cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The estrogenic and antiandrogenic pesticide methoxychlor alters the reproductive tract and behavior without affecting pituitary size or LH and prolactin secretion in male rats

This study was designed to determine if long-term exposure to high doses of methoxychlor (M) would alter pituitary or testicular endocrine functions in either an estrogenic or antiandrogenic manner. Weanling male Long-Evans hooded rats were dosed daily with M (po) at 0, 200, 300, or 400 mg kg−1 day−1 for 10 months. Methoxychlor treatment delayed puberty by as much as 10 weeks and reduced fertility and copulatory plug formation in a dose-related manner at the initial mating. During mating, M-treated males exhibited shorter latencies to mount and ejaculate versus control males, but the number of intromissions prior to ejaculation was unaffected, indicating that M enhanced the arousal level in the males in an estrogen-dependent manner. Most treated males eventually mated but time-to-pregnancy was lengthened. Very low sperm counts were associated with infertility, while prolonged delays in puberty reduced fecundity. Methoxychlor treatment with 200 to 400 mg kg−1 day−1 failed to mimic the chronic effects of a ...
Gene-expression patterns reveal underlying biological processes in Kawasaki disease

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute self-limited vasculitis and the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in developed countries. No etiologic agent(s) has been identified, and the processes that mediate formation of coronary artery aneurysms and abatement of fever following treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) remain poorly understood. Results: In an initial survey, we used DNA microarrays to examine patterns of gene expression in peripheral whole blood from 20 children with KD; each was sampled during the acute, subacute, and convalescent phases of the illness. Acute KD was characterized by increased relative abundance of gene transcripts associated with innate immune and proinflammatory responses and decreased abundance of transcripts associated with natural killer cells and CD8+ lymphocytes. There was significant temporal variation in transcript levels during the acute disease phase and stabilization thereafter. We confirmed these temporal patterns in a second cohort of 64 patients, and identified additional inter-individual differences in transcript abundance. Notably, higher levels of transcripts of the gene for carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) were associated with an increased percentage of unsegmented neutrophils, fewer days of illness, higher levels of C-reactive protein, and subsequent non-response to IVIG; this last association was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR in a third cohort of 33 patients, and was independent of day of illness. Conclusion: Acute KD is characterized by dynamic and variable gene-expression programs that highlight the importance of neutrophil activation state and apoptosis in KD pathogenesis. Our findings also support the feasibility of extracting biomarkers associated with clinical prognosis from gene-expression profiles of individuals with systemic inflammatory illnesses.
Multifunctional VSC Based on a Novel Fortescue Reference Signal Generator

This paper presents a novel reference signal generator (RSG) for voltage-source converters (VSCs) that enables the maximization of its functionality. The proposed RSG is based on a combination of the Fortescue decomposition with recursive discrete Fourier transform. The method is characterized by computational efficiency, excellent detection accuracy, and fast dynamic response. An experimental prototype of a multifunctional VSC with the proposed RSG has been built, and experimental results are presented. The functionality of the VSC can be extended to such modes of operation as harmonic compensator, active power filter, pulsewidth modulator (PWM) rectifier, PWM inverter, balancing compensator, and STATCOM, with the update of only six coefficients in the RSG.
Above-grade Planting with Organic Matter Improves Post-transplant Growth of Two Native Shrub Species

Planting shrubs above-grade with organic matter has shown potential for improving landscape establishment. To further investigate this technique, wax myrtle [Morella cerifera (syn. Myrica cerifera)] (3 gal) and mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia ‘Olympic Wedding’) (5 gal) were planted on 30 Oct. 2006 (fall planting) and 12 Apr. 2007 (spring planting) in the ground in a shade house in Auburn, AL. At each planting date, plants of each species were assigned one of four treatments. Three of four treatments used a modified above-grade planting technique in which shrubs were planted such that the top 3 inches of the root ball remained above soil grade. Organic matter, either pine bark (PB), peat (PT), or cotton gin compost (CGC), was applied around the above-grade portion of the root ball, tapering down from the top of the root ball to the ground. In the fourth treatment, plants were planted at-grade with no organic matter (NOM). In general, both species had higher shoot dry weight (SDW) and root spread (RS) when planted in the fall than when planted in spring. Among all treatments, plants also typically had larger RS when planted above-grade with PB or PT. For easy-to-transplant species (such as wax myrtle) and especially for difficult-to-transplant species like mountain laurel, fall planting using this modified above-grade planting technique with PB or PT may improve post-transplant root growth and speed establishment in the first growing season.
Effects of selective retina therapy on retinal oxygen saturation compared to conventional photocoagulation in rabbits

Purpose Subvisible selective retina therapy (SRT) was designed to target retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) without damaging adjacent photoreceptors. This study evaluated the changes in retinal oxygen saturation and retina histology after SRT compared to conventional photocoagulation(PC) in rabbits. Methods One eye in each of 10 chinchilla bastard rabbits was treated with 144 spots of SRT (527 nm) or conventional laser treatment (577 nm), respectively. After treatment, fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography were performed to detect lesions. At 1 week post-treatment, retinal oxygen saturation in untreated, SRT-treated, and PC-treated areas was evaluated in five eyes. Histologic evaluation was performed using light and electronic microscopy. At 4 weeks post-treatment, the same procedures were performed in the remaining five eyes. Results At 1 week post-treatment, mean retinal oxygen saturation in the PC-treated area (23.3 ± 7.2 mm Hg) was relatively higher than in the untreated (16.6 ± 4.3) and SRT (15.34 ± 5.3) areas. Similar results were found at 4 weeks post-treatment (PC-treated, 25.3 ± 8.5; untreated, 14.4 ± 5.2, SRT-treated, 15.2 ± 4.6). OCT and histological examinations revealed selective RPE damage while sparing photoreceptors in the SRT lesion. In contrast, broad damage in multiple retinal layers including the photoreceptors was observed in conventional PC lesions. Conclusions Increased retinal oxygen saturation after conventional PC might be due to widespread destruction of retinal layers including photoreceptors which is most oxygen consuming structure in retina. In contrast, relatively unchanged retinal oxygen saturation was observed in SRT lesions with intact retinal layers and photoreceptors. SRT can be used as an photoreceptor saving laser therapy in RPE dysfunction diseases such as DME or CSC.
Explaining across contrasting cases for deep understanding in science: an example using interactive simulations

Undergraduate students used a simulation to learn about electromagnetic flux. They were provided with three simulated cases that illustrate how changes in flux induce current in a coil. In the POE condition, students predicted, observed, and explained the outcome of each case, treating each case separately. In the GE condition, students were asked to produce a general explanation that would work for all three cases. A second factor crossed whether students had access to a numerical measurement tool. Effects of the measurement tool were less conclusive, but there was a strong effect of instructional method. Compared to POE students, GE students were better able to induce an underlying principle of electromagnetic flux during instruction and were better able to apply this principle to novel problems at post-test. Moreover, prior achievement predicted learning in the POE group, while students of all academic levels benefited equally from the GE condition.
Integrating simulation-driven decisions and business wargames to shape fiscal policies

In 2013 sequestration resulted in defense budgets absorbing the greatest proportion of cutbacks. Leaders are on notice that future debates must be built on more solid cost positions related to operational success. In this paper we use a systems engineering approach to develop a decision support system that integrates operational planning, gaming, computer simulation, and experimentation. The resulting methodology translates strategic budget decisions into terms of military effectiveness. Central to this effort is implementation of a campaign level simulation to adjudicate the success of U.S. forces in a given mission set. Equally important is the transformation of a computer-assisted wargame into a closed-loop simulation experiment to examine the trade space of the problem. To meet the challenges of austere economic environments we offer policy makers a fiscally-bounded, simulation-based gaming process to provide credible options that are quantifiable, repeatable, and analytically defendable.
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST)

In December 1970, Dr. Nyle C. Brady, then Chairman of the Agricultural Board, Division of Biology and Agriculture, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, convened a meeting in Washington, D.C. of a Task Force on the Role of Agricultural Scientific Societies. Represented were: Agricultural Research Institute (ARI), American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), American Society of Agronomy (ASA), American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA), Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Poultry Science Association (PSA), American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), American Society for Range Management (ASRM), and the Rural Sociological Society (RSS). The consensus was to pursue further “the idea of an independent association of the agricultural science societies,” thus a planning committee was appointed.
Problems involved in rearing the codling moth on diet in trays.

Laspeyresia pomonella (L.) was reared for 45 generations in aggregate in large trays (45×26×7 cm inside dimensions) on a wheat germ diet in a simulated mass production program. Yields per tray (1.8 liter diet) averaged 144.6 moths and were as high as 360 moths/tray. With between 40 and 100 trays in service continually (50–70 man-hours per week), 216,998 moths were produced. Egg mortality was 28.4%, 28–50% of the larvae failed to accept the diet, 25–60% of the established larvae died because of intraspecific competition, and 0–100% died because of microbial agents (particularly fungi). Two epizootics of a viral disease occurred. Contaminants and dehydration of the diet were avoided by incorporating antifungal chemicals, regulating the airflow, coating the diet with paraffin, adding propylene glycol (humectant), and general sanitation. The production of moths dropped rapidly in cultures infested with Drosophila sp.
Theoretical study of ( e , 2 e ) from outer- and inner-valence orbitals of CH 4 : A complex Kohn treatment

Triply differential cross sections for electron-impact ionization of the $1{t}_{2}$ and $2{a}_{1}$ orbitals of methane are calculated using the complex Kohn variational method. The calculations are carried out for scattered electron energies of 500 eV and coplanar asymmetric kinematics far from the Bethe ridge, where previous experiment and theory are available for comparison. The present results are in reasonably good agreement with experiment for $1{t}_{2}$ ionization and in excellent agreement for $2{a}_{1}$ ionization, in contrast with previous theory.
Hamartomatous spinal cord lesion in neurofibromatosis.

A 10-year-old girl with neurofibromatosis underwent a screening MR examination in March 1987. The patient was asymptomatic and neurologically intact. The diagnosis was based on multiple cafe au lait spots, a plexiform neurofibroma of the left arm, and family history (the patient's mother had neurofibromatosis). The brain MR showed multiple areas of increased signal intensity on T2-weighted images bilaterally in the basal ganglia, thalami, and cerebellar white matter
The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation by Gene Roberts and Hank Klibanoff New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006, 518 pp

(2007). The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation by Gene Roberts and Hank Klibanoff New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006, 518 pp. American Journalism: Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 139-141.
Human Development over the Life Span through Education

ABSTRACT This chapter focuses on the potential usefulness of the life-span developmental perspective in education and on strategies for enhancing human development over the life span through educational intervention. Means and prospects for implementation of life-span education are also considered. In the first part of this chapter is a review of contemporary criticisms of education, and evidence is presented which demonstrates that a number of social, historical, economic and scientific realities preclude the effectiveness of youth oriented educational practices. From these issues a rationale for life-span education is developed. After this emphasis on the need for education over the life span, attention is directed to implications for education action. Pointing out flaws in educational systems is not sufficient if developmental psychologists are to assist in the planning of educational programs. Specific recommendations in language and aims which are familiar to educators must be developed. Failure of previous early childhood intervention programs can be partially attributed to an overly pragmatic approach and to the absence of theoretical guidelines. To ensure the success of life-span intervention programs, strategies which incorporate developmental concepts and theories must be designed. The intervention strategies proposed in this chapter represent an attempt to apply concepts from life-span developmental psychology to educational practice. These proposals are presented with the hope that they will serve as stimuli for educators and psychologists who will be involved in the planning and design of programs to enhance development over the life span.
Spatial characteristics of storm-total rainfall swaths associated with tropical cyclones over the Eastern United States

The eastern United States is extremely vulnerable to Atlantic basin tropical cyclones (TCs) and their associated precipitation. While many studies have focused on the magnitude or contribution of tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) to overall rainfall, there is a need for a detailed climatology of spatial characteristics of inland TCP extent for this region. In this study, we develop a Geographic Information System method to delineate rainfall swaths for 257 US landfalling TCs during 1948 to 2014 using a daily gridded dataset. We then describe spatial patterns of TCP using three methods. First, we measure the rainfall swath areas and average widths over land, and find that TCs that spend longer periods over land have wider average widths so that rainfall swaths cover larger areas. Second, trends in the change of left extent of TCP swaths are analysed and TC attributes related to these trends are explored. Seventy of 85 TCs have rain swaths that expand on the left side at some points as they move inland. The TCs exhibiting expansion were hurricanes at landfall, re-intensifying over land, undergoing extratropical transition, and/or moving near the coastline. Last, we construct a series of maps with return intervals and frequency distributions for inland TCP and tropical storm-force winds. The results show that 94% of 2435 counties over the eastern United States are more frequently exposed to rainfall than wind from TCs. While cumulative rainfall shows a gradual decrease from southeastern coast inland, many inland regions have received five to six TCP events in a single season, which confirms that TCP should be a concern for people living inland as well as near the coast. This study's analysis of the spatial characteristics of TCP inland extent from a climatological perspective should benefit forecasting, hazard mitigation, and risk analysis of TC hazards.
Validation of the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation–Specific Comorbidity Index in Nonmyeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Abstract The Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT)–Specific Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) has been extensively studied in myeloablative and reduced-intensity conditioning regimens, with less data available regarding the validity of HCT-CI in nonmyeloablative (NMA) allogeneic transplantation. We conducted a retrospective analysis to evaluate the association between HCT-CI and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) and all-cause mortality (ACM) in patients receiving the total lymphoid irradiation and antithymocyte globulin (TLI/ATG) NMA transplantation preparative regimen. We abstracted demographic and clinical data from consecutive patients, who received allogeneic HCT with the TLI/ATG regimen between January 2008 and September 2014, from the Stanford blood and marrow transplantation database. We conducted univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models to evaluate the association between HCT-CI and NRM and ACM. In all, 287 patients were included for analysis. The median age of the patients was 61 (range, 22 to 77) years. The median overall survival was 844 (range, 374 to 1484) days. Most patients had Karnofsky performance score of 90 or above (85%). Fifty-two (18%) patients relapsed within 3 months and 108 (38%) patients relapsed within 1 year, with a median time to relapse of 163 (range, 83 to 366) days. Among the comorbidities in the HCT-CI identified at the time of HCT, reduced pulmonary function was the most common (n = 89), followed by prior history of malignancy (n = 39), psychiatric condition (n = 38), and diabetes (n = 31). Patients with higher HCT-CI scores had higher mortality risks for ACM (hazard ratio [HR], 1.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22 to 3.14 for HCT-CI score 1 or 2 and HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.11 to 3.08 for HCT-CI score ≥ 3, compared with 0, respectively). Among individual HCT-CI variables, diabetes (HR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.79 to 2.89; P = .003) and prior solid tumors (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.00; P = .043) were associated with a higher risk of ACM. Higher HCT-CI scores were significantly associated with higher risk of death. HCT-CI is a valid tool for predicting ACM in NMA TLI/ATG allogeneic HCT.
Structural Evolution of Three-Component Nanoparticles in Polymer Nanoreactors

Recent developments in scanning probe block copolymer lithography (SPBCL) enable the confinement of multiple metal precursors in a polymer nanoreactor and their subsequent transformation into a single multimetallic heterostructured nanoparticle through thermal annealing. However, the process by which multimetallic nanoparticles form in SPBCL-patterned nanoreactors remains unclear. Here, we utilize the combination of PEO-b-P2VP and Au, Ag, and Cu salts as a model three-component system to investigate this process. The data suggest that the formation of single-component Au, Ag, or Cu nanoparticles within polymer nanoreactors consists of two stages: (I) nucleation, growth, and coarsening of the particles to yield a single particle in each reactor; (II) continued particle growth by depletion of the remaining precursor in the reactor until the particle reaches a stable size. Also, different aggregation rates are observed for single-component particle formation (Au > Ag > Cu). This behavior is also observed for...
The Stability of Inviscid Flow between Rotating Cylinders

In the absence of viscosity, a purely rotational flow in which the angular velocity, Ωr, is an arbitrary function of the distance, r, from the axis of rotation is a permissible solution of the equations of motion.
Contingency Management for Event-Driven Business Processes

In the past two decades, business process research has focused on process flexibility to facilitate the operation of business processes in an open and dynamic environment. This is important to ensure that processes accurately reflect and handle changes occurring in the real-world. While substantial existing work has investigated changes in business processes, the contingency management of running processes did not receive sufficient attention, mainly because events are considered to be immutable. Yet high-level business events have been shown to be subject to changes. To be able to capture such changes, business events have to be considered as bitemporal, where the occurrence (scheduled) time and detection time of events are differentiated. Modifying an event’s content may result in a contingency that has to be handled appropriately. For instance, the scheduled time of a planned event in a process may change, which has an impact on subsequent events. In this work, we present an approach to capture bitemporal mutable events in business processes, assess the scope of changes and provide an approach for specifying contingency plans.
Wideband contactless current sensing using hybrid magnetoresistor-Rogowski sensor in high frequency power electronic converters

High frequency power electronic converters having switching frequency higher than 1MHz require wideband, isolated and loss-less current measurement for effective controls, diagnostics and prognostics. In this work, we propose a wideband and contactless current sensing method for isolated and loss-less current measurement in high frequency power electronic converters. The proposed method combines two different sensing technologies — a Magnetoresistor sensor and a differential Rogowski coil sensor, which have complementary characteristics to achieve a wide sensing bandwidth. We demonstrate through hardware prototypes and experiments that the proposed hybrid sensor yields to a very high sensing bandwidth of DC to 10MHz. The performance of the hybrid sensor is also evaluated in a 1MHz buck converter.
T Cell Response to Peptides Encompassing a 5 Amino Acid Sequence Shared by the HLA DW4 DR Beta 1 Chain and the Epstein Barr Virus Glycoprotein GP110

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints. The cause of RA is unknown. The Epstein Barr virus (EBV) is suspected of being involved in triggering the disease because patients with RA have very high antibody titers to different antigens of EBV and their T cells show poor control of the outgrowth of EBV infected B cells (1).
Chapter 29 The Economics of Biodiversity

The conservation of biodiversity is a major environmental issue, one that promises to remain at or near the top of the environmental agenda for the foreseeable future. The loss of biodiversity affects human welfare as well as being lamentable for its own sake. Humans depend on natural systems to produce a wide variety of ecosystem goods and services, ranging from direct use of certain species for food or medicines to ecosystem functions that provide water purification, nutrient retention or climate regulation. Threats to biodiversity include habitat loss and fragmentation, the introduction of nonindigenous species, over-harvesting, pollution, changes in geochemical cycles and climate change. Sustaining biodiversity in the face of increasing human populations and increased human economic activity promises to be a major challenge. Economists have an important role to play in helping to develop and evaluate conservation strategies. Because biodiversity is at risk in large part because of human activity, finding ways to conserve biodiversity will come from better understanding and management of human affairs, not from better biology alone. Economists can help set priorities to allocate scarce conservation resources where they will do the most good. Economists can help design incentive schemes to make conservation policy both effective and efficient. Economic methods can shed light on what are the most valuable components of biodiversity, including analysis of species existence value, the value of bioprospecting and the value of ecosystem services.
RARE-23. PRIMARY INTRA-AXIAL CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM INFLAMMATORY MYOFIBROBLASTIC TUMOR, ALK NEGATIVE: A RARE ENTITY

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare spindle cell neoplasm with admixed inflammatory cells which occurs mainly in the abdomen or thoracic cavity of children or young adults. Primary CNS IMT is exceedingly rare with roughly 100 reported cases in the world literature, most of which are extra-axial and occur as a dural-based mass. Herein, we describe a rare case of intra-axial primary CNS IMT. A 24 year-old healthy female presented to the ER after falling and striking her head. A CT scan revealed an acute intraparenchymal hemorrhage, as well as a mass within the right frontoparietal lobe. Subsequent MRI was performed further characterizing the lesion as a 3.0 cm intra-axial tumor. Craniotomy was performed displaying a circumscribed neoplasm with relatively bland spindle cells arranged in fascicles with an admixed lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. Mitotic activity was present but limited. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was positive for TLE1 and vimentin but negative for GFAP, ALK, SMA, MUC4, KIT and β-catenin. Additional molecular testing by FISH for ALK (2p23) rearrangement was negative. We report a rare case of intra-axial primary CNS ALK Negative IMT. Approximately half of all IMTs harbor a clonal translocation that activates the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-receptor tyrosine kinase at the 2p23 locus. As a result, ALK is overexpressed and can be detected by IHC or via molecular diagnostics (FISH, RNA sequencing or RT-PCR). Since this case was processed, additional novel anomalies involving rearrangements in ROS1, RET, ETV6 and/or NTRK3 genes have been described and could lead to promising therapeutic targets in the future.
A limited market: the recruitment of gay men as surrogacy clients by the infertility industry in the USA

Gestational surrogacy via egg donation is an expensive - and sometimes ambivalently undertaken - but increasingly popular route to planned fatherhood for some gay men. The surrogacy market in the USA plays an important role for gay men with the financial resources to access these services, as it is currently the only stable, commercial market in which there are legal protections for openly gay men. While a small, ethnographic and qualitative literature on the experiences of gay fathers via surrogacy exists, less is known about the state of the surrogacy industry towards gay men as clients. Here I investigate the surrogacy industry in the USA to ask how welcome gay men are in this market. I do so via a content analysis of patient/client recruitment on infertility clinic and surrogacy agency websites. Content analysis of 547 websites indicates that the majority of infertility clinics (62%) and 42% of surrogacy agencies do not directly advertise or appear to be welcoming to gay men. A minority of gay-friendly clinics and agencies, which cluster geographically, actively recruit gay men, creating a limited but niche market. The unequal recruitment of gay men as infertility clients reflects how normative ideas about gender, sexuality and social class are reproduced in the infertility industry. This, in turn, may impact gay men's procreative consciousness and decision-making about parenting, and exacerbate inequalities around their access to intentional genetic parenthood.
Perioperative chemotherapy is not associated with improved survival in stage I pleomorphic lung cancer.

Abstract Objectives Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma represents an understudied, rare, and aggressive histologic subtype of non–small cell lung cancer. Better understanding of rare disease subtypes allows for improved individualization of patient care. This study aimed to evaluate current trends in treatment and survival of pleomorphic carcinoma. Methods The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients with staged, pleomorphic carcinoma and adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2015. Patient characteristics and treatments were compared using χ2 tests. Cox proportional hazard models examined survival by stage after controlling for confounders. Propensity score matched Kaplan-Meier curves estimated survivor functions stratified by stage. Differences in survival following treatment for stage I pleomorphic carcinoma with surgery alone versus surgery plus chemotherapy were compared with Cox proportional hazard models and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Results One thousand four hundred eight patients with pleomorphic carcinoma and 607,561 patients with adenocarcinoma were identified. Pleomorphic carcinoma accounted for 0.1% of all non–small cell lung cancers. Pleomorphic disease had poorer overall 5-year survival compared with adenocarcinoma for stages I through IV (49.4% vs 59.1%, 34.5% vs 43.8%, 16.9% vs 28.4%, and 5.7% vs 7.8%, respectively; P Conclusions Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma is rare and aggressive, with worse survival when compared with adenocarcinoma. Perioperative chemotherapy has not demonstrated significant survival benefits in stage I pleomorphic cancer.
Lipid Vesicle-Coated Complex Coacervates

Compartmentalization by complex coacervation is important across a range of different fields including subcellular and prebiotic organization, biomedicine, food science, and personal care products. Often, lipid self-assemblies such as vesicles are also present intracellularly or in commercial formulations. A systematic understanding of how phospholipid vesicles interact with different complex coacervates could provide insight and improve control over these systems. In this manuscript, anionic phospholipid vesicles were added to a series of different complex coacervate samples in which coacervates were formed by mixing one of five polycations with one of three (poly)anions that varied in chemical structure and length. Vesicles were found to assemble at the coacervate/continuous phase interface and/or form aggregates. We report how factors such as the charge density of polyelectrolytes and the charge ratio of cationic-to-anionic moieties impact the vesicle distribution in coacervate samples. Our findings emphasize the importance of interactions between vesicles and polycations in the dilute supernatant phase for determining whether the vesicles aggregate prior to assembly at the liquid-liquid interface. The uptake of an RNA oligonucleotide (A15) was also investigated to understand the effect of these liposome coatings on diffusion into coacervate droplets. Systems in which uniform vesicle coronas assemble around coacervate droplets without restricting the entry of biomolecules such as RNAs could be of interest as bioreactors.
Mapping cortical rhythms to infant behavioral tendencies via baseline EEG and parent-report.

An important goal of developmental science is to understand how the early organization of the brain and behavioral tendencies are interconnected. A foundational step in pursuit of this goal is to identify brain-behavior relations. Much progress has been made identifying such relations during infancy by linking baseline electroencephalography (EEG) activity to infants' performance in lab-based measures of socio-emotional and cognitive development. Parent-report represents another resource in expanding our understanding to infants' behavioral tendencies in their natural environment. The current study explored how parent-report of 6- to 12-month-old (N = 53) infants' attention and regulatory abilities relates to cortical activity. The results confirmed one key hypothesis that lower levels of theta and higher levels of beta and gamma over the frontal region would be related to infants' attentional abilities. These results are consistent with the extant baseline EEG literature. Cuddliness was robustly related to higher levels of theta and lower levels of beta over the posterior, likely reflecting infants' tendency to use another person to self-regulate. Our results indicate links between these cortical rhythms and attention and regulatory processes have infant origins. Our results indicate furture research investigating brain-behavior relations using parent-report is warranted.
“Yes, and … *”: continuing the scholarly conversation about the dark side of social media *

“I don’t want to attend class because the student who wrote those racist comments is in my class, and I do not want to be in class with him.” “Someone posted my address and threatened to burn down ...
The Aftermath of the Gulf War: Mental Health Issues Among Iraqi Gulf War Veteran Refugees in the United States

Iraqi Gulf War (GW) veteran refugees, or those who fled the Hussein regime and were subsequently granted refugee stated by the United States, are at high risk for the same mental health maladies that afflict U.S. GW veterans. We conducted a pilot survey on a group of Iraqi GW veteran refugees to assess levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, panic, and anxiety. We hypothesized that significantly more participants with PTSD would report depression, panic, and anxiety symptoms than their non-PTSD counterparts. We further expected that those with PTSD would report significantly higher mean scores on depression, panic, and anxiety than those participants not identified as having PTSD. Results indicated high levels of each of the symptom categories among the PTSD groups. PTSD sufferers conjointly assessed with significantly elevated levels of depression and panic as compared to their non-PTSD counterparts.
Machine learning for glass science and engineering: A review

Abstract The design of new glasses is often plagued by poorly efficient Edisonian “trial-and-error” discovery approaches. As an alternative route, the Materials Genome Initiative has largely popularized new approaches relying on artificial intelligence and machine learning for accelerating the discovery and optimization of novel, advanced materials. Here, we review some recent progress in adopting machine learning to accelerate the design of new glasses with tailored properties.
Perception of students and faculty of integrated learning of basic sciences and clinical skills with the use of wireless portable ultrasound scanners

Introduction At California university of science and medicine, school of medicine, we implemented a system-based curriculum that was driven by weekly clinical presentations and clinical cases. Because of the increasing role of ultrasound in clinical evaluation of patients, all courses were developed for hands-on ultrasound experience along with clinical presentations and case of the week to promote integrated learning of basic sciences with clinical skills. The objective of this study was to evaluate the students and faculty perception of teaching and learning of integrated basic sciences and clinical skills with the use of wireless portable ultrasound scanners on simulated patients. Methods In each ultrasound session, each team of 5 students had 2 wireless portable ultrasound scanners to perform ultrasound on simulated patients. All ultrasound sessions were supervised by the experienced faculty. Ultrasound sessions had learning outcomes that included: 1) Identification of structures and confirmation by instructors: 2) Integration of anatomical structure with functions: 3) Justification of appearance based on ultrasonographic principals. After each session students completed a survey about their confidence level in identifying structures. Results Around 60 year 1, MD students participated in four ultrasound sessions in “Sustenance of the Body and Depurative functions of the body” (i.e., Gastrointestinal and Renal system) courses with portable wireless ultrasound scanners on simulated patients. The main learning outcomes were; to locate liver, kidneys, Morison's pouch, gall bladder, spleen, pancreas, aorta and IVC, Doppler scan and the FAST exam. The preliminary data showed that there was 90% consistency between the students and faculty perception in identifying the major abdominal organs and blood vessels. According to faculty perception, 60% students were able to identify liver without faculty help and only 40% students could identify spleen on their own. 100% students needed faculty help to locate gall bladder and pancreas. With faculty guidance 30% students were able to locate major branches of aorta, portal vein and bile duct. 40% could locate only two branches of aorta. 30% of students could not locate any branches of aorta. After these sessions, students formed an Ultrasound Interest Group that planned regular sessions of advanced level ultrasound with portable wireless scanners. Conclusion Frequent ultrasound practice sessions with accessibility of wireless portable ultrasound scanners improved the integrated learning of basic sciences and clinical skills bridging with the clinical practice. It also improved the confidence level of students to perform independently in different competencies.
Improvement in FSS-Based Sensor Sensitivity by Miniaturization Technique

Frequency selective surfaces are a planar array of elements (or unit cells) that, when illuminated externally, have a frequency response that depends on element geometry and spacing, and the dielectric properties and thickness of the substrate. Thus, FSSs are good candidates for wireless sensing for numerous nondestructive testing applications. As sensitivity is an important sensing issue, detection sensitivity of FSS-based sensors can be improved by increasing the number of unit cells within a given (physical) space. This is a result of the fact that more unit cells will contribute to the frequency response within a given physical area (i.e., the illuminating footprint upon the sensor) in addition to smaller inter-element spacing (e.g., higher mutual coupling). Both of these aspects increase the sensitivity of the sensor to geometrical changes, and can be physically realized through implementation of FSS miniaturization techniques. To this end, in this work, two FSS-based sensors have been designed; one of which is the miniaturized version of the other. Measurement results indicate that the miniaturized FSS sensor is more sensitive to geometrical variations.
Beyond Ceria: Theoretical Investigation of Isothermal and Near-Isothermal Redox Cycling of Perovskites for Solar Thermochemical Fuel Production

Thermodynamic data for several LaMnO3-based perovskites indicates that in the high oxygen partial pressure (pO2) range (e.g., 10–7 to 10–3 atm), where isothermal thermochemical redox cycling is via...
Classification of Ulcerative Colitis Severity in Colonoscopy Videos Using Vascular Pattern Detection

Endoscopic measurement of ulcerative colitis (UC) severity is important since endoscopic disease severity may better predict future outcomes in UC than symptoms. However, it is difficult to evaluate the endoscopic severity of UC objectively because of the non-uniform nature of endoscopic features associated with UC, and large variations in their patterns. In this paper, we propose a method to classify UC severity in colonoscopy videos by detecting the vascular (vein) patterns which are defined specifically in this paper as the amounts of blood vessels in the video frames. To detect these vascular patterns, we use Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and image preprocessing methods. The experiments show that the proposed method for classifying UC severity by detecting these vascular patterns increases classification effectiveness significantly.
Impact of weight and disability status on bullying victimisation and perpetration among youth

AIM The purpose of this analysis was to examine the influence of weight and disability status on rates of bullying victimisation and perpetration among youth. METHODS Data from the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health, which included 2716 youth (aged 10-17) with and 23 195 without disabilities in the USA were utilised. Parent-reported measures of height and weight, bullying perpetration and victimisation, and demographic covariates analysed. Descriptive statistics, and multivariable logistic regressions with outcomes of bullying perpetration and victimisation, were generated. RESULTS In the multivariate analysis, overweight (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.52), obesity (aOR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.83-2.77) and having a disability (aOR = 3.25, 95% CI 2.69-3.92) were related to greater odds of bully victimisation. Both obesity (aOR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.10-2.74) and disability (aOR = 2.74, 95% CI 2.00-3.75) were also related to greater odds of bully perpetration in the multivariate model; overweight status was not related to bully perpetration. CONCLUSIONS Weight status was identified as a characteristic that may increase the risk of bullying victimisation, above and beyond disability. This analysis helps identify that youth with disabilities who are overweight or obese have greater risk factors for bullying and are in need of interventions to ameliorate bullying.
Landau’s Inequality for Semigroups

Kraljevic and Kurepa in 1970 [14] proved a nice Landau type inequality for semigroups by making use of Taylor’s formula with integral remainder for semigroups, which has been a traditional method for proving such inequalities. The author offers another method in the semigroups and reproves the above result by using his earlier result about Ostrowski inequalities for semigroups, see [1], Chap. 16, pp. 259–289.
Bone turnover marker responses to sleep restriction and weekend recovery sleep.

Abstract Background Prior data demonstrated three weeks of sleep restriction and concurrent circadian disruption uncoupled bone turnover markers (BTMs), indicating decreased bone formation and no change or increased bone resorption. The effect of insufficient sleep with or without ad libitum weekend recovery sleep on BTMs is unknown. Methods BTMs were measured in stored serum from 20 healthy adults randomized to one of three study groups consisting of a control group (N = 3 men; 9 h/night) or one of two nocturnal sleep restriction groups in an inpatient laboratory environment. One Sleep Restriction group (“SR”; N = 9; 4 women) had 5 h sleep opportunity per night for nine nights. The other sleep restriction group had an opportunity for ad libitum Weekend Recovery sleep (“WR”; N = 8; 4 women) after four nights of 5 h sleep opportunity per night. Food intake was energy balanced at baseline and ad libitum thereafter. Fasted morning BTM levels and hourly 24 h melatonin levels were obtained on study days 3 (baseline), 5 (after 1 night of sleep restriction for WR and SR), and 11 (after a sleep restricted workweek with weekend recovery sleep in WR or 7 nights of sleep restriction in SR). Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to examine the effect of study duration (e.g., change over time), study condition, age, and sex on BTMs. Pearson correlations were used to determine associations between changes in BTMs and changes in weight and morning circadian misalignment (i.e., duration of high melatonin levels after wake time). Results There was no significant difference between the three study groups in change over time (p ≥ 0.4 for interaction between assigned group and time for all BTMs), adjusted for age and sex. There was no significant change in N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (P1NP), osteocalcin, or C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) from baseline to day 11 (all p ≥ 0.3). In women Conclusion In this small secondary analysis, we showed that nine nights of prescribed sleep restriction with or without weekend recovery sleep and ad libitum food intake did not alter BTMs. It is possible that age, sex, weight change and morning circadian misalignment modify the effects of sleep restriction on bone metabolism.
Strength and Swelling Behavior of Black Cotton Soil Stabilized with Waste Rubber Tyre

Objectives: To determine the strength and swelling behavior of black cotton soil (expansive soil) using a shredded rubber tyre as an additive. Methods: Series of unconfined compressive strength and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests were carried out on black cotton soil mixed with 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% of shredded rubber tyres, and the results were compared with untreated soil samples. The study also investigated the influence of shredded rubber on swelling characteristics of black cotton soil by performing the swelling pressure test. Findings: From the experimental results, it is inferred that the optimum addition of a 10% shredded rubber tyre can effectively improve the strength behavior of black cotton soil. The unconfined compressive strength and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) of soil stabilized with 10% of shredded rubber tyre increased by 32 % and 49.3% respectively as compared to the untreated soil. An illustration presented shows the effect of increased CBR in terms of the reduction of 18% pavement thickness. This may reduce the total cost of the project. The present study also investigated the swelling potential of Black cotton soil and it is found to be decreased by 33.33% for the addition of 15% shredded rubber soil as compared to untreated soil. Novelty: The use of shredded rubber in expansive soil increased its CBR value, leading to a reduction in 18% of pavement thickness. Hence, it may lead to a further reduction in the total cost of the project. Also, the disposal problem of waste rubber tyres is resolved up to a certain extent. Keywords: Shredded Rubber Tyre; Black Cotton Soil; Unconfined Compressive Strength; California Bearing Ratio; Soil Stabilization
What Counts as State Action Under Article 17 of the Rome Statute? Applying the ICC's Complementarity Test to Non-Criminal Investigations by the United States into War Crimes in Afghanistan

The International Criminal Court is a court of last resort. The Rome Statute makes clear that the Court must defer to genuine domestic investigations and prosecutions, and to such investigations even if they do not result in prosecutions. However, the Statute leaves open the question of what exactly constitutes a domestic investigation. While the natural assumption may be that only formal criminal investigations "count" for complementarity purposes, many states throughout history have relied on non-criminal inquiries for serious international crimes such as those contemplated by the Rome Statute. This paper examines the non-criminal inquiries into torture perpetrated by the United States in Afghanistan against the Court's complementarity jurisprudence, analyzing whether these inquiries could constitute a bar to Court action on complementarity grounds. The paper argues that while such inquiries may qualify as "investigations" under article 17 of the Rome Statute they indicate a lack of genuineness on the part of the United States when examined in light of prolonged and repeated refusals to prosecute despite mounting evidence of serious international crimes.
Kidneys Swarmed by Wasps

The order Hymenoptera consists of a variety of stinging insects which include honey bees, yellow jackets, hornets andwasps. Allergic manifestations to their stings are well recognized but the complications leading to acute kidney injury isless common. We report a 2 years old male child who survived after an unusually severe envenomation following multiplewasp stings resulting in hypertension, intravascular hemolysis, rhabdomyolysis, renal failure and multi-organ dysfunction.