cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
(-)-Rhazinilam and the diphenylpyridazinone NSC 613241: Two compounds inducing the formation of morphologically similar tubulin spirals but binding apparently to two distinct sites on tubulin.

Abstract The most potent microtubule assembly inhibitor of newer diphenylpyridazinone derivatives examined was NSC 613241. Because NSC 613241 and (−)-rhazinilam also induce the formation of similar 2-filament spirals, these aberrant reactions were compared. Spiral formation with both compounds was enhanced by GTP and inhibited by GDP and by 15 other inhibitors of microtubule assembly. Similarly, microtubule assembly induced by paclitaxel or laulimalide is enhanced by GTP and inhibited by GDP and assembly inhibitors, but neither [ 3 H]NSC 613241 nor [ 3 H](−)-rhazinilam bound to microtubules or inhibited the binding of [ 3 H]paclitaxel or [ 3 H]peloruside A to microtubules. Differences in the pitch of aberrant polymers were found: NSC 613241-induced and (−)-rhazinilam-induced spirals had average repeats of 85 and 79–80 nm, respectively. We found no binding of [ 3 H]NSC 613241 or [ 3 H](−)-rhazinilam to αβ-tubulin dimer, but both compounds were incorporated into the polymers they induced in substoichiometric reactions, with as little as 0.1–0.2 mol compound/mol of tubulin, and no cross-inhibition by NSC 613241 or (−)-rhazinilam into spirals occurred. Under reaction conditions where neither compound induced spiral formation, both compounds together synergistically induced substantial spiral formation. We conclude that (−)-rhazinilam and NSC 613241 bind to different sites on tubulin that differ from binding sites for other antitubulin agents.
Cholesterol metabolism in man

Recent investigations on cholesterol metabolism in man have led to new insights into diseases associated with abnormal accumulations of cholesterol in plasma (hypercholesterolemia), arterial tissues (atherosclerosis) and biliary tract (gallstones). Regulation of cholesterol synthesis under the influence of dietary and plasma cholesterol, may play a crucial role in determining biliary and tissue concentrations of this sterol. Plasma concentrations, on the other hand, appear to be controlled by complex mechanisms for secretion, transformation and removal of plasma lipoproteins. The recent identification of specific cellular receptors for uptake of plasma lipoproteins represents a significant advance for the understanding of regulation of both plasma and tissue concentrations, and possibly of the basic mechanisms underlying accumulation of cholesterol in atherosclerotic plaques.
Gata6 promotes hair follicle progenitor cell renewal by genome maintenance during proliferation

Cell proliferation is essential to rapid tissue growth and repair, but can result in replication-associated genome damage. Here, we implicate the transcription factor Gata6 in adult mouse hair follicle regeneration where it controls the renewal of rapidly proliferating epithelial (matrix) progenitors and hence the extent of production of terminally differentiated lineages. We find that Gata6 protects against DNA damage associated with proliferation, thus preventing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Furthermore, we show that in vivo Gata6 stimulates EDA-receptor signaling adaptor Edaradd level and NF-κB pathway activation, known to be important for DNA damage repair and stress response in general and for hair follicle growth in particular. In cultured keratinocytes, Edaradd rescues DNA damage, cell survival, and proliferation of Gata6 knockout cells and restores MCM10 expression. Our data add to recent evidence in embryonic stem and neural progenitor cells, suggesting a model whereby developmentally regulated transcription factors protect from DNA damage associated with proliferation at key stages of rapid tissue growth. Our data may add to understanding why Gata6 is a frequent target of amplification in cancers.
Agelastatin A (AgA), a Marine Sponge Derived Alkaloid, Inhibits Wnt/Beta-Catenin Signaling and Selectively Induces Apoptosis in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Independently of p53

Abstract 1786 The Wnt/beta-catenin pathway is highly active in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and confers an anti-apoptotic effect in vitro and possibly also in vivo . As such, inhibition of this pathway represents a potential therapeutic target. Here we report preclinical studies using agelastatin A (AgA), a naturally occurring alkaloid extracted from the marine sponges Agelas dendromorpha and Cymbastella sp. We tested AgA using SW480 cells transfected with a beta-catenin dependent reporter gene expression system. Using this assay, we found that AgA is a potent Wnt signaling inhibitor with IC 50 of 12nM. AgA also inhibits the expression of reporter genes in HEK293 cells cotransfected with either Wnt1 or mutated (dominant-active) beta-catenin, suggesting that its mechanism of action is independent of the beta-catenin degradation complex. Moreover, real time-PCR results show that Lef1, a classic Wnt/beta-catenin target gene highly expressed in CLL, is down-regulated in primary CLL cells incubated with AgA at nanomolar concentrations. AgA, but not structurally related compounds agelastatin C and agelastatin D, selectively induces apoptosis in CLL B-cells (mean IC 50 = 56nM) compared with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers (mean IC 50 = 250nM). Interestingly, AgA induces apoptosis at nanomolar concentrations even in samples from CLL patients who had no clinical response to fludarabine, samples with 17p deletion or TP53 gene mutations, and samples in which p53 deficiency was determined by in vitro chemoresistance and absence of inducible p21, CD95, and DR5 after irradiation (Figure 1). In addition, AgA induces apoptosis on CLL cells that are maintained in co-culture conditions with stromal cells, which typically increases leukemia cell viability. This suggests that AgA is capable of disrupting pro-survival signals derived from the microenvironment, including Wnt mediated activation. In conclusion, AgA has potent activity against CLL cells in vitro . Our studies show that AgA inhibits Wnt/beta-catenin signaling at nanomolar concentrations, induces apoptosis in CLL cells independently of p53, and is able to disrupt pro-survival signaling derived from stromal cell support. AgA warrants further studies and clinical development for the treatment of CLL and potentially other malignancies associated with Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
13.10 A >1W 2.2GHz switched-capacitor digital power amplifier with wideband mixed-domain multi-tap FIR filtering of OOB noise floor

Digital power amplifiers and transmitters have drawn significant interest in the recent past due to their reconfigurability, compatibility with CMOS technology scaling and DSP, and potential for automated design synthesis [1–5]. While significant progress has been made in achieving moderate output power levels in CMOS, wideband modulation, and high efficiency under back-off, out-of-band emissions remain an unsolved problem. The elimination of the analog reconstruction filter that follows the DAC in a conventional analog transmitter implies that broadband DAC quantization noise appears at the output of the transmitter unfiltered. Quantization noise can be suppressed by increasing resolution and/or sampling rate, but to meet the challenging −150 to −160dBc/Hz out-of-band (OOB and specifically RX-band) noise requirement of FDD with conventional duplexers, nearly 12b at 0.5GS/s is required. Such a high effective number of bits (ENOB) is extremely challenging in digital PAs given their strong output nonlinearity. Consequently, while low-power modulators are able to approach −150dBc/Hz RX-band noise floor and below [6], state-of-the-art digital transmitters achieve −130 to −135dBc/Hz RX-band noise, nearly 20dB or 100× away [2–4]. Embedding mixed-domain FIR filtering into digital transmitters to create notches in the RX band has been proposed [4,7], but, while successful in low-power modulators [7], nonlinearity significantly limits notch depth to <10dB in digital PAs [4]. Further, notch bandwidth (BW) is far less than 20MHz, the typical LTE BW, in the simple two-tap FIR structures that have been explored [4].
Institutional ownership and corporate R&D investment: A multi-industry study

Abstract This paper describes a study of the effect of institutional ownership on corporate R&D investment for 133 companies in six U.S. industries over the time period 1965–1984. Whereas previous studies have been conducted at the industry level, this study shows that the relationship between institutional ownership and R&D investment varies by firm, and thus a proper analysis must be conducted at the firm level. In this study many firms exhibited no significant relationship between institutional ownership and R&D investment. Among the firms that did show significant relationships, more firms showed significant positive than significant negative relationships for the full 20-year period. For shorter and more recent periods the effect shifted toward an even balance between positive and negative effects. The study does not provide support for the hypothesis that higher levels of institutional ownership result in generally lower levels of R&D expenditure.
Photopatternable PEDOT:PSS/PEG hybrid thin film with moisture stability and sensitivity.

A wearable humidity sensor that can analyse perspiration and breath rates has been devised by researchers in the United States. A conductive polymer known as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) has been deployed with success in flexible electronic devices, but it can degrade when exposed to water or photolithography solvents. To mitigate these problems, Tingrui Pan from the University of California, Davis, and his colleagues coated PEDOT:PSS onto poly (ethylene glycol), a pliable substrate that is able to absorb water. They then developed a process that connects a photomask to the conductive polymer and patterns it in a single step, using ultraviolet light and a photosensitive cross-linking reagent. This strategy produced hybrid films in a capacitive sensing mode that show capacitive signals change with rising environmental moisture and that are resilient enough for real-time exercise monitoring.
The Long-Term Impact of Family Routines and Parental Knowledge on Alcohol Use and Health Behaviors: Results from a 14 Year Follow-Up

Previous research has found significant associations between family routines (e.g., time shared and family meals), parenting characteristics, and later adolescent health behaviors. In general, greater family interactions, parental monitoring, and more optimal parenting style have been associated with less alcohol use during adolescence. We expanded upon this work by examining effects of family and parenting characteristics on alcohol use and health behaviors during young adulthood. We also followed tenets of the Contextual Model of Parenting by examining the moderating effects of parenting style on the associations between parent/family practices and outcomes. Data came from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. A total of 5419 youth were surveyed at 12–14 years of age, and then annually for the next 14 years; 4565 were surveyed at a 10 year follow-up and 4539 were examined at the 14 year follow-up (84% retention). Multivariate models, controlling for sex and race/ethnicity, indicated that, in general, family routines and parental knowledge in early adolescence were associated with healthier behaviors at both the 10-year and 14-follow-ups. Results also showed that the protective effects of parental knowledge and family routines were strongest in families characterized by and authoritative parenting style.
Reading Thomas Hardy

This major new reading of the novels of Thomas Hardy, by leading critic George Levine, disentangles the author's often elaborately distanced prose from his beautiful poetic and precise renderings of the natural world. Clear, direct and minimally academic in his own writing, Levine provides an overview of Hardy's entire fictional canon, with extensive discussions of his early and late novels including his last, The Well-Beloved. Levine draws new attention to the way Hardy absorbed both the ideas and the writing strategies of Charles Darwin, and develops new perspectives first articulated in the criticism of great novelists - in particular Virginia Woolf and D. H. Lawrence. Levine departs from the critical norm by reading Hardy in the context of his deep feeling for the natural world and all living things, and the implicit affirmation of life that sometimes drives his bleakest narratives.
Backbone Hydrogen Bond Strengths Can Vary Widely in Transmembrane Helices

Although backbone hydrogen bonds in transmembrane (TM) helices have the potential to be very strong due to the low dielectric and low water environment of the membrane, their strength has never been assessed experimentally. Moreover, variations in hydrogen bond strength might be necessary to facilitate the TM helix breaking and bending that is often needed to satisfy functional imperatives. Here we employed equilibrium hydrogen/deuterium fractionation factors to measure backbone hydrogen bond strengths in the TM helix of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). We find an enormous range of hydrogen bond free energies, with some weaker than water–water hydrogen bonds and some over 6 kcal/mol stronger than water–water hydrogen bonds. We find that weak hydrogen bonds are at or near preferred γ-secretase cleavage sites, suggesting that the sequence of APP and possibly other cleaved TM helices may be designed, in part, to make their backbones accessible for cleavage. The finding that hydrogen bond strengths in a T...
The challenges of repeat biopsies at acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs.

e20571Background: 1st-line EGFR TKIs are active in EGFR mutants though acquired resistance (AR) arises within 1-2y. Describing AR mechanisms like T790M has been crucial in developing effective 2nd-...
Abstract 19054: Yap Plays a Crucial Role in the Development of Cardiomyopathy in Lysosomal Storage Diseases

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) cause severe cardiomyopathy. However, there is currently no effective treatment. Rag proteins play a critical role in regulating lysosomal functions. Muscle-specific deletion of RagA and RagB (RagA/B) suppresses autophagy and induces cardiomyopathy reminiscent of LSDs. Here, we aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of cardiomyopathy in RagA/B knockout (KO) mice. We generated cardiac-specific RagA/BKO (RagA/BcKO) mice using αMHC-Cre. Like the muscle-specific KO mice, RagA/BcKO mice showed prominent cardiac hypertrophy (CH) (heart weight (HW)/ tibial length (TL): 12.35 ± 0.41 vs. 7.12 ± 0.15, p< 0.01) at 3 months of age. RagA/BcKO mice exhibited significantly more phospho-histone H3-positive cardiomyocytes (CMs) than control mice, suggesting that CM proliferation is stimulated. However, RagA/BcKO mice exhibited a significantly smaller fractional shortening (%FS: 23.0 ± 0.82 vs. 45.8 ± 1.06, p< 0.01) and significantly higher mortality than control mice (50% vs. 0%, p<...
Transient response of nonlinear polymer networks: A kinetic theory.

Abstract Dynamic networks are found in a majority of natural materials, but also in engineering materials, such as entangled polymers and physically cross-linked gels. Owing to their transient bond dynamics, these networks display a rich class of behaviors, from elasticity, rheology, self-healing, or growth. Although classical theories in rheology and mechanics have enabled us to characterize these materials, there is still a gap in our understanding on how individuals (i.e., the mechanics of each building blocks and its connection with others) affect the emerging response of the network. In this work, we introduce an alternative way to think about these networks from a statistical point of view. More specifically, a network is seen as a collection of individual polymer chains connected by weak bonds that can associate and dissociate over time. From the knowledge of these individual chains (elasticity, transient attachment, and detachment events), we construct a statistical description of the population and derive an evolution equation of their distribution based on applied deformation and their local interactions. We specifically concentrate on nonlinear elastic response that follows from the strain stiffening response of individual chains of finite size. Upon appropriate averaging operations and using a mean field approximation, we show that the distribution can be replaced by a so-called chain distribution tensor that is used to determine important macroscopic measures such as stress, energy storage and dissipation in the network. Prediction of the kinetic theory are then explored against known experimental measurement of polymer responses under uniaxial loading. It is found that even under the simplest assumptions of force-independent chain kinetics, the model is able to reproduce complex time-dependent behaviors of rubber and self-healing supramolecular polymers.
A study of granular flow through horizontal wire mesh screens for concentrated solar power particle heating receiver applications – Part I: Experimental studies and numerical model development

Abstract A proposed design for a concentrating solar power (CSP) receiver uses granular material – such as sand – as the heat transfer and energy storage medium. Early designs of particle heating receivers (PHR) utilize a falling curtain of particles which directly absorbs the concentrated solar radiation. However, falling curtain receivers have several disadvantages including significant heat and particle losses and short residence time within the irradiation zone. One design proposal which overcomes these challenges is the so called “impeded flow PHR design”, in which the particles flow over, around, or through a series of obstacles in the flow path. This reduces the average velocity of the particles, thereby increasing their residence time in the irradiation zone of the receiver. It also reduces heat and particle losses from the receiver. However, granular flows through complex structures are not well understood, rendering a priori design of impeded flow PHR geometries difficult. To better understand these flows, lab scale models of a PHR design variant using horizontal wire mesh screens have been constructed, allowing granular flows through the receiver geometry to be experimentally analyzed. In addition, two different numerical modeling approaches – the discrete element method (DEM) model, and a two-fluid computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model – have been developed to model the flow of particles through the specified receiver geometry. The results of the DEM model are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data with respect to mass flux, and better matches the experimental data than the CFD model. A companion paper presents parametric studies to assess the sensitivity of model predictions to various design and modeling parameters (Sandlin and Abdel-Khalik, 2017).
Effects of Lacrimal Gland Removal on Squirrel Monkey Cornea

Lacrimal tissue is responsible for providing the aqueous component of tears, as well as proteins that protect the surface from bacterial attack.1 Although the discussion of basal tear flow often considers the primary issue to be tear volume, the inclusion of specific tear constituents and their secretory source is equally important. The role of the main and accessory lacrimal glands in the production of basal tear flow and in dry eye conditions has been the subject of considerable research.1–4 However, this subject has not been completely explored, especially in relation to various types of ocular pathology.5 The aim of the present study was to determine if accessory lacrimal glands are able to provide the ocular surface with sufficient tears without a secretory contribution from the main lacrimal gland.6,7 In attempting to determine the relative importance of these two secretory tissues, we took advantage of an unusual anatomical formation found in the squirrel monkey: to provide room for the globe, the main lacrimal gland has migrated to a temporal location outside the bony orbit.
Fever and Infections

Definition A core body temperature >38.3°C (101°F). Measurement Pulmonary artery catheter most accurate method, followed by bladder and esophageal probes; rectal temperature is least accurate
Friction Sliding and Rattle Impact Analysis

The post-processing method described in this study characterizes and detects friction sounds from the recorded acoustic signals by correlating the results from their objective and spectral analyses with the measured time traces for contact forces. The reported results indicate that surface roughness may well be responsible for friction sounds observed during transitions from static to sliding friction. The favorable correlation of the results from the method with the results from the listening session indicates that the present work may be viewed as a useful step toward the development of a standard for material friction pair testing to reduce automotive squeaks. Further improvements of the method are needed to account for the other properties of material interfaces. For nylon and polypropylene (PP) thermoplastics, the psychoacoustic annoyance (PA) of rattle increased as the hardness increased and the Izod impact strength decreased, and as the shear and flex modulus increased. Plate modes could be a factor; therefore, future analysis will investigate what effects different boundary conditions, C-C-C-C (C = constrained) or C-C-C-F (F = free), have on the acoustic rattle impact output. PA as a function of specific modulus and specific flexural rigidity for metals showed significant differences between Al, Mg, steel, and brass. The Al and Mg samples had high PA values, similar to the highly filled nylon 66 samples, and the steel and brass samples had low PA values, similar to the PP samples. The 95th percentile of the loudness (N5 loudness in sones) was the single best correlated objective metric to a subjective jury evaluation.
A Smart-Scanning Analog VLSI Visual-Attention System

We have implemented a hardware model of selective visual attention within the neuromorphic, analog VLSI paradigm. The system includes a highly-parallel winner-take-all selection with excitatory and inhibitory influences. The selection specifies positions of attention based on an array of intensity levels, which comprise a primitive saliency map. The excitation and inhibition control the strategy for shifts of attention from one position to the next. The combination of these fundamental building blocks demonstrates emergent properties that can be observed in real time due to the parallel hardware implementation. The system behaves as a smart-scanning sensor array. The basic characteristics of the scanning pattern are controlled by setting a number of analog parameters. In this paper we describe the system, focusing on the role that inhibition plays in the redirection of attention. We show experimental results from one-dimensional implementations of the hardware model. Analysis that explains the expected behavior for the two-element mode of operation is presented. The theoretical predictions are compared to experimental results.
Computational Fluid Dynamics of Airfoils and Wings

It is pointed out that transonic flow is one of the fields where computational fluid dynamics turns out to be most effective. Codes for the design and analysis of supercritical airfoils and wings have become standard tools of the aircraft industry. The present investigation is concerned with mathematical models and theorems which account for some of the progress that has been made. The most successful aerodynamics codes are those for the analysis of flow at off-design conditions where weak shock waves appear. A major breakthrough was achieved by Murman and Cole (1971), who conceived of a retarded difference scheme which incorporates artificial viscosity to capture shocks in the supersonic zone. This concept has been used to develop codes for the analysis of transonic flow past a swept wing. Attention is given to the trailing edge and the boundary layer, entropy inequalities and wave drag, shockless airfoils, and the inverse swept wing code.
Redress and Reparation Movements (RRMs) Following the United States Internments

Chapter 6 examines the United States internments of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans and 2,300 Japanese Latin Americans on the basis of race and wartime hysteria. The chapter then moves to examine the associated redress and reparation movement (RRM) and its impact on society.
Identification of cell proteins that bind to the SHFV 3' (+)NCR.

African primates are the natural hosts for simian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV), a member of the family Arteriviridae. SHFV causes asymptomatic, persistent or acute self-limiting infections in patas monkeys, African green monkeys, and baboons. In contrast, SHFV infection in macaque monkeys causes a hemorrhagic fever that results in death within two weeks. SHFV spreads quickly through macaque colonies either by aerosol or direct contact with body fluids. In primate holding facilities infection of macaques with SHFV has been initiated by inadvertent transfer of virus from African primates by humans or by housing African primates and macaque species in close contact. SHFV was first isolated in 1964 after it had caused outbreaks in macaque colonies in the United States, Russia, and Europe (London, 1977). Subsequent outbreaks in two U. S. primate facilities occurred in 1989 and 1996 (Hayes et al., 1992; Jahrling, 1990; Roilin et al., 1999).
The Influence of War; The War for Influence

As part of a symposium on Rosa Brooks’s How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything, this essay explores the concept of an influence operation (IO) from the perspective of international law. It examines common elements of an IO and proffers five criteria for differentiating among them, namely by assessing their (i) transparency; (ii) extent of deception; (iii) purpose; (iv) scale; and (v) effects. Using these criteria, I analyze whether and how international law might constrain the conduct of IOs, with particular attention to the duty of non-intervention, sovereignty, and self-determination. I find that, aside from a few cases like IOs that incentivize genocide, the cognitive quality of IOs raises serious questions about the capacity of international law to govern IOs. Furthermore, I highlight how the difficulty international lawyers face in regulating IOs is equally apparent in assigning responsive authority to militaries or technologists. I conclude with a call for further study of state-sponsored IOs and the potential of hybrid and pluralist responses to regulate this increasingly visible component of international relations.
Language education policy and teachers in Puerto Rico: implications for identity, sovereignty, and community in a context of displacements

In the post-hurricane Maria Caribbean, Puerto Rico presents a unique case for teacher educators and policymakers. The article offers a critical reflection about the experience of the colonial non-autonomous U.S.-imposed school system, and contributes to teacher education and language education policymaking (LEP) by exploring the effect of displacements, schooling on identity, and the role teachers can play. The article is based on an analysis that broadened the notion of language and education policy to include standards, textbooks, and teaching practices. The research question is about indigenous identity in a context of not only colonial schooling but conflicting visions of history, and loss of oral tradition in lieu of standardized school-sanctioned knowledge. The article suggests that community and indigenous models and educational autonomy would be more sustainable, practical, and just than standardized notions of school.
Modeling radiation dose to circulating lymphocytes during brain tumor treatment: Effects of target volume, dose rate, and treatment technique.

2017 Background: Severe treatment-related lymphopenia (TRL) occurs in 40% of glioblastoma patients despite minimal radiation (RT) doses to bone marrow or nodal sites. In glioblastoma, TRL is associated with decreased survival. To explain the lymphopenia, we sought to estimate radiation doses received by circulating lymphocytes during partial brain RT. Methods: An in-house computer program linked to treatment planning software was used to calculate the mean radiation dose to circulating blood (DCB) and the fraction of blood receiving >0.5 Gy. The model also studied the impact of different target volumes (PTV), dose rates (DR), and delivery techniques (IMRT, 3D-CRT). Results: The mean DCB for a 60-Gy course (8-cm diameter PTV, dose rate 600 MU/minute) was 2.2 Gy. With this the entire blood pool receives a lymphotoxic dose of >0.5 Gy. DCB is correlated with fraction number, PTV size, and DR. Regardless of dose rate or delivery technique, the percent of circulating blood receiving >0.5 Gy approached 100% as t...
Baseline characterization data for raw rice husk.

Abstract There is a significant interest in using agricultural wastes such as rice husk as a precursor for the synthesis of adsorbents and catalysts. In this article, readers will find valuable baseline characterization data related to physical and chemical properties of raw rice husk including BET specific surface area, acid value, the point of zero charge, elemental analysis, Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometric Analysis X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic Analysis, and Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopic Analysis. It is expected that the baseline raw data presented in this article will be useful for researchers around the world who are working on chemically modifying rice husk for valorizing them for applications in adsorption, catalysis, and energy storage.
Eye Tracking: A Process-Oriented Method for Inferring Trust in Automation as a Function of Priming and System Reliability

Trust miscalibration, a mismatch between a person's trust in automation and the system's actual reliability, can lead to either misuse or disuse of automation. Existing techniques to measure trust (e.g., subjective ratings) tend to be discrete and/or disruptive. To better understand and support the process of trust calibration, a nonintrusive continuous measure of trust is needed. The present study investigated whether eye tracking can serve this purpose. In the context of an unmanned aerial vehicle simulation, participants monitored six video feeds to detect predefined targets with the assistance of onboard automation. Automation reliability (95% versus 50% reliable) and priming (reliability information provided or not) were manipulated. Eye movement data, subjective trust ratings, and performance data were collected. The eye tracking data show that people visit more frequently and spend more time on low reliable automation. Priming information could also affect the participants’ trust level and trigger different types of searching behavior, as reflected in eye tracking data such as mean saccade amplitude. In summary, these findings confirm that eye tracking is a very promising tool for inferring trust and supporting future research into trust calibration.
Rapid Detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin-B by Lateral Flow Assay

A cohort of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated against Staphylococcal enterotoxin-B (SEB) and selected by double sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for solution capture of ...
A new approach to convert rice husk waste in a quick and efficient adsorbent to remove cationic dye from water

Abstract In this work, a new approach was used to convert rice husk waste in a quick and efficient adsorbent for cationic dye (methylene blue). The waste recovery was obtained by the delignification process followed by an oxidative treatment to produce a natural adsorbent based on cellulose and lignin modified from rice husk waste (RHW). RHW was characterized and used to remove methylene blue from aqueous media. The adsorbent presented good thermal stability and functional groups of lignin were still present in the sample after delignification and oxidative treatments were identified. Parameters as pH, thermodynamics, kinetic and equilibrium were also studied. The adsorption increased with pH increase and showed the best result at 10, whereas in the kinetics tests the satisfactory model was the pseudo-first order to represent the behavior with a R2 = 0.99. Freundlich and Sips models presented better results to fit the equilibrium data in the isotherm curves with R2adj = 0.99, and the negative results of ΔG (between -24.20 and -24.00 kJ mol-1) indicated that the process was spontaneous in all tested temperatures. The RHW presented a good potential to remove the methylene blue from aqueous media quickly with only 30 s to reach equilibrium and showed, from isotherm experiments, strong adsorption capacity with maximum of 1350 mg g-1.
Exploring young women's reasons for adopting intrauterine or oral emergency contraception in the United States: a qualitative study.

The recent focus on increasing access to long-acting reversible contraceptive methods has often overlooked the diverse reasons why women may choose less effective methods even when significant access barriers have been removed. While the copper intrauterine device (IUD) is considered an acceptable alternative to emergency contraception pills (ECPs), it is unclear to what extent low rates of provision and use are due to patient preferences versus structural access barriers. This study explores factors that influence patients’ choice between ECPs and the copper IUD as EC, including prior experiences with contraception and attitudes toward EC methods, in settings where both options are available at no cost. We telephone-interviewed 17 patients seeking EC from three San Francisco Bay Area youth-serving clinics that offered the IUD as EC and ECPs as standard practice, regarding their experiences choosing an EC method. We thematically coded all interview transcripts, then summarized the themes related to reasons for choosing ECPs or the IUD as EC. Ten participants left their EC visit with ECPs and seven with the IUD as EC option. Women chose ECPs because they were familiar and easily accessible. Reasons for not adopting the copper IUD included having had prior negative experiences with the IUD, concerns about its side effects and the placement procedure, and lack of awareness about the copper IUD. Women who chose the IUD as EC did so primarily because of its long-term efficacy, invisibility, lack of hormones, longer window of post-coital utility, and a desire to not rely on ECPs. Women who chose the IUD as EC had not had prior negative experiences with the IUD, had already been interested in the IUD, and were ready and able to have it placed that day. This study highlights that women have varied and well-considered reasons for choosing each EC method. Both ECPs and the copper IUD are important and acceptable EC options, each with their own features offering benefits to patients. Efforts to destigmatize repeated use of ECPs and validate women’s choice of either EC method are needed to support women in their EC method decision-making.
Pathophysiology of Gastroparesis Syndromes Includes Anatomic and Physiologic Abnormalities

Factors underlying gastroparesis are not well defined. We hypothesized that multiple systems may be involved in patients with gastroparesis symptoms and performed a comparative physiologic study. We studied 43 consecutive eligible patients with gastroparetic symptoms categorized by GI symptoms, metabolic status, illness quantification, and gastric physiology. Patients were evaluated by two methods in each of five core areas: inflammatory, autonomic, enteric, electrophysiologic, and hormonal with abnormalities examined by correlations. Patients had similar GI symptoms regardless of baseline gastric emptying or diabetic/idiopathic status, and all patients demonstrated abnormalities in each of the 5 areas studied. Nearly all patients presented with elevated markers of serum TNFα (88%) and serum IL-6 (91%); elevated cutaneous electrogastrogram frequency (95%); and interstitial cells of Cajal count abnormalities (inner: 97%, outer: 100%). Measures of inflammation correlated with a number of autonomic, enteric anatomy, electrophysiologic and hormonal abnormalities. We conclude that patients with the symptoms of gastroparesis have multiple abnormalities, when studied by traditional, as well as newer, diagnostic assessments. Inflammation appears to be a fundamental abnormality that affects other organ systems in symptomatic patients. Future work on gastroparetic syndromes and their treatment may benefit from a focus on the diffuse nature of their illness, diverse pathophysiologic mechanisms involved, especially the possible causes of underlying inflammation and disordered hormonal status. This study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov under study # NCT03178370 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03178370 .
An efficient verifiable process for ordinal pairwise comparisons

Ordinal consistency forms the basis for rationality in pairwise comparisons and is expressed as transitivity of binary preferences. We propose a new approach to the ordinal consistency which combines two main parts. First, a process is proposed which requires a smaller number of comparisons from a decision maker to compare all objects. Second, a principle of double check for indirect comparisons is introduced for the verification purposes. In case of ordinal inconsistency a previously developed system ORCON may be used to resolve inconsistency in a dialogue with a decision maker. The efficiency of the process is evaluated through a computer modelling and data from published research.
Living up to the job: Confessions of a Brigadier General on the lived experiences of becoming a leader in the Air Force Nurse Corps

Today, nurse leadership positions are more and more common. However, there have been many exemplary Nurse Leaders in the past whose contributions and sacrifices enabled nursing to transform to the leadership position it is today but have not been documented. It is important to recover and record this history so that future generations of nurses can learn from past examples in a way they cannot learn with current nursing education alone. This article examines the development of the professional nurse through the lens of the service of Brigadier General Sue Ellen Turner. The oral history method guided the exploration of memories and experiences. The recurring characteristics of discernment, reflection, and ability to break barriers/build relationships contributed most to the general's success in restructuring organizational systems to optimize leadership opportunities for nurses. The conclusion discusses the lasting impact and future implications of Turner's work on the profession of nursing.
Laser assisted cold spray of AISI 4340 steel

Abstract Laser assisted cold spray (LACS) of AISI 4340 steel, with sample deposited thicknesses between 1.7 mm and 3.5 mm, was accomplished by combining an infrared (940 nm wavelength) 4 kW laser with a VRC Metal Systems Gen III cold spray instrument. In situ laser heating of the substrate increased the deposition efficiency of the high strength 4340 steel from 48% to 72%. The increased surface temperature from 400 °C to 950 °C also increased the median ferrite grain size from 0.51 μm to 2.2 μm. As the ferrite grain size increased, the hardness decreased from 561 HV to 466 HV; however, at higher surface temperatures (738 °C and 950 °C) the creation of martensite occurred and compensated the lost hardness with the hardness returning to values of 532 HV and 592 HV respectively. In addition, LACS with increased laser power changed the impact behavior of particles from particle flattening to substrate penetration. Increased laser power also resulted in micro-scale oxidation during deposition.
Do penalty-based pay-for-performance programs improve surgical care more effectively than other payment strategies? A systematic review

Abstract Background The aim of this systematic review is to assess if penalty-based pay-for-performance (P4P) programs are more effective in improving quality and cost outcomes compared to two other payment strategies (i.e., rewards and a combination of rewards and penalties) for surgical care in the United States. Penalty-based programs have gained in popularity because of their potential to motivate behavioral change more effectively than reward-based programs to improve quality of care. However, little is known about whether penalties are more effective than other strategies. Materials and methods A systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA guideline to identify studies that evaluated the effects of P4P programs on quality and cost outcomes for surgical care. Five databases were used to search studies published from 2003 to March 1, 2020. Studies were selected based on the PRISMA guidelines. Methodological quality of individual studies was assessed based on ROBINS-I with GRADE approach. Results This review included 22 studies. Fifteen cross-sectional, 1 prospective cohort, 4 retrospective cohort, and 2 case-control studies were found. We identified 11 unique P4P programs: 5 used rewards, 3 used penalties, and 3 used a combination of rewards and penalties as a payment strategy. Five out of 10 studies reported positive effects of penalty-based programs, whereas evidence from studies evaluating P4P programs with a reward design or combination of rewards and penalties was little or null. Conclusions This review highlights that P4P programs with a penalty design could be more effective than programs using rewards or a combination of rewards and penalties to improve quality of surgical care.
Correction to: Cultural Values Underlying Psychometric Cognitive Testing.

The html version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the author group. The author’s name should be “Alfredo Ardila”, instead of “Alfredo Ardila1”.
A Dual Model of Entertainment-Based and Community-Based Mechanisms to Explore Continued Participation in Online Entertainment Communities

Online entertainment communities have exploded in popularity and drawn attention from researchers. However, few studies have investigated what leads people to remain active in such communities at the postadoption stage. We proposed and tested a dual model of entertainment-based and community-based mechanisms to examine the factors that affect individuals' continued participation in online entertainment communities. Survival analysis was employed on a longitudinal dataset of 2,302 users collected over 2 years from an online game community. Our results were highly consistent with the theoretical model. Specifically, under the entertainment-based mechanism, our findings showed that the intensities of initial use and frequent use were positive predictors of players' activity lifespan. Under the community-based mechanism, the results demonstrated that the number of guilds a player was affiliated with and the average number of days of being a guild member positively predict players' lifespan in the game. Overall, our study suggests that the entertainment-based mechanism and community-based mechanism are two key drivers that determinate individuals' continued participation in online entertainment communities.
A test of the provisioning hypothesis of recruitment control in Georges Bank haddock

The haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) stock of the Georges Bank region of the US Northeast Continental Shelf displays a pattern of large, episodic recruitments. Among the hypothesized controlling ...
Semiautomated carotid artery plaque composition: are intraplaque CT imaging features associated with cardiovascular risk factors?

Little remains known about the connection between cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and carotid plaque morphologies. This study set out to assess for any such associations. A retrospective review was completed of consecutive patients that had CTA neck imaging prior to CEA. Body mass index (BMI), tobacco and/or alcohol use, and history of diabetes and/or hypertension were collected from patients’ medical records. Lab values were dichotomized based on values: total cholesterol < 200 or ≥ 200; low-density lipoprotein (LDL) < 130 or ≥ 130, high-density lipoprotein < 35 or ≥ 35, and triglycerides < 200 or ≥ 200. A semiautomated analysis of CTA images computed maximum stenosis, intraplaque volumes of intraplaque hemorrhage, lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), and matrix, and intraplaque volume and proportional plaque makeup of calcifications of each carotid plaque. Of 87 included patients, 54 (62.1%) were male. Mean age was 70.1 years old. Both diabetes and hypertension were associated with greater intraplaque calcification volume (p = 0.0009 and p = 0.01, respectively), and greater proportion of calcification within a plaque (p = 0.004 and p = 0.01, respectively). Higher BMI was associated with greater intraplaque volume of LRNC (p=0.02) and matrix (0.0007). Elevated total cholesterol was associated with both larger intraplaque calcification volume (p = 0.04) and greater proportion of calcification within a plaque (p = 0.01); elevated LDL was associated with greater intraplaque calcification volume (p = 0.005). Multiple CV risk factors are associated with morphological differences in carotid artery plaques. Dysregulation of both total cholesterol and LDL and higher BMI are associated with higher volumes of intraplaque LRNC, a marker of plaque vulnerability.
Caregiver support and place of death among older adults.

Background/objectives As home becomes the most common place of death in the United States, information about caregiver support and place of death is critical to improve patient and caregiver experiences at end of life. We seek to examine (1) the association between family care availability and place of death; and (2) caregiving intensity associated with place of death. Design 2017 National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving; nationally representative cross-sectional study of deceased older adults and last-month-of-life (LML) caregivers. Setting United States; all places of deaths. Participants Three-hundred and seventy-five decedents and 267 LML caregivers. Measurements Place of death (home, hospital, and nursing or hospice facility), family care availability (spouse/partner, household size, number of daughters and sons), caregiving intensity (hours of help provided at LML and a binary indicator for high care-related emotional difficulty). Results 38.9% of older adults died at home, followed by hospital (33.1%), and nursing or hospice facility (28.0%). In an adjusted multinomial logistic regression, decedents with larger household size (odds ratio [OR]: 0.441; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.269-0.724) and more daughters (OR: 0.743 [95% CI: 0.575-0.958]) had lower odds of dying in nursing or hospice facility relative to dying at home. For older adults who died at home, caregivers provided 209.8 h of help at LML. In contrast, when death occurred in nursing or hospice facility, caregivers provided 91.6 fewer hours of help, adjusted for decedent and caregiver characteristics. Dying in hospital was associated with higher odds of caregiver emotional difficulty relative to home deaths (OR: 4.093 [95% CI: 1.623-10.323]). Conclusions Household size and number of daughters are important determinants of place of death. Despite dying at home being associated with more hours of direct caregiving; caregiver emotional strain was experienced as higher for hospital deaths. Better support services for end-of-life caregivers might improve patient and caregiver experiences for home and hospital deaths.