cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DENSITY DEPENDENT FORAGING ON LIATRIS PYCNOSTACHYA.

One of the distinguishing features of flowering plants is the reliance of many species on animal vectors, particularly insects, for cross pollination. For an outcrossing entomophilous plant, the behavior of pollinators directly determines the mating relations within a population and strongly affects the overall pattern of gene dispersal (Levin and Kerster, 1974). In their studies of gene dispersal in several entomophilous species, Levin and Kerster (1969a,b) have shown that within a plant population, the pollen component of gene dispersal is non-random and density dependent. Bee pollinator moves on Liatris aspera are predominantly to near-neighbor plants (Levin and Kerster, 1969a). As the distance between the plant near neighbors increases, the flight distance of the pollinators also increases. Thus, at a given density, the probability of two plants crossing is proportional to the distance between them; mating within an entomophilous plant population can conform to an isolation by distance model. When mating in a population is non-random as in some entomophilous plants, the population may become genetically divided into neighborhoods. Studies on genetic structure in the entomophilous species Liatris cylindracea have shown that subdivision does occur and that genetic differentiation conforms to an isolation by distance model (Schaal, 1974, 1975). Since genetic subdivision is known to exist in some entomophilous plant populations, and because, according to Wright (1969) it is an important characteristic that affects the evolutionary potential of a population, further studies of pollinator behavior, particularly the near-neighbor foraging pattern, seem to be warranted. The following is a report of density-dependent near-neighbor foraging of Bombus pennsylvanicus on Liatris pycnostachya.
Centrosymmetric (Cross-Symmetric) Matrices, Their Basic Properties, Eigenvalues, and Eigenvectors

(1985). Centrosymmetric (Cross-Symmetric) Matrices, Their Basic Properties, Eigenvalues, and Eigenvectors. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 92, No. 10, pp. 711-717.
The Therapeutic Effects of RG3039 in Severe Spinal Muscular Atrophy Mice and Normal Human Volunteers (SC01.002)

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of RG3039 in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Background Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessively inherited motor neuron disease that frequently results in early mortality. SMA is caused by homozygous mutation of the SMN1 gene and retention of SMN2, a highly similar gene that expresses insufficient levels of SMN protein. Currently there is no disease modifying treatment to offer patients. SMN2 copy number inversely correlates with disease severity in humans and robust increases in SMN expression prevents SMA in mice. RG3039, a quinazoline derivative, increases SMN2 promoter activity (Jarecki et al., 2005) and inhibits the scavenger decapping enzyme DcpS (Singh et al., 2008). Design/Methods: Severe SMA mice were treated with 0, 3, or 10 mg/kg of RG3039 daily beginning on the day of birth (P1). Behavioral, biochemical, and histological outcomes were assessed. A Phase I safety study of RG3039 in healthy human volunteers is ongoing. Results: RG3039 improves median survival by 29%, maximum body weight achieved by 15%, and motor behavioral outcomes in severe SMA mice. These effects are associated with increased SMN2 transcript levels, improved neuromuscular junction (NMJ) morphology and physiology, increased muscle and myofiber area, and increased number of vGluT1 synapses onto lumbar motor neurons. Interim phase I clinical results in healthy volunteers indicate no adverse effects at drug exposure that inhibits DcpS enzyme completely in circulating PBMC. Conclusions: RG3039 improves survival, motor behavior, and motor unit structure and function in severe SMA mice. Dosing in humans has produced no adverse effects to date. Phase I trials in SMA patients will be initiated in early 2012 and will represent the first clinical trial of a compound developed solely for the treatment of SMA. Supported by: Funding from the Repligen Corporation and grant support from the MDA, Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy to CK and the National Institutes of Health (R01NS062869 to CJS). Disclosure: Dr. Van Meerbeke has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gibbs has nothing to disclose. Dr. Plasterer has received personal compensation for activities with Repligen Corporation as an employee. Dr. Feng has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Xia has received personal compensation for activities with Repligen Corporation as an employee. Dr. Jacques has received personal compensation for activities with Repligen Corporation as an employee. Dr. Rusche has received personal compensation for activities with Repligen Corporation as an employee. Dr. Ko has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sumner has nothing to disclose.
Mass Communication in Canada: Networks, Culture, Technology, Audiences

This seventh edition of Mass Communication in Canada provides an up-to-date approach to presenting and analyzing traditional media, digitization and new, ground-gaining forms of social media. With ...
A Leak in Test Security

An effort was made to determine if publishers' test manuals designed to accompany various basic college textbooks, can easily be obtained by students using fictitious names, university stationery and a campus box number. More than one-half of the manuals requested were received. Only one of 23 requests was detected as being illegitimate. Although 3 companies said there was no manual, 7 did not reply. The validity of any test will be seriously impaired if simple precautions are not taken to ensure against its unauthorized availability.
Simultaneous determination of a variety of aliphatic ketone compounds in the air of workplace by gas chromatography

Objective To establish a method for simultaneous determination of acetone,butanone,methyl isobutyl ketone,isophorone by solvent desorption capillary gas chromatography in workplace air. Methods The air samples were collected with activated carbon tubes,then desorbed with CS2,separated with CP WAX 52 CB capillary column( 30 m × 0. 25 mm,0. 25 μm)and detected by GC with FID. The retention time was used in qualitative analysis and peak area in the quantification analysis.Results Acetone,Butanone,Methyl isobutyl ketone,and Isophorone were separated well with different retention time 2. 700 min,3. 305 min,4. 097 min,7. 597 min. The linear relationship was good,and the correlation coefficient r 0. 999. The detection limits and the addictive recovery rate were 0. 13 μg / ml-1. 1 μg / ml and 95. 5%-105% respectively. Conclusion The method established here,which was easy to operate,reliable in results,time and cost saving and presented with good RSD and recovery,met the requirements of The Determination Method of Chemical Substances in Workplace Air in GBZ / T210. 4-2008 and was suitable for simultaneous determination of the above 4 organic compounds in workplace air.
On main-memory flushing in microblogs data management systems

Searching microblogs, e.g., tweets and comments, is practically supported through main-memory indexing for scalable data digestion and efficient query evaluation. With continuity and excessive numbers of microblogs, it is infeasible to keep data in main-memory for long periods. Thus, once allocated memory budget is filled, a portion of data is flushed from memory to disk to continuously accommodate newly incoming data. Existing techniques come with either low memory hit ratio due to flushing items regardless of their relevance to incoming queries or significant overhead of tracking individual data items, which limit scalability of microblogs systems in either cases. In this paper, we propose kFlushing policy that exploits popularity of top-k queries in microblogs to smartly select a subset of microblogs to flush. kFlushing is mainly designed to increase memory hit ratio. To this end, it identifies and flushes in-memory data that does not contribute to incoming queries. The freed memory space is utilized to accumulate more useful data that is used to answer more queries from memory contents. When all memory is utilized for useful data, kFlushing flushes data that is less likely to degrade memory hit ratio. In addition, kFlushing comes with a little overhead that keeps high system scalability in terms of high digestion rates of incoming fast data. Extensive experimental evaluation shows the effectiveness and scalability of kFlushing to improve main-memory hit by 26–330% while coping up with fast microblog streams of up to 100K microblog/second.
Smoking and the Reduced Life Expectancy of Individuals With Serious Mental Illness

Introduction People with serious mental illness experience substantially reduced life expectancy, likely due in part to their higher smoking rates relative to the general population. However, the extent to which smoking affects their life expectancy, independent of mental illness, is unknown. This study quantifies the potential contribution of smoking to reduced life expectancy among individuals with serious psychological distress (SPD), a measure that screens for serious mental illness in national surveys. Methods A cohort of 328,110 U.S. adults was examined using the 1997–2009 National Health Interview Surveys linked to the 2011 National Death Index. Cox models were used to estimate mortality hazard ratios for current smoking, former smoking, and SPD and construct life tables by smoking and SPD status. The smoking-attributable fraction of deaths by SPD status was calculated. Analyses were conducted in 2015. Results Among those with SPD, being a current smoker doubles the risk of death. Current smokers with SPD lose 14.9 years of life relative to never smokers without SPD. Among never smokers, having SPD reduces life expectancy by 5.3 years. Thus, smoking may account for up to two thirds of the difference in life expectancy between smokers with SPD and never smokers without SPD. One third of deaths among those with SPD can be attributed to smoking. Conclusions The life expectancy difference between current smokers with SPD and never smokers without SPD is primarily due to smoking. Aiding individuals with serious mental illness to avoid smoking will translate into sizeable gains in life expectancy.
Imaging Unusual Pregnancy Implantations: Rare Ectopic Pregnancies and More

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to review key clinical issues and imaging features of unusual pregnancy implantations. Examples from different imaging modalities are provided to increase interpreting physicians' familiarity with the appearance and potential complications of unusual ectopic, cesarean scar, heterotopic, and rudimentary horn pregnancies. CONCLUSION. Abnormal pregnancy implantations are life-threatening. Interpreting physicians' familiarity with the appearance of unusual pregnancy implantations is critical for early identification and initiation of appropriate therapy.
Advancing alternate tools: why science education needs CRP and CRT

Ridgeway and Yerrick’s paper, Whose banner are we waving?: exploring STEM partnerships for marginalized urban youth, unearthed the tensions that existed between a local community “expert” and a group of students and their facilitator in an afterschool program. Those of us who work with youth who are traditionally marginalized, understand the importance of teaching in culturally relevant ways, but far too often—as Ridgeway and Yerrick shared—community partners have beliefs, motives, and ideologies that are incompatible to the program’s mission and goals. Nevertheless, we often enter partnerships assuming that the other party understands the needs of the students or community; understands how in U.S. society White is normative while all others are deficient; and understands how to engage with students in culturally relevant ways. This forum addresses the underlying assumption, described in the Ridgeway and Yerrick article, that educators—despite their background and experiences—are able to teach in culturally relevant ways. Additionally, I assert based on the finding in the article that just as Ladson-Billings and Tate (Teach Coll Rec 97(1):47–68, 1995) asserted, race in the U.S. society, as a scholarly pursuit, was under theorized. The same is true of science education; race in science education is under theorized and the use of culturally relevant pedagogy and critical race theory as a pedagogical model and analytical tool, respectively, in science education is minimal. The increased use of both would impact our understanding of who does science, and how to broaden participation among people of color.
Estimating Educational Attainment and Earning Capacity of a Minor Child

Estimating the earning capacity of an injured minor child or newborn raises a variety of economic issues not applicable in a typical adult injury case. A minor child case is more complicated because the child does not have an earnings record or may be too young to have acquired an educational level that will influence future earnings. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a methodology to estimate the probability of a child obtaining each educational level and the corresponding earning capacity associated with each educational level. An ordered probit model is used to estimate the probability of attaining a given educational level based on demographic and familial characteristics.
Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: Infection, Slippage, and Hiatal Hernia

Laparoscopic adjustable banding surgery has increased due to popularity with patients and bariatric surgeons. Long-term management of these patients should include careful questioning of the patients for troublesome symptoms, a low threshold for further testing, and careful physical examination. Infection of the gastric band or the reservoir port usually presents early after band placement. Gastric prolapse or “band slippage” can occur early or late. Hiatal hernia usually presents later in the postoperative period after the band has been adjusted.
Perioperative Hyperalgesia and Associated Clinical Factors.

Purpose of Review Pain has an important evolutionary role because it serves as an essential warning device to damaging stimuli. The perioperative setting is a unique environment where clinicians must accurately diagnose and address the source of pain. Modern-day perioperative pain control continues to be unsatisfactory. Nearly half of all surgical patients have moderate to severe pain postoperatively, and 24% experience inadequate pain relief. Furthermore, over half of the patients develop chronic pain after thoracotomies, mastectomies, and limb amputation surgeries. Hyperalgesia in the perioperative setting is an important and under-recognized source of morbidity during the perioperative course.
Risk factors for peritoneal carcinomatosis in gastric cancer patients, and outcomes following resection and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

e14656 Background: Gastric cancer (GC) contributes significantly to the burden of cancer death in the United States. Unfavorable prognosis in patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal carcinomato...
Accessibility, Textbooks, and Access Services.

ABSTRACTPutting access in Access Services is the goal. The Course Reserves unit is the place. Textbooks are the focus. Electronic technologies are the future. Patron-centric services will be our standard. Access to textbooks by all patrons will be the achievement. Course Reserves located in Library West at the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries has begun policies and procedures to enhance the patron experience based on specific needs using programs, technologies, and particular attention to customer service. This article explores providing services for accessible electronic textbooks to patrons who have specific needs such as blindness or low vision.
Accommodation in Early Eighteenth-Century Germany

Here I trace Socinian accommodation from the seventeenth-century Dutch Reformed to eighteenth-century German Lutherans. With this change we enter the Enlightenment. Whereas Cartesianism was the philosophy associated with Socinian accommodation, in this Chap. 1 discuss how the Leibnizian-Wolffian system became the new philosophical partner to Socinian accommodation in eighteenth-century Germany. At the same time, Augustinian accommodation progressed from Martin Luther to post-Reformation Lutherans to eighteenth-century Lutherans. I argue that though orthodox Lutherans and Pietists disagreed about many theological points, on the issue of accommodation they were in unison. The chapter ends with a discussion of Johann Georg Hamann’s Trinitarian understanding of accommodation.
Paving the Way: The Distinctive Mentoring Style of Janet Taylor Spence

Janet Taylor Spence (1923–2015), a major figure in American psychology, made seminal scientific contributions to the fields of anxiety and gender psychology. In this essay, the authors, both former Spence students, weave a tapestry of her teaching and mentoring by using as the threads Spence’s reflections on her professional life, the authors’ personal experiences with Spence, and findings from the relevant career literature. Three areas of teaching and mentoring are used to illustrate Spence’s distinctive yet highly effective style of mentoring: (a) modeling and insisting on careful thinking, (b) serving as an intentional role model, and (c) assisting in negotiating the hazards of academia. A conceptual explanation is provided for each area, together with specific examples illustrating how Spence employed these strategies.
Hardware Trojan Attacks in SoC and NoC

Over the last decade, a tremendous amount of time, effort, and money has been dedicated to the design of secure and reliable computing hardware. However, the changing electronic design landscape has brought forth unique challenges to system security. The evolution of complex system on chip has pushed for a rapid adoption of horizontal integration strategy, where pre-verified third-party modular IP blocks from multiple vendors from around the world are integrated onto a single substrate. Key to this IP integration is the network-on-chip interconnection fabric that aids seamless communications among these diverse blocks. This chapter studies the emerging Trojan attacks and security techniques employed in system-on-chip security, with a special emphasis on hardware Trojans in the NoC.
Building Trust and Collaborating with Others: Challenges For A Sustainable Peace in Caquetá, Colombia

In the Amazonian department of Caqueta (Colombia), considered a Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) stronghold, 300 families are currently challenged with implementing the peace agreement in their territory while also navigating the road to sustainable development. This process entails trusting others, collaborating, and making decisions about health and education services, environmental problems, economic issues, and even aspects of everyday life. The Paisajes Conectados program is focused on reducing deforestation and promoting sustainable development in two municipalities of Caqueta. Its mission is to build new skills and share knowledge within local communities in order to strengthen governance and participation. This paper presents the findings of a field practicum, developed with the objective of determining community perceptions of the Capacity Building and Governance Strategy implemented under the Paisajes Conectados program in the context of a transition from conflict to peace.
Through display system uniformity

Typically, a system level characterization of a thermal imaging device includes characterizing the objective optics, detector and readout electronics. Ultimately, the thermal imagery is converted to an 8-bit signal and presented on a display for human visual consumption. In some situations, direct characterization of the pre-sample imaging system is not possible, and measurements must be performed from analyzing the output from its display. Additionally, the performance of the display and display optics are significant contributors to the performance of the imaging system, yet they are both assumed to be ideal in many aspects. In this paper, we describe how the underlying imaging system non-uniformity is related to additional display contributions in the total system non-uniformity. This paper will be divided into three parts: the technique and considerations needed to properly measure system through its display, how we can use this information in the NVIPM performance model, and a comparison of performance from measurements at the pre-sample readout versus measurements only at the display.
Black Country, White Wilderness: Conservation, Colonialism, and Conflict in Tasmania

In 2015, Tasmania’s land management plan for the expansive Wilderness World Heritage Area, covering around a fifth of the entire island of south and central Tasmania, was dramatically revised. The new plan expanded dual management of the area with Aboriginal Tasmanians and the Tasmanian state through the creation of an Aboriginal Cultural Business Unit that would generate financial management opportunities for Aboriginals. However, Aboriginal perspectives on the meaning of land often conflicted with white conservationists’ wilderness values of remoteness and isolation. In this article, I argue that the reactions from white conservationists to the new plan are illustrative of a wilderness ideology that attempts to limit interactions with nature and consequently marginalizes Aboriginals. Reflexivity is an important aspect of this paper as these critiques of conservation are also critiques of my own beliefs and identity, and my reactions to what I encountered in this research add a layer that would have been absent otherwise. Through reflexive analysis of interviews and participant observation with individuals from environmental organizations, the Tasmanian government, the timber industry, tourism, and an Aboriginal corporation, along with printed materials and websites connected to the Wilderness World Heritage Area, I show that conservationists in Tasmania perpetuate colonial desires and white privilege at the expense of Tasmanian Aboriginals through the racialized ideology of wilderness.
The Role of Extremes in Interpregnancy Interval in Women at Increased Risk for Adverse Obstetric Outcomes Due to Health Disparities: A Literature Review.

Background The interpregnancy interval (IPI) defines the time between two consecutive gestations. In the general population, women with IPIs that fall outside the recommended 18-24 month range appear to be at modestly increased risk for adverse obstetric outcomes. Objective The aim of this review was to assess the impact of extremes in IPI in populations with an increased baseline risk for adverse obstetric outcomes due to disparities in health and health care, including racial and ethnic groups, adolescents, and those of lower socioeconomic status. Methods We conducted a MEDLINE/Pubmed literature search in February 2016. Identified articles were reviewed and assigned a level of evidence. Results The 24 studies included in our final review were mainly retrospective with considerable heterogeneity in definitions and outcomes that prevented a quantitative meta-analysis. Conclusion The results of our review suggest that at-risk populations may have an increased frequency of shortened IPIs though the impact appears to be moderate and inconsistent. There was insufficient evidence to draw meaningful conclusions regarding a prolonged IPI or the effect of interventions. Based on the current literature, under-served populations are more likely to have a shortened IPI which increased the incidence of prematurity and low birth weight in some groups though the effect on additional obstetric outcomes is difficult to assess.
Resilience as Tolerance for Ambiguity

Marie’s husband went hiking four years ago and vanished without a trace. Marie has come to believe now, four years after his disappearance, that she will never know where her husband is, or whether he is dead or alive. Some days she thinks he is dead; other days she thinks he started a new life somewhere else. It goes like that, back and forth. She wonders when it will be over. Never? All she knows for sure is this: She is not waiting anymore for him to come back. She is finally moving forward with her life despite not knowing.
Influence of conjugation length on ultrafast electronic tunneling in organic semiconductor thin films

Electron delocalization in conjugated organic molecules is a rate-limiting step in maximizing the charge generation efficiency of next generation photovoltaics and molecular electronics. In particular, ultrafast (<50 fs) delocalization is an important aspect that has been beyond the scope of traditional optical experiments. In this work, we use resonant photoemission spectroscopy to probe electron delocalization timescales as a function of conjugation length by examining an oligothiophene chemical series containing 4-, 5- and 6-mers. We find that above a certain photon energy threshold, the 5-mer, quinquenthiophene, displays the largest ultrafast tunneling rates, roughly three times faster than the 6-mer, sexithiophene. We argue that differences in thin-film molecular packing cannot satisfactorily explain our results, and we speculate that the differences in ultrafast electron dynamics may be a manifestation of the odd/even effect.
Radioactive Transition Metals for Imaging and Therapy.

Nuclear medicine is composed of two complementary areas, imaging and therapy. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon imaging, including single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), comprise the imaging component of nuclear medicine. These areas are distinct in that they exploit different nuclear decay processes and also different imaging technologies. In PET, images are created from the 511 keV photons produced when the positron emitted by a radionuclide encounters an electron and is annihilated. In contrast, in single-photon imaging, images are created from the γ rays (and occasionally X-rays) directly emitted by the nucleus. Therapeutic nuclear medicine uses particulate radiation such as Auger or conversion electrons or β– or α particles. All three of these technologies are linked by the requirement that the radionuclide must be attached to a suitable vector that can deliver it to its target. It is imperative that the radionuclide remain attached to the vector before it is delivered...
Reactive oxygen-induced carcinogenesis causes hypermethylation of p16(Ink4a) and activation of MAP kinase.

Implantation of foreign materials into mice and humans has been noted to result in the appearance of soft tissue sarcomas at the site of implantation. These materials include metal replacement joints and Dacron vascular grafts. In addition, occupational exposure to nickel has been shown to result in an increased risk of carcinogenesis. The molecular mechanisms of foreign body-induced carcinogenesis are not fully understood. Materials and Methods: In order to gain insight into these mechanisms, we implanted nickel sulfide into wild type C57BL/6 mice as well as a mouse heterozygous for the tumor suppressor gene, p53. Malignant fibrous histiocytomas arose in all mice, and we have characterized the profile of tumor suppressor genes and signal transduction pathways altered in these cells. All tumors demonstrated hypermethylation of the tumor suppressor gene p16, as well as activation of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) signaling pathway. This knowledge may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of tumors caused by foreign body implantation. Oxidative stress induced by nickel sulfide appears to cause loss of p16 and activation of MAP kinase signaling. These findings support the hypothesis of synergistic interactions between MAP kinase activation and p16 loss in carcinogenesis.
Blunted Arousal in Response to Psychological Stress is Associated with Current Suicide Ideation.

The purpose of this study was to test the association between arousal in response to psychological stress, as measured by standardized maximum decrease in high-frequency heart rate variability (HF ...
Establishing microbial co-cultures for 3-hydroxybenzoic acid biosynthesis on glycerol.

Converting renewable feedstocks to aromatic compounds using engineered microbes offers a robust approach for sustainable, environment-friendly, and cost-effective production of these value-added products without the reliance on petroleum. In this study, rationally designed E. coli-E. coli co-culture systems were established for converting glycerol to 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (3HB). Specifically, the 3HB pathway was modularized and accommodated by two metabolically engineered E. coli strains. The co-culture biosynthesis was optimized by using different cultivation temperatures, varying the inoculum ratio between the co-culture strains, recruitment of a key pathway intermediate transporter, strengthening the critical pathway enzyme expression, and adjusting the timing for inducing pathway gene expression. Compared with the E. coli mono-culture, the optimized co-culture showed 5.3-fold improvement for 3HB biosynthesis. This study demonstrated the applicability of modular co-culture engineering for addressing the challenges of aromatic compound biosynthesis.
Operative Outcomes of Concomitant Minimally Invasive Mitral and Tricuspid Valve Surgery

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate whether the addition of concomitant tricuspid valve surgery (TVS) negatively impacted operative outcomes of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (M...
Hereditary Stomatocytosis Associated with a Loss of Function Mutation In Rh-Associated Glycoprotein (RhAG)

Abstract Abstract 2040 The erythroid Rh family of proteins includes RhCE and RhD which carry the common Rh antigens, and the related Rh-associated glycoprotein, RhAG. RhAG is required for trafficking of the blood group proteins to the membrane and forms the core of a macro-complex in the membrane which includes glycophorin B, Band 3, CD47, and LW. The Rh proteins are structurally and functionally related to the Amt superfamily of NH3/NH4+ transport proteins, and RhAG and its nonerythroid paralogs, RhCG and RhBG, have been shown to mediate NH3/NH4+ transport. RhCG is responsible for part of renal collecting duct epithelial cell NH3/NH4+ secretion, and Rhcg-/- mice exhibit incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis due to impaired urinary NH4+ excretion. The Rhag-/- mouse is grossly normal, and the significance of RhAG-mediated NH3/NH4+ transport in human erythrocytes remains unclear. Over-hydrated hereditary stomatocytosis (OHSt) is a rare dominant disorder characterized by moderate hemolytic anemia, increased mean red cell volumes, stomatocytes and echinocytes, and increased red cell permeability to the monovalent cations, Na+ and K+. Six of the seven OHSt kindred studied by Bruce et al. (Blood. 2009;113:1350) displayed a heterozygous Phe65Ser mutation in RhAG. Expression studies of the mutant 65Ser-RhAG in Xenopus oocytes induced a monovalent cation flux compatible with the cation leak seen in RBCs. The increased Na+ and decreased K+ contents of mutant RhAG-expressing oocytes suggested that F65S is a gain-of-function mutation that opens a cation leak, likely within the RhAG polypeptide. In this study the ammonia transport properties of the OHSt mutant 65Ser-RhAG were investigated. Xenopus oocytes were injected with cRNA encoding wild-type RhAG, the OHSt mutant 65Ser-RhAG, and 65Val-RhAG, an engineered mutation with a smaller hydrophobic side chain at position 65. Wild-type and mutant RhAG polypeptides were well-expressed in the oocyte membrane as measured by quantitative immunoblotting. Uptake of the NH3/NH4+ substrate analog 14C-methylammonium (MA), was assayed in oocytes previously injected with water (control) or with cRNA. Expression of wild-type RhAG mediated MA uptake at rates 6-fold greater than that of water-injected controls. Uptake of MA by oocytes expressing 65Val-RhAG was equivalent to that of wild type RhAG. However, MA uptake by oocytes expressing OHSt mutant 65Ser-RhAG was greatly reduced to less than 20% that of oocytes expressing wild-type RHAG or 65Val-RhAG, and was only 1.5-fold greater than that of water-injected control oocytes. Co-expression with other, individual Rh complex members glycophorin B, RhD, RhCE, or Band 3 did not alter MA-mediated uptake by RhAG-expressing oocytes. Importantly, this study reveals that the RhAG mutation Phe65Ser found in patients with type 1 over-hydrated stomatocytosis is a loss of function mutation. Further study is required to define the relationship between loss of NH3/NH4+ transport and erythrocyte Na+ and K+ cation content. Disclosures: Westhoff: Immucor: Scientific Advisor.
Neonatal Palliative Care for Complicated Cardiac Anomalies: A 10-Year Experience of an Interdisciplinary Program at a Large Tertiary Cardiac Center

Objectives To report the outcomes of a Neonatal Palliative Care (NPC) Program at a large tertiary cardiac center caring for a subset of fetuses and neonates with life-limiting cardiac diagnoses or cardiac diagnoses with medical comorbidities leading to adverse prognoses. Study design The Neonatal Comfort Care Program at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center is an interdisciplinary team that offers the option of NPC to neonates prenatally diagnosed with life-limiting conditions, including single ventricle (SV) congenital heart disease (CHD) or less severe forms of CHD complicated by multiorgan dysfunction or genetic syndromes. Results From 2008 to 2017, the Neonatal Comfort Care Program cared for 75 fetuses or neonates including 29 with isolated SV CHD, 36 with CHD and multiorgan dysfunction and/or severe genetic abnormalities, and 10 neonates with a prenatal diagnosis of isolated CHD and postnatal diagnoses of severe conditions who were initially in intensive care before transitioning to NPC because of a poor prognosis. Conclusions At New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, a large tertiary cardiac center, 13.5% of parents of fetuses or neonates with isolated SV CHD opted for NPC. Twenty-six of 29 newborns with SV CHD treated with NPC died. Of the remaining, 2 neonates with mixing lesions are alive at 3 and 5 years of age, and 1 neonate was initially treated with NPC and then pursued surgical palliation. These results suggest that NPC is a reasonable choice for neonates with SV CHD.
Counting and Enumeration of a Regular Lattice

A regular lattice is an infinite array of points $${\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{x}} = {{\ell }_{1}}{{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{a}}}_{1}} + {{\ell }_{2}}{{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{a}}}_{2}} + {{\ell }_{3}}{{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{a}}}_{3}} + {{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{x}}}_{0}} \left( {3 \dim lattice} \right) $$ where the \(\mathop a\limits_{ \sim i} \)’s are linearly independent base vectors, the li’s are integers, and there are as many \(\mathop x\limits_{ \sim O} \)’s as the number of interpenetrating lattices.
Symptom burden in patients with cancer who are experiencing unplanned hospitalization.

BACKGROUND Inpatient supportive care programs often target patients with advanced solid tumors. To the authors' knowledge, few studies to date have characterized symptom burden in hospitalized patients with potentially curable cancers. The objective of the current study was to compare symptom burden, palliative care consultation, and readmission rates in hospitalized patients by cancer type and treatment intent. METHODS The authors conducted a single-center study of hospitalized patients with cancer between 2014 and 2017. They assessed physical symptoms using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System and psychological distress using the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 and the Primary Care PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) Screen. Multivariate linear regression models were used to assess symptom burden, logistic regression was used to assess palliative care use, and competing risk regression was used to compare 90-day readmission risk. RESULTS A total of 1549 patients were enrolled and surveyed. The majority of patients reported moderate to severe fatigue, poor well-being, and drowsiness with no significant differences noted by cancer type and treatment intent. Compared with other groups, patients with incurable solid cancer reported higher physical symptoms (beta coefficient [B], 4.73; P < .01) and symptoms of depression (B, 0.44; P < .01) and anxiety (B, 0.39; P < .01), but no difference in posttraumatic stress disorder. Among patients in the top quartile symptom burden according to the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, the palliative care service was consulted in 14.7%, 7.9%, 25.0%, and 49.6%, respectively, of patients with potentially curable hematologic, potentially curable solid, incurable hematologic, and incurable solid cancers (P < .001). Compared with patients with potentially curable solid cancer, patients in each group experienced a higher risk of readmission within 90 days. CONCLUSIONS Hospitalized patients with cancer experience substantial physical and psychological symptoms. Palliative care rarely is consulted for highly symptomatic patients with potentially curable cancers. Supportive care interventions should target the needs of symptomatic patients regardless of treatment intent.
Measurement of 2x2 LoS Terahertz MIMO Channel

This paper examines the performance of a 2x2 Line of Sight (LoS) Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) channel at three terahertz frequencies-340 GHz, 410 Ghz, and 460 GHz. While theoretical models predict very high channel capacities, we observe lower capacity which is explained by asymmetric transmit-to-receive signal strengths as well as due to signal attenuation over longer distances. Overall, however, we note that at 460 Ghz, channel capacity of higher than 12 bps/hz is possible even at sub-optimal inter-antenna spacings (for different distances). An important observation is also that we need to maintain appropriate receive signal levels at receive antennas in order to improve capacity.
Self-Efficacy and Social Support are Associated with Disability for Ambulatory Prosthesis Users After Lower-Limb Amputation.

Background Interventions targeting psychosocial factors may improve rehabilitation outcomes for prosthesis users after lower-limb amputation (LLA), but there is a need to identify targeted factors for minimizing disability. Objective To identify psychosocial factors related to disability for prosthesis users after LLA in middle age or later. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting General community. Participants Participants with LLA (N = 122) were included in this cross-sectional study if their most recent LLA was at least 1 year prior, they were ambulating independently with a prosthesis, and they were between 45 and 88 years old. Interventions Not applicable. Main outcome measures Disability, the primary outcome, was measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS). Candidate psychosocial variables included self-efficacy, social support, and motivation, measured using the Self-Efficacy of Managing Chronic Disease questionnaire (SEMCD), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support questionnaire (MSPSS), and modified contemplation ladder (mCL), respectively. The hypothesis was that greater self-efficacy, social support, and motivation would be associated with lower disability when controlling for covariates. Results The covariate model, including etiology, age, sex, U.S. military veteran status, LLA characteristics, time since LLA, medical complexity, and perceived functional capacity, explained 66.1% of disability variability (WHODAS 2.0). Backward elimination of candidate psychosocial variables stopped after removal of motivation (P = .10), with self-efficacy (P Conclusions Greater self-efficacy and social support are related to lower disability after LLA. Findings suggest there may be a role for interventions targeting increased physical function, self-efficacy, and social support for ambulatory prosthesis users after LLA in middle age or later, especially when complicated by multiple chronic conditions.
Globalization, Marginalization, and the External Arena

The crisis of globalization has contributed to the marginalization and exit of people in the postcolonial periphery and growing isolationism in the core. These developments have reduced the “footprint” of the capitalist world-system and contributed to the (re)emergence of what Immanuel Wallerstein called the “external arena.” In the periphery, falling core demand has reduced earnings from commodity production, while debt crisis and government corruption has made it difficult to generate economic growth or provide the infrastructure needed to curb population growth. The result has been the creation in many countries of “low-level equilibrium traps” that prevent any real economic “development.” Moreover, sectarian conflicts over scarce resources have erupted, and many people have sought to escape poverty and violence by migrating to the core. In the core, states have become skeptical about the benefits of aid to corrupt governments in the periphery, indifferent about trade, weary of endemic sectarian violence, and alarmed by immigration. So they have reduced investment, foreign aid, and trade with much of the postcolonial periphery and built “walls” to secure their frontiers. This chapter examines how the crisis of globalization contributed both to the marginalization in the periphery and isolationism in the core.
Efficiency Gains from Accounting Regulatory Compliance

My study examines whether the process of complying with new accounting standards has positive spillover effects on operating efficiency and firm performance. Using the recent lease accounting standard change (ASC-842), I examine whether the requirement to capitalize operating leases increases efficiency through managerial learning. To separate managerial learning from the potential benefits of enhanced disclosures, I exploit the relatively long transition period (2017-2018), wherein managers have access to new lease-related information that has not been disclosed to the market. I find that firms with a high proportion of operating leases experience an increase in profitability during the transition period relative to other firms. Further analysis shows that the increase in profitability is associated with a reduction in rent expenses and cost of goods sold. I document that these firms experience a decline in the level of operating leases during the transition period relative to other firms. I also provide evidence that this decrease in operating leases is not driven by substitution to capital leases or purchase of property, plant, and equipment. In cross-sectional analyses, I find that the results are concentrated in firms that have a poor internal information environment and high business complexity. These results are robust to entropy balancing and to controlling for a host of firm characteristics. Overall, my results support the claim that even though managers view new accounting standards as a burden, the information generated through the compliance process can lead to efficiency gains.
Comparison of Multi-Parametric MRI of the Prostate to 3D Prostate Computer Aided Designs and 3D-Printed Prostate Models for Pre-Operative Planning of Radical Prostatectomies: A Pilot Study.

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the use of 3D computed aided designs and 3D-printed models as pre-operative planning tools for urologists, in addition to radiologist interpreted mp-MRIS, prior to radical prostatectomy procedures. Methods Ten patients with biopsy-positive lesions detected on mp-MRI were retrospectively selected. Radiologists identified lesion locations using a Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) map and segmented the prostate, lesion(s), and surrounding anatomy to create 3D-CADs and 3D-printed models for each patient. 6 uro-oncologists randomly reviewed three modalities (mp-MRI, 3D-CAD, and 3D-printed models) for each patient and identified lesion locations which were graded for accuracy against the radiologists’ answers. Questionnaires assessed decision confidence, ease-of-interpretation, and usefulness for preoperative planning for each modality. Results Using 3D-CADs and 3D-printed models compared to mp-MRI, urologists were 2.4x and 2.8x more accurate at identifying the lesion(s), 2.7x and 3.2x faster, 1.6x and 1.63x more confident, and reported it was 1.6x and 1.7x easier to interpret. 3D-CADs and 3D-printed models were reported significantly more useful for overall pre-operative planning, identifying lesion location(s), determining degree of nerve sparing, obtaining negative margins, and patient counseling. Sub-analysis showed 3D-printed models demonstrated significant improvements in ease-of-interpretation, speed, usefulness for obtaining negative margins, and patient counseling compared to 3D-CADs. Conclusion 3D-CADs and 3D-printed models are useful adjuncts to mp-MRI in providing urologists with more practical, accurate, and efficient pre-operative planning.
Attitude Toward the Elderly, Fear of Death, and Work Preference of Baccalaureate Nursing Students

Aging increases the proximity to death. It may be that fear of death has a negative impact on attitude toward the elderly. The previous research is inconclusive. A positive attitude toward the elderly in past studies was not found to be related to preference for working with this age group. In the present study of senior baccalaureate nursing students, no relationship was found between attitude toward the elderly and fear of death. However, a significant relationship was found between positive attitude toward the elderly and preference for working with this age group. In addition, subjects who had experience living with or caring for an elderly person were found to have a high preference for working with the elderly. An intriguing finding is that subjects with a high preference for working with older clients with more likely to describe themselves as religious or devoutly religous.
The Diffusion of Regulatory Oversight

The idea of cost-benefit analysis has been spreading internationally for centuries — at least since an American named Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter in 1772 to his British friend, Joseph Priestley, recommending that Priestley weigh the pros and cons of a difficult decision in what Franklin dubbed a “moral or prudential algebra” (Franklin 1772) (more on this letter below). Several recent studies show that the use of benefit-cost analysis (BCA), for both public projects and public regulation of private activities, is now unfolding in countries on every habitable continent around the world (Livermore and Revesz 2013; Quah and Toh 2012; De Francesco 2012; Livermore 2011; Cordova-Novion and Jacobzone 2011). This global diffusion of BCA is intermingled with the global diffusion of regulatory capitalism, in which privatized market actors are supervised by expert regulatory agencies (Levi-Faur 2005; Simmons et al. 2008), and with the international spread of ex ante regulatory precautions to anticipate and prevent risks despite uncertainty (Wiener et al. 2011).