cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Scoring of Gill Pathology of Walleyes Exposed to Hydrogen Peroxide

Abstract Hydrogen peroxide is currently being evaluated as a potential chemotherapeutant for a variety of external disease organisms of fish. Research in our laboratory has focused on delineating effective hydrogen peroxide dosing regimes for treating bacterial gill disease in walleyes Stizostedion vitreum. Results from target animal safety studies indicate that walleyes are particularly sensitive to hydrogen peroxide. Acute toxicity is evident from histopathologic inspection of gills (which show extensive epithelial lifting and necrosis) of fish treated with high doses of hydrogen peroxide. A digitized scoring method was used to quantify the severity of the gill lesions in juvenile walleyes exposed to hydrogen peroxide.
On Robustness Analysis in the Control of Nonlinear Systems

This paper deals with the class of nonlinear systems described by the equation M(q(t))q(t) = f(t) - N(q(t),q?(t)) with f(t) a control input. We employ a simple method of control design which has two stages. First, a global linearization is performed to yield a decoupled controllable linear system. Then a controller is designed for this linear system. We provide a rigorous analysis of the effects of uncertain dynamics, which we study using robustness results in the time domain based on a Lyapunov equation and the total stability theorem. Using this approach we are able to give meaningful robustness bounds which justify assumptions that are currently made in the literature in an ad hoc fashion.
Higher order chromatin structure at the X-inactivation center via looping DNA

In mammals, the silencing step of the X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) process is initiated by the non-coding Xist RNA. Xist is known to be controlled by the non-coding Xite and Tsix loci, but the mechanisms by which Tsix and Xite regulate Xist are yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we examine the role of higher order chromatin structure across the 100-kb region of the mouse X-inactivation center (Xic) and map domains of specialized chromatin in vivo. By hypersensitive site mapping and chromosome conformation capture (3C), we identify two domains of higher order chromatin structure. Xite makes looping interactions with Tsix, while Xist makes contacts with Jpx/Enox, another non-coding gene not previously implicated in XCI. These regions interact in a developmentally-specific and sex-specific manner that is consistent with a regulatory role in XCI. We propose that dynamic changes in three-dimensional architecture leads to formation of separate chromatin hubs in Tsix and Xist that together regulate the initiation of X-chromosome inactivation.
Implications of programmable general purpose processors for compression/encryption applications

With the growth of the Internet and mobile communication industry, multimedia applications form a dominant computer workload. Media workloads are typically executed on Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), application specific processors (ASPs) or general purpose processors (GPPs). GPPs are flexible and allow changes in the applications and algorithms better than ASICs and ASPs. However, executing these applications on GPPs is done at a high cost. In this paper, we analyze media compression/decompression algorithms from the perspective of the overhead of executing them on a programmable general purpose processor versus ASPs. We choose nine encode/decode programs from audio, image/video andencryption applications. The instruction mix, memory access and parallelism aspects during the execution of these programs are analyzed. Memory access latency is observed to be the main factor influencing the execution time on general purpose processors. Most of these compression/decompression algorithms involve processing the data through execution phases (e.g. quantization, encoding, etc) and temporary results are stored and retrieved between these phases. A metric called overhead memory-access bandwidth per input/output byte is defined to characterize the temporary memory activity of each application. We observe that more than 90% of the memory accesses made by these programs are temporary data stores and loads arising from the general purpose nature of the execution platform. We also study the data parallelism in these applications, indicating the ability of instruction level and data level parallel processors to exploit the parallelism in these applications. The parallelism ranges from 6 to 529 in encode processes and 18 to 558 in decode processes.
Five novel genes from the cri-du-chat critical region isolated by direct selection

Cri-du-chat is a well described partial aneusomy resulting from deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5. The hallmark clinical feature of cri-du-chat, a high-pitched monochromatic cry, has recently been localized to 5p15.3, separate from the remaining clinical features of the syndrome, which have been localized to 5p15.2. Five chromosome 5-specific probes from the latter region, designated the cri-du-chat critical region (CDCCR), were used to isolate 30 cosmids from the LANL chromosome 5 specific cosmid library. The 30 framework cosmids were used in a direct selection with three cDNA sources to isolate an initial set of expressed sequences. Nine unique cDNAs were found that hybridized to four discrete sets of cosmids in the CDCCR. The nine cDNAs are novel by sequence database comparisons, and conservatively represent four transcription units. More recently, we have also constructed a YAC contig of the CDCCR which spans approximately 2 Mb. As expected, ESTs derived from the nine novel cDNAs map back to the contig. Limited expression profiles of these cDNAs have been obtained. Two cDNAs that map to one discrete set of cosmids have different expression patterns, suggesting that they represent two different genes and increasing the number of putative genes to five. Further characterization of these genes and the estimated 100 additional genes deleted in cri-du-chat should lead to better diagnostic markers and an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the disease.
Milestones in the development of cardioplegia

Long before there was a possibility for the application of cardioplegia to clinical situations, physiologists and surgeons studied the influence of various cations on function of the myocardial cell. These monumental studies helped set the stage for the eventual practical application of various means of myocardial preservation once open cardiac surgical techniques became available. This presentation attempts to summarize early research effort from the work of Sidney Ringer in 1878 until the present time. The historical progression of myocardial protective strategies is reviewed in a sequential fashion, highlighting major contributions and practices of investigators at the time. It is hoped that such a review of the accomplishments of our colleagues past and present will improve our perspective regarding current applications of such knowledge and that it may stimulate further inquiry toward improving present-day myocardial preservation strategies.
On the history of evaluation in IR

This paper is a personal take on the history of evaluation experiments in information retrieval. It describes some of the early experiments that were formative in our understanding, and goes on to discuss the current dominance of TREC (the Text REtrieval Conference) and to assess its impact.
Controlled wear processes: modeling-optimal control

Wear processes modeled by a scalar Ito equation cannot have increasing paths unless the Ito equation is really a deterministic ordinary differential equation. However, vector Ito equations whose first component is just an ordinary differential equation with positive derivative yield a stochastic process whose first component has continuous increasing paths. Thus it is claimed that if Ito equations are used to model wear processes, they must always have a particular form. Control problems are set up for these types of wear models, and an explicit solution is obtained in a special case. >
Organisms Used in Classical Biological Insect Pest Suppression

It is a well established fact that, from the time of the earliest records of parasitoid-host and predator-prey relationships, the most important single factor recognized in preventing organisms (insects) from overwhelming the rest of the world has been the internecine battles which take place among them. Many of the insect pests which compete with us by injuring or destroying our food and fiber are conspicuous, whereas beneficial organisms are generally secretive and insidious. Only when the pests reach epizootic proportions, or are newly introduced into an area, is the absence or scarcity of beneficial organisms noticed. Metcalf and Flint (1932) stated, “Man will probably never be able to do as much in controlling his insect enemies as his insect friends can do for him.” This philosophy is as true today as it was when first considered, and has been amplified in a gratifying manner by DeBach (1974), who compared the ratio of actual economic pests to potential economic pests under natural pest suppression, to the parts of an iceberg. The visible tip of the iceberg, which represents approximately one percent of the potential pest insects, may appear large and formidable, but when compared to the great bulk of ice that is invisible to us, representing the 99% of potential pests under natural control, it is insignificant.
Red shifted-Photoluminescence of Ensembles of GaN Nano-Crystallites

We present optical analysis concerning the redshift of the photoluminescence (PL) of ensembles of GaN nano-crystals. We found that the extent of the redshift depends on the laser power as well as on the ensemble size. For ensemble of size ∼ 30 μm, the laser power in our experimental specification impacted the PL energy and caused a redshift of up to 120 meV. This phenomena was not observed for a small ensemble of ∼ 1 νm or less. For the small ensemble the PL redshift was negligible and depended weakly on the laser power; similar behavior was found in GaN thin film. The above findings were observed in the PL of GaN nano-crystalline of Wurtzite as well as cubic structure. Our results point to a laser heating event occurring in the large ensemble; the emitted and scattered light is confined among the nano-crystallites thus causing the heating. For a small ensemble the light has a higher probability of diffusing outside the enclosure, and thus no laser heating occurs.
Partnership Exit Strategies and the Failure of the Substantiality Test

The article considers partially taxable dispositions of partnership property with a special allocation of taxable gain to the partner receving the corresponding proceeds. Reviewing the history and purpose of the substantial economic effect standard from the 1954 Code through the 1976 Tax Reform Act demonstrates that Congress did not intend that the "substantial" requirement become a rigid quasi-mathematical test that fails to block a number of tax avoidance shemes while disallowing allocations which have no tax avoidance intent. The 2008 amendment of the regulations only exacerbates the deficiencies of the substantiality rules. In conclusion, the regulations governing partnership allocations should be rewritten to include a tax avoidance and business purpose test.
Pretransplant echocardiographic parameters as markers of posttransplant outcomes in liver transplant recipients

Despite advances in liver transplantation and preoperative risk stratification, there remains significant posttransplant morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular and renal disease. There are limited and conflicting data on the role of pretransplant echocardiography to predict these outcomes. The purpose of our study was to determine if pretransplant echocardiographic parameters were associated with posttransplant survival and the development of incident cardiovascular events and chronic kidney disease (CKD). We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 397 adult liver transplant recipients at the University of Pennsylvania from January 1, 2005 to September 30, 2014. Patients with acute liver failure, those without a diagnosis of cirrhosis (eg, polycystic liver disease without portal hypertension), retransplants, and multiorgan transplants were excluded. In multivariable Cox regression models, tricuspid regurgitation graded greater than mild was associated with significantly increased posttransplant mortality (hazard ratio, 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-2.75; P = 0.04). In multivariable competing risk models, increasing pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) was associated with significantly increased risk of hospitalization for myocardial infarction or heart failure (subhazard ratio per 5 mm Hg increase in PASP, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.48-2.17; P < 0.001). In multivariable competing risk models, increased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was associated with a numerical but nonsignificant increased risk of stage 4 or 5 CKD (subhazard ratio, 1.11 per 5% increase in LVEF; 95% CI, 0.99-1.24; P = 0.07). In a post hoc analysis, LVEF ≥ 65% was the best cutoff for increased risk of CKD (subhazard ratio, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.06-2.89; P = 0.03). In conclusion, several pretransplant echocardiographic parameters were associated with posttransplant morbidity and mortality, suggesting that pretransplant echocardiography may be used as a tool to risk-stratify patients for posttransplant outcomes.
Cdc7p-Dbf4p becomes famous in the cell cycle

Great insight into the molecular details of cell cycle regulation has been obtained in the past decade. However, most of the progress has been in defining the regulation of the family of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Recent studies of a myriad of eukaryotic organisms have defined both the regulation and substrates of Cdc7p kinase, which forms a CDK-cyclin-like complex with Dbf4p, is necessary for the initiation of DNA replication and has been conserved in evolution. This kinase is also required for the induction of mutations after DNA damage and for commitment to recombination in the meiotic cell cycle. However, less is known about the role of the kinase in these processes. In a manner similar to CDKs, Cdc7p is activated by a regulatory subunit, Dbf4, the levels of which fluctuate during the cell cycle. One or more subunits of the conserved MCM helicase complex at chromosomal origins of DNA replication are substrates for the kinase during S phase. Phosphorylation of the MCM complex by Cdc7p-Dbf4p might activate DNA replication by unwinding DNA. Therefore, activation of Cdc7p is required for DNA replication. Given that Cdc7p-Dbf4 kinase is overexpressed in many neoplastic cells and tumors, it might be an important early biomarker during cancer progression.
Universal Functions of Polygonal Numbers

(1942). Universal Functions of Polygonal Numbers. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 107-110.
The rise of the dragon? Framing China’s global leadership in elite American newspapers

The current study analyzes the framing of China’s emergence as a global power in the opinion pages of two elite newspapers. The study expands upon previous studies examining newspaper opinion gatekeepers’ use of the editorial and opposite-editorial pages as salient platforms for the expression of diverse opinion regarding foreign affairs. Results show that the New York Times framed China as a global power undermined by structural limitations, while The Wall Street Journal framed China as a direct threat to US foreign policy interests. The results of the analysis are discussed in the context of media-government power dynamics.
Biases and Heuristics in Decision Making and Their Impact on Autonomy

Cognitive scientists have identified a wide range of biases and heuristics in human decision making over the past few decades. Only recently have bioethicists begun to think seriously about the implications of these findings for topics such as agency, autonomy, and consent. This article aims to provide an overview of biases and heuristics that have been identified and a framework in which to think comprehensively about the impact of them on the exercise of autonomous decision making. I analyze the impact that these biases and heuristics have on the following dimensions of autonomy: understanding, intentionality, absence of alienating or controlling influence, and match between formally autonomous preferences or decisions and actual choices or actions.
O valor da vida no desenvolvimento moral

Esse artigo a pesquisa sobre o Desenvolvimento Moral na Educacao Superior, a luz da teoria de Kohlberg. Os resultados confirmam as pesquisas realizadas pelo autor, quando diz que em sua maioria, pais e professores estao no nivel convencional de consciencia moral. A afirmacao e preocupante quando se percebe que a maioria dos educadores se apresenta neste nivel de consciencia moral, pois e a partir dele que se formam as novas geracoes. Os Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais - PCN (BRASIL, 1998b) preconizam a formacao dos alunos “a partir de principios e valores e nao de receitas prontas”. Esse texto analisa os conceitos sobre o valor da vida e suas consequencias a partir do quadro organizado pelo autor e as respostas dadas pelos participantes da pesquisa. O estudo acompanha os niveis e estagios de desenvolvimento moral com implicacoes para o desenvolvimento moral, bem como sobre o valor dado a vida e sua abrangencia para a educacao. Palavras-chave: Vida. Desenvolvimento moral. Educacao. Formacao de professores. The value of life in the moral development Abstract This article integrates research about the Moral Development in Superior Education illuminated by Kohlberg's theory. The results confirm the research when it says that in most cases, parents and teachers are at the conventional level of moral conscience. The statement is concerning when one realizes that most educators is in this level of moral consciousness, because it is from this level new generations are formed. The PCN (BRASIL, 1998b) profess the importance of students formation "from principles and not ready recipes". This paper analyzes the concepts of the value of life and its consequences from an organized table and the answers given by the research participants. The study monitors the levels and stages of moral development with implications for moral development, as well as the value given to life and the scope for education. Keywords: Life. Moral development. Education. Teacher formation.
The Reader in al-Jahiz: The Epistolary Rhetoric of an Arabic Prose Master

This book explores the intricately crafted rhetorical strategies used by al-Jahiz in his letters. The 9th-century essayist, theologian and encyclopedist 'Amr b. Bahr al-Jahiz has long been acknowledged as a master of early Arabic prose writing. One of his literary techniques was to write for a broad audience but present his text as a letter to an individual. Many of his most engaging pieces were written in this way, but surprisingly little academic attention has been paid to them. Now, Thomas Hefter takes a new approach in interpreting some of al-Jahiz's 'epistolary monographs'. By focussing on the varying ways in which he wrote to the addressee, Hefter shows how al-Jahiz shaped his conversations on the page in order to guide (or manipulate) his actual readers and encourage them to engage with his complex materials. It looks at letters from one of the most unique minds of the Abbasid era that cover sectarian and ethnic rivalries, ethical questions, intoxicating beverages and daily life. It relates al-Jahiz's experiments with the letter frame to his views on occupations, human geography and other issues of his day. It examines the role of self-parody in al-Jahiz's fictional conversations with his addresses. It explores the rich interplay of contending voices.
The Pathogenesis of Bacterial Endophthalmitis

Bacterial endophthalmitis is one of the most vision-threatening ocular infections. This infection is a serious complication of ocular surgery, penetrating trauma, or infection elsewhere in the body. The increase in the numbers of cataract surgeries, intravitreal injections, and other ocular procedures may increase the risk of endophthalmitis. The visual outcome for endophthalmitis typically depends on the virulence of the causative organism, the condition of the eye upon presentation for treatment, and the effectiveness of therapeutic strategies to stop bacterial growth, limit inflammation, and clear the visual tract. In this chapter, we review the current knowledge of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying bacterial endophthalmitis. We also highlight the importance of understanding bacterial virulence mechanisms and the interactions between the bacterium and host during disease. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for identifying viable targets and, ultimately, the development of more effective therapeutic strategies for preventing vision loss following endophthalmitis.
MRI — an overview

Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is an imaging technique that has grown alongside CT and that, like CT, has produced Nobel laureates of its own. Where the physics of CT is fairly straightforward — X-rays are emitted and their changes in intensity measured — MRI is based on the generation of a complex of overlapping, fluctuating electromagnetic fields that must be precisely controlled. Mathematically, the effects of the electromagnetic fields on the atomic nuclei in the sample being studied are modeled with differential equations. The Fourier transform is the primary tool for analyzing the electrical signals generated by the motions of atomic nuclei under the influence of these fields.
After Empire: The Conceptual Transformation of the Chinese State, 1885–1924

It is well-known that, in the years after the last Qing Emperor abdicated in February 1912, there were various attempts—with some being able to go further than others in executing their plots—to re...
Over-Imitation in Four-to-Six-Year-Old Children with Autism and Typically Developing Children

This study adds to the existing pool of knowledge regarding the imitative behavior of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: The over-imitation behaviors of preschool children with ...
Mobilization of Radium and Radon by Deicing Salt Contamination of Groundwater

Elevated radium (Ra) concentrations have been observed in aquifers with high naturally occurring salinity. The flux of radon (Rn) gas from the decay of Ra out of saline aquifers can be enhanced owing to salting-out effects. This raises the issue as to whether increased salinization of groundwater from road deicing practices can enhance Ra and Rn mobility to the extent that they become a human health concern. Continued use of salt (NaCl) as a road deicing agent has resulted in a gradual salinization of groundwater systems in snow-affected regions. This study presents groundwater data from a monitoring well field installed around a permeable pavement parking lot at the University of Connecticut, Storrs campus. The data suggest a connection between road salting and (a) the mobilization of dissolved Ra as well as (b) enhanced Rn gas flux from the water table. A positive correlation (R 2 = 0.92) was identified between dissolved Na+ and isotopes of Ra; a negative relationship was observed between specific conductance and dissolved Rn. In two monitoring locations, concentrations of Ra were detected that exceeded the EPA MCL of 5 pCi/L. Concentrations of Rn in the groundwater were found to be at a level that theoretically could generate gas concentrations in the vadose zone that exceed the indoor Rn standard by orders of magnitude. Given these findings, it appears that salt contamination of groundwater could increase the potential for human exposure to these radioactive and carcinogenic elements.
Primary Osteoporosis in Conditions of Pediatric Onset

In the past, osteoporosis has been regarded as a disease of elderly women or of adults with diseases that cause progressive bone loss and fragility fractures. More recently, physicians and researchers have become aware of conditions that lead to low bone mineral density (BMD) and fractures not only in childhood and adolescence but later in life. Diseases and disorders originating in childhood but with implications for adulthood fall into two categories: primary bone and joint diseases and secondary bone diseases. This chapter will focus on primary osteoporosis, particularly osteogenesis imperfecta, as well as one condition with direct effects on joints and indirect effects on bone, specifically juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Other childhood diseases—spina bifida and the eating disorders, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis that constitute the female athlete triad—are considered elsewhere in this volume. What is common to all is the fact that they have their onset in childhood, leading to osteoporosis by or before young adulthood so that by their mid-20s and mid-30s, patients have the bones of a 70–80-year-old. Compromised bone health from infancy to age 19 carries a lifetime risk of osteoporosis.
Antioxidant Activity of Yichun Blue Honeysuckle (YBHS) Berry Counteracts CCl4-Induced Toxicity in Liver Injury Model of Mice

Yichun Blue Honeysuckle (YBHS) is reported to have a broad range of health benefits including protection against a number of chronic diseases. The objective of our study was to determine whether YBHS exhibits antioxidant activity, and if so, determine how it provides protection against oxidative stress. Eight-week old mice (25 male and 25 female) were randomized into five groups (n = 10 per group). YBHS extract (at 6.25%, 12.5%, or 25%) was administrated via intra-gastric tube to mice at 0.1 mL/10 g body weight once daily for 7 days. On the 8th day, all animals except for the controls received 250 mg/kg of CCl₄ through an intra-gastric tube. The animals were sacrificed 6 h after CCl₄ administration. Liver samples obtained from these mice were analyzed for the levels of Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) and glutathione and the activities of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), using biochemical assay kits. Our results showed that YBHS indeed reduces lipid peroxidation, suggesting that YBHS decreases the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels. We also found that YBHS activated the endogenous antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase and its co-enzyme glutathione reductase. In addition, we showed that glutathione levels were increased by YBHS treatment. Furthermore, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay revealed that YBHS has potent free radical scavenging activity. Based on the results from our study, we conclude that YBHS scavenges ROS by enhancing the activity of the endogenous antioxidant defense system activity for conferring liver protective effects.
Isolation and Suffering Related to Serious and Terminal Illness: Metaphors and Lessons from Albert Camus’ Novel, The Plague

Health care providers have much to learn from Albert Camus' great novel, The Plague. The Plague tells the story of a bubonic plague epidemic through the lens of doctor-narrator Rieux. In addition to Rieux, this essay also focuses on the perspective of Father Paneloux, a Jesuit priest, who provides important religious commentary on the epidemic, before falling victim to it and dying. Camus' masterful engagement of the metaphor of isolation and its profound impact on suffering emphasizes the important role of community and spiritual perspectives of patients and providers in coping with serious illness, death, and dying. The Plague is relevant today, particularly given the challenges of distancing, alienation, and isolation imposed by not only disease but also by technology and clinical and administrative practices that have unintended consequences of incentivizing separation between patient and healer, thus engendering greater stress and suffering in both.
Organizational Assessment of Secondary Traumatic Stress: Utilizing the Secondary Traumatic Stress Informed Organizational Assessment Tool to Facilitate Organizational Learning and Change

This chapter describes an approach to the organizational assessment of secondary traumatic stress (STS) policies and practices that enables child welfare leaders to reliably evaluate how STS-informed their agency is, develop a roadmap for addressing challenges, and track progress toward organizational change in this area over time. These strategies facilitate the management of STS in the child welfare workforce, an essential component of trauma-informed care. Specifically discussed in this chapter is the Secondary Traumatic Stress Informed Organizational Assessment (STSI-OA) (Sprang et al., The secondary traumatic stress-informed organization assessment (STSI-OA) tool. Doi: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2866.1842, 2014), an evaluation tool that can be used by organizational representatives at any level to evaluate the degree to which their organization is STS-informed and able to respond to the impact of STS in the workplace. The tool describes what an STS-informed organization would look like, if all the activities were enacted fully, based on the current literature relevant to STS risk and protection, and principles of organizational learning and development (Dodgson, Org Stud 14(3):375–394, 1993; Crossan et al., Acad Manag Rev 24(3):522–537, 1999). Additionally, this chapter provides information about the reliability and validity of the STSI-OA, national norms, how the tool addresses cultural competence, and challenges to utilization and integration into child welfare settings using the National Implementation Research Network’s (NIRN) implementation framework.
A universal theory for gas breakdown from microscale to the classical Paschen law

While well established for larger gaps, Paschen's law (PL) fails to accurately predict breakdown for microscale gaps, where field emission becomes important. This deviation from PL is characterized by the absence of a minimum breakdown voltage as a function of the product of pressure and gap distance, which has been demonstrated analytically for microscale and smaller gaps with no secondary emission at atmospheric pressure [A. M. Loveless and A. L. Garner, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 45, 574–583 (2017)]. We extend these previous results by deriving analytic expressions that incorporate the nonzero secondary emission coefficient, γSE, that are valid for gap distances larger than those at which quantum effects become important (∼100 nm) while remaining below those at which streamers arise. We demonstrate the validity of this model by benchmarking to particle-in-cell simulations with γSE = 0 and comparing numerical results to an experiment with argon, while additionally predicting a minimum voltage that was mask...
Style of Thinking as Moderator of Drivers of Consumer Brand Identification: An Abstract

Drawing from social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1985), Bhattacharya and Sen (2003) proposed that customers may identify with companies and especially with the brands. Consumers perceive brands as carriers of symbolic meanings, and they use it to achieve their identity goals (Escalas & Bettman, 2009). Based on that, research about consumer brand identification (CBI), defined as a consumer’s perceived state of oneness with a brand (Stokburger-Sauer et al., 2012), has demonstrated its power as a predictor of consumer behavior (i.e., repurchase intention, word of mouth, and symbol passing).
Rationality and Collective-Choice Theory

The term “collective-choice theory” means something quite specific in the present chapter. It refers to work which can be divided into the following categories: (a) axiomatic-choice theory; (b) spatial modeling (economic theories of politics); (c) game theory; and (d) collective- or public-goods theory.
The Readability of Junior High School Mathematics Textbooks.

CHOOSING a textbook is a very diffi cult and trying task. This is true whether it is done by an individual or a committee, or for a large school system with many students or a small system with only a few. The same shoe fits only a small number; the same menu satisfies the taste of only a small minority. Regardless of who chooses the text, for whom it is chosen, or what the curricu lum is to be, one criterion that must not be ignored is the readability of the material. Students certainly cannot understand that which they are unable to read. Even when students are highly motivated to learn, perhaps ready to benefit most from the dis covery process, they can become stymied by material they cannot read. Eleven publishing companies submitted mathematics series for Grades 7 and 8 to the Texas State Textbook Committee recently. From these, five were chosen for the state adoption list from which all public schools in Texas select their texts. One part of the process of narrowing the submitted texts down to a field of five involved looking at the readability of the books. Several formulae, including the Dale-Chall [l],* Flesch [3], and Spache
Genetics of resistance of animals to viruses: I. Introduction and studies in mice.

Publisher Summary Inherited resistance to animal viruses may be conveniently classified into three types: monogenetic, following simple mendelian ratios; polygenetic; and cytoplasmic. A virus is a unique cellular parasite, dependent upon the host for reproduction and nourishment in a variety of different ways. Since, as with the other types of parasites, the host and the parasite have necessarily evolved together. It is a distortion to consider the resistance of the host, without considering the evolutionary steps in the development of this extreme form of parasitism; therefore, this chapter reviews some of the ideas put forward about host-agent interactions in plants as well as in animals. The importance of genes in regulating the resistance to disease, including parasites and parasitoids, is apparent if the disease is considered to be an important evolutionary force. The selective effects of viruses have not yet been adequately studied. Continued attempts to find a correlation between the different blood groups and differing severity of smallpox infection clearly searched for selective forces, but the results were inconclusive. Most of the knowledge of genetic resistance to virus disease rests on the study of resistance to selected agents in various inbred strains of mice and chickens, rather than on any knowledge of the effects of genetic resistance in a natural heterozygous population. The increasing frequency, however, with which genetic resistance is found, is in itself an evidence that these genes are important in natural outbred populations. In addition, there are increasing numbers of virus diseases, in which the viral agent seems to be inherited in a mendelian fashion.
Degradation of Carbaryl and 1-Naphthol by Spent Mushroom Compost Microorganisms

The capabilities of spent mushroom compost microorganisms in degrading carbaryl and 1-naphthol were evaluated. No lag phases were observed for the two compounds. The microbial degradation kinetics of the two compounds could be interpreted very well by Pseudo-first-order model. The biodegradation rate constants of two compounds were affected by initial biomass concentration and aeration rate significantly. The rate constants of carbaryl and 1-naphthol were 0.2S1 hr−1, 0.105 hr−1 respectively under the aerobic condition (aeration rate 600 ml/min and initial biomass concentration 100 mg/l). Thus, the half-life of carbaryl and 1-naphthol were 2.761 hrs, 6.600 hrs respectively.
Malaria as an Environmental Disease

The environment accounts for approximately 90% of malaria transmission; 42% of the global malaria burden is attributed to modifiable environmental factors. This article provides an overview of the environmental risk factors that influence malaria transmission. A better understanding of how the environment impacts malaria transmission is necessary to plan and implement effective control strategies. Environmental diseases can be prevented and environmental management has, indeed, been shown to be highly effective at reducing malaria burden in several eco-epidemiological areas. The idea that environmental management needs to be included as a key component of intervention strategies in the control of malaria is not new but is often forgotten.
Fruit Flies & the Gut Microbiome: Redesign-Your-Bacteria Lab Exercise

This lab introduces students to experimental design in an inquiry lab exercise that investigates the gut microbiome, basic microbiology techniques, and the broader topic of bacteriology. Fruit flies are used as a model system to study the impact that foods, food additives, and/or antibiotics have on the gut microbiome. One of the major bacteria in the guts of fruit flies is Lactobacillus, which is easy to grow in the lab. This exercise is done in three consecutive lab sessions. During Lab 1, students prepare a standard nutritive medium that has been mixed with a substance of their choice, add the fruit flies to the medium, and practice serial dilution with a simulation. During Lab 2, students plate mashed fruit flies on MRS medium to look at the change in Lactobacillus levels. During Lab 3, students count and determine the change in the number of Lactobacillus in their tested substance, Gram stain selected colonies, and discuss their results as a class. SALG surveys indicated a significant gain in their understanding of the microbiology concepts introduced in this lab.
Delay-Sensitive Communications Over IR-HARQ: Modulation, Coding Latency, and Reliability

With the growing popularity of delay-sensitive applications (e.g., real-time conversational video, online gaming, and augmented reality) and future trends toward ultra-reliable low-latency communications such as the tactile Internet, performance analysis of wireless systems under the finite code blocklength constraint becomes extremely important. In this paper, we investigate the maximum achievable throughput of incremental redundancy-hybrid automatic repeat request (IR-HARQ) over the (correlated) Rayleigh fading channel under finite blocklength and delay-violation probability constraints as a function of the modulation scheme. The maximum number of HARQ rounds together with the transport block size specifies the underlying coding latency of the IR-HARQ scheme. A framework, namely the HARQ Markov model (HARQ-MM), is introduced to track the throughput and the probability of error of IR-HARQ over the Rayleigh fading channel as a function of the modulation scheme. The dispersion of parallel additive white Gaussian noise channels with finite input alphabets (e.g., pulse amplitude modulation) is analytically characterized. It is used to identify the state transition probabilities of the underlying HARQ-MM. An algorithm is developed to efficiently compute the steady-state distribution of the HARQ-MM. Extensive performance evaluation is conducted, which shows a good match between the throughput performance characterized by the theoretical framework and that achieved by the practical channel codes.
Ulnar Artery Thrombosis Presented with Unilateral Raynaud's Phenomenon Findings after Long-Term Intensive Handicraft Activity: Hypothenar Hammer Syndrome.

Background Hypothenar hammer syndrome (HHS) is an uncommon vascular syndrome of upper extremity. HHS should be considered in patients who are presented with digital ischemia. Distal ulnar artery compression at the level of Guyon's canal with trauma results in thrombus or aneurysm. It may be observed after repetitive chronic trauma or acute blunt trauma to hypothenar eminence. Middle-aged male laborers, smokers, and dominant hands are affected frequently. Hand pain, discoloration or ulceration of digits, cold intolerance, hypothenar pulsatile mass, hypothenar weakness, and numbness are significant clinical findings. Case characteristics In this report, we presented a 37-year-old woman complaining with intermittent hand pain, paleness, and cyanosis at third, fourth, and fifth fingers of the right hand. She had no blunt trauma to her hand but intense amount of needle lace with her hands. Doppler ultrasonography revealed ulnar arterial thrombus at right Guyon's canal level. Conclusions She was diagnosed as HHS secondary to intense needlework. A calcium channel blocker and low-dose aspirin were prescribed to her, and avoidance of hand traumas was suggested. These interventions relieved digital ischemia symptoms on her hand.
Business Rescue and Insolvency Regulation and Practice In Nigeria: The Imperatives of Globalization

Abstract Business rescue and insolvency regulation and practice is critical to economic development. This is especially true in the light of the unintended consequences of globalisation that may result in economics shocks and business failures. This paper argues that countries with robust business rescue and insolvency laws and practices are better able to manage the adverse impact of local and global economic shocks, attract more foreign investments and achieve faster and even development. Nigeria can benefit from reforms in business rescue and insolvency by benchmarking the reform and practice initiatives of the more advanced countries within and outside Africa. This paper makes some recommendations in this regard.
Personalized medicine: From diagnostic to adaptive

Abstract Personalized therapy has made great strides but suffers from the lack of companion diagnostics. With the dawn of extracellular vesicle (EV) based liquid biopsies fast approaching, this article proposes a novel approach to cancer treatment – adaptive therapy. Already being implemented in the field of radiation oncology, adaptive radiation therapy utilizes cutting-edge imaging techniques as a viable means to monitor a patient's tumor throughout the entire treatment cycle by adapting the dosage and alignment to match the dynamic tumor. Through an EV liquid biopsy, medical oncologists will also soon have the means to continuously monitor a patient's tumor as it changes over time. With this information, physicians will be able to “adapt” pre-planned therapies concurrently with the fluctuating tumor environment, thus creating a more precise personalized medicine. In this article, a theory for adaptive medicine and the current state of the field with an outlook on future challenges are discussed.
Crowdsourcing Images for Global Diversity

Crowdsourcing enables human workers to perform designated tasks unbounded by time and location. As mobile devices and embedded cameras have become widely available, we deployed an image capture task globally for more geographically diverse images. Via our micro-crowdsourcing mobile application, users capture images of surrounding subjects, tag with keywords, and can choose to open source their work. We open-sourced 478,000 images collected from worldwide users as a dataset "Open Images Extended" that aims to add global diversity to imagery training data. We describe our approach and workers' feedback through survey responses from 171 global contributors to this task.
Comprehensive Physics of Third Quadrant Characteristics for Accumulation- and Inversion-Channel 1.2-kV 4H-SiC MOSFETs

Detailed physics of the third quadrant electrical characteristics of 1.2-kV rated 4H-SiC accumulation (Acc) and inversion (Inv) channel MOSFETs, based on experimentally measured data and TCAD numerical simulations, are described in this paper for the first time. The power MOSFETs with various channel lengths (0.3, 0.5, 0.8, 1.1 $\mu \text{m}$ ) used in this paper were fabricated in a 6-in commercial foundry. Numerical simulations verified that there are two current paths in the third quadrant: 1) through the base region and 2) through the p-n body diode. This paper demonstrates that the Acc MOSFETs have a smaller third quadrant knee voltage ( ${V}_{{\text {knee}}})$ of −1.2 V compared with −1.9 V for the Inv MOSFETs (at ${V}_{g} = {0}$ V and room temperature). Numerical simulations show that this difference is due to a smaller potential barrier for electron transport from the drain to the source in the base region for accumulation channel devices than inversion channel devices. Acc devices are shown to have a lower voltage drop in the third quadrant.
"Housing Insecurity Seems to Almost Go Hand in Hand with Being Trans": Housing Stress among Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Individuals in New Orleans.

Housing is an important social determinant of physical and mental health. Transgender and gender non-conforming individuals (T/GNCI) face a unique constellation of discrimination and compromised social services, putting them at risk for housing insecurity, homelessness, and its associated public health concerns. This study explores housing insecurity among T/GNCI in New Orleans, LA, where the infrastructural landscape is marked by an underinvestment in housing stock and disaster capitalism. In-depth interviews were conducted with T/GNCI (n = 17) living in New Orleans, identified through purposive sampling. Semi-structured guides were used to elicit personal stories and peer accounts of insecure housing experiences and coping strategies. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Data was coded, sorted, and analyzed for key themes using NVIVO 11. Respondents discussed an array of circumstances that contribute to housing insecurity, including intersectional stigma and discrimination coupled with gentrification and a changing housing landscape in the city. Housing was intricately intertwined with employment and other structural issues; vulnerability in one realm was closely tied to insecurity in the others. Social support and queer family structures emerged as a key source of resilience, coping, and survival. The study supports an increase of resources for T/GNC housing access and interventions that address the cyclical discrimination, housing, and employment issues this population faces with a consideration of the historical and current structural barriers impeding their access to safe, stable, long-term housing.
Synthesis and Characterization of Rapidly Degrading Polyanhydrides as Vaccine Adjuvants.

There is a currently a need to develop adjuvants that are best suited to simultaneously enhance immune responses, induce immunologic memory, improve patient compliance (i.e., reduce doses and infla...
Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and associated histologic findings in domestic cats (Felis catus)

Trypanosoma cruzi is a zoonotic protozoan parasite transmitted by triatomines that infects a wide range of mammals. South Texas is a hotspot for triatomines, T. cruzi-infected dogs and wildlife, and local transmission to humans also occurs. However, little is known about the infection of domestic cats (Felis catus) in the United States. Given the role cats play in the ecology of T. cruzi in Mexico and South America, we hypothesized that T. cruzi infection occurs in cats from south Texas, sometimes associated with cardiac pathology. In 2017, 167 euthanized cats from a south Texas shelter were sampled across winter, spring, and summer. We collected whole blood and hearts from all cats, with additional tissues from a subset. Serum samples were screened for T. cruzi antibodies using two independent rapid immunochromatographic tests and an indirect fluorescent antibody test. Cats were considered seropositive if they were positive on at least two independent serological tests. Blood clot, heart tissue and other tissues were subjected to qPCR for parasite detection and discrete typing unit (DTU) determination. Tissues from selected seropositive or PCR-positive animals and a subset of negative animals were processed routinely for histopathology and examined by a board-certified pathologist. A total of 19 cats (11.4%) were seropositive and three cats (1.8%) - one of which was seropositive - had one or more PCR-positive tissues. Infected tissues included heart, bicep femoris muscle, sciatic nerve, esophagus, and mesentery. Genotyping of the parastite to the level of DTU showed that exclusively DTU TcI was present, despite past studies showing both TcI and TcIV in vectors of the region. Eight of 19 (42.1%) seropositive cats exhibited lymphoplasmacytic inflammation, sometimes with fibrosis, in cardiac tissue compared to 28.6% of 28 seronegative cats (P = 0.10). Domestic cats are affected hosts in the eco-epidemiology of Chagas disease. Future prospective studies are needed to understand disease progression. Veterinarians in the southern United States should consider T. cruzi in their index of suspicion in cats with exposure to vectors and undetermined cardiac abnormalities.