cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of In Vivo Confocal Microscopy in Malignant Melanoma: An Aid in Diagnosis and Assessment of Surgical and Nonsurgical Therapeutic Approaches

Background Melanomas with poorly defined borders, lack of pigmentation, lentiginous extension, and location in cosmetically sensitive regions represent diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Repeated surgical reexcisions are frequently required to achieve tumor-free margins. The use of reflectance mode confocal microscopy as an noninvasive method has shown to be a promising tool for diagnosing pigmented lesions in vivo. Observations We report 3 clinical cases of melanoma: amelanotic melanoma (case 1), locally recurrent melanoma (case 2), and lentigo maligna melanoma (case 3). In case 1, in vivo confocal microscopy was instrumental in making the diagnosis and in monitoring the response to imiquimod therapy for in situ residual disease. It was also used to successfully delineate preoperative surgical margins in cases 2 and 3. Conclusion As new methods for treating melanoma emerge and become more available, confocal microscopy can play a significant role by improving sensitivity in diagnosis, by increasing rates of successful initial excision, and by serving as a noninvasive means of monitoring therapy.
Alpha-Defensin HD5 Inhibits Furin Cleavage of Human Papillomavirus 16 L2 To Block Infection

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a significant oncogenic virus, but the innate immune response to HPV is poorly understood. Human α-defensin 5 (HD5) is an innate immune effector peptide secreted by epithelial cells in the genitourinary tract. HD5 is broadly antimicrobial, exhibiting potent antiviral activity against HPV at physiologic concentrations; however, the specific mechanism of HD5-mediated inhibition against HPV is unknown. During infection, the HPV capsid undergoes several critical cell-mediated viral protein processing steps, including unfolding and cleavage of the minor capsid protein L2 by host cyclophilin B and furin. Using HPV16 pseudovirus, we show that HD5 interacts directly with the virus and inhibits the furin-mediated cleavage of L2 at the cell surface during infection at a step downstream of the cyclophilin B-mediated unfolding of L2. Importantly, HD5 does not affect the enzymatic activity of furin directly. Thus, our data support a model in which HD5 prevents furin from accessing L2 by occluding the furin cleavage site via direct binding to the viral capsid. IMPORTANCE Our study elucidates a new antiviral action for α-defensins against nonenveloped viruses in which HD5 directly interferes with a critical host-mediated viral processing step, furin cleavage of L2, at the cell surface. Blocking this key event has deleterious effects on the intracellular steps of virus infection. Thus, in addition to informing the antiviral mechanisms of α-defensins, our studies highlight the critical role of furin cleavage in HPV entry. Innate immune control, mediated in part by α-defensins expressed in the genital mucosa, may influence susceptibility to HPV infections that lead to cervical cancer. Moreover, understanding the mechanism of these natural antivirals may inform the design of therapeutics to limit HPV infection.
Genetic Counseling for Prenatal Testing: Where is the Discussion About Disability?

There are little data revealing how genetic counselors talk about disability in the prenatal setting. We performed a qualitative analysis of 93 existing transcripts from simulated patient (SP) genetic counseling sessions conducted in 2003–4 through the Genetic Counseling Video Project. We found that most genetic counselors (95%) focused on the physical aspects of disability while fewer (27%) discussed the social aspects. In addition, few genetic counselors (38%) asked patients about personal experiences with disability. When discussing options available if a pregnancy were diagnosed with a disability, most genetic counselors mentioned termination (86%) while fewer mentioned the continuation of the pregnancy (37%) or adoption (13%). Only half of the genetic counselors asked the SP if she had thought about how she might use the results of prenatal screening. To better facilitate informed decision-making that is consistent with patient values, we recommend genetic counselors engage prenatal patients in a deeper discussion about their ability and willingness to parent a child with a disability.
Using e‐mail to create pedagogical dialogue in teacher education

Abstract Dialogue has long been a central tool for literacy instruction. This paper reports on a project that engaged students in pedagogical e‐mail dialogue. All students were enrolled in a content area reading methods course at one of six geographically diverse universities: Appalachian State University, Arizona State University, the University of Georgia, the University of Utah, the University of Virginia, and Utah State University. “Read‐L” (a listserv) was created as an electronic dialogue community. The primary data source for this research was the slightly over 600 messages submitted by approximately 150 students during a single semester. Two extensive student‐initiated dialogues were selected from these messages and analyzed using Burbules’ (1993) dimensions of pedagogical dialogue and his criteria for educationally beneficial and detrimental forms. Results of these analyses are presented and implications for educational practice, specifically the use of e‐mail as a dialogue tool, are discussed.
Failure of Limiting Antigen Doses to Selectively Stimulate High-Avidity Memory Cells

Mouse spleen cells secondarily stimulated with a small dose of antigen, which elicited few antibody-forming cells, produced antibodies of avidity no greater than that of antibodies synthesized by cells stimulated with an optimal antigen dose. This result is in conflict with the hypothesis that maturation of the immune response is based on competition for limiting amounts of antigen among cells with receptors of varying avidity.
Modernizing retail grocery business via knowledge management‐based systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide practitioners of management a sense of how a major grocery retail business may flourish on the internet, but by employing a more brick‐and‐mortar approach, through the extensive use of a knowledge‐management system, namely KnowAsis™.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a review of the applied literature on practices and actual examples of companies' practices through personal interviews and basic empirical analysis of managers located in Pittsburgh, PA.Findings – Giant Eagle's new knowledge‐based system utilizes interactive capabilities and attempts to standardize valuable knowledge in a properly stored format in order to made available to those employees that ot would benefit the most. Among other benefits of its knowledge‐management system, data mining and support for the front‐end personnel could be especially enumerated. It is recommended that the company should pay closer attention to the scalability of the system and the technologies involved, ...
Why We Don't Really Know What Statistical Significance Means: Implications for Educators

Raymond Hubbard is the Thomas M. Sheehan Distinguished Professor of Marketing in the College of Business and Public Administration at Drake University. He can be contacted at: raymond.hubbard@drake.edu
Anisotropic silk biomaterials containing cardiac extracellular matrix for cardiac tissue engineering.

Cardiac malformations and disease are the leading causes of death in the United States in live-born infants and adults, respectively. In both of these cases, a decrease in the number of functional cardiomyocytes often results in improper growth of heart tissue, wound healing complications, and poor tissue repair. The field of cardiac tissue engineering seeks to address these concerns by developing cardiac patches created from a variety of biomaterial scaffolds to be used in surgical repair of the heart. These scaffolds should be fully degradable biomaterial systems with tunable properties such that the materials can be altered to meet the needs of both in vitro culture (e.g. disease modeling) and in vivo application (e.g. cardiac patch). Current platforms do not utilize both structural anisotropy and proper cell-matrix contacts to promote functional cardiac phenotypes and thus there is still a need for critically sized scaffolds that mimic both the structural and adhesive properties of native tissue. To address this need, we have developed a silk-based scaffold platform containing cardiac tissue-derived extracellular matrix (cECM). These silk-cECM composite scaffolds have tunable architectures, degradation rates, and mechanical properties. Subcutaneous implantation in rats demonstrated that addition of the cECM to aligned silk scaffold led to 99% endogenous cell infiltration and promoted vascularization of a critically sized scaffold (10 × 5 × 2.5 mm) after 4 weeks in vivo. In vitro, silk-cECM scaffolds maintained the HL-1 atrial cardiomyocytes and human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and promoted a more functional phenotype in both cell types. This class of hybrid silk-cECM anisotropic scaffolds offers new opportunities for developing more physiologically relevant tissues for cardiac repair and disease modeling.
Microorganisms in closed periapical lesions

The purpose of this study was to investigate the microorganisms of strictly selected closed periapical lesions associated with both refractory endodontic therapy and pulpal calcification. Definitive criteria were established that assured complete clinical isolation of the periapical lesion from the oral and periodontal environment. A total of 13 criteria-referenced lesions were selected from 70 patients with endodontic surgical indications. A well controlled culturing method was used in all cases and samples were taken by one clinician at three separate sites during each surgery. Samples taken at the surgical window and within the body of the lesion served as controls, whilst a third sample was taken at the apex, In all 13 cases, samples taken fi om the apex yielded microorganisms comprising 63.6% obligate anaerobes and 36.4% facultative anaerobes, Prevalence of the isolated species was 31.8% for Actinomyces sp., 22.7% Propionibacterium sp., 18.2% Streptococcus sp., 13.6% Staphlyococcus sp,, 4.6% Porphyromonas gingivalis, 4.6% Peptostreptococcus micros and 4.6% Gram-negative enterics. The results of this investigation indicate that closed periapical lesions associated with calcified teeth or those resistant to root canal treatment harbour bacteria. The inability to eradicate all root canal microorganisms during root canal treatment, along with anatomical factors, may allow further bacterial colonization of the root apex and surrounding periapical tissues, and consequently prevent healing.
Controlled Formation and Dynamic Wulff Simulation of Equilibrium Crystal Shapes of GaAs Pyramidal Structures on Nanopatterned Substrates

The formation of GaAs pyramidalstructures on nanopatterned GaAs substrates and the evolution of associated equilibrium crystal shapes (ECS) are systematically studied and simulated. Three distinct types of ECS are observed with high- resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), and they are defined by three crystal plane families including {11n}, {10n}, and (001). The controlled formation of these GaAs ECS is achieved through their growths in patterns of different opening diametersandundergrowthconditionsofvaryinggrowthtimesandgrowthrates.SimulationresultsofthedynamicECSmodel based on Wulff's theory not only strongly resemble the GaAs pyramidal structures in the HRSEM images but also successfully demonstrate the evolution progress of the ECS formation.
Energetic Particles from Impulsive Solar Flares

Observations of solar energetic particles from impulsive flares are reviewed. Consideration is given to observations of electron events, He-3 rich events, and heavy-nuclei-rich events. It is found that these observations can be unified into a description of the particles from impulsive flares. The observations are compared with observations of gamma-ray line in impulsive flares and particles in flares and compared with particles in space. A model for accelerating the unique particle abundances of energetic particles is proposed.
Regulation of the Action of Hydrocortisone in Airway Epithelial Cells by 11 β -Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase

11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD) reversibly converts hydrocortisone, the predominant active endogenous glucocorticoid in humans, to its inactive metabolite cortisone by oxidizing the 11-hydroxy group to an 11-keto group. Because this enzyme is highly expressed in human bronchial epithelial cells, we hypothesized that it regulates epithelial responses to glucocorticoids by reducing levels of hydrocortisone available to bind to the glucocorticoid receptor. Primary human bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs) were isolated from seven autopsy specimens and cultured in F12/Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with 5% fetal bovine serum until approximately 80% confluent. Cells were preincubated with 10−9 M to 10−5 M hydrocortisone for 24 h in the presence or absence of 10−6 M of the 11βHSD inhibitor glycyrrhetinic acid, after which the cells were stimulated with 5 ng/ml interleukin-1β for 24 h. Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) levels were quantitated in the resulting supernatants by ...
Tipping the Energy Balance toward Longevity

AMPK is a cellular energy sensor conserved across eukaryotes that in C. elegans prolongs life span and mimics dietary restriction. Stenesen and colleagues (2012) activate AMPK both directly and indirectly by altering AMP biosynthesis to slow aging in Drosophila, highlighting AMPK as a conserved life span modulator that links energy sensing to longevity.
Pyrite mineralization in microbial mats from the mid-Proterozoic Newland Formation, Belt Supergroup, Montana, U.S.A.

Abstract The Mid-Proterozoic Newland Formation, a shale-dominated unit of the Belt Supergroup, was deposited in an eastern extension of the Belt basin, the Helena embayment. A variety of different shale facies types can be distinguished. Of particular interest for this study is a shale facies that has been interpreted to be the result of microbial mat growth (resulting in carbonaceous shale beds) interrupted by storm deposition (causing deposition of graded silt/mud couplets). Alternation of carbonaceous beds with silt/mud couplets gives these shales a characteristic striped appearance. Along the basin margins a pyrite-rich sub-facies of these striped shales is found locally, consisting of laminated pyrite beds that alternate with non-pyritic silt/mud couplets. Laminated pyrite beds in pyritic striped shales are interpreted as mineralized microbial mats because of wavy-crinkly internal laminae and because of the direct association with unmineralized striped shales that contain microbial mat deposits. Excess iron in pyritic shale horizons was probably supplied by terrestrial runoff in colloidal form. Iron hydroxides, introduced by rivers into basin marginal lagoons, flocculated, and were then incorporated into microbial mats and reduced to pyrite upon burial.
Patient perceptions of an art-making experience in an outpatient blood and marrow transplant clinic.

MISCHE LAWSON L., GLENNON C., AMOS M., NEWBERRY T., PEARCE J., SALZMAN S. & YOUNG J. (2012) European Journal of Cancer Care21, 403–411 Patient perceptions of an art-making experience in an outpatient blood and marrow transplant clinic This study explored blood and marrow transplantation (BMT) patients' perceptions of an art-making experience during BMT treatment. Participants including patients receiving BMT for a variety of cancers (10 men/10 women, aged 20–68) were offered a 1 hour tile-painting activity during treatment. Participants with cognitive impairment and respiratory precautions were excluded from the study. Researchers followed immune precaution protocols for the safety of participants. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 20 participants to gather information about their perceptions of the art-making experience in a BMT clinic setting. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed. Researchers coded transcripts independently and discussed outcomes together to achieve agreement on themes. Twelve themes emerged from the data, with the three most prevalent themes being Occupying Time (20.5%), Creative Expression (13.5%), and Reactions to Tile Painting (13.5%). Other themes included Support (12.2%), Side Effects (7.3%), Other Activities Suggested by Patients (7%), BMT Treatment Process (6.2%), Shared Painting Experience (5.9%), Life Outlook (5.2%), BMT Life Changes (3.8%), Spirituality (3%) and Barriers (1.9%). Through analysis of these themes, researchers have identified this art-making experience as a diversional or meaningful way to spend time during treatment, a medium for creative expression, and a distraction from negative side effects of the BMT process.
Patient Responses to Computer Counseling

Although computer-based medical histories, instruction and counseling programs have keen well-received by patients, some professionals believe they are a threat to important values of the patient-provider relationship. A dietary counseling program and a program that teaches the collection of clean voided urine samples are described and patients' reactions to these programs are examined. No evidence was found to support the professional concerns. On the contrary, with these programs the absence of a human health care provider was reported to be helpful by many of the participants.
Hydrolysis of insulin chain B using zirconium(IV) at neutral pH

Zirconium(IV) hydrolyzes the 30-mer oligopeptide oxidized bovine insulin chain B after 4 h to 8 h of treatment at ∼pH 7.0 and 60 °C: MALDI-TOF and HPLC-ESI-MS and MS/MS data show significant levels of cleavage at Gly8-Ser9, Gly20-Glu21, Ser9-His10, Cys(SO3H)7-Gly8, and Cys(SO3H)19-Gly20 amide bonds within the oligopeptide.
Frequency downshift in narrowbanded surface waves under the influence of wind

It is well known that the spectral peak of wind-induced gravity waves on the sea surface tends to shift to lower frequencies as the fetch increases. In past theories the nonlinear dynamics subsequent to Benjamin–Feir instability has been found to initiate the downshift in narrow-banded waves in the absence of wind. However, these weakly nonlinear theories all predict the downshift to be only the first phase of an almost cyclic process. Limited by the length of a wave tank, existing experiments are usually made with relatively steep waves which often break. Although there is a theory on how breaking adds dissipation to stop the reversal of the initial trend of downshift, the details of breaking must be crudely characterized by semi-empirical hypotheses. Since the direct role of wind itself must be relevant to the entire development of wind-wave spectrum, we examine here the effect of wind on the nonlinear evolution of unstable sidebands in narrow-banded waves. We assume that the waves do not break and consider the case where the nonlinear effects that initiate the downshift, energy input by wind and damping by internal dissipation all occur on the same timescale. This means that not only must the waves be mild but the wind stress intensity must also lie within a certain narrow range. With these limitations we couple the air flow above the waves with Dysthe's extension of the cubic Schrodinger equation, and examine the initial as well as the long-time evolution of a mechanically generated wavetrain. For a variety of wind intensities, downshift is indeed found to be enhanced and rendered long lasting.
Molybdenum and Tungsten Oxide Nanowires Prepared by Electrospinning

Tungsten oxide (WO3) and molybdenum oxide (MoO3) nanowires were synthesized through utilizing sol gel and electrospinning methods. Mixtures of metal oxide sol gel and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in ethanol solution were electrospun and resulted in metal oxide composite nanofiber mats. Precise annealing process removed all organic material, and pure metal oxide single crystal nanowires remained. Both the as-spun nanocomposite mats and the heat-treated nanofiborous materials were characterized using Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopes. The average diameter of the nanofibers was concluded to be proportional to the flow rate used and inversely proportional to the metal oxide concentration in the solution.
Treatment of Primary Varicose Veins Has Changed with the Introduction of New Techniques

New technologies have produced a revolution in primary varicose vein treatments. Duplex ultrasound is now used for preoperative diagnosis, postoperative surveillance, and during many procedures. Ultrasound has also altered our understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic venous disease. Laser and radiofrequency saphenous ablations are common. Classic techniques, such as sclerotherapy, high ligation, stripping, and phlebectomy, have been improved. Magnetic resonance venography, computed tomographic venography, and intravascular ultrasound have improved diagnostic capabilities. New strategies like ambulatory selective varices ablation under local anesthesia (ASVAL) and conservative hemodynamic treatment for chronic venous insufficiency (CHIVA) raise important questions about how to manage these patients.
"Women in engineering": a history and politics of a struggle in the making of a statistical category

The paper is a brief cultural history of the making of "women in engineering" as a significant statistical category for the American nation. The author's main thesis is that national narratives, mostly made up by images of a nation in crisis and defined by powerful social actors and groups, have significantly shaped policies and programs for education and training of women in engineering as well as the latter's significance as statistical categories for the American nation. The paper explores the political struggles over the past 40 years (1959-99) to shape the federal government's attempts to educate and train women in engineering and in making them significant statistical categories for appropriate national needs, where what is appropriate changes over time.
Exploring memory consistency for massively-threaded throughput-oriented processors

We re-visit the issue of hardware consistency models in the new context of massively-threaded throughput-oriented processors (MTTOPs). A prominent example of an MTTOP is a GPGPU, but other examples include Intel's MIC architecture and some recent academic designs. MTTOPs differ from CPUs in many significant ways, including their ability to tolerate latency, their memory system organization, and the characteristics of the software they run. We compare implementations of various hardware consistency models for MTTOPs in terms of performance, energy-efficiency, hardware complexity, and programmability. Our results show that the choice of hardware consistency model has a surprisingly minimal impact on performance and thus the decision should be based on hardware complexity, energy-efficiency, and programmability. For many MTTOPs, it is likely that even a simple implementation of sequential consistency is attractive.
DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS AND NUTRITION IMPACT RADIATION USE EFFICIENCY COMPONENTS IN SOUTHERN PINE STANDS

A number of contemporary forest productivity models use some variation of a growth efficiency (e) approach. Typically, these models predict production (aboveground net primary production, ANPP, in units of dry mass biomass per unit of area per unit of time) as the product of two terms: radiation use efficiency (e, in units of dry mass biomass per megajoule of photosynthetically active radiation [PAR] intercepted or absorbed by the plant canopy) and the sum of PAR intercepted or absorbed by the canopy (Φpar, in units of megajoules per unit of radiation area per unit of time). Predicting productivity in a biologically realistic manner requires an understanding of how model components are affected by natural and anthropogenic environmental factors, as well as other influences such as aging or stand development. We measured or calculated all components of the e model (aboveground woody biomass increment, IWB; foliage biomass increment, IFB; aboveground net primary production, ANPP; leaf area index, LAI; Φpar;...
Mobile Learning: Technology as Mediator of Personal and School Experiences

This study reports on the effects of a mobile game designed in conjunction with an art museum to develop children's understanding of line, shape, and color. Four researchers two graduate students and two professors at a private university in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States examined 8 children, ages 6 to 13, for conceptual change in their understanding of art. Grounded theory and thematic analysis were used to examine children's conceptions of line, shape, and color through gameplay and to answer the research question, "How does a mobile application impact students' conceptual understanding of line, shape and color?" The researchers found that the mobile learning experience was effectively mediating participants' school and personal experiences to support conceptual change.
Strategic Performance Management Systems: Impact on Business Results

This study proposes and tests a model to explain the impact on business results of a specific type of information systems: Strategic Performance Measurement Systems (SPMS). Drawing from the literatures in management, information systems, and accounting, the model proposes that SPMS information technology (IT) variables, which include both technical characteristics and technical outcomes, affect business results. Those IT variables are, in turn, affected by SPMS system variables (information quality and system design). Finally, IT and system variables are affected by organizational variables related to information processing capabilities and requirements. Using path analysis, we found empirical support for the model by analyzing data from large-scale survey with a sample of 1,990 respondents. System effectiveness and Internet usage were the two IT variables found to have the most impact on business results. Furthermore, system design had a significant role in determining all IT variables that had an impact...
Interrelationships of Sex, Physician-Diagnosed Arthritis, Chronic Inflammation, and Physical Functioning in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

Objective: To examine whether serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen were associated with total score on a validated 12-item physical functioning scale and whether the magnitude and direction of these associations differed according to sex and physician-diagnosed arthritis. Method: Secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were conducted using a representative sample of 4,606 older adults, 60 years and older. Results: Linear models suggested that overall physical functioning was strongly and independently associated with CRP (adjusted β = +.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [+0.42, +0.94]) and fibrinogen (adjusted β = +1.66, 95% CI = [+0.89, +2.42]); these associations were modified by physician-diagnosed arthritis status, with strongest associations observed among individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or no arthritis and weakest association observed among those diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Conclusion: CRP and fibrinogen may be associated with poorer physical functioning in older adults, especially among those having rheumatoid arthritis or no arthritis.
Advanced technology program: information infrastructure for healthcare focused program.

This paper describes an initiative begun by the Advanced Technology Program 2 in 1994 referred to as the Information Infrastructure for Healthcare (IIH) focused program. The IIH focus program began with an initial exchange of ideas among members of the private and public sectors (industry’s submission of “white papers” 3 ; workshops conducted by the ATP; meetings held between individuals from both groups) to identify those technologies necessary for the development of a national information infrastructure in healthcare. A discussion of the development of the focus program through a “white paper” process notes differences that existed between what the ATP had hoped to gain through this method and how the private sector responded. A statistical description of the participants as well as a brief discussion of the ATP review and selection process is included.
A pseudomorphic MODFET structure with excellent linear power performance at mm-wave range

The design, fabrication, and excellent linear power performance at the millimeter-wave frequency range of a modified InGaAs channel pseudomorphic MODFET structure are reported. This structure replaced the conventional n/sup +/ AlGaAs carrier supply layer with an n/sup +/ GaAs carrier supply layer. g/sub m/ was improved at high gate bias due to the superior carrier transport property of n/sup +/ GaAs compared to that of n/sup +/ AlGaAs. This g/sub m/ improvement results in relatively flat and broad f/sub T/ and f/sub max/ versus gate bias curves. Consequently, record high P/sub 1db/ of 0.68 W/mm with G/sub 1dB/ of 12.9 dB and power-added-efficiency of 45% was achieved at 25 GHz on a 0.33- mu m*120- mu m device. The P/sub out/ at maximum-power-added-efficiency point was as high as 0.81 W/mm with 10.9-dB gain and power-added efficiency of 59%. >
Gender and Vigilantism on the Minnesota Frontier: Jane Grey Swisshelm and the U. S.-Dakota Conflict of 1862

Jane Grey Swisshelm arrived in Minnesota in 1857 with a benevolent attitude toward the Native inhabitants of the state. The U. S.-Dakota Conflict of 1862 led her to advocate their removal or extermination. This article explores the ways in which gender influenced her change of heart.
Superior–Subordinate Communication in the Workplace: Verbal Aggression, Nonverbal Immediacy, and Their Joint Effects on Perceived Superior Credibility

This study examined the joint effects of a superior’s verbally aggressive behaviors and nonverbal immediacy behaviors on a subordinate’s perceptions of a superior’s credibility. Participants (n = 415) from intact classes were randomly assigned into one of the four experiment conditions simulated by four video segments: use of nonverbal immediacy and verbal aggression, nonuse of nonverbal immediacy and use of verbal aggression, use of nonverbal immediacy and nonuse of verbal aggression, and nonuse of nonverbal immediacy and verbal aggression. The findings indicate that superiors who do not use verbally aggressive messages and who are nonverbally immediate were perceived with a higher level of competence, trustworthiness, and caring than superiors who use verbally aggressive messages and who are not nonverbally immediate. In addition, superiors who use verbally aggressive messages and who are nonverbally immediate were perceived with the lowest level of perceived competence as compared to superiors in the o...
Computational insight into the capacitive performance of graphene edge planes

Abstract Recent experiments have shown that electric double-layer capacitors utilizing electrodes consisting of graphene edge plane exhibit higher capacitance than graphene basal plane. However, theoretical understanding of this capacitance enhancement is still limited. Here we applied a self-consistent joint density functional theory calculation on the electrode/electrolyte interface and found that the capacitance of graphene edge plane depends on the edge type: zigzag edge has higher capacitance than armchair edge due to the difference in their electronic structures. We further examined the quantum, dielectric, and electric double-layer (EDL) contributions to the total capacitance of the edge-plane electrodes. Classical molecular dynamics simulation found that the edge planes have higher EDL capacitance than the basal plane due to better adsorption of counter-ions and higher solvent accessible surface area. Our work therefore has elucidated the capacitive energy storage in graphene edge planes that take into account both the electrode's electronic structure and the EDL structure.
Meshing goals: Bringing a Computer-Aided Engineering course with Biomedical Applications, Engineering Communications, and FDA Reporting guidelines into alignment towards stronger student outcomes

A 10-year working partnership between engineering instructors and communication instructors for a course called “Computer-Aided Engineering: Applications to Biomedical Process” aims to enrich the professional skills of the engineering students overall. This paper provides a window to the ways the course aids students in improving their engineering/technical writing and presenting skills. This year, an added influence came with the incorporation of new FDA guidelines for biomedical computational modeling, released in September 2016. We report on this integration, why such an infusion of professional-level guidelines is desirable for an academic course, and provide an overview of the partnered courses (biomedical and communication), briefly covering how one might consider ABET alignments. We hope to set out a useful roadmap for other university instructors in how they might align their course deliverables with “real world” expectations and guidelines while addressing the complexity of classroom expectations versus professional expectations of communicative ability.
Chromosome and Large Linear Plasmid Sequences of a Borrelia miyamotoi Strain Isolated from Ixodes pacificus Ticks from California.

ABSTRACT Borrelia miyamotoi, a relapsing fever group spirochete, is an emerging tick-borne pathogen. It has been identified in ixodid ticks across the Northern Hemisphere, including the West Coast of the United States. We describe the chromosome and large linear plasmid sequence of a B. miyamotoi isolate cultured from a California field-collected Ixodes pacificus tick.
Extreme Deviations from Expected Evolutionary Rates in Archaeal Protein Families

Origin of new biological functions is a complex phenomenon ranging from single-nucleotide substitutions to the gain of new genes via horizontal gene transfer or duplication. Neofunctionalization and subfunctionalization of proteins is often attributed to the emergence of paralogs that are subject to relaxed purifying selection or positive selection and thus evolve at accelerated rates. Such phenomena potentially could be detected as anomalies in the phylogenies of the respective gene families. We developed a computational pipeline to search for such anomalies in 1,834 orthologous clusters of archaeal genes, focusing on lineage-specific subfamilies that significantly deviate from the expected rate of evolution. Multiple potential cases of neofunctionalization and subfunctionalization were identified, including some ancient, house-keeping gene families, such as ribosomal protein S10, general transcription factor TFIIB and chaperone Hsp20. As expected, many cases of apparent acceleration of evolution are associated with lineage-specific gene duplication. On other occasions, long branches in phylogenetic trees correspond to horizontal gene transfer across long evolutionary distances. Significant deceleration of evolution is less common than acceleration, and the underlying causes are not well understood; functional shifts accompanied by increased constraints could be involved. Many gene families appear to be "highly evolvable," that is, include both long and short branches. Even in the absence of precise functional predictions, this approach allows one to select targets for experimentation in search of new biology.
Tick-, Flea-, and Louse-Borne Diseases of Public Health and Veterinary Significance in Nigeria

Mosquito-borne diseases are common high-impact diseases in tropical and subtropical areas. However, other non-mosquito vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) may share their geographic distribution, seasonality, and clinical manifestations, thereby contributing their share to the morbidity and mortality caused by febrile illnesses in these regions. The purpose of this work was to collect and review existing information and identify knowledge gaps about tick, flea-, and louse-borne diseases of veterinary and public health significance in Nigeria. Full-length articles about VBPs were reviewed and relevant information about the vectors, their hosts, geographic distribution, seasonality, and association(s) with human or veterinary diseases was extracted. Specific laboratory tools used for detection and identification of VBPs in Nigeria were also identified. A total of 62 original publications were examined. Substantial information about the prevalence and impacts of ticks and fleas on pet and service dogs (18 articles), and livestock animals (23 articles) were available; however, information about their association with and potential for causing human illnesses was largely absent despite the zoonotic nature of many of these peri-domestic veterinary diseases. Recent publications that employed molecular methods of detection demonstrated the occurrence of several classic (Ehrlichia canis, Rickettsia africae, Bartonella sp.) and emerging human pathogens (R. aeschlimannii, Neoehrlichia mikurensis) in ticks and fleas. However, information about other pathogens often found in association with ticks (R. conorii) and fleas (R. typhi, R. felis) across the African continent was lacking. Records of louse-borne epidemic typhus in Nigeria date to 1947; however, its current status is not known. This review provides an essential baseline summary of the current knowledge in Nigeria of non-mosquito VBPs, and should stimulate improvements in the surveillance of the veterinary and human diseases they cause in Nigeria. Due to increasing recognition of these diseases in other African countries, veterinary and public health professionals in Nigeria should expand the list of possible diseases considered in patients presenting with fever of unknown etiology.
Leveraging Distributed Blockchain-based Scheme for Wireless Network Virtualization with Security and QoS Constraints

Wireless network virtualization is regarded as an emerging paradigm to enhance RF spectrum utilization to support exponentially increasing demand caused by emerging Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications. To create virtual wireless networks (VWNs), there are no automated secure approaches for allocating RF spectrum to meet the dynamically changing quality-of-service (QoS) requirements of the users. In wireless networks, RF spectrum is shared among many users and the given RF spectrum could be easily overcrowded because of the over commitment of limited resources by the service providers. There is a direct incentive in terms of revenue to service providers to have more number of users. In this paper, we propose to leverage a distributed Blockchain – also known as a public ledger – based scheme to create VWNs where primary wireless resource-owners (PWROs) sublease their wireless resources (e.g., slice of RF spectrum, infrastructure) to mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) using machine-to-machine communication based on the service level agreements (SLAs) between PWROs and MVNOs. The proposed distributed Blockchain-based scheme provides security to participating PWROs and MVNOs as well as prevents PWROs from over committing their resources (that stops double spending) and helps MVNOs to meet the QoS requirements of their users. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or similar regulatory bodies in other countries participate in this framework by providing the guidelines and regulations about maximum power levels, licensing and geographic coverages, etc. This essentially helps users to meet their desired QoS requirements while complying the government regulations. Performance is evaluated using numerical results.
Electromagnetic Methods for UXO Discrimination

The subsurface remote-sensing technology currently used in the United States for UXO decontamination is relatively crude, consisting of DC (static) magnetometry. Ultrawideband electromagnetic induction (EMI) is emerging as a technology with reasonable discrimination potential. EMI devices operate in the magneto-quasistatic (MQS) band, usually between tens of Hz and perhaps a couple hundred kHz, and engage a substantially different phenomenology than that of wave electromagnetics. Over the relevant space scales, soil, fresh water, and rock are effectively lossless in the MQS regime, which encourages EMI application.
Biomaterials—The Interfacial Problem

Publisher Summary The purpose of a biomaterial is to replace a part or a function of the body in a safe, reliable, economic, and physiologically acceptable manner. To achieve that function, a biomaterial must be in contact with living tissues resulting in an interface between living and non-living substances. It is the long-term stability of this interface that predicates the success or failure of a biomaterial and devices fabricated from biomaterials. This chapter examines the physiological and materials variables that can influence the stability of a biomaterial interface. It reviews in vitro and in vivo tests that are useful in understanding interfacial behavior. It discusses some of the interfacial responses of implants in the cardiovascular, neural, neuromuscular, orthopedic, ophthalmic, otolaryngeal, and dental areas. A general theory of biomaterials interfacial behavior is proposed and the evidence has been weighted.
Cranial MR-guided Focused Ultrasound for Essential Tremor : Technical Considerations and Image Guidance.

Magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) recently received FDA approval for treatment of medically refractory essential tremor and significant progress continues to be made in operational protocols. To that end, the goal of this technical article is to illustrate current optimization strategies for preprocedural, intraprocedural, and postprocedural imaging, with a particular focus on technically challenging intraprocedural MRI to assess satisfactory ablation.
Monotopic Membrane Proteins Join the Fold

Monotopic membrane proteins, classified by topology, are proteins that embed into a single face of the membrane. These proteins are generally underrepresented in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), but the past decade of research has revealed new examples that allow the description of generalizable features. This Opinion article summarizes shared characteristics including oligomerization states, modes of membrane association, mechanisms of interaction with hydrophobic or amphiphilic substrates, and homology to soluble folds. We also discuss how associations of monotopic enzymes in pathways can be used to promote substrate specificity and product composition. These examples highlight the challenges in structure determination specific to this class of proteins, but also the promise of new understanding from future study of these proteins that reside at the interface.
Antimicrobial Activities and Mechanisms of Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles (nMgO) against Pathogenic Bacteria, Yeasts, and Biofilms

Magnesium oxide nanoparticle (nMgO) is a light metal based antimicrobial nanoparticle that can be metabolized and fully resorbed in the body. To take advantage of the antimicrobial properties of nMgO for medical use, it is necessary to determine the minimal inhibitory, bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations (MIC, MBC and MFC) of nMgO against prevalent infectious bacteria and yeasts. The objective of this study was to use consistent methods and conditions to reveal and directly compare the efficacy of nMgO against nine prevalent pathogenic microorganisms, including two gram-negative bacteria, three gram-positive bacteria with drug-resistant strains, and four yeasts with drug-resistant strains. The MIC of nMgO varied from 0.5 mg/mL to 1.2 mg/mL and the minimal lethal concentration (MLC) of nMgO at 90% killing varied from 0.7 mg/mL to 1.4 mg/mL against different pathogenic bacteria and yeasts. The most potent concentrations (MPC) of nMgO were 1.4 and/or 1.6 mg/mL, depending on the type of bacteria and yeasts tested. As the concentration of nMgO increased, the adhesion of bacteria and yeasts decreased. Moreover, S. epidermidis biofilm was disrupted at 1.6 mg/mL of nMgO. E. coli and some yeasts showed membrane damage after cultured with ≥0.5 mg/mL nMgO. Overall, nMgO killed both planktonic bacteria and disrupted nascent biofilms, suggesting new antimicrobial mechanisms of nMgO. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Ca2+ ion concentrations, and quorum sensing likely contribute to the action mechanisms of nMgO against planktonic bacteria, but transient alkaline pH of 7 to 10 or increased Mg2+ ion concentrations from 1 to 50 mM showed no inhibitory or killing effects on bacteria such as S. epidermidis. Further studies are needed to determine if specific concentrations of nMgO at MIC, MLC or MPC level can be integrated into medical devices to evoke desired antimicrobial responses without harming host cells.
Technology in health care

Abstract Medical technology encompasses a wide range of medical devices. Practicing clinical engineers often focus on a few areas of medical device technology, such as defibrillators, electrosurgical units, and physiological monitors. This chapter addresses the entire spectrum of medical devices with which the clinical engineer should be concerned, the medical devices that are required for almost all diagnostic and therapeutic medical interventions. These devices have different lifetimes because they may be disposable, reusable, or implantable. They are made of a range of materials, such as plastics, ceramics, metals, wood, and biologic products, and they rely upon all types of physical principles for their functioning (e.g., electronic, hydraulic, mechanical, chemical, optical, and radiation). People use them to improve patient health. Medical devices, as distinguished from drugs, achieve their action without directly entering metabolic pathways.
Even Faster SVD Decomposition Yet Without Agonizing Pain

We study k-SVD that is to obtain the first k singular vectors of a matrix A approximately. Recently, a few breakthroughs have been discovered on $k$-SVD: Musco and Musco [1] provided the first gap-free theorem for the block Krylov method, Shamir [2] discovered the first variance-reduction stochastic method, and Bhojanapalli et al. [3] provided the fastest $O(nnz(A) + poly(1/eps))$-type of algorithm using alternating minimization. In this paper, we improve the above breakthroughs by providing a new framework for solving k-SVD. In particular, we obtain faster gap-free convergence speed outperforming [1], we obtain the first accelerated AND stochastic method outperforming [3]. In the NNZ running-time regime, we outperform [3] without even using alternating minimization for certain parameter regimes.