cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The causes and consequences of leaf hydraulic decline with dehydration

Resolving the drivers of hydraulic decline during drought is crucial for understanding drought tolerance in crops and natural ecosystems. In the past 15 years, studies of the decline of leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) have supported a major role in controlling plant drought responses. We analyzed the variation in Kleaf decline with dehydration in a global database of 310 species, providing novel insights into its underlying mechanisms, its co-ordination with stem hydraulics, its influence on gas exchange and drought tolerance, and its linkage with species ecological distributions. Kleaf vulnerability varied strongly within and across lineages, growth forms, and biomes. A critical literature review indicates that changes in hydraulic conductance outside the xylem with dehydration drive the overall decline of Kleaf. We demonstrate a significant leaf hydraulic safety-efficiency trade-off across angiosperm species and discuss the importance of the large variation around this trend. Leaves tend to be more vulnerable than stems, with their vulnerabilities co-ordinated across species, and importantly linked with adaptation across biomes. We hypothesize a novel framework to explain diversity across species in the co-ordination of Kleaf and gas exchange during dehydration. These findings reflect considerable recent progress, yet new tools for measurement, visualization, and modeling will result in ongoing discoveries important across fields in plant biology.
A probabilistic atlas of human brainstem pathways based on connectome imaging data

The brainstem is a critical structure that regulates vital autonomic functions, houses the cranial nerves and their nuclei, relays motor and sensory information between the brain and spinal cord, and modulates cognition, mood, and emotions. As a primary relay center, the fiber pathways of the brainstem include efferent and afferent connections among the cerebral cortex, spinal cord, and cerebellum. While diffusion MRI has been successfully applied to map various brain pathways, its application for the in vivo imaging of the brainstem pathways has been limited due to inadequate resolution and large susceptibility-induced distortion artifacts. With the release of high-resolution data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP), there is increasing interest in mapping human brainstem pathways. Previous works relying on HCP data to study brainstem pathways, however, did not consider the prevalence (>80%) of large distortions in the brainstem even after the application of correction procedures from the HCP-Pipeline. They were also limited in the lack of adequate consideration of subject variability in either fiber pathways or region of interests (ROIs) used for bundle reconstruction. To overcome these limitations, we develop in this work a probabilistic atlas of 23 major brainstem bundles using high-quality HCP data passing rigorous quality control. For the large-scale data from the 500-Subject release of HCP, we conducted extensive quality controls to exclude subjects with severe distortions in the brainstem area. After that, we developed a systematic protocol to manually delineate 1300 ROIs on 20 HCP subjects (10 males; 10 females) for the reconstruction of fiber bundles using tractography techniques. Finally, we leveraged our novel connectome modeling techniques including high order fiber orientation distribution (FOD) reconstruction from multi-shell diffusion imaging and topography-preserving tract filtering algorithms to successfully reconstruct the 23 fiber bundles for each subject, which were then used to calculate the probabilistic atlases in the MNI152 space for public release. In our experimental results, we demonstrate that our method yielded anatomically faithful reconstruction of the brainstem pathways and achieved improved performance in comparison with an existing atlas of cerebellar peduncles based on HCP data. These atlases have been publicly released on NITRIC (https://www.nitrc.org/projects/brainstem_atlas/) and can be readily used by brain imaging researchers interested in studying brainstem pathways.
Housing status among single adults following Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program participation in Indianapolis.

Abstract The Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) was a federally-funded program in the United States that provided short-term financial and support services to individuals and families who were at-risk or currently experiencing homelessness. There is limited research on factors that predict placement in permanent housing following prevention and rapid rehousing interventions, particularly for single adult populations. The present study examined demographic and program-related predictors of permanent housing upon program exit among two groups of adults enrolled in HPRP in Indianapolis, IN: Homelessness Prevention (HP) recipients (n = 219) and Rapid Re-housing (RRH) recipients (n = 296). Results revealed that 76.3% of HP and 68.8% of RRH recipients were living in permanent housing when they exited HPRP. For HP recipients, completion of HPRP and outreach and engagement services were significant predictors of remaining in permanent housing. For RRH recipients, individuals who were African American, did not have a disabling condition, completed HPRP, received a greater amount of financial assistance, and received case management services had significantly greater odds of permanent housing. Findings have implications for informing short-term housing support programs for precariously housed or homeless single adults and highlight the need for future research on prevention and rehousing interventions.
The endothelial cell protein C receptor.

The Protein C Pathway before EPCR The protein C anticoagulant pathway is recognized as a major control mechanism of blood coagulation [reviewed in]. Defects in protein C, protein S and thrombomodulin have all been implicated as predisposing factors for the development of venous thrombosis (2-5) and, under some circumstances, contributing to arterial thrombosis (6-8). The pathway is initiated when thrombin binds to thrombomodulin (TM), an integral membrane receptor found primarily on endothelium, but also on a variety of other cells including monocytes. The thrombin-TM complex activates protein C rapidly and can also activate a procarboxypeptidase B, often referred to as TAFI, thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor. Once activated protein C (APC) is generated, it binds to protein S and can then inactivate either factor Va or factor VIIIa on the surface of negatively charged phospholipids or on the membranes of activated cells. The thrombin-TM complex is inhibited by either antithrombin or protein C inhibitor. The estimated half life of the complex at plasma levels of these inhibitors is only a few seconds. Since EPCR is among the newest proteins in the coagulation/anticoagulation area to be identified, I have included references to abstracts in this review that are yet to be published in full.
Breast Cancer Staging: Predicting Outcome and Response to Treatment

A cornerstone of clinical oncology is estimating the risks of cancer recurrence and death, and the likelihood that treatment will reduce these risks. This information is central to treatment decisions and is critical for helping patients put their cancer and treatment in the proper perspective. Many factors impact these risks. These are codified at the time of diagnosis using so-called “staging systems.” Traditional staging systems only account for the anatomic extent of disease. However, it is increasingly understood that the biologic behavior of cancer may be quantified through examination of other nonanatomic characteristics. A limited number of these characteristics can be reliably measured and have been validated for use in outcome prediction. In the future, these factors will have an increasing role in supplementing, and perhaps supplanting, anatomic extent of disease in outcome and treatment response prediction. Algorithms beyond the anatomic systems to apply these characteristics of cancers to specific cancer types and situations are under active development.
Problems in falling in love

Certain patients enter psychoanalysis because of their inability to love another person. Often they report a repetitive erotic pursuit of desired partners, without being able to experience or maintain loving feelings. Kernberg has understood such difficulties as representing effects of early narcissistic disappointments and/or of difficulties in resolving oedipal conflicts. In this paper, Lacanian concepts of the mirror phase and symbolic love are employed to develop these issues. Sexualization of problems in mirroring may be fused with oedipal conflicts in some cases. An extended vignette is presented to illustrate the technical and theoretical issues.
Implementing Priority Functions in Local Area Networks

Prioritizing the handling of various data and control messages is important for network performance. Among the three most popular media access protocols that are likely to be standardized, CSMA/CD protocol is the only one that does not provide priority mechanism in handling various priority levels of packets. In CSMA/CD protocols, all messages are treated equally in competing for the communication channel. Thus, important or time-critical messages may be severely delayed. A new CSMA/CD protocol implemented with message-based priority functions is proposed. In this scheme, a distributed priority-code comparison algorithm is developed to determine the highest priority class that can compete for the communication channel. Both nonpreemptive and preemptive disciplines are discussed. In each discipline, both the single mode and the batch mode are considered and compared. The overhead in implementing the proposed protocol has shown, through simulation, to be much less than previously proposed methods. Among four different operating alternatives, the preemptive single mode scheme, in general, provides a better performance.
Toda Lattices on Finite Symmetric Space Graphs

Geometric analogues of the Toda lattice are studied on a type of connected graph. Graph-theoretic Hamiltonian systems are constructed. Toda lattices and its generalization to this setting are given as examples.
The Development of Immunocompetent Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the development of immunocompetent cells. There has been an explosive increase in the tools available for approaching the questions of origin and function of immunocompetent cells. Methods now exist for obtaining several immunological reactions in vitro, including homograft reactions, graft-versus-host reactions, and the initiation of primary antibody-forming systems. Demonstration and partial isolation of humoral factors from the thymus and spleen makes possible a more critical delineation of humoral and cellular components involved in morphogenesis. The attainment of morphogenetic interactions leading to lymphopoiesis in vitro systems allows labeling and experimental modifications, which should aid analysis. Amino acid sequence analysis of γ-globulins and the availability of allotype markers for various γ-globulin components help in the analysis of alterations in molecular structure of γ-globulins during morphogenesis. Assay systems have been developed that permit the detection of antibody synthesis by single cells. In the coming years, the process of development of immunological competence should increase rapidly.
An Algorithmic Approach to the Representation of Biological Information and Long-term Memory

Any concept of a long-term, relatively permanent, memory must include a mechanism for encoding episodic experiences into some appropriate format and later retrieving and recreating a reasonable approximation of the original "episode". Psychologists commonly call these processes "consolidation" and "recall" [8]. In this paper, we present two computable functions tht closely imitate these processes. Of necessity, we must posit a recording format. It will consist of a system of cycles which support very high information content and are, furthermore, commonly found as protein polymer structures within the membranes of all our cells.
Breast cancer survivorship: A model for risk assessment and follow-up care.

e21576Background: Over 3.1 million women in the U.S. have a history of invasive breast cancer. National accreditation standards require development and delivery of a survivorship care plan (SCP), b...
Biofidelic conductive soft tissue surrogates

Surrogates which can simulate the biomechanical behavior of soft tissues and exhibit electrical properties, are critical for development of biomedical devices and wearable technologies, for collect...
Disparities in outcomes of patients admitted with diabetic foot infections

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the disparities in the outcomes of White, African American (AA) and non-AA minority (Hispanics and Native Americans (NA)), patients admitted in the hospitals with diabetic foot infections (DFIs). Research design and methods The HCUP-Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002 to 2015) was queried to identify patients who were admitted to the hospital for management of DFI using ICD-9 codes. Outcomes evaluated included minor and major amputations, open or endovascular revascularization, and hospital length of stay (LOS). Incidence for amputation and open or endovascular revascularization were evaluated over the study period. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to assess the association between race/ethnicity and outcomes. Results There were 150,701 admissions for DFI, including 98,361 Whites, 24,583 AAs, 24,472 Hispanics, and 1,654 Native Americans (NAs) in the study cohort. Overall, 45,278 (30%) underwent a minor amputation, 9,039 (6%) underwent a major amputation, 3,151 underwent an open bypass, and 8,689 had an endovascular procedure. There was a decreasing incidence in major amputations and an increasing incidence of minor amputations over the study period (P < .05). The risks for major amputation were significantly higher (all p<0.05) for AA (OR 1.4, 95%CI 1.4,1.5), Hispanic (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.3,1.4), and NA (OR 1.5, 95%CI 1.2,1.8) patients with DFIs compared to White patients. Hispanics (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.2,1.5) and AAs (OR 1.2, 95%CI 1.1,1.4) were more likely to receive endovascular intervention or open bypass than Whites (all p<0.05). NA patients with DFI were less likely to receive a revascularization procedure (OR 0.6, 95%CI 0.3, 0.9, p = 0.03) than Whites. The mean hospital length of stay (LOS) was significantly longer for AAs (9.2 days) and Hispanics (8.6 days) with DFIs compared to Whites (8.1 days, p<0.001). Conclusion Despite a consistent incidence reduction of amputation over the past decade, racial and ethnic minorities including African American, Hispanic, and Native American patients admitted to hospitals with DFIs have a consistently significantly higher risk of major amputation and longer hospital length of stay than their White counterparts. Native Americans were less likely to receive revascularization procedures compared to other minorities despite exhibiting an elevated risk of an amputation. Further study is required to address and limit racial and ethnic disparities and to further promote equity in the treatment and outcomes of these at-risk patients.
MRI and MRS of Intact Perfused Cancer Cell Metabolism, Invasion, and Stromal Cell Interactions

Because of the spatial and temporal heterogeneities of cancers, technologies to investigate cancer cells and the consequences of their interactions with abnormal physiological environments, such as hypoxia and acidic extracellular pH, with stromal cells, and with the extracellular matrix, under controlled conditions, are valuable to gain insights into the functioning of cancers. These insights can lead to an understanding of why cancers invade and metastasize, and identify effective treatment strategies. Here we have provided an overview of the applications of MRI/MRS/MRSI to investigate intact perfused cancer cells, their metabolism and invasion, and their interactions with stromal cells and the extracellular matrix.
Structural basis of transcriptional regulation by the HigA antitoxin.

Bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems are important factors implicated in growth inhibition and plasmid maintenance. Type II toxin-antitoxin pairs are regulated at the transcriptional level by the antitoxin itself. Here, we examined how the HigA antitoxin regulates the expression of the Proteus vulgaris higBA toxin-antitoxin operon from the Rts1 plasmid. The HigBA complex adopts a unique architecture suggesting differences in its regulation as compared to classical type II toxin-antitoxin systems. We find that the C-terminus of the HigA antitoxin is required for dimerization and transcriptional repression. Further, the HigA structure reveals that the C terminus is ordered and does not transition between disorder-to-order states upon toxin binding. HigA residue Arg40 recognizes a TpG dinucleotide in higO2, an evolutionary conserved mode of recognition among prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription factors. Comparison of the HigBA and HigA-higO2 structures reveals the distance between helix-turn-helix motifs of each HigA monomer increases by ~4 A in order to bind to higO2. Consistent with these data, HigBA binding to each operator is twofold less tight than HigA alone. Together, these data show the HigB toxin does not act as a co-repressor suggesting potential novel regulation in this toxin-antitoxin system.
Accurate imaging of hydraulic fractures using templated electrical resistivity tomography

Abstract Hydraulic fracturing has proven to be an essential technique for enhancing oil, gas and heat recovery from subsurface reservoirs. Accurate characterization of stimulated hydraulic fractures has significant scientific and practical value but remains practically challenging. We propose a novel templated electrical resistivity tomography (TERT) method to estimate both the extents and aperture of a hydraulic fracture through two key innovations. First, unlike the traditional ERT methods which image the perturbed electrical resistivity field, TERT images the perturbation to the smooth background field, where the perturbation is a planar feature caused by the hydraulic fracture in a 3D space. Second, we maximize the use of a priori information of the fracture and minimize the parameter space by using geometric templates to characterize the fracture. A hypothetical elliptical fracture in a 3D model as well as a field-scale hydraulic fracture corresponding to a typical reservoir stimulation scenario are successfully imaged with TERT.
Potential of γ — γ — γ Triple Directional Correlation Studies in Radioactive Decay

The theory for both double and triple directional correlations has been well known for years1). Gamma — gamma directional correlations have been long used for the determination of nuclear spins and the multiple admixture of transitions. While γ-γ-γ directional correlations also are sensitive to these same parameters, this technique has been little used. However, triple angular correlations in nuclear reactions have been an important tool for determining spins and gamma — ray radiative admixtures. In these one or two of the three events are gamma rays. The success of this tool led to the recent suggestion2) that the triple angular correlation between three gamma rays from radioactive nuclei should be explored as a method for providing information on spins and radiative admixtures where other methods have failed.
Variability in Palliative Care Use after Intracerebral Hemorrhage at US Hospitals: A Multilevel Analysis.

Background Palliative care (PC) is an essential component of comprehensive care of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). In the present study, we sought to characterize the variability of PC use after ICH among US hospitals. Methods ICH admissions from hospitals with at least 12 annual ICH cases were identified in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between 2008 and 2011. We used multilevel logistic regression modeling to estimate between-hospital variance in PC use. We calculated the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), proportional variance change, and median OR after accounting for individual-level and hospital-level covariates. Results Among 26,791 ICH admissions, 12.5% received PC (95% CI 11.5-13.5). Among the 629 included hospitals, the median rate of PC use was 9.1 (interquartile range 1.5-19.3) per 100 ICH admissions, and 150 (23.9%) hospitals had no recorded PC use. The ICC of the random intercept (null) model was 0.274, suggesting that 27.4% of the overall variability in PC use was due to between-hospital variability. Adding hospital-level covariates to the model accounted for 25.8% of the between-hospital variance observed in the null model, with 74.2% of between-hospital variance remaining unexplained. The median OR of the fully adjusted model was 2.62 (95% CI 2.41-2.89), indicating that a patient moving from 1 hospital to another with a higher intrinsic propensity of PC use had a 2.63-fold median increase in the odds of receiving PC, independent of patient and hospital factors. Conclusions Substantial variation in PC use after ICH exists among US hospitals. A substantial proportion of this between-hospital variability remains unexplained even after accounting for patient and hospital characteristics.
A systematic review of interventions for loneliness among older adults living in long-term care facilities.

This study aimed to review loneliness interventions for older adults living in long-term care (LTC) facilities over the past 10 years, to categorize interventions by type, and to compare effectiven...
Effects of treated urban wastewater irrigation on bioenergy sorghum and soil quality

Abstract Prolonged drought in arid west Texas has resulted in freshwater scarcities in the Rio Grande basin, forcing growers to abandon agricultural lands. Augmenting freshwater scarcities with marginal quality treated urban wastewater could be an alternative strategy. However, higher salinity in wastewater could be detrimental to crops and soil quality. Therefore, developing information on crops that are salt tolerant and less water-intensive is important to sustain agriculture in this region. Sorghum is both drought and salt-tolerant and could potentially provide revenue due to increasing demand for its lignocellulosic biomass in biofuel industry. This two-year field study evaluated (i) the performance of bioenergy sorghum under wastewater irrigation in terms of its biomass yield potential and biomass quality relative to freshwater irrigation and (ii) wastewater irrigation effects on rootzone soil quality including soil salinity and sodicity. A split-plot experimental design was used with water type (fresh and wastewater) as the main-plot and soil amendments (non-amended and gypsum + sulfur) as the subplot factors. Results show that sorghum biomass yields were not significantly different between fresh and wastewaters in any of the years. Differences in biomass quality were observed overtime but as an indirect consequence of increased soil salinity and/or sodicity after wastewater irrigation. Soil quality changes were apparent with salinity and sodicity increasing over time with irrigation, but this effect was pronounced under wastewater irrigation. Application of gypsum and sulfur was able to significantly reduce soil sodicity, especially in wastewater irrigated plots. The results from this study highlight that treated wastewater can be successfully used to grow bioenergy sorghum in arid regions. However, appropriate soil management practices should be in place to counter the effects of high sodium in wastewater. These results have important implications in diversifying cropping pattern in this region while also help extend freshwater supplies through increased reuse of treated urban wastewater.
Rising Tides and Rearranging Deckchairs: How Climate Change is Reshaping Infrastructure Finance and Threatening to Sink Municipal Budgets

The United States relies upon state and local governments to build, operate, maintain, and pay for most non-defense-related public infrastructure. State and local governments, in turn, rely upon the municipal bond market to raise capital for infrastructure projects. Climate change threatens to upend this system. As extreme storms and other climate change impacts become more frequent and more intense, state and local governments are facing mounting infrastructure-related mitigation, adaption, and resiliency planning costs. Mindful of these developments, Wall Street has begun to take climate risk into account in credit rating determinations and municipal bond pricing, making it harder and more expensive for some state and local governments to raise capital to meet infrastructure needs. These developments threaten the underpinnings of the current system of infrastructure finance, as well as public health, safety, and welfare, nationwide. This Article examines the risks, costs, and consequences of relying upon state and local governments to bear the financial burdens of public infrastructure at a time of increasing climate risk, and suggests strategies for strengthening infrastructure finance systems in the face of climate change.
Revealing Sintering Kinetics of MoS2-Supported Metal Nanocatalysts in Atmospheric Gas Environments via Operando Transmission Electron Microscopy.

The decoration of two-dimensional (2D) substrates with nanoparticles (NPs) serve as heterostructures for various catalysis applications. Deep understanding of catalyst degradation mechanisms during...
Differing Affinities of Gold Nanostars and Nanospheres toward HeLa and HepG2 Cells: Implications for Cancer Therapy

Gold nanoparticles have potential applications for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases due to their optical, sensing, and biological properties. Gold nanoparticles can be used as nanocarriers f...
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INJURY AND SPORTS SPECIALIZATION AMONG FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

Background:Volleyball participation has increased and unlike other team sports, its popularity among high school girls continues to grow. With its rise in popularity, the number of girls playing cl...
Hirschsprung’s Disease

Hirschsprung’s disease (HSCR) is a birth defect resulting from developmental failure of the distal enteric nervous system. It is a leading cause of congenital intestinal obstruction and can be lethal if not treated in the neonatal period. It occurs in a monogenic syndromic form (with a single gene disorder in which HSCR is associated) and in a nonsyndromic, multigenic form with sex-dependent penetrance and variable expression. A single, common mutation within an enhancer sequence of the RET membrane receptor plays a pivotal role in HSCR susceptibility in both syndromic and nonsyndromic forms of the disease. Expression of the phenotype in the presence of this Ret mutation is modified by the presence of mutations in other genes, particularly the endothelin-B receptor. The genetics of nonsyndromic and several syndromic forms of HSCR are discussed.
What They Want - Caregiver and Patient Immobilization Preferences for Pediatric Buckle Fractures of the Wrist.

Background Recent literature supports minimalist approaches such as splinting for pediatric buckle fractures of the wrist. Uptake of this practice, however, has lagged behind the evidence. Barriers to implementation of this strategy necessitate further investigation, and caregiver and patient preferences represent an obstacle that has not been previously evaluated. This study sought to examine caregiver and patient treatment preferences and factors influencing care decisions for buckle fractures of the wrist. We hypothesized that the majority of caregivers and patients prefer cast immobilization for buckle fractures of the wrist. Methods A 22-item caregiver survey was created to assess demographics, treatment preferences and influential factors. The survey was completed by a convenience sample of caregivers presenting with patients of any diagnosis to our pediatric orthopaedic clinic. Results 297 surveys were collected predominantly from mothers (81.2%) caring for 2.4 (SD 1.3) children. Forty-one percent had previously cared for a child with a fracture. Caregivers accompanied patients who were 9.0+/-5.0-years-old, 34% of whom were actively being treated for an orthopaedic injury. Caregiver immobilization preferences for buckle fractures of the wrist were: no preference (43.1%), cast (32.3%) and splint (24.6%). The doctor's recommendation was the most influential factor on this decision while the child's gender was the least of the factors assessed. Those who rated treatment durability and child's activity level higher were associated with a preference for casting, while those who rated comfort higher were associated with a preference for splinting. Discussion This study is the first to characterize caregiver preferences regarding immobilization devices in the realm of buckle fractures of the wrist. Findings identified that preferences are mixed, with the interest in casting being less than anticipated. Factors influencing caregiver preference include the doctor's recommendation, durability, the patient's activity level, and comfort. Findings can help guide treatment discussions for providers seeking to implement splint-based immobilization strategies.Level of Evidence: III.
Diabetes SPECIAL (Students Providing Education on Chronic Illness and Lifestyle): a novel preclinical medical student elective.

BACKGROUND Traditional medical student curricula limit substantial clinical experiences until the third and fourth years of medical school. This delay in valuable experiences hinders the ability of some medical students to choose a specialty to pursue, delays the formation of meaningful longitudinal mentorship relationships, and limits the development of important clinical acumen. Furthermore, the use of medical students in preclinical years may help to improve patient care and outcomes. APPROACH The novel preclinical Diabetes SPECIAL (Students Providing Education on Chronic Illness and Lifestyle) elective was designed to introduce first year medical students to the field of endocrinology, promote the development of a professional identity, improve medical student communication skills, and raise awareness of the complexities of managing patients living with diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, and novel to this experience, was to measure the impact of this elective on patient outcomes. EVALUATION Students attended patient appointments, communicated with their assigned patients regularly, relayed important health information to the attending endocrinologist, and attended monthly didactic sessions. The elective outcomes were evaluated via completed surveys by patients, students, and attending physicians as well as medical record review for pre- and post-elective hemoglobin A1C levels. REFLECTION Students, faculty, and patients who participated in this elective generally reported having a positive experience. Seven out of 10 patients had a reduction in their hemoglobin A1C levels. The outcomes from the pilot of this novel preclinical elective support the importance of early clinical exposure in medical student training and highlight potential positive impacts on both medical student education and patient outcomes.
Price Effects from the Merger of Agricultural Fertilizer Manufacturers Agrium and PotashCorp

In 2018, Agrium and PotashCorp merged to become the world’s largest manufacturer of potash, from which potassium is extracted for use as one of the three main nutrients in agricultural fertilizer. The merged firm held a 60 percent share of North American capacity, suggesting the merger may have been close to the enforcement margin. This paper studies the effects of the merger on North American potash prices relative to offshore prices and other crop nutrients. The evidence does not indicate that the firms were able to impose an anti-competitive price increase in the wake of the merger.
36344 Effect of CHRNA5 genetic variation and smoking on alcohol related phenotypes in healthy adult drinkers

ABSTRACT IMPACT: Understanding the influence of genetic variation and smoking on alcohol consumption helps in improving the treatment strategies for alcohol addiction OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Variation in the nicotinic receptor gene CHRNA5 (rs16969968) is associated with nicotine use and dependence, however its role in alcohol consumption is unclear. This study examined the effects of rs16969968 and smoking on alcohol related phenotypes in people without alcohol use disorder (AUD). METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The study included 1,037 healthy adult drinkers without AUD (201 smokers, 836 non-smokers). A subset (n=161) participated in an Intravenous Alcohol Self-Administration (IV-ASA) laboratory session. Alcohol-related measures included Timeline Followback (TLFB), which measures drinking quantity and frequency in the past 90 days, and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), which measures alcohol use and consequences. IV-ASA measures included average and peak breath alcohol concentration (BrAC). The effect of rs16969968 was tested using a dominant model based on the presence of the A allele, and the influence of the rs16969968 polymorphism and smoking on alcohol phenotypes was assessed using t-tests and two-way ANOVA. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: There was a main effect of rs16969968 genotype with A-allele carriers (AA/AG) showing higher AUDIT-Dependence scores compared to the GG group. A main effect of smoking was observed on all the TLFB and AUDIT measures, with smokers showing greater alcohol consumption and problems compared to non-smokers. In the rs16969968 AA/AG group, smokers reported significantly more drinking days (p<0.0001), and greater number of drinks (p<0.0001), as well as higher AUDIT scores than non-smokers. IV-ASA measures did not show any difference between genotype groups or between smokers and non-smokers. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: This study identifies both independent and interactive effects of CHRNA5 gene variation and smoking on alcohol drinking measures and provides strong evidence for the effect of smoking on alcohol drinking and its consequences.
Bounds on R(D) for an AR(1) Gaussian source with parameter uncertainty

The rate distortion theory of Gaussian autoregressive (AR) sources is relatively well understood. However it is often the case that we do not know the exact parameters of the AR source parameters. The present authors are interested in obtaining upper and lower bounds on the rate distortion function R(D) for a Gaussian AR(1) source subject to the mean square error fidelity criterion for a given range of model parameter uncertainty. >
The effect of altering the ambient salinity of the freshwater teleost Xiphophorus maculatus on the histophysiology of its prolactin cells. II. Initiation of synthetic activity in fresh water after exposure to one-third sea water for 21 and 30 days.

Abstract The freshwater teleost, Xiphophorus maculatus (the platyfish) was placed into dilute ( 1 3 ) sea water for 21 or 30 days, and then returned to fresh water. There were no differences in the morphology of prolactin cells from fish in dilute sea water after both time periods. Recovery of synthetic activity and accumulation of secretory material was evident by 4 hr after a return to fresh water from 21 days in one-third sea water. In contrast, after 30 days in the saline medium it took 24–48 hr before autoradiographic and cytologic evidence of synthetic activity was detected. The results suggest that there is a critical period between 21 and 30 days in one-third sea water in which the environment exerts a marked effect on the physiology of the prolactin cells.
Key Physical Properties of Smelter Grade Alumina

The properties of Smelter Grade Alumina, SGA, vary from refinery to refinery, and they also vary over time. Some physical properties, such as high fines content, have the potential to impact key smelting performance indicators more than others. These may affect production efficiency as well as environmental performance. Often the barriers to optimal performance have as much to do with the equipment that is used to handle alumina, its layout, and how alumina inventories are managed, as with the physical properties of SGA. In this paper the author offers insights into which parameters are key focal points; for the properties of SGA, and upon handling equipment & methods.
Geometric analysis of continuous, planar shapes

We propose two differential geometric representations of planar shapes using: (i) direction functions and (ii) curvature functions, of their boundaries. Under either representation, planar shapes are treated as elements of infinite-dimensional shape spaces. Pairwise differences between the shapes are quantified using the lengths of geodesics connecting them on the shape spaces. We specify the geometry of the two shape spaces and utilize numerical methods for finding geodesics on them. Some applications of this shape analysis are illustrated including: (i) interpolation between shapes, (ii) clustering of objects according to their shapes, and (iii) computation of intrinsic mean shapes.
Book-Buying Through Interlibrary Loan: Analysis of the First Eight Years at a Large Public University Library

Purchasing recently published books rather than requesting them through interlibrary loan provides rapid service to patrons and builds the collection with relevant materials that circulate at least as much as books purchased through traditional methods. This article is a case study of how Joyner Library at East Carolina University has used interlibrary loan to purchase requested titles from 2006 through 2014 and provides an analysis of the results. The mechanics, changes, and successes along the way of the eight years of the service are discussed.
What is the role of hydrogen peroxide in plant peroxisomes

Plant peroxisomes are unusual subcellular compartments with an apparent simple morphology but with complex metabolic activity. The presence of signal molecules, such as hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and nitric oxide inside plant peroxisomes have added new functions in the cross-talk events among organelles and cells under physiological and stress conditions. Moreover, recent advances in proteomic analyses of plant peroxisomes have identified new protein candidates involved in several novel metabolic pathways. With all these new data, the present concise manuscript will focus on the relevance of the peroxisomal H(2)O(2) and its two main antioxidant enzymes, catalase and membrane-bound ascorbate peroxidase, which regulate its level and consequently its potential functions.
How cooks navigate nutrition, hunger and care in public-sector foodservice settings.

Objective To examine the perspectives and practices of cooks responsible for carrying out healthy meal programmes in publicly funded foodservice, in order to better understand what they consider to be ‘good’ food and where nutrition and nutritional standards fit into this conceptualization. Design A qualitative, exploratory study involving in-depth interviews that were conducted with cooks and their supervisors about their work practices and perspectives on providing healthy food for clients. Setting Participants were recruited from child-care, after-school, senior-centre and shelter settings that had participated in healthy menu training in New York City, USA. Subjects Eighteen cooks and nine supervisors working in the aforementioned settings. Results The views and practices of both cooks and supervisors about what constitutes ‘good’ food extend beyond a purely nutritional view of goodness to include the importance of addressing hunger and clients’ food preferences, among other factors. Cooks address these by interacting with clients and altering recipes and menus in a range of ways to maximize the likelihood of food consumption and enjoyment. These approaches are often, but not always, compatible with setting-specific nutritional guidelines that may be set at the national, state, local or organizational level. Conclusions Cooks play a key role in translating nutritional guidelines into what is served. In doing so, they engage in skilled labour and forms of care that increase the ability of public-sector foodservice to address food security and other goals, but these aspects of their work are not widely recognized.
Cyclic nucleotide binding and protein kinase in the central nervous system of Galleria mellonella (L.).

The binding of cyclic AMP, IMP and GMP by the central nervous system of Galleria mellonella was studied. The Km for cyclic AMP was 1 · 10−7 and that for cyclic GMP 1 · 10−8. The results suggest a different binding protein and cyclic nucleotide-stimulated protein kinase for each of these nucleotides. In addition a cyclic IMP-dependent protein kinase may also be present.
Multiple derivative terms in phenomenological lagrangians

Abstract In general the metric defining the partition functions is not known for lagrangians with more than single derivatives of fields. For phenomenological lagrangians, where such terms need to be included, the measure can be chosen to be simply the group invariant measure for the internal symmetries present. This result does not apply to theories with auxiliary conditions restricting the set of physical states.
Onset of convection in shallow cylindrical containers

This paper considers the onset of convection in shallow cylindrical containers heated from below where the boundary which forms the cross–section of the cylinder is of arbitrary shape. The lateral dimensions of the boundary are assumed to be much larger than the characteristic wavelength of convection, allowing use of the methods of multiple scales and matched asymptotic expansions. A theory is constructed which describes a local onset of convection consisting of rolls confined to the neighbourhood of the diameter of the boundary (that is, the chord of maximum length that spans the boundary). Use of a Fourier transformation allows the curvature of both the boundary and the resulting roll pattern to be taken into account within a weakly nonlinear framework. Explicit solutions are obtained for the limiting case where the boundary curvature is large. Certain features of the nonlinear development of the roll pattern and the manner in which it spreads to other parts of the domain are discussed with reference to particular geometries. The results suggest that the pattern evolves in a way that maximizes the area of convection. One implication of the theory is that the onset of convection in shallow rectangular containers does not occur in the form of rolls parallel to the shorter sides.
Disparities in HIV treatment and physician attitudes about delaying protease inhibitors for nonadherent patients.

BACKGROUND: Current HIV treatment guidelines recommend delaying antiretroviral therapy for nonadherent patients, which some fear may disproportionately affect certain populations and contribute to disparities in care.
Genome-wide linkage in Utah autism pedigrees.

Genetic studies of autism over the past decade suggest a complex landscape of multiple genes. In the face of this heterogeneity, studies that include large extended pedigrees may offer valuable insight, as the relatively few susceptibility genes within single large families may be more easily discerned. This genome-wide screen of 70 families includes 20 large extended pedigrees of 6–9 generations, 6 moderate-sized families of 4–5 generations, and 44 smaller families of 2–3 generations. The Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR) provided genotyping using the Illumina Linkage Panel 12, a 6K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) platform. Results from 192 subjects with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and 461 of their relatives revealed genome-wide significance on chromosome 15q, with three possibly distinct peaks: 15q13.1-q14 (HLOD=4.09 at 29,459,872bp); 15q14-q21.1 (HLOD=3.59 at 36,837,208bp); and 15q21.1-q22.2 (HLOD=5.31 at 55,629,733bp). Two of these peaks replicate previous findings. There were additional suggestive results on chromosomes 2p25.3-p24.1 (HLOD=1.87), 7q31.31-q32.3 (HLOD=1.97), and 13q12.11-q12.3 (HLOD=1.93). Affected subjects in families supporting the linkage peaks found in this study did not reveal strong evidence for distinct phenotypic subgroups.
Combining Statistical Techniques with Economic Theory for Commodity Forecasting

R ESEARCH IN PRICE forecasting has attracted the attention of professional economists, but, by and large, such research has contributed little to practical decision making. Two basic reasons can be cited for this failure. First, price researchers have failed to define clearly specific real world problems of importance and to identify alternative solutions before undertaking analyses. Second, the preoccupation with estimating demand and supply relationships and interpreting their practical significance in terms of flexibilities or elasticities has led only incidentally to useful price forecasting. In finding solutions for structural systems rather than solutions to specific management problems there is a tendency to:
Localized Electrodeposition and Patterning Using Bipolar Electrochemistry

Microscopic, spatially controlled, and highly efficient bipolar electrochemistry can be performed on an electrically-floating macroscopic conductive substrate using a tool we call the Scanning Bipolar Cell (SBC). The operating principle for the SBC is that current follows the path of least resistance. A high ohmic potential drop can be generated in the electrolyte adjacent to the conductive substrate by using a moderate conductivity electrolyte with a microjet cell geometry, inducing localized charge transfer on the substrate beneath the microjet. The equal and opposite redox chemistry necessary for sustained bipolar electrochemistry is spread over the macroscopic far-field of the floating conductive substrate. We combine experiments and finite element simulations to demonstrate this system using reversible copper redox chemistry. Bipolar electrochemical coupling to the surface can be highly efficient in the SBC and is governed by the balance of interfacial charge transfer and solution ohmic resistances, as characterized by the Wagner number of the system. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by ECS. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 License (CC BY-NC-ND, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is not changed in any way and is properly cited. For permission for commercial reuse, please email: oa@electrochem.org. [DOI: 10.1149/2.1031504jes] All rights reserved.
Catalysis of the graphite-water vapor reaction by alkaline earth salts

Abstract The kinetics of the gasification of graphite by water vapor have been found to be strongly influenced by the presence of salts of the Group IIA alkaline earth metals. Ba and Sr impurities were the most active catalysts, whereas Ca and Mg additives were much less effective. For a series of Ba salts the activity was in the order: carbonate > nitrate > oxide > chloride > sulfate. The catalytic mechanism appears to involve a carbonate-oxide oxidation-reduction cycle.
Generalization of Karmarkar's algorithm to convex homogeneous functions

Let @f be a convex homogeneous function of degree K > 0 defined over the positive points of a subspace W of R^n, n >= 2. Assume @f(x) > 0 for some 0 0, there exists 0 ^1^/^n. Karmarkar's algorithm proves the above for the special case where @f is linear.