cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Breaking the rules of Rubisco catalysis.

The canon of knowledge on the catalytic properties of the photosynthetic enzyme Rubisco has shackled efforts to understand its diversity. Now the chains are off. While investigating the variability in Rubisco function among diatoms, Young et al. (see pages 3445–3456 in this issue) have demonstrated that it is our thinking, not Rubisco catalysis, that has been constrained. The photosynthetic CO2-fixing enzyme, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), is renowned for its slow catalytic rate and difficulty in distinguishing between the substrate of photosynthesis, CO2, and one of the products, O2. The oxygenase activity was discovered 45 years ago (Bowes et al., 1971), nearly 20 years after the discovery of the carboxylase activity (Quayle et al., 1954; Weissbach et al., 1954). The photorespiratory losses associated with Rubisco oxygenation are substantial (Sharkey, 1988), and the persistence of oxygenation throughout 3.5 billion years of evolution – particularly the last 400 million years when the O2 and CO2 pressures in the atmosphere have favored substantial oxygenation and photorespiration – is still a mystery (Hagemann et al. 2016). It is conceivable that evolutionary constraints related to the origins of Rubisco from enzymes with roles in sulfur metabolism (Ashida et al., 2003) may have imposed limitations on the catalytic mechanism for CO2 fixation, though none have come to light. Oxygenation has also been proposed as an energy dissipative mechanism that would be beneficial under some stressful conditions (Osmond, 1981), but this does not explain why it exists in all Rubiscos, including those from anaerobic organisms (Andrews and Lorimer, 1987). The inefficiency of Rubisco is due not only to the strong competitive interaction of O2 and CO2 at the active site, but also to a slow catalytic turnover rate per active site (k cat) and a low affinity for CO2 (high K C). Substrate-saturated k cat values (maximum CO2 fixation per catalytic site) occur in the range 1–12s–1 and the k cat/K C ratios (which reflect the ability of Rubisco to function when CO2 is limiting) occur in the range 2–40×104 M–1 s–1 (Badger et al., 1998). This feeble catalytic potency at limiting CO2 is several orders of magnitude slower than the diffusion limit to catalysis that many enzymes approach (108–109 M–1 s–1) and it means that plants need copious amounts of Rubisco (as much as 50% of soluble leaf protein, consuming up to 25% of leaf nitrogen) to support adequate rates of photosynthesis in our current atmosphere (Andrews and Lorimer, 1987). The requirement for such large quantities of Rubisco gives it the dubious honor of being the most abundant protein on Earth (Ellis, 1979). Even with so much Rubisco present, it is still often the rate-limiting enzyme in photosynthesis.
Prostaglandin D2 production and identification of prostaglandin H synthase within canine mast cell granule.

We have identified the presence of functional prostaglandin H synthase (PGH synthase, E.C. 1.14.99.1, or cyclooxygenase) within canine mast cell granules by demonstrating the generation of prostaglandin (PG) D2 from isolated and purified granules incubated with substrate as arachidonic acid or stimulated with calcium ionophore, A23187. This confirms the presence of both enzyme and substrate within the granule. Localization of PGH synthase to the granule was confirmed by immunoblotting of the pure granule preparation and by immunocytochemistry using the whole cell. In functional studies, colchicine, a microtubule polymerization inhibitor, caused a fall of up to 70%, both in the amount of histamine released and in the amount of PGD2 generated. This suggests either that functional PGH synthase is closely associated and coactivated with granules or that there is an independent association of this enzyme with the microtubule system. Release of the preformed and newly formed mediators of the mast cell appear to be closely linked, and prevention of degranulation may therefore attenuate the effects of both classes of mediators.
The Function of Stromal Interaction Molecule 1 (STIM1) in Heart

Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), an ER/SR Ca2+ sensor, has been well described as an activator of store-operated calcium channel (SOCC) Orai1 or the equivalents, upon SR/ER (Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum) Ca2+ depletion in many cell types. In heart, however, we found that the canonical actions of STIM1 do not apply. For example, STIM1 appears to be organized in puncta and linear segments apparently at the junctional SR (jSR) whether or not the SR is loaded with Ca2+. In normal ventricular myocytes the mobility of STIM1 was not changed by SR Ca2+ load when evaluated by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). Furthermore, in ventricular myocytes, STIM1 function does not depend on Orai1 while in sinoatrial node (SAN) cells, it does. In the ventricular myocytes, we found that STIM1 binds to non-phosphorylated phospholamban, an endogenous inhibitor of SERCA2a (Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase). By this means increased STIM1 levels activate (or “dis-inhibit”) SERCA2a in ventricular myocytes. In the SAN cells, however, STIM1 is involved in SAN automaticity regulation through Orai1 (and possibly by other means). Consistent with these findings, STIM1 null cells show decreased SR Ca2+ content in SAN and STIM1 overexpressing cells show increased SR Ca2+ content in ventricular myocytes. We therefore conclude that in heart, STIM1 contributes to the regulation of SR Ca2+ content through binding to different partners (including Orai1 and phospholamban) in ventricular myocytes and SAN. The kinetics and more complete physiological and pathophysiological influences of STIM1 on SR Ca2+ content in heart are under active investigation.
5-OR: PROBLEM CASES IN PREDICTION OF CROSS MATCH (XM) OUTCOME FROM SINGLE ANTIGEN BEADS TESTS: NEGATIVE CDCXMs WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF DONOR SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES IN SAB ASSAYS

Aim Determinations of donor specific antibodies (DSA) from anti-HLA class-1 single antigen bead (SAB) assays are highly predictive of cross match (XM) outcomes. While negative screening bead assays routinely predict negative XMs and highly reactive DS SAB tests usually predict positive XMs, the laboratory, is however, faced with some cases where SAB assays do not reliably predict XM results. In one type of situation, a relatively high level of DSA is detected but the XM is un explicably negative. We hypothesized that this type of outcome could be due to a DSA that did not fix complement in the CDCXM. C1q assays were performed to investigate this issue. Methods XMs (n = 379) were routinely performed by CDC Amos one wash and on selected patients by flow cytometry for deceased donor kidney transplantation. Anti - HLA antibody detection and quantitation are performed with screening and SABs, respectively (Gen-Probe, CT). DSA calculations are performed by addition of the net MFI of all positive beads, net MFI reactivity score (NMRS). SAB assays for DSA that detects C1q reactive classes of IgG and the standard assay (One Lambda, CA) were performed on selected patients. Results Five XMs on 4 patients waiting for a deceased donor kidney with relatively high levels of DSA were evaluated by CDC Amos one wash. All five XMs were however negative. The calculated DSA (NMRS) was, in the standard SAB assay, respectively, for each donor: 18,259, 30,146, 18,806, 19,044 and 51,976. The C1q assays for all of these sera were negative whereas control sera tested at the same time were highly reactive. These potential recipients were transplanted as it is the general policy at our center not to transplant sensitized patients with DSA that would result in positive flow cytometry XMs. Conclusions Though the above situations occur in less than 2% of the XMs they involve considerably more laboratory time and effort. C1q tests should reduce the effort and uncertainty of correlating solid state antibody tests with XM outcome. Norin: Gen-Probe: Speakers Bureau.
Overlapping phrase-level translation rules in an SMT engine

We explore a technique for adding longer phrase translation pairs to a statistical machine translation (SMT) system. Merging existing phrase-level alignments that have overlapping words on both the source and target sides generates new phrases. The effect on translation quality is reported for an Arabic-English system in the news domain.
The Effect of Information Level on Human-Agent Interaction for Route Planning

Abstract : This study investigated how differing levels of information affected decisions human operators made in a route-selection task. Experiment 1 examined how information about resource usage/requirements affected route-selection decisions for a remotely based supervisor guiding a dismounted Soldier unit through an urban environment. Experiment 2 included all the information from Experiment 1 but added a robotic asset and its resource usage/requirements information. Results suggest that a low level of information corresponds to a significantly lower decision time (DT) than its counterparts, and DT at all information levels increased with the addition of the robotic asset. Participants exhibited sensemaking by reducing DTs as the experiment progressed. In addition, as the amount of information increased, preference for specific information sources began to vary. In the condition with the greatest amount of information available, participants displayed no clear consensus as to preferred information source, with many indicating they preferred sources that were unsuitable for successful mission completion. Future research could investigate further into the complexity of appropriate display for user interfaces involving robotic assets.
Hardware and Software Development for Safety-Related Medical Devices

Abstract Article addresses various aspects of system level design of a safety-related medical device. The main factors influencing the design and its division between software and hardware are: main hazards, intended use of the device and severity of a potential failure. Other factors include probability of change, testability and volume of production. End user's profile, time-ta-market and life cycle of the device are also reviewed. The impact of both domestic and international regulations is discussed. A high level design process of an example medical laser is presented.
Effect of electrode placement on skin impedance-related measures

Skin impedance-related measures were obtained at seven pairs of skin locations in 10 male and 10 female college students under resting conditions. The electrode locations were: finger-finger, finger-palm, finger-dorsum, palm-dorsum, palm-forearm, dorsum-forearm, and finger-forearm. An AC constant current recording system with “dry” silver electrodes was used. The current consisted of 60 cps rectangular pulses. It was found that the females showed consistently higher base levels and variability than the males and that electrode position was a highly significant variable. Forearm placements showed consistently higher basal impedance than other locations, while finger-palm placements maximized sex differences. An initial level effect was also demonstrated.
Pseudoprogression in pediatric low-grade glioma after irradiation

This study aimed to assess the incidence and management of pseudoprogression after radiation therapy (RT) in patients with pediatric low-grade glioma (LGG). This retrospective review included patients aged 21 years or younger with intracranial LGG treated with curative-intent RT. Pseudoprogression was defined as an increase in tumor size by ≥10% in at least two dimensions between two and three consecutive MR imaging studies. Overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were measured from the first day of RT. EFS was defined as survival without true progression or secondary high-grade glioma. Sixty-two of 221 patients developed pseudoprogression, with a 10-year cumulative incidence of 29.0% (95% CI 23.0–35.2). Median time to pseudoprogression was 6.1 months after RT. Symptomatic pseudoprogression was managed with subtotal resection, shunt/Ommaya reservoir placement, or corticosteroids in 11 (18%), 7 (11%), and 2 patients (3%), respectively. The remaining tumors were observed (68%). Patients with pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) had 5.4-fold greater odds of developing pseudoprogression relative to tumors of other histology (odds ratio 95% CI 2.5–11.4, P < 0.0001). Among patients with PA (n = 127), the 10-year cumulative incidence of pseudoprogression was 42.9%. In this group, pseudoprogression was associated with improved 10-year EFS (84.5% vs. 58.5%, P = 0.008) and OS (98.0% vs. 91.2%, P = 0.03). Pseudoprogression after irradiation was common, especially in patients with pilocytic astrocytoma, and was associated with improved survival. Knowledge of the incidence and temporal course of pseudoprogression may help avoid unnecessary salvage therapy.
Renal transplantation in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody vasculitis.

Introduction: Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) has the propensity to acquire a devastating disease course. Despite the advances in therapeutics, a significant propor...
Strengthening Customer Value Development and Ethical Intent in the Salesforce: The Influence of Ethical Values Person–Organization Fit and Trust in Manager

This research seeks to better understand how an organization-related employee perception and job attitude may influence organizational members to ethically create customer value. Specifically, it is proposed that high person–organization fit perception, more precisely ethical values person–organization fit perception, can influence business-to-business salesperson commitment to providing superior customer value both directly and indirectly through trust in sales manager, while encouraging ethical salesforce behavior, an important aspect of communicating and delivering customer value. Results from a study of 408 business-to-business salespeople find that ethical values person–organization fit positively influences salesperson commitment to providing superior customer value, as well as trust in manager. Trust in manager directly affects commitment to customer value and mediates the relationship between ethical values person–organization fit and unethical intent. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided, as well as directions for future research.
MOLECULAR BREAST IMAGING: ADMINISTERED ACTIVITY DOES NOT REQUIRE ADJUSTMENT BASED ON PATIENT SIZE

At our institution, molecular breast imaging (MBI) is performed with 300 MBq of 99mTc-sestamibi for all patients. For some nuclear medicine procedures, administered activity or imaging time is increased for patients of larger size to obtain adequate counts. Our objective was to assess whether uptake of 99mTc-sestamibi in the breast is influenced by patient size. Methods: Records from patients who underwent a clinical MBI examination between July and November 2016 were reviewed. Those in whom our standard injection and preparation techniques were followed were included in the analysis. Patients were injected with approximately 300 MBq of 99mTc-sestamibi. Residual activity was measured to allow calculation of exact administered activity for each patient. Breast images were acquired at 10 min/view using a dual-head cadmium zinc telluride-based γ-camera. Breast thickness was measured as the distance between the 2 detectors. Patient height, weight, body surface area, and body mass index were obtained from records. Lean body mass with the James equation (LBMJames) and Janmahasatian correction (LBMJanma) was calculated. Count density in the breast tissue was measured by drawing a region of interest around the central breast tissue of the right breast mediolateral-oblique view of the lower detector. Count density was expressed as cts/cm2/MBq of administered activity. Spearman correlation coefficient (rs) was calculated. Results: A total of 200 patients were analyzed. No dose infiltration was suspected at any injection. Average administered activity was 292 MBq (SD, 13.8 MBq; range, 247-326 MBq). Average count density was 7.2 cts/cm2/MBq (SD, 2.7 cts/cm2/MBq; range, 3.1-17.8 cts/cm2/MBq). MBI count density was weakly negatively correlated with height (rs = -0.18; P = 0.01), weight (rs = -0.23; p = <0.001), body mass index (rs = -0.16; P = 0.02), body surface area (rs = -0.22; P = 0.002), LBMJames (rs = -0.23; P = 0.001), and LBMJanma (rs = -0.23; P = 0.001). No correlation was observed between count density and breast thickness (rs = 0.06; P = 0.37). Conclusion: Our results suggest a lack of relationship between uptake of 99mTc-sestamibi in breast tissue and body size or compressed breast thickness. Altering from the standard 300 MBq of administered activity for larger patients is likely unnecessary.
Dismantling the theory of planned behavior: evaluating the relative effectiveness of attempts to uniquely change attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control.

The current study compares the effectiveness of interventions that attempted to uniquely influence hypothesized determinants of behavior in the Theory of Planned Behavior versus some optimal combination of constructs (three constructs vs. four) to increase condom use among intentions and behavior college students. 317 participants (Mage = 19.31; SDage = 1.31; 53.3% female; 74.1% Caucasian) were randomly assigned to one of seven computer-based interventions. Interventions were designed using the Theory of Planned Behavior as the guiding theoretical framework. 196 (61.8%) completed behavioral follow-up assessments 3-month later. We found that the four construct intervention was marginally better at changing intentions (estimate = − .06, SE = .03, p = .06), but the single construct interventions were more strongly related to risky sexual behavior at follow-up (estimate = .04, SE = .02, p = .05). This study suggests that these constructs may work together synergistically to produce change (ClinicalTrials.gov Number NCT# 02855489).
Follicle dynamics and granulosa cell differentiation in the turkey hen ovary.

Similar to the domestic hen ovary, entry of a follicle into the preovulatory hierarchy in the turkey hen represents a process in which a single follicle initiates rapid growth and final maturation prior to ovulation. Published data derived from the laying hen support the proposal that differentiation of the follicle granulosa cell (GC) layer begins coincident with entry into the rapid growth phase and is characterized by the initial capacity for follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)-mediated cell signaling. The present studies were conducted with photostimulated B.U.T. Big 6 turkey hens to compare follicle dynamics and cellular mechanisms to those in the laying hen. The measurement and weights of turkey ovarian follicles greater than 1 mm in diameter revealed a discrete size hierarchy that was maintained throughout follicle development. GC layers collected from the single follicle initiating rapid growth (at the 11 to 13 mm stage of development) and incubated, in vitro, for 3 h with recombinant human (rh) FSH (10 ng/mL) responded with significantly increased steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) mRNA expression and progesterone production. The same treatment induced minimal STAR expression and no significant progesterone accumulation in GCs from 8 to 9 mm follicles (prior to the rapid growth phase). By comparison, dispersed GCs from 8 to 9 mm follicles pre-cultured for 18 h followed by a 3 h challenge with rhFSH resulted in significantly increased STAR expression plus progesterone production. Significantly, such cultured GCs pretreated for 15 min with transforming growth factor alpha (TGFα; 10 ng/mL) completely prevented both rhFSH-induced STAR expression and progesterone production. Culture of GCs from 8 to 9 mm follicles for 21 h with Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6 (BMP6) increased both cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) and FSH receptor mRNA (FSHR) expression. BMP6 also enhanced rhFSH-induced STAR expression, and this effect was blocked by TGFα. Collectively, these results support a conservation of mechanisms that maintain a hierarchy of follicles throughout development plus initiate FSH-responsiveness and GC differentiation as the recruited follicle enters the rapid growth phase in these closely related species.
New Interfacial Phenomena in a Driven Diffusive System

Non-equilibrium stationary states constitute a subject of increasing interest where computer simulation has proven to be an invaluable tool. In this paper we describe the behavior of a driven lattice gas when we impose shifted periodic boundary conditions, which are used in equilibrium to generate tilted interfaces. In the case of small shifts, our study shows a non-analyticity in the internal energy, in agreement with previous results which indicate that the driving field suppresses the interface roughness. When we increase the value of the shift beyond a critical angle, we first obtain a splitting into a multistrip configuration and then a series of merging transitions.
Magneto-Optic Image Classification Using Neural Networks

The aging aircraft program sponsored by the FAA is keen on improving existing technologies and developing new techniques for the detection of cracks and corrosion in aircraft structures. This program is a part of the overall scheme of addressing the global aging infrastructure problem. The authors have been involved in the aging aircraft program through the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC).
Finding longest approximate periodic patterns

Motivated by the task of finding approximate periodic patterns in real-world data, we consider the following problem: Given a sequence S of n numbers in increasing order, and α ∈ [0, 1], find a longest subsequence Τ = s1, s2,..., sk of numbers si ∈ S, ordered as in S, under the condition that maxi=1,...,k-1{si+1-si}/ mini=1,...,k-1{si+1-si}, called the period ratio of Τ, is at most 1+α. We give an exact algorithm with run time O(n3) for this problem. This bound is too high for large inputs in practice. Therefore, we describe an algorithm which approximates the longest periodic pattern present in the input in the following sense: Given constants α and e, the algorithm computes a subsequence with period ratio at most (1+α)(1+e), whose length is greater or equal to the longest subsequence with period ratio at most (1+α). This latter algorithm has a much smaller run time of O(n1+γ), where γ > 0 is an arbitrarily small positive constant. As a byproduct which may be of independent interest, we show that an approximate variant of the well-known 3SUM problem can also be solved in O(n1+γ + Tsort(n)) time, for any constant γ > 0, where Tsort(n) is the time required to sort n numbers.
Intraoperative Neurophysiological Mapping of the Spinal Cord's Dorsal Columns

Publisher Summary This chapter explains how intramedullary lesions distort the anatomical features of the spinal cord dorsum. This makes it hard for the surgeon to carry out a myelotomy exactly at the midline. The electrode consists of eight parallel wires spaced 1 mm apart, each having a diameter of 76 μm and an exposed recording surface of 2 mm. This miniature electrode records somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) after tibial and median nerve stimulation. After each of the tibial nerves at the ankles is electrically stimulated, SEPs are recorded with the minuscule electrode separately from each of the eight parallel recording sites with a reference needle electrode placed in nearby muscle. Recordings are obtained and exposed to an amplitude gradient across the eight recording sites with maximum amplitude toward the midline and decreasing amplitude toward the dorsal root entry zone. SEPs consist of multispike activity lasting about 10 ms with mean amplitudes ranging from 0.7 to 43 μV. SEPs recorded over the cervical spinal cord after median nerve stimulation show an amplitude gradient as well, but in the opposite direction of the tibial nerve SEPs.
A Gynecological Approach to Menopause

Menopause is a very specific period of time in which the cessation of menses occurs. It is a diagnosis that can only be made retrospectively after one year has elapsed. The term “menopausal years” is actually a misnomer. What one usually means is the perimenopausal years which includes premenopause (that period of time leading up to the menopause), the menopause itself, and postmenopause (those years which follow the cessation of menses).7
Electron Energy Distributions in HII Regions and Planetary Nebulae: kappa-Distributions Do Not Apply

Some authors have proposed that electron energy distributions in H II regions and planetary nebulae may be significantly nonthermal, and kappa-distributions have been suggested as being appropriate. Here it is demonstrated that the electron energy distribution function is extremely close to a Maxwellian up to electron kinetic energies ~13 eV in HII regions, and up to ~16eV in planetary nebulae: kappa-distributions are inappropriate. The small departures from a Maxwellian have negligible effects on line ratios. When observed line ratios in H II regions deviate from models with a single electron temperature, it must arise from spatial variations in electron temperature, rather than local deviations from a Maxwellian.
Evaluation of Wu et al.: Comprehending Global and Local Structure of Single-Cell Datasets

Summary One snapshot of the peer review process for “Visualizing and interpreting Single-Cell Gene Expression Datasets with Similarity Weighted Nonnegative Embedding” (Wu et al., 2018) .
PRE-OPERATIVE LOCALIZATION OF PARATHYROID ADENOMA: PERFORMANCE OF 4D MRI PARATHYROID PROTOCOL.

Objective: Accurate pre-operative image localization is critical in the selection of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy as a surgical treatment approach in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Sestamibi scan, ultrasound, computed tomography, and conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has varying accuracy in localizing parathyroid adenoma (PTA). Our group has previously shown that four-dimensional (4D) MRI is more accurate than conventional imaging in identifying single adenomas. In this study, we set out to determine if it is possible to accurately localize the quadrant of the adenoma using 4D MRI. Methods: We analyzed and matched the quadrants of PTA identified by pre-operative 4D-MRI with the operative findings during parathyroidectomy for PHPT at our institution during the study period. All resections were confirmed to be successful with an adequate decrease in intraoperative parathyroid hormone as defined by the Miami criterion. Results: A total of 26 patients with PHPT underwent pre-operative localization with the 4D MRI parathyroid protocol. Fourteen patients had true single-gland adenoma (SGA) and 12 patients had multi-gland disease (MGD). 4D MRI accurately identified all the SGA. Using this method, we were also able to localize the adenoma in the correct quadrant in 14 of the 18 patients with SGA. All 3 double adenomas were accurately identified using 4D MRI; however, MGD was only accurately identified 67% of the time. The 4D MRI had an overall 85% accuracy in distinguishing SGA from MGD. Conclusion: 4D MRI accurately identified single and double adenomas in their respective quadrants. However, accuracy was lower with MGD. Abbreviations: BNE = bilateral neck exploration; CT = computed tomography; IOPTH = intra-operative parathyroid hormone; MGD = multi-gland disease; MIBI = sestamibi; MIP = minimally invasive parathyroidectomy; MRI = magnetic resonance imaging; PHPT = primary hyperparathyroidism; PTA = parathyroid adenoma; PTH = parathyroid hormone; SGA = single-gland adenoma; SPECT = single photon emission computed tomography; 4D = four-dimensional.
Proceedings of the ACM 13th international workshop on Data warehousing and OLAP

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 13th ACM International Workshop on Data Warehousing and OLAP -- DOLAP 2010. The DOLAP workshop continues its tradition of being the premier forum where both researchers and practitioners in data warehousing and On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) share their findings in theoretical foundations, current methodologies, new trends and practical experiences. The mission of the DOLAP workshop is to identify and explore new directions for future research and development, as well as emerging application domains in the areas of data warehousing and OLAP. In recent years, research in these areas have addressed many topics, ranging from conceptual-level and methodological issues, which help designers to build effective decision-support applications, to physicallevel and query processing issues, aiming at increasing the performance of these applications in order to deal with vast amounts of data. However, the successful use of data warehousing and OLAP technologies within organizations brings up new requirements and research opportunities, in particular to cope with nontraditional application domains, such as text, biological, imaging, and spatio-temporal applications. The call for papers attracted 27 submissions, from 16 different countries and 4 continents. After careful review and discussion, the program committee accepted 8 full papers and 6 short papers, for a competitive acceptance rate of 29% for full papers and about 50% overall. The accepted papers cover a wide variety of topics, including conceptual modeling, multidimensional design, query processing, exploiting new hardware and privacy, among other themes. Papers are grouped into three sessions covering modeling, query processing and new trends. This year we also have an invited keynote talk from the DBMS industry on advanced query processing and a thought-provoking panel discussing and comparing relational and nonrelational technology to manage and analyze data warehouses.
Analyzing College Students from Divorced and Intact Families and Their Family Communication Patterns and Interpersonal Communication Motives

The objective of this research was to investigate family communication patterns and interpersonal communication motives that college students use to communicate with their parents. In addition, thi...
Anti-Semitism: A Psychoanalytic Perspective

The existence of anti-Semitism in so many diverse historical and cultural contexts is a phenomenon of such enormous complexity that, when considered in its totality, it would appear to defy conventional explanation. Why have so many people throughout history become so preoccupied with the Jews? In some instances, anti-Semitism emerges in select individuals in a manner unexpected for their cultural backgrounds and seems to be a symptom of psychopathology. In other cases, it is clear that people have been influenced by anti-Semitic beliefs and other racist ideologies which they were exposed to through their families and communities of origin. At many times in world history, anti-Semitism has become the rule, and not the exception, for entire societies and nations. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the degree to which psychoanalysis can explain or help us understand the unconscious forces which mediate anti-Semitic beliefs and motivations in an individual mind and how anti-Semitism has spread at various historical moments through entire populations.
The Mass of Hatchling Tyrannosaur and Sauropod Dinosaurs

Igniting excitement for physics in our students is a goal of every instructor. In this paper, we discuss a unique example of the concept of density, a subject that is rarely viewed as intriguing by students. By combining a problem involving dinosaurs and an effective density, our students’ interest is often captured through calculating an estimated mass of hatchling tyrannosaur and sauropod dinosaurs. This unusual kind of density also provides an interesting backdrop for students to test their understanding of density. We also discuss how this result can be used to learn more about dinosaurs.
Batako Ringan Interlock Material Komposit

Sampah plastik sangat sulit terurai dibutuhkan waktu yang lama untuk dapat terurai. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk membuat batako yang, ringan, mudah dikerjakan dengan sistem pemasangan interlock dan ramah lingkungan dengan menggunakan bahan komposit limbah botol plastik kemasan air minum. Penelitian dilakukan dengan cara membuat batako menggunakan bahan tambah material komposit plastik. Komposisi campuran untuk biji plastik 50%, 70% dan 90% terhadap volume pasir dan untuk campuran serat plastik 30% dan 50%. Dari hasil pengujian, didapatkan kuat tekan batako campuran biji plastik dengan komposisi 50%, 70% dan 90% berturut turut yaitu 63,88 kg/cm2, 56,28 kg/cm2, dan 51,22 kg/cm2 sedangkan untuk berat isinya berturut-turut yaitu 1503 kg/m3, 1482 kg/m3 dan 1341 kg/m3. Untuk kuat tekan batako dengan campuran serat limbah plastik dengan komposisi campuran 30% yaitu sebesar 30,13 kg/cm2 dengan berat isi 1437 kg/m3 dan campuran 50% menghasilkan kuat tekan sebesar 19,75 kg/cm2, dengan berat isi 1267 kg/m3. Batako dengan campuran biji plastik masuk dalam mutu bata beton pejal kelas II-III, sedangkan untuk batako dengan serat plastik masuk dalam kelas IV. Berdasarkan berat isi, batako yang dihasilkan masuk dalam kelas beton ringan.
Assessing optimal: inequalities in codon optimization algorithms.

Custom genes have become a common resource in recombinant biology over the last 20 years due to the plummeting cost of DNA synthesis. These genes are often “optimized” to non-native sequences for overexpression in a non-native host by substituting synonymous codons within the coding DNA sequence (CDS). A handful of studies have compared native and optimized CDSs, reporting different levels of soluble product due to the accumulation of misfolded aggregates, variable activity of enzymes, and (at least one report of) a change in substrate specificity. No study, to the best of our knowledge, has performed a practical comparison of CDSs generated from different codon optimization algorithms or reported the corresponding protein yields. In our efforts to understand what factors constitute an optimized CDS, we identified that there is little consensus among codon-optimization algorithms, a roughly equivalent chance that an algorithm-optimized CDS will increase or diminish recombinant yields as compared to the native DNA, a near ubiquitous use of a codon database that was last updated in 2007, and a high variability of output CDSs by some algorithms. We present a case study, using KRas4B, to demonstrate that a median codon frequency may be a better predictor of soluble yields than the more commonly utilized CAI metric. We present a method for visualizing, analyzing, and comparing algorithm-optimized DNA sequences for recombinant protein expression. We encourage researchers to consider if DNA optimization is right for their experiments, and work towards improving the reproducibility of published recombinant work by publishing non-native CDSs.
Credit Boom and EU Doom: Financialization and Public Disapproval of the European Union

What are the determinants of public attitudes toward the European Union? What causes state publics to reject its influence? We argue that financialization, an understudied phenomenon in relevant literatures, is an important driver of public opinion of the EU. We develop and test a theoretical mechanism showing how financialization-induced economic outcomes foster environments conducive to the rejection of the EU. More specifically, we illustrate how financialization leads to the accumulation of household debt and foreclosure of economic opportunity, both of which increase the salience of perceived ties between economic elites, like financiers, and the EU. We make use of four survey instruments -- the Eurobarometer and European Social Survey at the EU-level and the British Social Attitudes and British Household Panel surveys at the UK-level -- to construct a multilevel model and additional analyses that offer support for our hypothesized mechanism. We supplement these findings with qualitative evidence from the United Kingdom to suggest how financialization sowed the seeds that helped drive the UK's ultimate decision to leave the EU in the Brexit referendum.
Expression, Purification, and Structure Determination of Human PTCH1-HH-N Complexes

Patched-1 (PTCH1), a tumor suppressor, serves as the receptor of Hedgehog (HH) ligand and negatively regulates the HH signaling pathway. Mutations of PTCH1 are implicated in many human cancers. Structural investigation revealed the mechanism of PTCH1-mediated HH signal regulation, further facilitating the therapeutic development of cancers. Here, we describe the expression and purification of a nearly full-length functional PTCH1 variant, PTCH1*. With purified PTCH1* protein, two forms of PTCH1*-Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) complexes were assembled, and their structures subsequently determined by cryo-electron microscope (cryo-EM).
Steven R. Gullberg, Astronomy of the Inca Empire: Use and Significance of the Sun and the Night Sky

Steven R. Gullberg, Astronomy of the Inca Empire: Use and Significance of the Sun and the Night Sky Cham, Switzerland: Springer, 2020. Hardback, 370 pp., 42 b/w illus., 275 colour illus. ISBN 978-3-030-48365. €135.19.
Paraguay: Addressing the Stagnation and Instability Trap

Paraguay: Addressing the Stagnation and Instability Trap provides an overview of the analytical insights and policy challenges that a country faces while on the path to sustained growth with stability. It covers a wide range of themes, including improving macroeconomic assessments and policy implementation, eliminating turbulence and deepening financial reforms, and, most important of all, enhancing growth performance and reducing poverty. This book provides useful guidance for policymakers by examining the improvements in policy implementation in Paraguay since the regional crisis of 2002. The chapters discuss how to correct economic imbalances and institutional shortcomings in the context of an economic reform program. The results have been impressive with the Paraguayan economy experiencing the highest growth in a quarter of a century and the strongest financial system in decades.
Contributions to College Athletic Booster Clubs

Not all transfers of value to qualified charitable organizations are deductible. When you buy a book from the college bookstore, your payment is not a contribution; you got what you paid for. If you give $300 to your local public radio station, and they give you a tote bag, you’ve made a charitable contribution, but you have to subtract the value of the tote bag from your deductible amount.What if you make a substantial payment — say $2,000 — to a major college’s athletic booster club, knowing that, by virtue of that payment, you gain the right to purchase otherwise unavailable tickets to that school’s football games? Surely, the entire $2,000 should not be deductible. The deduction should be $2,000 minus the fair market value of the rights obtained. Congress says that the deduction should be 80 percent of the contributed amount, or $1,600, no matter which booster club it is. Is that fair? This essay will describe how we got to that 80 percent, and what we might do about it. Specifically, the essay describes how the secondary ticket market brokers, such as StubHub and Ticketmaster, could be used to value the rights obtained.
Zeisberg, Mariah. War Powers: The Politics of Constitutional Authority.

In War Powers, Mariah Zeisberg enters the crowded scholarly intersection where constitutional theory, historical research, and debates about war powers meet, mingle, and sometimes collide. Zeisberg...
Anarchy and Order

Computing amplifies governments' actions but can also temper their behavior by enabling mechanisms for private communication and for open, transparent communication by a nation's people Similarly, governments can help focus the artifacts of computing on their citizens' health and happiness, and temper it as well. The Web extra at http://youtu.be/GuFNqmvbkrE is an audio podcast of Grady Booch's On Computing column, in which he discusses how computing amplifies the actions of governments, but can also temper its behavior by enabling mechanisms for private communication as well as for open and transparent communication by the people of a nation. Similarly, governments can help focus the artifacts of computing to the health and happiness of its citizens, but temper it as well.
Discussion of “The Differential Persistence of Accruals and Cash Flows for Future Operating Income versus Future Profitability”

Fairfield et al. (2003a, this issue) suggests that the accrual effect in Sloan (1996) is at least partly due to the fact that accruals signify an increase in (less-productive) net operating assets. Thus, the paper is a useful and thought-provoking reminder that accruals have both earnings and balance sheet effects. However, the impact of the empirical results is diminished by the lack of a convincing story that ties and grounds these results to other knowledge in the area. Sloan (1996) is an influential study, which documents a simple but important relation: the accrual portion of earnings is less persistent than the cash portion of earnings. In addition, Sloan finds that investors do not seem to fully appreciate the implications of accruals for future earnings, so that firms with high current accruals earn lower future stock returns. This study prompted a flurry of subsequent research which investigates the specific causes and explanations for this phenomenon. For example, Xie (2001) finds that the lower persistence of accruals is primarily due to the role of discretionary accruals, while Desai et al. (2002) argue that the accrual effect for stock returns is a variation on the ''value/glamor'' anomaly. Fairfield et al. (2003a, this issue), hereafter FWY, is another follow-up on Sloan (1996), which observes that the documented effects in accruals and cash flows concern variables scaled by some measure of investment (e.g., total assets). Thus, the documented lower persistence of scaled accruals could be due to one of two effects. First, it could be due to the lower persistence of unscaled accruals (a numerator effect), which is the commonly accepted explanation. Alternatively, FWY suggests that the lower persistence of scaled accruals could be due to the relation between accruals and growth in the investment base (a denominator effect). As the author points out, this alternative explanation seems promising because the concept of accruals is closely related to the concept of growth in assets. In fact, the commonly used balance sheet-based derivation of accruals reveals that the two concepts are at least somewhat mechanically related.
Relationship between sexual function and quality of life in obese persons seeking weight reduction.

Objective This study investigated sexual functioning in persons with obesity and seeking weight loss, and the associations of sexual functioning with relevant demographic and clinical variables as well as quality of life were investigated. Design and Methods Participants were enrolled in a two-year randomized clinical trial. Participants were obese and had at least two components of metabolic syndrome. Male and female sexual functioning was assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) respectively. Results The rate of female sexual dysfunction was 29%. The rate of erectile dysfunction (ED) was 45%. Of the characteristics considered, FSD was associated with age (P = 0.002). ED was significantly associated with age and physical functioning (both P < 0.01). Conclusions A large minority of patients with obesity reported sexual dysfunction. The occurrence of sexual dysfunction was associated with age, but, surprisingly, not weight-related comorbidities. This may be the result of the nature of the study sample or the methods used to administer the questionnaires that assessed sexual functioning.
Rapid assessment of cognitive function in down syndrome across intellectual level and dementia status

HHS Public Access Author manuscript Author Manuscript J Intellect Disabil Res. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2016 November 01. Published in final edited form as: J Intellect Disabil Res. 2015 November ; 59(11): 1071–1079. doi:10.1111/jir.12200. Rapid Assessment of Cognitive Function in Down Syndrome Across Intellectual Level and Dementia Status David M. Walsh 1 , Eric Doran 2 , Wayne Silverman 4 , Anne Tournay 2 , Nina Movsesyan 2 , and Ira T. Lott 2,3 1 Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, School of Medicine, University of California – Irvine Author Manuscript 2 Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California – Irvine 3 Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California – Irvine 4 Kennedy-Krieger Institute and John Hopkins University School of Medicine. Abstract Background—Adults with Down syndrome (DS) are at risk of developing dementia and cognitive assessment is a fundamental part of the diagnostic process. Previously, we developed a Rapid Assessment for Developmental Disabilities (RADD), a brief, broadly focused direct test of cognition. In the current report, we assess whether the RADD is sensitive to dementia in DS and the degree to which it compares to other cognitive measures of dementia in this population. Author Manuscript Methods—In a sample of 114 individuals with DS, with dementia diagnosed in 62%, the RADDwas compared to the Dementia Questionnaire for Mentally Retarded Persons (DMR), the Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale (BADLS), Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) and the Brief Praxis Test (BPT). Author Manuscript Results—The RADD showed predicted effects across intellectual disability (ID) levels and dementia status (p < .001). Six month test-retest reliability for the subset of individuals without dementia was high (r (41) = .95, p < .001). Criterion-referenced validity was demonstrated by correlations between RADD scores and ID levels based upon prior intelligence testing and clinical diagnoses (r s (114) = .67, p = .001) and with other measures of cognitive skills, such as the BPT, SIB and DMR-Sum of Cognitive scores (range .84 through .92). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for groups varying in pre-morbid severity of ID, the RADD exhibited high sensitivity (.87) and specificity (.81) in discriminating among individuals with and without dementia, although sensitivity was somewhat lower (.73) for the subsample of dementia cases diagnosed no more than two years prior to their RADD assessment. Conclusion—Taken together, findings indicated that the RADD, a relatively brief, easy to administer test for cognitive function assessment across ID levels and dementia status, would be a useful component of cognitive assessments for adults with DS, including assessments explicitly focused on dementia. Keywords Down Syndrome; dementia; rapid cognitive assessment
Detailed volcanostratigraphy of an accreted seamount: Implications for intraplate seamount formation

[1] Seamounts are a ubiquitous feature of the seafloor but relatively little is known about their internal structure. A seamount preserved in the Franciscan melange of California suggests a sequence of formation common to all seamounts. Field mapping, geophysical measurements, and geochemical analyses are combined to interpret three stages of seamount growth consistent with the formation of other intraplate seamounts such as the Hawaiian volcanoes and the island of La Palma. A seamount begins to form as a pile of closely packed pillows with a high density and low porosity. Small pillow mound volcanoes common at mid-ocean ridges are seamounts that do not grow beyond this initial stage of formation. The second stage of seamount formation is marked by the first occurrence of breccia. As the seamount grows and becomes topographically more complex, slope varies and fractured material may begin to accumulate. Magma supply may also become spatially diffuse as the seamount grows and new supply pathways develop through the edifice. The second stage thus exhibits variability in both flow morphologies and geophysical properties. The final cap stage is composed of thin flows of various morphologies. These sequences reflect the shoaling of the seamount and a greater variability in extrusion rate resulting from waning magma supply and increased mass wasting. Understanding the growth and structure of seamounts has important implications for intraplate volcanism and for models of hydrothermal circulation in the oceanic crust.