful multi-center collaboration and quality improvement initiatives which have used large datasets to provide meaningful analysis and have improved outcomes in congenital cardiac catheterization.
Percentile Mean Relation for Effluent Assessment

This note describes a straightforward method, using percentiles as a measure of variability, that is applicable to specifying standards and to establishing criteria for treatment designs.
Genetic Programming-Based Discovery of Ranking Functions for Effective Web Search

Web search engines have become an integral part of the daily life of a knowledge worker, who depends on these search engines to retrieve relevant information from the Web or from the company's vast document databases. Current search engines are very fast in terms of their response time to a user query. But their usefulness to the user in terms of retrieval performance leaves a lot to be desired. Typically, the user has to sift through a lot of nonrelevant documents to get only a few relevant ones for the user's information needs. Ranking functions play a very important role in the search engine retrieval performance. In this paper, we describe a methodology using genetic programming to discover new ranking functions for the Web-based information-seeking task. We exploit the content as well as structural information in the Web documents in the discovery process. The discovery process is carried out for both the ad hoc task and the routing task in retrieval. For either of the retrieval tasks, the retrieval performance of these newly discovered ranking functions has been found to be superior to the performance obtained by well-known ranking strategies in the information retrieval literature.
Inhabitant guidance of smart environments

With the convergence of technologies in artificial intelligence, human-computer interfaces, and pervasive computing, the idea of a "smart environment" is becoming a reality. While we all would like the benefits of an environment that automates many of our daily tasks, a smart environment that makes the wrong decisions can quickly becoming annoying. In this paper, we describe a simulation tool that can be used to visualize activity data in a smart home, play through proposed automation schemes, and ultimately provide guidance to automating the smart environment. We describe how automation policies can adapt to resident feedback, and demonstrate the ideas in the context of the MavHome smart home.
Knot concordance and Blanchfield duality

We introduce a new technique for showing classical knots and links are not slice. As one application we resolve a long-standing question as to whether certain natural families of knots contain topologically slice knots. We also present a simpler proof of the result of Cochran-Teichner that the successive quotients of the integral terms of the Cochran-Orr-Teichner filtration of the knot concordance group have rank 1. For links we have similar results. We show that the iterated Bing doubles of many algebraically slice knots are not topologically slice. Some of the proofs do not use the existence of the Cheeger-Gromov bound, a deep analytical tool used by Cochran-Teichner. Our main examples are actually boundary links but cannot be detected in the algebraic boundary link concordance group, nor by any $\rho$ invariants associated to solvable representations into finite unitary groups.
Regulation of Sindbis virus RNA replication: uncleaved P123 and nsP4 function in minus-strand RNA synthesis, whereas cleaved products from P123 are required for efficient plus-strand RNA synthesis

Nonstructural proteins of Sindbis virus, nsPl, nsP2, nsP3, and nsP4, as well as intermediate polyproteins, are produced from two precursor polyproteins, Pl23 and Pl234, by a proteolytic enzyme encoded in the C-terminal half of nsP2. We studied the requirements for and the functions of the intermediate and mature processing products for Sindbis virus RNA synthesis by using site-directed mutants which have a defect(s) in processing the 1/2, 2/3, or 3/4 cleavage sites either singly or in various combinations. A mutant defective in cleaving both the 1/2 and 2/3 sites, which makes only uncleavable Pl23 and mature nsP4 as final products, produced 10-3 as much virus as did the wild-type virus after 10 hat 30°C and was nonviable at 40°C. A mutant defective in processing the 2/3 site, which makes nsPl, nsP4, and P23 as well as precursor Pl23, grew 10-1 as efficiently as wild-type virus at 30°C and 10-3 as efficiently at 40°C. Early minus-strand RNA synthesis by these mutants was as efficient as that by wild-type virus, whereas plus-strand RNA synthesis was substantially decreased compared with that by wild-type virus. A mutant defective in processing the 3/4 site was nonviable at either 30 or 40°C. The 3/4 site mutant could be complemented by the mutant unable to cleave either the 1/2 or 2/3 site, which can provide mature nsP4. We interpret these results to signify that (i) mature nsP4 is required for RNA replication, (ii) nsP4 and uncleaved Pl23 function in minus-strand RNA synthesis, and (iii) cleavage of Pl23 is required for efficient plus-strand RNA synthesis. We propose that Sindbis virus RNA replication is regulated by differential proteolysis of Pl23. Early in infection, nsP4 and uncleaved Pl23 form transient minus-strand RNA replication complexes which vanish upon cleavage of Pl23. Later in infection, an elevated level of viral proteinase activity eliminates de novo synthesis of Pl23, and no further synthesis of minus-strand RNA is possible. In contrast, nsP4 and cleavage products from Pl23 form plus-strand RNA replication complexes which are stable and remain active throughout the infection cycle.