cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical interpretation of beta-lactamase-producing strains of Branhamella catarrhalis in sputum Gram's stain and culture

Branhamella catarrhalis has been implicated previously as a cause of bronchopulmonary infections. Sputum Gram's stain and culture results suggesting significant infection with beta-lactamase-producing strains of B. catarrhalis were correlated with a retrospective chart review of eight pediatric and ten adult patients. Preexisting pulmonary disease was observed in 12 patients; 5 had a history of aspiration; and 13 were intubated. Clinically, ten patients had pneumonia, five had bronchitis, and three manifested no disease. Only three sputum specimens grew a pure culture of B. catarrhalis, and six specimens yielded B. catarrhalis in the presence of normal upper respiratory flora. Analysis of broth microdilution susceptibility test results showed that 90% of the strains were inhibited at the following minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs90): ampicillin, 8 micrograms/mL; cefotaxime, 0.5 microgram/mL; cefoxitin, 0.5 microgram/mL; cephalexin, 4 micrograms/mL; cephalothin, 8 micrograms/mL; chloramphenicol, 1 microgram/mL; clindamycin, 4 micrograms/mL; erythromycin, 0.25 microgram/mL; methicillin, 16 micrograms/mL; mezlocillin, 16 micrograms/mL; moxalactam less than or equal to 0.6 microgram/mL; penicillin, 16 micrograms/mL; piperacillin, 8 micrograms/mL; tetracycline, less than or equal to 0.3 microgram/mL; and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 1.6/30 micrograms/mL. Therapy may have been adequate in only eight (44%) of the cases. However, all but four of the patients, who died of unrelated causes, exhibited resolution of disease. The data indicate that Gram's stain and culture results of sputum specimens suggesting B. catarrhalis bronchopulmonary infection should be interpreted with caution by clinicians.
Effects of Fiber Denier, Fiber Cross-Sectional Shape and Fabric Density on Acoustical Behavior of Vertically Lapped Nonwoven Fabrics

Acoustical insulation and absorption properties of nonwoven fabrics depend on fiber geometry and fiber arrangement within the fabric structure. The different structures of the fibers result in diff...
Ant predators of founder queens of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) in central Texas

Vials containing founder queens of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, were placed under the soil surface at four locations in central Texas; two within the current range of S. invicta and two outside, to compare founder queen predation mortality and also to document ant predators of the queen. The screen mesh covering vial openings was sufficiently small to prevent queens from escaping but allowed predacious ants as well as other organisms to enter. Queen mortality was compared between treatments and controls and at four locations. Of the four locations studied during 1988, predation by ants had the most pronounced effect on queen survival within the range of S. invicta . Twelve species of ants that previously have not been recorded as predators of S. invicta founder queens were observed killing queens during this study. Also, diversity of the ant community was found to be less within the range of S. invicta than outside the range.
Molecular Weight Effects on Particle and Polymer Microstructure in Concentrated Polymer Solutions

Microstructure of particles and polymers in concentrated polymer solutions are examined. Silica nanoparticles with diameters of 44 nm are suspended in concentrated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) solutions working with PEG molecular weights from 300 to 20 000. Using time-domain NMR, we explore the effects of PEG adsorption on the silica particles on the mobility of polymer segments. Our results reveal that polymer mobility varies from the particle surface to the bulk with different relaxation times; polymers are glassy near the particle surface and mobile in the bulk. While polymer segments adsorb to the particle surfaces to form a glassy layer in a molecular weight independent manner, the number of polymer segments with intermediate mobility between that of the glassy state and the bulk increases with molecular weight. Systematic variations in the nanoparticle and polymer microstructure in concentrated polymer solutions are explored using contrast-matching small angle neutron scattering techniques demonstrat...
Brief History of the Global SARS Outbreak of 2002–03

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was the first severe infectious disease to emerge in the twenty-first century. SARS was also a global epidemic that unfolded with an unprecedented amount of global attention. Even with the war in Iraq taking place during the early phases of the global response, SARS gained significant press and media coverage for weeks. The global community witnessed a world-wide health threat unfold and could watch and follow closely how national and international public health authorities grappled with the outbreak. The surgical mask, worn by citizens of SARS-affected areas, became a global symbol of the threat and the fear that SARS triggered.
Premalignant conditions of the small intestine

Cancer of the small intestine is rare compared with other sites in the gastrointestinal tract. Of the four major primary small-bowel tumors (adenocarcinomas, lymphomas, carcinoid, and leiomyosarcomas), adenocarcinomas and lymphomas are associated with diseases that seem to increase the risk of developing these malignancies. In the case of immunoproliferative small intestinal disease and celiac disease, both of which are thought to predispose patients to the development of primary lymphoma, treatment of the predisposing conditions seems to decrease the risk of developing subsequent malignancy. Recognition of the increased risk associated with other conditions, such as immunodeficiency syndromes, nodular lymphoid hyperplasia, Crohn's disease, the gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes, hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer, neurofibromatosis, long-standing ileostomy, and urinary diversion procedures, may lead to early diagnosis and improved survival.
Efficacy and tolerability of intrathecal liposomal cytarabine for central nervous system embryonal tumors

2064 Background: Liposomal cytarabine (DepoCyt) is a sustained-release intrathecal (IT) preparation of cytarabine, formulated by encapsulating the drug in spherical aqueous chambers within a lipid matrix. While proven effective in lymphomatous meningitis, this drug has shown some activity in medulloblastoma (MB) with spinal metastases in limited pediatric phase I study. Methods: We reviewed all patients at our institution treated with liposomal cytarabine for primary central nervous system (CNS) embryonal tumors-MB, primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), and atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT). Results: A cohort of 17 patients were treated with liposomal cytarabine at diagnosis of CNS embryonal tumor (2 PNET, 3 ATRT) or relapse (12 MB [7 average-risk, 5 high-risk]); nine had leptomeningeal metastases. Drug was dosed at 2 mg/kg up to 50, every 2 weeks to monthly, along with dexamethasone. Concurrent systemic chemotherapy was given in 16 patients. Median age at first dose was 10.8 years (range 0.9 to 2...
Ultrasound imaging using transmit wavefront synthesis: Spatial and frequency diversity approach to compounding

We have developed a modern array driver employing multi-channel arbitrary waveform generator and linear amplifiers for transmit wavefront synthesis. The system utilizes deep waveform memory that can be configured for switching between transmit patterns seamlessly thus allowing for the use of spatial and frequency diversity in image acquisition. In this paper, we present the first experimental results demonstrating dramatic reduction in sidelobe artifacts as well speckle reduction. Using a 3.5 MHz, 32-element concave array with 40-mm radius of curvature designed for dual-mode operation of therapy and imaging, Single Transmit Focus (STF) and Multiple Transmit Focus (MTF) patterns with varying spatial and frequency characteristics provided a reduction of these artifacts and greater source separation near the focus. Multiple embedded wire-target tissue mimicking phantoms and single leech ganglions in a saline bath were used as imaging targets to test sidelobe reduction; each with Synthetic Aperture (SA) imaging as a validation. Beamformed echo data was incoherently and coherently compounded to achieve sidelobe and incoherent speckle reduction.
Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis in the Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

To review the epidemiology, diagnostic challenges, pathogenesis, and treatment strategies for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasm-associated splanchnic vein thrombosis. The epidemiology of myeloproliferative neoplasm-associated splanchnic vein thrombosis (MPN-SVT) has been well characterized. While typical MPN-associated thrombosis affects older patients and involves the arterial circulation, MPN-SVT mostly impacts younger women. An association with JAK2 V617F is well-known; recent studies have demonstrated only a weak association with CALR mutations. JAK inhibition may represent a novel treatment strategy, complementing anticoagulation, and management of portal hypertension. While the epidemiology has been well characterized, more work is needed to identify novel contributors to disease pathogenesis, beyond the JAK2 V617F mutation itself, and endothelial compromise. Testing for MPN mutations in the setting of non-cirrhotic SVT is commonplace; JAK2 V617F is the most likely to be identified. Testing for CALR or MPL mutations requires clinical judgement, though not unreasonable. The mainstay of therapy is indefinite anticoagulation; the role of direct oral anticoagulants is unclear. JAK inhibition may play a role in addressing associated splenomegaly and portal hypertension.
Wind Power and Ramp Forecasting for Grid Integration

The uncertain and variable nature of the wind presents challenges to integrate wind power into the power grid, especially under extreme weather conditions. Accurate forecasts of wind power generation and extreme ramp events at different look-ahead timescales would help power systems better integrate wind power. Different models for short-term wind forecasting and ramp forecasting are reviewed and discussed in this chapter, including both individual and ensemble machine learning models and a recently developed optimized swinging door algorithm. The 1-h-ahead wind power forecasts at over 126,000 wind sites in the United States are generated using a gradient boosting machine model.
Engineering Concepts, Practices, and Trajectories for Early Childhood Education

In this chapter, we examine what age-appropriate engineering should entail for children at the preschool (ages 3–4), kindergarten (ages 5–6), and primary (ages 7–8) grade levels. We propose a set of design parameters that develop foundational engineering concepts and practices in children as they participate in engineering activity and design. At the core, these include understanding engineering as a design process and a focus on materials and their properties. As children engage in engineering, they should work to determine the problem they need to solve, think about criteria for successful designs, and explore which materials are best suited for their needs. They should also conduct tests and reflect upon the results to analyze how well their design worked to solve the problem while meeting criteria. Additionally, engineering education for young learners should foster children’s creative thinking, observational skills, and persistence. For each engineering curriculum design parameter, we describe how it can be implemented appropriately for children at each age band (3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8) based on our experience with children in classrooms.
Restoring ZSM-5 performance for catalytic fast pyrolysis of biomass: Effect of regeneration temperature

Abstract Zeolite catalysts used for biomass catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) deactivate rapidly, similar to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst used in refining. To operate effectively when there is rapid deactivation, biomass CFP can take place in a riser FCC-style reactor in which the catalyst has a short contact time (seconds) with reactants before it is regenerated. The regeneration, therefore, has two major needs for effective operation: 1) heat balance, since the heat required for the CFP reactions is brought into the reactor by the hot catalyst and 2) relatively short (minutes) regeneration to restore the catalyst activity to be near its initial state. In order to understand effective conditions to regenerate zeolites used for CFP, a series of experiments were performed to determine the effect of regeneration temperature on the activity of ZSM-5 (SiO2/Al2O3 = 30). After use for pine pyrolysis vapor upgrading, the catalyst was oxidized in 4% O2 at temperatures between 500–700 °C and reevaluated for the upgrading of pine pyrolysis vapors to assess the extent of regeneration. Additional testing was performed using ethylene aromatization as a surrogate reaction to probe regeneration efficiency. Regeneration experiments were performed for either a fixed length of time (20 min) or until there was no further CO2 measured in the effluent gas. Results from the ethylene aromatization reactions were shown to serve as an excellent surrogate for CFP reactivity and indicated that the use of model compound studies can effectively be used to understand reaction and regeneration processes from biomass CFP. Both sets of results indicate that a spent ZSM-5 used for biomass CFP could be fully regenerated at 650°C and 700°C within 20 min, whereas regeneration temperatures of 550 °C and 600 °C required longer regeneration temperatures and in the case of regeneration at 500 °C, there may be coke species that are not removed and the catalyst activity may never be fully restored. Characterization by pyridine diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis coupled with infrared spectroscopy, and N2 physisorption showed that higher regeneration temperatures are more effective for restoring Bronsted acid sites and catalyst mesoporosity by rapidly removing aromatic coke deposits. Additionally, regeneration at 650 °C and 700 °C led to a slightly higher total porosity as compared to the pristine catalyst, which was attributed to the formation of additional mesoporosity from catalyst steaming.
Intervento sulla crisi con sopravvissuti a tentati omicidi

Negli Stati Uniti la tendenza relativa agli omicidi fluttua in modo significativo; secondo i ”Rapporti Uniformi del Crimine“ (FBI, 1950–2005), le percentuali di omicidio: sono quasi raddoppiate dalla meta degli anni Sessanta alla fine degli anni Settanta; hanno avuto un picco di 10,2 su 100.000 persone nel 1980 e sono, in seguito, crollate a 7,9 su 100.000 persone nel 1984; sono cresciute, di nuovo, verso la fine degli anni Ottanta fino ad un altro picco nel 1991 di 9,8 su 100.000; dal 1992 al 2000, la percentuale e scesa drasticamente e, da allora, e rimasta stabile. Il seguente rapporto e basato su dati relativi agli anni 1976–2005. I neri sono rappresentati in modo sproporzionato sia come vittime sia come colpevoli di omicidio; le percentuali di vittimizzazione per la popolazione di colore erano sei volte maggiori di quelle dei bianchi e le percentuali di offesa, da parte dei neri, erano piu di sette volte maggiori di quelle dei bianchi. I maschi rappresentano il 77% delle vittime di omicidio e quasi il 90% dei colpevoli; le percentuali di vittimizzazione degli uomini erano tre volte maggiori rispetto a quelle delle donne e le percentuali di offesa da parte di uomini erano otto volte maggiori rispetto a quelle delle donne. Circa un terzo delle vittime di omicidio — e quasi meta dei responsabili — erano sotto i 25 anni; sia per le vittime, sia per i colpevoli, la percentuale su 100.000 persone ha un picco nel gruppo di eta tra i 18 e i 24 anni. (Fonte: FBI, Rapporti Uniformi del Crimine, 1950–2005)
Where Do Morals Come From? – A Plea for a Cultural Approach

In recent years, there has been an empirical turn in ethics. Using the methods of psychology, neuroscience, behavioral economics, and evolutionary modeling, we have been able to make progress on old philosophical questions about the nature of morality. For example, much recent research has lent support to the view that emotions are integral to moral judgment. Unsurprisingly, empirical research in ethics has tended to be reductionist: the loftiest aspects of human behavior have been related to simple mechanisms that can be identified in the brain. The implicated mechanisms, most notably emotion circuits, are also known to have homologues in other creatures. This fact, together with evolutionary theory and behavioral ethology, has helped promote the idea that there is an innate moral sense. Nativist accounts have always been popular in cognitive science, so this outcome can hardly be surprising. But we should be cautious about importing that approach into the moral domain. Moral diversity within human populations suggests that, at the very least, culture is an important variable in shaping morality, and it is a variable that we cannot afford to overlook. In my contribution, I will begin by reviewing what I take to be the main empirical lessons about how we make moral judgments. Then I will argue that judgments, so understood, are not universal in content. This will lead to a discussion of where moral judgments originate. The brief answer is that cultural factors, unfolding across time, are crucial for understanding the content of morality. This has implications for how to think about the biological contributions to morality and the processes by which moral values are acquired
Extension of the Integral

Before revamping Riemann’s theory of integration with all its intuitive appeal one would try, of course, to prove limit theorems better than the Dominated Uniform Convergence Theorem I.6.5. One might imagine that the next result was discovered this way. It is an extremely modest result, applying as it does only to a sequence of step functions whose pointwise and monotone limit is a priori known to be a step function again. Yet the whole development of the Lebesgue integral rests on it.
Microwave-enhanced chemical vapor infiltration: a sharp interface model

A simple one-dimensional model for describing CVI into a fibrous preform is presented and analyzed. The derivation requires that the thermal and electrical properties of the preform and substrate are disparate. Mathematically the model takes the form of a moving-boundary problem, where the boundary is the interface between the preform and the substrate. Effects of heat loss and radiation at the boundaries and the nonlinear dependence of dielectric parameters on temperature are all taken into account, in addition to the spatial dependence on gas concentration. Processing times for different power levels and inlet concentrations for different initial substrate thicknesses are obtained, and the implications to processing strategies are discussed.
A distillation column for hydrogen isotope removal from liquid lithium

Abstract Recovery of tritium from plasma-facing components in fusion devices will be vital to future full-scale operation. Liquid, low-Z materials have demonstrated many inherent advantages over solid first wall materials. To this end, a thermal treatment method in the form of a distillation column for extraction of hydrogen isotopes from liquid lithium has been designed, developed, and constructed at the Center for Plasma-Material Interactions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Use of induction heating and lithium condensation stages are the two qualities that set this design apart from other thermal treatment systems. Induction heating capabilities were modeled using the COMSOL Multiphysics software, which were validated when commissioning the physical heater module. Proof-of-concept tests were performed in the prototype column, which were undertaken as batch processes to investigate the efficacy with which the column could remove hydrogen gas from lithium-rich and lithium hydride-rich samples. All of the tests reported used lithium hydride as a surrogate for lithium deuteride and lithium tritide. The design process and results from the initial tests will be discussed, along with the envisioned placement of this treatment scheme in a fully-functional lithium loop.
Confidence-Driven Network for Point-to-Set Matching

The goal of point-to-set matching is to match a single image with a set of images from a subject. Within an image set, different images contain various levels of discriminative information and thus should contribute differently to the results. However, the discriminative level is not accessible directly. To this end, we propose a confidence driven network to perform point-to-set matching. The proposed system comprises a feature extraction network (FEN) and a performance prediction network (PPN). Given an input image, the FEN generates a template, while the PPN generates a confidence score which measures the discriminative level of the template. At matching time, the template is used to compute a point-to-point similarity. The similarity scores from different samples in the set are integrated at a score level, weighted by the predicted confidence scores. Extensive multi-probe face recognition experiments on the IJB-A and UHDB-31 datasets demonstrate performance improvements over state of the art algorithms.
Hero Street, USA: The Story of Little Mexico's Fallen Soldiers

Review of: "Hero Street, USA: The Story of Little Mexico's Fallen Soldiers," by Marc Wilson.
Generation of Synthetic Data for a Radiation Detection Algorithm Competition

This work details the generation of synthetic radiation data using large-scale Monte Carlo transport models to evaluate radiation search detection algorithms. Modular 3-D Monte Carlo models spanning multiple city blocks were constructed, loosely based on downtown Knoxville, TN, containing buildings composed of multiple materials (brick, granite, and concrete), sidewalks, a four-lane road, side streets, parking lots, and grassy fields. Background and simulated source detector response calculations from these models were used to create synthetic list mode data sets for a $2\,\,^{\prime \prime } \times 4\,\,^{\prime \prime } \times 16\,\,^{\prime \prime }$ NaI(Tl) detector moving through a city street at a constant speed. For the background simulations, major isotopes were computed individually so that background composition and variability could be computed efficiently outside Monte Carlo. The source detector response included six simulated sources placed at 15 source locations. Detector response was developed to be periodic through the city street so that a detector path could begin at one end of the model and wrap around to the other. This framework allowed for the creation of diverse data sets, each with its own unique background and simulated source detector response. Synthetic data allows for high-quality labels, which are useful in developing data-driven radiation detection algorithms. This methodology was used to create synthetic data sets which were released as part of a public data competition to spur the development of new radiation detection algorithms for radiological search applications.
Analysis of the low-probability-of-detection characteristics of ultraviolet communications

Deep ultraviolet wavelengths have been proposed for low-probability-of-detection (LPD) communications, particularly for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) links, because of the increased atmospheric absorption at these wavelengths. Motivated by this favorable feature, we develop a modeling framework to quantitatively study the LPD characteristics of ultraviolet communications (UVC). We then demonstrate the application of our modeling framework by considering various friendly and adversarial system configurations and quantifying the proposed LPD metric (the range at which an adversary can detect communications that uses the minimum power needed to meet given communications performance requirements), as well as investigating the sensitivity of the analysis to various scenario parameters. The results demonstrate the potential for this modeling and analysis approach to provide key insights into the design and operation of LPD NLOS UVC systems.
Enhanced wall shear stress prevents obstruction by astrocytes in ventricular catheters

The treatment of hydrocephalus often involves the placement of a shunt catheter into the cerebrospinal ventricular space, though such ventricular catheters often fail by tissue obstruction. While diverse cell types contribute to the obstruction, astrocytes are believed to contribute to late catheter failure that can occur months after shunt insertion. Using in vitro microfluidic cultures of astrocytes, we show that applied fluid shear stress leads to a decrease of cell confluency and the loss of their typical stellate cell morphology. Furthermore, we show that astrocytes exposed to moderate shear stress for an extended period of time are detached more easily upon suddenly imposed high fluid shear stress. In light of these findings and examining the range of values of wall shear stress in a typical ventricular catheter through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, we find that the typical geometry of ventricular catheters has low wall shear stress zones that can favour the growth and adhesion of astrocytes, thus promoting obstruction. Using high-precision direct flow visualization and CFD simulations, we discover that the catheter flow can be formulated as a network of Poiseuille flows. Based on this observation, we leverage a Poiseuille network model to optimize ventricular catheter design such that the distribution of wall shear stress is above a critical threshold to minimize astrocyte adhesion and growth. Using this approach, we also suggest a novel design principle that not only optimizes the wall shear stress distribution but also eliminates a stagnation zone with low wall shear stress, which is common to current ventricular catheters.
Time Perspective and Grade Expectations as Predictors of Student Achievement and Retention in the First Year of Community College

The authors examined three motivational factors (first-year grade expectations, present-focused time perspective, and future-focused time perspective) as predictors of achievement and retention out...
Pictorial review of the clinical applications of MIBG in neuroblastoma: current practices

Neuroblastoma is the most common extra-cranial solid tumor in pediatrics. The objective of this manuscript is to present an image-rich review of the presentation, diagnosis, staging and response assessment in individuals with neuroblastoma with special attention to the role of I-123 mIBG (meta-iodobenzylguanidine). A literature search was performed in the PubMed and Scopus databases to identity articles published between 1980 and March 2020 regarding different aspects of neuroblastoma (presentation, diagnosis, pathologic classification, staging, and response monitoring). Different combinations of search terms were used including “neuroblastoma”, “presentation”, “diagnosis”, “staging”, “imaging”, “pathology”, “MIBG”, “FDG”, “norepinephrine transporter”, and “18F DOPA”. The references of the resultant articles were also used to identify additional manuscripts. A total of 101 key articles were identified that discussed the spectrum of presentation, diagnosis, staging and response assessment in individuals with neuroblastoma. These articles form the basis of this manuscript. Iodine-123-labeled meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) is the cornerstone of functional imaging for staging, therapeutic response monitoring, prognostication, and the detection of recurrence in patients with neuroblastoma. MIBG images are interpreted both qualitatively and semiquantitatively. The International Neuroblastoma Risk Group Staging System and the International Neuroblastoma Staging System are used to stage the disease extent before and after surgical resection, respectively. The Revised International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria, updated in 2017, stratify the treatment response based on findings on functional (with mIBG or if mIBG non-avid with [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose) and anatomical (computed tomography or magnetic resonance) imaging and bone marrow aspirates.
Critical Reading: What Do Faculty Think Students Should Do?

Critical reading requires a deep and active engagement with the text. The goal of this study was to empirically determine what critical reading skills faculty believe students should develop. We as...
Pembrolizumab in a Patient with Treatment-Naïve Unresectable BRAF-Mutation Negative Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer.

Immune check point inhibitor (ICI) therapy can be a potentially effective salvage treatment for anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) with progression despite standard of care therapies. We report a case of unresectable treatment-naive ATC showing a dramatic and durable response to first-line pembrolizumab therapy. A 69-year-old male presented with a large, right-sided neck mass associated with compressive symptoms. A neck ultrasound showed a large, right-sided, and highly suspicious thyroid nodule. A fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy revealed tumor cells consistent with ATC that were positive for PD-L1, with an expression score of >95% and negative for the BRAF V600E mutation. Imaging studies were negative for distant metastases. The disease was declared surgically inoperable, and the patient declined chemotherapy/radiation therapy (XRT), but agreed to ICI therapy with intravenous pembrolizumab 200 mg every three weeks. The patient has received 25 doses of pembrolizumab to date, with rapid resolution of symptoms and a significant reduction in tumor size. He remains alive without disease progression 18 months since initial diagnosis.
Differential impacts of alternate primary producers on carbon cycling

Disturbance impacts the spatial distribution of primary producers, which can have cascading effects on ecosystem function. The lower-intertidal zone on the rocky shores of the Pacific Northwest is one such place where wave energy creates a mosaic-like distribution between two assemblages: surfgrass (Phyllospadix scouleri) meadows and macroalgal forests dominated by kelp. We simulated wave disturbance by experimentally removing patches of surfgrass monocultures, resulting in a macroalgal assemblage with increased diversity, biomass, and net primary productivity in the following year. Although surfgrass had a higher C:N compared to macroalgal assemblages, macroalgal assemblages achieved a higher biomass, fixed carbon at a faster rate, and released more dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during photosynthesis. Thus, despite similar standing amounts of carbon, macroalgal assemblages have increased carbon turnover-from fixation to DOC release. Comparative photophysiology indicated that surfgrasses have a competitive advantage over other macrophytes at low light levels, allowing them to persist when disturbance is reduced. Unexpectedly, disturbance in this system increased the potential for carbon sequestration when surfgrass monocultures were replaced by diverse macroalgae.
Sustained effects of mantra meditation compared to music listening on neurocognitive outcomes of breast cancer survivors: A brief report of a randomized control trial.

Abstract Objective Cancer-related cognitive impairment is common following the end of adjuvant treatment and there are limited treatment options for it. We compared the sustained cognitive (primary) and psychological (secondary) effects of mantra meditation to classical music listening 8 weeks after interventions ended (Time 3) compared to baseline (Time 1). Methods A two-group parallel random assignment experimental design was used in a community setting. Thirty one breast cancer survivors (ages 21 to 75, received chemotherapy, and reported cognitive complaints) were randomly assigned to practice mantra meditation (n = 16) or listen to classical music (n = 15) 12 min a day for 8 weeks. No blinding was used. Repeated measures analysis of variance models were used to compare Time 1 and Time 3 data for the 26 survivors (13 per group) who completed the interventions and Time 3 data collection. Results Verbal fluency (p Conclusion Daily mantra meditation or classical music listening may be beneficial for cognitive outcomes and quality of life of breast cancer survivors with cancer-related cognitive impairment. The cognitive benefits appear to be sustained beyond the initial intervention period. Clinical Trials Registration number: NCT03696056 , recruitment status completed. The study details can be accessed at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03696056 Key message There are limited treatment options for managing cancer-related cognitive impairments. Daily mantra meditation or classical music listening for 12 min a day may improve cognitive outcomes and quality of life for cancer survivors, with no negative side effects.
Pathways to understanding psychosis through rare – 22q11.2DS - and common variants

The 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome has significant impact on brain and behavior, with about 25% of individuals developing schizophrenia. The condition offers a model for prospective studies on the emergence of psychosis and advancing mechanistic hypotheses on gene-environment interactions, with magnified power for examining genome-phenome association. Here, we highlight findings that build on the International 22q11.2 Brain and Behavior Consortium and relate to several key domains in the study of psychosis-risk and schizophrenia. We examine neurocognition, olfaction and neuroimaging data that indicate similar impairment patterns in this rare syndrome and idiopathic presentation of schizophrenia. We conclude that the converging paradigms, studying psychosis dimensionally in rare and common variants samples, provide complementary approaches that will propel precision medicine in psychiatry.
International Housing Returns and the Financial Crisis: Disentangling Credit Supply and Demand Shocks

We investigate three popular supply-side explanations for the run-up in international housing prices prior to the financial crisis: loose monetary policy, a global savings glut, and deteriorating credit standards. Unlike prior studies, we use both central bank surveys and economic data to identify credit demand and credit supply shocks related to monetary policy, current account deficits, and changing credit standards. Using an unbalanced panel of 57 countries from 1990-2014, we find that none of the three explanations provides an adequate description of global housing prices, particularly prior to the financial crisis. Monetary policy does not explain the observed housing returns, and in fact tight monetary policy is correlated to higher housing returns. Current account deficits, on the other hand, are correlated with higher housing prices, but part of this correlation simply reflects that higher housing demand, and thus higher credit demand, results in larger current account deficits. Finally, we find that changing credit standards are capable of explaining some portion of housing returns, but that these changes can also proxy for demand shocks.
Trauma-Informed Care and Ethics Consultation in the NICU

Abstract Trauma-informed care responds to our current understanding of the ways in which people's traumatic life experiences influence both their health and their interactions with the health care system. Many ethics consults arise because those past traumatic life experiences are not recognized and addressed. In this paper, we present a NICU case that led to an ethics consultation about end-of-life decisions for a dying baby. We illustrate the ways in which a trauma-informed approach helped doctors, nurses and ethics consultants to better understand and care for the mother and family.
MICROCOMPUTERS IN INSTRUMENTATION

This paper discusses a facility to assist the designer in development of test instrumentation. Emphasis is placed on use of the microcomputer as an integral part of system design. Test instrument applications are cited. /GMRL/
Hydrodynamics of Perched Mounds

Perched recharge mounds are developed beneath artificial ground-water recharge basins where there are one or more horizontal semipervious layers located beneath the basin. In this paper the shape of these perched mounds is investigated using the saturated flow equations and the Dupuit-Forchheimer approximation. Finite difference techniques were used to solve for the mound shape for rising and steady-state mounds for both a strip and circular basin. Analytical solutions were obtained for certain limiting conditions. The results for the maximum mound thickness are presented in the form of dimensionless curves involving permeability of semipervious layer and the soil above the layer, thickness of layer, effective porosity and recharge rate from the basin. The equations and assumptions used for a single layer can also be used for a multiple layer situation. A computer program was developed for a three layer case and its use is illustrated with a numerical example.
Latin America’s Los Turcos: Geographic Aspects of Levantine and Maghreb Diasporas

Latin America’s los turcos comprise an ethnically, culturally and religiously diverse group of immigrants to the region. Despite the success and visibility of this group and their numbers in many countries throughout Latin America, research on these Middle Eastern-descended peoples has been surprisingly lacking in some areas. This paper, drawn from the much of the available literature, examines similarities-which helped to further differentiate the Middle Easterners not only from the native-born populations but also from other immigrants to Latin America and helped the inaccurate label turco to persist as an ethnic and cultural marker shared by a number of subgroups. This paper also looks at the record of los turcos in several countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Honduras). The paper highlights important aspects of this group’s experiences as part of the Middle Eastern diaspora in Latin America.
Did Viking discover life on Mars

A major argument in the claim that life had been discovered during the Viking mission to Mars is that the results obtained in the Labeled Release (LR) experiment are analogous to those observed with terrestrial microorganisms. This assertion is critically examined and found to be implausible.
REPLY TO JUSTIN D'ARMS AND LORI WATSON

Justin D'Arms says that moral disapproval is more closely tied to anger than to the “empathic chill” effect I emphasized in Moral Sentimentalism, but I argue that anger is in several ways inappropriate or unsatisfactory as a basis for understanding disapproval. I go on to explain briefly why I think we need not share D'Arms's worries about the possibility of nonveridical empathy but then focus on what he says about the reference-fixing theory of moral terminology defended in Moral Sentimentalism. I explain why I think his interpretations of my view—both at the Spindel Conference and subsequently—misunderstand the (Kripkean) character of that view. My reply to Lori Watson questions whether her criticisms of Moral Sentimentalism's account of morality are sufficiently sensitive to the self−other asymmetry that typifies so much of ordinary moral thinking.
The vectorcardiogram in left ventricular hypertrophy

Abstract In this report, we have presented the vectorcardiographic findings in a group of 24 adult patients with left ventricular systolic overload. The Frank lead system was used. The results indicate that left ventricular hypertrophy may be associated with significant changes in the initial, intermediate, and terminal forces of the QRS tracing. The magnitudes of the spatial Q and R vectors were increased. The terminal portion of the tracing was straight, without producing an S loop. The Q vector was directed inferiorly, in contrast to normal, and the R vector was displaced posteriorly. There was delay in inscription of the R loop, and QRS duration was prolonged. The above-noted alterations of the QRS loop in left ventricular hypertrophy have been discussed in relation to our present understanding of the anatomic and electrophysiologic sequelae of left ventricular enlargement. Twenty-nine per cent of the patients in this study demonstrated loop characteristics which suggested incomplete left bundle branch block. These changes consisted of (a) leftward initial forces, (b) extreme posterior displacement and delayed inscription of the R loop, (c) clockwise rotation of the R loop in the horizontal plane, (d) intermediate or terminal slowing, and (e) QRS prolongation. The frequent association of complete and incomplete left bundle branch block with left ventricular hypertrophy was discussed, and a possible mechanism to explain this association was proposed.
A neural network approach to image compression

Discusses some results of the design of a learning vector quantizer for image compression and the effects of the various parameters on the learning convergence. It is shown that good visual quality can be obtained at low bit-rates by using a multistage self-organizing neural network. The self-organizing network architecture is described. Experimental results of using the self-organizing network for codebook generation are described. The learning in the self-organizing network occurred very fast, achieving near maximum learning within a few tens of thousands of iterations. >
Application of the Bootstrap Procedure Provides an Alternative to Standard Statistical Procedures in the Estimation of the Vitamin B-6 Requirement

The bootstrap procedure is a versatile statistical tool for the estimation of standard errors and confidence intervals. It is useful when standard statistical methods are not available or are poorly behaved, e.g., for nonlinear functions or when assumptions of a statistical model have been violated. Inverse regression estimation is an example of a statistical tool with a wide application in human nutrition. In a recent study, inverse regression was used to estimate the vitamin B-6 requirement of young women. In the present statistical application, both standard statistical methods and the bootstrap technique were used to estimate the mean vitamin B-6 requirement, standard errors and 95% confidence intervals for the mean. The bootstrap procedure produced standard error estimates and confidence intervals that were similar to those calculated by using standard statistical estimators. In a Monte Carlo simulation exploring the behavior of the inverse regression estimators, bootstrap standard errors were found to be nearly unbiased, even when the basic assumptions of the regression model were violated. On the other hand, the standard asymptotic estimator was found to behave well when the assumptions of the regression model were met, but behaved poorly when the assumptions were violated. In human metabolic studies, which are often restricted to small sample sizes, or when statistical methods are not available or are poorly behaved, bootstrap estimates for calculating standard errors and confidence intervals may be preferred. Investigators in human nutrition may find that the bootstrap procedure is superior to standard statistical procedures in cases similar to the examples presented in this paper.
Conservation easements in context: a quantitative analysis of their use by The Nature Conservancy

Conservation easements have become the principal tool used by land trusts to preserve habitat and open space. However, anecdotal evidence has led some to question whether easements actually deliver conservation value. Our analysis of data from 119 easements held by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), spanning eight states and 20 years (1984–2004), is the first study to examine temporal patterns in the stated goals of, and activities allowed under, conservation easements. We found that these easements operate in accordance with conservation principles: 96% of sampled easements have identified biological targets, 84% are within TNC priority sites, and 79% are adjacent to protected areas. Easement usage has also become more strategic; recently established easements are more likely than older easements to be large and to include a management plan that focuses on biological targets. The one shortcoming we uncovered is a lack of biological monitoring. Although 92% of sampled easements have been monitored for legal co...
Structure and functional expression of α1, α2, and β subunits of a novel human neuronal calcium channel subtype

The primary structures of human neuronal alpha 1, alpha 2, and beta subunits of a voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel were deduced by characterizing cDNAs. The alpha 1 subunit (alpha 1D) directs the recombinant expression of a dihydropyridine-sensitive L-type Ca2+ channel when coexpressed with the beta (beta 2) and the alpha 2 (alpha 2b) subunits in Xenopus oocytes. The recombinant channel is also reversibly blocked by 10-15 microM omega-conotoxin. Expression of the alpha 1D subunit alone, or coexpression with the alpha 2b subunit, did not elicit functional Ca2+ channel activity. Thus, the beta 2 subunit appears to serve an obligatory function, whereas the alpha 2b subunit appears to play an accessory role that potentiates expression of the channel. The primary transcripts encoding the alpha 1D, alpha 2, and beta subunits are differentially processed. At least two forms of neuronal alpha 1D were identified. Different forms of alpha 2 and beta transcripts were also identified in CNS, skeletal muscle, and aorta tissues.
Control of Postnatal Bone Mass by the Zinc Finger Adapter Protein Schnurri-3

The completed skeleton undergoes continuous remodeling for the duration of adult life. Rates of bone formation by osteoblasts and bone resorption by osteoclasts determine adult bone mass. Abnormalities in either the osteoblast or osteoclast compartment affect bone mass and result in skeletal disorders, the most common of which is osteoporosis, a state of low bone mass. Much is known about the molecular control of bone formation and resorption from rare single gene disorders resulting in elevated or reduced bone mass. Such genetic disorders can be attributed either to osteoclast deficiencies, collectively termed "osteopetrosis," or to intrinsically elevated osteoblast activity, termed "osteosclerosis." However, an increasing need for anabolic therapies to prevent age-induced bone loss has stimulated a search for additional genes that act at the level of the osteoblast to regulate matrix synthesis. Recently, we have discovered a zinc finger adaptor protein called Schnurri-3 (Shn3) that potently regulates adult bone mass. Mice that lack Shn3 have normal skeletal morphogenesis but display profoundly elevated bone mass that increases with age. The molecular mechanism was revealed to be the recruitment of WWP1, a Nedd4 family E3 ubiquitin ligase, by Shn3 to the major transcriptional regulator of the osteoblast, Runx2. In the absence of Shn3, Runx2 degradation by WWP1 is inhibited resulting in increased levels of Runx2 protein and enhanced expression of Runx2 target genes leading to increased osteoblast synthetic activity. Small molecules that inhibit Shn3 or WWP1 may be attractive candidates for the treatment of diseases of low bone mass.
Computerized tomosynthesis of dental tissues

A digital method that produces an arbitrary number of tomographic slices from a finite number of dental radiographs is described. The relation between the slice thickness of the tomograms, the number of radiographs required, and the tomographic angle is determined on the basis of existing theory. In order to test the method, a series of radiographs of a radiographic phantom were taken and subsequently digitized to facilitate computer processing. From eight radiographs with an angular disparity of 4.5 degrees, tomograms with a slice thickness of about 3 mm, were produced. These not only indicate the relative position of the dental tissues in space but also show clinical relationships that are not visible in the original radiographs.