cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Herbivores increase the global availability of nutrients over millions of years.

Can the presence of herbivores increase global nutrient availability? Animals disperse vital nutrients through ecosystems, increasing the spatial availability of these nutrients. Large herbivores are especially important for the dispersal of vital nutrients due to their long food passage times and day ranges, and large herbivores from past periods (the Pleistocene) may have increased nutrient concentrations on the continental scale. However, such results have been demonstrated theoretically but not yet empirically. Models suggest that the Pennsylvanian subperiod (323−299 million years ago), with no tetrapod terrestrial herbivores, would have had fewer, less-well-distributed nutrients than the Cretaceous period (145−66 million years ago), with the largest terrestrial herbivores ever—the sauropods. Here, I show that these models are supported empirically by remnant plant material (coal deposits) from the Cretaceous (N = 680), which had significantly (P < 0.00001) increased concentrations (136%) and decreased spatial heterogeneity (22%) of plant-important rock-derived nutrients compared with the Pennsylvanian subperiod (N = 4,996). Non-biotic physical processes, such as weathering rates, cannot account for such differences, because aluminium—a nutrient not important for plants and animals, but weathered in a similar manner to the above elements—showed no significant difference between the two periods, suggesting that these large changes were driven by plant–herbivore interactions. Populations of large wild herbivores are currently at historical lows; therefore, we are potentially losing a key ecosystem service. Nutrients important for plants were more abundant and evenly distributed in the Cretaceous period, probably due to the presence of large herbivorous dinosaurs, than in the Pennsylvanian subperiod, which had no tetrapod herbivores.
First Reliable Diffusion Coefficients for Mg-Y and Additional Reliable Diffusion Coefficients for Mg-Sn and Mg-Zn

Forward-simulation analysis was performed on composition profiles collected from liquid-solid and solid-solid diffusion couples to obtain diffusion coefficients of Mg-Sn, Mg-Y, and Mg-Zn. Reliable impurity diffusion coefficient of Y in Mg is obtained for the first time, showing that Y diffusion in Mg is about the same as Sn below 390 °C. The first sets of interdiffusion coefficients of Mg-Sn and Mg-Y are also obtained together with wider temperature-range data for Mg-Zn.
Chronic peritoneal indwelling catheters for the management of malignant and nonmalignant ascites

Ascites is a debilitating condition affecting patients with end-stage liver disease and advanced abdominal malignancies. Serial paracentesis can reduce symptoms in these patients; indwelling perito...
Inversion and Invariance of Characteristic Terms: Part I

In my 1967 paper with almost the same title which appeared in volume 89 of the American Journal of Mathematics, I proved the invariance of the characteristic terms in the fractional power series expansion of a branch of an algebraic plane curve over fields of characteristic zero. Now I extend the results by a more generous interpretation of the characteristic terms, and by relaxing the characteristic zero hypothesis.
Religious Experience: Psychology and Neurology

This article reviews the current information regarding the neurological and psychological correlates of religious and spiritual experiences. Such experiences appear to involve a number of different brain structures including the frontal and parietal lobes, the limbic structures, and the hypothalamus. In addition, neurotransmitters including serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and glutamate may also help mediate such phenomena. The result appears to be a complex set of neural pathways that are activated in different ways, depending on the particular experience. Issues and implications for future investigations are also considered.
“What’s That Called?” Folk Taxonomy and Connecting Students to the Human-Nature Interface

Naming and classifying organisms is fundamental to our understanding of the natural world. In this era of looming biodiversity crises and growing rates of species extinctions, a public understanding of the importance of taxonomy is essential for both scientists and nonscientists alike. Unfortunately, studies have found that botanical knowledge and appreciation of plant taxonomy, especially among primarily urbanized college students, is dwindling. Limited interaction with the natural world has led to students failing to see that they utilize taxonomy everyday: a cultural folk taxonomy. This chapter outlines a research project where undergraduate students investigate the structure of the folk taxonomy used by their peers, other university students. The goal of the project is to aid students in connecting taxonomy to their lives through the process of carrying out a complete research project from hypothesis development to data analysis and presentation. The modular nature of the project allows instructors to expand or reduce various components without losing the objective. This project, highlighting the interrelation of nature and culture, can engage students as well as provide important opportunities to introduce students to core biological concepts.
Cracking Bitcoin wallets: I want what you have in the wallets

Abstract Bitcoin is increasingly popular, which is partly evidenced by the significant increase in its value in recent years. This increase in popularity and value has led to malicious actors stealing, or attempting to steal, Bitcoin wallet private keys in order to gain ownership of the digital currency held in these wallets. To demonstrate this security threat, two Bitcoin wallet software are studied, namely: Multibit HD and Electrum. Each wallet is subject to a combination of a password exploits and a restore wallet exploit. Findings suggest that it is possible to gain access to Multibit HD and Electrum wallets through offline brute force password attempts. Once a password is found, it is possible to restore a wallet with all Bitcoins contained within. This restoration is possible even if access to the Bitcoin wallet has never occurred. These findings highlight the need for more research into Bitcoin wallet security and forensics.
Removal of Arsenic from Synthetic Groundwater Using Sulfur-Enhanced Cement-Based Filter Media

AbstractArsenic-contaminated groundwater affects millions worldwide. A cement-based filter medium (CBFM) can be used to remediate heavy metals from groundwater. Recently, the desulfurization of flu...
Airflow limitation in a collapsible model of the human pharynx: physical mechanisms studied with fluid-structure interaction simulations and experiments.

The classical Starling Resistor model has been the paradigm of airway collapse in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) for the last 30 years. Its theoretical framework is grounded on the wave-speed flow limitation (WSFL) theory. Recent observations of negative effort dependence in OSA patients violate the predictions of the WSFL theory. Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations are emerging as a technique to quantify how the biomechanical properties of the upper airway determine the shape of the pressure-flow curve. This study aimed to test two predictions of the WSFL theory, namely (1) the pressure profile upstream from the choke point becomes independent of downstream pressure during flow limitation and (2) the maximum flowrate in a collapsible tube is V I max = A 3 / 2 ( ρ d A / d P ) - 1 / 2 , where ρ is air density and A and P are the cross-sectional area and pressure at the choke point respectively. FSI simulations were performed in a model of the human upper airway with a collapsible pharynx whose wall thickness varied from 2 to 8 mm and modulus of elasticity ranged from 2 to 30 kPa. Experimental measurements in an airway replica with a silicone pharynx validated the numerical methods. Good agreement was found between our FSI simulations and the WSFL theory. Other key findings include: (1) the pressure-flow curve is independent of breathing effort (downstream pressure vs. time profile); (2) the shape of the pressure-flow curve reflects the airway biomechanical properties, so that V I max is a surrogate measure of pharyngeal compliance.
Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Perioperative Right Ventricular Dysfunction Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) has been associated with worst long-term outcome in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). However, there are conflicting data about the long-term consequences of RVD in patients undergoing TAVR. Purpose To evaluate the long-term outcomes of perioperative RVD in patients with severe aortic undergoing TAVR. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of patients that underwent TAVR in a tertiary cardiovascular center. Right ventricular function was evaluated in the perioperative period (within seven days post-TAVR period) allowing for improvement on left ventricular and right ventricular function after releasing the LVOT obstruction. RV function was dichotomized into two groups for this retrospective analysis. Evaluated outcomes included 30-day mortality, 1-year mortality, hospital stay (LOS), acute kidney injury (AKI), and 30-day readmission rate. Results A total of 409 patients were included in the analysis. Out of 409 patients, 180 (44%) were female with a mean age of 84.6 ± 6.7 years; their mean society of thoracic surgeon score (STS) was 6.4 ±3.8. Transfemoral approach was performed in 313 (77%) patients. A total of 24/409 patients had right ventricular failure within seven days post-TAVR. Please, see table 1 for baseline characteristics. In patients with RVD, one-month mortality occurred in 3/24 (12.5%) patients vs. 19/385 (4.94) in patients with normal right ventricular function p-value 0.1307. One-year mortality was higher in patients with RVD 9/24 (37%) vs. 60 (15%) for patients with normal RV function p-value 0.0103. Post TAVR acute kidney injury was present in 8/24 (33%) patients with RVD vs. 108/385 (28%) for patients with normal RV function, p-value 0.6417. There were no differences in LOS between both groups 8.8 ± 5.6 days vs. 6.87± 4.3 days p-value 0.1092. There were no differences in 30-day readmission rate in patients with RVD 2/24 (8.3%) vs. patients with normal RV function 44/385 (11.4%), p-value 1.000. A multivariable logistic regression that included age, sex, surgical approach, HFrEF, Pro-BNP, albumin, BAV, AKI, and RVD demonstrated that post-procedure AKI (p Conclusion RVD is frequently associated with HFrEF in patients undergoing TAVR. However, it is an independent predictor of one-year mortality in this patient population.
Viscous drag force model for dynamic Wilhelmy plate experiments

A study revisits the dynamic Wilhelmy plate method for measuring dynamic contact angles and proposes a more accurate model for the shear stress and viscous drag force. This drag force model is validated with particle image velocimetry and is applied to obtain dynamic contact angle measurements.
Using a Novel Negative Selection Inspired Anomaly Detection Algorithm to Identify Corrupted Ribo-seq and RNA-seq Samples

RNA-seq and Ribo-seq are popular techniques for quantifying cellular transcription and translation. These experiments use next-generation sequencing to produce genome-wide high-resolution snapshots of the total populations of mRNAs and translating ribosomes within the investigated samples. When performed in concert, these experiments yield valuable information about protein synthesis rates and translational efficiency. Due to their intricate experimental protocols and demanding data processing requirements, quality control and analysis of such experiments are often challenging. Therefore, methods for accurately assessing data quality, and for identifying contaminated samples, are greatly needed. In the following we use a novel negative selection inspired algorithm called Boundary Detection Using Nearest Neighbors (BDUNN), for the identification of corrupted samples. Our algorithm constructs a detector set and reduced training set that defines the boundaries between normal data points and potential anomalies. Subsequently, a nearest neighbor algorithm is used to classify unseen observations. We compare the performance of BDUNN with other popular negative selection and one-class classification algorithms, and show that BDUNN is capable of accurately and efficiently detecting anomalies in standard anomaly detection datasets and simulated RNA-seq and Ribo-seq data sets. Furthermore, we have implemented our method within an existing R Shiny platform for analyzing RNA-seq an Ribo-seq datasets, which permits downstream analysis of anomalous samples.
Elective neck dissection during salvage laryngectomy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Objectives The primary objective was to determine the rate of occult cervical nodal metastasis in patients undergoing elective neck dissection (END) during salvage laryngectomy. The secondary objective was to compare survival and postoperative complication rates between patients undergoing END versus observation. Methods A medical librarian performed a comprehensive search for END outcomes in laryngeal cancer patients undergoing salvage laryngectomy after primary chemoradiation therapy. Seventeen retrospective studies and 1 prospective study met inclusion criteria, with a total of 1,141 patients (799 END, 350 observed). Results The rate of nodal positivity was 11% among patients who underwent END during their salvage laryngectomy. Three studies and 155 patients were included in a 5-year overall survival (OS) analysis with no significant difference in OS (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.82-2.22). After inclusion of six studies and 494 patients (249 END, 245 observed), the risk of fistula formation was not statistically different (95% CI: 0.61-2.56). Due to significant heterogeneity between studies and inadequate data, most patients could not be included in the meta-analysis of outcomes. Conclusion Salvage laryngectomy patients undergoing END have an occult nodal positivity rate of 11%. Meta-analysis showed no statistically significant differences in 5-year OS between patients undergoing END versus observation. Laryngoscope, 130:899-906, 2020.
The All-Volunteer Force: Patrolling Gendered Boundaries Through the Combat Ban

What role did gender play in re-envisioning the ultimate soldier under the creation of the All-Volunteer Force? The chapter combines an historical account of statutory restrictions on women’s military service from 1948 with a discursive analysis of 71 Congressional hearings between 1970 and 2015 concerning the combat ban. As the military tried to reestablish a positive public image after the Vietnam War, creation of the All-Volunteer Force created space to degender military recruitment practices and increase service roles for women. Instead, the institution’s new blueprint on gender relations regendered it as a predominantly male voluntary force, whose willing service to the nation strengthened notions of military masculinity. Framed as “incremental and deliberate” progress, the ban curtailed women’s access to combat roles for nearly 50 years thereafter through a series of discourse shifts, discourses which consistently demonstrated biological, psychological, and social anxieties about women’s bodies and which framed them as incompatible with military service.
Chronic Lack of Sleep is Associated with Increased Sports Injury in Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Although sleep has been identified as an important modifiable risk factor for injury, the effect of decreased sleep on sports injuries in adolescents is poorly studied. Purpose: To systematically review published literature to examine if a lack of sleep is associated with sports injuries in adolescents and to delineate the effects of chronic versus acute lack of sleep. Methods: PubMed and EMBASE databases were systematically searched for studies reporting statistics regarding the relationship between sleep and sports injury in adolescents aged <19 years published between …
Demonstration of Fine-Pitch High-Resolution X-ray Transition-Edge Sensor Microcalorimeters Optimized for Energies below 1 keV

In this paper, we report on X-ray transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeters optimized to have the best possible energy resolution for a limited energy range for the incoming X-rays, such as an energy resolution of 0.3 eV full width half maximum (FWHM) for energies up to $$\approx 0.8\,{\mathrm{keV}}$$ as is desirable for one of the Lynx X-ray Microcalorimeter subarrays. The test array we have fabricated has $$60\times 60$$ sensors on a pitch of $$50\,\upmu {\mathrm{m}}$$, and has $$46\times 46\,\upmu {\mathrm{m}}^2$$ absorbers that are one micrometer thick. We have measured a spectral energy resolution of the same device using 3 eV photons delivered through an optical fiber. For the one-photon 3 eV line, we have obtained an energy resolution of 0.25 eV FWHM, which is consistent with the estimated performance based on the signal size and noise. Further measurements will determine how the energy resolution degrades with energy. Based upon measurements of the TES transition characteristics, it appears that this level of energy resolution should be achievable up to 0.5 keV, and the performance will then gradually degrade to the measured energy resolution of around 2.3 eV at 1.5 keV. In this paper, we describe the full design and characterization of this detector, and discuss the performance limits of pixels designs like this.
Investigation of Ranking Methods Within the Military Value of Information (VoI) Problem Domain.

Determining the relative importance among vast amounts of individual pieces of information is a challenge in the military environment. By aggregating various military intelligence experts’ knowledge, decision support tools can be created. A next step in the continuing research in this area is to investigate the use of three prominent ranking methods for aggregating opinions of military intelligence analysts with respect to the Value of Information (VoI) problem domain. This paper offers discussion about ongoing VoI research and demonstrates outcomes from a military-related experiment using Borda count, Condorcet voting, and Instant-runoff voting (IRV) methods as ranking aggregation models. These ranking methods are compared to the “ground truth” as generated by the current fuzzy-based VoI prototype system. The results by incorporating the ranking models on the experiment’s data demonstrate the efficacy of these methods in aggregating Subject Matter Expert (SME) opinions and clearly demonstrate the “wisdom of the crowd” effect. Implications related to ongoing VoI research are discussed along with future research plans.
The Blue-Blood Porcine Chest Wall: A Novel Microsurgery Training Simulator for Internal Mammary Vessel Dissection and Anastomosis.

Background Preparation of the internal mammary artery (IMA) is a critical step in autologous breast reconstruction. Intraoperatively, there is limited opportunity for residents to practice this skill. Porcine models provide highly realistic simulation for vascular surgery; however, use of live laboratory pigs is expensive, inconvenient, and offers limited opportunity for repetitive training. We aimed to develop an inexpensive and effective training model for IMA preparation. This article describes creation of a novel microsurgical model using cadaveric chest walls of Wisconsin Miniature Swine embedded in a modified mannequin thorax and augmented with a blue-blood perfusion system. Methods Anatomic comparison: five porcine chest walls were dissected, and various anatomic measurements were made for anatomic comparison to existing human data in the literature. Model assembly: the chest wall is prepared by cannulating the proximal and distal ends of the internal mammary vessels with angiocatheters, which are then connected to the blue-blood perfusion system. The model is assembled in four layers including: (1) a mannequin thorax with a window removed to expose the first to fourth intercostal spaces, bilaterally, (2) a layer of foam simulating fat, (3) the perfused pig chest wall, and (4) a second mannequin shell placed posteriorly for support. Results The porcine chest walls are similar to humans with regards to vessel size and location. This model can be assembled quickly, with a one-time approximate cost of $55.00, and allows for six training sessions per specimen. The model allows residents to practice the key steps of IMA preparation including dissection, elevation of perichondria, and vascular anastomosis while working at a depth that closely simulates the human thorax. Continuous blue-blood perfusion provides immediate feedback on anastomosis quality. Conclusion Overall, this novel model can provide inexpensive and realistic simulation of internal mammary vessel preparation and anastomosis.
Line, please? An analysis of the rehearsed speech characteristics of native Korean speakers on the English Oral Proficiency Interview—Computer (OPIc)

Two assumptions of speaking proficiency tests are that the speech produced is spontaneous and the the scores on those tests predict what examinees can do in real-world communicative situations. Therefore, when examinees memorize scripts for their oral responses, the validity of the score interpretation is threatened. While the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines identify rehearsed content as a major hindrance to interviewees being rated above Novice High, many examinees still prepare for speaking tests by memorizing and rehearsing scripts hoping these "performances" are awarded higher scores. To investigate this phenomenon, researchers screened 300 previously rated Oral Proficiency Interview-computer (OPIc) tests and found 39 examinees who had at least one response that had been tagged as rehearsed. Each examinee’s responses were then transcribed, and the spontaneous and rehearsed tasks were compared. Temporal fluency articulation rates differed significantly between the spontaneous and rehearsed segments; however, the strongest evidence of memorization lay in the transcriptions and the patterns that emerged within and across interviews. Test developers, therefore, need to be vigilant in creating scoring guidelines for rehearsed content.
Divergence Measures and Detection Performance for Dispersive Targets in SAR

When electromagnetic waves impinge on objects with complex geometries and/or internal structure, we can observe scattering that is distributed in time rather than instantaneous. To detect and characterize such targets, we build the coordinate-delay synthetic aperture radar (cdSAR) images by adding a delay term to the standard SAR matched filter. In order to apply this approach to the case of extended targets where the image intensity and phase are subject to strong and rapid variations (the phenomenon called speckle), we sample the cdSAR image at several coordinate-delay “points” in the vicinity of the scatterer location. The discrimination between the instantaneous and delayed targets is realized through auto correlation analysis of this sample. Because of the statistical properties of speckle, misclassification errors are inevitable. Hence, prediction of the error rate as a function of system and target parameters becomes an important problem. While Monte Carlo simulations can generate the ensembles of data for direct calculation of the error rate, this approach is computationally demanding because of its slow convergence. In order to simplify the prediction of the error rate, we employ statistical divergence measures, namely, the Hellinger distance and Kullback-Leibler divergence. These divergence measuresare calculated directly from the theoretical models of reflectivity of extended targets that we want to distinguish. We empirically establish a linear relation between the misclassification rate and the Hellinger distance for a certain class of simple target models. This relation allows us to make predictions of the error rate without performing the Monte Carlo simulations.
Structural basis of Blastomyces Endoglucanase-2 adjuvancy in anti-fungal and -viral immunity

The development of safe subunit vaccines requires adjuvants that augment immunogenicity of non-replicating protein-based antigens. Current vaccines against infectious diseases preferentially induce protective antibodies driven by adjuvants such as alum. However, the contribution of antibody to host defense is limited for certain classes of infectious diseases such as fungi, whereas animal studies and clinical observations implicate cellular immunity as an essential component of the resolution of fungal pathogens. Here, we decipher the structural bases of a newly identified glycoprotein ligand of Dectin-2 with potent adjuvancy, Blastomyces endoglucanase-2 (Bl-Eng2). We also pinpoint the developmental steps of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T responses augmented by Bl-Eng2 including expansion, differentiation and tissue residency. Dectin-2 ligation led to successful systemic and mucosal vaccination against invasive fungal infection and Influenza A infection, respectively. O-linked glycans on Bl-Eng2 applied at the skin and respiratory mucosa greatly augment vaccine subunit- induced protective immunity against lethal influenza and fungal pulmonary challenge.
Thermal Hall effect of chiral spin fluctuations

Using a two-dimensional square lattice Heisenberg model with a Rashba-type Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, we demonstrate that chiral spin fluctuations can give rise to a thermal Hall effect in the absence of any static spin texture or momentum space topology. It is shown by means of Monte Carlo and stochastic spin dynamics simulations that the thermal Hall response is finite at elevated temperature outside of the linear spin wave regime and consistent with the presence of thermal fluctuation-induced nontrivial topology. Our result suggests that the high-fluctuation phases outside of the conventional regime of magnonics may yet be a promising area of exploration for spin-based electronics.
Closing the Brief Case: Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi in a Central American Refugee.

Answer: c. Improved culture media and continuous monitoring systems have improved the sensitivity of blood cultures. Stool culture sensitivity remains low. Multiple stool specimens may improve sensitivity, but even then, they are less sensitive than blood and bone marrow culture. Urine has a very
Does Severity of Brain Injury on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Predict Short-Term Outcome in Neonates Who Received Therapeutic Hypothermia?

Objective The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pattern of brain injury is a known biomarker of childhood outcome following therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). However, usefulness of this classification has not been evaluated to predict short-term outcomes. The study aimed to test the hypothesis that infants with NICHD MRI pattern of severe hypoxic-ischemic brain injury will be sicker with more severe asphyxia-induced multiorgan dysfunction resulting in prolonged length of stay (LOS) following therapeutic hypothermia. We also evaluated the role of other risk factors which may prolong LOS. Study Design We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 71 consecutively cooled neonates to examine the ability of MRI patterns of brain injury to predict the LOS. A neuroradiologist masked to outcomes classified the patterns of brain injury on MRI as per NICHD. Pattern 2A (basal ganglia thalamic, internal capsule, or watershed infarction), 2B (2A with cerebral lesions), and 3 (hemispheric devastation) of brain injury was deemed “severe injury.” Results Out of 71 infants, 59 surviving infants had both MRI and LOS data. LOS was higher for infants who had Apgar's score of ≤5 at 10 minutes, severe HIE, seizures, coagulopathy, or needed vasopressors or inhaled nitric oxide, or had persistent feeding difficulty, or remained intubated following cooling. However, median LOS did not differ between the infants with and without MRI pattern of severe injury (15 days, interquartile range [IQR]: 9–28 vs. 12 days, IQR: 10–20; p = 0.4294). On multivariate linear regression analysis, only persistent feeding difficulty (β coefficient = 11, p = 0.001; or LOS = 11 days longer if had feeding difficulty) and ventilator days (β coefficient 1.7, p Conclusion Unlike neurodevelopmental outcome, LOS is not related to severity of brain injury as defined by the NICHD. Key Points
2019-20 Survey of Applied Legal Education

This report presents the results of the 2019-20 Center for the Study of Applied Legal Education (CSALE) Survey of Applied Legal Education. The survey was composed of two parts – a Master Survey directed to ABA accredited U.S. law schools and a Sub-Survey distributed to each person teaching in a law clinic or field placement course. Ninety-five percent of law schools and over 1,300 clinical teachers participated in the survey. The results provide valuable insight into clinical programs and law clinic and field placement courses in areas such as design, capacity, administration, funding, and pedagogy, and into the role and status of clinical educators in the legal academy. This is CSALE's fifth triennial survey, following up on surveys in 2007-08, 2010-11, 2013-14, and 2016-17.
Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis: Using Presenting Findings to Predict Disease Course.

INTRODUCTION Studies on eosinophilic gastroenteritis have identified broad spectrums of disease. We aimed to characterize subtypes of disease and ascertain outcomes of each group. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study from a large tertiary medical center including 35 patients diagnosed with eosinophilic gastroenteritis from 2007 to 2018. We defined 2 groups of patients based on clinical and laboratory findings at presentation. Severe disease was defined as having weight loss at time of presentation, hypoalbuminemia at presentation, serosal disease involvement, or anemia at diagnosis. The remaining patients were labeled as mild disease group. We collected and compared demographic data, clinical features, laboratory findings, an allergy history, and disease course of both cohorts. RESULTS Among 35 patients with eosinophilic gastroenteritis, 18 patients met the criteria for severe disease and 17 patients for mild disease. Of the patients with severe eosinophilic gastroenteritis, 6 (38%) had remission without chronic symptoms, whereas 10 (63%) had chronic symptoms requiring chronic medical therapy. Of the mild group, 12 patients (80%) had disease remission without chronic medications. An allergy history was more common in the severe disease group (83%) compared with the mild disease group (45%). Prednisone and open capsule budesonide were the most commonly used treatment medications in both groups. DISCUSSION Patients with eosinophilic gastroenteritis may be characterized into 2 forms. Patients with weight loss at time of presentation, hypoalbuminemia at presentation, serosal disease involvement, or anemia at diagnosis were associated with a chronic disease course requiring chronic medications.
Steady State Traffic Optimization by MITROP

Abstract MITROP (Mixed-Integer TRaffic Optimization Program) is a new computer program for traffic signal control in urban street networks. It is designed to optimize simultaneously all the traffic control variables of the network including cycle time, splits of green time, and offsets. Both deterministic and stochastic models are used to represent the traffic flow process. The optimization problem is formulated in terms of mixed-integer linear programming and a globally-optimal solution is determined via the MPSX optimization system. The method was applied to several signal-controlled traffic networks, for various demand patterns, and offers certain advantages over existing methods. In particular, it is shown that network performance is sensitive to variations in cycle time, which has to be determined in conjunction with all the other traffic control variables. The paper describes the application of the program to a section of the UTCS/BPS test network in Washington, D.C.
Latino Research and Policy

For quite some time students of the Latino experience have been aware that Latinos in the United States are in a difficult and vulnerable economic situation. Government policy addressing the economically disadvantaged position of Latinos has been limited and proven less than successful. This analysis will therefore focus on one Latino group to examine the reasons for this policy failure. As an extreme case of Latino disadvantage, the plight of Puerto Ricans provides a litmus test of the efficacy of policy as it affects all Latinos, as well as the commitment of the federal government to the eradication of inequality in all its forms.
Chapter 24 Isolation of the Mitotic Apparatus

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the methods for the isolation of mitotic apparatus (MA). The mitotic spindle is the cellular machinery that segregates the chromosomes at cell division. The initial problem in isolating an MA is stabilizing the spindle outside the cell. Spindles in situ are labile to cold, high pressure, certain drugs such as colchicine, and to dilution of the cytoplasmic pool of spindle subunits. To maintain the MA outside the cell and purify it away from cytoplasmic contaminants, the medium used must support the structural stability of the MA in a cell-free environment. This can be achieved by the use of hexylene glycol, cold ethanol, microtubule medium (MTM), and Weisenberg buffers. Small changes in pH can influence the amount and the properties of the protein in the isolate. The relative complexity of the egg cytoplasm can cause problems because of contamination of the isolate with large amounts of cytoplasmic proteins.
Nitrous Oxide Reduction in Nodules: Denitrification or N2 Fixation?

Detached cowpea nodules that contained a nitrous oxide reductase-positive (Nor+) rhizobium strain (8A55) and a nitrous oxide reductase-negative (Nor−) rhizobium strain (32H1) were incubated with 1% 15N2O (95 atom% 15N) in the following three atmospheres: (i) aerobic with C2H2 (10%), (ii) aerobic without C2H2, and (iii) anaerobic (argon atmosphere) without C2H2. The greatest production of 15N2 occurred anaerobically with 8A55, yet very little was formed with 32H1. Although acetylene reduction activity was slightly higher with 32H1, about 10 times more 15N2 was produced aerobically by 8A55 than by 32H1 in the absence of acetylene. The major reductive pathway of N2O reduction by denitrifying rhizobium strain 8A55 is by nitrous oxide reductase rather than nitrogenase.
Forwarding Group Multicast Protocol (FGMP) for multihop, mobile wireless networks

In this paper we propose a new multicast protocol for multihop mobile wireless networks. Instead of forming multicast trees, a group of nodes in charge of forwarding multicast packets is designated according to members’ requests. Multicast is then carried out via “scoped” flooding over such a set of nodes. The forwarding group is periodically refreshed to handle topology/membership changes. Multicast using forwarding group takes advantage of wireless broadcast transmissions and reduces channel and storage overhead, thus improving the performance and scalability. The key innovation with respect to wired multicast schemes like DVMRP is the use of flags rather than upstream/downstream link state, making the protocol more robust to mobility. The dynamic reconfiguration capability makes this protocol particularly suitable for mobile networks. The performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated via simulation and is compared to that of DVMRP and global flooding.
Why Doesn't Africa Get More Equity Investment? Frontier Markets, Firm Size, and Asset Allocations of Global Emerging Market Funds

This paper addresses the question of equity investment in sub-Saharan Africa by examining characteristics of the continent's 15 equity markets, the rise and fall of African regional funds, and the asset allocation trends for global emerging market (GEM) funds. The data shows that South Africa is now a leading destination of capital, but that few managers invest elsewhere on the continent. However, we find that African markets are not treated differently than other markets and present evidence that small market size and low levels of liquidity are a binding deterrent for foreign institutional investors. Thus, orthodox market variables rather than market failure appear to explain Africa's low absolute levels of inward equity flows. The paper then turns to new data from firm surveys to explore why African firms remain small. The implications of our findings are threefold: (a) efforts to encourage greater private investment in these markets should concentrate on domestic audiences and specialized regional funds, (b) the depth and success of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange can perhaps be better utilized to benefit other parts of the continent, and (c) any long-term strategy should concentrate on the underlying barriers to firm entry and growth.
Memo Structure for the Left and Right Brain

This essay suggests alternate approaches for explaining the structure of a legal memorandum.
Effect of Massachusetts health insurance reform on mammography use and breast cancer stage at diagnosis

BACKGROUND: Massachusetts law requires all residents to maintain a minimum level of health insurance, and rates of uninsurance in that state decreased from 6.4% in 2006 to 1.9% in 2010. The authors of this report assessed whether health insurance expansion was associated with use of mammography and earlier stage at breast cancer diagnosis. METHODS: By using a prereform/postreform design with a concurrent control (California), mammography rates in the last year were assessed using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey and the diagnosis of stage I (vs II/III/IV) breast cancers based on cancer registry data among women ages 41 to 64. Propensity score analyses were used to compare California women who were most similar to women in Massachusetts with Massachusetts women. RESULTS: Among propensity-weighted cohorts, adjusted mammography rates in Massachusetts were 69.2% in 2006, 69.5% in 2008, and 69.0% in 2010. In California, the rates were 59% in 2006, 60.3% in 2008, and 56.2% in 2010 (P = .89 for interaction by state for 2010 vs 2006). Among propensity-weighted cohorts, adjusted rates of diagnosis with stage I cancers were 52.2% in 2006, 53.5% in 2007, and 52.4% in 2008 in Massachusetts versus 46.4% in 2006, 46.3% in 2007, and 45.7% in 2008 in California (P = .58 for interaction by state for 2010 vs 2006). CONCLUSIONS: Health insurance reform in Massachusetts was not associated with increased rates of mammography or earlier stage at diagnosis compared with California, possibly because of insurance and mammography rates that already were high. Additional research is needed to assess the impact of insurance expansions in other populations, especially those with higher uninsurance rates. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Commercial Realization of MHD—A Challenge for Superconducting Magnets

Energy conservation and ecological concerns are vital considerations in any energy development program. The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) approach to electric power generation offers a unique combination of high-efficiency large-scale power generation and the capability of meeting air quality standards even when high-sulfur coal is used as fuel. The role of MHD power generation as an important area for scientific and engineering investigations with potential global significance in the field of energy is underlined by a large-scale cooperative program between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Understanding how to improve collaboration between hospitals and primary care in postdischarge care transitions: A qualitative study of primary care leaders' perspectives

BACKGROUND There is limited collaboration between hospitals and primary care despite parallel efforts to improve postdischarge care transitions. OBJECTIVE To understand what primary care leaders perceived as barriers and facilitators to collaboration with hospitals. METHODS Qualitative study with in-depth, semistructured interviews of 22 primary care leaders in 2012 from California safety-net clinics. RESULTS Major barriers to collaboration included lack of institutional financial incentives for collaboration, competing priorities (e.g., regulatory requirements, strained clinic capacity, financial strain) and mismatched expectations about role and capacity of primary care to improve care transitions. Facilitators included relationship building through interpersonal networking and improving communication and information transfer via electronic health record (EHR) implementation. CONCLUSIONS Efforts to improve care transitions should focus on aligning financial incentives, standardizing regulations around EHR interoperability and data sharing, and enhancing opportunities for interpersonal networking. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2014;9:700–706. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine
Computation of HORRAT values.

The formula for the Horwitz ratio (HORRAT) as presented in the Study Director's Manual of AOAC INTERNATIONAL is applicable only when the concentration is in the unit/unit form (e.g., microg/microg, g/g, etc.). When the analyte concentration is a trace or mass fraction amount (e.g., microg/g), the formula generates incorrect HORRAT values. Alternative calculation procedures are presented to circumvent such problems.
Myosin light chain 3f attenuates age-induced decline in contractile velocity in MHC type II single muscle fibers.

Aging is characterized by a progressive loss of muscle mass and impaired contractility (e.g., decline in force, velocity, and power). Although the slowing of contraction speed in aging muscle is well described, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the decrement in speed are unknown. Myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms are the primary molecules determining contractile velocity; however, the contraction speed of single fibers within a given MHC isoform type is variable. Recent evidence proposes that the decline in shortening velocity (Vo) with aging is associated with a decrease in the relative content of essential myosin light chain 3f (MLC3f) isoform. In the current study, we first evaluated the relative content of MLC3f isoform and Vo in adult and old rats. We then used recombinant adenovirus (rAd) gene transfer technology to increase MLC3f protein content in the MHC type II semimembranosus muscle (SM). We hypothesized that (i) aging would decrease the relative MLC3f content and Vo in type II fibers, and (ii) increasing the MLC3f content would restore the age-induced decline in Vo. We found that there was an age-related decrement in relative MLC3f content and Vo in MHC type II fibers. Increasing MLC3f content, as indicated by greater % MLC3f and MLC3f/MLC2f ratio, provided significant protection against age-induced decline in Vo without influencing fiber diameter, force generation, MHC isoform distribution, or causing cellular damage. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first data to demonstrate positive effects of MLC3f against slowing of contractile function in aged skeletal muscle.
Excitatory GABA Responses in Embryonic and Neonatal Cortical Slices Demonstrated by Gramicidin Perforated-Patch Recordings and Calcium Imaging

Gramicidin perforated-patch-clamp recordings in brain slices were used to obtain an accurate assessment of the developmental change in the GABAA receptor reversal potential (EGABAA) in embryonic and early postnatal rat neocortical cells including neuroepithelial precursor cells, cortical plate neurons, and postnatal neocortical neurons. Our results demonstrate that there is a progressive negative shift in EGABAA with the most positive values found in the youngest cortical precursor cells. At the early stages of neocortical development, EGABAA is determined by the chloride (Cl-) gradient, and the internal chloride concentration ([Cl-]i) decreases with development. EGABAA is positive to the resting potential, indicating that GABA serves to depolarize developing neocortical cells. Consistent with this conclusion, GABAA receptor activation with muscimol was found-to increase the internal calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in both embryonic and early postnatal neocortical cells through the activation of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs). Postnatal cells exhibit spontaneous postsynaptic synaptic currents, which are eliminated by bicuculline methiodide (BMI) but not glutamate receptor antagonists and reverse at the Cl- equilibrium potential. Likewise, brief spontaneous increases in [Ca2+]i, sensitive to BMI and TTX, are observed at the same ages, suggesting that endogenous synaptic GABAA receptor activation can depolarize cells and activate VGCCs. These results suggest that GABAA receptor-mediated depolarization may influence early neocortical developmental events, including neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, through the activation of Ca(2+)-dependent signal transduction pathways.
Does Diversification Improve Livelihoods? Pastoral Households in Xinjiang, China

Diversification is routinely promoted to improve poor rural peoples’ livelihoods. However, policy recommendations for livelihood diversification based on evidence from crop-cultivating sedentary rural societies may not work for mobile pastoral communities, where socio-ecological conditions predetermine livestock herding as the preferred livelihood strategy. Using survey and semi-structured interview data collected from 159 households in the Altay and Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang, China, this study applies cluster analysis to identify six distinct groups based on livelihood strategies: pastoralists, agropastoralists, crop farmers, wage labourers, hired herders and mixed smallholders. Although pastoralism is the least diverse of these in terms of sources of income, it is significantly more diverse in ecological dimensions such as spatial movement, land use pattern and livestock portfolio. Patterns of livelihood diversification and their relationship with household incomes indicate that pastoralism, although preferred, is unattainable for 55 per cent of households given their meagre asset endowments and the pressure of government policies toward sedentarization. The results strongly suggest that livelihood diversification does not improve welfare for pastoral households. Future development interventions should promote policies that enable households to regain flexible access to pastures and should aim to correct the imbalance of opportunities that exists in northern Xinjiang.
Dental and anaesthetic management of children with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.

Background. Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a genetic disease associated with fragility and bullous lesions of the skin and mucous membranes. There are various patterns of inheritance and histopathology. The disease is associated with systemic and oral manifestations, among which may be dental decay necessitating oral rehabilitation. General anaesthesia is frequently required for oral rehabilitation in children with dystrophic EB. Paediatric dentists should be aware of the implications of dystrophic EB for dental and anaesthetic management. Case report. Two siblings with moderate to severe systemic and oral manifestations of dystrophic EB requiring extensive oral rehabilitation for rampant decay are described, including special anaesthetic techniques required for airway management and maintenance of skin integrity. Conclusion. Dystrophic EB is a rare genetic disorder in which vesiculobullous lesions occur with erosions and scarring of cutaneous and extracutaneous surfaces in the oral cavity. Poor oral hygiene results from efforts to avoid mucosal trauma, resulting in decay. The comprehensive care of children with dystrophic EB impacts not only dental management but anaesthesia administration as well.