cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of anti-citrullinated type II collagen and anti-citrullinated vimentin antibodies in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Background To determine the prevalence and significance of anti-citrullinated vimentin and anti-citrullinated type II collagen antibodies and elucidate their role in the disease process of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
Suppression of self-interstitials in silicon during ion implantation via in-situ photoexcitation

The influence of in-situ photoexcitation during low temperature implantation on self-interstitial agglomeration following annealing has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A reduction in the level of as-implanted damage determined by RBS and TEM occurs athermally during 150 keV self-ion implantation. The damage reduction following a 300 C anneal suggests that it is mostly divacancy related. Subsequent thermal annealing at 800 C resulted in the formation of (311) rod like defects or dislocation loops for samples with and without in-situ photoexcitation, respectively. Estimation of the number of self-interstitials bound by these defects in the sample without in-situ photoexcitation corresponds to the implanted dose; whereas for the in-situ photoexcitation sample a suppression of {approx}2 orders in magnitude is found. The kinetics of the athermal annealing process are discussed within the framework of either a recombination enhanced defect reaction mechanism, or a charge state enhanced defect migration and Coulomb interaction.
Electroplating of Aluminium on Silicon in an Ionic Liquid

Electroplating of aluminum (Al) on silicon (Si) substrates has been demonstrated in an above-room-temperature ionic liquid for the metallization of wafer-Si solar cells. The electrolyte was prepared by mixing anhydrous aluminum chloride and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroaluminate. The plating was carried out by means of galvanostatic electrolysis. The structural and compositional properties of the Al deposits were characterized, and the sheet resistance of the deposits revealed the effects of pre-bake conditions, deposition temperature, and post-deposition annealing conditions. It was found that dense, adherent Al deposits with resistivity in the high 10[superscript −6] Ω-cm range can be reproducibly obtained directly on Si substrates.
Use of a Vertical Vorticity Equation in Variational Dual-Doppler Wind Analysis

The utility of the anelastic vertical vorticity equation in a weak-constraint (least squares error) variational dual-Doppler wind analysis procedure is explored. The analysis winds are obtained by minimizing a cost function accounting for the discrepancies between observed and analyzed radial winds, errors in the mass conservation equation, errors in the anelastic vertical vorticity equation, and spatial smoothness constraints. By using Taylor’s frozen-turbulence hypothesis to shift analysis winds to observation points, discrepancies between radially projected analysis winds and radial wind observations can be calculated at the actual times and locations the data are acquired. The frozen-turbulence hypothesis is also used to evaluate the local derivative term in the vorticity equation. Tests of the analysis procedure are performed with analytical pseudoobservations of an array of translating and temporally decaying counterrotating updrafts and downdrafts generated from a Beltrami flow solution of the Navier‐Stokes equations. The experiments explore the value added to the analysis by the vorticity equation constraint in the common scenario of substantial missing lowlevel data (radial wind observations at heights beneath 1.5 km are withheld from the analysis). Experiments focus on the sensitivity of the most sensitive analysis variable—the vertical velocity component—to values of the weighting coefficients, volume scan period, number of volume scans, and errors in the estimated frozenturbulence pattern-translation components. Although the vorticity equation constraint is found to add value to many of these analyses, the analysis can become significantly degraded if estimates of the pattern-translation components are largely in error or if the frozen-turbulence hypothesis itself breaks down. However, tests also suggest that these negative impacts can be mitigated if data are available in a rapid-scan mode.
'Transient monocular blindness' versus 'amaurosis fugax'

The term "transient monocular blindness" is gradually being replaced with "amaurosis fugax," which has a less precise connotation. The history of this change is traced herein.
19.3: Electrical Studies of Mechanically Deformed Indium Tin Oxide Coated Polymer Substrates

We report on the reliability of an ITO coated polymer substrate for flexible display applications. The resistance of the ITO layer increases with strain. The increase depends on ITO thickness, substrate material and additional polymer coatings. We present data for cyclic loading of the ITO coated polymer and the increase in resistance with temperature.
Association of facilitated glucose transporter 2 gene variants with the myelomeningocele phenotype.

BACKGROUND Neural tube defects (NTDs) remain the second most common cause of congenital malformations. Myelomeningocele (MM), the most common NTD compatible with survival, results from genetic and environmental factors. Epidemiologic studies and murine models support the hypotheses that obesity, diabetes and hyperglycemia confer increased risk of NTDs. Presence of wild-type facilitated glucose transporter, Glut2, in mouse embryos has been shown to increase risk for NTDs in hyperglycemic pregnancy. METHODS The GLUT2 gene of 96 MM patients was amplified, sequenced and compared with the reference sequence (NM_000340). Variants previously unreported in the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) database were considered novel. Allele frequencies of reported SNPs were compared with reference populations using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS Analysis revealed three novel variants: a substitution in the core promoter region (c.−331c>t), a substitution (c.−182g>a) in the 5′-untranslated region, and a single base pair deletion (c.1441delT) in the coding sequences. Polymorphic alleles for 10 SNPs were also identified. Seven SNPs are significantly associated with MM in the Mexican American patients tested (p < 0.05) and two of the seven remained significant after Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSION We identified three novel variants and seven SNPs associated with MM. The novel variants in the core promoter and in the 5′-untranslated region could affect GLUT2 mRNA transcription and stability and translation efficiency. The c.1441delT variant is predicted to alter the reading frame and prematurely terminate translation of the GLUT2 protein at the C-terminus, affecting GLUT2 protein function. Presence of GLUT2 variants may disrupt GLUT2 activity and influence MM susceptibility. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 103:479–487, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tropical Storm Development and Decay: Sensitivity to Surface Boundary Conditions

Abstract Hurricane models have rarely been used to investigate the observational fact that tropical disturbances seldom form, develop, or intensify over land. Furthermore, rather ad hoc assumptions have been made when modeling landfall. The general consensus is that energy supplied primarily through surface fluxes is necessary for tropical cyclone development and maintenance. In the past, rather a priori assumptions have been made such as the elimination of surface sensible and latent heat fluxes over land or the reduction of surface land temperature. By incorporating an improved version of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) tropical cyclone model with diurnal radiation and a bulk subsurface layer with explicit prediction of land temperature, a series of experiments was performed to test the sensitivity of surface boundary conditions to tropical cyclone development and decay at landfall. A triply nested version of the GFDL model was used in an idealized setting in which a tropical disturbanc...
Xeric Limestone Prairies of Eastern United States: Review and Synthesis

ABSTRACT Xeric limestone prairies (XLPs) are open, nonforested areas in which herbaceous plant communities occur on shallow, rocky soils derived from calcareous substrates. These grasslands are characterized by dominance of C4 perennial grasses (particularly Schizachyrium scoparium) and are distributed in eastern United States from Missouri and Pennsylvania south to Arkansas and Georgia. XLPs occur in the Ozark Plateaus, Central Lowland, Interior Low Plateaus, Appalachian Plateaus, Ridge and Valley, and Coastal Plain physiographic provinces, and they are developed on Alfisols, Ultisols, Mollisols, Inceptisols, and Vertisols derived from Paleozoic limestones (also Eocene), dolomites, and calcareous shales. The C4 perennial prairie grass S. scoparium is the characteristic dominant taxon in XLPs of eastern United States. However, C3 perennial forbs are dominant in some sites, and C4 annual grasses (Sporobolus spp.) may be locally dominant in shallow-soil-zone microsites. Thirteen taxa apparently are endemic,...
Entanglement temperature and perturbed AdS 3 geometry

Generalizing the first law of thermodynamics, the increase in entropy density $\ensuremath{\delta}S(x)$ of a conformal field theory (CFT) is proportional to the increase in energy density, $\ensuremath{\delta}E(x)$, of a subsystem divided by a spatially dependent entanglement temperature, ${T}_{E}(x)$, a fixed parameter determined by the geometry of the subsystem, crossing over to thermodynamic temperature at high temperatures. In this paper we derive a generalization of the thermodynamic Clausius relation, showing that deformations of the CFT by marginal operators are associated with spatial temperature variations, $\ensuremath{\delta}{T}_{E}(x)$, and spatial energy correlations play the role of specific heat. Using AdS/CFT duality we develop a relationship between a perturbation in the local entanglement temperature of the CFT and the perturbation of the bulk AdS metric. In two dimensions, we demonstrate a method through which direct diagonalizations of the boundary quantum theory may be used to construct geometric perturbations of ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{3}$.
The Role of International Retailing in Marketing and Economic Development

There has been a great deal of discussion on how foreign direct investment can contribute to economic development in less developed countries. Most of the discussion however has focused on foreign direct investment in the manufacturing sector. Simultaneously there have been substantive contributions made on improving the distribution channel system. In the latter, recommendations have often been directed at how local firms can improve their effectiveness and efficiencies. Much less attention has been directed at how established international retailers can make contributions in developing countries. This paper explores how multinational retailers, through appropriate involvement in developing countries, can make positive contributions to further economic development.
The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington edited by Edward Green

The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington comprises original, in-depth commentaries by 20 distinguished experts, all but four of whom are professional musicologists. It represents a huge expansion ...
Intensity Parameter Measurements for Er, Ho, Tm, and Pr in Fluorozirconate Glass

Measurements have been made of the Judd-Ofelt parameters of rare earth ions in heavy metal fluoride glasses empbyed in fiber lasers. Oscilator strengths were determined for transitions of importame in upconversion lasers.
Endogenous peer effects: Fact or fiction?

ABSTRACTThe authors examine endogenous peer effects, which occur when a student's behavior or outcome is a function of the behavior or outcome of his or her peer group. Endogenous peer effects have important implications for educational policies such as busing, school choice and tracking. In this study, the authors quantitatively review the literature on endogenous peer effects through the use of meta-analytic methods. They find a significant and positive endogenous peer effect. It appears to be a genuine empirical effect but is dependent on the measure of educational outcomes, the peer group, publication status, and publication year.
p27 deficiency is associated with migration defects in PDGF-expressing gliomas in vivo.

p27Kip1 is a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor that functions as a tumor suppressor in a variety of different cancers. While p27 has a well established role in regulating the cell cycle, it has also been shown to regulate cellular migration by influencing the activation state of the small GTPase RhoA. We recently demonstrated that loss of p27 enhances tumor progression and leads to a dramatic decrease in survival in PDGF-induced oligodendrogliomas. Here we show that p27 deficient PDGF-expressing glial cells contained elevated levels of Rho-GTP and were less migratory than wild type cells. Migration defects in p27 deficient cells were rescued by either Rho kinase inhibition or expression of p27 or CK-, a mutant of p27 that cannot bind cyclins/cdks. The RCAS/tv-a retroviral system was used to specifically induce PDGF-expressing gliomas in mice. Many of the p27 deficient mice died earlier than wild type mice and displayed hydrocephalus which was associated with periventricular tumors that failed to invade th...
Comparison of Otitis Media Due to Types 3 and 23 Streptococcus pneumoniae in the Chinchilla Model

Only a few pneumococcal serotypes are responsible for the majority of cases of acute otitis media due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in children. The immunopathogenesis of otitis media caused by two serotypes, types 3 and 23, was studied in chinchillas. Chinchillas with type 23 pneumococcal otitis media were capable of clearing the infection over a six-week period without treatment, whereas the type 3 infection persisted throughout the six-week study. In addition, bacteremia or meningitis occurred more frequently and earlier with type 3 pneumococcal otitis media than with type 23. The resolution of the type 23 pneumococcal infection paralleled the development of type-specific antibody, as measured by radioimmunoassay, whereas type 3 infection was associated with a fall in serum antibody to low levels. Since the pathogenesis of pneumococcal otitis media in the chinchilla differs between pneumococcal serotypes, it may be important to correlate pneumococcal serotypes with sequelae and recurrences of otitis media in children.
Effects of smoking and smoking cessation on dietary habits of a Swiss urban population

Objectives: To assess whether current smokers eat differently than never smokers and the relation of smoking cessation to dietary change. Design: Population-based survey from 1993–1997. Setting: The Bus Sante 2000, epidemiologic observatory of Geneva, Switzerland. Subjects: A representative sample of 2301 men and 2306 women resident of Geneva, Switzerland. Results: In both genders, compared to never smokers, current heavy smokers (≥20 cigarettes/d) consumed daily less total vegetables proteins (P<0.03), carbohydrates (P<0.0001), saccharose (P<0.01), fibers (P<0.0001), beta-carotene (P<0.001), fruit (P<0.0001) and vegetables (P<0.04), but they drank more alcohol (P<0.0001) and more coffee (P<0.005). In addition, female current smokers ate less energy (P<0.4), complex carbohydrates (P<0.002), cereals (P<0.003), vegetables (P<0.0001) and less iron (P<0.02). The diet of ex-smokers tended to become more similar to that of never smokers. When longer duration of smoking cessation increased, the consumption of total carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates increased (P<0.01 and P<0.06), and alcohol decreased (P<0.07) in both genders. Conclusions: As in other Western countries, the diet of Swiss smokers appears less healthy than that of never smokers in both men and women, while smoking cessation has beneficial aspect on the quality of the diet. Current smoking appears to have an even stronger effect on the diet of women than on the diet of men. Sponsorship: Swiss National Fund for Scientific Research (Grants No 32.31.326.91, 32-37986.93 and 32-49847.96)
Conversion of Anisole Catalyzed by Platinum Supported on Alumina: The Reaction Network

The conversion of anisole (a compound representative of bio-oils) in the presence of H2 was investigated with a flow reactor operated at a temperature of 573 K and a pressure of 140 kPa with a plat...
Meat and fat intake and colorectal cancer risk: A pooled analysis of 14 prospective studies

491 Relatively high red meat and fat intakes have been hypothesized to increase the risk of colorectal cancer. However previous epidemiologic studies on meat and fat intake and colorectal cancer risk have been inconclusive. We therefore examined the association in a pooled analysis of the primary data from 14 prospective follow-up studies from North America and Europe. Meat and fat intake was assessed using a validated food-frequency questionnaire in each study at baseline. We calculated study-specific relative risks and pooled them using a random-effects model. During follow-up of 725,258 women and men over a maximum of 5 to 20 years in the studies, 7,743 incident cases of colorectal cancer were documented. Greater intake of either red meat (excluding processed meat) or processed meat was not related to colorectal cancer risk. The pooled multivariate relative risks (RRs) of colorectal cancer were 1.00 (95% CI 0.92-1.08) for each 90g(approximately 3 oz)/d increase of red meat and 1.05 (95% CI 0.96-1.15) for each 30g/d increase of processed meat. However, intake of poultry and seafood was related to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer (RR= 0.88 [95% CI 0.77-1.00] for each 90g/d increase, P value for heterogeneity=0.04). The RRs for colorectal cancer for each 45g/d increase were 0.92 (95% CI 0.83-1.02) for poultry and 0.91 (95% CI 0.83-0.99) for seafood. Intakes of total, saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats were not appreciably associated with colorectal cancer risk. In conclusion, these prospective data do not support a positive association between higher red meat and fat intake and colorectal cancer risk. Higher intake of poultry and fish may be associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
Improved insulin action in muscle, liver, and adipose tissue in physically trained human subjects.

The present studies were initiated to assess the effect of insulin on muscle, liver, and adipose tissue in eight control and eight physically trained individuals matched for age and body mass index...
Parasite or Partner? Coverage of Google News in an Era of News Aggregation

With online news aggregators outperforming most traditional media sites, some news executives have accused Google News of stealing their content, even as they rely on Google for exposure. Through a...
Enhanced Carbon Dioxide Capture from Landfill Gas Using Bifunctionalized Benzimidazole-Linked Polymers

Tuning the binding affinity of small gases and their selective uptake by porous adsorbents are vital for effective CO2 removal from gas mixtures for environmental protection and fuel upgrading. In this study, an amine-functionalized benzimidazole-linked polymer (BILP-6-NH2) was synthesized by a combination of pre- and postsynthetic modification techniques in two steps. Presynthetic incorporation of nitro groups resulted in stoichiometric functionalization (1 nitro/phenyl) in addition to noninvasive functionalization, where more than 80% of the surface area maintained compared to BILP-6. Experimental studies presented enhanced CO2 uptake and CO2/CH4 selectivity in BILP-6-NH2 compared to BILP-6, which are governed by the synergetic effect of benzimidazole and amine moieties. DFT calculations were used to understand the interaction modes of CO2 with BILP-6-NH2 and confirmed the efficacy of amine groups. Encouraged by the enhanced uptake and selectivity in BILP-6-NH2, we have evaluated its performance in land...
Clinical Case #6: Frank

Frank is a 68-year-old retired auto worker. He is being referred to this office from his primary care doctor. Frank reports a 20-year history of intermittent lower back pain that got much worse and more constant 2 years ago. He says that 2 years ago, for no apparent reason, he started having worsening lower back and buttock pain that was worse on the right than the left. The pain was mostly dull and aching and was worse when he would go for a walk. A year ago, it got to the point where he was having trouble walking his dog more than a block. At that time, he went to his primary care doctor who sent him to physical therapy.
Staphylococcal SCCmec elements encode an active MCM-like helicase and thus may be replicative

One of the conserved proteins of the Staphylococcus aureus mobile genomic island responsible for methicillin resistance is an active MCM-like helicase, thus suggesting replication that would enhance the efficiency of horizontal gene transfer.
'Wasting away' of the old old: can it--and should it--be treated?

Asthenia/cachexia, a syndrome which may manifest as a "wasting away," is growing in importance as the number of those ages 75 to 85 and over 85 increases. The syndrome has clearly identifiable laboratory abnormalities, a multitude of etiologic factors, and serious consequences. Accurate diagnosis of the causative agent is often difficult, since asthenia/cachexia is associated with aging, acute disease, and chronic disease. In addition, empiric treatment is often unpleasant and causes grief to families attempting to provide humane care for parents and grandparents at the end of life. The goal of the practitioner is to identify and intervene judiciously in the progressive deterioration of individuals who develop asthenia/cachexia and its complications.
Order of magnitude enhancement of monolayer MoS 2 photoluminescence due to near-field energy influx from nanocrystal films

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) like MoS2 are promising candidates for various optoelectronic applications. The typical photoluminescence (PL) of monolayer MoS2 is however known to suffer very low quantum yields. We demonstrate a 10-fold increase of MoS2 excitonic PL enabled by nonradiative energy transfer (NRET) from adjacent nanocrystal quantum dot (NQD) films. The understanding of this effect is facilitated by our application of transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy to monitor the energy influx into the monolayer MoS2 in the process of ET from photoexcited CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals. In contrast to PL spectroscopy, TA can detect even non-emissive excitons, and we register an order of magnitude enhancement of the MoS2 excitonic TA signatures in hybrids with NQDs. The appearance of ET-induced nanosecond-scale kinetics in TA features is consistent with PL dynamics of energy-accepting MoS2 and PL quenching data of the energy-donating NQDs. The observed enhancement is attributed to the reduction of recombination losses for excitons gradually transferred into MoS2 under quasi-resonant conditions as compared with their direct photoproduction. The TA and PL data clearly illustrate the efficacy of MoS2 and likely other TMDC materials as energy acceptors and the possibility of their practical utilization in NRET-coupled hybrid nanostructures.
Abstract 227: Adipose Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) Vasculogenesis Demonstrates a Dose Response Through the Assembly of Endothelial Networks

ObjectiveCritical limb ischemia (CLI) is a challenging clinical entity complicated by chronic microvascular disease. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF), a heterogeneous population of cells derived fro...
Anesthesia and concussion.

Purpose of reviewAs clinicians preparing patients for general anesthesia, should we consider the possibility of concussion in our elective operative patients? If so, why is this necessary? Is it possible that exposure to an anesthetic is detrimental to recovery from concussion? If so, what should we
Justice in Post-Conflict Settings: Islamic Law and Muslim Communities as Stakeholders in Transition

This essay is one of the first collaborative efforts to identify the underlying norms embedded in diverse traditions of Islamic law as these apply to contemporary Muslim communities experiencing conflict or transitioning from conflict. This long overdue endeavor draws upon comparative legal analyses, postconflict justice traditions, global governance, and empirical conflict studies to explore why Islamic legal norms are not often used as a resource for restraint and guidance in contemporary conflict settings. In exploring this puzzle, the authors make the case for strengthening commensurate Islamic and international conflict norms for complex conflicts and postconflict tradition. We also situate Islamic postconflict justice norms—which are too often confined to religious and natural law discussions—into contemporary problems of security policy, conflict prevention, and problems of governance. We indicate the many benefits of such a comparative approach for citizens of diverse Muslim and Arabs states and communities, trying to build pathways out of conflict, and for humanitarian and human rights practitioners working in such arenas toward similar goals. An additional, important benefit in excavating such shari’a norms is in providing the intellectual basis to counter politicized, extremist, and instrumentalist uses of Islamic law to justify extreme uses of political violence across the Middle East, Central and South Asian, and African regions.
Being and Mind

In Eucharistie Presence Robert Sokolowski mentions the thirty years of friendship and collegiality with Thomas Prufer who died a year before its publication. The blossoms of this friendship have blessed all of us who are here today and this dyad forms part of the sense of this great day which I am dubbing the “Sokofest.”
Student considerations when selecting an entry-level physical therapy program. Does interprofessional education curriculum matter?

Abstract Background The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) will have a requirement for interprofessional education (IPE) in entry-level physical therapy education programs beginning in 2018. With these changes physical therapy (PT) and other health professions students may develop the professional relationships and capabilities needed to become a collaborative interprofessional team. Purpose The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to explore if IPE curriculum was an influencing factor in students' decisions in selecting an entry-level DPT education program. A secondary objective was to explore differences in gender and age in selecting an entry-level DPT education program. Method One-hundred-and-ninety-five current PT students from both IPE and traditional-based curriculums provided information on demographics and their reasons for choosing to attend their current PT program. Chi-square analysis was utilized to determine if there were any significant relationships between demographic characteristics and primary reason for program selection. Discussion Physical therapy students did not take IPE and/or curriculum into consideration when determining what program to attend. Location of program (38%), acceptance into program (25%), and quality/reputation of the program (24%) were the three most prevalent responses. Conclusion Physical therapy education programs may use the results to raise awareness of their IPE curricula and its potential benefits to recruit students who recognize the benefits of IPE.
Concentrative biliary secretion of ceftriaxone: Inhibition of lipid secretion and precipitation of calcium ceftriaxone in bile

The hepatic transport of ceftriaxone, a third-generation cephalosporin, was characterized in the rat and hamster; its effect on bile flow and bile acid-induced biliary lipid secretion was also measured. In anesthetized rats with biliary fistulae, the Tmax was about 5 mumol.min-1.kg-1, and in the hamster the Tmax was about 1 mumol.min-1.kg-1. The compound was not biotransformed. At high secretion rates, the concentration of cephalosporin in bile increased to 27 mmol/L, a concentration far exceeding the solubility product of its calcium salt [2 x 10(-6) (mol/L)2], which precipitated from bile. In the rat, ceftriaxone induced choleresis (22 microL/mumol ceftriaxone, the expected value for a dianionic compound). In the isolated perfused rat liver, ceftriaxone had a fractional hepatic extraction rate averaging 3%; the compound was concentratively secreted into bile, the bile-perfusate ratio ranging from 35-250. Ceftriaxone inhibited phospholipid and cholesterol secretion induced by endogenous or exogenous bile acids; the rate of inhibition was linearly proportional to the canalicular secretion rate of ceftriaxone. Hepatic transport of ceftriaxone had no influence on hepatic secretion of ursodeoxycholyltaurine. In contrast, the net hepatic transport of ursodeoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholyltaurine, or cholyltaurine inhibited ceftriaxone transport in a dose-dependent manner. It is concluded that ceftriaxone and bile acids share a common mechanism for hepatic transport in the rat and also interact in the processes involved in biliary lipid secretion. Biliary secretion of unbiotransformed ceftriaxone occurs at high concentrations; secondary Ca2+ entry results in the formation of supersaturated canalicular bile and subsequent precipitation as a calcium salt in the biliary tract. These data explain the formation of biliary sludge that occurs in patients undergoing high-dose ceftriaxone therapy.
Comedian Hosts and the Demotic Turn

Podcasting is a showcase for what cultural studies scholar Graeme Turner coined ‘the demotic turn’ or the increasing visibility of the ‘ordinary person’ in the today’s media landscape. Collins argues that the emergence of a particular breed of podcasts—comedian-hosted interviews with celebrities—function in an ‘off-label’ manner as a form of self-help or vicarious therapy. The emergence and rapid growth of this genre can be attributed to three main factors: a confessional culture, the triumph of experience over expertise, and the democratisation allowed by the form’s technology. She explores the link between emotional intimacy and comedy, and analyses podcasts like Marc Maron’s WTF that are, in expression, a rejection of the pedestal version of stardom.
Intraoperative Radiotherapy (IORT)

IORT can be used in conjunction with surgery to provide additional local disease control. In certain situations where a maximum surgical resection is the primary treatment, IORT can be used, location permitting, to deliver RT to an area of high concern for recurrence (e.g., possible positive margins).
Understanding the relationship between mothers’ childhood exposure to intimate partner violence and current parenting behaviors through adult intimate partner violence: A moderation analysis

It is understood that childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) can contribute directly and indirectly to adult outcomes, including parenting behaviors. To further understand these asso...
Trust But Verify: A Distributed Algorithm for Multi-Robot Wireframe Exploration and Mapping

This paper presents a novel distributed mapping algorithm for multiple resource-constrained robots operating in a rectilinear 2D environment. The algorithm is built upon the sparse wireframe map representation and updating framework in [1]. We propose an exploration strategy based on the labeling of the vertices in the wireframe map, combined with a map-merging interrupt routine that is activated when robots enter into communication range with one another. The maps are not naively merged, but instead the receiving robot verifies the received information before it is assimilated by attempting to drive to the location where the other robot was when communication was established. The robots do not share a global coordinate frame, so prior to a merge the relative map alignment is determined. This is achieved using the random sample consensus (RANSAC) framework with a custom feature which leverages the structure inherent in the wireframe map representation. This results in a lower rate of false-positive matches compared to another state-of-the-art feature used in point cloud alignment, the 4-point congruent set (4PCS). We show our feature to be more robust to false-positive alignments, a common occurrence when attempting to align sparse structures such as wireframe maps. We present high fidelity simulation results in a ROS-Gazebo environment with lidar-equipped TurtleBots1 to highlight the benefits of our algorithm.1The TurtleBot3 burger configuration www.turtlebot.com
Behavioral responses of northern crayfish (Faxonius virilis) to conspecific alarm cues and predator cues from smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)

While the ability for crayfish to detect visual and chemical cues is well documented, relatively few studies have probed the behavioral responses of crayfish to cues from key predators that they en...
Development of Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) on sorghum: Quality characteristics and varietal susceptibility

Abstract A white low polyphenol sorghum, a red-waxy starch sorghum, a red-tannin sorghum with moderate polyphenol levels, and a red non-tannin sorghum were evaluated for susceptibility to Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab.) (Coleopter: Bostrychidae), the lesser grain borer. Density levels of 0 (untreated controls), 10, 20, or 30 mixed-sex adults were exposed on 100 g replicates of each of the varieties and removed after two weeks. Progeny production and physical damage were evaluated on each variety, along with quality characteristics such as moisture content, protein, starch, phenolic content, and kernel vitreousity. Progeny production and physical damage varied with density level and variety, but was generally lowest on the red-waxy sorghum. At the density level of 30 parental adults more progeny were found in the red-tannin sorghum compared to the other varieties. Starch content, kernel vitreousity and hardness was lower in the red-tannin sorghum. Total phenolic content was 2–3x greater in the red-tannin sorghum compared to the other varieties, but the high phenolic content did not seem to affect R. dominica progeny production. Results suggest the insects bypassed the bran layer of the sorghum varieties to feed on the germ and endosperm. Results of this study could be used to further explore the relationships between kernel hardness, chemical composition, and susceptibility to stored product insects, and incorporate results into management programs for maintaining quality of stored sorghum and processed sorghum food by-products.
Physiological dynamics of chemosynthetic symbionts in hydrothermal vent snails.

Symbioses between invertebrate animals and chemosynthetic bacteria form the basis of hydrothermal vent ecosystems worldwide. In the Lau Basin, deep-sea vent snails of the genus Alviniconcha associate with either Gammaproteobacteria (A. kojimai, A. strummeri) or Campylobacteria (A. boucheti) that use sulfide and/or hydrogen as energy sources. While the A. boucheti host–symbiont combination (holobiont) dominates at vents with higher concentrations of sulfide and hydrogen, the A. kojimai and A. strummeri holobionts are more abundant at sites with lower concentrations of these reductants. We posit that adaptive differences in symbiont physiology and gene regulation might influence the observed niche partitioning between host taxa. To test this hypothesis, we used high-pressure respirometers to measure symbiont metabolic rates and examine changes in gene expression among holobionts exposed to in situ concentrations of hydrogen (H2: ~25 µM) or hydrogen sulfide (H2S: ~120 µM). The campylobacterial symbiont exhibited the lowest rate of H2S oxidation but the highest rate of H2 oxidation, with fewer transcriptional changes and less carbon fixation relative to the gammaproteobacterial symbionts under each experimental condition. These data reveal potential physiological adaptations among symbiont types, which may account for the observed net differences in metabolic activity and contribute to the observed niche segregation among holobionts.
Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis for Submassive Pulmonary Embolism in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy.

Abstract A 37-year-old woman presented with chest pain and shortness of breath in the third trimester of pregnancy. Diagnostic imaging demonstrated a saddle pulmonary embolism, severe impairment of right ventricular function, and an extensive deep venous thrombus. She underwent catheter-directed thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator and delivered a healthy infant at term. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)
Treatment response and clinical outcomes of well-differentiated high-grade neuroendocrine tumors to 177Lu-DOTATATE.

368Background: 177Lu-DOTATATE is an approved therapy for somatostatin receptor (sstr) positive gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). There are little data available on response and o...
Medicaid/CHIP Eligibility and Insurance Status in Foreign-Born Children Living in the United States

Background Foreign-born children are subject to an ongoing natural experiment in the United States. Each state independently decides criteria for their enrollment in Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), resulting in three categories: 19 states follow the federal mandate of enrollment after 5 years permanent residency, 25 states offer enrollment without a waiting period for permanent residents, and 6 states have expansive criteria that allow enrollment regardless of documentation …
End-to-End Ascent-Entry Mission Performance Optimization Using Gaussian Quadrature Collocation

The performance optimization for a combined ascent-entry mission subject to constraints on heating rate and heating load is studied. The ascent vehicle is modeled as a three-stage rocket that places the vehicle onto a suborbital exo-atmopheric trajectory after which the vehicle undergoes an unpowered entry and descent to a vertically downward terminal condition. The entry vehicle is modeled as a high lift-to-drag ratio vehicle that is capable of withstanding high levels of thermal and structural loads. A performance index is designed to improve control margin while attenuating phugoid oscillations during atmospheric entry. Furthermore, a mission corresponding to a prototype launch and target point is used in this study. The trajectory optimization problem is formulated as a multiple-phase optimal control problem, and the optimal control problem is solved using an adaptive Gaussian quadrature collocation method. A key aspect of the optimized trajectories is that, for particular ranges of maximum allowable heating rate and heating load during entry, relatively small adjustments made during ascent can potentially decrease the control effort required during atmospheric entry. Outside of these ranges for maximum allowable heating rate and heating load, however, it is found that the required control effort increases and eventually saturates the commanded angle of attack upon initial descent. The key features of the optimized trajectories and controls are identified, and the approach developed in this paper provides a systematic method for end-to-end ascent-entry trajectory optimization.
Cannabis and End-of-Life Care: A Snapshot of Hospice Planning and Experiences Among Illinois Medical Cannabis Patients With A Terminal Diagnosis:

Introduction:Between 2013 and 2019, Illinois limited cannabis access to certified patients enrolled in the Illinois Medical Cannabis Program (IMCP). In 2016, the state instituted a fast-track pathw...
Rlf-Mycl Gene Fusion Drives Tumorigenesis and Metastasis in a Mouse Model of Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has limited therapeutic options and an exceptionally poor prognosis. Understanding the oncogenic drivers of SCLC may help define novel therapeutic targets. Recurrent genomic rearrangements have been identified in SCLC, most notably an in-frame gene fusion between RLF and MYCL found in up to 7% of the predominant ASCL1-expressing subtype (SCLC-A). To explore the role of this fusion in oncogenesis and tumor progression, we used CRISPR/Cas9 somatic editing to generate a Rlf-Mycl-driven mouse model of SCLC. RLF-MYCL fusion accelerated transformation and proliferation of murine SCLC and increased metastatic dissemination and the diversity of metastatic sites. Tumors from the RLF-MYCL genetically-engineered mouse model displayed gene expression similarities with human RLF-MYCL SCLC. Together our studies support RLF-MYCL as the first demonstrated fusion oncogenic driver in SCLC and provide a new preclinical mouse model for the study of this subtype of SCLC.
Pervasive Neglect of Sex Differences in Biomedical Research

Females have long been underrepresented in preclinical research and clinical drug trials. Directives by the U.S. National Institutes of Health have increased female participation in research protocols, although analysis of outcomes by sex remains infrequent. The long-held view that traits of female rats and mice are more variable than those of males is discredited, supporting equal representation of both sexes in most studies. Drug pharmacokinetic analysis reveals that, among subjects administered a standard drug dose, women are exposed to higher blood drug concentrations and longer drug elimination times. This contributes to increased adverse drug reactions in women and suggests that women are routinely overmedicated and should be administered lower drug doses than men. The past decade has seen progress in female inclusion, but key subsequent steps such as sex-based analysis and sex-specific drug dosing remain to be implemented.
Competence mutants. II. Physical and biological fate of donor transforming deoxyribonucleic acid.

Transformation-deficient ( com − ) mutants, which are able to bind donor transforming deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) without yielding a significant number of transformants, were studied with regard to the fate of donor DNA. In no case was there any detectable degradation into acid-soluble radioactivity after donor DNA uptake. Physical experiments showed that some of these mutants are deficient in their ability to associate donor DNA with the recipient9s chromosome ( dad − mutants, for donor association defective), whereas others are able to form what appear to be normal donor-recipient complexes. In spite of physical evidence for integration, none of the dad − mutants contains biologically active recombinant DNA, suggesting that they might be deficient in the recombination process ( dab − mutants, for donor association biologically defective). Donor biological activity is not replicated in any of the mutant strains, and in some cases there is a 10-fold reduction of donor transforming DNA within 60 min after DNA uptake.
The hydrodynamics of flow between horizontal concentric cylinders—II.: Generalized criteria and correlation of heat transfer data

Abstract The neutral stability criteria for the generalized case of flow due to circumferential pumping and rotation of the inner cylinder are reviewed. The neutral stability is defined by the parameter, P , as used by B rewster . Heat transfer data taken from the literature have been recalculated. The parameter P is found to be useful in correlating the data.
Site-specific analysis of a droughted corn crop: II. Water use and stress.

In the southeastern USA Coastal Plain, spatial variation in soils causes extreme spatial variation in grain yield, as seen in yield maps. Corn (Zea mays L.) appears to be particularly susceptible to soil variation, espedally during periods of drought. Our objectives were to compare variation in water use and stress of corn within and among soil map units. In one field, at two sites in each of four map units, we measured site-specific effects of soil variation on crop water use from 40 d after planting until after maturity using a time-domain reflectometer (TDR). On 4 d during vegetative growth, drought stress was evaluated on eight transects using infrared thermometer (IRT) measurements of canopy temperature (T c ). During the most severe drought, visibly stressed areas had canopy-air temperature differences (T c - T,) > 10°C, yet other areas remained <2°C. Two days after a 46-mm rain, T c - T, was near zero over the whole field, indicating little water stress. The time series of TDR measurements produced estimates of daily evapotranspiration, runoff, and infiltration; site-to-site differences in these dominated the water balance. Water stress, inferred from water use, matched that inferred earlier from yield components. In sum, corn at the eight sites arrived at final water use via fundamentally different paths. Further, variation between sites within soils was significant, indicating that soll map units are not homogenous with respect to water relations. These results underscore the need for within-season observations of crop water use and stress to augment interpretation of site-specific yleid maps.
New interfaces to the Yohkoh archive at Montana State University

Abstract MSU recently brought online 2.1 Tb of storage with a primary aim of providing space for work on the new Yohkoh movie. In the process we have also been able to create another complete archive of Yohkoh data. We are investigating ways to make these data available to the community that seek to maximize the scientific potential and make it easier for users to identify data of interest. In the first stage of the work, we will be providing a web based interface to the Yohkoh HXT Flare Image Archive work of Jun Sato. We will then look to expand this interface to include fully integrated SXT/HXT data. It is intended that this and future work will be part of the Yohkoh Galileo Project and of MSU's involvement in the Virtual Solar Observatory .
Microbial mobilization of plutonium and other actinides from contaminated soil

We examined the dissolution of Pu, U, and Am in contaminated soil from the Nevada Test Site (NTS) due to indigenous microbial activity. Scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) analysis of the soil showed that Pu was present in its polymeric form and associated with Fe- and Mn- oxides and aluminosilicates. Uranium analysis by x-ray diffraction (μ-XRD) revealed discrete U-containing mineral phases, viz., schoepite, sharpite, and liebigite; synchrotron x-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) mapping showed its association with Fe- and Ca-phases; and μ-x-ray absorption near edge structure (μ-XANES) confirmed U(IV) and U(VI) oxidation states. Addition of citric acid or glucose to the soil and incubated under aerobic or anaerobic conditions enhanced indigenous microbial activity and the dissolution of Pu. Detectable amount of Am and no U was observed in solution. In the citric acid-amended sample, Pu concentration increased with time and decreased to below detection levels when the citric acid was completely consumed. In contrast, with glucose amendment, Pu remained in solution. Pu speciation studies suggest that it exists in mixed oxidation states (III/IV) in a polymeric form as colloids. Although Pu(IV) is the most prevalent and generally considered to be more stable chemical form in the environment, our findings suggest that under the appropriate conditions, microbial activity could affect its solubility and long-term stability in contaminated environments.
Measurement and calculation of integral heavy-element cross-section ratios in the fast breeder reactor EBR-II

Measurements of integral neutron capture-to-fission cross-section ratios and neutron capture rates of 233U, 235U, 238U, 239 Pu, 240 Pu, and 242Pu at 15 radial and axial positions in EBR-n are repor...