cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A case of YAP1 and NUTM1 rearranged porocarcinoma with corresponding immunohistochemical expression: Review of recent advances in poroma and porocarcinoma pathogenesis with potential diagnostic utility.

Porocarcinoma is a rare malignant adnexal tumor with predilection for the lower extremities and the head and neck region of older adults. This entity may arise de novo or in association with a benign poroma. Porocarcinoma's non-specific clinical appearance, immunohistochemical profile and divergent differentiation may occasionally be diagnostically challenging. Recently, highly recurrent YAP1 and NUTM1 gene rearrangements have been described in cases of poroma and porocarcinoma. In this report, we present a case of porocarcinoma with squamous differentiation in an 81-year-old woman which harbored rearrangement of the YAP1 and NUTM1 loci and was diffusely immunoreactive for NUTM1. We discuss the recent advancements in the pathogenesis of poromas and porocarcinomas with emphasis on the clinical utility of the NUTM1 antibody. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Optimism and risk of incident hypertension: a target for primordial prevention.

AIMS Optimism is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk; however, few prospective studies have considered optimism in relation to hypertension risk specifically. We investigated whether optimism was associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension in U.S. service members, who are more likely to develop high blood pressure early in life. We also evaluated race/ethnicity, sex and age as potential effect modifiers of these associations. METHODS Participants were 103 486 hypertension-free U.S. Army active-duty soldiers (mean age 28.96 years, 61.76% White, 20.04% Black, 11.01% Hispanic, 4.09% Asian, and 3.10% others). We assessed optimism, sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, health behaviours and depression status at baseline (2009-2010) via self-report and administrative records, and ascertained incident hypertension over follow-up (2010-2014) from electronic health records and health assessments. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and adjusted models for a broad range of relevant covariates. RESULTS Over a mean follow-up of 3.51 years, 15 052 incident hypertension cases occurred. The highest v. lowest optimism levels were associated with a 22% reduced risk of developing hypertension, after adjusting for all covariates including baseline blood pressure (HR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.74-0.83). The difference in hypertension risk between the highest v. lowest optimism was also maintained when we excluded soldiers with hypertension in the first two years of follow-up and, separately, when we excluded soldiers with prehypertension at baseline. A dose-response relationship was evident with higher optimism associated with a lower relative risk (p < 0.001). Higher optimism was consistently associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension across sex, age and most race/ethnicity categories. CONCLUSIONS In a diverse cohort of initially healthy male and female service members particularly vulnerable to developing hypertension, higher optimism levels were associated with reduced hypertension risk independently of sociodemographic and health factors, a particularly notable finding given the young and healthy population. Results suggest optimism is a health asset and a potential target for public health interventions.
Operando single crystal neutron diffraction reveals insight into the field response mechanisms in the hydrogen-bonded KH2PO4 ferroelectric

The mechanism that facilitates polarization reorientation in KH2PO4 (KDP) was investigated using operando single-crystal neutron diffraction. Diffraction data were measured from a KDP single crystal during the application of alternating electric fields and were then binned into 40 increments to enable field-dependent single-crystal structure refinements. The field-dependent structures are compared with an as-grown crystal to determine how the lattice and atomic sites evolve in response to the applied electric fields. These analyses provide evidence that the reorientation of the macroscopic polarization is facilitated through a cooperative change in hydrogen bonding, which results in the reversal of the spontaneous dipole. In addition, a decrease in secondary extinction near the coercive field indicates that the inversion of the macroscopic polarization is achieved through the nucleation and subsequent growth of new domains.
A Roadmap Towards Standards for Neurally Controlled End Effectors

The control and manipulation of various types of end effectors such as powered exoskeletons, prostheses, and ‘neural’ cursors by brain-machine interface (BMI) systems has been the target of many research projects. A seamless “plug and play” interface between any BMI and end effector is desired, wherein similar user's intent cause similar end effectors to behave identically. This report is based on the outcomes of an IEEE Standards Association Industry Connections working group on End Effectors for Brain-Machine Interfacing that convened to identify and address gaps in the existing standards for BMI-based solutions with a focus on the end-effector component. A roadmap towards standardization of end effectors for BMI systems is discussed by identifying current device standards that are applicable for end effectors. While current standards address basic electrical and mechanical safety, and to some extent, performance requirements, several gaps exist pertaining to unified terminologies, data communication protocols, patient safety and risk mitigation.
New Approach to Food Safety Training: A Review of a Six-Step Knowledge-Sharing Model.

Significant resources including both human and financial capital have been dedicated to developing and delivering food handler training programs to meet government and organizational mandates. Even with the plethora of food safety-oriented training programs, there is scant empirical evidence documenting their effectiveness suggesting the need to rethink the design and delivery of food safety training for food handlers. One underlying assumption of most training programs is that food handlers engage in unsafe practices because of lack of knowledge. As a result, many training curricula are designed to improve knowledge assuming behavior will change as knowledge increases. However, food handlers often return to their work environment and try to implement their new knowledge with minimal success. One explanation for this is that the training context and the implementation context often differ making it difficult for the food handler to transfer what they learned into practice. Understanding the connection between knowledge, the organization, and its environment is critical to knowledge implementation. The focus of this review is to describe a six-step knowledge sharing model. Here, knowledge sharing is broadly defined as the process of creating then using knowledge in order to change a practice or behavior. Our proposed knowledge sharing model is comprised of six steps: generation, adaptation, dissemination, reception, adoption, and implementation. We have organized this model into two dyads: (1) transfer between researcher (i.e., knowledge generators) and educator and (2) transfer between educator and food handler (i.e., knowledge implementers). In order to put into practice this proposed model for developing and delivering effective food safety training for food handlers, suggested actions that can be performed within each step of the knowledge sharing process have been provided.
Machine Learning Applications in Nephrology: A Bibliometric Analysis Comparing Kidney Studies to Other Medicine Subspecialities.

Rationale & Objectives Artificial intelligence driven by machine learning algorithms is being increasingly employed for early detection, disease diagnosis, and clinical management. We explored the use of machine learning–driven advancements in kidney research compared with other organ-specific fields. Study Design Cross-sectional bibliometric analysis. Setting & Participants ISI Web of Science database was queried using specific Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms about the organ system, journal International Standard Serial Number, and research methodology. In parallel, we screened the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePORTER website to explore funded grants that proposed the use of machine learning as a methodology. Predictors Number of publications using machine learning as a research method. Outcome Articles were characterized by research methodology among 5 organ systems (brain, heart, kidney, liver, and lung). Grants funded by NIH for machine learning were characterized by study sections. Analytical Approach Percentages of articles using machine learning and other research methodologies were compared among 5 organ systems. Results Machine learning-based articles that are focused on the kidney accounted for 3.2% of the total relevant articles from the 5 organ systems. Specifically, brain research published over 19-fold higher number of articles than kidney research. As compared with machine learning, conventional statistical approaches such as the Cox proportional hazard model were used 9-fold higher in articles related to kidney research. In general, a lower utilization of machine learning–based approaches was observed in organ-specific specialty journals than the broad interdisciplinary journals. The digestive disease, kidney, and urology study sections funded 122 applications proposing machine learning–based approaches compared to 265 applications from the neurology, neuropsychology, and neuropathology study sections. Limitations Observational study. Conclusions Our analysis suggests lowest use of machine learning as a research tool among kidney researchers compared with other organ-specific researchers, underscoring a need to better inform the kidney research community about this emerging data analytic tool.
Surgical explantation of a failed transcatheter aortic valve

With transcatheter aortic valve replacement being increasingly utilized in a younger and lower risk population, we can expect to see larger numbers of patients presenting with structural deterioration of aortic valves replaced by the transcatheter route that now require explantation and surgical replacement. Surgical aortic valve replacement after transcatheter aortic valve replacement is associated with operative morbidity and mortality rates significantly higher than those seen in the setting of surgical replacement of the native valve, which had a 30-day mortality of 12-20% in recent series. Centers performing transcatheter aortic valve replacement in lower risk patients with longer expected lifespans and a higher probability of late structural deterioration of the transcatheter aortic valve replacement should carefully consider their choice of valve type (balloon-expandable versus self-expanding) and patient anatomy, including annulus and root diameter, at the time of the initial valve intervention. Further, one should not forget the mechanical surgical aortic valve replacement option in younger patients with risk factors for early structural valve deterioration such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and chronic kidney disease. The objectives of this tutorial are to describe the preoperative workup for a patient with late structural valve deterioration after transcatheter aortic valve replacement, detail the explantation approach specific to self-expanding valves, and illustrate the key decisions and techniques needed for subsequent surgical aortic valve replacement.
Development of a peripheral intravenous access training program for nurses in the pediatric intensive care units.

Purpose Obtaining vascular access in the pediatric population can be challenging, with insertion success rates varying widely based on patient and practitioner associated factors. Difficulty establishing peripheral intravenous access can delay treatment, which can be detrimental in emergent situations. Nurses who are trained in vascular access yield a much higher first attempt success rate, which decreases resource utilization, time to intervention, and complication rate. Fewer insertion attempts can also result in improved outcomes including decreased length of stay and better patient and family perception of pain. Design and methods The Vascular Access Service at our institution developed an extensive training program, which included three stages: didactic learning, simulation training, and insertion validation. Results During the first three months of 2020, there were 54 ultrasound-guided peripheral IVs placed in the pediatric intensive care units, 100% of which were placed by the vascular access service. In the first three months of 2021, 63 ultrasound-guided peripheral IVs were placed, 100% of which were placed by pediatric intensive care unit nurses. Of those placed by pediatric intensive care unit nurses, 52 (82.5%) were placed following their ultrasound-guided peripheral IV training. First time insertion success rates were 86.5% with competency in a diverse patient population of widely varying ages. Conclusions Programs that include repeated simulation experiences may facilitate greater learning and thus increase the confidence of the nurses trained. Improving staff skills for vascular access has promoted independent bedside practice and contributed to a culture of quality and safety for the pediatric patient population.
766 Toward safe, systemic delivery of synthetic TLR7/8 agonists using Bottlebrush Prodrugs (BPDs)

Background Although toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists such as imidazoquinoline derivatives (IMDs) have been well researched and are FDA approved as topical solutions for treatment of skin cancer, their systemic delivery for treatment of metastatic disease has not been successful due to toxicity issues. Therefore, to lessen the degree of the adverse effects of intravenous delivery of IMDs such as resiquimod (R848), a bottlebrush prodrug (BPD) system enabling controlled release of R848 at tunable rates was designed and synthesized. We hypothesized that this approach would allow for minimizing the release of the free drug in serum, allowing for a higher concentration to accumulate in the tumor while minimizing systemic side effects. Methods R848 was conjugated to a bottlebrush polymer with different linkers designed to precisely tune the R848 release rate. The release rates of the drug delivered through this system were first tested in PBS. These prodrug formulations were validated for drug activity in vitro in mouse and human TLR reporter cells. The maximum tolerable dose was defined by monitoring weight loss and serum cytokine levels upon intravenous administration at multiple concentrations. Finally, anti-tumor efficacy of the BPD system was tested in vivo using the MC38 colon cancer model as a monotherapy and in combination with anti-PD-1 antibody treatment. Results The in-vitro half-lives of the conjugated drugs varied from a few days to over a month when tested in PBS. The different BPDs demonstrated linker dependent TLR activation upon culturing with TLR reporter cells validating the immunomodulatory activity of R848. It was found that the R848-BPDs, which accumulated at the tumor site over time, significantly delayed tumor growth and improved survival rates, which was further enhanced when used in combination with anti-PD-1. Conclusions Overall, our research suggests that our R848-BPD platform allows for safe, systemic delivery of TLR agonists to activate the immune system in treatment of cancer.
Shunt revision requirements after posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus of prematurity: insight into the time course of shunt dependency.

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a common affliction of preterm infants and often results in posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH). These patients typically eventually require permanent CSF diversion and are presumed to be indefinitely shunt-dependent. To date, however, there has been no study of long-term shunt revision requirements in patients with PHH. We analyzed retrospectively collected data for 89 preterm patients diagnosed with grades III and IV IVH and PHH at our institution from 1998 to 2011. Sixty-nine out of 89 patients (77.5 %) underwent ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement, and 33 (47.8 %) required at least one shunt revision and 18 (26.1 %) required multiple revisions. The mean ± standard deviation follow-up time for shunted patients was 5.0 ± 3.3 years. The majority of early failures were due to proximal catheter malfunction, while later failures were mostly due to distal catheter problems. There was a significant difference in the number of patients requiring revisions in the first 3 years following initial VP shunt insertion compared after 3 years, with 28 revisions versus 10 (p < 0.004). In 8 out of 10 patients who underwent shunt revisions after 3 years, evidence of obstructive hydrocephalus was found on imaging either in the form of an isolated fourth ventricular cyst or aqueductal stenosis. Our results suggest that in a distinct subset of patients with PHH, obstructive hydrocephalus may develop, resulting in long-term dependence on CSF diversion. Further study on the factors associated with long-term shunt dependence and revision requirements within the PHH group is warranted.
THE THIOREDOXIN SUPERFAMILY : REDUNDANCY, SPECIFICITY, AND GRAY-AREA GENOMICS

The views expressed in this feature do not necessarily represent the views of the journal or of ASM . Issues of thiol-disulfide redox chemistry were nowhere in our consciousness when we began to study the export of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase from the cytoplasm. We chose this periplasmic
Fetal ingestion and metabolism of amniotic fluid protein

Fetal swallowing, digestion, and utilization of amniotic fluid protein were studied in near-term rhesus monkeys in which 35 S-protein, synthesized biologically from 35 S-methionine, was injected into the amniotic sac. The half-time of the injected protein in amniotic fluid was 1.1 days, a figure consistent with findings of others that fetal swallowing represents the principal mechanism of clearance of amniotic fluid protein. On delivery at timed intervals up to 7 days after injection, evidence of progressive proteolysis along the fetal alimentary tract was found. The amnio acids liberated from protein hydrolysis were apparently utilized in protein synthesis in the gut wall as well as absorbed in fetal plasma, where they equilibrated rapidly with maternal plasma and amniotic fluid. Maximal amino acid radioactivity in these three compartments occurred 3 days after injection and was followed 1 day later by maximal fetal plasma protein radioactivity. Incorporation into protein of amino acids absorbed after hydrolysis was found in fetal lung, liver, skeletal muscle, and brain. The results indicate that ingested amniotic fluid protein undergoes proteolysis in the fetal alimentary tract and the amino acids thus made available are utilized in protein synthesis by the developing fetus. While this mechanism can provide only a relatively minor proportion (estimated at 10 to 15 per cent) of fetal nitrogen requirements, it may represent an important aspect physiologically by preparing the fetus for extrauterine nutrition. Moreover, the use of intra-amniotic nutrition as a mode of fetal therafry, while speculative at present, offers possibilities for the future.
The challenge of metastatic ovarian carcinoma.

Abstract 1. 1. In the course of reporting the clinical and morphologic data of 33 malignant tumors metastatic to the ovary and 6 additional unproved ones, the subject of secondary ovarian cancer is reviewed. 2. 2. It is averred that carcinoma metastatic to the ovary occurs with sufficient frequency to warrant more consideration by gynecologists in their preoperative differential diagnosis of a solid ovarian tumor. 3. 3. It is asserted that, on occasion, it is impossible for the pathologist to be certain that an undifferentiated malignant tumor of the ovary is of primary or secondary origin. 4. 4. It is reaffirmed that the eponymic term for secondary ovarian cancer, Krukenberg tumor, is not uniformly used by either clinicians or pathologists. Inasmuch as the variable criteria applied to define it merely heighten confusion, it is suggested that the eponym has outlived its purpose and that it should be dropped from usage.
Rawls's Political Liberalism. A Reassessment

Since Rawls's Political Liberalism is by now the subject of a wide and deep philosophical literature, much of it excellent in quality, it would be foolhardy to attempt to say something about each of the major issues of the work, or to sort through debates that can easily be located elsewhere. I have therefore decided to focus on a small number of issues where there is at least some chance that a fresh approach may yield some new understanding of the text: Rawls's distinction between “reasonable” and “unreasonable” comprehensive doctrines; the psychological underpinnings of political liberalism; and the possibility that political liberalism might be extended beyond the small group of modern Western societies that Rawls's historical remarks suggest as its primary focus. I also include a discussion of the much-debated issue of civility and public reason, which could hardly be avoided given its prominence in the book's reception. This paper should therefore be read not as a comprehensive account of the work but as one person's attempt to grapple, very incompletely and imperfectly, with a book that is as great as any philosophy has seen on this topic of great human urgency.
Land Reform and Farm Restructuring in the Kyrgyz Republic

Two land tenure specialists chronicle initiatives in land reform and farm restructuring in the Kyrgyz Republic from 1991 to the present. A brief review of the legal basis for reforms to date is outlined and compared against progress in land reform and farm restructuring on the ground. Specific attention is devoted to regional variation in progress in farm restructuring, the impact of the reforms on farm size, farm labor requirements, and rural-to-urban migration. 1 figure, 9 tables, 10 references.
Logical Structures Arising in Quantum Theory

The logical structures studied in this paper are generalizations of the propositional calculus. The classical propositional calculus is essentially Boolean algebra or, alternatively, the theory of functions on an arbitrary set S with values in a two-element set. The generalization consists in allowing partial functions on the set S, i.e., functions defined on certain subsets of S, and defining an equivalence relation among these functions such that any two constant functions with the same constant value belong to the same equivalence class. The generalization is equally natural for functions with values in the field of real numbers and we shall consider this case first.
A computational analysis of natural convection in a vertical channel with a modified power law non-Newtonian fluid

An implicit finite difference method was applied to analyze laminar natural convection in a vertical channel with a modified power law fluid. This fluid model was chosen because it describes the viscous properties of a pseudoplastic fluid over the entire shear rate range likely to be found in natural convection flows since it covers the shear rate range from Newtonian through transition to simple power law behavior. In addition, a dimensionless similarity parameter is identified which specifies in which of the three regions a particular system is operating. The results for the average channel velocity and average Nusselt number in the asymptotic Newtonian and power law regions are compared with numerical data in the literature. Also, graphical results are presented for the velocity and temperature fields and entrance lengths. The results of average channel velocity and Nusselt number are given in the three regions including developing and fully developed flows. As an example, a pseudoplastic fluid (carboxymethyl cellulose) was chosen to compare the different results of average channel velocity and Nusselt number between a modified power law fluid and the conventional power law model. The results show, depending upon the operating conditions, that if the correct model is not used, gross errors can result.
The Profit‐Maximizing Case for Corporate Social Responsibility in a Bilateral Monopoly

We analyze a stylized distribution channel (bilateral monopoly) model where an upstream manufacturer sells output to a downstream retailer. In a two-stage linear demand game setting, we show that a two-part contract, consisting of a wholesale price and corporate social responsibility (CSR) component, can be utilized by the manufacturer to fully coordinate and control its retailer. Thus, a CSR contract can be used in place of the traditional two-part tariff scheme (wholesale price and fixed franchise fee) to optimally coordinate the marketing channel. Our model provides a novel theoretical profit-maximizing rationale for the strategic use of CSR. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Some Thoughts on Causation as It Relates to Demography and Population Studies

The counterfactual account of causality defines an effect as the difference, for some unit, between an outcome under an observed treatment and an outcome under a hypothetical alternative. When units are heterogeneous in a population, there is no single causal effect. The micro-level account of causation is complicated when units interact with one another, as they do in human populations. The search for causation requires manipulation. But key micro-level demographic variables—age, race, sex—are not easily manipulated. What are subject to manipulation are the social rules, policies, or choice sets available to individuals within populations. Thus causes are best conceptualized at the macro level, even if their effects are observed at the micro level.
Taping methods and tape types for securing oral endotracheal tubes.

Purpose To evaluate tapes and taping methods with respect to the minimum force required to dislodge endo tracheal tubes (ETTs).
Genetic Events That Shape the Cancer Epigenome

Since the discovery of the first recurrent mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, it has been clear that cancer is, in large part, a genetic disease. Yet nearly every human neoplasm retains a phenotype reflective of its tissue of origin, thus underscoring the centrality of epigenetics in cancer biology. Indeed, there is increasing recognition that transmissible epigenetic changes—chemical modifications to the genome or its scaffold that do not involve a change in the nucleotide sequence—may be acquired de novo, and that these “epimutations” may also contribute to carcinogenesis. Aberrations of DNA methylation have epitomized this concept, largely because of the direct mechanism by which hypermethylation of a DNA locus can be faithfully transmitted through cell division. Localized hypermethylation of silenced gene promoters and global DNA hypomethylation are characteristic features of many human tumors ( 1 , 2 ). However, the idea that histone modifications and other chromatin features also mediate epimutations in tumors has been more controversial, in part due to the obscurity of models for direct epigenetic transmission ( 3 ). The recent flurry of reported mutations in chromatin-related genes in human tumors indicates the need to reassess the perceived roles for chromatin and epigenetic mechanisms in cancer biology.
Beyond tumor necrosis factor: Next-generation biologic therapy for inflammatory bowel disease

Even as further refinements of anti-TNF continue to emerge, new biologics targeting alternative mechanisms are progressing through clinical development programs and offer the opportunity for categoric
Three-Dimensional Quantitative Structure−Activity Relationships from Molecular Similarity Matrices and Genetic Neural Networks. 1. Method and Validations

Validation of a method that uses a genetic neural network with electrostatic and steric similarity matrices (SM/GNN) to obtain quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) is performed with eight data sets. Biological and physicochemical properties from a broad range of chemical classes are correlated and predicted using this technique. Quantitatively the results compare favorably with the benchmarks obtained by a number of well-established QSAR methods; qualitatively the models are consistent with the published descriptions on the relative contribution of steric and electrostatic factors. The results demonstrate the general utility of this method in deriving QSARs. The implication of the importance of molecular alignment and possible methodological improvements are discussed.
Platelet interaction with synthetic copolypeptide films.

Kinetic and equilibrium studies of blood platelet binding to copolypeptide films show that attachment and serotonin release are not dependent upon the composition of the copolypeptide. Data may be explained by postulating that platelets frequently collide elastically with the surface but leave behind material that modifies subsequent behavior. Similarly, material released from platelets adsorbs at the interface and the extent of attachment and serotonin release are modified and controlled by these adsorbed species. Basically, if the platelet is exposed to a clean surface, its collision with the surface leads to activation and release. In the presence of inert protein, the collision is cushioned by the protein and platelets do not attach or release to any extent. Finally, if protein (or other entities) released from the platelet provide attachment sites, than attachment occurs without release. It is postulated that the behavior of platelets at surfaces is controlled by these interrelated processes.
BACULOVIRUS-MEDIATED EXPRESSION OF CHICKEN GROWTH HORMONE

Abstract A full-length chicken growth hormone (cGH) cDNA was placed downstream from the Autograph californica nuclear polyhedron virus, AcNPV, polyhedron gene promoter and expressed in Sf9 insect cells. Secreted recombinant cGH levels averaged 2–10 μg/ml from day 5–10 postinfection. The recombinant cGH analyzed by SDS-PAGE gels and Western blotting consisted of a doublet with Mr of 26.5 and 23.5 kDa. Analysis by 2-D electrophoresis of partially-purified recombinant cGH and purified native cGH revealed similar immunoreactive charge isoforms and Mr variants. The recombinant hormone was biologically active in a homologous radioreceptor assay. The results show that cGH expressed in insect cells is biologically and immunologically active, and that a variety of isoforms are secreted which exhibit size and charge properties similar to those of pituitary-derived cGH.
Dielectric Constants and Polarizabilities of Ions in Simple Crystals and Barium Titanate

The observed dielectric constants of alkali halides and certain other types of crystals coincide with a relatively simple interpretation of dielectric polarization which is based on the classical equation of Clausius and Mosotti. The polarizability of each elementary ion has only a small positive temperature coefficient and is invariant when the given ion is incorporated in different crystalline solids subject to certain symmetry requirements. The polarizabilities of the ions in cubic barium titanate, although normal, account quite satisfactorily for the high observed values of dielectric constant. A method of estimating dielectric constants from the known polarizabilities of ions is applied to several compounds for which dielectric data have not been reported.
Recovery of ponderosa pine ecosystem carbon and water fluxes from thinning and stand‐replacing fire

Carbon uptake by forests is a major sink in the global carbon cycle, helping buffer the rising concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, yet the potential for future carbon uptake by forests is uncertain. Climate warming and drought can reduce forest carbon uptake by reducing photosynthesis, increasing respiration, and by increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires, leading to large releases of stored carbon. Five years of eddy covariance measurements in a ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)-dominated ecosystem in northern Arizona showed that an intense wildfire that converted forest into sparse grassland shifted site carbon balance from sink to source for at least 15 years after burning. In contrast, recovery of carbon sink strength after thinning, a management practice used to reduce the likelihood of intense wildfires, was rapid. Comparisons between an undisturbed-control site and an experimentally thinned site showed that thinning reduced carbon sink strength only for the first two posttreatment years. In the third and fourth posttreatment years, annual carbon sink strength of the thinned site was higher than the undisturbed site because thinning reduced aridity and drought limitation to carbon uptake. As a result, annual maximum gross primary production occurred when temperature was 3 °C higher at the thinned site compared with the undisturbed site. The severe fire consistently reduced annual evapotranspiration (range of 12–30%), whereas effects of thinning were smaller and transient, and could not be detected in the fourth year after thinning. Our results show large and persistent effects of intense fire and minor and short-lived effects of thinning on southwestern ponderosa pine ecosystem carbon and water exchanges.
Passenger grouping under constant threat probability in an airport security system

In a typical security system at a US airport, there are a series of inspections done on passengers as well as on baggage to check whether any item of threat is entering into the system. Considering the large number of passengers and items using our airports, one hundred percent check on all the items is not practical. This paper investigates the benefit of classifying passengers into different groups, with the idea that the number of checks and the degree of inspection may vary for different groups. The threat probability is assumed to be known and identical for all passengers. We develop a model to determine the number of groups, the fractions of passengers and the assignment of check stations for each group. The constraint is that the false clear probability is within Federal of Aviation Administration (FAA) specifications, and the objective is that the number of false alarms (a surrogate measure of passenger inconvenience) in the system is minimized. The model studies the effect of the system parameters on the number of items checked at various check stations and on the false alarm rate. The major conclusion of this paper is that passenger grouping is beneficial even when the threat probability is assumed constant across all passengers. A further conclusion is that the optimal grouping and check station assignments can depend on the overall threat probability.
FOLIAR NUTRIENT COMPARISONS OF PITCH PINE, LOBLOLLY PINE, AND THE PITCH LOBLOLLY HYBRID

Foliar analysis was conducted to determine the differences between macronutrient concentrations and contents of current year's fascicles of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), pitch pine (P. rigida Mill.), and first (F1) and second (F2) generation plantations of the pitch × loblolly hybrid (P. rigida × taeda). No significant differences in foliar P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations were found between any of the species or hybrid families tested. Foliar N concentration differed among F1 families, but not among the F2 families. Foliar N concentrations of loblolly and pitch pine in the F1 plantation were not significantly different. Fascicles of pitch pine tended to be shorter and lighter than those of loblolly pine and the hybrids, and nutrient contents of pitch pine foliage tended to be slightly less. An assessment of site effects on tree growth and nitrogen nutrition in the F1 plantation revealed that the hybrids respond differently to an enriched site. Six of the eight species and hybrids had higher foliar N contents on the better quality site, while four had increased stem volumes.
Pacific Northwest health professionals survey on pesticides and children.

Abstract The Pacific Northwest includes several regions of pesticide-intensive agriculture, and the health risks of pesticides to children have become a focus of scientific inquiry and public health concern. To prepare a curriculum for regional health care providers on pesticides and child health, we sought to review the experience, attitudes and needs in this subject from the intended target audience. Forty-nine key informants serving high volumes of farmworkers and farm families in agricultural areas of the region were identified: 23 physicians, nine physician assistants, five nurse practitioners, and 12 community health workers completed telephone surveys (98% response rate). These informants serve a high-risk group of children, yet only 49% had any pesticide related health training and only 22% had received child specific information. Regardless of previous training, 55% affirmed the statement, “I use pesticide information in my profession or practice.” However, 61% were not comfortable responding to ...
Isolation of a novel O-linked, sulfated polysaccharide of high molecular weight from an ovarian cyst glycoprotein having blood group "A" activity.

Abstract Treatment of a blood group A-active ovarian cyst mucin glycoprotein with alkaline borohydride under conditions expected to cleave O -glycosidic linkages between carbohydrate and peptide releases a sulfated polysaccharide of average molecular weight 20 000. Its peptide and mannose content is less than 1%, and carbohydrate analysis gives Fuc/GaINAc/Gal/GlcNAc in the ratio of 1:1:2.2:2.2. Galactosaminitol is recovered at the level of one residue per 112-residue average polysaccharide chain. The 13 C- and 1 H-NMR spectra show that the polysaccharide has side chains whose non-reducing terminals have the blood group A structure on a type 1 chain: Methylation analysis confirms the presence of these blood group A type 1 sidechains as well as 4-substituted GlcNAc, 3-substituted galactose and 3,6-substituted galactose branch points. Periodate oxidation removes all the fucose and GaINAc from the non-reducing terminal but leaves intact the backbone composed of β-linked Gal and GlcNAc, as would be expected for a polylactosamine. Although the native polysaccharide is resistant to endo-β-galactosidase digestion, the product of periodate degradation is partially digested, giving a 30% yield of a trisaccharide shown by 1 H-NMR spectroscopy to be: Gal( β 1 → 3)GlcNAc( β 1 → 3)Gal We conclude that this is a high molecular weight sulfated polysaccharide which is related to the asparagine-linked polylactosamine chains of cell surface glycoproteins which have been implicated in cell differentiation. However, the blood group A polysaccharide from the ovarian cyst mucin is unique in several respects. It is linked to the protein by an O -glycosidic bond rather than the N -asparagine linkage of the previously known polylactosamines which have a trimannosyl core, and its blood group A side chains are on a type 1 core rather than type 2 which is found on other polylactosamines.
Kinetics of nutrient and metal release from decomposing lake sediments

Abstract Rates of anaerobic decomposition of Lake Erie sediments were determined for seven depth intervals at three temperatures. Sealed sediment sections were incubated under anoxic conditions and the interstitial waters were serially sampled over a period of approximately 200 days. Concentration increases of bicarbonate, phosphate, ammonium, Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn in pore water within any given depth interval followed zero order kinetics over the sampling period and exhibited Arrhenius temperature dependency. Rates of release to the pore waters were proportional to the concentrations in the solid phases, indicating first order kinetics overall. The rates and temperature dependencies of these fermentation reactions were only slightly less than those reported from sediments undergoing sulfate reduction. The observed release rates decreased exponentially with depth in the sediment due to a corresponding decrease in the amount of metabolizable organic matter and acid hydrolyzable mineral phases. A stoichiometric model was constructed utilizing the observed release rates and assumed chemical reactions to predict the stoichiometry of the decomposing organic matter and the nature of the hydrogen buffer. The modeling indicates that 60% of the observed bicarbonate release is the direct result of organic decomposition, that 20% of the release is from the dissolution of calcium carbonate mineral phases, and that the remaining 20% of the release is from the dissolution of magnesium, iron und manganese carbonate mineral phases. Kinetic modeling of the observed production rates accurately predicts the vertical profiles of Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn, but cannot quantitatively account for all the concentration differences of the nutrient elements C, N and P. This implies that in addition to decomposition, increased depositional flux also accounts for the significant changes in concentrations of the nutrient elements in the near surface sediments.
Do Norms Count? State Regulation and Compliance in a Norwegian Fishing Community:

This article addresses the interface between law and the morality of civil society. It starts with a review of the discourse between the utilitarian approach to rationality and perspectives which i...
Difference in Setting Behavior between Prepared and Sieved Mortars in the ASTM C403 Time of Setting Test

The setting time of concrete as measured by ASTM C403-08 is determined from the penetration resistance of mortar extracted from concrete by removing coarse aggregates larger than the 4.75 mm (#4) sieve. Tests by the authors and others have shown a difference in penetration resistance obtained from mortars extracted from concrete compared with penetration resistance of mortar intentionally mixed to represent the mortar fraction of the concrete of interest, as is noted qualitatively in ASTM C403. The authors report this difference quantitatively, having observed or discovered in the literature prepared mortars with an initial setting time up to 6 %–16 % greater than that of sieved mortar, and final setting time that is up to 3 %–16 % greater than that of sieved mortar. In general, these differences are 1 to 3 times greater than the single operator precision for acceptable range of test results, and are thus significant in the context of ASTM C403.
Isostatic geoid anomalies over trenches and island arcs

Abstract Altimeter geoid profiles crossing trenches and island arcs typically exhibit a long-wavelength increase in geoidal height approaching the trench which, in many cases, reaches a maximum over the back-arc area. Bathymetry profiles across trenches show a similar regional increase in the mean depth of the ocean floor behind the trench. Filters corresponding to Airy and Pratt models of isostatic compensation were applied to bathymetry profiles crossing seven different trench systems in order to estimate how much of the observed geoid variation in these regions could be attributed to isostatically-compensated ocean-floor topography. The results indicate that short-wavelength, high-amplitude variations in the geoid, which in some cases account for over 50% of the total observed amplitude variation, can be reasonably reproduced assuming a Pratt model of isostatic compensation. An additional component of the geoid arises from the uncompensated outer rise seaward of the trench. It is therefore concluded that a large part of the geoid signal over trenches and island arcs may be related to variations in sea-floor topography. This topographic component should be removed from altimeter geoid profiles before using the data to infer details of the deeper structure of subduction zones.
VI. After virtue and Marxism: A response to Wartofsky

My response to Wartofsky's questions concerning why the Aristotelian tradition of the virtues was rejected and why individualist modes of thought found such ready acceptance is to sketch the kind of historical narrative which I take it must be written if his questions are to be adequately answered. I identify one source of difference between us in the varying extent to which he and I have rejected Marxist modes of thought.
TU‐E‐BRB‐05: Streamlining Monte Carlo Dose Calculations for Routing Clinical Use in Proton Therapy

Purpose: To design and validate a tool for routine verifications of clinical treatment plans using Monte Carlo(MC) simulations.Methods: We focus on the clinical implementation for patient dose calculations using TOPAS (TOol for PArticle Simulation), a user‐friendly interface to the Geant4 MC toolkit. Gantry and patient positioning follow guidelines of the IEC and phase‐space output is compliant with the IAEA format. Different parameterization schemes for voxel navigation have been tested to improve computing speed. Patient geometry and alignment are controlled by text files. CT slice input is currently supported for DICOM and XiO data files. Delivered doses, particle fluxes, energy deposits and many other properties can be scored. This new tool is now available for routine protontreatment planning at MGH. In many instances MC studies are preferred over pencil‐beam algorithms. Results: We present results from a cohort of MGH patients. A reduction in CPU time of up to 30% in patient dose calculations has been achieved with a specialized voxel navigation for CT volumes with 30 million voxels. Clinically required accuracy has been reached and verified in a water phantom with uncertainties of +1/−1.5mm in range, 3mm in modulation width and 2% for the flatness of spread‐out Bragg‐peaks with a variance comparable to measurements. For patient dose calculations, up to 8% of the voxels in patients were found to have larger than 2% and 2mm difference when comparing MC and a pencil‐beam algorithm. Conclusions: Monte Carlo simulations are still an exception in treatment planning, requiring detailed work by medical physicists who are also MCsoftware experts. TOPAS supports an easy‐to‐use interface to set up nozzle and patient simulations without programming knowledge. This study demonstrates routine patient simulations with the MC method and supports the value and feasibility of using MC simulation as a standard in protontreatment planning. The project described was supported by Award Number R01CA140735 (“PBeam: A Fast and Easy to Use Monte Carlo System for Proton Therapy”) from the National Cancer Institute.
Acute leukemia in burkitt lymphoma

Burkitt lymphoma uncommonly presents as a acute leukemia. We describe the clinical course and findings of a 14-year-old female with Burkitt lymphoma who presented with acute leukemia. splenomegaly and an abdominal mass. She responded initially to prednisone alone and later achieved full remission with combination chemotherapy. Established morphologic criteria and clinical course were consistent with the diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma (1), although B-cell determinants were not present on her tumor cells.
Abnormal coronary flow reserve and abnormal radionuclide exercise test results in patients with normal coronary angiograms

Coronary flow reserve, exercise thallium-201 scintigraphy and exercise radionuclide ventriculography were compared in 18 patients with chest pain and angiographically normal coronary arteries. Regional exercise thallium-201 perfusion was abnormal in three patients, regional exercise wall motion was abnormal in three other patients and results of both tests were abnormal in one additional patient. Left ventricular ejection fraction responses were abnormal in five of these seven patients. The coronary flow reserve of arterial distributions with abnormal perfusion or regional dysfunction was significantly lower than that of distributions associated with normal radionuclide results (1.42 ± 0.23 versus 2.58 ± 0.83, p All patients with abnormal scintigraphic results had low coronary flow reserve (