cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preoperative Scale to Determine All-Cause Readmission After Coronary Artery Bypass Operations.

Background Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operations are associated with all-cause readmission rates of approximately 15%. In attempts to reduce readmission rates, the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program expanded to include CABG operations in 2015. The aim of this study was therefore to develop a predictive readmission scale that would identify patients at higher risk of readmission after CABG using commonly available administrative data. Methods Data of 126,519 patients from California and New York (derivation cohort) and 94,318 patients from Florida and Washington (validation cohort) were abstracted from the State Inpatient Database (2006 to 2011). The readmission after CABG scale was developed to predict 30-day readmission risk and was validated against a separate cohort. Results Thirty-day CABG readmission rates were 23% in the derivation cohort and 21% in the validation cohort. Predictive factors included older age, female gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.34), African American ethnicity (OR, 1.13), Medicare or Medicaid insurance, and comorbidities, including renal failure (OR, 1.56) and congestive heart failure (OR, 2.82). These were independently predictive of increased readmission rates (p Conclusions The readmission after CABG scale reliably predicts a patient's 30-day CABG readmission risk. By identifying patients at high-risk for readmission before their procedure, risk reduction strategies can be implemented to reduce readmissions and healthcare expenditures.
Effort-Reward Imbalance and Work Productivity Among Hotel Housekeeping Employees: A Pilot Study:

This study explored the relationship between effort-reward imbalance (ERI) at work and work productivity among hotel housekeepers. A community-based approach was used to recruit 23 hotel housekeepers who completed the ERI and Work Performance Questionnaires. Work productivity was determined by combining self-report absenteeism and presenteeism. More than 40% of the participants reported high ERI (ERI >1). Also, 59.1% reported low work productivity. Interestingly, despite the individualized high reports of ERI and low work productivity, correlation analysis showed that high ERI was correlated with high presenteeism and work productivity as a whole. This is the first study to explore work productivity among this worker group. Despite the small sample size and the cross-sectional nature of the study, this study points to the need for organization-based interventions to not only improve employee health but also their work productivity.
Domino Liver Transplantation from a Child with Propionic Acidemia to a Child with Idiopathic Fulminant Hepatic Failure

Domino liver transplant has emerged as a viable strategy to increase the number of grafts available for transplantation. In the domino transplant organs explanted from one patient are transplanted into another patient. The first successful domino liver transplant was performed in Portugal in 1995. Since then this innovative concept has been applied to several genetic or biochemical disorders that are treated by liver transplantation. An important consideration during this operation is that such livers can pose a risk of the de novo development of the disease in the recipient. That is why this surgical procedure requires careful planning, proper selection of the patients, and informed consent of both donor and recipient.
Conceptualizing Youth Borderline Personality Disorder Within a PAI Framework

The assessment of features related to borderline personality disorder (BPD) among youth presents an important challenge. One self-report approach that has seen considerable usage involves the Personality Assessment Inventory (Morey, 1991; Morey, 2007a, 2007b). This chapter provides an overview of the PAI and related measures that are particularly salient for assessment of children and adolescents, and then examines various research applications of the PAI in this population to provide some evidence of the utility of this approach for assessing BPD and relevant constructs in this age range.
The Household Analysis of Comparative Development: An Empirical Replication

Institutions are clearly exogenous to household decisions. Analysis of institutions can thus in theory proceed from the household level and avoid the problem of endogeneity. This assertion is tested through a replication of Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson’s (2001) seminal paper. Replication at the household level is successful and with adequate controls IV and OLS household estimates are nearly identical, indicating no endogeneity problem. These results invite further analysis of institutions using household data. Estimates show a smaller effect of property rights institutions than found in the literature. Significant effects of geography, life expectancy and urban location are found.
An Appraisal of Stochastic Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics

Recently it has been shown that a class of stochastic theories is inconsistent with experimental data from low temperature electron field emission measurements. A different objection to many stochastic theories, which has been raised by Wallstrom, is that attempted derivations of the Schrodinger equation often are untenable because of an unjustified assumption. On the other hand, the stochastic theory of Bohm and Vigier is not subject to Wallstrom’s criticism, and their stochastic theory uses the quantum potential to explain satisfactorily the electron field emission results. Additional comments about the Bohm-Vigier stochastic theory and some related theories are presented.
Contextual Analyses of Environmental Stress

The Los Angeles Noise project was a complex and arduous project of relatively long duration. First, there were numerous preparatory meetings among the co-principal investigators to conceptualize and design the study. Grant proposals were submitted and research funds obtained. Then, meetings were held with approximately 10 Los Angeles elementary-school principals to recruit the participation of their staff and students in our research, and a travel trailer was acquired and remodeled to serve as a mobile testing station for our research participants. During spring 1977 and spring 1978, small armies of research assistants led by at least one principal investigator per testing session made daily excursions to the participating schools where five groups, each comprised of five children, were tested in our trailer throughout the school day. Subsequently, several months were devoted to the coding and analysis of the data from the longitudinal and replication samples. Finally, research reports were prepared for presentation at conferences and for submission to various journals.
A case study of incremental concept induction

Application of machine induction techniques in complex domains promises to push the computational limits of non-incremental, search intensive induction methods. Learning effectiveness in complex domains requires the development of incremental, cost effective methods. However, discussion of dimensions for comparing the utility of differing incremental methods has been lacking. In this paper we introduce 3 dimensions for characterizing incremental concept induction systems which relate to the cost and quality of learning. The dimensions are used to compare the respective merits of 4 incremental variants of Quinlan's learning from examples program, ID3. This comparison indicates that cost effective induction can be obtained, without significantly detracting from the quality of induced knowledge.
Medical school hotline: Homelessness in Hawai'i: challenges, progress, and prospects.

According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, homelessness is defined as, “an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.”1 In Hawai‘i, homelessness is an increasingly prominent and complex issue due to a variety of reasons. This includes economic (high cost of living, low minimum wages), social (high levels of immigration from the Pacific region), and geographical (limited land) challenges. In the state of Hawai‘i, the Center on the Family and the Hawai‘i State Department of Human Services estimated a statewide total of 13,980 unduplicated individuals who received shelter and/or outreach services in one year.2 According to the Homeless Service Utilization 2012 Report, the grand total demonstrated a decline of 7.5% since the last peak in 2010; however, the decreased number of clients belies the alarming 43% of “new clients,” who lack prior service utilization records. In other words, almost half of the individuals receiving homeless-related services in 2012 were considered “newly homeless.” In addition, as the data collected in these reports are entirely voluntary, the generalization of resource utilization is likely an underestimation of the current homelessness situation. In 2009, the US Conference of Mayors' Taskforce on Hunger and Homelessness found that the demands for homeless assistance rose by an average of 26% across the 27 surveyed cities; the survey did not include the cities in Hawai‘i. In addition, although there was reportedly an average leveling of homeless individuals, there appeared to be an increase in family homelessness in 19 cities. The top causes for family homelessness were reported as lack of affordable housing (74%), poverty (52%), domestic violence (44%), and unemployment (44%). On the other hand, for individual homelessness, the top causes were somewhat different: lack of affordable housing (67%), substance abuse (67%), unemployment (14%), and mental illness (13%).3 Consequently, the etiologies of homelessness may vary tremendously among individuals and families, which complicates potential overarching and universal solutions. In addition, to many homeless individuals, homelessness extends beyond the mere absence of a regular dwelling. The lack of a “home” carries profound repercussions and negative connotations, such as, discrimination in finding employment and housing,4 higher incidence of mental illnesses and substance abuse,5 and difficulty in obtaining necessary medical and surgical care.4 As a result, homelessness becomes a perpetual and self-propagating cycle of economic and sociopolitical inequity for many individuals and families.
Fitting the Human: Introduction to Ergonomics, Sixth Edition

Using a direct, down-to-earth style to provide essential knowledge about ergonomic designs that fit the human body and mind, Fitting the Human: Introduction to Ergonomics, Sixth Edition follows the motto of the previous editions: coverage of sound science that is easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to apply. This sixth edition of a seminal t
Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship Selection Criteria.

BACKGROUND Obtaining a fellowship position for Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology (MSDO) is becoming very competitive. Applicant qualities desired by MSDO fellowship directors have not been previously explored in a systematic way. OBJECTIVE To characterize the prevailing practices of selecting MSDO fellows. METHODS AND MATERIALS Cross-sectional study based on an anonymous online survey of MSDO fellowship directors. RESULTS There were 34 completed surveys. Selection criteria with the highest importance to fellowship directors were the ability to work well and get along with others, interview, work ethic, and letter of recommendation from the Mohs micrographic surgery director at the applicant's residency. The criteria with the lowest importance were advanced degrees, medical licensing examination scores, and membership in Alpha Omega Alpha. Specific applicant factors that were looked upon most positively by fellowship directors include applicant from own institution and applicant's personal reasons and circumstances, whereas factors that were most unfavorable include applicant's desire to practice in the same city/area as the fellowship location and graduate of foreign medical school. CONCLUSION Although variations existed, MSDO fellowship directors collectively placed greater importance on criteria that reflect interpersonal skills than on objective measures of academic performance, which highlights the importance of "fit."
Frequency of hospital readmission and care fragmentation in gastroparesis: A nationwide analysis.

Frequency of hospital readmission and care fragmentation in gastroparesis: A nationwide analysis
Simulation and Optimization of a Sheathless Size-Based Acoustic Particle Separator

Standing surface acoustic waves (SSAW) have been widely used for sorting of particles and cells. However, the challenge with the acoustic driven separation process is the need for an optimized setup to achieve effective separation and the range of particles that can be separated. In this study, we present out findings on a custom simulation model to investigate and optimize the separation of varying size particles in a sheathless acoustic separation platform that was developed in our research lab. Specifically, we investigate the effect of flowrate, pressure amplitude, wavelength and interdigitated transducers physical parameters on the separation efficiency. We also explored the critical particle size for acoustic particle separation with 3 µm particles and demonstrated, successful 3 µm and 6 µm particles for the first time for this sheathless separation platform. The ANSYS® FLUENT was used to numerically simulate acoustic radiation force on the particles for separation. With the increase in the pressure amplitude in the first and second stage to 80 kPa and 110 kPa respectively, the optimization studies presented have shown to improve the separation efficiency of the model over 96% for both 10 and 3 µm particles. Findings of the present study will aid in increasing the efficiency of particle separation and in designing the SSAW driven microfluidic devices.
Risk of Environmental Exposure to Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Healthcare Programs

The opportunity for disease transmission increases with potential pathogen exposure. Environmental exposure provides an avenue for not only active infection, but also for bacterial colonization. Of the various bacteria that exhibit regular colonization in humans, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is of particular interest in healthcare. To determine the potential for MRSA transmission from public restrooms we cultured 72 sites within nine buildings on the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) campus. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in five of the nine buildings but was not significant for exposure risk (p= 0.07). However, MRSA was isolated in the Health Science Building and was determined to be an independent risk factor for pathogen transmission (p
Evidential probability

We characterize and illustrate evidential probability--an interval-valued measure of uncertainty that applies to sentences. Evidential probability is also taken to be relative to a body of knowledge or a database representing the data on which judgments of uncertainty are to be made. Every statement is equivalent to some statement to which statistics in the database are relevant. The problem is to find the correct statement; this is the problem of finding the correct reference class for a statement. A set of rules for determining the correct reference class is offered.
Some preliminary observations on a defect Navier–Stokes system

Abstract Some implications of the simplest accounting of defects of compatibility in the velocity field on the structure of the classical Navier–Stokes equations are explored, leading to connections between classical elasticity, the elastic theory of defects, plasticity theory, and classical fluid mechanics.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Distinct Responses to Physiologic versus Toxic Manganese Exposure in Human Neuroblastoma Cells

Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element, which also causes neurotoxicity in exposed occupational workers. Mn causes mitochondrial toxicity; however, little is known about transcriptional responses discriminated by physiological and toxicological levels of Mn. Identification of such mechanisms could provide means to evaluate risk of Mn toxicity and also potential avenues to protect against adverse effects. To study the Mn dose-response effects on transcription, analyzed by RNA-Seq, we used human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells exposed for 5 h to Mn (0 to 100 μM), a time point where no immediate cell death occurred at any of the doses. Results showed widespread effects on abundance of protein-coding genes for metabolism of reactive oxygen species, energy sensing, glycolysis, and protein homeostasis including the unfolded protein response and transcriptional regulation. Exposure to a concentration (10 μM Mn for 5 h) that did not result in cell death after 24-h increased abundance of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the protein secretion pathway that function in protein trafficking and cellular homeostasis. These include BET1 (Golgi vesicular membrane-trafficking protein), ADAM10 (ADAM metallopeptidase domain 10), and ARFGAP3 (ADP-ribosylation factor GTPase-activating protein 3). In contrast, 5-h exposure to 100 μM Mn, a concentration that caused cell death after 24 h, increased abundance of DEGs for components of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation pathway. Integrated pathway analysis results showed that protein secretion gene set was associated with amino acid metabolites in response to 10 μM Mn, while oxidative phosphorylation gene set was associated with energy, lipid, and neurotransmitter metabolites at 100 μM Mn. These results show that differential effects of Mn occur at a concentration which does not cause subsequent cell death compared to a concentration that causes subsequent cell death. If these responses translate to effects on the secretory pathway and mitochondrial functions in vivo, differential activities of these systems could provide a sensitive basis to discriminate sub-toxic and toxic environmental and occupational Mn exposures.
Intimate partner violence and women's health

Intimate partner violence affects 15-71% of women over their lifetime, resulting in significant stress, negative health effects, and negative economic effects. Features include physical and sexual abuse as well as psychological abuse and controlling behaviors such as reproductive coercion or stalking. Intimate partner violence can occur in both heterosexual and same-sex relationships, though the risk may be higher in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning couples. Pregnancy remains an especially risky time for escalating abuse and also provides a window of opportunity for screening and intervention. Victims experience many consequences of abuse, including physical injuries, traumatic brain injury, and chronic conditions such as headaches, insomnia, pelvic pain, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Homicide is an especially devastating consequence, with 40-45% of female victims killed by an intimate partner, and homicide remains an important cause of pregnancy-related death. Routine screening is recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) should remain vigilant for signs of abuse in their patients. Often the cycle of abuse makes it difficult for women to break free, and ob-gyns should continue to provide supportive care regardless of a woman's readiness to leave an abusive relationship.
Retention of child welfare workers: staying strategies and supports

ABSTRACTHigh annual turnover rates that plague child welfare agencies are costly and disrupt services. Numerous studies have focused on aspects of the workplace and the characteristics of child wel...
Hydroxide-catalyzed cleavage of selective ester bonds in phosphatidylcholine: An FTIR study

Abstract Thermochemical ester bond cleavage in the phospholipid phosphatidylcholine (PC) was evaluated at reaction temperatures between ca. 20-60 °C using a series of lithium and zinc halides: lithium chloride, lithium bromide, lithium iodide, zinc chloride, zinc bromide, and zinc iodide. Hydroxides, produced via reaction between lithium or zinc halides and potassium hydroxide (KOH), attacked and cleaved selective phosphate and carbonyl ester bonds found in PC. Cleavage reaction efficacy was studied over a wide range of reaction conditions, 2 and 4 hours at 21, 30, 50 and 60 °C, using attenuated total reflectance and transmission FTIR (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. FTIR spectral analysis of neat (unreacted) and reacted PC showed qualitative and quantitative evidence of carbonyl and phosphonyl ester bond cleavage as indicated by the appearance and increase in the asymmetric carboxylate anion stretch (∼1577 cm-1) and symmetric phosphonyl dianion stretch (∼1010 cm-1) peaks, respectively. Ester cleavage in PC was demonstrated under extremely mild conditions using lithium hydroxide. In addition, the hydrolysis was found to be selective, leaving the zwitterionic phosphorylcholine group intact. Reaction time and temperature had little to no effect in promoting hydroxide attack on the ester bonds found in PC. Finally, the results of this study show that a non-enzymatic cleavage reaction methodology based on lithium hydroxide can be used for selective ester hydrolysis under extremely mild conditions. This ester hydrolysis method allows for a fast, low temperature, and selective cleavage using a chemical catalyst.
Trusted execution environment with Intel SGX

Abstract Trusted execution environments (TEE) are emerging as a new form of computing on today's hardware. TEEs ensure that code outside of the TEE, including the operating system and hypervisor, cannot compromise the execution integrity and confidentiality of programs run inside the TEE. Based on hardware-rooted trust, TEEs additionally allow to prove the integrity of such execution even to remote third parties (remote attestation). By using TEEs that protect not only against software attackers but also hardware attackers, even the cloud provider is moved out of the trust domain. By leveraging such hardware-based TEEs, there is an alternate approach on building secure multiparty computation toolkits. One such TEE is from Intel Software Guard Extension (SGX) technology available in current hardware. This chapter describes the abstractions and properties offered by TEEs, explains the realization of the TEE abstraction in Intel SGX, explores the deployment of SGX in the Cloud to realize secure multiparty applications, and finishes with an Outlook on challenges and opportunities ahead.
Comparison of differential accessibility analysis strategies for ATAC-seq data

ATAC-seq is widely used to measure chromatin accessibility and identify open chromatin regions (OCRs). OCRs usually indicate active regulatory elements in the genome and are directly associated with the gene regulatory network. The identification of differential accessibility regions (DARs) between different biological conditions is critical in determining the differential activity of regulatory elements. Differential analysis of ATAC-seq shares many similarities with differential expression analysis of RNA-seq data. However, the distribution of ATAC-seq signal intensity is different from that of RNA-seq data, and higher sensitivity is required for DARs identification. Many different tools can be used to perform differential analysis of ATAC-seq data, but a comprehensive comparison and benchmarking of these methods is still lacking. Here, we used simulated datasets to systematically measure the sensitivity and specificity of six different methods. We further discussed the statistical and signal density cut-offs in the differential analysis of ATAC-seq by applying them to real data. Batch effects are very common in high-throughput sequencing experiments. We illustrated that batch-effect correction can dramatically improve sensitivity in the differential analysis of ATAC-seq data. Finally, we developed a user-friendly package, BeCorrect, to perform batch effect correction and visualization of corrected ATAC-seq signals in a genome browser.
A search of 10 unpaired domestic pig knees (Sus scrofa domestica) reveals no incidence of the anterolateral ligament (ALL)

The anterolateral ligament (ALL) has been distinctly characterized in the human knee, so there has been a resulting search for animal models with this ligament. Sus scrofa domestica, the domestic pig, has many biomechanical qualities similar to those of human knees, so this study searched for incidence of the ALL in 10 separate specimen knees. The anatomic dissection yielded no identification of an ALL structure in any of the specimens examined. However, the knees did possess other identifiable structures on the anterolateral aspect of the knee, including the lateral collateral ligament (LCL), tibialis anterior tendon (TAT), and lateral retinaculum (LR). These were harvested and tested to determine if their biomechanical properties compensated for the lack of the ALL. The TAT had the largest average Young's modulus, followed by the LCL, and then the LR. The LR had the longest average end of toe region, followed by the TAT, and then the LCL. The properties of these anterolateral structures, the lifestyle, and the evolutionary path of S. scrofa likely offer insight as to why this species might lack an ALL. This study concludes that S. scrofa does not serve as an animal study model for the anterolateral ligament.
Asymmetrical pegs in square holes? Functional and phylogenetic determinants of plant community assembly in temperate forest understories

ABSTRACT Despite advances in community assembly theory, uncertainties remain regarding how ecological and evolutionary processes shape species distributions and communities. We analyzed patterns of occurrence for 139 herbaceous plant species across 257 forest stands in Wisconsin (USA) to test predictions from community assembly theory. Specifically, we applied Bayesian phylogenetic linear mixed effects models (PGLMMs) to examine how functional traits and phylogenetic relationships influence plant distributions along environmental gradients and how functional similarity and phylogenetic relatedness affect local species co-occurrence. Leaf height, specific leaf area, and seed mass mediate species distributions along edaphic, climatic, and light gradients. In contrast, functional trait similarity and phylogenetic relationships only weakly affect patterns of local co-occurrence. These results confirm that broad-scale plant distributions are largely shaped by ecological sorting along environmental gradients but suggest deterministic assembly rules based on niche differentiation and complementary resource use may not govern local species co-occurrence in homogeneous environments. Statement of authorship JB conceived the idea for the study. DL, SJ, and DR collected the vegetation and functional trait data. JB analyzed the data with assistance from DL. KC, KS, TG, and DW secured funding for research and oversaw data collection. JB wrote the first draft of the manuscript, all authors contributed to manuscript revisions. Data accessibility statement Upon acceptance, data will be archived at Figshare (https://figshare.com/) and scripts used to analyze the data will be shared on Github (https://github.com/jaredjbeck/).
Passenger perceptions on sustainable propulsion systems: which factors mediate or moderate the relationship?

The purpose of these studies was to examine how the type of propulsion system impacted the willingness to fly in a hypothetical scenario. Using a sample of 624 participants from the USA across two studies, it was found, in general, that participants were most willing to fly using traditional jet fuel or a biofuel followed by battery/electric and then solar-powered aircraft. There were no significant differences based on participant gender, any significant interactions nor any significant mediators between the type of propulsion and the willingness to fly. Still, familiarity with sustainability, willingness to pay for sustainability, and environmental commitment were found to be significant moderators. In cases where participants had high levels of the three moderating variables, they were significantly more willing to fly using sustainable propulsion systems than compared to low levels of the moderating variables. The study concludes with a discussion of these findings and the practical applications of this research.
Association of co-morbidities with financial hardship in survivors of adult cancer

To evaluate the impact of co-morbidities on financial hardship in adult cancer survivors and the role of health insurance and a usual source of care (i.e., a particular doctor’s office/health center/other place that the person usually goes if he/she is sick or needs advice) in relieving this impact. Using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we estimated prevalence of two financial hardships, out-of-pocket (OOP) burden and financial worry, among 1196 adult cancer survivors. A modified Charlson co-morbidity index (CCI) assessed co-morbidities, which represent a medical event (e.g., a doctor’s appointment) associated with co-morbid conditions within the past 1 year. Multivariable logistic regression tested the influence of health insurance and a usual source of care on associations of co-morbidities with financial hardship by middle/high vs. low-income families and by working vs. retirement-age individuals. Years since cancer diagnosis ranged from 0 to 76 years (mean: 10.3, SD: 9.8), 10 and 25% of survivors experienced OOP burden and financial worry. For OOP burden, increased CCI was a risk factor among survivors of low-income families, ORs: 1.91 (95% CI: 1.06, 3.46) for a CCI 1–2 and 3.37 (95% CI: 1.72, 6.61) for a CCI ≥ 3 vs. CCI of 0. For financial worry, increased CCI was a risk factor among working-age survivors, ORs: 1.58 (95% CI: 1.02, 2.47) for a CCI 1–2 and 2.15 (95% CI: 1.19, 3.87) for a CCI ≥ 3 vs. CCI of 0. However, having health insurance and a usual source of care did not mitigate impact of co-morbidities on financial hardship (P values > 0.05). Impact of co-morbidities on OOP and financial worry burden was greatest in survivors of low-income families and working-age, respectively. Health insurance and a usual source of care did not relieve the impact of co-morbidities on financial hardship. Effective strategies are warranted to mitigate financial hardship for survivors.
Quantitative insights on de/repolymerization and deoxygenation of lignin in subcritical water.

Abstract The objective of the study was to investigate alkali lignin polymerization/depolymerization pathways in subcritical water (SW) without additives. Following a SW treatment at 200, 250, 275 and 300 °C, the products were subjected to a comprehensive suite of analyses addressing the product speciation and molecular weight (MW) distribution. The MW reduction (1.4 times) in the solid products following the SW treatment indicated a surprisingly reduced impact of cross-linking/repolymerization at 300 °C and lower temperatures. This was further confirmed by thermal carbon analysis (TCA) showing a reduction in pyrolytic charring after the SW treatment. The TD-Py gas chromatography analysis of the SW treated lignin indicated that the solid residue is less oxygenated than the initial lignin (23 vs. 29% as confirmed by elemental analysis). Thus, deoxygenation rather than re-polymerization appears to be the main process route in the absence of catalysts within the temperature range considered.
Self-equity as a trustworthiness measure: The relationship among self-equity and security clearance eligibility adjudications in US Army recruits

The United States government’s clearance adjudication process examines past behavior to determine soldier eligibility for a security clearance. For young recruits with a short-documented history, h...
Eggs in the balance

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), found in cigarette smoke and air pollution, interact with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) to cause reproductive defects. Mice lacking either Ahr or the pro-apoptotic protein Bax have an increased number of primordial follicles, and these mutant oocytes are resistant to PAH toxicity. A new study shows that the Bax promoter contains two core Ahr response elements, which are required for PAH stimulation of Bax promoter activity in oocytes. Thus, the toxic effects of PAH in oocytes are mediated directly by Ahr induction of the Bax pathway.
Managing technologists effectively: is it an issue?

The issues that influence the career growth of technologists in the dynamic environment are studied. The results of a survey of such issues conducted among seven different high-technology companies in the US are reported. The results identify a distinct set of skills as being important for managers and technical personnel. The skill set varies significantly among the two groups. This variation raises important questions about the utility of university education programs and on-the-job training programs. >
“Public” Interests and the Development of Tanzanian Environmental Policy

“Public interest” narratives are practical tools for policy makers to justify policy choices and methods of implementation. Few studies have been conducted on the narratives of the public interest in semidemocratic, less-developed countries, however. In Western scholarship, the public interest has been conceptualized in three ways: as the common good, as the aggregation of public preferences, or as a deliberative process. This article examines how narratives of the public interest were used in the development of environmental policy in Tanzania over more than a decade. Looking at three stages of administrative policy making, the findings suggest that narratives differ according to the audience perceived to be most important to policy makers. Las narrativas sobre el “interes publico” son herramientas practicas que los legisladores usan para justificar la eleccion de cierta politica y su metodo de implementacion. Sin embargo, se han realizado pocos estudios acerca de las narrativas de interes publico en paises semidemocraticos y menos desarrollados. En la literatura occidental, el interes publico ha sido conceptualizado de tres formas: como el bien comun, la agregacion de las preferencias publicas, o como un proceso deliberativo. Este articulo examina como las narrativas del interes publico fueron usadas para el desarrollo de la politica ambiental en Tanzania durante mas de una decada. Observando tres etapas del proceso administrativo, los hallazgos sugieren que las narrativas difieren de acuerdo a la audiencia que los legisladores consideran como mas importante.
Diatom-based interpretation of sediment banding in an urbanized lake

Sediment stratigraphy and diatom succession were studied in an 80.5-cm core taken from the deepest part of Third Sister Lake, a small kettle hole in a recently urbanized landscape of southeastern Michigan. Alternating light clay and dark organic bands documented sporadic inputs of clay from outside the basin during rain events, rather than annual laminations. Urban construction activity also disrupted the inflow stream bed and facilitated transport of clay into the lake to generate non-rhythmic banding in the lake's deep hole. Diatom analysis revealed dramatic changes in predominant taxa with sediment depth verifying the non-annual nature of the sediment bands. Observation of halophilic diatom taxa also documented effects of human activity such as road salting on this small, urban lake.
Decrease of circulating SAA is correlated with reduction of abdominal SAA secretion during weight loss.

Objective The study goal was to determine the effect of weight loss (WL) alone and with aerobic exercise (WL + AEX) on serum amyloid A (SAA) levels and adipose SAA secretion from gluteal and abdominal depots. Methods Ninety-six overweight or obese postmenopausal women undertook a 6-month WL alone (n = 47) or with AEX training (n = 49) (6 months WL and WL + AEX are considered WL when groups were combined). Their serum SAA levels, body weight, and adipose SAA secretion ex vivo from gluteal and abdominal depot were measured before and after WL interventions. Results The participants lost an average of 8% body weight with a 10% decrease of serum SAA. Serum SAA levels remained significantly correlated with body weight before and after WL. However, the changes of serum SAA level did not correlate with changes of body weight. The gluteal adipose tissue secreted ∼50% more SAA than the abdominal tissue, but the changes of abdominal, but not gluteal, SAA secretion correlated (R2 = 0.19, p < 0.01) with those of serum SAA levels during WL. Conclusions No linear correlation between the decrease in systemic SAA and WL was found. There is a depot-dependent difference in adipose SAA secretion and abdominal SAA secretion, which may partially account for the systemic SAA reduction during WL.
Do Short‐Term Observed Income Changes Overstate Structural Economic Mobility?*

The recent empirical literature on household income dynamics in developing countries has tended to find considerable intertemporal economic mobility and thus inferred that a large proportion of poverty is transitory. This article introduces a statistical test which shows that these findings are partially driven by stochastic changes in transitory income. Estimates of total economic mobility are inversely correlated with the panel spell length. For short data spells, estimated total economic mobility is significantly greater than the underlying structural economic mobility because of short-lived movements across the poverty line that cancel out over periods of multiple years.
Biosynthesis of surfactant protein C: characterization of aggresome formation by EGFP chimeras containing propeptide mutants lacking conserved cysteine residues

Surfactant protein C (SP-C) is a lung-specific secreted protein, which is synthesized as a 21-kDa propeptide (SP-C(21)) and then proteolytically processed as a bitopic transmembrane protein in subcellular compartments distal to the medial Golgi to produce a 3.7 kDa mature form. We have shown that initial processing of SP-C(21) involves two endoproteolytic cleavages of the C terminus and that truncation of nine amino acids from the C-flanking peptide resulted in retention of mutant protein in proximal compartments. Because these truncations involved removal of a conserved cysteine residue (Cys(186)), we hypothesized that intralumenal disulfide-mediated folding of the C terminus of SP-C(21) is required for intracellular trafficking. To test this, cDNA constructs encoding heterologous fusion proteins consisting of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) attached to the N terminus of wild-type rat proSP-C (EGFP/SP-C(1–194)), C-terminally deleted proSP-C (EGFP/SP-C(1–185); EGFP/SP-C(1–191)) or point mutations of conserved cysteine residues (EGFP/SP-C(C122G); EGFP/SP-C(C186G); or EGFP/SP-C(C122/186G)) were transfected into A549 cells. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that transfected EGFP/SP-C(1–194) and EGFP/SP-C(1–191)were expressed in a punctate pattern within CD-63 positive, EEA-1 negative cytoplasmic vesicles. In contrast, EGFP/SP-C(1–185), EGFP/SP-C(C122G), EGFP/SP-C(C186G) and EGFP/SP-C(C122/186G) were expressed but retained in a juxtanuclear compartment that stained for ubiquitin and that contained (γ)-tubulin and vimentin, consistent with expression in aggresomes. Treatment of cells transfected with mutant proSP-C with the proteasome inhibitor lactacysteine enhanced aggresome formation, which could be blocked by coincubation with nocodazole. Western blots using a GFP antibody detected a single form in lysates of cells transfected with EGFP/SP-C cysteine mutants, without evidence of smaller degradation fragments. We conclude that residues Cys(122) and Cys(186) of proSP-C are required for proper post-translational trafficking. Mutation or deletion of one or both of these residues results in misfolding with mistargeting of unprocessed mutant protein, leading to formation of stable aggregates within aggresomes.
Effect of stoichiometry on (La0.6Sr0.4)xCo0.2Fe0.8O3 cathode evolution in solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract Cathode degradation is a major issue for solid oxide fuel cells servicing under severe high temperature environments. This work studies the effect of stoichiometry on (La 0.6 Sr 0.4 ) x Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3 (LSCF) cathode evolution at 800 °C by investigating the interfacial reaction and degradation through an AISI 441 interconnect/LSCF electrode/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte half-cell structure under an electric load. Detailed high resolution composition analysis shows that Sr, Co, Fe, and Cr distributions vary with stoichiometry after the thermal treatment. Electron diffraction shows that the new phases are CoFe 2 O 4 and amorphous Cr-oxide for LSCF95, SrCrO 4 and CoFeO 4 for LSCF100, and CoFe 2 O 4 and CoCr 2 O 4 for LSCF105. Based on the elemental distribution and phase analysis, the evolution of the LSCF electrodes and the interaction mechanisms between the LSCF electrodes and the AISI 441 alloy are proposed.
Public choice — What I hope for the next twenty-five years

Samuel Goldwyn is reported to have said: “Prediction is very hard, particulary for the future.” If I look back on my previous predictions of the future for public choice, I find that they were normally wrong. I do not expect my future estimates to be much better. Nevertheless, the editors have asked me to make some guesses, and I am willing to oblige. The reader should keep in mind, however, that that is what they are: guesses.
Absolute calibration of charge-coupled devices to hard 8- to 98-keV x rays

We describe experimental techniques for characterizing the absolute response of charge-coupled devices (CCD) to incident hard x-rays using the high energy x-ray source at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. We present responsivity and quantum detection efficiency measurements for a standard, front-illuminated, scientific CCD to monoenergetic 8-98 keV K-(alpha) x-rays. This systematic study out to high energies reveals the contribution of different absorption processes to the CCD detection efficiency. For lower energies below 20 keV the CCD behaves like an ideal photoelectric detector as expected. Increasingly above 40 keV the photoelectric effect in the CCD epitaxial region is augmented by incoherent or Compton scattering where a fraction of the energy from the photon scattering event is transferred to the electrons and subsequently detected. The Compton scattering mechanism dominates the photoelectric effect above 100 keV giving the CCD a predicted detection efficiency which remains constant from 150 keV to 1 MeV assuming that the scattered electrons finally come to rest within the active region. These physics issues will be briefly discussed and are particularly relevant to deep active region solid-state detectors with application for hard x-ray detection above 40 keV.
Deletion of C4A genes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

To define the relationship between inheritance of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alleles and susceptibility to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we examined the MHC class I, II, and III phenotypes of white SLE patients and characterized the structures of their class III MHC genes, using Southern blotting. Nine of 88 SLE patients (10.2%) were C4A null. As detected by Southern blot analysis, the C4A gene was deleted from both chromosomes in 8 of the 9 C4A-null patients. Deletions affecting only 1 chromosome (heterozygous) were detected in the remaining C4A-null patient and in 34.5% of SLE patients who were not C4A deficient (compared with 12.5% of controls; P less than 0.05). These results indicate that deletion of the C4A gene is a common genetic marker for SLE. Deletions of C4A were observed most commonly as part of the HLA-B8;DR3 extended haplotype, although deletions were also detected in different HLA haplotypes. Because of the critical role of C4A in the processing of immune complexes, deficiency of C4A may, itself, confer susceptibility to the development of SLE.
Impacts of Team Characteristics and Design Activities on Design Outcomes

This paper presents an analysis of design team characteristics and design activities that are significantly associated with design outcomes (i.e., project performances) in sophomore-level project-based design courses. Besides efficient team work, a team needs to successfully perform three design activities: concept generation, concept selection, and prototyping. In the design course, teams are formed based on students’ choice of teammates as well as on instructor assigned teams which maximize cognitive mode diversity among members. A regression analysis is performed to find variables that are significantly associated with design outcomes. These variables include team size, teaming preference, diversity of cognitive modes among team members, the average number of power tools team members have used in the past, whether or not a team experienced a team-working difficulty, the number of concepts generated before and after using creativity techniques, whether or not a team had the most successful strategy (called “winning” concept in this study) in a set of concepts from which one concept is chosen for prototyping, and timing of selecting the winning concept (at concept selection, at proof-of-concept testing, or at final testing). Design strategies used by teams, the winning concepts, results of regression analysis (variables significantly associated with design outcomes) are discussed.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
α:β Selectivity in the synthesis of 3-substituted, 4-methyl umbelliferone glycosides of N-acetyl glucosamine and chitobiose

Abstract The influence of phenolic acceptor nucleophilicity; for example, 3-substituted, 4-methylumbelliferones, and glycosyl donor electrophilicity; for example, 3- and 4-substituted N -acetylglucosamines, on glycosylation stereochemistry has been evaluated. In a systematic comparison, the stereochemical outcome as well as the reaction yield appeared to be influenced by the 3- and 4-substituents of the donor as well as the 3-substituent of the aryl acceptor. In the context of synthesizing a fluorogenic substrate for oligosaccharyltransferase, an α-glycoside was desired. Although most acceptor–donor pairs led to predominantly or exclusively the β-glycoside, reaction of the most activated (3,4-di- O -benzyl) donor and the least nucleophilic acceptor (3-Br), resulted in a 1:1 ratio of α,β arylglycosides.
Blur kernel estimation using the radon transform

Camera shake is a common source of degradation in photographs. Restoring blurred pictures is challenging because both the blur kernel and the sharp image are unknown, which makes this problem severely underconstrained. In this work, we estimate camera shake by analyzing edges in the image, effectively constructing the Radon transform of the kernel. Building upon this result, we describe two algorithms for estimating spatially invariant blur kernels. In the first method, we directly invert the transform, which is computationally efficient since it is not necessary to also estimate the latent sharp image. This approach is well suited for scenes with a diversity of edges, such as man-made environments. In the second method, we incorporate the Radon transform within the MAP estimation framework to jointly estimate the kernel and the image. While more expensive, this algorithm performs well on a broader variety of scenes, even when fewer edges can be observed. Our experiments show that our algorithms achieve comparable results to the state of the art in general and produce superior outputs on man-made scenes and photos degraded by a small kernel.