cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Measures of Campaign Advertising Exposure on Political Learning

Scholars employ various methods to measure exposure to televised political advertising but often arrive at conflicting conclusions about its impact on the thoughts and actions of citizens. We attempt to clarify one of these debates while validating a parsimonious measure of political advertising exposure. To do so, we assess the predictive power of six different measurement approaches—from the simple to the complex—on learning about political candidates. Two datasets are used in this inquiry: (1) geo-coded political advertising time-buy data, and (2) a national panel study concerning patterns of media consumption and levels of political knowledge. We conclude that many traditional methods of assessing exposure are flawed. Fortunately, there is a relatively simple measure that predicts knowledge about information featured in ads. This measure involves combining a tally of the volume of advertisements aired in a market with a small number of survey questions about the television viewing habits of geo-coded respondents.
Immediate reexploration for the perioperative neurologic event after carotid endarterectomy: is it worthwhile?

Abstract Purpose: When managing a new neurologic deficit after carotid endarterectomy (CEA), the surgeon is often preoccupied with determining the cause of the problem, requesting diagnostics tests, and deciding whether the patient should be surgically reexplored. The goal of this study was to analyze a series of perioperative neurologic events and to determine if careful analysis of their timing and mechanisms can predict which cases are likely to improve with reoperation. Methods: A review of 2024 CEAs performed from 1985 to 1997 revealed 38 patients who manifested a neurologic deficit in the perioperative period (1.9%). These cases form the focus of this analysis. Results: The causes of the events included intraoperative clamping ischemia in 5 patients (13.2%); thromboembolic events in 24 (63.2%); intracerebral hemorrhage in 5 (13.2%); and deficits unrelated to the operated artery in 4 (10.5%). Neurologic events manifesting in the first 24 hours after surgery were significantly more likely to be caused by thromboembolic events than by other causes of stroke (88.0% vs 12.0%, P Conclusions: Careful analysis of the timing and presentation of perioperative neurologic events after CEA can predict which cases are likely to improve with reoperation. Neurologic deficits that present during the first 24 hours after CEA are likely to be related to intraluminal thrombus formation and embolization. Unless another etiology for stroke has clearly been established, we think immediate reexploration of the artery without other confirmatory tests is mandatory to remove the embolic source and correct any technical problems. This will likely improve the neurologic outcome in these patients, because an uncorrected situation would lead to continued embolization and compromise. (J Vasc Surg 2000;32:1062-70.)
ImageJ Plugin for Analysis of Porous Scaffolds used in Tissue Engineering

ND is an image processing plugin that can be used to calculate the average size and distance between particles and their closest neighbors in many-particle systems. It is written in Java and implemented in ImageJ, the open source Java-based software developed by National Institute of Health (NIH). ND is particularly useful in analysis of porous synthetic and natural constructs (known as scaffolds) that are commonly used in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Architecture of these scaffolds including pore size and density significantly affects the behavior and fate of cells cultured on them. ND adds to the built-in functionalities of ImageJ to provide a fast and user-friendly method to better characterize the porosity of these scaffolds.
Surface Reaction in NiO CoO MnO and FeO in the Electron Microscope

Electron irradiation damage in the metal monoxide series of group Vll and VIII elements -NiO, CoO, MnO and FeO - has been investigated in the non-UHV electron microscope environment. NiO and CoO were also examined in the UHV environment. Each of these materials showed comparatively similar electron-stimulated oxidation of the surface in the non-controlled conventional HREM environment, at a vacuum level of approximately 10–7 Torr; while only ballistic damage was observed in both the NiO and CoO under UHV conditions.
Feedback on Collaborative Skills in Remote Studio Design

The study examines how feedback affects remote collaborative brainstorming and product design in a studio setting. 10 teams of 4 students at the Parsons School of Design met remotely via a chatroom interface for three 30-minute sessions to design a T-shirt. Team members who proposed ideas were rated as better collaborators, and team members who critiqued ideas without offering alternatives were rated as poor collaborators. This was also reflected in team members' word use, as measured by Pennebaker & Francis' linguistic inquiry and word count too; for example, team members who used more affect words were rated as poorer collaborators. A case study of one team suggests that the ideas proposed by team members rated as the best collaborators may be most likely to survive. Peer feedback can affect remote studio design discussion in ways comparable to what is found in other settings, despite task differences
Cueing Prenatal Providers Effects on Discussions of Intimate Partner Violence

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy poses a significant health risk to the mother and developing fetus. Practice guidelines recommend that prenatal providers screen for and counsel their patients about IPV, yet many physicians express reluctance or discomfort regarding such discussions. The Health in Pregnancy (HIP) computer program was designed to improve prenatal providers’ counseling about behavioral risks. Methods English-speaking women 18 years or older, less than 26-weeks pregnant, and receiving prenatal care at one of the five participating clinics in the San Francisco area, were randomized in parallel groups in a controlled trial (June 2006–present; data analyzed June 2007). Participants reporting one or more risks were randomized to intervention or control in stratified blocks. Providers received summary “cueing sheets” alerting them to their patient’s risk(s) and suggesting counseling statements. Results Thirteen percent (37/286) of the sample reported current IPV. Provider cueing resulted in 85% of the IPV-intervention group reporting discussions with their provider, compared to 23.5% of the control group (p Conclusions IPV discussions were influenced strongly by cueing providers. Provider cueing is an effective and appropriate adjunct to routine risk counseling in prenatal care.
Investigating True and False Confessions Within a Novel Experimental Paradigm

The primary goal of the current study was to develop a novel experimental paradigm with which to study the influence of psychologically based interrogation techniques on the likelihood of true and false confessions. The paradigm involves guilty and innocent participants being accused of intentionally breaking an experimental rule, or “cheating.” In the first demonstration of this paradigm, we explored the influence of two common police interrogation tactics: minimization and an explicit offer of leniency, or a “deal.” Results indicated that guilty persons were more likely to confess than innocent persons, and that the use of minimization and the offer of a deal increased the rate of both true and false confessions. Police investigators are encouraged to avoid interrogation techniques that imply or directly promise leniency, as they appear to reduce the diagnostic value of any confession that is elicited.
Clinical Implications of Retroperitoneal Sarcomas

Sarcomas are uncommon malignant tumors and retroperitoneum is the less common site of origin accounting for approximately 10 % of soft tissue sarcomas. RPS present specific therapeutic challenges because of their location and frequent close association with several vital structures in the retroperitoneum. This proximity to major vessels, visceral organs, axial skeleton, and neural structures may significantly impair the ability to perform a margin-negative resection, which is the single potentially curative treatment approach in patients who have localized disease. Even in the setting of a complete resection, local recurrence is common. Because of the typically silent nature of these tumors, most RPS are large when diagnosed (>6 cm). Approximately two-thirds of cases are of high-grade histology, with liposarcomas and leiomyosarcomas representing the most common histologic findings. The initial diagnostic evaluation of patients who are suspected of having RPS should include a contrast enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis and MRI of the abdomen. The goal of therapy for most patients is surgical resection with negative margins. Rates of resection of visceral organs at the time of resection of RPS vary significantly by series from approximately 34–75 %. In most centers, radiotherapy is often reserved for patients who have high-grade lesions or in patients in whom a margin-positive resection is anticipated whereas the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in the management of sarcomas at any site to reduce the risk for distant disease failure is also controversial.
The urban water reform project: a critical discourse analysis of the water policy making process in Delhi, India

Making sense of policy processes in India requires an understanding of how particular ways of thinking about water have gained ascendancy in national and state discourses, and how they have determined the frame through which water is perceived, defined and handled. The way in which the concept of water is framed has important implications for the ways in which water reform policies come to be shaped. Shifting narratives of the causes and solutions to water issues in a neoliberal India both drive and produce policy processes, making available or constraining policy choices in which different forms of water knowledge can be available and mobilized. Using methods of critical discourse analysis, this paper uses the Delhi Water Reform Project as a basis for understanding how power and knowledge define spaces of engagement among a range of positioned actors like the World Bank, the Government of Delhi, and civil society. It argues that their strategies are constructed in a way that permits intervention in a manner so as to promote a particular kind of technical and managerial approach that lends persuasiveness to policy instruments.
Stochastic Approximation of an Online Multiagent Routing Problem for Autonomous Aircraft

The collaborative control of autonomous aircraft can be posed as a time varying multiagent routing problem. This is a NP-hard problem that must be solved every few seconds as conditions change. We propose a linear combination of stochastic weights to approximate this dicult problem. The approximation allows us to solved this dicult problem with a sequence of always-feasible linear optimization problems. The introduction of stochastic weights enables the algorithm to account for uncertainty in aircraft performance, changing environmental conditions and the uncertainty introduced by delayed or intermittent communication. By exploiting the problem’s structure this method is decentralized across multiple aircraft and no aircraft represents a single point of failure. Furthermore, the algorithm can operate with an arbitrary communication topology. However, as would be expected, degraded communication results in degraded performance. Numerical results comparing the algorithm, multiagent auctioning and the optimal are presented. These numerical results consider a problem with a static cost function, static constraints and complete information. This algorithm was implemented within a collaborative mobile sensor network of autonomous aircraft in the summer of 2009. The algorithm performed well given a time varying cost function, time varying constraints and incomplete information.
Improve sensitization and corrosion resistance of an Al-Mg alloy by optimization of grain boundaries

The sensitization and subsequent intergranular corrosion of Al-5.3 wt.% Mg alloy has been shown to be an important factor in stress corrosion cracking of Al-Mg alloys. Understanding sensitization requires the review of grain boundary character on the precipitation process which can assist in developing and designing alloys with improved corrosion resistance. This study shows that the degree of precipitation in Al-Mg alloy is dependent on grain boundary misorientation angle, adjacent grain boundary planes and grain boundary types. The results show that the misorientation angle is the most important factor influencing precipitation in grain boundaries of the Al-Mg alloy. Low angle grain boundaries (≤15°) have better immunity to precipitation and grain boundary acid attack. High angle grain boundaries (>15°) are vulnerable to grain boundary acid attack. Grain boundaries with adjacent plane orientations near to {100} have potential for immunity to precipitation and grain boundary acid attack. This work shows that low Σ (Σ ≤ 29) coincident site lattice (CSL) grain boundaries have thinner β precipitates. Modified nitric acid mass loss test and polarization test demonstrated that the global corrosion resistance of sputtered Al-Mg alloy is enhanced. This may be attributed to the increased fractions of low Σ (Σ ≤ 29) CSL grain boundaries after sputtering.
Fast neutron spectroscopy with tensioned metastable fluid detectors

Systems and methods for neutron detection using tensioned metastable fluid detectors, using a single atom spectroscopy approach.
Nonlinear optical properties of the heteroaromatic ladder polymers BBL and BBB at 1.084 µm

The last decade has seen a large growth in nonlinear optical (NLO) studies of organic materials. For molecular systems with large third-order optical susceptibilities χ3, the focus has been on polymers with delocalized x electrons.1 For conjugated linear chains such as polyenes, recent theoretical calculations suggest that χ3 should increase approximately as the fifth power of the electron delocalization length.2 Other factors such as charge transfer effects are likely to have a significant effect on NLO activity.3
High resolution spectroscopy of jet cooled phenyl radical: The ν1 and ν2 a1 symmetry C-H stretching modes

A series of CH stretch modes in phenyl radical (C6H5) has been investigated via high resolution infrared spectroscopy at sub-Doppler resolution (∼60 MHz) in a supersonic discharge slit jet expansion. Two fundamental vibrations of a1 symmetry, ν1 and ν2, are observed and rotationally analyzed for the first time, corresponding to in-phase and out-of-phase symmetric CH stretch excitation at the ortho/meta/para and ortho/para C atoms with respect to the radical center. The ν1 and ν2 band origins are determined to be 3073.968 50(8) cm−1 and 3062.264 80(7) cm−1, respectively, which both agree within 5 cm−1 with theoretical anharmonic scaling predictions based on density functional B3LYP/6-311g++(3df,3dp) calculations. Integrated band strengths for each of the CH stretch bands are analyzed, with the relative intensities agreeing remarkably well with theoretical predictions. Frequency comparison with previous low resolution Ar-matrix spectroscopy [A. V. Friderichsen et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123, 1977 (2001)] reveals a nearly uniform Δν ≈ + 10-12 cm−1 blue shift between gas phase and Ar matrix values for ν1 and ν2. This differs substantially from the much smaller red shift (Δν ≈ − 1 cm−1) reported for the ν19 mode, and suggests a simple physical model in terms of vibrational mode symmetry and crowding due to the matrix environment. Finally, the infrared phenyl spectra are well described by a simple asymmetric rigid rotor Hamiltonian and show no evidence for spectral congestion due to intramolecular vibrational coupling, which bodes well for high resolution studies of other ring radicals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In summary, the combination of slit jet discharge methods with high resolution infrared lasers enables spectroscopic investigation of even highly reactive combustion and interstellar radical intermediates under gas phase, jet-cooled (Trot ≈ 11 K) conditions.
Photorefractive semiconductor nanostructures

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an introduction to photorefractive semiconductor nanostructures. They are nonlinear optical devices that alter their optical properties in response to time- and space-varying light intensity patterns. They are used to perform dynamic holography under ultra low-light intensities much smaller than those used for traditional nonlinear optical materials. These devices contain nanometer-scale features that enhance their optical properties and alter their electronic transport relative to bulk behavior. They also contain high densities of deep level defects that make the devices semi-insulating. These defects trap and store photogenerated carriers that accumulate into space-charge densities that match the intensity patterns. The trapped charge produces electric fields that modify the optical properties of the nanostructure. The translation of temporally and spatially varying light intensity patterns into physical changes in the optical properties of the material, matching the intensity patterns, is called the photorefractive process. There are several ways that electric fields can be applied to quantum-well structures, and several ways that optical beams can be incident on the devices to write holograms. The various configurations can be summarized by three basic fields and grating geometries. Two of the structures are transmission structures with the optical beams incident on the same face, and one is reflection geometry with the beams incident from opposite faces.
Antibacterial Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide and Methods for Its Detection and Quantitation

Hydrogen peroxide is responsible for certain bactericidal effects observed in biological systems, such as growth inhibition of one bacterial species by another and killing of invading microorganisms by activated phagocytic cells. H2O2 might be generated in bacteriological media by their exposure to light and/or oxygen and become an important mediator of toxic effects. H2O2 cytotoxicity is apparently due to its capacity-generally mediated by transition metal ions-to generate more reactive and cytotoxic oxygen species such as the hydroxyl radical, which is a powerful oxidant, and which can initiate oxidation of biomolecules. The conversion of H2O2 into more cytotoxic compounds may be potentiated by reducing agents and by peroxidases. Cells may protect themselves against H2O2 toxicity either by the action of catalases or, in the case of DNA damage, by repairing the damage after it has taken place. Assays for the detection and quantitation of H2O2 in cell cultures include those based on (i) catalase-dependent oxidation of formate to CO2, (ii) generation of fluorescent products due to a H2O2- mediated oxidative reaction, (iii) the loss of fluorescence upon the oxidation of scopoletin, (iv) change in absorbance upon oxidation of phenol red, or (v) formation of complexes with peroxidases. Some possible antimicrobial uses of H2O2 in the food industry are presented.
A Functional Variant Associated with Atrial Fibrillation Regulates PITX2c Expression through TFAP2a

The most significantly associated genetic locus for atrial fibrillation (AF) is in chromosomal region 4q25, where four independent association signals have been identified. Although model-system studies suggest that altered PITX2c expression might underlie the association, the link between specific variants and the direction of effect on gene expression remains unknown for all four signals. In the present study, we analyzed the AF-associated region most proximal to PITX2 at 4q25. First, we identified candidate regulatory variants that might confer AF risk through a combination of mammalian conservation, DNase hypersensitivity, and histone modification from ENCODE and the Roadmap Epigenomics Project, as well as through in vivo analysis of enhancer activity in embryonic zebrafish. Within candidate regions, we then identified a single associated SNP, rs2595104, which displayed dramatically reduced enhancer activity with the AF risk allele. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated deletion of the rs2595104 region and editing of the rs2595104 risk allele in human stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes resulted in diminished PITX2c expression in comparison to that of the non-risk allele. This differential activity was mediated by activating enhancer binding protein 2 alpha (TFAP2a), which bound robustly to the non-risk allele at rs2595104, but not to the risk allele, in cardiomyocytes. In sum, we found that the AF-associated SNP rs2595104 altered PITX2c expression via interaction with TFAP2a. Such a pathway could ultimately contribute to AF susceptibility at the PITX2 locus associated with AF.
BALB/c mice immunized with a combination of virus-like particles incorporating Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) envelope glycoproteins gpK8.1, gB, and gH/gL induced comparable serum neutralizing antibody activity to UV-inactivated KSHV.

// Anne K. Barasa 1, 3 , Peng Ye 1 , Meredith Phelps 2 , Ganapathiram T. Arivudainambi 2 , Timelia Tison 2 and Javier Gordon Ogembo 1, 2 1 Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA 2 Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA 3 Department of Human Pathology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya Correspondence to: Javier Gordon Ogembo, email: jogembo@coh.org Keywords: kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus, glycoproteins, virus-like particles, cancer, prophylactic vaccine Received: September 24, 2016 Accepted: January 16, 2017 Published: February 22, 2017 ABSTRACT Infection with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is estimated to account for over 44,000 new cases of Kaposi sarcoma annually, with 84% occurring in Africa, where the virus is endemic. To date, there is no prophylactic vaccine against KSHV. KSHV gpK8.1, gB, and gH/gL glycoproteins, implicated in the virus entry into host cells, are attractive vaccine targets for eliciting potent neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against virus infection. We incorporated gpK8.1, gB, or gH/gL on the surface of virus-like particles (VLPs) and characterized these VLPs for their composition, size, and functionality. To determine which viral glycoprotein(s) elicit the most effective serum-nAbs, we immunized BALB/c mice with gpK8.1, gB, or gH/gL VLPs individually or in combination. Neutralizing antibody assay revealed that sera from mice immunized with the VLPs inhibited KSHV infection of HEK-293 cells in a dose-dependent manner. As a single immunogen, gpK8.1 VLPs stimulated comparable nAb activity to that of UV-inactivated KSHV (UV-KSHV). In contrast, UV-KSHV stimulated higher titers of nAb compared to gB (p = 0.0316) or gH/gL (p = 0.0486). Mice immunized with the combination of gB and gH/gL VLPs had a better nAb response than those immunized with either gB (p = 0.0268), or gH/gL (p = 0.0397) as single VLP immunogens. Immunization with any VLP combination stimulated comparable nAb activity to UV-KSHV serum. Our data provide the first evidence that KSHV gpK8.1, gB, and gH/gL glycoproteins can be incorporated onto the surface of VLPs and used as prophylactic vaccine candidates, with potential to prevent KSHV infection.
Synthesis and reactive characterization of aluminum iodate hexahydrate crystals [Al(H2O)6](IO3)3(HIO3)2

Abstract A crystalline aluminum iodate acid salt has been synthesized from aluminum particles dissolved in iodic acid solution. The precipitate from solution is aluminum iodate hexahydrate [Al(H2O)6](IO3)3(HIO3)2, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The method of synthesis first dissolves iodine oxide in water, creating an IO3− solution with pH
Use of an anaesthesia workstation barrier device to decrease contamination in a simulated operating room.

Abstract Background Strategies to achieve reductions in perioperative infections have focused on hand hygiene among anaesthestists but have been of limited efficacy. We performed a study in a simulated operating room to determine whether a barrier covering the anaesthesia workstation during induction and intubation might reduce the risk of contamination of the area and possibly, by extension, the patient. Methods Forty-two attending and resident anaesthetists unaware of the study design were enrolled in individual simulation sessions in which they were asked to induce and intubate a human simulator that had been prepared with fluorescent marker in its oropharynx as a marker of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Twenty-one participants were assigned to a control group, whereas the other 21 performed the simulation with a barrier device covering the anaesthesia workstation. After the simulation, an investigator examined 14 target sites with an ultraviolet light to assess spread of the fluorescent marker of contamination to those sites. Results The difference in rates of contamination between the control group and the barrier group was highly significant, with 44.8% (2.5%) of sites contaminated in the control group vs 19.4% (2.6%) of sites in the barrier group (P Conclusions The results of this study suggest that application of a barrier device to the anaesthesia workstation during induction and intubation might reduce contamination of the intraoperative environment.
Tactile Sensors: Application Assessment for Robotic Handling of Limp Materials

Tactile sensors have a potential role in assisting the robotic manipulation of limp materials such as apparel fabrics, leathers, flexible composites, thin metals (foils), and polymer sheets. A review of the methods and principles utilized in existing tactile sensor technology is presented coupled with concepts for integrating tactile information with robot control. Possible uses of tactile sensors for limp material handling with robot manipulators are suggested. Research areas where further exploration and development is needed are identified.
Crucible of Freedom: Workers’ Democracy in the Industrial Heartland, 1914–1960. By Eric Leif Davin

Crucible of Freedom is unlike any scholarly history book I have ever read. Throughout the work, Eric Davin interjects himself into the narrative. He frequently recounts anecdotes from individuals who describe what their grandparents told them about labor organizing in the 1930s and 1940s. Davin's approach reminded me of William H.Whyte's Street Corner Society. Much like Whyte, Davin is the participant-observer interpreting an oppositional culture that was—and remains—remote from Main Street America. There are also echoes of David Brooks's sociological rendering of contemporary professionals in Bobos in Paradise.
Reflections on Prince, Public Welfare Offenses, American Cyanamid, and the Wisdom of the Common Law

The fundamental requirement of Anglo-American criminal law is that crime must consist of the concurrence of a guilty mind—a mens rea—with a guilty act—an actus reus. And yet, the criminal law is shot through with discordant lumps of strict liability—crimes for which no mens rea is required. Ignoring the conventional normative objections to this aberration, I distinguish two different types of strict criminal liability: the type that arose at common law and the type associated with the public welfare offenses that are the product of twentieth and twenty-first century legislation. Using famous cases as exemplars, I analyze the two types of strict liability, and then examine the purposes served and incentives created by subjecting individuals to strict liability. I conclude that common law strict liability is rational in that it advances the purposes of the criminal law, while the public welfare offenses are at best pointless and at worst counterproductive. I suggest that in this respect the common law contains more wisdom than the results of the legislative process.
The Competition Number and its Variants

Abstract If D is an acyclic digraph, its competition graph has the same vertex set as D and an edge between vertices u and v if and only if for some vertex w of D, there are arcs (u,w) and (v,w) in D. The competition number of a graph G is the smallest number of isolated vertices whose addition makes G into a competition graph. Competition graphs were introduced by Cohen in 1968 as a means of determining the smallest dimension of ecological phase space. Various notions analogous to competition graphs together with competition graphs have applications, not only to ecology, but in studying communication over a noisy channel, in assigning frequencies to radio transmitters, and in modeling complex economic and energy systems. In the study of the competition graph of an acyclic digraph, there are two fundamental questions which were proposed by Roberts in 1978: One is to characterize the acyclic digraphs which have interval competition graphs and the other is to characterize the graphs which are competition graphs of acyclic digraphs. In this paper, we focus our interest on the second question as we survey the results about the competition number and some of its variants, namely, the p-competition number, the double competition number, and the niche number. Open questions related to the topic are discussed as well.
Muscle Cross-Bridges: Do They Rotate?

We have used electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to monitor the orientation of spin labels attached specifically to a reactive sulfhydryl on the myosin heads in glycerinated rabbit psoas skeletal muscle. Previous work has shown that the paramagnetic probes are highly ordered in rigor muscle and display a random angular distribution in relaxed muscle (Thomas and Cooke, 1980). Addition of ADP to rigor fibers caused no spectral changes, while addition of AMPPNP or PPi increased the fraction of disordered probes. We show here that the application of stress to fibers in the presence of ADP, AMPPNP or PH causes no change in their spectra. During the generation of isometric tension approximately 80% of the probes display a random angular distribution as in relaxed muscle while the remaining 20% are highly oriented at the same angle as found in rigor muscle. In each of the above cases the spectrum consists of two components, one highly ordered as in rigor and one highly disordered. Saturation transfer EPR has shown that the ordered component is rigid while the disordered component is mobile on the microsecond time scale (Thomas, Ishiwata, Seidel and Gergely, 1980). These data lead to the conclusion that the disordered spectral component arises from myosin heads that are detached from actin while the ordered component comes from heads that are attached to actin. The observation that the ordered component displays an identical angular distribution under all conditions indicates that its orientation is not linked to force generation.
Comparison of a low-cost immunohistochemistry marker panel with a cell-cycle progression assay for the prediction of outcome after radical prostatectomy.

118Background: Gene expression assays appear to stratify prostate cancer risk, however tests involving amplification techniques are expensive and may strain payment systems. We aimed to compare the prognostic utility of a low-cost immunohistochemistry (IHC) panel consisting of three validated markers with an RNA expression based cell-cycle progression (CCP) score. Methods: Among 5,748 patients with PCa within an institutional database, we identified 424 with localized PCa treated with radical prostatectomy (RP). IHC analysis was performed using tissue microarrays to examine the expression status of PTEN, Ki67, and ERG compared with previously calculated CCP scores derived from 31 genes normalized to 15 housekeeper genes. Associations of IHC status, CCP scores, adjusted for clinical and pathologic characteristics (Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment Score, CAPRA-S) were performed using Cox proportional hazards regression to examine risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR), and metastasis or PCa- specific mo...
Imaging the 3-D deformation of the finger pad when interacting with compliant materials

We need to understand the physics of how the skin of the finger pad deforms, and their tie to perception, to accurately reproduce a sense of compliance, or ‘softness,’ in tactile displays. Contact interactions with compliant materials are distinct from those with rigid surfaces where the skin flattens completely. To capture unique patterns in skin deformation over a range of compliances, we developed a stereo imaging technique to visualize the skin through optically clear stimuli. Accompanying algorithms serve to locate and track points marked with ink on the skin, correct for light refraction through stimuli, and estimate aspects of contact between skin and stimulus surfaces. The method achieves a 3-D spatial resolution of 60–120 microns and temporal resolution of 30 frames per second. With human subjects, we measured the skin's deformation over a range of compliances (61–266 kPa), displacements (0–4 mm), and velocities (1–15 mm/s). The results indicate that the method can differentiate patterns of skin deformation between compliances, as defined by metrics including surface penetration depth, retention of geometric shape, and force per gross contact area. Observations of biomechanical cues of this sort are key to understanding the perceptual encoding of compliance.
Pressure inactivation kinetics of phage lambda cI 857.

Inactivation curves of phage λ cI 857 inactivated by high hydrostatic pressure were obtained at three pressure levels (300, 350, and 400 MPa) in buffered media and ultrahigh-temperature 2% reduced fat milk. Pressurization of phage λ in buffered media at 300 MPa for 300 min, 350 MPa for 36 min, and 400 MPa for 8 min reduced the titer of phage λ by 7.5, 6.7, and 7.7 log, respectively. Pressurization of phage λ in milk at 300 MPa for 400 min, 350 MPa for 80 min, and 400 MPa for 20 min reduced the titer of phage λ by 5.4, 6.4, and 7.1 log, respectively. Tailing was observed in all inactivation curves, indicating that the linear model was not adequate for describing these curves. Among the three nonlinear models studied, the Weibull and log-logistic models consistently produced best fits to all inactivation curves, and the modified Gompertz model the poorest. Because there were no significant differences in the values of shape factor (n) for suspension medium buffer, we reduced the number of parameters in the ...
Susceptibility of corneas from various animal species to in vitro binding and invasion by Acanthamoeba castellani

A crucial requirement for establishing corneal infection by the extracellular protozoa! parasite, Acanthamoeba, is the ability of the parasite to bind to the corneal surface. In a series of in vitro studies, we examined the ability of Acanthamoeba castellani to adhere, invade, and damage normal, intact corneas of 11 mammalian and one avian species. A. castellani (80-90% trophozoites and 10-20% cysts) were incubated with corneas for 24 hours in vitro and examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results of several independent SEM experiments revealed that parasites not only failed to produce cytopathic effects but did not even bind to the corneal epithelium of mice, rats, cotton rats, horses, guinea pigs, cows, chickens, dogs, and rabbits. However, parasites adhered, invaded, and produced severe damage to human, pig, and Chinese hamster corneas during the 24-hour in vitro incubation period. Additional in vitro experiments quantified the binding of A. castellani to the corneas of selected susceptible and nonsusceptible species. In vitro binding assays revealed scant binding of parasites to mouse, rat, and rabbit (range = 5-20 parasites/7.07 mm 2 corneal button). In contrast, extensive binding was observed on Chinese hamster, pig, and human corneas (range = 100-200 parasites/7.07 mm 2 button). The results indicate that A. castellani exercises rigid host specificity at the host cell surface. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 33:104-112,1992.
Binding of Bacteria to Lymphocyte Subpopulations

Publisher Summary Both in humans and in mice, it has been possible to map the lymphocyte subpopulations using bacteria as specific membrane markers. All human B cells, normal or leukemic, bind Brucella melitensis as well as other human pathogens from the genus Brucella, while T cells do not bind these bacteria. By using four strains of bacteria, B. melitensis, A. hinshawii, B. globigii, and S. schottmulleri, in addition to B cells (Bm+), two B- and four T-cell subpopulations have been identified—which were given arbitrary numbers, B1, B2, and T1–T4. Three B cell subpopulations, B1–B3, and three T cell subpopulations, T1–T3, were identified in the mouse spleen using a minimum of four bacteria: B. melitensis, A. hinshawii, E. coli-2, and E. coli-3. As the function of B cells is definitely different from that of T cells, the existence of B. melitensis as a B cell marker suggested that the lymphocyte subpopulations identified by bacterial adherence are functionally different. Experiments with B. melitensis and with a mutant of E. coli suggested that there may be lectins on the lymphocyte membrane that interact with carbohydrates on the bacteria, an interaction that can be inhibited by certain monosaccharides or by the specific lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Bacteria bind consistently to lymphocytes, and their binding properties are not affected by heating or formaldehyde fixation. These properties have allowed their use as shelf reagents in stained smears prepared from peripheral blood or from bone marrow. The use of bacteria as markers of lymphocyte subpopulations is significant for a few reasons—bacteria are stable shelf reagents, easy to prepare, and store.. The use of bacteria in blood smears offers the possibility of morphologic examination of the lymphocytes and of obtaining a permanent record.
The Use of the Kullback-Leibler Distance for Learning in Neural Binary Classifiers

Recent discoveries by cognitive scientists have resulted in renewed interest in neural network structures, which perform elementary functions and “learn” via interaction with their environment. Given a neural architecture and a function per element , this lauer leaming corresponds to superv ised learning, in neural network and pattern recognition terminology, and corresponds to the sequential adaptation or estimation of pertinent parameters via training data. When neural networks operate in stochastically described environments, supervised leaming becomes a statistical sequential estimation problem, dealt with by stochastic approximation methods. There is rich literature in such methods represented by the works of Adhelhamid (1973), Beran (1976), B1um (1954), Fabian (1968), Fisher (1922), Gerencser (1986), Kashyap et al (1966, 1970), Kiefer et al (1952), Kushner (1987), Kushner et al (1978), Ljung (1977), Ljung et al (1983), Robbins et al (1951), and Young et al (1972). In parallel, robust parameter estimation techniques which can be extended to the stochastic approximation domain can be found in the works by Beran (1977, 1978), Bickel (1975), Huber (1973, 1981), and Kazakos et al (1989).
Compact Web Video Summarization Via Supervised Learning

Ever growing consumption of online videos from search, recommendation, and sharing has generated a strong demand on compact summarization, to allow users to quickly understand the video content and make the whether-to-watch decision. This paper explores achieving this using a compact set of four thumbnails, via supervised learning methods. Due to the ubiquitous disagreements among the thumbnail sets preferred by different labelers, there exists no unique ground truth set. To address this problem, we propose the pair wise ranking method, which trains the model to best predict the user preference over each pair of thumbnail set candidates. Experimental results on a large video dataset showed that the proposed method outperforms the existing schemes by a large margin.
Learning Specialists in College Athletics: Who are they and what do they do?

As the number of at-risk collegiate student athletes continues to rise and their academic success continues to be scrutinized, the role of the learning specialist is becoming increasingly important. The purpose of this research was to determine the essential duties of learning specialists in collegiate athletics, possible correlations between the learning specialist’s degree and the frequency of their tasks, as well as the possible connection between conference, number of learning specialists on staff, and tasks assigned and number of students on the learning specialists’ caseload. A survey was completed by 90 individuals who self-identified as learning specialists and members of N4A. Results indicate that the three tasks most frequently performed by learning specialists are developing learning strategies with individual students, sending reminders, and holding study hall and these tasks remain consistent regardless of their educational background, conference or number of learning specialists on staff. Implications of these findings and future research recommendations are also discussed.
Severity of Cytokine Release Syndrome As a Predictor of Infections after T-Cell Replete Haploidentical Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (haploHCT)

Background HaploHCT is a common alternative donor graft source for patients with hematological malignancies. A sepsis-like hyper-cytokine state referred to as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) has been described following haploHCT. Given the distinctive biology of CRS in haploHCT, understanding the infectious complications as a function of severity of CRS is critical. Methods We evaluated 78 consecutive adult haploHCT patients (pts) at our center for development of CRS (graded as per criteria by Lee et al. Blood 2014) and examined the incidence of infectious complications in correlation with CRS severity. All pts received haploHCT for malignancies between 04/2012-04/2018, using post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCY) and tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis. The incidence of infections was examined in two time periods in relation to day of stem cell infusion (day 0): day 0-100 (early) and day 101-180 (late). Results Among the 78 pts, 41 (53%) developed grade 0-1 CRS and 37 (47%) had grade 2-5 CRS. Overall, 61 patients (78%) experienced early infections whereas 19 (27%, n=70) experienced late infections. 44% of those with CRS grade 0-1 had early infections and 37% had late infections. In contrast, early and late infections occurred in 56% and 63% CRS grade 2-5 pts (p=.002 and p=.31). In CRS 0-1 cohort, blood-stream infections (BSI) were seen in 10% pts in first 180 days; the corresponding number was 46% in CRS 2-5 cohort (P Conclusion Infections are common post-transplant complications in first 6 months. The severity of CRS developing after haploHCT using PTCY-platform is associated with increased frequency of BSI. Viral and fungal infections do not have a higher risk post-haploHCT based on CRS severity.
Do Minimally Verbal and Verbally Fluent Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Differ in Their Viewing Patterns of Dynamic Social Scenes

Attending preferentially to social information in the environment is important in developing socio-communicative skills and language. Research using eye tracking to explore how individuals with aut...
Cosmopolitan Dimensions of Virality and “The Boy in the Ambulance”

In a context of globally networked social media, “viral” instances of collective affect and attention that coalesce around images of distant suffering merit consideration as significant moments of ...
37-year-old Transgender Man with Fevers, Dysuria, and Sudden Decompensation.

Author(s): Fleming, Emily R.; Gatz, J. David | Abstract: Introduction: Patients in the emergency department may experience sudden decompensation despite initially appearing stable.Case Presentation: A 37-year-old transgender man presented to the emergency department (ED) with several months of fevers, myalgias, and weight loss. The patient acutely became febrile, tachycardic, and hypotensive after an initially reassuring assessment in the ED.Discussion: This case takes the reader through the differential diagnosis and work-up of the decompensating patient initially presenting with subacute symptoms.
Effect of Temperature in Experiments Involving Carbonated Beverages

Carbonated beverages have long provided chemical educators and other teachers of science with an easy-to-obtain system that connects to several physicochemical concepts. For example, many educators have devised experiments to determine the pressure of CO2 contained in commercial carbonated beverages, but the role of temperature in such measurements has not been explored in detail. The experiments presented here describe a simple way to measure the pressure of CO2 in carbonated beverages, and how to convert such pressures measured at different temperatures to a standard value so that comparisons of measurements obtained at different temperatures can be made. The results provide insights into other experiments that involve carbonated beverages.
Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator in Combination With Mechanical Thrombectomy: Clot Migration, Intracranial Bleeding, and the Impact of “Drip and Ship” on Effectiveness and Outcomes

Purpose: Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is indicated prior to mechanical thrombectomy (MT) to treat large vessel occlusion (LVO). However, administration takes time, and rates of clot migration complicating successful retrieval and hemorrhagic transformation may be higher. Given time-to-effectiveness, the benefit of tPA may vary significantly based on whether administration occurs at a thrombectomy-capable center or transferring hospital. Methods: We prospectively evaluated 170 individuals with LVO involving the anterior circulation who underwent MT at our Comprehensive Stroke Center over a 3.5 year period. Two thirds (n = 114) of patients were admitted through our Emergency Department (ED). The other 33% were transferred from outside hospitals (OSH). Patients meeting criteria were bridged with IV tPA; the others were treated with MT alone. Clot migration, recanalization times, TICI scores, and hemorrhage rates were compared for those bridged vs. treated with MT alone, along with modified Rankin scores (mRS) at discharge and 90-day follow-up. Multivariable regression was used to determine the relationship between site of presentation and effect of tPA on outcomes. Results: Patients presenting to an OSH had longer mean discovery to puncture/recanalization times, but were actually more likely to receive IV tPA prior to MT (70 vs. 42%). The rate of clot migration was low (11%) and similar between groups, though slightly higher for those receiving IV tPA. There was no difference in symptomatic ICH rate after tPA. TICI scores were also not significantly different; however, more patients achieved TICI 2b or higher reperfusion (83 vs. 67%, p = 0.027) after tPA, and TICI 0 reperfusion was seen almost exclusively in patients who were not treated with tPA. Those bridged at an OSH required fewer passes before successful recanalization (2.4 vs. 1.6, p = 0.037). Overall, mean mRS scores on discharge and at 90 days were significantly better for those receiving IV tPA (3.9 vs. 4.6, 3.4 vs. 4.4 respectively, p ~ 0.01) and differences persisted when comparing only patients recanalized in under 6 h. Conclusion: Independent of site of presentation, IV tPA before MT appears to lead to better radiographic outcomes, without increased rates of clot migration or higher intracranial hemorrhage risk, and overall better functional outcomes.
The Rubens Era

H. Rubens' spectroscopic work began in the near infrared and progressed in steps to the far infrared. The milestones along the way from 1892 to 1922 are in both the development of experimental techniques and equipment, and in the wide range of problems that were attacked with this equipment.