cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of antisperm antibodies in infertility

Objective To discuss the role of antisperm antibodies (Ab) in infertility, including proposed mechanisms of antisperm Ab formation, assays for their detection, and treatments for immune-mediated infertility. Design Major studies in the published literature and data from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology. Reports were reviewed that investigated the development and impact of alloimmunity and autoimmunity to spermatozoa in men and alloimmunity in women and the current methods of treatment for resultant subfertility. Results The exposure of spermatozoal antigens to the mucosal and systemic immune systems results in development of immunity to a multiplicity of spermatozoal epitopes. The evaluation of studies that examine the role of antisperm Ab in infertility is complicated by the lack of standardization of antisperm Ab assays and the difficulty in identifying those epitopes for antisperm Ab binding that are responsible for subfertility. Sperm-associated antisperm Ab and antisperm Ab in cervical mucus (CM) reduce sperm mobility and may also impair sperm-ovum interaction. The clinical significance of serum antisperm Ab in both men and women, however, is controversial. Current therapy for antisperm Ab associated infertility is empiric and largely unproven. Conclusions Antisperm Ab on the sperm surface and in CM are implicated in the pathogenesis of a subset of patients with infertility. Further studies that determine the clinically relevant sites of antisperm Ab interaction will aid in directing the treatment of subfertility mediated by antisperm Ab.
Outcome after temporary vascular occlusion for the management of renal trauma

AbstractTo determine the impact of temporary vascular occlusion on patient outcome after surgery for renal trauma, we reviewed the records of 30 patients managed since 1977 whose injuries represented 17% of a total of 181 injuries in 175 patients. Reconstruction was judged to be adequate in 25 patients, while the remaining 5 underwent immediate nephrectomy. Compared with patients whose renal injuries did not require temporary occlusion, these 30 were more likely to have renovascular trauma, shock at presentation and higher transfusion requirements. Postoperatively, of 20 patients renal imaging (9) and radionuclide scanning (11) demonstrated preservation of significant renal parenchyma or function in 18 (90%). Although complications were more common in patients whose renal injuries required temporary vascular occlusion, only 2 were related to the renal injury or its method of repair (urinary extravasation in 1 patient and azotemia in 1 with bilateral injury).Temporary vascular occlusion can be performed ex...
Cleavage and Packaging of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 DNA

Herpes simplex virus DNA accumulates in the nuclei of infected cells as long concatemers. The packaging machinery recognizes signals within the concatemers, cleaves the DNA to generate unit length monomers, and inserts the cleaved genomes into preformed capsids. The goals of this work are to review the current understanding of these processes and to provide working models based on this information.
DETERMINATION OF ZIRCONIUM BY ACTIVATION AND CHEMICAL SEPARATION OF $sup 97$Nb

A rapid, accurate method for the determination of zirconium by activation analysis with radiochemical separation is described. After neutron irradiation of the sample, it is dissolved and allowed t...
Analysis of the Aerodynamic Benefit from Boundary Layer Ingestion for Transport Aircraft

Propulsors with boundary layer ingestion (BLI) generate a propulsive force with lower flow power input than conventional engines. This aerodynamic benefit can be traced back to its sources: reducti...
Assessing the ecological relevance of swimming performance traits: a case study of bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)

A variety of fish species show habitat-related variation in traits associated with swimming performance and foraging behavior. This commonly manifests as a distinction between open water and shallow water littoral ecotypes. In bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), open water fish exhibit greater energy economy and speed during sustained locomotion than those from the littoral, whereas littoral fish were more maneuverable than their open water counterparts. These distinctions are associated with variation in diet and foraging behavior and may represent a resource polyphenism that enhances fitness through more effective exploitation of particular habitat types. A lack of field data means that polyphenisms have not been placed in context with swimming behavior in the field. We have used 3D videography to quantify bluegill field swimming performance in open water and littoral habitats. This revealed patterns of performance variation that parallel the trait variation previously established in the laboratory. Open water fish utilized faster average swimming speeds than inshore fish, while indicators of nonlinearity and unsteadiness were greater in the littoral fish. There are, however, differences in propulsive behavior between the field and laboratory. Pectoral-fin-powered, median-paired fin swimming is rarely employed by open water fish. Field body-caudal fin swimming involves short sequences of propulsive tail beats interspersed with gliding, rather than the repeated propulsive cycles employed under steady-state conditions. This suggests a need to re-evaluate the applicability of steady-state performance traits to behavior and fitness in the field and highlights the general importance of obtaining field performance data.
Blow-up for degenerate nonlinear parabolic problem

In this paper, we deal with the existence, uniqueness, and finite time blow-up of the solution to the degenerate nonlinear parabolic problem: $u_{\tau}=\left( \xi^{r}u^{m}u_{\xi}\right) _{\xi}/\xi^{r}+u^{p}$ for$\;0 < \xi < a$,$\;0 < \tau < \Gamma$, $u\left( \xi,0\right) =u_{0}\left( \xi\right) $ for $0\leq\xi\leq a$, and $u\left( 0,\tau\right) =0=u\left( a,\tau\right) $ for $0 < \tau < \Gamma$, where $u_{0}\left( \xi\right) $ is a positive function and $u_{0}\left( 0\right) =0=u_{0}\left( a\right) $. In addition, we prove that $u$ exists globally if $a$ is small through constructing a global-exist upper solution, and $u_{\tau}$ blows up in a finite time.
2131 Trends in Patient Follow-Up after Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy

Study Objective To determine practice trends for evaluating patients following minimally invasive hysterectomy among gynecologic surgeons. Design Anonymous voluntary survey was distributed to members of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists. The survey collected information on surgeon demographics and practice patterns for postoperative care following minimally invasive hysterectomy. Setting E-mail based survey. Patients or Participants Gynecologic surgeons who self-identified as performing minimally invasive hysterectomy via vaginal, laparoscopic, or robotic-assisted technique. Interventions A single survey distributed once. Responses were collected over 3 weeks. Measurements and Main Results 533 of 546 responses were analyzed. Responses that were incomplete or from surgeons who did not perform minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH) were excluded. The majority of respondents reported practicing in the United States (384, 72%), followed by those practicing outside the US and Canada (130, 24.4%). The majority of surgeons reported unsupervised practice (451, 84.6%). Of that majority cohort, most reported >20 years in practice (165, 36.7%). Most frequently reported MIH volume was 20-50 cases annually (197, 37.3%), followed by 51-100 cases annually (169, 32%). Forty-seven percent of respondents (253) reported practicing same-day discharge, followed by those reporting 1 day length of stay (228, 42.9%) after MIH. Surgeons most commonly endorsed 2 routine postoperative visits (313, 58.8%). Timing of visits ranged widely from 1-12 weeks with the most commonly reported postoperative interval being 2 weeks (252, 47.5%) followed by 6 weeks (201, 37.9%). Most surgeons reported routinely examining the vaginal cuff in asymptomatic postoperative patients (452, 83.5%), and was usually done 6 weeks after MIH (248, 55.1%). The cuff examination was most commonly reported as being performed by both inspection and palpation (359, 79.6%). Recommendations for pelvic rest ranged from 0-12 weeks, and was most frequently reported as 6 weeks (225, 42.2%). Conclusion Postoperative follow up after MIH varies widely. Further studies are required to determine best practice protocols that provide efficient care while optimizing patient outcomes.
The Role of Craft Breweries in Expanding (Local) Hop Production

Hop production has expanded dramatically in recent years along with the number of local craft breweries, but to date the relationship between these two phenomena has not been explored systematically. Using a state-level pooled count data model with observations from 2007, 2012, and 2017, we examine the independent lagged effects of breweries on the number of hop farms and acres grown, holding constant fixed effects and key economic and geographic factors. Our results confirm that the number of breweries is associated with more hop production (farms and acres) five years later, while warmer temperatures and higher land prices discourage it. (JEL Classifications: L66, Q11, R30)
Characterizing Respiratory Airflow and Aerosol Condensational Growth in Children and Adults Using an Imaging-CFD Approach

The dynamic growth of water-soluble aerosols within human respiratory tracts can be significant and may notably alter the transport and deposition of such inhaled aerosols. Moreover, considerable structural changes occur in human respiratory tracts during early ages, leading to further variations in respiratory airflow pattern and aerosol dynamics. This chapter will review some of the latest advances in modeling and simulations of the psychrometric phenomena in human upper airways, examine hygroscopic factors that influence the growth and deposition of inhaled particles, discuss their implications in health assessments of environmental exposure, and demonstrate the applications of aerosol hygroscopic properties to improve inhalation drug delivery efficiency. Characterization of respiratory anatomical variation at different ages based on CT/MRI imaging will be presented. Specifically, psychrometric behaviors of inhaled airflow and hygroscopic aerosols will be examined in three physiological-realistic geometries, which include an adult nose-throat model, a child nose-throat model, and an adult mouth-lung airway model. Results reported in this chapter highlight the particle condensation growth as a potentially significant mechanism in the deposition of fine aerosol particles under saturated inhalation conditions. Furthermore, particle condensation growth possesses a promising implication to improve delivery efficiency targeting either the nasal olfactory region or the lungs. These results are intended to provide guidance in making appropriate exposure risk assessment of environmental pollutants, dose-response predictions of inhaled medications, and in designing targeted respiratory drug delivery systems.
Effect of Isomorphic Metal Substitution on the Fenton and Photo-Fenton Degradation of Methylene Blue Using Fe-Based Metal–Organic Frameworks

The removal of toxic organic compounds (TOCs) using highly porous solids such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has gained significant attention over the past decade. In this study, it has been demonstrated that the efficiency of PCN-250 as a heterogeneous catalyst porous coordination network (PCN) for both Fenton and photo-Fenton reactions can be improved by the isomorphic substitution of Mn and Co for Fe, while it can be inhibited by the substitution of Ni for Fe. Furthermore, the Mn-substituted sample named PCN-250(Fe2Mn) decomposed 100% of methylene blue (MB) in solution in 300 min and displayed good recyclability over three cycles. This work establishes that the highly porous, commercially available, and robust family of MOFs named PCN-250 has the potential to be used as catalysts for Fenton and photo-Fenton reactions as well as broader advanced oxidation processes (AOP) for water purification applications. Overall, this work successfully demonstrates not only the ability to perform isomorphic substitution of various metals within MOFs but also the effect of the substitution on the resulting catalytic performance.
Providing Career Development Services to Veterans: Perceived Need, Acceptability, and Demand:

Providing career development services, through career counseling and assessment, is part of vocational rehabilitation programming. However, there is no applied evidence that such career development...
Human Papillomavirus-Associated Anogenital Pathology in Females With HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

We sought to determine the incidence and location of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated anogenital disease in women with HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) via a retrospective cohort study with prospective contact to update history at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Females undergoing treatment for nonmetastatic HPV-positive OPSCC from 2011 to 2019 were identified. Clinical history and outcomes were abstracted from medical records. Patients without documented anogenital history were contacted, consented, and administered a survey, and external records were requested and reviewed. Seventeen of 46 patients (37.0%) had a history of anogenital HPV-associated disease, and 16 of 17 (94.1%) required procedures to diagnose or treat HPV lesions. The cervix was the most common site (16/17, 94.1%). Procedures included colposcopy (n = 6), cervical excision (n = 3), cryotherapy (n = 4), and hysterectomy (n = 3). One case of fatal cervical carcinoma was noted, diagnosed 1 year following OPSCC. Three of 17 (17.6%) had HPV-related vulvovaginal disease, and 1 of 17 had anal disease. Patients with a history of HPV-positive OPSCC may be at elevated risk for HPV-associated anogenital disease.
Fully transparent GaN homojunction tunnel junction-enabled cascaded blue LEDs

A sidewall activation process was optimized for buried magnesium-doped p-GaN layers yielding a significant reduction in tunnel junction-enabled light emitting diode (LED) forward voltage. This buried activation enabled the realization of cascaded blue LEDs with fully transparent GaN homojunction tunnel junctions. The initial optimization of buried p-GaN activation was performed on PN junctions grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) buried under hybrid tunnel junctions grown by MOCVD and molecular beam epitaxy. Next the activation process was implemented in cascaded blue LEDs emitting at 450 nm, which were enabled by fully transparent GaN homojunction tunnel junctions. The tunnel junction-enabled multi-active region blue LEDs were grown monolithically by MOCVD. This work demonstrates a state-of-the-art tunnel junction-enabled cascaded LED utilizing homojunction tunnel junctions which do not contain any heterojunction interface.
Successful Reimplementation Of A Very Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet After SGLT2 Inhibitor Associated Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis

ABSTRACT Objective: We report a case of a successful reimplementation of a very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet (VLCKD) after a case of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (euDKA). Methods: A 42-year-...
Effect of Cobalt Additions on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of As-Cast Thin-Wall Ductile Iron

The production of thin-wall ductile iron can be challenging due to the formation of carbides during the solidification process. One way to reduce carbides in thin sections is by the addition of silicon, but this is detrimental for the impact strength and fracture toughness of ductile iron. It is known that cobalt as an alloying element in ductile iron increases the nodule count resulting in a larger fraction of ferrite. Therefore, the ability of cobalt to inhibit carbide formation was studied. The goal was to inhibit carbide formation without increasing silicon content. Five heats were produced: Co-free ductile iron, 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, and 4 wt% Co. These were cast into plates with thicknesses of 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, and 6 mm. Metallography was performed to evaluate the percent nodularity, nodule count (N/mm2), and ferrite/pearlite/carbide percentages. Tensile testing was performed using flat sub-size dogbone samples. Also, the fracture surfaces of the 2 and 6 mm sections were analyzed using SEM. Finally, Brinell hardness was performed on each section thickness. There was no increase in the percent nodularity with the addition of cobalt, but with 4 wt% Co an increase in nodule count was observed. With the addition of 3 wt% and 4 wt% Co, there was a reduction in carbide percentage due to an increase in ferrite content. With the addition of 4 wt% Co, there is a reduction in yield strength and an increase in elongation due to a higher ferrite percentage. It was discovered that with the addition of 4 wt% Co the production of carbide-free sections is possible without increasing the silicon percentage above 2.41 wt% Si.
The association between early impairment in cerebral autoregulation and outcome in a pediatric swine model of cardiac arrest.

Abstract Aims Evaluate cerebral autoregulation (CAR) by intracranial pressure reactivity index (PRx) and cerebral blood flow reactivity index (CBFx) during the first four hours following return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in a porcine model of pediatric cardiac arrest. Determine whether impaired CAR is associated with neurologic outcome. Methods Four-week-old swine underwent seven minutes of asphyxia followed by ventricular fibrillation induction and hemodynamic-directed CPR. Those achieving ROSC had arterial blood pressure, intracranial pressure (ICP), and microvascular cerebral blood flow (CBF) monitored for 4 h. Animals were assigned an 8 -h post-ROSC swine cerebral performance category score (1 = normal; 2–4=abnormal neurologic function). In this secondary analytic study, we calculated PRx and CBFx using a continuous, moving correlation coefficient between mean arterial pressure (MAP) and ICP, and between MAP and CBF, respectively. Burden of impaired CAR was the area under the PRx or CBFx curve using a threshold of 0.3 and normalized as percentage of monitoring duration. Results Among 23 animals, median PRx was 0.14 [0.06,0.25] and CBFx was 0.36 [0.05,0.44]. Median burden of impaired CAR was 21% [18,27] with PRx and 30% [17,40] with CBFx. Neurologically abnormal animals (n = 10) did not differ from normal animals (n = 13) in post-ROSC MAP (63 vs. 61 mmHg, p = 0.74), ICP (15 vs. 14 mmHg, p = 0.78) or CBF (274 vs. 397 Perfusion Units, p = 0.12). CBFx burden was greater among abnormal than normal animals (45% vs. 24%, p = 0.001), but PRx burden was not (25% vs. 20%, p = 0.38). Conclusion CAR is impaired early after ROSC. A greater burden of CAR impairment measured by CBFx was associated with abnormal neurologic outcome. CHOP Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee protocol 19-001327.
The Myth of Post-Reform Income Stagnation: Evidence from Brazil and Mexico

Economic policies are often judged by a handful of statistics, some of which may be biased during periods of change. We estimate the income growth implied by the evolution of food demand and durable good ownership in post-reform Brazil and Mexico, and find that changes in consumption patterns are inconsistent with official estimates of near stagnant incomes. That is attributed to biases in the price deflator. The estimated unmeasured income gains are higher for poorer households, implying marked reductions in "real" inequality. These findings challenge the conventional wisdom that post-reform income growth was low and did not benefit the poor.
Enhancing the SDGs

This chapter explores how we can enhance and better employ our welfare analysis of the 17 SDGs to account for any environmental impacts, institutional effectiveness, and inclusivity of progress towards sustainability. We apply this analysis to the world, low-income countries, and our nine representative countries. Our results suggest that progress towards sustainability is correlated with reducing the environmental costs of current development, making it more compatible with improving institutional quality, and ensuring that any progress is more inclusive.
The rate of ecological acclimation is the dominant uncertainty in long-term projections of a key ecosystem service

Summary The potential for ecosystems to continue providing society with essential services may depend on their ability to acclimate to climate change through multiple processes operating from cells to landscapes1. While models to predict climate change impacts on ecosystem services often consider uncertainty among greenhouse gas emission scenarios or global circulation models (GCMs)2,3, they rarely consider the rate of ecological acclimation, which depends on decadal-scale processes such as species turnover4,5. Here we show that uncertainty due to the unknown rate of ecological acclimation is larger than other sources of uncertainty in late-century projections of forage production in US rangelands. Combining statistical models fit to historical climate data and remotely-sensed estimates of herbaceous productivity with an ensemble of GCMs, we projected changes in forage production using two approaches. The time-series approach, which assumes minimal acclimation, projects widespread decreases in forage production. The spatial gradient approach, which assumes ecological acclimation keeps pace with climate, predicts widespread increases in forage production. This first attempt to quantify the magnitude of a critical uncertainty emphasizes that better understanding of ecological acclimation is essential to improve long-term forecasts of ecosystem services, and shows that management to facilitate ecological acclimation6 may be necessary to maintain ecosystem services at historical baselines.
Fluoride exposure during early adolescence and its association with internalizing symptoms.

Abstract Background Early, chronic, low-level fluoride exposure has been linked to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning deficits in children. Rodent studies suggest a link between fluoride exposure and internalizing behaviors. No human studies have examined the impact of fluoride on internalizing behaviors during adolescence. Objective Evaluate the relationship between urinary fluoride and early adolescent internalizing symptoms in the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (CCAAPS). Methods Participants in CCAAPS provided non-fasting spot urine samples at age 12 years (n = 286). Urine samples were analyzed using a microdiffusion method to determine childhood urinary fluoride (CUF) concentrations and were log-transformed for analyses. Caregivers of CCAAPS participants completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2 (BASC-2) at the age 12 study visit to assess internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, somatization), and a composite score of the three domains; T-scores ≥ 60 were used to identify adolescents in a clinically “at-risk” range. Race, age of the adolescent, household income, maternal age at birth, caregiver depression, caregiver-child relationships, and age 12-year serum cotinine concentrations were considered covariates in regression models. Sex-specific effects of fluoride exposures were investigated through the inclusion of interaction terms. Results Higher CUF concentrations were significantly associated with increased somatization (β = 3.64, 95% CI 0.49, 6.81) and internalizing composite T-scores in a clinically “at-risk” range (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.24, 6.9). Compared to females, males with higher CUF concentrations had more internalizing (pinteraction = 0.04) and somatization symptoms (pinteraction = 0.02) and were nearly seven times more likely to exhibit “at-risk” internalizing symptomology. CUF concentrations were not significantly associated with depression or anxiety symptoms. Conclusions This is the first study to link fluoride exposure and internalizing symptoms, specifically somatization. Somatization represents an interface of physical and psychological health. Continued follow-up will help shed light on the sex-specific relationship between fluoride and mental health and the role of somatization.
Creating academic-community partnerships to jointly enhance advocacy and research on violence and disability: Two case examples.

OBJECTIVE This article describes the use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) to foster bidirectional and equitable academic-community partnerships in two studies related to interpersonal violence and disability. METHOD We analyzed our methods and experiences in conducting these studies to focus on the ways in which CBPR methodology was used to jointly promote and enhance research and advocacy surrounding violence and disability in the research processes themselves and the resulting assessment and intervention products. RESULTS Our use of CBPR methodology allowed us to identify and address critical issues related to violence in the disability community, such as disability-related forms and experiences of violence, concerns and barriers linked to mandated reporting laws, and inaccessible measures and interventions, and to address them in research products. Additionally, our bidirectional academic-community partnerships led us to address overall accessibility of the research process itself as a means by which to amplify advocate voices in science. CONCLUSIONS Full, meaningful, and equitable participation of people with disabilities at every stage of the research process allows for the creation of partnerships that jointly advance research and advocacy around violence and disability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Geographic variation in the thermal biology of a widespread Sonoran Desert arachnid, Centruroides sculpturatus (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

Abstract Environmental temperatures can significantly influence the behavior and physiology of terrestrial ectotherms. Small-bodied terrestrial ectotherms can moderate their body temperatures behaviorally via thermoregulation; however, favorable thermal refuges may be limited across heterogeneous landscapes. In such cases, differences in the thermal environment may generate variation in preferred body temperatures among disparate populations. We tested whether geographic variation in preferred body temperatures existed for the Arizona bark scorpion Centruroides sculpturatus, an arachnid widely distributed across the Sonoran Desert. We predicted that geographic variation in thermal preference would exist between populations from a xeric, low-elevation site in western Arizona (Quartzsite) and a cooler, high-elevation site in eastern Arizona (Pinaleno Mountains). We found that scorpions from the Pinaleno Mountains were smaller in body size and exhibited significantly warmer diurnal body temperatures compared to scorpions from Quartzsite. However, no significant difference was detected in the preferred nocturnal temperatures of scorpions from either locality. Scorpions from the Pinaleno Mountains may have shifted their thermoregulatory patterns and selected warmer temperatures during the day as a way to maximize their exposure to favorable temperatures. Less time with mean temperatures within the preferred range of body temperatures may have also lowered metabolic rates of C. sculpturatus in the Pinaleno Mountains, resulting in their smaller female body sizes. The ability of C. sculpturatus to adapt to different thermal regimes may reflect variation in a life history trait which has allowed them to thrive and expand their distribution across the American Southwest.
In Search of a Forum for the Families of the Guantanamo Disappeared

The United States government has committed grave human rights violations by disappearing people during the past decade into the detention camps in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. And for nearly thirty years, beginning with a 1983 decision from a case arising in Uruguay, there has been a well-developed body of international law establishing that parents, wives and children of the disappeared suffer torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (CID). This paper argues that the rights of family members were severely violated when their loved ones were disappeared into Guantanamo. Family members of men disappeared by the United States have legitimate claims for torture or CID against the government under both international law and American law. However, rather than providing a forum to address the plaintiffs' sufferings of egregious human rights violations, the United States seeks to block all claims and evade accountability. In skirting claims, the United States has proven to be a powerful and skilled adversary both domestically and internationally. My work with the Witness to Guantanamo project -- in which we have filmed full-length interviews of former detainees and others, including military and government officials who have lived or worked in Guantanamo and family members of former detainees -- has inspired me to write this article, and informs its content. Our nation must address its human rights violations.
PorKI: portable PKI credentials via proxy certificates

Authenticating human users using public key cryptography provides a number of useful security properties, such as being able to authenticate to remote party without giving away a secret. However, in many scenarios, users need to authenticate from a number of client machines, of varying degrees of trustworthiness. In previous work, we proposed an approach to solving this problem by giving users portable devices which wirelessly issue temporary, limited-use proxy certificates to the clients. In this paper, we describe our complete prototype, enabling the use of proxy credentials issued from a mobile device to securely authenticate users to remote servers via a shared (or otherwise not trusted) device. In particular, our PorKI implementation combines out-of-band authentication (via 2D barcode images), standard Proxy Certificates, and platform attestation to provide usable and secure temporary credentials for web-based applications.
The Gingrich Senators and Their Effect on the U.S. Senate

Much of the recent increase in party polarization in the U.S. Senate can be accounted for by the “Gingrich Senators,” who I define as Republicans who served with Newt Gingrich in the House and then moved to the Senate. In previous research (Theriault 2008, Theriault and Rohde 2011), I find that the Gingrich Senators account for 75 percent of the polarization in the Senate since 1973 and 85 percent of the polarization since their ranks began service in the Senate in 1984. In this paper, I examine how it is that the Gingrich Senators have come to have had such a profound impact on the Senate. In short, I find that many more Republicans with House experience have run for the Senate in the Gingrich Era and that they have compensated for their more conservative voting record by raising more campaign funds.
Adaptive Sampling-Based Motion Planning for Mobile Robots with Differential Constraints

This paper presents a sampling-based motion planner geared towards mobile robots with differential constraints. The planner conducts the search for a trajectory to the goal region by using sampling to expand a tree of collision-free and dynamically-feasible motions. To guide the tree expansion, a workspace decomposition is used to partition the motion tree into groups. Priority is given to tree expansions from groups that are close to the goal according to the shortest-path distances in the workspace decomposition. To counterbalance the greediness of the shortest-path heuristic, when the planner fails to expand the tree from one region to the next, the costs of the corresponding edges in the workspace decomposition are increased. Such cost increases enable the planner to quickly discover alternative routes to the goal when progress along the current route becomes difficult or impossible. Comparisons to related work show significant speedups.
Bad models with interesting physics and vice versa: Some comments on the Casetti and Isard-Liossatos papers

We have before us in the two papers by Professor Casetti and Professors Isard and Liossatos two highly ambitious models, ambitious in the broad class of phenomena about which they wish to enlighten us. If their ambitions are high, then we cannot doubt that they would want our expectations to be equally high. Inevitably, one is led to ask: have they succeeded or failed in meeting these expectations? I will argue that they have both failed. My daughter constructs models with her Lego set and brings them forward for my judgment, as Professors Casetti, Liossatos, and Isard have just done for ours. Often, a touch reveals that they are jerry-built. More and more frequently of late, I find a solid structure and much reality of detail. She has improved her modelbuilding capabilities. The criteria I use to judge her models are obvious to both me and her. A great personal disappointment to me in my perusal of the regional science literature is the lack of such criteria by which to judge our own models, of more or less accepted ways of applying pressure to the models proffered to us to see if they "work." We simply don' t have such criteria; the reason for this lack is not that they are unavailable but that we have elected, for reasons that I do not understand, not to apply them. What criteria can we apply when judging a model? M.S. Bartlett [1, p. 124] submits three that seem uncontroversial to me. A model is deemed successful, he says, "the extent to which: (i) known facts are accounted for; (ii) greater insight and understanding are achieved of the biological situation being studied; (iii) the theory or model can correctly predict the future pattern, even under [and I would add, especially under] different conditions from those pertaining to current observed data." I think it time to demand of models and theories introduced in these sessions
Modeling multivariate co integrated systems: Insights from non-linear dynamics

Johansen's test for co integration is applied to Litterman's original six-variable Bayesian vector auto regression (BVAR) model to obtain vector error correction mechanism (VECM) and Bayesian error correction (BECM) versions of the model. The Brock, Dechert, and Scheinkman (BDS) test for independence from the non-linear dynamics literature is then applied to the error structures of each estimated equation of the BECM and VECM models, plus two BVAR versions of the model. The results show that none of the models produce independent and identically distributed (IID) errors for all six equations. However, the BDS results suggest the elimination of the Bayesian prior from the BECM model, given that the univariate VECM errors are IID in five equations, compared to only two or three equations under the three Bayesian restricted models. These results combined with previous evidence regarding the superior forecasting performance of BECM over ECM models suggest future experimentation with less restrictive BVAR priors, BECM models corrected for heteroscedasticity, or hybrid specifications based on the nonlinear dynamics literature.
The kinetics of diffusion-controlled reactions in anisotropic systems. Exciton trapping, detrapping and heterofusion in molecular crystals

Abstract The kinetic equations describing diffusion controlled trapping and heterofusion of excitons in molecular crystals are presented. The equations are valid for anisotropic diffusion, and contain terms describing effects due to correlation of the traps and percolation. The dependence of heterofusion on homofusion and on trapping is shown.
Rapid Bioassay for Phytokinins based on Transpiration of Excised Oat Leaves

SEVERAL compounds which exhibit phytokinin activity have been reported1–7. Current interest in the isolation of this group of compounds indicates that a rapid technique for the detection of low concentrations of phytokinins would be useful. This communication describes such a technique and reports various aspects of transpiration stimulated by phytokinin.
Analysis of high-pressure adsorption data on activated carbon to obtain generalized characteristic and heats of adsorption curves

Abstract High-pressure adsorption data were obtained for methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen on activated carbon. Adsorption isotherms up to 60 atm and at a number of temperatures were measured and isosteric heats of adsorption determined from adsorption isosteres by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Affinity coefficients were used to reduce adsorption characteristic curves and variation of the isosteric heats of adsorption for the various gases to a generalized curve. It was found that affinity coefficients calculated by the ratio of polarizability of an adsorbate with that of a reference adsorbate did not yield a generalized heat of adsorption curve. When account was taken of the quadrupole moments of the adsorbate in defining affinity coefficients, characteristic curves for adsorption and heats of adsorption data for all the gases resulted.
Perceived environmental drug use risk and the correlates of early drug use or nonuse among inner-city youths: the motivated actor.

The extent to which youth perceive their neighborhood to be at risk was found to be directly related to a series of life-style and drug use context variables. Further, the extent of drug use (nonuse, only alcohol, both alcohol and marijuana) was directly related to two of these variables, but inversely relatedto the extent their friends used “hard” drugs. These results indicate the critical importance of incorporating a measure of perceived risk into drug studies of adolescents, and highlight the need to view youth as motivated actors, guiding their own behavior in an attempt to actualize self-defined values. This is in direct contrast to most theoretical perspectives which regard this age group as merely responding to powerful external influences.
Stressing the importance of CHOP in liver cancer.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death and the fifth most common solid tumor worldwide [1], [2]. Liver tumorigenesis is a multistep process in which external stimuli such as chronic inflammation or cirrhosis lead to the development of clonal populations of dysplastic hepatocytes that accumulate genetic changes and evolve into malignant foci [2]. Among the most common risk factors for HCC pathogenesis include viral hepatitis, alcoholism, and obesity [1], [3]. The same insults that predispose to HCC are known to induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways. One such pathway, known as the unfolded protein response (UPR), is triggered by the accumulation of incompletely folded proteins in the ER lumen [4]–[6]. Stimulation of the UPR results in the activation of three transmembrane proteins that induce downstream effectors to alter gene expression and ultimately modulate ER function. One of these UPR transmembrane proteins is protein kinase RNA (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK), which phosphorylates eIF2α, leading to a transient translational blockade. A related pathway that shares transcriptional targets with the UPR is the integrated stress response (ISR) pathway. When triggered by viral infection or amino acid starvation the ISR also initiates eIF2α-dependent signaling events [7]. Although the UPR and ISR pathways are active in distinct human tumor types and the UPR is implicated in HCC [8]–[10], their relative contribution to the pathogenesis of HCC has remained uncharacterized. In this issue of PLOS Genetics, Rutkowski and colleagues (DeZwaan-McCabe et al., [11]) sought to determine whether the UPR pathway was induced in murine liver tumors that developed in a Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon-induced insertional mutagenesis screen [12], [13]. The application of transposon-based approaches to cancer gene identification provides a powerful opportunity to examine the consequences of specific mutations in the context of in vivo tumor development [14]. Whole transcriptome sequencing of liver tumors generated in an SB-mediated liver tumorigenesis screen identified an induction of C/EBP Homologous Protein (CHOP), a stress-regulated transcription factor, in multiple SB-induced tumors. Upon further analysis, components of the two PERK-independent arms of the UPR pathway were not altered at the transcript level, leading the authors to further investigate the role of the ISR and CHOP in HCC. CHOP, which has a diverse repertoire of transcriptional targets and modes of transcriptional modulation, was previously known to mediate apoptosis in response to ER stress [15]–[17]. Accordingly, several studies implicate CHOP as a putative tumor suppressor. In contrast to this, chromosomal translocations fusing CHOP to FUS/TLS and EWS have been identified in several cancers, hinting that CHOP may also play an oncogenic role in tumorigenesis in certain contexts [18], [19].
Engineering single spins and coherence for spintronics

Diamond-based materials have emerged as unique platforms for room temperature spintronics and quantum engineering. We show that the spins of single electrons can be imaged, initialized, manipulated, and read-out with remarkable ease, revealing microsecond coherence times and controllable coupling to dopant spins. Integration with photonics enables pathways for on-chip quantum communication.
A Latino advantage in oral health-related quality of life is modified by nativity status ☆

Explanations for the social gradient in health status are informed by the rare exceptions. This cross-sectional observational study examined one such exception, the "Latino paradox" by investigating the presence of a Latino advantage in oral health-related quality of life and the effect of nativity status on this relationship. A nationally representative sample of adults (n=4208) completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004. The impact of oral disorders on oral health-related quality of life was evaluated using the NHANES Oral Health Impact Profile. Exposures of interest were race, ethnicity and nativity status. Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics, smoking status, self-rated health, access to dental care and number of teeth. Unconditional logistic regression models estimated odds of impaired oral health-related quality of life for racial/ethnic and nativity groups compared to the Non-Latino white population. Overall, prevalence of impaired oral health-related quality of life was 15.1%. A protective effect of Latino ethnicity was modified by nativity status, such that Latino immigrants experienced substantially better outcomes than non-Latino whites. However, the effect was limited to first-generation Latinos. U.S. born Latinos did not share the oral health-related quality of life advantage of their foreign-born counterparts. This advantage was not attributable to the healthy migrant phenomenon since immigrants of non-Latino origin did not differ from Non-Latino whites. The excess risk among Non-Hispanic Blacks was rendered non-significant after adjustment for socioeconomic position. A protective effect conferred by Latino nativity is unexpected given relatively disadvantaged socioeconomic position of this group, their language barrier and restrictions to needed dental care. As the Latino advantage in oral health-related quality of life is not explained by healthy immigrant selection, cultural explanations seem more likely than explanations based on characteristics of individuals.
Prognostic Impact of Pulmonary Artery Systolic Pressure in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Stenosis

Baseline pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a predictor of poor outcomes in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Surgical aortic valve replacement is thought to alleviate PH. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic impact of PH in patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). An observational cohort study was conducted using prospectively collected data on 277 consecutive patients with severe AS who underwent TAVR at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) from November 1, 2008, to June 31, 2013. Clinical and echocardiographic data, pulmonary function characteristics, and outcomes stratified by tertiles of pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) were analyzed. From 277 patients who underwent TAVR, 251 patients had PASP assessment at baseline. Those in the highest PASP tertile (PASP ≥49 mm Hg) had more severe chronic lung disease and worse diastolic dysfunction. Being in the highest PASP tertile was an independent predictor of long-term mortality (hazard ratio 2.88, 95% confidence interval 1.15 to 7.23). Patients in the highest PASP tertile had longer lengths of hospital stay, while other short-term outcomes (30-day mortality and readmission, stroke, prolonged ventilation, and reoperation for bleeding) were similar across PASP tertiles. TAVR was associated with a decrease in PASP in the highest PASP tertile at 1 week after the procedure (−8 ± 14 mm Hg) and at 3 months (−7 ± 15 mm Hg) compared with baseline. In conclusion, among patients with severe AS who underwent TAVR, higher baseline PASP was strongly associated with diastolic dysfunction and chronic lung disease. Patients with higher baseline PASP tolerated TAVR relatively well in the early postprocedural phase, with diminished long-term survival. PH should not disqualify patients with severe AS from consideration for TAVR.
On the cyclotron resonance width of very pure Ge

Abstract The temperature variation of the cyclotron resonance width Γ for a very pure semiconductor is calculated numerically based on the earlier theory [S. Fujita & A. Lodder, Physica 83B, 117 (1976)]. The results are in excellent agreement with experiments by Kawamura et al. for very pure Ge.
Potato Tuber Production in Response to Reflected Light from Different Colored Mulches

Colored mulches can affect the spectral balance (quality) and quantity of canopy light, which influences plant developmental patterns. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of light reflected from different colored mulches on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber production. Potato plants («Atlantic», «Kennebec», «Red Pontiac», and «Superior») were grown in field plots covered with straw mulch that had been painted white, red, pale blue, or in alternating 5-cm stripes of blue and orange to provide a range of reflected light spectra. An unpainted straw mulch treatment and a no-mulch control were also used (.)
Antimicrobial susceptibility of clinical isolates of Brucella

Abstract A number of antimicrobial agents have been used in the treatment of human brucellosis with varying effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to test the in vitro susceptibility of isolates of four Brucella species to a variety of antimicrobial agents, and to study in vitro synergy of combinations of agents. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using conventional broth microdilution methods and commercially available systems. Conventional checkerboard synergy microdilutions were prepared for gentamicin or streptomycin plus tetracycline, and rifampicin plus tetracycline. Synergy or antagonism was determined by the fractional inhibitory concentration index. Penicillin G and ampicillin showed in vitro activity against Brucella (MIC 90 4 μg/ml), whereas the antipseudomonal penicillins were less active (carbenicillin MIC 90 12 μg/ml, piperacillin MIC 90 32 μg/ml). Among the third generation cephalosporins tested, cefotaxime (MIC 90 2 μg/ml) demonstrated greatest activity. As a class, aminoglycosides were equivalent (MIC 90 1–4 μg/ml). All strains were sensitive to tetracycline (MIC 90 0.25 μg/ml), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (MIC 90 1/19 μg/ml), and rifampin (MIC 90 1 μg/ml). Erythromycin (MIC 90 > 8 μ mg/ml) and vancomycin (MIC 90 > 16 μ mg/ml) demonstrated no activity. In vitro synergy (fractional inhibitory concentration index