cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxidative metal release from metallothionein via zinc-thiol/disulfide interchange

Mammalian metallothionein has been postulated to play a pivotal role in cellular zinc distribution. All seven of its metal atoms are bound with high thermodynamic stability in two clusters buried deeply in the molecule. If the protein is to function in metal delivery, there must be a biological mechanism to facilitate metal release. One means to achieve this would be a labilization of the clusters by interaction of metallothionein with an appropriate cellular ligand. To search for such a mediator, we have designed a rapid radiochromatographic method that can detect changes in the zinc content of 65Zn-labeled metallothionein in response to other biomolecules. Using this methodology, we have established that rabbit liver metallothionein 2 interacts with glutathione disulfide with concomitant release of zinc. Under conditions of pseudo-first-order kinetics, the monophasic reaction depends linearly on the concentration of glutathione disulfide in the range from 5 to 30 mM with a second-order rate constant k = 4.9 x 10(-3)s-1.M-1 (pH 8.6; 25 degrees C). Apparently, zinc release does not involve direct access of glutathione disulfide to the inner coordination sphere of the metals. Rather it appears that the solvent-accessible zinc-bound thiolates in two clefts of each domain of metallothionein [Robbins, A. H., McRee, D. E., Williamson, M., Collett, S. A., Xuong, N. H., Furey, W. F., Wang, B. C. & Stout, C. D. (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 221, 1269-1293] participate in a thiol/disulfide interchange with glutathione disulfide. This rate-limiting initial S-thiolation, which occurs with indistinguishable rates in both clusters, then causes the clusters to collapse and release their zinc. Such a mechanism of metal release would link the control of the metal content of metallothionein to the cellular glutathione redox status and raises important questions about the physiological implications of this observation with regard to a role of glutathione in zinc metabolism and in making zinc available for other biomolecules.
Evolutionary Lineages and Functional Diversification of Plant Hexokinases

Sequencing data from 10 species show that a plant hexokinase (HXK) family contains 5-11 genes. Functionally, a given family can include metabolic catalysts, glucose signaling proteins, and non-catalytic, apparent regulatory enzyme homologs. This study has two goals. The first aim is to develop a predictive method to determine which HXK proteins within a species have which type of function. The second aim is to determine whether HXK-dependent glucose signaling proteins occur among more primitive plants, as well as among angiosperms. Using a molecular phylogeny approach, combined with selective experimental testing, we found that non-catalytic HXK homologs might occur in all plants, including the relatively primitive Selaginella moellendorffi. We also found that different lineages of angiosperm HXKs have apparent conserved features for catalytic activity and for sub-cellular targeting. Most higher-plant HXKs are expressed predominantly at mitochondria, with HXKs of one lineage occurring in the plastid, and HXKs of one monocot lineage occurring in the cytosol. Using protoplast transient expression assays, we found that HXK glucose signaling proteins occur likely in all higher plants and in S. moellendorffi as well. Thus, the use of glucose by plant HXK isoforms in metabolism and/or as a regulatory metabolite occurs as widespread, conserved processes.
Seed coat variation in Glycine Willd. subgenus Glycine (Leguminosae) by SEM

Seed of the genusGlycine Willd. typically exhibits a muriculate appearance resulting from adherence to the true seed coat of the perisperm or inner pod wall layer. Thickened cell walls of the perisperm superimpose a reticulate network on the seed coat, the type of network ranging from alveolate to stellate depending on the shape of the perisperm cells. Tubercles distributed at intervals give the seed its roughened appearance. Seed lacking an attached perisperm appears smooth and shiny. Seed morphology of 62 collections representing the six species of the subgenusGlycine is examined in detail to elucidate inter-and intraspecific variability. Seed perisperm pattern appears to be characteristic for each species, but there are exceptions.Glycine canescens F. J. Herrn. andG. clandestina Willd. seeds possess a reticulate network and tubercles of irregular shape, the perisperm appearing granular inG. clandestina. Seeds ofG. latrobeana (Meissn.) Benth. andG. tabacina (Labill.) Benth. lack a distinct network and have stellate tubercles; the perisperm is granular inG. latrobeana and some plants ofG. tabacina. A few collections ofG. clandestina approachG. tabacina in seed appearance.Glycine tomentella Hayata seeds exhibit a regularly alveolate arrangement, while those ofG. falcata Benth. lack a perisperm layer altogether. Variation in seed coat within a species can usually be linked to differences in chromosome number or some aspect of gross morphology. Diploid collections ofG. tomentella (2n = 40) exhibit recognizable differences in seed morphology compared with tetraploids (2n = 80), coincident with other striking dissimilarities in gross morphology. An incompletely attached perisperm is accompanied by aneuploidy in severalG. tomentella accessions, while other 78 and 38 chromosome aneuploids produce normal seeds.
Incorporating molecular tools into routine HAB monitoring programs: Using qPCR to track invasive Prymnesium

Abstract Microscopy, a staple of monitoring programs for tracking the occurrence and abundance of harmful algal bloom (HAB) species, is time consuming and often characterized by high uncertainty. Alternate methods that allow rapid and accurate assessment of presence and abundance of HAB species are needed. For many HAB species, such as the toxigenic haptophyte, Prymnesium parvum, molecular methods including quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) have been developed with the suggestion that they should be useful for monitoring programs. However, this suggestion rarely has been put into action. In this study, we modified a recently developed method for detecting P. parvum using qPCR and tested its efficacy as an alternative to microscopy for P. parvum detection and enumeration in a long-term monitoring program in a recently invaded subtropical US reservoir. Abundance estimates of P. parvum were similar for both methods, but we detected P. parvum at multiple sites using qPCR where it previously had gone undetected by microscopy. Using qPCR, we substantially reduced processing time, increased detection limit and reduced error in P. parvum abundance estimates compared to microscopy. Thus, qPCR is an effective tool for detecting and monitoring P. parvum, particularly at pre-bloom densities, and should likewise prove useful in monitoring programs for the other HAB species for which qPCR methods have been developed.
Eye movements during spoken word recognition in Russian children.

This study explores incremental processing in spoken word recognition in Russian 5- and 6-yearolds and adults using free-viewing eye-tracking. Participants viewed scenes containing pictures of four familiar objects and clicked on a target embedded in a spoken instruction. In the cohort condition, two object names shared identical three-phoneme onsets. In the noncohort condition, all object names had unique onsets. Coarse-grain analyses of eye movements indicated that adults produced looks to the competitor on significantly more cohort trials than on noncohort trials, whereas children surprisingly failed to demonstrate cohort competition due to widespread exploratory eye movements across conditions. Fine-grain analyses, in contrast, showed a similar time course of eye movements across children and adults, but with cohort competition lingering more than 1 s longer in children. The dissociation between coarse-grain and fine-grain eye movements indicates a need to consider multiple behavioral measures in making developmental comparisons in language processing. Published by Elsevier Inc.
CAD-directed programming of a vision-based inspection system

Abstract A major difficulty in developing the link from computer aided design (CAD) to automatic part inspection involves extracting the dimensioning and tolerancing information from a part drawing. This design information must be associated with the corresponding geometric features when controlling an inspection machine. In this paper, a methodology is developed for extracting the necessary design information from a CAD system to control a two-dimensional video inspection system. Information regarding part geometry, datums, and geometric tolerances and dimensions is generated during the design process and written to machine-independent data files. This information is then post-processed to automatically generate inspection programs for a specific inspection machine. This computer aided inspection system provides a foundation for research in the area of CAD-directed inspection. Because the system is modular, additional capabilities may be added to increase the efficiency of the process or to support other inspection devices. The computer aided inspection system demonstrates the concept of automatically controlling a measurement machine using CAD design data.
On Maxwell's discovery of electromagnetic waves and the gauge condition

The original 'theoretical discovery' of electromagnetic waves by Maxwell is analysed and presented in modern notation. In light of Maxwell's well-known prophetic dedication to the concept of the vector potential, it is interesting to reveal his derivation of the wave equation for this potential without the application of any gauge condition. This is to contrast with typical approaches students learn from standard textbooks for the derivation of the wave equation in various forms. It is in our opinion that intuition and insight, rather than logical deduction, must have played a more significant role in Maxwell's original discovery, as is not uncommon with discoveries made by the pioneers in science.
Hot-wire chemical vapor synthesis for a variety of nano-materials with novel applications

Hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) has been demonstrated as a simple economically scalable technique for the synthesis of a variety of nano-materials in an environmentally friendly manner. For example we have employed HWCVD for the continuous production of both carbon single- and multi-wall nanotubes (SWNTs and MWNTs). Unanticipated hydrogen storage on HWCVD-generated MWNTs has led insight into the adsorption mechanism of hydrogen on metal/carbon composites at near ambient temperatures that could be useful for developing a vehicular hydrogen storage system. Recent efforts have been focused on growing MWNT arrays on thin nickel films with a simple HWCVD process. New data suggests that these MWNT arrays could replace the gold black coatings currently used in pyroelectric detectors to accurately measure laser power. Finally, we have very recently employed HWCVD for the production of crystalline molybdenum and tungsten oxide nanotubes and nanorods. These metal oxide nanorods and nanotubes could have applications in catalysis, batteries and electrochromic windows or as gas sensors. A summary of the techniques for growing these novel materials and their various potential applications is provided.
‘Gastric bronchus’ associated with a congenital bronchopulmonary malformation

A 2-month-old girl with bladder extrophy had undergone multiple pelvic surgeries since birth. Persistent right lung opacity was noted on serial chest radiographs, which were performed as a part of continued recovery from pelvic surgery. No specific signs or symptoms of respiratory distress were present. Apart from the bladder extrophy, other congenital malformations, such as horse-shoe kidneys and …
Decoding the Miss Daisy Syndrome: An Examination of Subjective Responses to Mobility Change

The subjective responses associated with personal life space and mobility status were explored. Thirty individuals participated in focus groups based on self-rated disability status, current places visited, and availability. Qualitative analyses revealed that most participants equated personal mobility with driving a vehicle. Attitudes concerning mobility status and preparedness for change varied based on disability level and personal experience. Fear of dependence from future mobility loss was prominent in all groups. Few participants acknowledged significant planning for future retirement from driving or other mobility challenges. An understanding of common attitudes, perceptions and meanings can inform professionals who intervene and support older adults experiencing mobility changes.
A fan dam for Tulare Lake, California, and implications for the Wisconsin glacial history of the Sierra Nevada

Historic fluctuations and late Quaternary deposits of Tulare Lake, in the southern San Joaquin Valley, indicate that maximum lake size has depended chiefly on the height of a frequently overtopped spillway. This dependence gives Tulare Lake a double record of paleoclimate. Climate in the Tulare Lake region has influenced the degree to which the lake fills its basin during dry seasons and dry years: during the past 100,000–130,000 yr, incidence of desiccation of Tulare Lake (inferred from stiffness, mud cracks, and other hand-specimen properties) has been broadly consistent with the lake9s salinity and depth (inferred from diatoms and ostracodes) and with regional vegetation (inferred from pollen). Climate, however, also appears to control basin capacity itself: Tulare Lake becomes large as a consequence of glacial-outwash aggradation of its alluvial-fan dam. Late Wisconsin enlargement of Tulare Lake probably resulted from the last major glaciation of the Sierra Nevada. The lake9s spillway coincides with the axis of the glacial-outwash fan of a major Sierra Nevada stream; moreover, sediment deposited in the transgressive lake resembles glacial rock flour from the Sierra Nevada. Differential tectonic subsidence and deposition by a Coast Range creek facilitated the building of Tulare Lake9s fan dam during the late Wisconsin but were less important than deposition of Sierra Nevada outwash. Four stratigraphically consistent 14 C dates on peat and wood give an age of 26,000 yr B.P. for the start of Tulare Lake9s late Wisconsin transgression. The last major Sierra Nevada glaciation (Tioga glaciation) thus may have begun about 26,000 yr B.P., provided that vigorous glacial-outwash deposition began early in the glaciation. Onset of the Tioga glaciation about 26,000 yr B.P. is consistent with new stratigraphic and radiocarbon data from the northeastern San Joaquin Valley. These data suggest that the principal episode of glacial-outwash deposition of Wisconsin age began in the San Joaquin Valley after 32,000 yr B.P., rather than at least 40,000 yr B.P., as previously believed. An earlier enlargement of Tulare Lake probably resulted from a fan dam produced by the penultimate major (Tahoe) glaciation of the Sierra Nevada. Average sedimentation rates inferred from depths to a 600,000-yr-old clay and from radiocarbon dates indicate that this earlier lake originated no later than 100,000 yr B.P. The Tahoe glaciation therefore is probably pre-Wisconsin.
Micromechanical analysis of constitutive properties of active piezoelectric structural fiber (PSF) composites

Recent studies showed that the active piezoelectric structural fiber (PSF) composites may achieve significant and simultaneous improvements in sensing/actuating, stiffness, fracture toughness and vibration damping. These characteristics can be very important in the application of civil, mechanical and aerospace structures. The PSF is fabricated by coating the piezoceramic onto the silicon carbide core fiber with electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process to overcome the fragile nature of the monolithic piezoelectric materials. The PSF composite laminates are made of longitudinally poled PSFs that are unidirectionally deployed in the polymer binding matrix. The PSF laminate transducer has electrical inputs/outputs that are delivered through a separate etched interdigital electrode layer. This study analyzed the electromechanical properties with the generalized dilute scheme for active PSF composite laminate by considering multiinclusions. The well-known Mori-Tanaka approach was used to evaluate the concentration tensor in the multi-inclusion micromechanics model. To accurately predict the transverse properties, the extended role of mixtures were applied by considering the inclusions' geometry and shape. The micromechanical finite element modeling was also conducted with representative volume element (RVE) to compare with the micromechanics analysis on the electromechanical properties. The micromechanics analysis and finite element micromechanical modeling were conducted with varied fiber geometry dimensions and volume fractions. These comparison studies indicate the combined micromechanics models with the generalized dilute scheme can effectively predict the electro-elastic properties of multi-inclusion PSF composites.
QUICKI is a useful index of insulin sensitivity in subjects with hypertension

Insulin resistance may link disorders of metabolic homeostasis such as diabetes and obesity with disorders of hemodynamic homeostasis such as hypertension. Thus it is of interest to validate simple...
Visually Mediated ‘Paratrooper Copulations’ in the Mating Behavior of Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), a Highly Destructive Invasive Pest of North American Ash Trees

The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, is a serious invasive pest of North American ash (Fraxinus) trees. In captivity, mating is initiated by beetles at least 10 days old, and appears to be based simply on random contact with a member of the opposite sex. In the field, male A. planipennis search the tree during flight, and attempt to copulate with dead beetles of both sexes pinned to leaves, after descending rapidly straight down onto the pinned beetles from a height of from 30 to 100 cm. All evidence suggests that males find potential mates using visual cues. Equal numbers of feral males approach all 'dummy' beetles; however, considerably more time is spent attempting copulation with dead females rather than males, suggesting a contact chemical cue. Sticky traps prepared from dead, pinned EAB capture crawling insects as well as male A. planipennis, at a rate similar to that at which small purple sticky traps of similar overall area capture crawling insects and both sexes of feral EAB.
Spatial cognition as a function of size and scale of the environment

Size and scale are not synonymous terms in the study of spatial cognition. This chapter discusses these concepts, offering bases of integration among diverse research findings in the area.
P-225L: Late-News Poster: A Systematic Study of SrS: Ce ACTFEL Devices for Full-Color Display Application

This paper is providing a systematic performance study of SrS: Ce blue light emitting alternating current thin film electroluminescent (ACTFEL) devices for full-color display application in practice. This study includes devices' electrical and optical behaviors on carrier transportation, energy transform efficiency and emission spectra, all of which are based on practical full-color display application. The electroluminescence mechanism is also discussed as well as the crystalline structure of SrS: Ce phosphor layer in the process of device fabrication. The experiment results and measurement analysis are very important and helpful to understand the key role of SrS: Ce blue emitting devices to fulfill the requirements of full-color display application.
Increased systolic load causes adverse remodeling of fetal aortic and mitral valves

While abnormal hemodynamic forces alter fetal myocardial growth, little is known about whether such insults affect fetal cardiac valve development. We hypothesized that chronically elevated systolic load would detrimentally alter fetal valve growth. Chronically instrumented fetal sheep received either a continuous infusion of adult sheep plasma to increase fetal blood pressure, or a lactated Ringer's infusion as a volume control beginning on day 126 ± 4 of gestation. After 8 days, mean arterial pressure was higher in the plasma infusion group (63.0 mmHg vs. 41.8 mmHg, P < 0.05). Mitral annular septal-lateral diameter (11.9 mm vs. 9.1 mm, P < 0.05), anterior leaflet length (7.7 mm vs. 6.4 mm, P < 0.05), and posterior leaflet length (P2; 4.0 mm vs. 3.0 mm, P < 0.05) were greater in the elevated load group. mRNA levels of Notch-1, TGF-β2, Wnt-2b, BMP-1, and versican were suppressed in aortic and mitral valve leaflets; elastin and α1 type I collagen mRNA levels were suppressed in the aortic valves only. We conclude that sustained elevated arterial pressure load on the fetal heart valve leads to anatomic remodeling and, surprisingly, suppression of signaling and extracellular matrix genes that are important to valve development. These novel findings have important implications on the developmental origins of valve disease and may have long-term consequences on valve function and durability.
Crossing the Rubicon. Preparing residents for professional life after residency

In addition to clinical skill and knowledge of basic science, graduating residents need decision-making and communication skills, and an understanding of the cultural and prejudicial divides that sometimes create conflicts and misunderstandings in the clinical arena. This paper summarizes a program that one institution has adopted, which attempts to introduce topics in the humanities into the conventional curriculum. The goal is to enable graduating residents to think and to express their views more creatively and assertively, and to give them a greater understanding of some of the individual and cultural attitudes they are certain to encounter in practice.
Identification of Risk Factors for Initial Elevated Vancomyin Trough Concentrations.

Background: Recent literature suggests that elevated vancomycin trough concentrations (>20 µg/mL) may be associated with an increased risk of nephrotoxicity and lead to an increase in mortality and hospital length of stay. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify variables that may be predictive of elevated initial vancomycin trough concentrations. Methods: Retrospective case–control study of all adult patients who had an initial vancomycin trough concentration measured between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2014. Case patients had an initial trough concentration >20 µg/mL, while control patients had an initial trough concentration of ≤20 µg/mL. Patients were excluded from the study if they were in the intensive care unit, had unstable renal function, or if they had cystic fibrosis, solid organ transplant, or bone marrow transplant. Results: Of the 512 vancomycin trough concentrations reviewed, 54 patients met the case definition, while 140 patients were randomly selected as controls. In a ...
Thick Copper and Aluminum Wire Bonding Technology for High Power Laser Devices

The trends of increasing demand of higher power laser devices with increased current capacity and total package cost reduction to improve dollars per watt of laser output power have resulted in the need for alternatives to traditional gold wirebonds on gold-plated substrates. Copper and aluminum wires are considered to be the leading candidates due to their vast reliability database in the semiconductor industry and cost advantages. Room temperature (25°C) wirebonding with a robust process window and high yield is required for high-volume, low-cost applications. The wirebonds must also meet or exceed the stringent reliability requirements of 1000 hours at 85°C/85%RH damp heat (DH) and 1000 hrs at 175°C high temperature storage (HTS) testing. In this study, 10 mils round thick copper and aluminum wire bonding has been successfully developed at room temperature with no intermetallic failure or void formation at the Al/Au and Cu/Au interfaces after 1000 hours of DH and HTS testing. Further investigation with...
Changing of the Guard: New Relations Between Church and State in Chile

The role of the Chilean Catholic Church as an advocate for social and political change since the late 1960s is well-known. A small and relatively poor church in comparison to those in Brazil and Argentina, Chilean clergymen, nonetheless, have been leaders in Latin America in the struggle for social justice. Defending the have-nots in Chile has placed it decidedly at the center of political controversy, especially since 1973 when the military ousted the democratically elected Socialist President, Salvador Allende. Led by Santiago Cardinal-Archbishop Raul Silva Henriquez, the Catholic Church attempted to work with the military junta, headed by Army Chief of Staff Augusto Pinochet Ugarte. Brutal acts, however, directed at the Church and other Chileans by the junta soon discouraged efforts by the bishops to participate fully in national unification, sorely required after the divisive years of the Allende administration. Accused by the military of abetting Communists, the Church became a major target of repression. And, as the junta and later President Pinochet stifled dissent, often violently, the Church became increasingly the only institution willing to challenge authoritarian rule. Until his retirement in 1983, Cardinal Silva personified the Church's resistance to the dictatorship in general and Pinochet in particular. Although several bishops objected to his political stances on a number of issues, they unanimously supported him in protecting the Church's independence and defending it against attacks by the government and its proponents. Because of his strong opposition to authoritarianism, Silva was called politically ambitious, and his most hardened critics derisively referred to him as the "Red Cardinal" due to his alleged cordial relationship with Allende. A committed and activist democrat, Silva was dedicated to the restoration of constitutional government in Chile, filling the void of "opposition leader" primarily because he was titular head of the Catholic Church, and the military succeeded in intimidating would be civilian leaders. The Church's historic place in Chile and Pinochet's reluctance to apply additional sanctions against it, fearing increased
Do patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis have a greater frequency of pancreatic abnormalities at MRI than patients with other liver diseases

Purpose: It has been proposed that there is an increased frequency of pancreatic abnormalities in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Our purpose is to compare the frequency of pancreatic abnormalities detected at MRI in patients with PSC and to compare these findings with those found in a matched cohort with other liver diseases. Method: We identified 29 patients who had either a histologic or an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography diagnosis of PSC and 29 age- and gender-matched patients with liver disease without PSC who underwent MRI at 1.5 T. The protocol included breath-hold T1-weighted gradient echo, echo train, fast spin echo, T2-weighted images and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MRI. Two blinded readers retrospectively evaluated the MR images for abnormalities of pancreatic size and morphology, T1 and T2 signal intensity, duct size and irregularities, arterial-phase contrast enhancement, focal pancreatic masses, cystic lesions, peripancreatic fluid/edema, ascites, and capsular-like rim surrounding the pancreas. Results: The prevalence of pancreatic and peripancreatic abnormalities was 10 of 29 (35%) in PSC patients and 14 of 29 (48%) in control patients. MR findings included ascites (9 PSC, 12 controls), peripancreatic edema (7 PSC, 11 controls), atrophy (4 PSC, 3 control), increased T2 signal (3 PSC, 4 controls), cystic lesions (2 PSC, 3 controls), abnormal Tl signal (1 PSC, 2 controls), and dilated pancreatic ducts (3 PSC, 2 controls). Quantitative parameters were not significantly different between PSC patients and the control subjects with pancreatic findings. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in pancreatic abnormalities detected on MRI between patients with PSC and those with other liver diseases.
“God loves me no matter how I am”: a phenomenological analysis of the religious and spiritual experiences of HIV-infected African-American women with depression

ABSTRACTDepression is associated with increased HIV morbidity and mortality, particularly among African-American women (AAW) in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore religious practices, spiritual beliefs, and experiences among AAW with co-occurring HIV infection and depression. A transcendental phenomenological study design was used to explore the experiences of AAW's religion and spirituality after an HIV diagnosis and living with depression. The four themes that were identified included: Religious Conflict and Return to Religious Practices; Religious Fortitude Broken and Feeling Judged; Spiritual Connection is More Powerful than Attending Church Services; and Spiritual Healing and Re-Connecting with Spirituality. These findings suggest that the distinction between internal and external manifestations of spirituality is important and that given the current religious climate, interventions that focus on supporting internal spiritual practice may be a more important and e...
Pain Management in the Critically Ill: What Do We Know and How Can We Improve?

Pain management in the critically ill is a challenge and a problem of great concern for critical care nurses. The authors review research on pain in the areas of pain assessment, nurses' knowledge and attitudes, pharmacologic interventions, and nonpharmacologic interventions for the management of pain. Although the research base is not completely developed in the critically ill population, implications for practice are provided, based upon the findings in populations akin to the critically ill. Strategies are outlined for achieving improved pain control in critical care units through education, adoption of standards on pain management, and quality improvement activities.
Optical filter selection for high confidence discrimination of strongly overlapping infrared chemical spectra.

Optical filter-based chemical sensing techniques provide a new avenue to develop low-cost infrared sensors. These methods utilize multiple infrared optical filters to selectively measure different response functions for various chemicals, dependent on each chemical’s infrared absorption. Rather than identifying distinct spectral features, which can then be used to determine the identity of a target chemical, optical filter-based approaches rely on measuring differences in the ensemble response between a given filter set and specific chemicals of interest. Therefore, the results of such methods are highly dependent on the original optical filter choice, which will dictate the selectivity, sensitivity, and stability of any filter-based sensing method. Recently, a method has been developed that utilizes unique detection vector operations defined by optical multifilter responses, to discriminate between volatile chemical vapors. This method, comparative-discrimination spectral detection (CDSD), is a technique...
Phantoms of the brain.

The brain often reorganizes itself after damage to some of its sensory inputs, amputation of a forearm for instance. Work involving both microelectrode recording and stimulation of an area of the brain known as the somatosensory thalamus, on people with and without amputations, shows that brain reorganization can take different courses — but that, in amputees who suffer from phantom sensations from the missing limb, such reorganization has not resulted in the respecification of neural function.
Exploring the Use of a Drone to Guide Blind Runners

People with visual impairments have a hard time getting consistent physical exercise, as they can not do some exercises, such as running outside, without a sighted guide. People with visual impairments have been shown to have higher spatial localization skills than sighted people, which lead us to believe that they could follow a drone on a running-track environment. This paper presents a feasibility study where we investigate the ability to localize and follow a low-cost flying drone in people with visual impairments. A Wizard of Oz style study was conducted with 2 blind participants. Our results indicate that blind individuals can accurately localize the drone and follow it. Qualitative results also indicate that the participants were comfortable with following the drone and had high efficacy when it came to following and localizing the drone. The study supports future development of a fully functioning prototype.
An Introduction to the Moral Agency Scale

Abstract. The purpose of this research was to develop a psychometric measure of moral agency and explore its relationship with related moral constructs. Although our legal system, daily interactions with others, and most theories about moral psychology assume moral agency, few researchers have studied it, and there is no instrument devised to specifically measure it. Here, we present the Moral Agency Scale (MAS), a self-report instrument designed to assess the extent to which participants feel control over their moral choices. In Study 1, the MAS demonstrated strict factorial invariance; validity is further supported by its relations to similar constructs and reported volunteering behavior. In Study 2, MAS scores were associated with free will beliefs, moral disengagement, and judgments of moral blame. Results are discussed with reference to theory and future directions for research.
Visual Analytics Using Graph Sampling and Summarization on Multitouch Displays

Private industry datasets and public records contain more information than any algorithm can efficiently process or any person can reasonably interpret. This is a basic problem faced by researchers in visual analytics. Graph visualizations (a common large dataset representation) can organize relationships and entities in a visually accessible manner. Our work applies graph sampling and summarization to the interactive visualization of complex networks. We implemented several unbiased sampling techniques to facilitate large scale graph analysis. Moreover, we show biased sampling techniques can improve visualization by emphasizing key graph nodes. We combine algorithmic processing with human interpretations by allowing users to adjust sampling parameters, inspect sample graph visualizations, and compare sample distributions. Summarization also reduces graph complexity. By adjusting rendered graph density, users can navigate and maintain constant on-screen density.
Functionality and Robustness of Injured Connectomic Dynamics in C. elegans: Linking Behavioral Deficits to Neural Circuit Damage

Using a model for the dynamics of the full somatic nervous system of the nematode C. elegans, we address how biological network architectures and their functionality are degraded in the presence of focal axonal swellings (FAS) arising from neurodegenerative disease and/or traumatic brain injury. Using biophysically measured FAS distributions and swelling sizes, we are able to simulate the effects of injuries on the neural dynamics of C. elegans, showing how damaging the network degrades its low-dimensional dynamical responses. We visualize these injured neural dynamics by mapping them onto the worm’s low-dimensional postures, i.e. eigenworm modes. We show that a diversity of functional deficits arise from the same level of injury on a connectomic network. Functional deficits are quantified using a statistical shape analysis, a procrustes analysis, for deformations of the limit cycles that characterize key behaviors such as forward crawling. This procrustes metric carries information on the functional outcome of injuries in the model. Furthermore, we apply classification trees to relate injury structure to the behavioral outcome. This makes testable predictions for the structure of an injury given a defined functional deficit. More critically, this study demonstrates the potential role of computational simulation studies in understanding how neuronal networks process biological signals, and how this processing is impacted by network injury.
The difficult gallbladder: A safe approach to a dangerous problem

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a common surgical procedure, and remains the gold standard for the management of benign gallbladder and biliary disease. While this procedure can be technically straightforward, it can also represent one of the most challenging operations facing surgeons. This dichotomy of a routine operation performed so commonly that poses such a hidden risk of severe complications, such as bile duct injury, must keep surgeons steadfast in the pursuit of safety. The "difficult gallbladder" requires strict adherence to the Culture of Safety in Cholecystectomy, which promotes safety first and assists surgeons in managing or avoiding difficult operative situations. This review will discuss the management of the difficult gallbladder and propose the use of subtotal fenestrating cholecystectomy as a definitive option during this dangerous situation.
A comprehensive survey of a-prefixing in Southern Appalachia

This article reviews research on so-called a-prefixing (she's a-making good money now), attested among certain dialect speakers in Southern Appalachia. Sociolinguistic investigations of Southern Appalachian dialect speakers, beginning in the 1970s, found an interesting interplay of social and linguistic factors implicated in the variable production of the a-prefix (Hackenberg, 1972; Wolfram, 1976; Wolfram and Christian, 1975, 1976; Feagin, 1979). Subsequent studies have confirmed many of these social and linguistic factors and have further shown generational differences in contextual uses of the form (narrative vs. nonnarrative contexts; Burkette, 2007). Additionally, researchers have employed case-study methods, looking carefully at sociolinguistic interviews among members of the same family (Burkette, 2001, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2016; Hazen, 2006; Hamilton and Hazen, 2009; Hazen and Hamilton, 2008). These studies show effects for age and speaker education in use of the a-prefix and further reveal how speakers draw on the form as a vernacular resource in identity work and stance-taking. It is the interplay of these variegated factors that makes a-prefixing a rich topic for linguistic inquiry: a-prefixing allows analysts to probe not only the grammatical interfaces (i.e., phonology–morphology, morphology–syntax), but also the role of social and stylistic factors in a process involving these interfaces. Here, I review characteristics of existing studies, including methods of data collection, geographic locales investigated, informant characteristics (sex, age, and socioeconomic status), properties of the data (number of speakers, tokens, etc.), and types of analyses. Additionally, I survey social, stylistic, pragmatic, syntactic, and phonological factors that license or condition variable realization of the a-prefix.
Children's brain activation during risky decision-making: A contributor to substance problems?

Objective Among young children excessive externalizing behaviors often predict adolescent conduct and substance use disorders. Adolescents with those disorders show aberrant brain function when choosing between risky or cautious options. We therefore asked whether similarly aberrant brain function during risky decision-making accompanies excessive externalizing behaviors among children, hypothesizing an association between externalizing severity and regional intensity of brain activation during risky decision-making.
Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pregnant Women towards Varicella and Their Children’s Varicella Vaccination: Evidence from Three Distrcits in Zhejiang Province, China

Background: The objectives of this study were to examine the knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) towards varicella and varicella vaccine (VarV) vaccination among pregnant women in three distrcits in Zhejiang Province, China. Methods: From 1 January to 31 March 2014, pregnant women with ≥12 gestational weeks were recruited and received a self-administrated questionnaire. The first dose of VarV (VarV1) vaccination status of children from present pregnancy was extracted at 24 months of age from Zhejiang provincial immunization information system (ZJIIS). Three variables was defined as the main outcomes, which included: (1) knowing about both the availability of VarV and the number of doses required; (2) positive attitude towards the utility of varicella vaccination; (3) the vaccination coverage of VarV1, which meant the proportion of children having received the VarV1. Counts and proportions were used to describe the socio-demographic characteristics of study participants, and their relationship with study outcomes were tested using chi-square tests in univariate analysis and logistic regression in multivariable analysis. Results: A total of 629 pregnant women participated in this study. The majority of the participants (68.0%) answered correctly about the transmission route of varicella. The proportion of participants who heard about varicella vaccination was 76.5% and 66.8% knew that VarV was currently available. Only 13.5% of the participants answered correctly that the complete VarV series needed two doses. Age, immigration status, education level, household income, and number of children of the pregnant women were significant predictors of the KAP regarding the VarV vaccination. Conclusions: The current survey indicated that optimal KAP levels and coverage on VarV vaccination were observed in three districts of Zhejiang Province. Health education programs on varicella and VarV vaccination directed towards both pre-natal and post-natal women are needed, which will result in a better attitude on vaccination of VarV and in a high coverage of VarV.
Full-Duplex Metamaterial-Enabled Magnetic Induction Networks in Extreme Environments

Many important applications in the extreme environment require wireless communications to connect smart devices. Metamaterial-enhanced magnetic induction (M2I) has been proposed as a promising solution thanks to its long communication range in the lossy medium. $M$ 2I communication relies on magnetic coupling, which makes it intrinsically full-duplex without self-interference. Moreover, the engineered active metamaterial provides reconfigurability in communication range and interference. In this paper, the new networking paradigm based on the reconfigurable and full-duplex $M$ 2I communication technique is investigated. In particular, the theoretical analysis and electromagnetic simulation are first provided to prove the feasibility. Then, a medium access control protocol is proposed to avoid collisions. Finally, the capacity and delay of the full-duplex M2I network are derived to show the advantage of the new networking paradigm. The analysis in this paper indicates that in a full-duplex $M$ 2I network, the distance between the source and destination can be arbitrarily long and the end-to-end delay can be as short as a single hop delay. As a result, each node in such network can reach any other node by one hop, which can greatly enhance the network robustness and efficiency. It is important for timely transmission of emergent information or real-time control signals.
Argus II retinal prosthesis system: a review of patient selection criteria, surgical considerations, and post-operative outcomes

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of heterogeneous inherited retinal degenerative disorders characterized by progressive rod and cone dysfunction and ensuing photoreceptor loss. Many patients suffer from legal blindness by their 40s or 50s. Artificial vision is considered once patients have lost all vision to the point of bare light perception or no light perception. The Argus II retinal prosthesis system is one such artificial vision device approved for patients with RP. This review focuses on the factors important for patient selection. Careful pre-operative screening, counseling, and management of patient expectations are critical for the successful implantation and visual rehabilitation of patients with the Argus II device.
The Usefulness of Exponential Wave Function Expansions Employing One- and Two-Body Cluster Operators in Electronic Structure Theory: The Extended and Generalized Coupled-Cluster Methods

Abstract In this paper, the applicability of exponential cluster expansions involving one- and two-body operators in high accuracy ab initio electronic structure calculations is examined. First, the extended coupled-cluster method with singles and doubles (ECCSD) is tested in the demanding studies of systems with strong quasi-degeneracies, including potential energy surfaces involving multiple bond breaking. The numerical results show that the single-reference ECCSD method is capable of providing a qualitatively correct description of quasi-degenerate electronic states and potential energy surfaces involving bond breaking, eliminating, in particular, the failures and the unphysical behavior of standard coupled-cluster methods in similar cases. It is also demonstrated that one can obtain entire potential energy surfaces with millihartree accuracies by combining the ECCSD theory with the non-iterative a posteriori corrections obtained by using the generalized variant of the method of moments of coupled-cluster equations. This is one of the first instances where the relatively simple single-reference formalism, employing only one- and two-body clusters in the design of the relevant energy expressions, provides a highly accurate description of the dynamic and significant non-dynamic correlation effects characterizing quasi-degenerate and multiply bonded systems. Second, an evidence is presented that one may be able to represent the virtually exact ground- and excited-state wave functions of many-electron systems by exponential cluster expansions employing general two-body or one- and two-body operators. Calculations for small many-electron model systems indicate the existence of finite two-body parameters that produce the numerically exact wave functions for ground and excited states. This finding may have a significant impact on future quantum calculations for many-electron systems, since normally one needs triply excited, quadruply excited, and other higher-than-doubly excited Slater determinants, in addition to all singly and doubly excited determinants, to obtain the exact or virtually exact wave functions.