cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Novel Sorghum brown midrib Mutants from an EMS-Mutagenized Population

Reducing lignin concentration in lignocellulosic biomass can increase forage digestibility for ruminant livestock and saccharification yields of biomass for bioenergy. In sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and several other C4 grasses, brown midrib (bmr) mutants have been shown to reduce lignin concentration. Putative bmr mutants isolated from an EMS-mutagenized population were characterized and classified based on their leaf midrib phenotype and allelism tests with the previously described sorghum bmr mutants bmr2, bmr6, and bmr12. These tests resulted in the identification of additional alleles of bmr2, bmr6, and bmr12, and, in addition, six bmr mutants were identified that were not allelic to these previously described loci. Further allelism testing among these six bmr mutants showed that they represented four novel bmr loci. Based on this study, the number of bmr loci uncovered in sorghum has doubled. The impact of these lines on agronomic traits and lignocellulosic composition was assessed in a 2-yr field study. Overall, most of the identified bmr lines showed reduced lignin concentration of their biomass relative to wild-type (WT). Effects of the six new bmr mutants on enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic materials were determined, but the amount of glucose released from the stover was similar to WT in all cases. Like bmr2, bmr6, and bmr12, these mutants may affect monolignol biosynthesis and may be useful for bioenergy and forage improvement when stacked together or in combination with the three previously described bmr alleles.
Poly(styrene-co-p-(hexafluoro-2-hydroxy-2-propyl)-styrene) blends with syndiotactic and/or isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate)

A modified polystyrene, poly(styrene-co-p-(hexafluoro-2-hydroxy-2-propyl)styrene) (FPS), was blended with syndiotactic and/or isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in toluene. Blends were prepared under different conditions to control the self-aggregation of the PMMA segments. The formation of hydrogen bonding and the attendant changes in the aggregation or crystallization of PMMA segments were determined in the solid state by means of FTIR and DSC. The results indicate that for the binary blends, the aggregation of PMMA segments is diminished by hydrogen bonding interaction with either s-PMMA or i-PMMA, and that the interaction is stronger with the s-PMMA blends. For the ternary blends, FPS/s-PMMA/i-PMMA, the preference for stereocomplexation in the system with hydrogen bonding may be attributed to the “kink-nucleated” mechanism, which needs relatively short chain lengths of PMMA segments. Regardless of the order of addition of the components, the formation of crystalline stereocomplexes of s- and i-PMMA could be readily detected. Therefore, the miscibility of the polymer blends is dependent on the competition between the self-aggregation of the s- or i-PMMA segments, stereocomplexation and the hydrogen bonding interaction of PMMA segments with FPS.
Bowers v Hardwick and the Court's Inquiry into Whether Sexual Intimacy Constitutes a Fundament Constitutional Right

This brief Article discusses the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1986 decision in Bowers v. Hardwick, which held that a state statute criminalizing consensual sodomy did not violate the constitutional right to privacy. Bowers was later overruled by Lawrence v. Texas.
Malignant transformation and maturation in non-dividing cells during polymer tumorigenesis.

SummaryIt was confirmed that, during polymer solid surface carcinogenesis, pre-malignant cells reside on the plastic insert as early as eight months before tumor maturation. No premalignant cells were demonstrated in the surrounding tissue except for the very late stage of less than four weeks. During the premalignant period no mitotic activity or cellular turnover was observed among the cell population that presumably included the premalignant clone. Clearance of carbon particles was minimal. It was concluded that at least in this instance the entire process of premalignant development and maturation seems to take place in non-dividing cells.
Informational Cues and Individual Differences as Determinants of Subjective Perceptions of Task Enrichment

The influences of both manipulated enrichment informational cues and individual differences on subjective job perceptions were examined. Results indicate that both the manipulation and individual d...
Career outcomes of the graduates of the American Board of Internal Medicine Research Pathway, 1995-2007.

PurposeIn 1995, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) formalized an integrated residency curriculum including both clinical and research training (the Research Pathway), designed to develop careers of physician–scientists. Individuals who completed Pathway training between 1995 and 2007 wer
Effects of the Feeding Process of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) on Embryonic Development of its Parasitoid, Ixodiphagus hookeri (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

The chalcid wasp Ixodiphagus hookeri (Howard) is a parasitoid of several ixodid ticks including the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say. We evaluated effects of the feeding process of nymphal I. scapularis on the embryonic development of I. hookeri . Potentially wasp-parasitized nymphal I. scapularis were collected on Prudence Island, RI. Subsamples of the questing nymph cohort were allowed to feed on laboratory white mice. Both the body length and the scutal length of ticks were measured individually for questing nymphs and for feeding nymphs that were removed from hosts at time intervals of 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h after attachment. The diameters of wasp eggs they contained were also measured for each designated time interval. There was a positive relationship beween the mean scutal index (ratio between body length and scutal length) of ticks and the mean diameter of wasp eggs during 72 h of tick feeding ( P <0.05). Moreover, it appeared that within 24 h of tick attachment, the scutal index of ticks remained unchanged. However, after that period, the scutal index increased significantly ( P < 0.05). Diameters of wasp eggs increased continuously during tick feeding and at 72 h after attachment, eclosed eggs and completely formed larvae were found in several ticks. We conclude that factors related to the feeding process of nymphal I. scapularis are necessary to initiate the embryonic development of wasps.
Laparoscopic Biliopancreatic Diversion (BPD) Surgery

This chapter describes the pathophysiology, surgical technique, complications and results of biliopancreatic diversion. The laparoscopic and single incision approaches, with different technical variations, are described. The physiological role of pouch size and bowel limb lengths in determining weight loss and maintenance are detailed. The early surgical complications as well as nutritional sequelae of the operation are also discussed.
Thermal stability of a eutectic mixture of bis(2,2-dinitropropyl) acetal and formal: Part A. Degradation mechanisms in air and under nitrogen atmosphere

Abstract We investigated the chemical and thermal stability of a eutectic mixture of bis(2,2-dinitropropyl) acetal (BDNPA) and formal (BDNPF) (referred to as NP) in various environments at temperatures below 70 °C. Changes in the chemical composition of samples aged up to two years were characterized using TGA, FTIR, GPC, ESI-MS, and 1H NMR spectroscopies. The results show that the initial signs of NP degradation can be detected as early as in 12 months at 70 °C in air. The initial step in the degradation is the elimination of HONO molecules, followed by the formation of nitroso-alcohol isomers. While temperature plays a key role in determining the degradation kinetics of the initial stages, the absence or presence of oxygen determines the types and formation rates of various isomers and intermediates during thermal decomposition. In addition, oxygen accelerates the decomposition of the isomers and intermediates, whereas nitrogen has a stabilizing effect. BDNPA shows higher reactivity than BDNPF regardless of the aging conditions, which is attributed to the presence of an extra methyl group in its structure.
Towards the most robust way of assigning numerical degrees to ordered labels, with possible applications to dark matter and dark energy

Experts often describe their estimates by using words from natural language, i.e., in effect, sorted labels. To efficiently represent the corresponding expert knowledge in a computer-based system, we need to translate these labels into a computer-understandable language, i.e., into numbers. There are many ways to translate labels into numbers. In this paper, we propose to select a translation which is the most robust, i.e., which preserves the order between the corresponding numbers under the largest possible deviations from the original translation. The resulting formulas are in good accordance with the translation coming from the Laplace's principle of sufficient reason, and - somewhat surprisingly - with the current estimates of the proportion of dark matter and dark energy in our Universe.
Photoactive Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework as Intrinsic Heterogeneous Catalysts for Light-Driven Hydrogen Generation

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) with intrinsic photoactivity represent an excellent scaffold for a single-site photocatalytic center. However, their application in visible-light-driven photocatalysis is hampered by their light-harvesting ability due to limited coverage in the realm of the solar spectrum and relatively low extinction coefficient. In this work, we report the first example of the enhanced light-harvesting property of ZIF-67 via energy transfer from a molecular photosensitizer, that is, the RuN3 complex, sensitized on the surface of ZIF-67. Using transient absorption spectroscopy, we show that energy transfer occurs from the excited RuN3 to ZIF-67 with ∼86.9% efficiency. More importantly, this RuN3/ZIF-67 hybrid system exhibits significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for H2 production from water, which can be attributed to efficient energy transfer from RuN3.
SCALES INVOLVED IN THE FORMATION AND ORGANIZATION OF CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION

The spatial and temporal scales involved in the formation and organization of clouds and precipitation range from the microphysical up to the planetary. This enormous range of scales may be divided into three main categories (macro, meso, and micro) and eleven subcategories. Consideration of scales is important in evaluating cloud and precipitation processes and their effects. The formation and organization of the clouds and precipitation in extratropical cyclones is used to illustrate the role and importance of various scales of phenomena.
Additional comparisons of randomization-test procedures for single-case multiple-baseline designs: Alternative effect types

A number of randomization statistical procedures have been developed to analyze the results from single-case multiple-baseline intervention investigations. In a previous simulation study, comparisons of the various procedures revealed distinct differences among them in their ability to detect immediate abrupt intervention effects of moderate size, with some procedures (typically those with randomized intervention start points) exhibiting power that was both respectable and superior to other procedures (typically those with single fixed intervention start points). In Investigation 1 of the present follow-up simulation study, we found that when the same randomization-test procedures were applied to either delayed abrupt or immediate gradual intervention effects: (1) the powers of all of the procedures were severely diminished; and (2) in contrast to the previous study's results, the single fixed intervention start-point procedures generally outperformed those with randomized intervention start points. In Investigation 2 we additionally demonstrated that if researchers are able to successfully anticipate the specific alternative effect types, it is possible for them to formulate adjusted versions of the original randomization-test procedures that can recapture substantial proportions of the lost powers.
The Wound That Heals: Disability and Suffering in the Thought of Søren Kierkegaard

The author draws attention to the crucial role that suffering and disability play in the writings of Kierkegaard's “Second Authorship.” In these writings he appealed to persons with disabilities as...
Neurobiology of impulsivity and the impulse control disorders

Clinical impulsivity has been characterized in both dimensional and categorical terms. Whereas DSM-III-R classifies personality disorders characterized by impulsivity and impulse control disorders as discrete entities, impulsive symptoms and traits can also be conceived in terms of an underlying behavioral dimension. The authors review research on impulsivity and the impulse control disorders from a biological perspective. In particular, they critically review evidence that the serotonin neurotransmitter system mediates symptoms and traits of impulsive personality disorders and the impulse control disorders.
A case of symptomatic spinal dural arteriovenous fistula after high-volume lumbar puncture.

Background Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are rare lesions that lead to venous congestion and ischemic injury resulting in neurologic deterioration. Here we present a patient diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who became symptomatic from a spinal DAVF after a diagnostic high-volume lumbar puncture (LP). Case description When a 72-year-old female developed partial seizures in her left upper extremity without other focal neurological deficits, she underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. The MRI revealed a right frontal/posterior corpus callosal lesion. She next had a MR-guided high-volume LP. A GBM was diagnosed following a biopsy. Postoperatively, after the LP, she was noted to have bilateral deltoid and bilateral 4/5 lower extremity weakness, with diffuse hyperreflexia. The MRI and magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) of the cervical spine demonstrated a large venous varix at the C5-C6 level within the left neural foramen. She underwent successful complete embolization of two thyrocervical branches with direct communication to an enlarged anterior spinal artery. One month later, her neurological examination returned to baseline; she was walking independently with only 4+/5 residual weakness in her left lower extremity. Conclusions Here we report a patient with a cranial GBM and an incidental cervical spinal C5-C6 DAVF that became symptomatic after a high-volume LP. It is possible that the high-volume LP increased vascular congestion, thus precipitating the onset of cervical myelopathy.
Measuring and Understanding Strain Rate Sensitive Deformation with the Nanoindenter

ABSTRACT A new technique has been developed for measuring stress exponents on a sub-micron scale, in an indentation mode, using the Nanoindenter. This technique, called the Constant Rate of Loading test, is described, and results are given for a several strain rate sensitive Pb and Sn-based alloys. Agreement with conventional creep data is excellent. A related procedure, the Loading Rate Change test, is also introduced as a method for distinguishing between pure metal (Class II) and alloy (Class I) type deformation behaviors. As in all indentation experiments, the interaction between the indenter and the material being tested is of paramount importance in correctly interpreting the test results. Some of the more significant phenomena, such as strain hardening underneath the indenter, grain boundary sliding, and stress exponent variation with load increment size, are discussed in detail.
The Influence of D-Glucose on Phosphate Absorption in the Rat Proximal Tubule

Recent microperfusion studies utilizing both in vitro and in vivo techniques have focused attention on the effects of intraluminal factors on the control of absorptive processes in the proximal tubule. Thus, D-glucose and/or alanine are responsible for the negative potential differences recorded in the proximal convoluted tubule and for at least some component of net sodium absorption.1 Dennis and Brazy and Corman and associates have also shown that D-glucose in the tubular lumen inhibits the reabsorption of phosphate.2,3 We have recently shown in our laboratory that D-glucose also inhibits the reabsorption of urate in the proximal convoluted tubule of the rat.4 The mechanism of the interaction of glucose with phosphate, on the one hand and with urate on the other, appears to be quite distinct in that phloridzin mimics the inhibitory effect of glucose on urate absorption while not affecting phosphate transport. The present study was, therefore, performed to re-examine the effects of D-glucose on phosphate transport in the rat proximal tubule. In addition, the effects of flow rate and initial phosphate concentration on phosphate absorption were examined.
Comparison of digital intraoral scanners and alginate impressions: Time and patient satisfaction.

Introduction Recent technological advances have made intraoral scans and digital models a possibility and a promising alternative to conventional alginate impressions. Several factors should be examined when considering an intraoral scanner, including patient acceptance and efficiency. The objectives of this study were to assess and compare patient satisfaction and time required between 2 intraoral scanners and conventional alginate impressions. Methods An initial pilot study was completed to create a valid and reliable survey instrument that would measure 3 areas of patient satisfaction with the impression experience. A visual analog scale survey was developed and administered to 180 orthodontic patients receiving 1 of 3 types of impressions: (1) iTero Element intraoral scan (Align Technologies, San Jose, Calif), n = 60; (2) TRIOS Color intraoral scan (3Shape, Copenhagen, Denmark), n = 60; and (3) conventional alginate impression (imprEssix Color Change; Dentsply Sirona, York, Pa), n = 60, and the time required to obtain the impressions was recorded. Results Reliability was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficient values for 17 paired questionnaires, and all questions were found to be reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient, ≥0.65). For the main study, 180 subjects completed timed impressions and surveys. Data indicated that subjects receiving intraoral scans preferred the digital impressions, and subjects receiving alginate impressions were neutral regarding impression preference, and that efficiency varied based on the impression method. Conclusions Intraoral scanners are accepted by orthodontic patients, and they have comparable efficiency with conventional impression methods depending on the type of scanner.
Exploring consumers’ skincare retail patronage

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine concurrently the effects of retail environment and self-image congruence on Gen Y consumers’ retail shopping experiences and patronage behaviors for skincare products. First, a series of in-depth interviews with Gen Y consumers sought to garner attitudinal and behavioral dimensions associated with their skincare shopping experience and retail patronage decision choice. The qualitative research reinforced industry findings that these consumers – often dubbed the Internet Generation – have a higher propensity for omnichannel shopping and lower reliance on face-to-face interface with retail beauty consultants. Based on the extant literature, an empirical analysis grounded in self-construal theory was conducted. Data were collected through an online survey from 336 Gen Y consumers. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships between self-image congruence, functional congruence, retail shopping experience, and retail patronage behavior. The findings indicate that both self-image and functional congruence are related positively to Gen Y consumers’ intentions to spread positive WOM about products and store preferences. In addition, functional, but not self-image congruence, is related positively to purchase intentions. Importantly, shopping experience, including satisfaction and pleasure, mediates the relationships between self-image, functional congruence, and retail patronage. This study contributes to the literature by (1) confirming the role of self-image and functional congruence on retail shopping experience and patronage behavior, and (2) identifying conditions in which the relative strength of the relationships differ.
Sensitive information leakage from functional genomics data: Theoretical quantifications & practical file formats for privacy preservation

Functional genomics experiments on human subjects present a privacy conundrum. On one hand, many of the conclusions we infer from these experiments are not tied to the identity of individuals but represent universal statements about biology and disease. On the other hand, by virtue of the experimental procedure, the sequencing reads are tagged with small bits of patients9 variant information, which presents privacy challenges in terms of data sharing. There is great desire to share data as broadly as possible. Therefore, measuring the amount of variant information leaked in a variety of experiments, particularly in relation to the amount of sequencing, is a key first step in reducing information leakage and determining an appropriate set point for sharing with minimal leakage. To this end, we derived information-theoretic measures for the private information leaked in experiments and developed various file formats to reduce this during sharing. We show that high-depth experiments such as Hi-C provide accurate genotyping that can lead to large privacy leaks. Counterintuitively, low-depth experiments such as ChIP and single-cell RNA sequencing, although not useful for genotyping, can create strong quasi-identifiers for re-identification through linking attacks. We show that partial and incomplete genotypes from many of these experiments can further be combined to construct an individual9s complete variant set and identify phenotypes. We provide a proof-of-concept analytic framework, in which the amount of leaked information can be estimated from the depth and breadth of the coverage as well as sequencing biases of a given functional genomics experiment. Finally, as a practical instantiation of our framework, we propose file formats that maximize the potential sharing of data while protecting individuals9 sensitive information. Depending on the desired sharing set point, our proposed format can achieve differential trade-offs in the privacy-utility balance. At the highest level of privacy, we mask all the variants leaked from reads, but still can create useable signal profiles that give complete recovery of the original gene expression levels.
Spatial Patterns: The Cat’s Tail and Spreading Slime

In the previous chapter we encountered a class of models in which reaction and diffusion oppose each other. In the present chapter these terms interact synergistically, and diffusion is the source of pattern formation and not an inhibitor.
Melt Migration in Deformable Media

Extraction of Belt from partial melts in the Earth’s interior requires both permeability and deformability of the solid matrix. With the aid of simple macroscopic analogs, including laboratory experiments, we show how creep deformation of the matrix can be incorporated in Darcy’s Law, leading to a quantitative assessment of how matrix compaction governs melt extraction. The most striking consequence of the resulting theory is the prediction of magmons: well-preserved, solitary waves of enhanced partial melt with wavelengths ~ kilometer. These vertically propagating waves might exist in the Earth’s mantle, causing episodicity in space and time of volcanic activity. However, geophysical and geochemical evidence remain elusive.
Investigation of the residual linewidth of Ag: Er dilute alloys

The reflection-electron-spin-resonance residual linewidth for varying concentrations (125--2000 ppm atomic) of silver doped with erbium has been investigated at 9.0 and 1.7 GHz. The frequency-independent (homogeneous) broadening scales linearly with concentration and can be attributed to dipole-dipole interactions between the impurity spins. The frequency-dependent (inhomogeneous) broadening, also linear in concentration, is attributed to an increase in Kohn-Vosko oscillations of the charge density.
Hardware Based Root of Trust for Electronic Control Units

Electronic Control Units (ECUs) are enriched devices to control mechanical parts through communication of control signals between them. Vehicles, like other internet of things, are vulnerable to device and network level attacks that are undeniably a safety concern. In this paper, we present a hardware-based framework with Trusted Platform Modules (TPM) enabled secure boot, traffic control for secure communication and mitigating Denial of Service (DoS) attacks by whitelisting, blacklisting and thresholding mechanism. Additionally, at the time of possible compromise, the proposed system provides self-perseverance constructs that are discussed with respect to architecture, implementation and security analysis.
Interdisciplinary Care Model: Metabolic Syndrome and Oral Health

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a condition that includes clusters of diseases that affect almost 20–25% of world’s population. The exaggerated host response to the local microbial factors associated with MetS appears to be correlated with various inflammatory and soft tissue pathologies in oral cavities. The authors in this chapter provide examples of published scientific articles that inform on the connection between oral health and MetS. Various informatics methods including screening and monitoring tools have been described in the chapter. As prevention and evaluation of MetS is very important in terms of increasing the quality of care, the authors provide information on existing gaps in the guidelines and suggest some care plans that can be adopted as standard care of practice. The authors also recommend incorporation of some quality measures into the electronic health record for purposes of reporting clinical data in real time to healthcare providers.
Interface-driven chiral magnetism and current-driven domain walls in insulating magnetic garnets

Magnetic oxides exhibit rich fundamental physics1–4 and technologically desirable properties for spin-based memory, logic and signal transmission5–7. Recently, spin–orbit-induced spin transport phenomena have been realized in insulating magnetic oxides by using proximate heavy metal layers such as platinum8–10. In their metallic ferromagnet counterparts, such interfaces also give rise to a Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction11–13 that can stabilize homochiral domain walls and skyrmions with efficient current-driven dynamics. However, chiral magnetism in centrosymmetric oxides has not yet been observed. Here we discover chiral magnetism that allows for pure spin-current-driven domain wall motion in the most ubiquitous class of magnetic oxides, ferrimagnetic iron garnets. We show that epitaxial rare-earth iron garnet films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy exhibit homochiral Neel domain walls that can be propelled faster than 800 m s−1 by spin current from an adjacent platinum layer. We find that, despite the relatively small interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction, very high velocities can be attained due to the antiferromagnetic spin dynamics associated with ferrimagnetic order. Spin currents from an adjacent Pt layer can drive homochiral Neel domain walls in centrosymmetric rare-earth iron garnet films at more than 800 m s–1, taking advantage of the antiferromagnetic spin dynamics of the ferrimagnetic oxide.
In Defense of Idealization in Public Reason

Contemporary public reason liberalism holds that coercion must be publicly justified to an idealized constituency. Coercion must be justified to all qualified points of view, not the points of view held by actual persons. Critics, in particular Nicholas Wolterstorff and David Enoch, have complained that idealization, by idealizing away what actual people accept, risks authoritarianism and disrespect by forcing people to comply with laws they in fact reject. I argue that idealization can withstand this criticism if it satisfies two conditions. First, the standards of idealization, such as the norms of rationality and information, must be grounded in the present commitments of the large majority of members of the public. Second, the standards of idealization must be moderate; that is, they cannot be used to attribute reasons to citizens that stray too far from their actual commitments.
US in appendicitis

Appendicitis may occur at almost any age, though it is most common in the second decade of life. The diagnosis may be difficult, particularly in children as the symptoms and/or signs are similar to many other conditions. The classical presentation is one of central abdominal pain which localises to the right iliac fossa. Early diagnosis is important to avoid perforation which is associated with increased morbidity and likelihood of post-operative complications. For the ultrasound examination a tightly-curved array transducer is recommended. Their sector field of view is useful where access is limited and they allow greater focal pressure to be applied to displace gas and bowel loops. They are also easier to drag across skin and cause less discomfort than a linear array transducer. Identification of the appendix can be confirmed by identifying a tubular, non-peristaltic, blind ending structure arising from the caecum. It is important to note that if the entire length of the appendix has not been visualised then the diagnosis of appendicitis cannot be excluded as appendicitis often involves the distal portion only. The appendix can be very difficult to identify due to its variable location, the presence of overlying gas, and large body habitus. The diagnosis of appendicitis can be made with ultrasound when the appendix has a diameter greater than 6 mm, is hyperaemic, thick walled and non-compressible. However in some cases of appendicitis the appendix is compressible. The mesoappendix is usually swollen, echogenic and hypervascular. Perforation of the appendix can be implied with the presence of a peri-appendiceal or pelvic abscess. A recent study at the Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide demonstrated that ultrasound was able to identify the appendix in 91.7% (3484/3799) in an unselected study population. Ultrasound was proven to have a sensitivity of 99.5% (98.0-99.9, 95%CI) and a specificity of 98.9% (97.9-99.4, 95%CI) to detect appendicitis. The false positive rate was 0.7% (10/1505 scans) and false negative was 0.1% (2/1505 scans), giving a PPV of 97.3% and an NPV of 99.7%. In patients with a normal appendix, ultrasound demonstrated alternative sonographic findings in 13.0% to account for the presenting signs and symptoms.
Is There Equipoise Regarding the Optimal Medical Treatment of Patients with Asymptomatic White Matter Hyperintensities

Abstract Background: White matter hyperintensity (WMH) is a common manifestation of chronic ischemic microvascular disease that heralds greater risk of functional disability, stroke, and dementia. SPRINT MIND recently reported that intensive blood pressure reduction resulted in lower rates of mild cognitive impairment and WMH progression, suggesting that medical interventions could have a measurable impact on WMH. We conducted an anonymous survey of providers in the NINDS StrokeNet to better understand neurologist attitudes about asymptomatic WMH. Methods: We sent a 7-question survey to the 29 Regional Coordinating Centers of the StrokeNet, whose coordinators disseminated the survey to providers “involved in the care of a patient after their stroke.” Results: We received 136 responses. For stroke prevention therapies, including aspirin and statin therapy and blood pressure target, there was substantial equipoise, with no single option receiving >50% endorsement and between 15-32% of respondents choosing the option of “not sure.” 83% of respondents indicated high or moderate enthusiasm for a trial targeting this patient population. The clinical outcomes of reduction in ischemic stroke, cognitive impairment, or dementia were high importance (>70% endorsement), while the remaining radiographic, safety, and clinical endpoints all failed to reach 50% endorsement. Conclusions: Our survey establishes meaningful neurologist attitudes that can inform future WMH research. There is considerable equipoise regarding optimal medical treatment for patients with asymptomatic WMH and providers in StrokeNet, who would be a vital stakeholder in WMH research in the United States, enthusiastically support a clinical trial to resolve open questions on optimal medical management.
Communal strength, exchange orientation, equity, and relational maintenance:

The purpose of this study was to explore communal strength (i.e., partner-specific communal orientation) and partner-specific exchange orientation, as well as equity, as predictors of relational ma...
Cervical Myelopathy as a Complication of Untreated Motor Tics: A Cautionary Tale

Tic disorders are common, affecting approximately 0.5 to 1% of children and adolescents. Treatment is required only when symptoms are bothersome or impairing to the patient, so many do not require intervention. However, on occasion tics may cause significant morbidity and are referred to as “malignant.” These malignant tics have resulted in cervical myelopathy, subdural hematoma secondary to head banging, biting of lips leading to infection of oral muscles, self-inflicted eye injuries leading to blindness, skeletal fractures, compressive neuropathies, and vertebral artery dissection. We describe a case of malignant tic disorder, with accompanying video segment, resulting in cervical myelopathy and quadriparesis in a child. We also discuss aggressive management strategies for neurologists to prevent potential lifelong disability. This case emphasizes that these malignant tics must be treated with all due haste to prevent such complications.
Monocyte Fcγ receptor recognition of cell-bound and aggregated IgG

Abstract Monocyte and macrophage Fcγ receptors are important components in the recognition of IgG-coated cells and IgG-containing immune complexes. Two proteins have been identified on human peripheral blood monocytes that can function as Fcγreceptors, FcγRI (70 Kd) and FcγRII (40 Kd). We studied the role of FcγRI and FCγRII on human monocytes by examining their binding of IgG-sensitized cells (human IgG anti-D-coated RBCs and rabbit IgG-sensitized sheep RBCs) and their binding of human trimeric IgG. To examine the function of monocyte FcγRII, we used an anti-FCγRII monoclonal antibody (MoAb) that competes for the fc γRII ligand binding site. Preincubation of monocytes with saturating concentrations of anti-FcγRII MoAb did not alter the recognition of IgG (anti-D)-sensitized human RBCs by monocytes. Furthermore, ligand-binding studies demonstrated that anti-FcγRII antibody altered neither the number nor the affinity of monocyte-binding sites for human IgG trimer. Anti-FcγRII inhibited monocyte binding of rabbit IgG-sensitized sheep RBCs. but only at low ionic strength or temperature when increased numbers of monocyte FcγRII were expressed. At low ionic strength and 4°C, anti-FcγRII also partially inhibited monocyte binding of human trimeric IgG. Thus, monocyte FcγRII does not appear to recognize IgG-sensitized RBCs or trimeric IgG at physiologic temperatures and ionic strength. The data suggest that FcγRI is the primary Fcγ receptor on monocytes involved in the binding of IgG (anti-D)-sensitized erythrocytes and low mol wt complexes of IgG.
Field Biology of Scolothrips sexmaculatus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) as a Predator of Tetranychus pacificus (Acari: Tetranychidae) in California Almonds

Biological control of tetranychid spider mites in California almonds has predominantly been associated with predatory mites in the family Phytoseiidae. However, changes in production practices, including shifts to more sustainable chemical control programs, have resulted in a trophic shift leading to the predominance of six-spotted thrips, Scolothrips sexmaculatus Pergande, as the primary mite predator. Over a 3-yr period, we studied S. sexmaculatus biology and relationship to Tetranychus pacificus McGregor in almond orchards in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California. Scolothrips sexmaculatus had two periods of activity in response to increases in T. pacificus density, one in the spring and one in the summer. Sex ratios were consistently skewed to more than 90% females captured on yellow sticky traps, with females producing eggs from May to October. Female thrips were larger than males, and both sexes were larger from June to September when temperatures were warmer and food was more abundant. In response to spider mite outbreaks, S. sexmaculatus increased from approximately 2/trap/wk to an average of 1,272/trap/wk over a 5-wk period, representing a population doubling time of 4.0 d. Over this time, we described trends in T. pacificus and S. sexmaculatus density that are consistent with population regulation through predator–prey relationships by a specialist predator.
Wearable Smart Garment Devices for Passive Biomedical Monitoring

The discovery of the applicability of radio-frequency identification (RFID) for inductive coupling to a stretchable fabric antenna has enabled biomedical sensing applications using wearable, passive, unobtrusive smart garment devices. Stretching of knitted fabric antennas embedded into wearable garments allows correlation of physical properties of backscattered RFID interrogation signals to human biomedical activities such as respiration, uterine contractions, limb movements, and heartbeats. We have knit comfortable, powerless, passive antennas on smart garment devices to provide potential improvements in the hospital and home setting for uterine monitoring during pregnancy, apnea detection in infants, and other applications. However, these RFID properties must be (a) measured in real time, (b) denoised and processed in real time, and (c) compared against state-of-the-art medical devices currently in use, with unsupervised or semi-unsupervised learning techniques. We address the challenges faced in designing and fabricating knitted wearable unobtrusive smart garment devices, as well as in designing network-enabled RFID software processing framework for real-time collection, filtering, and classification of biomedical sensed data.
The perils of working with big data and a SMALL checklist you can use to recognize them

Abstract The use of “Big Data” to help explain fluctuations in the broader economy and key business performance indicators is now so commonplace that in some instances it has even begun to rival more traditional measures. Big data sources can very often provide advantages when compared to these more traditional data sources, but with these advantages also comes the potential for pitfalls. We lay out a checklist called SMALL that we have developed in order to help interested parties as they navigate the big data minefield. Based on a set of five questions, the SMALL checklist should help users of big data draw justifiable conclusions and avoid making mistakes in matters of interpretation. To demonstrate, we provide several case studies that demonstrate the subtle nuances of several of these new big datasets and show how the problems they face often closely relate to age-old concerns that more traditional data sources are also forced to tackle.
Signaling Pathways That Regulate Normal and Aberrant Red Blood Cell Development

Blood cell development is regulated through intrinsic gene regulation and local factors including the microenvironment and cytokines. The differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) into mature erythrocytes is dependent on these cytokines binding to and stimulating their cognate receptors and the signaling cascades they initiate. Many of these pathways include kinases that can diversify signals by phosphorylating multiple substrates and amplify signals by phosphorylating multiple copies of each substrate. Indeed, synthesis of many of these cytokines is regulated by a number of signaling pathways including phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-, extracellular signal related kinases (ERK)-, and p38 kinase-dependent pathways. Therefore, kinases act both upstream and downstream of the erythropoiesis-regulating cytokines. While many of the cytokines are well characterized, the nuanced members of the network of kinases responsible for appropriate induction of, and response to, these cytokines remains poorly defined. Here, we will examine the kinase signaling cascades required for erythropoiesis and emphasize the importance, complexity, enormous amount remaining to be characterized, and therapeutic potential that will accompany our comprehensive understanding of the erythroid kinome in both healthy and diseased states.
Earthwards: Robert Smithson and Art after Babel

The death of Robert Smithson in 1973 robbed postwar American art of an unusually creative practitioner and thinker. Smithson's pioneering earthworks of the 1960s and 1970s anticipated contemporary concerns with environmentalism and the site-specific character of artistic production. His interrogation of authorship, the linear historiography of high modernism, and the limitations of the museum prefigures key themes in postmodern criticism while underscoring the uniqueness of Smithson's own work as an artist, filmmaker, and writer. Gary Shapiro's elegant and incisive study of Smithson's career is the first book to address the full range of the artist's dazzling virtuosity. Ranging from Smithson's best known works such as "Spiral Jetty" and "Partially Buried Woodshed" to his photographs, films, and theoretical readings and writings, Shapiro's masterful book analyzes Smithson's art in relation to the legacy of American art of the 1960s and central philosophical themes in its contemporary reception.
Corporate Policing and Corporate Governance: What Can We Learn From Hewlett-Packard’s Pretexting Scandal?

When Hewlett Packard (HP) announced in September 2006 that its Board Chairman, Patricia Dunn, had authorized HP's security department to investigate a suspected Board-level press leak and that the investigation included tactics such as obtaining HP Board members' and reporters' telephone records through false pretenses (conduct known as "pretexting"), observers vehemently condemned the operation as illegal and outrageous. In congressional testimony, however, Dunn defended the investigation as "old fashioned detective work." Although Dunn would later claim that she was unaware of key aspects of the investigation, her description was not so far off. The police routinely rely on deception to investigate and apprehend wrongdoers. Although it is tempting to view HP's pretexting episode as a one-time scandal, the episode illuminates a more important, largely unexplored, conflict between corporate policing and corporate governance. This Article analyzes the tension between the board's competing responsibilities of overseeing its internal corporate police and implementing the norms and structures that presumably create ethical (and therefore "good") corporate governance. As the HP scandal aptly demonstrates, law enforcement techniques that rely primarily on deception are likely to conflict with corporate governance norms such as trust and transparency. After outlining the problem, the Article considers its broader policy implications.
A TextTiling Based Approach to Topic Boundary Detection in Meetings

Our goal is to automatically detect boundaries between discussions of different topics in meetings. Towards this end we adapt the TextTiling algorithm [1] to the context of meetings. Our features include not only the overlapped words between adjacent windows, but also overlaps in the amount of speech contributed by each meeting participant. We evaluate our algorithm by comparing the automatically detected boundaries with the true ones, and computing precision, recall and f–measure. We report average precision of 0.85 and recall of 0.59 when segmenting unseen test meetings. Error analysis of our results shows that although the basic idea of our algorithm is sound, it breaks down when participants stray from typical behavior (such as when they monopolize the conversation for too long).
Promoting the Self-Determination of Students with Visual Impairments: Reducing the Gap between Knowledge and Practice:

Despite current interest in promoting self-determination, the extent to which self-determination instruction is provided to students with visual impairments remains uncertain. The purpose of this s...
Early origin of genes encoding subunits of biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex-1, -2 and -3.

Biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex (BLOC)-1, -2 and -3 are three multi-subunit protein complexes that are deficient in various forms of Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, a human disease characterized by abnormal formation of lysosome-related organelles. Contrasting views have arisen on the evolutionary origin of these protein complexes. One view is that the BLOCs represent a recent evolutionary ‘acquisition’ unique to metazoans. However, the yeast proteins Mon1, Ccz1 and She3 have been reported to display homology to the HPS1 and HPS4 subunits of BLOC-3 and the BLOS2 subunit of BLOC-1, respectively. In this work, we have systematically searched for orthologs of BLOC subunits in the annotated genomes of over 160 species of eukaryotes, including metazoans and fungi in the Opisthokonta group as well as highly divergent organisms. We have found orthologs of six of the eight BLOC-1 subunits, two of the three BLOC-2 subunits, and the two BLOC-3 subunits, in some non-opisthokonts such as Dictyostelium discoideum, suggesting an early evolutionary origin for these complexes. On the other hand, we have obtained no evidence in support of the notion that yeast She3 would be an ortholog of BLOS2, and found that yeast Mon1 and Ccz1, despite displaying restricted homology to portions of HPS1 and HPS4, are unlikely to represent the orthologs of these BLOC-3 subunits. Potential orthologs of Mon1 and Ccz1 were found in humans and several other eukaryotes.
Barriers to Communication in Complex 1 Pharmaceutical Organizations

AbstractThis essay examines the most common and most serious barriers to effective communication in complex organizations, using the questionnaire responses of fifty-one ACP members as a basis for adapting the analysis to pharmaceutical organizations. It suggests that the most frequent breakdowns experienced by ACP members involve formal communication and defensiveness, particularly in supervisoi-subordinate interactions and proposes steps that individual employees can take to minimize the communication breakdowns they face.