cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression patterns of microRNAs in the chorioamniotic membranes: a role for microRNAs in human pregnancy and parturition

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression during development. This study was performed to determine gestational age-dependent changes in miRNA expression in the chorioamniotic membranes and to assess the significance of miRNAs in human pregnancy and parturition. The expression profile of 455 miRNAs was compared between patients at term without labor (TNL: n=10), in labor (TL: n=10), and preterm labor (PTL: n=10) using microarrays. A total of 39 miRNAs were differentially expressed between term and preterm cases, of which 31 (79.5%) were down-regulated at term. Expression of 10 miRNAs, including miR-338, differentially expressed between PTL and TL groups was decreased at term. Computational analyses using miRBase Targets have identified PLA2G4B, a phospholipase implicated in parturition, as a putative target of miR-338. Inhibition of endogenous miR-338 with anti-miR-338 increased the mRNA and protein expression of PLA2G4B in decidual cells. Luciferase assay with reporter constructs confirmed that the suppression of PLA2G4B occurs through binding of miR-338 to the 3’UTR of PLA2G4B. Interestingly, the expression of Dicer, a key miRNA-processing enzyme, was markedly decreased at term, particularly with labor in the chorioamniotic membranes. Collectively, the novel findings reported herein strongly suggest that post-transcriptional regulation of genes by miRNAs, coupled with the changes of miRNA processing machinery in the chorioamniotic membranes, plays a role in pregnancy and parturition. Furthermore, the expression level of Dicer in the chorioamniotic membranes dichotomizes pathological preterm labor and physiological spontaneous labor at term.
The effect of transfer mechanism from juvenile court on conviction on a target offense in criminal court

The question of whether juvenile offenders should be handled in criminal court has been addressed by a number of studies. However, few have examined the effectiveness of the type of transfer mechanism and how it relates to protecting the public. Whether the mechanism used to transfer juvenile offenders to criminal court has any effect on the likelihood of being convicted of a target offense criminal court is examined here. It was found that the juveniles sampled in this study had a greater chance of being convicted on their target offense in criminal court if they were sent there via judicial waiver than if they were excluded from juvenile court jurisdiction by statute.
Analysis of the gas exchange system dynamics during high-frequency ventilation.

High-frequency ventilation (HFV) as a form of artificial respiration has attracted interest in recent years as a means of reducing the risk of barotrauma in clinical applications. This paper explores the high-grequency dynamics of the gas exchange system in order to obtain mathematical models that allow optimization studies aimed at answering the question: What is the optimum ventilatory waveform that secures a certain level of gas exchange while minimizing the resulting fluctuations in pleural or alveolar pressure? Two classes of input are considered: sinusoids and band-limited white noise. A model for the dynamic relation between tracheal flow and CO2 tension is obtained from experimental data which, in combination with existing models relating tracheal flow to pleural or alveolar pressure, allows optimization of the input flow waveform for a given level of CO2 elimination rate. The developed relation between CO2 elimination rate and input was verified by experimentally measured arterial CO2 tension.
Instrumentation for Use with BEV Accelerators

The object of the instrumentation is to observe the interaction of high energy protons with various nuclei and to study the characteristics of the short-lived particles which are produced. The tracks of charged particles can be directly observed in photographic film, in cloud and bubble chambers and in spark chambers. Alternatively, a number of radiation detectors may be arranged to give a signal orly when a selected type of event takes place.
Genetic structure of two endangered pitcher plants, Sarracenia jonesii and Sarracenia oreophila (sarraceniaceae)

Sarracenia jonesii and S. oreophila are insectivorous perennial plants of the southeastern United States. Both pitcher plant taxa are rare and endangered. Allozyme diversity was assessed for eight of the ten extant populations of S. jonesii and 14 of the 35 remaining S. oreophila populations. Genetic diversity was low and comparable for both species (Hes = 0.086 and 0.082 for S. jonesii and S. oreophila, respectively). Mean population genic diversity (Hep) was 0.061 for S. jonesii and 0.060 for S. oreophila. Estimates of genetic diversity were typical of those commonly associated with endemic species. Small populations of each species and geographically disjunct populations tended to maintain less genetic diversity. Indirect estimates of gene flow were comparable for S. oreophila (Nm = 1.62) and S. jonesii (Nm = 1.07).
Fast 3-D optical imaging with transient fluorescence signals

A fast 3-D optical imaging method with use of exogenous fluorescence agent is proposed and demonstrated by simulation in a model tissue. After administration of fluorescent agent, ultrashort near-infrared laser pulses are used to illuminate the tissue and excite fluorescence emission. The transient fluorescence signals are detected on the tissue boundaries and employed to reconstruct a 3-D image of relative fluorescence emission distribution inside the tissue. A region with greater fluorescence emission represents a diseased tissue if the fluorescent agent has a close affinity with the disease. We successfully demonstrated the feasibility of this method in the imaging of a small cubic tumor embedded in a cubical tissue phantom with a preassigned uptake distribution of fluorescent indocyanine green dye. The image reconstruction does not involve any inverse optimization. It took less than 5 minutes in a general PC for the two model imaging problems.
Urban Growth in China Evolution in the Role of Urban Planners

What role do professional planners play in a rapidly urbanizing China? Previous studies have looked in general at planning in China, but specific examples of planners’ work have been limited. We highlight three examples of planning-in-action that reveal the range of roles planners play in relation to local governments. In particular, we identify three ways Chinese planners provide input into the development process: negotiating for a middle ground between their opinions and the priorities of officials, providing technical analysis that can both inform and legitimize government decisions, and deliberately advocating for a position in the face of a conflicting agenda.
Radiofrequency Ablation in the Lung Complicated by Positive Airway Pressure Ventilation

A patient receiving bilevel positive airway pressure therapy underwent radiofrequency ablation of a pulmonary metastasis from a primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the scapula. The patient's postablation course was complicated by a bronchopleural fistula, which was exacerbated by the detrimental effects of positive airway pressure on necrotic lung tissue after the ablation. The use of positive airway pressure devices, including bilevel positive airway pressure and continuous positive airway pressure, in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation of the lung should be considered as an added risk for developing bronchopleural fistula.
Spatial analysis of lung, colorectal, and breast cancer on Cape Cod: an application of generalized additive models to case-control data.

The availability of geographic information from cancer and birth defect registries has increased public demands for investigation of perceived disease clusters. Many neighborhood-level cluster investigations are methodologically problematic, while maps made from registry data often ignore latency and many known risk factors. Population-based case-control and cohort studies provide a stronger foundation for spatial epidemiology because potential confounders and disease latency can be addressed. We investigated the association between residence and colorectal, lung, and breast cancer on upper Cape Cod, Massachusetts (USA) using extensive data on covariates and residential history from two case-control studies for 1983–1993. We generated maps using generalized additive models, smoothing on longitude and latitude while adjusting for covariates. The resulting continuous surface estimates disease rates relative to the whole study area. We used permutation tests to examine the overall importance of location in the model and identify areas of increased and decreased risk. Maps of colorectal cancer were relatively flat. Assuming 15 years of latency, lung cancer was significantly elevated just northeast of the Massachusetts Military Reservation, although the result did not hold when we restricted to residences of longest duration. Earlier non-spatial epidemiology had found a weak association between lung cancer and proximity to gun and mortar positions on the reservation. Breast cancer hot spots tended to increase in magnitude as we increased latency and adjusted for covariates, indicating that confounders were partly hiding these areas. Significant breast cancer hot spots were located near known groundwater plumes and the Massachusetts Military Reservation. Spatial epidemiology of population-based case-control studies addresses many methodological criticisms of cluster studies and generates new exposure hypotheses. Our results provide evidence for spatial clustering of breast cancer on upper Cape Cod. The analysis suggests further investigation of the potential association between breast cancer and pollution plumes based on detailed exposure modeling.
Personal genotypes are teachable moments

There is an urgent need for effective genomics education for healthcare professionals. Recent analysis of an experimental genomics curriculum showed that medical students' examinations of their own genotypes provide a valuable learning experience. Such experiential learning has a long tradition in medical education and its application to genomics is enabled by increasingly powerful and decreasingly costly genome science and technology. Personal genotyping is an important option to consider when designing educational programs for healthcare professionals.
Sumo E2 Enzyme UBC9 Is Required for Efficient Protein Quality Control in Cardiomyocytes

Rationale: Impairment of proteasomal function is pathogenic in several cardiac proteinopathies and can eventually lead to heart failure. Loss of proteasomal activity often results in the accumulation of large protein aggregates. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is primarily responsible for cellular protein degradation, and although the role of ubiquitination in this process is well studied, the function of an ancillary post-translational modification, SUMOylation, in protein quality control is not fully understood. Objective: To determine the role of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 9 (UBC9), a small ubiquitin-like modifier–conjugating enzyme, in cardiomyocyte protein quality control. Methods and Results: Gain- and loss-of-function approaches were used to determine the importance of UBC9. Overexpression of UBC9 enhanced UPS function in cardiomyocytes, whereas knockdown of UBC9 by small interfering RNA caused significant accumulations of aggregated protein. UPS function and relative activity was analyzed using a UPS reporter protein consisting of a short degron, CL1, fused to the COOH-terminus of green fluorescent protein (GFPu). Subsequently, the effects of UBC9 on UPS function were tested in a proteotoxic model of desmin-related cardiomyopathy, caused by cardiomyocyte-specific expression of a mutated αB crystallin, CryAB R120G . CryAB R120G expression leads to aggregate formation and decreased proteasomal function. Coinfection of UBC9-adenovirus with CryAB R120G virus reduced the proteotoxic sequelae, decreasing overall aggregate concentrations. Conversely, knockdown of UBC9 significantly decreased UPS function in the model and resulted in increased aggregate levels. Conclusions: UBC9 plays a significant role in cardiomyocyte protein quality control, and its activity can be exploited to reduce toxic levels of misfolded or aggregated proteins in cardiomyopathy.
Comparison of aerodynamic and radiometric surface temperature using precision weighing lysimeters

Radiometric surface temperature (Ts) is commonly used as a surrogate for aerodynamic temperature (To) in computing the sensible heat flux term (H) in the energy balance. However, these temperatures may differ by several degrees, leading to possible errors (especially for large H) and their relationship is not well known. Previous researchers have established empirical and semi-empirical parameterizations of the radiometric roughness length (zor) or some related form (e.g., kBr−1 = ln[zom/zor], where zom is the momentum roughness length). In this paper, we estimated To - Ta (where Ta is air temperature at 2 m height) and zor using large, precision weighing lysimeters planted with irrigated alfalfa, irrigated and dryland cotton, and dryland grain sorghum. Ts was measured by infrared thermometers mounted over the lysimeters. No apparent relations were found between (To − Ta) and (Ts - Ta) or between zor (in the kBr−1 form) and meteorological variables or leaf area index (LAI). The kBr−1 parameter appeared to be most influenced by the different surface roughness of each crop type. Using constant kBr-1 values established for each type of surface, the energy balance model showed reasonable agreement with H and LE derived from lysimeter measurements.
Quantitative RT-PCR assay for HPV infection in cultured cells.

Abstract Early events in the life cycle of the human papillomaviruses (HPV) have been difficult to investigate due to both the scarcity of authentic HPV virions and limitations in assays to detect and quantify nonpermissive infections in monolayer cell culture. We have developed a quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (QRT-PCR) assay for the E1∧E4 transcript of HPV-11. This assay is both sensitive, and capable of differentiating between infections caused by a wide range of virus input. The QRT-PCR assay measured accurately the relative amount of viral transcripts present in samples during validation experiments using RNAs from three cell lines. Infections in all three cell lines, using titrations of HPV-11 virions ranging from 20 to 600 particles per cell, produced linear expression profiles suggesting that these multiplicities of infection are below the saturation level for viral uptake and transcription. Comparison of the QRT-PCR assay with the commonly used nested RT-PCR assay revealed that although the nested RT-PCR assay was more sensitive, it did not differentiate between infections caused by >1000-fold difference in viral inputs. Potential applications of the QRT-PCR assay are demonstrated in experiments measuring the ability of a capsid-specific monoclonal antibody and a nonspecific microbicide to block HPV-11 infection.
MDL, A Domain-Specific Language for Molecular Dynamics

Molecular dynamics (MD) involves solving Newton's equations of motion for a molecular system and propagating the system by time-dependent updates of atomic positions and velocities. As a severe limitation of molecular dynamics is the size of the timestep used for propagation, a key area of research is the development of efficient propagation algorithms which can maintain accuracy and stability with larger timesteps. We present MDL, an MD domain-specific language with the goals of allowing prototyping, testing and debugging of these algorithms. We illustrate the use of parallelism within MDL to implement the finite temperature string method, and interfacing to visualization and graphical tools
Cohesin Plays a Dual Role in Gene Regulation and Sister-Chromatid Cohesion During Meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sister-chromatid cohesion mediated by cohesin ensures proper chromosome segregation during cell division. Cohesin is also required for postreplicative DNA double-strand break repair and gene expression. The molecular mechanisms of these diverse cohesin functions remain to be elucidated. Here we report that the cohesin subunits Scc3 and Smc1 are both required for the production of the meiosis-specific subunit Rec8 in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using a genetic approach, we depleted Scc3 and Smc1 independently in cells that were undergoing meiosis. Both Scc3- and Smc1-depleted cells were inducible for meiosis, but the REC8 promoter was only marginally activated, leading to reduced levels of REC8 transcription and protein production. In contrast, the expression of MCD1, the mitotic counterpart of REC8, was not subject to Scc3 regulation in vegetative cells. We provide genetic evidence to show that sister-chromatid cohesion is not necessary for activation of REC8 gene expression. Cohesin appears to positively regulate the expression of a variety of genes during yeast meiosis. Our results suggest that the cohesin complex plays a dual role in gene regulation and sister-chromatid cohesion during meiotic differentiation in yeast.
Comparison of family histories in FTLD subtypes and related tauopathies

Pedigrees from 269 patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), including frontotemporal dementia (FTD), FTD with ALS (FTD/ALS), progressive nonfluent aphasia, semantic dementia (SD), corticobasal degeneration, and progressive supranuclear palsy were analyzed to determine the degree of heritability of these disorders. FTD/ALS was the most and SD the least heritable subtype. FTLD syndromes appear to have different etiologies and recurrence risks.
Engaging young, black men who have sex with men in HIV testing using social network strategies: opportunities and challenges

Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to account for the majority of new infections with HIV in the USA. While the estimated HIV incidence among MSM has changed little in the past two decades, a substantially increased proportion of new infections are among gay and bisexual men who are young and black. Black MSM comprised 55% of the HIV infections diagnosed among MSM aged 15–29 years, while only 12% of the general population is black [1]. The wide disparity in HIV risk among black MSM in the USA is a complex issue involving poverty, access to healthcare, stigma and homophobia [2]. Prior research has shown that despite having higher HIV prevalence, black MSM do not engage in riskier sexual or drug – using than other MSM [3–6]. Epidemiologic evidence suggests the higher burden of HIV among black MSM is linked to at least two factors. First, black MSM are less likely to be aware of their positive HIV status than nonblack MSM [7]. Those unaware of their status go untreated and therefore have nonsuppressed viral loads, making them infectious to their sex partners [8]. Second, the sexual networks of black MSM tend to be assortative, or primarily comprised of other black MSM [9]. The probability of being exposed to HIV increases, if sexual partners are drawn from high HIV prevalence populations; more so when high-risk individuals like black MSM lack awareness of their HIV status. For the above reasons, efforts to reduce the high prevalence of HIV among black MSM must include effective interventions that increase HIV testing. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended that MSM at risk for HIV should undergo screening at least annually [10]. However, results from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System showed that 30% of high-risk black MSM recruited in 20 US cities had not been tested in the past year, and found cases of previously undiagnosed HIV infection even among those who reported
A rapid analysis of plasma/serum ethylene and propylene glycol by headspace gas chromatography

A rapid headspace-gas chromatography (HS-GC) method was developed for the analysis of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol in plasma and serum specimens using 1,3-propanediol as the internal standard. The method employed a single-step derivitization using phenylboronic acid, was linear to 200 mg/dL and had a lower limit of quantitation of 1 mg/dL suitable for clinical analyses. The analytical method described allows for laboratories with HS-GC instrumentation to analyze ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, and propylene glycol on a single instrument with rapid switch-over from alcohols to glycols analysis. In addition to the novel HS-GC method, a retrospective analysis of patient specimens containing ethylene glycol and propylene glycol was also described. A total of 36 patients ingested ethylene glycol, including 3 patients who presented with two separate admissions for ethylene glycol toxicity. Laboratory studies on presentation to hospital for these patients showed both osmolal and anion gap in 13 patients, osmolal but not anion gap in 13 patients, anion but not osmolal gap in 8 patients, and 1 patient with neither an osmolal nor anion gap. Acidosis on arterial blood gas was present in 13 cases. Only one fatality was seen; this was a patient with initial serum ethylene glycol concentration of 1282 mg/dL who died on third day of hospitalization. Propylene glycol was common in patients being managed for toxic ingestions, and was often attributed to iatrogenic administration of propylene glycol-containing medications such as activated charcoal and intravenous lorazepam. In six patients, propylene glycol contributed to an abnormally high osmolal gap. The common presence of propylene glycol in hospitalized patients emphasizes the importance of being able to identify both ethylene glycol and propylene glycol by chromatographic methods.
Spatial ecology of a small desert shrub on adjacent geological substrates

Summary 1 Spatial pattern analyses were used to generate hypotheses about the processes that shape the structure of a plant community in the Mojave Desert of North America, with a focus on the semi-shrub Ambrosia dumosa . We analysed spatial distributions and sizes of this species relative to other semi-shrubs, shrubs and annuals, and the relationships between spatial patterns and abiotic and biotic habitat characteristics. 2 The analyses were based on maps of sample plots placed along a transect spanning two adjacent geological substrates: aeolian sand and gravelly, sandy to loamy alluvium. Of these two substrates, sand supported higher total biomasses of Ambrosia and of all woody perennials, while alluvium supported on average higher biomasses of winter annuals. 3 Annuals and seedlings of Ambrosia were much more strongly aggregated with Ambrosia canopies on sand than on alluvium, suggesting that these small plants were more strongly facilitated by Ambrosia on sand than on alluvium. 4 Ambrosia semi-shrubs were spatially segregated on sand but aggregated on alluvium, and the degree of segregation on sand increased with the total above-ground biomass of Ambrosia per unit area, indicating that negative interactions between Ambrosia plants were stronger in more productive habitats. Canopy sizes of Ambrosia in all mapped plots increased with distance to the nearest conspecific neighbour, which suggests that neighbour interactions negatively affected plant sizes. 5 Ambrosia plants on sand were spatially aggregated with Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus semi-shrubs, suggesting that at least one of these species may benefit from the association. Ambrosia plants were spatially segregated from Larrea tridentata shrubs on both substrates, possibly due to negative effects of Larrea roots on Ambrosia roots reported in previous studies. 6 Subtle differences in substrate characteristics were correlated with strong differences in the spatial distribution of Ambrosia plants relative to their neighbours, which suggests that edaphic conditions may affect the spatial structure of the community by modifying complex positive and negative interactions between neighbouring plants.
Simple Two-Dimensional Corrections for One-Dimensional Pulse Tube Models

One-dimensional oscillating flow models are very useful for designing pulse tubes. They are simple to use, not computationally intensive, and the physical relationship between temperature, pressure and mass flow are easy to understand when described with phasor diagrams. They do not possess, however, the ability to directly calculate thermal and momentum diffusion in the direction transverse to the oscillating flow. To account for transverse diffusion effects, either parameter corrections must be obtained through experimentation, or solutions to the twodimensional differential fluid equations must be found.
Transcritical Flows in the Coastal Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Abstract Numerical solutions of shallow water flow in a variable-width channel are computed to model the summertime marine atmospheric boundary layer off the U.S. west coast. Using an idealization of the coastline in the vicinity of Point Arena, California, as an example, several steady-state base flows are presented that are hydraulically transcritical. These flows are strongly nonlinear, weakly rotational, and are forced by constant pressure gradients and damped by nonlinear bottom drag at the sea surface. The transcritical base flows are supercritical in the vicinity of bends in the coastline but are subcritical to the north (upstream) and to the south (downstream) where the coastline is straight. Within the supercritical region, orographic bends in the coastline produce expansion fans and compression jumps, the same structures found in globally supercritical flows. When the imposed pressure-gradient forcing is increased, the resulting base flow has a supercritical-to-subcritical transitional jump that...
Multivalent Glycocluster Design through Directed Evolution

A vast number of biological processes are mediated by multivalent ligand-receptor interactions, including cell adhesion, host invasion by pathogens, pathogen neutralization by host and numerous cell regulatory signaling pathways.[1] Multivalency is especially important for carbohydrate-receptor interactions: whereas individual glycans[2] may bind with low affinity to a single binding site, the clustering of glycans creates a high-avidity interaction with clustered binding sites. This “carbohydrate cluster effect”[1b] has been demonstrated experimentally with synthetic multivalent carbohydrate ligands which bind well to protein targets. These ligands have included oligo- and polyvalent clusters of glycans on diverse scaffolds, including small molecules, dendrimers, polymers and even viral capsids.
Bilateral Prosthetic Knee Infection by Campylobacter fetus

We present the first documented case of a bilateral prosthetic knee joint infection with Campylobacter fetus. Our patient's risk factors included age, the presence of prosthetic joints, and potential exposure through his contact with farm animals. It is important to be aware of the possibility of C fetus joint infections in high-risk patients who present with pain after total joint arthroplasty.
Mannose-Capped Lipoarabinomannan from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Preferentially Inhibits Sphingosine-1-Phosphate–Induced Migration of Th1 Cells

Chemokine receptor cross-desensitization provides an important mechanism to regulate immune cell recruitment at sites of inflammation. We previously reported that the mycobacterial cell wall glycophospholipid mannose-capped lipoarabinomannan (ManLAM) could induce human peripheral blood T cell chemotaxis. Therefore, we examined the ability of ManLAM to desensitize T cells to other chemoattractants as a potential mechanism for impaired T cell homing and delayed lung recruitment during mycobacterial infection. We found that ManLAM pretreatment inhibited in vitro migration of naive human or mouse T cells to the lymph node egress signal sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). Intratracheal administration of ManLAM in mice resulted in significant increases in T cells, primarily CCR5(+) (Th1) cells, in lung-draining lymph nodes. To investigate the selective CCR5 effect, mouse T cells were differentiated into Th1 or Th2 populations in vitro, and their ability to migrate to S1P with or without ManLAM pretreatment was analyzed. ManLAM pretreatment of Th1 populations inhibited S1P-induced migration but had no effect on Th2 cell S1P-directed migration, suggesting a differential effect by S1P on the two subsets. The PI3K/AKT inhibitor Ly294002 inhibited S1P-directed migration by Th1 cells, whereas the ERK inhibitor U0126 inhibited Th2 cell S1P-directed migration. These observations demonstrate that S1P-induced migratory responses in Th1 and Th2 lymphocytes occurs via different signaling pathways and suggests further that the production of ManLAM during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection may function to sequester Th1 cells in lung-draining lymph nodes, thereby delaying their recruitment to the lung.
Influence of heavily doped contacts on photoconductive switch properties

To help analyze a photoconductive semiconductor switch where heavily doped regions about the metal electrodes assure low-resistance ohmic contacts, switch models based on analytical expressions are developed. These analytical expressions describe the positional dependence of the carrier profiles and the electric field, the photoconductive gain, and the turnoff transient. They apply for m/n/sup +//i/n/sup +//m, m/p/sup +//i/p/sup +//m, and m/p/sup +//i/n/sup +//m switches (where m denotes metal and the other symbols have standard meanings). The accuracy of these expressions is checked against contact-to-contact numerical solutions from a photoconductive device simulator. The accuracy is excellent. In contrast to previous studies of photoconductive switches, the analytical expressions and numerical solutions presented show that the limits on the photoconductive gain are more severe than previously set forth and that the current-voltage characteristics for constant illumination become sublinear at higher voltages, even though the carrier mobility remains independent of the applied electric field. >
Bulk isolation of renal PCT and PST. II. Differential responses to anoxia or hypoxia.

Innate biochemical responses of rabbit renal proximal convoluted (PCT) and straight (PST) segments following in vitro exposure to anoxia or hypoxia were investigated to delineate the mechanisms res...
Comparable Survival of En Bloc versus Standard Donor Kidney Transplants in Children

Objective To determine whether renal transplantation survival is similar in children receiving pediatric en bloc kidneys compared with those receiving standard deceased donor kidneys. Study design We compared time to allograft failure and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in pediatric recipients of en bloc and standard criteria deceased donor renal transplants using Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data for 2000-2013. Cox regression analysis was used to compare time to allograft failure, and the Student t test was used to compare eGFR. Results A total of 6882 recipients met the study inclusion criteria; 1.8% received an en bloc transplant. The adjusted hazard for allograft failure was similar for recipients of en bloc kidneys compared with standard criteria kidneys (hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.83-1.59; P = .41). The median wait time for transplantation was significantly shorter for recipients of en bloc kidneys (157 days vs 208 days; P = .03). Moreover, eGFR was superior for recipients of en bloc kidneys up to 5 years post-transplantation. Conclusion Transplantation of en bloc pediatric kidneys should be considered a viable option for pediatric recipients and may afford unique benefits by reducing wait times and promoting preservation of graft function.
Article III and Expanding the Power of the United States Court of Federal Claims

This very short article suggest that expanding the power of the Court of Federal Claims need not require that it be reconstituted as an Article III court.
The environments of the poor in South Asia: simultaneously reducing poverty, protecting the environment, and adapting to climate change

This edited collection on the environments of the poor in South Asia compiled by Anushree Sinha, Armin Bauer, and Paul Bullen contributes to the growing literature on efforts to reduce poverty whil...
ELECTRONIC EXCITATION OF RHI(CO)2 SPECIES ON AL2O3 SURFACES : PHOTODISSOCIATION OF THE RHI-CO BOND

The formation of the RhI ion during CO chemisorption on Rh/Al2O3 catalysts has been directly observed using UV−visible spectroscopy. Comparison of infrared and UV−visible spectra indicates that the...
Experimental demonstration of a slippage-dominant free-electron laser amplifier.

We report the first experimental demonstration of a slippage-dominant free-electron laser (FEL) amplifier using a 140-fs full width at half maximum broadband seed laser pulse. The evolution of the longitudinal phase space of a laser seeded FEL amplifier in the slippage-dominant regime was experimentally characterized. We observed, for the first time, that the pulse duration of the FEL is primarily determined by the slippage between the seed laser and the electron beam. With a $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}$1$%$ variation in the electron-beam energy, we demonstrated reasonably good longitudinal coherence and a $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}$2$%$ spectral tuning range. The experimentally observed temporal and spectral evolution of the slippage-dominant FEL was verified by the numerical simulations.
The neonatal intensive care unit.

Child psychiatrists have recently been asked to provide consultation and liaison to neonatal intensive care units in order to assist in providing humane care for all those who are distressed by the events that commonly unfold in intensive care units and to help deal with the special neurologic and emotional problems of the high-risk infant and his caretaking environment. Discussed are the role of the psychiatrist, the complexities of the NICU setting, initiating liaison, parental and staff reactions to the NICU experience, staff communication with parents, and psychiatric intervention for parents and staff.
Recent development of spin dynamics in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance

T topic of spin dynamics in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance opens a way to an infinite number of suggestions. In this abstract, we present the power and the salient features of the promising theoretical approach called Floquet–Magnus expansion that is helpful to describe the time evolution of the spin system at all times in nuclear magnetic resonance. Interesting applications of the Floquet–Magnus expansion approaches are illustrated by simple solid-state NMR experiments. However, it is very important to remember that the method of Floquet-Magnus expansion had recently found new major areas of applications such as topological materials. Researchers, dealing with those new applications, are not usually acquainted with the achievements of the magnetic resonance theory, where those methods were developed more than thirty years ago. They repeat the same mistakes that were made when the methods of spin dynamics and thermodynamics were developed in the past. This presentation is very useful not only for the NMR and physics communities but for the new communities in several younger fields. Solid-state NMR is definitely a timely topic or area of research, and not many papers on the theory of spin dynamics are available in the literature of NMR.
Seasonal predation by migratory shorebirds recorded in shells of lingulid brachiopods from Baja California, Mexico

Repair scars attributed to shorebirds are very frequent in intertidal populations of Glottidia palmeri (Lingulidae, Brachiopoda) from the Gulf of California. The multimodal distribution of the scars along the anterior-posterior axis of the brachiopod shells suggests the existence of strong temporal variation in the intensity of predation. Bootstrap analyses of the scar distributions, size-frequency population data, and growth ring data all indicate that the scars are seasonal and originated in the late fall and/or winter months. The scars record predation by migratory shorebirds that have wintering grounds in Baja California. The anterior-posterior distributions of scars can offer insights into seasonal variation in predation on marine benthos. Also, because seasonal repair scars represent a periodic signal, they may estimate the longevity and growth rates in prey and offer a sclerochronological clock analogous to oxygen isotopes or growth rings. The approach proposed here may be applicable also to the fossil record of some shelly organisms.
Part 2: Goals, Mindset, and Self-Regulation

ABSTRACTThis installment of our continuing column on the connections between educational psychology and student library work explores the important roles of goal setting, mindset, and self-regulation. We describe how reference librarians may support students’ goal selection and help students develop positive attitudes toward library research. Librarians’ efforts to help students successfully complete library-related assignments can be enhanced by understanding the mechanisms of self-regulation.
Dimensionality reduction for production optimization using polynomial approximations

The objective of this paper is to introduce a novel paradigm to reduce the computational effort in waterflooding global optimization problems while realizing smooth well control trajectories amenable for practical deployments in the field. In order to overcome the problems of slow convergence and non-smooth impractical control strategies, often associated with gradient-free optimization (GFO) methods, we introduce a generalized approach which represent the controls by smooth polynomial approximations either by a polynomial function or by a piecewise polynomial interpolation, which we denote as function control method (FCM) and interpolation control method (ICM), respectively. Using these approaches, we aim to optimize the coefficients of the selected functions or the interpolation points in order to represent the well-control trajectories along a time horizon. Our results demonstrate significant computational savings, due to a substantial reduction in the number of control parameters, as we seek the optimal polynomial coefficients or the interpolation points to describe the control trajectories as opposed to directly searching for the optimal control values (bottom hole pressure) at each time interval. We demonstrate the efficiency of the method on two and three-dimensional models, where we found the optimal variables using a parallel dynamic-neighborhood particle swarm optimization (PSO). We compared our FCM-PSO and ICM-PSO to the traditional formulation solved by both gradient-free and gradient-based methods. In all comparisons, both FCM and ICM show very good to superior performances.
Survey of Hospital Employees' Personal Preparedness and Willingness to Work Following a Disaster.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the personal readiness of hospital staff for disasters. As many as 30% of hospital staff say that they plan not to report for work during a large-scale disaster. We sought to understand the personal disaster preparedness for hospital staff. METHODS: Surveys were distributed to the staff of a large academic tertiary-care hospital by either a paper-based version distributed through the departmental safety coordinators or a Web-based version distributed through employee e-mail services, depending on employee familiarity with and access to computer services. Surveys assessed the demographic variables and characteristics of personal readiness for disaster. RESULTS: Of the individuals who accessed the survey, 1334 (95.9%) enrolled in it. Women made up 75% of the respondents, with a mean age of 43 years. Respondents had worked at the hospital an average of 9 years, with the majority (90%) being full-time employees. Most households (93%) reported ≤4 members, 6% supported a person with special medical needs, and 17% were headed by a single parent. A small number (24%) of respondents reported an established meeting place for reuniting households during a disaster. Many reported stockpiling a 3-day supply of food (86%) and a 3-day supply of water (51%). Eighteen percent of respondents were not aware of workplace evacuation plans. Most respondents were willing to report to work for natural disasters (eg, tornado, snowstorm; all categories >65%), but fewer respondents were willing to report during events such as an influenza epidemic (54%), a biological outbreak (41%), a chemical exposure, (40%), or a radiation exposure (39%). Multivariate analysis revealed being female, having a child in the household younger than 6 years old, and having a child in school lowered the likelihood of being willing to report to work in two or more event types, whereas pet ownership, being a clinical healthcare worker, and being familiar with the work emergency plan increased the likelihood. CONCLUSIONS: Despite being employed at the same facility for a prolonged period, employees reported being willing to report for work at a low rate in a variety of disasters. Subjects reported suboptimal personal preparedness for disaster, which may further limit the number of staff who will report for work. Hospitals should promote personal disaster preparedness for staff and explore staffing models with an understanding of reduced staff availability during disasters. Language: en
Achievement goals and optimal motivation: A multiple goals approach

Publisher Summary This chapter addresses the question of optimal motivation using an achievement goal approach. In general, goals can be defined as cognitive representations of what is hoped to be accomplished, and they give direction and energy to behavior. They also can vary in their level of specificity, ranging from concrete and task-specific goals to more general and broad goals. One particular class of goals, achievement goals, has emerged as the dominant framework for studying achievement motivation. Achievement goals reflect the purpose or reason for an individual's achievement pursuits in a particular situation, and theorists have converged on two general types of achievement goals. The chapter also reviews experimental work that reveals some of the conditions under which performance goals promote intrinsic motivation, as well as correlational work that reveals a positive association between performance goals and academic performance. Achievement goal theorists have reexamined the performance goal construct and argued that it confounds theoretically distinct components. The chapter describes a theoretical model that has guided experimental work on this topic and then presents experimental results that support the model. Following this, it presents some of the recent correlational work in classroom settings. The chapter then demonstrates how the findings, whether experimental or correlational, support a multiple goal perspective rather than the mastery goal perspective. Finally, it describes a set of studies designed to bridge existing experimental and correlational work and outlines four ways in which mastery and performance goals can work in concert to promote optimal motivation.
Initial Patient Interview

Patients may be referred to a behavioral medicine practitioner for a variety of reasons. Generally, the bulk of these referrals come from physicians with patients who present chronic physical complaints in the absence, on repeated investigations, of physical findings. Alternatively, they are patients whose somatic complaints have been unresponsive to multiple, conventional chemical and/or surgical interventions. Often the referrals are poorly made. Without rapid and effective patient reorientation by the behavioral medicine practitioner, these patients are unlikely to make or keep an appointment, or if they come in, to return after the first visit.
Quality of national adaptation plans and opportunities for improvement

National adaptation plans (NAPs) are intended to provide an evidence-based, coordinated, and systematic approach to climate preparedness initiatives. In order to identify how NAPs could be improved, this paper analyzes 38 national adaptation plans using plan quality evaluation methods and explores national characteristics that are associated with high-quality plans. We find that NAPs typically include multiple data sources, explore current impacts and future vulnerabilities, establish goals, and identify potential adaptation strategies. Plans are weaker in the articulation of implementation and monitoring measures, raising concerns about whether plans will translate into action and how success will be measured. In addition, plans generally do not include a broad range of stakeholders in the planning process. The institutional authorship is a strong predictor of plan quality. Plans written by multi-agency committees are significantly higher quality than those written by single agencies, especially on engagement of stakeholders. Based on these results, we recommend that countries form multi-agency teams to lead the adaptation planning process and intentionally address components that are commonly overlooked including implementation guidance and evaluation metrics.
Detection of exogenous double-stranded RNA movement in in vitro peanut plants.

New technologies are needed to eliminate mycotoxins and/or fungal pathogens from agricultural products. RNA interference (RNAi) has shown potential to control fungi associated with crops. In RNAi, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targets homologous mRNA for cleavage, and can reach the mRNA of pathogens in contact with the plant. The key element in this process is the movement of RNA signals cell-to-cell and over long distances within the plant, and between host plants and parasites. In this study, we selected a regulatory gene in the aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway, aflS/aflR, necessary for the production of aflatoxins in Aspergillus spp. We designed a Dicer-substrate RNA (DsiRNA) to study the movement and stability of the duplex over time in in vitro peanut plants using stem-loop primers and RT-PCR for DsiRNA detection. The preliminary results demonstrated that DsiRNA was absorbed and moved away from the point of application, spread systemically and was transported rapidly, most likely through the phloem of the shoot, to the sink tissues, such as new auxiliary shoots, flowers and newly formed pegs. The DsiRNA remained detectable for at least 30 days after treatment. This is the first time that movement of exogenous DsiRNA in in vitro peanut plants has been described. Since DsiRNA was detectable in the pegs 15 days after treatment, aflatoxin reduction may be possible if the duplexes containing part of the aflatoxin biosynthesis pathogen gene induce silencing in the peanut seeds colonised by Aspergillus spp. The application of small RNAs could be a non-transformative option for mycotoxin contamination control.
Theoretical Context of the Nuclear Posture Review

The very recently published 2018 American Nuclear Posture Review hails the revived emphasis on deployed, low-yield nuclear options to reserve credible deterrence against countries that have transmitted beliefs the U.S. would not respond to employment of non-strategic nuclear weapons, since there is a mistaken perception that the U.S. could only respond with high-yield strategic weapons, which would be deemed unacceptable. This research briefly evaluates this newly published development in light of the enduring theoretical debates in the literature concluding the possible potential to lower the threshold for first-use of these weapons, but identifying active mitigation efforts. The research is intended merely to begin a discussion in the literature of the new nuclear posture in context of the predominant theories in international relations and conflict.
APPLICATION OF S-ARRAYS TO SEASONAL DATA

In this paper the S-array introduced by Gray, Kelley, and McIntire (1979) is used to examine seasonal data. A general definition of seasonality is given as well as a systematic approach to seasonal modeling. Several examples are given including the international airline data.