cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DISCORDANCE BETWEEN MORPHOLOGICAL AND MECHANICAL DIVERSITY IN THE FEEDING MECHANISM OF CENTRARCHID FISHES

Morphological diversity is routinely used to infer ecological variation among species because differences in form underlie variation in functional performance of ecological tasks like capturing prey, avoiding predators, or defending territories. However, many functions have complex morphological bases that can weaken associations between morphological and functional diversification. We investigate the link between these levels of diversity in a mechanically explicit model of fish suction-feeding performance, where the map of head morphology to feeding mechanics is many-to-one: multiple, alternative forms can produce the same mechanical property. We show that many-to-one mapping leads to discordance between morphological and mechanical diversity in the freshwater fish family, the Centrarchidae, despite close associations between morphological changes and their mechanical effects. We find that each of the model's five morphological variables underlies evolution of suction capacity. Yet, the major centrarchid clades exhibit an order of magnitude range in diversity of suction mechanics in the absence of any clear difference in diversity of the morphological variables. This cryptic pattern of mechanical diversity suggests an evolutionary history for suction performance that is unlike the one inferred from comparisons of morphological diversity. Because many-to-one mapping is likely to be common in functional systems, this property of design may lead to widespread discordance between functional and morphological diversity. Although we focus on the interaction between morphology and mechanics, many-to-one mapping can decouple diversity between levels of organization in any hierarchical system.
Marriage and Offending among a Cohort of Disadvantaged African Americans

Objectives: Drawing on Sampson and Laub’s age-graded theory of informal social control, this research tests the generalizability of the marriage effect on desistance from crime. Specifically, do urban African American men and women living in the United States benefit from marriage similarly to Whites? Methods: The authors use hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to analyze the relationship between marriage and official arrest counts among African American male and female first graders from Woodlawn, an inner-city community in Chicago, first assessed in 1966 and followed up at three time points (ages 16, 32, and 42). Results: The authors find strong evidence of a marriage effect for the males across crime type, with a reduction in offending between 21 percent and 36 percent when in a state of marriage. The findings for females were less consistent across crime type, a 10 percent reduction in the odds of a property arrest and a 9 percent increase in the odds of a drug arrest when in a state of marriage. Concl...
Prompt Neutron Decay for Delayed Critical Bare and Natural-Uranium-Reflected Metal Spheres of Plutonium and Highly Enriched Uranium

Prompt neutron decay at delayed criticality was measured by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for uranium-reflected highly enriched uranium (HEU) and Pu metal spheres (FLATTOP), for an unreflected Pu metal (4.5% {sup 240}Pu) sphere (JEZEBEL) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and for an unreflected HEU metal sphere at Oak Ridge Critical Experiments Facility. The average prompt neutron decay constants from hundreds of Rossi-{alpha} and randomly pulsed neutron measurements with {sup 252}Cf at delayed criticality are as follows: 3.8458 {+-} 0.0016 x 10{sup 5} s{sup -1}, 2.2139 {+-} 0.0022 x 10{sup 5} s{sup -1}, 6.3126 {+-} 0.0100 x 10{sup 5} s{sup -1}, and 1.1061 {+-} 0.0009 x 10{sup 6} s{sup -1}, respectively. These values agree with previous measurements by LANL for FLATTOP, JEZEBEL, and GODIVA I as follows: 3.82 {+-} 0.02 x 10{sup 5} s{sup -1} for a uranium core; 2.14 {+-} 0.05 x 10{sup 5} s{sup -1} and 2.29 x 10{sup 5} s{sup -1} (uncertainty not reported) for a plutonium core; 6.4 {+-} 0.1 x 10{sup 5} s{sup -1}, and 1.1 {+-} 0.1 x 10{sup 6} s{sup -1}, respectively, but have smaller uncertainties because of the larger number of measurements. For the FLATTOP and JEZEBEL assemblies, the measurements agree withmore » calculations. Traditionally, the calculated decay constants for the bare uranium metal sphere GODIVA I and the Oak Ridge Uranium Metal Sphere were higher than experimental by {approx}10%. Other energy-dependent quantities for the bare uranium sphere agree within 1%.« less
Artificial neural networks for four-coloring map problems and K-colorability problems

The computational energy required for solving a four-coloring map problem is determined. A parallel algorithm for solving the problem based on the McCulloch-Pits binary neuron model and the Hopfield neural network, is presented. It is shown that the computational energy is always guaranteed to monotonically decrease with the Newton equation. A 4*n neural array is used to color a map of n regions, where each neuron is a processing element that performs according to the proposed Newton equation. The capability of this system is demonstrated for a large number of simulation runs. The parallel algorithm is extended for solving the K-colorability problem. >
Can Female Adolescents Tell Whether They Will Test Positive for Chlamydia Infection

Objectives. Having better predictors of chlamydia infection may improve health care providers’ decisions about when to provide testing for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct). Adolescents’ probability judgments of significant life events in the next year and by age 20 y have shown promising validity, being significantly correlated with subsequent self-reports of having experienced these events. Here, the authors examine whether female adolescents’ probability judgments of having chlamydia were correlated with the objective outcome of a Ct polymerase chain reaction assay. Methods. Three hundred sexually active female adolescents were recruited from urban health care clinics in Pittsburgh. They assessed ‘‘the percent chance that you have chlamydia right now,’’ then answered questions about their demographic background and sexual history. Subsequently, the authors tested for Ct infection using a self-administered introital swab. Results. Adolescents’ probability judgments of having chlamydia ‘‘right now’’ were correl...
Commentary on "Social Change and Equilibration of Cognitive Structures: The Role of Schooling and Urbanisation" by A. Lalo:

Analyse critique des resultats obtenus par Lalo (1989) sur l'effet de la scolarisation et de l'urbanisation sur le developpement cognitif des enfants senegalais et comparaison avec les resultats obtenus par Greenfield
Colonization of the northwest Atlantic by the blue mussel, Mytilus trossulus postdates the last glacial maximum

Blue mussels in the genus Mytilus first arrived in the Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific during the Pliocene, following the opening of the Bering Strait. Repeated periods of glaciation throughout the Pleistocene led to re-isolation of the two ocean basins and the allopatric divergence of Mytilus edulis in the Atlantic and M. trossulus in the Pacific. Mytilus trossulus has subsequently colonized the northwest Atlantic (NW Atlantic) so that the two species are presently sympatric and hybridize throughout much of the Canadian Maritimes and the Gulf of Maine. To estimate when M. trossulus arrived in the NW Atlantic, we have examined sequence variation within a portion of the female mtDNA lineage large untranslated region (F-LUR) for 156 mussels sampled from three Pacific and eleven Atlantic populations of M. trossulus. Although we found no evidence of reciprocal monophyly for Pacific and NW Atlantic M. trossulus, limited gene flow between ocean basins has led to the divergence of unique sequence clades within each ocean basin. In contrast, relative genetic homogeneity indicates high levels of gene flow within each basin. Coalescence-based analysis of the F-LUR sequences suggests that M. trossulus recolonized the NW Atlantic from the northeast Pacific subsequent to a demographic expansion in the Pacific that occurred ~96,000 years before present (ybp). Estimates of timing of divergence for Pacific and NW Atlantic populations and the time since expansion among NW Atlantic sequence clades indicate that M. trossulus arrived in the NW Atlantic more recently, between 20,000 and 46,000 ybp. Given that these estimates overlap with the dates of peak ice in the NW Atlantic during the last glacial maximum (LGM, ~18,000–21,000 ybp), we suggest that colonization of the NW Atlantic by M. trossulus occurred during, but more likely just subsequent to, the LGM and was followed by rapid temporal and spatial expansion in the region.
Airway Pepsin Levels in Otherwise Healthy Surgical Patients Receiving General Anesthesia With Endotracheal Intubation

Background Airway pepsin has been increasingly used as a potentially sensitive and quantifiable biomarker for gastric-to-pulmonary aspiration, despite lack of validation in normal control subjects. This study attempts to define normal levels of airway pepsin in adults and distinguish between pepsin A (exclusive to stomach) and pepsin C (which can be expressed by pneumocytes). Methods We performed a prospective study of 51 otherwise healthy adult patients undergoing elective extremity orthopedic surgery at a single tertiary-care academic medical center. Lower airway samples were obtained immediately following endotracheal intubation and just prior to extubation. Total pepsin and pepsin A concentrations were directly measured by an enzymatic activity assay, and pepsin C was subsequently derived. Pepsinogen/pepsin C was confirmed by Western blot analyses. Baseline characteristics were secondarily compared. Results In all, 11 (22%; 95% CI=9.9%–33%) had detectable airway pepsin concentrations. All 11 positive specimens had pepsin C, without any detectable pepsin A. Pepsinogen/pepsin C was confirmed by Western blot analyses. In a multivariate logistic regression, men were more likely to have airway pepsin (OR, 12.71, P = .029). Conclusions Enzymatically active pepsin C, but not the gastric-specific pepsin A, is frequently detected in the lower airways of patients who otherwise have no risk for aspiration. This suggests that nonspecific pepsin assays should be used and interpreted with caution as a biomarker of gastropulmonary aspiration, as pepsinogen C potentially expressed from pneumocytes may be detected in airway samples.
The effect of spatial configuration of habitat capacity on β diversity

Patterns of β diversity are commonly used to infer underlying ecological processes. In this study, we examined the effect of spatial configuration of habitat capacity on different metrics of β diversity, i.e., β diversity measured as turnover and as variation. For β diversity as turnover, a monotonic species spatial turnover pattern is typically considered as a benchmark for species distributions driven only by dispersal process. Deviations from a monotonic curve are attributed to local environmental filtering (i.e., the same environmental factors affecting different species differently). However, we found non-monotonicity in species spatial turnover in models without environmental filtering effect. This non-monotonicity was caused by variation in α diversity, introduced by spatial configuration of habitat capacity. After applying a recent null-model approach—designed to tease out the effect of variation in α diversity—species spatial turnover remained non-monotonic. This non-monotonicity makes it problematic to use species spatial turnover to infer the underlying processes for species distribution, i.e., whether it is driven by environmental filtering or dispersal processes. Spatial configuration of habitat capacity also influences landscape connectivity. Small-habitat capacity sites may constrain movements of organisms (i.e., dispersal) between sites supporting high capacity habitats. We showed that in a landscape where small-habitat capacity sites were located in positions important for dispersal (e.g., in the center as opposed to on the edge of a landscape) has a higher spatial variation of species composition, hence, higher β diversity. Ecologists who use different measures of β diversity should be aware of these effects introduced by spatial configuration of habitat capacity.
On reporting of the time of attestation measurements

One problem that arises with remote attestation is that while the second remote party gets an attestation of measurements taken for the first party, the measurements do not indicate when they were taken. Existing attestation protocols include a nonce to prove that the quoting of the measurements is fresh; however, this alone does not provide an indication of when those measurements were actually taken. This allows reboot attacks, where a machine is put in a correct state only when an attestation is going to be performed. In addition, stale measurements may incorrectly characterize a system's security posture. This paper provides a solution to this quandary called “provably dated measurements” which utilizes the tickCount and tickStamp capabilities of the TPM (Trusted Platform Module).
Strange Subordinations: Correcting Bankruptcy's @ 510(B)

Accepting the premise of ?510(b) that rescission claims of junior claimants should not have the seniority of debt, Prof. Georgakopoulos examines its operation and finds four implementation errors. The subordination to the "same priority as common stock" is excessive and provides insufficient deterrence from securities fraud. The subordination of claims arising from (re)sales to the corporation is excessive because any overreaching transactions it prevents would be easy to identify, while it mistreats honest transactions. But the greatest errors of ?510(b) are the subordination of claims from the purchase of subsidiaries? stock, which allows similar transactions to have vastly different results, and the subordination of claims from the purchase of other securities. Both eliminate deterrence against defrauding securities purchasers while the (parent) corporation is insolvent. Since such an error cannot have been intended, ?510(b) should be interpreted to apply only to claims arising during solvency.
Research-oriented genetic management of nonhuman primate colonies.

Genetic management is an important component of the general management of nonhuman primate colonies. However, standard genetic management techniques were developed primarily to address the goals of population conservation, particularly in zoo situations. The special needs of colonies that produce animals for biomedical research have not previously been fully addressed and the great potential of genetic management in the research environment remains to be realized. A research-oriented genetic management approach balances long-term breeding goals and current and future experimental needs, yielding a comprehensive overall colony management program. Pedigree information, genetic markers (e.g., serum proteins, red blood cell enzymes, restriction fragment length polymorphisms, and single-locus microsatellites), and quantitative traits (e.g., routinely gathered clinical chemical values, weights, and blood pressures) can be used alone or in combination to estimate genetic variability in the colony and to characterize animals for experimentally relevant traits. The statistical power of experiments using nonhuman primates can be improved when animals are selected on the basis of their genetic values or genotypes for experimentally relevant traits because the quantified genetic variation among subjects can then be minimized. The incorporation of experimental needs into the overall genetic management plans for captive breeding colonies helps ensure the long-term viability of colonies for meeting the demands of both breeding and research.
GFR Determination by a Modification of the Gates Method: The Conventional Renal Examination with a Semi-Automated GFR Measurement

The conventional radionuclide renal examination using a 10–20-mCi dose of technetium-99m (99mTc) DTPA (Pentetate), conducted over a 30–60-min duration, does not accommodate the Gates method for GFR determination. Simple modifications to the Gates technique will, however, permit a GFR determination to be made without sacrificing the components of a complete conventional renal examination, and will not significantly alter the technologist’s examination routine or time commitment. These modifications allow the Gates method to be used on virtually any gamma camera/collimator combination with an accompanying computer system, dose calibrator, and a lead slab syringe attenuator. With the modifications, GFR determinations can be obtained using doses of tracer as high as 10–20 mCi, while eliminating the direct gamma camera counting of the residual activity in the postinjection syringe. The net injected syringe counts are calculated using the gamma camera counts from the preinjection syringe attenuated through lead and the dose calibrator’s pre- and postinjection measurements of activity to determine the fraction of injected counts from the measured syringe dose. Excellent results are obtained when the gamma camera counts of the syringe activity using the original Gates method are compared to the counts derived from the modified technique using the lead slab attenuator and the dose calibrator (r > 0.99). We have found that this particular modification of the Gates method allows for a full examination by removing the dose and time restrictions imposed by the original Gates technique.
The impact of age on nodal metastases and survival in gastric cancer

Abstract Background In gastric adenocarcinoma, the disparity in lymph node involvement between different age groups has not been thoroughly investigated. The objective of our study was to compare age-associated differences in adequate lymph node harvest and nodal involvement in gastric adenocarcinoma patients. Methods We analyzed data extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database on 13,165 patients diagnosed with stage I-III gastric adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2011. All patients underwent surgical resection. Statistical comparisons between various age groups were done using the chi-square test and Cox regression. Results Among 13,165 gastrectomy patients, proportion of patients that had >15 lymph nodes examined decreases significantly with increasing age ( P P Conclusions In gastric adenocarcinoma, older patients are less likely to be adequately staged. However, when adequately staged, they are less likely to have node-positive tumors. Adherence to national guidelines, regardless of age, is associated with improved survival outcomes and may alter multimodality management of gastric cancer in the elderly.
ECOLOGICAL GENETICS OF A MOSAIC HYBRID ZONE: MITOCHONDRIAL, NUCLEAR, AND REPRODUCTIVE DIFFERENTIATION OF CRICKETS BY SOIL TYPE

We investigated the effects that habitat variation has on the structure and dynamics of a hybrid zone between two closely related crickets in Connecticut. A collecting protocol was developed in which crickets were sampled from characteristic habitats on either side of the hybrid zone and from two distinct habitat types within the zone. Presumptive pure Gryllus pennsylvanicus were sampled from fields in northwestern Connecticut and represent "inland" populations. "Pure" Gryllus firmus were sampled from beaches along the coast and represent the "coastal" populations. Crickets from within the hybrid zone were sampled from two different soil types: the "loam" populations from loamy soils and the "sand" populations from sandy soils. Moreover, an attempt was made to identify closely adjacent sand and loam localities to determine the scale of habitat variation and its possible effects on hybrid-zone structure. In general, there was little variation in morphological traits or in allozyme and mtDNA genotype frequencies among localities from within each of the four habitat types. Between each of the closely situated sand and loam localities within the hybrid zone, however, there were very significant differences in each of these sets of markers. In addition, crickets from hybrid-zone populations were tested for reproductive isolation. The asymmetric outcome of hybrid crosses that exists across the zone (Harrison, 1983) also exists on a finer ecological scale within the zone. Thus, this hybrid zone is a mosaic of strikingly differentiated populations. The dynamics of hybrid zones with mosaic structures are discussed in contrast to the traditional clinal models. The data are also discussed in light of the semipermeable nature of species boundaries. The extent to which a species boundary is permeable varies not only from one genetic marker to the next, but also with the ecological and geographic context of species interaction.
Breath Testing for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: A Means to Enrich Rifaximin Responders in IBS Patients?

Breath Testing for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: A Means to Enrich Rifaximin Responders in IBS Patients?
Harvesting models and pest management in cotton

Improvements are reported on a model of cotton harvesting economics that has been used to make recommendations about insect pest management in cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.). Simulations show that the effects of time of crop maturity on yield and revenue are not as great as those in the original model. We found a 0.7% increase in gross revenue with a 1-wk advance in maturity and a 0.3% decrease in gross revenue with a 1-wk delay in maturity. Simulated commercial yield did not change significantly with a 1-wk advance or delay in maturity, indicating that the differences in gross revenue arose from changes in lint quality. Until quantitative estimates are available for the effects of early season insects on the relation between yield and harvest date, the influence of early season insect control on time of maturity cannot be incorporated in models of harvesting economics. However, the small differences in gross revenue found in the simulations suggest that early season insects must have a very large effect on time of maturity to warrant automatic insecticide applications to advance maturity.
Ovarian Hormones, Menstrual Cycle Phase, and Smoking: a Review with Recommendations for Future Studies

Cigarette smoking continues to be the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. Similar to other addictive substances, the prevalence of cigarette smoking is greater among men than women, yet women are less successful at quitting smoking. Preclinical and clinical research suggests that ovarian hormones (i.e., estradiol and progesterone), which fluctuate over the course of the menstrual cycle, may contribute to these sex differences. Specifically, research suggests that progesterone may protect against cigarette smoking and nicotine addiction, whereas estradiol may underlie enhanced vulnerability. In this review, we discuss new research on ovarian hormone and menstrual cycle phase effects on smoking-related responses and behavior in women, including studies examining neural responses to smoking cues, hormonal influences on medication-assisted smoking cessation, and acute smoking abstinence. We highlight innovative studies with strong research methodology and provide suggestions for future research that may allow evidence-based knowledge for immediate translation to the clinic to guide novel, hormonally informed treatment strategies. Thus, rigorous scientific study holds the potential to reduce relapse rates, thus improving the health and saving the lives of the many thousands of women who unfortunately do not respond to current treatments.
Connection Technique and Material of Transmission and Distribution Grounding

This paper introduced the grounding metal materials commonly used in the domestic power transformer field, and compared the properties of these metal materials. The connection technique of these materials was also introduced including galvanized steel, stainless steel, copper, copper clad steel and so on. The properties of the connection technique were compared, such as the melting point of joint, process property, service property, economy. The results show that the grounding system construction should be chose in accordance with the actual demand, according to the characteristics of material and connection technique.
Endpoint-based discriminability of minimum energy inputs

Complex neural networks, such as those found in the human brain, are able to very accurately discriminate and classify external stimuli. Some of their topological and computational properties have been extracted and used to great effect by the artificial intelligence community. However, even our best simulated neural networks are very pale abstractions of reality, partly because (in general) they fail to account for the temporal dynamics and recurrence inherent in natural neural networks, and instead employ feed-forward architecture and discrete, simultaneous activity. In this paper we begin to develop an intuitive, geometric framework to explore the ways in which different inputs could be discriminated in recurrent linear dynamical networks, with the eventual goal of being able to facilitate a transition to more realistic and effective artificial networks. We first establish a useful, closed-form measure on the space of minimum-energy inputs to a linear system, which allows an elucidation of how discrepancies between inputs impact output trajectories in the state space. We characterize, to an extent, the relationship between input and output difference as it relates to system dynamics as manifest in the geometry of the reachable output space. We draw from this characterization principles which may be employed in the design of dynamic, recurrent artificial networks for input discrimination.
Liturgy and Literature in the Making of Protestant England: Revolution and representation

The Book of Common Prayer proved, in its efforts to stabilize conflict into dialectical ambiguity, tragically unable fully to contain the conflicting energies it sought to synthesize. The individualizing logic of reform contributed to the continuing growth of an aggressively evangelical strain of Protestantism, which even in Elizabeth's reign came to see the Prayerbook as an empty popish form which impeded authentic religious expression, and which supported monarchical and prelatical tyranny. The rise of High Church Laudianism in the seventeenth century founded itself in the set form and ceremonial of the Prayerbook, and its implied corollaries of royal and ecclesiastical hierarchy. These two poles, defined substantially and not at all coincidentally around liturgical issues, developed into the parties whose growing conflict would eventually erupt into civil war and the beheading of a king. The BCP was originally an attempt to mediate textually the powerful oppositions of one revolution in the sixteenth century; this resolution proved insufficiently flexible to prevent another revolution in the seventeenth. This latter revolution was a defining event for two of the most influential English voices of the seventeenth century. John Milton and Thomas Hobbes were, to a great extent, both heirs of the English Reformation and its textual establishment in the Prayerbook. Both took it as a matter of course that England should be free of Roman authority, and both decisively rejected not only the political but also the hermeneutic claims of Catholic theology.
Biochar effect on severity of soybean root disease caused by Fusarium virguliforme

Biochar is known to decrease soil bulk density, increase nutrient and water retention, and to suppress certain soil-borne pathogens. The aims of our glasshouse and field experiments were to; 1) determine whether biochar amendments impact the severity of soybean root rot caused by Fusarium virguliforme; 2) to determine if biochar reduces severity of root rot by changes in physicochemical properties of soil; 3) whether biochar induces systemic resistance to root rot in soybean plants. Results of the first glasshouse pot study indicate that biochars differ significantly in their effect on root rot caused by F. virguliforme, as two of eight biochars significantly suppressed root rot severity. Results for the second glasshouse pot study indicate that disease suppression was not related to changes in soil physicochemical properties (bulk density, soil moisture, soil pH). A third split-root experiment provided no evidence that biochar amendments are capable of inducing systemic resistance in soybean plants. Results of the small plot experiment proved that biochar was effective at reducing visual above ground symptoms of SDS, but did not affect soybean grain yields. Both systemic and indirect effects of biochar on SDS root rot severity have been eliminated in the present study; further research is needed to determine whether suppression of root rot severity is related to changes in soil microbial communities induced by biochar.
Hostility and Hispandering in 2016: The Demographic and Discursive Power of Latinx Voters

The 2016 Latinx voting bloc remains a peculiar group. Political pundits who credited Obama’s reelection to the influence of the “Hispanic” vote in 2012 are again staging the outcome of the 2016 pre...
Efficient Peak Shaving in a Data Center by Joint Optimization of Task Assignment and Energy Storage Management

The usage of energy storage devices in data centers has been widely studied for the purpose of peak shaving in the context of dynamic utility pricing. To effectively achieve peak shaving in a data center with energy storage capability, a joint optimization framework is proposed to solve the task assignment problem and the energy storage management problem. The power hierarchy of a data center is modeled as a tree with battery arrays connected to each node, which is a generalization of common energy storage deployment topologies including the centralized structure and the rack/server-level distributed structure. A multi-dimensional resource request model is adopted based on released cluster traces in order to capture the complex dynamics of the workload of a data center. In addition, the rate capacity effect and aging effect are considered when modeling the batteries. A progressive refinement approach is used to solve the optimization problem. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm consistently outperforms some baseline algorithms.
Human memory CD8 T cell effector potential is epigenetically preserved during in vivo homeostasis

Antigen-independent homeostasis of memory CD8 T cells is vital for sustaining long-lived T cell-mediated immunity. In this study, we report that maintenance of human memory CD8 T cell effector potential during in vitro and in vivo homeostatic proliferation is coupled to preservation of acquired DNA methylation programs. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of primary human naive, short-lived effector memory (TEM), and longer-lived central memory (TCM) and stem cell memory (TSCM) CD8 T cells identified effector molecules with demethylated promoters and poised for expression. Effector-loci demethylation was heritably preserved during IL-7- and IL-15-mediated in vitro cell proliferation. Conversely, cytokine-driven proliferation of TCM and TSCM memory cells resulted in phenotypic conversion into TEM cells and was coupled to increased methylation of the CCR7 and Tcf7 loci. Furthermore, haploidentical donor memory CD8 T cells undergoing in vivo proliferation in lymphodepleted recipients also maintained their effector-associated demethylated status but acquired TEM-associated programs. These data demonstrate that effector-associated epigenetic programs are preserved during cytokine-driven subset interconversion of human memory CD8 T cells.
All Paths Lead to TRIM25

Identifying key factors that regulate the transition from primary to metastatic cancer is a fundamental challenge. Walsh et al. took a systems biology approach integrating computational, in vitro, and in vivo experiments to identify TRIM25 (tripartite motif containing 25) as a key factor that regulates metastatic gene signatures both at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level in breast cancer. Targeting TRIM25 therapeutically is attractive because it governs a broad set of coordinated transcriptional modules that dictate metastatic progression.
Effects of Blankophor BBH, a Virus-Enhancing Adjuvant, on Mortality of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

We examined aspects of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.)/nuclear polyhedrosis virus relationship, and the effects of Blankophor BBH on that relationship, that might impact the timing of virus kill in a cohort of treated larvae. We studied this relationship both for virus and enhancer applied together and separately. We found that a portion of larvae ingesting virus polyhedral inclusion bodies die later (more than 4 wk after infection) in the season, and that this can be affected by the presence of Blankophor BBH if the virus dose is above a certain level (in this study, 107 polyhedral inclusion bodies per 378 liters). Furthermore, the pattern of mortality resulting from virus ingestion was elucidated. This pattern was affected by Blankophor BBH, but only when the virus dose was above a certain higher level (in this study, 1011 inclusion bodies per 378 liters). We also found that Blankophor BBH alone had no obvious effect on the course of the disease in gypsy moth larvae that had previously ingested vi...
Alternatives to Urokinase for the Management of Central Venous Catheter Occlusion

The nationwide shortage of urokinase that began in late 1998 forced the medical community to find suitable alternatives to this agent for the management of various thrombotic processes. A high-use ...
Sterically Shielded, Stabilized Nitrile Imine for Rapid Bioorthogonal Protein Labeling in Live Cells

In pursuit of fast bioorthogonal reactions, reactive moieties have been increasingly employed for selective labeling of biomolecules in living systems, posing a challenge in attaining reactivity without sacrificing selectivity. To address this challenge, here we report a bioinspired strategy in which molecular shape controls the selectivity of a transient, highly reactive nitrile imine dipole. By tuning the shape of structural pendants attached to the ortho position of the N-aryl ring of diaryltetrazoles−precursors of nitrile imines, we discovered a sterically shielded nitrile imine that favors the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition over the competing nucleophilic addition. The photogenerated nitrile imine exhibits an extraordinarily long half-life of 102 s in aqueous medium, owing to its unique molecular shape that hinders the approach of a nucleophile as shown by DFT calculations. The utility of this sterically shielded nitrile imine in rapid (∼1 min) bioorthogonal labeling of glucagon receptor in live mammalian...
Role of Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Tumors of the Salivary Glands

Discussion of the role of adjuvant radiotherapy in the treatment of salivary gland tumors Definitive conventional radiotherapy for the treatment of salivary gland tumors The unique role of neutron radiotherapy in the treatment of salivary gland tumors The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of pleomorphic adenomas
The Readable Delaware General Corporation Law: 2017-2018 with patented VisiLaw markings

This paper contains a short introduction to VisiLaw and a complete, VisiLaw-marked copy of the Delaware General Corporation Law, including all laws enacted during the Delaware legislature’s regular session ending June 30, 2017. VisiLaw is a system for marking statutes to make them easier to read. The markings visually separate sentences, and clauses within sentences, making it easy to see where each begins and ends. The ability to see sentence structure at a glance makes it possible to read clauses one at a time, without losing orientation in the overall structure. Within each constituent clause, underlining identifies a skeletal sentence – subject, verb, direct object and a few other words. The underlining enables the reader to quickly get the gist, and understand the structure, of the constituent clauses.
Preparation and Crystal Structures of Complexes of U(BH3CH3)4 with 1,2-Dimethoxyethane, N,N,N′,N′-Tetramethylethylenediamine, and 1,2-Bis(methylthio)ethane.

The U(IV) compound (I) reacts with the title compounds (II) and (IV) to give the 1:1 adducts (III) and (V), respectively.
Learning and adaptation in speech production without a vocal tract

How is the complex audiomotor skill of speaking learned? To what extent does it depend on the specific characteristics of the vocal tract? Here, we developed a touchscreen-based speech synthesizer to examine learning of speech production independent of the vocal tract. Participants were trained to reproduce heard vowel targets by reaching to locations on the screen without visual feedback and receiving endpoint vowel sound auditory feedback that depended continuously on touch location. Participants demonstrated learning as evidenced by rapid increases in accuracy and consistency in the production of trained targets. This learning generalized to productions of novel vowel targets. Subsequent to learning, sensorimotor adaptation was observed in response to changes in the location-sound mapping. These findings suggest that participants learned adaptable sensorimotor maps allowing them to produce desired vowel sounds. These results have broad implications for understanding the acquisition of speech motor control.
Desmosomes: Essential contributors to an integrated intercellular junction network

The development of adhesive connections between cells was critical for the evolution of multicellularity and for organizing cells into complex organs with discrete compartments. Four types of intercellular junction are present in vertebrates: desmosomes, adherens junctions, tight junctions, and gap junctions. All are essential for the development of the embryonic layers and organs as well as adult tissue homeostasis. While each junction type is defined as a distinct entity, it is now clear that they cooperate physically and functionally to create a robust and functionally diverse system. During evolution, desmosomes first appeared in vertebrates as highly specialized regions at the plasma membrane that couple the intermediate filament cytoskeleton at points of strong cell–cell adhesion. Here, we review how desmosomes conferred new mechanical and signaling properties to vertebrate cells and tissues through their interactions with the existing junctional and cytoskeletal network.
Computer-aided learning for managing stress: A feasibility trial with clinical high risk adolescents and young adults.

Aim The peak onset of psychotic disorders occurs during adolescence and early adulthood, yet treatments for youth at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis are generally designed for adults. CHR youth, despite poor academic and social engagement, spend hours each day playing complicated videogames. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of integrating biofeedback and cooperative videogame play within family therapy as a means of engaging and enhancing this population's resilience. Methods We conducted a feasibility trial of an innovative 12-week family therapy for CHR ages 12-30 (clinicaltrials.gov NCT02531243). We report feasibility outcomes and preliminary effect sizes for pre-post changes and youth-parent differences. Results Of 88 individuals referred to the centre who met age and CHR criteria, 11 (13%) youth-parent pairs met full criteria and engaged in treatment. Ten (91%) completed at least six sessions. Youth found CALMS initially credible, but parents tended to find it more credible and to be more satisfied over time. Surprisingly, parents reported a better game experience than youth. As a group, youth and parent participants reported experiencing reduced stress and perceiving each other as less critical by the end of treatment. Youth were rated as having significantly improved social, but not role or global functioning by the end of treatment. Conclusions Multiuser videogames may have a role to play in engaging youth at risk for psychosis in therapy and reducing stress and familial risk factors. A number of key developments are needed to enhance the appeal, effectiveness and practicality of this approach.
Growth hormone and prostate cancer risk: A case-control study

1098 We conducted the present analyses to assess the association of prostate cancer risk with basal levels of growth hormone (GH), in a case-control study carried out in Buffalo, NY, between 1998 and 2001(the PROMEN study). Eighty-eight men, aged 45-85, with incident, primary pathologically confirmed prostate cancer and 251 residence-matched controls were enrolled in the study. Prostate cancer cases were enrolled and their biological specimens collected prior to any therapy. To exclude latent prostate carcinomas, the present study included only patients with clinically apparent disease (stage B and higher). Prostate cancer cases and control subjects were excluded if on hormonal treatment, or affected with metabolic or endocrine diseases. Control subjects with a prostate specific antigen (PSA) value higher than 4ng/ml were excluded from the control group. Serum basal GH levels were assayed by immunometric method after a reliability study of GH determinations in 51 healthy men over a one-year period. The intraclass correlation coefficient for matched samples was 86% (p
Systemic MCPIP1 deficiency in mice impairs lipid homeostasis

Abstract Atherosclerosis involves interactions between inflammation system and dyslipidemia. MCPIP1 (Monocyte Chemotactic Protein induced Protein-1) is induced by proinflammatory molecules and serves as a negative feedback loop in regulating inflammatory responses. Our current study was designed to test the role of MCPIP1 in maintaining lipid homeostasis, the latter a pivotal factor that contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We found that MCPIP1 knockout mice displayed a decrease in levels of serum HDL-cholesterol and total triglycerides but an increase in serum LDL/VLDL-cholesterol levels when compared to wild-type mice. Additionally, ApoA-1 expression was reduced but LPL expression was upregulated in plasma from MCPIP1 knockout mice. The livers from the MCPIP1 knockout mice revealed a decrease in hepatocyte number and an increase in collagen deposition when compared to wild-type mice. These findings suggest that MCPIP1 deficiency can induce liver fibrosis, alter the expression of lipoproteins, and affect transportation and metabolism of lipids, indicating that MCPIP1 is involved in maintaining lipid homeostasis, possibly via negatively regulating inflammatory responses.
Complete ZVS Analysis in Dual Active Bridge

Zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) has been widely applied in widebandgap devices based on high-switching-frequency converters, for instance, dual-active-bridge isolated dc–dc converter, which consists of two H-bridges. To secure ZVS for all eight switches, previous literature mostly focuses on half-bridge to analyze switching transitions, which, however, is rather incomplete due to ignoring the impact of modulation strategies and cannot fulfill all circumstances. In this letter, the whole H-bridge is used as a unit to analyze the ZVS transient process, addressing the ZVS setting in different modulation strategies. The minimal initial inductor energy to complete the ZVS process is also quantified, which in return can reduce the transformer current, thereby enhancing the efficiency. Furthermore, the accurate ZVS transition time is derived incorporating with the nonlinearity of switch output capacitance, which can be further used to set the dead-band time. An H-bridge prototype with SiC devices is built up to verify the theory proposed in this letter.
The Courage to Be: Using DBT Skills to Choose Who to Be in Uncertainty

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a unique set of circumstances in which most of us are struggling with the same sort of existential questions across our unique contexts and subjective experience...
The freedom of speech: talk and slavery in the Anglo-Caribbean world: by Miles Ogborn, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2019, 309 pp., $35.00 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-226-65768-4

In this innovative and deeply-researched book, Miles Ogborn argues that maintaining the boundary between slavery and freedom that lay at the center of British West Indian society depended on polici...
Chest and Abdominal Injuries in Football

Football chest and abdominal injuries result from traumatic force and range from muscle strains to life-threatening conditions. Managing these injuries requires a high index of suspicion; recognition of the mechanism of injury; capability to perform a quick assessment of airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs) following Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) guidelines; knowledge of the specific condition; and the ability to observe the athlete serially. This chapter will describe chest and abdominal injuries likely to be encountered by the clinician caring for football athletes.
Pharmacokinetics of oral firocoxib in un-weaned calves.

The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of firocoxib after oral administration in un-weaned calves. Eight Holstein calves with a mean age of 36 days and a mean weight of 55 kg were administered a single oral dose of 227 mg firocoxib. The resulting mean dosage was 4.2 mg/kg (range 3.5-5.0 mg/kg). Blood was collected prior to drug administration and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after treatment. Firocoxib concentrations in plasma were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Using computer software, pharmacokinetic parameters were found to fit best with a one-compartment model. Mean Cmax was 0.9 μg/ml (range 0.570-1.254), and Tmax was estimated to be 7 h (range 4-8 h). The estimated T1/2 was 15.3 h. The pharmacokinetics of firocoxib after oral dosing are similar to those in dogs, with the exception of a T1/2 that is approximately twice as long. Based on the similar pharmacokinetics, it is possible that a dose of 227 mg firocoxib orally could provide an analgesic effect in un-weaned calves.
Of political entrepreneurs: Assembling community and social capital in Hyderabad’s informal settlements:

This paper theorises the political entrepreneurship of local political actors variously described as brokers, fixers or leaders, by examining their consistent and flexible labour towards gaining an...
Population Surveys and Viability Assessments for Coryphantha scheeri var. Robustispina, a Federally Protected Cactus of the Sonoran Desert

Coryphantha scheeri var. robustispina (Pima pineapple cactus [PPC]; Cactaceae) is a small cylindrical cactus found in semi-desert grassland and Sonoran desert-scrub in southern Arizona and northern Mexico. This species was listed as endangered in 1993 in the USA, but does not have protection in Mexico. In 2017, surveys were repeated at six PPC sites with a long monitoring history within the Altar Valley, Pima County, Arizona. Overall, PPC individuals were found at five of the six sites (i.e., 83%). Although PPC is persisting at most sites and recruitment was observed at some sites, the overall pattern was one of decline within the surveyed area. In addition, population viability analyses predict that four sites will lose more than half of their individuals within 20 y, and five sites within 50 y. The information presented in this study should be useful for making decisions regarding federal protection for Coryphantha scheeri var. robustispina.