cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring Product Fit And Brand Fit In Brand Alliances: Establishing The Role Of Categorization Processes

The marketing strategy of brand alliance has received considerable attention in marketing literature. A significant factor in the study of how consumers process brand alliances is the concept of “fit”. Specifically, it has been shown that consumers evaluate the extent to which the brands and products in a brand alliance are congruent. While the concept of fit has been addressed in brand alliance research, little is known about what fit really is. This paper seeks to establish the processes by which consumers make evaluations of both product and brand fit. Based on a review of the relevant literature, it is proposed that consumers use higher-order categorization processes in evaluating brand alliances. A 2 x 2 experiment was conducted to test multiple hypotheses. Results confirm these hypotheses and confirm that consumers do indeed conduct a higher-order category search as they evaluate brand alliances. Based on this work, an entire field of research can now be applied to the study of this promotional strategy. While various studies in the recent past have examined factors affecting the processing of brand alliances, there remains a great deal to be learned about how brand alliance information is processed and what factors affect both cognitive and evaluative outcomes. Applications of categorization theories open new avenues in the study of this area of consumer research.
The Pneumatic Practice Pad

The Pneumatic Practice Pad is a commercially available 10" practice pad that has been modified to allow for tension changes in a matter of seconds using a small electric air pump. In this paper, we examine the rebound characteristics of the Pneumatic Practice Pad at various pressure presets and compare them to a sample of acoustic drums. We also review subjective feedback from participants in a playing test.
Preclinical acute ocular safety study of combined intravitreal carboplatin and etoposide phosphate for retinoblastoma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To describe the ocular toxicity of intravitreal carboplatin and etoposide phosphate (VP16P) in Dutch-Belted rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-two adult male Dutch-Belted rabbits (Cohort 1) each received a single, bilateral intravitreal injection (0.05 mL). For Cohort 1, safety was assessed via electroretinograms (ERGs) and ocular examination. Of nine total groups in Cohort 1, the first five received the following single agents: Group 1: normal saline; Group 2: VP16P 75 µg; Group 3: VP16P 100 µg; Group 4: carboplatin 4 µg; and Group 5: carboplatin 8 µg. Groups 6 through 9 received the following combination of carboplatin/ VP16P, respectively: Group 6: 8 µg/75 µg, Group 7: 8 µg/50 µg, Group 8: 4 µg/50 µg, and Group 9: 2 µg/25 µg. Cohort 2 consisted of 15 Dutch-Belted rabbits in seven groups (Groups 10 through 16), each receiving a single, bilateral intravitreal injection. For Cohort 2, safety was assessed via histopathology. RESULTS Groups 2 through 8 demonstrated a statistically significant decrease (relative to Group 1) in at least one ERG waveform amplitude obtained 4 weeks postinjection (P < .05). Group 9 (carbo 2 µg/VP16P 25 µg) did not manifest ERG toxicity. Fundoscopic toxicity consisted of slight-to-moderate attenuation of vessels in rabbits receiving doses above carbo 4 µg/VP16P 50 µg. Histopathologic retinal toxicity (Cohort 2) was dose-dependent, ranging from full-thickness atrophy in rabbits receiving the highest dose to normal in rabbits receiving carbo 2 µg/VP16P 25 µg. CONCLUSIONS Combined carboplatin and VP16P may be compatible for intravitreal injection therapy, and a single dose of 2 µg/25 µg appears to be safe in a rabbit model. These agents may be a safer alternative to intravitreal melphalan (Alkeran; GlaxoSmithKline, Brentford, United Kingdom) for the treatment of vitreous seeds in retinoblastoma. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2017;48:151-159.].
Effect of Off-Body Laser Discharge on Drag Reduction of Hemisphere Cylinder in Supersonic Flow-Part II

The interaction of on-axis and o -axis laser discharge in front of a hemisphere cylinder in Mach 2.0 ow is investigated numerically. Details of the physics of the interaction of the laser-induced shock and the heated region with the bow shock and its e ect on drag reduction are included. The energetic eciency of the laser discharge in reducing drag is calculated.
Transcriptomic analysis of aerobic respiratory and anaerobic photosynthetic states in Rhodobacter capsulatus and their modulation by global redox regulators RegA, FnrL and CrtJ.

Anoxygenicphotosynthetic prokaryotes have simplified photosystems that represent ancient lineages that predate the more complex oxygen evolving photosystems present in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. These organisms thrive under illuminated anaerobic photosynthetic conditions, but also have the ability to grow under dark aerobic respiratory conditions. This study provides a detailed snapshot of transcription ground states of both dark aerobic and anaerobic photosynthetic growth modes in the purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobactercapsulatus. Using 18 biological replicates for aerobic and photosynthetic states, we observed that 1834 genes (53 % of the genome) exhibited altered expression between aerobic and anaerobic growth. In comparison with aerobically grown cells, photosynthetically grown anaerobic cells showed decreased transcription of genes for cobalamin biosynthesis (−45 %), iron transport and homeostasis (−42 %), motility (−32 %), and glycolysis (−34 %). Conversely and more intuitively, the expression of genes involved in carbon fixation (547 %), bacteriochlorophyll biosynthesis (162 %) and carotenogenesis (114 %) were induced. We also analysed the relative contributions of known global redox transcription factors RegA, FnrL and CrtJ in regulating aerobic and anaerobic growth. Approximately 50 % of differentially expressed genes (913 of 1834) were affected by a deletion of RegA, while 33 % (598 out of 1834) were affected by FnrL, and just 7 % (136 out of 1834) by CrtJ. Numerous genes were also shown to be controlled by more than one redox responding regulator.
Hospitality and tourism student and alumni perspectives: promotion expectations, academic and experience adjustments, and career growth

ABSTRACTPreparing qualified graduates for the tourism and hospitality industry who will stay and achieve promotional success is paramount. The objectives of this research project were to determine promotional advancement expectations and strategies to improve promotional opportunities. Two separate questionnaires, with both open and close-ended questions, were sent to upper classmen/women in hospitality and tourism programs and alumni of the same programs. In total, 717 (409 students and 308 alumni) completed the questionnaires. Chi-square tests were run to determine differences between student and alumni responses. To assist in analysis of open-ended responses, Atlas.ti was used. There was a statistically significant difference between students and alumni responses in regards to promotional expectations; students expected it to take a significantly longer time to receive a promotion to supervisor or manager than alumni. Overall, students and alumni indicated strategies such as more real-world-focused cou...
Connexin hemichannels and cochlear function

Abstract Connexins play vital roles in hearing, including promoting cochlear development and sustaining auditory function in the mature cochlea. Mutations in connexins expressed in the cochlear epithelium, Cx26 and Cx30, cause sensorineural deafness and in the case of Cx26, is one of the most common causes of non-syndromic, hereditary deafness. Connexins function as gap junction channels and as hemichannels, which mediate intercellular and transmembrane signaling, respectively. Both channel configurations can play important, but very different roles in the cochlea. The potential roles connexin hemichannels can play are discussed both in normal cochlear function and in promoting pathogenesis that can lead to hearing loss.
Policies to Prevent Obesity and Promote Healthier Diets: A Critical Selective Review.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has risen dramatically in recent decades in the US and most other countries of the world. This has led to a search for public policies and other interventions that can prevent obesity and improve diets. However, there remain considerable uncertainty and confusion about the effectiveness of many potential policies. CONTENT: This review assesses the strength of the research evidence for 4 commonly proposed policies to prevent obesity and improve diets: (a) taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs); (b) calorie labels on restaurant menus; (c) restricting food advertising to youth; and (d) excluding energy-dense foods from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SUMMARY: The existing literature has many limitations. Often, the research designs are weak, with small nonrepresentative samples and only short-run follow-up. However, a number of studies are of sufficiently high quality to be informative, and on the basis of that evidence, there appears to be no magic bullet to prevent and reduce obesity. Thus, a suite of these policies may be needed for a meaningful impact.
What Is in a Reach? Domain-General Spatial Modulation of Motor Responses by Number Representations

Gaze, pointing, and reaching movements are thought to provide a window to internal cognitive states. In the case of numerical cognition, it has been found that the left-right deviation of a reaching movement is modulated by the relative magnitude of values in a number comparison task. Some have argued that these patterns directly reflect the representation of a logarithmically compressed mental number line (direct mapping view). However, other studies suggest that the modulation of motor outputs by numerical value could be a more general decision-making phenomenon (response competition view). Here we test the generality of interactions between the motor system and numerical processing by comparing subjects' reach trajectories during two different nonverbal tasks: numerosity comparison and facial expression comparison. We found that reaching patterns were practically identical in both tasks – reach trajectories were equally sensitive to stimulus similarity in the numerical and face comparisons. The data provide strong support for the response competition view that motor outputs are modulated by domain-general decision processes, and reflect generic decision confidence or accumulation of evidence related to mental comparison.
Spent-fuel dry-bath oxidation testing

Multiple samples of moderate-burnup pressurized water reactor (PWR) and boiling water reactor (BWR) spent fuel are oxidized in controlled atmosphere dry baths at 175, 130, and 110{degrees}C. The atmosphere consists of air humidified to a dew point of either {minus}55 or +80{degrees}C. These tests are run for up to 18.8 kh. In this paper, the weight gain data from these tests are analyzed using a mathematical model incorporating the assumption that oxidation occurs by rapid grain-boundary oxygen diffusion, followed by oxidation of the individual fuel grains. The BWR fuel appears to oxidize slightly faster than PWR fuel, and the data suggest a possible increase in oxidation rate in moist air. Reasonable agreement is observed between the oxidation rate constants obtained in these long-term test and prior short-term thermogravimetric analysis oxidation tests.
The Pericyte of the Pancreatic Islet Regulates Capillary Diameter and Local Blood Flow

Summary Efficient insulin secretion requires a well-functioning pancreatic islet microvasculature. The dense network of islet capillaries includes the islet pericyte, a cell that has barely been studied. Here we show that islet pericytes help control local blood flow by adjusting islet capillary diameter. Islet pericytes cover 40% of the microvasculature, are contractile, and are innervated by sympathetic axons. Sympathetic adrenergic input increases pericyte activity and reduces capillary diameter and local blood flow. By contrast, activating beta cells by increasing glucose concentration inhibits pericytes, dilates islet capillaries, and increases local blood flow. These effects on pericytes are mediated by endogenous adenosine, which is likely derived from ATP co-released with insulin. Pericyte coverage of islet capillaries drops drastically in type 2 diabetes, suggesting that, under diabetic conditions, islets lose this mechanism to control their own blood supply. This may lead to inadequate insulin release into the circulation, further deteriorating glycemic control.
The Ontology Wars: A Review of Pierre Macherey’s Hegel or Spinoza?

Pierre Macherey’s Hegel or Spinoza? suggests that Hegel was driven to his now legendary misinterpretations of Spinoza because he could not accept Spinozism without compromising his own philosophy. Macherey shows us a Spinoza that pre-emptively resists and challenges Hegel’s understanding of Spirit as Subject realising itself through self-negation and contradiction. This review draws out the central arguments in the book, and those arguments most salient for contemporary theories of capitalism and revolution, and points towards possible implications for Marxist theory.
A refined ethical impact assessment tool and a case study of its application

Research of or involving Information and Communications Technology (ICT) presents a wide variety of ethical challenges and the relative immaturity of ethical decision making in the ICT research community has prompted calls for additional research and guidance. The Menlo report, a revisiting of the seminal Belmont report, seeks to bring clarity to this arena by articulating a basic set of ethical principles for ICT research. However the gap between such principles and actionable guidance for the ethical conduct of ICT research is large. In previous work we sought to bridge this gap through the construction of an ethical impact assessment (EIA) tool that provided a set of guiding questions to help researchers understand how to apply the Menlo principles. While a useful tool, experiences in the intervening years have caused us to rethink and expand the EIA. In this paper we: (i) discuss the various challenges encountered in applying the original EIA, (ii) present a new EIA framework that represents our evolved understanding, and (iii) retrospectively apply this EIA to an ethically challenging, original study in ICTR.
Act Locally, Affect Globally: How Changing Social Norms to Influence the Private Sector Shows a Path to Using Local Government to Improve Environmental Harms

There has been comparatively little exploration of the importance of local government in addressing large-scale environmental harms, in spite of much activity at the local level dealing with climate change. This Article posits that local governments can affect large-scale environmental harms because they can influence the private sector through targeted social norm creation that cannot be accomplished easily at other levels of government. The Article notes that efforts to induce the private sector to take actions without enforcement capability have been problematic, but that connections to private sector decisionmakers and influencing of their internal norms—which can occur more easily at the local level— can create action not just locally, but wherever corporations operate.
Treatments for de Quervain Tenosynovitis.

Corticosteroid injections are no better than thumb spica orthoses for decreasing pain in patients with de Quervain tenosynovitis. When combined with orthoses, corticosteroid injections and acupuncture are equally effective for improving function and decreasing pain.
Synergy between sacubitril and valsartan leads to hemodynamic, antifibrotic, and exercise tolerance benefits in rats with preexisting heart failure.

Our data suggest the following explanation for the effects of sacubitril/valsartan: 1) synergy of sacubitril and valsartan leads to the improvement of load-dependent left ventricular contractility ...
Management of Inflammatory Cardiac Masses.

Systemic rheumatologic and inflammatory disorders can affect almost any organ system, including the heart. The cardiac valves, conduction system, myocardium, endocardium, pericardium, and coronary arteries may be affected. Intracardiac masses may develop as part of the disease process or a consequence of their therapy, such as methotrexate-associated nodulosis. Optimal therapy in these cases is not known, since many patients are asymptomatic and the potential benefit of surgical excision must be weighed against its associated morbidity and mortality. Importantly, these inflammatory masses must be differentiated from thrombus, infection, and primary and metastatic tumors. We present three cases of inflammatory cardiac masses associated with rheumatoid arthritis and Wegener’s granulomatosis, which were successfully treated conservatively, and propose a management algorithm. The benefits of such an approach must be individualized and weighed against the risks of systemic embolization, stroke and obstruction. Cardiol Res. 2018;9(6):400-406 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/cr801
Teaching Style: A Primary Determinant of Student Motivation:

The effect of a teacher's classroom “style” in creating and/or maintaining intrinsic motivation is analyzed. Typically, research which has attempted to isolate classroom personality variables of su...
Rhabdomyolysis and Hepatotoxicity From Valproic Acid: Case Reports:

Valproic acid (VPA) has been widely used more frequently as its approved indications have been expanded. More and more case reports on rare toxicities have been published in the literature (ie, hepatotoxicities, hyperammonemic encephalopathy, coagulation disorders, pancreatitis, thrombocytopenia). In spite of the long history of VPA, there is a lack of awareness of VPA toxicities among clinicians. We present two cases of a 44-year-old African American female and a 60-year-old Hispanic male taking chronic VPA therapy for psychiatric disorders admitted to the hospital with a combination of hepatotoxicities and acute kidney injury-associated rhabdomyolysis. In both cases, home VPA therapy was continued during hospitalization. Consequently, the female patient deceased and the male patient survived and discharged with continuation of his chronic VPA therapy. In cases of surviving patients, resumption of maintenance VPA upon discharge should be held and alternative therapy should be considered.
The Synergistic Influence of Life Experiences and Cultural Nuances on Development of Depression: A Cognitive Behavioral Perspective

The synergistic influences of everyday life experiences, societal expectations, and cultural nuances affect a person's ability to successfully manage their life and remain mentally healthy. Persons from culturally and ethnically diverse populations may incur depression when societal expectations and cultural influences are in conflict with each other. Chronic stress, often-referred to as toxic stress, contributes to the development of depression as it is unrelenting, beginning in childhood and continuing into adulthood. This article discusses connections between societal expectations, persons' cultural perspectives as well as the role that these connections may contribute to in the development of toxic stress and depression. Beck's Cognitive Behavioral Theory provides a basis to describe the role that synergistic influences play in development of depression for culturally and ethnically diverse persons.
Evaluation of Bivalirudin As an Alternative to Heparin for Systemic Anticoagulation in Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Objectives Heparin is the universal anticoagulant for patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. However, heparin has many disadvantages, especially in young children, who develop heparin resistance. Recently our center has used bivalirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor, for systemic anticoagulation in pediatric extracorporeal life support. Bivalirudin binds directly to thrombin with no need for antithrombin III and it inhibits both circulating and clot-bound thrombin. In this study, we sought to evaluate our experience with bivalirudin in pediatric extracorporeal life support. Design Retrospective chart review study of patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support between October 2014 and May 2018. Setting Tertiary, academic PICU. Patients Sixteen patients receiving heparin and 16 patients receiving bivalirudin on extracorporeal life support were included in the study. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Patients in the bivalirudin group had a median age of 31 months versus 59 months in the heparin group (p = 0.41). Recovery and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation decannulation were similar in both groups (56% in the heparin group and 62% in the bivalirudin group; p = 0.62). Time to reach goal therapeutic anticoagulation level was shorter in the bivalirudin group (11 vs 29 hr; p = 0.01). Bleeding events were fewer in the bivalirudin group, and there was no difference in the rate of thrombotic events between the two groups. Comprehensive cost analysis that includes anticoagulant, laboratories, and antithrombin III cost, showed that heparin anticoagulation therapy total cost was significantly higher than bivalirudin (1,184 dollars per day in heparin group vs 494 dollars per day in bivalirudin group; p = 0.03). Bivalirudin dose required to maintain target anticoagulation will increase over time, and this is associated with an increase in creatinine clearance and an increase in fibrinogen serum levels. Conclusions This study showed that the use of bivalirudin in pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support is feasible, safe, reliable, and cost-effective in comparison to heparin. Further prospective randomized clinical trials are necessary to confirm our observations.
At the intersection of science and theory: How the Nurse Role Integration Model reconciles the conflict

As more nurses embrace precision science, there is a tendency to utilize theoretical frameworks from other disciplines thus, placing nursing at risk of losing its autonomy and independence. The discipline has fallen prey to internal binary opposition, eliminating opportunities to engage in civil discourse. To explore how the roles nurses select might fit together in a theoretical framework and help nurses understand how the roles they choose to support their identity as nurses, this paper introduced a model of nursing that includes the bench scientists, the policy activists, and bedside nurses, using the Neuman Systems Model (NSM). The Nurse Role Integration Model (NRIM) espouses the basic tenets of NSM: prevention counteracts stressors from penetrating the client's lines of defense thus, reducing stress response. Primary prevention reflects the work of the nurse bench scientists, investigating the underlying mechanisms behind pathophysiology; secondary prevention is applied nurse scientists who build upon nurse researchers' work, identifying and testing potential interventions; tertiary prevention is nurse policy activists, the fulcrum, who leverage primary and secondary findings to argue policy change at all levels. Once policy change is adopted, bedside nurses are educated and implement the change. This lens provides an opportunity to create greater solidarity, strengthening the unity and autonomy of the discipline.
Life-History Factors Influence Teenagers’ Suicidal Ideation: A Model Selection Analysis of the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth:

Suicidality is an important contributor to disease burden worldwide. We examine the developmental and environmental correlates of reported suicidal ideation at age 15 and develop a new evolutionary...
Re-upping Appeasement: Religious Freedom and Judicial Politics in the 2019 Term

Are some liberal justices on the Supreme Court engaged in appeasement as a strategy of judicial decisionmaking? In prior work, we specified a conception of appeasement as a sustained strategy of offering unilateral concessions for the purpose of avoiding further conflict, but with the self-defeating effect of emboldening other parties to take more aggressive actions. Working with this conception, we have argued that recent decisions under the Religion Clauses—involving government speech, state funding, and legal exemptions—provide evidence that some liberals may be following a strategy of this kind. We also acknowledged the limitations of the evidence, and the possibility that these justices are pursuing other strategies, such as compromise or cooptation. Here we extend this analysis by examining the Supreme Court’s decisions concerning religious freedom from the 2019 Term, and we broaden our claim by asking whether justices are engaged in strategic compromises across constitutional doctrines involving not only religious freedom, but also reproductive rights and antidiscrimination law in the LGBTQ context. We express some skepticism about a developing narrative that the Roberts Court has reached a breakthrough in the culture wars, offering an alternative account that emphasizes asymmetric polarization and the possibility of judicial appeasement.
Artificial intelligence in dermatology.

Abstract Dermatology and medicine are producing data at an increasing rate that are progressively difficult to sort and manage. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are examples of tools that may have the capability to produce significant and meaningful results from these data. Currently, AI and machine learning have a variety of applications in medicine including, but not limited to, diagnostics, patient management, preventive medicine, and genomic analysis. Although the role of AI in dermatology is greater than ever, its use is still extremely limited. As AI is continually developed and implemented, it is essential that stakeholders understand AI terminology, applications, limitations, and projected uses in dermatology. With the continued development of AI technology, however, its implementation may afford greater dermatologist efficiency, greater increased patient access to dermatologic care, and improved patient outcomes.
Use of the Instagram Hashtags #winemom and #momjuice Among Mothers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Descriptive, Cross-sectional Study.

Background: The tendency of parents to consume alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to be moderated by pandemic-related stress combined with the ongoing demands of childcare and home-based education, which are reported to be more burdensome for females than males. Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe alcohol-related content posted by mothers on Instagram during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Using two popular hashtags, #momjuice and #winemom, 50 Instagram posts on each were collected from the “top posts” tab. The coding categories were created inductively and were as follows: displays alcohol (drinking/holding alcohol or alcohol itself), person is making alcoholic beverages, type of alcohol featured or discussed, highlights anxiety and/or depression/mental state, highlights struggling (in general), highlights parenting challenges, encourages alcohol consumption, discourages alcohol consumption, features a person wearing clothing or shows products promoting alcohol, promotes alcohol rehabilitation, highlights caffeine to alcohol daily transition throughout the day, and highlights other drugs besides caffeine and alcohol. Results: Overall, the 100 selected posts had a total of 5108 comments and 94,671 likes. The respective averages were 51.08 (SD 77.94) and 946.71 (SD 1731.72). A majority (>50%) of the posts reviewed encouraged alcohol consumption (n=66) and/or displayed alcohol (n=56). Of the 66 that encouraged and/or displayed alcohol, the common type of alcohol discussed or featured was wine (n=55). Only 6 posts discouraged alcohol use and only 4 provided the audience with a disclaimer. None of the videos promoted or endorsed alcohol rehabilitation in any way. Only 37 posts highlighted struggle. However, these posts garnered more than a majority of the likes (n=50,034, 52.3%). Posts that showed struggle received an average of 1359.57 (SD 2108.02) likes. Those that did not show struggle had an average of 704.24 (SD 1447.46) likes. An independent one-tailed t test demonstrated this difference to be statistically significant (P=.0499). Conclusions: The findings of this investigation suggest that though these hashtags ostensibly exist to valorize excess alcohol consumption, they may be serving as a support system for mothers who are experiencing increased burdens and role stress during the pandemic. Given the strains placed on mothers overall and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts must be taken to increase access to and affordability of telehealth-based mental health care.
Connectomic DBS in major depression

Abstract Deep brain stimulation (DBS) for depression has been investigated in the past decade as a potential intervention for which no reasonable treatment options are available. Multiple groups worldwide have tested several anatomic targets and have reported safety and benefit from DBS for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in open-label studies. However, the therapeutic effects of either short-term and long-term DBS vary as a function of respective targets and stimulation parameters and also according to clinical characteristics of individual patients. Advanced imaging techniques and computational neural network modeling allow us to evaluate the use of connectomic DBS, with a shift from relatively simple anatomical localization of the stimulation target to a more comprehensive visualization of a targeted brain network. The subcallosal cingulate region (SCC) is the most studied target thus far for TRD, and it evolved over successive experimental cohorts along just such a trajectory: from a regional target to a network target. In this chapter, we will offer insights into the evolution of SCC DBS from anatomy-based to connectome-based targeting for treating major depression.
Surrogates for rigidity and PIGD MDS-UPDRS subscores using wearable sensors.

Abstract Background Telemedicine has the advantage of expanding access to care for patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). However, rigidity and postural instability in PD are difficult to measure remotely, and are important measures of functional impairment and fall risk. Research question Can measures from wearable sensors be used as future surrogates for the MDS-UPDRS rigidity and Postural Instability and Gait Difficulty (PIGD) subscores? Methods Thirty-one individuals with mild to moderate PD wore 3 inertial sensors at home for one week to measure quantity and quality of gait and turning in daily life. Separately, we performed a clinical assessment and balance characterization of postural sway with the same wearable sensors in the laboratory (On medication). We then first performed a traditional correlation analysis between clinical scores and objective measures of gait and balance followed by multivariable linear regression employing a best subset selection strategy. Results The number of walking bouts and turns correlated significantly with the rigidity subscore, while the number of turns, foot pitch angle, and sway area while standing correlated significantly with the PIGD subscore (p Significance The correlation between objective sensor data and MDS-UPDRS rigidity and PIGD scores paves the way for future larger studies that evaluate use of objective sensor data to supplement remote MDS-UPDRS assessment.
Incidental appendectomy in the era of managed care and laparoscopy

Abstract BACKGROUND: In a study carried out before laparoscopy or managed care, there was no cost or patient benefit for routine incidental appendectomy. With the onset of laparoscopy, a change in indications for surgery, and increased prevalence of capitated contracts, a reanalysis of the cost-effectiveness of incidental appendectomy is warranted. STUDY DESIGN: Financial data from 251 patients undergoing appendectomy for acute appendicitis without complication at a single institution were identified. Age-specific epidemiology data from the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, were applied to assess risk and cost of future appendectomy. The net cost or savings for incidental appendectomies necessary to prevent one case of acute appendectomy was determined and stratified by gender and age to the population as a whole. Further adjustment was made for the variable level of surgeon reimbursement for incidental appendectomy. RESULTS: At 10% surgeon reimbursement, open incidental appendectomy was cost-effective in those less than 25 years of age ( CONCLUSIONS: Open incidental appendectomy at low physician reimbursement is a cost-effective procedure for patients of less than 35 years of age. A decrease in equipment cost for laparoscopic approach will extend these indications.
Examining the Incremental Validity and Adverse Impact of Cognitive Ability and Conscientiousness On Job Performance

Using archival data from a large home improvement organization, the current study examined the incremental validity of conscientiousness over cognitive ability in predicting different performance criteria. Also, the study examined the effects of conscientiousness and cognitive ability on adverse impact. Results indicated that conscientiousness provided incremental validity over cognitive ability in the prediction of several performance criteria. Specifically, conscientiousness had the highest increases in validity over cognitive ability in the prediction of contextual performance factors (e.g., contextual performance, customer service orientation, dealing with others). However, the addition of conscientiousness failed to ameliorate the adverse impact associated with cognitive ability. In addition, limitations of the study and future directions of research are addressed.
A Brief Overview of the RHIC Cryogenic System

The helium refrigeration system that will cool the superconducting magnets of the RHIC machine are discussed. Compressors, refrigerator, gas distribution, storage and handling equipment are summarized, noting the quantity of estimated excess capacity available for use by experimenters. Collaboration between RHIC cryogenics and experimenters interested in helium based turbulence research provides a unique opportunity for the economical utilization of government owned scientific assets.
The Audit Committee and Earnings Quality

This paper provides empirical evidence on the association between audit committee formation and the quality of accounting earnings. The audit committee is responsible for overseeing the financial r...
Determination of Size Distribution of Condensed Metal Particles

Abstract A method was developed for measuring the size distribution of particles condensed from metal vapor, at ambient conditions. Particles were collected on a carbon coated surface of mica cleaved along its crystal plane and were shadowed with chromium. The collected samples were photographed through an electron microscope. Size distributions were determined by actual count of the particle images in the photographs after enlargement. The metal vapor was obtained by evaporating metal wires electrically (exploding) at ambient conditions. Primarily platinum wire was used but some zinc and iron were also employed. While the kind of metal and the amount of energy transferred play a role, in all cases it was shown that the particle size distribution is much wider than the distribution of particles from condensation in supersonic nozzles. There appear to be definite limits to the flow fields for which the common assumption that condensed particles are uniform in size is valid.
2007 Scottsdale Headache Symposium.

Since 1976, the American Headache Society has organized annual educational symposia which are now routinely held in Scottsdale, Arizona. Taught by a faculty consisting of many of the world’s leading experts in headache, the objectives of this symposium are to review the clinical spectrum of headache and facial pain as well as recent advances in the acute treatment and long-term management of these disorders.
Bunching Effect In Single-molecule T4 Lysozyme Nonequilibrium Conformational Dynamics Under Enzymatic Reactions

The bunching effect, implying that conformational motion times tend to bunch in a finite and narrow time window, is observed and identified to be associated with substrate-enzyme complex formation in T4 lysozyme conformational dynamics under enzymatic reactions. Using single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, we have probed T4 lysozyme conformational motions under the hydrolysis reaction of polysaccharide of E. coli B cell walls by monitoring the fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) between a donor-acceptor probe pair tethered to T4 lysozyme domains involving open-close hinge-bending motions. On the basis of the single-molecule spectroscopic results, molecular dynamics simulation, and a random walk model analysis, multiple intermediate states have been estimated in the evolution of T4 lysozyme enzymatic reaction active complex formation (Chen, Y.; Hu, D.; Vorpagel, E. R.; Lu, H. P. Probing single-molecule T4 lysozyme conformational dynamics by intramolecular fluorescence energy transfer. J. Phys. Chem. B 2003, 107, 7947-7956). In this Article, we report progress on the analysis of the reported experimental results, and we have identified the bunching effect of the substrate-enzyme active complex formation time in T4 lysozyme enzymatic reactions. We show that the bunching effect, a dynamic behavior observed for the catalytic hinge-bending conformational motions of T4 lysozyme, is a convoluted outcome of multiple consecutive Poisson rate processes that are defined by protein functional motions under substrate-enzyme interactions; i.e., convoluted multiple Poisson rate processes give rise to the bunching effect in the enzymatic reaction dynamics. We suggest that the bunching effect is likely common in protein conformational dynamics involved in conformation-gated protein functions.
Solvent-free solid acid-catalyzed electrophilic annelations: A new green approach for the synthesis of substituted five-membered N-heterocycles

An effective microwave-induced, solid acid-catalyzed, environmentally benign synthesis of substituted pyrroles, indoles and carbazoles under solvent-free conditions is described. The new synthetic methodology is based on the use of a considerably strong solid acid, K-10 montmorillonite. Both the cyclialkylation of amines and annelation of pyrroles and indoles have been completed within minutes and provided excellent (75–98 %) yields with practically 100 % selectivity.
Elemental content of vegetables and millet grown in potted soil amended with lignite fly ash

Vegetables and millet were grown to maturity in potted soil amended with 10% (by weight) of lignite fly ash. Analysis of the ash, soil, and crops for 40 elements showed Al, As, B, Mg, Mo, Rb, and Se to be absorbed at higher levels by the ash-grown plants than the controls in most instances. Selenium was of most concern, because of its toxicity and degree of plant uptake.
Gut dysfunction following alcohol exposure and trauma

This article reviews studies dealing with gut barrier dysfunction following major trauma and alcohol exposure. An association between alcohol exposure and traumatic injury has been recognized in many studies. The gut is the major reservoir of bacteria within the body but, under healthy conditions, it maintains a barrier which prevents these bacteria from crossing the intestinal lumen. The findings reviewed herein indicate that this barrier is lost in conditions such as major trauma and alcohol exposure. Furthermore, studies also indicate that alcohol intoxication at the time of injury causes a further deterioration in intestinal barrier function as determined by intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation. A precise mechanism for impaired barrier function following alcohol exposure, either alone or in combination with major trauma or burn injury, remains unknown. However, the findings discussed in this article indicate that this could result from: (i) an increase in bacterial growth; (ii) a decrea...
Condom use, frequency of sex, and number of partners: multidimensional characterization of adolescent sexual risk-taking.

Sexual health research often relies on single risk indicators. However, multi‐variable composites may better capture the underlying construct of risk‐taking. Latent Profile Analysis identified subgroups based on condom use consistency, partner numbers, and sex frequency among 605 adolescents. Three profiles were identified for each of grades 8 to 10 (Condom Users, Few Partners, and Risk‐Takers) and 4 in grades 11 and 12 (Condom Users, One Partner, Two Partners, and Risk‐Takers). Inconsistent condom use groups reported more non‐condom (and often less effective) birth control use and STD and pregnancy histories. Females had greater representation in the Few Partners, One Partners, and Two Partners groups, which also contained increasing proportions of participants in each subsequent year. Males had greater representation in the Risk‐Takers group. A profile approach to measurement has methodological advantages, can add to substantive knowledge, and can inform content, timing, and targets of sexual health int...
WE-D-M100F-02: PET for Chemo/radiation Therapy Response Assessment

The most commonly used method to assess treatment response relies on measuring tumor sizes before and after treatment and classifying tumor anatomical shrinkage according to RECIST or WHO criteria. However, there is a considerable variability between individual studies and the same response rate can be associated with completely different survival rates. Furthermore, it is known that changes in tumor biological function significantly precede gross anatomical tumor changes. Positron emission tomography(PET) is the most sensitive, specific and versatile imaging modality that can be used for this purpose. 18 F ‐Fluoro‐deoxyglucose (FDG) is the most commonly used PETimaging agent for treatment assessment. FDG shows regions of active glucose metabolism, which are typically decreased after tumor cells die in response to antineoplastic therapies. Besides FDG, several other PET agents exist, which are more specific in cell targeting, and can image different aspects of biological response to therapy. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis are processes that are typically affected by antineoplastic therapies. Currently, the most promising non‐FDG agent is 18 F ‐Fluorodeoxythymidine (FLT) as a marker of cell proliferation.PETimaging agents of apoptosis and angiogenesis are still mostly limited to preclinical studies. Use of PETimaging for treatment assessment imposes special requirements on image acquisition,reconstruction and analysis. FDG‐PET has shown an extreme promise to assess treatment efficacy, both after, as well as during the course of therapy. Depending on the metabolic response, it is possible to classify patients into metabolic responders, which have typically much longer survival rates than metabolic non‐responders. Unfortunately, FDG is not without problems. Two of the most severe are (1) radiation‐induced inflammation during radiation therapy and (2) metabolic flare that occurs early after the start of some chemotherapies. FLT‐PET, which assesses proliferative response, seems to overcome these problems; however, more clinical studies are needed to prove its wider applicability. Reproducible and accurate PETimage acquisition,reconstruction and analysis are the key components required for quantitative PETimaging, which provides foundation for treatment assessment. This symposium reviews the status of treatment assessment studies that involve repeat PETimaging during and after therapy. It discusses advantages and disadvantages of FDG and non‐FDG‐PET imaging for treatment assessment. It also emphasizes importance of the appropriate PETimaging acquisition, reconstruction and analysis that forms the basis for PETimage quantification. Educational Objectives: 1. Overview of FDG‐PET imaging for treatment assessment. 2. Overview of non‐FDG‐PET imaging for treatment assessment. 3. Review PETimage acquisition,reconstruction and analysis for treatment assessment. 4. Discuss future of PETimaging for treatment assessment.
The Research Experience in a Chinese‐American Community

Anthropological investigators are well aware of the subleties of “image” and “identity” and ordinarily present a low-key profile to the native community. Their ability to maintain such a profile however depends not only upon their desire for uninvolved objectivity but upon the community's willingness to accept and tolerate an uncommitted stranger. The modern Chinese-American community is composed of three significant factions — traditionalists, modernists, and activists — each segment often utilizing different means to pursue divergent goals. They also tend to hold differing views about the anthropologist and may attempt to expand, restrict, or change his/her role, research methodologies, and relationship to the community.
Taguchi-based Six Sigma approach to optimize plasma cutting process: an industrial case study.

This case study outlines the use of Taguchi parameter design to optimize the roundness of holes made by an aging plasma-cutting machine. An L9 array is used in a Taguchi experiment design consisting of four controllable factors, each with three levels. With two non-controllable factors included in the setting, we conduct 36 experiments, compared to the 81 parameter combinations (four factors, three levels or 34) required in a traditional DOE setting. Therefore, using the Taguchi method significantly reduces the time and costs of a quality improvement process. Conducted for two response variables—bevel magnitude and the smallest diameter deviation of the hole—the Taguchi experiments gave the optimal combination A1B2C1D3 (small for tip size, 93 in/min for feed rate, 100 V for voltage, and 63A for amperage), which is verified with a confirmation run of 30 work pieces. All 30 cuts meet the quality requirement for subsequent assembly. Furthermore, statistical analysis indicates that the mean value and standard deviation of the confirmation run data are smaller than those before Taguchi parameter design is conducted.
Instanton Homology of Seifert Fibred Homology Three Spheres

For an oriented integral homology 3-sphere 2, A. Casson has introduced an integer invariant A(2) that is defined by using the space £%(2) of conjugacy classes of irreducible representations of ^ ( 2 ) into SU(2) (see [1]). This invariant A(2) can be computed from a surgery or Heegard description of 2 and satisfies A(2) = JU(2) (mod 2), where /i(2) is the Kervaire-Milnor-Rochlin invariant of 2. This powerful new invariant was used to settle an outstanding problem in 3-manifold topology; namely, showing that if 2 is a homotopy 3-sphere, then ju(2) = O. C. Taubes [17], utilizing gauge-theoretic considerations, has reinterpreted Casson's invariant in terms of flat connections. Refining this approach, A. Floer [13] has recently defined another invariant of 2 , its 'instanton homology', which takes the form of an abelian group /*(2) with a natural Z8-grading that is an enhancement of A(2) in that