cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The diminutive supercolony: the Argentine ants of the southeastern United States.

Native to Argentina and Brazil, the Argentine ant ( Linepithema humile ) is an invasive species that has become established on six continents and many oceanic islands. In several parts of its introduced range, including the western United States, southern Europe and Chile, the Argentine ant is unicolonial, forming extensive supercolonies. We examined population genetic structure and intercolony aggression in two regions of the introduced range of this species in the United States: California and the southeastern United States. Our results show that the southeastern L. humile population has high genotypic variability and strong intercolony aggression relative to the California population. In the California population, intercolony aggression was absent and 23 alleles were found across seven polymorphic microsatellite loci. However, in the Southeast, aggression between colonies was high and 47 alleles were present across the same seven loci in an equal number of colonies. We suggest that distinctly different colonization patterns for California and the Southeast may be responsible for the striking disparity in the genetic diversity of introduced populations. Southeastern colonies may have descended from multiple, independent
Assessing the Potential for Energy Regeneration in Dynamic Subsystems

The utility of many controlled dynamic systems is impaired by excessive power consumption and related hardware. In this paper, the potential for energy regeneration in a broad class of dynamic subsystems is considered. In doing so, we consider the potential for a dynamic subsystem to be self-contained and set-sustaining. The development begins with a definition for subsystem passivity and new definitions for subsystem regenerativity and activity. While diagnosis of a passive subsystem can be made simply through observation of the isolated subsystem, it is shown that the diagnosis of a subsystem as either regenerative or active, in general, requires the computation of the subsystem's average power absorption. Consequently, the accuracy of such a diagnosis depends upon the level of knowledge regarding the overall system and its inputs. Simple mass suspension examples are provided to demonstrate the developed theory.
Alcohol consumption and the 15-year cumulative incidence of age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose To investigate alcohol consumption as a risk factor for the 15-year cumulative incidence and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Design Prospective population-based study in Beaver Dam, WI with four examinations at five-year intervals initiated in 1988 (n = 3,509 contributed data for this analysis). Methods History of alcohol consumption was obtained via questionnaire. Cumulative incidence of early AMD, exudative AMD, pure geographic atrophy, and progression of AMD were assessed from fundus photographs taken at each examination. Results Heavy drinking (four or more drinks daily) at baseline was related to the 15-year cumulative incidence of pure geographic atrophy in men (odds ratio, 9.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.7 to 51.2). There were no consistent associations with the amount of beer, wine, or liquor consumption and the incidence or progression of AMD. Conclusions Alcohol consumption is unlikely to strongly increase (or decrease) the risk of AMD.
Management of the lymph node-positive neck in the patient with human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancer

BACKGROUND The goal of the current study was to assess the rates of recurrence in the neck for patients with lymph node-positive human papillomavirus-associated cancer of the oropharynx who were treated with definitive radiotherapy (with or without chemotherapy). METHODS This is a single-institution retrospective study. Methodology included database search, and statistical testing including frequency analysis, Kaplan-Meier tests, and comparative tests including chi-square, logistic regression, and log-rank. RESULTS The cohort consisted of 401 patients with lymph node-positive disease who underwent radiotherapy between January 2006 and June 2012. A total of 388 patients had computed tomography restaging, and 251 had positron emission tomography and/or ultrasound as a component of their postradiation staging. Eighty patients (20%) underwent neck dissection, and 21 patients (26%) had a positive specimen. The rate of neck dissection increased with increasing lymph node stage, and was lower in patients who had positron emission tomography scans or ultrasound in addition to computed tomography restaging. The median follow-up was 30 months. The 2-year actuarial neck recurrence rate was 7% and 5%, respectively, in all patients and those with local control. Lymph node recurrence rates were greater in current smokers (P = .008). There was no difference in lymph node recurrence rates noted between patients who did and those who did not undergo a neck dissection (P = .4) CONCLUSIONS A treatment strategy of (chemo)radiation with neck dissection performed based on response resulted in high rates of regional disease control in patients with human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancer. Cancer 2014;120:3082–3088. © 2014 American Cancer Society.
Constellation Program Return to the Moon: Software Systems Challenges

This talk will introduce NASAs Constellation Program, which is developing new space systems for renewed human exploration of the moon, and eventually, Mars. A selection of challenges for software systems will be introduced that arise from the special circumstances of Constellation Systems. These challenges illustrate a variety of the types of problems that must be addressed related to software quality, automation and autonomy. For example, Constellation program-level systems engineering and integration activities are tasked with ensuring interoperability, reuse, compatibility, and evolutionary upgrade of all systems. To further compound the challenges, Constellation missions represent a mixing of the human space-flight processes with those of NASAs robotic exploration missions. These factors and others give rise to many unique and/or significantly more complex engineering than has been previously faced in the development of space systems. In this context, software reliability and safety become critical qualities for what will arguably be the most complex software systems artifact ever created.
Adaptive monopulse beamforming

A new receive-array adaptive beamformer configuration is presented. The array output signal consists of the difference between a conventionally weighted beam and an adaptive beam that is constrained to have a spatial null in the direction of interest. Adaptation then provides minimum total array output power.
On partial fluidization in rotating fluidized beds

In a rotating fluidized bed, unlike in a conventional fluidized bed, the granules are fluidized layer by layer from the (inner) free surface outward at increasing radius as the gas velocity is increased. This is a very significant and interesting phenomenon and is extremely important in the design of these fluidized beds. The phenomenon was first suggested in a theoretical analysis and recently verified experimentally in the authors' laboratory. However, in the first paper, the equations presented are too cumbersome and the influence of bed thickness is not clearly stated. In this note the authors present simplified equations, based on that paper, for the pressure drop and the minimum fluidizing velocities in a rotating fluidized bed. Experimental data are also shown and compared with the theoretical model, and the effect of bed thickness is shown. Furthermore, an explanation for the observation of a maximum in the pressure drop vs. velocity curve instead of the plateau derived by Chen is proposed.
Path specialization: reducing phased execution overheads

As garbage collected languages become widely used, the quest for reducing collection overheads becomes essential. In this paper, we propose a compiler optimization called path specialization that shrinks the cost of memory barriers for a wide variety of garbage collectors including concurrent, incremental, and real-time collectors. Path specialization provides a non-trivial decrease in write-barrier overheads and a drastic reduction of read-barrier overheads. It is effective when used with collectors that go through various phases each employing a different barrier behavior, and is most effective for collectors that have an idle phase, in which no barrier activity is required. We have implemented path specialization in the Bartok compiler and runtime for C# and tested it with state-of-the-art concurrent and real-time collectors, demonstrating its efficacy.
Recherches sur la formation et la transformation des esters LXXIX [1]. Sur la réaction de l′isothiocyanate d′o-méthoxycarbonyl-phényle avec divers acides et l′acide sérinephosphorique

Amino acids devoid of «leaving groups» on their β carbon atom (neither OH: serine, nor SH: cysteine) react with o-methoxycarbonyl-phenyl isothiocyanate (I) in the presence of one equivalent of NaOH, in water-dioxane or in ethanol, to yield the corresponding hydroquinazolinone derivatives II which were isolated as free acids. When treated with CH3COOH + conc. HCl the hydroquinazolinone resulting from the reaction of L-serine with I undergoes a nucleophilic attack of the carbon bearing the leaving group OH by a lone pair of electrons of S; this attack produces the formation of an additional thiazolidine ring, yielding the thiazoloquinazolinone derivative (−)-III. In an analogous reaction DL-serine phosphoric acid treated with I at pH 8–9 yields the corresponding substituted hydroquinazolinone which, boiled in 1N hydrochloric acid, undergoes ring closure to (±)-III by the same mechanism as the serine derivative (leaving group: OPO3H2). L-Cysteine reacted with 2 equiv. of I and then treated with CH3COOH + conc. HCl gives two products: (−)-III produced by the same mechanism as for serine (leaving group: SH), and the quinazolinone derivative IV where the SH group is also thiocarbamoylated.
Unusual decrease in conductivity upon hydration in acceptor doped, microcrystalline ceria

The impact of hydration on the transport properties of microcrystalline Sm0.15Ce0.85O1.925 has been examined. Dense, polycrystalline samples were obtained by conventional ceramic processing and the grain boundary regions were found, by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, to be free of impurity phases. Impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed over the temperature range 250 to 650 °C under dry, H2O-saturated, and D2O-saturated synthetic air; and over the temperature range 575 to 650 °C under H2–H2O atmospheres. Under oxidizing conditions humidification by either H2O or D2O caused a substantial increase in the grain boundary resistivity, while leaving the bulk (or grain interior) properties unchanged. This unusual behavior, which was found to be both reversible and reproducible, is interpreted in terms of the space-charge model, which adequately explains all the features of the measured data. It is found that the space-charge potential increases by 5–7 mV under humidification, in turn, exacerbating oxygen vacancy depletion in the space-charge regions and leading to the observed reduction in grain boundary conductivity. It is proposed that the heightened space-charge potential reflects a change in the relative energetics of vacancy creation in the bulk and at the grain boundary interfaces as a result of water uptake into the grain boundary core. Negligible bulk water uptake is detected under both oxidizing and reducing conditions.
A utility maximisation problem on multiple time scales

In this paper, we present a technique for a dynamic optimisation problem in which the value function and constraints can be on different time scales. Using this technique we solve a perfect-foresight utility maximisation problem for a finitely-lived consumer while making very general assumptions about timing of consumption and investing decisions.
Barriers to Behavioral Research on Dementia

Barriers to behavioral research are multifactorial. They include attitudinal, conceptual, financial, and administrative factors. In general, behavioral research and clinical research have received less support than basic science research (Marshall, 1994). The traditional emphasis has been on funding of basic research with the expectation that clinical research can be pursued without specific financial support. Although this might have been possible in the past, the increasingly tight control of clinicians' time and the need for cost-effective healthcare delivery have rendered this approach obsolete. Advances in clinically applicable information will require the type of research funding usually reserved for basic science endeavors.
Redeeming, Ruling, and Reaping: British Missionary Societies, the East India Company, and the India‐to‐China Opium Trade

At the end of the 19th century, British missionaries campaigned to abolish the India-to-China opium trade, whose profits were crucial for British ambitions in Asia. This challenge by the missionaries had been slow to emerge, however, and focusing only on that well-known opposition masks the preceding half-century of accommodations and compromises with the opium traffic, both on the production end (Bengal) and on the receiving end (in Macau and Canton). Our research addresses the subjective calculus that was at work for the missionaries and asks how their reading of that calculus affected their movement across the spectrum from unconcern to outrage about opium. At the core of their enterprise from beginning to end was their unwavering commitment to the evangelical "Great Commission," which spelled out the obligation to bring the Christian gospel to unsaved multitudes around the world. We argue that they consistently embraced whatever was pragmatically necessary to advance that goal and resisted whatever threatened to block movement toward it. Beneath changeability on the surface, a thread of value-rational coherence ran through a century of calculated and strategic missionary activity. The same thread is likely to be in evidence in other theaters of global evangelism where missionaries were (are) involved in secular controversies.
Morphologic Updates in Prostate Pathology

In the past several years, modifications have been made to the original Gleason system with resultant therapeutic and prognostic implications. Several morphologic variants of prostatic adenocarcinoma have also been described. Prostate pathology has also evolved over the years with the discovery and utility of new immunohistochemical stains. The topics discussed in this update include the Gleason grading system, prognostic grade grouping, variants of prostatic adenocarcinoma, and the application of immunohistochemistry to prostate pathology.
Application of Geometric Methods to the Study of Two-Phase Flow and Choking in Vertical Pipes

The paper uses a topologic-geometric method to analyze the flow patterns which can occur in very long vertical pipes. The study explores the consequences of the homogeneous diffusion model when coupled with the standard closure equation for shearing stress and the equation of state for water in the two-phase region. Two cases are analyzed: upward flow in which the gravity and shearing-stress vectors are codirectional, and downward flow when the two vectors are counter-directional.
Computational techniques for the modeling of robot position error

The robot manipulator calibration process utilizes model or modeless techniques. In modeless method, the compensation of position error is to move the end-effector of robot to a target position in the workspace, and to find the position error of the target position by using an estimation method based on the errors of neighboring points around the target position. In this paper, both traditional and newly developed soft computing techniques used to estimate position error of robot manipulators are investigated. After an introduction, the paper presents four methods for manipulator position error estimation. These include two commonly used analytical techniques, bilinear and cubic spline, and two soft computing based techniques, fuzzy logic and neural network. A range of simulation experiment is made using three common used error models. Various aspects of each method, including accuracy, complexity, and limitation are investigated. A comparison is made to demonstrate the advantages and drawback of each method.
VON WILLEBRAND'S DISEASE

von Willebrand's disease (vWD) arises from abnormalities in von Willebrand factor (vWF), an adhesive glycoprotein uniquely involved in key aspects of both primary and secondary hemostasis. The current classification distinguishes disorders arising from partial (type 1) or complete (type 3) deficiencies and from qualitative defects (type 2). Type 2 vWD is further divided into four subtypes (A, B, N, and M), reflecting distinct classes of functional abnormalities. Mis-sense mutations account for most of type 2 vWD, whereas major disruptions in the vWF gene produce type 3 variants. The molecular basis of type 1 vWD is largely undefined. The laboratory diagnosis of vWD and its several variants is made on the basis of immunologic and functional studies of vWF, factor VIII levels, and specialized electrophoretic analysis (multimer gels). The mainstay of therapy for most patients with vWD in desmopressin, a pharmacologic agent that stimulates the release of endogenous pools of vWF. Cryoprecipitate and selected factor VIII concentrates are useful sources of exogenous vWF for the treatment of patients unresponsive to this desmopressin.
Electrospun soy protein scaffolds enhance skin regeneration in a rat wound model

PURPOSE: Current options for the management of full-thickness skin defects are limited by significant drawbacks. The use of autologous tissue may lead to significant donor site morbidity, while commercial allografts can be expensive, have limited shelf lives, and carry the risk of infection. Soy protein and other plant isolates are inexpensive, biodegradeable, and biocompatible. Using an innovative electrospinning technique, we designed a biologically active dressing, or “scaffold,” made of fibers derived from soy protein isolate. We then asked whether using this scaffold as a dressing could improve regeneration of full-thickness skin wounds in an animal model.
Derrick Bell's Toolkit - Fit to Dismantle that Famous House?

Does United States antidiscrimination law embrace a black/white binary paradigm of race, in which other, nonblack minority groups must compare their treatment to that of African Americans in order to gain redress? In this Derrick Bell Lecture, Professor Richard Delgado argues that it does, and that other minorities also fall from time to time into the trap of exceptionalism, placing their own experiences at the center of discussion. Taking as his text a recent chronicle by Derrick Bell, Bluebeard's Castle, Professor Delgado argues that narrow binary thinking-regardless of the group that engages in it-weakens solidarity, reduces opportunities for coalition, deprives one group of the benefits of the others' experiences, makes one overly dependent on the approval of the white establishment, and sets one up for ultimate disappointment. The black/white binary, in short, is bad for blacks, just as her foolish fixation on the gloomy noble of operatic fame finally doomed Judith, the heroine of Bluebeard's Castle.
Supercomputing interconnects

This case study describes efforts at Sandia National Laboratories to model and simulate the interconnection network for the Red Storm supercomputer. Red Storm is a Massively Parallel Processor (MPP) machine that uses commodity processors (10,368 AMD Opterons) combined with a very high performance 3-D mesh interconnect. We consider a processor (compute node) with its associated NIC (Network Interface Card) as an atomic unit. The interconnect is built by connecting the atomic unit as a 3-D mesh with a cut-through in the Z-Axis. We model the processor, the NIC and the interconnect. We model the NIC at a functional level. Since we are only interested in the communication aspect, we model the processor as an object that can generate and receive messages according to a tunable random process. We simulate the communication pattern and evaluate the throughput and delays of the interconnect. We present in detail our modeling methodology, design, initial results, and model validation criteria.
Design of Complex Rugate Filters

An accurate procedure based on Fourier techniques and the optimization of inhomogeneous films is presented for the design of rugate optical filters with arbitrary spectral shapes.
Isomer Stability of N24, N30, and N36 Cages: Cylindrical versus Spherical Structure

Nitrogen molecules have been extensively studied for their potential as high energy density materials (HEDM). One of the major issues in the study of Nx all-nitrogen molecules is the determination of stable structures. In this study, various cage isomers of N24, N30, and N36 are examined for the purposes of determining relative thermodynamic stability. Trends in thermodynamic stability make possible the identification of structural features that lead to stable molecules. All of the molecules in this study have three-coordinate nitrogen with all N−N single bonds. Thermodynamic stability is determined by theoretical calculations employing Hartree−Fock theory (HF), density functional theory (B3LYP), and Moller−Plesset perturbation theory (up to MP4). The correlation-consistent basis sets of Dunning are employed. The major result of this study is the identification of cylinder-shaped molecules that are substantially more stable than more spherically shaped isomers.
A Model-Free Approach for Analysis of Complex Contingency Data in Survey Research:

Analysis and interpretation of higher order cross-tabulation data are of recurring concern in marketing research. The authors present a parsimonious new approach to this data analysis problem. Spec...
Designing MOOCs for success: a student motivation-oriented framework

Considerable literature exists regarding MOOCs. Evaluations of MOOCs range from ringing endorsements to its vilification as a delivery model. Much evaluation focuses on completion rates and/or participant satisfaction. Overall, MOOCs are ill-defined and researchers struggle with appropriate evaluation criteria beyond attrition rates. In this paper, we provide a brief history of MOOCs, a summary of some evaluation research, and we propose a new model for evaluation with an example from a previously-delivered MOOC. Measurement of the MOOC success framework through four student satisfaction types is proposed in this paper with a model for informal learning satisfaction, one of the proposed types, theorized and tested. Results indicated theoretical underpinnings, while intended to improve instruction, might not have influenced the same satisfaction construct. Therefore, future research into alternative satisfaction factor models is needed.
Structure, Regulation, and Inhibition of the Quorum-Sensing Signal Integrator LuxO.

In a process called quorum sensing, bacteria communicate with chemical signal molecules called autoinducers to control collective behaviors. In pathogenic vibrios, including Vibrio cholerae, the accumulation of autoinducers triggers repression of genes responsible for virulence factor production and biofilm formation. The vibrio autoinducer molecules bind to transmembrane receptors of the two-component histidine sensor kinase family. Autoinducer binding inactivates the receptors’ kinase activities, leading to dephosphorylation and inhibition of the downstream response regulator LuxO. Here, we report the X-ray structure of LuxO in its unphosphorylated, autoinhibited state. Our structure reveals that LuxO, a bacterial enhancer-binding protein of the AAA+ ATPase superfamily, is inhibited by an unprecedented mechanism in which a linker that connects the catalytic and regulatory receiver domains occupies the ATPase active site. The conformational change that accompanies receiver domain phosphorylation likely disrupts this interaction, providing a mechanistic rationale for LuxO activation. We also determined the crystal structure of the LuxO catalytic domain bound to a broad-spectrum inhibitor. The inhibitor binds in the ATPase active site and recapitulates elements of the natural regulatory mechanism. Remarkably, a single inhibitor molecule may be capable of inhibiting an entire LuxO oligomer.
Prostates, Pates, and Pimples: The Potential Medical Uses of Steroid 5α-Reductase Inhibitors

The steroid 5 alpha-reductase enzyme is responsible for the formation of DHT from testosterone. DHT has been the major androgen implicated in the pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia, male pattern baldness, acne, and idiopathic female hirsutism. Although specific inhibitors of 5 alpha-reductase are not yet generally available for human use, it is expected that they will become available within the next several years. Based on biochemical, histologic, and anatomic information from animals given 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, preliminary data on their use in humans, and knowledge gained from men with the inherited 5 alpha-reductase deficiency, it is expected that these 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors may have a major role in the medical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. In addition, it is possible that these compounds will hold promise for the prevention of male pattern baldness and for the treatment of resistant acne and idiopathic hirsutism.
Upregulation of Von Willebrand Factor, Von Wilelbrand Factor Propeptide, and ADMATS-13 In End-Stage Renal Disease

Abstract 5189 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is a complex syndrome in which systemic vascular pathophysiologic changes contribute to adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular manifestations. Cardiovascular disease alone is present in over 60% of patients with ESRD and contributes heavily to mortality among this population. Von Willebrand Factor (vWF) plays a well known role in platelet aggregation and has been shown to be upregulated in many thromboembolic conditions. However in many conditions, the role of von Willebrand Factor Propeptide (vWFpp), a peptide cleaved prior to assembly of active vWF multimers, and ADAMTS-13, the enzyme responsible for disassembly and deactivation of vWF multimers, have not been examined. The purpose of this study is to better characterize the relationship among vWF, vWFpp, and ADAMTS-13 as it relates to ESRD. Plasma samples from 51 patients with ESRD were collected prior to maintenance hemodialysis. A group of 50 normal individuals, both male and female, was included as control. Concentrations of vWF and vWFpp were quantified using the GTI® vWF & Propeptide Assay. A separate assay was used to measure ADAMTS-13 in these samples (GTI®). This data as well as the ratio of vWF:vWFpp were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test (two-tailed with Gaussian approximation). Compared to the controls, there was an upregulation of all three analytes in patients with ESRD. Levels of vWF were increased 1.3 fold, (mean 128 ± 69 U/dL, range 9.2 to 308) compared to control (mean 101 ± 60, range 22 to 332). Similarly, there was a 1.6 fold increase in both vWFpp (mean 148 ± 92, range 8.0 to 361) compared to (mean 92 ± 23, range 60 to 163) and ADAMTS-13 (mean 131 ± 27, range 67 to 150) compared to (mean 84 ± 22, range 36 to 128). However, the ratio of vWFpp:vWF (mean 1.2 ± 0.6, range 0.4 to 3.3) was unchanged compared to control (mean 1.2 ± 0.7, range 0.4 to 3.6). This study shows a previously uncharacterized increase in vWFpp and further validates the upregulation of vWF in ESRD. The normal vWFpp:vWF ratio implies an increased production in vWF in response to endothelial damage without any apparent alteration in vWF degradation or clearance. The proportional increase in ADAMTS-13 activity suggests that the increased vWF is being cleaved into inactive monomers. However, further studies are required to assess the proportion of vWF in each mulitmeric form and better understand the exact interaction among these components in ESRD. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The influence of Pacific equatorial water on fish diversity in the southern California Current System

The California Undercurrent transports Pacific Equatorial Water (PEW) into the Southern California Bight from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. PEW is characterized by higher temperatures and salinities, with lower pH, representing a source of potentially corrosive (aragonite, Ω<1) water to the region. We use ichthyoplankton assemblages near the cores of the California Current and the California Undercurrent to determine whether PEW influenced fish diversity. We use hydrographic data to characterize the inter-annual and seasonal variability of estimated pH and aragonite saturation with depth. Although there is substantial variability in PEW presence as measured by spice on the 26.25-26.75 isopycnal layer, as well as in pH and aragonite staturation, we found fish diversity to be stable over the decades 1985-1996 and 1999-2011. We detected significant difference in species structure during the 1998 La Nina period, due to reduced species evenness. Species richness due to rare species was higher during the 1997/98 El Nino compared to the La Nina but the effect on species structure was undetectable. Lack of difference in the species abundance structure in the decade before and after the 1997/99 ENSO event showed that the assemblage reverted to its former structure following the ENSO perturbation, indicating resilience While the inter-decadal species structure remained stable, the long tail of the distributions shows that species richness increased between the decades consistent with intrusion of warm water with more diverse assemblages into the southern California region. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Distinct Motives for Use Among Polytobacco Versus Cigarette Only Users and Among Single Tobacco Product Users.

Background Alternative tobacco product (ATP) use as well as co-use of various tobacco products has increased in recent years, particularly among young adults. However, little is known about the differential role of motives for ATP or polytobacco use. Methods We examined (1) motives for tobacco use in relation to polytobacco versus cigarette only use and (2) motives for tobacco use in relation to levels of tobacco use across products. We analyzed data from past 30-day tobacco users at Wave 2 (Spring 2015) of a six-wave longitudinal study of 3418 students aged 18-25 years from seven U.S. colleges/universities. Variables included sociodemographics, tobacco use (cigarettes, little cigars/cigarillos [LCCs], smokeless tobacco [SLT], hookah, and e-cigarettes), and tobacco use motives (social, self-enhancement, boredom relief, and affect regulation). Results Multivariate analyses found that boredom relief motives were associated with polytobacco use versus cigarette only use (p = .007). Higher consumption levels demonstrated the following associations: cigarettes-positively with boredom relief (p = .025) and affect regulation motives (p < .001); LCCs-positively with affect regulation motives (p = .035); SLT-negatively with social (p = .003) and positively with self-enhancement (p = .017) and boredom relief motives (p = .007); and hookah-positively with social (p = .002) and boredom relief motives (p = .033) and negatively with self-enhancement (p = .004) and affect regulation motives (p = .001). Conclusions Distinct motives for use were associated with polytobacco use among smokers. Moreover, higher levels of use among single product users also demonstrated distinct associations across use motives. These data should inform targeted cessation interventions addressing motives for use in ATP and polytobacco users. Implications Interventionists, public health practitioners, and health care providers must address the increasing issue of ATP and polytobacco use and tailor interventions to reduce ATP and polytobacco use in light of the distinct motives for use.
Layer net: a new self-organizing network protocol

A protocol is proposed for the generation and operation of a self-organizing multihop radio network, which is capable of creating its own topology and transmission schedules dynamically and in a distributed manner. The protocol commences operation in a random-access mode of operation and then gradually switches over to a synchronous schedules mode of operation. The protocol was simulated up to the end of the scheduling phase. This included the generation of node positions, tree formation, addition of links and the scheduling of these links. The percentage increase in average hop distance between nodes in the generated network over the fully connected network (the network with all possible links between physical neighbors) was found to vary between 10% to 15%. Empirically, it appears that a schedule length that is twice the maximum degree is sufficient to allow the distributed generation of a conflict-free schedule. >
Expression of the Antisense-to-Latency Transcript Long Noncoding RNA in Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus.

The regulation of latency is central to herpesvirus biology. Recent transcriptome-wide surveys have uncovered evidence for promiscuous transcription across the entirety of the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) genome and postulated the existence of multiple viral long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Next-generation sequencing studies are highly dependent on the specific experimental approach and particular algorithms of analysis and therefore benefit from independent confirmation of the results. The antisense-to-latency transcript (ALT) lncRNA was discovered by genome-tiling microarray (Chandriani et al., J Virol 86:7934-7942, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.00645-10). To characterize ALT in detail, we physically isolated this lncRNA by a strand-specific hybrid capture assay and then employed transcriptome sequencing and novel reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assays to distinguish all RNA species in the KSHV latency region. These methods confirm that ALT initiates at positions 120739/121012 and encodes a single splice site, which is shared with the 3'-coterminal K14-vGPCR/ORF74 mRNA, terminating at 130873 (GenBank accession number GQ994935), resulting in an ∼10,000-nucleotide transcript. No shorter ALT isoforms were identified. This study also identified a novel intron within the LANA 5' untranslated region using a splice acceptor at 127888. In summary, ALT joins PAN/nut1/T1.1 as a bona fide lncRNA of KSHV with potentially important roles in viral gene regulation and pathogenesis. Importance Increasing data support the importance of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs) and lncRNAs, which have been shown to exert critical regulatory functions without coding for recognizable proteins. Defining the sequences of these ncRNAs is essential for future studies aiming to functionally characterize a specific ncRNA. Most lncRNA studies are highly dependent on high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic analyses, few studies follow up on the initial predictions, and analyses are at times discordant. The manuscript characterizes one key viral lncRNA, ALT, by physically isolating ALT and by a sequencing-independent assay. It provides for a simple assay to monitor lncRNA expression in experimental and clinical samples. ALT is expressed antisense to the major viral latency transcripts encoding LANA as well as the viral miRNAs and thus has the potential to regulate this key part of the viral life cycle.
The psycholinguistics of signed and spoken languages: how biology affects processing

inguistic research over the last few decades has revealed substantial similarities between the structure of signed and spoken languages (for reviews see Emmorey, 2002; Sandler and Lillo-Martin, 2006). These similarities provide a strong basis for cross-modality comparisons, and also bring to light linguistic universals that hold for all human languages. In addition, however, biology-based distinctions between sign and speech are important, and can be exploited to discover how the input–output systems of language impact online language processing and affect the neurocognitive underpinnings of language comprehension and production. For example, do the distinct perceptual and productive systems of signed and spoken languages exert differing constraints on the nature of linguistic processing? Recent investigations have suggested that the modality in which a language is expressed can impact the psychological mechanisms required to decode and produce the linguistic signal. This chapter explores what aspects of language processing appear to be universal to all human languages and what aspects are affected by the particular characteristics of audition vs. vision, or by the differing constraints on manual versus oral articulation. Sign language processing is appropriately compared to speech processing, rather than to reading, because unlike written text, which can be characterized as “visual language,” sign language consists of dynamic and constantly changing forms rather than static symbols. Further, neither sign language nor spoken language comes pre-segmented into words and sentences for the perceiver. The production of writing, although performed by the hand, differs substantially from sign language production because writing derives its structure from a separate system (the orthography of a spoken language). In contrast to written language, sign and speech are both primary language systems, acquired during infancy and early childhood without formal instruction.
Early Preterm Birth Across Generations Among Whites and African-Americans: A Population-Based Study

Objectives To determine the extent to which non-Latina White and African-American mother’s gestational age is associated with extremely early (<30 weeks), modestly early (30–33 weeks), and late (34–36 weeks) infant preterm birth (PTB) rates. Methods Race-specific stratified and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed on the Illinois Transgenerational Birth File of non-Latino White and African-American infants (born 1989–1991) and their mothers (born 1956–1976). Results White mothers (n = 184) born at <30 weeks had a greater extremely early infant PTB rate than White mothers (n = 131,980) born at term: 1.6 versus 0.5%, respectively; RR = 3.6 (1.2, 11.0). African-American mothers (n = 269) born at <30 weeks had a greater extremely early infant PTB rate than African-American mothers (n = 34,885) born at term: 4.1 versus 2.1%, respectively; RR = 2.0 (1.1, 3.6). In logistic regression models the adjusted (controlling for maternal age, education, parity, prenatal care, marital status, and cigarette smoking) OR of extremely early PTB for White and African-American mothers born <30 (compared to ≥37) weeks equaled 4.0 (1.2, 12.6) and 2.3 (1.2, 4.3), respectively. The adjusted OR of modestly early PTB for White and African-American mothers born 30–33 (compared to ≥37) weeks equaled 1.6 (1.0, 2.5) and 1.3 (0.9, 1.7), respectively. The adjusted OR of late PTB for White and African-American mothers born 34–36 (compared to ≥37) weeks equaled 1.2 (1.0, 1.3) and 1.1 (1.0, 1.2), respectively. Conclusions A generational association of extremely early, but not modestly early or late, PTB exists among non-Latino Whites and African-Americans.
Local variability in the timing and intensity of tropical dry forest deciduousness is explained by differences in forest stand age

Tropical Dry Forest deciduousness is a behavioral response to climate conditions that determines ecosystem-level carbon uptake, energy flux, and habitat conditions. It is regulated by factors relat...
A Role for the Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase Pathway in Preconditioning

Preconditioning has been shown to reduce cell death, although the mechanism responsible is still unclear. Activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) has been shown to be cardioprotective. This paper will review the data suggesting a role for the PI3K pathways in cardioprotection and preconditioning. The PI3K pathway is activated by preconditioning and inhibition of PI3K blocks the protective effects of preconditioning. Thus, enhanced cell survival via activation of PI3K appears to be important in preconditioning.
Gradient coating for NIF double shell targets

Abstract As opposed to a single shell, the double shell target design provides an alternative implosion platform for high energy density (HED) experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and related laboratories. The inner shell of this target scheme incorporates a density graded layer to suppress inhomogeneity induced Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities during the implosion. Here we report our efforts to fabricate density graded layers for use as the inner shell of a double shell target using magnetron sputtering as well as the characterization of these layers. Cold welding (spherical targets sticking to either each other or the deposition pan) was observed for many of metals surveyed and seems to be correlated with material ductility. A W-Be gradient layer was successfully fabricated as an inner shell. This material combination is advantageous due to the constituent's large inherent density difference. Microstructural changes are revealed with varying composition including a previously unknown amorphous phase.
Dimension Reduction in the Modeling of Large-Scale Neuronal Networks

The population density method is a promising time-saving alternative to conventional direct Monte-Carlo simulations of neural network activity. Instead of tracking the state of thousands of individual neurons and synapses, one calculates the evolution of a probability density function (PDF), describing the distribution of neurons over state space. When a previous implementation for integrate-and-fire neurons of Nykamp and Tranchina is extended to include non-instantaneous synaptic kinetics, the PDF becomes high dimensional. Consequently, the computational efficiency of the method is lost. We introduce a dimension reduction for the PDF that is computationally efficient and shown to be accurate in our test simulations.
44 – Gender-Specific Issues in Liver Diseases

Gender predilection has been shown to be present in several liver diseases in adults, although the clinical presentation, disease progression, therapeutic response to medications, and long-term complications appear to be similar among men and women in the majority of the diseases. This chapter discusses liver diseases that are unique to women– namely, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). AIH, a chronic liver disease, which is predominantly seen in young and middle-aged women, is immune-mediated and presents with distinct clinico-pathologic findings. PBC is a slowly progressive chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by its preponderance in women, elevated serum alkaline phosphatase with or without elevated aminotransferases, and the presence of antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) in the majority of patients. The chapter also discusses another commonly diagnosed chronic liver disease that was thought to be unique to women, namely nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), although data suggest that the reverse might be the case. This chapter also discusses the controversial issue of the effect of donor on graft survival in liver transplantation.
Building patterned structures with robot swarms

We describe a system in which simple, identical, autonomous robots assemble two-dimensional structures using prefabricated modules as building blocks. Modules are capable of some information processing, enabling them to share longrange structural information and communicate it to robots. This communication allows arbitrary solid structures to be rapidly built using a few fixed, local robot behaviors. Modules are identical in shape but may be functionally distinct, with constraints governing the location of different classes. We present algorithms for assembly of solid structures of any shape, both when the layout of module classes is fully specified in advance, and when functional constraints are satisfied during the building process, allowing for adaptive structures. This approach demonstrates a decentralized, autonomous, flexible, simple, and adaptive approach to construction.
Use of the Muddiest Point Technique as an exam review in an integrated pharmacotherapy course.

Abstract Background and purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact in student pharmacists’ exam performance learning outcomes and satisfaction after integrating the Muddiest Point assessment technique into exam reviews. Educational activity and setting In 2016, the Muddiest Point, a formative assessment tool, was used to develop exam review sessions for second-year student pharmacists in an integrated pharmacotherapy course focused on the cardiovascular system. Performance scores on all four exams were compared between students in the 2015 and 2016 courses. Students’ complexity of learning was categorized using a taxonomy of learning structure. A survey was used to evaluate student perceptions of exam reviews and the Muddiest Point technique (MPT). Findings Scores were higher on the second exam for the 83 students in the 2016 course (78.0% vs. 86.0%, p Summary Incorporating the MPT into exam reviews maintained exam scores and supported evaluation of student learning. In addition, student pharmacists were satisfied with this exam review method.
Canonical and noncanonical ethylene signaling pathways that regulate Arabidopsis susceptibility to the cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii

Plant-parasitic cyst nematodes successfully exploit various phytohormone signaling pathways to establish a new hormonal equilibrium that facilitates nematode parasitism. Although it is largely accepted that ethylene regulates plant responses to nematode infection, a mechanistic understanding of how ethylene shapes plant-nematode interactions remains largely unknown. In this study, we examined the involvement of various components regulating ethylene perception and signaling in establishing Arabidopsis susceptibility to the cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii using a large set of well-characterized single and higher order mutants. Our analyses revealed the existence of two pathways that separately engage ethylene with salicylic acid (SA) and cytokinin signaling during plant response to nematode infection. One pathway involves the canonical ethylene signaling pathway in which activation of ethylene signaling results in suppression of SA-based immunity. The second pathway involves the ethylene receptor ETR1, which signals independently of SA acid to affect immunity, instead altering cytokinin-mediated regulation of downstream components. Our results reveal important mechanisms through which cyst nematodes exploit components of ethylene perception and signaling to affect the balance of hormonal signaling through ethylene interaction with SA and cytokinin networks. This hormonal interaction overcomes plant defense and provokes a susceptible response.