cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Review of Automated Microinjection Systems for Single Cells in the Embryogenesis Stage

Modern genetics research has resulted in significant advances in cell in vitro microinjection systems. Such systems provide biological and medical practitioners with high volume cell throughput and statistically relevant data. This paper provides the reader with a comprehensive review of the major research technologies used in automated cell microinjection and of their individual subsystems. Microinjection subsystems reviewed include machine vision, nonvision sensors and user interface (input), cell modeling, piercing mechanisms and injection control loop (control), cell holder and manipulator, and microinjection (output). The interdisciplinary technologies reviewed for microinjection sensing, automation, and control include microfluidic actuation, optical field actuation (optical trapping and optical guidance), electrical field actuation (electrorotation, electrowetting, and dielectrophoresis), and ultrasonic vibration. The survey concludes that research into automated microinjection systems will focus on reducing the scale of microinjection systems and developing appropriate controllers.
Co-Rumination of Fat Talk and Weight Control Practices: An Application of Confirmation Theory.

Grounded in confirmation theory, the current research sought to explore the relationship between co-rumination of fat talk and weight control practices (i.e., binging and purging, exercising, and healthy eating behaviors), with a particular interest in whether perceptions of friends' responses during these interactions exacerbate or mitigate this relationship. Female friendship dyads completed online questionnaires at three time points across 2 weeks. Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that (a) co-rumination was positively associated with binging and purging and exercising, (b) women who perceived their friends as accepting reported less binging and purging, more exercising, and more healthy eating behaviors,
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Modeling of LY2951742, a Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide Antibody, in Migraine Patients (P6.091)

Objective: To characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of LY2951742, a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), in migraine patients. Background:LY2951742 is being developed for the prevention of migraine. CGRP is implicated in the pathophysiology of migraine and is hypothesized to be involved in the release of inflammatory mediators and the transmission of nociceptive signals. Methods: A phase 2b, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week treatment phase study of LY2951742 in patients with episodic migraine was conducted at doses of 5 mg, 50 mg, 120 mg and 300 mg given subcutaneously every 28 days. Blood samples were collected to measure LY2951742 and CGRP concentrations. The change from baseline in the number of migraine headache days (MHD) over a 28-day period was assessed in placebo and LY2951742-treated patients. Results: Interim data indicate LY2951742 concentrations increased linearly, but CGRP concentrations increased nonlinearly, with dose. Direct response population PKPD models were developed to characterize the relationship of LY2951742 with CGRP and change in MHD. For PK, LY2951742 apparent clearance of 0.0099 L/h and apparent volume of distribution of 8 L was estimated using a 1-compartment PK model. For PD, baseline CGRP concentration of 0.009 nM, LY2951742 EC50 of 94 nM, CGRP Emax of 1.2 nM and gamma of 0.8 were estimated using a sigmoidal Emax model. Maximum placebo effect of - 3.5 MHD difference from baseline was estimated using an exponential decay model. Baseline MHD (prior to LY2951742 treatment) of 6 days per 28-day period, LY2951742 EC50 of 57 nM and LY2951742 Emax of - 1.25 MHD difference from placebo were estimated using an Emax model. Conclusions: PKPD modeling characterized the relationship of LY2951742 with clinical response on the basis of CGRP (target engagement) and MHD (efficacy) and can be used to aid in dose selection for subsequent clinical trials. Disclosure: Dr. Kielbasa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Quinlan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bell has nothing to disclose. Dr. Miller has nothing to disclose. Dr. Skljarevski has nothing to disclose.
Conclusion: Common Themes and Directions for Future Research

Due to their developmental status, children may be more susceptible than adults to the harmful effects of neurotoxins, whether this exposure occurs in utero through the mother’s use of teratogenic substances or postnatally within the child’s environment. Each of the chapters contributing to this volume provides a wealth of research-based information on academic and psychosocial outcomes associated with exposure to neurotoxins during critical developmental periods. In this concluding chapter we summarize some of the key findings from the previous chapters, identify several themes observed across chapters, and describe an agenda for future research in pediatric neurotoxicology.
Solar wing steering law for satellite formation flight

Satellite formation flight missions have long durations, so long-term perturbation effects (such as the J 2 effect) must be countered to maintain the formation. One possible approach to this problem is to affix a small reflective surface (called a "solar wing") to the satellite solar radiation pressure can then be harnessed to maintain formation flight. In this paper a lull dynamic model for the long-term relative motion of formation flight is formulated, and an optimal solar wing steering law is devised for the formation-keeping problem. A numerical example is given to illustrate the approach.
An Examination of Poetry for the People: A Decolonizing Holistic Approach to Arts Education

This article is concerned with the epidemic of alienation created by colonization and the ideologies that maintain systems of domination. More specifically, it argues that a decolonizing holistic pedagogy can help address the root of our individual and collective alienation to facilitate healing. This position is supported by the findings of an ethnographic study, conducted in 2013–2014, highlighting Poetry for the People (P4P), an arts/activism course started by poet-activist-professor, June Jordan, at UC Berkeley. The article opens with a theoretical framework that centers healing and love as decolonial priorities and pedagogical imperatives, and speaks to the mindbodyspirit labor, restoration, and creativity involved in decolonizing education. Emphasizing the need for decolonizing epistemologies to inform classroom dialogue, this article points to the power inherent in those dialogues for creating connections that mend alienation and for generating apertures for personal and social transformation. Howe...
Tumefactive foreign body giant cell reaction following high pressure paint injection injury: A case report and review of literature

High-pressure paint injection injury is an uncommon but well-described injury. The histologic features of long-term paint injection injury with retained material are less recognized. A 46-year-old male presented clinically as "recurrent giant cell tumor of tendon sheath." The right index finger demonstrated fusiform enlargement by a pigmented mass with diffuse infiltration into the soft tissue of the hand. Histologically the tumor showed multiple giant cells in a fibrotic stroma extending into the dermis. There were multiple types of foreign material including diffuse brown black pigment, weakly optically polarizing foreign material and white inclusions with a "train track" appearance. The cells were positive for CD68 and negative for S100 antigen. Further investigation revealed that the patient had a history of high-pressure paint injection injury to his digit 6 years prior. Foreign material injected under high pressure into tissues may result in a pseudo-neoplastic foreign body granulomatous reaction that can mimic giant cell tumor of tendon sheath. Our case demonstrates that this reaction can be florid and can have slow growth over years. A high index of suspicion, a good clinical history and careful examination can distinguish these 2 entities.
The Impact of Single-Container Malt Liquor Sales Restrictions on Urban Crime.

Many US cities have adopted legal restrictions on high-alcohol malt liquor sales in response to reports of crime and nuisance behaviors around retail alcohol outlets. We assessed whether these policies are effective in reducing crime in urban areas. We used a rigorous interrupted time-series design with comparison groups to examine monthly crime rates in areas surrounding alcohol outlets in the 3 years before and after adoption of malt liquor sales restrictions in two US cities. Crime rates in matched comparison areas not subject to restrictions served as covariates. Novel methods for matching target and comparison areas using virtual neighborhood audits conducted in Google Street View are described. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, sales of single containers of 16 oz or less were prohibited in individual liquor stores (n = 6). In Washington, D.C., the sale of single containers of any size were prohibited in all retail alcohol outlets within full or partial wards (n = 6). Policy adoption was associated with modest reductions in crime, particularly assaults and vandalism, in both cities. All significant outcomes were in the hypothesized direction. Our results provide evidence that retail malt liquor sales restrictions, even relatively weak ones, can have modest effects on a range of crimes. Policy success may depend on community support and concurrent restrictions on malt liquor substitutes.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medications

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Acetylcholine Receptor-Expressing Fibroblasts

Two key and as yet unresolved questions concerning the autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis (MG) are: 1) what initiates the autoimmune response, and 2) what sustains it. It is known that autoantibodies to the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) can be detected in MG patient sera, that the disease symptoms can be passively transferred from humans to mice with the IgG fraction from MG patient sera (Drachman et al. 1976), that the AChR can induce experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) in test animals (reviewed in Lindstrom 1985; Newsom-Davis 1986; Engel 1987), and that the AChR is the only protein at endplates which is capable of inducing EAMG (Claudio & Raftery 1980). The importance of the AChR in this disease cannot be disputed, but what role does it play in the initiation and/or maintenance of the disease. Are there specific epitopes on the AChR that are required for induction? It has been suggested that alterations of AChRs on myoid cells in the thymus might serve to break tolerance and initiate the autoimmune response directed against AChRs. Penicillamine has been shown to react with AChRs and to enhance EAMG (Bever et al. 1984). If alterations in the AChR can cause MG, do they occur by an exogenous or an endogenous mechanism? An endogenous mechanism acting directly on AChRs could have several sites of action. Various posttranslational modifications of the AChR are known to occur naturally, including disulfide-bond formation, glycosylation, phosphorylation, and fatty acylation.
Management of the Posttransplant Cardiac Patient

More than 2000 Americans undergo a heart transplant each year, the only curative therapy for end-stage heart failure. Many factors are critical to a successful outcome, starting with skilled preoperative to postoperative care from a team of experienced clinicians and ancillary health-care professionals. This chapter describes the multiple factors critical to limiting posttransplant complications and preserving early graft function, including periprocedural immunosuppression, infection prophylaxis, and early recognition and treatment of any allograft-related right ventricular dysfunction. Successful outcomes also depend on efforts related to careful matching of heart donors and recipients, which helps limit posttransplant complications. The most basic factor for transplant success is the availability of donor organs, whose numbers have remained unchanged despite efforts to increase awareness and volume. New technologies show promise in boosting the number of viable donor hearts for transplant. One example is the “heart-in-a-box” organ preservation technology from TransMedics, Inc., which restores optimal ex vivo human heart perfusion, reduces ischemic time, and may help preserve function. Future developments to impact survival and graft function are expected to include personalized immunosuppression modifications, development of donor risk scores, and new immunosuppressive agents.
Transition Flow with an Incompressible Lattice Boltzmann Method

Direct numerical simulations of the transition process from steady laminar to chaotic flow are considered in this study with the relatively new incompressible lattice Boltzmann equation. Numerically, a multiple relaxation time fully incompressible lattice Boltzmann equation is implemented in a 2D driven cavity. Spatial discretization is 2nd-order accurate, and the Kolmogorov length scale estimation based on Reynolds number ( Re ) dictates grid resolution. Initial simulations show the method to be accurate for steady laminar flows, while higher Re simulations reveal periodic flow behavior consistent with an initial Hopf bifurcation at Re 7,988. Non-repeating flow behavior is observed in the phase space trajectories above Re 13,063, and is evidence of the transition to a chaotic flow regime. Finally, flows at Reynolds numbers above the chaotic transition point are simulated and found with statistical properties in good agreement with literature.
Psychomotor Vigilance Test and Its Association With Daytime Sleepiness and Inflammation in Sleep Apnea: Clinical Implications

Study Objectives:Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a key symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) has been suggested as an objective easy-to-use, inexpensi...
Estrous cycle-induced sex differences in medium spiny neuron excitatory synaptic transmission and intrinsic excitability in adult rat nucleus accumbens core

This research is the first demonstration that medium spiny neuron electrophysiological properties change across adult female hormone cycle phases in any striatal region. This influence of estrous c...
Microwave-enhanced membrane filtration for water treatment

Abstract Sustaining high flux (permeability) and diversified pollutant rejection (selectivity) are two crucial benchmarks for membrane filtration processes. Here, we report a microwave-enhanced membrane filtration process that uses microwave (MW) irradiated and catalyst-coated ceramic membranes to achieve efficient removal of pollutants (i.e., 1,4-dioxane) and significant mitigation of fouling. MW irradiation was selectively absorbed by catalysts and hydrogen peroxide to produce ‘‘hotpots” on membrane surface that promoted generation of radicals and nanobubbles. These active species enhanced pollutant degradation and further prevented membrane fouling. In contrast to ultrasound and ultraviolet radiations, MW could efficiently penetrate membrane housing materials and selectively dissipate energy to membrane-impregnated catalyst nanoparticles. Our study of MW-assisted membrane filtration processes may open new avenues toward next-generation antifouling and high-efficiency separation techniques.
T Regulatory Cells and Their Role in Autoimmune Disease Involving the Gastrointestinal Tract

T regulatory (Treg) cells represent a unique subset of T lymphocytes. Although they represent a small fraction of circulating T cells ( ABBREVIATIONS:DC – dendritic cell, GI – gastrointestinal, IBD – inflammatory bowel disease, IL-2 - interleukin 2, IPEX - immunodysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, and enteropathy X-linked, iTreg - induced T regulatory cells, nTreg - naturally occurring T regulatory cells, PBMC – peripheral blood mononuclear cells, SCFA – short chain fatty acids, Th - T helper, TGF-β - transforming growth factor, Tr1 - type 1 regulatory cells, Treg – T regulatory cells.
No Money, No Problem: Enhanced Reward Positivity in the Absence of Monetary Reward

The reward-related positivity (RewP) is an event-related potential (ERP) with a positive amplitude occurring approximately 250-350 ms post-feedback at frontocentral electroencephalogram (EEG) electrode sites. The RewP is typically elicited in monetary gambling tasks and has a relatively larger amplitude for positive vs. negative outcomes. However, the extent to which RewP amplitude is modulated by non-monetary feedback is less clear. To address this issue, EEG was used to record reward-related electrocortical activity during a simple non-monetary gambling task. We hypothesized that the RewP would be enhanced for non-monetary wins relative to losses, which was supported by the results. In our supplementary material, we provide additional analyses suggesting that this effect was not observed for the P3. In sum, RewP amplitudes were larger for positive (nonmonetary) feedback relative to negative feedback at frontocentral electrode sites-suggesting that monetary reward is not necessary to elicit the RewP.
Ventricular Septal Defects

Isolated ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are the most common form of congenital heart disease (20–25% of patients with congenital malformations) and consist of defects in any portion of the ventricular septum [1, 2]. Echocardiographic studies in newborns have shown an incidence of VSDs as high as 2%, and the substantially lower incidence of VSDs in older patients is due to the spontaneous closure of some of these defects [2].
Long-term follow-up of a phase III study of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor after autologous bone marrow transplantation for lymphoid malignancies.

One hundred and twenty-eight patients with non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma (NHL), Hodgkin9s disease (HD), and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) previously reported from a phase III trial of rhGM-CSF or placebo following autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) were investigated for the development of late toxicities. Median follow-up is 36 months. No apparent long-term deleterious effects on BM function were observed. Moreover, disease-free survival and overall survival were similar for patients on both treatment arms, arguing for the long- term safety of recombinant human granulocyte macrophage-colony- stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF). The only factors predictive for both a high risk of relapse over time and mortality were having the diagnosis of ALL and/or undergoing ABMT in resistant relapse. We attempted to identify clinical variables before BM harvest, at the time of marrow infusion, or events within the first 100 days posttransplant, which might predict speed of neutrophil recovery in the setting of placebo or rhGM-CSF administration after ABMT. Only previous exposure to agents that deplete stem cells led to a significant delay in neutrophil recovery, suggesting their avoidance in patients who may undergo ABMT. Nevertheless, even those patients benefited from rhGM-CSF. For all patients, rhGM-CSF and agents that deplete stem cells were the strongest independent predictors for neutrophil engraftment. With the increasing use of newer hematopoietic growth factors both alone and in combination, long-term follow-up is essential to confirm the same safety that we report with rhGM-CSF.
Serverless Data Parallelization for Training and Retraining of Deep Learning Architecture in Patient-Specific Arrhythmia Detection

Stacked Denoising Autoencoders (SDA) are deep networks which have superior generative properties and therefore can be trained and retrained to learn the structure of a patient's heart beat signal with minimal training data. This approach is particularly useful in continuous remote devices because they gather large amounts of data for longer periods of time. Serverless applications are the desired way of building applications due to its cost effectiveness after advancements in commercially available serverless host providers like Amazon AWS. This work proposes a serverless architecture for the training and retraining of SDA, for classification of arrhythmias in a patient-specific manner. This work also proposes a technique for data parallelization in the serverless architecture to achieve a speedup of up-to 13x in training time. This work uses MIT-BIH Arrhythmia database. Retraining with this architecture shows high classification accuracies for Ventricular Ectopic Beats (VEB) (97.41%) and Supraventricular Ectopic Beats (SVEB) (98.77%).
Consider Humboldt's map as intended.

In his News story “Global warming has made iconic Andean peak unrecognizable” (11 September, ), T. Appenzeller describes current scientific work based on Alexander von Humboldt's 1807 illustrated map of plant species found on Ecuador's Mount Chimborazo. Some of this work has pointed out inaccuracies in the map, but it is important to remember that Humboldt was well aware of these imperfections [([ 1 ][1]), p. 44]. The recent scrutiny that the Tableau has received is puzzling. The illustration's legend clearly reads that it is a summary of all of the observations by Humboldt and fellow botanist Aime Bonpland in the Andes and neighboring countries [([ 1 ][1]), p. 156]. It seems a stretch to draw too fine conclusions from an illustration that aimed to synthesize observations over a distance of 20° latitude (approximately 2200 km) and a vertical extent of about 6.3 km (the top of Chimborazo is 6268 m) flattened into a two-dimensional drawing (the central panel of the illustration is 40 by 50 cm with a vertical scale of 18 mm for each 500 m) [([ 1 ][1]), p. 156]. The legacy of the Tableau from a botanical point of view is the amazing number of new plant species amassed during the 5-year voyage and the contribution to our knowledge through publications. Two hundred years later, we are still using and updating names of the species Humboldt observed. His timeless Tableau should be considered as originally intended by the author: an innovative depiction and a clever summary of the colossal information his team gathered during their exploration of South America's equatorial regions. 1. [↵][2]1. A. von Humboldt, 2. A. Bonpland , Essai sur la geographie des plantes; accompagne d'un tableau physique des regions equinoxiales (Chez Levrault, Schoell et Compagnie, Libraires, Paris, 1805 [1807]); [www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/9309#/summary][3] [in French]. [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [3]: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/9309#/summary
An Adaptive Linear Estimator Based Approach to Bi-Directional Motion Compensated Prediction

Bi-directional motion compensated prediction is widely utilized in video coding. Conventionally, the encoder searches for two motion vectors pointing to reference frames in both directions, and transmits these motion vectors to the decoder. Recognizing that the two reference frames are already available to the decoder, prior work proposed decoder-side motion estimation to extract motion information or optical flow, at the cost of dramatic increase in decoder complexity. This paper proposes a novel bi-directional motion compensation mode that efficiently utilizes the motion information that is already available to the decoder, without recourse to extensive search. An estimation theory based approach is proposed and utilized to provide a high quality prediction, which adaptively combines contributions from multiple motion-compensated references. Experimental results show that the proposed method, while yielding a greatly reduced decoder side complexity, introduces a significant coding gain for a diverse set of video sequences.
Impact of COVID-19 predicts perceived risk more strongly than known demographic risk factors.

Abstract Objective To identify the factors associated with perceived COVID-19 risk among people living in the US. Methods A cross-sectional representative sample of 485 US residents was collected in mid-April 2020. Participants were asked about (a) perceptions of COVID-19 risk, (b) demographic factors known to be associated with increased COVID-19 risk, and (c) the impact of COVID-19 on different life domains. We used a three-step hierarchical linear regression model to assess the differential contribution of the factors listed above on perceived COVID-19 risk. Results The final model accounted for 16% of variability in perceived risk, F(18,458) = 4.8, p Conclusions Perceived risk was not found to be associated with known demographic risk factors, except that the effect of race/ethnicity was in the opposite direction of existing evidence. Perception of COVID-19 risk was associated with the perceived personal impact of the pandemic.
Refugees in Resettlement: Processes, Policies, and Mental Health in the United States:

According to 2019 data, there are 26 million refugees and 3.5 million asylum seekers around the globe, representing a major humanitarian crisis. This Major Contribution provides information on the ...
Cryptocurrency value formation: An empirical study leading to a cost of production model for valuing bitcoin

Abstract This paper aims to identify the likely determinants for cryptocurrency value formation, including for that of bitcoin. Due to Bitcoin’s growing popular appeal and merchant acceptance, it has become increasingly important to try to understand the factors that influence its value formation. Presently, the value of all bitcoins in existence represent approximately $7 billion, and more than $60 million of notional value changes hands each day. Having grown rapidly over the past few years, there is now a developing but vibrant marketplace for bitcoin, and a recognition of digital currencies as an emerging asset class. Not only is there a listed and over-the-counter market for bitcoin and other digital currencies, but also an emergent derivatives market. As such, the ability to value bitcoin and related cryptocurrencies is becoming critical to its establishment as a legitimate financial asset. Using cross-sectional empirical data examining 66 of the most widely used cryptocurrencies, a regression model was estimated that points to three main drivers of cryptocurrency value: the level of competition in the network of producers, the rate of unit production, and the difficulty of algorithm used to “mine” for the cryptocurrency. These amount to relative differences in the cost of production of one digital currency over another at the margin, pointing to differences in relative cost of production – electricity goes in, cryptocurrency comes out. Using that as a starting point, a no-arbitrage situation is established for Bitcoin-like cryptocurrencies followed by the formalization of a cost of production model to determine the fair value of a bitcoin.
An Analysis of Joan Robinson’s 1972 Article ‘What Has Become of the Keynesian Revolution?’ In Light of Keynes’s Assessment of Her Understanding of His Liquidity Preference Theory of the Rate of Interest in His Letter of November 9th, 1936: ‘…For Your Argument… Is Most Certainly Nonsense.’

Keynes ‘s first paragraph in his letter of the 9th of November, 1936, to Joan Robinson is the following two lines: “I beg you not to publish. For your argument as it stands is most certainly nonsense.” Anyone who reads this correspondence will soon realize that it was simply impossible for Joan Robinson to have aided or contributed in any way to the development of the General Theory between 1930 and February, 1936, given the nature of these exchanges. Keynes is very specific as regards his Liquidity preference theory of the rate of interest: “You do not seem to realize that if you are right the whole theory of liquidity preference has to be thrown overboard…Such a conclusion cannot be brought in as a tacit inference from an unargued obiter dictum.” Given this clear and unambiguous statement by Keynes, how is it possible for joan Robinson to claim that she knows what Keynes was doing in the General Theory In 1936, in a reply to an article by H. Neisser, criticizing certain aspects of the Investment multiplier, R. Kahn stated quite frankly that ‘My own ideas were largely derived from Mr. Keynes’. It should come as no surprise that the three article exchange between Neisser and Kahn in 1936 was never mentioned by J. Robinson in any of her published work in her lifetime. The reason that it was never mentioned is because Kahn’s statement directly conflicts with and undermines the claims made about the history of the development of the multiplier by Robinson. It is interesting that, in her discussions of uncertainty in this paper, there is no mention made of Keynes’s clear-cut definition of Uncertainty as a Function of the Weight of the Argument on pages 148 and 240 of the General Theory. Robinson never supplied any definition of uncertainty in her article. Even more interesting is J. Robinson’s comments in 1972 that demonstrate a complete and total failure on her part to recognize Keynes’s concept of multiple equilibria in a macro model that has absolutely nothing to do with Marshallian partial equilibrium approach, as well as her complete and total failure to absorb Keynes’s IS-LM model in chapter 21 in Part IV on pp. 298-299 of the General Theory that was built on the foundation of chapter 20’s mathematical representation of the theory of effective demand using the D-Z model. Keynes’s General Theory is not about a single D function and a single Z function, but an entire set of such functions, only one of which will specify an actual amount of aggregate effective demand, Y, which ,when combined with r, the actual long run nominal rate of interest, specifies the (r, Y)space for the use of the IS and LM model.
Non-Breeding Behavior and Diet of Loggerhead Shrikes in an Intensive Agricultural Region

As agricultural conversion has transformed the landscape across the central United States, populations of grassland-associated species, such as those of Lanius ludovicianus (Loggerhead Shrike), have declined. Understanding the ecology and behavior of grassland species in these highly anthropogenic, agricultural landscapes provides vital information for conservation efforts. However, few studies have assessed the ecology and behavior of this species in intensive agricultural areas, especially during the potentially critical nonbreeding season. To help fill these knowledge gaps, we used direct behavioral and larder surveys to describe the non-breeding ecology and behavior of Loggerhead Shrikes in the agriculturally dominated Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Arkansas. Over 3 winters, we observed behavior of Loggerhead Shrikes and found that they spent most of their time perched and scanning for prey (81%), mainly from utility wires (68% of used perches). On average, they made 14.9 ± 1.2 foraging attempts/hr and focused their efforts mostly in right-of-way grasses and adjacent agricultural fields. Overall, individual foraging success rates averaged 58%, did not differ amongst microhabitats, and were comparable to rates reported for breeding Loggerhead Shrikes from other habitats at similar latitudes. Arthropods were the most frequently captured prey (76%; based on direct behavioral surveys), and anurans were the most commonly cached prey (43% of observed cached items). In total, our study highlights the importance of utility wires and rights-of-way for foraging and arthropods as food sources, throughout even the coldest months of the year at this latitude, and increases our understanding of the behavior and ecology of the Loggerhead Shrike in these contexts.
Clinical utility and cost-effectiveness analysis of chromosome testing concomitant with chromosomal microarray of patients with constitutional disorders in a U.S. academic medical center

Chromosomal microarray (CMA) is now widely used as first-tier testing for the detection of copy number variants (CNVs) and absence of heterozygosity (AOH) in patients with multiple congenital anomalies (MCA), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delay (DD), and/or intellectual disability (ID). Chromosome analysis is commonly used to complement CMA in the detection of balanced genomic aberrations. However, the cost-effectiveness and the impact on clinical management of chromosome analysis concomitant with CMA were not well studied, and there is no consensus on how to best utilize these two tests. To assess the clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of chromosome analysis concomitant with CMA in patients with MCA, ASD, DD, and/or ID, we retrospectively analyzed 3,360 postnatal cases for which CMA and concomitant chromosome analysis were performed in the Colorado Genetic Laboratory (CGL) at the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine. Chromosome analysis alone yielded a genetic diagnosis in two patients (0.06%) and contributed additional information to CMA results in 199 (5.92%) cases. The impact of abnormal chromosome results on patient management was primarily related to counseling for reproductive and recurrence risks assessment (101 cases, 3.01%) while a few (5 cases, 0.15%) led to changes in laboratory testing and specialist referral (25 cases, 0.74%). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of combined testing demonstrated the cost of each informative chromosome finding was significantly higher for patients with clinically insignificant (CI) CMA findings versus clinically significant (CS) CMA results. Our results suggest that a stepwise approach with CMA testing with reflex to chromosome analysis on cases with CS CMA findings is a more cost-effective testing algorithm for patients with MCA, ASD, and/or DD/ID.
Melatonin to Treat Insomnia in Older Adults.

Melatonin preparations reduce sleep-onset latency, increase total sleep time, and slightly improve sleep efficiency. Prolonged-release melatonin reduces sleep-onset latency in older adults and has rates of adverse effects similar to those of placebo.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus-Receptor Interactions: Role in Pathogenesis and Tissue Culture Adaptation

This chapter examines the early events that occur upon infection of cultured cells with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and defines the known virus-receptor interactions. In addition, the authors try to relate what is known about these early interactions to disease pathogenesis. The first identification of the integrin receptor for FMDV was made by comparing its receptor specificity with that of the human enterovirus, coxsackievirus A9 (CAV9), which contains a 17-amino-acid C-terminal insertion in VPl containing an arginineglycine- aspartic acid (RGD) sequence. Other important functional domains of integrins include the cytoplasmic domains of the α and β subunits. The authors examined the role of the cytoplasmic domains of the bovine integrin αv β3 in FMDV infection of cultured cells. While they have learned much about the early interactions of FMDV with its receptors in vitro, the role these receptors play in the pathogenesis of the disease is still unclear. Studies on the pathogenesis of FMD have shown that initial sites of viral replication are the lung and pharyngeal areas followed by rapid dissemination of the virus to the oral and pedal epithelia. Application of knowledge of the detailed mechanisms of FMDV-receptor interactions in vitro to the disease in the whole animal should provide insights into viral pathogenesis and may provide new information on how to control this important disease. Thus, future research should concentrate on determining which of the RGD-binding integrins found in susceptible hosts are capable of serving as receptors for FMDV.
Ripstein, Reasonableness, and Objectivity

In this review essay, I examine and criticize Arthur Ripstein's notions of objectivity and reasonableness that he makes central to the philosophy of both tort law and criminal law. Ripstein holds that what is reasonable conduct is an objective matter that turns neither on how the actor perceives the situation nor on the particular costs and benefits that will accrue to the actor from engaging or failing to engage in the conduct. On the other hand, Ripstein does argue that how conduct appears "objectively" is relevant to the doctrines of self-defense and attempts. I argue that Ripstein's notions of objectivity and reasonableness are both theoretically untenable and normatively inert. At bottom, the source of Ripstein's difficulty is the point that both risk and appearance are always perspectival-relative to someone's point of view.
Retinoid processing in retinal pigment epithelium of toad (Bufo marinus).

Abstract The formation of 11-cis-[3H]retinal in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and its release to extracellular medium containing interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) were studied in the RPE eyecup of the toad (Bufo marinus). The RPE was labeled with all-trans-[3H]retinol during an initial 1-h incubation. In phase 2 of the incubation (0-2 h), the extracellular medium contained initially ligand-free IRBP (0-26 microM). Retinoids subsequently extracted from the extracellular medium and RPE were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography and scintillation counting. IRBP increased both the molar amount and specific radioactivity of 11-cis-retinal released by the RPE during phase 2. The molar amount of 11-cis-retinal in the RPE was small relative to that of retinal released with high IRBP. With 21 microM IRBP and phase 2 incubations of > or = 10 min, the specific radioactivity of released 11-cis-retinal exceeded that of all-trans-retinyl ester in the RPE. The specific radioactivity of 11-cis-retinyl ester was less than that of all-trans-ester, independent of IRBP concentration. The results indicate that IRBP promotes the formation (from all-trans-precursor) as well as the release of 11-cis-retinal and suggest the preferred utilization of recently incorporated and esterified all-trans-retinol in 11-cis-retinal synthesis in a "last in/first out" manner.
Magnetic field configuration of active region NOAA 6555 at the time of a long-duration flare on 23 March 1991 – An Exception to Standard Flare Reconnection Model

The high-resolution H(sub alpha) images observed during the decay phase of a long duration flare on 23 March 1991 are used to study the three-dimensional magnetic field configuration of the active region NOAA 6555. Whereas, all the large flares in NOAA 6555 occurred at the location of high magnetic shear and flux emergence, this long duration flare was observed in the region of low magnetic shear at the photosphere. The H(sub alpha) loop activity started soon after the maximum phase of the flare. There were few long loop at the initial phase of the activity. Some of these were sheared in the chromosphere at an angle of about 45 deg with the east-west axis. Gradually, increasing number of shorter loops, oriented along the east-west axis, started appearing. The chromospheric Dopplergrams show blue-shifts at the end points of the loops. By using different magnetic field models, we have extrapolated the photospheric magnetograms to the chromospheric heights. The magnetic field lines computed by using the potential field model correspond to most of the observed H(sub alpha) loops. The height of the H(sub alpha) loops were derived by comparing them with the computed field lines. From the temporal evolution of the H(sub alpha) loop activity, we derive the negative rate of appearance of H(sub alpha) features as a function of height. It is found that the field lines oriented along one of the neutral lines was sheared and low lying. The higher field lines were mostly potential. The paper also outlines a possible scenario for describing the post-flare stage of the observed long duration flare.
Surgical risks and advance directives.

Mrs. P is a seventy-six-year old woman with osteoporosis and a failed left hip prosthesis. In addition, she has severe chronic asthmatic bronchitis. The management of her lung disease has been hampered by her allergy to theophylline, which is one of the mainstays of treatment. As a result, she has had increasing difficulty walking and confinement to a wheelchair is imminent. When surgery to replace the prosthesis was recommended, Mrs. P expressed concern about the possibility of ending up after the operation dependent on a ventilator, possibly comatose. She feared that her resources would be depleted for medical expenses. Little or nothing would be left to pass on to her children. She was willing to have an operation only if she could prepare a legal document that, in the event of prolonged ventilator dependence, would require her physician to remove her from the ventilator after a specified time (for example, two weeks). Should the surgeon agree to be bound by Mrs. P's instructions, or should he refuse her request even if doing so means that she will not have the surgery that might prevent increasing disability?
Hormone receptor negative and basal-like subtypes are overrepresented in invasive breast carcinoma from women of African ancestry

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 2550 Purpose: Gene expression profile of breast carcinomas distinguish molecular subsets of estrogen receptor (ER)+/luminal, normal breast-like, HER2 overexpressing, and basal-like groups with clinical implications. A panel of four antibodies (ER, HER1, HER2, and cytokeratin 5/6) may identify these subsets. In this report, we surveyed a series of invasive breast tumors from Nigerian patients to ascertain the relative frequency of these subtypes as breast cancers can display distinct biological characteristics in different ethnic populations. Experimental Design: On archival breast cancer tissue diagnosed in Nigeria, immunohistochemical staining for ER and Cytokeratin 5/6 were performed using Anti-ER (clone 6F11; 1:40, Novocastra) and Anti- Cytokeratin 5/6 (1:10, Boehringer Mannheim). HER1 and HER2 were stained using the PharmDX and Herceptest kits, respectively, according to manufacturer’s instructions (DAKO). Result: Of the 148 cases, 67% were premenopausal with a mean age of 43.8±11.2 years; large tumor size (mean 4.2±1.3cm); 78% had histological grade 2 or 3. ER expression was present in only 23.0% and HER2 was overexpressed in 19%. HER1 and Cytokeratin 5/6 expression were present in 40% and 23%. The proportion of tumors in each subtype was: ER-HER2- 86/148 (58%), HER2+ 28/148 (19%) and ER+ 34/148 (23%). In the ER-HER2- subset, HER1 and anti-Cytokeratin expressions were observed in 35/86 (41%) and 12/86 (14%), respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that molecularly portraits of breast tumors are broadly conserved between women of African and European ancestry. However the relative frequencies of the subsets differ, with a majority of tumors from Nigeria lacking the expression of important therapeutic targets like ER, HER2 and HER1. These findings provide further evidence that breast tumor subtypes with the worse outcomes are overrepresented in women of African ancestry. Novel therapeutic targets are desperately needed to combat disparities in health outcomes associated with these tumor subtypes. * Perou CM et al. Immunohistochemical and clinical characterization of the basal-like subtype of invasive breast carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2004;10:5367-74. ![Figure][1] [1]: pending:yes
Becoming Muslim in imperial Russia: conversion, apostasy, and literacy

In this much-needed and fascinating study, Agnes Nilufer Kefeli unravels a story of the Krashens, baptized Tatars who apostatized in masses throughout the long nineteenth century. How and why this ...
The ionization of gamma-ray burst environments

If a gamma‐ray burst (GRB) occurs in a neutral medium, ionizing radiation associated with the burst will flash‐photoionize a region surrounding the source. Detection of the line emission from this ionized region can constrain the flux of ionizing radiation accompanying the GRB and the density and ionization state of the environment surrounding the burst source. If the medium is sufficiently dense then the ionized region will recombine and fade on human timescales, aiding in the detection of the burst location and further constraining the density of the medium. However, dust within the dense medium may attenuate the line flux; the burst is unlikely to melt the dust along the line‐of‐sight. Astronomically interesting flux limits can be established by observations with reasonable integration times on a major telescope (e.g., 3 meter or larger).
A Simplified Determination of Urinary Cadmium, Lead, and Thallium, with Use of Carbon Rod Atomization and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

Lead, cadmium, and thallium are determined in a single 3-ml urine sample. The three metals, simultaneously chelated with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, are extracted (at pH 3-7) into methyl isobutyl ketone (isopropylacetone), and the carbon rod atomizer, in conjunction with atomic absorption spectrophotometry, is used to analyze the extracts. Small sample requirements (1.6 µl) permit the extraction to be carried out in small-volume disposable glassware, with use of disposable pipets. Within-run coefficients of variation were all less than 5%; recovery ranged from 96-106%. Several normal urinary constituents, added in excess, negligibly affected recoveries. Ethylenediaminetetraacetate in the urine inhibited recovery of lead; this was reversed by adding excess calcium to the urine before extraction. The method of standard additions was used to compensate for differences between standards and unknowns caused by matrix effects.
Estimating Substitution Rates in Ribosomal RNA Genes

A model is introduced describing nucleotide substitution in ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. In this model, substitution in the stem and loop regions of rRNA is modeled with 16- and four-state continuous time Markov chains, respectively. The mean substitution rates at nucleotide sites are assumed to follow gamma distributions that are different for the two types of regions. The simplest formulation of the model allows for explicit expressions for transition probabilities of the Markov processes to be found. These expressions were used to analyze several 16S-like rRNA genes from higher eukaryotes with the maximum likelihood method. Although the observed proportion of invariable sites was only slightly higher in the stem regions, the estimated average substitution rates in the stem regions were almost two times as high as in the loop regions. Therefore, the degree of site heterogeneity of substitution rates in the stem regions seems to be higher than in the loop regions of animal 16S-like rRNAs due to presence of a few rapidly evolving sites. The model appears to be helpful in understanding the regularities of nucleotide substitution in rRNAs and probably minimizing errors in recovering phylogeny for distantly related taxa from these genes.
Development of an 19F NMR method for the analysis of fluorinated acids in environmental water samples.

This investigation was carried out to evaluate 19F NMR as an analytical tool for the measurement of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and other fluorinated acids in the aquatic environment. A method based upon strong anionic exchange (SAX) chromatography was also optimized for the concentration of the fluoro acids prior to NMR analysis. Extraction of the analyte from the SAX column was carried out directly in the NMR solvent in the presence of the strong organic base, DBU. The method allowed the analysis of the acid without any prior cleanup steps being involved. Optimal NMR sensitivity based upon T1 relaxation times was investigated for seven fluorinated compounds in four different NMR solvents. The use of the relaxation agent chromium acetylacetonate, Cr(acac)3, within these solvent systems was also evaluated. Results show that the optimal NMR solvent differs for each fluorinated analyte. Cr(acac)3 was shown to have pronounced effects on the limits of detection of the analyte. Generally, the optimal sensitivit...