cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Customer Response to Restaurant Daily Deals

Over the past year, restaurant operators have been inundated with sales pitches to run daily deals for their customers from companies such as Groupon, Living Social, OpenTable and Restaurant.com. On the plus side, daily deals can help restaurants fill unused capacity. Given that the only significant variable cost for restaurants is that of their food (typically about 25 -30%), such promotions may offer an effective revenue management strategy to restaurant operators. However, on the negative side, if operators cannot control when daily deal users patronize the restaurant, full-paying regulars may get displaced during busy periods, leading to lost profits in the short run and the attrition of a stable customer base over the longer-term. Or, if a significant number of regular customers purchase and redeem daily deal offers, such cannibalization could dilute the restaurant’s prices. In addition, the possible negative effects on service (from increased volume) and employee morale (based on the perception that daily deal customers are ‘cheap’ and will tip less) must also be considered. We examined consumer perceptions of restaurant daily deal promotions. In a survey-based study conducted with a diverse sample of 931 respondents (617 restaurant daily deal users and 314 non-users). People who had purchased a restaurant daily deal tended to be younger, have a higher income and live in urban or suburban areas. We found that 44% of the respondents who had purchased restaurant daily deals in the previous 3 months were frequent customers of the restaurant; 22% were new customers and 34% had been to the restaurant before, but did not go there frequently. Based on our results, it seems that daily deals help generate new customers who are satisfied with their experience, likely to return to the restaurant and likely to recommend it to their friends. We also found that some cannibalization of existing customers may be occurring, that daily deal users were not necessarily ‘cheap’, were likely to tip on the full amount of the bill and were no less likely to be loyal than non-users. Psychologically, heavier daily deal users had a similar value consciousness to non-users, were more likely to enjoy recommending products to friends, were more likely to use coupons and were less likely to purchase things impulsively. Non-users indicate not using daily deals primarily because of awareness and access issues, and given that only 31% of our panel’s population has used daily deals before, there is significant opportunity for growth of restaurant daily deals on the consumer side. In assessing different sites, Groupon has the highest levels of awareness, use, and heart share among daily deal users, whereas Restaurants.com, LivingSocial, eversave, Travelzoo, and OpenTable score significantly lower on these metrics.
Effect of Acyl Chain Length and Unsaturation on Physicochemical Properties and Transfection Efficiency of N-Acyl-Substituted Low-Molecular-Weight Chitosan

ABSTRACT: The effects of acyl chain length and unsaturation on physicochemical characteristics and transfection efficiency of novel nanomicelles of N -acyl-substituted low-molecular-weight chitosan ( N -acyl LMWC) were studied. After transfection optimization, 18-carbon chain length grafts were selected, and N -acyl LMWCs were prepared with increasing unsaturation (18:1–18:3 carbon acyl grafts). N -acyl LMWCs were characterized using infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The effect of DNA addition on size and zeta potential of N -acyl LMWCs was determined by dynamic light scattering. N -acyl LMWC–plasmid DNA (pDNA) polyplex stability was confirmed using gel electrophoresis. Transfection efficiency of the derivative polymers was visualized in human embryonic kidney cells using a plasmid encoding green fluorescent protein by confocal fluorescence microscopy and was quantified using therapeutic plasmids encoding for interleukin-4 and interleukin-10. N -acyl LMWCs could form cationic nanomicelles with average hydrodynamic size between 73 and 132 nm. DNA addition to nanomicelles led to minimal increase in the size. N -acyl LMWC–pDNA polyplexes showed excellent stability on storage and could protect DNA from enzymatic degradation. The transfection efficiencies of N -acyl LMWCs with 18:1 and 18:2 grafts were comparable with FuGENE® HD but were approximately eightfold and 35-fold greater as compared with LMWC and naked DNA, respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.
A field-programmable pin-constrained digital microfluidic biochip

As digital microfluidic biochips (DMFBs) have matured over the last decade, efforts have been made to 1.) reduce the cost, and 2.) produce general-purpose chips. While work done to generalize DMFBs typically depends on the flexibility of individually controlled electrodes, such devices have high wiring complexity, which requires costly multi-layer printed circuit boards (PCBs). In contrast, pin-constrained DMFBs reduce the wiring complexity, but reduce the flexibility of droplet coordination. We present a field-programmable pin-constrained DMFB that leverages the cost-savings of pin-constrained designs, but is general-purpose, rather than assay-specific. We show that with just a few more pins than the state-of-the-art pin-constrained designs, we can execute arbitrary assays almost as fast as the most recent general-purpose DMFB designs.
New Multilayered Materials with Low Dielectric Permittivity for VLSI Applications

A new generation of substrate materials with low dielectric permittivity have been developed. These new ceramic-based nanocomposites consist of a quasi two-dimensional, multilayered structure realized by the intercalation of molecular species into the galleries of a host lattice. The materials have been characterized by x-ray diffraction, electronic and infrared spectroscopy. The relative permittivities vary between 2.5 and 4 at 1 MHz. The new hybrids can be processed at relatively low temperatures (below 350°C) and allow for step coverage of submicron structures.
Background-oriented schlieren visualization of heating and ventilation flows: HVAC-BOS

There is an important need for simple methods to visualize and measure whole-field airflow patterns in the HVAC field. The background-oriented schlieren (BOS) method is presented here as an answer to this need—a simple and effective method for visualizing refractive HVAC flowfields in situ. The equipment required is simple, portable, inexpensive, and readily available, thus superseding some previous approaches, including lens-and-grid schlieren techniques that require large fixed installations. For BOS a custom random-dot background pattern is used, and imaging is done by a consumer-grade digital single-lens-reflex (SLR) camera. After covering the principles of BOS, examples are shown of visualized airjets and plumes from heating vents and registers, a space-heater, a teakettle, and a human thermal plume and cough. BOS images of candle plumes are also used to explore several different visualization approaches, equipment arrangements, and image color scales. While current results are purely-qualitative vis...
Distributed function calculation and consensus using linear iterative strategies

Given an arbitrary network of interconnected nodes, we develop and analyze a distributed strategy that enables a subset of the nodes to calculate any given function of the node values. Our scheme utilizes a linear iteration where, at each time-step, each node updates its value to be a weighted average of its own previous value and those of its neighbors. We show that this approach can be viewed as a linear dynamical system, with dynamics that are given by the weight matrix of the linear iteration, and with outputs for each node that are captured by the set of values that are available to that node at each time-step. In connected networks with time-invariant topologies, we use observability theory to show that after running the linear iteration for a finite number of time-steps with almost any choice of weight matrix, each node obtains enough information to calculate any arbitrary function of the initial node values. The problem of distributed consensus via linear iterations, where all nodes in the network calculate the same function, is treated as a special case of our approach. In particular, our scheme allows nodes in connected networks with time-invariant topologies to reach consensus on any arbitrary function of the initial node values in a finite number of steps for almost any choice of weight matrix.
Multivariate statistical differentiation of renal cell carcinomas based on lipidomic analysis by ambient ionization imaging mass spectrometry

Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry (MS) was used in an imaging mode to interrogate the lipid profiles of thin tissue sections of 11 sample pairs of human papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and adjacent normal tissue and nine sample pairs of clear cell RCC and adjacent normal tissue. DESI-MS images showing the spatial distributions of particular glycerophospholipids (GPs) and free fatty acids in the negative ion mode were compared to serial tissue sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Increased absolute intensities as well as changes in relative abundance were seen for particular compounds in the tumor regions of the samples. Multivariate statistical analysis using orthogonal projection to latent structures treated partial least square discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) was used for visualization and classification of the tissue pairs using the full mass spectra as predictors. PLS-DA successfully distinguished tumor from normal tissue for both papillary and clear cell RCC with misclassification rates obtained from the validation set of 14.3% and 7.8%, respectively. It was also used to distinguish papillary and clear cell RCC from each other and from the combined normal tissues with a reasonable misclassification rate of 23%, as determined from the validation set. Overall DESI-MS imaging combined with multivariate statistical analysis shows promise as a molecular pathology technique for diagnosing cancerous and normal tissue on the basis of GP profiles.
Positive NBT test associated with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP).

Case 1. A 7-year-old Caucasian girl presented three weeks after a mild, transient sore throat. A progressive petechial-purpuric rash involving chiefly the legs, hands, and buttocks had started five days before admission; pain and swelling of the knees and ankles developed the next day. Physical examination on admission disclosed petechiae and purpuric areas 1 to 5 mm. in diameter over the lower extremities and buttocks. Synovitis was present in both ankles and knees and in the right wrist. The oral temperature was 37.8 ~ C. (100 ~ F.). The hematocrit was 3"5 per cent. The leukocyte count was 5,800 per milliliter with 69 per cent neutrophils, 29 per cerit lymphocytes, 2 per cent eosinophils; a platelet count was 254,000 per milliliter. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 28 mm. per hour (Westergren). The serum creatinine was 0.4 mg. per 100 ml. No abnormality was found on urinalysis. During seven days of hospitalization, there was no migratory pattern of the synovitis. The signs and symptoms subsided without drug therapy. The NBT test, made on three separate days, disclosed spontaneous reduction of NBT to formazan by 39, 66, and 37 per cent of sampled neutrophils (a positive result in this laboratory is 11 per cent or more). Case 2. A 3 89 Oriental boy had been well until a four-day episode of cough and coryza, four weeks before hospital admission. Three weeks before admission, cramping abdominal pain and occasional vomiting began, without fever or gross changes in stool or bowel habits. The abdominal s~,mptoms progressed. At the time of hospitalization, diffuse abdominal
Personal names do not always survive the attentional blink: Behavioral evidence for a flexible locus of selection

Models of the attentional blink phenomenon (AB) typically assume that unattended information is processed to the post-perceptual level prior to selection for access to consciousness. The present experiments test this assumption by manipulating the perceptual load of the first target task (T1) and whether the second target (T2) was the participant’s own name or someone else’s name. In three experiments, increasing T1-load increased the severity of the AB for personal names. The results suggest that selection during the AB is not fixed at the post-perceptual stage, but rather the stage at which selection occurs during the AB is flexible.
HISTERECTOMIA VAGINAL Y CORRECCION DE INCONTINENCIA URINARIA CON TVT (TENSION-FREE VAGINAL TAPE)

SUMMARY We present 24 patients with stress incontinence of urine (SIU) corrected surgically with TVT (Tensionfree Vaginal Tape), and vaginal hysterectomy for benign uterine pathology. The average age was of 48.7 years (range 40-60), 75% of patients were multiparous. More frequently associated gynecological pathology was complete genital prolapse 53.8%. SIU was present in 62.5% of cases and mixed in 37.5%. The complete surgery took an average of 90 mins (60-120), the blood loss was estimated at a mean of 125 mililiter. The average of staying was of 5 days. There were 3 patients with bladder injury.
Staging of chronic myeloid leukemia in the imatinib era: an evaluation of the World Health Organization proposal.

BACKGROUND Several staging classification systems, all of which were designed in the preimatinib era, are used for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The World Health Organization (WHO) recently proposed a new classification system that has not been validated clinically. The authors investigated the significance of the WHO classification system and compared it with the classification systems used to date in imatinib trials (“standard definition”) to determine its impact in establishing the outcome of patients after therapy with imatinib. METHODS In total, 809 patients who received imatinib for CML were classified into chronic phase (CP), accelerated phase (AP), and blast phase (BP) based on standard definitions and then were reclassified according to the new WHO classification system. Their outcomes with imatinib therapy were compared, and the value of individual components of these classification systems was determined. RESULTS With the WHO classification, 78 patients (10%) were reclassified: 45 patients (6%) were reclassified from CP to AP, 14 patients (2%) were reclassified from AP to CP, and 19 patients (2%) were reclassified from AP to BP. The rates of complete cytogenetic response for patients in CP, AP, and BP according to the standard definition were 72%, 45%, and 8%, respectively. After these patients were reclassified according to WHO criteria, the response rates were 77% (P = 0.07), 39% (P = 0.28), and 11% (P = 0.61), respectively. The 3-year survival rates were 91%, 65%, and 10%, respectively, according to the standard classification and 95% (P = 0.05), 63% (P = 0.76), and 16% (P = 0.18), respectively, according to the WHO classification. Patients who had a blast percentage of 20–29%, which is considered CML-BP according to the WHO classification, had a significantly better response rate (21% vs. 8%; P = 0.11) and 3-year survival rate (42% vs. 10%; P = 0.0001) compared with patients who had blasts ≥ 30%. CONCLUSIONS Different classification systems had an impact on the outcome of patients, and some prognostic features had different prognostic implications in the imatinib era. The authors believe that a new, uniform staging system for CML is warranted, and they propose such a system. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Experimental parasitization of larvae of the gypsy moth, Porthetria dispar (L.), with the entomogenous fungus, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuill

Second-instar larvae of the gypsy moth, Porthetria dispar (L.) were infected with Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuill. by allowing larvae to crawl over sporulating cultures of the fungus. Virulence of the pathogen was increased by inoculating larvae of the wax moth, Galleria melonella (L.), twice in serial succession. Observations were made on the infectivity and histopathology of the parasite in the host. Penetration of the cuticle occurred 24 h after inoculation and at 64 h post-inoculation the interior was completely filled with hyphae. Penetration of the gut wall was also observed.
Forest management effects on in situ and ex situ slash pine forest carbon balance

Abstract In this study we analyzed the effect of silviculture on carbon (C) budgets in Pinus elliottii (slash pine) plantations on the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain. We developed a hybrid model that integrates a widely used growth and yield model for slash pine with allometric and biometric equations determined for long-term C exchange studies to simulate in situ C pools. The model used current values of forest product conversion efficiencies and forest product decay rates to calculate ex situ C pool. The model was validated from a variety of sources, accurately simulating C estimates based on multiple measurement techniques and sites. Site productivity was the major factor driving C sequestration in slash pine stands. On high productivity sites, silvicultural schemes that promote sawtimber-type products are more suitable for increasing C storage (even not taking in account the consequent economical revenues associated with sawtimber production). When rotation length was increased from 22 to 35 years on unthinned and thinned stands, respectively, we estimated net increments of 26 and 20 MgC ha −1 in average C stock of the first five rotations. Even though in situ C pool in slash pine accounts for most of this net increment, C in sawtimber products increased from 8 and 14 to 23 and 24 MgC ha −1 , on unthinned and thinned stands, respectively. Thinning effects on net C stock depended on intensity and timing of intervention, mainly due to changes in diameter classes that promote higher proportion of long-lived products. Emissions associated with silvicultural activities, including transportation of logs to the mill, are small compared to the magnitude of net C sequestration, accounting for between 2.2 and 2.3% of gross C stock. This slash pine plantation C sequestration model, based on empirical and biological relationships, is appropriate for use in regional C stock assessments or for C credit verification.
Mouthguards in the American Hockey League [AHL].

Purpose. To examine the orofacial injuries and attitudes toward mouthguards reported by professional ice hockey players of the American Hockey League [AHL]. Methods. A survey was created and sent to the certified athletic trainers [ATC] of 23 AHL teams. A total of 25 questions were posed regarding age, position, orofacial injury, frequency of prophylaxis by a dental hygienist and methods to clean a mouthguard. The influence and responsibility of professional athletes as role models was also explored. Results. A total of 344 surveys of the original 394 surveys [87.3%] were returned. Three hundred twenty-four [82.2%] were acceptable for analysis. All respondents were male, with 74% between the ages of 19 and 25. Almost all players [93.8%] had been advised to wear a mouthguard, with a parent / family member first to advise on their use. Approximately 67.3% of players reported wearing a mouthguard in some capacity. Of those who did not, 31% stopped wearing a mouthguard upon arrival into the AHL. Dental injuries were numerous, occurring within 63.3% of ice hockey players. The most frequently reported injury was chipped teeth. As professional athletes, 88.6% consider themselves role models. Conclusion. It is recommended that mouthguards be mandated within the professional arena as the prevalence of orofacial injuries remains a concern within ice hockey. Emphasis should be placed on educating health professionals of all disciplines who interact with athletes, as well as utilizing the promotional power of professional athletes.
Distributionally robust inventory control when demand is a martingale

Demand forecasting plays an important role in many inventory control problems. To mitigate the potential harms of model misspecification, various forms of distributionally robust optimization have been applied. Although many of these methodologies suffer from the problem of time-inconsistency, the work of Klabjan et al. established a general time-consistent framework for such problems by connecting to the literature on robust Markov decision processes. Motivated by the fact that many forecasting models exhibit special structure, as well as a desire to understand the impact of positing different dependency structures, in this paper we formulate and solve a time-consistent distributionally robust multi-stage newsvendor model which naturally unifies and robustifies several inventory models with forecasting. In particular, many simple models of demand forecasting have the feature that demand evolves as a martingale. We consider a robust variant of such models, in which the sequence of future demands may be any martingale with given mean and support. Under such a model, past realizations of demand are naturally incorporated into the structure of the uncertainty set going forwards. We explicitly compute the minimax optimal policy (and worst-case distribution) in closed form, by combining ideas from convexity, probability, and dynamic programming. We prove that at optimality the worst-case demand distribution corresponds to the setting in which inventory may become obsolete, a scenario of practical interest. To gain further insight, we prove weak convergence (as the time horizon grows large) to a simple and intuitive process. We also compare to the analogous setting in which demand is independent across periods (analyzed previously by Shapiro), and identify interesting differences between these models, in the spirit of the price of correlations studied by Agrawal et al.
Chapter 4 Home production — A survey

Publisher Summary The chapter presents a survey on home production. The terminology of the theory of home production has been used to extend economic analysis to such diverse fields as family formation (marriage and divorce), fertility decisions, and involvement in illegal activities. It has been adapted to re-examine the demand for health, the demand for travel and transport choice, and more. Many of these applications have expanded to become research fields in their own right (for example, the economics of the family, the economics of fertility, and the economics of crime). This survey focuses on home production in its narrower definition, discussing inputs, shadow prices, production technology, and other aspects of the home production process. The theory of home production cannot escape the limitations of traditional consumption theory as the outputs (that is, the commodities) are unobserved. Any empirical investigation based on this theory is therefore confined to the study of inputs, that is, changes in their level and mix as a result of changes in output, prices, and productivity. Moreover, the study of inputs is hampered by the fact that data on inputs are not readily available, the output (as mentioned) cannot be measured directly, and prices (specifically the price of time) are unknown. In an extreme case, work at home and work in the market are perfect substitutes-a person is indifferent to the composition of the goods and services he consumes, whether they are produced at home or purchased in the market.
Fabrication of Thin CH and CD Films and Patterned Films Using a Heat Press Technique for the NIF and OMEGA Magnetic Recoil Neutron Spectrometer

Deuterated polyethylene films as thin as 50 μm have been produced using a four-post heated press method. These films are then cut into the desired shape (foil) and are used for the magnetic recoil ...
Puffing and Micro-Explosion Phenomena of Water Emulsion Fuels

Les phenomenes de gonflement et de micro-explosion dans les melanges hydrocarbure/eau sont etudies par une methode photographique pour les hydrocarbures suivants: hexadecane, tridecane, decane, essence, hexane et carburant diesel. L'influence de la temperature ambiante, de la taille des gouttelettes sur le temps d'incubation des phenomenes de gonflement et de micro-explosion est determinee. Un modele mathematique est propose. Les resultats obtenus sont appliques a l'etude du comportement d'un moteur a explosion qui fonctionne avec de l'essence contenant de l'eau
Statistical analysis and handling of missing data in cluster randomized trials: a systematic review

Cluster randomized trials (CRTs) randomize participants in groups, rather than as individuals and are key tools used to assess interventions in health research where treatment contamination is likely or if individual randomization is not feasible. Two potential major pitfalls exist regarding CRTs, namely handling missing data and not accounting for clustering in the primary analysis. The aim of this review was to evaluate approaches for handling missing data and statistical analysis with respect to the primary outcome in CRTs. We systematically searched for CRTs published between August 2013 and July 2014 using PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. For each trial, two independent reviewers assessed the extent of the missing data and method(s) used for handling missing data in the primary and sensitivity analyses. We evaluated the primary analysis and determined whether it was at the cluster or individual level. Of the 86 included CRTs, 80 (93 %) trials reported some missing outcome data. Of those reporting missing data, the median percent of individuals with a missing outcome was 19 % (range 0.5 to 90 %). The most common way to handle missing data in the primary analysis was complete case analysis (44, 55 %), whereas 18 (22 %) used mixed models, six (8 %) used single imputation, four (5 %) used unweighted generalized estimating equations, and two (2 %) used multiple imputation. Fourteen (16 %) trials reported a sensitivity analysis for missing data, but most assumed the same missing data mechanism as in the primary analysis. Overall, 67 (78 %) trials accounted for clustering in the primary analysis. High rates of missing outcome data are present in the majority of CRTs, yet handling missing data in practice remains suboptimal. Researchers and applied statisticians should carry out appropriate missing data methods, which are valid under plausible assumptions in order to increase statistical power in trials and reduce the possibility of bias. Sensitivity analysis should be performed, with weakened assumptions regarding the missing data mechanism to explore the robustness of results reported in the primary analysis.
A method for introducing artificial perception (ap) to improve human behavior representation (hbr) using agents in synthetic environments

While psychology has shown that perception is very important for the human decision process, agent perception has not been covered in sufficient detail within the agent directed simulation field. To contribute to such a solution, an open challenge lies in capturing the knowledge of human sciences, such as psychology, and making this knowledge usable for engineers. This dissertation addresses perception by describing an experimental method where agent perception simulates human perception. In particular, it presents engineering methods based on accepted psychological approaches resulting in a proof of concept. To prove the feasibility, an Artificial Perception (AP) meta-model is presented using logical assumptions, generalized Validation and Verification (V&V) approaches, cognitive testing, and experimental comparisons with similar state-of-the-art agents. Current publications show that Human Behavior Representation (HBR) in agent simulations remains a top priority for the modeling and simulation community. Agents are a promising way to represent human behavior. However, there are limited methods for measuring and validating perception within simulated environments. Within a simulated environment, there are no clearly established methods for understanding surrogate HBR perception relationships with their authentic human behavioral representations. These present obstacles for advancing simulation of human behavior. The approach presented in this dissertation provides an engineering solution that allows bridging this gap and configuring agents based on human behavior evaluations using accepted psychological approaches, in particular, applied cognitive task analysis. In many cases, the foundation for these engineering methods and the effects of agent perception are similar to “experimental frames” with some known potential for accomplishing a task. Effects of these tasks require accurate assessments beyond face validation. Agents play a critical role in HBR's capacity to accomplish specific tasks. An agent, in this sense, becomes less a matter of size or complexity, and more a matter of “viewpoint.” This viewpoint makes it possible to infer an agent-oriented approach for conceptual modeling of AP, thus implying an agent-object relationship. An experimental approach is provided using proven psychology perception measurements to help answer the question whether there is a correlation between human perception in the real world and its same representation in an artificial world. The results presented in this dissertation show that the method applied in the experimental approach can be generalized. Furthermore, the example used builds a proof of concept, as the resulting agent with AP reproduced the human behavior more closely than did the state-of-the-art approaches.
Mesoporous Ti0.5Cr0.5N Supported PdAg Nanoalloy as Highly Active and Stable Catalysts for the Electro-oxidation of Formic Acid and Methanol

We report a robust noncarbon Ti0.5Cr0.5N support synthesized by an efficient solid–solid phase separation method. This ternary nitride exhibits highly porous, sintered, and random network structure with a crystallite size of 20–40 nm, resulting in a high specific surface area. It is not only kinetically stable in both acid and alkaline media, but also electrochemically stable in the potential range of fuel cell operation. Two typical anode reactions, formic acid oxidation in acid media and methanol oxidation in alkaline media, are employed to investigate the possibility of Ti0.5Cr0.5N as an alternative to carbon. Bimetallic PdAg nanoparticles (∼4 nm) act as anode catalysts for the two anode reactions. PdAg/Ti0.5Cr0.5N exhibits much higher mass activity and durability for the two reactions than PdAg/C and Pd/C catalyst, suggesting that mesoporous Ti0.5Cr0.5N is a very promising support in both acid and alkaline media.
The UbiI (VisC) Aerobic Ubiquinone Synthase Is Required for Expression of Type 1 Pili, Biofilm Formation, and Pathogenesis in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), which causes the majority of urinary tract infections (UTI), uses pilus-mediated adherence to initiate biofilm formation in the urinary tract. Oxygen gradients within E. coli biofilms regulate expression and localization of adhesive type 1 pili. A transposon mutant screen for strains defective in biofilm formation identified the ubiI (formerly visC) aerobic ubiquinone synthase gene as critical for UPEC biofilm formation. In this study, we characterized a nonpolar ubiI deletion mutant and compared its behavior to that of wild-type bacteria grown under aerobic and anoxic conditions. Consistent with its function as an aerobic ubiquinone-8 synthase, deletion of ubiI in UPEC resulted in reduced membrane potential, diminished motility, and reduced expression of chaperone-usher pathway pili. Loss of aerobic respiration was previously shown to negatively impact expression of type 1 pili. To determine whether this reduction in type 1 pili was due to an energy deficit, wild-type UPEC and the ubiI mutant were compared for energy-dependent phenotypes under anoxic conditions, in which quinone synthesis is undertaken by anaerobic quinone synthases. Under anoxic conditions, the two strains exhibited wild-type levels of motility but produced diminished numbers of type 1 pili, suggesting that the reduction of type 1 pilus expression in the absence of oxygen is not due to a cellular energy deficit. Acute- and chronic-infection studies in a mouse model of UTI revealed a significant virulence deficit in the ubiI mutant, indicating that UPEC encounters enough oxygen in the bladder to induce aerobic ubiquinone synthesis during infection. IMPORTANCE The majority of urinary tract infections are caused by uropathogenic E. coli, a bacterium that can respire in the presence and absence of oxygen. The bladder environment is hypoxic, with oxygen concentrations ranging from 4% to 7%, compared to 21% atmospheric oxygen. This work provides evidence that aerobic ubiquinone synthesis must be engaged during bladder infection, indicating that UPEC bacteria sense and use oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor in the bladder and that this ability drives infection potential despite the fact that UPEC is a facultative anaerobe.
Infant mortality tests for analog and mixed-signal circuits

A new methodology for extracting compact test stimuli from functional tests for infant mortality testing of analog circuits is proposed. The test stimuli are extracted such that they produce extremal electrical activity in the circuit to push latent defects over the edge to become hard defects. Results on analog modules from the receiver sub-system of a high speed serial interface show that tests that are about 1/5th the size of the original functional test can be extracted while achieving consistently at least 80% of the electrical activity of the functional test.
Cor pulmonale associated with COPD

A regular antecedent of cor pulmonale in patients with COPD is pulmonary hypertension, which, in turn, is a consequence of an interplay of mechanisms (predominantly alveolar hypoxia). It is important to identify those patients who are predisposed to pulmonary hypertension because of COPD, since they are candidates for right ventricular failure if gas exchange is further deranged by alveolar hypoventilation or a superimposed respiratory infection.
The Right Metric for Efficient Supercomputing: A Ten-Year Retrospective

About ten years ago, we presented the results of an effort to identify the "right metric" for efficient supercomputing at this workshop, The Workshop on High-Performance, Power-Aware Computing. In this paper, we review the advances that the community has made in this area of research. The intention of this ten-year retrospective is two-fold: (1) to acknowledge the past work through a historical narrative and (2) to highlight the essence of the remaining issues in this research.
Findings from the Quantitative Analysis of Collective Action in Starpower

The quantitative field worker encompasses the notion of “critical theory” in which one uses social science concepts to illuminate processes which are not seen readily by the participants. The role of quantitative field worker also encompasses the ethnographic approach in which the field worker attempts to understand action from the point of view of the participants. Finally, the quantitative field worker uses experimental designs, quantification, and statistical analysis to test models of the processes to be studied. Currently, social science research is characterized by an overreliance on just one of these methods, and as such, the understanding that is gained is limited. The unique attributes of gamed simulations lend themselves to the broader approach of quantitative field work. In this chapter a quantitative analysis of collective action in STARPOWER is presented.
A mitotic nuclear envelope tether for Gle1 also impacts nuclear and nucleolar architecture.

Study of mitotic redistribution of Gle1 in Aspergillus nidulans identified an orthologue of fission yeast Bqt4, an inner nuclear membrane protein required for meiosis. This protein—MtgA for “mitoti...
Have clinicians adopted the use of brain MRI for patients with TIA and minor stroke

Background: Use of MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can identify infarcts in 30%–50% of patients with TIA. Previous guidelines have indicated that MRI-DWI is the preferred imaging modality for patients with TIA. We assessed the frequency of MRI utilization and predictors of MRI performance. Methods: A review of TIA and minor stroke patients evaluated at Veterans Affairs hospitals was conducted with regard to medical history, use of diagnostic imaging within 2 days of presentation, and in-hospital care variables. Chart abstraction was performed in a subset of hospitals to assess clinical variables not available in the administrative data. Results: A total of 7,889 patients with TIA/minor stroke were included. Overall, 6,694 patients (84.9%) had CT or MRI, with 3,396/6,694 (50.7%) having MRI. Variables that were associated with increased odds of CT performance were age >80 years, prior stroke, history of atrial fibrillation, heart failure, coronary artery disease, anxiety, and low hospital complexity, while blood pressure >140/90 mm Hg and high hospital complexity were associated with increased likelihood of MRI. Diplopia (87% had MRI, p = 0.03), neurologic consultation on the day of presentation (73% had MRI, p 6 hours (74% had MRI, p = 0.0009) were associated with MRI performance. Conclusions: Within a national health system, about 40% of patients with TIA/minor stroke had MRI performed within 2 days. Performance of MRI appeared to be influenced by several patient and facility-level variables, suggesting that there has been partial acceptance of the previous guideline that endorsed MRI for patients with TIA.
Revealing the binding medium of a Roman Egyptian painted mummy shroud

Abstract Ancient Egyptian painted artworks are usually understudied from an analytical point of view, due to their extremely fragile nature. Attention typically focuses on pigments since identification is possible with non-invasive techniques, while limited information is available in the literature regarding the organic binding media. Here successful determination of the binder of a Roman Egyptian painted mummy shroud (2nd–3rd century A.D.) achieved through the application of enzymatic digestion followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) is reported. The high specificity and sensitivity of this analytical strategy not only allowed the identification of the binding medium as a mixture of two different plant gums but also allowed the discrimination of the different species sources, even though the organic material was present in very small amounts and subject to degradation. The results of this study represent the first analytical identification of the earliest use of locust bean gum as a paint binder material as well as the use of gum arabic from an Acacia species different from the well-known Acacia senegal . The precise identification of the organic binder is a great step forward in the understanding of the painting materials and techniques used in Roman Egypt, of which little is known. The result of this research opens new avenues of art historical and conservation investigation into the specific plant sources and types selected by artists and it has implications for future conservation treatment options.
Everyday Family Routine Formation: A Source of the Development of Emotion Regulation in Young Children

This chapter focuses on young children’s development of emotion regulation in everyday family life. Correlational studies on emotion regulation in laboratory settings have been dominant in the field. Little is known about the development of emotion regulation in naturalistic contexts. The study investigated how daily parent–child interactions created the conditions for the development of emotion regulation from a cultural-historical perspective. A total of 61 h of video data were generated from four families in Australia. Findings showed that forming everyday family routines in parent–child interactions contributed to children’s development of emotion regulation. It is argued that the collective process of routine formation is a source of young children’s development of emotion regulation.
Spinal constraint modulates head instantaneous center of rotation and dictates head angular motion.

Abstract The head is kinematically constrained to the torso through the spine and thus, the spine dictates the amount of output head angular motion expected from an input impact. Here, we investigate the spinal kinematic constraint by analyzing the head instantaneous center of rotation (HICOR) with respect to the torso in head/neck sagittal extension and coronal lateral flexion during mild loads applied to 10 subjects. We found the mean HICOR location was near the C5-C6 intervertebral joint in sagittal extension, and T2-T3 intervertebral joint in coronal lateral flexion. Using the impulse-momentum relationship normalized by subject mass and neck length, we developed a non-dimensional analytical ratio between output angular velocity and input linear impulse as a function of HICOR location. The ratio was 0.65 and 0.50 in sagittal extension and coronal lateral flexion respectively, implying 30% greater angular velocities in sagittal extension given an equivalent impulse. Scaling to subject physiology also predicts larger required impulses given greater subject mass and neck length to achieve equivalent angular velocities, which was observed experimentally. Furthermore, the HICOR has greater motion in sagittal extension than coronal lateral flexion, suggesting the head and spine can be represented with a single inverted pendulum in coronal lateral flexion, but requires a more complex representation in sagittal extension. The upper cervical spine has substantial compliance in sagittal extension, and may be responsible for the complex motion and greater extension angular velocities. In analyzing the HICOR, we can gain intuition regarding the neck’s role in dictating head motion during external loading.
The Shooting Room

The Shooting Room is set up such that (i) it is guaranteed that at least 90% of people who ever enter it are shot, but (ii) for any given person, whether they are shot or not depends on the flip of a fair coin. Given that V is called into the room, what is the probability that V is shot? Both “50%” and “90%” answers seem compelling. The paradox, however, depends on metaphysically impossible assumptions about an infinite population and infinite time or speed. Given any metaphysically possible (finitist) assumptions, the correct probability comes to 50%.
Therapeutic Moderate Hypothermia for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review

Patients with severe TBI have been treated with hypothermia for more than 50 years, though it was not until the last 15 years that the efficacy of the treatment was systematically tested. This renewed interest in therapeutic hypothermia is attributed to the discovery that moderate levels of cooling (32–33°C) could be effective and were not associated with clinically significant adverse cardiac or coagulation effects observed with lower temperatures. During this time there have been at least 14 prospective randomized clinical trials (PRCT) of the use of hypothermia to improve outcomes following severe TBI. Combined, these trials enrolled more than 1,200 patients and found that the likelihood of a good outcome was 15% higher in those who were treated with hypothermia. At least 12 studies also have evaluated the effect of hypothermia on elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) and, with a single exception, have all found a significant reduction in ICP during the period of cooling. Concomitant laboratory investigations have defined several mechanisms whereby hypothermia may reduce secondary brain injury.
The Architecture of Fat Grafting II: Impact of Cannula Diameter

Background:Fat grafting has emerged as the treatment of choice for soft-tissue augmentation and reconstruction. Variability of volume retention remains the greatest challenge for this technique, often requiring multiple operations to achieve the desired volume. Graft that is placed greater than 2 mm
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), diabetes mellitus (DM), and metformin.

e17040 Background: Metformin has been shown to decrease cancer incidence, recurrence and improve overall survival among DM patients with various malignancies. Evidence indicates that metformin may ...
Imaging Integrin Tension and Cellular Force at Submicron Resolution with an Integrative Tension Sensor

Molecular tension transmitted by integrin-ligand bonds is the fundamental mechanical signal in the integrin pathway that plays significant roles in many cell functions and behaviors. To calibrate and image integrin tension with high force sensitivity and spatial resolution, we developed an integrative tension sensor (ITS), a DNA-based fluorescent tension sensor. The ITS is activated to fluoresce if sustaining a molecular tension, thus converting force to fluorescent signal at the molecular level. The tension threshold for ITS activation is tunable in the range of 10-60 pN that well covers the dynamic range of integrin tension in cells. On a substrate grafted with an ITS, the integrin tension of adherent cells is visualized by fluorescence and imaged at submicron resolution. The ITS is also compatible with cell structural imaging in both live cells and fixed cells. The ITS has been successfully applied to the study of platelet contraction and cell migration. This paper details the procedure for the synthesis and application of the ITS in the study of integrin-transmitted cellular force.
Applicability of two-step homogenization to high-crimp woven composites

Abstract This paper examines applicability of a two-step homogenization approach to carbon/epoxy 3D woven composites. The first step of this approach involves microscale homogenization of the reinforcement consisting of wavy bundles of fibers. However, most of the available microscale homogenization approaches were developed and validated for flat unidirectional lamina. In the paper, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is used to obtain homogenized properties of explicitly modeled and homogenized wavy tows with fiber volume fraction of 70%. Two geometric parameters are investigated: crimp ratio and wavelength normalized by fiber diameter. Effective elastic properties are shown to be sensitive to the normalized wavelength parameter up to the value 50 at which point they reach asymptotic values and the separation of scales can be claimed. The resulting homogenized properties of the wavy tows are used to calculate the effective elastic properties of one high-crimp and two low-crimp 3D woven composites using FEA. The results of the numerical two-step homogenization are compared with experimental data and a simple Voigt model. Good correlation is observed between experimental results and the homogenization based on direct FEA. The considered stiffness averaging approximation may be used as a reasonable first order estimate for Young’s moduli in low-crimp woven composites.