cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Optimal Definition of Abnormal First-Trimester Uterine Artery Doppler Parameters to Predict Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Objectives To investigate the optimal definition of abnormal first-trimester uterine artery Doppler parameters associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods A prospective cohort of women with singleton gestations between 11 and 14 weeks consented to uterine artery Doppler measurements. Doppler parameters were measured bilaterally, and mean pulsatility index (PI) and resistive index (RI) values were calculated. The presence of notching was also determined. Each parameter was evaluated for prediction of preeclampsia, early preeclampsia ( Results Of 1192 patients with complete outcome data, preeclampsia was seen in 8.4%, early preeclampsia in 1.8%, preterm birth in 12.9%, early preterm birth in 5.6%, and SGA in 8.5%. A mean PI above the 75th percentile (>1.91) was the best index for predicting early preeclampsia (sensitivity, 45.0%; specificity, 75.5%; NPV, 98.7%; ROC area, 0.65). A mean PI above the 75th percentile was also the best index for predictive early preterm birth (sensitivity, 40.0%; specificity, 76.0%; NPV, 95.5%; ROC area, 0.65). None of the parameters were significant for predicting SGA. Conclusions A mean uterine PI above the 75th percentile is the most discriminative abnormal uterine artery Doppler parameter for predicting both early preeclampsia and early preterm birth.
A New Dawn for Chlamydia Research: These important and challenging pathogens are finally yielding to modern analytic techniques

The earliest reports of what were likely chlamydial infections can be found in ancient texts, where diseases of the eye are documented. Early efforts to study the etiology of chlamydial disease trace to Czech scientists Ludwig Halberstadter and Stanislaus von Prowacek, who examined the transmissibility of the infectious agent of trachoma as early as 1907 (historical descriptions of chlamydial research can be found at www.chlamydiae.com). More information about the pathogenic nature of chlamydial organisms started to emerge in the 1920s, when doctors began associating contact with psittacine birds from Africa among Europeans and Americans who developed fatal pneumonias. Subsequent researchers carefully documented the developmental cycle of these bacteria and portrayed what they observed by microscopy in detailed pen-and-ink drawings (Fig 1).
Association of Football Subconcussive Head Impacts With Ocular Near Point of Convergence.

Importance An increased understanding of the relationship between subconcussive head impacts and near point of convergence (NPC) ocular-motor function may be useful in delineating traumatic brain injury. Objective To investigate whether repetitive subconcussive head impacts during preseason football practice cause changes in NPC. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective, observational study of 29 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I football players included baseline and preseason practices (1 noncontact and 4 contact), and postseason follow-up and outcome measures were obtained for each time. An accelerometer-embedded mouthguard measured head impact kinematics. Based on the sum of head impacts from all 5 practices, players were categorized into lower (n = 7) or higher (n = 22) impact groups. Exposures Players participated in regular practices, and all head impacts greater than 10 g from the 5 practices were recorded using the i1Biometerics Vector mouthguard (i1 Biometrics Inc). Main Outcomes and Measures Near point of convergence measures and symptom scores. Results A total of 1193 head impacts were recorded from 5 training camp practices in the 29 collegiate football players; 22 were categorized into the higher-impact group and 7 into the lower-impact group. There were significant differences in head impact kinematics between lower- and higher-impact groups (number of impacts, 6 vs 41 [lower impact minus higher impact = 35; 95% CI, 21-51; P g vs 1112 g [lower impact minus higher impact= 1013; 95% CI, 621 – 1578; P 2 vs 65 016 radian/s 2 [lower impact minus higher impact= 57 427; 95% CI , 31 123-80 498; P F for group × linear trend 1, 238 = 12.14, P F for group × quadratic trend 1, 238 = 12.97, P P P Conclusions and Relevance Although asymptomatic, these data suggest that repetitive subconcussive head impacts were associated with changes in NPC. The increase in NPC highlights the vulnerability and slow recovery of the ocular-motor system following subconcussive head impacts. Changes in NPC may become a useful clinical tool in deciphering brain injury severity.
Pedestrian Traffic Operations in Urban Networks

The pedestrian mode is an important component of urban networks, and greatly affects the performance of the sidewalks and crosswalks, as well as the entire network traffic operations by interacting with other traffic modes (automobile, bicycle, transit). There have been many studies concerning different aspects of pedestrian behaviors, such as pedestrian walking speed, pedestrian delay, gap acceptance, signal compliance, route choice, etc. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) included the pedestrian mode in the HCM 1994 (update to the HCM 1985) and the HCM, 2010 provided several basic technical methodologies for evaluating the pedestrian level of service (LOS) of different urban street facilities. However, it does not fully cover the pedestrian operation in a great detail and it is missing some important findings in recent studies. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of pedestrian operations in urban networks, to identify the important aspects of pedestrian operation analysis and to provide recommendations for pedestrian facilities in the HCM on the basis of a summary of available U.S. and international literature. The following topics will be discussed: pedestrian movement models, pedestrian delay estimation, pedestrian-vehicle interactions, and pedestrian travel time estimation. The major features of pedestrian movement along urban segments are the walking speed and available space, which were well examined in past studies. Pedestrian delay is one important measure of pedestrian operation, and its estimation models at signalized/unsignalized intersections are presented with respect to different scenarios. Modifications to the delay model in the HCM, 2010 are highlighted. Pedestrian-vehicle interactions highly affect traffic operations. Both driver and pedestrian behaviors in such an interaction were observed in the field and were examined quantitatively. Pedestrian jaywalking behavior was also observed and its impact on traffic is discussed. Pedestrian route choice at the strategic level and crossing location selection at the operational level jointly determine the pedestrian moving path and further affect the travel time at path-level. A model for estimating pedestrian travel time in an urban network is developed and presented. Such a model can be used to evaluate the facility performance as well as serve for pedestrian route selection. This paper identifies the important aspects of pedestrian operation analysis in an urban network and provides several recommendations to the HCM.
Pelvic Ring Injury II

DP is a 33-year-old man who complains of severe left pelvic pain after falling out of a window. He is transferred to the emergency department via EMS. On presentation, he demonstrates a GCS of 15 and denies any loss of consciousness. On primary survey, his airway is patent, and he is hemodynamically stable. On secondary survey, he demonstrates severe pain with manipulation of his pelvis on the left side. His secondary survey is otherwise negative.
The greatest equations ever

Earlier this year I asked readers to send me their shortlists of great equations. I also asked them to explain why their nominations belonged on the list and why, if at all, the topic matters (Physics World May p19). I received about 120 responses – including single candidates as well as lists – proposing about 50 different equations. They ranged from obvious classics to "overlooked"candidates, personal favourites and equations invented by the respondents themselves.
The effects of cues from kingsnakes on the reproductive effort of house mice

It is not clear if rodents express inducible defenses in response to reptilian predators such as snakes. We tested the hypothesis that adult house mice Mus musculus decrease aspects of their reproductive effort upon 1 hour of exposure every 48 hours for a 25-day period to the fecal material and shed skins of a euryphagous ophidian predator, the kingsnake Lampropeltis getula , that had been fed mice. We found no significant differences in the total number of offspring born, the number of pups per litter, and the mean weight of pups in litters born to male and female mice that were exposed to predator cues and those mice that were not exposed to such cues. The lack of an inducible response may be associated with the low cost of an effective defense, or the lack of an effective defense against a generalist snake predator.
Independent Validation of the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) Reclassification of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Associated with Ring Sideroblasts

Background : The 2001 WHO classification of myeloid neoplasms distinguished 2 forms of MDS associated with >=15% ring sideroblasts and =15% ring sideroblasts and a normal blast proportion. Methods : We reviewed WPSS and IPSS component parameters at diagnosis and the clinical outcomes of 465 patients (68% males, median age 72) evaluated at our institution over a 13-year period: 140 with RARS, 114 with RCMD-RS, and 211 with RCMD. Patients were assigned a WPSS score and risk category (very low-risk group=0 points; low=1; intermediate=2, high=3 or 4) by summing 3 subscores: 2001 WHO classification (0 for RARS, 1 point for RCMD or RCMD-RS), IPSS cytogenetic risk group (0=good, 1=indeterminate, 2=poor), and red cell transfusion dependence (0=no, 1=yes). Survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier estimates, and prognostic factors examined by proportional hazards analysis. Results: The median time until death or last followup was 26 months, and 70% of patients were known to have died. The median survival by WHO MDS subtype was 75 months for RARS, 25 months for RCMD-RS, and 26 months for RCMD (Log-Rank p Conclusions: These data support the WHO’s proposal to merge RCMD and RCMD-RS, and suggest that the adverse prognostic significance of multilineage dysplasia renders the presence of ring sideroblasts unimportant. The WPSS is a valid prognostic tool in patients with MDS associated with ring sideroblasts, but in this subgroup both the WPSS and IPSS stratify patients into 3 risk groups, and the WPSS does not offer additional value over the IPSS.
Synthesis and characterization of novel flavonoid derivatives via sequential phosphorylation of quercetin

Abstract Flavonoids are naturally-occurring polyphenolics that have been implicated in a wide range of biological activities. The major obstacles to flavonoid applications are the poor solubility in common solvents. Phosphorylation of flavonoids yields a new class of flavonoid derivatives which are very soluble in aqueous solutions and hence have the potential to be used in biological studies. We hereby report the sequential phosphorylation of Quercetin leading to the synthesis of Quercetin pentaphosphate (QPP), Apigenin triphosphate (ATRP), 5,4′-Quercetin Diphosphate (5,4′-QDP) and 4′-Quercetin monophosphate (4′-QP) with solubility of 848 mg/mL, 367 mg/mL, 315 μg/mL and 106 μg/mL respectively. The synthesis of 4′-QP, 5,4′-QDP, QPP and ATRP was successful with 85%, 60.5%, 56% and 99% yield respectively. These compounds have been characterized using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 31P NMR.
Possible Functions of Tail-Pumping by American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius):

When perched, several species of small falcons, including American Kestrels (Falco sparverius), often pump their tails, but the possible function of this behaviour is unknown. Our objective was to ...
Testosterone Levels in Pre-Menopausal Women are Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Midlife.

Testosterone Levels in Pre-Menopausal Women are Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Midlife
FDA safety actions for antidiabetic drugs marketed in the US, 1980–2015

Objectives Concerns about safety and complexity of diabetes treatments have increased overtime. We assessed secular trends in the FDA approvals, market discontinuations, and safety actions of all antidiabetic drugs marketed in the US in the period 1980-2015. Methods Regulatory and safety related information about FDA-approved pharmaceuticals for diabetes treatment was collected from the FDA databases, the Orange Book, and Drugs@FDA. Descriptive statistics were performed to describe trends in approvals, discontinuations, and safety actions. Results The number of insulins and analogue approvals declined after the 1980s; whereas, the approvals of non-insulin antidiabetic drugs increased after 1995. The number of antidiabetic drugs with FDA safety actions significantly increased overtime. Overall, 59.0% of insulins and analogues and 5.7% of non-insulin antidiabetic drugs were discontinued from the market. The FDA released at least one safety action for 7.7% of insulins and analogues and 88.7% of non-insulin antidiabetic drugs. Conclusion Newly approved antidiabetic drugs have raised safety concerns and led to FDA safety regulatory actions including boxed warnings, risk evaluation and mitigation strategies, medication guides, and safety communications to health care providers. There is a need for systematic post-marketing studies assessing the long-term safety of antidiabetic drugs to improve patient safety and health outcomes.
Value of gastrografin in adhesive small bowel obstruction

Small bowel obstruction (SBO) from adhesive disease presents great burden for the healthcare system. Some groups have reported water soluble contrast agents (WSCA) protocols, but published studies are underpowered. This study introduces a WSCA protocol to improve outcomes and streamline patient care. The study ran July 1, 2013–June 30, 2015, at Kaiser Permanente San Diego; protocol started July 1, 2014. Data was collected prospectively, on an intention to treat basis. We excluded patients whose SBO were not due to adhesive disease. Protocol included nasogastric tube, intravenous resuscitation, liquid docusate, and gastrografin study if symptoms persisted at 24 h. Colon contrast determined resolution vs operative consideration. Primary outcomes were operative rates and hospital length of stay (LOS). Seven hundred fifteen were patients admitted with SBO; after exclusions there were 261 pre-protocol and 243 protocol patients. One hundred sixty patients resolved within 24 h; 96% of remaining patients stayed on protocol (n = 154). After WSCA protocol began, 15.6% required an operation, compared to 19.8% of pre-protocol patients (NS). The WSCA protocol significantly decreased the time to surgery (2.8 vs 4.88 days, p = 0.03), and the LOS of operated patients (9.51 vs 15.78 days, p = 0.02). A standardized SBO protocol using WSCA significantly decreased time to operation and hospital LOS. This approach improves utilization of resources and may improve outcomes. More work should be done to investigate the positive effects of WSCA protocol for patients with SBO.
Could digital platforms capture the media through infrastructure

This article examines the relationship between the news industry and digital platforms, most notably Facebook and Google, through a political economy framework. The theory of regulatory capture suggests that regulators are prone to become captured by the businesses they oversee, whether through financial incentives (such as money transfers and revolving doors) or cognitive/cultural influence (such as advocacy and shared values). The theory was further expanded to suggest that businesses also attempt to capture non-governmental institutions tasked with scrutinizing them, such as the media. This article suggests that Google and Facebook are rapidly expanding their potential capability to do so. Alongside the forms of capture described in the literature, the most crucial element in Google and Facebook’s relationships with news organizations is the fact that they have come to provide the majority of audience for online news and are significant sources of potential growth in viewership. In addition, they equip...
“Find Your Fit”: Wearable technology and the cultural politics of disability:

By examining advertisements, technological design, workplace wellness programs, and legal discourses involving Fitbit activity trackers, this article examines how cultural ideas about disability in...
Severely Elevated Blood Pressure and Early Mortality in Children with Traumatic Brain Injuries: The Neglected End of the Spectrum.

Author(s): Johnson, M. Austin; Borgman, Matthew A.; Cannon, Jeremy W.; Kuppermann, Nathan; Neff, Lucas P. | Abstract: Introduction: In adults with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), hypotension and hypertension at presentation are associated with mortality. The effect of age-adjusted blood pressure in children with TBI has been insufficiently studied. We sought to determine if age-adjusted hypertension in children with severe TBI is associated with mortality. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of the Department of Defense Trauma Registry (DoDTR) between 2001 and 2013. We included for analysis patients l18 years with severe TBI defined as Abbreviated Injury Severity (AIS) scores of the head ≥3. We defined hypertension as moderate for systolic blood pressures (SBP) between the 95th and 99th percentile for age and gender and severe if greater than the 99th percentile. Hypotension was defined as SBP l90 mmHg for children g10 years or l 70mmHg + (2 x age) for children ≤10 years. We performed multivariable logistic regression and Cox regression to determine if BP categories were associated with mortality. Results: Of 4,990 children included in the DoDTR, 740 met criteria for analysis. Fifty patients (6.8%) were hypotensive upon arrival to the ED, 385 (52.0%) were normotensive, 115 (15.5%) had moderate hypertension, and 190 (25.7%) had severe hypertension. When compared to normotensive patients, moderate and severe hypertension patients had similar Injury Severity Scores, similar AIS head scores, and similar frequencies of neurosurgical procedures. Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that hypotension (odd ratio [OR] 2.85, 95 confidence interval [CI] 1.26-6.47) and severe hypertension (OR 2.58, 95 CI 1.32-5.03) were associated with increased 24-hour mortality. Neither hypotension (Hazard ratio (HR) 1.52, 95 CI 0.74-3.11) nor severe hypertension (HR 1.65, 95 CI 0.65-2.30) was associated with time to mortality. Conclusion: Pediatric, age-adjusted hypertension is frequent after severe TBI. Severe hypertension is strongly associated with 24-hour mortality. Pediatric, age-adjusted blood pressure needs to be further evaluated as a critical marker of early mortality.
Personalized Privacy Assistants for the Internet of Things: Providing Users with Notice and Choice

As we interact with an increasingly diverse set of sensing technologies, it becomes difficult to keep up with the many different ways in which data about ourselves is collected and used. Study after study has shown that while people generally care about their privacy, they feel they have little awareness of-let alone control over-the collection and use of their data. This article summarizes ongoing research to develop and field privacy assistants designed to empower people to regain control over their privacy in the Internet of Things (IoT). Specifically, we focus on the infrastructure we have developed and deployed to support privacy assistants for the IoT. This infrastructure enables the assistants to discover IoT resources (sensors, apps, services, devices, and so on) in the vicinity of their users, and selectively inform users about the data practices associated with these resources. It also supports the discovery of user-configurable settings for IoT resources (opt in, opt out, data erasure, and so on) if there are any, enabling privacy assistants to help users configure their IoT experience in accordance with their privacy expectations. We also discuss how, using machine learning to build and refine models of users privacy expectations and preferences, we plan to developed personalized privacy assistants capable of selectively informing their users about the data practices they actually care about and of helping them configure associated privacy settings.
Clinical utility of a molecular signature in inflammatory demyelinating disease.

Objective We sought to develop molecular biomarkers of intrathecal inflammation to assist neurologists in identifying patients most likely to benefit from a range of immune therapies. Methods We used Luminex technology and index determination to search for an inflammatory activity molecular signature (IAMS) in patients with inflammatory demyelinating disease (IDD), other neuroinflammatory diagnoses, and noninflammatory controls. We then followed the clinical characteristics of these patients to find how the presence of the signature might assist in diagnosis and prognosis. Results A CSF molecular signature consisting of elevated CXCL13, elevated immunoglobulins, normal albumin CSF/serum ratio (Q albumin ), and minimal elevation of cytokines other than CXCL13 provided diagnostic and prognostic value; absence of the signature in IDD predicted lack of subsequent inflammatory events. The signature outperformed oligoclonal bands, which were frequently false positive for active neuroinflammation. Conclusions A CSF IAMS may prove useful in the diagnosis and management of patients with IDD and other neuroinflammatory syndromes. Classification of evidence This study provides Class IV evidence that a CSF IAMS identifies patients with IDD.
Nonsense, Play, and Liminality: Putting Postintentionality in Dialogue With De/colonizing Ontoepistemologies:

In this article, I put postintentionality in dialogue with de/colonizing ontoepistemologies to identify where these perspectives converge and diverge. Informed by Vagle’s notion that a particular i...
The Historical Background for Mandatory Reporting Laws in Public Health

Following a review of the history and legal basis for public health surveillance, this chapter looks at the modern world of big data and all pervasive surveillance. While specific legal references are from the United States, most countries follow a similar framework. Historically, there was little legal recognition of personal privacy. Yet the difficulty of collecting data – the administrative cost of surveillance – was so high that individuals generally had significant actual privacy. Reporting depended on paper reports manually sent in by physicians through the 1970s, and few physicians filed reports. Contemporary law recognizes more general privacy rights, but there are still few limitations on government access to data for public health surveillance. Technology and cultural changes have dramatically increased the volume of that data and made it extremely cheap to collect and analyze it. The traditional problem of public health surveillance was how to get physicians and others to report. Now the problem for public health authorities is to avoid being drowned in the sea of available data. Public health surveillance is no longer a question of getting everything available. Now authorities must decide what are the most cost-effective sources of information, how can they be handled to minimize unnecessary intrusions into personal privacy, and how to separate the data that needs action from the noise.
Traveling to thermal refuges during stressful temperatures leads to foraging constraints in a central-place forager

Central-place foragers can be constrained by the distance between habitats. When an organism relies on a central place for thermal refuge, the distance to food resources can potentially constrain foraging behavior. We investigated the effect of distance between thermal refuges and forage patches of the cold-intolerant marine mammal, the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris), on foraging duration. We tested the alternative hypotheses of time minimization and energy maximization as a response to distance between habitats. We also determined if manatees mitigate foraging constraints with increased visits to closer thermal refuges. We used hidden Markov models to assign discrete behaviors from movement parameters as a function of water temperature and assessed the influence of distance on foraging duration in water temperatures above (> 20°C) and below (≤ 20°C) the lower critical limit of the thermoneutral zone of manatees. We found that with increased distance, manatees decreased foraging duration in cold water temperature and increased foraging duration in warmer temperatures. We also found that manatees returned to closer thermal refuges more often. Our results suggest that the spatial relationship of thermal and forage habitats can impact behavioral decisions regarding foraging. Addressing foraging behavior questions while considering thermoregulatory behavior implicates the importance of understanding changing environments on animal behavior, particularly in the face of current global change.
Classrooms of the 21st Century: Reimagining Boundaries:

In this column, the traditional boundaries of nurse education limited by brick and mortar are reimagined in light of rapidly emerging technologies with the potential to break down boundaries of tim...
Leaf chlorophyll estimates of temperate deciduous shrubs during autumn senescence using a SPAD-502 meter and calibration with extracted chlorophyll

The soil plant analysis development (SPAD) meter proved effective at estimating leaf Chl content of native and non-native temperate deciduous shrubs. However, due to the change in the relationship between SPAD values and Chl content during the course of autumn senescence, it may be necessary to establish separate calibration equations to cover a range of leaf Chl concentrations. Non-destructive estimates of leaf chlorophyll (Chl) content by hand-held chlorophyll meters such as the Minolta SPAD-502 provide an effective time-efficient method of collecting field data on senescence. To establish useable species-specific calibration equations of relationships between chlorophyll meter readings and leaf Chl content. During autumn, we collected SPAD values and quantum yield of photosystem-II (ΦPSII) over a 10-week period from 1044 leaf samples representing native and non-native temperate deciduous shrub species growing in the wild. Subsequently, Chl was extracted from leaf discs (1 cm diameter), incubated at 65 °C for 2 h in dimethyl sulfoxide, and quantified by spectroscopy. Relationships between extracted Chl and SPAD values were established using linear, quadratic, and exponential equations. Quadratic functions proved the most reliable fit for the data. Interestingly, non-native species tended to have higher leaf Chl content and SPAD values but also exhibited higher variability than native species. The strength (r2) of the SPAD-Chl relationships was weaker than those reported for agricultural or greenhouse-grown plants, but strengthened over time as Chl, ΦPSII, and SPAD values declined. The SPAD meter proved effective at estimating leaf Chl content of native and non-native temperate deciduous shrubs. These estimates may be used in future to validate remote sensing (satellite and near-surface) vegetation indices in late autumn when trees are leafless.
Exploring young women's menstruation-related challenges in Uttar Pradesh, India, using the socio-ecological framework.

Menstruation frequently poses psychological, social, and health challenges for young women living in low- and middle-income countries. In countries such as India, where menstruation is stigmatised,...
Antibody repertoire induced by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunogens

ABSTRACT Multiple vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 based on viral spike protein are under development. However, there is limited information on the quality of antibody response generated following vaccination by these vaccine modalities. To better understand antibody response induced by spike protein-based vaccines, we immunized rabbits with various SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antigens: S-ectodomain (S1+S2) (aa 16-1213), which lacks the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains (CT-TM), the S1 domain (aa 16-685), the receptor-binding domain (RBD) (aa 319-541), and the S2 domain (aa 686-1213 as control). Antibody response was analyzed by ELISA, Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) against different Spike proteins in native conformation, and a pseudovirion neutralization assay to measure the quality and function of the antibodies elicited by the different Spike antigens. All three antigens (S1+S2 ectodomain, S1 domain, and RBD) generated strong neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Vaccination induced antibody repertoire was analyzed by SARS-CoV-2 spike Genome Fragment Phage Display Libraries (SARS-CoV-2 GFPDL), which identified immunodominant epitopes in the S1, S1-RBD and S2 domains. Furthermore, these analyses demonstrated that surprisingly the RBD immunogen elicited a higher antibody titer with 5-fold higher affinity antibodies to native spike antigens compared with other spike antigens. These findings may help guide rational vaccine design and facilitate development and evaluation of effective therapeutics and vaccines against COVID-19 disease. One Sentence Summary SARS-CoV-2 Spike induced immune response
Effects of increases in fishery resource abundance on conservation compliance

Abstract Understanding compliance is important for understanding the effectiveness of conservation. This study examines conservation compliance in the American lobster fishery in Maine. In this fishery, an important conservation measure that protects spawning female lobsters, known as v-notching, is considered a norm. This conservation rule is primarily self-enforced, but evidence suggests that its compliance rate may be declining. We analyzed semi-structured and oral history interviews to understand v-notching compliance and lobster fishers' perceptions of v-notching. All lobster fishers interviewed described v-notching as important for the lobster fishery's sustainability, while also reporting that the v-notching practice has been declining in recent years. Conservation compliance changed as the benefits of conservation changed. Because of large lobster catches, lobster fishers have begun to question whether v-notching is as necessary as it was in the past. High catches in recent years also created time constraints on board the vessel that limit the ability to v-notch. Long-term changes in abundance and consequently landings impacted the norm of v-notching. Under new conditions of the lobster resource, v-notching as a norm may be weakened, as there are now conflicting views on the benefits of v-notching. The implications of a reduction in v-notching may be significant for the future sustainability of this fishery given studies that have shown the conservation value of this practice. This study highlights the importance of considering changes in conservation compliance in adaptive management plans due to changes in benefits and costs caused by changing resource conditions.
Design of a navigational catheter system for the targeted delivery of therapeutics within the suprachoroidal space.

Diseases of the posterior segment of the eye are common causes of blindness and can be difficult to treat due to their location. Recently, there has been increased interest in the use of the suprac...
Semantic Localization for IoT

Euclidean geometry and Newtonian time with floating point numbers are common computational models of the physical world. However, to achieve the kind of cyber-physical collaboration that arises in the IoT, such a literal representation of space and time may not be the best choice. In this chapter we survey location models from robotics, the internet, cyber-physical systems, and philosophy. The diversity in these models is justified by differing application demands and conceptualizations of space (spatial ontologies). To facilitate interoperability of spatial knowledge across representations, we propose a logical framework wherein a spatial ontology is defined as a model-theoretic structure. The logic language induced from a collection of such structures may be used to formally describe location in the IoT via semantic localization. Space-aware IoT services gain advantages for privacy and interoperability when they are designed for the most abstract spatial-ontologies as possible. We finish the chapter with definitions for open ontologies and logical inference.
Risky sexual behavior in young adults: The contribution of impulsivity

Abstract Young adults are disproportionately affected by STIs secondary to risky sexual behavior. Researchers have identified neuropsychological and individual differences as correlates, though samples often recruit substance users and paraphiliacs. The current study investigated the effects of impulsivity, time perspective, and executive functioning in 65 young adults recruited online. Participants completed measures of personality and neuropsychological functioning. Stepwise regression revealed sensation seeking and female gender as predictors of RSB. When classifying participants by condom use in the prior 6 months, positive urgency, present-hedonism, and younger age emerged as predictors. Our results underscore the facets of impulsivity and demographics as risk factors in RSB. Importantly, these facets operated independently of EF.
Does Idiosyncratic Volatility Proxy for a Missing Risk Factor? Evidence Using Portfolios as Test Assets

One of the main explanations for the idiosyncratic volatility (IVOL) puzzle (i.e., the negative relation between lagged IVOL and returns) is a missing risk factor. We show analytically that if IVOL proxies for a missing risk factor, then the negative relation between IVOL and returns should persist at the portfolio level. Empirically, we find that the IVOL puzzle disappears when we use well-diversified portfolios as test assets. The IVOL puzzle also weakens after controlling for additional risk factors. Overall, our results suggest that both diversifiable (i.e., true idiosyncratic risk) and non-diversifiable risk play a role in explaining the IVOL puzzle.
Toward pharmacogenetic SLCO1B1-guided dosing of methotrexate in arthritis using a murine Slco1b2 knockout model.

Low-dose methotrexate (MTX) is a first-line therapy for the treatment of arthritis. However, there is considerable interindividual variability in MTX exposure following standard dosing. Polymorphisms in SLCO1B1 significantly effect MTX clearance, altering therapeutic response. One decreased function variant, rs4149056 (c.521T>C, Val174Ala), slows MTX clearance and in vitro uptake of MTX. This phenotype was recapitulated in a mouse model using a knockout (KO) of the murine orthologue, Slco1b2. Our objective was to investigate the impact of this phenotype on the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic outcomes of low-dose MTX in a murine model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). We evaluated response to MTX in mice with CIA using wildtype (WT), heterozygous, and KO Slco1b2 mice on a DBA1/J background. Arthritis was macroscopically evaluated daily to quantify disease progression. Mice received 2 mg/kg or a pharmacogenetically guided MTX dose subcutaneously 3 times a week for 2 weeks. MTX concentrations were collected at the end of the study and exposure (day*µM) was estimated using a two-compartment model. Mice displayed a seven-fold range in MTX exposure and revealed a significant exposure-response relationship (p = 0.0027). KO mice receiving the 2 mg/kg dosing regimen had 2.3-fold greater exposure to MTX (p < 0.0001) and a 66% reduction in overall disease progression (p = 0.011) compared to WT mice. However, exposure and response were equivalent when pharmacogenetically guided dosing was used. These studies demonstrate that an exposure-response relationship exists for MTX and that Slco1b2 genotype affects MTX exposure and therapeutic response. Such evidence supports the use of SLCO1B1-pharmacogenetic dosing of low-dose MTX for patients with arthritis.
Closed-loop data-enabled predictive control

Recent years have witnessed renewed interest in so-called data-enabled control, in which predictions of system behavior are made directly from measured data, in place of an explicit system model. In this paper, we consider systems with measurable disturbances, and present a closed-loop data enabled predictive control strategy that searches over sequences of feedback policies, thereby extending the open-loop strategy recently proposed in Huang et al. [1]. We make use of recent advances in polytopic containment to derive convex formulations of the minimax (i.e. worst-case disturbances) control problem, for a variety of cost functions, constraints, and sets of allowable disturbances. Advantages over open-loop and nonrobust alternatives are illustrated with a numerical example.
Impact of contour hedgerows on upland maize yields in the Philippines

An agricultural production function is used to examine the yield impacts of contour hedgerows constructed using double rows of the N2-fixing species Desmodium rensonii and Flemengia macrophylla. The analysis uses data from a sample of upland Philippine maize farms and controls for input use and plot characteristics. Results support a hypothesis that the long-run impact of hedgerows on maize yields is positive. However, results suggest that in the short run, hedgerows not only reduce area available for cultivation on a plot, but also reduce the performance of corn in the remaining alleys. For newly established hedgerows an increase in hedgerow area is associated with a reduction in maize yield. The time required for hedgerows to compensate for the area they occupy is found to be approximately eight years.
Fatigue Behavior and Microstructure of Neutron Irradiated Thin Section Type 304 Stainless Steel at Elevated Temperatures

The effects of high fluence fast neutron irradiation on the fatigue behavior, microstructure, swelling, and microhardness were evaluated for annealed Type 304 stainless steel which had attained fluences near 1.6 x 10 2 3 neutrons (n)/cm 2 (> 0.1 MeV) at irradiation temperatures from 370 to 470°C (698 to 878°F). Unnotched fatigue specimens remotely prepared from the irradiated material were cycled at resonance in reverse bending in air at constant amplitude at 427 and 593°C (800 and 1100°F). At 427°C, the fatigue life was found to be strongly dependent on irradiation temperature. A decrease in fatigue life from 2 x 10 5 to 1.1 x 10 4 cycles was seen with increasing irradiation temperature within the range investigated. For irradiation temperatures below approximately 427°C, the fatigue life was found to decrease with increasing fluence in the range from 1.3 x 10 2 2 to 1.5 x 10 2 3 n/cm 2 (> 0.1 MeV). The fatigue behavior of specimens tested at 593°C was characterized by a similar irradiation temperature dependency. At 593°C, however, little effect of fluence was observed in the irradiation temperature range below 427°C. At both test temperatures the nuclear exposure produced an increase in fatigue life at irradiation temperatures below 450°C. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to characterize the radiation-induced void structure in the material subsequent to the fatigue tests. A maximum swelling of 10.4 percent was determined by immersion density measurements and independently confirmed from the microscopy data. Ambient temperature microhardness measurements showed that the hardness increment, based on unirradiated thimble material, was in general agreement with calculated microhardness values based on the microscopy data. The calculations indicate that the radiation-induced voids were the primary microstructural component responsible for the measured microhardness. Comparison of the fatigue data with the void, swelling, and microhardness results suggests that the fatigue lives of the specimens at both test temperatures directly reflect the microstructural effects measured by the microhardness as influenced by the void parameters.
Recombinant mite allergens. New technologies for the management of patients with asthma.

The introduction of molecular cloning techniques has led to advances in allergen identification and sequencing, production of recombinant allergens, identification of B-cell and T-cell epitopes, and tertiary structural analysis of allergen molecules. Over 10 groups of mite allergens have been cloned from Dermatophagoides spp., as well as several homologous allergens from Euroglyphus maynei, Lepidoglyphus destructor, and Blomia tropicalis. The availability of these allergens has made it feasible to consider their use for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes Several recombinant Dermatophagoides allergens show comparable reactivity on skin testing and in serologic assays to natural allergens, and cocktails of the recombinant proteins could be used as diagnostic reagents. New technologies have been developed for detection of allergen-specific IgE and for environmental allergen detection using rapid diagnostic tests. Novel approaches to immunotherapy are also being investigated, including T-cell-peptide-based vaccines, allergen variants which lack IgE reactivity, and naked DNA vaccines. The application of allergen biotechnology should lead to improvements in the management of mite-allergic patients with asthma and represents a logical step toward reducing asthma mortality and morbidity.
Gene expression per gene dose, a specific measure of gene expression in aquatic microorganisms.

Abstract A method for the measurement of specific levels of gene expression that combines target mRNA and target DNA quantitation has been developed. The use of target gene dose as a normalizing factor for mRNA provides an alternative to 16S or 23S rRNA, which are unsuitable for use in the environment because of their presence in nontarget organisms. Both target mRNA and DNA are recovered from replicate samples and detected by using antisense and sense single-stranded RNA gene probes. For efficient mRNA recovery, the use of Millipore Durapore filters and multiple extractions was necessary. Quantitation was performed by radiometric detection by using a β-scanner and comparison of the sample signal against target mRNA and DNA standard curves. This method enabled the measurement of expression of the catechol-2,3-dioxygenase gene (xylE) contained on the thermoregulated plasmid pLV1013 in a marine Vibrio strain in culture and in the environment. In studies of the relationship between mRNA levels and enzyme activities, the appearance of enzyme activity lagged behind xylE mRNA synthesis by an hour after temperature induction. This suggests that mRNA analysis is well suited for determining rapid regulation of microbial gene expression at the transcriptional level in water column microbial populations.
The Circadian Clock Acts Through PIF4 and PIF5 to Regulate Gibberellin Signaling in Arabidopsis (LB251)

The circadian clock confers 24-hour rhythmicity to biological events and phases these processes a particular time of day. Plants, being sessile, use the clock to anticipate predictable environmenta...
Quantized matrix completion for low rank matrices

In this paper, we consider the recovery of a low rank matrix M given a subset of noisy quantized (or ordinal) measurements. We consider a constrained maximum likelihood estimation of M, under a constraint on the entry-wise infinity-norm of M and an exact rank constraint. We provide an upper bound on the Frobenius norm of the matrix estimation error under this model. Past theoretical investigations have been restricted to binary quantizers, and based on convex relaxation of the rank. We propose a globally convergent optimization algorithm exploiting existing work on low rank matrix factorization, and validate the method on synthetic data, with improved performance over past methods.
The Preferred-Mode Coherent Structure in the Near Field of an Axisymmetric Jet With and Without Excitation

The ‘preferred-mode’ coherent structure in the near field of an axisymmetric jet is educed for different Reynolds numbers and for the two limiting asymptotic states of the exit boundary layer: laminar and fully- developed turbulent. Distributions of phase-average longitudinal and lateral velocities, coherent vorticity, coherent and incoherent turbulence Reynolds stresses, and coherent strain rate and production are obtained via phase-locked hot-wire measurements over the spatial extent of the coherent structure, for controlled excitation at the jet Strouhal number of 0.3. These properties are found to be independent of the initial condition but show weak dependence on the Reynolds number up to about 105. The naturally-occurring coherent structure in the unexcited jet, educed via an optimized conditional sampling scheme, shows no clear dependence on the jet Reynolds number up to 8 × 105.
Thick Description: Methodology

‘Thick description’ is the term that Geertz used to describe ethnography in one of the most famous and influential anthropology texts in the second half of the twentieth century, The Interpretation of Cultures (1973). It has come to imply two different things: on the one hand, good ethnography – what all anthropologists have done and do when they write up the results of solid, careful ethnography – and, on the other hand, what Geertz understood to be the intellectual entailments of this particular methodology.
Louis B. Sohn: Present at the Creation

Louis B. Sohn was my grandfather in the law. I call him that because I arst met him more than afty years ago, when my late father, Kwang Lim Koh, wrote his S.J.D. dissertation at Harvard Law School under Professor Sohn’s supervision. When my sister Jean Koh Peters—who is now my colleague at Yale Law School—and I followed suit some twenty-ave years later, we became the second generation in our family to study international law under Louis’s watchful eye. My father originally came to Harvard to study not under Louis, but under Louis’s great mentor, Bemis Professor of International Law and former Judge of the Permanent Court of International Justice Manley O. Hudson. But when Judge Hudson died, Professor Sohn generously took on my father as his doctoral candidate. And so it was that, under Louis’s supervision, my father came to write his S.J.D. dissertation, long before the issue became timely, on the regulation of international asheries and the continental shelf under the Law of the Sea regime. Over the next thirty-ave years, my father became, and remained, one of Louis’s most devoted students. As an immigrant who spoke accented English his whole life, Louis was a magnet not just for my father, but for scores of other foreign students as well. Born in what is now Ukraine and educated in Poland, Sohn came to America when he was twenty-ave, only to and a new family among the legions of foreign graduate students who came to study with him over the years. Writing for my father’s festschrift twenty-ave years ago, Louis revealed what his own student days must have been like. He recalled: “Like many foreign students—including myself—[Dr. Koh must have] found it difacult at the beginning to adjust to the hectic pace of the American law school, to the—to the non-American—unusual requirement of having to prepare for every class and to the danger of being called upon to recite a case and present his views, to be torn to shreds by the professor and the other students.”1