cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thick photosensitive polyimide film side wall angle variability and scum improvement for IC packaging stress control

In this paper, we demonstrate photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) profile optimization to effectively reduce stress concentrations and enable PSPI as protection package-induced stress. Through detailed package simulation, we demonstrate ~45% reduction in stress as the sidewall angle (SWA) of PSPI is increased from 45 to 80 degrees in Cu pillar package types. Through modulation of coating and develop multi-step baking temperature and time, as well as dose energy and post litho surface treatments, we demonstrate a method for reliably obtaining PSPI sidewall angle >75 degree. Additionally, we experimentally validate the simulation findings that PSPI sidewall angle impacts chip package interaction (CPI). Finally, we conclude this paper with PSPI material and tool qualification requirements for future technology node based on current challenges.
Resonance Raman Spectra of the 3MLCT Excited States of Ruthenium Complexes with Asymmetric Ligands

Complexes of ruthenium(II) with 2,2′-bipyridine and related ligands are of interest not only as structurally diverse systems for the study of fundamental photophysics and photochemical processes [1,2] but also as potentially useful components of solar energy conversion devices [3,4]. During the past decade, a vast amount of effort has been focused on understanding the structure and reactivity of the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (3MLCT) excited states of trisligated ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes. The pioneering work of Dallinger, Woodruff and co-workers [5] first demonstrated the utility of time-resolved resonance Raman (TR3) spectroscopy as an especially effective probe of the relatively long-lived 3MLCT states of such complexes. Subsequent studies by our group [6,7] and others [8] have illustrated the utility of TR3 methods in documenting selective population of individual ligand localized excited states in heteroleptic tris-ligated complexes.
Structural Determination of Surfaces and Overlayers with Diffraction Methods

A brief introduction to the newer developments of surface structural research using diffraction methods is given. Selected examples of results for clean unreconstructed and reconstructed surfaces,as well as on adsorbate overlayers and thin films,are presented to illustrate the current possibilities of the different methods discussed and the various research areas in which they are applied.
Feline Upper Respiratory Disease Complex: The detection and epidemiology of respiratory pathogens in Midwestern feline shelter populations

Feline Upper Respiratory Disease (FURD) is a complex disease characterized by, but not limited to, conjunctivitis, rhinitis, and tracheitis. Several pathogens encompass this disease including Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus (FHV), Feline Calicivirus (FCV), Chlamydophila felis (C. felis), Bordatella bronchiseptica (B. bronchiseptica), and Mycoplasma felis (M. felis). This disease process significantly effects cats in group housing situations such as animal shelters and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in these cats. Previous research has investigated the epidemiology of pathogens and risk factors in several geographical areas, the development of molecular diagnostic tools for the detection of pathogens, and the detection of previously unreported pathogens in this complex. This thesis encompasses three papers meant to address the objectives of atypical Mycoplasma detection in cats with and without FURD, validation of a field deployable molecular device for pathogen detection, and an overall epidemiologic evaluation of the unique Midwestern geographical area. The first paper investigated the hypothesis that Mycoplasma species occur in the cat at higher levels of diversity than previously appreciated utilizing the unique molecular based Pan-Myco SYBR qPCR assay for the detection of the Mycoplasma genus and may be contributing to FURD. Overall, 15 Mycoplasma species were detected including: M. gateae/canadense/arginini cluster, M. canis, M. hyorhinis, M. alkalescens, M. cynos, M. faucium, M. dispar, M. buccale, M. spumans, M. hominis, M. bovis, M. bovoculi, M. maculosum/leopharyngis cluster, 2 new unknown species, and Acholeplasma laidlawii.
Value of Global Surgical Activities for US Academic Health Centers: A Position Paper by the Association for Academic Surgery Global Affairs Committee, Society of University Surgeons Committee on Global Academic Surgery, and American College of Surgeons' Operation Giving Back

Background Academic global surgery value to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is increasingly understood, yet value to academic health centers (AHCs) remains unclear. Study Design A task force from the Association for Academic Surgery Global Affairs Committee and the Society for University Surgeons Committee on Global Academic Surgery designed and disseminated a survey to active US academic global surgeons. Questions included participant characteristics, global surgeon qualifications, trainee interactions, academic output, productivity challenges, and career models. The task force used the survey results to create a position paper outlining the value of academic global surgeons to AHCs. Results The survey had a 58% (n = 36) response rate. An academic global surgeon has a US medical school appointment, spends dedicated time in an LMIC, spends vacation time doing mission work, or works primarily in an LMIC. Most spend 1 to 3 months abroad annually, dedicating Conclusions Academic global surgeons spend a modest amount of time abroad, require minimal financial support, and represent a low-cost investment in an under-recognized scholarship area. This position paper suggests measures of global surgery that could provide opportunities for AHCs and surgical departments to expand missions of service, education, and research and enhance institutional reputation while achieving societal impact.
Carotid Revascularization Procedures and Perioperative Outcomes: A Multistate Analysis, 2007-2014.

Objective To compare in-hospital mortality, postoperative stroke, and combined stroke/mortality in carotid artery stenting (CAS) patients and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) patients. Design Retrospective observational study using data from the State Inpatient Database, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Setting All coded CAS or CEA hospitalizations from 2007 to 2014 in California, Florida, New York, Kentucky, and Maryland. Participants A total of 198,120 patients, 18 years of age or older, undergoing CAS or CEA. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Primary outcomes of the study were unadjusted rates and adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality, postoperative stroke, postoperative cardiovascular complications, and combined stroke/mortality, before and after correcting for confounders, following either CEA or CAS. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, in each successive individual year, CAS was associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] ≥1.5 and p Conclusion This study associated carotid stenting, as compared to endarterectomy, with an increased risk of dying and/or stroke. These associations persisted after statistical adjustment for patient demographics, comorbidities, and symptomatology, as well as after post-stratification by patient symptomatology. Despite this study's large, representative sample and well-defined a priori statistical methods, further research into real-world revascularization outcomes with longer-term follow-up is needed to formulate treatment guidelines.
Reduced-Dose Melphalan (140 or 100 mg/m2) Maintains Efficacy and Tolerability for Multiple Myeloma Patients with Advanced Age or Renal Impairment Undergoing Auto-HCT

Background Melphalan 200 mg/m2 (MEL 200) is standard conditioning for autologous transplant (auto-HCT) in multiple myeloma (MM). Melphalan 140 or 100 mg/m2 (MEL 140/100) is given to patients with advanced age or renal dysfunction. Prior comparisons of MEL 200 versus MEL 140/100 raised concerns about reduced efficacy with MEL 140/100. However, those studies took place prior to the era of induction and post-auto-HCT maintenance with novel agents. We asked whether a diverse, unselected MM cohort treated with novel agents maintains the full benefit of auto-HCT from MEL 140/100. Methods We reviewed 55 consecutive auto-HCT episodes for MM and amyloidosis patients treated with proteasome inhibitors (PI) and/or immunomodulators (IMiD) followed by MEL 200 (n = 30), MEL 140 (n = 20), and MEL 100 (n = 5) from 2006 to 2018. Patients with age > 70 or reduced renal function, Karnofsky score, or cardiopulmonary function received MEL 140/100. We analyzed pre-auto-HCT prognostic factors. We examined post-transplant toxicities and disease control. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS25. Results Female and non-Caucasian patients were well-represented. Pre-transplant therapy was similar. MEL 140/100 trended towards older age and worse Karnofsky score; MEL 140/100 had significantly worse HCT-CI, ISS stage, and renal function (GFR Conclusion MM patients with higher ISS and HCT-CI scores tolerated auto-HCT with MEL 140/ 100 conditioning, Post-transplant outcomes were indistinguishable. Conditioning with MEL 140/100 has equivalent safety and efficacy for patients who are not candidates for MEL 200.
Including Toxicity Risk in Balanced Clinical Decision Making

Adjuvant radiation therapy has been an established component of curative therapy for early-stage and locally advanced breast cancer for decades, and over this time frame, outcomes have steadily improved, including survival. Longer survival has in turn shifted the focus in breast cancer therapy toward preventing, minimizing, and managing the toxicities of treatment. Clinical decision-making has always relied on a balanced assessment of the benefit of therapy versus the risks and side effects of treatment. This balance has become all the more challenging in the modern era of excellent outcomes for breast cancer patients. In light of this increased recognition of the importance of toxicity from breast cancer therapy in clinical decision-making, this textbook serves as a comprehensive review of the common toxicities associated with radiation for breast cancer. The goal of this book is to facilitate the individualized assessment of toxicity risk and make recommendations for toxicity management to better tailor and optimize treatment for our breast cancer patients.
Query Auto Completion for Math Formula Search

Query Auto Completion (QAC) is among the most appealing features of a web search engine. It helps users formulate queries quickly with less effort. Although there has been much effort in this area for text, to the best of our knowledge there is few work on mathematical formula auto completion. In this paper, we implement 5 existing QAC methods on mathematical formula and evaluate them on the NTCIR-12 MathIR task dataset. We report the efficiency of retrieved results using Mean Reciprocal Rank (MRR) and Mean Average Precision(MAP). Our study indicates that the Finite State Transducer outperforms other QAC models with a MRR score of $0.642$.
Risk factors for fractures in patients on hormonal therapies for breast cancer and DCIS.

e19627 Background: Hormonal therapy with aromatase inhibitors (AI) or tamoxifen (TAM) is standard of care for hormone receptor positive breast cancer and DCIS. Fractures are a complication of treat...
Differentiating kinds of systemic chronic stressors with relation to psychotic-like experiences in late childhood and early adolescence: the stimulation, discrepancy, and deprivation model of psychosis

Abstract INTRODUCTION Chronic stress exposure occurs at the systems level, and is a key etiological factor in the development of psychotic disorders. However, conceptualizations distinguishing the impact of distinct dimensions of stress exposure are lacking; further, the magnitude of effect for differing exposures has yet to be explored. METHODS Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to distinguish domains of environmental exposures in a nationally representative sample of 7,446 youth from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Environmental exposures were associated to psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). The magnitude of associations was compared among different environmental exposures. As an exploratory aim, objective versus subjective measures of environmental risk exposure were compared. RESULTS Six factors were defined, four of which fit theoretically with the Stimulation Discrepancy, and Deprivation (SDD) theory of developmental stress exposure and psychosis. The three domains of stimulation (high attentional demands and lack of safety), discrepancy (low social capital, social exclusion and lack of belonging), and deprivation (lack of developmentally appropriate environmental enrichment) were associated with PLEs, as predicted. Compared to exposures in other domains, exposures in the deprivation domain exhibited a significantly stronger association with PLEs. Objective and subjective measures converged in direction of association, though self-report stimulation exhibited a significantly stronger association with PLEs compared to objective stimulation domain measures. DISCUSSION Current results suggest considering distinct environmental exposures as they relate to psychosis liability could inform putative mechanisms and degrees of vulnerability. The approach offers a valuable perspective to health policy efforts aimed at psychopathology prevention and intervention efforts.
Abstract B37: Menin and EWS/FLI1 activate serine biosynthesis via ATF4 in Ewing sarcoma

Abstracts: AACR Special Conference on the Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research; September 17-20, 2019; Montreal, QC, Canada Ewing sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive bone and soft-tissue tumor, most commonly driven by the EWS/FLI1 fusion oncogene. Previous work has revealed that the scaffolding protein menin functions to promote ES tumorgenicity. Additionally, our recent studies revealed a previously undescribed role for menin in the activation of the serine biosynthetic pathway (SSP), a critical metabolic pathway that is aberrantly activated in many human cancers. The transcription factor ATF4 has been identified in other tumor types as a master transcriptional regulator of the SSP. Furthermore, regulation of the SSP by EWS/FLI1 has been described, although the mechanism of this regulation remains unknown. The biologic functions of menin are largely determined by its protein-binding partners, the best characterized of which is MLL in epigenetic trithorax complexes. In the current study, we are investigating the mechanistic link between menin, EWS/FLI1, and SSP hyperactivation to test the hypothesis that, in the context of ES, these transcriptional regulators cooperate to promote metabolic reprogramming via ATF4. Through gain- and loss-of-function studies, our results show that ATF4 regulates the SSP in ES cells, and that loss of ATF4 impairs ES cell proliferation. Additionally, both pharmacologic inhibition with the menin:MLL interaction inhibitor, MI-503, and doxycycline-inducible shRNA knockdown of menin lead to loss of ATF4, coincident with loss of SSP expression. Knockdown of EWS/FLI1 similarly results in loss of both ATF4 and SSP expression. Interrogation of publicly available ChIP-seq data further shows enrichment for EWS/FLI1 binding at the ATF4 gene promoter that is lost with EWS/FLI1 knockdown, and ChIP-qPCR shows menin binding at the ATF4 gene promoter in association with H3K4me3 enrichment. ChIP-qPCR also shows enrichment of ATF4 binding at SSP gene promoters, which is diminished upon menin inhibition with MI-503. Preliminary studies suggest that ATF4 overexpression may rescue the effects of menin loss of function on the SSP. Together these findings support the hypothesis that menin hijacks the SSP via aberrant activation of ATF4, and that this depends on cooperation with EWS/FLI1. Ongoing studies are assessing whether this is mediated by trithorax-dependent or -independent functions of menin. Citation Format: Jennifer A. Jimenez, Ramon Ocadiz Ruiz, April Apfelbaum, Abhijay Kumar, Samuel Kerk, Jolanta Grembecka, Costas A. Lyssiotis, Elizabeth R. Lawlor. Menin and EWS/FLI1 activate serine biosynthesis via ATF4 in Ewing sarcoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research; 2019 Sep 17-20; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(14 Suppl):Abstract nr B37.
Effects of medium-chain fatty acids as alternatives to ZnO or antibiotics in nursery pig diets.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) on nursery pig performance in place of ZnO and carbadox. In this trial, 360 weanling pigs (DNA 200 × 400; 5.4 ± 0.07 kg BW) were fed for 35 d, with 6 pigs/pen and 10 replicate pens/treatment. Upon weaning, pigs were weighed and allotted to pens based on BW in a completely randomized design to one of six treatment diets: 1) Negative control (no added ZnO or carbadox); 2) Control + 3,000 ppm ZnO in phase 1 and 2,000 ppm ZnO in phase 2; 3) Control + 50 g/ton carbadox; 4) Control + C6:C8:C10 MCFA blend; 5) Control + Proprietary Oil Blend (Feed Energy Corp.); and 6) Control + monolaurate blend (FORMI GML from ADDCON). Treatment diets were fed through two dietary phases and a common diet fed through phase three. Pigs and feeders were individually weighed on a weekly basis to determine average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI). From days 0 to 19, pigs being fed the ZnO or Carbadox diets had the greatest ADG. These pigs had significantly higher (P 0.05) ADG compared with those fed carbadox. These effects were primarily driven by feed intake, which was greatest (P < 0.05) in pigs fed ZnO and carbadox. Treatment diet had a marginally significant effect (P = 0.078) on G:F. Increased day 19 BW (P < 0.05) was observed for pigs fed ZnO and carbadox compared with the negative control, whereas other treatments were intermediate. Additionally, blood data and fecal scores were collected throughout the trial. On day 21, pigs fed ZnO or carbadox had higher (P < 0.0001) glucose values than those fed the Feed Energy Proprietary Oil Blend, with other diets being intermediate, showing potential health benefits of carbadox. Although ZnO resulted in higher glucose values, it may also contribute to hepatic issues. Although replacing ZnO and carbadox with MCFA did not result in significant changes in gut microflora, it did affect fecal consistency by softening the feces during the treatment period. Overall, these results show that ZnO and carbadox are valuable additives to help maximize growth performance in early stages of the nursery. Some MCFA products, like FORMI GML, may result in similar performance, whereas others restrict it. Thus, additional research is needed to study the effectiveness of MCFA to replace ZnO or feed-based antibiotics.
Trends and perioperative outcomes of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) undergoing lower extremity revascularization

The development of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly improved the life expectancy of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but has led to the rise of chroni...
Robust Model Predictive Path Integral Control: Analysis and Performance Guarantees

In this letter we propose a novel decision making architecture for Robust Model-Predictive Path Integral Control (RMPPI) and investigate its performance guarantees and applicability to off-road navigation. Key building blocks of the proposed architecture are an augmented state space representation of the system consisting of nominal and actual dynamics, a placeholder for different types of tracking controllers, a safety logic for nominal state propagation, and an importance sampling scheme that takes into account the capabilities of the underlying tracking control. Using these ingredients, we derive a bound on the free energy growth of the dynamical system which is a function of task constraint satisfaction level, the performance of the underlying tracking controller, and the sampling error of the stochastic optimization used within RMPPI. To validate the bound on free energy growth, we perform experiments in simulation using two types of tracking controllers, namely the iterative Linear Quadratic Gaussian and Contraction-Metric based control. We further demonstrate the applicability of RMPPI in real hardware using the GT AutoRally vehicle. Our experiments demonstrate that RMPPI outperforms MPPI and Tube-MPPI by alleviating issues of the aforementioned model predictive controllers related to either lack of robustness or excessive conservatism. RMPPI provides the best of the two worlds in terms of agility and robustness to disturbances.
Characterization of simultaneous heat, oxygen, and carbon dioxide transfer across a nonporous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) hollow fiber membrane

Abstract The provision of atmospheric oxygen, removal of carbon dioxide and heat is essential to sustain crew health during human spaceflight missions. Microgravity and reduced gravity environments (such as a planetary surface) limit the use of bubble-forming technologies, since surface tension and inertial or viscous forces may dominate buoyancy, creating an adverse effect in the system. Gas-to-liquid contacting membranes would allow for non-bubbling mass transfer through solution-diffusion, with the potential for simultaneous heat transfer, as done in membrane distillation operations. Previously published work, with similar applications, have focused on characterizing microporous membranes. In this study, a commercially available, nonporous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) hollow fiber membrane separated carbon dioxide from an ambient gas stream (296 K) while deoxygenating a cooling-water feed (274 K). Control experiments were conducted with gas and water at ambient temperatures (296 K and 292 K, respectively). Results show that increasing water feed rate (0.5 to 1.5 LPM) reduced the percentage of oxygen transferred from the water to the gas stream (approximately 25% less). Also, a reduction in water temperature significantly reduced percent oxygen transferred (approximately 35% reduction). System heat transfer and carbon dioxide transfer rates were positively correlated to gas flow rates, showing gas-phase dependence. Coefficients derived from the experimental results were used to form semi-empirical mass transport models. Results of this study developed two findings, that a nonporous PDMS membrane could be used for simultaneous heat and mass transfer which could also be described from first-order principles.
Massive open online courses for professional certificate programs? Perspectives on professional learners’ longitudinal participation patterns

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been integrated into higher education systems as an option for delivering online professional degree and certificate programs; however, concerns about whether employed professionals actively participate in MOOCs remain unresolved. Some researchers have described learners’ employment as the major cause of attrition from MOOCs, but research has not addressed how employed learners interact with MOOCs over time. Understanding employed professionals’ trajectory of participation patterns across course time is thus essential to improving the effectiveness of MOOCs. This study investigated the log data of learner participation to explore how attrition occurs in a professional MOOC, focusing on whether students’ employment status was associated with learner participation. The results revealed learners’ longitudinal participation patterns and confirmed the impact of sustained engagement on course performance. The study also found that employed learners were more likely than their peers without jobs to become cramming learners with initially infrequent engagement in a course but investing intensive time at the end for certificates. We discuss practical implications for designing and facilitating large-scale professional degree and certificate programs in higher education institutions. Implications for practice or policy: Educators can apply MOOCs with a lower weekly workload and a slower pace to support employees’ professional development. Educators should develop professional learners’ interests in the course topic to avoid only cramming for the course certificates. Educators may consider longitudinal patterns of learner participation when assessing learner performance.
Convenient synthesis of nucleoside 5′-(α-P-thio)triphosphates and phosphorothioate nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)

Modified deoxy- and ribo-nucleoside triphosphates are chemically synthesized in multiple steps due to the protection and deprotection of the nucleoside functionalities. To conveniently synthesize the S -modified triphosphates for enzymatically preparing phosphorothioate DNAs and RNAs (PS-DNA and PS-RNA) as potential therapeutics, herein we report a one-pot strategy to synthesize the deoxy- and ribo-nucleoside 5′-(α-P-thio)triphosphates (dNTPαS and NTPαS) without protecting any nucleoside functionalities. This facile synthesis is achieved by treating the nucleosides with a mild phosphitylating reagent, reacting selectively with the 5′-hydroxyl group of each unprotected nucleoside, followed by sulfurization and hydrolysis to afford the crude dNTPαS and NTPαS analogs (mixtures of S p and R p diastereomers). We also demonstrated that after just simple precipitation (without HPLC and ion-exchange purification), the quality of the synthesized dNTPαS and NTPαS analogs is excellent for direct DNA polymerization and RNA transcription, respectively. Since Klenow DNA polymerase and T7 RNA polymerase accept the S p diastereomers of dNTPαS and NTPαS analogs, respectively, while the R p diastereomers are neither substrates nor inhibitors, the diastereomerically-pure PS-DNAs and PS-RNAs can be conveniently synthesized enzymatically.
Action of Environmental Agents on Nucleic Acids and Their Metabolism

The sections in this article are: 1 Chemical Reactions That Modify Nucleic Acids 1.1 Noncovalent Interactions 1.2 Covalent Interactions 1.3 Chemical Consequences of Modification 2 Biological Consequences of Modification 2.1 Mutagenesis: Carcinogenesis 2.2 DNA Repair Synthesis 3 Examples of Environmental Chemicals that React with Nucleic Acids 3.1 Chemicals Requiring No Prior Activation 3.2 Chemicals Requiring Prior Activation
Blocking Ca(2+)-dependent synaptic release delays motoneuron differentiation in the rat spinal cord

Development of motoneuron electrical properties and excitability was studied in spinal cord explants of rat embryos cultured for 1–3 weeks. The morphological organization of the spinal cord and synaptic inputs onto motoneurons were maintained in organ culture. The rate of differentiation of motoneuron resting potential and increase in membrane excitability was similar in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that these properties were regulated by cellular signals or extracellular differentiation-promoting factors that were preserved in culture. However, maturation of input resistance, action potential threshold and action potential maximum rate of rise was slower than in vivo. Culturing spinal cord explants with their dorsal root ganglia attached did not facilitate motoneuron differentiation. The role of newly formed synaptic pathways in regulating the changes in motoneuron electrical properties was studied in the presence of blockers of synaptic transmission. Motoneuron differentiation was delayed in spinal cords cultured in the presence of TTX, indicating that electrical activity influenced the time course of their development. However, blocking synaptic transmission with antagonists of glutamate, glycine, and GABAA receptors did not affect the rate of motoneuron differentiation, suggesting that maturation of motoneuron phenotype was independent of activation of these transmitter-gated channels. Incubating spinal cords in medium containing high-K+, which increased the frequency of spontaneous potentials, reversed the inhibitory effect of TTX. Similar to TTX action, motoneuron development was retarded when synaptic release was chronically blocked with either tetanus toxin or omega- conotoxin, a Ca2+ channel blocker. These findings suggested that electrical activity in spinal cord explants modulated motoneuron differentiation via Ca(2+)-dependent synaptic release of neurotransmitters or neurotrophic factors.
Ask me anything: what is Reddit?

Purpose – This article aims to provide an overview of the popular website Reddit. Design/methodology/approach – In many cases, items that are popular on Reddit become viral, appearing on other social media sites and in the news several days later. Findings – The site’s content is supplied by its users, and the popularity of that content is also determined by the membership. While the site can be described simply as an aggregator of user provided content, this simple description does not adequately capture the essence of the Reddit community and the impact of that community and its generated content on society. Originality/value – Librarians should be aware of this impact and the potential that Reddit possesses for connecting with a number of different communities.
Patron Preferences for Folksonomy Tags: Research Findings When Both Hierarchial Subject Headings and Folksonomy Tags Are Used

Objective: With the emergence of folksonomy as an option for subject tagging, discussions have ensued about the costs and benefits of continuing to construct and apply traditional subject headings, given that patrons now can generate their own tags. To date, there are very few databases that allow both systems to coexist. Methods: Within the full text ETD (Electronic Theses and Dissertations) database at Montana State University, both traditional, hierarchical subject headings and patron applied tags are allowed. Patrons are encouraged to tag and the database even features a browse tag capability and a featured ETD. After 24 months of coexistence, data was gathered and analyzed to determine patron use and preferences when given the option of adding their own tags. Results: Very few patrons take advantage of adding their own tags. After 2 years, only 2.5 percent of the ETDs have acquired folksonomy tags. A gradual replacement of LCSH headings by patron tags has not occurred. Conclusions: The main preference for patron-generated tags can be characterized as very narrow in application and in general would have been disallowed under a traditional library subject heading scheme. Despite the low usage, the folksonomy tags are a positive focal point and have generated collaboration within the database.
The Measurement of Perceived Social Usefulness

IS research into technology acceptance has concentrated on the use of technologies for enhancing work performance. Web technologies, however, can be used as the means to gain access to new knowledge, engage in entertainment activities and get involved in communities of interest. Firms have begun to recognize human needs for socialization and are adding forums and chat rooms to their websites. These social interactions provide opportunities for participating in events, learning new ideas and establishing or enhancing one's social identity. For these reasons, a new construct is needed to study the motivation to use technology for intrinsically satisfying social activities. This research describes, operationalizes and rigorously validates a new construct, termed Perceived Social Usefulness, following Churchill's paradigm for scale development. This measure can aid researchers in the quest for richer explanations of consumer behavior involving technologies not strictly intended for the accomplishment of work.
Comparison of Homogenization Methods for Recovering Salmonella Enteritidis from Eggs

For Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) detection, shell eggs have been homogenized with stomachers, with electric blenders, and by hand massaging. However, to date, there have been no published reports addressing whether the method of homogenization affects the recovery of SE from raw eggs. Three inoculum levels (10, 126, and 256 SE cells per pool of 10 eggs) were used to conduct three experiments. The 10-egg pools were homogenized by one of four homogenization methods--mechanical stomaching, electric blending, hand massaging, and hand stirring-for 30 s. The homogenized eggs were then incubated at 37 degrees C, and SE colonies were enumerated after 24 and 48 h of incubation. After 24 h of incubation, no SE was recovered from egg samples from stomached or electrically blended pools inoculated with <10 cells, while levels of 106 CFU/ml were found for samples from whipped or hand-massaged pools inoculated with <10 cells. Similarly, after 24 h of incubation, the numbers of SE cells recovered from hand-massaged or hand-stirred egg pools inoculated with 126 cells were significantly larger than the numbers recovered from stomached or electrically blended egg pools inoculated with 126 cells. The number of SE cells recovered from samples homogenized with a blender was still significantly smaller than the numbers recovered from samples homogenized by the other three methods when the inoculum level was increased to 256 CFU per pool. However, the SE count for all samples approached 9 log10 CFU/ml after 48 h of incubation. It is concluded that the detection of small SE populations in shell egg samples could be improved with the use hand massaging and hand stirring for homogenization.
An Intervention to Maximize Research Sample Collection for Pregnant Subjects at Delivery

regnant women enrolled in clinical researchstudies requiring samples to be collected atdelivery aiord the researcheronly one opportunityto collect those samples, which if not collected re-sult in incomplete data sets. We hypothesized thatthe inclusion of a‘‘time out’’ review forall Cesareanand vaginal births would increase research samplecollection.We sought to evaluate the eiectivenessof implementinga time-out intervention whenpreg-nant study participants deliver in order to enhancethe collectionof biological research samples.Literature ReviewPerinatal research literature is mostly void in de-scribing speci¢c methods for identifying pregnantstudy subjects in labor and delivery and how re-search samples are collected at the time ofdelivery. Recent obstetric studies describe speci¢cbiological samples being collected at delivery;however most studies do not describe how themedicalandnursingstaiknowstocollect thedata.In 2006, aspartofthe national patient safety goals,the Joint Commission on the Accreditation ofHealthcare Organizations (JCAHO) recommendeda perioperative veri¢cation process, or ‘‘time out,’’to include identi¢cation of correct patient, correctsite, correct side, correct procedure, correct posi-tion for the procedure, and the availability ofspecial equipment ifneeded (2007).MethodologyStudy subjects included pregnant women deliver-ing at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) whopreviously consented to IRB approved studies re-quiring research samples at delivery.Obstetric staiwere educated on the implementation of a vaginaldelivery time out that included research participa-tion.Collection rates of research samples obtainedat delivery were collected retrospectively from wo-men delivering by Cesarean and prospectivelyafterimplementationofresearchinthetimeoutpro-cedurefor those subjects delivering vaginally.Data Analysis & InterpretationPrior to study implementation, 105 subjects deliv-ered vaginally and were on one or more studies.Ofthose, 65.7% (69/105) had research samples col-lected forall studies. After study implementation, 83of 97 (85.6%) subjects who delivered vaginallyhadsamples collected for all studies (p5.001). Eighty-fourofthe 97 subjects (86.6%) had documentationof the time out procedure; of these 89.3% (75/84)had all samples collected. Of the 13 without timeout documentation, only 8 had all samples col-lected (61.5%, p5.008). Implementation anddocumentation of time out in vaginal deliveriesimproved research sample collection.Implications for Nursing PracticeByimplementingasuccessfulinterventiontocollectblood and tissue samples at delivery, the re-searcher is able to obtain those data that arecrucial to answering important perinatal researchhypotheses. Including research in all obstetric timeout procedures provides additional assurance thatcompliance with the JCAHO patient safety goals isbeing met. The inclusion of research participationinobstetrictimeoutproceduresisaneiectiveinter-vention maximizing research sample collection atdelivery that maybe implementedbyothers.
Cytoplasmic dynein is required for poleward chromosome movement during mitosis in Drosophila embryos

The movement of chromosomes during mitosis occurs on a bipolar, microtubule-based protein machine, the mitotic spindle. It has long been proposed that poleward chromosome movements that occur during prometaphase and anaphase A are driven by the microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein, which binds to kinetochores and transports them toward the minus ends of spindle microtubules. Here we evaluate this hypothesis using time-lapse confocal microscopy to visualize, in real time, kinetochore and chromatid movements in living Drosophila embryos in the presence and absence of specific inhibitors of cytoplasmic dynein. Our results show that dynein inhibitors disrupt the alignment of kinetochores on the metaphase spindle equator and also interfere with kinetochore- and chromatid-to-pole movements during anaphase A. Thus, dynein is essential for poleward chromosome motility throughout mitosis in Drosophila embryos.
Impacts of Soil Nitrogen and Carbon Additions on Forest Understory Communities with a Long Nitrogen Deposition History

Rates of nitrogen (N) deposition have been historically high throughout much of the northeastern United States; thus, understanding the legacy of these high N loads is important for maintaining forest productivity and resilience. Though many studies have documented plant invasions due to N deposition and associated impacts on ecosystems, less is known about whether invasive plants will continue to increase in dominance with further shifting nutrient regimes. Using soil N and carbon additions, we examined the impact of both increasing and decreasing soil N on native and invasive understory plant dynamics over 4 years in a northeastern deciduous forest with a long history of N deposition. Despite applying large quantities of N, we found no difference in soil nitrate (NO3 )o r ammonium (NH4 + ) pools in N addition plots over the course of the study. Indicative of the potential N saturation in these forest soils, resin-available NO3 - and NH4 + showed evidence that the added N was rapidly moving out of the soil in N addition plots. Accordingly, we also found that adding N to soil altered neither invasive nor native plant abundance, though adding N temporally increased invasive plant richness. Carbon additions decreased soil N availability seasonally, but did not alter the total percent cover of invasive or native plants. Rather than being suppressed by excess N availability, native plant species in this ecosystem are primarily inhibited by the invasive species, which now dominate this site. In conclusion, understory plant communities in this potentially N-saturated ecosystem may be buffered to future alterations in N availability.
The Decay of Unstable Physical Systems

In Section XXI.1 the decaying state is introduced as a resonance for which the production process is ignored. Section XXI.2 gives a heuristic discussion of decay probability (decay rate) and its measurement. Section XXI.3 describes a decaying state by a generalized eigenvector of a Hermitian energy operator with complex eigenvalue. Using this novel concept, the calculation of the decay rate is very simple and is given in Section XXI.4. Section XXI.5 contains a discussion of the partial decay rates and the use of various basis systems for their calculation.
Evaluación mediante score Baros de los resultados del bypass gástrico en el tratamiento de la obesidad mórbida

El sistema de evaluacion mediante el score BAROS (Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System) se ha validado como el mejor sistema de evaluacion integral y objetivo de los beneficios de la cirugia bariatrica, ya que considera distintas variables como la perdida de sobrepeso, correccion de las enfermedades asociadas a la obesidad severa, morbimortalidad del procedimiento a corto y largo plazo, y sobre todo incorpora la evaluacion de la calidad de vida postoperatoria. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue aplicar el score BAROS en una serie de pacientes operados, por un mismo cirujano, y comparar los resultados con los de otras publicaciones recientes. De 57 pacientes obesos morbidos operados en el Hospital Dr. Eduardo Pereira entre 1999 y mediados del 2004 con tecnica abierta de bypass gastrico, se reviso la ficha y se entrevisto a 31 pacientes que tenian mas de 12 meses de evolucion con buen control medico-quirurgico. El promedio de edad fue 42 anos (rango 18 a 60), el IMC promedio fue 49 kg/m2. El porcentaje promedio de exceso de sobrepeso perdido fue un 67%. Las comorbilidades mayores mejoraron en un 94%. La calidad de vida de acuerdo al test de Moorehead - Ardelt mejoro en todos los pacientes. La evaluacion con el score BAROS fue excelente en el 58,1%, muy bueno en el 22,6%, bueno en el 16,1%, y 3,2% regular. Los resultados quirurgicos fueron excelentes y son comparables con las mejores series publicadas en otros centros. Dado lo facil de su aplicacion, en nuestra opinion el score BAROS deberia ser ampliamente usado para la evaluacion de los resultados de la cirugia bariatrica
Visual acuity outcomes in pediatric glaucomas

Purpose To evaluate and compare the visual acuity prognosis in the various pediatric glaucoma subtypes and to determine risk factors for vision loss. Methods The medical records of pediatric glaucoma patients from 2000 to 2010 at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia were retrospectively reviewed. Visual acuities, surgeries, glaucoma subtype, and etiology of vision impairment were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the risk factors for visual impairment. Results A total of 133 eyes (36.8% primary congenital glaucoma, 28.6% aphakic glaucoma, 12.0% glaucoma associated with anterior segment dysgenesis, 12.0% Sturge-Weber glaucoma) of 88 patients were included. At last follow-up (median length, 5 years), 46.6% eyes achieved excellent (≥20/70) visual acuity. Of the glaucoma subtypes, primary congenital glaucoma conferred the best visual prognosis, with 69.4% eyes with excellent (≥20/70) visual acuity at final follow-up. Factors most associated with visual impairment ( Conclusions Patients with glaucoma early in life appear to have a better visual acuity prognosis than previously reported, with those with primary congenital glaucoma faring better than other glaucoma subtypes. Recognition of risk factors for visual impairment can better guide clinical management and counseling of patients.
Emergency surgery for acute diverticulitis: which operation? A National Surgical Quality Improvement Program study

Background The optimal surgical management of acute diverticulitis is still a controversial and unresolved issue. While the Hartmann's procedure (`) is the most commonly performed operation, primary anastomosis (PA), with or without proximal diversion, has also been used with increasing frequency. Methods This is a National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database study including all patients requiring emergency surgery for acute diverticulitis. Three operative approaches were analyzed: HP, colectomy with PA, and colectomy with PA with proximal diversion (PAPD). Mortality and postoperative outcomes were compared between the three groups using a logistical regression model. Results There were 1,314 patients who required emergent operation for acute diverticulitis, 75.4% underwent HP, 21.7% underwent PA, and 2.9% underwent PAPD. Thirty-day mortality was 7.3%, 4.6%, and 1.6% for HP, PA, and PAPD respectively (p = 0.163), while surgical site infections occurred in 19.7%, 17.9%, and 13.2%, respectively (p = 0.59). After multivariable analysis adjusting for age, alcohol consumption, comorbidities, steroid use, preoperative laboratory values, hemorrhage at admission and laparoscopic surgery, the adjusted odds ratio for 30-day mortality comparing PA with HP was 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-1.56; p = 0.465), 0.47 (95% CI, 0.06-3.74; p = 0.479) comparing PAPD with HP, and 1.62 (95% CI, 0.19-13.78; p = 0.658) comparing PA with PAPD. In addition, the three groups did not have significantly different adjusted odds ratio for the development of surgical infectious complications, acute kidney injury, cardiovascular incidents, or venous thromboembolism after surgery. Conclusion Resection and PA in patients undergoing an emergency operation for acute diverticulitis is a safe alternative to the HP, with no significant difference in mortality or postoperative surgical site infections. Level of evidence Therapeutic study, level IV.
User centricity: a taxonomy and open issues

User centricity is a significant concept in federated identity management (FIM), as it provides for stronger user control and privacy. However, several notions of user-centricity in the FIM community render its semantics unclear and hamper future research in this area. Therefore, we consider user-centricity abstractly and establish a comprehensive taxonomy encompassing user-control, architecture, and usability aspects of user-centric FIM. On the systems layer, we discuss user-centric FIM systems and classify them into two predominant variants with significant feature sets. We distinguish credential-focused systems, which advocate offline identity providers and long-term credentials at a user's client, and relationship-focused systems, which rely on the relationships between users and online identity providers that create short-term credentials during transactions. Note that these two notions of credentials are quite different. The further one encompasses cryptographic credentials as defined by Lysyanskaya et al. [30], the latter one federation tokens as used in today's FIM protocols like Liberty.We raise the question where user-centric FIM systems may go--within the limitations of the user-centricity paradigm as well as beyond them. Firstly, we investigate the existence of a universal user-centric FIM system that can achieve a superset of security and privacy properties as well as the characteristic features of both pre-dominant classes. Secondly, we explore the feasibility of reaching beyond user-centricity, that is, allowing a user of a user-centric FIM system to again give away user-control by means of an explicit act of delegation. We do neither claim a solution for universal user-centric systems nor for the extension beyond the boundaries ventures by leveraging the properties of a credential-focused FIM system.
Spectrophotometric determination of micro amounts of hydrazine and hydroxylamine alone and in the presence of each other.

Abstract Hydrazine and hydroxylamine alone or in the presence of each other are determined at concentrations of 1-10μg/25 ml with a relative precision of 3-0.8% by using iron(III) in the presence of Ferrozine.