cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative mass spectrometry as a tool for nutritional proteomics

The goal of nutritional science is to determine the effect of dietary components. Proteomics has emerged as a method to study proteins on a large scale. The proteomic information gathered from a sample, whether a biological fluid, cell, or tissue, includes not only the identities of proteins present but also their quantities and posttranslational modifications. Recent advances in mass spectrometry make it possible to accurately measure concentrations of thousands of proteins derived from such complex biological samples. Quantitative data will provide increased understanding of the dynamic changes in the proteome induced by dietary components.
The Effect of Low Volume Interval Training on Resting Blood Pressure in Pre-hypertensive Subjects: A Preliminary Study.

ABSTRACTObjectives: Clinically pre-hypertensive adults are at a greater risk of developing hypertension, stiffened arteries, and other cardiovascular risks. Endurance exercise training has been shown to improve elevated resting blood pressure and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. However, a primary barrier preventing individuals from engaging in regular physical activity is a lack of time. The purpose of our study was to determine if a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocol would be as effective as continuous aerobic endurance training (ET) on resting blood pressure in pre-hypertensive participants. Additionally, this study investigated the effects of HIIT vs. ET on CRP.Methods: Twelve pre-hypertensive participants (33.3±6.1 yrs; 3M/9W) participated in 8 weeks of cycle ergometer exercise training. The ET exercised for 30 continuous min/day, 4 days/week at 40% reserve. The HIIT exercised at a 1:1 work-to-rest for 20 min/day, 3 days/week at 60% peak power. Resting mean arterial pressure and CRP wer...
Using cellular phones in higher education: mobile access to online course materials

Access to the Internet, which to date was mainly limited to desk-top computers, is now enabled through a wide range of portable devices. These devices include cellular phones, which are small, widespread, and afford a high level of intimacy. Information needed at a certain time, location or immediacy are typical kinds of information that are natural candidates for access via cellular phones [Seppala and Alamaki, 2002]. Four m-learning pilot projects are now in progress at the Open University of Israel (OUI) which include mobile accessibility to (1) discussion groups held on the Websites of academic courses; (2) video lessons (live & VOD); (3) audio books for students with learning disabilities (for cellular and MP3 players); and (4) administrative information (SMS messages). This paper reports on these four experiments, examining the types of use students may make with their cellular phones and other mobile devices to access support learning materials.
An initial fMRI study on neural correlates of prayer in members of Alcoholics Anonymous

ABSTRACTBackground: Many individuals with alcohol-use disorders who had experienced alcohol craving before joining Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) report little or no craving after becoming long-term members. Their use of AA prayers may contribute to this. Neural mechanisms underlying this process have not been delineated. Objective: To define experiential and neural correlates of diminished alcohol craving following AA prayers among members with long-term abstinence. Methods: Twenty AA members with long-term abstinence participated. Self-report measures and functional magnetic resonance imaging of differential neural response to alcohol-craving-inducing images were obtained in three conditions: after reading of AA prayers, after reading irrelevant news, and with passive viewing. Random-effects robust regressions were computed for the main effect (prayer > passive + news) and for estimating the correlations between the main effect and the self-report measures. Results: Compared to the other two conditions, the ...
The Problem of the Self-concept in Store Image Studies:

This article reports the results of an investigation of in-store interviewee bias in store image studies. The findings suggest that in-store questioning can inject significant bias into the results...
A Light-Emitting Diode- (LED-) Based Absorption Sensor for Simultaneous Detection of Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide.

A sensor was developed for simultaneous measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) fluctuations in internal combustion engine exhaust gases. This sensor utilizes low-cost and compact light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit in the 3-5 µm wavelength range. An affordable, fast response sensor that can measure these gases has a broad application that can lead to more efficient, fuel-flexible engines and regulation of harmful emissions. Light emission from LEDs is spectrally broader and more spatially divergent when compared to that of lasers, which presented many design challenges. Optical design studies addressed some of the non-ideal characteristics of the LED emissions. Measurements of CO and CO2 were conducted using their fundamental absorption bands centered at 4.7 µm and 4.3 µm, respectively, while a 3.6 µm reference LED was used to account for scattering losses (due to soot, window deposits, etc.) common to the three measurement LEDs. Instrument validation and calibration was performed using a laboratory flow cell and bottled-gas mixtures. The sensor was able to detect CO2 and CO concentration changes as small as 30 ppm and 400 ppm, respectively. Because of the many control and monitor species with infra-red absorption features, which can be measured using the strategy described, this work demonstrates proof of concept for a wider range of fast (250 Hz) and low-cost sensors for gas measurement and process monitoring.
Two Generalizations of a Property of the Catenary

A well-known property of the catenary curve is that the ratio of the area under the curve to the arc length of the curve is independent of the interval over which these quanti- ties are concurrently measured. We develop two higher-dimensional generalizations of this invariant ratio, and find that each invariant ratio identifies a class of hypersurfaces connected to classical objects from differential geometry. 1. INTRODUCTION. The largest man-made monument in the United States is an inverted weighted catenary. 1 Standing 630 feet tall, the Gateway Arch in Saint Louis sits aside the Mississippi river as a symbolic passageway to the west and commem- orates the westward expansion of the United States, realized in part by the Louisiana purchase of 1803. Although this arch supports only its own weight, catenary-shaped arches have been used for centuries to provide passageways through weight-bearing walls. To see why a catenary arch is so stable, we observe that an idealized chain suspended between two points will always try to form a catenary. Such a chain expe- riences only tension forces; inverting the shape into an arch reverses these into pure compression forces which act along the curve and never at right angles to it. The 17th- century English scientist Robert Hooke phrased it best: "as hangs the flexible chain, so but inverted will stand the rigid arch." (See Figure 1.)
Cellular therapy : An introduction

Cellular therapy is defined as the transfer, to the intact host, of living cells with the intent of introducing new host functions or correcting defective functions. The appeal and the promise of cellular therapy derive from the ability to manipulate, ex vivo, cellular and molecular biologic pathways in a way that is not possible in the intact organism.
Abstract B41: Hyperlipidemia and prostate cancer in African American men

Background: African American men suffer disproportionately from prostate cancer. Evidence suggests that hyperlipidemia may increase prostate cancer risk; however, studies examining the disease processes within African American men are limited. We evaluated hyperlipidemia in African American men with and without prostate cancer (PCa) to investigate new and existing associations of serum lipid levels and prostate cancer risk. Methods: From 2000 to 2004, 250 African American men, aged 40-97 years were recruited from an urban academic urology clinic. Cases had histologically confirmed prostate cancer. Controls were men without clinical cancer who were seen at the same clinic. Hyperlipidemia was defined as patient having one or more of the following: high triglycerides (>200mg/dL), high LDL (>160mg/dL), and/or high total cholesterol(>240mg/dL) serum levels. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) between lipid exposures and PCa. The adjusted model included age,family history of prostate cancer, obesity, alcohol use, annual income, and Gleason index. Results: From the patient population, we obtained 141 incident PCa cases and 109 healthy controls. We observed a significant association between hyperlipidemia (OR= 1.7 [1.0-3.1]; unadjusted) and PCa, as well as hypertriglyceridemia (OR= 2.1[1.0-4.5]; adjusted) and PCa. Hypertriglyceridemia showed significant associations with aggressive disease (Gleason≥7) in both unadjusted (OR = 2.8[1.1–7.4]) and adjusted models (OR = 3.5 [1.1–10.7]). Both income (OR=2.2[1.1-4.0]) and alcohol (OR=0.5[0.3-0.9]) were significantly associated with PCa. Furthermore, we observed significant interaction between hyperlipidemia and obesity (OR=4.7[1.0-21.8]; adjusted). There were no associations found between hypercholesterolemia or elevated LDL serum and PCa. Conclusions: This study adds to recent evidence that hyperlipidemia has a positive relationship with PCa in African American men. Citation Format: Sparkle Springfield, Adam Murphy, Beverly Ifeanyi Chukwudozie, Iman Martin, Chiledum Ahaghotu, Rick Kittles. Hyperlipidemia and prostate cancer in African American men. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B41.
Mobile responsive websites and local planning departments in the US: Opportunities for the future

As use of mobile technology grows rapidly, planning agencies experiment and adopt new policies to accommodate this increase. While a significant body of literature has extolled the growth and oppor...
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Review Article

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a novel therapeutic intervention for the replacement of severely stenotic aortic valves in high-risk patients for standard surgical procedures. Since the initial PARTNER trial results, use of TAVR has been on the rise each year. New delivery methods and different valves have been developed and modified in order to promote the minimally invasive procedure and reduce common complications, such as stroke. This review article focuses on the current data on the indications, risks, benefits, and future directions of TAVR. Recently, TAVR has been considered as a standard-of-care procedure. While this technique is used frequently in high-risk surgical candidates, studies have been focusing on the application of this method for younger patients with lower surgical risk. Moreover, several studies have proposed promising results regarding the use of valve-in-valve technique or the procedure in which the valve is placed within a previously implemented bioprosthetic valve. However, ischemic strokes and paravalvular leak remain a matter of debate in these surgeries. New methods and devices have been developed to reduce the incidence of post-procedural stroke. While the third generation of TAVR valves (i.e., Edwards Sapien 3 and Medtronic Evolut R) addresses the issue of paravalvular leak structurally, results on their efficacy in reducing the risk of paravalvular leak are yet to be obtained. Furthermore, TAVR enters the field of hybrid methods in the treatment of cardiac issues via both surgical and catheter-based approaches. Finally, while TAVR is primarily performed on cases with aortic stenosis, new valves and methods have been proposed regarding the application of this technique in aortic regurgitation, as well as other aortic pathologies. TAVR is a suitable therapeutic approach for the treatment of aortic stenosis in high-risk patients. Considering the promising results in the current patient population, recent studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this approach as a standard-of-care procedure.
Human Development in a Global Political EconomyPresidential Address

In the spirit of the late nineteenth-century founders of professional social science, this is a call for communities of international scholars to join to create a new global political economy. The ingredients of such a political economy include a description and explanation of how it works, a theory defining and justifying what is “good” and “just,” an interpretation to make it understandable, and a developmental theory of how the system evolved and how it will change. Certain steps are outlined to achieve such a goal.
Can Nonhuman Substrates Dream of Nirvana? Recuperating Subjectivity through Posthuman Spirituality in “Readymade Bodhisattva”

ABSTRACTCan an inorganic substrate such as an artificially intelligent android achieve Nirvana? Born free of the mortal coil and its toils, what is there for such an entity to awaken from, and to what end? Pak Sŏng-hwan's “Readymade Bodhisattva” (2004) interrogates this question and destabilizes the last bastion of existential aura our kind still holds dear to heart: spirituality. Reading the enlightened robot as an inverted image of the human subject, this essay explores a way out of anthropocentric ontology. I claim that the interactions between various parties of disparate ontological and social strata in the story show that the uncanny alterity of our own simulations is none other than our mirror images and suggest that what we deem to be the essence of our being may in fact be irreconcilably alien to who we are. Enlightenment, in this light, is the self-contradictory knowledge that admits to its own impossibility.
A Software Testing Process for the Reference Model of Competisoft

The reference model of Competisoft is composed of nine processes and a work within the context of the project Competisoft established some validation and verification activities in the process Software Development. Software test tasks are considered in the validation and verification activities, but these activities are not sufficient to define a Software Testing process in the organization which can be efficiently managed, controlled and improved. In this paper, we show how the reference model of Competisoft can be enhanced by adding another process called Software Testing. The main benefit for the organization is the promotion of a better control and management of software test tasks. A real-world case is shown in order to illustrate how an organization can deploy the process and the benefits that arise from that deployment.
Tightly Bounding the Shortest Dubins Paths Through a Sequence of Points

This article addresses an important path planning problem for robots and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which is to find the shortest path of bounded curvature passing through a given sequence of target points on a ground plane. Currently, no algorithm exists that can compute an optimal solution to this problem. Therefore, tight lower bounds are vital in determining the quality of any feasible solution to this problem. Novel tight lower bounding algorithms are presented in this article by relaxing some of the heading angle constraints at the target points. The proposed approach requires us to solve variants of an optimization problem called the Dubins interval problem between two points where the heading angles at the points are constrained to be within a specified interval. These variants are solved using tools from optimal control theory. Using these approaches, two lower bounding algorithms are presented and these bounds are then compared with existing results in the literature. Computational results are presented to corroborate the performance of the proposed algorithms; the average reduction in the difference between upper bounds and lower bounds is 80 % to 85 % with respect to the trivial Euclidean lower bounds.
Evaluation of fluidized bed asbestos segregator to determine erionite in soil

Three sets of soil samples were collected by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and one set by South Dakota School of Mines & Technology from in and around the Slim Buttes Land Unit of the Sioux Ranger District of the Custer–Gallatin National Forest in the northwest of South Dakota. The rocks forming the Slim Buttes are sedimentary clays, sands and gravels including re-worked volcanic ash-falls in which the zeolite mineral erionite has crystallized during diagenesis in a fibrous form or morphology similar to that of asbestos. The samples were prepared using the fluidized bed asbestos segregator (FBAS) and analyzed by phase contrast microscopy (PCM) or transmission electron microscopy to detect the presence of mineral fibers. FBAS–PCM results compared to semi-quantitative polarized light microscopy (PLM) and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated a recovery of approximately 1% and a linear relationship that likely can be extrapolated to concentrations well below the 1% detection limit of PLM. There were small variations between a PCM count of 10 fibers to a count of 100 fibers (or a maximum of 200 microscopic fields of view), which indicates the possibility of rapid turnaround of results. Although the four sets of samples examined in this work were collected by slightly different techniques, some tentative conclusions can be drawn about the distribution of erionite in soils. Erionite was detected in almost every soil sample, even those taken several miles from the outcrop, but without any distribution indicating recent transportation from the current volcaniclastic sediment outcrops. Removal of more extensive volcaniclastic sediments through erosion may have resulted in remnant material in soils, including erionite crystals, but this possibility requires further study. Although we have demonstrated that erionite in soils can be detected through FBAS–PCM, we have not attempted to correlate those results with human inhalation exposure through activity-based sampling, and thus, any risk inherent in working these soils is unknown.
Determination of Ibuprpfen in Aqueaus Solutions and Pharmacetical Preparations by UV-VIS Spectrophotometric.

A method has been developed for the determination of the ibuprofen drug in aqueous solution and pharmaceutical preparation using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The opitimum experimental condition were based on the formation of complex compound and studied, the best temperature (303 k°), reaction time (13 min), solvent extraction (3 ml) and extraction time (5 min). Mole ratio and Job –method was used to found the ratio between the ligand (drug) and the metal ion (Co), the complex output ratio of (1:1). Detection of limit =0.223 µg/ml, Re% =96.8, r =0.9561, linearity (1x10-3 – 2x10-2 M) and sandell sensitivity S =0.1008.
Lung Cancer Diagnosis by Fine Needle Aspiration Is Associated With Reduction in Resection of Nonmalignant Lung Nodules.

Background The rates of resection of nonmalignant lung nodules suspected preoperatively to be lung cancer vary widely and are reported to be as high as 40%. We determined the impact of the frequent use of computed tomography (CT)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) on the resection rate of nonmalignant nodules and frequency of resections of benign disease among patients undergoing evaluation for lung cancer resection operation in an academic medical center. Methods Eligible patients underwent CT-guided FNA, surgical resection, or both during the 12-month period between July 2013 and July 2014 for known or suspected first primary resectable stage I–III lung cancer. Patient data were extracted from the electronic medical records. Results One hundred ninety-seven patients underwent surgical resection; among them the overall resection rate of nonmalignant lesions was 13.1% (26/197). For those with preoperative FNA, the rate was 7.9% (11/139), and for those with no biopsy, the rate was 25.9% (15/58) ( p = 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of FNA biopsy were 96% and 98%, respectively. The false-negative rate was 3.9% (5/128). Conclusions The resection rate of nonmalignant nodules was significantly lower for patients with preoperative CT-guided FNA biopsy than in those without. The diagnostic accuracy of FNA in these patients at moderate to high risk for lung cancer is higher than that of positron emission tomography, with a low rate of adverse events. These findings suggest that the frequent use of preoperative diagnostic confirmation by FNA results in a low rate of nonmalignant resection.
Sculpting the Body Beautiful: Attachment Style, Neuroticism, and Use of Cosmetic Surgeries

Use of cosmetic surgeries has increased steadily over the last decade, and continues to rise in young and old alike. The purpose of present research was to investigate the relationship of personality to use of cosmetic procedures of various kinds. It was expected that adult attachment style, in particular attachment anxiety, would be positively related to use of cosmetic procedures. “Attachment anxiety” involves excessive approval seeking and concern over achieving and maintaining the love of significant others (such as romantic relationship partners). Such concerns could, in turn, lead to use of a variety of strategies for maintaining positive regard, including cosmetic surgeries to enhance physical appearance. Results supported this hypothesis, particularly among women. Neuroticism was also related to some procedures, though the relationships were generally weaker than those for attachment anxiety, and largely disappeared in regression analyses that controlled for the separate influence of the two variables.
Assessing the wavelength extensibility of optical patterned defect inspection

Qualitative comparisons have been made in the literature between the scattering off deep-subwavelength-sized defects and the scattering off spheres in free space to illustrate the challenges of optical defect inspection with decreasing patterning sizes. The intensity scattered by such a sphere (for diameters sized well below the wavelength) is proportional to its diameter to the sixth power, but also scales inversely to the fourth power of the wavelength. This paper addresses through simulation the potential advantages of applying shorter wavelengths for improved patterned defect inspection. Rigorous finite-difference time-domain 3-D electromagnetic modeling of the scattering from patterned defect layouts has been performed at five wavelengths which span the deep ultraviolet (193 nm), the vacuum ultraviolet (157 nm and 122 nm), and the extreme ultraviolet (47 nm and 13 nm). These patterned structures and defects are based upon publicly disclosed geometrical cross-sectional information from recent manufacturing processes, which then have been scaled down to an 8 nm Si linewidth. Simulations are performed under an assumption that these wavelengths have the same source intensity, noise sources, and optical configuration, but wavelengthdependent optical constants are considered, thus yielding a more fundamental comparison of the potential gains from wavelength scaling. To make these results more practical, future work should include simulations with more process stacks and with more materials as well as the incorporation of available source strengths, known microscope configurations, and detector quantum efficiencies. In this study, a 47 nm wavelength yielded enhancements in the signal-to-noise by a factor of five compared to longer wavelengths and in the differential intensities by as much as three orders-of-magnitude compared to 13 nm, the actinic wavelength for EUV semiconductor manufacturing.
Thermodynamically controlled preservation of organic carbon in floodplains

Organic matter decomposition in soils and terrestrial sediments has a prominent role in the global carbon cycle. Carbon stocks in anoxic environments, such as wetlands and the subsurface of floodplains, are large and presumed to decompose slowly. The degree of microbial respiration in anoxic environments is typically thought to depend on the energetics of available terminal electron acceptors such as nitrate or sulfate; microbes couple the reduction of these compounds to the oxidation of organic carbon. However, it is also possible that the energetics of the organic carbon itself can determine whether it is decomposed. Here we examined water-soluble organic carbon by Fourier-transform ion-cyclotron-resonance mass spectrometry to compare the chemical composition and average nominal oxidation state of carbon—a metric reflecting whether microbial oxidation of organic matter is thermodynamically favourable—in anoxic (sulfidic) and oxic (non-sulfidic) floodplain sediments. We observed distinct minima in the average nominal oxidation state of water-soluble carbon in sediments exhibiting anoxic, sulfate-reducing conditions, suggesting preservation of carbon compounds with nominal oxidation states below the threshold that makes microbial sulfate reduction thermodynamically favourable. We conclude that thermodynamic limitations constitute an important complement to other mechanisms of carbon preservation, such as enzymatic restrictions and mineral association, within anaerobic environments. Anoxic carbon decomposition is thought to depend on the energetics of electron acceptors. Mass spectrometry measurements of floodplain sediments reveal that the energetics of organic compounds can also determine whether they are decomposed.
Prototyping games with BIPED

We demonstrate the use of BIPED, a system that explores a new approach to supporting the early stages of game design. Using BIPED, a game designer can leverage a single, concise game definition to get both a playable prototype and a formal rule system. In this way, BIPED's two legs give a designer access to insight: the first through feedback from human players (revealing player hesitation, engagement, or fun) and the second through automated analysis (revealing emergent properties, exploits, and puzzle solutions). Our system focuses on board-game-like prototypes. On screen, human players manipulate individual tokens that are arranged on board spaces linked by paths. Using the mouse, they can trigger game events that interact with the designer-specified game mechanics. On the design side, designers have access to timers, allowing them to create interesting, real-time dynamics. In addition to play testing with human subjects, we support a form of machine play testing. Using only the game definition, our analysis engine is capable of imagining complete play traces showing a log of game state and events over time. To drill down on interesting scenarios, the designer may specify additional constraints and ask the engine to show only (and possibly all) traces that fit these constraints. Examples include: defeat happens at time seven, no more than six monsters are slain, and the player character always picks up treasures.
Assessing the culture of safety in cardiovascular perfusion: attitudes and perceptions.

Introduction:The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture was developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to assess the culture of safety in hospitals. The purpose of this s...
The Pacific Arctic Region: An Introduction

The Pacific Arctic region (PAR) is experiencing atmospheric changes, rapid seasonal sea ice retreat, seawater warming, regional ocean acidification, along with other environmental changes and biological responses in lower to upper trophic organisms. Both physical and biogeochemical modeling indicate the potential for step-function changes to the overall ecosystem, both under current and in the projected conditions. This volume of synthesis papers was coordinated within the Pacific Arctic Group (PAG), a network of international partners undertaking and facilitating collaborative research in the Pacific influenced Arctic seas and basin. It also serves as a product of activities from the 2007–2008 International Polar Year. The topics range from atmospheric and physical sciences to chemical processing and biological response to changing environmental conditions. Physical and biogeochemical modeling results highlight the need for continued data collection together with interdisciplinary modeling activities to track and forecast the changing ecosystem of the Pacific Arctic in response to climate change.
Longitudinal comparison of low- and high-velocity resistance training in relation to body composition and functional fitness of older adults.

Functional mobility disability affects more than one in five adults over 70 years and increases to 80% by 90 years. While negative changes in mobility are multifactorial, deleterious body composition changes contribute significantly. Resistance training alters the negative trajectory of physical function as well as increases lean mass among older adults. Recently, high-velocity (HV) resistance training has been indicated as an effective intervention to increase lean mass and functional performance. The present investigation compared body composition, physical function, and muscular strength changes between HV and LV resistance training programs. Participants > 65 years (n = 53) were randomly assigned to LV, HV, or active control (AC) group and participated in their respective intervention for 48 weeks. Analysis of covariance revealed no significant body composition changes over time between groups (p > 0.05). Eight-foot up-and-go performance improved in the HV and AC groups (p 0.05) over time. Muscular strength increased in both the LV and HV groups within the first 24 weeks, while only in the LV group, muscular strength continued to increase from 24 to 48 weeks (p < 0.05). Resistance training appears to be an effective intervention for improving aspects of physical function and muscular strength; however, no significant changes in body composition were observed over the 48-week intervention. Findings from the current investigation support use of resistance training for improving physical function among community-dwelling older adults.
Solving Square Jigsaw Puzzles with Loop Constraints

We present a novel algorithm based on “loop constraints” for assembling non-overlapping square-piece jigsaw puzzles where the rotation and the position of each piece are unknown. Our algorithm finds small loops of puzzle pieces which form consistent cycles. These small loops are in turn aggregated into higher order “loops of loops” in a bottom-up fashion. In contrast to previous puzzle solvers which avoid or ignore puzzle cycles, we specifically seek out and exploit these loops as a form of outlier rejection. Our algorithm significantly outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms in puzzle reconstruction accuracy. For the most challenging type of image puzzles with unknown piece rotation we reduce the reconstruction error by up to 70%. We determine an upper bound on reconstruction accuracy for various data sets and show that, in some cases, our algorithm nearly matches the upper bound.
In the Beginning, the Word

But the word was with James Joyce. Beckett was twenty-three, already a published poet, but very brash, bent over as he was the translation of a section of his idol’s Work in Progress (Finnegan’s Wake): Now here am I, with my handful of abstractions, among which notably: a mountain, the coincidence of contraries, the inevitability of cyclic evolution, a system of Poetics, and the prospect of self-extension in the world of Mr. Joyce’s Work in Progress.1
Human biomarker interpretation: the importance of intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and their calculations based on mixed models, ANOVA, and variance estimates.

Human biomonitoring is the foundation of environmental toxicology, community public health evaluation, preclinical health effects assessments, pharmacological drug development and testing, and medi...
Ultra-low blaze angle gratings for synchrotron and free electron laser applications

We have developed a method for the manufacture of x-ray diffraction gratings with arbitrarily small blaze angles. These gratings are made by a process in which a high blaze angle grating made by anisotropic etching of Si (111) is subjected to planarization and reactive ion etching. Differential etching of the planarization medium and silicon ensures reduction of the blaze angle. Repeated application of this process leads to gratings of increasing perfection with an arbitrarily small blaze angle. This opens the way to highly efficient low line density gratings, to damage resistant gratings for ultra-high power applications such as free electron lasers, and for extension of the use of gratings into the hard x-ray energy range for dispersive spectroscopy.
The Skillfulness of Virtue: Improving our Moral and Epistemic Lives

The Skillfulness of Virtue provides a new framework for understanding virtue as a skill, based on psychological research on self-regulation and expertise. Matt Stichter lays the foundations of his argument by bringing together theories of self-regulation and skill acquisition, which he then uses as grounds to discuss virtue development as a process of skill acquisition. This account of virtue as skill has important implications for debates about virtue in both virtue ethics and virtue epistemology. Furthermore, it engages seriously with criticisms of virtue theory that arise in moral psychology, as psychological experiments reveal that there are many obstacles to acting and thinking well, even for those with the best of intentions. Stichter draws on self-regulation strategies and examples of deliberate practice in skill acquisition to show how we can overcome some of these obstacles, and become more skillful in our moral and epistemic virtues.
Risk factors and prevalence of liver disease in review of 2557 routine liver biopsies performed during bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background Obesity is a known risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, among individuals undergoing bariatric surgery, the prevalence and risk factors for NAFLD, as well as distinct phenotypes of steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and fibrosis remain incompletely understood. Objectives To determine the prevalence and risk factors for steatosis, NASH, and fibrosis in individuals undergoing routine bariatric surgery. Setting Academic medical center in the United States. Methods Liver wedge biopsies were performed at the time of surgery between 2001 and 2017. Pathology reports were reviewed, and individuals were grouped by NAFLD phenotype. Covariates including demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, and preoperative laboratory values were compared between groups using Student’s t test, Pearson’s χ2, and logistic regression. Results Liver biopsies were obtained in 97.7% of first-time bariatric procedures, representing 2557 patients. Mean age was 45.6 years, mean body mass index was 46.7, and most were non-Hispanic white (76.1%) and female (71.6%). On histologic review 61.2% had steatosis and 30.9% NASH. Fibrosis was identified in 29.3% of individuals, and 7.8% had stage ≥2 fibrosis. On logistic regression, elevated aspartate aminotransferase (odds ratio [OR] 1.87; P 6.5% (OR 3.23; P Conclusions NASH and/or fibrosis is present in nearly one third of patients undergoing routine bariatric surgery. Risk factors include diabetes, elevated liver enzymes, and diabetes. Risk assessment and aggressive screening should be considered in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
Genotype-first analysis of a generally healthy population cohort supports genetic testing for diagnosis of hereditary angioedema of unknown cause.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a potentially life-threatening group of conditions that is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. As HAE is typically diagnosed by detecting C1 inhibitor deficiency, there is a critical need for methods that can identify affected individuals with normal C1 inhibitor. The recent discovery of associations between PLG K330E and ANGPT1 A119S and HAE of unknown genetic cause (HAE-U), has raised the possibility that genetic evaluation could be used to diagnose HAE-U in patients with unexplained angioedema or non-confirmatory laboratory testing. We analyzed genome sequences from a generally healthy population cohort of 2820 adults and identified PLG K330E in one individual. Subsequent review of this participant’s medical history revealed symptoms clinically attributed to allergy of unknown etiology but that are consistent with published descriptions of HAE patients carrying the PLG K330E variant. The participant, a 31 year old female, reported lip and tongue angioedema, without wheals, which did not respond to treatment with steroids or antihistamines. The genotype-first approach demonstrated that detection of PLG K330E in undiagnosed or misdiagnosed individuals can identify patients actually affected with HAE-U. The genetic diagnosis will facilitate selection of appropriate treatment, discontinuation of therapies ineffective for this condition, and timely diagnosis of affected family members. The results support a role of PLG K330E in the pathogenesis of HAE and suggest that genetic testing be considered as an approach to diagnose patients with unexplained angioedema.
Does dual-energy CT differentiate benign and malignant ovarian tumours?

AIM To assess the ability of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) to distinguish benign from malignant ovarian tumours (OTs). MATERIALS AND METHODS Following approval of the institutional review board, the institutional database was mined for treatment-naive patients who underwent primary cytoreduction for OT. Thirty-seven patients were included and divided into those with benign OTs (n = 11) and malignant OTs (n = 26), including high-grade (n = 20) and low-grade (n = 6) malignant OTs. Advanced processing and region of interest delineation on the ovarian mass were performed using the preoperative staging DECT examination using the Advantage Workstation. The pixel-level data of the CT attenuation values at 50, 70, and 120 keV and the effective atomic number (Zeff), water content (WC), and iodine content (IC) in the ovarian mass were recorded. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare CT attenuation data at different voltages, Zeff, and WC and IC levels between benign and malignant OTs and between high- and low-grade malignant OTs. Simple logistic regression was used to correlate the imaging characteristics with malignant status and grade. RESULTS Malignant OTs had significantly higher Zeff and IC compared with benign OTs. The threshold values for the diagnosis of malignant OT were IC≥9.74 (100 μg/cm3) with 81% sensitivity and 73% specificity and Zeff ≥8.16 with 85% sensitivity and 73% specificity. High-grade OTs had significantly higher WC compared with low-grade OTs, and a threshold of ≥1,013.92 mg/cm3 differentiated them with 80% sensitivity and 83% specificity. CONCLUSION DECT may be a tool to help distinguish malignant and benign OTs and predict tumour grade.
Grief and Loss in Displaced and Refugee Families

The central experience for almost all those displaced by conflict or disaster is loss. Understanding normal and abnormal grief reactions to loss is a key task for health workers in these contexts and will help them provide appropriate support, including assisting mourning. This chapter explores the wide variety of grief reactions that can occur in both adults and children and the manner in which this variation depends on a multiplicity of factors interacting with one another. These include attachment style, early experiences, cognitive factors, the type of loss and its meaning, and family, social, cultural and environmental factors. The chapter shows that the still popular ‘stage’ model for grieving is not relevant for most people and introduces the ‘dual process model of coping with bereavement’. The chapter emphasises that grief is not an illness but may have physical and mental health consequences. The second part of the chapter explores mourning and its importance in all societies as a means to acknowledge and accept a death, say farewell, provide socially sanctioned time periods for grieving and pay continuing attention to the dead while forming new attachments. Massive losses and displacement usually prevent appropriate mourning from taking place and are one of the major factors contributing to more negative grief reactions affecting both physical and mental health. The importance of assisting culturally appropriate mourning is emphasised. The third part of the chapter explores the psychological impact of ambiguous loss and traumatic loss and provides some guidance as to how to distinguish between grief reactions and traumatic reactions. The final part looks in detail at grief reactions in children and provides specific guidelines for assisting children who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
Criterion A Scales: Convergent, Discriminant, and Structural Relationships:

The alternative model of personality disorder was created to address the apparent failings of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth edition-text revision personality disorder diagnostic categories and consists of Criterion A (i.e., personality functioning) and Criterion B (i.e., pathological personality traits). There are now four alternative measures of the Criterion A impairments but, perhaps surprisingly, no study has yet compared any one of them with any one of the other three. The current study assesses the convergent (and discriminant) validity of all four, as well as their structural relationship with the five-factor model (FFM), a widely accepted model for understanding the structure of normal and pathological personality traits. Exploratory structural equation modeling analyses of the Criterion A measures and FFM scales demonstrate that the Criterion A self-identity scale can be understood as a maladaptive variant of FFM neuroticism. Moreover, results indicate no appreciable discriminant validity in the assessment of the Criterion A impairments-the Criterion A scales correlated more highly within measures than across alternative measures, even when measuring the same construct. Implications of these findings for the conceptualization and assessment of Criterion A self and interpersonal impairments are discussed.
An experimental study of the behavior of a high efficiency residential heat pump in cooling mode with common installation faults imposed

Abstract Faults are believed to be common in split system air-conditioner and heat pump systems, due to operating degradation or installation problems. Common faults include improper refrigerant charge, reduced evaporator airflow, liquid line restrictions, and the presence of non-condensable gas. Laboratory tests were used to quantify fault impacts on performance of a heat pump system, and impacts on indicator variables such as refrigerant temperatures and pressures. This paper describes a large set of laboratory tests implemented on a high efficiency heat pump operating in cooling mode. This system uses R-410A refrigerant and has a rotary compressor, TXV, two accumulators, and a compensator. A small number of previous experimental studies have been done previously to study the effects of some operating faults, but none has examined a modern system with these components. The tests were conducted with a range of fault intensities and driving conditions. The results are compared to previous researchers’ experimental results. The system’s performance was found to be quite robust in the presence of faults. The TXV, accumulators, and compensator significantly reduce sensitivity to refrigerant charge and liquid line restriction faults, and other faults to a lesser extent.
Fantastic four! Problem-solving processes of a professional string quartet:

The purpose of this study was to provide a rich multi-dimensional view of expert musical collaborative problem-solving processes. I analyzed the collaborative problem-solving process during three s...
ABIOTIC STRESS RESPONSE-ASSOCIATED PROTEINS IN A SALT TOLERANT STRAIN OF THE CYANOBACTERIUM FREMYELLA DIPLOSIPHON: A POTENTIAL BIOFUEL AGENT

Cyanobacteria have gained great significance as a clean green alternative to fossil fuels as they are renewable and sustainable. Fremyella diplosiphon is a potential biofuel-producing cyanobacterium that efficiently captures light energy for photosynthesis. Efforts in our laboratory have been aimed to identify salt response pathways in this organism to develop strategies to enhance halotolerance in this model organism. In this study, protein expression in wild type and halotolerant mutant F. diplosiphon strains was compared using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. Of the 16 up-regulated proteins identified in the mutant, tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporter solute receptor was found to assist in salt-stress response with a significant hit to a corresponding spot with a score of 669 and 21% sequence coverage. Another protein, elongation factor Tu, linked to enhanced abiotic stress tolerance was significantly matched to a spot with a score of 1358 and 52% sequence coverage. Results of our study indicate that TRAP transporter solute receptor likely assists in enhancing halotolerance of the mutant, while elongation factor Tu is up-regulated in response to heat shock. These findings enable better understanding of F. diplosiphon salt-stress response paving the way for novel approaches in enhancing its halotolerance, leading to viable options leading to biofuel production.
Building a Caring Arts Program with Oncology Patients: From Inception to Impact:

A Caring Arts Program (CAP) was inspired and carried out by the vision of an in-resident nurse-artist and the chief nursing officer in a private, not-for-profit health system. Together they envisioned a program that would impact family, patients, and staff while improving patient/family care practices. The impact of the CAP was evaluated through mixed methods which included stories, fieldnotes, comments, and the Listen360(R) which rates patient satisfaction scores. The synergy between the evaluations and the attempt to understand what creates patient satisfaction using creative arts was a prime objective of this article. The qualitative results represented by field notes and written patient comments revealed a positive impact on participants. The quantitative results demonstrated an improvement in patient satisfaction scores during the time of the project. The positive trend in the scores combined with the qualitative stories and interviews suggests that the CAP contributed to the improvement in patient satisfaction at Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center. During a worldwide pandemic, supporting human caring and self-expression was more critical than ever.
Einfluß portaler Blutzufuhr auf Regeneration der transplantierten Leber

Die Leberregeneration nach partieller Hepatektomie ist aufgrund zahlreicher Untersuchungen abhangig von der Zufuhr portalen Blu­tes (1, 2, 3). Das Vorhandensein eines hepatotrophen portalen Faktors (HPBF) ist als entscheidende Ursache fur dieses Phano­men beschrieben worden (2, 3). Im Einzelnen ist jedoch der Wir­kungsmechanismus des HPBF noch ungeklart sowie die Frage, welche Organe als sein Ursprungsort anzusehen sind. Neuere Un­tersuchungen mittels selektiver Organentfernung von splanchni­schen Organen haben das Interesse auf Pankreas und Duodenum als Ursprungsort des HPBF konzentriert (4).