cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elephant herbivory in Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi

Elephants have a major influence on vegetation structure, composition and ecosystem processes, and are primary agents of habitat change in Africa. At moderate-to-high population densities, elephants can damage vegetation, especially when enclosed in protected areas. This study examines the effects of elephant browsing on woody trees in Majete Wildlife Reserve (WR), south-western Malawi. Regression analysis is used to assess the associations of six factors known to drive elephant browsing in other areas and determine which ones have the most influence on browsing at Majete WR. Twenty-four per cent of tagged trees had been subject to elephant browsing. The model with vegetation type, stem diameter and distance from permanent water correctly predicted browsing for 80% of the observations. Elephants mostly favoured riparian woodlands, followed by Acacia-dominated woodland and Brachystegia-dominated woodland. Browsing occurrence was negatively related to distance from permanent water and diameter at breast height(DBH). A larger number of trees, sampled at random and covering a larger portion of the reserve would provide more reliable estimates of browsing and related factors. Knowledge of time- and sitespecific factors affecting elephant browsing can be used to forecast future habitat transformations and manipulate the range of the elephants within the reserve.
Theoretical Seismograms for the Colombian Earthquake of 1970 July 31

Summary Using Gilbert & Dziewonski's retrieved structural parameters, Earth model 1066A, their Qμ(r) model, and the moment rate tensor for the Colombian earthquake of 1970 July 31, we produce 75 theoretical seismograms in epicentral co-ordinates by superimposing all the normal modes (1105 modes) within a period range from 100.1 to 963.8 s. The computed seismograms are compared with the respective observed ones. Such a comparison is possible not only because all the modes in the frequency range are taken into account in the computation, but also because we have a realistic kinematic source mechanism at our disposal. A qualitative, though far from exact, reproduction of actual seismograms was successfully effected, indicating the moment rate tensor represents a reasonable source model for the Colombian earthquake. In particular, on the average we are able to reproduce the observed amplitudes to within 30 per cent. Among surface and body-wave phases identified, multiple S-waves can be identified up to 21 S at almost 8 h after the origin time on both the observed and computed co-latitudinal record sections.
Modeling a cascade of effects: the role of speed and executive functioning in preterm/full-term differences in academic achievement

This study identified deficits in executive functioning in pre-adolescent preterms and modeled their role, along with processing speed, in explaining preterm/full-term differences in reading and mathematics. Preterms (< 1750 g) showed deficits at 11 years on a battery of tasks tapping the three basic executive functions identified by Miyake - updating/working memory, inhibition, and shifting. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that these executive functions, though correlated, were distinct from one another and from processing speed, which later proved to account for much of the intercorrelation among executive functions. In the best-fitting structural equation model, the negative effects of prematurity on achievement were completely mediated by the three executive functions and speed in a cascade of effects: prematurity → slower processing speed → poorer executive functioning (working memory) → lower achievement in math and reading.
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1-sirtuin 1 functional interplay regulates LPS-mediated high mobility group box 1 secretion.

Pathophysiological conditions that lead to the release of the prototypic damage-associated molecular pattern molecule high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) also result in activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1; now known as ADP-ribosyl transferase 1 [ARTD1]). Persistent activation of PARP1 promotes energy failure and cell death. The role of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in HMGB1 release has been explored previously; however, PARP1 is a versatile enzyme and performs several other functions including cross-talk with another nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-(NAD+) dependent member of the Class III histone deacetylases (HDACs), sirtuin-1 (SIRT1). Previously, it has been shown that the hyperacetylation of HMGB1 is a seminal event prior to its secretion, a process that also is dependent on HDACs. Therefore, in this study, we seek to determine if PARP1 inhibition alters LPS-mediated HMGB1 hyperacetylation and subsequent secretion due to its effect on SIRT1. We demonstrate in an in vitro model that LPS treatment leads to hyperacetylated HMGB1with concomitant reduction in nuclear HDAC activity. Treatment with PARP1 inhibitors mitigates the LPS-mediated reduction in nuclear HDAC activity and decreases HMGB1 acetylation. By utilizing an NAD+-based mechanism, PARP1 inhibition increases the activity of SIRT1. Consequently, there is an increased nuclear retention and decreased extracellular secretion of HMGB1. We also demonstrate that PARP1 physically interacts with SIRT1. Further confirmation of this data was obtained in a murine model of sepsis, that is, administration of PJ-34, a specific PARP1 inhibitor, led to decreased serum HMGB1 concentrations in mice subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) as compared with untreated mice. In conclusion, our study provides new insights in understanding the molecular mechanisms of HMGB1 secretion in sepsis.
Water Pollution and Digestive Cancers in China

Following China's economic reforms of the late 1970s, rapid industrialization has led to a deterioration of water quality in the country's lakes and rivers. China's cancer rate has also increased in recent years, and digestive cancers (i.e. stomach, liver, esophageal) now account for 11 percent of fatalities (WHO 2002) and nearly one million deaths annually. This paper examines a potential causal link between surface water quality and digestive cancers by exploiting variation in water quality across China's river basins. Using a sample of 145 %
The Economy of Anticipation: Hope, Infrastructure, and Economic Zones in South India

The export processing or free trade zones that have been built since the 1960s across Central America and the Caribbean, north Africa and the Gulf states, and South and Southeast Asia have emerged as uniquely charged objects of anticipation—hope, conviction, and anxiety—about the capitalist future as much as sites of speculative investment in financial futures. This essay sets out to broaden our engagement of the diverse futures invested in these large-scale industrial infrastructure projects by examining the economy of anticipation upon which they are built.
Real-time 3D motion tracking using MR micro-coils for PET imaging

44 Objectives Artifacts from both voluntary and involuntary head motion are major challenges to brain PET imaging. We investigated the feasibility of using MR micro-coils to track head motion and incorporate the MR-coil measured rigid motion fields in iterative PET reconstruction. Methods We built MR tracking micro-coils (diameter Results Compared to nMC, the motion induced artifact is dramatically reduced in the images reconstructed with MC. The contrast ratios for the two ROIs were 2.6 and 4.4 for nMC, 4.4 and 5.5 for MC, and 4.8 and 5.2 for SR. The MC yielded similar results to SR. Conclusions PET image quality can be significantly improved by incorporating the real-time 3D motion fields for arbitrary rigid motion measured by low-cost MR tracking micro-coils. Research Support NIH: R21-EB012326, R01-CA165221
Novel Vaginal Transducer for Monitoring Intra-Abdominal Pressure During Physical Activity

Pelvic floor disorders among women have become increasingly prevalent [1]. In an attempt to minimize incidence, progression and recurrence of pelvic floor disorders, doctors commonly advise women at risk to refrain from physical exertion based on the supposition that certain physical activities significantly raise intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). These activity restrictions are life altering and can vary from doctor to doctor because there is much uncertainty as to which activities truly increase IAP to a harmful level. Previous studies attempting to correlate physical activity with IAP have been limited to conventional urodynamics transducers which are not ideal for IAP measurement during physical activity.© 2009 ASME
The Population and Distribution of Two Species of Peromyscus on Some Illinois Strip-Mined Land

An evaluation of the wildlife and recreational potential of strip-mined land included a mammal survey. The initial investigation between August 4, 1954 and September 29, 1954 was made to inventory the population of mammals. In the course of the study a correlation between the distribution of two species of Peromyscus and the age of the stripped areas was evident. A second and more intensive investigation conducted from January 17, 1955 to May 5, 1955 furnished additional data to substantiate this correlation. Description of the Area .—The area studied, comprising about 1,829 acres, is located in Perry County about seven miles south of Pinckneyville and one mile west of Pyatt. Strip-mining operations were begun on this land in 1932 and continued until 1950 (except 1934) resulting in 18 mined areas, each of different age and varying in size and shape. To remove the coal, the soil and rock (overburden) is “stripped off” and piled to one side. The operation is repeated with the subsequent overburden piled where the coal was previously mined. The resulting topography is one of alternate, parallel ridges and valleys which vary in direction, height, slope and shape within the different aged tracts. Spoil piles, on the average, are between 20 and 30 feet in height, 50 feet from crest to crest, and have a 45° slope. The exposed materials consist of rock, shale and subsoil as the topsoil is buried deeply during the mining. The surface soils are almost devoid of organic matter, but generally are rich in phosphates and potassium (Brewer and Triner, 1956). Considerable erosion has occurred, especially in the older stripped areas where spoils are more rounded and valleys contain more alluvial materials. Vegetation of the Area .—In general, the vegetation of the strip-mined lands is composed of blackberries and dewberries, Rubus spp., golden-rod, …
Significance of Early Appearance of Neutralizing Substances in Poliomyelitis of Man.

Although it has long been known that the serum of patients convalescent from acute anterior poliomyelitis contains an antiviral substance, the fact that a similar substance is present in the blood of the majority of normal adults has been recognized only in recent years.1,2 By analogy to the known subclinical acquisition of immunity against diphtheria, the assumption has been made that a similar mechanism is operative in poliomyelitis. Such a belief postulates wide dissemination of the virus with a minor incidence of actual paralysis. Endocrine factors have been suggested in certain recent experiments.3 However, another group of investigators4 has been unable to reproduce the data of the first group. Further, the exact role that the poliocidal substances play in preventing infection under natural conditions and in recovery from the disease has not been elucidated, it having been assumed that these substances are the humoral expression of the immune state. One of us,1 in collaboration with others, showed t...
Hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia in ponies following bilateral nephrectomy.

AbstractA clinical syndrome has been recognized previously in horses, characterized by hypercalcemia, hypophosphatemia and renal failure. The accumulated evidence suggested that hypercalcemia was a secondary effect of renal failure rather than the primary cause of renal disease. To test this hypothesis, the metabolic response following bilateral nephrectomy was investigated in five ponies. In contrast to the response observed in other mammalian species, nephrectomy in ponies resulted in significant hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia. Forty-eight hours following nephrectomy, serum calcium had increased from a mean control value of 12.2 ± 0.4 to 17.6 ± 0.7 mg/dl and serum inorganic phosphorus had decreased from a control value of 3.2 ± 0.5 to 1.5 ± 0.3 mg/dl. These changes persisted until the time of death (mean survival time 7.2 ± 3.2 days) and suggest that the equine kidney plays a unique role in calcium homeostasis.
Physiological and nutritional response of beef steers to combined infestations of horn fly and stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae).

Specific physiological and nutritional responses of beef steers to combined infestations of horn flies, Haematobia irritans (L.), and stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), were measured in the laboratory. Measurements used as indicators of physiological stress were changes in heart rate, respiration rate, and rectal temperature. Various blood components were measured to assess metabolic changes in response to fly infestation. Dry matter and nitrogen digestibility and nitrogen retention were used as indices of feed utilization. Beef steers exposed to 100 horn flies plus 25 stable flies or 500 horn flies plus 50 stable flies per head had significantly increased heart rates, respiration rates, and rectal temperatures. Dry matter and nitrogen digestibility did not differ significantly among treatments, but nitrogen retention was significantly reduced in both fly-infested groups. Blood cortisol concentrations were significantly increased on day 12 in steers exposed to 100 horn flies plus 25 stable flies per head and on days 1, 8, and 10 in steers exposed to 500 horn flies plus 50 stable flies per head. Higher cortisol levels, vital signs, and steer activity contributed to reduced nitrogen retention in steers exposed to horn flies plus stable flies. No significant difference existed among treatments in levels of other blood components, and all values were within ranges considered normal.
Epidural hematoma after routine epidural steroid injection.

Background There are few reported cases of an epidural spinal hematoma following interventional pain procedures. Case description We report a case of a spinal epidural hematoma in a patient with no known risk factors (e.g. coagulopathy), who underwent an epidural steroid injection (ESI) in the same anatomic location as two previously successful ESI procedures. Conclusion Early detection was the key to our case, and avoiding sedation allowed the patient to recognize the onset of a new neurological deficit, and lead to prompt diagnosis as well as surgical decompression of the resultant hematoma.
Abstract IA09: Imaging to guide genomics and epigenomics of glioma

Genomic analysis of cancer is typically conducted at a single time point and on a single piece of tumor tissue without knowledge of its original context within the heterogeneous tumor. Glioma tissue biopsies guided by distinct physiologic and metabolic imaging parameters can enrich for tumor regions with elevated levels of cycling cells, differences in blood vessels, and increased presence of hypoxic regions, and an increased probability of malignant transformation. An imaging guided approach to biopsy allows the tumor genomic and transcriptome evolution to be focused on malignant transformation. I will describe the use of novel quantitative imaging methods to guide biopsies to biologically distinct regions of brain tumors for targeted genomic, epigenomic and transcriptome analysis. The clonal evolution of tumor cell populations can be reconstructed from patterns of genetic alterations. In contrast, tumor epigenetic states are reversible and sensitive to the tumor microenvironment, presumably precluding the use of epigenetics to discover the clonal and sub-clonal evolution of tumors. We recently used mutation patterns to learn how low grade brain tumors evolve over time, and also discovered that temozolomide treatment of LGG is associated with TMZ-induced hypermutation and malignant progression to GBM (BE Johnson et al, Science, 2014). I will present an update to these results, and our follow up analysis of the spatial and temporal dynamics of DNA methylation in this clinically and genetically characterized cohort and in imaging guided biopsies. Citation Format: Joseph F. Costello. Imaging to guide genomics and epigenomics of glioma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Brain Cancer Research; May 27-30, 2015; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(23 Suppl):Abstract nr IA09.
Generation of synchronized independently frequency-tunable dual CO 2 laser pulses

The ability to synchronize independently frequency tunable dual CO2 laser pulses is of interest in multiphoton exitation, two-photon-pumped molecular lasers, nonlinear optical mixing and a wide variety of pump-probe experiments. The statistical fluctuations associated with two independent discharges in the temporal synchronization may be overcome by the use of a single discharge for both emissions. We report a new technique for the generation of single-mode dual CO2 laser emissions from a TEA discharge using two temporally synchronized pulsed low pressure (LP) sections in a hybrid configuration. This technique overcomes the restriction of limited dual pulse combinations that was observed in previous attempts which relied on the variation of passive parameters such as cw LP section pressure and length.1,2
Theory-Guided Machine Learning in Materials Science

Materials scientists are increasingly adopting the use of machine learning tools to discover hidden trends in data and make predictions. Applying concepts from data science without foreknowledge of their limitations and the unique qualities of materials data, however, could lead to errant conclusions. The differences that exist between various kinds of experimental and calculated data require careful choices of data processing and machine learning methods. Here, we outline potential pitfalls involved in using machine learning without robust protocols. We address some problems of overfitting to training data using decision trees as an example, rational descriptor selection in the field of perovskites, and preserving physical interpretability in the application of dimensionality reducing techniques such as principal component analysis. We show how proceeding without the guidance of domain knowledge can lead to both quantitatively and qualitatively incorrect predictive models.
Defining Advanced Breast Cancer: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in defining advanced breast cancer. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography contributes in significant ways to the clinical management of patients with suspected locoregional or distant recurrences. Because FDG-PET provides functional information, it is often complementary to conventional staging methods such as physical examination, cross-sectional imaging (CT or MR), and bone scintigraphy, which rely more on changes in morphology to detect disease recurrence. One clinical situation in which FDG-PET is shown to be helpful is in the evaluation of previously treated patients with symptoms of brachial plexopathy. This debilitating condition could be secondary to tumor recurrence in the axilla or chest wall or due to scarring of tissue neighboring the brachial plexus from previous surgery or radiation. Since the signs and symptoms of locoregional recurrence often overlap with the side effects of treatment and patients with tumor recurrence may benefit from surgical resection. FDG-PET is used for the detection of internal mammory (IM) nodal metastases in early-stage patients. It can also detect the osteolytic metastases, often missed by bone scintigraphy, while FDG-PET often misses osteoblastic metastases, for which bone scintigraphy has high sensitivity. The combination of bone scintigraphy and computed tomography (CT) remains the standard for distant metastasis staging with FDG-PET used to help clarify staging in the cases of difficult or equivocal conventional staging. For detecting distant metastases, the reported sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET range from 80-97% and 75-94%, respectively, on a per-patient basis.
IN VIVO TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION OF DEFECTIVE-INTERFERING PARTICLE-SPECIFIC RNAS OF INFLUENZA VIRUS

Publisher Summary The repeated high-multiplicity passage of influenza virus yields defective-interfering (DI) particles. These contain, in addition to the eight standard viral gene segments, other small RNA segments not found in the standard viral genome. The gene segment of origin is usually one of the three polymerase genes from which the DI RNA is derived by single or, occasionally, multiple internal deletions. DI RNAs are apparently generated by an aberrant replication event. RNA splicing is probably not involved because of the absence of any consensus splicing sequence in the regions flanking the deletion points. The hybridization analysis of specific DI transcripts with their corresponding DI RNA segments indicates that they are not in complete polymerase gene transcripts but are faithful transcripts of the DI RNAs. The chapter describes experiments for the transcription of DI RNAs in standard and DI-infected cells. All experiments were done with WSN virus and MDBK cells.
Proposed Solutions to the Brand Protection Challenges and Counterfeiting Risks Faced by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

ABSTRACTSmall and medium enterprises (SMEs) are vulnerable to the same counterfeiting threats faced by larger businesses, yet, the unique brand protection challenges they face have not been explored. These challenges relate to resource constraints that make it difficult to implement traditional brand protection strategies. This article discusses the problem of product counterfeiting from the perspective of SMEs, while considering how the resource constraints they face impact their ability to establish brand protection programs. Potential solutions are described, and 10 testable propositions intended to guide future research and the practice of brand protection in SMEs are proposed.
The World Seen from Within – A Semio-Cognitive Ontology

This short article discusses the conditions – and the general contours – of a viable ontology assigning a place to meaning in the architecture of the sorts of reality we acknowledge in the framework of a non-reductive realistic philosophy (John Searle, Barry Smith) compatible with cognitive and semiotic approaches to the human world.
Genetics and Reading Disabilities

Psychologists and psychiatrists at the University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, and the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London, UK studied the reading skills of 285 pairs of 13 year-old twins using standardized measures of intelligence, reading and spelling ability and correlations in monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twins.
Critical Role of the Sorting Polymer in Carbon Nanotube-Based Minority Carrier Devices

A prerequisite for carbon nanotube-based optoelectronic devices is the ability to sort them into a pure semiconductor phase. One of the most common sorting routes is enabled through using specific wrapping polymers. Here we show that subtle changes in the polymer structure can have a dramatic influence on the figures of merit of a carbon nanotube-based photovoltaic device. By comparing two commonly used polyfluorenes (PFO and PFO-BPy) for wrapping (7,5) and (6,5) chirality SWCNTs, we demonstrate that they have contrasting effects on the device efficiency. We attribute this to the differences in their ability to efficiently transfer charge. Although PFO may act as an efficient interfacial layer at the anode, PFO-BPy, having the additional pyridine side groups, forms a high resistance layer degrading the device efficiency. By comparing PFO|C60 and C60-only devices, we found that presence of a PFO layer at low optical densities resulted in the increase of all three solar cell parameters, giving nearly an ord...
Ensemble clustering of phosphoproteomic data identifies differences in protein interactions and cell-cell junction integrity of HER2-overexpressing cells

Overexpression of HER2, a receptor tyrosine kinase of the ERBB family, in breast cancer is related to increased cancer progression and aggressiveness. A breast epithelial cell model with the single perturbation of HER2 overexpression is capable of replicating the increased aggressiveness of HER2 overexpressing cancers. In previous work, Wolf-Yadlin and colleagues (Wolf-Yadlin et al., Mol. Syst. Biol., 2006, 2) measured the proximal tyrosine phosphorylation dynamics of the parental and HER2 overexpressing cells (24H) in response to EGF. Here, we apply an ensemble clustering approach to dynamic phosphorylation measurements of the two cell models in order to identify signaling events that explain the increased migratory potential of HER2 overexpressing cells. The use of an ensemble approach for identifying relationships within a dataset and how these relationships change across datasets uncovers relationships that cannot be found by the direct comparison of dynamic responses in the two conditions. Of particular note is a drastic change in the clustering of SHC1 phosphorylation (on site Y349) from an EGFR-MAPK module in parental cells to a module consisting of an E-cadherin junction protein phosphorylation site, catenin delta-1 Y228, in HER2 overexpressing (24H) cells. Given the importance of E-cadherin junctions in healthy epithelial wound healing and migration, we chose to test the computationally-derived identification of altered cell junctions and CTNND1:SHC1 relationships. Our cell and molecular biology experiments demonstrate that SHC and CTNND1 interact in an EGF- and HER2-dependent manner and that the cell junctions are phenotypically affected by HER2, breaking down in response to EGF and yet avoiding apoptosis as a result of cell junction loss. The results suggest a mechanism by which HER2 alters the localization of the SHC-MAPK signaling axis and a phenotypic effect on cell junction integrity.
An intensive boot camp approach to the remediation of speech sound disorders: a case report

Background: Understanding treatment dose is essential to optimizing therapeutic frequency and intensity for speech sound disorders. Intensive therapies, known as boot camp approaches, have proven e...
Matching between simulations and measurements as a key driver for reliable overlay target design

Numerical simulation of overlay metrology targets has become a de-facto standard in advanced technology nodes. While appropriate simulation software is widely available in the industry alongside with metrics that allow selection of the best performing targets, the model validation tools are less developed. We present an approach of numerical model validation based on the comparison between target simulation results and on-product overlay measurements. A “simulation-tomeasurement” software is used in this work to compare the performance metrics and accuracy flags of scatterometrybased overlay targets designed using KLA-Tencor AcuRate™ simulator for the critical layers of 12nm FD-SOI FEOL stack and 22nm FD-SOI BEOL stack. We demonstrate how simulation-to-measurement matching enabled us to verify the model, identify discrepancies between the model and the product stack and build an improved model that correctly describes the target. The refined target stack was used for image-based overlay target simulations that allowed us to obtain better performing optical overlay targets as well.
Initial clinical evaluation of gated stationary digital chest tomosynthesis

High resolution imaging of the chest is dependent on a breath hold maintained throughout the imaging time. However, pediatric and comatose patients are unable to follow respiration commands. Gated tomosynthesis could offer a lower dose, high in-plane resolution imaging modality, but current systems are unable to prospectively gate in a reasonable scan time. In contrast, a carbon nanotube (CNT) based linear x-ray source array offers both the angular span and precise control necessary to generate x-ray projections for gated tomosynthesis. The goal of this study was to explore the first clinical use of the CNT linear x-ray source array for gated clinical chest imaging. Eighteen pediatric cystic fibrosis patients were recruited for this study, with 13 usable image sets. The s-GDCT system consists of a CNT linear x-ray source array coupled with a digital detector. A respiration signal derived from a respiratory belt served as a gating signal with sources fired sequentially when the imaging window and maximum inspiration window coincided. Images were reconstructed and reviewed for motion blur and ability to identify major anatomical structures. Image quality was highly dependent on quality of the respiration gating signal, and a correlation was found between qualitative image quality and height of the respiration peak. We demonstrate the first prospectively gated evaluation of the stationary digital chest tomosynthesis patients in pediatric patients. Though further refinements in projection selection and respiratory gating approaches are necessary, this study demonstrates the potential utility of this low dose imaging approach.
Security-Aware Passwords and Services Usage in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Bangladesh

Users from developing nations, such as Bangladesh, had a rather late entry into the information highway and may not be equally aware of the different secure practices on the Internet. Such behaviors include awareness of security technologies, having similar/dissimilar passwords, frequency of changing passwords, saving passwords on browsers, and verifying authenticity of visited websites. The category of services being accessed as well as the type of devices being used may implicate the level of exposure to identity theft threats. Unfortunately, users never behave in the expected manner in terms of practicing secure technologies. In this paper, we present a study on security-aware usage of passwords and Internet-based services for users from Bangladesh. We conducted an online survey on a total of 1682 Bangladeshi Internet users in English and Bengali language. We analyzed the survey statistics to study the general trend of behavior, practices, and expectations pertaining to secure Internet usage and identity preservation. We posit that such a study can help researchers identify the weakest-link of Internet safety and focus on building secure technologies to protect users from online crimes in developing countries.
Advances in High Intensity e-Beam Diode Development for Flash X-Ray Radiography

Recent experiments at Sandia National Laboratories have demonstrated an electron beam diode X-ray source capable of producing > 350 rad at one meter with 1.7 mm FWHM X-ray source distribution, with a 50 ns pulse-width and X-ray photon endpoint energy spectrum in the 6{7 MeV range. The diode operates at current densities of … 1 MA=cm 2 . The intense electron beam rapidly (… 5 ns) heats the X-ray conversion anode/target, liberating material in the form of low density ion emission early in the pulse and high density plasma later. This environment gives rise to beam/plasma collective efiects which dominate the diode and beam characteristics, afiecting the radiation properties (dose and spot-size). A review of the diode operation, the measured source characteristics and the simulation methods and diagnostics used to guide its optimization is given.
Adverse Dermatologic Reaction to Transdermal Nitroglycerin

The incidence of adverse effects from transdermal nitroglycerin systems is reported to be very low. A cutaneous reaction from Transderm-Nitro is described. The patient in this case was a 63-year-old male with a history of chronic obstructive lung disease, adult onset diabetes mellitus, peptic ulcer disease, congestive heart failure, and angina pectoris.Seven weeks after having used a Transderm-Nitro-5 patch daily, the patient was found to have two macular erythematous areas on his chest that corresponded to the exact sites of the nitroglycerin patch. Follow-up with the same patient, using a placebo Transderm-Nitro, elicited a reaction similar in appearance.The exact causative agent is unknown, but it is believed to be from the transdermal delivery system and not the nitroglycerin.
Delaying feedback is beneficial, but only when curious about the answer

When students are tested, delaying feedback of the correct answer by a few seconds is more beneficial than providing it immediately (e.g., Brackbill & Kappy, 1962). The current study refers to this effect as the delay-of-feedback benefit. Little is known about the theoretical nature of the delay-of-feedback benefit. The current study investigated the hypothesis that a delay of feedback is beneficial because it allows a learner to anticipate—i.e., look forward to, or devote attentional resources to—the feedback when it arrives. Participants were asked a list of obscure trivia questions. Immediately after answering each question they were asked to indicate how curious they were to know the answer (on a scale of 1-6), which was then presented to them immediately or after a delay of a few seconds. A final test given several minutes later revealed better memory for items that had previously received delayed feedback compared to immediate feedback, but only under conditions in which participants expressed high curiosity to know the answer. No delay-of-feedback benefit ever occurred for items that received low curiosity ratings. This interaction between feedback timing and curiosity was obtained in Experiment 1 in which immediate vs. delayed feedback was manipulated within-subjects. Experiment 2 manipulated feedback timing betweensubjects and obtained this same interaction only when the duration of the delay was varied (i.e., either 2, 4, or 8 seconds) rather than constant (i.e., always 4 seconds). These results demonstrate that participants are most likely to benefit from delayed feedback when they are curious about the answer, and when they are uncertain about exactly when the answer will appear.
Transient transfection of oligodendrocyte progenitors by electroporation

The transient transfection of transgenes into oligodendrocytes offers an important tool for studying the function of proteins during myelin formation. Currently established procedures, however, have generally resulted in low survival rates and low levels of uptake of the transgene into primary oligodendrocyte progenitors. We describe an electroporation method which yields transient transfection of oligodendrocyte progenitors of up to 10–15% of the surviving cells, and provides approximately 104 surviving, transfected cells per electroporation reaction. In recent applications transgene expression persisted as the transfected progenitors progressed through subsequent stages of the oligodendrocyte lineage. This technique is expected to facilitate the study of the function of key proteins and lipids during the development of primary cultured oligodendrocytes.
Defining multiple joint osteoarthritis, its frequency and impact in a community-based cohort.

Abstract Background/purpose To update definitions of multiple joint osteoarthritis (MJOA), and to determine the frequency and impact of MJOA in a community-based cohort. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines and with the help of a professional research librarian, we performed a systematic review in Medline using the terms osteoarthritis, generalized, polyarticular, multiple joint, and multi-joint among others, to obtain articles related to MJOA. A total of 42 articles were included for data extraction based on multiple criteria including the requirement for a clearly stated definition of OA assessed at more than one body site. We assessed frequency of these definitions in the Johnston County OA Project (JoCo OA) cohort as well as outcomes related to general health and physical function. Results A total of 6 clearly stated definitions for MJOA were identified. These definitions were integrated with a list of 24 definitions from our previous systematic review and distilled down to produce 10 literature-derived, operationalized MJOA definitions. Based on these definitions, high frequencies of radiographic (4–74%) and symptomatic (2–52%) MJOA were found in the JoCo OA. Significant detrimental effects were seen on general health and physical function for most definitions. Conclusions We constructed a list of 10 summary MJOA definitions based in the literature that are frequent and associated with important clinical outcomes. These definitions capture some of the variability of MJOA phenotypes and provide a starting point for future analyses of both existing and newly initiated studies.
Ignition Delay Times of Methane and Hydrogen Highly Diluted in Carbon Dioxide

As part of the effort to understand oxy-fuel combustion with large CO2 dilution, we have measured shock tube ignition delay times for methane/O2/CO2 mixtures and hydrogen/O2/CO2 mixtures. Ignition delay times (IDT) were measured using sidewall pressure and OH* emission near 306 nm. IDT measurements were performed near 80 atm for 3.91% methane/9.92% oxygen/carbon dioxide mixtures and near 110 atm for 7.5% methane/15% oxygen/carbon dioxide mixtures. IDT measurements for 10% hydrogen/5% oxygen/carbon dioxide mixtures were also performed near 110 atm. IDT measurements were compared to several current mechanisms. Excellent agreement was seen between the ARAMCO and USC Mech 2 models and the data under the current operating conditions.
A sociocultural investigation of pre-service teachers’ outdoor experiences and perceived obstacles to outdoor learning

This study utilizes a sociocultural approach to explore how pre-service elementary teachers’ experiences in both outdoor and formal school settings have contributed to their intentions for taking t...
Design, Optimization and Nonlinear Response Control Analysis of the Mega Sub-Controlled Structural System (MSCSS) Under Earthquake Action

The lately proposed mega sub-controlled structure (MSCSS) remarkably improved the seismic resistance ability and reduced vibration effects much more than the mega substructure (MSS). However, the c...
Near ultraviolet enhanced 4H-SiC Schottky diode

Silicon carbide Schottky diodes with thick i-regions are reported. Compared with previously reported p-i-n photodiodes, a shift of the absorption peak from 270 nm to 350 nm was observed. The responsivity curves of the Schottky diode are modeled and compared with the experimental data.Silicon carbide Schottky diodes with thick i-regions are reported. Compared with previously reported p-i-n photodiodes, a shift of the absorption peak from 270 nm to 350 nm was observed. The responsivity curves of the Schottky diode are modeled and compared with the experimental data.
Inhibition of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli by Homofermentative Lactic Acid Bacteria in SkimmilkI. Comparison of Strains of Escherichia coli

Behavior of enteropathogenic and nonpathogenic strains of Escherichia coli was determined when they were grown in skimmilk with and without 0.25 or 2.0% added lactic starter and incubated at 21 or 32 C for 15 h, and then after refrigeration at 7 C. With no lactics present, generation times for E. coli ranged from 28 to 35 min at 32 C and from 66 to 109 min at 21 C. At 32 C, after an initial 1- to 3-log increase in numbers and 6 to 9 h of incubation, E. coli was completely inhibited by both concentrations of starter culture. Complete inhibition of growth by E. coli occurred earlier at 32 than at 21 C, but smaller numbers of E. coli were obtained at 21 C; some strains virtually did not grow. The final pH of fermented milks ranged from 4.4 to 4.6. The longest survival time for E. coli in refrigerated fermented milk was about 17 days when milk was fermented at 32 C with 0.25% starter. A combination of lower incubation temperature (21 C) and higher starter concentration (2.0%) was most effective in controlling growth of E. coli in fermented skimmilk.
Elite developers' activities at open source ecosystem level

OSS ecosystems promote code reuse, and knowledge sharing across projects within them. An ecosystem's developers often develop similar activity patterns which might impact project outcomes in an ecosystem-specific way. Since elite developers play critical roles in most OSS projects, investigating their behaviors at the ecosystem level becomes urgent. Thus, we aim to investigate elite developers' activities and their relationships with project outcomes (productivity and quality). We design an large scale empirical study which characterizes elite developers' activity profiles and identifies the relationships between their effort allocations and project outcomes across five ecosystems. Our current results and findings reveal that elite developers in each ecosystem do behave in ecosystem-specific ways. Further, we find that the elites' effort allocations on different activity categories are potentially correlated with project outcomes.
Vaginal isolates of Candida glabrata are Uniquely Susceptible to Killer Toxins Produced by Saccharomyces Yeasts

Killer toxins have a range of antifungal activities against pathogenic species of yeasts. Candida glabrata was found to be acutely susceptible to seven killer toxins produced by Saccharomyces species of yeasts. Specifically, the ionophoric K1 and K2 killer toxins were broadly inhibitory to a large collection of C. glabrata from patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. The sensitivity of these clinical isolates to killer toxins does not correlate with their resistance to major classes of antifungal drugs.
Humans are perceived as better, but weaker, than artificial intelligence: A comparison of affective impressions of humans, AIs, and computer systems in roles on teams

Abstract Attributions of affective meaning – goodness, power, and activity – are important for understanding how people interact with both human and technological agents. Recent evidence indicates that labels of artificial intelligence (AI) and computer system differ in affective impressions, but it is unknown if people perceived affective differences when the AI or computer is an agent with a specific human-like role. For humans, roles (e.g., an online recruiter, a product assembling employee, a resource distributor) have stable affective meaning creating a stable social structure and predictable interaction patterns. In this paper, we examine how the 59 roles affectively differ based on whether they describe a human, a computer, or an AI identity (e.g., a product assembling employee, a product assembling computer system, a product assembling artificial intelligence). In an online study, participants (N ​= ​549) perceived both humans and computer systems as better (higher in goodness) than AIs, while also perceiving humans as weaker and less active than either computer systems or AIs. We also examine these role-identities in the context of team membership (e.g., a product assembling employee is part of an assembly line team), to understand whether the additional context of a team influences affective impressions. For goodness and power, nearly identical results indicate that team context makes no difference to affective perceptions; however human role-identities get a boost in activity when on teams, therefore wiping out the human-technology differences.
A PICture is worth a thousand words (and ten references).

Scientists have long been fascinated by the complexity of eukaryotic transcription and the large numbers of proteins involved at each step in the process. In this issue of Cell, Schilbach et al. bring us one important step closer to the goal of a complete understanding of transcription at atomic resolution.
Data-Driven Robust MPC for Controlled Environment Agriculture

Abstract In this work, a data-driven robust model predictive control (DDRMPC) framework for greenhouse climate control is proposed to minimize the total control cost, while minimizing the constraint violation on system states. First, the state-space model of the greenhouse is generated. Next, historical data on weather forecast errors which represent uncertain disturbances are collected. Support vector clustering with weighted generalized intersection kernel is adopted for constructing data-driven uncertainty sets of ambient temperature, solar radiation, and humidity. The historical data information can then be incorporated into robust model predictive control (RMPC). Uncertainty sets constructed in the proposed DDRMPC framework balance between reducing control cost and conservatism. A case study of controlling indoor temperature, CO2 concentration, and humidity of a semi-closed greenhouse in New York City is presented to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed DDRMPC framework for greenhouse climate control over rule-based control, certainty-equivalent model predictive control, and RMPC strategies.
Asian Americans: Demographic of an Ignored Target Market

Considerable research has been done on Black and Hispanic minority market segments. These markets are considered to be important, yet there is an untouched market, Asian Americans, waiting to be discovered by marketers. This group of consumers tend to be better educated and to have higher incomes than other minorities. The purpose of this paper is to examine this minority. Life insurance and real estate represent two markets where some firms have benefited by developing specific marketing mixes for the Asian-American market.
A Comparison of the Capabilities of Atomic Absorption and Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy for the Analysis of Metallurgical Samples

Three National Bureau of Standards aluminum brasses, Standard Reference Materials 1118, 1119, and 1120, were chosen as representative samples fora study comparing the capabilities of atomic absorption spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma emission (ICP) spectroscopy for the determination of trace elements in metallurgical samples. The results for the determination of lead and phosphorus will be used as examples because these two elements reflect the unique capabilities of both techniques. Phosphorus could be satisfactorily determined only by ICP, but great care was required in the choice of wavelength. The determination of lead is simple and straightforward by flame atomic absorption. The determination of lead by ICP was satisfactory but, again, the choice of wavelength was critical to the success of the analysis. It was found to be most advantageous to use low ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths for the determination of both phosphorus and lead by ICP in order to avoid spectral overlaps by copper and other matrix components. Comparative emission spectral scans are shown for the various phosphorus and lead lines investigated. The severity of spectral interferences is compared for the UV and low UV wavelengths of phosphorus and lead. This paper presents a comparison of the capabilities of atomic absorption spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy for the analysis of aluminum brasses. Lead and phosphorus will be used as example elements. The points of comparison are the detection limits, the sample preparation requirements, and the interferences encountered.