cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ANTIPREDATOR ADAPTATIONS AND PREDATOR AVOIDANCE BY TWO COLOR MORPHS OF THE EASTERN RED-BACKED SALAMANDER, PLETHODON CINEREUS

Populations of eastern red-backed salamanders, Plethodon cinereus, exhibit color polymorphism, and two color morphs are common: the red-striped morph and the lead-phase morph. A recent hypothesis attributes the maintenance of the polymorphism to selection on behavior and physiology. We conducted a series of laboratory experiments and a field study to determine whether striped and lead-phase salamanders exhibit different antipredator responses and whether predators differentially attacked the color forms. In predation trials, red-striped salamanders spent significantly more time in an “all trunk raised” posture and tended to remain immobile, whereas lead-phase salamanders were significantly more mobile. In field collected museum specimens of individual P. cinereus, we found more lead-phase salamanders with autotomized tails compared to red-striped salamanders, possibly indicating different attack rates on the two forms. The results from this study demonstrate that striped and lead-phase salamanders of P. c...
Protein, energy and dry matter consumption by racing standardbreds: A field survey

Summary A field survey involving 112 Standardbred race horses in 14 stables at a Detroit racetrack was conducted to determine feeding practices of the Standardbred trainers, to estimate crude protein (CP), digestible energy (DE), and dry matter (DM) consumption by racing Standardbreds, and to compare those intakes with 1989 recommendations of the National Research Council (NRC), “Nutrient Requirements of Horses.” Trainers were interviewed regarding: 1) the age and sex of the horses; 2) their feeding practices, and 3) the horse's training and racing schedule. Only adult horses which were actively racing and continuously stabled at the track were included. Body weights (BW) estimated using a chest girth measurement resulted in an overall mean BW of 449 kg. Body condition scores were established for each horse with an overall mean score of 5.7 which indicated average body condition for a racing Standardbred at this track. Typical rations from each stable were weighed, and feed samples of hays and concentrates were analyzed at a commercial laboratory to determine CP, DM, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and estimated energy density. A computer program calculated CP, DE, and DM values for each horse's ration based on amounts fed. The software program included with the 1989 NRC publication was used to compare estimated nutrient intakes with current NRC recommendations for a horse of a given BW. All trainers fed a variety of hays and commercial grain mixes, and five trainers fed oats separately. The mean total intake of feed for all horses on an “as fed” basis was 16.1 kg. The estimated mean DM intake for all horses was 14.4 kg vs. NRC recommended 10.6 kg. The mean percentage of rough-age in the ration for all stables was 64% vs. a NRC recommendation of 35%. The mean CP% on a DM basis for all stables' rations was 14.5% vs. the NRC recommendation of 11.4%. The mean daily CP and estimated DE intakes for all horses were 2113 g and 37.6 Meal, respectively, in contrast to current NRC recommendations of 1189 g CP and 29.7 Meal DE. These data indicate that estimated CP, DE, and DM consumption are above the recommendations of NRC in 1989.
Determination of Homogentisic Acid in Urine

A relatively simple method for the quantitative determination of homogentisic acid in urine is presented. Homogentisic acid (2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) is oxidized by atmospheric oxygen in mild alkali to form 1,4-benzoquinone-2-acetic acid. The latter compound is then conjugated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. The resulting hydrazone, in the presence of alcoholic sodium hydroxide, produces a characteristic lavender color with an absorption maximum at 570-580 mµ. A sample blank is run without oxidation to compensate for the carbonyls that may be present in the sample. The absorption curve produced is characteristic of homogentisic acid and may thus be used for its identification.
Fused aromatic thienopyrazines: structure, properties and function

Recent development of a fused aromatic thieno[3.4-b]pyrazine system and their application in optoelectronic devices are reviewed. Introduction of a fused aromatic unit followed by side chain engineering, dramatically enhanced the charge carrier mobility in thin film transistor devices and mobilities up to 0.2 cm2/Vs were achieved. The optoelectronic properties of these fused aromatic thienopyrazine polymers (Eg = 1.3 to 1.6 eV, HOMO = −4.9 to −5.2 V) were tuned by introduction of various fused aromatic rings within thienopyrazine. By balancing the fundamental properties of these polymers, both high charge carrier mobilities and moderate PCEs in solar cells were achieved. Further, effects of copolymerizing units are discussed. Low band gap semiconducting polymer (Eg ∼ 1 eV) with high field effect mobility (0.044 cm2/Vs) was obtained using cyclopentadithiophene as copolymerizing unit. Finally, a molecular design approach to enhance the absorption coefficients is discussed, which resulted in improved power conversion efficiency in bulk heterojunction solar cells.
Elucidation of a novel lipid A α-(1,1)-GalA transferase gene (rgtF) from Mesorhizobium loti: Heterologous expression of rgtF causes Rhizobium etli to synthesize lipid A with α-(1,1)-GalA

An unusual α-(1,1)-galacturonic acid (GalA) lipid A modification has been reported in the lipopolysaccharide of a number of interesting Gram-negative bacteria, including the nitrogen-fixing bacteria Azospirillum lipoferum, Mesorhizobium huakuii and M. loti, the stalk-forming bacterium Caulobacter crescentus and the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus. However, the α-(1,1)-GalA transferase (GalAT) gene, which we have named RgtF, was not identified. Species of the Rhizobium genera produce lipid A with α-(1,4')-GalA but not α-(1,1)-GalA. The Rhizobium GalAT, RgtD, is the lipid A α-(1-4')-GalAT which utilizes the lipid donor dodecaprenyl-phosphate GalA (Dod-P-GalA) for GalA transfer. An additional Rhizobium GalAT, RgtE, is required for the biosynthesis of Dod-P-GalA. We predicted candidate rgtF genes in bacterial species known to produce lipid A with α-(1,1)-GalA. In order to determine the predicted rgtF gene function, we cloned the M. loti rgtF gene into an expression plasmid and introduced that plasmid into Rhizobium etli strains that do not contain the rgtF gene nor produce lipid A α-(1,1)-GalA. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis combined with NMR studies revealed that the lipid As from these rgtF-complemented strains were modified with an additional α-(1,1)-GalA attached to the proximal glucosamine.
Molecular etiology of a dominant form of type III hyperlipoproteinemia caused by R142C substitution in apoE4.

We have used adenovirus-mediated gene transfer in apolipoprotein (apo)E−/− mice to elucidate the molecular etiology of a dominant form of type III hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) caused by the R142C substitution in apoE4. It was found that low doses of adenovirus expressing apoE4 cleared cholesterol, whereas comparable doses of apoE4[R142C] greatly increased plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, and apoE levels, caused accumulation of apoE in VLDL/IDL/LDL region, and promoted the formation of discoidal HDL. Co-expression of apoE4[R142C] with lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) or lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in apoE−/− mice partially corrected the apoE4[R142C]-induced dyslipidemia. High doses of C-terminally truncated apoE4[R142C]-202 partially cleared cholesterol in apoE−/− mice and promoted formation of discoidal HDL. The findings establish that apoE4[R142C] causes accumulation of apoE in VLDL/IDL/LDL region and affects in vivo the activity of LCAT and LPL, the maturation of HDL, and the clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. The prevention of apoE4[R142C]-induced dyslipidemia by deletion of the 203-299 residues suggests that, in the full-length protein, the R142C substitution may have altered the conformation of apoE bound to VLDL/IDL/LDL in ways that prevent triglyceride hydrolysis, cholesterol esterification, and receptor-mediated clearance in vivo.
Long Term Inter- And Intra-Regional Stochastic Trends To Middle East And North African Capital Markets

This paper investigates the contribution of Middle East and North African (MENA) capital markets to global strategic asset allocation. Eleven MENA stock markets are examined from January 1 st , 1990 to December 30th, 2001. Cointegration studies are conducted on daily, weekly and monthly stock market index price to investigate long-term market linkages. Our results indicate few pairwise stochastic trends between markets, but no common long-term co-movements. We suggest that MENA markets provide diversification potentials for the global investor and should not be treated as a block for global strategic asset allocation purposes.
Demographic factors in hip fracture incidence and mortality rates in California, 2000–2011

Hip fractures result in both health and cost burdens from a public health perspective and have a major impact on the health care system in the USA. The purpose was to examine whether there were systematic differences in hip fracture incidence and 30-, 90-, and 365-day mortality after hip fracture in the California population as a function of age, gender, and race/ethnicity from 2000–2011. This was a population-based study from 2000 to 2011 using data from the California Office of Statewide Health and Planning and Development (OSHPD, N = 317,677), California State Death Statistical Master File records (N = 224,899), and the US Census 2000 and 2010. There were a total of 317,677 hospital admissions for hip fractures over the 12-year span and 24,899 deaths following hip fractures. All participants without linkage (substituted for social security) numbers were excluded from mortality rate calculations. Variation in incidence and mortality rates across time, gender, race/ethnicity, and age were assessed using Poisson regression models. Odds ratio and 95 % confidence intervals are provided. The incidence rate of hip fractures decreased between 2000 and 2011 (odds ratio (OR) = 0.98, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.98, 0.98). Mortality rates also decreased over time. There were gender, race/ethnicity, and age group differences in both incidence and mortality rates. Males were half as likely to sustain a hip fracture, but their mortality within a year of the procedure is almost twice the rate than women. As age increased, the prevalence of hip fracture increased dramatically, but mortality did not increase as steeply. Caucasians were more likely to sustain a hip fracture and to die within 1 year after a hip fracture. The disparities in subpopulations will allow for targeted population interventions and opportunities for further research.
The Costs and Benefits of Switching a Drug from Prescription-Only to Over-the-Counter Status

In recent years various governments, pharmacy associations, consumer groups and the pharmaceutical industry have suggested that more drugs should be switched from prescription-only (Rx) to over-the-counter (OTC) status. Many rationales have been offered, including lowering healthcare costs, taking advantage of pharmacists’ training and knowledge, promoting the concept of prevention and self-care, and increasing sales of pharmaceuticals.
Historical Assessment of Some Specific Methods for Projecting the AIDS Epidemic

Extrapolation and back-calculation methods for predicting future acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) incidence are assessed by examining how they would have performed at various points in the past. The methods use monthly AIDS diagnosis counts through December 1991 for all adults and adolescents in the United States to predict diagnoses 1 -3 years into the future. When used on seasonally adjusted data, the average errors in projections by the different methods are smaller than the possible errors due to uncertainty in AIDS counts. This suggests that measuring and improving the completeness of AIDS surveillance may have more potential to improve projections than methodological enhancements
Electrical machines for power generation in oscillating wave energy conversion system — A comparative study

In this paper, system level design of an oscillating wave energy conversion system (WECS) using doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) is compared with systems using squirrel-cage induction generator (SCIG) and permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG). The comparative study is carried out considering major hardware components and their rating requirements for each system. Although, SCIG and PMSG based systems are more simple and reliable, DFIG can enable compact and cost effective systems especially for high power WECS design. DFIG can generate power above its nominal rating at super-synchronous rotor speed and hence can offer an attractive solution for the oscillating power pattern of WECS. Moreover, rotor side control of the DFIG enables one to work with lower voltage and power level which effectively reduces the ratings of the power converters and other passive elements in the system. The system design comparison is performed with a wave energy converter (WEC) modeled for maximum power output around 500 kW. System operation with singly-fed generator (SCIG) and doubly-fed generator (DFIG) have been studied through simulation in real time simulator (OPAL-RT). The results of the comparison are shown with details of the major component rating of each system.
Decay Modes of O 16 Giant Resonance States

A Ge(Li) detector has been used to observe de-excitation $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays from ${\mathrm{O}}^{15}$ and ${\mathrm{N}}^{15}$ following the photodisintegration of ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ at giant resonance energies. Significant branching to the (${\mathrm{\textonehalf{}}}^{+}$, ${\frac{5}{2}}^{+}$) states near 5 MeV implies a departure from a single-particle, single-hole $E1$ absorption process.
Zika virus: An update on epidemiology, pathology, molecular biology, and animal model

Zika virus (ZIKV) was first described in 1947, and became a health emergency problem in 2016 when its association with fetal microcephaly cases was confirmed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. To date, ZIKV infection has been documented in 66 countries. ZIKV is recognized as a neurotropic virus and numerous diseases manifested in multiple neurological disorders have been described, mainly in countries that have been exposed to ZIKV after the 2007 outbreak in the Federated States of Micronesia. The most dramatic consequence of ZIKV infection documented is the abrupt increase in fetal microcephaly cases in Brazil. Here, we present an update of the published research progress in the past few months. J. Med. Virol. 88:1291-1296, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Partial Decomposition Bases and Global Warfield Groups

The class of abelian groups with partial decomposition bases was developed by the first author in order to generalize Barwise and Eklof's classification of torsion groups in L∞ω. In this article, we continue to explore algebraic characteristics of this class and establish a uniqueness theorem, extending our previous work on mixed p-local groups to the global case. It is shown that groups with partial decomposition bases are characterized in terms of Warfield groups and k-groups of Hill and Megibben. In fact, we prove that the class of groups with partial decomposition bases is identical to the class of k-groups, and, as such, closed under direct summands, and that every finitely generated subgroup of a k-group is locally nice. Also, we introduce and explore subgroups possessing a partial subbasis. As an application, it is shown that isotype k-subgroups of abelian groups are k-groups.
Diabetes, hypertension, sanitation, and health education by high school students in Guyana, South America.

We initiated a program for early detection of diabetes and hypertension, the main causes of kidney failure in Guyana, South America. We trained local high school students with the goal that these students would stay in the villages for long-term, become health advocates and shift the reliance away from physicians. This project involved 7 high school students who were taught to monitor the health of one village of 1000–1500 population each. The program will be implemented for 3 years in which the entire population of seven villages (approximately 10,000 people) will be covered. This represents 1.3% population in Guyana. We present data from the pilot study from the sample of 619 people. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 13.9%. Among diabetics, 33.7% were using insulin and 86% oral hypoglycemic agents. Prevalence of hypertension was 29.4%, 63.2% were overweight and 17% were obese. About 9.9% patients were unaware about the existence of hypertension. We have shown in our study that high school students can be used to collect health data and monitor diabetes and hypertension. There was also a significant incidence of undetected diabetes and hypertension.
Pulse Interferences Elimination and Classification of On-line UHF PD Signals

In order to eliminate pulse type interference signals in transformer partial discharge signals,an inside-outside signal antithesis method and inter-phase antithesis method were proposed to exclude external pulse type interferences,and were used to on-line UHF PD monitoring system of a 500 kV three-phase split type power transformer. The characteristic parameters including pulse initial phase,average pulse amplitude,maximum pulse amplitude,pulse number from the UHF enveloped signal in power frequency period were extracted. Data after interference eliminated were classified with fuzzy clustering and gray clustering method,and other interference signals were eliminated. The classified PD signals were statistically analyzed with PRPD and the diagnosis assessment on PD activities was made. The analysis shows that the proposed method is effective for interference signal elimination and partial discharge fault information extraction.
Patient Selection and Appropriateness

The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF), the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), and the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) published appropriate use criteria (AUC) for coronary revascularization (Fig. 6.1) to guide physicians in delivering high-quality care in patients with cardiovascular diseases. These guidelines are evidence based or are expert consensus opinion (when evidence is lacking that is approved by ACCF and the American Heart Association.
Regional SPECT imaging using sampling Principles and Multiple Pinholes

There may be many SPECT imaging applications in which a small region is primarily of interest. One such case is imaging in the radiation therapy treatment room, as the patient is on the treatment table in position for radiation therapy. This onboard imaging is currently performed by cone-beam CT. The purpose of this onboard imaging is to fine tune localization of the tumor target. It has been proposed that onboard SPECT could be useful for target localization and also for imaging biological function for the purpose of real-time re-planning of therapy beams. Onboard imaging would need to be accomplished within about 5 minutes. Herein we propose that this might be done by regional SPECT imaging in which multi-pinhole collimation is used to concentrate a large detector surface on a small (e.g. 7cm-diameter) region. Pinhole trajectories are designed in accord with recent developments regarding complete sampling in the presence of truncation. A 9-pinhole system is found to outperform two single-pinhole systems as well as a smaller, reference parallel-hole-collimated detector. Realistic computer-aided design (CAD) studies are shown to illustrate how an onboard SPECT system could be implemented.
Xunzi Among the Chinese Neo-Confucians

This chapter explains how Xunzi’s text and views helped shape the thought of the Neo-Confucian philosophers, noting and explicating some areas of influence long overlooked in modern scholarship. It begins with a general overview of Xunzi’s changing position in the tradition (“Xunzi’s Status in Neo-Confucian Thought”), in which I discuss Xunzi’s status in three general periods of Neo-Confucian era: the early period, in which Neo-Confucian views of Xunzi were varied and somewhat ambiguous, the “mature” period, in which a broad consensus formed and then became orthodoxy for several centuries, and a late and often overlooked reassessment of Xunzi that took place in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In the second section (“Debating Human Nature on Xunzi’s Terms”), I discuss in greater detail Neo-Confucian criticisms of Xunzi’s views on human nature, noting that in key respects the Neo-Confucians accepted Xunzi’s somewhat uncharitable characterization of the doctrine that human nature is good, thereby taking on a considerably greater burden of proof than necessary. In the third section (“Virtue without Roots”), I attempt to explicate what is perhaps the most prominent but also the most laconic Neo-Confucian criticism of Xunzi, which is that Xunzi misunderstands the “great root” or “great foundation” of cosmic and social order, finding it in conventional human relationships rather than in the deeper, purer and more powerful inner workings of human nature. In the final section (“The Accretional Theory of Knowledge Acquisition”), I explain how the major differences between Xunzi and his Neo-Confucian critics can be cast as a dispute about how moral knowledge is acquired, where Xunzi’s critics assume that acquiring moral knowledge of any meaningful kind is impossible without a natural base or foundation of moral knowledge to begin with.
Coenzyme A thioester formation of 11- and 15-oxo-eicosatetraenoic acid

Release of arachidonic acid (AA) by cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), followed by metabolism through cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), results in the formation of the eicosanoids 11-oxo- and 15-oxo-eicosatetraenoic acid (oxo-ETE). Both 11-oxo- and 15-oxo-ETE have been identified in human biospecimens but their function and further metabolism is poorly described. The oxo-ETEs contain an α,β-unsaturated ketone and a free carboxyclic acid, and thus may form Michael adducts with a nucleophile or a thioester with the free thiol of Coenzyme A (CoA). To examine the potential for eicosanoid-CoA formation, which has not previously been a metabolic route examined for this class of lipids, we applied a semi-targeted neutral loss scanning approach following arachidonic acid treatment in cell culture and detected inducible long-chain acyl-CoAs including a predominant AA-CoA peak. Interestingly, a series of AA-inducible acyl-CoAs at lower abundance but higher mass, likely corresponding to eicosanoid metabolites, was detected. Using a targeted LC-MS/MS approach we detected the formation of CoA thioesters of both 11-oxo- and 15-oxo-ETE and monitored the kinetics of their formation. Subsequently, we demonstrated that these acyl-CoA species undergo up to four double bond reductions. We confirmed the generation of 15-oxo-ETE-CoA in human platelets via LC-high resolution MS. Acyl-CoA thioesters of eicosanoids may provide a route to generate reducing equivalents, substrates for fatty acid oxidation, and substrates for acyl-transferases through cPLA2-dependent eicosanoid metabolism outside of the signaling contexts traditionally ascribed to eicosanoid metabolites.
TJBot: An Open Source DIY Cardboard Robot for Programming Cognitive Systems

TJBot is an open source, interactive robot designed to encourage people to build with cognitive services in a fun way. He is a paper robot, which can also be 3D printed, and comes with an initial set of recipes that bring him to life. Recipes are a combination of step-by-step instructions plus sample code that walk people through the assembly of the robot, its hardware components, and software code that connects him to Watson cognitive services. TJBot can be programmed to listen, speak, see and recognize, shine his LED, understand emotions, and wave his arm. TJBot was designed for two communities: makers, who enjoy the DIY aspects of building and programming novel devices, and students, who can learn about programming cognitive systems. At our demo, people can build their very own TJBot out of cardboard and interact with him through speech.
Considering technology-based ecological elements in lesbian, gay, and bisexual partnered relationships*

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual-identifying (LGB) individuals and couples have a longer and more involved history of Internet-based technological engagement when compared to their heterosexual-identifyi...
Trainee Responses to Hurricane Harvey: Correlating Volunteerism with Burnout (P3.154)

Objective: To investigate the impact of Hurricane Harvey on new trainees and correlate volunteerism with measures of burnout and resilience. Background: Natural disasters take a heavy toll on physicians, who experience the impact through patients and suffer vicarious traumatization and burnout. Physician burnout is an epidemic and new trainees in Houston underwent even more upheaval and stress during Hurricane Harvey. Many volunteered during the hurricane. Volunteering has been associated with improved mental and physical health and may inoculate against physician burnout. Design/Methods: 33 new trainees from all specialties in our institution voluntarily responded to take an online survey on the impact of Hurricane Harvey and answer questions from the abbreviated Maslach burnout survey and Resiliency Quiz. High scorers on Maslach survey were defined as 12 and above. High scorers on the Resiliency Quiz were defined as 80 and above. Results: Top areas impacted by the hurricane were emotional health (32%), eating habits (29%), family (25%), finances (25%). Of responders, 20 volunteered (61%) and 13 did not. Top voluntary activities were covering for colleagues (50%), donating money and supplies (36%), cleaning and rebuilding (36%). Volunteering was associated with feelings of being appreciated (76%), happiness (62%), thankfulness (57%), purposefulness (43%). Percentage of high scorers in personal achievement was significantly higher in the volunteers compared to non-volunteers (90% vs 61%, p=0.05) and in emotional exhaustion was lower in the volunteers (45% vs 54%, p value insignificant). Percentage of high scorers in depersonalization and resilience differed minimally between the 2 groups. Conclusions: Hurricane Harvey affected health, finances and family of a significant proportion of new trainees. Volunteers experienced feelings of appreciation, happiness, thankfulness and purpose, consistent with scoring highly on personal achievement. This cross-sectional survey shows that volunteerism in trainees is associated with less burnout, suggesting that volunteer opportunities should be made available in programs addressing trainee burnout. Disclosure: Dr Yeo has nothing to disclose. Dr Roman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mersinger has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kusnerik has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thomas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Burt has nothing to disclose. Dr. Boone has nothing to disclose. Dr. Powell has nothing to disclose.
The Effects of Delayed Report and Motive for Reporting on Perceptions of Sexual Harassment

We examined whether the timing of the report and the victim's apparent motive for reporting influences women's and men's perceptions of sexual harassment. Undergraduates (153 women, 149 men) listened to 1 of 6 versions of audiotaped testimony of the victim and defendant. The report was filed either immediately or 18 months later, and motive either was presented as altruistic, retaliatory, or was not specified. Participants chose a verdict, rated the defendant's guilt, and rated the defendant and victim on several dimensions. Higher guilt ratings, more positive evaluations of the victim, and more negative evaluations of the defendant were associated with immediate reporting and an altruistic motive, although women weighed these factors more heavily than did men.
Premenstrual Syndrome: Implications for Psychiatric Practice

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) presents a unique challenge to medicine, and to psychiatry in particular. The work reported by the other authors of this volume highlights the diversity of approaches that have been used to understand this syndrome. This chapter will apply these ideas to the current practice of psychiatry.
American Pragmatism, Disability, and the Politics of Resilience in Mental Health Education

In this chapter, we critique a concept of resilience that has emerged from contemporary positive psychology and its application to health education. We argue that the present popularity of “resilience” as a strategy for managing mental health discourages educational institutions from providing students with the mental health services they need. Using the tools of American pragmatism, especially the work of John Dewey (1859–1552), we criticize the paradigm of resilience and identify several concrete reformulations of disability studies which would make concrete differences in the lives of those with mental disability.
Queens Around the World in Twenty-Five Years

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a mathematician entering a new field must be in want of a good problem.
The irrelevance of phantom nuclei in crystallization kinetics: An integral equation approach

Abstract An integral equation for crystallization kinetics that takes into account impingement and prevents the emergence of phantom nuclei is derived. We assume that crystallization proceeds by the growth of crystalline spherical domains, which develop from stable nuclei that emerge in the untransformed phase. In contrast to previous formulations, our approach does not require elaborate geometrical considerations or the need of concepts such as correlation functions or extended volume. Instead, by introducing two crystallization-dependent factors, we assume that nucleation and growth are restricted to the untransformed phase. It is shown that in the special case in which the nucleation rate is made constant, allowing in this way the emergence of unphysical phantom nuclei, our integral expression reduces to the classical Avrami exponential equation. It is found that this latter expression predicts values very close to those corresponding to the case in which phantom nuclei are not allowed to exist, confirming in this way the numerical insignificance of phantom nuclei. Geometric and kinetic arguments are given to shed light on this issue. For comparison purposes, it is illustrated that in the case of two-dimensional crystallization, phantom nuclei are slightly more relevant.
The Association Between Hospital Concentration And Insurance Premiums In ACA Marketplaces

Keeping the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance Marketplaces financially accessible is critically important to their viability. While the relationship between the number of insurers and Marketpl...
Single-Cell Glia and Neuron Gene Expression in the Central Amygdala in Opioid Withdrawal Suggests Inflammation With Correlated Gut Dysbiosis

Drug-seeking in opioid dependence is due in part to the severe negative emotion associated with the withdrawal syndrome. It is well-established that negative emotional states emerge from activity in the amygdala. More recently, gut microflora have been shown to contribute substantially to such emotions. We measured gene expression in single glia and neurons gathered from the amygdala using laser capture microdissection and simultaneously measured gut microflora in morphine-dependent and withdrawn rats to investigate drivers of negative emotion in opioid withdrawal. We found that neuroinflammatory genes, notably Tnf, were upregulated in the withdrawal condition and that astrocytes, in particular, were highly active. We also observe a decreased Firmicutes to Bacteroides ratio in opioid withdrawal indicating gut dysbiosis. We speculate that these inflammatory and gut microflora changes contribute to the negative emotion experienced in opioid withdrawal that motivates dependence.
Probing of single quantum dot dressed states via an off-resonant cavity

In recent experiments on coupled quantum dot (QD) optical cavity systems, a pronounced interaction between the dot and the cavity has been observed even for detunings of many cavity linewidths. This interaction has been attributed to an incoherent phonon-mediated scattering process and is absent in atomic systems. Here, we demonstrate that despite its incoherent nature, this process preserves the signatures of coherent interaction between a QD and a strong driving laser, which may be observed via the optical emission from the off-resonant cavity. Under bichromatic driving of the QD, the cavity emission exhibits spectral features consistent with optical dressing of the QD transition. These cavity emission measurements are more akin to absorption measurements of a strongly driven QD rather than resonance fluorescence measurements. In addition to revealing new aspects of the off-resonant QD-cavity interaction, this result provides a new, simpler means of coherently probing QDs and opens the possibility of employing off-resonant cavities to optically interface QD nodes in quantum networks.
Phylogenetic Inference and the Evolution of Behavior

The use of behavioral characters in phylogenetic investigations is discussed in this article. Key concepts in phylogenetics are reviewed, and behavioral characters are considered. It is shown that behavior does not pose any special problems for phylogenetic analysis; in many cases, behavior is more easily circumscribed and more generally amenable to phylogenetics than other sources of data. Methods of analysis, including recent advancements in the phylogenetic treatment of behavioral characters, are reviewed.
Mercury concentrations in blubber and skin from stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the Florida and Louisiana coasts (Gulf of Mexico, USA) in relation to biological variables.

Due to their long life-span and top trophic position, odontocetes can accumulate high concentrations of mercury (Hg) in their tissues. This study measured the concentration of total Hg (THg) in the blubber and skin of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that stranded along the Florida (FL) panhandle and Louisiana (LA) coasts and investigated the relationship between total Hg (THg) concentration and sex, body length, age, stranding location, diet/trophic position (δ13C and δ15N, respectively), and foraging habitat (δ34S). Additionally, we compared models using body length and age as explanatory variables to determine which was a better predictor of THg concentration. In both tissues, sex was not an influential predictor of THg concentration and there was a positive relationship between body length/age and THg concentration (p < 0.001). Florida dolphins had greater mean blubber and skin THg concentrations compared to LA dolphins (p < 0.001). There was a modest improvement in model fit when age was used in place of body length. δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S differed between stranding locations and together with age were significant predictors of THg concentrations (R2 = 0.52, P < 0.001). Florida dolphins were δ13C enriched compared to LA dolphins (p < 0.001) and THg concentrations were positively correlated with δ13C (R2 = 0.22, p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate spatial variability in THg concentrations from stranded bottlenose dolphins from the northern Gulf of Mexico; however, future research is required to understand how fine-scale population structuring of dolphins within FL and LA impacts THg concentrations, particularly among inshore (bay, sound, and estuary) stocks and between inshore and offshore stocks, as variations in biotic and abiotic conditions can influence both stable isotope ratios and THg concentrations.
Rapid analysis of animal drug residues by microcolumn solid-phase extraction and thermal desorption-ion trap mass spectrometry.

A new approach was developed for the rapid and quantitative determination of an anthelmintic drug, phenothiazine, in milk. The technique involves a simple extraction procedure using a C{sub 18} microcolumn disc, followed by thermal desorption of the analyte from the disc directly into an ion trap mass spectrometer. The compounds are selectively ionized by isobutane chemical ionization and detected by tandem mass spectrometry. With this approach, 10 ppb detection limits were achieved with as little as 100 {mu}L mild and only 10 min of analysis time. This approach was used to analyze samples of milk taken from a cow administered a one-time therapeutic dose of phenothiazine. The target compound could be detected at 56 post-dosage, corresponding to a concentration of 30 ppb. 13 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.
Translational control of MPS1 links protein synthesis with the initiation of cell division and spindle pole body duplication in yeast

ABSTRACT Protein synthesis underpins cell growth and controls when cells commit to a new round of cell division at a point in late G1 of the cell cycle called Start. Passage through Start also coincides with the duplication of the microtubule-organizing centers, the yeast spindle pole bodies, which will form the two poles of the mitotic spindle that segregates the chromosomes in mitosis. The conserved Mps1p kinase governs the duplication of the spindle pole body in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we show that the MPS1 transcript has a short upstream open reading frame that represses the synthesis of Mps1p. Mutating the MPS1 uORF makes the cells smaller, accelerates the appearance of Mps1p in late G1, and promotes completion of Start. The accelerated Start of MPS1 uORF mutants depends on the G1 cyclin Cln3p. Monitoring the spindle pole body in the cell cycle using structured illumination microscopy revealed that mutating the MPS1 uORF enabled cells to duplicate their spindle pole body earlier, at a smaller cell size. For the first time, these results identify growth inputs in mechanisms that control duplication of the microtubule-organizing center and implicate these processes in general mechanisms that couple growth with division.
Studies on Frequency Response Optimized Integrators Considering Second Order Derivative.

This paper presents comprehensive studies on frequency response optimized integrators considering second order derivative regarding their numerical error, numerical stability and transient performance. Frequency domain error analysis is conducted on these numerical integrators to reveal their accuracy. Numerical stability of the numerical integrators is investigated. Interesting new types of numerical stability are recognized. Transient performance of the numerical integrators is defined to qualitatively characterize their ability to track fast decaying transients. This property is related to unsatisfactory phenomena such as numerical oscillation which frequently appear in time domain simulation of circuits and systems. Transient performance analysis of the numerical integrators is provided. Theoretical observations from the analysis of the numerical integrators are verified via time domain case studies.
A Phantom Phallus

Responding to Straayer’s article linking the phenomenon of phantom limbs to the experience of trans men, I highlight common features between neuroscience and psychoanalysis. My commentary questions...
Altered Inheritance: CRISPR and the Ehics of Human Genome Editing: by Françoise Baylis, London, Harvard University Press, 2019, 240 pp., $24.95/19.95 (cloth)

Francoise Baylis’s “aim in writing this book is to improve the ethics literacy and science literacy of those who are keen to reflect on the ethics and governance of deliberately altering the genome...
United States' Obstetrician/Gynecologists' Readiness to Care for Women Affected by Female Genital Cutting.

Background: Female genital cutting (FGC) is a form of gender-based violence with obstetrical and gynecological complications that require recognition and care. Data suggest that United States' phys...
Differences in Soil Microbial Communities in Dryland Forage Production Systems in Semi-arid Texas High Plains

The declining water supply for irrigation in the semi-arid Texas High Plains is encouraging some growers to transition their continuous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) land to dryland production of forages for grazing cattle and hay. These changes can modify soil water dynamics, which might affect soil microbial communities. The objective of this study was to determine changes in soil microbial communities following the transition from cotton to dryland annual forages at 0‒5 cm and 5‒15 cm over time. Soil water content was greater (P ≤ 0.05) in fall 2018 than in fall 2016 at both depths. Soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) was greater (P < 0.001) at 0‒5 cm and numerically greater (P = 0.10) at 5‒15 cm in fall 2016 compared to fall 2018. In contrast, fall 2018 had greater soil microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) than fall 2016 at both depths, but not significantly (P ≥ 0.15). Soil microbial community structure showed no sampling-time effect on total fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) nor on total fungal and bacterial populations at both depths. Soil microbial communities were generally at least maintained in dryland annual forage production systems even after several years of transitioning from irrigated cotton to annual dryland forages.
A History of Modern Morocco: The Second Age of Hassan II

Following the triumph of the Green March and the consolidation of the “sacred union,” Hassan II came to the conclusion that allegiance to the state could coexist with moderate expressions of opposition. Public opinion took the lead in showing him that the iron fist was no longer the most efficient instrument of rule, and that allowing criticism and dissent might even be healthy for the regime. The rise of an Islamist movement and other signs of social ferment helped to speed the progressive emergence of a civil society occupying the open space between the individual and the state, as human rights and civic associations, feminist and professional organizations, Berberist groups, and other special interests proliferated in the public sphere. The question was, how to allow this effervescence to go forward without causing an explosion. In a related development, the parties of the left, excluded from power for more than a generation, gained new life and rejoined the political process, with both the USFP (a radical splinter group of the UNFP formally declared in 1975) and the PPS (the Party of Progress and Socialism, the former Communist Party reborn under yet another new name) reentering the political arena. They were joined by older parties of the center and the right, complicating even further the intricate mosaic of Moroccan party politics. The 1984 elections, with its multiparty participation, confirmed the necessity for government by coalition, an arrangement that allowed the king to continue in his role as grand master of the political game, variously balancing, co-opting, distancing, and integrating the pieces on the chessboard, depending on the circumstances.
Saturated fatty acids, palm oil and cardiovascular health – where do we stand today?

For almost sixty years dietary fat has been the focal point for reducing the risk from coronary heart disease (CHD). With evidence based largely on animal and observational studies documenting that saturated fatty acids (SFA) increase LDL-C (with the latter being associated with increased CHD risk), the notion that SFA increased CHD, became etched in folklore. As a consequence, decreasing SFA to <10% of total calories, became the corner-stone of global dietary recommendations. Ironically, the fact that SFA increased the large buoyant LDL particles (as opposed to small-dense atherogenic LDL particles), or that they increased the cardio-protective HDL-C and in some instances, lowered the atherogenic Lp(a), went largely unnoticed. However a spate of studies starting in 2009 has dramatically challenged our thinking on the “widely accepted” role of SFA. Twenty year follow up data from prospective epidemiologic studies suggest that only two classes of fatty acids affect CHD risk, namely trans monounsaturated fatty acids (resulting principally from the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) – which increase and decrease risk, respectively. These studies suggested that when replacing/removing SFA from the diet, the replacement nutrient may be as important. Thus SFA replacement with PUFA may provide small benefits, but the replacement represents a dramatic shift in dietary regimen. The effects of replacing SFA with MUFA were inconclusive. If SFA are replaced with carbohydrates, then the quality of the carbohydrate (as measured by the glycemic index) is also important. Earlier this year, a highly publicized study found no benefit on CHD even when SFA were replaced by PUFA, and questioned the usefulness of this public health message. The data on SFA has had a profound effect on the perceived role of palm oil as a dietary constituent. As palm oil contains palmitic and stearic acid (45% and 5% of total fatty acids, respectively), its SFA content was always the focal point for its effects on lipoprotein cholesterol. Several studies have shown that when considering the TC/HDL-C ratio, palm oil produced similar effects as various unsaturated oils (soybean, olive, groundnut and canola). A meta-analysis published earlier this year has confirmed these observations – namely that while palm oil per se may increase LDL-C somewhat in certain instances, it also increases HDL-C. As a result the TC/HLD-C ratio is unaffected. This is particularly so when subjects are consuming ~ 30% of calories from total fat. This talk will provide an overview of the latest studies relating to palm oil /SFA nutrition, with a particular focus on their relevance to the Indian scenario where dyslipidemia, characterized by low HDL-C in 72% of the population, is a major health concern.
UVM, AN ULTRAVIOLET-INDUCIBLE RECA-INDEPENDENT MUTAGENIC PHENOMENON IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

Most mutagenic DNA lesions are noninstructive in the sense that template instruction is either missing or inaccessible during DNA replication, leading to replication arrest. According to the SOS hypothesis, arrested replication induces the expression of SOS factors that force replication past stalled sites at the cost of mutagenesis. We have recently shown that prior UV irradiation of delta recA cells, in which the SOS pathway does not function, enhances mutagenesis at an ethenocytosine residue borne on a circular gapped duplex DNA vector, indicating the existence of an SOS-independent inducible mutagenic phenomenon termed UVM (UV modulation of mutagenesis). In the previous experiments, mutation fixation was expected to occur during gap-filling DNA synthesis. To test whether UVM is observable during normal replication by DNA polymerase III, we have examined mutagenesis at an epsilon C residue borne on M13 single-stranded DNA. By analyzing mutation frequency and specificity using a multiplex sequence assay, we now show that UVM is observable in UV-irradiated recA+, and in delta recA cells. These data indicate that UV irradiation induces a previously unrecognized mutagenic mechanism in Escherichia coli, and that this mechanism is manifested during gap-filling DNA synthesis as well as during normal DNA replication.
Uncommon Glycosidases for the Enzymatic Preparation of Glycosides

Most of the reports in literature dedicated to the use of glycosyl hydrolases for the preparation of glycosides are about gluco- (α- and β-form) and galacto-sidase (β-form), reflecting the high-availability of both anomers of glucosides and of β-galactosides and their wide-ranging applications. Hence, the idea of this review was to analyze the literature focusing on hardly-mentioned natural and engineered glycosyl hydrolases. Their performances in the synthetic mode and natural hydrolytic potential are examined. Both the choice of articles and their discussion are from a biomolecular and a biotechnological perspective of the biocatalytic process, shedding light on new applicative ideas and on the assortment of biomolecular diversity. The hope is to elicit new interest for the development of biocatalysis and to gather attention of biocatalyst practitioners for glycosynthesis.