cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chip-based nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry for protein characterization.

In the last several years, significant progress has been made in the development of microfluidic-based analytical technologies for proteomic and drug discovery applications. Chip-based nanoelectrospray coupled to a mass spectrometer detector is one of the recently developed analytical microscale technologies. This technology offers unique advantages for automated nanoelectrospray including reduced sample consumption, improved detection sensitivity and enhanced data quality for proteomic studies. This review presents an overview and introduction of recent developments in chip devices coupled to electrospray mass spectrometers including the development of the automated nanoelectrospray ionization chip device for protein characterization. Applications using automated chip-based nanoelectrospray ionization technology in proteomic and bioanalytical studies are also extensively reviewed in the fields of high-throughput protein identification, protein post-translational modification studies, top-down proteomics,...
Structural Analysis of Cointegrating VARs

This survey uses a number of recent developments in the analysis of cointegrating Vector Autoregressions (VARs) to examine their links to the older structural modelling traditions using Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL), and Simultaneous Equations Models (SEMs). In particular, it emphasizes the importance of using judgement and economic theory to supplement the statistical information. After a brief historical review it sets out the statistical framework, discusses the identification of impulse responses using the Generalized Impulse Response functions, reviews the analysis of cointegrating VARs and highlights the large number of choices applied workers have to make in determining a specification. In particular, it considers the problem of specification of intercepts and trends and the size of the VAR in more detail, and examines the advantages of the use of exogenous variables in cointegration analysis. The issues are illustrated with a small U.S. Macroeconomic model.
The Acidulant Properties of L‐aspartic Acid

SUMMARY Preliminary studies suggest L-aspartic acid possesses acidulant properties of potential use in foods. Present costs are not competitive with citric acid, though special application may exist. The concept of using amino acids as flavoring materials is suggested, with a second role in improving nutritional quality.
Newborn Screening for Metabolic Disorders: Parental Perceptions of the Initial Communication of Results

Positive newborn screening (NBS) results cause significant parental distress, but little is known about how parents find out about children's screening results and what they are told. This qualitative, exploratory study reports on parents' perceptions of the initial communication of NBS results. Participants included the parents of 75 infants referred to a metabolic clinic in California over a 3-year period (2007-2010). Parents provided information about the initial communication of NBS results during audiotaped clinical encounters and open-ended interviews. Transcripts were analyzed inductively using thematic coding. Responses fell into 3 primary themes: sources of news delivery, providing information, and mitigation strategies. The findings suggest that health care providers have access to a range of communicative resources to buffer the impact of positive screening results that may be mobilized in future interventions. Recommendations for improving the communication process and future research directions are discussed.
Panel Conditioning in Longitudinal Studies: Evidence From Labor Force Items in the Current Population Survey

Does participating in a longitudinal survey affect respondents’ answers to subsequent questions about their labor force characteristics? In this article, we investigate the magnitude of panel conditioning or time-in-survey biases for key labor force questions in the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS). Using linked CPS records for household heads first interviewed between January 2007 and June 2010, our analyses are based on strategic within-person comparisons across survey months and between-person comparisons across CPS rotation groups. We find considerable evidence for panel conditioning effects in the CPS. Panel conditioning downwardly biases the CPS-based unemployment rate, mainly by leading people to remove themselves from its denominator. Across surveys, CPS respondents (claim to) leave the labor force in greater numbers than otherwise equivalent respondents who are participating in the CPS for the first time. The results cannot be attributed to panel attrition or mode effects. We discuss implications for CPS-based research and policy as well as for survey methodology more broadly.
Dissection of a Hypoxia-induced, Nitric Oxide-mediated Signaling Cascade

Befitting oxygen's key role in life's processes, hypoxia engages multiple signaling systems that evoke pervasive adaptations. Using surrogate genetics in a powerful biological model, we dissect a poorly understood hypoxia-sensing and signal transduction system. Hypoxia triggers NO-dependent accumulation of cyclic GMP and translocation of cytoplasmic GFP-Relish (an NFκB/Rel transcription factor) to the nucleus in Drosophila S2 cells. An enzyme capable of eliminating NO interrupted signaling specifically when it was targeted to the mitochondria, arguing for a mitochondrial NO signal. Long pretreatment with an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), L-NAME, blocked signaling. However, addition shortly before hypoxia was without effect, suggesting that signaling is supported by the prior action of NOS and is independent of NOS action during hypoxia. We implicated the glutathione adduct, GSNO, as a signaling mediator by showing that overexpression of the cytoplasmic enzyme catalyzing its destruction, GSNOR, blocks signaling, whereas knockdown of this activity caused reporter translocation in the absence of hypoxia. In downstream steps, cGMP accumulated, and calcium-dependent signaling was subsequently activated via cGMP-dependent channels. These findings reveal the use of unconventional steps in an NO pathway involved in sensing hypoxia and initiating signaling.
Fast, Scalable, Model-Free Trajectory Optimization for Wireless Data Ferries

Given multiple widespread stationary data sources such as ground-based sensors, an unmanned aircraft can fly over the sensors and gather the data via a wireless link. To minimize delays and system resources, the aircraft should collect the data at each sensor node via the shortest trajectory. Trajectory planning is hampered by the complex vehicle and communication dynamics and by uncertainty in the locations of sensors, so we develop a technique based on model-free learning. Previous work showed that model-free stochastic optimization can find good trajectories quickly enough for use in the field, but scaled poorly as the number of sensors increased, requiring roughly O(n) flights for n sensors. Here we modify the gradient computation, combining the global optimization criterion with multiple overlapping local ones, introduce data-mule--specific credit assignment, and use observed behavior to redistribute global rewards to local regions in the trajectory. This improves scalability of the initial trajectory learning phase nearly to O(1). We target a scenario in which sensors are known to lie somewhere near a known trajectory, for example after having been parachuted out of a deployment aircraft.
Reactions of Basic Dyes with Cyclic Derivatives of an Acid Character

The recent discovery that the actual staining agent in the Ziehl-Neelson technic is an addition product of the phenol and the dye employed led the authors to investigate the character of the reaction products of various basic dyes with a considerable variety of cyclic derivatives of a phenolic or acid character. Analytical data are presented which indicate that basic dyes form addition products, in general, with typical phenols. With more definitely acid cyclic derivatives the reaction is primarily metathetical, resulting in the formation of organic salts of the dyes. In some instances both metathesis and addition result. Readers are referred to the following paper for information as to the practical staining value of certain of these compounds.
Explicit constraint approximation forms in structural optimization Part 1: Analyses and projections

Abstract An analytical study of several alternative forms of constraint approximation relevant to problems in structural design is presented. Limitations of the existing forms of the constraint approximations are stated and methods are outlined to improve them. A new generalized form of constraint approximation is proposed for optimal design problems with and without design variable linking. A power form of constraint approximation is derived for bending types of finite elements having nonlinear size-stiffness relationships. A detailed analysis to determine the relative effectiveness of the various forms is included. A rating guideline is proposed to quantify the characteristics of chosen approximations or family of approximations on grounds of accuracy and of conservatism (of remaining feasible).
User-aware dynamic task allocation in networks-on-chip

In this paper, we propose a run-time strategy for allocating the application tasks to platform resources in homogeneous networks-on-chip (NoCs). As novel contribution, we incorporate the user behavior information in the resource allocation process; this allows system to better respond to real-time changes and adapt dynamically to user needs. Several algorithms are then proposed for solving the task allocation problem, while minimizing the communication energy consumption and network contention. If user behavior is taken into consideration, we observe about 60% communication energy savings (with negligible and energy runtime overhead) compared to an arbitrary task allocation strategy.
Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) study on fractured rapidly-quenched and sintered NdFeB magnets

By using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) to obtain chemical information from the fractured surfaces of rapidly quenched and sintered NdFeB magnets, it is found that the Nd-rich phases in the grain boundaries are different in these two kinds of magnets. In rapidly quenched NdFeB magnets, the Nd-rich phase is mainly Nd-Fe binary (Nd:Fe 2-3:1) without oxygen. In sintered NdFeB magnets, the Nd-rich phase is mainly Nd-Fe binary (Nd:Fe 2-3:1) without oxygen. In sintered NdFeB magnets, the Nd-rich phase is Nd-Fe-O (Nd:Fe:O 2-3:1:1). There are many Nd oxide particles (Nd:O about 1:1-1.5) of 1 mu m in diameter in the sintered NdFeB, but not in the rapidly-quenched samples. >
Is Technology Used as Practice? A Survey Analysis of Preservice English Teachers' Perceptions and Classroom Practices

This survey study of preservice teachers analyzed if technology is used as practice in the English language arts classroom, and if these practices transferred from the methods classroom to the field experience and beyond. The author examined which technologies and experiences were valued and used by preservice teachers to discover if they thought it possible to transfer these methods from theory into practice. Teacher candidates’ perceptions of integrating technology into their practices revealed their comfort or frustration with nontraditional teaching practices and classroom structures. Despite thinking of myself as a techno-novice, it amazes me how much technology embroiders my life – both enhancing it and complicating it. On any given day, you can leave me a message, if not actually reach me, via three different email addresses; four different phones (cell, office, Internet, and home); instant and text messaging; and the U.S. postal service. I no longer compose manuscripts with pen and paper, but by word processing programs, first learned on the mainframe then the personal computer then the networked computer and now the laptop. I manage my calendar online in GroupWise, listen to and read news on the Internet, watch movies on my laptop, share digital photos from my personal file space on the Internet, listen to and watch music via video, research using the library’s online database, and select and hold my library books using the online service. I share my writing with my co-authors via email attachment, as well as submit manuscripts via email or upload them to Internet sites designed to give access to both author and editors. The uploading of the document automatically converts it from a .doc file to an .html or .PDF file.
Endogenous Polyphenoloxidase Activity Associated with the “Black Ring” Defect in Canned Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Root Slices

Discoloration of canned beet root slices resulted after 5–10 min exposure of beet roots to live steam, and subsequent incubation of slices in air at least 20 min. The “black ring” of discoloration moved radially toward the center of the slice as time of steam-peeling was increased. Dipping slices (prepared after steam-peeling) in solutions of inhibitors of PPO before incubation in air inhibited or prevented discoloration. Based on these data, thermal stability of PPO and POX, heat penetration profiles, and location of the discoloration zone, a model to explain discoloration was developed.
Tissue-specific expression of GLP1R in mice: is the problem of antibody nonspecificity solved?

Accurate localization of receptors is of importance in the assignment of role for ligand-receptor signaling in the tissue of interest and conceivably derives functional meaning to receptor signaling in that tissue. For example, expression of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1R) on the β-cells of the pancreas indicates that GLP-1 via binding to GLP1R on these cells helps with secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Similarly, GLP1R expression in the liver takes on a different meaning due to the change in organ and organ function. Hence, it is imperative that tissue- and cell-specific expression profile is known for accuracy of conclusions drawn about role of GLP-1/GLP1R signaling in modulation of the function of an organ. So far, this has been elusive due to the paucity of “good” antibodies against GLP1R that produce accurate, reliable, and reproducible data (1,2). The commercially available antibodies as of today are thought to be either nonspecific (i.e., bind to other proteins in addition to GLP1R) or inaccurate (i.e., do not bind to GLP1R at all or are not sensitive enough to detect GLP1R in quantifiable amounts). The reasons for this are many. First, G-protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) are in general expressed in low numbers in vivo, making it difficult to generate sufficient material for immunization and can take many months to years to produce sufficient amounts. Second, the epitopes are made up of small discontinuous segments, making them inaccessible to standard peptide or recombinant protein technology as these small segments in isolation cannot fold or assemble together. Third, the epitopes are largely dependent on the membrane for structure and purification, and thus removal of the membrane typically results in …
LET-711, the Caenorhabditis elegans NOT1 Ortholog, Is Required for Spindle Positioning and Regulation of Microtubule Length in Embryos

Spindle positioning is essential for the segregation of cell fate determinants during asymmetric division, as well as for proper cellular arrangements during development. In Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, spindle positioning depends on interactions between the astral microtubules and the cell cortex. Here we show that let-711 is required for spindle positioning in the early embryo. Strong loss of let-711 function leads to sterility, whereas partial loss of function results in embryos with defects in the centration and rotation movements that position the first mitotic spindle. let-711 mutant embryos have longer microtubules that are more cold-stable than in wild type, a phenotype opposite to the short microtubule phenotype caused by mutations in the C. elegans XMAP215 homolog ZYG-9. Simultaneous reduction of both ZYG-9 and LET-711 can rescue the centration and rotation defects of both single mutants. let-711 mutant embryos also have larger than wild-type centrosomes at which higher levels of ZYG-9 accumulate compared with wild type. Molecular identification of LET-711 shows it to be an ortholog of NOT1, the core component of the CCR4/NOT complex, which plays roles in the negative regulation of gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in yeast, flies, and mammals. We therefore propose that LET-711 inhibits the expression of ZYG-9 and potentially other centrosome-associated proteins, in order to maintain normal centrosome size and microtubule dynamics during early embryonic divisions.
High-performance InP-based HEMT millimeter-wave low-noise amplifiers

Quarter-micron InAlAs/InGaAs planar-doped HEMTs (high-electron-mobility transistors) lattice-matched to InP have exhibited state-of-the-art noise and gain performance at frequencies up to 94 GHz. Minimum noise figures of 0.5, 1.2, and 2.1 dB have been measured at 18, 60, and 94 GHz, respectively. Small signal gains as high as 15.4 and 12.0 dB have been obtained at 63 and 95 GHz, respectively. Using 0.25 mu m InP-based HEMTs, a V-band three-stage amplifier yields an average noise figure of 3.0 dB with a gain of 22.0 +or-0.2 dB from 60 to 65 GHz at W-band, a two-stage amplifier exhibits a noise figure of 4.5 dB with a gain of 10.2 dB at 90.4 GHz, and a three-stage amplifier shows a noise figure of 4.8 dB with a gain of 15.0 dB at 90.4 GHz. It is concluded that these results clearly show the great potential of InP-based HEMTs for high-performance millimeter-wave low-noise receiver applications. >
Multi-Dimensional Femtosecond Pulse Shaping

There has been considerable attention recently regarding the shaping of ultrashort optical pulses into waveforms with arbitrary temporal profiles [1–3]. Applications to ultrafast optical switching [2] and coherent control of quantum mechanical systems have been demonstrated [3] and further results can be anticipated. Optical processing of shaped waveforms and their interconversion to and from spatial images have also been reported [4,5]. More recently, ultrafast time-varying two-dimensional spatial images have been generated using volume holographic techniques [6]. Here we demonstrate combined temporal and spatial shaping of ultrashort optical pulses based on linear spectral filtering of spatially separated frequency components [1–3]. This permits generation of coherent high-fidelity ultrashort optical waveforms with tailored profiles along both the propagation direction, i.e. the temporal coordinate, and one perpendicular direction, i.e. one spatial coordinate. Temporal and spatial pulse shaping offers novel possibilties for manipulation of propagating excitations and other non-local material responses, and permits a very large multiplex advantage in terahertz-bandwidth optical signal generation.
Primed to Understand Fibrinogen in Cardiovascular Disease.

Fibrinogen is a 340-kDa glycoprotein that circulates in healthy humans at 2 to 4 mg/mL; however, fibrinogen is an acute phase protein synthesized in the liver, and its circulating levels can exceed 7 mg/mL during acute inflammation. Elevated fibrinogen levels are associated with increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD).1,2 Healthy mice infused with unfractionated human fibrinogen and subjected to FeCl3-mediated carotid artery injury have a shortened time to vessel occlusion and increased resistance of thrombi to acute thrombolysis, suggesting that elevated fibrinogen independently contributes to thrombosis.3,4 See accompanying article on page 2700 of the December 2015 issue Fibrinogen is composed of two sets of three polypeptide chains: Aα, Bβ, and γ. Alternative splicing of the γA chain leads to synthesis of a γ′ chain containing a unique 20-amino acid sequence at the C terminus. Between 8% and 15% of circulating fibrinogen in healthy individuals contains a γ′ chain (γA/γ′). Cross-sectional and retrospective studies have associated elevated circulating levels of the γA/γ′ isoform with increased incidence of coronary artery disease,5 myocardial infarction,6 and ischemic stroke.7–9 The observation that some patients have an increased γ′-to-total fibrinogen ratio7–11 suggests that γA/γ′ fibrinogen is not simply a biomarker for increased total fibrinogen. Together with data from in vitro …
Component Model-Based Remedial Treatment of Reading Disabilities

In the US, children with average or higher intellectual ability but have difficulty in learning to read are described as having Learning Disability (LD, hereafter). The assumption that underlies the classification of poor readers into the LD and non-LD categories is that there are qualitative differences in the cognitive skills of these categories of poor readers. In addition to the questionable validity of this assumption (e.g., Fletcher, 1992), implementation of the discrepancy formula has run into several conceptual and practical problems. One of the difficulties arises from certain statistical problems and computational difficulties associated with the formula itself (c.f., Reynolds, 1985). During the course of the past few years, some of these statistical bugs have been removed and the formula patched up. Nevertheless, a major problem of a practical nature remains. That is, the correlation between IQ and reading achievement seldom exceeds.50 indicating that IQ scores do not account for more than 25% of variance seen in the reading performance of children from elementary grades (Stanovich, Cunningham, & Feeman, 1984). This means IQ is not a potent predictor of reading potential. Another conceptual problem arises from the likelihood that IQ does not influence reading ability unidirectionally, but that the relationship between IQ and reading is reciprocal in the sense that not only the level of IQ can influence the reaing score but reading experience also can affect IQ.
The role of surgical staging in grade 1 endometrioid corpus cancer

5009 Background: To evaluate the role of surgical staging of patients with grade 1 endometrioid uterine cancer. Methods: Data including stage, histology, grade, lymph nodes involvement and disease-...
Estimation of water solubility and octanol/water partition coefficient of hydrophobie dyes: Part I: Relationship between solubility and partition coefficient

Abstract Three regression approaches are examined for use in estimating water solubilities and octanol/water partition coefficients, two fundamental equilibrium constants that are widely used in predicting the fate of organic chemicals in aquatic systems. Approaches examined are regression of solubility against partition coefficient, determination of the product of solubility and partition coefficient, and application of an equation from Yalkowsky and Valvani (3. Pharm. Sci., 69 (1980) 912). The regressions are based on data for water solubility, octanol/water partition coefficient, entropy affusion, and melting point of 20 disperse and solvent dyes. In the study all three methods produced more reliable data on dyes than other equations available in the literature. Root-mean-square deviations are on the order of a factor of four to six for all three methods. Factors such as purity, polymorphism, tautomerization, polarization and hydrogen bonding are suggested as factors precluding the development of highly reliable prediction relationships between solubility and partition coefficient of dyes. Sources of error in both the data and methodologies are discussed. The study also provided information on entropies affusion, which ranged from 50.7 to 136 and averaged 78.8 J mol K. Anthraquinone dyes exhibited much lower entropies affusion than did many azo dyes. Thus use of an average entropy in estimation is inappropriate for dyes and leads to more error than neglecting the change in heat capacity.
The Tolerance of Imported Commodities to Fumigation with Methyl Bromide

In laboratory tests (1956–66) of various imported commodities, honeydew melons from Chile tolerated fumigation with methyl bromide at 64 mg per liter for 2 hours when the temperature was near 5.6 or 12.8 and the atmospheric pressure was normal (NAP), but some were injured by a rate of 48 mg per liter for 3.5 hours or 64 mg per liter for 3 hours at 12.8-14.4. Insect mortality tests with adults of confused flour beetles, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin duVal, which were inserted into the centers of the melons indicated methyl bromide penetration was slow but substantial. Seeds of Vicia faba L. tolerated 128 mg per liter for 7 hours NAP at 5.0 and 64 mg per liter for 2.5–4 hours at 660-mm sustained vacuum and 22.8–5.6. The Royal variety of apricots from the Union of South Africa tolerated fumigation NAP with 56 mg per liter for 2 hours at 23.3 or for 3 hours at 8.3, and the Barlenka, Waltham Cross, and Alphonse varieties of grapes tolerated 80 mg per liter NAP for 2 hours at 23.3 or 8.3. Also, varieties Emperor and Almeria grapes from Chile tolerated commercial fumigation under tarpaulin with 64 mg per liter for 2.5 hours at 4.4–6.1, and Rosaki grapes from Crete tolerated cold treatment for 12 days at 1.1 preceded by 2.5-hours fumigation with 48 mg per liter at 12.8 or preceded or followed by 56 mg per liter at 5.6. The keeping quality of Almeria grapes from Spain was poor after they received cold treatment for 16 days at 2.2 upon arrival, preceding or following similar fumigations.
EEG Theta Activity, Cognitive Disorders and ADHD

The relation between resting EEG theta activity and poor performance in attention-demanding cognitive tasks in 46 unmedicated children/adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) was studied at Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; and Heinrich-Heine University of Dusseldorf, Germany.
On intergroup harmonization, competition and collision in the social organizations

Groups are basic cells and subsystems, which constitute the social organizations. Under the conditions of the market economy, modern administration mainly focuses on groups. Fulfilling the tasks and realizing the organizations' goal depend on intergroup harmonization. Usually, it can hardly avoid the competition between groups. Administrators should be responsible for correctly distinguishing the types of collisions, applying suitable administrative methods and instruments to resolve such problems so as to ensure the realization of the social organizations' goal.
Transluminal endoscopic cholecystectomy: changing the paradigm

BACKGROUND: Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) is emerging as a novel approach in minimally invasive surgery. Cholecystectomy, the most common elective procedure in general surgery, has benefited from the minimally invasive approach, and may be applicable for NOTES. METHODS: A literature search was performed in PubMed. The results are analyzed together with our work at the University of Missouri. RESULTS: Fifteen articles, ten animal studies and five human case reports, were found. Mostly, transluminal cholecystectomy is performed as a hybrid procedure with laparoscopy regardless of the transluminal route used. Retraction, exposure and stable dissection are hurdles that need attention. All human studies used a hybrid approach with one ore more laparoscopic ports. Cholecystectomies were successful without any complication in all patients reported. CONCLUSIONS: Further development in technology needs to be done, so that pure NOTES cholecystectomy will become a reality in clinical practice.
Effect of chronic hypoxia on myometrial responsiveness in the pregnant rat

Mechanisms involving the timing of normal parturition are not well understood in most animal species. To gain a greater understanding of the mechanisms, we employed hypoxia to perturb the normal system of parturition. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of chronic hypoxia on myometrial contractility in the near-term pregnant rat. Rats were exposed to room air (control) or to continuous hypoxia (10.5% O2) either from experimental days 19 through 21 (2-day exposure) or from experimental days 15 through 21 (6-day exposure). On day 21, blood was collected for hormone assays, and the uterine horns were collected from each dam. One horn was snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen for oxytocin (OT) receptor analysis, and the other was used for in vitro assessment of myometrial contractile responses to cumulative doses of OT or arginine vasopressin (AVP). Hypoxic exposure resulted in approximately 60% reduction of the maximal myometrial contractile response to OT and a significant reduction in OT binding sites from 256.9 +/- 34.9 to 84.9 +/- 21.3 fmol/mg protein (P 0.05). Additionally, we observed no difference in the plasma concentrations of estrogen, progesterone, and corticosterone. We conclude that chronic hypoxia decreased the effectiveness of OT-specific contractile mechanisms, at least partially through a decrease in OT binding sites.
Deep causal mining for plant-wide oscillations with multilevel Granger causality analysis

Plant-wide disturbance such as oscillations are common in large-scale complex controlled processes whose effects propagate to many units and may deteriorate overall control performance. It is important to capture the major causal relationship within the plant and diagnose the root cause along with complete propagation paths. This paper presents a novel multilevel Granger causality framework for root cause diagnosis. The high level is regarded as a group-wise analysis, which is clustered by dynamic time warping-based K-means method and investigated using group Granger causality. The low level is individual causal reasoning within each group where a partial least squares modified Granger causal test is developed to overcome multicollinearity issue. The proposed causality analysis framework is validated through a benchmark industrial case study to show its effectiveness and superiority.
Assessing the Maximum Predictive Validity for Neuropharmacological Anxiety Screening Assays Using Zebrafish

The development of reliable pharmacological screening assays is an important task. However, it is based upon the ability of animal models, such as the zebrafish, to demonstrate predictive validity for a specific set of drug classes. A popular assay used for this purpose is the novel tank diving paradigm, where zebrafish behavior can easily be modulated by anxiolytic or anxiogenic drug exposure. However, predictive validity may fail to provide crucial information about the model, such as comparisons of drug efficacy and the effects of drugs on varying behavioral phenotypes. This deficit is accounted for by a novel measure termed the Maximum Predictive Value (MPV), which provides an estimate of how sensitive a particular model is when assessing its potential pharmacologically. Here we provide a protocol detailing how to employ this measure to validate behavioral endpoints in the novel tank test for use in pharmacological studies in zebrafish. Similar approaches can be used to examine drug efficacy in other zebrafish-based behavioral tests.
Gender and Choosing a STEM Major in College: Femininity, Masculinity, Chilly Climate, and Occupational Values.

Masculinity and femininity have played a substantial role in how social scientists explain the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. The masculine culture of science is thought to be inconsistent with occupational values associated with feminine personalities, and to create a discriminatory academic environment for those who cannot adapt to it. However, there has been little systematic investigation into the extent to which masculine and feminine personality characteristics are actually correlated with STEM career outcomes, or how the effects of masculine and feminine personality characteristics on STEM career outcomes may be different when embodied in women compared to men. This study tests several hypotheses concerning the relationship of masculine and feminine personality characteristics to occupational values, perceptions of academic climate, and selection of a STEM major in college among a sample of 752 students enrolled at a major public university. We find little support for the hypothesis that masculine personality characteristics are especially rewarded in STEM majors. However, we also find that women pay a femininity penalty in STEM majors, while more abundant feminine personality traits in men render them more likely to major in a STEM field, after accounting for occupational values. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 54: 299–323, 2017
“Step Out of the Cycle”: Needs, challenges, and successes of international undergraduates at a U.S. University

Abstract A triangulated, mixed-methods needs analysis was conducted in order to inform the redesign of the English for Academic Purposes program that provides conditional undergraduate admission to a mid-sized U.S. university. Online surveys were completed by 191 students and 226 faculty. Although they largely agreed on the importance of 21 tasks and activities in undergraduate classes, students rated themselves as significantly more successful on most of them than did faculty. Qualitative data from open-ended comments and interviews with five international students provided both insight and complexity to the quantitative data. Factors for success (including persistence and engagement) and challenges for international students (linguistic, cultural, and academic) were identified as well as a need for greater tolerance from faculty and domestic students and better awareness and use of support services. Pedagogically, while academic literacy remains vital to university success, oral communication skills, especially the ability to engage in discussions and group work, are equally if not more important for international students.
X-ray emission from Comet Hyakutake exceeds expectations

The close approach of Comet Hyakutake last March provided an exceptional opportunity to study weak emissions from comets. Among the many discoveries made during the approach was the detection of a puzzling X-ray emission by both the Rontgen X-ray satellite (ROSAT) and the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE). Soft X-rays were measured with energies between 60 and 1000 eV and, to the surprise of scientists on both teams, the radiation was about 1000 times more intense than expected (C Lisse et al. 1996 Science 274 205).
Enhanced infrared detectors using resonant structures combined with thin type-II superlattice absorbers

We examined the spectral responsivity of a 1.77 μm thick type-II superlattice based long-wave infrared detector in combination with metallic nanoantennas. Coupling between the Fabry-Perot cavity formed by the semiconductor layer and the resonant nanoantennas on its surface enables spectral selectivity, while also increasing peak quantum efficiency to over 50%. Electromagnetic simulations reveal that this high responsivity is a direct result of field-enhancement in the absorber layer, enabling significant absorption in spite of the absorber's subwavelength thickness. Notably, thinning of the absorbing material could ultimately yield lower photodetector noise through a reduction in dark current while improving photocarrier collection efficiency. The temperature- and incident-angle-independent spectral response observed in these devices allows for operation over a wide range of temperatures and optical systems. This detector paradigm demonstrates potential benefits to device performance with applications throughout the infrared.
Illinois Bundleflower Forage Potential in the Upper Midwestern USA: II. Forage Quality

Illinois bundleflower [Desmanthus illinoensis (Mich.) MacMill] is a warm-season perennial legume native to the central USA. Little is known about its forage quality in the upper midwestern USA. Two experiments were established at four Minnesota locations in 2000 to evaluate the effects of N fertilization, maturity at harvest, and residual height of cutting on the add detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), crude protein (CP), in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and leaf proportion of three Illinois bundleflower (IBF) ecotypes. Whole-herbage forage quality was greatest (P < 0.05) at early flower in mid-July with average ADF, NDF, and CP concentrations of 315, 352, and 180 g kg. -1 , respectively. Fiber values increased to 412 and 479 g kg -1 , respectively, while CP decreased to 129 g kg -1 at late pod in mid-August. Leaf proportion decreased (P < 0.05) from 618 g kg -1 at early flower to 335 g kg -1 at late pod while leaf CP decreased (P < 0.05) from 216 to 147 g kg -1 . Whole-herbage IVDMD and IVTD concentrations decreased (P < 0.05) from 470 and 648 g kg -1 at early flower to 390 and 560 g kg -1 at late pod, respectively. increasing residual cutting height from 15 to 35 cm decreased (P < 0.05) ADF and NDF concentrations by an average of 50 g kg -1 and increased (P < 0.05) IVTD, IVDMD, and CP concentrations by 43, 39, and 20 g kg -1 , respectively. Illinois bundleflower can provide good quality summer forage in the upper midwestern USA, but more research is needed to ascertain the implications of its low IVDMD on animal performance.
Iron Carbonate Scale Growth and the Effect of Inhibition in CO2 Corrosion of Mild Steel

Investigations were conducted to investigate iron carbonate scale precipitation, the interaction between a corrosion inhibition and the precipitating iron carbonate scale, and their effects on the corrosion rate. Both the effects of iron carbonate precipitation on inhibited and uninhibited surfaces and the effects of inhibition on surfaces with iron carbonate scale were studied. The experiments were done in glass cells at 80 °C and a iron carbonate supersaturation range of 7 – 150. A generic imidazoline based inhibitor was added at various points in the iron carbonate scale formation process. Both corrosion rates and precipitation rates were measured using electrochemical and weight gain/loss methods. The scale was later analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the dissolved ferrous ion concentration method, used previously, overestimates the rate of iron carbonate precipitation. Although no antagonism was found under any of other conditions tested, it was seen that the addition of the inhibitor retarded the growth of the iron carbonate scale.
When Tobacco Was King: Families, Farm Labor, and Federal Policy in the Piedmont

Evan P. Bennett. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2014. x and 152 pp., map, photos, notes, bibliography, index. $74.95 cloth (ISBN 978-0-8130-6014-9).When Tobacco Was King: Family, Far...
Antibiotics for simple skin abscesses: the new evidence in perspective

Two studies, both published in New England Journal of Medicine in the last 2 years, go a long way in answering, once and for all, whether antibiotics are beneficial after incision and drainage (I&D) of simple skin abscesses. This is an age-old question in emergency medicine and one that grew more urgent with the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in the late 1990s and early 2000s. While CA-MRSA can cause serious invasive infections, it predominantly causes skin and soft tissue abscesses, mostly simple furuncles in young, healthy patients. Between 1997 and 2005, for example, ED visits for skin and soft tissue infections rose more than 50%, with 59% of culturable infections due to MRSA.1 Do all these furuncles we are now seeing really require a prescription for MRSA-active antibiotics? > ‘A strategy of routinely treating all skin abscesses with adjunctive antibiotics seems perfectly justified’. There have been many studies over the last 40 years examining the benefit of adjunctive antibiotics (in addition to I&D) for simple skin abscesses, though most are small and low quality. A 2013 meta-analysis, which pooled the results of the 12 highest quality studies and focused in particular on MRSA infections, found no evidence of benefit with antibiotics.2 The 2014 Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guidelines on skin and soft tissue infection treatment emphasise that providing good surgical drainage is the most important treatment for uncomplicated skin abscesses.3 The guidelines recommend reserving adjunctive antibiotics for complicated infections, defined as those with fever or toxicity, greater than 5 cm of surrounding cellulitis, or occurring in an immunocompromised host. Nonetheless, in an international poll of physicians who were given a hypothetical case of an uncomplicated skin abscess that had undergone I&D, only 31% voted for withholding adjunctive antibiotics. Respondents from North America were much more …
CLINICODEMOGRAPHIC PREDICTORS OF THE IMPACT OF INFECTIONS ON MYASTHENIA GRAVIS (P2.139)

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of infections on Myasthenia Gravis (MG) and its exacerbation and identify the clinicodemographic predictors which contribute to MG exacerbation needing Emergency Department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Background: MG is an autoimmune disease which necessitates use of long term immunosuppressive treatment and thus makes them vulnerable to infections. Design/Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 127 MG patients between 2011 and 2016. All acquired infections (vaccine preventable infections-VPI included were pneumonia and seasonal influenza and vaccine non-preventable infections-VNPI including opportunistic infections) were noted for each patient, compared to the immunization records, and analyzed for their significance in MG exacerbation. Results: The average age of the cohort was 61.9 years, average disease duration 8.8 years, 95% Caucasian population. A total of 212 flare-ups requiring 106 ED visits, 141 hospitalization, and an average admission for 6 days were noted. Infections were responsible for 34% of all MG exacerbation, 44% of ED visits, 40% of hospital admissions and second longest average duration of a hospital admission (approximately 7 days at total cost of $11000–14000). VPIs were the most common reason for MG exacerbation needing an ED visit and hospitalization-60% whereas only 20%VNPIs needed ED visit and admission. Common VPIs included pneumonia 16.5% and influenza 11%. Two patients had developed infection despite vaccine (both influenza), whereas rest were not immunized. The most common VNPI was an upper respiratory infection at 20%. Older patients (both at the diagnosis and current age) were at an increased risk factor for VPIs (p Conclusions: Infections (both VPI and VNPI) are one of the most common triggers for MG exacerbation and contribute to prolonged hospital admission and associated costs. Vaccine preventable infections are a common cause of MG exacerbation especially in older patients primarily due to lack of immunization. Study Supported by: University of Missouri Summer Research Program Disclosure: Dr. Kukulka has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gummi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Govindarajan has nothing to disclose.
ON THE TOPOLOGY OF NON-ISOLATED SINGULARITIES

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview on the topology of nonisolated singularities. It is well-known that isolated singularities of complex analytic or algebraic varieties possess interesting topological properties. The chapter presents the computation of the connectivity and homology of the Milnor fiber for a large class of examples, and these computations can be related to global properties, that is, homology, of singular protective varieties. It also presents the basic results of Kato and Matsumoto and presents the derivation of some straightforward consequences of standard exact sequences. The chapter presents a theorem that states that if n≥ 3. There is a one-to-one correspondence of smooth isotopy classes of simple fibered knots in S2n+1 and equivalence classes of unimodular bilinear forms. The correspondence associates to each knot its Seifert form.
Cytomegalovirus reactivation can be a cause of DAT-negative hemolytic anemia in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have a deregulated immune system that favors the development of a variety of autoimmune disorders [1]. Most autoimmune complications observed in the...
Optimum Procedures for Determining Ultrafine-Grain Sizes

A review is given of microscopic and X-ray methods for estimating grain size in compacted or sintered ceramics. Particular emphasis is given to two aspects of grain-size analysis that are often neglected. The first is the definition of an “average” size and the type of average that each procedure yields. The second is the sampling error and how this can be minimized for a particular procedure.
MultiSoft: Soft Sensor Enabling Real-Time Multimodal Sensing with Contact Localization and Deformation Classification

We introduce MultiSoft, a multilayer soft sensor capable of sensing real-time contact localization, classification of deformation types, and estimation of deformation magnitudes. We propose a multimodal sensing pipeline that carries out both inverse problem solving and machine learning tasks. Specifically, we employ an electrical impedance tomography (EIT) for contact localization and a support vector machine (SVM) for classifying deformations and regressing their magnitudes. We propose a deformation-aware system which enables maintaining a persistent single-point contact localization throughout the deformation. By updating a time-varying distribution of conductivity change caused by deformations, a single-point contact localization can be maintained and restored to support interaction using both contact localization and deformations.We devise a multilayer structure to fabricate a highly stretchable and flexible soft sensor with a short sensor settlement after excitations. Through a series of experiments and evaluations, we validate both raw sensor and multimodal sensing performance with the proposed method. We further demonstrate applicability and feasibility of MultiSoft with example applications.
The Role of the Clinical Educator in Teacher Preparation: An Exploratory Study of Perceptions of Preparedness

As the demands on P-12 teachers increase, so do the demands on teacher preparation programs. In higher education institutions across the country, coursework is regularly updated to reflect changing academic standards, increasing diversity in classrooms, rigorous certification exams, etc. In addition, accreditation standards have been updated to reflect the need for P-12 partnerships in best preparing teacher candidates. As a result, clinical practice has come under focus. Yet the role of the clinical educator remains unclear. There is a gap in the literature regarding the preparedness and support of clinical educators, particularly addressing their role in developing teacher candidates along with higher education faculty. The assumption is that P-12 partners are prepared to co-construct experiences for teacher candidates. But, in specifically looking at clinical educators’ preparedness, there is a small research base. In response, this paper presents a quantitative study of clinical educators perceptions of their role in mentoring teacher candidates.
Mathematics Teachers’ Learning: Identifying Key Learning Opportunities Linked to Teachers’ Knowledge Growth:

This study examines the role of several key features of professional development (PD) in bringing about changes in teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching. Artifacts (e.g., PD tasks, material...
The Role of Vitamin D in Pediatric Orthopedics

Understanding the role of vitamin D is an important component of the proper care of the pediatric orthopedic patient. Vitamin D is an essential component of bone metabolism in the growth and development of the pediatric skeleton, which can be acutely affected by changes to the body's vitamin D, calcium, and phosphate levels, resulting in pathologic conditions such as rickets or fractures. This article reviews the main areas in which vitamin D relates to pediatric orthopedics and highlights some of the areas where future research is being directed.