cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical organization of areas in rat visual cortex

To test the hypothesis that areas within rat visual cortex are organized in a multilevel hierarchy, we have employed Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin as an anterograde axonal tracer to visualize the laminar patterns of connections between different cortical areas. For identification of cortical areas, we used a combination of markers that included callosal connections, the patterns of inputs and outputs to ipsilateral cortical and subcortical targets, and geographical location. Projections from area 17 to every identified extrastriate target area extend throughout all layers of cortex and include layer 4. Area LM (lateromedial), contained within the cytoarchitectonic subdivision 18a, projects to area 17, area AL (anterolateral), area RL (rostrolateral), multiple sites within the posterior complex (PX), the anterior complex (AX), the far lateral complex (FLX), the medial complex (MX), perirhinal, entorhinal, retrosplenial, and presubicular cortex. Each of the projections to extrastriate areas resembles those originating from area 17. Only the projection to area 17 differs, and terminates largely in layers outside of lamina 4. Such projections are designated as feedback (Coogan and Burkhalter, 1990). The projections of a second area, AL, of the cytoarchitectonic subdivision 18a are similar to those of LM: all terminate in layers 1-6, except the inputs to area 17, LM, and a site in FLX, which spare layer 4. The feedback projection to LM provides further support that LM and AL constitute distinct cortical areas. Projections from additional distinct sites within area 18a that are located immediately lateral to LM and AL and are designated FLX make feedback projections to area 17 and projections involving all layers to LM and AL. Thus, unlike the asymmetrical laminar organization of reciprocal connections between area 17 and LM, 17 and AL, and LM and AL, the connections between LM and at least one site in FLX are symmetrical. Projections that include layer 4 can, therefore, be components of connections between different hierarchical levels as well as components of connections on the same hierarchical level. The MX sites contained within the cytoarchitectonic subdivision 18b send feedback projections to striate cortex, LM, AL, and PX within 18a. Thus, the connections between these areas are reciprocal and the laminar organization is asymmetrical. The projections to FLX include layer 4, and the projections to frontal, cingulate, and retrosplenial cortex resemble forward projections. Although the areal organization of extrastriate cortex is not yet fully resolved, using the patterns of intracortical connections we are able to construct a provisional hierarchy of cortical areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Pd-Catalyzed Enantioselective Aerobic Oxidation of Secondary Alcohols : Applications to the Total Synthesis of Alkaloids

Enantioselective syntheses of the alkaloids (-)-aurantioclavine, (+)-amurensinine, (-)-lobeline, and (-)- and (+)-sedamine are described. The syntheses demonstrate the effectiveness of the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric oxidation of secondary alcohols in diverse contexts and the ability of this methodology to set the absolute configuration of multiple stereocenters in a single operation. The utility of an aryne C-C insertion reaction in accessing complex polycyclic frameworks is also described.
The Truth About Chickens and Bats Ambiguity Avoidance Distinguishes Types of Polysemy

Words mean different things in different contexts, a phenomenon called polysemy. People talk about lines of both people and poetry, and about both long distances and long times. Polysemy lets a limited vocabulary capture a great variety of experiences, while highlighting commonalities. But how is this achieved? Are polysemous senses contextually driven modifications of core meanings, or must each sense be memorized separately? We show that participants’ ability to avoid referentially ambiguous descriptions of pictures named by polysemous words provides evidence for both possibilities. When senses followed a regular pattern (e.g., animals and the foodstuffs derived from them; noisy chicken, tasty chicken), participants avoided using ambiguous labels in referentially ambiguous situations (e.g., both types of chicken were present), a result indicating that they noticed a common meaning. But when senses were idiosyncratically related (e.g., sheet of glass, drinking glass), participants frequently produced amb...
Piezoelectric polymer actuators in a vibration isolation application

We present results from development and testing of lightweight actuators made of the piezoelectric polymer PVDF. The prototype being developed is intended for microgravity applications in space and has been tested aboard NASA's Reduced Gravity Platform. The design has been driven by the requirements for a full 3D environment. Incorporation of additional electrical leads into the actuators themselves may remove the need for a separate umbilical to the suspended experiment. Linear equations describing the displacement of piezoelectric bimorphs were developed and applied to the bellows actuator including the epoxy layer. Properties for the piezoelectric layers were obtained from the literature; properties for the epoxy layer were obtained through ultrasonic testing. To assess the validity of the assumed linearity of the actuator, we conducted nonlinear finite element analysis, which indicated a high degree of linearity on contraction and up to a maximum of 5% deviation on expansion to full deflection (about 6 mm). We have developed and tested a proportional-plus-derivative (PD) control system for use with the actuator in 1D using a novel folded pendulum to simulate a zero-g environment. Passive and active characteristics are both in agreement with theoretical predictions.
Quantization of pictorial color information; nonlinear transforms

The use of hue and saturation signals to carry pictorial color information in digital systems is explored. The subjective performance of a linear quantization scheme for hue and saturation is investigated and compared to other schemes, using a graphical representation in a space of uniform subjective color discrimination.
THE STRUCTURE AND ADEQUACY OF WISCONSIN COMMERCIAL BANKING

s of Doctoral Dissertations 699 teresting but not always consistent results. In general they indicated that loan ratios were held down by competition in the neo-classical sense of an even distribution of banking assets. Higher levels of concentration and of bank size appeared to contribute to superior performance. Over all, the levels of significance and the consistency of the results obtained indicate that structural characteristics do affect individual bank performance. Most of these structural aspects are influenced by regulatory authorities, so it seems likely that improvements in bank performance can be obtained through policies directed at structural changes. Wisconsin counties have experienced very uneven rates of economic growth, and this study also examines the role of the commercial banking system in establishing this pattern. The conclusion reached is that the lagging areas of the state have not been held back by inadequate banking facilities. By some measures the banking systems in counties showing the least economic growth have actually outperformed those in more vigorous areas. This conclusion casts serious doubt on the usefulness of changes in banking structure as a method of promoting regional growth. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.183 on Sat, 01 Jul 2017 17:51:08 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Modification of Streptococcus mutans Cnm by PgfS Contributes to Adhesion, Endothelial Cell Invasion, and Virulence

Expression of the surface protein Cnm has been directly implicated in the ability of certain strains of Streptococcus mutans to bind to collagen and to invade human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) and in the killing of Galleria mellonella. Sequencing analysis of Cnm(+) strains revealed that cnm is located between the core genes SMU.2067 and SMU.2069. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis showed that cnm is cotranscribed with SMU.2067, encoding a putative glycosyltransferase referred to here as PgfS (protein glycosyltransferase of streptococci). Notably, Cnm contains a threonine-rich domain predicted to undergo O-linked glycosylation. The previously shown abnormal migration pattern of Cnm, the presence of the threonine-rich domain, and the molecular linkage of cnm with pgfS lead us to hypothesize that PgfS modifies Cnm. A ΔpgfS strain showed defects in several traits associated with Cnm expression, including collagen binding, HCAEC invasion, and killing of G. mellonella. Western blot analysis revealed that Cnm from the ΔpgfS mutant migrated at a lower molecular weight than that from the parent strain. In addition, Cnm produced by ΔpgfS was highly susceptible to proteinase K degradation, in contrast to the high-molecular-weight Cnm version found in the parent strain. Lectin-binding analyses confirmed the glycosylated nature of Cnm and strongly suggested the presence of N-acetylglucosamine residues attached to Cnm. Based on these findings, the phenotypes observed in ΔpgfS are most likely associated with defects in Cnm glycosylation that affects protein function, stability, or both. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Cnm is a glycoprotein and that posttranslational modification mediated by PgfS contributes to the virulence-associated phenotypes linked to Cnm.
Climatic changes in mountain regions of the American Cordillera and the tropics: historical changes and future outlook

We review some recent work regarding climatic changes in selected mountain regions, with particular attention to the tropics and the American Cordillera. Key aspects of climatic variability and trends in these regions are the amplification of surface warming trends with height, and the strong modulation of temperature trends by tropical sea surface temperature, largely controlled by changes in El Nino–Southern Oscillation on multiple time scales. Corollary aspects of these climate trends include the increase in a critical plant growth temperature threshold, a rise in the freezing level surface, and the possibility of enhanced subtropical drying. Anthropogenic global warming projections indicate a strong likelihood for enhancement of these observed changes.
A Seasonal Snow Cover Classification System for Local to Global Applications

Abstract A new classification system for seasonal snow covers is proposed. It has six classes (tundra, taiga, alpine, maritime, prairie, and ephemeral, each class defined by a unique ensemble of textural and stratigraphic characteristics including the sequence of snow layers, their thickness, density, and the crystal morphology and grain characteristics within each layer. The classes can also be derived using a binary system of three climate variables: wind, precipitation, and air temperature. Using this classification system, the Northern Hemisphere distribution of the snow cover classes is mapped on a 0.5° lat × 0.5° long grid. These maps are compared to maps prepared from snow cover data collected in the former Soviet Union and Alaska. For these areas where both climatologically based and texturally based snow cover maps are available, there is 62% and 90% agreement, respectively. Five of the six snow classes are found in Alaska. From 1989 through 1992, hourly measurements, consisting of 40 thermal and...
Pollinator Divergence within an Obligate Mutualism: Two Yucca Moth Species (Lepidoptera; Prodoxidae: Tegeticula) on the Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia; Agavaceae)

Yucca moths are widely recognized for their role as highly specific pollinators and seed-eaters on yuccas, making them part of one of the major models of obligate mutualism. Here we describe Tegeticula antithetica Pellmyr (Lepidoptera: Prodoxidae), a new pollinator species of Yucca brevifolia (Joshua tree). Biological information is provided. Molecular phylogenetic data show the two pollinators of Y. brevifolia to be sister taxa, and a molecular clock estimates their divergence to ≈10.7 million years ago. This is the first documented instance of pollinator moth divergence and speciation within a host plant. The known geographic ranges of the two species do not overlap. We discuss the historical biogeography of Y. brevifolia and its implications for moth diversification.
A review of the clinical evidence related to early treatment of elevated LDL for cardiovascular primary prevention

Background The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association updated cholesterol treatment guidelines dropped treatment recommendations based on elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Yet some experts cite the benefit of early statins in patients with elevated LDL for preventing atherosclerosis. We sought clinical evidence for this early LDL treatment hypothesis. Methods and results A review of the clinical evidence examining the relationship between LDL reduction and outcomes (excluding LDL >190). We found three arguments proposed in the literature citing clinical evidence supporting the early LDL treatment hypothesis: (1), lower risk patients get relatively more primary prevention benefit from statins than higher risk patients, (2), statins demonstrate a legacy effect with prolonged risk reduction even after stopping treatment, and (3), genetic studies illustrate the benefit of lifelong LDL reduction for lowering CV risk. A review of the primary evidence found little clinical evidence supporting the first two arguments, but strong grade B+ evidence for the third. However, we found no evidence for or against whether intervening before 10-year risk exceeds 7.5-12.5% would result in substantial incremental net clinical benefit. If early intervention is practiced, evidence to date suggests that overall CV risk should be the primary indication. Conclusions We found consistent grade B+ evidence that the effectiveness of LDL reduction on risk reduction will increase over time, however, we found no clinical evidence for or against whether starting before 10-year CV risk is 7.5–12.5% provides substantive additional net patient benefit, and grade A- evidence that elevated age-adjusted CV risk should be the primary indication for early treatment, but found no evidence for or against whether degree of LDL elevation should be a secondary factor. Additional clinical research is needed, especially with regard the long-term safety of statins and how long it takes for LDL reduction to reach full effectiveness. The authors thank Elyse N Reamer, BS, University of Michigan, assisted with reference collection.
Index of suspicion in the nursery: Term infant with dusky color

A term male infant presents 11 hours after birth with dusky color. He was born to a 38-year-old G5P3 mother via cesarean delivery because of recurrent fetal decelerations and the presence of meconium-stained fluid. Maternal history is significant for a history of posttraumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder, requiring hospitalization during this pregnancy for suicidal ideation, as well as gestational diabetes and migraines. Maternal serologies are unremarkable. Maternal medications include clonazepam, fluoxetine, lithium, olanzapine, glyburide, and propranolol. She is given one dose of morphine more than 24 hours before the infant’s birth and epidural anesthesia with fentanyl and bupivacaine before delivery. At delivery, the infant has a weak cry initially. Once he is brought to the warmer, he has no spontaneous respirations. No meconium is suctioned below the vocal cords. Positive pressure ventilation (PPV) is initiated. Initial heart rate is less than 100 beats per minute, but then improves to greater than 100 beats per minute. He continues to require PPV because of apnea. After 3 minutes of PPV, his work of breathing is normal. It is felt that his initial respiratory depression at birth is related to the fetal distress he experienced as evidenced by the passage of meconium before delivery and fetal decelerations. Given his good response to neonatal resuscitation, the infant remains in the room with his mother. Initial physical examination by the pediatrician is unremarkable. Vital signs and results of glucose screening are unremarkable. He is noted to be feeding normally. At 11 hours after birth, his parents request that he come to nursery so they can sleep. While sleeping in the nursery, he is suddenly noted to be cyanotic and apneic. On examination, the infant is limp, cyanotic, and apneic with a heart rate greater than …
Ileal endogenous amino acid flow response to nitrogen-free diets with differing ratios of corn starch to dextrose in broiler chickens

An experiment was conducted to determine response in digestibility of DM and the AA composition of ileal endogenous flow of 26-d-old broilers to nitrogen-free diets (NFD) formulated with different ratios of corn starch to dextrose. A total of four hundred eighty 3-wk-old broiler chickens were used in a 4-d trial to estimate ileal endogenous flow (IEF) of amino acid (AA). The ratios of dextrose to corn starch investigated were 0:849, 283:566, 566:283, or 849:0 for diet numbers 1, 2, 3, or 4, respectively. All diets contained a calculated dietary electrolyte balance of 115 mEq/kg and chromic oxide (5 g/kg) as an indigestible marker. The birds received a standard starter diet from d 1 to 22 posthatch. On d 22 posthatch, all the birds were weighed and allocated to 4 treatments in a randomized complete block design. On d 26 posthatch, birds were asphyxiated with CO2 and ileal digesta was collected. Ileal DM digestibility was lowest in diet 1 (77.9%) and increased as the proportion of corn starch in the diet decreased. The IEF for all the indispensable AA were different (P < 0.01) among diets with the exception of Thr, which was not (P = 0.07). The respective IEF of AA (mg/kg of DMI) in birds fed diets 1, 2, 3, or 4 were 630, 664, 646, or 1,235 for Lys, 173, 172, 177, or 361 for Met, and 68, 74, 70, or 166 for Trp. For the dispensable AA and total AA, IEF of most AA except for Cys and Pro was highest (P < 0.01) in diet 4. Ileal endogenous flow of Pro was not different among diets. Diet 4 had the lowest (P < 0.01) IEF of Cys, whereas there was no difference among other diets. In conclusion, the data from the current study show that the variation in proportion of corn starch and dextrose in a nitrogen-free diet may affect estimates of ileal endogenous flows of N and AA.
Utility of liver biopsy in predicting clinical outcomes after percutaneous angioplasty for hepatic venous obstruction in liver transplant patients.

AIM: To determine utility of transplant liver biopsy in evaluating efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for hepatic venous obstruction (HVOO). METHODS: Adult liver transplant patients treated with PTA for HVOO (2003-2013) at a single institution were reviewed for pre/post-PTA imaging findings, manometry (gradient with right atrium), presence of HVOO on pre-PTA and post-PTA early and late biopsy (EB and LB, 60 d after PTA), and clinical outcome, defined as good (no clinical issues, non-HVOO-related death) or poor (surgical correction, recurrent HVOO, or HVOO-related death). RESULTS: Fifteen patients meeting inclusion criteria underwent 21 PTA, 658 ± 1293 d after transplant. In procedures with pre-PTA biopsy (n = 19), no difference was seen between pre-PTA gradient in 13/19 procedures with HVOO on biopsy and 6/19 procedures without HVOO (8 ± 2.4 mmHg vs 6.8 ± 4.3 mmHg; P = 0.35). Post-PTA, 10/21 livers had EB (29 ± 21 d) and 9/21 livers had LB (153 ± 81 d). On clinical follow-up (392 ± 773 d), HVOO on LB resulted in poor outcomes and absence of HVOO on LB resulted good outcomes. Patients with HVOO on EB (3/7 good, 4/7 poor) and no HVOO on EB (2/3 good, 1/3 poor) had mixed outcomes. CONCLUSION: Negative liver biopsy greater than 60 d after PTA accurately identifies patients with good clinical outcomes.
Long-Term Followup of the Artificial Urinary Sphincter

The artificial urinary sphincter with a pressure regulating balloon was implanted in 30 patients. All implantations were done before September 1982, for a minimum followup of 1 year and an average followup of 3.7 years. Of the patients 21 (70 per cent) have a functioning sphincter: 17 are continent and 4 are slightly incontinent, requiring 1 pad per day. Failure was owing to erosion in 6 patients and infection of the device in 3. Critical factors for successful implantation include preoperative evaluation, cuff location and pressure, primary deactivation and postoperative care. Our experience supports the further use of this device in appropriate cases.
Propagation in segmented waveguide structures

Optical waveguides have applications as modulators, splitters, dfb lasers, and so on. These structures are also being developed for wavelength conversion applications such as the direct doubling of laser diodes for optical storage and printing. Most of these waveguide structures have involved either uniform continuous waveguides or continuous guides with some form of small periodic modulation imposed, such as refractive index or waveguide dimension. A new waveguide structure has been demonstrated recently for use with KTP to facilitate the fabrication of structures designed for wavelength conversion using balanced phase matching and quasi phase matching.1,2 This new waveguide, which is a segmented structure consisting of both guiding and nonguiding sections, has greatly simplified waveguide fabrication for nonlinear optical applications and may be useful with other materials arid for other applications as well.
Generalized Shifted-Factor Analysis Method for Multivariate Geo-Referenced Data

Multivariate data with spatial dependencies arise in many areas of application, including geology, precision agriculture, and ecology. For analysis of such data, a methodology based on a generalized shifted-factor model is developed. The model incorporates potential lagged dependencies between factors and observed variables, representing asymmetric spatial dependencies observed in practice. Identification and estimation issues are discussed. A prediction procedure that exploits both the multivariate and spatial dependence in the data is proposed and illustrated.
Neurochemical Aspects of Tolerance to and Physical Dependence on Alcohol

The development of tolerance to the pharmacological effects of ethanol and the development of physical dependence on ethanol during periods of high intake of this drug by humans are phenomena known to both layman and researcher. The major recent modification of past knowledge regarding the development of tolerance to and dependence on ethanol has been the realization of the rapidity with which these states develop. Experiments with both humans and animals have recently demonstrated that tolerance may be clearly evident after a single administration of ethanol (Crabbe et al. vn1979; Jones and Vega, 1972; Tabakoff et al., 1980; Vogel-Sprott, 1979), and a characteristic group of symptoms indicative of the presence of physical dependence on ethanol can be elicited after periods of one to three weeks of alcohol drinking by humans (Gross et al. vn1975; Mendelson and LaDou, 1964) and after even shorter periods of ethanol administration to animals (Goldstein, 1975; 1976; McQuarrie and Fingl, 1958). Thus, both tolerance and dependence can be viewed as manifestations of rapid adaptation of the central nervous system (CNS) to the perturbation produced by ethanol. The analysis of neurochemical determinants of ethanol tolerance and dependence was spurred by the development of simple and reproducible means of establishing tolerance and dependence in animals (Ellis and Pick, 1970; Mello, 1973; Pieper et al., 1972), particularly in rodents (Freund, 1969; Goldstein, 1972; Lieber and DeCarli, 1973), and in this chapter we will review the studies on the effects of acute and chronic ethanol administration on a number of neurochemical parameters which are important for neuronal conduction and transmission of information. The review will be concerned primarily with animal studies, but data regarding brain chemistry which is available from human alcoholic autopsy samples and from analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral fluids in alcoholics, will be discussed when relevant. Little mention will be made in this chapter of the mechanisms which are responsible for the development of metabolic (dispositional) tolerance. The continued administration of ethanol does produce an increase in the rate of ethanol metabolism, and the evidenced decrease in duration of action of ethanol after chronic treatment is in many instances determined both by an increased rate of metabolism, and the adaptive changes in the function of the CNS. The reader interested in a discussion of metabolic tolerance is referred to the following excellent reviews: Hawkins and Kalant, 1972, atand “The Metabolism of Ethanol: A Seminar,” 1977.
Intimate Partner Violence and HIV-Risk Behaviors: Evaluating Avoidant Coping as a Moderator

Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) report higher rates of HIV-risk behaviors. However, few studies have examined factors that may influence the strength of the link between IPV and HIV-risk behaviors. The goal of the current study was to extend extant research by evaluating the potential moderating role of avoidant coping in this relation. Participants were 212 women currently experiencing IPV (M age = 36.63, 70.8 % African American) who were recruited from the community. Significant positive associations were found between physical, psychological, and sexual IPV severity and both avoidant coping and HIV-risk behaviors. Avoidant coping moderated the relations between both physical and psychological IPV severity and HIV-risk behaviors, such that physical and psychological IPV severity were significantly associated with HIV-risk behaviors when avoidant coping was high (but not low). Findings underscore avoidant coping as an important factor in identifying and subsequently treating IPV-victimized women vulnerable to HIV-risk behaviors.
Clinical Reasoning: Oculobulbar dysfunction: Central or peripheral?

A 45-year-old man presented a few days after an upper respiratory tract infection with complaints of diplopia, dizziness, and difficulty walking that progressed within a few hours to complete ophthalmoplegia and facial diplegia. Brain MRI showed nonspecific T2 hyperintensities prior to transfer to our facility. On arrival, he was alert and oriented to person, place, and time. Pupils were dilated nonreactive and corneal reflexes were absent bilaterally. He had complete ophthalmoplegia, facial diplegia, and areflexia. His strength in the extremities per Medical Research Council (MRC) scale on initial presentation was preserved at 5/5. His clinical status declined rapidly, necessitating intubation for respiratory failure. Routine blood laboratory workup for infections, metabolic derangements including vitamin B1, and thyroid function tests were within normal limits. On day 1, CSF testing showed mildly elevated protein of 47 mg/dL with a normal cell count. CSF cultures and herpes simplex virus (HSV) testing were negative. He also had an EMG/nerve conduction study (NCS), repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS), and single fiber EMG on day 1, all of which were within normal limits. Serum acetylcholine receptor antibody testing was obtained on admission, which was negative.
Fire in the Kitchen: The Campfire Experience that Led to Innovation in Human Product Interaction

User experience (UX), with practical roots in Renaissance and theoretical beginnings in Modernism, is a contemporary design practice concerned with how users are impacted by their interaction with a product or a service. As design thinking has shifted from form based arts and crafts toward user-centered and user-serving profession, so have its methods locked in on user-centric research and validation tactics. Yet, something crucial seems to have been lost in the process – that of direct first hand experiences as triggers of user empathy that reveals their latent desires for speculative innovation. As such, UX is facing a philosophical conundrum: while it seeks to serve the experiential needs of others, it has come to reject experiences as its primary source of insight and inspiration. This article discusses the experience-centric design process of Black Flame, a novel induction cooktop product interaction. The case serves as a philosophical call to self-reflection and action to the HCI, Design and Information Systems communities to embrace empathy, speculation and design activism as avenues via which to advance human-technology interactions and the increasingly ubiquitous forms of experience.
Maximum power point tracking by design in self-balancing photovoltaic energy storage systems

This paper examines the problem of designing a hybrid photovoltaic (PV)/battery system to achieve maximum power point tracking (MPPT) “by design”, or, passively, without requiring active control. In contrast to the existing literature on passive PV MPPT, a key goal of the paper is to derive analytic design rules for achieving passive MPPT, as well as dynamic models for the potential departure from MPPT over time. We use a “self-balancing”, hybrid PV array and Lithium (Li) ion cell integration topology to demonstrate the idea of “MPPT by design” in this work. A small signal analysis is performed on the system to understand the effects of changing solar irradiation on the state of the system and its self-balancing behavior. In this analysis, we further identify design parameters of the system that enable the hybrid system to achieve MPPT. Finally, a simulation study validates the theoretical propositions of this paper.
Relationship between intimate partner violence and antiretroviral adherence and viral suppression in pregnancy.

Abstract Objective To determine whether intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of clinical factors that influence maternal to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Study design Retrospective cohort study of pregnant women living with HIV (WLHIV) who received prenatal care in a multidisciplinary perinatal HIV clinic (2007–2014). All women were assessed for IPV status during pregnancy by a social worker and/or health psychologist. Records were abstracted for obstetric information and factors associated with MTCT of HIV, including antenatal visit attendance, adherence to antiretroviral regimen, time until viral suppression after initiation of antiretroviral medications, HIV RNA at 36 weeks and at delivery, and preterm birth. Women who reported IPV were compared to those who did not using bivariable and multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses. Results Of 215 women receiving care during the study period, 91.6% (N = 197) had documentation of IPV history. Of these women, 13.7% (N = 27) reported experiencing IPV during pregnancy. Women who reported IPV were less likely to be completely adherent to antiretroviral doses (38.5% vs. 62.0%, p = 0.039) and required significantly more time to achieve stable virologic suppression (16.0 vs. 8.5 weeks, p = 0.010). Time to achieve suppression remained significant in multivariable models (β 4.68, 95% CI 0.03–9.32). Conclusion IPV during a pregnancy complicated by HIV appears to be associated with decreased antiretroviral adherence. Pregnant WLHIV who reported IPV exhibited delays in achieving virologic suppression. These women represent a vulnerable population who may require additional support and interventions to reduce the risk of MTCT of HIV.
Full-duplex communications for noise-limited systems

Full-duplex communications has become a hot area of research. A full-duplex can potentially double the amount of available spectrum, has a positive impact on the design of the protocol stack, and simplifies the design of acquisition and tracking. Most, if not all, of the recent research in this area has been focused on implementing FD for commercial terrestrial networks such as WiFi and cellular. The links in these networks are typically limited by multi-user interference and fading. To the best of the author's knowledge, very little work has been done in applying FD to noise-limited systems. A noise limited system, for the purpose of this paper, is one where additive white noise (AWGN) is the primary channel distortion. Typical examples include satellite communications (both ground to satellite and satellite to satellite) and point-to-point microwave relay links [13]. Data throughput in these systems is limited by the classical Shannon capacity — fixed available spectrum and fixed available transmit power. Both of these limitations can be due to either technical or regulatory considerations. These systems are usually ‘simpler’ than typical multi-user networks such as WiFi and cellular. The point-to-point communications and lack of mobility motivate the use of highly directional, high gain antennas. These antennas can be either fixed (e.g. dish) or electronically steered beams (e.g. phased array). In either case, MIMO techniques are usually not applicable since the channel is trivially static (i.e. line of sight). Powerful error correction codes allow operation close to the Shannon limit. The receiver noise figure is the single most important factor in determining the link throughput. This paper presents a detailed implementation of a full-duplex receiver front end for a noise-limited system. The design trade-offs are driven by the desire to minimize the overall receiver noise figure.
UV Raman spectroscopy of adsorbed SOx on γ-alumina and Pt/γ-alumina catalysts

Raman spectra of SOx adsorbed on γ-alumina and Pt/γ-alumina model catalysts have been obtained with a 244 nm Raman spectrometer. Strong peaks in the 980–1380 cm-1 region characteristic of adsorbed sulfates are clearly portrayed in the spectra, which contrast with fluorescence-dominated scans obtained using visible excitation. Broad bands are also observed in the 3500–3700 cm-1 O–H stretch region on the γ-alumina, which belong to weakly-bound physisorbed water and more strongly-bound surface hydroxyls. These features are monitored as the samples are heated up to 600°C in the presence of nitrogen. The sulfate peaks vary in position depending on whether or not the γ-alumina is loaded with platinum, hydrated, or dehydrated. Platinum appears to inhibit the physisorption of water and the formation of hydroxyls on the γ-alumina surface, as evidenced by the absence of O–H stretch vibrations on the Pt-loaded sample. Our spectral data demonstrate that UV Raman spectroscopy is a useful technique for analytical studies of adsorbed SOx on γ-alumina, and holds promise for future in situ investigations of other adsorbed species on catalytic substrates of automotive interest.
The morphosyntactic reality of phonological form

Apparent reference to a noun’s phonological form is common in noun class and gender systems.1 However, if morphosyntactic operations are mediated by abstract features, as has been argued most explicitly by Anderson (1992), Zwicky (1987), and Zwicky and Pullum (1986), then phonological identities between nouns and their corresponding agreement markers cannot be expressed directly in morphosyntactic rules.
The Four Mirrors

The Four Mirrors: One morning, Charles McForbes wakes up next to his wife and discovers he cannot see his face in the mirror. This unsettling event launches him out of middle-class comfort and sends him into the neighborhoods of San Jose. As he wanders the streets, we learn of McForbes’ dual life—one he had in a village in Limon province and then the life he fashioned for himself in the city. His physical and psychological journey moves from the bustle and coldness of the capital to the slow pace and suffocating heat of the Caribbean lowlands. His lifetime of looking at himself through the eyes of others leads to devastating consequences and sends him on a quest to bring the past and the present together.
Treatment of Acute Seymour Fractures.

Background:Seymour fractures are distal phalanx fractures in children with a juxta-epiphyseal pattern. The purpose of our study was to investigate the treatments, outcomes, operative ;indications, and antibiotic choice for acute Seymour fractures (presenting within 24 h of injury), to better define
Psychometric Properties of the Safety Maneuver Scale for Adolescents (SMS-A) and Relationship to Outcomes of a Transdiagnostic Treatment.

Safety behaviors are common in anxiety and have been thought to reduce the efficacy of exposure therapy, although some investigations have indicated that safety behaviors may have a non-significant or beneficial impact on exposure efficacy. There have been few investigations of the characteristics and impact of safety behavior use in youth compared to adults, and no known validated, transdiagnostic youth measure of safety behaviors exists. In Study 1, we investigated the psychometric properties of a transdiagnostic measure of adolescent safety behavior use. In Study 2, we examined the relationship between safety behavior use and treatment outcome in 51 anxious and depressed adolescents. Results of Study 1 supported the measure’s psychometric properties, while results of Study 2 revealed that decreased safety behavior use is associated with better treatment outcomes. This investigation supports the importance of safety behavior reduction and provides a tool for further investigating adolescent safety behavior use.
Human T-cell antigens defined by monoclonal antibodies. Absence of T65 on committed myeloid and erythroid progenitors

The complement-dependent cytotoxicity of monoclonal T-cell antibody (T101) for normal and abnormal hemopoietic progenitors was assessed. T101 demonstrated toxicity for normal T-colony-forming cells from peripheral blood and bone marrow. Cytotoxicity was absent for normal peripheral blood and bone marrow granulocytes/macrophage (CFU-C) and erythroid (BFU-E) progenitors. The antibody was also not toxic for peripheral blood blast progenitors from patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). These studies indicate the absence of the antigen defined by T101 (T65) from normal progenitor cells and from blast progenitors in patients with AML. T101 may be used in the treatment of T-cell malignancies and in the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) without damage to normal progenitor cells.
Decreased SLC26A3 expression and function in intestinal epithelial cells in response to Cryptosporidium parvum infection.

The protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum (CP) causes cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheal disease worldwide. Infection in immunocompetent hosts typically results in acute, self-limiting, or recurren...
Neotropical Glandulariini with Male Cephalic Modifications: Protandroconnus Franz and Trichocircus gen. nov. (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae)

The enigmatic Neotropical genus Protandroconnus Franz is redescribed and redefined, based on examination of its type species, P. peruensis Franz. Superficially similar Trichocircusgen. nov. is described, a genus showing bizarre male cephalic modifications. Three new species are described: Trichocircus decorissp. nov. (type species of Trichocircus; Panama), T. antennatussp. nov. (Panama) and T. misersp. nov. (Costa Rica). A first attempt is made to subdivide the Neotropical genera of Glandulariini into informal groups and summarize the current state of knowledge to facilitate further studies, especially descriptions of new genera. Protandroconnus is included in the ‘Microscydmus-Homoconnus-Protandroconnus complex’, whereas Trichocircus is in the ‘Amimoscydmus-Protoconnus-Trichocircus complex'; the groups are proposed based on the presence or absence of the lateral submental sutures, the anterior metaventral process, and three variants of complete and incomplete fusion of the prosternum with the hypomera.
Evidence-Based Community Health Worker Program Addresses Unmet Social Needs And Generates Positive Return On Investment

Interventions that address socioeconomic determinants of health are receiving considerable attention from policy makers and health care executives. The interest is fueled in part by expected returns on investment. However, many current estimates of returns on investment are likely overestimated, because they are based on pre-post study designs that are susceptible to regression to the mean. We present a return-on-investment analysis that is based on a randomized controlled trial of Individualized Management for Patient-Centered Targets (IMPaCT), a standardized community health worker intervention that addresses unmet social needs for disadvantaged people. We found that every dollar invested in the intervention would return $2.47 to an average Medicaid payer within the fiscal year.
Racial Stratification and the Confederate Flag: Comparing Four Perspectives to Explain Flag Support

Recent events have brought attention to Confederate monuments positioned across the USA and polarized debates about their proper placement; however, prior research examining support for Confederate symbols is largely limited to white Americans. This study examines public support for the South Carolina Confederate flag using four perspectives of racial stratification—black/nonblack, combined race-ethnicity, ethnoracial pentagon, and nonwhite/white. Using data from two nationally representative surveys of noninstitutionalized US adults collected in 2000 and 2015 (n = 7638), we identify associations between theories of racial stratification and Confederate flag stances. Multiple model fit indices indicate that the combined race-ethnicity theory of racial stratification best mapped onto public support followed by the ethnoracial pentagon and black/nonblack perspectives. The nonwhite/white model exhibited the poorest fit. Findings from logistic regressions showed that whites had significantly higher odds of supporting the Confederate flag compared to blacks and Latinos. Additionally, blacks had lower odds of flag support than Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and multiracial respondents. We argue that an overlooked aspect of Confederate monuments is their signified antiblackness demonstrated in this study by greater support for the flag among all nonblack racial-ethnic groups. Findings imply that prioritizing whites’ views in discussions of Confederate monuments offers an inadequate depiction of public opinion by race-ethnicity. Disaggregating views via the combined race-ethnicity measure highlights racial-ethnic variation in support of the South Carolina Confederate flag.
Chapter 2 – Starting Materials

This chapter introduces the origin of the “starting materials” that are used in processing of metals, ceramics and polymers. The main types of starting materials are described along with examples of their formation from natural, raw materials sources. Metal starting materials, derived from mineral ores using extractive metallurgy processes, are either bulk pieces, such as slabs or sheets, or powders, while ceramic starting materials are either powders or glass batches. Polymer starting materials, which are synthesized mainly from oil-based resources, are classified as thermoplastics or thermosets, depending on their thermal behavior. In this chapter, the characteristics of starting materials are discussed, along with the types of additives that are used in their formulation for subsequent processing.
SARS-CoV-2 Morbidity and Mortality in Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations: A Window into the Stress Related Inflammatory Basis of Health Disparities.

Health disparity related to race/ethnicity has been cited as "the most serious and shameful health care issue of our time"(Peterson et al., 2018). A portion of the now recognized disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities is attributable to social determinants such as socioeconomic status (SES), physical living situation, health care access, and the psychosocial factors associated with socioenvironmental circumstances such as bias, victimization, trauma and toxic stress as well as structural factors that reduce the capacity to practice physical distancing (Agurs-Collins et al., 2019). In this paper, we hypothesize that, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, disproportionate socio-economic and environmental stressors in the BIPOC population promoted heightened stress-associated neurobiological activity (Stress-NbA). This chronic elevation in Stress-NbA results in down-stream complications of chronic stress including underactivation of anti-viral type I IFN pathway genes. This results in an increase in susceptibility to viral diseases, including coronavirus illnesses. Additionally, Stress-NbA chronically potentiates systemic inflammation (from hematopoietic system activation with myelopoiesis) increasing the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and setting the stage for stress-related chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This process was propelled by overactivation of immune cell gene expression in the nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) activation pathway and underactivation of gene expression in the anti-viral type I interferon (IFN) pathway. The higher prevalence of MetS and NCDs in minority populations turned out to be predictive of the elevated risk they would face in the presence of a highly contagious viral pandemic. The stress-related generation of a chronic non-pathogen associated molecular pattern (non-PAMP) immunoactivation state led to decreased viral immune defense and increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection with increased risk of severe illness induced by cytokine storm syndrome (CSS).
BEPS Primer: Past, Present, And Future, Part 1

This is a mid-2020 Update of my 2016 BEPS Primer article. This 2020 Update is in two parts. Part 1 focuses on the initial two-year BEPS project and developments concerning it since the release of the October 5, 2015 Final Reports. Part 2 focuses on Pillars One and Two of the currently ongoing BEPS 2.0 OECD-led process. Governments throughout the world have been losing many billions of dollars of tax revenues over the past two decades from tax avoidance conducted by many multinational groups (MNEs). These MNEs have aggressively structured their operations and transactions in manners that often lack economic reality so as to divorce their profits from the activities that earn those profits, thereby recording excessive profits in group members that are subjected to zero or low-taxation. The success of this tax avoidance motivated the G-20 and the OECD to begin the initial two-year Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) OECD-led project, which took place from 2013 to 2015. Following the initial two-year project were several years of continued developments with an acceleration of activity beginning in 2019, which has been termed BEPS 2.0. This BEPS 2.0 project is described in some detail with editorial thoughts on its potential effects and how it may proceed. BEPS 2.0 includes two “Pillars”, the first of which would provide for limited taxation by market countries and the second of which would create a minimum tax to discourage profit shifting. This discussion of the BEPS project is intended to give the reader an understanding of the project’s origin, its objectives, and how it may proceed in the future. It does not provide details of the specific results of the work on the initial project’s 15 Action Plan items. Rather, only some brief comments are made on them to give the reader a flavor of the BEPS work undertaken by the OECD and the others who participated in this project. It is more detailed regarding the currently on-going BEPS 2.0 Pillars One and Two. More specifically, the Primer includes: — Examples of MNE BEPS activities, — Description of how the environment strongly motivates BEPS behavior including both systemic issues and developments occurring over past decades, — Participants in the BEPS process, — Brief comments on the initial BEPS Project 15 Action Plan Items, — Results of the initial BEPS Project and possible future developments, and — Description, comments, and editorial reflections on both Pillars One and Two of BEPS 2.0.