cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insect eggs protected from high temperatures by limited homeothermy of plant leaves

SUMMARY Virtually all aspects of insect biology are affected by body temperature, and many taxa have evolved sophisticated temperature-control mechanisms. All insects, however, begin life as eggs and lack the ability to thermoregulate. Eggs laid on leaves experience a thermal environment, and thus a body temperature, that is strongly influenced by the leaves themselves. Because plants can maintain leaf temperatures that differ from ambient, e.g. by evapotranspiration, plant hosts may protect eggs from extreme ambient temperatures. We examined the degree to which leaves buffer ambient thermal variation and whether that buffering benefits leaf-associated insect eggs. In particular, we: (1) measured temperature variation at oviposition sites in the field, (2) manipulated temperatures in the laboratory to determine the effect of different thermal conditions on embryo development time and survival, and (3) tested embryonic metabolic rates over increasing temperatures. Our results show that Datura wrightii leaves buffer Manduca sexta eggs from fatally high ambient temperatures in the southwestern USA. Moreover, small differences in temperature profiles among leaves can cause large variation in egg metabolic rate and development time. Specifically, large leaves were hotter than small leaves during the day, reaching temperatures that are stressfully high for eggs. This study provides the first mechanistic demonstration of how this type of leaf-constructed thermal refuge interacts with egg physiology.
Modeling of Interface Scattering Effects during Light Emission from Thin Film Phosphors for Field Emission Displays

It has been experimentally shown that the light trapping due to internal reflection from a smooth surface is reduced as the surface becomes progressively rougher. Although this phenomenon is qualitatively understood well, there has been a lack of detailed analysis of the scattering phenomenon which affects the light emission from thin film phosphors (TFPs). Factors which affect the light emission from the TFPs include electron beam-solid interaction (EBSI), film thickness, microstructure, surface recombination rate, surface roughness, and substrate (thus the interface formed). In many cases, they cannot be varied independently and thus making it difficult to interpret the results quantitatively. Furthermore, as the surface roughness is smaller or same as the wavelength of the emitted light, classical theories based on rectilinear propagation of the light cannot be used without gross simplification. A new theoretical model has been developed by incorporating diffraction scattering at the various interfaces and the factors mentioned above. The model provides an integrated solution to explain the cathodoluminescence (CL) properties of TFPs for field emission displays (FEDs).
Solution effects on the surface reactions of three bioactive glass compositions.

The in vitro five-stage surface reactions of two bioactive glass compositions, 45S5 and 52S4.6, and one bioinert glass, 60S3.8, exposed to three simulated body fluids (SBF) were analyzed using Fourier Transform infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). There was little effect of SBF composition on ion exchange, silica hydrolysis, and silica polymerization (stages 1–3) of glass with silica content up to 52 wt%. However, calcium and phosphate ions in SBF accelerated the formation of an amorphous calcium-phosphate (a-CP) layer (stage 4), and crystallization (stage 5) of the hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCAp) layer. The magnesium ions had a retardation effect on the kinetics of stages 4 and 5, but little effect on stages 1–3. In SBF solutions which contained calcium and phosphate ions an amorphous calcium-phosphate (a-CaP) layer formed on even a 60S3.8 glass which was not bioactive in vivo. However, the a-CaP layer did not crystallize to form HCAp. Thus, there is a significant contribution from the ions present in the SBF solutions to the HCAP formation and crystallization of HCAp on bioactive glasses. Also, silanol repolymerization is necessary for rapid crystallization of HCAp. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
On hardware implementation of the split-radix FFT

An algorithm for computing length-2/sup M/ discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs), called the split-radix FFT, has recently been developed. The split-radix algorithm has fewer multiplies than the radix-8 Cooley-Tukey algorithm, and many fewer additions that the minimum-multiply algorithms. It is shown that it involves significantly more butterfly computations than the radix-4 Cooley-Tukey algorithms which have butterflies of similar complexity. Consequently, the split-radix algorithm is advantageous for hardware in which a multiplier/accumulator is the basic processor, as might be the case with some VLSI implementations. In addition, the split-radix algorithm has varying numbers of butterflies in successive stages, complicating the design of efficient multiprocessor implementations. A few simple strategies for balancing the computational load among the stages are considered, and their average efficiencies are computed. >
Control of single-master multi-slave manipulator system using VIM

A single-master, multiple-slave manipulator system and its task-oriented control using VIM (virtual internal model) are proposed. By using this system, the operator no longer has to consider how to control the slave arms in coordination, so the operator can concentrate on his/her task during the operation. An experimental single-master, multislave manipulator system with two slave arms, each of which has six degrees of freedom, is described, and the concept of the system is illustrated. The experimental system does not have a bilateral function, and a master arm can specify the task-oriented variable up to six degrees of freedom. The use of bilateral feedback as well as task-oriented functions will enable the system to deal with more complex tasks. >
Chromosomes, Hypoxia, Angiogenesis, and Trial Design: A Brief History of Renal Cancer Drug Development

The recent development of effective therapy for renal cancer is a fascinating story of successful translational research that encompasses fundamental studies of oncogenesis and hypoxia, preclinical investigations of antiangiogenic therapy, and the use of novel clinical trial designs. In fact, no
SPECIES AND ROTATION FREQUENCY INFLUENCE SOIL NITROGEN IN SIMPLIFIED TROPICAL PLANT COMMUNITIES

Among the many factors that potentially influence the rate at which nitrogen (N) becomes available to plants in terrestrial ecosystems are the identity and diversity of species composition, frequency of disturbance or stand turnover, and time. Replicated suites of investigator-designed communities afforded an opportunity to examine the effects of those factors on net N mineralization over a 12-year period. The communities consisted of large-stature perennial plants, comprising three tree species (Hyeronima alchorneoides, Cedrela odorata, and Cordia alliodora), a palm (Euterpe oleracea), and a large, perennial herb (Heliconia imbricata). Trees were grown in monoculture and in combination with the other two life-forms; tree monocultures were subjected to rotations of one or four years, or like the three-life-form systems, left uncut. The work was conducted on fertile soil in the humid lowlands of Costa Rica, a site with few abiotic constraints to plant growth. Rates of net N mineralization and nitrification were high, typically in the range of 0.2-0.8 microg x g(1) x d(-1), with net nitrification slightly higher than net mineralization, indicating preferential uptake of ammonium (NH4+) by plants and microbes. Net rates of N mineralization were about 30% lower in stands of one of the three tree species, Hyeronima, than in stands of the other two. Contrary to expectations, short-rotation management (one or four years) resulted in higher net rates of N mineralization than in uncut stands, whether the latter were composed of a single tree species or a combination of life-forms. Neither additional species richness nor replenishment of leached N augmented mineralization rates. The net rate at which N was supplied tended to be lowest in stands where demand for N was highest. Careful choice of species, coupled with low frequency of disturbance, can lead to maintenance of N within biomass and steady rates of within-system circulation, whereas pulses, whether caused by cutting and replanting or by the phenological traits of the species selected or combined, subject N supplies to leaching loss.
The Role of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been shown to decrease the duration of severe neutropenia, the incidence of febrile neutropenic episodes, the overall duration of intravenous antibiotic therapy, and the length of hospitalization in patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy. G-CSF has also been shown to accelerate myeloid recovery after autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, and to mobilize stem cells in peripheral blood for hematopoietic rescue. However, the optimal dose, schedule, and method of administration of G-CSF in these settings remain to be standardized. This review focuses on the role of G-CSF in bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, and in hematopoietic stem cell mobilization.
Spatial regulation of Drosophila snake protease activity in the generation of dorsal-ventral polarity

Positional information along the dorsal-ventral axis of the Drosophila embryo is acquired through a signal transduction pathway which employs a extracellular protease cascade. The sequential activation of serine protease zymogens results in the ventrally localized production of a ligand in the perivitelline space of the embryo. Snake is one of several serine proteases which function in generating the ventralizing signal. Here, we investigate the biochemical properties of Snake in vivo and in vitro using recombinant forms of the protease. Wild-type Snake zymogen completely rescues embryos from snake null females when microinjected into the perivitelline space. Biochemical evidence for a covalently associated two-chain form of the activated protease is presented. The contribution of the activation peptide region to zymogen activation was addressed using site-directed mutagenesis. The phenotypic rescue properties of an autoactivated form of Snake reveal that the covalently associated proenzyme polypeptide chain suppresses a dominant effect associated with the activated catalytic chain alone. Recombinant active catalytic chain was produced and found to be short lived as a recombinant protein. These results suggest a model in which the proenzyme polypeptide both stabilizes and targets the Snake catalytic chain to a ventrally localized activation complex within the perivitelline space.
The application of optical coherence tomography in neurologic diseases

Abstract Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has become an increasingly popular tool in various disciplines of medicine, particularly ophthalmology and neurology. It is an imaging technology that has revolutionized the practice of ophthalmology by providing anatomic detail of pathologic changes in the retina and optic nerve. OCT is routinely used as an ancillary test that can aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of neuro-ophthalmic diseases such as papilledema, optic neuritis, and neuroretinitis. OCT measurements have also been shown to predict visual prognosis in compressive optic neuropathies. Changes in OCT measurements have been used to study the course of particular neurologic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, suggesting that the data obtained may be useful as a biomarker in diagnosing and treating neurodegenerative disease. We present an up-to-date review of the OCT findings in several diseases of neurologic interest and provide clinical examples pertinent to the general neurologist.
REMOVAL OF IODINE AND PARTICLES BY SPRAYS IN THE CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS EXPERIMENT.

Eight large-scale spray experiments have been made in the 26 500 ft3 Containment Systems Experiment (CSE) vessel. In each experiment a major parameter was changed. Spray fluxes ranged from 0.025 to...
Peer Review and Nuanced Power Structures: Writing and Learning within the Age of Connectivism

Through a Foucauldian lens, this article examines the affordances and constraints of an online peer-review program in four special education English language arts classes in two New York City middle schools. Data from classroom observations, teacher interviews, and online student spaces and artifacts provide insight into the technologies of power that ultimately supported the emergence of students' voices. The negotiated and disrupted power structures within the online writing space are central to the discussion of paradigmatic shifts and flexible student-driven learning opportunities.
Virtues, Values and Victims: Toward a Theory of Social Problems

Abstract The area of social problems has suffered from inadequate definitions, largely because there is no serious application of theory to the problem. An examination of epistemological issues reveals three distinct approaches: the virtues approach, based on objectivity, the values approach, based on subjectivity, and the victims approach, based on a dialectical relationship of object and subject. The implications of these epistemologies for social problems are assessed, and the necessity of an ethical position is demonstrated. Finally three social problem issues are defined: issues of human survival, of human community, of human dignity.
Aversive Behavior and Competition within Colonies of the Ant Leptothorax curvispinosus

When Leptothorax curvispinosus Mayr workers are not regurgitating to the nest queens, they show moderate to strong aversive behavior toward this caste. Their response is not based upon aggression or dominance, but it has the effect of clearing the way to the larvae. The queens “graze” from one larva to another, licking liquid material from the region of the larval mouthparts. At least part of the liquid evidently consists of labial gland secretion. Although the queens appear to compete for the larval liquids in an exploitative fashion, they are not organized into dominance hierarchies of the vertebrate type, nor do they appear to recognize each other as individuals, beyond distinguishing their own eggs from those laid by other queens. Strong differential reproduction was recorded as the outcome of variation in the degrees of roughness with which queens handle alien eggs and differences in the fragility of the egg shells.
Compression Deformation Behavior and Processing Map of Pure Copper

To reveal the compression deformation behavior of pure copper, the deformation characteristics of pure copper have been investigated by means of compression tests in the temperature range of 400–900°C and strain rate range of 0.001–1 s–1. The results show that the flow stress of pure copper increases with strain rate and decreasing deformation temperature, which is characterized by work-hardening, dynamic recovery, dynamic recrystallization, secondary work-hardening, etc. The activation energy of hot deformation is associated with deformation temperature and strain rate, and the average activation energy is calculated to be 303.8 kJ/mol. The flow stress prediction model based on GA+BP network provides a very good agreement with the true stress curve, which is instrumental for the guidance of hot working of pure copper. The flow instability occurs in the intermediate strain rate range (0.01–0.1 s–1). Based on the processing map anakysis, the high power dissipation corresponds to the dynamic recrystallization. Appropriate reduction of the deformation temperature or increased strain rate are beneficial for the grain refinement in the steady-state range of the processing map.
Hypertension in the elderly.

SUMMARY There is no doubt that hypertension is of importance to the health of the elderly, in terms of both mortality and disability. There is mounting evidence that antihypertensive therapy is effective in reducing target organ disease. More data are needed to arrive at optimal treatment regimens and to examine the efficacy of therapy in pure systolic hypertension. A stepped care, cautious approach to therapy should prove to be safe and beneficial.
Examination of role of personality and the effects of stress coping in stress process as within process

This study used daily diary methods to investigate if fear of interpersonal stress in daily affect could be explained by coping strategies, and if daily affect and coping would vary randomly across personality traits. Every day for one week, 103 undergraduates recorded their daily events, perceived interpersonal stress, cognitive appraisal, coping strategies, positive events, and positive and negative affect twice a day. A hierarchical linear model and multilevel structural equation modeling were used to examine the relationships between variables. Results, suggest that problem-focused coping was associated with within-level maladjustment, while positive reappraisal was associated with within-level adjustment. In addition, neuroticism appeared to moderate the relationship between coping and daily affect. Furthermore, there is evidence that higher fear of interpersonal stress predicts greater active coping, and positive affect.
Nutritional supplements in wound care

Chronic wounds affect a growing number of Americans, leading to reduced quality of life and causing a significant cost burden to the patient and to society as a whole. During a normal wound healing scenario, a wound will proceed through a well-organized progression of inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling to return form and function to an injury site. Proper nutrition status is required for this process to proceed to completion, whereas many wound patients suffering from malnutrition exhibit compromised healing outcomes. Often, chronic wounds result from unresolved inflammation, preventing the wound from continuing on the normal wound healing trajectory. In addition to meeting recommended macronutrient and micronutrient intake needs, there has been considerable work done in the area of functional foods and nutraceuticals as treatments to help reduce inflammation and promote wound healing. In this chapter, we describe the current spectrum of etiology and burden of chronic wounds as well as give an overview of the normal wound healing process, and where it often gets stalled in a proinflammatory phase. We aim to give a sampling of nutritional and nutraceutical interventions currently being studied that aim to address the issue of unresolved inflammation. By promoting the resolution of inflammation, it is thought that the normal wound healing progression may be restored, allowing for better wound outcomes.
Fractional Freedoms: Slavery, Intimacy, and Legal Mobilization in Colonial Lima, 1600–1700

Fractional Freedoms explores how thousands of slaves in colonial Peru were able to secure their freedom, keep their families intact, negotiate lower self-purchase prices, and arrange transfers of ownership by filing legal claims. Through extensive archival research, Michelle A. McKinley excavates the experiences of enslaved women whose historical footprint is barely visible in the official record. She complicates the way we think about life under slavery and demonstrates the degree to which slaves were able to exercise their own agency, despite being ensnared by the Atlantic slave trade. Enslaved women are situated as legal actors who had overlapping identities as wives, mothers, mistresses, wet-nurses and day-wage domestics, and these experiences within the urban working environment are shown to condition their identities as slaves. Although the outcomes of their lawsuits varied, Fractional Freedoms demonstrates how enslaved women used channels of affection and intimacy to press for liberty and prevent the generational transmission of enslavement to their children.
Establishing Ground Truth on Pyschophysiological Models for Training Machine Learning Algorithms: Options for Ground Truth Proxies

One of the core aspects of human-human interaction is the ability to recognize and respond to the emotional and cognitive states of the other person, leaving human-computer interaction systems, at their core, to perform many of the same tasks.
Conjugate Gradient Algorithms with much Relaxed Line Searches

Abstract This paper studies function minimization using conjugate gradient method (CGM) and presents two new methods that do not require accurate line searches to generate conjugate directions. The idea is to use much relaxed line searches to obtain step sizes "close" to the optimal ones. Correction vectors are then formed to compensate for the inaccuracy and yield conjugate directions. There have been some algorithms of this type in the literature. However, their performances are not as good as expected since the validity of their correction terms heavily depend upon quadratic function form. Consequently, search directions generated may not satisfy the conjugacy relationship for an arbitrary convex function. In our first method (M1), correction vectors are formed by explicitly considering the function to be minimized. In our second method (M2), correction vectors are formed by utilizing diagonal elements of the Hessian matrix. In both cases, "compensated" conjugate directions are close to directions obtained from accurate line searches. Because of the proper incorporation of additional information (structure of the function in M1 and diagonal elements of Hessian in M2), both the number of iterations and the number of function evaluations are reduced while no cumbersome matrix manipulations and matrix inversions are involved. Two methods show good convergence. Testing results indicate that about 30% to 50% reductions in function evaluation are achieved in comparison to the traditional CGM algorithm.
Single-stage versus two-stage arteriovenous loop microsurgical reconstruction: A meta-analysis of the literature.

Background Arteriovenous (AV) loops can be utilized in a single- or two-stage approach in free flap reconstruction when proper vessels are not available. However, there exists no consensus on which method leads to superior microsurgical and patient outcomes. The purpose of this article was to review single- versus two-stage AV loops utilized in free flap reconstruction with a focus on complications and overall outcomes. Methods A systematic review of AV loops for autologous free tissue transfer was conducted. Endpoints investigated included flap characteristics, timing to second stage, complications, and outcomes. A Student's t-test and forest plots were used for statistical analysis. Results Thirty-five unique papers discussed utilizing AV loops in a single- or two-stage approach, yielding 260 and 98 single- and two-stage AV loops, respectively. There was a statistically significant higher rate of major complications in two-stage as compared to single-stage AV loops. There was a non-statistically significant difference in rate of minor complications in the single-stage as compared to two-stage AV loops. Overall, there was a statistically significant higher success rate in the single-stage as compared to two-stage AV loops Conclusion There was a statistically significant higher rate of major complications and failures in two-stage AV loops. As well-conducted randomized controlled studies are nearly impossible to perform in this population, the decision to pursue a single- versus two-stage reconstruction should ultimately be determined based on individual patient co-morbidities, the size and etiology of defect, and the type of free tissue transfer planned.
Eelgrass meadows, Zostera marina (L.), facilitate the ecosystem service of nitrogen removal during simulated nutrient pulses in Shinnecock Bay, New York, USA

Seagrass meadows are important sites of nitrogen (N) transformations in estuaries, however, the role of N loading in driving relative rates of N fixation and denitrification in seagrass habitats is unclear. The current study quantified N fluxes in eelgrass meadows (Zostera marina (L.)) and nearby unvegetated sand in trials representing in situ and N enriched conditions. Net N2 fluxes were low or negative under in situ conditions in both eelgrass and sand. Under N enriched conditions, denitrification was higher than N-fixation, and denitrification in eelgrass was significantly higher than sand. Denitrification of water column NO3- was more significant than coupled nitrification-denitrification in the eelgrass. Denitrification was likely supported by greater organic carbon and N within the eelgrass sediment compared to sand. Eelgrass meadows in Shinnecock Bay may facilitate the ecosystem service of N removal and retention during short-term nutrient pulses that can originate from groundwater discharge and stormwater runoff.
The anatomy of sensory relay functions in the thalamus.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews recently discovered aspects of thalamic organization that involve the examination of the thalamus as a sensory relay center at different levels of resolution. Sensitive histochemical methods reveal that the nuclear parcellation of the thalamus is still valid and that the gross nuclei represent the macrochannels for the relay of sensory and motor-related pathways to the cerebral cortex. Within each of these macrochannels, however, are a series of finer channels that can be revealed as constellations of relay cells with preferential staining properties and differential cortical projections. At an even finer level are the individual cells themselves whose dendritic structure and the synaptic geography of whose inputs seem to be directly correlated with the cells' capacities to relay different patterns of afferent activity. These functional properties appear to be under the influence of both local GABA neurons and GABA neurons of the reticular nucleus whose effects seem to be to maintain the security and faithfulness of the relay of sensory information through the thalamus to the cortex.
The Rise of the Global Corporation and the Polarization of the Managerial Class in the US

ABSTRACTThis article seeks to understand the sharp divergence in the earnings of top managerial executives in the US since the 1980s, within the historical context of the evolution and transformation of the corporate landscape through the 20th century. In particular, as US multinational corporations expanded their reach to the global market at the end of the 20th century and offshoring increased, globally dispersed US multinational corporations began to draw a rising share of their surpluses from their overseas affiliates. The article argues that this development is key to understanding the growing disparity between the earnings of the executives at the top of the managerial hierarchy and those lower down. The disproportionate rise of top managers’ wage income reflects their claim to a larger share of globally produced surplus. Discussions of the rising earnings of the managerial elite in the US need to take this historical process into account.
A comparison of RN-to-BSN completion graduates to generic BSN graduates: is there a difference?

This study compares RN-to-BSN completion graduates and generic BSN graduates in frequency of critical nursing activities performed when caring for patients and in degree of commitment to the profession. Results indicate that RN-to-BSN completion . graduates perform in a manner similar to generic BSN graduates; however, RN-to-BSN graduates more frequently demonstrated pro­ fessional commitment such as attending continuing edu­ cation programs, and furthering their education. These findings support not only the current RN-to-BSN comple­ tion education program's but also the value of this .cohort to the nursing profession.
Fellow-Feeling and the Moral Life: Shaftesbury's ethical system

SHAFTESBURY AS MORALIST Anthony Ashley Cooper, Third Earl of Shaftesbury (1671–1713) was, on my account of sentimentalism, its true founder. In order to justify this claim fully I propose to reconsider Shaftesbury's ethical philosophy and re-evaluate its importance in the history of ethics. But first we need to understand what his ethical philosophy is, and that is the aim of the present chapter. Shaftesbury ought to be of interest to both historians of ideas and philosophers of ethics, first because so many writers (past and present) seem so very ambivalent towards him and his achievements, and second because no one seems to have explained clearly what exactly he was saying about ethics. Regarding the first point, nobody denies that his Characteristics was a seminal work in early modern philosophy. But Shaftesbury's reputation as a forward-looking Augustan moralist is overshadowed by his reputation as a moralist, period – as a contributor to the subject of ethics in a spirit of philosophia perennis . On that score he is widely regarded as a second-rate thinker at best, by nearly all leading twentieth-century commentators. (It is too soon to tell about the twenty-first.) The incongruity between the two reputations is very strange; there is nothing like it at work in our judgments of any of the other leading British Moralists.
A Path Toward Methodological Pluralism: Revisiting the Paradigm Conflicts of the 1980s through Today

At the heart of the paradigm conflict between positivists and interpretivists are the different ways each group views subjectivity and objectivity in the research process; positivists view subjectivity as a contamination to research, whereas interpretivists view objectivity as unattainable. This essay first revisits the so-called paradigm wars between positivists and interpretivists throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century that have shaped and continue to shape educational research in general and American music education research in particular. To provide but one slim point of reference for which readers might anchor the discussion and contextualize their thoughts, I offer an analysis of the trajectory of methodological pluralism within the Journal of Research in Music Education. Then, using Gage’s (Gage, N. L. Educ Res, 18(7), 4–10 (1989)) predictions as a framework, I make the argument that the paradigm wars—which began with the rise of interpretivism in the 1980s with the incompatibility thesis, followed by a ceasefire in the 1990s with the complementary strengths thesis—are unfortunately still being waged today as the educational research community’s hard fought gains toward pluralism are now being tested by those outside the profession. Finally, I argue that while instances of methodological pluralism are relatively rare among American music education researchers, the field of American music education research as a whole has become more methodologically pluralistic since the 1970s and contend that our new charge is not be to become more methodologically plural as a profession, but to convince those outside the profession that methodological pluralism is a good thing.
Contrasting impact of corticosteroids on anti-PD-1 immunotherapy efficacy for tumor histologies located within or outside the central nervous system.

ABSTRACTImmune checkpoint blockade targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is emerging as an important treatment strategy in a growing list of cancers, yet its clinical benefits are limited to a subset of patients. Further investigation of tumor-intrinsic predictors of response and how extrinsic factors, such as iatrogenic immunosuppression caused by conventional therapies, impact the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy are paramount. Given the widespread use of corticosteroids in cancer management and their immunosuppressive nature, this study sought to determine how corticosteroids influence anti-PD-1 responses and whether their effects were dependent on tumor location within the periphery versus central nervous system (CNS), which may have a more limiting immune environment. In well-established anti-PD-1-responsive murine tumor models, corticosteroid therapy resulted in systemic immune effects, including severe and persistent reductions in peripheral CD4+ and CD8 + T cells. Corticosteroid treatment ...
A Whole Chloroplast Genome Phylogeny of Diploid Species of Isoëtes (Isoëtaceae, Lycopodiophyta) in the Southeastern United States

ABSTRACT The phylogeny of closely related species of Isoetes has been difficult to infer using morphological or molecular data. The southeastern United States exhibits among the highest diversity of Isoetes species, which likely are the result of a relatively recent radiation. We used whole chloroplast genome (plastome) sequences to infer a phylogeny of diploid taxa in the Southeast. The phylogeny of the entire plastome was well supported across various models of evolution. Separate phylogenetic analyses of coding regions and introns mostly returned the same tree topology as the whole plastome, although the placement of four species was discordant. The plastome phylogeny highlights taxonomic issues, because two pairs of infrageneric taxa are resolved as polyphyletic. Inference of ancestral character states suggests a common ancestor of the southeastern clade with white, tuberculate megaspores and papillose microspores maturing in the spring. This study is the first to resolve molecular-phylogenetic relat...
Persistence of Transported Lichen at a Hummingbird Nest Site

Archilochus colubris (Ruby-throated Hummingbird) invariably decorate the exterior surface of their nests with living foliose lichen. Lichen fragments may be carried considerable distances, but it is unknown whether transported thalli survive at nest sites. Here we report the multi-year persistence of a transported thallus of Myelochroa aurulenta (Powdery Axil-bristle Lichen) at a hummingbird nest site. Our observation suggests that hummingbirds may be important dispersal agents for foliose lichens.
OFDR on Photonic Circuits: Fiber Optic Sensing Infrastructure and Applications

Implementing Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) in integrated photonic circuits will enable new applications of high-definition fiber optic sensing in aerospace fields where size, weight, and power are critical constraints.
Frequency of communication about adolescents’ strengths and weaknesses and the parent–adolescent relationship

Despite prior research indicating that parents and adolescents perceive conversations about the adolescent’s strengths and weaknesses to be important, information about these conversations and how ...
Microplot Design and Plant and Soil Sample Preparation for 15Nitrogen Analysis.

Many nitrogen fertilizer studies evaluate the overall effect of a treatment on end-of-season measurements such as grain yield or cumulative N losses. A stable isotope approach is necessary to follow and quantify the fate of fertilizer derived N (FDN) through the soil-crop system. The purpose of this paper is to describe a small-plot research design utilizing non-confined 15N enriched microplots for multiple soil and plant sampling events over two growing seasons and provide sample collection, handling, and processing protocols for total 15N analysis. The methods were demonstrated using a replicated study from south-central Minnesota planted to corn (Zea mays L.). Each treatment consisted of six corn rows (76 cm row-spacing) 15.2 m long with a microplot (2.4 m by 3.8 m) embedded at one end. Fertilizer-grade urea was applied at 135 kg N∙ha-1 at planting, while the microplot received urea enriched to 5 atom % 15N. Soil and plant samples were taken several times throughout the growing season, taking care to minimize cross-contamination by using separate tools and physically separating unenriched and enriched samples during all procedures. Soil and plant samples were dried, ground to pass through a 2 mm screen, and then ground to a flour-like consistency using a roller jar mill. Tracer studies require additional planning, sample processing time and manual labor, and incur higher costs for 15N enriched materials and sample analysis than traditional N studies. However, using the mass balance approach, tracer studies with multiple in-season sampling events allow the researcher to estimate FDN distribution through the soil-crop system and estimate unaccounted-for FDN from the system.
Exploratory Analysis of Concussion Recovery Trajectories using Multi-modal Assessments and Serum Biomarkers

Clinicians need better tools to assess severity, prognosis, and recovery from mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), which can cause long term impairment. To enable better mTBI outcome prediction, an initial step is to analyze the trajectory of recovery metrics over time. This study provides an assessment of recovery trajectories of mTBI while incorporating heterogeneity of individual responses. We analyze the trajectories over multiple discrete time points from baseline to 6 months post injury using a combination of neurocognitive and postural stability assessments and serum biomarkers. The data, obtained from FITBIR, consists of concussed subjects and a matched control group, to allow for comparison in prognostic assessment. Outcomes derived from this exploratory analysis will aid future studies in developing a mTBI recovery timeline model.Clinical relevance— This study further informs clinicians as to the recovery trajectory of clinical measures and biomarkers after mTBI to support return to play decisions. GFAP biomarker and measures related to balance, memory, orientation, and concentration were significantly different than controls early after mTBI.
Intellectual Development and Aging of Adults in Educational Technology

We live in an era facing a strong societal demand for lifelong learning as well as actually having more abundant access to learning opportunities than ever before because of ubiquitous emerging technologies. An adult life span contains many life expectations demanding adjustment and growth in each stage. To support adult learners, it is important to understand the diversity of development needs and provide learning opportunities to help them achieve the necessary development at various stages. The purpose of this literature review is to address the question of how educational technology has served the needs of adult learning from the perspective of intellectual development and aging. Informed by the discussions about intellectual development in adulthood and aging, the major findings of this literature review address these four areas: (1) the current development of online learning addressing adult learners’ characteristics, (2) factors influencing adults’ adoptions of new technologies, (3) external agents supporting older adults’ learning, and (4) technologies selected to connect older adults with society and communities. Although our effort thus far has generated useful knowledge and insight to support adult learning, such an endeavor has been limited to understanding the needs and challenges of adult learners and effectively supporting their learning and intellectual development. Recommendations for future research and practice regarding (1) learning environment design, learning technologies, and learning experiences, (2) research methods, and (3) older adult learners conclude the chapter.
Rising Public Interest in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement as Assessed by Google Search Trends From 2010 - 2020

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized the treatment of severe aortic stenosis (AS) and is widely used to treat patients at all levels of surgical risk. Nevertheless, newe...
Veterans Health Administration Policy on Cannabis as an Adjunct to Pain Treatment with Opiates

The new Veterans Health Administration policy on the use of medical marijuana was brought about by patient advocacy in 2010.
Further investigation on the usefulness of the niacin test for differentiating human tubercle bacilli from other mycobacteria. II. A comparative study of three direct qualitative micro-methods using stored cultures of varying ages.

Summary A study was undertaken to compare further three recently described micro-niacin tests using cultures of various types of mycobacteria which had been stored at 5°C. from two weeks to two and one-half years. It was found that all of the human tubercle bacilli gave slightly to intensely positive results with each method irrespective of the period of storage or the dryness of the cultures. The drug resistant organisms gave similar reactions to those of the drug susceptible strains. With four exceptions, all of the other mycobacteria gave either negative or doubtful results. In the bovine group of tubercle bacilli, the five, twelve, and fifty-nine week-old cultures of the Copenhagen strain and the three, thirty-nine, and one hundred and twenty week-old cultures of the Ravenel strain gave slightly positive reactions with each technique. In the Battey group of organisms, the one hundred and twenty-two week-old culture of the AB-3 strain and the sixty and one hundred and thirty week-old cultures of the AB-4 strain also gave slightly positive results with each test. Only four out of a total of twentyfive Battey strains thus far tested under these conditions gave slightly positive tests at periods ranging from forty-two to one hundred and thirty weeks. The sensitivity of each niacin test under the conditions herein described was essentially the same. The tests are simple, efficient, safe, and economical. Reproducible and consistent results can be obtained on cultures as old as two and one-half years. In most instances, the reactions exhibited by human tubercle bacilli are sufficiently different in character from the reactions produced by other mycobacteria to enable a clear-cut differentiation of these organisms.
Selective aromatase inhibition for patients with androgen‐independent prostate carcinoma

BACKGROUND First and second-generation aromatase inhibitors have shown activity in patients with androgen-independent prostate carcinoma. These early-generation aromatase inhibitors are nonselective, however, and inhibition of other steroidogenic enzymes may contribute to their reported clinical activity. The authors conducted a Phase II clinical study of letrozole to determine the safety and efficacy of a potent and selective third-generation aromatase inhibitor in men with androgen-independent prostate carcinoma. METHODS Forty-three men with androgen-independent prostate carcinoma were treated with oral letrozole (2.5 mg daily). Treatment was continued until progressive disease or Grade 3 toxicity developed. Response and progressive disease were defined according to recommendations of the Prostate Specific Antigen Working Group. RESULTS In total, 380 weeks of treatment were administered to the 43 study patients. The median duration of treatment was 8 weeks. Forty men discontinued treatment due to progressive disease. Only one patient responded to treatment with a sustained decrease > 50% in serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels. Three other patients experienced transient minor decreases (< 50%) in serum PSA levels. There were no serious treatment-related adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Selective aromatase inhibition with letrozole is not active in men with androgen-independent prostate carcinoma. Cancer 2002;95:1864–8. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10844
Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of β-lactam antibiotic-based imidazolium- and pyridinium-type ionic liquids.

We herein report the preparation and investigation of antibacterial activity of biocidal ionic liquids (ILs) consisting of cationic imidazolium or pyridinium and an anionic β-lactam antibiotic. The antibacterial properties were quantified by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecium. In general, the ILs had improved antibacterial activity than their parent materials, whether individually or in combination. In 83% of the experiments, the ampicillin ILs (Amp-ILs) had better antibacterial activities than their quaternary halide parent materials, whereas in 92% of the experiments, Amp-ILs outperformed the commercially available sodium ampicillin salt. Amp-ILs had up to 43 times improved antibacterial activity than sodium ampicillin. Overall, when normalized for ampicillin content, ILs had greater antimicrobial activity against E. coli O157:H7, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, and E. faecium than sodium ampicillin alone.
3D Imaging and Recognition of Microorganism Using Single-exposure Online (SEOL) Digital Holography

We address three-dimensional (3D) visualization and recognition of microorganisms using single-exposure online (SEOL) digital holography. A coherent 3D microscope-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer records a single online Fresnel digital hologram of microorganisms. Three-dimensional microscopic images are reconstructed numerically at different depths by an inverse Fresnel transformation. For recognition, microbiological objects are segmented by processing the background diffraction field. Gabor-based wavelets extract feature vectors with multi-oriented and multi-scaled Gabor kernels. We apply a rigid graph matching (RGM) algorithm to localize predefined shape features of biological samples. Preliminary experimental and simulation results using sphacelaria alga and Tribonema aequale alga microorganisms are presented. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on 3D visualization and recognition of microorganisms using on-line digital holography with single-exposure.
Learning From Service: The Effect of Helping on Helpers' Social Dominance Orientation

Helping behavior can affect the power dynamics between social groups (Nadler, 2002). The present research investigated whether helping also affects one's views of those power dynamics, as indexed by social dominance orientation (SDO) scores (Pratto, Sidanius, Stallworth, & Malle, 1994). College students in an introductory psychology course were randomly assigned to a helping (service learning) group or a control group. Students in the helping group participated in 18 hr of community service over 9 weeks, and showed a significant decrease in SDO, compared to the control group. Empathy mediated the relationship between helping and SDO. The pedagogical implications of service learning are also discussed, as are the potential moderating roles of helping type and contact.
Capacity planning tool for streaming media services

The goal of the proposed capacity planning tool is to provide the best cost/performance configuration for support of a known media service workload. There are two essential components in our capacity planning tool: i) the capacity measurements of different h/w and s/w solutions using a specially designed set of media benchmarks and ii) a media service workload profiler, called MediaProf, which extracts a set of quantitative and qualitative parameters characterizing the service demand. The capacity planning tool matches the requirements of the media service workload profile, SLAs and configuration constraints to produce the best available cost/performance solution.