cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genomic Variants Associated with Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract SCI-11 Genome-wide interrogations have a role in addressing both the etiology and the responsiveness of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Recent work by our own 1 and other groups identified common polymorphisms in ARID5B , and to a lesser extent in IKZF1 , as predisposing to the development of childhood ALL. Polymorphisms in these two genes can account for ∼ 40% of the population attributable risk of ALL, and differences in the frequency of the minor allele among different ancestral groups can account for a large portion of the differences in the incidence of ALL among different race groups. The association of these inherited polymorphisms with specific ALL subtypes (e.g. ARID5B with risk of hyperdiploid ALL) indicates that germline polymorphisms affect not only risk of ALL but may also affect or confound association analyses between germline variants and the probability of cure of ALL. The biological basis for the prognostic differences that exist among ALL subtypes remain largely unknown, and it is plausible that inherited polymorphisms may affect both susceptibility to subtypes of ALL as well as to drug responsiveness. Genome-wide analyses have also identified polymorphisms associated with eradication of MRD across multiple treatment protocols. 2 Polymorphisms in IL15 indicate variants that likely affect the inherent pharmacodynamic responsiveness of ALL to drug-induced apoptosis. Approximately 20% of the polymorphisms associated with MRD were also associated with rapid drug clearance in the host, even though pharmacokinetic data were only available for 2 of the 4–8 medications used during induction. These findings lead us to suggest that perhaps half of the polymorphisms associated with eradication of ALL are related to effects on host drug clearance, and about half have penetrant effects on the inherent responsiveness of the ALL cells themselves. A genome-wide analysis for the determinants of clearance of one such drug, methotrexate, identified a strong effect of polymorphisms in the SLCO1B1 transporter. 3 Genome-wide approaches have identified the importance of genes that decades of candidate gene approaches did not reveal, illustrating the utility of an agnostic approach to genotype-phenotype association studies in childhood ALL. 1. Trevino LR, Yang W, French D, et al. Germline genomic variations associated with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nat Genet 41:1001–5, 2009. 2. Yang J, Cheng C, Yang W, et al. Genome-wide interrogation of germline genetic variation associated with treatment response in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. JAMA 301:393–403, 2009. 3. Trevino LR, Shimasaki N, Yang W, et al. Germline genetic variation in an organic anion transporter polypeptide associated with methotrexate pharmacokinetics and clinical effects. J Clin Oncol 27:5972–8, 2009. Disclosures: Relling: St. Jude Children9s Research Hospital: Employment, Patents & Royalties; Enzon Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding.
A meshfree method for the fractional advection-diffusion equation

“Non-local” phenomena are common to problems involving strong heterogeneity, fracticality, or statistical correlations. A variety of temporal and/or spatial fractional partial differential equations have been used in the last two decades to describe different problems such as turbulent flow, contaminant transport in ground water, solute transport in porous media, and viscoelasticity in polymer materials.
Adaptive zero-voltage-switching control and hybrid current control for high efficiency GaN-based MHz Totem-pole PFC rectifier

This paper presents an adaptive Zero-Voltage-Switching control (ZVS) method and a hybrid current control strategy for the GaN-based MHz Totem-pole PFC rectifier. This novel ZVS control achieves the minimum ZVS time margin and maximum switching frequency clamping by adaptively controlling the synchronous rectifier (SR) turn off current. This adaptive SR turn off current control is a unified control strategy based on a proposed unified analytical converter model. The analytical model and the control strategy are applicable for full-range of input voltage and full-range of load for ZVS Totem-pole PFC. In addition, a dual-loop current control strategy is also proposed in this paper. This dual-loop current controller uses the outer average current control loop to directly regulates the inductor average current. The inner current control loop combines the peak current controller and the time based SR turn off current controller. The proposed SR turn off current control for ZVS is adaptively controlled by this time based controller. To verify the proposed ZVS control method and the hybrid current controller, a 1.5kW GaN-based MHz Totem-pole PFC prototype is demonstrated with full-range ZVS, 99% peak efficiency and high quality AC current.
Challenging the Black Church Narrative: Race, Class, and Homosexual Attitudes.

ABSTRACTIn recent years, scholars have pointed to the Black church as the driving force behind Blacks’ more conservative lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) attitudes. Although evidence suggests a robust association between religiosity and LGBT attitudes, contemporary scholarship has not examined the role of class or the extent to which religiosity actually explains these trends. Using the 2004–2014 waves of the General Social Survey, we find that class moderates in the effect of race on negative LGBT attitudes, resulting in a noticeably larger gap between middle-class Blacks and Whites than in the top or the bottom of the class distribution. Although religiosity and moralization explain a portion of racial differences in homosexual attitudes across class groups, we find that neither fully accounts for the more conservative attitudes of the Black middle class. We conclude by discussing the shortcomings of these narratives for understanding Blacks’ more conservative LGBT attitudes.
Strain compensated superlattices on m-plane gallium nitride by ammonia molecular beam epitaxy

The results of tensile strained AlN/GaN, AlGaN/GaN, and compressive strained InGaN/GaN superlattices (SLs) grown by Ammonia MBE (NH3-MBE) are presented. A combination of atom probe tomography and high-resolution X-ray diffraction confirms that periodic heterostructures of high crystallographic quality are achieved. Strain induced misfit dislocations (MDs), however, are revealed by cathodoluminescence (CL) of the strained AlN/GaN, AlGaN/GaN, and InGaN/GaN structures. MDs in the active region of a device are a severe problem as they act as non-radiative charge recombination centers, affecting the reliability and efficiency of the device. Strain compensated SL structures are subsequently developed, composed of alternating layers of tensile strained AlGaN and compressively strained InGaN. CL reveals the absence of MDs in such structures, demonstrating that strain compensation offers a viable route towards MD free active regions in III-Nitride SL based devices.
Relational Financing and Innovation in Emerging Economies

While insufficient access to financial resources for innovative activity is exacerbated in emerging economies in the presence of institutional voids, relatively little is known about how external f...
Flame exposure time on Langmuir probe degradation, ion density, and thermionic emission for flame temperature.

The paper examines the effect of exposure time of Langmuir probes in an atmospheric premixed methane-air flame. The effects of probe size and material composition on current measurements were investigated, with molybdenum and tungsten probe tips ranging in diameter from 0.0508 to 0.1651 mm. Repeated prolonged exposures to the flame, with five runs of 60 s, resulted in gradual probe degradations (−6% to −62% area loss) which affected the measurements. Due to long flame exposures, two ion saturation currents were observed, resulting in significantly different ion densities ranging from 1.16 × 1016 to 2.71 × 1019 m−3. The difference between the saturation currents is caused by thermionic emissions from the probe tip. As thermionic emission is temperature dependent, the flame temperature could thus be estimated from the change in current. The flame temperatures calculated from the difference in saturation currents (1734-1887 K) were compared to those from a conventional thermocouple (1580-1908 K). Temperature...
Social Control Versus Social Learning: Self-Efficacy for Future Academic Success and Peer Delinquency as Mediators of the Parental Support–Delinquency Relationship:

The purpose of this study was to determine whether low self-efficacy for future academic success and peer delinquency mediated the relationship between weak parental support and delinquency, and if...
Modeling carbon storage across a heterogeneous mixed temperate forest: the influence of forest type specificity on regional-scale carbon storage estimates

Accurately assessing forest carbon storage on a landscape scale is critical to understanding global carbon cycles and the effects of land cover changes on ecological processes. Calculations of regional-scale forest carbon storage that rely on maps of land cover typically reflect only coarse forest classes. How differences in carbon stored by different tree species may affect such assessments is largely unexplored. We examined a range of forest carbon storage models to understand the effects of forest type specificity on carbon storage estimates in the northeastern United States. Models estimated forest carbon in total aboveground and coarse root biomass based on three levels of forest classification specificity: (1) relative basal area by species, (2) species associations, and (3) broad forest types per IPCC (in: IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories, IPCC, Japan, 2006) guidelines. The specificity of forest type classifications influenced results with generally lower carbon storage estimates resulting from higher-specificity forest classifications. The two most specific models, with mean carbon storage estimates of 103–107 Mg/ha, were most accurate compared to field validation points. These estimates are greater than 2013 field-based U.S. Forest Service estimates (84–90 Mg/ha). There are many sources of uncertainty in landscape-scale carbon storage assessments. Here we show that improving detail in one of these sources, forest stand composition, increases the accuracy of these assessments, and better reflects carbon storage patterns across heterogeneous landscapes. While more work is needed, particularly to improve stand age maps, this information can inform the interpretation of current carbon storage estimates and improve future estimates in heterogeneous forests.
Effects of Wetting Agent Timingon Sand-Capped Athletic Fields

Athletic field playability and safety is a growing national concern, particularly at the high school sports level. Athletic field usage rates increase each year while field maintenance budgets are stagnant, if not reduced. Research is needed on improving cultural practices to maximize playability and safety of natural grass athletic fields, especially in reference to prolonging field surface integrity throughout the extended high school football season. Many athletic fields endure multiple practices and games per week. Despite weather-related conditions detrimental to field integrity, Friday night games cannot be rescheduled and practice field availability often is lacking. The objective of this trial is to investigate the use of wetting agent products and application timings as part of a sand-capped natural grass athletic field management plan to improve rootzone water content management. Multiple types of wetting agents and two application timings/rates were tested to determine product methodology and efficacy.
Practice Patterns of Liver Transplant Anesthesiology

Liver transplantation (LT) continues to be one of the most complex and resource-intensive multidisciplinary procedures. Since the first successful human liver transplant in the US in 1967 by Thomas Starzl [1], considerable improvements in surgical and anesthetic techniques, perioperative management, and outcomes have evolved [2]. Driven by the limited number of donor organs and an ever-increasing patient waiting list combined with the need to optimize recipient and donor graft outcomes, transplant clinicians are developing evidence-based practices in their respective specialties. The evidence base for perioperative anesthetic management in liver transplantation is an area of active inquiry and an assessment of current practices may promote understanding and establishment of best practices in this specialty. A report on resource utilization in anesthesia for liver transplantation indicated great variability between liver transplant centers in the US in part depending on transplant volume [3]. Despite this practice report in 2003, there remains an information and knowledge gap regarding outcomes related to such practices, underscoring the need for evidence-based practice recommendations to guide anesthetic management.
A Second Generation Structural Shape Optimization Capability Employing a Boundary Element Formulation

References (1–3) describe a novel analytical formulation of numerical techniques and their implementation in a computer program to perform shape optimization research. This work involved coupling a boundary element fomulation for structural analysis and design sensitivity analysis with geometry, meshing, numerical optimization, and computer graphics. This paper describes research efforts to greatly enhance this technique including boundary element substructuring (matrix condensation) re-analysis techniques, and matrix sparsity exploitation. Implicit differentiation of the discretized boundary integral equations has been shown to produce a computationally efficient, accurate, and general form of design sensitivity analysis. In this paper it is shown that a form of boundary element substructuring (matrix condensation) can be utilized to form a dramatically economized “reduced problem.” Expressions for the efficient calculation of required reduced matrix sensitivities are also given. Re-analysis strategies are presented that re-use unchanging portions of matrix triangular factorizations during the optimization process.
How Warrantless Search Cases Are Really All the Same

Fourth Amendment jurisprudence confounds. Even with thousands of cases and hundreds of repeated fact patterns to rely on, courts aren't able to come up with consistent rules. In order to address the problem, this paper proposes a new way of thinking about warrantless searches. It ignores the debate over substantive Fourth Amendment law, and sidesteps the body of scholarly work that compares the "first principles" underlying different search regimes. Instead, it describes all searches as discrete events with common elements. Every search has a "subject" -- the object or space which has come under surveillance -- and a "method" -- the means used to reveal the subject. As a result, every search also has a universal, two-part conceptual structure. Much of the confusion over the Fourth Amendment occurs because judges ignore these fundamental features when writing search rules. The resulting opinions often fail to provide much guidance, even in future cases that share an element with the prior case. The problem is particularly severe when it is combined with the current Katz standard. The result is precedent that functions as a one-way ratchet against privacy protections: elements of a search that do not violate the Fourth Amendment are easy to identify, but elements that do violate the Fourth Amendment remain consistently ambiguous. In order to solve this problem, protect privacy, and ultimately create a warrantless search jurisprudence that actually makes sense, judges need to write more specific search rules that align with the preexisting conceptual structure of the searches themselves.
The Logarithmic Integral

In this chapter we discuss the argument principle and develop several of its consequences. In Section 1 we derive the argument principle from the residue theorem, and we use the argument principle to locate the zeros of analytic functions. Sections 2 through 5 can be viewed as a study of how the zeros of an analytic function depend on various types of parameters. Sections 6 and 7 are devoted to winding numbers of closed paths and the jump theorem for the Cauchy integral. The jump theorem yields an easy proof of the Jordan curve theorem in the smooth case, and a proof of the full Jordan curve theorem is laid out in the exercises. In Section 8 we introduce simply connected domains and we characterize these in several ways. While the material in this chapter is of fundamental importance for the Riemann mapping theorem in Chapter XI and for various further developments, the student can skip to Chapter IX immediately after Sections 1 and 2.
Management of early- and late-onset sepsis: results from a survey in 80 German NICUs

The management of early- (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS) and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) has not been extensively evaluated. 231 highly specialized level 1 and level 2 NICUs in Germany were asked to participate in an internet-based survey. The final analysis of anonymized datasets from 80 NICUs (response rate 34.6 %) compared university hospitals and regional neonatal referral centers. The survey describes potential areas of improvement concerning empirical treatment of infants with LOS with vancomycin and 3rd generation cephalosporins, minimal volume of blood sampling for aerobic culture, consideration of lumbar tap in any child with blood culture positive LOS and drug monitoring details for gentamicin and vancomycin. In summary, this survey reveals a significant gap between recent national German guidelines and daily practices in German NICUs.
Factors Affecting California College Students’ Attitudes Toward Assisted Dying:

This study focuses on college students' experiences and beliefs, which affect attitudes toward assisted dying. Of 324 students, 35% wanted the option of assisted dying for a family member with a life-threatening illness. Results of multiple logistic regression indicate students who favored assisted dying were significantly influenced by having a family member die, experiencing hospitalization, thinking about end-of-life issues, and being comfortable with palliative care. Belief in an afterlife and being a caregiver were negatively associated with assisted dying. Students need to receive training in end-of-life care issues, as increasingly professionals will face such requests.
Differentially Private Gossip Gradient Descent

In this paper, we study a problem of learning a linear regression model distributively with a network of N interconnected agents in which each agent can deploy an online learning algorithm to adaptively learn the regression model using its private data. The goal of the problem is to devise a distributed algorithm, under the constraint that each agent can communicate only with its neighbors depicted by a connected communication graph, which enables all N agents converge to the true model, with a performance comparable to that of conventional centralized algorithms. We propose a differentially private distributed algorithm, called private gossi» gradient descent, and establish E-differential privacy and $O\left(\sqrt{\frac{\log^{2}t}{\epsilon(1-\lambda_{2})Nt}}\right)$ convergence, where A2 is the second largest eigenvalue of the expected gossip matrix corresponding to the communication graph.
Using Gait Variability to Predict Inter-individual Differences in Learning Rate of a Novel Obstacle Course

This study aimed to determine whether inter-individual differences in learning rate of a novel motor task could be predicted by movement variability exhibited in a related baseline task, and determine which variability measures best discriminate individual differences in learning rate. Thirty-two participants were asked to repeatedly complete an obstacle course until achieving success in a dual-task paradigm. Their baseline gait kinematics during self-paced level walking were used to calculate stride-to-stride variability in stride characteristics, joint angle trajectories, and inter-joint coordination. The gait variability measures were reduced to functional attributes through principal component analysis and used as predictors in multiple linear regression models. The models were used to predict the number of trials needed by each individual to complete the obstacle course successfully. Frontal plane coordination variability of the hip-knee and knee-ankle joint couples in both stance and swing phases of baseline gait were the strongest predictors, and explained 62% of the variance in learning rate. These results show that gait variability measures can be used to predict short-term differences in function between individuals. Future research examining statistical persistence in gait time series that can capture the temporal dimension of gait pattern variability, may further improve learning performance prediction.
Transgenerational sterility of Piwi pathway mutants in response to germ granule dysfunction

Germ cells deficient for Piwi and associated small RNA genome silencing factors transmit a form of heritable stress that induces sterility after growth for several generations. The cause of this transgenerational sterility phenotype is not understood but has been attributed to progressive deterioration of heterochromatin and associated DNA damage. Sterile small RNA genome silencing mutants displayed inconsistent increases in DNA damage signaling but consistently altered perinuclear germ granules. Germ granule dysfunction was sufficient to induce phenotypes associated with sterile small RNA genome silencing mutants, including germline atrophy, reproductive diapause and univalents in oocytes. Genes that perturb germ granule structure were not compromised in sterile small RNA mutants, suggesting a post-transcriptional reproductive arrest mechanism. We conclude that the integrity of germ granules, which are intimately associated with Piwi silencing factors, orchestrates the sterility of Piwi deficient mutants and could be generally relevant to regulation of reproductive arrest in response to stress.
A divergence-free HDG scheme for the Cahn-Hilliard phase-field model for two-phase incompressible flow

Abstract We construct a divergence-free HDG scheme for the Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes phase-field model. The scheme is robust in the convection-dominated regime, produces a globally divergence-free velocity approximation, and can be efficiently implemented via static condensation. Two numerical benchmark problems, namely the rising bubble problem, and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability problem are used to show the good performance of the proposed scheme.
A Simultaneous-Equation Model of Estimating the Response of the Consumer Price to Exchange Rate Movements in Thailand

This paper examines exchange rate pass-through (ERPT) to the consumer price in Thailand based on a simultaneous-equation model consisting of the IS, LM and AS function. It employs comparative static analysis to determine the impact of a change in an exogenous variable on the equilibrium price level. The paper finds that a 1% depreciation of the Thai baht tends to cause the CPI to rise by 0.0696% and has declined since the adoption of inflation targeting in 2000. In addition, more money supply, more government deficit as a percent of GDP, a higher crude oil price, a higher U.S. CPI, and a higher expected price tends to raise Thailand’s CPI. The findings suggest that in addition to the exchange rate, other relevant variables such as fiscal policy, monetary policy, the crude oil price, U.S. price level and the expected price level are expected to impact the consumer price level.
The long-term residual effects of low-magnitude mechanical stimulation therapy on skeletal health

Low-magnitude mechanical stimulation (LMMS) may improve skeletal health. The objective of this research was to investigate the long-term residual effects of LMMS on bone health. 10-week old female mice were given LMMS for 8 weeks; SHAM did not receive LMMS. Some groups remained on study for an additional 8 or 16 weeks post treatment (N = 17). Epiphyseal trabecular mineralizing surface to bone surface ratio (MS/BS) and bone formation rate (BFR/BS) were significantly greater in the LMMS group compared to the SHAM group at 8 weeks by 92 and 128% respectively. Mineral apposition rate (MAR) was significantly greater in the LMMS group 16 weeks post treatment by 14%. Metaphyseal trabecular bone mineral density (BMD) increased by 18%, bone volume tissue volume ratio (BV/TV) increased by 37%, and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th.) increased by 10% with LMMS at 8 weeks post treatment. Significant effects 16 weeks post treatment were maintained for BV/TV and Tb.Th. The middle-cortical region bone volume (BV) increased by 4% and cortical thickness increased by 3% with 8-week LMMS. LMMS improves bone morphological parameters immediately after and in some cases long-term post LMMS. Results from this work will be helpful in developing treatment strategies to increase bone health in younger individuals.
Can the Law Do Without Retributivism? Comments on Erin Kelly’s The Limits of Blame

Erin Kelly’s The Limits of Blame presents a critique of our current overly-punitive legal system and champions a system of criminal justice that does not traffic in moral blame and is free of retributivist elements. This commentary questions the viability of such a system, and ultimately suggests that there is not much distance between a more perfect retributivist system and the kind of nuanced and humane system of criminal justice that Kelly envisions.
Predictors of Choosing Business Analytics Concentration and Consequent Academic Performance

Choosing a major field of study is important, and so is the selection of a specialized concentration that is aligned with an individual’s career aspirations. In this paper, we explore a relatively ...
Caudally Directed Upper-Instrumented Vertebra Pedicle Screws Associated with Minimized Risk of Proximal Junctional Failure in Patients with Long Posterior Spinal Fusion for Adult Spinal Deformity.

Abstract BACKGROUND CONTEXT It is unknown whether upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) pedicle screw trajectory and UIV screw-rod angle are associated with development of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and/or proximal junctional failure (PJF). PURPOSE To determine whether (1) the cranial-caudal trajectory of UIV pedicle screws and (2) UIV screw-vertebra angle are associated with PJK and/or PJF after long posterior spinal fusion in patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD). STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Retrospective review. PATIENT SAMPLE We included 96 patients with ASD who underwent fusion from T9–T12 to the pelvis (>5 vertebrae fused) between 2008 and 2015. OUTCOME MEASURES Pedicle screw trajectory was measured as the UIV pedicle screw–vertebra angle (UIV-PVA), which is the mean of the two angles between the UIV superior endplate and both UIV pedicle screws. (Positive values indicate screws angled cranially; negative values indicate screws angled caudally.) We measured UIV rod-vertebra angle (UIV-RVA) between the rod at the point of screw attachment and the UIV superior endplate. METHODS During ≥2-year follow-up, 38 patients developed PJK, and 28 developed PJF. Mean (± standard deviation) UIV-PVA was −0.9° ± 6.0°. Mean UIV-RVA was 87° ± 5.2°. We examined the development of PJK and PJF using a UIV-PVA/UIV-RVA cutoff of 3° identified by a receiver operating characteristic curve, while controlling for osteoporosis, age, sex, and preoperative thoracic kyphosis. RESULTS Patients with UIV-PVA ≥3° had significantly greater odds of developing PJK (odds ratio 2.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.0–7.1) and PJF (odds ratio 3.6; 95% confidence interval: 1.3–10) compared with patients with UIV-PVA CONCLUSIONS In long thoracic fusion to the pelvis for ASD, UIV-PVA ≥3° was associated with 2.7-fold greater odds of PJK and 3.6-fold greater odds of PJF compared with UIV-PVA LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III
Cross-national analysis of food security drivers: comparing results based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and Global Food Security Index

The second UN Sustainable Development Goal establishes food security as a priority for governments, multilateral organizations, and NGOs. These institutions track national-level food security performance with an array of metrics and weigh intervention options considering the leverage of many possible drivers. We studied the relationships between several candidate drivers and two response variables based on prominent measures of national food security: the 2019 Global Food Security Index (GFSI) and the Food Insecurity Experience Scale’s (FIES) estimate of the percentage of a nation’s population experiencing food security or mild food insecurity (FI<mod). We compared the contributions of explanatory variables in regressions predicting both response variables, and we further tested the stability of our results to changes in explanatory variable selection and in the countries included in regression model training and testing. At the cross-national level, the quantity and quality of a nation’s agricultural land were not predictive of either food security metric. We found mixed evidence that per-capita cereal production, per-hectare cereal yield, an aggregate governance metric, logistics performance, and extent of paid employment work were predictive of national food security. Household spending as measured by per-capita final consumption expenditure (HFCE) was consistently the strongest driver among those studied, alone explaining a median of 92% and 70% of variation (based on out-of-sample R2) in GFSI and FI<mod, respectively. The relative strength of HFCE as a predictor was observed for both response variables and was independent of the countries used for model training, the transformations applied to the explanatory variables prior to model training, and the variable selection technique used to specify multivariate regressions. The results of this cross-national analysis reinforce previous research supportive of a causal mechanism where, in the absence of exceptional local factors, an increase in income drives increase in food security. However, the strength of this effect varies depending on the countries included in regression model fitting. We demonstrate that using multiple response metrics, repeated random sampling of input data, and iterative variable selection facilitates a convergence of evidence approach to analyzing food security drivers.
Do fine-scale experiments underestimate predator consumption rates?

1. Understanding ecological processes across spatial scales helps link observations and predictions from experiments to ecological patterns occurring at coarser scales relevant to management and conservation. 2. Using fish, we experimentally manipulated the size of arenas to test the spatial scaling of predator-prey interactions. 3. We measured variation in predator consumption and prey behavior (prey aggregation, spatial overlap with predators, and movement) across arena sizes. Variation in prey behavior across arena sizes was hypothesized to drive consumption patterns by altering prey vigilance and encounter rates with predators. 4. Per capita consumption and movement were highest in the largest arena relative to the smallest and we observed a mismatch between where bass were present and the highest densities of prey across all arena sizes. We hypothesize more movement in largest arenas increased encounter rates and drove the observed increase in consumption with increasing arena size. 5. Consumption estimates obtained in experimental studies may underestimate consumption, but understanding the mechanisms driving bias across scales helps predict the outcomes of predator-prey interactions in natural systems.
Africa’s Dominant State: the Dilemma of Democratization and Disintegration

In early 2011, Sudan’s southern region voted for secession in a referendum on self-determination in a long overdue culmination of an irreconcilable antagonism in Sudan’s post-independence politics, largely centred in an intractable conflict between a dominant, mostly Arab-Islamic North pursuing centralization and Arabization policies and a black-African, mostly Christian-animist South resisting political marginalization and cultural domination. In a wider context, the partition of Sudan clearly reveals a deep dilemma of national unity versus national autonomy afflicting African state system for decades. It’s a political conundrum involving a contradiction between the imperative of state-power centralization and demands for democratic decentralism, played in a backdrop of enormous religious, ethnic and national diversity. Throughout the post-independence period, the border of many African countries were violently contested between the dominant state seeking their preservation and ethnic/regional dissent forces seeking alteration. Despite a continental consensus to preserve the status quo and consistent repression of such demands, the dilemma of national unity vs. autonomy — and the ensuing danger of disintegration — continued to occupy the center-stage of African politics. This conflict of fundamental principles was further compounded by popular demands for democratic rule and increasing external intervention as Africa entered the post-cold war period. The secession of South Sudan, a symptom and outcome of this dilemma, begs some critical questions in as much as it highlights the nature of the political predicament. Does Africa still remain prone to balkanization? Is African post-colonial legal order now in disorder and ripe to major revision?
GeNVoM: Read Mapping Near Non-Volatile Memory.

DNA sequencing is the physical/biochemical process of identifying the location of the four bases (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Thymine) in a DNA strand. As semiconductor technology revolutionized computing, modern DNA sequencing technology (termed Next Generation Sequenc-ing, NGS) revolutionized genomic research. As a result, modern NGS platforms can sequence hundreds of millions of short DNA fragments in parallel. The sequenced DNA fragments, representing the output of NGS platforms, are termed reads. Besides genomic variations, NGS imperfections induce noise in reads. Mapping each read to (the most similar portion of) a reference genome of the same species, i.e., read mapping, is a common critical first step in a diverse set of emerging bioinformatics applications. Mapping represents a search-heavy memory-intensive similarity matching problem, therefore, can greatly benefit from near-memory processing. Intuition suggests using fast associative search enabled by Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM) by construction. However, the excessive energy consumption and lack of support for similarity matching (under NGS and genomic variation induced noise) renders direct application of TCAM infeasible, irrespective of volatility, where only non-volatile TCAM can accommodate the large memory footprint in an area-efficient way. This paper introduces GeNVoM, a scalable, energy-efficient and high-throughput solution. Instead of optimizing an algorithm developed for general-purpose computers or GPUs, GeNVoM rethinks the algorithm and non-volatile TCAM-based accelerator design together from the ground up. Thereby GeNVoM can improve the throughput by up to 3.67x; the energy consumption, by up to 1.36x, when compared to an ASIC baseline, which represents one of the highest-throughput implementations known.
9 Ectomycorrhizal DNA: Isolation, RFLPs and Probe Hybridization

Publisher Summary The purpose of this chapter is to present a primer of basic methods that have direct application to recovery of DNA from mycorrhizal fungi in soils. The methods are organized into three broad categories: cell lysis, DNA purification, and DNA analysis. Major difficulties typically arise during cell lysis and during the early steps in extraction when DNA is still associated with soil constituents (for example humic and tannin-like substances). Therefore, these steps are given greater attention. The approach is to present considerable detail for techniques that may vary among mycorrhizal fungi and mycorrhiza and may need modification for successful application. When necessary, protocols are redesigned so that they can be used with a small number of mycorrhizal root tips. Since purified DNA behaves similarly regardless of its source, we present fewer alternatives for purifying DNA. In addition, the phenomenon of specific base pairing (hybridization) is one of the fundamental properties of nucleic acids upon which many of the procedures of molecular biology are based. These procedures are being applied to many soil eukaryotes. Although most of the methods have not yet been applied to mycorrhizal fungi, they are used with other fungi and should be directly transferable.
A Global Code of Business Ethics

The international economy is changing at a rapid rate. The alteration and reduction of both geographical and political borders, coupled with the growing interdependence of socially, politically, economically, and legally diverse countries, have caused multinational corporate entities to revise various policies. These revisions include revisions in marketing strategies, strategic alliances, product and service strategies and, perhaps most importantly as it affects all strategies, a MNC's approach to ethical systems. The truly global company must come to grips with the legal and moral atmosphere in which it operates. The concept of moral rights, those transcending legal or political rights, drives us to review four international codes of conduct and to attempt to develop one international uniform code that might be applicable to any business, in any country or culture.
An experimental microwave-powered helicopter

Microwave power transmission and helicopter technologies have been successfully combined to produce a hovering vehicle which is held aloft solely by power derived from a microwave beam. New, efficient, and lightweight antenna and rectifier technologies allow the helicopter to support its energy-capture system and a substantial payload in addition to its own weight. Projections for further development of the device in terms of technological improvements are made.
Comparison of the CytoRich system with conventional cervical cytology. Preliminary data on 2,032 cases from a clinical trial site.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the CytoRich system with conventional cervical cytology in a university medical center hospital laboratory. STUDY DESIGN: The CytoRich system combines liquid preservation, selective reduction of blood/inflammation, thin-layer preparation and discrete staining. Two thousand thirty-two parallel conventional and CytoRich samples were examined as part of a multicenter trial of the CytoRich/AutoCyte systems. Same-patient conventional and CytoRich slides were submitted to separate cytotechnologists blindly. The results were compared, and all nonmatching sample pairs were reviewed again. A consensus diagnosis was derived for all cases. The initial readings of the CytoRich and conventional smears were compared with each other and with the consensus diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 148 squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) found by either method, 85% were found by CytoRich, while only 58.5% were found by conventional smear. As compared with the consensus diagnosis, CytoRich slides had 86.7% sensitivity for SIL and 99.1% specificity, while the conventional slides had 63.6% sensitivity and 99.7% specificity. Consensus review resulted in upgrading to SIL in 1.8% of conventional slides and 1.4% of CytoRich slides. The biopsy correlation results were similar for the two methods. CONCLUSION: The CytoRich system affords excellent cellular presentations and superior sensitivity for SILs when compared to the conventional technique.
Statistical approaches in quantitative positron emissiontomography

Positron emission tomography is a medical imaging modality for producing 3D images of the spatial distribution of biochemical tracers within the human body. The images are reconstructed from data formed through detection of radiation resulting from the emission of positrons from radioisotopes tagged onto the tracer of interest. These measurements are approximate line integrals from which the image can be reconstructed using analytical inversion formulae. However these direct methods do not allow accurate modeling either of the detector system or of the inherent statistical fluctuations in the data. Here we review recent progress in developing statistical approaches to image estimation that can overcome these limitations. We describe the various components of the physical model and review different formulations of the inverse problem. The wide range of numerical procedures for solving these problems are then reviewed. Finally, we describe recent work aimed at quantifying the quality of the resulting images, both in terms of classical measures of estimator bias and variance, and also using measures that are of more direct clinical relevance.
Central acetabular fracture secondary to epileptic seizure.

It appears that our patient sustained a central acetabular protrusion fracture on the right side secondary to an epileptic convulsive seizure. It is probable that the identical fracture on the opposite side, sustained one year previously, occurred by the same mechanism. Bilateral post-traumatic protrusio acetabulae can occur secondary to epileptic seizures (Fig. 3).
Econometric forecasting via discounted least squares

Simple direct smoothing formulas are derived for updating coefficient estimates and forecasts in a discounted least squares model. These formulas are the natural extensions of R. G. Brown's well-known smoothing formulas to a general econometric setting with arbitrary explanatory time series. The recursive updating process and its forecast error properties are illustrated via a simple, yet realistic numerical example.
Adenovirus E3 14.7-kilodalton protein, an antagonist of tumor necrosis factor cytolysis, increases the virulence of vaccinia virus in severe combined immunodeficient mice.

Abstract The adenovirus (Ad) 14.7-kDa protein, which is called "14.7K," has been shown to function as a general inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) cytolysis in tissue culture assays, and the effect of this antagonism on viral pathogenesis in vivo has recently been explored. In infections of immunocompetent BALB/c mice, we have shown previously that Ad type 2 (Ad2) 14.7K, when cloned into a vaccinia virus (VV) vector in combination with the gene for murine TNF, is able to counteract much of the attenuating effect of TNF on VV virulence. In the present study we utilized VV constructs expressing various combinations of Ad 14.7K and TNF in infections of T- and B-cell-deficient C.B-17 severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice to determine whether these cells are directly necessary for 14.7K's reversal of TNF-mediated viral attenuation. The mice were infected by the intranasal route, and mortality, morbidity, histopathology, and virus replication in selected organs were evaluated at various times after infection. We found that, in the SCID murine pneumonia model, neither the attenuation by TNF nor its reversal by Ad 14.7K require the participation of T or B lymphocytes or their secreted products. SCID mice infected with VV expressing both 14.7K and TNF [VV 14.7(+)/TNF] were generally well clinically for the first 7-10 days after infection; however, they developed a subacute or chronic illness, succumbing to diseminated VV infection at least 3 weeks earlier than mice infected with VV expressing TNF alone [VV 14.7(-)/TNF]. Animals infected with VV 14.7(+)/TNF were shown to have higher initial titers of virus and delayed clearance from the lungs as well as more rapid spread of virus to internal organs than animals infected with VV 14.7(-)/TNF. SCID mice infected intranasally with VV without TNF showed a dramatic increase in acute disease and succumbed within the first 1-2 weeks after infection, independent of Ad 14.7K expression.
Long term preservation of digital information

The preservation of digital data for the long term presents a variety of challenges from technical to social and organizational. The technical challenge is to ensure that the information, generated today, can survive long term changes in storage media, devices and data formats. This paper presents a novel approach to the problem. It distinguishes between archiving of data files and archiving of programs (so that their behavior may be reenacted in the future).For the archiving of a data file, the proposal consists of specifying the processing that needs to be performed on the data (as physically stored) in order to return the information to a future client (according to a logical view of the data). The process specification and the logical view definition are archived with the data.For the archiving of a program behavior, the proposal consists of saving the original executable object code together with the specification of the processing that needs to be performed for each machine instruction of the original computer (emulation).In both cases, the processing specification is based on a Universal Virtual Computer that is general, yet basic enough as to remain relevant in the future.
Full-Scale Tests of Bridge Steel Pedestals

Overheight vehicle collisions can cause major damage to bridges. To address the issue of limited vertical clearance heights and reduce the likelihood of impact damage, the Georgia Department of Transportation has implemented a program to elevate major highway bridges using very short columns referred to as steel pedestals. The process to elevate the bridges and install the steel pedestals is cost effective and efficient, resulting in minimum disruption to highway traffic. However, in practice, these pedestals are not detailed to provide end fixity, so they add considerable flexibility to the superstructure supports and potentially make the bridge more susceptible to instability and damage from seismic loads. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate how these steel pedestals will perform under the low-to-moderate earthquakes expected in this region. A full-scale 12.2 m (40 ft) dual steel girder simply supported bridge elevated with 500 mm (19 in.) and 850 mm (33 1∕2 in.) steel pedestals is constructed based ...
EFFECT OF AMMONIATED GLYCYRRHIZIN ON THE MINERAL UTILIZATION OF RATS

Administration of ammoniated glycyrrhizin for 14 days in the diets of rats at a 2% level caused a significant increase in iron excretion and a significant depletion in liver iron stores as compared to pair-fed control rats. Zinc and magnesium fecal and tissue levels were not significantly influenced by this dietary saponin. Body and fecal weights were also significantly increased in animals consuming the saponin-containing diet.