cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Dark Side of Truth(s): Ethical Dilemmas in Researching the Personal

This article explores the sometimes problematic issue of truth when conducting qualitative research on people's lives. Four ethical dilemmas are presented relating to the potentially harmful consequences of truth encountered by the authors in their own research: a promise to share the analysis of a patient's medical record containing unflattering comments by her physicians; the unintended sharing of a traumatic event, held secret since its occurrence, by a woman inmate; a disagreement with the Institutional Review Board over what constitutes ethical practice in online research; and an interview with a recently released political dissident in a totalitarian country. The authors advocate for multiple venues in which qualitative researchers can discuss ethical dilemmas such as these to learn from one another's experience and together develop a more reflexive practice.
Nectar protein content and attractiveness to Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens in plants with nectar/insect associations

We chose five easily propagated garden plants previously shown to be attractive to mosquitoes, ants or other insects and tested them for attractiveness to Culex pipiens and Aedes aegypti. Long term imbibition was tested by survival on each plant species. Both mosquito species survived best on Impatiens walleriana, the common garden impatiens, followed by Asclepias curassavica, Campsis radicans and Passiflora edulis, which sponsored survival as well as the 10% sucrose control. Immediate preference for imbibition was tested with nectar dyed in situ on each plant. In addition, competition studies were performed with one dyed plant species in the presence of five undyed plant species to simulate a garden setting. In both preference studies I. walleriana proved superior. Nectar from all plants was then screened for nectar protein content by SDS-PAGE, with great variability being found between species, but with I. walleriana producing the highest levels. The data suggest that I. walleriana may have value as a model plant for subsequent studies exploring nectar delivery of transgenic mosquitocidal proteins.
Relation of selenium, vitamin E and other factors to muscular dystrophy in the rabbit.

SummaryRabbits maintained on a torula yeast, Vit. E deficient diet developed a severe and rapidly progressing muscular dystrophy. This condition was not prevented by addition to the diet of 1 ppm selenium or of supplements of dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate alone or in combination. Additions of natural feedstuffs (wheat bran, linseed oil meal or kidney beans) to the semi-purified diet did not fully prevent the condition, although they did lessen the severity of the lesion and increase the average number of days of survival indicating deficiencies other than selenium and Vit. E were involved in the particular experimental diets used. A marked alopecia was observed in all animals fed diets not containing a natural feedstuff.
Photometric figures of merit for semiconductor luminescent sources operating in spontaneous mode

Abstract Figures of merit including radiant flux, radiant intensity, and radiance are expressed analytically in terms of geometry, internal generation and material constants for semiconductor sources. The calculations refer to spontaneous photogeneration within a thin, planar region of the semiconductor where photons are emitted in an isotropic spatial pattern with no appreciable coherence effects present. The excitation for the photogeneration may be a p - n junction, particle source, photosource, or other mechanism. Detailed calculations are presented for sources shaped as hemispheres and for two types of flat, rectangular geometries. Also considered are the Weierstress sphere, truncated ellipsoid, truncated cone, and the paraboloid immersed sources. A quantitative comparison neglecting internal bulk absorption effects is tabulated for radiant flux, maximum and average radiant intensity, and maximum and average radiance. The quantitative comparisons refer to a semiconducting material with a refractive index of 3.6 and are expressed per unit of internal photogeneration flux or flux density.
Core Labor Standards and Competitiveness: Implications for Global Trade Policy

One of the principal arguments for inclusion of core labor standards in the WTO is that weak labor standards provide an illegitimate boost to competitiveness and may result in a “race to the bottom” in labor standards worldwide. This paper shows that, if the violation of labor standards results from discrimination against particular workers in export industries, employment, output, and competitiveness will be reduced since employment is determined by the short side of the market. If the problems arise from abuse of market power by employers, competitiveness will be similarly reduced. Only if freedom of association and collective bargaining were intended to allow workers in some sectors to restrict output and drive up wages would the absence of these standards raise competitiveness. However, if product markets are competitive, it is likely that association rights would increase output and competitiveness by raising productivity. The competitiveness argument seems either to reflect analytical confusion or to represent a cover for protectionist interests.
NON-PYOTHORAX-ASSOCIATED PRIMARY PLEURAL LYMPHOMA WITH COMPLEX KARYOTYPIC ABNORMALITIES

We describe a case of non-pyothorax-associated primary pleural lymphoma with bone marrow and central nervous system involvement, and complex karyotypic abnormalities involving nullisomy chromosome 17 and multiple breakpoints that are commonly associated with acute leukemia and myeloproliferative diseases.
In a dim light: Admissibility of child sexual abuse memories

The scientific basis for recovering repressed memories of child sexual abuse raises important but different concerns for both clinical practice and expert testimony in the courts. This article identifies these concerns, particularly focusing upon the admissibility of expert witnesses in litigation. After considering the different standards for the admissibility of scientific evidence and the policies underlying these standards, the issue of the courts employing a lower threshold for admitting mental health professional testimony about the same or similar information (i.e. recovered repressed memories) that could not be pxesented by a scientist is confronted. Two solutions are proposed. Language: en
The use of contraception as a disease management tool in wildlife.

Abstract: Contraception offers potential as a tool for managing certain diseases in wildlife, most notably venereally transmitted diseases or diseases transmitted at parturition. Brucellosis is an excellent example of an infectious disease present in wild populations that could potentially be managed through immunocontraception. Previous studies in bison (Bison bison) suggest that a single injection of GonaCon™ (National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA) results in 3 or more yr of infertility. Ongoing studies will determine if the use of GonaCon in bison decreases shedding of Brucella abortus from infected animals and will better define the duration of infertility following a single injection
The Origin of Interplanetary Sectors

The coronal magnetic models of Altschuler and Newkirk (1969), Schatten, Wilcox and Ness (1969), and Schatten (1971) that allowed calculations of the coronal magnetic field from the observed photospheric magnetic field shed light on the origin of sectors. Figure 1 from Schatten’s (1971) “Current Sheet Model” is a schematic representation of these similar models. There are three distinct regions in these models where different physical phenomena occur. The photosphere, where the magnetic fields are governed by the detailed motions and currents in the plasma is considered a boundary condition for the model. Above the photosphere, the plasma density diminishes very rapidly with only moderate decreases in the magnetic energy density. This results in the middle region where the magnetic energy density is greater than plasma energy density and hence controls the configuration. One may then utilize the force-free condition, j × B = 0, and in fact make the more restrictive assumption that this region is current free. The magnetic field in this region can be derived from a solution to the Laplace equation.
Poplar Bark Storage Protein and a Related Wound-Induced Gene Are Differentially Induced by Nitrogen

Poplars (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh) accumulate a 32-kD bark storage protein (BSP) in phloem parenchyma and xylem ray cells during autumn and winter. Accumulation of poplar BSP is associated with short-day (SD) photoperiods. Poplar BSP shares sequence similarity with the product of the wound-inducible poplar gene win4. The influence of nitrogen availability and photoperiod on the levels of BSP, BSP mRNA, and win4 mRNA was investigated. In long-day (LD) plants BSP, BSP mRNA, and win4 mRNA levels were correlated with the amount of NH4NO3 provided to the plant. BSP mRNA and BSP were detected only in bark, whereas win4 mRNA was detected only in leaves. In LD plants treated with NH4NO3, BSP mRNA levels were significantly greater than those of win4. In nitrogen-deficient plants exposed to SD conditions, the accumulation of BSP mRNA and BSP was delayed for 2 weeks. This delay was eliminated by further SD exposure, and after 6 weeks of SD treatment similar levels of BSP and BSP mRNA were detected in the bark of SD plants regardless of the level of NH4NO3 treatment. win4 mRNA levels declined to undetectable levels in young leaves of SD plants but increased in mature leaves. These results indicate that BSP accumulation in both LD and SD plants is influenced by nitrogen availability. Although both BSP and win4 appear to be involved in nitrogen storage, our data suggest that BSP is probably the primary protein involved in both seasonal and short-term nitrogen storage in poplar. These results also suggest that nitrogen cycling and storage in poplar could involve a two-component system. In this system the win4 gene product may modulate accumulation and mobilization of leaf nitrogen, whereas BSP is involved in seasonal and short-term nitrogen storage during periods of excess nitrogen availability.
The effect of arachidonic acid metabolites on the ciliary beat frequency of human nasal mucosa in vitro

Using computerized microphotometry, we studied the effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), the prostacyclin analog Iloprost, and the thromboxane A2 analog U46619 on the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of human nasal mucosa. Thirty-two normal subjects underwent nasal cytologic brushing of the inferior meatus to obtain ciliary samples, and a total of 5,640 ciliated cell clusters were analyzed. Each subject served as their own control. PGE2, 10−10 to I0−6M, produced a significant dose dependent increase in CBF of up to 12% versus control. This increase was not significantly inhibited by the addition of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (10−6M). Iloprost, 10−12 to 10−6M, also significantly increased CBF by 12.7% at 10−8M. This ciliostimulatory effect, however, was abolished by indomethacin. The thromboxane A2 analog, 10−10 to 10−6M, did not significantly effect CBF. The present study demonstrates that a thromboxane A2 analog has no effect on ciliary motility, PGE2 has a direct ciliostimulatory effect, and a ...
Rectal perforation at the time of vaginal mesh placement and subsequent abdominal mesh removal

Introduction We present an uncommon complication of vaginally placed synthetic prolapse mesh and demonstrate repair of rectal mesh perforation.
Rescue of defective T cell development and function in Atm-/- mice by a functional TCRαβ transgene.

The Atm−/− mice recapitulate most of the defects observed in ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) patients, including a high incidence of lymphoid tumors and immune defects characterized by defective T cell differentiation, thymus hypoplasia, and defective T-dependent immune responses. To understand the basis of the T cell developmental defects in Atm−/− mice, a functional TCRαβ transgene was introduced into these mutant mice. Analysis of the Atm−/−TCRαβ+ mice indicated that the transgenic TCRαβ can rescue the defective T cell differentiation and partially rescue the thymus hypoplasia in Atm−/− mice, indicating that thymocyte positive selection is normal in the Atm−/− mice. In addition, cell cycle analysis of the thymocytes derived from Atm−/−TCRαβ+ and control mice suggested that Atm is involved in the thymocyte expansion. Finally, evaluation of the T-dependent immune responses in Atm−/−TCRαβ+ mice indicated that Atm is dispensable for normal T cell function. Therefore, the defective T-dependent immune responses in Atm−/− mice must be secondary to greatly reduced T cell numbers in these mutant mice.
Interplay between sirtuins, MYC and hypoxia-inducible factor in cancer-associated metabolic reprogramming

In the early twentieth century, Otto Heinrich Warburg described an elevated rate of glycolysis occurring in cancer cells, even in the presence of atmospheric oxygen (the Warburg effect). Despite the inefficiency of ATP generation through glycolysis, the breakdown of glucose into lactate provides cancer cells with a number of advantages, including the ability to withstand fluctuations in oxygen levels, and the production of intermediates that serve as building blocks to support rapid proliferation. Recent evidence from many cancer types supports the notion that pervasive metabolic reprogramming in cancer and stromal cells is a crucial feature of neoplastic transformation. Two key transcription factors that play major roles in this metabolic reprogramming are hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF1) and MYC. Sirtuin-family deacetylases regulate diverse biological processes, including many aspects of tumor biology. Recently, the sirtuin SIRT6 has been shown to inhibit the transcriptional output of both HIF1 and MYC, and to function as a tumor suppressor. In this Review, we highlight the importance of HIF1 and MYC in regulating tumor metabolism and their regulation by sirtuins, with a main focus on SIRT6.
Reservoir repositioning and successful thrombectomy for deep venous thrombosis secondary to compression of pelvic veins by an inflatable penile prosthesis reservoir.

ABSTRACT Introduction We describe a 51-year-old man with a history of radiation therapy and large bowel diversion for rectal cancer who underwent an uneventful penile implant surgery for erectile dysfunction that was refractory to conservative therapy. The patient presented with acute left lower extremity swelling and pain a few days after surgery. Workup revealed compression of the pelvic veins by the prosthesis reservoir. Aim To highlight an avoidable, adverse event related to penile prosthesis reservoirs. Methods Retrospective review of a clinical case. Results The patient underwent repositioning of the reservoir followed by venous thrombectomy and Greenfield filter placement. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an early diagnosis and successful thrombectomy of the external iliac and common femoral vein thrombosis secondary to reservoir compression. Awareness of this possible adverse event and the management strategy are helpful to surgeons who perform penile prosthesis surgery. Brison D, Ilbeigi P, and Sadeghi-Nejad H. Reservoir repositioning and successful thrombectomy for deep venous thrombosis secondary to compression of pelvic veins by an inflatable penile prosthesis reservoir.
Islet Transplantation: Alternative Sites

The portal vein is currently the site of choice for clinical islet transplantation, even though it is far from being an ideal site. Low oxygen tension and the induction of an inflammatory response impair islet implantation and lead to significant early loss. Even if enough islets survive the early implantation period to render insulin independence, few patients maintain it. Therefore, the search for an ideal site for islet transplantation continues. Experimentally, islets have been transplanted into the portal vein, kidney subcapsule, spleen, pancreas, peritoneum, omentum, gastrointestinal wall, testis, thymus, bone marrow, anterior chamber of the eye, cerebral ventricles, and subcutaneous and intramuscular spaces. Some of these sites are suitable for gathering scientific data, whereas others have potential clinical application. Varying degrees of success have been reported with the use of all these transplant sites in an experimental setting. However, the optimal transplant site remains to be finally established.
DIAGNOSING PLASMA CONDITIONS IN TARGETS IRRADIATED BY INTENSE LIGHT ION BEAMS USING Kα SATELLITE LINE INTENSITY RATIOS

Abstract The characteristics of Kα satellite line emission generated in intense light ion beam experiments is investigated. Inner-shell X-ray lines are emitted from moderate-temperature (T∼101–102 eV) plasmas as 2p electrons of the target ions fill in K-shell vacancies created by beam ion-impact ionization. We focus, in particular, on the utilization of line intensity ratios from He-like and Li-like ions to diagnose target plasma temperatures and densities. Although the Kα transitions for the He-like and Li-like atomic systems are the same as those in laser-produced and Z-pinch plasmas, the populating mechanisms for their upper states are completely different. That is, the upper states are populated from lower ionization stages by ion-impact ionization. This enables diagnosis of plasmas in the 10–100 eV temperature regime using the extensive instrumentation developed for X-ray crystal spectroscopy. Target plasma characteristics are simulated using a one-dimensional collisional-radiative equilibrium model in which atomic level populations are computed by solving multilevel statistical equilibrium equations self-consistently with the radiation field and ion beam properties. We utilize atomic models which include for all ionization stages a detailed treatment of autoionization states which have K-shell vacancies. Results are presented for Li beam-heated Al and Cl plasmas and proton beam-heated Al plasmas. We find that, as in the case of laser-produced plasmas, the He-like intercombination-to-resonance ratio provides a good density diagnostic. However, because the Heα line is produced in ion beam-heated plasmas with a relatively low degree of ionization, it is less susceptible to resonant self-absorption effects as compared to laser plasmas. In addition, the Li-like satellite line structure is significantly different for plasmas heated by ion beams. Unlike laser-produced plasmas, the Li(dabc) and Li(qr) lines tend to be more intense than the Li(kj) lines. Because of this, we find the Li(dabc)-to-Heα ratio to be a good temperature diagnostic for intense light ion beam experiments. We also discuss the effects of beam-induced multiple ionization, photoionization, and resonant self-absorption on the line ratio diagnotics.
Climate and lake-level history of the northern Altiplano, Bolivia, as recorded in Holocene sediments of the Rio Desaguadero

ABSTRACT Strata exposed in terraces and modern cutbanks along the Rio Desaguadero contain a variety of lithofacies that were deposited in four distinct facies associations. These facies associations document a history of aggradation and downcutting that is linked to Holocene climate change on the Altiplano. Braided-stream, meandering-stream, deltaic and shoreline, and lacustrine sediments preserved in multi-level terraces in the northern Rio Desaguadero valley record two high-water intervals: one between 4500 and 3900 yr BP and another between 2000 and 2200 yr BP. These wet periods were interrupted by three periods of fluvial downcutting, centered at approximately 4000 yr BP, 3600 yr BP, and after 2000 yr BP. Braided-river sediments preserved in a single terrace level in the southern Rio Desaguadero valley record a history of nearly continuous fluvial sedimentation from at least 7000 yr BP until approximately 3200 yr BP that was followed by a single episode (post-3210 yr BP) of downcutting and lateral migration. The deposition and subsequent fluvial downcutting of the northern strata was controlled by changes in effective moisture that can be correlated to Holocene water-level fluctuations of Lake Titicaca. The deposition and dissection of braided-stream sediments to the south are more likely controlled by a combination of base-level change and sediment input from the Rio Mauri.
Simulation of Ground‐Water Flow in Southeastern Oahu, Hawaii

On the leeward side of southeastern Oahu, Hawaii, near-vertical dikes have intruded the gently dipping and highly permeable lava flows of the Koolau mountain. These dikes bound the study area on the north and west and internally divide it into the Waialae and Wailupe-Hawaii Kai aquifers. Recharge to these aquifers, 6 and 9 million gallons per day respectively, has created Ghyben-Herzberg lenses that freely float on sea water and discharge to the sea through coastal sediments. In the Waialae area, where rainfall is high and where thick (poorly permeable) coastal sediments inhibit the discharge of fresh water, heads are 8 to 15 feet above sea level. Lower rainfall and thin coastal sediments that allow easy discharge cause heads to be only 1 to 5 feet in the Wailupe-Hawaii Kai area. The flow of ground water and the effects of future water development were simulated using AQUIFEM, a two-dimensional finite-element flow model, modified for aquifers containing a sea-water interface. The model provides accurate simulation of observed heads averaged over several years and predicts an additional area-wide head decline of about 1 foot when three recently drilled wells are put into production.
Rethinking the Cuban Embargo: An Inductive Analysis

One of history's most beloved and heavily paraphrased literary vignettes is found in Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle's short story Silver Blaze . In this tale, the famous detective Sherlock Holmes is able to solve the unfathomable disappearance of a prize racehorse and the bizarre death of its trainer by discerning the critical importance of an event that did not transpire when it should have. Upon being asked by Silver Blaze's owner Colonel Ross, “Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?” a taciturn Holmes replied “to the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.” The confounded Colonel retorted, “The dog did nothing in the night-time!” “That was the curious incident,” remarked the famous detective (Conan-Doyle 1938:397). Although Conan Doyle's account is fictional, Sherlock Holmes's method of inductive reasoning to solve the mystery of Silver Blaze is a potentially useful approach to foreign policy analysis. In Holmes's methodology, the dog's inaction was in itself significant, because it violated an expected pattern of behavior (barking) that had been previously observed whenever the devoted canine was confronted by strangers to the horse farm. Holmes's shift to the inductive method called into question the basic assumptions about the case, thereby allowing him to rethink what was going on, and eventually solve the mystery. We see this approach as having a potential application to the study of international politics, where we observe that the vast majority of scholarship focuses on the actions, rather than the inactions of states. Thus, in this essay we embrace the spirit of Holmes' inductive logic to suggest that the atypical inaction of a state actor may be a valuable explanatory tool for foreign policy analysts. Our analysis seeks to shed new light on the debate surrounding relations between the United States and Cuba by …
Mechanisms for projected future changes in south Asian monsoon precipitation

Results are first presented from an analysis of a global coupled climate model regarding changes in future mean and variability of south Asian monsoon precipitation due to increased atmospheric CO2 for doubled (2 × CO2) and quadrupled (4 × CO2) present-day amounts. Results from the coupled model show that, in agreement with previous studies, mean area-averaged south Asian monsoon precipitation increases with greater CO2 concentrations, as does the interannual variability. Mechanisms producing these changes are then examined in a series of AMIP2-style sensitivity experiments using the atmospheric model (taken from the coupled model) run with specified SSTs. Three sets of ensemble experiments are run with SST anomalies superimposed on the AMIP2 SSTs from 1979–97: (1) anomalously warm Indian Ocean SSTs, (2) anomalously warm Pacific Ocean SSTs, and (3) anomalously warm Indian and Pacific Ocean SSTs. Results from these experiments show that the greater mean monsoon precipitation is due to increased moisture source from the warmer Indian Ocean. Increased south Asian monsoon interannual variability is primarily due to warmer Pacific Ocean SSTs with enhanced evaporation variability, with the warmer Indian Ocean SSTs a contributing but secondary factor. That is, for a given interannual tropical Pacific SST fluctuation with warmer mean SSTs in the future climate, there is enhanced evaporation and precipitation variability that is communicated via the Walker Circulation in the atmosphere to the south Asian monsoon to increase interannual precipitation variability there. This enhanced monsoon variability occurs even with no change in interannual SST variability in the tropical Pacific.
Contribution of oligomerization to the anti-HIV-1 properties of SAMHD1

SAMHD1 is a restriction factor that potently blocks infection by HIV-1 and other retroviruses. We have previously demonstrated that SAMHD1 oligomerizes in mammalian cells by immunoprecipitation. Here we investigated the contribution of SAMHD1 oligomerization to retroviral restriction. Structural analysis of SAMHD1 and homologous HD domain proteins revealed that key hydrophobic residues Y146, Y154, L428 and Y432 stabilize the extensive dimer interface observed in the SAMHD1 crystal structure. Full-length SAMHD1 variants Y146S/Y154S and L428S/Y432S lost their ability to oligomerize tested by immunoprecipitation in mammalian cells. In agreement with these observations, the Y146S/Y154S variant of a bacterial construct expressing the HD domain of human SAMHD1 (residues 109–626) disrupted the dGTP-dependent tetramerization of SAMHD1 in vitro. Tetramerization-defective variants of the full-length SAMHD1 immunoprecipitated from mammalian cells and of the bacterially-expressed HD domain construct lost their dNTPase activity. The nuclease activity of the HD domain construct was not perturbed by the Y146S/Y154S mutations. Remarkably, oligomerization-deficient SAMHD1 variants potently restricted HIV-1 infection. These results suggested that SAMHD1 oligomerization is not required for the ability of the protein to block HIV-1 infection.
On Slavery and Libertarianism

Abstract. There is all the world of difference between voluntary and coercive slavery. The physical invasions might be identical in the two cases, but the ethical analysis of each is diametrically the opposite. The only problem with real world slavery was that it was compulsory; the slave did not agree to take on this role. Otherwise, slavery was not only “not so bad” it was a positive good, for both the slave and the slave-master, at least in the ex-ante sense, as is the case with all economic behavior. Keywords. Slavery, Compulsion, Libertarianism. JEL. K29.
Is There an East-West Water Conflict

There is not an East-West water conflict in the United States, but rather an overwhelming national and sectional need for further protection and utilization of available water supplies. The conflict is not between regions but between competitive uses for water. The competitive uses are compatible to a large degree with a reasonable amount of cooperative effort in multiple purpose projects.
Manganese Electrocatalysts with Bulky Bipyridine Ligands: Utilizing Lewis Acids To Promote Carbon Dioxide Reduction at Low Overpotentials.

Earth-abundant manganese bipyridine (bpy) complexes are well-established molecular electrocatalysts for proton-coupled carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction to carbon monoxide (CO). Recently, a bulky bipyridine ligand, 6,6′-dimesityl-2,2′-bipyridine (mesbpy), was utilized to significantly lower the potential necessary to access the doubly reduced states of these manganese catalysts by eliminating their ability to dimerize after one-electron reduction. Although this Mn mesbpy catalyst binds CO2 at very low potentials, reduction of a resulting Mn(I)–COOH complex at significantly more negative potentials is required to achieve fast catalytic rates. Without reduction of Mn(I)–COOH, catalysis occurs slowly via a alternate catalytic pathway–protonation of Mn(I)–COOH to form a cationic tetracarbonyl complex. We report the use of Lewis acids, specifically Mg2+ cations, to significantly increase the rate of catalysis (by over 10-fold) at these low overpotentials (i.e., the same potential as CO2 binding). Reduction of CO2...
Synthesis of PET Radiotracers by Copper-mediated 18F-Fluorination of (Mesityl)(Aryl)Iodonium Salts and Aryl Iodides

218 Objectives Numerous 18F-radiotracers of clinical interest (e.g. [18F]FDOPA, [18F]FPEB, [18F]MPPF and others) frequently see limited use because they contain electron-rich arenes that are difficult to synthesize using traditional nucleophilic [18F]fluorination methods. To address this, we are employing copper catalysts to develop mild efficient methods for the radiofluorination of (hetero)arenes (Fig. 1). We will highlight recent advances with our newly developed Cu-mediated radiofluorination of (mesityl)(aryl)iodonium salts (Method 1), and also report a new method that enables direct fluorination of electron-rich aryl iodides (Method 2). Strategies for labeling clinical radiotracers using both approaches will be reported. Methods To an aq. soln. of fluoride salt (K18F or Ag18F) was added 18-crown-6 in MeCN and the mixture was azeotropically dried. The dry 18F was redissolved in DMF and added to a mixture of copper catalyst and precursor (iodonium salt or aryl iodide) in DMF. Reactions were heated (Fig. 1) and analyzed by TLC and/or HPLC. Results Strategies for the synthesis of radiotracers of clinical interest ([18F]FDOPA, [18F]MPPF, [18F]FPEB and others) by copper-mediated radiofluorination of (mesityl)(aryl)iodonium salt or aryl iodide precursors are currently being developed, automated and qualified for clinical use (to date radiochemical yields (RCY) of clincial radiotracers are ≤44%, while test substrates are ≤79%). The good yields and mild conditions for fluorination of mesityl iodonium salts makes this method well-suited for synthesis of clinical radiotracers. Fluorination of aryl iodides is under development (current RCY are ≤5%), and enables synthesis of 18F-radiotracers of clinical interest without the need for any protecting groups. Conclusions Copper-mediated radiofluorinations of readily accessible aryl iodides or (mesityl)(aryl)iodonium salts are tolerant of electron-deficient, -neutral or -rich arenes and enables the synthesis of previously difficult to access radiotracers. Research Support Financial support of this work from NIH (GM073836 (MSS) and T32-EB005172 (PJHS)) and the Alzheimer’s Association (NIRP-14-305669 (PJHS)) is gratefully acknowledged.
Thermodynamic Modeling of Island Size Distributions for InGaAs/GaAs Self Assembled Quantum Dots: A Quantitative Effort to Understand Ensemble Size Nonuniformity

Experimental island count histograms as a function of SAQD volume have been evaluated using an established model. The experimental data was obtained for 51 mm wafers grown by MOCVD and analyzed over the center 26 × 26 mm square of the wafer with AFM. More than one distribution is required for all conditions investigated to obtain adequate representations of the experimental data. Consistent parameters are obtained for samples grown with a variable InAs thickness. Higher growth temperatures results in material being converted into relaxed islands. Extended annealing without AsH 3 eliminates small islands, suggesting that they are not a stable distribution.
Metachronous Aneurysmal Bone Cysts in a Fourteen-Year-Old Girl: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) were first described by Jaffe and Lichtenstein in 19421. Eighty percent of these lesions occur during the first two decades of life2; the most common location is the metaphysis of long bones. To the best of our knowledge, only four cases of individuals with multiple ABCs occurring over a period of time (metachronous ABCs) have been described to date3-6 (Table I). The cases all have been similar in presentation, imaging, and pathology to solitary ABCs; the only difference has been regarding the sex of the patient. While solitary ABCs have been shown to be predominant in females (62%)7, the reported cases of metachronous ABCs have all occurred in males. We report the case of an adolescent girl with multiple ABCs presenting separately in the proximal part of the femur and the distal part of the humerus over a five-month period. The patient and her parents were informed that data concerning the case would be submitted for publication, and they provided consent. View this table: TABLE I Reported Cases of Metachronous Aneurysmal Bone Cysts A healthy and active fourteen-year-old girl presented to the sports medicine clinic with unilateral hip pain. She had no history of trauma or an activity-related injury. Radiographs demonstrated a well-defined (5.4 × 2.8 cm) oval lucent geographic lesion in the proximal part of the femur, which initially was thought to be consistent with a unicameral bone cyst. At the short interval follow-up, the pain had worsened, and a new palpable mass was noted. Additional radiographs revealed substantial interval progression of the lesion with extension into the adjacent soft tissues with expansion of the bone (Fig. 1). Fig. 1 Anteroposterior radiograph demonstrates a lucent geographic lesion with a well-defined border (black arrow) in the right hip. However, there is focal extension …
Outbreaks of Two-Spotted Spider-Mites and Cotton Aphids Following Pesticide Treatment. I. Pest Stimulation vs. Natural Enemy Destruction as the Cause of Outbreaks

Numerous pesticides are known to provoke outbreaks of a variety of mites and aphids. Some of the conditions surrounding-these upsets are reviewed, and the capabilities of 59 different pesticides to induce increases of mites and/or aphids are examined in relation to their individual effects on some of the major natural enemies of mites and aphids. When critical examination is made of the arguments for either of the 2 suspected causes of such pesticide-induced outbreaks, i.e., (a) natural enemy destruction and (b) pest fecundity stimulation, it appears that neither by itself offers a completely adequate explanation. Since one of the methods now commonly used for evaluating natural enemy effectiveness relies on measurement of host increases in insecticidal check plots, this technique may credit the natural enemies with undeserved efficiency if the insecticide stimulates the pest’s fecundity. In this first of a series of experimental programs designed to resolve the problem of whether abnormal mite or aphid increases can be generated by pesticidal stimulation of the fecundity of mites or aphids, 59 different materials were examined for their effect on the reproductivity of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, and the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover. Following treatment with the different materials, population fold increases of each pest were measured weekly on the potted cotton plants held in the greenhouse and outdoors in the complete absence of natural enemies. The period of retention of toxicity of each material to mites and aphids (or the period during which any stimulation effect might be masked) is presented. Some anomalous conditions of treatment which caused abnormal increases in these tests could be explained by elimination of either pest when competing with the other. Some other abnormal increases of both mites and aphids were found which were difficult to explain other than as a pest-stimulation effect. For these cases no common denominator could be found. A few of the stimulatory responses obtained appeared in-consistent with the recorded performance of the materials in inducing upsets in the field.
Like, recommend, or respect? Altering political behavior in news comment sections

Drawing from the stereotype content model, we examine how people respond to likeminded and counter-attitudinal political comments appearing after a news article. We experimentally test how citizens behave when they are able to click on one of three different buttons posted next to others’ comments—“Like,” “Recommend,” or “Respect.” In the experiment, political attitudes predicted button clicking, but the button label affected the strength of the relationship. In some instances, people clicked on fewer buttons associated with likeminded comments and more buttons associated with counter-attitudinal comments when the button was labeled with “Respect” as opposed to “Like” or “Recommend.” The pattern of results for the “Recommend” button differed across two issues. The results suggest that political comments can trigger stereotypical reactions. Although the “Like” button is well known, news organizations interested in promoting less partisan behaviors should consider using a “Respect” button rather than the “L...
Origin identification and potential ecological risk assessment of potentially toxic inorganic elements in the topsoil of the city of Yerevan, Armenia

Abstract The total concentrations of Ti, Fe, Ba, Mn, Co, V, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Mo, Hg and As were determined in 1356 topsoil samples collected from the area of the city of Yerevan in order to: (1) determine the spatial distribution peculiarity and the origin of potentially toxic inorganic elements in Yerevan soils; and (2) assess the potential ecological risk of potentially toxic inorganic elements. The spatial distribution features of these elements were illustrated by environmental geochemical mapping. Pollution indexes (PIs) of As, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ba, and Co were between the range of 0.9–1.1, while PI of Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, V, Hg, Mo (1.5–6.8) and especially Pb (22.9) was higher. Multivariate geostatistical analyses suggested that the concentrations of Pb, Cu, Zn, Hg, Cr, Ni and Mo observed in the topsoil bore the influence of anthropogenic and industrial activities. Moreover, according to the main findings of Principal component analysis (PCA) Pb and Zn have two distinct sources of origin: (1) vehicle emission and social activities (PC2); and (2) industrial activities (PC3). The potential ecological risk was quantitatively estimated for each sampling site and a risk map for the assessment was created. Among the investigated elements, Pb and Hg showed a higher potential ecological risk, than the others.
Automated analysis and predictive modeling of craniosynostosis with cranial suture measurements and intracranial volume asymmetries using the snake algorithm

Quantifying the progression of a condition is one the most difficult challenges facing physicians as they look to provide the most effective treatment customized for individual patients. To achieve these goals, a novel image processing algorithm providing automated quantification has been developed to analyze the cranial vault and sutures using CT in humans and construct predictive models of the condition. Currently, very few preoperative or postoperative quantification tools exist for children with craniosynostosis so we used a customized active contour snake algorithm and 3D reconstruction to quantify the intracranial volume and measure the cranial sutures of these patients. A set of 117-patient CT scans was collected and analyzed, 77 with varying types of craniosynostosis and 40 normal patients as a control. Total intracranial volume was maintained in craniosynostosis patients in comparison to normal resulting in a uniform growth curve that showed no significant difference between the two groups. Assessing the asymmetry in the intracranial volume and measurements of suture volume and patency resulted in quantitative separations in synostosis types. These separations were further validated by a logistic regression model with pseudo R 2 values greater than 0.95 and an 86.9% average accuracy in cross-validation of the seven groups, which increased to 91.9% with the removal of the underrepresented lambdoid synostosis group.
Pharmaceutical container/closure integrity. VI: A report on the utility of liquid tracer methods for evaluating the microbial barrier properties of pharmaceutical packaging

The relationship between a liquid tracer package leak test (Mg ion ingress) and microbial immersion challenge test was demonstrated by direct and indirect correlation techniques. Rubber-stoppered glass vials with micropipette leaks were evaluated by a helium leak rate method, filled with broth, sterilized, and immersed in a bath containing microorganisms (E. coli/B. diminuta) and liquid tracer (Mg ions). After exposure and incubation, each unit was evaluated for liquid tracer ingress by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and for microbial ingress by visual inspection and blood agar streaking. Two hundred and eighty sterile broth-filled test units were challenged with microorganisms and liquid tracer. One hundred and fourteen units showed neither liquid tracer nor microbial ingress. One hundred and eight units were positive for both microbial and liquid tracer ingress. No test units were positive for microbial ingress but not for liquid tracer ingress. Fifty-eight units were positive for liquid tracer ingress but failed to show microbial ingress. Logistical regression was used to demonstrate that the probability of liquid tracer ingress was greater than microbial ingress at all leak sizes. The results indicate that the liquid tracer method studied herein was a useful indicator of the microbial barrier properties of pharmaceutical packaging. Additionally, the results support the contention that liquid penetration of a leak is required for microbial ingress.
A recipe for bivariate copulas

ABSTRACTWe give conditions on a ⩾ −1, b ∈ ( − ∞, ∞), and f and g so that Ca, b(x, y) = xy(1 + af(x)g(y))b is a bivariate copula. Many well-known copulas are of this form, including the Ali–Mikhail–Haq Family, Huang–Kotz Family, Bairamov–Kotz Family, and Bekrizadeh–Parham–Zadkarmi Family. One result is that we produce an algorithm for producing such copulas. Another is a one-parameter family of copulas whose measures of concordance range from 0 to 1.
Negation in There -Sentences

The distribution of negation in there-sentences is subject to restrictions that have an intuitive explanation on the feature-placing account. As noted earlier, the postverbal NP in the there-sentence always takes narrow scope with respect to negation. What has been less discussed is the infelicity of not with there-sentences, outside contexts of denial or contrast. These restrictions, which I will elaborate on below, can be stated in the following way, in feature-placing terms: there are no negative features and no negative placers. Instead, in feature-placing, negative meaning is achieved in the following two ways: First, a feature may be said to be placed at a location zero times; and second, previous assertions of feature-placing sentences (or other sentences which carry existence presuppositions) may be denied. It is not possible, on the other hand, to place a [not [feature]] or to place a feature [not [somewhere]].
Sympathy for low blood sugar is felt in your gut

Life-threatening hypoglycemia can complicate the use of beta blockers, which are commonly used for hypertension but also have a specialized use in the treatment of hemangiomasin in toddlers. These negative effects have occurred especially in individuals who have diminished food reserves, such as the very young and those with disease-related cachexia, or wasting. Though the sympathetic nervous system provides an important safeguard against low blood sugar by enhancing gluconeogenesis, specific individuals experience more severe hypoglycemia for unknown reasons. Mani and colleagues have now uncovered an important connection between the normal metabolic response to fasting and the sympathetic nervous system. As they report, this connection is mediated by the ghrelin-producing cells of the stomach. Ghrelin is best known for its role as a hunger hormone. The plasma concentration rises during fasting and promotes food intake. At the same time, this rise in ghrelin protects against low blood sugar even in the absence of increased food intake. The investigators knocked out the beta-adrenergic receptor specifically in ghrelin-producing cells, the majority of which reside in the stomach. It was known that ghrelin-producing cells respond to sympathetic stimulation, although the physiologic consequence had not been tested. Elimination of their sensitivity to adrenergic stimulation led to an over fivefold reduction in production of active ghrelin during fasting. During subsequent calorie restriction, these mice suffered lower blood sugar and greater mortality. Last, treatment of very young mice at 3 weeks of age with the beta blocker atenolol reduced ghrelin production and significantly lowered fasting blood sugar. These findings place ghrelin as a central player in integrating the response to hypoglycemia in the most susceptible individuals. Ghrelin likely augments the effects of the sympathetic response by enhancing growth hormone production, which will provide substrates from tissue breakdown needed to sustain hepatic glucose production. When these substrates are not readily mobilized, as in the very young or ill, ghrelin appears to be an important line of defense against the development of lethal hypoglycemia. These data suggest that approaches to enhance the ghrelin response, such as through a receptor agonist or allosteric modulator, may afford life-saving protection against hypoglycemia in specific clinical situations. B. K. Mani et al. , β1-Adrenergic receptor deficiency in ghrelin-expressing cells causes hypoglycemia in susceptible individuals. J. Clin. Invest. 10.1172/JCI86270 (2016). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: https://www.jci.org/articles/view/86270
Valproate-Induced Reproductive Disorders

The relation of antiepileptic therapy to the occurrence of reproductive endocrine disorders in 238 women with epilepsy has been studied at the University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
FiSSE: A simple nonparametric test for the effects of a binary character on lineage diversification rates

It is widely assumed that phenotypic traits can influence rates of speciation and extinction, and several statistical approaches have been used to test for correlations between character states and lineage diversification. Recent work suggests that model-based tests of state-dependent speciation and extinction are sensitive to model inadequacy and phylogenetic pseudoreplication. We describe a simple nonparametric statistical test ("FiSSE") to assess the effects of a binary character on lineage diversification rates. The method involves computing a test statistic that compares the distributions of branch lengths for lineages with and without a character state of interest. The value of the test statistic is compared to a null distribution generated by simulating character histories on the observed phylogeny. Our tests show that FiSSE can reliably infer trait-dependent speciation on phylogenies of several hundred tips. The method has low power to detect trait-dependent extinction but can infer state-dependent differences in speciation even when net diversification rates are constant. We assemble a range of macroevolutionary scenarios that are problematic for likelihood-based methods, and we find that FiSSE does not show similarly elevated false positive rates. We suggest that nonparametric statistical approaches, such as FiSSE, provide an important complement to formal process-based models for trait-dependent diversification.