cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
‘Inconvenient biology:’ advantages and disadvantages of first-time parenting after age 40 using in vitro fertilization

BACKGROUND As ages at first birth have steadily risen in the industrial west over the last several decades, the phenomenon of 'delayed childbearing' has come under research scrutiny by demographers, medical specialists and social scientists. In this study, we specifically explore the perceived advantages and disadvantages of postponed conception as well as participants' retrospective opinions on the 'optimal age' for parenting. METHODS To this end, we examined a cohort purposely chosen to epitomize delayed childbearing, i.e. men and women who used IVF to conceive at the very end of their reproductive capability. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted between 2009 and 2011 with 46 couples and 15 individual self-selected US women and men who had used IVF to conceive their first child when the woman was aged 40 or older at the time of delivery. Although the demographics of this cohort were consistent with others who use IVF in the USA, their median income was 3-4 times higher than that of the average US family, which may bias their largely positive parenting experiences. RESULTS Most women and men believed that childbearing later in life resulted in advantages for themselves and their families. These included having established careers with financial security and career-time flexibility, enhanced emotional preparedness, committed co-parenting relationships and a positive overall family experience. The main disadvantage was the unexpected difficulty in conceiving that culminated in the use of IVF and resulted in a smaller family than desired, although many expressed feeling 'lucky' to have children at all. Other disadvantages were lack of energy for parenting, less available lifetime to spend with children and anticipated stigma as older parents. CONCLUSIONS These disadvantages appear to have influenced conception and parenting experiences so that in hindsight the majority of participants identified the optimal age for first-time parenting as 5-10 years earlier than they had conceived. This age range was imagined to maximize the financial and emotional advantages of later parenting while minimizing the impact of age-related infertility, diminished energy, anticipated health issues and the social stigma of appearing too old to parent.
An alternative hypothesis for observed mortality rates due to metastasis after treatment of choroidal melanomas of different sizes.

Purpose To propose an alternative hypothesis for the observed differential survival of patients with small, medium, and large choroidal melanomas based on recently uncovered cytogenetic evidence about melanocytic choroidal tumors.
A response to U. T. Place.

Abstract Skinner's (1957) analysis of verbal behavior has received an unwarranted amount of criticism over the years, and the recently published reviews of Verbal Behavior by U. T. Place contribute to this body of negative literature. It is argued that Place, like those before him, has failed to appreciate several critical features of behaviorism and Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior. Place's “four major defects in Verbal Behavior” are reviewed and analyzed. The results seem to indicate that Place's dissatisfaction with the book would be greatly reduced by a better understanding of Skinner's work.
Obligation and opportunity: medical-legal partnership in the age of health reform.

This article was written in the immediate aftermath of the United States Supreme Court's 2012 term, which concluded with landmark decisions on voting rights 1 and same-sex marriage. 2 In the former...
Graphical and Computer Analysis of Tailrace Surges

Two methods of analysis of surges in power canals, namely the graphical method of Bergeron and a finite-difference method based on the partial differential equations of motion, are applied to a surging situation of an engineering project for which laboratory model test results are available. For short power canals for which the effects of friction are small and the effect of gravity and inertial are significant a comparison of the results of the simple graphical method, for which bottom slope, boundary friction and finite-amplitude effects are neglected, with those of a finite-difference method, for which these effects are included, indicate that the graphical method of analysis is quite adequate for analyses of surging in short power canals.
The effects of central venous catheter location on waveform and results.

The author describes two cases in which central venous catheter line placement was technically and functionally good, but subsequent data were misleading and resulted in inappropriate treatment decisions. Postoperative radiographs demonstrated malposition of the central venous catheters, despite good waveforms and function. Repositioning the catheter into a central vein resulted in dramatically different central venous pressure readings. Consequently, before a central venous catheter is used for monitoring and therapeutic access, its position should be checked radiographically.
Recent Trends in Gospel of Thomas Research (1989–2011). Part II: Genre, Theology and Relationship to the Gospel of John

This article, the second of a two-part series, examines scholarly research on the Gospel of Thomas between 1989 and 2011. The previous article (CBR 5.2 [2007]: 183-206) reviewed research on Thomas’s place in discussions of the historical Jesus and the Synoptic Gospels between 1991 and 2006. The current study focuses on three concerns: (1) scholarly opinions of Thomas’s genre, (2) the notoriously difficult problem of identifying Thomas’s theological outlook, and (3) the relationship between the Gospel of Thomas and the Fourth Gospel.
Regional Choroidal Blood Flow and Multifocal Electroretinography in Experimental Glaucoma in Rhesus Macaques

Purpose. To test a hypothesis of regional variation in the effect of experimental glaucoma on choroidal blood flow (ChBF) and retinal function.
A 52-week pilot study of the effects of exenatide on body weight in patients with hypothalamic obesity.

Objective Hypothalamic obesity (HO) is a common complication of hypothalamic tumors, and effective therapies are lacking. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate changes in body weight before and during treatment with exenatide. Methods This was a prospective, open-label, 52-week pilot study of exenatide (10 mcg b.i.d.) in adults with HO. Ten patients enrolled, and eight completed the study. Study measures included indirect calorimetry, body composition, buffet meals, diet recall, actigraphy, and hormone assays. Results Participants had obesity with a baseline weight of 137.2 ± 37.6 kg. Exenatide therapy was well tolerated. Change in weight with exenatide therapy was not significant (−1.4 ± 4.3 kg [95% CI −4.9 to 2.2], P = 0.40), but six out of eight completers lost weight (−6.2 to −0.2 kg). Participants reported significantly lower intake on food recall during treatment compared with baseline (7837.8 ± 2796.6 vs. 6258.4 ± 1970.7 kJ [95% CI −2915.8 to −242.6], P = 0.027), but there was no change in intake during buffet meals. Conclusions Significant weight loss was not observed in patients with HO treated with exenatide, but 75% of completers had stable or decreasing weight. Further studies are needed to evaluate weight loss efficacy in patients with HO.
We Are Still Here: Declarations of Love and Sovereignty in Black Life Under Siege

Since our brutal arrival on America's shores through the transatlantic slave trade, Black people have understood and experienced constant and continual oppression, in the US context and around the globe. The recent deaths of unarmed Trayvon Martin and Sandra Bland at the hands of the police are flashpoints and exemplars of such hatred—and the call of Black lives matter a resistant declaration of love, an act of sovereignty in a time of siege. In this article, I explore how, in Black history and contemporary times of escalating violence against our bodies, minds, and spirits worldwide, Blacks in diaspora and on the continent are still here. Utilizing three stories of Black women's powerful declarations of love and sovereignty (that is how Black women's lives matter) moves us toward a place where all lives matter. For those in educational studies who seek to center our work in spaces that embody and produce diversity, equity, and justice, recognizing and truly hearing these declarations of love and sovereig...
Individual Liability of Board Members after Fletcher v. The Dakota

In Fletcher v. The Dakota the court reconsidered when board members of cooperative corporations will be individually liable for discriminatory actions of the board. Specifically, the court explored whether an independent tortious acts requirement should be employed. This article analyzes the court’s decision in Fletcher in light of existing case law regarding individual liability for tortious conduct, violations of the Fair Housing Act, and employment discrimination.
Present State of Disarray

In the first chapter several indications of the disarray in world agriculture were briefly noted — the large costs of the recent farm policies of the industrial countries, the enormous differences in prices received by farmers in the industrial countries, the more rapid growth of output than of consumption and the consequent disruptive effects on trade in farm products. More fundamentally, the disarray is evidenced by the ineffectiveness of the farm and trade policies to accomplish their avowed purposes, namely that of significantly improving the income position of farm families. Instead, as will be argued at length later, these policies are primarily responsible for too many resources being engaged in agriculture, encouraging too large a farm output and impeding changes that are inevitable and cannot be significantly mitigated by the policies being followed. In most cases, the policies being followed are an exercise in futility, albeit a very expensive exercise. And as noted earlier, the stubbornness of policy-makers in the industrial countries with respect to agricultural trade policies may well destroy some significant part of the gains in trade liberalization that have been achieved over the past three decades.
Socialist Development and Dependency

During the 1970s Cuba’s socialist strategy was altered. The Cubans instituted a new developmental approach. Generally they called this phase the ‘institutionalization of the revolution’. Fundamental to this process of institutionalization was the Cuban adoption of the Soviet Economic Reform Model; a model intended to move Cuba closer to an alignment with the USSR. Also adopted during this decade was the Organs of People Power (OPP). This represented the implementation of the Cuban concept of socialist democracy. In addition, in 1972 Cuba was formally integrated into the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA or COMECON). The integration of the Cuban economy into CMEA restructured trade relations among Cuba, the Soviet Union, and the eastern European nations. Irrespective of these changes, Cuba continued to be affected by North American economic and political sanctions, and the general conditions surrounding the capitalist world economy.
History of Catalan Numbers (by Igor Pak)

Introduction In the modern mathematical literature, Catalan numbers are wonderfully ubiquitous. Although they appear in a variety of disguises, we are so used to having them around, it is perhaps hard to imagine a time when they were either unknown, or known but obscure and underappreciated. It may then come as a surprise that Catalan numbers have a rich history of multiple rediscoveries until relatively recently. Here we review more than 200 years of history, from their first discovery to modern times. We break the history into short intervals of mathematical activity, each covered in a different section. We spend most of our effort on the early history but do bring it to modern times. We should warn the reader that although this work is in the History of Mathematics, the author is not a mathematical historian. Rather, this work is more of a historical survey with some added speculations based on our extensive reading of the even more extensive literature. Due to the space limitations, this survey is very much incomplete, as we tend to emphasize first discoveries and papers of influence rather than describe subsequent developments. This paper in part is based on our earlier investigation reported in [54]. Many primary sources are assembled on the Catalan Numbers website [55], including scans of the original works and their English translations. Ming Antu The Mongolian astronomer, mathematician, and topographic scientist Minggatu (full name Sharabiin Myangat) ( c . 1692– c . 1763), worked at the Qing court in China. Ming's Chinese name is Ming'antu and courtesy name is Jing An. In the 1730s, he wrote a book Quick Methods for Accurate Values of Circle Segments , which included a number of trigonometric identities and power series, some involving Catalan numbers: He also obtained the recurrence formula He appears to have no inkling of a combinatorial interpretation of Catalan numbers.
Indications for Revisions Following 630 Consecutive Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Cases: Experience in a Single Accredited Center.

Introduction Bariatric surgery is the only proven and effective long-term treatment for morbid obesity, with laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) being the most commonly performed weight loss procedure in the USA. Despite its safety and efficacy, LSG’s association with both de novo and pre-existing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains controversial.
Economic Approaches to Evaluating a New Medical Technology: The Drug Cimetidine

The objectives of this paper are to show: (1) why, and under what conditions economic evaluation of a new technology (health or other) may be useful; (2) what alternative evaluation approaches are available; (3) how those approaches have been applied to the case of one new technology, the drug cimetidine; and (4) what obstacles there are to improving the quality of economic evaluations. Economic evaluation of a drug involves both conceptual and empirical issues. Many of these issues arise in any economic evaluation. The evaluation of technological changes in health care (such as the use of a new drug) has many unusual dimensions, but we should not lose sight of the broad framework of evaluation within which it fits.
Divergent relationship of circulating CTRP3 levels between obesity and gender: a cross-sectional study

C1q TNF Related Protein 3 (CTRP3) is a novel adipose tissue derived secreted factor, or adipokine, which has been linked to a number of beneficial biological effects on metabolism, inflammation, and survival signaling in a variety of tissues. However, very little is known about CTRP3 in regards to human health. The purpose of this project was to examine circulating CTRP3 levels in a clinical population, patients with symptoms requiring heart catheterization in order to identify the presence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). It was hypothesized that serum CTRP3 levels would be decreased in the presence of CAD. METHODS Body mass index (BMI), diabetes status, and plasma samples were collected from 100 patients who were >30 years of age and presented at the East Tennessee State University Heart Clinic with symptoms requiring heart catheterization in order to identify the presence of cardiovascular blockages (n = 52 male, n = 48 female). Circulating CTRP3 levels were quantified using commercially available ELISA. RESULTS Circulating CTRP3 levels had no relationship to the presence of CAD regardless of gender. However, circulating concentrations of CTRP3 were significantly higher in normal weight (BMI 30) resulted in an increase in circulating CTRP3 levels in male subjects (0.74 ± 0.08 µg/ml) but showed a significant decrease in female subjects (0.58 ± 0.07 µg/ml). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in circulating CTRP3 levels in female subjects who were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes compared with patients without (0.79 ± 0.08 vs. 0.42 ± 0.10 µg/ml). There was no relationship between diabetes status and circulating CTRP3 levels in male subjects. CONCLUSION Circulating CTRP3 levels had a different relationship with diabetes and obesity status between male and female patients. It is possible that circulating CTRP3 levels are controlled by hormonal status, however more research is needed to explore this relationship. Nevertheless, future studies examining the relationship between CTRP3 levels and disease status should treat gender as an independent variable.
The effect of vandetanib, a VEGFR-2 and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in an orthotopic nude mouse model of human adenoid cystic carcinoma

B12 Purpose Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is one of the most common types of salivary gland cancers, and it is characterized by local recurrence, hematogenous metastasis and poor response to conventional chemotherapy. Despite recent progress in molecular medicine, the disease-specific 10 years specific survival rate for patients with ACC remains 20-40%. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in ACC carcinogenesis and tumor progression is required for the development of new and effective therapies in ACC. We hypothesized that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) signaling pathways may be important for the progression and metastasis of human salivary ACC, and inhibition of these pathways may be beneficial as part of an integrated treatment strategy for this tumor. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of vandetanib (ZD6474, ZACTIMA™), a potent inhibitor of VEGFR-2 and EGFR tyrosine kinases, alone and in combination with paclitaxel in an orthotopic nude mouse model of human adenoid cystic carcinoma. Experimental design The in vitro effects of vandetanib on cell growth, apoptosis and VEGFR-2 and EGFR phosphorylation levels were examined in ACC cells. The in vivo anti-tumor activity of vandetanib was examined in an orthotopic nude mouse model of ACC. Nude mice bearing parotid gland tumors were established by intragland injection of ACC cells. These mice were treated for 4 weeks with vandetanib (50mg/kg, once per day), paclitaxel (200ug, once a week), vandetanib (50mg/kg, once per day) + paclitaxel (200ug, once a week), or placebo. Results In vitro, vandetanib treatment of ACC cells resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of phosphorylation of both VEGFR-2 and EGFR, as well as phosphorylation of MAPK and AKT. Vandetanib also inhibited the proliferation of ACC cells and induced dose-dependent apoptosis of ACC cells. In animals receiving vandetanib alone or vandetanib + paclitaxel in combination for 4 weeks, tumor volumes were decreased significantly compared with those in the time-matched placebo control group (p=0.009, and p=0.006 respectively). Conclusion These results suggest that vandetanib inhibits the growth of ACC cells in vitro and in vivo, making it a promising novel agent for the treatment of ACC. Based on these data, vandetanib warrants further pre-clinical evaluation for salivary gland cancers.
CMOS-photonic “macrochip” packaging

Two novel packaging technologies have been developed to serve as essential building blocks for construction of a photonically interconnected large-chip array. Ultralow parasitic microsolder interconnections (on the order of 100 mOhm/bump and 25 fF/bump) allow combination of best-in-class chips, which may be built on different technology platforms, and CMOS compatible ball-in-etch-pit structures provide a non-permanent passive self-aligning mechanism for highly accurate component-to-component placement.
The Impact of Postgraduate Health Technology Innovation Training: Outcomes of the Stanford Biodesign Fellowship

Stanford Biodesign launched its Innovation Fellowship in 2001 as a first-of-its kind postgraduate training experience for teaching biomedical technology innovators a need-driven process for developing medical technologies and delivering them to patients. Since then, many design-oriented educational programs have been initiated, yet the impact of this type of training remains poorly understood. This study measures the career focus, leadership trajectory, and productivity of 114 Biodesign Innovation Fellowship alumni based on survey data and public career information. It also compares alumni on certain publicly available metrics to finalists interviewed but not selected. Overall, 60% of alumni are employed in health technology in contrast to 35% of finalists interviewed but not selected. On leadership, 72% of alumni hold managerial or higher positions compared to 48% of the finalist group. A total of 67% of alumni reported that the fellowship had been “extremely beneficial” on their careers. As a measure of technology translation, more than 440,000 patients have been reached with technologies developed directly out of the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship, with another 1,000,000+ aided by solutions initiated by alumni after their training. This study suggests a positive impact of the fellowship program on the career focus, leadership, and productivity of its alumni.
The Personalization and Volume Trade-Off: A Future Without Saturation Mail?

High density, saturation advertising mail is a significant revenue source for the United States Postal Service (USPS), totaling $3.03 billion in Fiscal Year 2015. However, the revenue generated by these saturation products is at risk as they run contrary to the contemporary and cutting-edge marketing techniques that use analytics to send highly targeted messages to granular segments of individuals to maximize response rates per mail piece. Indeed, the future might demand quite a significant evolution from the imprecise, carpet-bombing approach of traditional saturation mailings.
The effect of the split share structure reform on working capital management of Chinese companies

Abstract Before the introduction of the Split Share Structure Reform (SSSR) of 2005, a dual stock system characterized Chinese-listed firms. The states owned non-tradable shares and private owners held tradable shares. The dual system generated agency problems because state owners enjoyed all the rights reserved for tradable shares but escaped the stock market risk faced by non-state shareholders. Because executives of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) received rewards based on the book value of assets rather than the market price of shares, they had no incentive to maximize the share price. The SSSR led to the conversion of non-tradable shares to tradable shares, with two major implications: (1) the interests of government and private owners are now more closely aligned and (2) government agents of SOEs are now rewarded and punished based on a firm's market performance. Thus, the expectation is that government agents turn their attention to improving a firm's market performance rather than its book value during the post-reform era. We examine the impact of the SSSR on Chinese firms' investments in working capital. Based on 511 manufacturing firms between 2003 and 2011, we find that the SSSR is associated with significant reductions in working capital investments during the post-reform period. The reduced investment in working capital is associated with improved market performance of these firms.
Methods for the photochemical utilization of solar energy

The paper considers the 'ground rules' which govern the efficiency of photochemical solar energy conversion and then summarizes the most promising approaches in each of three categories: photochemically assisted thermal systems for the heating and/or cooling of structures; photogalvanic systems for the production of electrical power in applications, such as photorechargeable batteries or inexpensive 'solar cells'; and photochemical formation of fuels for combustion and for use as chemical feedstocks or foods. Three concepts for the photochemical utilization of solar energy in space are found to be particularly promising: (1) photochemical trans-cis isomerization of indigold dyes for photoassisted heating or cooling, (2) the redox stabilized photoelectrolysis cell for the production of hydrogen (and/or oxygen or other useful chemicals), and (3) the liquid-junction photovoltaic cell for the production of electrical power.
Lymphangiography and Lymphatic Embolization for the Treatment of Refractory Chylous Ascites

Assess the effectiveness of conventional lymphangiography, MR lymphangiography, and lymphatic embolization for the diagnosis and treatment of refractory chylous ascites. A retrospective review of 31 patients (M/F:16/15, average age 52) who presented for the management of refractory chylous ascites was conducted to assess the diagnostic value of conventional and MR lymphangiography and outcome of lymphatic embolization. Of the total 31 patients, 25 presented with chylous ascites secondary to iatrogenic trauma and six patients with a non-traumatic etiology. All patients underwent conventional lymphangiography and nine underwent MR lymphangiogram. The lymphatic leak was visualized in 17/31 (55%) of the patients (15 of which were traumatic) and in 7/9 MR lymphangiograms (six traumatic and one non-traumatic). Embolization with n-BCA glue and/or coils of the leak was performed in 11 of the 17 patients whose leak was identified (65%) with resolution of chylous ascites in 9/11 (82%) patients. Lymphangiogram alone was curative in 7/20 (35%) patients. Overall, 16/31 patients (52%) had clinical resolution of ascites. Ascites resolved in 13/17 (76%) patients in whom the site of leak could be identified compared to 3/14 (21%) of patients in whom the site of leak could not be identified (p = 0.0038). Lymphangiography and embolization can be used to treat chylous ascites. Identification of the site of leak is associated with significantly greater rate of clinical success compared to those whose site could not be identified.
Integration of visual feedback and motor learning: Corticospinal vs. corticobulbar pathway.

Abstract Although movement is controlled by different descending pathways, it remains unknown whether the integration of visual feedback and motor learning differs for movements controlled by different descending pathways. Here, we compare motor control and learning of the ankle joint and tongue because they are primarily controlled by the corticospinal and corticobulbar pathways, respectively. Twelve young adults (19.63 ± 2.11 years, 6 females) practiced a tracking task (combination of 0.02, 0.37, 0.5, and 1 Hz) with ankle dorsiflexion and with tongue elevation for 100 trials. The participants practiced each effector (ankle and tongue) in different days and the order of the effector was counterbalanced. Following practice, participants performed the same tracking task with concurrent contractions of the tongue and ankle (dual tracking task; transfer) with three different visual feedback conditions (no visual feedback, visual feedback only for ankle, visual feedback only for tongue). We quantified the force accuracy (RMSE) from each effector during the practice and transfer periods. During practice, the force accuracy and performance improvement to the visuomotor task was greater for the ankle dorsiflexion than tongue elevation. During the transfer task, the ankle dorsiflexion was more accurate than tongue elevation, independent of whether visual feedback was given for the ankle or tongue. The greater performance improvement for the ankle dorsiflexion during practice was related to superior transfer performance. These findings suggest that the corticospinal pathway integrates visual feedback more efficiently than the corticobulbar pathway, which enhances performance and learning of visuomotor tasks.
Constraints: Placing Limits on the Solution

Most practical optimization problems include limits, called constraints, on the values that the design variables can take. For example, constraints may describe allowable limits on the stresses in a structure or the maximum speed of a ship moving cargo across an ocean. This chapter presents the basic concepts and a method for constrained optimization that is a simple extension of familiar unconstrained methods.
Taxation Implications for Foreign Employees in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is not a tax haven, but is probably the only international financial centre that is not covered by a Double Tax Agreement (DTA). The relevant DTAs between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the UK, the PRC and Australia or the PRC and the US do not apply to Hong Kong. This is because the wording of the relevant DTAs expressly states that the treaties apply only in ‘all territories of the People’s Republic of China in which the laws relating to Chinese tax are in force’, within which Hong Kong, a special administrative region, does not fall. As a consequence, residents of the UK and Australia or citizens of the US who are employed in Hong Kong are required to work out whether they are subject to the domestic tax regimes of their home jurisdictions.
The use of video imaging techniques to study ultrafiltration and blood flow in the normal and diseased kidney.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the use of video imaging techniques to study ultrafiltration and blood flow in the normal and diseased kidney. The study of renal function has traditionally depended on clearance techniques that involve the measurement of the appearance of substances in the urine. Clearance is a complex function dependent on the delivery of the test substance to the kidney via perfusion and the subsequent processing of the substance through filtration, active and passive reabsorption, and secretion. The importance of perfusion rate and pressure has long been recognized and in recent years, the role of perfusion in determining filtration rate has been elucidated in a series of exacting and elegant micropuncture experiments. Single-nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR) is dependent on both glomerular perfusion rate and intracapillary pressure. These techniques do not allow direct evaluation of vascular function at the level of the single vessel. Optical observations and analyses of video recordings permit precise and quantitative measurement of the vascular response of the vascular bed either in situ or in isolated segments in vitro. Quantitative objective measurements may be made using the digitized output from the video signal, and replicate analyses may be made on the same or different areas of the recorded field. Disadvantages of video-microscopic techniques include the time limitations for replicate images, the limitations of resolution by the number of rastar lines and pixels of the recording, carryover of images from one image to the next, and nonlinearity of the signal-light intensity relationship.
Differential Regulation of Human Serum Amyloid a Isoforms

Significantly more SAA1 than SAA2 is routinely purified from the plasma of patients studied by this laboratory. Investigating the reason for this disparity, we have compared mRNA levels for SAAl and SAA2 in a patient whose ratio of purified SAA1/SAA2 was approximately six. Relative levels of SAA1 and SAA2 mRNA were determined by Northern analysis using isotype-specific oligonucleotide probes. Scanning densitometry of the resulting autoradiographs revealed a 2-fold predominance of SAA1 over SAA2 mRNA. Thus, a higher steady state level of SAA1 mRNA explains in part the predominance of the SAA1 isotype.
The good taste of genomics

A family of human and mouse proteins needed to detect bitter tastes has now been identified. This may open to the way to the development of better-tasting medicines and the control of insect pests by tastes rather than environmentally damaging insecticides, amongst many other applications.
Evidence for threshold effects in transformation of pancreatic beta cells by SV40 T antigen in transgenic mice

Transgenic mice harboring hybrid insulin-T antigen genes manifest heritable patterns of tumor formation (Hanahan 1985; Efrat and Hanahan 1987; Adams et al. 1987; Teitelman et al. 1988). In all mice inheriting the hybrid oncogene, denoted RIP1-Tag, its cell-specific expression in s cells in all the pancreatic islets of Langerhans causes s-cell transformation and proliferation, which results in islet hyperplasia. This is followed by development of only a few islets into solid, vascularized tumors and consequent premature death. It thus appears that T antigen is necessary but not sufficient for tumor formation and that additional events may be required.
Advancing Food Sovereignty through Interrogating the Question: What is Food Sovereignty?

The topic of food sovereignty has received ample attention from philosophers and interdisciplinary scholars, from how to conceptualize the term to how globalization shapes it, and several areas in between. This bounty of research informs us about food sovereignty’s practical dimensions, but the theoretical realm still has lessons to teach us, especially how to develop action-based guides to achieve it. This paper is an exploration in that direction. To have that effect, the author interrogates the question, “what is food sovereignty?”, through asking about its motivations, scale, and the answers that will inform solutions. This process reveals that, despite the differences between conceptions of food sovereignties, there is a pattern at play that concerns their nature. The benefit of gaining an understanding of this pattern is to uncover the necessary elements that each solution will require.
Environmental habitat restoration and inquiry-based learning with New York City public schools—an urban model in STEM education

The tension between academic rigor and real-world relevance is a long-standing struggle in the world of education. Never has that tension been greater than the present day, when metrics about student academic success and pressure about career preparation are each the subject of increased scrutiny. STEM education straddles this debate, demanding an equal measure of both rigor and relevance. Therein lies its unique challenge. Beyond the familiar vocabulary of job training, linked learning, and twenty-first century skills, STEM teachers must create a combined learning experience that has no precedent in education. In addition to improving student proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, they must deliver the real-world component of the STEM curriculum, often a daunting task. Here, the authors maintain that American waterways, near which the vast majority of the U.S. population lives, are ideal STEM classrooms that can fulfill the interdisciplinary and experiential goals of STEM while helping schools rediscover the larger environmental community. The authors present their experience with the Curriculum and Community Enterprise for New York Harbor Restoration in New York City Public Schools (CCERS), a program of student education and teacher training through direct participation in the planning and physical implementation of oyster restoration in New York Harbor. They argue that if STEM’s promise is that society will reap the benefits of a future job force and future innovation, community professionals such as scientists, engineers, policy makers, and more have a duty to participate as volunteer adjuncts to help implement such programs in local school systems, particularly in underserved communities.
Fields of Progress: The Mechanization of Agriculture in Days of Heaven

Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven (1978) functions less as a traditional narrative in this article than as a postmodern filmic essay on the meanings and legacies of early-twentieth-century modernization in the agricultural districts of the southwestern Great Plains. Representing the border spaces of the Texas Panhandle in 1916, the film imagines a migrant space that hosts an uneven melange of machines, bodies, and terrains—one that highlights the social and ecological consequences of industrial modernity's appearance on the rural landscape. As it imagines flows of people and products between rural margins and metropolitan centers, Days of Heaven both anticipates and elaborates more recent historiographies, such as William Cronon's, that trouble common conceptions of urban core and country periphery. The film also illuminates questions about the overlap of the modern and the postmodern through a meticulously crafted pastiche of iconic twentieth-century American images. With an eye on these qualities, this article uses Malick's depictions of mechanization and his self-consciously referential aesthetic sensibilities to examine the objects that comprise late-70s postmodernism in the American grain, a version that is not so much a departure from the techniques, ethics, and spaces of modernism as it is their extension, amplification, and reproduction.
Riddles and Models: A Review Essay on Michel De Vroey's A History of Macroeconomics from Keynes to Lucas and Beyond

This essay reviews Michel De Vroey's important new book on the history of macroeconomics, which extends to business cycles an earlier book by the same author on the history of involuntary unemployment. The review also offers a broader nontechnical survey of the issues and models that make up modern macroeconomics, including a reckoning of what we have learned since John Maynard Keynes and of the discoveries that still lie ahead.
Toward Scalable Replication Systems with Predictable Tails Using Programmable Data Planes

Conventional distributed data storage services, like databases and file systems, rely on replication for fault tolerance; as a consequence, the performance of these services depends heavily on the performance of the underlying replication system in use. Existing replication systems, built using a replication protocol (e.g., CURP), are implemented as user-level processes capable of performing replication with relatively low latencies (~10+ μs). However, such user-level processes are susceptible to performance degradation at scale, due to software overheads (e.g., operating system and networking stack), and contention for server resources (e.g., CPU, disk, and memory) between multiple processes; thus, leading to higher latencies with longer tails.In this paper, we posit that replication systems can achieve lower latency and scale without compromising (tail) latencies by exploiting the characteristics of emerging programmable data planes. To support our thesis, we build a system, called ARGUS, that takes advantage of data plane's close proximity to the wire, minimal software overhead, and line-rate throughput to accelerate replication. ARGUS maps key components of a replication protocol (e.g., replication, storage, and recovery) to various processing and memory regions of SmartNICs equipped with a programmable match-action data plane. Our preliminary evaluation shows that, in comparison to CURP, ARGUS reduces mean and 99.9th-percentile latencies by 2x and 2.2x respectively, with 6.7x higher through-put. In addition, it lowers the gap between the 99.9th-percentile and median latencies by about 3.3x. Finally, increasing the replication factor in ARGUS has a negligible effect on the tail latency of the system, i.e., an increase of 0.12 μs per witness compared to 12.86 μs in CURP.
A New Differential Oscillator with T-type Feedback

In this paper we present a new differential T-type feedback oscillator using digital inverters as the gain stage. The T-type feedback is a high-Q, high pass resonator formed by two capacitors and one inductor. The differential operation is achieved by connecting two single-ended oscillators through an inductor together. We present small signal model, analysis and simulation results of the oscillator realized using CMOS inverter and drive expression for its resonance frequency. Measurement results using discrete components are used to verify the operation of the circuit. The differential oscillator was also connected to a crystal with a frequency of 4.9152MHz and measurement results are provided.
Morphologic and hydrologic distinctions between shallow and deep podzolized carbon in the southeastern United States Coastal Plain

Abstract Podzolization imparts soils and landforms of the southeastern United States Coastal Plain with two distinct pools of organic carbon (C), referred to as shallow podzolized C (SPC) and deep podzolized C (DPC). We evaluate podzolization across two catenas, and across the state of Florida, to establish that SPC and DPC are morphologically and hydrologically distinct. We demonstrate that SPC lightens downward (i.e. a Bh horizon with a darker top than bottom) and accumulates below low chroma material, while DPC darkens downward and accumulates below higher chroma material. We interpret these distinct morphologies to be manifestations of separate podzolization processes that are controlled by unique components of soil hydrology. Our analyses support existing notions that SPC is a product of vadose zone hydrology; formed within a pronounced eluvial-illuvial system where C, metals (predominately aluminum), and clay-sized particles are mobilized and immobilized together when near surface saturation thresholds are met. Our work however also identifies DPC to be a product of phreatic zone hydrology; part of an eluvial-illuvial system where C is translocated without metals or clays and immobilized when subsoil saturation thresholds are met. Recognizing the morphologic and hydrologic differences between SPC and DPC not only provides insights into interactions between soil hydrology and terrestrial C cycling in low-relief landforms, but also by incorporating these differences into field-based assessments soil scientists can improve their interpretations and communication of the hydropedology and podzolization.
Effects of Interspecific Interactions on Microhabitat Use of Three Helminths Parasitizing Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) in Southeastern Nebraska

Natural infections of Paulisentis missouriensis (Acanthocephala), Rhabdochona canadensis (Nematoda), and Allocreadium lobatum (Trematoda) in the intestine of creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) were studied to determine whether microhabitat use of these helminths was affected by interspecific interactions. Comparison of mean relative positions and intestinal segment use of all 3 helminths revealed no negative interactions among the 3 species. Paulisentis missouriensis appeared entirely unaffected by the presence of either R. canadensis or A. lobatum. Each of the latter 2 species, however, appeared to exhibit some shift toward, rather than away from, the location of P. missouriensis in co-infected hosts. However, the effect size in both cases was small and therefore could be spurious. At higher intensities of co-infecting P. missouriensis, worms of A. lobatum were either distributed far to the anterior or far to the posterior of the intestinal locations occupied by P. missouriensis. This constituted the only evidence in the present investigation for negative interspecific interactions among these 3 frequently co-occurring helminths in this system.
A Case Report of a Radial Nerve Palsy Following Uncomplicated Total Hip Arthroplasty

Introduction Nerve injury is a known complication of total hip arthroplasty (THA), but it is most commonly seen in the lower extremities. There is, however, minimal discussion about the incidence of upper extremity nerve palsies, specific to the radial nerve, during THA for a patient in the lateral decubitus position. The radial nerve can be injured while in the lateral decubitus position due to poor positioning of the posterior part of the humerus onto the hard surgical table causing compression of the nerve. In THA, this is significant due to the lateral decubitus position being the primary position for the patient in posterior and lateral approaches. We report a case of radial nerve palsy following uncomplicated THA in the lateral decubitus position. Case report A 49-year-old male presenting with symptoms of the left radial nerve palsy on post-operative day number one from a right (contralateral) THA. The patient has a body mass index of 22.15 and was undergoing a right THA with a posterior approach. He was placed in the lateral decubitus position with an axillary roll in place for approximately 2 h and 45 min. Occupational therapy, orthopedics, and electromyography were used to evaluate the patient in the post-operative time for his radial nerve palsy. Conclusion Our case report demonstrates a rare nerve palsy complication that can be associated with positioning in THA surgeries. Knowledge of this complication can be used to avoid pressure points in future THA surgeries in the lateral decubitus position.
Management of Peripheral Nerve Pain

Neuropathic pain is defined by the IASP (International Association for the Study of Pain), as a “pain caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system,” while peripheral neuropathic pain is specifically defined as “pain caused by a lesion or disease of the peripheral somatosensory nervous system” (https://www.iasp-pain.org/Education/Conten.aspx?ItemNumber=1698#Neuropathicpain). Chronic neuropathic pain is not an uncommon disorder and is a global public health concern. It has a prevalence ranging from 6.9% to 10% of the world’s population (Van Hecke O, Austin SK, Khan RA, Smith BH, Torrance N. Neuropathic pain in the general population: a systematic review of epidemiological studies. Pain. 2014;155:654–62). Neuropathic pain often causes major suffering and disability. Unfortunately, many therapeutic options provide less than satisfactory relief.
Dental defects in the primary dentition associated with hypophosphatasia from biallelic ALPL mutations

ALPL encodes tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), an enzyme expressed in bone, teeth, liver, and kidney. ALPL loss-of-function mutations cause hypophosphatasia (HPP), an inborn error-of-metabolism that produces skeletal and dental mineralization defects. Case reports describe widely varying dental phenotypes, making it unclear how HPP comparatively affects the three unique dental mineralized tissues: enamel, dentin, and cementum. We hypothesized that HPP affected all dental mineralized tissues and aimed to establish quantitative measurements of dental tissues in a subject with HPP. The female proband was diagnosed with HPP during childhood based on reduced alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP), mild rachitic skeletal effects, and premature primary tooth loss. The diagnosis was subsequently confirmed genetically by the presence of compound heterozygous ALPL mutations (exon 5: c.346G>A, p.A116T; exon 10: c.1077C>G, p.I359M). Dental defects in 8 prematurely exfoliated primary teeth were analyzed by high resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and histology. Similarities to the Alpl-/- mouse model of HPP were identified by additional analyses of murine dentoalveolar tissues. Primary teeth from the proband exhibited substantial remaining root structure compared to healthy control teeth. Enamel and dentin densities were not adversely affected in HPP vs. control teeth. However, analysis of discrete dentin regions revealed an approximate 10% reduction in the density of outer mantle dentin of HPP vs. control teeth. All 4 incisors and the molar lacked acellular cementum by micro-CT and histology, but surprisingly, 2 of 3 prematurely exfoliated canines exhibited apparently normal acellular cementum. Based on dentin findings in the proband's teeth, we examined dentoalveolar tissues in a mouse model of HPP, revealing that the delayed initiation of mineralization in the incisor mantle dentin was associated with a broader lack of circumpulpal dentin mineralization. This study describes a quantitative approach to measure effects of HPP on dental tissues. This approach has uncovered a previously unrecognized novel mantle dentin defect in HPP, as well as a surprising and variable cementum phenotype within the teeth from the same HPP subject.