cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of the catalyst structure in the cycloaddition of isocyanates to oxiranes promoted by tetraarylstibonium cations

In the context of our work on electron deficient group 15 cations as Lewis acid catalysts, we have synthesized the triflate salts of a series of tetraarylstibonium cations of general formula [ArSbPh3]+ with Ar = Mes (4+), o-(dimethylamino)phenyl (5+), and o-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl (6+). These new cationic antimony derivatives, along with the known [Ph4Sb]+ (1+), 1-naphthyltriphenylstibonium (2+), and [(Ant)SbPh3]+ (3+), have been evaluated as catalysts for the cycloaddition of oxiranes and isocyanates under mild conditions. While all stibonium cations favor the 3,4-oxazolidinone products, the reactivities of 5+ and 6+ are hindered by the ancillary amino donor which quenches the Lewis acidity of the antimony center. A comparison of the other stibonium cations shows that 4+ is the most selective catalyst.
Decomposition of monazite concentrate in potassium hydroxide solution

Abstract Alkali roasting of monazite concentrate using potassium hydroxide in place of sodium hydroxide could allow for the coproduction of tripotassium phosphate, which would be of greater economic value than trisodium phosphate. Therefore, this study aims to assess the ability of potassium hydroxide to extract rare earth elements (REEs), uranium (U) and thorium (Th) from monazite concentrate under similar conditions to those that have been established using sodium hydroxide. A process consisting of alkali pug roast followed by a nitric acid leach has been examined with experimental parameters including roasting temperature (150–250 °C), roasting time (1–4 h), and alkali to concentrate (A/C) weight ratio (1:1–4:1). Overall, potassium hydroxide was found to behave similarly to sodium hydroxide under the conditions studied. The use of potassium hydroxide also helped alleviate the problem of overroasting that occurs with sodium hydroxide. Under relatively high temperatures and extended roasting times, REEs extraction decreased less when compared to sodium hydroxide. Oxalic acid was then used to precipitate REEs, U and Th from the nitric acid leach solution. Oxalic acid dosage was examined to determine the minimum amount needed to effectively precipitate the REEs at room temperature. Precipitation time and temperature were also studied for their effects on the overall precipitation. It was found that 6.2 %w/v oxalic acid was able to precipitate more than 90% of yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), neodymium (Nd), and praseodymium (Pr). Thorium precipitation remained nearly complete (>95%) under all oxalic acid concentrations studied.
Current State of the Opioid Epidemic as it Pertains to Pediatric Orthopaedics From the Advocacy Committee of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.

Introduction The opioid epidemic in the United States has reached crisis proportions. Urgent response is needed. Hydrocodone in combination with acetaminophen is the most prescribed drug in the United States. The most common source of opioids available for misuse is the unused portions of postoperative prescriptions. Among high school seniors, 80% of those who reported nonmedical use of prescription opioids previously had legitimate prescriptions but recreationally used leftover doses. Roughly one-quarter of patients do not take any of their postoperatively prescribed opioids and the remainder take one-third to two-thirds of the prescribed doses. Methods A summary of the literature is presented beginning from historical perspective to current status and pertinent strategies in dealing with this complicated problem. This review includes data from an electronic survey of the members of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) with regard to the prescriptions they would provide for 7 treatment scenarios. Results Strategies for the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of management of pain as well as strategies for education, research, and advocacy are presented. The Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America survey yielded 264 respondents. The 3 most commonly used opioid medications were hydrocodone, oxycodone, and acetaminophen with codeine, in that order, for most of the scenarios. The time period covered by postoperative prescriptions varied considerably. Conclusions The magnitude of this problem is overwhelming. Education of care providers, patients and families, standardization of narcotic prescribing practices which incorporate patient characteristics, and appropriate plans for disposal of unused narcotics are immediate concepts to consider in correcting this problem. Long-term issues to tackle will be changing patient a family expectations, legislation, and obtaining additional resources directed towards this issue.
High-reflectivity Bragg mirrors for IR applications using novel chalcogenide hybrid inorganic/organic polymers (CHIPs) (Conference Presentation)

Bragg mirrors are 1D photonic crystals made of a periodic stack of high and low refractive thin film materials that reflect only a small bandwidth of the spectrum. Such high-reflective devices are commercially available in the visible spectrum at relatively low costs. Functional Bragg mirrors for IR applications are greatly desired, but there exist challenges due to the limited availability of inexpensive, high refractive index, and transparent IR materials. Here, we present the design of high reflectivity Bragg mirrors working in the near and mid-IR range. Our mirror designs use the refractive index values of novel ultrahigh refractive index IR materials known as chalcogenide hybrid inorganic/organic polymers (CHIPs). CHIPs are synthetized from an inverse vulcanization process for elemental sulfur and selenium as reported by the Pyun group [1]. We integrate the optical properties of these materials and those of different low refractive index materials to generate various Bragg mirror designs. The extinction coefficients derived from absorption plots are also taken into account to increase accuracy. The theoretical values for reflectivity, physical thickness, and optical bandwidth are reported, as well as preliminary experimental results. We also present changes in reflectivity and bandwidth due to layer thickness variability. These IR Bragg mirrors have applications in devices and industries which require the use of specific wavelengths in the near and mid-IR range, such as beam-splitters, filters, anti-reflection coatings, etc.
The Impact of Bariatric Surgery on Sleep Disordered Breathing Parameters From Overnight Polysomnography and Home Sleep Apnea Test.

Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder, especially in patients with obesity. Bariatric surgery is an effective tool to reduce weight and treat co-morbid diseases in patients with morbid obesity. One of these disorders is OSA. The most common bariatric procedures currently performed are Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Objectives Our study demonstrates that bariatric surgery is a very effective tool to reduce the severity of OSA, if not resolve it. Methods The medical charts of nine patients who had OSA and underwent bariatric surgery (LSG or RYGB) were reviewed and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was compared before and after surgery. The study was conducted at the Sanford sleep center which is affiliated with the University of North Dakota School of Medicine. Results One patient was excluded from the statistical analysis since he was the only male patient, the remaining nine female patients had a significant reduction in AHI after surgery. The mean AHI before surgery was 40 events per hour and seven events per hour after surgery (P 0.004). The mean follow-up with sleep study after surgery was 16 months. The mean reduction in AHI was 80%. There was also an improvement in oxygen saturation (SpO2) before and after surgery (90% and 94% respectively, P 0.008). Conclusion The study confirms the significant reduction in AHI after bariatric surgery in female patients with OSA especially short term (one to two years postoperatively).
Atmospheric Correction Using the Information From the Short Blue Band

We describe our effort to use normalized water-leaving radiance at the short blue band 410 nm, nLw (410), derived from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership to improve the VIIRS ocean color products over coastal and inland waters, in particular, over the regions contaminated by strongly absorbing aerosols. The current standard atmospheric correction algorithm has significant issues when dealing with cases of strongly absorbing aerosols, e.g., dust, smoke, and air pollution from nearby cities. For such cases, satellite-derived normalized water-leaving radiance spectra nLw ( $\lambda $ ) are usually biased low and may be negative, particularly for the short blue bands, e.g., for the VIIRS nLw (410). In addition, for extremely turbid waters and waters dominated by colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) that is strongly absorbing at the short blue band, slightly negative nLw (410) data are also sometimes observed. Obviously, cases with nLw (410) nLw (410) nLw (410) information. Specifically, for cases with nLw (410) nLw (410) $\ge 0$ [e.g., assuming nLw (410) = 0], thereby removing unphysical retrievals for VIIRS-derived nLw ( $ \lambda $ ) spectra. Using this technique, VIIRS-derived nLw ( $ \lambda $ ) spectra are now all ≥ 0, showing considerable improvements for VIIRS ocean color products, particularly for biological and biogeochemical products [e.g., chlorophyll-a concentration and diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm $K_{d}$ (490)] which are derived using VIIRS nLw ( $\lambda $ ) spectra. Several detailed examples from VIIRS measurements over various coastal and inland waters are provided and discussed. The new technique has been implemented in the Multi-Sensor Level-1 to Level-2 (MSL12) ocean color data processing system, which has been used for the routine production of VIIRS global ocean color products.
Spinal Processing of Impulse Trains from Sensory Receptors

In order to more fully understand the implications of sensory coding, single afferent fibers in anesthetized cats have been stimulated with patterns of impulses similar to those recorded in those afferents in awake behaving animals. Postsynaptic activity elicited by individual impulses in such trains are not of constant amplitude. In the case of muscle spindle afferents the postsynaptic potentials can become either monotonically larger or smaller as the train progresses depending on the properties and function of the target motoneuron on which the individual afferent terminates. Cutaneous afferents also evoke similarly heterogeneous effects postsynaptically that correlate with the receptor type that they supply in the skin. In particular, the sensory channels through which slowly- and rapidly adapting receptors project centrally appear to have very different properties. These data indicate that central synaptic action can differ systematically according to function of the neurons involved. These results require consideration in analysis of coding/decoding processes in sensory systems and in the construction of models of sensory processing.
Scaled Particle Theory of Hard Sphere Fluids To 1976

Scaled particle theory, last reviewed in 1965, is reviewed in an up-to-date manner. However, discussion is limited to hard sphere fluids. In particular developments which have introduced new exact conditions, and permitted the use of all exact conditions are reported. In addition, methods of advancement based on the application of the thermodynamics and statistical thermodynamics of curved boundary layers are reviewed. Recent work in which scaled particle theory is applied to the derivation of the radial distribution function is discussed. Finally, in the last section, some new results are reported.
Application of the DINA Model Framework to Enhance Assessment and Learning

This chapter introduces cognitive diagnosis models as a component of an alternative psychometric framework for diagnostic modeling and assessment and contrasts them to traditional item response models. The focus of this chapter is on the family of cognitive diagnosis models which represent various formulations and extensions of the deterministic, input, noisy “and” gate (DINA) model. The assumptions of, related examples pertaining to, and appropriate uses of these models are covered. In addition, several issues pertaining to the DINA models in particular and diagnostic modeling in general are also discussed.
Identification of systems with hard input nonlinearities

In this paper, we study identification of systems with static and nonstatic hard input nonlinearities. An identification algorithm is proposed which is based on separating the coefficients of the nonlinear part from the linear part. The identification is carried out on an equivalent problem with a much lower dimension. The method is shown to be particularly effective, if the nonlinearity is parametrized by few parameters.
The experiences of lesbians of color in health care encounters.

Abstract In this feminist narrative study, lesbians of color gave testimony to the effects of prejudice in face-to-face health care interactions. A major objective was to involve participants from a broad range of ethnic/racial backgrounds and socio-economic circumstances in open-ended interviews about their experiences receiving health care. Half of the 45 women in the sample were lesbians of color: 20% (9) African American, 18% (8) Latina, 11% (5) Asian/Pacific Islander, and 2% (1) Native American. Results suggest that if we wish to improve access to and quality of health services, those in the health care field must address race, class, gender, and sexual orientation prejudice in health care interactions, acknowledging the role discriminatory behavior plays in diminishing the availability of health care for lesbians of color.
Phase structuring of the complex degree of coherence

Simple conditions on the magnitude and phase of the complex degree of coherence of stationary, scalar, one-dimensional (1D) Schell-like sources are derived for the design of novel optical beam-like fields. Several examples of new sources obtained with the help of signum, odd monomials, and sine phase functions are given. A geometrical representation, termed coherence curve, for the complex coherence state of a 1D, Schell-like source with non-trivial magnitude and phase distributions by means of a parametric curve confined to the unit circle in a complex plane is also introduced.
Discovery of temporal universe

In this article we based on the laws of physics to illustrate the enigma of time in creating our physical space (i.e., the universe). We have shown that without time there would be no physical substances, no space and no life. In reference to Einstein’s energy equation, we see that energy and mass can be traded, and every mass can be treated as an Energy Reservoir. We have further shown that physical space cannot be embedded in absolute empty space and cannot have absolute empty subspace in it. Since all physical substances existed with time, our cosmos is created in the context of time and every substance including our universe coexists with time. Although time initiates the creation, it is the physical substances which indicate to us the existence of time. We are not alone is almost an absolute certainty. Someday we may find a right planet, once upon a time, had harbored a civilization for a short period of light years.
Knowledge Transfers in Alliances: The Role of Information Technology

Strategic alliances have become popular organizational forms in the last two decades. Prior research suggests alliances promote knowledge sharing between the partners. In this research, using patent data, we study the impact of Information Technology spending on knowledge transfers in alliances. First, we find that pre alliance knowledge stocks of the partners as also as the knowledge commonality between the partners facilitates knowledge flows to the focal firm. Moreover, we find that these knowledge flows are enhanced when the focal firm has high Information Technology capabilities. We find support to the argument that IT is a necessary complementary resource that facilitates knowledge flows among partners in alliances.
Before Dubai: the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Iranian tourism development, 1967-1969.

ABSTRACTThis essay examines the transcultural vision of Neezam Amery and William Wesley Peters (of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation) in conceptualising touristscapes for Minoo and Kish Islands. It emphasises the hybrid approach of the architects in appealing at one and the same time to Arab and Western tourists, the staggering environmental costs of such an undertaking, and the role that contemporary tourism in Beirut played in shaping their vision for a new centre of tourism closer to the Arabian Peninsula. While the essay makes no attempt to link plans for the Iranian periphery to Dubai, it does suggest that similar models – in their appeal to multiple audiences, as well as their position at the crossroads of continental convergence between Africa, Asia, and the Middle East – capitalised on then circulating ideas of a long-term strategic vision to reorient the economic and cultural landscapes of the twenty-first century Persian Gulf.
Contract’s Revenge: The Waiver Society and the Death of Tort

A generation ago observers confidently predicted the death of contract and the triumph of tort. But contract has risen from the dead. Contracts waiving tort rights have become ubiquitous in the American marketplace. We survey the history and doctrine of exculpatory clauses in a wide variety of consumer contracts. We find that mid-twentieth-century skepticism about waivers has given way to a new age of increased waiver enforcement. The story of waiver enforcement, we conclude, is of a piece with the resurgence of free contract and market thinking in the 1980s and 1990s, a process we call “contract’s revenge.”
Perspective on Slovakia’s Freelancers in Sharing Economy – Case Study

In this paper, we provide an overview of freelancers from a Slovakian perspective. Our purpose specifically is to provide an insight into the field of freelancing in a sharing economy and to offer general guidelines for beginner freelancers. The paper reviews survey data on users of freelancers in Slovakia on the basis of literature reviews and survey data. It illustrates that freelancers comprise a skilled, specialised workforce that enables businesses to reduce their dependence on full-time employees. It also reviews the freelancers’ barriers to entry, risk and financial requirements, while they enhance their skills and improve their business agility, flexibility and efficiency. Freelancers are an important input that enables innovative and entrepreneurial economies. Possible barriers to freelancing are discussed, paying attention to demands on freelancers, e.g. lack of stable income and boundaries between work and privacy, irreplaceability and getting paid on time. The results indicate that freelancing in Slovakia is on the increase, and most freelancers are specialists, predominantly university-educated, highly-qualified professionals, using modern technology with smaller numbers of clients. The four key features for success in freelancing are a good reputation, expertise, reliability and contacts.
Validation and Regulation of Clinical Artificial Intelligence.

The digital transformation of healthcare has generated a wealth of new information, ranging from electronic health records to patient-generated data. The availability of these data has led to the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in medicine. Although these algorithms have the potential to guide precision therapies, improve efficiency, and achieve better outcomes, there has been limited regulatory oversight to assess the quality and efficacy of predictive algorithms in the clinical setting. Recent articles by Parikh et al. in Science and Collins and Moons in The Lancet and draft guidance from the Food and Drug Administration have started to explore reporting and regulatory frameworks for predictive algorithms (1–3). Recent draft guidance from the Food and Drug Administration on clinical decision support systems and artificial intelligence in software as a medical device has started …
Hydrogen Does Not Appear To Be a Major Electron Donor for Symbiosis with the Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Tubeworm Riftia pachyptila

ABSTRACT Use of hydrogen gas (H2) as an electron donor is common among free-living chemolithotrophic microorganisms. Given the presence of this dissolved gas at deep-sea hydrothermal vents, it has been suggested that it may also be a major electron donor for the free-living and symbiotic chemolithoautotrophic bacteria that are the primary producers at these sites. Giant Riftia pachyptila siboglinid tubeworms and their symbiotic bacteria (“Candidatus Endoriftia persephone”) dominate many vents in the Eastern Pacific, and their use of sulfide as a major electron donor has been documented. Genes encoding hydrogenase are present in the “Ca. Endoriftia persephone” genome, and proteome data suggest that these genes are expressed. In this study, high-pressure respirometry of intact R. pachyptila and incubations of trophosome homogenate were used to determine whether this symbiotic association could also use H2 as a major electron donor. Measured rates of H2 uptake by intact R. pachyptila in high-pressure respirometers were similar to rates measured in the absence of tubeworms. Oxygen uptake rates in the presence of H2 were always markedly lower than those measured in the presence of sulfide, as was the incorporation of 13C-labeled dissolved inorganic carbon. Carbon fixation by trophosome homogenate was not stimulated by H2, nor was hydrogenase activity detectable in these samples. Though genes encoding [NiFe] group 1e and [NiFe] group 3b hydrogenases are present in the genome and transcribed, it does not appear that H2 is a major electron donor for this system, and it may instead play a role in intracellular redox homeostasis. IMPORTANCE Despite the presence of hydrogenase genes, transcripts, and proteins in the “Ca. Endoriftia persephone” genome, transcriptome, and proteome, it does not appear that R. pachyptila can use H2 as a major electron donor. For many uncultivable microorganisms, omic analyses are the basis for inferences about their activities in situ. However, as is apparent from the study reported here, there are dangers in extrapolating from omics data to function, and it is essential, whenever possible, to verify functions predicted from omics data with physiological and biochemical measurements.
A New Look at the Supervisor Role in Performance Management

Supervisors and employees hold consistently negative impressions of the performance management (PM) process in most organizations. In this chapter, we propose that some of the uneven outcomes related to this important human resource process may be due to factors related to the supervisor; ones they may not even be aware of. We review the extant literature on some factors related to the supervisor: implicit person theory (IPT) and commitment to performance management. In addition, we review some relatively new research, which examines the role of the supervisor in providing feedback in the PM process. Specifically, we integrate the growing evidence that supervisors who report an incremental IPT are more likely to engage in positive PM behaviors such as providing support, giving elaborative feedback, and initiating more coaching behaviors. Moreover, employees of these supervisors report more positive perceptions of these processes. We also introduce a new construct, commitment to performance management, and develop theory about how considering affective, normative, and continuous commitment toward performance management may predict differential PM behaviors that supervisors initiate. For instance, supervisors who are affectively committed (e.g. really believe in the value and importance of PM) are much more likely to engage in the best practices associated with PM than supervisors who are continuously committed (e.g., only completing PM practices because there would be a cost to not participate). Finally, we review some recently published research that focuses on the actual content of the feedback and conversation exchanged between supervisors and employees (Meinecke et al. J Leadersh Org Stud 24:230, 2017; Meinecke et al. J Appl Psychol 102:1054, 2017; Schaerer et al. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process 144:171:2018). Moreover, we integrate these findings within the frameworks of IPT and commitment to performance management and identify some potentially interesting new streams of research.
Ho-Ba-Cu-O Thin Films for Superconductive Electronics

HoBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (HBCO) thin films were grown by reactive sputtering on SrTiO 3 (STO), (LaAlO 3 ) 0.3 (Sr 2 TaAlO 6 ) 0.7 (LSAT), and NdGaO 3 (NGO) substrates for optimization of electrical properties for superconductive electronics. By changing deposition temperature and oxygen partial pressures we were able to obtain films with critical temperatures of 92 K and critical current density of 3 MA/cm2. HBCO Josephson junctions were fabricated using focused helium ion beam irradiation that exhibited excellent properties.
Peru’s living dead: Spectrality, untimeliness, and the internal armed conflict

In this article I examine the use of spectral figures in two works related to the Peruvian internal armed conflict, Julio Ortega’s novella Adios Ayacucho (1986) and theater troupe Grupo Cultural Yu...
A Discourse Analysis of Three Past TAM Forms in Vwanji

This paper presents data from Vwanji, an under-documented Bantu language spoken by approximately 28,000 people in southwestern Tanzania. Bantu languages are well known for having multiple degrees of past time reference grammaticalized in their TAM systems, and Vwanji is a good example of such a language, but one with some interesting typological differences from certain general TAM trends in Bantu languages noted in Nurse (2008). Three past TAM forms, in particular, are the focus of the research: P1 /Anterior SM-VB-ile, P2 SM-a-VB-a, and the Near Past Habitual SM-a-VB-aɣa. The analysis of data from a corpus of narrative and non-narrative texts (both written and oral) reveals that these three TAM forms have multiple discourse functions which do not necessarily follow in expected ways from their places in the TAM system as a whole. Comparing the Vwanji findings with those of neighbouring languages suggests some possible directions in which the verb forms in Vwanji may be changing functionally or being lost. The goal of this investigation is to increase understanding of a typologically interesting language which has not been well described and for which there is very little published data. The paper also shows the importance of taking natural discourse data into account when considering TAM functions in a language. Relying on elicited data alone may hide interesting complexities and variation.
Do Firms Cater to Investor Demand When Repurchasing

This paper investigates whether the decision to repurchase stock is driven by investor demand for repurchases. Firms cater to investor demand for repurchases by initiating repurchases when the investors place a premium on the stock prices of repurchasing firms. I propose proxies (similar to Baker and Wurgler 2004) that measure the repurchase premium. I find that the lagged repurchase premium is positively and significantly related to repurchase initiation and continuation decisions, after controlling for tax effects, year trends and alternate investment opportunities. I find that a greater fraction of dividend paying firms also repurchase stock when the repurchase premium has been high. The fraction of dividend payers that repurchase stock is found to be negatively related to the lagged dividend premium, establishing the competing attractiveness of dividends and repurchases based on the respective dividend and repurchase premium. Firms are more likely to repurchase stock when the repurchase premium is high and the difference between the repurchase and dividend premium is positive.
Effect of Foliar Application of Wild Sunflower (Tithonia Diversifolia) Leaf Extract on Yield Attributes of Vegetable Cowpea Cv. Bs-1 in Sandy Regosol

A field experiment was conducted at the Crop Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Eastern University, of Sri Lanka, during the period of January to April 2019 to investigate the effect of different concentrations and frequencies of Tithonia diversifolia Leaf Extract (TLE) as a foliar application on yield attributes of vegetable cowpea Cv. BS1. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with seven treatments and replicated three times. TLE concentrations of 10%, 20% and 30% were used and each concentration was tested at application frequencies of 1 and 2 weeks. Distilled water was applied as foliar spraying in the control. The foliar application was commenced two weeks after planting and the applications were continued up to the pod formation stage. The result showed that the application of 30% TLE at 2 weeks interval had the significant effect (p<0.05) on the fresh weight of pods/ha (31%), number of pods/ha (15%) and length of pods (56%) compared to the control treatment. It is concluded that under the conditions of this experiment application of TLE at the rate of 30% at two weeks interval have a stimulatory effect on the yield attributes of vegetable cowpea.
Management of Coincident Pituitary Macroadenoma and Cavernous Carotid Aneurysm: A Systematic Literature Review

Introduction Pituitary adenomas are a common intracranial pathology with an incidence of 15 to 20% in the population while cerebral aneurysms are less common with a prevalence of 1:50 patients. The incidence of aneurysms in patients with pituitary adenoma has been estimated at 2.3 to 5.4% of patients; however, this remains unclear. Equally, the management of concomitant lesions lacks significant understanding. Methods A case report is presented of a concomitant cerebral aneurysm and pituitary adenoma managed by minimally invasive endovascular and endoscopic methods, respectively. A systematic review of the literature for terms “pituitary adenoma” and “aneurysm” yielded 494 studies that were narrowed to 19 relevant articles. Results We report a case of a 67-year-old patient with an enlarging pituitary macroadenoma, cavernous carotid aneurysm, and unilateral carotid occlusion. After successful treatment of the aneurysm by a pipeline flow diverter, the pituitary adenoma was surgically resected by an endoscopic transsphenoidal approach. Conclusion The use of a pipeline flow diverter and endonasal approach was feasible in the treatment of our patient. This is the first report to our knowledge of the use of pipeline flow diversion in the management of a cavernous carotid aneurysm prior to pituitary adenoma treatment.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Activity of New Heterocyclic Compounds Derivatives from Thiazole Derivative

This study involves the synthesis of new heterocycle compounds in many steps. The first is to react between 2-Amino-5-nitrothiazole with salicylaldehyde at 0oC and acid media to form azo derivative,1 then react (1) with 4-hydroxyacetophenone to get chalcone derivative (2). Third step involve react (2) with (hydrazine hydrate, phenylhydrazine, 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, hydroxylamine hydrochloride, urea, thiourea, ethyl cyanoacetate, malononitrile, guanidine) to form pyrazole derivatives,3-5 isoxazole derivative,6 oxazine derivative,7 thiazine derivative,8 pyridine derivatives.9-11 All these compounds were diagnosed by FT-IR spectrum, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, CHN, subsequent Rf -TLC reaction, and measurement liquefaction point. Then we studied the biological action for eleven compounds towards two kinds of microorganisms.
Integrating electronic and technology dimensions into an advanced business elective course

This paper discusses the experience of a small Midwestern University responding to the rapid developments in the business world related to the pervasive role of technology and e-Business. Pending creation of an e-Business program, a pilot course involving the various stages of creation of e-Ventures - from "Ideas to Implementation", was developed and team-taught by three tenured faculty members at the University. Twenty-four students enrolled in the "Electronic Ventures" course were required to complete e-commerce case exercises and develop a new business venture (complete with a business plan, and a web-site) as part of the course requirement. Given the level of interest and excitement in the 'real world' about e-Businesses, the course proved to be exciting, fast paced and very current. In-depth analysis of the course development and implementation process by the instructors, pedagogies used, and student reactions to the overall experience (team exercises, web projects, computer cases etc.) are presented.
Screening hypotheses with explicit bias

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the screening of hypotheses with explicit bias. Bias plays an important role in the major subfield of machine learning called empirical induction. Explicit bias offers advantages in addition to helping a system select generalization operators. Empirical induction of a concept from examples is performed by formulating hypotheses that approximate an unknown target concept based on experience with instances classified as positive or nega­tive examples of the target concept. If learning is incremental, hypotheses are formed and then modified by generalization or specialization to remain consistent with a growing set of known instances. Three major techniques exist for biasing empirical induction. The first technique consists of using a res­tricted hypothesis language. The second bias technique is testing. The third technique called screening consists of selecting a generalization operator rather than generating the alternative hypotheses. This latter technique is less widely used than the other two but offers advantages when the bias is explicit. PREDICTOR is a system that uses explicit bias in its learning method. PREDICTOR focuses on the screening method of bias.
On Our Own : Social Workers Talk About Spiritually-Sensitive Practice Within an Organizational Context

While research has stressed the need for self-awareness on the part of social workers, few scholars have addressed the influence of organizational policies on spiritually-sensitive practice. Focus groups and interviews, conducted with 11 practitioners, suggested that agencies require information about clients' religious or spiritual background as part of an initial assessment; however, the parameters for using that information were ambiguous. Lacking clear guidelines, each social worker developed a personal policy for spiritually-sensitive practice, based on the practitioner's personal belief system and the NASW Code of Ethics. Recommendations are made to align spiritually-sensitive practice at the organizational and the practitioner level.
Extended abstract: Using project workflow to teach engineering communication

The conventional approach to teaching engineering communication focuses on engineering communication genres — reports, memos, proposals. These important genres are, however, often divorced from the professional workplace contexts that influence both their content and their production. In this presentation, we introduce the document workflow approach that is the focus of the forthcoming IEEE Guide to Communication (IEEE Wiley 2016). Grounded in interviews with working engineers, we show how introducing students to the concept of workflow provides them with a richer, more nuanced understanding of the documents and communication contexts they will encounter when they enter the engineering workplace.
A simple table-free distributed routing algorithm for 802.6

The authors propose a simple table-free routing technique for the IEEE 802.6 Distributed Queue Dual Bus (DQDB). It offers the simplicity of high-speed packet switching, such as Batcher-Bayan, techniques to metropolitan-area networks. As in high-speed packet switching networks, it consists of a number of stages. A so-called self-routing technique routes a packet from one end to the other without table processing. By checking only one bit in the routing tag of a message at each stage, a switch knows to which switch the message is to be routed in the next stage. The proposed technique is similar to the knockout switch. However, instead of performing switching in a small area, it covers a much wider (metropolitan) area. Therefore, the technique becomes distributed. The proposed routing technique can be extended to cover a service of point-to-multipoint communications, something which is essential for B-ISDN, while maintaining much of its simplicity. Various issues of sequential delivery, replication, and label management are addressed. A novel technique for simplifying topologies is presented. >
Priorities and trends in the study of proteins in eye research, 1924-2014.

Purpose To identify the proteins that are relevant to eye research and develop assays for the study of a set of these proteins. Experimental design We conducted a bibliometric analysis by merging gene lists for human and mouse from the National Center for Biotechnology Information FTP site and combining them with PubMed references that were retrieved with the search terms “eye” [MeSH Terms] OR “eye” [All Fields] OR “eyes” [All Fields]. Results For human and mouse eye studies, respectively, the total number of publications was 13 525 and 23 895 and the total number of proteins was 4050 and 4717. For proteins in human and mouse eye studies, respectively, 88.7 and 81.7% had five or fewer citations. The top 50 most intensively studied proteins for human and mouse eye studies were generally in the areas of photoreceptors and phototransduction, inflammation, and angiogenesis, neurodevelopment, lens transparency, and cell-cycle and cellular processes. We proposed selected reaction monitoring assays that were developed in silico for the top fifty most intensively studied proteins in human and mouse eye research. Conclusions and clinical relevance We conclude that scientists engaged in eye research tend to focus on the same proteins. Newer resources and tools in proteomics can expand the investigations to lesser-known proteins of the eye.
Near field focusing algorithm for high frequency ground penetration imaging radar

Ground penetrating radar has been successfully used for imaging stratigraphic structures. The goal of our ground penetrating radar program is to provide a capability for strategic subsurface target detection for military applications. This paper describes an experimental approach to high frequency (HF) radar sub-surface profiling, and the results obtained from signal and data processing for deep tunnel detection. Ongoing experiments employ a bistatic radar system designed to detect buried objects located in the near field of the HF sensor. Data analysis requires the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing to focus the image. Currently, experiments are conducted using surface contact antennas as part of a larger effort with an ultimate goal of collecting data via airborne sensors. The immediate goal of this effort is to determine the resolution achievable at depths commensurate with buried structures of strategic importance. This paper also examines the trade-off between frequency and propagation in an attempt to effect the best resolution possible.
Eating in the absence of hunger and overweight in girls from 5 to 7 y of age

Background Eating when exposed to large portions of palatable foods in the absence of hunger has been suggested to contribute to overweight. Objective This research evaluated whether young girls' eating in the absence of hunger was stable across a 2-y period in middle childhood, was associated with an increased risk of overweight, and could be predicted by parents' use of restriction in child feeding. Design The participants were 192 non-Hispanic white girls and their parents, assessed when the girls were 5 and 7 y of age. The girls' eating when exposed to palatable foods in the absence of hunger was measured after they consumed a standard lunch and indicated that they were no longer hungry. Results Eating in the absence of hunger showed moderate stability across the 2-y period for most of the girls. The girls who ate large amounts of snack foods in the absence of hunger at 5 and 7 y of age were 4.6 times as likely to be overweight at both ages. Parents' reports of restricting their daughter's access to foods at age 5 y predicted girls' eating in the absence of hunger at age 7 y, even when the girls' weight status and eating in the absence of hunger at age 5 y were controlled for. Conclusions This study provides the first evidence that young girls' eating in the absence of hunger may represent a stable phenotypic behavior of young overweight girls. In addition, these findings are consistent with previous work indicating that parents' restrictive feeding practices may contribute to this behavior.
Fucoidin inhibits the zona pellucida-induced acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa

We recently reported that fucoidin (a polymer of predominantly sulfated L-fucose) significantly inhibits tight binding of human sperm to the human zona pellucida in vitro and that several oligosaccharides obtained after acid hydrolysis possess sperm-zona pellucida binding inhibitory activity equal to the original fucoidin. This inhibition may be specific to sperm-zona interactions or may be the consequence of the interruption of capacitation, a series of biochemical and physiological events leading to final sperm maturation, that must occur for successful fertilization. Completion of capacitation is most often determined by assessing two end-points of the process: acquisition of hyperactivated motility and ability to complete the acrosome reaction. Here, we examined the effects of fucoidin on these two end-points of capacitation in vitro. Fucoidin did not affect the proportion of sperm with hyperstimulated motility. Neither did fucoidin cause an increase in sperm that had spontaneously acrosome-reacted at 4.5 hours compared to controls as evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence using the acrosomal marker, monoclonal antibody, T-6. Comparable percentages of sperm had completed the acrosome reaction when exogenously stimulated by calcium ionophore A23187 with and without the addition of fucoidin. However, in the presence of fucoidin, stimulation of the acrosome reaction by acid solubilized human zonae pellucidae was significantly inhibited. These data indicate that fucoidin does not impede the normal progression of capacitation. These results provide strong evidence to support the hypothesis is that the inhibitory effect of fucoidin is at the level of the sperm membrane since inhibition can be bypassed by increasing intracellular calcium directly with a calcium ionophore.
Specific isoprenyl group linked to transducin gamma-subunit is a determinant of its unique signaling properties among G-proteins.

Among 11 subtypes of heterotrimeric G-protein γ-subunit, γ1 (rod), γ8 (cone) and γ11 are modified with farnesyl while the others are modified with geranylgeranyl at the C-terminus. To understand the role of specific isoprenylation (farnesylation) of retinal transducin, we examined how and to what extent the type of isoprenyl group affects transducin-βγ (β1γ1) functions such as interactions with membranes, Gα/receptor, and effectors. To this end, the C-terminal farnesylation signal sequence (CVIS) of γ1 was replaced by a geranylgeranylation signal (CVIL), and the resultant mutant (S74L) or wild-type (WT) γ1 was coexpressed with β1 in the baculovirus-Tn5 insect cell system. Both γ1WT and γ1S74L expressed as a βγ complex were mixtures modified with farnesyl and geranylgeranyl groups. The ratio of farnesyl to geranylgeranyl in preparations of β1γ1WT and β1γ1S74L purified from the Tn5 cell membrane fraction was about 1:2 and 1:6, respectively. These two forms of recombinant β1γ1 and retinal β1γ1 were different...
Property Distribution Determination for Nonuniform Composite Beams From Vibration Response Measurements and Galerkin’s Method

This paper presents initial results from a program to develop a rapid screening test for determining the in-plane fiber distributions in unidirectionally reinforced composite structures by the use of the vibration response measurements and Galerkin's method. Theoretical models and experimental data are generated on the basis of two methods: (1) the shifting method, in which the effective length of the beam is changed, and (2) the added mass method, in which the mass distribution of the beam is changed. The elastic constants and the density are all assumed to be junctions of fiber volume fraction, while the spatial distribution of the fiber volume fraction is assumed to be given by a polynomial function. The concept of an effective density is employed to obtain the appropriate solution to the coefficients of the polynomial function. Results show that the fundamental mode gives rise to better predictions of physical properties than the higher modes do. An error analysis includes discussion of the errors due to the influences of the mode number, the assumed order of the polynomial in the fiber volume fraction distribution, and the bending-extension coupling effect caused by the unsymmetrical distribution ofproperties about the beam middle surface.
1-Isoamyl-3-isobutylxanthine: A remarkably potent agent for the potentiation of norepinephrine, histamine, and adenosine-elicited accumulations of cyclic AMP in brain slices

Abstract 1-Isoamyl-3-isobutylxanthine (EC50 t 5 μM) potentiates by 2 to 6-fold the accumulations of cyclic AMP elicited in guinea pig cerebral cortical slices by norepinephrine, histamine, and adenosine. In addition, the xanthine derivative causes a 2 to 3-fold elevation of basal levels of cyclic AMP. 1-Isoamyl-3-isobutylxanthine has no effect on accumulations of cyclic AMP elicited by histamine or adenosine in the presence of a potent phosphodiesterase inhibitor, ZK 62771. The xanthine derivative retards the disappearance of cyclic AMP after a prior stimulation by adenosine. The results indicate that 1-isoamyl-3-isobutylxanthine is an extremely potent and effective inhibitor of phosphodiesterases involved in the regulation of cyclic AMP levels in guinea pig cerebral cortical slices. The 1-benzyl, 1-isoamyl, and 1-isobutyl derivatives of 3-isobutylxanthine potentiate the accumulation of cyclic AMP elicited by adenosine, while the 1-methyl derivative and 1-isoamyl-3-methylxanthine are inhibitory undoubtedly because of blockade of adenosine-receptors by these compounds. Xanthines with bulky 1- and 3- substituents appear to be relatively weak adenosine-antagonists and relatively specific and potent agents for inhibition of phosphodiesterases involved in cyclic AMP metabolism in brain tissue.
Electronic structure and reactivity of isomeric oxo-Mn(V) porphyrins: effects of spin-state crossing and pKa modulation.

The reactivity of the isomeric oxo-Mn(V)-2-tetra-N-methylpyridyl (2-TMPyP) and oxo-Mn(V)-4-tetra-N-methylpyridyl (4-TMPyP) porphyrins has been investigated by a combined experimental and theoretical approach based on density functional theory. The unusual higher reactivity of the more electron-rich 4-TMPyP species appears to be related to both the higher basicity of its oxo ligand, compared to that of the 2-TMPyP isomer, and the smaller low-spin−high-spin promotion energy of 4-TMPyP, compared to that of 2-TMPyP, because of the stabilization of the A2u orbital in the latter isomer. Therefore, in a two-state energy profile involving crossing of the initial singlet and final quintet potential energy surfaces, the 4-TMPyP isomer should be kinetically favored. The calculated differences in the singlet−quintet gaps for the 2-TMPyP and 4-TMPyP systems compare well with the measured differences in the activation energies for two isomeric porphyrins. Both effects, proton affinity and electron-promotion energy, con...