cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of Surgical Risk With Exogenous Hormone Use in Transgender Patients: A Systematic Review.

Importance A growing number of transgender patients are receiving gender-affirming hormone treatments. It is unclear whether the evidence supports the current practice of routinely discontinuing these hormones prior to surgery. Objective To determine how medications used in cross-sex hormone treatment (CSHT) affect perioperative risk. Evidence Review A series of searches were carried out in PubMed and Excerpta Medica Database to identify articles using each of the termstestosterone,estrogen,estradiol,oral contraceptive,spironolactone,cyproterone acetate,finasteride,dutasteride,leuprolide,goserelin, andhistrelin, in combination with the termssurgery,perioperative,thrombosis,thromboembolism, andoperative. The search was not restricted to perioperative outcomes in transgender populations because many surgeons routinely discontinue hormone use prior to surgery in this population, which makes it impossible to study how hormones affect outcomes. Additional sources were also identified from the texts of reviewed articles. Articles were excluded if they were animal studies or case reports, did not explicitly discuss surgical outcomes, or were restricted to removal of hormonally sensitive tissues. Findings Eighteen articles addressing perioperative outcomes were identified by this systematic review, including 1 on CSHT, 12 on estrogens and progesterones, 1 on testosterone, and 4 on spironolactone and antiandrogens. Data were limited, but use of exogenous testosterone was not found to be associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism or other complications during surgery. Moderate evidence suggests that spironolactone is not associated with negative surgical outcomes. The data linking estrogen use and thrombosis is inconsistent in the perioperative period and does not address the types of estrogens most often used for CSHT. Conclusions and Relevance Current evidence does not support routine discontinuation of all CSHT prior to surgery, particularly given the lack of information on risks associated with resuming these medications after they have been stopped. Evidence suggests there is no need to discontinue either testosterone or spironolactone, although their association with perioperative outcome quality has not been studied in depth. Most of the evidence that supports discontinuation of estrogen prior to surgery is based on oral estrogen regimens that are not typically used in transgender patients, and even with those formulations, there are conflicting reports on perioperative risk. Further research is needed to determine the safety of continuing hormone treatment and elucidate risks of short-term discontinuation.
Evaluating the effects of adaptation length, dietary electrolyte balance, and energy source on ileal endogenous amino acid losses in pigs fed nitrogen-free diets

Sixteen cannulated pigs were used to evaluate the effect of dietary electrolyte balance (DEB, low vs. high), energy source (cornstarch vs. dextrose), and adaptation length (3–4 or 6–7 d) to the die...
Utilization of Mental Health Services in Educational Setting by Adolescents in the United States

Background Schools play an important role as providers of mental health services for adolescents; however, information on the broader picture of utilization of mental health services in educational versus other settings is limited because of the lack of national-level data. Methods Using multinomial logistic regression models based on national-level data from the 2012-2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we explore the characteristics of adolescents who received mental health treatment in educational and other settings. In addition, the study examines the reasons for seeking services in various treatment settings. Results The analysis finds that while the majority of adolescents who access mental health services receive care at noneducational settings, slightly more than one-third of them received services only in an educational setting. Adolescents who had public insurance, were from low-income households, and were from racial/ethnic minority groups were more likely to access services in an educational setting only. Common reasons for accessing services in educational settings included problems with schools, friends, and family members. Conclusions Despite increased access to treatment in outpatient settings in the last decade, schools play an important role in providing access to mental health services for disadvantaged populations.
DNA gyrase (Topoisomerase II) from Pseudomonasaeruginosa

DNA gyrase (Topoisomerase II) has been purified from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO. This enzyme is inhibited by novobiocin and nalidixic acid. DNA gyrase from P. aeruginosa is resistant to a much higher level of nalidixic acid than is Escherichia coli DNA gyrase. This increased level of resistance may explain, at least in part, the higher levels of natural resistance exhibited by P. aeruginosa toward nalidixic acid.
Die Analyse des Diskurses um den Rechtsextremismus

Nachdem in Kap. I vermittels eines Blickes auf den Literaturstand zur Rechtsextremismusforschung eine Kontrastierung vom substantialistischen Vorgehen geleistet wurde und sich Kap. II mit der eigenen konstruktivistisch gepragten Herangehensweise befasst hat, widmet sich Kap. III nun der Empirie. Es gilt, Rechtsextremismus aus diskursanalytischer Perspektive zu untersuchen und dadurch zu ergrunden, wie dieser Gegenstand in einem gesellschaftlichen Diskurs konstruiert, aufrechterhalten und modifiziert wird. Mithilfe eines zeitlichen Vergleiches dreier exemplarischer Falle soll vor allem ein diagnostischer Blick auf unsere derzeitige Gesellschaft geworfen werden.
Turbulent from the Start: Revisiting Military Politics in Pre-Baʿth Syria

This article reconsiders military politics in Syria prior to the 1963 Baʿthi power grab in light of new sources. I undermine the presumptions that Baʿthi tactics of sectarian favoritism in the armed forces were unprecedented in post-independence Syria. I make the following arguments: first, attempts by the Sunni power elite to tame Syrian minorities were part of a broad sequence of events that spanned several regimes and informed politics in the Syrian officer corps; second, the various military strongmen who ruled Damascus intermittently from 1949 until 1963 distrusted minority officers and relied mainly on fellow Sunnis to exert control in the armed forces; and third, the combination of minority marginalization in Syrian politics and Sunni preferentialism inside the armed forces bred enmity and polarized sectarian relations in the officer corps.
Session details: Special issue on spatial query processing and traffic simulation

The goal of this special issue is to disseminate new research directions, challenges, and visions of broad interest to the SIGSPATIAL community. Two topics are covered in this special issue. The first topic of Spatial Query Processing features two articles describing novel and useful spatial query types and surveying new directions for existing queries. The second topic of of Traffic Simulation spotlights one article that puts recent advances in traffic simulation in the context of data generation for the broad community.
Neural Time-Dependent Partial Differential Equation

Partial differential equations (PDEs) play a crucial role in studying a vast number of problems in science and engineering. Numerically solving nonlinear and/or high-dimensional PDEs is frequently a challenging task. Inspired by the traditional finite difference and finite elements methods and emerging advancements in machine learning, we propose a sequence-to-sequence learning (Seq2Seq) framework called Neural-PDE, which allows one to automatically learn governing rules of any time-dependent PDE system from existing data by using a bidirectional LSTM encoder, and predict the solutions in next n time steps. One critical feature of our proposed framework is that the Neural-PDE is able to simultaneously learn and simulate all variables of interest in a PDE system. We test the Neural-PDE by a range of examples, from one-dimensional PDEs to a multi-dimensional and nonlinear complex fluids model. The results show that the Neural-PDE is capable of learning the initial conditions, boundary conditions and differential operators defining the initial-boundary-value problem of a PDE system without the knowledge of the specific form of the PDE system. In our experiments, the Neural-PDE can efficiently extract the dynamics within 20 epochs training and produce accurate predictions. Furthermore, unlike the traditional machine learning approaches for learning PDEs, such as CNN and MLP, which require great quantity of parameters for model precision, the Neural-PDE shares parameters among all time steps, and thus considerably reduces computational complexity and leads to a fast learning algorithm.
Sociodemographic Predictors of Adherence to National Diet and Physical Activity Guidelines at Age 5 Years: The Healthy Start Study.

Purpose:To assess adherence to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines, and identify sociodemographic predictors of adherence among children.Design:Cros...
The Electrostatic Features of Dengue Virus Capsid Assembly

Dengue virus causes serious diseases and deaths in the world. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of dengue virus is highly demanded to develop treatments for dengue virus caused diseases. Her...
Observing System Simulation Experiment for Remote Sensing of Snow at P-Band

Recently, the Signal of Opportunity (SoOp) has been used in monitoring the snow pack from P-band. This technology makes use of existing satellite transmissions and become a cost-effective alternative to existing active technologies. The theoretical principle is based on the phase change of the reflected P-band signal to change in SWE. The P-band radio signals come from geostationary Mobile Use Objective System (MUOS) communication satellites, operating with dual-frequency channels at P-band (360–380 MHz and 240–270 MHz). P-band frequencies have excellent capability in penetration through thick vegetation (a confounding factor in existing SWE retrievals), and will offer unprecedented capability to sense snowpack under forest canopy. This paper provides an end-to-end simulation through OSSEs and support the understanding of physical mechanizes of surface features that contributing to the received signals.
Fibronectin fibril alignment is established upon initiation of extracellular matrix assembly

The physical structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is tissue-specific and fundamental to normal tissue function. Proper alignment of ECM fibers is essential for the functioning of a variety of tissues. While matrix assembly in general has been intensively investigated, little is known about the mechanisms required for formation of aligned ECM fibrils. We investigated the initiation of fibronectin (FN) matrix assembly using fibroblasts that assemble parallel ECM fibrils and found that matrix assembly sites, where FN fibrillogenesis is initiated, were oriented in parallel at the cell poles. We show that these polarized matrix assembly sites progress into fibrillar adhesions and ultimately into aligned FN fibrils. Cells that assemble an unaligned meshwork matrix form matrix assembly sites around the cell periphery, but the distribution of matrix assembly sites in these cells could be modulated through micropatterning or mechanical stretch. While an elongated cell shape corresponds with a polarized matrix assembly site distribution, these two features are not absolutely linked, since we discovered that transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1) enhances matrix assembly site polarity and assembly of aligned fibrils independent of cell elongation. We conclude that the ultimate orientation of FN fibrils is determined by the alignment and distribution of matrix assembly sites that form during the initial stages of cell-FN interactions.
Polarization Sensitive Quantum Optical Coherence Tomography: Birefringence Imaging

Polarization sensitive quantum optical coherence tomography (QOCT) is used to characterize birefringence and path length differences in a flat transparent plastic sample.
Stapedectomy Effects on Tinnitus: Relationship of Change in Loudness to Change in Severity.

ObjectiveTo relate poststapedectomy change in tinnitus loudness to change in tinnitus severity.Study DesignProspective, within-subjects.SettingA single otology and neurotology subspecialty referral practice.Subjects and MethodsForty-nine subjects undergoing stapedectomy completed the study between January 2012 and October 2013. Tinnitus instruments, audiometric data, and demographic information were collected prior to and 1 and 6 months after surgery. Tinnitus loudness was assessed using an 11-point (0 = none; 5 = conversation level; 10 = jet engine) visual analog scale, and severity was measured using the validated Tinnitus Functional Index. The relationship between change in tinnitus loudness and change in tinnitus severity was evaluated using linear regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses.ResultsA linear regression model of change in tinnitus loudness averaged for both ears on a visual analog scale (ΔVASavg) versus change in Tinnitus Functional Index score (ΔTFI) showed a strong...
A multicenter, primary care-based, open-label study to identify behaviors related to prescription opioid misuse, abuse, and diversion in opioid-experienced patients with chronic moderate-to-severe pain

Objective To compare the investigator assessment of patient risk for prescription opioid misuse, abuse, and diversion with patient self-reports of these activities in a population with chronic pain. Methods As a secondary objective of an open-label, multicenter, primary care-based clinical study to evaluate the success of converting opioid-experienced patients with chronic pain to morphine sulfate with sequestered naltrexone hydrochloride, risk for misuse, abuse, and diversion was assessed using two nonvalidated questionnaires: one was completed by the investigator and another by the patient (Self-Reported Misuse, Abuse, and Diversion [SR-MAD]). In addition, the validated Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM) test and urine drug test were used. Results Of the 684 patients assessed by the investigators, 537 returned the self-assessment, SR-MAD. Most patients were assigned by the investigator as low risk for misuse (84.2%), abuse (89.3%), and diversion (94.3%). Of the patients who returned SR-MAD, 60% indicated having taken more opioids than prescribed and 10.9% reported chewing or crushing their opioids in the past. Of the patients who completed COMM, 40.6% were deemed as having aberrant behaviors. COMM results correlated with the risk levels from the investigator assessment. One-third of patients (33.8%) had at least one abnormal urine drug test result. Conclusion More research is needed to better understand the gap between the investigator assessment of potential risk for misuse, abuse, and diversion and the actual extent of these behaviors among patients with chronic pain.
A robotics lab for CS1

In this paper, we describe a robotics lab suitable for CS1 classes. The lab uses relatively inexpensive low platform robotics to reinforce repetition, selection and the use of basic functions. We have implemented this project with great success and require every CS1 computer science student to complete it.
Hyperoxia exposure results in decreased expression of pro-resolution receptor ALX/FPR2 (1153.12)

Rationale: Endogenously produced polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are key mediators of the anti-inflammatory response following acute injury. PUFAs such as resolvins and lipoxins have demonstrated potent pro-resolutionary effects in acute lung injury. These molecules have been shown to bind and exert their effects through G-coupled protein receptor Lipoxin A4/formyl peptide receptor 2 (ALX/FPR2). Previous reports suggest that various septic or sterile insults lead to an increase in ALX/FPR2 expression; however, the response of ALX/FRP2 to oxidative stress has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of ALX/FPR2 in a murine mouse model of hyperoxic acute lung injury (HALI). Methods: C57BL/6 mice were exposed to hyperoxic (50, 75, or 95% O2) or normoxic (≍ 21% O2) conditions for 24, 48, or 72hrs. Following atmospheric treatment, mice were euthanized; bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and lung tissue were collected for analysis. BAL fluid was used to assess alveolar protein leak. Lung...
Possibilistic semantics and measurement methods in complex systems

Possibility theory is a new mathematical theory for the representation of uncertainty. Toward the end of developing a strictly possibilistic semantics of natural systems, the following aspects are considered: the semantics of possibility statements in relation to modal logic, natural language, and mathematical possibility theory; a strong consistency relation for probability and possibility; the basis for the application of possibility theory to complex systems; and physical measurement procedures for possibility. >
The Normative Value of Transaction Cost Economics: What Managers Have Learned About TCE Principles in the IT Context

Consider the following stories regarding the performance of outsourced of IT services (Lacity & Willcocks, 2001): A US Food company paid twice the original contract price due to excess fees triggered by undocumented requirements. In hindsight, participants believe the wrong activity was outsourced. They perhaps should have bought-in supplier expertise to work on an in-house project development team, rather than contract management and delivery of the system to a third party. A United Kingdom public sector body (PBS) signed a fixed-fee for service, tenyear, £ 1 billion contract for most of PSB 1’s product and services. In 1994, the IT Director referred to the supplier as a “strategic partner”. By 1995, excess fees included £ 100,000 for unexpected software license transfer fees, an additional £5 million a year to cover inaccuracies in the original tender documents, and an additional £15 million a year for hardware maintenance. Furthermore, PSB could not meet some of the contractual terms, such as specifying requirements for 48 skill types 13 months in advance.
Gauge/Vortex duality and AGT

AGT correspondence relates a class of 4d gauge theories in four dimensions to conformal blocks of Liouville CFT. There is a simple proof of the correspondence when the conformal blocks admit a free field representation. In those cases, vortex defects of the gauge theory play a crucial role, extending the correspondence to a triality. This makes use of a duality between 4d gauge theories in a certain background, and the theories on their vortices. The gauge/vortex duality is a physical realization of large N duality of topological string which was conjectured in Dijkgraaf and Vafa (Toda theories, matrix models, topological strings, and N \(=\) 2 gauge systems [1]) to provide an explanation for AGT correspondence. This paper is a review of Aganagic et al. (Gauge/Liouville triality [2]), written for the special volume edited by J. Teschner.
Of Space Forevermore

We have been flirting with space for over two millennia. And, as this Forum so clearly indicates, we have not had enough.The Call for Papers for this special issue opens with a bold statement that makes the following claim: "with the invention of the internet—that infinite cyber space—our world has both radically expanded and contracted. Opened up, as our practice of intersecting with others has been drastically changed; but contracted, as this freedom has altered our experience of spatial distance forever." More important, "our world, our cities, our domestic, private, and public spaces have undergone a drastic re-definition; these new spaces have forced a change in our understanding of the nature of space itself."Indeed. However, beware. The temporal framework superimposed upon space—that temporal linearity associated with the pre- and post-moment of the invention of the internet—could accidentally re-introduced the normative category of absolute time that rationalizes and legitimizes the events in the world that has both radically expanded and contracted. This temporal framework superimposed upon space, which, as it is argued, caused a re-definition of the material and immaterial attributes of space, should make us aware that this framework will only represent a present intelligibility of space and will only remain valid until a new invention replaces the invention of the internet.
Mass Transfer from Penetrations in Waste Containers

Recent studies have indicated that localized corrosion of a relatively small area of a waste container may impair the containment function to such an extent that larger releases may be possible than from the bare waste form. This would take place when a large number of holes coexist on the container while their concentration fields do not interact significantly with each other. After performing a steady state analysis of the release from a hole, it is shown that much fewer independent holes can coexist on a container surface than previously estimated. The calculated radionuclide release from multiple independent holes must be changed accordingly. Previous analyses did not proceed to a correct application of the linear superposition principle. This resulted in unacceptable physical conclusions and undue strain on the performance assessment necessary for a container licensing procedure. The paper also analyzes the steady state release from penetrations of finite length and whose concentration fields interact with one another. The predicted release from these penetrations is lower than the previously calculated release from holes of zero thickness. It is concluded here that the steady-state release from multiple holes on a waste container can not exceed the release from the bare waste formmore » and that multiple perforations need not be a serious liability to container performance. 8 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.« less
Microdetermination of fluorine in organic materials containing boron and phosphorus

A simple procedure is described for the decomposition of organic fluoro compounds by sodium peroxide fusion in a microbomb. The resulting fluoride solution is then treated with total ionic strength adjustment buffer and the potential measured by means of fluoride electrode in a pH meter. Presence of boron and phosphorus do not interfere. The %F can be easily determined by calculation against two standards containing 10 and 100μg F respectively.
‘Gift without a price tag’: altruism in anonymous semen donation

Commercialization of human gametes is now legally prohibited in Canada under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act 2004, making semen donation in Canada altruistic and anonymous by law. Donors must be altruistically motivated to donate gametes without receiving monetary rewards. Globally speaking, Canada is neither the first nor the only country in the world that has legislation to support altruistic gamete donation. Other countries have advocated similar systems either through legislative changes or implementation of best practice models. This paper is a review of literature assessing the differences in donation behaviours under paid and altruistic donation models. It provides contextual information of the current semen donation situation in Canada, while drawing upon relevant literature and research data from other countries as references. The author also attempts to re-conceptualize the meanings of altruism through exploring the complex inter- play between psycho-social and institutional factors in influencing donors' behaviours. Although there is a substantial amount of research studying the impacts on donor recruitment when payment is withdrawn, very few research studies are found that focus on exploring altruistic donor recruitment strategies. It is unrealistic to expect the altruistic donation culture to emerge spontaneously in Canada without any multi- level efforts to coordinate the recruitment strategies. Research programmes are greatly needed to generate empirical knowledge that can guide the development of altruistic donor recruitment models geared to the current socio-cultural environment and legislative framework in Canada. The findings will be invaluable when the legislation comes up for parliamentary review in the near future.
Flow cytometric analysis of genetic FRET detectors containing variable substrate sequences.

A genetic Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) detector undergoes a posttranslational modification (PTM)-induced conformational change that results in increased FRET. To test if the PTM-dependent FRET change can be quantified by flow cytometry, we purified and immobilized a genetic detector on microbeads and used flow cytometry to measure its FRET efficiency before and after Erk-2–mediated phosphorylation. The fluorescence ratio R between the acceptor and donor fluorescence, which was obtained by fitting a straight line through the data points in linear space, increases following phosphorylation, thus demonstrating that flow cytometry is capable of detecting a PTM-dependent FRET response. Furthermore, when Erk-2 and a genetic detector are coexpressed in bacteria, the measured R value changes with the substrate sequence with near single residue resolution. Similarly, the cells coexpressing the glycosylating enzyme O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and a genetic detector specific for OGT exhibit a PTM-induced change in FRET efficiency. Therefore, the combination of flow cytometry and a genetic detector may be useful to characterize the substrate specificity of a PTM enzyme and identify the sequences that are preferentially targeted for PTM in vivo. V V C 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers
The Development of Ego Defenses in Adolescence.

This study tested a model for developmental transitions in defense use in adolescence based on an integration of psychoanalytic views of adolescence and Loevinger's theory of ego development. Loevinger's test for ego development and the Defense Mechanism Inventory were administered to 31 male and 35 female adolescents. Results supported several hypothesized developmental transitions: decrease in “aggression outward” defenses (e.g., displacement), increase in turning against the self, and an unpredicted increase in defenses entailing reversal (repression, denial, and reaction formation). Results failed to support a hypothesized increase in intellectualization and a decrease in projection. Results supported ego development over chronological age as a more valid index of maturity to apply to the investigation of the development of defenses. Implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.
A noncoherent model for microwave emissions and backscattering from the sea surface

The two-scale (small irregularities superimposed upon large undulations) scattering theory proposed by Semyonov was extended and used to compute microwave apparent temperature and the backscattering cross section from ocean surfaces. The effect of the small irregularities upon the scattering characteristics of the large undulations is included by modifying the Fresnel reflection coefficients; whereas the effect of the large undulations upon those of the small irregularities is taken into account by averaging over the surface normals of the large undulations. The same set of surface parameters is employed for a given wind speed to predict both the scattering and the emission characteristics at both polarizations.
Characterization and source identification of trace elements in PM2.5 from Mira Loma, Southern California

Abstract Concentrations of thirty-five trace elements in ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) were measured from September 2001 to January 2002 in Mira Loma, a semi-urban area in southern California. The most abundant species were found to be sulfur (S; 23% of the total trace element concentration), followed by Si, Fe, Ca, and Al (soil-related elements; 51% of the total). In general, total trace element concentrations were found to be significantly higher for the drier months of September and October, compared to December and January. Factor analysis, enrichment factor (EF) analysis, and ratio analysis (Al/Zn) revealed a significant contribution of soil-related sources to the ambient trace elements for PM 2.5 in the study area. Other important contributors to the trace elements in ambient PM 2.5 in Mira Loma included motor vehicle-related emissions (brake pads, lubricant oils, gasoline, and diesel combustion), secondary sulfates, sea salts, and biomass burning. The influence of sea salts on the study area was identified using a backward trajectory analysis.
Onset of shear localization in viscoplastic solids

Abstract An outstanding problem in mechanics is the modeling of the phenomenon of initiation and development of localized shear bands, in materials whose inelastic deformation behavior is inherently rate-dependent. C lifton (1980) and B ai (1981, 1982) have presented a linear perturbation stability analysis for the initiation of shear bands in viscoplastic solids deforming in simple shear. This localization analysis is essentially one-dimensional in nature. In this paper, we present a three-dimensional generalization of this linear perturbation stability analysis for the onset of shear localization. We neglect elastic effects and consider isotropic, incompressible, viscoplastic materials which exhibit strain hardening (or softening), strain-rate hardening, thermal softening and pressure hardening. For this class of materials, we derive the general characteristic stability equation. Next, we focus our attention on the special version of this equation for plane motions and consider the two physically important limiting cases of (1) quasi-static, isothermal deformations, and (2) dynamic, adiabatic deformations. For these cases, we derive (a) the critical conditions for the formation of shear bands, (b) the most probable directions along which the bands can form, and (c) information regarding the incipient rate of growth of the emergent shear bands. The results, which are presented in detail in the body of the paper, provide new insight into the important phenomenon of shear localization under both quasi-static and rapid deformation of many materials including both metals and polymers.
Sexual Behavior of Male Northern Elephant Seals: I. Lethal Injuries To Adult Females

[Adult female mortality of northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, was monitored daily throughout the breeding season and weekly during the non-breeding season at Ano Nuevo, California, during the period 1968 to 1987. Behavioral observation and necropsy findings were collected and circumstantial evidence was compiled to determine the cause of death. Female deaths on the rookery were rare; only 17 female deaths were recorded over the 20 year period. Cause of death could not be estimated in three cases because of advanced decomposition, one female died from an accident, and two others had no apparent trauma. The majority of deaths (11) were caused by traumatic injuries inflicted by males during mating attempts as the females departed harems for the sea at the end of lactation. Mortalities caused by males were distributed across a broad age range. Based on the observed incidence of female mortality in relation to females present on the rookery, the probability of a female being killed by a male during the breeding season is about one in a thousand. Females are expected to evolve adaptations to reduce injurious encounters with males. Females are injured and killed by males during mating attempts in a variety of species. A hypothesis concerning the conditions under which female animals sustain potentially lethal injuries during mating is advanced., Adult female mortality of northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, was monitored daily throughout the breeding season and weekly during the non-breeding season at Ano Nuevo, California, during the period 1968 to 1987. Behavioral observation and necropsy findings were collected and circumstantial evidence was compiled to determine the cause of death. Female deaths on the rookery were rare; only 17 female deaths were recorded over the 20 year period. Cause of death could not be estimated in three cases because of advanced decomposition, one female died from an accident, and two others had no apparent trauma. The majority of deaths (11) were caused by traumatic injuries inflicted by males during mating attempts as the females departed harems for the sea at the end of lactation. Mortalities caused by males were distributed across a broad age range. Based on the observed incidence of female mortality in relation to females present on the rookery, the probability of a female being killed by a male during the breeding season is about one in a thousand. Females are expected to evolve adaptations to reduce injurious encounters with males. Females are injured and killed by males during mating attempts in a variety of species. A hypothesis concerning the conditions under which female animals sustain potentially lethal injuries during mating is advanced.]
Platinum-Catalyzed Asymmetric Alkylation of Bis(isitylphosphino)ethane: Stereoselectivity Reversal in Successive Formation of Two P−C Bonds

Alkylation of the bis(secondary) phosphine IsHP(CH2)2PHIs (1; Is = isityl = 2,4,6-(i-Pr)3C6H2) with 2-(bromomethyl)naphthalene using 10 mol % of the catalyst precursor Pt((R,R)-Me-DuPhos)(Ph)(Cl) and the base NaOSiMe3 selectively yielded meso-IsP(CH2Ar)(CH2)2P(CH2Ar)(Is) (2; Ar = 2-naphthyl; dr = meso/rac ratio = 3.4:1). Half-alkylated IsP(CH2Ar)(CH2)2PH(Is) (3), an intermediate in this reaction, was prepared from 1 by deprotonation (s-BuLi) and alkylation with 2-(chloromethyl)naphthalene. Analysis of the observed diastereo- and enantioselectivity in the Pt-catalyzed alkylations of 1 and 3 yielded quantitative information on the stereoselectivity of both P−C bond-forming steps. The first alkylation (1 → 3) resulted in diastereoselective formation of a tertiary phosphine stereocenter (∼2:1 ratio). In the second alkylation (3 → 2), however, both (RP)-3 and (SP)-3 (the label refers to the configuration of the tertiary phosphine) selectively formed meso-2, instead of (R,R)-2 or (S,S)-2, respectively (the rati...
Comparison of wire and disc leads to activate the expiratory muscles in dogs.

AbstractObjectiveRespiratory complications account for a major cause of morbidity and mortality in subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) due to paralysis of the expiratory muscles and the consequent inability to generate effective cough. We demonstrated previously that effective cough can be restored in SCI via spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with disc leads positioned on the lower thoracic and upper lumbar spinal cord via laminotomy incisions. In this study, the effectiveness of wire leads, which can be placed using minimally invasive techniques, to activate the expiratory muscles was evaluated.DesignAnimal study.SettingResearch laboratory.AnimalsDogs (n = 8).InterventionsIn separate trials, disc and wire leads were inserted onto the dorsal epidural space at the T9, T11, and L1 spinal cord levels. Effects of electrical stimulation with disc, single wire, and two wire leads placed in parallel were compared.Outcome measuresAirway pressure generation following stimulation with disc and various configurations...
Homology metrics for microstructure response fields in polycrystals

Abstract Quantitative homology metrics are proposed for characterizing the thermal–elastic response of polycrystalline materials. Simulations for a calcite-based polycrystal, marble, are used as an illustrative example. The homology metrics are based on topological measurements, such as the number of components and the number of handles of the thermal–elastic response fields for a complex microstructure. These homology metrics are applied to characterize not only the elastic energy density and maximum principal stress response fields in a polycrystal but also the correlated grain-boundary misorientation distributions that influenced the formation of these response fields. It is demonstrated that the topological analysis can quantitatively distinguish between different types of grain-boundary misorientations, as well as between differences in the resulting response fields.
The Effects of Various Parameters on the Thermal Stresses in the Pipe Bends of Underground Pipelines

The effects of various parameters on the thermal stresses in the pipe bends of underground pipelines have been investigated by the finite element method. Based on the results of calculations, graphs have been drawn to show these effects. It has been found that among the various parameters studied, the ratio of the curvature radius to the outside diameter of the bend, the angle of the bend and the lateral soil pressure acting on the pipeline are the most important ones. 3 refs.
Determination of the location and magnitude of synaptic conductance changes in spinal motoneurons by impedance measurements.

The relation between impedance change and the location and magnitude of a tonic synaptic conductance was examined in compartmental motoneuron models based on previously published data. The dependen...
Impurity levels in PbTe and Pb1−xSnxTe

Abstract The doping characters of vacancies, the existence of impurity resonances, Fermi-level saturation and de-saturation, the sensitivity of the resonances to host chemistry, the behavior of In as both a donor and an acceptor in Pb1−xSnxTe, and the occurrence of other apparently anomalous valences of impurities in IV–VI semiconductors are shown to be simple and direct consequences of a covalent defect theory, with several of the important defects necessarily assigned to “incorrect” or “anti” sites.
Heterogeneous domains and membrane permeability in phosphatidylcholine-phosphatidic acid rigid vesicles as a function of pH and lipid chain mismatch.

Heterogeneous lipid membranes tuned by pH were evaluated at 37 °C in the form of PEGylated vesicles composed of lipid pairs with dipalmitoyl (n = 16) and distearoyl (n = 18) chain lengths. One lipi...
ASSOCIATION STRUCTURES OF MENTAL RETARDATES.

Free word associations of low level retardates (I.Q., 48) and higher level (I.Q., 67) retardates were examined for evidence of normal adult word association structures (idiodynamic associative sets). Such structures were found in both groups. The low level group, however, evidenced a factor structure different from that typical of normal adults. From a semantic point of view, associations of the low level group were more "concrete" than those of the higher level group. From a syntactic point of view, the lower level group lagged well behind the higher level group on the so-called "syntactic-paradigmatic" shift.
Monoclonal antibody analysis of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus epitopes associated with antibody-dependent enhancement and neutralization of virus infection

Enhanced infection and replication of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus in the presence of specific antibody has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo, a phenomenon known as antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). ADE is considered to be a significant obstacle to developing effective vaccines for many viruses for which ADE has been reported, since virus-specific antibodies of maternal origin or those conferred by vaccination can facilitate the entry of the virus into target cells, sometimes resulting in increased severity of the disease. In this study, the role of specific PRRS viral epitopes in ADE and/or virus neutralization (VN) was assessed in vitro using 14 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to 4 PRRS viral proteins: nucleocapsid (N), matrix (M), glycoprotein (GP) 5, and GP3. Each mAb recognized a distinct epitope on one of these proteins. One-way ADE and VN assays were performed in vitro using homologous PRRS virus isolates in the presence or absence of each mAb. ADE activity was determined by detecting a significant increase of progeny virus yield in porcine alveolar macrophage cultures in the presence of individual mAbs. Neutralizing activity was determined by detecting a significant reduction or complete blocking of virus replication in MARC-145 cells in the presence of individual mAbs. mAbs could be categorized into 3 groups: enhancing, neutralizing and neither. Viral epitopes which are capable of inducing neutralizing antibodies appeared to reside on the M, GP3 and GP5 proteins, while epitopes that may induce ADE-mediating antibody were associated with the N and GP5 proteins. Identification of the viral proteins and antigens and epitopes responsible for ADE- and VN-mediating antibodies may provide the basis for developing efficacious second-generation vaccines for the control of PRRS virus; yet, further epitope mapping remains to be done.
Theory of the water vapor continuum and validations

A far-wing line shape theory based on the binary collision and quasistatic approximations that is applicable for both the low- and high-frequency wings of the vibration-rotational bands has been developed. This theory has been applied in order to calculate the frequency and temperature dependence of the continuous absorption coefficient for frequencies up to 10,000 cm(exp -1) for pure H2O and for H2O-N2 mixtures. The calculations were made assuming an interaction potential consisting of an isotropic Lennard-Jones part with two parameters that are consistent with values obtained from other data, and the leading long-range anisotropic part, together with the measured line strengths and transition frequencies. The results, obtained without the introduction of adjustable parameters, compare well with the existing laboratory data, both in magnitude and in temperature dependence. This leads us to the conclusion that the water continuum can be explained in terms of far-wing absorption. Current work in progress to extend the theory and to validate the theoretically calculated continuum will be discussed briefly.
The Identification of Structure at the Sectoral Level: a Reformulation of the Hirschman–Rasmussen Key Sector Indices

The Hirschman–Rasmussen key sector identification indices are reformulated to correct for their sensitivity to large multiplier values in the Leontief inverse matrix. This leads to four results: (1) the generalized key sector indices; (2) the generalized coefficients of variation; (3) a likelihood ratio test, obtained from computing the likelihood function of each sample of Cauchy-distributed indices; and (4) the elasticity of intermediate sectoral supply response. Empirical analysis reveals that the methods proposed identify more accurately the structure of Washington State, while not capturing the spread of the linkages associated with that structure.
Suprarenal aortic occlusion

Abstract Purpose: This report was designed to elucidate the clinical manifestations of suprarenal aortic occlusion (SRAO) and determine the efficacy of surgical treatment. Methods: A retrospective review of 135 patients with aortic occlusion was undertaken from which the 16 patients (12%) with SRAO were found. Results: Analysis yielded two subsets of patients based on the time-frame over which SRAO developed. Group I ( n = 13) had chronic aortic occlusion with proximal propagation of thrombus to involve the suprarenal aorta. They had uncontrolled hypertension and claudication. Surgical treatment included 16 renal reconstructions (nine patients), two nephrectomies, 10 aortobifemoral bypasses, and three extra-anatomic procedures. The operative mortality rate was 23%. In contrast, group II ( n = 3) had acute SRAO, manifest by profound lower extremity ischemia and acute renal failure after cardiac dysrhythmias. Two patients were moribund and died shortly after extraanatomic "salvage" procedures. One patient survived aortobifemoral and bilateral renal artery bypass. Conclusion: Chronic SRAO should be suspected in patients with absent femoral pulses and refractory hypertension. Aortic and renal reconstruction offers long-term improvement in hypertension control and relief of claudication. Acute SRAO is a multisystem disorder that is ineffectively managed with extraanatomic "salvage" procedures. (J VASC SURG 1993;18:372-80.)
Increase in nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated in Shanghai, China: results from a population-based study.

Background In China, the prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in isolates from mycobacterial culture-positive patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is largely unknown. Methods We used conventional biochemical and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify species of mycobacteria in specimens from patients suspected of having TB. Drug-susceptibility testing was performed on NTM isolates using the proportion method. We also determined the independent risk factors associated with infection with NTM compared with infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Results The overall rate of NTM isolated from mycobacterial culture-positive patients was 5.9% in this population, with a significantly increasing trend from 3.0% in 2008 to 8.5% in 2012 (P for trend <0.001). The organism most frequently identified was M. kansasii (45.0%), followed by M. intracellulare (20.8%) and M. chelonae/abscessus (14.9%). The overall proportion of isolates resistant to the four first-line anti-TB agents were 64.6% for isoniazid, 77.6% for streptomycin, 63.3% for rifampicin and 75.1% for ethambutol. The risk factors most often associated with NTM infection were older age (P for trend <0.001), being a resident of Shanghai (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.48; 95% CI, 1.10–2.00), having been treated for tuberculosis (aOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.18–2.29), having a cavity on chest X-ray (aOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.16–1.96), and being sputum smear–negative (aOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.16–2.18). Conclusions The prevalence of NTM isolated in Shanghai increased between 2008 and 2012, thus clinicians should consider NTM as a possible cause of TB-like disease. Accurate species identification is imperative so that proper treatment can be administered for diseases caused by the diversity of NTM species.