cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fall armyworm sensitivity to flavone: Limited role of constitutive and induced detoxifying enzyme activity

We used inhibition and induction of detoxifying enzymes to determine whether these enzymes allow a generalist species (Spodoptera frugiperda; fall armyworms) to cope with ingestion of the flavonoid, flavone. Flavone induces polysubstrate monooxygenases (PSMO), general esterases (GE), and glutathioneS-transferases (GST) inS. frugiperda, yet this species is affected deleteriously by low dietary concentrations of this allelochemical. First, in a series of experiments, larvae were fed artificial diets containing increasing concentrations of flavone, either alone or with known inhibitors of either PSMO, GE, or GST enzymes. In an additional treatment, flavone and inhibitors of all three enzyme systems were administered in diets simultaneously. PSMO and GE activities were reduced in vivo by their respective inhibitors, whereas that of GST was induced or unchanged. Significant synergism of flavone's growth-reducing activity occurred at the highest concentration tested (0.125% fresh mass, fm) when the PSMO inhibitor, piperonyl butoxide, or the GST inhibitor, diethyl maleate, was added to the diet, and at 0.08% fm flavone, when combined with the GE inhibitor, tri-tolyl phosphate. In many cases, however, the additive effect (i.e., reduction in growth owing to flavone alone + inhibitor alone) was greater than the synergistic effect, and no synergism occurred in the treatment with the three inhibitors combined. In the second approach, caterpillars were preexposed to a concentration of flavone (0.02% fm) that induced these enzymes ca. 1.5- to 2.5-fold, prior to switching larvae to a diet containing a higher (growth-reducing) flavone concentration (0.125% fm). The relative growth rates (RGR) of induced larvae were significantly greater (14%) than those of the uninduced larvae on the 0.125% fm flavone diet. Additionally, in two of the three experiments, relative consumption rate (RCR) was significantly greater (7–24%) in induced compared with uninduced larvae. The variable responses to inhibitor treatment and the relatively small benefit of enzyme induction suggest that these enzyme systems have minimal impact on the detoxification of flavone inS. frugiperda, even though this allelochemical induces enzyme activity and has been reported to be metabolized in vitro.
Line Of Sight Stabilization Using Image Motion Compensation

Image motion compensation (IMC) can be used to augment conventional line-of-sight (LOS) stabilization systems to improve stabilization performance. The tradeoffs involved in deciding when to use IMC and the expected performance improvements are reviewed. Several IMC concepts are outlined including the special case of a gimbaled optical element with a one-to-one scale factor between mechanical and image motion. The advantage of this IMC stabilization approach over other IMC techniques is that performance is not limited by the bandwidth of the sensor or actuator. Performance, however, is limited by optical scale factor accuracies. Precision measurement of the gimbal motion is not required to achieve LOS stabilization. The "restored mass stabilization" approach offers performance improvements without the high cost of precision inertial components.
Variables Controlling the Expression Level of Exogenous Genes in Dictyostelium

Ectopic expression of genes from recombinant plasmids is commonly used to study gene function. In Dictyostelium, three drug resistance cassettes are commonly used as selectable markers in vectors. We report here a comparative study of the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene from vectors containing each of the drug-resistant cassettes. The expression was highest in cells transformed with the vectors containing the neomycin-resistant cassette (pDNeoGFP), followed by the hygromycin-resistant cassette (pDHygGFP) and the blasticidin-resistant cassette (pDBsrGFP). The level of GFP expression was directly related to the copy number of the vector in transformants. In turn, the copy number of the vector depended on the drug resistance cassette as well as the concentration of the drug used in selection. In general, cells with higher copy numbers could be selected by a higher drug concentration. The expression of GFP was also affected by the method of transformation. For pDHygGFP, expression of GFP was much higher in cells transformed by electroporation than those transformed by calcium phosphate coprecipitation. However, only a slight difference was observed for pDNeoGFP or pDBsrGFP.
Ergodic averages on circles

LetT 1 andT 2 be commuting invertible ergodic measure preserving flows on a probability space (X, A, μ). For t = (u,ν) ∈ ℝ2, letT t =T 1 T 2 v . LetS 1 denote the unit circle in ℝ2 and σ the rotation invariant unit measure on it. Then, forf∈Lp(X) withp>2, the averagesA t f(x) = ∫ s 1 f(T ts x)σ(ds) conver the integral off for a. e.x, ast tends to 0 or infinity. This extends a result of R. Jones [J], who treated the case of three or more dimensions.
Automatically Detecting Workflows in PubChem

Public databases that store the data from small-molecule screens are a rich and untapped resource of chemical and biological information. However, screening databases are unorganized, which makes interpreting their data difficult. We propose a method of inferring workflow graphs—which encode the relationships between assays in screening projects—directly from screening data and using these workflows to organize each project’s data. On the basis of four heuristics regarding the organization of screening projects, we designed an algorithm that extracts a project’s workflow graph from screening data. Where possible, the algorithm is evaluated by comparing each project’s inferred workflow to its documentation. In the majority of cases, there are no discrepancies between the two. Most errors can be traced to points in the project where screeners chose additional molecules to test based on structural similarity to promising molecules, a case our algorithm is not yet capable of handling. Nonetheless, these workflows accurately organize most of the data and also provide a method of visualizing a screening project. This method is robust enough to build a workfloworiented front-end to PubChem and is currently being used regularly by both our lab and our collaborators. A Python implementation of the algorithm is available online, and a searchable database of all PubChem workflows is available at http://swami.wustl.edu/flow.
Power and sample size simulations for Randomized Play-the-Winner rules ☆

Response-adaptive randomization procedures, such as the Randomized Play-the-Winner (RPW), are treatment allocation rules for clinical trials that use available information on treatment outcomes to skew the allocation probability in favor of the treatment performing better thus far in the trial. Such allocation rules are based on the ethically desirable aim of reducing the share of patients allocated to the inferior treatment. This noble intent is overcome by statistical and logistical issues. One practical implementation obstacle of the RPW method is the estimation of required sample size and expected allocation shares. Unfortunately, this information is not readily available or easy to calculate. We present simulation results to provide a realistic assessment of the power and sample size required for successful implementation of the RPW rule for a study with primary outcome variable that is binary. Additionally, we discuss some practical approaches for sample size determination based on the RPW.
Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has been proposed as a minimally invasive technique with the advantages of smaller external scars and reduced pain. Furthermore, usage of the flexible endoscope for SILS in lieu of the standard laparoscope provides distinct visualization advantages. This video shows a single-incision cholecystectomy performed using a single incision placed through the umbilicus.
Winter survival of late emerging purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) seedlings

Abstract In wetlands, drought or managed late-summer drawdowns create exposed mudflats that provide an excellent substrate for germination of purple loosestrife seeds. If late-emerging purple loosestrife seedlings survive the winter, new or expanding populations of purple loosestrife will result. Spring survival was determined for overwintered purple loosestrife seedlings from seeds planted at weekly intervals in late summer or fall of the previous year. Seedlings of purple loosestrife that emerged from late July to early August had the greatest survival rates and the greatest shoot dry weight, and they were the tallest the following spring. However, 37% of purple loosestrife seedlings that emerged in late August, although stunted, generated a crown that was able to overwinter successfully and regrow the following spring. The number of growing degree days accumulated from planting date to October 6 (the average date of first frost for Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN) was 1,424 for seedlings from seeds plante...
How Management Matters: Street-Level Bureaucrats and Welfare Reform

How Management Matters: Street-Level Bureaucrats and Welfare Reform. By Norma M. Riccucci. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2005. 224p. $26.95. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) famously ended welfare “as we knew it”—Aid to Families with Dependent Children—and replaced the 60-year-old AFDC with a new program pointedly called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF. TANF substantially increased state discretion in choosing how to aid families with children, but it also established various process requirements that were intended to increase efforts to move unemployed adult recipients into jobs. The new regulations generally require close interaction between benefit recipients (often disingenuously termed “customers”) and local agency personnel. Presumably, it is in these interactions that recipient understanding of the nature and terms of public assistance is to some extent formed. If it is the objective of welfare reform to change these perceptions, reform must address what happens when those seeking help encounter the system.
The Frazier-Jawerth transform

The Frazier-Jawerth transform (FJT), a simple yet rigorous method for the time-frequency analysis of nonstationary signals, is discussed. The FJT is related to the wavelet transform. Both the FJT and the wavelet methods improve upon the classical methods of time-frequency analysis due to Wigner and Gabor. A tutorial introduction to the FJT is given, and a brief discussion is presented of an example and some applications. >
Modeling and simulation of mechanical properties of nano-particle filled materials

With the recent advances in nanoscale science and engineering, materials containing reinforcement with superior mechanical properties can be found in many advanced products. The accurate prediction of the mechanical properties of this class of composite materials is important to ensure the reliability of the products. Characterization methods based contact probe such as nano-indentation and scratch tests have␣been developed in recent years to measure the mechanical properties of the new class of nanomaterials. This paper presents a constitutive modeling framework for predicting the mechanical properties of nanoparticle reinforced composite materials. The formulation directly considers the effects of inter-nanoparticle interaction and performs a statistical averaging to the solution of the problem of two-nanoparticle interaction. Final constitutive equations are obtained in analytical closed form with no additional material parameters. The predictions from the proposed constitutive model are compared with experimental measurement from nano-indentation tests. This constitutive model for nanoparticle reinforced composites can be used to determine the volume concentration of the reinforcing nanoparticles in nano-indentation test.
The challenges of ambient collaboration

Collaborative capabilities are a hallmark of a new generation of networked applications. While traditional collaboration puts the computer in the foreground to help users interface through personal computing portholes, ambient collaboration reverses this paradigm by placing the machine in the background and enabling users to synergistically share a workspace with focus on mutual presence and tasks rather than tools. Although various ambient collaborative systems have been deployed in recent years, the field itself lacks a conceptual framework, in particular in contrast with legacy collaborative technologies. We introduce a simple systematics and roadmap for ambient collaboration to identify opportunities and challenges unique to this class of computing.
Discrimination Analysis for Model-Based Gait Recognition

Gait has been evaluated as a new biometric through psychological experiments. However, most gait recognition approaches do not give their theoretical or experimental performance predictions. Therefore, the discriminating power of gait as a feature for human recognition cannot be evaluated. In this chapter, a Bayesian based statistical analysis is performed to evaluate the discriminating power of static gait features (body part dimensions). Through probabilistic simulation, we not only predict the probability of correct recognition (PCR) with regard to different within-class feature variance, but also obtain the upper bound on PCR with regard to different human silhouette resolution. In addition, the maximum number of people in a database is obtained given the allowable error rate. This is extremely important for gait recognition in large databases.
Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan and Climate Justice

The extreme weather events that the world is experiencing are consistent with the effects of anthropogenic climate change. The western North Pacific is the area of the world with the most intense tropical cyclones. Increased sea surface temperatures directly contribute to the wind speed of storms. The 2013 Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan was the strongest tropical cyclone in recorded history to make landfall-causing more than 6000 deaths in the Philippines, mostly from storm surge. This event represents a climate injustice. On one hand, disaster prevention and preparedness were inadequate for impoverished populations in the Philippines who lived in poorly constructed housing. While the international community assisted with the response, recovery was hampered by inadequate and inequitable investment. On the other hand, climate change has been driven by the carbon emissions of industrialized states. Those who call for climate justice argue for more robust measures to control carbon emissions responsible for climate change and worsening global health security. As global citizens and as health professionals, we examine the implications for all of us as moral actors. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-4). Language: en
Persistence of combat-related posttraumatic stress symptoms for 75 years

Investigations of the duration of combat-related posttraumatic stress symptoms have focused mainly on survivors of World War II and the Vietnam War, with little attention to surviving veterans of World War I. The authors describe a case in which posttraumatic stress symptoms persisted for 75 years in a World War I combat veteran and increased in frequency toward the end of his life accompanied by advancing dementia and hospitalization. The case illustrates that posttraumatic stress symptoms may be lifelong and exacerbated by various consequences of aging, even if they are not disabling.
Social media self-efficacy and information evaluation online

We introduce the concept of social media self-efficacy (SMSE).We examine this concept using survey data (N=3568) of Internet users.Users with higher SMSE find online social information to be more trustworthy.They also use others' opinions and social media when evaluating information. This study introduces the concept of social media self-efficacy, or a person's perceived ability to reach desired outcomes in the social media environment, and examines the relationship between social media self-efficacy and how people evaluate information found online. Results of a survey of a representative sample of adult Internet users in the United States (N=3568) indicate that users with higher social media self-efficacy find information shared via social media to be more trustworthy than do those lower in social media self-efficacy. These self-efficacious social media users also rely more both on the opinions of others and on social media specifically when evaluating or verifying the information they find online, suggesting that they may be more prone to seek out and be influenced by input from others. Practical and theoretical implications of these findings are explored.
Localization of the DCTN1 gene encoding p150Glued to human chromosome 2p13 by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

This report discusses the genetic mapping of the DCTN1 gene to human chromosome 2p13 using fluorescence in situ hybridization. This gene encodes the largest polypeptide of the dynactin complex, which is one of two microtubule-based biological motor protein complexes. 12 refs., 1 fig.
Mobilizing the genome of Lepidoptera through novel sequence gains and end creation by non-autonomous Lep1 Helitrons

Transposable elements (TEs) can affect the structure of genomes through their acquisition and transposition of novel DNA sequences. The 134-bp repetitive elements, Lep1, are conserved non-autonomous Helitrons in lepidopteran genomes that have characteristic 5 0 -CT and 3 0 -CTAY nucleotide termini, a 3 0 -terminal hairpin structure, a 5 0 - and 3 0 -subterminal inverted repeat (SIR), and integrations that occur between AT or TT nucleotides. Lep1 Helitrons have acquired and propagated sequences downstream of their 3 0 -CTAY termini that are 57–344-bp in length and have termini composed of a 3 0 -CTRR preceded by a 3 0 -hairpin structure and a region complementary to the 5 0 -SIR (3 0 -SIRb). Features of both the Lep1 Helitron and multiple acquired sequences indicate that secondary structures at the 3 0 -terminus may have a role in rolling circle replication or genome integration mechanisms, and are a prerequisite for novel end creation by Helitron-like TEs. The preferential integration of Lep1 Helitrons in proximity to gene-coding regions results in the creation of genetic novelty that is shown to impact gene structure and function through the introduction of novel exon sequence (exon shuffling). These findings are important in understanding the structural requirements of genomic DNA sequences that are acquired and transposed by Helitron-like TEs.
The gene structures of spontaneous mutations affecting a Caenorhabditis elegans myosin heavy chain gene.

ABSTRACT We have isolated spontaneous mutations affecting the unc-54 major myosin heavy chain gene of Caenorhabditis elegans (variety Bristol). Spontaneous unc-54 mutants occur in C. elegans populations at a frequency of approximately 3 × 10 -7 . We have studied the gene structure of 65 independent unc-54 mutations using filter-transfer hybridization techniques. Most unc-54 mutations (50 of 65) exhibit no abnormalities detected with these techniques; these mutations are small lesions affecting less than 100 base pairs. Approximately 17% of the mutations (11 of 65) are simple deletions, ranging in size from less than 100 base pairs to greater than 17 kilobases. One isolate contains two separate deletions, each of which affects unc-54 . Two mutants contain tandem genetic duplications that include a portion of unc-54 and extend 8-10 kilobases beyond the 59 terminus of the mRNA. Conspicuously absent from our collection of spontaneous unc-54 mutations are any resulting from insertion of transposable genetic elements. Such mutants, if they occur, must arise at a frequency of less than 5 × 10 -9
Work In Progress: Computer Design for Intermediate-Level Digital Systems Course

The flexibility of Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs) and their supporting CAD (Computer Aided Design) tools make PLDs ideal for digital systems design courses. This paper outlines a computer design-based course and supporting laboratory targeted for students with intermediate-level digital design skills. The unifying theme of this course is the design, implementation, and programming of a relatively complex microcontroller (MCU). This course emphasizes the development and subsequent integration of basic individual computer building blocks using a Hardware Description Language (HDL). The major topics in the course include Finite State Machine (FSM) design, computer system architecture, and assembly language programming. Placing emphasis on a hierarchical design approach and ensuring continuity in the course topics reduces potential difficulties in presenting this scope of topics.
Europe in the mode of as if

This article is a close reading of Jozef Tischner's Historia filozofii po goralsku [History of Philosophy in Goral] (1997), considered alongside Barbara Cassin's Vocabulaire europeen des philosophies [European Vocabulary of Philosophies] (2004) and in the context of European unification. Written in the Goral dialect of Polish and recounting the history of philosophy as if it belonged to Gorals, Tischner's book re-imagines Europe as a space of reciprocity, equality, and freedom. This gesture is inseparable from the mode of as if, a mode that translation, literature, reading, and the future anterior tense all hold in common.
Biotransformation of quinoxaline by Streptomyces badius

Quinoxaline, a mutagenic azaarene produced in foods during cooking, was added to cultures of Streptomyces badius ATCC 39117. After 24 h, the cultures were extracted with ethyl acetate. Two major metabolites were purified by liquid chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as 3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-quinoxalinone and 2(1H)-quinoxalinone.
Tailoring Gaussian Laser Beam Shape Through Controlled Etching of Single-Mode and Multimode Fibers: Simulation and Experimental Studies

A new class of all-fiber beam shaping devices has been realized by inverse etching the end face of single-mode and multimode fibers to form a concave cone tip. Concave tip fiber can convert a Gaussian beam profile to a flat top beam profile with a uniform intensity distribution. A flat top beam with intensity variation of approximately 5% and flat top diameter to spot diameter ratio of 67% has been achieved. This device can also change the beam shape from a Gaussian to a donut by moving the observation plane. A flat top multimode fiber beam delivery is attractive for applications which require high power and uniform intensity distribution. In single-mode fiber, concave tips could be used to reduce the beam spot size diameter, enabling efficient light coupling from a single-mode fiber to an integrated optical waveguide.
Role of delta opioid receptors in the reinforcing and discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine in rhesus monkeys.

The role of delta opioid receptors in the self-administration and discrimination of cocaine by rhesus monkeys was evaluated using the delta opioid antagonist naltrindole and the delta opioid agonist BW373U86 [(+/-)-4-((alpha R*)-alpha-((2S*,5R*)-4-Allyl-2,5-dimethyl-1- piperazinyl)-3-hydroxybenzyl)-N,N-diethylbenzamide dihydrochloride]. In the self-administration studies, monkeys were trained to respond for food (1 g banana pellets) or cocaine (0.032 mg/kg/injection, i.v.) under a second-order FR4(VR16:S) schedule of reinforcement during multiple daily food and drug sessions. Substitution of saline or other unit doses of cocaine (0.001-0.1 mg/kg/injection) for the maintenance dose of cocaine yielded typical inverted-U shaped dose-effect curves relating unit dose of cocaine to the number of saline or drug injections per day. The unit dose of cocaine available during drug sessions had little effect on food-maintained responding. In the drug discrimination studies, monkeys were trained to discriminate 0.4 mg/kg cocaine (i.m.) from saline in a two-lever, food-reinforced drug discrimination task. Cumulative dosing with cocaine (0.004-1.3 mg/kg) produced a dose-dependent generalization to the training dose of cocaine without consistently altering response rates. Initial experiments with naltrindole (0.1-3.2 mg/kg, i.v. or i.m.) produced effects in some monkeys suggesting that naltrindole may have antagonized the effects of cocaine under both procedures. In the drug self-administration studies, treatment with at least one dose of naltrindole for 10 consecutive days decreased self-administration of a unit dose of cocaine at the peak of the ascending limb of the cocaine dose-effect curve (0.01 mg/kg/injection) in three of four monkeys. In the drug discrimination studies, treatment with at least one dose of naltrindole shifted the cocaine dose-effect curve 1/2 log unit to the right in two of four monkeys. However, naltrindole did not alter the effects of cocaine in all monkeys under either procedure. Furthermore, in the monkeys in which naltrindole was effective, the cocaine-antagonist actions of naltrindole were not replicable and were not monotonically related to dose. When the delta agonist BW373U86 (0.001-0.032 mg/kg/inj, i.v.) was substituted for cocaine in one monkey in which naltrindole decreased cocaine self-administration, BW373186 was not self-administered. In addition, BW373U86 (0.0032-0.32 mg/kg, i.m.) neither generalized to cocaine nor potentiated the effects of cocaine in the drug discrimination procedure. These results suggest that delta opioid receptors play, at best, a minor and inconsistent role in the reinforcing and discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine in rhesus monkeys.
Small Parts Order Picking: Analysis Framework and Selected Results

This chapter presents a general analysis framework and the major issues for designing and operating order pick systems for less-than-case retrieval. The interplay among stock keeping unit data analysis, order data analysis, overall system structure, equipment types for subsystems, and operating strategies, is emphasized. Selected results are presented for parametric analysis, batching and zoning using ride-and-pick, proximity batching of small orders with no order splitting, and correlated storage assignment. Future research opportunities are outlined.
Twins: Within-Pair Similarity on Bayley's Infant Behavior Record

Summary scores for behaviors rated on Bayley's Infant Behavior Record were obtained by summing sequential ratings for same-sex twins participating in a longitudinal study. The first year scores were based on visits made at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, by 55 identical and 27 fraternal pairs; the second year scores were based on visits at 18, 24, and 30 months, by 47 identical and 27 fraternal pairs. During the first year, within-pair correlations for almost all behaviors were stronger for identical than for fraternal pairs; in the second year, within-pair correlations for identical twins were similar to those of fraternal twins except for the more cognitive behaviors. Composite scores were calculated for two behavioral clusters--one composed of behaviors related to Primary Cognition, and the other composed of behaviors related to Extraversion. Within-pair correlations were higher for identical than for fraternal twins in both the first and second years, indicating stronger and more consistent genetic influences on the more cognitive behaviors.
Skull of Megalohyrax eocaenus (Hyracoidea, Mammalia) from the Oligocene of Egypt

Abstract The cranial anatomy of Megalohyrax eoceanus Andrews, 1903, a pliohyracid (Hyracoidea, Mammalia) from Oligocene levels of the Jebel Qatrani Formation of the Fayum Depression in Egypt, is described. Megalohyrax is the largest of the Fayum hyracoids, its skull is 391 mm long and the specimen described here is probably the best-preserved pliohyacid skull known. Megalohyrax has a strong lambdoid crest, a primitive alisphenoid canal, a notch for the minor palatine neurovascular group, orbits which are not anteriorly displaced, and a broad contact between the maxilla and frontal. In all of these features, Megalohyrax differs from modern hyracoids. Contrary to previous suggestions, the dental formula of Megalohyrax is 3.1.4.3, not similar to early sirenians (which have 5 premolars). Basioccipital morphology suggests that Megalohyrax may have had a eustachian sac.
Inpatient Pharmaceutical Cost of Hematological Agents: A Single Center Report.

Background: Hematological therapeutic agents, i.e. anticoagulants and hematopoetic agents are widely used for hospitalized patients without consideration of costs. The current analysis was performed to determine the relative expenditures of this class of therapeutic agents. Hypothesis: Hematological agents constitute a significant portion of inpatient pharmaceutical costs. Methods: A retrospective single center analysis was performed using data obtained on all inpatient pharmaceutical costs at LSUHSC from June 1, 2005 to May 31, 2006. The data was obtained directly from the inpatient pharmacy and was divided into various therapeutic classes and agents. The data was provided as the dollar cost of the agents and percentage of each agent and class calculated. Hematopoietic agents, i.e. G-CSF, GM-CSF, pegfilgrastim, epoetin alfa, and the various anticoagulant drugs were combined to define our hematological therapeutic class. Sera, including e.g. win rho and cytogam, and antineoplastic agents were not included in the hematological therapeutic class. Blood products and the cost of administering agents were not included in this analysis. Results: Hematopoietic and anticoagulant agents constituted 6.8% and 6.4% of the total inpatient pharmaceutical costs, respectively. The 13.2% for hematological therapeutic agents was second in cost only to antibiotics, which comprised 17.4% of total inpatient pharmaceutical costs. By comparison, sera, and antineoplastic agents comprised 10.2% and 6.3% of total cost, respectively. Taken together the hematological therapeutic class plus sera and antineoplastic agents demonstrates that this class of agents is the most costly with 29.7% of total cost. Conclusions: Hematological agents make up a significant percentage of inpatient pharmaceutical costs. LSUHSCS is probably not much different from other public and private hospitals in terms of relative inpatient pharmaceutical cost by therapeutic class. This information is not meant to dissuade practitioners, institutions, or third party payers from the use of hematological agents for such cost may be more than offset by decreased length of hospital stay, decreased blood product infusions, and decreased use of other medications. Rather, this analysis may provide an incentive to review the use of hematological agents in terms of medical indications, cost effectiveness, and therapeutic options. Whether or not a trend exists for increasing hematological costs relative to other agents remains to be seen and requires additional analysis including the costs of administration. To Dale Potts & Chuck Everton-Thanks!
"These Pushful Days": Time and Disability in the Age of Eugenics

At the turn of the twentieth century, social attitudes toward disability turned sharply negative. An international eugenics movement brought about restrictive immigration laws in the United States and other immigrant nations. One cause was the changing understanding of time, both historical and quotidian, that accompanied the advent of evolutionary theory and a competitive industrial economy. As analogies of competition became culturally ubiquitous, new words to talk about disability such as 'handicapped', 'retarded', 'abnormal', 'degenerate', and 'defective', came into everyday use, all of them explicitly or implicitly rooted in new ways of thinking about time. The intense fear of disability that characterised the eugenics movement grew, in good part, from this new and unsettling vision of time.
Investigation of the Latent Structure for the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory.

The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) is a very popular tool for measuring the learning and study strategies of high school and college students. Prior research with the LASSI has sup...
Near-field phase measurements of phased array diode lasers by shearing interferometry

Many applications of phased array semiconductor lasers require a stable nearly diffraction-limited beam. However, most of the designs lead to excitation of higher-order supermodes and associated twin-lobed far fields, and even when a single lobe is obtained it is usually wider than the diffraction limit.
EGG-PRODUCTION, POLYPLOIDIZATION AND EVOLUTION IN A DIPLOID ALL-FEMALE FISH OF THE GENUS POECILIOPSIS.

The frequency of natural populations of unisexual vertebrates raises the question of the evolutionary potential of unisexual forms, both in isolation and in relation to their sympatric congeners. In order to determine this potential, their reproductive mechanisms must be known, for herein lies the control of their genetic variability. A unisexual-bisexual complex of viviparous fishes of the genus Poeciliopsis (Poeciliidae: Cyprinodontiformes) provides some interesting unisexual situations, among which are (1) present sympatry of the original progenitors of the complex; (2) two degrees of ploidy; and (3) two distinct mechanisms of unisexual reproduction, one of which is unique in vertebrates. This complex, which inhabits the Rio del Fuerte of northwestern Mexico, contains five forms. The morphology of the three all-female forms indicates a hybrid origin, with the two gonochoristic (bisexual) species of the complex, P. lucida Miller and P. monacha Miller, as parental forms. Of the three unisexual forms, one is diploid (2n = 48) like the gonochorists, and is intermediate in morphology between them (Schultz, 1961, 1969). It apparently possesses one genome of each; for this reason, it has been named P. monacha-lucida (formerly "Cx"; Schultz, 1969). The other two unisexuals are triploid (3n 72). The one which more closely resembles P. lucida is called P. monacha-2 lucida (formerly "Cy"). The other resembles P. monacha and is called P. 2 monacha-lucida. In each case, the nomenclature reflects the proposed genome dosage received from the parental species (Schultz, 1969).
Effect of Blocking Hemocytes with Chinese Ink and Staining Nephrocytes with Trypan Blue upon the Resistance of the Cockroach Periplaneta Americana (L.) to Sodium Arsenite and Nicotine

Insects possess natural resistances to the actions of poisonous substances. The resistance to poisoning varies from species to species, from individual to individual, at different times during the life of an insect, and under different conditions (Shepard, 1939, pp. 19—22). The very fact that an insect displays a resistance to poisoning implies that it possesses some means of defense against the action of the poison. It may be considered that the insect, like the vertebrate, possesses a first line of defense in the integumentary, respiratory, and alimentary membranes which separate the external environment from the internal environment in which live the animal's tissues and organs. Behind or inside this integumental barrier operates a cellular defense mechanism, which may act directly by phagocytosis (Ermin, 1939; Huff, 1940; Paillot, 1933) or athrocytosis (Gerard and Cordier, 1934; Lepesme, 1936), or indirectly by antibody or antitoxin formation (Huff, 1940; Paillot, 1933) against foreign or detrimental material.
Simultaneous measurement of friction and wear in hip simulators.

We propose and have evaluated a method to measure hip friction during wear testing on a popular multi-station hip simulator. A 6-degree-of-freedom load cell underneath the specimen sensed forces an...
Laboratory Data Analysis System: Section III—Multivariate Normality

A new form of laboratory data interpretation, called “multivariate analysis,” is described. This process is feasible because of a sampling of normal people, a transformation scheme designed to create variable uniformity around a standard Gaussian distribution, and a practical experience of data analysis which shows the technic to be functioning. Examples are shown for two- and three-space models as applied to actual subject data. Multivariate analysis allows more specificity of interpretation, eliminates the problem of the “abnormal-normal,” and provides a mathematical foundation for an advanced data processing technic which can summarize vast amounts of information in a convenient mode for clinical decision making. The process is described as a phase two element in a Laboratory Data Analysis System . In this situation, multivariate analysis serves to screen the raw data to detect any significant abnormality and flag the system for further investigation.
Differential response of tomato genotypes to Xanthomonas-specific pathogen-associated molecular patterns and correlation with bacterial spot (Xanthomonas perforans) resistance

Plants depend on innate immune responses to retard the initial spread of pathogens entering through stomata, hydathodes or injuries. These responses are triggered by conserved patterns in pathogen-encoded molecules known as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one of the first responses, and the resulting 'oxidative burst' is considered to be a first line of defense. In this study, we conducted association analyses between ROS production and bacterial spot (BS; Xanthomonas spp.) resistance in 63 genotypes of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). A luminol-based assay was performed on leaf tissues that had been treated with a flagellin 22 (flg22), flagellin 28 and a Xanthomonas-specific flg22 (flg22-Xac) peptide, to measure PAMP-induced ROS production in each genotype. These genotypes were also assessed for BS disease response by inoculation with Xanthomonas perforans, race T4. Although there was no consistent relationship between peptides used and host response to the BS, there was a significant negative correlation (r=-0.25, P<0.05) between foliar disease severity and ROS production, when flg22-Xac was used. This response could potentially be used to identify the Xanthomonas-specific PRR allele in tomato, and eventually PAMP-triggered immunity loci could be mapped in a segregating population. This has potential significance in tomato improvement.
Piety, Perversion, and Serial Killing: The Strange Case of Gilles de Rais

Gilles de Rais reflected both deep and profound religious piety as well as heinous crimes against humanity in his life of extravagance, wealth, and power. Sometimes considered the first serial killer in history, this former colleague of Joan of Arc, Marshall of France, and wealthy aristocrat, Gilles was convicted of multiple sex crimes and the horrific murders of many children in the fifteenth century. Spirituality and sodomy are strange bedfellows in a tale which is not as straightforward as might be assumed at first blush. Legal procedure, evidence, witness testimony, and curious contradictions by the defendant yield a tale which reveals plenty of history and mystery, as well as theological conviction, whilst involving powerful ecclesiastical figures.
RXTE observations of the anomalous pulsar 4U0142+61

We observed the anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+6l using the Proportional Counter Array (PCA) aboard the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) in March 1996. The pulse frequency was measured as epsilon = 0.11510039(3) Hz with an upper limit of |epsilon| </= 4 x 10(exp -13) Hz s(exp -1) upon the short term change in frequency over the 4.6 day span of the observations. A compilation of all historical measurements showed an overall spin-down trend with slope epsilon = -3.0 +/- 0.1 x 10(exp -14) Hz s(exp -1). Searches for orbital modulations in pulse arrival times yielded an upper limit of a(sub x) sin i approximately less than 0.26 It-s (99% confidence) for the period range 70 s to 2.5 days. These limits combined with previous optical limits and evolutionary arguments suggest that 4U 0142+61 is not a member of a binary system.
The Monastic Landscape of Late Antique Egypt: An Archaeological Reconstruction

Darlene L. Brooks Hedstrom offers a new history of the field of Egyptian monastic archaeology. It is the first study in English to trace how scholars identified a space or site as monastic within the Egyptian landscape and how such identifications impacted perceptions of monasticism. Brooks Hedstrom then provides an ecohistory of Egypt's tripartite landscape to offer a reorientation of the perception of the physical landscape. She analyzes late-antique documentary evidence, early monastic literature, and ecclesiastical history before turning to the extensive archaeological evidence of Christian monastic settlements. In doing so, she illustrates the stark differences between idealized monastic landscape and the actual monastic landscape that was urbanized through monastic constructions. Drawing upon critical theories in landscape studies, materiality and phenomenology, Brooks Hedstrom looks at domestic settlements of non-monastic and monastic settlements to posit what features makes monastic settlements unique, thus offering a new history of monasticism in Egypt.
Storage stability of egg sticks fortified with omega-3 fatty acids.

Egg sticks fortified with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) were developed by replacing egg yolk with salmon, algae, and flax oils. Egg sticks were cooked before analysis. Quality indicators for storage stability under different packaging and temperature were determined throughout a 28-day storage. Egg sticks were vacuum and non-vacuum packed. Further, both packaging treatments were divided into two storage temperatures of 4 and 10 °C. Quality indicators were determined every 7 days, including pH, syneresis, texture, color, microbial growth, proximate composition, fatty acid profile, and lipid oxidation.; Results: Vacuum-packed egg sticks stored at 4 °C had slower degradation over time than all other treatments; however, they also had higher syneresis, harder texture, and higher anaerobic growth. Although vacuum packaging slowed lipid oxidation, it had limited effect on prevention of ω-3 PUFAs degradation; whereas refrigeration (4 °C) seemed to prevent degradation of ω-3 PUFAs better than it could slow lipid oxidation.; Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be concluded that both vacuum packaging and refrigeration at 4 °C decrease degradation of egg sticks developed in the present study during storage. Under these conditions, egg sticks may maintain stability for at least 21 days of storage. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Changes in Polymorph Composition in P25-TiO2 during Pretreatment Analyzed by Differential Diffuse Reflectance Spectral Analysis

Elucidating structural and compositional polymorph changes of multiphase semiconductors in a quick and quantitative manner is important for their manufacturing and applications in catalysis alike. Derivative peak fitting of diffuse reflectance UV–visible spectra (DPR) is presented as an inexpensive, fast, and quantitative method to estimate both the composition of a multiphase semiconductor sample as well as the band gap energies of each component semiconductor in the mixture. Degussa P25 TiO2, a widely used catalyst support and semiconductor photocatalyst, is a mixture of anatase and rutile polymorphs. The as-received P25 samples were subjected to grinding, sieving, and calcination or a combination of these operations. Samples were analyzed via DPR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy to quantify the percentage of anatase and rutile polymorphs present in each sample. Compositional measurements from DPR were in good quantitative agreement with XRD and Raman analysis. The application of in situ...
Case 5: Ulcerated, Painful Genital and Perianal Rash in a 1-year-old Girl.

1. Shwetha Chagalamarri, DO* 2. Anirudha Das, MD*,† 1. *Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, Columbia, MD 2. †Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH A 1-year-old previously healthy white girl presents to the emergency department with worsening genital and perianal rash. The rash started on her perineum 5 days before presentation and spread quickly to her pudental cleft. Her mother applied an over-the-counter diaper rash ointment with no relief. The toddler is playful but becomes fussy during diaper changes. She had a runny nose and 2 episodes of watery diarrhea in the past week. She has had no vomiting; a decrease in urine output; no oral, ocular, or nasal mucosal involvement; and no vaginal discharge. The older sibling had a red painful blister under her nose 2 weeks ago. The infant has a normal birth history, and her medical history is significant for atopic dermatitis. She has worn the same brand of diapers since her birth. Both her mother and sister help change her diapers at home. Physical examination reveals a nontoxic-appearing infant with a temperature of 101°F (38.3°C). Other vital signs are within normal parameters. She has diffusely dry skin. Examination of the diaper area reveals multiple punched out ulcerated lesions measuring 1.5 cm wide with erythematous bases and tiny blisters with serous fluid in the genital and …
Predictors for outcomes and readmission rates following double balloon enteroscopy: a tertiary care experience

Aim The objectives of this study are to examine clinical characteristics of patients undergoing anterograde and retrograde double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) and to assess factors predicting positive diagnostic yield, therapeutic yield, and readmission. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients (n = 420) who underwent DBE at a tertiary care center between 2012 and 2016 at a tertiary referral center. Measures of central tendency and frequency distributions were used for univariate analysis. Chi-square and t-test analyses were used to compare patient characteristics. Logistic regression was used to predict outcomes of interest. Results Of patients included in the study, 59 % were male with a mean age of 61.49 (SD = 15.15) Altered anatomy was noted in 14 %, while 5 % and 13 % of patients had end stage renal disease (ESRD) and current use of anticoagulation, respectively. The most common indication for DBE was obscure gastrointestinal bleed (OGIB) (33 %). Forty-nine patients had obscure and overt gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) and 22 % had occult GIB with iron deficiency. The cohort’s rate of positive diagnostic yield was 73 % and 35 % for therapeutic yield. The 30-day and 6-month readmission rates were both 11 %. A higher proportion of those readmitted were male (75 % vs 57 %, P = 0.027) and had longer procedural time (38.68 vs 46.57, P = 0.011). Likewise, occult GIB with iron deficiency anemia and iron deficiency alone (OR = 2.45, CI: 1.233 – 4.859, P = 0.011), inpatient status (OR 2.42, CI 1.344 – 4.346, P = 0.003), and longer procedural time (OR = 1.02, CI: 1.004 – 1.029, P = 0.008) were associated positively with readmission. There were no statistically significant predictors of positive diagnostic yield, however procedural time (OR = 1.01, CI: 1.03 – 1.026; P = .0017) and older age (OR = 1.03, CI: 1.009 – 1.045, P = 0.003) were positively associated with therapeutic yield. Retrograde procedure (OR = 0.230, CI 0.125 – 0.422, P = 0.000) was negatively associated with therapeutic yield. Conclusion DBE procedures have relevant efficacy for both diagnostic and therapeutic yield while evaluating small bowel disease. Readmission rates are low and more in those with GI bleed and iron deficiency with longer index procedural times.
Medical Considerations in Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse: Medical Complications, Pain Management, and Emergency Treatment

This article addresses medical aspects of substance use, abuse, and dependence, in three sections—medical complications of abuse and dependence in relatively healthy individuals, the use of abusable chemicals and medications in medically ill children, and emergency room presentation and assessment of the physical manifestations of substance abuse and dependence.