cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic world modeling for an intelligent mobile robot using a rotating ultra-sonic ranging device

A system which performs task-oriented navigation for an intelligent mobile robot is described in this paper. This navigation system is based on a dynamically maintained model of the local environment, called the "Composite Local Model." The Composite Local Model integrates information from a rotating sonar sensor, the robot's touch sensor and a pre-learned Global Model as the robot moves through its environment. Techniques are described for constructing a line segment description of the most recent sensor scan (the Sensor Model), and for integrating such descriptions to build up a model of the immediate environment (the Composite Local Model). Model integration is based on a process of reinforcing the confidence in consistent information while decaying the confidence in inconsistent information. The estimated position of the robot is corrected by the difference in position between observed sensor signals and the corresponding symbols in the Composite Local Model. This system is useful for navigation in a finite, pre-learned domain such as a house, office, or factory.
Development and evaluation of the Social Anxiety and Depression Life Interference-24 (SADLI-24) inventory.

We describe the development of a new self-report instrument, the Social Anxiety and Depression Life Interference-24 (SADLI-24) inventory. We initially retained 30 content specific items for the instrument (Study 1). In Study 2 (N = 438), we established a 2-factor solution, Social Anxiety Life Interference-12 (SALI-12) and Depression Life Interference-12 (DLI-12). We also examined estimates of known-groups and concurrent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis in Study 3 (N = 430) provided support for the oblique two-factor structure. In Study 4 (N = 179), we provided additional support for estimates of known-groups validity. In Study 5 (N = 63), we evaluated estimates of test-retest reliability. Both SADLI-24 scale scores showed good estimates of internal consistency. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1–17, 2010.
A Mouse Geneticist’s Practical Guide to CRISPR Applications

CRISPR/Cas9 system of RNA-guided genome editing is revolutionizing genetics research in a wide spectrum of organisms. Even for the laboratory mouse, a model that has thrived under the benefits of embryonic stem (ES) cell knockout capabilities for nearly three decades, CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)/Cas9 technology enables one to manipulate the genome with unprecedented simplicity and speed. It allows generation of null, conditional, precisely mutated, reporter, or tagged alleles in mice. Moreover, it holds promise for other applications beyond genome editing. The crux of this system is the efficient and targeted introduction of DNA breaks that are repaired by any of several pathways in a predictable but not entirely controllable manner. Thus, further optimizations and improvements are being developed. Here, we summarize current applications and provide a practical guide to use the CRISPR/Cas9 system for mouse mutagenesis, based on published reports and our own experiences. We discuss critical points and suggest technical improvements to increase efficiency of RNA-guided genome editing in mouse embryos and address practical problems such as mosaicism in founders, which complicates genotyping and phenotyping. We describe a next-generation sequencing strategy for simultaneous characterization of on- and off-target editing in mice derived from multiple CRISPR experiments. Additionally, we report evidence that elevated frequency of precise, homology-directed editing can be achieved by transient inhibition of the Ligase IV-dependent nonhomologous end-joining pathway in one-celled mouse embryos.
Complementation of Amoebal-Plasmodial Transition Mutants in PHYSARUM POLYCEPHALUM.

ABSTRACT Amoebae of the Myxomycete Physarum polycephalum differentiate to yield plasmodia in two ways: in crossing, haploid amoebae of appropriate genotypes fuse to form diploid plasmodia; in selfing, plasmodia form without amoebal fusion or increase in ploidy. Amoebae carrying the mating-type allele matAh (formerly mt h ) self efficiently, but occasionally give rise to mutants that self at very low frequencies. Such "amoebal-plasmodial transition" mutants were mixed in pairs to test their ability to complement one another in the formation of plasmodia by crossing. The pattern of crossing permitted 33 mutants to be assigned to four complementation groups ( aptA - , npfA - , npfB - and npfC - ). Similar tests had previously proved only partially successful, as crossing had occurred only rarely in mixtures of compatible strains. The efficiency of complementation was greatly increased in the current work by mixing strains that carried different alleles of a newly-discovered mating-compatibility locus, matB ; this locus had no effect on the specificity of complementation. A possible interpretation of the complementation behavior of the mutants is suggested.
Diaspora‐Homeland Relations as a Framework to Examine Nation‐Building Processes

This article examines diasporization practices – practices through which homeland and diaspora communities engage each other – as a prism through which to explore the process of nationbuilding and the formation of national belonging. Instead of treating ‘nation’ or ‘diaspora’ as bounded entities, it explores the various ways through which members of diaspora communities negotiate their position vis-a `-vis national homeland movements on the one hand and host societies on the other. Specifically, it examines practices of fundraising, diasporic lobbying, the extension of citizenship to members of diaspora communities, and the consumption of images through communication technologies. Through these ongoing, negotiated encounters, ‘homeland’ as well as ‘diaspora’ are produced. Close examination of these practices may offer fresh insights regarding the process of nation-building in the diaspora that has a heuristic value beyond this particular setting. The concept of ‘diaspora,’ which during the 1990 signaled the emergence of a postnational era, is no longer the darling of constructivist social scientists. In recent years, a slew of scholars suggested that counter to earlier suggestions, diaspora groups actually harbor essentialist tendencies (Anderson 1998; Mishra 1996). Furthermore, critics note that scholars of diaspora communities often fail to take account of the heterogeneity within diasporas and in effect reinforce essentialist perspectives (Anthias 1998; Brubaker 2005; Mitchell 1997; Soysal 2002; Weingrod and Levi 2006). While these critiques are in place, this article suggests that abandoning the concept of diaspora is unwarranted. If handled properly, the encounter between homeland and diaspora communities offers a strategic research site for exploring the process of nationbuilding. The unique analytical value of these encounters stems from the ambiguous and distanced position of diaspora communities vis-a `-vis the nation-state (both the country or origin and destination of settlement). The social and geographic distance that separates homeland and diaspora communities gives rise to controversies that center on the question of where they belong. In addition, this distanced position poses a practical challenge for national movements that seek to mobilize supporters abroad. These controversies and practical difficulties render the efforts to incorporate diaspora communities particularly visible. Close examination of the practices developed to streamline the relationship between homeland and diaspora communities, which are often marked by strong tensions and disagreement, can therefore serve as a prism through which one can better understand how belonging to a place or a group is manufactured. Instead of positing that diaspora communities are a harbinger of a post-national era or that they play a role in advancing multiculturalism in the ‘host’ society, this article suggests exploring the various practices developed by diaspora communities and national move
Quasioptimality of some spectral mixed methods

In this paper, we construct a sequence of projectors into certain polynomial spaces satisfying a commuting diagram property with norm bounds independent of the polynomial degree. Using the projectors, we obtain quasioptimality of some spectral mixed methods, including the Raviart-Thomas method and mixed formulations of Maxwell equations. We also prove some discrete Friedrichs type inequalities involving curl.
Complex Nasal Reconstruction: A Case Study: Reconstruction of Full-Thickness Nasal Defect

Reconstruction of complex full-thickness nasal defects requires the reconstitution of the mucous internal nasal lining, the cartilaginous framework, and the aesthetic contour of the cutaneous nasal covering. Goals of reconstruction include restoration of a functional nasal airway and redefinition of the contours of the nose as well as its relationship to the cheek and lip with the least amount of morbidity to the patient. This article details a multistaged approach to repairing such a defect using an ipsilateral septal mucoperichondrial flap, multiple cartilage grafts, a paramedian forehead flap, and a cheek flap in a woman who had undergone Mohs surgery.
The effect of weak stratification and geometry on the steady motion of a contained rotating fluid

The effect of a density stratification on the steady, mechanically driven motion of a viscous fluid in a rotating cylinder with axis aligned with the rotation and gravity vectors and with parallel top and bottom surfaces that slope with respect to the plane perpendicular to the rotation vector is studied by a linear theory. Primary attention is given to a study of the alteration of the characteristics of the flow of a homogeneous fluid by the addition of a weak stratification. It is found, for example, that in the range , where E = ν/ΩL2 and σS = ναgΔT0/κΩ2L, and with a homogeneous boundary condition on the perturbation temperature, the interior velocity is parallel to the direction perpendicular to the plane determined by the vector normal to the top surface and the rotation vector. The circulation closes in an inviscid, but heat-conducting, boundary layer of thickness E¾(σS)−½ on the side wall. Thus, with stratification, the steady flow in this configuration differs markedly from the corresponding flow in a cylinder where the top and bottom surfaces lie in planes perpendicular to the rotation vector. The difference is caused by the fact that in the container with sloping surfaces the basic stratification interacts with the geostrophic flow whereas, in the other case, the interaction is with the much smaller Ekman layer suction velocities.
Nature as Quantum Computer

Set theory reduces all processes to assembly and disassembly. A similar architecture is proposed for nature as quantum computer. It resolves the classical space-time underlying Feynman diagrams into a quantum network of creation and annihilation processes, reducing kinematics to quantum statistics, and regularizing the Lie algebra of the Einstein diffeomorphism group. The usually separate and singular Lie algebras of kinematics, statistics, and conserved currents merge into one regular statistics Lie algebra.
G protein activation without a GEF in the plant kingdom.

Animal heterotrimeric G proteins are activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEF), typically seven transmembrane receptors that trigger GDP release and subsequent GTP binding. In contrast, the Arabidopsis thaliana G protein (AtGPA1) rapidly activates itself without a GEF and is instead regulated by a seven transmembrane Regulator of G protein Signaling (7TM-RGS) protein that promotes GTP hydrolysis to reset the inactive (GDP-bound) state. It is not known if this unusual activation is a major and constraining part of the evolutionary history of G signaling in eukaryotes. In particular, it is not known if this is an ancestral form or if this mechanism is maintained, and therefore constrained, within the plant kingdom. To determine if this mode of signal regulation is conserved throughout the plant kingdom, we analyzed available plant genomes for G protein signaling components, and we purified individually the plant components encoded in an informative set of plant genomes in order to determine their activation properties in vitro. While the subunits of the heterotrimeric G protein complex are encoded in vascular plant genomes, the 7TM-RGS genes were lost in all investigated grasses. Despite the absence of a Gα-inactivating protein in grasses, all vascular plant Gα proteins examined rapidly released GDP without a receptor and slowly hydrolyzed GTP, indicating that these Gα are self-activating. We showed further that a single amino acid substitution found naturally in grass Gα proteins reduced the Gα-RGS interaction, and this amino acid substitution occurred before the loss of the RGS gene in the grass lineage. Like grasses, non-vascular plants also appear to lack RGS proteins. However, unlike grasses, one representative non-vascular plant Gα showed rapid GTP hydrolysis, likely compensating for the loss of the RGS gene. Our findings, the loss of a regulatory gene and the retention of the “self-activating” trait, indicate the existence of divergent Gα regulatory mechanisms in the plant kingdom. In the grasses, purifying selection on the regulatory gene was lost after the physical decoupling of the RGS protein and its cognate Gα partner. More broadly these findings show extreme divergence in Gα activation and regulation that played a critical role in the evolution of G protein signaling pathways.
Puncture Resistance in ‘Sharwil’ Avocado to Oriental Fruit Fly and Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) Oviposition

The physiological basis for host antibiosis or nonpreference to a quarantine pest is often not understood. Studies are needed on the mechanisms that impart resistance to better understand how resistance might fail. Experiments were conducted to examine the infestability of 'Sharwil' avocados by oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), and Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), after harvest and to quantify the effect of avocado skin hardness on resistance to infestation by oriental fruit fly. Infestation rate increased with decreasing fruit firmness, but fruit were generally poor hosts. Fruit with a patch of skin removed produced more flies than intact fruit, suggesting that skin puncture resistance was an important deterrent to oviposition. This study showed that fruit can be infested within 1 d after harvest, suggesting that fruit should be transferred to fruit fly-proof containers as they are harvested to minimize the risk of attack. Although risk of infestation is negatively correlated with fruit firmness, even some hard fruit may become infested. Therefore, fruit firmness cannot be used alone as an indicator to ensure fruit fly-free 'Sharwil' avocados. Measuring fruit firmness may be a useful component of a multiple component systems approach as an additional safeguard to reduce risk of infestation.
Long-term outcome of the surgical treatment of concealed penis.

Purpose: The term concealed penis describes a spectrum of disorders ranging from penoscrotal webbing to a completely buried penis. A number of surgical procedures have been described to correct this condition but little has been written about long-term results. We report our long-term results of the surgical correction of concealed penis based on a survey of parents.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of patients treated from 1995 to 1999 identified 18 males with a minimum of 21 months of followup whose parents were available for evaluation via telephone interview. The parents were questioned about the initial problems that they associated with concealed penis, such as appearance and accessibility of the penis, ease of hygiene, severity of concealment and negative feelings about the appearance of the penis. Parents were also questioned about the results of surgery and how the surgical result improved or failed to improve their concerns. Specifically, they were questioned about whether the surger...
Species boundaries in Zausodes-complex species (Copepoda : Harpacticoida : Harpacticidae) from the north-eastern Gulf of Mexico

Before 1999, the harpacticoid copepod species Zausodes arenicolus Wilson, 1932 was the subject of several ecological studies. Based on morphological evaluations of specimens from the north-eastern Gulf of Mexico, Bouck et al.’s (1999) taxonomic revision revealed three new species within what had been Z. arenicolus, making the ecological results suspect. Because harpacticoid copepods show convergent evolution and morphological stasis, Bouck et al.’s morphologically based approach may not have been sufficient. We have therefore re-evaluated their results using a combination of gene-sequencing and morphological methods. Partial mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) and 18S rRNA gene regions from individual Zausodes specimens found at five sites in the north-eastern Gulf of Mexico were separately analysed. Individuals of Zausodes septimus Lang, 1965 formed a single cytb gene-sequence clade, whereas Z. arenicolus individuals formed five. The uncorrected genetic divergences among these clades were 10 times those within them, providing evidence that each clade could be assigned to a different species. The 18S rDNA results support those from cytb. Subsequent morphological analysis revealed differences that will allow two clades of Z. arenicolus to be described as new species. Bouck et al. (1999) revealed some but not all of the species present.
Quantification and characterization of water coverage in PEMFC gas channels using simultaneous anode and cathode visualization and image processing

Abstract A new technique is presented to characterize and quantify the two-phase flow in the anode and cathode flow field channels using simultaneous anode and cathode visualization combined with image processing. In situ visualization experiments were performed at 35 °C with stoichiometric ratios (an/ca) of 1.5/2.5, 1.5/5, 3/8 to elucidate two-phase flow dynamics at lower temperature/low power conditions, when excess liquid water in the cell can be especially prevalent. Video processing algorithms were developed to automatically detect and quantify dynamic and static liquid water present in the flow field channels, as well as discern the distribution of water among different two-phase flow structures. The water coverage ratio was introduced as a parameter to capture the time-averaged flow field water content information through recorded high speed video sequences. The automated processing allows for efficient and robust spatial and temporal averaging of steady state channel water over very large visualization data sets acquired through high speed imaging. The developed algorithm calculates the water coverage ratio using the liquid water in the channels which is contacting the GDL surface, and selectively removes the superficial condensation on the visualization window from the coverage area. The water coverage ratio and distribution metrics techniques were demonstrated by comparing the performance of Freudenberg and Toray gas diffusion layers (GDLs) from a water management perspective, including direct anode to cathode comparisons of simultaneous water coverage data for each GDL sample. The anode water coverage ratio was found to exceed the cathode for both GDL samples at most operating conditions tested in this work. The Freudenberg GDL consistently demonstrated a higher water coverage ratio in the flow field gas channels than the Toray GDL, while the Toray GDL indicated a propensity for greater water retention within the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) based on performance, high frequency resistance (HFR), and water coverage metrics.
Effects of Daphnia on the response of mesotrophic lakes to experimental enrichment

We are currently involved in a whole-lake experiment designed to assess how Daphnia affect the response of mesotrophic lakes to increased nutrient loading. In the first year of the experiment, we wished to demonstrate that there are P loading rates which eutrophy lakes without Daphnia but not lakes with Daphnia . In order to do this, we needed to choose an appropriate level and schedule for the experimental enrichment. This paper describes how we made that choice, then evaluates whether our choice was successful. Based on the literature, a simulation model, and a mesocosm experiment, we decided that enriching at a rate of 1 μg P L −1 d −1 would create the desired contrast between lakes with and without Daphnia . Model simulations indicated that mean algal response to enrichment would be comparable under monthly, weekly, or continuous additions. We chose to add nutrients continuously at ambient N:P ratios. Experimental results from 1993 suggest that we achieved a nutrient loading rate consistent with our goal: chlorophyll responded less to enrichment in the lake with Daphnia than in the lake without Daphnia . The modeling, mesocosm, and whole-lake studies summarized here support the idea that Daphnia reduce chlorophyll at P loads ≤1 μg P L −1 d −1 . However, cyanobacteria may escape control by all grazers at relatively low P loading rates.
Tolerance Induction Using Myeloid Progenitor Cells and Autologous HSC

s S169 Purpose: Ischemic cardiomyopathy (iCMP) is a risk factor for poor survival after heart transplantation (HTx). Due to progressive organ shortage in Germany we tested whether end-stage iCMP patients might benefit from an aggressive revascularization strategy by coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) vs. HTx. Methods: Analysis was done in 3,252 patients with iCMP who underwent CABG (n= 2,816) or HTx (n= 436) between 06/86 and 03/07. Survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Subgroup analysis was done with regard to ISHLT era ( 2002) and year of change in the German allocation policy (regional allocation < 2000; urgency policy ≥ 2001). Results: Overall survival at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years was similar in CABG vs. HTx patients (55% vs. 53%, 31% vs. 38%, 14% vs. 21% and 8% vs. 12%). There was a benefit of HTx vs. CABG if outcome was conditioned on 30 days (71% vs. 63%, 51% vs. 36%, 28% vs. 18% and 15% vs. 11%; p= 0.001) or 1 year (85% vs. 71%, 60% vs. 41%, 33% vs. 20% and 18% vs. 12%; p= 0.002). HTx vs. CABG was beneficial if performed between 1992 and 2001 (58% vs. 54%, 44% vs. 31%, 25% vs. 15% and 11% vs. 10%; p= 0.004) and even more beneficial if conditioned on 30-day (79% vs. 62%, 60% vs. 35%, 34% vs. 17% and 15% vs. 11%; p< 0.001) or 1-year survival (89% vs. 70%, 67% vs. 40%, 38% vs. 19% and 17% vs. 13%; p= 0.006). Regional allocation resulted in better survival rates vs. CABG only in 30-day (74% vs. 64%, 53% vs. 35%, 29% vs. 16% and 16% vs. 10%; p= 0.001) or 1-year survivors (74% vs. 64%, 53% vs. 35%, 29% vs. 16% and 16% vs. 10%; p= 0.005). Conclusion: Patients with end-stage iCMP represent a highly vulnerable cohort with poor prognosis. CABG procedure seems to be beneficial in these patients and should be considered in times of organ shortage and increasing numbers of critically ill patients when HTx is reserved for highly selected patients.
Investigating the relationship between glottal area waveform shape and harmonic magnitudes through computational modeling and laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy

The glottal open quotient (OQ) is often associated with the amplitude of the first source harmonic relative to the second (H1*H2*), which is assumed to be one cause of a change in vocal quality along a breathy-to-pressed continuum. The association between OQ and H1*-H2* was investigated in a group of 5 human subjects and also in a computational voice production simulation. The simulation incorporated a parametric voice source model into a nonlinear source-filter framework. H1*-H2* and OQ were measured synchronously from audio recordings and high-speed laryngeal videoendoscopy of “glide” phonations in which quality varied continuously from breathy to pressed. Analyses of individual speakers showed large differences in the relationship between OQ and H1*-H2*. The variability in laryngeal high-speed data was consistent with simulation results, which showed that the relationship between OQ and H1*-H2* depended on mean glottal area, a parameter associated with the degree of source-filter interaction and not directly measurable from high-speed video of the vocal folds. In addition, H1*-H2* may change with increasing glottal gap size; this change contributes to the observed variability in the relationship between H1*-H2* and OQ. Index Terms: harmonic magnitudes, laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy, glottal area waveform, open quotient
Characterization and identification of glyceryl ether diesters present in tumor cells

The previously unidentified neutral lipid present in tumor tissues has been isolated from Ehrlich ascites cells and unequivocally identified as a lipid class of glyceryl ether diesters containing various degrees of unsaturation, and ranging in approximate molecular weight from 760 to 990. The glyceryl ether diester fraction was shown to be free from neutral plasmalogens (glyceryl diacyl alk-1'-enyl ethers). The tumor lipid was subjected to saponification, transesterification, and lithium aluminum hydride reduction. The glyceryl monoethers that resulted from deacylation were the 1-isomers ranging in hydrocarbon chain length from C(12) to C(24). The predominant glyceryl ethers were the hexadecyl (49%), octadecyl (21%), and octadecenyl (14%) derivatives. Saturated and mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids ranging in chain length from C(12) to C(24) carbon atoms were esterified to the glyceryl monoether. Gas-liquid chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize and identify the intact tumor lipid and its derived products.
Something of Collaborative Manufacture: The Construction of Race and Gender Identities in Organizations

Using qualitative data, this article documents how organizations contribute to the construction of their members’ race and gender identities. Data collection took place in four organizations, from a small nonprofit to a large financial services firm. Using interactions as the unit of analysis, the author compiled and investigated a database of 114 interactions, creating a process model of how working in an organization can spotlight and change the expression of racial, ethnic, and gender identities. The article makes four contributions: It suggests a broader reach for organizational influence on individual identity, since earlier research has explored work-related identities; it distinguishes among levels of influence by isolating the discrete role of interpersonal encounters, organizational practices, and the combination of the two; it casts light on how identity construction happens even without intentional effort by individuals or organizations; and it illustrates the importance of modest changes in th...
Endophyte-Host Associations in Forage Grasses. I. Distribution of Fungal Endophytes in Some Species of Lolium and Festuca

Several species of ryegrass (e.g., Lolium temulentum L., L. remotum Schranck, L. perenne L.) and two species of fescue (i.e., tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and red fescue, F. rubra L.) have long been known to harbor fungal endophytes (Vogl, 1898; Neubauer and Remer, 1902; McLennan, 1920; Neill, 1940, 1941; Sampson, 1933). The endophyte found in perennial ryegrass (L. perenne) growing in certain pastures of New Zealand (Sampson, 1935,1937; Neill, 1940, 1941; Lloyd, 1959) is considered to be the source of a toxin causing a condition in cattle and sheep known as "ryegrass staggers" (Hetcher and Harvey, 1981; Fletcher, 1982). This syndrome is particularly severe when animals feed on drought-stressed pastures in which the dominant grass species is the endophytebearing L. perenne. Fescue toxicity syndrome of cattle, an apparently sporadic but serious problem in many parts ofthe United States where tall fescue is grown as forage, was originally thought to be associated with the clavicipitaceous, sys? temic phytopathogen, Epichloe typhina (Fr.) Tul. (Bacon et al, 1977), a fungus known to cause choke, or cat-tail disease in a broad spectrum of grasses (Sprague, 1950). The anamorph of E. typhina was recently described and given the binominal Acremonium typhinum by Morgan-Jones and Gams (1982), who demon? strated that this fungus and the tall fescue endophyte are different microorganisms. The authors identified the latter as a previously undescribed anamorph of the same genus {A. coenophialum Morgan-Jones and Gams), which they isolated from seeds and culms of F. arundinacea. This endophyte has no known teleomorph. It is apparently A. coenophialum which is consistently present in tall fescue on which grazing cattle have fed and developed fescue toxicosis (Bacon et al, 1911 \ Jones, 1981; Schmidt et al, 1982). Data on the distribution of fungal endophytes in forage grasses is at best fragmentary. A concerted effort is necessary to identify those grasses that contain endophytes, and to determine if toxic properties of a certain species of grass correlate with the presence of the endophyte. The purpose of this report is to provide evidence that fungal endophytes in Festuca and Lolium are even more common than originally suspected. A simple method for detection of the fungal endophyte in grass seeds has been described by Clark et al (1983). We have used this procedure to examine seeds of Lolium and Festuca obtained from the Lundell Herbarium (LL) ofthe University of Texas at Austin for the presence of endophytic hyphae (Table I). Most species of grasses examined have not been reported pre? viously as hosts for an endophytic fungus. A minimum of five seeds was examined from each herbarium collection.
68 HOW PREVALENT IS UNSUSPECTED MITRAL AND AORTIC REGURGITATION

Introduction Doppler echocardiography plays a critical role in identifying valvular insufficiency that may complicate the use of phen-fen and related drugs. However, the prevalence of unsuspected, preexisting valvular regurgitation in a large, heterogeneous population is poorly defined. Methods 6,861 records were examined from consecutive individuals without known or suspected valve disease referred to the UHC echo laboratory for nonvalvular-related indications from 2001-2003. Mitral (MR) and aortic (AI) regurgitant severity was graded using a clinical composite of published 2-D, spectral, and color flow-Doppler methods. Multiple logistic analysis (SPSS, v13) was used to model clinical variables (age, gender, left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF], body mass index [BMI], history of hypertension [HTN], LV hypertrophy [LVH], history of coronary disease [CAD]) and valvular morphology. Results Prevalence estimates for moderate or greater MR and mild or greater AI as a function of age are shown in the figure. Female gender predicted MR (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.78-2.53), but AI was gender neutral. Regurgitant severity increased with decreasing EF and BMI, and the presence of LVH, HTN, and CAD were not predictive. Regurgitation prevalence was significantly influenced by both nonspecific and specific valve abnormalities. Conclusions The prevalence of moderate or greater MR and mild or greater AI is substantial, increases exponentially with age, and is predicted by commonly used clinical variables. These prevalence estimates should be considered when assessing the finding of unanticipated MR or AI on echocardiogram.
Threshold Phenomena in Epistemic Networks

A small consortium of philosophers has begun work on the implications of epistemic networks (Zollman 2008 and forthcoming; Grim 2006, 2007; Weisberg and Muldoon forthcoming), building on theoretical work in economics, computer science, and engineering (Bala and Goyal 1998, Kleinberg 2001; Amaral et. al., 2004) and on some experimental work in social psychology (Mason, Jones, and Goldstone, 2008). This paper outlines core philosophical results and extends those results to the specific question of thresholds. Epistemic maximization of certain types does show clear threshold effects. Intriguingly, however, those effects appear to be importantly independent from more familiar threshold effects in networks.
Social workers and malpractice: law, attitudes, and knowledge.

Many social workers are purchasing malpractice insurance. According to the study reported here, they know how to minimize chances of successful litigations, but know less than they need to know abo...
Foliar nectar enhances plant–mite mutualisms: the effect of leaf sugar on the control of powdery mildew by domatia-inhabiting mites

Background and Aims Mite domatia are small structures on the underside of plant leaves that provide homes for predacious or fungivorous mites. In turn, mites inhabiting domatia defend the plant by consuming leaf herbivores and pathogens, which can result in a domatia-mediated, plant–mite defence mutualism. Several recent studies have suggested that plants receive enhanced benefits when they provide a foliar food source, such as sugars secreted from extrafloral nectaries, to mite mutualists alongside mite domatia. However, the effect of foliar sugar on reducing leaf pathogen load via domatia-inhabiting mites has not been directly investigated. Methods To fill this gap, the links between foliar sugar addition, domatia-inhabiting mite abundance, and pathogen load were experimentally evaluated in wild grape. Furthermore, because the proposed combined benefits of providing food and housing have been hypothesized to select for the evolutionary correlation of extrafloral nectaries and domatia across plant lineages, a literature survey aimed at determining the overlap of mite domatia and extrafloral nectaries across plant groups was also conducted. Key Results It was found that leaves with artificial addition of foliar sugar had 58–80 % more mites than leaves without foliar sugar addition, and that higher mite abundances translated to reduced powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) loads on leaves. It was found that mite domatia and extrafloral nectaries occur non-randomly in the same clades across Eudicots. Genera with both traits are reported to highlight candidate lineages for future studies. Conclusions Together, the results demonstrate that foliar sugar can indeed enhance the efficacy of domatia-mediated plant–mite mutualisms, and suggest that this synergism has the potential to influence the co-distribution of foliar nectar and mite domatia across plants.
Learning and Memory in Adolescents With Critical Biventricular Congenital Heart Disease.

Objectives: Although evidence exists of broadly defined memory impairment among adolescents with critical congenital heart disease (CHD), nuanced investigations of declarative memory in this at-risk population have not been conducted. This study had two primary aims: (1) to conduct a fine-grained analysis of a range of relevant learning and memory processes in adolescents with critical biventricular CHD, and (2) to identify risk, odds, and predictors of memory impairment. Methods: Data were combined from two single-center studies of neurodevelopmental outcomes in critical CHD. Two-hundred seven adolescents (M age =15.61±1.0 years) with critical CHD (139 with dextro-transposition of the great arteries and 68 with tetralogy of Fallot without an identified genetic condition), as well as 61 healthy referents (M age =15.27±1.1 years) completed a neuropsychological evaluation which included the Children’s Memory Scale. Results: Whereas visual-spatial memory deficits were found in both CHD subgroups, verbal memory abilities were relatively preserved. Adolescents with CHD demonstrated stronger memory for Stories than Word Pairs, t (203)=2.63, p=.009, and for Dot Locations than Faces, t(204)=−2.57, p=.01. CHD subgroup, socioeconomic status, sex, and seizure history were among the most frequent significant predictors of memory impairment. Seizure history, in particular, was associated with a 2 to 3 times greater odds of impaired performance on learning and memory tasks. Conclusions: Adolescents with critical biventricular CHD are at risk for deficits in aspects of declarative memory. Independent risk factors for worse outcome include history of seizures. (JINS, 2017, 23, 627–639)
Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Tolerance in Cotton: Sources and Heritability

Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) resistance or tolerance in cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., is often associated with extreme pubescence. This is undesirable because hairy (pubescent) plants tend to ...
Subtypes of Problem Gamblers, Sociocultural Factors, and Availability of Gambling

Finnish treatment-seeking gamblers were examined in light of predominant problem gambler subtype models. “Psy science” oriented problem gambler subtypes were found to be considerably influenced by gambling cultures and treatment traditions in the countries from which the mainstream problem gambler research originates. Thus, models that emphasize the psychopathology of the individual might cause some friction when applied to countries like Finland with a quite particular gambling culture and addiction treatment system that traditionally functions on a social work basis. It is suggested that specialists helping problem gamblers should acquire local knowledge with which to complete psychiatrically oriented scientific knowledge.
Conditional ablation of the prorenin receptor in nephron progenitor cells results in developmental programming of hypertension.

Nephron induction during kidney development is driven by reciprocal interactions between progenitor cells (NPCs) of the cap mesenchyme (CM) and the ureteric bud (UB). The prorenin receptor (PRR) is a receptor for renin and prorenin, and an accessory subunit of the vacuolar proton pump V‐ATPase. Previously, we demonstrated that conditional ablation of the PRR in Six2+ NPCs in mice (Six2 PRR −/−) causes early neonatal death. Here, we identified genes that are regulated by PRR in Six2+ NPCs FACS‐isolated from Six2 PRR −/− and control kidneys on embryonic day E15.5 using whole‐genome expression analysis. Seven genes with expression in CM cells previously shown to direct kidney development, including Notch1, β‐catenin, Lef1, Lhx1, Jag1, and p53, were downregulated. The functional groups within the downregulated gene set included genes involved in embryonic and cellular development, renal regeneration, cellular assembly and organization, cell morphology, death and survival. Double‐transgenic Six2 PRR −/−/BatGal + mice, a reporter strain for β‐catenin transcriptional activity, showed decreased β‐catenin activity in the UB in vivo. Reduced PRR gene dosage in heterozygous Six2 PRR +/− mice was associated with decreased glomerular number, segmental thickening of the glomerular basement membrane with focal podocyte foot process effacement, development of hypertension and increased soluble PRR (sPRR) levels in the urine at 2 months of age. Together, these data demonstrate that NPC PRR performs essential functions during nephrogenesis via control of hierarchy of genes that regulate critical cellular processes. Both reduced nephron endowment and augmented urine sPRR likely contribute to programming of hypertension in Six2 PRR +/− mice.
Planetary Crises and the Difficulty of Being Modern

This article questions whether the presently dominant ideas about globalisation and global warming work with very different conceptions of the ‘globe’ that are both connected and yet opposed to eac...
Family Issues Associated With Tics

Abstract It is well established that persistent tic disorders (PTD) in youth can negatively affect the entire family system. Although efficacious interventions for reducing tics are available, interventions focused purely on reducing tic severity do not always fully address problems in family functioning. The aim of this chapter is to help clinicians to appreciate the importance of providing comprehensive, family-based clinical care when working with a child with PTD and to provide practical recommendations for how providers can intervene to reduce stress and burden on the family, improve resilience and family functioning, and increase treatment engagement.
Abolition Terminable and Interminable

This chapter examines some of the political and intellectual limitations of international campaigns to combat human trafficking and forced labour under the heading of ‘contemporary slavery’. The ‘new abolitionists’ of the early twenty-first century alternately dismiss the significance of racial slavery in the modern world and draw upon its history to lend legibility and legitimacy to their collective efforts. In doing so, they not only overlook the persistent social, political and economic effects of racial slavery’s afterlife, but also obscure the ways that the movement for the abolition of racial slavery continues in the present tense with increased relevance and urgency.
Pathological complete response induced by neoadjuvant treatment using BRAF and MEK inhibitors in a patient with unresectable BRAF V600E-mutant malignant melanoma of the gallbladder

Historically, patients with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma have an extremely poor prognosis. In recent years, major breakthroughs in cutaneous melanoma treatment have led to remarkable improvements in patient outcomes. However, there are limited published data on the efficacy of these novel therapies in the treatment of mucosal melanoma due to rarity of the disease. We report a case of successful neoadjuvant targeted therapy with BRAF and MEK inhibitors followed by radical surgical excision in a patient with advanced malignant melanoma of the gallbladder.
All the Best Polls Agree with Me: Bias in Evaluations of Political Polling

Do Americans consider polling results an objective source of information? Experts tend to evaluate the credibility of polls based on the survey methods used, vendor track record, and data transparency, but it is unclear if the public does the same. In two different experimental studies—one focusing on candidate evaluations in the 2016 U.S. election and one on a policy issue—we find a significant factor in respondent assessments of polling credibility to be the poll results themselves. Respondents viewed polls as more credible when majority opinion matched their opinion. Moreover, we find evidence of attitude polarization after viewing polling results, suggesting motivated reasoning in the evaluations of political polls. These findings indicate that evaluations of polls are biased by motivated reasoning and suggest that such biases could constrain the possible impact of polls on political decision making.
Synergistic Use of Bithiazole and Pyridinyl Substitution for Effective Electron Transport Polymer Materials

The development of semiconducting conjugated polymers for organic field effect transistors (OFETs) has been the focus of intense research efforts for their key role in plastic electronics as well a...
Minority Rights in Corporate Law: A Reply to Chander

Anumpam Chander’s essay Minorities, Shareholders and Others argues that corporate law’s protections of minority shareholders can be used as a model to inform protection of minority groups under the Constitution. This article is a reply to that argument based on the premise that minority shareholders are not as protected by corporate law in the manner stated by Chander. While some lessons can be learned from corporate law, that but that is not where this article begins its inquiry. Instead the article establishes that the courts have generally upheld board authority rather than acting as overseers of corporate conduct. In this way, corporate law cannot be compared to constitutional jurisprudence if the goal is achieving equality. The article reviews the case law cited by Chander in order to establish the exceptional nature of judicial protection for board action as opposed to the systemic oversight argued by Chander.
Fission dynamics of Pu 240 from saddle to scission and beyond

Calculations are presented for the time evolution of $^{240}\mathrm{Pu}$ from the proximity of the outer saddle point until the fission fragments are well separated, using the time-dependent density functional theory extended to superfluid systems. We have tested three families of nuclear energy density functionals and found that all functionals exhibit a similar dynamics: The collective motion is highly dissipative and with little trace of inertial dynamics, due to the one-body dissipation mechanism alone. This finding justifies the validity of using the overdamped collective motion approach and to some extent the main assumptions in statistical models of fission. This conclusion is robust with respect to the nuclear energy density functional used. The configurations and interactions left out of the present theory framework only increase the role of the dissipative couplings. An unexpected finding is varying the pairing strength within a quite large range has only minor effects on the dynamics. We find notable differences in the excitation energy sharing between the fission fragments in the cases of spontaneous and induced fission. With increasing initial excitation energy of the fissioning nucleus, more excitation energy is deposited in the heavy fragment, in agreement with experimental data on average neutron multiplicities.
Device-Measured Physical Activity and Cognitive Processing Speed Impairment in a Large Sample of Persons with Multiple Sclerosis.

Objective:There is accumulating evidence regarding the beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) on cognitive processing speed in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, one overarching limitation of this research is that researchers have not recruited samples who have the actual problem of being studied (i.e., cognitive processing speed impairment). This study examined associations between device-measured PA and cognitive processing speed in a large sample of persons with MS overall and between those with and without cognitive processing speed impairment.Method:Three hundred eighty-five persons with MS underwent the oral Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and wore an accelerometer for 7 days for PA measurement. We divided the overall sample into subsamples with (n = 140) and without (n = 245) cognitive processing speed impairment based on age, sex, and education-adjusted SDMT Z-scores.Results:After controlling for age and disability status, higher levels of device-measured PA were significantly associated with faster cognitive processing speed overall, and the association was significantly stronger among persons with MS who presented with cognitive processing speed impairment.Conclusions:This examination provides initial cross-sectional support for informing the development of PA interventions as a possible approach for managing MS-related cognitive processing speed impairment. This highlights the importance of developing purposefully designed trials involving PA interventions for targeting cognitive processing speed as a primary end point among persons with MS with impaired cognitive processing speed.
Integrating Testing Throughout the CS Curriculum

Software testing is a critical component of any software development lifecycle, but becoming an experienced software tester requires understanding many strategies for writing high-quality test cases and a significant amount of practice. Situated learning theory suggests that students should be exposed to things they would see in a professional workplace. In terms of software testing, students should be exposed to real-world software testing practices in a variety of contexts, from the simplest of programs to the very complex. The goal of this paper is to share our experience integrating software testing into our undergraduate curriculum at North Carolina State University. In this paper, we discuss how software testing is taught in our CS1 – Introductory Programming, CS2 – Software Development Fundamentals, and several other courses beyond CS2. Over the past 10 years of teaching software testing in introductory programming courses, we discuss lessons learned and highlight open concerns for future research.