cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anti-tumor immune response correlates with neurological symptoms in a dog with spontaneous astrocytoma treated by gene and vaccine therapy

Gene therapy and vaccination have been tested in malignant glioma patients with modest, albeit encouraging results. The combination of these therapies has demonstrated synergistic efficacy in murine models but has not been reported in large animals. Gemistocytic astrocytoma (GemA) is a low-grade glioma that typically progresses to lethal malignancy despite conventional therapies. Until now there has been no useful animal model of GemA. Here we report the treatment of a dog with spontaneous GemA using the combination of surgery, intracavitary adenoviral interferon gamma (IFNgamma) gene transfer, and vaccination with glioma cell lysates mixed with CpG oligodeoxynucleotides. Surgical tumor debulking and delivery of Ad-IFNgamma into the resection cavity were performed. Autologous tumor cells grew slowly in culture, necessitating vaccination with allogeneic tumor lysate in four of the five vaccinations. Transient left-sided blindness and hemiparesis occurred following the fourth and fifth vaccinations. These neurological symptoms correlated with a peak in the levels of tumor-reactive IgG and CD8(+) T cells measured in the blood. All symptoms resolved and this dog remains tumor-free over 450 days following surgery. This case report preliminarily demonstrates the feasibility of treating dogs with spontaneous glioma using immune-based therapy and warrants further study using this therapeutic approach.
Effects of forest composition on trophic relationships among mast production and mammals in central hardwood forest

Abstract Oak-dominated forest has declined in the eastern United States as shade-tolerant mesophytic species (e.g., maple [Acer spp.]) replace oaks (Quercus spp.), sparking concern among ecologists regarding species that consume acorns. Our goal was to describe how increasing mesophication of oak forests may affect consumers in higher trophic levels. We investigated relationships among forest composition, mast production, small-mammal density, and carnivore occurrence in 8 stands representing a gradient of oak–hickory dominance in central hardwood forest in southern Illinois. We livetrapped small mammals for >24,000 trap-nights in June–August 2009–2011 with trapping webs to estimate population density of mice (Peromyscus spp.). We collected mast seeds during October–November 2009–2010 and calculated average dry biomass (g/m2) for each species and stand. During winters 2009–2011, we photographed carnivores using baited camera traps. We regressed mast biomass on measures of forest composition and regressed ...
Defective Fc Receptor-Mediated Phagocytosis in C3H/HeJ Macrophages: I. Correction by Lymphokine-Induced Stimulation

These findings emphasize the close association between the induction of macrophage differentiation and the sensitivity of these cells to LPS. Furthermore, they suggest that one function of the Lps gene may be to regulate the ability of cells to respond to physiologic differentiation signals in addition to or instead of lipid A.
Responses to health and safety risk in the work environment.

The subjective experience of workplace health and safety risk among exposed individuals is little understood. Health and safety risks are associated with multifaceted subjective interpretations dif...
Greater hunger and less restraint predict weight loss success with phentermine treatment

Objective Phentermine is thought to cause weight loss through a reduction in hunger. We hypothesized that higher hunger ratings would predict greater weight loss with phentermine.
Handling Nonpositive Curvature in a Limited Memory Steepest Descent Method

We propose a limited memory steepest descent method for solving unconstrained optimization problems. As a steepest descent method, the step computation in each iteration only requires the evaluation of a gradient of the objective function and the calculation of a scalar stepsize. When employed to solve certain convex problems, our method reduces to a variant of the limited memory steepest descent method proposed by Fletcher (Math Prog 135(1{2):413{436, 2012), which means that, when the history length parameter is set to one, it reduces to a steepest descent method inspired by that proposed by Barzilai and Borwein (IMA J Num Anal 8:141-148, 1988). However, our method is novel in that we propose new algorithmic features for cases when nonpositive curvature is encountered. That is, our method is particularly suited for solving nonconvex problems. With a nonmonotone line search, we ensure global convergence for a variant of our method. We also illustrate with numerical experiments that our approach often yields superior performance when employed to solve nonconvex problems.
Mammalian urinary bladder permeability is altered by cationic proteins: modulation by divalent cations

It was previously demonstrated that protamine sulfate (PS, a cationic polypeptide) as well as synthetic cationic polypeptides (CpP, e.g., polylysine and polyarginine) caused an increase in the apical membrane conductance of the mammalian urinary bladder epithelium that was voltage dependent. The membrane conductance induced by these CpP was mediated by a saturable binding site and was partially blocked by CpP (self-inhibition). The PS-induced membrane conductance can be modified by polyvalent cations at three sites. The first site was to competitively inhibit the interaction of PS with an apical membrane binding site. The second site was to reversibly block the conductance induced by PS. The relative binding affinity (block of PS-induced conductance) sequence was as follows: UO2(2+) > La3+ > Mn2+ > Ba2+ > or = Ca2+ > Sr2+. Although La3+, Mn2+, Ba2+, Ca2+, and Sr2+ inhibited > or = 81% of the PS-induced conductance, UO2(2+) inhibited only 51% and Mg2+ was without effect. The third site was to increase the rate of loss of the PS-induced conductance from the apical membrane. Although neither carbodiimides (carboxyl group reactive reagents) nor neuraminidase (cleaves sialic acid residues) altered the effect of PS on the urinary bladder conductance, PS increased the conductance of lipid bilayers composed of negatively charged phospholipids. A candidate for the binding site might be the negatively charged phosphate groups of membrane lipids.
On the Ogden Strain-Energy Function

Abstract The Ogden strain-energy function for rubber appears to be gaining popularity among users of finite element analysis. This paper discusses some of the special features of this material mode...
Use of Longitudinal Expansion Joints in Wide-Bridge Applications to Reduce Deck Cracking

AbstractIt is a very common practice to use longitudinal expansion joints to create dual-direction bridges in applications that would have otherwise resulted in bridges that are very wide. Unfortunately, the introduced longitudinal expansion joint can result in deterioration similar to that resulting from using transverse joints at bridge abutments and piers. The reason that longitudinal expansion joints are used in wide bridges is related to concerns about deck cracking resulting from constrained expansion and contraction. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the need for longitudinal expansion joints by assessing the relationship between bridge width (and other factors) and the propensity for deck cracking. To achieve this objective, an integral abutment bridge was selected to conduct live-load and thermal-load testing to provide field testing data for the calibration of a three-dimensional (3D) finite-element model (FEM) that would be used for a comprehensive parametric study. A combinat...
Determination of 7 lipophilic shellfish toxins in shellfish by SPE and High performance Liquid chromatography-Tandem Mass spectrometry

Objective:A solid phase extraction(SPE) combined with high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization triple-quadruple tandem mass spectrometric(HPLC-ESIMS/MS) method has been established for the simultaneous determination of 7 shellfish toxins,including AZA1,YTX,OA,PTX2,GYM,SPX1 and DTX1 in shellfish products.Methods: The shellfish toxins were extracted by methanol and cleaned up on a Strata-X solid phase extraction column.The analytes were eluted from the SPE cartridge with methanol.The separation of 7 shellfish toxins was carried out by a Waters SunFireTM C18(100 mm×2.1 mm,3.5 μm) column using a mobile phase of acetonitrile-2 mmol/L ammonium acetate water(80∶ 20,v/v) with a flow rate of 0.20 ml/min.The target compounds were confirmed and quantified by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry under multiple reactions monitoring(MRM) mode with external standard method.Results: The correlation coefficients of 7 shellfish toxins were more than 0.998.The limits of quantification(LOD) of the method were between 0.1 μg/kg and 2.7 μg/kg.The average spiked recoveries of 7 shellfish toxins at three concentration levels were between 72.2% and 101.9%,and the relative standard deviations(RSDs) ranged from 2.1% to 13.6%.Conclusion: The method was sensitive,effective and simple,and was suitable for the determination and confirmation of lipophilic shellfish toxins in shellfish products.
The Material Worlds of Colonizers in New Spain

A combination of historical and archaeological data helps reexamine the material worlds of the Spanish colonizers in Mexico City during the sixteenth century. The historical data consist of the probate inventories of 39 Spanish colonizers, and they reveal information on the wealth of the colonizers and their personal belongings. Of the different kinds of material culture in the probate inventories, I focus only on cloth, clothing, and slaves, as well as on the wealth of colonizers. The archaeological data were obtained by the Programa de Arqueologia Urbana in the historic center of Mexico City, and they consist of houses of Spanish colonizers. These data allow us to examine two daily necessities of colonizers: food (including plants and animals) and ceramic pottery. Bringing together these two lines of data reveals the patterns of consumption of colonizers in New Spain and helps us identify different strategies that guided these patterns, including reproducing an acceptable material world modeled after life in Spain, competing in the local social hierarchy, forging relationships with local indigenous people, controlling labor and production, and domesticating a foreign world to meet the expectations of the conquest.
Adam Smith: Eighteenth-Century Polymath

Adam Smith (1723–90) was a polymath with several of his key concepts and theories either having modern counterparts and/or ‘enjoying’ empirical support. Smith wrote about the origin and proper use of language, grammar, the history of astronomy and ancient physics, moral philosophy, music, dance and poetry, and economics. Despite the very wide variety of topics there were, in my estimation, some common themes. One such theme is connections or interpersonal relations between and among people.
Snacks, beverages, and physical activity during volunteer-led out-of-school-time programs: a cross-sectional analysis

Tens of millions of children regularly participate in out-of-school-time (OST) programs, providing an opportunity for child health promotion. Most research on OST has focused on structured, staff-led after-school programs, as opposed to volunteer-led programs such as enrichment programs and youth sports. The aim of this study was to describe snacks, beverages, and physical activity (PA) practices in volunteer-led OST programs across five organizations in three states. An online survey including the Out-of-School-Time Snacks, Beverages, and Physical Activity Questionnaire was distributed to 1,695 adult leaders of enrichment and youth sports programs serving 5–12 year-old children in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, USA. The response rate was 57.8%, with 980 leaders participating and 698 (136 youth sports, 562 enrichment) remaining after data cleaning procedures. Frequencies were calculated to describe snack, beverage, and PA offerings during typical meetings and whether healthy snack, beverage, and PA criteria were met. Criteria were developed a priori with the intent to capture co-occurring practices that together indicate healthy snack (fruits and vegetables or no snack over salty/sweet snacks); beverage (water over sugar-sweetened beverages); and PA environments (regular opportunities for >15 or 45 min of PA in enrichment and sports programs, respectively). About half of enrichment leaders reported that snacks and beverages were provided during typical meetings vs. one-fifth of sports leaders. In 28.4% of enrichment programs, PA was offered at every meeting vs. 98.5% of sports programs. Among enrichment programs, 50.4 and 25.8% met healthy snack and beverage criteria, respectively, and 29.4% met PA criteria, with 27.6% meeting criteria in two or more areas, and 5.0% in all three. Among sports programs, 72.8 and 78.7% met healthy snack and beverage criteria, respectively, and 71.3% met PA criteria. Eighty-two percent met criteria in two or more areas, and 46.3% met criteria in all three. Most programs did not meet criteria for healthier snacks and beverages and opportunities for PA during typical meetings, indicating room for improvement in encouraging widespread adoption of these practices. Efforts to improve the healthfulness of snacks and beverages and increase opportunities for PA during volunteer-led OST programs are warranted.
The biodistribution of 5-[18F]fluoropyrazinamide in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected mice determined by positron emission tomography

5-[18F]F-pyrazinamide (5-[18F]F-PZA), a radiotracer analog of the first-line tuberculosis drug pyrazinamide (PZA), was employed to determine the biodistribution of PZA using PET imaging and ex vivo analysis. 5-[18F]F-PZA was synthesized in 60 min using a halide exchange reaction. The overall decay-corrected yield of the reaction was 25% and average specific activity was 2.6 × 106 kBq (70 mCi)/μmol. The biodistribution of 5-[18F]F-PZA was examined in a pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis mouse model, where rapid distribution of the tracer to the lung, heart, liver, kidney, muscle, and brain was observed. The concentration of 5-[18F]F-PZA was not significantly different between infected and uninfected lung tissue. Biochemical and microbiological studies revealed substantial differences between 5-F-PZA and PZA. 5-F-PZA was not a substrate for pyrazinamidase, the bacterial enzyme that activates PZA, and the minimum inhibitory concentration for 5-F-PZA against M. tuberculosis was more than 100-fold higher than that for PZA.
Long-term recurrence of dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor: Clinical case report.

Background Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors (DNETs) are rare, benign brain neoplasms that typically arise in children and adolescents and classically present with intractable, partial complex seizures. DNETs are classically associated with a favorable prognosis after complete surgical resection. Case description We describe a case of long-term recurrence of a DNET, which initially resected and diagnosed as an oligodendroglioma prior to the recognition of DNETs. This patient was seizure-free for 12 years and had no signs of radiologic progression until 24 years after initial resection. On repeat surgical resection, 31 years after the initial surgery, histopathologic evaluation identified the characteristic features of DNET in both specimens. Conclusions This patient's 24-year disease-free interval prior to radiologic recurrence demonstrates the longest interval to relapse in the literature for a DNET. This case illustrates the possibility of late recurrence of DNETs decades after radiographical complete resection to emphasize the necessity of thoughtful clinical judgment in adult survivors of low grade pediatric neoplasms who present with seizures after a prolonged seizure-free interval.
In 8100 Again: The Sounds of Students Breaking

In this article, the author uses the sounds of schooling to explore LGBTQ youth experiences as they relate to self-harm and suicide. Although sounds-as-voice and representation is a well-trodden pa...
A Modified Surgical Protocol for Placing Implants in the Maxillary Tuberosity: Clinical Results at 36 Months After Loading With Fixed Partial Dentures

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a modified surgical protocol and the survival of implants placed in the posterior maxilla. Forty-two implants were placed in the maxillary posterior area of 29 partially edentulous patients (17 men, 12 women; mean age 50 years; range 38 to 62 years) according to the modified surgical protocol. Twenty-nine of these implants had been placed into the maxillary tuberosity. All implants were checked radiologically every 12 months with a customized film holder. The restorations were fixed partial prostheses. Only 1 of the 42 implants was lost at stage 2 surgery. Results suggest that considerable benefits may be obtained by modifying a standard surgical protocol to maximize the results for a particular anatomic site. (INT J ORAL MAXILLOFAC IMPLANTS 1996;11:743‐749)
Functional Analysis of Borderline Personality Disorder Behavioral Criterion Patterns

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), as an entity, has a history of being associated with a wide-ranging set of diagnostic criteria and symptoms. A variety of theories, primarily psychodynamic, have attempted to explain the interpersonal and self-related difficulties clients with BPD experience (Gunderson, 1984; Kernberg, 1975). Linehan’s (1993) Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and her formulation of BPD are centrally informed by a behavioral model. DBT seeks to understand the behavior of people meeting criteria for BPD using a functional analytic approach. Although frequently confusing and self-destructive, the behavior of individuals with BPD is viewed as following the same behavioral principles that govern all behavior, and particular emphasis is placed on understanding the behavior within the context.
A method to measure the accounting abnormal returns of largescale information technology investments: the case of enterprise systems

There is a considerable body of literature about the business value of information technology. Although there is empirical evidence about the positive impact of large-scale information technology on firm performance, the number and variety of quantitative methods used to measure this impact is considerable. Besides this diversity in the methods, almost none of them have both strong theoretical basis and strong econometric robustness. A method to measure accounting-based abnormal returns of large-scale information technology is proposed. Unlike existing accounting and market measures, this measure considers industry tendencies over time and the magnitude of the measure can be used as a proxy of the business value of the IT initiative. The method is implemented using a sample of enterprise systems implementations in public companies. This is a unique methodology based on recent accounting research, which propose an econometric model to capture annual abnormal returns of large-scale information technology initiatives. The method is validated with theoretical arguments and empirical results. Empirical results suggest that the measurement of the IT payoff is reliable, valid and robust.
The social dynamics of turbine tourism and recreation: Introducing a mixed-method approach to the study of the first U.S. offshore wind farm

Abstract Understanding the complex dynamics that influence energy transitions requires mixed methods and collaborations among researchers, resource managers, and communities. This essay details how an interdisciplinary team of researchers used a mixed-method approach to study the social dimensions of tourism and recreation as they relate to the first offshore wind farm in the United States, the Block Island Wind Farm. Although impacts to tourism from wind energy systems are widely cited as a concern by communities and policymakers, little work has sought to define what constitutes tourism and recreation impacts or provided empirical evidence of impacts from operating projects. Researchers adopted an iterative approach to research that combined discrete studies using media content analysis, ethnographic participant observation, and stakeholder focus groups, to understand the social effects of the wind farm on the tourism and recreation experience and the quality of life in Block Island and coastal Rhode Island. We detail key insights from our experimentation with an iterative mixed-method approach at Block Island and offer lessons for future studies using collaborative approaches to understand both the tangible and the intangible social dynamics of energy system transitions.
Comparison of forearm versus upper arm basilic transposition arteriovenous fistulas demonstrates equivalent satisfactory patency

Abstract Objective In accordance with the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative recommendations, attaining autogenous hemodialysis access, specifically via creation of radiocephalic arteriovenous fistulas (AVF), brachial-basilic (BB)-AVF, or brachial-cephalic AVFs, is preferred for mortality and morbidity benefits over catheter access in patients with end-stage renal disease. The aim of this study is to determine the suitability of forearm basilic vein transposition (FBVT) fistulas as an alternative access option by comparing outcomes with those of BB-AVFs. Methods All patients who underwent creation of FBVT between 2007 and 2015 were identified retrospectively in the electronic medical record and compared with a sample of patients undergoing BB-AVF placement during this time. Access patency was examined using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards regression. Results We included 34 patients with FBVT (median age, 54 years; 67.6% male) and 49 with BB-AVF (median age, 57 years; 42.9% male) in this study. There were no significant differences in comorbid conditions between the two groups, with the exception of hyperlipidemia (29.4% FBVT vs 53.1% BB-AVF; P = .03). Although those with FBVT were more likely to have had previous permanent access attempts (70.6% vs 38.7%; P = .002), and access attempts on the same extremity (44.1% vs 24.4%; P = .04), there were no significant differences in primary patency (46.9% vs 53.3%; P = .6), primary-assisted patency (65.6% vs 73.3%; P = .5), or secondary patency (68.8% vs 82.2%; P = .2) at 1 year when compared with BB-AVF. The risk of loss of patency was not statistically different for FBVT as compared with BB-AVF (hazard ratio, 1.37; 95% confidence interval 0.65-2.88; P = .4). This risk did not vary for those who had previous access on the same arm (interaction P = .8). Four fistulas in each group failed to mature. Only one infectious complication was identified in the FBVT group. Conclusions No prior studies have directly compared outcomes of FBVTs with BB-AVFs at 1 year or longer. Despite the increased difficulty of harvesting the forearm basilic vein, particularly in patients who have had prior access attempts, there was no significant difference in patency between FBVTs and BB-AVFs. FBVTs are a reasonable option for hemodialysis access, particularly in patients without adequate cephalic veins or who previously failed radiocephalic fistula attempts.
Low-Rank Transfer Human Motion Segmentation

Human motion segmentation has a great potential in real-world applications. Conventional segmentation approaches cluster data with no guidance from prior knowledge, which could easily cause unpredictable segmentation output and decrease the performance. To this end, we seek to improve the human-motion segmentation performance by fully utilizing pre-existing well-labeled source data. Specifically, we design a new transfer subspace clustering method for motion segmentation with a weighted rank constraint. Specifically, our proposed model obtains the representations of both source and target sequences by mitigating their distribution divergence, which allows for more effective knowledge transfer to the target. To guide new representation learning, we designed a novel sequential graph to preserve temporal information residing in both the source and the target. Furthermore, a weighted low-rank constraint is added to enforce the graph regularizer and uncover clustering structures within data. Experiments are evaluated on four human motion databases, which prove the enhanced performance and increased stability of our model compared with state-of-the-art baselines.
Partnering With Parents to Create a Research Advisory Board in a Pediatric Research Network.

* Abbreviations: CHOP — : Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia PBRN — : Practice-based research network PeRC — : Pediatric Research Consortium Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) are ongoing collaborations of clinicians and researchers to conduct studies that improve clinical practice and patient health. PBRNs have long emphasized input from clinicians as a key component of practice-based research. For example, the American Academy of Pediatrics Pediatric Research in Office Settings network relies on practitioners, as opposed to investigators or administrators, to decide which studies are approved.1 In recent years, the importance of getting input from additional stakeholders, especially patients and their families, has been increasingly prioritized. Patient engagement in research may lead to increased study enrollment rates and greater relevance of study outcomes to families.2 The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act funded the creation of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, which promotes clinical effectiveness research with sustained engagement of patients, families, and other stakeholders throughout the research process.3 Given this focus, practice-based research studies in which researchers partner with patients and families have become more common. However, models for meaningfully and efficiently engaging parents in pediatric PBRN research decisions, regardless of funder, are needed.4 The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) created the Pediatric Research Consortium (PeRC) Parent Advisory Board to gather input from families that is used to inform the implementation of practice-based studies. PeRC is a 31-practice, 2-state PBRN involving 205 physicians and 41 nurse practitioners. PeRC includes a diverse population of patients from urban, suburban, and more rural practice settings. To date, 95 research projects have been completed in conjunction with parents. In this article, we describe the partnership between PBRN leaders, researchers, and parents … Address correspondence to Alexander G. Fiks, MD, MSCE, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Roberts Building, Room 10-471, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19146. E-mail: fiks{at}email.chop.edu
Inspicientes—et non inspicientes—eius legem: Thirteenth-Century Dominicans, the Qur'an, and Islam

This article explores the interesting fact that, while we know of a number of Dominicans in the thirteenth century that were eius legem inspicientes (‘inspectors of [Muḥammad's] law’), the vast maj...
Adaptive Feedback Linearization Based Control of a Three-Phase Grid Connected Inverter under Non-Ideal Grid Voltage Condition

Grid-connected inverters are conventionally controlled in synchronously rotating frame of reference with the controllers being designed for steady state operation via small signal modeling neglecting higher order and coupling terms. However, for an inverter connected to the grid via RL filter, cross coupling terms are present due to transformation to synchronously rotating dq reference frame, thereby affecting the dynamic performance. In this paper adaptive estimation based feedback linearization control is proposed for online parameter update to exactly cancel the non-linearity and higher order terms which reduces the system into bunch of pure integrators. The details of adaptive parameter estimation and the feedback linearization have been presented in this paper. Overall control architecture proposed in this paper is been verified via simulation studies based on MATLAB/Simulink and Plecs domain. A reduced scale laboratory prototype has been utilized to implement the proposed control architecture and verify its efficacy.
β-Tosylethylazide: a useful synthon for preparation of N-protected 1,2,3-triazoles via click chemistry

Abstract β-Tosylethylazide (TSE-N3), which can be prepared in one step from p-tolyl vinyl sulfone and sodium azide/H2SO4, undergoes metal-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions with alkynes to produce TSE-protected 1,2,3-triazoles. The protecting group can be removed using potassium tert-butoxide in THF at −78 to 0 °C.
Tree and opening spatial patterns vary by tree density in two old-growth remnant ponderosa pine forests in Northern Arizona, USA

Abstract Forest spatial patterns influence many ecological processes in dry conifer forests. Thus, understanding and replicating spatial patterns is critically important in order to make these forests sustainable and more resilient to fire and other disturbances. The labor and time required to stem-map trees and the large plot size (>0.5 ha) needed to study tree spatial patterns have limited our examination of how these patterns change as a function of site conditions and tree densities. We stem-mapped all trees >40 cm DBH within two large relict (minimally logged) pure ponderosa pine study sites on experimental forests at Long Valley (73 ha) on sedimentary soils and Fort Valley (32 ha) on basalt soils in northern Arizona, USA. We also simulated 1,000 4-ha plots from models of each study site incorporating field data parameters. Using cluster analysis and field data, we found that an inter-tree distance (ITD) of 9–11 m best separated single trees and groups within our study sites. Using a fixed 10-m ITD, the more productive Long Valley (LV) site had 62 trees ha−1 and groups of up to 113 trees, compared to the Fort Valley (FV) site, which averaged 41 trees ha−1 and had 22 trees in the largest group. However, the sites differed only slightly in terms of single trees ha−1 (LV 7.3; FV 5.6) and group of tree ha−1 (LV 7.2; FV 8.1). Simulation results indicated that when tree densities are equal, the spatial patterns were very similar between the two sites, suggesting that tree spatial pattern variability is a function of tree densities and only indirectly related to site productivity. As the number of trees increased, the additional trees integrated into existing groups rather than creating new groups. In addition to tree spatial patterns, we quantified gaps (defined as >30 m wide stem-to-stem) and openings (defined as ≥30 m wide stem-to-stem) within the two study sites. Although both sites were dominated by small openings most of the open area was found within a few large openings. Our large plots allowed us to incorporate variability and capture a larger range of tree and openings spatial patterns than have been captured in previous studies to provide insights on spatial heterogeneity that can inform management of this important forest type in North America.
Risk Haplotypes Uniquely Associated With Radioiodine-Refractory Thyroid Cancer Patients of High African Ancestry

Background: Thyroid cancer patients with radioiodine-refractory (RAI-R) disease, resulting from insufficient RAI delivery and/or RAI resistance, have increased mortality and limited treatment optio...
How Good Are Controlled Attenuation Parameter Scores from Fibroscan to Assess Steatosis, NASH, and Fibrosis?

The objective of our study was to determine the concordance rates of steatosis staging by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) scores from transient elastography (TE) in comparison with liver histology in patients with chronic liver disease and to determine the optimal CAP cutoffs to predict the severity of steatosis and identify those with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Patients (n = 217) who had both CAP scores and liver biopsy within a period of 90 days were retrospectively studied. Histology was graded in a blinded fashion by a single pathologist; steatosis was graded on a scale from 0 to 3. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity scores (NAS) scores were calculated for all patients. Optimal CAP cut-points were selected by maximum Youden’s index. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for CAP (using cutoff value ≥ 278 dB/m) in differentiating steatosis 1–3 from 0 was 0.82 (95% CI 0.75–0.89), and 0.79 (95% CI 0.70–0.88) in differentiating steatosis 0–1 from 2 to 3 using CAP cutoff value ≥ 301 dB/m. With CAP cutoff value ≥ 301 dB/m, CAP identified NAS 3 or above with AUROC of 0.82 (95% CI 0.74–0.89). The AUROC for TE in differentiating fibrosis (cutoff 11.9 kPa) 3–4 from 0 to 2 was 0.85 (95% CI 0.77–0.92), and 0.84 (95% CI 0.74–0.93) in differentiating (cutoff 14.4 kPa) 4 from 0 to 3. Transient elastography is a good modality to accurately diagnose steatosis and NASH and can also differentiate advanced liver fibrosis from early stages.
Silicon incorporation in polymethine dyes

Methods to red-shift fluorophores have garnered considerable interest due to the broad utility of low energy light. The incorporation of silicon into xanthene and coumarin scaffolds has resulted in an array of visible and near-infrared fluorophores. Here, we extend this approach to polymethine dyes, another popular fluorophore class, performing experimental and computational analyses. We found that when oxygen was replaced with SiMe2, bathochromic shifts of up to 121 nm and fluorophores with emission above 900 nm were achieved.
Synthesis, Modification, and Application of Sulfonated Poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) as a Stain Blocker for Polyamides: Polymer Chemistry for the Undergraduate Organic Laboratory

A laboratory exercise for the synthesis of a sulfonated styrene-co-maleic anhydride polymer and its application as a stain blocker on nylon-6,10, is described. The effectiveness of the sulfonated polymer to prevent the conjugate base of an acid dye from staining the polyamide is demonstrated. This experiment is designed for second-semester, second-year undergraduate organic chemistry students. Specifically, this laboratory experiment focuses on providing experience with radical chain and step-growth polymerizations, interfacial reactions, electrophilic aromatic substitution (sulfonation), and the importance of intermolecular forces.
Family support and mental health of Latinx children in migrant farmworker families

Our mixed-method study examined the mental health of Latinx children in migrant farmworker (LMFW) families, assessed whether acculturative stressors contributed to mental health problems, and exami...
Effects of social structure and management on risk of disease establishment in wild pigs.

Contact heterogeneity among hosts determines invasion and spreading dynamics of infectious disease, thus its characterization is essential for identifying effective disease control strategies. Yet, little is known about the factors shaping contact networks in many wildlife species and how wildlife management actions might affect contact networks. Wild pigs in North America are an invasive, socially structured species that pose a health concern for domestic swine given their ability to transmit numerous devastating diseases such as African swine fever (ASF). Using proximity loggers and GPS data from 48 wild pigs in Florida and South Carolina, USA, we employed a probabilistic framework to estimate weighted contact networks. We determined the effects of sex, social group and spatial distribution (monthly home-range overlap and distance) on wild pig contact. We also estimated the impacts of management-induced perturbations on contact and inferred their effects on ASF establishment in wild pigs with simulation. Social group membership was the primary factor influencing contacts. Between-group contacts depended primarily on space use characteristics, with fewer contacts among groups separated by >2 km and no contacts among groups >4 km apart within a month. Modelling ASF dynamics on the contact network demonstrated that indirect contacts resulting from baiting (a typical method of attracting wild pigs or game species to a site to enhance recreational hunting) increased the risk of disease establishment by ~33% relative to direct contact. Low-intensity population reduction (<5.9% of the population) had no detectable impact on contact structure but reduced predicted ASF establishment risk relative to no population reduction. We demonstrate an approach for understanding the relative role of spatial, social and individual-level characteristics in shaping contact networks and predicting their effects on disease establishment risk, thus providing insight for optimizing disease control in spatially and socially structured wildlife species.
Prophylaxis Against COVID-19 With Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine: Comment on the Article by Putman et al.

We read with great interest the paper by Putman et al.(1). The publication reviews data from 45 studies evaluating hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), chloroquine (CQ), anakinra and anti-IL-6 therapies in COVID-19. Except anakinra, none of the other therapies decreased the risk of death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We would like to discuss the evidence evaluating the role of HCQ in the prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The in-vitro antiviral effect of antimalarials suggested a role in preventing disease progression(2).
Acute coronary syndromes and percutaneous coronary intervention—current recommendations for dual antiplatelet therapy. Are guidelines reflecting the data?

Abstract Platelet inhibition is essential in the management of coronary artery disease. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology have developed guidelines for the management of antiplatelet therapy in acute coronary syndrome and in stable coronary artery disease. In this chapter, we review the evidence for (1) P2Y12 inhibitor selection, (2) de-escalation of antiplatelet therapy, and (3) platelet function and genotype testing. Thereafter, we will discuss and review the available clinical practice guidelines and compare them to the evidence-base that has been generated by large randomized clinical trials.
What the analytic versus holistic scoring of international teaching assistants can reveal: Lexical grammar matters:

Second-language (L2) testing researchers have explored the relationship between speakers’ overall speaking ability, reflected by holistic scores, and the speakers’ performance on speaking subcompon...
“Settù voi vienire ora è il tempo” L’Emigrazione toscana in Brasile (1875–1914): by Antoniode Ruggiero, Pisa, Pacini Editore, 2020, 348 pp.,€22.00 (soft cover), ISBN: 9788869957697

Antonio de Ruggiero adds a new regional perspective to the literature on the Italian emigration experience in Brazil through his comprehensive look at Tuscan emigration during the era of mass migra...
Canaries in the climate coal mine: Climate change and COVID-19 as meta-crisis

For many Brazilians and Americans, the year 2020 was marked by unprecedented environmental catastrophes alongside the COVID-19 pandemic. In Brazil and the United States, the impact of these existential threats was particularly acute in the third quarter of the year with both countries experiencing record-breaking environmental disasters and high mortality rates from the virus. The research examines a media flashpoint on the eve of the 2020 U.S. presidential election: a transnational discussion between Brazilians and Americans hosted by three flagship papers in Brazil and the U.S.: O Estado de Sao Paolo, Folha de Sao Paulo, and the New York Times. Engaging with one another across the three digital discourse fora, Brazilian and American contributors discuss the double onslaught of the pandemic and climate change. For them, the simultaneous threats of extreme climate events and viral contamination amplify each other, generating a traumatic sense of meta-crisis. This sense of meta-crisis encompasses a collective acknowledgment of the breakdown of two key societal institutions in both Brazil and the United States meant to combat these existential crises: science and the media. The perception of these institutions as dysfunctional further exacerbates the collective cultural trauma among Brazilians and Americans. In making these connections, this article puts theories of cultural trauma into dialogue with emergent scholarship on the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change from a cross-national perspective.
Weather, cropland expansion, and deforestation in Ethiopia

Abstract We use high-resolution weather data and rich Ethiopian household- and plot-level data in 2011/12, 2013/14, and 2015/16 growing seasons to investigate the impact of weather shocks on agricultural producers' cropland expansion and land conversion behaviors. We find that weather above 32 °C is harmful to crop growth. Household-level analysis shows that each additional average harmful growing degree day (defined as temperature above 32 °C) leads to a 17.2%, 20.1%, and 20.0% increase in total land holdings, cropland, and cropland allocated to cereal production, respectively. Each additional average harmful growing degree day reduces households' forest by 24.7% for households with some forest in the baseline growing season. Further analysis shows that farmers' cropland expansion substitutes migration and off-farm employment. The significant impacts of weather shocks on cropland expansion are only significant for households with relatively fewer assets but not for households with more assets, which suggests that only households without enough resources would expand cropland. These findings highlight the need to identify and facilitate coping strategies that are sustainable in the long run.
Extragalactic scenarios for gamma‐ray bursts

The cosmological distance scale to gamma‐ray bursts is indicated by the observed distribution of the bursts in angle and intensity. The redshifts of the weakest and the strongest bursts detected by the BATSE experiment are estimated to be z≊1.5 and z≊0.2, respectively, while the strongest bursts detect by the PVO in its 11 years of operation were at z≊0.05. The bursts’ rate is ∼10−6 per year in a galaxy like ours, and a typical energy release if ∼1051 ergs, assuming isotropic emission. The rate of the neutron star and black hole collisions in close binaries is somewhat higher, and those collision release 1053–1054 ergs in a burst like form, making them the primary candidates for the observed gamma‐ray events. Contrary to the common belief no observations available to date are in conflict with the cosmological distance to the bursters. A detection of gravitational lensing of some bursts, the redshift of the weakest events, and the absorption of soft x‐rays by the interstellar matter in the plane of our galaxy, are the specific predictions of the cosmological scenario.
Immunological Responses of the Rat to Mycoplasma arthritidis

Arthritis was produced in rats by the intravenous injection of Mycoplasma arthritidis. Metabolic inhibiting antibody and indirect hemagglutinating antibody could not be detected in the sera of arthritic or convalescent animals. Nonmurine species of mycoplasma were capable of inducing metabolic inhibiting antibody in the rat. A hypothesis based upon the possible occurrence of heterogenetic antigens common to M. arthritidis and rat tissue was brought forward to explain these findings. Complement-fixing antibody to M. arthritidis was detected 3 to 4 days after injection and subsequently rose to high levels, depending upon the severity of arthritis and number of organisms injected. Animals that had recovered from intravenous or subcutaneous inoculation with M. arthritidis were resistant to subsequent infections by the organism. Immunity could be passively transferred by the intravenous injection of convalescent serum. Adsorption of the convalescent serum with antigen greatly reduced the complement fixation titer but did not significantly alter the protective properties of the serum. The presence of complement-fixing antibody could not be related to the development of immunity. An avirulent strain of M. arthritidis and a strain previously classified as M. hominis type 2 were capable of inducing resistance to subsequent injection by virulent M. arthritidis.
Offering a ‘Menu’ of Software and Case Study Options for the Group Project for Students Enrolled in the Introductory AIS Course: An Experimental Application Study

ABSTRACT Instructors teaching the introductory accounting information systems (AIS) course generally include some type of group project to reinforce the principles emphasized in this course. One of the challenges facing AIS instructors is which type(s) of group project(s) potentially improve the students' overall course learning experience, while at the same time addressing future career student objectives. If the AIS instructor has a mix of students with such differing career goals when teaching the AIS course, it is important for the instructor to consider possibly offering a variety of project choices for the group project. We test offering a ‘menu’ of software and case study group project options reflective of several career choices students have after graduation. We also describe how the instructor can operationalize such a ‘menu’ approach effectively using a learning management system (LMS), a minimal level of grading assistance, and other factors. We then measure student satisfaction with this appr...
Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Yeast Cell Walls I. Isolation of Wall-Decomposing Organisms and Separation and Purification of Lytic Enzymes

Tanaka, Hirosato (University of California, Davis), and Herman J. Phaff. Enzymatic hydrolysis of yeast cell walls. I. Isolation of wall-decomposing organisms and separation and purification of lytic enzymes. J. Bacteriol. 89:1570-1580. 1965.-A number of microorganisms, able to decompose and grow on yeast cell walls, were isolated from soil. These isolates demonstrated various types of attack on yeast walls. A bacterium, identified as Bacillus circulans, and a species of Streptomyces produced clear, lysed zones when grown on an agar medium containing baker's yeast cell walls. The streptomycete formed glucanase, mannanase, and protease, but B. circulans produced only glucanases. Purified mannan could be prepared from the culture fluid of B. circulans grown on baker's yeast cell walls. In a liquid, mineral medium, extracellular lytic enzyme production by B. circulans was optimal after 3 days of aerobic growth at 30 C with 0.5% baker's yeast cell walls as the carbon source. Twelve other carbon sources were ineffective as inducers. Among a number of polysaccharides tested, the crude enzymes of B. circulans hydrolyzed only beta-1-->3 glucan (laminarin) and beta-1-->6 glucan (pustulan), both by a random mechanism, to a mixture of dimer and glucose. The beta-1-->3 and beta-1-->6 glucanases were separated from each other by diethylaminoethyl cellulose column chromatography. Water-soluble oat glucan, which contains in the linear chain both beta-1-->3 and beta-1-->4 bonds, was also hydrolyzed by the bacterial beta-1-->3 glucanase. The products of this reaction indicated that this enzyme hydrolyzes beta-1-->3 or beta-1-->4 glucosidic linkages, provided the beta-glucopyranosyl units composing these bonds are substituted in the 3 position by another glucose unit.