cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma Concentration Changes in LH and FSH Following Electrochemical Stimulation of the Medial Preoptic Area or Dorsal Anterior Hypothalamic Area of Estrogen- or Androgen-Sterilized Rats

Plasma LH/FSH concentrations were monitored in mature androgen- (ASR) or estrogen-sterilized rats (ESR) and were compared to normal proestrous rats in which spontaneous gonadotropin surges had been blocked with Nembutal (control). LH and/or FSH release was induced by dectrochemical stimulation (ECS) of either the dorsal anterior hypothalamic area (DAHA) or the medial preoptic area (MPOA). ECS of control rats, ASR and ESR provoked significant increases in plasma FSH by 120 min and peak levels by 180 mm poststimulation. No differences were noted when ESR or ASR plasma levels were compared to control values or to each other (ESR vs. ASR). DAHA-ECS failed to provoke a significant LH increase from baseline in control rats and only small LH rises in ASR and ESR. MPOA-ECS of control, ASR and ESR resulted in the release of both LH/FSH. In all groups FSH peaked at 240 mm but at 120 and 180 mm post-stimulation plasma FSH levels were greater in ASR and ESR than controls. Further, FSH in ESR was significantly higher than ASR at 120 and 240 mm poststimulation. Plasma LH was elevated in all groups after MPOA-ECS but in ESR significantly greater LH levels were obtained at 60 and 180 mm as compared to controls or ASR. Preoptic stimulation of progesterone-treated ASR (P-ASR) did not induce greater releases of pituitary FSH than were obtained in control, ASR, ESR or progesterone-treated ESR. In contrast, stimulation of P-ASR resulted in greater plasma LH levels than untreated ASR but not control rats. P-ESR responded to MPOA-ECS by a rapid plasma LH rise by 60 mm which was greater than ASR, P-ASR, ESR or control rats. Thereafter, plasma levels in P-ESR decreased rapidly to baseline. None of the DAHA-stimulated groups ovulated. All MPOA-ECS control rats ovulated (8-13 eggs) whereas neither the ASR nor ESR Fallopian tubes contained eggs the next morning. All P-ASR but none of the P-ESR ovulated after MPOA-ECS. Seemingly, while exposure of neonatal female rats to estrogen renders them more sensitive than ASR to preoptic stimulation, the ovaries of such animals are much less responsive to the gonadotropin released into plasma than are those of ASR or normal rats.
Neural substrate of depression during migraine

Migraine headache is triggered by and associated with a variety of hormonal, emotional, nutritional and physiological changes. The perception of migraine headache is formed when nociceptive signals originating in the meninges are conveyed to the somatosensory cortex through the trigeminal ganglion, medullary dorsal horn and thalamus. We propose that different migraine triggers activate a wide variety of brain areas that impinge on parasympathetic neurons innervating the meninges. According to this hypothesis, migraine triggers such as stress activate multiple hypothalamic, limbic and cortical areas, all of which contain neurons that project to the preganglionic parasympathetic neurons in the superior salivatory nucleus (SSN). The SSN, in turn, activates postganglionic parasympathetic neurons in the sphenopalatine ganglion, resulting in vasodilation and local release of inflammatory molecules that activate meningeal nociceptors. We propose that trigeminovascular projections from the medullary dorsal horn to selective areas in the midbrain, hypothalamus, amygdala and basal forebrain are functionally positioned to produce migraine symptoms such as irritability, loss of appetite, fatigue, depression and the quest for solitude. The network of bidirectional trafficking by which the trigeminovascular system can activate the same brain areas that have triggered its own activity in the first place provides an attractive mechanism of perpetual feedback that drives a migraine attack for many hours and even days.
Casual dress is more than clothing in the workplace

With the broadening acceptability of casual dress in the workplace for many organizations in the United States, there is presently a window of opportunity to learn more about the cultures of these organizations undergoing such changes and the implications of relaxing the dress code. This research highlights the importance of the maneuvering within the medium of multiplicity of meanings associated with changes in workplace dress by way of a social constructionist interpretation. This interpretation utilizes an alternative method involving q‐sorts, and illustrates the use of ideological constellations involving two organizations. The method used allows for the transparency of the workplace element or culture to come through, as seen through the different ideological constellations and their relational constituent voices, while emphasizing the relational aspect of consumption. Research implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Interdomain fluorescence resonance energy transfer in SERCA probed by cyan-fluorescent protein fused to the actuator domain.

We have used a biosynthetically incorporated fluorescent probe to monitor domain movements involved in ion transport by the sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca−ATPase (SERCA) from rabbit fast-twitch skel...
An Observation Study of a Large Public Accounting Firm

The concern of this inquiry is with management strategy in a large, international public accounting firm. The large accounting firm must deal with a variety of difficult problems in its efforts to grow and remain successful. Borrowing from the terminology of Emery and Trist, the interrelatedness of many of these problems tends to suggest a "turbulent field environment. " In this paper, an observation approach is used to discover the strategy which the large accounting firm employs in its attempt to deal with a complex and changing environment. Results indicate that there is a three pronged strategy consisting of providing clients with a tangible product (Doing), marketing the image of the firm to the business community (Representing), and marketing the image of competence and integrity of the firm to the government and society (Being). Indications are that the firm is successful in dealing with its environment on a piecemeal and short-run basis. Implications for the long run are less clear.
Reliable relaying with uncertain knowledge

The motivation for this paper is to analyze the effect of information uncertainty on the design and performance of protocols. The paper considers two types of situations. The first is when different nodes in the network have bounded knowledge about what other nodes know. The second, called common knowledge about inconsistent beliefs, is when the information is inconsistent but everyone knows it. Situations of bounded or inconsistent information arise naturally in networks because the state of these systems changes and nodes take time to learn of those changes. The specific problem that the paper explores is the relaying of packets in a simple butterfly network. Despite its apparent simplicity, this problem enables to illustrate key features of situations of uncertain knowledge that arise in networks. The paper presents two impossibility facts and one possibility fact, in the latter of which a scheme that enables optimal coordination given persisting imperfection in knowledge is introduced.
Coping with stressful decisions: Individual differences, appraisals, and choice

This study adapts Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) model of stress and coping to describe individual decision processes. This research also investigates the role of situational and person factors in coping and choice processes. In the first phase of the experiment, participants described two stressful decisions they were facing (i.e., a romantic decision and a school-related decision) and completed personality and cognitive style inventories as well as measures of threat, challenge, and self-efficacy appraisals. Three weeks later, the same participants reported how they had dealt with their decisions. They also completed the appraisal measures and described the choice options they would prefer (or had chosen). Results of structural equation modeling reveal that appraisals of self-efficacy influence coping patterns. Furthermore, individual difference measures of positive affect and fear of invalidity were indirectly related to coping via self-efficacy appraisals, and coping patterns and self-efficacy appraisals predicted aspects of the choice. Differences in decision domains qualified some of the relationships among constructs. Overall, the findings show that theories of stress and coping add insight to choices and their surrounding experiences. Cette etude empirique adapte le modele de stress et coping de Lazarus et Folkman (1984) a la description de processus de decision. Elle evalue aussi le role de facteurs situationnels et individuels dans des processus de coping et de decision. Lors de la premiere phase de l'experimentation, les participants decrivirent deux decisions stressantes auxquelles ils etaient confrontes (i.e., des decisions d'ordre romantique et scolaire) et completerent des echelles mesurant divers traits de personnalite et styles cognitifs, de meme que des mesures d'evaluations cognitives de menace, de defi et d'auto-efficacite. Trois semaines plus tard, ces memes participants evaluerent leur utilisation de diverses strategies d'adaptation, ou methodes de coping, pour faire face a leurs decisions decrites precedemment. Ils remplirent a nouveau les mesures d'evaluations cognitives et decrivirent les options ou alternatives considerees afin de resoudre leurs decisions. Les resultats de systemes d'equations structurelles suggerent que les evaluations cognitives d'auto-efficacite des individus influencent leur utilisation de diverses strategies d'adaptation. De plus, les mesures d'affectivite positive et de peur de l'invalidite sont indirectement reliees, via ces evaluations cognitives, a l'utilisation des diverses strategies d'adaptation. Les methodes de coping et les evaluations cognitives d'auto-efficacite ont aussi un impact sur les caracteristiques de l'option ou alternative preferee. Enfin, le domaine de decision (i.e., romantique vs. scolaire) modifie certaines relations entre les construits. Les resultats de cette etude longitudinale demontrent que les theories du stress et coping ajoutent a la comprehension des processus de decision et de choix des individus.
Ultrasound speckle reduction by directional median filtering

This paper presents a novel adaptation of the median filter to the problem of boundary-preserving speckle reduction in ultrasonic imaging. The technique involves applying a bank of oriented one-dimensional median filters to the image, and retaining at each point the largest value among all the filter bank outputs. The result is an operator which suppresses speckle noise while retaining the structure of the image, particularly the thin bright streaks, which tend to occur along boundaries between tissue layers. The technique is compared to a block median filter and an algorithm discussed by Loupas et al. (1989), and is shown to be far superior to the median filter, and noticeably better than the Loupas filter at enhancing thin lines.
Age-related differences in mandibular ramus growth: a histologic study.

Abstract Histologic reconstructions of remodeling variations of the mandibular ramus are demonstrated. This is significant because morphogenic relationships between the ramus and corpus establish mandibular arch position. Ground and polished microscopic sections were obtained from the ramus of 30 well–preserved human mandibles, dental age 1 to 13 years. The distribution of the various types of endosteal and periosteal bone tissues and resorptive versus depository surfaces was recorded. Fourteen of the 30 specimens and the majority of the mandibles at all ages examined exhibited the classic pattern of deposition and resorption (Type A or classic pattern) described by Enlow.1 Nine mandibles followed a second variation (Type B or vertical variation) involving a gonial angle alignment change. Seven followed a pattern of deposition and resorption similar to what Bjork might have called a forward rotating pattern (Type C or rotation variation). The differences in these patterns are large enough to suggest that ...
Interactions among genes, tumor biology and the environment in cancer health disparities: examining the evidence on a national and global scale

Cancer incidence and mortality rates show great variations across nations and between population groups. These variations are largely explained by differences in age distribution, diet and lifestyle, access to health care, cultural barriers and exposure to carcinogens and pathogens. Cancers caused by infections are significantly more common in developing than developed countries, and they overproportionally affect immigrant populations in the USA and other countries. The global pattern of cancer is not stagnant. Instead, it is dynamic because of fluctuations in the age distribution of populations, improvements in cancer prevention and early detection in affluent countries and rapid changes in diet and lifestyle in parts of the world. For example, increased smoking rates have caused tobacco-induced cancers to rise in various Asian countries, whereas reduced smoking rates have caused these cancers to plateau or even begin to decline in Western Europe and North America. Some population groups experience a disproportionally high cancer burden. In the USA and the Caribbean, cancer incidence and mortality rates are excessively high in populations of African ancestry when compared with other population groups. The causes of this disparity are multifaceted and may include tumor biological and genetic factors and their interaction with the environment. In this review, we will discuss the magnitude and causes of global cancer health disparities and will, with a focus on African-Americans and selected cancer sites, evaluate the evidence that genetic and tumor biological factors contribute to existing cancer incidence and outcome differences among population groups in the USA.
The Scientist-Practitioner in Counseling Psychology Toward a Deeper Integration of Theory, Research, and Practice

This article presents a revised conception of research and practice in counseling psychology that (1) emphasizes the traditional activities of each role that have positive implications for the other role; (2) expands each role to bring each closer to the activities of the other; (3) highlights a number of practices in the humanities and other social sciences that can aid counseling psychologists in their efforts to further integrate research, theory, and practice; and (4) indicates why counseling psychologists are uniquely well suited to accomplish such an integration and have in many instances informally begun the task. What has historically occurred is that an unnecessarily wide gap has arisen between research and practice in counseling psychology (e.g., Goldman, 1976). By broadening the range of acceptable explanations in psychological research and modifying slightly the evidence-collecting procedures in the practice of counseling, the gap between the two might be lessened to the benefit of both undert...
Maximizing service and learning in an international engineering service learning program

Service-learning (SL) is a teaching method that combines classroom instruction with community service. Engineering SL provides students the opportunity to apply their theoretical technical knowledge to a meaningful hands-on field experience designed to solve real-world problems faced by people and communities. We have conducted engineering SL programs since 2005 and have developed certain strategies that maximize, to a great extent, the benefits students derive from the experience. In this paper, we will discuss the importance of communications, constraint definition, social and economic the interdisciplinary approach to problem solving, cultural compliance, replicability, partnering, documentation, local ownership and sustainability. Student feedback was assessed and quantitative and qualitative results are presented. We will describe the class structure in the education model implemented in and outside the classroom environment, and how the experience is enhanced when working with students who may have done manual community service, but most often have not conducted technical or engineering projects. This paper outlines a course model that may help educators develop a course that maximizes the potential of international service-learning. Finally, we will describe the challenges still faced and best practices in order to maximize the SL experience for the students and the community.
Utility of Leflunomide in the Treatment of Drug Resistant Cytomegalovirus Retinitis

ABSTRACTPurpose: To describe leflunomide use in the treatment of drug resistant cytomegalovirus retinitis. Leflunomide has been shown to be effective in the treatment of systemic CMV viremia.Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients with CMV retinitis treated with leflunomide.Results: Two HIV-negative organ transplant recipients with UL 97 mutation resistant-genotype CMV were identified. Patient 1 developed CMV viremia post-kidney transplant and subsequently bilateral CMV retinitis. Retinitis progressed, despite intravitreal injection of ganciclovir and foscarnet, and IV foscarnet and oral valganciclovir. Retinitis control was achieved with the addition of oral leflunomide. Disease remained inactive for 22 months. Patient 2 developed CMV retinitis after lung transplant. Disease progressed despite intravitreal foscarnet injections and oral valganciclovir. Control of retinitis was achieved with addition of oral leflunomide, allowing cessation of intravitreal therapy. Disease remained inactive until hi...
Recurrent Measures and Measure Rigidity

Abstract. We study maps which preserve a foliation and a metric on this foliation. Such maps arise when studying multiparameter abelian actions, and also in the study of arithmetic quantum unique ergodicity. We also discuss measurable dynamics in which neither the measure nor the measure class is preserved, but nonetheless the system has complicated orbit structure.
Texture Development in High-Silicon Iron Sheet Produced by Simple Shear Deformation

Sheet processing of high Si-Fe alloys (up to 6.5 wt pct Si) is demonstrated by application of highly confined shear deformation in cutting-extrusion. This alloy system, of major interest to electromagnetic applications, is characterized by poor workability. By a suitable interactive combination of simple shear, high strain rates, near-adiabatic heating, and large hydrostatic pressure in the deformation zone, flow localization, and cracking inherent to this alloy system are suppressed. This enables creation of sheet and foil forms from bulk ingots, cast or wrought, in a single deformation step, unlike rolling. The sheet is characterized by strong shear textures, described by partial {110} and 〈111〉 fibers, and fine-grained microstructures (~20 µm grain size). The orientation (inclination) of these fibers, with respect to the sheet surface, can be varied over a range of 35 deg through selection of the deformation path. In contrast to rolling textures, the current shear deformation textures are negligibly influenced by recrystallization annealing. A recovery-based continuous recrystallization mechanism is proposed to explain the texture retention. Some general implications for shear-based processing of alloys of limited workability are discussed.
Adaptive Control of Hypersonic Vehicles in the Presence of Thrust and Actuator Uncertainties

This paper proposes an adaptive controller for a hypersonic cruise vehicle subjected to thrust and actuator uncertainties. The controller is derived using a nonlinear dynamics model of a generic airbreathing hypersonic vehicle, which has been addressed by Bolender, Doman, and their coworkers. The model is physics based, incorporates compressibility eects of air through Prandtl-Meyer and shock theory, elastic eects, and the coupling between the airframe and combustion system. Several uncertainties are introduced in this model that mimic thrust loss, actuator saturation, as well as loss of control eectiveness. An adaptive controller that eectively accomplishes command following under cruise conditions in the presence of these uncertainties is developed. The robustness of this controller is guaranteed in the presence of disturbances, unmodeled dynamics, and actuator saturation. Simulation results using the high-delity model are provided to illustrate the properties of the adaptive robust controller.
Grueneisen relaxation photoacoustic microscopy in vivo (Conference Presentation)

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) can achieve submicron lateral resolution by tightly focusing the excitation light, while the axial resolution is still limited by the frequency bandwidth of the ultrasonic transducer. The Grueneisen relaxation effect, in which the Grueneisen parameter changes within the thermal relaxation time following a laser impulse heating, can provide excellent axial resolution due to its optical sectioning property. Based on this effect, Grueneisen relaxation photoacoustic microscopy (GR-PAM) was developed and demonstrated ex vivo. Here, we present for the first time in vivo imaging of mouse brains with improved axial resolution based on GR-PAM. An intensity-modulated continuous-wave (CW) 532 nm laser thermally heated the in-focus absorber. Another 532 nm pulsed laser, which is aligned confocally with the CW laser, generated the photoacoustic (PA) signal from the absorber. The difference between the amplitudes of the photoacoustic signals with and without heating was used for image reconstruction. The achieved axial resolution is ~12.5 µm, which is fivefold better than the acoustically determined value for a 20 MHz-bandwidth ultrasound transducer. The system was demonstrated by imaging a blood-filled tube ex vivo and blood vessels of mouse brains in vivo. The blood-filled tube diameter obtained from the PA image by GR-PAM is 105 µm, which is much closer to its actual diameter (100 µm) than the value from conventional OR-PAM (160 µm). This axial resolution improvement was further validated in imaging mouse brains in vivo, and yielded significantly narrower axial profiles of the vessels. This in vivo demonstration of imaging by GR-PAM might inspire more applications in PA biomedical imaging and sensing.
Laboratory analysis of bacterial food poisoning in Haining during 2007-2012

Objective To understand the pathogen pollution status of food poisoning cases in recent years in the city,in order to provide scientific basis for sampling,inspection and prevention of food poisoning. Methods The samples were collected from each link of the whole food poisoing case to detect the pathogen using the uniform methods of GB / T4789 and food-borne pathogen surveillance network. Results Among 49 food poisoning incidents in the last 6 years,pathogens were found in 41 incidents,and the detection rate was 83. 6%. Vibrio parahaemolyticus was most frequenly detected( 42. 9%),followed by Salmonella( 12. 4%) and Staphylococcus aureus( 8. 2%),Shigella and Escherichia O157: H7( 6. 1%),Hemolytic streptococcus and Listeria monocytogenes( 4. 1%). Food poisoning occurred mainly in the second and third quarter,accounting for 46. 9% and 34. 7% of the total incidence,respectively. In all the cases,there were 40 cases in rural areas and 9 cases in city. Conclusion The main pathogen of food poisoning in the city was Vibrio parahaemolyticus,frequently found in the second and third quarter and more in rural areas than cities. The sanitary control and technical guidance should be enhanced to reduce the incidence of food poisoning.
Serum form of the erythropoietin receptor identified by a sequence-specific peptide antibody.

The present investigation was undertaken to search for soluble forms of the erythropoietin receptor in human serum using polyclonal antibody against an amino terminal peptide sequence in the extracellular domain. This sequence was located adjacent to the amino terminus at residues 25- 38. When this antibody was used for Western blots of solubilized membranes from nucleated bone marrow cells, a protein consistent with native erythropoietin receptor was seen. Purified soluble ectodomain of the erythropoietin receptor displayed appropriate reactivity with this antibody. When sera from normal subjects and patients with a range of hematologic disorders were examined by Western blotting, a protein with a molecular mass of 34 Kd was detected in sera from patients with enhanced erythropoiesis including sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and megaloblastic anemia. This protein was rarely detected in normal serum but appeared when normal subjects were treated with recombinant erythropoietin and disappeared after full treatment of patients with megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency. The protein was not detected after myeloablation for bone marrow transplantation but appeared with marrow engraftment. Reactivity of this protein with the peptide antibody was competitively inhibited by the amino terminal peptide sequence. An additional 48 Kd protein was detected that showed minimal variation in intensity with differing degrees of erythropoietic activity. Detection of this protein could not be inhibited by the addition of synthetic peptide. Our findings indicate the presence of a soluble form of the erythropoietin receptor related to the extracellular domain that is highly correlated with enhanced erythropoiesis.
SU-F-T-556: A Potential Real Time AQA for Cyberknife Cones and MLC Based Treatments

Purpose: To investigate the potential use of the Raven™ (LAP of America Laser Applications) for real time AQA of Cyberknife™ with InCise2 MLC (Accuray™ Medical). Methods: At setup, the Raven was rotated 45° on which an Accuray™ AQA cube was positioned. Three different AQA plans for fixed cone, InCise2MLC, and a modified MLC plan were delivered repeatedly ten times. The additional shapes in modified AQA plan enable additional reproducibility checks for all the MLC pairs. During the test, the cube was aligned by imbedded fiducials and irradiated. The two angled radiation beams aimed center tungsten ball of the cube and projected 45° to phosphor screen and registered by a CCD camera of the Raven device. The centricity of the metal ball in the irradiated field was then analyzed using Matlab codes. Results: For AP images, the average offsets of X, Y, and radial directions are 0.24 ± 0.04 mm, 0.25 ± 0.02 mm and 0.35 ±± 0.03 mm respectively for the cone; 0.34 ± 0.02 mm, 0.49 ± 0.04 mm and 0.60 ± 0.04 mm respectively for the MLC. For lateral images, they are 0.63 ± 0.05 mm, 0.11 ± 0.02 mm and 0.64 ± 0.04 mm respectively for the cone, 0.79 ± 0.08 mm, −0.23 ± 0.06 mm and 0.82 ± 0.09 mm respectively for the MLC. No inconsistent MLC shapes were found in the modified AQA group. Conclusion: The results are consistent with clinically acceptable values (≤1mm from baseline). The results suggest the potential of replacement of the standard AQA test with the novel real-time Raven device for Cyberknife daily QA. The modified MLC based AQA provides a more comprehensive MLC daily QA capability. Further improvements in its resolution and automatic analyzing capability are warranted.
Abstract SY42-01: Emerging epigenetic targets in high-risk pediatric solid tumors

Pediatric cancers are typically characterized by simple genomes and key initiating events driven by aberrancy of a transcription factor or chromatin modifier. One such example is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children, neuroblastoma. Amplification of the transcription factor encoding gene MYCN is present in ∼50% of high-risk neuroblastomas, representing the best-characterized genetic marker of poor survival in these pediatric patients. We have focused on the discovery of new therapeutic strategies to targeting this recalcitrant subtype of neuroblastoma using chemical and functional genomic approaches. First, we identified BET bromodomain inhibitors as highly active in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma in an unbiased screen of 673 diverse cancer cell lines and validated this finding using genetic suppression with shRNA and chemical inhibition with multiple BET inhibitors. Mechanistically, BET inhibitors suppress the MYCN transcriptional program and the expression of MYCN itself. Extending these studies in vivo, both to patient derived xenografts (PDX) and to genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models of MYCN-driven neuroblastoma, we demonstrated remarkable efficacy. However, this single agent approach was not curative, suggesting the need for combination therapies. In order to address this issue, we performed both gain-of-function (ORF) and loss-of-function (CRISPR/Cas9) screening of neuroblastoma cell lines treated with BET bromodomain inhibitors at an IC90 to identify potential mechanisms of resistance to treatment and to nominate targetable pathways for combination therapy. Three key pathways emerging at the intersection of these screens are under evaluation and will be presented. In parallel, we have performed a genome-wide CRISPR screen in a panel of 8 neuroblastoma cell lines, 7 of which are MYCN amplified, to identify new dependencies. In comparing neuroblastoma cell lines to over 70 non-neuroblastoma cancer cell lines, several known neuroblastoma dependencies were confirmed, including MYCN, ALK, and PHOX2B. Importantly, novel dependencies were revealed. Validated new dependencies will also be the topic of this presentation. Citation Format: Kimberly Stegmaier. Emerging epigenetic targets in high-risk pediatric solid tumors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr SY42-01.
Coccidiosis in the Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar): A Survey of Coccidiosis Outbreaks and a Test of Anticoccidial Drugs Against Eimeria kofoidi

SUMMARY Field isolates of coccidia from 20 natural outbreaks in the chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) were received from gamebird farms in 10 U.S. states. These were propagated in the laboratory and identified by microscopy and PCR. Of 20 samples, 18 were Eimeria kofoidi, two were Eimeria legionensis only, and one was a mixture of the two species. One isolate of E. kofoidi also contained an unidentified species detected only by PCR, nucleotide sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. The efficacy of anticoccidial drugs against chukar coccidia was tested with experimental infections in battery cages. Isolates of E. kofoidi were used to infect 2-wk-old chukars. Anticoccidial products were given in the feed at levels approved for other poultry or for chukars. Tests were terminated at 6 days postinoculation with measurement of weight gains, fecal diarrhea scores, and necropsy to observe for lesion severity. Lasalocid (120 ppm) was moderately effective in one test. When tested against four field isolates, othe...
Tool attachment in EIS

Tool attachment and integration in an object-oriented information management framework for CAD (computer-aided design) are discussed. A two-part approach is suggested; a short-term attachment approach that allows great flexibility in attaching existing tools, and a long-term integration approach that allows tight coupling of tools. This twofold approach is being investigated as a candidate industry standard as part of an engineering information systems program funded by the US Department of Defense. It is intended to allow migration from the current base of existing tools that the noninteroperable toward industrywide adoption of standards that facilitate transportability and interoperability of tools. >
Glucocorticoid receptor expression on circulating leukocytes differs between healthy male and female adults.

Author(s): Lu, Kim D; Radom-Aizik, Shlomit; Haddad, Fadia; Zaldivar, Frank; Kraft, Monica; Cooper, Dan M | Abstract: IntroductionThe glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a key receptor involved in inflammatory responses and is influenced by sex steroids. This study measured GR expression on circulating leukocyte subtypes in males and females.MethodsA total of 23 healthy adults (12 female) participated in this study. GR expression was measured in leukocyte subtypes using flow cytometry. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) gene expression of GR (NR3C1), GR β, TGF-β1 and 2, and glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction.ResultsLeukocyte GR was lower in females, particularly in granulocytes, natural killer cells, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (p≤0.01). GR protein expression was different across leukocyte subtypes, with higher expression in eosinophils compared with granulocytes, T lymphocytes, and natural killer cells (pl0.05). There was higher gene expression of GR β in males (p=0.03).ConclusionsThis is the first study to identify sexual dimorphism in GR expression in healthy adults using flow cytometry. These results may begin to explain the sexual dimorphism seen in many diseases and sex differences in glucocorticoid responsiveness.
With a Little Help of My (Former) Employer: Past Employment and Entrepreneurs' External Financing

Securing external financing and attracting value-adding investors are challenging for nascent businesses, largely due to the concern of information asymmetry. We explore how entrepreneurs' past emp...
Efficient top-k shortest path query processing in sparse graph databases

While internet graphs are usually dense as a whole, localized sub-graphs are often sparse. In particular, in social networks, the graphs corresponding to users' friends, connections and interactions with others are almost always sparse relative to the entire social graph of which they are a part. In such sparse graphs, reachability queries may suffer unnecessary performance losses if generalized reachability algorithms are used. Classical shortest path queries are among those that incur such losses.Yen's classical top-k shortest path algorithm has a worst case bound of O(kn(m + n log n)) for k shortest paths where n is the number of nodes and m is the number of edges. In this paper, our goal is to leverage recent development in graph reachability research to propose a pre-computed reachability index in order to reduce the cost by a factor of O(n) needed to discover each of k single-source shortest paths. We experimentally show that as k approaches the number of possible paths, our algorithm outperforms contemporary methods. In particular, we demonstrate using both simulated and real life data set that the path discovery in our algorithm converges significantly faster than the many variants of Yen's method when the k approximation condition is met.
Carnivore concepts: Categorization in carnivores “bears” further study

Although categorization abilities may serve as the foundation for most other complex cognitive processes, this topic has been grossly understudied in the order Carnivora. However, there are a growing number of studies examining the abilities of bears, felines, and canines to discriminate among stimuli that could represent conceptual categories. These studies are few in number compared to the extensive work conducted on non-human primates, but, thus far, results suggest that carnivores show comparable abilities to, for example; form natural categories, discriminate quantities, recognize cues of human emotion, and to discriminate kin. There is little existing work exploring concepts of sameness and relational reasoning in carnivores, and work on social concepts, such as representations of mental states, exist only in canines. Future studies are necessary to better understand the mechanisms underlying carnivores’ categorization abilities and conceptual representations. Furthermore, future work should focus on differences in conceptual ability as a function of social lifestyle and dietary preferences within carnivores. Such studies will be helpful in understanding the evolutionary pressures responsible for conceptual processes in a variety of species, including humans.
"Hidden" Preoperative Blood Loss With Extracapsular Versus Intracapsular Hip Fractures: What Is the Difference?

Purpose:Excessive blood loss with hip fracture management has been shown to result in increased rates of complications. Our goal is to compare blood loss and transfusion rates between patients with...
Acute Care Surgery: A Proposed Curriculum

There is no simple origin for this proposed new surgery specialty. On the contrary, the emergence of “acute care surgery” parallels both the development of trauma surgery in the United States over the past three decades and the apparent partitioning or fragmentation of general surgery. In keeping with a Darwinian adaptation process, the birth of acute care surgery should solidify the pivotal role of the broadly trained surgeon. The following is the proposed format and curriculum.
Wired for Threat: Clinical Features of Nervous System Dysregulation in 80 Children.

Abstract Background The negative effect of perceived stress on health has become a cultural epidemic. Despite many health implications, the clinical impact of stress on the nervous system is not well understood. This case series describes the symptom profiles of 80 children with nervous system dysregulation attributed to maladaptive neuroendocrine responses to stress. Methods We reviewed of 80 children with nervous system dysregulation identified from a single, tertiary care pediatric neurology clinic. Included patients were between five and 17 years of age, with unexplained medical symptoms lasting three months or longer affecting at least four of six neurological domains: (1) somatization, (2) executive function, (3) autonomic function, (4) digestion, (5) sleep, and (6) emotional regulation. Medical symptoms, diagnoses, and detailed social histories were collected. Results Of 80 children, 57 were female (71%), 57 were Caucasian (71%), with median age of 14 years. Symptoms had a mean duration of 32 months, and included: 100% somatic symptoms, 100% emotional dysregulation, 92.5% disrupted sleep, 82.5% autonomic dysregulation, 75% executive dysfunction, and 66% digestive problems. Overall, 94% reported chronic or traumatic stressors; adverse childhood experiences were present in 65%. Conclusions Perceived stress impacts many functions of the neuroendocrine system through experience-dependent plasticity, resulting in a constellation of symptoms and functional impairments we describe as nervous system dysregulation. The pathophysiology of these symptoms involves dysregulation of subcortical, hormonal, and autonomic circuits, which remain largely untested. Recognition and understanding of maladaptive neurophysiology in stress-related symptoms has important implications for diagnosis, treatment, and advances in health research.
Finding roots of a multivariate polynomial in a linear subspace

Abstract Suppose F is a polynomial of total degree d in t variables over a finite field k = F q n . We are interested in finding roots of F that lie in a F q -linear subspace of k t . For m ≤ n , we characterize a large class of m -dimensional F q -subspaces U of k t such that the set of roots of F that lie in U can be bounded by d m in cardinality, independent of q , and constructed in expected time polynomial in n , t and d m .
Fundamental Understanding of the Flotation Chemistry of Rare Earth Minerals

Montana Tech has been engaged in fundamental research on the processing of critical materials for more than a decade. Efforts include examining novel reagents for the flotation of Rare Earth Minerals (REMs). For this paper, research results on a collector, salicyl hydroxamic acid (SHA), are presented. Various REMs were examined and include the rare earth oxides (REOs), carbonates (RECs), and phosphates (REPs) of a suite of Rare Earth Elements (REEs). Differences are attributed to solution and surface chemistry, coordination number, and ionic diameter. SHA adsorption follows an ion-exchange process that leads to chemisorbed and surface-precipitated states, depending mostly on pH. Many effects are directly attributed to lanthanide contraction. Results should also be applicable to other REM/collector systems and further suggest that REM flotation should consider dual collectors.
Outlier Accommodation By Risk-Averse Performance-Specified Nonlinear State Estimation: GNSS Aided INS

This paper considers the challenge of preventing outlier measurements from affecting the accuracy and reliability of state estimation. Specifically, the paper extends the Risk-Averse Performance-Specified (RAPS) algorithm to nonlinear systems and applies it the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) aiding an Inertial Navigation System (INS). The paper includes an application example, using data from a challenging environment, that allows a comparative study with the standard Neyman-Pearson (NP) test based extended Kalman Filter (EKF). In the experiment different aspects of measurements (e.g. risk metric, GDOP, no. of measurements) are used to highlight the trade-offs between the important task of removing the effect of risky measurements even though this removal decreases the spatial diversity of the remaining measurement set.
Modeling diverse responses to filled and outline shapes in macaque V4

The shape of an object’s boundary is critical for identification; consistent with this idea, models of object recognition predict that filled and outline versions of a shape are encoded similarly. ...
Racial Discrimination, Disease Activity, and Organ Damage: The Black Women’s Experiences Living With Lupus (BeWELL) Study

Black women are disproportionately affected by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic, potentially debilitating autoimmune disease, and they also experience more rapid progression and worse outcomes compared with other groups. We examined if racial discrimination is associated with disease outcomes among 427 black women with a validated diagnosis of SLE, who live in the Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan area, and were recruited to the Black Women's Experiences Living with Lupus Study (2015-2017). Frequency of self-reported experiences of racial discrimination in domains such as employment, housing, and medical settings was assessed using the Experiences of Discrimination measure. SLE activity in the previous 3 months, including symptoms of fatigue, fever, skin rashes, and ulcers, was measured using the Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire; irreversible damage to an organ or system was measured using the Brief Index of Lupus Damage. Results of multivariable linear regression analyses examining the Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire and log-transformed Brief Index of Lupus Damage scores indicated that increasing frequency of racial discrimination was associated with greater SLE activity (b = 2.00, 95% confidence interval: 1.32, 2.68) and organ damage (b = 0.08, 95% confidence interval: 0.02, 0.13). Comprehensive efforts to address disparities in SLE severity should include policies that address issues of racial discrimination.
Knocking out histone methyltransferase PRMT1 leads to stalled tadpole development and lethality in Xenopus tropicalis.

Abstract Background Asymmetric arginine dimethylation of histone H4R3 to H4R3me2a by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) has been implicated to play a key role in gene activation throughout vertebrates. PRMT1 knockout in mouse leads to embryonic lethality. This and the uterus-enclosed nature of the mouse embryo make it difficult to determine the development role of PRMT1 in mammals. Methods We took advantage of the external development of the diploid anuran Xenopus tropicalis and adapted the TALEN genome editing technology to knock out PRMT1 in order to investigate how PRMT1 participates in vertebrate development. Results We observed that PRMT1 knockout had no apparent effect on embryogenesis because normally feeding tadpoles were formed, despite the reduced asymmetric H4R3 di-methylation (H4R3me2a) due to the knockout. However, PRMT1 knockout tadpoles had severely reduced growth even with normal growth hormone gene expression. These tadpoles were also stalled in development shortly after feeding began at stages 44/45 and died within 2 weeks, well before the onset of metamorphosis. In situ analyses revealed broad cessation or drastic reduction in cell proliferation in diverse organs including the eye, brain, spinal cord, liver, and intestine. Conclusions Our findings suggest that PRMT1 is not required for embryogenesis but is a key regulator for normal progression of vertebrate development and growth. General significance The similarities and differences between PRMT1 knockout Xenopus tropicalis and mouse suggest that two distinct phases of vertebrate development: early embryogenesis and subsequent growth/organ maturation, have different but evolutionally conserved requirement for epigenetic modifications.
Letters to the Editor in the Chicago Defender, 1929–1930: The Voice of a Voiceless People

A good researcher can walk into nearly any decent university research library across the country and easily find copies of major metropolitan newspapers such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post, dating back at least 100 years. And, as a result, studying the historical record of letters to the editor in those publications is relatively easy. This exciting work is being undertaken by more and more journalism historians and it is a project that should be strongly supported. But what about if one is trying to find letters to the editor in the Chicago Defender, one of the largest and most influential black newspapers in the United States? Or what about some other major black newspapers, such as the Baltimore Afro-American, The Indianapolis Recorder or Los Angeles California Eagle? The sad answer is that the voice of the black press is largely missing from the historical record and from most libraries.
Life History of the Swamp Darter, Etheostoma fusiforme, in Florida

Over a period of 18 months, we studied the life history of Etheostoma fusiforme barratti, the southern subspecies of the Swamp Darter, in Hatchet Creek in the Suwannee River drainage of Florida. We found E. f. barratti on sandy and muddy substrates with dense vegetation and woody debris. Field data suggested a lifespan of up to 14 months, although individuals survived 18 months in an aquarium. There was no significant difference between the mean standard lengths of males and females, and the sex ratio was 1:1. The largest specimen collected was a 50-mm SL (59-mm TL) reproductively mature male. Midge larvae (Chironomidae) and water fleas (Cladocera) were the most common food items. Individuals in the smallest size class, 10–19 mm SL, consumed a larger proportion of small food items such as cladocerans and midge larvae, and larger Swamp Darters ate larger food items such as caddisflies, and consumed a larger variety of food items. Approximately one-third of all E. f. barratti dissected were parasitized by a digenean trematode. A large increase in the female gonadosomatic index occurred in January in each of the 2 study years as the darters approached 1 year of age and were at least 25 mm SL. Spawning occurred in January–May 2016 and January–April 2017. In an aquarium, adhesive eggs were attached to aquatic plants by females and fertilized by males. Numbers of mature and maturing ova were extremely variable (4–226), suggesting that E. f. barratti is a batch spawner and lays eggs over several mating bouts rather than during a single spawn. Compared to the northern subspecies, E. f. fusiforme, E. f. barratti reaches a larger size, 59 vs. 55 mm TL, and spawns earlier and longer, from January to April vs. April to May. Males of E. f. barratti, but not of E. f. fusiforme, were aggressive and possibly territorial during spawning. Etheostoma f. barratti may have a shorter life span, 14–18 months, compared to 2 years in E. f. fusiforme. This study provides baseline life-history data for a widespread and common species that has the potential to affect the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems.