cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbon nanotube-mediated siRNA delivery for gene silencing in cancer cells

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is potentially a promising tool in influencing gene expression with a high degree of target specificity. However, its poor intracellular uptake, instability in vivo, and non-specific immune stimulations impeded its effect in clinical applications. In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) functionalized with two types of phospholipid-polyethylene glycol (PEG) have shown capabilities to stabilize siRNA in cell culture medium during the transfection and efficiently deliver siRNA into neuroblastoma and breast cancer cells. Moreover, the intrinsic optical properties of CNTs have been investigated through absorption and fluorescence measurements. We have found that the directly-functionalized groups play an important role on the fluorescence imaging of functionalized CNTs. The unique fluorescence imaging and high delivery efficiency make CNTs a promising material to deliver drugs and evaluate the treatment effect simultaneously.
The Impact of Cataract Surgery on AMD Development and Progression

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataract are two leading causes of visual impairment worldwide which often occur concurrently in the same patient. With more than 1.6 million cataract operations performed per year in the United States, many of which occur in the nearly 1.75 million individuals diagnosed with AMD, there is ample incentive to further explore the interaction between these two conditions. Notably, the role of cataract surgery on AMD development and progression is of particular interest. This review summarizes the major findings from literature focusing on the effect of cataract surgery on AMD.
Enhancing simulation models for emergency rooms using VBA

Increased pressure to control costs and increased competition has prompted health care managers to look for tools to effectively operate their institutions. Managers are increasingly using simulation modeling to understand their processes. A simulation model of an ER has been enhanced with VBA routines, so that it can use real world data. The simulation model has been complemented with a series of decision-making routines. These routines use a hierarchical approach to organize the various scenarios under which the model may run and to partially reconfigure the ARENA model at run time.
Burst-Correction Decoding of Cyclic LDPC Codes

LDPC codes have excellent performance when iteratively decoded based on sparse parity-check matrices over both the AWGN channel and the erasure channel. In this paper, we propose a simple burst-correction decoding scheme for cyclic LDPC codes based on the same sparse circulant parity-check matrices used to perform iterative decoding. Although the proposed scheme may not achieve the full burst-correcting capability of the codes, it is rather simple and fast. We also show that the full burst-correcting capabilities of some codes constructed from Euclidean and projective geometries are very close to the Reiger upper bound.
Cerebral spinal fluid leak repair

Endoscopic repair of the skull base is now widely accepted to be superior to the previously used open approaches to the skull base in most cases. Endoscopic approaches have the benefit of less morbidity to the patient and high success rates in experienced hands. We delineate a few of the myriad of techniques used to repair some of the common cerebral spinal fluid leaks encountered by the practicing rhinologist.
Copper resistance gene homologs in pathogenic and saprophytic bacterial species from tomato.

Copper-resistant strains of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria, Pseudomonas cichorii, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and a yellow Pseudomonas sp. were isolated from tomato plants or seeds. In Southern hybridizations, DNA from each strain showed homology with the copper resistance (cop) operon previously cloned from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato PT23. Homology was associated with plasmid and chromosomal DNA in X. compestris pv. vesicatoria, P. putida, and the yellow Pseudomonas sp. Homology was detected only in the chromosomal DNA of P. cichorii and P. fluorescens. Homology with cop was also detected in chromosomal DNA from copper-sensitive strains of P. cichorii, P. fluorescens, and P. syringae pv. tomato, suggesting that the cop homolog may be indigenous to certain Pseudomonas species and have some function other than copper resistance. No homology was detected in DNA from a copper-sensitive X. campestris pv. vesicatoria strain. Copper-inducible protein products were detected in each copper-resistant bacterium by immunoblot analysis with antibodies raised to the CopB protein from the cop operon. The role of the homologous DNA in copper resistance was confirmed for the X. campestris pv. vesicatoria strain by cloning and transferring the cop homolog to a copper-sensitive strain of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria. The possibility and implications of copper resistance gene exchange between different species and genera of pathogenic and saprophytic bacteria on tomato plants are discussed. Images
Implications of Monosaccharides in Sticky-Cotton Processing Part II: Effects of Growing Conditions on Fiber Contaminants

The gas-liquid chromatographic analysis of the water-surfactant soluble components and or natural contaminants on cotton fibers was refined and made quantitative by use of an internal standard. The...
Stable emergent heterogeneous agent distributions in noisy environments

A mathematical model is introduced for the study of the behavior of a spatially distributed group of heterogenous agents which possess noisy assessments of the state of their immediate surroundings. We define general sensing and motion conditions on the agents that guarantee the emergence of a type of "ideal free distribution" (IFD) across the environment, and focus on how individual and environmental characteristics affect this distribution. In particular, we show the impact of the agents' maneuvering and sensing abilities for different classes of environments, and how spatial constraints of the environment affect the rate at which the distribution is achieved. Finally, we apply this model to a cooperative vehicle control problem and present simulation results that show the benefits of an IFD-based distributed decision-making strategy.
Maresin biosynthesis and identification of maresin 2, a new anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving mediator from human macrophages

Maresins are a new family of anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediators biosynthesized from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by macrophages. Here we identified a novel pro-resolving product, 13R,14S-dihydroxy-docosahexaenoic acid (13R,14S-diHDHA), produced by human macrophages. PCR mapping of 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) mRNA sequence in human macrophages and platelet showed that they are identical. This human 12-LOX mRNA and enzyme are expressed in monocyte-derived cell lineage, and enzyme expression levels increase with maturation to macrophages or dendritic cells. Recombinant human 12-LOX gave essentially equivalent catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) with arachidonic acid (AA) and DHA as substrates. Lipid mediator metabololipidomics demonstrated that human macrophages produce a novel bioactive product 13,14-dihydroxy-docosahexaenoic acid in addition to maresin-1, 7R,14S-dihydroxy-4Z,8E,10E,12Z,16Z,19Z-docosahexaenoic acid (MaR1). Co-incubations with human recombinant 12-LOX and soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) demonstrated that biosynthesis of 13,14-dihydroxy-docosahexaenoic acid (13,14-diHDHA) involves the 13S,14S-epoxy-maresin intermediate produced from DHA by 12-LOX, followed by conversion via soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). This new 13,14-diHDHA displayed potent anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving actions, and at 1 ng reduced neutrophil infiltration in mouse peritonitis by ∼40% and at 10 pM enhanced human macrophage phagocytosis of zymosan by ∼90%. However, MaR1 proved more potent than the 13R,14S-diHDHA at enhancing efferocytosis with human macrophages. Taken together, the present findings demonstrate that macrophages produced a novel bioactive product identified in the maresin metabolome as 13R,14S-dihydroxy-docosahexaenoic acid, from DHA via conversion by human 12-LOX followed by sEH. Given its potent bioactions, we coined 13R,14S-diHDHA maresin 2 (MaR2).
BioEnterics intragastric balloon for treatment of morbid obesity in Prader-Willi syndrome: specific risks and benefits.

Background Obesity in Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is progressive, severe, and resistant to dietary, pharmacological, and behavioral treatment. A body weight reduction is mandatory to reduce the risk of cardio-respiratory and metabolic complications. The aim of the study was to assess risks and benefits of BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) for treatment of morbid obesity in PWS patients.
NEPHELINE AND SODALITE IN A BARRED OLIVINE CHONDRULE FROM THE ALLENDE METEORITE

The discovery of nepheline and sodalite in association with glass in a barred olivine chondrule from the Allende C3V meteorite is reported, and the possible origin of the minerals is discussed. Scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive analysis indicates that the major minerals of the chondrule are olivine, bronzite and chromite, with olivine bars separated by glass of nearly pure plagioclase composition. The olivine is observed to have a composition richer in Fe than that predicted from olivine-liquid equilibria, indicating, along with the presence of plagioclase glass and small amounts of subcalcic diopside, the nonequilibrium crystallization of the barred olivine chondrule. The textural features of the chondrule are consistent with a liquid origin for nepheline and sodalite from the chondrule-forming liquid under nonequilibrium conditions.
Development of a Replicated Database of DHCP Data for Evaluation of Drug Use

This case report describes development and testing of a method to extract clinical information stored in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Decentralized Hospital Computer System (DHCP) for the purpose of analyzing data about groups of patients. The authors used a microcomputer-based, structured query language (SQL)-compatible, relational database system to replicate a subset of the Nashville VA Hospital's DHCP patient database. This replicated database contained the complete current Nashville DHCP prescription, provider, patient, and drug data sets, and a subset of the laboratory data. A pilot project employed this replicated database to answer questions that might arise in drug-use evaluation, such as identification of cases of polypharmacy, suboptimal drug regimens, and inadequate laboratory monitoring of drug therapy. These database queries included as candidates for review all prescriptions for all outpatients. The queries demonstrated that specific drug-use events could be identified for any time interval represented in the replicated database.
Relationship Between Postural Control and Restricted, Repetitive Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are one of the core diagnostic criteria of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and include simple repetitive motor behaviors and more complex cognitive behaviors, such as compulsions and restricted interests. In addition to the core symptoms, impaired movement is often observed in ASD. Research suggests that the postural system in individuals with ASD is immature and may never reach adult levels. RRBs have been related to postural sway in individuals with mental retardation. Our goals were to determine whether subjects with ASD had greater postural sway and whether RBS-R scores were related to the magnitude of postural sway. We compared the center of pressure (COP) sway area during quiet stance with scores on the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) in children with ASD and typically developing controls (TD) ages 3-16. All subjects had Nonverbal IQ>70. Subjects performed four quiet stance trials at a self–selected stance width for 15 seconds. Subjects with ASD had greater postural sway area compared to controls. Not surprisingly, subjects with ASD exhibited greater frequencies and intensities of RRBs overall and on all 6 subscales. Further, there was a positive correlation between postural sway area and presence of RRBs. Interestingly, results of the postural sway area for the ASD group suggests that roughly half of the ASD subjects scored comparable to TD controls, whereas the other half scored >2 SD worse. Motor impaired children did not have significantly worse IQ scores, but were younger and had more RRBs. Results support previous findings of relationships between RRBs and postural control. It appears that motor control impairments may characterize a subset of individuals with ASD. Better delineation of motor control abilities in individuals with ASD will be important to help explain variations of abilities in ASD, inform treatment, and guide examination of underlying neural involvement in this diverse disorder.
Laser deposition and etching of three-dimensional microstructures

A patterning machine capable of 5*10/sup 4/ pixel per second random access scanning has been developed as a tool for laser microchemical fabrication of three-dimensional parts. The tool is designed to implement precision laser deposition and etching reactions through a direct interface to solid modeling CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and manufacturing) software. Initial results which the machine demonstrate clean etching of germanium and silicon with micrometer depth control and high speeds. High material selectivity has been exploited to write buried flow channels under oxide membranes. Processing of partially fabricated silicon parts, including those with damage-prone electronic devices already in place, should be possible. >
The VANQWISH Trial: Support for the nonivasive strategy for risk stratification after acute myocardial infarction

The data from the VANQWISH trial coupled with the results of published studies in the literature during the past 15 years clearly show no advantage of an initial routine invasive strategy for risk stratification and management of uncomplicated postinfarction patients. This conclusion has been derived from observational studies, from randomized studies and from epidemiologic studies looking at variation in practice patterns within regions of the United States and between the United States and Canada. The variables derived from exercise or pharmacologic stress myocardial perfusion imaging can separate the high- and low-risk subgroups perhaps even better than achieved by identification of the extent and severity of coronary anatomic stenoses alone by coronary angiography. Currently the noninvasive risk stratification approach can be undertaken very early (2 to 4 days) using vasodilator stress during hospitalization for patients judged to have an uncomplicated course. Alternatively, submaximal treadmill testing can safely be performed at 4 to 6 days after admission with information obtained relevant to both exercise tolerance and the extent of inducible ischemia. Finally, gated 99mTc SPECT imaging not only permits the assessment of infarct size and the extent of inducible ischemia but also can be used to quantify the resting left ventricular ejection fraction and determine the extent of regional systolic thickening abnormalities that also have prognostic value. The VANQWISH trial was the first large randomized trial to use stress myocardial perfusion imaging in the noninvasive strategy for risk stratification and was highly effective in identifying a low-risk group, even though planar 201Tl imaging was used rather than the more sensitive SPECT imaging approach. Hopefully, clinicians will now be convinced that routine coronary angiography after uncomplicated non-Q-wave or Q-wave infarction with a view toward revascularization of all stenotic vessels is not the desirable approach for achieving optimal cost-effective patient care.
Inheritance and recombination of mitochondrial genomes in plants, fungi and animals.

Summary It is generally assumed that mitochondrial genomes are uniparentally transmitted, homoplasmic and nonrecombining. However, these assumptions draw largely from early studies on animal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In this review, we show that plants, animals and fungi are all characterized by episodes of biparental inheritance, recombination among genetically distinct partners, and selfish elements within the mitochondrial genome, but that the extent of these phenomena may vary substantially across taxa. We argue that occasional biparental mitochondrial transmission may allow organisms to achieve the best of both worlds by facilitating mutational clearance but continuing to restrict the spread of selfish genetic elements. We also show that methodological biases and disproportionately allocated study effort are likely to have influenced current estimates of the extent of biparental inheritance, heteroplasmy and recombination in mitochondrial genomes from different taxa. Despite these complications, there do seem to be discernible similarities and differences in transmission dynamics and likelihood of recombination of mtDNA in plant, animal and fungal taxa that should provide an excellent opportunity for comparative investigation of the evolution of mitochondrial genome dynamics.
Impacts of different N management regimes on nitrifier and denitrifier communities and N cycling in soil microenvironments

Real-time quantitative PCR assays, targeting part of the ammonia monooxygenase (amoA), nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ), and 16S rRNA genes were coupled with 15 N pool dilution techniques to investigate the effects of long-term agricultural management practices on potential gross N mineralization and nitrification rates, as well as ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), denitrifier, and total bacterial community sizes within different soil microenvironments. Three soil microenvironments [coarse particulate organic matter (cPOM; >250 mm), microaggregate (53e250 mm), and silt-and-clay fraction (<53 mm)] were physically isolated from soil samples collected across the cropping season from conventional, low-input, and organic maizeetomato systems (Zea mays L.eLycopersicum esculentum L.). We hypothesized that (i) the higher N inputs and soil N content of the organic system foster larger AOB and denitrifier communities than in the conventional and low-input systems, (ii) differences in potential gross N mineralization and nitrification rates across the systems correspond with AOB and denitrifier abundances, and (iii) amoA, nosZ, and 16S rRNA gene abundances are higher in the microaggregates than in the cPOM and silt-and-clay microenvironments. Despite 13 years of different soil management and greater soil C and N content in the organic compared to the conventional and low-input systems, total bacterial communities within the whole soil were similar in size across the three systems (w5.15 � 10
Transcatheter closure with single or multiple Gianturco coils of patent ductus arteriosus in infants weighing ≤8 kg: Retrograde versus antegrade approach

Abstract Experience with transcatheter closure (TCC) of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in small infants is limited. Our goals were to evaluate the immediate and short-term results of TCC of PDA in small infants (≤8 kg) as attempted with single or multiple Gianturco coils and to compare results for PDA ≤2.5 mm versus PDA >2.5 mm. Twenty-four infants underwent an attempt at TCC of PDA at a median age of 0.7 years (range 2 weeks to 1.5 years) and median weight of 6.5 kg (range 2.3 to 8 kg). Coils were placed by the transvenous route in 14 patients and by the transarterial route in 10 patients. The median PDA diameter was 2.7 mm (range 0.4 to 5.2 mm). Ten patients had PDA diameters
The I.C. Plastic Package a Simple Method for Predicting Package Performance

Frequent changes in materials and construction of the integrated circuit plastic packages have forced the consumer to continuous evaluation of their packages. Resistance to moisture is shown on recent plastic and ceramic dual-in-line integrated circuit packages from seven leading manufacturers. Results indicate that package material, barriers over the chip, passivation and backfill, added protection to the chip surface. Under equivalent high moisture environmental conditions, the plastic package does not perform as well as the ceramic. Analysis of test data shows that plastic packages with no added moisture protection may be satisfactory in normal environmental applications. Package resistance to moisture at normal environmental conditions may be determined using overstressed tests and a modified Arrhenius plot.
Feline Toxoplasmosis from acutely infected mice and the development of Toxoplasma cysts

SYNOPSIS. The development of Toxoplasma cysts was studied in mice inoculated with tachyzoites by several routes. After 1–30 days of infection, murine tissues were examined microscopically, and portions or whole carcasses were fed to mice and cats. The feces of the cats were examined for oocyst shedding. Cyst-like structures containing distinct PAS-positive granules were first seen after 3 days of infection with tachyzoites, and became numerous by 6 days. Argyrophilic walls were first seen after 6 days, and became numerous by 16 days of infection with tachyzoites. Prepatent periods to oocyst shedding (PPO) were either “short” (3–10 days) or “long” (19–48 days). The “short” PPO was found only in cats that had ingested mice infected for 3 days or longer, and was related to the development of PAS-positive granules in T. gondii, and to high, 60–100%, oral infectivity rates for cats. The “long” PPO followed the ingestion of mice infected for only 1–2 days, and was related to tachyzoites without distinct PAS-positive granules and low, 32% or less, infectivity for cats. The “long” PPO followed also the ingestion of oocysts and the parenteral inoculation of tachyzoites, bradyzoites, or sporozoites. Using the “short” PPO as a criterion for detecting cysts in tissues, it was shown that (a) numerous cysts developed in mice 5 days after inoculation with tachyzoites, 7–9 days after inoculation with cysts, and 9–10 days after inoculation with oocysts, and (b) cysts developed faster and more frequently in the brain and muscle than in lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys of mice inoculated with tachyzoites.
Neurointensive care unit system for continuous electrophysiological monitoring with remote web-based review

There is a need in the neurological intensive care unit for a single integrated bedside monitor for continuously monitoring the function of the patient's central nervous system. In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility of building such a system and operating it in the intensive care environment. We have developed a fully automated system that samples electrophysiological waveforms of various modalities according to a schedule of predefined intervals along with routinely monitored cardiac and respiratory parameters. The system provides stimulation and acquires responses without requiring supervision. The electrophysiological data include brainstem auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials and epochs of the electroencephalogram. The system applies peak detection and spectral analysis to extract salient parameters from the raw waveforms. The results are made available immediately in real time on the local network for local review and further analysis. A Web-based interface makes review by a qualified neurologist possible anywhere within the hospital's secure intranet during and after monitoring. This system could potentially give an early warning of impending herniation, subclinical seizures, and brain or spinal cord ischemia. We demonstrate its application in a few diverse neurological intensive care cases and a case in the interventional neuroradiology suite.
GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN MITOCHONDRIAL DNA SEQUENCES OF AN AMAZONIAN NONPASSERINE: THE BLACK-SPOTTED BARBET COMPLEX

Abstract We reconstructed the phylogeny and estimated mitochondrial DNA diversity to assess levels of divergence and population structure in the Black-spotted Barbet complex. This complex consists of three Amazonian taxa: Capito niger, C. auratus, and C. brunneipectus. Sequence divergence between these taxa is relatively high and all are monophyletic, which is consistent with the classification of these taxa as distinct species. Within C. auratus, a relatively deep split in the gene tree yields two reciprocally monophyletic groups separated by the Amazon, Solimoes, and Ucayali Rivers. Apparently, these rivers serve as an effective barrier to mtDNA gene flow between these populations of C. auratus. Carotenoid plumage coloration did not contain phylogenetic information for this group and several subspecies of C. auratus named on the basis of such coloration were not monophyletic based on mtDNA comparisons. However, mtDNA variation suggests that C. auratus contains at least two evolutionarily significant uni...
Optical Pulse Sequence Generation and Characterization via Phase-Only Multiple Independent Comb Shaping (MICS)

We describe a pulse shaping technique for synthesis of optical pulse sequences, deemed suitable for pump-probe experiments and multidimensional spectroscopy. It enables straightforward programming, manipulation, and self-characterization of multi-pulse waveforms via one-dimensional phase-only shaping.
Analysis and Evaluation for the Audio Data Acquisition System Based on Matlab

There are two system to get audio signal data in this paper. One is based on the soundcard and Matlab. This is an easy,cheap and simple system. Another is the professional audio signal data acquisition system. The experimental data shows that, The soundcard and Matlab system is a low-precision and poor-stability system. The main frequency band of noise signal of the small fan is 100 ~ 200Hz, the main frequency band of audio signal of the TV program is 300 ~ 700Hz.
Dynamic and Combinatorial Landscape of Histone Modifications during the Intraerythrocytic Developmental Cycle of the Malaria Parasite

A major obstacle in understanding the complex biology of the malaria parasite remains to discover how gene transcription is controlled during its life cycle. Accumulating evidence indicates that the parasite’s epigenetic state plays a fundamental role in gene expression and virulence. Using a comprehensive and quantitative mass spectrometry approach, we determined the global and dynamic abundance of histones and their covalent post-transcriptional modifications throughout the intraerythrocytic developmental cycle of Plasmodium falciparum. We detected a total of 232 distinct modifications, of which 160 had never been detected in Plasmodium and 88 had never been identified in any other species. We further validated over 10% of the detected modifications and their expression patterns by multiple reaction monitoring assays. In addition, we uncovered an unusual chromatin organization with parasite-specific histone modifications and combinatorial dynamics that may be directly related to transcriptional activity...
Youth Agency and Education: Reflections and Future Directions

This chapter presents an integrated discussion of the overarching themes of this edited volume. Building upon the editors’ understanding of education and youth agency as a dialectical relationship, this chapter considers the importance of contextual knowledge in analyzing formations of youth agency. It identifies three points in detail as vital contributions of this book: theorizing youth agency as imaginative work; connecting practices of representation to possibilities of youth agency; and highlighting the relational aspects of youth agency. The chapter calls for greater attention to how discourses of promoting youth agency with education circulate and are localized in distinct social contexts.
The Pursuit of Happiness: Can it Make You Happier?

The pursuit of happiness has preoccupied philosophers, psychologists, and consumer researchers, amongst others. Recently, the pursuit of happiness has been investigated empirically, with results appearing to support the perspective that explicitly trying to enhance one’s own happiness may be counterproductive. However, prior investigations were often correlational or involved participants being asked to monitor their happiness under constrained conditions (e.g., while engaging in tasks assigned to them by an experimenter). The current research endeavors to address this limitation, and build a broader framework for understanding when the pursuit of happiness may be effective. In line with prior work, we find that when consumers are asked to monitor their own happiness, they often experience a decrease in happiness regardless of whether their experience is constrained or not. However, when individuals adopt a behavior-focused happiness goal, and are given the freedom to engage in behaviors of their choosing, they tend to modify their behaviors in a way that improves their overall happiness. We relate our findings to prior research regarding why individuals often fail to make happiness-enhancing choices and discuss the practical implications these results may offer for improving consumer welfare.
France: Geophysicist is made French research minister

Claude Allegre, a former director of the Institut de Physique du Globe du Paris, is France's new minister for education and research. A close friend of Lionel Jospin, France's new prime minister, he was appointed following the election of a socialist government last month. To date, the new research minister has given no statements. But increases in government spending on R&D and reforms of the university system are both on the agenda.
Forensic Evaluation of an Amazon Fire TV Stick

This chapter presents the results of a forensic acquisition and analysis of an Amazon Fire TV Stick, a popular streaming media device. Although the primary functions of the Fire TV Stick are streaming videos and playing non-intensive video games, it is a reasonably powerful device that runs an Android operating system. This chapter explores the additional capabilities being developed for Fire TV Sticks in the hacker/enthusiast community and considers the implications that alterations to the devices could have with regard to digital forensics. An empirical assessment is conducted to identify the potential for misuse of Fire TV Sticks and to provide guidance to forensic investigators who analyze these devices.
The effect of switching to mandatory online course assessments on response rates and course ratings

AbstractIncreasingly, student assessments of courses are being conducted online as opposed to administered in class. A growing body of research compares response rates and course ratings of courses evaluated online versus on paper. The present study extends this research by comparing student course assessments before and after the University of South Florida made online evaluations mandatory for all courses. This change only directly affected courses taught on-campus, as online courses were already being assessed online. However, we examine the effect of this change on courses taught on-campus and online, because we expect this change in policy to have differential effects. We hypothesise that by making online assessments mandatory for all courses, online assessments went from a novel method of evaluation to the norm; and, therefore, increased response rates for online courses, but had the opposite effect for on-campus courses. We find mixed support for our hypothesis.
Space–Time Autocorrelation

Autocorrelation latent in spatial and in temporal random variables interacts in space-time random variables. This interaction can be of two slightly different forms: one describes a contemporaneous, whereas the other describes a lagged, specification of space-time structure. The spatial Moran Coefficient can be extended to index space–time data dependencies for either of these specifications. This chapter presents some of its statistical distribution theory, using this extension as a foundation for eigenvector space–time filter construction. This class of constructed filters can address a number of spatial statistical/econometric problems, such as analysis impacts of omitted variables.
A new interhemispheric teleconnection increases predictability of winter precipitation in southwestern US

Reliable prediction of seasonal precipitation in the southwestern US (SWUS) remains a challenge with significant implications for the economy, water security and ecosystem management of the region. Winter precipitation in the SWUS has been linked to several climate modes, including the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), with limited predictive ability. Here we report evidence that late-summer sea surface temperature and geopotential height anomalies close to New Zealand exhibit higher correlation with SWUS winter precipitation than ENSO, enhancing the potential for earlier and more accurate prediction. The teleconnection depends on a western Pacific ocean-atmosphere pathway, whereby sea surface temperature anomalies propagate from the southern to the northern hemisphere during boreal summer. Analysis also shows an amplification of this new teleconnection over the past four decades. Our work highlights the need to understand the dynamic nature of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system in a changing climate for improving future predictions of regional precipitation.
The H+- and H+, K+-ATPases of the Collecting Duct

The kidney functions to maintain ion balance via the activity of various channels, exchangers and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-driven pumps. In the collecting duct, a H+-ATPase and two distinct H+,K+-ATPases have been localized on the apical membrane in the acid-secreting type A intercalating cells. All three of these pumps contribute to acid–base balance, and the H+,K+-ATPases may also participate in potassium conservation. The expression levels and activities of the ATP-driven H+ transporters may vary depending on physiological conditions in the organism. The goal of this chapter is to consider the molecular properties of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase and the H+,K+-ATPases of the collecting duct. The H+-ATPase is a member of the V-ATPase family. These enzymes are very large multi-subunit enzyme complexes that appear to have a common overall structure and a rotary mechanism similar to the mitochondrial F1F0-ATP synthases. In contrast, the H+,K+-ATPases are P-Type ATPases and specifically members of the P-type IIC family of cation translocating enzymes. The P-type IIC ATPases consist of an α and β subunit pair with the α subunit housing both the catalytic site and the ion channels through the membrane.
Anlage, Umwelt und die Vielfalt der Menschen

Was macht den Menschen zum Menschen? In wichtigen Aspekten sind wir jeder fur uns einzigartig. Wir sehen unterschiedlich aus. Wir horen uns anders an. Was die Personlichkeit, die Interessen, den kulturellen und familiaren Hintergrund angeht, unter scheiden wir uns erheblich.
Optical Diagnostics for Flows with Density Variations

Two new molecular-based diagnostic methods show great promise for the measurement of turbulence in variable density, low-speed flow fields. The first of these methods is Rayleigh imaging, which is capable of capturing two-dimensional instantaneous cross sections of the flow field density. Through the use of atomic or molecular filters in front of the camera, Rayleigh imaging can be extended to the measurement of temperature and velocity. Flow tagging yields velocity profiles in variable density flow fields and can be used to measure the details of the turbulent structure. These two techniques may be applied simultaneously to capture instantaneous velocity and density fields with high resolution.
The Contribution of Organic Solutes to Osmotic Balance in Some Green Algae

Sorbitol and proline accumulate to osmotically significant concentrations in two Stichococcus species and Klebsormidium marinum. The extent of osmotic balance by these and other organic solutes depends on the isolate within this group of predominantly non- vacuolate algae. Sucrose, proline and sorbitol accumulate in the lichen alga Hyalococcus dermatocarponis, but concentrations on an osmotic basis are low. Sucrose and glutamic acid are significant solutes in the likely non-vacuolate Klebsormidium flaccidum and Klebsormidium sterile. A similar set of solutes accumulates in Ulothrix fimbriata, a freshwater algae that is highly vacuolate and less euryhaline. Two small eustigmatophycean algae and one small chlorophyte accumulate organic solutes to a moderate degree during salinity stress; mannitol and proline in the marine eustigmatophyte and proline in the marine chlorophyte. Enteromorpha intestinalis, a seaweed, accumulates sucrose, but at low levels. Osmotic balance in these algae may also include other solutes, compartmentation, or other factors. The role of organic solutes in osmotic balance is variable, and depends on details of physiology and ultrastructure.
Improving Validity of Cause of Death on Death Certificates

Accurate reporting of causes of death on death certificates is essential to formulate appropriate disease control, prevention and emergency response by national health-protection institutions such as Center for disease prevention and control (CDC). In this study, we utilize knowledge from publicly available expert-formulated rules for the cause of death to determine the extent of discordance in the death certificates in national mortality data with the expert knowledge base. We also report the most commonly occurring invalid causal pairs which physicians put in the death certificates. We use sequence rule mining to find patterns that are most frequent on death certificates and compare them with the rules from the expert knowledge based. Based on our results, 20.1% of the common patterns derived from entries into death certificates were discordant. The most probable causes of these discordance or invalid rules are missing steps and non-specific ICD-10 codes on the death certificates.
Indigenous Environmental Justice, Knowledge, and Law

This article aims to introduce a distinct conception of Indigenous environmental justice (IEJ) based on Indigenous legal orders, knowledge systems, and conceptions of justice. This is not to suggest in any way that the existing environmental justice (EJ) scholarship is flawed; in fact, the scholarship and activism around EJ have been central in diagnosing and drawing attention to injustices that occur on a systematic basis everywhere in the world. This article argues instead that such discussions can be expanded by acknowledging that concepts of environmental justice, including distinct legal orders informed by Indigenous knowledge systems, already existed on Turtle Island for thousands of years prior to the arrival of Europeans. It also suggests that environmental justice framed within Indigenous worldviews, ontologies, and epistemologies may make significant contributions to broader EJ scholarship, particularly in relation to extending justice to other beings and entities in Creation. This approach acknowledges ongoing colonialism and emphasizes the need to decolonize in order to advance innovative approaches to IEJ.
Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX) Is Associated with Fluid Overload and Survival in Recipients of Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Background Fluid overload (FO) grade ≥ 2 (more that 10% weight gain from baseline) has recently been recognized as an important toxicity associated with non-relapse mortality in recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT).1 The causes for fluid accumulation remain unclear. We hypothesized that endothelial damage due to treatments received prior to alloSCT may be associated with this toxicity and sought to determine whether the Endothelial Activation and Stress Index2 (EASIX), (defined as lactate dehydrogenase (U/L) × creatinine (mg/dL)/ thrombocytes (109 cells per L), correlates with grade ≥ 2 FO and overall survival (OS) in 2 cohorts of recipients of alloSCT at our institution. The first cohort included 145 recipients of haploidentical (haplo) transplantation, and the second 449 recipients of alloSCT from HLA-matched donors, as previously described.1 Methods Predictors (listed in table) of grade ≥ 2 FO and 6-months OS were evaluated using Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis on univariate analysis, and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis on multivariate (MV) analysis. EASIX scores were evaluated based on log2 transformed values. Results Median log2 EASIX score in the 2 cohorts was 2.4 (IQR: 1.3, 3.7) and 2.5 (IQR 1.4, 3.9) at admission, and 3.1 (IQR 2.2, 3.9) and 2.8 (IQR 1.7, 3.9) at transplant, respectively. CART analysis identified EASIX > 4.4 at admission to be an independent predictor of grade ≥ 2 FO in the haplo (HR=7.5, p 55 years recipients in the haplo cohort, and diabetes (HR=35, p=0.001) and age >60 years (HR=8.1, p=0.06) in the matched cohort. In patients with grade ≥ 2 FO, EASIX >4.4 at SCT was the only significant predictor of OS (HR=4.1, p=0.002). This effect was consistent in both cohorts (Figure A). In patients with grade 0-1 FO, MV analysis showed EASIX >3, comorbidity index score >3, and active disease at SCT to be independent adverse predictors of OS. OS was lowest (60%, reference) in patients with EASIX> 3 and comorbidity score >3, and this effect was consistent in both cohorts (Figure B). OS was significantly higher in patients with EASIX >3 and comorbidity score ≤3 (73%, p
Assessing effects of scanner upgrades for clinical studies.

BACKGROUND Scanner upgrades due to software and hardware changes are an inevitable part of MR research and, without quality assurance protocols, can jeopardize studies. PURPOSE To evaluate changes in T1 relaxation time by inversion recovery (IR) and variable flip angle (VFA) measurements on a 3T system that underwent an "everything but the magnet" upgrade. STUDY TYPE Longitudinal. PHANTOM An International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine / National Institute of Standards and Technology (ISMRM/NIST) system phantom with repeated measurements across multiple (n = 3) days. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE T1 IR, VFA at 3T. ASSESSMENT The T1 measurements by IR and VFA were compared with the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements, which constitute the known values for the ISMRM/NIST system phantom, to determine the measurement error. STATISTICAL TESTS Descriptive. RESULTS The T1 VFA measurement errors were distributed around zero (-15% to +10%) on the original system and then the errors were distributed entirely above zero post-upgrade (+5% to 30%). The T1 IR results had a dramatic increase in error distribution (±5% original, ±20% post-upgrade) prior to the identification of signal saturation as an issue. Once the signal saturation was accounted for, the T1 IR errors decreased to ±10% post-upgrade. DATA CONCLUSION The T1 VFA measurement differences between the original and post-upgrade systems can be entirely attributed to contributions from B1 . The T1 IR measurements demonstrate the need for quantitative quality assurance (QA) processes. The site under study passed the QA protocols in place, which did not identify the increased T1 error, nor the signal saturation issue. To improve on this study, we would make systematic, quantitative measurements at intervals less than a year and following any hardware or software upgrade. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1948-1954.
Weak Acid-Base Interactions of Histidine and Cysteine Affect the Charge States, Tertiary Structure, and Zn(II)-Binding of Heptapeptides

Zinc fingers are proteins that are characterized by the coordination of zinc ions by an amino acid sequence that commonly contains two histidines and two cysteines (2His-2Cys motif). Investigations of oligopeptides that contain the 2His-2Cys motif, e.g., acetyl-His1-Cys2-Gly3-Pro4-Tyr5-His6-Cys7, have discovered they exhibit pH-dependent Zn(II) chelation and have redox activities with Cu(I/II), forming a variety of metal complexes. To further understand how these 2His-2Cys oligopeptides bind these metal ions, we have undertaken a series of ion mobility-mass spectrometry and B3LYP/LanL2DZ computational studies of structurally related heptapeptides. Starting with the sequence above, we have modified the potential His, Cys, or C-terminus binding sites and report how these changes in primary structure affect the oligopeptides positive and negative charge states, conformational structure, collision-induced breakdown energies, and how effectively Zn(II) binds to these sequences. The results show evidence that the weak acid-base properties of Cys-His are intrinsically linked and can result in an intramolecular salt-bridged network that affects the oligopeptide properties.
Detecting “White Flight” in the Contemporary United States: A Multicomponent Approach:

Measuring the existence and patterning of white flight (WF) using aggregate data has a long history in the social sciences. In this article, we assess past measurement approaches and identify sever...
Advanced imaging for risk stratification of sudden death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common inherited cardiac condition, which typically manifests as left ventricular hypertrophy. A small subset of patients with HCM have an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) from ventricular arrhythmias. Risk of SCD can be effectively reduced following implantation of implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD), although this treatment carries a risk of complications such as inappropriate shocks. With this in mind, we turn to advances in cardiac imaging to guide risk stratification for SCD and to select the appropriate individual who may benefit from ICD implantation. In this review, we have taken the opportunity to briefly summarise the role of imaging in the diagnosis of HCM before focusing on how specific imaging features influence risk of SCD in patients with HCM.
Menachem Begin and the Israel–Egypt Peace Process: Between Ideology and Political Realism

The Israeli–Egyptian peace treaty of 1979 is a significant milestone in the history of the Arab–Israeli conflict. Forty years on, despite various stresses and strains, it has stood the test of time...
Emergency room presentation of lung cancer as a highly practical prognostic marker for consideration in clinical trials: A SEER database analysis.

e19032Background: Multiple factors influencing lung cancer prognosis could be used for stratification in randomized intervention trials which are either observer-dependent (performance status) or p...
A 3mm 2 Programmable Bayesian Inference Accelerator for Unsupervised Machine Perception using Parallel Gibbs Sampling in 16nm

This paper describes a 16nm programmable accelerator for unsupervised probabilistic machine perception tasks that performs Bayesian inference on probabilistic models mapped onto a 2D Markov Random Field, using MCMC. Exploiting two degrees of parallelism, it performs Gibbs sampling inference at up to 1380× faster with 1965× less energy than an Arm Cortex-A53 on the same SoC, and 1.5× faster with 6.3× less energy than an embedded FPGA in the same technology. At 0.8V, it runs at 450MHz, producing 44.6 MSamples/s at 0.88 nJ/sample.