cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-Component Immunoaffinity Subtraction and Reversed-Phase Chromatography of Human Serum

Serum analysis represents an extreme challenge because of the dynamic range of the proteins of interest, and the high structural complexity of the constituent proteins. High-abundant proteins such as albumin, IgG, transferrin, haptoglobin, IgA and alpha1-anti-trypsin represent up to 85% of the total protein mass in serum (Fig. 1). These major protein constituents interfere with identification and characterization of important moderate- and low-abundant proteins by limiting the dynamic range of mass spectral and electrophoretic analysis. During protein isolation, separation, and analysis, these six proteins often mask the detection of the more important low-abundant proteins that are of high interest as biomarkers of disease or drug targets. In one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (1DGE and 2DGE) for example, the spots or bands because of these six highly abundant proteins, as well as their fragments, often overlap or completely mask large regions of the gel, making detection of the myriad low-abundant proteins very difficult, if not impossible. Moreover, proteomic analysis methods commonly include an electrophoretic or chromatographic separation step which, of course, has a finite mass loading tolerance. The presence of a large quantity of high-abundant proteins limits the mass load of targeted proteins that can be initially sampled by these separation methods and thus requires the need for multidimensional separation techniques to reduce sample complexity. Fig. 1 Composition of proteins in human serum. The protein composition is schematically depicted based on mass abundance in normal human serum. The six high-abundant proteins removed by the immunoaffinity column comprise approx 85% of the total protein mass in human serum. Herein we describe immunoaffinity depletion combined with reversed-phase separation modes to reduce the sample complexity of human serum. We selectively immunodepleted six of the most abundant proteins from human serum, then employed gradient elution reversed-phase (RP) HPLC to fractionate the remaining serum proteins. The workflow shown in (Fig. 2) was optimized to process immunodepleted flow-through serum samples directly to a RP column with minimal sample handling. The RP operational conditions permitted robust and repeatable separations and have been optimized specifically for immunodepleted serum samples.
Enhanced survival but reduced engraftment in murine recipients of recombinant granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor following transplantation of T-cell-depleted histoincompatible bone marrow

In vivo administration of murine recombinant granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) was evaluated for effects on survival and engraftment in an allogeneic murine bone marrow transplantation (BMT) model involving T-cell depletion of donor marrow. The model provides a high incidence of graft failure/rejection. Recipients of continuous subcutaneous infusions of rGM-CSF had a significant survival advantage when compared with untreated controls. However, a significantly lower incidence of donor cell engraftment was noted. Hematological parameters were not substantially affected. When rGM-CSF was administered intraperitoneally (IP), twice daily injections closely approximated the effects of continuous infusion on survival. Single IP injections were without significant effects on survival or engraftment. These results demonstrate that prolonged frequent in vivo exposure to rGM-CSF can significantly improve survival but significantly decreases donor cell repopulation in recipients of T-cell- depleted histoincompatible marrow grafts.
Pyridine and Pyridinium Electrochemistry on Polycrystalline Gold Electrodes and Implications for CO2 Reduction

We examine the electrochemical behavior of pyridine (py) and pyridinium ion (pyrH+) on gold electrodes in inert nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) environments to evaluate potential catalytic roles of nitrogen heterocycles in electrochemical CO2 reduction. Analysis of the pyridine and pyridinium systems shows that gold electrodes exhibit unique pyrH+ and CO2 electrochemistry compared with previous work on platinum electrodes or photoelectrode systems. Specifically, analysis of the data shows specific adsorption of pyridine/pyridinium, an irreversible reduction wave at −1.0 V vs Ag/AgCl associated with the one-electron reduction of pyridinium, and an enhanced reductive current when CO2 and pyrH+ are included together in the aqueous solution. Our results show no evidence to support formation of carbon-containing reduction products and implicate CO2 as a possible weak acid catalyst for production of dihydrogen.
Clinical Significance of 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate in Hematology

A decade has now elapsed since the observations of Chanutin and Curnish (1967) and Benesch and Benesch (1967) that intraerythrocytic organic phosphates play a central role in modulating hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen. In the ensuing years many clinical conditions have been identified in which the position of the oxygen-hemoglobin equilibrium curve has deviated from normal as a result of variations in the concentration of red cell organic phosphates. Numerous studies have been performed in both animals and man in an attempt to elucidate the significance of these deviations in terms of oxygen delivery. Much of the data are highly suggestive but as yet it remains unclear just how important a shift in the oxygen-hemoglobin equilibrium curve is in the adaptation of man to both physiologic and pathologic processes.
Immunoglobulin Somatic Hypermutation: Double-Strand DNA Breaks, AID and Error-Prone DNA Repair

Somatic hypermutation (SHM) is critical for antibody affinity maturation and the generation of memory B cells. Somatic mutations consist mainly of single nucleotide changes with rare insertions and deletions. Such changes would be introduced during error-prone repair of lesions involving single-strand DNA breaks (SSBs) or, more likely, double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs), as DSBs occur exclusively in genes that have the potentials to undergo SHM. In the human, such genes include Ig V, BCL6, and c-MYC. In these germline genes, DSBs are blunt. In rearranged Ig V, BCL6, and translocated c-MYC genes, blunt DSBs are processed to yield resected DNA ends. This process is dependent on the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), which is selectively expressed upon CD40-signaling in hypermutating B cells. CD40-induced and AID-dependent free 5′- and 3′-staggered DNA ends critically channel the repair of DSBs through the homologous recombination (HR) repair pathway. During HR, the modulation of critical translesion DNA polymerases, as signaled by cross-linking of the B cell receptor (BCR) for antigen, leads to the insertions of mismatches, i.e., mutations. The nature of DSBs, the possible roles of AID in the modification of DSBs and that of the translesion DNA polymerases ζ and ι in the subsequent repair process that lead to the insertions of mutations are discussed here within the context of an integrated model of SHM.
A maintenance production tool for support equipment lifecycle management

Aircraft maintenance managers encounter significant pressure to maintain the operational readiness of their aircraft fleet. In the commercial domain, the demands result from financial pressure to remain competitive with peers. In the military domain, maintenance managers must meet operational targets to achieve mission success. For daily operations, many managers use printed tabular sheets or manually updated spreadsheets to track aircraft and support equipment status. While this affords expediency to the maintenance managers, the approach limits the immediate communication of status changes to other levels of supervision and to others in the organization who have interest in the information. The status sheet runs the risk of being lost or being annotated inadvertently. This tracking method adds additional time to the overall maintenance production process because subordinate staff have to exchange the information with the maintenance manager. The approach discards information because the documentation is destroyed daily or as needed. Improvements to maintenance production could benefit from this data, or the maintenance manager could use the information to identify trends in the fleet. This research describes the initial considerations in developing a maintenance production tool for tracking the status of support equipment. The tool uses a web service architecture to enable either a closed or networked system topology. The system tracks individual items by their part numbers. Reported information for the support equipment includes quantity status (availability and required amount), problem reports, safety violations, etc. The tool provides the ability to identify obsolescence of the items and to plan for future investments to mitigate against deficiencies in the equipment. A method to numerically aggregate the issues allows the maintenance manager and management to use the data to analytically rank the support equipment, which most severely affects the maintenance production. The flexible framework with which the tool was developed will allow for extensions to support other facets of maintenance production. Future work could include integration with the tracking process for individual aircraft to monitor the configuration and status. As the data for the support equipment will be consolidated in one location, the trend based and predictive health maintenance analysis of the assets will be possible.
Exposure control practices for administering nitrous oxide: A survey of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants

ABSTRACTEngineering, administrative, and work practice controls have been recommended for many years to minimize exposure to nitrous oxide during dental procedures. To better understand the extent to which these exposure controls are used, the NIOSH Health and Safety Practices Survey of Healthcare Workers was conducted among members of professional practice organizations representing dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants. The anonymous, modular, web-based survey was completed by 284 dental professionals in private practice who administered nitrous oxide to adult and/or pediatric patients in the seven days prior to the survey. Use of primary engineering controls (i.e., nasal scavenging mask and/or local exhaust ventilation (LEV) near the patient's mouth) was nearly universal, reported by 93% and 96% of respondents who administered to adult (A) and pediatric (P) patients, respectively. However, adherence to other recommended precautionary practices were lacking to varying degrees, and were essen...
Determination of glycoside hydrolase specificities during hydrolysis of plant cell walls using glycome profiling

Glycoside hydrolases (GHs) are enzymes that hydrolyze polysaccharides into simple sugars. To better understand the specificity of enzyme hydrolysis within the complex matrix of polysaccharides found in the plant cell wall, we studied the reactions of individual enzymes using glycome profiling, where a comprehensive collection of cell wall glycan-directed monoclonal antibodies are used to detect polysaccharide epitopes remaining in the walls after enzyme treatment and quantitative nanostructure initiator mass spectrometry (oxime-NIMS) to determine soluble sugar products of their reactions. Single, purified enzymes from the GH5_4, GH10, and GH11 families of glycoside hydrolases hydrolyzed hemicelluloses as evidenced by the loss of specific epitopes from the glycome profiles in enzyme-treated plant biomass. The glycome profiling data were further substantiated by oxime-NIMS, which identified hexose products from hydrolysis of cellulose, and pentose-only and mixed hexose-pentose products from the hydrolysis of hemicelluloses. The GH10 enzyme proved to be reactive with the broadest diversity of xylose-backbone polysaccharide epitopes, but was incapable of reacting with glucose-backbone polysaccharides. In contrast, the GH5 and GH11 enzymes studied here showed the ability to react with both glucose- and xylose-backbone polysaccharides. The identification of enzyme specificity for a wide diversity of polysaccharide structures provided by glycome profiling, and the correlated identification of soluble oligosaccharide hydrolysis products provided by oxime-NIMS, offers a unique combination to understand the hydrolytic capabilities and constraints of individual enzymes as they interact with plant biomass.
TGF-β Family Signaling in Connective Tissue and Skeletal Diseases

The transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family of signaling molecules, which includes TGF-βs, activins, inhibins, and numerous bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and growth and differentiation factors (GDFs), has important functions in all cells and tissues, including soft connective tissues and the skeleton. Specific TGF-β family members play different roles in these tissues, and their activities are often balanced with those of other TGF-β family members and by interactions with other signaling pathways. Perturbations in TGF-β family pathways are associated with numerous human diseases with prominent involvement of the skeletal and cardiovascular systems. This review focuses on the role of this family of signaling molecules in the pathologies of connective tissues that manifest in rare genetic syndromes (e.g., syndromic presentations of thoracic aortic aneurysm), as well as in more common disorders (e.g., osteoarthritis and osteoporosis). Many of these diseases are caused by or result in pathological alterations of the complex relationship between the TGF-β family of signaling mediators and the extracellular matrix in connective tissues.
Hard-wiring survivorship care plan delivery.

113Background: As outlined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, ASCO, the Commission on Cancer, survivorship care planning is an essential part of quality cancer care. Meeting SCP delivery standards is a challenge due to complex systems, difficulty identifying eligible patients, lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities, and time required to complete the care plans. Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital is a NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center with 12 multidisciplinary cancer programs, a large cancer hospital and 10 care centers in the community. We have approximately 4000 early stage analytic cases per year. We set out to standardize SCP delivery. Methods: A group of multidisciplinary stakeholders convened to outline goals and identify needs. Based on gap analysis and review of national standards, a standard operating procedure for the creation and delivery of SCPs was developed. Models of care were outlined in the policy. Disease specific treatment summary and care plan template...
Mapping pedomemory of spodic morphology using a species distribution model

Red spruce (Picea rubens) ecosystems in the high elevations of the central Appalachians of the eastern United States are the focus of ongoing restoration efforts due to the valuable ecosystem services these forests provide. Recent research has shown that spodic materials still present in the soil represent the pedomemory of the historic extent of red spruce forests in the region. A dataset containing 221 points with varying spodic intensities and 29 environmental variables collected from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, USA, was used to evaluate the utility of a species distribution model, Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt), for predicting the presence of spodic properties. MaxEnt was selected for evaluation because, as a presence-only model, it inherently omits absence locations and thereby reduces the risk of including false absences (i.e., herein, locations that have undergone some level of depodzolization) unlike other models previously used to predict pedomemory. Model outputs that employed three different spodic intensity class inputs—very weak to strong expression, weak to strong expression, and strong expression—resulted in similar spodic probability predictions, though there was less area mapped as transitional probabilities in the strong expression model than the two models that included weaker spodic intensity input data. Permutation importance indicated that no single or small subset of environmental variables controlled the three model outputs, perhaps because the environmental covariates may have been too coarse or not strongly enough associated with podzolization processes to be very important. When the output from the MaxEnt model using the full range of spodic intensities (very weak to strong) was compared to an output produced using a presence-absence model (random forests), there was approximately 62% agreement (where both models predicted presence or both predicted absence) for the cells in the top 40% of the predicted probabilities.
Early Phenomenological Light Works

Making visible the invisible in nature and culture has been the focus of my artwork since 1973. In the early 1970s experimental approaches were being explored in art and photography. At that time I investigated imaging possibilities using a range of approaches from making photographs without a camera or enlarger to using computer and X-Ray technology available in the 1970s in behalf of exploring the potential for light to make visible form in nature. Unexpectedly, this exploration also included social content that was the outcome of the work “Manifestations of a Cube.” This period was the beginning of my ongoing investigation of the transformative potential of light.
Comparing student clinical self-efficacy and team process outcomes for a DEU, blended, and traditional clinical setting: A quasi-experimental research study.

Abstract Background Clinical education is vital to both the development of clinical self-efficacy and the integration of future nurses into health care teams. The dedicated education unit clinical teaching model is an innovative clinical partnership, which promotes skill development, professional growth, clinical self-efficacy, and integration as a team member. Blended clinical teaching models are combining features of the dedicated education unit and traditional clinical model. Objectives The aims of this study are to explore how each of three clinical teaching models (dedicated education unit, blended, traditional) affects clinical self-efficacy and attitude toward team process, and to compare the dedicated education unit model and blended model to traditional clinical. Methods A nonequivalent control-group quasi-experimental design was utilized. The convenience sample of 272 entry-level baccalaureate nursing students included 84 students participating in a dedicated education unit model treatment group, 66 students participating in a blended model treatment group, and 122 students participating in a traditional model control group. Perceived clinical self-efficacy was evaluated by the pretest/posttest scores obtained on the General Self-Efficacy scale. Attitude toward team process was evaluated by the pretest/posttest scores obtained on the TeamSTEPPS® Teamwork Attitude Questionnaire. Results All three clinical teaching models resulted in significant increases in both clinical self-efficacy (p = 0.04) and attitude toward team process (p = 0.003). Students participating in the dedicated education unit model (p = 0.016) and students participating in the blended model (p Conclusions These findings support the use of dedicated education unit and blended clinical partnerships as effective alternatives to the traditional model to promote both clinical self-efficacy and team process among entry-level baccalaureate nursing students.
Leadership for organizational adaptability: A theoretical synthesis and integrative framework.

Abstract One of the biggest challenges facing leaders today is the need to position and enable organizations and people for adaptability in the face of increasingly dynamic and demanding environments. Despite this we know surprisingly little about this topic. In this paper we provide a theoretical synthesis and integrative review of research from strategy, organization theory, innovation, networks, and complexity to provide a framework of leadership for organizational adaptability. Our review shows that leadership for organizational adaptability is different from traditional leadership or leading change. It involves enabling the adaptive process by creating space for ideas advanced by entrepreneurial leaders to engage in tension with the operational system and generate innovations that scale into the system to meet the adaptive needs of the organization and its environment. Leadership for organizational adaptability calls for scholars and practitioners to recognize organizational adaptability as an important organizational outcome, and enabling leadership (i.e., enabling the adaptive process through adaptive space) as a critical form of leadership for adaptive organizations.
Ileus and small bowel obstruction after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: Analysis from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

Abstract Purpose To investigate prevalence and predictors of postoperative small bowel obstruction (SBO) and ileus in a large cohort of bladder cancer (BCa) patients treated with radical cystectomy (RC). Methods All patients within the Nationwide Inpatient Sample who underwent RC for BCa between 2006 and 2012 were identified. First, prevalence of SBO and ileus was analyzed. Second, predictors of these bowel-related complications were identified using multivariable regression analyses. Third, the association between SBO, ileus, and length of stay was evaluated using logistic regression models adjusted for clustering. Prolonged length of stay was defined as hospital stay above mean stay of the population (>10 days). Fourth, the effect of SBO and ileus on mean inpatient cost of healthcare was examined. Results Of overall 41,498 patients, 1071 (2.6%) experienced SBO, and 11,155 (26.9%) experienced ileus. Predictors of ileus included age, male gender, black race, hospital characteristics, anemia, chronic pulmonary disease, drug abuse, hypothyroidism, fluid and electrolyte disorders, and neurological disorders (all p Conclusions Significant prevalence of bowel-related complications in patients after RC was observed. These complications are strongly associated with prolonged length of stay and higher healthcare cost. Increasing awareness of SBO and ileus, identification of patients at risk prior to surgery, and implementation of protective strategies are strongly indicated in cystectomy patients.
Point-of-sale marketing and context of marijuana retailers: Assessing reliability and generalizability of the marijuana retail surveillance tool.

Abstract As recreational marijuana expands, standardized surveillance measures examining the retail environment are critical for informing policy and enforcement. We conducted a reliability and generalizability study using a previously developed tool involving assessment of a sample of 25 randomly selected Seattle recreational marijuana retailers (20 recreational; 5 recreational/medical) in 2017. The tool assessed: 1) contextual/neighborhood features (i.e., facilities nearby); 2) compliance/security (e.g., age-of-sale signage, age verification); and 3) marketing (i.e., promotions, product availability, price). We found that retailers were commonly within two blocks of restaurants (n = 23), grocery stores (n = 17), liquor stores (n = 13), and bars/clubs (n = 11). Additionally, two were within two blocks of schools, and four were within two blocks of parks. Almost all (n = 23) had exterior signage indicating the minimum age requirement, and 23 verified age. Two retailers had exterior ads for marijuana, and 24 had interior ads. Overall, there were 76 interior ads (M = 3.04; SD = 1.84), most commonly for edibles (n = 28). At least one price promotion/discount was recorded in 17 retailers, most commonly in the form of loyalty membership programs (n = 10) or daily/weekly deals (n = 10). One retailer displayed potential health harms/warnings, while three posted some health claim. Products available across product categories were similar; we also noted instances of selling retailer-branded apparel/ paraphernalia (which is prohibited). Lowest price/unit across product categories demonstrated low variability across retailers. This study documented high inter-rater reliability of the surveillance tool (Kappas = 0.73 to 1.00). In conclusion, this tool can be used in future research and practice aimed at examining retailers marketing practices and regulatory compliance.
The effect of operative technique and uterine size on blood loss during myomectomy: a prospective randomized study.

Objectives To compare operative blood loss between two accepted blood loss-reducing techniques used during myomectomy and to evaluate the effect of preoperatively determined uterine volume on blood loss. Design Subjects were stratified by ultrasound-determined uterine volume 3 (n=11) and≥600cm 3 (n=10) and then randomized into treatment groups. The same radiologist, surgeons, and anesthetic induction technique were involved in every case. In the pharmacologic technique, diluted vasopressin (20 U in 20mL normal saline) was injected into the serosa and/or myometrium overlying the fibroid(s) before the uterine incision(s). In the mechanical technique, a penrose drain tourniquet was passed through defects created in the broad ligaments at the level of the internal os and secured posteriorly, occluding the uterine vessels. In addition, vascular clamps were placed on the infundibulopelvic ligaments, occluding anastomotic blood flow through the ovarian vessels. Results There was no difference in operative blood loss, operating time, preoperative and intraoperative mean arterial blood pressures, postoperative febrile morbidity, preoperative and postoperative hematocrits, transfusion rates, and length of hospital stay between groups. Blood loss was significantly greater for uteri with ultrasound-determined volumes≥600cm 3 (627±175mL, mean±SEM) than for those 3 (228±49mL). For all subjects, blood lost while operating on the uterus (mean, 379mL; range, 35 to 1,968mL) was positively correlated with the total weight of the fibroids resected and with time spent operating on the uterus. Total blood loss (mean, 418mL; range, 42 to 1, 968mL) was also positively correlated with the time spent operating on the uterus and with total operating time. Conclusions There were no demonstrable differences in blood loss, morbidity, or transfusion requirements between subjects undergoing myomectomy using pharmacologic vasoconstriction and mechanical vascular occlusion techniques. Blood loss during myomectomy is primarily incurred while operating on the uterus and is correlated with preoperative uterine size, total weight of fibroids removed, and operating time.
Spatial Search Models

Spatial search is recognized as an important construct within behavioral geography because it is the preliminary, information-acquisition phase of most locational decision processes. Spatial search is the task of identifying and investigating spatially distributed choice alternatives which serve as the basis for a locational decision. Spatial search processes range from purely mechanical, space covering procedures characteristic of remote sensing methods through complex, multistage searches drawing on indirect information sources as well as direct experience—the search for a new residence or a new place of employment, for example. No less important is the ongoing acquisition of geographic information which occurs as people move about their environment, consciously and unconsciously creating a practical knowledge base which they draw upon to inform the myriad locational decisions made during the normal course of a day—way finding and shopping decisions, for example.
Confessions: Psychological and Forensic Aspects

Throughout history, confessions have played an important role in three domains of human interaction: (a) most religions oblige adherents to confess their transgressions as a means of moral cleansing; (b) most psychotherapies are founded on the empirically supported belief that self-disclosure—including about past misdeeds—promotes mental and physical health; and (c) most criminal justice systems seek confessions to the police as potent evidence of guilt. In contrast to the religious and therapeutic settings, where it is easy to understand why people exhibit an ‘urge to confess,’ police confessions yield harmful consequences to the confessor, making this aspect of human behavior more difficult to understand. However, such confessions are often elicited through psychologically coercive methods of interrogation. These methods sometimes lead people to confess to crimes they did not commit. Yet when confessions are presented in court, juries are uncritically accepting, inferring guilt even from statements that are coerced. Increasingly, psychological experts are called to testify in court about the psychology of interrogations and confessions.
Bayesian Model Updating of a Damaged School Building in Sankhu, Nepal

This paper discusses Bayesian model updating of a damaged four-story masonry-infilled reinforced concrete structure using recorded ambient vibration data. The building, located in Sankhu, Nepal, was severely damaged during the 2015 Gorkha earthquake and its aftershocks. Ambient acceleration response of the structure was recorded with an array of 12 accelerometers following the earthquake. An output-only system identification method is deployed to extract modal parameters of the building including natural frequencies and mode shapes from the collected ambient vibration data. These dynamic properties are used to calibrate the finite element model of the building which is used to simulate the response during the earthquake. The initial three-dimensional finite element model is created using in-situ inspections. The goal of the Bayesian model updating procedure is to estimate the joint posterior probability distribution of the updating parameters, which are considered as the stiffness of different structural components. The posterior probability distribution is estimated based on the prior probability distribution of these parameters as well as the likelihood of data. The error function in this study is defined as the difference between identified and model-predicted modal parameters. The posterior distributions are estimated using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo stochastic simulation method. Ultimately, the stiffness values are estimated using the Bayesian model updating approach are compared with those from deterministic model updating conducted previously.
Psychotic like experiences as part of a continuum of psychosis: Associations with effort-based decision-making and reward responsivity.

Abstract Research examining psychotic disorders typically involves comparison between individuals with a clinical disorder and healthy controls. However, research suggests that psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, may exist on a continuum ranging from variation in healthy individuals to diagnosable psychotic disorders. On this continuum, some individuals endorse occasional psychotic like experiences (PLEs) that do not cause sufficient impairment or distress to warrant a clinical diagnosis. Given this continuum model, one might expect to observe impairments in those with PLEs in the same behavioral domains impaired in schizophrenia. Thus, we examined two domains typically impaired in schizophrenia, effort allocation and reward responsivity, in a large university sample (n = 126). Participants completed tasks assessing effort-based decision-making, reward responsivity, and questionnaires assessing PLEs. Greater PLEs were associated with greater effort expenditure regardless of probability of receiving a reward or reward value. Higher PLEs were related to greater positive feelings when receiving rewards. Importantly, these relationships remained the same when controlling for other symptoms such as depression, anhedonia, and anxiety. These findings suggest that PLEs may be associated with hypersensitivity to reward at the less severe end of the psychotic continuum, with effort to attain a reward expended in a potentially inefficient manner. This pattern is consistent with models of hyperdopaminergic states in psychotic individuals not taking antipsychotic medications, given the role of dopamine in modulating effort allocation and reward anticipation.
Vector Autoregressive Models with Multivariate Time Series: Spillovers of International Tourist Arrivals on a Local Economy

The chapter demonstrates an application of vector autoregressive models with time series in tourism research. The chapter describes how to apply vector autoregression with time series in a multivariate setting to estimate the short-run and long-run effects of international tourist arrivals on a local economy and associated economic spillovers in the local economy in Asia. The study employs unit root tests (i.e., the augmented Dickey and Fuller test, the Phillips and Perron test, the Ng and Perron test, and the Kwiatkowski et al. test), cointegration test (i.e., the Johansen cointegration test), and vector autoregressive models with multivariate time series (i.e., vector autoregression analysis, model diagnostic tests, residual diagnostic tests, and impulse response tests) using quarterly time series data, which are available from the first quarter of 1970 to the third quarter of 2012 (172 observations) retrieved from the Bank of Korea.
Opioid users reflect on their experiences responding to suspected opioid overdoses using take-home naloxone

Commentary on : Neale J, Brown C, Campbell ANC, et al. How competent are people who use opioids at responding to overdoses? Qualitative analyses of actions and decisions taken during overdose emergencies. Addiction . 2018 Nov 26. doi: 10.1111/add.14510. In the USA, opioid overdose accounted for 42 249 deaths during 2016. Respiratory depression caused by opioid overdose can be reversed by the timely administration of naloxone. THN programmes supply naloxone and advice in responding to opioid overdose crisis to non-medical professionals.1 Current provision does not appear to meet the …
The metal- and substrate-dependences of 2,4'-dihydroxyacetophenone dioxygenase.

Abstract While the enzyme, 2,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone dioxygenase (DAD), has been known for decades, very little has been characterized of the mechanism of the DAD-catalyzed oxidative cleavage of its reported substrate, 2,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone (DHA). The purpose of this study was to identify the active metal center and to characterize the substrate-dependence of the kinetics of the reaction to lay the foundation for deeper mechanistic investigation. To this, the DAD V1M mutant (bDAD) was overexpressed, purified, and reconstituted with various metal ions. Kinetic assays evaluating the activity of the reconstituted enzyme as well as the substrate- and product-dependences of the reaction kinetics were performed. The results from reconstitution of the apoprotein with a variety of metal ions support the requirement for an Fe3+ center for enzyme activity. Reaction rates showed simple saturation kinetics for DHA with values for kcat and KDHA of 2.4 s−1 and 0.7 μM, respectively, but no significant dependence on the concentration of O2. A low-level inhibition (KI = 1100 μM) by the 4HB product was observed. The results support a minimal kinetic model wherein DHA binds to resting ferric enzyme followed by rapid addition of O2 to yield an intermediate complex that irreversibly collapses to products.
Multiple enzymes can make hydrogen sulfide from cysteine in Treponema denticola.

Abstract Treponema denticola is a spirochete that is involved in causing periodontal diseases. This bacterium can produce H2S from thiol compounds found in the gingival crevicular fluid. Determining how H2S is made by oral bacteria is important since this molecule is present at high levels in periodontally-diseased pockets and the biological effects of H2S can explain some of the pathologies seen in periodontitis. Thus, it is of interest to identify the enzyme, or enzymes, involved in the synthesis of H2S by T. denticola. We, and others, have previously identified and characterized a T. denticola cystalysin, called HlyA, which hydrolyzes cysteine into H2S (and pyruvate and ammonia). However, there have been no studies to show that HlyA is, or is not, the only pathway that T. denticola can use to make H2S. To address this question, allelic replacement mutagenesis was used to make a deletion mutant (ΔhlyA) in the gene encoding HlyA. The mutant produces the same amount of H2S from cysteine as do wild type spirochetes, indicating that T. denticola has at least one other enzyme that can generate H2S from cysteine. To identify candidates for this other enzyme, a BLASTp search of T. denticola strain 33520 was done. There was one gene that encoded an HlyA homolog so we named it HlyB. Recombinant His-tagged HlyB was expressed in E. coli and partially purified. This enzyme was able to make H2S from cysteine in vitro. To test the role of HlyB in vivo, an HlyB deletion mutant (ΔhlyB) was constructed in T. denticola. This mutant still made normal levels of H2S from cysteine, but a strain mutated in both hly genes (ΔhlyA ΔhlyB) synthesizes significantly less H2S from cysteine. We conclude that the HlyA and HlyB enzymes perform redundant functions in vivo and are the major contributors to H2S production in T. denticola. However, at least one other enzyme can still convert cysteine to H2S in the ΔhlyA ΔhlyB mutant. An in silico analysis that identifies candidate genes for this other enzyme is presented.
Lotus and the Self-Representation of Afro-Asian Writers as the Vanguard of Modernity

This essay has two aims. The first is to show that the editors of Lotus: Afro-Asian Writings and some of the writers who contributed to it (especially Ismail Ezzedine, Anar Rzayev, Tawfick Zeyad, A...
A Flexible and Ultrathin FSS for EM Shielding Applications

An ultrathin and flexible frequency selective surface (FSS) is proposed in order to obtain band-stop electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. The proposed structure is modeled on flexible ultrathin (polyimide) substrate. Greater than 10 dB attenuation is achieved within the frequency band of 7.79 GHz to 12.57 GHz with maximum attenuation of 60 dB at 10.07 GHz (fractional bandwidth of 46.95%) to provide effective EM shielding. The angular stability up to 45o, polarization insensitivity and ultrathin flexible structure make it a promising candidate for EM shielding applications in X- band.
The Impact of Frequent Shopper Programs in Grocery Retailing

Frequent shopper programs are becoming ubiquitous in retailing. Retailers seem unsure however about whether these programs are leading to higher loyalty, or to higher profits. In this paper we analyze data from a U.S. supermarket chain that has used a number of frequent shopper rewards to improve sales and profitability. We find that while these programs are profitable, this is only because substantial incremental sales to casual shoppers (cherry pickers) offset subsidies to already loyal customers. In this way our findings are inconsistent with existing theories about how frequent shopper programs are supposed to work. We construct our own Hotelling-like model that explicitly models cherry picking behavior and show that its predictions match the data quite closely. We further test the predictions of our model by characterizing the impact of such programs on trip frequency and basket size. We then use the model to examine more complex scenarios. For example, our analysis suggests that frequent shopper programs may be unprofitable if they eliminate all cherry picking. This may explain why some retailers seem dissatisfied with their programs. We end by proposing a solution that retains the benefits of the frequent shopper programs and yet continues to let supermarkets benefit from price discrimination.
The architecture of globalization: a network approach to international economic integration

We combine data on international trade linkages with network methods to examine the global trading system as an interdependent complex network. We map the topology of the international trade network, and suggest new network-based measures of international economic integration, at both a global system-wide level and a local country level. We develop network-based measures that incorporate not only the volume of trade but also the influence that a country has on the international trading system. These measures incorporate the structure and function of the network, and may provide a more meaningful approach to globalization than current measures based on trade volumes. We find that, in terms of participation and influence in the network, global trade is hierarchical, with a core–periphery structure at higher levels of trade, though integration of smaller countries into the network increased considerably over the 1990s. The network is strongly ‘balkanized’ according to geography of trading partners, but not as strongly by income or legal origin. Using these new measures we find that a country's position in the network has substantial implications for economic growth. We therefore suggest that a network approach to international economic integration has potential for useful applications in international business, finance and development.
Knowledge Distillation Circumvents Nonlinearity for Optical Convolutional Neural Networks

In recent years, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have enabled ubiquitous image processing applications. As such, CNNs require fast runtime (forward propagation) to process high-resolution visual streams in real time. This is still a challenging task even with state-of-the-art graphics and tensor processing units. The bottleneck in computational efficiency primarily occurs in the convolutional layers. Performing operations in the Fourier domain is a promising way to accelerate forward propagation since it transforms convolutions into elementwise multiplications, which are considerably faster to compute for large kernels. Furthermore, such computation could be implemented using an optical 4f system with orders of magnitude faster operation. However, a major challenge in using this spectral approach, as well as in an optical implementation of CNNs, is the inclusion of a nonlinearity between each convolutional layer, without which CNN performance drops dramatically. Here, we propose a Spectral CNN Linear Counterpart (SCLC) network architecture and develop a Knowledge Distillation (KD) approach to circumvent the need for a nonlinearity and successfully train such networks. While the KD approach is known in machine learning as an effective process for network pruning, we adapt the approach to transfer the knowledge from a nonlinear network (teacher) to a linear counterpart (student). We show that the KD approach can achieve performance that easily surpasses the standard linear version of a CNN and could approach the performance of the nonlinear network. Our simulations show that the possibility of increasing the resolution of the input image allows our proposed 4f optical linear network to perform more efficiently than a nonlinear network with the same accuracy on two fundamental image processing tasks: (i) object classification and (ii) semantic segmentation.
Horizons and Group Motivational Enhancement Therapy: HIV Prevention for Alcohol-Using Young Black Women, a Randomized Experiment

Introduction Black women are at disproportionately greater risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections than women of other ethnic/racial backgrounds. Alcohol use may further elevate the risk of HIV/sexually transmitted infection acquisition and transmission. Study Design A random-assignment parallel-group comparative treatment efficacy trial was conducted with random assignment to 1 of 3 conditions. Setting/participants The sample comprised 560 Black or African American women aged 18–24 years who reported recent unprotected vaginal or anal sex and recent alcohol use. Participants were recruited from community settings in Atlanta, Georgia, from January 2012 to February 2014. Intervention A Group Motivational Enhancement Therapy module was designed to complement a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–designated evidence-based intervention (Horizons) to reduce sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use, and sexually transmitted infections, with 3 comparison groups: (1) Horizons + Group Motivational Enhancement Therapy intervention, (2) Horizons + General Health Promotion intervention, and (3) enhanced standard of care. Main outcome measures Outcome measures included safe sex (abstinence or 100% condom use); condom nonuse; proportion of condom use during sexual episodes; incident chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas infections; and problematic alcohol use measured by Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score. Treatment effects were estimated using an intention-to-treat protocol‒generalized estimating equations with logistic regression for binomial outcomes and Poisson regression for count outcomes. Analyses were conducted between October 2018 and October 2019. Results Participants assigned to Horizons + Group Motivational Enhancement Therapy had greater odds of safe sex (AOR=1.45, 95% CI=1.04, 2.02, p=0.03), greater proportion of condom use (AOR=1.68, 95% CI=1.18, 2.41, p=0.004), and lower odds of condom nonuse (AOR=0.57, 95% CI=0.38, 0.83, p=0.004). Both interventions had lower odds of problematic alcohol use (Horizons: AOR=0.57, 95% CI=0.39, 0.85, p=0.006; Horizons + Group Motivational Enhancement Therapy: AOR=0.61, 95% CI=0.41, 0.90, p=0.01). Conclusions Complementing an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention with Group Motivational Enhancement Therapy may increase safer sexual behaviors and concomitantly reduce alcohol use among young Black women who consume alcohol. Trial registration This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01553682.
Modeling the System of Beliefs That Affect Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis and Alcohol in Washington State

Washington state has observed increases in polydrug use in fatal crashes, primarily involving the combination of cannabis and alcohol. The purpose of this article is to explore the belief system as...
A Systematic Review of Research Questions in Mixed Methods Studies in Instructional Design

Researchers’ reliance on using mixed methods for in-depth understanding of a phenomenon is on a rise. This review provides a synthesis of studies using Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach in the field of instructional design, with a particular focus on research questions. The results show that of the 752 articles published on MMR in the instructional design field, only 80 studies framed the research questions that were consistent with the practice of MMR. Of those 80 studies, findings revealed that experimental research questions and descriptive research questions were the most popular types of research questions used. Furthermore, the MMR articles were published in multiple (n=59) peer-reviewed journals are mostly in higher education (44%) and K-12 settings (42.5%). Although, there is a steady increase in the application MMR with the highest number of studies published in 2018 (29%) and 2017 (25%), the number of articles that accurately frame research questions were very low. This study revealed a need to build instructional design researchers’ ability to use MMR questions in their studies. This report suggests optimal ways to develop research questions that are grounded in the fundamental principles of MMR.