cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial and temporal analysis of landscape patterns

A variety of ecological questions now require the study of large regions and the understanding of spatial heterogeneity. Methods for spatial-temporal analyses are becoming increasingly important for ecological studies. A grid cell based spatial analysis program (SPAN) is described and results of landscape pattern analysis using SPAN are presentedd. Several ecological topics in which geographic information systems (GIS) can play an important role (landscape pattern analysis, neutral models of pattern and process, and extrapolation across spatial scales) are reviewed. To study the relationship between observed landscape patterns and ecological processes, a neutral model approach is recommended. For example, the expected pattern (i.e., neutral model) of the spread of disturbance across a landscape can be generated and then tested using actual landscape data that are stored in a GIS. Observed spatial or temporal patterns in ecological data may also be influenced by scale. Creating a spatial data base frequently requires integrating data at different scales. Spatial is shown to influence landscape pattern analyses, but extrapolation of data across spatial scales may be possible if the grain and extent of the data are specified. The continued development and testing of new methods for spatial-temporal analysis will contribute to a general understanding of landscape dynamics.
Schistosoma mansoni synthesizes novel biantennary Asn-linked oligosaccharides containing terminal β-linked N-acetylgalactosamine

This report describes the structure of novel complex-type Asn-linked oligosaccharides in glycoproteins synthesized by the human blood fluke, Schistosoma mansoni. Adult schistosome worm pairs (male and female) isolated from infected hamsters were metabolically radiolabelled with either [3H]glucosamine, [3H]mannose or [3H]galactose. The glycopeptides prepared by pronase digestion of the total glycoprotein fraction were isolated by affinity chromatography on columns of immobilized Concanavalin A (Con A) and Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA). A subset of glycopeptides, designated IIb, that bound to both Con A and WFA was isolated. WFA has been shown to have affinity for oligosaccharides containing beta 1,4-linked N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) at their non-reducing termini. Compositional analysis of IIb glycopeptides demonstrated that they contained N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), GalNAc, mannose (Man) and fucose (Fuc), but no galactose (Gal) or N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc). Methylation analyses and exoglycosidase digestions indicated that IIb glycopeptides were complex-type biantennary structures with branches containing the sequence GalNAc beta 1-4-[+/- Fuc alpha 1-3]GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-R. The discovery of these unusual oligosaccharides synthesized by a human parasite, which appear to be similar to some newly discovered mammalian cell-derived oligosaccharides, may shed light on future studies related to the role oligosaccharides may play in host-parasite interactions.
Speaking With a Nonnative Accent: Perceptions of Bias, Communication Difficulties, and Belonging in the United States

Whereas past research on nonnative accents has focused on the attitudes and perceptions of listeners, the current research explores the experiences of speakers with nonnative accents. Two studies i...
Effects of Gender and Level of Parental Involvement Among Parents in Drug Treatment

Most studies of parents in drug treatment have focused exclusively on mothers, and few studies have examined the effects of parents' level of involvement with their children on the parents' drug use and psychological functioning, either before or after treatment. This study examined mothers and fathers (n = 331) who were parents of children under the age of 18; participants were sampled from 19 drug treatment programs across four types of treatment modalities in Los Angeles County. A majority of each group (57% of 214 mothers and 51% of 117 fathers) were classified as being highly involved with their children. At the baseline assessment, higher parental involvement was related to lower levels of addiction severity, psychological severity, and symptoms of psychological distress, and to higher levels of self-esteem and perception of parenting skills. In general, fathers had higher levels of alcohol and drug-use severity than did mothers, but fathers who were more involved with their children showed lower levels of addiction severity than fathers who were less involved. Parental involvement at baseline was unrelated to drug use at the 12-month follow-up, although parents who were less involved with their children reported experiencing more stressors. Given the association of parental involvement with lower levels of addiction severity and psychological distress at baseline, treatment protocols should build upon the positive relationships of parents with their children, and seek to improve those of less-involved parents.
Human Milk Banking: Effect of Refrigeration on Cellular Components

The storage of human milk at 4 C for 48 hours after expression resulted in a significant (p < 0.02) loss of cellular viability. Further, the concentration of milk macrophages and neutrophils decreased significantly (p < 0.02), presumably via cell adhesion to the milk container or cytolysis. The milk lymphocyte concentration, however, was not significantly affected by storage. Milk passage through a nasogastric feeding catheter had no additional effect on cell viability or concentration. Thus, while current banking methodologies allow greater availability of breast milk's resistance factors to newborn infants, they do so with significant, but not serious, alterations in both the quantity and quality of these components.
Seminal Readings on Reliability and Validity: A "Hit Parade" Bibliography

EPM editorial board members generated a list of those publications that they perceived as seminal to shaping the measurement field. Board members nominated up to five works and were asked to limit citations to publications since roughly 1950. Many of the citations dealt directly with reliability or validity, but topics more broadly related to measurement were also cited, including works dealing with validity generalization, item response theories, statistical significance testing, factor analysis, and the general linear model.
Responses of soil carbon, nitrogen and cations to the frequency and seasonality of prescribed burning in a Cape Cod oak-pine forest

Abstract Fire is an important component of the historic disturbance regime of oak and pine forests that occupy sandy soils of the coastal outwash plain of the northeastern US. Today prescribed fire is used for fuel reduction and for restoration and maintenance of habitat for rare plant and animal, animal species. We evaluated the effects of the frequency and seasonality of prescribed burning on the soils of a Cape Cod, Massachusetts's coastal oak-pine forest. We compared soil bulk density, pH and acidity, total extractable cations and total soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in unburned plots and in plots burned over a 12-year period, along a gradient of frequency (every 1–4 years), in either spring (March/April) or summer (July/August). Summer burning decreased soil organic horizon thickness more than spring burning, but only summer burning every 1–2 years reduced organic horizons compared with controls. Burning increased soil bulk density of the organic horizon only in the annual summer burns and did not affect bulk density of mineral soil. Burn frequency had no effect on pH in organic soil, but burning every year in summer increased pH of organic soil from 4.01 to 4.95 and of mineral soil from 4.20 to 4.79. Burning had no significant effect on organic or mineral soil percent C, percent N, C:N, soil exchangeable Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , K + or total soil C or N. Overall effects of burning on soil chemistry were minor. Our results suggest that annual summer burns may be required to reduce soil organic matter thickness to produce conditions that would regularly allow seed germination for oak and for grassland species that are conservation targets. Managers may have to look to other measures, such as combinations of fire with mechanical treatments (e.g., soil scarification) to further promote grasses and forbs in forests where establishment of these plants is a high priority.
Facilitating Identification of Item BIAS Through Use of Delta Plots

A number of statistical procedures are available for detecting bias in individual test items. A supplementary treatment is proposed which helps identify sources of bias affecting groups of items. Although applicable to other statistical procedures, this treatment is illustrated with the transformed item-difficulty method as applied to an evaluation of a test used to help select applicants to be admitted to an aviation training program.
Altered Egos: Antibiotic Effects on Food Animal Microbiomes ∗,†

The human food chain begins with upwards of 1,000 species of bacteria that inhabit the intestinal tracts of poultry and livestock. These intestinal denizens are responsible for the health and safety of a major protein source for humans. The use of antibiotics to treat animal diseases was followed by the surprising discovery that antibiotics enhanced food animal growth, and both led to six decades of antibiotic use that has shaped food animal management practices. Perhaps the greatest impact of antibiotic feeding in food animals has been as a selective force in the evolution of their intestinal bacteria, particularly by increasing the prevalence and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes. Future antibiotic use will likely be limited to prudent applications in both human and veterinary medicine. Improved knowledge of antibiotic effects, particularly of growth-promoting antibiotics, will help overcome the challenges of managing animal health and food safety.
The novel coccidian micronemal protein MIC11 undergoes proteolytic maturation by sequential cleavage to remove an internal propeptide.

Host cell invasion is a key step in the life cycle of the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. Attachment and invasion by this parasite is dependent on secretion of proteins from the micronemes, cigar-shaped organelles found in the apical end of the parasite. Although many of these proteins contain adhesive motifs suggestive of a role in parasite attachment, a growing subset of microneme proteins (MICs) do not possess adhesive sequences implying that they have alternative roles. We have identified a novel 16 kDa microneme protein, TgMIC11, that is conserved among several coccidian parasites. As it traffics through the secretory system, TgMIC11 is modified by two successive proteolytic events to remove an internal propeptide, resulting in the mature protein that consists of an α-chain and β-chain tethered by a single disulfide bond. Dual staining immunofluorescence confirmed that TgMIC11 localises to the apical micronemes and, like other micronemal proteins, it is also secreted in a calcium dependent manner. This is the first microneme protein characterised to date in the phylum Apicomplexa that possesses this unique structure and undergoes maturation by removal of an internal propeptide.
Cold reactive antilymphocyte antibodies in neurological diseases.

Cold reactive (15 degrees C) antilymphocyte antibodies were detected in the sera of 33% of patients with multiple sclerosis, 50% with Guillain-Barre syndrome, 42% with myasthenia gravis, and 38% with polymyositis. We did not detect such antibodies against autologous cells in multiple sclerosis. In multiple sclerosis there was no correlation between the presence of antilymphocytic antibodies and disease activity or duration. In patients with multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and polymyositis there was no correlation between the presence of cold reactive antilymphocyte antibodies and abnormalities of T or B cell levels.
The Pure and the Applied: Bourbakism Comes to Mathematical Economics

In the minds of many, the Bourbakist trend in mathematics was characterized by pursuit of rigor to the detriment of concern for applications or didactic concessions to the nonmathematician, which would seem to render the concept of a Bourbakist incursion into a field of applied mathematices an oxymoron. We argue that such a conjuncture did in fact happen in postwar mathematical economics, and describe the career of Gerard Debreu to illustrate how it happened. Using the work of Leo Corry on the fate of the Bourbakist program in mathematics, we demonstrate that many of the same problems of the search for a formal structure with which to ground mathematical practice also happened in the case of Debreu. We view this case study as an alternative exemplar to conventional discussions concerning the “unreasonable effectiveness” of mathematics in science.
Single neurons as experimental systems in molecular biology

The cellular and the inter-connective complexity of the central nervous system (CNS) necessitate's analysis of functioning at both the system and single cell levels. Systems neuroscience has developed procedures that facilitate the analysis of multicellular systems including multielectrode arrays, dye tracings and lesioning assays, and at the single cell level there have been significant strides in assessing the physiology and morphology of individual cells. Until recently little progress had been made in understanding the molecular biology of single neuronal cells. This review will highlight the development of PCR and aRNA procedures for analysis of mRNA abundances in single cells. Also, other procedures for the analysis of protein abundances as well as the association of RNA with proteins will also be summarized. These procedures promise to provide experimental insights that will help unravel the functional mechanisms regulating the cellular components of the CNS.
The natural semidirect product Rn⋊G(n) is algebraically determined

Abstract Let G be a Polish (i.e., complete separable metric topological) group. Define G to be an algebraically determined Polish group if for any Polish group L and algebraic isomorphism φ : L ↦ G , we have that φ is a topological isomorphism. Let M ( n , R ) be the set of n × n matrices with real coefficients and let the group G in the above definition be the natural semidirect product R n ⋊ G ( n ) , where n ≥ 2 and G ( n ) is one of the following groups: either the general linear group GL ( n , R ) = { A ∈ M ( n , R ) | det ⁡ ( A ) ≠ 0 } , or the special linear group SL ( n , R ) = { A ∈ GL ( n , R ) | det ⁡ ( A ) = 1 } , or | SL ( n , R ) | = { A ∈ GL ( n , R ) | | det ⁡ ( A ) | = 1 } or GL + ( n , R ) = { A ∈ GL ( n , R ) | det ⁡ ( A ) > 0 } . These groups are of fundamental importance for linear algebra and geometry. The main purpose of this paper is to prove the following theorem: Theorem 1 Let L be a Polish group and let φ : L ↦ R n ⋊ G ( n ) be an algebraic isomorphism. Then φ is a topological isomorphism and therefore R n ⋊ G ( n ) is an algebraically determined Polish group. Note that, such a result is not true for C n ⋊ GL ( n , C ) nor even for R 3 ⋊ SO ( 3 , R ) . In fact, the proof of the theorem is done in a sequence of steps designed to verify the four hypotheses of the road map Theorem 2 . In addition, one of the key intermediate results that requires a fair amount of labor is that φ − 1 ( SO ( n , R ) ) is an analytic subgroup of L, where SO ( n , R ) is the n × n rotation group with determinant one and SO ( n , R ) ⊂ SL ( n , R ) ⊂ G ( n ) for every n ≥ 2 .
Identification of fibrin in menstrual endometrium.

With specific stains for fibrin it has been possible to demonstrate the presence of intra- and extravascular deposits of fibrin in the menstrual endometrium. This provides histologic support for the assumption that the menstrual blood discharged from the vagina has already been subject to coagulation and fcbrinolysis in the uterus and therefore does not normally clot.
Audit Committees and Misappropriation of Assets: Publicly Held Companies in the United States

The majority of previous studies investigating the different risk factors associated with financial fraud have focused on investigating misreporting (Persons (1995); McMullen (1996); Green and Choi (1997); Bell et al. (1991); Bell and Carcello (2000); Abbott et al. (2000)). A few studies have provided only a limited descriptive analysis of cases involving misappropriation of assets without investigating the corporate governance structure and its role in reducing the incidence of misappropriation (Silvester (1978); Loebbecke et al. (1989); Strawser (1997)). Only Beasley (1996) examined financial fraud and corporate governance structure by combining cases of misreporting and misappropriation of assets by top management. This study investigates the relationship between the incidence of misappropriation of assets by employees, including management, and the effectiveness of the audit committee. Using LEXIS-NEXIS Research Software 7.1, Business/Finance News to find relevant articles, publicly held companies suffering misappropriation of assets by employees during the period from 1987 to 2000 were identified. The study investigated 81 companies experiencing misappropriation and two control samples: 81 random-control companies and 81 matched-control companies. The results extend the previous literature related to financial fraud and corporate governance. The percentage of independent members in audit committees and the average tenure of audit committee members were significantly and negatively related to the incidence of misappropriation of assets in publicly held companies in both the random and the matched models while the number of audit committee meetings was not significant.
Galileo and the Doctores Parisienses

The title of this study translates that of a note published by Antonio Favaro in 1918 in the transactions of the Accademia dei Lincei, wherein he presented his considered opinion of the value of Pierre Duhem’s researches into the ‘Parisian precursors of Galileo.’1 Earlier, in 1916, only a few years after the appearance of Duhem’s three-volume Etudes sur Leonard de Vinci, Favaro had reviewed the work in Scientia and had expressed some reservations about the thesis there advanced, which advocated a strong bond of continuity between medieval and modern science.2 In the 1918 note he returned to this topic and developed a number of arguments against the continuity thesis, some of which are strikingly similar to those offered in present-day debates. Since Favaro, as the editor of the National Edition of Galileo’s works, had a superlative knowledge of Galileo’s manuscripts — one that remains unequalled in extent and in detail to the present day — it will be profitable to review his arguments and evaluate them in the light of recent researches into the manuscript sources of Galileo’s early notebooks. Such is the intent of this essay.
Dynamics of Drag-Free Formations for Earth Imaging Applications

In this paper the equations of motion of a formation of n spacecraft in Earth orbit, at least one of which is a drag-free spacecraft, are derived in a coordinatefree manner using the balance of momentum and direct tensor notation. A tensorial version of the linearlized relative translational and rotational dynamics are also presented. A drag-free spacecraft consists of a spacecraft bus and a proof mass shielded from external disturbances in an internal cavity. By controlling the spacecraft so that the proof mass remains centered in the cavity, the spacecraft follows a purely gravitational orbit. The dynamic equations described in this paper provide the first step toward coupling drag-free c ontrol technology with formation flying in order to mitigate the effect of diffe rential aerodynamic drag on precision formation flying missions (e.g., Earth ima ging applications) in low Earth orbit.
The Aerodynamic Effects of Engine Power on Lift and Drag of a Turbo -propellor Transport Aeroplane in Light Rime Icing Accretion

1 National Research Council, Canada ABSTRACT The high fidelity aerodynamic modelling of the flight -path behaviour of an air vehicle system (such as that required for Level D simulator certification) necessitates the successful modelling of non -linear coupled effects. Such effects include the effects of propulsion system icing accretions upon thrust and upo n the aerodynamic effects of thrust. As part of on - going studies into the component aerodynamic effects of inflight icing accretions, an example of engine power effects upon aerodynamic lift and drag of a turbo - propellor powered transport aeroplane has be en extracted from AIRS II flight data. The subject aeroplane, the NRC Convair 580 has a closely power - coupled configuration. Power effects were extracted from a stepped -power descent. With increasing power, the increments in lift coefficient were linear with increasing thrust coefficient, in a ratio of about 0.9:1. In spite of using the SBAC model for the representation of installation effects upon propellor efficiency, the data reduction highlighted a significant linear effect of C T upon C D , in a rati o of about 0.6:1, or two -thirds of the power effect upon lift. Power effects upon lift have been compared with those empirically estimated from DATCOM data sheets, which underestimated the effects somewhat, notably between the higher power settings of 22. 5% and 32% of MCP. At a particular incidence of 1.8 °, the segmented descent data indicated a linear relationship between aeroplane thrust coefficient and lift coefficient of 0.91, whereas DATCOM predicted a value of 0.85, an under -estimate of 7%.
Are Traditional Radiographic Methods Accurate Predictors of Pedicle Morphology

STUDY DESIGN Cadaveric in vitro computed tomography (CT) imaging study. OBJECTIVE To examine minimum pedicle diameter from transverse and coronal CT reconstructions of thoracolumbar spine specimens and compare their degree of disparity, if any. Pedicle angulation in coronal and transverse planes was measured and their contribution to the disparity in minimum pedicle diameter was assessed. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Spinal minimum pedicle diameter can be obtained from both transverse and coronal CT reconstructions; however, the degree of disparity in these measurements has not been described previously. Angulation of the pedicle in transverse and coronal planes may contribute to a disparity in minimum pedicle diameter acquired from reconstructions. This also has not been described previously. This study examined whether the disparity could be predicted by spinal level, as pedicle angulations vary in both coronal and transverse planes. METHODS Five thoracolumbar specimens (T1-L5, age 48-59 yrs, male) were CT scanned utilizing clinical protocols. Minimum pedicle diameters and pedicle angulations were acquired in transverse and coronal reconstructions. Disparities between minimum pedicle diameters were measured and the correlation between this disparity and spinal level was characterized. RESULTS A significant difference (P < 0.001) in minimum pedicle diameter existed between measures from coronal and transverse reconstructions. There was a significant correlation (P < 0.001) between the difference in minimal pedicle diameter and the transverse pedicle angle as well as the coronal pedicle angle. CONCLUSION An overestimation of minimum pedicle diameter in the transverse reconstruction occurs when the coronal pedicle angulation increases, and in the coronal reconstruction when the transverse pedicle angulation increases. Therefore, pedicle angle should be determined using both coronal and transverse reconstructions and utilized to reduce the risk of overestimation of the true pedicle diameter. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA.
Development and application of 2-color live-cell STED nanoscopy (Conference Presentation)

Stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy has been established as an important technique for imaging below the diffraction limit facilitating new discoveries in an array of biological systems. In STED microscopy a “donut-shaped” laser focus is super-imposed onto the diffraction-limited focus of an excitation laser. The dounut-shaped beam suppresses fluorescence in the periphery of the excitation spot, reducing the effective point spread function to a sub-diffraction size. However, the application of multicolor STED microscopy in living cells poses a number of challenges. Here we detail a novel STED system specifically designed for two-color STED applications. Our system employs FPGA-based gated detection and fast beam scanning to reduce pixel dwell time and photobleaching. We demonstrate the instrument’s capability with two-color continuous imaging of intracellular targets below the diffraction limit allowing observation of rare events within live-cells.
Investigation on Rodents Along Line of Jinhe-Ili-Huocheng Railroad,Xinjiang

Objective To find out the kinds and distribution of rodents along the line of Jinhe-Ili-Huocheng railroad in Xinjiang,China,and provide basic data for disease control and prevention in the area.Methods Specimens of rodents were collected in fields and identified according to the reference data.Results There were 16 kinds of rodents along the line of Jinhe-Ili-Huocheng railroad in Xinjiang.Conclusions The rodents are of epidemiologic significance in the area.Surveillance should be strengthened.
Prostatic Steroid 5α-Reductase, an Androgen Metabolic Gene

Prostate cancer risk is highest in African Americans, lowest in Asians, and intermediate in Caucasians and Latinos. The data clearly suggest that environmental and genetic factors are involved. Investigation of the genetic factors suggests that allelic variation in the SRD5A2 gene is partially responsible for the striking racial and ethnic variations in risk.
The neuroprotective influence of employment on cognitive reserve: Implications for an aging HIV population

ABSTRACTMany adults with HIV often have physical and neuropsychiatric challenges that may interfere with their ability to work and earn a living. Others may stop working to reduce job-related stress, hoping this will improve their health. Yet, cognitive stimulation from engagement in employment may exert neuroprotective effects on one’s cognitive reserve and cognitive health, which may facilitate successful cognitive aging. This point is particularly germane given that: (1) by 2020 nearly 70% of adults with HIV will be 50 and older, (2) over half of adults with HIV experience HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders, and (3) only 20% of adults with HIV are continuously employed full-time. This article describes several ways in which employment can be neuroprotective of cognitive reserve and cognitive functioning as it relates specifically to adults with HIV. Implications for practice and research are provided, especially as this premise may also be applicable to other clinical populations.
An Objective Disorder: Homosexual Orientation and God's Eternal Law

Recent declarations by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith have disallowed any effort to rethink the tradition's negative evaluation of homosexuality. Citing Thomas Aquinas, the CDF appeals to eternal law as an important warrant for its position. Homosexual orientation is an objective disorder. It is an inclination to intimacy which violates God's design for human sexuality. This claim excludes further consideration of the topic. This study examines Aquinas' claim to know God's eternal law. At the heart of Aquinas' argument is the simile that creation is like a human artifact and God like an artist. When we know the work we know the Artist's intent. Heidegger's hermeneutical account of the work of art suggests that Aquinas has overlooked the historical grounds for the relationship between artist and artifact. Aquinas has the simile wrong. If Heidegger's approach is a reasonable alternative to that of Aquinas, then a space is opened within Catholic discourse to rethink the question of homosexuality.
Crystal structures of 6-chloro-indan-1-one and 6-bromo-indan-1-one exhibit different inter-molecular packing inter-actions.

The two title compounds are analogs of 1-indanone that are substituted at the 6-position with chlorine and bromine. Although very similar in mol­ecular structure, the crystal structures are not isomorphous and reveal that 6-chloro­indan-1-one, C9H7ClO (I), and 6-bromo­indan-1-one, C9H7BrO (II), exhibit unique inter­molecular packing motifs. The mol­ecules of the chloro analog (I) pack with a herringbone packing motif of C—H⋯O inter­actions, whereas the bromo derivative (II) packs with offset face-to-face π-stacking, C—H⋯O, C—H⋯Br and Br⋯O inter­actions. Compound (II) was refined as a two-component non-merohedral twin, BASF 0.0762 (5).
Model-based normalization of a fractional-crystal collimator prototype for small-animal PET imaging

Previously, we proposed to use a coincidence collimator to determine four lines of response (LORs) within a crystal pair and achieve fractional-crystal resolution in PET imaging. We have designed and fabricated a collimator prototype for a small-animal PET, A-PET scanner. To compensate for imperfections in the fabricated collimator prototype, collimator as well as scanner normalization is required to reconstruct quantitative and artifact-free images. In this study, we developed a normalization method for the collimator prototype based on the A-PET normalization using a uniform cylinder phantom with diameter of 10 cm (and length of 15 cm). We performed data acquisition without the collimator for scanner normalization first, and then with the collimator from 8 different rotation views for collimator normalization. After a reconstruction without correction, we extracted the cylinder parameters from which we generated expected emission sinograms with attenuation correction. Single scatter simulation was used to generate the scattered sinograms. The least-squares method was used to generate the normalization coefficient for each LOR based on measured, expected and scattered sinograms. The scanner and collimator normalization coefficients were factorized by performing two normalizations separately. We developed a model-base collimator normalization that can significantly reduce variance and produce collimator normalization with adequate statistical quality within feasible scan time. The normalization methods were verified using experimental data.
Widespread maintenance of genome heterozygosity in Schmidtea mediterranea.

Loss of heterozygosity through inbreeding or mitotic errors leads to reductions in progeny survival and fertility. Loss of heterozygosity is particularly exacerbated in geographically isolated populations, which are prone to inbreeding depression and faster rates of extinction. The regenerative capacities of the hermaphroditic biotype of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea allowed us to perform a systematic genetic test of Mendelian segregation and study the loss of heterozygosity in the Spiralian superclade in general and planarians in particular. We discovered that ~300 Mb (~37.5%) of the genome retains heterozygosity even after ten generations of inbreeding, and show that these chromosomal regions have low diversity and recombination rates in wild populations. Our genetic and genomic analyses establish S. mediterranea as a genetically tractable system. The research also opens the door to study the evolutionary basis of non-Mendelian mechanisms, the adaptive advantages of chromosome structural heterozygotes and their potential relationship to the robust regenerative capacities of planarians. Although inbreeding generally reduces genetic diversity, even after 10 generations of inbreeding 37.5% of the planarian worm Schmidtea mediterranea’s genome retains heterozygosity, and is maintained at low recombination rates in the wild.
Signal integrity analysis of serpentine traces in IC packages

Skew matching in high speed interfaces is achieved through the use of serpentine structures both in the board and in the package substrate. The basic assumption is that length matching through the use of the serpentine structures will enable delay skew matching. In this paper, we have studied serpentine structures in strip-lines to check the validity of this assumption. Some of the critical parameters considered while designing the serpentine structure includes the serpentine line length, line width, spacing, number of bends, types of bends. Asymmetric feed lines and split bends are also studied. This paper provides an analysis of the insertion loss, return loss, coupling and time delay of strip-line structures using 3D FEM tool and circuit solvers, the time delay calculation has been investigated. The results indicate that signal delay in a serpentine trace is a function of serpentine line length, line width, spacing between serpentine segments, number of bends and the angle of the bends.
Entry into exit: insolvency in English professional football

This study uses a unique database of financial accounts for English football clubs between 1974 and 2010 to examine the process by which firms fail, which in this context means entering insolvency proceedings. From the data it is possible to estimate shocks to demand and productivity and to show that failing firms typically experience a series of negative shocks. This is consistent with the standard IO theory models of exit.
Function of the Chronically Diseased Kidney

Adaptive morphological and functional changes in the chronically diseased kidney are described in historical perspective and their correlation is stressed. The consequences of decreased glomerular ...
Outcome measures of articular cartilage repair

Abstract: Outcome measurement of articular cartilage repair is an essential feature in the development of this important treatment modality. Subjective outcome measures are well established for other knee problems, but are less so for articular cartilage injuries. Objective outcome measures are of particular importance with articular cartilage repair since most repair alternatives have limited long-term follow-up. Although early studies of the outcomes of articular cartilage repair have been performed using tools designed for other surgical procedures, tools designed specifically for cartilage repair are becoming available. Validated tools for both subjective and objective outcome measurement of articular cartilage repair may prove essential to ensure that repairs approximate the functional and structural characteristic of hyaline articular cartilage.
Poorly Understood Maternal Risks of Pregnancy in Women With Heart Disease.

One of the most significant accomplishments of modern medicine worldwide is the dramatic 28% decrease in neonatal mortality during the past 20 years. However, although neonatal survival is improving and, for most of the world, maternal mortality is decreasing, this trend has not been seen in the United States. Neonatal survival has improved in the United States, whereas maternal mortality has increased from 7.2 deaths per 100 000 in 1989 to 17 deaths per 100 000 in 2013. In fact, the United States is the only developed nation with a rising maternal mortality rate. Maternal mortality is even higher for black women, approaching 4-fold that of their white, Asian, or Hispanic counterparts. Although cardiac disease complicates a small number of all pregnancies, it has become a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, surpassing both hemorrhage and embolic events. Understanding the causes of this worrisome trend must become a research priority with plans to develop novel interventions to improve maternal outcomes, particularly as the birthrate in women >35 years of age and the associated comorbidities that go along with advanced maternal age continue to increase. Before the widespread institution of penicillin, rheumatic heart disease was the most common form of heart disease encountered in pregnancy. Marked improvements in treating congenital heart disease have led to more women with congenital cardiac malformations reaching reproductive age and …
New activities for old antibiotics.

Topical administration of aminoglycoside antibiotics has been shown to induce expression of interferon-stimulated genes in dendritic cells, inducing an antiviral state in the vaginal and lung mucosa that increases resistance to infection with herpes simplex virus 1, influenza and Zika viruses.
Sequence Analysis of the Carboxypeptidase E Precursor

With the use of recombinant DNA technology, much has recently been learned about precursors of proteins and bioactive peptides. Sequencing of cDNA clones has revealed that many proteins are originally produced as larger precursors. These protein precursors must be post-translationally processed into the active protein. One of the best studied precursor sequences is the ‘signal peptide’, which is typically a hydrophobic 20–25 amino acid peptide located on the N-terminus of the protein precursor (Von Heijne, 1985). The signal peptide is usually removed by a signal peptidase located in the endoplasmic reticulum. Most proteins that are secreted or localized to subcellular organelles initially contain signal peptides, which directs the translocation of newly synthesized proteins into the rough endoplasmic reticulum. In addition to signal peptides, many proteins contain other precursor sequences. Examples of proteins that are produced from larger precursors (containing more than a signal peptide) include receptors, such as the insulin receptor (Ebina et al, 1985), enzymes, such as carboxypeptidase A (Quinto et al, 1982) and prothrombin (Degen et al, 1983), and numerous peptide hormones and neurotransmitters (Docherty and Steiner, 1982).
Dealing with Complications: Neurorescue

Recent reports in the literature show that carotid angioplasty and stenting is an acceptable alternative to carotid endarterectomy in the treatment of carotid artery stenosis in a specific population. The procedure, however, has some possible complications, and distal embolization can occur and may cause stroke or even death [1]. In the past decade, several different techniques and devices have been developed to prevent cerebral damage associated with accidental embolization. The principal types of cerebral protection devices (CPD) are proximal and distal occlusion balloons, distal filters, and reversal-of-flow mechanisms [2]. Transcranial Doppler studies carried out during carotid artery stenting (CAS) procedures have shown that high-intensity transient signals consistent with microem-bolization occur during simple manipulation of the guidewire across the lesion [3] and throughout the procedure unless flow reversal is applied.
Reconstruction from Unorganized Point Sets Using Gamma Shapes

The problem of reconstructing a three-dimensional surface from data sampled within a volume is an important issue in several diverse fields. Biologists, physicists, clinicians, weather forecasters and industrial quality control personnel share a need for this basic visualization tool.
A Reader on Race, Civil Rights, and American Law: A Multiracial Approach

This reader offers a range of legal literature analyzing major issues of race and civil rights in the modern United States. Previous scholarship in this field has tended to focus on the relationship between whites and African Americans. Modern social life, however, has become considerably more complex, particularly with the changing demographics of the tail end of the twenty-first century. As this book went to press, for example, Latinos in California are posed to become the largest racial group in the state. As influential sociologist Nathan Glazer has emphatically declared, "we are all multiculturalists now." Nathan Glazer, We Are All Multiculturalists Now (1997). Premised on this principle, the anthology considers race and civil rights issues from a wide range of minority perspectives and offers readings from African American, Asian American, Latino, and Native American perspectives on the pressing civil rights issues of our day. This book is geared toward law school classes focusing on civil rights and race relations. We have prepared the anthology with the intent that it could be appropriate as a reader for a seminar or as a supplement to a constitutional law, civil rights, or race and the law casebook. It also aims to appeal to a more general audience in Sociology, Ethnic Studies, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, Chicano/a and Latino/a Studies, Native American Studies, and other courses focusing on issues of law, race and, civil rights. The anthology includes the following chapters: 1. The Concept of Race - Biological Reality or Social Construction? 2. Histories of Subordination: The Constant of White Supremacy 3. Affirmative Action 4. The Anti-Discrimination Laws 5. Criminal Justice 6. Hate Speech 7. Immigration 8. Women of Color: Intersectionality on the Margins 9. Racial Complexities 10. The Pursuit of Racial Justice: What Can Be Done? 11. Racial Minorities in Legal Academia To guide the reader, each chapter includes an introduction outlining that section's subject matter. Questions after the sections focus attention on difficult issues and problems identified by the readings.
Nurse practitioner and physician assistant oncology workforce for older adults.

e18514Background: Cancer is most frequently diagnosed in adults over the age of 65 years in the U.S. Access to cancer care is unequal, and anticipated oncologist shortages could have a further nega...
Transcriptional and functional analysis of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis exposure to tetracycline

ABSTRACT Commercial probiotic bacteria must be tested for acquired antibiotic resistance elements to avoid potential transfer to pathogens. The European Food Safety Authority recommends testing resistance using microdilution culture techniques previously used to establish inhibitory thresholds for the Bifidobacterium genus. Many Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strains exhibit increased resistance to tetracycline, historically attributed to the ribosomal protection gene tet(W). However, some strains that harbor genetically identical tet(W) genes show various inhibition levels, suggesting that other genetic elements also contribute to observed differences. Here, we adapted several molecular assays to confirm the inhibition of B. animalis subsp. lactis strains Bl-04 and HN019 and employed RNA sequencing to assess the transcriptional differences related to genomic polymorphisms. We detected specific stress responses to the antibiotic by correlating ATP concentration to number of viable genome copies from droplet digital PCR and found that the bacteria were still metabolically active in high drug concentrations. Transcriptional analyses revealed that several polymorphic regions, particularly a novel multidrug efflux transporter, were differentially expressed between the strains in each experimental condition, likely having phenotypic effects. We also found that the tet(W) gene was upregulated only during subinhibitory tetracycline concentrations, while two novel tetracycline resistance genes were upregulated at high concentrations. Furthermore, many genes involved in amino acid metabolism and transporter function were upregulated, while genes for complex carbohydrate utilization, protein metabolism, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat(s) (CRISPR)-Cas systems were downregulated. These results provide high-throughput means for assessing antibiotic resistances of two highly related probiotic strains and determine the genetic network that contributes to the global tetracycline response. IMPORTANCEBifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis is widely used in human food and dietary supplements. Although well documented to be safe, B. animalis subsp. lactis strains must not contain transferable antibiotic resistance elements. Many B. animalis subsp. lactis strains have different resistance measurements despite being genetically similar, and the reasons for this are not well understood. In the current study, we sought to examine how genomic differences between two closely related industrial B. animalis subsp. lactis strains contribute to different resistance levels. This will lead to a better understanding of resistance, identify future targets for analysis of transferability, and expand our understanding of tetracycline resistance in bacteria.
The angular spectrum of the scattering coefficient map for colorectal cancer screening (Conference Presentation)

Endoscopic evaluation of the colorectum is limited to the mucosal surface and provides no functional or structural information regarding subsurface changes. Targeted diagnostics and individualized treatment, however, requires this information. In this ex vivo study of human colorectal tissue, we use swept-source optical coherence tomography to create quantified subsurface scattering coefficient maps of normal and cancerous tissue. Specifically, we use a novel wavelet-based-curve-fitting method to generate subsurface scattering coefficient maps. The angular spectra of scattering coefficient maps of normal tissues exhibit a spatial feature distinct from those of abnormal tissues. The en face scattering coefficient maps of the normal colon contain a large area of homogenous scattering coefficients with periodic dot patterns, while the scattering coefficient map of cancer region shows a large area of heterogeneous scattering coefficients. An angular spectrum index to quantify the differences between the normal, abnormal, and treated tissues is derived, and its strength in revealing subsurface cancer in ex vivo samples is statistically analyzed. Using this index, we differentiate malignant from normal colonic tissue. Additionally, we also found that rectal cancers completely destroyed by preoperative treatment appear much more similarly to normal tissue than the original malignancy. The study demonstrates that the angular spectrum of the scattering coefficient map can effectively reveal subsurface colorectal cancer and help clinicians identify patients who don’t require surgical intervention.
Informal Aspects of Theory Reduction

The issues which separate the members of this symposium concern the nature of reduction and scientific theories. However, these issues involve primarily informal aspects of theory reduction. But more than this, they concern the nature of philosophy of science itself.
Using Magneto-Hydrodynamic and High Magnetic Field Experiments to Validate Modern Multi-Physics Codes that Simulate Extreme Conditions

Understanding the interaction of high magnetic fields with metal conductors, especially in dynamic situations where parts of the conductor may ohmically heat, change state, move, undergo complex hydro-dynamic behavior, ionize, or produce surface vapor or plasma has been one traditional emphasis for the Megagauss community. A moving (imploding) cylindrical liner used for flux compression, plasma compression, and constitutive properties or shock physics experiments is one application where this detailed understanding of fields and materials is important. Cylindrical liner compression experiments, enabled by pulsed power technology and the resulting “megagauss” fields can challenge the models in modern multi-physics codes, and the validation of these models within their related code framework becomes an important application for the technology developed by the Megagauss community.