cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reasons for beliefs in understanding: applications of non-monotonic dependencies to story processing

Many of the inferences and decisions which contribute to understanding involve fallible assumptions. When these assumptions are undermined, computational models of comprehension should respond rationally. This paper crossbreeds AI research on problem solving and understanding to produce a hybrid model ("reasoned understanding"). In particular, the paper shows how non-monotonic dependencies [Doyle79] enable a schema-based story processor to adjust to new information requiring the retraction of assumptions.
The Jews, the Revolution, and the Old Regime in French Anti-Semitism and Durkheim's Sociology*:

The relationship between European sociology and European anti-Semitism in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is investigated through a case study of one sociologist, Emile Durkheim, in a single country, France. Reactionary and radical forms of anti-Semitism are distinguished and contrasted to Durkheim's sociological perspective. Durkheim's remarks about the Jews directly addressed anti-Semitic claims about them, their role in French society, and their relationship to modernity. At the same time, Durkheim was engaged in a reinterpretation of the French Revolution and its legacies that indirectly challenged other tenets of French anti-Semitism. In sum, Durkheim's work contains direct and indirect responses to reactionary and radical forms of anti-Semitism, and together these responses form a coherent alternative vision of the relationship between modernity and the Jews.
Recent advances in gastrointestinal oncology - updates and insights from the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology

We have reviewed the pivotal presentations related to gastrointestinal malignancies from 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology with the theme of "personalizing cancer care". We have discussed the scientific findings and the impact on practice guidelines and ongoing clinical trials. Adding trastuzumab to chemotherapy improved the survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer overexpressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Gemcitabine plus cisplatin has become a new standard for first-line treatment of advanced biliary cancer. Octreotide LAR significantly lengthened median time to tumor progression compared with placebo in patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors of the midgut. Addition of oxaliplatin to fluoropyrimidines for preoperative chemoradiotherapy in patients with stage II or III rectal cancer did not improve local tumor response but increased toxicities. Bevacizumab did not provide additional benefit to chemotherapy in adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II or III colon cancer. In patients with resected stage II colon cancer, recurrence score estimated by multigene RT-PCR assay has been shown to provide additional risk stratification. In stage IV colorectal cancer, data have supported the routine use of prophylactic skin treatment in patients receiving antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor, and the use of upfront chemotherapy as initial management in patients with synchronous metastasis without obstruction or bleeding from the primary site.
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci: Mechanisms and Clinical Observations

Enterococci are not generally regarded as highly virulent bacterial pathogens. However, resistance to many antimicrobial drugs complicates treatment of enterococcal infections. Acquired resistance to high concentrations of glycopeptide antibiotics, specifically vancomycin, has exacerbated this problem. This article seeks to concisely review the mechanisms of that resistance and its effects on clinical management of enterococcal infections, as well as clinical microbiology and infection control.
A FRAME-INVARIANT FORMULATION OF FUNG ELASTICITY

Fung elasticity refers to the hyperelasticity constitutive relation proposed by Fung and co-workers for describing the pseudo-elastic behavior of biological soft tissues undergoing finite deformation. A frame-invariant formulation of Fung elasticity is provided for material symmetries ranging from orthotropy to isotropy, which uses Lame-like material constants. In the orthotropic case, three orthonormal vectors are used to define mutually orthogonal planes of symmetry and associated texture tensors. The strain energy density is then formulated as an isotropic function of the Lagrangian strain and texture tensors. The cases of isotropy and transverse isotropy are derived from the orthotropic case. Formulations are provided for both material and spatial frames. These formulations are suitable for implementation into finite element codes. It is also shown that the strain energy function can be naturally uncoupled into a dilatational and a distortional part, to facilitate the computational implementation of incompressibility.
Moral Standards Under Pressure: The Israeli Army and the Intifada

“The PLO practice of hiding behind civilians has produced severe tests for the IDF [Israeli Defense Force].” Have Israeli soldiers abandoned their moral obligations in war during the time of Intifada? The moral code of the “purity” of arms (tohar haneshek) has served as an absolute standard for the Israeli Army since the creation of Israel. The author emphasizes that although televised beatings of Palestinian women and children have caused an outcry, it would be unrealistic to hold Israeli soldiers to the same moral standards given the political situation; hence the IDF cannot be criticized for having committed some immoral acts under the unique circumstances of the intifada. The Israeli Defense Force has not abandoned its tohar haneshek and has maintained its commitment to moral values in national and international behavior.
Growth Patterns of Hyperlipidemic Children Enrolled in a Preventive Cardiovascular Health Clinic

The objective of this study was to assess growth patterns of hyperlipidemic children enrolled in a preventive cardiovascular health clinic. A retrospective chart review of hyperlipidemic children enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular Health Clinic for the Young was performed. All participants were counseled to eat an American Heart Association Step-One Diet and exercise regularly. Weight and height were measured every 3 months. Growth was assessed using attained heights and weights and body-mass index Z scores compared to standard distributions for North American children. Sixty-three patients (33 males and 30 females) were enrolled in the study. Mean age at clinic entrance was 7.8 ± 3.5 years (range: 2 to 16 years). We conclude that participation in a preventive health clinic is generally safe for hyperlipidemic children. However, medical management of hyperlipidemic children must include meticulous surveillance to detect the infrequent occurrence of excessive weight loss or weight stabilization res...
Development of a Generation Resource Scheduling Case Library

Large scale generation resource scheduling optimization problem is usually very hard to solve due to its combinatorial nature. Various algorithms such as Lagrangian relaxation based algorithm, Benders algorithm, and genetic algorithms have been proposed in the past to tackle this problem. One challenge facing researchers is how to determine which algorithm to use and how to test and compare the performance of various algorithms. To explore and propose new algorithms, benchmarking of the performance of existing algorithms is essential, since advantages and disadvantages of each algorithm can be better understood through extensive case studies. To carry out such studies, a systematic way based on a comprehensive case library is necessary. This paper describes an approach for building a case library that can be used for testing various resource scheduling algorithms. The implementation details including the development environment and special considerations are presented
The populist of science

The need for members of the public to understand science is increasing rapidly. Science underlies the technology that is changing our jobs, our homes, and our lives. It also bears on many of the political issues we must decide, especially in the area of the environment and its restoration. Scientists, however, are often uncomfortable with addressing the public. This paper describes a number of ways that scientists can share their science with the public and give the public the information it needs to make sound decisions.
Addressing Poverty, Education, and Gender Equality to Improve the Health of Women Worldwide

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that target alleviating poverty, improving primary education, and fostering gender equity are important as a foundation to promote world health. Achieving these goals will create an environment for healthy lives for women and children. Poverty, education, and gender equality, although undeniably linked, need to be addressed individually. Nurses have the capacity and political will to address MDGs and to contribute to the health and well-being of the world population.
Rotation, Chromospheric Activity, and Lithium Abundances in G and K Dwarfs of the Pleiades

The potential influence of rotation on lithium depletion is examined through a study of lithium in G and K dwarfs of the Pleiades. Both lithium abundance and rotation show an appreciable spread at any one color in that cluster, but excess Li is not well enough correlated with excess rotation for there to be a causal relationship. However, excess Li correlates very well with excess chromospheric activity and this is probably due in part to line formation conditions being altered by the activity. We also illustrate the distribution of v sin i for these stars.
Dietary levels of chia: influence on yolk cholesterol, lipid content and fatty acid composition for two strains of hens

Four hundred fifty H&N laying hens, half white and half brown, were fed for 90 d to compare a control diet to diets containing 7, 14, 21, and 28% chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed. Cholesterol content, total fat content, and fatty acid composition of the yolks were determined 30, 43, 58, 72, and 90 d from the start of the trial. Significantly less cholesterol was found in the egg yolks produced by the hens fed the diets with 14, 21, and 28% chia compared with the control, except at Day 90. Palmitic fatty acid content and total saturated fatty acid content decreased as chia percentage increased and as the trial progressed. Total omega-3 fatty acid content was significantly greater (P < 0.05) for both strains for all chia diets compared with the control diet. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content of the yolks from the chia diets was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than from the control diet. Generally, total PUFA content tended to be highest in the yolks of the white hens.
Household Location Choices: Implications for Biodiversity Conservation

Successful conservation efforts require understanding human behaviors that directly affect biodi- versity. Choice of household location represents an observable behavior that has direct effects on biodiversity conservation, but no one has examined the sociocultural predictors of this choice relative to its environmental impacts. We conducted a case study of the Teton Valley of Idaho and Wyoming (U.S.A.) that (1) explored re- lationships between sociodemographic variables, environmental attitudes, and the environmental impact of household location choices, (2) assessed the potential for small household sizes in natural areas to multiply the environmental impacts of household location decisions, and (3) evaluated how length of residency predicted the environmental attitudes of people living in natural areas. We collected sociodemographic data, spatial co- ordinates, and land-cover information in a survey of 416 households drawn from a random sample of Teton Valley residents (95% compliance rate). Immigrants (respondents not born in the study area) with the lowest education levels and least environmentally oriented attitudes lived in previously established residential areas in disproportionately high numbers, and older and more educated immigrants with the most environmentally oriented attitudes lived in natural areas in disproportionately high numbers. Income was not a significant predictor of household location decisions. Those living in natural areas had more environmental impact per person because of the location and because small households (<3 people/household) were 4 times as likely in natural areas as large households. Longer residency in natural areas predicted less environmentally oriented attitudes, suggesting that living in natural areas does not foster more concern for nature. Because populaces are rapidly aging, growing more educated, and potentially growing more environmentally oriented, these patterns are troubling for biodiversity conservation. Our results demonstrate a need for environmentalists to make household location decisions that reflect their environmental attitudes and future research to address how interactions between education level, environmental attitudes, population aging, and household location choices influence biodiversity conservation.
Initial Phase Formation and Distribution in the Pt-GexSi1−x and Cr-GexSi1−x Systems

Metal-GeSi reactions have been investigated in the Pt-GeSi and Cr-GeSi systems. Pt started to diffuse into and react with the alloys at 250 °C. The reacted region consisted of a uniform mixture of Pt2Si and Pt2Ge, with the same ratios of Ge to Si as those in the unreacted region. On the other hand, the Cr-GeSi reaction was induced by Ge motion at 375 °C. As a result a two-layer phase separation was observed. A Si-rich ternary layer was sandwiched between a germanide layer and the unreacted alloy.
Myelodysplastic (preleukemia) syndromes : the bone marrow factory failure problem

The myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of hematologic disorders that adversely affect the levels of hemoglobin, platelets, erythrocytes, and leukocytes. Although the cause of this syndrome is unknown, new diagnostic techniques have facilitated identification and classification of these diseases into five categories: refractory anemia (refractory cytopenia), refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Cytogenetic abnormalities may be present in more than 55 % of the patients. Symptomatic patients should be assessed relative to life-threatening versus non-life-threatening cytopenias and age. Management consists of primarily supportive measures, although certain approaches that are currently being used or under investigation, such as concomitant administration of erythropoietin and other growth factors, show promise for the future.
When "new" meets "old": configurations of adult attachment representations and their implications for marital functioning.

Two studies addressed the implications of concordance versus discrepancy of attachment representations in individuals at 2 stages in their marital relationships. Engaged ( n 157) and dating (n 101) couples participated in a multimethod 6-year longitudinal study of adult attachment. Individuals completed the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), the Current Relationship Interview (CRI), and various questionnaires and were observed in interactions with partners. On the basis of AAI and CRI classifications, participants were placed in one of four groups: SecureAAI/SecureCRI, SecureAAI/InsecureCRI, InsecureAAI/SecureCRI, or InsecureAAI/InsecureCRI. Each of the configurations showed a particular pattern of behavior, feelings about relationships and the self, and likelihood of relationship breakup. The findings of the studies address important points about the protective effects of attachment security and have interesting implications for the extension of attachment theory into adulthood.
The family and HRM in North America: how demographic and social changes are shifting the way work–family issues are managed by organizations and employees

This review examines the impact of changing demographics and changing family structures on organizational human resource management (HRM) practices. We explore the practical concerns and theoretical implications of these demographic changes. The impact of general environmental changes, globalization and technology, and the role of workforce changes, such as the changing nature of the family and the aging population, is considered. In addition, the emerging trends in HRM policies and their outcomes are reviewed, and the implications for management are discussed.
Performance evaluation of ATM architectures in multimedia traffic environments

A simulation model for the performance evaluation of fast packet switching architectures under multimedia traffic conditions is presented. The simulator is based on an integration of the SLAM-II tool with special-purpose C routines that model the internal structure and operational details of the basic switching fabrics. Two types of traffic sources, namely, Bernoulli sources and correlated sources (modeled as two-state Markov chains) are considered. The latter class of sources provides an accurate model for multimedia traffic components, such as voice and video, which are inherently bursty. The results of the simulation indicate the significant deterioration of the switch performance under correlated traffic from that predicted by the Bernoulli models. Furthermore, they illustrate the efficacy of the input-windowing mechanism in remedying this drawback to a substantial degree. >
Feeding problems in infants and young children with chronic lung disease

Aim: To determine the frequency and nature of feeding problems in infants with oxygen dependent chronic lung disease (CLD).Methods: A questionnaire regarding the feeding history of the infant was administered to parents of infants with CLD and a control group.Results: Forty-seven infants with CLD and 35 control infants were studied. Fewer infants in the CLD group fed well once established on milk feeds compared to the control group (49% vs. 77%; P<0.05) and a greater number had significant vomiting under the age of 6 months when compared to controls (66% vs. 37%; P<0.05). The CLD group had a significantly higher incidence of feeding problems compared to the controls, including recurrent spitting out of food (34% vs. 3%), refusal of food (38% vs. 26%) or gagging on food (47% vs. 6%). Twenty-three per cent of infants in the CLD group required enteral feeding beyond 3 months of age, and 19% had a second episode of enteral feeding.Conclusion: The incidence of feeding problems in infants with CLD is high. Strategies aimed at reducing these problems need to be identified and evaluated.
Abstract P154: Pericardial Adiposity Predicts Incident Diabetes: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) is ectopic fat deep (epicardial adipose tissue) and superficial (paracardial adipose tissue) to the pericardium of the heart. PAT has been cross-sectionally associated with diabetes, but the association with development of diabetes is unclear. Using data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), we tested whether PAT at baseline was associated with incident diabetes over nearly 10 years of follow-up. The baseline visit (visit 1) was conducted between 2000-2002. Four follow-up visits were conducted at 2 year intervals with visit 5 between 2010 and 2012. Diabetes was defined as a fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl or the use of antidiabetic medication. Diabetes-free participants at baseline were followed for incident diabetes at any subsequent visit (visits 2-5). Volume of PAT was measured from computed tomographic (CT) scans taken at visits 1 - 4. CT scans were completed on all participants at baseline. Repeat scans were performed on random halves at visits 2 and 3, and a subset at visit 4. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between PAT and incident diabetes. The figure presents the mean PAT by visit and the mean PAT at baseline among those without diabetes at any time during the study period and those that develop diabetes over the 10 years of follow-up. In Cox regression models adjusted for age, race, and sex, each SD increment of baseline PAT (42.0 mL) was associated with a hazard ratio (HR) for incident diabetes of 1.6 (95% CI 1.5-1.7, p<0.0001). After adjusting for baseline BMI and waist-to-hip ratio, the HR was attenuated somewhat, but remained significant: HR 1.3 (95% CI 1.2-1.4, p<0.0001). Addition of waist circumference to the model did not alter PAT results further. We found that PAT was highly stable over time, accumulating very slowly. Its baseline value strongly predicts incident diabetes independent of overall body mass and central fatness. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Clovers (Trifolium spp.)

Trifolium is a genus of some 250 species indigenous to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, with a major center of diversity in the Eurasian region. About 20 species have been considered agriculturally significant for provision of food to domesticated herbivores in cool-temperate to subtropical regions (Table 1). These are generally grown with companion grasses as grazed pasture or range- land, but mown feed and hay crops are also important functions of certain species. Annual species are generally self-pollinating, with simple tap roots, low chromosome numbers (e.g., 2n = 14, 16), and adaptations for Mediterranean-type climates. Perennial species are mostly cross-pollinating, often with higher chromosome numbers (e.g., 2n = 48, 64, 80, 130), and are frequently spread vegetatively by means of stolons or rhizomes (Taylor et al. 1979). For most species a wide range of ecotypic variability is available, and particularly in outcrossing species, substantial interplant genetic variability exists even within ecotypes and bred varieties.
The Continuum of Medication Safety and ISMP Anniversaries.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Medication Error Report column in Hospital Pharmacy. Initiated by Michael R. Cohen in March 1975 under the name Medication Error Reports, this monthly column reviews medication errors that have occurred in health care facilities, analyzes potential contributing factors, and offers process solutions. From its inception, the column focused on what happened not who did it. Though safety has long been a goal in the medication process, the discussion of specific medication errors was not shared in publication or open forums in the mid 1970s. The assumption that medication errors were the result of poor systems or procedures and that preventive strategies could be built through education and alertness of personnel was ground breaking. Reporting errors to an external system was not yet part of our professional efforts toward safety surveillance. In fact, this was long before the Aviation Safety Reporting Program was created, and it would still be another 25 years before the landmark publication of To Err is Human, Building a Safer Health System.1 In a recent conversation with Dr. Cohen, he noted that the column’s creation occurred as a result of a conversation with Neil Davis, Hospital Pharmacy’s Editor-in-Chief at that time. The collaborative efforts of these individuals regarding medication safety laid the foundation for further accomplishments in improving medication processes. In fact, both men appeared on the very first Dateline NBC (March 31, 1992) to discuss fatal medication errors. 2 Today, the monthly column is titled ISMP Medication Error Report Analysis, authored by Michael Cohen and Judy Smetzer. It is one of the most read columns in Hospital Pharmacy, and it is always thought-provoking and helpful to our practices and discussions regarding patient care safety. It is a valuable contribution to our readership and to all health care professionals involved in the delivery of medications to patients. A reprint of the very first Medication Error Report column is provided at the end of this Editorial. I encourage everyone to read the first medication errors that were discussed in 1975, as they represent the groundwork of many preventive strategies that are in place today. These reports involving the hazards of verbal ordering and abbreviations are as topical now as they were then. In addition to the column’s 40th anniversary, the Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) recently celebrated a 20th anniversary in 2014 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education of the health care community and consumers regarding safe medication practices. As is the case with most anniversaries, it is a time for reflecting on the past and planning for what is to come. Despite our best efforts, medication errors remain a cause of patient mortality and morbidity.3 Health care systems are dynamic and complex processes; our preventive strategies should be as well.
Misconceptions about traumatic brain injury among U.S. Army behavioral health professionals

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: To investigate the knowledge and misconceptions about traumatic brain injury (TBI) held by behavioral health care professionals providing services to an active-duty military population. Research Method/Design: Active duty U.S. Army psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses from locations across the Department of Defense, and behavioral health professionals from a major military hospital (N = 181) were surveyed on 19 common myths and misconceptions about TBI (Gouvier, Prestholdt, & Warner, 1988). Eight new items were added to the survey to more specifically assess misconceptions pertaining to mild TBI (mTBI). RESULTS: Mean percentages for the subcomponents of the questionnaire suggested that responses were generally accurate for general information about brain damage (83.61% correct) but less accurate for unconsciousness (45.81%), amnesia or memory loss (53%), and recovery items (64.8%). The total percent correct was 51% on the new mTBI items with a sizable minority of the sample viewing mTBI as being associated with lengthier recovery and poorer outcome than what has been indicated by recent research. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS: Overall, misconceptions, particularly about mTBI, are prevalent among U.S. Army behavioral health providers. These findings raise concern about the dissemination of TBI information to health care professionals in the U.S. Army and to military personnel who may not be receiving accurate information about TBI recovery. (PsycINFO Database Record Language: en
Vector Near-Field Imaging and Impedance Matching with Optical and Infrared Antennas

We discuss optical and infrared antenna characterization using a nano-optical vector network analyzer and coplanar stripline analysis as a way to achieve impedance matching between optical antennas and nanoscale loads.
Physiology and Pathology of Septoria Species on Chrysanthemum

In the study of collections of diseased foliage from chrysanthemums considerable variation was found to exist in the amount of disease manifested on plants in scattered locations and among the vari...
Modeling the Conductance of the Peptide Alamethicin With and Without Ion Gradients

Alamethicin is an antibiotic peptide from the fungus Trichoderma viride that forms ion channels in bilayer lipid membranes. Each peptide consists of 20 amino acids that can form larger channels with the congregation of multiple monomers of the peptide. These formed ion channels have some voltage dependent characteristics when a potential is induced across the bilayer. This potential can be from an applied voltage source or from an ion concentration gradient inducing a transmembrane potential across the membrane. The peptide alamethicin can be modeled as a conductor that allows the flow of ions through the membrane. The formed channels have distinct conductance level states caused by accumulation of additional alamethicin monomers being added to an individual ion channel. The voltage dependence of the accumulation of multiple ion channels can be modeled for the average response. A probabilistic model is used to capture the statistics of the state changes of individual channels. This type of model can be summed to simulate the conductance of multiple channels within a bilayer. This work focuses on obtaining the statistic for individual ion channels and using those statistics to show that a probabilistic model of the peptide’s conductance can capture some of the dynamics seen in aggregated responses. The Nernst equation is used to estimate the transmembrane potential caused by an ion gradient of a bilayer in equilibrium. This potential is used in the model to assist in determining the current conductance states of an individual channel of the peptide in the presence of an ion gradient. This paper will show the experimental results of ion currents across a bilayer induced by membrane potentials and the ion currents induced by ion gradients. The statistics of the measurements are used in a probabilistic conductance model of the peptide alamethicin.© 2011 ASME
Effect on Power Quality and Countermeasure in Case of Integration of Electric Arc Furnace into Power Grid

As a typical non-linear load,the electric arc furnace brings big impact to the connecting power grid,especially for the substation that the background harmonic content is high,the integration of the electric arc furnace may result in the harmonic content of the substation exceeding the country standard,affecting the system safety directly.Based on the actual project,this paper made the harmonic test of the connecting substation of the Xinyang Tonghe wheel company,made the comparison of the test data before and after running,gave the analysis to the power quality index,and applied the program of PSASP to compute the impact of the electric arc furnace to the Xinyang power grid.Furthermore,combining the capacitor operating state,this paper analyzed its harmonic zoom.Finally,corresponding harmonic restraining measure were presented considering the actual situation.
Composing Arguments of Scholarly Worth: A Case Study of the Portfolio Letter

This essay examines four disciplinary challenges that faculty from broad, diverse disciplines such as rhetoric and composition encounter during tenure, promotion, and reappointment (TP&R) and highlights the arguments and rhetorical strategies that can be utilized to demonstrate scholarly worth and significance.
Finding the Right Treatment for Achalasia Treatment: Risks, Efficacy, Complications

Achalasia is a primary esophageal motor disorder of the esophagus that is characterized by the absence of esophageal peristalsis and a failure of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to relax upon swallowing. The defective relaxation leads to symptoms of dysphagia for solids and liquids, regurgitation, aspiration, chest pain, and weight loss. Achalasia is believed to result from a selective loss of enteric inhibitory neurons, most likely due to an autoimmune phenomenon in genetic susceptible individuals. As there is no curative treatment for achalasia, treatment is confined to disruption of the LES to improve bolus passage. The two most commonly used treatment modalities available are the endoscopic pneumodilation (PD) and the surgical laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM). A recent European randomized controlled trial showed that both treatment modalities have comparable success rates after a follow-up of at least 5 years. In view of these data, both treatments can be used as an initial therapy in achalasia and the choice should be based on the expertise available. Recently, a new endoscopic technique, peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), has been introduced with excellent short-term success rates. However, longer follow-up and data from randomized controlled trials are needed before accepting this technique as a new treatment option for achalasia in clinical practice.
Barriers to and opportunities for landward migration of coastal wetlands with sea-level rise

In the 21st century, accelerated sea-level rise and continued coastal development are expected to greatly alter coastal landscapes across the globe. Historically, many coastal ecosystems have responded to sea-level fluctuations via horizontal and vertical movement on the landscape. However, anthropogenic activities, including urbanization and the construction of flood-prevention infrastructure, can produce barriers that impede ecosystem migration. Here we show where tidal saline wetlands have the potential to migrate landward along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, one of the most sea-level rise sensitive and wetland-rich regions of the world. Our findings can be used to identify migration corridors and develop sea-level rise adaptation strategies to help ensure the continued availability of wetland-associated ecosystem goods and services.
E.M. Forster and the War’s Colonial Aspect

In October 1915, K.E. Royds, a Red Cross Relief worker, sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar and through the Mediterranean to Salonika. Her diary records the African coast, “an unknown world” no more than “a grey outline,” “dim in the morning mist.” “This is really heavenly! But there is nothing to say about it,” notes Royds.1 On past Algiers seen in moonlight, “an unsubstantial faery thing,” and through Malta’s “narrow streets (some up steps) with overhanging balconies, and Eastern looking shops,” Royds arrives in Salonika and its “Turkish quarter” with “overhanging windows … narrow-latticed shutters … the harems, the gardens green, but enclosed with high walls.”2 Royds, a war worker, writes while en route to a Greek city occupied by both British and French troops stationed there to support the Serbs in their fight for survival against invasion by German, Austro-Hungarian, and Bulgarian troops.3 By spring 1916, the infamous Serbian retreat would have seen losses of around 200,000 troops and civilians.4 Across the Aegean Sea, British, French, Indian, and ANZAC soldiers still fought in the disastrous Gallipoli campaign at the cost of some 250,000 casualties on the Allied side alone.5 Yet Royds’s production of the exotic and the picturesque comes straight from the writings of Victorian and Edwardian travelers, such as Isabel Burton, Florence Nightingale, or Amelia Edwards. It is not that Royds is either ignorant or nave; she comments in the very same entry on the bad news from the Serbian war zone that “it is hard to realize what is happening north, above the hills.”6 Neither is she atypical. For Royds and many others, whether soldiers or non-combatants, the war was an opportunity to travel on the edges of Europe’s borders and beyond.7
General Homeostasis, Passive Life, and the Challenge to Autonomy

The paper argues that the conception of life as generalized homeostasis developed by W.R. Ashby in Design for a Brain and his other writings is orthogonal to the traditional distinction between autonomy and heteronomy that underlies much recent work in cellular biology, evolutionary robotics, ALife, and general AI. The distinction is well-entrenched in the Western philosophical canon but it fails to do justice to Ashby’s conception of life. We can assess the philosophical and technical viability of the general homeostasis thesis Ashby advocated, the paper argues, through the construction of virtual cognitive agents (i.e. simulated robots in a physically plausible environment) that replicate the architecture of Ashby’s original homeostat through a Ctrnn-like network architecture, whose outline implementation is then discussed.
The Impact of Partnership Status and Social Support on Health Related Quality of Life Outcomes in Men with Prostate Cancer

Abstract Introduction We examined the relationship between partnership status and social support and its effect on longitudinal health related quality of life outcomes in underserved, low income men with prostate cancer. Methods We prospectively analyzed quality of life outcomes across partnership status and the social support of each patient enrolled in a state funded program for free prostate cancer treatment. The UCLA Prostate Cancer Index Short Form was used to quantify urinary, sexual and bowel habits in the 2 domains of bother and function. Physical health and mental health were measured with the RAND Medical Outcomes Study Short Form. We compared 4 levels of partnership and social support dyads with a repeated measures analysis while controlling for patient characteristics. Results A total of 223 men were eligible for inclusion in the study. Of the 70 patients with a partner 54 (77%) listed their partner as their only support member and the remaining 16 listed their partner and 1 or 2 children as their support group. There were few differences in the major quality of life domains of urinary, bowel and bladder function and bother. Physical and mental health scores did not differ by partnership status or social support. Conclusions While we hypothesized that being partnered and having increased social support would have a positive effect on quality of life, we did not find this association in our longitudinal analysis. We propose that patterns of confiding in others and integration of a nurse case manager are highly gender based, and may provide possible explanations for our findings.
Covalent Allosteric Inactivation of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) by an Inhibitor–Electrophile Conjugate

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a validated drug target, but it has proven difficult to develop medicinally useful, reversible inhibitors of this enzyme. Here we explored covalent strategies for the inactivation of PTP1B using a conjugate composed of an active site-directed 5-aryl-1,2,5-thiadiazolidin-3-one 1,1-dioxide inhibitor connected via a short linker to an electrophilic α-bromoacetamide moiety. Inhibitor–electrophile conjugate 5a caused time-dependent loss of PTP1B activity consistent with a covalent inactivation mechanism. The inactivation occurred with a second-order rate constant of (1.7 ± 0.3) × 102 M–1 min–1. Mass spectrometric analysis of the inactivated enzyme indicated that the primary site of modification was C121, a residue distant from the active site. Previous work provided evidence that covalent modification of the allosteric residue C121 can cause inactivation of PTP1B [Hansen, S. K., Cancilla, M. T., Shiau, T. P., Kung, J., Chen, T., and Erlanson, D. A. (2005) Biochemistry...
Epidemiology: Molecular mapping of Zika spread

Evolutionary trees constructed using both newly sequenced and previously available Zika virus genomes reveal how the recent outbreak arose in Brazil and spread across the Americas. See Letters p.401 , p.406 & p.411 Three papers in this issue present a wealth of new Zika virus (ZIKV) genome sequences and further insights into the genetic epidemiology of ZIKV. Nathan Grubaugh et al. provide 39 new ZIKV genome sequences from infected patients and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Florida. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the virus has been introduced on multiple separate occasions, probably linked to travel from the Caribbean. They find a low probability of long-term persistence of ZIKV transmission chains within Florida, suggesting that the potential for future ZIKV outbreaks there will depend on transmission dynamics in the Americas. Nuno Faria et al. and Hayden Metsky et al. reconstruct the spread of ZIKV in Brazil and the Americas. Faria et al. provide 54 new ZIKV genomes, several sequenced in real time in a mobile genomics laboratory. They trace the spatial origins and spread of ZIKV in Brazil and the Americas and date the timing of the international spread of ZIKV from Brazil. They find that northeast Brazil had a crucial role in the establishment of the epidemic and the spread of the virus within Brazil and the Americas. Metsky et al. generate 110 ZIKV genomes from clinical and mosquito samples from ten regions. They also see rapid expansion of the epidemic within Brazil and multiple introductions to other geographic areas. In agreement with Faria et al., they find that ZIKV circulated unobserved for many months before transmission was detected. Metsky et al. additionally describe ZIKV evolution and discuss how the accumulation of mutations might affect the performance of diagnostic tests in the future.
Fossil Hackberry Seeds From the Loess at Natchez, Mississippi

The loess deposits in the vicinity of Natchez, Mississippi, have received much attention from geologists over the years, and are well known to paleontologists as the source of an abundant and varied terrestrial snail fauna (Shimek, 1902; Vestal, 1942; Russell, 1955; Snowden and Priddy, 1968; Kolb, 1976). With the exception of the casts and molds of roots, well-preserved plant remains from the southern loess are essentially unknown. The purpose of our note is to describe a rare occurrence of fossil seeds from loess deposits near Natchez, and to comment on the mode of preservation of the seeds.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Utilization in an Emergency Department Observation Unit.

Introduction Emergency Department Observation Units (EDOUs) are a valuable alternative to inpatient admissions for Emergency Department (ED) patients needing extended care. However, while the use of advanced imaging is becoming more common in the ED, there are no studies characterizing the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations in the EDOU. Methods This Institutional Review Board-approved, retrospective study was performed at a 999-bed quaternary care academic Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center, with approximately 114,000 ED visits annually and a 32-bed adult EDOU. The EDOU patient database was retrospectively reviewed for all MRI examinations done from October 1st, 2013 to September 30th, 2015. We sought to describe the most frequent uses for MRI during EDOU admissions and reviewed EDOU length of stay (LOS) to determine whether the use of MRI was associated with any change in LOS. Results 22,840 EDOU admissions were recorded during the two-year study period, and 4,437 (19%) of these patients had a least one MRI examination during their stay. 2,730 (62%) of these studies were of the brain, head, or neck and an additional 1,392 (31%) were of the spine. There was no significant difference between the median LOS of admissions in which an MRI study was performed (17.5 hours) and the median LOS (17.7 hours) of admissions in which an MRI study was not performed [p=0.33]. Conclusion Neuroimaging makes up the clear majority of MRI examinations from our EDOU, and the use of MRI does not appear to prolong EDOU LOS. Future work should focus on the appropriateness of these MRI examinations to determine potential resource and cost savings.
Vinculin at the heart of aging.

With age, the heart and large arteries show decreased elasticity. In arteries, this results in increased resistance to cardiac pump function and increased workload against this resistance results in pathological cardiac hypertrophy (1). The left ventricle undergoes an increase in wall thickness and an overall expansion of left ventricular mass with age. At the cellular level, this overload results in an increase in cardiomyocyte dimension and decrease in cardiomyocyte number (2). In terms of the cardiac scaffold, collagen deposition increases in the aging heart, contributing to further stiffening of the myocardium (2). These factors altogether impact diastolic function of the heart, impairing the ability for proper relaxation and ventricular filling. Systolic function is not often affected with cardiac aging, based on the preserved ejection fraction and stroke volume associated with heart failure (3). The cytoskeleton encompasses a network of proteins associated with the sarcomere (titin, α-actinin), true cytoskeleton (desmin, actin), cell membrane (vinculin, dystrophin), and intercalated disc (ICD) (desmoplakin, connexin 43) that function to provide cell stability, as well as transmit and receive mechanical and chemical stimuli both within and between cells (4). During cardiac stress and failure, there are significant alterations in the expression of cardiomyocyte cytoskeletal proteins, including myosin and vinculin (4). Cytoskeletal alterations are also observed during cardiac aging (5). However the consequences of these alterations in disease and aging on mechanosensing, force transmission, and global heart function remain unknown. In the recent publication, “Vinculin network-mediated cytoskeletal remodeling regulates contractile function in the aging heart”, Kaushik et al . identify a protective role for vinculin in the aging heart. Their study exploits proteomic analysis of simian and murine ventricles as well as functional analysis of transgenic Drosophila models to highlight a major role for vinculin-mediated cytoskeletal remodeling in mechanotransmission during cardiac aging ( Figure 1 ).
Inhibition of Hepatic Gluconeogenesis by Pent-4-enoic acid: Role of Redox State, Acetyl-CoA and ATP

Summary Pent-4-enoic acid inhibited gluconeogenesis from alanine, alanine oxidation to CO 2 and ketone body production from linoleate by 60-80% in the isolated perfused rat liver. When octanoate, a short-chain fatty acid, was used in place of linoleate, neither gluconeogenesis nor ketone body production was impaired. Assays of tissue metabolites indicated that gluconeogenesis was inhibited first at glyceraldehyde-P-dehydrogenase and secondarily at pyruvate carboxylase. The former block was evident after only two minutes of perfusion with pentenoic acid and appeared to be related to a lack of NADH as evidenced by the pronounced decrease in the tissue lactate/pyruvate ratio. The latter block correlated well with a gradual decrease in acetyl-CoA an obligatory activator of pyruvate carboxylase. After 45 minutes of perfusion, ATP levels were decreased, but only by 20%. When ethanol (8 mM) was added to the perfusate of livers that had been exposed to pentenoic acid for 15 minutes or more, the lactate/pyruvate ratio returned towards normal, but acetyl-CoA levels remained depressed. In association with these changes, the inhibition at glyceraldehyde-P-dehydrogenase was reversed, but gluconeogenesis was still suppressed because of the inhibition at pyruvate carboxylase. When ethanol was added after ten minutes of exposure to pentenoic acid, gluconeogenesis was substantially restored. Acetyl-CoA levels fell, but only to 1/3 of control values and the block at pyruvate carboxylase was less marked. Ketone body production remained depressed. Correlation of rates of gluconeogenesis with tissue levels of acetyl-CoA in these studies revealed a sigmoid relationship with an apparent activation constant for acetyl-CoA of 1.8 × 10 -5 M. These findings suggest that pentenoic acid suppresses gluconeogenesis by inhibiting long-chain fatty acid oxidation, thereby making NADH and acetyl-CoA limiting for key steps in the gluconeogenic pathway. The data also suggest that pyruvate carboxylase may be activated by acetyl-CoA in intact tissue in much the same fashion as it is in cell-free preparations.
College Students' Relationship between Trauma and Disordered Eating.

Among college students, a correlation exists between trauma exposure and eating disorders. Although disordered eating behaviors are more prevalent than eating disorders, the relationship between di...
The Role of Immune and Inflammatory Cells in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

The contribution of the immune system to Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) remains poorly understood. While most sources agree that IPF does not result from a primary immunopathogenic mechanism, evidence gleaned from animal modeling and human studies suggests that innate and adaptive immune processes can orchestrate existing fibrotic responses. This review will synthesize the available data regarding the complex role of professional immune cells in IPF. The role of innate immune populations such as monocytes, macrophages, myeloid suppressor cells, and innate lymphoid cells will be discussed, as will the activation of these cells via pathogen associated molecular patterns derived from invading or commensural microbes, and danger associated molecular patterns derived from injured cells and tissues. The contribution of adaptive immune responses driven by T-helper cells and B cells will be reviewed as well. Each form of immune activation will be discussed in the context of its relationship to environmental and genetic factors, disease outcomes, and potential therapies. We conclude with discussion of unanswered questions and opportunities for future study in this area.