cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation Control and Obstacle Avoidance of Multiple Rectangular Agents With Limited Communication Ranges

Formation control of multiple agents has attracted many robotic and control researchers recently because of its potential applications in various fields. This paper presents a novel approach to the formation control and obstacle avoidance of multiple rectangular agents with limited communication ranges. The distributed control algorithm is designed by utilizing an artificial potential function. The convergence and stability analysis of the proposed control algorithm is given. The proposed control algorithm can guarantee fast formation performance and no collision among agents. Also, by proposing a potential repulsive function and utilizing it as an obstacle avoidance function, rectangular agents can perfectly avoid obstacles with different shapes and sizes. As a result, the rectangular agents can move together and quickly form a pre-defined shape of formation, such as a straight line, circle, and lattice, etc., while avoiding the obstacles. Simulation results are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Heritage of Service: The Physician Assistant Profession and the Threat of Commercialism

Perspective on Physician Assistant Education, Vol. 12, No. 3, Summer 2001 Authors desiring to contribute to the “Contemplative Page” should forward submissions to Donald M. Pedersen, PA-C, PhD, University of Utah Physician Assistant Program, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84108. Telephone: 801-581-7766; Fax: 801-581-5807; e-mail: dpedersen@upap.utah.edu. Visual media should be accompanied by a brief narrative. Contemplative Page
Surfactant protein d family: potential for diagnosis or monitoring therapy in autoimmune diseases?

In this issue of The Journal , Soto-Cardenas, et al examine the frequency of a genetic polymorphism that is associated with elevated surfactant protein D (SP-D) levels and assess levels in a cohort of 210 consecutive patients with primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS)1. They find elevated SP-D levels in patients with severe glandular involvement, hypergammaglobulinemia, leukopenia, and extraglandular manifestations including pulmonary and renal. A key observation of the Soto-Cardenas, et al report is that elevation of SP-D was found in a subset of pSS patients with interstitial pulmonary involvement (1054 vs 700 ng/ml, p = 0.029). This raises the possibility that SP-D may be a marker for early pneumonitis or its progression, as has been suggested in both scleroderma lung disease2,3 and nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP)4. They also found significant elevation in a subset with renal disease (1880 vs 716 ng/ml, p = 0.002). This finding is potentially of interest, because SP-D elevation has not previously been reported, according to a Medline search, in patients with interstitial nephritis. Their report presents 3 basic observations. First, patients with pSS exhibit a polymorphism of the gene encoding the SP-D at roughly the same frequency as found in healthy controls. Thus, elevation of SP-D in their patients with pSS could not be attributed simply to genetic polymorphism. An elevated frequency of the T/T genotype was found in patients … Address correspondence to Dr. R.I. Fox, Rheumatology Clinic, Medicine, 9850 Genesee, #910, La Jolla, California 92037, USA. E-mail: robertfoxmd{at}mac.com
Piaget and Durkheim: Competing paradigms in the anthropology of morality:

The recent resurgence of interest in the anthropology of morality has been accompanied by repeated calls to disentangle the moral from the cultural. The conflation of these domains is seen as a hin...
Effects of microstructural constraints on the transport of fission products in uranium dioxide at low burnups

Abstract Diffusion of fission gases in UO2 is studied at low burnups, before bubble growth and coalescence along grain boundaries (GBs) become dominant, using a 3-D finite element model that incorporates actual UO2 microstructures. Grain boundary diffusivities are assigned based on crystallography with lattice and GB diffusion coupled with temperature to account for temperature gradients. Heterogeneity of GB properties and connectivity can induce regions where concentration is locally higher than without GB diffusion. These regions are produced by “bottlenecks” in the GB network because of lack of connectivity among high diffusivity GBs due to crystallographic constraints, and they can lead to localized swelling. Effective diffusivities were calculated assuming a uniform distribution of high diffusivity among GBs. Results indicate an increase over the bulk diffusivity with a clear grain size effect and that connectivity and properties of different GBs become important factors on the variability of fission product concentration at the microscale.
Anatomy, systematics, paleoenvironment, growth, and age of the sauropod dinosaur Sonorasaurus thompsoni from the Cretaceous of Arizona, USA

Sauropod dinosaurs are rare in the Cretaceous North American fossil record in general and are absent from that record for most of the Late Cretaceous. Sonorasaurus thompsoni from the Turney Ranch Formation of the Bisbee Group of Arizona, USA, potentially represents one of the youngest sauropods before their ca. 30-million-year-long hiatus from the record. The anatomy of Sonorasaurus has only been briefly described, its taxonomic validity has been questioned, several hypotheses have been proposed regarding its phylogenetic relationships, and its life history, geologic age, and reported paleoenvironment are ambiguous.Herein we assess the systematics, paleoenvironment, life history, and geologic age of Sonorasaurus based on firsthand observation, bone histology, and fieldwork in the holotypic quarry and environs. The validity of S. thompsoni is substantiated by autapomorphies. Cladistic analysis firmly places it within the Brachiosauridae, in contrast to results of some recent analyses. Bone histology suggests that the only known exemplar of Sonorasaurus grew slowly and sporadically compared to other sauropods and was approaching its adult size. In contrast with previous assessments of a coastal/estuarine paleoenvironment for the Turney Ranch Formation, our sedimentological and plant macrofossil data indicate that Sonorasaurus lived in a semiarid, low relief evergreen woodland that received highly variable (perhaps seasonal) precipitation. We obtained detrital zircons from the holotypic quarry for U-Pb dating, which only yielded Barremian-aged and older grains, whereas other radiometric and biostratigraphic data suggest that the sediments at the quarry were deposited near the Albian-Cenomanian boundary.Sonorasaurus is taxonomically valid, represents one of the geologically youngest brachiosaurid sauropods, and inhabited a harsh inland evergreen-dominated woodland environment that limited its growth. A review of other Bisbee Group dinosaurs suggests that its fauna, although poorly sampled, exhibits broad similarity to those from coeval North American horizons, reinforcing the apparent faunal homogeneity at the time.
Osteonecrosis of the Lunate Following Low-Energy Trauma: A Case Report.

Osteonecrosis of the lunate was first described by Austrian radiologist Robert Kienbock in 19101. Presenting symptoms include pain, loss of carpal mobility, and prominence in the dorsal wrist. Theories about the pathogenesis of Kienbock disease include repetitive trauma, attritional rupture of the surrounding ligaments, and vascular compromise of the lunate. This causes osteonecrosis and progressive collapse of the lunate. It usually presents as idiopathic osteonecrosis or, alternatively, after high-energy trauma that may cause dislocation of the lunate. In this case report we describe a case of osteonecrosis following a low-energy fracture of the distal part of the radius. The patient was informed that data concerning the case would be submitted for publication, and she provided consent. A fifty-four-year-old woman sustained a fracture of the distal part of the right radius after falling on some ice (Figs. 1-A and 1-B). She was treated with closed reduction and splinting at an outside institution. Six days after the incident, she presented to us with persistent wrist pain. Repeat imaging showed a displaced fracture of the distal part of the right radius with unacceptable dorsal angulation. The lunate appeared normal with no fracture, collapse, or signs of osteonecrosis. The patient was taken to the operating room two days later for closed reduction; the arm was placed in a long-arm cast under intravenous sedation. Because of other medical problems, including severe hypertension, congestive heart failure, hepatitis C, and depression, a prolonged procedure under general anesthesia was contraindicated. Initial anteroposterior (Fig. 1-A) and lateral (Fig. 1-B) radiographs showing the fracture of the distal part of the radius. Fig. 1-A Fig. 1-B At the first follow-up visit twelve days later, radiographs showed acceptable alignment of the fracture with maintenance of the reduction. The lunate had a normal appearance (Figs. 2-A and 2-B). One month after reduction, the patient was evaluated, and she reported no wrist pain. Radiographs revealed interval healing with some settling of the fracture. The radiographic …
MOTION OF A RIGID BODY

This chapter introduces rotational forms for work and impulse. These forms are used as a basis for developing a rotational treatment of energy and power, and for dealing with impact situations that involve rotation. When a rigid body possesses linear and rotational motion, the description of its motion can be simplified by choosing the origin to be in one of two special locations. The first is a point in the body that is fixed, even if only for an instant, and the second is the center of mass. The chapter also introduces precession, which is one of the most striking types of rigid body rotational motion. Precession involves a spin axis that varies in direction, and is found in everything that spins—such as, atoms, neutron stars, planets, and toy tops. However, in a pure rotation, points of the rigid body that are on the axis of rotation do not move. The chapter illustrates the comparison of pure rotational motion with rolling-without-slipping motion.
Kluver-Bucy Syndrome Following Heat Stroke

A 12-year-old girl who developed a typical Kluver-Bucy syndrome (KBS) following heat stroke is reported from the University of Minnesota and Gillette Children’s Hospital, Minneapolis, MN.
The Act of Beating the Fool

This chapter argues that Christ was beaten and died as a fool on the cross. This chapter draws from scholarship that identifies Jesus as both the embodiment of Israel and the God of Israel. It is Jesus’ identity with Israel and the God of Israel that points to his function as a substitute for sinners. The four Gospels’ use of mockery themes in the scenes related to the Passion explicitly invites the reader to consider the opposition of foolishness and wisdom. This is supported by historical data that identifies Jesus being struck by both Jews and Gentiles.
What Counts and What Gets Counted (2nd Edition)

Management reporting systems are like power tools. They help you improve performance quickly and effectively, but one careless moment can cause irreparable damage and serious injury. For years, my students have been asking permission to send this book of best practices and safety tips to colleagues, friends and family. This revision provides a comprehensive introduction to management reporting systems, complete with links to nearly 100 videos, written to be appropriate for students and practitioners of any background, across all areas where people organize their efforts to improve performance. Examples include business, charities, governmental agencies, education, sports, and family life. Each of its 28 essays can be read separately, making the book well-suited to use as supplemental reading.Drawing extensively from current research and classical philosophy, the book encourages both deep skepticism about performance measures and pragmatic recognition of how useful they can be. Thoughtless adherence to performance measures leads many to decry "bean counters," and emphasize that "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Yet something gets counted whenever we need to make critical decisions throughout the workplace, politics and daily life.This book will help readers interpret the performance measures generated by the managerial reporting systems most pervasive in modern organizations, design systems that generate more useful measures, and make better use those measures — even though what gets counted often paints a misleading picture of what counts.
The Fluorescence Spectrum from DNA in the Centroplasm of a Blue Green Alga, Oscillatoria princeps, Treated with Coriphosphin

Summary Spectra of secondary fluorescences from centroplasms of a blue green alga, Oscillatoria princeps , treated with coriphosphin solution were investigated, and their spectra were compared with those of coriphosphin solution containing DNA. The maximum intensity of fluorescence in the centroplasm occurred at 530 nm. The maximum peak of the fluorescent light of coriphosphin solutions with DNA lay also near 530 nm. This fact suggests that the fluorescent light in the centroplasms is derived from DNA. The fluorescence intensity gradually decreased when cells were continuously irradiated with UV light. The chromatoplasm radiated native fluorescent light at 590 and 670 nm. This is probably derived from photosynthetic pigments.
Alternative lengthening of telomeres and ATRX/DAXX loss can be reliably detected in FNAs of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

BACKGROUND Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) frequently use the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway for telomere maintenance. ALT is strongly correlated with α thalassemia-mental retardation, X linked (ATRX), and death domain-associated protein 6 (DAXX) alterations and a poor prognosis in patients with primary PanNET. Because fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a noninvasive way to sample tumors, the authors evaluated whether they could accurately detect ALT and loss of ATRX/DAXX in a primary PanNET cohort of FNAs. METHODS All preoperative FNA cytology cases (2005-2016) with adequate remnant FNA cell block material were assessed for ALT by telomere-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization and for ATRX and DAXX protein expression by immunohistochemistry. For 21 patients who underwent tumor resection, the resected specimen also was assessed to determine the concordance between the FNA and surgical specimens. RESULTS In the primary PanNET cohort of 65 FNAs, ALT was detected in 15 specimens (23%). Although all ATRX-negative and DAXX-negative tumors were ALT-positive, 3 of 14 (21%) ALT-positive tumors did not exhibit nuclear loss of either ATRX or DAXX. The ALT-positive tumors were associated with larger radiographic size (4.9 vs 2.4 cm, on average; P < .05) and higher grade (P < .05). Overall, there was 100% concordance in ALT status and ATRX/DAXX immunohistochemistry results between the FNA and surgical specimens. CONCLUSIONS Both ALT and loss of ATRX/DAXX can be accurately performed on FNA specimens with adequate material. Because ALT is a fundamental mechanism of pathogenesis, the ability to determine ALT in small biospecimens has implications for the design of clinical trials. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:544–51. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
“They Do a Wonderful Job of Surviving”: Supportive Communication Exchanges Between Volunteers and Users of a Choice Food Pantry

In a qualitative study examining supportive communication, 34 users of a choice food pantry and 20 volunteers who guide users through the pantry shopping experience provided information about the nature and meaning of supportive communication exchanged during their normal pantry interactions. The study revealed that 4 types of social support link volunteer–client communication: (a) emotional (expressions of trust, intimacy, and caring); (b) appraisal (expressions of affirmation and positive self-evaluation); (c) instrumental (practical assistance); and (d) informational (useful information and advice). The findings have important implications for creating supportive environments within choice pantries. Specifically, the role of both informational and appraisal support deserves more attention when considering the growing marginally food insecure population.
Theory and research in mental (developmental) retardation

Instead of viewing the cause of psychological retardation as a theoretical construct such as mentality, or as a biological phenomenon such as impairment of the brain, it is suggested that it be conceived of as generated by adverse histories or simply as failures of coordinations of stimulus and response functions. This position, the natural science approach, suggests a search for the conditions of which limited repertories may be a function such as organismic anomalies, intermittent reinforcement and extinction, inadequate reinforcement history, severe punishment, extreme satiation and deprivations, and emotional operations. The advantages of this approach are described. At present studies concerned with functional analyses are aimed at either theory testing involving hypothetical constructs or at direct analysis of relationships between environmental and behavioral events. The latter consists of three subgroups. (1) Those exploring basic conditions for experimental analyses, (2) those investigating behaviors which occur with high frequency among the retarded, and (3) those applying behavior principles to education and training.
Four-Month Visit

Maria Gonzales is brought to the pediatric clinic by her single mother, Evelyn Gonzales, age 24. Ms. Gonzales lives in a subsidized housing project in a one-bedroom apartment. Maria weighed 3.5 kg (almost 7.5 lb) at birth in the 25th percentile and was 47 cm (18.8 in.) in length (25th percentile). Her head circumference was 33.4 cm (13.36 in.). Her current weight is 5.5 kg (12.1 lb). Her current length is 59 cm (23.6 in.). Her current head circumference is 40 cm (16 in.)—at the 25th percentile. Maria is being bottle-fed. She has not yet doubled her weight. Maria’s mother is concerned because she notices that Maria no longer startles when there is a loud noise. When Maria hears her mother’s voice she turns to her. Maria holds a rattle in her hand and brings it to her mouth. Maria drinks 5 oz six times a day usually every 3 h with a longer stretch at night. She has seven wet diapers a day and semiformed stools once daily.
A virtual experience: benefits of extracurricular group projects

This paper describes an ongoing virtual reality (VR) project which provides students and professors with an enriched college/work experience. Undergraduate and graduate students are working in a team environment to develop a virtual tour of Bolin Science Hall at Midwestern State University. The application runs on an Oculus Rift VR headset. The process of software creation, however, is as important as the finished project. The specific aims of this project include providing undergraduate students an opportunity to work with graduate students and faculty on a project that is exciting and cutting edge, developing an interest in a new research area within the Department of Computer Science, and creating a software product that can be used for recruitment and retention. These goals directly align with mission statement of Midwestern State University to provide rigorous undergraduate and graduate education and allow opportunities for students to engage in research and creative activities alongside faculty. This research was supported by a local university grant.
Call to action: APRNs in U.S. nursing homes to improve care and reduce costs.

Abstract Background Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Center sponsored the initiative to reduce avoidable hospitalizations among nursing facility residents. Purpose Missouri Quality Initiative (MOQI) designed inter-professional model in nursing homes with advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Method MOQI APRN model was implemented for 4 years in 16 nursing homes in a metro area of the Midwest. Hospitalizations were reduced (40% all-cause, 58% potentially avoidable), emergency room visits (54% all-cause, 65% potentially avoidable), Medicare expenditures for hospitalizations (34% all-cause, 45% potentially avoidable), and Medicare expenditures for emergency room visits (50% all-cause, 60% potentially avoidable) for long-stay nursing home residents. Discussion Success of the MOQI model reinforces decades of research demonstrating that care provided by APRNs is cost-effective, safe, and associated with positive health outcomes and patient satisfaction. Conclusion Nursing homes can implement and benefit by hiring APRNs. However, changes in the Code of Federal Regulation (CFR 483.40) are necessary to improve patient access to care and encourage hiring APRNs in US nursing homes.
Flexible, aqueous-electrolyte supercapacitors based on water-processable dioxythiophene polymer/carbon nanotube textile electrodes

Water-processed, aqueous electrolyte supercapacitors are demonstrated incorporating an alternating copolymer of a functionalized 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene unit with a 2,2′-bis(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) unit (PE2) into carbon nanotube textiles. The side chains functionalizing PE2 allow the solubility to be tuned from the organic soluble precursor polymer, to a water-soluble polyelectrolyte, and finally to a solvent resistant form by a dilute acid wash (SR-PE2). Thin SR-PE2 films (60 μg cm−2) are electroactive over a wide potential window with a mass capacitance of 54 F g−1 at a discharge rate of 1.6 s (38 A g−1). These films exhibit a 65% capacitance retention at an 80 millisecond discharge time (560 A g−1). Flexible, free-standing electrodes were fabricated by depositing SR-PE2 onto a nonwoven carbon nanotube textile (CNT-T) and were assembled into symmetrical, flexible supercapacitors where the addition of polymer resulted in a boost in volumetric capacitance by 400 percent compared to the bare CNT-T electrode. Independent of whether the SR-PE2 films are cast from an organic solvent or water, device electrodes exhibit 11.4 F cm−3 (45 mF cm−2, 15.9 F g−1) which leads to an energy density of 0.10 mW h cm−3 at 7.5 mW cm−3 considering the total device volume. The CNT-T imparts a high degree of flexibility allowing the supercapacitors to retain 88% of their charge storage capacity when bent to a 0.8 mm radius as well as complete capacitance retention after 2000 bending cycles to a 3.5 mm radius. The devices assembled in air with a benign KCl electrolyte maintained 83% capacitance retention after 10 000 charge/discharge cycles highlighting the stability of these materials and utility for this processing approach for high throughput energy storage devices.
Native rhythms in the city: embodied refusal among Uyghur male migrants in Ürümchi

Over the past two decades, state-directed Han settlement and capitalist development in the Uyghur homeland in Chinese Central Asia have uprooted thousands of Uyghurs, causing them to move to the ci...
The Law and the Host of The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of the medieval English poem The Canterbury Tales, was likely to have received legal training in order to perform his duties as an Ambassador sent to Spain, Italy,and France on the King's business, Controller of the Wool Custom, Clerk of the King's Works, and Member of various Commissions of the Peace. His life records evince many personal dealings in legal matters, his circle of friends included many lawyers, and the literary culture of his time made ample use of legal ideas and issues. Chaucer invested his poem with his legal knowledge, including his character Harry Bailly, the Innkeeper of the Tabard Inn where the pilgrims lodge, and their guide on the journey to Canterbury. The Tabard was located in Southwark, a suburb of London, which, because it lay outside the jurisdiction of the city, was notorious for its lack of commercial regulation and its lawlessness. Bailly's responsibility for the pilgrims reflects the law of innkeeper's liability, which the courts of England had developed just before Chaucer began work on The Canterbury Tales. The story-telling agreement that Bailly makes with the pilgrims is saturated with legal terms and rituals essential to the formation of a binding fourteenth-century contract. By means of the story-telling contract, Bailly extends his liability for the pilgrims from the Tabard Inn to the Canterbury road. Thus, Chaucer's tales are not only framed by the pilgrimage, but have a legal framework as well.
The Unusual Attachment Glycoprotein of the Respiratory Syncytial Viruses

Human respiratory syncytial (RS) virus, a pneumovirus in the paramyxovirus family, differs from other members of this family in several ways: (1) it has additional genes, which include two independent genes for nonstructural proteins and a gene for a second matrixlike protein, (2) the organization of the genome differs from that of other paramyxoviruses, and (3) the major glycoprotein, G, is unique among paramyxovirus proteins (Collins and Wertz, 1986; Wertz et al., 1985; see also Chapter 4). The G protein is characterized as the attachment protein of RS virus (Levine et al., 1987). However, whereas the attachment proteins of the other paramyxoviruses possess hemagglutinin (HA) or hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) activities, respectively, the G protein of RS virus lacks such activities (Richman et al., 1971). Furthermore, analysis of the sequence of the G gene shows no similarity between the G protein of RS virus and the attachment proteins of the other paramyxoviruses, or indeed with any known RNA virus protein described to date (Wertz et al., 1985). Instead, the structural features of G resemble those of a class of cellular proteins called the mucinous proteins. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the structure and function of the G protein and to discuss its role in infection and immunity to RS virus disease (see also Chapters 18 and 19).
Osteoporosis: Nutritional Factors

Osteoporosis is currently a significant public health concern. Prevention involves attainment of peak bone mass and optimal nutrition across the lifespan. Many nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds in the diet promote bone health. Although individual nutrients are integral to skeletal health, healthy lifestyle choices including consumption of a well-balanced diet, maintenance of optimal body weight, regular exercise, prevention of falls, and avoidance of modifiable risk factors (smoking and excess alcohol consumption) all promote a healthy bone mass. More research is needed to understand genetic determinants of bone mass and how these impact nutrient utilization in relation to bone health.
Lightly Embalmed Cadavers as a Training Tool for Ultrasound-Guided Procedures Commonly Used in Interventional Radiology.

Rationale and Objectives Competency in ultrasound (US) imaging and US-guided procedures is often difficult for medical students and residents to master. The use of simulation training has been strongly encouraged but the quality of phantom models available for US-guided procedures is limited. As a feasible alternative, we describe the innovative use of a lightly embalmed cadaver for realistic practice of common interventional radiology (IR) procedures prior to direct patient care. Materials and Methods Lightly embalmed cadavers were positioned as patients would be in the IR suite: supine, prone, and erect seated position. Lidocaine was injected and visualized under standard percutaneous techniques and sonographic guidance was used to simulate common US-guided procedures performed in IR including liver biopsy, kidney biopsy, thoracentesis, and vascular access. Results The ability to position cadavers was a key factor that allowed entire procedures to be simulated. Medical students with very limited exposure to US imaging and diagnostic radiology residents with minimal exposure to US imaging successfully completed common US-guided procedures. Arterial and venous vascular access was obtained. Wires were passed and catheters easily placed via both access sites. The texture of the tissue layers provided realistic feedback for the trainees as they advanced the needle or dilated the tissues. Images from each simulated procedure resembled images expected in a living patient. Conclusion Lightly embalmed cadavers are an innovative and feasible tool to simulate common IR US-guided procedures in a realistic fashion for deliberate practice in advance of first-attempt encounters with patients.
Müllerian inhibiting substance/anti-Müllerian hormone as a fertility preservation agent.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The nascent field of oncofertility is quickly gaining traction as novel experimental treatments are being developed, driving a renewed interest in Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS) as an ovarian fertoprotectant. RECENT FINDINGS MIS is unique in its mechanisms of ovarian protection by virtue of acting directly on granulosa cells of primordial follicles and for being a benign reproductive hormone, with few side effects. We will explore in this review how it may be utilized to protect the ovary from chemotherapy, or to enhance ovarian tissue cryopreservation therapy. We will also examine potential mechanisms of action of MIS across multiple cell types, as well as current limitations in our understanding of the pharmacology of recombinant MIS. SUMMARY The usefulness of MIS as a fertoprotectant may be dependent on the mechanisms of gonadotoxicity of each chemotherapeutic. Further investigation is needed to determine how to best deliver and combine MIS treatment to existing fertility management strategies.
Electronic Raman Scattering in Photoexcited Quantum Wells: Field Effects and Charge-Density Domains

Raman scattering has been shown to be a powerful tool for the study of the electronic properties of space-charge layers and quantum-well structures (QWS), particularly those based on the GaAs-Alx Ga1−x As system.1,2 In this work, the focus is on photoexcited QWS.3−7 Compared with modulation doping, photogenerated electron-hole systems present the disadvantages of the non-uniformity of the plasma and the non-equilibrium nature of the photoexcitation process. Advantages include the ease of the tuning of the carrier density and plasma neutrality. In particular, band discontinuities can be easily inferred from Raman measurements of intersubband separations in photoexcited QWS.4,5 This is unlike modulation-doped samples where the intersubband energies strongly depend on the (poorly-known) electrostatic potential due to the charge transfer.
Dichotomous Role of Plasmin in Regulation of Macrophage Function after Acetaminophen Overdose.

Kupffer cells and monocyte-derived macrophages are critical for liver repair after acetaminophen (APAP) overdose. These cells produce promitogenic cytokines and growth factors, and they phagocytose dead cell debris, a process that is critical for resolution of inflammation. The factors that regulate these dynamic functions of macrophages after APAP overdose, however, are not fully understood. We tested the hypothesis that the fibrinolytic enzyme, plasmin, is a key regulator of macrophage function after APAP-induced liver injury. In these studies, inhibition of plasmin in mice with tranexamic acid delayed up-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines after APAP overdose. In culture, plasmin directly, and in synergy with high-mobility group B1, stimulated Kupffer cells and bone marrow–derived macrophages to produce cytokines by a mechanism that required NF-κB. Inhibition of plasmin in vivo also prevented trafficking of monocyte-derived macrophages into necrotic lesions after APAP overdose. This prevented phagocytic removal of dead cells, prevented maturation of monocyte-derived macrophages into F4/80-expressing macrophages, and prevented termination of proinflammatory cytokine production. Our studies reveal further that phagocytosis is an important stimulus for cessation of proinflammatory cytokine production as treatment of proinflammatory, monocyte-derived macrophages, isolated from APAP-treated mice, with necrotic hepatocytes decreased expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that plasmin is an important regulator of macrophage function after APAP overdose.
Recycling of End-of-Life Lithium-Ion Batteries, Part II: Laboratory-Scale Research Developments in Mechanical, Thermal, and Leaching Treatments

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are an essential energy storage device for many advanced electronics used in our everyday lives, from cell phones and laptops to medical devices and electric vehicles. Despite their continued widespread adoption, a method to recycle and reuse end-of-life (EOL) LIB materials is an area still under active development. Numerous hydrometallurgical methods have been explored to achieve a high extraction yield and effective separation of metal components. In the second part of this two-part review, we focus on recent developments made in laboratory-scale studies, namely developments in leaching chemistries, thermal treatment methods, and mechanical processing. A discussion on the advantages, disadvantages, and areas in need of future work is also presented.
Higher vitamin B12 level at Parkinson's disease diagnosis is associated with lower risk of future dementia.

Abstract Introduction To determine whether vitamin B12 level at Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis predicts time to develop dementia. Methods We utilized a population-based cohort of Parkinsonism patients to examine the relationship between serum vitamin B12 at the time of PD diagnosis and dementia risk. Receiver operating curves were calculated for vitamin B12 cutoffs maximizing sensitivity and specificity for determining who developed dementia. Time from Parkinsonism diagnosis to dementia, death, or censoring was calculated utilizing Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox-proportional hazard models. Results PD patients who did not develop dementia had higher baseline levels of vitamin B12 at PD diagnosis (648.5 ng/L vs 452 ng/L, p Conclusion Higher levels of serum vitamin B12 at PD diagnosis correlate with lower risk of future dementia. The role of vitamin B12 in the development of dementia among PD patients deserves further evaluation.
Hotspots of Aberrant Enhancer Activity in Fibrolamellar Carcinoma Reveal Candidate Oncogenic Pathways and Therapeutic Vulnerabilities

Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is a rare, therapeutically intractable liver cancer that disproportionately affects youth. Although FLC tumors exhibit a distinct gene expression profile, the chromatin regulatory landscape and the genes most critical for tumor cell survival remain unclear. Here, we use chromatin run-on sequencing to discover ∼7,000 enhancers and 141 enhancer hotspots activated in FLC relative to nonmalignant liver. Bioinformatic analyses reveal aberrant ERK/MEK signaling and candidate master transcriptional regulators. We also define the genes most strongly associated with hotspots of FLC enhancer activity, including CA12 and SLC16A14. Treatment of FLC cell models with inhibitors of CA12 or SLC16A14 independently reduce cell viability and/or significantly enhance the effect of the MEK inhibitor cobimetinib. These findings highlight molecular targets for drug development, as well as drug combination approaches.
Assessment of Use and Safety of Edaravone for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Importance Using real-world data, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) initiated a surveillance evaluation of edaravone after its approval for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2017. The use and safety of edaravone for patients with ALS in the VA health care system remain to be assessed. Objective To describe a pharmacovigilance surveillance initiative with edaravone to monitor patient characteristics, utilization (edaravone cycles and riluzole use), and safety and to evaluate safety/effectiveness. Design, Setting, and Participants This propensity score–matched cohort study used data on 369 patients with documented definite or probable ALS in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with at least 1 prescription for edaravone between August 1, 2017, and September 30, 2019. The analysis compared edaravone (alone or with riluzole) with riluzole only. For chronic users (≥6 months of drug), a time-to-event model evaluated ALS-related outcomes, with censoring at outcome, death, or end of evaluation. Patients with Parkinson disease, dementia, schizophrenia, or significant respiratory insufficiency per diagnosis codes within 2 years before prescription initiation were excluded. In overall matched cohorts, 223 patients treated with edaravone were 1:3 propensity score matched based on predefined confounders. For the chronic user subgroup analysis, 96 patients receiving edaravone and 424 patients receiving riluzole only were included. Exposures Edaravone (alone or with riluzole) vs riluzole only. Main Outcomes and Measures Patient characteristics, ALS drug use, and mortality. Acute outcomes (within 6 months of index) included proportion and mean time to event for death, discontinuation, or all-cause hospitalization, and outcomes for chronic users (receiving >6 months of treatment) included hazard ratios of outcomes related to disease-state progression. Results Of 369 patients who received edaravone, most were older (mean [SD] age, 64.6 [11.3] years), male (346 [93.8%]), and White (261 [70.7%]). As of September 2019, 59.9% of edaravone patients had discontinued treatment; of those, 49.5% (108 of 218) received only 1 to 3 treatment cycles. Approximately 30% (110 patients) died. In a matched evaluation, significantly more acute all-cause hospitalization events occurred with edaravone (35.4% vs 22.0% for riluzole only); 72.6% of the edaravone cohort received edaravone with riluzole. Among chronic users, edaravone patients (70.8% edaravone with riluzole) had an increased hazard ratio of ALS-associated hospitalization (2.51; 95% CI, 1.18-8.16). The death rate was lower with edaravone but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions and Relevance Early edaravone discontinuation was common in the VA. Although outcomes favored use of riluzole only in the matched analysis, results should be interpreted with caution, as unmeasured bias in observational data is likely.
An unusual cause of acute pericarditis: a case report.

Background Inflammation of the pericardium, or pericarditis, is a frequent cause of acute chest pain in young patients. Pericarditis is typically associated with viral infections, but other potential causes may have distinct prognostic and therapeutic implications. Case summary A 26-year-old man presented with typical signs and symptoms of acute pericarditis. However, imaging disclosed an anterior mediastinal mass that compressed the right ventricular outflow tract. The coarse outflow murmur convincingly mimicked a pericardial friction rub on auscultation. Conclusion Clinicians should be aware of alternative aetiologies to pericarditis in patients who present with prolonged or refractory symptoms.
Functional traits and nesting habitats distinguish the structure of bee communities in clearcut and managed hardwood & pine forests in Southeastern USA

Abstract The role of nesting resources has been largely neglected in wild bee community ecology studies. Anthropogenic forest openings such as clearcuts and roads are common features within the managed forest matrix which may have varying impacts on bee nesting habitats and thus, drive their community structure. We sampled wild bees in mature hardwood, managed pine, and regenerating clearcuts across a gradient from the edge of a road into each site-type. Each site was surveyed for nesting habitat indicators including depth of duff layer, volume of downed wood, decay class of downed wood, and number of snags. Regenerating clearcuts had higher alpha diversity of wild bees than other sites, but displayed higher functional overlap in the bee community, favoring soil nesting groups. Forested sites, especially hardwoods provided more nesting niche opportunities leading to higher functional dispersion, evenness and higher beta diversity, and supported more cavity nesting, softwood nesting, solitary, and early season bees. Nesting habitat indicators explained 53% of the variation in nest guild composition. Cavity nesting bees responded positively to the volume of downed wood, and in a bimodal way to woody decay class. Soil nesting bees responded negatively to the depth of duff layer and presence of snags. Overall, results indicate that regenerating clearcuts are foci of species diversity, while hardwood forests are foci of functional diversity. Hardwood forests may be source of functionally diverse groups of bees, and maintaining patches or swaths of hardwood forests with some downed wood accumulation may be critical for maintaining functional diversity of bees in managed forested ecosystems.
The Repertoires of Teachers Who Are Behavior Analysts

The three repertoires of scientists/teachers are best described using terms from the science as follows: accurate contingency-shaped behaviors of teaching, verbal behavior about the science, and verbally mediated repertories. Strategic scientists, who are applied behavior analysts of instruction, have advanced expertise in all three repertoires. Moreover, all three are anchored to the findings, methodological practices, and epistemology of the science of behavior. An introduction to these teaching repertoires is devoted to in this chapter. Contingency-shaped behaviors are those behaviors that are reinforced or punished directly by contingencies in the environment. Repertoires that are contingency-shaped are “selected out” or taught directly by the antecedents and consequences of responses directly. Learning to ride a bicycle by repeated experience of staying on the bicycle is an example of a contingency-shaped behavior. Learning to hammer a nail, slice a piece of meat, type, and drive a car by experiencing the consequences of various actions selects out or shapes more efficient repertoires over time.
Levalbuterol in the Treatment of Patients With Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease

Effective asthma control requires long-term (anti-inflammatory) controller medications for patients with mild-persistent to severe-persistent disease, and quick-relief bronchodilator medication for all patients with asthma to control intermittent symptoms of cough, wheeze, and bronchoconstriction, as well as acute exacerbations. For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, quick-relief and long-acting bronchodilators are primarily used in the maintenance and treatment of associated symptoms, including shortness of breath. For many years, the most widely used bronchodilator has been racemic (R, S)-albuterol, a short-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist, commonly dispensed as an inhaled aerosol or solution. Until the introduction of levalbuterol inhalation solution (Xopenex) in 1999, all marketed forms of albuterol (including Ventolin and Proventil brands) were racemic mixtures composed of a 1:1 ratio of (R)- and (S)-stereoisomers. Administered as a proportionally equivalent nebulized dose, levalbuterol [(R)-albuterol] provides greater bronchodilation than racemic albuterol and, in the appropriate clinical setting, offers the possibility for improving clinical outcomes in patients with asthma and other obstructive airway diseases. Additionally, levalbuterol can be given at lower doses than racemic albuterol to provide comparable bronchodilation, with the potential for reduced beta-mediated adverse effects in adults and children. Only since the past decade has the technology to separate stereoisomers become available, and thus the biologic activities of the albuterol stereoisomers had not been established. Binding studies have demonstrated that (R)-albuterol binds to the beta2-adrenergic receptor with a high affinity, whereas (S)-albuterol binds with 100-fold less affinity than (R)-albuterol. Other evaluations have suggested that (R)-albuterol possesses the bronchodilatory, bronchoprotective, and ciliary-stimulatory properties of racemic albuterol, while (S)-albuterol does not contribute beneficially to the therapeutic effects of the racemate and was originally assumed to be inert. However, preclinical evaluations have shown that (S)-albuterol has effects that work in opposition to (R)-albuterol and may diminish the therapeutic effects of (R)-albuterol.
Body language: The interplay between positional behavior and gestural signaling in the genus Pan and its implications for language evolution

Objectives The gestural repertoires of bonobos and chimpanzees are well documented, but the relationship between gestural signaling and positional behavior (i.e., body postures and locomotion) has yet to be explored. Given that one theory for language evolution attributes the emergence of increased gestural communication to habitual bipedality, this relationship is important to investigate. Materials and Methods In this study, we examined the interplay between gestures, body postures, and locomotion in four captive groups of bonobos and chimpanzees using ad libitum and focal video data. Results We recorded 43 distinct manual (involving upper limbs and/or hands) and bodily (involving postures, locomotion, head, lower limbs, or feet) gestures. In both species, actors used manual and bodily gestures significantly more when recipients were attentive to them, suggesting these movements are intentionally communicative. Adults of both species spent less than 1.0% of their observation time in bipedal postures or locomotion, yet 14.0% of all bonobo gestures and 14.7% of all chimpanzee gestures were produced when subjects were engaged in bipedal postures or locomotion. Among both bonobo groups and one chimpanzee group, these were mainly manual gestures produced by infants and juvenile females. Among the other chimpanzee group, however, these were mainly bodily gestures produced by adult males in which bipedal posture and locomotion were incorporated into communicative displays. Discussion Overall, our findings reveal that bipedality did not prompt an increase in manual gesturing in these study groups. Rather, body postures and locomotion are intimately tied to many gestures and certain modes of locomotion can be used as gestures themselves. Am J Phys Anthropol 157:592–602, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.