cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relative Bioavailability of Orally Administered Fosphenytoin Sodium Injection Compared with Phenytoin Sodium Injection in Healthy Volunteers

tudy Objective To describe the pharmacokinetics of fosphenytoin (FPHT) sodium injection when administered orally, and to determine the relative oral bioavailability (FREL) of FPHT sodium injection compared with PHT sodium injection based on pharmacokinetic modeling in healthy volunteers. Design Open-label, randomized, single-dose, two-period, two-sequence crossover study. Setting University-affiliated clinical research center funded by the National Center of Research Resources. Subjects Ten healthy adult volunteers. Intervention Subjects were randomized to receive a single oral dose of either PHT sodium injection or FPHT sodium injection at a dose equivalent to 400 mg PHT acid. Blood samples were collected at baseline (just prior to administration) and at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after dose administration. After a 7–14-day washout period, the subjects underwent the same study procedures for administration of the other agent (PHT or FPHT). Measurements and Main Results The mean age and weight of the 10 subjects were 37 years and 72.5 kg, respectively, and the mean dose was 5.6 mg/kg based on PHT acid equivalence. The mean FREL of FPHT was 1.21 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07–1.35). Serum PHT concentrations were determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. The median (range) maximum serum concentration (Cmax) values were significantly higher after FPHT administration compared with PHT: 10.7 (9.0–19.4) mg/L versus 5.0 (3.2–8.9) mg/L (p=0.002). The PHT concentration after oral administration of FPHT displayed faster absorption compared with PHT, with a median (range) time to reach Cmax of 1.0 (0.5–2.0) hours versus 6.0 (2.0–24.0) hours (p=0.008). All subjects completed the study without any serious adverse events reported. Conclusion FPHT sodium injection given orally was absorbed more rapidly and to a significantly greater extent than PHT sodium injection given orally to healthy volunteers. Further evaluation of oral FPHT as an alternative in patients requiring enteral feedings is warranted.
Administration of atropine and onset of neuromuscular block produced by atracurium in infants

In this prospective study we tested the hypothesis that atropine administration, which is known to increase heart rate and cardiac output in infants, will result in a faster onset of neuromuscular block with atracurium. Thirty infants scheduled for elective surgery had anaesthesia induced with nitrous oxide and halothane. Fifteen patients were given atropine and 15 patients acted as controls. All the infants were given atracurium 0.5 mg.kg-1, and neuromuscular block was recorded with the Datex 221 neuromuscular transmission monitor. Although atropine caused an increase in heart rate compared to the control group (median 164 [range 151-182] vs 120 [98-160]min-1 P < 0.0001), there was not a statistically significant difference in the onset of neuromuscular block between the two groups. We conclude that onset of neuromuscular block after atracurium is determined mainly by noncirculatory factors and less by the circulation time to the muscle. The effect of atropine on the time course of neuromuscular block might be different with faster acting neuromuscular blockers.
Constructing a balanced, (log(N)/1oglog(N))-diameter super-peer topology for scalable P2P systems

Current peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing applications are remarkably simple and robust, but their inefficiency can produce very high network loads. The use of super-peers has been proposed to improve the performance of unstructured P2P systems. These have the potential to approach the performance and scalability of structured systems, while retaining the benefits of unstructured P2P systems. There has, however, been little consensus on the best topology for connecting these super-peers, or how to construct the topology in a distributed, robust way. In this paper we propose a scalable unstructured P2P system (SUPS). The unique aspect of SUPS is a protocol for the distributed construction of a super-peer topology that has highly desirable performance characteristics. The protocol is inspired by the theory of random graphs. We describe the protocol, and demonstrate experimentally that it produces a balanced and low-diameter super-peer topology at low cost. We show that the method is very robust to super-peer failures and inconsistent information, and compare it with other approaches.
Sequence and genetic characterization of etrA, an fnr analog that regulates anaerobic respiration in Shewanella putrefaciens MR-1.

An electron transport regulatory gene, etrA, has been isolated and characterized from the obligate respiratory bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens MR-l. The deduced amino acid sequence of etrA (EtrA) shows a high degree of identity to both the Fnr of Escherichia coli (73.6%) and the analogous protein (ANR) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (50.8%). The four active cysteine residues of Fnr are conserved in EtrA, and the amino acid sequence of the DNA-binding domains of the two proteins are identical. Further, S.putrefaciens etrA is able to complement an fnr mutant of E.coli. In contrast to fnr, there is no recognizable Fnr box upstream of the etrA sequence. Gene replacement etr.A mutants of MR-1 were deficient in growth on nitrite, thiosulfate, sulfite, trimethylamine-N-oxide, dimethyl sulfoxide, Fe(III), and fumarate, suggesting that EtrA is involved in the regulation of the corresponding reductase genes. However, the mutants were all positive for reduction of and growth on nitrate and Mn(IV), indicating that EtrA is not involved in the regulation of these two systems. Southern blots of S.putrefaciens DNA with use of etrA as a probe revealed the expected etrA bands and a second set of hybridization signals whose genetic and functional properties remain to be determined.
R&D Validation Planning: A Methodology to Link Technical Validations to Benefits Measurement

An important activity in many R&D departments is the internal development of new process technologies and practices to assist in the marketing, design and manufacturing activities of the enterprise. An integral part of this R&D development is the planning and management of validations of potential technology projects. These validations are necessary to determine the technical, financial and organizational feasibility of the projects and to develop data for benefits measurement for further funding of selected projects. This paper describes a methodology for validation planning of new process technologies and practices. The methodology allows for the explicit linkage of a validation to the identification of its financial and strategic benefits. These often diverse measures of worth are integrated using a proven multi-attribute justification approach within the planning methodology. The methodology and the multi-attribute approach also support the comparison of dissimilar projects having different benefits. The methodology acts as an organizational planning tool integrating the needs of the diverse constituencies involved in R&D planning. It also acts as a tool to aid engineers and scientists identify and present the benefits of the proposed technology.
Comment on ‘Industry, corporate and business‐segment effects and business performance: a non‐parametric approach’ by Ruefli and Wiggins

The Strategic Management Journal has published a series of articles on variation in business-segment performance. This comment addresses the insights and potential sources of confusion in the decomposition literature, with a particular focus on Ruefli and Wiggins (2003). We review the basic purpose of descriptive decomposition techniques and argue that they offer no information about the drivers of business performance or the mechanisms by which performance is generated. The techniques in the literature do not rely on ceteris paribus assumptions or a mapping between managerial influence and corporate effects. The estimated effects of industry, business segments, and corporate parents need not be independent to be modeled using variance decomposition. The comment also focuses on the distortions in estimates that can arise when the underlying sample of data does not represent the population accurately. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Marital Role Attitudes and Expected Role Behaviors of College Youth in Mainland China and Taiwan

This study examines differences in marital role attitudes and expected behavior among college students in mainland China and Taiwan. It is hypothesized that people in mainland China have become more egalitarian than have people in Taiwan with respect to the division of marital roles. Survey responses from 339 Taiwan students and 288 mainland China students are compared on four dimensions of marital role attitudes and six areas of traditional husband and wife role behaviors. These dimensions were determined through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The data indicate that although most of the hypothesized societal differences are supported, some are not. Possible regressive changes in mainland China and progressive changes in Taiwan during the past decade were speculated to be responsible for the discrepancy between hypotheses and results.
Tumor necrosis factor-α-associated lysosomal permeabilization is cathepsin B dependent

Cathepsin B (Cat B) is released from lysososomes during tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) cytotoxic signaling in hepatocytes and contributes to cell death. Sphingosine has recently been implicated in...
Predictors of Low-Care Prevalence in Florida Nursing Homes: The Role of Medicaid Waiver Programs

Purpose of the study: To examine the relationship between county-level Medicaid home- and community-based service (HCBS) waiver expenditures and the prevalence of low-care residents in Florida nursing homes (NHs). Design and Methods: The present study used a cross-sectional design. We combined two data sources: NH facility– level data (including characteristics of the facility and its residents) and county-level market characteristics (including HCBS waiver expenditures) for 653 Florida NHs in 2007. Low-care was defined as residents who require no physical assistance in any of the 4 late-loss activities of daily living (bed mobility, toileting, transferring, and eating). We estimated a 2-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) to examine the relationship between Medicaid HCBS waiver expenditures and the prevalence of low-care residents while accounting for resident assessment, facility-, and county-level covariates. Results: A ll Florida counties offered 2 statewide waivers, and 33 counties offered one or more of the 4 regional Medicaid HCBS waivers in 2007. Per-month beneficiary expen ditures ranged from $755 to $1,778. The average Florida NH had 120 beds, and 8.0% of its residents were classified as low-care. Results from the HLM model showed that a $10,000 increase in perenrollee HCBS waiver expenditures was associated with a 3.5 percentage point reduction in low-care resident prevalence (p = .03). Implications: T he findings suggest that Medicaid HCBS waiver programs may reduce the prevalence of low-care residents in NHs. Future studies should evaluate whether Medicaid HCBS waiver programs are effective in promoting community-living among low-care residents and mitigating the growth in long-term care expenditures.
Relationships between sensory modulation and social supports and health-related quality of life.

OBJECTIVE. We explored the relationships between sensory modulation and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), social supports, and mental health symptoms of anxiety and depression. METHOD. Twenty-eight adult volunteers ages 18�60 participated in the study. Fourteen adults were sensory overresponsive (SOR), and 14 adults in a matched comparative group were not sensory overresponsive (NSOR). All participants were tested using self-administered measures of sensory processing. RESULTS. Significant differences were found between SOR and NSOR groups on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and 4 of 8 indicators of HRQOL. CONCLUSION. Several analyses exploring the relationships among the variables tested suggest that sensory response style, whether comparing SOR and NSOR groups or exploring the correlation of the response quadrants of the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile, appears significantly and differentially related to symptoms of affective mental health and quality-of-life indicators, including social participation.
Selective antihypertensive dihydropyridines lower Aβ accumulation by targeting both the production and the clearance of Aβ across the blood-brain barrier.

Several large population-based or clinical trial studies have suggested that certain dihydropyridine (DHP) L-type calcium channel blockers (CCBs) used for the treatment of hypertension may confer protection against the development of Alzheimer disease (AD). However, other studies with drugs of the same class have shown no beneficial clinical effects. To determine whether certain DHPs are able to impact underlying disease processes in AD (specifically the accumulation of the Alzheimer Aβ peptide), we investigated the effect of several antihypertensive DHPs and non-DHP CCBs on Aβ production. Among the antihypertensive DHPs tested, a few, including nilvadipine, nitrendipine and amlodipine inhibited Aβ production in vitro, whereas others had no effect or raised Aβ levels. In vivo, nilvadipine and nitrendipine acutely reduced brain Aβ levels in a transgenic mouse model of AD (Tg PS1/APPsw) and improved Aβ clearance across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), whereas amlodipine and nifedipine were ineffective showing that the Aβ-lowering activity of the DHPs is independent of their antihypertensive activity Chronic oral treatment with nilvadipine decreased Aβ burden in the brains of Tg APPsw (Tg2576) and Tg PS1/APPsw mice, and also improved learning abilities and spatial memory. Our data suggest that the clinical benefit conferred by certain antihypertensive DHPs against AD is unrelated to their antihypertensive activity, but rely on their ability to lower brain Aβ accumulation by affecting both Aβ production and Aβ clearance across the BBB.
Bis(thio­cyanato-κN)[tris­(2-pyridylmeth­yl)amine-κ4N,N′,N′′,N′′′]nickel(II) methanol hemisolvate

The title complex, [Ni(NCS)2(C18H18N4)]·0.5CH3OH, consists of two crystallographically distinct complexes and a methanol solvent mol­ecule. The NiII complexes are pseudo-octa­hedral six-coordinate, with the tris­(2-pyridylmeth­yl)amine (TPA) ligand providing four N atoms and two N-bound thio­cyanates providing the final two N atoms. The distances and angles are typical for NiII–TPA complexes. The compound has unit-cell parameters that are surprisingly similar to the previously reported hydrate.
Cross sections for /sup 12/C+/sup 12/C. -->. /sup 12/C(0/sup +//sub 2/)+/sup 12/C(g. s. ) using breathing mode doorways

A previously derived projection operator method is applied to the calculation of the cross section for /sup 12/C+/sup 12/C..-->../sup 12/C(0/sup +//sub 2/)+/sup 12/C(g.s.) with a breathing mode model being used to describe the 0/sup +//sub 2/ (7.68 MeV) state of /sup 12/C. The relationship to processes leading to alpha particle channels is discussed. The cross section for /sup 12/C+/sup 12/C..-->../sup 12/C(3/sup -/)+/sup 12/C(g.s.) is also calculated and possible correlations with inelastic scattering to the 0/sup +//sub 2/ and 2/sup +/ states of /sup 12/C are discussed. The results for both 0/sup +//sub 2/ and 3/sup -/ inelastic scattering are in reasonable agreement with experiment.
Micropropagation of Endangered Native Rhododendron Chapmanii Gray

Rhododendron chapmanii Gray (Chapman’s rhododendron) is a highly desirable ornamental shrub which is threatened with extinction due to limited numbers (less than 3000 plants surveyed in the wild) and distribution, habitat alteration and destruction, and illegal collection from the wild. Micropropagation using shoot-tips has produced hundreds of rooted plantlets with minimal impact on existing populations.
Methane Isotope Instrument Validation and Source Identification at Four Corners, New Mexico, United States

Measurements of δ(13)CH4 and CH4 concentration were made at a field site in Four Corners, New Mexico (FC), where we observed large sustained CH4 enhancements (2-8 ppm peaks for hours) during nocturnal inversions. Potential sources of this large CH4 signal at FC include (1) fugitive emissions from coal mining and gas processing that are thermogenic and isotopically (13)C enriched relative to background atmosphere and (2) emissions from agriculture, ruminants, landfills, and coalbed biogenic methane that are(13)C depleted relative to background atmosphere. We analyze our measurements of methane concentration and δ(13)C during spring and summer of 2012 to identify fugitive methane sources. We find CH4 plumes that are both enriched and depleted in (13)C relative to CH4 in background air. Keeling plots show a continuum of δ(13)C source compositions between -40‰ and -60‰ that are consistent with thermogenic and biogenic sources. The Picarro Mobile Methane Investigator (PMMI), a mobile δ(13)CH4 instrument platform, was deployed in the spring of 2013 and used to verify the isotopic enrichment of coal bed methane in the region. We combine our results with meteorological data to spatially separate these sources in the Four Corners regions. Using CO and CO2 data, along with meteorological data, we propose that the high methane concentration events ([CH4] > 3.5 ppm) are from both thermogenic and biogenic methane released from coal beds.
Severe Stress and Anxiety Disorders in Adolescence: The Long-Term Effects of Disasters

This chapter provides an overview of research conducted on the emotional consequences of stress exposure in youth, focusing on the development of anxiety and related problems among youth exposed to disasters. An ecological needs-based perspective is used as a framework to review research on the effects of severe stress on anxiety and related disorders. The chapter focuses primarily on research with natural disasters, especially youth affected by Hurricane Katrina with an emphasis on long-term consequences (studies more than 1 year from the event). The research suggests that there are substantial effects of disaster exposure on youth. Researchers have also begun to define and identify multiple trajectories: chronicity, characterized by a sharp elevation in symptoms and functional impairment leading to chronic dysfunction; resilience or healthy adjustment, indicated by transient symptoms and minimal impairment; recovery, characterized by initial elevations in symptoms and distress that gradually decrease over months; and delayed distress, exemplified by moderate elevations in symptoms and distress following a traumatic event that gradually worsen over time. Data are emerging to identify factors at multiple levels of analysis associated with these different long-term outcomes.
THE EFFECTS OF SELECTION IN THE GAMETOPHYTE STAGE ON MUTATIONAL LOAD

We have studied a multilocus selection model of a plant population in which mutations to deleterious alleles occur that may affect not only the diploid sporophyte stage, but also the haploid pollen stage before zygote formation. We investigated the reduction in inbreeding depression (as measured in the sporophyte) caused by the lowering of mutant allele frequencies due to selection in the pollen. This is important for a full understanding of the role of inbreeding depression in the maintenance of outcrossing in seed plants. We also studied the theoretically expected relationship between the pollen fitnesses of different pollen donor genotypes and the fitnesses of the diploid progeny that they sire. This relationship can be compared with the results of experiments in which pollen was subjected to selection, and improved progeny quality was observed. We found that on the mutational load model there is, as expected intuitively, a positive covariance between the pollen and zygote fitnesses, but that it is likely to be small. Subjecting pollen to an episode of strong selection is usually expected to increase sporophyte fitness only slightly.
Development and Assessment of CFD Methods for Integrated Simulation of Air Vehicle Stability and Control

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), NASA Langley Research Center, AS&M, and GDIT inc. have joined together in a cooperative effort to develop a computational modeling and simulation suite capable of handling air vehicle stability. The funding and computer resources were provided by the DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Office (HPCMO) under the Common High Performance Computing Software Support Initiative (CHSSI). This project is under Collaborative Simulation and Testing (CST) portfolio to provide scalable software for military application to reduce risk in weapons system development and to provide information to senior decision makers throughout the life cycle of the system. This paper summarizes the three year effort to develop a methodology to utilize CFD analysis for an improved test and evaluation process on fixed-wing air vehicle stability and control problems and to demonstrate an integrated analysis capability of airframe-inlet-compressor interaction for a high-performance military jet.
rtfA, a putative RNA-Pol II transcription elongation factor gene, is necessary for normal morphological and chemical development in Aspergillus flavus

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus flavus is an agriculturally important opportunistic plant pathogen that produces potent carcinogenic compounds called aflatoxins. We identified the A. flavus rtfA gene, the ortholog of rtf1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and rtfA in Aspergillus nidulans. Interestingly, rtfA has multiple cellular roles in this mycotoxin-producing fungus. In this study, we show that rtfA regulates conidiation. The rtfA deletion mutant presented smaller conidiophores with significantly reduced conidial production compared to the wild-type strain. The absence of rtfA also resulted in a significant decrease or lack of sclerotial production under conditions that allowed abundant production of these resistance structures in the wild type. Importantly, the deletion of rtfA notably reduced the production of aflatoxin B1, indicating that rtfA is a regulator of mycotoxin biosynthesis in A. flavus. In addition, the deletion rtfA also altered the production of several unknown secondary metabolites indicating a broader regulatory scope. Furthermore, our study revealed that rtfA controls the expression of the global regulators veA and laeA, which further influence morphogenesis and secondary metabolism in A. flavus.
LOLOL: Laugh Out Loud On Laptop.

Significant progress in the domains of speechand singingsynthesis has enhanced communicative potential of machines. To make computers more vocally expressive, however, we need a deeper understanding of how nonlinguistic social signals are patterned and perceived. In this paper, we focus on laughter expressions: how a phrase of vocalized notes that we call “laughter” may be modeled and performed to implicate nuanced meaning imbued in the acoustic signal. In designing our model, we emphasize (1) using high-level descriptors as control parameters, (2) enabling real-time performable laughter, and (3) prioritizing expressiveness over realism. We present an interactive system implemented in ChucK that allows users to systematically play with the musical ingredients of laughter. A crowdsourced study on the perception of synthesized laughter showed that our model is capable of generating a range of laughter types, suggesting an exciting potential for expressive laughter synthesis.
RepeatAnalyzer: a tool for analysing and managing short-sequence repeat data.

Short-sequence repeats (SSRs) occur in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA, inter- and intragenically, and may be exact or inexact copies. When heterogeneous SSRs are present in a given locus, we can take advantage of the pattern of different repeats to genotype strains based on the SSRs. Cataloguing and tracking these repeats can be difficult as diverse groups of researchers are involved in the identification of the repeats. Additionally, the task is error-prone when done manually. We developed RepeatAnalyzer, a new software tool capable of tracking, managing, analysing and cataloguing SSRs and genotypes using Anaplasma marginale as a model species. RepeatAnalyzer’s analysis capability includes novel metrics for measuring regional genetic diversity (corresponding to variety and regularity of SSR occurrence). As a part of its visualization capabilities, RepeatAnalyzer produces high quality maps of the geographic distribution of genotypes or SSRs over a region of interest. RepeatAnalyzer’s repeat identification functionality was validated for all SSRs and genotypes reported in 21 publications, using 380 A. marginale isolates gathered from the five publications within that list that provided access to their isolates. The tool produced accurate genotyping results in every case. In addition, it uncovered a number of errors in the published literature: 11 cases where SSRs were misreported, 5 cases where two different SSRs had been given the same name, and 16 cases where two or more names had been given to a single SSR. The analysis and visualization functionalities of the tool are demonstrated using several examples. RepeatAnalyzer is a robust software tool that can be used for storing, managing, and analysing short-sequence repeats for the purpose of strain identification. The tool can be used for any set of SSRs regardless of species. When applied to A. marginale, our test case, we show that genotype lengths for a given region follow a normal distribution, while SSR frequencies follow a power-law-like distribution. Further, we find that over 90 % of repeats are 28 to 29 amino acids long, which is in agreement with conventional wisdom. Lastly, our analysis reveals that the most common edit distance is five or six, which is counter-intuitive since we expected that result to be closer to one, resulting from the simplest change from one repeat to another.
The Use of Sexual Symbolism in Advertising

Art directors and copy chiefs were asked if they use cultural sexual symbols in the ads that they produce. Also, they were asked to identify symbols in an ad. The results indicated that a small percentage are using sexual symbols. The sample was unable to completely identify the four symbols that the creative director placed in the ad. The implication for marketing managers is to be aware of the potential danger of copy or illustrations being misinterpreted by the readers of such ads.
Second and Third Years

As discussed, by the end of the first year of life, infants develop a strong interest in object-centered explorations. This interest, in particular, reveals itself in the fact that infants start spending much time on shaking, taking apart, and throwing different objects, putting small objects into different holes, opening and closing boxes, and so forth. To be sure, these manipulations help infants understand physical properties of objects, such as size, shape, and weight, and the ways these objects behave in different situations (e.g., a ball will roll away if kicked). The Vygotskians, however, argue that these manipulations are not those that are the most important for infant development. Indeed, when manipulating objects in accordance with their physical characteristics, children, strictly speaking, do not need adult help: Physical characteristics of objects are surface, visible, and can be revealed in the course of independent explorations. For example, children can discover by themselves that a ball rolls away if kicked, or that a rattle makes a sound if shaken. Therefore, children’s independent explorations do not create a context for joint child-adult activity and, accordingly, do not provide an opportunity for adults to mediate children. In Vygotsky’s terms, children engaged in independent explorations are performing at the actual rather than proximal level of development of their mental processes. During the second and third years of life, however, infants become more and more engaged in another type of object-centered explorations: actions with objects in accordance with their social meanings, which include, but are not limited to, children’s play actions with different toys. For example, whereas a younger infant would bang a spoon on the table, an older one would use a spoon to eat. Or, whereas a younger infant would shake or suck a doll, an older one would feed it. According to the Vygotskians, these are the actions that become the most important for infants’ development during the second and third years of life. Indeed, when mastering actions with objects in accordance with their social meanings, children are in need of adult help: As opposed to physical characteristics of objects, their social meanings are not obvious, are not “written” on objects, and, therefore, cannot be discovered by children independently.
Comedy and Civilization “Above the Plimsoll Line of Property”

None of the fatigue or energy diminishing into platitude that characterized his public statements, some of his personal conversations, or some of his plays is visible in A Modern Comedy, Galsworthy’s trilogy that comprises his major work of the middle 1920s and the most coherent and extensive achievement of his literary career. He seems to have thought of these novels as a trilogy almost from the beginning and, as early as a few months before the publication of the first novel, The White Monkey, he wrote to Charles Scribner, “for your private ear only”, that he hoped the novel would be the first part of another trilogy, like The Forsyte Saga.1 As in To Let, he set his chronicles of the Forsytes and their descendants in the same span of time during which he was writing, giving much of his audience outside Britain the impression that his fictional family was an authoritative representation of contemporary Britain. Much of his British audience, however, and certainly Galsworthy himself, knew better, for, in the preface to the one-volume edition of the trilogy, he wrote that “all this, of course, refers only to that tenth or so of the population whose eyes” are “above the Plimsoll line of property”, a limitation as consciously controlled in depicting the world of 1926 as it had been in depicting that of 1886 when the saga began.2 To Galsworthy, to try to express all of Britain would have seemed both impossible and pretentious; rather, his vastness was a characterization in depth and complexity of the implications of Forsytism, the family and the myth that had created him as he created them.
Effects of Weather on Railroad Operation, Maintenance, and Construction

The railroad section of this monograph presents a condensed version of a study to determine the effects of weather factors on railroad maintenance and operation. Weather effects can cause work stoppages and delays to train operation varying from a few minutes to complete obstruction of the line and normal activities for periods of a few days to weeks. Low temperatures and snow effects are the most frequent and far reaching. The worst effects of weather occur when several elements such as snow, wind, and low temperature combine in one storm. Except for infrequent major disasters—extensive floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes—the adverse effects need be only nominal and the trains can be kept running if adequate preparations with trained personnel, materials, and equipment have been made before difficulties arise. Almost universal use of mechanized work equipment contributes significantly to the efficiency and economy of combating weather effects.
L1 vs. L2 Regularization in Text Classification when Learning from Labeled Features

In this paper we study the problem of building document classifiers using labeled features and unlabeled documents, where not all the features are helpful for the process of learning. This is an important setting, since building classifiers using labeled words has been recently shown to require considerably less human labeling effort than building classifiers using labeled documents. We propose the use of Generalized Expectation (GE) criteria combined with a L1 regularization term for learning from labeled features. This lets the feature labels guide model expectation constraints, while approaching feature selection from a regularization perspective. We show that GE criteria combined with L1 regularization consistently outperforms -- up to 12% increase in accuracy -- the best previously reported results in the literature under the same setting, obtained using L2 regularization. Furthermore, the results obtained with GE criteria and L1 regularizer are competitive to those obtained in the traditional instance-labeling setting, with the same labeling cost.
A nomogram to predict axillary response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in clinically node positive breast patients.

1034 Background: Many clinically node positive breast cancer patients receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), with 40% converting to node negative. Recent trials suggest a potential role for limiti...
Employer-Based Programs to Support Breastfeeding Among Working Mothers: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background: Many mothers experience barriers to maintaining a breastfeeding relationship with their infants upon returning to work and, consequently, terminate breastfeeding earlier than recommended or intended. As such, employers are in a unique position to help further increase breastfeeding rates, durations, and exclusivity. Objective: The purpose of this review is to examine the literature regarding employer-based programs, policies, and interventions to support breastfeeding among working mothers. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted for peer-reviewed articles published before April 2016. Studies were included if they focused on workplace-based lactation/breastfeeding support programs, policies, or interventions to promote breastfeeding among employees. For inclusion, articles must have measured at least one outcome, such as breastfeeding duration, breastfeeding exclusivity, or employee satisfaction. Results: Twenty-two articles were included, representing 10 d...
Matrilateral biases in the investment of aunts and uncles : A consequence and measure of paternity uncertainty.

In a study of the kin investment of aunts and uncles we show that the laterality effect expected as a result of paternity uncertainty is statistically reliable but somewhat smaller than the sex effect. Matrilateral aunts invest significantly more than patrilateral aunts, and the same is true for uncles. Regardless of laterality, however, aunts invest significantly more than uncles. Multivariate controls show that the matrilateral bias is fully independent of any age or distance confounds that might result from sex differences in age at marriage or dispersal. We discuss our results in relation to recent findings on the kin investment of grandparents (Euler and Weitzel 1996). In addition, we propose a simple method for estimating the level of paternity uncertainty from kin investment data; application of this method to our data on aunts and uncles suggests that between 13% and 20% of children are not the offspring of their putative father. Our parallel analyses of Euler and Weitzel’s (1996) data on grandparental investment suggest a similar estimate, that paternity uncertainty lies between 9% and 17%.
286 Identifying exposures to chemicals in patients with sle – “a non-targeted exposome aproach”

Background and aims Environmental exposures may play a substantial role in the pathogenesis of SLE. It recently became possible to identify and quantify a person’s exposure to environmental chemicals (“the exposome”) in a comprehensive fashion. This non-targeted approach has no a priori selection of chemicals. The goal of this study is to characterise multiple organic chemicals in a cohort of SLE patients and controls. Methods Patients from the California Lupus Epidemiology Study and healthy controls were studied. Banked serum was analysed by Liquid Chromatography Quadruple Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry ( LC-QTOF/MS ). Data acquired by LC-QTOF/MS includes the molecular weights of all detected parent and daughter ions, as well as retention times and peak areas. This non-targeted screening allows rapid identification of potential hits. The results of the LC-QTOF/MS analysis are matched into a database of 740 potentially detected environmental organic chemicals [EOC]. Results We present preliminary data on 19 patients with SLE and 43 controls. 193 potential EOC hits were found in patients with SLE and 417 were found in controls. In SLE patients, the number of chemicals detected per participant ranged from 34–66, with an average of 50 hit matches. Pthalates and its metabolites were the most represented chemicals, with >50% of detected compounds in SLE. (Figure 1) Compounds of relevance include several endocrine disruptors such as Bisphenol A and Methoxyclor. Conclusions Patients with SLE are exposed to a wide range of chemicals. LC-QTOF/MS can identify a wider range of potential chemical exposures in SLE, and aid in prioritising chemicals for further research and interventions.
The impact of high‐quality workplace relationships in public organizations

Research has long found that high-quality workplace relationships have a beneficial impact on employees and organizations. Although these studies have developed elaborate models to examine high-quality workplace relationships, none were found to explore the association between high-quality workplace relationships and job stress/exhaustion, commitment, and social impact. To fill this void in the literature, models were developed to explain the expected association that these employee attitudes have with one another. These models were then tested on full-time, public employees. Several important findings emerged. First, high-quality workplace relationships were positively related to social impact. Next, social impact was found to positively mediate the relationship between high-quality workplace relationships and commitment. Finally, social impact was found to positively mediate the relationship between high-quality workplace relationships and job stress/exhaustion. This latter finding was contrary to expectations.
Single-session total endovascular iliocaval reconstruction with stent grafting for the treatment of inferior vena cava agenesis and concurrent iliac venous aneurysm rupture.

Abstract Iliac venous aneurysms are rare vascular abnormalities that may be manifested by abdominal masses, pelvic tenderness, or hypovolemia and may lead to rupture, thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, paradoxical embolism, or death. Inferior vena cava agenesis, like venous aneurysm, is an uncommon condition that may present with deep venous thrombosis. This report describes a patient with inferior vena cava agenesis and iliac venous aneurysm rupture treated with emergent iliocaval reconstruction and endovascular stent graft placement.
Taming the Impulsive Beast: Understanding the Link Between Self-Regulation and Aggression

Abstract Why do not people behave aggressively? Most people experience aggressive urges, but they restrain their wish to lash out. Self-regulation helps make this possible. This chapter discusses two approaches to understanding the relationship between self-regulation and aggression. Using the strength model of self-regulation as a starting point, we review evidence that self-regulatory fatigue increases aggression. One reason why mental fatigue increases aggression is that it impairs inhibition when people experience an aggressive urge. A second approach suggests that aggressive impulses can motivate people to behave aggressively as a way to regulate their emotions. We then outline a balance model in which mental fatigue motivates aggression by both impairing self-regulatory restraint and magnifying aggressive impulses. We conclude by suggesting how these two approaches to self-regulation can inform interventions to reduce aggression.
Excited-State Dynamics in O6-Methylguanosine: Impact of O6-Methylation on the Relaxation Mechanism of Guanine Monomers.

Absorption of ultraviolet radiation by DNA bases results in ultrafast internal conversion to the ground state, which minimizes photodamage. However, exogenous and endogenous alkylating agents present in the cellular environment can methylate the nucleobases in DNA. In particular, methylation of guanosine at the O6 position in DNA leads to the formation of the O6-methylguanosine adduct, which may alter the photostability of DNA. This contribution demonstrates that O6-methylation of guanosine red shifts its ground-state absorption spectrum and slows down the rate of internal conversion to the ground state by ∼40-fold in aqueous solution. The 40-fold decrease in the rate of excited-state decay increases the probability of photodamage within cellular DNA. It is proposed that the longer decay lifetime corresponds to relaxation of the excited-state population in O6-methylguanosine along a C6-puckered reaction coordinate in the 1ππ*(La) potential energy surface that runs parallel to an ultrafast internal convers...
Fungal community homogenization, shift in dominant trophic guild, and appearance of novel taxa with biotic invasion

Invasion by non-native plants may fundamentally restructure the soil fungal community. The invasive plant, Alliaria petiolata, produces secondary compounds suppressive to mycorrhizal fungi and may therefore be expected to have generally negative effects on other components of the fungal community. Here, we compared fungal biomass, diversity, community composition, and the relative abundance of fungal trophic guilds, along with edaphic properties of soils collected from uninvaded and invaded plots across six temperate forests. Invaded plots were differentiated from uninvaded plots by lower variation in fungal community composition (beta diversity) and soil properties, higher fungal richness and community evenness (alpha diversity), and a suite of novel saprotrophic and pathotrophic fungi that were consistently present across the invaded landscape and absent from uninvaded forest patches. Invaded plots also had lower ectomycorrhizal but higher saprotrophic and pathotrophic relative abundance, despite there being no difference in fungal biomass between invasion statuses. We hypothesize that shifts in the fungal community with invasion may directly impact plant disease response, soil nutrient cycling processes, and plant performance of the invasive and native plant communities.
Promoting Resident Professional Development Using Scholarly Academies

Promoting professional development is a challenging but vital component of residency training. We created resident academies (scholarly homes) that aimed to develop academic skills, enhance mentorship, and create a sense of community based on scholarly interest.
Attitudes toward text recycling in academic writing across disciplines

Text recycling, the reuse of material from one’s own previously published writing in a new text without attribution, is a common academic writing practice that is not yet well understood. While some studies of text recycling in academic writing have been published, no previous study has focused on scholars’ attitudes toward text recycling. This article presents results from a survey of over 300 journal editors and editorial board members from 86 top English-language journals in 16 different academic fields regarding text recycling in scholarly articles. Responses indicate that a large majority of academic gatekeepers believe text recycling is allowable in some circumstances; however, there is a lack of clear consensus about when text recycling is or is not appropriate. Opinions varied according to the source of the recycled material, its structural location and rhetorical purpose, and conditions of authorship conditions—as well as by the level of experience as a journal editor. Our study suggests the need for further research on text recycling utilizing focus groups and interviews.
Autologous stem cell transplantation as a treatment modality for type 1 cryoglobulinemia in monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance.

e19500Background: Type I cryoglobulinemia (CRYO) can be driven by disorders such as plasma cell dyscrasias. Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) represents a group of kidney disorders...
Correlations of yield and quality traits between immature and mature seed stages of edamame soybean

Breeding programs must harvest edamame soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] at the immature (R6) stage for yield and quality determinations, and at the mature (R8) stage for seed-source purposes. If co...
Cost comparison of treatment for oropharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Based on current guidelines, surgical and nonsurgical therapies are viable frontline treatment for patients with locoregional oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC). We sought to compare financial parameters between chemoradiation and transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in this patient population. STUDY DESIGN Case-control study. METHODS In this study we identified patients with selected American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th Edition stage II to IVa OPC treated with TORS between January 2013 and December 2014. Fifteen patients who underwent TORS were stage matched with 15 patients treated with chemoradiation. Total charges and cost data for each patient were analyzed at 4-month and 1-year time points; functional and oncologic outcomes were assessed. RESULTS There were no significant differences in functional and oncologic outcomes. Patients undergoing TORS had a longer inpatient hospital stay, and most required a nasogastric tube for an average of 3.5 days. There were no local or regional recurrences. Across all time points, the TORS group had lower charges and costs compared to the chemoradiation group, with 14% lower costs at 1 year. In the chemoradiation group, nearly two-thirds of costs came from radiation therapy and pharmacy expenses. Chemotherapy accounted for most pharmacy costs. The costs of operating the surgical robot accounted for a about half of surgical costs. CONCLUSIONS Selected patients with stage II to IVa oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with TORS may incur lower costs than those treated nonsurgically. With rising healthcare spending, the financial impact of treatment might be considered for those patients eligible for treatment regimens with comparable functional and oncologic outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3b Laryngoscope, 129:1604-1609, 2019.
Multiplex cis-regulatory analysis.

Abstract Recent progress in multiplex cis-regulatory analysis has increased the speed of identifying enhancers and promoters, and enabled efficient incorporation of cis-regulatory information into gene regulatory network models. Three types of barcode reporters have been developed for multiplex reporter assays in sea urchin embryos: 13-tags and 129-tags for QPCR, 130 Nanotags for NanoString, and 100 million N25-tags for next-generation sequencing. In this chapter, to facilitate adoption of high-throughput cis-regulatory analysis in sea urchin embryos, I provide practical guidelines to best utilize barcode reporters that are compatible with either QPCR or next-generation sequencing. I expect that the guidelines are also applicable to other invertebrate embryos.