cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of myosin heavy chains on the Ca2+-binding properties of light chain, LC2

The association of myosin light chains with heavy chains, i.e. the intact oligomeric structure, profoundly affects the Ca2+-binding properties of the light chains. The Ca2+-binding affinity of the light chains is more than two magnitudes higher in the presence of heavy chains than in its absence. Modification of the reactive SH2 thiol of myosin results in an alteration in the conformation of heavy chains of the molecule that influences the Ca2+-binding properties of light chains and generation of tension. When the SH2 moiety is blocked with N-ethylmaleimide the influence of the heavy chains on the Ca2+-binding properties of light chain LC2 is lost; under these conditions the Ca2+-binding affinity value of SH2-N-ethylmaleimide-blocked myosin (3.3×104m−1) decreases to near that expressed with the dissociated light chain LC2 (0.7×104m−1). Conversely, the presence of actin, nucleotides or modification of either the reactive lysyl residue or SH2 thiol does not affect Ca2+ binding. The native secondary and tertiary structure of myosin seem to be required for Ca2+ binding; binding does not occur in the presence of 6m-urea with either native myosin or the dissociated light chains. With SH2-N-ethylmaleimide-blocked myosin normal Ca2+- and (Mg2++actin)-stimulated ATPase activities are expressed; however, there is a loss in K+-stimulated ATPase activity and the synthetic actomyosin threads of such myosin express no isometric tension. There are also variances in the binding of Ca2+ with alterations in pH values. In the absence of Ca2+/EGTA buffer the biphasic Ca2+-binding affinity of myosin is twice as high at pH7.4 (site one: 1.2×106m−1 and site two: 0.4×106m−1) as compared with values obtained at pH6.5 (site one: 0.64×106m−1 and site two: 0.2×106m−1). The Ca2+-binding affinity of light chain LC2 and S1, where the (S-1)–(S-2) junction was absent, were not influenced by changes in pH values. Both expressed a low Ca2+-binding affinity, approx. 0.7×104m−1, whereas heavy meromyosin, where both (S-1) and (S-2) myosin subfragments were present, expressed a Ca2+-binding affinity value similar to that of native myosin, but was not biphasic. However, it is important to point out than in preparation of S1 myosin subfragment light chain LC2 was lost and thus was added back to the purified S1 fraction. Light chain LC2 was not, however, added to the heavy meromyosin fraction because it was not lost during preparation of the heavy meromyosin subfragment. In conclusion, it appears that the (S-1)–(S-2) junction is needed for the positioning of light chain LC2 and thus influences its essential conformation for Ca2+ binding.
Application of biotechnological tools for coccidia vaccine development

Coccidiosis is a ubiquitous intestinal protozoan infection of poultry seriously impairing the growth and feed utilization of infected animals. Conventional disease control strategies have relied on prophylactic medication. Due to the continual emergence of drug resistant parasites in the field and increasing incidence of broiler condemnations due to coccidia, novel approaches are urgently needed to reduce economic losses. Understanding the basic biology of host-parasite interactions and protective intestinal immune mechanisms, as well as characterization of host and parasite genes and proteins involved in eliciting protective host responses are crucial for the development of new control strategy. This review will highlight recent developments in coccidiosis research with special emphasis on the utilization of cutting edge techniques in molecular/cell biology, immunology, and functional genomics in coccidia vaccine development. The information will enhance our understanding of host-parasite biology, mucosal immunology, and host and parasite genomics in the development of a practical and effective control strategy against Eimeria and design of nutritional interventions to maximize growth under the stress caused by vaccination or infection. Furthermore, successful identification of quantitative economic traits associated with disease resistance to coccidiosis will provide poultry breeders with a novel selection strategy for development of genetically stable, coccidiosis-resistant chickens, thereby increasing the production efficiency.
Prepackaged math

Software upgrades that are bringing much greater versatility to handling general mathematical problems and manipulating matrices are described. Guidelines for selecting a package are given. Representative packages are listed in a table. >
Effect of HPL and pregnancy on glucose uptake in rat adipose tissue.

The effects of pregnancy and human placental lactogen (HPL) upon net gas exchange and glucose uptake of adipose tissue were studied in rats. Tissue from pregnant rats showed a significantly greater response to insulin than that from nonpregnant animals. Basal glucose uptake of tissue from pregnant rats was significantly greater than that of nonpregnant animals. The activity of tissue from HPL-treated animals was equivalent to that of pregnant animals. Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was significantly greater in tissue from both pregnant and HPL-treated rats. From the present and other data it is concluded that placental lactogen probably plays a significant role in the characteristic changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism seen during pregnancy.
BAAS Keynote Speech A Passion for Democracy: Proximity to Power and the Sovereign Immunity Test

In the run-up to the 2004 presidential election, a Bush administration official memorably explained to New York Times reporter Ron Suskind, “when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality … we'll act again … We're history's actors … and you … will be left to … study what we do.” This comment was taken both as the administration's assessment of the intellectual left, and as a window into Bush's executive philosophy. Then many believed then that a different President – a liberal or progressive President – would renounce such unilateralism. But these arguments didn't evidence the peculiarity of George W. Bush's Machtpolitik. Rather, they draw on a deep and relatively unnoticed tradition in US political history and government, of the ever more aggressive executive expansion of presidential powers. That expansion has come through the ambitions, machinations, and moxie of individual Presidents – some of them impressively gifted leaders. It has also come through the active and passive consent of citizens, Congress, and the Supreme Court. The President has come to symbolize both our democratic process and our national power: citizens see him simultaneously as democracy's heart and its avenging sword. That trust, trained into US citizens from our earliest days in school, reinforced by popular culture and by the media, makes citizens want to give the President more power, regardless of the Constitutional checks and balances we also learn to treasure as schoolchildren. Over time, this accumulating consent to ever-increasing presidential power means that Presidents are free to act – even in ways that upset the Constitution's balance of power – and that citizens by and large approve, and those who don't are left studying what they did.
Aesthetic Experience in Children's Dance

(1982). Aesthetic Experience in Children's Dance. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 53, Including Leisure Today, pp. 72-74.
Rationally Designed, Nontoxic, Nonamyloidogenic Analogues of Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide with Improved Solubility

Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP or amylin) is a polypeptide hormone produced in the pancreatic β-cells that plays a role in glycemic control. hIAPP is deficient in type 1 and type 2 diabetes and is a promising adjunct to insulin therapy. However, hIAPP rapidly forms amyloid, and its strong tendency to aggregate limits its usefulness. The process of hIAPP amyloid formation is toxic to cultured β-cells and islets, and islet amyloid formation in vivo has been linked to β-cell death and islet graft failure. An analogue of hIAPP with a weakened tendency to aggregate, denoted pramlintide (PM), has been approved for clinical applications, but suffers from poor solubility, particularly at physiological pH, and its unfavorable solubility profile prevents coformulation with insulin. We describe a strategy for rationally designing analogues of hIAPP with improved properties; key proline mutations are combined with substitutions that increase the net charge of the molecule. An H18R/G24P/I26P triple mutant and an H18R/A25P/S28P/S29P quadruple mutant are significantly more soluble at neutral pH than hIAPP or PM. They are nonamyloidogenic and are not toxic to rat INS β-cells. The approach is not limited to these examples; additional analogues can be designed using this strategy. To illustrate this point, we show that an S20R/G24P/I26P triple mutant and an H18R/I26P double mutant are nonamyloidogenic and significantly more soluble than human IAPP or PM. These analogues and second-generation derivatives are potential candidates for the coformulation of IAPP with insulin and other polypeptides.
The New Abolition: W. E. B. Du Bois and the Black Social Gospel

The black social gospel emerged from the trauma of Reconstruction to ask what a "new abolition" would require in American society. It became an important tradition of religious thought and resistance, helping to create an alternative public sphere of excluded voices and providing the intellectual underpinnings of the civil rights movement. This tradition has been seriously overlooked, despite its immense legacy. In this groundbreaking work, Gary Dorrien describes the early history of the black social gospel from its nineteenth-century founding to its close association in the twentieth century with W. E. B. Du Bois. He offers a new perspective on modern Christianity and the civil rights era by delineating the tradition of social justice theology and activism that led to Martin Luther King Jr.
Ruthenium-Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation for C–C Bond Formation: Hydrohydroxyalkylation and Hydroaminoalkylation via Reactant Redox Pairs

Merging the chemistry of transfer hydrogenation and carbonyl or imine addition, a broad new family of redox-neutral or reductive hydrohydroxyalkylations and hydroaminomethylations have been developed. In these processes, hydrogen redistribution between alcohols and π-unsaturated reactants is accompanied by C–C bond formation, enabling direct conversion of lower alcohols to higher alcohols. Similarly, hydrogen redistribution between amines to π-unsaturated reactants results in direct conversion of lower amines to higher amines. Alternatively, equivalent products of hydrohydroxyalkylation and hydroaminomethylation may be generated through the reaction of carbonyl compounds or imines with p-unsaturated reactants under the conditions of 2-propanol-mediated reductive coupling. Finally, using vicinally dioxygenated reactants, that is, diol, ketols, or diones, successive transfer hydrogenative coupling occurs to generate 2 C-C bonds, resulting in products of formal [4+2] cycloaddition.
Automata and Answer Set Programming

In answer set programming (ASP), one does not allow the use of function symbols. Disallowing function symbols avoids the problem of having logic programs which have stable models of excessively high complexity. For example, Marek, Nerode, and Remmel showed that there exist finite predicate logic programs which have stable models but which have no hyperarithmetic stable model. Of course, by eliminating function symbols, one loses a lot of expressive power in the language. In particular, it is difficult to directly reason about infinite sets in ASP. Blair, Marek, and Remmel [BMR08] developed an extension of logic programming called set based logic programming . In the theory of set based logic programming, the atoms represent subsets of a fixed universe X and one is allowed to compose the one-step consequence operator with a monotonic idempotent operator O so as to ensure that the analogue of stable models are always closed under O . We show that if the sets represented by the atoms in a finite set based program P are languages accepted by finite automaton, and the operators involved in the construction have a certain natural property, then all the stable models of P are languages accepted by finite automaton and one can effectively check whether a language accepted by a finite automaton is a stable model of the set based logic program. Thus in this setting, one can effectively reason about certain classes of infinite sets.
Mother-Daughter Conflict in the Perception of Brands and Mass Media as they Relate to Store Selection

Mother-daughter conflict or congruence in brand and mass media perception could be very important for retail and marketing decision makers. The presence of conflict would indicate the need to advertise directly to daughters as opposed to the mothers. This exploratory study indicates the presence of highly significant level of congruence regarding brands. Mass media preferences however illustrate significant conflict. Thus, there is justification to advertise directly to daughters.
Forensic Typing of Single Cells Using Droplet Microfluidics

Short tandem repeat (STR) typing based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a powerful tool for forensic identification. However, it is challenging to analyze low-quantity and low-quality evidence samples comprising mixture of cells and/or DNA from multiple contributors. Herein we present a droplet microfluidics-based technology for single-cell STR typing with high sensitivity, throughput, and fidelity. In this approach, single cells are initially compartmentalized within nanoliter agarose droplets using a microfluidic droplet generator. The transformation of the agarose into microgels enables the diffusion of cell lytic reagents into the droplets for single-cell genomic DNA extraction, while PCR inhibitors are washed away. Following the introduction of PCR components, massively parallel multiplex droplet PCR is performed in oil emulsions to transfer the STR information from an individual cell onto the co-encapsulated primer-functionalized bead. The amplicon-carrying beads are then statistically diluted and reamplified in a secondary PCR. The resulting transfer of STR products to free solution facilitates the detection by conventional capillary electrophoresis (CE) fragment size analysis. This technology is effective in preserving single-genome integrity when analyzing diverse cellular materials yet insensitive to background DNA contamination. Target cells are successfully identified from heterogeneous cell populations with a high (up to 10:1) background, mixtures of cells and cell-free DNA, and samples contaminated with high concentrations of PCR inhibitors.
Varieties of the British Mission Experience

The story of the British Mission to Los Alamos involves more than simply a tale of Anglo-American cooperation and scientific breakthroughs. It is also a story of scientists who returned to England to forge the main outlines of the postwar nuclear world. Although they shared a similar Los Alamos experience, they held far from identical views on the major issues of the day. In fact, the British scientists eventually fanned across the entire political spectrum: from the bulwarks of the Anglo-Australian nuclear establishment to Soviet agent, with the majority falling somewhere in between.
Where Did the Flu of 1918 Go

The objective of influenza research, says Sir MacFarlane Burnet, is “the understanding of the conditions responsible for pandemic influenza of the 1918 type—and the establishment of conditions necessary to prevent its reappearance.” Humanity can afford to ignore the virus of common flu, such as that personally cultured by Wilson Smith, which brings two days of misery and a fortnight of feebleness, and elicits names like the “jolly rant”; but the virus of 1918 produced a disease that turned people the color of wet ashes and drowned them in the fluids of their own bodies and inspired names like the “purple death.” The discovery of Smith, Andrewes, and Laidlaw, however brilliant, was of the virus of 1933, not that of 1918, the real object of their and all their colleagues' concern. It has been the dream of scientists working on influenza for over a half century to somehow obtain specimens of the virus of Spanish influenza, but only something as unlikely as a time capsule could provide them. One of the few things known for certain about influenza in 1918 and for some years after was that it was, outside the laboratory, exclusively a disease of human beings. There was a tradition several hundred years old that a wide assortment of domesticated animals—horses, cattle, sheep, dogs, cats—were susceptible to flu, and in 1894 no less a savant than Charles Creighton in his massive History of Epidemics in Britain claimed that epidemics of flu in 1657-1659, 1688, 1727, 1732, 1737, and 1760 in humans had been preceded or accompanied by epidemics of respiratory illness in horses.
Adherence to therapies for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a focus on aspirin

SummaryAim Suboptimal adherence to medications taken chronically for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD, e.g., aspirin) continues to burden the healthcare system despite the well-established benefits of prevention. We conducted a literature search to examine patient adherence to medications for secondary prevention of CVD—as evaluated by prescription refill data, electronic medication monitors, pill counts, and physiologic markers—to better identify an unmet need for measures to improve patient adherence to these therapies. Methods English-language articles were obtained from the PubMed database using the following key words or combinations thereof “adherence,” “compliance,” “secondary prevention,” and “cardiovascular disease.” Publications that provided adherence data only for primary prevention, lacked data on medication adherence (e.g., focus on guideline adherence), emphasized quality-of-care outcomes, or focused on outcomes of acute interventions were excluded. Results Multiple patient-, disease-, and treatment-related factors may contribute to poor adherence to treatment regimens, and therefore, a multifactorial approach will likely be needed to improve compliance with prescribed treatments for CVD. Although no magic bullet exists to assure full adherence, adherence programs coupled with patient counseling and education (inclusive of over-the-counter therapies), along with treatments that are less complex or avoid bothersome adverse effects, are more likely to be associated with successful outcomes. Conclusion Given the burden of CVD to the community and the healthcare system, nonadherence to CVD-preventative medications such as aspirin remains a substantial area of unmet need and represents a key opportunity for the development of quality-of-care enhancement programs to improve health outcomes in this patient population.
Spatial and temporal analysis of DIII-D 3D magnetic diagnostic data.

An extensive set of magnetic diagnostics in DIII-D is aimed at measuring non-axisymmetric “3D” features of tokamak plasmas, with typical amplitudes ∼10−3 to 10−5 of the total magnetic field. We describe hardware and software techniques used at DIII-D to condition the individual signals and analysis to estimate the spatial structure from an ensemble of discrete measurements. Applications of the analysis include detection of non-rotating MHD instabilities, plasma control, and validation of MHD stability and 3D equilibrium models.
Local homology transfer and stratification learning

The objective of this paper is to show that point cloud data can under certain circumstances be clustered by strata in a plausible way. For our purposes, we consider a stratified space to be a collection of manifolds of different dimensions which are glued together in a locally trivial manner inside some Euclidean space. To adapt this abstract definition to the world of noise, we first define a multi-scale notion of stratified spaces, providing a stratification at different scales which are indexed by a radius parameter. We then use methods derived from kernel and cokernel persistent homology to cluster the data points into different strata. We prove a correctness guarantee for this clustering method under certain topological conditions. We then provide a probabilistic guarantee for the clustering for the point sample setting -- we provide bounds on the minimum number of sample points required to state with high probability which points belong to the same strata. Finally, we give an explicit algorithm for the clustering.
Ready, Willing, and Able? Impediments to the Onset of Marital Fertility Decline in the United States

This study relies on IPUMS samples of the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses, aggregate census data, and the timing of state laws criminalizing abortion to construct regional estimates of marital fertility in the United States and estimate correlates of marital fertility. The results show a significant lag between the onset of marital fertility decline in the nation's northeastern census divisions and its onset in western and southern census divisions. Empirical models indicate the presence of cultural, economic, and legal impediments to the diffusion of marital fertility control and illustrate the need for more inclusive models of fertility decline.
Reduction is the New Youth: The Effect of Polyphenols on Brain Aging and Diseases

Abstract Polyphenols are secondary metabolites produced by plants. They have great reduction potency that plays an important role in brain aging and in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington’s disease. Normal aging is accompanied by proper cognitive function and health of the brain. Oxidative stress and damage that lead to neurodegenerative diseases are due to ROS and RNS. These reactive species play a significant role in deciphering the mechanism and physiological properties of polyphenols. In this review, the structure and mechanism of basic polyphenol activity is discussed. The antioxidant properties of various polyphenols can be tested to uncover the most potent bioavailable polyphenol. Different polyphenolic compounds are also studied to understand the mechanisms and pathways adopted by them for treating and preventing neurodegenerative diseases.
Decomposition of the TCC using non-coherent kernels for faster calculation of lithographic images

A new form of image decomposition is derived that uses compound systems to target critical TCC components while at the same time providing the usual least-squares optimal match to the TCC as a whole. Significant improvements in accuracy under a given runtime budget are obtained by intensively correcting those portions of the TCC which are most recalcitrant to the standard coherent decomposition used in OPC today (e.g. SOCS or OCS). In particular, the non-coherent structure of our new decomposition systems is well-suited to extract any near-Toeplitz components present in the spatial-domain TCC. Such components are difficult to capture with coherent decomposition, and we show that TCCs for lithographic systems in fact contain strong Toeplitz-like components that arise from slope discontinuities associated with the sharp aperture of the projection lens. 1D tests show that for a given kernel-count budget in the typical e.g. 10-100 range, image calculation error can routinely be reduced by at least 5X if our new systems are included in the decomposition.
Voting Rights for Millennials: Breathing New Life into the Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Millennials are now the largest generation in the United States, and they are the most likely to identify as liberal Democrats. Their access to the ballot has become a political and legal flashpoint, with a growing number of young people arguing that Republican-dominated state legislatures have enacted voter restrictions deliberately to suppress their vote. This article focuses on legal challenges to state voting laws based on the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which lowered the minimum voting age from twenty-one to eighteen. These are novel claims and courts have struggled with how to interpret the Amendment. I argue that the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, as an analogue to the Fifteenth Amendment, prohibits intentional voter discrimination on the basis of age. As I demonstrate, the federal courts that have heard these claims are haltingly moving towards this same interpretation. However, I offer a newly strong theoretical basis for reading the Twenty-Sixth Amendment this way by emphasizing the Amendment's text rather than its history. I also suggest that demographic changes in the United States are blurring the line between voter discrimination based on age and that based on race.
A path-dependent fatigue crack propagation model under non-proportional modes I and III loading conditions

Abstract It has been well established that fatigue damage process is load-path dependent under non-proportional multi-axial loading conditions. Most of studies to date have been focusing on interpretation of S-N based test data by constructing a path-dependent fatigue damage model. This paper presents a two-parameter mixed-mode fatigue crack growth model which takes into account of crack growth dependency on both load path traversed and a maximum effective stress intensity attained in a stress intensity factor plane ( e . g . , K I - K III plane). By taking advantage of a path-dependent maximum range (PDMR) cycle definition (Dong et al., 2010; Wei and Dong, 2010), the two parameters are formulated by introducing a moment of load path (MLP) based equivalent stress intensity factor range ( Δ K NP ) and a maximum effective stress intensity parameter K Max incorporating an interaction term K I · K III . To examine the effectiveness of the proposed model, two sets of crack growth rate test data are considered. The first set is obtained as a part of this study using 304 stainless steel disk specimens subjected to three combined non-proportional modes I and III loading conditions (i.e., with a phase angle of 0°, 90°, and 180°). The second set was obtained by Feng et al. (2007) using 1070 steel disk specimens subjected to similar types of non-proportional mixed-mode conditions. Once the proposed two-parameter non-proportional mixed-mode crack growth model is used, it is shown that a good correlation can be achieved for both sets of the crack growth rate test data.
Persistent C4d and antibody‐mediated rejection in pediatric renal transplant patients

Pediatric renal transplant recipient survival continues to improve, but ABMR remains a significant contributor to graft loss. ABMR prognostic factors to guide treatment are lacking. C4d staining on biopsies, diagnostic of ABMR, is associated with graft failure. Persistent C4d+ on follow-up biopsies has unknown significance, but could be associated with worse outcomes. We evaluated a retrospective cohort of 17 pediatric renal transplant patients diagnosed with ABMR. Primary outcome at 12 months was a composite of ≥50% reduction in eGFR, transplant glomerulopathy, or graft failure. Secondary outcome was the UPCR at 12 months. We used logistic and linear regression modeling to determine whether persistent C4d+ on follow-up biopsy was associated with the outcomes. Forty-one percent reached the primary outcome at 12 months. Persistent C4d+ on follow-up biopsy occurred in 41% and was not significantly associated with the primary outcome, but was significantly associated with the secondary outcome (estimate 0.22, 95% CI 0.19-0.25, P < .001), after controlling for confounding factors. Persistent C4d+ on follow-up biopsies was associated with a higher UPCR at 12 months. Patients who remain C4d+ on follow-up biopsy may benefit from more aggressive or prolonged ABMR treatment.
Factors influencing women's perceptions of shared decision making during labor and delivery: Results from a large-scale cohort study of first childbirth.

Abstract Objective To examine correlates of shared decision making during labor and delivery. Methods Data were from a cohort of women who gave birth to their first baby in Pennsylvania, 2009–2011 (N = 3006). We used logistic regression models to examine the association between labor induction and mode of delivery in relation to women’s perceptions of shared decision making, and to investigate race/ethnicity and SES as potential moderators. Results Women who were Black and who did not have a college degree or private insurance were less likely to report high shared decision making, as well as women who underwent labor induction, instrumental vaginal or cesarean delivery. Models with interaction terms showed that the reduction in odds of shared decision making associated with cesarean delivery was greater for Black women than for White women. Conclusions Women in marginalized social groups were less likely to report shared decision making during birth and Black women who delivered by cesarean had particularly low odds of shared decision making. Practice implications Strategies designed to improve the quality of patient-provider communication, information sharing, and shared decision making must be attentive to the needs of vulnerable groups to ensure that such interventions reduce rather than widen disparities.
Evaluating the Dietary and Nutritional Apps in the Google Play Store

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the features of diet and nutrition apps available in the Google Play Store. Methods A search was conducted in August 2017 using the Google Play Store database to identify apps related to diet and nutrition. Terms entered into the app search engine included 'diet apps' and 'nutrition apps'. The first 50 apps resulting from each search term was assessed. Duplicates were removed, and a comparative analysis was performed on the remaining diet and nutrition apps. Results A total of 86 diet and nutrition apps were identified. One hundred percent (n = 86) of the apps retrieved were freely available. More than half of the apps were applicable to a target user group of all ages (94%, n = 81). Stratified analysis across unique diet and nutrition apps (total, n = 72) showed a higher average rating for the diet apps (4.4) in comparison to that for the nutrition apps (4.3). Diet apps were more likely to be recently updated than the nutrition apps (72% vs. 66%), and diet apps were more likely to feature app purchase than nutrition apps (36% vs. 19%). The average rating was slightly higher for diet apps not featuring in-app purchases, but ratings were similar for the nutrition apps. Conclusions A centralized resource is needed that can provide information on health-related apps to allow for systematic evaluation of their effectiveness. Further research needs to examine improved methods of designing app-store platforms and presenting the available apps to properly guide users in app selection.
Interfacing complex laboratory instruments during a change to epic beaker

Background: Implementing a laboratory-developed test sometimes requires incorporating an unconventional device into the laboratory information system (LIS) and customizing an interface to reduce transcription error and improve turnaround time. Such a custom interface is a necessity for complicated high-volume tests such as 25-OH Vitamin D by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) when there is no vendor-or LIS-supplied interface available. Here, we describe our work and experience interfacing a API 5000 LC-MS/MS instrument with our newly implemented LIS, Epic Beaker, using a combination of in-house scripting software and a middleware vendor, Data Innovations. Materials and Methods: For input interfacing, custom scripting software was developed to transcribe batched order lists generated by Epic into files usable by the instrument software, Analyst®. For output interfacing, results from the LC-MS/MS system were fed to a unidirectional instrument driver made by Data Innovations and selected data were transferred to the LIS. Results: Creation and validation of a new driver by Data Innovations took approximately 6 months. The interface was adopted for 25-OH Vitamin D and testosterone testing during periods of increasing test volume (4.5-fold over 8 years and 1.25-fold over 5 years). The amount of time spent reporting 25-OH Vitamin D results decreased 82% per order resulting in a savings of 1370 technician work hours and the amount of time spent reporting testosterone results decreased 75% per order resulting in a savings of 400 technician work hours. Conclusions: A mixed model using custom scripting and curated commercial middleware serve as a durable interface solution for laboratory instrumentation such as an LC-MS/MS and are flexible to future changes in instrument software, networking protocols, and the scope of LISs and work area managers.
Priority-based Adaptive Image Refinement

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an extension to image refinement algorithms by incorporating adaptive refinement—an image based on priority. The generation of pixel values, whether by an abstract process (rendering) or by empirical sampling (scanning), is a sequential process. For interactive purposes, this does not provide the user a “thumbnail” preview of the entire image. Earlier the issue of providing an overall image of reduced quality has been analyzed. The algorithm repeatedly subdivides the image into equal-size rectangles and displays each rectangle as a solid region whose uniform color is taken from the lower-left corner of that rectangle. It may be regarded as a low-resolution (point) sampling of the image rendered by a ray tracer. Subsequently, the pixel is replicated to the full size of the rectangle. The main drawback of the technique is that it necessarily treats all the rectangles equally. Thus, it fails to exploit the homogeneity present, whose subdivision is better deferred. In contrast, an adaptive algorithm prioritizes rectangles, providing demonstrably better results at an equivalent cost of execution. The main algorithm, which maintains and makes references to a heap-based priority queue, is described in the chapter.
Usable web-based calendaring for blind users

While a calendar is generally thought of as a visual representation of a day, week, month or year; in its simplest form, a calendar consists of scheduled events with associated dates, times, locations and descriptions. In this paper we describe the design and evaluation of a web-based calendar prototype for blind individuals who use screen readers to access their computers and the Internet. With our new web-based calendar prototype, the successful completion across common calendar tasks improved from a mean of 43 per cent across other web-based email calendars to a mean of 96 per cent in our prototype calendar. This empirical study illustrates the types of simple design changes that can dramatically improve the level of access and usability of dynamic, web-based calendar interfaces for blind users.
Volume: 3D reconstruction of history for immersive platforms

This paper presents Volume, a software toolkit that enables users to experiment with expressive reconstructions of archival and/or historical materials as volumetric renderings. Making use of contemporary deep learning methods, Volume re-imagines 2D images as volumetric 3D assets. These assets can then be incorporated into virtual, augmented and mixed reality experiences.
The relationship between corticospinal tract integrity and lower-extremity strength is attenuated when controlling for age and sex in multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Muscle weakness, particularly in the lower-extremities, is common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and seemingly results from damage along white matter pathways in the central nervous system including the corticospinal tract (CST). This study examined CST structural integrity indicated by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) related metrics (fractional anisotropy [FA], mean diffusivity [MD], radial diffusivity [RD], and axial diffusivity [AD]) as correlates of knee flexor (KF) and knee extensor (KE) muscle strength in MS. We included 36 persons with MS who underwent MRI and measurements of peak KE and KF strength using an isokinetic dynamometer. We examined associations using bivariate Spearman (rs) and partial Spearman correlation (prs) analyses controlling for age and sex. Peak KF strength was significantly associated with FA (rs = 0.42) and RD (rs = −0.36) and peak KE strength was significantly associated with MD (rs = −0.47) and RD (rs = −0.36). The correlations were attenuated after controlling for age and sex, but the relationship between KF strength and FA demonstrated a trend towards significance (prs = 0.33, p = 0.056). We provide evidence that the anatomical integrity of the CST may be associated with lower-extremity strength in MS. The attenuated correlations when controlling for age and sex suggest these factors, rather than MS per se, may be important contributors toward an association between CST DTI-metrics and KF and KE strength. Future rehabilitation trials of resistance training should consider including CST integrity as an outcome and/or predictor of strength adaptations.
Multi-Degree-of-Freedom MEMS Coriolis Vibratory Gyroscopes Designed for Dynamic Range, Robustness, and Sensitivity

An overview of multi-mass solutions for MEMS Coriolis vibratory gyroscopes is presented in this paper. The advantages and challenges associated with increasing the number of Degrees-of- Freedom (DOF) of the mechanical element are discussed.
Syndemics in Symbiotic Cities: Pathogenic Policy and the Production of Health Inequity Across Borders

Public health in border regions is a central concern to researchers and policymakers. This article demonstrates how and why syndemics theory should be central to border health research agendas and ...
Spatial self-phase modulation in WS2 and MoS2 atomic layers

Laser field-induced spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM) in WS2 and MoS2 atomic layer liquid suspensions displayed the diffraction profile of concentric rings at the far-field due to the coherent superposition of transverse wave vectors with characteristic spatial nonlinear phases. The evolution of the number of rings indicated the spatial alignment of anisotropic atomic layers in the liquid base solution. The intensity-dependent number of symmetric rings revealed the nonlinear refraction coefficients of MoS2 and WS2 atomic layers which were estimated to be ∼ −1.96 × 10−16 m2/W and ∼ −1.11 × 10−16 m2/W, respectively. The central interference profile and the diffraction pattern identified the negative polarity of nonlinear refraction. The vertically asymmetric diffraction ring indicates the phase distortion of optical field due to the heat convection.
Gauging the Politicization of Research Programs

It is hard to argue with the Clark and Winegard (this issue) premises that: (a) scientists are human; (b) humans are the status-sensitive creatures who are the product of natural and sexual selecti...
The Role of Working Memory in the Search-Sensemaking Process: An Exploratory Study

The goal of this study is to advance our understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying search-sensemaking by examining the process through the lens of working memory (WM). I aim to extend the existing literature on search and sensemaking by incorporating the role of WM in the process. While WM plays a critical role in complex cognitive tasks, little is known about how it manifests in users' search-sensemaking while they are working with information in a complex information space such as the Web. A mixed-method design will be adopted, consisting of an experimental study and interviews. Adults with different levels of working memory capacity (WMC) will perform a learning assignment task in a lab. The combined data of screen activities and think-aloud comments will be analyzed to investigate the differential patterns in search-sensemaking between high- and low-WMC individuals (RQ1). An evolving working document will be considered an external representation of their knowledge structure and be analyzed to investigate the differential patterns in conceptual changes between high- and low-WMC individuals (RQ2). Finally, a post-session interview will be conducted to identify a range of cognitive strategies used during the task (RQ3). The proposed study will build upon the cognitive process model of sensemaking and the literature on executive functions and WM. The study will help us better understand the cognitive process of search-sensemaking from the perspective of WM. The findings can also inform design decisions for systems that can facilitate search-sensemaking while supporting users with varying levels of WMC.
Confidence in the Real World

Humans often assign confidence to multioption decisions, but most computational research only uses two-alternative tasks. In a new study, Li and Ma begin to reveal the mechanisms of confidence generation in multialternative tasks. This research should inspire further experiments on how humans assign confidence judgments in real-world situations.
Health Maintenance and Preventive Care in Older Adutls with Dementia

This chapter discusses appropriate preventive testing in older adults, which requires weighing the benefits and burdens of testing. Decisions regarding which tests to offer need to be stratified by patients’ estimated life expectancy, which is not just determined by chronological age alone but more so by physical and cognitive functioning as well as major comorbidities. Beneficial preventive measures should be offered to older adults. Methods for optimizing delivery of preventive services, including cancer screening tests, other screening tests, healthy lifestyle counseling, immunizations, chemoprophylaxis, and how to improve health promotion in primary care will be discussed.
Postgraduate year 1 pharmacy residency director perceptions of elective courses about residency training.

Abstract Introduction There are few research articles that give college faculty insight into how pharmacy residency programs evaluate applicants, and there is no data to indicate how residency program directors (RPDs) view pharmacy residency elective courses when evaluating applicants' transcripts. This study sought to describe post-graduate year 1 (PGY1) RPD perceptions of pharmacy residency electives. Methods An online, 8-item survey was distributed to 1335 PGY1 RPDs, identified through the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Online Residency Directory. Results Two hundred thirty-two residency program directors participated in the survey. The majority of respondents (68.1%) stated that a residency elective would not change their perception of candidates, though 75.9% agreed that a residency elective is beneficial to the student and 53% responded that the elective would be beneficial to the residency program. Time management and research skills were the topics that were most often recommended to be included in such courses. Conclusions Overall, responses were favorable toward pharmacy residency electives, though most stated completion of such a course would not change their assessment of candidates. These courses could be most beneficial if they include development in skills necessary for successful residency training.
“We Need Diverse Books”: Diversity, Activism, and Children’s Literature

Children’s literature has long been what Nancy Larrick called an “all-white world” (1965). According to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and despite calls for diverse representation in books for young readers, the percentage of children’s books depicting non-white individuals has remained at approximately 10 percent in the twenty-first century, with high rates of outsider authorship dominating some of the categories. This chapter examines the circumstances that led to the We Need Diverse Books campaign (2014), places We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) in the larger context of publishing history, and projects ways to bring about meaningful, lasting change, including publisher Lee & Low’s Diversity Baseline Survey. By drawing on sociological and psychological studies, and on the works of scholars, authors, illustrators, publishers, librarians, teachers, and others who have been working toward equity in children’s literature for many decades, this chapter presents a history of activism for diverse books, describes where the movements are today, and considers directions for the years to come.
Relationships Among Medical Activity Perceived Functional Values, Satisfaction Trust, and Revisit Intention in Medical Tourism: A Case Study on CLMV Tourists in Thailand

In this study, we examined the roles of servicescape (medical activity), perceived value, satisfaction, trust, and revisit intention in the medical tourism of Udon Thani Province, Thailand. Data were collected from foreign touristsvisiting Udon Thani from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. A field survey was conducted at a private hospital by distributing questionnaires to 652 tourists visiting Udon Thani for medical activity. It was observed that medicalactivity, perceived functional value, satisfaction, and trust have significant associations affecting revisit intentions, while satisfaction and trust also acted as significant mediators. Findings also indicated that convenience, not price, played the most crucial role, and thus countries should not focus solely on promoting price advantages. Moreover, the government and all stakeholders of the tourism industry should focus on these factors to contribute to the success and sustainability of medical tourism.
Mechanisms of activation of nucleus accumbens neurons by cocaine via sigma-1 receptor-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-transient receptor potential canonical channel pathways.

Abstract Cocaine promotes addictive behavior primarily by blocking the dopamine transporter, thus increasing dopamine transmission in the nucleus accumbens (nAcc); however, additional mechanisms are continually emerging. Sigma-1 receptors (σ 1 Rs) are known targets for cocaine, yet the mechanisms underlying σ 1 R-mediated effects of cocaine are incompletely understood. The present study examined direct effects of cocaine on dissociated nAcc neurons expressing phosphatidylinositol-linked D 1 receptors. Endoplasmic reticulum-located σ 1 Rs and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP 3 ) receptors (IP 3 Rs) were targeted using intracellular microinjection. IP 3 microinjection robustly elevated intracellular Ca 2+ concentration, [Ca 2+ ] i . While cocaine alone was devoid of an effect, the IP 3 -induced response was σ 1 R-dependently enhanced by cocaine co-injection. Likewise, cocaine augmented the [Ca 2+ ] i increase elicited by extracellularly applying an IP 3 -generating molecule (ATP), via σ 1 Rs. The cocaine-induced enhancement of the IP 3 /ATP-mediated Ca 2+ elevation occurred at pharmacologically relevant concentrations and was mediated by transient receptor potential canonical channels (TRPC). IP 3 microinjection elicited a slight, transient depolarization, further converted to a greatly enhanced, prolonged response, by cocaine co-injection. The cocaine-triggered augmentation was σ 1 R-dependent, TRPC-mediated and contingent on [Ca 2+ ] i elevation. ATP-induced depolarization was similarly enhanced by cocaine. Thus, we identify a novel mechanism by which cocaine promotes activation of D 1 -expressing nAcc neurons: enhancement of IP 3 R-mediated responses via σ 1 R activation at the endoplasmic reticulum, resulting in augmented Ca 2+ release and amplified depolarization due to subsequent stimulation of TRPC. In vivo, intra-accumbal blockade of σ 1 R or TRPC significantly diminished cocaine-induced hyperlocomotion and locomotor sensitization, endorsing a physio-pathological significance of the pathway identified in vitro.
Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, Heart of Darkness, and the Vietnam War Redux

This essay is a consideration of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now—in its original as well as revised form—in light of Francis Ford Coppola’s film career, the Vietnam War, and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.