cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of pregnancy with indomethacin in mature gilts and prepuberal gilts induced to ovulate.

Twenty prepuberal (P) gilts, 56.5 ± 1.1 kg body weight, were induced to ovulate with 1000 IU of pregnantmare’sserum gonadotropin followed 72 h later by 500 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and bred by artificial insemination (Al) with 50 ml fresh pooled boar semen the day after hCG treatment (Day 0). Eighteen mature (M) gilts, 120.6 ± 1.7 kg body weight, were bred by Al each day of estrus using pooled semen from the same boars (onset of estrus=Day 0). One-half of each group was fed the prostagiandin (PG) synthesis inhibitor indomethacin (IND), at 10 mg/kg body weight, or control (C) feed twice daily on Days 10 to 25. Blood samples taken by venipuncture on Days 10, 15,20 and 25 were quantitated for progesterone (P4) and 13,14-dihydro-15-ketoPGF� � (PGFM) by radioimmunoassay. Ovaries were examined on Day 26. All M-C guts were pregnant, whereas 3 of 9 M-IND gilts (P<0.05) and none of the P gilts (P<0.01) were pregnant. Three of the 6 nonpregnant M-IND gilts displayed estruson Day 21. The 3 remaining M-IND gilts had maintained corpora lutea (CL) on Day 26. Only corpora albicantia were present in P gilts on Day 26. Serum P4 concentrations for M-C gilts, nonpregnant M-IND gilts with maintained CL, and pregnant M-IND giltswere not different. Serum P4 for all nonpregnant gilts in which CL had regressedby Day 25 decreased to lessthan 5 ng/ml on Day 20.Serum PGFM concentrations on Days 15, 20 and 25 demonstrated that IND blockedPG synthesis. Therefore,inhibition of PG secretionfailedto protectCL from the luteolytic influence of the uterus and failed to allow maintenanceof pregnancy in P gilts. Pregnancy failure in 6 of 9 M-IND gifts indicates that PG production may be essential for establishment of pregnancy.
Topology design and upgrade of an optical network by bottleneck-cut identification

We investigate the problem of topology design of an optical network by bottleneck-cut identification. For an optical network, the topology-design problem can be viewed as a combined two-layer design problem: physical-topology design and virtual-topology design. In this study, we present the definition of bottleneck cut of an optical network. A heuristic algorithm is proposed to find the bottleneck cut, and then we show how to apply this algorithm to an optical network for topology design and upgrade.
Fine structural studies of radiation‐resistant human squamous cell carcinomas1

Squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity are relatively common lesions, and often can be controlled by radiation therapy. Recently, a series of these tumors has been encountered which did not respond positively to irradiation, necessitating subsequent extensive surgery. This report describes some fine structural changes which were observed in squamous cell carcinomas following exposure to x-irradiation. In addition to the common, keratin-forming differentiated cell, others which were observed were secretory-like, undifferentiated and phagocytic cells. Undifferentiated tumor cells occasionally became incorporated, at least temporarily, as a component of the blood vessel wall, perhaps reflecting metastatic potentiality. It is proposed that irradiation may either increase potential avenues of tumor cell differentiation or inactivate inhibitors thereof.
WTA estimates using the method of paired comparison: tests of robustness

The method of paired comparison is modified to allow choices between two alternative gains so as to estimate willingness to accept (WTA) without loss aversion. The robustness of WTA values for two public goods is tested with respect to sensitivity of the WTA measure to the context of the bundle of goods used in the paired comparison exercise and to the scope (scale) of the public good project. There was no statistical difference in WTA measures for open space based on independent treatments with different contexts. One treatment involved valuing open space within a set of goods with similar value. The other treatment involved valuing open space within a choice set of goods which had lower dollar values than open space. There was a statistical difference in WTA between a permanent expansion in the bus system and a temporary expansion in the bus system. We conclude the method of paired comparison appears to be a very promising approach to elicit measures of WTA.
Neogene diversification and taxonomic stability in the snake tribe Lampropeltini (Serpentes: Colubridae).

The impact of climate change during the Pleistocene on organisms living in temperate areas of the world has been documented for more than fifty years (Rand, 1948). A major impact of Pleistocene glacial cycles on vertebrates in temperate zones is hypothesized to be the isolation of species into allopatric populations (Avise and Walker, 1998). Refugial isolation and subsequent lineage formation during the Pleistocene has been invoked as a primary mechanism resulting in modern species diversity (Johnson and Cicero, 2004). Under the Pleistocene speciation model, these glacial cycles acted as a ‘species pump,’ producing the majority of extant organisms inhabiting temperate areas. These arguments, usually focused on dating the origin of sister species using a fixed rate of divergence in birds, have suggested that the majority of speciation events occurred in the Pleistocene (Johnson and Cicero, 2004; Weir and Schluter, 2007). In a more limited study, Avise et al. (1998) suggested that the Pleistocene was important for speciation in reptiles, amphibians, and fish as well. In contrast to the Pleistocene diversification model, it has been shown that many speciation events in birds occurred much earlier than the Pleistocene (Zink and Slowinski, 1995; Klicka and Zink, 1997), potentially calling into question the effects of glacial cycles on the formation of species. Unfortunately, most of these studies have invoked a molecular clock using a fixed rate of mtDNA substitution over time, and thus did not consider the impact of molecular rate variation for assessing error in divergence dates. The effect of Pleistocene climatic cycles on speciation has not been investigated in other large groups of vertebrates, particularly those that may be more sensitive to the effects of glacial cycles, such as ectotherms like reptiles. We investigate these patterns in a major New World (NW) group of colubroid snakes, the tribe Lampropeltini, inferring a robust phylogeny for the group and estimating the timing of speciation and diversification. We use multiple nuclear and mitochon
Milestones in avian coccidiosis research: A review

This article describes some of the milestones in research concerned with protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria that infect birds and cause the disease coccidiosis. The time period covered is from 1891, when oocysts were first found in the ceca of diseased chickens, to the present. Progress in our understanding has lagged behind that of other protozoan parasites such as Toxoplasma and Plasmodium despite the enormous importance of Eimeria to animal livestock production. Nevertheless, applied research by universities, government agencies, and private industry has resulted in the successful development of methods of control, research that continues today. The topics covered and the references provided are selective and include life cycles and biology, pathology, ultrastructure, biochemistry, immunity, genetics, host cell invasion, species identification, taxonomy, chemotherapy, vaccination, and literature concerned with avian coccidiosis. This review is primarily concerned with the avian species of Eimeria that infect poultry, but some important advances, principally in immunology, have been made using species that infect rodents and rabbits. These are included where appropriate.
Microvascular Dysfunction as Opposed to Conduit Artery Disease Explains Sex-specific Chest Pain in Emergency Department Patients With Low to Moderate Cardiac Risk.

Abstract Purpose Chest pain is a common emergency department (ED) presentation that is often unexplained. Recent evidence suggests that disease of the microvessels (arterioles) as opposed to the coronary artery (conduit artery) could explain one third of these cases, particularly in women. Brachial artery reactivity (BAR) is a validated surrogate measure of coronary artery vasomotion. Objectives The goal of this study was to compare brachial artery conduit vessel function (BAR) and microvascular function (postischemic peak reactive hyperemia [RH]) in subjects with and without chest pain and grouped according to sex. Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted from January through March 2010. Cases were patients admitted to an ED chest pain center with low to moderate risk of acute coronary syndrome; they were eligible for study if their creatinine level was 100 mm Hg or Findings A total of 57 patients and 21 control subjects were enrolled; there was 100% follow-up at 1 month. Most patients (86%) had at least 1 cardiac risk factor. Neither BAR nor RH varied significantly between patients and control subjects ( P > 0.05). Symptomatic men had lower mean BAR than women (2.67% vs 6.22%; P P = 0.01). Conversely, women with chest pain had lower RH compared with men (2.85 vs 4.61; P = 0.01). The sex-specific differences adjusted for age and Framingham risk scores persisted for BAR ( P = 0.003) and RH ( P = 0.002). Of 57 patients, 53% had recurrent pain, and 4 returned to the hospital within 1 month. Implications Differences in BAR and RH in patients ruled out for myocardial infarction suggest that the pathophysiology of acute chest pain might be sex-specific. Men with chest pain exhibited lower BAR, indicating peripheral conduit artery dysfunction. Conversely, women with chest pain exhibited lower postischemic peak hyperemia, indicative of peripheral microvascular dysfunction. Sex differences in pathophysiology of chest pain and vascular dysfunction could inform development of effective therapeutics for patients with recurrent or persistent chest pain in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease.
HSI as a Method for Embedding Human-Centered Design in Air Force Rapid Acquisition Programs

It has long been recognized by the DoD acquisition community that effective translation of capability needs into stable, affordable, and well-managed acquisition programs requires proper management of technology maturity. The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) process has proven to be the tool of choice for assessing the maturity of developing technologies from the laboratory to deployment. However, TRLs are not designed for ensuring human capabilities are factored into the evolution of developing technologies. This paper discusses the steps necessary to bring human systems integration (HSI) maturity assessment to the level of technology readiness assessment in the Air Force's rapid acquisition programs. The incorporation of Human Readiness Levels that emphasize system design in terms of human capabilities and limitations into the technology maturity assessment process will reap benefits of risk mitigation, improved system performance, and reduced life-cycle costs when the technology is ultimately deployed ...
Review of The Rebirth of the Clinic: An Introduction to Spirituality 1 and A Balm for Gilead: Meditations on Spirituality 2 by David P. Sulmasy

The terms “healthcare” and “crisis” now seem inevitably and inextricably linked, at least in the United States, and never more so than when reform legislation is under debate. A variety of symptoms...
THE MODERATING EFFECT OF SOLIDARITY AS CONDUCT: A THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL PERSPECTIVE

This article takes a fresh look at a long-standing, meta-theoretical framework: the "Structure Conduct Performance" model. Utilized to understand marketing through organizational economics, this model has exerted a powerful influence on the marketing discipline. After specifying a refined configuration of the model where solidarity is interpreted as both a form of cohesive conduct and a moderator variable, the authors test the proposed model within a franchise setting and discuss their findings. The results offer new insight toward understanding the marketing exchange processes in hierarchical,
The Future of Enhanced Recovery for Radical Cystectomy: Current Evidence, Barriers to Adoption, and the Next Steps

Radical cystectomy (RC) is a complex procedure that can involve long postoperative hospital stays and complicated, burdensome recoveries. Enhanced recovery after surgery is a broad term encompassing an overall approach to perioperative management of postsurgical patients and is becoming more widely accepted for cystectomy patients. This review examines the current evidence for using enhanced recovery protocols for RC as well as current rates of adoption of enhanced recovery among urologists performing RC. We also discuss the next steps for overcoming barriers to the widespread implementation of enhanced recovery for RC.
Anthropometrically-predicted visceral adipose tissue and mortality among men and women in the third national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES III).

Objective This study seeks to quantify the relationship between anthropometrically-predicted visceral adipose tissue (apVAT) and all-cause and cause-specific mortality among individuals of European descent in a population-based prospective cohort study of 10,624 participants. Methods The apVAT with a validated regression equation that included age, body mass index, and waist and thigh circumferences were predicted. Results During a median of 18.8 years, 3531 participants died with 1153 and 741 deaths attributable to cardiovascular disease and cancer, respectively. In multivariable-adjusted analyses that accounted for demographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics, higher apVAT was associated with an increased risk of all-cause (Ptrend < .001), cardiovascular-specific (Ptrend < .001), and cancer-specific mortality (Ptrend = .007). Excluding participants with a history of cancer, myocardial infarction, heart failure, or diabetes at baseline did not substantively alter effect estimates. apVAT more accurately predicted all-cause, cardiovascular-specific, and cancer-specific mortality than body mass index (P < .001), waist circumference (P < .001), or the combination of body mass index and waist circumference (P < .001). Conclusions These data provide evidence that apVAT is associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a large population-based sample of men and women of European descent. These results support the use of apVAT to risk-stratify individuals for premature mortality when imaging data are not available such as in routine clinical practice or in large clinical trials.
Epoxyeicosatrienoic Acids and 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid on Endothelial and Vascular Function

Endothelial and vascular smooth cells generate cytochrome P450 (CYP) arachidonic acid metabolites that can impact endothelial cell function and vascular homeostasis. The objective of this review is to focus on the physiology and pharmacology of endothelial CYP metabolites. The CYP pathway produces two types of eicosanoid products: epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), formed by CYP epoxygenases, and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs), formed by CYP hydroxylases. Advances in CYP enzymes, EETs, and 20-HETE by pharmacological and genetic means have led to a more complete understanding of how these eicosanoids impact on endothelial cell function. Endothelial-derived EETs were initially described as endothelial-derived hyperpolarizing factors. It is now well recognized that EETs importantly contribute to numerous endothelial cell functions. On the other hand, 20-HETE is the predominant CYP hydroxylase synthesized by vascular smooth muscle cells. Like EETs, 20-HETE acts on endothelial cells and impacts importantly on endothelial and vascular function. An important aspect for EETs and 20-HETE endothelial actions is their interactions with hormonal and paracrine factors. These include interactions with the renin-angiotensin system, adrenergic system, puringeric system, and endothelin. Alterations in CYP enzymes, 20-HETE, or EETs contribute to endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic injury, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. Recent advances have led to the development of potential therapeutics that target CYP enzymes, 20-HETE, or EETs. Thus, future investigation is required to obtain a more complete understanding of how CYP enzymes, 20-HETE, and EETs regulate endothelial cell function.
Challenges and Solutions to Assisting Older Adults in Completing the GED: A Study of What the Experts Say

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges and solutions encountered by Adult Basic Education ABE programs currently serving older adults seeking a GED credential in states where this is the only high school equivalency option available. The following questions guided this research: 1 what are the perceived characteristics and needs of older students seeking a high school equivalency diploma?; 2 how do GED programs promote the success of their older students?; and 3 what are the future service and planning needs of these GED programs with regard to this population? To address these questions, a series of 55 one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with experts across 32 GED-only states was carried out. Findings revealed a consistent, shared experience in terms of overall attitudes and challenges among these experts, as well as a variety of innovative practices and recommendations for assisting older learners.
Teotihuacan: en busca del diálogo perfecto entre ciudad y naturaleza

espanolTeotihuacan fue una de las ciudades mas grandes de la antiguedad y la cultura teotihuacana una de las mas importantes de la America precolombina. Este articulo propone una nueva lectura de la ciudad y su territorio. A traves del estudio de la traza de la ciudad y su relacion con el entorno natural, del analisis de la iconografia teotihuacana y de la comparacion de Teotihuacan con otras culturas, en las siguientes paginas se responde a algunos de los grandes interrogantes que todavia rodean la cultura teotihuacana proponiendo que en Teotihuacan la simbiosis entre ciudad y naturaleza fue objeto de culto. Teotihuacan parece haber sido concebida como una "ciudad ideal" y la ciudad en si y su relacion con el entorno natural desempenaron un papel fundamental en la identidad religiosa, cultural y politica de la nueva sociedad que se forjo. En una suerte de consenso social, los teotihuacanos se esforzaron por establecer un dialogo perfecto, un equilibrio entre la ciudad que construyeron y el entorno sagrado que la rodeaba. EnglishTeotihuacan was one of the largest cities of antiquity and the Teotihuacan culture one of the most important of pre-Columbian America. This essay argues for a new understanding of the city and its territory. Through the study of the form of the city and its relationship with the natural environment, Teotihuacan's iconography and the comparison with other cultures, the following pages respond to some of the questions that still surround Teotihuacan culture arguing that, in Teotihuacan, the symbiosis of city and nature was worshiped. Teotihuacan seems to have been conceived as an "ideal city"; and the city itself and its relationship with its natural environment played a critical role in the spiritual, cultural and political identity of the new society that was created in Teotihuacan. In some sort of social consensus, the Teotihuacanos worked together to establish a perfect dialogue, a balance between the city they built and the sacred environment that surrounded it.
Photo-oxidation of dissolved organic matter for trace metal analysis

AbstractPhoto-oxidation of dissolved organic matter in saline and non- saline samples is monitored by measurement of residual fluorescence intensity. For fulvic acids, the method has a detection limit of 0.005 mg C L−1, and maximum photo-oxidation is achieved with H2O2 oxidant and a low-intensity UV source.
Development of a Canine Care and Welfare Knowledge Scale: Implications for Welfare and Preventing Dogfighting

The objective of this study was to develop a Canine Care and Welfare Knowledge (CCWK) Scale for use in educational intervention development and evaluation and validate the instrument. The study population was 504 children, aged 11 to 19 years old, from Detroit, MI. In this cross-sectional study, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used for scale development. The EFA and CFA of the CCWK Scale revealed a 2nd-order model with 6 factors to be a good fit of the data (chi-square [df = 269] = 433, p < .05, Comparative Fit Index = .94, Tucker-Lewis Index = .93, root mean square error of approximation = .05) with a Cronbach's alpha of .78. The scale is valid and reliable to assess the study population's CCWK.
Archetypal images in Haida art

The Haida, a First People of British Columbia, evolved over 3000 years an art form which is rich in archetypal images. Most Northwest Coast anthropologists study only the form of Haida art, but Wil...
Drone readiness index

This paper proposes a new model for evaluating the robustness of the ecosystem for drone projects in a given country, considering nine factors ranging from the regulatory framework to economic and social impact. The objective of this study is to provide a tool in the form of an index that can be used to gauge countries readiness for drone projects. Governments, NGOs as well as commercial drone companies can use the index to gain insights into the possibilities of drones for non-military use. Notable successful projects using drones were used as a benchmark to chart out the various components of the Drone Readiness Index (DRI). We first reviewed selected projects that have attempted to use drone aircrafts for non-military activities, using secondary data. We then quantify the elements of the drone ecosystem and present derivations of the proposed drone readiness index. To show applications and examples of the proposed drone readiness index, we compute the values of the drone readiness index for selected African countries. These values are further presented in a website[1].
Ultrasound Guidance Versus CT Guidance for Peripheral Lung Biopsy: Performance According to Lesion Size and Pleural Contact.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare efficacy and safety of biopsy guided by ultrasound (US) versus CT for lung lesions with pleural contact. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Among 1269 image-guided thoracic biopsies obtained at our institution between 2004 and 2016, 150 were US-guided for lung lesions with pleural contact (78 men, 72 women; mean age, 67 years). Of those, 94 were performed using US only; 56 had initial CT localization. A comparison cohort of 100 consecutive CT-guided biopsies for lung lesions with pleural contact was identified (60 men, 40 women; mean age, 65 years). Biopsy type, number of passes, sample adequacy, final pathologic results, complications, procedural time, lesion diameter, and pleural contact were recorded. Fisher exact and t tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS. US-guided biopsy was associated with fewer complications (7%) than CT-guided procedures (24%; p < 0.001). Mean procedure times (± SD) were shorter with US only (31 ± 16 min) than with CT only (45 ...
"I Want Her to Make Correct Decisions on Her Own:" Former Soviet Union Mothers' Beliefs about Autonomy Development.

This qualitative study examined Former Soviet Union (FSU) mothers’ explicit and implicit attitudes and parenting practices around adolescents’ autonomy development. Interviews were conducted with ten mothers who had immigrated from the FSU to the US between 10 and 25 years ago, and who had daughters between the ages of 13 and 17 years. Mothers predominantly defined autonomy in terms of adolescents’ ability to carry out instrumental tasks, make correct decisions, and financially provide for themselves, but rarely mentioned psychological or emotional independence. Mothers reflected on the various aspects of autonomy emphasized in their country of origin and America, and balancing the two sets of cultural values in their parenting. Although mothers discussed attempts to adopt a less authoritarian approach to parenting than they themselves experienced as children, some mothers’ controlling attitudes were revealed through a close analysis of their language. The findings provide important insights into the parenting experiences of FSU immigrant mothers, and the way in which autonomy-related processes may vary cross-culturally. Implications for parenting and clinical practice are also discussed.
Ubiquitin-proteasome signaling in lung injury

Cell homeostasis requires precise coordination of cellular proteins function. Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification that modulates protein half-life and function and is tightly regulated by ubiquitin E3 ligases and deubiquitinating enzymes. Lung injury can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome that is characterized by an inflammatory response and disruption of the alveolocapillary barrier resulting in alveolar edema accumulation and hypoxemia. Ubiquitination plays an important role in the pathobiology of acute lung injury as it regulates the proteins modulating the alveolocapillary barrier and the inflammatory response. Better understanding of the signaling pathways regulated by ubiquitination may lead to novel therapeutic approaches by targeting specific elements of the ubiquitination pathways.
Modern Theorist of Tyranny? Lessons from Rousseau's System of Checks and Balances

From the public burnings of the Social Contract occurring immediately following its publication, to Isaiah Berlin's condemnation of Rousseau as “the most sinister and most formidable enemy of liberty in the whole history of modern thought,” Jean-Jacques Rousseau has rarely held universal favor among his commentators. The most common charge against him was, and remains, that he provided the essential philosophic tools for the modern tyrant. While this position has numerous and illustrious advocates, I argue that it fails to take into account the whole of Rousseau's thought. Specifically, it ignores his extensive attention to the problem of political power and his attempts to control it with checks and balances. In focusing on Rousseau's specific proposals in his Government of Poland, it is evident that the purpose of his system is to prevent tyranny, rather than to promote it.
Modifying the Thioester Linkage Affects the Structure of the Acyl Carrier Protein

At the center of many complex biosynthetic pathways, the acyl carrier protein (ACP) shuttles substrates to appropriate enzymatic partners to produce fatty acids and polyketides. Carrier proteins covalently tether their cargo via a thioester linkage to a phosphopantetheine cofactor. Due to the labile nature of this linkage, chemoenzymatic methods have been developed that involve replacement of the thioester with a more stable amide or ester bond. We explored the importance of the thioester bond to the structure of the carrier protein by using solution NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Remarkably, the replacement of sulfur with other heteroatoms results in significant structural changes, thus suggesting more rigorous selections of isosteric substitutes is needed.
The scaling of terrestrial striking performance in western ratsnakes (Pantherophis obsoletus).

In many organisms, juveniles have performance capabilities that partly offset their disadvantageous sizes. Using high-speed video recordings and imaging software, we measured the scaling of head morphology, axial morphology, and defensive strike performance of Pantherophis obsoletus across their ontogeny to understand how size and morphology affect performance. Head measurements were negatively allometric whereas the cross-sectional area (CSA) of epaxial muscles displayed positive allometry. The greater relative muscle CSA of larger ratsnakes allows them to produce higher forces relative to their mass, and those forces act on a relatively smaller head mass when it is thrust forward during striking. Maximum strike accelerations of 70-273.8 ms-2 and velocities of 1.08-3.39 ms-1 scaled positively with body mass but differed from the geometric predictions. Velocity scaled with mass0.15 and acceleration scaled with mass0.17 . Larger snakes struck from greater distances (range = 4.1-26 cm), but all snakes covered the strike distances with similarly short durations (84 ± 3 ms). The negatively allometric head size, isometry of anterior mass, and positively allometric muscle CSA enable larger P. obsoletus to strike with higher velocities and accelerations than smaller individuals. Our results contrast with the scaling of strike performance in an arboreal viper, whose strike distance and velocity were independent of body mass. When strike distance is modulated, all other performance capacities are affected because of the interdependence of acceleration, velocity, duration, and distance.
Thyroid Physiology During Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Lactation

Abstract The thyroid gland responds to pregnancy by increasing the production of thyroid hormones to accommodate the metabolic demands in the mother and provide thyroid hormones to the fetus. This process is driven by an estradiol-related increase in thyroid-binding globulin (TBG) and by the action of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which has a structural similarity to thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. These changes cause a decrease in TSH in the first trimester, a slight decrease in free T3 and T4, and an increase in total T3 and T4. Total T3 and T4 remain elevated throughout pregnancy. TSH and free T3/T4 tend to return close to pre-pregnancy levels after mid-pregnancy. Sufficient iodine intake during pregnancy and lactation is necessary to meet the need for increased thyroid hormone production and provide iodine to the fetus and neonate. Pregnant and lactating women are advised to consume 250 μg/day and 290 μg/day of iodine, respectively. An inadequate supply of thyroid hormone can result in poor pregnancy outcomes and cognitive disability in offspring. Understanding thyroid physiology is critical for all providers who care for pregnant women.
Development of a Large-Enrollment Course-Based Research Experience in an Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Structure-Function Relationships in Pyrylium Photoredox Catalysts.

Despite the recognized effectiveness of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), there are few examples of the development of a CURE-based course in a large-enrollment undergraduate...
The impact of handedness on user performance in touchless input

Abstract People use touchless input when interacting with virtual or augmented reality. During those interactions, they may alternate between hands or use both hands simultaneously. How does handedness impact user performance in touchless input? We hypothesized that touchless inputs, owing to a lower demand for feedback control, will produce much less between-hands performance differences than traditional input devices like the mouse or stylus. In our experiments, participants performed pointing and dragging with freehand and device-based touchless inputs. Both types of touchless inputs produced significantly less degradation between hands than the mouse or stylus. Furthermore, structural equation models elucidated the relation between handedness, input type, and user performance. Our findings indicate that only input devices with relatively higher demand for feedback control produce significant between-hands performance differences.
Fuming Chemicals Inc.—An Entrepreneurial Activity in Organic Chemistry

Successful mastery of multistep synthesis is an essential learning objective in the completion of the organic chemistry sequence. This entrepreneurial class project was designed to incentivize students to master multistep synthesis through role-playing as an entrepreneur. In short, students play the role of a group member in a startup whereby they must work with a group in their assigned role to create a multistep synthetic route. This startup presents their synthetic route history, synthesis, and financial cost of a target molecule to the investor (faculty). The results of this class project demonstrated improvement in the overall retention of multistep synthesis pathways as monitored by a paper summative assessment question.
23. Functional Impact of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy on Adolescents with Biopsy Confirmed Endometriosis at a Tertiary Children's Hospital: A Case Series

Background Chronic pelvic pain is a hallmark sign of endometriosis in adolescents and can persist in the form of musculoskeletal pain despite medical management. There is limited evidence to support that pelvic floor physical therapy (PT) is an effective intervention in treating chronic pelvic pain secondary to endometriosis in adolescents. The purpose of this case series is to describe the change in functional ability in adolescent females following pelvic floor PT management of chronic pelvic pain as part of a multidisciplinary approach. Case Participants included twenty adolescent females median age 16.5 years (IQR 3). Retrospectively, participants were included if they were referred to pelvic floor PT for chronic pelvic pain by Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology between April 2018 and August 2019. All participants included had diagnostic laparoscopy performed with biopsy confirmed endometriosis. Fifteen participants had surgery before referral to PT and 5 participants had surgery after starting PT. The median duration of symptoms prior to referral to PT was 2 years (IQR 1.75). Pelvic floor PT included patient education, relaxation techniques to decrease pelvic floor muscle tone, manual therapy, breathing and postural retraining, and therapeutic exercise including pelvic floor muscle strengthening. Due to the adolescent age of the participants, all pelvic floor PT techniques were only performed externally. The Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) assesses patient reported function and was utilized to determine functional improvements in participants referred to pelvic floor PT. The PSFS is a 0 to 10 point scale with 0 representing maximal disability and 10 representing no disability. Participants were able to self-report between one and three functional impairments with this outcome measure. In this case series, the PSFS score was represented as a percentage rather than a raw number to account for the variable number of impairments patients could report. Functional status was captured at initial evaluation and participants demonstrated a baseline score of 45.1% (IQR 16.66) on the PSFS. Functional status was captured throughout their course of PT care with the PSFS. Participants self-reported a clinically significant functional median improvement of 23.3% (IQR 41.66) over a median number of 12 visits (IQR 10.50) (p Comments Participants in this case series reported significant functional improvement on the PSFS over the course of pelvic floor PT. This case series suggests that PT may be a helpful treatment option in the multidisciplinary approach to improve patient function in adolescents with endometriosis. Additional prospective controlled trials are warranted to assess the benefits of PT in this population.
America’s Failing Trade War With China: A Focus on Fentanyl

As this article will explain in detail, much of the fentanyl reaching the hands of Americans comes from The People’s Republic of China (“China”). However, as seen by the rise in overdoses, most efforts to control the invasion of fentanyl have been unsuccessful. Although the federal and state governments have attempted to curtail this crisis by imposing sanctions and urging China to regulate the production and shipping of the substance, fentanyl continues to flood the streets of the U.S. Moreover, the economic interdependence between the two nations complicates the matter. Because of this interdependence, the U.S. must take control of the situation. The U.S. fentanyl problem will persist if Americans are not dissuaded from using the drug. We must focus on the demand, rather than the supply. This comment focuses on the rise of opioids and synthetic pain relievers, and the variety of attempts at decreasing the number of addicts and overdoses. Initially, the comment will discuss the history of the popular drug opium, opiates, and prescription opioids, discussing state and federal attempts at curbing the crisis that the U.S. faces. It will address the rise of synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, and how and why it was created. Section two will discuss how fentanyl and its precursors are imported into the U.S. from China. Section three will discuss U.S. federal and state attempts at legislation to control the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. Section four will address the implications, or perhaps fuel to the fire, that the influx in the supply of fentanyl from China has had on trade relations, and how the trade linkage between the two nations obfuscates the situation. The comment will conclude by hypothesizing how the U.S. and China will recalibrate their relationship and recommend that to combat the fentanyl emergency, the U.S. needs to take steps to offer Americans with drug addictions the assistance they need.
Ferroelectric-based Accelerators for Computationally Hard Problems

Solving hard combinatorial optimization problems such as graph coloring efficiently continues to be an outstanding challenge for computing. Traditional digital computers typically entail an exponential increase in computing resources as the problem sizes increase. This makes larger problems of practical relevance intractable to compute, with subsequently adverse implications for a broad spectrum of ever-more relevant practical applications ranging from machine learning to electronic device automation (EDA). Here, we examine how analog coupled oscillators can enable area and energy-efficient methods to accelerate such problems. Further, we discuss how the implementation of such non-Boolean platforms can take advantage of emerging technologies such as scalable ferroelectrics.
Working Women’s Decision-Making Power at Home: Evidence from Four North Indian Urban Clusters:

Do working women enjoy greater levels of human agency? While the theoretical foundations underlying this connection are clear, the empirical evidence is quite mixed. We leverage detailed, new data ...
A New technique for ion nucleation using resonance ionization within supersaturated vapors

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a new technique that allows the study of ion-induced nucleation by well defined ions. The technique is based on resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) of a chromophore molecule present in a small concentration in a supersaturated host vapor. With this method, it is possible to selectively and unambiguously generate specific ions of interest and study their nucleating behavior. The new method is demonstrated by studying the ion-induced nucleation of supersaturated methanol and acetonitrile vapors by benzene, toluene, and p-xylene molecular ions. The measurements are carried out in a diffusion cloud chamber. The nucleation rate vs. wavelength exhibits the characteristic resonance peak for the R2PI of the chromophore molecule. A preference for the nucleation on positive ions is observed. The new technique allows the detection of impurity aromatic molecules in supersaturated host vapors. The rate of ion nucleation increases with increase in the concentration of the chromophore impurity in the vapor. The condensation of the supersaturated methanol and acetonitrile vapors shows a detectable preference for nucleation on positive ions.
SPECIFICITY OF IMPROVED METHODS FOR MYCOBACTIN BIOASSAY BY ARTHROBACTER TERREGENS

Antoine, Alan D. (Johns Hopkins University-Leonard Wood Memorial Leprosy Research Laboratory, Baltimore, Md.), Norman E. Morrison, and John H. Hanks. Specificity of improved methods for mycobactin bioassay by Arthrobacter terregens . J. Bacteriol. 88: 1672–1677. 1964.— Arthrobacter terregens was used to assay mycobactin, a growth factor for Mycobacterium paratuberculosis . Improved techniques permit the assay of mycobactin within 3 to 4 days by agarplate or liquid-medium methods. For the agarplate method, Arthrobacter terregens gave linear increases in zonal growth at mycobactin concentrations of 0.07 to 0.30 μg per spot; for the liquid-medium method, linear increases in turbidimetric growth occurred at 0.05 to 0.27 μg/ml. Specificity studies show that the mycobactin hydrolytic products, cobactin and mycobactic acid, function as growth stimulators, but the high concentrations required would produce only minimal interference in mycobactin assays. Furthermore, the response to mycobactic acid is characterized by a delayed response of 3 days. Various synthetic hydroxylamine-containing compounds and metalchelating agents cannot replace the biological activity of mycobactin. Diacetylmycobactin is 7.4 times more effective than mycobactin as a growth stimulator.
Stem Cell Transplantation for Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas

The role of high-dose therapy (HDT) and stem cell transplantation (SCT) in the treatment non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin’s disease (HD) continues to evolve. There is considerably more experience with autologous SCT (autoSCT) than allogeneic SCT (alloSCT). AutoSCT has an established role in relapsed/refractory intermediate-grade NHL and relapsed/ refractory HD. Uncertainty still exists about the benefit of autoSCT as front-line therapy for high-risk NHL and HD and in indolent NHL. A11oSCT does not have a well-established role in NHL or HD, whereas reduced intensity alloSCT is under active investigation. Many questions remain to be answered regarding the optimal timing of SCT, ideal preparative regimen, best source of stem cells, role of stem-cell-purging procedures, and importance of pre-SCT cytoreduction.
Path planning for information acquisition and evasion using marsupial vehicles

This paper considers a path planning problem with two marsupial vehicles (one carrier vehicle and one passenger vehicle that is deployed by the carrier vehicle) exploring a planar area. This work is motivated by multi-agent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in contested environments. The vehicles are heterogeneous, e.g., the carrier vehicle is faster than the passenger vehicle or the passenger vehicle possesses better sensors than the carrier vehicle. The vehicles are to gather a finite amount of information about an object of interest using their sensors while minimizing the likelihood of their detection by an opponent. Necessary conditions for optimal solutions are given and straight line travel for both vehicles is shown to be optimal. The results are illustrated in several simulation examples.
Fiscal Stress: Worldwide Trends in Higher Education Finance.

Hans Vossensteyn is a senior researcher for the Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS), University of Twente, the Netherlands. While higher education is generally a high priority in boosting economic development, public budgets to sustain expansion of higher education systems remain limited around the globe. This fiscal stress creates an impetus for governments to develop various strategies to meet the growing demand—from both students and society—for higher education services. This article explores worldwide trends to cope with this issue. It addresses policy developments aimed at increased efficiency in higher education, such as development towards institutional autonomy and performancebased funding. In addition, the article shows that the issue of cost-sharing is gaining worldwide importance. Students and their families are required to pay larger shares of educational costs, as demonstrated in tuition and student aid policies in many countries. Finally, the article explores how internationalization can help relieve fiscal stress.
A fever gene comes in from the cold.

The pyrin domain was first noted in the familial Mediterranean fever protein from which it takes its name. It belongs to a structural superfamily that includes death domains, death effector domains and caspase activation and recruitment domains. Several genes underlying autoinflammatory diseases have at least one of these four death domain–fold motifs. Mutations in CIAS1, encoding cryopyrin, a leukocyte-specific member of this growing superfamily, have now been shown to cause both familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome and Muckle-Wells syndrome. These new findings add to the growing body of evidence that the dysregulation of leukocyte apoptosis may be a common molecular pathway leading to inflammatory disease.
The Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure in Reorganization Cases: Do They Have a Constitutional Dimension?

In United Student Aid Funds, Inc. v. Espinosa, 130 S. Ct. 1367 (2010), the Supreme Court recently upheld the Ninth Circuit in its minority view that the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure do not set the minimum due process standard in a bankruptcy case. In ruling that Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank provides the constitutional minimum, the Supreme Court has vastly increased the res judicata worth of a confirmed reorganization plan. The Espinosa decision also has much to say on the substantive law on chapter 13 cases and imposes onerous new duties on bankruptcy courts to review chapter 13 plans, even when no one shows up to protest confirmation. In ruling that the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure have no constitutional dimension, the Espinosa case probably overrules the half-century old precedent of City of New York v. New York N.H.H.R.R., which, in a collateral attack, struck down a confirmed reorganization plan where the procedural rules were not precisely followed. This article explores some internal tensions and contradictions in the Espinosa case and predicts impacts in the practice of chapter 13 cases.
Scleroderma and pregnancy

Abstract Scleroderma, classified as a collagen disease, usually becomes clinically apparent during the fourth and fifth decades of life. Pregnancy together with scleroderma is seldom observed. Seven of 66 female patients with scleroderma admitted to the Los Angeles County General Hospital during a 13½ year period had concomitant scleroderma and pregnancy. Attention is focused on the interrelationships of pregnancy and scleroderma, maternal complications, perinatal loss, and pregnancy wastage.
Two-stream efficiency model of the pulsed plasma thruster

The Teflon/sup TM/ pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) is particularly well suited for propulsion of microspacecraft because of its simple inert fuel feed system and low power requirement. This paper discusses the thruster efficiency of a pulsed plasma thruster in terms of pulsed energy transfer, wall heat loss, frozen flow loss, velocity distribution loss, and exhaust beam divergence. The efficiency is described with the aid of a two-stream exhaust flow model, which assumes separate fast and slow particle streams, and invokes the Alfven critical velocity to evaluate efficiency in terms of measured parameters. The model is used to predict the differing performance of rectangular and coaxial PPTs, and shows good agreement with measured values. The model also indicates how thruster efficiency can be radically improved to values approaching 40% for specific impulse greater than 2000 seconds in the high current mode of operation.
Spectroelectrochemistry of tris(bipyridyl)silicon(IV): ligand localized reductions with potential electrochromic applications.

Tris(bipyridyl)silicon(IV) was electrochemically reduced in acetonitrile to obtain the UV-vis spectra of its reduced species. Three stable, reversible reduced states (3+, 2+, and 1+) were observed with distinct isosbestic points for each of the redox reactions. The fully oxidized state (4+) is colorless, while the reduced states were green. The absorbance spectra for the three reduced states are consistent with ligand localized reductions. Potential advantages of using these complexes in electrochromic applications are discussed.