cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of rangeland monitoring techniques for modeling herbaceous fuels and forage in central Arizona, USA.

While fire and rangeland managers frequently have different land management roles and objectives, their data needs with regards to herbaceous biomass (fuel loads and forage) often overlap, and can be served with a single sampling protocol for both rangeland and fuels management. In this study, we examined how two herbaceous sampling methods compare in measuring species richness, ground cover, and standing herbaceous biomass for range and forestry management using the Phytomass Growth Simulator (Phygrow). Phygrow is an herbaceous vegetation growth model used to simulate rangeland plant production for herbivory, drought, and wildfire severity early warning systems. The Point-frequency protocol has been used for 10 years to collect plant community parameters for Phygrow. The Common Non-Forested Vegetation Sampling Protocol (CNVSP) is a commonly used rangeland assessment protocol in the southwestern United States. Data from both methods were used to parameterize the Phygrow model to examine their similarities and differences, and to see if data collected from the CNVSP methodology could be used to model herbaceous fuel loads. We determined that the data collected in the CNVSP protocol met the needs for Phygrow model validation of standing herbaceous fuels, but data was insufficient for modeling surface dead fuel loads.
Extraskeletal osteochondroma of the foot.

Extraskeletal osteochondroma, an infrequently encountered benign lesion, is described in 1 patient who presented with a slow-growing, relatively painful mass on the dorsal side of his right foot, in the 3 rd toe web. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging studies demonstrated a radio-opaque extraskeletal mass. Excision biopsy revealed a well-defined and lobulated, firm, calcified, extraskeletal mass, which was easily enucleated. Histologic examination revealed mature chondroid tissues with bland-looking chondrocytes and ossified tissues. The diagnosis of an extraskeletal osteochondroma should be considered when a discrete ossified mass is localized in the soft tissues of the distal extremities. A case of pathologically proven extraskeletal osteochondroma is presented together with clinical, radiologic, and magnetic resonance imaging findings, and a literature review.
Permeation of Aromatic Organic Compounds from Aqueous Solutions through Polyethylene

The permeation, through polyethylene, of various aromatic acids, alcohols, amines, esters, aldehydes, and ketones in aqueous solution was investigated at 50°. The studies were conducted in a glass cell with two chambers separated by a thin film of polyethylene. Studies at several temperatures indicated activation energies ranging from 12.9 to 21.4 kcal./mole. The applicability of Fick's first law was established with solutions of varying initial concentrations. An inverse relationship was observed between the permeability constant of several compounds and the proportion of ethanol present in the solvent. Studies at various pH's demonstrated transport of only the unionized species. Films exposed to permeant solutions, prior to the permeation experiments, exhibited reduced permeation rates. Experimental permeability constants (P) and hexane-water partition coefficients (PC) were subjected to regression analysis. A good correlation was obtained with the empirical equation: log (P) = 1.06˙log(PC) − 7.76.
Further Measurements of Marginal Productivity

I. Earlier studies, 399. — Criticisms of these studies, 401. — Methods of meeting them, 402. — II. Assumptions underlying cross-section studies, 403. — The materials studied, 403. — III. The classical method, 406. — Frisch's method, 408. — Koopmans' method, 411. — IV. Values obtained for k and j, 414. — V. Analysis of averages per plant, 416. — VI. Probable flexibility and elasticity of the marginal productivity functions, 418. — VII. Analysis of labor's share, 419.
A model for the stability analysis of maintenance strategies for linear list

We present a fluid approximation model to analyse the stability of two frequently used data structure maintenance strategies in client-server distributed environments, namely, concurrent and periodic maintenance strategies. We give a detailed analysis for a linear list data structure and derive the maximum allowable value of the input arrival rate under which a stable system can be obtained when these maintenance strategies are used. Conditions under which one strategy may be more preferable than the other in terms of the system throughput and the variance of the service time distribution are identified. The stability behaviour of these two maintenance strategies under high traffic situation is also investigated
Connectivity and generalized cliques in sociometric group structure

By using the concepts of antimetry andn-chain it is possible to define and to investigate some properties of connectivity in a sociometric group. It is shown that the number of elements in a group, the number of antimetries, and the degree of connectivity must satisfy certain inequalities. Using the ideas of connectivity, a generalized concept of clique, called ann-clique, is introduced.n-cliques are shown to have a very close relationship to the existence of cliques in an artificial structure defined on the same set of elements, thus permitting the determination ofn-cliques by means of the same simple matrix procedures used to obtain the clique structures. The presence of two or morem-cliques, wherem is the number of elements in the group, is proved to mean an almost complete splitting of the group.
Identification of Small Presolar Spinel and Corundum Grains by Isotopic Raster Imaging

The oxygen isotopic compositions of densely packed submicron oxide grains in two grain separates of different grain size from the CM2 carbonaceous chondrite Murray were determined by multi- detection raster imaging on the NanoSIMS ion microprobe. This led to the identification of 81 presolar spinel and 3 presolar corundum grains among ∼51 700 grains in the CF residue (mean diameter 0.15 µm) and 171 presolar spinel and 29 presolar corundum grains among ∼21 500 grains in the CG residue (mean diameter 0.45 µm). Previous NanoSIMS analysis of individual grains from the same residues has led to the discovery of 15 presolar spinel and 3 presolar corundum grains among 628 CF grains, and 9 presolar spinels among 753 CG grains. The oxygen isotopic compositions of the presolar oxides found by raster imaging are comparable to those of the presolar oxides measured individually. While the abundance of presolar spinel among the (larger) grains of the CG residue is the same for both techniques, the detection efficiency for presolar spinel by imaging among the (smaller) grains in CF is lower due to the small size of these grains. Nonetheless, it is possible to identify presolar grains of this size range. Though single grain measurements are effective for determining the precise isotopic compositions and abundances of presolar grains, raster ion imaging is the method of choice in searches for rare presolar grain types such as presolar silicates.
Design of system-on-a-chip test access architectures using integer linear programming

Test access is a major problem for system-on-a-chip (SOC) designs. Since embedded cores in an SOC are not directly accessible via chip I/Os, special access mechanisms are required to test them after system integration. An efficient test access architecture should reduce test cost and time-to-market by minimizing test application time. We address several issues related to the design of test access architectures. Even though these design problems are NP-complete, they can be solved exactly using integer linear programming (ILP). As a case study, the ILP models for two hypothetical but representative systems are solved using a public-domain ILP software package.
Acquisition Interface for Computed Radiography

Digital interface to the Philips Computed Radiography (PCR) units 701 and 9000 is not available as a standard component. Custom interfaces have been constructed using hardware and software techniques to achieve automatic data link without affecting the operational procedure or or slowing down the PCR. A complete acquisition interface design includes polling text patient information, image reformatting to the UCLA standard, and software interface to the network and database. Finally, an ethernet interface to the Luminsys computed radiograph plate reader is also reported.
Innovation Diffusion: Learner benefits and instructor insights with the DIFFUSION SIMULATION GAME

This research project investigated student reaction to playing the DIFFUSION SIMULATION GAME (DSG) and how an instructor, who is a novice in playing online games, implemented the DSG in an online higher education course. The goal of this research project was to determine whether playing the DSG helps students learn and apply course content. In addition, the authors sought to understand how to implement and use the DSG effectively as an integral part of the online Managing Technological Change course. Results indicated that student reaction to playing the game was very positive and students felt the game helped them better understand the change process. For example, students felt the DSG provided insight into school culture, the amount of time needed to implement a change, and the need for a change agent to be flexible. The instructor learned the importance of clearly identifying learning goals when using the DSG in an online course and realized that debriefing is a critical component of using games or simulations for learning.
Doxylamine succinate–pyridoxine hydrochloride (Diclegis) for the management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: an overview

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is common and often undertreated, in part due to fears of adverse effects of medications on the fetus during early pregnancy. In April 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved doxylamine succinate 10 mg and pyridoxine hydrochloride (a vitamin B6 analog) 10 mg as a delayed-release combination pill called Diclegis for the treatment of NVP. Diclegis is currently the only medication that is FDA-approved for the indication of NVP. This review addresses the historical context, safety, efficacy, pharmacology, and practical role of doxylamine and pyridoxine for the management of NVP. The reintroduction of this doxylamine-pyridoxine combination pill into the American market fills a therapeutic gap in the management of NVP left by the removal of the same active drugs marketed over 30 years ago in the form of Bendectin. The substantial amount of safety data accumulated over the years makes it one of the few drugs that qualify for FDA Pregnancy Category A status. In the hierarchical approach to pharmacological treatment of NVP, the combination of doxylamine and pyridoxine should thus be first-tier.
NGOs as a framework for an education in and through music: Is the third sector viable?

This article presents a selected view of a research project developed in Brazil. The focus of the project was to investigate the modus operandi of 18 NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and their...
Surgical management of intracranial capillary hemangiomas in children: report of 2 cases

Two cases of intracranial capillary hemangiomas (ICHs) occurring in children are presented to highlight the surgical challenges encountered with these extremely rare lesions. The author describes their clinical presentation, preoperative imaging features, intraoperative findings, and operative management. The pertinent literature is reviewed. Recommendations for preoperative planning and intraoperative management are made based on the author's experience and the literature for when ICH is considered in the differential diagnosis and encountered intraoperatively.
An unsupervised learning method to identify reference intervals from a clinical database

Display Omitted We use clinical data to learn laboratory test reference intervals.Our reference intervals comply with the IFCC's recommendations.Our reference intervals have good performance compared to other methods.Our method allows reference intervals to be learned for specific groups. Reference intervals are critical for the interpretation of laboratory results. The development of reference intervals using traditional methods is time consuming and costly. An alternative approach, known as an a posteriori method, requires an expert to enumerate diagnoses and procedures that can affect the measurement of interest. We develop a method, LIMIT, to use laboratory test results from a clinical database to identify ICD9 codes that are associated with extreme laboratory results, thus automating the a posteriori method. LIMIT was developed using sodium serum levels, and validated using potassium serum levels, both tests for which harmonized reference intervals already exist. To test LIMIT, reference intervals for total hemoglobin in whole blood were learned, and were compared with the hemoglobin reference intervals found using an existing a posteriori approach. In addition, prescription of iron supplements were used to identify individuals whose hemoglobin levels were low enough for a clinician to choose to take action. This prescription data indicating clinical action was then used to estimate the validity of the hemoglobin reference interval sets. Results show that LIMIT produces usable reference intervals for sodium, potassium and hemoglobin laboratory tests. The hemoglobin intervals produced using the data driven approaches consistently had higher positive predictive value and specificity in predicting an iron supplement prescription than the existing intervals. LIMIT represents a fast and inexpensive solution for calculating reference intervals, and shows that it is possible to use laboratory results and coded diagnoses to learn laboratory test reference intervals from clinical data warehouses.
Overdiagnosis Detrimental, Resection Consequential, NLST Challengeable

Computation of the case rate differential in the screened vs. the control cohort is the most direct means of computing an estimate of the magnitude of overdiagnosis. In the 1970’s chest radiographic (CR) screening trials, the percent was 22– 24. Because many individuals in the control cohort were screened (“contamination”) and therefore equally liable to overdiagnosis, these figures underestimate the true rate (2). An estimate of overdiagnosis in low-dose computerized tomographic (CT) trials employing CR controls requires the addition of the CT vs. the CR differential (11%) to the CR vs. the null control differential (25%). The concern that because of delayed clinical manifestation of lung cancers in the control cohort, this differential method may overestimate the magnitude of overdiagnosis, was resolved by long-term followup of the Mayo Lung Project in which the differential case rate persisted (3). The magnitude of overdiagnosis will be influenced by trial design. Actionable nodule dimension, for example, is an additional, potent variable. The rate of volume change is a function of the square of the radius (dV/dr = f(r)) (4). For example, assuming equal tumor volume doubling time, the rate of volume increase of a 2-mm tumor is oneninth that of a 6-mm tumor. The far slower growth of small nodules increases their duration of exposure to competing, lethal events, thereby increasing overdiagnosis. Purely adventitious events may contribute to overdiagnosis. For example, an individual with an asymptomatic, screen-identified, stage IV lung cancer, lethally injured in a vehicular accident while leaving the imaging center, would be correctly classified as overdiagnosed. The critical issue is not precision of the estimate, but whether it is sufficiently high to be clinically relevant. RESECTION CONSEQUENTIAL
Effects of cortisone on thyroidal iodine uptake in hypophysectomized, nephrectomized rats.

SummaryThe effect of cortisone on thyroidal 125I iodide uptake was investigated in hypophysectomized, pituitary-replaced, bilaterally nephrectomized rats. Cortisone reduced thyroid and body weights but did not reduce iodide uptake. Thus, an enhanced uptake of iodide per unit weight of gland resulted. It is unlikely that the enhanced 125I uptake resulted from a depletion of the extra-thyroidal iodide pool.
Toward a More Integrated Political Science Curriculum

Recent concern with the liberal arts curriculum as evinced by the report of the Harvard committee on General Education in a Free Society , Colgate's adoption of a core curriculum, and a thorough reexamination of their entire educational program by scores of other institutions sharpens the recurrent problem of attempting better integration within the constituent parts of the curriculum. Whenever political scientists, talking shop, lapse into general principles, there is inevitable discussion concerning the nature and focus of political science itself. Much hard thinking has been done on the subject. There is, however, as in every profession where individual specialties are earnestly pursued, a tendency toward intellectual myopia, a tendency to miss, by default rather than consciously, a synoptic view of the subject. This has resulted in a lack of integration, of comprehensive design, of sense of balanced purpose, in many political science curricula. The miscellany of unrelated, overlapping courses which one sometimes encounters in college or university catalogues, to say nothing of the neglect of important aspects of government, indicates that the political science curriculum has received inadequate analysis. Political scientists who teach are educators as well, and thereby have a dual professional responsibility to present their field of inquiry as an integrated, comprehensive whole, elucidated by specific course offerings. Only thus can political science realize its richest contribution to liberal education as well as to an understanding of the political process within and beyond academic halls.
Lontra weiri, sp. nov., a Pliocene River Otter (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mustelidae, Lutrinae) from the Hagerman Fossil Beds (Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument), Idaho, U.S.A.

ABSTRACTA new Pliocene river otter is described from the Hagerman Fossil Beds (Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument), Idaho. Lontra weiri, sp. nov., exhibits notable lutrine traits that closely align it to Old World Lutra and New World Lontra, which are morphologically similar but diphyletic. It is further assigned to Lontra based on known otter biogeography and molecular phylogenetic data. The Hagerman Fossil Beds are characterized by a Blancan North American Land Mammal Age fauna, and radiometric dates for the otter-bearing deposits are inferred as >3.79 Ma, making this the first pre-Pleistocene occurrence of Lontra. Hagerman has a rich and diverse carnivoran fauna with at least five families and 17 species represented, including a much larger otter, Satherium piscinarium. This new otter increases carnivoran richness at Hagerman and provides insight into the evolution of New World river otters.Citation for this article: Prassack, K. A. 2016. Lontra weiri, sp. nov., a Pliocene river otter (Mammalia, Ca...
Abstract 2005: The evolutionarily conserved gene expression signatures SPARC and SPP1 are genetic determinants of progression from Barrett's esophagus to esophageal adenocarcinoma

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is thought to arise from the metaplastic condition known as Barrett9s esophagus (BE), which is caused by chronic inflammation due to gastroesophageal reflux disease. Since the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of EAC are unknown, understanding EAC development mechanisms and their regulation is crucial for the treatment of EAC. Comparative genomic studies of evolutionarily similar and dissimilar species have been suggested as a means of studying the evolutionary biology in the species. Thus, we performed a cross-species comparison of gene expression patterns in human and rat tissues, uncovering the evolutionarily conserved gene expression patterns during EAC progression across both species. Using a non-carcinogenic rat model that progresses from normal esophagus to BE to EAC, we were able to identify the biological mechanisms of EAC development. We analyzed gene expression data from rat specimens (15 NE, 18 BE, and 30 EAC) as well as from human tissues (28NE, 72BE, and 75EAC). Using the presence of orthologous genes in both microarray platforms and various statistical tests, we uncovered a number of genes whose expression patterns were well conserved during progression from NE to BE in humans and rats. The expression of 869 genes was commonly altered when NE progressed to BE in both humans and rats (P During BE to EAC progression in both species, 541 gene expressions were altered (P In conclusion, systems-level characterization of gene expression data from humans and a rodent model shows evolutionarily conserved genes and pathways during EAC progression, and these genes and pathways could become reliable biomarkers for early detection, or therapeutic targets for the treatment of EAC patients. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2005.
The monitoring and analysis of cholera bacillus from certain district in Nanchang city during 2007-2009

Objective:To analyze the distribution of cholera bacillus in diarrhea patients,water in the external environment and aquatic products from certain district in Nanchang city.Methods: The detections of cholera bacillus were carried out in diarrhea patients,water in the external environment and aquatic products from April to October during 2007-2009 in this district,which was assigned as monitoring site in Nanchang city.Results: 18 positive cases were found,consisted of 2 from diarrhea patients,5 from water in the external environment and 11 from aquatic products.The serotype of O139 from diarrhea patients was toxigenic strains,the others were not.2 diarrhea patients infected in other epidemic area were imported cases.Among the 18 positive cases,9 were Inaba of O1 Group(50.00%),1 was Ogawa of O1 Group(5.55%) and 8 were O139 Group(44.45%).Conclusion: Cholera bacillus were detected in diarrhea patients,water in the external environment and aquatic products in this studied district.We should continue to strengthen the monitoring to opportunely discover the source of infection and actively control it.
Leishmania chagasi antigens recognized in cured visceral leishmaniasis and asymptomatic infection.

Abstract Active visceral leishmaniasis is associated with antigen-specific immunosuppression. However, cured patients develop a cellular immune response associated with resistance to reinfection. Recent studies have identified patients with asymptomatic or subclinical infections, which are also accompanied by an immune response. In order to identify subjects immune to Leishmania chagasi, we performed a skin-test survey in an endemic area in eastern Venezuela. The delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response was assessed in patients cured of visceral leishmaniasis, as well as in their relatives and neighbors. Of the latter, 36 (34.2%) of 105 were positive and 26 (24.7%) of 105 gave intermediate responses. The DTH reaction correlated with age. The antigens recognized by a subgroup of cured patients, those with positive skin-test results, and controls (skin-test negative) were assessed by Western blotting with sera, and T cell immunoblotting with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. No consistent differences between the groups were noted in Western blots with L. chagasi antigens. T cell blots were performed on five patients from each group. For the cured patients and skin-test positive contacts, a significant proliferative response to fraction 12 (< 20.5 kDa) was noted in four of five patients in each group. Cells from three of five cured patients and two of five skin-test-positive patients proliferated in response to fraction 4 (73–115 kDa). The response to other fractions was variable, with only a minority of patients responding to any one fraction. These data suggest that the antigens recognized by patients with evidence of immunity to L. chagasi are quite variable. However, response to antigens in fraction 12 (≤ 20.5 kDa) was noted in most patients, and could be of significance in protective immunity.
Association Between Lowering LDL-C and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Among Different Therapeutic Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance The comparative clinical benefit of nonstatin therapies that reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) remains uncertain. Objective To evaluate the association between lowering LDL-C and relative cardiovascular risk reduction across different statin and nonstatin therapies. Data Sources and Study Selection The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched (1966-July 2016). The key inclusion criteria were that the study was a randomized clinical trial and the reported clinical outcomes included myocardial infarction (MI). Studies were excluded if the duration was less than 6 months or had fewer than 50 clinical events. Studies of 9 different types of LDL-C reduction approaches were included. Data Extraction and Synthesis Two authors independently extracted and entered data into standardized data sheets and data were analyzed using meta-regression. Main Outcomes and Measures The relative risk (RR) of major vascular events (a composite of cardiovascular death, acute MI or other acute coronary syndrome, coronary revascularization, or stroke) associated with the absolute reduction in LDL-C level; 5-year rate of major coronary events (coronary death or MI) associated with achieved LDL-C level. Results A total of 312 175 participants (mean age, 62 years; 24% women; mean baseline LDL-C level of 3.16 mmol/L [122.3 mg/dL]) from 49 trials with 39 645 major vascular events were included. The RR for major vascular events per 1-mmol/L (38.7-mg/dL) reduction in LDL-C level was 0.77 (95% CI, 0.71-0.84;P Conclusions and Relevance In this meta-regression analysis, the use of statin and nonstatin therapies that act via upregulation of LDL receptor expression to reduce LDL-C were associated with similar RRs of major vascular events per change in LDL-C. Lower achieved LDL-C levels were associated with lower rates of major coronary events.
The Effect of Salinity on Survival of Rhizobium, Nodule Function and Nodule Formation in the Soybean-RhizobiumJaponicum Symbiosis

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation may be adversely affected by saline environments. This paper describes three experiments that assess the salt sensitivity of: 1) Rhizobium as free living organisms; 2) soybean nodule function; and 3) soybean nodule formation. In addition, a split-root plant growth system is described which can be used to separate the effects of salinity stress on host yield potential from the effects of salinity on nodule processes.
Genetic Evidence for Elevated Pathogenicity of Mitochondrial DNA Heteroplasmy in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Increasing clinical and biochemical evidence implicate mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but little is known about the biological basis for this connection. A possible cause of ASD is the genetic variation in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence, which has yet to be thoroughly investigated in large genomic studies of ASD. Here we evaluated mtDNA variation, including the mixture of different mtDNA molecules in the same individual (i.e., heteroplasmy), using whole-exome sequencing data from mother-proband-sibling trios from simplex families (n = 903) where only one child is affected by ASD. We found that heteroplasmic mutations in autistic probands were enriched at non-polymorphic mtDNA sites (P = 0.0015), which were more likely to confer deleterious effects than heteroplasmies at polymorphic mtDNA sites. Accordingly, we observed a ~1.5-fold enrichment of nonsynonymous mutations (P = 0.0028) as well as a ~2.2-fold enrichment of predicted pathogenic mutations (P = 0.0016) in autistic probands compared to their non-autistic siblings. Both nonsynonymous and predicted pathogenic mutations private to probands conferred increased risk of ASD (Odds Ratio, OR[95% CI] = 1.87[1.14–3.11] and 2.55[1.26–5.51], respectively), and their influence on ASD was most pronounced in families with probands showing diminished IQ and/or impaired social behavior compared to their non-autistic siblings. We also showed that the genetic transmission pattern of mtDNA heteroplasmies with high pathogenic potential differed between mother-autistic proband pairs and mother-sibling pairs, implicating developmental and possibly in utero contributions. Taken together, our genetic findings substantiate pathogenic mtDNA mutations as a potential cause for ASD and synergize with recent work calling attention to their unique metabolic phenotypes for diagnosis and treatment of children with ASD.
Brief Report: A Second Primary Endodermal Sinus Tumor 9 Years after Initial Diagnosis

Abstract Background Ovarian yolk sac tumors (YSTs) are rare malignant germ cell tumors known to present unilaterally, allowing for fertility-sparing surgical treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy. The few published cases of bilateral ovarian involvement were at the time of original diagnosis in patients with widely metastatic disease. We present, to our knowledge, the first case of bilateral ovarian YSTs, diagnosed several years apart, and discuss the implications on recurrence and tumor marker surveillance for these tumors. Case This is a case of a young woman who re-presented 9 years after initial treatment, with a YST in the contralateral ovary. Summary and Conclusions YSTs are well established as unilateral tumors, however, in rare cases such as this, they might reappear years later on the contralateral ovary.
An evaluation of the status of living collections for plant, environmental, and microbial research

While living collections are critical for biological research, support for these foundational infrastructure elements is inconsistent, which makes quality control, regulatory compliance, and reproducibility difficult. In recent years, the Ecological Society of America has hosted several National Science Foundation–sponsored workshops to explore and enhance the sustainability of biological research infrastructure. At the same time, the United States Culture Collection Network has brought together managers of living collections to foster collaboration and information exchange within a specific living collections community. To assess the sustainability of collections, a survey was distributed to collection scientists whose responses provide a benchmark for evaluating the resiliency of these collections. Among the key observations were that plant collections have larger staffing requirements and that living microbe collections were the most vulnerable to retirements or other disruptions. Many higher plant and vertebrate collections have institutional support and several have endowments. Other collections depend on competitive grant support in an era of intense competition for these resources. Opportunities for synergy among living collections depend upon complementing the natural strong engagement with the research communities that depend on these collections with enhanced information sharing, communication, and collective action to keep them sustainable for the future. External efforts by funding agencies and publishers could reinforce the advantages of having professional management of research resources across every discipline.
Stock Market Mispricing: Inflation Illusion or Resale Option?

We develop a valuation framework that equity mispricing may arise when investors have subjective beliefs about either the discount rates or dividend growth rates. Two testable hypotheses - "inflation illusion" and "resale option" - are derived from this framework to explain mispricing. Although the former is well-documented, we are the first to test the latter in the U.S. equity markets. We find that the "resale option" hypothesis with an emphasis on heterogeneous beliefs and short-sales constraints can explain both the level and the volatility of mispricing over a century from 1900 to 2004, while the "inflation illusion" may only account for the level of mispricing in more recent history. Thus, the marginal contribution of the "resale option" hypothesis is substantial and economically significant. The evidence suggests that the "resale option" hypothesis may provide a unified framework in explaining equity mispricing and the concurrent excess volatility as well as trading frenzy during periods of asset price bubbles.
The influence of endogenous attention on contrast perception, contrast discrimination, and saccadic reaction time

Abstract Visual spatial attention has been shown to influence both contrast detection and suprathreshold contrast perception, as well as manual and saccadic reaction times (SRTs). Because SRTs are influenced also by stimulus contrast, we investigated if the enhancement of perceived contrast that accompanies attention could account for the shorter SRTs observed for attended targets locations. We conducted two dual-task experiments to assess psychophysical and oculomotor responses to non-foveal targets of various contrast for different spatial-attention-cueing conditions. Cues were either: valid, an arrow at fixation pointing in the direction of the upcoming target; invalid, an arrow pointing in a different direction from the target; or neutral, a small circle instead of an arrow. In both experiments, subjects were instructed to make a saccade to the location of a subsequent, briefly flashed target. In the first experiment, the psychophysical judgment was a two-alternative-forced-choice (2AFC) contrast-detection task, in which subjects reported whether the flashed target was at a near (3°) or far (6°) eccentricity. In the second experiment, the judgment was a contrast matching task, in which subjects reported whether the target’s contrast was higher or lower than a remembered standard contrast. The results exhibit a robust, ∼40–50 ms reduction of SRTs with a valid compared to an invalid cue. Cueing effects on contrast detection and matching were small and inconsistent across subjects. Hence, the observed decrease in SRTs could not be accounted for fully by an enhancement in the target’s effective contrast due to attention, as attended and unattended targets that were equally detectable or were perceived to have the same suprathreshold contrast showed substantial differences in SRT.
Influence of military-type workload and footwear on muscle exertion during static standing

AbstractLower extremity muscular exertion and footwear design characteristics during a physiological workload have been shown to influence muscle activity. However, a dearth in the literature remains on muscular activation and exertion influenced by different military footwear when exposed to a military-type workload during static standing. The purpose of the study was to assess lower extremity muscular activity during erect standing, before (PRE) and after (POST) a military workload, in two military footwear [standard tactical (STD), minimalist (MIN)]. Twenty-two recreationally trained males (age: 22.1 § 2.1 years; height: 176.6 § 6.8 cm; mass: 79.8 § 9.7 kg) were tested, following a repeated measures counterbalanced footwear assignment. Participants performed maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) and bilateral static balance assessments before and after a 16-kg load-carrying treadmill workload. Electromyography (EMG) muscle activity was collected during the postural control tasks on ankle dor...
The Mathematics of Frobenius in Retrospect

In terms of their approach to creative work, mathematicians display a spectrum of tendencies. Some focus most of their time and effort on building up a monumental theory. Sophus Lie was such a mathematician, with his focus on his theory of transformation groups. Among Frobenius’ mentors, Weierstrass, with his focus on the theory of abelian integrals and functions and the requisite foundations in complex function theory, and Richard Dedekind, with his theory of algebraic numbers and ideals, are further examples of mathematicians who were primarily theory builders. At the other end of the spectrum are mathematicians whose focus was first and foremost on concrete mathematical problems. Of course, many mathematicians fall somewhere between these extremes. A prime example is Hilbert, who created several far-reaching theories, such as his theory of integral equations, but also solved many specific problems, such as the finite basis problem in the theory of invariants, Waring’s problem, and Dirichlet’s problem; and of course he posed his famous 23 mathematical problems for others to attempt to solve. Frobenius was decidedly at the problem-solver end of the spectrum. Virtually all of his important mathematical achievements were driven by the desire to solve specific mathematical problems, not famous long-standing problems such as Waring’s problem, but in general, problems that he perceived in the mathematics of his time.
Palbociclib after CDK and endocrine therapy (PACE): A randomized phase II study of fulvestrant, palbociclib, and avelumab for endocrine pre-treated ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer.

TPS1104Background: CDK4/6 inhibition (CDK4/6i) has a well-established role in the management of hormone receptor positive/HER2 negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The addition of a...
Fracture Surface Analysis of Optical Fibers

The fracture markings on glass fiber surfaces are shown to be quantitatively related to the strength, and time to failure. In addition, examination of fracture initiating defects is shown to aid in trouble shooting in optical fiber research as well as improvement of production procedures.
Replicative Senescence of Biliary Epithelial Cells Precedes Bile Duct Loss in Chronic Liver Allograft Rejection: Increased Expression of p21WAF1/Cip1 as a Disease Marker and the Influence of Immunosuppressive Drugs

Early chronic liver allograft rejection (CR) is characterized by distinctive cytological changes in biliary epithelial cells (BECs) that resemble cellular senescence, in vitro , and precede bile duct loss. If patients suffering from early CR are treated aggressively, the clinical and histopathological manifestations of CR can be completely reversed and bile duct loss can be prevented. We first tested whether the senescence-related p21 WAF1/Cip1 protein is increased in BECs during early CR, and whether treatment reversed the expression. The percentage of p21+ BECs and the number of p21+ BECs per portal tract is significantly increased in early CR (26 ± 17% and 3.6 ± 3.1) compared to BECs in normal liver allograft biopsies or those with nonspecific changes (1 ± 1% and 0.1 ± 0.3; P P P P P P = 0.04). Successful treatment of early CR is associated with a decrease in the percentage of p21+ BECs and the number of p21+ BECs per portal tract. In vitro , nuclear p21 WAF1/Cip1 expression is increased in large and multinucleated BECs, and is induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. TGF-β1 also increases expression of TGF-β receptor II, causes phosphorylation of SMAD-2 and nuclear translocation of p21 WAF1/Cip1 , which inhibits BEC growth. Because conversion from cyclosporine to tacrolimus is an effective treatment for early CR, we next tested whether these two immunosuppressive drugs directly influenced BEC growth in vitro . The results show that cyclosporine, but not tacrolimus, stimulates BEC TGF-β1 production, which in turn, causes BEC mito-inhibition and up-regulation of nuclear p21 WAF1/Cip1 . In conclusion, expression of the senescence-related p21 WAF1/Cip1 protein is increased in BECs during early CR and decreases with successful recovery. Replicative senescence accounts for the characteristic BEC cytological alterations used for the diagnosis of early CR and lack of a proliferative response to injury. The ability of cyclosporine to inhibit the growth of damaged BECs likely accounts for the relative duct sparing properties of tacrolimus.
Effects of mannitol on the postischemic kidney. Biochemical, functional, and morphologic assessments.

UNLABELLED To determine the effects of mannitol on the postischemic kidney rats were subjected to 25 minutes of renal artery occlusion and immediately after vascular clamp release they received a 2-ml intravenous mannitol bolus (20%). Equimolar urea-injected rats and sham-injected rats served as controls. Postischemic renal blood flow, tubular metabolic work (renal O2 consumption), adenine nucleotide pools, renal oxidant stress (tissue glutathione, malondialdehyde levels), and tubular cell/mitochondrial swelling (histomorphometry) were assessed at variable times during the early vascular reflow period (15 to 60 minutes). The severity of acute renal failure was determined by serial blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine studies (24, 48 hours), and by renal histology (48 hours). Mannitol increased postischemic renal blood flow (2-fold), renal O2 consumptions (3-fold), and urine flow compared to urea-injected and sham-injected controls. Postischemic glutathione levels were equally depressed (reduced 33%) in all three treatment groups. Malondialdehyde did not rise. Mannitol significantly lowered total adenine nucleotide content without changing ATP at 15 minutes post renal artery occlusion. At 60 minutes post renal artery occlusion, mannitol- and urea-treated groups had comparable ATP levels, 25% higher than the noninjected controls. Mannitol and urea induced comparable decrements in proximal tubular cell swelling, returning cell volumes to normal values. However, mitochondrial swelling was unabated. Mannitol and urea caused significant and nearly identical degrees of functional and morphologic amelioration of renal injury. CONCLUSIONS Mannitol administered after renal ischemia ameliorates both functional and morphologic aspects of acute tubular injury despite dramatically increasing tubular aerobic work. This protection appears not to be due to early postischemic improvements in adenine nucleotide content, to increased renal blood flow, to increased urine flow, or to a lessening of oxidant stress. The data are consistent with the view that protection results from acute hypertonic solute loading which either directly or indirectly decreases tubular cell but not mitochondrial swelling.
Cultural Differences in Resource Exchange at the Workplace: A Sino-US Comparison

In Chapter 18 Justin Kraemer and Chao Chen also take a cross-cultural perspective in their analysis of the importance of social resources in understanding social relationships. They point out several potential limitations of SRT, e.g., that the dimension of particularism may confound the inherent characteristics of a resource with relational characteristics of the interacting parties. The authors also discuss how differences in general social relationships and social orientations may influence resource exchange across cultures, and they compare social exchange across three levels of relationships (peer, supervisor-subordinate and employer-employee relationships in the U.S. and China). The authors conclude with ideas for future research and offer a general comparative cross-cultural model of social resource exchange.
Characterizing Virulence of the Pyrenophora tritici-repentis Isolates Lacking Both ToxA and ToxB Genes

The fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Ptr) causes tan spot of wheat crops, which is an important disease worldwide. Based on the production of the three known necrotrophic effectors (NEs), the fungal isolates are classified into eight races with race 4 producing no known NEs. From a laboratory cross between 86⁻124 (race 2 carrying the ToxA gene for the production of Ptr ToxA) and DW5 (race 5 carrying the ToxB gene for the production of Ptr ToxB), we have obtained some Ptr isolates lacking both the ToxA and ToxB genes, which, by definition, should be classified as race 4. In this work, we characterized virulence of two of these isolates called B16 and B17 by inoculating them onto various common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and durum (T. turgidum L.) genotypes. It was found that the two isolates still caused disease on some genotypes of both common and durum wheat. Disease evaluations were also conducted in recombinant inbred line populations derived from two hard red winter wheat cultivars: Harry and Wesley. QTL mapping in this population revealed that three genomic regions were significantly associated with disease, which are different from the three known NE sensitivity loci. This result further indicates the existence of other NE-host sensitivity gene interactions in the wheat tan spot disease system.
Everyone's a Critic: A Tool for Exploring RISC-V Projects

The RISC-V specification is a highly flexible specification for low-cost processors. The RISC-V ISA is royalty free, vendor agnostic, easily portable between development environments, and highly flexible to match the demands of an application. These characteristics make RISC-V a natural ISA choice for an FPGA soft processor and this has led to widespread adoption in academia and industry. However, the sheer number of RISC-V projects can be daunting for potential users. This paper describes a tool for exploring RISC-V projects. Our tool provides a web-interface for executing C/C++ code, tests, and benchmarks. Our tool is packaged with interactive tutorials for extending, modifying, and reproducing our work.
Wappapello Dam Spillway Overtopping Event of 2011

Abstract The one-dimensional HEC-RAS multi-purpose open channel flow modeling software was successfully used, with ArcMap and HEC-GeoRAS, to simulate flow over the Wappapello Dam limited-use Ogee spillway (Wappapello, Missouri). Initial computational hydraulic modeling results predicted a lake elevation of 132.9 m (405.0 ft) [NAVD 1988] would be required for the resulting floodwaters overtopping the spillway to reach the nearby Wappapello Lake Management Office. An intense rainfall event during 2011 led to the spillway being overtopped for the first time since 1945. Spillway performance during the 2011 event was analyzed afterwards. Results indicated that the spillway crest was not submerged by backwater. A technique was employed which successfully estimated the design energy head of 7.160 m (23.49 ft) for the spillway. Hydraulic modeling developed after the 2011 event incorporated this estimated design energy head, allowing the spillway discharge coefficient to vary with discharge in the course of an uns...
Characterization and Imaging of Lipid-Shelled Microbubbles for Ultrasound-Triggered Release of Xenon

Xenon (Xe) is a bioactive gas capable of reducing and stabilizing neurologic injury in stroke. The goal of this work was to develop lipid-shelled microbubbles for xenon loading and ultrasound-triggered release. Microbubbles loaded with either xenon (Xe-MB) or xenon and octafluoropropane (Xe-OFP-MB) (9:1 v/v) were synthesized by high-shear mixing. The size distribution and the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient of Xe-MB and Xe-OFP-MB were measured using a Coulter counter and a broadband acoustic attenuation spectroscopy system, respectively. The Xe dose was evaluated using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The total Xe doses in Xe-MB and Xe-OFP-MB were 113.1 ± 13.5 and 145.6 ± 25.5 μl per mg of lipid, respectively. Co-encapsulation of OFP increased the total xenon dose, attenuation coefficient, microbubble stability (in an undersaturated solution), and shelf life of the agent. Triggered release of gas payload was demonstrated with 6-MHz duplex Doppler and 220-kHz pulsed ultrasound. These results constitute the first step toward the use of lipid-shelled microbubbles for applications such as neuroprotection in stroke.