cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Breast Imager’s Approach to Nonmammary Masses at Breast and Axillary US: Imaging Technique, Clues to Origin, and Management

Ultrasonography (US) of the breast and axilla is primarily used to evaluate a symptomatic patient or to further investigate findings identified with other imaging modalities. Breast imagers are generally familiar with US evaluation of level I, II, and III axillary lymph nodes in the diagnosis and staging of breast cancer. However, the axilla contains nonlymphatic tissue as well, including muscle, fat, and vascular and neurologic structures, and anatomically the breast lies on the chest wall. Therefore, lesions of nonmammary and non-lymph node origin in the axilla or chest wall are not infrequently encountered during US evaluation of the breast or axilla. In fact, such lesions may be the reason that the patient presents to the breast imaging department for evaluation. Understanding the anatomy of the chest wall and axilla and using a systematic US approach will help radiologists expedite accurate diagnosis, suggest optimal additional imaging, and streamline appropriate clinical referral. Key imaging features of nonmammary non-lymph node masses are highlighted, and case examples are provided to illustrate these features. Appropriate patient management is critical in these cases because referral to a breast surgeon may not be the best next step. Depending on institutional referral patterns, other subspecialty surgeons will be involved. Online supplemental material is available for this article.
A Concise Approach to Paxilline Indole Diterpenes

A synthetic approach to paxilline indole diterpenes is described. The route to the pentacyclic core relies on a new regioselective alkenylation of ketones and a tandem radical addition-aldol reaction sequence to access vicinal quaternary stereocenters. Emindole SB, the simplest member of the family, is synthesized in 11 steps from commercially available material to demonstrate the application of this approach.
PATTERNS AND LEVELS OF GENETIC VARIATION IN GREAT BASIN BRISTLECONE PINE, PINUS LONGAEVA.

The use of electrophoretic techniques in population genetics has led to the rapid accumulation of information concerning the levels of enzymatic variation in a wide variety of organisms. These studies have demonstrated that many species have high levels of genetic variation within their populations (Nevo, 1978; Hamrick et al., 1979). There is, however, much heterogeneity among taxonomic groups. Vertebrates have relatively low amounts of genetic variation (Powell, 1975; Nevo, 1978), whereas plants and insects have considerably higher levels (Nevo, 1978; Hamrick et al., 1979). Significant heterogeneity may also occur among species within taxonomic groups. Much speculation has arisen concerning the causes of these differences. Recent reviews (Nevo, 1978; Brown, 1979; Hamrick et al., 1979) have demonstrated associations among a species' ecological and life history characteristics and levels of intrapopulation variation. For example, electrophoretically detectable genetic variation within plant species appears to be influenced by geographic range, lifetime fecundity, mode of reproduction and pollination, generation length, and the stage of community succession in which a species occurs (Hamrick et al., 1979). The age of a species and its recent evolutionary history may also have an effect on the levels of genetic variation observed (Soule, 1976). Considerable attention has also been given to the related question of how genetic variation is distributed within and among populations. Brown (1979) has shown that predominantly self-pollinated
Thinking Toward the Future: U.S. Carbon Pricing Strategies

As the recent Volkswagen scandal has helped to exemplify, the policy options for carbon pricing in the United States faces threats from all angles. Inaccuracies about emissions trading systems lead many to believe that businesses will be rewarded for polluting. However, taxes – in any form – may not be politically viable either. The US is also unique in that strong political forces within our country reject the very science on which the issue of climate change rests. And a successful carbon policy may need support from big business to survive the legislative process. In addition to these obstacles, environmental problems are traditionally the most difficult to legislate because they often suffer from over negotiation on the design side and a lack of funding and formalization on the implementation side. Despite this complexity, the question of carbon pricing in the US is increasingly relevant to policy makers there. As the second largest emitter of emissions worldwide, the US must devise a strategy for raising the price of carbon emissions throughout the economy that is both effective and equitable. To explore the tradeoffs of a carbon policy further, this paper will begin with an overview of carbon pricing and market side policy instruments. Next, it will address some of the common themes and misconceptions surrounding these policy instruments. The paper then concludes by proposing a realistic policy approach that is feasible, practical, equitable and that can stand the test of time in terms of implementation and performance.
Notes on the geographical distribution and host preferences in the order Siphonaptera. Part 6. Ceratophyllidae.

All the presently known species of the siphonapteran family Ceratophyllidae are listed, and their principal hosts and geographic distribution are discussed. Author and date of description are included for each taxon.
Effects of Weighting and of Distributive Price Controls upon Retail Food Price Comparisons

stretched to include all of these, we must take full account of them in appraising the plane of living. There are various elements in the plane of living which are not present, at least as such, in consumption levels. One is the net length of the working day and week, or the effective amount of leisure per week or year. True, shortening of working hours and enlargement of leisure time materially affect the workers' forms of consumption; but this is not a mere duplication of the change in the proportions of time devoted to work and leisure. Another such element is the degree to which the individual enjoys freedom of choice-as to occupation, hours of work, residence location, housing, food, recreation, thinking, and voting. Still another is the degree of security of life, health, income, and social position. I am disposed to consider all these four concepts useful and important; to welcome attempts to devise measures or indicators of consumption levels, planes of living, and differences between these and their respective standards; and to believe that research on these problems will eventually provide a common ground for cultivation by the economist, sociologist, ethical philosopher, and social reformer. I feel that, in this general realm, our immense outlays on collecting and digesting data on family income and expenditures have .been in part wasted because too little had previously been done on what are fundamental issues of concept and technique.
Evaluation on the effectiveness in the prevention and the control of epidemic hemorrhagic fever in Yanjiang Township

Object To evaluate the effectiveness of the measures adopted for the control of epidemic hemorrhagic fever(DHF) in Yanjiang Township and provide scientific absis for carrying out control activities. Method A series of intervention measures were taken including strengthening the management of the control work by the health administrative sectors, health education and spread the knowledge of DHF control by various means, wide mobilization of the community to participate in the campaign against DHF,holding training courses and enhancement of the practice of immunization with DHF vaccine. Result The results show that the knowledge level of the community was increased by 49.2%,the quantity of people vaccinated doubled and the incidence of DHF was reduced by 34.2% after intervention. Conclusion It shows that the comprehensive intervention measures were effective for the control of DHF in this locality and efforts still be made for achieving the final objective of control the prevalence of DHF in this area.
Diagnosis of Cytomegalovirus infection in infant with pp65 antigenemia assay

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and utility of pp65 antigenemia assay (AA) in diagnosis of CMV infection in infants and neonates. Methods (1) Sixty three patients, including 21 patients with typical symptoms of CMV infection with multiple system involvements and 42 cases with non hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia without abnormal liver function test results and CMV related symptoms, were enrolled in this study. (2) All the cases were examined with AA, PCR for CMV DNA and ELISA for serum IgM antibody to CMV. The authors compared the results of these 3 assays in 2 groups and calculated the sensitivity and specificity of AA. (3) Some of the cases were followed up for a short period of time. Results (1) Twenty three of the 63 patients were diagnosed as CMV infection, 15 had symptomatic infection, the other 8 cases had subclinical infection The percentage of positive pp65 antigenemia, positive CMV DNA and positive IgM in the symptomatic infection group were 93% (14/15), 100%(15/15)and 80%(12/15), and 50%(4/8),75%(6/8), 38%(3/8) in the subclinical infection group, respectively No positive AA was found in patients without CMV infection was found Compared with PCR, the sensitivity of AA was 86%, the specificity 100%. (2) Antigenemia level of the symptomatic cases was significantly higher than that of subclinical one( P 0 01). Higher AA level [(4-206)/(1 5×10 5) polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL)] was correlated with apparent clinical manifestations of CMV infection, while lower level of AA [(0 3)/(1 5×10 5) PMNL] was either in the patients at recovering stage or in patients without symptoms (3) Higher AA level of 4 CMV hepatitis patients returned to lower level or became negative in recovery stage Conclusions CMV pp65 antigenemia assay was sensitive, and specific in diagnosis of CMV infection Quantitative monitoring of CMV AA level was useful in diagnosis and evaluation in CMV infection of pediatric patients.
John Dewey's Experience and Education

John Dewey's Experience and education has as much to say about pedagogy today as when it was first published in 1938.
Multi-agent team formation for design problems

Design imposes a novel social choice problem: using a team of voting agents, maximize the number of optimal solutions; allowing a user to then take an aesthetical choice. In an open system of design agents, team formation is fundamental. We present the first model of agent teams for design. For maximum applicability, we envision agents that are queried for a single opinion, and multiple solutions are obtained by multiple iterations. We show that diverse teams composed of agents with different preferences maximize the number of optimal solutions, while uniform teams composed of multiple copies of the best agent are in general suboptimal. Our experiments study the model in bounded time; and we also study a real system, where agents vote to design buildings.
Cognitive Abilities, Social Adaptation, and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Childhood and Adolescence: Specific Cascade Effects Across Development

Children’s and adolescents’ cognitive abilities, social adaptation, and externalizing behaviors are broadly associated with each other at the bivariate level; however, the direction, ordering, and uniqueness of these associations have yet to be identified. Developmental cascade models are particularly well-suited to (1) discern unique pathways among psychological domains and (2) model stability in and covariation among constructs, allowing for conservative tests of longitudinal associations. The current study aimed to identify specific cascade effects among children’s cognitive abilities, social adaptation, and externalizing behaviors, beginning in preschool and extending through adolescence. Children (46.2 % female) and mothers (N = 351 families) provided data when children were 4, 10, and 14 years old. Cascade effects highlighted significant stability in these domains. Unique longitudinal associations were identified between (1) age-10 cognitive abilities and age-14 social adaptation, (2) age-4 social adaptation and age-10 externalizing behavior, and (3) age-10 externalizing behavior and age-14 social adaptation. These findings suggest that children’s social adaptation in preschool and externalizing behavior in middle childhood may be ideal intervention targets to enhance adolescent well-being.
Liquid Phase TEM Investigations of Crystal Nucleation, Growth, and Transformation

The scarcity of high-resolution, in situ tools has left many fundamental questions regarding crystallization processes unanswered. Recent years have seen many advances in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) approaches that allow TEM observations of liquid environments. These liquid phase TEM techniques provide an in situ platform for investigating the early events in materials formation and understanding the mechanisms by which crystals develop. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the liquid phase TEM experimental platforms and discuss recent studies that use the technique to address open questions in crystallization. We first highlight liquid phase TEM investigations into the calcium carbonate system, where the technique provides insights into the formation pathways that take the mineral from its solvated state to one of various solid phases and the effect that an organic additive can have on such processes. In the following section, we discuss studies of metal nanoparticle formation that investigate the mechanisms of nucleation and growth from a precursor solution, as well as the development into faceted nanocrystals in the presence of an organic ligand. We close the chapter with a discussion of areas for future development that would broaden the utility of liquid phase TEM.
Assessing the relevancy of “citation classics” in neurosurgery. Part II: Foundational papers in neurosurgery

Background The second part of this study reanalyzes Ponce and Lozano's (2010) list of classics to create a new list of “foundational” articles in neurosurgery. Ponce and Lozano (2010) previously published a list of 106 neurosurgery classics, as defined by Garfield and his 400 citation criterion. Methods We used the Web of Science citation reports to create graphs for each study showing the total citations it received as a function of time. Each graph was subjectively analyzed independently and scored as “foundational” or “classic only,” based on whether the trend of citations received per year was uptrending, neutral, or downtrending. Results Of the 101 evaluated classics, 53 qualified as foundational. Over half of these studies were published in Journal of Neurosurgery (13), New England Journal of Medicine (12), or Lancet (5). Grading systems, randomized trials, and prospective studies were most likely to achieve foundational status. Only 30% of functional and 17% of endovascular classics qualified as foundational (compared with 100% of spine classics), suggesting that these fields are rapidly changing or less mature subspecialties still developing a foundational literature base. Conclusion By assessing citation counts as a function of time, we are able to differentiate classic neurosurgical studies that are critical to modern-day practice from those that are primarily of historic interest. Given the exponential growth of literature in our field, analyses such as these will become increasingly important to both trainees and senior neurosurgeons who strive to educate themselves on the data that drive modern-day clinical decision making.
The Dark Side of Leadership Practices: Variations across Asia

Leadership – for government, business, or civil society sectors – separates into a positive approach and a negative approach. Positive leadership concerns such topics as setting strategic direction for benefit of citizens or stakeholders, transforming organizations to be more efficient and effective to benefit of those citizens or stakeholders, and inspiring and motivating followers through sound strategy and personal characteristics including being a moral exemplar. The more difficult and neglected subject matter of negative leadership concerns deviations from the ideals of positive leadership. Weak leadership may be as bad in its effects as dark leadership. Study of dark leadership is a topic in behavioral ethics, the empirical study of how people behave and why. Key deviations come in three general forms, all of which are amoral or unethical deviations from ideals. One form is personal attributes and practices that result in abuse of subordinates and others. There are leaders whose misbehavior is at an extreme pathological. This misbehavior is the opposite of servant leadership. A second form is ruthless manipulation of others through politics of self-advancement. A third form, in the private sector, is abuse of political connections for leader and/or organizational gains at the expense of others. Dark leadership – in such forms – receives increasing scholarly attention in what some may term a Western theory of leadership, meaning a theory framed and tested in constitutional democracies and market economies of the developed countries. This study examines what is known about dark leadership in Asian countries. Defined broadly, Asia encompasses East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia – from Japan, the Koreas, and China through India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Russian Siberia and Central Asia are not included here. The study draws on a literature review and Transparency International corruption data. There is a wide variation on multiple dimensions among the countries included in Asia.
Design and analysis of two-dimensional parasitic liquid metal monopole array

The goal of this paper is to expand from previously researched liquid metal linear array models into a dynamically driven two dimensional liquid metal array. Simulations were performed using FEKO to prove the concept that a multi-dimensional array will provide the user more control over the direction of the main beam and also the direction of the nulls, making the resulting array useful for spatially tracking signals and mitigating interference. A proof-of-concept hardware model of the 2D array antenna was built and tested in the context of a dual frequency dual frequency GPS antenna (L1, L2/L5) with results found comparable to simulation. Since the antennas are made from liquid metal, these results make it possible for the user to change the parasitic elements within the 2D array from negligible (height of zero) to directors, to reflectors, or back with the use of a syringe or pump. This spatially adaptable antenna also benefits from the use of a single digitizer chain, offering a concrete alternative for anti-jam GPS antennas as the technology matures.
ANGIOGRAPHIC STENOSIS AND ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROMES: PROGRESSION OF STENOSES TO MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Coronary angiography is used to objectively define the presence, the extent and the severity of CAD. Because of the “need to know” coronary angiography is being increasingly performed with the first suspicion of CAD (Graboys et al., 1992). The coronary angiogram is evaluated for the presence of “significant” stenoses producing more than 50–70% diameter narrowing. These stenoses limit coronary flow, may produce symptomatic ischemia (angina), and can be targeted for “revascularization”. The presence of a discreet stenosis is frequently interpreted to indicate the presence of a ]coronary artery “lesion” and has lead to the concept of coronary artery atherosclerosis as a focal disease. Bypass of coronary arteries containing “significant” stenoses or dilation of the stenoses with angioplasty (PTCA) can relieve angina (Parisi et al., 1992). Further, it is also appealing to consider that coronary artery “lesions” are potential sites for thrombotic occlusion that will produce subsequent cardiac events. It is hoped that dilating these “lesions” will lessen the risk of future events. Recent observations reviewed here calls these assumptions into question.
Amplitudes and Transition Amplitudes

This chapter presents amplitudes and transition amplitude functions together with the structure of spaces of these functions. It explains that such spaces are closely related to Hilbert spaces. A generalization of Hilbert space is called a partial Hilbert space. The set of amplitude functions on a quasi-manual forms a partial Hilbert space. The chapter explains that operational statistics provides a language for discussing physical theories and to capture the way that quantum probabilities are computed, amplitude functions are introduced into this language. The structure of the space of amplitude functions on a quasi-manual are studied. Transition amplitudes and amplitude functions play a secondary role in quantum mechanics because they are defined as complex-valued functions on a quasi-manual with specified properties.
Trusting Doctors: Tricky Business When it Comes to Clinical Trials

This article examines the troublesome ethical dilemmas arising out of physician conflicts of interest in the context of research on human beings. It focuses on the inevitable conflict between the objectives of clinical investigators and those of their human subjects to illuminate subtle divergences of interest in doctor-patient relationships that patients often do not recognize - or want to believe. Once perceived, however, these potentially corroding conflicts can stun research subjects and their families, and leave them feeling deeply betrayed by their clinicians. The article concludes that a researcher's substantial financial conflicts constitute material information which, absent compelling circumstances, the researcher ought to disclose to human subjects as a matter of course.
Cost-effectiveness and Budgetary Consequence Analysis of Durvalumab Consolidation Therapy vs No Consolidation Therapy After Chemoradiotherapy in Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in the Context of the US Health Care System.

Importance In early 2018, durvalumab became the first immunotherapy to be approved for adjuvant treatment of patients with unresectable stage III non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose cancer has not progressed after definitive chemoradiotherapy. However, the cost-effectiveness and potential economic implications of using this high-priced therapy in this indication are unknown to date. Objective To explore the cost-effectiveness and potential budgetary consequences of durvalumab consolidation therapy vs no consolidation therapy after chemoradiotherapy in stage III NSCLC in the context of the US health care system. Design, Setting, and Participants A decision analytic microsimulation model was developed in an academic medical setting to compare the following 2 postchemoradiotherapy strategies: all patients receive no consolidation therapy until progression vs all patients receive durvalumab consolidation therapy until progression or for a maximum of 1 year. The potential budgetary consequence was calculated by applying the proportion of patients with NSCLC who were diagnosed in stage III and received chemoradiotherapy to the projected number of annual new cases for 2018 to 2022 to find total eligible patients and then multiplied by the mean difference in annual cost between the strategies over this 5-year period. Simulated conditions were matched to those of the PACIFIC phase 3 randomized clinical trial and reasonable treatment strategies for metastatic NSCLC. All simulated patients begin disease free after having received radical treatment with chemoradiotherapy and are followed up as they progress to metastatic disease first-line treatment, metastatic disease second-line treatment, end-stage progressive disease, and death. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome of this study was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of durvalumab consolidation therapy vs no consolidation therapy, given as aggregate cost of treatment per quality-adjusted life-year gained. Results Among 2 million simulated patients, durvalumab consolidation therapy was cost-effective compared with no consolidation therapy at a $100 000 per quality-adjusted life-year willingness-to-pay threshold, with an estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $67 421 per quality-adjusted life-year, and would contribute an additional $768 million to national cancer spending in year 1. The annual budgetary consequence would then decrease to $241 million in year 5. Conclusions and Relevance Durvalumab consolidation therapy represents an indication where expensive immunotherapies can be cost-effective. Treating with immunotherapy earlier in the course of cancer progression can provide significant value, despite having a substantial budgetary consequence.
Point-on-Wave Analysis of Three-Phase Induction Motor Drive Under Fault External to the Power Plant

Adjustable speed drives are widely used in industrial facilities and power plants to power single-phase and three-phase induction motors. The behavior of ASDs and motor assemblies has been explored at the component level but little investigation has been completed of transient behaviors of ASDs. Point-on-wave analysis is used here to evaluate motor drive behavior with respect to single-phase to ground and three-phase to ground faults external to the power plant with simulations completed in MATLAB Simulink. Results provide motor speed, positive sequence terminal voltage and real power, DC bus voltage, instantaneous real and reactive power, terminal current, and other metrics for comparison under various fault conditions. Findings indicate that power consumption stays constant at a value lower than the steady state value for a single-phase fault that occurs below a threshold voltage of 85%. For a three-phase fault, the ASD works as a constant power load above a specific threshold terminal voltage of 86%. Below that value, however, the power drops to zero but not linearly as assumed in the dynamic model of an ASD. Results also show that the positive sequence real power absorption profile differs between a single-phase and three-phase fault for the same amount of voltage dip which dictates the importance of including the fault type while deriving a positive sequence model of the drive for dynamic simulation.
A line-binned treatment of opacities for the spectra and light curves from neutron star mergers

The electromagnetic observations of GW170817 were able to dramatically increase our understanding of neutron star mergers beyond what we learned from gravitational waves alone. These observations provided insight on all aspects of the merger from the nature of the gamma-ray burst to the characteristics of the ejected material. The ejecta of neutron star mergers are expected to produce such electromagnetic transients, called kilonovae or macronovae. Characteristics of the ejecta include large velocity gradients, relative to supernovae, and the presence of heavy $r$-process elements, which pose significant challenges to the accurate calculation of radiative opacities and radiation transport. For example, these opacities include a dense forest of bound-bound features arising from near-neutral lanthanide and actinide elements. Here we investigate the use of fine-structure, line-binned opacities that preserve the integral of the opacity over frequency. Advantages of this area-preserving approach over the traditional expansion-opacity formalism include the ability to pre-calculate opacity tables that are independent of the type of hydrodynamic expansion and that eliminate the computational expense of calculating opacities within radiation-transport simulations. Tabular opacities are generated for all 14 lanthanides as well as a representative actinide element, uranium. We demonstrate that spectral simulations produced with the line-binned opacities agree well with results produced with the more accurate continuous Monte Carlo Sobolev approach, as well as with the commonly used expansion-opacity formalism. Additional investigations illustrate the convergence of opacity with respect to the number of included lines, and elucidate sensitivities to different atomic physics approximations, such as fully and semi-relativistic approaches.
A Population-Based Study of Morbidity After Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis.

Background Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease characterized by early and relentless tumor spread, thus leading healthcare providers to consider it a "distant disease." However, local pancreatic tumor progression can lead to substantial morbidity. This study defines the long-term morbidity from local and nonlocal disease progression in a large population-based cohort. Methods A total of 21,500 Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2000 through 2011 were identified. Hospitalizations were attributed to complications of either local disease (eg, biliary disorder, upper gastrointestinal ulcer/bleed, pain, pancreas-related, radiation toxicity) or nonlocal/distant disease (eg, thromboembolic events, cytopenia, dehydration, nausea/vomiting/motility problem, malnutrition and cachexia, ascites, pathologic fracture, and chemotherapy-related toxicity). Competing risk analyses were used to identify predictors of hospitalization. Results Of the total cohort, 9,347 patients (43.5%) were hospitalized for a local complication and 13,101 patients (60.9%) for a nonlocal complication. After adjusting for the competing risk of death, the 12-month cumulative incidence of hospitalization from local complications was highest in patients with unresectable disease (53.1%), followed by resectable (39.5%) and metastatic disease (33.7%) at diagnosis. For nonlocal complications, the 12-month cumulative incidence was highest in patients with metastatic disease (57.0%), followed by unresectable (56.8%) and resectable disease (42.8%) at diagnosis. Multivariable analysis demonstrated several predictors of hospitalization for local and nonlocal complications, including age, race/ethnicity, location of residence, disease stage, tumor size, and diagnosis year. Radiation and chemotherapy had minimal impact on the risk of hospitalization. Conclusions Despite the widely known predilection of nonlocal/distant disease spread in pancreatic cancer, local tumor progression also leads to substantial morbidity and frequent hospitalization.
Parabolic equations with partially BMO coefficients and boundary value problems in Sobolev spaces with mixed norms

Second order parabolic equations in Sobolev spaces with mixed norms are studied. The leading coefficients (except a 11) are measurable in time and one spatial variable, and have small BMO (bounded mean oscillation) semi-norms as functions of the other spatial variables. The coefficient a 11 is measurable in time and have a small BMO semi-norm in the spatial variables. The unique solvability of equations in the whole space is established. Then this result is applied to solving Dirichlet and Neumann boundary value problems for parabolic equations defined on a half-space or on a bounded domain.
CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES Historic Preservation Legislation

The Acts provide for a Georgia Register of Historic Places, for the creation of property tax incentives to rehabilitate historic structures, and for allowing local governments to continue to regulate zoning and historical plans without legislative interference.
Progress Toward Simulating Departure from Nucleate Boiling at High-Pressure Applications with Selected Wall Boiling Closures

Recently, a Eulerian-based two-fluid computational fluid dynamics (CFD) framework with a wall heat flux partitioning approach has been intensively investigated for departure from nucleate boiling (...
A Basal Nonmammaliaform Cynodont from the Permian of Zambia and the Origins of Mammalian Endocranial and Postcranial Anatomy

Nonmammaliaform cynodonts were a diverse group of Permo-Triassic synapsids whose morphological evolution documented the beginning of many classic mammalian traits. Here, we describe a new basal cynodont from the upper Permian Madumabisa Mudstone Formation of Zambia's Luangwa Basin as Nshimbodon muchingaensis gen. et sp. nov. The holotype, a relatively complete and undistorted cranium and articulated mandible with associated postcranial elements, is interpreted as the most complete and well-preserved example of a charassognathid cynodont, and preserves hitherto unknown details of charassognathid endocranial and postcranial anatomy. A phylogenetic analysis of 111 morphological characters from 25 therapsid taxa (including 15 Permo-Triassic cynodonts) supports a sister-taxon relationship between Nshimbodon and Abdalodon, including them with Charassognathus in a monophyletic Charassognathidae, and placing the family near the base of Cynodontia. In addition to its phylogenetic importance, Nshimbodon provides evidence of correlated transformations in the feeding system, neck, and shoulder, which are consistent with novel mammal-like locomotor and feeding mechanics in the earliest cynodonts. Lastly, given previous reports of charassognathids in the Karoo Basin of South Africa, the occurrence of Nshimbodon indicates that charassognathids, like the basal cynodont Procynosuchus, were geographically widespread in southern Pangea by Lopingian times. Continued collecting in the Madumabisa Mudstone Formation will lead to a better understanding of the formation's Permian cynodont diversity and biostratigraphy, as well as the biogeographic structure of southern Pangean vertebrate assemblages prior to the Permo-Triassic mass extinction.
TA‐65 does not increase telomere length during post‐natal development in house sparrow chicks (Passer domesticus)

Telomeres, protective caps at the end of chromosomes, are often positively related to lifespan and are thought to be an important mechanism of organismal aging. To better understand the casual relationships between telomere length and longevity, it is essential to be able to experimentally manipulate telomere dynamics (length and loss rate). Previous studies suggest that exposure to TA-65, an extract from the Chinese root Astragalus membranaceus, activates telomerase, lengthens telomeres, increases the growth of keratin-based structures, and boosts the immune system in adults. However, telomere loss is expected to be greatest during early life but whether TA-65 has similar effects during this life stage is currently unknown. Here, we experimentally exposed free-living house sparrow (Passer domesticus) chicks to TA-65 during post-natal development and examined the effects on telomere length and loss, growth of keratin-based structures, and a measure of cellular immunity. Contrary to expectation, the growth of keratin-based structures was reduced in TA-65 chicks and in the second year of the study, chicks exposed to TA-65 experienced more telomere loss than controls. Thus, the effects of TA-65 on telomeres and keratin-based structures differ across life stages and future research will be necessary to determine the mechanisms underlying these age-specific effects.
Optogenetic study of central medial and paraventricular thalamic projections to the basolateral amygdala

Midline thalamic (MTh) nuclei contribute major projections to the basolateral amygdala (BL). Similarities between the responsiveness of MTh and BL neurons suggest that MTh neurons exert a significa...
Evaluation of imputation techniques with varying percentage of missing data

Missing data is a common problem which has consistently plagued statisticians and applied analytical researchers. While replacement methods like mean-based or hot deck imputation have been well researched, emerging imputation techniques enabled through improved computational resources have had limited formal assessment. This study formally considers five more recently developed imputation methods: Amelia, Mice, mi, Hmisc and missForest - compares their performances using RMSE against actual values and against the well-established mean-based replacement approach. The RMSE measure was consolidated by method using a ranking approach. Our results indicate that the missForest algorithm performed best and the mi algorithm performed worst.
A NIR Emitting Cyanine with Large Stokes' Shift for Mitochondria and Identification of their Membrane Potential Disruption.

An NIR emitting (λem ≈730 nm) cyanine probe ExCy was synthesized in good yields by extending the π-conjugation length (i. e., with furan moiety) to the donor-accepter system. ExCy exhibited a large Stokes' shift (Δλ≈100 nm) due to strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), and high fluorescence quantum yield (Φfl ≈0.47 in DCM). Due to its low fluorescence in an aqueous environment (Φfl ≈0.007 in H2 O), the probe exhibited the potential of achieving a large fluorescence turn-on upon entering a hydrophobic cellular environment. Fluorescence confocal microscopy studies revealed that ExCy was readily excitable with a far-red laser line (i. e., 640 nm) while the corresponding emission was collected in the NIR region. ExCy exhibited excellent selectivity towards live cell mitochondria according to the co-localization studies. The probe also exhibited high photostability, long-term imaging ability and wash-free staining ability, when being applied to live cells. Our studies indicated that the mitochondrial localization of ExCy was dependent on the membrane potential of the mitochondria. ExCy was successfully utilized as a mitochondrial membrane potential dysfunction indicator to visually identify cells with mitochondrial dysfunction via fluorescence confocal microscopy. ExCy was further examined for potential in vivo imaging of zebrafish.
Viruses, Genetics and Autoimmunity

The many factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders include: genetic (1), immunologic, viral, hormonal (2) and probably neuropsychiatric (3). Patients with autoimmune disease are frequently characterized by an immunologic imbalance in which T cell activities are depressed and B cells are polyclonally activated (4).
The Boundary Layer of Yawed Infinite Wings

An approximate solution to the boundary-layer equations for an infinite yawed cylinder is obtained by an extension of the Karman-Pohlhausen method. From this solution the direction of the flow in the boundary layer and the displacement and momentum thicknesses of the spanwise flow component may be calculated. To illustrate this method, the boundary layer over a yawed infinite wing at a lift coefficient just below the stall is calculated, and typical results are presented graphically. A strong spanwise flow is found which is in qualitative agreement with experimental observations.
From the Electoral College to Law School: Legal Writing Lessons from the Recount

Much of the 2000 election imbroglio that resulted in Bush v. Gore stemmed from the failure to apply basic principles of legal writing, legal research, and statutory interpretation. This essay explains how legislators, attorneys, and commentators contributed to the constitutional confusion by ignoring several such principles. While the chaos of the Florida recount may have been a cloud for the country, it provides a useful pedagogical tool for teaching law students how to research, write, and argue.
Reconsidering remap methods

SUMMARY Methods for discretizing remap are often based on algorithms developed for hyperbolic conservation laws. Because its introduction in 1977 Van Leer's monotonicity-preserving piecewise linear method and its extensions have been ubiquitous in remap “Van Leer's fourth paper in his series “Towards the Ultimate””. In that 1977 paper, Van Leer introduced another five algorithms, which largely have not been used for remap despite the observation that the piecewise linear method had the least favorable theoretical properties. This adoption parallels the algorithmic choices in other related fields. Two factors have led to the lack of attraction to the five algorithms: the simplicity and effectiveness of the piecewise linear method and complications in practical implementation of the other methods. Plainly stated, Van Leer's piecewise linear method enabled ALE methods to move forward by providing a high-resolution, monotonicity-preserving remap. As a cell-centered scheme, the extension to remap was straightforward. Several factors may be conspiring to reconsider these methods anew: computing architectures are more favorable toward more floating point intensive methods, methods lacking data movement, and 30 years of experience in devising nonlinear stability mechanisms (i.e., limiters). In particular, one of the methods blends characteristics of finite volume and finite difference methods together in an ingenious manner that has exceptional numerical properties and should be considered as a viable alternative to the ubiquitous piecewise linear method. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Educational robotics in Brooklyn

We describe a number of efforts to engage university students with robotics through teaching and outreach. Teaching runs the gamut from undergraduate introductory computer science to graduate-level artificial intelligence courses. Outreach involves collaborations between students and New York City public school classrooms. Our efforts have always involved team-based projects that culminate in demonstrations or competitions, usually based on challenges from RoboCupJunior. Several research projects have followed from these initiatives.
On Complexity of Two Dimensional Languages Generated by Transducers

We consider two-dimensional languages, called here 2d transducer languages, generated by iterative applications of transducers (finite state automata with output). To each transducer a two-dimensional language consisting of blocks of symbols is associated: the bottom row of a block is an input string accepted by the transducer and, by iterative application of the transducer, each row of the block is an output of the transducer on the preceding row. We observe that this class of languages is a proper subclass of recognizable picture languages containing the class of all factorial local 2d languages. By taking the average growth rate of the number of blocks in the language as a measure of its complexity, also known as the entropy of the language, we show that every entropy value of a one-dimensional regular language can be obtained as an entropy value of a 2d transducer language.
Mercury emissions from the August 2001 wildfires in Washington State and an agricultural waste fire in Oregon and atmospheric mercury budget estimates

[1] Smoke plumes from large wildfires burning in late August 2001 in the temperate forests along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State and from a wheat stubble fire on the northeastern plain of Oregon were sampled for mercury from the University of Washington's Convair 580 research aircraft. Total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentrations as high as 7.5 ng/m3, a six-time enhancement over background, were measured. The TGM was linearly correlated with CO (R2 = 0.805, where R is a 95% confidence level regression coefficient). Mercury was speciated as elemental mercury (>95%) and as mercury contained in the particulate fraction of the smoke. Emission factors (EF) were calculated from TGM and CO emissions and from a combustion efficiency of 0.9, adjusted for mercury contained in particulates, to yield an EF for total mercury of (113 ± 59) μg Hg per kilogram consumed fuel. The amount of mercury released from temperate forests in North America was extrapolated from our EF measurements and from National Interagency Fire Center estimates of burn areas. The average release for the period 1997–2001 is estimated to be 3.7 t Hg/yr, which is small relative to anthropogenic emissions. More significant is the contribution from fires in boreal forests (∼22.1 t Hg/yr) because of their much larger burn area. A measurement in smoke from a wheat stubble fire in Oregon showed mercury emissions as well, although with a lower EF. However, since agricultural waste burning is large globally, mercury from this source is also important in the global atmospheric cycling of mercury.
Eph receptors and ligands in axon pathway choice, target recognition, and synaptogenesis.

Publisher Summary Multiple lines of experimentation have established the central role that receptor protein-tyrosine kinases (PTKs) play in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, survival, and maintenance. The largest sub-family of these proteins, currently fourteen members and counting, is made up of PTKs related to the receptor Eph. In addition to being the largest, this sub-family is also among the most recently characterized in terms of molecular cloning and ligand identification. Its importance to development in general, and to the development of the nervous system in particular, has therefore until recently not been appreciated. However, a number of studies now suggest that Eph receptors and their membrane-anchored ligands are of special, and almost certainly central, importance to neural development. Receptors of the Eph sub-family all share the same structure, which is related to the progenitor of the family, Eph itself. This receptor was named based on its original isolation from erythropoetin producing hepatocarcicoma cell lines. All Eph receptors are type I transmembrane proteins with (a) an extracellular domain composed of an N-terminal immunoglobulin-like domain, a cysteine-rich domain, and two fibronectin type III repeats, (b) a single transmembrane domain, and (c) a cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinase domain.
Keep calm and carry on: Maintaining self-control when intoxicated, upset, or depleted

This study tested within-person associations between intoxication, negative affect, and self-control demands and two forms of self-control failure, interpersonal conflict, and neglecting responsibilities. Effortful control was hypothesised to act as a buffer, reducing individual susceptibility to these within-person effects. In contrast, reactivity was hypothesised to potentiate the within-person associations. 274 young adults aged 18-27 (56% women, 93% white) completed experience sampling assessments for up to 49 days over the course of 1.3 years. Results indicated independent within-person effects of intoxication, negative affect, and self-control demands on the outcomes. Hypothesised moderating effects of reactivity were not supported. Effortful control did not moderate the effects of self-control demands as expected. However, effortful control exhibited a protective effect when individuals were intoxicated or upset to reduce the likelihood of maladaptive behavioural outcomes.
Clay-lead sorption relations

Bays, lagoons, and estuaries are sites where normal physicochemical processes result in accumulations of sediment and certain chemicals. Changes in water velocity and chemistry, and chemical interactions of sediment, biota, and water are factors that contribute to concentrating trace metals in coastal and lake sediments. To evaluate whether lead concentration is affected by mineralogy, kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, and a zeolitic tuff were suspended in 10 and 20 mg/l concentrations of lead solutions [Pb(NO3)2] which were pH-adjusted incrementally through a range of 2.5 to 11.0. Samples were centrifuged after 24 hours to separate liquid from suspended sediment. Sediment-free solutions were run as controls. Lead concentrations were determined by atomic adsorption spectrophotometry. Results indicate that montmorillonite (Wyoming Bentonite) particles serve as lead adsorption nuclei over a broad pH range. Maximum sorption occurs as the solution reaches a pH of about 7.5. The kaolinite clay from Georgia strongly adsorbs trace amounts of lead at pH ranging from 3.0 to 4.5, where up to 95 percent of the lead is adsorbed by the clay. Little adsorption difference was found between the Fithian illite clay and zeolitic tuff from the Nevada Test Site in comparison to sediment-free solutions which were pH-adjusted. In concentrations of 10 to 20 mg/l montmorillonite and kaolinite clays serve as nucleation sites capable of adsorbing up to 95 percent of trace concentrations of lead within 24 hours. It appears that accumulations of lead in coastal lake and estuarine sediments are significantly influenced by: