cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Language of Vandalism: Improving Wikipedia Vandalism Detection via Stylometric Analysis

Community-based knowledge forums, such as Wikipedia, are susceptible to vandalism, i.e., ill-intentioned contributions that are detrimental to the quality of collective intelligence. Most previous work to date relies on shallow lexico-syntactic patterns and metadata to automatically detect vandalism in Wikipedia. In this paper, we explore more linguistically motivated approaches to vandalism detection. In particular, we hypothesize that textual vandalism constitutes a unique genre where a group of people share a similar linguistic behavior. Experimental results suggest that (1) statistical models give evidence to unique language styles in vandalism, and that (2) deep syntactic patterns based on probabilistic context free grammars (PCFG) discriminate vandalism more effectively than shallow lexico-syntactic patterns based on n-grams.
A variational approach to microneedle design

Microneedle arrays hold tremendous promise for transdermal drug delivery and bio-fluid extraction. Yet, the same features that make microneedles advantageous, i.e., their small overall size and large aspect ratio, make them vulnerable to failure under stresses induced during the insertion process. Maintaining the advantages of size while maximizing the strength through shape variation is the optimization problem addressed in this paper. An indirect variational method is introduced and applied to the microneedle problem. A comparative study of the optimized design versus a typical design is presented.
A sub-symbolic model of the cognitive processes of re-representation and insight

We present a sub-symbolic computational model for effecting knowledge re-representation and insight. Given a set of data, manifold learning is used to automatically organize the data into one or more representational transformations, which are then learned with a set of neural networks. The result is a set of neural filters that can be applied to new data as re-representation operators.
Pair-Wise Sequence Analysis using Information Specific Algorithm

Computer generated sequence alignment has become a conventional tool in bioinformatics. One method of determining similarity between two sequences is through a pair-wise sequence alignment. Since Smith-Waterman proposed the optimal sequence alignment algorithm in 1981, many local sequence alignment tools have adopted this algorithm for their alignment engine. However, most of the conventional tools lack the ability of incorporating biological properties into the alignment result which often leads to incorrect alignment. In this paper, we introduce a pair-wise alignment system called INSPAL (Information Specific Algorithm) that incorporates biological properties into the algorithm so that it can suggest an appropriate sequence alignment based on the given proteins. Experimental comparisons with two popular tools ALIGN and SIM indicate good performance of INSPAL.
COLOR, TEXTURE AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF SELECTED HYBRIDS OF POPPED POPCORN

Hot air popped kernels of six selected popcorn hybrids were evaluated by 74 subjects for Hunter color values, texture maximum force (g) and total area (g s), and ranking tests on popped kernel shape, color, aroma, taste and texture. Panel preference for butterfly and mushroom popped kernel shapes were not significantly different from each other (p = 0.20). However, yellow popcorn color was significantly preferred to white by panelists (p = 0.00025). Hunter b value (yellowness) was the most important color determinant among Hunter values. Aroma preference for the yellow popcorn hybrids was higher than that of white hybrids (p = 0.0003). Panel texture preference was related to texture maximum force (r = 0.85). La texture du pop-corn eclate influe sur la preference gustative. La preference des consommateurs est influencee par la couleur des grains eclates et non par leur forme.
Origin of Gassmann’s equations

Gassmann’s relations are receiving more attention as seismic data are increasingly used for reservoir monitoring. Correct interpretation of underground fluid migration from seismic data requires a quantitative understanding of the relationships among the velocity data and fluid properties in the form of fluid substitution formulas, and these formulas are very commonly based on Gassmann’s equations. Nevertheless, confusion persists about the basic assumptions and the derivation of Gassmann’s (1951) well‐known equation in poroelasticity relating dry or drained bulk elastic constants to those for fluid‐saturated and undrained conditions. It is frequently stated, for example, but quite incorrect to say that Gassmann assumes the shear modulus is constant (i.e., mechanically independent of the presence of the saturating fluid). This note clarifies the situation by presenting an unusually brief derivation of Gassmann’s relations that emphasizes the true origin of the constant shear modulus result, while also cla...
Kinetic studies in ethylene polymerization with Ziegler type catalysts. V. Evaluation of fractionation data for simultaneous polymerization on trivalent and tetravalent titanium sites

A method is described which allows the individual characterization (Mw, Mn) of the two ethylene polymers formed simultaneously on Ti(III) and Ti(IV) sites of a Ziegler catalyst system. The method is based on the evaluation of the CH3 or CHD group distributions in fractionated polymers prepared in the absence or the presence of deuterium, respectively. Eine Methode wird beschrieben, die eine individuelle Charakterisierung (MW, Mn) der beiden Athylenpolymeren erlaubt, welche gleichzeitig an Ti(III)- und Ti(IV)-Zentren eines Ziegler-Katalysatorsystems gebildet werden. Die Methode basiert auf der Auswertung der Verteilung von CH3- oder CHD-Gruppen in fraktionierten Polymeren, welche in Abwesenheit bzw. in Gegenwart von Deuterium hergestellt wurden.
Asymmetrical Distribution of Implantation Sites in the Rat Uterus

Implantation sites in 175 primigravid CFE rats showed a significant (p <0.001) dextral bias, the proportion in the right horn being about 55% for essentially all litter sizes. The bias was not absolute but occurred twice as often as a sinistral bias, and larger betweensides differences were found in rats with a dextral bias. The bias was lost in subsequent pregnancies, but there was no tendency toward alternation between sides. Distribution of conceptuses was negatively correlated, except that rats with six or fewer conceptuses in the right horn (the majority of which had below average total numbers of conceptuses) showed a positive correlation. Statistically the negative correlation was due to the low variance, reflecting the uniformity between rats with respect to litter size. At the same time, distribution overall was more equal than binomial, significantly so (p <0.001) for the 156 rats with a total of 12 or more conceptuses. In 38 of 45 rats, the ovary with more corpora lutea was ipsilateral to the horn with the larger number of conceptuses, even though about one-third of the rats had excessive numbers of corpora lutea. Moreover, the left-right differences between both corpora lutea and conceptuses showed a very close correspondence for all rats, including the “spontaneous superovulators.” The results suggest that one ovary, usually the right, has a larger population of follicles capable of maturing and ovulating, and that ovulation, albeit biased, conforms to binomial expectations. It is further suggested that implantation is more equal than binomial due to factor(s) operating on the whole uterus to limit litter size, but the side with the larger number of corpora lutea remains physiologically superior, possibly due to a local effect of the ovaries on the uterine horns.
Contested Citizenship: Immigration and Cultural Diversity in Europe

Contested Citizenship: Immigration and Cultural Diversity in Europe. By Ruud Koopmans, Paul Statham, Marco Giugni, and Florence Passy. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005. 376p. 25.00 paper. This is a well-written, rigorous, empirical contribution to scholarship on immigration and ethnic relations in post–World War II Europe. The study adds particular value through its grounded evaluation of basic assumptions concerning multiculturalism. Ruud Koopmans and colleagues coded political claims of migrant, extreme-right, and pro-migrant/anti-racist actors in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as reported in a prominent newspaper in each country. These data inform the authors' assessment of whether migrant group makeup, national conceptions of citizenship, or supranational institutions drive the various actors' political behavior. The authors conclude that different national citizenship models best explain variations in political claims making. Postwar migration to Western Europe generates intense political conflict, according to the authors, because it raises questions about basic aspects of national sovereignty, including border control, citizenship attribution, and the principles of nationhood.
A Methodology and Algorithms for Post-Placement Delay Optimization

In this paper we present a placement-intelligent resynthesis methodology and optimization algorithms to meet post-layout timing constraints while at the same time reducing the interconnect congestion. We begin with the synthesized design netlist after initial placement and make incremental modifications - taking placement into account - to generate a final netlist and placement that meets the delay constraints after place and route. The algorithms described have been implemented as part of a tool for placement based resynthesis. The tool has been used with a number of pre-optimized designs from industry and to obtain improvements in post-placement delays ranging from 13 to 22% with improved routability.
From Art to Science: Oligosaccharide Analysis by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry Finally Replaces 1-Dimensional Thin-Layer Chromatography

In this issue of Clinical Chemistry , a group led by Miao He at Emory University describes a new method for the qualitative profiling of free oligosaccharides and other glycoaminoacids in urine samples (1). The analytical platform is MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, a technology that is making a rapid transition from an elite proteomics research tool to a diagnostic tool broadly adopted in laboratory medicine, particularly in clinical microbiology (2). The authors have successfully targeted 11 different lysosomal disorders that have very similar clinical presentations and are virtually indistinguishable in the first few months of life, when a diagnostic evaluation is likely to take place. Notably, the authors have provided a clear and objective road map to the interpretation of abnormal profiles. Table 1 of this report is a truly fundamental contribution that should pave the way to rapid implementation of this method as well as objective and consistent interpretation of clinical results. This outcome has been hardly the case for the last 4 decades. Indeed, the significance of this report cannot be fully appreciated by …
The Siderophore 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic Acid Is Not Required for Virulence of Brucella abortus in BALB/c Mice

2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) is the only siderophore described for Brucella, and previous studies suggested that DHBA might contribute to the capacity of these organisms to persist in host macrophages. Employing an isogenic siderophore mutant (ΔentC) constructed from virulent Brucella abortus 2308, however, we found that production of DHBA is not required for replication in cultured murine macrophages or for the establishment and maintenance of chronic infection in the BALB/c mouse model.
Some Observations on the Concepts of Information-Theoretic Entropy and Randomness

Certain aspects of the history, derivation, and physical application of the information-theoretic entropy concept are discussed. Pre-dating Shannon, the concept is traced back to Pauli. A derivation from first principles is given, without use of approximations. The concept depends on the underlying degree of randomness. In physical applications, this translates to dependence on the experimental apparatus available. An example illustrates how this dependence affects Prigogine's proposal for the use of the Second Law of Thermodynamics as a selection principle for the breaking of time symmetry. The dependence also serves to yield a resolution of the so-called ``Gibbs Paradox.'' Extension of the concept from the discrete to the continuous case is discussed. The usual extension is shown to be dimensionally incorrect. Correction introduces a reference density, leading to the concept of Kullback entropy. Practical relativistic considerations suggest a possible proper reference density.
Self-Concepts of American and Canadian Party Officials: Their Development and Consequences

As party organization politics become less passionate and the opportunities for personal payoff and graft decrease, the continued work of party functionaries is something of an anachronism. The political systems of the United States and Canada require party-like voluntary organizations, but decrease the motivations for individual participation. This analysis sheds some light on sustained participation by focusing on the role of politics in the personal identities of 1,250 of the top party officials of Seattle, Minneapolis, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. At present, the significance of politics in the self-concept of even the high-ranking party official is highly variable. They may rise to the top of an organization after very short working careers and without total investment of their "selves." The extent to which the political dimension suffuses the identity of the official and its place in the self-concept are shown to be related to both early and current life experiences in ways that accord with symbolic interactionist theory. Finally, the self-concept is shown to relate to how the party role is played and the respondent's further career expectations.
Evolution of Intercellular Communication Channels

Intercellular communication is a universal biological activity without which even the most primitive multicellular animals could not exist, and which, in the course of evolution, has been preceded by the exchange of information among unicellular organisms via the extracellular milieu. This fundamental capacity of cells to receive and respond to signals is the basis of the elaborate integrative mechanisms operating in the most highly developed animals, including man. At this advanced level, communication has become the primary function of two interacting organ systems, the nervous and the endocrine. How did this all-important neuroendocrine apparatus evolve? At which time during the ascent of the mammalian organism did its characteristic and diverse features make their appearance? A comparative approach to the study of this problem reveals that in primitive as well as highly differentiated biological systems signal transmission depends on the propagation of action potentials as well as the dispatch of chemical messengers. Both of these mechanisms seem to have originated very early in evolution.
Predicting a quaternary tungsten oxide for sustainable photovoltaic application by density functional theory

A quaternary oxide, CuSnW2O8 (CTTO), has been predicted by density functional theory (DFT) to be a suitable material for sustainable photovoltaic applications. CTTO possesses band gaps of 1.25 eV (indirect) and 1.37 eV (direct), which were evaluated using the hybrid functional (HSE06) as a post-DFT method. The hole mobility of CTTO was higher than that of silicon. Further, optical absorption calculations demonstrate that CTTO is a better absorber of sunlight than Cu2ZnSnS4 and CuInxGa1−xSe2 (x = 0.5). In addition, CTTO exhibits rigorous thermodynamic stability comparable to WO3, as investigated by different thermodynamic approaches such as bonding cohesion, fragmentation tendency, and chemical potential analysis. Chemical potential analysis further revealed that CTTO can be synthesized at flexible experimental growth conditions, although the co-existence of at least one secondary phase is likely. Finally, like other Cu-based compounds, the formation of Cu vacancies is highly probable, even at Cu-rich grow...
Family, Alcohol, and Culture

During the 1970s and 1980s a small but rich tradition of anthropological and sociological studies of family culture, cultural context, and alcohol has developed. Ideally, ethnographic analysis of a cultural group and in-depth holistic examination of family process are incorporated in such research. In conducting family, culture, and alcohol investigations, researchers are encouraged to reexamine some conceptual assumptions: (1) their working definition of culture; (2) their relative emphasis on family culture or cultural context; (3) their attention to socialization as an active process in the transmission of culture within and across generations; and (4) their adoption of a holistic and cross-generational perspective. To apply this line of research to preventive and intervention strategies, two questions are especially relevant: Why are particular alcohol traditions established and maintained within families? What incentives and constraints from the family’s cultural context help create, preserve, and/or terminate particular drinking practices?
A SURVEY OF U.S. METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE PROGRAMS

This paper presents an overview of the USA's environmental satellite programs that have been evolving from 1958 to the present and reviews plans for the future meteorological and environmental satellite systems that are scheduled to be placed into service in the late ‘70's and early ‘80's. The development of the TIROS family of weather satellites, including TIROS, ESSA, ITOS/NOAA, and the future TIROS-N (the third-generation operational system) is summarized. The contribution of the Nimbus and ATS technology satellites to the development of the operational polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites is discussed. Included are descriptions of both the TIROS and the SMS/GOES future payloads currently under development to assure a continued and orderly growth of these systems into the 1980's. The effectiveness and benefits of the U.S. National Operational Meteorological Satellite System are also reviewed.
Far Wake Rotorcraft Vortex Tumbling

The far wake trajectory of the tumbling tip vortex effect of a reduced-scale, 1 m diameter, four-bladed rotor during hover is studied using vortex methods combined with a center of mass analysis approach. Measurements of all three components of the velocity field are acquired using a stereo PIV system synchronized to capture up to 800 � wake age of the vortex with 10 � offsets during hover conditions. The nominal operating condition of the rotor is at a rotational speed of 1520RPM, corresponding to Rec = 248,000 with a chord length of 58.5mm. The rotor was operated with a pitch of 7.2 � ± 0.5 � and a CT/� of 0.029. The far wake vortex tumbling phenomenon is captured and described. It is shown that tip vortices from two blades tumble through approximately 180 � of rotation before they coalesce. It is seen that the parent vortices are stronger than the daughter vortex, but due to vortex stretching the daughter vortex has a smaller radius with greater swirl strength. An accurate characterization and prediction of the trajectory of the far wake vortex tumbling can enhance the ability to predict and alleviate the resuspension of particles during brownout as well as provide a database for far wake validation of CFD codes.
Lethality of Ozone for the Biting Gnat, Culicoides variipennis: Fumigation of a Biological Safety Cabinet for Arbovirus Research

Ozone was an effective fumigant in a biological safety cabinet against a biting gnat, Culicoides Variipennis (Coquillett), the principal vector of bluetongue virus in the United States. Mortality of female gnats exposed to 600 ± 25 ppm of ozone for 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 30, and 60 min was 96% at 30 min and 100% at 60 min. Mortality of female gnats exposed to 140, 200, 300, 400, and 600 ppm of ozone for 1 h was 88% from 400 ppm and 100% from 600 ppm of ozone. Probit analysis showed that, at 600 ppm of ozone, the exposure time needed for 50% mortality (LD50) was 12 min; at 1 h of exposure, the ozone concentration needed for 50% mortality was 244 ppm.
Corticotropin-releasing hormone but not glutamate elicits hormonal responses from the parabrachial region in cats

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-containing processes were found by immunohistochemistry in the dorsal and lateral parabrachial nucleus extending medially over the dorsal aspect of the brachium and then along the lateral and medial aspects of the mesencephalic trigeminal tract. Reactivity of lesser density extended ventrally from the medial parabrachial nucleus into the locus ceruleus and subceruleus. To determine if CRH acts in these areas to modulate plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and arginine vasopressin (AVP), acutely prepared, chloralose-anesthetized cats were tested with microinjections (100 nl/min, 2 min). Plasma ACTH increased significantly after injections of CRH (2 pmol) along the dorsal aspect of the brachium and in the locus subceruleus (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Plasma AVP increased significantly after injections of CRH into the medial parabrachial nucleus (P < 0.01). These responses of ACTH and AVP differed significantly from those to injections of either vehicle or glutamate at identical sites and from those to CRH injected in other areas. None of these latter responses was significant. CRH was without effect on arterial pressure even though glutamate (30 nmol) injected into the area ventral and medial to the brachium elicited a significant pressor response. We suggest that excitatory amino acids such as glutamate act in this area to activate neurons with descending projections that influence autonomic function. In contrast, CRH appears to activate other neurons with ascending projections that drive neuroendocrine release.
The global ethnopolis

The city of San Francisco, with its culturally distinct neighborhoods, presents us with a telling and multifaceted laboratory where we can study the logic of how the ethnic space of difference is inserted into the vast and expanding network of the globalizing world.15 Until recently, social scientists have studied the American city as a flat, multicultural, and stratified entity, conceiving of it for the most part as a bound locale while informally recognizing its linkage to national sites and overseas territories, especially in the case of diasporas, which maintain ongoing relations with their homelands. As a result of this narrow way of deconstructing the city, the focus of most researchers has been primarily on social interaction at the local level, whether in terms of municipal regimes, social classes, economic transactions, or ethnic niches.
Radioiodine Scintigraphy with SPECT/CT: An Important Diagnostic Tool for Staging and Risk Stratification

The concept of managing thyroid cancer patients according to risk stratification based on clinical-pathological criteria (i.e., age of patient and the results of surgical pathology) has been established by the current ATA guidelines: 131-I ablation is recommended for patients with distant metastases, grossly invasive or >4 cm primary tumor, and in selected patients with 1–4 cm tumors confined to the thyroid, who have documented node metastases or other high-risk features; 131-I ablation is not recommended in low-risk patients [1]. A clinically important question remains: what is the role of radioiodine imaging (131-I; 123-I and/or 124-I) in risk stratification of patients with thyroid cancer and what contribution does it bring to completion of staging and to the decision to omit or proceed with 131-I therapy?
Hierarchical censoring sensors for change detection

Devices in energy-limited wireless sensor networks remain in a low-communication 'sleep' mode until an alarm event is detected. It has been proposed to use 'censoring sensors' to reduce the probability that a sensor must transmit in this mode, thereby minimizing energy consumption when alarm events are not occurring, and lengthening sensor lifetime. Further, since devices in multi-hop networks are not usually in single-hop range of a fusion center, hierarchical distributed detection can lead to further energy efficiency. We report on a system that applies censoring in a hierarchical network to the CUSUM test of Page and Lorden, an online abrupt change detector. In this paper, we explore via simulation an example change detection problem and demonstrate that significant reduction in the number of sensor transmissions can be achieved at the cost of a small increase in mean detection delay compared to uncensored change detection performance.
Salmonella in the Mesenteric Lymph Nodes and Cecal Contents of Slaughtered Sows.

From August 1983 to February 1984, sampling was conducted on 200 slaughtered sows for Salmonella . The sampling was to determine the presence of Salmonella in cull sows at a Minnesota slaughtering establishment. The weight range of the sows varied from 300 to 400 lb. Two samples (mesenteric lymph nodes and cecal contents) were collected from each sow. Conventional methods, using enrichment and plating onto selective media followed by biochemical and serological analyses, were used to isolate and identify Salmonella serotypes. Salmonellae were isolated from the mesenteric lymph nodes and cecal contents of 167/200 (84%) sows. Nine Salmonella serotypes were identified. The four most frequently identified Salmonella serotypes ( S. agona , S. anatum , S. derby , S. java ) accounted for 71% (141/200) of the Salmonella -positive sows. Salmonella were isolated from 131/200 (66%) of the mesenteric lymph nodes examined and 60/200 (30%) of the cecal contents examined.
A Multi-Resolution and Adaptive 3-D Image Denoising Framework with Applications in Medical Imaging

Due to recent increase in the usage of 3-D magnetic resonance images (MRI) and analysis of functional magnetic resonance images, research on 3-D image processing becomes important. Observed 3-D images often contain noise which should be removed in such a way that important image features, e.g., edges, edge structures, and other image details should be preserved, so that subsequent image analyses are reliable. Most image denoising methods in the literature are for 2-D images. However, their direct generalizations to 3-D images cannot preserve complicated edge structures well. Because, the edge structures in a 3-D edge surface can be much more complicated than the edge structures in a 2-D edge curve. Moreover, the amount of smoothing should be determined locally, depending on local image features and local signal to noise ratio, which is much more challenging in 3-D images due to large number of voxels. This paper proposes an efficient 3-D image denoising procedure based on local clustering of the voxels. This method provides a framework for determining the size of bandwidth and the amount of smoothing locally by empirical procedures. Numerical studies and a real MRI denoising show that it works well in many medical image denoising problems.
Policy and Advocacy Initiatives to Promote the Benefits of Sports Participation for Individuals with Disability

Exercise provides a well-recognized foundation for health maintenance and chronic disease prevention for all individuals, and those with disabilities can equally benefit. Still, many health and physical activity disparities exist between individuals with disabilities and the general population. Despite the higher prevalence of chronic, noncommunicable disease in people with disabilities such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease, studies reveal that this population is less likely to engage in the essential physical activity to help decrease health risks. Additionally, participation in health and wellness promotion programs that could mitigate these risks is negatively impacted by various environmental, socioeconomic, and interpersonal barriers that disproportionately affect the disability community. Government regulations, such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, protect the basic rights of individuals with disabilities and serve to facilitate participation in physical activity and sports participation. Meanwhile, many educational and public health policies exist to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities into all mainstream programs. Continued efforts are necessary to expand these opportunities for individuals with disabilities from the developmental to elite levels of sport.
β4-Galactosyltransferase-I

The enzyme β4-galactosyltransferase-I (β4GalT-I; UDP-Gal:GlcNAc β4-galactosyltransferase; EC 2.4.1.38) is a constitutively expressed, trans-Golgi resident, type II membrane-bound glycoprotein that is widely distributed in vertebrates. The protein domain structure established for β4GalT-I consists of: (1) a short NH2-terminal cytoplasmic domain of 11 or 24 amino acids depending on the protein isoform (Shaper et al. 1988; Russo et al. 1990); (2) a large COOH-terminal luminal domain containing the catalytic center (~270 amino acids) linked to a single transmembrane domain (19 amino acids) through a glycosylated peptide segment (~86 amino acids) termed the stem region. In essentially all vertebrate tissues, the primary function of β4GalT-I is to catalyze the transfer of Gal from UDP-Gal to GlcNAcβ-R, forming the N-acetyllactosamine (Galβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-R) or poly-N-acetyllactosamine structures assembled on glycoconjugates.
Relational space and place and food environments: geographic insights for critical sustainability research

This article draws from critical human geography to argue that research guided by relational conceptualizations of place and space, and grounded by empirical analyses based on fieldwork, participatory methodologies, and critical mapping, provides an opportunity to enrich research on local food environments and daily food practices. The perspective is explained by discussing insights from a research project that examined how a group of high school students in an urban, lower-income community navigate their food environment and make decisions about their food on a daily basis. The focus is primarily on the geographic thinking that framed the project and on its associated methodology. Similar approaches can inspire further critical research on the food environment and food justice and guide work on critical sustainability.
Liver Anatomy and Function in the Planning of Hepatic Interventions

The patient with newly diagnosed hepatic tumor faces the unique dilemma of having more cytoreductive treatment options available to them than any other type of solid organ cancer. As a simple example, a patient with well-compensated cirrhosis and a small tumor may be a candidate for any one of the options of hepatic resection, chemical or thermal ablation, or hepatic arterial therapy. Add to this the choice of an open versus laparoscopic versus percutaneous procedure, and the wide array of devices and hepatic artery infusates available, and the patient may have ten or more viable treatment options. Making sense of these options and in turn selecting the most appropriate treatment for an individual patient require a working knowledge of liver anatomy and function and require the practitioner to recognize the constraints of each modality. In this chapter, we will focus on liver anatomy and function as it pertains to decision-making in the treatment of hepatic tumors. We will focus first on how anatomy and function pertain to hepatic resection and later expand this to be applicable to decision-making regarding local and regional therapies.
Industrial Applications of Artificial Intelligence Techniques

The electricity supply market in most countries of the world is being transformed from a regulated and monopolistic industry to a de-regulated utility with competition introduced. For example, in Europe, there has been early progress towards the restructuring and liberalisation of the electricity markets: England and Wales, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Spain and Finland already have separate independent transmission companies. Hungary and Czech Republic are already considering restructuring their electricity supply industry. Considering other parts of the world, Argentina, Australia (Victoria), Canada (Alberta), Chile, India, New Zealand, Poland and Ukraine have all unbundled, stand-alone transmission systems [1].
Practical Support for Caregivers in Navigating Financial Issues Associated With Dementia

Dementia is a destructive, debilitating, and progressive terminal disease. Palliative care has potential to ameliorate some of the devastating effects for both client and family. In consideration o...
Does private schooling affect international test scores? Evidence from a natural experiment

ABSTRACTThe effects of private schooling on Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores of 63 countries across the globe from 2000 to 2012 are estimated. I employ year and country ...
Much Ado About Nothing and pain

Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing especially focuses upon pain. A great build-up of physically but mainly verbally caused pain dissolves in the play’s final episodes. This essay explores this pa...
Ruminal in situ disappearance and whole-tract digestion of starter feeds in calves before, during, and after weaning.

ABSTRACT Ten bull calves (n = 5/diet) were cannulated at 3 wk of age and used in a 2 × 2 factorial design with repeated measures over time to compare rumen and whole-tract degradability of 2 calf starter diets and to describe an in situ technique for estimating ruminal degradability of diets in calves at different ages. Calves received milk replacer and 1 of 2 starter diets through wk 7. Mean birth weight was 38.7 ± 1.3 kg. Weaning occurred in wk 8, and calves received only starter (up to 4,500 g/d) through wk 15. Starter diets were a complete pellet (PEL; 42% starch, 13% neutral detergent fiber, NDF) or texturized feed (TEX; 31% starch, 22% NDF). Portions of each diet were dried and ground through a 2-mm screen, and 1.25 g was inserted into concentrate in situ bags (5 cm × 10 cm, 50-µm porosity). Each calf received duplicate bags of each diet for a total of 8 bags/calf (2 diets × 2 time points). All bags were inserted at the time of starter feeding. Half of the bags were removed at 9 h, and the other half were removed at 24 h. After removal from the rumen, bags were rinsed, dried (55°C), and composited by diet and by calf within week for NDF, nitrogen (N), and starch analyses. This process was repeated over 3 d during wk 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15. Daily starter intake and total fecal excretion were recorded during the same 3-d periods. Diets, refusals, and feces were subsampled, dried, ground, composited by calf by week, and analyzed for NDF, N, and starch content. Apparent digestibility coefficients, total intake, and fecal excretion were calculated and analyzed with a mixed models procedure. Intake and fecal excretion of all measured nutrients increased from wk 5 through wk 15 of age and were greater for calves fed TEX, whereas the proportion of dry matter (DM), N, and starch apparently digested through the total tract decreased from wk 5 to 15 and was greater in calves fed PEL. Ruminal disappearance of DM, N, and starch after 9-h incubations increased linearly with age. Likewise, DM, NDF, and N disappearance after 24-h incubations also increased. Ruminal disappearance of DM and NDF was greater for PEL than for TEX. Ruminal disappearance was estimable for DM, NDF, N, and starch. In addition, changes over time and changes due to rumen environment were clearly demonstrated. Based on these data, there is potential to design specific rations and feed processing methods for calves based on their ability to utilize nutrients.
Pure estrogen receptor complexes stimulate RNA transcription invitro

The high-affinity species (Kd = 0.2 nM) of the two estrogen receptors present in hen oviduct nuclei has been isolated, characterized, and purified to apparent homogeneity by affinity chromatography. An invitro transcription system using isolated chick oviduct nuclei was developed and optimized to examine the effects of estrogen-receptor complexes on gene transcription. The capacity of nuclei to synthesize [3H]RNA invitro was enhanced by the addition of pure nuclear estrogen-receptor complexes.
Exploring the Use of IrisCodes for Presentation Attack Detection

Iris recognition systems are vulnerable to presentation attacks where an adversary uses artifacts such as cosmetic contact lenses, printed eye images, doll eyes, etc. to undermine the system. In this work, we investigate whether IrisCodes, that are commonly used for iris recognition, can be used for presentation attack detection. IrisCodes are binary phasor features extracted from the geometrically normalized iris, where the annular iris region is transformed to a rectangular entity. We demonstrate that including pupil information in IrisCodes improves presentation attack detection performance. Further, we demonstrate that extracting binary phasor information from the un-normalized iris image-referred to as OcularCode in this paper - can further boost the performance. Experiments involving both printed iris images and cosmetic contact lenses from a benchmark dataset suggest that the proposed methods based on binary phasor codes achieve promising results.
Altered Nucleoprotein Binding to Influenza Virus RNA Impacts Packaging Efficiency and Replication

Abstract The genome of Influenza A viruses consists of eight negative-sense RNA segments that are bound by viral nucleoprotein (NP). We recently showed that NP binding is not uniform along the segments but exhibits regions of enrichment as well as depletion. Furthermore, genome-wide NP binding profiles are distinct even in strains with high sequence similarity, such as the two H1N1 strains A/WSN/1933 and A/California/07/2009. Here, we performed interstrain segment swapping experiments with segments of either high or low congruency in NP binding, which suggested that a segment with a similar overall NP binding profile preserved replication fitness of the resulting virus. Further sub-segmental swapping experiments demonstrated that NP binding is affected by changes to the underlying nucleotide sequence, as NP peaks can either become lost or appear de novo at mutated regions. Unexpectedly, these local nucleotide changes in one segment not only affect NP binding in cis, but also impact the genome-wide NP binding profile on other segments in a vRNA sequence-independent manner, suggesting that primary sequence alone is not the sole determinant for NP association to vRNA. Moreover, we observed that sub-segmental mutations that affect NP binding profiles can result in reduced replication fitness, which is caused by defects in vRNA packaging efficiency and an increase in semi-infectious particle production. Taken together, our results indicate that the pattern of NP binding to vRNA is important for efficient virus replication. Author Summary Each viral RNA (vRNA) segment is bound by the polymerase complex at the 5′ and 3′ ends, while the remainder of the vRNA is coated non-uniformly and non-randomly by nucleoprotein (NP). To explore the constraints of NP binding to vRNA, we used high-throughput sequencing of RNA isolated by crosslinking immunoprecipitation (HITS-CLIP) of mutant H1N1 strains with exchanged vRNA sequences and observed that NP binding can be changed based on vRNA sequence. The most striking observation of our study is that nucleotide changes in one segment can have genome-wide effects on the NP binding profile of other segments. We refer to this phenomenon as the ‘butterfly effect’ of influenza packaging. Our results provide an important context in which to consider future studies regarding influenza packaging and assembly.
Virus risk in the food supply chain

Enteric viruses are an important food safety concern and have been associated with many foodborne disease outbreaks. Norovirus and Hepatitis A virus have been implicated in majority of outbreaks; however, other foodborne viruses such as Hepatitis E virus, Sapovirus and Rotavirus can also present a risk to humans. Viral foodborne disease outbreaks have typically been associated with foods served raw including shellfish, fruits and vegetables. The contamination of food by viruses can occur anywhere in the supply chain. Unlike bacteria, viruses cannot replicate in food, so the ability of a contaminated food to serve as a vehicle for infection depends on virus stability and host susceptibility. The burden of foodborne enteric viral disease is often difficult to estimate as many illnesses are mild and go unreported. Molecular assays have been developed for foodborne viruses, and the sensitivity of theses assays has significantly improved throughout the last decade. Surrogate viruses are often used in laboratory research to further understand virus behavior as many foodborne viruses are difficult or impossible to culture outside a human host. This review provides an overview of the epidemiology and detection of foodborne viruses, and most summarizes the state of the science in quantitative microbial risk assessment as applied to foodborne viruses, including the use of viral surrogates.
Thallium NMR spectroscopy

Publisher Summary This chapter throws focuses on thallium nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The advent of pulsed Fourier transform (FT) nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has opened the periodic table of the elements to investigation in an extraordinary manner. Any nuclide with spin can now be observed routinely in the NMR experiment. Moreover, it is important to note that NMR experiments had been performed with about 30 elements in the solid, liquid, or gas phase. Thallium is particularly well suited for the NMR experiment because of its intrinsic nuclear properties. Thallium has two isotopes—203TI and 205TI., Thallium205 is the most receptive heavy metal spin of nucleus by a factor of 30 over 119Sn, which is the second most receptive heavy metal. A summary of the pertinent nuclear properties for the 203Tl and 205TI nuclides is provided in the chapter. Thallium NMR spectroscopy is a very useful technique for investigating a wide variety of chemical and physical interactions in the solid and solution states. Tl(I) ion is a good replacement for the Na(I) and K(I) ions in many biological systems, thus, providing a convenient spectroscopic alternative for the study of phenomena such as ion transport across membranes and the activation and regulation of enzymes.
Accuracy Evaluation of a Tetrabromophenolphthalein Ethyl Ester Colorimetric Assay for Urinary Albumin.

Background: The tetrabromophenolphthalein ethyl ester (TBPE) assay has been used to quantify urinary albumin in point-of-care devices. We assessed the accuracy of this TBPE assay for urinary albumin through comparison with an established immunoturbidimetric method (ADVIA 1800 Chemistry System, Siemens). Methods: We developed a TBPE assay protocol to quantify albumin in the range associated with microalbuminuria (0–200 mg/L). The Jaffe reaction and a 3-dimensional (3D) surface were used to compensate for creatinine interference. Spiked simulated urine samples and patient samples were used to compare the TBPE assay with the immunoturbidimetric method. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze factors that could account for discrepancies between the 2 methods. Results: We found that creatinine interfered with the TBPE assay. To compensate, a 3D surface was successfully used to quantify albumin in spiked deionized water and simulated urine samples. In spiked simulated urine samples, the immunoturbidimetric method underestimated the albumin concentration by 2 to 45 mg/L, and the TBPE assay overestimated it by 9 to 82 mg/L. In patient samples, the albumin concentrations measured with the TBPE assay and the immunoturbidimetric method differed by an average of 184 mg/L. Conclusions: The TBPE assay is a function of the creatinine concentration, and a 3D surface can be used to provide accurate albumin concentrations for standard samples. The corrected TBPE method and the immunoturbidimetric method deviated from known concentrations of spiked samples. Further investigation and comparisons with a third albumin measurement method, such as LC-MS/MS, are necessary before conclusions on the accuracy of the TBPE assay can be made.
Service Print Advertisements: Analyzing the Impact of Emotions and Attitudes on Consumption Intentions

A model is proposed whereby the influence of emotional appeals and attitude toward the ad on service consumption intentions are examined. Regression analysis revealed both emotion and attitudes significantly influence consumers’ future behaviors for all ten service types studied with exception of emotions for delivery services. The research findings further indicate that while both influence consumption, attitude toward the ad had a stronger influence than emotions across all ads tested. It can be inferred that happiness had the strongest influence on emotion followed by good, and then usefulness and high quality were the strongest attitudinal indicators impacting intentions. Conclusions will discuss the importance and applicability of emotions and attitudes for advertising planning and managerial implications.
Novel Therapies for Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is an orphan hematologic malignancy with poor outcomes. Tagraxofusp (SL-401) was the first drug approved specifically for patients with BPDCN, in 2018. Additional therapeutic strategies are still needed to improve survival and minimize treatment-related toxicity. This article outlines novel targeted approaches that are in preclinical or clinical development for BPDCN. Although there is no known targetable genetic abnormality that defines BPDCN, data from functional testing of primary tumors, gene expression analyses, and adaptation of targeted drug approaches from other cancers to BPDCNs harboring specific mutations have nominated several promising strategies.
Single-tube genotyping for small insertion/deletion mutations: simultaneous identification of wild type, mutant and heterozygous alleles.

Current methods of genotyping small insertion/deletion (indel) mutations are costly, laborious, and can be unreliable. To address this, we have developed a method for small indel genotyping in a single polymerase chain reaction, with wild-type, heterozygous and mutant alleles distinguishable by band pattern in routine agarose gel electrophoresis. We demonstrate this method with multiple genes to distinguish 10 bp, 4 bp and even 1 bp deletions from the wild type. Through systematic testing of numerous primer designs, we also propose guidelines for genotyping small indel mutations. Our method provides a convenient approach to genotyping small indels derived from clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-mediated gene editing, N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea induced mutagenesis or diagnosis of naturally occurring polymorphisms/mutations.
One-year incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome in Latino poultry processing workers and other Latino manual workers.

Objective To determine the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) over 1 year in Latino poultry processing workers. Methods Symptoms and nerve conduction studies were used to identify Latino poultry processing workers (106 wrists) and Latinos in other manual labor occupations (257 wrists) that did not have CTS at baseline, and these individuals were then evaluated in the same manner 1 year later. Results Based on wrists, the 1-year incidence of CTS was higher in poultry processing workers than non-poultry manual workers (19.8% vs. 11.7%, P = 0.022). Poultry workers had a higher odds (1.89; P = 0.089) of developing CTS over 1 year compared to non-poultry manual workers. Discussion Latino poultry processing workers have an incidence of CTS that is possibly higher than Latinos in other manual labor positions. Latino poultry workers' high absolute and relative risk of CTS likely results from the repetitive and strenuous nature of poultry processing work. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:362–369, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.