cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationship between root aeration and oil tolerance in four wetland species.

Plant physiological tolerance to oil exposure has been linked to flooding tolerance, as both conditions induce anoxic conditions in the soil. It was hypothesized that tolerance of wetland plants to oil was due to enhanced development of root aerenchyma, which could aerate submerged tissues and support aerobic respiration during anoxic conditions resulting from oil exposure. In this study, four wetland grasses of varying tolerance to anoxic conditions were subjected to 6 L m-2 motor oil in greenhouse experiments for six weeks and root aerenchyma was assessed by microscopy. Physiological tolerance to spilled oil came from an ability to supply oxygen internally to submerged tissues and to anatomical barrier layers that maintain integrity of root structure. The most oil tolerant species, Phragmites australis (common reed) and Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass), had extensive root aerenchyma, which could ventilate oil-coated roots and support aerobic respiration. Moderate oil tolerance was observed in Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass), which was supported by root aerenchyma development, but with minor damage in structure under oil-impacted conditions. The most sensitive species to oil, Phalaris arundinacea (reed canarygrass), had less aerenchyma in roots and extensive root damage from oil exposure. Complete degradation of the root cortex was observed in Phalaris arundinacea and, therefore, a reduction in aerenchyma. These data help explain physiological differences among species exposed to spilled oil. Root aerenchyma provides aeration to support respiration in oiled roots, and an effective barrier at the exodermis helps to maintain root cortical structure.
Late-stage deuteration of 13C-enriched substrates for T1 prolongation in hyperpolarized 13C MRI

A robust and selective late-stage deuteration methodology was applied to 13C-enriched amino and alpha hydroxy acids to increase spin–lattice relaxation constant T1 for hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance imaging. For the five substrates with 13C-labeling on the C1-position ([1-13C]alanine, [1-13C]serine, [1-13C]lactate, [1-13C]glycine, and [1-13C]valine), significant increase of their T1 was observed at 3 T with deuterium labeling (+26%, 22%, +16%, +25% and +29%, respectively). Remarkably, in the case of [2-13C]alanine, [2-13C]serine and [2-13C]lactate, deuterium labeling led to a greater than four fold increase in T1. [1-13C,2-2H]alanine, produced using this method, was applied to in vitro enzyme assays with alanine aminotransferase, demonstrating a kinetic isotope effect.
Engaging myosin VI tunes motility, morphology and identity in endocytosis

While unconventional myosins interact with different stages of the endocytic pathway, they are ascribed a transport function that is secondary to the protein complexes that control organelle identity. Endosomes are subject to a dynamic, continuous flux of proteins that control their characteristic properties, including their motility within the cell. Efforts to describe the changes in identity of this compartment have largely focused on the adaptors present on the compartment and not on the motile properties of the compartment itself. In this study, we use a combination of optogenetic and chemical-dimerization strategies to target exogenous myosin VI to early endosomes, and probe its influence on organelle motility, morphology and identity. Our analysis across timescales suggests a model wherein the artificial engagement of myosin VI motility on early endosomes restricts microtubule-based motion, followed by morphological changes characterized by the rapid condensation and disintegration of organelles, ultimately leading to the enhanced overlap of markers that demarcate endosomal compartments. Together, our findings show that synthetic engagement of myosin VI motility is sufficient to alter organelle homeostasis in the endocytic pathway.
Measuring beverage consumption in US children and adolescents: a systematic review.

Beverage consumption habits are associated with weight outcomes for children and adolescents. Many studies have examined youth's beverage consumption, but little is known about what methods are commonly used to assess youth beverage consumption and whether these strategies are valid and reliable. This study aimed to systematically review articles assessing beverage consumption among children and adolescents. We searched PubMed and Scopus for English-language articles published between February 2007 and February 2017 that measured and reported on American youth's (ages 2-18 years) beverage consumption. Searches yielded 17,165 articles, of which 589 articles describing 615 measures were extracted. We examined the types of assessment methods used, characteristics of these methods (e.g. validity, reliability, and literacy level), characteristics of study samples, and beverages assessed. The most common assessment methods were questionnaires/screeners (used by 65.4% of articles) and recalls (24.4%). About three-quarters of articles did not address validity (70.5%) or reliability (79.5%) of any measures used. Study populations were diverse: 54.7% of articles included low-income children, and 90.2% included non-White children. The most commonly assessed beverage category was sugar-sweetened beverages. Findings suggest that improved measurement techniques and reporting are both needed to track progress towards a goal of ensuring all youth have healthy beverage consumption.
Chapter 9 – Hadronization

The chapter discusses the formation of final-state hadrons from the partons produced in hard partonic scattering. The way hadrons are produced from partons can be empirically formulated by fragmentation functions. Fragmentation functions in the final state can be described analogously to the parton distributions in the initial state. The fragmentation functions describe the parton-to-hadron transition in the same way as the parton densities describe the parton structure of the hadron. It is found that like parton densities, the fragmentation functions are subject to momentum and probability constraints. The contributions to final-state pion production because of final-state quarks, antiquarks, and gluons respectively are analyzed in the chapter. The gluon production cross sections need to be larger than the quark and antiquark production cross sections by several orders of magnitude to make up for the steep slope of the gluon fragmentation functions. If some of the valence quarks of the final-state hadron are shared with those of the projectile, that hadron typically carries more longitudinal momentum than other produced hadrons.
Cellular Biology of the Rat Hepatic Stem Cell Compartment

The existence of hepatic stem cells has been, and no doubt will continue to be, a matter of considerable controversy. This controversy is partly fueled by the fact that cell turnover in the liver is very slow and the two major types of hepatic epithelial cells, hepatocytes and biliary epithelia, are capable of proliferation and can, at least in a healthy liver, meet replacement demands of cellular loss from these two differentiated populations. The best example of the capacity of adult hepatocytes and bile epithelial cells to proliferate is seen after partial hepatectomy in rats and mice, in which the compensatory hyperplasia of these cells in the remaining lobes restore the liver mass. The increased use and success of liver transplantation in clinical medicine have shown that these animal models correctly reflect the capacity of the human liver to regenerate (Van Thiel et al., 1989). What then is the evidence that there exists a stem cell compartment in the liver? The existence of hepatic stem cells was first postulated by Wilson and Leduc in 1958 based on experiments involving liver regeneration in the mouse after chronic injury induced with a methionine-rich basal diet mixed with an equal amount of bentonite (Wilson and Leduc, 1958). The authors concluded that “prolonged and severe injury to the liver may make direct restoration by division of pre-existing parenchymal cells impossible, and that, when this occurs, the new parenchyma is derived from the indifferent cholangiole cells.”
Effects of fungicide seed treatments and a winter cereal rye cover crop in no till on the seedling disease complex in corn

Corn seed is treated with various fungicide active ingredients that target several fungal and oomycete genera in the corn seedling disease complex. In this study, we investigated the effects of var...
PD-L1 assessment in FNA (EBUS) dervied samples.

11615Background: Pembrolizumab therapy for non-small cell lung cancer requires PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC). FDA approval was based on staining of resections or core biopsies. Little is known a...
Moving Object Detection Through Robust Matrix Completion Augmented With Objectness

We present a novel approach for unsupervised detection of moving objects with nonsalient movements (e.g., rodents in their home cage). The proposed approach starts with separating the moving object from its background by modeling the background in a computationally efficient way. The background modeling is based on the assumption that background in natural videos lies on a low-dimensional subspace. We formulated and solved this problem using a low-rank matrix completion framework. To achieve computational efficiency, we proposed the fast robust matrix completion (fRMC) algorithm, which benefits from the in-face extended Frank–Wolfe approach as its optimization solver. We then augmented our fRMC-based moving object detection by incorporating the spatial information of the object as its objectness into the detection algorithm. With this augmentation we tackle the problem of nonsalient motion. The proposed fRMC algorithm is evaluated on background models challenge and Stuttgart artificial background subtraction datasets. Its detection results are then compared with the popular methods of background subtraction based on the robust principle component analysis and low-rank robust matrix completion methods, solved by inexact augmented Lagrangian multiplier and fast principal component pursuit via alternating minimization (FPCP). The outcomes showed faster computation, at least twice as when other methods are applied, while having a comparable detection accuracy. Moreover, fRMC observed to outperform the FPCP algorithm in background/foreground separation with minor computational overhead. Beyond that, we verified the performance improvement of the augmented fRMC with objectness on detecting the nonsalient motion of in-cage mice using the Caltech resident-intruder mice dataset. The evaluation showed 10% improvement in the detection performance, while significantly dropping the computational time.
The Reality of Virtual Reality: A Comparison of Pedestrian Behavior in Real and Virtual Environments:

Virtual reality (VR) can be a very effective tool to evaluate built environment to support improvement of pedestrian and other vulnerable road user safety. However, in order to draw actionable conc...
Identification of Compounds That Inhibit Estrogen-Related Receptor Alpha Signaling Using High-Throughput Screening Assays

The nuclear receptor, estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα; NR3B1), plays a pivotal role in energy homeostasis. Its expression fluctuates with the demands of energy production in various tissues. When paired with the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), the PGC/ERR pathway regulates a host of genes that participate in metabolic signaling networks and in mitochondrial oxidative respiration. Unregulated overexpression of ERRα is found in many cancer cells, implicating a role in cancer progression and other metabolism-related diseases. Using high throughput screening assays, we screened the Tox21 10K compound library in stably transfected HEK293 cells containing either the ERRα-reporter or the reporter plus PGC-1α expression plasmid. We identified two groups of antagonists that were potent inhibitors of ERRα activity and/or the PGC/ERR pathway: nine antineoplastic agents and thirteen pesticides. Results were confirmed using gene expression studies. These findings suggest a novel mechanism of action on bioenergetics for five of the nine antineoplastic drugs. Nine of the thirteen pesticides, which have not been investigated previously for ERRα disrupting activity, were classified as such. In conclusion, we demonstrated that high-throughput screening assays can be used to reveal new biological properties of therapeutic and environmental chemicals, broadening our understanding of their modes of action.
Inventive Scaffolds Catalyze Creative Learning

Creative problem-solving requires both exploratory and evaluative thinking skills. The contextual, open-ended nature of creative tasks makes them uniquely challenging to teach and learn. People tend to under-explore in problem-solving, using the most available representation of a problem and hindering potentially more creative solutions. My dissertation examines how inventive scaffolds provide feedback between the exploration and evaluation processes of creative problem-solving, potentially amplifying creativity of solutions. I investigate this through two interventions. First, interactive guidance and adaptive suggestions embodied in the CritiqueKit system to improve critique and evaluation of creative work. Second, problem-framing scaffolds to reduce fixation and enhance exploration. My research demonstrates methods for increasing human inventiveness with relevance in creative education and the design of creativity support interfaces.
Right Transaxillary Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Using the “Flip-n-Flex” Technique

Background Right transaxillary transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAx-TAVR) is rarely performed due to challenging vascular tortuosity and unfavorable implantation angles. We explored this procedure using the newer-generation balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) valve and our novel “flip-n-flex” technique. The safety and effectiveness of the procedure and the learning curve of our early experiences were investigated. Methods The first 10 consecutive patients undergoing right TAx-TAVR performed at our center from June 2016 to May 2018 were included in the study. Patients’ preoperative characteristics, procedural outcomes, and clinical outcomes were studied. Intraoperative fluoroscopy times were also reviewed to analyze the procedural learning curve. Results The 10 patients were a mean age of 81.8 ± 8.7 years, and 5 patients (50%) were women. Mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality was 12.0% ± 9.5%. Procedural success was achieved in all cases without vascular complications. Paravalvular leak was absent or mild in all patients. Two patients (20%) required permanent pacemaker implantation. The median postoperative length of stay was 4 days (range, 2-13 days). The 30-day mortality was 0%. Mean transvalvular gradient improved from 38.4 ± 12.6 mm Hg to 9 ± 4.4 mm Hg postoperatively. New York Heart Association Functional Classification improved in all patients. The fluoroscopy time showed marked reduction from 44.1 ± 8.2 minutes to 17.4 ± 2.9 minutes with the use of the flip-n-flex technique. Conclusions Our early experience of right TAx-TAVR with the SAPIEN 3 valve demonstrated satisfactory outcomes and a quick learning as facilitated by the flip-n-flex technique. This could be a beneficial TAVR approach to suitable patients.
Can we containerize internet measurements

Container systems (e.g., Docker) provide a well-defined, lightweight, and versatile foundation to streamline the process of tool deployment, to provide a consistent and repeatable experimental interface, and to leverage data centers in the global cloud infrastructure as measurement vantage points. However, the virtual network devices commonly used to connect containers to the Internet are known to impose latency overheads which distort the values reported by measurement tools running inside containers. In this study, we develop a tool called MACE to measure and remove the latency overhead of virtual network devices as used by Docker containers. A key insight of MACE is the fact that container functions all execute in the same kernel. Based on this insight, MACE is implemented as a Linux kernel module using the trace event subsystem to measure latency along the network stack code path. Using CloudLab, we evaluate MACE by comparing the ping measurements emitted from a slim-ping container to the ones emitted using the same tool running in the bare metal machine under varying traffic loads. Our evaluation shows that the MACE-adjusted RTT measurements are within 20 μs of the bare metal ping RTTs on average while incurring less than 25 μs RTT perturbation. We also compare RTT perturbation incurred by MACE with perturbation incurred by the built-in ftrace kernel tracing system and find that MACE incures less perturbation.
Inter- and Intra-rater Reliability in Lithic Analysis: a Case Study in Handedness Determination Methodologies

Inter- and intra-rater reliability studies in experimental archaeology promote consistency and replicability in the lithic analysis methods that are applied to interpretations of the archaeological record. Replication attempts to classify a knapper’s hand preference post-hoc using published methodologies that focus on right- and left-oriented flake features, have been largely unsuccessful. We tested the validity of flake feature categories described in three studies to be useful for determining a knapper’s hand preference (Bargallo and Mosquera, Laterality, 19(1), 37–63, 2014; Dominguez-Ballesteros and Arrizabalaga, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 3, 313–320, 2015; Rugg and Mullane, Laterality, 6(3), 247–259, 2001). Five experienced lithic analysts independently made blind predictions of knapper hand preference on an experimental assemblage of mode I flakes produced by 18 knappers (9 left-handed), which included 344 complete flakes from 43 knapped cores. Inter-rater reliability measures (using Fleiss’ Kappa) showed significant agreement between raters for only one of the features (eraillure scar), with fair agreement for impact point, and poor agreement for the other features (cone of percussion, hackles, ripples, extraction axis, and platform inclination); poor agreement was found even within raters. Chi squared tests and correspondence analyses show that raters fail to perform significantly better than chance at predicting hand preference. These results suggest not only that these flake features are unreliable predictors of a knapper’s hand preference, but also that most of these features do not represent objective categories. We therefore urge caution in applying these methods to archaeological assemblages pending further independent replication.
Quality of Life After Ureteroscopy

Ureteroscopy (URS), although a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure, can have a substantial impact on quality of life for patients. Patient and operative factors, as well as stenting, may lead to very different patient experiences. Traditionally, opioid pain medications have been a mainstay for postoperative pain management following URS, but the current epidemic of opioid addiction and abuse has necessitated a shift in the analgesic regimen for these patients. Several nonnarcotic medications offer a benefit in recovery from URS such as NSAIDs, anticholinergics, and alpha blockers. Still, interest in other alternatives to narcotics is on the rise including IV acetaminophen, beta-3 receptor agonists, and drug-eluting stents. Furthermore, proximal and distal ureteroscopy can have different recovery periods due to operative time, access sheath use, and stenting. If stenting is necessary, return to work and recovery of baseline sexual function are variable and are impacted. Patient education with thorough preoperative counseling, as well as shared decision-making, is essential to improving the patient experience with URS.
Impact of supply chain analytics and customer pressure for ethical conduct on socially responsible practices and performance: An exploratory study

Abstract In the highly competitive global business environment, firms are being challenged by stakeholder groups—such as customers, NGOs, and regulators— to embrace sustainability and ensure that their supply chains are operating in a socially responsible manner. With the advancements in big data analytics, firms are increasingly investing in developing analytics capabilities to deliver operational improvements. However, the spillover effects of such technological solutions towards addressing stakeholder concerns and delivering on social performance are unclear. Drawing on stakeholder theory and RBV, this study investigates the role of supply chain analytics capability (SCAC) and customer pressure for ethical conduct (CPEC) towards the adoption of socially responsible practices by suppliers. The proposed relationships linking these constructs are empirically tested using data from a sample of 254 U.S. manufacturing firms. Findings indicate that supply chain analytics capability synergistically interacts with the pressure from customers for ethical conduct to improve the social and financial performance of suppliers. Findings also provide important implications for supply chain executives.
Genetic Mapping Identifies Consistent Quantitative Trait Loci for Yield Traits of Rice under Greenhouse Drought Conditions

Improving drought resistance in crops is imperative under the prevailing erratic rainfall patterns. Drought affects the growth and yield of most modern rice varieties. Recent breeding efforts aim to incorporate drought resistance traits in rice varieties that can be suitable under alternative irrigation schemes, such as in a (semi)aerobic system, as row (furrow-irrigated) rice. The identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling grain yield, the most important trait with high selection efficiency, can lead to the identification of markers to facilitate marker-assisted breeding of drought-resistant rice. Here, we report grain yield QTLs under greenhouse drought using an F2:3 population derived from Cocodrie (drought sensitive) × Nagina 22 (N22) (drought tolerant). Eight QTLs were identified for yield traits under drought. Grain yield QTL under drought on chromosome 1 (phenotypic variance explained (PVE) = 11.15%) co-localized with the only QTL for panicle number (PVE = 37.7%). The drought-tolerant parent N22 contributed the favorable alleles for all QTLs except qGN3.2 and qGN5.1 for grain number per panicle. Stress-responsive transcription factors, such as ethylene response factor, WD40 domain protein, zinc finger protein, and genes involved in lipid/sugar metabolism were linked to the QTLs, suggesting their possible role in drought tolerance mechanism of N22 in the background of Cocodrie, contributing to higher yield under drought.
Product availability in discrete choice experiments with private goods

Abstract The proneness of stated preference methods to different biases has increased the popularity of incentivized choice experiments (ICE). ICEs, however, are not free from challenges. One such challenge when using ICEs in market valuation is that some product alternatives may not be available to incentivize experiments. In this context, withholding information about product availability could be considered deception while disclosing information raises questions regarding influences on participants’ choice behavior. The present study explores this issue by changing the number of available product alternatives in an induced value choice experiment. Participant engagement is captured using an eye-tracking and measurement scales. The results suggest, while incentives matter, engagement matters more. A random-effects logit estimation reveals that engagement is positively correlated with profit-maximizing behavior, while the number of available alternatives is not. A similar result of engagement holds after accounting for differences in payouts between alternatives. In contrast, the same thing cannot be said for number of available alternatives. When the difference between potential payouts is small, no number of available alternatives has a significant effect on profit-maximizing behavior. When the difference between payouts is larger, any number of available alternatives increases the likelihood of choosing the profit-maximizing choice. The findings suggest that researchers could successfully conduct ICE with trustworthy results without having all the product alternatives being available as long as participants are engaged in the choice task.
Recurrent infective endocarditis in a patient after a second Melody valve placement

A 16-year-old Caucasian male was diagnosed with recurrent infective endocarditis associated with his second Melody valve placed inside a previously treated infected Melody valve. The replacement of Melody valve after the first infective endocarditis episode might increase the risk of the second episode of infective endocarditis.
Bedtime screen use in middle-aged and older adults growing during pandemic.

Citation:Grigg-Damberger MM, Yeager KK. Bedtime screen use in middle-aged and older adults growing during pandemic. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(suppl_1):25S–26S.
Sonothrombolysis in the ambulance for ST-elevation myocardial infarction: rationale and protocol

Treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has improved over the years. Current challenges in the management of STEMI are achievement of early reperfusion and the prevention of microvascular injury. Sonothrombolysis has emerged as a potential treatment for acute myocardial infarction, both for epicardial recanalisation as well as improving microvascular perfusion. This study aims to determine safety and feasibility of sonothrombolysis application in STEMI patients in the ambulance. Ten patients with STEMI will be included and treated with sonothrombolysis in the ambulance during transfer to the PCI centre. Safety will be assessed by the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias and shock during sonothrombolysis intervention. Feasibility will be assessed by the extent of protocol completion and myocardial visibility. Efficacy will be determined by angiographic patency rate, ST-elevation resolution, infarct size and left ventricular volumes, and function measured with cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, and contrast and strain echocardiography. A comparison will be made with matched controls using an existing STEMI database. Sonothrombolysis is a novel technique for the treatment of cardiovascular thromboembolic disease. The first clinical trials on its use for STEMI have demonstrated promising results. This study will be the first to examine the feasibility of in-ambulance sonothrombolysis for STEMI. EU Clinical Trials Register (identifier: 2019-001883-31), registered 2020-02-25.
Neighborhood education status drives racial disparities in clinical outcomes in PPCM.

Importance Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) disproportionately affects women of African ancestry. Additionally, clinical outcomes are worse in this subpopulation compared to White women with PPCM. The extent to which socioeconomic parameters contribute to these racial disparities is not known. Objective To quantify the association between area-based proxies of socioeconomic status (SES) and clinical outcomes in PPCM, and to determine the potential contribution of these factors to racial disparities in outcomes. Design, setting, and participants A retrospective cohort study was performed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, a tertiary referral center serving a population with a high proportion of Black individuals. The cohort included 220 women with PPCM, 55% of whom were Black or African American. Available data included clinical and demographic characteristics as well as residential address georeferenced to US Census-derived block group measures of SES. Main outcomes and measures Rates of sustained cardiac dysfunction (defined as persistent LVEF Results Black race and higher NDI were both independently associated with sustained cardiac dysfunction (relative risk [RR] 1.63, confidence interval [CI] 1.13-2.36; and RR 1.29, CI 1.08-1.53, respectively). Following multivariable adjustment, effect size for NDI remained statistically significant, but effect size for Black race did not. The impact of low neighborhood education on racial disparities in outcomes was stronger than that of low neighborhood income (explaining 45% and 0% of the association with black race, respectively). After multivariate adjustment, only low area-based education persisted as significantly correlating with sustained cardiac dysfunction (RR 1.49; CI 1.02-2.17). Conclusions Both Black race and NDI independently associate with adverse outcomes in women with PPCM in a single center study. Of the specific components of NDI, neighborhood low education was most strongly associated with clinical outcome and partially explained differences in race. These results suggest interventions targeting social determinants of health in disadvantaged communities may help to mitigate outcome disparities.
Abstraction Meets Korean Lyricism: Yoo Youngkuk’s Mountain Series in Postwar Korea

Yoo Youngkuk (1916–2002) was one of Korea’s leading avant-garde artists who initiated the Korean modern art scene through his abstract landscape paintings. Much of his oeuvre centered on one major ...
‘Justice for Victims is Possible’: Student Reflections on #MeToo in an Online Gender and Justice Course

A Spring 2020 online undergraduate gender and justice course included a redesigned emphasis and approach with a focus on gender-based victimization in the #MeToo era. The course emphasized victims’...
Personal Mathematics and Computing: Tools for the Liberal Arts

Computers can be effective tools for participating in the affairs of the world. They can also be used by the experts to erect barriers to participation. This book is a self-contained tutorial that can assist any reader with a background in high school mathematics in learning how to apply
Focal Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) distinguishes itself from other treatment modalities in that its focus is on the meaning of trauma-related symptoms and behaviors and on the meaning of catastrophic life events to the person as a whole. The analytically oriented therapist is also curious about the ways in which a person’s psyche and soma fend off, experience, cope, and adapt to extreme stress. The analyst is concerned about the dilemmas which the person in the traumatic situation faced, and faces, as a result, in the present. The therapist uses introspection, intuition, and empathy in order to try to comprehend and then verbalize a dilemma which stretches beyond his or her own internal experience. The analytic therapist hopes that insights regarding the meaning of symptoms, both conscious and unconscious, and the consequences of catastrophe can be utilized by the survivor to identify and help master future danger situations and to try to make whole again the fabric of life.
How Do Monetary Incentives Affect Online Product Reviews and Sales

Online retailers employ various strategies, such as reviewer reputation systems and online communities, to encourage consumers to write online product reviews. Monetary incentives---a widely used extrinsic motivation in the business world---are not commonly used by online retailers to encourage consumers to write online product reviews. One plausible explanation is because of the cost of monetary incentives, albeit the trade-off between the cost of monetary incentives versus the benefit of having more online product reviews has not been examined. With a unique panel data set from a major Chinese online retailer that has been offering monetary incentives to encourage consumers to write product reviews, we examine how monetary incentives affect online product reviews and sales. Interestingly, we find that small rewards---less than 1.5 yuan for each product review, can increase product sales significantly. Our findings suggest that paying for product reviews can be an effective strategy for online retailers to increase sales.
Molecular combinatory computing for nanostructure synthesis and control

Molecular combinatory computing makes use of a small set of chemical reactions that together have the ability to implement arbitrary computations. Therefore it provides a means of "programming" the synthesis of nanostructures and of controlling their behavior by programmatic means. We illustrate the approach by several simulated nano-assembly applications, and discuss a possible molecular implementation in terms of covalently structured molecular building blocks connected by hydrogen bonds.
Enhanced environmental detection of uranyl compounds based on luminescence characterization

ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL DETECTION OF URANYL COMPOUNDS BASED ON LUMINESCENCE CHARACTERIZATION By Jean Dennis Nelson, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009. Director: John E. Anderson Associate Professor, Department of Biology Uranium (U) contamination can be introduced to the environment as a result of mining and manufacturing activities related to nuclear power, detonation of U-containing munitions (DoD), or nuclear weapons production/processing (DOE facilities). In oxidizing environments such as surface soils, U predominantly exists as U(VI), which is highly water soluble and very mobile in soils. U(VI) compounds typically contain the UO2 2+ group (uranyl compounds). The uniquely structured and long-lived green luminescence (fluorescence) of the uranyl ion (under UV radiation) has been studied and remained a strong topic of interest for two centuries. The presented research is distinct in its objective of improving capabilities for remotely sensing U contamination by understanding what environmental conditions are ideal for detection and need to be taken into consideration. Specific focuses include: 1) the accumulation and fluorescence enhancement of uranyl compounds at soil surfaces using distributed silica gel, and 2) environmental factors capable of influencing the luminescence response, directly or indirectly. In a complex environmental system, matrix effects co-exist from key soil parameters including moisture content (affected by evaporation, temperature and humidity), soil texture, pH, CEC, organic matter and iron content. Chapter 1 is a review of pertinent background information and provides justification for the selected key environmental parameters. Chapter 2 presents empirical investigations related to the fluorescence detection and characterization of uranyl compounds in soil and aqueous samples. An integrative experimental design was employed, testing different soils, generating steady-state fluorescence spectra, and building a comprehensive dataset which was then utilized to simultaneously test three hypotheses: The fluorescence detection of uranyl compounds is dependent upon 1) the key soil parameters, 2) the concentration of U contamination, and 3) time of analysis, specifically following the application of silica gel enhancing material. A variety of statistical approaches were employed, including the development of multiple regression models for predicting both intensity and band structure responses. These statistical models validated the first two listed hypotheses, while the third hypothesis was not supported by this dataset. The combination of inadequate moisture levels and reaction times (≤ 24 hrs) greatly limited the detection of varying levels of U, depending on the soil.
Bethanechol Increases the Diagnostic Yield in Patients With Esophageal Chest Pain

The diagnostic yield of routine esophageal manometrics in evaluating noncardiac chest pain is low. To determine if bethanechol stimulation would increase the diagnostic yield, we examined 87 patients with chest pain but no gastroesophageal reflux, 47 patients with gastroesophageal reflux but no chest pain, and 20 normal subjects. All subjects underwent standard esophageal manometrics before and after two doses of 50 μg/kg body wt bethanechol administered subcutaneously 15 min apart. Mean amplitude and duration of contractions and percentage of abnormal contractions were measured in the distal 7 cm of the esophageal body. Pathologic manometric parameters were defined as mean ± 2 SD of values obtained in normal patients. Patients with chest pain had pathological responses for amplitude of contraction, duration of contraction, and percentage of abnormal contractions of 31%, 14%, and 22%, respectively, in the basal period. This increased to 43%, 66%, and 40%, respectively, after the first dose of bethanechol and to 53%, 85%, and 82% after the second dose of bethanechol. Chest pain was reproduced with new manometric abnormalities in 46% of patients after the first dose of bethanechol and in 77% after the second dose. Our conclusions are that: (a) sequential bethanechol administration significantly increases the diagnostic yield of standard esophageal manometrics in the evaluation of noncardiac chest pain and (b) duration of contraction after pharmacologic provocation with bethanechol is the best parameter to segregate patients with chest pain from normal subjects and gastroesophageal reflux patients.
Measurement and prediction of mean velocity and turbulence structure in the near wake of an airfoil

An experimental investigation of the near wake of a thin airfoil at various incidence angles is reported in this paper. The airfoil (NACA 0012 basic thickness form) was located in a wind tunnel, and the wake structure was measured using hot-wire sensors. The measurements of mean-velocity, turbulence intensity and Reynolds-stress components across the wake at several distances downstream show the complex nature of the near wake and its asymmetrical behavior. The asymmetry in the wake property, which is maintained up to a length of 1.5 chords downstream of the trailing edge of the blade, is dependent on the incidence angle of the inlet flow. The streamwise velocity defect in an asymmetric wake decays more slowly compared to that of a symmetric wake. The streamline curvature due to the blade loading has a substantial effect on the mean velocity profile as well as the turbulence structure. The numerical study of the same wake indicates that the existing turbulence closure models need some modification to account for the asymmetric characteristics of the wake.
Planning by ‘revealed preference’: An improvement upon the traditional method

Abstract Traditional economic development planning has been based on a received set of weighted or priority ranked national goals, dictated by political authorities. Planners' tasks are confined to estimating resource constraints, identifying potential development activities, and utilizing a selection method to determine which activities should be included in the plan to maximize goal satisfaction. This ‘linear sequence’ of planning activities is faulty on several counts, most critically because planners are seldom able to obtain an adequately specified set of national goals from political authorities. To overcome this fatal flaw, planners should use the planning process itself to elicit national goal priorities from policy-makers. This can be done by constructing sets of alternative development strategies, each based on different rankings or weights for basic national goals. Selection from among strategic alternatives by political leaders will, in effect, reveal their implicit goal rankings. Although this alternative strategy method does require a greater planning effort than the traditional sequence, it offers more complete information on the trade-offs among national goals and is better adapted to the realities of most planning situations.
Acanthamoeba keratitis during orthokeratology.

Purpose To report an infectious complication of overnight rigid gas-permeable contact lenses. Methods Case report and medical literature review. Results A 16-year-old girl developed laboratory-confirmed acanthamoebic keratitis during orthokeratology for myopic reduction. Recent case reports suggest that Acanthamoeba is a cause of microbial keratitis associated with gas-permeable contact lenses among teenagers and young adults undergoing orthokeratology. Conclusions Acanthamoeba keratitis is an emerging complication of orthokeratology in young myopes.
Thomason’s Paradox for Belief, and Two Consequence Relations

Thomason (1979/2010)’s argument against competence psychologism in semantics envisages a representation of a subject’s competence as follows: he understands his own language in the sense that he can identify the semantic content of each of its sentences, which requires that the relation between expression and content be recursive. Then if the scientist constructs a theory that is meant to represent the body of the subject’s beliefs, construed as assent to the content of the pertinent sentences, and that theory satisfies certain ‘natural assumptions’, then it implies that the subject is inconsistent if the beliefs include arithmetic. I challenge the result by insisting that the motivation for Thomason’s principle (ii), via Moore’s Paradox, leads to a more complex representation, in which stating the facts and expressing one’s beliefs are treated differently. Certain logical connections among expressions of assent, and between expression and statement, are a matter of consequence on pain of pragmatic incoherence, not consequence on pain of classical logical inconsistency. But while this salvages the possibility that a modification of the above sort of representation could be adequate, Thomason’s devastating conclusion returns if the scientist identifies himself as the subject of that representation, even when paying heed to the requirement of pragmatic coherence of the sort highlighted by Moore’s Paradox.
Computation of the logarithm of Bessel functions of complex argument and fractional order

Algorithms for computing the logarithm of Bessel functions of complex argument and fractional order are presented. These algorithms will be useful when direct evaluation of the Bessel function causes computer overflow or underflow. Several numerical results are presented, and an example of electromagnetic scattering by a conducting wedge is given. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photoreflectance characteristics of AlGaAs/GaAs structures

Room temperature photoreflectance (PR) has been used to study a series of AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures, which have been shown by electrical measurements to contain a two- dimensional electron gas (2-DEG), with varying carrier concentrations, mobilities, and structures. Oscillatory features in the PR spectra observed above the GaAs bandgap energy cannot be simply interpreted as Franz-Keldysh oscillations (FKO).
Immobilization of HRh(CO)(P(m-C6H4SO3Na)3)3 on an anion exchange resin for the hydroformylation of higher olefins

The anion exchange resin Amberlyst, A-26, forms an efficient matrix for the immobilization of the water soluble complex, HRh(CO)(m-C6H4SO3Na)3)3. Catalysis proceeds in anhydrous alcohol solvents which allows the conversion of water insoluble olefins to aldehydes. Activities and selectivities are similar to both supported aqueous phase catalysts and to the neutral complex, HRh(CO)(PPh3)3 in non-aqueous solvents. The catalyst preparation minimizes the quantity of water in the supported catalyst; the lack of water is thought to be responsible for an increase in catalyst stability toward oxidation.
A Moral Framework for Analyzing the Controversy Over Aversive Behavioral Interventions for People with Severe Mental Retardation

This article applies a systematic analysis of everyday moral decision making to the controversy surrounding the use of aversive treatments for people with severe mental retardation. The authors' aim is to provide a framework for analyzing the issue, and they take a position against the use of aversive procedures. The analysis adds some new ideas to the debate. It provides a definition of aversive procedures based upon common moral rules. The concept of protection by the moral rules is discussed and the case made that people with severe mental retardation deserve the protection of the moral rules and that this right is historically new and tenous. The importance of symbols of dehumanization is discussed in light of this tenous condition. The idea of moral agency is applied in order to clarify the kinds of societal sanctions that are and are not appropriate when a person with severe mental retardation violates a moral rule. The authors argue that data are always relevant to moral decision making and that a ...
Ectoderm from various regions of the developing chick limb bud differentially regulates the expression of the chicken homeobox-containing genes GHox-7 and GHox-8 by limb mesenchymal cells.

Abstract The apical ectodermal ridge expresses high amounts or the homeobox gene GHox-8 when placed upon dissociated limb mesenchymal cells in culture and induces high expression of GHox-7, but only low expression of GHox-8, in the underlying mesenchymal cells. Ectoderm from the proximal anterior border of the limb induces high expression of both GHox-7 and GHox-8, while ectoderm from the proximal posterior border does not induce expression of either gene. Thus, ectoderm in various regions of the limb bud has distinct regulatory activities and may be involved in controlling the regionally specific expression of GHox-7 and GHox-8 in the mesoderm.
Critical Literacy: Using Nonfiction to Learn About Islam

Schools have a legitimate and vital role in providing Americans with a better and more accurate understanding of the Muslim world. Given the cultural and ideological issues at play in any understanding of Islam, the theories and practices of critical literacy can provide useful guidance to teachers. The purposes of this article are to counteract some common stereotypes of Muslims and Islam and suggest how nonfiction materials might anchor a critical literacy study of Islam and Muslims in middle school or high school, with special attention to the potential for engaging students in a critical appreciation for the cultural and ideological diversity within the worldwide and U.S. Muslim communities. The article discusses representative materials that might be used to teach about Islam and Muslims in middle school or high school, and examples are provided for how critical literacy might be used with these resources.