cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical composition and digestibility of Trifolium exposed to elevated ozone and carbon dioxide in a free‐air (FACE) fumigation system

Summary 1Tropospheric ozone (O3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are significant drivers of plant growth and chemical composition. We hypothesized that exposure to elevated concentrations of O3 and CO2, singly and in combination, would modify the chemical composition of Trifolium and thus alter its digestibility and nutritive quality for ruminant herbivores. 2We tested our hypothesis by collecting samples of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) and White Clover (Trifolium repens) from the understoreys of Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides)–Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) communities that had been exposed since 1998 to ambient air, elevated CO2, elevated O3 or elevated CO2 + O3 at the Aspen Free-Air CO2 and O3 Enrichment (FACE) site located near Rhinelander, WI, USA. Foliage samples were analysed for (1) concentrations of N, total cell wall constituents, lignin and soluble phenolics; and (2) in vitro dry-matter digestibility (IVDMD) and in vitro cell-wall digestibility (IVCWD) using batch cultures of ruminal micro-organisms. 3Significant air-treatment effects were observed for lignin concentration, IVDMD and IVCWD, and between Red and White Clover for all dependent variables. No air treatment × clover species interactions were detected. 4Exposure to elevated O3 resulted in increased concentration of lignin and decreased IVDMD and IVCWD compared with exposure to ambient air, and the response was similar regardless of whether plants had been coexposed to elevated CO2. Exposure to elevated CO2 alone did not affect chemical composition or in vitro digestibility, nor did it ameliorate the negative effect of elevated O3 on these determinants of nutritive quality for ruminant herbivores. 5In contrast to recent reports of a protective effect of elevated CO2 against growth reduction in plants under O3 stress, our results indicate that elevated CO2 would not be expected to ameliorate the negative impact of elevated O3 on nutritive quality of Trifolium under projected future global climate scenarios.
Interfacial study of Crofer 22 APU interconnect-SABS-0 seal glass for solid oxide fuel/electrolyzer cells

In planar solid oxide fuel and electrolyzer cells, compatibility and thermochemical stability of interconnect-seal glass interface is essential in order to avoid mixing and leakage of different gases and degradation of cell performances. In the present work, interfacial compatibility and thermochemical stability are studied for an alkaline earth silicate based glass (SABS-0) and Crofer 22 APU interconnect system with respect to thermal treatment temperature (700–850 °C) and time (0–100 h). The study has been carried out in argon to avoid complications from oxidation. Even though pore and crack-free interface is obtained and maintained for all the thermal treatment conditions, there are simultaneous diffusion of the Crofer 22 APU and the SABS-0 glass elements, chemical reaction at the Crofer 22 APU/SABS-0 interface, and devitrification of the SABS-0 glass itself.
Alternative Form of Dempster's Rule for Binary Variables

This is the author's final draft. The publisher's official version is available electronically from: .
A reliable distributed system using dual level fault tolerance

A reliable distributed environment was developed by beginning with a working distributed environment (POSYBL) that contained no explicitly implemented fault tolerant techniques, and augmenting the system with a dual level of fault tolerance. This created the fault tolerant POSYBL environment. Surveying of several current fault tolerant techniques and estimating the amount of reliability each technique would make towards a reliable distributed system showed that there does not exist a single practical fault tolerant technique that would handle half of a certain set of reliability concerns. Addressing less than half of the set of reliability concerns does not make a system fault tolerant for that set of concerns. Therefore, more than one technique was used to create the fault tolerant POSYBL system, which handles a majority of the listed reliability concerns. >
Representing energy technologies in top-down economic models using bottom-up information

The rate and magnitude of technological change is a critical component in estimating future anthropogenic carbon emissions. We present a methodology for modeling low-carbon emitting technologies within the MIT Emissions Prediction and Policy Analysis (EPPA) model, a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the world economy. The methodology translates bottom-up engineering information for two carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies in the electric power sector into the EPPA model and discusses issues that arise in assuring an accurate representation and realistic market penetration. We find that coal-based technologies with sequestration penetrate, despite their higher cost today, because of projected rising natural gas prices. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The effects of adenosine triphosphate and related compounds on some hydrodynamic properties of glycerinated cilia.

Cilia were isolated from Tetrahymena pyriformis by a glycerol method. The addition of low concentrations of ATP, but not of other nucleoside triphosphates, caused an increase of up to twofold in the amount of cilia pelleted in a low-speed centrifugation assay and decreased the density of the pellets compared to control pellets. Pellet size and density depend on pH, both in the absence and in the presence of low concentrations of ATP. High concentrations (5 mM and above) of ATP and of other nucleoside triphosphates tend to "dissolve" the cilia. Heating the cilia for 11 min at 40°C abolishes the increase in pellet size and the decrease in pellet density caused by low ATP, but slightly increases the ATPase activity of the cilia. Heat treatment, however, does not prevent the dissolving effect of high ATP. There are, thus, two independent effects of ATP on the hydrodynamic properties of cilia suspensions.
Analysis and design of short block OFDM spreading matrices for use on multipath fading channels

We consider the use of block spreading in a multicarrier system to gain diversity advantage when employed over multipath fading channels. The main idea is to split the full set of subcarriers into smaller blocks and spread the data symbols across these blocks via unitary spreading matrices in order to gain multipath diversity across each block at the receiver. We pose the problem of designing the spreading matrix as a finite dimensional optimization problem in which the asymptotic error is minimized. This formulation allows us to find explicit solutions for the optimal spreading matrices. The performance is validated for the uncoded channel as well as for the coded channel employing turbo-iterative decoding. We further demonstrate that suboptimal linear complexity equalization strategies for spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) do not gain any diversity advantage over traditional diagonal OFDM.
Morphologic and biomechanical determinants in the selection of orthognathic surgery procedures.

Abstract Purpose: This study examined which features of craniofacial morphology are most important in the selection of an orthognathic surgery procedure by 1) producing a small number of composite variables representing multiple measures of craniofacial morphology and craniofacial biomechanics, and 2) looking for correlations between these composite variables and selected orthognathic surgery procedures. Patients and Methods: Lateral cephalograms of 201 adult subjects (71 men and 130 women) were used to generate 47 standard cephalometric measures and 30 biomechanical measures. Of the 201 subjects, 121 were scheduled for orthognathic surgery to treat a variety of dentofacial deformities. Factor analysis reduced the number of variables by identifying underlying latent composite variables, thereby strengthening correlations among the reduced number. Weightings for each factor were than compared among the orthognathic surgery procedures, indicating which factors may have influenced the selection of that procedure. Results: Factor analysis determined 12 factors (explaining 93% of the variance) for the morphologic measurements and 6 factors (explaining 90% of the variance) for the biomechanical measurements. However, only 6 of the morphology factors (accounting for 53% of the morphologic variance) and 5 of the biomechanics factors (accounting for 69% of the biomechanics variance) significantly separated any of the 10 treatment groups. The separating morphology factors were generally related to relative maxillary and mandibular position or dental relationships. Of these, relative maxilla/mandible anteroposterior position was most important for defining the surgery groups. The biomechanics of the lateral pterygoid muscles did not contribute to separation of the groups. Conclusions: Only a subset of available morphologic information was used to select surgical treatment. The most important factors in treatment selection were difference in maxillary and mandibular lengths and differences in anterior and posterior facial height. Standard morphology factors accounting for 40% of the total morphologic variance apparently played no role in selection of treatment. Several biomechanical factors differentiated treatment groups as well as or better than some standard morphology factors.
Within-season Nest Persistence in Large Wading Bird Rookeries

Abstract Within-season nest persistence of large wading bird (Ciconiiformes) rookeries in the Atchafalaya Delta, Louisiana was examined during 1994 and 1995. A sample of rookery trees was permanently marked, and the status of 7,864 nests of ten species was followed through time. Nest construction began in early March, and some rookeries were still active into September during both seasons. Uniform nest persistence rates were calculated for each 28-day time period throughout the nesting season. Nest persistence rates per 28 days ranged from 0.00-0.96. During both years the rates tended to be lowest during the early season and increased into the late season. In 1994, nest persistence rates were significantly different, caused by the interaction of season and late nesting of White Ibis. In 1995, nest persistence rates differed significantly by season. The results call into question the value of nest counts obtained by one visit to a rookery complex, as these may greatly underestimate the numbers of breeding ...
Self-similar inverse cascade of magnetic helicity driven by the chiral anomaly

For systems with charged chiral fermions, the imbalance of chirality in the presence of magnetic field generates an electric current—this is the chiral magnetic effect (CME). We study the dynamical real-time evolution of electromagnetic fields coupled by the anomaly to the chiral charge density and the CME current by solving the Maxwell-Chern-Simons equations. We find that the CME induces the inverse cascade of magnetic helicity toward the large distances, and that at late times this cascade becomes self-similar, with universal exponents. We also find that in terms of gauge field topology the inverse cascade represents the transition from linked electric and magnetic fields (Hopfions) to the knotted configuration of magnetic field (Chandrasekhar-Kendall states). The magnetic reconnections are accompanied by the pulses of the CME current directed along the magnetic field lines. In conclusion, we devise an experimental signature of these phenomena in heavy ion collisions, and speculate about implications for condensed matter systems.
Locus Of Control And Dysfunctional Audit Behavior

The Panel on Audit Effectiveness suggested that dysfunctional audit behavior (DAB) was associated with decreased audit quality (Public Oversight Board 2000). Recent, notable audit failures have also rekindled criticisms of audit quality. The current study presents the results of a survey in which 134 auditors were asked to report their perceived levels of three widely-cited DABs in their firms: occurrence of premature sign-offs, altering/replacing audit procedures, and underreporting of time. Although the overall results can be characterized as positive for the auditing profession, a systematic pattern in the results was identified. Specifically, statistical analysis suggests that perceptions of DAB were associated with a common personality variable, locus of control. Practical implications of this interesting finding are subsequently presented in the paper.
Surgical options for the middle-aged patient with osteoarthritis of the knee joint.

Arthritic disease of the knee joint hindering lifestyle choices in an active aging population has become increasingly frequent. The pathology within the knee joint can vary from localized unicompartmental arthritis to end-stage tricompartmental arthritis. Associated conditions include extensive meniscal degeneration, ligamentous instability, localized articular cartilage defects, limb malalignment, and joint-line obliquity. Nonoperative treatments to reduce the pain associated with joint inflammation include activity modification, weight loss, anti-inflammatory or analgesic medications, intra-articular injections, periarticular muscle-strengthening, and stress-offloading with braces or heel-wedges. However, when the pain and associated impairment do not resolve satisfactorily with nonoperative modalities, surgical intervention may be considered. Surgical options include arthroscopic debridement, ligamentous reconstruction, realignment osteotomy, unicompartmental arthroplasty, and total knee arthroplasty. In the absence of infection or extensor mechanism disruption, arthrodesis of the knee is an extremely rare option for the active middle-aged patient. For the purposes of this discussion, the middle-aged patient will be defined in chronological terms as being between forty and sixty years of age. The decision process leading to good patient selection is often complex and depends upon many variables (Table I). Since most middle-aged patients with arthritis of the knee joint eventually have a total knee arthroplasty, analysis and comparison of several parameters are integral to selecting the best surgical option. These parameters include (1) the clinical results or survivorship associated with a given procedure, (2) the morbidity and attendant complications of the procedure, (3) the difficulty of eventual conversion to a total knee arthroplasty, and (4) the effect of a given procedure on the outcome of an eventual total knee arthroplasty35. View this table: TABLE I: Variables Used for Selection of the Surgical Procedure The goal of patient selection for a surgical procedure in this young and active population should be extension of the lifetime of the natural knee joint when possible, but the …
Surface‐Directed Nanoepitaxy on a Surface with an Irregular Lattice

Understanding and developing metrics on how nanocrystals respond to local external surface stimuli at their interfaces during growth or operation is a key step in advancing scalable and deterministic approaches for fabricating functional one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) nanoscale networks. Here, we present early results on a general approach for surface-directed nanocrystal epitaxy on a surface with an irregular lattice constant. We show that patches of lattice matched areas as small as 7 nm in a background of surface lattice disorder could satisfy the condition for epitaxial growth of a crawling nanocrystal over the disordered region. Threshold of failure in nanocrystal epitaxy is found to depend on the spacing between the patches and their total surface area. Results indicate nanoepitaxy on a disordered surface occurs if it contains patches of lattice matched regions with at least 20% of surface coverage, illustrating the remarkable tolerance of this type of growth to surface lattice disorder. By adjusting this threshold, it is possible to scalably restrict nanocrystal growth, filter out single nanowires and partition nanowire heterojunctions into segments with different orientations or modulate their electronic structures. This approach is expected to impact epitaxy of highly-mismatched semiconductors and lead to realization of ultrathin heterojunctions of 1D-2D materials.
Maternal Infections During Pregnancy and Cerebral Palsy in the Child.

Abstract Background Chorioamnionitis is a risk factor for cerebral palsy. The relationship between extra-amniotic infections and cerebral palsy is less well studied. We examined maternal intra-amniotic and extra-amniotic infections and risk of cerebral palsy in the child. Methods Among a retrospective cohort of 6 million Californian births, 1991-2001, we analyzed administrative maternal and newborn hospital discharge abstracts linked to records of all children receiving services for cerebral palsy at the California Department of Developmental Services. We identified maternal hospital diagnoses of intra-amniotic (chorioamnionitis) and extra-amniotic (other genitourinary and respiratory) infections occurring up to 12 months before delivery. Using multivariable logistic regression, we determined the independent association between maternal infections and cerebral palsy, adjusting for infant sex, maternal age, race, education, socioeconomic status, and obesity. Results About 5.5% of mothers had a hospital discharge diagnosis of at least one of the following: chorioamnionitis (2.0%), other genitourinary (3.1%), and respiratory infection (0.6%). An infection diagnosis was more common in mothers of the 8473 infants with cerebral palsy than in mothers of unaffected children (13.7% vs 5.5%, P Conclusions Maternal extra-amniotic infections diagnosed in the hospital during pregnancy are associated with a modestly increased risk of cerebral palsy in the child.
Changes in the medical management of patients on opioid analgesics following a diagnosis of substance abuse

Purpose When providers recognize that patients are abusing prescription drugs, review of the drugs they are prescribed and attempts to treat the substance use disorder are warranted. However, little is known about whether prescribing patterns change following such a diagnosis. Methods We used national longitudinal health claims data from the Market Scan® commercial claims database for January 2010–June 2011. We used a cohort of 1.85 million adults 18–64 years old prescribed opioid analgesics but without abuse diagnoses during a 6-month “preabuse” period. We identified a subset of 9009 patients receiving diagnoses of abuse of non-illicit drugs (abuse group) during a 6-month “abuse” period and compared them with patients without such a diagnosis (nonabuse group) during both the abuse period and a subsequent 6-month “postabuse” period. Results During the abuse period 5.78% of the abuse group and 0.14% of the nonabuse group overdosed. Overdose rates declined to 2.12% in the abuse group in the postabuse period. Opioid prescribing rates declined 13.5%, and benzodiazepine rates declined 12.3% in the abuse group in the post-abuse period. Antidepressants and gabapentin were prescribed to roughly one half and one quarter of the abuse group, respectively, during all three periods. Daily opioid dosage did not decline in the abuse group following diagnosis. Conclusions Prescribing to people who abuse drugs changes little after their abuse is documented. Actions such as tapering opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions, maximizing alternative treatments for pain, and greater use of medication-assisted treatment such as buprenorphine could help reduce risk in this population. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA
X-Ray Photoelectron Diffraction Measurements of Hexagonal GaN(0004) Thin Films

We report on the first scanned-angle x-ray photoelectron diffraction measurements on GaN(0001) in the wurtzite structure, as grown on sapphire substrates using MOCVD. These as-grown samples reveal forward scattering peaks in agreement with a theoretical calculation using a single scattering cluster calculation. The surface contamination by O and C does not exhibit any clear structure. From the combination of experiment and theoretical calculation and from a simple intensity ratio argument the surface termination for these samples could be determined to be N. The data also indicate that C is on average closer to the GaN surface than O.
James A. Grant and the Introduction of Christianity in Uganda

Henry Morton Stanley generally is credited with providing the stimulus which initially directed the attention of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) to the lake regions of Africa. Un doubtedly, Stanley's famous 1875 letter to the Daily Telegraph appealing for the introduction of Christianity in Uganda was the catalyst that stirred British imaginations and opened philan thropic purse strings to pursue this noble end. Moreover, the romantic, if frequently controversial, aura that surrounded Stan ley's every venture in Africa added to the clarion impact of his poignant plea. Stanley's abundant energies, however, soon were directed elsewhere, and the details of the proposed mission await ed the attention of lesser mortals. There is an element of irony inherent in this development, because another renowned explor er, John Speke, actually had anticipated Stanley's approach to the CMS by fifteen years. Furthermore, a third African trav eller, James A. Grant, proffered the practical advice and assis tance that made possible the ultimate founding of the CMS's Nyanza Mission. The latter two individuals, particularly Grant, deserve a large measure of the credit due explorers in the intro duction of Christianity to Africa's interlacustrine regions. Fur thermore, Grant's activities on behalf of missions constituted an important link in the chain of events that led to formal British rule in Uganda. Today Grant's contributions to this pioneering proselytising effort are, like virtually every aspect of his career, largely forgot ten. He is remembered, if at all, in his capacity as Speke's second-in-command during the latter's return journey to Lake Victoria. Some of this obscurity can be ascribed to Grant's per
Apoptosis as the focus of an authentic research experience in a cell physiology laboratory

Curriculum-embedded independent research is a high-impact teaching practice that has been shown to increase student engagement and learning. This article describes a multiweek laboratory project for an upper-division undergraduate cell physiology laboratory using apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway as the overarching theme. Students did literature research on apoptotic agents that acted via the mitochondrial pathway. Compounds ranged from natural products such as curcumin to synthetic compounds such as etoposide. Groups of two to three students planned a series of experiments using one of three cultured cell lines that required them to 1) learn to culture cells; 2) determine treatment conditions, including apoptotic agent solubility and concentration ranges that had been reported in the literature; 3) choose two methods to validate/quantify apoptotic capacity of the reagent; and 4) attempt to "rescue" cells from undergoing apoptosis using one of several available compounds/methods. In essence, given some reagent and equipment constraints, students designed an independent experiment to highlight the effects of different apoptotic agents on cells in culture. Students presented their experimental designs as in a laboratory group meeting and their final findings as a classroom "symposium." This exercise can be adapted to many different types of laboratories with greater or lesser equipment and instrumentation constraints, incorporates several core cell physiology methods, and encourages key experimental design and critical thinking components of independent research.
Assessment of lamb carcass composition from live animal measurement of bioelectrical impedance or ultrasonic tissue depths.

Market weight lambs, average weight 52.5 kg (±6.1), were used to evaluate nontraditional live animal measurements as predictors of carcass composition. The sample population (n = 106) represented U.S. market lambs and transcended geographic location, breed, carcass weight, yield grade, and production system. Realtime ultrasonic (RU) measurements and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) were used for development and evaluation of prediction equations for % boneless, closely trimmed primal cuts (BCTPC), weight or % of dissected lean tissue (TDL), and chemically derived weight or % fat-free lean (FFL). Longitudinal ultrasonic images were obtained parallel to the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL), positioning the last costae in the center of the transducer head. Images were saved and fat and LTL depths were derived from printed images of the ultrasonic scans. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was administered via a four-terminal impedance plethysmograph operating at 800 μA at 50 kHz. Impedance measurements of whole-body resistance and reactance were recorded. Prediction equations including common linear measurements of live weight, heart girth, hindsaddle length, and shoulder height were also evaluated. All measurements were taken just before slaughter. Bioelectrical impedance measurements (as compared to RU and linear measurements) provided equations for %BCTPC, TDL, %TDL, FFL and %FFL with the highest R 2 and lowest root mean square error. Even though BIA provided the best equations of the three methodologies tested, prediction of proportional yield (%BCTPC, %TDL, and %FFL) was marginal (R 2 =.296,.551, and.551, respectively). Equations combining BIA, RU, and linear measurements greatly improved equations for prediction of proportional lean yield.
Early Versus Delayed Colonoscopy in Hospitalized Patients With Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Meta-Analysis.

Background Early colonoscopy is recommended for patients with severe lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). There is limited data as to whether this is associated with improved outcomes. Methods We performed a meta-analysis of studies comparing early ( 24 h). PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for manuscripts using colonoscopy as a diagnostic/treatment modality for patients hospitalized with LGIB. Studies were included if data were available on outcomes comparing early and delayed colonoscopy. Articles were reviewed for time to colonoscopy, rebleeding, mortality, length of stay (LOS), surgery, interventions, localization of LGIB, and number of packed red blood cells. Pooled measures were reported using the Mantel-Haenszel method. Results A total of 8491 studies were assessed of which 6 were included. There were 422 patients in the early arm and 479 in the delayed arm. There were no differences in age (64.2 vs. 65.7, P=0.85), admission hemoglobin (10.3 vs. 10.3 g/dL, P=0.96), LOS (5.21 vs. 6.09, P=0.52), and packed red blood cells transfusion (2.37 vs. 2.35, P=0.92) between the groups. In hospital mortality [odds ratio (OR), 1.64; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.51-5.32], rebleeding (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 0.85-2.23) and need for surgery (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.42-1.89) were not different in delayed versus early colonoscopy. Early colonoscopy was associated with a higher detection of bleeding source (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 2.11-4.19) and endoscopic intervention (OR, 3.99; 95% CI, 2.59-6.13). Conclusions Early colonoscopy is not associated with reduced rebleeding, LOS, or surgery but is associated with a higher rate of source localization and endoscopic intervention.
Surgical treatment of hepatic tumors and its molecular basis

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the basic features and techniques of hepatic surgery related to hepatic tumors and the current molecular basis on which these practices are based. The primary reasons to pursue the operative management of the benign tumors of the liver are: inability to exclude malignancy; the risk of rupture or hemorrhage; and incapacitating or debilitating symptoms. These specific operative indications will vary among individuals as well as by the nature of the tumor. If the ultrasound reveals a solid or cystic mass with a solid component in an individual, a computerized tomography (CT) should be performed first of all.. If there is still doubt, angiography or isotope scanning should be undertaken. The development of spiral CT angiography may supplant conventional angiography in the evaluation of liver masses. If the mass is not a hemangioma, then it probably represents a tumor—primary or metastatic. In general, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confers little benefit over CT scanning for the identification of liver masses, but can occasionally demonstrate the characteristics of hemangioma on T2-weighted imaging. MRI is also helpful in displaying the relationship of liver masses and the hepatic vasculature. The most common solid primary lesions include hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatic adenoma, and focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH). The diagnosis of FNH may be made by biopsy, but if there is any doubt, the lesion should be removed. In reality, adenomas should all be resected. With respect to metastatic lesions, the workup should involve the identification of the primary (if unknown), and preoperative evaluation for possible resection. ( The operative management of hepatic tumors begins with their recognition and proper preoperative diagnosis. Liver disease is divided into two basic categories: operable and inoperable. Bridging the gap between these two extremes is transplantable liver disease.
Technological Change and the Electric Power Industry: Insights from Telecommunications

This paper examines key parallels and differences between the electric utility and telecommunications industries with respect to the role played by new technology, and the particular prospects for electric power distributed resources (DR) in the electric utility industry. Technological change influences industry structure and affects regulatory policy. The paper explores how these dynamics play out in the transition from an industry characterized by vertical integration, natural monopoly, and cost-of-service regulation, to one exhibiting rapidly increasing product/service differentiation, market entry, as well as competition, new technology, and the evaporation of traditional economies of scale. The paper draws from the literature on technological innovation and industry structure, and builds on the premise that the competitive structure and dynamics of an industry reflect underlying product and process technologies.
Sometimes it is better to wait: First Italian case of a newborn with transient abnormal myelopoiesis and a favorable prognosis

Congenital leukemia is rare disease with an incidence of one to five cases per million births. Transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM), also called transient myeloproliferative disorder, is a pre-leukemia disorder that may occur in Down syndrome (DS) or non-DS infants. TAM may enter spontaneous remission; however, continual monitoring is required, as this disorder has been observed to develop into acute megakaryoblastic leukemia in 16-30% of cases. In the literature, 16 cases of TAM in non-DS infants have been reported. The case presented in the current study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of an Italian non-DS newborn presenting with clinical manifestations of acute leukemia at five days after birth, exhibiting a normal karyotype, trisomy 21 only in blast cells, and spontaneous remission. Chromosomal analyses on peripheral blood cells, bone marrow cells and dermal fibroblasts were conducted using a G-banding technique, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to identify the critical regions of DS. Amplification of GATA binding protein 1 (GATA1) exon 2 genomic DNA was performed using polymerase chain reaction. Cytogenetic analysis of 50 peripheral blood cells and dermal fibroblasts from the patient revealed a normal karyotype: 46, XX. Conversely, cytogenetic analysis of the patient's bone marrow revealed an abnormal karyotype 47, XX+21. In order to investigate this result, FISH was performed, which identified the presence of three signals in 70% of the cells and two signals in 30% of bone marrow cells. GATA1 sequencing revealed the substitution of a single base (c.150delG) in exon 2. Seven months after the initial analysis, FISH and cytogenetic analyses of the stimulated/unstimulated peripheral blood cells and bone marrow cells were performed, revealing that each exhibited diploid signals, as observed in a normal karyotype.
Persistence of GATA1+ Erythroid Progenitors In Vivo in Absence of Zebrafish SCL.

The stem cell leukemia ( SCL ) gene encodes a bHLH transcription factor essential to the primitive and definitive hematopoietic systems in vertebrates. In the zebrafish, studies of hematopoiesis have shown significant functional conservation with mammals. In order to assess the functions of scl in zebrafish primitive hematopoiesis, zebrafish embryos were analyzed after ablation of Scl protein by morpholino-modified antisense RNA injection. Embryos injected with morpholinos targeting the scl translation initiation site or two independent splice donor sites lacked circulating blood and exhibited cardiac edema by 28 hours post fertilization. RNA in situ hybridization analysis with a panel of hematopoietic-specific genes showed that myeloid lineage development in the anterior lateral mesoderm was absent upstream of draculin and pu.1 expression. In contrast, erythroid development in the posterior lateral mesoderm occurred with little or no functional Scl, as shown by expression of draculin , pu.1 , and gata1 in this PLM region. Primitive erythroid cells failed to mature, as evidenced by the absence of circulating cells after 24 hpf. Only upon titration of scl morpholinos to near toxic levels was gata1 reduced or absent in embryos at 21 somites. These findings show that scl plays a vital role in development of all hematopoietic lineages in zebrafish. However, these data reveal differential effects of reduction or loss of Scl on hematopoietic development in the anterior lateral mesoderm versus the posterior lateral mesoderm. The results reveal that reduction or loss of Scl affects erythroid development in the posterior lateral mesoderm or ICM at a progenitor stage of erythroid development, after initiation of gata1 and embryonic globin expression. These data suggest that early erythroid development in the zebrafish requires little or no Scl, while maturation of erythroid progenitors cannot occur in the absence of Scl. Myeloid development in the anterior lateral mesoderm is dependent upon Scl. This embryonic analysis in the zebrafish is the first to demonstrate a transient, in vivo population of erythroid precursors in embryos with severely reduced or absent expression of Scl.
Focusing light inside dynamic scattering media with millisecond digital optical phase conjugation.

Wavefront shaping based on digital optical phase conjugation (DOPC) focuses light through or inside scattering media, but the low speed of DOPC prevents it from being applied to thick, living biological tissue. Although a fast DOPC approach was recently developed, the reported single-shot wavefront measurement method does not work when the goal is to focus light inside, instead of through, highly scattering media. Here, using a ferroelectric liquid crystal based spatial light modulator, we develop a simpler but faster DOPC system that focuses light not only through, but also inside scattering media. By controlling 2.6×105 optical degrees of freedom, our system focused light through 3 mm thick moving chicken tissue, with a system latency of 3.0 ms. Using ultrasound-guided DOPC, along with a binary wavefront measurement method, our system focused light inside a scattering medium comprising moving tissue with a latency of 6.0 ms, which is one to two orders of magnitude shorter than those of previous digital wavefront shaping systems. Since the demonstrated speed approaches tissue decorrelation rates, this work is an important step toward in vivo deep-tissue non-invasive optical imaging, manipulation, and therapy.
Primitive accession derived germplasm by cultivar crosses as sources for cotton improvement: II. Genetic effects and genotypic values

Primitive accession derived germplasm of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., may provide useful traits for cultivar improvement. The ability to predict advanced generation performance when crossed with commercial cultivars would enhance their utility and encourage their use in breeding programs. Our objective for this study was to predict genetic effects for day-neutral derived lines derived from primitive accessions and crossed to cultivars using a mixed linear model approach. Parents and F 2 populations were grown at two field locations in 1998 and 1999 and parents and F 3 s were grown at two locations in 2000. Lint yield, yield components, and fiber quality traits were evaluated. An additive-dominance additive × additive (ADAA) model was used for genetic analysis. A mixed linear model, minimum norm quadratic unbiased estimation (MINQUE) was used to predict genetic effects and genotype values. Generally, the female cultivar parents had higher additive effects for lint yield and lint percentage; however, these females generally had lower additive effects for fiber strength. Significant AA effects widely existed among parents and F 2 populations for lint percentage, boll weight, and fiber strength. The correlation coefficients between observed values and predicted values were mainly high among traits and environments. These data suggest that it is appropriate to use the ADAA genetic model to predict genetic effects and hybrid genotypic values for advanced generations. Our study showed that fiber strength may be significantly improved over that of the female parents, while the lint yield was slightly but not significantly predicted to be less than their female parents. This study suggested that day-neutral primitive germplasm accessions provided a valuable gene resource for selecting high yielding lines with significantly improved fiber strength.
Theory for the number of genes affecting quantitative characters : II. Biases from drift, dominance, inequality of gene effects, linkage disequilibrium and epistasis.

Bias in the estimation of gene number from a population of finite size will be reduced when the number of generations and the selection differential in the primary selection program are increased. A procedure to minimize bias due to dominance is proposed. Bias due to linkage disequilibrium is decreased by long generations of selection and small change of linkage disequilibrium. Bias due to inequality of gene effects was studied assuming that gene effects follow a half normal distribution. The epistatic bias arising from multiplicative gene effects disappears when the logarithms of the original measurements are considered even though the gene number estimate is unsatisfactory without transformation.
Pay for Outsiders: Compensation Incentives for Nonfamily Executives in Family Firms

We examine how the unique contracting environment with modified agency conflicts in family firms influences compensation incentives for nonfamily executives. Nonfamily executives receive weaker pay-for-performance incentives as family monitoring reduces the need to use costly performance-based incentives. Family firms offer nonfamily executives weaker risk-taking incentives to protect family’s concentrated wealth and private benefits of control. The CEO-VP pay gap in family firms does not include tournament incentives when there are family vice-presidents as potential heirs and thus, is not related to firm performance in these firms. Nonfamily executives receive higher fixed pay in exchange for a lower upside potential in promotion and pay. Family influence on incentives depends on both the founding family ownership and founding family involvement in management. The effect of family ownership is significantly stronger than that of nonfamily blockholders, which suggests that family influence goes beyond concentrated ownership.
Radioactivity Trapped in Melt Produced by a Nuclear Explosion

An inventory of 137Cs, 106Ru, 125Sb, 144Ce, 155Eu, 90Sr, 3H, and assorted activation products in glass recovered in postshot cores from the Piledriver Event indicates that 60% of these fission prod...
Subject-Specific Assist-as-Needed Controllers for a Hand Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation

Robotic rehabilitation of the hands from a neuromuscular impairment such as stroke requires controllers that could provide subject-specific assistance and result in fastest possible recovery. We present two such assist-as-needed controllers for a hand exoskeleton called Maestro that is designed to provide accurate torque assistance to a subject. Learned force-field control is a novel control technique in which a neural-network-based model of the required torques is learned offline for a specific subject and then used to render a force-field to assist the finger motion to follow a target trajectory. Adaptive assist-as-needed control, on the other hand, estimates the coupled finger-exoskeleton system torque requirement of a subject using a radial basis function (RBF) network and adapts the RBF magnitudes in real-time to provide a feedforward assistance for accurate trajectory tracking. Experiments with a healthy subject on Maestro showed that while the force-field control is nonadaptive and there is less control on the speed of execution of the task, it is safer as it does not apply increased torques if the finger motion is restricted. On the other hand, adaptive assist-as-needed controller adapts to the changing needs of the coupled finger-exoskeleton system and helps in performing the task with a consistent speed, however, applies increased torques in case of restricted motion and is therefore, potentially less safe.
Root space decomposition of g2 from octonions

Abstract We describe a simple way to write down explicit derivations of octonions that form a Chevalley basis of g 2 . This uses the description of octonions as a twisted group algebra of the finite field F 8 . Generators of Gal ( F 8 / F 2 ) act on the roots as 120-degree rotations and complex conjugation acts as negation.
Ultrafine and highly disordered Ni2Fe1 nanofoams enabled highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline electrolyte

Abstract Nickel iron hydroxides are the most promising non-noble electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media. By in situ reduction of metal precursors, compositionally controlled three-dimensional NixFey nanofoams (NFs) are synthesized with high surface area and uniformly distributed bimetallic networks. The resultant ultrafine and highly disordered amorphous Ni2Fe1 NFs exhibit extraordinary electrocatalytic performance toward OER and overall water splitting in alkaline media. At a potential as low as 1.42 V (vs. RHE), Ni2Fe1 NFs can deliver a current density of 10 mA/cm2 and show negligible activity loss after 12 h stability test. Even at large current flux of 100 mA/cm2, an ultralow overpotential of 0.27 V is achieved, which is about 0.18 V more negative than benchmark RuO2. Both ex-situ Mӧssbauer spectroscopy and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy reveal a phase separation and transformation for the Ni2Fe1 catalyst during OER process. The evolution of oxidation state and disordered structure of Ni2Fe1 might be a key to the high catalytic performance for OER.
Designing and Implementing a Multistage Adaptive Test: The Uniform CPA Exam

The Uniform CPA Exam (CPA Exam) was first administered in 1917 as a requirement in the licensing of certified public accountants. It included a series of accounting problems in auditing, accounting, and commercial law that were graded by members of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Since 1917, the CPA Exam evolved to include four independently scored sections that included not only accounting problems, but essays, multiple-choice questions, and extended multiple-choice formats. Until 2004, the CPA Exam was presented twice each year, in a paper-based format. At its peak in the early 1990s, over 300,000 individual CPA Exam papers were scored each year.
The "Liaison" in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry: Helping Medical Staff Cope with Pediatric Death

Pediatric consultation-liaison clinicians are well positioned to provide support, guidance, and systemic recommendations about how to help medical clinicians cope with the stresses of working with dying children. Interventions to support sustainability in this work need to occur at the institutional and team-based levels as well as in individual practice. Shared clinical work around challenging cases provides opportunities to engage with medical clinicians about their difficult experiences and provide reflection and support. Psychiatry services may also be in a role of advocating for institutionally based interventions that can help their medical colleagues.
Some Partial Differential Operators with Discrete Spectra

We study selfadjoint realizations of the formal differential operator Tu = m −1 [(p 1 ,u x ) x + (p 2 u y ) y ] in the weighted Hilbert space L m 2 (Ω) where Ω is the square domain (0,1) × (0,1). Assuming m, p 1 , p 2 are positive and reasonably smooth and that singularities of T occur only along the boundaries x=0 or y=0, a variety of strictly positiveselfadjoint realizations of T are constructed, each of which, with a further integrability condition on the coefficients, has a discrete spectrum.
Application of Ledoit-Wolf Covariance Estimator to Active EM Signal Detection

A central problem in problems involving active EM illumination is adaptive high-dimensional covariance estimation for detection. In this work we propose an adaptive matched filter that is empirically more powerful than the rank-constrained maximum-likelihood estimator's in cases of low sample support and Gaussian interference statistics.
Microcontroller TRNGs Using Perturbed States of NOR Flash Memory Cells

This paper introduces a new technique that perturbs split-gate NOR Flash memory cells and extracts randomness of read noise to generate true random numbers. Flash memory cells exhibit threshold voltage fluctuations during read operations caused by thermal noise and random telegraph noise effects. Recent proposals demonstrate how these inherent properties of Flash memory cells can be used to create true random numbers in modern NAND Flash memories. However, they cannot be directly applied to NOR Flash memories in microcontrollers that have different architecture, improved data retention, high endurance, and are not as susceptible to noise as high-density NAND Flash memories. The proposed technique is experimentally demonstrated and evaluated using a family of commercial microcontrollers. The evaluation shows that it enables extraction of high-throughput random sequences that pass the NIST statistical tests. Advantages of the proposed technique are as follows: (a) it does not require any special hardware and/or interface modifications, (b) it is robust, cost-effective, and high-throughput, (c) it is entirely implemented in software, and (d) it is flexible and can be tailored to work in low-end microcontrollers that are often resource- or cost-constrained.
CORRELATION BETWEEN ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC DIASTOLIC ASSESSMENT AND CATHETER-MEASURED LEFT VENTRICULAR END DIASTOLIC PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH TAKOTSUBO CARDIOMYOPATHY

Limited information exists regarding the relationship between diastolic function assessed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and catheter-measured left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC). A total of 280 patient charts with TTE findings