cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rotaxane probes for protease detection by 129Xe hyperCEST NMR

We report a CB6 rotaxane for the 129Xe hyperCEST NMR detection of matrix metalloprotease 2 (MMP-2) activity. MMP-2 is overexpressed in cancer tissue, and hence is a cancer marker. A peptide containing an MMP-2 recognition sequence was incorporated into the rotaxane, synthesized via CB6-promoted click chemistry. Upon cleavage of the rotaxane by MMP-2, CB6 became accessible for 129Xe@CB6 interactions, leading to protease-responsive hyperCEST activation.
Lower extremity variability changes with drop-landing height manipulations

Landing is a common lower extremity injury mechanism in sport, with potential connections to movement control accessed through variability measures. We investigated intra-subject lower extremity variability changes following drop-landing height manipulations using standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) among lower extremity peak sagittal joint angles and moments. Fourteen healthy participants completed five drop-landing trials from five heights 20%, 60%, 100%, 140% and 180% maximum vertical jump height (MVJH). Peak joint angles and moments increased with greater landing height (p Hip > Ankle, p Knee > Ankle, in excess of 60% MVJH, p < 0.05). Kinematic and kinetic SD increased with variable magnitudes, while CV decreased at greater landing heights (p ≤ 0.016). Decreased relative variability under greater task demands may underscore non-contact injury mechanisms from repetitive loading of identical structures.
Attitudes Toward Violence and Gender as Predictors of Interpersonal Violence Interventions

The purpose of the research was to determine whether attitudes toward violence (ATV) and participant sex would influence notions about interpersonal violence (IPV) intervention by university students. It was anticipated those who held stronger cultural and reactive violence attitudes and males would be less in favor of intervention, but it was not certain whether gender or attitudes would be the stronger predictor for intervention approaches. An IPV intervention scale was developed to measure preferred approaches for intervention, which resulted in four approaches (affirmative intervention, no intervention, police intervention, and intervention threshold). A total of 420 university student volunteers completed the IPV intervention questionnaire followed by an ATV scale on an electronic data collection site. Results indicated ATV subtypes were stronger predictors of affirmative intervention than gender, but when considering cultural acceptability of violence, gender was the single predictor for a threshold of intervention. The findings have relevance for university and community intervention programs and public policy makers when attempting to alter the acceptability of violence to promote effective interventions.
The case for a shallow-crustal anomalous zone (magma body?) near the south end of Hilton Creek fault, California, including new evidence from an interpretation of pre-S arrivals

Abstract Seven independent lines of evidence can be cited for the existence of a shallow-crustal anomalous zone at a site near the south end of Hilton Creek fault, near Mammoth Lakes, California. They are: (1) the presence of a persistent seismic gap since detailed observations began in 1979; (2) S -wave shadowing for travel paths crossing the site; (3) a low-velocity anomaly associated with the south end of Hilton Creek fault discovered by seismic tomography; (4) the observation of two non-double-couple mechanisms for large earthquakes a few km east and west of the site; (5) a concentration of pre- S -arrivals indicative of a possible reflection in the vicinity of this site; (6) a geometric symmetry of source-receiver paths showing pre- S arrivals about this site; and (7) [new evidence presented herein] travel-time fits of strong pre- S arrivals recorded at epicenter of the 1978 Wheeler Crest event ( M L 5.7).
A Synoptic Climatology of Northern Hemisphere, Cold Season Polar and Subtropical Jet Superposition Events

AbstractNarrow, tropopause-level wind speed maxima known as jet streams or jets are among the most ubiquitous structural characteristics of Earth’s atmosphere. Two species, the polar and subtropical jets, can be observed on any given day. The polar jet is tied, via eddy momentum flux convergence associated with extratropical wave development, to the troposphere-deep baroclinicity of the midlatitudes, while the subtropical jet is tied, by angular momentum constraints, to the poleward edge of the tropical Hadley cell. As a consequence of their different origins, the polar and subtropical jets are separated by both latitude and elevation. However, there are times when these two usually separate features become vertically superposed to form a single, intense jet core designated as a jet superposition or superposed jet. An objective method for identifying tropopause-level jets is employed in the construction of 50-yr cold season (November–March) synoptic climatologies of the Northern Hemisphere polar jet, subt...
Auditory sensitivity of the tufted capuchin (Sapajus apella), a test of allometric predictions

New World monkeys are a diverse primate group and a model for understanding hearing in mammals. However, comparable audiograms do not exist for the larger monkeys, making it difficult to test the hypothesized relationship between interaural distance and high-frequency hearing limit (i.e., the allometric model). Here, the auditory brainstem response (ABR) method is used to assess auditory sensitivity in four tufted capuchins (Sapajus apella), a large monkey with a large interaural distance. A primate-typical four-peak pattern in the ABR waveforms was found with peak latencies from ca. 2 to 12 ms after stimulus onset. Response amplitude decreased linearly with decreasing stimulus level (mean r2 = 0.93, standard deviation 0.14). Individual variation in each threshold was moderate (mean ± 7 dB). The 10-dB bandwidth of enhanced sensitivity was 2-16 kHz-a range comparable to smaller monkeys and congruent with the bandwidth of their vocal repertoire. In accord with the general principles of the allometric model, the 60-dB high-frequency limit of S. apella (26 kHz) is lower than those of smaller-headed monkeys; however, it is substantially lower than 44.7 kHz, the value predicted by the allometric model. These findings and other exceptions to the allometric model warrant cautious application and further investigation of other potential selective factors.
Recurrent Rectal Cancer

Recurrent rectal cancer poses a significant morbidity and mortality. Survival is ultimately shortened while patients concurrently suffer far greater disability with the recurrence. Recurrent pelvic disease often results in a diminished quality of life and is often associated with increased pain, incontinence, sexual and urinary dys­function, and possibly colonic obstruction. The primary goal of therapy for rectal cancer is preventing recurrence by properly managing the disease on initial presentation. The secondary goal is to develop proper follow-up for patients with recurrent rectal cancer in order to detect recurrence early enough so that potentially curative surgery may be undertaken. Determining whether the patient may be cured needs a careful history, physical examination, and selected utilization of radiographic imaging modalities. Surgical intervention is often multidisciplinary combining the resources of colorectal, orthopedic, urologic, gynecologic, and plastic surgeons.
The Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) for Neurorehabilitation

The Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) is a compact, self-contained device that delivers a fixed sequence of dc-balanced voltage pulses to the anterior-dorsal tongue through a matrix of 143 gold-plated electrodes. This form of stimulation is being investigated as a possible aid to rehabilitation of motor, cognitive, and emotional symptoms resulting from a range of neurological disorders of traumatic, degenerative, or developmental origin. This article provides a technical overview of the PoNS device as well as a summary of applications research to date.
Current Insights of BRAF Inhibitors in Cancer

Oncogenic BRAF kinase deregulates the ERK signaling pathway in a large number of human tumors. FDA-approved BRAF inhibitors for BRAFV600E/K tumors have provided impressive clinical responses extending survival of melanoma patients. However, these drugs display paradoxical activation in normal tissue with BRAFWT due to RAF transactivation and priming, acquired drug resistance, and limited clinical effectiveness in non-V600 BRAF-dependent tumors, underscoring the urgent need to develop improved BRAF inhibitors. This review provides an overview of recent structural and biochemical insights into the mechanisms of BRAF regulation by BRAF inhibitors that are linked to their clinical activity, clinical liabilities, and medicinal chemistry properties. The effectiveness and challenges of structurally diverse next generation RAF inhibitors currently in preclinical and clinical development are discussed, along with mechanistic insights for developing more effective RAF inhibitors targeting different oncogenic BRAF c...
Publisher Correction: Spatiotemporal control of laser intensity

In the version of this Letter originally published, in the first sentence of the Methods, ref. 31 was incorrectly cited; it should have been ref. 32. This has now been corrected.
Less trusting and connected? Social trust and social integration among young adults during the recession

Abstract The transition to adulthood became more precarious in the United States and many other countries during the Great Recession of the late 2000s. We investigate perceived social trust and social integration – and the relationship between the two – during this period. We draw on longitudinal data from the U.S. Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) to examine social trust and social integration among young adults (aged 18 to 25; n = 728) before, during, and after the nadir of the recession. Cross-lagged models were estimated to assess the reciprocal relationship between a variety of concepts related to social trust and social integration among young adults at four time points: 2005; 2007; 2009; and 2011. Findings indicate that social trust and social integration fluctuated over time but surprisingly did not uniformly decrease during the economic recession. Rather, social trust was highest among young adults during the recession, and was especially predictive of feeling connected to a community and having greater confidence that one has something of value to contribute to society. Additionally, stronger feelings of self-worth were associated with higher social trust and greater confidence in society. Results highlight that investments in social trust and social integration may be mutually beneficial, and that social trust and social integration are robust and were not jeopardized as youth entered adulthood during a significant recession.
Only domain-specific imitation practice makes imitation perfect

Abstract Does imitation involve specialized mechanisms or general—unspecialized—learning processes? To address this question, preschoolers (3- and 4-year-olds) were assigned to one of four “practice” groups. Before and after the practice phases, each group was tested on a novel Spatial Imitation sequence. During the practice phase, children in the Spatial Imitation group practiced jointly attending, vicariously encoding, and copying the novel spatial sequences. In the Item Imitation group, children practiced jointly attending, vicariously encoding, and copying novel item sequences. In the Trial-and-Error group, children practiced encoding and recalling a series of novel spatial sequences entirely through individual (operant) learning. In the Free Play (no practice) control group, children played a touchscreen drawing game that controlled for practice time on the touchscreen and mirrored some of the same actions and responses used in the experimental conditions. Results of the difference between pre- and post-practice effects on novel spatial imitation sequences showed that only the Spatial Imitation practice group significantly improved relative to the Free Play group. Individual Spatial Trial-and-Error practice did not significantly improve spatial imitation. The effect of Item Imitation practice was intermediate. These results are inconsistent with the hypothesis that general processes alone--or primarily--support imitation learning and is more consistent with a mosaic model that posits an additive—interaction—effect on imitation performance where a more general social cognitive mechanism (i.e., natural pedagogy) gathers the relevant information from the demonstration and another more specialized mechanism (i.e., imitation specific) transforms that information into a matching response.
Human and Animal Bites

In the United States, nearly 56% of households owned a pet in 2011 according to the 2012 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook by the American Veterinary Medical Association. The survey also reports that approximately 70 million dogs and 74 million cats lived in households in the United States during the same year. (1) Human and animal bites are a frequent cause of primary care and emergency department visits for children. It is estimated that 250,000 human bites, 400,000 cat bites, and 4.5 million dog bites occur in the United States each year in both adults and children. (2) In the United States, approximately 10% of all human bites will become infected in a child with a bite wound. The infection rate of dog bites in children is 20%. Cat bite infection rates in children vary but can be up to 50%. Each type of bite wound has a predisposition for sex and/or age. Infected bite wounds manifest with swelling, erythema, and tenderness with or without drainage of the affected site and can lead to serious complications. Most animal bite wounds are polymicrobial in nature. Pasteurella species (spp.) is the most common organism isolated from both cat and dog bites. The microbiology of human bites consists of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Basic medical management of bite wounds includes thorough cleansing and debridement. Irrigation, closure, and need to obtain culture depend on the type of bite wound, the appearance of the wound, the and timing of medical evaluation after the initial injury. Amoxicillin-clavulanate is the antibiotic of choice for prophylaxis and empirical therapy for children who are not allergic to penicillin. With most animal bites being preventable injuries, healthcare providers caring for children have an important role discussing pet safety with the child and the family.
Abstract PL1: Breast Tumor Evolution and Intratumor Heterogeneity - Insights from Single Cell Genomics

Breast tumors evolve from single cells in the ducts and acquire mutations leading to divergent lineages and intratumor heterogeneity in invasive cancers. To understand the genomic evolution of breast cancers during complex evolutionary processes including initiation, invasion and therapeutic resistance we have developed single cell sequencing (SCS) methods. I will discuss our efforts in applying SCS methods to study invasion in 10 premalignant breast cancer patients with ductal-carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS), which led to a discovery of early punctuated copy number evolution in the ducts and multi-clonal invasion. I will also discuss our work in applying both single cell DNA and RNA sequencing methods to study chemoresistance evolution in 20 triple-negative breast cancer patients using longitudinal samples, which identified an adaptive genomic evolution and acquired transcriptional reprogramming during resistance. Finally I will present unpublished work on our efforts to develop a 9Human Breast Cell Atlas9 of cell types and cell states (transcriptional programs) of normal cell types, and recent work on delineating copy number evolution in BRCA-positive breast cancer patients. Citation Format: Navin N. Breast Tumor Evolution and Intratumor Heterogeneity - Insights from Single Cell Genomics [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PL1.
Smarter Homes for Older Adults: Building a Framework Around Types and Levels of Autonomy

The types and levels of autonomy have been deeply discussed and, in some cases, standardized in the areas of human robot interaction, autonomous vehicles, and spaceflight vehicles. However, there is not an established framework for in-home technologies, which is a growing area of technological development. Home technologies have had significant effects on how people live, especially improving the ways in which older adults and their caregivers navigate various daily tasks. Having a framework to define the types and levels of automation in home technologies is necessary to better understand the state of the art, identify current and future directions for development, and facilitate communication between stakeholders. This paper reviews existing studies on smart home technologies and previous efforts around building taxonomies of automation in different domains. Literature around technology adoption among older adults and related design considerations are also discussed to further describe home automation as it applies to improving independence among older adults.
Identification of Specific Chemokines and Apoptosis Molecules in Pediatric Idiopathic Neutropenia.

Abstract In order to explore possible mechanisms for idiopathic neutropenia, molecular and functional analyses on neutrophils and plasma of pediatric neutropenic patients were performed. 22 subjects, 8 acute and 14 chronic neutropenia, aged 5 months to 12 years, were recruited through Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital hematology clinics with an IRB-approved consent. Patients with known neutrophil elastase mutations were excluded. We first examined whether the neutrophils of neutropenia patients had increased expression of molecules associated with cell death. QT-PCR was performed and transcript levels in neutrophils of neutropenia subjects were compared against those of normal subjects. In addition, to assess if a factor(s) in the plasma of neutropenia patients induced neutrophil cell death, neutrophil survival assays were done by incubating neutrophils isolated from normal healthy controls with 200 ul of undiluted plasma from chronic neutropenic subjects. Neutrophil death was then analyzed via Annexin V-PI staining. Finally, to identify specific plasma proteins, which may have a potential role in neutrophil-mediated cell death, 2D gels were run on neutropenic and control plasma. Results: Due to limited sample size, assays were not run on all subjects. Acute and chronic neutropenic patients (n=10) experienced an increase in FAS, an apoptotic marker and protein known to be associated with neutrophil cell death. There were no significant differences in fold expression between acute and chronic patients. Neutrophil survival assays (n=9) revealed a median of 6.5 and mean 6.8 fold (range 2–24 fold) higher level of plasma-mediated cell death with neutropenic plasma. Preliminary studies of 2D gels on plasma revealed differential expression of inflammatory proteins in neutropenia patients compared to normal healthy controls. Further investigation on these proteins is ongoing. In summary, rapid cell death can be induced in normal neutrophils through neutropenia plasma incubation. Further identification of these apoptosis-associated plasma proteins is in process. In addition, the increase in certain apoptosis-associated chemokines and cytokines could lead to further target identification for diagnostic and/or treatment purposes of neutropenia. Table 1 . Patient Number Trascripts Expressed in Neutrophils (Fold Over Trancripts from Neutrophil of Normal, Healthy Control TNF-α R1 FAS 1 2 13 2* 1.5 12.5 3 2 10 4 1 14 5* 2 12 6 2 13.5 7* 1 11 8* 2 10.5 9 2 7 10 1.5 10 *= acute neutropenic patient
Teaching political behavior in the age of Trump

The first two questions that must be addressed in writing about teaching political behavior in the era of Trump are what do we mean by political behavior and what do we mean by the era of Trump. Although political behavior in its full sense encompasses a very broad subject, in this intervention, I focus primarily on the electoral behavior of ordinary citizens. As for “the era of Trump,” my position is that rise of Trump, along with the Brexit vote, and the rise of European populism are very much of a piece—a modern democratic phenomenon rather than a specifically American one. Rather than requiring a fundamentally new approach in how we think about voters, however, they are all the heightened result of things that have been true for a long time, perhaps catalyzed, but not fundamentally caused, by current events. Moreover, these are things that used to be at the core of our teaching and research about electoral behavior, but have largely fallen off the agenda—and need to be brought back to a central position. This contribution is organized under three major headings: (1) how the content of what we teach about political/electoral behavior might be adjusted in the age of Trump; (2) how teaching about politics more generally might be changed in the age of Trump; (3) and the implications of what we are teaching for democracy, and for our role as both critics of, and propagandists for, liberal democracy.
Comparison of Neuromuscular Firing Patterns of the Superficial Quadriceps in Soft Tissue Quadriceps Tendon Versus Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone ACL Autografts.

Background:Soft tissue quadriceps tendon (QT) autografts are increasingly popular as a primary graft choice for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), but no study has compared superfici...
Population Dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Native Microflora during Manufacture and Aging of Gouda Cheese Made with Unpasteurized Milk.

Cheeses made with unpasteurized milk are a safety concern due to possible contamination with foodborne pathogens. Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 have been implicated in several outbreaks and recalls linked to Gouda cheese made with unpasteurized milk. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Code of Federal Regulations requires cheeses made with unpasteurized milk to be aged at a minimum of 1.7°C for at least 60 days before entering interstate commerce. The goal of this study was (i) to assess the population dynamics of L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 during aging of Gouda cheese when the pathogens were inoculated into the unpasteurized milk used for manufacture and (ii) to compare the native microbial populations throughout manufacture and aging. Unpasteurized milk was inoculated with L. monocytogenes at 1 or 3 log CFU/mL or with E. coli O157:H7 at 1 log CFU/mL, and Gouda cheese was manufactured in laboratory-scale or pilot plant-scale settings. Cheeses were stored at 10°C for at least 90 days, and some cheeses were stored up to 163 days. Initial native microflora populations in unpasteurized milk did not differ significantly for laboratory-scale or pilot plant-scale trials, and population dynamics trended similarly throughout cheese manufacture and aging. During manufacture, approximately 81% of the total L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 populations was found in the curd samples. At an inoculation level of 1 log CFU/mL, L. monocytogenes survived in the cheese beyond 60 days in four of five trials. In contrast, E. coli O157:H7 was detected beyond 60 days in only one trial. At the higher 3-log inoculation level, the population of L. monocytogenes increased significantly from 3.96 ± 0.07 log CFU/g at the beginning of aging to 6.00 ± 0.73 log CFU/g after 150 days, corresponding to a growth rate of 0.04 ± 0.02 log CFU/g/day. The types of native microflora assessed included Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, mesophilic bacteria, and yeasts and molds. Generally, lactic acid and mesophilic bacterial populations remained consistent at approximately 8 to 9 log CFU/g during aging, whereas yeast and mold populations steadily increased. The data from this study will contribute to knowledge about survival of these pathogens during Gouda cheese production and will help researchers assess the risks of illness from consumption of Gouda cheese made with unpasteurized milk.
“X-ray Microscopy”

‘X-ray Microscopy’, in the main, covers X-ray optical systems with special emphasis on microscopy. As someone with many years of UV-Vis-IR optical experience, I did not truly understand the ‘great ...
Developing social skills

Abstract This chapter examines how social skills in the behavioral, social-cognitive, and emotional domains are associated with indicators of social competence during the preschool years, school-age years, adolescence, and adulthood, and how the relationship between skills and competence unfolds across development. For each developmental period, key social tasks and social contexts are discussed, and research on the specific social skills that predict competence during that stage is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the social skills that predict adaptive social functioning, as well as the skills deficits that put individuals at risk for social maladjustment. Overall, it is clear that as the complexity of social interactions increases from preschool through adulthood, more refined and nuanced social skills in the behavioral, social-cognitive, and emotional domains are required for competence. In addition, the adverse effects of social skills deficits tend to be cumulative, and there are dynamic, interactive, and cascading effects across the three social skills domains throughout development.
Layering historical time: Amelia Opie’s “Recollections of a Visit to Paris in 1802”

In 1799, the year after their marriage, John Opie painted a portrait of his new wife, the British poet and novelist Amelia Alderson Opie (1769–1853) (Figure 1). The portrait is very unusual in show...
Fowler, Mark S. & Daniel L. Brenner. A Marketplace Approach to Broadcast Regulation, 60 Texas L. Rev. 207 (1982)

When Newton N. Minow addressed the National Association of Broadcasters annual conference in May 1961, he introduced a new phrase into our lexicon – “vast wasteland.” This summarized in two vivid w...
Towards low-loss monolithic silicon and nitride photonic building blocks in state-of-the-art 300mm CMOS foundry

We review recent progress in loss reduction of Si and SiN waveguides in GLOBALFOUNDRIES 300mm monolithic Si photonics platform. Primary challenges to creating low-loss CMOS integrated photonic components are highlighted and potential solutions are outlined.
Epigenetic regulation of cellular functions in wound healing

Stringent spatiotemporal regulation of the wound healing process involving multiple cell types is associated with epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation, such as DNA methylation, histone modification and chromatin remodelling, as well as non-coding RNAs. Here, we discuss the epigenetic changes that occur during wound healing and the rapidly expanding understanding of how these mechanisms affect healing resolution in both acute and chronic wound milieu. We provide a focussed overview of current research into epigenetic regulators that contribute to wound healing by specific cell type. We highlight the role of epigenetic regulators in the molecular pathophysiology of chronic wound conditions. The understanding of how epigenetic regulators can affect cellular functions during normal and impaired wound healing could lead to novel therapeutic approaches, and we outline questions that can provide guidance for future research on epigenetic-based interventions to promote healing. Dissecting the dynamic interplay between cellular subtypes involved in wound healing and epigenetic parameters during barrier repair will deepen our understanding of how to improve healing outcomes in patients affected by chronic non-healing wounds.
Establishing Interrater Reliability Within the Advanced Practice Nurse Peer Review Process.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Council refined the APN peer review to an objective, data-driven process. The purpose of the study was to assess the interrater reliability of APN peer reviews using the APN Rubric based on Hamric, Spross & Hanson's Model of Advanced Practice Nursing. METHODS A quantitative single-site study with a convenience sample of 80 APN Portfolios. RESULTS Analysis of six core competencies (direct clinical practice, leadership, consultation/collaboration, coaching/guiding, research, and ethical decision-making) within the APN Rubric demonstrated substantial and near perfect agreement levels in the APN peer review process. CONCLUSIONS The application of APN core competencies within the peer review process demonstrated high consistency, thereby increasing the significance and objectivity of peer review outcomes.
Comparison of Yellow and Blue Sticky Cards for Detection and Monitoring Parasitoid Wasps of the Invasive Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

The invasive Halyomorpha halys (Stal) is a significant agricultural and urban nuisance pest in many parts of the world. In North America, biological control of H. halys by parasitoid wasps in the families Scelionidae and Eupelmidae has shown promise. An effective technique for detection and monitoring native and exotic parasitoids is the deployment of yellow sticky cards; however, yellow cards also attract nontarget arthropods, reducing efficiency and accuracy of parasitoid screening. This study sought to identify an alternative yet effective trapping technique by comparing the number of target parasitoid wasps [Anastatus spp. Motschulsky (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), Telenomus spp. Haliday (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), and Trissolcus spp. Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae)] and arthropod bycatch on yellow and blue sticky cards deployed in urban, orchard, and vegetable landscapes in northern Utah from late May to early October in 2019 and 2020. Yellow sticky cards captured 54-72% more target parasitoids than blue cards from June through August in all three landscape types in both years; however, a positive correlation in parasitoid capture indicated blue cards detect target parasitoids, just in fewer numbers. Both card colors detected adventive Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in initial findings of 2019, and in expanded locations of 2020. Furthermore, blue cards captured 31-48% less Diptera and nontarget Hymenoptera than yellow cards in both years across all three landscapes, translating to reduced card processing time and impacts to beneficial insect populations. Our results suggest that blue vs yellow sticky cards offer an alternative monitoring technique to survey for H. halys parasitoids.
Successful Use of Intravenous Methylnaltrexone for Opioid-Induced Constipation in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients

Objectives Methylnaltrexone is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved as a subcutaneous injection for adults with opioid-induced constipation (OIC). Case series have described the use of methylnaltrexone for OIC in the pediatric oncology population. There are limited data describing its intravenous use in critically ill pediatric patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Patients less than 18 years old who received at least one dose of intravenous methylnaltrexone while admitted to an intensive care unit between January 2016 and August 2019 were included. The primary outcome was documented laxation within 24 hours of methylnaltrexone administration. Results Sixteen patients received a total of 34 doses of intravenous methylnaltrexone. Patients received a median of 1.69 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.9–4.86) morphine milligram equivalents per kilogram per 24 hours, over a median of 14 days (IQR, 11–30), before methylnaltrexone administration. The median dose of methylnaltrexone was 0.15 mg/kg (IQR, 0.15–0.16). Ten patients (63%) responded to the first dose of methylnaltrexone, and 14 patients (88%) responded to at least one dose. Overall, 26 doses (76%) led to patient response. Four patients (25%) experienced adverse events (emesis, abdominal pain) after methylnaltrexone administration. No signs or symptoms of opioid withdrawal were documented. Conclusions Intravenous methylnaltrexone appears to be safe and effective in treating OIC in critically ill pediatric patients. No serious adverse events or signs of opioid withdrawal were observed after single and repeat dosing. Patients responded to methylnaltrexone with varying opioid dosing and durations prior to administration.
The Impact of Surface Chemistry on Gold Nanorods Uptake in Stem Cell-derived Therapeutic Cells

Gold nanorods (AuNRs) hold tremendous potential to improve the diagnosis and therapeutic options across the blood-retinal barrier to treat retinal diseases. For clinical ophthalmological translation, a fundamental understanding of how their physicochemical properties such as size, shape, charge, surface chemistry, and concentration, impact their stability biological environments, mechanism and efficiency of uptake, and toxicity is a necessity. Here we interrogated the uptake efficiency, biocompatibility, and stability of two subtypes of AuNRs with different types of surface coatings and varying charges, including a commercially available set of AuNRs with a 5 nm mSiO2-polymer coating and hybrid lipid-coated AuNRs developed in-house. Confocal and bright field microscopy images showed uptake of both subtypes of AuNRs in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), neural progenitor (NP), and baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirms both types of AuNRs are taken up into the cytoplasm of the cells; however, larger aggregates of AuNRs are observed with the more positive and “sticky” AuNRs with a 5 nm mSiO2-polymer coating than the slightly negative hybrid lipid-coated AuNRs. Inductively Coupled Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) confirm that ~3,000 of the slightly negative hybrid lipid-coated AuNRs cells and ~5,400 of the positively charged AuNRs with a 5 nm mSiO2-polymer coating (+35 mV) are taken up into RPE and BHK cell lines. Stability studies in a variety of cellular media showed that hybrid lipid-coated AuNRs are stable and disaggregated in water, 10 mM PBS buffer pH 7, and BHK media except for NP media. In contrast, the positively charged AuNRs with a 5 nm mSiO2-zeta polymer coating aggregated in all media, indicating more interactions with each other and components of the media. Bright-field and TEM confirm the presence of large aggregates of AuNRs on the surface and within the cytoplasm. Cytotoxicity studies both subtypes of AuNRs have an 80 ± 8 % cell viability, indicating mild toxicity. The hybrid lipid-coated AuNR with the cell-penetrating peptide had the least toxicological impact with a > 92 ± 7 % cell viability. Our study highlights the importance of evaluating the impact of the physicochemical features of each new nanoparticle design on their stability in biologically relevant environments and their impact on cellular uptake and toxicity in stem cell-derived therapeutic cells. Here we also provide a simple design strategy for tuning the surface chemistry of robust hybrid lipid-coated AuNRs to enhance cellular uptake to label stem cells with minimal aggregation and toxicity.
Do More Active Funds Still Earn Higher Performance? The Effect of Regulation Fair Disclosure

We find that the relation between fund activeness and future performance significantly weakens after the passage of Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg FD). The effect of Active Share on four-factor alpha is more than five times smaller after this regulatory change. More active funds embed a higher degree of private information into prices of traded stocks than their less active peers do, and the extent to which these funds affect price informativeness diminishes in the post-Reg FD era. Our findings suggest that one of the channels through which more active funds generated a higher alpha before Reg FD was through the selective disclosure of information.
City tavern, country tavern: An analysis of four colonial sites

In this comparative study of colonial tavern sites, it is suggested that these sites fulfilled a variety of functions, conditioned in part by the degree of urbanization of their settings. Four sites, two in urban areas and two in rural areas, are compared by means of a Brainerd-Robinson Coefficient of Agreement, showing a clear urban-rural difference. The urban tavern artifact assemblages seem to indicate activities related to drinking and “socializing,” while the rural assemblages suggest food consumption, a probable correlate of the overnight accomodation function of some taverns.
Software Engineering with MODULA-2 and ADA

This clear, in-depth presentation examines each stage of the software engineering process, supported by numerous case studies in Modula-2 and Ada. Geared to computer science undergradutes. Discusses software specifications, design, implementation, testing, and maintenance. Emphasis is on object-oriented design and modular software construction. Summary sections and exercises are provided with each chapter.
Lithography-friendly analog layout migration

Lithographic effects have long been a primary yield consideration during integrated circuit (IC) manufacture. Especially the random spot defects may easily lead to functional failures across the chip. In this paper, a lithography-friendly analog layout migration flow is proposed. The optimization is achieved by intelligent redundant space utilization, which includes wire widening and wire shifting in order to minimize global probability of failure. We also propose a way of effectively reduce the probability of failure by a reasonable chip area compromise. Our experimental results indicate significant yield improvement for both short and open type faults.
Review article: pharmacological approaches for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver disease and hepatitis C infection.

Summary Background Patients with chronic liver disease and hepatitis C virus (HCV) frequently experience thrombocytopenia that complicates the management of their disease. Traditional therapy for thrombocytopenia consists of platelet transfusion, which can be associated with significant safety and economic issues. Consequently, efforts have been directed toward developing novel approaches for the treatment of thrombocytopenia. Aim To summarize the available data on the limitations of traditional therapies and the effects of novel therapies currently in clinical development for the treatment of thrombocytopenia. Results Recent research has begun to reveal the complex mechanisms that regulate thrombopoiesis. Cytokines and growth factors, such as interleukin-11 and thrombopoietin (TPO), play a key role in the production of platelets. A number of recent clinical studies have provided evidence that pharmacologic agents that target megakaryocyte precursors and stimulate thrombopoiesis can effectively reverse thrombocytopenia. Here, we review the regulation of thrombopoiesis, the role of TPO, and a number of novel compounds that stimulate platelet production by acting through the TPO receptor. Agents that stimulate TPO include the orally available nonpeptidic agonists eltrombopag and AKR-501, peptidic agonists AMG-531 and Peg-TPOmp, and small engineered antibodies. Conclusion Results from clinical trials with these agents in healthy subjects confirm that activation of thrombopoiesis via the TPO pathway is an effective method of stimulating platelet production. This approach may provide safer, more effective treatment for thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver disease. Several of these agents are currently being tested in large scale trials.
Regulation of a periodic motor program in C. elegans

A three-part motor program mediates a defecation every 45 sec in well-fed wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans. Individual worms maintain this 45 sec rhythm with an SD of about 3 sec. We present evidence that the defecation cycle is controlled by an endogenous clock, most likely a neuronal pattern generator. The phase of the behavioral rhythm can be reset like pattern generators in other animals. The rhythm was reset by stimulating a well-characterized neuronal circuit mediating response to light touch. Also, animals that spontaneously stopped feeding interrupted their defecation rhythms. When they resumed feeding these animals reactivated the motor program in phase with the previously established rhythm, indicating that an endogenous clock continues to run even when the behavior is not expressed. Control of the defecation rhythm is independent of expression of the motor program. Most previously isolated mutations that affect the motor program (Thomas, 1990) do not alter the rhythm of the behavior; the motor steps themselves are defective but not the timing of their activation. Laser kills of identified motor neurons that affect particular parts of the motor program also did not change the defecation rhythm. Another sensory stimulus, food, strongly modulates defecation behavior: animals away from food rarely activated the motor program, and food dilution resulted in a graded lengthening of the cycle period. To elucidate further the relationship between feeding and defecation rhythms we studied a mutation, dec-8(sa200), that caused worms to continue to activate the motor program in the absence of food. The mutant did not require the presence of food to activate the motor program, although food made the rhythm more precise. In the presence of food, dec-8(sa200) animals exhibited tandem activations of the defecation motor program; the principal activation was followed by a more variable second activation. Further experiments suggested that the tandem activations of the motor program are not due to the activity of multiple oscillators.
Censored Data Analysis

Censoring is a special form of missing data that arises in a wide variety of situations. Censoring occurs whenever the measurement is restricted to some specific range, but the values being measured can lie outside the range. Proper statistical analysis of such data requires specific adjustments, some of which are described here. Serious errors in inference can be made if censoring is not taken into account properly.
Emittance Compensation in Flat Beam Production in an RF Gun Linac

Fermilab/NICADD Photoinjector Laboratory has performed a lot of experiments on flat beam production with Ya. Derbenev proposed skew quadrupole channel method [1]. A ratio of 50 of the transverse emittances in X and Y planes has been achieved. In both experiments and simulations with PARMELA [2], the resulted flat beam shows an S-shaped distribution in X-Y space. The sources of the S distribution has been investigated in this paper. A compensation method was suggested to straighten the S distribution and improve the emittance ratio. With this method, an extra solenoid located before the superconducting cavity is added to adjust the beam transverse size when the beam passes through the cavity. PARMELA simulations have shown that, with proper setup of this extra solenoid, the emittance ratio can be enhanced by a factor of about 1.6 and the S-shaped transverse distribution can also be greatly removed.
An endoscopist's guide to political involvement: because inaction is no longer a reasonable alternative

c p c t t a With the passage of the Affordable Care Act and other health care reform efforts, there has been heightened awareness of the intersection between politics and medicine. Physicians are still unsure about the extent to which health care reform will affect them. However, it is certain that decisions made in Washington, DC, and at the state level will affect the practice of each endoscopist working in the United States. Too often we forget that our practice of endoscopy can be affected more by legislative and regulatory decisions than by the results of outstanding research studies. For example, although groundbreaking endoscopic technology may have the potential to have a positive impact on patients, use of that technology may be limited if government agencies fail to approve it (eg, U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA]) or fail to reimburse for its use (eg, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS]). Because of the significant impact of government on the practice of medicine by endoscopists, it is imperative that practitioners understand how to develop influence and have a voice in this process.
Factors Affecting Design and Sale of Transistorized Instrumentation

This paper concludes that all solid state systems are not necessarily the best for reactor control instrumentation. However, market requirements dictate that the growing preference for solid state systems outweighs all other considerations.
Prediction, isolation, and sequencing of the promoter for human aminophospholipid translocase (APTL) II

p-Type ATPases drive translocation of phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidyl-ethanolamine (PE) from the outer to inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. This results in their inner-leaflet sequestration, which is typical for healthy cells. The externalization of PS (and PE) during apoptosis labels apoptotic cells for phagocytosis by scavenger cells (e.g. microglia). Recently, coding sequences (partial cDNA and coding sequence based on a partial gene sequence) of the type II ATPase have been reported. Initial analysis of these sequences revealed an apparent lack of the 5′UTRs. In our attempts to elucidate the promoter, the transcription start site and the 5′ UTR of the APTL II gene, we compared these partial coding sequences to the EST's and genomic databases. This allowed us to elaborate exon/intron organization of ATPase II gene and revealed the possibility of existence of alternative splicing. We then analyzed the region in genomic DNA immediately upstream of the 5′end of the longest 5′EST clone, which revealed the presence of a CpG island. A TATA-less promoter was predicted. We then amplified the part of the gene containing the promoter by PCR using genomic DNA as template. Cloning and sequencing revealed minor, though significant, differences between our sequence and its counterpart reported by Human Genome Project. Our studies will be followed up by 5′ RACE and analysis of the putative promoter region by its ability to drive an expression of a reporter gene. This will allow us to understand tissue specificity and the functional role of the APTLII enzyme.
Etiology of reading difficulties as a function of gender and severity

To test the hypothesis that the etiology of reading difficulties may differ for males and females in more severely impaired samples, reading performance data from monozygotic (MZ), same-sex dizygotic (DZss), and opposite-sex dizygotic (DZos) twin pairs were analyzed using a model-fitting implementation of the DeFries-Fulker (DF) model (Purcell & Sham, 2003, Behavior genetics, 33, 271–278). Five non-independent samples were selected using cut-offs of −1 (N = 737 pairs), −1.5 (N = 654), −2 (N = 468), −2.5 (N = 335), and −3 (N = 198) standard deviations (s) below the mean composite reading score of control twins. Male/female gender ratios for children with reading difficulties were significantly higher than 1.0 for all five samples and increased as a function of severity (viz., 1.15, 1.17, 1.40, 1.61, and 1.88, respectively). When the DF model was fit to the data, estimates of heritability (h g 2 ) and shared environmental influences (c g 2 ) were not significantly different for males and females in any of the groups. Consequently, the most parsimonious model that provided a good fit to the data at all five levels of severity equated the heritabilities and shared environmental influences for males and females, and fixed the DZos coefficient of genetic relatedness at 0.5. Thus, these results provide no evidence for a differential etiology of reading difficulties as a function of gender in more severely impaired samples, and suggest that the same genetic and environmental influences contribute to reading difficulties in males and females, irrespective of severity.