cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Refined liquid smoke: a potential antilisterial additive to cold-smoked sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)

Cold-smoked salmon (CSS) is a potentially hazardous ready-to-eat food product due to the high risk of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes and lack of a listericidal step. We investigated the antilisterial property of liquid smokes (LS) against Listeria innocua ATCC 33090 (surrogate to L. monocytogenes) as a potential supplement to vacuum-packaged CSS. A full-strength LS (Code 10-Poly), and three commercially refined fractions (AM-3, AM-10, and 1291) having less color and flavor (lower content of phenols and carbonyl-containing compounds) were tested. In vitro assays showed strong inhibition for all LS except for 1291. The CSS strips were surface coated with AM-3 and AM-10 at 1% LS (vol/wt) with an L-shaped glass rod and then inoculated with L. innocua at 3.5 log CFU/g, vacuum packaged, and stored at 4°C. The LS did not completely eliminate L. innocua but provided a 2-log reduction by day 14, with no growth up to 35 days of refrigerated storage. A simple difference sensory test by 180 untrained panelists showed the application of AM-3 did not significantly influence the overall sensorial quality of CSS. In essence, the application of the refined LS as an antilisterial additive to CSS is recommended.
Study of Values as a Predictor of Helping Behavior

Students who had previously completed the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values participated in a “lady in distress” measure of emergency helping behavior. The results do not support earlier suggestions that the Study of Values differentiates helpers (n = 33) and nonhelpers (n = 35).
Effective Masses and Electronic and Optical Properties of Nontoxic MASnX3 (X = Cl, Br, and I) Perovskite Structures as Solar Cell Absorber: A Theoretical Study Using HSE06

We calculated the effective masses and electronic and optical properties of CH3NH3SnX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) perovskites as a solar cell absorber using the HSE06 hybrid functional. The computed band gaps are direct at the Γ point, ranging from 1.67 to 3.0 eV. The effective masses of carriers and the band gaps decrease from chlorine to iodine. Moreover, their hole masses are comparable to those of CH3NH3PbX3 (X = Br and I) phases. The optical dielectric constant does not decrease monotonically when going from X = Cl to Br to I for CH3NH3SnX3 perovskites. Under a small isotropic compressive stress, the photon absorption efficiency of CH3NH3SnX3 perovskites is slightly improved due to the reduction of the fundamental band gap.
CVD growth and properties of boron phosphide on 3C-SiC

Citation: CVD growth and properties of boron phosphide on 3C-SiC, B. Padavala, C.D.Frye, X. Wang, B. Raghothamachar, and J.H. Edgar, Journal of Crystal Growth, volume 449 pp. 15-21 (2016).
The Role of Disgust in Pathogen Resistance and Ethical Behavior

Disgust, one of the six universally recognized emotions, plays an indispensible role in disease avoidance and morality. While previous studies have demonstrated its evolutionary significance and its role in pathogen resistance and morality, much remains unknown about how these findings could be applied to other areas of the social world. This paper reviews the relevant literature regarding the origin of disgust, its role in pathogen resistance and morality, and offers future directions on how disgust could be applied in other social settings that could be useful in policy research. 1
Effect of adrenergic and cholinergic agents on esophageal bicarbonate secretion in opossums

The effects of cholinergic and adrenergic agonists and antagonists on esophageal bicarbonate secretion in the opossum were studied in vivo using a recirculated unbuffered saline solution and pH stat technique. The basal rate of secretion was 0.28 +/- 0.02 mumol.h-1.cm-2, and this increased in a dose-dependent manner by intravenous administration of carbachol (maximal increase 0.74 +/- 0.07 mumol.h-1.cm-2 at 6 micrograms/kg). Furthermore, like carbachol, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor edrophonium also increased bicarbonate secretion, whereas atropine and pirenzepine, which had no effect on basal secretion, abolished the increase in secretion produced by carbachol. Intravenous administration of either adrenergic agonists or antagonists had no significant effect on secretion. These data indicate that basal bicarbonate secretion in the opossum esophagus is independent of intrinsic adrenergic or cholinergic activity, and so not under autonomic nervous system control, but that endogenous release of acetylcholine, presumably from parasympathetic nervous fibers, can stimulate bicarbonate secretion through activation of cholinergic M1 receptors.
Reproduction in Male Birds

Reproduction is a process that can be organized into distinct developmental and functional phases. In the case of the male, these include fertilization, formation of a patent reproductive tract, production of sperm, manifestation of male-specific behavioral patterns, and expulsion of sperm from the body. This perspective can provide insight that may be missed if reproduction is viewed primarily as an isolated act. For example, although the reproductive tract is fully functional only in the adult, it is formed, for the most part, prior to hatching. Furthermore, although spermatogenesis is associated with puberty, spermatogenesis is not constrained by chronological age but rather by the extent to which testicular cells proliferate and differentiate, which in turn is coupled to the developmental limitations of gonadotropin secretion. Finally, androgens essential to the function of the reproductive tract, the appearance of secondary sexual attributes, and male behavior may have detrimental effects upon the development of immune and connective tissue if the hormonal signal appears during the period of rapid prepubertal growth and differentiation. Thus, this chapter will discuss the process of reproductive system development and function in the male bird.
Neurotransmitters and Neurotransmission in the Developing and Adult Nervous System

Abstract Chemical neurotransmission requires the coordination of pre- and postsynaptic events across the nervous system. Following action potential generation, large quantities of neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic compartment. For most neurotransmitters, the response they elicit within the postsynaptic cell occurs through two general mechanisms: a fast mechanism mediated by ionotropic receptors and a slow mechanism mediated by metabotropic receptors. These receptors, present at pre- and postsynaptic sites, are what dictate the actions of the neurotransmitter. Receptor location, stability in the plasma membrane, their subunit composition, and posttranslational modifications, all dynamically regulate the response due to neurotransmitter binding throughout development. This chapter reviews the basic steps and concepts involved in neurotransmission to lay a foundation for understanding and interpreting the actions of well-known neurotransmitters. We also include a section on the role of glia in the regulation of chemical neurotransmission in the brain.
Using Web-Based Homework To Teach Principles Of Microeconomics: A Preliminary Investigation

This study evaluates an interactive web-based homework designed to increase student understanding in a principles of microeconomics course. Employing concepts from Action Research, the preliminary investigation was undertaken based on assumptions about the efficacy of online educational resources. Do students who do well on online homework improve performance on exams? Which characteristics of students explain achievement differences? The authors address these questions in relation to the use of a web-based, interactive online homework service which accompanied the text. An econometric model using exam performance as the dependent variable and various course component and demographic characteristics as independent variables. The study found no statistically significant impact of online homework on the mean exam score. This preliminary study indicated no gender, ethnicity, class standing, or declared major impact on exam performance though the limited degrees of freedom make generalization questionable. The only statistically significant predictor was shown to be GPA.
Metabolomics of the tick-Borrelia interaction during the nymphal tick blood meal

The causal agents of Lyme disease in North America, Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii, are transmitted primarily by Ixodes scapularis ticks. Due to their limited metabolic capacity, spirochetes rely on the tick blood meal for nutrients and metabolic intermediates while residing in the tick vector, competing with the tick for nutrients in the blood meal. Metabolomics is an effective methodology to explore dynamics of spirochete survival and multiplication in tick vectors before transmission to a vertebrate host via tick saliva. Using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, we identified statistically significant differences in the metabolic profile among uninfected I. scapularis nymphal ticks, B. burgdorferi-infected nymphal ticks and B. mayonii-infected nymphal ticks by measuring metabolism every 24 hours over the course of their up to 96 hour blood meals. Specifically, differences in the abundance of purines, amino acids, carbohydrates, and fatty acids during the blood meal among the three groups of nymphal ticks suggest that B. mayonii and B. burgdorferi may have different metabolic capabilities, especially during later stages of nymphal feeding. Understanding mechanisms underlying variable metabolic requirements of different Lyme disease spirochetes within tick vectors could potentially aid development of novel methods to control spirochete transmission.
Energy Theft Detection in Multi-Tenant Data Centers with Digital Protective Relay Deployment

High performance data centers serve as the backbone of the prevailing cloud computing paradigm. Among data centers with different operational structures, multi-tenant data centers (MTDCs) are increasingly popular among various internet service providers for the ease of deployment. Despite the offered benefits, MTDCs are vulnerable to various cyberattacks. An important cyberattack is energy theft which can be launched by malicious tenants to reduce monetary cost of the electricity consumption. It can be achieved through attacking smart meters in the data center to undercount the energy usage of the attacker. Since the attackers could consume an excessive amount of energy without incurring elevated utility cost, energy theft discourages frugality in terms of energy consumption, which is highly undesirable in the era of sustainable computing. Despite fruitful research results on MTDCs, none of existing works address energy theft. When energy theft occurs, it might be necessary for the data center operator to examine smart meter of all tenants to find the compromised ones which could induce excessive labor cost. Localization of energy theft detection is an effective way to limit the labor cost in detecting energy thefts in MTDCs. It can be facilitated through deploying Digital Protective Relays (DPR) in the data center where a DPR is a device for fault detection and event logging in the power system. In this paper, an anomaly rate range based dynamic programming algorithm is proposed for inserting minimal DPRs into the data center, where the anomaly rate range is computed using Minimum Covariance Determinant (MCD) algorithm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work addressing the energy theft issue in multi-tenant data centers. The simulation results demonstrate that our algorithm inserts 19.2 percent less DPRs into the data center compared to a natural baseline algorithm. Meanwhile, in an attempt to identify all energy theft cases, our DPR insertion solution requires 12.8 percent less tenants to be checked compared with the baseline algorithm. More importantly, we demonstrate that using MCD alone cannot achieve accurate detection while using DPR alone cannot handle collusive energy theft. In contrast, integrating DPR with MCD can achieve a high detection accuracy (of 97.6 percent) for collusive energy theft.
Idioms of Sami Health and Healing

The origin of this volume is a symposium on Sami healing practices that was held at the Arctic University in Tromso, Norway, in 2010. The papers included are based on presentations given at that co...
Know Your Enemy

GOOD DEFENSIVE STRATEGY IS GROUNDED in information. Before you can properly react to a competitive move, you have to understand it and determine what it means to you. A military general needs information to develop a battle plan, and a business leader needs information to assemble a defense plan. As Willie Pietersen, former CEO of Tropicana, observed, “In every competitive arena, including business, you must know your enemies in order to defeat them.”1
Sufficient Conditions for Stability of a Class of Neural Circuits

Abstract In this paper, a set of sufficient conditions for stability of a class of asymmetrical Hopfield-type neural circuits are presented, It is shown that the stability of the circuits belonging to this class can be guaranteed by diagonal stability of a constructed matrix. A few previous known results are generalized and sottle restrictions on the neural circuits are removed. Local (exponential) stability and global stability of these circuits are dealt with under the same framework. The specific Lyapunov function used in this paper may be applied to more general neural networks.
Simvastatin reduces TGF-β1-induced SMAD2/3-dependent human ventricular fibroblasts differentiation: Role of protein phosphatase activation.

Abstract Background Excessive cardiac fibrosis due to maladaptive remodeling leads to progression of cardiac dysfunction and is modulated by TGF-β1-activated intracellular phospho-SMAD signaling effectors and transcription regulators. SMAD2/3 phosphorylation, regulated by protein-phosphatases, has been studied in different cell types, but its role in human ventricular fibroblasts (hVFs) is not defined as a target to reduce cytokine-mediated excessive fibrotic response and adverse cardiac remodeling. Statins are a class of drugs reported to reduce cardiac fibrosis, although underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. We aimed to assess whether simvastatin-mediated reduction in TGF-β1-augmented profibrotic response involves reduction in phospho-SMAD2/3 owing to activation of protein-phosphatase in hVFs. Methods and results Cultures of hVFs were used. Effect of simvastatin on TGF-β1-treated hVF proliferation, cytotoxicity, myofibroblast differentiation/activation, profibrotic gene expression and protein-phosphatase activity was assessed. Simvastatin (1 μM) reduced effect of TGF-β1 (5 ng/mL) on hVF proliferation, myofibroblast differentiation (reduced α-smooth muscle actin [α-SMA-expression]) and activation (decreased procollagen-peptide release). Simvastatin also reduced TGF-β1-stimulated time-dependent increases in SMAD2/3 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, mediated through catalytic activation of protein-phosphatases PPM1A and PP2A, which physically interact with SMAD2/3, thereby promoting their dephosphorylation. Effect of simvastatin on TGF-β1-induced fibroblast activation was annulled by okadaic acid, an inhibitor of protein-phosphatase. Conclusions This proof-of-concept study using an in vitro experimental cell culture model identifies the protective role of simvastatin against TGF-β1-induced hVF transformation into activated myofibroblasts through activation of protein phosphatase, a novel target that can be therapeutically modulated to curb excessive cardiac fibrosis associated with maladaptive cardiac remodeling.
Finite-time optimal control of polynomial systems using successive suboptimal approximations

It is shown in this paper that the finite-time optimal control of polynomial systems can be obtained by solving a sequence of optimal control problems for the linearized problem. The paper provides proof of convergence as well as illustration of the procedure by two examples.
Public Policy for Academic Quality : Analyses of Innovative Policy Instruments

This volume summarizes a significant body of research systematically analyzing innovative external quality assurance policies in higher education around the world. It will be essential reading for policy makers, administrators and researchers alike. Over the last decade the structure of higher education in most countries has undergone significant change. This change, brought about by social demands for expanded access, technological developments, and market forces, has seen the traditional concerns with access and cost supplemented by a fresh concern with academic quality. As a result new public policies on academic quality assurance have rapidly emerged and migrated around the globe. However, the public debate about new academic quality assurance policies, both within and across countries, has not always been informed by reliable analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of these innovative instruments. It is this gap that the current edited volume seeks to fill. It is based on the work of the Public Policy for Academic Quality research program (PPAQ), which was designed to provide systematic analyses of innovative external quality assurance policies around the world. This volume, informed by key international scholars, presents the fourteen analyses conducted as part of the PPAQ research program. Each analysis examines the policy goals, implementation problems, and impacts of these newly developed national quality assurance instruments. The book concludes with an assessment of the lessons learned from these collected policy analyses and outlines the framework conditions that appear essential for assuring academic standards in the university sector.
Making the Bible Belt: Texas Prohibitionists and the Politicization of Southern Religion

Joseph L. Locke, an assistant professor of history at the University of Houston-Victoria, has produced a fine dissertation-turned-book that helps explain the origins of the Bible Belt by looking at...
Improvements and limitations of Mie λ-6 potential for prediction of saturated and compressed liquid viscosity

Abstract Over the past decade, the Mie λ-6 (generalized Lennard-Jones) potential has grown in popularity due to its improved accuracy for predicting vapor-liquid coexistence densities and pressure compared to the traditional Lennard-Jones 12-6 potential. This manuscript explores the hypothesis that greater accuracy in characterizing the coexistence properties may lead to greater accuracy for viscosity predictions. Four united-atom force fields are considered in detail: the Transferable Potentials for Phase Equilibria (TraPPE-UA and the recently developed TraPPE-2) model of Siepmann and coworkers, the Transferable Anisotropic Mie (TAMie) model of Gross and coworkers, the fourth generation anisotropic-united-atom (AUA4) model of Ungerer and coworkers, and the model of Potoff and coworkers. Equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations are analyzed using the Green-Kubo method for viscosity characterization. Simulations are performed for linear alkanes with two to twenty-two carbons and branched alkanes with four to eight carbons. Simulation conditions follow the saturated liquid from reduced temperatures of 0.5–0.85 and along the 293 K isotherm in the dense liquid region. In general, the more accurate force fields for coexistence properties do indeed predict viscosity more accurately. For saturated liquids, both Mie-based potential models (Potoff and TAMie) provide roughly 10% accuracy for linear alkanes, while deviations are between 20 and 50% for TraPPE-UA. For branched alkanes, the performance is slightly diminished, but Potoff still provides roughly 15–20% accuracy, while the TAMie force field results in deviations of 20–40%, and TraPPE-UA has deviations of approximately 25–60%. The AUA4 deviations are 10–20% for ethane and 30–60% for 2,2-dimethylpropane, the only compounds tested with the AUA4 force field. The TraPPE-2 deviations for ethane are similar to those using the original TraPPE force field, namely, between 10 and 20%. The percent deviations for each compound and force field tend to increase with decreasing temperature, with the exception of the Potoff deviations for propane, which are nearly constant to the triple point temperature. For compressed liquids, the Mie-based potential models perform better once again than the Lennard-Jones-based force fields, but tend to over estimate the viscosity at very high densities. As the Potoff and TAMie models also tend to over estimate the pressure at high densities, a fortuitous cancellation of errors leads to predictions of viscosity with respect to pressure that are accurate to within about 10%. The comparison with experimental viscosity data is limited to pressures below 200 MPa for most normal and branched alkanes. However, accurate predictions are obtained for propane near 1000 MPa with the Potoff force field.
Conversion Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Distinct Surgical Procedure With Increased Resource Utilization.

Abstract Background Current Procedural Terminology coding currently makes no distinction between primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and conversion TKA, in which periarticular hardware components must be removed prior to or during TKA. We hypothesize that conversion TKA will carry increased operative time, blood loss, postoperative complications, and 90-day emergency department/readmission rate compared to primary TKA. Methods Patients undergoing conversion TKA from 2005 to 2017 were identified from an institutional database and matched to primary TKA patients by age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, body mass index, and procedure date (±1 year). Intraoperative data and 90-day postoperative complications were compared between groups. Results One hundred nine conversion TKA patients with periarticular hardware were removed prior to (n = 51) or during (n = 58) TKA and 109 primary TKA control patients were included. Conversion TKA was associated with increased tourniquet time (91 vs 71 minutes, P Conclusion Conversion TKA is associated with higher operative time, blood loss, readmission rate, and postoperative complications compared to primary TKA. Without a proper billing code and appropriate reimbursement level to match the expected operative and postacute resource utilization by these cases, physicians may be disincentivized to perform these operations.
Diffusion Process Representations for a Scalar-Field Schrödinger Equation Solution in Rotating Coordinates

A particular class of Schrodinger initial value problems is considered, wherein a particle moves in a scalar field centered at the origin, and more specifically, the distribution associated to the solution of the Schrodinger equation has negligible mass in the neighborhood of the origin. The Schrodinger equation is converted to the dequantized form, and a non-inertial frame centered along the trajectory of a classical particle is employed. A solution approximation as a series expansion in a small parameter is obtained through the use of complex-valued diffusion-process representations, where under a smoothness assumption, the expansion converges to the true solution. In the case of an expansion up through only the cubic terms in the space variable, there exist approximate solutions that are periodic with the period of a classical particle, but with an additional secular perturbation. The computations required for solution up to a finite order are purely analytical.
Subcellular localization of drug distribution by super-resolution ion beam imaging

Technologies that visualize multiple biomolecules at the nanometer scale in cells will enable deeper understanding of biological processes that proceed at the molecular scale. Current fluorescence-based methods for microscopy are constrained by a combination of spatial resolution limitations, limited parameters per experiment, and detector systems for the wide variety of biomolecules found in cells. We present here super-resolution ion beam imaging (srIBI), a secondary ion mass spectrometry approach capable of high-parameter imaging in 3D of targeted biological entities and exogenously added small molecules. Uniquely, the atomic constituents of the biomolecules themselves can often be used in our system as the "tag". We visualized the subcellular localization of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin simultaneously with localization of five other nuclear structures, with further carbon elemental mapping and secondary electron visualization, down to ~30 nm lateral resolution. Cisplatin was preferentially enriched in nuclear speckles and excluded from closed-chromatin regions, indicative of a role for cisplatin in active regions of chromatin. These data highlight how multiplexed super-resolution techniques, such as srIBI, will enable studies of biomolecule distributions in biologically relevant subcellular microenvironments.
V- and W-band Two-Way Waveguide Splitters Fabricated by Metal Additive Manufacturing

V-band andW-band two-way rectangular waveguide splitters are designed and fabricated using additive manufacturing by direct metal laser sintering of AlSiMg and maraging steel. The designs include a septum and tapers which improve performance but are difficult to achieve using conventional split-block machining. Standard WR-15 and WR-10 waveguide flanges are manufactured together with the waveguides and then alignment pin holes are tapped after printing. Otherwise, no post-processing is applied to the components. Measurements show that the maraging steel has better feature fabrication. The measured return loss is below 20 dB over both bands. The measured coupling ranges from 4 to 6 dB in V band and 5 to 8 dB at W band, between waveguide flanges. The estimated loss increase due to surface roughness ranges from 10.8 dB/m at 62.5GHz to 33.9 dB/m at 92.5 GHz. Measured asymmetries in the coupled port responses are explained by full-wave simulations of the actual fabricated geometry.
Spectral phase coherence in HOM interferometry

We examine the role of spectral phase in Hong-Ou-Mandel interference by comparing interferograms for pure and mixed states. We find that HOM interference cannot be taken as a signature of coherent frequency superpositions.
Helping preservice teachers realize the transformative potential of read alouds

ABSTRACTA common instructional practice in early childhood classrooms is the picturebook read aloud. The purpose of this investigation was to help preservice teachers learn to plan picturebook read...
Analysis on Mettallogenic Regularity and Ore-forming Pattern of Bofang Copper Mineral Deposit

Bofang Copper Mineral deposit belongs to depositing-reworking type,which is firstly stemmed from sedimentation then reworking and enriching through the leaching affect of ground water.The mineralization is closely related to the Cretaceous strata and tectonics.Applying the regularity that ore bodies' location were controlled by the topography of old basement under Cretaceous strata and carst,the distributing rule of ore bodies were revealed,and then the prospecting direction was carried out.
Effect of oxytetracycline treatment on the gastrointestinal microbiome of critically endangered white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni) treated for withering syndrome

Abstract White abalone (Haliotis sorenseni) are critically endangered marine gastropods that are native to kelp forests in the northeastern Pacific. White abalone are highly susceptible to withering syndrome, a fatal bacterial disease caused by Candidatus Xenohaliotis californiensis (CaXc), an intracellular, order Rickettsiales prokaryote that is endemic throughout the white abalone's range in California and Mexico. Oxytetracycline (OTC) baths at a dose of 500 mg/L are successful in clearing CaXc infections from the gastrointestinal tract of infected abalone. The impact of OTC treatment on the diversity and stability of the gut microbiome in white abalone is unknown. The objectives of this study were two-fold: (1) to characterize the gastrointestinal microbiome of clinically-normal white abalone and (2) to compare the gastrointestinal microbiomes of OTC-treated white abalone to those of control animals. Gastrointestinal tracts from five OTC-treated individuals and five untreated controls were sampled at each time point: day 0, one day after the 21-day OTC treatment (day 22), and at 203 days post-treatment. Gastrointestinal tract microbiomes were analyzed after amplification and sequence of the 16S rRNA. Gastrointestinal microbiomes of untreated animals were dominated by three core bacterial phyla: Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Reduced Shannon α-diversity and absence of various phyla in the microbiome of OTC-treated animals were observed in samples at day 22. Bacterial profiles were improved in terms of α-diversity at 203 days but some bacterial phyla, mainly Fusobacteria, remained absent. All animals remained clinically normal throughout the study period and there was no significant difference in a condition index between the two groups. OTC treatment for withering syndrome appears to be clinically safe in white abalone.
Left atrial mass: relationship between gross anatomy and quantitative echocardiography.

Abstract Background Left atrial (LA) enlargement is associated with increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Unlike the left ventricular mass, LA mass has not been described. We sought to define the anatomic mass of the LA using anatomic specimens from autopsy. We hypothesized that LA mass could be estimated by echocardiography. Methods and results Using anatomic specimens of 22 subjects who died and underwent post mortem examination as well as echocardiogram, we defined normal LA mass by weighing anatomic specimens of those with normal LA volume on echocardiogram. Using 17 subjects with normal LA volume on echocardiogram, we found their LA mass on anatomic specimens to be 25.5 ± 6.3 grams (14.4 ± 3.2 g/m2). We developed an echocardiographic measure of LA mass and validated this measurement with paired LA anatomic specimens. We found the normal LA mass on echocardiogram to be 25.4 ± 6.3 g (14.4 ± 2.8 g/m2) which correlated well with anatomic specimens (β = 0.99; Confidence interval CI 0.6–1.4, P Conclusions LA mass is an additional parameter with which may contribute to the study of LA morphology.
Predictors of visual outcomes in pediatric open globe injuries

Purpose To identify predictors of visual outcomes in children with open globe injuries. Methods The medical records of patients (≤18 years of age) with open globe injury from 2012 to 2020 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. The Pediatric Ocular Trauma Scores (POTS) and Toddler Ocular Trauma Scores (TOTS) were assessed against our cohort. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of visual outcome. Results A total of 85 eyes of 85 pediatric patients (63 males [74%]) were included. Median patient age was 8.9 years. Final best-corrected visual acuity was significantly associated with presenting vision (P = 0.0001), age at injury (P = 0.02), lens involvement (P Conclusions We identified patient characteristics predicting visual outcomes in a large US-based cohort of pediatric open globe injuries. POTS and TOTS scores moderately correlated with final visual acuity; however, the small study sizes from which they were derived preclude our identifying which predictors are most important. Development of a more predictive model will require a large multicenter study population or registry.
A Comparison of Reported Outcomes of Anterior Cervical Spinal Surgery Among Neurosurgeons in Africa and North America.

BACKGROUND Neurosurgical practice in some African countries has significant differences in patient load and resource availability compared with North America. We designed a survey to determine reported differences in outcome of anterior cervical decompression and fusion surgery, including blood loss, length of stay, and follow-up time, among physicians on different continents. We expected outcomes in all categories to be pronounced between respondents in Africa compared with North America due to a multitude of factors. METHODS The survey consisted of 7 questions and was sent to 352 neurosurgeons practicing on the continents of North America, Africa, or Other. RESULTS A total of 62 surgeons responded, 44 from Africa, 15 from North America, and 3 from Other. A greater percentage of respondents in Africa reported an average follow-up time within 2 weeks compared with respondents practicing in North America (63.6% and 40%, respectively). On blood loss, 56% of surgeons in Africa reported >50 mL of intraoperative blood loss compared with 6.67% for respondents in North America. Over 90% reported length of stay of 2 or more days in Africa, compared with 6.67% in North America. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate greater advances in reported surgical outcomes for patients in Africa than we expected, but still highlight key areas for improvement, almost certainly due to lack of resources.
Optimal allocation in stratified cluster-based outcome-dependent sampling designs

In public health research, finite resources often require that decisions be made at the study design stage regarding which individuals to sample for detailed data collection. At the same time, when study units are naturally clustered, as patients are in clinics, it may be preferable to sample clusters rather than the study units, especially when the costs associated with travel between clusters are high. In this setting, aggregated data on the outcome and select covariates are sometimes routinely available through, for example, a country's Health Management Information System. If used wisely, this information can be used to guide decisions regarding which clusters to sample, and potentially obtain gains in efficiency over simple random sampling. In this article, we derive a series of formulas for optimal allocation of resources when a single-stage stratified cluster-based outcome-dependent sampling design is to be used and a marginal mean model is specified to answer the question of interest. Specifically, we consider two settings: (i) when a particular parameter in the mean model is of primary interest; and, (ii) when multiple parameters are of interest. We investigate the finite population performance of the optimal allocation framework through a comprehensive simulation study. Our results show that there are trade-offs that must be considered at the design stage: optimizing for one parameter yields efficiency gains over balanced and simple random sampling, while resulting in losses for the other parameters in the model. Optimizing for all parameters simultaneously yields smaller gains in efficiency, but mitigates the losses for the other parameters in the model.
Hydrothermal carbonization of anaerobically digested sewage sludge for hydrochar production

Abstract Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) can process anaerobic digestion effluent (ADE) from sewage sludge into hydrochar and liquor. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of HTC temperature, time, and initial ADE pH on the yields and properties of hydrochar and liquor. HTC was conducted at different ADE pH (original ~8.2 and modified ~6.8), temperatures (180 to 260 °C) and times (30 to 70 min) following a central composite design. Hydrochar yields from ADE at original and modified pH ranged from 70 to 80% and 62% to73%, respectively. Higher temperatures resulted in lower hydrochar and liquor yields. The obtained hydrochar had a low carbon content, high ash content, high H/C ratio, and low higher heating value, suggesting that it has little potential as solid fuel, and more potential as soil amendment. The liquor's composition and chemical oxygen demand indicate a potential for recirculation into anaerobic digestion.
Awareness to E-Commerce Development and Sales Performance Among Small and Medium Enterprises in the Municipality of Bansalan: A Correlational Analysis

Electronic commerce developments have helped organizations in essentially every space of the worldwide economy. This study aims to assess and additionally dissect the effect of web-based business and undertaking deals development on purchaser purchasing conduct, particularly among residents of the Municipality of Bansalan who essentially utilize online media sites to buy labor and products. In order to examine the extent to which or more variables are related to one another, the researcher uses a correlational research in which the researchers measure two variables and assesses the statistical relationship between them with little or no effort to control extraneous variables. Thirty (30) respondents returned to answer the survey forms, where data gathered through physically handling the questionnaire to the enterpriser’s owner. The results on E-commerce development and enterprise deals development with the application of mean, frequency, Pearson r, and Regression Analysis, The Level of Awareness to e-commerce development when grouped according to Business Category suggest that there is no significant difference between the level of awareness to e-commerce development when grouped according to the business category.
High-probability Convergence Bounds for Non-convex Stochastic Gradient Descent.

Stochastic gradient descent is one of the most common iterative algorithms used in machine learning. While being computationally cheap to implement, recent literature suggests it may have implicit regularization properties that prevent over-fitting. This paper analyzes the properties of stochastic gradient descent from a theoretical standpoint to help bridge the gap between theoretical and empirical results. Most theoretical results either assume convexity or only provide convergence results in mean, while this paper proves convergence bounds in high probability without assuming convexity. Assuming strong smoothness, we prove high probability convergence bounds in two settings: (1) assuming the Polyak-{\L}ojasiewicz inequality and norm sub-Gaussian gradient noise and (2) assuming norm sub-Weibull gradient noise. In the first setting, we combine our convergence bounds with existing generalization bounds in order to bound the true risk and show that for a certain number of epochs, convergence and generalization balance in such a way that the true risk goes to the empirical minimum as the number of samples goes to infinity. In the second setting, as an intermediate step to proving convergence, we prove a probability result of independent interest. The probability result extends Freedman-type concentration beyond the sub-exponential threshold to heavier-tailed martingale difference sequences.
At home and online during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and the relationship to alcohol consumption in a national sample of U.S. adults.

Introduction The current study aimed to understand the links between social media use and alcohol consumption during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method Data were from the national Understanding American Study, a probability-based Internet panel weighted to represent the U.S. population. Subjects (N = 5874; 51% female) were adults, 18 years and older, who completed a March survey (wave 1) and a follow-up survey one month later (wave 3). Analyses assessed the relationships of social media use at wave 1 with wave 3 alcohol use frequency, accounting for wave 1 alcohol use frequency and the sociodemographic characteristics of the sample. Two alcohol use change variables were also assessed as outcomes-increased and decreased alcohol use between waves. We considered the effect of work status changes (working/studying from home and job loss) as potential moderators. Results Twitter and Instagram users and users of multiple social media platforms, but not Facebook users, drank more frequently at wave 3. The results were similar when assessing relationships between social media use and increased alcohol use between waves. For Instagram users, more frequent alcohol use at wave 3 was at least partially attributed to drinking frequency at wave 1. Additionally, working/studying from home at wave 3 and employment (rather than job loss) were associated with greater consumption. The interaction effect between Twitter use and working/studying from home was statistically significant in association with alcohol use frequency at wave 3, as was the interaction effect between using multiple platforms and working/studying from home in association with decreased alcohol use between waves. Discussion Exposure to content about COVID-19 and increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic may have contributed to more frequent alcohol use for some social media users. The study of public health messaging via social media to change alcohol use behaviors during traumatic events is warranted.
Protestantism and Patriotism: An Orangist revolution

How successful were the English at achieving their war aims? Was there any evidence that English pressure, either external or internal, succeeded in destabilizing the Dutch republican regime? While Dutch political culture was fluid, its ebbs and flows frequently responding to the most recent battle news from the North Sea, there can be no doubting the ubiquity of popular political criticism throughout the United Provinces in the first two years of the war. Almost as soon as Parliament resoundingly signaled its support of the war, the usually booming Dutch economy began to wilt. The United Provinces “is in an uproar for want of trade,” Gilbert Talbot informed his fellow ambassador Henry Coventry during the war's first spring, the Dutch navy “must be forced to fight us or their leaders will be torn in pieces.” In letter after letter George Downing reported that “the people here are weary of the war” not so much for what they had already lost “but because they see no probability of an end thereof, and (say they) how is it possible for us to hold out and have no trade.” So discontented were the people that “many poor artists daily quit this country for want of employment, and many merchants speak of removing this spring if the peace be not made before.” Not only had the war severed Dutch trade routes, but the astronomically high taxes necessitated by the war were crushing the domestic economy.
Abstract #DDT01-3: Identification of the p21-activated kinase inhibitor PF-3758309: A key effector of Ras signaling

The p21-activated kinase (PAK) family members are key effectors of Rho family GTPases. These small G protein act as regulatory switches that control such cellular processes as motility, proliferation, and cell survival. Some members of this family (such as Cdc42) have been shown to be required for Ras driven tumorigenesis. PAK4 is a key effector for Cdc42 and mediates downstream signals that control cell motility, proliferation and cell survival. To date, PAK4 is the only PAK family member that has been shown to be oncogenic and able to drive anchorage independent growth when activated. PAK4 expression and activity is broadly up-regulated in solid tumors of epithelial origin and the PAK4 gene maps to an amplicon associated with ovarian and pancreatic cancers. The PAK family consists of two sub groups; group I that consists of PAK1,2,3 and group II that consists of PAK4,5,6. Both PAK4 and PAK1 have been shown to be required for Ras driven transformation. PF-3758309 is an ATP-competitive inhibitor of PAK4 kinase domain (Kd = 4.5 nM). In engineered cell assays, PF-3758309 inhibited PAK4 dependent phosphorylation of its substrate GEF-H1 (IC50 = 1 nM). Anchorage-independent growth inhibition is a critical phenotype that has been rigorously associated with PAK4 inhibition. PF-3758309 potently inhibits the anchorage independent growth of HCT116 cells (IC50 = 0.24 nM). PF-3758309 exhibited broad anti-proliferative activity across a panel of 67 cell lines (CRC/pancreatic/NSCLC): 66% IC50 70%TGI at 15-20 mg/kg PO) by PF-3758309: HCT116, A549, MDAMB231, M24met, and Colo205. PK/PD modeling of tumor growth inhibition in the HCT116 model yielded an EC50 = 400 pM (unbound). PF-3758309 is a kinase inhibitor that has been widely profiled biochemically: (146 kinase assays, 74 CEREP assays), cellularly (171 cellular assays), and in vivo (tumor proteomics). By biochemical analysis, PF-3758309 is an inhibitor of PAK1, 4, 5, 6. Broad kinase screening has demonstrated that this is a selective inhibitor with potential additional activities (Src, Fyn, AMPK, CHK). The pharmacodynamic and antitumor effects of PF-3758309 support its evaluation as an anticancer agent. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr DDT01-3.
Experimental Evaluation of Sponsored Search Auction Mechanisms

The theory of sponsored search has been developing rapidly although with disagreement in scientific circles on answers to some basic questions about sponsored search. This study focuses on two of these questions, namely, if a search engine seeks to maximize profits, 1) what should its pricing policy be and 2) what should its ranking policy be. This paper uses experiments with economically motivated human subjects to address these questions. We evaluate six different sponsored search auction formats with two different pricing policies (Pay-per-transaction & Pay-per-click) and three different ranking policies (Rank by relevance, Rank by click-through rate, & Rank by both relevance and click-through rate). Our results suggest that Pay-per-click is superior and the reason behind its superiority is behavioral in nature whereas the ranking policy has significant effect on search engine revenue and advertiser profit.
Measurement Uncertainty due to Work-piece Error Interaction with Sampling Period

Dimensional measurements based upon point sampling contain theoretically infinite uncertainties in the intervals between sample locations. In practice, the uncertainty is bounded due to material and process constraints which produce an effective minimum spatial frequency for surface errors. In this paper we develop a relation for measurement uncertainty due to workpiece form error using the ratio between the spatial frequency of workpiece errors and the sampling period. Several applications of this calculation are briefly discussed.
Microsomal and cytosolic epoxide hydrolase and glutathione S-transferase activities in the gill, liver, and kidney of the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri: Baseline levels and optimization of assay conditions

Abstract Microsomal and cytosolic epoxide hydrolase (mEH and cEH respectively) and glutathione S -transferase (GST) activities were measured in the liver, kidney, and gills of rainbow trout. Assays were optimized for time, pH, and temperature, using trans -stilbene oxide (TSO) and cis -stilbene oxide (CSO) as substrates for cEH and mEH, respectively. Optimal pH values for mEH, cEH, and GST were similar to mammalian values (i.e. 8.5, 7.5, and 9). Temperature optima differed between tissues and cell fractions. Specific activity of cEH-TSO was 3–14 times greater than mEH-CSO for all three tissues, and 8–60 times greater on a tissue weight basis. Liver and, to a lesser extent, kidney mEH were active against benzo[ a ]pyrene 4,5-oxide, whereas gill mEH was not active against this substrate. Liver cytosolic GST was active against CSO and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) but not TSO, whereas gill and kidney cytosolic GST were active only against CDNB. Liver and kidney microsomal GST were active against CDNB, but no activity was found in gill microsomes. The results are discussed in relation to possible endogenous substrates and uninduced xenobiotic metabolizing capacities of different trout tissues.