cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seed Transmission of Fusarium verticillioides in Maize Plants Grown Under Three Different Temperature Regimes

Wilke, A. L., Bronson, C. R., Tomas, A., and Munkvold, G. P. 2007. Seed transmission of Fusarium verticillioides in maize plants grown under three different temperature regimes. Plant Dis. 91:1109-1115. Fusarium verticillioides can be seed transmitted and cause systemic infection of maize; however, the frequency of these phenomena has varied widely among and within individual studies. In order to better understand this variability, we evaluated the effect of temperature on the first step in the systemic infection process, the transmission of F. verticillioides from seed to seedling. Seed of a commercial maize hybrid were inoculated with a strain of F. verticillioides that had been transformed with a gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP). The seed were planted in a greenhouse potting mix and incubated in growth chambers. Plants were incubated at one of three temperature regimes designed to simulate average and extreme temperatures occurring in Iowa during the weeks following planting. Root, mesocotyl, and stem tissues were sampled at growth stages V2 and V6, surface disinfested, and cultured on a semiselective medium. At V2, >90% of root and mesocotyl tissues was infected by the GFP-expressing strain at all three temperature regimes. Also at V2, infection was detected in 68 to 75% of stems. At V6, infection of root and mesocotyl tissues persisted and was detected in 97 to 100% of plants at all three temperature regimes. Plants also had symptomless systemic infection of belowground and aboveground internodes at V6. Infection of the three basal aboveground internodes was 24, 6, and 3% for the low-temperature regime; 35, 9, and 0% for the average-temperature regime; and 46, 24, and 9% for the high-temperature regime. Seed transmission and systemic infection occurred at all temperatures and did not differ significantly among treatments. These results indicate that, if maize seed is infected with F. verticillioides, seed transmission is common and symptomless systemic infection can be initiated under a broad range of temperature conditions.
Some Factors Affecting Age at Puberty in Holstein-Friesian Heifers

Summary The effects of inbreeding, calfhood scouring, and season of birth on age at first heat were studied in six sire-groups of Holstein-Friesian heifers, totaling 67 animals. No statistically significant differences were found in puberal age among the sire-groups. Inbreeding and calfhood scouring were found to delay age at puberty and also to retard calfhood growth significantly. A highly significant negative correlation was found between age at puberty and weight at 3 or 6 months of age. Adjustment of puberal ages for differences in weight at 3 or 6 months yielded evidence suggesting that inbreeding and/or calfhood scouring increased age at puberty by retarding growth. Heifers born during the spring were found to reach puberty at a significantly earlier age than those born,during other seasons of the year. No evidence was found that age at puberty is associated with the readiness with which heifers conceived.
The House Rules Committee's Agenda-Setting Function, 1961-1968

r his note examines the role of the House Committee on Rules in setting the agenda of the House of Representatives in the Eighty-seventh through the Ninetieth Congresses. This was a period in which the incumbent Presidents enjoyed success in their efforts to "pack" the committee with members supposedly opposed to the retention of bills within the committee. Further, the Eighty-ninth Congress passed the 21-day rule, allowing a committee chairman to bring a bill directly to the floor of the House on the second and fourth Mondays of every month if the bill had been held in the Rules Committee for 21 calendar days. The question we wish to investigate here is the effect of these changes upon the Rules Committee's regulation of the flow of legislation from the substantive-issue committees to the floor of the House.
A closed loop feedback method for a manual bar straightener

Automation of a unique manually controlled industrial bar straightener is proposed. A continuous-time closed loop model is constructed in Simulink for an event-driven process through the use of asynchronous timers. The system is simulated with linear and nonlinear PD controllers. A nonlinear filter, called the tracking differentiator, is introduced as an alternative to a linear approximate means of providing accurate derivative feedback in the presence of noise. In both cases, the nonlinear techniques outperformed their linear counterparts while retaining tuning simplicity.
Haemophilus influenzae Osteomyelitis in Adults: A Report of 4 Frontal Bone Infections and a Review of the Literature

Haemophilus influenzae occasionally causes hematogenous long-bone osteomyelitis in children. In adults, however, bone infections caused by this organism are extremely rare. We report four adult cases of H. influenzae frontal bone osteomyelitis and review 12 cases from the literature.
Intestinal mucus-derived nanoparticle-mediated activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a role in induction of liver natural killer T cell anergy in mice.

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been known to play a role in induction of immune tolerance, but its role in the induction and maintenance of natural killer T (NKT) cell anergy is unknown. We found that activation of the Wnt pathways in the liver microenvironment is important for induction of NKT cell anergy. We identified a number of stimuli triggering Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation, including exogenous NKT cell activator, glycolipid α-GalCer, and endogenous prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Glycolipid α-GalCer treatment of mice induced the expression of wnt3a and wnt5a in the liver and subsequently resulted in a liver microenvironment that induced NKT cell anergy to α-GalCer restimulation. We also found that circulating PGE2 carried by nanoparticles is stable, and that these nanoparticles are A33+. A33+ is a marker of intestinal epithelial cells, which suggests that the nanoparticles are derived from the intestine. Mice treated with PGE2 associated with intestinal mucus-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (IDENs) induced NKT cell anergy. PGE2 treatment leads to activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β of NKT cells. IDEN-associated PGE2 also induces NKT cell anergy through modification of the ability of dendritic cells to induce interleukin-12 and interferon-β in the context of both glycolipid presentation and Toll-like receptor–mediated pathways. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that IDEN-associated PGE2 serves as an endogenous immune modulator between the liver and intestines and maintains liver NKT cell homeostasis. This finding has implications for development of NKT cell–based immunotherapies. (HEPATOLOGY 2013)
NvAssign: protein NMR spectral assignment with NMRView

Motivation: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) protein studies rely on the accurate assignment of resonances. The general procedure is to (1) pick peaks, (2) cluster data from various experiments or spectra, (3) assign peaks to the sequence and (4) verify the assignments with the spectra. Many algorithms already exist for automating the assignment process (step 3). What is lacking is a flexible interface to help a spectroscopist easily move from clustering (step 2) to assignment algorithms (step 3) and back to verification of the algorithm output with spectral analysis (step 4). Results: A software module, NvAssign, was written for use with NMRView. It is a significant extension of the previous CBCA module. The module provides a flexible interface to cluster data and interact with the existing assignment algorithms. Further, the software module is able to read the results of other algorithms so that the data can be easily verified by spectral analysis. The generalized interface is demonstrated by connecting the clustered data with the assignment algorithms PACES and MONTE using previously assigned data for the lyase domain of DNA polymerase λ. The spectral analysis program NMRView is now able to read the output of these programs for simplified analysis and verification. Availability: NvAssign is available from http://dir.niehs.nih.gov/dirnmr/nvassign Supplementary information: Extensive manual pages with installation instructions, procedures and screen shots can also found at http://dir.niehs.nih.gov/dirnmr/nvassign
Computational analysis of fluid–structure interaction based blast-mitigation effects:

Advanced non-linear dynamics, finite element computational methods and tools are utilized in order to assess the blast wave mitigation potential of the fluid–structure interaction phenomena involvi...
Finite element calculation of energy release rate for 2-D rubbery material problems with non-conservative crack surface tractions

The energy release rate G for 2-D rubbery material problems with non-conservative crack surface tractions is calculated by a modified version of virtual crack extension method with finite element solutions. The formulation is demonstrated to be ‘patch-independent’ and therefore a complicated finite element model around the crack tip is not required.
Migrating haemulid fishes as a source of nutrients and organic matter on coral reefs1

Juvenile french and white grunts (Haemulon jlavolineatum and Haemulon plumierl) rest over coral colonies during the day and feed only at night in surrounding seagrass beds. We examined the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, particulate organic carbon, and calories which these fishes deposited over the coral colonies that were their resting sites. Weight-specific rates of nitrogen excretion by grunts decreased with increasing fish size. Rates of phosphorus excretion were not related to fish size. Excretory products were rich in nitrogen (molar N:P = 48), primarily ammonium, whereas fecal material was richer in phosphorus (N:P = 8). Feces leached over half of their phosphorus content within the first day. Half of the daily excretion and defecation occurred during the first 4 h after grunts returned to the reef, in which time they doubled the amount of NH.,+ available to corals under calm conditions. Seasonal patterns of nutrient and particulate organic carbon (caloric) input to coral colonies varied with grunt biomass on the colony. The maximum input to colonies of Porites jiircata from grunts occurred during August, which coincided with the time of highest coral growth rate. Grunts deposited an average of 164 and 251 mg m-2 d-’ of particulate organic carbon (feces) on the P. furcata and Acropora palmata colonies over which they rested, an energy supplement to the colonies of 0.8 and 1.2 kcal m-2 d-l. Rates of nutrient and organic matter input from grunts are comparable to or greater than rates observed in other naturally or artificially enriched ecosystems.
Maternal dementia age at onset in relation to amyloid burden in non-demented elderly offspring

Family history (FH) of dementia is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, particularly when the FH is maternal and when the age of dementia onset (AO) is younger. This study tested whether brain amyloid-beta deposition, measured in vivo with (11)C-Pittsburgh compound B (PiB), was associated with parental dementia and/or younger parental AO. Detailed FH and positron emission tomography (PiB) data were acquired in 147 nondemented aging individuals (mean age 75 ± 8). No participant had both positive maternal and paternal FH. A series of analyses revealed that those with maternal, but not paternal, FH had greater levels of PiB retention in a global cortical region than those without FH. PiB retention in maternal FH was not significantly greater than paternal FH. Younger maternal dementia AO was related to greater PiB retention in offspring, whereas younger paternal dementia AO was not. Overall, results suggest that not only is amyloid-beta burden greater in individuals with maternal FH, but also that the burden is greater in association with younger maternal AO.
Osmotic Behaviour of the Fairy Shrimp Chirocephalus Diaphanus Prévost

The blood of Chirocephalus has a normal osmotic concentration equivalent to 0.44-0.5% NaCl in an external medium of 0.002% NaCl. The osmotic pressure falls rapidly when the animal is kept in glass-distilled water, but is fairly well maintained in tap water. There is an initial rise and a later return to normal even in hypotonic saline media, and this indicates active absorption of ions. The bracts are presumably the organs concerned in the salt absorption. The animal is unable to live in tap water or distilled water for more than 2-3 days without food and its general behaviour is thus markedly different from that of Daphnia.
Dorothy Day and Gender Identity: The Rhetoric and the Reality

Dorothy Day's sense of herself as a woman and as a mother feature prominently in her writings. In light of recent inquiries into gender identity and gender ideology, and given Dorothy Day's prominence as editor, social activist, anarchist, pacifist, and religious author, questions about her views regarding woman's role and related feminist concerns invite investigation. The paper argues that although Dorothy Day did not become a vocal advocate nor public ally of the women's movements in twentieth-century American life because of some fundamental differences in viewpoint and loyalty, she did share a number of affinities with feminist perspectives. To investigate her thought on this topic enables us to understand Dorothy Day more fully and to bring a critical eye to selected features of feminism, discerning (from Day's standpoint) both strengths and weaknesses.
An Analysis of Past Surgical Infection Society Award Recipients

Abstract Background: The Surgical Infection Society (SIS) through its foundation (FDTN) confers awards to individuals who demonstrate interest in researching infection in the surgical setting. We sought to characterize the research output from prior award recipients and determine the impact of these awards on the individual and the SIS. Methods: The SIS website was queried for the names of all past award recipients. A MEDLINE search of the recipients was performed. Total number of publications and publications in the society's journal, Surgical Infections (SI), were identified. Gender and leadership positions within SIS were determined. Meeting attendance and participation were assessed. Donations by scholarship recipient to the FDTN were evaluated. Results: Between 1984 and 2012, 116 individuals received an SIS award or scholarship. Of these, 72% were male. There were 101 scholarships awarded, totaling nearly $3 million. Of the 19 new Junior Faculty Scholarships awarded, four were to consecutive recipien...
Millimeter depth resolution streak camera-based lidar

The principles of radar developed to measure the time distance of remote targets can be effectively applied to optical ranging. By using a streak camera to measure the round-trip time of flight of a short optical pulse, depth resolution below 1 mm can be realized. The streak camera also allows us to acquire simultaneously one dimension of the spatial image of the distant object from which the light has scattered.
A (Our) Nitty-Gritty Reality Meanings of Success Described by Textile and Apparel Women Educators

The study explored meanings of success described by women educators in the textile and apparel (T&A) discipline by considering women educators as valuable resources driving the success of this unique discipline, while operating between several social identities in their professional careers and personal lives. The interpretation of 14 in-depth interviews with women educators from Midwestern high schools and universities revealed three theme categories (a) meanings of professional success, (b) meanings of personal success, and (c) work-life balance. The participants shared their struggle in balancing professional and personal success and the need for support to help achieve work-life balance. Implications derived from the results supported the importance of including both objective and subjective measures of success in reviewing women educators' performance. In addition, the need to understand from both the individual and organization on how women educators play several demanding roles within different soc...
The Effects of Rations Containing Gradient Amounts of Cod Liver Oil on the Subsequent Performance of Laying Pullets Following a Natural Infection of Coccidiosis

Abstract LIMITED experimental evidence and field observations indicate a possible relationship existing between nutrition and infectious diseases. Among animals and fowls, malnutrition apparently lowers the resistance to infection of disease-producing organisms and handicaps the individual in overcoming some of the detrimental effects produced. Zimmerman, Vincent, and Ackert (1926); Ackert, McIlvaine, and Crawford (1931); Ackert and Nolf (1931); Ackert and Beach (1933) have shown that resistance of the chicken to the nematode, Ascaridia lineata (Schneider), was increased when fed rations adequate in vitamins A or B or other dietary supplements. Evidence as secured by Ackert and Spindler (1929) indicated that the resistance of chickens to the parasite, Ascaridia lineata, was not lowered by a deficiency of vitamin D. However, when the rate of gain in body weight was used as the criterion they found vitamin D to be a factor in protecting chickens from some of the detrimental effects of the parasite.
Aeroacoustic Properties of Supersonic Cavity Flows and Their Control

A detailed experimental study of supersonic, Mach 2, flow over a 3D cavity was conducted using shadowgraph, particle image velocimetry (PIV), and unsteady surface pressure measurements. Large-scale structures in the cavity shear layer and visible disturbances inside the cavity were observed. The PIV data reveals the highly unsteady nature of the entire flowfield and the presence of a large recirculation zone with reverse velocities as high as 40 % of the freestream velocity. Supersonic microjets at the leading edge are used to control the cavity flow and suppress resonance in the cavity. Using minimal mass flux through the microjets, overall sound pressure level (OASPL) was reduced by greater than 9 dB with tonal reductions greater than 20 dB. The PIV data reveals that microjet injection modifies the cavity shear layer and results in a significant reduction in the unsteadiness of the cavity velocity-field.
Essential Considerations in the Use of EMG Biofeedback

In light of a developing, widespread interest in electromyographic biofeedback as both a clinical and research modality, this article reviews basic factors that the physical therapist must consider for successful biofeedback applications. These factors include the proper use and care of electrodes, correct grounding procedures, and appropriate feedback displays.
Adsorption and interlayer diffusion controlled growth and unique surface patterned growth of polyelectrolyte multilayers

Abstract In this work, extremely high molecular weight (Mw) poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH, 900K g/mol) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA, 225 K g/mol) were selected to amplify the difference in the growth of multilayers in comparison with low Mw PAA (15K g/mol) and PAH (15K g/mol). By varying the pH conditions, the PAH/PAA multilayers were fabricated via the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly in both linear and exponential growth regimes. In the linear growth regime with interlayer diffusion suppressed, high Mw polyelectrolytes with low charge density could slow down the adsorption step, leading to the decrease of thickness compared to low Mw polyelectrolytes when the deposition time was limited. However, the effect of Mw could be reversed by increasing the deposition time, for the adsorption of low Mw polyelectrolyte reached equilibrium, while the adsorption of high Mw polyelectrolyte continued. The larger coil size of high Mw polyelectrolyte could enable the surpassing of multilayer thickness compared with low Mw polyelectrolyte. In the exponential growth regime, besides the slow adsorption, the application of high Mw polyelectrolytes further suppressed the interlayer diffusion, leading to the decrease of multilayer thickness regardless of deposition time. We further studied the effects of deposition time, Mw of polyelectrolytes, and the number of bilayers on the surface morphology in the exponential growth regime. Surface roughness significantly increased with the application of high Mw PAA and the increase in deposition time. For the first time, the unique LbL film growth patterns of islet, ring and cantaloupe skin-like structures that consecutively formed on the surface of polyelectrolyte multilayers were reported by tuning the above parameters.
Urinary Tract Infections

Infections of the urinary system may involve the upper and/or lower urinary tract. These infections may be identified in urologic specimens submitted for cytologic examination, including urine cytology and FNA samples. The cytopathology of infectious diseases involving the urinary system are covered in this chapter, including male genital infections. Viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed individuals is discussed.
Anatomical 2D/3D shape-matching in virtual reality: A user interface for quantifying joint kinematics with radiographic imaging

We introduce a virtual reality 3D user interface (3DUI) for anatomical 2D/3D shape-matching, a challenging task that is part of medical imaging processes required by biomechanics researchers. Manual shape-matching can be thought of as a nuanced version of classic 6 degree-of-freedom docking tasks studied in the 3DUI research community. Our solution combines dynamic gain for precise translation and rotation from 6 degree-of-freedom tracker input, constraints based on both 2D and 3D data, and immersive visualization and visual feedback.
Khan Academy as Supplemental Instruction: A Controlled Study of a Computer-Based Mathematics Intervention

Khan Academy is a large and popular open educational resource (OER) with little empirical study into its impact on student achievement in mathematics when used in schools. In this study, we examined the use of Khan Academy as a mathematics intervention among seventh grade students over a 4-week period versus a control group. We also compared differences between students who had supplemental mathematics instruction and those who had not. In both cases, we found no statistically significant differences in student test scores. Khan Academy has several internal metrics used to track student performance and use. We found significant relationships between these metrics and student test scores in this study. Khan Academy and other OER provide access to information and knowledge to large numbers of the population. This research adds to the discourse methods by which Khan Academy and other OER may affect learners.
Effects of Device Features on Misattributions of Knowledge

New digital technologies, such as our smartphones and computers, often serve as extended cognitive systems to construct the full range of our cognitive capabilities. Given that capacity of computing technologies has reached a degree of speed and efficiency that many find comparable to (or surpassing) the rate of human thought, our devices have become valuable memory partners to us. In spite of its positive impacts, such as expanding the capacity of human cognition and improving the efficiency of information search, the increasingly ubiquitous human-computer partnership may fundamentally alter the ways in which humans perceive themselves.This study examines attributes of technology that may lead people to misattribute technology-enabled outcomes to the self while judging their own knowledge. Participants evaluated their cognitive abilities after using a device to find answers to trivia questions. Participants who used their own device reported inflated cognitive evaluations compared to participants who used a lab device, and participants who used a mobile device reported inflated cognitive evaluations compared laptop users. This research extends the scope of existing empirical work on technology-mediated judgments of knowledge by demonstrating the role of the device itself in influencing judgments. Familiarity with the basic features of a device, time spent completing the trivia questions, and device attachment predicted knowledge confidence over and above the personal and mobile device manipulations' significant unique prediction. Our findings highlight a number of technological attributes emanating from both the sources present through the device interface (e.g., search engine), and the physical manifestation of the device itself, which may contribute to illusions of internal knowledge through technology use.
Conversational Teaching and Christian Transformation

Teaching that cultivates Christian transformation requires conversation, not just as a small component in the teaching process, but conversation as the overarching pedagogical framework and catalyz...
Fluorescence Imaging of Mycobacterial Infection in Live Mice Using Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Strains

Fluorescence imaging has been applied to various areas of biological research, including studies of physiological, neurological, oncological, cell biological, molecular, developmental, immunological, and infectious processes. In this chapter, we describe methods of fluorescent imaging applied to examination of subcutaneous and pulmonary mycobacterial infections in an animal model. Since slow growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) hinders development of new diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for tuberculosis (TB), we developed fluorescent protein (FP) expressing mycobacterial strains for in vivo imaging, which can be used to track bacterial location and to quantitate bacterial load directly in living animals. After comparison of imaging data using strains expressing different fluorescent proteins, we found that strains expressing L5-tdTomato display the greatest fluorescence. Here, we describe detailed protocols for tdTomato-labeled M. bovis BCG imaging in real time for subcutaneous and pulmonary infections in living mice. These procedures allow rapid and accurate determination of bacterial numbers in live mice.
The Therapeutic Relationship in Neighborhood Psychiatry: Impact of Clinical Setting on Clinical Practice

The relationship between psychotherapist and patient in neighborhood mental health practice differs in important ways from the therapeutic relationship established in other clinical settings. Obviously, no matter where therapist and patient meet, their personality characteristics and the clinical methodology will shape the relationship between them. Most clinical approaches emphasize personality and technique--therapists of all schools are trained to scrutinize these aspects of psychotherapy. But therapists are generally less well prepared to comprehend the clinical impact of the organizational setting itself (Newton and Levinson, 1973). Consequently, the practitioner may not recognize how much the system in which he works influences the way he and his patient relate to each other.
Using E. coli

Before the rise of recombinant DNA work, much research in molecular biology utilized Escherichia coli both as the object of experimental study and as the source of the experimental material. More recently, the diversity of organisms and problems being studied has greatly increased and E. coli is being used less as an object of study. However, its use is still appreciable; E. coli is often the most appropriate organism for study of fundamental problems or the best source of DNA and proteins necessary for recombinant DNA research. The sections which follow describe the use of E. coli both as an object of experimental study and as a vehicle for other studies.
Hyperprolactinemia in primary adrenocortical insufficiency

A patient with primary adrenocortical deficiency presented with galactorrhea and hyperprolactinemia, in addition to the usual characteristic symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. With steroid replacement therapy, PRL levels returned to normal, with resumption of normal ovulatory cycles; and the patient became pregnant. Primary adrenocortical deficiency should be considered as one of the very rare causes in the differential diagnosis of hyperprolactinemia.
Ecosystem functions in mixed cropland–grassland systems influenced by soil legacies of past crop cultivation decisions

As global food demand continues to grow, private landowners and agricultural managers have increased incentives to convert grasslands to expand crop production. These conversions are increasingly occurring on marginal soils susceptible to rapid degradation, which threatens delivery of diverse bundles of ecosystem goods and services (EGS). A growing number of studies have demonstrated that previous land management decisions continue to effect current soil ecosystem functions in the long‐term (i.e., soil legacies persist after previous management has ceased). Such legacies could further alter EGS deliveries, especially in mixed‐use agroecosystems (grass and croplands) that are susceptible to large, rapid changes in land use. The objective of this work was therefore to identify potential soil legacy effects and recovery time delays after land transformation and to place those effects in the context of EGS tradeoffs. Our overall hypotheses were that soil legacies can be traced back to management's EGS prioritization, that soil legacies persist due to the nature of land use (grass versus cultivation) and the time (years) under management, and that anthropomorphic manipulation from cultivation creates specific kinds of soil legacies. Using a systems approach that integrated ecosystem indicators, physical soil data, and human dimensions, we tested our hypotheses in South Dakota (USA), along the 100th Meridian (west), where recent and rapid cultivation expansion has reached historic highs. We conducted intensive interviews of four private land managers to identify historical land transformations, current goals, and strategies employed to achieve those goals on varying sites within their operations (nine grassland sites, nine cultivated sites; n = 18). Ecosystem assessments were conducted on each site using the US interagency assessment protocol Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health. Field aggregate stability and soil organic matter using loss‐on‐ignition were also measured. We found that (1) soil legacies continued to be detectable up to 20 yr after land transformation; (2) producers’ personal values of EGS were directly linked to observed land uses and ecosystem ratings; and (3) opportunities for reintroducing grasses into crop rotations or crop–livestock integration could likely improve EGS delivery from converted lands while enhancing rural economic outcomes at a low‐ to no‐cost trade‐off between ecosystem functions.
Not All Success is the Same: The Role of Exploration and Exploitation in Diseconomies of Scale in the Mutual Fund Industry

This paper investigates the role of diseconomies of scale in mutual fund performance. I argue that there are two crucial aspects that are related to subsequent performance. In addition to the well-known metrics based on past returns (i.e., $\alpha$ and tracking errors), I demonstrate that managerial ability to overcome diseconomies of scale is also a key factor. I propose two new proxies for the degree of diseconomies of scale by contrasting two types of past success, namely, accumulated success in industry exploration (i.e., buying stocks from unknown industries) and accumulated success in industry exploitation (i.e., buying stocks from familiar industries). Accumulated success in industry exploration, representing low degree of diseconomies of scale, plays a significant positive role in absorbing fund inflows, leading to good and persistent benchmark-adjusted performance in the subsequent period. By sharp contrast, accumulated success in industry exploitation, representing high degree of diseconomies of scale, does exactly the opposite. Although these results suggest the importance of different degrees of diseconomies of scale in fund performance, I find that only investors in good performing funds realize their distinction.
SAFETY OF CARVEDILOL IN MANAGEMENT OF HEART FAILURE AMONG COCAINE USERS

The safety and efficacy of beta-blockers among patients with heart failure (HF) who use cocaine is unknown. Non-cardioselective beta-blockers such as carvedilol may be reasonable among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and active cocaine use. We sought to test the safety and effectiveness
Phase diagram for two-dimensional layer of soft particles.

The phase diagram of a monolayer of soft particles described by the Daoud–Cotton model for star polymers is presented. Ground state calculations and grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations are used to determine the phase behavior as a function of the number of arms on the star and the areal coverage of the soft particles. The phase diagram exhibits rich behavior including reentrant melting and freezing and solid–solid transitions with triangular, stripe, honeycomb and kagome phases. These structures in 2D are analogous to the structures observed in 3D. The evolution of the structure factor with density is qualitatively similar to that measured in experiments for polymer grafted nanocrystals [Chen et al., Macromolecules, 2017, 50, 9636].
Active Edge: Designing Squeeze Gestures for the Google Pixel 2

Active Edge is a feature of Google Pixel 2 smartphone devices that creates a force-sensitive interaction surface along their sides, allowing users to perform gestures by holding and squeezing their device. Supported by strain gauge elements adhered to the inner sidewalls of the device chassis, these gestures can be more natural and ergonomic than on-screen (touch) counterparts. Developing these interactions is an integration of several components: (1) an insight and understanding of the user experiences that benefit from squeeze gestures; (2) hardware with the sensitivity and reliability to sense a user's squeeze in any operating environment; (3) a gesture design that discriminates intentional squeezes from innocuous handling; and (4) an interaction design to promote a discoverable and satisfying user experience. This paper describes the design and evaluation of Active Edge in these areas as part of the product's development and engineering.
Ecological Death Reform and Death System Change

This article elaborates on Robert Kastenbaum’s death system analysis by explaining social change efforts among Ecological Death Advocates (EDAs), a diverse group of designers, scientists, spiritual...
Timing matters: real-world effectiveness of early combination of biologic and conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for treating newly diagnosed polyarticular course juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Objectives To compare real-world effectiveness of two adaptive treatment strategies of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in treating children with newly diagnosed polyarticular course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pcJIA): early aggressive use of biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) in combination with conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) versus conservative delayed use of bDMARDs following the initial csDMARD prescription. Methods A single-centre newly diagnosed DMARD-naive pcJIA patient database (n=465) was derived from the electronic medical records between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2018. The primary study endpoints were clinical Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score (cJADAS) at 6 and 12 months following the first DMARD prescription. The secondary study endpoint was Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) generic total score at 12 months. Averaged causal treatment effects were assessed using a Bayesian non-parametric casual inference method. Results Both cJADAS and PedsQL improve over time, regardless of the treatment strategies. Compared with the conservative approach, early aggressive approach is more effective in reducing cJADAS (mean −2.17, 95% CI −3.77 to −0.56) by 6 months. Adding bDMARD after 6 months to the initial treatment provides very little added benefit. The averaged treatment effect was 6.35 (95% CI −5.89 to 18.58) improvement in PedsQL at 12 months. Conclusions Timing matters—early aggressive use with bDMARDs is more effective than conservative delayed treatment in lowering disease activity after 6 and 12 months of treatment.
Side Effects of Proton Pump Inhibitors: What are Patients' Concerns?

Summary Objective Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the fourth most widely sold drugs in the United States. Mounting evidence suggests PPIs may not be as safe as originally thought. We hypothesize that increased awareness of PPI side effects and patient education may influence patient interest in PPI use and compliance. We aimed to investigate patient concerns and education regarding PPI use and side effects. Study design Prospective questionnaire. Setting Tertiary care center. Subjects and methods Consecutive patients with a diagnosis of gastroesophageal or laryngopharyngeal reflux currently on PPI, or having discontinued PPIs within 6 months, completed a questionnaire regarding level of concern regarding PPI side effects and level of education. Results Fifty consecutive patients completed the questionnaire. The mean age was 64 (±12.2) years and 47.8% was male. The majority of surveyed patients (52.2%) were concerned about the side effects of PPIs. Among these patients, the most common concerns were increased bone fracture (23.9%) and cardiovascular risk (21.7%). The most common source of PPI side-effect information was healthcare professionals (45.7%). Age, specific type of concern, side-effect experience, and reflux symptom index scores, but not level of education, proved to be statistically significant predictor variables for patients’ overall concern with taking PPI, based on logistic regression. Conclusion There was a high prevalence of concern regarding PPI side effects in patients with reflux. The most common concern was bone fracture. Level of education was not associated with greater concern for PPI side effects.
Fully Synthetic Bioengineered Nanomedical Scaffold in Chronic Neuropathic Foot Ulcers.

Introduction Chronic ulcerations on weightbearing surfaces of the lower extremities are uniquely challenging and can lead to complications such as infection or amputation. Objective This 3-patient case series of 4 chronic wounds of various etiologies outlines the use of a fully synthetic bioengineered nanomedical scaffold that exhibits durability and allows for cell migration and angiogenesis while resisting enzymatic degradation. Materials and methods The nanomedical scaffold was rehydrated in sterile saline at room temperature for 3 to 5 minutes until translucent and pliable, then it was fenestrated with a scalpel. Following sharp debridement, it was affixed to the ulcer. A nonadherent dressing was applied, followed by applying a moist sterile dressing in a bolster fashion. Results All 4 ulcers reached the primary endpoints of granulation, as well as decreased wound size, using the nanomedical scaffold. Conclusions The nanomedical scaffold successfully reduced the ulcer depths, stimulated granulation tissue while preventing necrosis, and helped the wounds remain infection free. The outcome of this case series suggests a fully synthetic bioengineered nanomedical scaffold can be used as an alternative to human or animal extracellular matrix in chronic, hard-to-heal neuropathic ulcers.
Building trust through a personal touch: Consumer response to service failure and recovery of home-sharing

Abstract This research examines how host’s interaction styles can shape consumer outcomes (e.g., satisfaction and switching intentions) after experiencing service failure in home-sharing via the intervening role of trust. Drawing on findings from two experimental studies, the results consistently suggest that adopting a personal (vs. professional) style in the initial host–guest interaction yields higher trust in the host (Study 1a, 2a). When service failure occurs, consumers exposed to an initial personal (vs. professional) interaction with the host report greater satisfaction and lower switching intentions, regardless of recovery interaction styles (Study 1b, 2b). Serial mediation analysis suggests that trust accounts for the differential impact of interaction styles on post-service recovery outcomes. Implications for the sharing economy literature and managerial practices are discussed.
Do Hydroxychloroquine Blood Levels and Dose Identify Different Populations at Risk of Retinopathy? Comment on the Article by Petri et al.

The article by Petri et al. concerning prediction of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) retinopathy is missing a key piece of information necessary to understand its significance (1). Elevated HCQ dosage confers an increased risk of ocular toxicity, and consequently, a dose below 5.0 mg/kg/day is recommended (2). Does the use of mean whole blood level classify a different set of subjects as at risk than the use of dosage? For example, if both parameters, dose and mean whole blood level, uniquely identify different subjects at risk, then an algorithm that evaluates both criteria might be reasonably considered.
Tracking Real-Time Systems Requirements

One of the hard problems in the engineering of real-time software systems such as avionics software is how to keep track of the impact of resource usage on the applications. Often times, it is not sufficient to keep track of upper bounds since some requirements such as jitter are also sensitive to the lower bounds and the resource scheduling algorithm employed. In the case of non-preemptive scheduling, real-time requirements can be missed when resource utilization is decreased as in a CPU upgrade, even though there are no jitter constraints. In this talk, we define the notion of *robustness* for real-time performance requirments and discuss the tracking of real-time application requirements with respect to the robustness in resource scheduling. Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Real-Time Systems and Applications (RTCSA00) 1530-1427/00 $10.00 © 2000 IEEE
Evaluation of chronic lead effects in the blood brain barrier system by DCE-CT.

Abstract Background Lead (Pb) is an environmental factor has been suspected of contributing to the dementia including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Our previous studies have shown that Pb exposure at the subtoxic dose increased brain levels of beta-amyloid (Aβ) and amyloid plaques, a pathological hallmark for AD, in amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice, and is hypothesized to inhibit Aβ clearance in the blood- cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier. However, it remains unclear how different levels of Pb affect Aβ clearance in the whole blood-brain barrier system. This study was designed to investigate whether chronic exposure of Pb affected the permeability of the blood-brain barrier system by using the Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Computerized Tomography (DCE-CT) method. Methods DEC-CT was used to investigate whether chronic exposure of toxic Pb affected the permeability of the real-time blood brain barrier system. Results Data showed that Pb exposure increased permeability surface area product, and also significantly induced brain perfusion. However, Pb exposure did not alter extracellular volumes or fractional blood volumes of mouse brain. Conclusion Our data suggest that Pb exposure at subtoxic and toxic levels directly targets the brain vasculature and damages the blood brain barrier system.
Schroedinger Operators With Few Bound States

We show that whole-line Schrodinger operators with finitely many bound states have no embedded singular spectrum. In contradistinction, we show that embedded singular spectrum is possible even when the bound states approach the essential spectrum exponentially fast. We also prove the following result for one- and two-dimensional Schrodinger operators, $H$, with bounded positive ground states: Given a potential $V$, if both $H\pm V$ are bounded from below by the ground-state energy of $H$, then $V\equiv 0$.
The Importance of Campaign Promises

Campaign promises are a cornerstone of representative democracy. Candidates make promises to signal to voters their intentions in office and voters evaluate candidates based on those promises. This study unpacks the theorized pathway regarding campaign promises: not whether promises are kept, but what purpose promises serve, what they signal, and how they affect voter decision-making. The author explores the pathways and conditions influencing promises and finds that promises tend to have a polarizing effect on voters' opinions of politicians, attracting similarly-positioned voters and strongly repelling voters who disagree with a candidate's position. In addition, voters perceive promise breakers as less honest and less likely to follow through than candidates who more weakly took the same position. With a wealth of data and fascinating case studies, this book is full of important insights into electoral psychology and the study of promises, campaigning, and representation.
A Sustainable Fiscal Budget Design for Smart City Development a City Built on Technology and Wisdom

A sustainable fiscal budget design is first started by looking at the government organizational structure holistically. A sustainable smart city development requires the application of theories because it is a good practice, raises the standard and quality, and increases professionalism. It requires the use of multidiscipline knowledge, applied through a strategic and comprehensive planning based on factual evidence and scientific analysis and presentation. A comprehensive planning indicates transparency. A sustainable fiscal budget requires the government to look at its organization structure holistically. This holistic approach encourages constant use of multidiscipline knowledge, increases creativity, promotes a continuous forward thinking, and makes the planning tasks more meaningful and lucrative. It creates in people the sense of humanity and sense of belonging - what they can do better to serve their fellow citizens or to make a meaningful contribution to their country. Technology is a tool to accomplish the tasks to meet the objectives of the organizations or the state. At a time where the government is very fragmented due to privatization, designing the fiscal budget through the holistic approach by looking at the organizational structure gives several benefits such as it keeps the government to stay in control, reduces corruption, minimizes social exclusion and economic marginalization, and continuously creating jobs in multiplicity at every level of government. Regardless of the type of government, the use of theory on application helps to use up the multidiscipline knowledge, the tasks are more professional in its application and presentation, and it leads to a democratic government.
Information and Spillovers from Targeting Policy in Peru's Anchoveta Fishery

This paper establishes that a targeted policy backfires because it reveals information about non-targeted units. In the world's largest fishery, the regulator attempts to reduce the harvesting of juvenile fish by temporarily closing areas where the share of juvenile catch is high. By combining administrative microdata with biologically richer data from fishing firms, I isolate variation in closures that is due to the regulator's lower resolution data. I estimate substantial temporal and spatial spillovers from closures. Closures increase total juvenile catch by 50% because closure announcements implicitly signal that fishing before, just outside, and after closures is high productivity.