cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GSK-3β-mediated regulation of cadmium-induced cell death and survival

Previous studies indicated that cadmium (Cd) increases PI3-kinase/Akt phosphorylation, resulting in an alteration in GSK-3β activity. However, the mechanism of Cd-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in neuronal cells has yet to be studied in needs further elucidation. We examined the role of GSK-3β in Cd-induced neuronal cell death and the related downstream signaling pathways. SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were treated with 10 or 20 μM BAPTA-AM and 1 μM wortmannin for 30 min and then incubated with 25 μM Cd for 12 h. Apoptotic cells were visualized via DAPI and PI staining. Data were evaluated with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Student’s t-test. Data are expressed as the means ± SD of experiments performed at least three times. Treatment of human neuronal SH-SY5Y cells with Cd induced ER, stress as evidenced by the increased expression of GRP78, which is a marker of ER stress. Cd exposure significantly increased the phosphorylation of Akt at thr308 and ser473 and that of GSK-3β at ser9 in a time-dependent manner, while the total protein levels of GSK-3β and Akt did not change. Cd-induced apoptosis was higher in GSK-3β-knockdown cells than in normal cells. Our data suggest that Akt/GSK-3β signaling activated by Cd is involved in neuronal cell survival.
Resource Discovery Tools: Supporting Serendipity

Serendipity, the accidental discovery of something useful, plays an important role in discovery and the acquisition of new knowledge. The process and role of serendipity varies across disciplines. As library collections have become increasingly digital faculty lament the loss of serendipity of browsing library stacks. Resource discovery tools may have features that support serendipity as part of information seeking. A comparison of four commercial Web-scale discovery tools, Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) WorldCat® Local1, Serials Solution2® Summon3TM, ExLibris4® Primo Central5TM, and EBSCO Discovery Services (EDS)6TM, links product features to characteristics that support serendipitous discovery. However, having such features is only part of the equation. Educators need to include serendipity in discussions about the research process. Future research opportunities include determining whether serendipity can be encouraged, evaluating its occurrence in the web scale environment, and studying serendipity in relation to research instruction.
Hard Tissue Replacement Implants

When we try to replace a joint or help heal a fractured bone, it is logical that bone repairs should be made according to the best repair course that the tissues follow. Therefore, if they are healed faster when a compressive force or strain is exerted, then we should provide compression through an appropriate implant design.(1) Likewise, if compression is detrimental to healing of the wound, the opposite approach should be taken. Unfortunately, the effects of compressive or tensile forces on the repair of long bones are not fully understood. Worse yet, experimental results provide a completely opposite conclusion.
ADMIXTURE FOR THE PROTECTION OF FLY-ASH — CEMENT PASTE AND MORTAR FROM FREEZING AND THAWING DESTRUCTION

The effectiveness of the porous particulate admixture in protecting paste and mortar specimens made of portland cement-fly-ash mixture from freeze-thaw damage was tested. Of the two admixtures used, vermiculite at a dosage of 1.25%, expressed as weight percent of the cementitious materials, was found more effective than brick at the 10% concentration level. Freeze-thaw durability of the specimens was also affected by the type of fly-ash used.
A Striking Contrast

A 71-year-old woman with a history of complex regional pain syndrome of the upper extremity and cervical disk disease presented to the emergency department with 4 months of worsening episodic paresthesia and weakness. Computerized tomography scans of the thoracic and cervical spine were performed and spinal cord compression was ruled out. A specimen sent for serum protein electrophoresis was analyzed by capillary …
Cancer Illness Perception and Self-Management of Chinese Patients.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to examine the relationships of illness perception, self-care, self-efficacy, and self-care strategies and their effects on Chinese cancer patients' quality of life (QOL). Methods: Questionnaires include data on demographic characteristics, illness perception, symptom self-care activity, and QOL. A secondary analysis was conducted on a sample of ethnic Chinese breast-and-colon cancer patients (n = 159) to examine multivariate associations. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlational analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to analyze quantitative data. Results: The hierarchical regression model explained 43% of variance in QOL. Perceived illness consequence, personal control, and performance functioning status were found to be significant predictors in the model. Comparisons between breast-and-colon cancer patients showed that colon cancer patients significantly perceived higher levels of chronicity and negativity toward cancer than breast cancer patients. Conversely, breast cancer patients had significantly higher level of QOL and efficacy in making decision. Stress and overwork were the common perceived causes of cancer reported by these patients. Conclusions: These findings suggest that improving self-care efficacy and positive personal control can improve Chinese cancer patients' QOL. Variation in illness perceptions of cancer by different types of cancer should be considered in cancer survivorship planning and patient education.
Effects of a 6 Week Aerobic Exercise Intervention on Gut Bacterial Metabolites in Lean and Obese Adults

IntroductionDietary changes have been shown to significantly alter the composition and metabolic function of the gut microbiota in both mice and humans; however, study of the effects of exercise al...
Comparison of two commercial molecular tests and a laboratory-developed modification of the CDC 2019-nCOV RT-PCR assay for the qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 from upper respiratory tract specimens

We compared the ability of 2 commercial molecular amplification assays [RealTime SARS-CoV-2 on the m2000 (Abbott) and ID NOW™ COVID-19 (Abbott)] and a laboratory developed test [modified CDC 2019-nCoV RT-PCR assay with RNA extraction by eMag® (bioMeriux) and amplification on QuantStudio 6 or ABI 7500 Real-Time PCR System (Life Technologies)] to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory tract specimens. Discrepant results were adjudicated by medical record review. 200 nasopharyngeal swab specimens in viral transport medium were collected from symptomatic patients between March 27 and April 9, 2020. Results were concordant for 167 specimens (84.3% overall agreement), including 94 positive and 73 negative specimens. The RealTime SARS-CoV-2 assay on the m2000 yielded 33 additional positive results, 25 of which were also positive by the modified CDC assay but not by the ID NOW™ COVID-19 assay. In a follow-up evaluation, 97 patients for whom a dry nasal swab specimen yielded negative results by the ID NOW™ COVID-19 assay had a paired nasopharyngeal swab specimen collected in viral transport medium and tested by the RealTime SARS-CoV-2 assay; SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 13 (13.4%) of these specimens. Medical record review deemed all discrepant results to be true positives. The ID NOW™ COVID-19 test was fastest (as soon as 5 minute for positive and 13 minute for negative result.) The RealTime SARS-CoV-2 assay on the m2000 detected more cases of COVID-19 infection than the modified CDC assay or the ID NOW™ COVID-19 test.
Risk factors for peripherally inserted central catheter line–related deep venous thrombosis in critically ill intensive care unit patients:

Introduction:Central venous access using peripherally inserted central catheters is frequently used for patients receiving intravenous medications in the hospital or outpatients. Although there are...
Collegiate Student-Athletes' Perceptions of Patient-Centered Care Delivered by Athletic Trainers.

CONTEXT The health care core competencies indicate that all medical professionals should provide patient-centered care (PCC), which is defined as care that is respectful and responsive to the patient's values and preferences, during each encounter. OBJECTIVE To identify collegiate student-athletes' definitions of PCC and measure their perceived level of PCC from an athletic trainer (AT). DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Mixed-methods survey. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS A total of 610 (age = 19 ± 1 year) National Collegiate Athletic Association student-athletes completed the survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) The survey consisted of 1 open-ended question that prompted the participant to define PCC in his or her own words. The quantitative data were gathered using the Global Perceptions of Athletic Trainer PCC tool, which explores the overall agreement with the AT's use of PCC constructs. Finally, those participants who had received care from an AT completed the validated Patient Perception of Patient-Centeredness instrument. Qualitative analysis was completed through Text IQ technology with a mean sentiment score attributed to each of the coded statements. We calculated descriptive statistics for all quantitative data. RESULTS The qualitative analysis revealed 13 topics, with the most used being individual, priority, and best. Other topics were inconsistent with how the medical community has defined PCC. On the Global Perceptions of Athletic Trainer PCC tool, the participants expressed strong agreement (mode = 4) with 12 of the 15 statements. On the Patient Perception of Patient-Centeredness instrument, participants expressed that the AT was completely (mode = 4) patient centered for all dimensions during their most recent encounter. However, PCC behaviors, as defined by the medical community, may not be directly expressed according to collegiate student-athletes. CONCLUSIONS Student-athletes defined PCC as individualized and prioritized health care. They perceived that ATs provided care that kept their best interest in mind and practiced PCC during their encounters.
Can Service Robots Help Best Practices for COVID

We present the design of a mobile robot that delivers hand sanitizer on the Oregon State University campus. The goal is to encourage people to follow the best health practices under COVID-19. The current hardware involves a hands-free hand sanitizer dispenser mounted atop a TurtleBot base. A wizard teleoperates the robot to approach bystanders, communicating via its approach that it would like them to participate. Future work will evaluate what communication modes best serve this goal of distributing hand sanitizer in particular contexts, and consider distributing services to where there is the most human demand.
Market Discipline of Health Insurers

Market discipline examines the extent to which consumers and investors discipline misbehavior by financial institutions. Most previous studies have examined banks. In addition, the disciplinary function of consumers has been relatively neglected. This paper is the first to examine the disciplinary role of consumers in the health insurance industry – an industry in the lime-light as a result of the lengthy health care debate and the new health care reform of 2010. If consumers shun insurers that engage in risky behavior, those insurers should have fewer insureds and more difficulty making money, ceteris paribus. We look to an insurer’s number of covered persons and underwriting gains to reflect the effects of consumer responses to the insurer’s assumption of financial, asset, and product risks. Using NAIC financial data of health insurers for 2001-2008 and corresponding A. M. Best ratings, we develop proxies for the financial, asset, and product risks of insurers. Since state guarantee funds insure benefits at levels from $100,000 to $500,000, we include a proxy measure for exposure to non-guaranteed benefits that we call the “force-of-guarantee.” We also include other appropriate controls. We find that risky health insurer behavior negatively impacts its insured count and underwriting gains. The negative impact is enhanced for benefits that exceed guarantees.
Using a defective-interfering RNA system to express the HE protein of mouse hepatitis virus for studying viral pathogenesis

We have developed a defective-interfering (DI) RNA of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) as a vector for expressing a variety of cellular and viral genes including the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT), hemagglutinin’esterase (HE), and gamma interferon. Here, we used the HE-expressing DI RNA for examining the role of HE protein in viral pathogenesis. The pseudorecombinant virus containing an expressed HE protein was generated by infecting cells with MHV-A59, which does not express HE, and transfecting the in vitro-transcribed DI RNA containing the HE gene. These pseudorecombinant viruses (DE-HE A59) were then inoculated intracerebrally into mice. Viruses recovered from cells infected with A59 and transfected with DI RNA expressing the CAT gene (DE-CAT A59) were used as a control. At various time points after inoculation, mice were observed for clinical symptoms. Tissues (brains and livers) were obtained for determining the replication of DI RNA by RT-PCR, virus replication by plaque assay, antigen expression by immunohistochemistry, and pathological changes. Results showed that all mice infected with DE-CAT A59 succumbed to infection by 9 days postinfection (d p.i). These data are identical to the pathogenesis of the parental A59 virus, demonstrating that inclusion of the DI RNA did not by itself alter pathogenesis. In contrast, only 40% of mice infected with DE-HE A59 succumbed to infection. The subgenomic mRNAs transcribed from the DI vector were detected at 1 and 2 d p.i. but not at subsequent time points, indicating that the genes in the DI vector were expressed only at an early stage of viral infection. No significant difference in virus replication in the brains was detected between these two groups of mice, suggesting that virus replication in brains was not affected by the expression of the HE. Histopathological examination showed only a small increase in the extent of inflammatory cell infiltration and reduced viral antigen in the mice infected with DE-HE A59. There was no difference in virus replication in the livers at 2 and 4 d p.i., but a 3 log10 reduction was detected in the livers of mice infected with DE-HE A59 at 6 d p.i. Histological examination showed a significant reduction in viral antigen, inflammation and necrosis in mice infected with DE-HE A59. These results indicate that the expression of HE from the DI vector altered the viral pathogenesis. This study thus demonstrates the usefulness of this system in studying the role of viral or cellular genes expressed locally at the sites of viral infection in viral pathogenesis.
Adherence to a Videogame-Based Physical Activity Program for Older Adults with Schizophrenia

Abstract Objectives: Adults with schizophrenia are a growing segment of the older adult population. Evidence suggests that they engage in limited physical activity. Interventions are needed that are tailored around their unique limitations. An active videogame-based physical activity program that can be offered at a treatment facility can overcome these barriers and increase motivation to engage in physical activity. The purpose of this report is to describe the adherence to a videogame-based physical activity program using the Kinect® for Xbox® 360 game system (Microsoft®, Redmond, WA) in older adults with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive longitudinal study among 34 older adults with schizophrenia to establish the adherence to an active videogame-based physical activity program. In our ongoing program, once a week for 6 weeks, participants played an active videogame, using the Kinect for Xbox 360 game system, for 30 minutes. Adherence was measured with a count of sessions atte...
Bringing Knowledge to Truth: The Joke and Australian (In)Humanities

In the formulation of new humanities - knowledge, truth and social action brought together in the defence of what makes us human in this place and time - there is also the need to identify the obstacles to honouring our humanity. This paper continues the task of critically examining contemporary forms of inhumanity, in this instance as perpetuated by a liberal Australian government against its citizens and others. Liberalism, by nature, enables the co-existence of contradictory practices that both protect and deny human rights and dignities. In psychoanalytic terms, the defence of liberties and its repressed other, the denial of them, are both present in such states. Because of their links with both the conscious and the unconscious, an analysis of jokes provides insights into these contradictory processes. The paper explores how both the humanities and the inhumanities are manifest variously in the joking behaviours of social groups.
The effect of scapular restriction on manual work space.

The effect of scapular restriction on the manual work space of 20 subjects was studied. The three-dimensional method to determine work space is presented. The work spaces of the extremity when unrestricted and when restricted by a shoulder harness are compared. The restriction of scapular movement reduced the work space volume by 54%. Less difference was found in the volumes of the restricted and unrestricted work spaces at the extreme anterior and posterior areas of the work space. Volume differences were greatest in the intervals immediately in front of the body. The work space was decreased in the areas above shoulder level due to restriction of the scapula. The lower regions of the work space, over the knees, showed minimal differences due to restriction. There were also changes in the bimanual work space when one scapula was restricted.
Medical care for patients with neurological and sensory diseases. I. Utilization of institutional facilities.

Abstract 1. 1. A study was made of the utilization of short-term general hospital beds in Kansas by patients with neurological and sensory disorders. A stratified sub-sample of all such hospitals, grouped according to bed size, was studied. Eighty-seven per cent of all the institutions cooperated in the survey. An average of 7 per cent of all patients dismissed from these hospitals had been discharged with a primary diagnosis of a neurological or sensory disorder. This estimate is based upon approximately 30 per cent of all hospital beds of this type in the state. The most common dismissal diagnoses were cerebrovascular disease and polyneuropathies secondary to diabetes or alcoholism. In the pediatric age group strabismus and meningitis were the most common causes for hospitalization. 2. 2. All of the records of patients discharged in one month at the University Medical Center (the large referral center in the area) were reviewed. A total of 79 per cent of the records of 1592 patients discharged were complete and available for this survey, and of these patients 158 (10 per cent) were discharged with a primary diagnosis of a neurological or sensory disorder. Of the 158 such patients, 13 per cent had at least one other chronic disease. Of the total number of charts reviewed 12 (1 per cent) had a secondary diagnosis of a neurological or sensory disease. The most common disorders recorded were cataract, epilepsy and/or convulsive disorder. A total of 56 different diagnoses were recorded. The average duration of hospitalization for patients with primary diagnoses of neurological or sensory diseases was six days. 3. 3. Statistics were provided by the State Department of Health on the broad categories of admission diagnoses of adult care home residents in 1962. Nineteen per cent of all residents of these homes had a diagnosis of a neurological or sensory disease as their primary reason for hospitalization. During 1962 a total of 2050 residents of these homes were admitted to various hospitals in the state. Of this total, 201 were transferred to general hospitals because of neurological or sensory disorders. Approximately 1 per cent of all individuals in the geriatric group in the state are patients in adult care homes because of these diseases. Only senility and disease of the circulatory system produce more transfers from adult care homes to acute short-term hospitals. 4. 4. Data were obtained from the Director of Institutions regarding patients with neurological and sensory diseases in these facilities. A total of 2000 or 28 per cent of the residents of state institutions have one of the diseases under consideration. The annual cost to the state is estimated to be between two and three million dollars for the custodial care of these persons. The most common diagnoses observed among these patients were cerebrovascular disease, mongolism, syphilis and heredodegenerative diseases.
Tearing Modes in Tokamaks

ABSTRACT It has been conclusively established by a variety of diagnostic techniques that low-m tearing modes occur in present-day tokamak devices. By acting as precursors to the disruptive instability, these modes serve to limit the parameter regime that can be obtained. In this lecture, the basic physics of tearing modes is reviewed, and the linear stability criteria for a number of tokamak current profiles are delineated. Optimum current profiles are discussed. On the basis of the energy available to drive m = 2, n = 1 and m = 3, n = 2 modes, the circumstances that can lead to strong disruptions can be identified. The role of electron cross-field viscosity in driving tearing modes is also discussed.
Distributed Aggregation/Disaggregation Algorithms for Optimal Routing in Data Networks

A new gradient projection algorithm using iterative aggregation and disaggregation is proposed and analyzed for box-constrained minimization problems. In a variation of the distributed computation model, the algorithm is shown to converge. As an important application, we also show how the algorithm is applied to optimal routing in a large interconnected data communication network. The aggregation/disaggregation method proposed results in a multi-level hierarchical clustering of a large network, which fits naturally the hierarchical topological structure of large networks. A numerical simulation of a 52-node network shows that the serial version of the algorithm, has 35% saving of the computational time as compared to a path-formulated gradient projection code developed by Bertsekas, Gendron and Tsai, which is among the fastest existing programs for path-formulated optimal routing.
A broadly tuned mouse odorant receptor that detects nitrotoluenes

Mammals employ large numbers of odorant receptors to sample and identify volatile chemicals in the environment. These receptors are thought to vary not only in specificity for particular odorants, but also in breadth of tuning. That is, some odorant receptors are narrowly focused on a few closely related structures, while other odorant receptors may be “broadly tuned”, responding to a wide variety of odorant structures. Here we have performed a detailed examination the mouse odorant receptor MOR256-17, demonstrating that this receptor is broadly tuned. This receptor responds to odorant structures that span a significant portion of a multi-dimensional odor space. However, we found that broad tuning was not a defining characteristic of other members the MOR256 subfamily. Two additional members of this odorant receptor subfamily (MOR256-8 and MOR256-22) were more narrowly focused on small sets of odorant structures. Interestingly, the receptive range of MOR256-17 encompassed a variety of nitrotoluenes, including various TNT synthesis intermediates, degradation products and TNT itself, suggesting the potential utility of odorant receptors in the development of sensing technologies for the detection of explosives and other forms of contraband.
A True Random Number Generator algorithm from digital camera image noise for varying lighting conditions

We present a True Random Number Generator (TRNG) using the images taken by web or mobile phone cameras. We use all three RGB color channels to obtain the random numbers whereas previous studies used only one. We investigated the physical and statistical properties of the random noise in a digital photograph obtained by a camera system, and we made several approximations to efficiently collect the best random signals from the pixels in the images to map them to random sequences. In short, the algorithm excludes each pixel's saturated values to get its unbiased bits. An additional transposing operation shuffles the raw sequence to achieve better randomness. The final sequence passes all of the NIST randomness tests. The algorithm involves very few calculations and is especially suitable for smart phones. With modern mobile cameras, it can work on the go and achieve a fast bit rate. With readily available commodity hardware with no hardware changes, we observe a random number generate rate of 60 Mbps. A minor hardware optimization can result in a rate of about 1 Gbps.
Decision Problems About Algebraic and Logical Systems as a Whole and Recursively Enumerable Degrees of Unsolvability

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses decision problems of arbitrarily preassigned recursively enumerable degree of unsolvability and decision problems concerned with recognizing that a system of a certain kind enjoys a specified property or with recognizing that two systems of a certain kind are in a specified relation. The latter decision problems are also known as “global decision problems.” The chapter also discusses several meta-decision problems about groups that are formed by compounding the kind of “first order” decision problems. A recursive class of finite presentations of groups is always given by means of some generic presentation depending on a single parameter ranging over some recursive set of words. Finally, the chapter presents several unsolvability results regarding the homomorphic images of a fixed finitely presented group.
Biochemical analysis of starch degradation by Ruminobacter amylophilus 70.

Ruminobacter amylophilus is an obligate anaerobe that uses only alpha-linked glucose molecules (i.e., maltose, maltodextrins, and starch) as a source of energy, making it an excellent model for the study of bacterial starch degradation. Constitutive amylase, amylopectinase, and pullulanase activities were found in intracellular and extracellular fractions of R. amylophilus. However, extracellular activities apparently resulted from cell lysis. Both soluble and membrane-bound polysaccharidase activities were detected. Most of the soluble polysaccharidase activity partitioned with the periplasmic cell fraction. No alpha-glucosidase or maltase activity was detected in either the cellular or extracellular fraction. In addition, intact cells of R. amylophilus bound U-14C-starch. This binding could be saturated and was constitutive and sensitive to proteinase K, indicating protein or protein complex mediation. Competition experiments showed that these starch-binding sites had equally high affinities for starch and maltodextrins larger than maltotriose. The sites had a reduced affinity for maltose and virtually no affinities for glucose and nonstarch polysaccharides. These findings suggest that R. amylophilus binds starch molecules to the cell surface as an initial step in transporting the molecule through the outer membrane and into the periplasmic space. Extracellular polysaccharides do not appear to be involved in starch degradation.
Plenary session: driving forces in database technology

Several forces, with impacts so fundamental that they are akin to tectonic plate movements, are driving the commercial database marketplace. First is hardware commoditization: arrays of low priced computers with high speed interconnects which yield the new cluster based computing capabilities referred to as 'grid,' 'utility,' and 'on-demand' computing, at price points radically lower than standard Moore's law projections. The dramatic reductions in online storage hardware costs now makes it cost effective for companies to keep previously unimagined amounts of complex data online. This will enable V/ULDB projects with petabyte databases such as online image applications and data-driven supply chain management approaches (e.g. RFID) that store huge volumes of highly granular detail information in data warehouses (with significant history of temporal and spatial interest). Second is the Sarbanes/Oxley Act and related compliance activities that are driving mandated security, auditing, high availability, disaster recovery, and data and history retention (V/ULDB size) enhancements. Complex datatype support for documents (XML, image, and text) and geographic referencing and analysis (Spatial), as well as user-defined enhancements, is now the norm for these applications and will be required in data management systems. Complex data requirements combined with Sarbanes/Oxley compliance is yielding a rapid migration from the use of decentralized, unconsolidated file storage to consolidated database repositories of secure, recoverable, auditable content. conditions, evaluate these conditions on stored information (rules and facts), and determine an appropriate action. Databases are becoming de facto rules engine platforms due to their inherent scalability. In the future, entire tables in a large database will be the source and repository of rules, the number of which may be measured in hundreds of thousands and even millions. Another emerging trend is the use of rule-based programming. This is a relatively recent addition to programming technologies that cater to new applications that need to act upon complex input conditions, evaluate these conditions on stored information (rules and facts), and determine an appropriate action. Databases are becoming de facto rules engine platforms due to their inherent scalability. In the future, entire tables in a large database will be the source and repository of rules, the number of which may be measured in hundreds of thousands and even millions.
The Effects of Social Interaction Training on High School Peer Tutors of Schoolmates with Severe Disabilities

This study evaluated the effects of social interaction training on the social interactions directed by high school students without disabilities toward peers with severe disabilities. Eight high school students who were peer tutors in a classroom for students with severe disabilities were matched in pairs and then randomly assigned to interact with and serve as partners for four classmates with severe disabilities. Only one participant in each peer tutor pair received the social interaction training. A statistical analysis indicated that the training increased the frequency of initiations of interactions directed from the students without disabilities toward their partners with severe disabilities. There was also an increase in the proportion of interactions that were social in nature, with a resulting decrease in the frequency of task-related interactions, as well as a significant increase in targeted social behaviors of the participants with severe disabilities.
Incentives for Information Production and Disclosure in a Duopolistic Environment

This paper examines the nature of the equilibrium solution to the duopoly problem under various "incomplete" information structures and the incentives to produce and disclose information. Attention is focused on the duopolists' cost functions. The results indicate that disclosure of such information is generally beneficial to the duopolists.
N-dealkylation of an N-cyclopropylamine by horseradish peroxidase. Fate of the cyclopropyl group.

Cyclopropylamines inactivate cytochrome P450 enzymes which catalyze their oxidative N-dealkylation. A key intermediate in both processes is postulated to be a highly reactive aminium cation radical formed by single electron transfer (SET) oxidation of the nitrogen center, but direct evidence for this has remained elusive. To address this deficiency and identify the fate of the cyclopropyl group lost upon N-dealkylation, we have investigated the oxidation of N-cyclopropyl-N-methylaniline (3) by horseradish peroxidase, a well-known SET enzyme. For comparison, similar studies were carried out in parallel with N-isopropyl-N-methylaniline (9) and N,N-dimethylaniline (8). Under standard peroxidatic conditions (HRP, H2O2, air), HRP oxidizes 8 completely to N-methylaniline (4) plus formaldehyde within 15−30 min, whereas 9 is oxidized more slowly (<10% in 60 min) to produce only N-isopropylaniline (10) and formaldehyde (acetone and 4 are not formed). In contrast to results with 9, oxidation of 3 is complete in <60...
An elastomeric insole for 3-axis ground reaction force measurement

Measurement of the ground reaction force vector is important in clinical gait analysis and biomechanics research, for example to enable inverse dynamic calculations. Instrumented insoles allow biomechanical data to be collected outside of the motion analysis laboratory in many environments. However, current insole-based approaches typically measure only the vertical component of the reaction force and the plantar center of pressure. This work describes the development and evaluation of a silicone insole capable of measuring the complete three dimensional reaction force vector. The insole is optically based and low-cost with no complex manufacturing requirements. Accuracy over five nominal gait trails is shown to be on the order of 10% of the force range, with mean errors of 10.7 N in the shear directions and 68.1 N in normal. The insole can provide a simple mobile platform that allows kinetic gait data to be collected in many environments while minimally affecting the wearer's gait.
Resonant Scattering of Cyclotron Harmonic Plasma Waves

Experimental results are presented which show that resonant mode coupling can be the dominant process in the scattering of cyclotron harmonic waves (or Bernstein modes). The important and new feature of the present work is that, in addition to confirming the frequency (energy) conservation relation ω1 + ω2 = ω3, the wavenumber (momentum) conservation relation k1 + k2 = k3 is also shown to be satisfied in accord with the requirements of resonant mode coupling [where ω1(k1) and ω2(k2) refer to the incident waves and ω3(k3) to the product wave]. Since all three waves participating in the scattering process are cyclotron harmonic waves, the present work provides an important technique for studying the symmetry relations which govern wave‐wave scattering processes in a magnetic field.
Zero-Shot Learning and Detection of Teeth in Images of Bat Skulls

Biologists collect and analyze phenomic (e.g., anatomical or non-genomic) data to discover relationships among species in the Tree of Life. The domain is seeking to modernize this very time-consuming and largely manual process. We have developed an approach to detect and localize object parts in standardized images of bat skulls. This approach has been further developed for unannotated images by leveraging knowledge learned from a few annotated images. The key challenge is that the unlabeled images show bat skulls of "unknown" species that may have types, total numbers, and layouts of the teeth that differ from the "known" species appearing in the labeled images. Our method begins by matching the unlabeled images to the labeled ones. This allows a transfer of tooth annotations to the unlabeled images. We then learn a tree parts model on the transferred annotations, and apply this model to detect and label teeth in the unlabeled images. Our evaluation demonstrates good performance, which is close to our upper bound performance by the fully supervised model.
Intention to Engage in Digital Piracy A Conceptual Model and Empirical Test

Digital piracy represents a significant threat to the marketers of digital service products. Industry efforts to attenuate the practice, often deterrent in nature, have largely failed. We propose that one reason for this failure is the absence of a commensurably accepted model of the social psychological foundations underlying digital piracy behaviors. A modified version of Perugini and Bagozzi's (2001) Model of Goal Directed Behavior is advocated and empirically validated across both movie and music industry settings for this purpose. The results support the theoretical and empirical efficacy of the proposed model and highlight the importance of attitudes toward the act of digital piracy, the frequency of past digital piracy behaviors, and the motivations and intentions underlying digital piracy. A normative framework is proposed with five actionable recommendations to assist digital service marketers in better addressing digital piracy. The research implications of the reported study are also presented ...
Green corona and solar sector structure

Analysis of the green line corona for the interval 1947–1970 suggests the existence of largescale organization of the emission. The green line emission at high northern latitudes (≈ 40°–60°) is correlated with the emission at high southern latitudes 6, 15 and 24 days later, while the low latitude green corona seems to be correlated on both sides of the equator with no time lag. These coronal features are recurrent with a 27-day period at all latitudes between ± 60 °, and we associate these large-scale structures with the solar magnetic sector structure. The high correlation between northern and southern high-latitude emission at 15 days time lag is explained as a signature of a two-sector structure, while four sectors are associated with the 6 and 24 day peaks.
A connection between integrable Z(N) models and off-critical non-unitary theories

Abstract We use the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz approach in order to study the ultraviolet limit behaviour of the ground state in two sets of integrable field theories: the Z ( N ) invariant model and a special series of massive non-unitary minimal theories. We obtain the value of respective effective central charges and confirm that these integrable models are indeed the corresponding perturbed conformal field theories.
The distribution of aminergic neurones and their projections in the brain of the teleost, Myoxocephalus scorpius

Fluorescent histochemistry was carried out on the brain of the teleost Myoxocephalus scorpius to show the distribution of monoaminergic neurones and their projections. Posterior to the obex of the fourth ventricle, at the junction of the spinal chord and medulla, there is an unpaired dorsal nucleus of catecholaminergic cells. A second group of catecholaminergic perikarya are scattered lateral to the vagal and glossopharyngeal motor nuclei. Both groups of aminergic cells contribute to a tract which crosses the fourth ventricle at the obex and runs along the lateral wall of the medulla towards the diencephalon. At the level of the isthmus there is a lateral nucleus composed of large catecholaminergic cells with prominent fluorescent axons and its possible homology with the locus coeruleus is considered. Medially, in the same region a nucleus of serotonergic neurones lies between the paired tracts of the fasciculus longitudinalis medialis. In the diencephalon there are three paraventricular nuclei, the nuclei recessus posterioris and lateralis and the paraventricular organ pars anterior. Ventral to the lateral recess there is a further nucleus less closely associated with the ependyma. The distribution of fluorescent fibres is described and the dispositions of the aminergic nuclei compared to those of other teleosts.
In-situ processing of NiAl–alumina composites by thermite reaction

Abstract NiAl–Alumina composites have been fabricated by reactive sintering of ball-milled and compacted powder mixtures containing NiO and Al. Dense NiAl–Al 2 O 3 composite with an interpenetrating Al 2 O 3 network was fabricated after 2 h of vacuum hot pressing at 1200°C and 50 MPa. The thermite reaction mechanism, as well as phase and microstructural development of the composites, were investigated by quenching the compacts from different temperatures during vacuum hot press. It was found that different intermediate phases are formed depending on the temperatures; Ni formed first at around 600°C, followed by NiAl 3 , Ni 2 Al 3 and NiAl as temperature increased. The formation of Al 2 O 3 phases during reactive hot press is believed to be a three-stage process. Initially, a small amount of Al 2 O 3 was produced by the reduction of NiO with solid Al. As temperature increases, Al 2 O 3 particles forms by the reduction of NiO with liquid Al. Finally, a NiO/Ni/Al 2 O 3 /Ni m Al n layer structure forms via solid state displacement reaction between NiO and nickel-aluminides (NiAl 3 , Ni 2 Al 3 , NiAl) leading to the formation of interpenetrating Al 2 O 3 network in the final product.
Scholarly consensus: Ijma‘: between use and misuse

Some conception of consensus is essential for ascertaining the bedrock teachings of the Islamic faith. There is an operative presumption that the normative tradition was defined by such a notion. This presumption, however, is complicated by the fact that historical discussions of the scholarly concept of legal consensus (ijma') can be traced roughly to the 2nd century subsequent to the advent of Islam, more than a century after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Shiite rejection of the legal concept further vitiates Sunni claims of the authoritativeness and binding yields of unanimous consensus. Sunni jurists and legal theorists themselves from the earliest of times have also casts aspersions on the validity of claims of unanimous consensus while generally acknowledging its theoretical possibility. Despite these considerations, many significant scholarly personalities throughout Islamic history have claimed unanimous consensus on a number of legal and theological matters. When a ruling is the result of un...
The Safe Food Handling for Occasional Quantity Cooks Curriculum

Abstract The Safe Food Handling for Occasional Quantity Cooks curriculum was developed as an educational program for volunteer quantity cooks who lack safe food-handling knowledge. The objectives of this study were to determine the knowledge gain of educators and volunteer quantity cooks and the behavior change of participants after program attendance. Knowledge was assessed both pre- and postprogram, and the differences in scores of educators and volunteer quantity cooks were determined. A behavior checklist was used to monitor self-declared food-handling behavior at the time of attendance and 3 months after participation. Participants in the program improved their knowledge or behavior scores, although statistical significance was not attained in all cases. Results from this pilot study indicate that the curriculum has the potential to help achieve the goal of preventing foodborne illness in volunteer, temporary, or seasonal quantity food production situations. The long-term impact of the curriculum needs to be assessed.
Monocyte expression of MICA enhances the Natural Killer Cell response to antibody-coated tumor targets

Natural Killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes that are uniquely equipped to promote the anti-tumor response via communication with other immune cell types in the tumor microenvironment. We have shown that NK cells secrete a distinct profile of immune stimulatory factors e.g., interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) with potent anti-tumor activity in response to dual stimulation with antibody (Ab)-coated tumor cells and cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-12 and that this response is significantly enhanced 10 fold in the presence of autologous monocytes (p < 0.05). Similar results were obtained when NK cell secretion of TNF-alpha (a) and MIP1-a were examined. This enhancement of the NK cell cytokine response by monocytes held true for every known stimulator of NK cell IFN-γ production. Further, autologous monocytes significantly increased the ability of IL-12 activated NK cells to lyse Trastuzumab-coated breast cancer cells in an ADCC assay (p < 0.05). Monocyte enhancement of NK cell activity was shown to be dependent on direct cell-cell contact as determined by a transwell assay. We hypothesized that NK cell effector functions against Ab-coated tumor cells were enhanced via binding of the stimulatory ligand MICA on monocytes to the NKG2D receptor on NK cells. Activation of monocytes with bacterial components (e.g., LPS) or IFN-a led to increased surface expression of the NKG2D ligand MICA and further enhanced the ability of monocytes to act as stimulators of NK cell cytokine secretion. The stimulatory effects of MICA-positive monocytes were duplicated via use of a MICA over-expressing cell line (C1R-MICA) (inducing a 4 fold increase in IFN-γ production) but not the parental MICA-negative cell line. Down-modulation of MICA via siRNA or incubation with a MICA neutralizing FAb fragment prior to co-culture of monocytes with NK cells led to a significant reduction in NK cell IFN-γ secretion (p < 0.05). Blockade of NKG2D on NK cells with a neutralizing Ab also reduced IFN-γ production in this co-culture system. In vivo, depletion of monocytes from Balb/c mice resulted in decreased IFN-γ production by murine NK cells upon exposure to Trastuzumab-coated tumor cells and IL-12. Extended depletion of monocytes in vivo abrogated the immune response to combination therapy with Trastuzumab and IL-12, resulting in significantly larger tumors in monocyte-depleted mice in comparison to mock-depleted controls (p < 0.02). These data suggest that direct cell-cell interaction between NK cells and monocytes may constitute an important mechanism for enhancement of the NK cell anti-tumor response in the setting of monoclonal Ab therapy for cancer.
The flexure assembly design for the SIRTF one -meter primary mirror

A titanium flexure assembly for the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) 1-m primary mirror has been designed to accommodate: (1) the cryogenic cool-down effect on the optical performance of the mirror, (2) the Shuttle launch-load environment, and (3) the support-baseplate manufacturing tolerances. Numerous iterations involving a multidimensional design space search led to an assembly design that provides the stiffness and strength in the vertical (optical axis) and tangential directions to accommodate launch loads, but is compliant radially to accommodate cryogenic cool down. A 'folded back' titanium flexure system was required because of the differential thermal contraction of the aluminum telescope baseplate support and the fused-silica mirror. This unique and innovative flexure assembly represents a totally passive mechanism for accommodating the design launch loads, cryogenic cool down, and out-of-plane baseplate effects.
A Comparison of Alternative Models for Testlets

When tests are made up of testlets, standard item response theory (IRT) models are often not appropriate due to the local dependence present among items within a common testlet. A testlet-based IRT...
Explaining Elite Attitudes On the Georgia Flag

Confederate symbols continue to spark controversy throughout the South. Analysis of a survey of Georgia campaign contributors reveals that a variety of factors—racial attitudes, conservative identi...
Object lens: a “spreadsheet” for cooperative work

Object Lens allows unsophisticated computer users to create their own cooperative work applications using a set of simple, but powerful, building blocks. By defining and modifying templates for various semistructured objects, users represent many different kinds of information. By creating semiautonomous agents, users specify rules for automatically processing this information in different situations.The combination of these primitives provides a single consistent interface that integrates facilities for object-oriented databases, hypertext, electronic messaging, and rule-based intelligent agents. To illustrate the power of this combined approach, we describe several simple examples of applications (such as task tracking, intelligent message routing, and database retrieval) that we have developed in this framework.