cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature interactions of the molecular chaperone Hsc70 from the eurythermal marine goby Gillichthys mirabilis.

SUMMARY Molecular chaperones participate in many aspects of protein biogenesis. Mechanistically, they recognize and bind to non-native proteins, prevent the aggregation of unfolded proteins and also, in some cases, facilitate refolding. Although a great deal is known about the cellular function of molecular chaperones in general, very little is known about the effect of temperature on molecular chaperones in non-model organisms, particularly in ectotherms that fold proteins under variable-temperature conditions in nature. To address this issue, we studied the temperature interactions of a major cytosolic molecular chaperone, Hsc70, from the eurythermal marine goby Gillichthys mirabilis . Using in vitro assays, we measured the intrinsic activity, unfolded-protein-stimulated activity, temperature sensitivity and heat stability of the ATPase activity of native Hsc70 purified from G. mirabilis white muscle. Similar to other chaperones in the 70kDa heat-shock protein family, G. mirabilis Hsc70 exhibited a low intrinsic ATPase activity that was stimulated in vitro by the addition of unfolded protein. Across the environmentally relevant temperature range (10–35°C), the ATPase activity of G. mirabilis Hsc70 displayed differential thermal sensitivity, with the greatest sensitivity occurring between 10 and 15°C and the least sensitivity between 15 and 25°C. In addition, the activity of Hsc70 was not significantly different between the unstimulated and unfolded-protein-stimulated treatments, suggesting that the ATPase activity and the peptide-binding domain of Hsc70 have similar thermal sensitivities in vitro . Finally, the thermal stability of Hsc70 ATPase activity greatly exceeded environmental temperatures for G. mirabilis , with activity up to 62.5°C. Overall, the biochemical characterization of the ATPase activity suggests that, although Hsc70 is not an extraordinarily thermally stable protein, it is capable of protein chaperoning cycles even at the extremes of environmental temperatures encountered by G. mirabilis in nature.
Revealing oxidation kinetics of dielectric-embedded Ag nanoparticles via in situ optical microspectroscopy

Abstract The oxidation kinetics of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in an aluminum oxide film deposited on quartz have been assessed via an in situ real-time monitoring of plasmonic evolution during thermal processing in air. A temperature-dependent exponential decay in the peak intensity of Ag NPs’ absorption was revealed, which was analyzed through first-order kinetics. An activation energy of 3.28 (±0.27) × 10 4 J mol −1 was estimated in good agreement with the oxidative dissolution of similar-sized Ag NPs in liquid phase reported by Ho et al. [11] . Results are discussed in the context of mechanistic parallelisms and physico-chemical interactions in the air-atmosphere/nanocomposite-film/substrate system.
Advances in phone-based modeling for automatic accent classification

It is suggested that algorithms capable of estimating and characterizing accent knowledge would provide valuable information in the development of more effective speech systems such as speech recognition, speaker identification, audio stream tagging in spoken document retrieval, channel monitoring, or voice conversion. Accent knowledge could be used for selection of alternative pronunciations in a lexicon, engage adaptation for acoustic modeling, or provide information for biasing a language model in large vocabulary speech recognition. In this paper, we propose a text-independent automatic accent classification system using phone-based models. Algorithm formulation begins with a series of experiments focused on capturing the spectral evolution information as potential accent sensitive cues. Alternative subspace representations using principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis with projected trajectories are considered. Finally, an experimental study is performed to compare the spectral trajectory model framework to a traditional hidden Markov model recognition framework using an accent sensitive word corpus. System evaluation is performed using a corpus representing five English speaker groups with native American English, and English spoken with Mandarin Chinese, French, Thai, and Turkish accents for both male and female speakers.
Pushing Sensor Network Computation to the Edge

Sensor Networks consist of multiple devices equipped with some sensing apparatus. The devices in the network may be homogeneous or heterogeneous, yet they will coordinate in order to accomplish a pre-defined task. With the rising interest in the use of Sensor Networks in various applications, the sensor nodes need to subsist in a dynamic environment and react in a timely fashion to environmental stimuli. Unfortunately, the current paradigm in Sensor Network relies on static tasking of the nodes to support a common task; which ultimately leads to deployment of various networks to cover a common area so long as the tasks and owners of these networks differ. Straying away from this paradigm, our work introduces a framework to enable nodes to support dynamic tasking in a dynamic environment by pushing computation to the edge through FPGA-based reconfigurable nodes with increased processing power. Furthermore, we contend that the sensing apparatus available on the nodes limits the range of applications that such nodes will support. As such, reconfigurability of the nodes can yield the most efficient and responsive hardware implementation of algorithms to support common tasks of applications. The benefits of our approach are highlighted through the introduction of a target-tracking node that is reconfigurable and provides increased response time to stimuli.
Identifying and Testing for Hereditary Susceptibility to Common Cancers

Hereditary cancer syndromes account for an estimated 5% of breast, ovarian, and colon cancers. The rapid discovery of cancer-related genes in the last 15 years has propelled the field of cancer genetic risk assessment forward. With patients becoming increasingly aware of available genetic testing options, it is important that various health professionals become knowledgeable in identifying and advising patients at increased risk for a hereditary cancer syndrome. This article will outline the components of providing a hereditary cancer risk assessment with a focus on hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome and hereditary colon cancer.
Diode characterization in a microstrip measurement system for high power microwave power transmission

A method has been devised to experimentally characterize a packaged diode by insertion in a microstrip test mount. The diode was shunt-mounted to the ground plane where a network analyzer measured the scattering parameters from the two-port test fixture. The equivalent circuit parameters were extracted from the measured data. A large signal measurement using the same test mount has also been configured to determine the power conversion efficiency from RF to DC as well as to determine the embedded network impedance of the diode. Experimental characterization, conversion efficiencies, and input impedance of a GaAs Schottky barrier diode are presented. The method is quite general and can be used for characterizing solid-state devices for other applications. >
Male reproduction and environmental and occupational exposures: a review of epidemiologic methods

Concerns that chemical exposures in the environment have been detrimental to male sexual development and fertility have been heightened by reports of declining sperm counts over the past 50 years. Marked geographic variation has been found in semen quality and in the incidence of testicular cancer and certain urogenital defects. Debate continues over the existence, magnitude and significance of these trends, and how best to evaluate the hypothesis that in utero and childhood exposures to estrogenic compounds may be to blame. Epidemiologic methods for assessing the impact of hazardous substances on male reproductive health have been developed mainly in the area of occupational medicine, and this paper will review the currently recommended methods. These include questionnaires to determine reproductive history and sexual function; reproductive hormone profiles; and semen analyses such as sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. New research tools that show significant promise from the fields of clinical reproductive medicine and reproductive toxicology are discussed as possible additions to epidemiologic studies, including assays of sperm function and genetic integrity, and biomarkers of DNA damage. For population-based studies involving occupational groups or communities with environmental exposures, issues related to the cost, validity, precision and utility of these methods must be carefully considered.
Novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus infection requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a pediatric heart transplant recipient.

The novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus has been reported to have increased severity in patients with underlying cardiovascular and lung disease. Pediatric patients also appear to have an increased incidence of infection. The impact on cardiothoracic transplant recipients, especially in pediatric recipients, has not been established. We report the case of a 12-year-old boy with history of congenital heart disease who was transplanted in June 2001. In October 2009, it was found that he had developed severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was given as support. Importantly, the initial specimen evaluated by real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction was negative for novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The patient was successfully weaned from ECMO after 24 days, extubated at 6 weeks, and continues to make steady rehabilitative progress. Early suspicion for infection and initiation of treatment, even with negative testing, is essential for cardiothoracic transplant recipients during the current pandemic of novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.
Annual Research Review: Phenotypic and causal structure of conduct disorder in the broader context of prevalent forms of psychopathology

Background: A better understanding of the nature and etiology of conduct disorder (CD) can inform nosology and vice versa. We posit that any prevalent form of psychopathology, including CD, can be best understood if it is studied in the context of other correlated forms of child and adolescent psychopathology using formal models to guide inquiry. Methods: Review of both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of the place of CD in the phenotypic and causal structure of prevalent psychopathology, with an emphasis on similarities and differences between CD and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Papers were located using Web of Science by topic searches with no restriction on year of publication. Results: Although some important nosologic questions remain unanswered, the dimensional phenotype of CD is well defined. CD differs from other disorders in its correlates, associated impairment, and course. Nonetheless, it is robustly correlated with many other prevalent dimensions of psychopathology both concurrently and predictively, including both other ‘externalizing’ disorders and some ‘internalizing’ disorders. Based on emerging evidence, we hypothesize that these concurrent and predictive correlations result primarily from widespread genetic pleiotropy, with some genetic factors nonspecifically influencing risk for multiple correlated dimensions of psychopathology. In contrast, environmental influences mostly act to differentiate dimensions of psychopathology from one another both concurrently and over time. CD and ODD share half of their genetic influences, but their genetic etiologies are distinct in other ways. Unlike most other dimensions of psychopathology, half of the genetic influences on CD appear to be unique to CD. In contrast, ODD broadly shares nearly all of its genetic influences with other disorders and has little unique genetic variance. Conclusions: Conduct disorder is a relatively distinct syndrome at both phenotypic and etiologic levels, but much is revealed by studying CD in the context of its causal and phenotypic associations with other disorders over time. Advancing and refining formal causal models that specify the common and unique causes and biological mechanisms underlying each correlated dimension of psychopathology should facilitate research on the fundamental nature and nosology of CD. Keywords: Conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, taxonomy, etiology, homotypic and heterotypic continuity.
Self-deception's adaptive value: effects of positive thinking and the winner effect

There is a puzzle about why self-deception, a process that obscures the truth, is so pervasive in human behavior given that tracking the truth seems important for our survival and reproduction. William von Hippel and Robert Trivers argue that, despite appearances, there is good reason to think that self-deception is an adaptation by arguing: (1) self-deception leads to a positive self-perception and (2) a positive self-perception increases an individual’s fitness. D.S. Neil Van Leeuwen, however, gives persuasive arguments against both steps. In response, we will defend both propositions, thereby supporting the conclusion that self-deception indeed has adaptive value. The first premise will be bolstered by a survey of the philosophical literature and empirical work on self-deception, whereas the second will be strengthened by empirical research on a behavioral phenomenon known as the winner effect.
The gauge dependence of the graviton propagator

Although the gauge transformations of gravity involve four arbitrary functions, its «reasonable»operator transformations are distinguished by a single parameter. A one-dimensional set of «reasonable» gauges, connected by those transformations, can be established too. Among them, we find uniquely the Feynman gauge and the Landau gauge of gravity.
Distinct Roles of CaMKII and PKA in Regulation of Firing Patterns and K+ Currents in Drosophila Neurons

The Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) cascades have been implicated in neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory as supported by mutational analyses of the two enzymes in Drosophila. While there is mounting evidence for their roles in synaptic plasticity, less attention has been directed toward their regulation of neuronal membrane excitability and spike information coding. Here we report genetic and pharmacological analyses of the roles of PKA and CaMKII in the firing patterns and underlying K(+) currents in cultured Drosophila central neurons. Genetic perturbation of the catalytic subunit of PKA (DC0) did not alter the action potential duration but disrupted the frequency coding of spike-train responses to constant current injection in a subpopulation of neurons. In contrast, selective inhibition of CaMKII by the expression of an inhibitory peptide in ala transformants prolonged the spike duration but did not affect the spike frequency coding. Enhanced membrane excitability, indicated by spontaneous bursts of spikes, was observed in CaMKII-inhibited but not in PKA-diminished neurons. In wild-type neurons, the spike train firing patterns were highly reproducible under consistent stimulus conditions. However, disruption of either of these kinase pathways led to variable firing patterns in response to identical current stimuli delivered at a low frequency. Such variability in spike duration and frequency coding may impose problems for precision in signal processing in these protein kinase learning mutants. Pharmacological analyses of mutations that affect specific K(+) channel subunits demonstrated distinct effects of PKA and CaMKII in modulation of the kinetics and amplitude of different K(+) currents. The results suggest that PKA modulates Shaker A-type currents, whereas CaMKII modulates Shal-A type currents plus delayed rectifier Shab currents. Thus differential regulation of K(+) channels may influence the signal handling capability of neurons. This study provides support for the notion that, in addition to synaptic mechanisms, modulations in spike activity patterns may represent an important mechanism for learning and memory that should be explored more fully.
The Role of Gammaherpesviruses in Cancer Pathogenesis

Worldwide, one fifth of cancers in the population are associated with viral infections. Among them, gammaherpesvirus, specifically HHV4 (EBV) and HHV8 (KSHV), are two oncogenic viral agents associated with a large number of human malignancies. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms related to EBV and KSHV infection and their ability to induce cellular transformation. We describe their strategies for manipulating major cellular systems through the utilization of cell cycle, apoptosis, immune modulation, epigenetic modification, and altered signal transduction pathways, including NF-kB, Notch, Wnt, MAPK, TLR, etc. We also discuss the important EBV latent antigens, namely EBNA1, EBNA2, EBNA3's and LMP's, which are important for targeting these major cellular pathways. KSHV infection progresses through the engagement of the activities of the major latent proteins LANA, v-FLIP and v-Cyclin, and the lytic replication and transcription activator (RTA). This review is a current, comprehensive approach that describes an in-depth understanding of gammaherpes viral encoded gene manipulation of the host system through targeting important biological processes in viral-associated cancers.
Abstract 314: Longitudinal Changes in the Case-mix of Patients Admitted to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Background: Data on longitudinal shifts in diagnoses, co-morbidities, illness severity and procedure use among patients admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) are limited. Improving our understanding of the evolving case-mix of these critically ill patients has important implications. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized, elderly (age ≥ 65 years), fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries using Medicare Provider Analysis and Review files from 2000-2010. Analysis was limited to patients billed for a CICU stay. Using the Clinical Classification Software from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, we collapsed primary ICD-9-CM admission diagnosis codes into broad disease categories. We assessed for changes in patient demographics, primary admission diagnosis, co-morbidities (Elixhauser), organ failure, procedure use, and outcomes. Time trends were assessed using Poisson regression. Comparisons between patients in 2000 and 2010 were performed using chi-squared analysis. Results: Among 5.4 million CICU admissions from 2000-2010, the primary admission diagnosis changed substantially, with non-cardiac diagnoses becoming more prevalent (Table). Primary admission diagnoses of coronary artery disease (CAD) and congestive heart failure (CHF) decreased from 32.7% to 9.9% and 9.6% to 7.7%, respectively. In contrast, infectious diseases increased from 7.6% to 13.5% and respiratory diseases increased from 6.1% to 7.8% (p for trend < 0.001 for all). An increase in the percentage of patients with cardiovascular co-morbidities including CHF (11.9% to 28.7%), pulmonary vascular disease (1.2% to 5.1%), valvular disease (4.2% to 9.1%), and ≥1 organ failure (20.9% to 38.1%) was noted. Also, hemodialysis rates (2.7% to 4.2%), non-invasive ventilation rates (0.6% to 3.5%), and central venous catheter use (5.5% to 12.7%) increased, while pulmonary artery catheter use decreased (2.1% to 0.9%). Crude in-hospital mortality rate decreased from 9.4% to 8.3%. Conclusions: Case-mix of CICU admissions has shifted over the last decade, with a significant decrease in primary admission cardiac diagnoses but rising cardiovascular co-morbidities. The CICU has become a setting where patients with advanced cardiac conditions are treated for a wide variety of acute illnesses. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Probing the Fifty Shades of EMT in Metastasis

The involvement of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in metastasis has long been under debate. Recent efforts to probe the occurrence and functional significance of EMT in clinical samples and animal models have produced exciting but sometimes conflicting findings. The diversity of EMT underlies the challenge in studying its role in metastasis.
Strategic Planning Guidelines

The Arab Organization for mediation and conflict resolution was established two years ago, and it specialized in the mediation and conflict resolution through the intervention in ending conflicts and resolve or minimize the damage resulting from the conflict in the Middle East. It is an Arab committee of volunteer; it pops up from sub-committees of the Arab peace advocates of individuals and humanitarian institutions. This study will illustrate and demonstrate the strategic plan for the Arab Organization for Mediation and Conflict Resolution. Moreover, it will explain the mission of the organization, and how the strategic planning process that has been conducted to serve the organization's and the stakeholder's vision.
Large-Integer Multiplication Based on Homogeneous Polynomials

Several algorithms based on homogeneous polynomials for multiplication of large integers are described in the paper. The homogeneity of polynomials provides several simplifications: reduction of system of equations and elimination of necessity to evaluate polynomials in points with larger coordinates. It is demonstrated that a two-stage implementation of the proposed and Toom-Cook algorithms asymptotically require twice as many standard multiplications than their direct implementation. A multistage implementation of these algorithms is also less efficient than their direct implementation. Although the proposed algorithms as well as the corresponding Toom-Cook algorithms require numerous algebraic additions, the Generalized Horner rule for evaluation of homogeneous polynomials, provided in the paper, decrease this number twice.
Femtosecond Heterodyne Transient Grating Studies of Nonradiative Deactivation of the S2 (11Bu+) State of Peridinin: Detection and Spectroscopic Assignment of an Intermediate in the Decay Pathway

Femtosecond heterodyne transient grating spectroscopy was employed to investigate the nonradiative decay pathway from the S2 (11Bu+) state to the S1 (21Ag–) state of peridinin in methanol solution. Just as previously observed by this laboratory for β-carotene in benzonitrile, the real (absorption) and imaginary (dispersion) components of the transient grating signal obtained with Fourier transform spectral interferometry from peridinin exhibit ultrafast responses indicating that S2 state decays in 12 fs to produce an intermediate state, Sx. The excited state absorption spectrum from the Sx state of peridinin, however, is found to be markedly blue-shifted from that of β-carotene because it makes a substantial contribution to the signal observed with 40 fs, 520 nm pulses. The results of a global target analysis and numerical simulations using nonlinear response functions and the multimode Brownian oscillator model support the assignment of Sx to a displaced conformation of the S2 state rather than to a vibr...
A Review of Four Phenomenological Models that Describe the Engineering Material Properties of Avian Tendon

Abstract Phenomenological models were used to characterize the quasistatic uniaxial tensile loading curve of avian Gastrocnemius tendon as a continuous function. Models 1 and 2 showed that the loading phenomenon could be expressed by linear and nonlinear material parameters (C, D, and Γ) and by time-dependent constant (μ). For tendons from 6-wk-old broiler breeders, average values for C, D, and Γ were 215.3, 39.9, and 1,861.8 kPa, respectively. The average value for μ in Model 1 was 16.1, and the average value for μ in Model 2 was .73. Models 3 and 4 used linear material parameters (A, K), nonlinear material parameters (G), and material exponents (B, f), but did not consider loading response to be time-dependent. Using Model 3 to describe the loading curve of tendons from 6-wk-old broiler breeders, average values for A and B were 832.3 kPa and 1.06, respectively. Using Model 4 to describe the loading curve of these tendons, average values for K, G, and f were 160.6 kPa, 15.1 kPa, and .99, respectively. The ability of each model to fit loading curve data of tendons from 2-, 4-, and 6-wk-old broiler breeders was determined by R2, which ranged from .91 to .99.
Effect of Background Radiation Change on Measurements of Iodine by X-Ray Fluorescence Technique

Energy spectra from a thyroid fluorescence scanner demonstrate inherent background radiation (excitation beam scatter), which interferes with the detection of characteristic iodine x-rays and influences imaging and iodine quantitation. The amount of scattering material within the beam field is one factor that varies the counting rate detected in the iodine peak region. The technique of constant background subtraction, which is found in conventional radionuclide scanners, is sub-optimal because a variable correction is required. A fluorescence scanning system that continuously monitors and subtracts background from the iodine peak region (dynamic background subtractor) was evaluated and found to make appropriate background corrections while scanning. Radionuclides administered before a fluorescence scan produce image artifacts and erroneous quantitation of iodine results, using either background subtraction technique.
PREDICTION OF FRACTURE IN THE BOTTOM LAYER OF SHAXIMIAO RESERVOIR IN GONGSHAMIAO STRUCTURE IN THE MIDDLE OF SICHUAN BASIN

The proximity coefficient of destructiveness of rock in the bottom layer of Shaximiao reservoir can be calculated basing on numerical simulation of the palaeotectonic stress field in Gongshamiao structure and the theory of rock strength. This coefficient and the productive materiel of oil wells have been comparatively analyzed, then the threshold level of the coefficient and the corresponding grade of the fracture development have been confirmed. Appling this standardization and the theory of lithomechanics and structural geology, combining the observation about fracture in the field and the productive materiel etc., a comprehensive analysis and prediction of the developmental situation of fracture in the bottom layer of Shaximiao reservoir have been made.
Towards Sociomedical Health Indicators

The stagnation of total mortality rates over relatively long periods of time in economically developed countries has reduced the value of mortality rates as indicators of the health status of populations in these countries. The insensitivity of mortality rates is quite noticeable in the United States where there is little to suggest that the increase in health services over recent years has resulted in improvements in the level of health. Even the infant mortality rate, long regarded as the most sensitive index of the level of health, is no longer a particularly useful indicator, despite the fact that the infant mortality rate of the United States suffers in comparison to that of many industrial nations [13]. The principal residual value of infant death rates is to reveal contrasts in health status within limited geographic areas as in large cities, as exemplified by a recent analysis in New York City [27]. Mortality rates are also useful for the assessment of specific diseases, but the present behavior of mortality rates have made moot the value of statistics of deaths from all causes as a measure of health in countries like the United States. The usefulness of biomedical indicators for population — based measures of health status is declining.
Dynamics of Service Encounters: Insights From Role and Interdependence Theories and Implications For Customer Satisfaction

This paper explains the dynamics of service encounters using concepts in role and interdependence theories. Antecedents of the service encounter are identified as roles, role expectations, role clarity, and comparison level. These variables influence what takes place in the personal interaction between the customer and service provider. In turn, such behavioral processes as role accuracy, inter-role incongruence, and use of power have important implications for customer satisfaction. Managerial implications of propositions are discussed to assist service marketers involved in people-based and high contact services.
Large-Scale Retail Trade

The four main groups or business units of the large-scale retail trade are: (a) Multiple shops (b) Department stores (c) Co-operative Societies (d) Supermarkets
Is cultural group selection enough

Richerson et al. propose cultural group selection (CGS) as the basis for understanding the evolution of cultural systems. Their proposal does not take into account the nature of cultural idea systems as being constituted at an organizational, rather than an individual level. The sealing partners of the Netsilik Inuit exemplify the problem with their account.
Hands-on software defined radio experiments with the low-cost RTL-SDR dongle

Software defined radio (SDR) is an exciting merger of digital signal processing and wideband radio hardware. The term SDR came into more common usage in 1992 by Dr. Joe Mitola, but actually had its beginnings back in 1984 at E-Systems. The ideal SDR receiver consists of an antenna connected to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) followed by a digital signal processing system (DSPS) to extract the signal of interest. Low-cost, as in $20, SDR receivers originally designed for digital video broadcasting, have been available for several years. Giving undergraduate students hands-on experience in this area is needed. In this paper we describe the details of an SDR laboratory experiment for students in a first semester communications theory course. Complete open-source SDR receiver software is used to get started, then coding of DSP algorithms is explored to process captured radio signals generated using test equipment and then actual over-the-air broadcasts. Being able to write code to process live signals and then see and hear the results really connects with the students. Both Matlab and Python support code libraries are available.
Transformational Leadership and Mission Valence of Employees: The Varying Effects by Organizational Level

ABSTRACTOriginally developed to explain the leadership styles of political leaders and societal reformers, the theory of transformational leadership is increasingly used to explain organizational performance in public administration. Transformational leaders supposedly use their inspirational abilities, motivational skills, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration to change employee aspirations and behavior, resulting ultimately in improved organizational performance. Using Bayesian SEM on survey responses of 2,786 employees of a state transportation department, this article examines the impact of transformational leadership on mission valence at three organizational leadership levels, with organizational goal clarity and performance management hypothesized as intervening mechanisms. Results show transformational leadership having the strongest impact on organizational goal clarity at the topmost leadership level, and on the use of performance management at the lowest leadership level.
Neuroimaging meta-analysis of cannabis use studies reveals convergent functional alterations in brain regions supporting cognitive control and reward processing:

Lagging behind rapid changes to state laws, societal views, and medical practice is the scientific investigation of cannabis's impact on the human brain. While several brain imaging studies have contributed important insight into neurobiological alterations linked with cannabis use, our understanding remains limited. Here, we sought to delineate those brain regions that consistently demonstrate functional alterations among cannabis users versus non-users across neuroimaging studies using the activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis framework. In ancillary analyses, we characterized task-related brain networks that co-activate with cannabis-affected regions using data archived in a large neuroimaging repository, and then determined which psychological processes may be disrupted via functional decoding techniques. When considering convergent alterations among users, decreased activation was observed in the anterior cingulate cortex, which co-activated with frontal, parietal, and limbic areas and was linked with cognitive control processes. Similarly, decreased activation was observed in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which co-activated with frontal and occipital areas and linked with attention-related processes. Conversely, increased activation among users was observed in the striatum, which co-activated with frontal, parietal, and other limbic areas and linked with reward processing. These meta-analytic outcomes indicate that cannabis use is linked with differential, region-specific effects across the brain.
Testing international education assessments

News stories on international large-scale education assessments (ILSAs) tend to highlight the performance of the media outlet's home country in comparison with the highest-scoring nations (in recent years, typically located in East Asia). Low (or declining) rankings can be so alarming that policy-makers leap to remedies—often ill-founded—on the basis of what they conclude is the “secret sauce” behind the top performers' scores. As statisticians studying the methods and policy uses of ILSAs ( 1 ), we believe the obsession with rankings—and the inevitable attempts to mimic specific features of the top performing systems—not only misleads, it diverts attention from more constructive uses of ILSA data. We highlight below the perils of drawing strong policy inferences from such highly aggregated data, illustrate benefits of conducting more nuanced analyses of ILSA data both within and across countries, and offer concrete suggestions for improving future ILSAs.
Self-assessment and self-explanation for learning chemistry using dynamic molecular visualizations

This poster investigates how self-explanation and self-assessment prompts can help students learn from dynamic visualizations of chemical reactions. We compared students' self-assessments immediately after the visualizations to self-assessments after visualizations plus explanation prompts. Immediately after interacting with the visualization students overestimated their understanding compared to their self-assessments after giving an explanation. Analysis suggests that generating explanations can help students identify weaknesses in their understanding of dynamic visualizations and develop more coherent views.
Transient response of a central crack to a tensile pulse

This experimental investigation studies the opening displacement of a central electromachined slot in a thin aluminum plate subjected to an elastic tensile pulse. The tensile pulse was generated by an impact apparatus, and in-plane displacements were measured by interferometric technique. Comparison with existing analytical and finite-element solutions was good for short times.
Popliteal Arterial Access

Among patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), the femoropopliteal (FP) segment is the most commonly affected, with >50 % of all peripheral artery occlusions involving the superficial femoral artery (SFA) and popliteal arteries. Disease in this segment often involves long, diffuse lesions and/or long chronic total occlusions (CTO) that tend to be heavily calcified. Most of these lesions are TASC (Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus) II C and D lesions, in which surgery is still preferentially recommended. Current endovascular therapies targeting long or even total occlusions of the entire SFA into the proximal segment of the popliteal artery (PA) are now feasible in more than 90 % of cases. Not infrequently, the CTO extends to the SFA ostium, making antegrade crossing difficult, if not impossible. Histologically, the proximal cap of an occlusion contains the greatest concentration of calcium and collagen and presents a convex shape which frequently deflects the wire to the subintimal space, while the distal cap is softer and concave, facilitating the entry of a wire from the retrograde approach. Retrograde popliteal arterial access is indicated when there is no ostial SFA “nub” or “stump” (chronic “flush” ostial SFA occlusion), difficult antegrade ipsilateral femoral access (i.e., morbid obesity, scarring, prior bypass grafting), difficult
A novel mode of capping protein-regulation by twinfilin

Cellular actin assembly is controlled at the barbed ends of actin filaments, where capping protein (CP) limits polymerization. Twinfilin is a conserved in vivo binding partner of CP, yet the significance of this interaction has remained a mystery. Here, we discover that the C-terminal tail of Twinfilin harbors a CP-interacting (CPI) motif, identifying it as a novel CPI-motif protein. Twinfilin and the CPI-motif protein CARMIL have overlapping binding sites on CP. Further, Twinfilin binds competitively with CARMIL to CP, protecting CP from barbed-end displacement by CARMIL. Twinfilin also accelerates dissociation of the CP inhibitor V-1, restoring CP to an active capping state. Knockdowns of Twinfilin and CP each cause similar defects in cell morphology, and elevated Twinfilin expression rescues defects caused by CARMIL hyperactivity. Together, these observations define Twinfilin as the first 'pro-capping' ligand of CP and lead us to propose important revisions to our understanding of the CP regulatory cycle.
Characterization of Additive Manufacturing for Process Tubing

Additive manufacturing (AM) is being considered as a primary manufacturing process for heat pipes. The Savannah River National Laboratory is researching AM to fabricate a hydrogen isotope separation unit for a thermal cycling absorption process that cycles from cryogenic to moderate temperatures and is a pressure boundary. AM is being explored as a replacement technology to improve heat transfer. Simple test samples with three internal geometries were designed and built from type 316L stainless steel using the powder bed fusion laser process. Nine test article geometries were prepared and subjected to tensile and burst testing and were interrogated using x-ray computed tomography and metallography. The parameters selected for processing the tubes produced a consistent product with acceptable tensile properties and microstructures; however, the process parameters used did not produce full density and minor modifications are needed to achieve full density.
Leveraging AI and Sensor Fabrics to Evolve Smart City Solution Designs

Cities have entered the age of the sensor and located sensors everywhere over and under cities. The sensors monitor a host of factors that assess City operations and life such as air quality, noise, city services and traffic. Further, the sensors have “gone mobile” with announcements of situation aware mobile sensor platforms designed for city-level security and public safety. These wearable sensor platforms combine video, audio, and location data with Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities. However, the many sensors and functional platforms have not yet made the cities employing these many diverse sensors truly Smart. We are analyzing why the success toward the Smart city is limited, or late in coming. The explanations for the constrained effectiveness are assigned to many factors, but one of significance can be teased from a long-accepted explanation that associates data, information, and knowledge. Smart Cities need to effectively use the sensor data and the information assembled from these interpreted and organized data to create knowledge that serves the city and its people by answering and resolving key problems and questions. But the systems and analytic models needed to associate these data from many sensors have yet to be designed, constructed, and proven in the complex cities of today. Thus, the data (and information from the diverse sensors) lacks crucial integration and coordination for decisions and sense-making. While these sensor-based systems were, and in many cases are meeting some intended functionally discrete goals, they appear to be better described as data collection tools feeding centralized analytical engines. They are point solutions with specialized or targeted sensors feeding specialized solutions. This is a significant limiting factor in a city's drive to improve the quality of life and the efficiency of the services a city provides to its stakeholders. In this paper we present current trends in Smart City development, emerging issues with data and complexity growth, and proposes a mean to leverage the advancing technologies to address the integration problem.
APacCHRIE and EuroCHRIE annual conference, Hong Kong, May 22–25, 2019

The aim of this paper is to recap and assess the APacCHRIE/EuroCHRIE joint conference held in Hong Kong from May 22–25, 2019. This recap presents key highlights relating to the meeting and event in...
Growth and Inequality in the Financial System

Wealth will enable management-level employees to raise their earnings above what they would otherwise be. They will save more out of their earnings from work and out of the profits of their capital than ordinary workers will save out of their earnings from labor and their profits from their (much less) capital. These points can be put together into a simple model, which shows that the working of the financial system will steadily lead to greater and greater inequality. This will interact with the real side of the economy—the next chapter.
Towards Vision Zero: Addressing White Spots by Accident Data based ADAS Design and Evaluation

Development of vehicle systems for driver assistance and automated driving contributes to the improvement of road safety. Previous studies within this project show the effectiveness of current Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for crash avoidance. All accident scenarios which cannot be solved by today’s ADAS, specified as white spots, show potentials for future systems. In this paper, white spot scenarios of the German In-Depth Accident Study (GIDAS) are analyzed in order to identify categories indicating potentials for collision avoidance by new ADAS. Regarding all rural and motorway scenarios of GIDAS with severe injuries, accidents with crossing and turning scenarios can be stated as the largest category among white spots. Using this information, a generic system for a crossing assist is implemented. Applying the method of prospective effectiveness assessment, the potential for collision avoidance of the crossing assist is evaluated based on scenarios of the GIDAS Pre-Crash-Matrix (PCM). The outcome of the work presented in this paper is a method for development and evaluation of future system approaches based on accident data simulation. This means closing the gap between previous studies on present ADAS effectiveness on the one hand, and the development of new vehicle systems for further reduction of severe traffic accidents on the other hand.
Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction (Ogilvie Syndrome)

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction or Ogilvie syndrome is thought to be caused by imbalance of the autonomic nervous system, specifically decreased parasympathetic activity. It usually affects elderly patients with a slight male predominance. It is also associated with trauma, burns, recent surgery, and various anticholinergic medications (opioids and clozapine). Patients usually present with abdominal distention, nausea, and vomiting as well as constipation. Ogilvie syndrome has a high mortality rate related to complications like ischemic bowel perforation, stressing the importance of a timely diagnosis.
Preliminary Development and Validation of the School Connectedness Questionnaire

School connectedness is the extent to which a student feels that adults and peers on their school campus care about their overall wellbeing. Students who exhibit high levels of school connectedness are at a reduced risk to engage in health-risk behavior, however students with and without disabilities may experience difficulty with developing high levels of school connectedness. Because of the importance of understanding levels of school connectedness, a scale was developed to measure levels of school connectedness for students in special education and general education in elementary, middle, and high school environments. The scale was developed by administering an initial set of 24 items from a researcher-created 40-item pool to 68 students with emotional and behavior disorders in special education and 132 students in general education. A principal components analysis was then conducted on those data; 10 items were chosen for a final set. The School Connectedness Questionnaire has been shown to exhibit high internal structure validity and moderate internal consistency reliability for both populations.
Accelerated Discovery of Potent Fusion Inhibitors for Respiratory Syncytial Virus

A series of five benzimidazole-based compounds were identified using a machine learning algorithm as potential inhibitors of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion protein. These compounds were synthesized, and compound 2 in particular exhibited excellent in vitro potency with an EC50 value of 5 nM. This new scaffold was then further refined leading to the identification of compound 44, which exhibited a 10-fold improvement in activity with an EC50 value of 0.5 nM.
Untenable dosing: A common pitfall of modern DLT-targeting Phase I designs in oncology

Abstract Background: There is increasing use of Phase I statistical designs to find a dose that causes rapidly emerging and particularly concerning severe or life-threatening toxicities (dose-limiting toxicities, DLTs) in a specified percent of patients most commonly 25%. While a convenient statistical framework, the foundation for selecting any specified target DLT rate, and its relevance to the recommended Phase II dose is generally lacking. Method: We surveyed 78 medical oncologists, most (69%) with experience as a principal investigator on a Phase I study, to ascertain their opinions related to this approach to Phase I studies and the targets often chosen. Results:Eighty-seven percent of respondents preferred severe toxicities in only 5%-10% of patients, consistent with 58% of respondents noting that 10% or fewer patients experience severe toxicities in the first cycle with standard outpatient treatments. The survey also documented in an example that the majority (62%) of physicians modify their patient selection during the conduct of the study based on observed toxicity and 78% note that higher toxicity is acceptable in patients where a cure is more likely. Conclusion: DLT-target rate designs search for a single target that is rarely well-supported in a patient population that is not stable. The most common target used is inconsistent with the toxicity of most clinically used drugs and investigator preference and can lead to the pursuit of unacceptable doses. Use of Phase I trial designs with a target DLT rate should be limited to settings with a well-justified target and should specify how the target relates to the recommended Phase II dose.