cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Younger children with MS have a distinct CSF inflammatory profile at disease onset

Background: The clinical and MRI presentation differs between earlier- and later-onset pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS), whereas the effect of age on the CSF inflammatory profile is unknown and may contribute to delayed diagnosis. Objectives: To compare the CSF cellular and immunoglobulin G (IgG) profiles between earlier- and later-onset pediatric MS. Methods: We queried the databases of 6 pediatric MS centers for earlier-onset (onset Results: We identified 40 earlier-onset (mean age at onset = 7.2 ± 2.7 years, 60% females) and 67 later-onset pediatric MS patients (15.1 ± 1.7 years, 63% females). Although WBC count tended to be higher in earlier-onset patients (median = 9/mm 3 [0–343] vs 6 [0–140], p = 0.15), they had a lower proportion of lymphocytes (70% [0–100] vs 93% [0–100] of WBCs, p = 0.0085; difference = +3% per 1-year increase of age, p = 0.0011) and higher proportion of neutrophils than later-onset patients (0.5% [0–75] vs 0% [0–50] of WBCs, p = 0.16; difference = −1% per 1-year increase of age, p = 0.033). In earlier-onset disease, fewer patients had an elevated IgG index than in the later-onset group (35% vs 68% of patients, p = 0.031). Conclusion: Age modifies the CSF profile at pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) onset, which may mislead the diagnosis. Our findings suggest an activation of the innate rather than the adaptive immune system in the earlier stages of MS or an immature immune response.
Discharge Planning in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Center’s change in the model of care immediately following birth. As barriers were identified, nursing leadership worked on the issues to minimize interruptions of Kangaroo care. The percentage of appropriate infants in Kangaroo care following birth is reviewed monthly. Between 90% and 98% of appropriate infants are placed in Kangaroo care. Infants also are placed in Kangaroo care shortly after a cesarean birth while the mother remains in the operating room. Anecdotally, lactation consultants report a decrease in the incidence of delayed latch and breastfeeding problems. Families have reported increased satisfaction with their birthing experiences.
RESONANTLY-ENHANCED NONLINEAR OPTICS OF INTERSUBBAND TRANSITIONS

We rigorously derive the nonlinear optical response of quantum well intersubband transitions. After a review of the uniqueness of the optical properties of intersubband transitions and of the main experimental results in the field, the limitations of the standard perturbative nonlinear treatment are examined. It is shown that resonant-enhancement leads to the divergence of the perturbative expansion even at moderate optical intensities. In particular we examine the feasibility of all-optical modulation, electrooptic modulation, and high efficiency second-harmonic generation using intersubband transitions. Upper limits on the magnitude of nonlinear phenomena that may be obtained via intersubband transitions are derived for these cases.
Brazil's comparative advantage in the global economy

This paper uses factor endowment theory to determine Brazil's comparative advantage in world trade. By measuring Brazil's current endowments of minerals, land, labor, and physical capital, and comp...
Multiplex strand displacement amplification (SDA) and detection of DNA sequences from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacteria.

Abstract Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA) is an isothermal, in vitro method of amplifying a DNA target sequence prior to detection [Walker et al (1992) Nucleic Acids Res., 20, 1691-1693]. Here we describe a multiplex form of SDA that allows two target sequences and an internal amplification control to be co-amplified by a single pair of primers after common priming sequences are spontaneously appended to the ends of target fragments. Multiplex SDA operates at a single temperature, under the same simple protocol previously developed for single-target SDA. We applied multiplex SDA to co-amplification of a target sequence (IS6110) that is specific to members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis-complex and a target (16S ribosomal gene) that is common to most clinically relevant species of mycobacteria. Both targets are amplified 10(8)-fold during a 2 hour, single temperature incubation. The relative sensitivity of the system was evaluated across a number of clinically relevant mycobacteria and checked for crossreactivity against organisms that are closely related to mycobacteria.
The strategic management of technological learning in project/program management: the role of extranets, intranets and intelligent agents in knowledge generation, diffusion, and leveraging

Abstract This is primarily a conceptual paper on the value-adding potential of higher order technological learning processes in virtual, intelligent, networked enterprises (VINEs). The role of learning in effectively leveraging information technology in Web-enabled enterprises is examined, especially in the case of intelligent agents, intranets, and extranets that constitute organic components of intra- and inter-organizational knowledge management networks. The strategic role of technological learning in successful project and program management is examined and presented. Moreover, the role of information technology as an enabling agent for the processes of individual, group, intra- and inter-organizational higher order technological learning is outlined. Finally, the competitive advantage in the quality, timeliness, and accuracy of information and knowledge created and disseminated by virtue of extranets, intranets, and intelligent agents is studied and lessons learned from current theory and practice identified.
Generalized corresponding states correlation for self-diffusion coefficients of fluids

Abstract The simple principle of corresponding states may be generalized to include substances that depart from strict conformality by introducing state dependent shape factors. This approach is applied to self-diffusion coefficient using a modified Enskog dense gas theory. Results are obtained for both saturated liquids and supercritical fluids and are generally within experimental error.
Adding obstacle avoidance to a robotic platform for human robot interaction

In this paper, we describe the development and current state of an inexpensive platform for educational purposes and research in human robot interaction. The platform is based on the ubiquitous LabVIEW programming language and an in-house developed two degree of freedom non-holonomic robot. The platform includes multiple interaction modalities between the robot and the user. In this paper, we will describe the procedures followed for the successful software and hardware implementation and demonstration of an obstacle avoidance path planning algorithm thus augmenting the existing modalities. The algorithm uses a vision system to identify the location and size of an obstacle and generate the robot path to reach a desired goal while avoiding the obstacle. Current research focuses on algorithm development and implementation of path planning in the presence of multiple obstacles.
Is Globalization Civilizing, Destructive or Feeble? A Critique of Five Key Debates in the Social Science Literature

The sociological, economic, political, and anthropological literatures are devoting increasing attention to globalization. This chapter discusses the various connotations of the term and puts it in historical perspective. Existing theoretical and empirical research on globalization is organized around five key issues or questions: Is it really happening? Does it produce convergence? Does it undermine the authority of nation-states? Is globality different from modernity? Is a global culture in the making? A plea is made for a comparative sociology of globalization that is sensitive to local variations and to how agency, interest, and resistance mediate in the relationship between globalization causes and outcomes. The bulk of the earth must not only be spherical, but not large in comparison with the size of other stars. —Aristotle (384–322 BC), as quoted by Dreyer (1953, p. 118)
In women with gestational diabetes requiring drug treatment, glibenclamide may be inferior to insulin and metformin: metformin (plus insulin when required) performs better than insulin

Commentary on : Balsells M, Garia-Patterson A, Sola I, et al. Glibenclamide, metformin, and insulin for the treatment of gestational diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2015;350:h102.[OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] Insulin therapy is recommended as a first-line approach after failure of diet therapy to manage gestational diabetes (GDM).1 ,2 Not all women are suitable candidates or decline to use insulin to manage their blood glucose levels and alternative options are needed. Metformin and glibenclamide are mentioned as alternatives to insulin for management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in several guidelines,1 ,2 while National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines recommend metformin as a first-line.3 This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the short-term maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with GDM receiving glibenclamide, metformin or insulin in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBMJ%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1136%252Fbmj.h102%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F25609400%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=bmj&resid=350/jan21_14/h102&atom=%2Febmed%2F20%2F4%2F127.atom
Titers of 'Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus' in Murraya paniculata and Murraya-reared Diaphorina citri Are Much Lower than in Citrus and Citrus-reared Psyllids

jasmine Abstract. Huanglongbing, one of the most devastating diseases of citrus, is associated with the bacterium 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, in North America. Murraya paniculata is a common ornamental plant that is an alternate host of both the psyllid and bacterium. We tested M. paniculata and Citrus sinensis grown together in the same field for their titer of 'Ca. L. asiaticus'. We found the bacterium in bothM. paniculata andC. sinensis, but the titer was four orders of magnitude lower in M. paniculata. We also assayed D. citri from laboratory colonies reared on either 'Ca. L. asiaticus'-infected M. paniculata or infected Citrus spp. Psyllids reared on infected M. paniculata also carried bacterial titers five orders of magnitude lower than psyllids reared on infected Citrus spp. These observations imply resistance to huanglongbing in M. paniculata.
On Spherical Wavec Scattering by an Electrically Small Layered Sphere and a Related Inverse Problem

A spherical electromagnetic wave is scattered by a layered sphere with a perfect electric conducting core. Low frequency results are obtained by approximating the known exact expressions of the scattering cross section. The inverse problem of determining the sphere's center and the layers radii and materials is treated from the knowledge of the leading order term of the scattering cross section's low-frequency expansion.
The Dieter's Paradox

Despite the vast public policy efforts to promote the consumption of healthy foods and the public's growing concern with weight management, the proportion of overweight individuals continues to increase. An important factor contributing to this obesity trend is the misguided belief about the relationship between a meal's healthiness and its impact on weight gain, whereby people erroneously believe that eating healthy foods in addition to unhealthy ones can decrease a meal's calorie count. This research documents this misperception, showing that it is stronger among individuals most concerned with managing their weight—a striking result given that these individuals are more motivated to monitor their calorie intake. This finding has important public policy implications, suggesting that in addition to encouraging the adoption of a healthier lifestyle among overweight individuals, promoting the consumption of healthy foods might end up facilitating calorie overconsumption, leading to weight gain rather than weight loss.
A Conflict-Cooperation Scale for WEIS Events Data

The problem of aggregating WEIS events data, coded as discrete events, into a continuous time series representing conflict or cooperation between two nations is discussed. Past literature on the su...
A Likelihood Approach to Estimating Phylogeny from Discrete Morphological Character Data

Evolutionary biologists have adopted simplelikelihood models for purposes of estimating ancestral states and evaluating character independence on specieed phylogenies; however, for pur- poses of estimating phylogenies byusing discrete morphological data, maximum parsimony remains the only option. This paper explores the possibility of using standard, well-behaved Markov models for estimating morphological phylogenies (including branch lengths) under the likelihood criterion. AnimportantmodiecationofstandardMarkovmodelsinvolvesmakingthelikelihoodconditionalon characters being variable, because constant characters are absent in morphological data sets. Without this modiecation, branch lengths are often overestimated, resulting in potentially serious biases in tree topology selection. Several new avenues of research are opened by an explicitly model-based approach to phylogenetic analysis of discrete morphological data, including combined-data likeli- hood analyses (morphologyCsequence data), likelihood ratio tests, and Bayesian analyses. (Discrete morphological character; Markov model; maximum likelihood; phylogeny.) The increased availability of nucleotide and protein sequences from a diversity of both organisms and genes has stimu- lated the development of stochastic models describing evolutionary change in molecu- lar sequences over time. Such models are not only useful for estimating molecular evolutionary parameters of interest but also important as the basis for phylogenetic inference using the method of maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference. ML provides a very general framework for esti- mation and has been extensively applied in diverse eelds of science (Casella and Berger, 1990); however, the popularity of ML in phylogenetic inference has lagged behind thatofotheroptimality criteria(suchas max- imum parsimony), primarily because of its much greater computational cost for evalu- ating any givencandidate tree.Recent devel- opments on the algorithmic aspects of ML inference as applied to phylogeny recon- struction (Olsen et al., 1994; Lewis, 1998; Salter and Pearl, 2001; Swofford, 2001) have succeeded in reducing this computational cost substantially, and ML phylogeny esti- mates involving hundreds of terminal taxa are now entering the realm of feasibility. Bayesian methods (based on a likelihood foundation) offer the prospect of obtaining meaningful nodal support measures with- out the unreasonable computational burden imposed by existing methods such as boot- strapping (Rannala and Yang, 1996; Yang and Rannala, 1997; Larget and Simon, 1999;
The Effects of Repeated Estrogen Administration on Cell Division in the Uterine Luminal Epithelium of the Immature Rat

The purpose of this study was to determine the mitotic response of the uterine epithelium of the rat following continuous estrogen treatment. Immature rats were injected s.c. daily for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days with either 100 ng of estradiol-17#{216} or with oil (controls) and killed 24 h after the last injection. Colchicine (0.1 mg) was administered i.p. 2 h prior to autopsy and the percentage of arrested mitosis for the uterine luminal epithelium was determined. In the rats killed 24 h after 1, 2, 3 or 4 injections of estradiol, the mitotic activity was significantly greater than that of the oil-treated controls. In the animals killed 48, 72 or 96 h after the last estrogen treatment, uterine mitotic activity had decreased to control levels. However, the mitotic response of the rats killed 24 h after 2, 3 or 4 injections was significantly lower than after a single injection. These data indicate that the rat uterus is able to respond to prolonged estrogen treatment, but at a reduced level from the initial stimulation.
Are there genetic influences on addiction: evidence from family, adoption and twin studies

Aims In this exciting era of gene discovery, we review evidence from family, adoption and twin studies that examine the genetic basis for addiction. With a focus on the classical twin design that utilizes data on monozygotic and dizygotic twins, we discuss support in favor of heritable influences on alcohol, nicotine, cannabis and other illicit drug dependence. Methods We review whether these genetic factors also influence earlier stages (e.g. experimentation) of the addictive process and whether there are genetic influences specific to each psychoactive substance. Results Converging evidence from these studies supports the role of moderate to high genetic influences on addiction with estimates ranging from 0.30 to 0.70. The changing role of these heritable factors as a function of gender, age and cultural characteristics is also discussed. We highlight the importance of the interplay between genes and the environment as it relates to risk for addiction and the utility of the children-of-twins design for emerging studies of gene–environment interaction is presented. Conclusions Despite the advances being made by low-cost high-throughput whole genome association assays, we posit that information garnered from twin studies, especially extended twin designs with power to examine gene–environment interactions, will continue to form the foundation for genomic research.
Cooperative control of mobile robots for target search

Multi-agent teams have the potential to accomplish, some goals more efficiently than single agent systems. The success of the team depends critically on the ability of the agents to coordinate their operations. For this reason, the presence of a robust and reliable control architecture and a cooperation framework is as important as the design of individual agents. In this paper, we present a hierarchical control architecture that provides a methodology to control individual robots and to coordinate the operations of multiple robots. Furthermore, we introduce a multi-robot wireless test bed constructed based on this framework. The effectiveness of the framework is demonstrated by considering an optimal search problem. It is observed that the proposed architecture provides a useful framework to design cooperative control strategies.
Ultrasound-Guided Thrombin Injection Is the Treatment of Choice for Femoral Pseudoaneurysms

Hypothesis Ultrasound-guided injection of thrombin is the treatment of choice for femoral pseudoaneurysms. Design A prospective study of patients undergoing a single form of treatment for femoral pseudoaneurysms. Setting Patients were treated at 2 tertiary care, university-affiliated hospitals. Patients Forty consecutive patients with femoral pseudoaneurysms resulting from diagnostic and therapeutic catheterizations for peripheral arterial, coronary arterial, and cerebrovascular diseases were evaluated. Intervention Thrombin was injected directly into the pseudoaneurysms under ultrasonographic guidance. Main Outcome Measure Thrombosis of the pseudoaneurysm following thrombin injection was the goal of treatment. Results All 40 patients had initial complete thrombosis of their femoral pseudoaneurysms. In each case, except for one, the aneurysm was noted to have thrombosed on follow-up duplex ultrasongram. There was one complication. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection is the treatment of choice for femoral pseudoaneurysms.
Effect of selected accelerants on setting time and biocompatibility of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA).

Objective Various additives have been suggested to be used with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) to improve its handling characteristics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of various additives on setting time and cell attachment on gray MTA (GMTA). Study design Single-rooted caries-free teeth were split, and dentin disks with class I cavity were made and filled with test and control materials. Setting time was measured using Gilmore apparatus. Mouse MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts and L929 mouse fibroblasts were grown on dentin and GMTA disks. Cell attachment was examined under fluorescent microscope. Results Adding KY liquid, CaCl2, and NaOCl to GMTA improved the handling properties and decreased setting time. Osteoblasts and fibroblasts attached and spread on GMTA mixed with additives in a manner similar to GMTA mixed with water. Conclusions The various additives could be possible substitutes to water to decrease MTA setting time. MTA is biocompatible when mixed with the various additives.
Optical modulators using planar split ring resonators

Split rings have been used very much as resonators and filters at microwave and optical frequencies. This paper discusses the design of a bus-coupled planar split ring resonator (SRR) and develops necessary theory that helps to view it as a potential candidate for the design of optical modulators.
Viscoelastic state of a semi-infinite medium with multiple circular elastic inhomogeneities

This paper is concerned with the problem of an isotropic, linear viscoelastic half-plane containing multiple, isotropic, circular elastic inhomogeneities. Three types of loading conditions are allowed at the boundary of the half-plane: a point force, a force uniformly distributed over a segment, and a force uniformly distributed over the whole boundary of the half-plane. The half-plane is subjected to farfield stress that acts parallel to its boundary. The inhomogeneities are perfectly bonded to the material matrix. An inhomogeneity with zero elastic properties is treated as a hole; its boundary can be either traction free or subjected to uniform pressure. The analysis is based on the use of the elastic-viscoelastic correspondence principle. The problem in the Laplace space is reduced to the complementary problems for the bulk material of the perforated half-plane and the bulk material of each circular disc. Each problem is described by the transformed complex Somigliana’s traction identity. The transformed complex boundary parameters at each circular boundary are approximated by a truncated complex Fourier series. Numerical inversion of the Laplace transform is used to obtain the time domain solutions everywhere in the half-plane and inside the inhomogeneities. The method allows one to adopt a variety of viscoelastic models. A number of numerical examples demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the method.
THE COMPOUND MERWINITE (3CaO.MgO.2SiO2) AND ITS STABILITY RELATIONS WITHIN THE SYSTEM CaO‐MgO‐SiO2 (PRELIMINARY REPORT)

Preliminary investigations on compositions between Ca2SiO4 and akermanite (Ca2Mg-Si2C7), between merwinite (Ca3Mg(SiO4)2) and akermanite, and between merwinite and monticellite (CaMgSiO4 indicate that a field of merwinite appears on the liquidus surface of the system CaO-MgO-SiO2 and that merwinite melts incongruently at 1575 °C. to Ca2SiO4, MgO, and liquid.
Requirement of Replication Checkpoint Protein Kinases Mec1/Rad53 for Postreplication Repair in Yeast

ABSTRACT DNA lesions in the template strand block the replication fork. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, replication through DNA lesions occurs via a Rad6/Rad18-dependent pathway where lesions can be bypassed by the action of translesion synthesis (TLS) DNA polymerases η and ζ or by Rad5-mediated template switching. An alternative Rad6/Rad18-independent but Rad52-dependent template switching pathway can also restore the continuity of the replication fork. The Mec1/Rad53-dependent replication checkpoint plays a crucial role in the maintenance of stable and functional replication forks in yeast cells with DNA damage; however, it has remained unclear which of the lesion bypass processes requires the activation of replication checkpoint-mediated fork stabilization. Here we show that postreplication repair (PRR) of newly synthesized DNA in UV-damaged yeast cells is inhibited in the absence of Mec1 and Rad53 proteins. Since TLS remains functional in cells lacking these checkpoint kinases and since template switching by the Rad5 and Rad52 pathways provides the alternative means of lesion bypass and requires Mec1/Rad53, we infer that lesion bypass by the template switching pathways occurs in conjunction with the replication fork that has been stabilized at the lesion site by the action of Mec1/Rad53-mediated replication checkpoint. IMPORTANCE Eukaryotic cells possess mechanisms called checkpoints that act to stop the cell cycle when DNA replication is halted by lesions in the template strand. Upon stalling of the ongoing replication at the lesion site, the recruitment of Mec1 and Rad53 kinases to the replication ensemble initiates the checkpoint wherein Mec1-mediated phosphorylation of Rad53 activates the pathway. A crucial role of replication checkpoint is to stabilize the replication fork by maintaining the association of DNA polymerases with the other replication components at the stall site. Our observations that Mec1 and Rad53 are required for lesion bypass by template switching have important implications for whether lesion bypass occurs in conjunction with the stalled replication ensemble or in gaps that could have been left behind the newly restarted forks. We discuss this important issue and suggest that lesion bypass in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells occurs in conjunction with the stalled replication forks and not in gaps.
Pain: sex differences and implications for treatment

Women have a higher prevalence than men of several clinical pain conditions and of inflammation-mediated disorders. There is also increasing evidence for sex differences in sensitivity to experimental pain and in the response to analgesics. Estrogen, progesterone, and other gonadal hormones have a complex role in inflammatory processes and the pain response. Microglia cells in the central nervous system, which have sex hormone receptors, become activated in response to inflammatory stimuli, releasing cytokines and other mediators that are pronociceptive and can amplify the pain response. Although the mechanisms underlying sex differences in pain and analgesia have not been fully elucidated, both peripheral and central nervous systems pathways may be involved. Sex differences in the opioid, dopaminergic, serotoninergic, and other pain-related systems have been documented; and some evidence suggests that differences are most pronounced during the peak reproductive years. Psychosocial factors also play an important role. Given the important role of inflammation in mediating pain, nutritional factors that modulate the inflammatory response offer a promising and exciting new avenue for the prevention and treatment of chronic pain disorders. Of particular interest is the potential role of moderate- to high-dose vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements, both of which have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. These nutritional interventions, which influence cytokine, leukotriene, and prostaglandin pathways, may be of particular benefit to women due to their higher prevalence of inflammatory chronic pain disorders. The recent launch of a new large-scale randomized trial of these nutritional supplements provides an opportunity to assess their potential antinociceptive role. Additional research is needed to clarify the mechanisms for sex differences in pain and to develop new treatment modalities that improve pain management for both men and women.
Graphene Nanoreinforcement for Cement Composites

This paper reports on research aimed at investigating the reinforcing effects of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in cement composites. Nanoreinforced cement mortar cubes were prepared using surfactant-coated GNPs. The dispersion and embedment of GNPs in the cement matrix were verified based on evidence from compression strength tests and scanning electron microscopic imaging. Results from fracture mechanics tests on notched beams were then used to evaluate the effect of incorporating well-dispersed, surfactant-coated GNPs on the flexural strength and stiffness of cement paste. 3D digital image correlation measurements were used to study the morphology and evolution of the fracture process zone in plain and GNP-reinforced cement paste.
Get with the Program: Examining the Relationship between Politicized Racial Attitudes and Group Norms

Research detailing the circumstances that dictate how and when a politicized racial identity (linked fate) is activated is growing. However, this literature does not describe what happens this politicized racial identity is activated in light of contrary group information. Therefore, my research question is “What happens when African Americans receive information that deviates from their understanding of the group’s norms and expectations?” In this project, I want to find out what happens when African Americans are exposed to information that challenges their preconceived understanding of the group. How do they process that information and respond? I argue that the strength of the individual’s politicized racial identity, will determine how he or she will process the divergent information and update his or her understanding of the group’s norms and expectations. Likewise, the source of challenging information determines how he or she responds to the information. I test this theory using an online experiment with Black participants. The participants read a short article containing information about the racial group. The experimental treatments varied the source of information to be from a poll or an individual. The individual was either a fictitious elite or regular member of the African American community. The new information either challenged preconceived norms or reaffirmed these norms. At the end of the article, the participant answered questions about their perception of the group’s norms and expectations. After the experimental treatment, the participant answered a battery of questions about their support for racial policies and strength of their racial identity using the Cross Racial Identity Scale.
Double-Hit Lymphoma: Practicing in a Data-Limited Setting

In the article that accompanies this commentary, Staton and Cohen1 present a rational approach to the care of patients with double-hit lymphoma (DHL). The major issues faced in the care of these patients—use of intensive induction regimens, CNS prophylaxis, and transplantation—are all well addressed within the authors’ therapeutic recommendations, which are based on an interpretation of the existing literature. However, the state of the existing literature makes it challenging to propose recommendations for the treatment of DHL and the more common double-expressing lymphoma (DEL). The literature is nearly wholly derived from retrospective studies that are often from single centers. Unlike the broader entity of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), for which randomized studies have been conducted to determine the optimal treatment regimen, we have virtually no prospective data on which to base treatment recommendations.
Development of Tools to Study Retroviral Gag Assembly on Giant Unilamellar Vesicles(GUV)

The retroviral Gag polyprotein provides the principal driving force for virus assembly and budding from the cellular plasma membrane. The binding of Gag to the plasma membrane (PM) is governed by several mechanisms, including electrostatics, hydrophobics, Gag multimierization, and recognition of specific lipid head groups. To better understand how Gag interacts with the PM, control proteins GFP-poly(K/R)n (n=4/8/12 residues), were purified and used to compare Gag membrane binding to an electrostatic membrane binding protein. Preliminary protein-liposome binding experiments suggest that the anionic lipids, PS and PI(4,5)P2, contribute to the recruitment of polycationic proteins as expected. Unlike previous results, which showed that HIV-1 Gag responded strongly to cholesterol, GFP-poly(K/R)n responded weakly to cholesterol. PI(4,5)P2 enhances more liposome binding for retroviral Gag than for the control protein GFP-poly(K/R)n. This study may shed light on how the retroviral Gag protein interacts electrostatically with membranes, and recognizes specific lipids such as PI(4,5)P2.Membrane binding is not a prerequisite for Gag multimerization, however, it might enhance the formation of Gag-Gag interactions. It is known that assembly of Gag occurs on the PM, but it remains unclear when and where Gag multimerization takes place, and if membrane lipid composition influences Gag assembly. To visualize by fluorescence microscopy the interaction of Gag with membranes and to detect Gag-Gag interactions, Rous Sarcoma Virus Gag is labeled with different Alexa-flurophores using Sfp synthase. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), composed of lipids similar to cellular inner leaflet lipid composition, were employed to study Gag assembly by measuring fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). This study may provide a starting point for understanding where Gag multimerization happens as well as how membrane composition affects Gag assembly.
Control of the Pickleworm on Cucurbits

Results from a series of field experiments confirmed the effectiveness of carbaryl and lindane for control of the, Diaphania nitidatis (Stoll), on squash, cantaloupes, and cucumbers. Other materials found to be highly effective against this insect were endosulfan, GC 6506 (dimethyl p -(methylthio) phenyl phosphate), GS 13005 (O,O-dimcthyl phosphorodithioale S -ester with 4-(mercaptomethyl)-2-mcthoxy-∆2-1,3,4-thiadiazolin-5-one), and NIA 10242 (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate) , applied weekly as foliar sprays. Fungicides significantly reduced pickleworm injury to cantaloupes and cucumbers. Seed treatments with systemic insecticides failed to control the pickleworm on squash. Repeated applications of insecticides at recommended and accelerated rates had no adverse effect on squash or cantaloupe yield.
Management of the multiple phases of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

The clinical course of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) may be separated into five sequential phases: 1. suspected HIT, 2. acute HIT, 3. subacute HIT A, 4. subacute HIT B, and 5. remote HIT. Each phase confronts the clinician with a unique set of management questions. In this review, the phases of HIT are defined and key management questions associated with each phase are discussed. Among patients with Suspected HIT, I use the 4Ts score to determine which patients have a sufficiently high probability of HIT to justify discontinuation of heparin and initiation of a non-heparin parenteral anticoagulant. An algorithm for selecting an appropriate non-heparin anticoagulant based on the patient’s clinical stability, renal and hepatic function, drug availability, and physician comfort is provided. In patients with Acute HIT, I generally avoid prophylactic platelet transfusion and inferior vena cava filter insertion because of a potential increased risk of thrombosis. I perform 4-limb screening compression ultrasonography. In patients with symptomatic thromboembolism or asymptomatic proximal deep-vein thrombosis, I treat with anticoagulation for three months. In patients without thrombosis, I discontinue anticoagulation upon platelet count recovery. I do not transition patients to an oral anticoagulant until platelet count recovery (i. e. Subacute HIT A). I increasingly choose direct oral anticoagulants over vitamin K antagonists in this setting because of their greater convenience and safety. In Subacute HIT B and Remote HIT, I use heparin for cardiovascular surgery, whereas I use bivalirudin in patients with Acute HIT and Subacute HIT A in whom surgery cannot be delayed.
Concepts of Mental Retardation

Five concepts of mental retardation have been reviewed and evaluated in the light of contemporary scientific psychology. Of the five, the restricted developmental approach was advanced as the most defensible not only because it is an integral part of an empirically based behavior theory of human development but also because it points the way to more humane and positive treatment programs for mentally retarded persons of all ages.
Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Motivations of Verbal Communication: Review, Critique, and a Theoretical Framework

There has been an immense amount and variety of scholarship on the topic of motivation to communicate verbally (e.g., communication apprehension, assertive-ness). The work in the area of communication motivation has been biased by the individualist assumption, explicit or implicit, that communication approach is more desirable than communication “avoidance.” The author agrees that extreme forms of communication “avoidance” and lack of verbal assertiveness can be a handicap in any culture. However, she is critical of the ethnocentric preoccupation with the Western view of the self, which sees communication “avoidance” solely as a “deficiency.” The purposes of this review are (a) to synthesize and evaluate critically prior cross-cultural research on verbal communication motivation, (b) to examine the philosophical/cultural basis of that research, and (c) to propose a theoretical framework for studying communication motivation from a derived etic perspective. Throughout, limitations in current knowledge are ...
Fallibility Gains a Foothold: A Model for Understanding Humean Scepticism

One of the most important of Hume’s texts for understanding the nature and scope of his scepticism is “Of Scepticism with Regard to Reason” (T1.4.1, 180–7). The issues raised in this section are so important and wide-ranging that an entire book, let alone a single chapter, is insufficient to do them justice.1 In this chapter, I focus on how Hume argues for the first main conclusion of this section, which is that “all knowledge degenerates into probability” (T1.4.1.1, 180). More specifically, I offer an interpretation of the first part of this section to show how it forms an integral piece in the puzzle of understanding Hume’s stance on sceptical issues. Others are beginning to notice the importance of this part of Hume’s text. David Owen (forthcoming) explicitly emphasizes its significance while Jonathan Bennett claims that it is the “heart” of the entire section (2001, 318). One reason this particular conclusion is important is that it seems obvious that Hume never repudiates it (see Owen 1999, 182). If Hume does endorse this important type of knowledge-denying scepticism, then examining how he endorses it and how it fits with the rest of his writing could provide a model for how to understand other, more radical sceptical claims that Hume makes.
Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Robotic-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy for the Treatment of Small Renal Cell Carcinoma

Introduction The authors compared the oncologic outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RPN) for the treatment of T1 stage renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
The Victim’s Decision to Report a Crime

The occurrence of a crime signals the potential involvement of the criminal justice process. It is the triggering mechanism for discretionary actions on the part of victims and possibly of criminal justice functionaries. These discretionary actions are the very basis of the criminal justice system (Remington et al., 1969).
Arbitrary Operators: Single Operator

In this chapter we study the operator. $$ \mathcal{M}(\theta) = e^{i\theta A} $$ (12.1) where A is an arbitrary Hermitian operator and θ is real.
Pregnancy and Parenting Among Runaway and Homeless Young Women

Homeless youth face numerous challenging life circumstances, both prior to leaving home and while homeless. Examples of such difficult experiences include exceptionally high rates of pregnancy and early parenthood, particularly in comparison to their housed peers. This chapter reviews the complexity of causes, risk factors, and adverse outcomes associated with homeless youth pregnancy and early parenthood. Homeless youth pregnancy and early parenthood are notably under-researched topics, and as homeless youth have unique and complex life experiences, this chapter also highlights opportunities for further advancing culturally responsive prevention and intervention services in efforts to more effectively decrease pregnancies and improve sexual, reproductive, maternal-child health, and parenting outcomes among this highly vulnerable population.
Microfossils from the Archaean Complex of Mysore

The paper reports an assemblage of microfossils from the Guddadarangayanhalli Formation of the Chitaldrug Schist Belt. The organic fossils discovered are the oldest fossils from India and they are coming from an age group of 2000-1400 m.y. The assemblage consists of Sphaeromorphitae and Netromrophitae of the Group ACRITARCHA Evitt, and cuticular remains ( Spongiophyton Kraeusel). Forms referable to Protoleiosphaeridium Timofeev, Leiosphaeridium Timofeev, Leiofusa Eisenack and Deunffia Downie and/or Bacisphaeridium Eisenack are identified. The scope for refining the stratigraphy of the Archaean Complex is pointed out.
Skeletal muscle function during the progression of cancer cachexia in the male ApcMin/+ mouse

While cancer-induced skeletal muscle wasting has been widely investigated, the drivers of cancer-induced muscle functional decrements are only beginning to be understood. Decreased muscle function impacts cancer patient quality of life and health status, and several potential therapeutics have failed in clinical trials due to a lack of functional improvement. Furthermore, systemic inflammation and intrinsic inflammatory signaling's role in the cachectic disruption of muscle function requires further investigation. We examined skeletal muscle functional properties during cancer cachexia and determined their relationship to systemic and intrinsic cachexia indices. Male ApcMin/+ (MIN) mice were stratified by percent body weight loss into weight stable (WS; 5% loss). Age-matched C57BL/6 littermates served as controls. Tibialis anterior (TA) twitch properties, tetanic force, and fatigability were examined in situ. TA protein and mRNA expression were examined in the nonstimulated leg. CX decreased muscle mass, tetanic force (Po), and specific tetanic force (sPo). Whole body and muscle fatigability were increased in WS and CX. CX had slower contraction rates, +dP/d t and -dP/d t, which were inversely associated with muscle signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 ( STAT3) and p65 activation. STAT3 and p65 activation were also inversely associated with Po. However, STAT3 was not related to sPo or fatigue. Muscle suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 mRNA expression was negatively associated with TA weight, Po, and sPo but not fatigue. Our study demonstrates that multiple functional deficits that occur with cancer cachexia are associated with increased muscle inflammatory signaling. Notably, muscle fatigability is increased in the MIN mouse before cachexia development. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Recent studies have identified decrements in skeletal muscle function during cachexia. We have extended these studies by directly relating decrements in muscle function to established cachexia indices. Our results demonstrate that a slow-fatigable contractile phenotype is developed during the progression of cachexia that coincides with increased muscle inflammatory signaling. Furthermore, regression analysis identified predictors of cancer-induced muscle dysfunction. Last, we report the novel finding that whole body and muscle fatigability were increased before cachexia development.
Wild bee abundance in temperate agroforestry landscapes: Assessing effects of alley crop composition, landscape configuration, and agroforestry area

Agroforestry has the potential to provide multiple products and services from agricultural land, including bioenergy feedstock and habitat for wild bees. Our goal is to assess how variation in alley crop composition, landscape configuration, and total agroforestry area affects wild bee habitat in Illinois. First, different agroforestry crops may provide different floral and nesting resources for bees. Second, policy and economic factors may affect the total area and configuration of land devoted to agroforestry within a landscape. Third, farmers’ operational preferences will affect area and configuration; they may be more willing to convert entire fields to agroforestry than to convert small patches within fields. We use the Lonsdorf model, a spatially explicit assessment of bee abundance, to model how wild bee habitat in hypothetical alternatives to an Illinois landscape is affected by alley crop composition (willow and row crops or willow and prairie), landscape configuration (alley cropping in subfield patches or in entire fields), and total alley crop area (12, 24, or 29% of the agricultural land). Our results indicate that the alley crop composition and area are important influences on the modeled nesting bee abundance index at the scale of both the landscape and the field. Although the configuration of agroforestry plantings significantly predicts bee abundance at the field scale, it is not an important factor when assessing bee abundance at the level of the landscape.
Acute extracellular matrix, inflammatory and MAPK response to lengthening contractions in elderly human skeletal muscle.

Abstract To uncover potential factors that may be involved in the impaired regenerative capacity of aged skeletal muscle, we comprehensively assessed the molecular stress response following muscle damage in old and young individuals. 10 young (22.7 ± 2.25 yrs) and 8 physically active old (70.9 ± 7.5 yrs) subjects completed a bout of 300 lengthening contractions (LC), and muscle biopsies were taken pre-exercise and at 3, 24, and 72 h post-LC. Both age groups performed the same amount of work during LC, with the old group displaying a resistance to LC-induced fatigue during the exercise. Muscle damage was evident by soreness and losses in isokinetic force and power production, though older subjects experienced reduced force and power losses relative to the young group. The acute extracellular matrix (ECM) response was characterized by substantial increases in the glycoproteins tenascin C and fibronectin in the young, which were blunted in the old muscle following damage. Old muscle displayed a generally heightened and asynchronous inflammatory response compared to young muscle, with higher expression of MCP-1 that appeared at later time points, and increased NF-κb activity. Expression of the stress-related MAPKs P38 and JNK increased only in the old groups following muscle damage. In summary, aberrations appear in the inflammatory, ECM and MAPK responses of aged skeletal muscle following damaging LC, each of which may individually or collectively contribute to the deterioration of muscle repair mechanisms that accompanies aging.