cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
QTL Mapping for Grain Yield, Flowering Time, and Stay-Green Traits in Sorghum with Genotyping-by-Sequencing Markers

Molecular breeding can complement traditional breeding approaches to achieve genetic gains in a more efficient way. In the present study, genetic mapping was conducted in a sorghum recombinant inbred line (RIL) population developed from Tx436 (a non-stay-green high food quality inbred) × 00MN7645 (a stay-green high yield inbred) and evaluated in eight environments (location and year combination) in a hybrid background of Tx3042 (a non-stay-green A-line). Phenotyping was conducted for agronomic traits (grain yield and flowering time), physiological traits of stay-green (chlorophyll content [SPAD] and chlorophyll fluorescence [Fᵥ/Fₘ] measured on the leaves), and green leaf area visual score (GLAVS). This population was genotyped with genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technology. Data processing resulted in 7144 high quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were used in a genome-wide single marker scan with physical distance. A selected subset of 1414 SNPs was used for composite interval mapping (CIM) with genetic distance. These complementary methods revealed fifteen QTLs for the traits studied. In addition, QTL mapping for individual environments and year-wise combinations revealed 42 QTLs. A consistent QTL for grain yield under normal and stressed conditions was identified in chromosome 1 that explained 8 to 16% of the phenotypic variation. QTLs for flowering time were identified in chromosomes 2, 6, and 9 that explained 6 to 11% of the phenotypic variation. Stay-green QTLs in chromosomes 3 and 4 explained 8 to 24% of the phenotypic variation. These identified QTLs with flanking SNPs of known genomic positions could be used to improve grain yield, flowering time, and stay-green in sorghum molecular breeding programs.
Incentivized Cooperative Dynamic Spectrum Access

In the opportunistic spectrum access architecture, secondary users have to vacate from a channel once a primary user signal re-appears on the channel. However, the arbitrary disruption to secondary user communications by primary users results in poor performance for secondary users. We introduce a new spectrum sharing architecture called incentivized cooperative dynamic spectrum access (IC-DSA). This architecture enables secondary users to simultaneously access spectrum with primary users, and creates a win-win situation for both, i.e., both primary users and secondary users achieve significantly higher performance by enabling simultaneous spectrum access.
Antibiotics and inflammatory bowel diseases.

SUMMARY In evaluating the medical literature dealing with antibiotics and inflammatory bowel diseases, I cannot help but recall the adage: “Those who have enthusiasm have no controls and those who have controls have no enthusiasm.” There just are not enough data to justify the use of most antibiotics in the treatment of most patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. An increasing body of data does support the use of metronidazole in selected patients with Crohn’s disease, especially those with perianal disease or fistulae. However, this drug has important side effects that may preclude its long-term use. Other antibiotics have been inadequately tested and there is not adequate evidence to support their use.
Use of Reverse Phase Protein Microarrays to Study Protein Expression in Leukemia: Technical and Methodological Lessons Learned

Leukemias are well suited to proteomic profiling by RPPA due to the ready accessibility of blasts from the blood or marrow. In this review, we review methodological and procedural issues that affect the quality of RPPA data. We recommend contact printers that minimize sample quantities and evaporation and maximize sample per slide. The impact of sample selection and handling is reviewed as well. Protein is best prepared fresh on the date of acquisition as cryopreservation changes protein expression levels in some diseases. Rapid processing is also required to avoid changes in phosphorylation over time. Sample source, blood vs. marrow does not seem to affect results as long as leukemic blast enrichment procedures are utilized. The choice of the correct “normal” control is important for comparing diseased to “normal” expression. Various means of normalizing the data are discussed.
Where’s The Cliff?: Late Archaic Bison Kills in the Southern Plains

Current research at western Oklahoma's Certain site (34BK46) has substantially increased our knowledge of Late Archaic bison hunting in the Southern Plains. Comparison with several other kill sites in the Texas Panhandle shows a broad, regional pattern. Small to moderate numbers of bison were trapped in arroyos, killed, and butchered. Butchering patterns and carcass utilization vary in detail, but generally show less than full use of what was available. Seasonality data are tentative, but seem to show some variability as to timing of the kills, with a possible preference for late fall/early winter.
Disparities in Surgical Care among Women with Endometrial Cancer

OBJECTIVE:To analyze contemporary U.S. use of minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of endometrial cancer and associated inpatient complications and costs.METHODS:In this retrospective cohort study, the National Inpatient Sample database was analyzed in patients with nonmetastatic endometrial
Vascular function assessed by passive leg movement and flow-mediated dilation: initial evidence of construct validity.

This study explores the relationship between a novel assessment of vascular health, passive leg movement (PLM), and an established measure, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), to aid in the interpretatio...
Media and Race

In the United States, media access and use among children and adults differ as a function of race, the type of media platform, and media content. This entry examines the types of media access and use that differ by race. Findings indicate that in the United States, minority adults have less access to newer technologies, specifically broadband Internet access but they may make up for these access limitations, by owning new mobile Internet devices. Overall, black and Hispanic children and youth tend to be higher media users than white youth across multiple platforms. Further, media rules about time spent with media and media content vary by race and may play a role in the media use differences we see in many reports. Keywords: internet; minorities; race and ethnicity; technology; television
Analyzing root traits to characterize juniper expansion into Rangelands

Abstract Juniper expansion into sagebrush-dominated communities is a phenomenon occurring across large regions of the western U.S. in the past century. We investigated the competitive abilities for belowground resources of Juniperus osteosperma (Utah juniper) and Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush) based on fine root traits and spatial patterns of water uptake inferred from stem and soil stable oxygen isotopes (δ18O). Data were collected from neighboring J. osteosperma and A. tridentata plants in northern Colorado and included measurements of different size classes of J. osteosperma: short ( 3 m). Short J. osteosperma switched from utilizing shallow to primarily deep water sources across the growing season. Artemisia tridentata had root traits associated with faster root proliferation and resource acquisition (significantly greater specific root length and smaller root diameter, p .1). Additionally, we found that short J. osteosperma individuals can quickly develop deep root systems, but there is little difference in belowground foraging between individuals of J. osteosperma and A. tridentata based on the depth of water uptake and root length density.
The Shifting Tides of Pacific Regionalism

AbstractThe current state of Pacific regionalism is faced with a range of external and internal factors that are acting to reshape the region and which call for a rethinking of Pacific regionalism. Within this context a range of new and in some cases reinvigorated groupings of political actors have emerged, seeking to influence and shape the region. Interpretations of this plurality of political groupings differ, with some authors seeing it as a direct challenge to the previously existing regional order, while others argue it signals a return to a foundational Pacific voice in regional politics. This article suggests that the present plurality is more than resituating a ‘Pacific voice’ and is not necessarily a challenge to the existing order. Rather, the Pacific’s experience mirrors global trends in the evolution of regionalism as a practice, in which network diplomacy or coalition-building across the plethora of actors will become a predominant feature of new regionalism. Further, the authors argue that ...
Streaming Algorithms for Measuring H-Impact

We consider publication settings with positive user feedback, such as, users publishing tweets and other users retweeting them, friends posting photos and others liking them or even authors publishing research papers and others citing these publications. A well-accepted notion of "impact" for users in these settings is the H-Index: Query rewriting through link analysis of the click graph. PVLDB, 1(1):408--421, 2008., which is the largest k such that at least k publications have k or more (positive) feedback.We study how to calculate H-index on large streams of user publications and feedback. If all the items can be stored, H-index of a user can be computed by sorting. We focus on the streaming setting where as is typical, we do not have space to store all the items.We present the first known streaming algorithm for computing the H-index of a user in the cash register streaming model using space poly(1/e,log(1/δ),logn); this algorithm provides an additive e approximation. For the aggregated model where feedback for a publication is collated, we present streaming algorithms that use much less space, either only dependent on e and even a small constant. We also address the problem of finding "heavy hitters" users in H-index without estimating everyones? H-index. We present randomized streaming algorithms for finding 1 + e approximation to heavy hitters that uses space poly(1/e,log(1/δ),logn) and succeeds with probability at least 1 -- δ. Again, this is the first sublinear space algorithm for this problem, despite extensive research on heavy hitters in general. Our work initiates study of streaming algorithms for problems that estimate impact or identify impactful users.
Regulation of Factors Affecting Milk Yield

The heritability of milk yield is 0.25, which indicates that only 25% of the difference between milk yield in cattle is due to their genomic makeup while fully 75% is due to the environment the cow is in, which includes all management, environmental, and physical factors impacting cows during their lactation. Primary genetic factors influence the amount of secretory tissue and the endocrine regulation of lactation and metabolism. Mammary gland development and lactation are under endocrine regulation, and the process of lactation is also considered to be homeorhetic in nature as the metabolism of the animal is coordinated to meet the metabolic demands of milk synthesis for the developing neonate. Key hormones regulating the process of growth and lactation involve steroid and protein hormones and growth factors. Three management tools consistently increase milk yield in lactating dairy cows during established lactation: administrating exogenous bovine somatotropin (bST), increased milking frequency, and increased photoperiod. Short-day length during the dry period also increases milk yield postpartum. Season of year affects both yield and composition of milk. Seasonal variables known to impact milk and composition yield are photoperiod and thermal environmental variables such as temperature, wind speed, solar infrared load, and humidity. Milk composition can also be markedly altered by nutritional management. This permits the opportunity to improve the nutritional value of milk by altering milk composition through dietary management.
Common Herbal Dietary Supplement—Drug Interactions

Nearly 25% of U.S. adults report concurrently taking a prescription medication with a dietary supplement. Some supplements, such as St. John's wort and goldenseal, are known to cause clinically important drug interactions and should be avoided by most patients receiving any pharmacologic therapy. However, many other supplements are predicted to cause interactions based only on in vitro studies that have not been confirmed or have been refuted in human clinical trials. Some supplements may cause interactions with a few medications but are likely to be safe with other medications (e.g., curcumin, echinacea, garlic, Asian ginseng, green tea extract, kava kava). Some supplements have a low likelihood of drug interactions and, with certain caveats, can safely be taken with most medications (e.g., black cohosh, cranberry, ginkgo, milk thistle, American ginseng, saw palmetto, valerian). Clinicians should consult reliable dietary supplement resources, or clinical pharmacists or pharmacologists, to help assess the safety of specific herbal supplement-drug combinations. Because most patients do not disclose supplement use to clinicians, the most important strategy for detecting herb-drug interactions is to develop a trusting relationship that encourages patients to discuss their dietary supplement use.
Emergency Physician-performed Transesophageal Echocardiography in Simulated Cardiac Arrest.

Introduction: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a well-established method of evaluatingcardiac pathology. It has many advantages over transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), including theability to image the heart during active cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This prospective simulation studyaims to evaluate the ability of emergency medicine (EM) residents to learn TEE image acquisitiontechniques and demonstrate those techniques to identify common pathologic causes of cardiac arrest. Methods: This was a prospective educational cohort study with 40 EM residents from two participatingacademic medical centers who underwent an educational model and testing protocol. All participantswere tested across six cases, including two normals, pericardial tamponade, acute myocardial infarction(MI), ventricular fibrillation (VF), and asystole presented in random order. Primary endpoints were correctidentification of the cardiac pathology, if any, and time to sonographic diagnosis. Calculated endpointsincluded sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for emergency physician (EP)-performed TEE. We calculated a kappa statistic to determine the degree of inter-rater reliability. Results: Forty EM residents completed both the educational module and testing protocol. This resultedin a total of 80 normal TEE studies and 160 pathologic TEE studies. Our calculations for the abilityto diagnose life-threatening cardiac pathology by EPs in a high-fidelity TEE simulation resulted in asensitivity of 98%, specificity of 99%, positive likelihood ratio of 78.0, and negative likelihood ratio of0.025. The average time to diagnose each objective structured clinical examination case was as follows:normal A in 35 seconds, normal B in 31 seconds, asystole in 13 seconds, tamponade in 14 seconds,acute MI in 22 seconds, and VF in 12 seconds. Inter-rater reliability between participants was extremelyhigh, resulting in a kappa coefficient across all cases of 0.95. Conclusion: EM residents can rapidly perform TEE studies in a simulated cardiac arrest environmentwith a high degree of precision and accuracy. Performance of TEE studies on human patients in cardiacarrest is the next logical step to determine if our simulation data hold true in clinical practice.
Enabling WiFi in Open Access Networks

The idea of open access networks is gradually becoming a reality with a large number of municipalities and communities deploying their own open network. In the open access network model, the municipality/community can act as the network operator and a multitude of services can be provided to the end users over the deployed infrastructure. In this age of wireless networks and mobile users, WiFi must also be an integral part of the open access network. We discuss the need for designing WiFi from the point of view of open access networks. We identify the aspects of WiFi that need to be modified and the challenges that arise due to these modifications. We address these challenges by presenting a simple, yet novel design for enabling WiFi in open access networks using SDN and access point virtualization. Ours is the first attempt towards integrating open access networks and WiFi. We implement a preliminary prototype of our design in the Emulab test bed and successfully verify its operation.
Continuum rich-get-richer processes: Mean field analysis with an application to firm size

Classical rich-get-richer models have found much success in being able to broadly reproduce the statistics and dynamics of diverse real complex systems. These rich-get-richer models are based on classical urn models and unfold step by step in discrete time. Here, we consider a natural variation acting on a temporal continuum in the form of a partial differential equation (PDE). We first show that the continuum version of Simon's canonical preferential attachment model exhibits an identical size distribution. In relaxing Simon's assumption of a linear growth mechanism, we consider the case of an arbitrary growth kernel and find the general solution to the resultant PDE. We then extend the PDE to multiple spatial dimensions, again determining the general solution. We then relax the zero-diffusion assumption and find an envelope of solutions to the general model in the presence of small fluctuations. Finally, we apply the model to size and wealth distributions of firms. We obtain power-law scaling for both to be concordant with simulations as well as observational data, providing a parsimonious theoretical explanation for these phenomena.
The Impact of E-Mentoring on Information Technology Professionals

Our research examines the impact of virtual mentoring, or E-mentoring. We surveyed 133 IT professionals as to their experiences as proteges. We asked them about their mentoring relationships, as well as job and career outcomes, and the extent to which they interacted with the mentor virtually. We predicted that E-mentoring would lead to less effective mentoring relationships, less mentoring satisfaction, and lower career outcomes, and that these effects would be moderated by age (millennial proteges versus older proteges). We found few effects, other than lower satisfaction with E-mentoring relationships. The results suggest that E-mentoring can be as effective as face-to-face mentoring. However, few in our sample had completely virtual mentoring relationships, so it may still be possible that E-mentoring with almost no face-to-face interaction may be less effective.
Effect of buprenorphine on total intravenous anesthetic requirements during spine surgery

Buprenorphine is a partial mu receptor agonist and kappa/delta antagonist commonly used for the treatment of opioid dependence or as an analgesic. It has a long plasma half-life and a high binding affinity for opioid receptors. This affinity is so high, that the effects are not easily antagonized by competitive antagonists, such as naloxone. The high affinity also prevents binding of other opioids, at commonly used clinical doses, to receptor sites - preventing their analgesic and likely minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) reducing benefits. This case report contrasts the anesthetic requirements of a patient undergoing emergency cervical spine surgery while taking buprenorphine with anesthetic requirements of the same patient undergoing a similar procedure after weaning of buprenorphine. Use of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring prevented use of paralytics and inhalational anesthetics during both cases, therefore total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) was maintained with propofol and remifentanil infusions. During the initial surgery, intraoperative patient movement could not be controlled with very high doses of propofol and remifentanil. The patient stopped moving in response to surgical stimulation only after the addition of a ketamine. Buprenorphine-naloxone was discontinued postoperatively. Five days later the patient underwent a similar cervical spine surgery. She had drastically reduced anesthetic requirements during this case, suggesting buprenorphine's profound effect on anesthetic dosing. This case report elegantly illustrates that discontinuation of buprenorphine is likely warranted for patients who present for major spine surgery, which necessitates the avoidance of volatile anesthetic and paralytic agents. The addition of ketamine may be necessary in patients maintained on buprenorphine in order to ensure a motionless surgical field.
Studies of cis- and trans-acting elements in Tetrahymena rDNA replication

vi CHAPTER L GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 General background 1 Cisand trans-acdng elements in E. coli DNA replication 3 Cisand trans-acting elements in SV40 viral DNA replication 5 Cisand trans-acting elements in yeast chromosomal DNA replication 7 Cisand trans-acting elements in Tetrakymem iDNA replication 9 Eukaiyotic cellular DNA replicative helicases 13 Dissertation oiganization 14 References 15 CHAPTER IL MODULAR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS IN THE REPLICATION ORIGIN REGION OF TETRAHYMENA rDNA 23 ABSTRACT 23 INTRODUCnON 24 MATERIALS AND METHODS 27 RESULTS 31 DISCUSSION 36 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 41 REFERENCES 42
Mammals (Pre-Quaternary), Extinctions of

Extinction has played a major role in shaping the course of mammalian evolution from the differentiation of their early synapsid ancestors, during the interval between 359 and 299 million years ago (Ma), up to the beginning of the Quaternary, approximately 2.8 Ma. Throughout their history, relatively low rates of extinction contributed to a continuing background of evolutionary change. Major decreases in diversity occurred at times of mass extinctions, when many lineages were terminated during relatively short periods on a geological timescale, or during longer periods characterized by high levels of faunal turnover.
Schwimmen und Tauchen

Vertebraten, die im Wasser leben, werden als aquatisch bezeichnet. Leider gibt es keine besonderen Bezeichnungen fur die Experten unter ihnen, die mit besonderer Gewandtheit, Geschwindigkeit oder Ausdauer schwimmen. Alle Fische sind primare Schwimmer - ihre Vorfahren sind ebenfalls geschwommen. Andere schwimmende Vertebraten sind sekundare Schwimmer - ihre Vorfahren haben ein terrestrisches Stadium durchlaufen. Deshalb haben sie morphologische und physiologische Einschrankungen, welche die meisten von ihnen daran gehindert haben, wieder vollstandig aquatisch zu werden.
The clinical characteristics of 82 patients with Sertoli cell-only testis histology.

Objective To determine the clinical and laboratory features associated with Sertoli cell-only testis histology. Design Case-controlled retrospective analysis. Setting University-based male infertility clinic. Patients Eighty-two patients with germ cell aplasia histology on testis biopsy from 1984 to 1994. Hormonal findings from a control group of 34 fertile men with normal semen analyses were used for comparison. Main Outcome Measures History, physical examination, semen analysis, and endocrine findings. Results Sertoli cell-only histology was observed in 82 of 652 (13%) biopsies performed in infertile men with azoospermia. A major medical illness or genital anomaly (hypospadias, cryptorchidism) was found in 31 men (38%). On physical examination, 75% of patients had small testis ( Conclusions In approximately 38% of patients, germ cell aplasia is associated with underlying disease states; in the remainder it is largely idiopathic. The physical examination is often characteristic, along with an elevated serum FSH concentration. Normal FSH levels tend to be associated with hyperprolactinemia in these men.
Incarceration and Personal Networks: Unpacking Measures and Meanings of Tie Strength

The advent of mass incarceration has reinvigorated calls for a deeper understanding of how the “quality of relationships” is shaped by imprisonment (Travis J, Western B, Redburn S (eds), The growth of incarceration in the United States: exploring causes and consequences, National Academies Press, Washington DC, 2014). We address this issue by describing how imprisonment relates to four dimensions of tie strength in a sample of South Bronx residents. We draw on a series of survey-based multilevel models to examine how tie strength relates to characteristics of respondents and their self-reported contacts (N1 = 585 ties, N2 = 97 egos) regarding (a) frequency, (b) duration, (c) multiplexity, and (d) reciprocity. Ties of formerly-incarcerated persons are of shorter duration and exhibit less overlap relative to other respondents. However, markers of general association across the sample to currently/formerly incarcerated persons correlate with alter-ego ties that are more frequent, long-lasting, and multi-dimensional. There is some support for the notion that direct exposure to incarceration is linked to a weakening of ties akin to a “knifing-off” process (Maruna and Roy, J Contemp Crim Justice 23(1):104–124, 2007). Indirect exposure to incarceration may follow an inverse pattern, strengthening the ties among those “left behind”.
Making spirits, making art, Nat carving and contemporary painting in pre-transition Myanmar (Burma)

Embodiment, materiality, and technology intersect in the production of sacred images where tools, media, and intangible studio protocols inform the production of efficacious things. In Myanmar nat ...
Wideband Autocorrelation Radiometer Receiver for Rapid Thickness Measurement of Dry Snowpack and Lake Icepack

Wideband autocorrelation radiometry (WiBAR) is a new technique wherein the microwave propagation time across a layered media, such as snowpack or lake icepack, can be remotely sensed. This microwave propagation time yields the vertical extent of the pack. In this paper, we developed a radiometer back-end that observes the entire spectrum of interest simultaneously, which will greatly reduce the observation time, possibly down to microseconds, which would make observations from a moving platform possible.
Angry, frustrated, and overwhelmed: The emotional experience of consuming news about President Trump:

The emotional experience of consuming news about politics has been traditionally understudied. We aim to contribute to filling this void through a study of the emotional responses related to encoun...
Test Pattern Generation and Critical Path Selection in the Presence of Statistical Delays

The statistical delay of a path is traditionally modeled as a Gaussian random variable assuming that the path is always sensitized by a test pattern. Its sensitization in various circuit instances varies among its test patterns and the pattern induced delay is non-Gaussian. It is modeled using probability mass functions (PMFs). This article presents an automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) method, where multiple uncorrelated test patterns per path improve its defect coverage (DC). The impact of the ATPG process is evaluated by comparing to traditional methods. It is also shown that the presented ATPG is useful in selecting critical paths.
Heterogeneity in old fibroblasts is linked to variability in reprogramming and wound healing.

Age-associated chronic inflammation (inflammageing) is a central hallmark of ageing1, but its influence on specific cells remains largely unknown. Fibroblasts are present in most tissues and contribute to wound healing2,3. They are also the most widely used cell type for reprogramming to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, a process that has implications for regenerative medicine and rejuvenation strategies4. Here we show that fibroblast cultures from old mice secrete inflammatory cytokines and exhibit increased variability in the efficiency of iPS cell reprogramming between mice. Variability between individuals is emerging as a feature of old age5–8, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. To identify drivers of this variability, we performed multi-omics profiling of fibroblast cultures from young and old mice that have different reprogramming efficiencies. This approach revealed that fibroblast cultures from old mice contain ‘activated fibroblasts’ that secrete inflammatory cytokines, and that the proportion of activated fibroblasts in a culture correlates with the reprogramming efficiency of that culture. Experiments in which conditioned medium was swapped between cultures showed that extrinsic factors secreted by activated fibroblasts underlie part of the variability between mice in reprogramming efficiency, and we have identified inflammatory cytokines, including TNF, as key contributors. Notably, old mice also exhibited variability in wound healing rate in vivo. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis identified distinct subpopulations of fibroblasts with different cytokine expression and signalling in the wounds of old mice with slow versus fast healing rates. Hence, a shift in fibroblast composition, and the ratio of inflammatory cytokines that they secrete, may drive the variability between mice in reprogramming in vitro and influence wound healing rate in vivo. This variability may reflect distinct stochastic ageing trajectories between individuals, and could help in developing personalized strategies to improve iPS cell generation and wound healing in elderly individuals. Fibroblasts from old mice are heterogeneous, which affects the ability of these fibroblasts to reprogram into induced pluripotent stem cells in vitro and influences wound healing rate in vivo.
From Phenotype to Genotype And Back Again

Traditionally, anthropologists study evolutionary change throughmorphological analysis of fossils and comparative primate data. For the analysis of the genotypephenotype continuum, the current emphasis on genes is misplaced because genes don’t make structure. Developmental processes make structure through the activity of cells that use instructions specified by genes. A critical mechanism underlying any phenotypic trait is the genetically guided change in developmental events that produce the trait. But even when a developmental mechanism is identified, the links between genetically guided instructions and phenotypic outcome are lengthy, complicated, flexible, and sensitive to physical forces of functioning organs. We use the study of craniofacial phenotypes of craniosynostosis (premature closure of sutures) to demonstrate how patterns produced by the covariation of cranial traits cannot always reveal mechanism. Next we turn to encephalization , a critical feature of human evolution that covaries with cranial phenotypes, and show how experimental approaches can be used to analyze mechanism underlying this well-documented pattern in human evolution. With the realization that no single line of evidence can explain the dramatic changes in cranial morphology that characterize human evolution come fundamental changes in the way we conduct anthropological inquiry - collaborative efforts from scientists with diverse expertise will continue to push the field forward.
The importance of competition between insect pollinators in the Anthropocene

Resource competition likely plays an important role in some insect pollinator declines and in shaping effects of environmental change on pollination services. Past research supports that competition for floral resources affects bee foragers, but mostly with observational evidence and rarely linking foraging with population change. An increasing number of studies ask whether resources limit pollinator populations, using field measurements of reproductive success, time series and models. Findings generally support positive effects of floral resources, but also highlight the potential importance of nest site availability and parasitism. In parallel, recent experiments strengthen evidence that competition reduces access to floral resources. Developing common currencies for quantifying floral resources and integrating analyses of multiple limiting factors will further strengthen our understanding of competitive interactions and their effects in the Anthropocene.
Effects of incentivizing viral suppression in previously incarcerated adults living with HIV.

Background: The amount of HIV in a person’s blood can be suppressed to an undetectable level through antiretroviral therapy medications (ART). Adhering to an ART regimen can improve a person’s heal...
Hypertension in the Inner City II. Detection and Follow-up

Sixty-one percent (6480 of 10,564) of the subjects in three census tracts were screened simply and efficiently in supermarkets. The prevalence of hypertension in the subjects over 25 years of age was 24%. Fifty percent (457 of 953) found to be hypertensive on initial screening failed to keep their first verification appointment. The number was reduced to 279 (29%) by personal contact or home visits by one of the cardiovascular group. Subsequent experience demonstrated that dropouts could be reduced to under 5% by scheduling the verification visit 24-48 hours after initial screening. At the second verification visit there were originally 108 "no-shows" which could be reduced to 36 by personal contact. Because of a fall in diastolic blood pressure below 90 mm Hg during the two verification visits, 296 patients were excluded from the study. Of the 953 initially hypertensive subjects, 284 (30%) were available for study. These patients were randomized into three groups, a stepped-up care group (group A) and two usual medical care groups (groups B and C). Of the original 98 patients, 84% are currently being followed in group A, whereas only 33% in group B and 17% in group C are under medical care. The diastolic blood pressure has returned to normal in 70% in group A, in 10% in group B, and in 17% in group C.
Economic anxiety or ethnocentrism? An evaluation of attitudes toward immigration in the U.S. from 1992 to 2017

Does “economic anxiety” explain attitudes toward immigration or can we better understand attitudes toward immigration as an outcome of ethnocentrism? This is a long-standing empirical debate in imm...
Surveillance of malaria vectors in Anhui Province from 2016 to 2018

OBJECTIVE To understand the population distribution, density, seasonal fluctuation and nocturnal activity of malaria vectors in Anhui Province from 2016 to 2018, so as to provide a data support for formulating the control strategy for imported malaria during the malaria post-elimination stage. METHODS The malaria vectors were monitored in 105 counties (cities or districts) of Anhui Province from 2016 to 2018, and the population density, seasonal fluctuation and nocturnal activity of the mosquitoes were observed using the lamp trapping and human bait trapping methods. The density of Anopheles mosquitoes was compared among different years, regions and mosquito-capturing sites. RESULTS Anopheles mosquitoes were captured in 103 counties (cities or districts) of Anhui Province during the period from 2016 to 2018, and a total of 32 494 mosquitoes were captured using the lamp trapping method and 36 228 captured using the human bait trapping method. All captured mosquitoes were morphologically identified as Anopheles sinensis, and no An. anthropophagus was found. The density of An. sinensis peaked from June to August, and the peak nocturnal activity was found during the period between 19∶00 and 23∶00. Among all mosquito-capturing sites, the highest mosquito density was seen in the livestock and poultry sheds (H = 18.835, P < 0.05). The density of An. sinensis varied significantly in regions in 2016 and 2017 (H = 16.655 and 11.566, P < 0.01), and a low density was found in north of the Huai River. CONCLUSIONS An. sinensis is widely distributed in Anhui Province, which is the currently predominant malaria vector in the province. During the malaria post-elimination stage, the malaria vector monitoring should be intensified and vector control interventions should be timely adopted in epidemic foci of Anhui Province to prevent the local re-transmission of overseas imported malaria.
I May Be an Immigrant, but I Am Not a Criminal: Examining the Association Between the Presence of Immigrants and Crime Rates in Europe

Immigration is a contentious topic that continues to elicit debates among scholars, practitioners, and the general public. Research on the relationship between immigration and crime has been at the center stage of social science inquiry for many years; however, the evidence is mixed. The aim of the present study is to supplement prior efforts to better understand the immigration–crime nexus. By analyzing aggregate-level data obtained from 21 European countries, we assessed the effects of three types of variables—percent of immigrants, immigrants with no citizenship, and refugees—on three different types of violent crimes. Overall, the results indicated a null relationship between immigration and crime, suggesting that immigration is unrelated to all the three types of crimes assessed. Based on these results, it is recommended that immigration-related policies will be based on fact and evidence, and not on sentiments and perceptions.
Lipid hijacking: a unifying theme in vector-borne diseases

Vector-borne illnesses comprise a significant portion of human maladies, representing 17% of global infections. Transmission of vector-borne pathogens to mammals primarily occurs by hematophagous arthropods. It is speculated that blood may provide a unique environment that aids in the replication and pathogenesis of these microbes. Lipids and their derivatives are one component enriched in blood and are essential for microbial survival. For instance, the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, among others, have been shown to scavenge and manipulate host lipids for structural support, metabolism, replication, immune evasion, and disease severity. In this Review, we will explore the importance of lipid hijacking for the growth and persistence of these microbes in both mammalian hosts and arthropod vectors.
Psychosexual knowledge and education in autism spectrum disorder individuals.

BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental condition. Autism spectrum disorder individuals are interested in sexual activity and pursuing romantic relationships, yet they often lack psychosexual knowledge and engage in risky sexual behaviors. The special learning needs of ASD individuals influence their exclusion from educational and social settings, resulting in fewer opportunities to acquire sex knowledge from reliable sources. OBJECTIVES This review aimed to explore factors influencing sexual knowledge and evaluate outcomes of comprehensive, ASD-tailored psychosexual education. DATA SOURCES PubMed, PsychINFO, and EBSCOhost databases were used to locate peer-reviewed articles in English in the 5 years between 2013 and 2018. Keywords included "autism spectrum disorder," "child abuse," "sexual," "sexual offenses," "sexual abuse," and "sexual education." CONCLUSIONS Nine articles were included in the review. Compared with neurotypical adults, ASD adults had less sex-related knowledge, more victimization experiences, and obtained sexual information from more nonsocial sources. Knowledge is a partial mediator between ASD diagnosis and sexual victimization. Parents expressed having little support to educate their offspring and provided less sex education to children with intellectual disability and severe symptoms. Psychosexual education programs that are tailored to suit developmental and cognitive differences of ASD individuals increase knowledge and improve parent-child communication, especially for younger adolescents. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Nurse practitioners who care for ASD individuals should assess knowledge and victimization experiences, assess parent perceptions and concerns, and provide guidance for developmentally and intellectually appropriate sex education. These should be incorporated into practice starting at a young age and continue across the lifespan.
In-Office Corticosteroid Placement in the Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Objectives:Corticosteroids represent one of the mainstays of medical management of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in both locally acting topical and systemic derivations. The application of topical c...
The Expulsion of Germans from the Chapter of Zagreb in 1458

In 1458, seven canons of the Chapter of Zagreb were expelled by Bishop Demetrius Cupor and his supporters. In their protest before the pope, they claimed that the only reason for that was because they were Germans. Upon examining their careers and the current political situation within the Kingdom of Hungary, it becomes clear that, although an anti-German and generally anti-foreigner sentiment was present in the country (which is apparent in the laws passed by King Matthias), the real reasons for their expulsion were political. Bishop Demetrius had spent more than a decade fighting his rivals for the bishopric, who were protected by the Counts of Celje, the then patrons of the Diocese of Zagreb. Most of the expelled canons were given their offices by the said family, and some of them maintained close relations with Emperor Frederick III. The fact that most of the expelled canons returned to the chapter soon after their expulsion further indicates its political background. Those who did return once again became esteemed and trusted members of the chapter. Those who did not return – three out of seven – were all in the emperor’s service, and the chapter took special steps to prevent them from reclaiming their offices.
Outcomes of farm investment in Central and Eastern Europe: The role of financial public support and investment scale

Every economic operator must implement investments to function and develop. The particularities of agriculture are such that governments often choose to intervene with a policy for agricultural investment support. For farms in Central and Eastern European countries, which are affected by capital scarcity and structural problems, it has been particularly essential to undertake modernisation investment measures. The main objective of this paper is to assess agricultural investments while taking into consideration the importance of funds available under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). As the selected measures are investment-oriented, their implementation was (and continues to be) viewed as a source of a sustainable agricultural transformation. The study presented in this paper is unique in that it carries out related cross-country analysis and comparisons, and the research tasks are based on unpublished Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) microdata for 5839 selected Central and Eastern European farms in period 2004–2015 (which gives 70,068 cross-section observations), provided by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI). The use of microdata made it possible to employ accurate analytical methods, including Stochastic Frontier Analysis, which, in turn, allowed for analysis of the changes in the farms’ technical efficiency. The study uses two analytical dimensions to identify farm groups according to (i) the use of public funds to co-finance agricultural investment expenditure and (ii) the scale (comprehensiveness) of investments implemented. This study found that the initial production potential becomes a specific determinant of the right strategic decisions (in terms of scale) and of the capacity to implement comprehensive modernisation investments, including those co-financed with investment mechanisms offered under the CAP. The use of the pro-investment CAP mechanisms provided the beneficiaries with the ability to improve their efficiency at a relatively faster pace, while not encouraging them to make excessive investments (it did not result in overinvestment). Another finding is that farms that implemented comprehensive investments were the only ones that improved their technical efficiency over the period studied.
T-duality and hints of generalized geometry in string $\alpha'$ corrections

We examine the structure of higher-derivative string corrections under a cosmological reduction and make connection to generalized geometry and T-duality. We observe that, while the curvature $R^\mu{}_{\nu\rho\sigma}(\Omega_+)$ of the generalized connection with torsion, $\Omega_+=\Omega+\frac{1}{2}H$, is an important component in forming T-duality invariants, it is necessarily incomplete by itself. We revisit the tree-level $\alpha'R^2$ corrections to the bosonic and heterotic string in the language of generalized geometry and explicitly demonstrate that additional $H$-field couplings are needed to restore T-duality invariance. We also comment on the structure of the T-duality completion of tree-level $\alpha'^3R^4$ in the type II string.
Publishing Your Work

If you are like most travelers, you will want to share your wonderful travel experiences with others, both during your trip and after returning home. You will perhaps chronicle your adventure by capturing a massive array of photographs or digital images with the intent of sharing the marvelous things you did and saw during your travels with family and friends.
Experiences with undergraduate honors theses in the computer engineering program at Brown University

This paper is the result of a seven-year long experiment by the author that was initiated in 1989 as an attempt to integrate the tradition of undergraduate honors research at Brown University with the emerging ABET requirement of engineering design in the computer engineering program. The paper presents the philosophical principles, the underlying assumptions and goals of the experiment, and the character of the experiences learned at the conclusion of the experiment.
A mutated transferrin receptor lacking asparagine-linked glycosylation sites shows reduced functionality and an association with binding immunoglobulin protein

The function of the transferrin receptor is to transport iron-bound transferrin into the cell. In order to function properly, this dimeric glycoprotein must be expressed on the cell surface and be able to bind transferrin. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed to abolish the three asparagine-linked glycosylation consensus sequences of the human transferrin receptor. The DNA encoding the mutated transferrin receptor was stably transfected into mouse fibroblasts. This form of the human transferrin receptor shows reduced transferrin binding, reduced intersubunit bond formation, and reduced cell surface expression, indicating that the transferrin receptor which lacks asparagine-linked glycosylation is not fully functional. In addition, the mutated form of the receptor is not processed as quickly. It shows an association with an endoplasmic reticular chaperone protein, binding immunoglobulin protein, leading to the hypothesis that the mutated transferrin receptor experiences increased retention in the endoplasmic reticulum.
Multiple Sclerosis and Demyelination

Multiple sclerosis (MS) — most common demyelinating disease of central nervous system A. Characterized by relapsing and remitting attacks involving multiple locations within nervous system (“lesions disseminated in space and time”) B. Signs and symptoms relate to whatever part of brain or spinal cord is damaged during particular episode
Test of the Kernel and Two Bargaining Set Models in Four- and Five-Person Games

Employing a computer-controlled experimental paradigm for studying coalition formation and bargaining, the present study tests three models for n-person games in characteristic function form, namely, the bargaining set and two of its subsets, the competitive bargaining set and the kernel.