cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of premature birth and critical illness on neonatal range of plasma amino acid concentrations determined by LC-MS/MS

Abstract Background The number of newborns and the number of disorders detected by large-scale screening programs has increased dramatically in the last decade. Newborn screening is a multi-step process requiring confirmatory testing to establish and refine a diagnosis. Whereas screening cutoffs are established to detect all cases of a specific disease, confirmatory testing is performed against a backdrop of many co-morbid conditions and interpretation of results is often not straightforward. The goal of the current study was to define the range of amino acid concentrations encountered in normal, premature, and acutely ill newborns as an aid to the interpretation of follow-up testing for suspicious newborn screens. Materials and methods Residual plasma samples from 354 neonates (age 1–10 days) were utilized. 206 samples were from neonates with uncomplicated birth histories and prompt hospital discharge. 98 specimens were derived from a population of children receiving intensive care with diagnoses that included sepsis, respiratory insufficiency, cardiac malfunction/malformation and gastrointestinal complications. 50 samples were from infants born after 32 but before 37 full weeks gestation that were discharged following uneventful hospital courses. 25 amino acids were quantitated by LC-MS/MS and reference intervals determined by non-parametric statistical methods. Distributions were compared using Kruskal–Wallis analyses for independent samples. Results The distributions of multiple amino acids in premature and critically ill infants were significantly different than those observed in healthy newborns. Differing distributions were found for phenylalanine, the branched chain amino acids, methionine, glutamine, glutamate, arginine, lysine, α-aminoadipic acid, and β-aminoisobutyric acid. In most cases median values were increased and distributions more positively skewed in premature or ill newborns compared to healthy newborns. In addition, we report neonatal homocitrulline reference intervals for these newborn populations determined by an LC-MS/MS technique that is not confounded by methionine interference. Conclusion These data provide a basis for improved detection of genetic metabolic disorders in newborns, particularly those born prematurely or with a variety of critical co-morbid conditions.
Con: Inhaled nitric oxide should not be used routinely in patients undergoing lung transplantation.

NTRODUCED IN THE 1960s and revived in the mid1980s, lung transplantation has been successfully used to treat a wide variety of end-stage pulmonary disorders. The use of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) has assisted intraoperative and postoperative management of many lung transplant recipients and potentially reduced the morbidity of this procedure, which still boasts a significant 30-day (12%) and 2-year (30% to 45%) mortality. 1 No clinician could or should argue that NO has not had a significant positive impact on management of lung transplant recipients. The use of NO does have potential and proven adverse effects, however, which limit its random application to all patients. The risk-benefit assessment of NO for lung transplant recipients may be widely variable based on the pathophysiology leading to the need for transplantation. Before rigidly protocolizing a potentially valuable medical therapy and perhaps diluting the enthusiasm for and efficacy of the therapy by applying it in a clinical setting for which it has little or no utility, the clinician should ask whether the risks outweigh the potential benefits from the therapy. Inhaled NO has the potential (although unproven) to improve outcome in a subset of lung transplant recipients, but its use in all lung transplant situations does not seem to be currently supported by the medical literature.
Late Radiation-Associated Dysphagia (RAD) in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors are living longer due to epidemiologic changes in the disease and advances in treatment. As a consequence, speech pathologists encounter growing numbers of long...
Spin Glasses: Recent Theoretical Developments

The considerable recent interest in phase transitions in random magnetic systems is reflected in there being several lectures on this topic presented here (Aharony, Coles, Cowley and myself). From a theoretical point of view, probably the simplest model which can describe the properties of most of these systems has the Hamiltonian $$H = \mathop{{ - \sum }}\limits_{{ }} {{J}_{{ij}}}{{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{S}}}_{i}} \cdot {{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{S}}}_{j}} - \mathop{\sum }\limits_{i} {{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{h}}}_{i}} \cdot {{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{S}}}_{i}}$$ (1) where \({{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{S}}}_{i}}\) is an m-component classical spin on site i of a d-dimensional lattice, Jij is a pair interaction and \({{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{h}}}_{i}}\) is a local field. If \({{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{h}}}_{i}}\) is independent of site i (a uniform field) and Jij are random, the model can represent a system with two types of magnetic atoms A and B. If one species in non-magnetic then ordering disappears when the concentration of this species exceeds the percolation concentration (discussed by Aharony). This type of behaviour is fairly well understood. Another very relevant case is where the Jij are not random but the local fields are disordered, and on average, point equally in all directions. Aharony and Cowley will discuss this more controversial topic. Spin glasses are characterised by extreme disorder in the interactions Jij such that both signs occur with significant probability and in a random way. Professor Coles will describe systems in nature which have this property.
Development of a ‘clickable’ non-natural nucleotide to visualize the replication of non-instructional DNA lesions

The misreplication of damaged DNA is an important biological process that produces numerous adverse effects on human health. This report describes the synthesis and characterization of a non-natural nucleotide, designated 3-ethynyl-5-nitroindolyl-2′-deoxyriboside triphosphate (3-Eth-5-NITP), as a novel chemical reagent that can probe and quantify the misreplication of damaged DNA. We demonstrate that this non-natural nucleotide is efficiently inserted opposite an abasic site, a commonly formed and potentially mutagenic non-instructional DNA lesion. The strategic placement of the ethynyl moiety allows the incorporated nucleoside triphosphate to be selectively tagged with an azide-containing fluorophore using ‘click’ chemistry. This reaction provides a facile way to quantify the extent of nucleotide incorporation opposite non-instructional DNA lesions. In addition, the incorporation of 3-Eth-5-NITP is highly selective for an abasic site, and occurs even in the presence of a 50-fold molar excess of natural nucleotides. The biological applications of using 3-Eth-5-NITP as a chemical probe to monitor and quantify the misreplication of non-instructional DNA lesions are discussed.
Does attitude toward epilepsy mediate the relationship between perceived stigma and mental health outcomes in children with epilepsy

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which children’s attitude toward epilepsy mediates the relationship between perceived stigma and the mental health outcomes of self-concept, behavioral problems, and social competence. Method Subjects were 173 youth aged 9–14 who had been diagnosed and treated for epilepsy for at least 6 months. A secondary data analysis from a larger study was completed to test if the children’s attitude mediated the relationship between stigma and mental health outcomes using multiple regression. Results Children’s attitude was found to mediate the relationships between stigma and self-concept and behavior problems, respectively. In contrast, attitude did not mediate the relationship between stigma and social competence. Conclusions Results suggest that enhancing a more positive attitude toward having epilepsy might help improve problems with poor self-concept or behavior problems, but might not influence social competence.
The Fatigue Severity Scale: Application to Patients With Multiple Sclerosis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

• Fatigue is a prominent disabling symptom in a variety of medical and neurologic disorders. To facilitate research in this area, we developed a fatigue severity scale, subjected it to tests of internal consistency and validity, and used it to compare fatigue in two chronic conditions: systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis. Administration of the fatigue severity scale to 25 patients with multiple sclerosis, 29 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, and 20 healthy adults revealed that the fatigue severity scale was internally consistent, correlated well with visual analogue measures, clearly differentiated controls from patients, and could detect clinically predicted changes in fatigue over time. Fatigue had a greater deleterious impact on daily living in patients with multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus compared with controls. The results further showed that fatigue was largely independent of self-reported depressive symptoms and that several characteristics could differentiate fatigue that accompanies multiple sclerosis from fatigue that accompanies systemic lupus erythematosus. This study demonstrates (1) the clinical and research applications of a scale that measures fatigue severity and (2) helps to identify features that distinguish fatigue between two chronic medical disorders.
Female Genital Surgeries: The Known, the Unknown, and the Unknowable

This article reviews the literature on female genital surgeries and examines the extent to which available research supports commonly accepted "facts" about the prevalence and harmful effects of these practices, in particular their possible health complications, and their effect on sexuality. While information regarding the prevalence of female genital surgeries is becoming increasingly available, the powerful discourse that depicts these practices as inevitably causing death and serious ill health, and as unequivocally destroying sexual pleasure, is not sufficiently supported by the evidence. The article discusses some of the implications of research on female genital surgeries for the societies that are involved--not merely those where the practices are found, but also those whose gaze has been so intensely focused on the customs of others.
Declarative access policies based on objects, relationships, and states

Access policies are hard to express in existing programming languages. However, their accurate expression is a prerequisite for many of today's applications. We propose a new language that uses classes, first-class relationships, and first-class states to express access policies in a more declarative and fine-grained way than existing solutions allow.
Robust Hurwitz and Schur stability via interval positivity

SUMMARY In this paper, we develop a new approach to computing the entire set of stabilizing controllers for a given continuous-time linear time-invariant system by using recent results from interval positivity. The discrete counterpart is also presented. The approaches are based on the sign-definite decomposition that enables us to deal with functions that are polynomially dependent on the parameters of interests. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ectoparasites from Seven Species of North American Moles (Insectivora: Talpidae)

Representatives of all species of North American moles were examined for ectoparasites. One louse, 6 flea, 1 beetle, 1 tick and 6 mite species were collected from moles at numerous localities throughout North America. There are 18 new host records represented in this collection. The distribution and host-parasite relationships of these ectoparasite species are discussed.
On the Macrofoundations of Microsociology: Constraint and the Exterior Reality of Structure

Just as Collins (1981) demonstrates that microsociological presuppositions elucidate macrosociology, the reverse holds as well. Fundamental axioms are the existence of (1) a set of constraints that...
Effectiveness of intervention to implement tobacco cessation counseling in community chain pharmacies.

Objectives To test the feasibility of implementing ask–advise–refer (AAR) tobacco cessation counseling approach in community chain pharmacies serving low socioeconomic areas and to assess the effectiveness of a multimodal intervention on short-term implementation of AAR. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting South-central Wisconsin from July 2008 through March 2009. Participants Pharmacists and technicians from 16 community chain pharmacies. Intervention Training to implement AAR, workflow integration recommendations, tobacco cessation poster to create awareness, and a support visit. Main outcome measures Number of pharmacy patrons asked about tobacco use, number of tobacco users advised to quit, number of tobacco users enrolled in the quit line, and number of quit line cards given. Results As hypothesized, the multimodal intervention significantly predicted the number of patrons asked to quit (estimate 4.84, incidence rate ratio 127.2, P P P P Conclusion This trial demonstrates the feasibility of implementing AAR in routine community pharmacy practice. This trial also supports the short-term effectiveness of the multimodal intervention in facilitating AAR in partnership with other public health systems. More research is needed to evaluate the generalizability, effectiveness, and sustainability of AAR, including factors influencing adoption and the impact on cessation.
The development of a vascular supply to the rat molar enamel organ. An electron microscopic study.

Abstract The development of a capillary supply to the rat molar enamel organ has been investigated during the 24 hr following birth. Prenatally an extensive capillary system surrounds but does not penetrate the enamel organ so that the external enamel epithelial surface is continuous. With the immediate postnatal sprouting of the capillary system into the enamel organ, the external enamel epithelium assumes a fenestrated appearance and cross-sectioned capillaries appear within the interstices of the enamel organ suggesting that the stellate reticulum is vascularized. Electron microscopic observations confirm the sequence of this development. However, while confirming that capillary “penetration” into the enamel organ does permit a closer approximation between ameloblasts and capillary endothelium, it is apparent that surface continuity of the enamel organ is not interrupted. The capillary endothelium and enamel organ remain separated from each other by their respective basal laminae. This is prima facie evidence that, although the enamel organ may be deeply indented, it is not penetrated during development of the capillary system. Extensive development of this vascular supply occurs prior to any hard tissue formation suggesting that early nutritional requirements of the enamel organ are high and that hard tissue deposition is not the primary stimulus for capillary development.
An Evidence-Based Group Coping Intervention for Women Living with HIV and History of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Women living with HIV/AIDS and a history of childhood sexual abuse often exhibit sexual trauma symptoms and elevated rates of HIV-risk behaviors. In this paper, we describe a coping skills group intervention that reduced traumatic stress and sexual-risk behavior in a recent randomized clinical trial. We focused on clinical issues that emerged among female participants receiving the intervention. Clinical observations showed that recognizing connections between trauma, psychological distress, and high risk behaviors was a new and powerful experience for many participants. Participants successfully applied psychoeducational material, expressing an increased sense of power and control over their relationships and behaviors as they developed more adaptive cognitive and behavioral skills. Women expressed high levels of satisfaction with the intervention. Recommendations for clinical practice are provided.
HOW MARKETERS OF INTANGIBLES CAN RAISE THE ODDS FOR CONSUMER SATISFACTION

Herzberg's theory of worker satisfaction suggests that while the context of a job may cause dissatisfaction, the basic factor behind positive satisfaction is the content of that job — the pleasure of achievement. There is evidence that in some situations the same kind of dichotomy might apply to consumer satisfaction: that is, consumers may be dissatisfied by the setting, or peripheral factors surrounding goods or services, but the likeliest route to positive satisfaction is to let them accomplish something with their purchase. This idea can applied specifically to services.
Sexual Heresy at the Court of Henry VIII

Scholars have long described the reasons for Anne Boleyn's execution and the nature of her guilt. Recent analyses have suggested that Henry VIII lost interest in his second wife after she miscarried of a male child in 1536 and that his secretary, Thomas Cromwell, wanted to exclude her family from positions of power at court. With royal approval, so it is claimed, Cromwell caused the queen and five men to be executed for the fictitious crimes of adultery and incest. Although some scholars have conceded that she was careless of her honour, most have assumed that Anne was not guilty of these charges. Historians have consequently adopted the cynical conclusion that Cromwell succeeded in orchestrating a wide-ranging conspiracy involving numerous people with the intention of using the legal system to kill six innocent victims in order to satisfy both his own schemes for power and the king's domestic whims.
Using Buttons to Better Manage Online Presence: How One Academic Institution Harnessed the Power of Flair

This article provides a case study of how the University of Nebraska College of Law and Schmid Law Library use “buttons” to manage Law College faculty members’ and librarians’ online presence. Since Google is the primary search engine used to find information, it is important that librarians and libraries assist Web site visitors in finding relevant information about faculty members at an academic institution. Easily identifiable buttons allow visitors to navigate to faculty scholarship in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Digital Commons, SSRN Web site, or both, in an academic service such as lessons from the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction and in social software sites like Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. The case study includes (1) how the project was implemented, (2) the feedback and results of a survey, and (3) an analysis of Web site statistics, clicks, and links data gathered via Google Analytics. This project was a partnership between the Law College Communications Department, Law C...
Monitoring and Analyzing Process Streams Towards Understanding Ionic Liquid Pretreatment of Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Fundamental understanding of biomass pre- treatment and its influence on saccharification kinetics, total sugar yield, and inhibitor formation is essential to develop efficient next-generation biofuel strategies, capable of displacing fossil fuels at a commercial level. In this study, we investigated the effect of residence time and temperature during ionic liquid (IL) pretreat- ment of switchgrass using 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate. The primary metrics of pretreatment perfor- mance are biomass delignification, xylan and glucan depolymerization, porosity, surface area, cellulase ki- netics, and sugar yields. Compositional analysis and quantification of process streams of saccharides and lignin demonstrate that delignification increases as a function of pretreatment temperature and is hypothe- sized to be correlated with theapparent glass transition temperature of lignin. IL pretreatment did not generate monosaccharides from hemicellulose. Compared to untreated switchgrass, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of pretreated switchgrass increased by a factor of ∼30, with a corresponding increase in saccharification kinetics of a factor of ∼40. There is an observed dependence of cellulase kinetics with delignification efficiency. Although complete biomass dissolution is observed after 3 h of IL pretreatment, the pattern of sugar release, saccharification kinetics, and total sugar yields are strongly correlated with temperature.
Prescription Disposal Practices: A 2-Year Ecological Study of Drug Drop Box Donations in Appalachia

Objectives. We quantified controlled substance donations via permanent drug donation boxes over 2 years in a region with high prescription abuse, assessing medication characteristics, time between dispensing and donation, and weight of medications donated per capita.Methods. In partnership with Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement, we analyzed permanent drug donation box collections in 8 Northeast Tennessee locations from June 2012 to April 2014. We recorded controlled substance dosage units along with the product dispensing date.Results. We collected 4841 pounds of pharmaceutical waste, 4.9% (238.5 pounds) of which were controlled substances, totaling 106 464 controlled substance doses. Analysis of dispensing dates for controlled substances indicated a median of 34 months lapsed from dispensing to donation (range = 1–484 months). The mean controlled substance donation rate was 1.39 pounds per 1000 residents. Communities with fewer than 10 000 residents had a statistically higher cont...
GRADED TETRAHEDRAL FINITE ELEMENT MESHES

Vertices in the body centred cubic (bcc) lattice are used to create a tetrahedral spatial decomposition. With this spatial decomposition an octree approach is combined with Delaunay triangulations to decompose solids into tetrahedral finite element meshes. Solids must have their surfaces triangulated and the vertices in the triangulation are finite element nodes. Local densities of interior tetrahedra are controlled by the densities of surface triangles. Accuracy of the decomposition into finite elements depends on the accuracy of the surface triangulation which can be constructed with state of the art computer aided design systems.
The Swelling of Hair and a Viscose Rayon Monofil in Aqueous Solutions

Equipment for measuring the swelling of nearly round single fibers in a variety of solutions is described and has been used to make measurements on the swelling of human hair and a viscose rayon mo...
The Wealth and Risk Effects of International Bond Ratings in Mexico

This paper examines the wealth and risk effects of new international bond ratings by Moody's and S&P's for selected private firms and government-owned entities in Mexico. Time series regression methods are employed to test for significant shifts in the mean levels as well as the variance of weekly bond and stock returns in the months before and after the announcement of an international rating. In general, with some exceptions, the empirical results indicate that Mexican firms experienced both positive and negative wealth effects but no change in price risk from the new ratings. Wealth effects in terms of stock returns appear to be influenced by whether new ratings increased or decreased the cost of debt capital. We conclude that international ratings contain new information not previously available to the financial market.
Maximizing the American Opportunity Credit

The calculation of the American Opportunity Credit is based on qualified educational expenses less any scholarship that is excluded from taxable income. It is often in the taxpayer’s interest to decline the exclusion, pay tax and thus receive a larger credit. This paper examines the legal basis for declining to exclude scholarship income and thus increasing the credit. In Publication 970, the IRS says that the exclusion may be declined, but only when the scholarship may be used for non-qualified expenses, such as room and board. This paper argues that the recipient may decline the exclusion for any scholarship and include amounts used for tuition, fees, etc. because the burden of proof for any exclusion is on the taxpayer. The recipient may simply choose not establish that the scholarship is excluded, have taxable income and thus a larger American Opportunity Credit.
The effects of thermal processing on the luminescence of Y2O3:Tm transparent ceramic

Transparent ceramics of Y2O3 doped with 0.5 mol% Tm were fabricated starting from the synthesis of the precursor nanopowder by co-precipitation and calcination followed by its consolidation into fully dense ceramics. Densification and optical transparency of the ceramic were achieved by means of sequential steps of cold isostatic pressing at 206 MPa, vacuum sintering using the two-step method at 1500 °C for a brief moment and at 1400 °C for 20 hrs, and hot isostatic pressing at 1300 °C for 6 hrs under 206 MPa of argon. After polishing to optical grade, samples were thermally processed at 1050 °C in O2 flux for a total of 10 hrs. Thermal processing was interrupted at specific times and photoluminescence and thermoluminescence were characterized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FTIR) measurements were also carried out and revealed the microstructural modifications induced by the thermal processing. Results reveal significant enhancement of luminescence concomitant to a strong decrease of the integral thermoluminescence intensity within the first hour of thermal processing, followed by stabilization. Traps above about 150 °C were strongly affected by the thermal treatment under O2 flux and were assigned to oxygen-related defects. These results are discussed in terms of the incorporation of oxygen into the structure and the elimination of defects and electronic traps.
Cultural Action and Rural Development

Widespread rural poverty and a tendency of food production to stagnate are phenomena common to many Third World countries. The meager results of the development efforts of the last quarter century demand the search for new alternatives'. This essay addresses these problems under the premises of a holistic social philosophy which is found useful for understanding the causes of underdevelopment which are not regarded as a heritage of ‘traditions’ but of the interplay between them and a contemporaneous world process of production, and for finding a path of liberating development. It briefly investigates the nature and dynamic of a socioeconomic process based on unequal development between nations, between agricultural and industrial sectors, and between the peasantry and other agrarian groups. It also investigates the performance of land reforms and modernization projects as a means to overcome the conflicts that this process generates in rural areas. Basing itself on a social philosophy affirming the integr...
Lessons Learned: The Development and Implementation of a Clinical Tracking Database

Richard Dehn, PA-C, MPA University of Iowa Telephone: 319-335-8925 E-mail: Richard-dehn@uiowa.edu INTRODUCTION In response to the goals of Healthy People 2010, as well as the need to continuously evaluate program curriculum, the UC-Davis FNP/PA Program decided to develop a process to thoroughly evaluate the clinical experiences of students, both in their individual preceptorships and how their experiences correlated to our didactic courses. Specifically, we wanted to answer the following questions: (1) Are our clinical requirements relevant to what today’s students are seeing in the primary care setting? (2) Are new problems emerging in clinics, and should we add these new diagnoses to our training requirements? and (3) Are any of the diagnoses we currently require no longer relevant? However, analyzing our clinical training was complicated by several of our program’s unique characteristics, mainly that the program is decentralized and has relatively few rotations compared to traditional programs. Instead, it uses community preceptorships, in which students identify community preceptors in their own communities. Therefore, at any point in time the program has between 700 and 1,200 active preceptorships, or an average of eight unique preceptorships per enrolled student. Over the past 30 years, the program has developed an intensive tracking system to assure parity and adequate depth and breadth in the clinical experiences received by every student; however, this process was cumbersome for both students and faculty. All students are required to achieve competency in a variety of clinical skills and experience in specific encounters and diagnoses deemed necessary to the practice of primary care medicine. This assures the faculty that all students work with a minimum of several hundred patients and specific experiences per year, regardless of their preceptorships. To answer our questions, we needed a method for gathering data so that it could be compiled easily for analysis. The inspiration for utilizing handheld computers, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), for students to track their extensive clinical requirements began with a visit by one of the program faculty members to a PA program that utilized PDAs in a similar fashion. Further information came from a presentation entitled “Palm Computing and the Clinical Student,” at the spring 2001 Association of Physician Assistant Programs conference. At the time, our faculty experience and enthusiasm about the use of PDA tools in the clinical setting was growing, and faculty also identified the use of PDAs by students as a method of enhancing students’ medical informatics skills. The information explosion is a critical issue in the practice of medicine. The growing body of medical knowledge and corresponding additions to curriculum requirements in the ARC-PA Standards has resulted in the need for today’s PA students to learn more prior to entering practice than did PA students in the 1990s. It is critical to find the balance between Feature Editor’s Note:
Abstract B42: Modeling MDS in mice through precise molecular lesions in APC and mDia1.

While the murine equivalent to “5q– syndrome” should map to the distal arms of murine chromosomes 11 and 18, molecular attempts have been unsuccessful in generating a reliable mouse model of myelodysplasia leading to exacerbated myeloid leukemia. Genetic studies suggest interactions between individual proteins in this locus suppress tumor initiation. More specifically, cellular and biochemical studies demonstrated collaboration between two proteins in the commonly deleted regions of 5q– syndrome: mDia1 (mammalian Diaphanous-related Rho GTPase effector formin) and APC (adenomatous polypolis coli). Therefore, we generated mice compounding these two putative disease alleles. Because both mDia1 knockout [Drf1(–/–)] mice and Apcmin (min = multiple intestinal neoplasia; haploinsufficient) mice develop age-dependent myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), we hypothesized that a mouse strain lacking both proteins will exhibit a more severe MDS phenotype than either mutant allele alone. To define the disease caused by mutation in Drf1 and Apcmin, we monitored erythropoiesis, myelopoiesis, and overall survival. At all ages, mice with both mutant alleles exhibit granulocytosis. Anemia occurs in aged mice (>270 days), exhibiting drastic differences in blood cell morphology that corresponded to differences in long-term survival in comparison to either Drf1–/– or Apcmin animals. Furthermore, immunophenotyping of all subpopulations indicate an accumulation of CD71+/TER-119+ cells in mice with both mutant alleles, however no significant differences in CD11b expression appeared among CD45+ bone marrow subpopulations. Our studies indicate that combined loss of mDia1 and APC expression and function direct disease progression. We are currently defining the hematopoietic precursor cell responsible for anemia and bone marrow failure. This enhanced mouse model also serves as molecular laboratory to study disease progression and to test potential therapeutics under development in our laboratory. Citation Format: Julie Davis Turner, Susan Kitchen-Goosen, Andrew M. Howard, Heather Schumacher, Art S. Alberts. Modeling MDS in mice through precise molecular lesions in APC and mDia1. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Hematologic Malignancies: Translating Discoveries to Novel Therapies; Sep 20-23, 2014; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2015;21(17 Suppl):Abstract nr B42.
Direct and Rapid Analysis of Manganese in Whole Blood by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

[Objective]To establish the method of analyzing the manganese in the whole blood by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry(AAS) directly and rapidly.[Methods]The samples which were digested and emulsified by sample diluent of nitric acid and TritonX-100 were detected in AAS with a automatic sampling system,using deuterium lamp for background correction.[Results]The linear range of the method was 0 ～3.0 μg/L,correlation coefficient was 0.9994,RSD was 1.1% ～7.7%,standard recovery was 93.7% ～ 101.0%,the detection limit was 1.2 μg/L.[Conclusion]The method has reliable accuracy and precision,does not have to be digested,and can be used to determine manganese in whole blood simply,rapidly and feasibly.
Attempted Nonoperative Management of Blunt Renal Lacerations Extending Through the Corticomedullary Junction: The Short-Term and Long-Term Sequelae

A total of 50 patients who sustained a renal laceration extending through the corticomedullary junction following blunt trauma underwent an attempt at nonoperative (expectant) management of the urological injury. Of the patients 18% could not be stabilized and they subsequently underwent emergency laparotomy. Among our stabilized patients 2 major categories existed: 1) 30 patients with vascularized renal fragments and 2) 11 in whom a fragment of the kidney was devascularized. A statistically significant difference in the length of hospital stay (p equals 0.01) and the need for delayed surgical intervention (p less than 0.001) was noted between the 2 groups. We recommend that the physician must have a heightened awareness of probable complications in patients with major renal lacerations associated with devitalized fragments and suggest that early surgical management should be considered.
Commissioning results of Nb3Sn cavity vapor diffusion deposition system at JLab

Nb3Sn as a BCS superconductor with a superconducting critical temperature higher than that of niobium offers potential benefit for SRF cavities via a lower-than-niobium surface resistance at the same temperature and frequency. A Nb3Sn vapor diffusion deposition system designed for coating of 1.5 and 1.3 GHz single-cell cavities was built and commissioned at JLab. As the part of the commissioning, RF performance at 2.0 K of a single-cell 1.5 GHz CEBAF-shaped cavity was measured before and after coating in the system. Before Nb3Sn coating the cavity had a Q0 of about 10E10 and was limited by the high field Q-slope at Eacc about 27 MV/m. Coated cavity exhibited the superconducting transition at about 17.9 K. The low-field quality factor was about 5 10E9 at 4.3 K and 7 10E9 at 2.0 K decreasing with field to about 1 10E9 at Eacc about 8 MV/m at both temperatures. The highest field was limited by the available RF power.
Phenytoin and Cognitive-Motor Performance

Cognitive-motor function in 51 children with seizures well controlled with phenytoin (PHT) monotherapy was assessed in relation to drug concentration, seizure type, and time of medication at the Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, Auckland University School of Medicine, Australia.
Patient reported distress and survival after palliative radiotherapy.

e18084Background: Patient reported distress (PRD) is well recognized in cancer patients receiving treatment; regrettably, it is not always assessed in clinical practice. The failure to assess PRD m...
What We Talk About When We Talk About the Wedge Pressure.

See Articles by Wright et al and Naeije et al There is a joke that goes something like this: A mathematician, a statistician, and an economist all apply for the same job. The interviewer asks them all the same question: “What is two plus two?” The mathematician, without much thought, answers, “Four.” When the interviewer says, “Four exactly?” the mathematician, with a touch of incredulity replies, “Of course.” The statistician says, “Four, plus or minus ten percent. But on average, four.” When asked “What is two plus two?” the economist stands up, locks the door, closes the shades, and says “What do you want it to be?” As highlighted in a careful study by Wright et al,1 in this issue of Circulation: Heart Failure , we need to decide what we want the pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (PAWP) to be, or more precisely, how we want it to be measured and what we want it to tell us. The current study takes a novel approach to investigate the controversial parameter of diastolic pressure difference, in particular focusing on how variations in measurement techniques affect hemodynamic assessment and disease classification.1 The diastolic pressure difference, more commonly referred to as the diastolic pulmonary gradient (DPG), has risen to prominence as a marker of pulmonary vascular disease in the setting of left heart failure through sound physiological reasoning. As first suggested by Naeije et al2 in 2013, the more traditional markers of pulmonary vascular disease “out-of-proportion” to left heart disease (transpulmonary gradient [TPG] and pulmonary vascular resistance) are fraught with physiological concerns. The TPG, defined as mean pulmonary artery pressure minus the PAWP, does not account for flow state or the …
Iago the meritocrat: Conflicting interpretations of individualism in the early modern period

Abstract Shakespeare's Iago can be used as a vehicle for critically contemplating the changing values of the transitional period between medieval and modern England and Europe. In addition to other speculative explanations that traditionally have been offered, Iago's malevolence can be interpreted as a merit-based expression of the fundamental changes of a pre-liberal society that would, eventually, transition into the modern economic marketplace of today. According to that perspective, Iago is motivated not only by his anger for having been passed over for promotion but by his belief that he was denied a position that he demonstrably deserved. In contrast, it can be argued that the traditional interpretation of Shakespeare's preference for conservative principles of hierarchy and order (as found within the medieval remnants of Elizabethan England) is, thus, reflected in his assignment of that character to be a symbol of evil. Therefore, the play can be employed (consistent with a historicist approach) as an instrument of historical, socio-economic, and political-theory analysis by reflecting the tension that the emergence of the politically autonomous and sociologically meritocratic individualist posed to the modern world that was just emerging at that time and that soon would begin to dominate the modern liberal society as it has evolved from the 17th to the 21st centuries.
Reactions of carbon monoxide with transition metal-carbon bonds

Insertions of carbon monoxide into transition metal-carbon bonds are among the most selective methods for the catalytic introduction of oxygen into organic compounds. A variety of processes are known today and most of them are of great industrial importance. Depending on the nature of the organic substrate, the catalyst and additional reaction components products range from aldehydes, alcohols, and acids to esters, anhydrides, acid chlorides, amides etc. An attempt is made here to show that all these reactions proceed by similar mechanisms.
Was There a Revolution? Kinship and Inequality over the Very Long Term in Liaoning, China, 1749-2005

Was There a Revolution? Kinship and Inequality over the Very Long Term in Liaoning, China, 1749- Cameron Campbell James Z. Lee CCPR-060-08 December 2008 Latest Revised: May 2007 California Center for Population Research On-Line Working Paper Series
Rubiacearum Americanarum Magna Hama Pars XLIV: Review of the Palicourea pilosa Group, With Some New Species and a New Subspecies (Palicoureeae)

Palicourea Aubl. (Rubiaceae) comprises a large group of Neotropical species, many of which were previously classified in Psychotria L. subg. Heteropsychotria Steyerm. Ongoing study of those species here clarifies the identity of Palicourea pilosa (Ruiz & Pav.) Borhidi, Palicourea hazenii (Standl.) Borhidi, and several similar species, and classifies them all in Palicourea subg. Montanae C. M. Taylor sect. Montanae ser. 4 subser. f. Twenty-five species found from southern Central America through western South America are studied here. The circumscription of Palicourea pilosa is narrowed, four new nomenclatural combinations are made in Palicourea, and 10 new species and one new subspecies are described.
Polymer-stabilized graphene dispersions at high concentrations in organic solvents for composite production

Abstract We demonstrate a simple and effective technique for dispersing pristine (unfunctionalized) graphene at high concentrations in a wide range of organic solvents by use of a stabilizing polymer (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP). These polymer-stabilized graphene dispersions are shown to be highly stable and readily redispersible even after freeze-drying. This technique yields significantly higher graphene concentrations compared to prior studies. An excellent increase in the thermal conductivity of the fluid by the addition of pristine graphene is also demonstrated. These well-dispersed pristine graphene sheets were then used as a strong and conductive nano-filler for polymer composites. Graphene/PVP composites were produced by the bulk polymerization of N -vinylpyrrolidone loaded with dispersed graphene, resulting in excellent load transfer and improved mechanical and electrical properties.
Over 100 cases of zero-ischemia robotic/laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: Is global renal ischemia necessary?

e15060 Background: We report peri-operative and short-term outcomes of a novel technique of zero-ischemia robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (PN) for renal masses. Methods: From March 201...
Nitrogen provisioned and recycled by cover crops in monoculture and mixture across two organic farms

Cover crops can supply and recycle soil nitrogen (N) in agroecosystems. With increasing interest in cover crop mixtures, farmers have questions about how N cycling is affected by individual species when planted alone or in mixtures. Field trials were conducted on two organic vegetable farms during the spring and summer of 2014–2016 to quantify biomass tissue N provisioned, soil nitrate (NO3-N) scavenged, and soil NO3-N mineralized from 12 species of cover crops (six spring and six summer species) planted in monoculture or five-way mixtures. All cover crops were compared to weedy and weeded (no cover crops or weeds) controls. Cover crops provisioned 28–33% more biomass tissue N than fallow weeds. Among spring cover crops, field pea produced the most biomass tissue N (131 ± 13 kg N ha−1; mean ± 1 SE) but that benefit disappeared when pea abundance was reduced in mixtures. Soil NO3-N to a depth of 0.2 m was reduced by 50–67% during cover crop and weed growth, regardless of treatment. Soil NO3-N availability approximately 1 month after incorporation of cover crop and weedy residues varied by treatment. Post-incorporation soil NO3-N was 17–19% greater in pea and soybean monocultures compared to mixtures; conversely, soil NO3-N was 17–19% lower following incorporation of buckwheat and sudangrass monocultures compared to mixtures. Results of this study demonstrate that cover crop N recycling services in near-surface soil are largely independent of species or mixture, but N provisioning services require careful management and species selection to ensure maximum biomass tissue N and timely N mineralization.
Dynamic Instructions for Lock-Out Tag-Out.

Lock-out tag-out (LOTO) instructions protect personnel from unexpected re-energization or start-up of equipment that is under maintenance. Even though there is rigorous training associated with LOTO activities, incidents still occur. Idaho National Laboratory is researching and developing dynamic LOTO instructions, which supports automatic place keeping, personnel working on multiple instructions, and multiple work groups completing the same instructions. Researchers identified user needs through subject matter expert interviews, observations, and classroom training. Failing to identify potential hazards during LOTO can cause injury or death to personnel. Dynamic instructions help to guide the user seamlessly through the instructions. Combining planning and record keeping may lead to clearer, more applicable instructions which addresses the reason for compliance issues with current paper-based procedures.
Continuing Patent Applications and Performance of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as of Fiscal Year 2018

This study is the tenth in a succession of studies of the impact of continuing patent applications on USPTO performance. It presents and analyzes data from United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Annual Reports and a from a series of FOIA requests for the period from 1973 through 2018 (1980 through 2018 for UPR Allowance Rates/Grant Rates, 1983 through 2018 for Abandoned Applications and Application Disposals). Examination performance of the USPTO continued to decline in FY 2018 as UPR Application Allowance Rates/Grant Rates corrected for Refiled Continuing Applications reached a record 100%, exceeding the previous record 99% in FY 2001. The number of Applications Allowed (334,799) and Patents Issued (308,631) remained near record levels. The number of Refiled Continuing Applications (274,629), which are reworked for the USPTO, approached the number of Original and Divisional Applications (323,129) and comprised 46% of the total number of applications filed in FY 2018. Abolition of Refiled Continuing Applications would eliminate this rework and increase the resources available for examination of Original and Divisional applications by as much as 85% without any increase in staff or budget. The number of Abandoned Applications that were Refiled (185,880) was more than double the number of Abandoned Applications that were Not Refiled (90,297), and the number of Applications Allowed (334,799) was more than three and one-half times the number of Applications Abandoned Without Refiling (90,297). UPR Application Backlogs declined slightly.
The Rematch of the Tortoise and the Hare: A Story of Speed and Velocity.

In traditional introductory physics courses, concepts of distance, displacement, speed, velocity, scalars, and vectors are generally taught near the beginning of the course. However, students often contend with preexisting notions, such as the idea that speed and velocity are synonyms, which present some of the first conceptual hurdles that they face. “The Rematch of the Tortoise and the Hare” (provided below) offers a modern sequel to an ancient fable, and has been used to successfully help students differentiate between average speed and average velocity where traditional instruction has failed.
Reliable Graph Neural Network Explanations Through Adversarial Training.

Graph neural network (GNN) explanations have largely been facilitated through post-hoc introspection. While this has been deemed successful, many post-hoc explanation methods have been shown to fail in capturing a model's learned representation. Due to this problem, it is worthwhile to consider how one might train a model so that it is more amenable to post-hoc analysis. Given the success of adversarial training in the computer vision domain to train models with more reliable representations, we propose a similar training paradigm for GNNs and analyze the respective impact on a model's explanations. In instances without ground truth labels, we also determine how well an explanation method is utilizing a model's learned representation through a new metric and demonstrate adversarial training can help better extract domain-relevant insights in chemistry.