cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Invasive grasses consistently create similar plant–soil feedback types in soils collected from geographically distant locations

Invasive PSF is limited by soil type. Most, but not all, plant species exhibit negative plant soil feedback (PSF), wherein plants perform poorly in soils formerly occupied (conditioned) by conspecifics. This dynamic has led to the Plant-Soil Feedback Hypothesis of Invasion which posits that plant species have greater invasive potential when they create PSFs that benefit conspecifics over heterospecifics (consequently creating ‘invasive’ PSFs). This hypothesis was tested using four invasive plant species and three soils collected from distinct areas within and outside each species currently-invaded range. If plant-soil feedback contributes to invasive potential, species should create invasive PSFs and the PSF should be consistent among soils from the currently-invaded range. We determine PSF by examining conspecific and heterospecific performance in soil conditioned by each invasive species. Results partially support the Plant-Soil Feedback Hypothesis of Invasion. Taeniatherum caput-medusae generated invasive PSFs in soils from all three origins, and Agropyron cristatum generated invasive PSFs in two of the three soil origins. Centaurea solstitialis did not create invasive PSFs in the soil from its invasive range, but did exhibit an invasive PSF from a soil just beyond its invasion edge. Poa pratensis did not demonstrate any PSF effect.
The effect of NH4Cl induced chronic metabolic acidosis on work capacity in man

Eleven male and female subjects were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. One experimental ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) group (n=6) and one calcium carbonate (CaCO3) placebo control group (n=5) received treatment lasting 10 days. No significant changes were observed in several ventilatory parameters ( $$\dot V$$ E, $$\dot V$$ E/ $$\dot V$$ 2, $$\dot V$$ E/ $$\dot V$$ O2) during submaximal or maximal exercise. Heart rates and performance times were similarly unaltered. Changes were observed in oxygen consumption ( $$\dot V$$ O2) and plasma lactates (HLa) during submaximal exercise at 40% maximal power output (approximately 48% $$\dot V$$ O2 max). V{IEVO2 decreased from 1.12 l·min−1 to 1.04 l·min−1 (t=2.87,p<0.05) and HLa were depressed from 2.3 to 1.9 mM·l−1 (t=3.92, p<0.02). HLa and V $$\dot V$$ O2 max were not changed during an incremental V $$\dot V$$ O2 max test. The evidence suggests that under conditions of experimental renalcompensated, chronic metabolic acidoses (CMA), there are no significant changes in most cardiopulmonary parameters measured during maximal and submaximal exercise. It appears that the decrements in performance reported by previous investigators may be due to pH changes of acidosis rather than accompanying compensatory changes of acid-base control.
THE TEMPORAL COMPONENT OF DIVERSITY AMONG SPECIES OF BIRDS.

Interspecific competition in birds may be reduced as a result of (1) morphological diversity, (2) partitioning of the environment by means of specialization and habitat selection, and (3) staggered nesting seasons. The increased species diversity in the tropics, relative to temperate latitudes, requires that one or more of these factors be operating more intensively. Klopfer (1962, fig. 9) has demonstrated similarity of bill size diversity between the birds of Panama and those of Massachusetts. Also, a comparable analysis of the weights of tropical and temperate "passerines" shows similar body size diversity in the two groups (Ricklefs, in preparation). Recently, MacArthur (1965) has reviewed the roles of specialization and habitat selection in reducing competition and has pointed out that a large component of increased bird species diversity in the tropics may be accounted for by increased turnover of species between habitats in addition to increases within habitats. Klopfer (1962, pp. 76-77 and fig. 7) noted that "in the tropics many related species have staggered their breeding cycles," but few data were presented and no temperate comparison could be made. MacArthur (1964) also investigated the role of staggered nesting seasons, analyzing data from England (Lack, 1950) and Costa Rica (Skutch, 1950, 1954, 1960). A quantitative estimate of temporal diversity was made by converting raw data (the number of nests begun during each month) to equally probable months for nesting (hereafter, months) using the expression e-1plOg,pi,
Behavioral convergence in the defensive displays of snakes

Comparison of habitats and defensive displays in 129 species suggests convergent behavioral evolution. In snakes, antipredator tactics are apparently superimposed at the population, species, or generic level on much older adaptations for feeding.
Association of Acute Interstitial Nephritis With Programmed Cell Death 1 Inhibitor Therapy in Lung Cancer Patients

Immune checkpoint inhibitors that target the programmed death 1 (PD-1) signaling pathway have recently been approved for use in advanced pretreated non–small cell lung cancer and melanoma. Clinical trial data suggest that these drugs may have adverse effects on the kidney, but these effects have not been well described. We present 6 cases of acute kidney injury in patients with lung cancer who received anti–PD-1 antibodies, with each case displaying evidence of acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) on kidney biopsy. All patients were also treated with other drugs (proton pump inhibitors and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) linked to AIN, but in most cases, use of these drugs long preceded PD-1 inhibitor therapy. The association of AIN with these drugs in our patients raises the possibility that PD-1 inhibitor therapy may release suppression of T-cell immunity that normally permits renal tolerance of drugs known to be associated with AIN.
Choice feeding of protein concentrate and grain to organic meat chickens

SUMMARY In alternative poultry production, such as free-range and organic, alternative feeding methods may be useful. Instead of a single fully Formulated diet, a “Choice” method offers 2 complementary feeds, a protein concentrate and a grain, between which birds self-select. This method was used in the past and may allow free-range birds that encounter diverse environmental conditions to adjust their diets to meet changing nutritional needs. A trial was conducted to study the impact of Choice feeding organic meat chickens vs. Formulated feeding. Chicks were raised to 64 d in an organic research facility with outdoor access. Birds in the Choice treatment were offered cracked corn and, separately, a concentrate composed of roasted soybeans, fishmeal, and mineral and vitamin premix. During the trial, Choice birds self-selected a diet that was low in protein (only 12% CP during the last week of production). Live weight gains, as well as carcass and breast weights, were lower for birds in the Choice treatment compared to the Formulated treatment; however, FCR was superior for Choice and yields did not differ. The cost of Choice feed was lower than Formulated ($0.58/kg vs. $0.66/kg, respectively). Results indicate that Choice feeding may be useful in alternative and free-range poultry production, especially in organic production. It enables the use of farm-raised feeds, important for on-farm nutrient cycling and reducing the cost of expensive organic feed.
Export fluxes in northern Gulf of Mexico - Comparative evaluation of direct, indirect and satellite-based estimates

Abstract The northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) is one of the well-studied areas of global ocean, yet direct estimates of upper ocean particulate organic carbon (POC) fluxes from this region are limited. The present work reports vertical fluxes of POC from the oligotrophic region of NGOM utilizing short-lived radionuclide pairs 234Th/238U and 210Po/210Pb. In spite of the difference in time scale both 210Po and 234Th based estimates are in reasonable agreement with sinking POC fluxes, caught in sediment traps. POC flux estimates ranged between 22–41 mg C m− 2 day− 1 at 150 m and 6–40 mg C m− 2 day− 1 at 250 m. The average export efficiency at base of euphotic zone (Ez) was found to be 0.07 ± 0.03 while the export ratio (T100) at 100 m below euphotic zone was found to be 0.66 ± 0.18 indicating that most of the attenuation of NPP in this region is set in the surface layer (low Ez ratio) and there is relatively little flux attenuation in the subsurface (high T100) which is typical for oligotrophic settings. Satellite based export efficiencies predicted by the Laws and Dunne models are on average found to be two times higher than the in situ observations while estimates from the Henson model were found to be similar or lower. This is consistent with the observation on a global scale where we find export estimates from in situ data to be consistently lower than those predicted by the Laws export model for the temperature range of 20–25 °C. The discrepancy between modelled estimates and in situ measurements of POC fluxes highlights the fact that global empirical models of satellite based POC fluxes that only consider temperature are overly simple and may need further refinement for ocean biome specific scaling to accurately predict export fluxes.
Acquired Resistance to Crizotinib in NSCLC with MET Exon 14 Skipping.

Abstract Introduction MET proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase gene ( MET ) exon 14 skipping is a targetable alteration in lung cancer. Treatment with MET proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor can cause dramatic responses in patients whose cancers have MET exon 14 skipping. Little is known, however, about acquired resistance in patients with MET exon 14 skipping. Methods Biopsy specimens obtained at baseline and at the time of progression for a patient being treated with crizotinib were compared using targeted next-generation sequencing to assess for mechanisms of resistance. Results An acquired mutation in the MET kinase domain, D1228N , was found at time of progression on crizotinib in a patient with MET exon 14 skipping. Conclusions One potential mechanism of acquired resistance to crizotinib in patients with MET exon 14 skipping is through second-site mutations in the MET gene. Understanding mechanisms of resistance will be important in optimizing therapy in these patients.
Interests and Characteristics of the Members of the International Microwave Power Institute

ABSTRACTRecently the Board of Governors of IMPI authorized a research study of the interests and characteristics of IMPI members, A self-administered mail questionnaire. was developed which contained questions dealing with organizations represented, interests of members, profile characteristics of members, and the relationship of the Institute and its members. The questionnaire was sent to all members in good standing. 52% of the membership returned the completed questionnaire. The responses to each question are shown as separate histograms and each question is discussed in the text. The results of the survey suggest specific interest areas that should be pursued by both the Board of Governors in terms of the Annual Symposium on Microwave Power and by. the Editor of the Journal of Microwave Power as a criteria for paper selection.
The Global Framework and East-West Economic Relations

Historically East-West economic relations have played a more important role in eastern economies than in western economies.1 Data on trade flows are the most visible evidence for that. In 1982 3.1 per cent of total OECD exports went to the East, accounting for approximately 0.05 per cent of OECD GNP that year.2 That same year those exports accounted for 31 per cent of the imports of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, equal to approximately 16 per cent of their collective GNPs.3
Do Government Positions Held by Women Matter? A Cross-National Examination of Female Ministers' Impacts on Women's Political Participation

Current research shows that female legislators serve as role models for women. Understudied is how and the extent to which female ministers inspire women to participate in politics. We argue that with their high visibility and greater ability to influence policy, female ministers also serve as role models, but their influence differs depending on the form of political engagement. Using the World Values Survey and additional national-level variables, we employ multilevel modeling techniques to explore how women in the cabinet influence various forms of women's political engagement. We find that the proportion of women in the cabinet has a stronger effect on participation than the proportion of women in parliament. All else being equal, a higher proportion of women in the cabinet increases women's conventional participation (voting and party membership), petition signing, and engagement in peaceful demonstrations, but it does not influence women's participation in strikes or boycotts. Our findings add to current studies of women's political representation, in which ministerial representation is often underexplored or not differentiated from parliamentary representation, and help distinguish various forms of participation. Future research should consider examining a wider variety of women's political roles in other areas of the political arena.
Brain biomarkers and neuroimaging to diagnose urea cycle disorders and assess prognosis

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Biomarkers are characteristics measured as indicators of normal biological processes. Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are associated with neurological symptoms. In this setting, unique disease or process specific biomarkers show promise to identify symptomatic and presymptomatic disease and/or provide surrogate end-points to demonstrate clinical efficacy of new treatments, such as neuroprotective agents.Areas covered: Neuroimaging can interrogate brain structure, biochemistry and networks noninvasively. Because the pathophysiologic process underlying cognitive and neurological decline in a number of IEMs involves progressive neurodegeneration of selective brain regions, repeatable, noninvasive in vivo neuroimaging measures of brain anatomy, chemistry, physiology, and pathology are promising as a class of potential biomarkers. Multimodal neuroimaging allows complementary information, each of which addresses a different aspect of pathology, function or biochemistry. It is critical t...
The powerful ideas of making: building beyond the curriculum

In this paper, rather than consider how fabrication technologies and maker activities can be directly matched to existing standards or allow for more efficient content coverage, I position making as a network of powerful ideas and perspectives that are highly connected to other ideas, personal and syntonic to the learner, and are immediately useful for solving problems of personal importance. Furthermore, I argue that creating learning environments where learners encounter and take ownership of these powerful ideas requires instructors, coaches, administrators, and designers that are committed to creating space for the learner to make meaningful choices, to tinker and explore, and to collaborate. Bots for Tots, a project that engages children in making toys for members of their community, is briefly described to highlight the affordances and challenges of implementing design features that focus on engaging learners with powerful ideas.
Abstract 2891: Chemokine-targeted models of human orthotopic colorectal cancer in immunocompetant mice

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer death. Current human CRC orthotopic xenograft models require survival surgery and do not robustly form tumors in liver, the most common site of metastasis in patients. Here, we use chemokine-targeting to develop cell line and primary patient-derived xenograft models that recapitulate the vast majority of common human somatic CRC mutations as primary gastrointestinal (GI) tumors in mice without requiring surgery. Importantly, we utilize early-stage mouse blastocyst microinjection techniques to extend this approach and model primary human CRCs in immunoproficient mouse hosts. Next, we show that primary GI tumors can inducibly and robustly metastasize to liver. Finally, we demonstrate that human CRC liver metastases in vivo have higher levels of DKK4 and NOTCH signaling and are more chemoresistant than paired sub-cutaneous xenografts. Overall, we anticipate that this experimental system can help improve our mechanistic understanding of human primary CRC progression to liver metastasis, and augment sub-cutaneous xenografts for pre-clinical drug screening. Citation Format: Steven M. Lipkin, Huanhuan Joyce Chen, Jian Sun, Zhiliang Huang, Harry Hou, Myra Arcilla, Nikolai Rakhilin, Daniel Joe, Jiahn Choi, Poornima Gadamsetty, Jeff Milsom, Govind Nandakumar, Randy Longman, Kathy Zhou, Robert Edwards, Kai Yuan Chen, Pengcheng Bu, Lihua Wang, Yitian Xu, Robert Munroe, Christian Abratte, Andrew Miller, Zeynep Gumus, Michael Shuler, Nozomi Nishimura, Winfried Edelmann, Xiling Shen. Chemokine-targeted models of human orthotopic colorectal cancer in immunocompetant mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2891. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2891
The Handbook on Storing and Securing Medications, 2nd Edition

Edited by Thomas E. Kirschling, Pharm.D., M.S. Published by Joint Commission Resources, One Renaissance Boulevard, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, 2009. 212 p. Price $75.00. The topic of storing and securing medications is valuable from a regulatory perspective, but it would be more appropriate to
Urinary Tract Infection After Transrectal Needle Biopsy of the Prostate

After routine cleansing enemas 80 patients were randomized to undergo irrigation of the rectal vault with either povidone-iodine or saline. A transrectal prostatic needle biopsy then was performed. Antimicrobials were not used before biopsy and were only ordered after biopsy if fever developed or a positive urine culture was obtained. Over-all, 41 per cent of the patients had positive urine cultures post-biopsy and 44 per cent had febrile episodes. There was no significant difference between the group receiving the povidone-iodine versus those receiving saline irrigations.
Un-Othering the Black Experience: Storytelling and Sociology

Lorick-Wilmot contextualizes her ethnographic research on middle class second generation, self-identified black Caribbean immigrants (MSGCIs) within the current field of sociology of race, identity and American immigration. To that end, she provides an overview of theories and introduces a new, alternative framework called “Triple Identity Consciousness” to identify and understand the complex and nuanced phenomena of MSGCI identity and identity performances. The chapter also provides an important discussion on the research’s ethnographic methodology, including participants’ demographic information, and why studying the experiences of the MSGCI in the United States is relevant today.
BAF180: Its Roles in DNA Repair and Consequences in Cancer

In 2011, Varela et al. reported that the PBRM1 gene is mutated in approximately 40% of clear cell renal cell carcinoma cases. Since then, the number of studies relating PBRM1 mutations to cancers has substantially increased. BAF180 has now been linked to more than 30 types of cancers, including ccRCC, cholangiocarcinomas, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, and breast cancer. The mutations associated with BAF180 are most often truncations, which result in a loss of protein expression. This loss has been shown to adversely affect the expression of genes, likely because BAF180 is the chromatin recognition subunit of PBAF. In addition, BAF180 functions in numerous DNA repair mechanisms. Its roles in mediating DNA repair are likely the mechanism by which BAF180 acts a tumor suppressor protein. As research on this protein gains more interest, scientists will begin to piece together the complicated puzzle of the BAF180 protein and why its loss often results in cancer.
University Professor Lecture: Near-Death Experiences: The Stories They Tell

I argue that we can interpret the stories told by near-death experiences (NDEs) in a naturalistic way. Thus, the profound significance of NDEs need not come from a supernaturalistic conception of them, according to which in an NDE the individual is in touch with a heavenly realm. We can respect the sincerity of NDE reports, but we can capture their meaning in a naturalistic framework.
Beneficence in an Ethics of Virtue

Health care is usually discussed in recent medical ethics under the heading of rights and/or justice, as it is in the companion volume to this one. It can be and is also treated under the heading of duty or obligation. In these approaches typical questions are, respectively, (1) Is there a right to health care?, (2) Is the present distribution of health care just?, and (3) Has society, or some segment of it, a duty to provide health care? It is clear that these three approaches may overlap or even coincide, e.g., justice is sometimes subsumed under duty or under respect for rights. In this volume, however, health care is being dealt with under the rubric of beneficence. The idea, 1 take it, is that doing so involves a different perspective from those of rights, justice, or duty. Actually, this is not necessarily the case; beneficence may, for example, be thought of as a right on the part of the beneficiary or at least as a duty on that of the benefactor. In Cicero, Seneca, and Kant it is conceived of as a duty, though without any belief in the existence of a corresponding right. A different perspective is entailed only if one takes an ethics of virtue approach to beneficence and sees health care as falling, at least in part, under beneficence. These points are illustrated to some extent by other essays appearing here. My own assignment is to look at beneficence as it would appear in an ethics of virtue. Such an ethics has often been attributed to Plato and Aristotle and is sometimes advocated in recent thinking about morality.
Laser Flow Microphotometers for Rapid Analysis and Sorting of Individual Mammalian Cells

Flow microphotometry, a term we have coined to describe the unique flow systems developed over the last few years at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), allows quantitative precision measurements to be made of the optical properties of individual mammalian cells. Mammalian cells in suspension are made to pass through a special flow chamber where they are lined up, one at a time, for exposure to the blue light from an argon ion laser. As each cell crosses the laser beam, it produces one or more optical pulses of a duration equal to cell transit time across the beam. These pulses are detected, amplified, and analyzed using essentially the techniques of γ-ray spectroscopy.
Migration, Intensification, and Diversification as Adaptive Strategies

Agent-based modeling (ABM) has transformed the century-old field of mechanistic migration modeling, by shifting the unit of analysis from the city (in the gravity model) to the individual decision maker. Various efforts over the past decade have leveraged ABM tools to integrate competing labor opportunities, climatic shocks, and sharing across networks into decision-based models of migration patterns. We present the MIDAS (Migration, Intensification, and Diversification as Adaptive Strategies) framework, which draws on the ‘push-pull-mooring’ (PPM) theory of migration to integrate the influences of social networks, climatic shifts, and opportunities for livelihoods diversification on migration in a single framework. We demonstrate some of the strategic responses to opportunities that are possible in a true PPM modeling framework, including substitution of income streams, the choice to specialize or diversify, as well as to migrate in response to shocks. We observe what may be the emergence of a distinct class of agents within one of our experiments, highlighting the value of tools like MIDAS to capture migration and adaptive behaviors under conditions for which analogs do not yet exist in census datasets or otherwise. Importantly, we show how adaptation decisions depend strongly on a small number of behavioral parameters, key among them preferences for risk, for different forms of utility, and for time.
Step 4 of EBP: Collaboratively Discussing Treatment Options with the Client

Step 4 of the EBP process centers on discussing the relevant research results collaboratively with the client. It includes providing a plain language summary of the results to the client and actively exploring how the results fit with the client’s needs, situation, values, and preferences. This chapter examines why such an active, collaborative discussion is important and how it serves to support positive client outcomes. Four rationales for active and collaborative discussion with the client are offered. Topics a clinician might include in such a summary of relevant research are examined in depth and detail.
Enhanced Geometric Techniques for Point Marking in Model-Free Augmented Reality

Specifying points in three-dimensional (3D) space is an essential function in many augmented reality (AR) applications. When an environment model is not available, a straightforward solution is to perform geometric triangulation using two rays. However, naive implementations suffer from low accuracy caused by technical limitations of AR devices and human motor constraints. To overcome these issues, we designed and evaluated two enhanced geometric techniques for 3D point marking. VectorCloud uses multiple rays to reduce the effects of pointing jitter, and ImageRefinement improves the accuracy by allowing users to refine the 3D direction of the two rays. We conducted studies to understand the characteristics of these techniques in both ecologically valid outdoor settings using a mobile AR display and in more controlled setting using virtual reality simulation. Our experiments demonstrate that both techniques improve the precision of 3D point marking, and that ImageRefinement is superior to VectorCloud overall. These results are particularly relevant in the design of mobile AR systems intended for use in large outdoor areas.
The Influence of Sympathetic Extracranial Venoconstriction on Canine Cerebral Venous, Sigmoid Sinus, and Mean Arterial Pressures

In the present study, we have examined the effects of sympathetically mediated extracranial venoconstriction on cerebral venous, sigmoid sinus, and mean arterial pressures in dogs. When the normal drainage pattern of cerebral venous effluent blood remained intact, sympathetic stimulation of the left superior cervical ganglion produced no significant effect on cerebral venous or mean arterial pressures, but decreased sigmoid sinus pressure at low frequencies of constant current stimulation. When the entire cerebral venous effluent blood was diverted through the extracranial veins, sympathetic stimulation resulted in significant increases in both cerebral venous and mean arterial pressures, but did not affect sigmoid sinus pressure. All effects of sympathetic stimulation were blocked by 2 mg/kg intravenous phentolamine.
Selecting secondary findings to report: Creating a list that suits your study

Abstract With advances in multiplex genetic technology (MGT) making these techniques increasingly routine in human subjects research, it has become imperative for research teams to carefully consider their approach to the disclosure of results to research participants. This chapter focuses on the criteria that researchers should consider when making decisions about what types of results would qualify for disclosure as secondary findings—specifically those additional genomic findings that are not the main focus of the research. It is worth emphasizing at the outset that there is no single “right answer” and that each research protocol will have unique features that influence decisions about disclosure of secondary findings.1 Above all, we find that it is critical for research teams to invest time during the planning phase of the project and to make careful decisions about returning secondary findings in an a priori fashion.
A combined approach of atom probe tomography and unsupervised machine learning to understand phase transformation in (AlxGa1−x)2O3

In this paper, we investigated the evolution of microstructural chemistry of metal organic chemical vapor deposition grown (010) (AlxGa1−x)2O3 films with varying Al contents, x = 0.10–1.0, using atom probe tomography (APT). At a low Al content (x ≤ 0.25), the films are homogeneous, where layer inhomogeneity appears at a high Al content (x > 0.25). Further increasing the Al content up to x ≥ 0.60 results in a homogeneous (AlxGa1−x)2O3 layer. This change in microstructural features was linked to the phase transformation of (AlxGa1−x)2O3 using a manifold learning approach to capture the governing features hidden in the data dimensionality. Combining APT to unsupervised machine learning enables APT to be an independent material characterization tool to investigate the microstructure, chemical composition, and phase related information.
Think intersectionally, act innovatively

Abstract Challenging business threats and opportunities abound, yet few Renaissance men/women exist to help organizations move forward creatively in response to these challenges. Too much information exists today for a true rebirth to happen. However, self-perpetuating, quasi-renaissance managers might assimilate patterns of thinking and behavior into their professional/personal lives that ultimately make them more intersectional and innovative. Specifically, we point to five habits and three methods managers can implement to lower associative barriers and enhance intersectionality. We then introduce a culling process that helps managers find the few highly creative ideas from larger batches of mediocre ideas, thus enabling enhanced creativity.
Ultrasound Characterization of Disordered Antral Follicle Development in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Context The mechanism of oligo-anovulation in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unknown. Objectives To evaluate follicular and endocrine characteristics of anovulatory and sporadic ovulatory cycles in women with PCOS. Design Prospective, longitudinal study. Setting Academic clinical research unit. Participants 26 reproductive-aged women (18-38 years) with PCOS, observed during natural anovulatory (PCOS-Anov; n = 12) and sporadic ovulatory cycles (PCOS-Ov; n = 14), and 12 controls. Interventions Transvaginal ultrasonography and venipuncture were performed every other day for 4 to 6 weeks in women with PCOS or at 1 interovulatory interval in control subjects. Main outcome measures Follicle number and diameter (ie, ≥2 mm) were quantified at each visit. Individual growth profiles were assessed for all follicles that grew to ≥7 mm. Blood samples were assayed for follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, and progesterone. Results Follicular excess, or heightened follicle number versus controls, was observed across anovulatory and sporadic ovulatory cycles in PCOS. In PCOS-Anov, follicles emerged cyclically in some women (6/12; 50%) and continuously in others (6/12; 50%), then grew to a mean maximum diameter of 7.2 mm and regressed within 4.7 days. In PCOS-Ov, follicles mostly emerged cyclically as part of a cohort and dominant follicles showed normal growth to ovulation-albeit mean and maximum luteal progesterone concentrations were significantly lower versus controls. Conclusions Follicle growth and regression were detected on ultrasonography amidst perpetual follicular excess in PCOS. Documentation of continuous follicle recruitment and turnover, the absence of persistence, and altered luteal progesterone following sporadic ovulation, provide formative data on antral follicle development in PCOS.
Status of Iodine Nutrition in Hungary

The story of endemic goiter and its prevention in Hungary was summerized by Sos et al.1 in 1956. In the forties the following calculations were made on the basis of systematic screening in schoolboys: over 400.000 persons suffered from goiter which were endemic in about 20 % of the country.
Multi-Channel Facial Photoplethysmography Sensing

Motivated by the need for continuous cardiovascular monitoring, we present a system for performing photoplethysmography sensing at multiple facial locations. As a proof-of-concept, our system incorporates an optical sensor array into a wearable face mask form factor for application in a surgical hemodynamic monitoring use case. Here we demonstrate that our design can accurately detect pulse timing by validating estimated heart rate against ground truth electrocardiogram recordings. In an experiment across 10 experimental subjects, our system achieves an error standard deviation of 2.84 beats per minute. This system shows promise for performing non-invasive, continuous pulse waveform recording from multiple locations on the face.
Endoscopic Management of Maxillary Sinus Diseases of Dentoalveolar Origin

Endoscopic surgery on the maxillary sinus has experienced significant advances in technique and approaches since the maxillary antrostomy was introduced in the 1980s. Disease processes that previously required open surgical approaches to the maxillary sinus can now be treated endoscopically while preserving form and function of the sinus and without injuring the maxillary sinus mucosa or disrupting normal mucociliary clearance. Understanding the techniques described in this article will allow surgeons to appropriately plan treatment strategies for patients with a variety of maxillary sinus diseases from dentoalveolar origin.
Five-year trends in maternal cardiac arrest in Maryland: 2013-2017

The United States (US) maternal mortality rate (MMR) continues to increase. Until recently, the MMR in Maryland (MD) was consistently higher than the national average. Maternal cardiac arrest (MCA)...
The Evolving Role of Medical Assistants in Primary Care Practice: Divergent and Concordant Perspectives from MAs and Family Physicians:

Medical assistants (MAs) are a flexible and low-cost resource for primary care practices and their roles are swiftly transforming. We surveyed MAs and family physicians in primary care practices in North Carolina to assess concordance in their perspectives about MA roles, training, and confidence in performing activities related to visit planning; direct patient care; documentation; patient education, coaching or counseling; quality improvement; population health and communication. For most activities, we did not find evidence of role confusion between MAs and physicians, physician resistance to delegate tasks to properly trained MAs, or MA reluctance to pursue training to take on new roles. Three areas emerged where the gap between the potential and actual implementation of MA role transformation could be narrowed-population health and panel management; patient education, coaching, and counseling; and scribing. Closing these gaps will become increasingly important as our health care system moves toward value-based models of care.
Evaluation of Hybrid Control and Palpation Assistance for Situational Awareness in Telemanipulated Task Execution

The use of intelligent feedback modalities to control and react to interaction forces during surgical procedures is an important factor in enabling safe and precise surgery. We explore the use of a model-mediated telemanipulation framework to enhance a user’s situational awareness using assistive virtual fixtures and semi-automated task execution for safe and intuitive environment interaction during robotic laparoscopic surgery. The framework allows stiffness mapping with semi-autonomous excitation, hybrid position-force control, and model updates during soft geometry contact. A 24-person study was carried out at 3 sites in simulated ablation and palpation of phantom anatomy. Compared to methods lacking intelligent feedback and guidance, the proposed framework improved task execution metrics (force regulation, completion time, path-following error) and reduced user effort.
Quark and Gluon Contents of a Lepton at High Energies

In high-energy leptonic collisions, such as at a multi-TeV muon collider, the collinear splittings of the electroweak (EW) gauge bosons and leptons are the dominant phenomena, and the scattering processes should thus be formulated in terms of the EW parton distribution functions (EW PDFs). We complete this formalism in the Standard Model to include the QCD sector and evaluate the quark and gluon PDFs inside a lepton at the double-log accuracy. The splittings of the photon and subsequently the quarks and gluons control the quark/gluon PDFs below the EW scale. The massive gauge bosons lead to substantial contributions at high scales. The jet production cross section can reach the order of a few nb (50 pb) in $e^+e^-$ ($\mu^+\mu^-$) collisions, at the TeV c.m. energies with a moderate acceptance cut, that governs the overall event shape up to about $p_T^j \sim 60$ GeV.
Design Bioethics and Digital Research Creep.

Frantic warnings about the threat the Internet poses to our privacy are now a dime-a-dozen. Though gallons of ink have been spilled on the topic, it has largely gone unanalyzed from the perspective...
THE EFFECT OF MANAGER ATTITUDE AND TEAM ATTITUDE ON EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT TO CHANGE: THE MODERATING ROLES OF POWER DISTANCE ORIENTATION AND GENDER COMPOSITION

Employee commitment to change is critical to the success of organisational change. This study draws upon social learning theory and examines the influence of both manager and team attitude toward c...
Patient-Reported Financial Toxicity Following Definitive Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer.

Purpose/Objective(s) Financial toxicity is increasingly recognized but poorly characterized in the context of prostate cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of financial toxicity experienced by men with localized prostate cancer treated with definitive radiation therapy (RT) at a comprehensive cancer center. Materials/Methods Between 5/2020 and 10/2020, 1233 prostate cancer patients at our institution completed a one-time survey, which included the COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COST) instrument, estimates of out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures, and beliefs regarding costs of treatment. For this study, we analyzed the 373 men who received definitive RT within the prior 4-26 months. The COST scores (ranging from 0-44 with lower scores corresponding to higher financial toxicity) and other survey responses were stratified by RT modality (SBRT, moderate hypofractionation, brachytherapy alone, or combination EBRT with brachytherapy). Results Patients were primarily white (85%), English-speaking (99%), married (79%), employed/retired (94%), insured (100%), and reported annual household incomes > $50k (86%). Median (quartile) COST score for all patients was 33 (26, 38) with 5.3% qualifying their prostate cancer associated financial hardship as ‘quite a bit’ or ‘very much’. Fifty-six (15%) respondents report an estimated OOP cost > $5,000 and 33 respondents (9.5%) reported spending above 20% of annual income. Results by RT modality are presented in Table 1. Patients undergoing SBRT had higher COST scores (i.e., lower financial toxicity) than the other RT types. There is some evidence of differences in COST score by RT type, however this did not meet conventional levels of significance (Kruskal-Wallis P-value 0.088). Most patients (82%) reported giving little or no consideration to potential costs prior to making a treatment decision, yet the majority (79%) felt that potential OOP costs should be communicated to a patient. Conclusion Although the overall degree of financial toxicity in this cohort of patients with above average income and insurance coverage was low, most patients would want to discuss potential costs before treatment and 5-10% reported high levels of distress. Further analyses are planned to identify independent predictors for severe toxicity in order to inform strategies aimed to mitigate risk.
Water (R. H. Austin1)

We didn’t know where to put this chapter. Water is the solvent of biology yet it is a very complex liquid. Certainly some discussion of water belongs in a book on the physics of proteins, but in order to get at the complexity of the liquid, one has to work through all the fundamentals that we have covered up to this point in the appendices. So, here is water.
Virtual Team Learning: Reflecting and Acting, Alone or With Others

This paper examines virtual team learning in new product development situations. New product development activities manifest novelty, uncertainty and complexity, presenting an extreme need for learning in the course of the work. We present data from an exploratory study of learning processes in globally dispersed new product development teams. These qualitative data are used to investigate components of team learning previously highlighted in the team learning literature—namely reflection-oriented and action-oriented behaviors—and to examine the boundaries of these learning behaviors. We find that effective virtual teams, like co-located teams, engage in both reflective and action-oriented learning behaviors. However, the virtual context highlights distinct participation strategies in teams’ learning patterns, which aim to leverage deep, specialist knowledge, on one hand, or seek to integrate diverse knowledge, on the other hand. Moreover, our findings suggest that, in the virtual setting, the boundary of team membership is not centrally associated with different learning behaviors and outcomes, as argued in other team learning research. Instead, virtual team learning behaviors are likely to be shaped by boundaries that delimit timely access to relevant knowledge and skill. In conclusion, we discuss implications for future virtual team learning research.
Phantom Energy: Dark Energy with w< 1 Causes a Cosmic Doomsday

We explore the consequences that follow if the dark energy is phantom energy, in which the sum of the pressure and energy density is negative. The positive phantom-energy density becomes infinite in finite time, overcoming all other forms of matter, such that the gravitational repulsion rapidly brings our brief epoch of cosmic structure to a close. The phantom energy rips apart the Milky Way, solar system, Earth, and ultimately the molecules, atoms, nuclei, and nucleons of which we are composed, before the death of the Universe in a "big rip."
Determination of the total nitrogen content of hard, semihard, and processed cheese by the Kjeldahl method: collaborative study.

The objective of this collaborative study was to determine interlaboratory performance statistics for a modified and optimized version of AOAC Method 920.123 for the determination of the total nitrogen content of hard, semihard, and processed cheese by Kjeldahl analysis. Details included addressing the issues of material homogeneity, test portion size (1 g), quantitative transfer (weighing on to filter paper), ensuring system suitability (nitrogen recoveries), and using AOAC Method 991.20 as the basis for nitrogen analysis. Fifteen laboratories tested 18 pairs of blind duplicate cheese materials with a crude protein content between 18 and 36%. Materials represented hard, semihard, and processed commercial cheeses with a wide range of composition. Statistical performance parameters expressed as crude protein (nitrogen x 6.38), g/100 g, with invalid and outlier data removed were mean = 26.461, repeatability standard deviation (s r ) = 0.111, reproducibility standard deviation (s R ) = 0.153, repeatability relative standard deviation (RSDr) = 0.42%, reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSD R ) = 0.58%, repeatability (r) = 0.312, and reproducibility (R) = 0.428. The interlaboratory study results were acceptable and comparable to those for the milk Kjeldahl nitrogen method on a relative nitrogen basis. The Study Directors recommend that this modified method for the determination of total nitrogen in hard, semihard, and processed cheese by Kjeldahl analysis be adopted First Action as an improved method to replace Method 920.123.
Postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder.

ABSTRACT Objective To synthesize the extant literature on the prevalence, phenomenology, etiology and treatment of postpartum obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD). A discussion of differential diagnosis between postpartum OCD and other postpartum psychiatric conditions (e.g., depression, psychosis) and nonpostpartum‐onset OCD is provided. Data Sources, Study Selection and Data extraction All studies addressing postpartum OCD between the years 1950 and 2011 were reviewed. Data from all pertinent studies was explored as it related to postpartum OCD. Data Synthesis Studies were organized based on their empirical technique (e.g., retrospective, prospective), population studied (e.g., clinical OCD, nonclinical populations, males), and etiological or treatment theory (e.g., cognitive‐behavioral). Conclusion The prevalence, phenomenology, etiology, and treatment of postpartum OCD are reviewed. The limited data on treatment approaches and outcomes for postpartum OCD are highlighted with a discussion of the role of nurses in the prevention and identification of postpartum OCD.
Adrenergic stimulated skeletal muscle glycogenolysis in perfused hindlimbs of young and old male Fischer 344 rats

Epinephrine (Epi)- and forskolin (FSK)-stimulated glycogenolysis of skeletal muscle was evaluated in perfused hindlimb isolated from male Fischer 344 (F344) rats, ages 6, 12, and 26 mo. Muscle glycogen stores were reduced by sciatic nerve stimulation and replenished by infusing 10 mM glucose, 500 microU insulin, and 5 microCi [14C]glucose via a left carotid artery cannula. Then the hindlimb was perfused with a modified Krebs-Henseleit buffer (pH 7.4). At minute 20 of the perfusion, Epi [0.0 (perfusate), 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75 microM] or 40 microM FSK were infused for 10 min. Radioactivity (14C) in the effluent perfusate was collected every 60 s during a 20-min preinfusion, a 10-min Epi infusion, and a 20-min postinfusion period and was used to determine the rate of muscle glycogen utilization. Total 14C release increased with Epi and 40 microM FSK. However, the pattern of release did not differ significantly with age. In general, the fraction of the perfusate released as 14CO2 increased in the presence of FSK and Epi but did not significantly differ with age. [14C]lactate released in response to Epi increased in the 6-mo-old group, remained unchanged in the 12-mo-old group, and decreased in the 26-mo-old group compared with 0.0 Epi (perfusate) values. It appears that stimulation of skeletal muscle glycogenolysis via adrenergic receptor or postreceptor/adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-mediated mechanisms is unaffected by age. However, the utilization of carbohydrate by isolated hindlimb muscle is altered in the aging rat, resulting in a more oxidative metabolism.
Hadron Medium Modifications

Proton recoil polarization in quasielastic electron scattering is a powerful tool to study properties of nucleons bound in the nuclear medium. The most precise results have been obtained at Jefferson Lab in the 4 He(e, e ′ p ) 3 H reaction at four momentum transfers of Q 2 = 0.8 (GeV/ c ) 2 and at 1.3 (GeV/ c ) 2 . The ratio of polarization-transfer components, P ′ x / P ′ z , is significantly reduced compared to the ratio obtained in elastic 1 H(e, e ′ p ) scattering. This depletion is well described with models which include in-medium modifications of the proton form factor or, alternatively, by strong charge-exchange final-state interactions. A future experiment will measure the dependence of this effect on the momentum of the struck nucleon in both, the 4 He(e, e ′ p ) 3 H and 2 H(e, e ′ p ) n reactions.