cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Reliability in Criterion-Referenced Tests.

In discussion of the properties of criterion-referenced tests, it is often assumed that traditional reliability indices, particularly those based on internal consistency, are not relevant. However, if the measurement errors involved in using an individual's observed score on a criterionreferenced test to estimate his or her universe scores on a domain of items are compared to errors of an a priori procedure that assigns the same universe score (the mean observed test score) to all persons, the test-based procedure is found to improve the accuracy of universe score estimates only if the test reliability is above 0.5. This suggests that criterion-referenced tests with low reliabilities generally will have limited use in estimating universe scores on domains of items. The assumption that reliability indices, based on internal consistency, are not particularly relevant to criterion-referenced testing can be traced, at least in part, to a seminal article by Popham and Husek (1969). They argued that since criterion-referenced tests are designed to determine a person's achievement compared to some criterion, the meaning of the score should not depend on the scores of other people. Therefore, Popham and Husek concluded that "variability is not a necessary condition for a good criterion-referenced test," (p. 3) and that reliability indices based on score variability "are not only irrelevant to criterionreferenced uses, but are actually injurious to their proper development and use" (p. 4). The analyses presented in this paper suggest that reliability is an important issue in criterion-referenced testing. In particular, these analyses suggest that if a criterion-referenced test had a reliability (defined in terms of internal consistency) below 0.5, a simple a priori procedure would provide better estimates of students' universe scores than would individual observed scores. These analyses are not intended to demonstrate that criterion-referenced tests should be evaluated exclusively, or even principally, by internal consistency reliability coefficients, but they do suggest that such coefficients relate to the usefulness of the tests in estimating universe scores. Errors of Measurement Assume that we have a domain of items and a group of people, and that we draw a random sample of items from the domain and administer the resulting test to the group. Individuals' observed scores can then be used to estimate their universe score, the proportion of items in the domain that they could answer correctly if they responded to all the items. Using generalizability theory, we can represent the
E. coli O157:H7 and Other Toxigenic Strains: The Curse of Global Food Distribution

It is estimated that there are approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,200 deaths in the US each year attributed to foodborne outbreaks with a total cost of 10–83 billion US dollars a year. While the rates of foodborne disease have remained relatively constant over the last few years, there have been large outbreaks associated with either a component of commercially prepared food or outbreaks that span between states or even countries. With the world population expecting fresh produce year round, organic produce, and exotic foods, these global outbreaks have the potential to increase in number and severity. There needs to be a means to both rapidly identify these outbreaks, screen our food supply, as well as prevent these outbreaks. This article will discuss the global nature of this problem associated with our food and water supply as well as explain potential ways to solve this international problem.
The Impact of Wireless on the Newspaper Industry: The New York Times as a Case in Point

This paper focuses on the impact of wireless technologies on the newspaper industry in the United States. Using The New York Times as a case in point, the paper discusses how newspapers have embraced a new kind of product innovation driven by customer needs and defined by mobile technologies. The management of The Times rethought their paper’s technology strategy and marketing strategy, and developed products and services which were in synch with their customers’ needs. Challenges for newspaper organizations developing products and services on the mobile platform are described including how to design a more aesthetically pleasing mobile experience for readers and how to deal with the lack of standards on the mobile platform in the United States.
Elevated Pulmonary Artery Pressure Is a Risk Factor for Primary Graft Dysfunction Following Lung Transplantation for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is often associated with elevations in pulmonary artery pressures. Although primary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has been associated with primary graft dysfunction (PGD), the role of secondary PAH in mediating PGD risk in patients with IPF is incompletely understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and PGD among patients with IPF. Methods We performed a multicenter prospective cohort study of 126 lung transplant procedures performed for IPF between March 2002 and August 2007. The primary outcome was grade 3 PGD at 72 h after lung transplant. The mPAP was measured as the initial reading following insertion of the right-sided heart catheter during lung transplant. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for confounding variables. Results The mPAP for patients with PGD was 38.5 ± 16.3 mm Hg vs 29.6 ± 11.5 mm Hg for patients without PGD (mean difference, 8.9 mm Hg [95% CI, 3.6-14.2]; P = .001). The increase in odds of PGD associated with each 10-mm Hg increase in mPAP was 1.64 (95% CI, 1.18-2.26; P = .003). In multivariable models, this relationship was independent of confounding by other clinical variables, although the use of cardiopulmonary bypass partially attenuated the relationship. Conclusions Higher mPAP in patients with IPF is associated with the development of PGD.
Mapping critical biological motifs and biosynthetic pathways of heparan sulfate

Heparan sulfate (HS) interacts with numerous proteins at the cell surface and orchestrates myriad biological events. Unraveling the mechanisms of these events at the molecular level calls for the structural analysis of these negatively charged and highly heterogeneous biopolymers. However, HS is often available only in small quantities, and the task of structural analysis necessitates the use of ultra-sensitive methods, such as mass spectrometry. Sequence heterogeneity within HS chains required us to identify critical functional groups and their spacing to determine structure-function relationships for HS. We carried out structural analysis of HS isolated from wild type, 3-OST-1, 3-OST-3A, or 3-OST-5 sulfotransferase-transduced Chinese hamster ovary cells and also from various tissues. In the context of tissue-specific HS, the data allowed us to map the biosynthetic pathways responsible for the placement of critical groups. As a means of determining the distance between critical groups within a motif, we determined the spacing of the rare GlcNAc-GlcA disaccharide sequence in the completely desulfated re-N-sulfated porcine intestinal heparin. These disaccharides are biosynthetic regulatory markers for 3-OST-1 modification and the partial structure of the antithrombin III binding site. They occur only at the distance of hexasaccharide, octasaccharide, decasaccharide, or dodecasaccharide. Thus this approach allowed us to map both the biosynthetic pathways for generating critical functional groups and their spacing within HS. Our new strategy removes two obstacles to rapid progress in this field of research.
Ensemble control of linear systems

In this article, we study ensemble control problems which involve controlling a continuum of dynamical systems with different dynamics by using the same control signal. In particular, we look into ensemble control of linear systems. From the standpoint of mathematical control theory, the challenge is to simultaneously steer a continuum of systems between points of interest with the same control signal. This raises some new and unexplored questions about controllability and optimal control of such systems. We analyze ensemble controllability and optimal control of linear systems and study in detail the problem of controlling an uncountable family of harmonic oscillators. We show how the ideas of polynomial approximation are in connection with the ensemble controllability. We also find the optimal ensemble control for this linear ensemble control system.
Diffusion- and perfusion-weighted imaging in vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background and Purpose—Better measures of cerebral tissue perfusion and earlier detection of ischemic injury are needed to guide therapy in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients with vasospasm. We sought to identify tissue ischemia and early ischemic injury with combined diffusion-weighted (DW) and hemodynamically weighted (HW) MRI in patients with vasospasm after SAH. Methods—Combined DW and HW imaging was used to study 6 patients with clinical and angiographic vasospasm, 1 patient without clinical signs of vasospasm but with severe angiographic vasospasm, and 1 patient without angiographic spasm. Analysis of the passage of an intravenous contrast bolus through brain was used to construct multislice maps of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and tissue mean transit time (tMTT). We hypothesize that large HW imaging (HWI) abnormalities would be present in treated patients at the time they develop neurological deficit due to vasospasm without matching DW imaging (DW...
Streamflow trends in the United States

Secular trends in streamflow are evaluated for 395 climate-sensitive streamgaging stations in the conterminous United States using the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test. Trends are calculated for selected quantiles ofdischarge, from the Oth to the 100th percentile, to evaluate differences between low-, medium-, and high-flow regimes during the twentieth century. Two general patterns emerge; trends are most prevalent in the an­ nual minimum (Qo) to median (Qso) flow categories and least prevalent in the annual maximum (QIOO) category; and, at all but the highest quantiles, streamflow has increased across broad sec­ tions of the United States. Decreases appear only in parts of the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. Systematic patterns are less apparent in the QlOo flow. Hydrologically, these results indicate that the conterminous U.S. is getting wetter, but less extreme.
How Knowledge Transfer Impacts Performance: A Multi-Level Model of Benefits and Liabilities

When does knowledge transfer benefit performance? Combining field data from a global consulting firm with agent-based model, we examine how efforts to supplement one’s knowledge from co-workers interact with individual, organizational and environmental characteristics to impact organizational performance. We find that once cost and interpersonal exchange are included in the analysis, the impact of knowledge transfer is highly contingent. Depending on specific characteristics and circumstances, knowledge transfer can better performance, matter little or even harm. Three illustrative studies clarify puzzling past results and offer specific boundary conditions: 1) At the individual level, better organizational support for employee learning diminishes the benefit of knowledge transfer for organizational performance; 2) At the organization level, broader access to organizational memory makes global knowledge transfer less beneficial to performance; 3) When the organizational environment becomes more turbulent, the organizational performance benefits of knowledge transfer decrease. The findings imply that organizations may forego investments in both organizational memory and knowledge exchange; that wide-ranging knowledge exchange may be unimportant or even harmful for performance; and that organizations operating in turbulent environments may find that investment in knowledge exchange undermines performance, not enhances it. At a time when practitioners are urged to make investments in facilitating knowledge transfer and collaboration, appreciation of the complex relationship between knowledge transfer and performance will help reaping benefits while avoiding liabilities.An electronic companion detailing the fieldwork and the modeling effort is available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1865484
Effect of endogenous angiotensin II on the frequency response of the renal vasculature.

The renal vasculature functions as an efficient low-pass filter of the multiple frequencies contained within renal sympathetic nerve activity. This study examined the effect of angiotensin II on th...
A novel nonlinear output feedback control applied to the TORA benchmark system

A novel nonlinear control scheme is applied to the TORA benchmark system. This approach incorporates a continuous implementation of sliding mode control and an extended high-gain observer, and is based on previous work on the stabilization of a non-minimum phase nonlinear system, under the assumption that its associated auxiliary system has a stabilizing controller. The rotor angle is the only measurement required by this controller, and the closed-loop system thus obtained has quite interesting properties. The performance characteristics of a full-order observer-based second order linear system were recovered through an iterative tuning procedure. The final design provides good transient performance and some robustness to perturbations in the masses of the cart and rotor.
Unsafe at Any House? Attendees’ Perceptions of Microlevel Environmental Traits and Personal Safety at Fraternity and Nonfraternity Parties

Although there has been considerable empirical attention to the problem of dangers posed by certain college party environments, little attention has been given to attendees' perceptions of possible danger cues in party environments, how such perceptions may be linked to concern for personal safety, or variations in perceptions of personal safety at party environments according to gender or party type (i.e., fraternity vs. nonfraternity). This study uses analyses of survey data to explore these issues. The findings suggest that (a) fraternity parties exhibit traits that may indicate greater danger; (b) some of these traits are linked to attendees' perceptions of personal safety; (c) men and women draw on different cues in making assessments of personal safety, but women feel no more threatened than men; and (d) the amount of alcohol consumed by other party attendees is not associated with perceptions of personal safety. Implications for theory and campus policy are discussed.
Tracking control technique for induction motors

This paper presents a novel application of the Tracking Control Technique to the induction motor drive systems. By the proposed technique, the position or the speed of the rotor can follow a preselected track (a time history of rotor position or velocity). An algorithm for the design of the tracking controller is developed. The induction motor model and the controller are modified to allow for the inclusion of the nonlinear modes in the system without excessive computations. A simple and realistic criterion for selecting the proper reference tracks during starting, speed control and braking is proposed. The controller developed in this paper is tested on a full-size nonlinear analog simulator. All test results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in the position tracking applications such as robotic and manipulations.
Modeling of Extended Defects in Silicon

Transient Enhanced Diffusion (TED) is one of the biggest modeling challenges present in predicting scaled technologies. Damage from implantation of dopant ions changes the diffusivities of the dopants and precipitates to form complex extended defects. Developing a quantitative model for the extended defect behavior during short time, low temperature anneals is a key to explaining TED. This paper reviews some of the modeling developments over the last several years, and discusses some of the challenges that remain to be addressed. Two examples of models compared to experimental work are presented and discussed.
Anthropometric characteristics as discriminators of body-building success.

A total of 36 non-elite male body builders were observed at the time of competition. Their mean physical characteristics (+/- S.D.) were: age, 24.6 +/- 4.8 years; height, 174.4 +/- 6.7 cm; bodyweight, 80.3 +/- 11.0 kg. Their body composition values were: percentage body fat, 9.3 +/- 1.6%; fat-free mass, 72.8 +/- 9.8 kg. The mean somatotype for all subjects was: endomorphy, 2.3 +/- 0.6; mesomorphy, 6.2 +/- 0.9; ectomorphy, 1.2 +/- 0.6. The body proportions (cm) included: biacromial diameter/bi-iliac diameter, 1.463 +/- 0.132; torso length/height, 0.468 +/- 0.018; chest circumference/abdominal circumference, 1.345 +/- 0.059. The body builders in the present study were younger, had lower bodyweights, lower fat-free mass, lower mesomorphy ratings, smaller circumferences, and smaller skeletal dimensions than elite body builders reported in the scientific literature. When the body builders in the present study were divided into successful and unsuccessful groups based on actual competition results, a multiple-discriminant analysis found that biacromial diameter/bi-iliac diameter, torso length/height, chest circumference/abdominal circumference, percentage body fat, height, and bodyweight accounted for 80.6% of the explained variance. These data indicate that the success of a body builder can be accounted for in large part by easily obtained physical variables.
Gene-targeting pharmaceuticals for single-gene disorders

The concept of orphan drugs for treatment of orphan genetic diseases is perceived enthusiastically at present, and this is leading to research investment on the part of governments, disease-specific foundations and industry. This review attempts to survey the potential to use traditional pharmaceuticals as opposed to biopharmaceuticals to treat single-gene disorders. The available strategies include the use of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to alter splicing or knock-down expression of a transcript, siRNAs to knock-down gene expression and drugs for nonsense mutation read-through. There is an approved drug for biallelic knock-down of the APOB gene as treatment for familial hypercholesterolemia. Both ASOs and siRNAs are being explored to knock-down the transthyretin gene to prevent the related form of amyloidosis. The use of ASOs to alter gene-splicing to treat spinal muscular atrophy is in phase 3 clinical trials. Work is progressing on the use of ASOs to activate the normally silent paternal copy of the imprinted UBE3A gene in neurons as a treatment for Angelman syndrome. A gene-activation or gene-specific ramp-up strategy would be generally helpful if such could be developed. There is exciting theoretical potential for converting biopharmaceutical strategies such gene correction and CRISPR-Cas9 editing to a synthetic pharmaceutical approach.
Letting Environmentalists' Preferences Count

Environmental policy questions often result in dueling scientific studies. Typically, articles are published in scientific or medical journals that claim exposure to pollution results in increased morbidity or mortality. Critics then respond in scientific or policy journals with claims that the original scientific articles were flawed and do not reflect sound science. But why should those who prefer a cleaner environment have to justify their preferences with scientific evidence? Markets are neutral with respect to preferences. The function of markets is to allow people to pursue their preferences subject to a budget constraint.
Primary care experiences of people who live with chronic pain and receive opioids to manage pain: A qualitative methodology

Background and purpose The prevalence of chronic pain continues to rise and the majority of patients with chronic pain are managed in primary care. The purpose of this research was to provide the perspectives of patients who live with chronic pain and receive opioids to help manage their pain from primary care. Methods In this qualitative study, 12 participants from a Midwest primary care clinic described their primary care experiences with receiving opioids for chronic pain. Thematic and interpretive analyses were used to understand the issues. Conclusions Participants receiving opioids for pain management through primary care feared losing access to opioids, wanted to protect sobriety when they had histories of substance use disorder, experienced stress at their jobs with frequent appointments, identified inconsistencies in health care prolonging their suffering and increasing substance misuse, and identified improvement in coping with pain when they had confidence in healthcare providers. Implications for practice Providing patient-centered care while managing patients with pain and unknown risk for prescription opioid misuse is possible. Understanding influences that create prescription opioid risk for misuse can help nurse practitioners improve their delivery of care by providing consistent and convenient healthcare encounters, and help patients protect themselves from risk of prescription opioid misuse.
EVOLUTION OF PERIODICAL CICADAS: PHYLOGENETIC INFERENCES BASED ON ALLOZYMIC DATA

Simon, C. M. (Department of Ecology and Evolution, S.U.N.Y., Stony Brook, New York 11794) 1979. Evolution of periodical cicadas: phylogenetic inferences based on allozymic data, Syst. Zool. 28:22-39.-Six species of periodical cicadas have been recognized even though there are only three morphologically distinct types. Each of the three types exhibits 13-year life cycles in certain areas of its range (primarily southern) and 17-year life cycles in other areas (primarily northern). It has been suggested that the two life cycle forms of each morphological type originated from a single splitting event and that the three 13-year-17year pairs should be considered sibling species pairs. An alternate interpretation is that shifts between 13- and 17-year life cycles have occurred more than once in each morphological type making untenable the classification of life cycle forms within a type as sibling species. The fact that each life cycle form of each morphological type is divided into broods, the adults of which emerge synchronously in different years, complicates matters further but multiplies the opportunities for studying the evolution of the various forms. Numerical phylogenetic analysis of allozymic information supports the second interpretation. Allozymic variation was generally low. Genetic distances between 13- and 17-year forms based on 20 loci proved to be no greater than those found between local populations of most other organisms. Phylogenetic analysis of two 17-year and three 13-year broods indicated that, in this case, brood formation in the 17-year cicadas preceded the formation of the 13-year life cycle. The present geographic distributions of broods coincide logically with the proposed branching sequence. Testable predictions are made as to the relationships of unstudied broods which are based on geographic distributions and Pleistocene paleobotany. Morphological studies, in progress, will serve as an independent test of the proposed cladogram. [Magicicada; numerical cladistics; Pleistocene biogeography; allozymic distance.]
Vegetation cover predicts temperature in nests of the hawksbill sea turtle: implications for beach management and offspring sex ratios

Whether a sea turtle embryo develops into a male or a female depends, as with many other reptiles, on the temperature during incubation of the eggs. With sea turtles, warm tempera- tures produce 100% females and, thus, increasing global temperatures have the potential to sig- nificantly alter offspring sex ratios. Nest-site selection provides a potential mechanism by which females might adjust the sex of their offspring, but necessitates a reliable cue which provides information about the thermal properties of a nest. Overstory vegetation cover was found to sig- nificantly predict temperatures in nests of the hawksbill sea turtle Eretmochelys imbricata. Nests placed under high vegetation cover are significantly cooler and remain within the male-producing range of temperatures throughout incubation. Interestingly, metabolic heating of the developing clutch is less pronounced under vegetation, further reinforcing the importance of this nesting habitat with respect to the production of males. This underscores the importance of preserving natural vegetation cover at hawksbill nesting beaches in order to maintain the thermal diversity of nesting sites and, potentially, mitigate the impacts of increasing global temperatures.
Arithmetic -modules on the unit disk. With an appendix by Shigeki Matsuda

Let 𝒱 be a complete discrete valuation ring of mixed characteristic. We classify arithmetic 𝒟-modules on Spf(𝒱[[t]]) up to certain kind of ‘analytic isomorphism’. This result is used to construct canonical extensions (in the sense of Katz and Gabber) for objects of this category.
Critical Considerations in the Biomedical Use of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles.

Since the first report of mesoporous silica nanoparticles in 2001, many efforts have been made to develop them for biomedical applications. With the emergence of new designs and increasingly complex synthetic schemes, mesoporous silica nanoparticles have never been more promising. For this promise to be fulfilled, however, practical considerations for biomedical use must be carefully addressed. Many current mesoporous silica reports, even those reporting in vivo work, neglect the observation of nanoparticle size, pore structure, aggregation state, and biodegradability under biological conditions before administration. These critical considerations, beginning at synthetic stages, must be taken into account to make effective and safe mesoporous silica nanoparticles for biomedical use and timely application in clinical trials. Herein, we present a comprehensive review of mesoporous silica nanoparticle synthetic strategies, pointing out nanoparticle behavior under biological conditions and how it may affect i...
Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Characterize the Role Played by Basic Residues in Interactions of HDAPs and Bacterial Lipid Membranes

Antimicrobial peptides are small, cationic peptides that induce bacterial cell death via cell lysis or interactions with intracellular components. Currently, with growing bacterial resistance to existing antimicrobial drugs there is an urgent need to study the potentcy of antimicrobial peptides and find ways to improve their activity. Most AMPs include positively charged amino acids that allow binding to negatively-charged bacterial membranes. Previous studies have shown that an increased composition of arginine versus lysine enhances the activity of two histone-derived antimicrobial peptides (HDAPs), buforin II (BF2) and DesHDAP1. Variants of these peptides with all basic residues modified to arginine had increased antibacterial activity and membrane translocation but unchanged membrane permeabilization. In this study, we use molecular dynamics simulations to study how the arginine-modified peptides interact with model bacterial lipid membranes (1:3 POPG:POPE) differently than wild-type and lysine-modified peptides. Simulations were performed with one and four peptides for wild type BF2 (BF2wt), arginine-modified BF2 (BF2R), and lysine-modified BF2 (BF2K). The results of 100ns simulations of each system show that BF2R has increased interactions with the lipid membrane and structural stability compared to the other peptides. The analysis of hydrogen bonding per lipids supports that anionic POPG lipids interact more with the peptides than zwitterionic POPE lipids, further emphasizing the role of the basic residues. Analogous simulations considering the lipid interactions of DesHDAP1 and its arginine and lysine mutants are ongoing. Our findings elucidate mechanistic details of peptide-lipid interactions that will become helpful in the development of AMPs with improved activity.
REASONABLE VELOCITY OF N_2 INJECTION NONMISCIBLE FLOODING IN TILTING MULTILAYER RESERVOIR

Gas injection velocity has strong effected on oil recovery for non-miscible flooding. Based on theoretical model of two-dimensional displacement in porous media and interface stability condition of N 2 non-miscible flooding after waterflooding, the determination method of reasonable N 2 injection velocity limit and the performance analysis ways as to tilting multilayer reservoir have been presented in this paper by taking both permeability and effective gas imbibition thickness into account. It has been found that reasonable N 2 injection velocity is proportional to the product of permeability by effective gas imbibition thickness, and reasonable N 2 injection velocity must be less than minimum value of maximum N 2 injection velocity in all layers. Partial stability will occur when N 2 injection velocity is greater than minimum velocity and less than maximum velocity. Oil recovery will gradually decrease in such situation. Comparing results from N 2 injection performance analysis of actual reservoir with that of simulation indicated that methods presented in the paper are reasonable and effective ways for determining reasonable N 2 injection velocity and analyzing injection performance in tilting multilayer reservoir.
Quantification of human-associated fecal indicators reveal sewage from urban watersheds as a source of pollution to Lake Michigan.

Sewage contamination of urban waterways from sewer overflows and failing infrastructure is a major environmental and public health concern. Fecal coliforms (FC) are commonly employed as fecal indicator bacteria, but do not distinguish between human and non-human sources of fecal contamination. Human Bacteroides and human Lachnospiraceae, two genetic markers for human-associated indicator bacteria, were used to identify sewage signals in two urban rivers and the estuary that drains to Lake Michigan. Grab samples were collected from the rivers throughout 2012 and 2013 and hourly samples were collected in the estuary across the hydrograph during summer 2013. Human Bacteroides and human Lachnospiraceae were highly correlated with each other in river samples (Pearson’s r = 0.86), with average concentrations at most sites elevated during wet weather. These human indicators were found during baseflow, indicating that sewage contamination is chronic in these waterways. FC are used for determining total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) in management plans; however, FC concentrations alone failed to prioritize river reaches with potential health risks. While 84% of samples with >1000 CFU/100 ml FC had sewage contamination, 52% of samples with moderate (200–1000 CFU/100 ml) and 46% of samples with low (<200 CFU/100 ml) FC levels also had evidence of human sewage. Load calculations in the in the Milwaukee estuary revealed storm-driven sewage contamination varied greatly among events and was highest during an event with a short duration of intense rain. This work demonstrates urban areas have unrecognized sewage inputs that may not be adequately prioritized for remediation by the TMDL process. Further analysis using these approaches could determine relationships between land use, storm characteristics, and other factors that drive sewage contamination in urban waterways.
Swine Dysentery Etiopathogenesis and Diagnosis of a Reemerging Disease

Swine dysentery is a severe enteric disease in pigs, which is characterized by bloody to mucoid diarrhea and associated with reduced growth performance and variable mortality. This disease is most ...
Pigment epithelium derived factor upregulates expression of vascular endothelial growth factor by human mesenchymal stem cells: Possible role in PEDF regulated matrix mineralization

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) encoded by serpinf1 is a potent antiangiogenic factor found in a wide variety of fetal and adult tissues. Several reports have shown that lack of PEDF leads to osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type VI whose hallmark is a defect in mineralization that leads to excessive osteoid build up that fails to mineralize. Because PEDF is antiangiogenic factor it would pose serious consequences on bone development and healing of fractures. To understand possible mechanisms by which PEDF plays a role in bone development and regulation of matrix mineralization, we determined the effects of exogenous PEDF on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression by human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and mechanisms of its regulation by PEDF. Human MSCs incubated in normal medium supplemented with exogenous PEDF increased VEGF expression; this increase was also seen when PEDF was added to hMSCs undergoing osteogenic differentiation. MSCs maintained in osteogenic medium increased synthesis of both VEGF and PEDF but both factors were maintained relatively in balance during differentiation. To understand mechanisms by which exogenous PEDF regulated VEGF expression, hMSCs exposed to PEDF activated Erk signaling pathway in MSCs; inhibition of Erk signaling reduced VEGF mRNA expression as well as protein production suggesting that PEDF regulates VEGF expression in MSCs via Erk signaling pathway. In conclusion, PEDF increases VEGF expression by MSCs suggesting that regulation of VEGF by PEDF may be part of the mechanisms by which PEDF regulates osteoblastic mineralization.
Utility of postoperative radiography in routine primary total shoulder arthroplasty.

Background The medical relevance and cost-benefit of routine radiographs after primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) up to a year postoperatively are unknown. This study was performed to assess the medical relevance and cost-benefit of radiography after TSA during the first postoperative year. Methods During the period 2010 to 2015, 160 consecutive patients undergoing anatomic TSA by a single fellowship-trained surgeon had radiographs obtained at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 4 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Radiographs and clinic notes were assessed to determine if a change in postoperative care happened because of radiographic findings, including postoperative fracture, hardware complication, or any concerning radiographic feature. Cost data and amount billed were obtained. Results Patients underwent radiography at 1.8 ± 0.2 weeks, 6.5 ± 1.2 weeks, 14.9 ± 2.9 weeks, and 46.8 ± 19.5 weeks postoperatively. Findings on the radiologist's reading were normal/unremarkable for 100.0%, 96.8%, 95.9%, and 95.2%, respectively, at each visit. Results were documented in the note for 92.5%, 97.4%, 98.0%, and 92.4%, respectively, at each visit. Review of the radiographs yielded no change in management based on these parameters. The amount billed for radiographs was $284,281 ($1776.76 per patient). Conclusions A lack of clinically meaningful impact from routine postoperative radiography does not justify the per-patient expense, as routine imaging did not cause a change in postoperative management. The available data suggest that routine radiographs after primary anatomic TSA may be unnecessary or perhaps the described frequency in which radiographs are obtained is in excess.
A joint time-frequency analysis of resting-state functional connectivity reveals novel patterns of connectivity shared between or unique to schizophrenia patients and healthy controls

Functional connectivity of the resting-state (RS) brain is a vehicle to study brain dysconnectivity aspects of diseases such as schizophrenia and bipolar. Methods that are developed to measure functional connectivity are based on the underlying hypotheses regarding the actual nature of RS-connectivity including evidence of temporally dynamic versus static RS-connectivity and evidence of frequency-specific versus hemodynamically-driven connectivity over a wide frequency range. This study is derived by these observations of variation of RS-connectivity in temporal and frequency domains and evaluates such characteristics of RS-connectivity in clinical population and jointly in temporal and frequency domains (the spectro-temporal domain). We base this study on the hypothesis that by studying functional connectivity of schizophrenia patients and comparing it to the one of healthy controls in the spectro-temporal domain we might be able to make new observations regarding the differences and similarities between diseased and healthy brain connectivity and such observations could be obscured by studies which investigate such characteristics separately. Interestingly, our results include, but are not limited to, a spectrally localized (mostly mid-range frequencies) modular dynamic connectivity pattern in which sensory motor networks are anti-correlated with visual, auditory and sub-cortical networks in schizophrenia, as well as evidence of lagged dependence between default-mode and sensory networks in schizophrenia. These observations are unique to the proposed augmented domain of connectivity analysis. We conclude this study by arguing not only resting-state connectivity has structured spectro-temporal variability, but also that studying properties of connectivity in this joint domain reveals distinctive group-based differences and similarities between clinical and healthy populations.
Responding Under Homogeneous Versus Heterogeneous Chained Schedules

Four pigeons responded under chained variable-interval schedules in which the required response topographies were either similar (i.e., a homogeneous chain) or dissimilar (i.e., a heterogeneous chain). The pigeons were exposed to all possible combinations of initial-link key pecking or treadle pressing and terminal-link pecking or treadling. Three of four birds displayed higher initial-link response rates under the homogeneous chains. These results were explained in terms of an induction effect in which the strengthening effect of reinforcing a particular terminal-link response topography generalizes to similar responses earlier in the chain but not to topographically different responses.
How does fundraising affect volunteering? Evidence from a natural field experiment

Abstract Can fundraising solicitations have an effect on other types of giving, like volunteering? We report results from a field experiment in which a non-profit firm asked their current volunteers to donate money, in a randomly-staggered roll-out. We observe volunteers’ entire portfolio of giving to the firm – both donations, and volunteer hours before and after the call. Overall, these results suggested there was some decline in volunteer hours among volunteers who were newer to the firm. By contrast, long-time volunteers maintained their volunteering after the call, and were also more likely to donate in the first place. Substitution was rare, as the donors themselves did not decrease their volunteer hours after donating. Our findings provide new evidence for how personal history can shape charitable giving decisions, and provide new practical guidance for fundraisers.
Hypertriploid in Soybean: Origin, Identification, Cytology, and Breeding Behavior

loids, a large number of triploid plants have been iso- lated from the progeny of different lines of homozygous Autotriploids (2n 5 3x ) are an excellent source of producing pri- 'Clark 63' and selfed population were used to evaluate breeding behav- soybean have not become useful sources for generating ior. Results revealed that the hypertriploid expressed more vigorous primary trisomics (2n 5 2x 1 1 5 41) in soybean. vegetative growth than the corresponding disomic sibling. At Meta- Recently, we obtained a spontaneous hypertriploid phase I, an average meiotic chromosome pairing was 0.10 IV 1 11.18 (2n 5 3x 1 1 5 61) in the progeny of a marker stock III 1 9.43 II 1 8.23 I, indicating that the four homologous chromo- T31 (glabrous, p2p2) and a primary trisomic line T190- somes mainly formed two bivalents. The hypertriploid showed 63% 47-3. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the pollen fertility and produced 98 seeds from self-pollination. Chromo- origin, morphology, cytology, fertility, and breeding be- some numbers in the selfed population of the hypertriploid ranged havior of a hypertriploid. from 2n 5 50 to 2n 5 69. However, the chromosome number in F1 plants from the cross of hypertriploid 3 Clark 63 ranged from 2n 5 44 to 2n 5 48 with an exception of one plant that contained 2n 5 56 MATERIALS AND METHODS chromosomes. Some plants with 2n 5 44 to 2n 5 47 had high seed One hypertriploid plant (2n 5 3x 1 1 5 61) in soybean fertility. The progenies of these aneuploid lines will segregate mostly was found among 10 F 1 plants from a cross T31 3 T190-47- into plants with 2n 5 41 chromosomes. This study suggests that soy- 3. T31 is a soybean line containing the homozygous recessive bean male and female spores tolerate a higher number of extra chro- glabrous (p 2p2 ) gene (Stewart and Wentz, 1926). T190-47-3 is mosomes than most true diploid plant species, corroborating the hy- an unidentified primary trisomic (2n 5 41). The T190-47-3 pothesis that soybean is a diploidized polyploid species. was originally produced by crossing soybean line T190 with Clark 63, and it has a pedigree of T190/Clark 63/F3/Clark63 (Xu et al., 1997). Soybean line T190 is a tissue culture-induced
Analysing Binomial Data in a Two‐Factor Experiment with Unequal Observations Per Cell

Binomial data were generated for a two‐factor experiment with both factors at three levels using unequal numbers of observations per cell. Three n‐patterns were used. The number of observations per cell ranged from 30 to 90 for two n‐patterns and from 38 to 98 for the third n‐pattern. The mean number of observations per cell was 60 for all n‐patterns. Samples were generated for values of μp of 0·05, 0·10, 0·15, 0·20, 0·30, 0·40 and 0·50 to determine the effects of n‐pattern and of the binomial parameter (μp) on α‐level for four methods of analysis. Methods of analysis considered were: two analyses of variance, one using percentage data; the other, the angular transformation for percentage data; a three‐factor χ2 analysis; and Friedman's (1937) non‐parametric two‐way analysis of variance. Because Friedman's test generally showed erratic α‐levels, no comparisons of power were made with Friedman's test. Of the remaining tests, the three‐factor χ2 was more powerful than the parametric analysis of variance procedures. There was no apparent difference between the parametric analyses of variance with respect to power, raising some doubt as to the usefulness of the arc‐sine transformation for percentage data.
Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation on reproductive parameters associated with the performance of suckled beef cows.

To evaluate the effects of a polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) supplement on reproductive parameters of suckled beef cows, two experiments were conducted. In Experiment (Exp.) 1, 60 primiparous cows were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: CTRL - 1.36 kg/day of corn gluten feed (CGF) and MEGR - 1.36 kg/day of CGF and 0.23 kg/day of calcium salts of soybean oil. Supplementation occurred from 30 days before fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI) until 7 days post-TAI. The expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISG) was measured on days 18 and 21. Pregnancy rates were diagnosed on days 30 and 100. Treatment altered plasma fatty acid profile (P<0.05), however, did not change cow BW (P=0.52) or body condition score (BCS) (P=0.52). Treatment did not alter (P=0.12) pregnancy rates to TAI or final pregnancy rates (P=0.56). Treatments did not impact messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of the ISG OAS1 or MX2 on days 18 (P=0.67; P=0.96, respectively) or 21 (P=0.72; P=0.17, respectively). Length of gestation was greater (P=0.02) for MEGR, however, treatments did not alter calf birth weight (P=0.20). In Exp. two, 66 multiparous cows were assigned to one of two treatments: MEG - 0.65 kg/day of CGF+0.23 kg/day of calcium salts of palm oil and MEGR - 0.65 kg/day of CGF+0.23 kg/day of Ca salts of soybean oil. Cows were supplemented from 30 days prepartum to 30 days postpartum. On day 35 after TAI, pregnancy status, embryo crown-to-rump length (CRL), and plasma concentrations of pregnancy-specific protein-B (PSPB) were evaluated. Treatment altered plasma fatty acid profile (P<0.05). In addition, cows from the MEG treatment had greater BW (P<0.01) and BCS (P<0.01) than those in the MEGR treatment, as well as heavier calves at weaning (P=0.03). Treatment did not affect resumption of estrous cycle (P=0.29). There were no differences in pregnancy rates to TAI (P=0.87) or final pregnancy rates (P=0.29). No differences between treatments were detected on CRL (P=0.24) and plasma concentrations of PSPB (P=0.46). Birth weight (P=0.12) and calving distribution (P=0.52) were not altered. We concluded that PUFA supplementation altered plasma fatty acid profile, however, did not impact the remaining reproductive parameters evaluated.
EFFECTS OF SULFUR GROUPS ON ACIDITIES OF CARBON ACIDS

Equilibrium acidities in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution have been measured for a variety of carbon acids using hydrocarbon and nitroaniline indicators. Comparison of the pK's of parent carbon acids, such as CH 3 SO 2 Ph, with the pK's of derivatives, such as PhCH 2 SO 2 Ph, PhSCH 2 SO 2 Ph, and PhSO 2 CH 2 SO 2 Ph, has provided an assessment of the effect of substituents on carbanion stabilities. Ph, PhS, PhSe, Ph 2 P, and Ph 3 Si groups all show strong stabilizing effects, whereas F, RO, and R 2 N substituents show destabilizing effects.
Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Mitochondrial Creatine Kinase 1 Enhances a Druggable Tumor Energy Shuttle Pathway

Summary How mitochondrial metabolism is altered by oncogenic tyrosine kinases to promote tumor growth is incompletely understood. Here, we show that oncogenic HER2 tyrosine kinase signaling induces phosphorylation of mitochondrial creatine kinase 1 (MtCK1) on tyrosine 153 (Y153) in an ABL-dependent manner in breast cancer cells. Y153 phosphorylation, which is commonly upregulated in HER2 + breast cancers, stabilizes MtCK1 to increase the phosphocreatine energy shuttle and promote proliferation. Inhibition of the phosphocreatine energy shuttle by MtCK1 knockdown or with the creatine analog cyclocreatine decreases proliferation of trastuzumab-sensitive and -resistant HER2 + cell lines in culture and in xenografts. Finally, we show that cyclocreatine in combination with the HER2 kinase inhibitor lapatinib reduces the growth of a trastuzumab-resistant HER2 + patient-derived xenograft. These findings suggest that activation of the phosphocreatine energy shuttle by MtCK1 Y153 phosphorylation creates a druggable metabolic vulnerability in cancer.
Asynchronous Computer-mediated Communication versus Face-to-face Collaboration: Results on Student Learning, Quality and Satisfaction

Although there has been more than a decade of literature on computer-mediated communication in education, the research has been unclear as to whether it is an effective replacement for face-to-face (FtF) collaboration. This study sought to add to this body of research by exploring the effects of two modes of collaboration on student groups. Following a repeated-measures experimental design, each student group collaborated on two case studies, one using face-to-face collaboration and the other using asynchronous computer conferencing technology as a means of collaboration. Empirical findings indicate that asynchronous collaboration is as effective as face-to-face collaboration in terms of learning, quality of solution, solution content, and satisfaction with the solution quality. However, students were significantly less satisfied with the asynchronous learning experience, both in terms of the group interaction process and the quality of group discussions.