cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural equation modeling made easy: A tutorial based on a behavioral study of communication in virtual teams using WarpPLS 1.0

Structural equation modeling is a multivariate data analysis technique that allows researchers to concurrently analyze multiple relationships among manifest and latent variables. Two main approaches to SEM exist: covariance-based and variance-based. Variance-based SEM has been gaining attention in the past few years due to its flexibility. Among other features, it performs well under deviations of multivariate normality, and generally requires smaller sample sizes than covariance-based SEM. This tutorial will discuss variance-based SEM in the context of a behavioral study of communication in virtual teams. The software used in the tutorial will be WarpPLS 1.0, developed by the presenter and available at warppls.com. WarpPLS 1.0 is an easy-to-use variance-based SEM software that allows for the modeling of direct, mediating, and moderating effects among latent variables.
Tiger shark: a scalable file system for multimedia

Tiger Shark is a scalable, parallel file system designed to support interactive multimedia applications, particularly large-scale ones such as interactive television (ITV). Tiger Shark runs under the IBM AIX® operating system, on machines ranging from RS/6000TM desktop workstations to the SP2® parallel supercomputer. In addition to supporting continuous-time data, Tiger Shark provides scalability, high availability, and on-line system management, all of which are crucial in large-scale video servers. These latter features also enable Tiger Shark to support nonmultimedia uses, such as scientific computing, data mining, digital library, and scalable network file servers. Tiger Shark has been employed in a number of customer ITV trials. On the basis of experience obtained from these trials, Tiger Shark has recently been released in several IBM video-server products. This paper describes the architecture and implementation of Tiger Shark, discusses the experience gained from trials, and compares Tiger Shark to other scalable video servers.
Using Computational Cognitive Modeling to Diagnose Possible Sources of Aviation Error

We present a computational model of a closed-loop, pilot–aircraft–visual scene–taxiway system created to shed light on possible sources of taxi error. The creation of the cognitive aspects of the model with ACT–R (Adaptive Control of Thought–Rational) required us to conduct studies with subject matter experts to identify the experiential adaptations pilots bring to taxiing. Five decision strategies were found, ranging from cognitively intensive but precise to fast and frugal but robust. We provide evidence for the model by comparing its behavior to a National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center simulation of Chicago O’Hare surface operations. Decision horizons were highly variable; the model selected the most accurate strategy given the time available. We found a signature in the simulation data of the use of globally robust heuristics to cope with short decision horizons as revealed by the errors occurring most frequently at atypical taxiway geometries or clearance routes. These data provided empirical support for the model.
Positive outcomes following participation in a music intervention for adolescents and young adults on the autism spectrum

Music interventions are frequently utilized with those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and have shown a range of benefits. However, empirical evaluations are lacking and would be a timely step forward in the field. Here we report the findings of our pilot music program for adolescents and young adults with ASD. Evaluation of the program focused on self-esteem, anxiety, and attitudes toward and relationships with peers as these are pervasive challenges for those with ASD. Pre- and post-outcome measures showed a significant increase in self-esteem, reduced self-reported anxiety, and more positive attitudes toward peers. Weekly measures taken pre- and post-each session also showed a significant reduction in self-reported ratings of anxiety. These findings provide some initial empirical support for the efficacy of music participation in treating some of the core challenges seen in ASD.
Numerical simulation of experimental gravity-driven unstable flow in water repellent sand

Abstract Laboratory experiments related to gravity-driven unstable flows in water repellent porous media contained in two-dimensional chambers have been reported [Bauters, T.W.J., DiCarlo, D.A., Steenhuis, T.S., Parlange, J.-Y., 1998. Preferential flow in water-repellent sands. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 62, 1185–1190]. These experiments demonstrate that water repellency has a significant impact on the stability of flow. As a follow up to these experiments, numerical solutions of the Richards equation for a two-dimensional domain are derived to examine the effect of water repellency on flow characteristics. Of particular interest is the development of gravity-driven unstable flow conditions caused by water repellency. The degree of water repellency of the porous medium is manifested in the water saturation—capillary pressure and water saturation—hydraulic conductivity relationships for the porous medium. To derive the numerical solutions, parameters closely representing the flow domain boundary conditions and the porous medium properties in the experiments of Bauters et al., were employed. In this paper we present the results of simulations for two cases: a water wettable sand and an extremely water repellent sand. The numerical solution for the water wettable sand led to a stable flow condition, while for the water-repellent sand the flow was unstable as manifested by the development of a single finger of flow. A new feature of these modeling results, in comparison to previous modeling results for gravity-driven unstable flow, is that the water pressure inside the finger core is positive. In testing the numerical solutions we compared the solution results to the laboratory results in terms of flow patterns, water pressure at a single reference point, and wetting front velocity. The degree of agreement between the laboratory results and the numerical solutions in terms of these measures is quite good.
Explicating barriers to entry in the telecommunications industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine economic debates over the conception of barriers to entry and speculates which definitions can be applicable to the telecommunications industry, more specifically, the residential broadband market. Also, it seeks to clarify the various industrial factors that could prevent or mar the success of entry into the residential telecommunications market and it also seeks to introduce an analytical framework that can be adopted for evaluating the barriers to entry.Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form of a literature review.Findings – It clarifies the various industrial factors that could prevent or mar the success of entry into the residential telecommunications market and introduces an analytical framework that can be adopted for evaluating the barriers to entry.Originality/value – Although market entry barriers are crucial industrial factors that influence the market share and profit of firms already in the market, very little research has s...
Solvent and substrate deuterium isotope effects on a transamination reaction catalyzed by pig heart aspartate aminotransferase.

Abstract Transamination of erythro-β-hydroxy- l -aspartate catalyzed by pig heart aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) was studied with both normal and α-deuterated substrate in H 2 O D 2 O . The overall transamination reaction, with α-ketoglutarate as amino group acceptor, showed no primary substrate isotope effect. However, one of the elementary reactions between two enzyme-substrate complexes was found to exhibit large primary isotope effects in both the forward and the reverse directions. This same reaction also showed a twofold solvent isotope effect in the reverse direction, but D2O had only a negligible effect in the forward direction. These data were interpreted to indicate that the substrate α-hydrogen arises from a Bronsted acid with two equivalent hydrogens. Another elementary reaction, which is 100-fold slower, was also studied since it appeared to be one of the principal rate-determining steps in the overall reaction. This step was not affected by substrate deuteration but exhibited large solvent isotope effects in both directions.
Cr/sup 4+/:forsterite nanocrystalline glass-ceramic fiber

Summary form only given. Glass-ceramics are two-phase systems consisting of a base glass within which crystals are grown by heat treatment, a process known as ceramming. Recent progress on fiberization of these materials led to the demonstration of a rare earth doped fiber laser and amplifier with an efficiency uncompromised by the presence of the crystals embedded within the core of the single mode fiber. Transitions metal ions are notoriously inefficient when incorporated into a glass host, due to the difficulty of controlling the local environment, to which they are very sensitive. However to date, the properties of Cr/sup 4+/-doped glass-ceramic systems have received little attention, despite the apparent advantages of crystal site control. This paper investigates the fluorescence properties of Cr/sup 4+/-doped forsterite glass-ceramics and shows that many of the important characteristics of the single crystal are reproduced in the glass-ceramic system. Furthermore, many of the spectroscopic parameters are also observed in glass-ceramic fiber, highlighting the potential for a new class of fiber laser and amplifier made from transition metal-doped glass-ceramics.
New zealand white rabbit as a nonsurgical experimental model for Salmonella enterica gastroenteritis

Rabbits orally challenged with Salmonella enterica developed a dose-dependent diarrheal disease comparable to human salmonellosis. Viable Salmonella organisms recovered from the intestine and deep tissues indicate local and systemic infections. Therefore, results show that the rabbit can be used as a model for diarrheal disease and sequelae associated with salmonellosis.
Psychological Assessment of Patients with Dissociative Identity Disorder

This article discusses how psychologic assessment can assist in the diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder (DID) and in planning treatment for patients who are dissociative. A battery of tests that can assess the extent of dissociation is outlined, the research on dissociation on various psychologic tests is reviewed, and new Rorschach data on severely dissociative patients that can be useful in planning treatment is presented. Diagnosing DID is a complex process and requires assessors to have knowledge of the assessment and treatment literature on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociative disorders, and personality disorders. The literature provides excellent reviews of assessment of posttraumatic states [1–4]. In addition to the complexity of assessing PTSD itself, assessment of DID requires the patient to reveal what is often a private, hidden world to a powerful stranger [5]. These challenges may be further compounded because many of the measures, particularly the projective tests, can open up emotional wounds and stir potentially painful memories, triggering dissociation and switching among dissociated states during the testing itself [5,6]. Clinicians must develop a collaborative relationship with patients who have DID before beginning the assessment to make the experience therapeutic rather than retraumatizing. A collaborative relationship will also help yield meaningful, rather than defended, test results.
Pathogenicity of environmental isolates of V. cholerae in mice

Environmental V. cholerae (Vc) have the potential for virulence in people and they may also be a reservoir of accessory virulence genes. We infected mice with two non-O1, non-O139 Vc (TP and SIO) that were isolated in San Diego County and compared them to Vc O1 El Tor N16961 using a model of pneumonia in adult mice. Live but not heat killed Vc El Tor and TP caused fatal hemorrhagic pneumonia despite a >90% decrease in CFU in 24 h suggesting the disease was toxin mediated. SIO did not cause pneumonia in normal mice but neutropenic, gp91phox and complement (C3) mice were more susceptible to all three strains. TP and SIO lack ctx but have rtxA, hlyA, and hapA, genes that encode virulence factors in Vc El Tor. The explanation for the enhanced virulence of TP remains to be determined. 2007 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.
Systemic Gene Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract Systemic gene therapy involves the transfer into the body of a gene whose protein product reaches the blood and has a beneficial effect on a patient. Both retroviral and adenovirus-associated viral vectors have resulted in stable but only moderate systemic levels of blood proteins. Adenoviral vectors have resulted in very high levels of expression that diminishes over days or weeks. Hepatic gene therapy has achieved levels of the anticoagulant protein C in blood that would protect against spontaneous thromboses in homozygous protein-C deficiency, and levels of tissue plasminogen activator that can lyse pulmonary emboli. Hypercholesterolemia has been ameliorated transiently by transfer of the low-density lipoprotein receptor gene into the livers of animals with familial hypercholesterolemia or by promoting lipid transfer via a variety of alternative mechanisms. Hypertension has been reduced by the transfer of genes for kallikrein or atrial natriuretic peptide into the liver, or by expressing antisense for the angiotensin II type 1 receptor after intravenous injection in neonates. Finally, fasting but not fed hyperglycemia has been ameliorated in animal models of diabetes by transfer of an insulin gene into the liver or by expression of insulin from implanted fibroblasts. Gene therapy has the potential to treat these cardiovascular diseases. However, improvements in levels of long-term expression and the ability to regulate expression in response to physiologic changes will be required before this approach will be implemented for most of these disorders in humans.
Psychosocial Predictors of Adjustment to Abortion

Psychosocial factors that may serve as “risk factors” for the experience of short-term distress following induced abortion are reviewed. Factors found to be predictive of affective distress include blaming the pregnancy on one's character, low preabortion coping expectancies, low levels of perceived social support from important others, and a difficult abortion decision. Social conflict over the abortion decision, the nature of the woman's relationship with her partner, the coping strategies that she employs, her pre-pregnancy level of psychological functioning, and life events occurring subsequent to the abortion are also suggested as potentially important predictors of adjustment. Coping expectancies are proposed to be the most proximal and important predictor of short-term postabortion adjustment. Implications for clinical practice and public policy on abortion are discussed.
Effects of N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA), a novel thiol antioxidant against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in neuronal cell line PC12

Oxidative stress plays an important role in neuronal cell death associated with many different neurodegenerative conditions such as cerebral ischemia and Parkinson's disease. Elevated levels of glutamate are thought to be responsible for CNS disorders through various mechanisms causing oxidative stress induced by a nonreceptor-mediated oxidative pathway which blocks cystine uptake and results in depletion of intracellular glutathione (GSH). The newly designed amide form of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA), was assessed for its ability to protect PC12 cells against oxidative toxicity induced by glutamate. NACA was shown to protect PC12 cells from glutamate (Glu) toxicity, as evaluated by LDH and MTS assays. NACA prevented glutamate-induced intracellular GSH loss. In addition, NACA restored GSH synthesis in a Glu (10 mM) plus buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO) (0.2 mM)-treated group, indicating that the intracellular GSH increase is independent of gamma-GSC (gamma-glutamylcysteinyl synthetase). The increase in levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by glutamate was significantly decreased by NACA. Measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) showed that NACA reduced glutamate-induced elevations in levels of lipid peroxidation by-products. These results demonstrate that NACA can protect PC12 cells against glutamate cytotoxicity by inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and scavenging ROS, thus preserving intracellular GSH.
Nonparametric modeling and analysis of association between Huntington's disease onset and CAG repeats.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with a dominant genetic mode of inheritance caused by an expansion of CAG repeats on chromosome 4. Typically, a longer sequence of CAG repeat length is associated with increased risk of experiencing earlier onset of HD. Previous studies of the association between HD onset age and CAG length have favored a logistic model, where the CAG repeat length enters the mean and variance components of the logistic model in a complex exponential-linear form. To relax the parametric assumption of the exponential-linear association to the true HD onset distribution, we propose to leave both mean and variance functions of the CAG repeat length unspecified and perform semiparametric estimation in this context through a local kernel and backfitting procedure. Motivated by including family history of HD information available in the family members of participants in the Cooperative Huntington’s Observational Research Trial (COHORT), we develop the methodology in the context of mixture data, where some subjects have a positive probability of being risk free. We also allow censoring on the age at onset of disease and accommodate covariates other than the CAG length. We study the theoretical properties of the proposed estimator and derive its asymptotic distribution. Finally, we apply the proposed methods to the COHORT data to estimate the HD onset distribution using a group of study participants and the disease family history information available on their family members. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human genetic variation within neural crest enhancers: molecular and phenotypic implications.

Developmental gene expression programmes are coordinated by the specialized distal cis-regulatory elements called enhancers, which integrate lineage- and signalling-dependent inputs to guide morpho...
High Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 Is a Risk Factor for Recurrent Coronary Events in Postinfarction Patients

Background: Recent studies demonstrate that lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease presumably deriving from generation of proinflammatory and proatherogenic species through its hydrolytic activity on lipoprotein-associated phospholipids. The goal of this study was to assess the relationship of Lp-PLA2 with a set of thrombogenic, lipid, inflammatory, and metabolic blood markers and to determine whether plasma Lp-PLA2 is a risk factor for recurrent coronary events in postinfarction patients. Methods: Factor analysis on the set of blood markers and Lp-PLA2 was performed for 766 patients of the Thrombogenic Factors and Recurrent Coronary Events (THROMBO) postinfarction study. Recurrent coronary event risk was assessed as a function of blood marker concentrations and Lp-PLA2 by Cox proportional hazards multivariable regression adjusted for significant clinical covariates. Results: Factor analysis revealed that Lp-PLA2 was associated with one factor dominated by cholesterol and apolipoprotein B and another factor dominated by HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides, with little association with an inflammatory factor dominated by C-reactive protein. Multivariable analysis demonstrated as significant and independent predictors of risk of secondary coronary events only apolipoprotein B in a model without Lp-PLA2 (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.14–2.40) and only Lp-PLA2 in a model with Lp-PLA2 included [1.90 (1.31–2.75)]. Conclusions: Lp-PLA2 is a significant and independent predictor of risk for recurrent coronary events in postinfarction patients, and Lp-PLA2 is related to both hypercholesterolemia and high triglyceride–low HDL dyslipidemia in this study population.
Chimpanzees and bonobos exhibit divergent spatial memory development

Spatial cognition and memory are critical cognitive skills underlying foraging behaviors for all primates. While the emergence of these skills has been the focus of much research on human children, little is known about ontogenetic patterns shaping spatial cognition in other species. Comparative developmental studies of nonhuman apes can illuminate which aspects of human spatial development are shared with other primates, versus which aspects are unique to our lineage. Here we present three studies examining spatial memory development in our closest living relatives, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (P. paniscus). We first compared memory in a naturalistic foraging task where apes had to recall the location of resources hidden in a large outdoor enclosure with a variety of landmarks (Studies 1 and 2). We then compared older apes using a matched memory choice paradigm (Study 3). We found that chimpanzees exhibited more accurate spatial memory than bonobos across contexts, supporting predictions from these species’ different feeding ecologies. Furthermore, chimpanzees – but not bonobos – showed developmental improvements in spatial memory, indicating that bonobos exhibit cognitive paedomorphism (delays in developmental timing) in their spatial abilities relative to chimpanzees. Together, these results indicate that the development of spatial memory may differ even between closely related species. Moreover, changes in the spatial domain can emerge during nonhuman ape ontogeny, much like some changes seen in human children. Research highlights • Developmental comparisons of nonhuman apes can provide insights into unique aspects of human ontogeny, and role of these processes in the emergence of different cognitive abilities. • We compared spatial memory development in a large sample of semi-free-ranging chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (P. paniscus), our closest phylogenetic relatives. • Chimpanzees showed more accurate spatial memory than bonobos across contexts, supporting hypotheses from their different wild feeding ecologies. • Chimpanzees, but not bonobos, showed age-related improvements in spatial memory, indicating that some developmental shifts in spatial cognition can also occur across the infant and juvenile period of nonhuman apes.
The Strategic Determinants of Repression Costs: Structure and Agency in Bismarck’s ‘Second Founding’ of the German Empire

Canonical works and recent studies suggest that authoritarian repression, such as that of Social Democrats during the ‘Second Founding’ of the German Empire, depends on structural factors such as religious cleavages and landholding inequality. I use an original dataset covering the whole German Empire to show that the role of these variables during this critical episode of reactionary reform was significantly more complex than that presented in the ‘grand sweep’ of German history. Liberal support for the Antisocialist Law of 1878 was not a simple function of socioeconomic structures, but rather the result of a complex interaction between the strategy of an unconstrained executive and structures in society at large. The conservative government 'flipped' liberal rejection of repression of Social Democrats into support for this repression despite structural trends strengthening liberal parties. It did so through a political strategy which interacted with high levels of landholding inequality to produce a repressive majority in the Reichstag. This first step in the ‘Second Founding’ of the Empire marked an important move away from liberal governance which precluded democratic reform in Imperial Germany.
Microchannel plasma reactor for gaseous remediation and destruction

Summary form only given. The ability to generate steady atmospheric pressure microdischarges has become feasible as micro-manufacturing technologies have continued to improve. At present, there are a small number of developing technologies surrounding microplasmas, perhaps most prominently as a low-profile light source. Other potential applications of such research include the cost-effective remediation of various gaseous waste streams (e.g., CO2), and the reformation of hydrogen gas from common sources such as methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3). The reaction kinetics in a microplasma channel can be controlled to some extent through electric field strength and frequency, reactant gas flow rate, and the geometry of the channel itself. The microchannel for this work is fabricated on a MACOR™ ceramic surface using micro-machining technology available at the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana Champaignt, which has the advantage of being easily machinable, unlike alumina, while still bearing the high dielectric constant required. Microchannels for this device are 80 micrometers deep and 150 micrometers wide, and range from simple straight channels to highly complex shapes and paths. The recessed microchannels are covered by a glass microscope slide cover with a thin indium tin oxide (ITO) coating, allowing voltage to be put across the channel while simultaneously permitting spectroscopic measurements. In the experimental setup for this work, power is applied across the microchannel using a variable autotransformer and a high-voltage transformer. The latter is capable of producing ~5.7 kVpp at 20 kHz. Residence time can be varied by changing intake gas flow rate, and also by changing the electric field strengths within the channel. Positive pressure from a feedstock gas is applied into a mass flow controller that feeds into the microchannel; the exhaust of the microchannel is evacuated using a mechanical vacuum pump. Three iterations of reactors were built and tested to iteratively improve on design. Initial experiments consisted of inert gases followed by more complex diatomic and polyatomic gases. Plasma properties are measured by observing the intensity of its light with a spectrometer. Plasma properties of primary interest in this experiment are: species residence time, electron density, electron temperature, ion temperature, and ionization fraction. These quantities can be determined through the use of spectroscopic line ratio measurements in addition to some simple chemical reaction modeling.
Prescription drugs obscure microbiome analyses

Although observations linking members of the gut microbiome to human disease have been plentiful, some are fraught with complex and confounding variables, emphasizing the need for vetting such associations with greater computational and mechanistic rigor. A recent study by Forslund et al. ( 1 ) adds another dimension for consideration by illustrating how medications may adversely affect the microbiome—an interaction often overlooked in post hoc analyses of disease-microbe relationships.
Application of dimension reduction techniques for motion recognition: Construction worker behavior monitoring

In the construction industry, the unsafe actions and behavior of workers are the most significant causes of accidents. Measurement of worker behavior thus can be used as a positive indicator in assessing safety management and preventing accidents. The monitoring of worker behavior, however, has not been applied to safety management in practice due to the time-consuming and painstaking nature of this type of monitoring. To address this problem, this paper utilizes a computer vision-based approach that automatically monitors workers with video cameras installed on-site and focuses on motion recognition methods. Templates predefined through experiments are used to determine safe and unsafe poses. Using a dimension reduction technique on a set of spatio-temporal motion segments, the human motion data obtained from experiments are clustered and generalized to recognize motions. In this manner, the unsafe behavior of workers is detected and analyzed through the shape of the human skeleton and joints. The use of video cameras allows worker behavior to be monitored automatically and constantly. The measured information then can be used to reduce the frequency of unsafe behavior and potentially reduce the number of accidents.
“Long, boring, and tedious”: youths' experiences with complex, religious texts

Growing out of the renewed attention to text complexity in the United States and the large population of youth who are deeply committed to reading scripture, this study explores 16 Latter-day Saint and Methodist youths' experiences with complex, religious texts. The study took place in the Midwestern United States. Data consisted of an academic year of participant observations and 59 extensive, semi-structured interviews conducted over 2 years. Constant comparative analysis revealed two primary areas of struggle that participants had with the Book of Mormon and the Bible: scriptural language and contradictions with and within scripture. Struggles with the antiquated language of scripture included having difficulty with its diction, syntax and literacy devices. Struggles with text contradictions included the intratextual inconsistencies and youths' personal conflicts with what they believed scripture said. Similarities and differences were manifest across the two congregations within the aforementioned areas. This study raises important questions about the use of complex texts for instructional purposes, motivating youth to engage with complex texts, and the development of new lines of literacy research focused on religious texts and youths' experiences with these texts.
Flexible Ureteroscopes: Fiberoptic and Digital

Ureteroscopes have undergone a significant evolutionary course in terms of both concept and design. The earliest flexible ureteroscopes were used only for diagnostic purposes. With subsequent addition of working channels, ureteroscopes were used in a more active and therapeutic role. Limitations of semirigid ureteroscopes revealed that an ureteroscope with an articulating/deflecting nature would be required for navigation of more proximal renal and otherwise tortuous anatomy. With smaller caliber and combined deflective mechanisms, currently available flexible ureteroscopes can now generally be advanced into all portions of the kidney and its associated calcyceal anatomy for treatment of a number of pathologies.
When Half a Brain is Better than One: Recurrent Seizures

Betsy looked just like any other child as she sat between her parents in the waiting room. She greeted the examiner with a polite smile and a shy hello. As she walked down the hall to the testing room, her right arm tended to hang at her side, not moving like the left. Her gait was awkward. These were the only visible signs that Betsy was very different than other children.
Chimeric approach for narrowing a membrane-inserting region within human perforin

Perforin is a pore-forming, immune protein that functions to deliver an apoptotic cocktail of proteins into a target pathogen. Recent studies of the bacterial cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) have provided a model for perforin's pore-forming mechanism. Both perforin and CDC family members share a conserved β-sheet flanked by two clusters of α-helices. Within the CDCs, these helices refold into two transmembrane β-hairpins, TMH1 and TMH2. Based upon structural conservation and electron microscopy imaging, the analogous helices within perforin are predicted to also be membrane inserting; however, these regions are approximately twice the length of the CDC TMHs. To test the membrane-insertion potential of one of these regions, chimeras were created using a well-characterized CDC, perfringolysin-O (PFO), as the backbone of these constructs. PFO's TMH2 region was replaced with perforin's corresponding helical region. Although hemolytic activity was observed, the chimera was poorly soluble. A second chimera contained the same region truncated to match the length of the PFO TMH2 region. The truncated chimera demonstrated improved solubility, significant hemolytic activity and the ability to form pores characteristic of those created by PFO. These results provide the first evidence that perforin's helices function as TMHs and more importantly narrows the residues responsible for membrane insertion.
Consumer acceptance and aroma characterization of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) powders prepared by extrusion and conventional processing methods.

Food products produced with bean ingredients are gaining in popularity among consumers due to the reported health benefits. Navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) powder produced through extrusion can be considered as a resource-efficient alternative to conventional methods, which often involve high water inputs. Therefore, navy bean powders produced with extrusion and conventional methods were assessed for the impact of processing on consumer liking in end-use products and odor-active compounds.; Results: Consumer acceptance results reveal significant differences in flavor, texture and overall acceptance scores of several products produced with navy bean powder. Crackers produced with extruded navy bean powder received higher hedonic flavor ratings than those produced with commercial navy bean powder (P < 0.001). GC-O data showed that the commercial powder produced through conventional processing had much greater contents of several aliphatic aldehydes commonly formed via lipid oxidation, such as hexanal, octanal and nonanal with descriptors of 'grassy', 'nutty', 'fruity', 'dusty', and 'cleaner', compared to the extruded powder.; Conclusion: Extrusion processed navy bean powders were preferred over commercial powders for certain navy bean powder applications. This is best explained by substantial differences in aroma profiles of the two powders that may have been caused by lipid oxidation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Impact of continuous positive airway pressure and oxygen on health status in patients with coronary heart disease, cardiovascular risk factors, and obstructive sleep apnea: A Heart Biomarker Evaluation in Apnea Treatment (HEARTBEAT) analysis.

Introduction Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQL). Treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has variable impacts on HRQL, and this may be influenced by patient's tolerance of therapy. The objective is to determine the impact of nocturnal supplemental oxygen (NSO) and CPAP on HRQL compared with healthy lifestyle education (HLSE) in individuals with OSA. Methods Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) or at least 3 major CHD risk factors with apnea-hypopnea index of 15 to 50 events/h were randomized to CPAP, NSO, or HLSE. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the Short-Form 36, and depression was assessed with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 at baseline and 12 weeks. The treatment effect on HRQL change scores through 12 weeks was assessed using multivariable models adjusting for study site, presence of CHD at baseline, race, and baseline HRQL. Results A total of 318 patients were randomized to 1 of 3 treatment arms with 1:1:1 ratio and 94% completed baseline and follow-up HRQL instruments. Mean Short-Form 36 scores were similar at baseline in all 3 groups ranging from 41.8±12 to 51.6±12 in various domains. In multivariable models, the CPAP group noted a significantly greater improvement than NSO in mental health (+2.33, 95% CI 0.34-4.31, P =.02) and mental composite score (+2.40, 95% CI 0.40-4.41, P =.02). Conversely, the CPAP group noted less improvement than NSO in physical function (−2.68, 95% CI −4.66 to −0.70, P =.008) and physical composite score (−2.17, 95% CI −3.82 to −0.51, P =.01). Compared with HLSE, vitality and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 improved with CPAP but not with NSO. Significant interactions were noted between treatment effects with larger differences in black and sleepy patients. Conclusion These data support the use of CPAP for improving vitality, sleepiness, mental health, social functioning, and depressive symptoms in patients with OSA and established CHD or risk factors. Nocturnal supplemental oxygen may have beneficial effects on perceived physical functioning.
The Mesenchymal State Predicts Poor Disease-Free Survival in Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is thought to contribute to the overall invasiveness of malignant cells. Expression of cluster of differentiation (CD) 44 and CD90 mark the mesenchymal state in multiple epithelial malignancies. Their role in lung cancer remains unclear, however. This study evaluated the prognostic significance of CD44 and CD90 coexpression in patients with resectable primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods This was a nonconcurrent cohort study of patients with resectable NSCLC, stratified by the degree of expression of CD44/CD90 double-positive cells in their primary tumor. Flow cytometry was used for immunophenotyping of freshly isolated disaggregated tumor. We analyzed the relationship between expression of CD44/CD90 and relapse-free survival. Results We evaluated 37 patients (18 men; median age, 70 years) with NSCLC. For this group, the geometric mean proportion of cells coexpressing CD44/CD90 was 0.52%. Expression of CD44/CD90 was significantly elevated (24.4%, geometric mean) in 6 patients. The median relapse-free survival for patients with high CD44/CD90 coexpression was 7.7 months (95% confidence interval, 4.2 to 11.7) compared with 40 months (95% confidence interval, 18.2 to 77.8) for the group with low CD44/CD90 coexpression ( p = 0.00006 by Mantel log-rank test). The assessment of risk based upon CD44/CD90 expression status was not correlated with pathologic staging ( p = 0.073 by χ 2 ). Conclusions High expression of CD44 and CD90 was associated with significantly reduced relapse-free survival in NSCLC patients. These results suggest that CD44 and CD90 may be important markers of tumor progression in NSCLC.
Seeing Systems: Connecting MBAs' Models of Personal Sustainability Actions to Beliefs about CSR

More recently there has been a call for a new direction in CSR research to study processes that guide organizational sensemaking, since examining mental frames could help to explain differential fi...
The Cost and Cost-utility of Three Public Health HIV Case-finding Strategies: Evidence from Rhode Island, 2012–2014

To evaluate three testing strategies to identify new HIV diagnoses in Rhode Island (RI). RI deployed three testing strategies, by using rapid HIV tests at clinical settings, community-based organization (CBO) settings, and the Partner Notification Services (PNS) program from 2012 to 2014. We reviewed the rapid HIV test results and confirmatory test results to identify new diagnoses, and conducted a cost-utility analysis. The average cost per new diagnosis was $33,015 at CBO settings, $5446 at clinical settings, and $33,818 at the PNS program. The cost-utility analysis showed the state-wide program was cost-saving; testing was cost-saving at clinical settings, and cost-effective at CBO settings and the PNS program. Further analyses showed that cost-effectiveness varied widely across CBOs. The HIV testing expansion program in RI was cost-saving overall. The heterogeneity of cost-effectiveness across settings should provide guidance to officials for allocation of future resources to HIV testing.
Atomistic modeling trap-assisted tunneling in hole tunnel field effect transistors

Tunnel Field Effect Transistors (FETs) have the potential to achieve steep Subthreshold Swing (S.S.) below 60 mV/dec, but their S.S. could be limited by trap-assisted tunneling (TAT) due to interface traps. In this paper, the effect of trap energy and location on OFF-current (IOFF) of tunnel FETs is evaluated systematically using an atomistic trap level representation in a full quantum transport simulation. Trap energy levels close to band edges cause the highest leakage. Wave function penetration into the surrounding oxide increases the TAT current. To estimate the effects of multiple traps, we assume that the traps themselves do not interact with each other and as a whole do not modify the electrostatic potential dramatically. Within that model limitation, this numerical metrology study points to the critical importance of TAT in the IOFF in tunnel FETs. The model shows that for Dit higher than 1012/(cm2 eV) IOFF is critically increased with a degraded ION/IOFF ratio of the tunnel FET. In order to have ...
A Scalable Solution for Rule-Based Part-of-Speech Tagging on Novel Hardware Accelerators

Part-of-speech (POS) tagging is the foundation of many natural language processing applications. Rule-based POS tagging is a wellknown solution, which assigns tags to the words using a set of predefined rules. Many researchers favor statistical-based approaches over rule-based methods for better empirical accuracy. However, until now, the computational cost of rule-based POS tagging has made it difficult to study whether more complex rules or larger rulesets could lead to accuracy competitive with statistical approaches. In this paper, we leverage two hardware accelerators, the Automata Processor (AP) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), to accelerate rule-based POS tagging by converting rules to regular expressions and exploiting the highly-parallel regular-expressionmatching ability of these accelerators. We study the relationship between rule set size and accuracy, and observe that adding more rules only poses minimal overhead on the AP and FPGA. This allows a substantial increase in the number and complexity of rules, leading to accuracy improvement. Our experiments on Treebank and Brown corpora achieve up to 2,600X and 1,914X speedups on the AP and on the FPGA respectively over rule-based methods on the CPU in the rule-matching stage, up to 58× speedup over the Perceptron POS tagger on the CPU in total testing time, and up to 253× speedup over the LSTM tagger on the GPU in total testing time, while showing a competitive accuracy compared to neural-network and statistical solutions.
Credit Risk Dynamics of Infrastructure Investment: Considerations for Financial Regulators (Report Version)

Prudential regulation of infrastructure investment plays an important role in creating an enabling environment for mobilizing long-term finance from institutional investors, such as insurance companies, and, thus, gives critical support to sustainable development. Infrastructure projects are asset-intensive and generate predictable and stable cash flows over the long term, with low correlation to other assets; hence they provide a natural match for insurers' liabilities-driven investment strategies. The historical default experience of infrastructure debt suggests a "hump-shaped" credit risk profile, which converges to investment grade quality within a few years after financial close -- supported by a consistently high recovery rate with limited cross-country variation in non-accrual events. However, the resilient credit performance of infrastructure -- also in emerging market and developing economies -- is not reflected in the standardized approaches for credit risk in most regulatory frameworks. Capital charges would decline significantly for a differentiated regulatory treatment of infrastructure debt as a separate asset class. Supplementary analysis suggests that also banks would benefit from greater differentiation, but only over shorter risk horizons, encouraging a more efficient allocation of capital by shifting the supply of long-term funding to insurers.
A comparison and evaluation of motion indexing techniques

Motion indexing concerns efficient ways to identify and retrieve motions similar to a query motion from a large set of motions stored in a human motion database. In this paper, we perform the first quantitative evaluation and comparison of motion indexing techniques. We extend PCA-based algorithms for motion segmentation to address the motion indexing problem and perform a survey of the most significant motion indexing techniques in the literature. We implement five different techniques for motion indexing: two principal component analysis (PCA) based methods, a feature-based method, and two dynamic time warping (DTW) based methods. The indexing accuracy is evaluated for all techniques and a quantitative comparison among them is achieved. The two PCA-based techniques have the lowest number of false negatives but, at the same time, they have a large number of false positives (close to 90%). The feature-based and DTW quaternion-based techniques perform better than the PCA-based techniques. While the DTW-3D technique has a small number of false positives, the false negatives are also very few. The Dynamic Time Warping 3D-based technique performed best among all techniques when compared by false positives and false negatives metrics.
A comparison of analytic and experimental goal regression for machine learning

Recent research demonstrates the use of goal regression as an analytic technique for learning search heuristics. This paper critically examines this research and identifies essential applicability conditions for the technique. The conditions that operators be invertible and that the domain be closed with respect to the inverse operators severely limit the use of analytic goal regression. In those restricted domains which satisfy the applicability conditions, analytic goal regression only discovers required preconditions for operator application. Discovering pragmatic preconditions is beyond the capability of the technique. An alternative, called experimental goal regression, is defined which approximates the results of analytic goal regression without suffering from these limitations.
e-Portfolios in Music Teacher Education

In their landmark report Technology and the New Professional Teacher: Preparing for the 21st Century Classroom (1997), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) called for innovative approaches to teacher education that would take advantage of new technologies in preparing future educators. In response, many states have included strong technology components when developing standards for the teaching profession (Tran, Baker, and Pensavalle 2005). Future teachers are now expected to use technology to facilitate and assess student learning in the K-12 setting.
Clustering-Induced Multi-task Learning for AD/MCI Classification

In this work, we formulate a clustering-induced multi-task learning method for feature selection in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) diagnosis. Unlike the previous methods that often assumed a unimodal data distribution, we take into account the underlying multipeak distribution of classes. The rationale for our approach is that it is likely for neuroimaging data to have multiple peaks or modes in distribution due to the inter-subject variability. In this regard, we use a clustering method to discover the multipeak distributional characteristics and define subclasses based on the clustering results, in which each cluster covers a peak. We then encode the respective subclasses, i.e., clusters, with their unique codes by imposing the subclasses of the same original class close to each other and those of different original classes distinct from each other. We finally formulate a multi-task learning problem in an l2,1-penalized regression framework by taking the codes as new label vectors of our training samples, through which we select features for classification. In our experimental results on the ADNI dataset, we validated the effectiveness of the proposed method by achieving the maximal classification accuracies of 95.18% (AD/Normal Control: NC), 79.52% (MCI/NC), and 72.02% (MCI converter/MCI non-converter), outperforming the competing single-task learning method.