cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decadal trends in aerosol chemical composition at Barrow, Alaska: 1976–2008

Abstract. Aerosol measurements at Barrow, Alaska during the past 30 years have identified the long range transport of pollution associated with Arctic Haze as well as ocean-derived aerosols of more local origin. Here, we focus on measurements of aerosol chemical composition to assess (1) trends in Arctic Haze aerosol and implications for source regions, (2) the interaction between pollution-derived and ocean-derived aerosols and the resulting impacts on the chemistry of the Arctic boundary layer, and (3) the response of aerosols to a changing climate. Aerosol chemical composition measured at Barrow, AK during the Arctic haze season is compared for the years 1976–1977 and 1997–2008. Based on these two data sets, concentrations of non-sea salt (nss) sulfate (SO4=) and non-crustal (nc) vanadium (V) have decreased by about 60% over this 30 year period. Consistency in the ratios of nss SO4=/ncV and nc manganese (Mn)/ncV between the two data sets indicates that, although emissions have decreased in the source regions, the source regions have remained the same over this time period. The measurements from 1997–2008 indicate that, during the haze season, the nss SO4= aerosol at Barrow is becoming less neutralized by ammonium (NH4+) yielding an increasing sea salt aerosol chloride (Cl−) deficit. The expected consequence is an increase in the release of Cl atoms to the atmosphere and a change in the lifetime of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including methane. In addition, summertime concentrations of biogenically-derived methanesulfonate (MSA−) and nss SO4= are increasing at a rate of 12 and 8% per year, respectively. Further research is required to assess the environmental factors behind the increasing concentrations of biogenic aerosol.
Perspectives in Household Air Pollution Research: Who Will Benefit from Interventions?

Household air pollution from solid fuel combustion in inefficient and poorly vented cookstoves is estimated to be responsible for 3.9 million premature deaths per year and 4.8 % of the global burden of disease, making it the third leading risk factor for morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite increasing recognition surrounding this global environmental health problem, much remains to be elucidated regarding exposure response relationships, particularly among potentially susceptible population subgroups. Given that many of the communities most affected by household air pollution exposures also experience elevated exposures to poverty, psychosocial stressors, other environmental pollutants, and comorbid conditions, research needs to correctly specify risks due to these potentially interacting risk factors. Although suggestive evidence exists for differential improvements in health following reductions in ambient air pollution concentrations among specific subgroups, the question remains as to who will benefit and to what extent from efforts to reduce exposures to emissions from household solid fuel combustion. The ability to know what to expect from cookstove interventions and to accurately describe the presence of distinct subgroup responses is crucial to reduce uncertainty and to encourage policy makers to enact change.
Analysis of nitrogen solubility in austenitic Fe-Cr and Fe-Ni alloys

An evaluation of nitrogen solubility data from previous studies in the binary Fe-Cr and Fe-Ni systems was performed. When these data were treated and cast into log f N vs % X (X=Cr, Ni) plots, they revealed that the isothermal nitrogen contents of several Fe-Cr alloys at 101 kPa nitrogen pressure increase with rising chromium level, but, at a given percentage of chromium, decline with temperature rise from 1373 to 1473 K. A decrease in nitrogen content with rising nickel level was observed for a series of Fe-Ni alloys. This information along with the nitrogen content of solid pure iron will be useful in permitting predictions of dissolved nitrogen contents in ternary Fe-Cr alloys
Electromigration and failure in electronics: An introduction

Some fundamental aspects of electromigration phenomena as they have been studied in "bulk" metallic conductors are reviewed. In an electric field atoms are subjected to a force due to the field, and to a force which results from the motion of electrical carriers, electrons, or holes. In bulk samples, and at high temperatures, these forces cause the displacement of atoms by a lattice mechanism which is also responsible for the diffusion of atoms in a concentration gradient. In thin films, electromigration has been found to occur at lower temperatures (and higher current densities) by a grain boundary diffusion mechanism. Electromigration may cause failures at material discontinuities, such as found at terminals, at temperature gradients, or at structural inhomogeneities. The process of crack formation, as observed in aluminum thin films, is described. Failure times are a function of the activation energy for diffusion and of exponents of the current density which vary for different failure modes. The effects of film purity, orientation, grain size, glass overcoat, and solute additions on lifetime are reviewed. Practical guidelines for the design of thin-film interconnections, and for the interpretation of accelerated test data are given.
Accounting Chairpersons Compare Distance Learning Delivery Methodologies

Distance learning delivery methodologies have evolved over the last 100, or so, years since the educational paradigm was formally used in American higher education. Several different approaches to distance learning, where the student is in a location remote from their instructor, have been used. During the decade of the 90s developments in technology offered new delivery vehicles for distance learning and terms like “interactive television” “E mail,” and “Internet courses” have been added to the academic lexicon. Internet courses, where the interaction between faculty and student occurs primarily over the Internet, represent a substantial departure from the traditional learning model.
Flood Routing in an Irregular Channel

The movement of flood waves in rivers is governed by the equations of continuity and momentum. Because these are partial differential equations of the hyperbolic class, they may be converted into a...
A morphometric analysis of Hedera L. (the ivy genus, Araliaceae) and its taxonomic implications

Cette etude evalue les schemas de ressemblance morphologique au sein du genre Hedera (les Lierres, Araliaceae). Des analyses de classification hierarchique et en composantes principales revelent l'existence de deux groupements qui correspondent aux especes a trichomes stelles et a celles a trichomes en forme d'ecaille. Les caracteres utilises traditionnellement pour delimiter les taxons du genre Hedera sont evalues. Les analyses morphometriques montrent que les principaux caracteres utilises pour delimiter les taxons a trichomes en forme d'ecaille sont : 1) nombre de lobes foliaires, 2) longueur du lobe median, 3) rapport entre le diametre de la partie centrale du trichome et son diametre total, et 4) largeur totale de la feuille. Les principaux caracteres utilises pour delimiter les taxons a trichomes stelles sont : 1) profondeur du sinus foliaire, 2) longueur des lobes foliaires, 3) largeur du lobe median, 4) nombre des lobes, et 5) emplacement des trichomes. Hedera maderensis K. Koch ex Rutherford subsp. iberica McAllister, recemment decrit, est morphologiquement tres distinct de la sous-espece typique, conformement aux donnees fournies par l'etude de l'ADN chloroplastique et de l'ADN ribosomal nucleaire indiquant l'origine independante des deux taxons. Hedera iberica (McAllister) Ackerfield & J. Wen est reconnu au niveau specifique. Une cle des taxons de Hedera est fournie pour faciliter l'identification du materiel appartenant a ce complexe.
The Transition to Adulthood: Life Course Structures and Subjective Perceptions

We examine the relationships between objective life course structures and the subjective sense of timing of adult roles and acquisition of adult identity. Hierarchical latent class analysis is applied to longitudinal data from the Youth Development Study, describing roles related to school, work, family formation, and living arrangements from age 17 to 30. The transition to adulthood in this cohort is well-represented by five pathways probabilistically mapping the timing and sequencing of these roles and their configurations. Three pathways are characterized by a school-to-work transition with on-time, delayed, or negligible family formation. The remaining pathways involve early parenthood with either a partner and stable full-time work or the lack of a partner and low labor force attachment. We then show that the subjective sense of timing with respect to certain adult roles and adult identity acquisition is empirically tied to these life course structures.
EMS perspectives on coping with child death in an out-of-hospital setting

ABSTRACTTo understand the ways that EMS providers cope with pediatric death in an out-of-hospital setting, eight focus groups were conducted with 98 urban, rural, and suburban EMS providers. Sixty-eight of the participants also completed a short questionnaire about a specific event. In both the focus groups and questionnaire, participants were asked how they individually coped with the death, how they coped as a team, and what coping strategies were most and least helpful. Specific coping strategies were found to be helpful to EMS providers, and could be classified as Solve, Solace, Dismiss, and Escape based on whether they approached or avoided the problem or the emotion.
The Economics of Mandatory Fair Trade

IN RULING that mandatory fair trade in New York State's liquor industry was unconstitutional, the State Appellate Court has indicated that in its opinion it was the legislature's function "to determine fundamental matters of policy such as whether or not there should be mandatory price-fixing in the sale of intoxicating liquors."' This legal reversal for fair trade is one of several in which various state courts have recently questioned the constitutionality of such legislation, particularly in its mandatory form.2 Supporters of these laws are now seeking to reestablish the status quo ante either by appealing to higher courts or by securing new legislation less vulnerable to legal attack. If the adverse decision in New York is upheld by the Court of Appeals, and informed opinion in the industry is inclined to believe that
Is there a relation between student lecture attendance and clinical science subject examination score

Objective To determine whether there is a relation between lecture attendance and factual knowledge of obstetrics and gynecology, as measured by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) clinical science subject examination. Methods We analyzed data on 197 students completing 8-week obstetrics and gynecology rotations from July 1, 1991 to June 30, 1992. Each student was expected to attend a weekly lecture series, and each completed the NBME clinical science subject examination at the end of the clerkship. Student attendance and board scores were correlated at the end of the academic year overall and by subgroups. Scores in the top and bottom 15% were defined as good and poor performance, respectively. Results A negative correlation (r = -0.1738, P = .0146) was found between percent absence and examination score. The odds ratio for poor performance was 5.48 (95% confidence interval 1.3-26.5; P = .015) for the subgroup of students with more than 30% absence compared to those without absences. Odds ratios for scoring in the upper 15th percentile were not significant. Conclusions The negative correlation and the high odds ratio for poor performance suggest the value of monitoring attendance and identifying students at risk for poor performance (more than 30% absence). Lower absence rates did not predict performance.
Studies on prolonged acute regional ischemia. V: Metabolic support of remote myocardium during left ventricular power failure

This study tests the hypothesis that metabolic support of remote “nonischemic” myocardium during acute infarction will reverse the trend toward cardiogenic shock. Thirty-seven dogs underwent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 50% stenosis of the circumflex coronary artery. Irreversible ventricular fibrillation developed in 11 of them. The 26 survivors were observed for up to 6 hours; global and regional left ventricular function (cardiac index, stroke work index, ultrasonic crystals) and regional blood flow (radioactive microspheres) were measured. After 2 hours, eight dogs received an intravenous infusion of glutamate/aspartate, glucose-insulin-potassium, coenzyme Q10, and 2-mercapto-propionylglycine for 4 hours. Five dogs received the mannitol infusion to raise serum osmolarity 30 mOsm. Four additional dogs received the intravenous substrate infusions over 4 hours without undergoing ischemia. The substrate infusion for 4 hours caused no change in regional or global cardiac function in the four control dogs. Three of nine untreated dogs died of cardiogenic shock, and progressive left ventricular power failure occurred in the six others (40% decrease in cardiac index, 50% decrease in stroke work index, p
Phage Conversion and the Role of Bacteriophage and Host Functions in Regulation of Diphtheria Toxin Production by Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Corynebacterium diphtheriae is the etiologic agent of diphtheria. Toxinogenic isolates of C. diphtheriae produce diphtheria toxin, a protein that inhibits protein synthesis in susceptible eukaryotic cells, whereas nontoxinogenic isolates of C. diphtheriae do not produce diphtheria toxin. The characteristic local and systemic manifestations of diphtheria are caused by diphtheria toxin. The toxinogenic phenotype of C. diphtheriae is determined by temperate corynephages whose genomes carry the tox gene that encodes diphtheria toxin. Toxinogenesis in C. diphtheriae is a paradigm for phage conversion, defined as a change in the phenotype of a bacterial host resulting from infection by a bacteriophage. In C. diphtheriae, transcription of the phage gene tox is negatively regulated by the diphtheria toxin repressor (DtxR), a corynebacterial metalloregulatory protein that requires intracellular Fe2+ as a cofactor under physiological conditions. This repressor is the master global regulator of iron-dependent gene expression in C. diphtheriae, and it controls intracellular iron homeostasis in C. diphtheriae by repressing under high-iron growth conditions and derepressing under low-iron growth conditions the transcription of genes that are essential for function of its multiple iron-acquisition systems. Production of diphtheria toxin by C. diphtheriae, therefore, reflects complex interactions between the tox operon on a corynephage, the bacterial regulatory protein DtxR, and the intracellular Fe2+ level which controls activity of DtxR and is, in turn, determined both by bioavailability of iron in the extracellular environment and activity of multiple DtxR-regulated systems that contribute to iron assimilation by C. diphtheriae.
Very fast metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodectors on GaN with submicron finger width

We measured in time domain fast metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodetectors on GaN with sub-micrometer pitches. Results indicate a fixture-limited response of 26 ps at low illuminations. At higher illumination, space-charge screening is observed.
Lymphoid and plasma cell malignancies: asbestos-related disorders of long latency

We have identified 13 asbestos workers with lymphoplasmacytic neoplasms: six with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, four with IgG myeloma, two with IgA myeloma, and one with histiocytic lymphoma. The subjects' occupations were varied, but all had experienced protracted asbestos exposure (ranging from 3-37 years). Tumor latency periods were similar to other known asbestos-related malignancies and ranged from 16-41 years. Stigmata of asbestos-related pulmonary disease were evident in 12 subjects. Malignant pleural mesotheliomas co-existed with IgG myelomas in two individuals, an association which seems unlikely to be fortuitous. It has been speculated previously that asbestos may be a lymphoid system carcinogen. Our findings strongly support this view and indicate that patients presenting de novo with lymphoproliferative neoplasms should be investigated for previous occupational or environmental exposure to asbestos.
The Impact of the Flight Specifications on Semiconductor Failure Rates

The procurement, screen and burn-in, and field history of the semiconductor parts in the Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) is given. Both field failures and variability of performance through screen and burn-in are directly related to changes occurring in the parts manufacturer's facilities. The problems of developing and sustaining high reliability are discussed.
Novel Epstein-Barr virus-like particles incorporating gH/gL-EBNA1 or gB-LMP2 induce high neutralizing antibody titers and EBV-specific T-cell responses in immunized mice

Previous Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) prophylactic vaccines based on the major surface glycoprotein gp350/220 as an immunogen have failed to block viral infection in humans, suggesting a need to target other viral envelope glycoproteins. In this study, we reasoned that incorporating gH/gL or gB, critical glycoproteins for viral fusion and entry, on the surface of a virus-like particle (VLP) would be more immunogenic than gp350/220 for generating effective neutralizing antibodies to prevent viral infection of both epithelial and B cell lines. To boost the humoral response and trigger cell-mediated immunity, EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) and latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2), intracellular latency proteins expressed in all EBV-infected cells, were also included as critical components of the polyvalent EBV VLP. gH/gL-EBNA1 and gB-LMP2 VLPs were efficiently produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells, an FDA-approved vehicle for mass-production of biologics. Immunization with gH/gL-EBNA1 and gB-LMP2 VLPs without adjuvant generated both high neutralizing antibody titers in vitro and EBV-specific T-cell responses in BALB/c mice. These data demonstrate that will be invaluable not only in preventing EBV infection, but importantly, in preventing and treating the 200,000 cases of EBV-associated cancers that occur globally every year.
Using simulation games for teaching and learning discrete-event simulation

Capturing and retaining the attention of students while learning complex topics like modeling and simulation is a critical task. In discrete-event simulation (DES), educators rely on examples like queueing systems in fast food restaurants or manufacturing organizations to provide the necessary context for learning. In many instances, these examples fall short in capturing the attention of students, especially at the middle and high school levels. One approach for learning complex topics, like creating simulations, is through gaming. This paper reports on the creative use of regular simulation tools to develop simulation games with entertainment content aimed towards engaging young learners. Two games are presented: one focuses on the use of decision nodes while the second focuses on the use of batch/separator nodes. As part of future work, we propose to use these games to evaluate how much knowledge transfers from an entertainment context to one using simulations for real-life situations.
Lattice codes under imperfect channel state information

The performance of lattice coding and decoding for the ergodic fading point-to-point channel is studied in the presence of channel estimation errors at the receiver. We show that lattice codes achieve rates within a constant gap to that of Medard's scheme with Gaussian input. Interestingly, the gap does not depend on the channel estimation error variance nor the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), for a wide range of fading distributions. The proposed scheme uses nested lattice codes in conjunction with decision regions that are universal in the sense that they only depend on the channel distribution and not the channel realizations. In addition, we introduce the generalized Degrees-of-Freedom (GDoF) as a figure of merit for channels with imperfect channel state information. It is shown that lattice codes achieve the same GDoF as that of Medard's Gaussian-input scheme.
Does Polistes instabilis de Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) investment predict nest defense?

Vertebrates have played an important role in the evolution of social wasp defensive behaviors (Schmidt, 1982; Turillazi, 1984; Starr, 1985). While many have investigated the division of labor in wasp colonies, relatively few have looked at defensive behaviors (Jeanne, 1991; Jeanne and Keeping, 1995; O'Donnell et al, 1997; Smith et al, 2001). Defensive behaviors oi Polistes wasps can easily be observed and induced with a vertebrate predator mimic, due to their small colony size and simple, unenveloped nests. In Polistes fuscatus (Fab.), aggressiveness was positively correlated with presence in the nest of reproductive destined brood but not worker-destined brood (Judd, 1998). Judd inferred that reproductive brood were a form of direct reproductive investment and worker brood an indirect investment; thus reproductive brood should be defended more strongly. In this study, I simulated attacks with a bird model on colonies of tropical species, Polistes instabilis de Saus sure and compared the defensive behaviors with colony level characteristics. Specifically the proposition of Judd (Judd, 1998, 2000) was tested in that one would expect to find a strong relationship between aggressiveness and the amount of investment. This was accomplished by assessing the relationship between two behavioral responses and three colony characteristics that correspond to measures of investment: nest size, the number of pupae and the number of wasps present on the nest. Polistes instabilis is one of the most common species of Polistes in the dry forests along the western slope of tropical America from Mexico to Costa Rica (Richards, 1978).
Abstract 641: Effects of High Salt on the Sexual Dimorphism of Genes Encoding Epigenetic Chromatin Modification Enzymes in the Sprague-dawley Rat Kidney

Young female humans and animals are protected from the development of hypertension and related end-organ damage when compared to age-matched males. We recently showed that high salt (HS) worsened preexisting hypertension and renal injury to a greater extent in Sprague-Dawley (SD) male than female rats. It has been shown that epigenetic modifications can contribute to hypertension and that HS increases the correlation between histone and DNA modifications and gene expression. However, it remains unclear if HS diet is the leading cause of these epigenetic modifications, thereby increasing the predisposition to hypertension. We hypothesize that HS consumption exacerbates sex disparity in the expression of chromatin modification genes, explaining the gender disparity in the susceptibility to hypertension. To test this hypothesis we used SD rats (7±1 week of age), a model of non-sensitive salt hypertension to minimize the influence of genetic susceptibility. We determined the expression levels of chromatin modification genes in male and female rats and the effects of HS diet (8% NaCl for 2-weeks) on the epigenetic changes. We used cDNAs that were prepared from RNA samples extracted from kidney cortexes and PCR array to screen 84 rat epigenetic chromatin modification enzyme genes (RT 2 Profiler PCR Array, QIAGEN, Inc, Valencia, CA). Analysis of 9 genes ( Aof1, AurkA, AurkB, AurkC, Hdac9, Pak1, Setd6, Smyd3 and Suv420h2 ) showed different expression levels between sexes, and these were further altered by HS diet. Importantly, the histone deacetylase 9 ( Hdac9 ) gene was expressed significantly higher in the female controls compared to males (p Hdac9 has recently been reported to be associated with a high risk for hypertension. We concluded that in the rat kidney the expression of genes involved in histone modification is sexually dimorphic and these genes are differentially altered by HS diet. Thus, the epigenetic effects of HS consumption may help to explain the mechanisms underlying the sexual disparities in genetic susceptibility to diseases with complex environment-gene interaction, such as hypertension.
Neuronal and Neural-Population Mechanisms of Voluntary Visual-Spatial Attention

What neural mechanisms enable us to intentionally enhance visual perception at a specific location? Investigations using behavioral, neurophysiological, neuropharmacological, computational, neuroimaging, and electroencephalographic methods have revealed many ways in which visual processing is modulated by voluntary visual-spatial attention. Such modulatory effects include changes in single-neuron spike rates, specific neurotransmitter systems, normalization mechanisms, within-receptive-field input competition, fast-spiking inhibitory interneuron activity, and oscillations in neural excitability that facilitate synchronized neural responses. The goal of this chapter is to provide an integrative perspective on how these neural mechanisms work synergistically. Attention mechanisms concurrently operative at both neuronal and neural-population levels ultimately allow us to spatially highlight visual information under conditions ranging from low contrast to high contrast, small stimuli to large stimuli, and cluttered environments to sparse environments. Considering the neural mechanisms at many levels is key to developing a comprehensive understanding of attention and of its relation to perceptual awareness.
Prebankruptcy credit counseling

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 provided new requirements for bankruptcy filers and gave the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) new responsibility. Individual filers must now receive credit counseling during the 180 days before filing. USTP is charged with approving and reapproving counseling providers. This report examines steps USTP can take to develop measures of effectiveness of prebankruptcy credit counseling.
Quantal Risk Assessment Database: A Database for Exploring Patterns in Quantal Dose‐Response Data in Risk Assessment and its Application to Develop Priors for Bayesian Dose‐Response Analysis

Quantitative risk assessments for physical, chemical, biological, occupational, or environmental agents rely on scientific studies to support their conclusions. These studies often include relatively few observations, and, as a result, models used to characterize the risk may include large amounts of uncertainty. The motivation, development, and assessment of new methods for risk assessment is facilitated by the availability of a set of experimental studies that span a range of dose-response patterns that are observed in practice. We describe construction of such a historical database focusing on quantal data in chemical risk assessment, and we employ this database to develop priors in Bayesian analyses. The database is assembled from a variety of existing toxicological data sources and contains 733 separate quantal dose-response data sets. As an illustration of the database's use, prior distributions for individual model parameters in Bayesian dose-response analysis are constructed. Results indicate that including prior information based on curated historical data in quantitative risk assessments may help stabilize eventual point estimates, producing dose-response functions that are more stable and precisely estimated. These in turn produce potency estimates that share the same benefit. We are confident that quantitative risk analysts will find many other applications and issues to explore using this database.
Running as a Woman (or Man): A Review of Research on Political Communicators and Gender Stereotypes

Women gained the right to vote nearly 100 years ago, but it was not until 1980 that political scholars and practitioners began paying much attention to the role of women in elections and it was the so-called “Year of the Woman” in 1992 that sparked increased scholarly attention on women as political communicators. A record number of women, 117, ran for the U.S. Congress in 1992, but the number of women running and serving has been slow to increases since that time. One reason may be the unique challenges gender poses for female political communicators. Over three decades of research has proven gender stereotypes and expectations play a key role in how women (and men) communicate with voters. This review of research summarizes major findings and changes in gender and political communication research over the past three decades. Our focus is on communication by candidates and how gender shapes that communication. In all, 119 scholarly sources were reviewed; these sources included scholarly journals from related disciplines as well as books. Gender stereotypes in political communication have also been studied using a variety of methodologies, and to reflect that the research reviewed in this essay include both quantitative and qualitative methods. This summary of existing research includes a discussion of the gender stereotypes faced by candidates and how candidates present themselves to the public in light of these stereotypes.
Scattering from Melts of Combs and Bottlebrushes: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Theoretical Study

We use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to establish correlations between peak position in the static structure factor S(q) of combs and bottlebrushes in a melt and their architectural...
The longitudinal association between social status insecurity and relational aggression: Moderation effects of social cognition about relational aggression

Previous research has shown that adolescents' insecurity about their social status is related to their use of relational aggression. However, little is known about how adolescents' social cognition may moderate this association. Employing a mixed-method approach and a short-term longitudinal design, this study addresses this issue by examining the moderation effects of attribution and outcome expectancies regarding relational aggression on the associations between social status insecurity and relational aggression among 476 Chinese adolescents (238 girls). The main results showed that self-serving attributions and instrumental outcome expectancies strengthened the positive and longitudinal association between social status insecurity and self-reported relational aggression. The findings of this study enrich our knowledge about the social cognitive processes pertinent to peer status and relational aggression among adolescents.
Presentation and Management of Food Allergy in Breastfed Infants and Risks of Maternal Elimination Diets

Breastfeeding is currently recommended as the optimal source of nutrition to infants. However, there are several studies that have shown clinical IgE- and non–IgE-mediated reactions to foods in exclusively breastfeeding infants, specifically to cow's milk, egg, peanut, and fish. Literature suggests that antigenic food proteins present in human milk can be found in substantial enough amounts to elicit clinical reactions in some, already-sensitized infants, including anaphylaxis, eczema exacerbation, and non–IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food-allergic syndromes. Diagnosis of food allergy in a breastfed infant and identification of the trigger foods in the mother's diet can be especially challenging in infants with delayed symptoms, such as eczema and gastrointestinal symptoms. Management is further complicated in infants with atopic dermatitis, who have increased caloric needs and therefore in whom nutrition is an extremely important factor for growth and development. One needs to balance possible benefits with risks of further food sensitization through the skin when foods are eliminated from their diets. We review here the literature on clinical presentation and evidence for food allergy in exclusively breastfed infants, including the presence of food antigens in human milk. Incorporating clinical experience and the available data, which largely come from case reports and small, nonrandomized studies performed in referral centers with several limitations, we propose a novel algorithm to diagnosis and management, with emphasis on nutritional considerations.
Cost-Effectiveness of Community-Based Tobacco Dependence Treatment Interventions: Initial Findings of a Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION Scientific literature evaluating the cost-effectiveness of tobacco dependence treatment programs delivered in community-based settings is scant, which limits evidence-based tobacco control decisions. The aim of this review was to systematically assess the cost-effectiveness and quality of the economic evaluations of community-based tobacco dependence treatment interventions conducted as randomized controlled trials in the United States. METHODS We searched 8 electronic databases and gray literature from their beginning to February 2018. Inclusion criteria were economic evaluations of community-based tobacco dependence treatments conducted as randomized controlled trials in the United States. Two independent researchers extracted data on study design and outcomes. Study quality was assessed by using Drummond and Jefferson's economic evaluations checklist. Nine of 3,840 publications were eligible for inclusion. Heterogeneity precluded formal meta-analyses. We synthesized a qualitative narrative of outcomes. RESULTS All 9 studies used cost-effectiveness analysis and a payer/provider/program perspective, but several study components, such as abstinence measures, were heterogeneous. Study participants were predominantly English speaking, middle aged, white, motivated to quit, and highly nicotine dependent. Overall, the economic evaluations met most of Drummond and Jefferson's recommendations; however, some studies provided limited details. All studies had a cost per quit at or below $2,040 or an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) at or below $3,781. When we considered biochemical verification, sensitivity analysis, and subgroups, the costs per quit were less than $2,050 or the ICERs were less than $6,800. CONCLUSION All community-based interventions included in this review were cost-effective. When economic evaluation results are extrapolated to future savings, the low cost per quit or ICER indicates that the cost-effectiveness of community-based tobacco dependence treatments is similar to the cost-effectiveness of clinic-based programs and that community-based interventions are a valuable approach to tobacco control. Additional research that more fully characterizes the cost-effectiveness of community-based tobacco dependence treatments is needed to inform future decisions in tobacco control policy.
Modular Addition and Multiplication

This chapter consists of two sections that cover algorithms and hardware architectures for modular addition and multiplication: (x + y) mod m and xy mod m. Subtraction and division are also included—as the addition of an inverse and as multiplication by an inverse. The underlying algorithms and hardware structures are those of Chap. 1, modified for modular arithmetic. For both operations we shall consider generic algorithms and hardware structures for arbitrary moduli and also those for special moduli.
A ComRS competence pathway in the oral pathogen Streptococcus sobrinus

Abstract Streptococcus sobrinus is one of two species of bacteria that cause dental caries (tooth decay) in humans. Our knowledge of S. sobrinus is limited despite the organism’s important role in oral health. It is widely believed that S. sobrinus lacks the natural competence pathways that are used by other streptococci to regulate growth, virulence, and quorum sensing. The lack of natural competence has also prevented genetic manipulation of S. sobrinus, limiting our knowledge of its pathogenicity. We discovered a functional ComRS competence system in S. sobrinus. The ComRS pathway in S. sobrinus has a unique structure, including two copies of the transcriptional regulator ComR and a peptide pheromone (XIP) that lacks aromatic amino acids. We show that synthetic XIP allows transformation of S. sobrinus with plasmid or linear DNA, and we leverage this newfound genetic tractability to confirm that only one of the ComR homologs is required for induced competence. Although S. sobrinus is typically placed among the mutans group streptococci, the S. sobrinus ComRS system is structurally and functionally similar to the competence pathways in the salivarius group. Like S. salivarius, the ComRS gene cluster in S. sobrinus includes a peptide cleavage/export gene, and the ComRS system appears coupled to a bacteriocin response system. These findings raise questions about the true phylogenetic placement of S. sobrinus. Finally, we identified two strains of S. sobrinus appear to be “cheaters” by either not responding to or not producing XIP. While the mechanisms of cheating could be independent, we show how a recombination event in the non-responsive strain would restore function of the ComRS pathway but delete the gene encoding XIP. Thus the S. sobrinus ComRS pathway provides a lens into the evolution of ecological cheaters.
chapter 0 – PREREQUISITES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the extended plane, analytic functions, and Cauchy–Riemann equations and their applications. The complex plane C is the set of all ordered pairs (a, b) of real numbers, with addition and multiplication defined by (a, b) + (c, d) = (a + c, b + d) and (a, b)(c, d) = (ac — bd, ad + bc). If z = a + bi, then a is called the real part of z, written as a = Re z, and b is called the imaginary part of z, written as b = Im z. The complex plane may be identified with the Riemann sphere with the north pole (0, 0, 1) removed by means of the stereographic projection that assigns to each complex number z = x + iy the point (x1, x2, x3) on the sphere determined by joining the point (x, y, 0) corresponding to z to the north pole (0, 0, 1). If f is defined in a neighborhood of z0 and is differentiable at z0, then the Cauchy–Riemann equations hold at z0. Conversely, if the first partial derivatives of u and v exist in a neighborhood of z0 and are continuous at z0 and the Cauchy–Riemann equations hold at z0, then f is differentiable at z0.
Central Collineations: Complete Quadrilateral, Involution, and Hexagon Theorems

An alternate definition of a harmonic set, based on the complete quadrilateral, emerged in the nineteenth century, a definition that does not depend on segment length. The concept appeared in the work of Desargues, although the name was first used by L. Carnot in 1803. That it produces a harmonic set was recognized by La Hire in 1685. Its dual, the complete quadrangle, is a different way of viewing the same figure. (In the period we cover, the figure was always called a complete quadrilateral.)
Realizing Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing in the Post-COVID-19 Era

The unique and unprecedented challenges of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have resulted in significant disruptions to diverse manufacturing supply chains across the globe The negative economic impacts of these unexpected and rapid changes in demand and available supplies have been severe, and the economic sustainability of many businesses has been revealed as being highly sensitive to such changes COVID-19 will inevitably change manufacturing, potentially in a way that is not sustainable unless we factor sustainability into our “redesign ” Otherwise, the industry will remain overwhelmed in a reactionary cycle when the next major problem emerges, such as a lack of resources during a natural or man-made disaster In this article, we present strategies for addressing three sustainability challenges relevant to manufacturing introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) an increase in waste generation, (2) uncertainty in life cycle impacts, and (3) navigating new modes of operation for manufacturing To mitigate the sustainability challenges of COVID-19 and create a more resilient industrial sector, we need to assess the potential of each risk to product development and production processes We envision a systematic integration of sustainable manufacturing principles and metrics into the business practices of manufacturing enterprises, including the products they produce and the processes used to create them Realizing this vision will require greater availability and transparency of key data related to environmental and social sustainability factors, which can be used to create a clean and sustainable future in which pandemic and disaster readiness is realized through sustainable manufacturing © 2020 ASTM International All rights reserved
LEGENDS IN UROLOGY

When asked by The Canadian Journal of Urology to tell “my story” for the Legends in Urology section of this journal, I was of course flattered, surprised, and reminded that though I am seemingly the same person I was years ago, I am trapped in a still well-functioning body that nevertheless is 70 years old according to my birth certificate. I echo many of the “old” (and more qualified) “legends” that have preceded me: I am by almost every definition not a “legend.” Yet this mistaken selection does give me an opportunity to say a little about my career, in order to convey what I think I have learned during this long tenure in academia, and then end with some speculations about urology’s future. I have chosen not to recount the details of my professional journey; they have been previously published.1 Briefly, I began my post medical school laboratory and clinical training at NIH and Duke, intent on a career in CV surgery. My switch to urology was based on many reasons, but the most pertinent one was that I saw urology as being more conducive to an enduring career in academic surgery and laboratory research. Thanks in large part to the encouragement of Dave Paulson, soon to be the Chief of Urology at Duke, I transferred to the University of Minnesota under the direction of a new chair, Elwin Fraley. Dr. Paulson had previously worked with Dr. Fraley for 3 years at NIH. At the University of Minnesota, I was privileged to work in the laboratory of Dr. Tom Hakala and took over that lab when he moved to become chair of the University of Pittsburg. Soon after, I began an association with a tumor biologist, Robert Vessella, PhD, that now has lasted over 32 years. Increasingly, under his direction, the laboratory endured and flourished. We were fortunate to be continuously federally funded throughout this time. As I will explain subsequently, almost all of the “advances” that I was involved in were directly or indirectly due to this association.
Evaluation of cannabidiol’s inhibitory effect on alpha-glucosidase and its stability in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been reported to have anti-diabetic effects in pre-clinical and clinical studies but its inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase, a carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme, remain unknown. Herein, we evaluated CBD’s inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase using in vitro assays and computational studies. CBD’s inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase activity was evaluated in a yeast enzymatic assay and by molecular docking. The stability of CBD in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography analyses. CBD, at 10, 19, 38, 76, 152, 304, 608, and 1216 μM, inhibited α-glucosidase activity with inhibition of 17.1, 20.4, 48.1, 56.6, 59.1, 63.7, 74.1, and 95.4%, respectively. Acarbose, the positive control, showed a comparable inhibitory activity (with 85.1% inhibition at 608 μM). CBD’s inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase was supported by molecular docking showing binding energy (-6.39 kcal/mol) and interactions between CBD and the α-glucosidase protein. CBD was stable in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids for two hours (maintained ≥ 90.0%). CBD showed moderate inhibitory effect against yeast α-glucosidase activity and was stable in gastric and intestinal fluids. However, further studies on CBD’s anti-α-glucosidase effects using cellular and in vivo models are warranted to support its potential application for the management of type II diabetes mellitus.
Book Review: Developing Trade and Trade Policy Relations with the European Union. Experience of Visegrád Countries and Implications/Lessons for Eastern Partners

The trade cooperation between the Eastern Partnership countries and the European Union has faced significant setbacks in recent years. Because the EU is basing its cooperation with the EaP countries on similar Agreements to those concluded with the Visegrad Four, the lessons learned from the integration of the Visegrad countries can help the eastern neighbours in their relations with the EU. The perspective of full membership, yearly evaluations and recommendations and the support of a dedicated financial instrument were the main sources that fuelled Poland’s and Hungary’s successful integration process. Thus, the lack of a full membership perspective weighs heavily on the cooperation between EU and the EaP countries, while the current situation in Ukraine also called the Eastern Partnership into question. Even though the Republic of Moldova and Georgia seem to favour European integration, Azerbaijan finds itself in an interesting position that allows it to be independent of the two powers EU and Russia. The lack of incentives offered by the EU in the trade negotiations may lead to the strengthening of the relations between the EaP countries and Russia.
US Manufacturing in the 1990s: The Chase and the Challenge

Taking the auto industry as a microcosm of global durable goods manufacturing for the sake of argument, this statement from Mercedes-Benz management is quite instructive. Ford is currently seen as the benchmark in North American manufacturing, but both Ford and industry experts say that only location and labour productivity puts them in this venerable position. Globally, Ford still trails Honda, Nissan, and Toyota.
Non-Muscle Myosin II Isoforms Have Different Functions in Matrix Rearrangement by MDA-MB-231 Cells

The role of a stiffening extra-cellular matrix (ECM) in cancer progression is documented but poorly understood. Here we use a conditioning protocol to test the role of nonmuscle myosin II isoforms in cell mediated ECM arrangement using collagen constructs seeded with breast cancer cells expressing shRNA targeted to either the IIA or IIB heavy chain isoform. While there are several methods available to measure changes in the biophysical characteristics of the ECM, we wanted to use a method which allows for the measurement of global stiffness changes as well as a dynamic response from the sample over time. The conditioning protocol used allows the direct measurement of ECM stiffness. Using various treatments, it is possible to determine the contribution of various construct and cellular components to the overall construct stiffness. Using this assay, we show that both the IIA and IIB isoforms are necessary for efficient matrix remodeling by MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, as loss of either isoform changes the stiffness of the collagen constructs as measured using our conditioning protocol. Constructs containing only collagen had an elastic modulus of 0.40 Pascals (Pa), parental MDA-MB-231 constructs had an elastic modulus of 9.22 Pa, while IIA and IIB KD constructs had moduli of 3.42 and 7.20 Pa, respectively. We also calculated the cell and matrix contributions to the overall sample elastic modulus. Loss of either myosin isoform resulted in decreased cell stiffness, as well as a decrease in the stiffness of the cell-altered collagen matrices. While the total construct modulus for the IIB KD cells was lower than that of the parental cells, the IIB KD cell-altered matrices actually had a higher elastic modulus than the parental cell-altered matrices (4.73 versus 4.38 Pa). These results indicate that the IIA and IIB heavy chains play distinct and non-redundant roles in matrix remodeling.