cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Start now or start something else

Should adolescents start oral contraceptives immediately or await the next menses? Edwards et al [1] examined this question in a subgroup analysis of a published trial [2]. Adolescents younger than 18 years had the same disappointing results with oral contraceptives as did the larger population studied. Given the repeated failure of immediate-start oral contraceptives to decrease rates of unintended pregnancy and to improve continuation among adult women [3] clinicians serving adolescents must explore other alternatives as these researchers mention in their concluding statement. (excerpt)
Influence of spatially variable instrument networks on climatic averages

Instrument networks for measuring surface air temperature (T) and precipitation (P)have varied consid- erably over the last century. Inadequate observing-station locations have produced incomplete, uneven, and biased samples of the spatial variability in climate and, in turn, terrestrial and global scale averages of T and P have been biased. New high-resolution climatologies (Legates and Willmort, 1990a; 1990b) are intensively sampled and inte- grated to illustrate the effects of these nontrivial sampling biases. Since station networks may not represent spatial climatic variability adequately, their ability to represent climate through time is suspect.
In Situ Control of Wet Etching Using Spectroscopic Ellipsometry

Etching of a GaAs/Al 0.3 Ga 0.7 As/GaAs heterostructure in a nonselective etch solution of 25:1:75 (citric acid: H 2 O 2 :H 2 O) was studied in-situ using real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE). Etch rates for GaAs and AIGaAs of 15.3 nm/min and 17.6 nm/min, respectively, were determined by numerically fitting RTSE data. RTSE was successfully used to stop the etch after removal of the thin GaAs cap, while removing very little of the underlying AlGaAs layer. In addition, etch depth into the AIGaAs layer was accurately controlled, using RTSE to stop the etch with 100 nm remaining. Finally, RTSE data for wet etching of a patterned sample (75% coverage with photoresist) showed similar behavior to that for the unpattemed sample.
It's All About the Latte!

WORKING IN A large pediatric practice has its drawbacks. One would think that this would not be the case because a large practice should have “everything.” The sad fact is that although you do have most things at your fingertips, you still usually lack time. You spend so much time meeting protocols and documenting that you met those protocols that you find yourself at the end of long days wishing you had more time to spend with your patients. My position as the outpatient diabetes educator is relatively new. I worked as an inpatient diabetes educator for years, helping patients and families adjust to the new diagnosis. I now help them adjust to living with diabetes. I often hold long classes because families prefer to sit rather than to drive back to the city for multiple sessions. One long class means hiring a sitter once, taking 1 day off from work, and missing 1 day from school. So during this long class, I have to make sure I cover all the information in all of the protocols and “make it happen” for the patient or their caregivers. Doing it all in one long class is still not enough “time,” yet when I see the “lights come on,” I know that I have done my job well. Those moments are precious. Those moments remind me how much I love what I am doing.
MS2DB: A Mass-Based Hashing Algorithm for the Identification of Disulfide Linkage Patterns in Protein Utilizing Mass Spectrometric Data

The tertiary structure and biological function of a protein can be better understood given knowledge of the number and location of its disulfide bonds. By utilizing mass spectrometric (MS) experimental procedures that produce spectra of the protein's peptides joined by a disulfide bond, we can make initial identifications of these bonded cysteine pairings. The algorithmic problem then becomes how to match a theoretical mass space of all possible bonded peptides against the MS data. Our solution, MSHashID, utilizes the expected amino acid mass in combination with a hash structure to improve the time complexity of making an identification from worse than O(n2) to approximately O(n), where n is the size of the mass space. We have developed a software package, MS2DB, which includes an implementation of this algorithm. Experiments using published data show that the MSHashID algorithm efficiently makes the correct initial identifications, which can then be confirmed using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS).
A hardware demonstration of wireless power transmission based on retro-reflective beamforming

This paper presents an experimental demonstration of wireless power transmission based on retro-reflective beamforming. The wireless charger consists of two antenna elements. It receives “pilot signal” from the device to be charged. The charger processes the pilot signal, and in turn, the processing outcome controls the power transmission. Our measurement results show that, the charger is capable of tracking a mobile device and steering its power beam toward the device.
Adjuvant Antiangiogenic Treatment for Aggressive Giant Cell Lesions of the Jaw: A 20-Year Experience at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Purpose To document long-term outcomes using a standardized treatment protocol of enucleation with preservation of vital structures and adjuvant subcutaneous interferon for aggressive giant cell lesions (GCLs) of the jaws. Materials and Methods A retrospective cohort study was designed. We evaluated all patients treated at Massachusetts General Hospital from April 1995 through September 2015 by enucleation with preservation of vital structures and adjuvant daily subcutaneous interferon for aggressive GCLs. The sample included patients with complete medical records consisting of clinical, radiographic, histopathologic, and follow-up data. The exclusion criteria included patients with incomplete records, contraindications to interferon therapy, non-aggressive GCLs, and GCLs associated with syndromes or with hyperparathyroidism. The primary outcome variable was long-term progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary outcome variables were adverse effects and laboratory abnormalities classified by type, frequency, and severity. Predictor variables for recurrence or failure included age, gender, location and features of lesion, type of procedure, duration of interferon treatment, amount of bone fill at end of treatment, and adverse effects. Descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis were computed. Results Of a total of 77 patients, 45 (mean age, 18.8 ± 12.5 years; 29 female patients; 36 in whom the mandible was affected) met the inclusion criteria. The mean duration of interferon therapy was 7.9 ± 2.3 months. After follow-up of 4.8 ± 3.9 years, 6 patients showed progression of the lesion, considered recurrence (13.3% failure rate, 82.6% PFS rate). Most patients had mild (n = 42; 93.3%) and/or moderate (n = 31; 68.8%) side effects, which were readily managed. Adverse effects required stoppage of interferon in 7 patients, whereas no patients had long-term toxicity. No variable was significantly associated with PFS. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that enucleation with preservation of vital structures in combination with adjuvant interferon alfa is a reliable treatment for aggressive GCLs of the jaws associated with a low recurrence rate.
How Civil Wars Help Explain Organized Crime—and How They Do Not

Large-scale organized crime occupies a gray zone between ordinary crime and political violence. The unprecedented scale of drug-related crime in Mexico has led to its description as an insurgency or even a civil war, a conceptual move that draws on recent studies that have associated civil war with large-scale criminality. By questioning both the “crime as civil war” and “civil war as crime” models, I argue that instead of folding the two phenomena, we should draw primarily from the micro-dynamics of civil war research program to identify areas of potentially productive cross-fertilization. I point to four such areas, namely, onset and termination, organization, combat and violence, and governance and territory. I conclude by sketching a theoretical and empirical agenda for the study of large-scale organized crime.
Regulated lysosomal exocytosis mediates cancer progression

Understanding how tumor cells transition to an invasive and drug-resistant phenotype is central to cancer biology, but the mechanisms underlying this transition remain unclear. We show that sarcomas gain these malignant traits by inducing lysosomal exocytosis, a ubiquitous physiological process. During lysosomal exocytosis, the movement of exocytic lysosomes along the cytoskeleton and their docking at the plasma membrane involve LAMP1, a sialylated membrane glycoprotein and target of the sialidase NEU1. Cleavage of LAMP1 sialic acids by NEU1 limits the extent of lysosomal exocytosis. We found that by down-regulation of NEU1 and accumulation of oversialylated LAMP1, tumor cells exacerbate lysosomal exocytosis of soluble hydrolases and exosomes. This facilitates matrix invasion and propagation of invasive signals, and purging of lysosomotropic chemotherapeutics. In Arf (-⁄-) mice, Neu1 haploinsufficiency fostered the development of invasive, pleomorphic sarcomas, expressing epithelial and mesenchymal markers, and lysosomal exocytosis effectors, LAMP1 and Myosin-11. These features are analogous to those of metastatic, pleomorphic human sarcomas, where low NEU1 levels correlate with high expression of lysosomal exocytosis markers. In a therapeutic proof of principle, we demonstrate that inhibiting lysosomal exocytosis reversed invasiveness and chemoresistance in aggressive sarcoma cells. Thus, we reveal that this unconventional, lysosome-regulated pathway plays a primary role in tumor progression and chemoresistance.
Relationships of Insects to Hot Spots in Stored Wheat

Four species of insects were introduced singly and in various combinations into areas of fungus heating in stored wheat to determine their ability to induce or promote the spread of a hot spot. The granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius (L.), demonstrated the greatest capacity to initiate and promote the spread of hot spots in stored wheat; the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) had considerably less. The saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), and the red flour beetle. Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), were ineffectual both in hot-spot initiation and in spread.
Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larval Development on Wild and Cultivated Plants

Twenty-one plant families (44 species) were tested as suitable hosts for development of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner). Of these, 32 species supported development from fourth instar to adult. However, complete development (first instar to adult) occurred in only 15 species. Development from first or fourth instar to adult occurred on 20 hosts not previously reported; thus indicating survival on substitute hosts which could take place in the loss of their preferred cultivated hosts or if these host plants became undesirable.
Studies of the Retrocerebral Complex in the Honey Bee: Part I: Anatomy and Histology

The corpora allata, corpora cardiaca, and structures associated with them can be appropriately termed the retrocerebral complex because of their location posterior to the insect brain. Since this complex has been studied only superficially in the honey bee, the following investigation was initiated to provide anatomical, histological and embryological bases for research in the almost virgin field of honey bee endocrinology. Anatomical and histological findings will be reported in this paper and the embryological development of the complex in a subsequent one.
Abstract A74: Metabolic syndrome in Latina breast cancer survivors after adjuvant chemotherapy

Metabolic syndrome (MetS), an obesity-related co-morbidity, is a long-term complication of curative treatment for many cancers including breast, prostate, and testicular. MetS is more prevalent in Latinas when compared to Caucasians and non-Latina African Americans, increasing the need to characterize the occurrence of MetS in Latina breast cancer survivors following treatment for breast cancer. The aim of the current study was to determine if MetS occurs following the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer in Latino women. Women with early stage (I-III) breast cancers who have undergone adjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy within 6 months prior to study enrollment were recruited. Outcome measures were tested during a single visit and included MetS components: a) waist circumference assessed at the midpoint between the lower margin of the last palpable rib and the top of the iliac crest; b) blood pressure measured under resting conditions using an automated BP device; c) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); d) triglycerides; e) fasting blood glucose. MetS blood markers were obtained from a fasting (12 hours) blood draw. The following criteria were used to define MetS (3 out 5 components): a) Waist circumference (≥ 32 in); b) Elevated triglycerides (≥150 mg/dL or on drug treatment for elevated triglycerides); c) Reduced HDL-C ( 2 ; mean 35.1±8.7) and the overall average % body fat was 46.7±5.1. MetS was diagnosed in 95.8% (46/48) of the participants with an average MetS score of 4.1±1.3. MetS components were measured as follows: waist circumference 40.3±4.3 in; blood pressure 134(±6.4)/96.3(±8.2) mmHg; triglycerides 199.3±23.9 mg/dL; HDL-C 43.7±14.8 mg/dL; glucose 98.6±15.8. Four of the 5 components of MetS were measured above the diagnostic level. Our results suggest that MetS is diagnosed in more than 95% of obese Latina breast cancer survivors. Feasible and effective interventions, such as diet and exercise, are warranted to address the prevalence of MetS in this population. Citation Format: Christina M. Dieli-Conwright, Joanne E. Mortimer, Darcy Spicer, Debu Tripathy. Metabolic syndrome in Latina breast cancer survivors after adjuvant chemotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A74.
The controller based on Kalman filter designed for gyro stabilized pod

A high performance controller was designed based on variable structure control(VSC) theory in this paper.The control plant is the typical structure of two axes and four frames,and the controller is sliding mode controller based on Kalman filtering.Comparisons between the controller with filter and the controller without filter were made through tracking different signals when process noise and sensor noise were obvious.The results show that the tracking performance is improved by variable structure control scheme based on Kalman filter,and the accuracy of tracking is enhanced.
A Summary of the Study in 2008 on Taiping Rebellion

There were many achievements of Taiping Rebellion in China in 2008.According to some statistics,eight dissertationa and over 70 academic articles study the political system,economy,military,diplomatic relations and culture of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.The compared research and psychological research are the innovations of the study on Taiping Rebellion in 2008.
Mitigating bias in program assessment data: triangulation and enhanced data collection

This paper describes the program assessment methods used in a computing sciences department which assesses programs in computer science, information systems, and information technology. The program assessment strategies focus on mitigating bias in assessment data. Minimizing bias is achieved through collecting large numbers of assessment data from diverse data sources. To assist in this effort, a custom, Web-based tool was developed and used. While the assessment process was developed with a focus on accreditation, the assessment process described in this paper is successfully being implemented in other disciplines for supporting continuous improvement of academic programs.
Conjugation of Glycopeptide Thioesters to Expressed Protein Fragments

This method describes the conjugation of a synthetic glycopeptide to the N-terminus of a recombinant human interleukin-2 (IL-2) protein fragment. The IL-2 protein fragment is produced as an affinity-tagged fusion protein in Escherichia coli and then cleaved with the highly selective TEV protease to remove the affinity tag and uncover an N-terminal cysteine. The N-terminal cysteine is then used in native chemical ligation reaction to join the IL-2 protein fragment to a glycosylated tripeptide thioester that had been previously synthesized to produce a glycosylated form of IL-2.
Effect of forest opening characteristics, prey abundance, and environmental factors on bat activity in the southern Appalachians

Abstract Early successional habitat (ESH) is important for many wildlife species. Over the past century, land use changes have caused ESH to decline in hardwood forests of the eastern United States. Because of the decline of ESH and ESH dependent wildlife, ESH has recently received increased attention from land managers and scientists. Bats, which utilize ESH for foraging, are also a conservation concern, however little information is available on how ESH restoration affects bats. Our objective was to determine how ESH opening size, presence of edge, opening shape, prey abundance, vegetation structure, and environmental factors affect bat activity. In June-August 2014 and May-August 2015, we placed Anabat SD2 bat detectors at the interior and edge of small (0.2–1.6 ha), medium (2.1–5.6 ha), and large (6.2–18.5 ha) forest openings in the Nantahala National Forest, Cheoah Ranger District, Graham County, North Carolina. We used Townes-style Malaise insect traps to determine insect abundance and quantified vegetation structure. Differences in insect abundance, bat activity, and bat species richness were tested using mixed effects general linear models. Opening size and presence of edge did not affect total insect abundance, although density of trees >2 m in height and elevation had a negative effect on total insect abundance whereas mean nightly temperature had a positive effect. Similarly, overall bat activity did not vary with opening size or presence of edge, but was negatively related to density of trees >2 m high and elevation and positively related to the related circumscribing circle index (i.e., more elongated) and mean nightly temperature. Activity of open-adapted bat species was also negatively related to density of trees >2 m. These results suggest that opening size and prey abundance do not affect bat activity in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Open-adapted bats may select foraging patches with less vegetation structure because they can forage more efficiently in these environments, whereas clutter-adapted bats can forage efficiently in both cluttered and open environments. Thus, if creating ESH to benefit bats, land managers should maintain an open vegetation structure, focus on creating openings at lower elevations, and configure openings to maximize edge relative to opening area.
Hepatitis C in Pregnancy: Screening and Current Treatments

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects around 170 million men and women all over the world. Many patients with chronic HCV infection do not present with active symptoms until years after contracting the disease. In particular, women with quiescent HCV infection may become pregnant and deliver their child without knowing they were even infected. Thus, vertical transmission of HCV from mother to infant remains the single largest contributor to childhood HCV infection. Specific factors present before, during, or after pregnancy can increase the risk of HCV transmission from mother to infant. Some of these factors include a high viral load at the time of delivery, HIV co-infection, vaginal or perineal lacerations during delivery, and/or having a prolonged rupture of membranes. Despite these specific instances, the transmission rate from mother to infant still remains fairly low at around 1–8 %. New medications in the category of direct-acting antivirals may show promise in treating HCV in pregnant women. Many of these oral drug combinations such as sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, elbasvir/grazoprevir, and ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir have been studied in pregnant animal populations but have limited to no results in human populations. The door remains open for future studies of these drugs to treat pregnant women during pregnancy that may help reduce viral loads and prevent vertical transmission of HCV infection to the infant.
Status of the Model Retail Food Store Sanitation Ordinance.

This is a status report on the Model Retail Food Store Sanitation Ordinance developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for adoption by State and local regulatory agencies. The Ordinance is currently under final review by the Federal agency. Approval is expected by the end of 1979. It is the first time the Federal Government has developed specific recommendations for the sanitary operation of retail food stores. The Ordinance has been under development since 1973. It contains information on some General Provisions, Fond Care, Personnel, Equipment and Utensils, Cleaning, Sanitization and Storage of Equipment and Utensils, Sanitary Facilities and Controls, Construction and Maintenance of Physical Facilities and Compliance Procedures. Several drafts preceded the original proposal which was available for public comment in October, 1977, with a subsequent revised edition available for comment in November, 1978. All comments received were given due consideration and the final version prepared for agency clearance. FDA believes the Ordinance is practical and enforceable. If the recommendations are implemented by the retail fond store industry and equitably enforced by the regulatory agencies, the marketplace should be a safer place in which to retail food which meets the expectations of the buyer.
Signal Traffic: Critical Studies of Media Infrastructures

The convergence of traditional media and computer networks calls attention to the means by which cultural products circulate through societies and around the globe. The Internet has transformed tra...
A compact active filter to eliminate common-mode voltage in a SiC-based motor drive

This paper presents an active compensation device for common-mode (CM) voltage elimination in 3-phase space-vector pulse-width-modulated (SVPWM) inverters. The proposed device consists of a single-phase 2-level inverter (H-bridge) which supplies a compensating voltage to the inverter via a step-up common-mode transformer tied to all three phases at the output. The H-bridge active filter is supplied by a low voltage bus and switched several orders of magnitude faster than the inverter switching frequency. This device takes advantage of the direct knowledge of the switching pulses sent to the inverter to predict and generate the compensating voltage. A technique is employed to subtract the low frequency harmonics from the modulation of the H-bridge which allows for the size of the common-mode transformer to be reduced significantly. Small passive components are added to attenuate the active filter's PWM frequency content and thus produce an effective compensating voltage. This paper will review existing common-mode voltage compensation techniques and demonstrate that the proposed method is a logical choice for certain drive applications. Design considerations are included to provide understanding and guidance for implementation of the device, as well as MATLAB/Simulink simulation results to demonstrate the operation of the active compensation device. Final validation is presented through experimental results from a hardware prototype.
Nonlinear Systems Characterization Using Phase Space Density

Stationary dynamical systems have invariant measures (or densities) that are characteristic of the particular dynamical system. We develop a method to characterize this density by partitioning the attractor into the smallest regions in phase space that contain information about the structure of the attractor. To accomplish this, we develop a statistic that tells us if we get more information about our data by dividing a set of data points into partitions rather than just lumping all the points together. We use this method to show that not only can we detect small changes in an attractor from a circuit experiment, but we can also distinguish between a large set of numerically generated chaotic attractors designed by Sprott.
Conducting Veteran Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Exams: Establishing a Nexus Between Mental Health and Death

Forms of financial compensation have been paid to the beneficiaries of deceased service members since the Revolutionary War. In its current version, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax-free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of veterans whose death resulted from a service-related disability. Mental health professionals are called upon to provide medico-legal opinions in DIC claims involving questions of whether a veteran’s service-connected mental illness contributed substantially to their death. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does not currently employ training programs, competency standards, or best practice recommendations for these specialized evaluations. This article seeks to fill this gap and provide a resource for mental health professionals providing medical opinions in DIC claims.
Post-operative spondylodiscitis due to Propionibacterium acnes: A case report.

Post-operative spondylodiscitis due to Propionibacterium acnes is rare, with only a few cases reported in the literature. In this article, we report the case of a 76-year-old patient who suffered from spondylodiscitis T12-L1 discovered after 1 month of pain and fever. Antibiotic treatment was administered for 6 weeks without revision surgery. Diagnosis remains incomplete, and preventive therapy against this infection is not well known. There is no link between immunosuppression and this infection. A cure has been reported in 98% of cases, but further investigation is still required for the establishment of treatment guidelines.
Shallow water modal evolution due to nonlinear internal waves

Acoustic modal behavior is reported for an L-shape hydrophone array during the passage of a strong nonlinear internal wave packet. Acoustic track is nearly parallel to the front of nonlinear internal waves. Through modal decomposition at the vertical array, acoustic modes are identified. Modal evolution along the horizontal array then is examined during a passing internal wave. Strong intensity fluctuations of individual modes are observed before and during the internal waves packet passes the fixed acoustic track showing a detailed evolution of the waveguide modal behavior. Acoustic refraction created either uneven distribution of modal energy over the horizontal array or additional returns observable at the entire L-shape array. Acoustic ray-mode simulations are used to phenomenologically explain the observed modal behavior.
Stratified Models of Mean Currents

The alternating surface jets and the Equatorial Undercurrent are important features that have long challenged both numerical modelers and the perturbation theorists. In this chapter, stratification and viscosity are added to the shallow water jets found by Yoshida. The models of McCreary and McPhaden are ancient and cannot fit observations as well as the ever-changing succession of ocean general circulation models. Yet they are well worth a careful analysis to understand the underlying mechanisms.
Migration, migrants, and human security:

This introductory article outlines a framework to bridge some of the current fragmentation and knowledge hierarchies in the sociological field of migration. The article builds on the insights – and...
Spreading the message: Defining the delay distribution in opportunistic communications

Opportunistic communications through wireless ad-hoc mesh networks have been thoroughly studied in the context of military infrastructureless deployments, sensor networks and even human-centered pervasive networking. However, due to the lack of a model that accurately computes the probability distribution of the delay, we usually content ourselves with the mean values. Such an approach can limit both the ability to predict the system's behavior and the ways to affect it. In this paper, we present an analytical framework that allows us to estimate the probability distribution of the delay as a function of the field size, the number of participating users and the movement model. In addition, the short computational time, as compared to simulations, allows us to analyze systems that would otherwise be infeasible, due to their size. The derived delay probability distribution can help us decide whether opportunistic networking can be practically used in, e.g., dense vehicular environments, highly volatile mesh networks, or even predicting a successful marketing campaign. We validate the analytical results against a simulation of the presented model. Furthermore, we created a second, highly sophisticated and realistic, simulation, in order to verify the validity of the observed trends in almost-real-life situations.
How to Identify the Research Abilities That Instructors Anticipate Students Will Develop in a Biochemistry Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been described in a range of educational contexts. Although various anticipated learning outcomes (ALOs) have been proposed, processes for identifying them may not be rigorous or well documented, which can lead to inappropriate assessment and speculation about what students actually learn from CUREs. In this essay, we offer a user-friendly and rigorous approach based on evidence and an easy process to identify ALOs, namely, a five-step Process for Identifying Course-Based Undergraduate Research Abilities (PICURA), consisting of a content analysis, an open-ended survey, an interview, an alignment check, and a two-tiered Likert survey. The development of PICURA was guided by four criteria: 1) the process is iterative, 2) the overall process gives more insight than individual data sources, 3) the steps of the process allow for consensus across the data sources, and 4) the process allows for prioritization of the identified abilities. To address these criteria, we collected data from 10 participants in a multi-institutional biochemistry CURE. In this essay, we use two selected research abilities to illustrate how PICURA was used to identify and prioritize such abilities. PICURA could be applied to other CUREs in other contexts.
Resources, Specialization, and Exchange in the Maya Lowlands

The Classic period Maya lived on a peninsular cul-de-sac geographically isolated from other Mesoamerican groups. Although their cultural uniqueness, manifested particularly in their writing system, is often overblown in both scholarly and popular accounts, nevertheless the geographical position of the Maya Lowlands—surrounded by water on three sides and by a chain of mountains on the fourth—did contribute an insular dimension to the process of state formation and maintenance. This insularity contrasts with more highly interactive regions to the west—the Gulf Lowlands (Santley and Pool, this volume)—and in Lower Central America (Hoopes, this volume) where interregional connections on both political and social levels have resulted in a stronger material imprint of interaction in the archaeological record. Although the political structure of the Maya Lowlands, one of multiple, competing states, may have reinforced a pattern of localized production and small-scale exchange networks, nevertheless the quintessential “exotic” elements of status (and later badges of office) such as jade, shell, amber, obsidian, and plumage were in great demand throughout the Maya Lowlands. This demand engendered the development of protracted, multinodal networks of trade, tribute, and gift giving that linked the Maya with the rest of Mesoamerica, albeit on a sporadic basis. Set within the context of the lowland Maya landscape, this chapter examines both local exchange networks that appear to have been organized at the household level and the elite procurement of exotic raw materials that were transformed into sumptuary goods by artisans organized by the “palace.”
A mathematical model for the initiation of ventricular tachycardia in myocardium

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a mathematical model for the initiation of ventricular tachycardia in myocardium. The principal dilemmas of the Spach experiment can be adequately explained using discrete models for the myocardium. A discrete anisotropic cellular medium can have propagation failure in only one direction; this can lead to reentry and permanently rotating action potentials, similar to a state of ventricular tachycardia. The direction of propagation failure is the long direction of cells, as suggested by the experiment of Spach. Lateral coupling of cardiac cells is stronger than longitudinal coupling, despite the fact that lateral propagation is slower than longitudinal propagation. As the intercellular resistance is more important than the intracellular cytoplasmic resistance, propagation within the cell is fast compared with propagation across cell boundaries.
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Dosing Guidelines for the Treatment of Adult Hyperkalemia

Standard treatment of hyperkalemia has consisted of the administration of a number of medications including sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) suspension orally or as an enema. Dosage ranges of 15 ...
Abstract 3182: A human neural stem cell glial brain tumor model identifies the relative contribution of different oncogenic elements to malignant transformation

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is an invasive malignancy of the brainstem that accounts for greater than 80% of pediatric brainstem gliomas. In the past 40 years, there have been no significant advances in DIPG treatments and survival, so it remains a leading cause of death from pediatric brain tumors. Nearly 80% of DIPG harbor a point mutation in H3F3A or HIST1H3B, and the presence of this H3.3K27M mutation is inversely correlated with reduced OS, suggesting that epigenetic dysregulation is a key driver to cause the pathogenesis of DIPG. However, it is unclear how the H3.3K27M mutation and the other common alterations in DIPG contribute to tumorigenicity in human neural stem cells. To address the relative contributions of different oncogenic elements to DIPG, we sought to add common DIPG elements in a stepwise fashion to human neural stem cells derived from the developing hindbrain. We chose oncogenic elements that are known to present in DIPG, including the stem cell factor BMI1, mutant (R248W) p53, H3.3K27M, constitutively active AKT (representing the activation of mTOR detected in the vast majority of DIPG) and hTERT. We found that the combination of the stem cell factor BMI1 along with mutant (R248W) p53 and hTERT could immortalize neural stem cells, but was insufficient to form orthotopic xenograft tumors when placed in the pons of immunodeficient mice. Addition of activated AKT led to aggressive tumor formation, with a glial phenotype as evidenced by robust GFAP expression and absence of synaptophysin expression. All mice bearing these four genetic alterations succumbed to their tumors within 100 days of implantation. We found that introduction of H3.3K27M mutation reduces the level of tri-methylation of H3.3KK27 to that seen in patient-derived DIPG cell lines. Furthermore, we found that H3.3KK27 mutation introduction increases expression of LIN28B, a stem cell factor, which is also found in patient-derived DIPGs. Our previous study showing that LIN28A, another family member of LIN28 proteins, regulates invasion and tumorigenicity in adult high-grade gliomas suggests that H3.3K27M mutation might facilitate invasiveness of DIPG through LIN28B and its downstream effectors HMGA2, SNAI1, and SLUG. In summary, we have developed a human hindbrain neural stem cell DIPG model that has both accurate cell of origin and genetic defects including H3.3K27M mutation. Our models allow for assessment of the relative contribution to transformation of each genetic element in a stepwise fashion in the likely cell of origin of this deadly tumor. Citation Format: Youngran Park, Ping An, Dacheng Ding, Charles G. Eberhart, Eric H. Raabe. A human neural stem cell glial brain tumor model identifies the relative contribution of different oncogenic elements to malignant transformation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3182.
Diagnosis of Peripheral Artery Disease in the Diabetic Patient

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects over 200 million patients globally. Patients with diabetes have a twofold higher risk of developing PAD, and with this comes a higher rate of foot ulceration and amputation. The prompt diagnosis and treatment of PAD in diabetic foot ulcer patients is of paramount importance to wound healing and limb preservation. This chapter will outline key features of the initial evaluation for PAD in patients with diabetes. It will also describe the various noninvasive diagnostic modalities available for use, along with their advantages and disadvantages.
Acid Peptic Disease.

The management of peptic ulcer disease has radically changed over the last 40 years from primarily surgical treatment to medical therapy nearly eliminating the need for elective surgery in these patients. Although there has been a decline in patients requiring acute surgical intervention for complications of peptic ulcer disease (perforation, bleeding, and obstruction), these patients still make up a significant proportion of hospital admissions every year. The modern acute care surgeon must have significant knowledge of the multiple treatment modalities used to appropriately care for these patients.
Marine ice sheet instability amplifies and skews uncertainty in projections of future sea-level rise

Sea-level rise may accelerate significantly if marine ice sheets become unstable. If such instability occurs, there would be considerable uncertainty in future sea-level rise projections due to imperfectly modeled ice sheet processes and unpredictable climate variability. In this study, we use mathematical and computational approaches to identify the ice sheet processes that drive uncertainty in sea-level projections. Using stochastic perturbation theory from statistical physics as a tool, we show mathematically that the marine ice sheet instability greatly amplifies and skews uncertainty in sea-level projections with worst-case scenarios of rapid sea-level rise being more likely than best-case scenarios of slower sea-level rise. We also perform large ensemble simulations with a state-of-the-art ice sheet model of Thwaites Glacier, a marine-terminating glacier in West Antarctica that is thought to be unstable. These ensemble simulations indicate that the uncertainty solely related to internal climate variability can be a large fraction of the total ice loss expected from Thwaites Glacier. We conclude that internal climate variability alone can be responsible for significant uncertainty in projections of sea-level rise and that large ensembles are a necessary tool for quantifying the upper bounds of this uncertainty.
Representations of numerical sequences and the concept of middle in preschoolers.

The present study concerns preschoolers’ understanding of the middle concept as it applies to numerical sequences. Previous research using implicit psychophysical assessment suggests that the numerical midpoint is embedded within numerical representations by 4 years of age. Here, we examined 3- to 5-year-olds’ ability to identify the midpoint value in triplets of non-symbolic numbers when explicitly probed to do so. We found that whereas 4- and 5-year-olds were capable of explicit access to numerical midpoint values and showed ratio-dependent performance, a signature of the approximate number system (ANS), 3-year-olds performed at chance. Children’s difficulty in identifying numerical midpoint values was not due to comparing multiple arrays, nor was it entirely due to a spatial association with the word “middle” used in the task. We speculate that explicit access to numerical midpoint values may be jointly supported by endogenous control of attentional mechanisms and the development of a mental number line.
1 – Introduction to Human Genome Computing Via the World Wide Web

The genome community was an early adopter of the Web, finding in it a way to publish its vast accumulation of data, and to express the rich interconnectedness of biologic information. The Web is the home of primary data, genome maps, expression data, DNA and protein sequences, X-ray crystallographic structures, and the huge outpouring of publications of the genome project. These data, spread out among thousands of individual laboratories and community databases, are hot-linked throughout. The Web is much more than a static repository of information. The Web is increasingly being used as a front end for sophisticated analytic software. Sequence similarity search engines, protein structural motif finders, exon identifiers, and even mapping programs have all been integrated into the Web. This chapter provides details of the World Wide Web (WWW) from the genome biologist's perspective, and offers information on Web browsers, genome databases, species-specific databases, and the analytic tools available on the Web.
Fission fragment mass yields and total kinetic energy release in neutron-induced fission of U 233 from thermal energies to 40 MeV

Properties of fission in $^{233}\mathrm{U}$ were measured at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center at incident neutron energies from thermal to 40 MeV. Fragments were observed in coincidence by using a twin ionization chamber with Frisch grids. The average total kinetic energy released and fragment mass yields were determined by using the double energy analysis method based on conservation of mass and momentum. The experimental method was validated by using $^{232}\mathrm{Th}$ and absolute energy was calibrated by using thermal-neutron--induced fission of $^{235}\mathrm{U}$. This work incorporates novel applications of multi-chance fission channel cross sections and fission models to account for the complexities introduced by prompt neutron emission at high energy and extends results up to higher incident neutron energies than previously measured. Accurate experimental measurements of these parameters are necessary to better understand the fission process in isotopes central to the thorium fuel cycle.
Exert more and feel better, not worse?: Examining links among changes in exertion, feelings of accomplishment, and feeling states

Abstract Zenko, Ekkekakis, and Ariely (2016) showed that participants whose exercise session became progressively easier over time showed more positive affect than participants whose session became increasingly more difficult. The current study examined whether Zenko et al.’s decrease in exertion-increase in feeling state relationship held in a series of three, unmanipulated practices among a sample of collegiate athletes. In addition, change in feelings of accomplishment was included as a predictor of overall after-practice feeling state and as a potential mediator of the relationship between change in exertion and change in feeling state during practice in multilevel models. Results showed the relationship between change in exertion and change in feeling state was negative but did not consistently reach significance, and change in feeling state did not consistently predict overall feeling state after practice. However, increase in accomplishment was a significant predictor of overall feeling state after practice, and change in accomplishment was a significant mediator of the relationship between change in exertion and change in feeling state. Increase in exertion can lead to an increase in positive feeling states when trying harder leads to an increase in feelings of accomplishment during practice settings despite a direct effect sometimes showing increase in exertion leads to a decrease in feeling states. These results demonstrate an inconsistent mediator effect and provide insight into how athletes may be able to feel better while working harder, not worse.
The grammar of Chinese characters: Productive knowledge of formal patterns in an orthographic system, by James Myers

This article reviews The grammar of Chinese characters: Productive knowledge of formal patterns in an orthographic system 978-1-138-29081-5
Peripheral Nerve Compression and Pain

Simply stated, pain is the brain’s response to potentially harmful stimuli sensed by specialized receptors along the peripheral nervous system. Stretch, compression, and certainly severance of a peripheral nerve will cause pain and dysfunction.
Highlights of Veterinary Entomology, 2019

Research in the field of veterinary entomology is dominated by studies concerning arthropods that affect animal health. In 2019, this research primarily addressed the overwhelming industry need to manage detrimental species such as biting flies and ticks and the ongoing problems caused by insecticide/acaricide resistance evolution in these pests. Research also included evidence supporting the need for the conservation of beneficial species, such as biological control organisms. Many studies in a variety of pest systems have demonstrated the potential detrimental effects of insecticide use on nontarget organisms, and those of veterinary importance are no exception. An emphasis also was placed on research regarding alternative management strategies for veterinary pests. The presentation herein provides a descriptive summary of selected research that contributed greatly to the body of knowledge regarding arthropods of veterinary importance. This included several studies that will pave the way towards more effective veterinary pest management in an effort to improve animal health and welfare and, therefore, the sustainability of animal agriculture.
MOST NOTABLE PAPERS IN THE 2018 BIANNUAL METALS IN MEDICINE GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCE

All accounts mentioned in this paper are for and from published data only and are referenced at the end of the report. Metals in Medicine Gordon Research Conference (GRC) started in 2002 with the effort of Professor Michael J. Clark and his collaborators and it has been held biannually since then. The most recent conference was held in Proctor Academy in Andover, NH USA. We are writing this Conference Report about its most recent and vibrant activities that occurred between June 24th, and June 29th, 2018. After an immensely productive week and with a prolific number of presentations in different subfields of metals and their involvement in medicinal diagnostics and treatments, the conference met all of its objectives, one of which was that very valuable agreements for future collaborations with at least two international researchers with knowledge of Molecular Dynamics, Density Function Theory, and Molecular Mechanics Calculations have been gained. The conference had its highest number of participants and attendees since its inception. There were 50 talks and 120 poster presentations. This report is being submitted in celebration of the 85th birth year of Professor Mostafa A. El-Sayed of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Examining the Differential Effectiveness and Efficiency of Alternative Multiplication Drill Interventions with Third-Grade Students

A large number of students demonstrate difficulty acquiring and retaining math facts highlighting the need for early math intervention. This study used a single-case cumulative acquisition design t...