cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tax Rates and Tax Evasion: Evidence from

Tax evasion, by its very nature, is difficult to observe. In this paper, we present a case study of tax evasion in China. The novel feature of our approach is that at a very disaggregated level of individual products, we can measure evasion relatively precisely, by comparing the values that China reports as imports from Hong Kong, with what Hong Kong reports as exports to China. We can match up this evasion gap' with the tariff (and VAT tax) schedule at the product level. The result is striking: using the data in 1998, we find that on average, a 1 percent increase in the tax rate results in a 3 percent increase in evasion; these results hold using data from 1998. The result is similar when a first-difference specification is used with data in 1997 and 1998. This relationship is nonlinear: the evasion elasticity is larger at high tax levels. Furthermore, the evasion gap is negatively correlated with the tax rates on closely related products, suggesting that part of the evasion takes place by mis-reporting the type of imports, in addition to under-reporting the value of imports. This effect is even more pronounced when the evasion gap is measured using quantities rather than values.
Sales Education in the United States: Perspectives on Curriculum and Teaching Practices:

Based on the industry need to hire qualified salespeople, a call to expand sales education at universities has been continuously echoed. This article provides an updated overview of the sales educa...
Envious Reading: Margaret Oliphant on George Eliot

Elsie B. Michie, “Envious Reading: Margaret Oliphant on George Eliot” (pp. 87–111) This essay maps out a model of influence that is not deterministic but instead addresses historical “conditions,” the proximity of authors’ lives to their work, the relationship among texts, and how we read (or fail to read) all those interactions. Using the work of Sianne Ngai and other theoreticians of envy, it presents envy as a productive emotion that drives authors to contemplate the circumstances that make their lives and writing both similar to and different from those of their rivals. It tracks the workings of envy through Margaret Oliphant’s relation to George Eliot, arguing that in the novel Hester: A Story of Contemporary Life (1883) Oliphant created a story centered on envy in order to work through her relation to her more powerful and famous precursor. Depicting two hostile women, who are gradually brought close by being forced to understand each other’s circumstances, Oliphant also used Hester to rework the Eliot novel she loved best, The Mill on the Floss (1860), such that it reflected the circumstances of her own life as much as Eliot’s. Oliphant’s envious reading of Eliot reconfigures the relation between authors, between texts, between lives and works, between readers and what they read. Replacing the linear, generational conception of influence as indebtedness with an image of circumstances that ebb and flow, envious reading opens up a space of creative flux and contingency that points to the present and future as much as to the past.
WF1.4 - On-chip Scalable Integrated Quantum Photonic Networks based on Quantum Dot Single Photon Source Array Integrated with Dielectric Light Manipulating Circuits

We discuss integrated quantum photonic networks with arrays of spectrally uniform single quantum dots as single photon sources embedded with all-dielectric Mie resonance based light manipulating metastructures whose single dominant mode is exploited to provide all needed light manipulating functions towards optical quantum information processing.
Bite Force and Masticatory Muscle Architecture Adaptations in the Dietarily Diverse Musteloidea (Carnivora)

Dietary ecology and its relationship with both muscle architecture and bite force potential has been studied in many mammalian (and non-mammalian) taxa. However, despite the diversity of dietary niches that characterizes the superfamily Musteloidea, the masticatory muscle fiber architecture of its members has yet to be investigated anatomically. In this study, we present myological data from the jaw adductors in combination with biomechanical data derived from craniomandibular measurements for 17 species representing all four families (Ailuridae, Mephitidae, Mustelidae, and Procyonidae) of Musteloid. These data are combined to calculate bite force potential at each of three bite points along the dental row. Across our sample as a whole, masticatory muscle mass scaled with isometry or slight positive allometry against both body mass and skull size (measured via a cranial geometric mean). Total jaw adductor physiological cross-sectional area scaled with positive allometry against both body mass and skull size, while weighted fiber length scaled with negative allometry. From a dietary perspective, fiber length is strongly correlated with dietary size such that taxa that exploit larger foods demonstrated myological adaptations toward gape maximization. However, no consistent relationship between bite force potential and dietary mechanical resistance was observed. These trends confirm previous findings observed within the carnivoran family Felidae (as well as within primates), suggesting that the mechanisms by which masticatory anatomy adapts to dietary ecology may be more universally consistent than previously recognized. Anat Rec, 302:2287-2299, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
A simple algorithm to decipher declarations

It is often the case that key, fundamental concepts and/or programming techniques are very quickly covered (and forgotten) in the curriculum. This is true of the concept of precedence, and with type declarations. Usually, students are presented with the canonical a+b*c example in order to illustrate the difference in precedence between the addition and multiplication operators, then given a quick glance at the precedence table, and, finally, told to parenthesize when in doubt. Students typically, and understandably, have difficulties when learning about declarations and definitions of variables, and have difficulty learning the syntax to decipher and construct types on their own. This paper presents a simple algorithm to decipher types in the C and C++ languages that illustrates to students that, by understanding the precedence of the operators used in declarations, they can deconstruct and understand complex declarations easily. It is useful in showing the importance of precedence, in clearing up the confusion over declarations, and in higher-level classes such as Operating Systems.
Blinatumomab in Ph-like Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia – an Institutional Experience

Background Blinatumomab is a landmark treatment for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) with approval in relapsed/refractory (R/R) and minimal residual disease (MRD) positive settings. Philadelphia chromosome-like (Ph-like) disease has been recognized as a high-risk subset (Jain et al, Blood 2017). However, efficacy of novel immunotherapies, such as blinatumomab, in these patients has not been described. Methods A retrospective chart review of all B-ALL patients diagnosed and/or treated since onset of standardized, Ph-like testing at our shared institutions was performed using clinical/pathological databases. Testing consisted of either 1) Ph-like FISH for CRLF2, ABL1, ABL2, JAK2, PDGFRb, or 2) ALL FISH panel with reflex gene fusion transcript analysis. Results 14 patients who received blinatumomab for R/R or MRD-positive disease were identified (8 R/R; 7 MRD-positive treatment settings – Table 1). 1 received blinatumomab for both indications at different time intervals. The majority of patients were Latino (79%) with CRLF2 rearrangement with age range (19-60, median 26). Most (71%) received induction therapy with pediatric-based regimen. Relapsed/Refractory Outcomes: Patients were treated for primary refractory to previously CR2 disease. 2 proceeded to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), with some (42%) refractory to treatment. No neurological (N) or cytokine release syndrome (CRS) toxicity of grade 3 or higher was noted. With allo-HSCT patients censored at time of transplant, mean event-free survival (EFS) was 3.1 months. MRD-positive Outcomes: Patients were treated for MRD-positive disease for CR1 (bridge to transplant) to after allo-HSCT. Remarkably, all 7 patients successfully achieved MRD-negative status. One patient, previously treated with blinatumomab in R/R setting with disease progression, had complete disease eradication post allo-HSCT in CR3. 2 N events of grade 3 or higher (aphasia, seizure) were noted, with both patients tolerating re-challenge. No CRS was seen. Conclusions Ph-like ALL is a challenging disease with clear high-risk implications; here we report our institutional experience with blinatumomab in Ph-like ALL. Blinatumomab was effective for select patients with R/R disease. However, it was more successful in MRD-positive ALL with all patients achieving MRD-negative status. Neurological toxicity was observed in 2 patients; both subsequently tolerated re-challenge. Ph-like ALL patients are more likely to remain MRD-positive after induction therapy (Jain et al, Blood 2017); utilizing blinatumomab as frontline or for MRD in first CR may improve outcomes. Further investigation with larger sample size and multi-center experience is required to fully determine the efficacy and role of blinatumomab, other immunotherapies, and allo-HSCT in the treatment of Ph-like ALL.
A Model for Image Segmentation in Retina.

While traditional feed-forward filter models can reproduce the rate responses of retinal ganglion neurons to simple stimuli, they cannot explain why synchrony between spikes is much higher than expected by Poisson firing [6], and can be sometimes rhythmic [25, 16]. Here we investigate the hypothesis that synchrony in periodic retinal spike trains could convey contextual information of the visual input, which is extracted by computations in the retinal network. We propose a computational model for image segmentation consisting of a Kuramoto model of coupled oscillators whose phases model the timing of individual retinal spikes. The phase couplings between oscillators are shaped by the stimulus structure, causing cells to synchronize if the local contrast in their receptive fields is similar. In essence, relaxation in the oscillator network solves a graph clustering problem with the graph representing feature similarity between different points in the image. We tested different model versions on the Berkeley Image Segmentation Data Set (BSDS). Networks with phase interactions set by standard representations of the feature graph (adjacency matrix, Graph Laplacian or modularity) failed to exhibit segmentation performance significantly over the baseline, a model of independent sensors. In contrast, a network with phase interactions that takes into account not only feature similarities but also geometric distances between receptive fields exhibited segmentation performance significantly above baseline.
SIFNet: Electromagnetic Source Imaging Framework Using Deep Neural Networks

Abstract Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) are used to measure brain activity, noninvasively, and are useful tools for brain research and clinical management of brain disorders. Tremendous effort has been made in solving the inverse source imaging problem from EEG/MEG measurements. This is a challenging ill-posed problem, since the number of measurements is much smaller than the number of possible sources in the brain. Various methods have been developed to estimate underlying brain sources from noninvasive EEG/MEG as this can offer insight about the underlying brain electrical activity with significantly improved spatial resolution. In this work, we propose a novel data-driven Source Imaging Framework using deep learning neural networks (SIFNet), where (1) a simulation pipeline is designed to model realistic brain activation and EEG/MEG signals to train generalizable neural networks, (2) and a residual convolutional neural network is trained using the simulated data, capable of estimating source distributions from EEG/MEG recordings. The performance of our proposed SIFNet approach is evaluated in a series of computer simulations, which indicates the excellent performance of SIFNet outperforming conventional weighted minimum norm algorithms that were tested in this work. The SIFNet is further tested by analyzing interictal EEG data recorded in a clinical setting from a focal epilepsy patient. The results of this clinical data analysis indicate accurate localization of epileptogenic activity as validated by the epileptogenic zone clinically determined in this patient. In sum, the proposed SIFNet approach promises to offer an alternative solution to the EEG/MEG inverse source imaging problem, shows promising signs of being robust against measurement noise, and is easy to implement, therefore, being translatable to clinical practice.
Relationships among Chemistry, Rheology, and Fracture/Fatigue Performance of Recovered Asphalt Binders and Asphalt Mixtures Containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement:

Because of limited amounts of natural resources, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has gained popularity in the asphalt pavement industry to meet sustainability requirements in asphalt pavement. Con...
Detection and Characterization of Mononuclear Pd(I) Complexes Supported by N2S2 and N4 Tetradentate Ligands.

Palladium is a versatile transition metal used to catalyze a large number of chemical transformations, largely due to its ability to access various oxidation states (0, I, II, III, and IV). Among t...
Strong validity, consonance, and conformal prediction

Valid prediction of future observations is an important and challenging problem. The two general approaches for quantifying uncertainty about the future value employ prediction regions and predictive distribution, respectively, with the latter usually considered to be more informative because it performs other prediction-related tasks. Standard notions of validity focus on the former, i.e., coverage probability bounds for prediction regions, but a notion of validity relevant to the other prediction-related tasks performed by the latter is lacking. In this paper, we present a new notion---strong prediction validity---relevant to these more general prediction tasks. We show that strong validity is connected to more familiar notions of coherence, and argue that imprecise probability considerations are required in order to achieve it. We go on to show that strong prediction validity can be achieved by interpreting the conformal prediction output as the contour function of a consonant plausibility function. We also offer an alternative characterization, based on a new nonparametric inferential model construction, wherein the appearance of consonance is more natural, and prove strong prediction validity.
Does a Custom Electronic Health Record Alert System Improve Physician Compliance With National Quality Measures for Palliative Bone Metastasis Radiotherapy

PURPOSEIn an effort to promote cost-conscious, high-quality, and patient-centered care in the palliative radiation of painful bone metastases, the National Quality Forum (NQF) formed measure 1822 i...
Self-assembled polymeric micelles for targeted photodynamic therapy of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 overexpressing breast cancer.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been extensively explored as a promising alternative therapeutic approach for many malignant tumors. However, the PDT system generally involves unsatisfactory tumor specificity and nonspecific accumulation of photosensitizers around the target cancer cells, leading to phototoxic damage to adjacent healthy normal cells. In this study, we developed pheophorbide a (Pheo a)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) targeting peptide (epitope form, HLTV, PEG2-LTVSPWY)-co-conjugated methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(L-lysine hydrochloride) (PEG-PLL)/hyaluronic acid (HA) (P3H2) polymeric micelles via a self-assembly method for HER2-targeted PDT treatment for breast cancer, thereby enhancing the PDT efficacy. The synthesized P3H2 polymeric micelles were spherical, with an average diameter of 125.7 ± 21.2 nm in an aqueous solution. The results ofin vitrocytotoxicity assays demonstrated that the P3H2 polymeric micelles significantly improved PDT efficacy on the SK-BR-3 cells due to the enhanced targeting ability. In addition, PDT treatment using the P3H2 polymeric micelles effectively killed breast cancer cells by inducing higher intracellular reactive oxygen species generation and apoptotic cell death. In particular, the three-dimensional cell culture model proved the synergistic PDT efficacy using P3H2 polymeric micelles on the SK-BR-3 cells. Based on these results, the PDT treatment using P3H2 polymeric micelles can serve as a highly effective therapeutic modality for breast cancer.
Restoration of norepinephrine responsiveness of solubilized myocardial adenylate cyclase by phosphatidylinositol.

Abstract We have recently described the preparation of a solubilized cat myocardial adenylate cyclase which is unresponsive to norepinephrine, glucagon, histamine, and thyroxine, the hormones which activate the membrane-bound adenylate cyclase. The addition of phosphatidylinositol totally restored the norepinephrine activation of the solubilized adenylate cyclase, whereas, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine did not. Half-maximal activation was achieved with norepinephrine, 8 x 10-8 m, a concentration approximately 1% of that required in particulate preparations. Norepinephrine activation of adenylate cyclase in the presence of phosphatidylinositol was abolished by the beta adrenergic blocking agent, dl-propranolol.
Measuring Power in Weighted Voting Systems

There are a large number of voting situations in which some individuals or blocs of voters effectively cast more ballots than others. Such weighted voting systems are found in governmental bodies such as the U.S. Congress, some state legislatures and county boards, in the Electoral College, in voting by stockholders in a corporation, in several university senates, in many other multimember electoral districts in which several representatives are elected at-large from a single district, as well as when strictly disciplined political parties vote as a single bloc.
A Genetic Study of Wild Populations and Evolution

The determination of the scientific basis of heredity within the last two decades and the verification of the principal conclusions in many different plants and animals has made possible the application of analytical methods in the study of variations in wild populations. As with the physical and chemical sciences, genetics has been enabled to make use of mathematics to compound (often theoretically) out of simple units, the genes, the complexity known as an organism, much in the same way as a chemist compounds molecules with atoms and the physicist compounds atoms with protons and electrons.
Effects of thyroid hormone on mitochondrial activity in lipemic BHE rats.

AbstractBHE rats were treated with various levels of thyroid hormone. Their weight, relative liver size, food intake, oxygen consumption, activity of ATPase, and activity of mitochondrial shuttles were measured. It was found that the administration of thyroid hormone increased the activity of the Ca2+Mg2+ ATPase and the Na+K+Ca2+Mg2+ ATPase. The activities of the α-glycerophosphate shuttle and the state 4 of the malate-aspartate shuttle were also increased. The results indicate that the genetic aberration in metabolic control which results in maturity-onset lipemia and glycemia in BHE rats is not due to an aberration in the mitochondrial carriers of the two shuttle systems or of the ATPases.
Abstract B134: The p38MAPK inhibitor LY2228820 dimesylate, in combination with cytotoxic agents, displays strong antitumor activity in human glioblastoma, multiple myeloma, and other mouse xenograft models.

Activated p38MAPK offers a survival advantage to tumor cells following exposure to a variety of cytotoxic agents, such as those that directly damage DNA or inhibit lysosome function. Cytotoxic-dependent upregulation of activated p38MAPK can lead to a diminished response to standard-of-care (SOC) agents and ultimately resistance. Inhibition of p38MAPK with selective small molecule inhibitors is therefore an attractive clinical combination strategy to enhance SOC efficacy. LY2228820 dimesylate is a potent and selective p38MAPK small molecule inhibitor that is capable of inducing tumor growth delay in multiple preclinical human xenograft mouse models. In addition, LY2228820 dimesylate is anti-angiogenic both in vitro and in vivo. This molecule is therefore an excellent candidate for combination studies in preclinical cancer models. DNA alkylating agents such as nitrosoureas are mainstays in glioblastoma therapy and were found to activate p38MAPK-dependent signaling in a variety of preclinical cell culture cancer models, suggesting that p38MAPK activation may blunt DNA alkylation-induced apoptosis. In the human U-87 MG glioblastoma mouse xenograft model a synergistic tumor growth delay is reported for LY2228820 dimesylate in combination with bis-chloroethylnitrosourea (these results are supported by a previously published report on LY2228820 dimesylate in combination with another DNA alkylating agent, temozolomide1). Similarly, in preclinical multiple myeloma models in vitro LY2228820 dimesylate is found to enhance the cytolethal effects of the small molecule proteosome inhibitor bortezomib. Bortezomib treatment induces upregulation of the p38MAPK pathway and, much like the effects of the DNA alkylators, this upregulation is thought to reduce bortezomib-induced apoptosis. When tested in human multiple myeloma mouse xenograft models in vivo, including the OPM-2 model, LY2228820 dimesylate displays tumor growth delay as both a single agent and in combination with bortezomib. LY2228820 dimesylate has also shown activity in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents across a range of tumor histologies. Therefore in addition to its single agent activity across a variety of human tumor mouse xenograft models, the combination of LY2228820 dimesylate with approved chemotherapeutic agents is a potentially viable clinical approach. Reference: 1. Starling, J., et al., p38MAPK inhibitor LY2228820, causes significant potentiation of temozolomide in U-87MG human glioblastoma xenografts. AACR Annual Meeting, Abstract #2429, 2006. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2011 Nov 12-16; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2011;10(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B134.
The assignment of structure to the formamidopyrimidine nucleoside triphosphate precursor of pteridines.

Abstract An open-ring compound, Compound V, which was prepared chemically from GTP was previously found to be a pteridine precursor using extracts of Lactobacillus plantarum . The structure of Compound V was established to be 2-amino-6(5′-triphosphoribosyl) am amino-5- or -6-formamido-4-hydroxypyrimidine. By a procedure involving hydrolysis in 90–98% formic acid and chromatography, the hydrolyzed product was found to have properties identical to 2,6-diamino-5-formamido-4-hydroxypyrimidine. These results indicate that Compound V is 2-amino-6(5′-triphosphoribosyl ) amino-5-formamido-4-hydroxypyrimidine.
Gender and language in British literary criticism, 1660-1790

1. Many words on Mount Parnassus 2. Dryden's gendered balance and the Augustan ideal 3. Paternity and regulation in the feminine novel 4. Aristotle's sisters: Behn, Lennox, Fielding and Reeve 5. Returning to the beautiful Polemical postscript Bibliography.
Plasma Nitrided Type 349 Stainless Steel for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Bipolar Plate—Part II: Nitrided in Ammonia Plasma

An austenite 349 stainless steel was nitrided via nitrogen plasma. Glancing angle X-ray diffraction patterns suggest that the nitrided layer is amorphous. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that the plasma nitridation process produced bulk-type nitrides in the surface layer. In general, the nitrided layer was composed of iron oxide in the outer layer and chromium oxide in the inner layers. Contaminations of vanadium and tin were detected in the as-grown nitrided layer; these dissolved away after polarization. The influence of these contaminants on the corrosion resistance of the nitrided layer in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) environments is not considered significant. The nitrided sample had a much higher contact resistance than the bare one and the contact resistance increased with the nitriding time. The high interfacial contact resistance values can be related to the thicker oxide film after plasma nitridation. The corrosion resistances obtained for the 1 h nitrided and bare stainless steels in simulated PEMFC environments were similar. The outmost nitrided layer dissolved after polarization in the PEMFC environments leaving a passive film (modified with nitrides), similar to that of bare stainless steel under the same conditions. The passive film thickness was 3.7 nm for nitrided steel in PEMFC cathode environment and 4.2 nm for nitrided steel in PEMFC anode environment.
Resistance against various fungal pathogens and reniform nematode in transgenic cotton plants expressing Arabidopsis NPR1

Cotton is an economically important crop worldwide that suffers severe losses due to a wide range of fungal/bacterial pathogens and nematodes. Given its susceptibility to various pathogens, it is important to obtain a broad-spectrum resistance in cotton. Resistance to several fungal and bacterial diseases has been obtained by overexpressing the Non-expressor of Pathogenesis-Related genes-1 (NPR1) in various plant species with apparently minimal or no pleiotropic effects. We examined the efficacy of this approach in cotton by constitutive expression of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) NPR1 gene. The results show that NPR1-expressing lines exhibited significant resistance to Verticillium dahliae isolate TS2, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum, Rhizoctonia solani, and Alternaria alternata. Interestingly, the transformants also showed significant resistance to reniform nematodes. Analysis of defense-related, biochemical and molecular responses suggest that when challenged with pathogens or certain systemic acquired resistance-inducing chemicals, the transgenic lines respond to a greater degree compared to the wild-type plants. Importantly, the basal activities of the defense-related genes and enzymes in uninduced transformants were no different than those in their non-transgenic counterparts. The results provide additional evidence supporting the role of NPR1 as an important part of the plant defense system and suggest a means to achieve broad-spectrum resistance to pathogens via genetic engineering.
Fructosylraffinose, a tetrasaccharide in wheat bran

Abstract A new tetrasaccharide has the structure O-α- d -galactopyranosyl-(1→6)-α- d -glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-[O-β- d -fructofuranosyl-2→1]-β- d -fructofuranoside.
A comparative study of glucose and galactose uptake in pure cultures of human oral bacteria, salivary sediment and dental plaque

The ability to utilize glucose and the weaker sugar acidogen, galactose, was surveyed in salivary sediment, pooled dental plaque, and in pure cultures of the bacteria that numerically comprise most of the bacteria in these mixed microbial systems. Except for a veillonella isolate, which showed no uptake of either sugar, glucose was utilized more rapidly than galactose by the 27 pure cultures tested and by both sediment and plaque. This sugar difference was also seen for two other measures of glycolysis, formation of acid and previously studied ability to produce an acidic pH. Rates of uptake of the two sugars by individual pure cultures varied considerably. Generally, the Gram-positive bacteria utilized glucose and galactose at rates similar to those seen with salivary sediment and dental plaque, whereas the Gram-negative cultures tested showed much slower uptakes. Bacteria previously identified as arginolytic had lower glucose and galactose uptake rates than similar non-arginolytic micro-organisms. This, together with the ability to produce base from arginine, would explain their tendency to produce a less acidic pH. In pure culture mixtures, uptakes were generally predictable and indicated an averaging effect. When the microbial compositions of salivary sediment or dental plaque were altered by mixing with pure cultures of high glucolytic activity, such as many of the Gram-positives, glucose uptake was enhanced. The opposite was observed when the less glucolytic Gram-negative bacteria were similarly incorporated. As well as determining the glucose and galactose uptake rates of the various bacteria that collectively comprise the bulk of the salivary sediment and supragingival plaque microfloras, this study has shown how variation in microbial composition affects sugar uptake rates and has indicated how microbial composition could be manipulated to produce dental plaques with different capacities to ferment sugars and presumably different cariogenicities.
Ab Initio Study of the Relative Energies and Properties of Fluoroborazines

In the effort to compute molecular properties more accurately and at a lower cost in terms of computational time, density functional theory has emerged as an alternative to more expensive methods t...
Designing and building mobile pharmacy apps in a healthcare IT course

An important skill for students in information technology (IT) programs is that of collaborating with domain specialists while designing IT solutions. This is particularly true in healthcare IT, where usability errors can impact patients' health. Here, we describe a course project in which healthcare IT students collaborated with pharmacy students in a task analysis session aimed at specifying the steps in two common pharmacy scenarios. The healthcare IT students then went on to design and implement mobile apps, using AppInventor that were based on the two scenarios. The process benefited both groups of students; the pharmacy students learned about the IT design process, and the healthcare IT students learned about pharmacy workflow as well as communicating with healthcare specialists.
Sustained Activation of Akt Elicits Mitochondrial Dysfunction to Block Plasmodium falciparum Infection in the Mosquito Host

The overexpression of activated, myristoylated Akt in the midgut of female transgenic Anopheles stephensi results in resistance to infection with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum but also decreased lifespan. In the present study, the understanding of mitochondria-dependent midgut homeostasis has been expanded to explain this apparent paradox in an insect of major medical importance. Given that Akt signaling is essential for cell growth and survival, we hypothesized that sustained Akt activation in the mosquito midgut would alter the balance of critical pathways that control mitochondrial dynamics to enhance parasite killing at some cost to survivorship. Toxic reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RNOS) rise to high levels in the midgut after blood feeding, due to a combination of high NO production and a decline in FOXO-dependent antioxidants. Despite an apparent increase in mitochondrial biogenesis in young females (3 d), energy deficiencies were apparent as decreased oxidative phosphorylation and increased [AMP]/[ATP] ratios. In addition, mitochondrial mass was lower and accompanied by the presence of stalled autophagosomes in the posterior midgut, a critical site for blood digestion and stem cell-mediated epithelial maintenance and repair, and by functional degradation of the epithelial barrier. By 18 d, the age at which An. stephensi would transmit P. falciparum to human hosts, mitochondrial dysfunction coupled to Akt-mediated repression of autophagy/mitophagy was more evident and midgut epithelial structure was markedly compromised. Inhibition of RNOS by co-feeding of the nitric-oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME at infection abrogated Akt-dependent killing of P. falciparum that begins within 18 h of infection in 3–5 d old mosquitoes. Hence, Akt-induced changes in mitochondrial dynamics perturb midgut homeostasis to enhance parasite resistance and decrease mosquito infective lifespan. Further, quality control of mitochondrial function in the midgut is necessary for the maintenance of midgut health as reflected in energy homeostasis and tissue repair and renewal.
Content selection based on compositional image quality

Digital publishing workflows usually have the need for composition and balance within the document, where certain photographs will have to be chosen according to the overall layout of the document it is going to be placed in. i.e., the composition within the photograph will have a relationship/balance with the rest of the document layout. This paper presents a novel image retrieval method, in which the document where the image is to be inserted is used as query. The algorithm calculates a balance measure between the document and each of the images in the collection, retrieving the ones that have a higher balance score. The image visual weight map, used in the balance calculation, has been successfully approximated by a new image quality map that takes into consideration sharpness, contrast and chroma.
Pump laser induced atomic and molecular angular momentum: Some spectral effects

Some new spectral effects of the conjugate produce π of the electric field strengths of a pump laser are introduced in atomic and molecular spectroscopy through a mediating molecular property tensor: atomic or molecular spin polarizability αs. Both π and αs have the parity inversion and motion reversal symmetries of angular momentum, and the quantum theory of angular momentum applies in both cases, with the interaction Hamiltonian −αs·π2. Some simple examples are considered of the effect of π in atomic and molecular electronic, vibration-rotation, pure rotation, and resonance spectroscopy.
The role of basal insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract Background: The natural course of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by insulin resistance followed by a progressive decline in β-cell function, which results in relative insulin deficiency. At diagnosis, a patient with tvpe 2 DM has only 50%, of β-cell function remaining. Given this inevitable decline in β-cell function and insulin secretion, most patients with type 2 DM will require insulin therapy at some point. Objective: The objective of this article was to provide a brief overview of physiologic insulin secretion and to discuss the role of basal insulin therapy in patients with type 2 DM. Methods: Materials for this article were identified through searches (2000–2005) of MEDLINE and Google, as well as from the author's personal files. Search terms included basal insulin, titration, hypoglycemia, glycemic control, and basal-bolus therapy. Results: The cfficacy of insulin either as nmonotherapy or in combination with oral agents in type 2 DM is well established. Insulin therapy has also been show to improve insulin sensitivity and, in some cases, reverse insulin resistance, possibly by elimination of glucose toxicity. In recent years, the availability of insulin formulations with more favorable pharmacokinetic profiles has reduced concerns about hvpoglycemia and weight gain, facilitating the use of insulin in patients with type 2 DM. For insulin-naive patients who are inadequately controlled on oral antidiabetic drugs, the addition of a single basal insulin dose at bedtime has been found to reduce glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C levels,with a low risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia. Basal insulins. (ie, glargine, detemir) have also been shown to induce less weight gain a significant concern for both patients and providers. The use of long-acting basal insulins may also reduce intrapatient variability in fasting blood glucose values. Moreover, the long-acting basal insulins such as glargine and detemir can be administered QD, which may enhance the potential for patient compliance. Aggressive titration of insulin doses based on a target fasting plasma glucose level of 100 to 120 mg/dL is essential to achieving target A1C levels ( Conclusion: Basal insulins, both intermediate- and long-acting formulations, are playing an increasingly important role in the treatment of type 2 DM.
Mediated Politics and Citizenship in the Twenty-First Century

Since the birth of the nation, concepts about the political duties of citizens have changed drastically to keep pace with growth and development. The information needs have changed as well, as have the institutions that supply this information. In this essay I analyze the interrelation between citizenship in the twenty-first century and the information supply that nourishes it. I focus on studies that explore how political news is shaped to attract public attention and how citizens select it and make sense of it. Evidence from content analyses, focus group data, and intensive interviews supports the conclusion that the news supply is adequate for citizens' civic needs and that they use it judiciously. To accept that conclusion requires abandoning outdated paradigms of citizenship that ignore information-processing capabilities of human beings, the basic motivations that drive the search for political information, and the impact of the ever-increasing complexity of politics.
Within-family reproductive technologies as a solution to childlessness due to infertility: Psychological issues and interventions.

Patients choosing new reproductive technologies benefit from psychological consultation as they face unforeseen emotional and interpersonal sequalae from these procedures. This paper focuses on those patients who choose family members or close friends (i.e., “known donors”) to donate sperm or eggs or uteri in order to conceive and produce their babies. Medical family therapy offers these patients and families a framework from which to examine the biological, psychological, and interpersonal issues involved in these within-family solutions to childlessness due to infertility.
Motion and structure from line correspondences; closed-form solution, uniqueness, and optimization

This work discusses estimating motion and structure parameters from line correspondences of a rigid scene. The authors present a closed-form solution to motion and structure parameters from line correspondences through three monocular perspective views. The algorithm makes use of redundancy in the data to improve the accuracy of the solutions. The uniqueness of the solution is established, and necessary and sufficient conditions for degenerate spatial line configurations are given. Optimization has been employed to further improve the accuracy of the estimates in the presence of noise. Simulations have shown that the errors of the optimized estimates are close to the theoretical lower error bound. >
A Multiperspective Analysis on Developing and Maintaining Trust in Senior Student Affairs Leadership.

This study examines senior student affairs leadership through the diverse lenses of subordinates, administrative peers, presidents, and senior student affairs officers (SSAOs). Guided by an interpretive paradigm, a qualitative methodology was employed consisting of a six-case comparative analysis and grounded theory approach. The findings provide a comprehensive portrait of the key factors associated with developing and maintaining trust in SSAO leadership.
Altered mechano-chemical environment in hip articular cartilage: effect of obesity

The production of extracellular matrix (ECM) components of articular cartilage is regulated, among other factors, by an intercellular signaling mechanism mediated by the interaction of cell surface receptors (CSR) with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). In ECM, the presence of binding proteins (IGFBP) hinders IGF-1 delivery to CSR. It has been reported that levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP in obese population are, respectively, lower and higher than those found in normal population. In this study, an experimental–numerical approach was adopted to quantify the effect of this metabolic alteration found in obese population on the homeostasis of femoral hip cartilage. A new computational model, based on the mechano-electrochemical mixture theory, was developed to describe competitive binding kinetics of IGF-1 with IGFBP and CSR, and associated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) biosynthesis. Moreover, a gait analysis was carried out on obese and normal subjects to experimentally characterize mechanical loads on hip cartilage during walking. This information was deployed into the model to account for effects of physiologically relevant tissue deformation on GAG production in ECM. Numerical simulations were performed to compare GAG biosynthesis in femoral hip cartilage of normal and obese subjects. Results indicated that the lower ratio of IGF-1 to IGFBP found in obese population reduces cartilage GAG concentration up to 18 % when compared to normal population. Moreover, moderate physical activity, such as walking, has a modest beneficial effect on GAG production. The findings of this study suggest that IGF-1/IGFBP metabolic unbalance should be accounted for when considering the association of obesity with hip osteoarthritis.
Damascus steel, characterization of one Damascus steel sword

Abstract A Damascus steel sword has been exhaustively examined to establish its chemistry, microstructure, properties, and something about its processing. The steel in this blade was a hypereutectoid, crucible-melted steel that was really quite clean. The principal inclusions were approximately 0.5 to 1.0 μm in diameter. The microstructure consisted of a pearlitic matrix with spheroidized primary cementite in a layered arrangement. The cementite layers were aligned with amazing regularity with individual layers containing several particles across their widths. The layered cementite distribution was compatible with the deformation of an original equiaxed cementite cellular array having a 400 μm diameter followed by an 85% reduction in thickness on forging. The final heat treatment resulted in a pearlitic matrix with a relatively fine pearlite spacing. The hardness and mechanical properties were measured and found to be those expected for a high carbon steel with a fine pearlitic microstructure.
Rates of nucleotide substitution in Cornaceae (Cornales)—Pattern of variation and underlying causal factors

Identifying causes of genetic divergence is a central goal in evolutionary biology. Although rates of nucleotide substitution vary among taxa and among genes, the causes of this variation tend to be poorly understood. In the present study, we examined the rate and pattern of molecular evolution for five DNA regions over a phylogeny of Cornus, the single genus of Cornaceae. To identify evolutionary mechanisms underlying the molecular variation, we employed Bayesian methods to estimate divergence times and to infer how absolute rates of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions and their ratios change over time. We found that the rates vary among genes, lineages, and through time, and differences in mutation rates, selection type and intensity, and possibly genetic drift all contributed to the variation of substitution rates observed among the major lineages of Cornus. We applied independent contrast analysis to explore whether speciation rates are linked to rates of molecular evolution. The results showed no relationships for individual genes, but suggested a possible localized link between species richness and rate of nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution for the combined cpDNA regions. Furthermore, we detected a positive correlation between rates of molecular evolution and morphological change in Cornus. This was particularly pronounced in the dwarf dogwood lineage, in which genome-wide acceleration in both molecular and morphological evolution has likely occurred.
Alopecia areata after HLA-identical BMT from an affected, sibling donor.

Alopecia areata is an HLA-restricted, T-cell-mediated autoimmune reaction targeting the anagen (growing) hair follicle, which can proceed to total body hair loss (alopecia1 universalis, AU). Experimentally, alopecia areata can be transferred by T cells within human skin grafts in a mouse model, but such investigations were not possible in humans before allo-SCT.1
Presence of the Exotic Weevil Rhinocyllus conicus Fröelich at High Elevations in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado

Abstract We examined the presence of the exotic weevil Rhinocyllus conicus Froelich on native thistles at high elevations in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. We tested whether the distribution of R. conicus was related to elevation by performing 2 separate studies. First, transects along an elevation gradient were sampled in Rocky Mountain National Park and presence/absence of R. conicus was scored to infer relationships between environmental variables and weevil occurrence. Second, an experiment was conducted on Niwot Ridge to determine whether weevils were able to complete their reproductive cycle and overwinter at an elevation where they do not currently exist. Results of a logistic regression indicated that R. conicus presence was negatively correlated with elevation. In addition, weevils successfully reproduced at tree line, but climatic limitations suppressed their ongoing presence at this site. The ability of the weevils to utilize native thistles at tree line was unknown prior to this experiment, ...
Finite element analysis of current pathways with implanted electrodes

Abstract A technique for numerical solution to complex electric field distribution problems has been devised. The specific application for which it was developed is the analysis of current density and isopotential line spacing from implanted neuro stimulation electrodes. Three configurations of cerebellar stimulation electrodes in clinical use were studied for current spread to regions distant from the cerebellum using a planar model of the human head, neck, and upper torso in mid-saggital section. It was found that an array of cathodes on the superior cerebellar surface and an array of anodes on the inferior cerebellar surface causes significant current spread to the brainstem, a prediction confirmed by clinical observation in patients with previously implanted electrodes of this configuration. Results modelling other electrode configurations are also presented, along with a study of the effects of possible inaccuracies in available impedance data for neural tissue.
Exposure to excessive fluoride during hemodialysis

The safety of fluoridated community water supplies for dialysate and long-term intermittent hemodialysis has been questioned since 1965 [1]. The only significant means of clearing fluoride from body fluids are renal excretion and incorporation into bone [2]. When dialysate is prepared with fluoridated water, fluoride ion moves along a concentration gradient from dialysate to blood [3, 4]. Because renal excretion is defective or absent in such patients, the fluoride administered during dialysis is incorporated into the skeleton. Under these conditions, serum fluoride concentrations increase progressively, and the bone content of fluoride rises above values obtained in persons with normal renal function who drink water that is fluoridated [3–6] (the serum fluoride concentration in normal persons who drink water with a fluoride concentration of 53 LM [1 ppm] is 0.7 ± 0.4 μM [mean ±SD]). Although it has not been established that fluoridated dialysate adversely affects the bone of patients maintained by hemodialysis, this possibility exists, particularly in patients who have been exposed to such a dialysate for many years. This and other problems associated with various substances in tap water have made deionization of water used for dialysate a common practice. Unfortunately, if the deionizer is improperly maintained, the fluoride content of the water may actually increase as the deionizer becomes exhausted.