cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Profound vascular stasis of retina and optic nerve following retrobulbar anesthesia

INTRODUCTION We aim to describe a mechanism of vision loss following vitrectomy surgery with retrobulbar block (RBB) associated with severe vascular stasis of the optic nerve and macula in order to improve safety of local anesthesia for ophthalmic surgery. CASE PRESENTATION We report three cases of patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with retrobulbar anesthesia with no retrobulbar hemorrhage or elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). At the beginning, in each case, hypoperfusion of optic nerve and macula was noted. In the case of one patient with significant vasculopathic risk factors, the vascular stasis was severe, while in the other two cases, it was mild-to-moderate. In all cases, the perfusion of posterior pole began to improve almost immediately following the start of PPV. Because the IOP was not elevated and no retrobulbar hemorrhage was present, this suggested a compartment syndrome in the intraconal space. The patient with severe vascular stasis developed finger-counting vision but had normal postoperative angiogram findings and unrevealing cardiovascular workup. In the other two milder cases, the occurrence of ischemia was not visually significant. CONCLUSION Intraoperative ischemia should be considered in all cases of unexplained vision loss after ophthalmic surgery using RBB. Attention to vasculopathic risk factors and intra-operative hemodynamic parameters, in addition to the use of parabulbar block, may avoid this complication and permanent vision loss.
Markets as an Impediment to Economic Progress

In Chapter 1, we saw that, in environments such as Babbage’s horse-slaughtering plant, where the land and fixed capital requirements are minimal, markets can perform efficiently. For this reason, much of Marx’s critique of capitalism concentrated on the deformation of social relations that result from the concentration of ownership of the means of production in the hands of the few. This concentration was associated with the rise of capital intensive technologies.
Fat-suppressed MRI in spinal disease

The use of fat-suppressed spinal imaging (FSI) has so far been limited largely to isolation of postoperative scarring, assessment of neoplastic infiltration of bone narrow, and examination of infections spondylitis. We used FSI to examine 40 patients with various pathologic conditions of different sections of spine, with the purpose of exploring further applications of the technique. We conclude that the technical complexity of FSI has precluded its wider use hitherto and that recent improvements to the software and hardware involved make it much more manageable. Since it can substantially reduce the number of MRI sequences required, it promises savings in terms of time and of direct cost.
CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTATION IN MANAGERIAL AND NON-MANAGERIAL EMPLOYEES: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

The customer service orientation of managerial and non-managerial employees from a large financial services organization were compared using the Customer Service Skills Inventory (CSSI). The results indicated that, in comparison to non-managerial employees, managers scored significantly higher on Pressure Tolerance, Independent Judgment, and Responsiveness, and significantly lower on Realistic Orientation.
Defensive performance as a modulator of biased play calling in collegiate American-Rules Football

The present study sought to replicate and extend previous research on matching in American-rules football in an effort to identify possible explanations for biased play calling. In particular, we demonstrate a relation between defensive performance and bias (quantified via the generalized matching equation [GME]) in opponents’ play calling. Specifically, against good pass/rush defenses, opponents demonstrated a bias away from the defenses’ strengths. We conclude with a discussion on the importan- ce of translating matching theory and the explanatory utility of the bias parameter in the GME.
Chronic electrical stimulation of the facial nerve causes signs of facial nucleus hyperactivity

The proximal segment of the facial nerve in rats was stimulated electrically daily for a duration of 2-10 min. After 4-8 weeks of such stimulation, 12 of 18 rats developed abnormal muscle responses that could be demonstrated by recording the electromyographic response from lower face muscles (the mentalis muscle) while the temporal branch of the facial nerve was being stimulated electrically. This abnormal electromyographic response consists of activity that appears in the latency range 6.5-15 ms. In addition, these chronically stimulated rats developed signs of facial synkinesis on the side that had been chronically stimulated. This could be demonstrated by recording electromyographic activity when the blink reflex was being elicited by electrical stimulation of the ophthalmic nerve. Rats in which electrodes had been implanted but which had not been stimulated did not develop any abnormal electromyographic activity. The abnormal electromyographic activity that could be recorded in rats that had been stimulated chronically could not be recorded 4-8 weeks after the stimulation had been terminated. We interpret these results to indicate that chronic electrical stimulation of the facial nerve can render the facial motonucleus hyperactive, and that the signs of this hyperactivity (abnormal muscle response and synkinesis) are similar to those typically seen in patients with hemifacial spasm. We thus presume that these results support the hypothesis that it is the irritation of the facial nerve from a compressing blood vessel that causes the facial nucleus to become hyperactive in patients with hemifacial spasm.
Glioma FMISO PET/MR Imaging Concurrent with Antiangiogenic Therapy: Molecular Imaging as a Clinical Tool in the Burgeoning Era of Personalized Medicine

The purpose of this article is to provide a focused overview of the current use of positron emission tomography (PET) molecular imaging in the burgeoning era of personalized medicine in the treatment of patients with glioma. Specifically, we demonstrate the utility of PET imaging as a tool for personalized diagnosis and therapy by highlighting a case series of four patients with recurrent high grade glioma who underwent 18F-fluoromisonidazole (FMISO) PET/MR (magnetic resonance) imaging through the course of antiangiogenic therapy. Three distinct features were observed from this small cohort of patients. First, the presence of pseudoprogression was retrospectively associated with the absence of hypoxia. Second, a subgroup of patients with recurrent high grade glioma undergoing bevacizumab therapy demonstrated disease progression characterized by an enlarging nonenhancing mass with newly developed reduced diffusion, lack of hypoxia, and preserved cerebral blood volume. Finally, a reduction in hypoxic volume was observed concurrent with therapy in all patients with recurrent tumor, and markedly so in two patients that developed a nonenhancing reduced diffusion mass. This case series demonstrates how medical imaging has the potential to influence personalized medicine in several key aspects, especially involving molecular PET imaging for personalized diagnosis, patient specific disease prognosis, and therapeutic monitoring.
Exploring Connections between Teacher Efficacy and Principals' Leadership Behaviors.

This paper reports the results of an exploratory investigation of the connections between principals’ leadership behaviors and teachers’ sense of efficacy in selected middle schools currently invol...
Body dysmorphic disorder in the dermatology patient

Body dysmorphic disorder is primarily a psychiatric disorder, in which the patient believes that some normal or very near normal aspect of his or her physical appearance is distorted or ugly. Should there be a minor abnormality, it is grossly exaggerated in the mind of the patient, causing feelings of shame and embarrassment and leading daily to spending hours at the mirror, or any reflecting surface, as the patient tries to conceal or remove the perceived abnormality through the development of ritualistic behavior. Although other organs can be involved-for example, the shape of the nose or a portion of an ear- the skin, hair, and nails are most commonly involved, while the patient constantly seeks reassurance about appearance from friends and family. There is a broad spectrum of severity in body dysmorphic disorder, ranging from obsessional worry to frank delusion, and the psychiatric comorbidities-anxiety, depression, and personality disorder-are prominent parts of the picture. Unfortunately, the psychiatric comorbidities and the negative impact on every aspect of the patient's life may not be recognized by dermatologists and other non-psychiatric physicians, so that effective treatment is often not instituted or appropriate referrals made. This paper describes the incidence, possible etiologies, and clinical picture of body dysmorphic disorder in dermatology patients and discusses interpersonal approaches that may permit appropriate treatment or referral to take place. Specific treatments and prognosis are also discussed.
Continuing Education: Accessing the Peer-Reviewed Literature

Abstract Continuing education is one component of remaining an informed, ethical, and competent behavior analyst. Specifically, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts emphasizes the importance of remaining current with the peer-reviewed, scholarly literature to select appropriate assessment and interventions methods to best serve consumers and society. Maintaining ongoing contact with the current literature can require considerable effort and is often associated with several barriers. This chapter provides an overview of practitioner training in maintaining contact with the literature, the status of research and scholarly contributions concerning addressing barriers to maintaining contact with the literature, as well as a set of practice guidelines for consideration in developing a plan to effectively maintain contact with the literature.
Fault Propagation and Effects Analysis for Designing an Online Monitoring System for the Secondary Loop of the Nuclear Power Plant Portion of a Hybrid Energy System

This paper studies the propagation and effects of faults in critical components that pertain to the secondary loop of a nuclear power plant found in nuclear hybrid energy systems (NHESs). This info...
ALEXIS Lunar Observations

The ALEXIS small satellite was designed as a large area monitor operating at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths (130 – 190 A). At these energies, the moon is the brightest object in the night sky and was the first source identified in the ALEXIS data. Due to the design of ALEXIS and the lunar orbit, the moon is observed for two weeks of every month. Since lunar emissions in the extreme ultraviolet are primarily reflected solar radiation these observations may be useful as a solar monitor in the extreme ultraviolet. The data show distinct temporal and spectral variations indicating similar changes in the solar spectrum. We will present a preliminary dataset of lunar observations and discussions covering the variations observed and how they relate to the solar spectrum.
Mechanisms of Organophosphate Resistance in Insects

The organophosphate (OP) insecticides were first introduced as pest control agents over 50 years ago. These compounds still account for approximately 30% of the registered synthetic insecticides and acaricides in the US, and are used in a variety of agriculture, public hygiene and medical settings (Ware 1994). Organophosphate insecticides cause toxicity through inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which is responsible for the degradation of the excitatory neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, thereby terminating transmission of nerve impulses at cholinergic synapses. Inhibition of this enzyme prolongs the residence time of acetylcholine at synapses resulting in hyper-excitation and eventual death.
Choroidal fluorescent dye filling patterns

Consecutive indocyanine green (ICG) and fluorescein dye studies were made of neonatal and adult rhesus monkey eyes using a fundus camera modified to make angiograms at eight frames per second. Comparison of angiograms of the same eyes indicate that choriocapillaris transit times of intra-arterially and intravenously injected ICG dye and intra-arterialy injected fluorescein dye are all nearly identical, about 0.125 second, and are all significantly less than indicated by intravenously injected fluorescein dye. Analysis of the angiographic data also suggests that choriocapillaris fluorescence seen in angiograms resulting from intravenously injected fluorescein arises mainly from extravasated dye molecules and not from dye in the moving blood volume.
Asymmetric Membrane for Digital Detection of Single Bacteria in Milliliters of Complex Water Samples.

In this work, we introduce an asymmetric membrane as a simple and robust nanofluidic platform for digital detection of single pathogenic bacteria directly in 10 mL of unprocessed environmental water samples. The asymmetric membrane, consisting of uniform micropores on one side and a high density of vertically aligned nanochannels on the other side, was prepared within 1 min by a facile method. The single membrane covers all the processing steps from sample concentration, purification, and partition to final digital loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). By simple filtration, bacteria were enriched and partitioned inside the micropores, while inhibitors typically found in the environmental samples (i.e., proteins, heavy metals, and organics) were washed away through the nanochannels. Meanwhile, large particles, indigenous plankton, and positively charged pollutants in the samples were excluded by using a sacrificial membrane stacked on top. After initial filtration, modified LAMP reagents, includin...
Fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune skin diseases.

BACKGROUND Fatigue is a well-established symptom in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but has not been well characterized in other skin-limited autoimmune diseases such as cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), amyopathic dermatomyositis (ADM) or autoimmune blistering diseases (AIBD). OBJECTIVES In this retrospective study, we compared fatigue in controls (n = 84) with that in patients enrolled in prospective longitudinal databases with SLE (n = 165), CLE (n = 226), ADM (n = 136) and AIBD (n = 79). METHODS We used the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) vitality scale to analyse median scores and the percentages of patients with clinically significant fatigue (defined as a score ≤ 35) between experimental groups and controls. RESULTS Median and interquartile range (IQR) vitality scores demonstrated greater fatigue in the experimental groups (SLE 35, IQR 20-55; CLE 50, IQR 30-70; ADM 50, IQR 30-65; AIBD 55, IQR 35-70) than in controls (73, IQR 65-85) (P 0·05). In addition, the experimental groups had more clinically significant fatigue (score ≤ 35) (SLE 44·2%, CLE 25·2%, ADM 31·6%, AIBD 24·1%) than controls (2%) (P < 0·01 for each experimental group vs. control). The SLE group had more clinically significant fatigue than the CLE group (P < 0·01); however, there was no difference in clinically significant fatigue between SLE and either ADM (P = 0·17) or AIBD (P = 0·055). CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that patients with skin-limited autoimmune disease experience more fatigue than controls. Fatigue is an important symptom that negatively affects quality of life for patients. It should be addressed by clinicians and measured in future clinical trials.
Decomposing Differences in Impacts on Survey- and Administrative-Measured Earnings From a Job Training Voucher Experiment:

Background:Differences in earnings measured using either survey or administrative data raise the question of which is preferred for program impact evaluations. This is especially true when the popu...
Fully Kinetic Modeling of Dense Plasma Foci From Kilo- to Mega-Amp Devices

Dense plasma focus (DPF) devices use co-axial electrodes to drive kA to MA of current through a Z-pinch plasma implosion. As the plasma implodes, kinetic instabilities [1] in the pinch create MV/cm electric fields that accelerate particles to high-energy (>100 keV). By using deuterium or tritium as a fill gas, a short (few ns), high-intensity neutron source is generated. The goal of our group a LLNL is to simulate and understand the core physics of these devices so that we can optimize them for a variety of applications. For instance, some devices are constrained based on their size and power usage, e.g., to fit into an oil-logging well, while still producing a sizeable neutron yield. Other devices must to be optimized to produce the highest possible neutron yield (up to 1014 per pulse) when power constraints are of little concern. In order to meet such requirements, we investigate a variety of techniques using high-fidelity simulations with the kinetic code LSP: – Shaping the interior anode in a way to promote instability growth and reduce asymmetries. – Adding a periodic gas jet to increase the neutron yield and reliability of ion acceleration. – Increasing the density of the fill gas to produce a higherdensity pinch, thus creating a better “target” for the accelerated ions. – Reversing the electrode polarity to investigate its role in electric field generation and subsequent ion generation.
On the possibility for Rb- and Eu-cation ordering in type-I clathrates: synthesis and homogeneity range of the novel compounds Rb8–xEux(In,Ge)46 (0.6 ≤ x ≤ 1.8)

Studies in the Rb–Eu–In–Ge system confirm the existence of the phase Rb8−xEux(In,Ge)46 (0.6 ≤ x ≤ 1.8), crystallizing with the cubic clathrate type-I structure. The In and Ge content can be varied, concomitant with changes in the Rb–Eu ratio. Two of the three framework sites are occupied by statistical mixtures of Ge and In atoms, while the site with the lowest multiplicity is taken by the In atoms only. Based on the three refined formulae [hepta­rubidium europium nona­indium hepta­triaconta­germanide, Rb7.39(3)Eu0.61(3)In8.88(5)Ge37.12(5), and two forms of hexa­rubidium dieuropium deca­indium hexa­triaconta­germanide, Rb6.30(3)Eu1.70(3)In9.76(4)Ge36.24(4) and Rb6.24(2)Eu1.76(2)In10.16(5)Ge35.84(5)] and the explored different synthetic routes, it can be suggested that the known ternary phase Rb8In8Ge38 and the hypothetical quaternary phase Rb6Eu2In10Ge36 represent the boundaries of the homogeneity range. In the former limiting composition, both the (Ge,In)20 and the (Ge,In)24 cages are fully occupied by Rb atoms only, whereas Rb6Eu2In10Ge36 has Rb atoms encapsulated in the larger tetra­kaideca­hedra, with Eu atoms filling the smaller penta­gonal dodeca­hedra. For the solid solutions Rb8−xEux(In,Ge)46, Rb and Eu are statistically disordered in the dodeca­hedral cage, and the tetra­kaideca­hedral cage is only occupied by Rb atoms.
Constructing a Semantic Graph with Depression Symptoms Extraction from Twitter

Depression diagnosis is a critical challenge in mental precision medicine since there is currently no a gold standard using depression symptoms. Usually, a doctor makes depression diagnosis based on patients' answers to interview questions. The depression diagnosis depends on a person's behavioral symptoms. Due to the privacy of clinical data in a hospital, it is very hard to get patients' medical data. Thus, we directly use public social media data containing much information from patients, doctors and other people on Twitter. The research goal is to extract depression symptoms from the massive social data from Twitter via text mining and then make a semantic graph to represent correlations between depression and its symptoms. Different from commonly used statistical methods, we propose a hybrid method that integrates the statistical analysis and natural language processing techniques to make the semantic graph with the discovered depression symptoms from tweets. In the future, the depression symptom semantic graph will be used to build an intelligent depression diagnosis software system for medical doctors and a convenient depression self-screening software system for ordinary people.
Lignin with and without Polymerization for Soil Stabilization

AbstractThis study explores the possibility of using alkali lignin as a soil stabilizer as well as the possibility of polymerizing alkali lignin to further improve its performance. The polymerizati...
Seeing Gender: Perceptual Representations of Transgender Individuals:

In four studies, we explored perceptual representations of the gender-typicality of transgender individuals. In Studies 1a and 1b, participants (N = 237) created an avatar based on an image of an i...
Taking back control? The myth of territorial sovereignty and the Brexit fiasco

The UK referendum on leaving the European Union (EU) in 2016 was based around the issue of regaining a putative control or sovereignty that had been lost with membership in that supranational organ...
Du Bois, double consciousness, and the “Jewish question”

This essay examines whether and how the spectre of nineteenth century Western Europe's “Jewish question” haunts W.E.B. Du Bois's concept of double consciousness. I argue that Du Bois's time as a st...
Our Children’s Health v. Public Education in 21st Century America

What would schools and communities look like if the health and well-being of all our children were our highest priorities? More important than test scores, profits, or real estate values? What actions would we take if we wanted to guarantee that all our children were growing up with what they needed to be healthy, happy, and successful—and not just some of them? The United States was once among the healthiest countries in the world. As of now, it is ranked no better than twenty-ninth. Those who bear the brunt of our worsening health are the poor, people of color, and, most of all, our children. This special report situates our ongoing health crisis within the larger picture of inequality and the complex interplay of systems in the U.S. based on class, privilege, racism, sexism, and the ongoing tension between the ideals of democracy and the realities of corporate capitalism. Public education is caught in the middle of those tensions.
A Critique of the Western Concept of Music

This chapter presents a radical critique of the dominant Western concept of music. We question the role of score-driven reproduction of music and its power of abstraction from human reality in the making of organized sounds.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is associated with a unique endocrinopathy distinct from type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Introduction The majority of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PC) display either impaired fasting glucose/glucose intolerance or overt diabetes. However, the pathophysiologic basis of this association remains largely unexplained. Methods In this case-control study we aimed to study the morphological changes in the islets of patients with PC, compared to control patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM controls and PC cases had a lower β-cell area and average islet size and density compared to non-T2DM controls (p Results Compared to both T2DM and non-T2DM controls, mean α-cell area was significantly lower and β/α-ratio was higher in PC cases (p 0.05 vs. Control). Conclusions Our data shows that PC is associated with a unique pattern of islet pathology characterized by preserved architecture, absence of amyloid aggregates, and relative α-cell loss indicating that distinct mechanisms are likely involved in the pathophysiology of islet failure in PC-induced DM. Insights into the mechanisms mediating β-cell failure in PC can be important for our understanding of pathophysiology of PC.
The seismically fastest chemical heterogeneity in the Earth's deep upper mantle—implications from the single-crystal thermoelastic properties of jadeite

Abstract Jadeite is a major mineral phase (up to 50 vol%) in the subducted sediments/crust with continental origin, which are one of the major heterogeneities and important enriched geochemical reservoirs (such as EM-1 and EM-2) for incompatible elements in the Earth's interior. Identifying and locating the enriched geochemical heterogeneities requires knowledge of the elastic properties of relevant mineral phases at high pressure-temperature conditions. Unfortunately, the single-crystal elastic properties of jadeite have never been measured at high-pressure conditions, partially due to its low crystal symmetry. In this study, we have experimentally determined the single-crystal elastic moduli of jadeite at high pressures for the first time up to 18 GPa at the ambient temperature condition using Brillouin spectroscopy. Fitting the third-order finite strain equation of state to the velocity-pressure data yields K S 0 ′ =3.9(1), G 0 ′ =1.09(4) with ρ 0 =3.302(5) g/cm3, KS0=138(3) GPa, and G0=84(2) GPa. In addition, we have also conducted synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments up to 25 GPa and 700 K. The fitting of a Holland-Powell type thermal-pressure Birch-Murnaghan equation of state yields K T 0 ′ =3.8(2) and α 0 =3.4(5) ×10−5 K−1. Based on the obtained thermoelastic parameters of jadeite, the density and seismic velocities of continent-derived sediments/crust are modeled at the depth range from 200 to 500 km. The seismic velocities of the subducted continental sediments/crust become extremely fast at depths greater than ∼300 km, up to 11.8% and 14.7% faster than the Vp and Vs of the ambient mantle, and 5.6% and 7.3% faster than the Vp and Vs of the subducted oceanic crust. The existence of even a small amount of the subducted continental sediments/crust can result in strong seismic anomalies in the Earth's interior.
Silicon Oxynitrophosphide Nanoscale Coating Enhances Antioxidant Marker-Induced Angiogenesis During in vivo Cranial Bone-Defect Healing

Critical-sized bone defects are challenging to heal because of the sudden and large volume of lost bone. Fixative plates are often used to stabilize defects, yet oxidative stress and delayed angiogenesis are contributing factors to poor biocompatibility and delayed bone healing. This study tests the angiogenic and antioxidant properties of amorphous silicon oxynitrophosphide (SiONPx) nanoscale-coating material on endothelial cells to regenerate vascular tissue in vitro and in bone defects. in vitro studies evaluate the effect of silicon oxynitride (SiONx) and two different SiONPx compositions on human endothelial cells exposed to ROS (eg, hydrogen peroxide) that simulates oxidative stress conditions. in vivo studies using adult male Sprague Dawley rats (approximately 450 g) were performed to compare a bare plate, a SiONPx-coated implant plate, and a sham control group using a rat standard-sized calvarial defect. Results from this study showed that plates coated with SiONPx significantly reduced cell death, and enhanced vascular tubule formation and matrix deposition by upregulating angiogenic and antioxidant expression (eg, vascular endothelial growth factor A, angiopoetin-1, superoxide dismutase 1, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, and catalase 1). Moreover, endothelial cell markers (CD31) showed a significant tubular structure in the SiONPx coating group compared with an empty and uncoated plate group. This reveals that atomic doping of phosphate into the nanoscale coating of SiONx produced markedly elevated levels of antioxidant and angiogenic markers that enhance vascular tissue regeneration. This study found that SiONPx or SiONx nanoscale-coated materials enhance antioxidant expression, angiogenic marker expression, and reduce ROS levels needed for accelerating vascular tissue regeneration. These results further suggest that SiONPx nanoscale coating could be a promising candidate for titanium plate for rapid and enhanced cranial bone-defect healing. © 2020 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Competing particle systems evolving by interacting Lévy processes

We consider finite and infinite systems of particles on the real line and half-line evolving in continuous time. Hereby, the particles are driven by i.i.d. Levy processes endowed with rank-dependent drift and diffusion coefficients. In the finite systems we show that the processes of gaps in the respective particle configurations possess unique invariant distributions and prove the convergence of the gap processes to the latter in the total variation distance, assuming a bound on the jumps of the Levy processes. In the infinite case we show that the gap process of the particle system on the half-line is tight for appropriate initial conditions and same drift and diffusion coefficients for all particles. Applications of such processes include the modeling of capital distributions among the ranked participants in a financial market, the stability of certain stochastic queueing and storage networks and the study of the Sherrington–Kirkpatrick model of spin glasses.
Non-local games and quantum symmetries of quantum metric spaces

We generalize Banica's construction of the quantum isometry group of a metric space to the class of quantum metric spaces in the sense of Kuperberg and Weaver. We also introduce quantum isometries between two quantum metric spaces, and we show that if a pair of quantum metric spaces are algebraically quantum isometric, then their quantum isometry groups are monoidally equivalent. Motivated by the recent work on the graph isomorphism game, we introduce a new two-player non-local game called the metric isometry game, where players can win classically if and only if the metric spaces are isometric. Winning quantum strategies of this game align with quantum isometries of the metric spaces.
ALB Risk version 1.1: Asian longhorned beetle dispersal risk estimation tool

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky) (ALB) is an invasive polyphagous woodborer that has been introduced to North America and Europe. Due to the severe economic and ecological damage resulting from infestations of this insect, many countries, including the United States, have adopted policies of eradication. However, managing eradication can be a daunting challenge as it requires program managers to identify and destroy individual infested trees distributed across landscapes that may include millions of host trees. This report describes the use of the computer model ALB Risk version 1.1, which estimates the boundaries of the at-risk landscape, as well as the distribution of risk within the infestation based on dispersal patterns. The program generates risk-maps, identifies priority areas for management, and estimates the potential return on survey effort. The software is available at https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-201.
Cracking Shells and Scrambling Eggs: Intermediate Shell Formation and Anion Rearrangement in the Cation Exchange from π-SnS to Cu1.8S

Cation exchange is used to achieve products of complex morphology, phase, or elemental compositions from host particles with similar features. Understanding which parameters are responsible for pre...
Car Crashes without Cars: Lessons about Simulation Technology and Organizational Change from Automotive Design

Every workday we wrestle with cumbersome and unintuitive technologies. Our response is usually "That's just the way it is." Even technology designers and workplace managers believe that certain technological changes are inevitable and that they will bring specific, unavoidable organizational changes. In this book, Paul Leonardi offers a new conceptual framework for understanding why technologies and organizations change as they do and why people think those changes had to occur as they did. He argues that technologies and the organizations in which they are developed and used are not separate entities; rather, they are made up of the same building blocks: social agency and material agency. Over time, social agency and material agency become imbricated--gradually interlocked--in ways that produce some changes we call "technological" and others we call "organizational." Drawing on a detailed field study of engineers at a U.S. auto company, Leonardi shows that as the engineers developed and used a a new computer-based simulation technology for automotive design, they chose to change how their work was organized, which then brought new changes to the technology.Each imbrication of the social and the material obscured the actors' previous choices, making the resulting technological and organizational structures appear as if they were inevitable. Leonardi suggests that treating organizing as a process of sociomaterial imbrication allows us to recognize and act on the flexibility of information technologies and to create more effective work organizations.
The intertemporal risk-return relationship: Evidence from international markets

Abstract This paper examines the intertemporal capital asset pricing ( Merton, 1973 ) for industry portfolio returns of 14 international markets. Using different multivariate GARCH models to estimate time-varying conditional covariances between industry excess returns and market excess returns by controlling for financial market volatility variables and the Fama–French–Carhart factors, we find positive evidence to support the tradeoff between industry excess return and the covariance risk for all advanced markets (except Germany), all Asian markets, and Argentina in Latin American markets. The evidence suggests that the positive risk-return relationship is more pronounced during the tranquil period.
Breech presentation in the primigravida.

Abstract Breech presentation continues to seriously concern obstetricians, particularly since various neurological abnormalities have been found in these children years after birth. This clinical study concerns 208 primigravidas with single breech presentation. The corrected perinatal mortality was 13 per cent compared with an over-all perinatal mortality of 3.3 per cent. Cerebral trauma and anoxia are implicated as serious hazards associated with delivery of the aftercoming head. Breech extraction was associated with a prohibitively high perinatal wastage. Intravenous oxytocin was employed to augment labor of a very small and very select group of patients with no associated perinatal loss. A 100 per cent fetal salvage following cesarean section compared with the perinatal loss associated with vaginal delivery, even in a small series such as this, warrants liberalization of cesarean section in the management of breech presentation in the primigravida.
Minority Victory: Gilded Age Politics and the Front Porch Campaign of 1888 – By Charles W. Calhoun

In this work, Charles W. Calhoun joins a long list of historians who contend that mass participation in elections was the cornerstone of Gilded Age politics. He asserts that American industrializat...
Abstract 599: Id4 acts as a tumor suppressor by inducing apoptosis and senescence in p53-dependent manner

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA The physiological mechanisms that can restore biological activity of mutant p53 is an area of high interest given that mutant p53 expression is observed in one third of prostate cancer and more than 50% of all cancers. Here we demonstrate that Id4 (inhibitor of differentiation-4) a dominant negative regulator of bHLH transcription factors can restore the mutant p53 transcriptional activity in prostate cancer cells. Id4 is highly expressed in the normal prostate and decreased in prostate cancer due to promoter hypermethylation. Prostate cancer cell lines: DU145 harbors mutant p53 also lack Id4 expression, and LNCaP cells with wild type p53 express Id4, whereas PC3 cells are null for p53 and express low levels of Id4. The p53 mutants (P223L and V274F) in DU145 cells are within the DNA binding domain and abrogate p53 transcriptional activity due structural de-stabilization and/or DNA interactions. Ectopic expression of Id4 in DU145 cells resulted in increased apoptosis and expression of BAX, PUMA and p21, the transcriptional targets of p53. DNA binding, p53 luciferase reporter studies and ChIP analysis demonstrated that mutant p53 gains Id4 dependent DNA binding and transcriptional activity in part due to CBP/p300 dependent acetylation of p53 at lysine 373. Loss of Id4 in LNCaP cells also abrogated wild type p53 DNA binding and transcriptional activity with concomitant loss of CBP/p300 requirement and decreased acetylation of p53. To further elucidate Id4 dependent restoration of biological activity of p53 we stably transfected p53-null cell line PC3, which has endogenous Id4 with mutant p53 mimicking DU145 cells. mRNA, protein levels and apoptosis assays were used to determine the effects on cell death and to determine if mutant p53 had the ability to transactivate upstream/downstream targets (MDM2, PUMA, and p21). Our results indicate that mutant p53 in PC3 cells were able to induce expression of downstream targets as well as effect biological processes such as apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Also, post-translational modifications on residues lys320 and lys373 indicated activation of mutant p53. Collectively, based on our studies we demonstrate that Id4 promotes post-translational modifications of p53, which in turn regulates p53 transcriptional activity. NIH grant #R01CA128914 Citation Format: Derrick Jerone Morton. Id4 acts as a tumor suppressor by inducing apoptosis and senescence in p53-dependent manner. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 599. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-599
Preserving corporate reputation in the social media era

This study examines the importance of financial institutions’ (banks’) use of social networking sites to cater to their customers and stakeholders’ inquiries to protect their corporate reputation online. Three top U.S. banks’ publicly-accessible Twitter feeds were used to analyze how the banks use Twitter to build customer relationships and provide quality service for a more positive outlook of their reputation. A content analysis of the banks’ Twitter feeds was conducted to determine the most common usage of Twitter in relation to the quality of service provided online. The findings show that customers use Twitter to find answers to their banking questions and as a source of expressing their thoughts and emotions about a product or service offered by the bank. Overall, Twitter is serving as a hub for real-time communication between banks and their customers, performing similar tasks as traditional communication media. The results suggest that companies should invest the time to reach out via this online stream to their customers in order to preserve their reputations from negative publicity online. A method of accomplishing this is through building and maintaining positive relationships with their customers.
Routine endoscopic surveillance for local recurrence of rectal cancer is futile

Abstract Background National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for rectal adenocarcinoma regarding routine surveillance with proctoscopy for local recurrence have been evolving. The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of rectal surveillance. Methods This is a single-center, retrospective review of patients (2004 to 2011) who underwent total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. The primary end point was cancer recurrence, with detection method(s) noted. The number of surveillance procedures was collected. Results The study included 112 patients. There were no local recurrences identified by rectal surveillance. There were 1 local recurrence and 17 distant recurrences (16%). The local recurrence was identified by carcinoembryonic antigen and symptoms. There were 20 anoscopies, 44 proctoscopies, and 495 flexible sigmoidoscopies performed, with estimated charges of $266,000. Conclusions Rectal surveillance at this center was not beneficial. This study supports the recent (2015) change in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, which no longer recommend routine rectal surveillance and challenge other society guidelines.
Ultraviolet-sensitive mutator mutU4 of Escherichia coli inviable with polA.

Attempts to transduce the ultraviolet-sensitive mutator lesion mutU4 into strains deficient in deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase I (polA) were unsuccessful. Mutator recombinants were found when the polA recipient had first been reverted to Pol+ by selection for resistance to methyl methanesulfonate. The inviability of the mutU4 polA double mutant was demonstrated by a reduction in the absolute number of transductants when the recipient was polA as compared with Pol+, and selection was made for markers very close to mutU4. Double mutants containing mutU4 and polA4, which determines a cold-sensitive polymerase, were unable to grow at 24 C, the nonpermissive temperature.
Nurse Scheduling Models

The continued interest in nurse scheduling is fueled by both, academic and economic concerns. Most of the issues surrounding the construction of midterm or monthly schedules are present throughout the service industry, so models and methods developed for managing nurses readily carry over to other areas. From a practical point of view, the cost of the nursing staff represents over 50% of the cost of running a health-care facility so improved scheduling can have a measurable impact on profitability. The goal of this article is to review the parameters that planners must consider when formulating schedules to meet daily staffing requirements in the face of labor agreements, skill requirements, hospital policies, and changing governmental regulations. At the midterm level, models must take into account individual preferences, seniority, the distribution of gaps in coverage, and skill substitution. On a daily basis, critical resources must be tracked and schedules updated to meet changes in demand. Short-term issues come into play just prior to the beginning of each shift where last-minute call outs, emergencies, and other unanticipated disruptions imply a need for online control. To find solutions to these problems, various analytic methods have been proposed but few have actually found their way into practice. The article concentrates on the more effective techniques with an eye toward implementation. Keywords: nurse scheduling; workforce scheduling; preference scheduling; cyclic scheduling; self-scheduling; integer programming; heuristics
Evaluation of the validity of the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests of vigilance, auditory memory, and decision making

Background. The Psychology Experimental Building Language (PEBL) test battery (http://pebl.sourceforge.net/) is a popular application for neurobehavioral investigations. This study evaluated the correspondence between the PEBL and the non-PEBL versions of four executive function tests. Methods. In one cohort, young-adults (N = 44) completed both the Conner's Continuous Performance Test (CCPT) and the PEBL CPT (PCPT) with the order counter-balanced. In a second cohort, participants (N = 47) completed a non-computerized (Wechsler) and a computerized (PEBL) Digit Span (WDS or PDS) both Forward and Backward. Participants also completed the Psychological Assessment Resources or the PEBL versions of the Iowa Gambling Task (PARIGT or PEBLIGT). Results. The between-test correlations were moderately high (reaction time r = 0.78, omission errors r = 0.65, commission errors r = 0.66) on the CPT. DS Forward was significantly greater than DS Backward on the WDS (p < .0005) and the PDS (p < .0005). The total WDS score was moderately correlated with the PDS (r = 0.56). The PARIGT and the PEBLIGTs showed a very similar pattern for response times across blocks, development of preference for Advantageous over Disadvantageous Decks, and Deck selections. However, the amount of money earned (score-loan) was significantly higher in the PEBLIGT during the last Block. Conclusions. These findings are broadly supportive of the criterion validity of the PEBL measures of sustained attention, short-term memory, and decision making. Select differences between workalike versions of the same test highlight how detailed aspects of implementation may have more important consequences for computerized testing than has been previously acknowledged.
Increased focal adhesion kinase- and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor-associated cell signaling in endothelial cells exposed to asbestos

Exposure of low-passage endothelial cells in culture to nonlethal amounts of asbestos, but not refractory ceramic fiber-1, increases cell motility and gene expression. These changes may be initiated by the fibers mimicking matrix proteins as ligands for receptors on the cell surface. In the present study, 1- to 3-hr exposures of endothelial cells to 5 mg/cm2 of chrysotile asbestos caused marked cell elongation and motility. However, little morphological change was seen when chrysotile was added to cells pretreated with either mannosamine to prevent assembly of glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored receptors or with herbimycin A to inhibit tyrosine kinase activity. Affinity purification of GPI-anchored urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) from chrysotile-exposed cells demonstrated that asbestos altered the profile of proteins and phosphoproteins complexed with this receptor. Tyrosine kinase activities in the complexes were also increased by asbestos. Immunoprecipitations with selective monoclonal antibodies demonstrated that both chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos increase kinase activities associated with p60 Src or p120 focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Further, chrysotile also changed the profile of proteins and phosphoproteins associated with FAK in intact cells. These data suggest that asbestos initiates endothelial cell phenotypic change through interactions with uPAR-containing complexes and that this change is mediated through tyrosine kinase cascades.
Minimum bias designs with constraints

Abstract A new class of model-robust optimality criteria, based on the mean squared error, is introduced in this paper. The motivation is to find designs when the researcher is more concerned with controlling the variance than the bias, or vice versa. The set of criteria proposed here is also appealing from a mathematical perspective in the sense that, unlike the Box and Draper (1959, J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 54, 622–654), criterion, they can be imbedded in the framework of convex design theory and, hence, facilitate the search for globally optimal designs. The basic idea is to minimize a convex function of the bias part of the mean squared error subject to a convex constraint on the variance part, or vice versa. Equivalence theorems are derived and examples for the linear and quadratic regression problems are provided.
Chiral speciation of selenoamino acids and selenium enriched samples using HPLC coupled to ICP-MS

The chiral separation of nine selenoamino acids using a crown ether HPLC column coupled to ICP-MS for detection is described. Three different temperatures were investigated for the separation of the enantiomers of individual amino acids and for a mixture of eight selenoamino acids. Although complete resolution was not achieved, better resolution of the mixture was obtained at higher temperatures. Selenium enriched onion, garlic and yeast were also analyzed. Two different extraction methods for the samples are compared; water extraction and a pepsin enzymatic extraction. Some of the selenoamino acid enantiomers are identified for the different extraction methods. Comparison is also made with earlier reported ion pairing separations for some of these selenoamino acids.
Characterization of the 4F3/2; ->4I9/2; Transition in Nd-doped Silica Fiber for Amplification in the 940 nm Water Vapor Absorption Band

The measurement of atmospheric water vapor in the 940 nm absorption band may be accomplished using sources based on the 4F3/2 → 4I9/2 transition in Nddoped fiber amplifiers. We report initial experimental results on the effects co-dopants have on the characteristics of this transition in Nddoped fiber, present modeled and experimental performance of a fiber amplifier, and discuss the trade-offs in designing efficient, fiber-based amplifiers that operate in the 940 nm region.