cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of emotion on memory: an investigation of attentional bias.

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of emotion on memory. It has been theorized that an attentional bias for emotional stimuli is a component of a variety of anxiety disorders. Previous tasks used to investigate this process, such as the modified Stroop task, may have contained confounds that limit conclusions that can be drawn. This study used a free recall memory task to clarify the effects of attentional biases on the processing of emotionally threatening material. Participants were screened on their reported fear of spiders and tested for their recall of “spider,” and the word following it in a list. Participants, regardless of their spider fear classification, recalled the word “spider” at a much higher rate, and recalled the word following it at a much lower rate. Results of follow-up studies were consistent with the original findings.
Calcium Thin Film Growth on Phenyl-C61-Butyric Acid Methyl Ester (PCBM): Interface Structure and Energetics

The adsorption of Ca vapor on phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) at 300 K has been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), low-energy He+ ion scattering spectroscopy (LEIS), ads...
Ferroelectric single crystal materials in optoelectronics and microwave photonic applications

Recent interests in developing miniature wavelength-converted fiber lasers, couplers, and modulators, and integration of these with optical fibers and in microwave transmission systems, demand for example high-quality defect-free single-crystal fibers of materials with high electro-optic coefficients, high optical damage resistance, tailored core-cladding structures, and domain configurations, depending on specific applications. An overview is given on the materials development utilizing the floating zone crystal growth facilities at Penn State including the laser heated pedestal growth (LHPG) technique and the optic image furnace, with focus on applications utilizing ferroelectric single crystal materials. Materials development, particularly the ferroelectric oxygen octahedral structural families (perovskites and tungsten bronzes) are emphasized. The exploration for those crystal fibers in applications that require field and frequency agile, high electro-optic and nonlinear optic properties, and tailored physical and photonic properties in desired wavelength range, are presented in this paper.
Nature of Medical Malpractice Claims Against Radiation Oncologists.

Purpose To examine characteristics of medical malpractice claims involving radiation oncologists closed during a 10-year period. Methods and Materials Malpractice claims filed against radiation oncologists from 2003 to 2012 collected by a nationwide liability insurance trade association were analyzed. Outcomes included the nature of claims and indemnity payments, including associated presenting diagnoses, procedures, alleged medical errors, and injury severity. We compared the likelihood of a claim resulting in payment in relation to injury severity categories (death as referent) using binomial logistic regression. Results There were 362 closed claims involving radiation oncology, 102 (28%) of which were paid, resulting in $38 million in indemnity payments. The most common alleged errors included "improper performance" (38% of closed claims, 18% were paid; 29% [$11 million] of total indemnity), "errors in diagnosis" (25% of closed claims, 46% were paid; 44% [$17 million] of total indemnity), and "no medical misadventure" (14% of closed claims, 8% were paid; less than 1% [$148,000] of total indemnity). Another physician was named in 32% of claims, and consent issues/breach of contract were cited in 18%. Claims for injury resulting in death represented 39% of closed claims and 25% of total indemnity. "Improper performance" was the primary alleged error associated with injury resulting in death. Compared with claims involving death, major temporary injury (odds ratio [OR] 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29-5.85, P =.009), significant permanent injury (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.48-6.46, P =.003), and major permanent injury (OR 5.5, 95% CI 1.89-16.15, P =.002) had a higher likelihood of a claim resulting in indemnity payment. Conclusions Improper performance was the most common alleged malpractice error. Claims involving significant or major injury were more likely to be paid than those involving death. Insights into the nature of liability claims against radiation oncologists may help direct efforts to improve quality of care and minimize the risk of being sued.
Abstract IA26: Dual functions of PARP1 in prostate cancer: mechanisms and implications for therapeutic intervention

Prostatic adenocarcinoma (PCa) is the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in US men. Organ-confined PCa can be effectively managed, but there is no durable treatment for advanced disease. Advanced PCa is treated through androgen deprivation therapy, often coupled with direct AR antagonists, as PCa is exquisitely dependent on androgen receptor (AR) activity for survival. Furthermore, recent studies identified AR as a major effector of DNA repair, manifest through the ability of the receptor to regulate DNAPK expression and activity. While AR directed therapeutics effectively suppress the pro-proliferative, pro-survival, and pro-DNA repair functions of AR and result in tumor remission, relapse is common. Recurrent disease arises largely due to resurgent AR activity with 2-3 years, and there is no cure for this castration-resistant phase (CRPC, castration-resistant PCa). Thus, there is a significant need to develop new means for targeting recurrent AR activity or develop adjuvant therapies in advanced PCa. The function of PARP1 in DNA repair has been cultivated as a therapeutic target for tumors incurring alterations of specific DNA repair pathways. However, it is now clear that factors beyond DNA repair alterations play a role in the response to PARP1 inhibitors-- as noted in the TO-PARP trial, not all patients with DNA repair alterations responded to PARP1 inhibitors as single agents; conversely, a significant number tumors lacking BRCA1/2 or other DNA repair alterations show objective responses to PARP1 inhibitors in PCa and other cancers. PARP1 is known to harbor a second major cellular function on chromatin as a transcriptional co-regulator, capable of modulating chromatin structure and selected transcription factor activity. Notably, previous studies demonstrated that PARP1 regulates AR residence on chromatin, and downstream AR-dependent tumor progression. Recent unpublished studies to be discussed demonstrate that PARP1 activity is significantly enriched in lethal disease, and that a newly identified gene signature of PARP1-regulated networks is associated with poor outcome. Further, mechanistic investigation revealed new insight into the means by which PARP1 inhibitors likely act function as single agents in advanced prostate cancer, manifest through both DNA repair and transcriptional regulatory functions. Citation Format: Karen E. Knudsen. Dual functions of PARP1 in prostate cancer: mechanisms and implications for therapeutic intervention [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on DNA Repair: Tumor Development and Therapeutic Response; 2016 Nov 2-5; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2017;15(4_Suppl):Abstract nr IA26.
Entering the Stream to Enlightenment: Experiences of the Stages of the Buddhist Path in Contemporary Sri Lanka

A classic manner of conceptualising the stages of the Theravāda Buddhist path arranges the ascending steps as ‘stream enterer’, ‘once-returner’, ‘non-returner’, and ‘realised arahant’ (‘perfected p...
Changes in Strabismus Over Time: The Roles of Vergence Tonus and Muscle Length Adaptation

Patients with long-standing unilateral strabismus, such as “sensory” exotropia in the absence of fusion or esotropia with unilateral amblyopia, typically show bilateral deviations under anesthesia, often symmetric. Forced ductions usually show symmetric muscle tightness. Changes in extraocular muscle lengths thus appear to occur primarily bilaterally, whether or not fusion is present. With skeletal muscles responding to changes in stimulation by the gain or loss of sarcomeres, it is likely that abnormal or unguided vergence tonus, which changes the lengths of the extraocular muscles bilaterally, is largely responsible for changes in the angle of strabismus over time This mechanism helps explain the development of (1) increasing “basic” deviations in accommodative esotropia, (2) torsional deviations with apparent oblique muscle “overaction/underaction” and A and V patterns, (3) recurrent esotropia with early presbyopia, (4) occasional divergence insufficiency in presbyopes, and (5) basic cyclovertical deviations that mimic superior oblique muscle paresis.
Electronic Table Games as Video Lotteries in New York State

The article analyzes New York law to determine whether electronic versions of casino table games would be legal lotteries under the New York State Constitution.
Effects of Bt Corn on the Development and Fecundity of Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is only moderately susceptible to most toxins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) expressed in transgenic corn. To better understand the impact of Bt corn on the life cycle of H. zea, we collected pupae of H. zea during 2014-2016 in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Mississippi from corn hybrids expressing Cry1Ab, Cry1F, Cry1F + Cry1Ab, Cry1F + Cry1Ab + Vip3Aa20, Cry1A.105 + Cry2Ab2, and Cry1A.105 + Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F, as well as from non-Bt near-isolines. We investigated the effect of Bt corn on pupal weight, fecundity, and egg viability of H. zea. Pupal weights were significantly reduced for males and females from all Bt hybrids compared with non-Bt near-isolines. Female pupae from the hybrid expressing Cry1F + Cry1Ab were also significantly lighter relative to those from the near-isolines expressing only Cry1F. Reductions in pupal weight did not result in any detectable effects on fecundity or egg viability. The reduction in pupal weight in the hybrids expressing Cry1F and Cry1F + Cry1Ab significantly declined over time in South Carolina, possibly indicating developing resistance to these Bt toxins. These data can be incorporated into insect resistance management models used to improve risk management decisions regarding H. zea in Bt crops in the complex landscapes of the southern United States.
The Importance of Instrument Validity in Evaluating Security Screening Programs

Very few national security screening programs have been subjected to a rigorous scientific examination of instrument validity. Yet, validity is a core element in program evaluation and refers to gathering evidence to support the intended use and interpretation of tests (here, screening methods). The lack of such validation assessments as an element of developing a scientific evidence base for counterterrorism programming is surprising, given our nation’s strong national security agenda. This chapter addresses considerations in designing and implementing validation assessments. After presenting types of validity and reliability and describing the applicability of each to security screening programs, the author presents methodologies for validation assessment and considers challenges in the implementation of such assessments in the context of operationally deployed programs.
The Sourcing of Human Capital and the Sourcing of Innovation

This study shows that firms are constantly hiring new inventors to conduct innovation, especially during technology changes. Talent acquisition is an important alternative to external sourcing of i...
Effective Traffic Grooming Algorithms in SONET/WDM Ring Networks

Much work has focused on traffic grooming in SONET/WDM ring networks. Previous work has considered many aspects of traffic grooming, including minimizing the number of ADMs, minimizing the number of wavelengths, considering different traffic models, using different network architectures, incorporating switching capability and so on. In this work, we study traffic grooming in unidirectional ring networks with no switching capability under both uniform traffic and non-uniform traffic models to reduce electronic multiplexing costs. Based on the clustering notion, we derive a general and tighter lower bound for the number of ADMs required in traffic grooming under the uniform all-to-all traffic model. This bound reduces to special cases obtained in previous work. We also derive general, tighter, and closed form lower bounds for the number of ADMs required under two non-uniform traffic models: the distance-dependent traffic model and the non-uniform symmetric traffic model. Cost-effective multi-phase algorithms that exploit traffic characteristics are then designed and studied to efficiently groom traffic streams under different traffic models. Our numerical and simulation results show that the proposed multi-phase algorithms outperform existing traffic grooming algorithms by using a fewer number of ADMs. Our algorithms in several cases also achieve the lower bounds derived.
Bounds and Inequalities

For all the pessimism of Lord Russell, there seems little doubt that a search for an approximate solution, where an exact solution cannot be obtained, is both theoretically defensible and practically unavoidable. This fact, however, does not absolve us from the obligation of estimating the error of the approximation solution, either by a direct computation or, more often, by finding the so-called bounds. In this chapter, we devote our attention to the second question, by examining some methods of constructing bounds for solutions of boundary value problems.
Convergence of fish community structure between a newly deployed and an established artificial reef along a five-month trajectory

Abstract Numbers of human-made reefs in the world’s oceans are increasing, yet questions remain about patterns and speed of fish colonization of these artificial reefs. Here, we tested 1) whether the fish community on a newly deployed artificial reef converged with the fish community on an adjacent, established artificial reef over time and 2) whether fish colonization of the new artificial reef occurred sequentially. To answer these questions, we simultaneously collected time-lapse videos of fishes colonizing a new (2 wks old) artificial reef and those inhabiting a nearby (438 m away) established (>20 yrs old) artificial reef. We found that fish community composition on the new artificial reef converged with the fish community composition on the established artificial reef over five months. Community development on the new reef followed a trajectory: schooling, planktivorous fishes initially colonized the reef in high numbers, whereas demersal fishes exhibited delayed colonization. These findings suggest that fishes may colonize human-made reefs along a specific trajectory of pelagic fishes followed by demersal fishes and that community convergence between reefs can occur over relatively short temporal scales given similar environmental conditions. When deploying additional structures, including human-engineered habitats, in the marine environment, our findings on fish colonization of artificial reefs are important to consider because they provide new insight into how artificial structures can be utilized to enhance particular fishes over different temporal scales.
TLR7 agonist imiquimod is a potent vaccine adjuvant

2844 Potent adjuvants are key to successful vaccination against weakly immunogenic antigens such as those involved in cancer or chronic infection. In particular, agents that can recruit and activate dendritic cells (DC) in vivo may enhance immune responses generated during active immunization. We evaluated the adjuvant effects of the TLR7 agonist imiquimod as compared with GM-CSF, which has been widely used as a vaccine adjuvant. Topical imiquimod elicited a profound inflammatory infiltrate at the application site. Although both topical imiquimod and intradermal GM-CSF as adjuvant effectively induced the accumulation and activation of DC in draining lymph nodes (DLN), imiquimod preferentially stimulated the accumulation of skin Langerhans cells (CD11c+/CD86+/CD205+/CD8-) in DLN. The phenotypic difference in the DC mobilized by GM-CSF and imiquimod was accompanied by functional differences. Both GM-CSF and imiquimod augmented ova specific-CD4 T cell response in ova-tg mice when used in conjunction with CD4 peptide-based vaccines, as demonstrated by in vivo proliferation of CFSE labeled DO11.10 cells. Although both GM-CSF and imiquimod stimulated OVA specific CD8 T cell responses in OVA-tg mice when immunized with a CD8 peptide, the response induced by imiquimod was of greater magnitude. Finally, imiquimod was markedly more effective in stimulating ova specific T cell immunity with a protein-based vaccine as compared to GM-CSF. Thus, imiquimod is a potent vaccine adjuvant in promoting Th1 type of responses and has the potential for clinical use as a vaccine adjuvant.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Ovarian Cancer.

Epithelial ovarian cancer classically presents with vague persistent gastrointestinal, urologic, or nonacute abdominal/pelvic symptoms (bloating, early satiety, discomfort). Ultimately, a pelvic examination or imaging identifies an adnexal mass typically with accompanied advanced peritoneal dissemination. Management involves aggressive cytoreductive surgery in combination with platinum and taxane chemotherapy. Over the last 20 years, optimal resection and mode and timing of chemotherapy have evolved. The authors review the initial diagnosis and management and present the available data and recommendations to guide the decision tree of when to use neoadjuvant, intraperitoneal, HIPEC, dose-dense, and maintenance chemotherapy in the front-line treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer.
Combination cancer immunotherapy targeting PD-1 and GITR can rescue CD8+ T cell dysfunction and maintain memory phenotype

Most patients with cancer do not develop durable antitumor responses after programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1) checkpoint inhibition monotherapy because of an ephemeral reversal of T cell dysfunction and failure to promote long-lasting immunological T cell memory. Activating costimulatory pathways to induce stronger T cell activation may improve the efficacy of checkpoint inhibition and lead to durable antitumor responses. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of more than 2000 tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells in mice receiving both PD-1 and GITR (glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor-related protein) antibodies and found that this combination synergistically enhanced the effector function of expanded CD8+ T cells by restoring the balance of key homeostatic regulators CD226 and T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), leading to a robust survival benefit. Combination therapy decreased CD8+ T cell dysfunction and induced a highly proliferative precursor effector memory T cell phenotype in a CD226-dependent manner. PD-1 inhibition rescued CD226 activity by preventing PD-1-Src homology region 2 (SHP2) dephosphophorylation of the CD226 intracellular domain, whereas GITR agonism decreased TIGIT expression. Unmasking the molecular pathways driving durable antitumor responses will be essential to the development of rational approaches to optimizing cancer immunotherapy.
Cohomological Degrees and Applications

This paper is an overview of several cohomological extensions of the ordinary multiplicity function of local algebra. It emphasizes the construction of such functions and the development of their main properties. A select set of applications is used to illustrate their usefulness.
Misclassification of audit-related fees as a measure of internal control quality

Abstract There is an abundance of literature examining the effects of a poor internal control system on financial reporting quality, decision-making and auditing. However, the most commonly used proxy for internal control quality (i.e., a material weakness in the internal controls over financial reporting) occurs relatively infrequently and has declined in occurrence over the past decade ( Chasan, 2013 ). In this study, we attempt to develop an alternative measure for internal control quality using the information reported in the S K portion of a firm's 10-K. We suggest that a misclassification of audit-related fees in the unaudited disclosures of the annual report is a proxy for low internal control quality. Consistent with lower internal control quality, we find that firms misclassifying audit-related fees are more likely to report a material weakness, are less timely filers (longer report lag) and pay higher audit fees. Our findings suggest that misclassification of audit-related fees correlate with having poor internal control quality.
Genetic and Biochemical Analysis of Alternative RNA Splicing

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the genetic and biochemical analysis of alternative RNA splicing. The chapter focuses on the biochemical studies and in vitro mutagenesis experiments for the understanding of alternative splicing. These analyses provide insight by identifying important cis-acting sequences and a few trans-acting factors that permit selective use of splice junctions. Such analyses shows that RNA secondary structure, steric constraints, splice junction affinity, and splice site competition play important regulatory roles. The chapter also discusses genetic approaches to understand the alternative RNA splicing along with the discussion that covers the studies of several other genes in Drosophila and yeast that illustrate the success of applying genetics to alternative RNA splicing. The observation includes that several human diseases result from exon skipping or the activation of cryptic splice junctions. The genetic approach may prove a useful future direction for eventually understanding the basis of alternative RNA splicing in a wider variety of pre-mRNAs.
Forging a Diagonal Instrument for the Global Left: The Vessel

This article takes up Samir Amin’s challenge to rethink the issue of global political organization by proposing the building of a diagonal political organization for the Global Left that would link local, national and world regional and global networks and prefigurational communities to coordinate contention for power in the world-system during the next few decades of the 21st century. The World Social Forum (WSF) process needs to be reinvented for the current period of rising neo-fascist and populist reactionary nationalism and to foster the emergence of a capable instrument that can confront and contend with the global power structure of world capitalism and aid local and national struggles. This will involve overcoming the fragmentation of progressive movements that have been an outcome of the rise of possessive individualism, the precariat, and social media. We propose a holistic approach to organizing a vessel for the global left based on struggles for climate justice, human rights, anti-racism, queer rights, feminism, sharing networks, peace alliances, taking back the city, progressive nationalism and confronting and defeating neo-fascism and new forms of conservative populism.
Liquid Biopsy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Clinically available biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) early diagnosis and prognostication have limited utility. Further lack of routine biopsy in hepatocellular carcinoma limits the availability of molecular information to guide drug development. Recent studies investigating liquid biopsy using circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA) have yielded promising data that could address both of these limitations. For early HCC diagnosis, CTCs have modest sensitivity but high specificity. CfDNA methylation scores have shown high sensitivity and specificity in two large phase II studies. Presence of CTCs has been associated with poorer prognosis in numerous studies, particularly increased cancer recurrence following curative therapy, while the literature on cfDNA and prognosis is less robust. Liquid biopsy using CTCs and cfDNA has shown promise in prognostication and early diagnosis in HCC. Further robust validation of this liquid biopsy is required for routine clinical use.
Monocytic Maturation Induced by FLT3 Inhibitor Therapy of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Morphologic and Immunophenotypic Characteristics.

BACKGROUND FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3-ITD) mutations are some of the most common mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and patient outcomes have improved since the advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. First, granulocytic differentiation was described in FLT3-positive AML treated with FLT3 inhibitors, and more recently, monocytic differentiation was reported. METHODS Two patients with myelomonocytic cells in their bone marrow were identified during routine follow-up after AML treatment that included FLT3 inhibitors. The bone marrow study was done as standard of care. RESULTS Both patients had FLT3-ITD+ AML and showed an atypical maturing monocytic cell population and a decrease in the leukemic blast cell population after FLT3 inhibitor therapy. Concurrent genetic testing revealed persistent genetic abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS These cases illustrate monocytic maturation in FLT3+ AML after FLT3 inhibitor treatment. It is critical for pathologists and clinicians to be aware of the differentiation phenomenon, as these patients have persistent molecular abnormalities despite response to treatment and normalization of blast counts.
Sickle cell disease: A primary care update

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common hemoglobinopathy in the United States and causes significant disease-related morbidity including multiorgan damage, chronic anemia, and debilitating pain crises. Primary care physicians play a key role in the medical home model of care for adults with SCD. This review focuses on current recommendations for health maintenance and provides a brief summary of disease complications and current updates.
Six-junction III–V solar cells with 47.1% conversion efficiency under 143 Suns concentration

Single-junction flat-plate terrestrial solar cells are fundamentally limited to about 30% solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency, but multiple junctions and concentrated light make much higher efficiencies practically achievable. Until now, four-junction III–V concentrator solar cells have demonstrated the highest solar conversion efficiencies. Here, we demonstrate 47.1% solar conversion efficiency using a monolithic, series-connected, six-junction inverted metamorphic structure operated under the direct spectrum at 143 Suns concentration. When tuned to the global spectrum, a variation of this structure achieves a 1-Sun global efficiency of 39.2%. Nearly optimal bandgaps for six junctions were fabricated using alloys of III–V semiconductors. To develop these junctions, it was necessary to minimize threading dislocations in lattice-mismatched III–V alloys, prevent phase segregation in metastable quaternary III–V alloys and understand dopant diffusion in complex structures. Further reduction of the series resistance within this structure could realistically enable efficiencies over 50%. Stacking multiple junctions with different bandgaps and operating under concentrated light allows solar cells to reach efficiencies beyond the limits of standard devices. Geisz et al. present a six-junction solar cell based on III–V materials with a 47.1% efficiency—the highest reported to date.
Improving the communication of hand hygiene procedures: Controlled observation, redesign, and randomized group comparisons.

Objective: To assess the clarity and efficacy of the World Health Organization (WHO) hand-rub diagram, develop a modified version, and compare the 2 diagrams. Design: Randomized group design preceded by controlled observation and iterative product redesigns. Setting: The Cognitive Ergonomics Lab in the School of Psychology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Participants: We included participants who were unfamiliar with the WHO hand-rub diagram (convenience sampling) to ensure that performance was based on the diagram and not, for example, on prior experience. Methods: We iterated through the steps of a human factors design procedure: (1) Participants simulated hand hygiene using ultraviolet (UV) absorbent lotion and a hand-rub technique diagram (ie, WHO or a redesign). (2) Coverage, confusion judgments, and behavioral videos informed potentially improved diagrams. And (3) the redesigned diagrams were compared with the WHO version in a randomized group design. Coverage was assessed across 72 hand areas from multiple UV photographs. Results: The WHO diagram led to multiple omissions in hand-surface coverage, including inadequate coverage by up to 75% of participants for the ulnar edge. The redesigns improved coverage significantly overall and often substantially. Conclusions: Human factors modification to the WHO diagram reduced inadequate coverage for naive users. Implementation of an improved diagram should help in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections.
High-Speed and Low-Complexity Parallel Long BCH Encoder

Long BCH codes are broadly used in communications and storage. BCH encoders can be implemented by linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs), and modern systems demand parallel encoders to achieve high speed. LFSRs are also used for implementing cyclic redundancy check (CRC). It was shown previously that adding the input to the least significant tap of the CRC LFSR leads to the lowest complexity in the corresponding parallel architecture derived using state transition. However, the analyses for CRC LFSRs do not hold for long BCH encoders, since the parallelism needed is much smaller than the length of the LFSR for long BCH encoders. Besides, additional clock cycles are required to pad zeros to the input in order to derive the same final state for the parities. This paper first proposes a new parallel design that allows the input to be added to any tap without sacrificing the throughput. Then the matrices involved in parallel long BCH encoders are analyzed to identify the input tap leading to minimum complexity. Besides, hardware unit sharing for matrix multiplications is enabled through analyzing the timing of the encoder. For a 32-parallel (8191, 7684) BCH encoder, our design achieves 57% higher efficiency in terms of throughput/area ratio compared to the best prior design.
Semantic priming and reading skills among Spanish-speaking dual language learners

Substantial research among bilingual adults indicates that exposure to words primes other semantically related words within and across languages, as well as the direct translation equivalents [e.g....
Surgical Management of Triquetral Osteoid Osteoma with Adjunct Tetracycline for Intraoperative Visualization: A Case Report.

Case We report the case of a 15-year-old male patient presenting with persistent wrist pain after surgical treatment of a triquetral osteoid osteoma. The patient was found to have a persistent nidus. These tumors are difficult to observe intraoperatively or through fluoroscopy, limiting adequate resection and resulting in continued pain. Conclusion The nidus was excised successfully through an unusual technique using tetracycline for intraoperative identification. The patient remains asymptomatic without recurrence at 31 months postoperative. Difficulties visualizing and removing carpal lesions leading to recurrence are described.
Development of a variable tensioning system to reduce separation force in large scale stereolithography

Abstract Projection micro stereolithography (PµSL) is an additive manufacturing tool that offers multiple advantages, including unparalleled resolution and throughput, but the ability to print high viscosity resin for large-scale parts is limited. One of the key challenges in PµSL is to separate a newly polymerized layer from the vat floor without damaging the part. Since the separation force scales with the printing area, the risk of damaging the part increases significantly with larger-scale systems and must be addressed. In this paper, a novel roll-to-roll, variable tensioning system is proposed to reduce the separation force during printing. A mathematical model is proposed to predict the separation force for different 2D geometries, and a set of experiments is conducted on an experimental prototype to validate the model. The effects of different separation parameters including peel rate and peel angle are discussed in detail. The results show that the proposed tensioning system reduces the separation force significantly.
Nongenetic risk factors for infantile cataracts: Systematic review of observational studies.

INTRODUCTION While infantile cataracts are a major cause of childhood blindness, risk factors remain unknown for approximately two-thirds of cases. METHODS We systematically searched electronic databases PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus, from inception through March 2018, to identify relevant cohort, case-control, cross-sectional studies, case reports, and case series. We also manually screened bibliographies and consulted with experts in the field to identify additional publications. We reviewed cross-sectional studies, case reports, and case series and provided a narrative summary of the reported potential risk factors. We evaluated methodological qualities of cohort and case-control studies, extracted relevant data, and described statistically significant associations with infant, maternal, and paternal characteristics. Quality assessment and data extraction were conducted by two reviewers independently. All discrepancies were discussed with the senior author and resolved by consensus. RESULTS Overall, 110 publications were included in the review, 33 of which were cohort and case-control studies. Most of these studies (n = 32) used population-based data and had either excellent (n = 31) or good (n = 2) methodological quality. Nine studies reported statistically significant associations with infant characteristics (preterm birth, low birth weight), maternal occupations and diseases during pregnancy (untreated hypertension, infections), and paternal sociodemographics (younger age, employment in sawmill industry during pregnancy). CONCLUSIONS This systematic literature review provided a comprehensive summary of the known nongenetic risk factors for infantile cataracts, identified gaps in the literature, and provided directions for future research. Studies identifying modifiable risk factors are warranted to design interventions aimed at primary prevention of infantile cataracts.
A retrospective multistate analysis: Do regional football games impact emergency department patient volume?

Objective We sought to assess the effect of National Football League (NFL) games played by a regional sports team, the New England Patriots, on emergency department (ED) patient volume. Methods We conducted a multicenter, retrospective chart review at the following 3 tertiary centers in New England from 2012 to 2019: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA; Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH; and Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME. Results Within the NFL season, we observed a 2.6% overall decrease (-10.4 patients) in average total daily volume across the study sites on Sundays when Patriots games were played compared with Sundays when games were not played (P = 0.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], -22.37 to 1.62). We observed a 4.3% reduction (-19.0 patients) in average total daily volume across the study sites on Mondays during which Patriots games were played compared with Mondays without games (P = 0.15; 95% CI, -43.51 to 5.47). Subanalyses on the 5-hour period corresponding with each Patriots game showed reductions in mean patient volume per hour. Although our primary and subanalyses showed reductions in patient volume during Patriots games, these results were not statistically significant. Conclusions Our data support prior studies that showed a minimal impact of major sporting events on ED patient volume at tertiary centers. These results add to the limited data on this topic and can inform administrators whether staffing adjustments are necessary during similar types of sporting events.
Predicting course outcomes with digital textbook usage data

Abstract Digital textbook analytics are a new method of collecting student-generated data in order to build predictive models of student success. Previous research using self-report or laboratory measures of reading show that engagement with the textbook was related to student learning outcomes. We hypothesized that an engagement index based on digital textbook usage data would predict student course grades. Linear regression analyses were conducted using data from 233 students to determine whether digital textbook usage metrics predicted final course grades. A calculated linear index of textbook usage metrics was significantly predictive of final course grades and was a stronger predictor of course outcomes than previous academic achievement. However, time spent reading, one of the variables that make up the index was more strongly predictive of course outcomes. Additionally, students who were in the top 10th percentile in number of highlights had significantly higher course grades than those in the lower 90th percentile. These findings suggest that digital textbook analytics are an effective early warning system to identify students at risk of academic failure. These data can be collected unobtrusively and automatically and provide stronger prediction of outcomes than prior academic achievement (which to this point has been the single strongest predictor of student success).
Context-Aware Activity Forecasting

In this paper, we investigate the problem of forecasting future activities in continuous videos. Ability to successfully forecast activities that are yet to be observed is a very important video understanding problem, and is starting to receive attention in the computer vision literature. We propose an activity forecasting strategy that models the simultaneous and/or sequential nature of human activities on a graph and combines that with the interrelationship between static scene cues and dynamic target trajectories, termed together as the ‘activity and scene context’. The forecasting problem is then posed as an inference problem on a MRF model defined on the graph. We perform experiments on the publicly available challenging VIRAT ground dataset and obtain high forecasting accuracy for most of the activities, as evidenced by the results.
Neural Regulation of the Cerebral Circulation

It was once believed that cerebral blood vessels could not dilate and constrict independently and that the cerebral circulation was entirely under the control of the systemic circulation [see ref 1 for a historical review]. However, evidence accumulated over the past 100 years indicates that cerebral blood vessels are in a dynamic state. Thus, the cerebral vasculature is endowed with complex regulatory systems that allow the brain to finely regulate its own blood supply. One of the major factors that regulates cerebral blood flow (CBF) is neuronal activity. In this chapter, we will focus on the mechanisms governing the relationship between neural activity and blood flow with emphasis on the role of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2).
A Fully Dynamic Approximation Scheme for All-Pairs Shortest Paths in Planar Graphs

In this paper we give a fully dynamic approximation scheme for maintaining all-pairs shortest paths in planar networks. Given an error parameter e such that 0<e≤1, our algorithm maintains approximate allpairs shortest-paths in an undirected planar graph G with nonnegative edge lengths. The approximate paths are guaranteed to be accurate to within a (1+e)-factor. The time bounds for both query and update for our algorithm wis O(e−1n2/3 log2n log D), where n is the number of nodes in G and D is the sum of its edge lengths.
Dynamic Feedback Linearization of a Hydraulic Valve-Actuator Combination

This paper considers linearization of a hydraulic valve-actuator combination using dynamic feedback.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF RHODESGRASS SCALE BY AIRPLANE RELEASES OF AN INTRODUCED PARASITE OF LIMITED DISPERSING ABILITY

The rhodesgrass scale, Antonina gramini (Maskell), was first found in Texas in 1942 attacking rhodesgrass, Chloris gayana Kunth (Chada and Wood, 1960). Since that time this scale insect has been found infesting 94 species of grasses in North America (Chada and Wood, 1960; Schuster, 1967), some of which it affects severely. Introduction of the scale parasite, Neodusmetia sangwani (Rao), from India was made in 1959 (Dean et al., 1961). Evaluation of this parasite in Texas as a control agent for rhodesgrass scale was begun in 1961.
Mapping Dust Extinction in Molecular Clouds

Infrared array cameras have enabled the measurement and mapping of dust extinction within molecular clouds to significantly greater optical depths and at significantly higher angular resolution than previously possible. In this paper we present a map of the dust extinction in the dark cloud L978 in Cygnus derived from a large-scale multi-wavelength infrared survey. Analysis of our observations reveals significant variations in cloud structure on scales smaller than our 1′.5 resolution, thus confirming trends previously observed in IC5146 dark cloud.
Resonant Cooper-Pair Tunneling: Counting Statistics and Frequency-Dependent Current Noise

Resonant Cooper-pair tunneling, also known as Josephson quasiparticle tunneling, refers to transport cycles in superconducting single-electron transistors (SSET’s) which involve the transfer of both Cooper pairs and quasiparticles [1, 2, 3]. They have recently been the subject of renewed attention, both because of their unusual noise properties [4, 5, 6] and because of their utility in measuring the state of a charge superconducting qubit [7, 8]. In terms of noise properties, it has been shown that charge fluctuations associated with these processes can induce a population inversion in a coupled two-level system (i.e in terms of its charge noise, the transistor effectively has a negative temperature) [5, 6]. The shot-noise in the current through the transistor was also found to have remarkable properties [4, 5]. By tuning the strength of the Cooper pair tunneling relative to the quasiparticle tunneling, one could effectively tune the Fano factor determining the zero-frequency shot noise. It was possible to achieve a Fano factor greater than one, which was interpreted as a consequence of the effective charge associated with the transport cycle being greater than one. Perhaps more surprisingly, it was possible to reduce the Fano factor below 1/2, behaviour that was not fully explained. The finite frequency current noise also showed interesting behaviour [4]- in the regime where the Cooper-pair tunneling dominated the quasiparticle tunneling, a coherent peak in the current noise was predicted at the Josephson energy.
Analysis of Sign Operations of the Child

We are in a position to close the circle of our discussion and to return to what was indicated at the beginning of this work by the patterns that control the development of the practical intellect of the child, which is only a specific case of the patterns of construction of all higher mental functions. The conclusions we reached confirm this and show that higher mental functions arise as a specific neoformation, as a new structural whole that is characterized by the new functional relations that are being established within it. We have indicated that these functional relations are connected with the operation of using signs as a central and basic factor in the construction of every higher mental function. Thus, this operation appears to be the common trait of all higher mental functions (including the use of tools, which is always our point of departure), a trait that must be taken out of parentheses and subjected in the conclusion of our study to special consideration.
The Effect of Temperature on Mitochondrial Membrane-linked Reactions

The rates of rat liver mitochondrial membrane-linked reactions were studied as a function of temperature, with the results being expressed as Arrhenius plots. Energy-dependent reactions involving the adenine nucleotide translocase yielded two distinct discontinuities in their Arrhenius plots, near 17.5° and 27.5°. These reactions include ADP phosphorylation, state 3 and state 4 respiration, uncoupler-stimulated respiration, dinitrophenol-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase and ATP-supported calcium uptake. Energy-dependent reactions not involving the adenine nucleotide translocase also gave two breaks in their Arrhenius plots. The upper break was near 27.5° as before. However, the temperature at which the lower break occurred was decreased to around 12.5°. These reactions included respiration-dependent calcium uptake, valinomycin-induced potassium uptake, and phosphate-induced swelling. Studies with representative matrix, outer membrane, and inner membrane enzymes including the ATPase in sonicated mitochondrial particles indicated that an intact, energy-transducing membrane is required for discontinuities in the Arrhenius plots to appear at any temperature.
Reconstructing Meat Consumption through Biomarker Analyses of Paleofeces

This mini-review outlines three underutilized approaches for studying meat-based biomarkers in archaeological paleofeces that we expect will increase in significance within the field. Myoglobin, stable isotope, and aDNA analyses all have untapped potential to inform meat-based dietary constituents.
Protein synthesis by Beggiatoa alba B18LD in the presence and absence of sulfide

The interaction of sulfide oxidation and protein synthesis by Beggiatoa alba B18LD was investigated using the incorporation of radiolabeled leucine to estimate protein synthesis. Leucine was assimilated into whole cells in the presence of 6.1 mM acetate at a rate of 0.6 nmol · min-1 · mg protein-1, 43% of which was incorporated into the protein fraction. Protein synthesis by B. alba was unaffected by 1 mM sulfide, whether or not the cells had been preincubated with sulfide. B. alba oxidized radioactive sulfide to sulfur within 30 s of addition of the label, whether or not the organism was preinduced by sulfide. Furthermore, chloramphenicol, which inhibited protein synthesis, did not significantly inhibit sulfide oxidation by sulfide-induced or uninduced B. alba. This indicates that sulfide oxidation is a constitutive process. Enrichments of sulfur inclusions from B. alba B18LD that were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated two enriched peptides with Mr values of 13,000 and 15,000. The 13,000 and 15,000 Mr peptide bands were more evident in cells grown in a medium containing sulfide than in cells from a medium lacking sulfide. Although sulfide did not increase the rate of overall protein synthesis, the synthesis of a few peptides was increased by the addition of sulfide to the growth medium. Among those, the 15,000 Mr peptide was one of the most distinctive.