cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulated central vision loss impairs implicit location probability learning.

Abstract Some eye diseases, especially macular degeneration, can cause central vision loss (CVL), impairing goal-driven guidance of attention. Does CVL also affect implicit, experience-driven attention? We investigated how simulated central scotomas affected young adults' ability to prioritize locations frequently containing visual search targets (location probability learning). Participants searched among distractor letter ‘L's for a target ‘T’ that appeared more often in one screen quadrant than others. To dissociate potential impairments to statistical learning of target locations and attentional guidance, two experiments each included search with and without simulated scotomas. Experiment 1 successfully induced probability learning in a no-scotoma phase. When participants later searched both with and without simulated scotomas, they showed persistent, statistically equivalent spatial biases in both no-scotoma and scotoma search. Experiment 2 trained participants with a central scotoma. While Experiment 1's participants acquired probability learning regardless of their self-reported awareness of the target's location probability, in Experiment 2 only aware participants learned to bias attention to the high probability region. Similarly, learning with a scotoma affected search with no scotoma in aware but not unaware participants. Together, these results show that simulated central vision loss interferes with the acquisition of implicitly learned location probability learning, supporting a role of central vision in implicit spatial attentional biases.
Non-Redundant Sparse Array with Flexible Aperture

In this paper, we present a novel non-redundant sparse array design that simultaneously achieves the highest possible number of degrees-of-freedom and a flexible array aperture, resulting in superior direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation performance. We first develop a zero-redundancy design rule based on the co-array properties of the sparse arrays. This design rule guides the construction of non-redundant sparse arrays with a compact as well as a flexible aperture. As a result, given the same number of physical sensors, the proposed array design provides a difference co-array with the maximum number of correlation lags and resolves more sources than the minimum redundancy array. Moreover, the proposed array design provides better DOA estimation resolution compared to the minimum hole array due to the extended array aperture. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed array design compared to the existing array structures.
Examining patterns of postnatal feeding in relation to infant's weight during the first year.

Abstract Background There is mixed evidence regarding specific infant feeding behaviors and later risk for overweight and obesity. We sought to detect underlying patterns in duration of breastfeeding, introduction of solid foods and sweetened beverages, in order to understand the relation to later weight. Methods Patterns of postnatal feeding were examined among infants enrolled in the Infant Feeding Practices Study II (N = 3033). At monthly intervals, mothers reported on the duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding, age of solid food and sweetened beverage introduction, and reported infant weight at ages 9- and 12-months. Latent profile analysis was used to empirically derive patterns of postnatal feeding and examine associations with weight z-scores at 9 and 12 months. Results Two profiles emerged: (1) Short breastfeeding duration and early introduction to solid foods and sweetened beverages (Short BF/Early Introduction; 53%) and (2) longer breastfeeding duration and later introduction to solid foods and sweetened beverages (Longer BF/Later Introduction; 43%). Infants in the Shorter BF/Early Introduction profile had significantly greater weight z-scores at 9 (M = 0.18) and 12 months (M = 0.26), compared to those in the Longer BF/Later Introduction profile (M = −0.21; M = −0.17, respectively). Conclusions Overall, shorter BF duration and earlier food and sweetened beverage introduction is associated with higher weight z-scores at 9 and 12 months. Early intervention should aim to promote breastfeeding and later introduction of solids and discourage consumption of sweetened beverages. These postnatal patterns of feeding behaviors provides important context to inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing risk for later obesity.
Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer: Financial Risk and Expenditures in the United States, 2008 to 2017.

Purpose Rising cancer care expenditures and technological advancement of shorter radiation therapy regimens have drawn significant attention to the use of hypofractionated radiation therapy in clinical care. We examine the costs of hypofractionated whole breast irradiation (HF-WBI) compared with conventional whole breast irradiation (CF-WBI) in the United States and investigate the influences of patient characteristics and commercial insurance on HF-WBI use. Methods and Materials In a retrospective study using private employer-sponsored insurance claims, a pooled cross-sectional evaluation of radiation therapy in patients with commercial insurance was performed from 2008 to 2017. The study population included female patients with early-stage breast cancer treated with lumpectomy and whole breast irradiation. Results A total of 15,869 women received HF-WBI, and 59,328 received CF-WBI. HF-WBI use increased from 2008 to 2017. Community-level factors such as a higher proportion of college graduates and greater mixed racial composition were associated with increased HF-WBI use. Mean insurer-paid radiation therapy expenditures were significantly lower for HF-WBI versus CF-WBI (adjusted difference, $6375; 95% confidence interval, $6147–$6603). Mean patient out-of-pocket expenditure for HF-WBI was $139 less than that for CF-WBI. Geographic variation existed across the United States in HF-WBI use (range, 9.6%-36.2%), with no consistent relationship between HF-WBI use and corresponding average cost differences between HF-WBI and CF-WBI. Conclusions If trends continue, HF-WBI will soon become the dominant form of radiation treatment in the United States. Although HF-WBI represents significant savings to the health care system and individual patients, no evidence indicated that a financial disincentive had slowed adoption of HF-WBI. Therefore, multilevel approaches, including individuals, the community, and health policy, should be used to promote cost-effective cancer care. Innovations to policies on cost-effective radiation therapy treatment might consider non-financial incentives to promote HF-WBI use.
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Cystic Fibrosis: Variables Influencing Sinonasal and Pulmonary Outcomes.

Background Endoscopic sinus surgery is a well-established treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis in patients with cystic fibrosis, though its benefits seem to be limited to improving sinonasal symptoms rather than affecting lung function. Objective This study aims to identify clinical and demographic factors that may influence sinonasal and pulmonary outcomes after surgery. Methods This is a six-year retrospective analysis of adult cystic fibrosis patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery at a tertiary care center. 22-Item Sino-Nasal Outcomes Test scores and mean forced expiratory volume data at baseline and three to six months after surgery were analyzed using t-test and stepwise regression with the following covariates: age, gender, lung transplant, revision surgery, and pseudomonas on sinus culture. Results 119 surgeries were performed on 88 patients, with 69% on patients with transplant. The overall mean (Standard Deviation) improvement in 22-Item Sino-Nasal Outcomes Test score was 9.42 (18.15) for the entire cohort (P Conclusion Although surgery was associated with a clinically and statistically significant improvement in sinonasal scores in cystic fibrosis patients, patients with pseudomonas may experience less benefit. Revision surgery and older age may be associated with less favorable pulmonary outcomes. Awareness of such variables may help when deciding which cystic fibrosis patients should undergo surgery.
Characterization of the CpG island hypermethylated phenotype (CIMP) subclass in primary melanomas.

Cutaneous melanoma can be lethal even if detected at an early stage. Epigenetic profiling may facilitate the identification of aggressive primary melanomas with unfavorable outcomes. We performed clustering of whole-genome methylation data to identify subclasses that were then assessed for survival, clinical features, methylation patterns and biological pathways. Among 89 cutaneous primary invasive melanomas, we identified three methylation subclasses exhibiting low-methylation (LM), intermediate-methylation (IM), or hypermethylation of CpG islands, known as the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP). CIMP melanomas occurred as early as T-stage 1b; and, compared with LM melanomas, were associated with age at diagnosis >65 years, lentigo maligna melanoma histologic subtype, presence of ulceration, higher AJCC stage and T-stage, and lower tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) grade (all p<0.05). Patients with CIMP melanomas had worse melanoma-specific survival (HR=11.84; CI=4.65-30.20) than those with LM melanomas, adjusted for age, sex, AJCC stage, and TIL grade. Genes hypermethylated in CIMP compared with LM melanomas included PTEN, VDR, PD-L1, TET2 and gene sets related to development/differentiation, the extracellular matrix and immunity. CIMP melanomas exhibited hypermethylation of genes important in melanoma progression and tumor immunity; and, although present in some early melanomas, CIMP was associated with worse survival independent of known prognostic factors.
Subsurface Imaging in Acoustic Microscopy

Acoustic microscopy is capable of producing micrographs with a high degree of resolution. When an acoustic microscope operates in the transmission mode, the micrograph is simply a shadowgraph of all the structure encountered by the paths of acoustic rays passing through the objects. Because of diffraction and overlapping, the resultant images are difficult to comprehend in the case of specimens of substantial thickness and structural complexity. The principles of diffraction tomography and acoustic holography can be used to overcome this problem. In this paper, we present experimental results of subsurface imaging using holographic image reconstruction with a modified scanning laser acoustic microscope (SLAM). We describe how to model the imaging process as a two-dimensional linear system. The compensation for the nonuniform frequency response of the wavefield detection and the computation of wave propagation are discussed. We show a series of images to demonstrate that high-quality, high-resolution subsurface images can be obtained from holographic data with image processing.
A Partnership to Promote Teacher Preparation for Inclusive, Urban Schools: Four Voices.

Abstract This article describes a unique partnership between a university and an urban school district. University students complete a one-year internship. Major stakeholders provided evaluation data which are shared in this article. The data from this investigation confirmed our belief in the value of an immersion program in a fully inclusive urban setting. The authors describe extended research efforts as well as make recommendations for future partnership investigations.
Critical Care Issues of the Geriatric Patient

Medical care of the geriatric patient is an important area of focus as the population ages and life expectancy increases. In particular, critical care of the geriatric patient will be especially affected, because geriatric patients will consume most critical care beds in the future and subsequently require increased use of resources. This review focuses on the physiologic effects of aging on all body systems. Focus on frailty and its effect on recovery from critical illness and its potential to modify the course of patient care will be important areas of research in the future.
Studies on the glycosidases in jack bean meal. II. Sepation of various glycosidases by isoelectric focusing.

Abstract β-N-Acetylglucosaminidase, α-mannosidase, and β-galactosidase were simultaneously separated from jack bean meal extract by means of isoelectric focusing technique. These glycosidases were isolated and purified 80- to 170-fold with yields of 40 to 60%. pI values of these enzymes were found to be 4.8, 6.2, and 8.4, respectively.
The response of human marrow colony-forming units-granulocyte and macrophage to inhibition by prostaglandin E and acidic isoferritins is associated with expression of MHC class II antigens and requires the participation of a CD8+ T lymphokine.

The in vitro expression of MHC class II Ag by human bone marrow colony-forming unit-granulocyte and macrophage (CFU-GM) and their proliferative response to negative growth regulators in agar culture are transient and can be modulated in vitro by 24-h suspension culture in the presence of PGE. Analysis of the participation of accessory cells in this phenomenon indicates that the ability of PGE to modulate CFU-GM MHC class II expression, the proportion of CFU-GM in S-phase of the cell cycle and the responsiveness of CFU-GM to inhibition in vitro by two negative growth regulators, acidic isoferritin inhibitory activity and PGE itself, requires the participation of CD8+ T lymphocytes. This effect is mediated by a lymphokine of m.w. 27,000 that we have purified to apparent homogeneity. This lymphokine possesses neither colony stimulatory nor inhibitory activity, is produced by both peripheral blood and bone marrow CD8+ T lymphocytes, as well as the CEM T-ALL cell line, and requires the obligatory presence of PGE for activity.
Cells for Tissue Engineering

Cells provide the functional component of artificial tissue and organs and in this chapter, we introduce the concept of cells at it applies to the tissue and organ fabrication process. We begin with an introduction to cell biology and discuss cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. We also describe cellular signaling and discuss the structure and function of cellular junctions. We describe the cell culture process and explain different stages of cell culture and expansion. During the course of this chapter, we provide a description of cell transplantation and the use of stem cells for tissue engineering and cell therapy.
On The Applicability of Data Envelopment Analysis for Multiple Attriliute Decision Making in the Context of Information Systems Appraisals

This article elaborates on the applicability of basic and extended data envelopment analysis (DEA) models for various information system (IS) decision use-cases including illustrative examples from an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software investment appraisal. The usage of data envelopment analysis models and their extensions for IS decisions remains limited. This omission seems critical in particular for two reasons. First, organizational studies have shown that in practice business management fails to appreciate the portfolio of investment appraisal techniques available. Second, DEA based methodologies, especially new extensions, promise valuable insights to support the complex IS decision problem. The results indicate DEA applicability in a number of use-cases, e.g. for structural analysis of system alternatives or validation of ranking outcomes.
Are Telecommuters Remotely Good Citizens? Unpacking Telecommuting's Effects on Performance Via I-Deals and Job Resources

Despite their widespread adoption, concerns remain that virtual work arrangements can harm employee job performance and citizenship behavior. Does telecommuting really hamper these critical dimensions of employee effectiveness? To answer this question, we develop a theoretical framework linking telecommuting to task and contextual performance via a dual set of mechanisms—reflecting proposed effects of i-deals and job resources. Further, we propose that the meaning of and outcomes from these paths depend on the social context surrounding telecommuting. We test the framework with field data from 323 employees and 143 matched supervisors across a variety of organizations. As predicted, we find that telecommuting is positively associated with task and contextual performance, directly and indirectly via perceived autonomy. These beneficial effects are contingent upon two aspects of the social context: leader-member exchange and signals of its normative appropriateness among coworkers and one's supervisor.
Image Makers: Advertising, Public Relations, and the Ethos of Advocacy

Talking dogs pitching ethnic food. Heart-tugging appeals for contributions. Recruitment calls for enlistment in the military. Tub-thumpers excoriating American society with over-the-top rhetoric. Everywhere we turn, we are exhorted to spend money, join organizations, rally to causes or express outrage. "Image Makers" is a comprehensive analysis of modern advocacy - from commercials to public service ads to government propaganda - and its roots in advertising and public relations. Robert Jackall and Janice M. Hirota explore the fashioning of the apparatus of advocacy through the stories of two organizations, the Committee on Public Information, which sold the Great War to the American public, and the Advertising Council, which since the Second World War has been the main coordinator of public service advertising. They then turn to the career of William Bernbach, the adman's adman, who reinvented advertising and grappled creatively with the profound skepticism of a propaganda-weary midcentury public. Jackall and Hirota argue that the tools-in-trade and habits of mind of "image makers" have now migrated into every corner of modern society. Advocacy is now a vocation for many, and American society abounds as well with "techncians in moral outrage", including street-smart impresarios, feminist preachers and bombastic talk-radio hosts. The apparatus and ethos of advocacy give rise to endlessly shifting patterns of conflicting representations and claims, and in their midst "Image Makers" offers a clear and spirited understanding of advocacy in contemporary society and the quandaries it generates.
The Global Availability of Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 7 ETM+ Land Surface Observations and Implications for Global 30m Landsat Data Product Generation

Abstract With the advent of the free U.S. Landsat data policy it is now feasible to consider the generation of global coverage 30 m Landsat data sets with temporal reporting frequency similar to that provided by the monthly Web Enabled Landsat (WELD) products. A statistical Landsat metadata analysis is reported considering more than 800,000 Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 7 ETM + acquisitions obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center archive. The global monthly probabilities of acquiring a cloud-free land surface observation for December 1998 to November 2001 (2000 epoch) and from December 2008 to November 2011 (2010 epoch) are reported to assess the availability of the Landsat data in the USGS Landsat archive for global multi-temporal land remote sensing applications. The global probabilities of acquiring a cloud-free land surface observation in each of three different seasons with the highest seasonal probabilities of cloud-free land surface observation are reported, considering one, two and three years of Landsat data, to assess the availability of Landsat data for global land cover mapping. The probabilities are derived considering Landsat 5 TM only, Landsat 7 ETM + only, and both sensors combined, to examine the relative benefits of using one or both Landsat sensors. The results demonstrate the utility of combing both Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 7 ETM + data streams to take advantage of their different acquisition patterns and to mitigate the deleterious impact of the Landsat 7 ETM + 2003 scan line failure. Sensor combination provided a greater global acquisition coverage with a 1.7% to 14.4% higher percentage of land locations acquired monthly compared to considering Landsat 7 ETM + data alone. The mean global monthly probability of a cloud-free land surface observation for the combined sensors was up to nearly 1.4 and 6.7 times greater than for ETM + and TM alone respectively. The probability of acquiring a cloud-free Landsat land surface observation in different seasons was greater when more years of data were considered and when both Landsat sensor data were combined. Considering combined sensors and 36 months of data, 86.4% and 84.2% of the global land locations had probabilities ≥ 0.95 for the 2000 and 2010 epochs respectively, with a global mean probability of 0.92 (σ 0.24) for the 2000 epoch and 0.90 (σ 0.28) for the 2010 epoch. These results indicate that 36 months of combined Landsat sensor data will provide sufficient land surface observations for 30 m global land cover mapping using a multi-temporal supervised classification scheme.
Nonlinear modeling of pulsed and CW HIFU beams for dual-mode ultrasound arrays

Nonlinear propagation can have beneficial or detrimental effects on focused ultrasound beams for imaging and therapy. The advent of piezocomposite transducer technology have allowed for the fabrication of new generation of therapeutic arrays with relatively wide bandwidth and low cross coupling between elements (resulting in new dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) systems for imaging and therapy). The feedback capabilities of DMUAs offer new opportunities to characterize the HIFU beam in situ, including its spectral components due to harmonic generation. This form of feedback allows for the optimization of the DMUA driving patterns to achieve maximum therapeutic gain, by maximizing the harmonic generation within the focal spot. We present results of full 3D modeling of nonlinear wave propagation from the surface of currently available DMUA prototypes (1 and 3.5 MHz) into the treatment volume, modeled as heterogeneous absorbing medium. For example, a 1 MHz DMUA with f-number of 0.8 when geometrically focused at 100 mm with surface intensity of 2.2 W/cm2 was simulated. For 4-second exposure, accounting for harmonic generation resulted in ∼10% increase in peak temperature at the focus. We will present and discuss examples of complex DMUA focus patterns in the context of therapeutic gain.
Role of ERCP and other endoscopic modalities in chronic pancreatitis.

GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY S237 Chronic pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition that destroys endocrine and exocrine function of the gland to varying degrees and causes fibrosis of the pancreas.1 Fibrosis may be accentuated in focal areas such as the sphincter of Oddi or main duct stricture or it may be diffuse throughout the gland, including small ducts. Other sequelae of chronic pancreatitis include pseudocysts and pancreatic stones. The etiologies of chronic pancreatitis are shown in Table 1. The frequency of the various chronic sequelae is shown on Table 2. ERCP and EUS play both diagnostic and therapeutic roles in patients with chronic pancreatitis.2-4
Remarks on Recursion versus Diagonalization and Exponentially Difficult Problems

Abstract Results are presented which show precise ways in which recursion rests on very simple computational bases which do not support diagonalization. A method based on recursion and making no use of diagonalization is given for proving lower bounds on computational complexity. Thus the intractability of computational problems such as Presburger arithmetic does not depend on diagonalization.
Chandra Observation of the Merging Cluster Abell 2034

We present an analysis of a Chandra observation of Abell 2034. The cluster has multiple signatures of an ongoing merger, including a cold front and probable significant heating of the intracluster medium above its equilibrium temperature. We find no evidence for the large cooling rate previously determined for the cluster, and in fact find it to be roughly isothermal, though with numerous small-scale inhomogeneities, out to a radius of ~700 kpc. The cold front appears to be in the process of being disrupted by gas dynamic instability and perhaps by shock heating. We find weak evidence for Inverse Compton hard X-ray emission from the radio relic suspected to be associated with the cold front. Finally, we study the emission to the south of the cluster, which was previously thought to be a merging subcluster. We find no evidence that this "subcluster" is interacting with the main Abell 2034 cluster. On the other hand, the properties of this region are inconsistent with an equilibrium cluster at the redshift of Abell 2034 or less. We explore the possibility that it is a disrupted merging subcluster, but find its luminosity to be significantly lower than expected for such a scenario. We suggest that the emission to the south of the cluster may actually be a moderate to high redshift (0.3 < z < 1.25) background cluster seen in projection against Abell 2034.
Antibiotic Selection in the Penicillin-Allergic Patient

Many individuals with an infectious disease have a history of penicillin allergy. When a patient says that he or she is allergic to penicillin, the physician should clarify the nature of the penicillin allergy. Many patients do not, in fact, have a true penicillin allergy but rather an adverse effect to the medication, such as gastrointestinal intolerance, which is not related to drug allergy. The spectrum of penicillin allergy ranges from drug fever to anaphylactic reactions. After the nature of the penicillin allergy is determined, the clinician then selects an antimicrobial appropriate for the infectious disease being treated, while taking into account the patient’s allergy history. In clinical practice, it is rarely if ever necessary to do skin testing for a penicillin allergy. Because so many antibiotics have no cross-allergenicity to penicillin, clinicians can almost always select an appropriate and safe antimicrobial for the penicillin-allergic patient. Skin testing for penicillin allergy and desensitization are rarely necessary in the hospital or outpatient setting [1–6]. Multiple drug hypersensitivity reactions are stereotyped in nature. In penicillin-allergic patients who develop a maculopapular rash to penicillins, the penicillin allergy has the same clinical manifestation on rechallenge. Reexposure to penicillin will not result in a rash, hives, or anaphylaxis. This principle is important in selecting antimicrobial therapy in the penicillinallergic patient. Clinicians can take comfort in being able to predict the type of penicillin reaction if a patient, upon re-exposure to the drug, has a hypersensitivity reaction. Physicians unaware of this fact usually are concerned that patients with a rash may develop hives or anaphylaxis. This is not the case. Hypersensitivity drug reactions are stereotyped and there is no progression of severity with repeated exposure. If the nature of the
African hornbills: keystone species threatened by habitat loss, hunting and international trade

Africa is home to 23 of the world's 54 hornbill species, including the largest members of the family, the ground hornbills. None of Africa's hornbills are currently considered to be at significant risk of extinction by IUCN, and none are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). However, there is evidence for serious declines of African forest hornbills due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and to unsustainable exploitation for bushmeat. In addition, this paper documents a previously unreported international trade involving importation of African hornbills and their parts into the United States. In the absence of CITES reporting requirements, it is difficult to estimate the magnitude of this trade, but it appears to represent an additional threat to African hornbills, particularly large forest-dwelling species of the genera Bycanistes and Ceratogymna. Given this international trade, and other known threats to African forest-dwelling hornbills, the status of these s...
Access in clay-modified electrodes: effects of pH and film thickness on the electrochemical activity of gallery exchange ions and surface ion pairs

Abstract The effects of pH and clay film loading (thickness) on the electrochemistry of Fe(bpy)2+3, An− ion pairs (An− = CH3CO−2, CCl3CO−2, SO2−4) and Ru(NH3)3+6 exchange cations in montmorillonite- and laponite-modified graphite electrodes are investigated. Included in the study is the effect of pH on the activity of Fe(CN)3−6 anions in a clay film. We find that the number of surface-bound Fe(bpy)2+3, An− ion pairs capable of accessing the electrode surface decreases with increasing acidity, with the more basic CH3CO−2 counter-anions exhibiting the greater pH dependence. In contrast, the electroactivity of Ru(NH3)3+6 exchange ions intercalated in the gallery regions of the clay film is pH independent. Also, the fraction of electroactive Fe(bpy)2+3, An− ion pairs is essentially independent of clay film loading, indicating that the electroactive sites are confined to a narrow region of the film close to the electrode surface. However, the electroactivity of the more mobile Ru(NH3)3+6 exchange ions increases with film loading. Fe(CN)3−6 anions are easily displaced from a clay film by washing, but at pH 3.0–4.0 the complex anion decomposes to give a cyclic voltamogram indicative of Prussian blue (Fe3[Fe(CN)6]2) deposited on the clay surface. These differences in electrochemical behavior for Fe(bpy)2+3, An− ion pairs, Ru(NH3)3+6 exchange cations and Fe(CN)3−6 anions are inconsistent with the clay-layer protonation mechanism proposed previously to explain the decrease in electrochemical activity with decreasing pH for Ru(bpy)2+3, SO2−4 and K+,Fe(CN)3−6 salts at clay-modified electrodes. Instead, the pH dependence for M(bpy)2+3 species is most likely due to changes in the degree of ion-pair formation caused by the protonation of the An− counter-ions. These results, together with those of earlier studies, provide insights regarding the electrochemical accessibility of redox active species in clay-modified electrodes.
715—Cyclic voltammetry of electron-conducting bilayer lipid membranes

Abstract Planar bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) have been extensively employed as models of biomembranes. A modified BLM, for example, containing photosynthetic pigments has been used as a model for the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts, in which light-induced electron transport leading to eventual redox reactions was demonstrated. Experimental evidence to show redox reactions in the dark in BLM has been less unequivocal owing mainly to the lack of: 1. a suitable experimental technique, 2. a modified BLM for electronic processes. This paper describes electron-conducting BLMs, such as BLM containing TCNQ (7,7′,8,8′-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane). These electron-conducting BLMs were then investigated by cyclic voltammetry (c.v.), a widely used technique in electrochemistry, but only now applied to the BLM system. Analysis of the voltammograms shows that the modified membranes must function as a redox electrode in aqueous media and are capable of electronic processes. Cyclic voltammetry in the manner described provides a new technique for studying membrane-associated processes.
Acute appendicitis in the setting of Clostridium difficile colitis: case report and review of the literature.

A 72-year-old man was hospitalized for exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was treated with oral prednisone and 7 days of moxifloxacin. Five days after completing the antibiotic course, he developed watery diarrhea and diffuse, crampy abdominal pain. On presentation he was afebrile, and abdominal examination revealed diffuse tenderness without peritoneal signs. Stool tested positive for Clostridium difficile toxin A by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Despite starting oral metronidazole, the patient developed a fever of 101.2°F 36 hours after his initial episode of diarrhea, 12 hours after admission. His abdominal pain intensified and became localized to the right and left lower quadrants. Computed tomography scan revealed both a thickened cecal wall and an edematous appendix with ileocecal stranding consistent with appendicitis. Appendectomy was performed, and the appendix was found to be suppurative in appearance and nonperforated. The cecum had mild edema and erythema, whereas the colon and rectum were grossly unaffected. Pathology examination revealed exudative material in the appendiceal lumen and a diffuse transmural inflammatory cell infiltrate. The patient had an uneventful recovery and continued to improve on oral metronidazole. Although Clostridium difficile colitis and appendicitis are each very common independently, C difficile as an etiology of appendicitis is exceedingly rare. A review of the literature revealed 2 prior cases. We speculate that this association is underdiagnosed, because milder cases might respond to antibiotic therapy alone, and severe cases might involve the entire colon and require total colectomy. In each scenario, the involvement of the appendix might be overlooked.
Alcohol deters the outgrowth of serotonergic neurons at midgestation

We have previously demonstrated that treatment of pregnant C57BL mice from gestation days 8 to 14 with alcohol with 20% ethanol-derived calories (EDC) reduced the number of serotonin (5-HT) neurons and retarded their migration in the fetal brains. In the present study, we obtained similar results with the use of 25% EDC and extended our previous findings by demonstrating that besides the alteration of the number of 5-HT neurons, prenatal alcohol exposure also affects their projecting fibers in their early development. Pregnant C57BL mice were divided into an alcohol-exposed (ALC) group given 25% EDC (4.49%, v/v), a pair-fed group to the ethanol-fed group (PF) and a chow-fed group (Chow). The PF and Chow groups served as controls. Our results showed that in the ALC group, when compared with the control groups, prenatal alcohol exposure with 25% EDC reduced the number of 5-HT-immunoreactive neurons in both the median and dorsal raphe, and the amount of 5-HT-immunoreactive fibers in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). The diameter of the 5-HT-immunoreactive MFB was also reduced as a result of treatment. No significant differences of the above parameters were found between the PF and Chow groups. The previous and present work confirmed that alcohol reduces the normal formation and growth of 5-HT neurons in the midbrain. Furthermore, the projection of 5-HT fibers, in density as well as in distribution, is reduced in the major trajectory bundle. This may affect the amount of 5-HT fibers available to the forebrain. In light of the importance of the 5-HT system in brain development, alcohol may affect the growth of the forebrain through its effect on 5-HT signaling.
Map interface for geo-registering and monitoring distributed events

While there have been many advances in intelligent monitoring, it is still difficult to understand complex environments without human assistance. Rather than focus on fully automated monitoring, this work advocates user-centered analysis. A standardized analysis environment for visual fusion and embedding of information is developed called CANVAS (Contextual Activity Notification Visualization Analysis System). CANVAS provides a user interaction interface for instantaneous feedback of contextual processing units which enables high level semantic extraction and understanding. This assistive tool utilizes advanced monitoring techniques to provide the desirable context necessary for decision making and planning. In addition, it takes advantage of web-based technology for ubiquitous accessibility.
Software techniques to improve virtualized I/O performance on multi-core systems

Virtualization technology is now widely deployed on high performance networks such as 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GE). It offers useful features like functional isolation, manageability and live migration. Unfortunately, the overhead of network I/O virtualization significantly degrades the performance of network-intensive applications. Two major factors of loss in I/O performance result from the extra driver domain to process I/O requests and the extra scheduler inside the virtual machine monitor (VMM) for scheduling domains.In this paper we first examine the negative effect of virtualization in multi-core platforms with 10GE networking. We study virtualization overhead and develop two optimizations for the VMM scheduler to improve I/O performance. The first solution uses cache-aware scheduling to reduce inter-domain communication cost. The second solution steals scheduler credits to favor I/O VCPUs in the driver domain. We also propose two optimizations to improve packet processing in the driver domain. First we re-design a simple bridge for more efficient switching of packets. Second we develop a patch to make transmit (TX) queue length in the driver domain configurable and adaptable to 10GE networks. Using all the above techniques, our experiments show that virtualized I/O bandwidth can be increased by 96%. Our optimizations also improve the efficiency by saving 36% in core utilization per gigabit. All the optimizations are based on pure software approaches and do not hinder live migration. We believe that the findings from our study will be useful to guide future VMM development.
Synthesis, structural characterization, and spectroscopy of the cadmium-cadmium bonded molecular species Ar'CdCdAr' (Ar' = C6H3-2,6-(C6H3-2,6-Pri2)2).

The synthesis and first structural characterization of a cadmium−cadmium bonded molecular compound Ar‘CdCdAr‘ (Ar‘ = C6H3-2,6-(C6H3-2,6-Pri2)2) are reported. The existence of the Cd−Cd bond was established by 113Cd NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (Cd−Cd = 2.6257(5) A). Like its group 12 analogue Ar‘ZnZnAr‘, DFT calculations showed that Ar‘CdCdAr‘ had significant p-character in the Cd−Cd σ-bonding HOMO.
Culture-negative osteomyelitis

Objective.To examine the natural history, clinical manifestations, laboratory changes and outcomes of children with culture-negative osteomyelitis and to compare findings with cases of culture-positive infection treated during the same time period.Design.Retrospective review of consecutive admission
Importance factor for design of bridges against fire hazard

Abstract Fire represents a significant hazard to civil infrastructure, including bridges. However, fire hazard is still not accounted for in conventional bridge design. This paper presents an approach for developing an importance factor for overcoming fire hazard in bridges. The importance factor takes into account the degree of vulnerability of a bridge to fire and also the critical nature of a bridge from the point of traffic functionality. The importance factor is derived by assigning weightage factors to key characteristics of bridges, i.e. bridge’s geometrical features, material properties and design characteristics, traffic demand, hazard (risk) likelihood, expected environmental damage, and economic consequences resulting from a fire incident. The proposed importance factor for fire design, which is similar to the one currently used for evaluating wind, and snow loading in buildings, is validated for a number of bridges where fire incidents occurred previously. It is shown through this validation that the proposed method for importance factor can be used as a practical tool for identifying critical bridges from the point of fire hazard and also for developing relevant design strategies for mitigating fire hazard in bridges.
P-87: Optical Characterization of Reflective Holographic Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals

We investigate the performance of reflective holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (H-PDLC) displays as a function of sample thickness and curing laser light intensity. The results are in excellent agreement with our modeling. In addition, we present results on the angular dependence and polarization dependence of H-PDLC in the context of reflective display applications.
Randomisation, Causality and the Role of Reasoned Intuition

The method of randomisation has been a major driver in the recent rise to prominence of empirical development economics. It has helped uncover patterns and facts that had earlier escaped attention. But it has also given rise to debate and controversy. This paper evaluates the method of randomisation and concludes that while the method of randomisation is the gold standard for description, and does uncover what is here called “circumstantial causality”, it is not able to demonstrate generalised causality. Nor does it, in itself, lead to policy conclusions, as is often claimed by its advocates. To get to policy conclusions requires combining the findings of randomised experiments with human intuition, which, being founded in evolution, has innate strengths. Moreover, even non-randomised empirical methods combined with reasoned intuition can help in crafting a development policy.
Dedifferentiation of patient‐derived glioblastoma multiforme cell lines results in a cancer stem cell‐like state with mitogen‐independent growth

Emerging evidence shows that glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) originates from cancer stem cells (CSCs). Characterization of CSC-specific signalling pathways would help identify new therapeutic targets and perhaps lead to the development of more efficient therapies selectively targeting CSCs. Here; we successfully dedifferentiated two patient-derived GBM cell lines into CSC-like cells (induced glioma stem cells, iGSCs) through expression of Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog transcription factors. Transformed cells exhibited significant suppression of epidermal growth factor receptor and its downstream pathways. Compared with parental GBM cells, iGSCs formed large neurospheres even in the absence of exogenous mitogens; they exhibited significant sensitivity to salinomycin and chemoresistance to temozolomide. Further characterization of iGSCs revealed induction of NOTCH1 and Wnt/β-catenin signalling and expression of CD133, CD44 and ALDH1A1. Our results indicate that iGSCs may help us understand CSC physiology and lead to development of potential therapeutic interventions aimed at differentiating tumour cells to render them more sensitive to chemotherapy or other standard agents.
Challenging the Orthodoxy: African Development in the Age of Openness

Does trade openness necessarily lead to income convergence between countries in the North and South and hence facilitates social development? This paper challenges this claim with regards to African development in the age of neo-liberalism. The paper argues that a one-sided reading of the history of an early phase of globalization by advocates of neo-liberalism seems to have turned trade openness into a mantra for African development. Furthermore the paper challenges the rhetoric of competitiveness that underpins the rationale for neo-liberalism by critiquing the neoclassical model of competition. The neo-liberal policy position, as the paper suggests is problematic at an empirical level also. In a test for convergence for eleven sub-Saharan African countries described as good adjusters by advocates of trade openness, the paper shows that a straightforward openness per se guarantees nothing as far their growth rates are concerned. Rather this paper suggests that the role of the “developmental state” needs to be brought back in order to facilitate the international competitiveness of African countries. It will be argued that such a role for the developmental state rests on a very different conceptualization of the nature of capitalist competition and growth. In the final instance, then, we suggest the need for building a theory of the developmental state that rests on non-neoclassical macro- and micro-foundations.
A role for a ternary complex in nucleating a mineral phase

A mineral phase is precipitated at an accelerated rate from supersaturated solutions of calcium and phosphate in the presence of low concentrations of an heavy metallic cation (Fe2+) and a complexing agent (norepinephrine). Data from titration studies and visible absorption spectra of solutions containing the metallic cation, complexing agent and phosphate suggest the formation of a nucleating ternary complex of these components.
Another view of dual response surface modeling and optimization in robust parameter design.

Robust parameter design (RPD) based on the concept of building quality into a design has received much attention from researchers and practitioners for years, and a number of methodologies have been studied in the research community. There have been many attempts to integrate RPD principles with well-established statistical techniques, such as response surface methodology, in order to model the response directly as a function of control factors. In this paper, we reinvestigate the dual response approach based on quadratic models Vinning and Myers (J Qual Technol 22:38–45), which is often referred to in the RPD literature and demonstrate that higher-order polynomial models may be more effective in finding better RPD solutions than the commonly-used quadratic model. We also propose optimization models for each of the three classes of quality characteristics (i.e., nominal-the-best, larger-the-better, and smaller-the-better). The optimal solutions obtained using the proposed models are compared with the solutions obtained using the RPD techniques in the current literature.
Regulation of substrate utilization by the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier

Pyruvate lies at a central biochemical node connecting carbohydrate, amino acid, and fatty acid metabolism, and the regulation of pyruvate flux into mitochondria represents a critical step in intermediary metabolism impacting numerous diseases. To characterize changes in mitochondrial substrate utilization in the context of compromised mitochondrial pyruvate transport, we applied (13)C metabolic flux analysis (MFA) to cells after transcriptional or pharmacological inhibition of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC). Despite profound suppression of both glucose and pyruvate oxidation, cell growth, oxygen consumption, and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) metabolism were surprisingly maintained. Oxidative TCA flux was achieved through enhanced reliance on glutaminolysis through malic enzyme and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) as well as fatty acid and branched-chain amino acid oxidation. Thus, in contrast to inhibition of complex I or PDH, suppression of pyruvate transport induces a form of metabolic flexibility associated with the use of lipids and amino acids as catabolic and anabolic fuels.